scholarly journals Grandparenting and Health in Later Life: Intensity and Age, Gender, and Urbanicity Variations

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 26-26
Author(s):  
Yue Zeng ◽  
Yu-Chih Chen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Propensity Score Analysis ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Mobility Limitations ◽  
Self Rated Health

Abstract Grandparents play increasingly indispensable roles in providing family care. Although prior cross-sectional studies have shown a positive link between grandparenting and health, we know little about the optimal engagement level of grandparenting, its longitudinal implications, and variations on health outcomes. Guided by the role theory and social model of health promotion, we used propensity score analysis and multilevel analysis with three biennial waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015) to examine the longitudinal impacts of grandparenting intensity (no, low-, moderate-, and high-intensity) on health (mobility limitations, depressive symptoms, cognition, and self-rated health) among 4,925 older adults aged 45 and older, and how these impacts vary by age (45-59/60+), gender (male/female), and urbanicity (urban/rural). Controlling for the baseline sociodemographics (e.g., education and income), health limitations (e.g., ADLs and IADLs), and health behaviors (e.g., drinking and smoking), our results showed that, compared to no grandparenting, grandparenting provided at a moderate level was associated with fewer mobility limitations, lower depressive symptoms, and better cognition. Furthermore, grandparenting had a positive impact on physical, mental and cognitive health for 60+ older adults but not for the young-old. Both older males and females showed better physical health if they provided care at a low level, but older females showed better self-rated health. Older adults in the rural area showed better physical health; for the urban area older adults, better cognition. Findings suggest that policies aimed at supporting grandparents should consider the optimal threshold and variations by age, gender, and urbanicity.

scholarly journals Profile Groups Based on Lifestyle and Differences in Mental Health and Cognition

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 404-404
Author(s):  
Joseph Kim ◽  
Kyuree Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Mean Differences

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the profiles of older adults according to lifestyle. Data for the study were from the 2017 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). CAMS 2017 is a questionnaire mailed to a sub-sample of respondents from the Health and Retirement Study. Participants were limited to older adults 65 and older, and the final sample consisted of 1136 older adults. The sample included 443 men and 693 women. Caucasians comprised 82.0% of the participants. Lifestyle was measured through items assessing the amount of time spent on activities. Due to high skewness, the items were dichotomized, 0=no time spent on activity and 1=time spent on the activity. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify groups based on lifestyle. LCA is a person-centered approach for identifying unobserved subgroups based on similarity in responses to items. Three lifestyle groups were identified. Group 1 was “Outgoing” with 471 individuals. Group 2 was “Adequate” with 229 individuals. Group 3 was “Inactive” with 436 individuals. An ANOVA was then conducted to assess mean differences in self-rated health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and loneliness for the three lifestyle groups. The “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups had significantly higher scores on self-rated health and cognition, and in addition, significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms and loneliness compared to the “Inactive” group. No significant differences were observed between the “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups. An implication from this study is the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle in later life for better mental health and cognition.

scholarly journals SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN MEXICO: IMPLICATIONS OF GENDER AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S215-S215
Author(s):  
Maria Monserud
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Studies in developed countries indicate that social activities can make a difference in mental health in later life. Yet, research on potential benefits of social activities for older adults in developing countries, including Mexico, has been scarce. This study uses the two most recent waves (2012, 2015) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study to investigate the impact of social activities on depressive symptoms among older men (n = 4, 749) and women (n = 6,527), aged 50+, in Mexico. The results of Ordinary Least Squares regressions indicate that it is important to differentiate among specific social activities in later life. Particularly, not only group-based but also solitary social activities were predictive of better mental health. Moreover, the findings demonstrate several gender differences and similarities. Participation in clubs, communication with relatives and friends, physical exercise, and watching television were beneficial for mental health among men, whereas volunteering, playing games, and making crafts were associated with fewer depressive symptoms among women. At the same time, reading as well as doing household chores were related to better mental health among older Mexicans, regardless of gender. Furthermore, this study shows that self-reported health, functional limitations, chronic conditions, and frequent pain might shape the implications of social activities for depressive symptoms among older adults in Mexico. The insights from this study can be helpful for intervention programs that are being developed to promote benefits of group-based and solitary social activities for mental health among older men and women with different levels of physical health.

Do Neuroticism and Conscientiousness Interact with Health Conditions in Predicting 4-Year Changes in Self-Rated Health among Swedish Older Adults?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Henning ◽  
Anne Ingeborg Berg ◽  
Anja Cengia ◽  
Isabelle Hansson ◽  
Svenja Spuling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Health Indices ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Health Aging

Health conditions such as higher disease burden, pain or lower functional health are associated with poorer self-rated health (SRH). Whether these associations are moderated by psychosocial factors such as personality traits has rarely been investigated so far. In the present pre-registered analyses, we used five annual waves of the Health, Aging and Retirement Transitions in Sweden (HEARTS) study (n = 5,823, M(age) = 63.09, SD = 2.01) to investigate effects of personality (neuroticism and conscientiousness) and physical health indices (disease burden, pain, functional limitations), as well as their interaction, on levels and change in SRH. Higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness were related to lower levels of SRH. These associations remained significant when controlling for the health indices. However, personality was not significantly related to change in SRH after controlling for the health indices, and personality did not moderate the effect of health indices on levels and change in SRH. When taking change in health indices into account, we found that increases in pain and functional limitations were more strongly associated with declines in SRH for those with high neuroticism. Our findings suggest that higher neuroticism may impair the ability to cope with increasing pain and functional limitations in later life.

scholarly journals Loving Others: The Impact of Compassionate Love on Later-Life Psychological Well-Being

