Access to Information on Needed Services Mediates the Association Between Income and Self-Rated Health

Abstract Prior research has documented that individuals with fewer financial resources report lower self-rated health. The relationship between financial status and health is important to understand among older adults, for whom income is often fixed, and who face unique health stressors. In this study, we examined whether physical activity, connection to community, and access to information, variables which have demonstrated associations with financial resources and health in previous studies, accounted for unique variance in the association between income and self-rated health. We conducted a secondary data analysis of a community sample of 184 adults over the age of 50 in a large, Mid-western city. We tested a mediation model, entering income as a predictor of self-rated health with frequency of physical activity, feelings of being disconnectedness, and ability to find information about needed services as hypothesized mediators, controlling for the effects of race, education, and gender. Access to information about needed services, ab = .08, 95% CI [03, .15] accounted for unique variance in self-rated health scores beyond the direct effect of income, c’ = .38, p < .0001, 95% CI [.22, .53]. These findings suggest that higher perceived access to information about needed services may partially explain the association between income and self-rated health. Future researchers should track these variables across time to establish causal associations between access to information and health. Additionally, further study of perceived access to information and objective measures of access to information is warranted, as the role of health literacy in this study is unclear.

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Self-Referent Thoughts in Exercise: The Self-Perception in Exercise Questionnaire

European Journal of Psychological Assessment ◽

10.1027/1015-5759.13.3.195 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 195-205 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Marit Sorensen

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Physical Activity Level ◽

Convergent Validity ◽

English Language ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Activity Level ◽

Language Version ◽

Social Comfort ◽

And Gender

Adherence to lifestyle changes - beginning to exercise, for example - is assumed to be mediated by self-referent thoughts. This paper describes a pilot study and three studies conducted to develop and validate a questionnaire for adults to determine their self-perceptions related to health-oriented exercise. The pilot study identified items pertinent to the domains considered important in this context, and began the process of selecting items. Study 2 examined the factor structure, reduced the number of items, determined the internal consistency of the factors, and explored the discriminative validity of the questionnaire as to physical activity level and gender. Four factors with a total of 24 items were accepted, measuring mastery of exercise, body perception, social comfort/discomfort in the exercise setting, and perception of fitness. All subscales had acceptable internal consistencies. Preliminary validity was demonstrated by confirming hypothesized differences in scores as to gender, age, and physical activity level. The third study examined and demonstrated convergent validity with similar existing subscales. The fourth study examined an English-language version of the questionnaire, confirming the existence of the factors and providing preliminary psychometric evidence of the viability of the questionnaire.

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Age and Gender Differences in Physical Activity, Overweight and Obesity: Results from a National Survey of Canadian Youth

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e509012013-089 ◽

2004 ◽

Author(s):

Kenneth Allison ◽

Hyacinth Irving ◽

Karen Yoshida ◽

John Dwyer ◽

Irving Rootman

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Gender Differences ◽

National Survey ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

Age And Gender ◽

Canadian Youth ◽

Age And Gender Differences ◽

And Gender

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Access to healthcare and self-rated health among refugees in transit and after arrival in Norway

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa165.828 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

J Haj-Younes ◽

E Strømme ◽

W Hasha ◽

J Igland ◽

E Abildsnes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Host Country ◽

Access To Health Care ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Minority Group ◽

Access To Healthcare ◽

Syrian Refugees ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Perceived Access ◽

