Do Neuroticism and Conscientiousness Interact with Health Conditions in Predicting 4-Year Changes in Self-Rated Health among Swedish Older Adults?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg Henning ◽  
Anne Ingeborg Berg ◽  
Anja Cengia ◽  
Isabelle Hansson ◽  
Svenja Spuling ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Disease Burden ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Health Indices ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Health Aging

Health conditions such as higher disease burden, pain or lower functional health are associated with poorer self-rated health (SRH). Whether these associations are moderated by psychosocial factors such as personality traits has rarely been investigated so far. In the present pre-registered analyses, we used five annual waves of the Health, Aging and Retirement Transitions in Sweden (HEARTS) study (n = 5,823, M(age) = 63.09, SD = 2.01) to investigate effects of personality (neuroticism and conscientiousness) and physical health indices (disease burden, pain, functional limitations), as well as their interaction, on levels and change in SRH. Higher neuroticism and lower conscientiousness were related to lower levels of SRH. These associations remained significant when controlling for the health indices. However, personality was not significantly related to change in SRH after controlling for the health indices, and personality did not moderate the effect of health indices on levels and change in SRH. When taking change in health indices into account, we found that increases in pain and functional limitations were more strongly associated with declines in SRH for those with high neuroticism. Our findings suggest that higher neuroticism may impair the ability to cope with increasing pain and functional limitations in later life.

scholarly journals DETERIORATING HEALTH AMONG OLDER ADULTS AND CORTISOL: LONGITUDINAL EVIDENCE FROM THE MIDUS STUDY

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S255-S256
Author(s):  
Julie Ober Allen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Health Data ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Diurnal Cortisol ◽  
Health Deterioration ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Various mental and physical health conditions common among older adults have been linked to cortisol dysregulation (i.e., blunting of daily cortisol patterns) in predominantly cross-sectional studies. Researchers have suggested that cortisol dysregulation interferes with regulatory functions throughout the body and brain, disrupting multiple biological systems, and contributing to the development or progression of negative health outcomes over time. Prospective studies are needed to investigate the causal direction of cortisol dysregulation and poor health outcomes. This study examined whether diurnal cortisol patterns predicted subsequent health deterioration using longitudinal data from the National Survey of Midlife in the US (MIDUS). Analysis was restricted to 1,336 participants who provided salivary cortisol (4 samples/day for 4 days) and health data in MIDUS II (2004-2009) and updated health data in MIDUS III (2013-2014) (mean age=56, 45% male, 94% White). We simultaneous modeled multiple measures of diurnal cortisol patterns and their relationships to changes in mental (depressive symptomology) and physical (self-rated physical health, functional limitations, and number of new chronic health conditions) health from MIDUS II to III. All indicators of physical health deterioration were associated with cortisol, though not all measures demonstrated relationships in the expected direction. Mental health change over time was unrelated to cortisol. Older age was also associated with increased functional limitations and more new chronic conditions but improvements in mental health over time. Findings suggest that diurnal cortisol patterns contribute to physical health deterioration over time, independent of age-related decline, but not mental health changes in later life.

scholarly journals Grandparenting and Health in Later Life: Intensity and Age, Gender, and Urbanicity Variations

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 26-26
Author(s):  
Yue Zeng ◽  
Yu-Chih Chen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Role Theory ◽  
Propensity Score Analysis ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Social Model ◽  
Mobility Limitations ◽  
Self Rated Health

Abstract Grandparents play increasingly indispensable roles in providing family care. Although prior cross-sectional studies have shown a positive link between grandparenting and health, we know little about the optimal engagement level of grandparenting, its longitudinal implications, and variations on health outcomes. Guided by the role theory and social model of health promotion, we used propensity score analysis and multilevel analysis with three biennial waves of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (2011-2015) to examine the longitudinal impacts of grandparenting intensity (no, low-, moderate-, and high-intensity) on health (mobility limitations, depressive symptoms, cognition, and self-rated health) among 4,925 older adults aged 45 and older, and how these impacts vary by age (45-59/60+), gender (male/female), and urbanicity (urban/rural). Controlling for the baseline sociodemographics (e.g., education and income), health limitations (e.g., ADLs and IADLs), and health behaviors (e.g., drinking and smoking), our results showed that, compared to no grandparenting, grandparenting provided at a moderate level was associated with fewer mobility limitations, lower depressive symptoms, and better cognition. Furthermore, grandparenting had a positive impact on physical, mental and cognitive health for 60+ older adults but not for the young-old. Both older males and females showed better physical health if they provided care at a low level, but older females showed better self-rated health. Older adults in the rural area showed better physical health; for the urban area older adults, better cognition. Findings suggest that policies aimed at supporting grandparents should consider the optimal threshold and variations by age, gender, and urbanicity.

