Different Types Of Chronic Disease Research Articles

How does chronic disease influence subjective life expectancy among middle-aged and older adults? Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) 2018 cross-sectional data.

Chronic diseases have become one of the most important factors threatening human health. Subjective life expectancy (SLE) describes an individual's expectation or subjective perception of lifespan. This article aims to explore the relationship between chronic diseases and SLE, as well as the differences among different age groups and different types of chronic diseases in this relationship. China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) is a nationwide longitudinal study that evaluates the social, economic, and health conditions of middle-aged and older adult families and individuals aged 45 and above in China. In this study, CHARLS used probability proportional to size sampling (PPS sampling) to ensure the breadth and representativeness of the sample. This study selected cross-sectional data from CHARLS 2018, removed missing values, and obtained a valid sample of 10,658 middle-aged and older individuals, of whom 8564 had chronic diseases. After controlling demographic, health behavior, socioeconomic, psychological, and social security factors, an ordered logistic regression was performed to explore the relationship between chronic disease and SLE in middle-aged and older adults. The results show that chronic diseases negatively correlate with SLE in middle-aged and older adults. Middle-aged and older adults with chronic diseases are 36.2% less likely to have high life expectancy than those without chronic diseases. Many different types of chronic diseases are negatively correlated with SLE. Cancer is most negatively correlated with SLE, far exceeding other chronic diseases. Chronic disease and SLE of middle-aged and older adults have age-heterogeneous differences. For middle-aged people aged 45-59 and young older adults aged 60-79, there is a significant correlation between chronic diseases and SLE. However, there is no correlation between chronic diseases and subjective life expectancy in the older population aged 80 and above. The government and society should pay close attention to the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases among middle-aged and older adults and adjust policies and measures according to the population's age structure. In addition, the government and society should pay attention to the spiritual needs of middle-aged and older adults. The government and society should pay more attention to cancer patients. Finally, the scientific research team should also strengthen research on chronic diseases, research and development of specific drugs and vaccines, improve the cure rate of chronic diseases, promote people's health, and make people no longer afraid of diseases.

Sexual well-being needs of patients with chronic illness expressed in health care: A scoping review.

To systematically identify and summarize the needs of chronically ill people concerning their sexual well-being in peer-reviewed published literature, to enable healthcare professionals to provide support in self-management satisfying the needs. A scoping review was performed according to the framework of (JBI Manual for Evidence Synthesis. JBI Global Wiki, 2020). Findings are reported in line with the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. A literature search and thematic analysis were conducted. Full research was carried out in 2022 in the search engine BASE and the following databases: Scopus, MEDLINE, Science Citation Index Expanded, Social Sciences Citation Index and CINAHL. Peer-reviewed articles published after 2011 were included. Fifty articles could be found. Seven categories of needs could be identified. People with chronic diseases want their providers to initiate discussions about sexual concerns and treat them trustfully and respectfully. Most of the patients would like the issue of sexuality to be included in routine care. They perceive their medical specialists and psychologists as preferred providers to talk to about this issue. Nurses are seen as primary contact persons but in a smaller number of studies. Although the scoping review included different types of chronic diseases, the needs of chronically ill patients concerning their sexual well-being are not very different. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, who are often the first point of contact for people with chronic illnesses, should take the initiative for open discussions about sexual issues. That requires a new understanding of the role of nurses, training and further education. Providing patient education and facilitating an open discussion about sexuality require further training in the new understanding of the role of the nurse and the concept of sexual well-being. What problem did the study address? Chronic diseases have an impact on patients' sexuality. Patients want to be informed about sexual issues, but providers often do not address them. What were the main findings? Patients with a chronic condition expect providers to initiate discussions about sexual well-being, regardless of the type of chronic disease. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? The research will impact healthcare professionals', especially nurses', future educational standards and ultimately patients. PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. Not required as it was a literary work (scoping review).

Chitosan-Coated Niosomes Loaded with Ellagic Acid Present Antiaging Activity in a Skin Cell Line.

