Effect of Socioeconomic Status on the Physical and Mental Health of the Elderly: The Mediating Effect of Social Participation

Author(s):  
Yunfan Zhang ◽  
Dai Su ◽  
Yingchun Chen ◽  
Min Tan ◽  
Xinlin Chen

Abstract Background: Many studies have shown that socioeconomic status and social participation are important factors affecting the health status of the elderly. However, the specific mechanism and path are unclear. This research aimed to investigate the mediating effect of social participation on the association between the socioeconomic status and the health status of the elderly.Methods: A total of 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey were obtained, including 10 197 elderly people over 65 years old. Bootstrap method was adopted to examine the mediating effect of social participation on the relationship of the socioeconomic status with the physical and mental health of the elderly. Socioeconomic status included three dimensions: income, education level, and main occupation before retirement. The physical and mental health of the elderly were measured with the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale (IADL) and the Minimum Mental State Examination (MMSE). The social participation of the elderly was the mediator variable, including group exercise and organised social activities. Results: The average scores of IADL and MMSE were 17.98 and 23.04, respectively. Group-exercise participation had a mediating effect between socioeconomic status and physical health of the elderly, and the highest proportion of the mediating effect of each subdimension was 62.84% (95% CI = 0.165, 0.285). The highest proportion of the mediating effect of group-exercise participation on the mental-health status of the elderly was 16.70% (95% CI = 0.072, 0.153). The mediating effect of interacting with friends between the socioeconomic status and the physical health of the elderly was 30.69% (95% CI = 0.037, 0.196) in each subdimension and 15.46% (95% CI = 0.012, 0.169) in mental health. Participation in organised social activities had a mediating effect only between the socioeconomic status and the physical health of the elderly, and the highest proportion of the mediating effect in each dimension was 13.97% (95% CI = 0.014, 0.088).Conclusion: The socioeconomic status of the elderly plays a mediating role in the process of influencing the physical and mental health of the elderly by participating in group exercise and organised social activities, as well as actively interacting with friends. It can significantly adjust the adverse effects of a disadvantaged socioeconomic status on improvements in physical and mental health to achieve better health outcomes.

Author(s):  
Robert Brackbill ◽  
Howard Alper ◽  
Patricia Frazier ◽  
Lisa Gargano ◽  
Melanie Jacobson ◽  
...  

Fifteen years after the disaster, the World Trade Center Health Registry (Registry) conducted The Health and Quality of Life Survey (HQoL) assessing physical and mental health status among those who reported sustaining an injury on 11 September 2001 compared with non-injured persons. Summary scores derived from the Short Form-12 served as study outcomes. United States (US) population estimates on the Physical Component Score (PCS-12) and Mental Component Score (MCS-12) were compared with scores from the HQoL and were stratified by Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and injury status. Linear regression models were used to estimate the association between both injury severity and PTSD and PCS-12 and MCS-12 scores. Level of injury severity and PTSD history significantly predicted poorer physical health (mean PCS-12). There was no significant difference between injury severity level and mental health (mean MCS-12). Controlling for other factors, having PTSD symptoms after 9/11 predicted a nearly 10-point difference in mean MCS-12 compared with never having PTSD. Injury severity and PTSD showed additive effects on physical and mental health status. Injury on 9/11 and a PTSD history were each associated with long-term decrements in physical health status. Injury did not predict long-term decrements in one’s mental health status. Although it is unknown whether physical wounds of the injury healed, our results suggest that traumatic injuries appear to have a lasting negative effect on perceived physical functioning.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ning Wei ◽  
Lülin Zhou ◽  
Wenhao Huang

Abstract Background: After 40 years of reform and opening-up, China's social and economic conditions have undergone tremendous changes. For individuals who have experienced this historical period, the socioeconomic transition has brought different effects on their health status. This research examines the issue and provides evidence that government policies need to be improved. Methods: This study adopted data from the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We set the education level, occupation, and family income during old age as the socioeconomic status for the early, middle, and late stages of life. Based on specific criteria, we classified the population as disadvantaged and advantaged, considering eight changing trajectories of socioeconomic status. We used multiple regression analysis to examine how the eight trajectories affect individuals' physical and mental health. Results: After controlling for social demography and health behavior variables, we found that compared with those in the advantaged group long term, people who were in the disadvantaged group suffered from a significantly negative impact of their socioeconomic status on physical and mental health. The health status of those who moved upward in socioeconomic status was substantially better than those who remained in the same status. Conclusion: This study confirms that early disadvantaged socioeconomic status has a long-term adverse effect on health. However, the negative impact can be mitigated by improving one’s occupation during middle age or family income during old age throughout China's socioeconomic transitions. Therefore, increasing upward social mobility at any stage helps eliminate health inequalities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 927-928
Author(s):  
Meeryoung Kim ◽  
Linda Park

