Sleep and Health in Older Adults: New Research From Early-Career Investigators

Abstract Sleep and circadian patterns change as people age and are linked to a number of health and psychosocial outcomes. As such, there is a need to continue generating new knowledge about sleep in older adults by encouraging early-career scientists to research this topic. In this symposium, sponsored by the Sleep, Circadian Rhythms and Aging Interest Group, we will showcase studies by early-career researchers at the masters through junior faculty level who conduct work in sleep and its impact on health outcomes in older adults. Our symposium will have five presentations. The first will examine how sleep and loneliness may mediate relationships between marital quality and depressive symptoms. The second study will assess links between personality characteristics and objectively measured chronotype. Our third presentation will determine the longitudinal association of sleep duration with body mass index. The fourth will evaluate how an intervention to reduce functional disability in low-income older adults impacts sleep quality. Finally, our fifth presentation will focus on understanding how sleep duration and changes in sleep patterns may impact speech-in-noise performance. Overall, our symposium will highlight multidisciplinary studies of sleep and health outcomes that are of importance to older populations and promote the work of the next generation of sleep, circadian rhythms, and aging scientists.

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Dynapaenic obesity and its association with health outcomes in older adult populations: protocol for a systematic review

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027728 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. e027728 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Siobhan Leahy ◽

Marica Cassarino ◽

Matthew DL O' Connell ◽

Liam Glynn ◽

Rose Galvin

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Older Adult ◽

Observational Studies ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Age Groups ◽

Ageing Population ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Age Related

IntroductionTwo major global health challenges are the rapidly ageing population and the high prevalence of obesity in all age groups. Older adults are also susceptible to age-related loss of muscle strength, termed dynapaenia. The co-occurrence of both obesity and dynapaenia, termed dynapaenic obesity (DO), has been associated with poorer health outcomes and increased healthcare usage compared with either state alone. The purpose of this systematic review is to quantify the prevalence and incidence of DO in older adult populations, and to explore the association between DO and health outcomes, specifically chronic disease and multimorbidity, functional disability and healthcare usage.Methods and analysisUsing the Meta-analyses Of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines, we will conduct a systematic review of cross-sectional and longitudinal observational studies of older adults, which include measures of DO and specified outcomes. Detailed literature searches of will be conducted using six electronic databases: Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), PubMed, MEDLINE, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Complete (CINAHL), including articles published from database inception until Febuary 2019. The reference lists of included articles will also be searched. Two independent reviewers will undertake a three-step screening and review process using the Population, Risk Factor, Outcome framework to define eligibility. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale for non-randomised studies will be used to assess risk of bias and to rate study quality. The findings will be synthesised in a narrative summary, and a meta-analysis will be conducted where appropriate.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval is not required for this systematic review. Findings from this research will be submitted for peer-reviewed publication in academic journals, and presented at relevant academic conferences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018112471.

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TURNING THE TIDE: PROMISING INITIATIVES IN GEROPSYCHOLOGY TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2223 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S598-S598

Author(s):

Katherine King

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Early Career ◽

Research Recruitment ◽

Volunteer Program ◽

Negative Beliefs ◽

New Directions ◽

Student Reactions ◽

New Research ◽

Pedagogical Approaches ◽

Better Than

Abstract The field of geropsychology continues to attract insufficient numbers, and there is a growing sense of urgency among geropsychologists to turn the tide. As a result, a number of new research and programmatic initiatives have been started to better understand the problem and begin to generate solutions. This symposium will report on several such projects, including work from a number of early career geropsychologists. In this symposium, novel theoretical and pedagogical approaches to geropsychology training will be discussed. Graham explores how individuals develop an intention to work with older adults, and describes a new scale grounded in the theory of planned behavior. Dodson and Mlinac discuss bringing quality improvement into geropsychology training at all levels, while King, Rosowsky, and Jolson report on an experiential, intergenerational volunteer program used to demystify work with older adults and facilitate recruitment. Several presentations include the voices of students themselves. King, Rosowsky, and Jolson describe graduate student reactions to volunteering with older adults such as having previous negative beliefs about aging challenged. Bloom-Charette explores the experiences of geropsychology internship applicants, who tend to fare better than generalist applicants and feel well supported. Strong focuses on the problem of attracting individuals into academic geropsychology. In looking at participant responses to a recent webinar series on the topic, it is notable that a large number felt intimidated and overwhelmed by the prospect of entering academia. Taken together, projects in this symposium offer a variety of new directions for future geropsychology research, recruitment, and educational initiatives.

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Abstract P200: Effects Of A 2-year Randomized Controlled Trial Physical Activity Intervention On Accelerometer-measured Sleep Characteristics Among Older Adults In Senior Center Communities

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.143.suppl_1.p200 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 143 (Suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Kelsie M Full ◽

Katie Crist ◽

Marta Jankowska ◽

Pamela L Lutsey ◽

Loki Natarajan

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Sleep Duration ◽

Low Income ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Sleep Efficiency ◽

