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Abstract: Background: Elderly people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of social reduction, so there is an urgent need to identify the risks associated with social isolation. The aim of this paper was to analyze associations between psychological, socio-demographic, functional aspects on the risk of social isolation, mortality and re-hospitalization in older persons. Methods: This is a longitudinal study on 580 hospitalized elderly sample aged ≥70yrs recruited from 2005 to 2007 in the Geriatrics Operative Unit of INRCA in Fermo, Italy. The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) was used. Outcome measures included 36-month mortality and re-hospitalization. Results: In all patients, approximately 20% (n =112) of the subjects were socially isolated. Women perceived their social support significantly worse than men (77.7 vs. 22.3%; p <0.001). A multiple logistic regression analysis (goodness of fit χ 2 =102.86, p <0.001) with risk of social isolation as the dependent variable, showed that women were at a greater risk than men for social isolation (OR=1.99, 95% CI=1.13–3.50). Furthermore, patients with a higher number of family components (OR=0.72, 95% CI=0.59–0.88) and good parameters of quality of life (PCS-12: OR=0.94, 95% CI=0.91–0.98; MCS-12: OR=0.94, 95% CI=0.92–0.97) were less likely to be socially isolated. Cox regression models adjusted for gender, quality of life and number of family components, showed that the social isolation did not predict mortality (HR=1.44, 95% CI=0.84–2.46, p =0.19), but was associated with higher re-hospitalization rates (HR=1.28, 95% CI=1.02–1.59, p =0.03). Conclusions: Our findings highlight several aspects related to the risk of social isolation and re-hospitalization in a specific group of older persons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper analyses variables associated with community-dwelling older people''s engagement in physical activity (PA). Data were examined using the results from the European ZINCAGE study on 306 community-dwelling Italians aged 65years and over. The lifestyle questionnaire was used to evaluate the data. Levels of regular/non-regular PA were based on ≥1h of weekly exercise. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the predictors of PA. Participants reported the time they had spent per week engaging in PA over the last year. Overall, 56.2% of them engaged in regular physical exercise. PA levels decreased in subjects with probable cognitive decline, depression and high perceived stress levels (p <0.001). Lower age, a lower body mass index (BMI), better health status, absence of depression, being married, were all associated with regular PA. The importance of monitoring PA in the elderly emerged, in particular in those having some certain social-demographic characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]