Predictors of social leisure activities in older Europeans with and without multimorbidity.

Henrike Galenkamp,Juliane Winkelmann,Dorly J H Deeg,Cristina Gagliardi,Andrea Principi,Suzan Van Der Pas,Amilcar Moreira,Andrea E Schmidt,Agnieszka Sowa,Stanislawa Golinowska

doi:10.1007/s10433-016-0375-2

Abstract

Older people spend much time participating in leisure activities, such as taking part in organized activities and going out, but the extent of participation may differ according to both individual and environmental resources available. Chronic health problems become more prevalent at higher ages and likely necessitate tapping different resources to maintain social participation. This paper compares predictors of participation in social leisure activities between older people with and those without multimorbidity. The European Project on Osteoarthritis (EPOSA) was conducted in Germany, UK, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden (N = 2942, mean age 74.2 (5.2)). Multivariate regression was used to predict social leisure participation and degree of participation in people with and without multimorbidity. Fewer older people with multimorbidity participated in social leisure activities (90.6 %), compared to those without multimorbidity (93.9 %). The frequency of participation was also lower compared to people without multimorbidity. Higher socioeconomic status, widowhood, a larger network of friends, volunteering, transportation possibilities and having fewer depressive symptoms were important for (the degree of) social leisure participation. Statistically significant differences between the multimorbidity groups were observed for volunteering and driving a car, which were more important predictors of participation in those with multimorbidity. In contrast, self-reported income appeared more important for those without multimorbidity, compared to those who had multimorbidity. Policies focusing on social (network of friends), physical (physical performance) and psychological factors (depressive symptoms) and on transportation possibilities are recommended to enable all older people to participate in social leisure activities.

Highlights

Increasing the level of participation of older people and promoting active ageing is an important goal of European policy in the context of current demographical ageing
A large body of research focuses on predictors of all kinds of social participation, little evidence exists on its predictors in people with chronic health problems
The current paper focuses on social leisure activities, which can be defined as activities that are social in nature and that are performed during free time and that are done by choice (Klumb and Maier 2007)

Summary

Introduction

Increasing the level of participation of older people and promoting active ageing is an important goal of European policy in the context of current demographical ageing. 2007; McKenna et al 2007; Verbrugge et al 1996) As these activities may increase their wellbeing and quality of life (Menec and Chipperfield 1997; Silverstein and Parker 2002), they constitute an important aspect of active ageing, according to the WHO’s definition (WHO 2002). Many older people suffer from chronic health problems which increase the chance that participation is decreased or ceased altogether (Strain et al 2002). Given the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases among successive cohorts of older people (Crimmins and BeltranSanchez 2011), and of multimorbidity, policies should focus on facilitating leisure participation in this group

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