Self-Assessed Health into Late Adulthood

GeroPsych ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 177-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allyson S. Graf ◽  
Julie Hicks Patrick
Keyword(s):  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Single Point ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Late Adulthood ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Personal Perceptions ◽  
Self Assessed Health

Abstract. Self-assessed health (SAH) is the personal assessment of one’s own health ( Idler & Benyamini, 1997 ; Jylhä, 2009 ). It is often measured using a single item asking whether adults rate their health as excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor. When measured at a single point in time, SAH relates to a variety of short-term and long-term health outcomes and behaviors, including morbidity, healthcare utilization, and mortality ( Benyamini, 2008 ; Mossey & Shapiro, 1982 ; Westerhof & Wurm, 2015 ). Recently, attention has shifted away from examining SAH at a single point in time toward understanding whether SAH trajectories can better predict health outcomes ( Ayyagari et al., 2012 ; Schmitz et al., 2013 ). Therefore, it is critical to understand the factors contributing to the SAH process. This article provides a multidisciplinary overview of SAH and SAH change while illustrating the benefits of adopting a lifespan approach in future research. The current SAH literature, including cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, is used to examine what is known about the SAH process into late adulthood. From the literature, it is clear SAH is a multidimensional construct, susceptible to age-related change and sociohistorical contexts. Understanding the developmental mechanisms and multiple influences underlying change, however, may help further the use of SAH as a life-long health-promotion tool. Lifespan concepts are applied to expand discussion and recommendations are made concerning the application of alternative variables and methodologies. Future studies of SAH should consider these personal perceptions of health not only as predictors of health outcomes in later life, but also as tools for effective health promotion in everyday life.

scholarly journals Childhood intelligence attenuates the association between biological ageing and health outcomes in later

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J. Stevenson ◽  
Daniel L. McCartney ◽  
Robert F. Hillary ◽  
Paul Redmond ◽  
Adele M. Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Biological Ageing ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽  
Early Life Factors

AbstractThe identification of biomarkers that discriminate individual ageing trajectories is a principal target in ageing research. Some of the most promising predictors of biological ageing have been developed using DNA methylation. One recent candidate, which tracks age-related phenotypes in addition to chronological age, is ‘DNAm PhenoAge’. Here, we performed a phenome-wide association analysis of this biomarker in a cohort of older adults to assess its relationship with a comprehensive set of both historical and contemporaneously-measured phenotypes. Higher than expected DNAm PhenoAge compared to chronological age, known as epigenetic age acceleration, was found to associate with a number of blood, cognitive, physical fitness and lifestyle variables, and with mortality. Notably, DNAm PhenoAge, assessed at age 70, was associated with cognitive ability at age 11, and with educational attainment. Adjusting for age 11 cognitive ability attenuated the majority of the cross-sectional later-life associations between DNAm PhenoAge and health outcomes. These results highlight the importance of early-life factors on healthy ageing.

scholarly journals Childhood intelligence attenuates the association between biological ageing and health outcomes in later life

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna J. Stevenson ◽  
Daniel L. McCartney ◽  
Robert F. Hillary ◽  
Paul Redmond ◽  
Adele M. Taylor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Biological Ageing ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Epigenetic Age ◽  
Epigenetic Age Acceleration ◽  
Early Life Factors

AbstractThe identification of biomarkers that discriminate individual ageing trajectories is a principal target of ageing research. Some of the most promising predictors of biological ageing have been developed using DNA methylation. One recent candidate, which tracks age-related phenotypes in addition to chronological age, is ‘DNAm PhenoAge’. Here, we performed a phenome-wide association analysis of this biomarker in a cohort of older adults to assess its relationship with a comprehensive set of both historical, and contemporaneously-measured, phenotypes. Higher than expected DNAm PhenoAge compared with chronological age, known as epigenetic age acceleration, was found to associate with a number of blood, cognitive, physical fitness and lifestyle variables, and with mortality. Notably, DNAm PhenoAge, assessed at age 70, was associated with cognitive ability at age 11, and with educational attainment. Adjusting for age 11 cognitive ability attenuated the majority of the cross-sectional later-life associations between DNAm PhenoAge and health outcomes. These results highlight the importance of early life factors on healthy older ageing.

scholarly journals Perceived Control and Aging: A Mini-Review and Directions for Future Research

Gerontology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 435-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie A. Robinson ◽  
Margie E. Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Sex Education ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Control Beliefs ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
As Stress ◽  
Health And Well Being

