Subjective age: Toward a guiding lifespan framework

2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joann M. Montepare
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Behavioral Development ◽  
Individual Behavior ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Internal Representations ◽  
Developmental Models ◽  
Related Research ◽  
Potential Alternative

This article attempts to integrate the contributions of research in this volume of the International Journal of Behavioral Development with related research under a guiding lifespan framework that describes the dynamics of subjective age identification. The framework rests on the premise that subjective age derives from a process of anchoring and adjusting personal age perceptions in light of distal references points (i.e., internal representations of developmental models) and proximal reference points (i.e., historic, physical, normative, and interpersonal age markers) that guide the age younger and older individuals across the lifespan perceive themselves to be. In addition to being a potential alternative marker of development, subjective age is an interesting personal dimension along which to explore individual behavior and functioning. Future researchers have much to learn about its distinctive components, determinants and consequences across and within age groups.

scholarly journals Parasitic fauna of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber) in Sweden (1997–1998)

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Per-Arne Åhlen ◽  
Göran Sjöberg ◽  
Margareta Stéen
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Parasite Fauna ◽  
Castor Fiber ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Parasitic Fauna ◽  
Eurasian Beaver ◽  
Norwegian Population ◽  
Stichorchis Subtriquetrus ◽  
One Year

Abstract Background The parasitic fauna of beavers (Castor fiber and C. canadensis) has been well studied in many parts of their respective areas of distribution. In Scandinavia there have, however, been limited investigations conducted on the parasites of beavers in recent times. The present study is the first quantitative survey of parasites on beavers living in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia. We investigated the parasitic fauna of the Eurasian beaver (C. fiber) in a North–South gradient in Sweden. The aim of the study was to investigate parasite distribution and prevalence in particular, related to average yearly air temperature and different age groups of beavers. A total of 30 beavers were sampled at eight localities, spanning a 720 km North–South gradient during the springs of 1997 and 1998. Results Five parasite taxa were identified. Four of these were present in all of the examined beavers, Stichorchis subtriquetrus (trematode), Travassosius rufus (nematode), Platypsyllus castoris (coleopteran), and Schizocarpus spp. (arachnid). A higher number of new infections of S. subtriquetrus, and more adults of T. rufus, were seen in beavers in southern Sweden where temperatures are higher. One-year old beavers had a higher infestation of S. subtriquetrus, but not of T. rufus, than older individuals. Conclusions The parasite fauna of Swedish beavers mirrored the impoverished parasite fauna of the original Norwegian population, and the high prevalence of parasites could be due to low major histocompatibility complex (MHC) polymorphism. Young beavers had a higher load of trematodes, probably depending on behavioural and ecological factors. Warmer temperatures in southern localities likely contributed to increased endoparasite loads.

Validity of using translucent zones of otoliths to age the pilchard Sardinops sagax neopilchardus from Albany, Western Australia

1996 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 617 ◽  
Author(s):  
WJ Fletcher ◽  
SJ Blight
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Growth Curves ◽  
Relative Number ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Commercial Catch ◽  
Monthly Basis ◽  
Lower Accuracy ◽  
Sardinops Sagax ◽  
Catch Rates

Otoliths (sagittae) of the pilchard (Sardinops sagax neopilchardus) from the Albany region of Western Australia were examined on a monthly basis during 1989 to 1991. When read consecutively, with the month of capture known, a clear annual cycle of an increase in marginal increments to October followed by a decline was recorded. This pattern was, however, severely distorted when samples were re-examined after having been jumbled and the month of capture concealed. Younger age groups (≤3) showed evidence of multiple rings being formed annually, but not in all years or individuals, and this was not evident in older individuals (≥4). Agreement between readings was low (43-53%), especially between different readers. Resultant growth curves showed that males grow to a smaller size (L∞ =164, K = 0.805, Φ = 1.03) than females (L∞ = 174, K = 0.584, Φ= 0.95). Agreement between counts of annuli and ages estimated by using otolith weight and length was only 54% for all individuals, but increased to 76% for individuals assigned the same age by different readers. Given the poorer predictions of future catch rates from the relative number of 2-year-olds in the commercial catch using annuli (implying lower accuracy) and increased complexity in preparation, otolith weights will be the method adopted for future ageing.

scholarly journals Age-related mortality in 61,993 confirmed COVID-19 cases over three epidemic waves in Aragon, Spain. Implications for vaccination programmes

