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.

Activity Patterns and Health Outcomes in Later Life: The Role of Nature of Engagement

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 698-708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu-Chih Chen ◽  
Michelle Putnam ◽  
Yung Soo Lee ◽  
Nancy Morrow-Howell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Activity Engagement ◽  
Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives The health benefit of activity participation at older ages is documented in the current literature. Many studies, however, only explored the health benefits of engaging in a few activities and did not examine mechanisms connecting activity participation to health. We investigated the pathway between activity and health by testing the mediation role of the nature of engagement (physical, cognitive, and social) on physical, mental, and cognitive health of older adults. Research Design and Methods We analyzed data of 6,044 older adults from the 2010 and 2012 Health and Retirement Study linked with 2011 Consumption and Activity Mail Survey. We used latent class analysis to identify the patterns of participating in 33 activities as well as patterns of nature of engagement, and examined how these patterns were associated with cognition, depressive symptoms, and self-rated health in later life. Results Meaningful patterns of activity (high, medium, low, passive leisure, and working) and the nature of activity engagement (full, partial, and minimal) were identified. High and working groups, compared to the passive leisure group, showed better health and cognition outcomes. The nature of engagement mediated the relationship between activity patterns and health, especially for older adults who were either full or partially engaged. Discussion and Implications The nature of engagement may play a more important role than the activity itself in relation to health. Identifying the heterogeneity in activity engagement in later life is critical for tailoring interventions and designing programs that can improve the health of older adults.

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.

Volunteering, Self-Perceptions of Aging, and Mental Health in Later Life

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Huo ◽  
Lisa M Soederberg Miller ◽  
Kyungmin Kim ◽  
Siwei Liu
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Self Perceptions ◽  
Panel Model ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Perceptions Of Aging ◽  
Design And Methods

Abstract Background and Objectives Scholars argue that volunteering enhances social, physical, and cognitive activities that are increasingly valued as people age, which in turn improves older adults’ well-being via a host of psychosocial and neurobiological mechanisms. This study explicitly tested older adults’ self-perceptions of aging as a mechanism underlying the mental health benefits of volunteering. Research Design and Methods Using 2-wave data from the Health and Retirement Study (2008/2010 for Wave 1 and 2012/2014 for Wave 2), we analyzed reports from a pooled sample of older adults aged 65 or older (N = 9,017). Participants reported on demographic characteristics, volunteer work (did not volunteer, 1–99 h/year, 100+ h/year), self-perceptions of aging, and depressive symptoms. We estimated an autoregressive cross-lagged panel model. Results Volunteering for 100 h or more per year was associated with older adults’ more positive and less negative self-perceptions of aging in the subsequent wave (i.e., 4 years later), which in turn predicted fewer depressive symptoms. Discussion and Implications This study suggests the promising role of volunteering in shaping older adults’ self-perceptions of aging on a sustained basis and refines our understanding of the benefits volunteering brings. Findings shed light on future interventions aimed at improving older adults’ adjustment to age-related changes and lessening ageism in society.

Longitudinal changes in social networks, health and wellbeing among older Koreans

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 1915-1936 ◽  
Author(s):  
BORIN KIM ◽  
SOJUNG PARK ◽  
TONI C. ANTONUCCI
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Networks ◽  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
The Social ◽  
Restricted Type

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the changes in social network types among older adults in South Korea, and it examines whether, and to what extent, these changes influence their health and psychological wellbeing. Data were obtained from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing. The sample was restricted to respondents over 65 years of age who participated in both the 2006 and 2008 surveys (N = 3,501). The social network types for both years were derived by Latent Class Analysis. Changes in network types over time were then identified. A series of multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine the effects of social network changes on self-rated health, depressive symptoms and life satisfaction. Restricted, Family, Friend and Diverse network types were derived in each wave of the study. Although the direction of social network changes was not always towards the Restricted type, the Restricted network was the most prevalent and stable type among older Koreans. Older adults who remained in or transitioned to restricted types of social networks were more likely to have poor self-rated health, higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower levels of life satisfaction. This study adds to the limited body of literature on longitudinal network typology, and it expands the knowledge of social network types among older adults in diverse social and cultural contexts.

The impact of social networks on the relationship between functional impairment and depressive symptoms in older adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly J. Stoeckel ◽  
Howard Litwin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Meaningful Relationships ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Network Type

ABSTRACTBackground:To examine the role of meaningful relationship characteristics, defined here as social network type, in relation to the association between functional impairment and depressive symptoms.Methods:The sample included respondents aged 65 years and older (n = 26,401) from the fourth wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Respondents were classified into one of seven relationship network types (Distal Children (living at a distance), Proximal Family (living nearby), Spouse, Other Family, Friend, Other, and No Network) according to the predominant characteristics of their most meaningful relationships. A two-stage regression analysis was performed in which the number of depressive symptoms was first regressed on the extent of functional impairment and network type, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, cognition, health, and country. In the second stage, variables representing the interactions between functional impairment and network type were considered.Results:The compositional characteristics of respondents’ relationships in later life, as defined by social network type, were associated with depressive symptoms. In particular, when experiencing functional impairment, those without any meaningful relationships were found to have more depressive symptoms when compared to all other network types. The findings underscore the importance of meaningful relationships for the mental health of older adults experiencing functional impairment as well as the risk of experiencing depression among those who maintain no personal social network.Conclusions:The study shows that differing constellations of meaningful relationships in later life yield different associations with mental health, especially when taking functional limitations into account.

