scholarly journals Association of Social Frailty with Physical Health, Cognitive Function, Psychological Health, and Life Satisfaction in Community-Dwelling Older Koreans

Author(s):  
Hana Ko ◽  
SuJung Jung

Social frailty affects various aspects of health in community-dwelling older adults. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of social frailty and the significance of its association with South Korean older adults’ health status and life satisfaction. This study involved a secondary data analysis of the 2017 National Survey of Older Koreans. From the 10,299 respondents of the survey, 10,081 were selected with no exclusion criteria. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify the factors related to life satisfaction. Compared with the robust and social prefrailty groups, the social frailty group had higher nutritional risk (χ² = 312.161, p = 0.000), depressive symptoms (χ² = 977.587, p = 0.000), cognitive dysfunction (χ² = 25.051, p = 0.000), and lower life satisfaction (F = 1050.272, p = 0.000). The results of multiple linear regression, adjusted for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, indicated that social frailty had the strongest negative association with life satisfaction (β = −0.267, p = 0.000). However, cognitive function was significantly positively associated with life satisfaction (β = 0.062, p = 0.000). Social frailty was significantly correlated with physical, psychological, and mental health as well as life satisfaction in community-dwelling older South Koreans. Therefore, accounting for the social aspect of functioning is an essential part of a multidimensional approach to improving health and life satisfaction in communities.

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas R. Wójcicki ◽  
Amanda N. Szabo ◽  
Siobhan M. White ◽  
Emily L. Mailey ◽  
Arthur F. Kramer ◽  
...  

Background:The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which participation in a 12-month exercise program changed the degree of importance that older adults attached to physical activity. In addition, associations among changes in physical activity importance and health-related and psychosocial outcomes were examined.Methods:Community-dwelling older adults (N = 179) were recruited to participate in a 12-month exercise trial examining the association between changes in physical activity and fitness with changes in brain structure and psychological health. Participants were randomly assigned to a walking condition or a flexibility, toning, and balance condition. Physical, psychological, and cognitive assessments were taken at months 0, 6, and 12.Results:Involvement in a 12-month exercise program increased the importance that participants placed on physical activity; this positive change was similar across exercise condition and sex. Changes in importance, however, were only associated with changes in physical health status and outcome expectations for exercise midway through the intervention. There were no significant associations at the end of the program.Conclusions:Regular participation in physical activity can positively influence the perceived importance of the behavior itself. Yet, the implications of such changes on physical activity-related outcomes remain equivocal and warrant further investigation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 475
Author(s):  
Teresa Madeira ◽  
Catarina Peixoto-Plácido ◽  
Nuno Sousa-Santos ◽  
Osvaldo Santos ◽  
Violeta Alarcão ◽  
...  

Introduction: As populations live longer, they also aim to live better. A crucial step for this is to improve the understanding about older adults’ physical and psychological health. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterise the Portuguese population over-65 regarding nutritional status, cognitive function, functional status, symptoms of depression, and loneliness, by sex and age groups.Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study including a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling adults aged 65 and over. Trained interviewers collected data face-to-face on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health status, nutritional status, cognitive function, functional status for activities of daily living, symptoms of depression, and loneliness feelings. Complex sample procedures were used in the statistical analysis.Results: Overall, 1120 community-dwellers (49.0% women, 21.3% aged ≥ 85) participated in the study. The estimated prevalence of risk of malnutrition was 16.4% (95% confidence interval: 13.3 – 19.9), while 17.7% (95% confidence interval: 12.8 – 23.9) were cognitively impaired, and 28.5% (95% confidence interval: 23.7 – 33.8) presented limitations to perform daily living activities. Moreover, 23.5% (95% confidence interval: 19.7 – 27.7) presented symptoms of depression and 13.6% (95% confidence interval: 10.6 – 17.1) reported loneliness feelings. These conditions were more prevalent among women, and generally more frequent in the oldest individuals (≥ 85).Discussion: Risk of malnutrition, cognitive impairment, functional limitations, depression and loneliness were moderately frequent, which may justify screening and preventive actions at a community level.Conclusion: This study contributed to a national characterisation of the health of older adults, that may inform policies and interventions targeted at the needs of the Portuguese aging population.


