Social capital and health among older adults in South Africa

BMC Geriatrics

Nancy Phaswana-Mafuya³  Karl Peltzer²  Shandir Ramlagan¹ 

[1] HIV/AIDS/STIs and TB (HAST), Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, South Africa;ASEAN Institute for Health Development, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand;Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

关键词: WHO SAGE;    South Africa;    Older adults;    Physical inactivity;    Cognitive functioning;    Depressive symptoms;    Self-reported health;    Social capital;   

Others  :  856786
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2318-13-100

 received in 2013-03-14, accepted in 2013-09-26,  发布年份 2013

【 摘 要 】

Background

Little is known about social capital and health among older adults in South Africa. This study investigates the association between social capital and several health variables, namely: self-rated health, depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning and physical inactivity, among older South Africans.

Methods

We conducted a national population-based cross-sectional study with a national probability sample of 3840 individuals aged 50 years or older who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE wave 1) in 2008 in South Africa. Measures included socio-demographic characteristics, health variables, cognitive functioning and physical activity. Social capital was assessed with six components, namely: marital status, social action, sociability, trust and solidarity, safety, and civic engagement.

Results

The social capital assessment revealed that 56% of the respondents were married or cohabiting, 45% reported low (0) social action, 42% reported medium (2–3) sociability, 43% reported high (2) trust and solidarity, 50% reported high (2–4) civic engagement and 42% reported medium (6) psychological resources. In multivariate analysis, self-reported good health was associated with younger age, having secondary education and higher social capital (being married or cohabiting, high trust and solidarity and greater psychological resources). Depressive symptoms were associated with lower social capital (not being married or cohabiting, lack of high trust and solidarity and low psychological resources). Better cognitive functioning was associated with younger age, higher educational level, greater wealth and higher social capital (being married or cohabiting, high trust and solidarity, lack of safety, higher civic engagement and greater psychological resources). Physical inactivity was associated with older age and lower social capital (lower social action, lack of safety, lower civic engagement and poorer psychological resources).

Conclusions

Given the basis of these findings on cross sectional data and subsequent limitation, it was found that these study findings mimic the findings of many European and American studies. Social capital among the elderly generation in South Africa is imperative for better health.

【 授权许可】

   
2013 Ramlagan et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

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