Abstract Maintaining interpersonal relationships and social activities are important as you get older. Activity theory indicates that social activities and human relations are important factors for older adults’ physical and mental health. However, the effects between the quantity and quality of interpersonal relationships and social activities will be different. This study compared which of the effects has a greater impact between interpersonal and social activities on physical and mental health. This study used the 6th additional wave (2016) and 7th wave (2017) of the Korean Retirement and Income Study. The subjects of this study were older adults who are aged 65 and older and the sample size was 2,152. Multiple regression was used for data analysis. Demographic variables were controlled. Independent variables were interpersonal relationships, social activities, satisfaction with interpersonal relationships, and satisfaction with social activities. Dependent variables were physical health and mental health, with depressive symptoms used as a proxy for mental health. βs was used to determine the relative influence on dependent variables. Interpersonal relationships, satisfaction with interpersonal relationships, and satisfaction with social activities significantly influenced physical health. Among them, interpersonal satisfaction was found to be the most influential factor on physical health. In addition, interpersonal satisfaction was found to be the most influential factor on mental health than interpersonal relationships. Satisfaction with social activities only affected physical health. The implications of this study were that the quality of interpersonal relationships and social activities of older adults affected physical and mental health more than quantity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-128
Author(s):  
Kirill Kosilov ◽  
Hiroki Amedzawa ◽  
Irina Kuzina ◽  
Vladimir Kuznetsov ◽  
Liliya Kosilova

Aim: The study of the impact of socio-economic, demographic factors and polymorbidity on the quality of life associated with health (HRQoL) in elderly people from Japan and Russia. Background: Factors affecting the quality of life of the elderly in both countries are poorly understood. Objective: Make a comparative analysis of factors affecting the quality of life of the elderly of both sexes in Japan and Russia. Methods: The age range in this study is 65-95 years old. For the study of HRQoL, a questionnaire Health Status Survey-Short Form 36v2 was used, including two main domains: physical and mental health. The level of polymorbidity was studied using CIRS-G. The linear regression model of the influence of variables upon HRQoL was calculated for SES, demographic characteristics, and morbidity. Results: Strong associations with HRQoL in the combined sample had a living together with relatives (r=6.94 (5.17-8.72) p<0,05), the incidence rate (r=8.50 (5.51-11.49), p<0.01) and the older age (r=5.39 (2.63-8.16), p<0,01.). The elderly inhabitants of Japan had a higher self-assessment for physical health in the age ranges 65-74 and over 85 years old (p<0.05), and a higher selfassessment of mental health at the age of 75-84 years old. Sixty-eight elderly Japanese and 48% Russians estimated their physical health as normal. Conclusion: The effect of living together, morbidity and age upon HRQoL is manifested equally strongly both among the inhabitants of Japan and among the Russians. The elderly Japanese estimate the state of physical and mental health as a whole higher than their Russian peers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 101 (9) ◽  
pp. 825-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily J Callander

ObjectiveTo quantify the impact of household income, and physical and mental health in adolescence on education attainment, household income and health status in adulthood.DesignPath analysis and regression models using waves 1–12 of theHousehold, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australiasurvey.ParticipantsIndividuals aged 17 or 18 in 2001, 52% were males (n=655) and 48% were female (52%). Of those participating in wave 1, five did not respond in wave 12.Main outcome measuresEducation attainment, household income, physical and mental health at age 29/30.ResultsFor females, physical health at age 17/18 was significantly related to level of education attainment at age 29/30 (standardised total effect 0.290, p<0.001), with this influence being greater in magnitude than that of household income at age 17/18 on level of education attainment at age 29/30 (standardised total effect 0.159, p=0.022). Females' physical health at age 17/18 was also significantly related to household income at age 29/30 (standardised total effect 0.09, p=0.018). Both adjusted for initial household income at age 17/18. For males, the total standardised total effect of physical health at age 17/18 had a greater impact than household income at age 17/18 on education attainment at age 29/30 (0.347, p<0.001 for physical health and 0.276, p<0.001 for household income). The OR of achieving a year 12 or higher level of education attainment was 4.72 (95% CI 1.43 to 15.58, p=0.0110) for females with good physical health at age 17/18 and 5.05 (95% CI 1.78 to 14.36, p=0.0024) for males, compared with those with poor physical health at age 17/18.ConclusionsAs physical health in adolescence appears to have a stronger influence on education attainment in adulthood than household income, equity strategies for education attainment should also target those with poor health.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 1416-1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Krarup Lenger ◽  
Mette Asbjoern Neergaard ◽  
Mai-Britt Guldin ◽  
Mette Kjaergaard Nielsen

