scholarly journals NOVEL DATA AND APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF HEALTH AND AGING IN NSHAP

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S806-S806
Author(s):  
Linda J Waite
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The South ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) is a longitudinal, population-based study that seeks to improve an understanding of the well-being of older, community-dwelling Americans. It accomplishes this by affording researchers a wide range of high quality measures that enable examining interactions among physical health and illness, medication use, cognitive function, emotional health, sensory function, health behaviors, social connectedness, sexuality, and relationship quality. The panelists in this symposium use NSHAP data to shed light on previously un- or underexplored aspects of health during aging. Kaufman et al. use interviewer ratings of respondents’ skin shade along with respondents’ individual experiences of discrimination, neighborhood racial composition, and other factors to characterize heterogeneity in the racial experience and how heterogeneity relates to health inequities. Riley integrates information on respondents’ residential region at birth and in older age to show that older adults who left the South are less healthy than those who stay in the South, and that social embeddedness helps to explain the health benefits for those who stay. Huang et al. take advantage of rich structural and functional social connectedness data to show that self-reported hearing impairment is associated with depth but not breadth of social connections. Huisingh-Scheetz et al. capitalizes on performance measures of gait speed and chair stands obtained at each wave to examine whether repeated measures improve the ability to predict loss of independence in activities of daily living. Discussant will discuss the importance, strengths, and weaknesses of these papers, and consider implications for future research.

Soutien conjugal, stratégies adaptatives et bien-être: analyse différentielle des perceptions des conjoints âgés

1993 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francine Ducharme
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Social Systems ◽  
Psychosocial Interventions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Interview Format ◽  
Marital Partners

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to describe the elderly marital partners' perceptions of conjugal support and coping strategies and the relationship between these perceptions and their well-being. A multistage sample of 135 community-dwelling elderly couples, 65 years of age and over, was drawn from users and non-users of the health and social systems in a large metropolitan area. A series of questionnaires, presented within an interview format, were used to measure the variables. Each spouse was separately interviewed at home. Pairedt-tests revealed that husbands tended to perceive more support from their spouse and to use less external social support than wives when coping with daily problems. Intraclass coefficients of correlation between husbands' and wives' coping strategies were only low to moderate. However, for both marital partners, results revealed significant positive correlations between availability and reciprocity of conjugal support and well-being and a negative association between conflict within the conjugal relationship and well-being. Only two cognitive coping strategies, namely reframing and active appraisal were positively related to the well-being of both spouses. Repeated measures analysis of variance revealed that congruency of perception between husbands and wives had an effect only on wives' well-being. These findings suggest psychosocial interventions and are discussed in relation to previous studies and future research.

scholarly journals Empirical redefinition of comprehensive health and well-being in the older adults of the United States

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (22) ◽  
pp. E3071-E3080 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martha K. McClintock ◽  
William Dale ◽  
Edward O. Laumann ◽  
Linda Waite
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Bone Fractures ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Sensory Function ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Diagnoses

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Despite general acceptance of this comprehensive definition, there has been little rigorous scientific attempt to use it to measure and assess population health. Instead, the dominant model of health is a disease-centered Medical Model (MM), which actively ignores many relevant domains. In contrast to the MM, we approach this issue through a Comprehensive Model (CM) of health consistent with the WHO definition, giving statistically equal consideration to multiple health domains, including medical, physical, psychological, functional, and sensory measures. We apply a data-driven latent class analysis (LCA) to model 54 specific health variables from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative sample of US community-dwelling older adults. We first apply the LCA to the MM, identifying five health classes differentiated primarily by having diabetes and hypertension. The CM identifies a broader range of six health classes, including two “emergent” classes completely obscured by the MM. We find that specific medical diagnoses (cancer and hypertension) and health behaviors (smoking) are far less important than mental health (loneliness), sensory function (hearing), mobility, and bone fractures in defining vulnerable health classes. Although the MM places two-thirds of the US population into “robust health” classes, the CM reveals that one-half belong to less healthy classes, independently associated with higher mortality. This reconceptualization has important implications for medical care delivery, preventive health practices, and resource allocation.

