scholarly journals Subgroups in Late Adulthood Are Associated With Cognition and Wellbeing Later in Life

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tulsi A. Radhoe ◽  
Joost A. Agelink van Rentergem ◽  
Almar A. L. Kok ◽  
Martijn Huisman ◽  
Hilde M. Geurts

Objectives: In this study, we aim to discover whether there are valid subgroups in aging that are defined by modifiable factors and are determinant of clinically relevant outcomes regarding healthy aging.Method: Data from interviews were collected in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam at two measurement occasions with a 3-year interval. Input for the analyses were seven well-known vulnerability and protective factors of healthy aging. By means of community detection, we tested whether we could distinguish subgroups in a sample of 1478 participants (T1-sample, aged 61–101 years). We tested both the external validity (T1) and predictive validity (T2) for wellbeing and subjective cognitive decline. Moreover, replicability and long-term stability were determined in 1186 participants (T2-sample, aged 61–101 years).Results: Three similar subgroups were identified at T1 and T2. Subgroup A was characterized by high levels of education with personal vulnerabilities, subgroup B by being physically active with low support and low levels of education, and subgroup C by high levels of support with low levels of education. Subgroup C showed the lowest wellbeing and memory profile, both at T1 and T2. On most measures of wellbeing and memory, subgroups A and B did not differ from each other. At T2, the same number of subgroups was identified and subgroup profiles at T1 and T2 were practically identical. Per T1 subgroup 47–62% retained their membership at T2.Discussion: We identified valid subgroups that replicate over time and differ on external variables at current and later measurement occasions. Individual change in subgroup membership over time shows that transitions to subgroups with better outcomes are possible.

2013 ◽  
Vol 20 (5) ◽  
pp. 602-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ipek Ensari ◽  
Robert W Motl ◽  
Edward McAuley ◽  
Sean P Mullen ◽  
Anthony Feinstein

Background: Depressive symptoms are common in multiple sclerosis (MS), yet there is little information about the pattern and predictors of changes in depressive symptoms over time. Objective: We examined changes in depressive symptoms over a 30-month period and the demographic, clinical and behavioral predictors of such changes in relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS). Methods: 269 persons with RRMS completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a demographic/clinical scale, Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) scale every 6 months over a 30-month period. Data were analyzed using latent class growth modeling (LCGM). Results: LCGM identified a two-class model for changes in HADS depression scores over time. Class 1 involved lower initial status (i.e. fewer depressive symptoms) and linear decreases in depressive symptoms over time (i.e. improving HADS scores), whereas Class 2 involved higher initial status (i.e. more depressive symptoms) and linear increases in depressive symptoms over time (i.e. worsening HADS scores). LCGM further indicated that being older (OR = 2.46; p < .05), married (OR = 2.62; p < .05), employed (OR = 4.29; p < .005) and physically active (OR = 2.71; p < .05) predicted a greater likelihood of belonging to C1 than C2. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms change over time in persons with RRMS, and the pattern of change can be predicted by modifiable and non-modifiable factors.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 725-725
Author(s):  
Jens Abbing ◽  
Bianca Suanet ◽  
Marjolein Broese van Groenou

Abstract This study aims at investigating to what extent inequalities in the use of formal, informal and privately paid care have changed over time. Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) was used from three points in time (1995, 2005 and 2015) that capture distinct periods in the recent development of the Dutch long-term care system. In particular, the reforms of 2007 and 2015 might have impacted care uses. All participants (N = 1810) were living at home and between the age of 75 and 85 at measurement. The results indicate that, adjusted for health and partner status, formal, informal and privately paid care have decreased over time. Socioeconomic differences in informal care use have increased over time, but no change was found for privately paid or formal care use. These findings suggest that changes in the LTC system and long-term care resources in particular benefit lower socioeconomic groups.


Crisis ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoon A. Leenaars ◽  
David Lester

Canada's rate of suicide varies from province to province. The classical theory of suicide, which attempts to explain the social suicide rate, stems from Durkheim, who argued that low levels of social integration and regulation are associated with high rates of suicide. The present study explored whether social factors (divorce, marriage, and birth rates) do in fact predict suicide rates over time for each province (period studied: 1950-1990). The results showed a positive association between divorce rates and suicide rates, and a negative association between birth rates and suicide rates. Marriage rates showed no consistent association, an anomaly as compared to research from other nations.


