scholarly journals Moderating Effects of Loneliness on COVID-19-Related Stress and Anxiety in Middle and Later Life in South Korea

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 141-141
Author(s):  
Sukyung Yoon ◽  
Soo Chan Choi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
South Korea ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Many people have suffered from psychological distress in the form of stress, loneliness, and anxiety resulting from the COVID-19 epidemic (Havnen et al., 2020; Luchetti et al., 2020). Along with these factors, physical health (hereafter health), resilience, and living arrangements as protective factors were examined. The research aims were to investigate 1) factors affecting the association between COVID-19-related stress (hereafter stress) and anxiety, and 2) moderating effects of loneliness on this association. Data was collected on 450 middle-aged and older adults (ages 45 through 76) living in South Korea during COVID-19. A multi-group path analysis was employed. Measurement invariance was examined by comparing unconstrained and fully constrained models. Both models fit. Moderating effects of loneliness existed. Stress was negatively associated with health and living arrangements for people with both higher and lower levels of loneliness. Health was positively associated with resilience for both groups. Resilience was negatively associated with anxiety for both groups. For people with higher levels of loneliness only, stress and health were negatively associated with resilience and anxiety, respectively. The association between stress and anxiety was significant for both groups. However, the impact of stress on anxiety was significantly larger for people with higher levels of loneliness than for people with lower levels of loneliness. Health practitioners and service providers should develop programs to maintain and promote resilience, social support, and good health among middle-aged and older adults in South Korea to mitigate negative mental health consequences during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Stress Related to COVID-19 and Loneliness Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 295-296
Author(s):  
Sukyung Yoon ◽  
Neely Mahapatra
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Good Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Bootstrap Sample ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Intensified levels of stress and loneliness have been attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic (Havnen et al., 2020; Luchetti et al., 2020). Moreover, loneliness has been reported to exacerbate psychological and physical health issues (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). The current research aims to investigate the impact of stress-related to COVID-19 on loneliness. The roles of age, sex, living arrangements, health, and resilience were also investigated. Data was collected on 267 middle-aged and older adults (ages 45 through 88) living in the U.S during COVID-19. A path analysis was employed. For both the direct and indirect effects, 95% confidence intervals were estimated using bootstrapping (a bootstrap sample of 1,000 was specified). Model fit was acceptable. X2 (5) = 7.913, p > 0.05, CFI=0.972, RMSEA =0.047. Regarding direct effects, the results indicate that COVID-19 related stress (hereafter stress) was negatively associated with perceived good health (hereafter health) (β = -.213, p<0.001). It was also found that health was positively associated with resilience (β = .324, p<0.001). Being male was positively associated with resilience (β= .144, p<0.05), and resilience was negatively associated with loneliness (β= .230, p<0.001). Meanwhile, stress had negative indirect effects on resilience, whereas stress had positive indirect effects on loneliness. Finally, health and being male had negative indirect effects on loneliness. The findings indicate that health practitioners and service providers should develop programs to improve and maintain good health, resilience, and social support among middle-aged and older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, gender-based services are also needed.

scholarly journals Network size and support in old age: differentials by socio-economic status in childhood and adulthood

2003 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 625-645 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARJOLEIN I. BROESE VAN GROENOU ◽  
THEO VAN TILBURG
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Occupational Prestige ◽  
Personal Network ◽  
Level Of Education ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the impact of childhood and adulthood socio-economic status (SES) on personal network characteristics in later life. Data are derived from 2,285 married older adults (born between 1903 and 1937) who participated in face-to-face interviews for the Dutch survey on ‘Living arrangements and social networks of older adults’ conducted in 1992. Childhood and adulthood SES were indicated by the father's and own level of education and occupation. Multivariate analyses showed that SES in adulthood has more impact on network features in old age than father's SES. People with low lifetime SES or with downward SES mobility had small networks, low instrumental and emotional support from non-kin, but high instrumental support from kin, when compared with the upwardly mobile or those with high lifetime SES. The level of education was a better indicator of network differences than occupational prestige. It is concluded that obtaining a high SES during life pays off in terms of having more supportive non-kin relationships in old age. The small networks and less supportive non-kin relationships of low-status older adults make them more vulnerable to situations in which kin are unavailable or less willing to provide support. This study underscores the distinction between types of support and types of relationships in the SES–network association. Further research on the social pathways of socio-economic inequality in health and wellbeing should take these distinctions into account.

Activity Patterns Associated With Health Status in Later Life Among Singaporeans

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Song-Iee Hong ◽  
Srinivasan Chokkanathan ◽  
Philip A. Rozario
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Leisure ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The Impact

Research on activities overlooks the possibility that older adults engage in different activities contemporaneously. To address this gap, we used latent class analyses to identify activity patterns and then examined demographic and health correlates of these patterns among a nationally representative sample of older adults in Singapore. We identified four classes of activities: the family-focused instrumental activity (FIA) class, the social leisure activity (SLA) class, the multidynamic activity (MDA) class, and the passive activity (PA) class. Furthermore, the MDA members showed higher scores in their mental health. Worse physical functioning and higher depression scores also increased the likelihood of being in the FIA and PA groups. Significant demographics such as gender, ethnicity, marital status, education, employment, house type, and income were related to heterogeneity in older adults’ activity patterns. Service providers might consider the impact of certain significant demographic and health-related correlates when planning programs to ensure greater reach and access.

scholarly journals The Impact of Work Hours on Depressive Symptoms among Koreans Aged 45 and Over

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 853
Author(s):  
Juyeong Kim ◽  
Eun-Cheol Park
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Work Hours ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Impact