The Influence of Family and Friend Confidants on Marital Quality in Older Couples

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruixue Zhaoyang ◽  
Lynn M Martire
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Marital Quality ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Older Couples ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Objectives Relationships with confidants play an important role in older adults’ health and well-being. Particularly, family and friend confidants could significantly support or interfere with older adults’ marital relationships. This study used a dyadic approach to examine the influence of the structural features of both spouses’ family and friend confidant networks on older couples’ marital quality over 5 years. Methods Analyses used dyadic data from Wave 2 (2010–2011) and Wave 3 (2015–2016) interviews of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older adults. Longitudinal actor–partner interdependence models were used to examine the influence of spouses’ family and friend confidant networks on couples’ marital quality. Results Having a larger friend confidant network or closer connections with friend confidants predicted greater marital quality for wives and husbands 5 years later. Larger family confidant networks of both spouses predicted greater marital quality for wives over time. However, husbands reported worse marital quality over time if wives reported having closer connections with their own family confidants at baseline. Discussion This study demonstrates the importance of family and friend confidant networks for older couples’ marital quality and highlights the benefits of having a larger or closer friend confidant network. Future research should examine mechanisms that account for the effects of spouses’ family and friend confidant networks on older couples’ marital quality.

scholarly journals Within-treatment changes in a novel addiction treatment program using traditional Amazonian medicine

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 204512532098663
Author(s):  
David M. O’Shaughnessy ◽  
Ilana Berlowitz ◽  
Robin Rodd ◽  
Zoltán Sarnyai ◽  
Frances Quirk
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Addiction Treatment ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Neuropsychological Functioning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Treatment Center ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Treatment Safety ◽  
Addiction Treatment Program

Aims: The therapeutic use of psychedelics is regaining scientific momentum, but similarly psychoactive ethnobotanical substances have a long history of medical (and other) uses in indigenous contexts. Here we aimed to evaluate patient outcomes in a residential addiction treatment center that employs a novel combination of Western and traditional Amazonian methods. Methods: The study was observational, with repeated measures applied throughout treatment. All tests were administered in the center, which is located in Tarapoto, Peru. Data were collected between 2014 and 2015, and the study sample consisted of 36 male inpatients who were motivated to seek treatment and who entered into treatment voluntarily. Around 58% of the sample was from South America, 28% from Europe, and the remaining 14% from North America. We primarily employed repeated measures on a psychological test battery administered throughout treatment, measuring perceived stress, craving frequency, mental illness symptoms, spiritual well-being, and physical and emotional health. Addiction severity was measured on intake, and neuropsychological performance was assessed in a subsample from intake to at least 2 months into treatment. Results: Statistically significant and clinically positive changes were found across all repeated measures. These changes appeared early in the treatment and were maintained over time. Significant improvements were also found for neuropsychological functioning. Conclusion: These results provide evidence for treatment safety in a highly novel addiction treatment setting, while also suggesting positive therapeutic effects.

scholarly journals A Preliminary Analysis of Hearing Loss and Its Association With Mild Cognitive Impairment

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 451-452
Author(s):  
Mary Caroline Yuk ◽  
Rebecca Allen ◽  
Marcia Hay-McCutcheon ◽  
Dana Carroll ◽  
Anne Halli-Tierney
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mild Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Emotional Health ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hearing Screening ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Age Related

