ArticlePDF Available

ROLE OF SOCIAL INTERACTION ON QUALITY OF LIFE

Authors:
Debalina Datta at Sai Nath University
Debalina Datta
  • Sai Nath University
Pratyay Pratim Datta at Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences, Durgapur
Pratyay Pratim Datta
  • Gouri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences, Durgapur
Kunal Kanti Majumdar at KPC Medical College and Hospital
Kunal Kanti Majumdar
Download full-text PDF
Read full-text
Download citation

Abstract

Introduction: Society plays an important role in determining quality of life of human beings particularly in case of loneliness, physical inability and loss of income. In this background there is a great role of social interaction in improving quality of life of geriatric population. Methodology: This community-based interventional longitudinal study was done among the study population using Quality of Life Questionnaire developed by World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF) by conducting interviews by house to house visit. The selected study subjects according to gender and place of residence were told to conduct regular social interaction session as per their convenient time and place. After 8 weeks of social interaction sessions again the participants were asked about their quality of life by conducting interviews using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Results: It was found that mean transformed scores of quality of life improved significantly in all domains after social interaction as compared to score at the beginning of the study. Further, the difference of score (before and after social interaction) was significantly higher among those who attended social interaction session for more number of days. Conclusion: Social interaction has a significant role in improving the quality of life of elderly people. Keywords: Social interaction, quality of life, WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire
Content uploaded by Kunal Kanti Majumdar
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Kunal Kanti Majumdar on May 25, 2017
Content may be subject to copyright.
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH print ISSN: 2249 4995│eISSN: 2277 8810
NJMR│Volume 5│Issue 4│Oct – Dec 2015 Page 290
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
ROLE OF SOCIAL INTERACTION ON QUALITY OF LIFE
Debalina Datta1, Pratyay Pratim Datta2, Kunal Kanti Majumdar3
Author’s Affiliations: 1Ph.D Scholar, Public Health, Sai Nath University, Ranchi; 2Assistant Professor, Dept.
Pharmacology, Gouri Devi Medical College, Durgapur, W.B.; 3Professor, Dept. Community Medicine, KPC Medical
College, Kolkata, India
Correspondence: Dr. Pratyay Pratim Datta Email: pratyaypratimdatta@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Society plays an important role in determining quality of life of human beings particularly
in case of loneliness, physical inability and loss of income. In this background there is a great role of so-
cial interaction in improving quality of life of geriatric population.
Methodology: This community-based interventional longitudinal study was done among the study popu-
lation using Quality of Life Questionnaire developed by World Health Organization (WHOQOL-BREF)
by conducting interviews by house to house visit. The selected study subjects according to gender and
place of residence were told to conduct regular social interaction session as per their convenient time and
place. After 8 weeks of social interaction sessions again the participants were asked about their quality of
life by conducting interviews using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire.
Results: It was found that mean transformed scores of quality of life improved significantly in all do-
mains after social interaction as compared to score at the beginning of the study. Further, the difference
of score (before and after social interaction) was significantly higher among those who attended social
interaction session for more number of days.
Conclusion: Social interaction has a significant role in improving the quality of life of elderly people.
Keywords: Social interaction, quality of life, WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire.
INTRODUCTION
Man is a social animal. Society plays an important
role in determining physical, psychological, beha-
vioral and attitudinal factors. Perception, values
and expectations are also greatly influenced by the
society where an individual belongs to. The role of
social support enhance particularly in case of dis-
ablement, pain, anxiety and loss of income of a
person. It ultimately reflects on the person’s vari-
ous domains of quality of life of a person. It has
been seen that supportive social interactions is re-
lated to higher quality of life in all of the four do-
mains.1 It is seen in various studies that lack of
social interaction has caused anxiety, insomnia,
stress, social dysfunction and severe depression
which ultimately affects on physical as well as psy-
chological morbidity and hence quality of life of a
person decreases1. More often this deterioration is
significantly associated with poor quality of life of
a person. There is a positive correlation between
social interaction and quality of life.2 Family plays
vital role in this social support system. In spite of
physical and psychological morbidity, one’s quality
of life may be better enough due to strong social
support and association of supportive family
members. This finding is supported by other stu-
dies also.3, 4 Stress, loneliness, loss of income, ill
health, feeling of neglect, loss of superiority in
family are very common problems faced by elderly
in our society which ultimately leads to poor quali-
ty of life of elderly.