The polyphenol compound ellagic acid (EA) extracted from pomegranate has potential bioactivity against different types of chronic diseases. Skin aging is a long-term physiological process caused by many environmental factors, the most important of which is exposure to sun ultraviolet (UV) radiation. UV-induced chronic photodamage of the skin results in extrinsic aging. This study aimed to evaluate the photoprotective effects of EA on the human fibroblast skin cell line HFB4 and investigate its capacity to protect collagen from UV-induced deterioration. EA was encapsulated into chitosan-coated niosomes to reduce the skin aging effect of UV radiation in vitro. The tested formulations (niosomes loaded with EA and chitosan-coated niosomes loaded with EA) were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and scanning electron microscopy. Furthermore, the in vitro release of EA was determined. The HFB4 cell line samples were split into five groups: control, UV, UV-EA, UV-NIO-EA, and UV-CS-NIO-EA. UV irradiation was applied to the cell line groups via a UV-emitting lamp for 1 h, and then cell viability was measured for each group. The expression of genes implicated in skin aging (Co1A1, TERT, Timp3, and MMP3) was also assessed to quantify the impact of the loaded EA. The findings showed that EA-loaded chitosan-coated niosomes improved cell survival, upregulated Col1A1, TERT, and Timp3 genes, and downregulated MMP3. Thus, nanoparticles encapsulating EA are potent antioxidants that can preserve collagen levels and slow down the aging process in human skin.

Physically active primary care doctors are more likely to offer exercise counselling to patients with cardiovascular diseases: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundRegular physical activity had been shown to reduce morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, obesity/metabolic syndrome, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, bronchial asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Research had shown that physically active doctors were more likely to offer exercise counselling to patients. However, few studies looked into this association with counselling practices to patients with specific chronic diseases. This study aims to determine the association between physical activity levels of primary care doctors (PCDs) in Malaysian private practice with physical activity counselling to patients with chronic diseases.MethodologyA cross-sectional study involving PCDs in private practice in 3 states was done. Participants were recruited from members of the Malaysian Academy of Family Physicians and attendees of a conference. A self-administered questionnaire obtained information on sociodemography, initiation of exercise counselling to patients with chronic diseases as well as physical activity levels using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).ResultsThe response rate was 32.3% (272/842). 47.1% of the respondents were post-graduate holders. 50% of participants had a moderate level of physical activity and 24.3% a high level. Most respondents answered ‘always’ or ‘often’ for initiation of exercise counselling to patients with cardiovascular diseases (59.9%), hypertension (72.8%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (78.6%), obesity/metabolic syndrome (86.4%), dyslipidaemia (81.6%), osteoarthritis/osteoporosis (41.9%) and bronchial asthma/COPD (29.5%). PCDs being physically active and non-smokers were associated with a higher initiation of exercise counselling to patients with cardiovascular diseases. Doctors with post-graduate degrees were more likely to offer exercise counselling to hypertensive patients.ConclusionThe association between PCDs’ physical activity levels and their physical activity counselling varies between different types of chronic diseases. Primary care doctors with higher physical activity levels were more likely to initiate physical activity counselling in patients with cardiovascular disease during chronic disease follow up visits.

In vitro Assessment of Antioxidant and Anticancer Potential of Flavonoid Glycosides of Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC.

Development of unbalanced state of free radicals and their elimination in the body is the reason for increase in different types of chronic diseases including cancer. A better natural supplement to play role of antioxidants to combat the free radicals and to reduce the risk of cancer is in high demand. This current research work focused on identifying such a potent phytocompounds from Glinus oppositifolius (L.) Aug. DC. The active compounds of the aerial parts of the plant have been extracted using methanol and the phytochemical analysis was carried out using qualitative tests, FTIR and GC-MS. The plant extract found to contain range of phyto compounds with good amounts of flavonoid and xylofuranoside. Flavonoid glycoside from the plant extract has been partially purified through chromatography and tested for efficiency against free radicals through in vitro antioxidant assays. The partially purified compound showed good antioxidant activity equivalent to 62.12 to 63.35 μg of rutin standard. Further cytotoxic nature of the flavonoid glycoside was also assessed against breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line. The tested compound has shown cancerous cell controlling ability (76.68% cell death in 24 h). The immense antioxidant and anticancer potential of flavonoid glycosides of G. oppositifolius could be utilized as a good source of natural, antioxidant supplement under nutraceuticals to prevent oxidative-stress-related disorders and also as therapeutic compound to cure cancer under pharmaceuticals.

