Social isolation and aging in Zambia: examining the possible predictors

Abstract

ThisresearchpaperexaminedsocialisolationandaginginZambiabyexaminingpossiblepredictors.Thepaperproducesevidence on risk factors likely to engender social isolation among the elderly population of Zambia. Snowball sampling was undertaken to select690adultsaged60andoverincommunitiesaswellasthoselivinginhomesfortheaged.Astructuredquestionnairewasused tosolicitinformationfromrespondents.ResultsshowthatoldpeopleinZambiaexperienceformsofsocialisolationwhichexhibit themselves (but not limited to) through such factors as loss of appetite, stress, moody, hopeless, useless, unhappy, and lonely. On balance, however, the direction of association and the number of statistically significant findings suggest that associations between variables examined and risk factors associated with social isolation amongst older people in this analysis could explain the overall situation occuring currently in Zambia and probably other developing countries. In view of this, this study recommends that furtherworkisneededtoidentifyandexplaindetailsoffactorsofsocialisolationusingtechniquessuchasfocusgroupdiscussions as well as in-depth interviews with key informants. Such approaches may even help to explain why, for example, sex seems not to be significant in determining indicators of social isolation.