India is the second largest country in the world
next to China. It has been projected that by the
year 2025 there will be 177 million elderly popula-
tions in India which would constitute 14 percent of
the whole population.5, 6 & 7 The life expectancy is
expected to cross 70 years by the year 2020. So,
they should be provided substantial importance for
betterment of our society. There are new chal-
lenges and opportunities to work on various prob-
lems of different aspects faced by this aged group
of people for betterment of their life as well as the
whole society. This can be done by allowing them
for making important family decisions, supporting
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH print ISSN: 2249 4995│eISSN: 2277 8810
NJMR│Volume 5│Issue 4│Oct – Dec 2015 Page 291
in case of physical and mental pain, supporting
economically. Government, policy makers, pro-
gramme managers play important role by provid-
ing special scheme, facilities based on their needs;
e.g. old age pension, travel related concessions by
Indian Railway, Indian Airlines and state transport
corporations, income tax concessions and health
care provided by rural group life insurance
schemes and Bhabisyo Arogyo Mediclaim to the
older persons.
Social interaction may play a critical role in better-
ment of quality of life. But there was no study pre-
viously indicating the effect of social interaction on
quality of life of elderly. In this background the
present study was conducted in urban area of West
Bengal, India to assess the effect of social interac-
tion on different domains of quality of life of el-
derly.
METHODOLOGY
Study area: This study was conducted in urban
municipal area of Sonarpur and Kolkata Municipal
Corporation of West Bengal, India.
Study population: This study was conducted
among people aged 60 years and above.
Study tool: WHO-QOL BREF questionnaire hav-
ing four domains namely physical health domain,
psychological health domain, social relationship
domain and environmental health domain was
used as study tool in the present study. 8
Study technique: At first interview was con-
ducted using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire
among study population by house to house visit
after taking informed consent from them in writ-
ing. The participants were divided into groups ac-
cording to gender and place of their residence.
Each participant in every group was called upon at
local place where they were told to regularly inte-
ract among themselves as per their convenience.
Attendance register notebooks were supplied at
the proposed places where they met for taking sig-
nature or thumb imprint (for illiterates). After 8
weeks of social interaction session the attendance
register notebooks were collected and all the par-
ticipants were again interviewed using WHOQOL-
BREF questionnaire.
Before conducting the study permission was taken
from Institutional Ethics Committee.
Statistical analysis: Statistical analysis was done
to identify the difference between mean quality of
life score between first and last interview. Correla-
tion was done between the number of attended
days of the participants and the differences of
score in each domain.
RESULTS
Scores of quality of life in different domains were
assessed at the beginning and after completion of 8
weeks social interaction session. In social interac-
tion sessions different persons attended for differ-
ent number of days. Accordingly correlation was
calculated between differences of score in different
domains with number of days attended social inte-
raction session. This has been shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Transformed score of different domains (0-100) before and after intervention (n=348)
Domain Before Interven-
tion Mean ± S.D.
A
fter Intervention
Mean ± S.D.
95% Confidence Interval P Value
Lower Upper
Physical 44.80±14.07 49.63±12.86 5.45 4.21 <0.001
Psychological 42.68±14.42 53.68±12.75 11.86 10.13 <0.001
Social Interaction 41.67±16.03 48.38±17.42 7.80 5.61 <0.001
Environmental 49.95±12.50 58.22±12.45 9.01 7.54 <0.001
Table 2: Correlation between differences of score in different domains of quality of life with
number of days attended social interaction session (According to intervention group) (n=348)
Comparing variables Pearson corre
l
a-
tion coefficient P value
Difference of score in physical domain with number of days met 0.559 <0.001
Difference of score in psychological domain with number of days met 0.641 <0.001
Difference of score in social relationship domain with number of days met 0.820 <0.001
Difference of score in environmental domain with number of days met 0.755 <0.001
Difference of score in overall quality o
f
life with number of days met 0.802 <0.001
Difference of score in overall health status with number of days met 0.778 <0.001
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH print ISSN: 2249 4995│eISSN: 2277 8810
NJMR│Volume 5│Issue 4│Oct – Dec 2015 Page 292
It is seen that in physical, psychological, social rela-
tionship and environmental domain the differences
of score of quality of life was significantly more
among elderly people who participated in social
interaction session as compared to those who par-
ticipated lesser number of days than them.
