scholarly journals 1025Social interaction of middle-aged and older people with and without cardiovascular disease in Australia

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Shahdaat Bin Sayeed ◽  
Grace Joshy ◽  
Emily Banks ◽  
Rosemary Korda
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Group ◽  
Physical Disability ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Group Contact

Abstract Background Social interaction is important for social wellbeing and may be adversely affected in people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Large-scale evidence on social interaction among older people with versus without CVD is limited. We quantified and compared social interaction in older people with and without CVD. Methods Survey data (2006-2009) from the 45 and Up Study were linked to hospitalisations data through CHeReL to ascertain CVD status. Four items from the Duke Social Support Index (social-visits/week, telephone-contacts/week, social-group-contact/week, and number of people to depend on) were examined, using generalised linear models to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) of no social interaction in people with versus without CVD, adjusting for relevant factors, and separately according to CVD subtype and level of physical disability. Results There were 266,504 study participants, 21.4% had CVD. People with CVD were 8%, (95%CI: 5-11%), 7% (2-12%), 4% (3-5%) and 7% (3-11%) more likely than people without CVD to have no social-visits/week, telephone-contacts/week, social-group-meetings/week and people to depend on respectively. The magnitude but not direction of results varied by CVD subtype. People with CVD and severe physical functioning limitations were 30-80% more likely than those with neither of these to have no social interaction. Conclusions Levels of social interaction were slightly lower in people with versus without CVD, but they varied by social interaction items, CVD subtypes, population characteristics and physical disability. Key messages Management to improve quality of life for people living with CVD should consider the role of physical disability for social connectedness.

scholarly journals A Comparison of the Effects of Short-term Singing, Exercise, and Discussion Group Activities on the Emotional State and Social Connectedness of Older Australians

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 205920431880060 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Maury ◽  
Nikki Rickard
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Positive Affect ◽  
Social Group ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Emotional State ◽  
Discussion Group ◽  
Music Listening ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Group Activities ◽  
Over Time

Choir membership has been shown to improve emotional states and facilitate social connectedness. It is, however, less clear whether these benefits are unique to group singing or are shared by other social group activities that include some of the characteristics of choirs other than singing, such as music listening and social interaction. This research compares older Australians who are members of either a choir that both produces and listens to music in a social context, an exercise group that incorporates music listening and movement with social interaction, or a current events discussion group with social interaction but no music content. Participants were administered emotional state and cohesion questionnaires at two test times, just prior to and immediately after the session, to determine the short-term (60–90 minutes) effects on emotional state and social cohesion as result of different social activities containing varying levels of music engagement. A two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed significant improvements in positive affect and cohesion scores, and a decrease in negative affect and tiredness scores, over time for all groups. The choir and exercise groups were also observed by two raters who recorded observable behaviors categorized using the circumplex model of emotion. Findings revealed that both groups demonstrated significant increases in Activated Pleasant (high positive affect, high arousal) behaviors over time, but with no differences between the two groups. Taken together, these studies suggest that well-being benefits are shared by self-selected leisure social group activities, and that the effects can be observed within a very short time frame using both self-report and behavioral measures. The authors suggest that future research incorporates suitable control groups into research designs to better articulate any unique benefits that group singing may confer.

scholarly journals Staying Connected during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Older People in Mexico and Scotland

