The Impact of Perceived Stress, Social Support, and Home-Based Physical Activity on Mental Health among Older Adults

2011 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
pp. 137-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Hwa Kwag ◽  
Peter Martin ◽  
Daniel Russell ◽  
Warren Franke ◽  
Marian Kohut
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Niu Qing ◽  
Sifeng Zhang

As the aging continues, China has become the country with the largest older population. In order to ensure the well-being of older adults in their later years, the whole society is increasingly concerned about the mental health of older adults. In 2019, we conduct a questionnaire survey in Shaanxi Province. Stratified random sampling is used to select three representative cities, and 677 samples are selected from the survey results for research. By using the structural equation model, we aim to reveal the mechanism of leisure activities’ influence on mental health of the older adults and verify whether social support and perceived stress play a mediating role. The study finds that the older adults’ leisure activities have no significant direct impact on mental health. Social support has a significant mediating effect between leisure activities and mental health of the older adults. Leisure activities indirectly affect the mental health of the older adults through social support, and participation in leisure activities can improve the social support of the older adults, thus improving the mental health level of the older adults. Perceived stress plays a significant mediating role between leisure activities and mental health of the older adults. By participating in leisure activities, the perceived stress of the older adults will be reduced, thus improving their mental health. Social support and perceived stress play a sufficient mediating role in the influence of leisure activities on mental health.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 742-743
Author(s):  
M Ory ◽  
S Towne ◽  
Y Du ◽  
S Lee ◽  
M Smith

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 272-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oliver W.A. Wilson ◽  
Kelsey E. Holland ◽  
Lucas D. Elliott ◽  
Michele Duffey ◽  
Melissa Bopp

Background: Investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on both physical activity (PA) and mental health is important to demonstrate the need for interventions. This study examined the apparent impact of the pandemic on college students’ PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Methods: From 2015 through 2020, data were collected at the beginning and end of the spring semester at a large Northeastern US university via an online survey assessing student demographics, PA, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms. Mixed ANOVA examined differences in PA and mental health changes over the spring semester between “normal” and COVID-19 circumstances. Two-way ANOVA examined the interaction between circumstance and changes in PA in relation to changes in mental health. Results: Participants (n = 1019) were predominately women and non-Hispanic white. There was a significant decline in PA and an increase in perceived stress under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances and a significant increase in depressive symptoms under COVID-19, but not normal, circumstances among women. Conclusions: A significant decline in PA and mental health among college students occurred under COVID-19 circumstances, and PA did not appear to protect against deterioration in mental health. Proactive and innovative policies, programs, and practices to promote student health and well-being must be explored immediately.


Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 112
Author(s):  
Chi Zhang ◽  
Sifeng Zhang ◽  
Qing Niu

With the increase in aging in China, the health problems of older adults, especially mental health problems, have become a concern for the whole society. This article selected urban and rural older adults and analyzed the impact of social support on their mental health using a binary logistic model. It was found that under the current urban–rural dichotomy, the effects of social support on the mental health of urban and rural older adults are significantly different. In social support, first, the fairness and satisfaction with the social security system only had a significant effect on the mental health of urban older adults and had no significant effect on the rural older adults. Second, the closeness of contact with grassroots community workers had a significant impact on the mental health of older adults in urban and rural areas. From informal social support, the mental health of rural older adults was mainly influenced by the support of their children, reflecting the influence of the traditional culture of “filial piety”. Furthermore, the mental health of urban older adults was mainly influenced by neighborhood support, reflecting the importance of “close neighbors are better than distant relatives”. Based on the results of the empirical study, this article suggests that to promote the mental health of older adults, we should start by strengthening the formal social support system, establishing high-quality community service facilities, and emphasizing the role of informal social support.


2021 ◽  
pp. 101269022110456
Author(s):  
Ivana Matteucci

The aim of this paper was to photograph this precise moment in history, focusing on the situation of older adults during the COVID-19 health emergency in Northern Italy. In particular, we analysed the relationship between social networks and social support, sport and recreational activity, and the use of communications technologies in December 2020. We investigated and discussed such use of technologies, wondering if and how it helped to compensate for the diminishment in social health, usually gained trough social interactions and the practice of sport and physical activity. We examined how reduction of mobility, social distancing and isolation measures imposed by the government to reduce the spread of COVID-19, affected the living conditions of the older adults, in particular their social health, and the level of sport and physical activity they were engaged in. We collected data through interviews with the subjects, assessing their social networks, the perceived social support provided by their family members, friends and caregivers, and the level of sport and physical activity they were engaged in. Moreover, we analysed the impact of technological communications devices, which were employed to help older adults to maintain their relationships with the outside world and to preserve their active life. The interview questions were formulated based on the Lubben Social Network Scale-Revised (LSNS-R), the short version of the Social Support List (SSL12-I) for the elderly and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE). A relationship was found between the social health related to physical activity of the older adults subjects during the COVID-19 emergency and the use of communications technologies, which played a role in mitigating the impact of the crisis on their social health by helping them to keep physically and socially active.


