Files and links (2)
Later Life Food Insecurity and Social Isolation in Ghana: The Importance of Psychological Factors428.07 kB
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Later Life Food Insecurity and Social Isolation in Ghana: The Importance of Psychological Factors
International journal of geriatric psychiatry, Vol.39(8), e6134
08/2024
Metrics
5 Record Views
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:
Source: InCites
Abstract
Background
Social isolation (SI) and food insecurity (FI) are important social determinants of health that can negatively impact well-being in old age. While research on the association between FI and SI is limited in LMICs, the mediators of this association are largely unknown. This cross-sectional study examined whether FI is associated with SI among older adults in Ghana and whether psychological factors (i.e., depression, anxiety, and sleep problems) mediated the association.
Methods
Our study consisted of adults aged ≥50 years in the Aging, Health, Well-being, and Health-seeking Behavior Study. SI was assessed with the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index, while FI was assessed with dietary inadequacy-related items. We used an ordinary least squares regression (OLS), logistic regressions, and bootstrapping modeling approach to examine our hypotheses with p < 0.05.
Results
The analysis included 1201 individuals (Mage = 66 [SD = 12], women = 63%). In the full sample (β = 0.21; p < 0.001) and in women (β = 0.30, p < 0.001) but not in men, FI was independently associated with SI. FI was comparably associated with increases in SI for the 50–64 age group (β = 0.21, p < 0.001) and ≥65 age cohort (β = 0.19, p < 0.01). Moreover, FI showed differential associations with specific domains of SI (OR = 1.81 to 1.45, p < 0.001). Finally, the FI-SI association was mediated by depressive symptoms (65.16%), anxiety symptoms (30.16%), and sleep problems (9.50%).
Conclusions
Our data highlight the fundamental role of FI in SI among older adults, and the effect is explained by psychosocial factors. Interventions targeted toward strengthening interpersonal ties in old age should include addressing FI and older adults' psychosocial outcomes.
Details
- Title
- Later Life Food Insecurity and Social Isolation in Ghana: The Importance of Psychological Factors
- Creators
- Razak M. Gyasi - African Population and Health Research CenterDavid R. Phillips - Lingnan UniversityEmelia Aikins - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyKarl Peltzer - Mahidol UniversityBurnett Tetteh Accam - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyFoster Frempong - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyPeter Dwumah - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyElizabeth Nana Mbrah Koomson-Yalley - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyHubert Bimpeh Asiedu - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyKabila Abass - Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and TechnologyAndré Hajek - University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
- Publication Details
- International journal of geriatric psychiatry, Vol.39(8), e6134
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- Lingnan University
- Identifiers
- 991013217512502368
- Copyright
- © 2024 The Author(s). International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. Open access publishing facilitated by Southern Cross University, as part of the Wiley - Southern Cross University agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
- Academic Unit
- National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article