In Table 2 the difference between transformed
score of different domains before and after inter-
vention were shown. In all domains the mean
score increased significantly after completion of
social interaction session than before starting ses-
sion.
CONCLUSION
The present study has highlighted that social inte-
raction has a significant role in improving the qual-
ity of life of elderly. The social interaction helps
elderly in preventing their loneliness and thus im-
proves their mental health. By sharing their feel-
ings the elderly people can help each other in im-
proving their quality of life. They can find the
meaning of their life.
REFERENCE
1. Yanos PT, Rosenfield S, Horwitz AV. Negative and
supportive social interactions and quality of life among
persons diagnosed with severe mental illness. Commu-
nity Ment Health J. 2001 Oct;37(5):405-19. PubMed
PMID: 11419518.
2. Ono E, Nozawa T, Ogata T, Motohashi M, Higo N,
Kobayashi T, Ishikawa K, Ara K, Yano K and Miyake
Y. Relationship between Social Interaction and Mental
Health. SI International 2011
3. Umberson D, Montez K J. Relationships and health.
Journal of health and social behavior. Nov 2010. 51(1),
S54-S66.
4. Sapp AL, Trentham-Dietz A, Newcomb PA, Hampton
JM, Moinpour CM, Remington PL. Social networks and
quality of life among female long-term colorectal can-
cersurvivors. Cancer. 2003 Oct 15;98(8):1749-58.
5. Lena A, Ashok K, Padma M, Kamath V, Kamath A –
Health & social problem of elderly: A cross sectional
study in udpi taluk, Karnataka, Indian journal of Com-
munity Medicine, vol-34/issue2/ april 2009.
6. Ingle GK, Nath A. Geriatric health in India: Concerns
and solutions. Indian J Community Med 2008;33:214-
218
7. Health of elderly; WHO technical report series 779,
1989.
8. WHO Quality of Life BREF [Homepage in the inter-
net]. Available at
http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/research_tools/
whoqolbref/en/
... Conversely, establishing meaningful connections with society and social groups fosters a sense of purpose and belonging, reducing vulnerability to anomie (O'Donnell et al., 2014). Engaging in activities that benefit others and facilitate relationships promotes purpose and cooperation, decreasing the risk of social disconnection or dissatisfaction (Datta et al., 2015;Healy, 2019) and mitigating the risk of adverse mental health (Ruiz et al., 2019). Thus, evaluating individuals' perceived meaninglessness offers valuable insights into their susceptibility to societal disengagement. ...
Profiling Societal Disengagement in the New Zealand Population
Article
  • Jul 2024
  • New Zeal J Psychol
Despite growing concerns about declining social cohesion, no systematic analyses have assessed how societal disengagement manifests in New Zealand. The present study addresses this oversight by examining societal disengagement in a large, nationwide random sample of New Zealand adults collected in 2021/2022 (N = 34,131). Using latent profile analysis, we identified seven profiles in the population that differed on seven indicators of disengagement: feeling wronged, powerless, meaningless, disconnected from community, financially deprived and pessimistic, and wary of authority. Two enfranchised profiles captured most of the sample (68.9%), suggesting most people are generally connected to society. However, we identified a small Anomic profile (6.4%) in which members experienced alienation and disengagement across indicators. We also identified four additional profiles reflecting combinations of enfranchisement and disengagement. The seven profiles differed across demographic characteristics and reflect qualitative distinctions between the socially enfranchised and disengaged in New Zealand.
View
... They may have shared experiences or opinions during the development of the sessions. It has been described that unstructured psychosocial exercises also provide benefits [62] and that social interactions without therapeutic objectives improve general QoL as measured by the WHOQOL-BREF [63]. ...
