Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators

Abstract Background While functional and mobility impairments (FMIs) have garnered the attention of health researchers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India, research has yet to explore whether and to what extent the perception of one’s social status is associated with FMIs. We...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Manacy Pai, T. Muhammad
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-10-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04380-5
_version_ 1827633218418900992
author Manacy Pai
T. Muhammad
author_facet Manacy Pai
T. Muhammad
author_sort Manacy Pai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background While functional and mobility impairments (FMIs) have garnered the attention of health researchers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India, research has yet to explore whether and to what extent the perception of one’s social status is associated with FMIs. We fill this gap in the literature by examining (1) the association between subjective social status (SSS) and FMIs among older adults in India and (2) whether this association between SSS and FMIs is mediated and moderated by life satisfaction and depression. Methods Data come from the 2017-18 wave 1 of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) with a sample of 31,464 older adults aged 60 years and above. FMIs were assessed using established scales on impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and mobility. SSS was assessed using the Macarthur scale. Life satisfaction was measured using responses to five statements gauging respondent’s overall satisfaction with life. Depression was calculated using the shortened version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-SF). Multivariable regression was employed to examine the association between variables, and the interaction terms and Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method were used separately to test the mediation and moderation effects. Results 39.11% of the sample had a low SSS, 8.26% were depressed, and 32.07% reported low life satisfaction. A total of 8.74%, 10.91%, and 8.45% of the study population reported at least one impairment in ADL, IADL, and mobility, respectively. Older adults in the higher SSS group were less likely to have ADL impairment (beta: -0.017, CI: -0.030, -0.0032) and mobility impairment (beta: -0.044, CI: -0.076, -0.013). Depression moderated the association between SSS and mobility impairment (p-value: 0.025), and life satisfaction moderated the association between SSS and ADL impairments (p-value: 0.041) and SSS and IADL impairments (p-value: 0.037). Depression mediated 20.28%, 31.88%, and 18.39% of the associations of SSS with ADL, IADL, and mobility impairments, respectively. Similarly, life satisfaction mediated 23.24%, 52.69%, and 27.22% of the associations of SSS with ADL, IADL, and mobility impairments. Conclusions That SSS is associated with FMIs among older Indians, even after considering their objective socioeconomic status (SES), suggests that the use of SSS is relevant to the study of health inequalities in India. The finding that life satisfaction and depression mediate and moderate this association is crucial in pinpointing those older Indians at risk of the functional and mobility-related repercussions of lower SSS.
first_indexed 2024-03-09T14:56:28Z
format Article
id doaj.art-b9cf9e5753e04f3ba5f8d898a98a5394
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1471-2318
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-09T14:56:28Z
publishDate 2023-10-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Geriatrics
spelling doaj.art-b9cf9e5753e04f3ba5f8d898a98a53942023-11-26T14:10:47ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182023-10-0123111710.1186/s12877-023-04380-5Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderatorsManacy Pai0T. Muhammad1Department of Sociology and Criminology, Kent State UniversityDepartment of Family & Generations, International Institute for Population SciencesAbstract Background While functional and mobility impairments (FMIs) have garnered the attention of health researchers in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), including India, research has yet to explore whether and to what extent the perception of one’s social status is associated with FMIs. We fill this gap in the literature by examining (1) the association between subjective social status (SSS) and FMIs among older adults in India and (2) whether this association between SSS and FMIs is mediated and moderated by life satisfaction and depression. Methods Data come from the 2017-18 wave 1 of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) with a sample of 31,464 older adults aged 60 years and above. FMIs were assessed using established scales on impairments in activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and mobility. SSS was assessed using the Macarthur scale. Life satisfaction was measured using responses to five statements gauging respondent’s overall satisfaction with life. Depression was calculated using the shortened version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI-SF). Multivariable regression was employed to examine the association between variables, and the interaction terms and Karlson-Holm-Breen (KHB) method were used separately to test the mediation and moderation effects. Results 39.11% of the sample had a low SSS, 8.26% were depressed, and 32.07% reported low life satisfaction. A total of 8.74%, 10.91%, and 8.45% of the study population reported at least one impairment in ADL, IADL, and mobility, respectively. Older adults in the higher SSS group were less likely to have ADL impairment (beta: -0.017, CI: -0.030, -0.0032) and mobility impairment (beta: -0.044, CI: -0.076, -0.013). Depression moderated the association between SSS and mobility impairment (p-value: 0.025), and life satisfaction moderated the association between SSS and ADL impairments (p-value: 0.041) and SSS and IADL impairments (p-value: 0.037). Depression mediated 20.28%, 31.88%, and 18.39% of the associations of SSS with ADL, IADL, and mobility impairments, respectively. Similarly, life satisfaction mediated 23.24%, 52.69%, and 27.22% of the associations of SSS with ADL, IADL, and mobility impairments. Conclusions That SSS is associated with FMIs among older Indians, even after considering their objective socioeconomic status (SES), suggests that the use of SSS is relevant to the study of health inequalities in India. The finding that life satisfaction and depression mediate and moderate this association is crucial in pinpointing those older Indians at risk of the functional and mobility-related repercussions of lower SSS.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04380-5Subjective social statusFunctional and mobility impairmentOlder adults
spellingShingle Manacy Pai
T. Muhammad
Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
BMC Geriatrics
Subjective social status
Functional and mobility impairment
Older adults
title Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
title_full Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
title_fullStr Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
title_full_unstemmed Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
title_short Subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults: life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
title_sort subjective social status and functional and mobility impairments among older adults life satisfaction and depression as mediators and moderators
topic Subjective social status
Functional and mobility impairment
Older adults
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-023-04380-5
work_keys_str_mv AT manacypai subjectivesocialstatusandfunctionalandmobilityimpairmentsamongolderadultslifesatisfactionanddepressionasmediatorsandmoderators
AT tmuhammad subjectivesocialstatusandfunctionalandmobilityimpairmentsamongolderadultslifesatisfactionanddepressionasmediatorsandmoderators