Cited by 242Aging, Health, and DisabilityHealth disparities and outcomesHealth and Well-being Studies

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Loneliness and health-related quality of life for the empty nest elderly in the rural area of a mountainous county in China

Liu, Li-Juan, Guo, Qiang·2007·Quality of Life Research

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Abstract

Objective To estimate whether loneliness was associated with quality of life and examined the influence of socio-economic factors in the empty nest elderly.Methods The 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS) were used to assess the quality of life and loneliness for 275 empty nest and 315 not empty nest rural elders in a county, China. T tests, Pearson's correlations and linear regression analysis were used to examine the difference in SF-36 and UCLA-LS scores, correlations of the two scores between the two groups, and socio-economic determinants of loneliness among the empty nest elders.Results Empty nest group, in comparison with not empty nest group, had higher level of loneliness (95% confidence interval [CI] = -3.361 to -.335), lower physical (95% CI = .228 to 6.044) and mental (95% CI = .866 to 6.380) scores. Loneliness was negatively correlated with all the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey scales in both groups. Social supports and income were negatively associated with loneliness, whereas education level and being single were positively associated with loneliness for the empty nest group.Conclusions Reducing the level of loneliness may be helpful to improve the quality of life for the empty nest elders.

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Qian, Y., Qin, W., Zhou, C., Ge, D., Zhang, L., & Sun, L. (2018) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022324 · Cited by 38
“In addition, empty-nest seniors, in comparison with non-empty-nest seniors, had higher levels of loneliness.(33) The high physical and mental health service needs might be the reason why empty-nest seniors are more willing for institutional care, which can provide professional healthcare.”
Background
Empty-nest-related psychological distress is associated with progression of brain white matter lesions and cognitive impairment in the elderly
Duan, D., Dong, Y., Zhang, H., Zhao, Y., Diao, Y., Cui, Y., Wang, J., Chai, Q., & Liu, Z. (2017) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/srep43816 · Cited by 37
Quality of life, loneliness and health-related characteristics among older people in Liaoning province, China: a cross-sectional study
Zhu, Y., Liu, J., Qu, B., & Yi, Z. (2018) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021822 · Cited by 38
“Therefore, the perception of the gap between expected and actual amounts of support that older people received from their families would be stronger for older people.(15) This perceived gap would be the reason why Chinese older people had serious problems of loneliness.”
Influential
The Impact of Interparental Conflicts on Online Game Addiction Symptomatology: The Mediating Roles of the Parent-Adolescent Relationship and Loneliness in Adolescents
Wang, Y. (2021) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/00332941211016751 · Cited by 36
“The Chinese version of this scale was used in the current study, and it has been proven to have good reliability and validity (L.-J. Liu & Guo, 2007; S. Xu et al., 2018).”
Method
Quality of Life in the Third Age: A Research on Risk and Protective Factors
Gerino, E., Marino, E., Brustia, P., Lyrakos, D. G., & Rollè, L. (2015) · Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.03.041 · Cited by 40
The factors associated with geriatric depression in rural China: stratified by household structure
Gong, F., Zhao, D., Zhao, Y., Lu, S., Qian, Z., & Sun, Y. (2017) · Psychology Health & Medicine · doi:10.1080/13548506.2017.1400671 · Cited by 36
“Rural health service centers should be promoted to provide better physical and psychological evaluation and treatment (Liu & Guo, 2007).”
Background
The Relationship Between Psychological Symptoms, Creativity, and Loneliness in Gifted Children
Oğurlu, Ü., Yalın, H. S., & Birben, F. Y. (2018) · journal for the education of the gifted · doi:10.1177/0162353218763968 · Cited by 35
“Researchers have shown that lonely people reported a lower life quality, and psychological and physical health levels (Liu & Guo, 2007).”
Background
Effects of participating in community assets on quality of life and costs of care: longitudinal cohort study of older people in England
Munford, L. A., Wilding, A., Bower, P., & Sutton, M. (2020) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033186 · Cited by 34
Home Health Care Needs and Willingness to Pay for Home Health Care Among the Empty-nest Elderly in Shanghai, China
Liu, L., Fu, Y., Qu, L. M., & Wang, Y. (2013) · International journal of gerontology · doi:10.1016/j.ijge.2013.01.013 · Cited by 34
Self-citation
Quality of Life Revisited
Register, M. E., & Herman, J. (2010) · Advances in Nursing Science · doi:10.1097/ans.0b013e3181c9e1aa · Cited by 34
“The themes included (1) connecting, (2) feelings, (3) spiritual, (4) family, (5) friends, (6) health, (7) social and political views, and (8) tools and strategies for maintaining connections.”
Background
A longitudinal analysis of the association between the living arrangements and psychological well-being of older Chinese adults: the role of income sources
