Psychological Factors That Suppress Help-Seeking among Middle-Aged and Older Adults Living Alone

Yoh Murayama (), Sachiko Yamazaki, Masami Hasebe, Tomoya Takahashi, Jun Yamaguchi and Erika Kobayashi
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Yoh Murayama: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Sachiko Yamazaki: Department of Human Studies, Bunkyo Gakuin University, Saitama-ken 356-8533, Japan
Masami Hasebe: Department of Human Welfare, Seigakuin University, Saitama-ken 362-8585, Japan
Tomoya Takahashi: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Jun Yamaguchi: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan
Erika Kobayashi: Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo 173-0015, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 17, 1-13

Abstract: Help-seeking among destitute adults has not been adequately investigated. Therefore, this study clarifies the mechanisms that suppress help-seeking in middle-aged and older adults living alone. Data were collected from 1274 individuals (aged 50–79 years) who were living alone, using a survey that measured future time perspective, barriers to help-seeking, help-seeking intentions, and current and childhood economic statuses. Men living alone experienced lower help-seeking intention than women, were more likely to try to solve problems by themselves, and experienced greater distrust in others. No sex differences were observed in “future anxiety” and “resignation to the future.” Poor economic status was associated with high “resignation to the future,” “future anxiety,” and “distrust of others” for both sexes. “Resignation to the future” was particularly higher among men with a poorer current economic status, which suppressed help-seeking. Abandoning hope for the future, which is characteristic of middle-aged and older men living alone, may inhibit help-seeking behavior.

Keywords: help-seeking; middle-aged and older adults; future time perspective; resignation to future; living alone (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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