Contribution of interaction with family, friends and neighbours, and sense of neighbourhood attachment to survival in senior citizens: 5-year follow-up study

Abstract

This study examines how social engagement with family, friends and neighbours and a sense of attachment to neighbourhood are associated with 5-year survival among senior citizens in Japan. A cohort study was conducted with 3283 seniors of Tokyo born in 1903, 1908, 1913, or 1918 who were recruited from stratified random sampling of resident registration records of two cities in the Tokyo metropolitan area. They were administered with a questionnaire in 1992, and the responses were compared with their 5-year survival status in 1997. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that activities with family, friends and neighbours are significant predictors of 5-year survival of senior citizens, independent of the baseline demographics, lifestyle and health status. The analysis further indicated that a sense of attachment to neighbourhood (i.e., expression of a desire to continue staying in the current residential area) significantly predicts 5-year survival of female senior citizens and enhances the survival benefits of activities with friends and neighbourhood activities. Our results highlight the importance of strengthening and enhancing the quality of community life to sustain the health and well-being of seniors and overcome challenges associated with an aging population.