Time period in interviews conducted Sample size. In order to allow programme areas to take these issues into account, relevant details on each survey are contained in Annex One, along with sources of additional information. Mandatory Measures MEASURE INDICATOR BACKGROUND SCORING COMPARATIVE DATA Social isolation and loneliness OU1: Social and emotional isolation – De Jong Gierveld (DJG) scale I experience a general sense of emptiness There are plenty of people I can rely on when I have problems are many people I can trust completely are enough people I feel close to I miss having people around I often feel rejected. (Yes, More or less, No) This scale was chosen as the primary outcomes measure for the CMF because it allows us to measure overall loneliness as well as differentiating between social and emotional loneliness. It has been widely used across Europe and and evaluated. The six-scale, three response shortened version of the scale is used in the CMF. Further details (and information on the differences between the DJG and UCLA measures) can be accessed via Campaign To End Loneliness, Measuring Your Impact on Loneliness in Later Life. Available here: Three separate scores: Overall mean average loneliness scale of 0-6 Social loneliness mean average: scale of 0-3 Emotional loneliness mean average: scale of 0-3. Indicators #1, #5 and #6 on the left cover emotional loneliness. Answer options ‘Yes’ and ‘More or Less’ are scored 1, ‘No’ is scored 0. Indicators #2, #3 and #4 on the left cover social loneliness. Answer options ‘Yes’ is scored 0, ‘No’ and ‘More or Less’ are scored 1. TNS Omnibus (2016) Overall mean average: 1.6 Social loneliness mean average: 0.9 Emotional loneliness mean average: 0.7.
A score of 6 represents the most lonely; a score of 0 represents the least lonely. OU2: Social and emotional isolation – UCLA Main indicators: How often do you feel you lack companionship? How often do you feel left out? How often do you feel isolated from others? Additional indicator: How often do you feel in tune with the people around you? (Hardly ever or never, Some of the time, Often) The UCLA scale measures loneliness as a whole. The UCLA scale is widely used across the world and has been used in recent waves of ELSA. Further details (and information on the differences between the DJG and UCLA measures) can be accessed via Campaign To End Loneliness, Measuring Your Impact on Loneliness in Later Life. Available here: One overall score is provided based on the three main indicators only (in line with how results are generally reported): Overall mean average score on scale of 3-9. Indicators #1, #2, #3 are scored with 'hardly ever or never' as 1, 'some of the time' 2 and 'often' 3. A score of 9 represents the most lonely; a score of 3 represents the least lonely. Though the authors of the UCLA scale do not give a cut-off point to separate the ‘lonely’ from the ‘non-lonely’, Steptoe et al. (2013) use a threshold of a score of 6 based on the three scored items. English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing (ELSA) (2015/16) Overall mean average: TBC pending further analysis (2018). Social contact
Less than once a year Once or twice a year few months Once every two months Once a month A few times a month Once or a week Three or more times a week Every day or almost every day Less often: 1%. Social participation OU5: Social participation in clubs, organisations and societies Are you a member of any organisations or societies? Political trade union or environmental group Tenants groups, neighbourhood groups, Neighbourhood Church or religious groups Charitable organisation Education, arts or music groups or evening classes Social clubs This measures involvement in groups, and the influence of social participation on social isolation. Question wording used in ELSA and forms part of the Shankar et al (2011) social isolation index. On the dashboard, each of the categories apart from ‘No, I am not a member of any organisations, clubs or societies’ is scored ‘1’. An increase in the average score shows greater participation in different categories of membership, but is not intended to measure the individual number of memberships across all types of organisation. ELSA (2015/16) Individual score: Member of a club, organisation or society: 71%
Sports clubs, gyms or exercise classes Any other organisations, clubs or societies No, I am not a member of any organisations, clubs or societies OU6: Taking part in social activities Compared to other people of your age, how often would you say you take part in social activities? Much less than most Less than most About the same More than most Much more than most This measures change in engagement in social activities: a lack of which is a potential precursor to social isolation. The source is the European Social Survey, which has been used in the UK context. On the dashboard, the options are scored from 0 to 4 as indicated on the left. An increase in the mean average represents greater participation in social activities. TNS Omnibus (2016) Overall mean average: 2.36. Much more than most/ more than most: 19% About the same: 37% Much less than most/ less than most: 44% Optional Measures MEASURE INDICATOR BACKGROUND SCORING COMPARATIVE DATA Wellbeing OU7: Wellbeing SWEMWBS: I’ve been feeling optimistic the future I’ve been feeling useful I’ve been feeling relaxed The shortened, seven-item scale (SWEMWBS) focuses on wellbeing functioning, as opposed to feelings and is derived from the longer, full Warwick-Edinburgh Emotional Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). The seven items are scored out of five scores as shown on the left. Summary scores range from 7-35, with a higher score indicating higher wellbeing. Understanding Society (2012/13) Mean average: 55–64: 24.8 65–74: 25.8
I’ve been dealing with problems well I’ve been thinking clearly I’ve been feeling to other people I’ve been able to make up my own mind about things The seven items are each scored out of five as follows: None of the time Rarely Some of the time Often All of the time This is an industry-standard measure and is commonly-used to evaluate activities which aim to improve wellbeing. It measures both mental and emotional wellbeing (how “good” somebody feels) and psychological functioning (how well somebody thinks they are functioning). In the dashboard, the summary scores are transformed into a metric score for comparison purposes in line with guidance from the developers of the SWEMWBS measure. 75 and over: 25.1. Health OU8: Quality of life Mobility I have no problems in walking about I have some problems in walking about I am confined to bed Self-Care I have no problems with self-care I have some problems washing or dressing myself The EQ-5D-3L is a widely-used measure to assess health quality of life. This measure is easy to answer, being relatively quick to complete and easy to understand. Each dimension (Mobility, Usual Activities, Pain / Discomfort, Anxiety/Depression) is scored between 1 and 3 as indicated on the left. Combined, each represents a health state, e.g. 22323. Health states are then converted into a single index value using a standard approach developed for the This single index score Health Survey England (2012), score: 55-64: men 0.92, women 0.85 65-74: men 0.92, 0.85 75-84: men 0.85, women 0.80 85 and over: men 0.85, 0.78
Community Life Survey Survey examining areas such as volunteering, charitable giving, local action and networks and well-being. Most relevant source of comparative data for “Ability to Influence Local Decisions”. 2016/17 data used as most recently available. Annual survey. Age 16 and over, England only. Self-completion online/paper questionnaire used in 2016/17 survey (previously face-to-face). This change in methodology may have led to changes in endorsement for the 2016/17 survey compared to previous survey years. Most recent survey (2016-17) included approximately 10,000 responses. Main webpage: Recent results: English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing (ELSA) Longitudinal study of health, social, wellbeing and economic circumstances. Most relevant source of comparative data for OU2. Source of question wording used for many CMF questions. Age 50 and over, England only. Longitudinal survey (interviews the same people each time). Face-to-face computer assisted interview plus self-completion questionnaire (every two years). Nurse-administered measures (every four years). Differs for each wave. Most recent wave (2014-15) interviewed 8,249 adults, all aged 50-51 on 1 March 2014. Main webpage: 2014-15 report: Health Survey England Annual survey looking at changes in the health and lifestyles of people across England. Most relevant source of comparative data for OU8, OU9 Annual survey. Age 2 and over, England only. Face-to-face computer assisted interview plus self-completion questionnaire. measures. Around 8,000 adults and 2,000 children in each year. Main webpage: Recent results: