scholarly journals Spousal Activity Limitations and Depressive Symptoms: Benefits of Spousal Caregiving and Costs of Spousal Pain

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 354-354
Author(s):  
Sae Hwang Han ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Jeffrey Burr
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Multilevel Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Activity Limitations ◽  
Spousal Caregiver ◽  
Spousal Caregiving ◽  
Caregiver Role ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Experiencing difficulties in performing basic activities of daily living poses significant challenges for older adults living with such limitations and also for their spouses. A growing body of evidence demonstrates cross-spousal linkages between activity limitations and depressive symptoms. However, under what conditions these linkages may be strengthened or weakened has received little attention in the literature. We addressed this gap by examining whether a) providing spousal caregiving and b) spousal pain moderated the link between spousal activity limitations and one’s own depressive symptoms. We used seven waves of longitudinal household data from the Health and Retirement Study (2004-2016; N=12,369) to estimate within-person associations between spousal activity limitations and depressive symptoms, focusing on the moderating roles of caregiving behavior and spousal pain. In particular, asymmetric fixed effects models were used to estimate the unique effects of transitioning into a spousal caregiver role in the context of spousal activity limitations. Results from multilevel models were gendered. For wives (but not for husbands), transitioning into a caregiver role to provide spousal care alleviated depressive symptoms associated with spousal activity limitations, whereas depressive symptoms were increased when husbands with activity limitations also reported frequent, moderate to severe pain. Our findings indicate that the link between spousal activity limitations and depressive symptoms is not uniform, and that the cross-spousal association may best be understood when relevant contextual factors are considered. The findings are also in line with recent studies showing that caregiving may also lead to enhanced well-being and reduced mortality risk under some circumstances.

scholarly journals Activity Limitations and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Couples: The Moderating Role of Spousal Care

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sae Hwang Han ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Jeffrey A Burr
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Activity Limitations ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Spousal Caregiving ◽  
Living Related ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Objectives Limitations in performing basic daily activities, as well as spousal caregiving that arises from activity limitations, are important factors that have ramifications for mental health among couples. The objective of this study was to investigate the interplay of these factors by focusing on whether the associations between activity limitations and depressive symptoms among coupled-individuals were moderated by receipt and provision of spousal care. Methods Longitudinal household data from the Health and Retirement Study (2004–2014; dyad N = 6,614) were analyzed to estimate within-person associations between one’s own and spousal activity limitations, receipt and provision of spousal care, and depressive symptoms. Results Findings showed a consistent link between one’s own activity limitations and depressive symptoms for both spouses, whereas spousal activity limitations were associated with depressive symptoms for wives only. We also found moderating effects of spousal care in the link between one’s own and spousal activity limitations and depressive symptoms. Discussion Receipt and provision of activities of daily living-related assistance may contextualize the association between activity limitations and depressive symptoms among older coupled-individuals in a direction that could alleviate or aggravate the risk of depression.

Aging in Place With a Spouse in Need: Neighborhood Cohesion and Older Adult Spouses’ Physical and Mental Health

2020 ◽  
pp. 009141502097461
Author(s):  
Kyuho Lee ◽  
Patrik Marier
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Neighborhood Cohesion ◽  
Spousal Caregiving ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Retirement Study

This study examines the association of perceived neighborhood cohesion (NC) with older adults’ health and the buffering effects of NC against the negative effects of spousal caregiving on health. Data of 3329 community-living older adults living with a spouse in need of care from the Health and Retirement Study were collected at two time-points. Multiple regression analyses were computed for each of the four health outcomes. For men, NC predicted fewer depressive symptoms and better cognition. NC buffered the negative effect of providing activities of daily living (ADL) help to the wife on cognition. For women, NC predicted fewer depressive symptoms and better cognition. NC buffered the negative effect of providing ADL help to the husband on ADL difficulties. The results accentuate the importance of residency location for older adults’ physical and mental health. The health benefits of NC may have more implications for older adults providing spousal care.