In Transit

Abstract Background Lack of basic infrastructure and poor provision of health services in conflict settings and during flight can have a negative impact on health. The overall health status of refugees seems to improve after arrival at a safe destination. This may be related to a safer environment and better access to health care services, but prior studies on this topic are limited. This study aims to assess self-perceived access to healthcare and its relationship with self-rated health (SRH) among refugees in transit and when settled in a host country. Methods We used data from the CHART study (Changing Health and health care needs Along the Syrian Refugees' Trajectories to Norway), which includes a cohort of 353 Syrian refugees who were contacted in 2017-2018 in Lebanon while waiting for relocation, and one year after their arrival to Norway. Information on self-perceived access to healthcare and its association with SRH was analyzed separately at each time-point. Data analysis was performed with STATA using logistic regression adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity and years of education and presented as adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% CI. Results Fifteen percent reported good access to healthcare and 62% reported good SRH in Lebanon vs. 91% and 77% respectively, in Norway. Measures in Lebanon showed no association between access to healthcare and good SRH (AOR: 1.2 (0.6-2.2)), and men reported worse access to healthcare than women (AOR: 0.5 (0.3-1.0). In Norway, access to healthcare was strongly associated with good SRH (AOR: 4.7 (2.1-10.7) and was negatively associated with belonging to one specific minority group (AOR: 0.1 (0.0-0.3)). Conclusions Both SRH and perceived access to care improved from being in transit to being settled in Norway, the latter substantially more. There was a significant association between access to healthcare and good SRH after the refugees' arrival to a safe host country but not in transit. Key messages Refugee’s self-reported health and access to healthcare seem to improve shortly after arrival to a host country. To ensure that the UN’S Sustainable Development Goals concerning health equity are reached, refugees’ access to healthcare in transit and its impact on overall health needs to be addressed.

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Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Hemodialysis Patients and Healthy Controls: A Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18041978 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 1978

Author(s):

Tjaša Filipčič ◽

Špela Bogataj ◽

Jernej Pajek ◽

Maja Pajek

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Physical Activity ◽

Everyday Life ◽

Habitual Physical Activity ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Age And Gender ◽

Comorbidity Score ◽

Sf 36 ◽

And Gender

Hemodialysis (HD) patients have lower functional abilities compared to healthy people, and this is associated with lower physical activity in everyday life. This may affect their quality of life, but research on this topic is limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between habitual physical activity and quality of life in HD patients and healthy controls. Ninety-three HD patients and 140 controls participated in the study. Quality of life was assessed using a 36-item medical outcomes study short-form health survey (SF-36). Human Activity Profile (HAP) was used to assess habitual physical activity. The adjusted activity score (AAS) from HAP, age, gender, fat tissue index (FTI), lean tissue index (LTI), and Davies comorbidity score were analyzed as possible predictors of the Physical Component Summary (PCS) of the SF-36. Three sequential linear models were used to model PCS. In Model 1, PCS was regressed by gender and age; in Model 2 the LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity scores were added. Model 3 also included AAS. After controlling for age and gender (ModelHD 1: p = 0.056), LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity score effects (ModelHD 2: p = 0.181), the AAS accounted for 32% of the variation in PCS of HD patients (ModelHD 3: p < 0.001). Consequently, the PCS of HD patients would increase by 0.431 points if the AAS increased by one point. However, in healthy controls, AAS had a lower impact than in the HD sample (B = 0.359 vs. 0.431), while the corresponding effects of age and gender (ModelH 1: p < 0.001), LTI, FTI, and Davies comorbidity score (ModelH 2: p < 0.001) were adjusted for. The proportion of variation in PCS attributed to AAS was 14.9% (ModelH 3: p < 0.001). The current study results showed that physical activity in everyday life as measured by the HAP questionnaire is associated to a higher degree with the quality of life of HD patients than in healthy subjects. Routine physical activity programs are therefore highly justified, and the nephrology community should play a leading role in this effort.

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Fifteen-year trends in self-reported racism and link with health and well-being of African Canadian adolescents: a secondary data analysis

International Journal for Equity in Health ◽

10.1186/s12939-021-01446-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Helen U. Okoye ◽

Elizabeth Saewyc

Keyword(s):

British Columbia ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Racial Discrimination ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Well Being ◽

