Effects of Mindfulness and Life-Skills Training on Emotion Regulation and Anxiety Symptoms in Chinese Migrant Children: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: China's rapid urbanization has been associated with increased mental health challenges, especially in rural-to-urban migrant children. This study evaluates the effects of mindfulness and life-skills (LS) training on emotional regulation and anxiety symptoms from a randomized controlled trial aimed at improving the mental health of Chinese migrant children. METHODS: Two intervention arms-mindfulness training (MT) and MT plus LS mentorship (MT + LS)-were compared to a waitlist control group of 368 migrant children aged 9-17 years. Volunteers were trained to deliver interventions to 285 migrant children in small groups of 15 for eight weeks weekly. Social integration varied: migrant children mixed with local children at public schools were considered highly integrated, those in migrant-only classrooms at public schools had intermediate levels of integration, and children in private migrant schools had low integration. Emotion regulation and anxiety symptoms were assessed preintervention, postintervention, and three months postintervention. RESULTS: Postintervention and compared to the control group, children with high social integration in the MT arm showed increased cognitive reappraisal ability (p < .05) but higher physical anxiety (p < .01). Children with high social integration in the MT + LS arm had lower anxiety symptoms of harm avoidance (p < .01) and physical anxiety (p < .05). Children with low social integration in the MT + LS arm showed lower cognitive reappraisal (p < .01) and poorer overall emotion regulation abilities (p < .01). Three months later, children with intermediate integration in the MT + LS arm had lower separation anxiety (p < .05) and harm avoidance anxiety (p < .05). No other groups showed significant improvements in emotion regulation or reducing in anxiety symptoms three months postintervention. DISCUSSION: Mindfulness and LS training may benefit Chinese migrant children who have higher levels of social integration but increase anxiety in those with lower social integration. Future research should consider the sociocultural context in which a treatment is implemented.

Social integration and long-term physical and psychosocial quality of life among prostate cancer survivors in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer survivors may benefit from a supportive social environment. We investigated associations of social integration and long-term physical and psychosocial quality of life among prostate cancer survivors who were participants in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. METHODS: We included 1,428 individuals diagnosed with non-metastatic prostate cancer between 2008 and 2016. Social integration was measured by the Berkman-Syme Social Network Index (SNI) and marital status. We fit generalized linear mixed effect models for associations of SNI and marital status with patient reported outcome measures on physical and psychosocial quality of life captured between 2008 and 2020, adjusting for age, race, employment status, body mass index, comorbidities, smoking history, and clinical factors. RESULTS: Among those with baseline SNI (N = 1,362), 46.4% were socially integrated, 20.3% were moderately integrated, 27.4% were moderately isolated, and 5.9% were socially isolated. Among those reporting baseline marital status (N = 1,428), 89.5% were married. Socially integrated survivors (vs. socially isolated) reported fewer depressive signs and better psychosocial wellbeing. Physical quality of life did not differ by social integration. Married survivors (vs. not married) reported fewer urinary symptoms, but there were no differences in bowel, sexual, or vitality/hormonal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Among prostate cancer survivors, being socially integrated was associated with fewer depressive signs and better psychosocial wellbeing, and married prostate cancer survivors had fewer urinary symptoms. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: This study highlighted aspects of long-term physical and psychosocial quality of life that are more favorable among prostate cancer survivors with a supportive social environment.

Comparing Neighbors and Friends in Age-Related Network Changes.