SARS-CoV-2: Review of conditions associated with severe disease and mortality

The 2019 Coronavirus Virus Disease (COVID-19) represents a global public health challenge in the twenty-first century. As of June 2020, the virus had spread across 216 countries across the globe. This paper aims to analyze and identify those existing comorbidities among COVID-19 patients that represent potential risk factors for COVID-19 complications, severe illness, and death. Multiple database resources were searched. The resources include the University of Saskatchewan library USearch, Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, and the Google search engine. Thirty-seven articles, which included 15 different types of chronic diseases, were selected. Among the reviewed diseases and conditions, cancer, diabetes, lymphopenia, hypertension, kidney disease, smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and organ transplant were found to represent potential risk factors for COVID-19 complications, severe illness, and death. Other conditions that require further research as to whether they predispose subjects to severe illness and death include coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, valvular heart disease, gastrointestinal diseases, HIV/AIDS, asthma, and liver disease. In conclusion, this article explains the association between diseases mentioned above and the severity of COVID-19 and clearly shows the population at risk. This paper will help government bodies and decision-makers prioritize resources for these populations to reduce mortality rates and overall quality of life.

Out-of-pocket health spending among Medicare beneficiaries: Which chronic diseases are most costly?

BackgroundLittle is known about the impact of different types of chronic diseases on older adults’ out-of-pocket healthcare spending and whether certain diseases trigger higher spending needs than others.MethodsWe use data from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study representing a weighted population of 35,939,270 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65+. Generalized linear models are applied to estimate the effect of different chronic diseases on total out-of-pocket expenditure, adjusted for demographics, socio-economic status, physical health, and other factors. We also decompose total spending by expenditure categories (inpatient, non-inpatient, and prescription drug spending). Sensitivity analysis is performed using a younger sample of older adults aged 50–64.ResultsCardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension and cancer, induce significantly higher adjusted out-of-pocket spending among older adults than other conditions. These results hold regardless how the spending differences are assessed (absolute or percentage terms). For Medicare beneficiaries, cardiovascular disease is associated with an excess out-of-pocket spending of $317 per year, followed by diabetes ($237), hypertension ($150), and cancer ($144). Prescription drug spending is singularly the most important driver of additional expenses for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension, while non-inpatient services spending accounts for the bulk of increased spending among those with cancer.ConclusionsOur finding that major noncommunicable diseases impact individuals’ out-of-pocket medical spending differentially–and that service drivers of increased spending may be heterogeneous across disease types–suggest that health professionals and policymakers should recognize that certain chronic diseases exert greater financial toll on the elderly. Interventions to promote more cost efficient healthcare services and consumer choices can help older adults better cope with these expensive long-lasting conditions and reduce the overall burden of noncommunicable diseases.

Falls among the elderly in rural areas of the Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

Objective: Falls are one of the greatest public health problems affecting the elderly and can lead to serious consequences. To estimate the prevalence of falls among elderly individuals and to identify the associated risk factors. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 408 elderly persons aged 60 years and older in rural areas of the Sharkia governorate, Egypt. All participating persons were subjected to a structured interview questionnaire, Anthropometric measurements and Tinetti scale for balance and gait. Results: The prevalence of falls is high among the elderly (62%). Half of the falls occurred indoors, mostly in bathroom (38.2%), on stairs (22.8%) and in the bedroom (21.1%). Traffic falls occurred in (36.2%) of fallers. Slipping and dizziness were the most common causes of falls. The results showed a significant relationship between different types of chronic diseases, as well as medication use, and a high risky tinetti score (OR=12.3) Conclusion: Although falls are a frequent problem among elderly, there are preventable risk factors. Community and family physicians have an important role in the prevention and management of falls through the applications of geriatric care programs, identification of risk factors and screening for falls.

