scholarly journals Leisure participation amongst Hong Kong Chinese older adults

2004 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 617-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
KEE-LEE CHOU ◽  
NELSON W. S. CHOW ◽  
IRIS CHI

Gerontologists have recognised the important influence of leisure activity on the mental and physical health of older adults. To date, however, there have been few studies of the patterns of participation in leisure activity among older adults in Hong Kong. This study examines a large representative sample of Hong Kong older adults and the associations between their socio-economic and health characteristics and their leisure activities. The data are from a cross-sectional survey of 2,180 respondents aged 60 or more years, conducted in 2000 by the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department. There were full records for 2,144 respondents. Among the participation rates in the seven categories of leisure activities, watching television or listening to radio was the highest, while the lowest was for playing mahjong or cards. The characteristics that significantly correlated with the level of participation differed by the activity. Although no consistent pattern emerged, gender, education, employment status, receiving welfare benefits, self-rated health and functional impairment were the strongest correlates for most types of leisure activity. The paper is concluded by comparing the results with previous findings, and by discussing the service implications of the findings, the limitations of the study, and directions for future research.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Yu

PurposeThis study examines the relationship between quality and quantity of open space in residential areas and the sense of community of Chinese older adults in Hong Kong.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted with 257 adults aged 55 and over in Kwun Tong, Hong Kong. The quality of open space was assessed from four dimensions: social and recreational facilities, entrance, location and environment. Geographic information system (GIS) was used to evaluate the quantity of open space in terms of size and amount.FindingsThe result shows that the environment has a strong influence on the sense of community, while the quantity of open space does not. The results provide urban planners with evidence for open space planning in the future. Urban planners should consider building more people-oriented environment; such as green areas instead of merely increasing the size, amount and facilities of open space. The Hong Kong Government also needs to review the current standardised planning guideline in order to maximise the social connection of older adults.Originality/valueThis cross-sectional study tried to understand the relationship between the quality and quantity of open spaces and sense of community in Chinese older adults in Hong Kong. It is one of the few studies to simultaneously examine both the quality and quantity of open spaces when studying its relationship with sense of community.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alejandra Guerrero Barragán ◽  
Diego Lucumí ◽  
Brian Lawlor

Observational and interventional studies suggest that participation in leisure activities may help protect against cognitive decline in older people. This study aimed to examine the association between participation in leisure activities and cognitive impairment in older adults in Colombia. Data for this study were derived from the Colombian National Survey of Aging (SABE 2015), a cross-sectional survey with a sample size of 23,694 older adults representing the total population (mean age, 70.8 years; 57.3% females). Cognitive impairment was classified as cognitive impairment without dementia (CIWD) and dementia, according to the revised version of the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination and the Lawton and Brody functional scale. Leisure activities were evaluated using six items of a questionnaire. Sex-stratified multinomial regression models were used to analyze the association of leisure activities with CIWD and dementia after adjusting for educational attainment, literacy, and other potential confounders. In adjusted models for men, leisure activities in later life were associated with a decreased risk of CIWD (odds ratio [OR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68–0.78) and dementia (OR, 0,52; 95% CI, 0.48–0.58). For women, leisure activities in later life were associated with a decreased risk of CIWD (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.66–0.78) and dementia (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.43–0.53). The findings suggest that greater participation in leisure activities in later life may act as a protective factor against CIWD and dementia among older adults in Colombia, independent of educational attainment and literacy.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Xing Gong ◽  
Cai-Lan Hou ◽  
Shi-Bin Wang ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
Zhuo-Hui Huang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To examine the prevalence of sleep disturbances, the socio-demographic and clinical correlates in Chinese older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods A cross-sectional survey of 195 patients with T2DM was conducted using standardized instruments. Results The prevalence of any type of sleep disturbances was 38.5%, the incidence of DIS, DMS, and EMA were 23.6%, 25.6% and 26.2%, respectively. No statistically significant difference was observed in socio-demographic data between participants with and without sleep disturbances except age. Sleep disturbances were associated with more severe depressive symptoms and lower quality of life (QOL). Only 32% of patients suffering sleep disturbance received treatment. Conclusions Sleep disturbance is common in Chinese older patients with T2DM, but the rate of treatment appears low. More aggressive measures should be implemented to improve the assessment and treatment of sleep disturbances in patients with T2DM.


