Health and Social-Physical Environment Profiles Among Older Adults Living Alone: Associations With Depressive Symptoms.
OBJECTIVES
We examined differences in depressive symptoms among people 65 and older who live alone, exploring whether these differences are associated with both health and environmental contexts.


METHOD
Data are from the 2006 wave of Health Retirement Study (N = 2,956, age range: 65-104). We used a two-step cluster analytical approach to identify subgroups of health-limitation profiles and environmental profiles. Logistic regression models determined associations between subgroups and depressive symptoms.


RESULTS
Cluster analysis identified four health-profile subgroups (sensory-cognitively impaired, physically impaired, multiply impaired, and healthy) and three different physical-social environmental-profile subgroups (physically average/socially unsupported, physically unsupported/socially supported, and physically supported/socially above average). Compared to members of healthier groups, members of the multiply impaired group were the oldest and were more likely both to live in senior housing and to have depressive symptoms if they lived in a physically average/socially unsupported environment. Members of the sensory-cognitively impaired group were more likely to have depressive symptoms when they lived in a physically unsupported/socially supported environment.


DISCUSSION
Findings regarding the range of both health and social-physical environmental profiles as well as the associations between person-environment profiles combinations (fit) and depressive symptomatology have important policy and intervention implications.
['Park|Sojung|S|', 'Smith|Jacqui|J|', 'Dunkle|Ruth E|RE|', 'Ingersoll-Dayton|Berit|B|', 'Antonucci|Toni C|TC|']
D000368:Aged D000078331:Correlation of Data D003863:Depression D004777:Environment D005260:Female D006304:Health Status D006801:Humans D008132:Loneliness D008297:Male D012111:Residence Characteristics D012931:Social Environment D012944:Social Support
Environment profiles Older adults Living alone Health and Retirement Study Health profiles