Title | Grandparenting, Social Relations, and Mortality in Old Age. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2022 |
Authors | Jang, H, Tang, F, Fusco, RA, Engel, RJ, Albert, SM |
Journal | Research on Aging |
Volume | 44 |
Issue | 3-4 |
Pagination | 265-275 |
ISSN Number | 1552-7573 |
Keywords | Grandparenting, Mortality, Social networks, Social Support |
Abstract | Guided by a convoy model of social relations, this study investigates the relationships between grandparenting status, social relations, and mortality among community-dwelling grandparents age 65 and older who are caring for their grandchildren. The data were drawn from the 2008 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study ( = 564). Latent class analysis was used to identify the social network structure based on six indicators of interpersonal relationships and activities. A series of hierarchical Weibull hazard models estimated the associations between grandparent caregiving, social relations, and mortality risk. Results of survival analyses indicate that co-parenting and custodial grandparents had higher all-cause mortality risk than grandparents who babysat occasionally; however, for custodial grandparents, the association was not significant once social relation variables were added to the model. This study suggests that community-based support may be beneficial to older grandparents and improved relationship quality is integral to the well-being of older adults. |
DOI | 10.1177/01640275211015433 |
Citation Key | 11695 |
PubMed ID | 34109863 |