scholarly journals The Differential Effects of Caregiving Intensity on Overnight Hospitalization in the Previous 2 Years

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 76-76
Author(s):  
Kylie Meyer ◽  
Zachary Gassoumis ◽  
Kathleen Wilber
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
P Value ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Spousal Caregiving ◽  
Health Insurance Status ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Self Assessed Health ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Caregiving for a spouse is considered a major stressor many Americans will encounter during their lifetimes. Although most studies indicate caregiving is associated with experiencing diminished health outcomes, little is known about how this role affects caregivers’ use of acute health services. To understand how spousal caregiving affects the use of acute health services, we use data from the Health and Retirement Study. We apply fixed effects (FE) logistic regression models to examine odds of experiencing an overnight hospitalization in the previous two years according to caregiving status, intensity, and changes in caregiving status and intensity. Models controlled for caregiver gender, age, race, ethnicity, educational attainment, health insurance status, the number of household residents, and self-assessed health. Overall, caregivers were no more likely to experience an overnight hospitalization compared to non-caregivers (OR 0.92; CI 0.84 to 1.00; p-value=0.057). However, effects varied according to the intensity of caregiving and the time spent in this role. Compared to non-caregivers, for example, spouses who provided care to someone with no need for assistance with activities of daily living had lower odds of experiencing a hospitalization (OR 0.77; CI 0.66 to 0.89). In contrast, caregivers who provided care to someone with dementia for 4 to <6 years had 3.29 times the odds of experiencing an overnight hospitalization (CI 1.04 to 10.38; p-value=0.042). Findings indicate that, although caregivers overall appear to use acute health services about as much as non-caregivers, large differences exist between caregivers. Results emphasize the importance of recognizing diversity within caregiving experiences.

scholarly journals Individual-Level and Couple-Level Discordant Chronic Conditions: Longitudinal Links to Functional Disability

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 455-469
Author(s):  
Courtney A Polenick ◽  
Kira S Birditt ◽  
Angela Turkelson ◽  
Helen C Kales
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Growth Curve Models ◽  
Rate Of Increase ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Background Multiple chronic conditions may erode physical functioning, particularly in the context of complex self-management demands and depressive symptoms. Yet, little is known about how discordant conditions (i.e., those with management requirements that are not directly related and increase care complexity) among couples are linked to functional disability. Purpose We evaluated own and partner individual-level discordant conditions (i.e., discordant conditions within individuals) and couple-level discordant conditions (i.e., discordant conditions between spouses), and their links to levels of and change in functional disability. Methods The U.S. sample included 3,991 couples drawn from nine waves (1998–2014) of the Health and Retirement Study. Dyadic growth curve models determined how individual-level and couple-level discordant conditions were linked to functional disability over time, and whether depressive symptoms moderated these links. Models controlled for age, minority status, education, each partner’s baseline depressive symptoms, and each partner’s number of chronic conditions across waves. Results Wives and husbands had higher initial disability when they had their own discordant conditions and when there were couple-level discordant conditions. Husbands also reported higher initial disability when wives had discordant conditions. Wives had a slower rate of increase in disability when there were couple-level discordant conditions. Depressive symptoms moderated links between disability and discordant conditions at the individual and couple levels. Conclusions Discordant chronic conditions within couples have enduring links to disability that partly vary by gender and depressive symptoms. These findings generate valuable information for interventions to maintain the well-being of couples managing complex health challenges.

