Dataset Information

Association between social support, smartphone usage and loneliness among the migrant elderly following children in Jinan, China: a cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

As the fast population ageing in the past few decades, China has also witnessed an increase in the number of migrant elderly following children (MEFC). This study aims to examine the relationship between MEFC's social support, smartphone usage and loneliness in Jinan, China.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Shandong Province, China.

Participants

The participants were 656 MEFC aged 60 years or above.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Loneliness was measured by an eight-item version of the University of California Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (ULS-8). A t-test and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were conducted to compare the level of loneliness across different sociodemographic variables, social support indicators and smartphone usage indicators. Structural equation modelling was used to validate the association between the above variables.

Results

The MEFC's mean score on the ULS-8 was 12.82±4.05, indicating a relatively lower level of loneliness. It was found that social support and smartphone usage exerted negative effects on loneliness of the MEFC, and the standardised direct effects were -0.165 (95% CI -0.257 to -0.070) and -0.094 (95% CI -0.180 to -0.003), respectively. Social support was found to be positively associated with smartphone usage of the MEFC, and the standardised direct effect was 0.147 (95% CI 0.052 to 0.246).

Conclusions

The loneliness of the MEFC was relatively low and was clarified to be negatively associated with social support and smartphone usage. Effective intervention measures on social support and smartphone usage to alleviate loneliness among the MEFC in China were recommended based on this study.

SUBMITTER: Liu G

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9174823 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Association between social support, smartphone usage and loneliness among the migrant elderly following children in Jinan, China: a cross-sectional study.

Liu Guangwen G Li Shixue S Kong Fanlei F

BMJ open 20220524 5

<h4>Objectives</h4>As the fast population ageing in the past few decades, China has also witnessed an increase in the number of migrant elderly following children (MEFC). This study aims to examine the relationship between MEFC's social support, smartphone usage and loneliness in Jinan, China.<h4>Design</h4>Cross-sectional survey.<h4>Setting</h4>Shandong Province, China.<h4>Participants</h4>The participants were 656 MEFC aged 60 years or above.<h4>Primary and secondary outcome measures</h4>Lonel ...[more]

PMID: 35613788

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Dataset Information

Association between social support, smartphone usage and loneliness among the migrant elderly following children in Jinan, China: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Association between social support, smartphone usage and loneliness among the migrant elderly following children in Jinan, China: a cross-sectional study.

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