Open AccessEveryday activities and social contacts among older deaf sign language users: Relationships to health and well‐being
Author(s) -
WerngrenElgström Monica,
Brandt Åse,
Iwarsson Susanne
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
occupational therapy international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.414
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1557-0703
pISSN - 0966-7903
DOI - 10.1002/oti.218
Subject(s) - sign language , psychology , club , variety (cybernetics) , sign (mathematics) , social engagement , gerontology , everyday life , population , developmental psychology , social psychology , medicine , linguistics , sociology , demography , mathematical analysis , social science , philosophy , artificial intelligence , computer science , political science , law , anatomy , mathematics
The purpose of this study was to describe the everyday activities and social contacts among older deaf sign language users, and to investigate relationships between these phenomena and the health and well‐being within this group. The study population comprised deaf sign language users, 65 years or older, in Sweden. Data collection was based on interviews in sign language, including open‐ended questions covering everyday activities and social contacts as well as self‐rated instruments measuring aspects of health and subjective well‐being. The results demonstrated that the group of participants was homogeneous in their productive and leisure activities, regardless of gender and age. The number of productive activities was related to all aspects of health, while the number of leisure activities was related to perceived health and subjective well‐being. No significant relationship was found between aspects of health and subjective well‐being and the frequency of social contacts with family/relatives or visiting the deaf club and meeting friends. It is concluded that the variety of activities at the deaf clubs are important for the subjective well‐being of older deaf sign language users. Further research should investigate the importance and perceived value of the various activities at the deaf clubs. When evaluating the results of this study, the fact that the total number of participants was small, and the dropout rate was high, has to be borne in mind. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.