A general extensible learning approach for multi-disease recommendations in a telehealth environment

In a telehealth environment, intelligent technologies are rapidly evolving toward improving the quality of patients’ lives and providing better clinical decision-making especially those who suffer from chronic diseases and require continuous monitoring and chronic-related medical measurements. A short-term disease risk prediction is a challenging task but is a great importance for teleheath care systems to provide accurate and reliable recommendations to patients. In this work, a general extensible learning approach for multi-disease recommendations is proposed to provide accurate recommendations for patients with chronic diseases in a telehealth environment. This approach generates appropriate recommendations for patients suffering from chronic diseases such as heart failure and diabetes about the need to take a medical test or not on the coming day based on the analysis of their medical data. The statistical features extracted from the sub-bands obtained after a four-level decomposition of the patient’s time series data are classified using a machine learning ensemble model. A combination of three classifiers – Least Squares-Support Vector Machine, Artificial Neural Network, and Naive Bayes – are utilized to construct the bagging-based ensemble model used to produce the final recommendations for patients. Two real-life datasets collected from chronic heart and diabetes disease patients are used for experimentations and evaluation. The experimental results show that the proposed approach yields a very good recommendation accuracy and offers an effective way to reduce the risk of incorrect recommendations as well as reduces the workload for chronic diseases patients who undergo body tests most days. Thus, the proposed approach is considered one of a promising tool for analyzing time series medical data of multi diseases and providing accurate and reliable recommendations to patients suffering from different types of chronic diseases.

Bibliometric analysis of global publications in medication adherence (1900-2017).

Medication non-adherence is a worldwide problem. The aim of this study was to assess the global research output, research trends and topics that shaped medication adherence research. A bibliometric methodology was applied. Keywords related to 'medication adherence' were searched in Scopus database for all times up to 31 December 2017. Retrieved data were analyzsd, and bibliometric indicators and maps were presented. In total, 16 133 documents were retrieved. Most frequently encountered author keywords, other than adherence/compliance, were HIV, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, schizophrenia, depression, osteoporosis, asthma and quality of life. The number of documents published from 2008 to 2017 represented 62.0% (n = 10 005) of the total retrieved documents. The h-index of the retrieved documents was 223. The USA ranked first (43.1%; n = 6959), followed by the UK (8.6%; n = 1384) and Canada (4.5%; n = 796). The USA dominated the lists of active authors and institutions. Top active journals in publishing research on medication adherence were mainly in the field of AIDS. Top-cited articles in the field focused on adherence to anti-HIV medications, the impact of depression on medication adherence and barriers to adherence. Adherence among HIV patients dominated the field of medication adherence. Research on medication adherence needs to be strengthened in all countries and in different types of chronic diseases. Research collaboration should also be encouraged to increase research activity on medication adherence in developing countries.

Chronic Diseases with Delayed Onset After Vaccinations and Infections. A Complex Systems Approach to Pathology and Therapy

Background: The medical community fails dramatically in the understanding of chronic diseases and development of causal therapies. Statistical associations between vaccinations or infections and autoimmune diseases or a multitude of chronic diseases remains without any scientific rational. The Gulf War illness, with an unexpected high health risk (34%) for military personnel after a manifold of vaccinations, points to the need of a scientific approach different from insufficient linear clonal selection concepts in immunology. Methods: Non-linear dynamics analyzed in time series, phase portraits, and mathematical models. Results: Three different types of chronic diseases, different from lasting acute diseases, are discriminated by Cerebrospinal fluid analysis and nonlinear dynamics. A nonlinear model for a virus-driven chronic disease explains the chronification of the infection, as one of the stable optional states between complete immunity and death. The model also helps create causal therapies and facilitating phase transitions to complete immunity based on individual connectivity in the immune network. Chronic diseases with a sudden change from stable health to a pathological but stable state are phase transitions based on metabolic fluctuations spontaneous or facilitated by external influences (via the immune, endocrine or nervous system). A reduced complexity in diseases is shown by the numerical analysis of time series (e.g., heart rate) or attractor phase portraits. In chronic diseases, with immune system associated pathology, vaccination or infection has to be regarded as a facilitator for a phase transition, like a catalyst, but not as the cause. With this causation we understand why no traces, like causative antigens, are found in Gulf War illness, chronic fatigue syndrome, post lyme syndrome, or the mild encephalitis in schizophrenia. Conclusions: The complexity approach shows why antiviral or antibiotic medications fail in chronic diseases. Disease as an emergent property should be investigated on the phenotype level. Nonlinear analysis of time series of the individual patient gives information not available from group statistics of molecular “multiscale” systems or systems biology. New research perspectives could base on the extended time of registry after vaccinations and should focus on causal therapies, which need financial support, independent from the medical-industrial complex, with its divergent interests. Keywords: Autoimmune Diseases; Gulf War Illness; Fuchs’ Heterochromic Cyclitis; Post Lyme Syndrome; Vaccination; Therapy; Chronic Diseases; Complexity Analysis; Nonlinear Dynamics; Time Series; Phase Transition

Hong Kong Chinese adults' knowledge of exercise recommendations and attitudes towards exercise.

