Mental health and well-being of late working age and older adults in Estonian urban and rural areas

Abstract

The distribution of mental health and aging problems among the Estonian population negatively reflects the large sectors of the population. The most vulnerable group is elderly people. This analysis has been conducted to see transformations of aging within the outlying group of late working age and older adults (56+) in rural areas. Prepared and held logistic regression models based on the Estonian National Mental Health Study to help with identifying effects of environmental and other contextual variables on the target group in different types of settlements. In the study, four dependent and 14 independent variables were selected. Dependent variables represent four mental health related health conditions: registered mental health disorders, selffeeling of health condition, depression risk and life satisfaction. Independent variables are divided for 4 groups: general social-economic factors, lifestyle habits and social connections, psychological profile and risk factors and environment. Based on 16 logistic regression models, environmental variables reveal less importance compare to other three groups of variables. In particular, green infrastructure only had a positive statistically significant influence on life satisfaction among rural elderly people. Additionally, a positive statistically significant effect from green infrastructure was shown in the reduction of depression risk among rural late working age and older adults. The reverse effect has been found in an urban elderly group of people but elaborated due to specifics of the blue infrastructure variable. While social media use among elderly people was not proven as a positive side effect of communication, satisfaction with friends as a face-to-face communication tool was proven in both groups.