The social life and attitudes of 80 year olds in Iceland and Sweden - A comparison of two city populations

Summary, in English

The 80+ Studies are collecting longitudinal data regarding medical, psychological, and sociological aspects of 80-year-old people in Lund, Sweden and Reykjavik, Iceland. Methods and Samples: The research design and instruments were identical at the two cites. The number of participants was 139 and 151 respectively. Results: The Icelandic sample had a lower level of educational attainment, a higher ratio with working class back-ground, a higher retirement age, a higher level of single living participants, and more often received home health care. They also had fewer close friends, provided a lower level of support to their children, and, to a lower extent, thought their income met their needs. The Swedish participants reported a higher divorce rate, a lower number of children, siblings, and grandchildren, a higher level of satisfaction with family contacts, and a higher level of loneliness. Summary: Many significant differences concerning demographic and social network variables were found between the two samples. Possible macro-social and cultural explanations of the differences are discussed.

• Författare: Gillis Samuelsson; Torbjörn Svensson; J E Jónsson
• Avdelning/ar: Hållbar vardag och hälsa i ett livsperspektiv
• Publiceringsår: 2005
• Språk: Engelska
• Sidor: 1-14
• Publikation/Tidskrift/Serie: Hallym International Journal of Aging
• Volym: 7
• Issue: 1
• Dokumenttyp: Artikel i tidskrift
• Förlag: Baywood Publishing Company, Inc.
• Ämne: Occupational Therapy
• Nyckelord: cross-national; social life; social network; old old; support
• Status: Published
• Forskningsgrupp: Sustainable occupations and health in a life course perspective
• ISBN/ISSN/Övrigt: ISSN: 1535-6523