scholarly journals Place of Residence and Cognitive Function in Older Adults in China: The Mediating Role of Social Participation

Author(s):  
Le Yang ◽  
Jingmin Cheng ◽  
Hongman Wang

Background: Cognitive impairment is a severe health problem faced by older adults and their families, as well as the countries in which they live. Differences in place of residence may contribute to differences in the cognitive function of older adults, and the mediating effect of social participation has rarely been studied in China. Methods: A total of 10,014 older adult participants were included, using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Place of residence was described as either a city, town, or rural area. The frequency of participation in organized social activities and visits and interactions with friends was used to assess both formal and informal social participation. The Chinese version of a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was used as a measure of cognitive function. The mediation analysis was conducted using Hayes’ process version 3.4 on SPSS (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). Results: Place of residence had a negative effect on cognitive function in older adults. The mediating functions of both informal (a1b1 = 0.199) and formal (a2b2 = −0.056) social participation indicate a suppression effect on the part of informal social participation and a partial mediation effect on the part of formal social participation in terms of the association between place of residence and cognitive function in older adults. Promoting both informal and formal social participation seems to be an important strategy for preventing a decline in the cognitive function of older adults, especially for those living in rural areas.

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Nordmyr ◽  
A K Forsman

Abstract Background Online resources present various possibilities for health promotion, also in the growing older adult population. Tailored online services aiming to support social participation among users could potentially promote older adults’ psychosocial health. In the @geing Online project an online application is developed, focusing on access to meaningful social activities among older adults in rural areas in Finland and Sweden. The innovation project (2017-2020) is funded by the Interreg Botnia-Atlantica programme (European Regional Development Fund). Methods A collaborative, user-centred design approach is applied when developing the online application, allowing older potential users and personnel groups from the social and health care sector to evaluate application features in a step-wise process. The inclusion of personnel groups allows for the exploration of the feasibility of introducing the tool in home care services and similar relevant contexts from an organizational perspective. Further, the inclusion of regional IT-companies presents opportunities for them to develop their competence regarding eHealth tools and older adults as a target group. Results An advanced prototype of the application and its core features is presented. Promising approaches and outcomes regarding the co-creation methods applied to ensure the involvement of stakeholders in the development process are elaborated upon. Challenging issues related to the project theme, such as stereotypical and negative views of older adults’ competences and motivation related to application use are also discussed. Conclusions The project highlights possibilities - but also challenges - when co-creating a social application together with older adults, some of whom have no experience in internet use. The gathered project outcomes will provide lessons on the potential of new technologies for delivering health promotion initiatives among older adults. Key messages Tailored online services aiming to support social participation among users provide possibilities for promoting psychosocial health in the growing population of older adults. Application development utilizing a user-centered design approach can be implemented even if the end-users are not familiar with the internet or application use.


2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicia L.T. Walkowiak ◽  
Ute R. Hülsheger ◽  
Fred R.H. Zijlstra

The relationship between recovery, work pressure and sleep quality: A diary study The relationship between recovery, work pressure and sleep quality: A diary study Alicia L.T. Walkowiak, Ute R.Hülsheger & Fred R.H. Zijlstra, Gedrag & Organisatie, volume 23, December 2010, nr. 4, pp. 316-332. Previous research showed that the experience of high work pressure can lead to fatigue and even to health complaints on the long term. This makes it very important, especially for people who experience high work pressure, to take sufficient time to recover after work. Sleep quality has a positive influence on recovery. The aim of this diary study was to investigate whether sleep quality has a mediating effect on the relationship between work pressure and recovery. Seventy-six people took part in the study and answered questions about work, recovery and sleep for 14 days. Results showed that work pressure indeed had a negative effect on recovery and sleep quality. Furthermore, we found a partial mediation effect: sleep quality mediated the relationship between work pressure and recovery. These results stress the importance of recovery and sleep quality, especially for people who experience high work pressure.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cher Yi Tan ◽  
Jia Yi Ng ◽  
Mei-Hua Lin ◽  
Min Hooi Yong

