scholarly journals Imagining Personally-Relevant Outcomes Influences Perceived Risk of Viral Transmission for Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyssa Hannah Sinclair ◽  
Matthew Stanley ◽  
Shabnam Hakimi ◽  
Roberto Cabeza ◽  
R. Alison Adcock ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Adverse Health Outcomes ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Influenza Outbreaks

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a serious and prolonged public-health emergency. Older adults have been at significantly greater risk of hospitalization, ICU admission, and death due to COVID-19; as of February 2021, over 81% of COVID-19-related deaths in the U.S. occurred for people over the age of 65. Converging evidence from around the world suggests that age is the most significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 illness and for the experience of adverse health outcomes. Therefore, effectively communicating health-related risk information requires tailoring interventions to older adults’ needs. Using a novel informational intervention with a nationally-representative sample of 546 U.S. residents, we found that older adults reported increased perceived risk of COVID-19 transmission after imagining a personalized scenario with social consequences. Although older adults tended to forget numerical information over time, the personalized simulations elicited increases in perceived risk that persisted over a 1-3 week delay. Overall, our results bear broad implications for communicating information about health risks to older adults, and suggest new strategies to combat annual influenza outbreaks.

scholarly journals Television Viewing and Cognitive Dysfunction of Korean Older Adults

Healthcare ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 547
Author(s):  
Mi Sook Jung ◽  
Eunyoung Chung
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Dysfunction ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Tv Viewing ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Impact

This study examined the association between television (TV) viewing and cognitive dysfunction in elderly Koreans. Among participants of the 2014 National Survey of Older Koreans, 9644 were considered in this study. To better identify the association between two factors, propensity score (PS) matching with exact method was used. Finally, 168 viewers and non-viewers each were selected based on estimated PS on key variables and eliminating double matches. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed when controlling for possible covariates. Viewers were more likely to have cognitive dysfunction than non-viewers, with significant differences in most covariates. After correcting confounding effects of these covariates with PS matching, TV viewing was found to be a significant risk factor of cognitive dysfunction, along with absence of diagnosed hypertension and non-participation in physical leisure activities. TV viewing might be associated with increased risk of cognitive dysfunction in later life. Appropriate education and strategies to minimize TV viewing among older adults should be established to contribute to attenuating cognitive aging. More interventional studies can help older adults, caregivers, and healthcare professionals explore the cognitively beneficial alternatives to TV use considering the impact of socioeconomic factors of selecting TV viewing as a preferred leisure activity.

scholarly journals Evaluation of individual awareness of diabetes, related risk factors and complications in urban and rural people of Noakhali region, Bangladesh: a population-based study

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-15
Author(s):  
Md Khorshed Alam ◽  
Md Ariful Islam ◽  
Abhijit Das ◽  
Palash Karmakar ◽  
Pankaj Chandra Debnath ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Dominant Group ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Secondary Study ◽  
The Individual

This cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the individual awareness, related risk factors and complications of diabetes with socio-demographic profiles of the study individuals in Noakhali region, Bangladesh during June to December, 2013. A total 250 participants were selected randomly and data were collected using structured questionnaire. Among the respondents 47.20% were found male and 52.80% were female and majorities (52.00%) of the respondents were urban people. Respondents completed secondary study level or below were the dominant group. 9.20%, 27.20%, 12.80% and 34.40% respondents were agriculturist, businessman and housewives respectively. Women showed better knowledge about overall diabetes (20.00%) and blood glucose level (9.60%), in case of causes, symptoms and management men (12.80%, 23.20% and 18.40% respectively) were found dominant than women (10.00%, 16.00% and 12.00% respectively). It was found that 13.20% respondents were suffering from impaired glucose tolerance and 79.20% had diabetes mellitus where female were more vulnerable than male. Family history was found the significant risk factor (p= 0.016; Ç2 = 5.849) for diabetes (total 62%, male 40.65% and female 59.35%), Other risk factors like age (67.20%), obesity (46.40%), hypercholesterolemia (82.00%), excess triglyceride (78.00%) and hypertension (29.60%) remained insignificant respectively and in every cases female were found more vulnerable than men. Study revealed that knowledge regarding diabetes was not up to the mark to the respondents though it is now one of the most pandemic diseases in the world.Bangladesh J Medicine Jan 2016; 27(1) : 8-15

scholarly journals Definitions and Risk Factors for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in an Adult Cohort

