scholarly journals The Protective Effects of Informal Care Receipt Against the Progression of Functional Limitations Among Chinese Older People

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1030-1041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Hu ◽  
Lei Li
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Government Support ◽  
Baseline Survey ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Multilevel Regression ◽  
Chinese Older People

AbstractObjectiveThis study investigates the impacts of receiving informal care on the progression of functional limitations among older people aged 60 and older in China.MethodsThe data come from three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey, which collected health- and aging-related information on a nationally representative sample of Chinese older people from 2011 to 2015. Multilevel regression models were used to analyze the data.ResultsThe protective effect of receiving informal care is stronger for the first 2 years after the baseline survey and tends to fade away or be reversed 4 years later. The protective effect is stronger among older people receiving low-intensity informal care and is gradually weakened with an increase in care intensity.DiscussionTrajectories of function capabilities are deeply embedded in social relationships. In the context of rapid population aging and increasing demand for informal care, government support for caregivers is needed to sustain the protective effects of informal care.

scholarly journals Does Receiving Informal Care Lead to Better Health Outcomes? Evidence From China Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey

2021 ◽  
pp. 016402752110528
Author(s):  
Yixiao Wang ◽  
Wei Yang
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Older People ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Functional Decline ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Fixed Effects Model ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Healthy Longevity

Population aging has become a global challenge. Drawing data from Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 2008, 2011, and 2014, this study examines the effect of informal care receipt on functional limitations and depressive symptoms among older people in China using lagged fixed effects model. Our findings suggest that receiving informal care is significantly associated with a slower functional decline. We also find that this effect varies across different income groups. The protective effect of informal care is more pronounced among older people with higher income compared to those with lower income. We do not observe any significant associations between receiving informal care and depressive symptoms of older people. This study highlights a pressing need for the Chinese government to establish a comprehensive long-term care system.

scholarly journals Informal and paid care for Brazilian older adults (National Health Survey, 2013)

2017 ◽  
Vol 51 (suppl 1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa ◽  
Sérgio Viana Peixoto ◽  
Deborah Carvalho Malta ◽  
Célia Landmann Szwarcwald ◽  
Juliana Vaz de Melo Mambrini
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
National Health ◽  
Health Survey ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Sociodemographic Factors ◽  
National Health Survey ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Term Care

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the prevalence and sociodemographic factors associated with informal and paid care for Brazilian older adults with functional limitations. METHODS Of the 23,815 participants of the National Health Survey aged 60 or older, 5,978 reported needing help to perform activities of daily living and were included in this analysis. The dependent variable was the source of care, categorized as exclusively informal (unpaid), exclusively formal (paid), mixed or none. The socio-demographic variables were age (60-64, 65-74, ≥ 75 years old), gender and number of residents in the household (1, 2, ≥ 3). The multivariate analysis was based on binomial and multinomial logistic regressions. RESULTS Informal care predominated (81.8%), followed by paid (5.8%) or mixed (6.8%) and no care (5.7%). The receipt of care from any source increased gradually with the number of residents in a same household, regardless of age and gender (OR = 4.85 and 9.74 for 2 and ≥ 3, respectively). Age was positively associated with receiving any care while the male gender showed a negative association. The number of residents in the household showed the strongest association with informal care (OR = 10.94 for ≥ 3 residents), compared with paid (OR = 5.48) and mixed (OR = 4.16) care. CONCLUSIONS Informal care is the main source of help for community-dwelling older adults with functional limitations. In a context of rapid population aging and decline in family size, the results reinforce the need for policies to support long-term care for older Brazilians.

Help from spouse and from children among older people with functional limitations: comparison of England and Finland

2011 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 905-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
JENNI BLOMGREN ◽  
ELIZABETH BREEZE ◽  
SEPPO KOSKINEN ◽  
PEKKA MARTIKAINEN
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Formal Sector ◽  
Low Education ◽  
Formal Services ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Generous Welfare

ABSTRACTFuture increases in need of old-age care warrant research on receipt of informal care among older people in different policy and cultural contexts. Separating informal care into help provided by spouse and by children may shed more light on dynamics of informal help, important in alleviating the demands on the formal sector. Using nationally representative data from England and Finland, we performed logistic regression analyses to study receipt of help from spouse and children among community-dwelling persons aged 70+ years with functional limitations. In both countries, women and those with more functional limitations had higher odds of receiving spousal and filial help. In England – but not in Finland – those receiving formal public help had lower odds of receiving spousal help than those with no formal help. Those with low education received more filial help in England, but no association was found between formal and filial help. In Finland, the effect of education was not significant but those receiving formal help had higher odds of also receiving filial help. The results suggest that in a liberal market-led state, the role of children may be to help their parents living alone and with low financial resources. In the context of a generous welfare state, children may function more as active agents bridging the gap between their parents and formal services.