scholarly journals Family status and later-life depression among older adults in urban Latin America and the Caribbean

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 233-261
Author(s):  
Nekehia T. Quashie ◽  
Flavia C.D. Andrade
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Latin America ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Parental Status ◽  
The Caribbean

AbstractRapid fertility declines in Latin American and Caribbean countries since the 1960s have contributed to smaller family sizes among the current cohorts of older adults. This may have mental health implications in these societies as the family unit is highly valued as a source of social support. Utilising data from the 2000 Survey of Health, Well-being and Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean (SABE), this study examines the association between parental status, marital status and the likelihood of experiencing depressive symptoms among adults 60 years and older in seven cities within Latin America and the Caribbean (N = 9,756): Buenos Aires, Bridgetown, São Paulo, Santiago, Havana, Mexico City and Montevideo. Results from multivariate logistic regressions indicate that parental status is not significantly associated with depressive symptoms. Nonetheless, unmarried older adults, both those living alone and those living with others, are more vulnerable to experiencing depressive symptoms than their married counterparts. Marriage is especially protective for older adults in Havana and Montevideo. Older adults’ perceived income adequacy significantly moderates the relationship between marital status and depressive symptoms. Other significant covariates, such as experiencing disability and comorbidity, showed positive associations with depressive symptoms. While families may still represent a critical component for the mental health of older adults, broader investments in health across the lifespan are needed to improve individual psychological wellbeing.

scholarly journals Examining variation in depressive symptoms over the life course: a latent class analysis

2012 ◽  
Vol 42 (10) ◽  
pp. 2037-2046 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Mezuk ◽  
K. S. Kendler
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latent Class Analysis ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Class Analysis ◽  
Mild Depression

BackgroundOlder adults have the lowest prevalence and incidence of major depressive disorder, although it has been hypothesized that this finding is due in part to differences in expression of psychopathology in later life. The aim of this study was to examine variation in depressive symptomatology in the general population across the lifespan.MethodData came from three sites of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area (ECA) Project (n=10 529). Depressive symptoms during the past 6 months were assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify homogeneous groups of depressive symptomatology based on 16 individual symptoms, and to examine variation in the prevalence and composition of depression classes across age groups.ResultsThe DIS symptoms fit a four-class model composed of non-depressed (83.2%), mild depression (11.6%), severe depression (1.9%), and despondent (3.2%) groups. Relative to the non-depressed class, older age was inversely associated with being in the mild or severe depression class. The profile of the latent classes was similar across age groups with the exception of the despondent class, which was not well differentiated among the youngest adults and was not inversely associated with age.ConclusionsThe symptom profiles of depression are similar across age with the exception of the despondent class, which is more differentiated from severe depression among older adults. The findings demonstrate the benefit of examining individual symptoms rather than broad symptom groups for understanding the natural history of depression over the lifespan.

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 Social Network Types and Health Among Older Singaporeans

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 407-407
Author(s):  
Rahul Malhotra ◽  
Pildoo Sung ◽  
Angelique W M Chan
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Network ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Extended Family ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Reciprocal Relationship ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Transition Analysis ◽  
Self Rated Health

Abstract Little is known about the heterogeneity and dynamics in older adults’ social networks and their bidirectional relationship with health in Asian societies. We investigate (1) social network types, (2) how network types predict health, and (3) whether health influences network types over time among older Singaporeans. We use data from Transitions in Health, Employment, Social engagement and Inter-Generational transfers in Singapore Study (THE SIGNS Study), a national longitudinal survey, collected in 2016-2017 (wave 1) and 2019 (wave 2). Latent class analysis is applied to identify distinct social network types and how they affect self-rated health after two years. Latent transition analysis is then employed to examine the pattern of change in network types between waves, and the relationship between baseline self-rated health and transition in network types. We identify six social network types: diverse, diverse but less socially engaged, immediate family, extended family, living alone yet diverse, and restricted (proportion at baseline: 7.2 %, 38.2 %, 14.1 %, 27.1 %, 7.0 %, and 6.4 %, respectively). Older adults in the ‘living alone yet diverse’ network type are less likely to report poor self-rated health after two years than those in the restricted and extended family network types. Additionally, we find that good health is related to more diversified network types—‘diverse’ and ‘diverse but less socially engaged’—at baseline, and network types are relatively stable over two years. These findings contribute to the literature by capturing complexities in the reciprocal relationship between social network types and health 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.

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