TY - JOUR
T1 - Community asset participation and social medicine increases qualities of life
AU - Munford, Luke A.
AU - Panagioti, Maria
AU - Bower, Peter
AU - Skevington, Suzanne M.
N1 - Funding Information:
This paper represents independent research funded by the UK NIHR (grant 12/130/33). Luke Munford's research is supported by the Medical Research Council, through a Skills Development Fellowship (grant number MR/N015126/1). Views and opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NHS, NIHR, NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC), Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR), MRC, or Department of Health. We thank North West e-Health and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network: Greater Manchester for assistance with the recruitment of the CLASSIC cohort, as well as staff at the participating practices. For assistance with the CLASSIC study, we thank ?Salford Together? ? a partnership of Salford City Council, NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Primary Care Together.
Funding Information:
This paper represents independent research funded by the UK NIHR (grant 12/130/33 ). Luke Munford's research is supported by the Medical Research Council , through a Skills Development Fellowship (grant number MR/N015126/1 ). Views and opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the NHS, NIHR, NIHR Evaluation, Trials and Studies Coordinating Centre (NETSCC), Health Services and Delivery Research (HS&DR), MRC, or Department of Health. We thank North West e-Health and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network: Greater Manchester for assistance with the recruitment of the CLASSIC cohort, as well as staff at the participating practices. For assistance with the CLASSIC study, we thank ‘Salford Together’ — a partnership of Salford City Council, NHS Salford Clinical Commissioning Group, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Primary Care Together.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020
Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/6/23
Y1 - 2020/6/23
N2 - Rationale: Social prescribing to community assets, like social groups, is a current policy goal. As aging adults lead longer, healthier lives, the effects of participating in community assets raises questions about whether subjective quality of life (QoL) improves during participation and on what dimensions. Objective: The study's goal was to examine the effectiveness of community assets at improving QoL among older people living in the community. Method: Examining longitudinal survey data which tracked health and wellbeing in older adults living in Salford, UK over 12 months, we first used regressions on community assets to compare the World Health Organization's QoL Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) domains at baseline for those who already participated in community assets (54%) and with non-participants (46%). Second, we used propensity score matching to compare QoL in an ‘uptake’ group (no initial participation but who participated at 12 months), to those who never participated, and to a ‘cessation’ group who participated initially, but ceased within one year, to those who always participated. Results: Group comparisons confirmed that participants reported significantly higher QoL on all domains – environmental, psychological, physical, and social QoL – and on 16 predicted facets. After affirming group matching reliability, the strongest results were for the uptake group, with significant improvements in all domains, and in 18 facets. All QoL domains decreased in the cessation group, but overall, the effect was weaker. As predicted from the context, QoL relating to ‘opportunities for recreation and leisure’ showed the greatest effect. Furthermore, QoL increased with uptake, and decreased with cessation. Conclusion: Policies to improve QoL in later life should be designed not just to promote community assets, but also maintain participation once initiated.
AB - Rationale: Social prescribing to community assets, like social groups, is a current policy goal. As aging adults lead longer, healthier lives, the effects of participating in community assets raises questions about whether subjective quality of life (QoL) improves during participation and on what dimensions. Objective: The study's goal was to examine the effectiveness of community assets at improving QoL among older people living in the community. Method: Examining longitudinal survey data which tracked health and wellbeing in older adults living in Salford, UK over 12 months, we first used regressions on community assets to compare the World Health Organization's QoL Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) domains at baseline for those who already participated in community assets (54%) and with non-participants (46%). Second, we used propensity score matching to compare QoL in an ‘uptake’ group (no initial participation but who participated at 12 months), to those who never participated, and to a ‘cessation’ group who participated initially, but ceased within one year, to those who always participated. Results: Group comparisons confirmed that participants reported significantly higher QoL on all domains – environmental, psychological, physical, and social QoL – and on 16 predicted facets. After affirming group matching reliability, the strongest results were for the uptake group, with significant improvements in all domains, and in 18 facets. All QoL domains decreased in the cessation group, but overall, the effect was weaker. As predicted from the context, QoL relating to ‘opportunities for recreation and leisure’ showed the greatest effect. Furthermore, QoL increased with uptake, and decreased with cessation. Conclusion: Policies to improve QoL in later life should be designed not just to promote community assets, but also maintain participation once initiated.
KW - Community assets
KW - Elderly
KW - Quality of life
KW - Social cohesion
KW - Social participation
KW - WHOQOL-BREF
U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113149
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113149
M3 - Article
C2 - 32603958
AN - SCOPUS:85086889712
VL - 259
JO - Social Science & Medicine
JF - Social Science & Medicine
SN - 1873-5347
M1 - 113149
ER -