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Centre for Policy on Ageing | |
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Profiles of social relations among older adults
— a cross-cultural approach | | Author(s) | Katherine L Fiori, Toni C Antonucci, Hiroko Akiyama |
| Journal title | Ageing and Society, vol 28, part 2, February 2008 |
| Pages | pp 203-231 |
| Source | http://www.journals.cambridge.org/ASO |
| Keywords | Personal relationships ; Mental health [elderly] ; Cluster analysis ; Cross sectional surveys ; United States of America ; Japan. |
| Annotation | Previous research on the profiles of social relations is extended in three ways in this study. First, by including both functional and qualitative characteristics of social relations. Second, by examining the association of three profiles with mental and physical health and mortality. Third, by exploring these profiles and associations in two cultures. Using samples of approximately 500 adults aged 60+ from the Social Relations and Mental Health over the Life Course studies in both the US and Japan, separate cluster analyses were conducted for each country. The common or shared network types were labelled 'diverse', 'restricted', 'friend-focused', and 'family-focused'. However, in the US two types of 'friend-focused' (supported and unsupported) and two types of 'restricted' networks (structurally- and functionally-restricted) were found. In addition, a unique network type was found in Japan: 'married and distal'. Multivariate analyses of variance and Cox regression revealed that whereas individuals in the functionally restricted network type had the worst physical and mental health in the US, Americans in the structurally restricted network type had the lowest survival rates at a 12-year follow-up. Interestingly, there were no well-being differences by network type in Japan. The findings have been interpreted in the light of social relations theories, with special emphasis on the importance of taking a multi-dimensional perspective and exploring cultural variation. (RH). |
| Accession Number | CPA-080204004 A |
| Classmark | DS: D: 3YB: 3KB: 7T: 7DT |
Data © Centre for Policy on Ageing |
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| ...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing. |
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