OBJECTIVES: To assess how the role of neighbors and friends in people's networks changes with age and how this is affected by cohort, marriage, employment, and socioeconomic status. The hypothesis is that for most aspects of the network, friends lose 'importance' as people become older, with neighbors gradually becoming more dominant in the non-kin network. METHODS: Data are used for people aged 55-90 between 1999-2019 from the Swiss Household Panel (N=5,585). Four network aspects were measured: size, contact, practical support, and emotional support. Measures for neighbors and friends were compared and analyzed with fixed-effects and hybrid-effects regression models on person-year observations. RESULTS: The sizes of both network segments declined with age but more strongly for friends than neighbors. Contact with friends was stable but contact with neighbors increased. Support from friends declined whereas support from neighbors was stable. Direct comparisons revealed that the relative share of neighbors vis-à-vis friends increased as people age. Friends were more common and supportive vis-à-vis neighbors for divorced and widowed people than for married people, but this gap declined with age. The share of neighbors increased with retirement, especially for men. The share of neighbors vis-à-vis friends was also larger for people with less income and education and this gap did not change with age. DISCUSSION: In the non-kin part of older adults' networks, proximity eventually becomes dominant. This finding is interpreted in terms of rising needs, greater opportunity for local contact, and friend mortality risks, all favoring the neighbor segment of the network.

"Eco-caring together" pro-ecological group-based community interventions and mental wellbeing: a systematic scoping review.

Background: Poor mental wellbeing is a challenge for societies across the world, as is the increasing threat of climate change, and emerging evidence suggests these challenges are interrelated. Green and social prescribing of non-clinical interventions hold promise as a cost-effective and widely accessible way to improve wellbeing, and interest is growing in whether pro-ecological communal activities have mutual benefits for both people and the planet. Objectives: Communal pro-ecological activities are growing in popularity, and research is gathering pace into whether participation influences mental wellbeing. The present systematic review scopes the existing evidence base to explore what is being done, what is being found, and what additional research is required. Methods: Electronic databases (PsychNET, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for studies that involved groups of people undertaking pro-ecological activities, where components of mental wellbeing were assessed. Eligibility criteria were purposely broad, including all study designs and participants across the lifespan. Results: Thirty-seven eligible studies were identified. Nearly half of the studies used mixed-method designs, and most studies used surveys or interviews to evaluate outcomes. Most pro-ecological activities involved planting vegetation, and habitat creation, maintenance, or restoration. Methodological quality varied considerably. Among the perceived therapeutic mechanisms reported, the social elements of the interventions were prominent. Discussion: Coherent synthesis of the current evidence base is challenging given the heterogeneous range of methods, samples, and interventions within the studies. However, the results here demonstrate promise that with future research and better methodological rigor, pro-ecological group-based interventions hold the potential to improve mental wellbeing and influence sustainable behavior. Systematic review registration: https://osf.io/vmpr6/.

A typology of social network interactions in sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from a rural population in Senegal.

Social isolation/marginalization in sub-Saharan Africa is under-researched, despite increasing evidence of weakening traditional community-based social support. This paper aims to develop a typology of social networks capable of accounting for social marginalization in a rural community in Western Senegal and to describe the socio-demographic characteristics of network profiles. Building on prior qualitative work, we carry out a latent profile analysis using a unique and extensive social network data set, identifying four different network profiles: Locally integrated, Constrained relationships, Locally marginalized, and Local elites. This paper provides the first empirically supported classification of social integration and marginalization in social networks in rural sub-Saharan Africa. In doing so, it can serve as a reference for future research seeking to understand both the broader scope of social integration and marginalization and the consequences of differential access to social capital through social networks on access to health resources and well-being.

Female blind baseball players against gender discrimination: the "red diamonds" experience.