Author(s):  
Ingrid Leversen ◽  
Torbjorn Torsheim ◽  
Oddrun Samdal

The present paper explores gendered behavior based on participation patterns of leisure activities among adolescents across socio-economic status (SES) groups, aiming to increase knowledge and understanding of how gender socialization processes are expressed through boys’ and girls’ participation in leisure activities. Furthermore, the aim is to investigate whether such gendered behavior is associated with general levels of participation, and if there may be differences between low, middle, and high SES groups. The study used Norwegian nationally representative data of 15- and 16-year-olds from the World Health Organization's cross-sectional survey, <em>Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2005/06</em> (<em>n</em> = 3,273). Logistic regression analysis and propensity scores showed that adolescent boys and girls had clear gendered behavior patterns based on leisure activity participation in 27 different activities, and that boys and girls had about equal distributions on what was classified as typical (“boyish” or “girlish”), atypical, and neutral gender behavior. Furthermore, gendered behavior was correlated with higher levels of participation for both sexes, and it was more or less similar for boys and girls and for different socio-economic status groups. However, when investigating differences in distributions between SES groups, high SES girls were found to have a significantly higher prevalence of both “boyish” and “girlish” activity behavior, but less “gender-neutral” compared with girls in medium and low SES groups. There were no such differences for boys.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 568
Author(s):  
Wei Liang ◽  
Yanping Duan ◽  
Min Yang ◽  
Borui Shang ◽  
Chun Hu ◽  
...  

The novel COVID-19 pandemic spread quickly and continuously influenced global societies. As a vulnerable population that accounted for the highest percentage of deaths from the pandemic, older adults have experienced huge life-altering challenges and increased risks of mental problems during the pandemic. Empirical evidence is needed to develop effective strategies to promote preventive measures and mitigate the adverse psychological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the behavioral responses (i.e., preventive behaviors, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption) and mental responses (i.e., depression and loneliness) towards the COVID-19 pandemic among Chinese older adults. A further aim was to identify the associations among demographics, behavioral responses, and mental responses. Using a convenience sampling approach, 516 older adults were randomly recruited from five cities of Hubei province in China. Results of the cross-sectional survey showed that 11.7% of participants did not adhere to the WHO recommended preventive measures, while 37.6% and 8.3% of participants decreased physical activity and fruit–vegetable consumption respectively. For mental responses, 30.8% and 69.2% of participants indicated significantly depressive symptoms and severe loneliness, respectively. Participants’ behavioral and mental responses differed significantly in several demographics, such as age group, living situation, marital status, education levels, household income, medical conditions, and perceived health status. Demographic correlates and behavioral responses could significantly predicate the mental response with small-to-moderate effect sizes. This is the first study to investigate the characteristics of behavioral and mental responses of Chinese older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research findings may give new insights into future developments of effective interventions and policies to promote health among older adults in the fight against the pandemic.


Author(s):  
Chul-Ho BUM ◽  
John Arthur JOHNSON ◽  
Chulhwan CHOI

Background: Leisure activities contribute to a healthy retirement and increase the life satisfaction of the elderly, who may suffer from a stronger sense of emotional isolation, depression, and loneliness. Methods: A total of 397 elderly Koreans aged 65 and over participated in this study on the differences in healthy aging and happiness depending on type of leisure activity (i.e., active, passive, and social activities). A cross-sectional survey design with a purposive sampling method to collect data were employed. SPSS 23.0 was used to conduct descriptive statistics analysis, reliability analysis, validity analysis, and one-way MANOVA. Results: In terms of social health, the passive leisure participants had relatively lower mean scores than the other two groups. For the physical health factor, the active leisure participants had higher mean scores. There were no statistically significant differences in the levels of psychological health and happiness with life for the elderly participating in the active, passive, and social leisure activities. This study found that only active leisure activities help the elderly to enjoy their old age by increasing their physical health, indicating that the dissatisfaction and unhappiness incurred with the natural aging process can only be offset by a physical lifestyle. Furthermore, passive leisure activities that are enjoyed alone may impede a socially-healthy aging process. Conclusion: While all forms of leisure activity can provide emotional stability, active leisure activity was deemed the most important in this study, as it helped resolve the most significant hurdle to maintaining health.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12511
Author(s):  
Constanta Urzeala ◽  
Veronica Popescu ◽  
Daniel Courteix ◽  
Georgeta Mitrache ◽  
Mihaela Roco ◽  
...  