BackgroundPhysical inactivity is known to be one of the major risk factors for many chronic conditions.AimTo determine Hong Kong Chinese adults’ physical activity (PA) knowledge, its relationship with certain variables including sex, education, age, and its correlation with different types of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and others. The Hong Kong Chinese adults' general attitudes towards PA will also be examined.Design & settingCross-sectional study in one primary care centre.MethodA randomized sample of Chinese adults aged >18 years with anonymous self-administered questionnaires.ResultsThe mean percentage of correct responses for exercise guidelines was 62.3%, 84.5% for traditional PA, and 48.4% for lifestyle PA, respectively. Traditional PA refers to exercises which use large muscle groups. Lifestyle PAs include activities which can be done throughout the day. The total mean percentage of correct responses was 67% (knowledge score 13.4 +/– 3.34). There were no significant differences between PA knowledge and sex, education levels, age groups, and presence of chronic diseases (P>0.05), but the knowledge level for lifestyle PA was less than that of traditional PA (P<0.001). A weak correlation was found between responders’ activeness for a health benefit and the PA knowledge levels (P>0.05). Two hundred and sixy-six (93.3%) responders reported a willingness to maintain or start exercise.ConclusionThe results suggest a need for more education about the latest PA recommendations, especially lifestyle PA. The weak correlation between PA knowledge and actual behaviour showed that PA knowledge itself might not affect PA behaviour. The enhancement of the general public’s knowledge, motivation, and psychosocial support along with stage-of-change interventions and the provision of counselling skills may result in PA behaviour change, which in turn can lead to the achievement of health benefits.

Patient empowerment: A cross-disease exploration of antecedents and consequences

Emphasized by the World Health Organization as one of its key topics, patient empowerment (PE)—i.e., the set of self-determined behaviors based on patients' individual needs for developing autonomy and competence with their disease—is today regarded as a key component of a patient-centered approach to healthcare. Unfortunately, research lacks a clear understanding of the drivers of PE, its relationship to therapy compliance, and its role in different types of diseases. Using a large sample of 1622 patients suffering from chronic diseases, this study addresses these critical research gaps and provides three major contributions. First, by exploring the influence of PE antecedents (i.e., patients' health involvement, self-efficacy, and acceptance of physician authority), it provides specific recommendations on how to effectively manage PE (defined in terms of three dimensions: information search, knowledge development, and decision participation). Second, it demonstrates the importance of PE and its antecedents for affecting patients' therapy compliance and shows that, depending on the PE dimension, therapy compliance is either enhanced or reduced. By highlighting the ambiguous role of PE in therapy compliance, the study offers specific suggestions for healthcare stakeholders on how to maximize patients' compliance to recommended therapies. Third, the study provides important insights into the role of PE across different types of chronic diseases, offering practical recommendations on how to deal with patients depending on their particular disease.

Hepatic Methionine-enkephalin may interfere with response to antiviral therapy in chronic hepatitis C

