Loneliness and Mistreatment of Older Chinese Women: Does Social Support Matter?

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to: (a) examine the association of loneliness and mistreatment of older Chinese women, and (b) examine the potential modifying effect of social support on these associations. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 141 elderly women presented to an urban medical center. After adjusting for confounders, every 1-point increase in the loneliness score was associated with 44% increased risk for mistreatment. After adding the interaction of social support (social support x loneliness), loneliness was no longer associated with increased risk for mistreatment. Loneliness is a significant risk factor for mistreatment of older Chinese women. Greater social support, particularly perceived social support, may modify loneliness as a risk factor for the mistreatment of older Chinese women.

KEYWORDS:

• social support
• elder mistreatment
• elder abuse and neglect
• loneliness
• Chinese population
• aging
• effect modification
• risk factors

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The study is indebted to the NanJing Drum Tower Medical Center, which provided tremendous support for this study. We thank all of the research assistants for their diligent and hard work in administering and collecting the survey. The authors are forever indebted to the senior citizens of NanJing for participating in such an important study and sharing stories of their lives with us, all as a way to combat elder mistreatment.

This work was supported by National Institute of Child Health Development: (K12 HD050121-03), National Center of Minority Heath and Health Disparities (R-24 RMD001650B), National Institute on Aging: Paul B. Beeson Award (K23 AG030944), The Starr Foundation, John A. Hartford Foundation, and The Atlantic Philanthropies.