Spontaneous self-affirmation before and during COVID-19: Associations with information-seeking, worry and adherence

Objective: To assess the extent of spontaneous self-affirmation pre COVID-19 and during COVID-19 pandemic to identify for whom self-affirmation interventions might be helpful; and the extent to which spontaneous self-affirmation is associated with increased information-seeking, worry and adherence to UK government instructions. Methods: Two large nationally-representative surveys of UK adults were conducted via YouGov in March 2019 (pre COVID-19; N = 10421) and April 2020 (during COVID-19; N = 2252); both surveys measured demographic characteristics and spontaneous self-affirmation. The latter survey included measures of time spent accessing COVID-19 related news, worry about COVID-19 related news and degree of adherence to UK government instructions. Results: Spontaneous self-affirmation was lower before COVID-19 (44%) than it was during the pandemic (57%), although the pattern was in the opposite direction among older adults. Older adults were more likely to spontaneously self-affirm during COVID-19 than pre COVID-19. Greater spontaneous self-affirmation was associated with more time spent accessing news, and greater adherence to UK government instructions, but not media-related worry. Conclusions: The threat of COVID-19 may have triggered greater levels of spontaneous self-affirmation, which could give people the resources they needed to allow them to seek COVID-19-related news and adhere to UK government instructions. Groups lower in spontaneous self-affirmation, such as younger people could be targeted with brief interventions to promote self-affirmation and encourage performance of adaptive behaviors.

Literacy, Numeracy, and Health Information Seeking Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in the United States

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264318800918 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 32 (1-2) ◽

pp. 33-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Takashi Yamashita ◽

Anthony R. Bardo ◽

Darren Liu ◽

Phyllis A. Cummins

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Older Adults ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Information ◽

Health Care Providers ◽

Information Seeking ◽

The United States ◽

Health Information Seeking ◽

Care Providers ◽

Objectives: Health literacy is often viewed as an essential skill set for successfully seeking health information to make health-related decisions. However, this general understanding has yet to be established with the use of nationally representative data. The objective of this study was to provide the first nationally representative empirical evidence that links health information seeking behaviors with health literacy among middle-age to older adults in the United States. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2012/2014 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Literacy (PIAAC). Our analytic sample is representative of adults age 45 to 74 years ( N = 2,989). Results: Distinct components of health literacy (i.e., literacy and numeracy) were uniquely associated with the use of different health information sources (e.g., health professionals, the Internet, television). Discussion: Findings should be useful for government agencies and health care providers interested in targeting health communications, as well as researchers who focus on health disparities.

CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE, MUSCLE WEAKNESS, AND MOBILITY LIMITATION

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.1926 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S523-S523

Author(s):

Kenzie Latham-Mintus ◽

Simit Doshi ◽

Ranjani Moorthi

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Chronic Kidney Disease ◽

Kidney Disease ◽

Muscle Strength ◽

Muscle Weakness ◽

Physical Functioning ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Mobility Limitations ◽

Walking Speeds

Abstract Objectives: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased mobility limitation. Prior research has documented that peripheral nerve abnormalities occur early in CKD and progressively worsen. Loss of balance, impaired muscle strength, and slow gait predispose older adults to falls and frailty. However, the current literature is limited by a lack of nationally representative data that includes objective measures of kidney disease and physical functioning. Thus, this research examines whether CKD is associated with muscle strength, balance, gait, and self-reported mobility limitations. Methods: Data come from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Estimated GFR, a measure of kidney functioning derived from creatinine levels in the blood, was used to classify CKD (i.e, eGFR<45 or Stage 3b CKD). Logistic and linear regression models were generated to examine the association of CKD with physical functioning, net of demographic characteristics (i.e., age, sex, race, and education) and comorbidities (i.e., obesity, pain, and number of diagnosed medical conditions). Results: In unadjusted models, CKD was significantly associated (p<0.05) with more mobility limitations, slower walking speeds, stronger grip strengths, and non-participation in balance tests. After adjusting for covariates, CKD (β=-1.43, p=0.01) was negatively associated with grip strength. In sex-stratified models, CKD was associated with slower walking speeds among men, whereas CKD was associated with more mobility limitations among women. Discussion: In a nationally representative sample of older adults, CKD was associated with poorer physical functioning on multiple measures. After adjusting for demographic characteristics and comorbidities, CKD was associated with increased muscle weakness.

Chronic Conditions May Be More Important Than Race or Ethnicity in Relation to Health Information Seeking and Use

Journal of Aging and Health ◽

10.1177/0898264317744643 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 611-630 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ronica N. Rooks ◽

Craig G. Kapral ◽

Arlesia L. Mathis

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Information ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Chronic Conditions ◽

Household Survey ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Survey Results ◽

The Impact

Objective: This research examines health information (HI) seeking and use among middle-aged and older adults with chronic health conditions. Method: We used logistic regression models to analyze HI seeking ( N = 7,822) and use (N = 4,541-4,547) among participants (aged 45+ years) with chronic conditions from the nationally-representative Health Tracking Household Survey. Results: Adults aged 45+ years with chronic conditions were significantly more likely to seek and use HI; however, these results varied based on the age and education. Compared with Whites, Latinos were less likely to seek HI but more likely to use HI to treat illness, and African Americans were more likely to use HI to maintain health. Conclusion: Middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions are prominent HI seekers and users. Proficient HI seeking and use may have the potential to enhance control over one’s own health, maintain independence in the community, and reduce the impact of negative health consequences on the health care system.

