scholarly journals The Christian Orthodox Church Fasting Diet Is Associated with Lower Levels of Depression and Anxiety and a Better Cognitive Performance in Middle Life

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 627
Author(s):  
Cleanthe Spanaki ◽  
Nikolaos E. Rodopaios ◽  
Alexandra Koulouri ◽  
Triantafyllos Pliakas ◽  
Sousana K. Papadopoulou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Orthodox Church ◽  
Emotional Wellbeing

Lifestyle choices significantly influence mental health in later life. In this study we investigated the effects of the Christian Orthodox Church (COC) fasting diet, which includes long-term regular abstinence from animal-based products for half the calendar year, on cognitive function and emotional wellbeing of healthy adults. Two groups of fasting and non-fasting individuals were evaluated regarding their cognitive performance and the presence of anxiety and depression using the Mini Mental Examination Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), respectively. Data on physical activity, smoking, and vitamin levels were collected and correlated with mental health scoring. Negative binomial regression was performed to examine differences in the GDS scores between the two groups. Significantly lower levels of anxiety (7.48 ± 4.98 vs. 9.71 ± 5.25; p < 0.001) and depression (2.24 ± 1.77 vs. 3.5 ± 2.52; p < 0.001), along with better cognitive function (29.15 ± 0.79 vs. 28.64 ± 1.27; p < 0.001), were noticed in fasting compared to non-fasting individuals. GDS score was 31% lower (Incidence Rate Ratio: 0.69, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.56–0.85) in the fasting group compared to the control, while vitamin and ferrum levels did not differ. The COC fasting diet was found to have an independent positive impact on cognition and mood in middle-aged and elderly individuals.

scholarly journals Fire Incidents in a Mental Health Setting: Effects of Implementing Smokefree Polices and Permitting the Use of Different Types of E-Cigarettes

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (23) ◽  
pp. 8951
Author(s):  
Debbie Robson ◽  
Gilda Spaducci ◽  
Ann McNeill ◽  
Mary Yates ◽  
Melissa Wood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
False Alarm ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Smoke Detector ◽  
False Alarms ◽  
Health Care Settings ◽  
Smokefree Policy

Comprehensive smokefree policies in health care settings can have a positive impact on patients’ smoking behaviour, but implementation is impeded by concern that surreptitious smoking may increase fire incidents. We investigated the incidence of routinely reported fire and false alarm incidents in a large mental health organisation in England over an 81-month period when different elements of a smokefree policy were implemented. We used negative binomial regression models to test associations between rates of fire and false alarm incidents and three hospital smokefree policy periods with mutual adjustment for occupied bed days: (1) an indoor policy which allowed disposable e-cigarettes; (2) a comprehensive policy which allowed disposable e-cigarettes; and (3) a comprehensive policy with all e-cigarette types allowed. We identified 90 fires and 200 false alarms. Fires decreased (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17–0.72, p = 0.004) and false alarms increased (IRR: 1.67, 95% CI: 1.02–2.76, p = 0.043), each by approximately two-thirds, when all e-cigarette types were allowed, after adjusting for bed occupancy and the comprehensive smokefree policy. Implementation of smokefree policies in mental health care settings that support use of all types of e-cigarettes may reduce fire risks, though measures to minimise effects of e-cigarette vapour on smoke detector systems may be needed to reduce false alarm incidents.

scholarly journals Association between accessibility to elementary school and depression in older Adults: JAGES Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Nishida ◽  
M Hanazato ◽  
K Kondo
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Intergenerational Exchange ◽  
Geographical Accessibility