scholarly journals EVERYDAY ACTIVITIES AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS: DOES GENDER MATTER?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S931-S931
Author(s):  
Celeste Beaulieu ◽  
Jeffrey E Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Everyday Activities ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Previous research has suggested that informal socializing can be beneficial for mental health, whereas prior findings concerning solitary activities and mental health have been equivocal. Activity theory posits that involvement in activities – particularly social activities – can improve adults’ self-concept and self-esteem, leading to improved well-being. Solitary activities may perform the same function, though without any social reinforcement. However, social engagement and mental health may both vary by gender. Thus, we examined associations of informal socializing and solitary activities with depressive symptoms among 13,387 respondents of the 2012/2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, and further assessed potential gender differences. Results revealed that both informal socializing and solitary activities were significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms when analyzed separately. However, when both types of activities were modeled simultaneously, only informal socializing remained significant. Further, stratified analyses revealed that informal socializing was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms among women but not men, although these coefficients were not significantly different from each other. Overall, findings suggest that both informal socializing and solitary activities may be beneficial for mental health, yet results were clearly stronger for informal socializing. Socializing may benefit mental health not only by bolstering one’s self-concept, but also by linking adults with social ties and support networks that are instrumental for well-being in mid- and later life. Moreover, gender differences in effects were minimal and largely non-significant, indicating that activity involvement can bolster mental health for men and women alike.

Transition to Caregiving, Marital Disagreement, and Psychological Well-Being

2006 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
pp. 1701-1722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heejeong Choi ◽  
Nadine F. Marks
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Psychological Effects ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Biological Parent ◽  
Role Quality ◽  
Caregiver Role

Guided by a life course perspective, this study investigated whether the psychological consequences of transitioning into a caregiver role for a biological parent, parent-in-law, spouse, other kin, or nonkin among married adults might be moderated by marital role quality. Using longitudinal data from a national sample of 1,842 married adults aged 35 years and older, this study estimated regression models examining whether marital disagreement prior to the transition to caregiving predicted differences in change in global happiness and depressive symptoms because of a transition into caregiving. Results indicated that, compared to noncaregivers, new caregivers for a biological parent or spouse experienced both a greater decline in happiness and a greater increase in depressive symptoms when they reported a higher level of marital disagreement. These findings suggest that the psychological effects of becoming a caregiver for a biological parent or spouse among married adults are contingent on marital role quality.

scholarly journals DISCORDANT CHRONIC CONDITIONS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER COUPLES

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S58-S58
Author(s):  
Courtney A Polenick ◽  
Kira S Birditt ◽  
Angela Turkelson ◽  
Benjamin Bugajski ◽  
Helen C Kales
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Minority Status ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Retirement Study

Abstract Discordant chronic conditions (i.e., those with competing management requirements) have adverse consequences for well-being, yet little is known about their implications among couples. We evaluated how depressive symptoms are linked to discordant conditions within individuals and between spouses across an 8-year period. The U.S. sample included 1,116 middle-aged and older couples from five waves (2006 – 2014) of the Health and Retirement Study. Longitudinal actor-partner interdependence models controlled for age, minority status, education, depressive symptoms in the previous wave, and each partner’s report of baseline marital quality and number of chronic conditions in each wave. Wives and husbands with their own discordant conditions reported higher depressive symptoms, and this association intensified over time. Over and above this link, husbands had higher depressive symptoms when there were discordant conditions between spouses. Both individual-level and couple-level discordant chronic conditions appear to have enduring implications for depressive symptoms in middle and later life.

scholarly journals Cross-national comparison of psychosocial well-being and diabetes outcomes in adults with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic in US, Brazil, and Iran

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samereh Abdoli ◽  
Monica S. V. M. Silveira ◽  
Mehri Doosti-Irani ◽  
Paulo Fanti ◽  
Katherine Miller-Bains ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Type 1 Diabetes ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Diabetes Distress ◽  
Diabetes Outcomes ◽  
Cross National

