Higher Social Engagement Tied to Lower Four-Year Risk for Death in Older Adults
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, May 29, 2025 -- Higher social engagement in adults 60 years and older is associated with reduced mortality risk, possibly due partly to decreased biological aging and higher levels of physical activity, according to a study published online May 21 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Ashraf Abugroun, M.B.B.S, M.P.H., from the University of California, San Francisco, and colleagues investigated the biological, behavioral, and psychological pathways mediating the relationship between social engagement and mortality risk. The analysis included data from 2,268 participants (aged 60 years and older) in the Health and Retirement Study.
The researchers found that higher social engagement was associated with lower all-cause mortality rates over four years of follow-up. Compared with the low and moderate engagement groups, the high social engagement group had a lower median biological age, healthier behaviors, and lower prevalence of depressive symptoms. High social engagement was significantly associated with lower mortality risk versus low engagement (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.58). This effect was partially mediated by regular physical activity (16 percent) and decelerated biological age (15 percent), but no significant mediating effect was seen for high depressive symptoms, excess alcohol use, and tobacco use.
"Staying socially active is more than a lifestyle choice. It is closely linked to healthier aging and longevity," Abugroun said in a statement. "These results underscore how participating in community life contributes to better health in older adults."
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted May 2025
Read this next
Fewer Opioids Being Prescribed for Low Back Pain in the Emergency Department
FRIDAY, July 18, 2025 -- From 2016 to 2022, 5.3 percent of all U.S. emergency department visits were related to low back pain, with opioid administration and prescription...
ENDO: AI Model Integrated Into Retina Tracker IDs Diabetic Retinopathy
FRIDAY, July 18, 2025 -- An artificial intelligence (AI) model integrated into a retina tracker for diabetic retinopathy can achieve high accuracy while being resource-efficient...
Dogs Can Differentiate Between People With Parkinson Disease, Controls
FRIDAY, July 18, 2025 -- Dogs can differentiate between dry skin swab samples from people with Parkinson disease (PwP) and controls, according to a study published online July 14...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.