Abstract Background The connection in a local community has diluted in an aging society, and the importance of intergenerational exchange has increased for older adults' health. Some positive effects of intergenerational exchange have reported. For example, a reciprocal intergenerational exchange contributes to better mental health in later life. However, there is little evidence of the relationship between neighborhood environments causing intergenerational exchange and the health status of older adults. This study investigated the association between geographical accessibility to elementary school, enhancing intergenerational exchange, and depression in older adults. Methods The data were retrieved from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) 2016, a population-based study of independently living people ≥65 years old. The dependent variable is depression evaluated by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS≥5). The geographical accessibility to elementary School is the distance between the representative points of their residences and the nearest elementary school. Logistic regression analysis calculates the odds ratio to determine the association between depression and accessibility to elementary school and compare models to examine the effect of intermediate factors. Results Overall, 20.4% of the participants had depression. Compared with the longest distance from elementary school (≥950m), the odds ratio was 0.91 (95% CI = 0.86, 0.96) for the nearest category (&lt;330m), 0.91 (95% CI = 0.87, 0.96) for the second-nearest (330-490m) and 0.94 (95% CI = 0.89, 0.99) for the third (490-670m) in model 1. After adjusting for intermediate factors, the odds ratio was 0.94 for the first and second-nearest groups. Conclusions Geographical accessibility to elementary school was associated with decreased depression for older adults. The result indicates that older adults' daily meetings with children around elementary schools can result in a positive effect on their mental health. Key messages Geographical accessibility to elementary school was associated with decreased depression for older adults. The neighborhood design enhancing intergenerational exchange might be useful for age-friendly cities.

scholarly journals Effects of between-person differences and within-person changes in symptoms of anxiety and depression on older age cognitive performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 1350-1358 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. J. Laukka ◽  
D. Dykiert ◽  
M. Allerhand ◽  
J. M. Starr ◽  
I. J. Deary
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Negative Mood ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Sample Mean ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Lothian Birth Cohort

AbstractBackgroundAnxiety and depression are both important correlates of cognitive function. However, longitudinal studies investigating how they covary with cognition within the same individual are scarce. We aimed to simultaneously estimate associations of between-person differences and within-person variability in anxiety and depression with cognitive performance in a sample of non-demented older people.MethodsParticipants in the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 study, a population-based narrow-age sample (mean age at wave 1 = 79 years, n = 535), were examined on five occasions across 13 years. Anxiety and depression were measured with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and cognitive performance was assessed with tests of reasoning, logical memory, and letter fluency. Data were analyzed using two-level linear mixed-effects models with within-person centering.ResultsDivergent patterns were observed for anxiety and depression. For anxiety, between-person differences were more influential; people who scored higher on HADS anxiety relative to other same-aged individuals demonstrated poorer cognitive performance on average. For depression, on the other hand, time-varying within-person differences were more important; scoring higher than usual on HADS depression was associated with poorer cognitive performance relative to the average level for that participant. Adjusting for gender, childhood mental ability, emotional stability, and disease burden attenuated these associations.ConclusionsThe results from this study highlight the importance of addressing both between- and within-person effects of negative mood and suggest that anxiety and depression affect cognitive function in different ways. The current findings have implications for assessment and treatment of older age cognitive deficits.

scholarly journals Learning in Later Life: The Perspective of Successful Ageing

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-23
Author(s):  
Salomėja Šatienė
Keyword(s):  
Adult Education ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Psychological Resources ◽  
Successful Ageing ◽  
Older Adult Education

Abstract The integrated approach to the development of educational theory of later life learning should be informed by comprehensive knowledge of ageing as a social construct. Establishment of the role of later life learning in the context of successful ageing paradigm encompasses both sociological and educational perspectives taking into consideration the complexity of older people’s engagement in society and participation in education with regard to social use for the learning outcomes and personal growth. In the context of successful ageing, it should provide the answers to the questions related to the meaning and role of learning in later life. The present research aims to explore the role of learning in the construct of successful ageing and to analyze the characteristic features of non-formal later life learning in Lithuania in the perspective of successful ageing based on the review some recent literature on psychological and social aspects of successful ageing and older adult education and research in the fields of educational and psychosocial gerontology. It pursues answers to the questions as to “How can learning in later life contribute to successful ageing? What are the implications for the role of learning in the models of successful ageing? How is the role of third-age learning conceptualized in the perspective of successful ageing?” The answers to these questions provide better insight into the conceptual background of older adult education and suggests prospective research on the issue of the role of learning in older age. The multidimensional nature of the concept of successful ageing revealed by the literature review suggests that the role of learning in the construct of successful ageing is analyzable in relationship with health, psychological and social domains. The role of learning in later life is manifested through its impact on maintenance of cognitive function, psychological resources and social functioning. The positive impact of learning in later life on mental health through maintenance of cognitive function and the utilization of psychological resources through stimulation of personal growth and self-efficacy of older adult learners has been supported by findings of many recent studies. Education has been identified as one of the predictors of active engagement with life as an essential component of successful ageing.