scholarly journals Profile Groups Based on Lifestyle and Differences in Mental Health and Cognition

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 404-404
Author(s):  
Joseph Kim ◽  
Kyuree Kim
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Mail Survey ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Final Sample ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Mean Differences

Abstract The purpose of this study was to identify the profiles of older adults according to lifestyle. Data for the study were from the 2017 Consumption and Activities Mail Survey (CAMS). CAMS 2017 is a questionnaire mailed to a sub-sample of respondents from the Health and Retirement Study. Participants were limited to older adults 65 and older, and the final sample consisted of 1136 older adults. The sample included 443 men and 693 women. Caucasians comprised 82.0% of the participants. Lifestyle was measured through items assessing the amount of time spent on activities. Due to high skewness, the items were dichotomized, 0=no time spent on activity and 1=time spent on the activity. Latent class analysis (LCA) was performed to identify groups based on lifestyle. LCA is a person-centered approach for identifying unobserved subgroups based on similarity in responses to items. Three lifestyle groups were identified. Group 1 was “Outgoing” with 471 individuals. Group 2 was “Adequate” with 229 individuals. Group 3 was “Inactive” with 436 individuals. An ANOVA was then conducted to assess mean differences in self-rated health, cognition, depressive symptoms, and loneliness for the three lifestyle groups. The “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups had significantly higher scores on self-rated health and cognition, and in addition, significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms and loneliness compared to the “Inactive” group. No significant differences were observed between the “Outgoing” and “Adequate” groups. An implication from this study is the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle in later life for better mental health and cognition.

Physical health burdens and emotional distress in later life: the mediating effects of self-rated health

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Babatola D. Olawa ◽  
Sulaimon O. Adebayo ◽  
Bolade O. Mokuolu ◽  
Charles S. Umeh ◽  
Benjamine O. Omolayo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Mediating Effects ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Health Burdens

scholarly journals Self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245136
Author(s):  
Yuri Jang ◽  
Hyunwoo Yoon ◽  
Mengting Li ◽  
Nan Sook Park ◽  
David A. Chiriboga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Functional Disability ◽  
Korean Americans ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
American Sample ◽  
Older Chinese

In the present study, we examined self-rated health as a mediator between physical health conditions (chronic diseases and functional disability) and depressive symptoms in older Chinese and Korean Americans. Using harmonized data (N = 5,063) from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly (PINE) and the Study of Older Korean Americans (SOKA), we tested direct and indirect effect models. In both groups, chronic diseases and functional disability were closely associated with negative ratings of health and symptoms of depression. Analyses with the PROCESS macro showed that the effect of chronic diseases and functional disability on depressive symptoms was mediated by self-rated health in both groups; the indirect effect was greater in the Korean American sample than in the Chinese American sample. These findings contribute to the understanding of the psychological mechanisms that underlie the mind–body connection and highlight the potential importance of subjective health assessment as a useful tool for health promotion.

scholarly journals Patterns of Home Environmental Modification Use and Functional Health: The Women’s Health Initiative

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 2119-2124
Author(s):  
Laura M Welti ◽  
Kristen M Beavers ◽  
Annie Mampieri ◽  
Stephen R Rapp ◽  
Edward Ip ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Women ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Functional Health ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Heart Valve Disease ◽  
Environmental Modification ◽  
Major Health ◽  
History Of ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Recent Falls