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 480-481
Author(s):  
Eva Kahana ◽  
Tirth Bhatta ◽  
Boaz Kahana ◽  
Nirmala Lekhak
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Emotional Support ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Compassionate Love ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Existing scholarship in social gerontology has surprisingly paid little attention to broader loving emotions, such as compassionate and altruistic love, as potentially meaningful mechanisms for improving later life psychological well-being. This study examined the influence of feeling love toward other persons and experiencing love from others on later life psychological well-being. We conducted a 3-wave longitudinal study of a representative sample of 340 ethnically heterogeneous community dwelling older residents of Miami, Florida. The increase in feeling of being loved (β=-1.53, p<0.001) and love for others (β=-1.43, p<0.001) led to decline in odds of reporting greater level of depressive symptoms over time. The odds of reporting higher level of positive affect were significantly greater for older adults who reported feeling loved by others (β=1.16, p<0.001) and expressed love for other people (β=1.18, p<0.01). Older adults who felt loved had 0.92-point lower ordered log odds of reporting higher negative affect than those who reported lower level of love. The impact of compassionate love on depressive symptoms and negative affect remained statistically significant even after adjustment for altruistic attitudes and emotional support. The influence of loving emotions on positive affect was, however, explained by altruistic attitudes and emotional support. Our findings underscore the powerful influence of both receiving and giving love for the maintenance of later life psychological well-being. We offer support for the expectation that love is a significant force in the lives of older adults that transcends intimate relationships.

scholarly journals Is Volunteering an Equalizer? A Quasi-Experimental Study Using Propensity Score Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 36-36
Author(s):  
Seoyoun Kim ◽  
Cal Halvorsen
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Propensity Score ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Financial Distress ◽  
Propensity Score Analysis ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Voluntary Activity ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Reported Health

Abstract Formal volunteering in later life has been extolled as beneficial for both physical and mental health. However, research points to potential selection bias, in that older adults with key advantages, such as higher wealth, are more likely to volunteer and reap its benefits. As such, we test two competing propositions: Volunteering may act as an equalizer if it benefits the health of the least wealthy the most, or it may further exacerbate disparities if it benefits the health of the wealthiest the most. To that end, we analyzed data from the 2012 and 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N≈15,000). First, we used relevant covariates (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics, informal volunteering, and health) in 2012 to predict volunteering in 2014, developing the propensity score weights from these results. We then performed several regression analyses to assess the influence of volunteering on self-reported health and depressive symptoms among the general population (ATE) and volunteers themselves (ATT), while comparing the findings for the highest and lowest wealth quintiles. We found that volunteering enhanced self-reported health and reduced depressive symptoms. Further, those in the highest quintile experienced significantly fewer depressive symptoms from volunteering while those in the lowest quintile did not, albeit with no significant differences between the two coefficients. The study enhances the nuanced understanding of volunteering and health while suggesting that unmeasured factors felt strongest among the least wealthy—such as financial distress, discrimination, or lack of organizational support—may attenuate the benefits of voluntary activity.

Subjective Age and Late-Life Functional Status: Mediating and Moderating Effects

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel R Petashnick ◽  
Amit Shrira ◽  
Yaakov Hoffman ◽  
Yuval Palgi ◽  
Gitit Kavé ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Functional Status ◽  
Objective Measure ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Integrative Model ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Longitudinal Relationships

Abstract Objectives The present study examined the longitudinal relationships between subjective age (SA) and future functional status in later life, via depressive symptoms. Additionally, we assessed the role of subjective nearness to death (SNtD) as a potential moderator within these pathways. Methods Older adults (average age 81.14 at T1) were interviewed once a year for three consecutive years (N=224 at T1, N=178 at T2, and N=164 at T3), Participants reported their SA, SNtD, depressive symptoms, and functional status. Additionally, grip strength was employed as an objective measure of functional status. Results Data analysis revealed distinct pathways leading from T1 SA to T3 functional status through T2 depressive symptoms. Moreover, T1 SNtD was found to significantly moderate most of these indirect pathways, so that the mediation model of T1 SA-T2 depressive symptoms-T3 functional status was mostly significant among those who felt closer to death. Discussion The findings contribute to our understanding of the underlying mechanism through which SA predicts long-term functioning sequelae by underscoring the indirect effect of depressive symptoms. They further indicate the importance of gauging the effects of SNtD on these longitudinal relationships. Present results may further contribute to establishing an integrative model for predicting long-term functional outcomes based on older adults' earlier subjective views of aging.

Physical health burdens and emotional distress in later life: the mediating effects of self-rated health

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babatola D. Olawa ◽  
Sulaimon O. Adebayo ◽  
Bolade O. Mokuolu ◽  
Charles S. Umeh ◽  
Benjamine O. Omolayo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Health Burdens

scholarly journals Self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245136
Author(s):  
Yuri Jang ◽  
Hyunwoo Yoon ◽  
Mengting Li ◽  
Nan Sook Park ◽  
David A. Chiriboga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Korean Americans ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
American Sample ◽  
Older Chinese

In the present study, we examined self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions (chronic diseases and functional disability) and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans. Using harmonized data (N = 5,063) from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE) and the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA), we tested direct and indirect effect models. In both groups, chronic diseases and functional disability were closely associated with negative ratings of health and symptoms of depression. Analyses with the PROCESS macro showed that the effect of chronic diseases and functional disability on depressive symptoms was mediated by self-rated health in both groups; the indirect effect was greater in the Korean American sample than in the Chinese American sample. These findings contribute to the understanding of the psychological mechanisms that underlie the mind–body connection and highlight the potential importance of subjective health assessment as a useful tool for health promotion.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document