scholarly journals Assessing the Impact of Nightlight Gradients on Street Robbery and Burglary in Cincinnati of Ohio State, USA

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 1958 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanlin Zhou ◽  
Lin Liu ◽  
Minxuan Lan ◽  
Bo Yang ◽  
Zengli Wang
Keyword(s):  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Information Criterion ◽  
Binomial Regression ◽  
Street Robbery ◽  
The Impact

Previous research has recognized the importance of edges to crime. Various scholars have explored how one specific type of edges such as physical edges or social edges affect crime, but rarely investigated the importance of the composite edge effect. To address this gap, this study introduces nightlight data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite sensor on the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership Satellite (NPP-VIIRS) to measure composite edges. This study defines edges as nightlight gradients—the maximum change of nightlight from a pixel to its neighbors. Using nightlight gradients and other control variables at the tract level, this study applies negative binomial regression models to investigate the effects of edges on the street robbery rate and the burglary rate in Cincinnati. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) of models show that nightlight gradients improve the fitness of models of street robbery and burglary. Also, nightlight gradients make a positive impact on the street robbery rate whilst a negative impact on the burglary rate, both of which are statistically significant under the alpha level of 0.05. The different impacts on these two types of crimes may be explained by the nature of crimes and the in-situ characteristics, including nightlight.

Racial Variation in Mental Health Court Experiences and the Associations of These Experiences With Recidivism

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (7) ◽  
pp. 808-828
Author(s):  
Woojae Han ◽  
Jason Matejkowski ◽  
Sungkyu Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Mental Health Court ◽  
Life Change Events ◽  
Life Change ◽  
Life Changes ◽  
Racial Variation ◽  
Program Satisfaction ◽  
Binomial Regression

Little is known about how mental health court (MHC) experiences (including satisfaction and sanctioning, incentivizing, and life change events) differ by race and how this variation affects recidivism among MHC participants. This study examined how MHC experiences and recidivism differ between White ( n = 170) and Black ( n = 132) participants from four different MHCs in the United Sates. Negative binomial regression models, conducted separately for the two groups, indicated that life changes were associated with decreased arrests and that court sanctions were associated with increased number of arrests for both White and Black participants. Higher program satisfaction was positively associated with recidivism among Black participants only. To provide equitable services for people convicted of a crime with mental illness, professionals should acknowledge racial variation in the experiences of MHC participants (both within the MHC and the communities in which they are situated) and how these experiences relate to recidivism.

scholarly journals The Association between Age and Depressive Symptoms among Older Men and Women in Europe. Findings from SHARE

2011 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabella Buber ◽  
Henriette Engelhardt
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression Model ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Binomial Regression ◽  
Older Men And Women

Empirical evidence of the effects of age on depressive symptoms is mixed, ranging from positive to zero to negative effects, depending on the modelling of the age-depression profile. This paper uses internationally comparative data to analyse the association between age and the prevalence of symptoms of depression, controlling for well-known determinants of mental health. Based on the first wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), depressive symptoms of 28,538 persons aged 50 to 89 from eleven European countries and Israel are analysed using a negative binomial regression model. The results indicate that the number of depressive symptoms measured by EURO-D scores increase with age and are higher among women than among men. When including socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions and economic strains, the association between depressive symptoms and age vanishes for men, and even reverses for women. Thus, the association between age and mental health is mediated by the health and living conditions of older persons; age by itself has no explanatory power.

scholarly journals MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS AND COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE OF OLDER ADULTS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Silva ◽  
Maria Jesus ◽  
Breno Barbosa ◽  
Sonia Brucki ◽  
Ricardo Nitrini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Geriatric Depression Scale ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Cognitive Disorders ◽  
Daily Routine ◽  
Memory Complaints ◽  
Voice Message