2020 ◽  
pp. 073346482095224
Author(s):  
Yohannes Endeshaw ◽  
Felicia Goldstein

Objectives: To examine the association between self-reported physical exercise and cognitive function. Design: Secondary data analysis of a prospective cohort study. Participants: Community-dwelling older adults with normal cognitive function at baseline. Measurements: Data on self-reported physical exercise, immediate and delayed recall, clock drawing test, and orientation to time and current events were collected at baseline and annual follow-up visits. Generalized estimation equation method was used to determine the association between physical exercise and decline in cognitive function. Results: A total of 4,227 participants were included in the analysis, 58% women, 78% White, mean (SD) age 75.7 (7.1) years. The risk of cognitive decline was lower among those who reported moderate-to-high intensity exercise (odds ratio [OR] confidence interval [CI] = 0.45 [0.20, 0.69]; p < .001) and low-intensity exercise (OR [CI] = 0.62 [0.44, 0.83]). Conclusion: These results reaffirm the positive impact of physical exercise in maintaining cognitive function among older adults.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S350-S350
Author(s):  
Darina V Petrovsky ◽  
Bei Wu ◽  
Weiyu Mao ◽  
XinQi Dong

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between tooth/gums symptoms and changes in cognitive function. We used data from the Population Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago, a two-wave epidemiological study of 2,713 U.S. Chinese older adults. We selected self-reported oral (tooth and gum) symptoms as independent variables. We measured global function and three cognitive domains: episodic memory, executive function and working memory. Adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related characteristics, participants who reported having teeth symptoms at baseline, experienced their global cognition and episodic memory decrease (both p&lt;0.05). Participants who reported having teeth symptoms at baseline, experienced a faster rate of decline in global cognition for every additional year. However, this effect disappeared once we adjusted for all covariates. We found no significant relationship between baseline gum symptoms and change of cognitive function. Future research directions, clinical and policy implications will be discussed.


Author(s):  
Tran Dai Tri Han ◽  
Keiko Nakamura ◽  
Kaoruko Seino ◽  
Vo Nu Hong Duc ◽  
Thang Van Vo

This study examined the prevalence of cognitive impairment among older adults in central Vietnam and the roles of communication (with or without communication devices) in the association between cognitive impairment and hearing loss. This cross-sectional study was performed on 725 randomly selected community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years from Thua Thien Hue province, Vietnam. Participants attended a face-to-face survey. Sociodemographic characteristics, social interaction with or without communication devices, health status and cognitive function using the Mini-Mental State Examination were reported. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to quantify the association between hearing loss and cognitive function by frequency of communication with and without devices. Mild and severe cognitive impairment had prevalence rates of 23.6% and 19.3%, respectively. Cognitive impairment was more prevalent among older adults with hearing-loss, vision loss and difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). The association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment was not significant when older adults had frequent communication with others using devices. This study presented the relatively high prevalence of cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults in Vietnam. Frequent communication using devices attenuated the association between hearing loss and cognitive impairment.


2021 ◽  
pp. 109980042098389
Author(s):  
Jongmin Park ◽  
Chang Won Won ◽  
Leorey N. Saligan ◽  
Youn-Jung Kim ◽  
Yoonju Kim ◽  
...  