This brief review on perceived control and aging is organized according to 3 perspectives of research involving description, explanation, and modification. An extensive body of literature has utilized cross-sectional and correlational methods to describe the sociodemographic variations and outcomes associated with perceived control. This work has focused on differences in perceived control as a function of age, sex, education, socioeconomic status, and culture and has identified positive associations with many aging-related outcomes involving health and well-being. With growing evidence regarding the health benefits of perceived control in the context of a declining sense of control with aging, there has been an increased effort to uncover the mechanisms involved, with the hopes of developing methods to maintain and/or promote adaptive control beliefs throughout adulthood. Through longitudinal and experimental work, researchers are beginning to clarify the directionality and elucidate the mechanisms to explain the associations. Recent evidence from longitudinal studies shows that control beliefs have an impact on subsequent changes in health. Yet, the findings suggest that it is not a unidirectional relationship. A conceptual model suggesting an ongoing reciprocal relationship between perceived control and health and well-being is discussed. Research examining the mechanisms that link perceived control to aging-related outcomes can help to inform and to develop effective interventions that are tailored to the individual's specific barriers and goals. We consider new directions for research, including more attention to intraindividual variability and reactivity to daily challenges, such as stress, with the goal of advancing our understanding of how perceived control contributes to aging-related outcomes. More work is needed to develop strategies to enhance control beliefs in later life. Although it will not always be possible to modify control beliefs, researchers can take these beliefs into account when developing interventions. A personalized approach is recommended as a way to tailor interventions that are compatible with individuals' beliefs about control to facilitate adaptive behavior change. Conclusions focus on selected issues and considerations for future research.

scholarly journals Behavioral interventions to benefit cognition (Intervenciones cognitivas para beneficiar la cognición)

Retos ◽  
2015 ◽  
pp. 197-202
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Etnier ◽  
Chia-Hao Shih ◽  
Aaron Piepmeier
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Animal Studies ◽  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Dietary Interventions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related

With the growing population of older adults, the identification of treatment strategies to prevent or ameliorate age-related cognitive decline has been an important topic in recent years. After reviewing cross-sectional, longitudinal, and experimentally designed studies, as well as evidence from narrative and meta-analytic reviews, the authors concluded that behavioral approaches such as physical activity, cognitive training, and dietary interventions show promising results. In addition, given the likelihood that multiple underlying mechanisms support cognitive function, research is currently focusing on how to combine lifestyle factors into multi-component interventions to generate greater and more meaningful effects. Though evidence for these enhanced benefits exists from animal studies, few multi-component studies have been performed with humans. However, the findings from these studies are promising and a continued pursuit of multi-component behavioral interventions to benefit cognitive performance is warranted. Given the world’s aging population and accompanying age-related health issues such as cognitive decline and dementia, future research should focus on understanding the biological mechanisms responsible for these effects in order to allow for the development of behavioral lifestyle prescriptions to benefit cognitive performance.Keywords. aging, cognitive function, exercise intervention, oxidative stress, cognitive engagement.Resumen. Con la creciente población de adultos mayores, la identificación de las estrategias de tratamiento para prevenir o mejorar el deterioro cognitivo relacionado con la edad ha sido un tema importante en los últimos años. Después de revisar estudios con diseños transversales, longitudinales y experimentales, así como la evidencia de revisiones de literatura narrativa y meta-analítica, los autores concluyen que los enfoques conductuales como la actividad física, el entrenamiento cognitivo y las intervenciones dietéticas muestran resultados prometedores. Además, dada la probabilidad de que múltiples mecanismos subyacentes apoyan la función cognitiva, las investigaciones se enfocan actualmente en la manera de cómo combinar factores del estilo de vida en las intervenciones con múltiples componentes para generar efectos mayores y más significativos. Aunque existe evidencia de estos beneficios a partir de estudios en animales, se han realizado pocos estudios de componentes múltiples en humanos. Sin embargo, los resultados de estos estudios son prometedores y se garantiza un seguimiento continuo de las intervenciones conductuales de componentes múltiples para beneficiar el rendimiento cognitivo. Teniendo en cuenta el envejecimiento de la población mundial y los problemas de salud relacionados con la edad que la acompañan, tales como el deterioro cognitivo y la demencia, la investigación futura debería centrarse en la comprensión de los mecanismos biológicos responsables de estos efectos con el fin de permitir el desarrollo de las prescripciones de comportamiento de estilo de vida para beneficiar el rendimiento cognitivo.Palabras claves. envejecimiento, funcionamiento cognitivo, intervención con ejercicio, estrés oxidativo, participación cognitiva.

scholarly journals 347 Numeracy Performance and the Relationship to Age and Retirement among Community-Dwelling Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii17-iii65
Author(s):  
Maureen Mickus ◽  
Craig Carpenter ◽  
Scott Loveridge
Keyword(s):  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intellectual Stimulation ◽  
Telephone Surveys ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Financial Need ◽  
Alternative Choice