Public Health Action ◽

Extreme Stress ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

African Canadian

Abstract Background We assessed the prevalence and trends in racial discrimination among African Canadian adolescents in British Columbia. The association between racial discrimination and self-rated health, access to mental health services, substance use, suicidal thoughts and attempts, experience of extreme stress, among others were examined within the 2018 dataset. Methods Secondary analysis used the data collected from African Canadian adolescents (n = 2448) as part of the British Columbia Adolescent Health Surveys (2003–2018). We examined whether racial discrimination increased, decreased, or remained stable over time. We evaluated experiences of racial discrimination for all adolescents, and then disaggregated analyses for boys, girls, immigrant, and Canadian-born African adolescents. We used Rao-Scott’s adjusted chi-square to test differences in racial discrimination and adjusted logistic regressions to test trends across survey years, widening or narrowing gaps in racial discrimination, as well as the link to health outcomes. Results Racial discrimination was significantly different across the survey years (Adjusted F = 4.60, p < .01), with the highest percentage of adolescents reporting past year racial discrimination in 2018 (29.9%) and the lowest percentage in 2013 (21.3%). Girls and immigrant African Canadian adolescents were more likely to have experienced racial discrimination. However, girls and Canadian-born adolescents had the highest odds of reporting racial discrimination in 2018 compared to 2003, AOR = 1.85, and 1.58, respectively. The findings reveal significant differences in the experiences of racial discrimination for boys and girls, as well as for immigrant and Canadian-born African adolescents. Significant differences were noted in the link between racial discrimination and self-rated health and engaging in behaviours that might expose them to health risks. The worst negative health outcomes were found for boys and immigrant African Canadian adolescents. Conclusion The study suggests that more than 1 in 4 African Canadian adolescents in British Columbia report racial discrimination, which is an increasing trend in recent years. Those who reported racial discrimination also had the worst adverse health outcomes. There is a need for more public health action to reduce racism, create awareness about the negative health impacts, and provide better support for African Canadian adolescents.

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Association between the type of physical activity and metabolic syndrome in middle-aged and older adult residents of a semi-mountainous area in Japan

Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine ◽

10.1186/s12199-021-00949-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Noriko Kudo ◽

Ritsuko Nishide ◽

Mayumi Mizutani ◽

Shota Ogawa ◽

Susumu Tanimura

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Older Women ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Daily Physical Activity ◽

Mountainous Area ◽

Mountainous Areas ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Type Activity ◽

Specific Health

Abstract Background Physical activity is reported to prevent metabolic syndrome. However, it is unclear whether exercise or daily physical activity is more beneficial for residents of semi-mountainous areas. This study aimed to identify whether daily physical activity is more beneficial than exercise for the prevention of metabolic syndrome among middle-aged and older residents in semi-mountainous areas. Methods We analyzed secondary data of 636 people who underwent a specific health checkup in a semi-mountainous area of Japan. Physical activity was classified into four types: inactivity (I-type; without exercise and without daily physical activity), only exercise (E-type; with exercise and without daily physical activity), only daily physical activity (D-type; without exercise and with daily physical activity), and full physical activity type (F-type; with exercise and with daily physical activity). We compared the means of risk factors for metabolic syndrome by these four types, followed by logistic regression analysis, to identify whether and to what extent the D-type was less likely to have metabolic syndrome than the E-type. Results The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 28.5% (men 45.7%, women 15.8%). The proportions of men with exercise and daily physical activity were 38.7% and 52.8%, respectively. For women, the proportions were 33.0% and 47.1%, respectively. In women, the D-type had the significantly lowest BMI, smallest waist circumference, highest HDL-C, and lowest prevalence of metabolic syndrome of the four types; the same was not observed in men. Additionally, D-type activity was more strongly associated with a reduced risk of metabolic syndrome than E-type activity in women (adjusted odds ratio 0.24; 95% confidence interval 0.06–0.85, P = 0.028). Conclusions Compared to middle-aged and older women residents with exercise in a semi-mountainous area of Japan, those with daily physical activity may effectively prevent metabolic syndrome.

