How health behaviors link romantic relationship dysfunction and physical health across 20 years for middle-aged and older adults

Changes in lifestyle behaviors may effectively maintain or improve the health status of individuals with chronic diseases. However, such health behaviors adopted by individuals are unlikely to demonstrate similar patterns. This study analyzed the relationship between the heterogeneous latent classes of health behavior and health statuses among middle-aged and older adults with hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia in Taiwan. After selecting 2103 individuals from the 2005 and 2009 Taiwan National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we first identified heterogeneous groups of health behaviors through latent class analysis (LCA). We further explored the relationship between each latent class of health behavior and health status through ordered logit regression. We identified the following five distinct health behavior classes: the all-controlled, exercise and relaxation, healthy diet and reduced smoking or drinking, healthy diet, and least-controlled classes. Regression results indicated that individuals in classes other than the all-controlled class all reported poor health statuses. We also found great magnitude of the coefficient estimates for individuals who reported their health status to be poor or very poor for the least-controlled class. Therefore, health authorities and medical providers may develop targeted policies and interventions that address multiple modifiable health behaviors in each distinct latent class of health behavior.

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Social Status, Risky Health Behaviors, and Diabetes in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

The Journals of Gerontology Series B ◽

10.1093/geronb/61.6.s290 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 61 (6) ◽

pp. S290-S298 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Linda A. Wray ◽

Duane F. Alwin ◽

Ryan J. McCammon ◽

Timothy Manning ◽

Latrica E. Best

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Social Status ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Risky Health Behaviors

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Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults: Changes in Health Access, Health, Socialization and Adaptive Coping Activities

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2702 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 731-731

Author(s):

Judith Scott ◽

Sara Qualls ◽

Stacy Yun

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Service ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Physical Health ◽

Service Access ◽

Adaptive Coping ◽

Health Service Access ◽

The Impact ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Abstract Indirect effects of stay-at-home guidelines may negatively affect mental health by reducing health self-care behaviors and engagement in social participation. This study reports on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on community-dwelling older adults’ perceived physical and mental health and everyday health behaviors. 126 older adults participated in a county-wide telephone survey during June-July of 2020, asking about changes in mental and physical health, and adaptations in health behaviors. We investigated the effects of three negative everyday health behavior changes during the pandemic (changes in health services access, perceived changes in health, and increased social isolation) as well as two positive everyday health behaviors (adherence to stay-at-home guidelines to reduce risk, and adaptive coping activities) on mental health and COVID-related distress. Examples of active coping strategies were stockpiling resources, spiritual practices, or outreach to others. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multiple regressions characterized the impact of COVID-19 on perceived mental health. Descriptive data included changes in health service access, changes in mental and physical health, reduced social engagement, increased adherence to guidelines, and increased adaptive coping activities. Significant predictors of mental health impact of the pandemic were changes in health service access (β = .18, p < .05), health changes (β = .25, p < .01), and adaptive coping activities (β = .21, p < .05). Findings suggest COVID-19 distress may be alleviated with improved health care access and increased social contact. Mental health challenges may also benefit from increased engagement in adaptive coping activities.

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The Role of Aging Anxiety, Ageism, and Health Locus of Control on Middle-Aged Adults Health Outcomes and Behaviors

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.2313 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 607-607

Author(s):

Hannah Bashian ◽

Grace Caskie

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Locus Of Control ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Physical Health ◽

Health Locus Of Control ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Healthy Behaviors ◽

Aging Anxiety ◽

Middle Aged Adults ◽

Mental And Physical Health

Abstract Older adults with more ageist attitudes and aging anxiety and who endorse an external health locus of control (HLOC) have poorer mental and physical health and less engagement in healthy behaviors than those who report less ageist attitudes, aging anxiety, and endorse an internal HLOC. However, middle-aged adults have not been examined in this literature. Using Terror Management Theory as a framework, this study examined the relationship of middle-aged adults’ aging anxiety, ageist attitudes, and HLOC with health behaviors and mental and physical health outcomes. 391 middle-aged participants (40-55 years) completed measures of ageist attitudes, aging anxiety, HLOC (Internal, External, and Powerful Other), engagement in health behaviors, mental health, and physical health. The path analysis model demonstrated acceptable fit, χ2(2)=7.794, p=.02, CFI=.99, TLI=.92, RMSEA=.09). For health behaviors, eight of the 10 paths were significant; higher aging anxiety, higher ageist attitudes, and less endorsement of internal HLOC were related to less engagement in healthy behaviors. For mental health and physical health, five of the 10 paths were significant; in general, higher aging anxiety, higher ageist attitudes, and less endorsement of internal HLOC were related to poorer mental and physical health. This study demonstrated that middle-aged adults’ aging anxiety, ageist attitudes, and health locus of control are related to their health behaviors and mental and physical health. Furthermore, higher endorsement of specific forms of ageist attitudes and aging anxiety were related to worse reported mental and physical health and to less engagement in health behaviors. Implications of these findings will be discussed.

