Factors associated with personal hopefulness in older rural and urban residents of New South Wales

Abstract

Background: As research focuses on the concept of resilience, evidence suggests that greater levels of personal hope may have a mitigating effect on the mental health impact of adversity. In view of the adversity affecting rural communities, a better understanding of factors influencing personal hope may help identify foci for mental health promotion and mental illness prevention research and interventions.

Aim: To explore the relationship between demographic, socioeconomic and mental health factors and personal hopefulness, including the influence of locality and remoteness.

Method: Using data from two community-based longitudinal cohorts from New South Wales – one urban and one rural – we analysed cross-sectional relationships between a range of factors and personal hopefulness using logistic regression techniques, as part of a common follow-up. Personal hopefulness was measured using a 12-item scale and scores were categorised as low (<2.5), medium (2.5–3.4) and high (≥3.5).

Results: Of 2774 participants (53% female, mean age 69.1 years [SD 7.3, range 58–91 years], 36% living outside metropolitan areas) 32% had low, 51% had medium and 17% had high personal hopefulness scores. Several factors displayed univariate associations with personal hopefulness. In the multivariate model, five factors were independently associated with lower personal hopefulness: being older, having lower perceived prosperity, less frequent socialisation, experiencing high psychological distress or psychological impairment. Hopefulness was not associated with geographical location.

Conclusion: The impact of current psychological distress and aspects of adversity on personal hopefulness over time should be further investigated in longitudinal research. Personal hopefulness did not differ across geographical location.

Keywords:

• hope
• rural health
• mental health
• ageing
• remoteness
• adversity

Acknowledgements

“The authors wish to acknowledge other xTEND investigators: Professor Amanda Baker, Associate Professor Frances Kay Lambkin, and Mr Trevor Hazell.” The authors wish to acknowledge the ARMHS participants, the ARMHS project coordinator Dr Clare Coleman and other ARMHS investigators: Prof Vaughan Carr, A/Prof Helen Stain, Prof John Beard, Prof David Lyle, A/Prof Lyn Fragar, Prof David Perkins, Prof Jeffrey Fuller, and Prof Prasuna Reddy. The authors acknowledge the HCS participants and coordinator Roseanne Peel.

Additional information

Funding

The xTEND project was funded by the Hunter Medical Research Institute [G1000456] and beyondblue, the national depression initiative. Dr Inder held a three-year research fellowship funded by Xstrata Coal and the Hunter Medical Research Institute, acknowledged with sincere thanks. The Hunter Community Study (HCS) has been funded by the University of Newcastle Strategic Initiative Fund, the Vincent Family Foundation, and the Brawn Fellowship. The Australian Rural Mental Health Study (ARMHS) was funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council [NHMRC, Project Grants #401241 and #631061] and supported by a Research Infrastructure Capacity Building Grant from NSW Department of Health to the Australian Rural Health Research Collaboration.