Older adults and internet health information seeking

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e577402012-003 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Tamer El-Attar ◽

Jarvis Gray ◽

Sankaran N. Nair ◽

Raymond Ownby ◽

Sara J. Czaja

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Information ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Health Information Seeking ◽

Internet Health Information

Faculty Opinions recommendation of The association of frailty with olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in older adults: a nationally representative sample.

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.739007216.793580865 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Wise

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Representative Sample ◽

Longitudinal relationship of diabetes and depressive symptoms in older adults from Mexico: a secondary data analysis

BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care ◽

10.1136/bmjdrc-2020-001789 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. e001789

Author(s):

Teresa Alvarez-Cisneros ◽

Paloma Roa-Rojas ◽

Carmen Garcia-Peña

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Secondary Data ◽

Random Effects Models ◽

Health Factors ◽

Longitudinal Association ◽

Common Risk Factors ◽

Relationship Of

IntroductionSeveral studies have argued a causal relationship between diabetes and depression, while others have highlighted that their association is a result of common risk factors. Because Mexico is a country with a high prevalence of diabetes, and diabetes and depression are a frequent comorbidity, we chose this country to investigate the longitudinal relationship of these two conditions, focusing on the influence of demographic, health, and socioeconomic factors which could act as common risk factors for both conditions.Research design and methodsUsing the harmonized Mexican Health and Aging Study, a nationally representative sample of adults older than 50 with a response rate of 93%, we analyzed the longitudinal relationship of diabetes and depressive symptoms using ‘between-within’ random-effects models, focusing on the effect of demographic, socioeconomic and health factors.ResultsWhile older adults with diabetes reported a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms in the four waves of the study, there was no causal longitudinal association between them once controlling for demographic, socioeconomic and health factors (between-effect OR=0.88, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.01; within-effect OR=0.87, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.11).ConclusionsThere is no causal longitudinal association between diabetes and depression; the higher prevalence of depression among older adults with diabetes seems a result of socioeconomic and health factors that are not exclusive to respondents with diabetes but are more frequent in this group. Our results highlight the importance of prevention and control of chronic conditions as well as the role of socioeconomic inequalities in mental health.

The Association Between Recent Family Death and Self-Perceptions of Aging Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1457 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 450-450

Author(s):

Shu Xu

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Child Death ◽

Parental Death ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Self Perceptions ◽

Perceptions Of Aging ◽

And Gender ◽

Family Loss

Abstract The loss of a family member may have a significant influence on one’s aging experience in life. Self-perceptions of aging, which are an individual’s beliefs or evaluation of their experiences of aging, have been described as an important factor for one’s health and daily life. However, there is little research on the association between family death and self-perceptions of aging. This study examines the relationships between recent family death, self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved among middle-aged and older adults. Using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we conducted cross-sectional analysis on adults age 50 years and older (n=1,839). Self-perceptions of aging were accessed by 8 items derived from the Attitudes Toward Own Aging subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale and the Berlin Aging Study, and we considered recent family death (i.e., parental death, spousal death, sibling death and child death), as well as gender of the bereaved. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that respondents who experienced recent family death report less positive self-perceptions of aging compared to those who did not experience recent family death (t = 12.40, p < .01). Recent parental death was more negatively related with self-perceptions of aging for bereaved women than for bereaved men (χ2 = 4.28, p < .05). Findings suggest that middle-aged and older adults experiencing recent family loss have less positive self-perceptions of aging, and gender of the bereaved plays an important role in the relationship between parental death and self-perceptions of aging.

Experience of establishing and coordinating a nationwide network for bidirectional intussusception surveillance in India: lessons for multisite research studies

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046827 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. e046827

Author(s):

Manoja Kumar Das

Keyword(s):

Quality Assurance ◽

Site Selection ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Selection Process ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Vaccine Safety ◽

Secondary Outcome ◽

Prospective Surveillance ◽

Surveillance Network ◽

ObjectivesTo document and share the process of establishing the nationally representative multisite surveillance network for intussusception in India, coordination, data management and lessons learnt from the implementation.DesignThis study combined both retrospective and prospective surveillance approaches.Setting19 tertiary care institutions were selected in India considering the geographic representation and public and private mixParticipantsAll children under-2 years of age with intussusceptionPrimary and secondary outcome measuresThe experience of site selection, regulatory approvals, data collection, quality assurance and network coordination were documented.ResultsThe site selection process involved systematic and objective four steps including shortlisting of potential institutions, information seeking and telephonic interaction, site visits and site selection using objective criteria. Out of over 400 hospitals screened across India, 40 potential institutions were shortlisted and information was sought by questionnaire and interaction with investigators. Out of these, 25 institutes were visited and 19 sites were finally selected to participate in the study. The multistep selection process allowed filtering and identification of sites with adequate capacity and motivated investigators. The retrospective surveillance documented 1588 cases (range: 14–652 cases/site) and prospective surveillance recruited 621 cases (range: 5–191 cases/site). The multilayer quality assurance measures monitored and ensured protocol adherence, complete record retrieval and data completeness. The key challenges experienced included time taken for obtaining regulatory and ethical approvals, which delayed completion of the study. Ten sites continued with another multisite vaccine safety surveillance study.ConclusionThe experience and results of this systematic and objective site selection method in India are promising. The systematic multistep site selection and data quality assurance methods presented here are feasible and practical. The lessons from the establishment and coordination of this surveillance network can be useful in planning, selecting the sites and conducting multisite and surveillance studies in India and developing countries.