The immunoreactivity of methionine-enkephalin (Met-enkephalin), one of the endogenous opioid peptides, is expressed in the liver in different types of chronic diseases. This finding suggests that the liver may be a source of endogenous opioids in disease state. In-vitro studies have shown that morphine, which exerts its effect by binding to opioid receptors, enhances hepatitis C virus replication and that it interferes with the antiviral effects of interferon. Thus, it was hypothesized that liver-derived endogenous opioids, which also bind to opioid receptors, may interfere with the response to antiviral therapy with interferon. To correlate the expression of Met-enkephalin immunoreactivity (MEIR) in the liver of patients with chronic hepatitis C with their response to treatment with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. We sought to investigate the expression of the immunoreactivities of Met-enkephalin and of the δ-opioid receptor 1 (DOR1), to which Met-enkephalin binds, preferentially, in liver samples from 23 patients with chronic hepatitis C who had undergone antiviral therapy. Twelve patients obtained a sustained virological response, and 11 patients were relapsers after or nonresponders to treatment. Among the 12 patients with sustained virological response, one patient (8.3%) expressed MEIR and another one expressed DOR1 immunoreactivity (8.3%), whereas none of the patients expressed both immunoreactivities. Among the group of nonresponders/relapsers, one patient expressed MEIR (9%), two patients expressed DOR1 immunoreactivity (18.2%), and seven patients expressed both (63.6%). The difference between responders and nonresponders in the expression of both immunoreactivities was significantly different (P<0.001). Our data are in favor of the hypothesis that enhanced expression of MEIR and DOR1 immunoreactivity correlates with poor response to antiviral therapy that includes interferon. Thus, this study provides a rationale to study the effect of opiate antagonists in combination with antiviral therapy with interferon and ribavirin in patients who express MEIR in the liver and who have not responded to or who have relapsed after treatment with those antiviral medications.

Validation of the Actiheart activity monitor for measurement of activity energy expenditure in children and adolescents with chronic disease

The purpose of this study was to develop an activity energy expenditure (AEE) prediction equation for the Actiheart activity monitor for use in children with chronic disease. In total, 63 children, aged 8-18 years with different types of chronic disease (juvenile arthritis, hemophilia, dermatomyositis, neuromuscular disease, cystic fibrosis or congenital heart disease) participated in an activity testing session, which consisted of a resting protocol, working on the computer, sweeping, hallway walking, steps and treadmill walking at three different speeds. During all activities, actual AEE was measured with indirect calorimetry and the participants wore an Actiheart on the chest. Resting EE and resting heart rate were measured during the resting protocol and heart rate above sleep (HRaS) was calculated. Mixed linear modeling produced the following prediction equation: This equation results in a nonsignificant mean difference of 2.1 J/kg/min (limits of agreement: -144.2 to 148.4 J/kg/min) for the prediction of AEE from the Actiheart compared with actual AEE. The Actiheart is valid for the use of AEE determination when using the new prediction equation for groups of children with chronic disease. However, the prediction error limits the use of the equation in individual subjects.

Satisfaction profile (SAT-P) in 732 patients: Focus on subjectivity in hrqol assessment

A 32-item questionnaire aimed at assessing patient's satisfaction about every day life is presented. In the Satisfaction Profile (SAT-P) patients are asked to evaluate their own satisfaction level on 32 daily life aspects concerning the last month. 732 participants were enrolled into the study: 490 in-patients suffering from different types of chronic diseases (e.g., chronic heart failure, severe respiratory failure, coronary heart disease) and 242 healthy persons of working age. SAT-P validity was confirmed by comparing its scores with the NHP, EPQ and STAI-X2 scores. The factor analysis extracted 5 factors which corresponded to the hypothesised areas (54% of variance explained). Test-retest reliability and internal consistency were confirmed: Pearson's coefficients were ranging from 0.45 to 0.93 and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.92. SAT-P responsiveness, evaluated by comparing baseline and 6 months follow up scores from 45 chronic heart failure patients, resulted to be satisfatory, although further studies are needed. These results, together with the “user-friendly” structure, the brief administration and scoring time, the simple graphic representation, suggest to consider the SAT-P a useful complementary tool in HRQoL assessment. The Italian, English and French versions are available.

Social network, social support, and loneliness in older persons with different chronic diseases.

This study examines whether patterns of social network size, functional social support, and loneliness are different for older persons with different types of chronic diseases. In a community-based sample of 2,788 men and women age 55 to 85 years participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, chronic diseases status, social network size, support exchanges, and loneliness were assessed. Social network size and emotional support exchanges were not associated with disease status. The only differences between healthy and chronically ill people were found for receipt of instrumental support and loneliness. Disease characteristics played a differential role: greater feelings of loneliness were mainly found for persons with lung disease or arthritis, and receiving more instrumental support was mainly found for persons with arthritis or stroke. The specifics of a disease appear to play a (small) role in the receipt of instrumental support and feelings of loneliness of chronically ill older persons.