Background: Epigenetic age acceleration has been studied as a promising biomarker of age-related conditions, including cognitive aging. This pilot study aims to explore potential cognitive aging-related biomarkers by investigating the relationship of epigenetic age acceleration and cognitive function and by examining the epigenetic age acceleration differences between successful cognitive aging (SCA) and normal cognitive aging (NCA) among Korean community-dwelling older adults (CDOAs). Methods: We used data and blood samples of Korean CDOAs from the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study. The participants were classified into two groups, SCA (above the 50th percentile in all domains of cognitive function) and NCA. The genome-wide DNA methylation profiling array using Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip was used to calculate the following: the DNA methylation age, universal epigenetic age acceleration, intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA), and extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA). We also used Pearson correlation analysis and independent t-tests to analyze the data. Results: Universal age acceleration correlated with the Frontal Assessment Battery test results ( r = −0.42, p = 0.025); the EEAA correlated with the Word List Recognition test results ( r = −0.41, p = 0.027). There was a significant difference between SCA and NCA groups in IEAA ( p = 0.041, Cohen’s d = 0.82) and EEAA ( p = 0.042, Cohen’s d = 0.78). Conclusions: Epigenetic age acceleration can be used as a biomarker for early detection of cognitive decline in Korean community-dwelling older adults. Large longitudinal studies are warranted.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 703-703
Author(s):  
Jessica Finlay ◽  
Philippa Clarke ◽  
Lisa Barnes

Abstract Does the world shrink as we age? The neighborhood captures a spatial area someone inhabits and moves through on a daily basis. It reflects a balance between internal perceptions and abilities, and the external environment which may enable or restrict participation in everyday life. We frequently hear that older adults have shrinking neighborhoods given declining functional mobility. This is associated with declines in physical and cognitive functioning, depression, poorer quality of life, and mortality. Knowledge of the interplay between objective and subjective neighborhood measurement remains limited. This symposium will explore these linked yet distinct constructs based on secondary data analyses of the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a racially diverse sample of 30,000+ aging Americans. Finlay investigates how someone’s perceived neighborhood size (in number of blocks) varies by individual and geographic characteristics including age, cognitive function, self-rated health, and urban/rural context. Esposito’s analyses focus on neighborhood size in relation to race and residential segregation. Clarke compares subjective perceptions of neighborhood parks and safety from crime to objective indicators, and examines variations by health and cognitive status. Barnes will critically consider implications for how older adults interpret and engage with their surrounding environments. The symposium questions the validity of neighborhood-based metrics to reflect the perspectives and experiences of older residents, particularly those navigating cognitive decline. It informs policy-making efforts to improve physical neighborhood environments and social community contexts, which are critical to the health and well-being of older adults aging in place.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 233-233
Author(s):  
Xiaocao Sun ◽  
Minhui Liu ◽  
Christina E Miyawaki ◽  
Yuxiao Li ◽  
Tianxue Hou ◽  
...  

Abstract Personality is associated with predictors of homebound status like frailty, incident falls, and depression. It has been rarely investigated whether personality predicts homebound status among older adults. Using the combining cross-sectional data of the Year 2013 and Year 2014 data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), this study examined the association between personality traits and homebound status in a sample of community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older (N=2,788). Homebound status (non-homebound, semi-homebound, and homebound) was determined by the frequency, difficulty, and help of outdoor mobility. Personality traits, including conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, extraversion, and neuroticism were assessed using the 10-item Midlife Development Inventory on a rating scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (a lot). Each personality trait was included as a predictor in an ordinal logistic regression model to examine its association with homebound status after adjusting demographic and health-related covariates. The sample was on average 79±7.53 years old, non-Hispanic White (72.0%), female (58.6%), living alone (35.4%) or with spouse/partner only (37.4%). Seventy-four percent, 18%, and 8% of participants were non-homebound, semi-homebound, and homebound, respectively. Homebound participants tended to be less-educated older females. The average scores of conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness, extraversion, and neuroticism were 3.19±0.75, 3.57±0.56, 2.81±0.83, 3.13±0.75, and 2.22±0.86, respectively. Among these five personality traits, high conscientiousness (OR=1.34, p&lt;0.001) and extraversion (OR=1.16, p=.03) were associated with a reduced likelihood of being homebound. These findings provided a basis for potential personality assessment to identify and protect individuals with high homebound risk.


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