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic compelled many countries including Malaysia to impose movement restrictions to curb spreading the virus. Evidence shows that prolonged isolation has negative effects on both physical and mental health. OBJECTIVE Our aims were to examine (1) the mediating effect of perceived social isolation (SI) and fear of social isolation (FSI) on the relationship between gratitude and anxiety, and (2) to explore the moderating effect of age, education and socioeconomic status on the mediation model. METHODS We collected data from 427 participants currently living in Malaysia during the movement restriction order (Mage = 37.90, SD = 16.51, 313 females) from an online survey containing questions pertaining to isolation and gratitude. RESULTS Our mediation analysis showed that gratitude has a positive effect on overcoming anxiety as it also lowers feelings of SI and FSI (B = -.229, β = .128, bootstrap SE = .049, 95% bootstrap CI = [-.332, -.138]). The moderated mediation analyses revealed the indirect effect of gratitude on anxiety through SI was significant for young adults (B = -.148, β = .083, 95% bootstrap CI [-.274, -.042]) and middle-aged (B = -.099, β = -.055, 95% bootstrap CI [-.177, -.033]) but not for older adults (B = -.026, β = -.015, 95% bootstrap CI [-.129, .047]). Results were similar for FSI in that it was significant for middle aged and not significant for older adults (all CIs does not include zero). However the mediation effect was not significant for young adults (B = -.020, β = -.011, 95% bootstrap CI [-.066, .016]). When we examined the moderating effect of education and SES in the parallel mediation model, results showed that the mediation effect of SI and FSI for those with lower levels of education was significant for all SES levels (all CIs did not contain zero). As for those with medium levels of education, the conditional indirect effect of SI and FSI was significant only for low and medium levels of SES but not for high SES. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the importance of having some coping mechanism and social connection during the pandemic to have higher wellbeing and quality of life, especially for middle-aged sample and people from low education and SES background. CLINICALTRIAL None


Neurology ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 10.1212/WNL.0000000000012343
Author(s):  
Xuexin Yu ◽  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Lindsay C. Kobayashi

Objective:To investigate the relationship between late-life duration of poverty exposure and cognitive function and decline among older adults in China.Methods:Data were from 3,209 participants aged ≥64 in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Duration of poverty, defined according to urban and rural regional standards from the China Statistical Yearbook, was assessed based on annual household income from 2005-2011 (never in poverty; 1/3 of the period in poverty; ≥2/3 of the period in poverty). Cognitive function was measured by the Chinese Mini Mental State Exam (CMMSE) from 2011-2018. We used attrition-weighted, multivariable mixed-effects Tobit regression to examine the association of duration of poverty with cognitive function and rate of decline.Results:A total of 1,162 individuals (36.21%) were never in poverty over the period from 2005-2011, 1,172 (36.52%) were in poverty 1/3 of the period, and 875 (27.27%) were in poverty ≥2/3 of the period. A longer poverty duration was associated with lower subsequent CMMSE scores with a dose-response relationship (1/3 vs. never in poverty: β = -0.98; 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.35; ≥2/3 vs. never in poverty: β = -1.55; 95% CI: -2.29 to -0.81). However, a longer duration of poverty was associated with a slower rate of CMMSE score decline over time from 2011-2018.Conclusion:These findings provide valuable evidence on the role of cumulative late-life poverty in relation to cognitive health among older adults in a rapidly urbanizing and aging middle-income country. Our findings may support a compensation hypothesis for cognitive reserve in this setting.


