scholarly journals On the Quantity and Quality of Girls: Fertility, Parental Investments, and Mortality*

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Anukriti ◽  
Sonia Bhalotra ◽  
Eddy H F Tam
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Gender Gaps ◽  
Parental Investments ◽  
Detection Technology ◽  
Lower Status

Abstract Access to prenatal sex-detection technology in India has led to a phenomenal increase in abortion of girls. We find that it has also narrowed the gender gap in under-5 mortality, consistent with surviving girls being more wanted than aborted girls. For every three aborted girls, one additional girl survived to age five. Mechanisms include moderation of son-biased fertility stopping and narrowing of gender gaps in parental investments. However, surviving girls are more likely to be born in lower status families. Our findings have implications not only for counts of missing girls but also for the later life outcomes of girls.

scholarly journals The HOPE Project (Helping Older People Engage): Relevance to Upstream Suicide Prevention

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 622-622
Author(s):  
Kim Van Orden ◽  
Yeates Conwell ◽  
Ben Chapman ◽  
Geoff Williams ◽  
Siilvia Sörensen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Demographic Characteristics ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
T Score ◽  
Wide Variability ◽  
Baseline Characteristics ◽  
Score Range

Abstract The HOPE Project is an ongoing RCT testing whether Senior Corps volunteering for lonely older adults (age 60+) leads to reduced loneliness and improved quality of life—outcomes associated with suicide in later life. We have randomly assigned 130 participants to 12-months of volunteering or active control. We will describe the trial as well as baseline characteristics of participants that may predict non-compliance with volunteering/control. We found no difference between conditions nor demographic characteristics (age, gender) on non-compliance. Participants demonstrated wide variability in depression at baseline (PROMIS t-score range 38.9 to 71.4) and 18% reported suicide ideation; neither were associated with compliance (p>.20). These preliminary findings indicate that those with more severe mental health symptoms were equally willing/able to engage in volunteering as those without depression and suicide ideation. Volunteering is a highly scalable intervention (given nationwide Senior Corps infrastructure) that may function as upstream suicide prevention.

scholarly journals Loneliness and Purpose in Life Are Important Predictors for Future Care Planning

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 320-320
Author(s):  
Wingyun Mak ◽  
Silvia Sörensen
Keyword(s):  
Vision Loss ◽  
Purpose In Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Future Care

Abstract Experiencing purpose and social connection in later life is associated with better quality of life, better cognition, less morbidity, and lower risk of mortality. People who experience less purpose in life are more likely to report loneliness (Neville et al., 2018), and those with vision impairment are at greater risk for loneliness than the general population (Brunes et al., 2019). Planning for future care may be one way to enhance late life outcomes, but it is unclear how loneliness and purpose in life are related to planning behaviors in older people with vision loss. Using a sample of 200 older adults who were diagnosed with macular degeneration, this study explored the association of loneliness and purpose in life on future care planning variables after controlling for basic health and demographic variables. Hierarchical regressions showed that 1) people who are lonelier (β=.26, p<.05) but report greater purpose in life (β=.19, p<.05) are more aware of future care needs (ΔR2= .14, p<.001); 2) people who are lonelier (β=-.16, p<.05) but report greater purpose in life (β=-.46, p<.001) are less avoidant of planning (ΔR2= .14, p<.001); and 3) people who report greater purpose in life are more likely to gather information (β=.24, p<.05; ΔR2= .04, p<.05) and establish concrete plans related to planning for future care (β=.25, p<.05; ΔR2= .06, p<.001). These results suggest that having purpose in later life may boost planning behaviors, while those who are lonely may need help translating their awareness of future care needs into planning behaviors.

Height and quality of life among older adults (50+) in India: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Y. Selvamani ◽  
P. Arokiasamy
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
World Health ◽  
Life Outcomes ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Quality Of Life Outcomes

Abstract Adult height is a summary measure of health and net nutrition in early childhood. This study examines the association between height and quality-of-life outcomes in older adults (50+) in India. Cross-sectional data from Wave 1 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) conducted in 2007 were analysed. The association between height and quality of life was assessed using bivariate and multivariate logistic and linear regression models. The mean WHO quality-of-life score (WHO-QoL) increased from 45.2 among the older adults in the lowest height quintile to 53.2 for those in the highest height quintile. However, the prevalence of self-rated poor quality of life declined from 16.4% in the lowest height quintile to 6.1% in the highest height quintile. In the fully adjusted regression model, height was found to be positively associated with quality-of-life outcomes among both men and women, independent of socioeconomic and physical health confounders. The association was particularly strong for women. Women in the highest height quintile had a 2.65 point higher WHO-QoL score than those in the lowest height quintile. Similarly, the likelihood of reporting a poor quality of life was lower among women in the highest height quintile. Furthermore, measures of economic status, handgrip strength, cognitive ability and poor self-rated health were significantly associated with WHO-QoL and self-rated poor quality of life. Overall, this study revealed a significant association between height and quality of life among older adults in India, suggesting a significant role of childhood circumstances in quality of life in later life.

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