Background: The health of caregivers can be affected during end-of-life caregiving. Previous cross-sectional studies have indicated an association between poor health status and prolonged grief disorder, but prospective studies are lacking. Aim: To describe physical and mental health status in caregivers of patients at the end of life, and to investigate whether caregivers’ health status during caregiving predict prolonged grief disorder. Design: A population-based prospective survey was conducted. Health status was measured in caregivers during caregiving (SF-36), and prolonged grief disorder was assessed 6 months after bereavement (Prolonged Grief-13). We calculated mean scores of health status and explored the association with prolonged grief disorder using logistic regression adjusted for age, gender and education. Setting/participants: The health in caregivers of patients granted drug reimbursement due to terminal illness in Denmark in 2012 was assessed during caregiving and 6 months after bereavement ( n = 2125). Results: The SF-36 subscale ‘role-physical’ concerning role limitations due to physical health, the ‘mental health’ component score, and all ‘mental health’ subscales showed significantly worse health in the participants than in the general population. Both poor physical health (adjusted OR: 1.05 (95% CI: 1.04–1.07)) and poor mental health (adjusted OR: 1.09 (95% CI: 1.07–1.11)) predicted prolonged grief disorder. Conclusion: Caregivers scored lower on one physical subscale and all mental health measures than the general population. Prolonged grief disorder was predicted by poor physical and mental health status before bereavement. Future research is needed on the use of health status in systematic assessment to identify caregivers in need of support.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 592-599 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Bing Liu ◽  
Ling-Ling Xue ◽  
Hui-Ping Xue ◽  
Ping Hou

It is very important to estimate the prevalence of inadequate health literacy and determine whether or not health literacy level differences predict the physical and mental health status of older adults. A cluster sampling method was selected. A total of 1396 older adults were interviewed. Three instruments were included: the Chinese Citizen Health Literacy Questionnaire, Short Form 36, and Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Scale. The health literacy scores were very low (71.74 ± 28.35). The physical and mental health scores were all moderate. The ADLs was ⩾22, which suggests that the ADLs of older adults were poor. The major influencing factors of physical health include health literacy, ADL, alcohol consumption, household income, marital status, and former occupation. The major factors influencing mental health included ADL, former occupation, age, and smoking. Health literacy was associated with physical health, but was not associated with mental health. Improving health literacy could increase health management and health status of older adults.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
M. Chylova ◽  
J.P. van Dijk ◽  
J. Rosenberger ◽  
I. Nagyova ◽  
M. Gavelova ◽  
...  

Aims:Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common cause of neurological disability in young adults and is frequently accompanied by symptoms of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study was to explore the association of depression and anxiety with health status in younger and older MS patients.Method:223 MS patients (67.3% female; mean age 38.9±10.8 years; mean disease duration 5.8±5.2 years) were divided into younger and older age groups (< 45 and ≥45 years). They completed questionnaires focusing on sociodemographic data, depression and anxiety (HADS), and physical and mental health status (SF-36). Functional disability (EDSS) was assessed by a neurologist. To analyse the data, a U-test and multiple linear regression analyses were performed.Results:A model consisting of age, gender, marital status, EDSS, depression and anxiety explained 46.6% of the variance in physical health status and 60.8% of the variance in mental health status (p≤.001). Depression was a significant predictor of physical health status in older MS patients and was associated with mental health status in both age groups (p≤0.001). Anxiety was related to worse physical and mental health status in younger MS patients, but not in the older ones.Conclusion:Depression in MS patients is associated with mental health status and with physical health status only in the older group; anxiety is associated only in younger MS patients with regard to their health status. Psychiatric diagnostics focusing on depression and anxiety might be important for treatment of MS patients in order to contribute to improving a patient's health status.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 299-316
Author(s):  
Qin Zhou ◽  
Zhichao Yin ◽  
Wei Wu ◽  
Ning Li

Abstract Background Mental disorders have become an important public health issue and evidence is lacking on the impact of childhood experience on adulthood mental health in regions of low and middle income. Using national representative data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we aimed to explore the impact of childhood familial environment on adulthood depression. Methods A total of 19 485 subjects were interviewed. The survey collected information on demographic variables, variables of childhood familial environment and potential pathway variables, including childhood health status, adulthood physical health status, adulthood social support and adulthood socio-economic status (SES). Depressive symptoms were measured by the 10-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Results Parents’ physical and mental health during the subjects’ childhood were significantly associated with adulthood mental health. Mothers’ smoking, unfair treatment and low family SES were associated with higher depressive symptoms in adulthood. Childhood physical and mental health status, adulthood physical health and adulthood SES might be important mediators in the pathways of childhood familial environment affecting adulthood depressive symptoms. Conclusions This study is the first to explore the relationship of childhood familial environment and adulthood depression in China. The results indicate that parents’ physical and mental health, health behaviour and treatment equity among children a important predictors for adult depression.


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