Author(s):  
Mélanie Levasseur ◽  
Daniel Naud ◽  
Jean-François Bruneau ◽  
Mélissa Généreux

Although social participation fosters older adults’ health, little is known about which environmental characteristics are related to greater participation in social activities. The Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 2737), a transportation survey, and multiple secondary data sources were used to identify the environmental characteristics associated with older Quebecers’ social participation according to living area. Greater social participation was associated with: (1) a higher concentration of older adults (IRR = 2.172 (95% CI 1.600, 2.948); p < 0.001), more kilometers traveled by paratransit (IRR = 1.714 (95% CI 1.286, 2.285); p < 0.01), a lack of medical clinics (IRR = 0.730 (95% CI 0.574, 0.930); p = 0.01), and more funded home adaptations (IRR = 1.170 (95% CI 1.036, 1.320); p = 0.01) in large metropolitan areas; (2) larger paratransit fleets (IRR = 1.368 (95% CI 1.044, 1.791); p = 0.02) and a lower density of road intersections (IRR = 0.862 (95% CI 0.756, 0.982); p = 0.03) in regular metropolitan areas; (3) less social deprivation (IRR = 1.162 (95% CI 1.025, 1.318); p = 0.02) in urban areas; and (4) a higher concentration of older populations (IRR = 2.386 (95% CI 1.817, 3.133); p < 0.001) in rural areas. According to these findings, social participation interventions should target the local environment—for example, by providing more social interaction opportunities for older adults living in younger neighborhoods and by improving access to public transportation, especially paratransit.


Author(s):  
Xiaohang Zhao ◽  
Lei Jin ◽  
Skylar Biyang Sun

This study investigated the bidirectional association between physical and cognitive function in later life and examined the mechanisms underlying the interrelationship. We employed cross-lagged panel models to analyze a sample of 4232 unique participants aged 65 years and older from three waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Physical activity and social participation were tested as potential mediators between physical and cognitive function. Our findings revealed a reciprocal relationship between physical and cognitive function and a reciprocal relationship between physical and cognitive decline. Moreover, physical activity was confirmed to mediate the bidirectional association between physical and cognitive function, whereas social participation did not seem to be a mediator. A vicious cycle linking physical and cognitive decline may exist in Chinese older adults. However, leading a physically active lifestyle could be an effective intervention to slow physical and cognitive aging, thereby toning down the vicious cycle.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Levasseur ◽  
Sonia Routhier ◽  
Irma Clapperton ◽  
Chantal Doré ◽  
Frances Gallagher

Abstract Background: Social participation is restricted for approximately half the older adult population but is critical in fostering community vitality, promoting health, and preventing disabilities. Although targeted through interventions by community organizations, healthcare professionals and municipalities, little is known about the needs of older adults to participate socially, especially in rural areas. This study thus aimed to identify and prioritize the social participation needs of older adults living in a rural regional county municipality.Methods: A participatory action research was conducted in a rural regional county municipality (RCM) in Quebec, Canada, with a convenience sample of 139 stakeholders, including older adults, caregivers, healthcare and community organization managers, healthcare and community organization workers, community partners and key informants.Results: Facilitators and barriers to social participation are related to personal factors (e.g., health, interests, motivation), the social environment (e.g., availability of assistance or volunteers) and the physical environment (e.g., distance to resources, recreational facilities and social partners). Nine older adults’ needs emerged and were prioritized as follows: 1) having access to and being informed about transportation options, 2) being informed about available activities and services, 3) having access to activities, including volunteering opportunities, suited to their interests, schedule, cost, language and health condition, 4) being accompanied to activities, 5) having access to meeting places near home and adapted to their health condition, and 6-9 (no preferred order) being reached when isolated, being personally invited and welcomed to activities, having a social support network, and being valued and recognized. Differences emerged when prioritizing needs of older adults with disabilities (greater need for assistance, accessibility and adapted activities) and older adults living in a rural area (greater need for transportation).Conclusions: To promote active participation in the community, the social participation needs of older women and men living in rural areas must be addressed, especially in regard to transportation, information, adapted activities, assistance and accessibility. The first part of this action research will be followed by community selection and implementation of initiatives designed to ultimately foster their social participation.


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