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The Trajectory of Subjective Well-Being: A Partial Explanation of the Marriage Advantage

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x211030033 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2110300

Author(s):

Alfred DeMaris ◽

Gary Oates

Keyword(s):

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Social Psychological ◽

Partial Explanation ◽

Financial Status ◽

Linear Mixed Effects ◽

Race And Gender ◽

Emotional Factors ◽

Mixed Effects Modeling ◽

And Gender

Although several studies have documented a distinct marriage advantage in well-being, it is still unclear what it is about marriage that renders this benefit. We hypothesize that it is due to factors theorized to accrue to matrimony, such as elevated financial status and specific social psychological supports. We examine the trajectory of subjective well-being for 1135 respondents from the three-wave 2010 GSS panel survey utilizing linear mixed-effects modeling. We find that about two-fifths of the marriage advantage in subjective well-being is accounted for by a mixture of control variables, finances, and emotional factors, with most of this due to elements that are associated with the marital context. Higher annual income, enhanced interpersonal trust, greater sociability, and less of a sense of loneliness and isolation appear to be responsible for a substantial component of the marital advantage. We further find that the marriage advantage is invariant to both race and gender.

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Comparative analysis of reported physical activity from leisure centres’ members versus the general population in Spain

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043963 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. e043963

Author(s):

Jorge López Fernández ◽

Alejandro López-Valenciano ◽

Xián Mayo ◽

Elizabeth Horton ◽

Ivan Clavel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

General Population ◽

Spanish Population ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Short Version ◽

Lower Prevalence ◽

Metabolic Equivalent ◽

Outcomes Measures ◽

Gender And Age ◽

And Gender

Objectives(1) To describe the physical activity (PA) levels of the members of a Spanish leisure centre operator according to age and gender; (2) to describe the differences in the three PA levels between the members of a Spanish leisure centre operator and the general Spanish population considering the PA Eurobarometer data according to their gender and age and (3) to explore the intensity origin of the PA either in Spanish members of leisure centres or the Spanish population considering their gender.DesignDescriptive epidemiology study.ParticipantsData from 16 Spanish leisure centres (n=3627) and from the 2017 Eurobarometer 472 for Spain (n=1002) were used for this research.Primary and secondary outcomes measuresThe PA levels were analysed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version, and respondents were grouped into physical inactivity (PIA), moderate-PA and high-PA. Moreover, gender (men or women) and age (18–29 years; 30–44 years; 45–59 years; 60–69 years; ≥70 years) were considered. Total metabolic equivalent (MET)-min/week, as well as total MET-min/week for walking intensity, moderate intensity and vigorous intensity were recorded.ResultsLeisure centres showed a lower prevalence of PIA and a higher prevalence of high-PA than the general population (p<0.05). Women displayed a higher prevalence of PIA and lower prevalence of high-PA than men (p<0.05). The prevalence of PIA increases with age while the prevalence of high-PA decreases.ConclusionLeisure centres engage most of their members in regular PA, including women and older adults, and these members also perform a higher number of MET in vigorous PA, than the general population.

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Changes in Family Roles and Subjective Well-Being among Japanese Adults

Journal of Family Issues ◽

10.1177/0192513x21994137 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0192513X2199413

Author(s):

Yuko Hara

Keyword(s):

Fixed Effects ◽

Transition To Parenthood ◽

Well Being ◽

Family Roles ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Men And Women ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Japanese Adults ◽

Effect Theory ◽

And Gender

Research in Western countries has demonstrated that marriage is associated with improved well-being, and parenthood with decreased well-being, for both men and women. However, less is known about whether the associations are universal for both genders across countries. Using nine waves of panel data and fixed effects models, this study examines the relationship between changes in family roles and subjective well-being of men and women in the highly gendered social context of Japan. Well-being was assessed across two domains: self-rated health and mental health. The results broadly support the protective effect theory, which posits that marriage itself has a positive effect on well-being; however, no association was observed between becoming a wife and self-rated health. Contrary to what previous research predicts, only men’s self-rated health negatively responds to transition to parenthood. These findings highlight the importance of country context and gender differences in the significance of family obligations.

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