scholarly journals Social capital is associated with improved subjective well-being of older adults with chronic non-communicable disease in six low- and middle-income countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron K. Christian ◽  
Olutobi Adekunle Sanuade ◽  
Michael Adu Okyere ◽  
Kafui Adjaye-Gbewonyo
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Chronic Condition ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries

Abstract Background Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are increasingly contributing to the morbidity and mortality burden of low and-middle income countries (LMIC). Social capital, particularly participation has been considered as a possible protective factor in the prevention and management of chronic conditions. It is also largely shown to have a negative effect on the well-being of patients. The current discourse on the well-being of individuals with NCDs is however focused more on a comparison with those with no NCDs without considering the difference between individuals with one chronic condition versus those with multiple chronic conditions (MCC). Method and objective We employed a multinomial logit model to examine the effect of social capital, particularly social participation, on the subjective well-being (SWB) of older adults with single chronic condition and MCC in six LMIC. Findings Social capital was associated with increased subjective well-being of adults in all the six countries. The positive association between social capital and subjective well-being was higher for those with a single chronic condition than those with multiple chronic conditions in India and South Africa. Conversely, an increase in the likelihood of having higher subjective well-being as social capital increased was greater for those with multiple chronic conditions compared to those with a single chronic condition in Ghana. Discussion The findings suggest that improving the social capital of older adults with chronic diseases could potentially improve their subjective well-being. This study, therefore, provides valuable insights into potential social determinants of subjective well-being of older adults with chronic diseases in six different countries undergoing transition. Additional research is needed to determine if these factors do in fact have causal effects on SWB in these populations.

scholarly journals Healthy, Wealthy, Wise, and Happy? Assessing Age Differences in Evaluative and Emotional Well-Being Among Mature Adults from Five Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clémence Kieny ◽  
Gabriela Flores ◽  
Michael Ingenhaag ◽  
Jürgen Maurer
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Age Differences ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Mature Adults ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Life Circumstances ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract This study assesses the relationship between age and two dimensions of subjective well-being—evaluative and emotional—among mature adults from five low-and middle-income countries. We use data from the World Health Organization’s Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health to contrast the associations of age with subjective well-being when controlling only for gender with the corresponding partial associations when including a richer set of covariates. Adjusting only for gender, we find negative associations of age with evaluative well-being, while the corresponding age gradients for emotional well-being are relatively flat. By contrast, adjusting for further socio-demographic factors results in positive associations of age with both evaluative and emotional well-being. Oaxaca-Blinder decompositions allow us to explore the roles of two factors to account for any unadjusted age differences in subjective well-being: age-group differences in individual characteristics and life circumstances, and age-specific associations of individual characteristics and life circumstances with subjective well-being. While adverse circumstances such as poor health and low income contribute to lower levels of evaluative well-being among older adults, age per se is—ceteris paribus—positively associated with subjective well-being. Even in poorer countries, older age does not need to be a time of low subjective well-being. Policies aimed at preserving income and limiting or compensating old-age disability appear to be key for maintaining subjective well-being among older adults.

scholarly journals Identifying and understanding the health and social care needs of older adults with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers: a protocol for a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e018247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elana Commisso ◽  
Katherine S McGilton ◽  
Ana Patricia Ayala ◽  
Melissa, K Andrew ◽  
Howard Bergman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Family Caregivers ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Multiple Chronic Conditions ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Health And Social Care

IntroductionPeople are living longer; however, they are not necessarily experiencing good health and well-being as they age. Many older adults live with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), and complex health issues, which adversely affect their day-to-day functioning and overall quality of life. As a result, they frequently rely on the support of friend and/or family caregivers. Caregivers of older adults with MCC often face challenges to their own well-being and also require support. Currently, not enough is known about the health and social care needs of older adults with MCC and the needs of their caregivers or how best to identify and meet these needs. This study will examine and synthesise the literature on the needs of older adults with MCC and those of their caregivers, and identify gaps in evidence and directions for further research.Methods and analysisWe will conduct a scoping review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature using the updated Arksey and O’Malley framework. The literature will be identified using a multidatabase and grey literature search strategy developed by a health sciences librarian. Papers, reports and other materials addressing the health and social care needs of older adults and their friend/family caregivers will be included. Search results will be screened, independently, by two reviewers, and data will be abstracted from included literature and charted in duplicate.Ethics and disseminationThis scoping review does not require ethics approval. We anticipate that study findings will inform novel strategies for identifying and ascertaining the health and social care needs of older adults living with MCC and those of their caregivers. Working with knowledge-user members of our team, we will prepare materials and presentations to disseminate findings to relevant stakeholder and end-user groups at local, national and international levels. We will also publish our findings in a peer-reviewed journal.