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 990-991
Author(s):  
Louise McCabe ◽  
Verónica Montes de Oca ◽  
Nereide Curreri ◽  
Marissa Vivaldo ◽  
Alison Dawson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Older People ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Secondary Analysis ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Social Connections ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Abstract During the pandemic older people saw transformations in their social connections due to lockdowns and other restrictions. Technology provided one mechanism for them to stay connected with others, but technology may not be accessible or desirable for everyone. Gender, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, age and other factors enhance or limit engagement with technology. This project explored experiences of older people in Mexico and Scotland during the pandemic and examined the potential of everyday technology to help maintain social connectedness. A mixed methods approach included secondary analysis of large-scale datasets alongside primary data. Online semi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with 36 older people in Mexico and 23 older people in Scotland. Sampling was purposeful creating a diverse sample across age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status. The findings demonstrate that advantages and disadvantages accumulated in the life course determine how older people select, optimize and compensate for new ways of staying socially connected during the pandemic in both countries. The use of technologies among older people is further mediated by structural inequalities with differences found between Mexico and Scotland in specific patterns identified. Further, stereotypes about older age and technology use are obstacles to the use of technology, as they affect the perception of self-efficacy by older people. Despite the obstacles, this study has shown that older people have a broad range of resources that have enabled them to cope with the pandemic and utilise technology to maintain social connections. The project offers recommendations to support older people’s human rights.

Comparison of Cardiovascular Disease Status Between Large Scale Industry Office and Self Employed Male Workers

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keun-Ho Jang ◽  
Won-Ju Park ◽  
Myeong-Bo Kim ◽  
Dae-Kwang Lee ◽  
Hong-Jae Chae ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Disease Status ◽  
Male Workers

Older people’s news dependency and social connectedness

2021 ◽  
pp. 1329878X2110064
Author(s):  
Caroline Fisher ◽  
Sora Park ◽  
Jee Young Lee ◽  
Kate Holland ◽  
Emma John
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
News Media ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Older Citizens

Social isolation has become a growing issue, particularly among older citizens. The ‘digital divide’ has been identified as one of the contributing factors leaving many older citizens behind. While increasing digital literacy among seniors has been identified as one of the remedies, less attention has been paid to the role of news media on the wellbeing and connectedness of older people. Through the lens of the uses and gratifications theory, this article reports on the findings of a survey of 562 news consumers aged 50 years and above who live in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The analysis highlights the important role of news in reducing feelings of social isolation, particularly for those who spend more time alone and older people with cognitive impairment. Older participants who had difficulty concentrating and learning new tasks were also more dependent on news. We suggest this is due to the habitual, predictable and concise nature of news. These findings contribute to our understanding of the role of news in the wellbeing of older people and point to the need for policymakers and those in the aged care sector to ensure access to news for older citizens to improve the quality of life.

scholarly journals The Relationships Between Serum DHEA-S and AMH Levels in Infertile Women: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1211
Author(s):  
Li-Te Lin ◽  
Kuan-Hao Tsui
Keyword(s):  
Generalized Linear Models ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Infertile Women ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels has not been fully established. Therefore, we performed a large-scale cross-sectional study to investigate the association between serum DHEA-S and AMH levels. The study included a total of 2155 infertile women aged 20 to 46 years who were divided into four quartile groups (Q1 to Q4) based on serum DHEA-S levels. We found that there was a weak positive association between serum DHEA-S and AMH levels in infertile women (r = 0.190, p < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, serum DHEA-S levels positively correlated with serum AMH levels in infertile women (β = 0.103, p < 0.001). Infertile women in the highest DHEA-S quartile category (Q4) showed significantly higher serum AMH levels (p < 0.001) compared with women in the lowest DHEA-S quartile category (Q1). The serum AMH levels significantly increased across increasing DHEA-S quartile categories in infertile women (p = 0.014) using generalized linear models after adjustment for potential confounders. Our data show that serum DHEA-S levels are positively associated with serum AMH levels.

scholarly journals EEG Data Quality: Determinants and Impact in a Multicenter Study of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 214
Author(s):  
Anna Kaiser ◽  
Pascal-M. Aggensteiner ◽  
Martin Holtmann ◽  
Andreas Fallgatter ◽  
Marcel Romanos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Spectral Power ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Continuous Performance Task ◽  
Related Data ◽  
Eyes Closed ◽  
Eeg Data ◽  
Eyes Open