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alyssa Denton ◽  
Lilian Thorpe ◽  
Alexandra Carter ◽  
Adriana Angarita-Fonseca ◽  
Karen Waterhouse ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Drug Resistant ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Drug Resistant Epilepsy ◽  
New Diagnosis

Background: Less than one-third of people with epilepsy will develop drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Establishing the prognosis of each unique epilepsy case is an important part of evaluation and treatment.Most studies on DRE prognosis have been based on a pooled, heterogeneous group, including children, adults, and older adults, in the absence of clear recognition and control of important confounders, such as age group. Furthermore, previous studies were done before the 2010 definition of DRE by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), so data based on the current definitions have not been entirely elucidated. This study aimed to explore the difference between 3 definitions of DRE and clinical predictors of DRE in adults and older adults.Methods: Patients with a new diagnosis of epilepsy ascertained at a Single Seizure Clinic (SSC) in Saskatchewan, Canada were included if they had at least 1 year of follow-up. The first study outcome was the diagnosis of DRE epilepsy at follow-up using the 2010 ILAE definition. This was compared with 2 alternative definitions of DRE by Kwan and Brodie and Camfield and Camfield. Finally, risk factors were analyzed using the ILAE definition.Results: In total, 95 patients with a new diagnosis of epilepsy and a median follow-up of 24 months were included. The median age of patients at the diagnosis of epilepsy was 33 years, and 51% were men. In the cohort, 32% of patients were diagnosed with DRE by the Kwan and Brodie definition, 10% by Camfield and Camfield definition, and 15% by the ILAE definition by the end of follow-up. The only statistically significant risk factor for DRE development was the failure to respond to the first anti-seizure medication (ASM).Conclusion: There were important differences in the percentage of patients diagnosed with DRE when using 3 concurrent definitions. However, the use of the ILAE definition appeared to be the most consistent through an extended follow-up. Finally, failure to respond to the first ASM was the sole significant risk factor for DRE in the cohort after considering the age group.

Risk factors for loneliness among older people in a Nordic regional context – a longitudinal study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Fredrica Nyqvist ◽  
Marina Näsman ◽  
Jessica Hemberg ◽  
Mikael Nygård
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Northern Sweden ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Regional Context ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Logistic Regressions

Abstract The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of loneliness among older people and to identify risk factors for loneliness in a Nordic regional context over a six-year period. Longitudinal data from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) study of 4,269 older adults living in northern Sweden and western Finland, aged 65, 70, 75 and 80 at baseline in 2010, were analysed. Logistic regressions were used to analyse socio-demographic, social and health-related risk factors at baseline and changes in these for experiences of loneliness at follow-up. The results showed that most older adults (85%) did not experience loneliness at baseline or at follow-up in our study region. However, 3 per cent of the sample reported loneliness in both study years, indicating enduring and chronic loneliness. Analyses revealed that being widowed and becoming a widow/er as well as poor self-rated health at baseline and the onset of depression were risk factors for loneliness. Finally, the risk of loneliness was higher in older people living in Sweden. Further work is needed to explore changes and stability in loneliness as well as to increase our understanding of between-country differences in loneliness.

scholarly journals Teenagers and Precision Psychiatry: A Window of Opportunity

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Maya Sabatello ◽  
Ying Chen ◽  
Carmen Fiorella Herrera ◽  
Erika Brockhoff ◽  
Jehannine Austin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Sensation Seeking ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Psychiatric Genetics ◽  
Psychiatric Genetic ◽  
Gene Environment ◽  
Related Risk ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> Precision medicine raises hope for translating genetic-based knowledge about psychiatric risks into mental health benefits by motivating health-related, risk-reducing behaviors. Teenagers (ages 14–17) are an important age-group to engage in preventive efforts but, their views about psychiatric genetics are understudied. <b><i>Method:</i></b> An online survey with a nationally representative sample of teenagers (<i>n</i> = 417) was conducted. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 handouts, 1 emphasizing the genetic underpinnings of psychiatric conditions; the other agency-oriented and focusing on gene-environment interactions. Survey questions queried their views about behavioral changes in response to psychiatric genetic risk information and expressed willingness to undertake them. Participants’ decision-making characteristics (i.e., self-efficacy, empowerment, intolerance of uncertainty, and sensation-seeking) were assessed at baseline. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Teenagers strongly valued the information provided and its potential usefulness for their mental health. Information about psychiatric genetics alone impacted views about the causes of mental illness. Contrary to our hypothesis, the type of handout did not impact participants’ expressed willingness to make behavioral changes to reduce their risk of developing a psychiatric condition, but their sense of empowerment played a key role in their responses. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Educating teenagers about gene-environment interactions may help facilitate the translational efforts of precision psychiatry. Research with teenagers across racial/ethnic groups, especially those with family histories, is needed to better understand the factors that impact teenagers’ empowerment in psychiatric genomic settings and to identify measures, including the best enablers of empowerment (e.g., educators, parents), which would allow them to reap the benefits of precision psychiatry.