Effectiveness of the active communication education program in improving the general quality of life of older adults who use hearing aids: a randomized clinical trial
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2024
  • BMC Geriatr
Background Hearing loss in older adults affects general, generic health-related and disease-specific quality of life (QoL). The conventional strategy to address it is through hearing aids, which have been shown to improve disease-specific QoL. However, the long-term results regarding general quality of life are unknown, and communication problems and stigma associated with hearing loss may persist. An effective intervention strategy to address these problems is group communication programs, most notably Active Communication Education (ACE). This program has been shown to increase communication strategies and reduce communication activity limitations and participation restrictions. These precedents allow us to hypothesize that this program could improve general QoL. Methods A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 114 older adult hearing aid users. Fifty-four subjects composed the intervention group that received the ACE program, while 60 subjects composed the control group that received an informational-lectures type intervention. The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was used to measure general QoL. Measurements were taken before and right after the intervention, with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months. Multilevel linear mixed models were estimated, considering the WHOQOL-BREF dimension scores and total score as the outcomes, and an interaction term between time since intervention and group as the predictor. Within- and between-group comparisons were made. Results Compared to the baseline time-point, the ACE group showed significant improvements right after the intervention, and at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups for the dimensions of psychological health, social relationships, environment, and total score. Compared to the control group, the ACE group exhibited significantly greater improvements in the social dimension at all postintervention assessments, as well as in the environment dimension and total score at the 12-month follow-up. Conclusions The ACE program improved general QoL in terms of social relationships and environment dimensions, which lasted up to 12 months after the intervention. Therefore, ACE is positioned as an effective complement for HA users, enhancing and delivering new benefits related to broader aspects of QoL not necessarily tied to health. Trial registration ISRCTN54021189 (retrospectively registered on 18/07/2023).
View
... This acceptance shows positive support for the role of the elderly which in turn improves the quality of life of the elderly (Marczak, 2019;Widodo et al., 2019). The elderly who has a significant social role has a higher quality of life than the elderly who do not have a social role (Datta et al., 2015). ...
Quality of Life in the Elderly Qur'an Memorizers
Article
Full-text available
  • Dec 2023
The present study aimed to investigate the quality of life of elderly Qur'an memorizers. Nine elderly Muslims who live in several regions in Java Island, Indonesia, were involved as informants. The informant was recruited by purposive sampling. The data collection method used a semi-structured interview technique. Data analysis used phenomenological techniques to uncover research objectives. The result showed that: In general, the memorizing Qur'an has an important influence on the elderly's quality of life. Specifically, the quality of life of the elderly can be seen in the improvement of several areas such as patience, self-concept, self-esteem, ability to remember, and self-confidence. In addition, the elderly felt that their role was more accepted by the community, one of whom was trusted to teach the Qur'an in the mosque.
View
... These results correlate with a study done in India which showed that in the social relationship domain, the differences in the score of quality of life were significantly more among the respondents who participated in social interaction sessions as compared to those who had lower participation [12]. According to our survey, social interaction and relationships help students in preventing loneliness and thus improve their mental health. ...
Impact of Social Loneliness on Quality of Life Among Medical Students in A Private Medical School in Seremban, Malaysia
Article
Full-text available
  • May 2023
Abstract Background: Medical students often face unique stressors that can increase their feelings of loneliness and disconnection from their peers. Research has shown that social loneliness is linked to decreased academic performance, increased burnout, and poorer mental health outcomes among medical students. However, there is limited research exploring the impact of social loneliness on the quality of life of medical students in Malaysia. This study seeks to examine the prevalence of social loneliness among medical students and its relationship with various domains of quality of life. The findings of this study could help in developing interventions to support the mental health and well-being of medical students. The study aims to investigate the impact of social loneliness on the quality of life among medical students in a private medical school in Seremban City, Malaysia. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 378 International Medical University (IMU) medical students in Malaysia was performed. A Likert scale questionnaire of the world health organization WHO's brief quality of life assessment and the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale through an online survey was used as an instrument. Statistical analysis and Pearson's correlation coefficient will be used to look for any significance between social loneliness and Quality of life. Results: Negative correlation significantly was found in the students based on our data between social loneliness and overall quality of life among medical students included in the study. The correlation was found to be (-.485) between social loneliness and overall quality of life. Conclusion: Social loneliness does indeed have a significant negative impact on a student’s quality of life. This can help us look for ways to combat the domains affected by social loneliness; this will aid in improving their mental well-being, physical health, and social relationships.
View
... Social interaction also creates a sense of interdependence and allows the exchange of memories, resources, and traits, which expands and combines people's identities and creates cohesion [40]. In a nutshell, social interaction has a significant role in improving the quality of life [41]. One of the most significant challenges is that a person's behavior is always, at least in part, a function of the behavior of his or her social interaction partner. ...
View
... Our study found a positive association between health quality of life and older persons' perception of their ability to participate in social activities, like family gatherings or community events. Our findings complement the findings by Detta, Detta and Majumdar [25], who in their study of role of social interaction on quality of life, posited that available social interactions has a significant role in improving the quality of life of elderly people. Our results also compliment the work by Jalali-Farahani et al. [26], who concluded that perceived social support was found to be both directly and indirectly associated with physical and mental aspects of HRQoL. ...