Control Group ◽

Senior Center ◽

Intervention Effect

Background: Targeting daily increases in physical activity (PA) is a common lifestyle strategy for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk reduction. While less targeted in lifestyle interventions, poor sleep is also consistently linked to CVD. Emerging evidence connects changes in daily PA to beneficial changes in sleep; however, little is known about the impact of community-based PA interventions on habitual sleep among older adults. We leveraged accelerometer data from the Peer Empowerment Program for Physical Activity in Low Income & Minority Seniors (PEP4PA) randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of a PA intervention on accelerometer-measured sleep characteristics among older adults in low income and diverse senior center communities. Methods: PEP4PA participants (N=476; mean age=71.0 ± 9 years, 75% female, 60% low income, 36% non-white) were recruited from senior centers and randomized to a healthy control condition(n=209) or a peer-lead walking intervention (N=267). The peer-led PA intervention included self-monitoring techniques, health coach counseling, group walks, and community advocacy to improve walking conditions. Participants wore Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers on the wrist at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months. Data were processed for sleep characteristics including weekly average sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Mixed effects regression models provided estimates of the intervention effect on sleep characteristics at each time point. Models were adjusted for age, sex, and race. Three way interaction terms (time*treatment*sleep duration status) were used to assess differential intervention effects by short (<7) and long (>8 hours) sleep duration status at baseline. Results: At baseline, the average sleep duration of participants was 7 hours (SD: 1.07 hours) and the average sleep efficiency was 87.0% (SD: 6.2%). Compared to participants in the control group, participants in the intervention group had shorter sleep durations (7.1 hours vs 7.0 hours; p value: 0.08) and poorer sleep efficiency 86.0% vs 88.2%; p<0.001) at baseline. At 12 or 24-months, there was no intervention effect on participants’ average sleep duration or efficiency. Although not significant, at 6 months, long sleepers in the intervention group experienced an average 6-minute reduction in sleep duration (-B: 6.25, p=0.45) compared to those in the control group. Conclusions: Over the 2-year period, the PA intervention did not appear to have an impact on participants’ average sleep duration or quality. More investigation is needed into the temporal and daily relations of PA and sleep among older adults in interventions to understand if increases in daily PA are associated with better sleep characteristics at night.

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Effect of a Biobehavioral Environmental Approach on Sleep in Low-Income Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igab046.130 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 35-35

Author(s):

Junxin Li ◽

Safiyyah Okoye ◽

Lena Sciarratta ◽

Sarah Szanton

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Low Income ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Sleep Onset ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Team Approach ◽

Sleep Onset Latency ◽

Significant Group ◽

Cohen’S D ◽

Cohen's D

Abstract Low socioeconomic status and disability are independent risk factors for disturbed sleep. The CAPABLE intervention used a multidisciplinary team approach of occupational therapist, nurse, and handyworker to reduce functional disability in low-income older adults. The 6-month intervention may benefit sleep as the intervention addressed multiple individual factors associated with sleep quality, including pain, depression, communication, mobility, strength, and balance. This study examined the effect of the CAPABLE intervention on actigraphy-measured sleep in a sub-sample of 73 older adults from the CAPABLE trial (26 intervention vs. 47 control). The sample was aged 75.8±7.45 years, 86.3% female, and 84.9% African American. No significant group differences in sleep parameters were found at 6-month, controlling for baseline values. The intervention resulted in a 5.56% increase in sleep efficiency (95% CI= [1.39, 9.71], Cohen’s d=0.54), and 7.39 minutes decrease in sleep onset latency (95% CI= [0.10, 14.5], Cohen’s d=0.41) within the intervention group at 6-months.

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SERVICE USE AND HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG LOW-INCOME OLDER ADULTS WITH UNMET NEEDS

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igx004.1908 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (suppl_1) ◽

pp. 540-540 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R.H. Weaver ◽

K.A. Roberto

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Low Income ◽

Service Use ◽

Unmet Needs

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Building Vulnerability in a Changing Climate: Using Sensors to Track Environmental Conditions and Health Outcomes during a Heatwave in Low-Income Older Adults

ISEE Conference Abstracts ◽

10.1289/isesisee.2018.o04.01.08 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Augusta Williams ◽

Joseph G. Allen ◽

John Spengler ◽

Jose Guillermo Cedeno-Laurent

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Low Income ◽

Environmental Conditions ◽

Building Vulnerability ◽

Changing Climate

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Review and Implications of Intergenerational Communication and Social Support in Chronic Disease Care and Participation in Health Research of Low-Income, Minority Older Adults in the United States

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.769731 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Joan A. Vaccaro ◽

Trudy R. Gaillard ◽

Ramces L. Marsilli

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Behavior ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Low Income ◽

Health Research ◽

The United States ◽

Health Interventions ◽

Intergenerational Communication ◽

Older Parents

Background: Health disparities disproportionally affect Black and Hispanic older US adults. Health research is needed to understand and eliminate these disparities; however, older adults, and particularly Black and Hispanic/Latino older adults are underrepresented in health research. Adult children have influenced health behavior and health outcomes of their older parents in several demographics in the US. Analysis of these studies can lead to a model for the development of interventions aimed at improving health and healthcare participation of older Black and Hispanic US adults.Objectives: To review the role of intergenerational communication and social support in health behavior, health research, and health outcomes for older adults and to apply these findings toward a model for health interventions for Black and Hispanic US older adults.Methods: An analytical narrative review and application toward an intervention model.Results: Key topic areas were reviewed and analyzed by examining studies that applied forms of intergenerational communication and/or intergenerational social support with the goal of either improving health, disease management and/or participation in health research in populations world-wide. Next, a model for providing health interventions in older Black and Hispanic US adults was developed using strategies gleaned from the findings.Conclusion: A model for health intervention for Black and Hispanic/Latino US older adults was presented based on an analytical review and intergenerational communication and/or social support. Qualitative data are necessary to understand the enablers and barriers of intergenerational communication and social support to improve health outcomes in these populations.

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