scholarly journals 407 - Living through the pandemic as an older person: Long-term psychological impacts in low- and middle-income countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. 33-33
Author(s):  
Clarissa Giebel ◽  
Bwire Ivan ◽  
Maria Isabel Zuluaga ◽  
Suresh Kumar ◽  
Mark Gabbay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Background:The pandemic has put a huge strain on people’s mental health, with varying restrictions affecting people’s lives. Little is known how the pandemic affects older adults’ mental health, particularly those living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where restrictions are affecting people’s access to basic necessities. Thus, the aim of this 3-country study was to understand the long- term impacts of the pandemic on the mental well-being of older adults with and without dementia in LMICs.Methods:We are collecting 30 baseline and 15 follow-up interviews with older adults (aged 60+), people with dementia, and family carers in Colombia, India, and Uganda, as well as a baseline and follow-up focus group with health and social are professionals in each country. Interviews are conducted remotely over the phone due to pandemic restrictions, with data collection taking place between March and July 2021. Transcripts are translated into English before being analysed using thematic analysis.Results:To date, we have completed close to 90 baseline interviews and 3 focus groups with health and social care professionals. Analysis is ongoing, but findings are capturing the detrimental second wave in India and follow-up interviews will capture the longitudinal impacts on mental health.Conclusions:Whilst vaccines are starting to be rolled out in LMICs, albeit at different rates, the virus will likely take much longer to be somewhat managed in LMICs. This leaves more room for people’s physical as well as mental health to be impacted by the restrictions, and with often limited mental health service coverage, it is all the more important o understand the impact of the pandemic on older people’s mental health.

scholarly journals Perceived Income Adequacy and Well-being Among Older Adults in Six Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2016 ◽  
Vol 74 (3) ◽  
pp. 516-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa E Gildner ◽  
Melissa A Liebert ◽  
Benjamin D Capistrant ◽  
Catherine D’Este ◽  
J Josh Snodgrass ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health ◽  
Adult Health ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Income Adequacy ◽  
Perceived Income Adequacy ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Abstract Objectives Perceived income adequacy is positively associated with self-rated health (SRH) and quality of life (QOL) among adults in higher-income countries. Additionally, older individuals often report higher levels of income adequacy. However, it is unclear if these associations, documented primarily in high-income countries, are also evident across economically and culturally distinctive low- and middle-income countries. Methods Data were drawn from the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE), a study of adults aged 50 years or older in China, Ghana, India, Mexico, the Russian Federation, and South Africa. Smaller samples of younger adults (18–49 years) were included for comparison purposes. Participants reported income adequacy, SRH, and QOL. Associations between age and income adequacy and between income adequacy and SRH/QOL were examined using country-specific logistic regression analysis. Results Older adults in China and Russia were more likely to report better income adequacy than their 18- to 49-year-old counterparts; however, the opposite was observed in Ghana and India. SRH and QOL improved as income adequacy increased in all countries. Discussion As expected, income adequacy was correlated with SRH and QOL. However, the relationship between age and income adequacy varied cross-culturally, potentially due to differences in familial and governmental financial support.

scholarly journals Social capital, social participation and life satisfaction among Chilean older adults

2014 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 739-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Soledad Herrera Ponce ◽  
Raúl Pedro Elgueta Rosas ◽  
María Beatriz Fernández Lorca
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Major Determinant ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Logistic Regression Models

OBJECTIVE To examine factors associated with social participation and their relationship with self-perceived well-being in older adults. METHODS This study was based on data obtained from the National Socioeconomic Characterization (CASEN) Survey conducted in Chile, in 2011, on a probability sample of households. We examined information of 31,428 older adults living in these households. Descriptive and explanatory analyses were performed using linear and multivariate logistic regression models. We assessed the respondents’ participation in different types of associations: egotropic, sociotropic, and religious. RESULTS Social participation increased with advancing age and then declined after the age of 80. The main finding of this study was that family social capital is a major determinant of social participation of older adults. Their involvement was associated with high levels of self-perceived subjective well-being. We identified four settings as sources of social participation: home-based; rural community-based; social policy programs; and religious. Older adults were significantly more likely to participate when other members of the household were also involved in social activities evidencing an intergenerational transmission of social participation. Rural communities, especially territorial associations, were the most favorable setting for participation. There has been a steady increase in the rates of involvement of older adults in social groups in Chile, especially after retirement. Religiosity remains a major determinant of associativism. The proportion of participation was higher among older women than men but these proportions equaled after the age of 80. CONCLUSIONS Self-perceived subjective well-being is not only dependent upon objective factors such as health and income, but is also dependent upon active participation in social life, measured as participation in associations, though its effects are moderate.