An Association of Quality of Life and Ageing Perceptions among Community Dwelling Older Adults in Uganda
Article
Full-text available
  • Oct 2022
Background: Uganda's population, though, largely characterized by young people, has seen the number of people aged 60 and over grow from 686,000 twenty years ago, to 1,433,596 in 2014. Effective caring for the well-being of this population requires strategic and deliberate planning that involves Quality Of Life (QoL) assessments. QoL assessments among the elderly are important in evaluating the efficacy of strategies, such as health interventions, welfare programs, health care and well-being of the elderly. However, elderly in Uganda face several challenges, ranging from loneliness, poor housing, lack of social and financial support and poor health. These may negatively affect older persons' quality of life and consequently their perceptions and attitudes towards aging. Methods: The study was carried out in 2019 in the communities of Nansana and Busukuma town councils in Wakiso district, Uganda. The participants were 380 people 60 years and older. To establish the association between perceptions of ageing and QoL, this study utilized a locally adapted version of the Older Person's Quality of Life Questionnaire (OPQOL) and the Brief Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (B-APQ). The OPQOL assesses three domains of QoL: Health QoL (HQoL); Social economic QoL (SQoL); and Psychosocial QoL (PQoL). The B-APQ assesses perceptions about physical age, participation in social activities, and perceptions about ability to regulate emotions as one ages. Pearson's Chi-square tests were used to characterize the relationship between the perceptions and quality of life. Results: The majority of the respondents, 61% (95%CI 56.7-64.8), had negative perceptions towards ageing. Eighty six percent had poor HQoL, 90% poor SQoL and 83% poor PQoL. There was a significant association between good HQoL and positive perception about participation in social activities (X2 = 7.3670, P = 0.007) as well as with positive perception on regulation of emotions (X2 = 18.1803, P<0.001). There was a significant association between good SQoL and positive perception about participation in social activities (X2 = 5.3472, P = 0.021), as well with positive perception on regulation of emotions (X2 = 10.5128, P<0.001). A significant association between good PQoL and positive perception on regulation of emotions (X2 = 9.2414, P= 0.002). Conclusion: Positive perceptions of ageing are associated with good QoL. Directly addressing perceptions of ageing could be a low cost and effective strategy to improve the QoL of older persons in SSA.
View
... The WHOQOL instrument developed by the World Health Organization (1997) positions social relationships as a fundamental construct for measuring how individuals perceive their quality of life. Broadly defined as the connections between people (e.g., family members and friends) who have meaningful interactions, social relationships are associated with self-esteem (Harris & Orth, 2019), life satisfaction (Amati et al., 2018), quality of life (Datta et al., 2015), and human and societal development (Psaltis et al., 2015). Social epidemiology research has also contributed sufficient evidence on the protective effects of social relationships on health and longevity (e.g., Holt-Lunstad, 2018;Umberson & Montez, 2010). ...
Promoting Social Relationships Using a Couch Cooperative Video Game: An Empirical Experiment With Unacquainted Players
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2022
Social relationships are a fundamental aspect of human existence. Unsurprisingly, policymakers are incessantly devising strategies that accentuate the benefits of social relationships and diminish the risks of social isolation. The natural manifestation of player-to-player interaction in a video game context poses a unique opportunity to study the effects of co-playing on social relationship formation. However, most studies recruited players with existing relationships (e.g., family and friendship), utilized random commercial video games, or experimented in an online environment. These research gaps warrant further investigation on the utility of video games for promoting social relationships among unacquainted players while in the same physical space. Thus, this study presents the development and evaluation of a couch cooperative video game grounded on sequential team-building mechanics. The findings of this study offer empirical evidence that would have significant practical implications for any organization seeking to increase teamwork and cooperation among its members.
View
... As our intervention consisted of five home visits by a clinical nutritionist and of weekly deliveries of food items for six months, it can be assumed that improved outcomes cannot be entirely attributed to the increase in dietary intake in the intervention group. Home visits and deliveries likely increased social interactions of participants which have been related to increased quality of life [65], better cognitive function [66], and reduced depression [67] in previous studies. However, we observed that improvements in three of four outcome variables were related to changes in body weight, which indicates that the increase in dietary intake and the associated physiological changes might have contributed to the improved outcomes. ...