This chapter compares the leadership capital of two long-serving UK prime ministers: Tony Blair and Margaret Thatcher, treble election winners who held office for a decade. Mapping their capital over time reveals two very different patterns. Thatcher began with low levels of capital, building to a mid-term high and final fragile dominance, though her capital fell between elections. Blair possessed very high levels from the outset that gradually declined in a more conventional pattern. Both benefited from electoral dominance and a divided opposition, Thatcher’s strength lay in her policy vision while Blair’s stemmed from his popularity and communication skills. The LCI reveals that both prime ministers were successful without being popular, sustained in office by the electoral system. Towards the end of their tenures, both leaders’ continued dominance masked fragility, ousted when unrest in their parties and policy unpopularity eroded their capital.


Author(s):  
Noah A. Schuster ◽  
Sascha de Breij ◽  
Laura A. Schaap ◽  
Natasja M. van Schoor ◽  
Mike J. L. Peters ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose Delay of routine medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic may have serious consequences for the health and functioning of older adults. The aim of this study was to investigate whether older adults reported cancellation or avoidance of medical care during the first months of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to explore associations with health and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods Cross-sectional data of 880 older adults aged ≥ 62 years (mean age 73.4 years, 50.3% female) were used from the COVID-19 questionnaire of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, a cohort study among community-dwelling older adults in the Netherlands. Cancellation and avoidance of care were assessed by self-report, and covered questions on cancellation of primary care (general practitioner), cancellation of hospital outpatient care, and postponed help-seeking. Respondent characteristics included age, sex, educational level, loneliness, depression, anxiety, frailty, multimorbidity and information on quarantine. Results 35% of the sample reported cancellations due to the COVID-19 situation, either initiated by the respondent (12%) or by healthcare professionals (29%). Postponed help-seeking was reported by 8% of the sample. Multimorbidity was associated with healthcare-initiated cancellations (primary care OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.09–3.50; hospital OR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.28–2.74) and respondent-initiated hospital outpatient cancellations (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.04–4.12). Depressive symptoms were associated with postponed help-seeking (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.06–1.24). Conclusion About one third of the study sample reported cancellation or avoidance of medical care during the first months of the pandemic, and this was more common among those with multiple chronic conditions. How this impacts outcomes in the long term should be investigated in future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 54-55
Author(s):  
Leigh Ruckman ◽  
Stacie Gould ◽  
John Patience

Abstract Mycotoxins may not be an issue every year, but the proper environmental conditions can cause a spike in contaminated grains and cause severe economic impact on pork producers. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of naturally occurring infections of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone and fumonisins (DZF) on growth performance and carcass parameters in grow/finish pigs. One hundred pigs (BW 34.0 ± 0.9 kg; L337 × Camborough, PIC, Hendersonville, TN) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments with 10 split-sex pens/treatment. The control diet (CTL) contained low levels of DZF and the CTL+DFZ diet contained high levels of DZF. Diets were fed in 4 phases over the 126-d experiment period. The CTL diet contained 1.6, 1.6, 1.8 and 1.2 mg deoxynivalenol/kg and CTL+DZF contained 9.2, 6.9, 5.8 and 3.8 mg deoxynivalenol/kg in the 4 diet phases, respectively. The CTL contained 0.30, 0.32, 0.51 and 0.32 mg zearalenone/kg and 0.7, 0.8, 0.8 and 0.9 mg total fumonisins/kg; CTL+DFZ contained 0.59, 0.72, 0.86 and 0.57 mg zearalenone/kg and 1.0, 1.1, 1.2 and 0.9 mg total fumonisins/kg for phases one through four, respectively. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS (9.4) with treatment, sex, and their interaction as fixed effects. Compared to CTL, feeding CTL+DFZ decreased final BW (130.3 vs 120.5 kg; P&lt; 0.001), ADG (0.95 vs 0.79 kg/d; P&lt; 0.001), ADFI (2.73 vs 2.49 kg/d; P=0.016), and G:F (0.35 vs 0.32; P=0.043). Feeding CTL+DFZ decreased HCW (92.3 vs 89.4 kg; P=0.024) and increased dressing percentage (70.9 vs 74.3%; P=0.009) and tended to reduce loin depth (7.0 vs 6.8 cm; P=0.057) compared to CTL. Diet did not affect backfat depth or lean percentage (P &gt;0.10). In conclusion, diets naturally contaminated with multiple mycotoxins reduced growth performance and adversely affected carcass parameters; pigs did not adapt over time to the mycotoxins.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 824-824
Author(s):  
Mark Brennan-Ing ◽  
Michael Plankey ◽  
Sabina Haberlen ◽  
Steven Meanley ◽  
Andre Brown ◽  
...  

