The Impact Of Sedentary Behavior On Mental Health For Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study Of University Retirees In Beijing China

AbstractCOVID-19 took a heavy toll on older adults. In Belgium, by the end of August, 93% of deaths due to COVID-19 were aged 65 or older. Similar trends were observed in other countries. As a consequence, older adults were identified as a group at risk, and strict governmental restrictions were imposed on them. This has caused concerns about their mental health. Using an online survey, this study established the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adults aged 65 years or older, and which factors moderate this impact. Participants reported a significant decrease in activity level, sleep quality and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Depression was strongly related to reported declines in activity level, sleep quality, wellbeing and cognitive functioning. Our study shows that the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the mental health of older adults. This implies that this group at risk requires attention of governments and healthcare.

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Maternal mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China

World Journal of Pediatrics ◽

10.1007/s12519-021-00439-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Zhuang Wei ◽

Ming-Yue Gao ◽

Mary Fewtrell ◽

Jonathan Wells ◽

Jin-Yue Yu

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Higher Education ◽

Maternal Mental Health ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Fair Division ◽

Personal Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Maternal Characteristics ◽

The Impact ◽

Beijing China

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on breastfeeding women and to identify predictors of maternal mental health and coping. Methods Mothers aged ≥ 18 years with a breast-fed infant ≤ 18 months of age during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China, completed a questionnaire. Descriptive analysis of lockdown consequences was performed and predictors of these outcomes were examined using stepwise linear regression. Results Of 2233 participants, 29.9%, 20.0% and 34.7% felt down, lonely, and worried, respectively, during the lockdown; however, 85.3% felt able to cope. Poorer maternal mental health was predicted by maternal (younger age, higher education) and infant (older age, lower gestation) characteristics, and social circumstances (husband unemployed or working from home, receiving advice from family, having enough space for the baby, living close to a park or green space). Conversely, better maternal mental health was predicted by higher income, employment requiring higher qualifications, more personal space at home, shopping or walking > once/week and lack of impact of COVID-19 on job or income. Mothers with higher education, more bedrooms, fair division of household chores and attending an online mother and baby group > once/week reported better coping. Conclusion The findings highlight maternal characteristics and circumstances that predict poorer mental health and reduced coping which could be used to target interventions in any future public health emergencies requiring social restrictions.

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Enhancing Behavioral Health Competencies for Senior Center Staff: Lessons Learned From Workforce Training Efforts

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.001 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

Bronwyn Keefe ◽

Jennifer Tripken

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Behavioral Health ◽

Lessons Learned ◽

Organizational Level ◽

Senior Center ◽

Senior Centers ◽

Knowledge And Skills ◽

Center Staff ◽

The Impact

Abstract Increases in the numbers of older adults with mental health and substance use concerns compel us to identify best practices in training to address these issues. Senior Centers are an ideal location for behavioral health education programs as they are the go-to place for many older adults. This session will describe a program funded by The Retirement Research Foundation and offered in collaboration with Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research at Boston University and NCOA to increase senior center staff knowledge and skills. Approximately 250 senior center staff in Illinois, Florida, and Wisconsin completed an online certificate in Behavioral Health and Aging. Results show that 100% of respondents felt that the training was useful for their job; 93% felt that they will be a more effective worker as a result of the training; and 97% felt that the information they learned in the training will make a difference with the people they serve. We held key informant interviews to assess the impact of training and participants stated that their knowledge, skills, and behaviors were influenced by the program. At the organizational level, leaders reported new programming related to behavioral health and revised practices and protocols. This presentation will cover: (1) the extent to which training participants mastered the competencies needed for effective practice; (2) knowledge and skills gained from the training program; (3) Senior Centers’ capacity to identify and refer older adults to mental health services; and (4) organizational changes related to behavioral health programming with older adults.

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The impact of COVID-19 restriction measures on loneliness among older adults in Austria

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa238 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Erwin Stolz ◽

Hannes Mayerl ◽

Wolfgang Freidl

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Positive Association ◽

Health Issues ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Contacts ◽

Mental Health Issues ◽

The Impact ◽

Opening Phase

Abstract Background To halt the spread of COVID-19, Austria implemented a 7-week ’lockdown’ in March/April 2020. We assess whether the ensuing reduction in social contacts led to increased loneliness among older adults (60+). Methods Three analyses were conducted: (1) A comparison between pre-pandemic (SHARE: 2013-2017) and pandemic (May 2020) levels of loneliness (UCLA-3 scale), (2) an assessment of the cross-sectional correlation between being affected by COVID-19 restriction measures and loneliness (May 2020), and (3) a longitudinal analysis of weekly changes (March-June 2020) in loneliness (Corona panel). Results We found (1) increased loneliness in 2020 compared with previous years, (2) a moderate positive association between the number of restriction measures older adults were affected from and their loneliness, and (3) that loneliness was higher during ’lockdown’ compared to the subsequent re-opening phase, particularly among those who live alone. Conclusion We provide evidence that COVID-19 restriction measures in Austria have indeed resulted in increased levels of loneliness among older adults. However, these effects seem to be short-lived, and thus no strong negative consequences for older adults’ mental health are expected. Nonetheless, the effects on loneliness, and subsequent mental health issues, might be both more long-lasting and severe if future restriction measures are enacted repeatedly and/or over longer time periods.

