Older Women Living Alone in the UK: Does Their Health and Wellbeing Differ from Those Who Cohabit?

Catherine Forward; Hafiz T A Khan; Pauline Fox

doi:10.1007/s12062-021-09344-4

Older Women Living Alone in the UK: Does Their Health and Wellbeing Differ from Those Who Cohabit?

J Popul Ageing. 2023;16(1):103-119. doi: 10.1007/s12062-021-09344-4. Epub 2021 Aug 8.

Authors

Catherine Forward¹, Hafiz T A Khan², Pauline Fox³

Affiliations

¹ College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare, University of West London, England, UK.
² Public Health Group, College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare, University of West London, England, UK.
³ The Graduate Centre, University of West London, London, England UK.

Abstract

With an increased prevalence of people living alone in later life, understanding the health and wellbeing of older women living alone in the UK is an important area of research. Little is known about health and wellbeing in this population and whether they differ from those who cohabit. This paper fills this research gap. Analysis was undertaken of Wave 8 of the Understanding Society Household Panel Survey, including variables such as internet use and volunteering. Differences were found between those who live alone and cohabit. Volunteering was a predictor of better health outcomes for those who lived alone but not for those who cohabit, despite similar rates of volunteering. Internet use predicted some better health outcome for those who cohabit but poorer for those who live alone. This suggests lifestyle factors vary in how they affect the health and wellbeing of older women, depending on cohabitation status.

Keywords: Cross-sectional; Internet use; Living alone; Lone dwelling; Older women; Volunteering.