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Social Support Networks and Loneliness Among Elderly Jews in Russia and Ukraine
Author(s) -
Iecovich Esther,
Barasch Miriam,
Mirsky Julia,
Kaufman Roni,
Avgar Amos,
KolFogelson Aliza
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of marriage and family
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.578
H-Index - 159
eISSN - 1741-3737
pISSN - 0022-2445
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-3737.2004.00022.x
Subject(s) - loneliness , feeling , soviet union , social isolation , social support , affect (linguistics) , psychology , population , elderly people , demography , gerontology , medicine , social psychology , sociology , political science , psychiatry , communication , politics , law
The collapse of the Soviet Union had devastating consequences for the lives of its population, especially for older adults, many of whom became impoverished and were left with no social support. Using data from a survey of 2,579 elderly Jews in two of the largest countries of the former Soviet Union, Russia and Ukraine, we examine variables that affect their feeling of loneliness. Unmarried and childless elderly persons reported the highest feelings of loneliness. Married elderly persons who maintained frequent contact with their children felt least lonely. Moreover, married and unmarried elderly persons who did not maintain frequent contact with relatives or friends were lonelier than those who maintained such contact. The characteristics of social networks were significantly correlated with loneliness. The findings also showed that Jews in Ukraine had fewer social networks and felt lonelier compared to Jews in Russia.