Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Negative Psychological Symptoms among Elderly Widows Living Alone in a Chinese Remote Sample: A Cross-Sectional Study

Wang, Y (通讯作者),Cent South Univ, Xiangya Sch Nursing, Dept Midwifery, Changsha 410013, Peoples R China.;Xiao, LD (通讯作者),Flinders Univ S Australia, Coll Nursing & Hlth Sci, Adelaide, SA 5042, Australia.
2023-1
(1) Background: Research indicates that most elderly widows are at a high risk of experiencing negative psychological symptoms. It is common for elderly women in rural and remote areas to live alone without family support to cope with stress due to the mass rural-to-urban migration of China's youth labor force. Such a situation further worsens their psychological health and well-being. However, the prevalence of and risk factors associated with negative psychological symptoms (loneliness, depression, and anxiety) among remote elderly widows living alone in China are currently unclear; (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hunan Province, China. The loneliness was assessed through the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (ULS-8). The depression and anxiety were assessed with the Short Form Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), respectively. The Chi-square test and correlation analysis were conducted to identify factors associated with negative psychological symptoms. Logistic regression was performed to predict risk and protective factors contributing to loneliness, depression, and anxiety symptoms. The significance level was set as p < 0.05; (3) Results: A total of 271 remote elderly widows living alone were enrolled in the present study. Additionally, 234 valid questionnaires were returned (valid response rate = 86.3%). The prevalence of loneliness, depression and anxiety was 8.1%, 44.0%, and 16.7%, respectively. Acute or chronic medical conditions, marital happiness, being the primary caregiver before widowhood and anticipating the death of the spouse differed significantly in the distribution of negative psychological symptoms. Logistic regression analysis predicted that participants who were satisfied with their marriage had a lower likelihood to experience loneliness, depression, and anxiety (p < 0.05). Being the spouse's primary caregiver before widowhood was more likely to have symptoms of loneliness (p < 0.01). Those with various acute or chronic medical conditions were more likely to suffer from depression (p < 0.01); (4) Conclusions: Remote elderly widows living alone in China are prone to loneliness, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Being the primary caregiver before widowhood and having many acute or chronic medical conditions are risk factors for loneliness and depression, respectively. Marital happiness is the protective factor against negative psychological symptoms. To accomplish the goal of equitable access to mental health care in China, evidence-based policy and resource development to support psycho-social interventions that prevent and manage negative psychological symptoms for remote elderly widows living alone are urgently needed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
卷号:20|期号:1
收录类别:SCIE
语种
英语
来源机构
Central South University; Flinders University South Australia; Central South University
被引频次(WOS)
0
被引频次(其他)
0
180天使用计数
6
2013以来使用计数
6
EISSN
1660-4601
出版年
2023-1
DOI
10.3390/ijerph20010264
学科领域
循证公共卫生
关键词
widowhood aged women depression anxiety loneliness
WOS学科分类
Environmental Sciences Public, Environmental & Occupational Health