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (12) ◽  
pp. e0261061
Author(s):  
Diego Casas-Deza ◽  
Vanesa Bernal-Monterde ◽  
Angel Nicolás Aranda-Alonso ◽  
Enrique Montil-Miguel ◽  
Ana Belen Julián-Gomara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Case Fatality ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Rapid Progression ◽  
Targeted Prevention ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Age Related

Background Risk for severe COVID-19 increases with age. Different vaccination strategies are currently being considered, including those aimed at slowing down transmission and those aimed at providing direct protection to those most at risk. Methods The objectives of the current study were i) to assess age-related incidence and survival between PCR-diagnosed COVID-19 cases (n = 61,993) in the Autonomous Community of Aragon from March to November 2020, and ii) to characterize age differences regarding the course of the disease in hospitalized patients in a tertiary university hospital. Results We found a similar incidence of COVID-19 in individuals between 10 and 79 years. Incidence increased in those over 80 years possibly because of the elevated transmission within the nursing homes. We observed a profound disparity among age groups; case fatality rates (CFRs) were near 0 in cases younger than 39 years throughout different waves. In contrast, there was an age-dependent and progressive increase in the CFRs, especially during the first pandemic wave. SARS-CoV-2 infection caused a more severe and rapid progression in older patients. The elderly required faster hospitalization, presented more serious symptoms on admission, and had a worse clinical course. Hospitalized older individuals, even without comorbidities, had an increased mortality risk directly associated with their age. Lastly, the existence of comorbidities dramatically increased the CFRs in the elderly, especially in males. Conclusion The elevated incidence of COVID-19 and the vulnerability of the elderly call for their prioritization in vaccination and targeted prevention measures specifically focused on this aged population.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 transmission across age groups in France and implications for control

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cécile Tran Kiem ◽  
Paolo Bosetti ◽  
Juliette Paireau ◽  
Pascal Crépey ◽  
Henrik Salje ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Deep Understanding ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Targeted Intervention ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Better Than

AbstractThe shielding of older individuals has been proposed to limit COVID-19 hospitalizations while relaxing general social distancing in the absence of vaccines. Evaluating such approaches requires a deep understanding of transmission dynamics across ages. Here, we use detailed age-specific case and hospitalization data to model the rebound in the French epidemic in summer 2020, characterize age-specific transmission dynamics and critically evaluate different age-targeted intervention measures in the absence of vaccines. We find that while the rebound started in young adults, it reached individuals aged ≥80 y.o. after 4 weeks, despite substantial contact reductions, indicating substantial transmission flows across ages. We derive the contribution of each age group to transmission. While shielding older individuals reduces mortality, it is insufficient to allow major relaxations of social distancing. When the epidemic remains manageable (R close to 1), targeting those most contributing to transmission is better than shielding at-risk individuals. Pandemic control requires an effort from all age groups.

scholarly journals The problem of pertussis in some regions of the world

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 354-362 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A Basov ◽  
O. V Tsvirkun ◽  
A. G Gerasimova ◽  
A. K Zekoreeva
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Immunization Coverage ◽  
Cell Vaccine ◽  
Laboratory Diagnostics ◽  
Immunization Schedule ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Pertussis Infection ◽  
Whole Cell ◽  
National Immunization

Pertussis infection remains a high-priority issue both for Russian health care and abroad. A rise of pertussis incidence in various human age groups instigates a search for new ways to fight this infection and improve methods for its laboratory diagnostics. By taking into consideration a short-term effect induced by acellular and whole-cell vaccines, a feasibility of introducing the second or even the third pertussis revaccination is vigorously debated. Objective of the study was to analyze the experience and effectiveness of acellular pertussis vaccines in countries, which use the second and third pertussis revaccination in the National Immunization Schedule in order to have an insight into adjusting strategy and tactics of pertussis immunization In Russia. Analyzing pertussis prevalence demonstrated that despite a wide immunization coverage pertussis incidence in the last years (2008–2015) was increased in a large number of countries in the European region, as well as inAustralia,CanadaandUSA. However, the reasons for elevated pertussis incidence have not been clarified yet. On one hand, it may be accounted for by low vaccination coverage in adolescents and adults; weakened immune protection after vaccination; genetic changes in Bordetella pertussis; shortened durability of protective immunity in children vaccinated with acellular vs. whole-cell vaccine; improved monitoring and morbidity reporting, as well as improved laboratory diagnostics due to shifting from serological and bacteriological to molecular genetic assays. In an attempt to solve this issue, researchers from several countries collaborate to discuss and develop a strategy to reduce pertussis incidence. ForRussia, the most important is to empower and/or improve existing infant immunization strategy in order to provide wide coverage with the four dose pertussis vaccine for decreasing the risk of pertussis morbidity and mortality. It is worth noting the “cocoon” strategy given the high risk of pertussis infection in children of the first months of life. We believe that forRussiait is worth investigating an opportunity of using children 2–3 months of life an acellular vaccine as the first vaccination, which is expected to increase the coverage of this cohort and allow to increase proportion of children who might complete vaccination by 5 months of age. At the same time, more reasonable might be to preserve a number of age groups for pertussis vaccination in the current National Immunization Schedule, as expanding age limits for vaccination might put a risk at increasing pertussis morbidity in older individuals, which could be hard to diagnose. 