scholarly journals Golf as a Physical Activity to Potentially Reduce the Risk of Falls in Older Adults with Parkinson’s Disease

Sports ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 72
Author(s):  
Rebecca R. Bliss ◽  
Frank C. Church
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Advanced Age ◽  
Golf Club ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Risk Of Falls

Advanced age is associated with an increased risk for falls in aging adults. Older adults are also more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD), with advanced age as the most significant risk factor. PD is a neurodegenerative disorder with four Cardinal motor symptoms: rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability, and tremor. Thus, people (person)-with-Parkinson’s disease (PwP) have an even greater risk of falling than non-disorder age-matched peers. Exercise is an activity requiring physical effort, typically carried out to sustain or improve overall health and fitness, and it lowers the risk of falls in the general population. The sport of golf provides a low-impact all-around workout promoting a range of motion, activation of muscles in the upper and lower body, flexibility, and balance. Swinging a golf club offers a unique combination of high amplitude axial rotation, strengthening postural musculature, coordination, and stabilization, demonstrating the potential to impact PD symptoms positively. Golf may be a novel exercise treatment regimen for PD to use in conjunction with traditional medical therapy. We completed a literature review to determine the relationship between the game of golf, PD, and the risk of falls. We concluded that regularly playing golf can lower the risk for falls in community ambulating older adults with PD and demonstrates the potential to improve quality of life for PwP.

scholarly journals Smokeless tobacco use: its prevalence and relationships with dental symptoms, nutritional status and blood pressure among rural women in Burkina Faso

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeoffray Diendéré ◽  
N. Augustin Zeba ◽  
Leon Nikiéma ◽  
Ahmed Kaboré ◽  
W. Paul Sawadogo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Smokeless Tobacco ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Western Africa ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Introduction: Sub-Saharan women use smokeless tobacco (SLT) more than smoked tobacco. Among Western Africa countries, the estimated weighted prevalence of SLT use in rural women was the highest in Burkina Faso (after Sierra Leone). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of SLT use and its associated factors among rural women in Burkina Faso by using nationally representative data. Methods: We used data from the 2013 STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) study, which provided sociodemographic, clinical (anthropometric, systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], dental symptoms), biological (total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood sugar), and tobacco and alcohol consumption data. Data for 1730 rural women were used, and we performed Student’s, chi-squared, and Fisher’s exact tests and logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of current SLT use was 13.8% (95% CI: 12.2-15.5). Significant risks for SLT use were the presence of dental symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.59; p = 0.0001), undernourishment (aOR = 1.78; p = 0.002), a decrease in waist circumference (aOR = 0.98; p = 0.023), a decrease in DBP (aOR = 0.97; p = 0.006), increase in the unit of SBP (aOR = 1.01; p = 0.017), and an increase in differential blood pressure (aOR = 1.01; p = 0.041). The co-use of alcohol was also a significant risk factor (aOR = 2.80; p = 0.0001). Conclusion: The prevalence of current SLT use was high among rural women in Burkina Faso, and significant concerns for users included alcohol co-use, the occurrence of dental symptoms, undernourishment, and an increase in differential blood pressure. National Public Health interventions are needed to reduce SLT use and its health-related concerns.

