Family Typology and 6-Year All-Cause Mortality Among U.S. Chinese Older Adults

Abstract

Objectives: Previous research focused on the individual risk factors of mortality, while little is known about how family environment could influence mortality in later life. This study aims to examine mortality risks in different family types and what family type may increase mortality risk for older adults with medical comorbidities or functional impairment.

Methods: Data were derived from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE) in Chicago. The baseline interview was conducted from 2011 to 2013. The outcome was 6-year all-cause mortality. Family typology included tight-knit, unobligated-ambivalent, commanding-conflicted, and detached types. Cox proportional hazards models were used.

Results: The study sample consisted of 3,019 older adults and 372 participants passed away during 6 years follow-up. Older adults in the detached type had higher risks of mortality than those in the tight-knit type (hazard ratio: 1.45 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-2.07]). Regarding the interaction effect between family typology and functional impairment, older adults with higher levels of physical impairment (1.29 [1.07-1.56]) and cognitive impairment (1.07 [1.01-1.14]) nested in the commanding-conflicted type had higher mortality risks than their counterparts nested in the tight-knit type.

Discussion: In this longitudinal cohort study with a 6-year follow-up, older adults nested in the detached family type had higher 6-year mortality risks than those nested in the tight-knit family type. Living in the commanding-conflicted family increased the 6-year mortality risks for older adults with physical impairment or cognitive impairment compared with their counterparts residing in the tight-knit family type.

Keywords: Cognitive impairment; Family type; Medical comorbidities; Mortality risk; Physical impairment.