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SEPARATED KIN: RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION AND MENTAL HEALTH TRAJECTORIES OF OLDER ADULTS LEFT BEHIND IN RURAL CHINA

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.3223 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S880-S880

Author(s):

Zhiyong Lin

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Rural China ◽

Well Being ◽

Migrant Children ◽

Urban Migration ◽

Left Behind ◽

Rate Of Increase ◽

The Impact

Abstract As the processes of urbanization and globalization have intensified across the world, a burgeoning literature has documented the impact of emigration on the health of family members left behind in emigrant communities. Although the association between children’s migration and parental well-being is well documented, few have examined the health implications of children’s migration in the milieu of multiple children and further differentiated between children’s short-term and long-term migration. Therefore, I argue that it is not the geographic locality of a single child but the composition of all children’s location that matters. I further suggest that the impact of children’s migration on parental wellbeing is conditioned on the duration of children’s migration. Using a six waves longitudinal data (2001-2015) collected in rural China, this paper compares mental health (measured as depressive symptoms) trajectories of old adults (aged 60 and older) across different compositions of local and migrant children over a 14-year span. Results from growth curve models show that parents having more migrant children relative to local children experience a more rapid increase in depressive symptoms. In addition, older adults who have their most children migrate away for three or more waves of data have experienced the steepest rate of increase in depressive symptoms. These findings provide new evidence to support the life course processes of mental health disparities among older adults from the perspective of intergenerational proximity.

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The impact of childhood parental quality on mental health outcomes in older adults

Aging & Mental Health ◽

10.1080/13607863.2017.1317331 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 819-825 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R.A. Burns ◽

V. Loh ◽

J.E. Byles ◽

H.L. Kendig

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Mental Health Outcomes ◽

Parental Quality ◽

The Impact

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The psychosocial benefits of providing non-kin childcare in older adults: A longitudinal study with older New Zealanders

10.26686/wgtn.12702854.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Á Szabó ◽

Eva Neely ◽

C Stephens

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Older Adults ◽

Longitudinal Study ◽

Well Being ◽

Grandparental Childcare ◽

Psychosocial Benefits ◽

The Impact ◽

Over Time ◽

New Zealanders

© The Author(s) 2019. Community grandparenting may promote the well-being of older adults. We examined the impact of non-kin and grandparental childcare on quality of life and loneliness using longitudinal data from 2653 older New Zealanders collected over 2 years. Providing both non-kin and grandparental childcare predicted greater self-realisation for women only and was associated with reduced levels of control and autonomy for men. Non-kin childcare was also associated with reduced social loneliness over time independent of gender. Findings suggest that non-kin grandparenting has psychosocial benefits for older adults. Surrogate grandparenting offers promising avenues for those without grandchildren to experience the benefits of grandparenting.

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

Archives of Public Health ◽

10.1186/s13690-021-00714-0 ◽

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.

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Abstract MP01: Association of Objectively-measured Physical Activity with Cardiovascular Risk in Mobility-limited Older Adults

Circulation ◽

10.1161/circ.129.suppl_1.mp01 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 129 (suppl_1) ◽

Author(s):

Thomas W Buford ◽

Don G Hire ◽

Walter T Ambrosius ◽

Stephen D Anton ◽

Timothy S Church ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Sedentary Behavior ◽

Risk Score ◽

Activity Data ◽

Mean Intensity ◽

Wear Time ◽

Low Intensity ◽

Objectively Measured ◽

The Impact

Introduction: In middle-aged adults, time spent being sedentary is associated with cardiovascular (CV) health risks independent of structured physical activity (PA). However, data are sparse regarding the impact of sedentary behavior on CV risk in older adults. The extent to which the absolute duration or intensity of daily PA reduces CV risk in older adults is also unknown. Objectives: Our objective was to examine the cross-sectional association between objectively-measured sedentary behavior and predicted CV risk among older adults in the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study. The secondary objective was to evaluate associations between the duration/intensity of daily PA and predicted CV risk. Methods: LIFE is a randomized clinical trial to determine if regular PA prevents mobility disability among mobility-limited older adults. Activity data were collected by hip-worn accelerometer at baseline prior to participation in study interventions. Only participants with at least three days of accelerometry data (≥ 10 hrs wear time) were included. Unadjusted and adjusted linear regression was used to model the relationship between accelerometry measures and predicted 10-year Framingham risk of Hard Coronary Heart Disease (HCHD; i.e. myocardial infarction or coronary death). Adjusted models included demographic confounders (e.g. education, race, income) and health parameters (e.g. depression, cognition, arthritis) not in the risk score. Accelerometry cut-points were (in counts/min): sedentary behavior: < 100; low-intensity activity: 100-499; higher intensity activity: > 500. Results: Participants (n = 1170; 78.7 ± [SD] 5.3 years; 66.1% female) had a median HCHD risk of 10.3% (25 th -75 th %: 5.7-18.6). Over a mean accelerometer wear time of 8.1 ± 3.2 days, participants spent 77.0 ± 8.2% of their time sedentary. They also spent 16.6 ± 5.0% of their time in low-intensity PA and 6.4 ± 4.4% in higher-intensity PA. For all PA performed (> 100 counts/min), participants achieved a median of 393.4 (337.8-473.5) counts/min. In the unadjusted model, time spent sedentary (β = 2.41; 95% CI : 1.94, 2.89), in low-intensity PA (-2.56; -3.03, -2.08), and in higher-intensity PA (-1.60; -2.09, -1.11) were all associated with HCHD risk (all p’s < 0.001). These associations remained significant after adjustment. The mean intensity of daily PA was not significantly associated with HCHD risk in any model (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Daily time spent being sedentary is positively associated with predicted 10-year HCHD risk among mobility-limited older adults. Duration, but not mean intensity, of daily PA is inversely associated with HCHD risk score in this population.

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