Author(s):  
Luc Goethals ◽  
Nathalie Barth ◽  
Jessica Guyot ◽  
David Hupin ◽  
Thomas Celarier ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Older adults and those with pre-existing medical conditions are at risk of death from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). In this period of quarantine, one of the reasons for going out is physical activity. This issue is important, as the impact of a sedentary lifestyle might be lower for children and young adults, but is far more severe for older adults. Although older adults need to stay at home because they have a higher risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), they need to avoid a sedentary lifestyle. Physical activity is important for older adults, especially to maintain their level of independence, mental health, and well-being. Maintaining mobility in old age is necessary, as it may predict loss of independence in older adults. OBJECTIVE Our first objective was to evaluate the impact of this quarantine period on physical activity programs and on the physical and mental health of older adults. Our second objective was to discuss alternatives to physical activity programs that could be suggested for this population to avoid a sedentary lifestyle. METHODS We conducted a qualitative survey using semistructured interviews with professionals (managers in charge of physical activity programs for older adults and sports trainers who run these physical activity programs) from the French Federation of Physical Education and Voluntary Gymnastics (FFPEVG) and older adults participating in a physical activity program of the FFPEVG. We followed a common interview guide. For analysis, we carried out a thematic analysis of the interviews. RESULTS This study suggests that the COVID-19 epidemic has affected, before quarantine measures, the number of seniors attending group physical activity programs in the two study territories. In addition, despite the decline in their participation in group physical activities before the quarantine, older adults expressed the need to perform physical activity at home. There is a need to help older adults integrate simple and safe ways to stay physically active in a limited space. A national policy to support older adults for physical activity at home appears essential in this context. CONCLUSIONS Given the results of our study, it seems necessary to globally communicate how important it is for older adults to maintain physical activity at home. We are concerned about the level of independence and mental health state of older adults after the end of quarantine if there is no appropriate campaign to promote physical activity among them at home.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lígia Moreira Almeida ◽  
Cristina Costa-Santos ◽  
José Peixoto Caldas ◽  
Sónia Dias ◽  
Diogo Ayres-de-Campos

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess the influence of I mmigration on the psychological health of women after childbirth. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, immigrant and Portuguese-native women delivering in the four public hospitals of the metropolitan area of Porto, Portugal, were contacted by telephone between February and December 2012 during the first postpartum month to schedule a home visit and fill in a questionnaire. Most immigrant (76.1%) and Portuguese mothers (80.0%) agreed to participate and with the visits, thus a total of 89 immigrants and 188 Portuguese women were included in the study. The questionnaire included the application of four validated scales: Mental Health Inventory-5, Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, and Scale of Satisfaction with Social Support. Statistical analysis included t-test and Chi-square or Fisher’s test, and logistic regression models. RESULTS Immigrants had an increased risk of postpartum depression (OR = 6.444, 95%CI 1.858–22.344), and of low satisfaction with social support (OR = 6.118, 95%CI 1.991–18.798). We did not perceive any associations between migrant state, perceived stress, and impoverished mental health. CONCLUSIONS Immigrant mothers have increased vulnerabilities in the postpartum period, resulting in an increased risk of postpartum depression and lesser satisfaction with the received social support.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Svetlana Nikitina ◽  
Daniele Didino ◽  
Marcos Baez ◽  
Fabio Casati

BACKGROUND Regular physical activity has a positive effect on physical health, well-being, and life satisfaction of older adults. However, engaging in regular physical activity can be challenging for the elderly population because of reduced mobility, low motivation, or lack of the proper infrastructures in their communities. OBJECTIVE The objective of this paper was to study the feasibility of home-based online group training—under different group cohesion settings—and its effects on adherence and well-being among Russian older adults. We focused particularly on the technology usability and usage and on the adherence to the training (in light of premeasures of social support, enjoyment of physical activity, and leg muscle strength). As a secondary objective, we also explored the effects of the technology-supported intervention on subjective well-being and loneliness. METHODS Two pilot trials were carried out exploring two different group cohesion settings (weak cohesion and strong cohesion) in the period from 2015 to 2016 in Tomsk, Russian Federation. A total of 44 older adults (59-83 years) participated in the two pilots and followed a strength and balance training program (Otago) for 8 weeks with the help of a tablet-based virtual gym app. Participants in each pilot were assigned to an interaction condition, representing the online group exercising, and an individual condition, representing a home-based individual training. Both conditions featured persuasion strategies but differed in the ability to socialize and train together. RESULTS Both interaction and individual groups reported a high usability of the technology. Trainees showed a high level of technology acceptance and, particularly, a high score in intention to future use (4.2-5.0 on a 5-point Likert scale). Private texting (short service message [SMS]) was used more than public texting, and the strong cohesion condition resulted in more messages per user. Joint participations to training sessions (copresence) were higher for the social group with higher cohesion. The overall adherence to the training was 74% (SD 27%). Higher levels of social support at baseline were associated with higher adherence in the low cohesion condition (F1,18=5.23, P=.03), whereas in the high cohesion, such association was not found. Overall improvement in the satisfaction with life score was observed between pre and post measures (F1,31=5.85, P=.02), but no decrease in loneliness. CONCLUSIONS Online group exercising was proven feasible among healthy independently living older adults in Russia. The pilots suggest that a physical training performed in a virtual environment positively affect the life satisfaction of the trainees, but it does not provide support for a decrease in loneliness. High cohesion groups are preferable for group exercising, especially to mitigate effects of low social support on adherence. Further research in motivating group interactions in training settings is needed.


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