scholarly journals The impact of cash transfers on subjective well-being and mental health in low- and middle- income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joel McGuire ◽  
Caspar Kaiser ◽  
Anders Bach-Mortensen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Spillover Effects ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Average Effect ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact

Background: A large body of evidence evaluates the impact of cash transfers (CTs) on physical health and economic indicators. A growing amount of research on CTs contains measures of subjective well- being (SWB) and mental health (MH) but no attempt has been made to systematically synthesize this work.Methods/design: We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs and quasi- experimental studies, including peer-reviewed publications and grey literature (e.g. reports, pre-prints, and working papers), conducted over the period 2000-2020, examining the impact of CTs on self- reported SWB and MH outcomes.Results: Two authors (JM and CK) double-screened 1,147 records of potentially relevant studies, finding 38 studies suitable for inclusion in our meta-analysis, covering 100 outcomes and a total sample of n=114,274 individuals. The average effect size (Cohen’s d) of 38 CT studies on our composite outcome of MH and SWB is 0.10 standard deviations (SDs) (95% CI: 0.8, 0.13) for an average time until follow-up of two years. However, there is a substantial amount of heterogeneity in the estimated effects (I-squared = 64% and 95% Prediction interval: 0.0021, 0.215). CT value, both in absolute terms and relative to previous income, are significant predictors of the effect size. We find only weak evidence that the impact diminishes over time. Four randomized controlled trials in our sample were designed to identify the spillover effects of CTs on the SWB and MH outcomes of non-recipients. Two found negative spillovers but the average effect is not statistically significant and is close to zero.Discussion: Cash transfers significantly increase MH and SWB in low- and middle-income countries. More research on the long run (5+ years) effects is needed, as well as further analysis of the community and household spillover effects of cash transfers on MH and SWB outcomes. We encourage the inclusion of MH and SWB metrics in impact evaluations of interventions to enable the assessment of their relative cost-effectiveness at improving lives compared to cash transfers.

scholarly journals The Effects of a Digital Well-Being Intervention on Patients With Chronic Conditions: Observational Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Acacia C Parks ◽  
Allison L Williams ◽  
Gina M Kackloudis ◽  
Julia L Stafford ◽  
Eliane M Boucher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Chronic Condition ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Past Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Over Time

BACKGROUND Chronic conditions account for 75% of health care costs, and the impact of chronic illness is expected to grow over time. Although subjective well-being predicts better health outcomes, people with chronic conditions tend to report lower well-being. Improving well-being might mitigate costs associated with chronic illness; however, existing interventions can be difficult to access and draw from a single theoretical approach. Happify, a digital well-being intervention program drawing from multiple theoretical traditions to target well-being, has already been established as an efficacious means of improving well-being in both distressed and nondistressed users. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to compare change in well-being over time after using Happify for users with and without a chronic condition. METHODS Data were obtained from Happify users, a publicly available digital well-being program accessible via website or mobile phone app. Users work on tracks addressing a specific issue (eg, conquering negative thoughts) composed of games and activities based on positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness principles. The sample included 821 users receiving at least 6 weeks’ exposure to Happify (ranging from 42 to 179 days) who met other inclusion criteria. As part of a baseline questionnaire, respondents reported demographic information (age and gender) and whether they had any of the prespecified chronic conditions: arthritis, diabetes, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, psoriasis, eczema, or some other condition (450 reported a chronic condition, whereas 371 did not). Subjective well-being was assessed with the Happify Scale, a 9-item measure of positive emotionality and life satisfaction. To evaluate changes in well-being over time, a mixed effects linear regression model was fit for subjective well-being, controlling for demographics and platform usage. RESULTS At baseline, users with a chronic condition had significantly lower subjective well-being (mean 38.34, SD 17.40) than users without a chronic condition (mean 43.65, SD 19.13). However, change trajectories for users with or without a chronic condition were not significantly different; both groups experienced equivalent improvements in well-being. We also found an effect for time from baseline (<italic>b</italic>=0.071; SE=0.010; <italic>P</italic>&lt;.01) and number of activities completed (<italic>b</italic>=0.03; SE=0.009; <italic>P</italic>&lt;.01), and a 2-way interaction between number of activities completed and time from baseline (<italic>b</italic>=0.0002; SE=0.00006; <italic>P</italic>&lt;.01), such that completing more activities and doing so over increasingly longer periods produced improved well-being scores. CONCLUSIONS Data from this study support the conclusion that users with a chronic condition experienced significant improvement over time. Despite reporting lower subjective well-being on the whole, their change trajectory while using Happify was equivalent to those without a chronic condition. Consistent with past research, users who completed more activities over a longer period showed the most improvement. In short, the presence of a chronic condition did not prevent users from showing improved well-being when using Happify.

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