Background: Sport has the well-known power of improving body awareness, self-esteem, and social interaction, thus promoting quality of life and psychophysical wellbeing. Specifically referring to adapted disciplines, habitual practice often becomes an effective integration and self-efficacy booster. Among disabilities, visual impairment deeply alters body image perception, autonomy, and environmental/social interaction heavily reducing sport or leisure involvement opportunities. In particular, visually impaired women represent one of the most vulnerable categories to gender and disability discrimination. Moreover, even when congenitally sightless, they perceive social pressure of mainstream beauty ideals, mostly spread by media, comparable to their sighted peers. On these premises and the previously demonstrated psychophysical benefits of Italian blind baseball practice on this target population, the present study aimed to deepen the social and educative potentialities of such adapted sport applying a more sociological research approach. Methods: The "red diamonds" event, namely, the first ever female blind baseball match, was the setting for the administration of our structured online survey. In detail, our survey comprised different evaluation tools such as the 18-item Psychological Well-Being Scale, the 12-item Short Form questionnaire, the Dresden Body Image questionnaire, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and sociological model designed questions. Quality of life, psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, body image, and perceived female sport psychological violence were investigated in the whole women sample (n = 33) voluntarily adhering to the game. Results: Survey results revealed no statistically significant differences between visually impaired players (n = 13; mean age: 32.84 ± 12.05 years) and sighted on-field subjects (i.e., coaches, assistants, and referees; n = 20; mean age: 47.15 ± 12.31 years) in almost all the inquired variables, thus remarking the social and functional benefits of adapted sport through the "dual embodiment" and empowerment phenomenon. Conclusions: Given that the event was inspired by and performed on the World Day against women violence, our study deepened not only the topic of disability discrimination but also the currently alarming gender-related one. In such a context, the present research might provide interesting cues for further investigations on disability and gender disparities in sports, hence spreading interest in this under-investigated field. In perspective, the "red diamonds" experience could also contribute to inspiring and progressively developing educative tools against any kind of discrimination by promoting integration and social growth through regular sports practice.

Psychological and physical factors related to social integration of older adults in Ghana.

BACKGROUND: Globally, older adults aged 60 years and over are outnumbering children under 5 and young people aged 15-24. Much evidence exists on the importance of high social integration and positive quality of life and health outcomes. However, evidence on how older adults are socially integrated in Ghanaian communities is limited. This study examined how self-reported well-being and quality of life (psychological and physical (psycho-physical) factors) predict the social integration of older adults in Ghana. METHODS: A secondary analysis of longitudinal survey data of the 2014/15 Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE Wave 2) conducted by the World Health Organization was applied. Older adults aged 60 years and older (n = 1,927) were included in this study. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were used to examine psycho-physical factors associated with high social integration among older adults. The output was reported as odds ratios (OR). RESULTS: In general, social integration varied based on older adults' demographic characteristics. Those in rural communities had lower odds of having high social integration (OR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.56,1.03) when compared with older adults in urban areas. Having high physical and psychological well-being was associated with high social integration (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.41, 2.57), (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.56, 2.69). However, older adults with high levels of emotional and spiritual well-being were 9% and 7% (respectively) less likely to experience a high level of social integration (OR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.71,1.24), (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.60,1.04). CONCLUSION: The higher the level of self-reported psychological and physical well-being, the higher the social integration for older adults aged 60 years and over. However, the higher the level of self-reported emotional well-being and spiritual well-being, the less likely to have high social integration. Improved social integration or participation in society for older adults with high emotional and spiritual well-being is needed. The findings of this study highlight the need for policymakers and stakeholders to consider psycho-physical factors as an important public health tool and metric to encourage more research on the well-being of older adults in Ghana.

Social identity and social integration: a meta-analysis exploring the relationship between social identity and social integration.

Social identity formation is crucial for psychosocial development, particularly in the case of migrating adults. A body of research exploring how social identity influences social integration among migrants shows that social identity affects social integration through a range of moderators and procedures. This study reports on a meta-analysis of 33 studies with 47 cases (total N = 33,777; Fisher's z = 0.33, moderate effects) examining the relationship between social identity and social integration in research conducted from 2005-2020. The research findings suggest that social identity can affect social integration directly without any moderators, indicating that most of the identified moderators in the previous studies are sample-specific variables. More importantly, the effects of various aspects of identities exert similar degrees of impact (moderate effect) on social integration; in other words, the usefulness of analyzing different aspects of social identity on social integration is challenged.

How does choice of residential community affect the social integration of rural migrants: insights from China.