Abstract Age related hearing loss, or presbycusis, is a global condition that is increasing in its prevalence. Despite being one of the most common chronic conditions among the older population, there is much more to understand about its association with other aspects of physical and emotional health and well-being. Current research is suggesting that hearing loss is more prevalent in those with cognitive impairment compared to those without cognitive impairment. This study analyzed the incidence of hearing loss and its linkage to mild cognitive impairment in a community-dwelling geriatric population. With the increasing prevalence of this condition in both rural and urban communities of Alabama, it becomes a more pressing matter to understand comorbidities and risk factors for future decline in functioning. This study was conducted in an interdisciplinary geriatrics primary care outpatient clinic in a Family, Internal, and Rural Medicine department affiliated with a university medical center in the Deep South. Ninety-one participants completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and a hearing screening. Hearing screenings were conducted in quiet rooms in the medical center using Phonak hearing screening cards. Detection of 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz tones was assessed. Pearson correlation analyses demonstrated an association between hearing loss mild cognitive impairment. Poorer hearing was significantly associated with lower scores on the MoCA. Conducting behavioral health screenings like this in other primary geriatrics clinics and community settings could improve care and identification of patient needs by integrating important data regarding comorbidities and independent living.

scholarly journals Virtual Body Ownership Illusions for Mental Health: A Narrative Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Marta Matamala-Gomez ◽  
Antonella Maselli ◽  
Clelia Malighetti ◽  
Olivia Realdon ◽  
Fabrizia Mantovani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Body Ownership ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Clinical Conditions ◽  
Virtual Body

Over the last 20 years, virtual reality (VR) has been widely used to promote mental health in populations presenting different clinical conditions. Mental health does not refer only to the absence of psychiatric disorders but to the absence of a wide range of clinical conditions that influence people’s general and social well-being such as chronic pain, neurological disorders that lead to motor o perceptual impairments, psychological disorders that alter behaviour and social cognition, or physical conditions like eating disorders or present in amputees. It is known that an accurate perception of oneself and of the surrounding environment are both key elements to enjoy mental health and well-being, and that both can be distorted in patients suffering from the clinical conditions mentioned above. In the past few years, multiple studies have shown the effectiveness of VR to modulate such perceptual distortions of oneself and of the surrounding environment through virtual body ownership illusions. This narrative review aims to review clinical studies that have explored the manipulation of embodied virtual bodies in VR for improving mental health, and to discuss the current state of the art and the challenges for future research in the context of clinical care.

scholarly journals Depression and Psychological Well-Being as Distinct Constructs: Mutually Exclusive Associations With Biomarker

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
Kheng Siang Ted Ng ◽  
Shu Cheng Wong ◽  
Glenn Wong ◽  
Ee Heok Kua ◽  
Anis Larbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Factor Score ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
The Other ◽  
Factor Scores ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Despite increasing emphasis on assessing the mental health of older adults, there has been inconclusive evidence on whether depression and psychological well-being (PWB) are fundamentally distinct constructs or representations of the opposite ends of the mental health spectrum. To instantiate either hypothesis, investigation of the associations between mental health scales and biomarkers have been proposed. First, we assessed depressive symptoms and PWB in community-dwelling older adults (N=59, mean age=67) using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ryff’s Scale of PWB (comprising six sub-scales). We measured a wide range of immune markers employing ELISA and flow cytometry. Subsequently, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to aggregate and derived biomarker factor scores. Lastly, multiple linear regressions were performed to examine the associations between the scales and the derived biomarker factor scores, controlling for covariates. PCA extracted six biomarker factors. Biomarker factor score 1 was significantly associated with PWB (β=-0.029, p=0.035) and the PWB sub-scale, self-acceptance (β=-0.089, p=0.047), while biomarker factor score 4 was significantly associated with the PWB sub-scale, purpose in life (β=-0.087, p=0.025). On the other hand, biomarker factor 6 was significantly associated with SDS (β=-0.070, p=0.008). There were mutually- exclusive associations between the scales with biomarker factor scores, supporting the hypothesis of distinct constructs. Our findings expanded the biomarkers of depression and PWB, deepening understanding of the biological underpinnings of depressive symptoms and PWB. These findings have implications in field work, since researchers could not infer one construct from the other, the examination of both constructs are essential.

