Measuring the impact of loneliness, physical activity, and self esteem on the health of the retired people
| Date | 27 November 2023 |
| Pages | 893-909 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-08-2023-0091 |
| Published date | 27 November 2023 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Social inclusion |
| Author | Eliza Sharma,John Ben Prince |
Measuring the impact of loneliness,
physical activity, and self esteem on the
health of the retired people
Eliza Sharma and John Ben Prince
Abstract
Purpose –This study aimsto measure the impact of loneliness, physical activity(PA) and self-esteem on
the health of retiredpeople and also checks the moderating role of livingarrangements and gender of the
elderlypeople on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach –Four standardized scales were used in the study to measure four
different constructs: Self-Worth Questionnaire, UCLA Loneliness Scale Version 3, General Health
Questionnaire-28and Physical Activity Scale for Elders. Structuralequation modelling was applied to the
four constructs.
Findings –The study concluded that loneliness has a negative and significant impact on the health of
retiredpeople, while self-esteem and PA havea positive and significant impacton their health.
Originality/value –The study is among the few to include multiple instruments to measure abstract
parametersin the field of health care. The paperbrings out implications not just for academiciansbut also
for policymakers,considering the complex situationprevailing in the emerging economy.
Keywords Loneliness, Elderly health, Retired, Physical activity,Gender, Self-esteem
Paper type Research paper
1. Introduction
Considering the context of a developing economy such as India, health should be viewed
using two lenses: physical and mental. While the first one has several clear indicators, the
second one is more abstract. Our research develops new strands of thinking in the realm of
overall health concerns of the retired population. India has 138 million elderly people
(people aged 60 and above), according to the 2021 census. Unlike the Western countries
where the state provides support to the elderly and retired people, the Indian system does
not have any such provision: the citizens have to plan for their retirement.This leads to their
dependence on the family ecosystem.However, the prominence of joint families, peculiar to
some countries, has its own set of problems. For instance, this may lead to retired people
living with their family, living alone andliving in age-old homes.
Such living arrangements have their own set of attendant problems and conflicts. Elderly
people may be on their own, leading to feelings of loneliness. Lack of a meaningful
engagement or vocation may, over a periodof time lead to low self-esteem. Due to ill health,
many of them may be less active physically.Therefore, loneliness, low self-esteem and lack
of physical activity (PA) may influence their health. Globally, health has always been a point
of concern for society and governments. The governments of developed nations have
provided tangible, monetary benefits to the retired and elderly. India has a different set of
problems. The government has no monetary benefits for almost 99% of the population. A
small fraction, constituting people who retire from central government services receive a
Eliza Sharma is based at
the Symbiosis Institute of
Business Management
Bengaluru, International
University (Deemed
University), Bangalore,
India.
John Ben Prince is based at
the Prin LN Welingkar
Institute of Management
Development and
Research –Bengaluru
Campus, Bengaluru, India.
The authors acknowledge that
this study has not been funded
by any institution, and there is
no conflict of interest. The study
is original and the identity of the
respondents has been kept
confidential. Both the data and
the instrument can be obtained
from the researcher on request.
DOI 10.1108/MHSI-08-2023-0091 VOL. 28 NO. 5 2024, pp. 893-909, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2042-8308 jMENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION jPAGE 893
lifelong pension. Hence, considering the twin problems of a non-supportive government
and a slowly crumbling social structure, an adverse impact is felt mainly on the health of
retired people. Once we factor in the living arrangements and gender into this equation, we
get a better picture of theirimpact on health. Our paper is among the few which studies how
these accompanying constructs, that is, living arrangements and gender, interact with and
influence the other key constructson health.
2. Review of literature
Several studies have been undertaken by various scholars to measure the impact of
loneliness, PA and self-esteem on the health of elderly people. This section explicates a
comprehensive review of literaturerelated to the same.
Health is a composite construct and can have different meanings. To provide consistency
and clarity, we began by referring to the World Health Organization’s International
Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (WHO, 2007). Using the globally
accepted short-form ICF, this document lays down critical taxonomies for youth and
children’s health. However, it also provides clear guidelines as to how the construct of
mental health departs from physical health. For instance, the document classifies vision
under four broad parameters (WHO, 2007, p. 220) while the document suggests a detailed
four-level code for “specialistservices”; under the purview of such services,mental health is
one of the broad level constructs. Further support is also available from Conway et al.
(2019) who delineate a hierarchical classification structure that could help describe an
abstract form of mental health. Recent classification literature has augmented prior studies,
for instance, McPherson et al. (2018) has proposed taxonomies that point to emerging
areas of mental health; their study distinguishes “health” from mental healthwith defined set
of criteria, serving the needs of practitionersas well as academicians.
2.1 Loneliness and health
Loneliness is associated with several forms of psychiatric disorders such as depression,
alcoholism, Alzheimer’s disease and personality disorders. which also affect the physical
health of the individual (Mushtaq et al.,2014). Loneliness is also associated with lower
levels of self-rated health among several individuals but this is a gendered phenomenon as
girls have been shown to experience lower levelsof self-rated health in adulthood than their
male counterparts (Goosby et al.,2013).
People above 60 years of age suffered from loneliness and this, in chronic forms, was also
significantly and positively linked to frequent clinic visits and hospitalizations; scholars have
advocated sociability programmes and better availability of health-care facilities to the
elderly. Specifically, in the COVID-19 pandemic, the rates of missed medical appointments
have shown a direct correlation with decreasing social contact during the pandemic,
especially with elder adults who live alone. This is coherent with the understanding that
loneliness is a common feature among retired people and is directly related to declining
health among them. In this context, social coping practices are used by retired people in
dealing with isolation and loneliness.
2.2 Physical activity and health
Several studies have shown the relationship between PA and health among retired people.
The amount of PA that adults perform during the day also influences their health. There are
gender differences as well which have been explored–showing how the duration of activity
is more determining for men and the step-count is more determining for women when it
comes to affecting the health parameters of elderly adults (Aoyagi and Shephard, 2010).
The effect of health parameters can be assessed by looking at the quality of life that it
PAGE 894 jMENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL INCLUSION jVOL. 28 NO. 5 2024
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