The construction of public space is a new and important way to integrate rural migrants into urban society. Existing studies mainly discussed the factors affecting the social integration of rural migrants from the micro-individual and macro-system levels. Still, they seldom analyzed the differences between rural migrants' residential communities and the roles these differences play in their social integration, especially from the perspective of residential space. Based on the data of the 2014 China Migrants Dynamic Monitoring Survey, this paper systematically examines the impact of residential community selection on the social integration of rural migrants and its possible effects using OLS, 2SLS, CMP, omitted variable test method, and KHB mediating effect model. It is found that the choice of residential community has a significant positive impact on the social integration of rural migrants, and the social integration of rural migrants living in formal communities has increased by 2.44%-3.20%. To overcome the potential endogeneity problems and selection bias of the empirical model, the study further adopted an instrumental variable estimation approach, combined with the omitted variable method for robustness check; the results still revealed the positive effect of living in formal communities on the social integration of rural migrants. The heterogeneous results showed that living in formal communities has a greater effect on the social integration of women and older-generation rural migrants. The farther the migration range and the longer the residence time of rural migrants, the greater the effect of living in the formal community on their social integration. Further mechanism testing revealed that living in formal communities not only directly enhances the social integration of rural migrants but also indirectly improves their social integration through public resource allocation, human capital accumulation, social status screening, and social network expansion. The indirect effect of capital accumulation is even greater. Therefore, to accelerate the full integration of rural migrants into urban society and achieve real urbanization and citizenship, the study proposes that the government should scientifically plan the layout of rural migrants' living space and the construction of supporting facilities.

Prevalence of perceived discrimination, determinants and associations with self-rated general and sexual health, healthcare utilization and self-perceived integration: a cross-sectional survey of migrants in Sweden.

BACKGROUND: Sweden has welcomed migrants, but attitudes have shifted, becoming hostile due to populism and the growing number of migrants. This has left migrants feeling unwelcome and marginalized. Few studies have examined the extent to which migrants perceive discrimination, who, why, where and its relationships with different outcomes. This study has two aims: to assess the prevalence, reasons, and determinants of perceived discrimination among migrants (1) and its associations with self-rated health, sexual health, healthcare use, and integration (2). METHODS: We analysed data from a 2018 survey on migrants' sexual and reproductive health and rights. The survey included 1740 migrants aged 16 or older. We used descriptive and log-binomial regression analyses to estimate prevalence, crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: About 36% of participants perceived discrimination in Sweden, with ethnic origin (62%) and religion (35%) as main reasons. Perceived discrimination occurred in public spaces (47%), schools (33%), internet (20%), work (19%), public services (18%), residential areas (16%), and healthcare settings (10%). Migrant men (APR: 1.26, CI:1.07-1.49), born in Middle East and North Africa (APR: 1.57, CI:1.26-1.95) and South Asia (APR: 1.61, CI:1.27-2.04) regions, with more than 12 years of education (APR: 1.33, CI:1.10-1.60), a non-heterosexual orientation (APR: 1.21, CI: 1.02-1.43), a non-Christian religion (APR: 1.41, CI: 1.10-1.80), economic stress (APR:1.67, CI: 1.44-1.93) or Swedish language skills (APR: 1.24, CI:1.07-1.43) perceived discrimination more than their counterparts. In contrast, the oldest participants (46 years or more) perceived less discrimination (APR:0.55, CI: 0.37-0.80) than the youngest ones (16-25 years). Moreover, perceived discrimination was associated with poor self-rated general (APR:1.72, CI: 1.45-2.04) and sexual health (APR:1.40, CI:1.2-1.64), integration (APR:1.25, CI:1.14-1.37), and healthcare access (APR: 1.48, 1.16-1.89). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that migrants in Sweden face widespread perceived discrimination based on ethnicity and religion. This can affect their health, healthcare use, and social integration. The study calls for policies and interventions that tackle systemic perceived discrimination, foster inclusion, and guarantee equal opportunities in accessing healthcare and resources for migrants. It also urges support for vulnerable groups who perceive more discrimination, such as migrants from certain regions or under economic stress.