HOMEFOOD randomised trial – Six-month nutrition therapy improves quality of life, self-rated health, cognitive function, and depression in older adults after hospital discharge
Article
Full-text available
  • Jan 2022
Background and aims Malnutrition is common among older adults and is related to quality of life, cognitive function, and depression. To what extent nutrition interventions can improve these outcomes remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of nutrition therapy on health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), self-rated health, cognitive function, and depression in community dwelling older adults recently discharged from hospital. Methods Participants (>65 years) were randomised into an intervention (n=53) and a control group (n=53). The intervention group received individualised nutrition therapy based on the nutrition care process including 5 home visits and 3 phone calls, in combination with freely delivered energy- and protein-rich foods and oral nutrition supplements for six months after hospital discharge. EQ-5D, self-rated health, Mini-Mental-State-Examination (MMSE), and the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression – IOWA (CES-D) scale were measured at baseline and at endpoint. Results Two subjects dropped out, one from each arm. The control group experienced an increase in depressive symptoms and a decrease in self-rated health during the study period, while the intervention group experienced increases in cognitive function, self-rated health, and EQ-5D resulting in significant endpoint differences between the groups: EQ-5D (0.102, P = 0.001); self-rated health: 15.876, (P < 0.001); MMSE: 1.701, (P < 0.001); depressive symptoms: - 3.072, (P <0.001); all in favour of the intervention group. Improvements during the intervention in MMSE, self-rated health, and CES-D were significantly related to body weight gain in a linear way. Conclusion Cognitive function and mental well-being worsen or stagnate in older adults who receive standard care after hospital discharge. However, a six-month nutrition therapy improves these outcomes leading to statistically and clinically significant endpoint differences between the groups. As improvements were related to body weight gain after hospital discharge, we conclude that the increase in dietary intake, with focus on energy and protein density, and changes in body weight might have contributed to better cognitive function and mental well-being in older adults after the intervention.
View
View
A General Assessment of Life Quality in Turkey and Several East European Countries During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Article
Full-text available
  • Mar 2023
The COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected societies. The pandemic has rapidly spread throughout the world, causing illnesses and deaths. Furthermore, it has adversely affected individuals’ economic status, social relationships, psychological situation, and health status. Most global epidemics are known to harm people's quality of life. The standard of living varies by country. Evaluating the quality of life in different countries during the pandemic could be important, especially for taking necessary precautions and proactive measures against future pandemics. This study aims to evaluate the quality of life of Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Poland, and Estonia in comparison with Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic and to make recommendations to policymakers. The results of the “Living, Working and COVID-19 Survey” implemented by Eurofound in European countries at the beginning of the pandemic were compared between Hungary, Slovakia, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Turkey, and the economic, social, health, and psychological impact of the pandemic on societies was examined. It was found that the countries with the highest happiness mean scores were Latvia and Estonia, the countries with the lowest happiness mean scores were Turkey and Hungary, the countries with the highest mean satisfaction score were Estonia and Latvia, and the countries with the lowest mean satisfaction score were Turkey and Slovakia. It was also determined that the countries with the highest mean score of trust in the healthcare system and government institutions were Estonia and Latvia. The results of the study indicate that the factors affecting the quality of life of people during the pandemic differ between countries and that the countries with a high average of trust in government institutions and health systems also have high average scores of satisfaction and happiness. Policymakers need to have information about the factors affecting the quality of life of society to be prepared for pandemics.
View
Relationship between social interaction and mental health
Conference Paper
Full-text available
  • Dec 2011
In order to explore the relationship between human social interaction and mental health, we investigated the correlations between the amount of face-to-face contact time and quantified mental health. Social interaction data were obtained by wearable sensing system for two organizations in Japan. In this study, we regarded face-to-face contact between individuals as social interaction. The mental health of individuals was measured by psychological questionnaire. We found that the social behavioral property of individuals tended to reflect quantified stress in both organizations. The results suggest the possibility that people who experience large amounts of social interaction tend to have less stress.