Background: Social distancing measures related to COVID-19 pandemic have challenged older adults’ social connectedness and mental health. Loneliness and social isolation have been reported, but their impact on cognition is unclear. Objective: To explore changes on daily activity, mental health and its relationship with cognitive performance in older adults during the pandemic. Methods: 100 individuals ≥60 years, without cognitive impairment, enrolled in the Brazilian Memory Study(BRAMS), were applied the UCLA Loneliness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale, Mini-Mental State Exam(MMSE), assessment of daily routine, memory complaints and social connectedness during the pandemic. Results: Almost half of the participants reported the pandemic significantly affected their life, 38.9% lost a relative due to COVID-19, 60% had daily routine changes, due to decreases in physical activity(78%), relationships(40.5%), emotion(22%) and autonomy. Voice message to keep social connectedness increased from 24.2% to 42.1% and memory complaints reached 40%. More than 30% felt more stress, loneliness or depression comparing to prepandemic. Controlling for age, sex, and education, higher UCLA scores were associated with low MMSE (p=0.018). Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic impacted routine, social connectedness, and mental health in older adults. Loneliness was associated with lower cognitive performance, highlighting the importance of incorporating systematic evaluations into clinical practice to identify vulnerable individuals to mental and cognitive disorders during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Loneliness, physical activity and mental health during Covid-19: a longitudinal analysis of depression and anxiety in adults over 50 between 2015 and 2020

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Byron Creese ◽  
Zunera Khan ◽  
William Henley ◽  
Siobhan O’Dwyer ◽  
Anne Corbett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Risk Factors ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Annual Data ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Social Distancing ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: Loneliness and physical activity are important targets for research into the impact of COVID-19 because they have established links with mental health, could be exacerbated by social distancing policies and are potentially modifiable. In this study we aimed to identify whether loneliness and physical activity were associated with worse mental health during a period of mandatory social distancing in the UK. Design: Population-based observation cohort study. Setting: Mental health data collected online during COVID-19 from an existing sample of adults aged 50 and over taking part in a longitudinal study of ageing. All had comparable annual data collected between 2015 and 2019. Participants: 3,281 participants aged 50 and over. Measurements: Trajectories of depression (measured by PHQ-9) and anxiety (measured by GAD-7) between 2015 and 2020 were analyzed with respect to loneliness, physical activity levels and a number of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics using zero-inflated negative binomial regression. Results: In 2020, PHQ-9 score for loneliness, adjusted for covariates, was 3.23 (95% CI: 3.01-3.44), an increase of around one point on all previous years in this group and 2 points higher than people not rated lonely, whose score did not change in 2020 (1.22, 95% CI: 1.12-1.32). PHQ-9 was 2.60, 95% CI: 2.43-2.78 in people with decreased physical activity, an increase of 0.5 on previous years. In contrast, PHQ-9 in 2020 for people whose physical activity had not decreased was 1.66, 95% CI: 1.56-1.75, similar to previous years. A similar relationship was observed for GAD-7 though the absolute burden of symptoms lower. Conclusion: After accounting for pre-COVID-19 trends, we show that experiencing loneliness and decreased physical activity are risk factors for worsening mental health during the pandemic. Our findings highlight the need to examine policies which target these potentially modifiable risk factors.

Psychological distress among Bhutanese refugees living in the northeast region of the United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramraj Gautam ◽  
Jason Rydberg ◽  
Ivy Ho ◽  
Bhola Siwakoti ◽  
William Chadbourne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Bhutanese Refugees ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine predictors of psychological distress among adult Bhutanese refugees living in the United States. We recruited 376 adult Bhutanese refugees living in the northeast US region, the majority of whom were employed, married men in their 40 s who were US citizens. Using Bayesian Negative Binomial Regression modelling, we examined the impact of sociodemographic measures, health status and refugee integration measures on psychological distress outcomes. The most common predictors of depression, stress and anxiety were social connection deficits and self-reported health conditions. Other associated factors included: health access deficits, number of years living in the US, paid employment, citizenship and living in more than one US city. The findings of our study revealed that mental health outcomes in this subset of the population of Bhutanese refugees are impacted by a variety of social and health related factors. Public policy makers and practitioners need to recognize the complex issues affecting mental health of Bhutanese refugees. Advocacy for expanded culturally congruent policies and evidence based mental health services are recommended. Future research needs to examine culturally relevant concepts and measures related to mental health and integration in this population.

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