Abstract Background Remaining in the workforce in later life may be based on financial need, role fulfillment or opportunities for social participation. Employment can also provide intellectual stimulation, including the use of everyday math skills. Normal age-related decline in numeracy performance has been documented, but the role of retirement in the capacity to perform these functions is less understood. This research uses population-based telephone surveys to analyze whether the interaction of age and retirement influences the ability of community-dwelling adults to calculate simple math problems. Methods Data was drawn from three independently sampled surveys in 2006 (n=991), 2010 (n=1,023) and 2014 (n=997). In addition to standard demographic questions, the survey measured individuals’ ability to perform basic computations. Three questions were asked regarding temporal (now or 5 years later) preferences about jobs, a community bond, and an inheritance payout. Respondents were then asked to calculate the amount needed to select the other option instead. Deficient numeracy performance was defined as either no response or an irrational choice (e.g. a lesser amount of inheritance with the alternative choice.) Results Approximately 30% of persons age 65+ chose not to perform the follow-up calculations for these questions. Moreover, a 1% increase in age decreased the likelihood of rationally calculating the discount rate by between 0.15 and 0.25 percentage points, depending on the scenario. A sharp decline in numeracy was observed starting at age 66 with the addition of an age x retirement interaction, even when controlling for key variables such as education and income. Conclusion Retirement may reduce the opportunity for intellectual challenges afforded in the workplace and consequently, the ability to perform math calculations may decline. Alternatively, decisions to retire may be due to declining health, including cognitive impairments. The timing of retirement has major implications for public policy. Future research more deeply exploring the causal influence of retirement on health and well-being is warranted.

scholarly journals Age-related factors influence HIV testing within subpopulations: a cross-sectional survey of MSM within the Celtic nations

2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 351-357
Author(s):  
Jenny Dalrymple ◽  
Kareena McAloney-Kocaman ◽  
Paul Flowers ◽  
Lisa M McDaid ◽  
Jamie Scott Frankis
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Health Improvement ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Age Related

ObjectivesDespite a recent fall in the incidence of HIV within the UK, men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected. As biomedical prevention technologies including pre-exposure prophylaxis are increasingly taken up to reduce transmission, the role of HIV testing has become central to the management of risk. Against a background of lower testing rates among older MSM, this study aimed to identify age-related factors influencing recent (≤12 months) HIV testing.MethodsCross-sectional subpopulation data from an online survey of sexually active MSM in the Celtic nations—Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland (n=2436)—were analysed to compare demographic, behavioural and sociocultural factors influencing HIV testing between MSM aged 16–25 (n=447), 26–45 (n=1092) and ≥46 (n=897).ResultsMultivariate logistic regression demonstrated that for men aged ≥46, not identifying as gay (OR 0.62, CI 0.41 to 0.95), location (Wales) (OR 0.49, CI 0.32 to 0.76) and scoring higher on the personalised Stigma Scale (OR 0.97, CI 0.94 to 1.00) significantly reduced the odds for HIV testing in the preceding year. Men aged 26–45 who did not identify as gay (OR 0.61, CI 0.41 to 0.92) were also significantly less likely to have recently tested for HIV. For men aged 16–25, not having a degree (OR 0.48, CI 0.29 to 0.79), location (Republic of Ireland) (OR 0.55, CI 0.30 to 1.00) and scoring higher on emotional competence (OR 0.57, CI 0.42 to 0.77) were also significantly associated with not having recently tested for HIV.ConclusionKey differences in age-related factors influencing HIV testing suggest health improvement interventions should accommodate the wide diversities among MSM populations across the life course. Future research should seek to identify barriers and enablers to HIV testing among the oldest and youngest MSM, with specific focus on education and stigma.

Introduction

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Alisoun Milne
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Categories ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Life Itself ◽  
Life Course Analysis

Despite much emphasis on mental illness in later life, limited work has focused on mental health. This book aims to address this deficit by exploring, and explaining, mental health outcomes in later life through the lens of critical social gerontology and via the conduit of life course analysis. It adopts an approach underpinned by a commitment to understanding, and making visible, the role of lifecourse, and age related inequalities in creating or amplifying risks to mental health, as well as exploring those issues that afford protection. It aims to offer a critical review of existing discourse and disrupt the ‘taken for granted’ paradigm, including in the dementia arena. This approach not only recognises that mental health in later life is a complex multi-dimensional issue that cuts across time, cohort, social categories and individual experiences but that it is affected by a wide range of lifecourse and age related issues. It also encourages the development of understanding that adopts a wide lens of analysis and of policy and service related responses that reduce risks to mental health during the lifecourse and in later life itself. Further, it engages with the potential to learn from older people’s perspectives and lives.

scholarly journals A population neuroscience approach to the study of cerebral small vessel disease in midlife and late life: an invited review