View
Social Networks and Quality of Life among Female Long-term Colorectal Cancer Survivors
Article
BACKGROUND The population of long-term colorectal cancer survivors in the United States continues to increase, but little is known about how they fare—physically, mentally, or socially—in the years after diagnosis. The current study examines female long-term colorectal cancer survivors' health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in relation to social networks.METHODSA population-based sample of female colorectal cancer survivors (n = 726) residing in Wisconsin was recontacted approximately 9 years after the initial diagnosis. Of 443 women who were alive in 1999, 307 women completed a follow-up questionnaire. Analysis was conducted on 259 participants who completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Health Status Survey and a modified version of Berkman and Syme's Social Network Index. Using multivariate analyses, HRQoL summary scores were tested for associations with individual and composite measures of social networks, including marital/partner status; number of children, relatives, and friends; and the frequency of religious and community participation.RESULTSAfter adjusting for age, extent of disease at diagnosis, number of comorbidities, body mass, and education, HRQoL was similar to norms published for the general population. Individual social network measures (including the number of relatives and friends) and composite network measures (including network size, the number of ties seen at least once per month, and overall social connectedness) were associated positively with mental health.CONCLUSIONS Social networks may have an important relation with HRQoL—particularly mental health—among female long-term colorectal cancer survivors. The results of this study should be of interest to those seeking to understand or improve HRQoL among this growing population. Cancer 2003. © 2003 American Cancer Society.DOI 10.1002/cncr.11717
View
Health and Social Problems of the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study in Udupi Taluk, Karnataka
Article
  • Apr 2009
  • Indian J Community Med
Change in socio-economic status and various health problems adversely affect an individual's way of life during old age. To study the health and social problems of the elderly and their attitude towards life. Descriptive study carried out in the Field practice area of the Department of Community Medicine in South India. A total of 213 elderly patients (60 years old and above) who attended the outreach clinics were interviewed using a pre-tested schedule. Findings were described in terms of proportions and percentages to study the socio-economic status of the samples and its correlation to social problems. Around 73% of the patients belonged to the age group of 60-69 years old. Nearly half of the respondents were illiterate. Around 48% felt they were not happy in life. A majority of them had health problems such as hypertension followed by arthritis, diabetes, asthma, cataract, and anemia. About 68% of the patients said that the attitude of people towards the elderly was that of neglect. The results of the study showed that there is a need for geriatric counseling centers that can take care of their physical and psychological needs. The stringent rules for eligibility to social security schemes should be made more flexible to cover a larger population.
View
Geriatric Health in India: Concerns and Solutions
Article
  • Oct 2008
  • Indian J Community Med
India is in a phase of demographic transition. As per the 1991 census, the population of the elderly in India was 57 million as compared with 20 million in 1951. There has been a sharp increase in the number of elderly persons between 1991 and 2001 and it has been projected that by the year 2050, the number of elderly people would rise to about 324 million.(1) India has thus acquired the label of “an ageing nation” with 7.7% of its population being more than 60 years old. The demographic transition is attributed to the decreasing fertility and mortality rates due to the availability of better health care services. It has been observed that the reduction in mortality is higher as compared with fertility. There has been a sharp decline in the crude death rate from 28.5 during 1951–1961 to 8.4 in 1996; while the crude birth rate for the same time period fell from 47.3 to 22.8 in 1996.(2) Over the past decades, India's health program and policies have been focusing on issues like population stabilization, maternal and child health, and disease control. However, current statistics for the elderly in India gives a prelude to a new set of medical, social, and economic problems that could arise if a timely initiative in this direction is not taken by the program managers and policy makers. There is a need to highlight the medical and socio-economic problems that are being faced by the elderly people in India, and strategies for bringing about an improvement in their quality of life also need to be explored.
View
Negative and Supportive Social Interactions and Quality of Life Among Persons Diagnosed with Severe Mental Illness
Article
  • Nov 2001
This study examined the relative importance of negative and supportive social interactions in predicting different aspects of quality of life (QOL) in a sample of persons diagnosed with severe mental illness (n = 104). Controlling for other variables that might explain such a relationship, we found that negative social interactions were significantly related to lower QOL in three subjective domains, while supportive social interactions were related to higher QOL in four objective domains and one subjective domain. We found negative social interactions that are stigmatizing to be particularly important in predicting QOL; additional analyses suggested that perceived stigma partially mediated the relationship between negative social interactions and QOL. We discuss the implications of the present findings for the study of the link between social relationships and QOL among persons with mental illness.
View
Journal of health and social behavior
  • Nov 2010
  • 54-66
  • D Umberson
  • K J Montez
Umberson D, Montez K J. Relationships and health. Journal of health and social behavior. Nov 2010. 51(1), S54-S66.