Association between marital relationship and multimorbidity in middle-aged adults: a longitudinal study across the US, UK, Europe, and China

In the US, the incidence of depression and suicide have followed escalating trends over the past several years. These trends call for greater efforts towards identifying their underlying drivers and finding effective prevention strategies and treatments. One social determinant of health that plausibly influences the risk of depression is income inequality, the gap between the rich and poor. However, research on this association is still sparse. We used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 and the US Census to investigate the multilevel lagged associations of state-level income inequality with the individual-level odds of depression in middle-aged adults, controlling for state- and individual-level factors. We also examined the independent associations of county-level social capital with depression and explored whether it mediated the income inequality relationship. Higher income inequality at the state level predicted higher odds of individual-level depression nearly 2 decades later [OR for middle vs. lowest tertile of income inequality = 1.35 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.76), OR for highest vs. lowest tertile = 1.34 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.78)]. This association was stronger among men than women. Furthermore, there was evidence that county-level social capital independently predicted depression and that it mediated the income inequality association. Overall, our findings suggest that policies attenuating levels of income inequality at the US state level and that leverage social capital may protect against one’s likelihood of developing depression.

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Patterns of benzodiazepine and antidepressant use among middle-aged adults. The Brazilian longitudinal study of adult health (ELSA-Brasil)

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2013.05.054 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 151 (1) ◽

pp. 71-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

Andre R. Brunoni ◽

Maria Angélica Nunes ◽

Roberta Figueiredo ◽

Sandhi M. Barreto ◽

Maria de Jesus Mendes da Fonseca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Adult Health ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Antidepressant Use ◽

Middle Aged Adults

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Historical Change in Midlife Health, Well-Being, and Despair: Cross-Cultural and Socioeconomic Comparisons

10.31234/osf.io/pfgxq ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Frank J Infurna ◽

Omar Staben ◽

Margie E. Lachman ◽

Denis Gerstorf

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

South Korea ◽

Physical Health ◽

Well Being ◽

Historical Change ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Middle Income ◽

The Us ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Recent empirical evidence has documented that US middle-aged adults today are reporting lower mental and physical health than same-aged peers several decades ago. Individuals who attained fewer years of education have been most vulnerable to these historical changes. One overarching question is whether this phenomenon is confined to the US or whether it is transpiring across other high-income and upper-middle-income nations. To examine this question, we use nationally representative longitudinal panel data from five nations across different continents and cultural backgrounds (US, Australia, Germany, South Korea, and Mexico). Results revealed historical improvements in physical health for people in their 40s and early 50s across all five nations. Conversely, the direction of historical change in mental health vastly differed across nations. Later-born cohorts of US middle-aged adults exhibit worsening mental health and cognition. Australian middle-aged adults also experienced worsening mental health with historical time. In contrast, historical improvements for mental health were observed in Germany, South Korea, and Mexico. For US middle-aged adults, the protective effect of education diminished in later-born cohorts. Consistent across the other nations, individuals with fewer years of education were most vulnerable to historical declines or benefitted the least fromhistorical improvements. We discuss potential reasons underlying similarities and differences between the US and other nations in these historical trends and consider the role of education.

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Leisure sedentary time and physical activity are higher in neighbourhoods with denser greenness and better built environments: An analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism ◽

10.1139/apnm-2021-0438 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Irmina Klicnik ◽

John David Cullen ◽

Dany Doiron ◽

Caroline Barakat ◽

Chris Ardern ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Vegetation Index ◽

Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽

Sedentary Time ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Using Data ◽

Research Consortium ◽

Middle Aged Adults

Associations of environmental variables with physical activity and sedentary time using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, and the Canadian Urban Environment Research Consortium (Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) dataset, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI, greenness) dataset) were assessed. The main outcome variables were physical activity and sedentary time as measured by a modified version of the Physical Activity for Elderly Scale. The sample consisted of adults aged 45 and older (n = 36,580, mean age 62.6±10.2, 51% female). Adjusted ordinal regression models consistently demonstrated that those residing in neighbourhoods in the highest Can-ALE category (most well-connected built environment) reported more physical activity and sedentary time. For example, males aged 75+ in the highest Can-ALE category had 1.9 times higher odds of reporting more physical activity (OR = 1.9, 95%CI = 1.1-3.4) and 1.8 higher odds of reporting more sedentary time (OR = 1.8, 95%CI = 1.0-3.4). Neighbourhoods with higher greenness scores were also associated with higher odds of reporting more physical activity and sedentary time. It appears that an environment characterized by higher Can-ALE and higher greenness may facilitate physical activity, but it also facilitates more leisure sedentary time in older adults; research using device measured total sedentary time, and consideration of the types of sedentary activities being performed is needed. Novelty: ●Middle-aged and older adults living in neighbourhoods with higher Can-ALE scores and more greenness report more physical activity and leisure sedentary time ●Greenness is important for physical activity and sedentary time in middle-aged adults

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