scholarly journals 347 Numeracy Performance and the Relationship to Age and Retirement among Community-Dwelling Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii17-iii65
Author(s):  
Maureen Mickus ◽  
Craig Carpenter ◽  
Scott Loveridge
Keyword(s):  
Later Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intellectual Stimulation ◽  
Telephone Surveys ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Financial Need ◽  
Alternative Choice

Abstract Background Remaining in the workforce in later life may be based on financial need, role fulfillment or opportunities for social participation. Employment can also provide intellectual stimulation, including the use of everyday math skills. Normal age-related decline in numeracy performance has been documented, but the role of retirement in the capacity to perform these functions is less understood. This research uses population-based telephone surveys to analyze whether the interaction of age and retirement influences the ability of community-dwelling adults to calculate simple math problems. Methods Data was drawn from three independently sampled surveys in 2006 (n=991), 2010 (n=1,023) and 2014 (n=997). In addition to standard demographic questions, the survey measured individuals’ ability to perform basic computations. Three questions were asked regarding temporal (now or 5 years later) preferences about jobs, a community bond, and an inheritance payout. Respondents were then asked to calculate the amount needed to select the other option instead. Deficient numeracy performance was defined as either no response or an irrational choice (e.g. a lesser amount of inheritance with the alternative choice.) Results Approximately 30% of persons age 65+ chose not to perform the follow-up calculations for these questions. Moreover, a 1% increase in age decreased the likelihood of rationally calculating the discount rate by between 0.15 and 0.25 percentage points, depending on the scenario. A sharp decline in numeracy was observed starting at age 66 with the addition of an age x retirement interaction, even when controlling for key variables such as education and income. Conclusion Retirement may reduce the opportunity for intellectual challenges afforded in the workplace and consequently, the ability to perform math calculations may decline. Alternatively, decisions to retire may be due to declining health, including cognitive impairments. The timing of retirement has major implications for public policy. Future research more deeply exploring the causal influence of retirement on health and well-being is warranted.

scholarly journals Spiritual Well-Being in Sport and Exercise Psychology

SAGE Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 215824401983746
Author(s):  
Dev Roychowdhury
Keyword(s):  
Personal Growth ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exercise Psychology ◽  
Negative Behaviors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Spiritual Well Being ◽  
Scant Attention ◽  
Psychology Literature ◽  
Sport And Exercise

Research indicates that spirituality plays a cardinal role in enhancing sporting performance, personal growth, and well-being. Numerous researchers have attempted to examine the nexus of religion, spirituality, and psychological constructs to understand their role in sport and exercise performance and contexts. Despite the findings that spiritual well-being plays a crucial role in athletic excellence and as a buffer against a wide range of stressors and negative behaviors, it has received scant attention in the sport and exercise psychology literature. This present commentary examines the role of spirituality in sport psychology literature and proposes that spiritual well-being be incorporated into sport and exercise psychology training and consultancy to improve and enhance service delivery. This article also identifies a number of key areas for future research and practice.

scholarly journals Fostering Well-Being in the Elderly: Translating Theories on Positive Aging to Practical Approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liora Bar-Tur
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Community Centers ◽  
Aging Research ◽  
Positive Aging ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Sheltered Homes

This article overviews positive aging concepts and strategies to enhance well-being in the elderly and then presents a translation of theories on positive aging to practical approaches for Positive Aging. Drawing upon positive psychology and positive aging research and tools, this program is designed to help older adults improve their well-being by acquiring skills and strategies to cope with present and future challenges. The Mental Fitness Program for Positive Aging (MFPPA) can enhance seniors' quality of life by increasing their vital involvement and active engagement in life. This model is most appropriate for community dwelling individuals. It can easily be conducted in wide range of adult education programs in community centers, sheltered homes, and primary care clinics. It can also be conducted through online psychoeducational training.

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