scholarly journals Income-related inequalities in informal care: Evidence from the Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey in China

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yixiao Wang ◽  
Wei Yang ◽  
Mauricio Avendano
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Informal Care ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Household Income ◽  
Concentration Index ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Horizontal Inequity ◽  
Healthy Longevity ◽  
Lower Household Income

Abstract Objectives This report seeks to examine income-related inequalities in informal care among older people with functional limitations in China. Methods Data are drawn from the 2005, 2008, 2011 and 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Erreygers Concentration Index, Concentration Index, and Horizontal Inequity Index are used to examine inequalities in informal care. Random effects model is then used to investigate the relationship between household income and informal care. Results There is no significant association between household income and the probability of receiving informal care. However, we observe a significantly positive association between household income and hours of informal care received, indicating that those with higher household income receive more hours of informal care compared to those with lower household income. The degree of this inequality increases as number of functional limitations increases. Discussion Lower household income is associated with lower intensity of informal care received, particularly for older people with more functional limitations. Policies are required to support low-income older people with more functional limitations.

The Relationship Between Antioxidant Nutrient Intake and Cataracts in Older People

2006 ◽  
Vol 76 (6) ◽  
pp. 359-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodríguez-Rodríguez ◽  
Ortega ◽  
López-Sobaler ◽  
Aparicio ◽  
Bermejo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin C ◽  
Older People ◽  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Nutrient Intake ◽  
Institutionalized Elderly ◽  
Weighing Method ◽  
The Relationship

This study investigated the relationship between the intake of antioxidant nutrients and the suffering of cataracts in 177 institutionalized elderly people (61 men and 116 women) aged ≥ 65 years. Dietary intake was monitored for 7 consecutive days using a "precise individual weighing" method. Subjects, who during their earlier years were exposed by their work to sunlight, had a greater risk of suffering cataracts (OR = 3.2; Cl: 1.1–9.3, P < 0.05) than those who worked indoors. A relationship was found between increased vitamin C intake and a reduced prevalence of cataracts (i.e., when comparing those above P95 for vitamin C intake with those below P5; (OR = 0.08; Cl: 0.01–0.75, P 0.05). Among subjects with cataracts, 12.1% had vitamin C intakes of < 61 mg/day (P10) and only 2.2% had intakes of > 183 mg/day (P95) (p < 0.01). Subjects who consumed > 3290 μg/day (P95) of lutein were less likely to have cataracts (OR = 0.086; Cl: 0.007–1.084; p < 0.05) than those whose consumption was < 256 μg/day (P5). In men, high intakes of zeaxanthin seemed to provide a protective effect against the problem (OR = 0.96; Cl: 0.91–0.99; p < 0.05). The results suggest an association exists between exposure to sunlight and the development of cataracts, and that vitamin C, lutein, and zeaxanthin offer some protection against this disorder.

The Protective Effect of Metformin against Oxandrolone-Induced Infertility in Male Rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulqader Fadhil Abed ◽  
Yazun Bashir Jarrar ◽  
Hamzeh J Al-Ameer ◽  
Wajdy Al-Awaida ◽  
Su-Jun Lee
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Male Infertility ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Histological Examination ◽  
Sperm Count ◽  
Serum Testosterone ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
P Value ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Rt Pcr

Background: Oxandrolone is a synthetic testosterone analogue that is widely used among bodybuilders and athletes. However, oxandrolone causes male infertility. Recently, it was found that metformin reduces the risk of infertility associated with diabetes mellitus. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of metformin against oxandrolone-induced infertility in male rats. Methods: Rats continuously received one of four treatments (n=7) over 14 days: control DMSO administration, oxandrolone administration, metformin administration, or co-administration of oxandrolone and metformin. Doses were equivalent to those used for human treatment. Subsequently, testicular and blood samples were collected for morphological, biochemical, and histological examination. In addition, gene expression of the testosterone synthesizing enzyme CYP11A1 was analyzed in the testes using RT-PCR. Results: Oxandrolone administration induced male infertility by significantly reducing relative weights of testes by 48%, sperm count by 82%, and serum testosterone levels by 96% (ANOVA, P value < 0.05). In addition, histological examination determined that oxandrolone caused spermatogenic arrest which was associated with 2-fold downregulation of testicular CYP11A1 gene expression. However, co-administration of metformin with oxandrolone significantly ameliorated toxicological alterations induced by oxandrolone exposure (ANOVA, P value < 0.05). Conclusion: Metformin administration protected against oxandrolone-induced infertility in male rats. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm the protective effect of metformin against oxandrolone-induced infertility among athletes.