Evaluation of academic performance and social integration of children operated for hydrocephalus in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Low intelligence quotient (IQ) and delayed psychomotor development (DPD) are formidable complications of hydrocephalus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the academic performance and social integration of children operated on for hydrocephalus in Cameroon. METHOD: The authors present a cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection from January 2010 to May 2020. All children less than 10 years of age who had undergone surgery for a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt indicated for hydrocephalus with a post-operative evolution of 7 to 10 years and who were attending school were included. Academic performance was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children IV (WISC IV), and social integration was assessed using the Vineland II score. RESULTS: Of the 45 children aged 7 to 10 years who attended school and were followed-up, the sex ratio was 1.25 in favor of males. 77.8% of these children had a malformation with paralysis being the most common functional sequela (29%). 73.3% of our patients had good social integration. Fifty-three percent of patients had reduced academic performance, with non-verbal performance being the most frequent (62.2%). Long-term memory was the most impaired, with 73.3% having a very low speed of information processing. Non-verbal performance was the most affected (62.2%) particularly long-term memory. Forty percent had an IQ below 70. The statistically significant determinants of social integration were age, sex, malformative etiology, and good psychomotor development, and the statistically significant determinants of educational delay were age, malformative etiology, IQ below 70, and time to care. Academic performance was reduced in more than half of our patients, but most of them had good social integration. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and management improve the chances of good psychomotor development and IQ.

Criminological and Psychiatric Profiles of Immigrant and Refugee Offenders: A Retrospective Analysis of Cases in a Forensic Setting.

This study aimed to scrutinize the characteristics of immigrant and refugee offenders within our institution, focusing on factors such as immigrant status, country of birth, duration of residence in Turkey, as well as psychiatric, socio-demographic, and criminal profiles. The data were obtained through a retrospective examination of case records referred to the Observation Department of the Council of Forensic Medicine for the assessment of criminal responsibility between 2017 and 2022. The study categorized the cases into two groups: refugees and immigrants, comprising 35 and 22 offenders, respectively. Significant differences in educational levels were identified between immigrants and refugees within our study group (p < .001). Notably, drug use disorders were more prevalent among refugees, whereas alcohol use disorders were more common among immigrants, with statistical significance (p < .005). During forensic psychiatric assessments, 57.1% of refugees and 54.5% of immigrants required interpretation services. The most prevalent offense in the refugee group was homicide (37.1%), followed by child sexual abuse (28.6%). In contrast, homicide (31.8%) and theft and extortion (22.7%) were the most common offenses for the immigrant group. Six cases (10.5%) were judged to have reduced or no criminal liability. Among the cases, 52.6% had a history of prior outpatient psychiatric referrals, with the most frequent diagnosis being atypical psychosis at 10.5%. The findings underscore the necessity for additional research and targeted interventions to address the mental health and criminological complexities confronted by this vulnerable population.

Social integration and utilization of national basic public health services among China's internal migrants with chronic diseases: A structural equation modelling approach.

Internal migrants with chronic diseases (IMCDs) are a specific subgroup of the internal migrants, but few studies have focused on health service utilization among this group. Social integration is an essential element in the maintenance of health and well-being in migrants. However, the measurement of social integration remains inconsistent. This study aimed to measure social integration more comprehensively and evaluate the association between social integration and National Basic Public Health Services (NBPHS) utilization among IMCDs in China, thereby providing theoretical support for health promotion among IMCDs. The data of this study were obtained from the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) in 2017. A total of 9272 internal migrants who self-reported hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes were included in the analysis. Four factors were extracted through exploratory factor analysis to measure the social integration of IMCDs: psychological identity, community involvement, social security, and sociocultural adaptation. The results show the IMCDs underutilized NBPHS, with 26.80 % stating that they have not used any of the services in the NBPHS. We confirmed the positive association between social integration and NBPHS use among IMCDs. The social integration of IMCDs in developed regions was relatively worse than in developing regions, further exacerbating the underutilization of NBPHS in developed regions. Therefore, targeted government measures and supportive policies are necessary, especially in developed regions, to encourage IMCDs to participate in social organizations and community activities and stimulate their active participation in the NBPHS.

