Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In China, empty nester elderly refers to older adults whose children have left home and who live alone or only with a spouse. With the country’s rapidly aging population, this group is expanding, posing new challenges for public health and social care. Self-neglect, which is defined as the intentional or unintentional failure to maintain adequate self-care and health management, leading to risks in medical care, hygiene, and safety, is a critical but underexplored issue. This study examined the prevalence and predictors of self-neglect in an urban Chinese sample. Using a descriptive-correlational survey, 184 empty-nestr elderly were randomly selected. Data on demographic characteristics, self-care ability, social support, and self-neglect were collected using standardized scales. Analyses included descriptive statistics and stepwise multiple regression. Findings show that the participants were predominantly female, aged 60–70 years, with junior high school education, married, and retired from farming. Most had 1–2 children, monthly per capita incomes of 1,000–2,000 CNY (≈139–278 USD), and received weekly visits from children. Social support was mainly from acquaintances and friends, with limited family support. Self-neglect levels were relatively high, particularly in healthcare behaviors and living environment hygiene. Regression analysis showed that lower income, less frequent children’s visits (every two weeks vs. weekly), enterprise occupation, unmarried status, and higher self-care ability scores were associated with greater self-neglect, while having 1–2 chronic diseases predicted lower self-neglect. The model explained 37.4% of the variance. These findings underscore the need for targeted health promotion and wellness programs for empty nester elderly, emphasizing social support, economic stability, and proactive monitoring by geriatric care professionals.
DOI: 10.14419/vqnb6h26
Authors: Jing Xu, Jocelyn May Flor A. Cadena, Sheilla M. Trajera, Gregory S. Ching
Topic: Elder Abuse and Neglect
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4415360819
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