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Individual Capital Structure and Health Behaviors among Chinese Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Bourdieu’s Theory of Capitals

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17207369 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (20) ◽

pp. 7369

Author(s):

Peng Xu ◽

Junfeng Jiang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Capital ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Binge Drinking ◽

Smoking Behavior ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Significant Group

This study draws on Bourdieu’s theory of capitals to analyze the relative importance of economic, cultural, and social capital on health behaviors in Chinese middle-aged and older adults. Based on data from the China Family Panel Studies of 2016 (N = 15,147), we first harnessed a binary logistic regression model to discuss the associations between the three capitals and four types of health behaviors (i.e., physical exercise, smoking, binge drinking and stay-up). Using the sheaf coefficients technique, we then compared the relative effects of three of the capitals on health behaviors. The results suggest that cultural capital is the most influential one, which would significantly increase physical exercise and stay-up behaviors, and reduce smoking and binge drinking behaviors. Economic capital is also an important predictor, that may reduce smoking behavior but increase binge drinking and stay-up behaviors. Social capital has shown the least importance, although it would still be saliently associated with physical exercise, smoking and stay-up behaviors. In addition, some significant group disparities are also identified. This article is one of the first to explain health behavior inequalities through a Bourdieusian capital-based approach in Chinese contexts.

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Changes in health behaviors, mental and physical health among older adults under severe lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain

10.1101/2021.02.15.21251738 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Esther García-Esquinas ◽

Rosario Ortolá ◽

Iago Gine-Vázquez ◽

José A Carnicero ◽

Asier Mañas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Physical Health ◽

Social Isolation ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Viewing Time ◽

Housing Conditions ◽

Mental And Physical Health

AbstractBackgroundWe aimed to examine main changes in health behaviors, mental and physical health among older adults under severe lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19.MethodsWe used prospective data from 3041 participants in four cohorts of community-dwelling individuals aged ≥65 years in Spain. Data were obtained using validated questionnaires through a pre-pandemic face-to-face interview and a telephone interview conducted between weeks 7 to 15 after the beginning the COVID-19 lockdown. Lineal or multinomial, as appropriate, regression models with adjustment for the main confounders were used to assess changes in the outcome variables from the pre-pandemic to the confinement period, and to identify their associated factors.ResultsOn average, the confinement was not associated with a deterioration in lifestyle risk factors (smoking, alcohol intake, diet or weight), except for a decreased physical activity and increased sedentary time, which reversed with the end of confinement. However, chronic pain worsened, and moderate declines in mental health, that did not seem to reverse after restrictions were lifted, were observed. Several subgroups of individuals were at increased risk of developing unhealthier lifestyles or mental health decline with confinement: (i)-males (for physical activity and sedentariness), (ii)-those with greater social isolation (for diet, physical activity, mental health), (iii)-feelings of loneliness (for diet, sleep quality, mental health), (iv)-poor housing conditions (for diet, physical activity, TV viewing time), (v)-unhealthy sleep duration (for physical activity and sedentariness), and (vi-worse overall health or chronic morbidities (for physical activity, screen time, mental health). On the other hand, previously having a greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and doing more physical activity protected older adults from developing unhealthier lifestyles with confinement.ConclusionsThe lockdown during the first wave of the COVID-19 in Spain, which was one of the most restrictive in Europe, only led to minor average changes in health behaviors among older adults. However, mental health was moderately affected. If another lockdown were imposed on this or future pandemics, public health programs should specially address the needs of older individuals with male sex, greater social isolation, poor housing conditions and chronic morbidities, because of their greater vulnerability to the enacted movement restrictions

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Pathways to Reduced Overnight Hospitalizations: Evaluating 62 Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Factors

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.3418 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 955-956

Author(s):

Jean Oh ◽

Julia Nakamura ◽

Eric Kim

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Physical Health ◽

Psychosocial Factors ◽

Healthcare Utilization ◽

Healthcare Costs ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Health Conditions ◽

Linear Regression Models

Abstract As healthcare costs rise steadily and rapidly, researchers and policymakers are increasingly interested in reducing healthcare utilization costs. Growing evidence documents many factors that may influence healthcare utilization; however, less is known about how changes in candidate predictors influence subsequent healthcare utilization. Using data from 11,374 participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS)—a diverse, longitudinal, and nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States, we evaluated a large range of candidate predictors of overnight hospitalizations. Using generalized linear regression models with a lagged exposure-wide approach, we evaluated if changes in 62 predictors over four-years (between t0;2006/2008 and t1;2010/2012) were associated with subsequent hospitalizations during the two years prior to t2 (2012-2014 (Cohort A) or 2014-2016 (Cohort B)). After adjustment for a rich set of baseline covariates, changes in some health behaviors (e.g., frequent physical activity), physical health conditions (e.g., no physical functioning limitations), and psychosocial factors (e.g., higher purpose in life, lower anxiety, more volunteering) were associated with decreased hospitalizations four years later. However, there was little evidence that other factors (e.g. smoking, obesity) were associated with subsequent hospitalizations. Notably, some psychosocial factors had effect sizes as large as some physical health conditions. Several indicators of physical health, health behaviors, and psychosocial well-being may predict subsequent hospitalizations, and these factors may be novel targets for interventions and policies aiming to reduce healthcare costs in older adults.

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