Zhou, Z., Cai, L., Zhuang, M., Hong, Y., & Fang, Y. (2019) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-019-1371-0 · Cited by 32
Influence of culture, residential segregation and socioeconomic development on rural elderly health-related quality of life in Guangxi, China
Zhang, T., Shi, W.-X., Huang, Z.-Q., Gao, D., Guo, Z.-Y., Liu, J.-Y., & Chongsuvivatwong, V. (2016) · Health and Quality of Life Outcomes · doi:10.1186/s12955-016-0499-2 · Cited by 32
“A person with lower income is more likely to exhibit unhealthy lifestyle behaviors such as the consumption of low-quality food, cigarette use and lack of proper medical service, and be more vulnerable to diverse negative moods such as depression, loneliness and insecurity [30, 31].”
Background
Effectiveness of structured group reminiscence therapy in decreasing the feelings of loneliness, depressive symptoms and anxiety among inmates of a residential home for the elderly in Chittoor district
Tarugu, J., Pavithra, R., Vinothchandar, S., Basu, A., Chaudhuri, S., & John, K. R. (2019) · International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health · doi:10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20190218 · Cited by 31
Loneliness among older Chinese individuals: the status quo and relationships with activity-related factors
Wang, J., Zhou, Y., Zhang, Q., Li, J., Zhai, D., Li, J., Han, B., & Liu, Z. (2024) · BMC Geriatrics · doi:10.1186/s12877-023-04611-9 · Cited by 35
“Research on the emotions of older individuals has found that loneliness is one of the most commonly experienced feelings in old age [5].”
Background
Migration and Popular Resistance in Rural China: Wukan and Beyond
Lu, Y., Zheng, W., & Wei, W. (2017) · The China Quarterly · doi:10.1017/s0305741016001582 · Cited by 30
Social trust and emotional health in rural older adults in China: the mediating and moderating role of subjective well-being and subjective social status
Chen, H., & Zhu, Z. (2021) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-021-10617-y · Cited by 30
Análisis factorial confirmatorio de la escala de soledad de De Jong Gierveld en personas mayores españolas
Buz, J., Litago, J. D. U., & Polo, M. E. (2014) · Anales de Psicología · doi:10.6018/analesps.30.2.148371 · Cited by 36
“A review of previous studies (e.g., Goodwin et al., 2001, Iecovich, 2013; Liu & Guo, 2008) led us to expect a moderate negative relationship between both scales.”
China's Empty Nest Elderly Need Better Care
Gao, Y., Wei, Y., Shen, Y., Tang, Y., & Yang, J. (2014) · Journal of the American Geriatrics Society · doi:10.1111/jgs.12997 · Cited by 29
“Economic development differs between inland and coastal regions, and there is a flow of rural surplus labor to large, eastern coastal cities.(9) Among a series of social problems that the population aging trend has brought about, the most prominent may be the elderly care problem.”
Background
A meta-analysis of the association between loneliness and all-cause mortality in older adults
Zhou, X., Yang, F., & Gao, Y. (2023) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115430 · Cited by 32
Associations of participation in community assets with health-related quality of life and healthcare usage: a cross-sectional study of older people in the community
Munford, L. A., Sidaway, M., Blakemore, A., Sutton, M., & Bower, P. (2017) · BMJ Open · doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-012374 · Cited by 28
“Individuals were asked to report their health today in each domain on a five-point ordinal score, where (1) corresponds to no problems; (2) slight problems; (3) moderate problems; (4) severe problems and (5) extreme problems/unable to do activities.”
BackgroundInfluential
The mediating and moderating roles of self-acceptance and self-reported health in the relationship between self-worth and subjective well-being among elderly Chinese rural empty-nester
Su, H. L., Wang, L., Li, Y., Yu, H., & Zhang, J. (2019) · Medicine · doi:10.1097/md.0000000000016149 · Cited by 27
“According to Liu and Guo’s investigation,([1]) the mental health of empty-nest elderly was generally lower, and more than one-quarter of solitary older men had a negative mood and loneliness.”
Background
Chronic disease and medical spending of Chinese elderly in rural region
Zhou, M., Sun, X., & Huang, L. S. (2020) · International Journal for Quality in Health Care · doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzaa142 · Cited by 27
The effect of loneliness and perceived social support among older adults on their life satisfaction and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic
Önal, Ö., Evcil, F. Y., Doğan, E., Develi, M., Uşkun, E., & Kişioğlu, A. N. (2022) · Educational Gerontology · doi:10.1080/03601277.2022.2040206 · Cited by 27
“Liu and Guo (2007) concluded that the decrease in loneliness positively impacts quality of life.”
Background
Physical and mental health among older parents: Does offspring migration and living arrangement matter? Findings from Longitudinal Aging Survey in India (2017-18)
Sarkar, M., Kasemi, N., Majumder, M., Sk, M. A., Sarkar, P., Chowdhury, S., Roy, D., & Halder, M. (2023) · SSM - Population Health · doi:10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101503 · Cited by 26
“Contrasting with other studies (L. J. Liu & Guo, 2007), our study does not find any significant difference in poor-self rated health and depression between elderly who has a migrated son but living with other children and non-left behind.”
Empty nest syndrome in China