Diagnoses of Chronic Health Conditions and Change in Subjective Age: The Moderating Role of Chronological Age

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anyah Prasad ◽  
Edward Alan Miller ◽  
Jeffrey A Burr ◽  
Kathrin Boerner
Keyword(s):  
Sense Of Self ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Chronic Health Condition ◽  
Chronic Health Conditions ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Chronological Age ◽  
Subjective Age ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Chronic Health

Abstract Background and Objectives Health is a predictor of subjective age, and although inconclusive, the strength of this association is not uniform across different age groups. This study investigates if new diagnoses of chronic health conditions are associated with a change in subjective age and if chronological age moderates this relationship. Research Design and Methods Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, residualized change regression analysis was performed for a sample of 5,158 respondents older than 50 years to examine their subjective age in 2014 relative to that reported in 2010. The main predictor was the number of chronic health conditions newly diagnosed between 2010 and 2014. Chronological age in 2010 was the moderator. Results Results showed that each new diagnosis of a chronic health condition was significantly associated with a 0.68-year increase in subjective age reported in 2014, compared to subjective age reported in 2010. However, this increase in subjective age was attenuated by 0.05 years for each additional year in 2010 chronological age. Discussion and Implications According to Social and Temporal Comparison theories, people compare themselves to their age peers and earlier selves. Given expectations for better health at younger chronological ages, being diagnosed with chronic health conditions may have a stronger association with subjective age among middle-aged persons as compared to older persons. The findings suggest that subjective age may be used as a screening tool to predict how chronic disease diagnosis may influence peoples' sense of self, which in turn shapes future health.

Neurological diseases, epidemiology, and public health

2021 ◽  
pp. 143-162
Author(s):  
Walter A. Kukull ◽  
Kumeren Govender ◽  
James Bowen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy ◽  
Neurological Diseases ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
Diagnostic Potential ◽  
Lost Productivity

This chapter presents information for selected neurological conditions by referring to current or classic research papers. Conditions such as headache especially migraines have substantial public health impact because of the high prevalence, age groups affected, the associated lost economic productivity and the increase in disability-adjusted life years. Multiple sclerosis, a relatively common neurological disease, can affect individuals in young adulthood, decrease their productivity, and ultimately make them dependent on others. Traumatic brain injury occurring in youth or young adulthood can cause years of extra medical care in addition to lost productivity among those who survive the immediate event; in addition, repetitive trauma may cause chronic traumatic encephalopathy leading to dementia in later life. Epilepsy may have onset throughout one’s life course. While most causes are unknown, some may result from trauma or may be caused by specific genes, among other causes. While there are intractable forms of epilepsy, great strides have been made in preventing and managing seizures enabling patients to lead relatively full and normal lives. Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, are now acknowledged to begin 10–30 years prior to symptom onset. This will influence how risk factor studies are conducted and interpreted, which may offer earlier diagnostic potential. Effective treatments for the resulting clinical dementias that reduce productivity, functional ability, and independence from older individuals have not yet been realized. Without question, neurological diseases have substantial public health as well as grave personal impact.

scholarly journals Geloofsvolwassenheid en Christelike spiritualiteit binne die knyptang van prestasiedruk tydens vroegbejaardheid

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
D.J. Louw
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Spiritual Maturity ◽  
Christian Spirituality ◽  
Developmental Models ◽  
Related Research ◽  
Performance Pressure ◽  
The Sublime ◽  
Life Issues

