Active Engagement in Social Groups as a Predictor for Mental and Physical Health Among Taiwanese Older Adults: A 4-year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The present research evaluated the long-term effects of late-life social participation on health conditions during 1–4 years among older adults in Taiwan. Included in this study were adults older than 65 years who were interviewed in the 1999 fourth-wave Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA), re-interviewed 1 year later in the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study, and interviewed 4 years later in the fifth-wave TLSA. Participation in social groups demonstrated a positive effect on decreasing the risk of developing depressive symptoms in older Taiwanese females 4 years later, regardless of the influences of demographic characteristics and previous health conditions. Social participation emerged to benefit later mental health among active older female adults. Active participation in social groups should therefore be strongly recommended for maintaining health in old age.