Abstract Background We examined common patterns of home environmental modification (HEM) use and associated major (including disability-, cardiovascular-, and cancer-related) health conditions and events among older women. Methods Women, aged 78.6 ± 6.3 years (n = 71,257), self-reported utilization of nine types of HEMs (hand rails, grab bars, ramps, nonslip surfaces, tacking carpets/rugs, decreasing clutter, increasing lighting, raised sink/counter heights, other). Concurrent history of major health conditions and events was collected. Odds ratios (ORs) were estimated based on overall HEM use and four latent classes (low HEM use [56%], rails/grab bars [20%], lighting/decluttering [18%], high HEM use [5%]), adjusted for age, marital status, race/ethnicity, education, depression, and obesity. Results Fifty-five percent of women reported using any HEM (overall), with strongest associations among disability-related conditions. Activities of daily living limitations were strongly associated with high HEM use (OR = 8.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 6.62–10.05), railing/grab bar use (OR = 4.02, 95% CI = 3.26–4.95), and lighting/declutter use (OR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.40–2.50) versus low HEM use. Recent falls were positively associated with overall HEM use (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.72–1.87); high HEM use (OR = 2.89, 95% CI = 2.64–3.16), railings/grab bars use (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 2.18–2.48), and lighting/declutter use (OR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.79–2.08) were positively associated with recent falls. Modest associations were observed between HEM use and select (ie, atrial fibrillation, heart valve disease, stroke) cardiovascular outcomes. Conclusions Among older women, disability-related conditions, including functional limitations and recent falls, were strongly associated with overall HEM use, high HEM use, and railings/grab bar use.

scholarly journals SOCIAL ACTIVITIES AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG OLDER ADULTS IN MEXICO: IMPLICATIONS OF GENDER AND PHYSICAL HEALTH

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S215-S215
Author(s):  
Maria Monserud
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Older Men ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Social Activities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Studies in developed countries indicate that social activities can make a difference in mental health in later life. Yet, research on potential benefits of social activities for older adults in developing countries, including Mexico, has been scarce. This study uses the two most recent waves (2012, 2015) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study to investigate the impact of social activities on depressive symptoms among older men (n = 4, 749) and women (n = 6,527), aged 50+, in Mexico. The results of Ordinary Least Squares regressions indicate that it is important to differentiate among specific social activities in later life. Particularly, not only group-based but also solitary social activities were predictive of better mental health. Moreover, the findings demonstrate several gender differences and similarities. Participation in clubs, communication with relatives and friends, physical exercise, and watching television were beneficial for mental health among men, whereas volunteering, playing games, and making crafts were associated with fewer depressive symptoms among women. At the same time, reading as well as doing household chores were related to better mental health among older Mexicans, regardless of gender. Furthermore, this study shows that self-reported health, functional limitations, chronic conditions, and frequent pain might shape the implications of social activities for depressive symptoms among older adults in Mexico. The insights from this study can be helpful for intervention programs that are being developed to promote benefits of group-based and solitary social activities for mental health among older men and women with different levels of physical health.

Greenspace to facilitate the positive physical activity and mental health outcomes of older adults in Canada

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam G Gavarkovs
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Current System ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

The link between physical inactivity and poor health outcomes is well established. Older adults are especially at risk for many health conditions, and are one of the most inactive populations in Canada. Increasing levels of neighbourhood greenness has shown a positive relationship with walking and exercise behaviours, which in turn affects both mental and physical health. Currently in Ontario, the provincial Planning Act outlines the process of parkland dedication that individual municipalities are responsible for carrying out. This policy brief will discuss the inadequacies of the current system in effectively creating greenspace for older adults, and will propose several recommendations to resolve these issues.

scholarly journals FAMILY-MEMBER LOSS AS A CUMULATIVE BURDEN FOR HEALTH AMONG BLACK AND WHITE OLDER ADULTS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S604-S604
Author(s):  
Rachel Donnelly
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Functional Limitations ◽  
Black Americans ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Cardiometabolic Health ◽  
Black And White ◽  
Family Loss ◽  
The Life Course

Abstract The health consequences of multiple family member deaths across the life course has received less attention in the bereavement literature. Moreover, recent research shows that black Americans are more likely than white Americans to lose multiple family members. I analyze longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study (1992-2014) to assess how multiple family member losses across the life course are associated with declines in health among older adults. Findings suggest that multiple family losses prior to midlife are associated with a number of indicators of poor health (e.g., functional limitations, cardiometabolic health) and steeper declines in health as individuals age. Losses after midlife additionally undermine health declines for older adults. Thus, family member loss functions as a cumulative burden of stress across the life course that erodes health in mid- and later-life. Family loss disproportionately burdens black Americans and serves as a unique source of disadvantage for black families.

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