Wang, J., & Zhao, X. (2011) · International Journal of Social Psychiatry · doi:10.1177/0020764011418406 · Cited by 26
“Hence, the elderly people of empty-nest families feel more lonely and have a lower quality of life than those of non-empty-nest families (Liu & Guo, 2007).”
BackgroundInfluential
Quality of life and clinical correlates in older adults living in the community and in nursing homes in M acao
Kuok, C.-F., Lu, L., Xiang, Y., Nogueira, B. O. C. L., Ungvari, G. S., Ng, C. H., Chiu, H. F. K., Tran, L., & Li-rong, M. (2017) · Psychogeriatrics · doi:10.1111/psyg.12214 · Cited by 26
Social capital and well-being of the elderly ‘left-behind’ by their migrant children in India
Dakua, M., Karmakar, R., & Lhungdim, H. (2023) · BMC Public Health · doi:10.1186/s12889-023-17012-9 · Cited by 25
“Previous studies on the “empty nest syndrome” [17] in older parents found that they are more likely to report anxiety disorder [15], depression [18], and loneliness [19].”
Background
Enjoying the golden years: social participation and life satisfaction among Chinese older adults
Wu, M., Yang, D., & Tian, Y. (2024) · Frontiers in Public Health · doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1377869 · Cited by 32
Exploring the influencing factors of quality of life among the empty nesters in Shanxi, China: a structural equation model
Zhang, C., Cai, Y., Xue, Y., Zheng, X., Yang, X. Y., Lü, J., Hou, L., & Li, M. (2021) · Health and Quality of Life Outcomes · doi:10.1186/s12955-021-01793-x · Cited by 25
“Studies revealed that sociodemographic characteristics (age, education level [20], and income level), physical factors (hearing loss [21], chronic disease, smoking [22], lack of physical activities [23]), psychological factors (loneliness [24] and depression [16]), social support [25] factors affect the QOL of the eld…”
Background
Loneliness, fear of falling, and quality of life in community-dwelling older women who live alone and live with others
Zali, M. E., Farhadi, A., Soleimanifar, M., Allameh, H., & Janani, L. (2017) · Educational Gerontology · doi:10.1080/03601277.2017.1376450 · Cited by 25
Risk factors of mental disorders among empty and non-empty nesters in Shanxi, China: a cross-sectional study
Zhang, C., Hou, L., Zheng, X., Zhu, R., Zhao, H., Lü, J., Cheng, J., Yang, X. Y., & Yang, T. (2019) · Health and Quality of Life Outcomes · doi:10.1186/s12955-019-1088-y · Cited by 24
Grandchild care and well-being: Gender differences in mental health effects of caregiving grandparents
Notter, I. R. (2022) · The Journals of Gerontology: Series B · doi:10.1093/geronb/gbab164 · Cited by 24
The resilience status of empty-nest elderly in a community: A latent class analysis
Zhang, J., Zhang, J.-P., Cheng, Q., Huang, F., Li, S., Wang, A., & Su, P. (2016) · Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics · doi:10.1016/j.archger.2016.10.011 · Cited by 23
The Role of Meaning in Life for the Quality of Life of Community-Dwelling Chinese Elders With Low Socioeconomic Status
Chui, R. C. F. (2018) · Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine · doi:10.1177/2333721418774147 · Cited by 22
“Social network reduces the levels of loneliness, and, in turn, improves the quality of life among Chinese elders (Liu & Guo, 2007).”
Background
Predictores de la Calidad de Vida Subjetiva en Adultos Mayores de Zonas Urbanas y Rurales de la Provincia del Guayas, Ecuador
Arevalo-Avecillas, D. X., Game, C. I., Lozano, C. P., & Wong, N. (2019) · Información tecnológica · doi:10.4067/s0718-07642019000500271 · Cited by 22
The Influence of Disease Status on Loneliness of the Elderly: Evidence from Rural China
Song, J., Wu, H., Lan, H., Xu, D., & Wei, W. (2022) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph19053023 · Cited by 21
“Among them, influencing factors such as age, education level and self-rated health of the elderly will influence their loneliness [23].”
Background
Mediating and moderating effects of loneliness between social support and life satisfaction among empty nesters in China
Cao, Q., & Lü, B. (2018) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-018-0019-0 · Cited by 21

Authors: Liu, L.-J., & Guo, Q.
Affiliations: Second Military Medical University (CN)
Corresponding author: Guo, Qiang
ORCID: Guo, Qiang
Venue: Quality of Life Research
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published: 2007-08-17
Volume: 16
Issue: 8
Pages: 1275-1280
ISSN: 0962-9343 (ISSN-L)
1573-2649
DOI: 10.1007/s11136-007-9250-0
OpenAlex: W1982635562
Cited by: 242
References: 22
Citations by year: 2026: 12 · 2025: 19 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 6
FWCI: 5.49
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations: Quality of Life Research (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Health and Well-being Studies
Keywords: loneliness, empty nest elderly, health-related quality of life, rural elderly, social support, income, educational attainment, marital status, socio-economic determinants, mountainous counties
MeSH terms: Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, China, Family Relations, Female, Geography, Health Status, Health Surveys, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Middle Aged, Psychological Tests, Psychometrics, Quality of Life, Rural Population, Social Isolation, Social Support, Socioeconomic Factors

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Loneliness and health-related quality of life for the empty nest elderly in the rural area of a mountainous county in China

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