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic is a global public health emergency, which presents wide-ranging negative impacts on individuals with diabetes. To examine psychosocial well-being and diabetes outcomes in individuals with type 1 diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and investigate how these factors vary in different countries. Methods Between April and June 2020 we employed a cross national comparative research study in the United States (US), Brazil, and Iran to collect data from 1788 adults with type 1 diabetes using web-based survey. Study participants answered questions relevant to diabetes distress, diabetes burnout, depressive symptoms, COVID-19 related changes, and socio-demographic characteristics. They also reported their last Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and daily Time-in-Range (TiR) blood glucose. We analyzed data using comparative tests (Chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis and McNemar test), logistic and linear regression adjusted for fixed effects. Results There were significant changes prior and during the pandemic regarding access to diabetes care, diabetes supplies and medications, healthy food and safe places to exercise in all countries (p < 0.05). Participants in Iran experienced higher levels of diabetes distress (57.1%), diabetes burnout (50%), and depressive symptoms (60.9%), followed by Brazil and US (p < 0.0001). US participants reported better glycemic control (HbA1c = 6.97%, T1R = 69.64%) compared to Brazil (HbA1c = 7.94%, T1R = 51.95%) and Iran (HbA1c = 7.47%, T1R = 51.53%) (p < 0.0001). There were also significant relationships between psychosocial well-being, diabetes outcomes, socio-demographic data, and COVID-19 related challenges in overall sample (p < 0.05). Conclusions Regardless of differences among US, Brazil, and Iran, our findings revealed that different countries may experience similar challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic which can impact negatively diabetes outcomes and psychosocial well-being in individuals with type 1 diabetes. Countries need to consider modifiable variables associated with poor diabetes outcomes and sub optimal psychosocial well-being and target vulnerable population using significant socio-demographic variables.

Loneliness as a Mediator of Perceived Discrimination and Depression: Examining Education Contingencies

2018 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yeonjung Lee ◽  
Alex Bierman
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Indirect Pathway ◽  
Random Effects Models ◽  
Fixed Effects Models ◽  
Low Education ◽  
Everyday Discrimination ◽  
Retirement Study

This study examines whether loneliness explains the association between perceived everyday discrimination and depressive symptoms among older adults as well as whether this indirect pathway differs by education. Three waves (2006, 2010, and 2014) of the Health and Retirement Study ( N = 7,130) are analyzed with random-effects models that adjust for repeated observations and fixed-effects models that control for all time-stable influences. Everyday discrimination is associated with loneliness and depressive symptoms but more weakly in fixed-effects models. The association between discrimination and loneliness is stronger at low educational attainment, leading discrimination to be indirectly associated with depressive symptoms through loneliness only at low education. The consequences of everyday discrimination for depression in late life are limited to older adults with low education due to education-contingent associations with loneliness. Perceived discrimination may have broad health consequences through loneliness, especially for older adults at low education.

scholarly journals Time Use, Gender, and Mental Health of Older Adults in Rural China

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 863-863
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Lin ◽  
Feinian Chen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Time Use ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Socially Isolated

Abstract Time use is considered a valuable descriptor of people’s lifestyles, and studying how people spend their time is critical for understanding the determinants and consequences of individual well-being. In this study, we first develop a time use typology to characterize how older adults in rural Chinese families allocate their time in later life, and then examined how older adults’ time allocation influenced their mental health, with a special focus on differential implications for older women and men. Data derived from 2015 and 2018 waves of a longitudinal study of 1,007 older adults, aged 60 and older, living in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. We specifically focused on how social and solitary dimensions of time use, as well as time spent within and outside households, impacted depressive symptoms of older adults. Using the K-means cluster analysis, we identified four time use categories: “work-oriented,” “socially-active,” “homemaker/ caretaker,” and “socially-isolated.” Results from fixed-effects regression analysis demonstrated that older women involved in “socially-active” time-use category tended to report better mental than those in other time-use types, while the time spent on housework and caregiving was harmful to their mental health. For older men, more time spent on paid activities outside households (“work-oriented”) was associated with better psychological outcomes while solitary leisure time (“socially-isolated”) was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms. These findings will be helpful for health policymakers and practitioners who seek to better identify vulnerable subpopulations and to design effective intervention strategies to reduce mental health problems.

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