LONGITUDINAL IMPLICATIONS OF SOCIAL INTEGRATION FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN LATE-LIFE

摘要

Distinct components of social integration have documented links to late-life well-being. Recent research highlights the value of not only addressing these components separately, but of examining social integration comprehensively. The purpose of the present study was to examine the longitudinal health implications of social integration as assessed by the multi-faceted and comprehensive Social Integration in Later Life Scale (SILLS). Specifically, using a community-based sample of 301 adults aged 60 – 98, multiple regression analyses were conducted with Wave 1 social integration (including 4 subscales assessing frequency and satisfaction of social ties and community interaction) predicting Wave 2 well-being 2 years later (depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, self-rated health, number of diseases, and ADLs) while controlling for Wave 1 well-being. Age, sex, education, and marital status were included as covariates. Greater overall social integration (and specifically frequency of community interaction) was associated with a decline in depressive symptoms, an increase in life satisfaction, and an increase in self-rated health over time. Lower satisfaction with social ties predicted increased depressive symptoms over time. Overall social integration did not predict change in diseases over time; however, greater satisfaction with community was associated with increased ADLs over time, likely indicating the increased community integration within senior long-term care facilities. These findings highlight the importance of social integration, particularly within the community, for perceptions of well-being in late-life. Implications for research and intervention promoting late-life social integration and well-being will be discussed.