Social integration as a mediator of the association between housing tenure and health inequalities among China's migrants: A housing discrimination perspective.

Due to the housing affordability crisis and institutional discrimination embedded in China's housing system, which refers to the unequal rights between homeowners and renters, migrant renters face greater social exclusion and health inequalities compared to migrant homeowners. Although housing tenure is considered an important determinant of health, along with other socioeconomic factors, the pathways underlying the association between housing tenure and health remain overlooked. Using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey of 62,268 participants, this study examined the mediating effects of social integration between housing tenure and self-rated health, and whether housing affordability moderated the mediating effects. Simple mediation models showed that social integration partly mediated the association between housing tenure and self-rated health. Moderated mediation models revealed that housing affordability moderated the association between housing tenure and social integration, and did not moderate the association between social integration and self-rated health. Compared with migrants living in affordable housing, the mediating effect of social integration was significantly smaller among migrants living in unaffordable housing. The results add knowledge to previous literature by uncovering the underlying mechanisms between housing tenure and health and linking housing studies to social inequalities in health. Our study suggested that diminishing housing discrimination and improving housing affordability could not only be beneficial for migrants' health but also be helpful to narrowing the health inequalities among migrants.

The Association of Context with Reported Self-Efficacy for Cancer-Preventive Behaviors and Perceived Cancer Risk in U.S. Adults from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Study.

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It is critical to understand the associations among multilevel determinants of cancer prevention and control behaviors. This study examined associations of neighborhood factors with perceived risk of cancer and self-efficacy for reducing cancer risk. Methods: Cross-sectional analyses included 2324 U.S. adults from the Midlife in the U.S. Wave 3. Participants completed surveys of neighborhood environment (perceived neighborhood trust and safety, built environment conditions, social integration), perceived cancer risk and cancer prevention efficacy. Multivariate linear regressions examined associations of neighborhood context with risk perceptions and self-efficacy. Results: In the model that adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, better perceived neighborhood trust and safety were associated with lower perceived cancer risk. In fully adjusted models for sociodemographic characteristics and contextual factors, higher perceptions of neighborhood trust and safety were associated with higher cancer prevention self-efficacy. Perceptions of better built neighborhood conditions and higher social integration were significantly associated with lower perceived cancer risk and higher perceived cancer prevention efficacy. Conclusions: Perceptions of neighborhood context may play a role in shaping psychosocial factors such as perceived cancer risk and self-efficacy, even after controlling for robust predictors of these perceptions.

Social Media Posts from Friends during Late Adolescence as Predictors of Young Adult Physical Health.

Although an increasing body of literature has linked social experiences to physical health, research has yet to consider how specific aspects of social experiences taking place on social media during late adolescence may predict future physical health outcomes. This study thus examined qualities of social media posts received from peers at age 21 as predictors of participants' physical health (e.g., Interleukin-6 (inflammation), sleep problems, problems with physical functioning, and BMI) at age 28. Participants included 138 youth (59 men and 79 women); 57% of participants identified as White, 30% as Black/African American, and 13% as from other or mixed racial/ethnic groups. Posts from friends and participants at age 21 characterized by social ties predicted lower levels of future physical health problems, whereas socially inappropriate "faux pas" posts that deviated from peer norms by friends predicted higher levels of physical health problems at age 28. These associations were found after accounting for factors typically associated with physical health outcomes, including participants' baseline social competence, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, alcohol use, observed physical attractiveness, and history of prior hospitalizations. The results of this study suggest the importance of both achieving social integration with peers online and adhering to peer norms in the online domain as key predictors of future physical health.

