Living arrangements, health and well-being: A European Perspective UPTAP-ONS Meeting Southampton University 19 th December 2007 Harriet Young and Emily Grundy London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Background  Demographic changes over the last century have led to older age structures throughout Europe.  Declines in the proportions of older people living with children and increases in proportions living alone.

Background What are the implications for health and well-being ? Research to date: Those living with spouse are the most healthy Those living with spouse are the most healthy Contradictory evidence for those not living with spouse: more healthy living with other relatives or living alone ? Contradictory evidence for those not living with spouse: more healthy living with other relatives or living alone ? Michael et al (2001), Grundy (2001)Michael et al (2001), Grundy (2001) Selection effects Selection effects Effects vary according to cultural and socio- economic context Effects vary according to cultural and socio- economic context

Research Objectives  1 & 2: Analyse associations between living arrangements, health and well-being among older people Across Europe, examining differences between groups of countries Across Europe, examining differences between groups of countries In more detail for England / England and Wales In more detail for England / England and Wales  3: Examine pathways to living arrangements and the effect that allowing for these has on health in England and Wales

Variables  Different outcome variables Scales of happiness scale, satisfaction with life & loneliness Scales of happiness scale, satisfaction with life & loneliness Psychological morbidity – CES-D depression scale Psychological morbidity – CES-D depression scale Self-rated health & limiting long term illness Self-rated health & limiting long term illness Indicators of functional capacity Indicators of functional capacity Mortality Mortality  Explanatory variable Living arrangements: Living arrangements: spouse only,spouse only, spouse and other,spouse and other, Children or others only,Children or others only, AloneAlone

Dataset: European Social Survey (ESS)  Two cross-sectional rounds of data – 2002 and 2004  Using data from 19 countries  Sample size 18,131 people aged 60+

Country groupings NorthWestSouthEast SwedenNorwayFinlandDenmarkGermanyBelgiumUKAustriaNetherlandsPortugalGreeceSpainPolandSloveniaSlovakiaHungaryUkraineEstonia Czech Republic N=3621N=5867N=3857N=4786

Dataset: English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)  Two waves of data in 2002 and 2004  Cross-sectional dataset of population aged 60+ in Wave One – 7146 people  Longitudinal dataset of population aged 60+ in Wave One and present at Wave Two – 5443 people

Dataset: Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study (LS)  A record linkage study of population of England and Wales, with 4 census points linked in, plus census information on household members at each census.  Dataset of population aged 60+ at 2001 Census and present at all 4 census points: 80,937 people.  Dataset of population aged 60+ at 1991 Census and present : 91,155 people

Psychological health and well-being  Associations between living arrangements and…. ESS: Happiness and satisfaction with life scales (0-10): ordinal regression ESS: Happiness and satisfaction with life scales (0-10): ordinal regression ELSA: 8 point CES-Depression score : ordinal regression ELSA: 8 point CES-Depression score : ordinal regression ELSA: Loneliness scale (9 item scale from 4 questions): linear regression ELSA: Loneliness scale (9 item scale from 4 questions): linear regression

This model controlled for gender, age, smoking, wealth, housing tenure, contact with relatives, contact with friends, membership of social organisations and ADL limitations ELSA

This model controlled for gender, age, contact with relatives, contact with friends, membership of social organisations, health status at wave one, presence of depression at wave 1 ELSA

Adjusted odds ratios from ordinal regression of living arrangements on happiness compared with living alone, aged 60+,19 European Countries, ESS (h igher OR =happier) Models adjusted for region, age, income, education, feelings about income, social meetings and activities, current widowhood and limiting long term illness. ESS

Table 3: Odds ratios from ordinal logistic regression of living arrangements & other factors on happiness for non-married women, 19 European countries ESS * * Model also controls for age, region, income, education, feelings about income, indicators of social contacts, whether currently widowed, & region for Europe- wide model * p<0.05 ** p<0.01 *** p<0.001 Odds Ratio (lower OR= less happy) Living arrangements (living with non-spouse other vv alone) All countries 1.7*** Nordic1.2 West2.1*** South2.1* East1.4* ESS

Self rated health and mortality Associations between living arrangements and:  Self rated health using ELSA ( 5 level variable: poor, fair, good, very good, excellent health): ordinal logistic regression ELSA ( 5 level variable: poor, fair, good, very good, excellent health): ordinal logistic regression ONS LS (binary variable: good & fair health vv poor health): logistic regression ONS LS (binary variable: good & fair health vv poor health): logistic regression ESS (6 level variable): ordinal logistic regression ESS (6 level variable): ordinal logistic regression  ONS LS: death 2001 Census to end 2004: logistic regression

This model controlled for gender, age, smoking, wealth, housing tenure, contact with relatives, contact with friends, membership of social organisations and self-rated health status ELSA

Odds Ratios from logistic regression of poor self-rated health on living arrangement change 1991 and 2001 for people aged 60+. England and Wales, ONS LS. Odds ratio Living arrangement change (ref group: with spouse both points or moved to live with spouse) Alone both 0.93** Non-spouse other both 1.21*** To live alone 0.93** To live with non-spouse others 1.31*** To communal establishment 1.83*** Model also controlled for age, gender, tenure and car access score, region and limiting long term illness in ONS LS

Odds Ratios from logistic regression of poor self-rated health & death on living arrangement change 1991 and 2001 for people aged 60+. England and Wales, ONS LS. Self rated health 2001 Odds ratio Death Odds ratio Living arrangement change (ref group: with spouse both points or moved to live with spouse) Alone both 0.93**1.10** Non-spouse other both 0.21***1.28*** To live alone 0.93**1.16*** To live with non-spouse others 1.31***1.44*** To communal establishment 1.83***5.69*** Model also controlled for age, gender, tenure and car access score, region and limiting long term illness in ONS LS

Self rated health and living arrangements: ESS data  Women living with others and with spouse had better self-rated health than alone.  Men living with spouse had better self-rated health than alone, but no difference between those living with others and alone.  Regional analysis: No significant associations. ESS

Limitations  Comparability of variables between datasets  Proportion of population in institutions differs throughout Europe – exclusion of this group may have biased ESS results.  Longitudinal analysis: 10 yearly interval for change in living arrangements using ONS LS.  In some analyses, small sample sizes limiting power of analysis

Conclusions  Clear association between living alone and higher levels of depression, loneliness and unhappiness (ESS & ELSA).  Contradictory findings on self-rated health.  Differing findings depending on health indicator used

The End Thank you