Background: Given the documented importance of employment for middle-aged and older adults’ mental health, studies of the association between their number of work hours and depressive symptoms are needed. Objectives: To examine the association between the number of work hours and depressive symptoms in Korean aged 45 and over. Methods: We used data from the first wave to fourth wave of the Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging. Using the first wave at baseline, data included 9845 individuals. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. We performed a longitudinal analysis to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms by work hours. Results: Both unemployed males and females aged 45–65 years were associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.59, p < 0.001; β = 0.32, p < 0.001). Females working ≥ 69 h were associated with higher depressive symptoms compared to those working 41–68 h (β = 0.25, p = 0.013). Among those both middle-aged and older adults, both males and females unemployed were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Those middle-aged female working ≥69 h were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Conclusions: An increase in depressive symptoms was associated with unemployed males and females working ≥69 h compared to those working 41–68 h. Although this association was found among middle-aged individuals, a decrease in depressive symptoms in both sexes was associated with working 1–40 h. Depressive symptoms should decrease by implementing employment policies and social services to encourage employers to support middle-aged and older adults in the workforce considering their sex and age differences.

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&lt;0.001) and love for others (β=-1.43, p&lt;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&lt;0.001) and expressed love for other people (β=1.18, p&lt;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.

Educational Differences in Self-Rated Health Trends Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults Living Alone, 1972–2018

2022 ◽  
pp. 089826432110527
Author(s):  
Esther O. Lamidi
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Living Arrangement ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Health Trends ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Educational Differences ◽  
Middle Aged Adults

Objectives: This study examines educational differences in living alone and in self-rated health trends among middle-aged and older adults. Methods: We used logistic regression to analyze data from the 1972–2018 National Health Interview Survey ( n = 795,239 aged 40–64; n = 357,974 aged 65–84). Results: Between 1972–1974 and 2015–2018, living alone became more prevalent, particularly among men and at lower levels of education. Self-rated health trends varied by living arrangement and education. We found self-rated health declines among middle-aged adults having no college degree and living alone, but trends in self-rated health were mostly stable or even improved among middle-aged adults living with others. Among older adults, self-rated health improved over time, but for the least-educated older Americans living alone, the probability of reporting fair or poor health increased between 1972–1974 and 2015–2018. Discussion: The findings suggest growing disparities by social class, in living arrangements and in self-rated health.

scholarly journals The Impact of Health Problems on Depression and Activities in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Age and Social Interactions as Moderators

2004 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. P19-P26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Fukukawa ◽  
C. Nakashima ◽  
S. Tsuboi ◽  
N. Niino ◽  
F. Ando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals The association between childhood neighborhood relationship and mental health in middle and later life: Evidence from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Sun ◽  
Hongye Luo ◽  
Chaofan Li ◽  
Qianqiang Wang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Logit Regression ◽  
Neighborhood Relationship ◽  
Research Gap

Abstract Background It is unclear that whether childhood neighborhood relationship is associated with mental health among middle-aged and older adults. To overcome this research gap, this study aimed to investigate the association between childhood neighborhood relationship and mental health among the middle-aged and older adults in China. Methods The data of this study was sourced from the 2014 and 2015 waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. We used ordinary least squares and logit regression models to explore the association between childhood neighborhood relationship and mental health among the middle-aged and older adults in China. Results The regression results indicate that the middle-aged and older adults who lived in place where neighbors had close-knit relationships at childhood was significantly associated with decreased odds of suffering from depressive symptoms (OR = 0.4259, p < 0.001). Furthermore, compared to the middle-aged and older adults who lived in place where neighbors were not close-knit at childhood, those who lived in place where neighbors were close-knit at childhood had a reduced CES–D score (coefficient = − 2.7822, p < 0.001). Conclusion This study demonstrates the importance of living in place where neighbors had close-knit relationships at childhood. The integrated interventions, including maintaining close-knit neighborhood relationships and strengthening the construction of community, may be useful to improve mental health.

Does Marital Satisfaction Matter for Dyadic Associations Between Multimorbidity and Subjective Health Among Korean Married Couples in Middle and Later Life?1

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 508-536
Author(s):  
Seong Hee Kim ◽  
Susanna Joo
Keyword(s):  
Marital Satisfaction ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Married Couples ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Subjective Health ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Negatively Associated ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Independent Variable

The present study aims to investigate how marital satisfaction moderates the dyadic associations between multimorbidity and subjective health. Data were extracted from the Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging in 2016 and 2018. The sample was Korean married couples in middle and later life ( N = 780 couples with low marital satisfaction, N = 1,193 couples with high marital satisfaction). The independent variable was multimorbidity, measured by the number of chronic diseases per person. The dependent variables were subjective life expectancy and self-rated health to represent subjective health. Marital satisfaction was a binary moderator, dividing the sample into low and high marital satisfaction groups. We applied the Actor Partner Interdependency Model to examine actor and partner associations simultaneously and used multigroup analysis to test the moderating effects of marital satisfaction. The results showed that husbands’ multimorbidity was negatively associated with wives’ self-rated health among couples in both the low and high marital satisfaction groups. In couples with high marital satisfaction, wives’ multimorbidity was negatively associated with husbands’ self-rated health, but this was not true for couples with low marital satisfaction. Regarding actor effects, multimorbidity was associated with self-rated health in both marital satisfaction groups. The actor effect of multimorbidity on the subjective life expectancy was significant only among women with low marital satisfaction. These findings suggest that there are universal and gendered associations between multimorbidity and subjective health in couple relationships.

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