scholarly journals Associations Between Physical Activity and Living Alone: Are There Differences by Gender?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 495-496
Author(s):  
Jianjia Cheng ◽  
Emily Nicklett
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Living Arrangements ◽  
Health Behavior Change ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Metabolic Equivalents ◽  
Lifestyle Questionnaire ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Nearly one in three adults aged 65 and older live alone in the U.S. Despite this increasing trend, there remains little understanding regarding the relationship between living alone and physical activity (PA) in older adulthood. Is living alone a risk factor for lower levels of PA among older adults? The effects of living arrangements on health behaviors could differ by gender; however, findings from prior studies on this topic have been mixed or inconclusive. This is one of few studies to examine whether PA is associated with living alone (vs. living with others) and whether the association differs by gender using longitudinal data. Our data were drawn from 2006-2014 Psychosocial and Lifestyle Questionnaire of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of older adults in the U.S. (N=17371, mean age=75.4). PA was measured repeatedly using metabolic equivalents of task (MET) estimated values accounting for the vigor and frequency of self-reported PA (range 0-31). Using mixed-effects linear regression, we found that living alone was significantly associated with higher levels of PA (Coeff.: 0.41, p&lt;0.001). When examined separately by gender, living alone was associated with significantly higher PA among women (Coeff.: 0.47, p&lt;0.001) but not among men (Coeff.: 0.29, p=0.14) after controlling for marital status, other sociodemographic characteristics, and health-related indicators. Our study provides evidence of gendered differences in initiating and maintaining health behavior change in relation to living arrangements. Findings provide implications for the design of PA promotion programs and policies for older adults.

scholarly journals Smokeless tobacco use: its prevalence and relationships with dental symptoms, nutritional status and blood pressure among rural women in Burkina Faso

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeoffray Diendéré ◽  
Augustin Nawidimbasba Zeba ◽  
Leon Nikiéma ◽  
Ahmed Kaboré ◽  
Paul Windinpsidi Savadogo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Smokeless Tobacco ◽  
Rural Women ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background: Sub-Saharan women use smokeless tobacco (SLT) more than smoked tobacco. Among Western African countries, the estimated weighted prevalence of SLT use in rural women was found to be the highest in Burkina Faso (after Sierra Leone). This study aimed to assess the prevalence of SLT use and its associated factors among rural women in Burkina Faso by using nationally representative data.Methods: We used data from the 2013 STEPwise approach to Surveillance (STEPS) study, which provided sociodemographic, clinical (anthropometric, systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP] and dental symptoms), biological (total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and fasting blood sugar), and tobacco and alcohol consumption data. Data for 1730 rural women were used, and we performed Student’s chi-squared and logistic regression analyses.Results: The prevalence of current SLT use was 13.8% (95% CI: 12.2-15.5). Significant risks for SLT use were the presence of dental symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.59; p<0.001), undernourishment (aOR = 1.78; p<0.01), decreased waist circumference (aOR = 0.98; p<0.05), decreased DBP (aOR = 0.97; p<0.01), increased SBP (aOR = 1.01; p<0.05), and increased differential blood pressure (aOR = 1.01; p<0.05). The co-use of alcohol was also a significant risk factor (aOR = 2.80; p<0.001).Conclusion: The prevalence of current SLT use was high among rural women in Burkina Faso, and significant concerns for users included alcohol co-use, the occurrence of dental symptoms, undernourishment, and an increase in differential blood pressure. National Public Health interventions are needed to reduce SLT use and its health-related concerns.

scholarly journals Association between heart rate response during orthostatic test and falls in polymorbid patients aged 60 years and older

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-441
Author(s):  
A. V. Turusheva ◽  
Yu. V. Kotovskaya ◽  
E. V. Frolova
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
High Risk ◽  
Orthostatic Hypotension ◽  
Significant Risk ◽  
Significant Risk Factor ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Orthostatic Test ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Risk Of Falls

Background. Orthostatic hypotension is a significant risk factor of falling in older adults. To diagnose the orthostatic hypotension an orthostatic test is used with assessment of heart rate (HR) response, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at the 3rd minute after the rise. However, according to studies, measurement of SBP and DBP at the 1st minute after rising can be more sensitive to detect older adults at risk of falling than at 3rd minute.Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of changes in SBP, DBP and HR at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd minutes when performing an orthostatic test for identification of the elderly at high-risk of falls.Design and methods. This cross-sectional study included 100 adults aged 59+. Among them women comprise 56 % (n = 56). The following procedures were performed: the orthostatic test, anthropometry, medical history, assessment of drug treatment, depression evaluation, dementia and the degree of autonomy decline.Results. HR response at the 1st minute after the transition from horizontal to vertical position is more significant factor of falls risk than SBP and DBP changes during performing of orthostatic test. Absence of HR increasing during the transition from horizontal to vertical position associates with 10‑fold of risk falls among older adults: odds ratio 95 % confidence interval (OR 95 % CI) 10,5 (2,9–37,8). This association remained significant even after adjusting for age, gender, β-blockers use and comorbidity.Conclusion. Absence of HR increasing during the transition from horizontal to vertical position is a high sensitive marker of detecting older adults with polymorbidity in patients with the high risk of falls.

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