Electroencephalography (EEG) represents a widely established method for assessing altered and typically developing brain function. However, systematic studies on EEG data quality, its correlates, and consequences are scarce. To address this research gap, the current study focused on the percentage of artifact-free segments after standard EEG pre-processing as a data quality index. We analyzed participant-related and methodological influences, and validity by replicating landmark EEG effects. Further, effects of data quality on spectral power analyses beyond participant-related characteristics were explored. EEG data from a multicenter ADHD-cohort (age range 6 to 45 years), and a non-ADHD school-age control group were analyzed (ntotal = 305). Resting-state data during eyes open, and eyes closed conditions, and task-related data during a cued Continuous Performance Task (CPT) were collected. After pre-processing, general linear models, and stepwise regression models were fitted to the data. We found that EEG data quality was strongly related to demographic characteristics, but not to methodological factors. We were able to replicate maturational, task, and ADHD effects reported in the EEG literature, establishing a link with EEG-landmark effects. Furthermore, we showed that poor data quality significantly increases spectral power beyond effects of maturation and symptom severity. Taken together, the current results indicate that with a careful design and systematic quality control, informative large-scale multicenter trials characterizing neurophysiological mechanisms in neurodevelopmental disorders across the lifespan are feasible. Nevertheless, results are restricted to the limitations reported. Future work will clarify predictive value.

Age, gender and season dependent 25(OH)D levels in children and adults living in Istanbul

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Yildiz ◽  
Özlem Hürmeydan ◽  
Özlem Çakır Madenci ◽  
Asuman Orçun ◽  
Nihal Yücel
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Population Characteristics ◽  
Healthcare Outcomes ◽  
Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
Large Scale Data ◽  
Laboratory Results ◽  
Turkish People ◽  
Adults And Children ◽  
25 Hydroxyvitamin D ◽  
Scale Data

AbstractBackgroundWe evaluated population characteristics of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and determined the influence of age, gender and season in an extensive dataset.Materials and methodsLaboratory results of 103,509 adults and 19,186 children were retrospectively evaluated. Study group was classified regarding ages as; <40, 40–50, 50–60 and >60 years for adults and 0–1, 1–12 months,1–3, 4–6, 7–9, 10–12, 13–15 and 16–18 years for children. Seasonal values were also determined. Levels were measured by Architect i1000 SR (Abbott Diagnostics, USA).ResultsThe median (2.5–97.5 percentiles) of 25(OH)D levels were 38.75 (9.5–158.25) nmol/L for adults and 43.25 (11.25–125.5) nmol/L for children. There were significant gender differences for both adults and children. Values differed significantly among age subgroups (p’s < 0.01). A total of 63% of adults and 59.5% of children had 25(OH)D levels below 50 nmol/L (p < 0.001). 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in the winter compared with summer (p’s < 0.001). Even levels in summer were moderate deficient for all group.ConclusionThe rate of 25(OH)D deficiency was remarkable during the whole year. This will provide large-scale data about 25(OH)D status in Turkish people and may contribute to the prevention and treatment of this condition for better healthcare outcomes.

scholarly journals The concept of health in older age: views of older people and health professionals

2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melita J Giummarra ◽  
Betty Haralambous ◽  
Kirsten Moore ◽  
Joan Nankervis
Keyword(s):  
Older People ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Concept Of Health ◽  
Concepts Of Health ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
Barriers And Motivators ◽  
Holistic Manner

This study aimed to explore how older people and health professionals conceptualise health in older age. Thirty-six older people and 41 health professionals participated in 10 focus groups (five with older people and five with health professionals) and discussed concepts of health, the modifiable aspects of health, and barriers and motivators to undertaking health-promoting behaviour change. Both older people and health professionals were found to conceptualise health in a holistic manner. While health professionals tended to place the source of poor health on failures of social connectedness and poor service delivery, older people stressed the importance of taking ownership of one?s own health and actively seeking out health promoting activities and services.

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