scholarly journals Protective Effects of Taurine Chloramine on Experimentally Induced Colitis: NFκB, STAT3, and Nrf2 as Potential Targets

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 479
Author(s):  
Seong Hoon Kim ◽  
Hye-Won Yum ◽  
Seung Hyeon Kim ◽  
Wonki Kim ◽  
Su-Jung Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oxidative Stress ◽  
Protective Effect ◽  
Parent Compound ◽  
Oxidative Stress Marker ◽  
Heme Oxygenase 1 ◽  
Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Taurine Chloramine ◽  
Proinflammatory Mediators ◽  
Experimentally Induced

Taurine chloramine (TauCl) is an endogenous anti-inflammatory substance which is derived from taurine, a semi-essential sulfur-containing β-amino acid found in some foods including meat, fish, eggs and milk. In general, TauCl as well as its parent compound taurine downregulates production of tissue-damaging proinflammatory mediators, such as chemokines and cytokines in many different types of cells. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of TauCl on experimentally induced colon inflammation. Oral administration of TauCl protected against mouse colitis caused by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). TauCl administration attenuated apoptosis in the colonic mucosa of TNBS-treated mice. This was accompanied by reduced expression of an oxidative stress marker, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and proinflammatory molecules including tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 in mouse colon. TauCl also inhibited activation of NFκB and STAT3, two key transcription factors mediating proinflammatory signaling. Notably, the protective effect of TauCl on oxidative stress and inflammation in the colon of TNBS-treated mice was associated with elevated activation of Nrf2 and upregulation of its target genes encoding heme oxygenase-1, NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase, glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit, and glutathione S-transferase. Taken together, these results suggest that TauCl exerts the protective effect against colitis through upregulation of Nrf2-dependent cytoprotective gene expression while blocking the proinflammatory signaling mediated by NFκB and STAT3.

scholarly journals Population aging and the historical development of intergenerational transfer systems

Genus ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 76 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Intergenerational Transfers ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Intergenerational Transfer ◽  
Agricultural Revolution ◽  
Public Transfers ◽  
Working Age ◽  
Social Sharing ◽  
Private Transfers

Abstract From our evolutionary past, humans inherited a long period of child dependency, extensive intergenerational transfers to children, cooperative breeding, and social sharing of food. Older people continued to transfer a surplus to the young. After the agricultural revolution, population densities grew making land and residences valuable assets controlled by older people, leading to their reduced labor supply which made them net consumers. In some East Asian societies today, elders are supported by adult children but in most societies the elderly continue to make private net transfers to their children out of asset income or public pensions. Growing public intergenerational transfers have crowded out private transfers. In some high-income countries, the direction of intergenerational flows has reversed from downward to upwards, from young to old. Nonetheless, net private transfers remain strongly downward, from older to younger, everywhere in the world. For many but not all countries, projected population aging will bring fiscal instability unless there are major program reforms. However, in many countries population aging will reduce the net cost to adults of private transfers to children, partially offsetting the increased net costs to working age adults for public transfers to the elderly.

scholarly journals The media image of Chinese older people: From stigmatic stereotype to diverse self-representation

2021 ◽  
pp. 205943642110125
Author(s):  
Kun Li
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Media Studies ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Media Image ◽  
Past Life ◽  
The Media ◽  
Leisure And Recreation ◽  
Chinese Older People

From the perspective of communication and media studies, this article explores a comparison between the image of older adults presented on media and online self-representation facilitated by the use of smartphones. The qualitative textual analysis was conducted with a sample (228 posts, from 1 January to 31 December,2019) selected from a representative WeChat Public Account targeting at older adults in China. The results demonstrate that leisure and recreation is the most frequently mentioned topic (58%) with memories of past life receiving the least references (3%). The striking features of popular posts among older people include a highly emotional tone, bright colours and multimedia. Sentiment analyses shows 68.42%, 13.16% and 18.42% of positive, neutral and negative emotions, respectively. A generally positive attitude of self-representation is in a sharp contrast with the stigmatic media image of older adults. The article concludes that the visibility of Chinese older people may help to reduce the stigma surrounding old age in China.

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