Abstract Men who have sex with men (MSM) report greater body dissatisfaction compared with heterosexual men, which increases with age. This may result from internalized gay community values regarding ideal physiques and youth. Using structural equation modeling, we examined these relationships among 1,118 MSM men age 40 and older from the Healthy Aging Study (M age=59.9 years/50.1% HIV+/69.8% non-Hispanic White). We hypothesized gay community attachment would be related to self-appraisals (body dissatisfaction/internalized ageism), and that this relationship would be mediated by developmental regulation strategies (physical activity/exercise intentions). The model fit the data well (RMSEA = .048, 90% CI 0.017-0.079). Contrary to our hypothesis, connection to the gay community was related to positive self-appraisals (-.40, p&lt;.001), with significant indirect effects via regulation strategies (-.12, p&lt;.002). Thus, gay community connections are related to positive self-appraisals in older GB men and enhance strategies supporting physical and psychological health. Implications for practice will be discussed.


Author(s):  
Erwin Stolz ◽  
Emiel O Hoogendijk ◽  
Hannes Mayerl ◽  
Wolfgang Freidl

Abstract Background Baseline frailty index (FI) values have been shown to predict mortality among older adults, but little is known about the effects of changes in FI on mortality. Methods In a coordinated approach, we analyzed data from 4 population-based cohorts: the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), the English Longitudinal Survey of Ageing (ELSA), and the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), comprising a total of 24 961 respondents (65+), 95 897 observations, up to 9 repeated FI assessments, and up to 23 years of mortality follow-up. The effect of time-varying FI on mortality was modeled with joint regression models for longitudinal and time-to-event data. Results Differences (of 0.01) in current FI levels (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.04, 95% credible interval [CI] = 1.03–1.05) and baseline FI levels (HR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.03–1.05) were consistently associated with mortality across studies. Importantly, individuals with steeper FI growth also had a higher mortality risk: An increase in annual FI growth by 0.01 was associated with an increased mortality risk of HR = 1.56 (95% CI = 1.49–1.63) in HRS, HR = 1.24 (95% CI = 1.13–1.35) in SHARE, HR = 1.40 (95% CI = 1.25–1.52) in ELSA, and HR = 1.71 (95% CI = 1.46–2.01) in LASA. Conclusions FI changes predicted mortality independently of baseline FI differences. Repeated assessment of frailty and individual’s frailty trajectory could provide a means to anticipate further health deterioration and mortality and could thus support clinical decision making.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 715-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Berner ◽  
Marja Aartsen ◽  
Dorly Deeg

Research has indicated the need to consider the ageing process with technology adoption by older adults. This study examined psychological, health, social and demographic predictors with starting and stopping Internet use by older adults (2002–2012). Data were used from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, and Cox regression analyses were done to test predictors over time with starting or stopping Internet use. The results indicated that older adults starting to use the Internet (11.6%) outnumbered those who stopped (3.1%). Psychological, health, social and demographic predictors separately predicted starting and stopping Internet use. Starting use was predicted by lower age, higher education, normal cognition and living alone. The predictors in stopping use were being younger, having a high sense of mastery and being higher educated. The results need to be interpreted as indicative due to the small number of stoppers. Suggestions are made on how to improve usability.


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