The association between quality of life (QoL) and social relationships is well established. This paper further analyses whether and how participation in social activities as well as providing and receiving social support, independently, are associated with QoL among the older population in 16 European countries. QoL was measured using the CASP-12 scale. The baseline data came from Wave 6 and the outcome from Wave 7 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The associations of interest were analysed using multivariable linear regression. The effect of possible non-ignorable dropout was tested. Then, doubly robust estimation and sensitivity analyses for unobserved confounding were performed to evaluate the possible causal interpretation of the associations found. Our findings show that participation in at least one of the socially productive activities was positively associated with QoL at two-year follow-up (Average Causal Effect, ACE: 0.474; 95%CI: 0.361, 0.587). The association was stronger among women, people aged 75+, and those in the Southern European region. Providing social support had a positive association with QoL, but only among people aged 75+ (ACE: 0.410; 95%CI: 0.031, 0.789). Conversely, receiving social support had a negative association (ACE: -0.321; 95%CI: -0.448, -0.195) with QoL, especially for men, people aged 75+, and those in Eastern European countries. Sensitivity analyses for unobserved confounders showed that the associations found cannot be attributed to causal effects.

The low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are experiencing rapid population ageing, yet knowledge about disability among older populations in these countries is scarce. This study aims to identify the prevalence and factors associated with disability among people aged 50 years and over in six LMICs. Cross-sectional data from the World Health Organization (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health Wave 1 (2007–2010) in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and South Africa was used. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were undertaken to examine the association between sociodemographic factors, health behaviours, chronic conditions, and activities of daily living (ADL) disability. The prevalence of disability among older adults ranged from 16.2% in China to 55.7% in India. Older age, multimorbidity, and depression were the most common factors related to disability in all six countries. Gender was significant in China (OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01–1.29), Ghana (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01–1.48) and India (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.37–1.99). Having no access to social capital was significantly associated with ADL disability in China (OR = 2.57, 95% CI: 1.54–4.31) and South Africa (OR = 4.11, 95% CI: 1.79–9.43). Prevalence data is valuable in these six ageing countries, with important evidence on mitigating factors for each. Identifying determinants associated with ADL disability among older people in LMICs can inform how to best implement health prevention programmes considering different country-specific factors.

Frailty is a syndrome commonly associated with old age. Social relationships are an essential determinant of frailty progression, and frailty can negatively affect social relationships. To identify social relationship types among older adults in Europe; to evaluate whether social relationship types differ across European regions; and to assess the association between frailty status and social relationship type. We used data from 56,226 individuals from 17 European countries who participated in Wave 6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. We constructed social relationship types from social relationship variables (contacts frequency, perceived emotional support, participation in social activities, providing and receiving instrumental support) using latent class analysis (LCA). Associations between social relationship types and frailty were examined using multinomial regression analyses integrated with LCA. We identified four social relationship types: 'poor'; 'frequent and emotionally close'; 'frequent, emotionally close, and supportive'; and 'frequent, emotionally close, and active'. Type 3 is also characterised by participation in sport/social clubs (in the northern region) or receiving support (in the eastern region). Participation in volunteering/charity activities (in the central and northern regions) and instrumental support provision (in the northern region) are Type 4's characteristics as well. In all regions, being frail was associated with less active social relationships (Types 1, 2, and 3) relative to the more 'active' type (Type 4). Frailty status was associated with social relationship types. The identified types may help tailor intervention programmes for older adults to prevent worsening frailty.

Background: Providing support to others has been shown to be beneficial to older adults. As people age, their health and social relationships change. These changes may also relate to changes in social support provision. We examined the trajectory of instrumental support provision by older people in three European regions throughout 11 years of follow-up. We then examined the extent to which age at baseline, sex, and region (representing welfare state regime) influenced the variations in the trajectory. Methods: Data collected from 8354 respondents who had completed at least waves 1 and 6 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) was analysed. Instrumental support provision was determined from asking a single question regarding whether the respondent provided help personally for people outside their household. Region, sex, and age at baseline were the main predictors tested. We used growth modelling to address the aims of this study. Results: The northern European region (Sweden and Denmark) had the highest odds ratio of instrumental support provision. The likelihood of being involved in providing instrumental support decreased by 8% annually (OR: 0.916, 95%CI: 0.893,0.940) over the 11 years of follow-up. Older respondents were less likely to provide instrumental support and their trajectories declined faster than those of the younger respondents. Sex difference in instrumental support provision was more apparent among younger-older people in the southern European region. Conclusions: Older European adults are an important source of instrumental support, especially for their families. The probability of instrumental support provision by European older adults declines over time. Age, sex, and welfare state regime predict this trajectory.

Background: The COVID-19 control policies might negatively impact older adults’ participation in volunteer work, instrumental support provision, and the likelihood of receiving instrumental support. Studies that quantify changes in these activities and the related factors are limited. The current study aimed to examine the level of volunteering, instrumental support provision and receipt before and during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe and to determine whether older adults’ volunteering, instrumental support provision and receipt were associated with individual exposure to COVID-19 and the stringency of country’s COVID-19 control policy during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) Corona Survey 1 was designed to focus on community-dwelling Europeans aged ≥50 years. History of participation in volunteering work and instrumental support provision or receipt was assessed from the previous SHARE Wave data. The country’s COVID-19 control policy stringency index (S-Index) was from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker database. A total of 45,669 respondents from 26 European countries were included in the volunteering analysis. Seventeen European countries were included in the analyses of instrumental support provision (N = 36,518) and receipt (N = 36,526). The multilevel logistic regression model was fitted separately to analyse each activity. Results: The level of volunteering and instrumental support provision was lower during the pandemic, but instrumental support receipt was higher. The country S-Index was positively associated with support provision (OR:1.13;95%CI:1.02–1.26) and negatively associated with support receipt (OR:0.69;95%CI:0.54–0.88). Exposure to COVID-19 was positively associated with support receipt (OR:1.64;95%CI:1.38–1.95). COVID-19 exposure on close ones positively associated with volunteering (OR:1.47;95%CI:1.32–1.65), support provision (OR:1.28;95%CI:1.19–1.39), and support receipt (OR:1.25;95%CI:1.15–1.35). Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted older Europeans’ volunteering, instrumental support provision, and instrumental support receipt from outside their household. When someone close to them was exposed to COVID-19, older Europeans were likely to receive instrumental support and to volunteer and provide instrumental support. A stricter country’s COVID-19 control policy might motivate older adults to provide instrumental support, but it prevents them from receiving instrumental support from outside their households.

The long-term antibody response to the novel SARS-CoV-2 in infected patients and their residential neighborhood remains unknown in Indonesia. This information will provide insights into the antibody kinetics over a relatively long period as well as transmission risk factors in the community. We aim to prospectively observe and determine the kinetics of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody for 2 years after infection in relation to disease severity and to determine the risk and protective factors of SARS CoV-2 infections in the community. A cohort of RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients (case) will be prospectively followed for 2 years and will be compared to a control population. The control group comprises SARS-CoV-2 non-infected people who live within a one-kilometer radius from the corresponding case (location matching). This study will recruit at least 165 patients and 495 controls. Demographics, community variables, behavioral characteristics, and relevant clinical data will be collected. Serum samples taken at various time points will be tested for IgM anti-Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and IgG anti-Spike RBD of SARS-CoV-2 by using Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) method. The Kaplan-Meier method will be used to calculate cumulative seroconversion rates, and their association with disease severity will be estimated by logistic regression. The risk and protective factors associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection will be determined using conditional (matched) logistic regression and presented as an odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.