Living Arrangements, Social Networks, Health, Mobility, and Balance of Older Women

Background: The aim of this study is to add to the literature research based documentation by comparing a variety of characteristics of older women of 75 years or more in Oslo who live alone with women who live with a partner regarding demographic factors, their social networks, health, and mobility. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a random sample of 307 women aged 75 years and over (mean 80.8 years, response rate 74.5%) and living at home were interviewed and tested regarding demographic factors, their social networks, health, mobility, and balance. Results: The mean age of the women was 80.8 years, and 76.5% of them were living alone. Fewer years of education, less frequent outdoor walking, difficulty in keeping their balance while walking, more frequently feeling their hearts pounding and suffering from shortness of breath, feeling lonely, and having a low score on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test are factors independently associated with living alone. The strongest independent relationship existed between feelings of loneliness and living alone. Conclusion: Women living alone reported more frequently feeling lonely, have less years of education, were frailer, and had worse mobility problems than women living with a partner.