Association between social integration and loneliness among the female migrant older adults with children: the mediating effect of social support.

BACKGROUND: The number of migrant older adults with children (MOAC) in China has been increasing in recent years, and most of them are women. This study aimed to explore the mediating effect of social support between social integration and loneliness among the female MOAC in Jinan, China. METHODS: In this study, 418 female MOAC were selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. Loneliness was measured by the eight-item version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (ULS-8), and social support was measured by The Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). Descriptive analyses, t-tests, ANOVA, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to illustrate the relationship between social integration, social support, and loneliness. RESULTS: The average scores of ULS-8 and SSRS were 12.9 ± 4.0 and 39.4 ± 5.9 among female MOAC in this study. Social integration and social support were found to be negatively related to loneliness, and the standardized direct effect was -0.20 [95% CI: -0.343 to -0.068] and -0.39 [95% CI: -0.230 to -0.033], respectively. Social support mediated the relationship between social integration and loneliness, and the indirect effect was -0.16 [95% CI: -0.252 to -0.100]. CONCLUSION: The female MOAC's loneliness was at a relatively lower level in this study. It was found that social integration was negatively associated with loneliness, and social support mediated the relationship between them. Helping female MOAC integrate into the inflow city and improving their social support could be beneficial for alleviating their loneliness.

HIV, Social Networks, and Loneliness among Older Adults in Uganda.

Loneliness among older adults has been identified as a major public health problem. Yet little is known about loneliness, or the potential role of social networks in explaining loneliness, among older people with HIV (PWH) in sub-Saharan Africa, where 70% of PWH reside. To explore this issue, we analyzed data from 599 participants enrolled in the Quality of Life and Ageing with HIV in Rural Uganda study, including older adults with HIV in ambulatory care and a comparator group of people without HIV of similar age and gender. The 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale was used to measure loneliness, and HIV status was the primary explanatory variable. The study found no statistically significant correlation between loneliness and HIV status. However, individuals with HIV had smaller households, less physical and financial support, and were less socially integrated compared to those without HIV. In multivariable logistic regressions, loneliness was more likely among individuals who lived alone (aOR:3.38, 95% CI:1.47-7.76) and less likely among those who were married (aOR:0.34, 95% CI:0.22-0.53) and had a higher level of social integration (aOR:0.86, 95% CI: 0.79-0.92). Despite having smaller social networks and less support, older adults with HIV had similar levels of loneliness as those without HIV, which may be attributed to resiliency and access to HIV-related health services among individuals with HIV. Nonetheless, further research is necessary to better understand the mechanisms involved.

Enduring Bonds: Duration and Contact in Close Relationships in Late Life.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Older adults maintain ties to long-duration social partners, some with whom have regular contact and some with whom have little contact. We asked whether these ties with little contact still offer a sense of connection and security, and buffer the effects of interpersonal stress in daily life. Helping older adults foster these ties may improve their mental health. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Participants (n = 313) aged 65+ completed a baseline interview reporting duration and contact frequency of their closest ties. Then, participants completed ecological momentary assessments every 3 hr for 5-6 days, reporting their social encounters and mood. RESULTS: We classified ties according to duration (10+ years = long vs shorter duration) and frequency of contact (at least once a month = active vs dormant). Throughout the day, participants were more likely to have stressful encounters with long-duration active ties. Encounters with active ties were associated with more positive mood (regardless of duration) and encounters with long-duration dormant ties with more negative mood. Having more active ties buffered effects of interpersonal stress on mood, but more long-duration dormant ties exacerbated these effects. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Supporting social integration theory, ties with frequent contact were associated with positive mood. Surprisingly, long-duration ties with infrequent contact exacerbated effects of interpersonal stress on mood. Older adults who lack contact with long-duration social partners may be more sensitive to interpersonal stress. Future interventions might focus on phone or electronic media to increase contact with long-duration social partners.