2018 ◽  
Vol 314 (6) ◽  
pp. H1117-H1136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana R. Jorgensen ◽  
C. Elizabeth Shaaban ◽  
Clayton A. Wiley ◽  
Peter J. Gianaros ◽  
Joseph Mettenburg ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Cerebral Small Vessel Disease ◽  
Small Vessel ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Vessel Disease ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Cerebral Microvasculature ◽  
Study Designs

Aging in later life engenders numerous changes to the cerebral microvasculature. Such changes can remain clinically silent but are associated with greater risk for negative health outcomes over time. Knowledge is limited about the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of potentially detrimental changes in the cerebral microvasculature that occur with advancing age. In this review, we summarize literature on aging of the cerebral microvasculature, and we propose a conceptual framework to fill existing research gaps and advance future work on this heterogeneous phenomenon. We propose that the major gaps in this area are attributable to an incomplete characterization of cerebrovascular pathology, the populations being studied, and the temporality of exposure to risk factors. Specifically, currently available measures of age-related cerebral microvasculature changes are indirect, primarily related to parenchymal damage rather than direct quantification of small vessel damage, limiting the understanding of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) itself. Moreover, studies seldom account for variability in the health-related conditions or interactions with risk factors, which are likely determinants of cSVD pathogenesis. Finally, study designs are predominantly cross-sectional and/or have relied on single time point measures, leaving no clear evidence of time trajectories of risk factors or of change in cerebral microvasculature. We argue that more resources should be invested in 1) developing methodological approaches and basic science models to better understand the pathogenic and etiological nature of age-related brain microvascular diseases and 2) implementing state-of-the-science population study designs that account for the temporal evolution of cerebral microvascular changes in diverse populations across the lifespan.

scholarly journals LIFE COURSE ORIGINS OF FRAILTY IN LATER LIFE

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S59-S59
Author(s):  
Monica Williams-Farrelly ◽  
Kenneth F Ferraro
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Clinical State ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Health Outcomes Research ◽  
Age Related ◽  
And Function ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Frailty, generally characterized as a clinical state of increased vulnerability resulting from age-related decline in reserve and function across multiple physiologic systems, has been gaining attention in recent years due to its high correlates with a number of poor health outcomes including falls, hospitalization, and mortality. Similar to other adult health outcomes, research on the etiology of frailty has begun to move from proximal risk factors only to those more distal in time. This research uses data from the Health and Retirement study (2004-2016) to examine whether childhood exposures predict developing frailty in later life. A series of ordinal logistic regression models were estimated to test whether six domains of childhood exposures (socioeconomic status, infectious disease, chronic disease, impairments, risky adolescent behavior, and risky parental behavior) were associated with frailty, composed of five components: unintentional weight loss, weakness, slowness, exhaustion, and low energy expenditure (Fried et al., 2001). After adjusting for demographic factors, experiencing multiple SES misfortunes or risky adolescent behaviors in childhood are associated with higher odds of frailty in later life (OR= 1.24 and 2.37, respectively), while experiencing any infectious diseases is associated with lower odds of frailty (OR= 0.67 and 0.72). After further adjusting for adult characteristics, experiencing 2 or more chronic diseases in childhood is associated with a 1.35 higher odds of incident frailty over an 8-year period. These results reveal some of the early exposures that may raise frailty risk in later life but also the mid-life factors that mediate those risks.

scholarly journals Dynapaenic obesity and its association with health outcomes in older adult populations: protocol for a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e027728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siobhan Leahy ◽  
Marica Cassarino ◽  
Matthew DL O' Connell ◽  
Liam Glynn ◽  
Rose Galvin
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Observational Studies ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age Related

IntroductionTwo major global health challenges are the rapidly ageing population and the high prevalence of obesity in all age groups. Older adults are also susceptible to age-related loss of muscle strength, termed dynapaenia. The co-occurrence of both obesity and dynapaenia, termed dynapaenic obesity (DO), has been associated with poorer health outcomes and increased healthcare usage compared with either state alone. The purpose of this systematic review is to quantify the prevalence and incidence of DO in older adult populations, and to explore the association between DO and health outcomes, specifically chronic disease and multimorbidity, functional disability and healthcare usage.Methods and analysisUsing the Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines, we will conduct a systematic review of cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies of older adults, which include measures of DO and specified outcomes. Detailed literature searches of will be conducted using six electronic databases: Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), PubMed, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Complete (CINAHL), including articles published from database inception until Febuary 2019. The reference lists of included articles will also be searched. Two independent reviewers will undertake a three-step screening and review process using the Population, Risk Factor, Outcome framework to define eligibility. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale for non-randomised studies will be used to assess risk of bias and to rate study quality. The findings will be synthesised in a narrative summary, and a meta-analysis will be conducted where appropriate.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for this systematic review. Findings from this research will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication in academic journals, and presented at relevant academic conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018112471.

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