Spiritual maturity and Christian spirituality within the crush between performance pressure and adjustment to early pre-elderliness In this article it is argued that a developmental understanding of the different stages of life is appropriate for a pastoral hermeneutical approach. In order to link spiritual maturity to life issues, both J. Fowler’s and E.H. Erikson’s developmental models are discussed. However, little attention has been given in existing subject-related research to the “in-between stage”: between performance and preparation for retirement. In order to focus a pastoral hermeneutics on the unique needs this phase has for Christian spirituality, it is argued that an understanding of the Biblical notion of parrhēsia can play a decisive role in helping people to discover continuity and courage “to be in order” and to cope with the eventual demands of old age. For this purpose a new aesthetics should be rediscovered: the existence of the sublime within the ridiculous. (The paradox of hope and beauty despite fraity and disfigurement.)

scholarly journals The effect of age and study duration on the relationship between ‘clustering’ of DNA fingerprint patterns and the proportion of tuberculosis disease attributable to recent transmission

2001 ◽  
Vol 126 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. VYNNYCKY ◽  
N. NAGELKERKE ◽  
M. W. BORGDORFF ◽  
D. VAN SOOLINGEN ◽  
J. D. A. VAN EMBDEN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Dna Fingerprint ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Study Duration ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Recent Transmission ◽  
Dependent Risks ◽  
Age Structured ◽  
Age Structured Model ◽  
The Relationship

Though it is recognized that the extent of ‘clustering’ of isolates from tuberculosis cases in a given population is related to the amount of disease attributable to recent transmission, the relationship between the two statistics is poorly understood. Given age-dependent risks of disease and the fact that a long study (e.g. spanning several years) is more likely to identify transmission-linked cases than a shorter study, both measures, and thus the relationship between them, probably depend strongly on the ages of the cases ascertained and study duration. The contribution of these factors is explored in this paper using an age-structured model which describes the introduction and transmission of M. tuberculosis strains with different DNA fingerprint patterns in The Netherlands during this century, assuming that the number of individuals contacted by each case varies between cases and that DNA fingerprint patterns change over time through random mutations, as observed in several studies.Model predictions of clustering in different age groups and over different time periods between 1993 and 1997 compare well against those observed. According to the model, the proportion of young cases with onset in a given time period who were ‘clustered’ underestimated the proportion of disease attributable to recent transmission in this age group (by up to 25% in males); for older individuals, clustering overestimated this proportion. These under- and overestimates decreased and increased respectively as the time period over which the cases were ascertained increased. These results have important implications for the interpretation of estimates of the proportion of disease attributable to recent transmission, based on ‘clustering’ statistics, as are being derived from studies of the molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis in many populations.

scholarly journals (Non-)Stereotypical representations of older people in Swedish authority-managed social media

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Wenqian Xu
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Older People ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Media Representations ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Negative Stereotypes

Abstract Social media facilitates the sharing of ideas, thoughts and information about older people and later life through online networks and communities in contemporary society. Social media content about older people has become important for understanding media representations of older people, but it has not been sufficiently studied. Recent studies suggest that older people are predominantly represented as a disempowered, vulnerable and homogeneous group on social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Because local authorities in many countries have begun using Facebook to reach out to and interact with citizens, they are seen as a significant producer of media content about older people and later life. The purpose of this study is to examine the ways in which Swedish local authorities have visually portrayed older people in their use of Facebook compared with other age groups. This research performed a visual content analysis of 1,000 Facebook posts posted by 33 Swedish local authorities, employing ten analytical aspects to describe and interpret the signs, activities and contexts associated with older people and other age groups (infants, children, adolescents and adults). The study found that the representations of older people on the Facebook pages of local authorities appeared to be not very diverse; specifically, older people (including those in residential care homes) were mainly portrayed as remaining socially engaged and moderately physically capable. This media representation destabilised the prevalent negative stereotypes of older people as being out of touch and dependent; however, it collided with the reality of older individuals with care needs. Additionally, this study argues that older people are represented as inferior to the young in terms of physical and technological competence, based on the connotations of the signs. Given that local authorities have progressively incorporated social media into their daily work, it is expected that this study will contribute to a greater understanding of the ways in which local authorities produce (non-)stereotypical representations of older people on social media.

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