Older adults are considered a vulnerable category within the population, which is exposed to an accelerated risk of functional degeneration. The purpose of this study was to explore different facilitating factors and possible existing barriers to being physically active in older age in urban areas of Romania. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 172 participants who were asked to assess their health, on a scale from 1 to 3, and to fill out two questionnaires: 1. Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly; 2. Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Participants were also asked to specify to what extent they performed different leisure activities during the last week. SPSS was used for data analysis. The chi-squared test, t-test, ANOVA, and MANOVA emphasised the differences between participants, at p < 0.05. Regarding health condition, 27.3% of participants responded that their health was good, 53.5%—satisfactory, and 19.2%—not so good. The results showed significant differences between older adults participating in Elderly Clubs and non-participants, only in terms of PASE leisure. There were significant multivariate effects of the variables Gender and Stable life partner regarding PASE leisure. Weak negative correlations were identified between leisure physical activities and emotional state. Among the proposed leisure activities, watching TV and listening to music represented the most frequent preferences of the participants. The older adults participating in this study preferred to become involved with different physical activities, in conjunction with their habits, health, age, sex, stable life partner, and Elderly Club participation.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiamin Gao ◽  
Nicole M. Armstrong ◽  
Jennifer A. Deal ◽  
Frank R. Lin ◽  
Ping He

Abstract Background Hearing loss, a highly prevalent sensory impairment affecting older adults, is a risk factor for cognition decline. However, there were very limited studies on this association in low-resource countries. This study aimed to assess the association between self-reported hearing loss and cognitive decline, and whether engagement in leisure activities moderated this association among older adults in China.Methods Data were obtained from two waves of the nationally representative survey of China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) between 2011/12-2014. 8,844 individuals aged 65 years old or above with a dichotomized measure of self-reported hearing status were included. Modified Mini-Mental Examination (MMSE) was used to measure global cognition. Fixed-effects models were used to estimate whether leisure activity engagement moderated the association of self-perceived hearing loss with global cognitive change in the overall sample and sex subsamples.Results Self-reported hearing loss was associated with cognitive impairment, with an odds ratio of 2.48 [1.22, 5.06]. Sex difference in the association of hearing loss and cognitive impairment was not found. Self-reported hearing loss was associated with cognitive decline, with 8% [-1.22, -0.39] increase in risk compared with those with normal hearing. Frequent engagement in leisure activities moderated the association between hearing loss and cognitive decline for the whole and male samples.Conclusion Hearing loss was associated with cognitive decline, and leisure activities engagement moderated the association among males rather than females.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Minhat HS ◽  
Rahmah MA ◽  
Khadijah S

Introduction: Leisure participation in old age is often a continuation of their participation at younger age. This study aims to explore the association between current and former leisure participation of the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 268 persons aged 60 years and above, purposively selected from eight health clinics in Selangor. Current leisure participation was measured using a validated Leisure Participation Questionnaire (LPQ), specific for Malaysian elderly. The LPQ consists of 25 activities, categorized into recreational (physical), cognitive, social and productive activity. Frequency of participation in each activity was measured on a 6-point scale. Leisure participation at younger age only involved their general participation in leisure. The most common daily leisure activities were having conversations while relaxing (78.7%) and watching television (74.6%), while the least were from playing golf (0.01±0.12) and performing musical instruments (0.04±0.36). More than half (64.9%) reported being actively involved in any leisure activity at younger age. Results: The study found there was a significant association between former and current leisure participation, especially for cognitive (t=-2.45, p=0.015), social (t=-2.68, p=0.008) and productive (t=-2.89, p=0.004) activities. However, only productive activity involvement was predicted by their leisure participation while younger (B=1.304, p=0.027). Conclusion: The findings suggest the importance of considering active intervention programmes at younger age to ensure better leisure participation of the elderly, especially in recreational physical activity.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiamin Gao ◽  
Nicole M. Armstrong ◽  
Jennifer A. Deal ◽  
Frank R. Lin ◽  
Ping He

Abstract Background Hearing loss, a highly prevalent sensory impairment affecting older adults, is a risk factor for cognition decline. However, there were very limited studies on this association in low-resource countries. This study aimed to assess the association between self-reported hearing loss and cognitive decline, and whether engagement in leisure activities moderated this association among older adults in China.Methods Data were obtained from two waves of the nationally representative survey of China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) between 2011/12-2014. 8,844 individuals aged 65 years old or above with a dichotomized measure of self-reported hearing status were included. Modified Mini-Mental Examination (MMSE) was used to measure global cognition. Fixed-effects models were used to estimate whether leisure activity engagement moderated the association of self-perceived hearing loss with global cognitive change in the overall sample and sex subsamples.Results Self-reported hearing loss was associated with cognitive impairment, with an odds ratio of 2.48 [1.22, 5.06]. Sex difference in the association of hearing loss and cognitive impairment was not found. Self-reported hearing loss was associated with cognitive decline, with 8% [-1.22, -0.39] increase in risk compared with those with normal hearing. Frequent engagement in leisure activities moderated the association between hearing loss and cognitive decline for the whole and male samples.Conclusion Hearing loss was associated with cognitive decline, and leisure activities engagement moderated the association among males rather than females.


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