Objectives: This study sought to understand the relationship between volunteer activity and happiness among a sample of older adult New Zealanders. It specifically sought to determine if ethnicity (Māori vs. non-Māori) and economic living standards (ELS) functioned as moderators of the relationship between volunteering and happiness. Method: Data were garnered from the 2008 administration of the New Zealand Health, Work, and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Correlational and multiple regression procedures were employed to examine study hypotheses. Results: Results from multiple regression analyses showed that the amount of volunteering per week was a unique predictor of the overall level of happiness. Moderation analyses indicated that ethnicity did not function as a moderator of the relationship between volunteering and happiness, but ELS did. Those with low ELS evidenced a stronger relationship between volunteering and happiness than those with high ELS. Results also indicated that Māori and those with low ELS volunteered more frequently than non-Māori and those with high ELS. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that volunteering is related to increased happiness, irrespective of ethnicity. It also provides further evidence that the relationship between volunteering and happiness is moderated by economic resources. Older individuals at the low end of the economic spectrum are likely to benefit more from volunteering than those at the high end.
PMID: 22296288 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
The negative impact of global perceptions of and daily care-related family conflict on Hispanic caregivers: Familism as a potential moderator.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Feb 1;
Authors: Koerner SS, Shirai Y
Abstract
Objectives: Using selected concepts from Pearlin’s care giving stress model and incorporating a daily stress-reactivity perspective, the current study surveyed Hispanic family caregivers (HCGs) to: (a) document the occurrence of family disagreements regarding care; (b) examine the impact of family disagreements regarding care on HCGs’ emotional/physical well being; and (c) determine the moderating role of familism – whether strong familism beliefs buffer or exacerbate the negative impact of family disagreements on HCGs. Methods: Participants (n = 67) reported their daily experiences of family disagreements regarding care, depressive symptoms, feelings of burden, and physical health symptoms on eight consecutive survey days; and, in a separate survey, reported their global perceptions of family disagreements regarding care and their familism beliefs. Results: Multilevel-modeling indicated (a) a significant link between global perceptions of family disagreement regarding care and greater depressive symptoms, feelings of burden, and physical health symptoms and (b) significant moderating (i.e., exacerbating) effects of familism at the daily level suggesting that HCGs with stronger familism beliefs are more reactive to daily care-related family disagreement occurrences. Conclusions: The findings from the current study suggest that family disagreement regarding care is a salient aspect of the context of care giving for HCGs, and is linked to depressive symptoms, feelings of burden, and physical health symptoms. Familism may play an exacerbating role in this link. Interpretations of the results and implications for research and intervention are offered.
PMID: 22296313 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Self- and other-oriented potential lifetime traumatic events as predictors of loneliness in the second half of life.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Feb 1;
Authors: Palgi Y, Shrira A, Ben-Ezra M, Shiovitz-Ezra S, Ayalon L
Abstract
Objectives: This study examined the relationship between self- and other-oriented potential lifetime traumatic events (PLTE) and loneliness at the second half of life. Method: The sample was comprised of 7446 respondents who completed the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2006 psychosocial questionnaire. PLTE were classified into self-oriented PLTE, defined as traumatic events that primarily inflict the self (e.g., being abused by parents) and other-oriented PLTE, defined as events that affect the self by primarily targeting others (e.g., death of one’s child). We evaluated the role of self- and other-oriented PLTE as predictors of loneliness, as evaluated by the short R-UCLA. Analyses were stratified by age at which trauma happened categorized into four life periods (0-17, 18-30, 31-49, 50+). Results: The results showed that PLTE is positively related to loneliness. Moreover, the number of other-oriented PLTE, and even more pronouncedly self-oriented PLTE, that happened up until adulthood were the strongest predictors of loneliness at the second half of life. Conclusion: The study suggests that self- and other-oriented PLTE reported to have occurred early in life are associated with perceived loneliness in the second half of life.
PMID: 22296337 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Physical activity, social network type, and depressive symptoms in late life: An analysis of data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Feb 1;
Authors: Litwin H
Abstract
Objectives: To clarify whether physical activity among older Americans is associated with depressive symptoms, beyond the effects of social network type, physical health, and sociodemographic characteristics. Method: The analysis used data from a sub-sample, aged 65-85, from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (N = 1349). Hierarchical regressions examined the respective effects of selected network types and extent of engagement in physical activity on depressive symptoms, controlling for physical health and sociodemographic background. Results: The findings showed that physical activity was correlated inversely with late life depressive symptoms. However, when interaction terms for the selected social network types and the extent of physical activity were also considered, the main effect of social network on depressive symptoms increased, while that of physical activity was eliminated. Conclusions: The results show that older American adults embedded in family network types are at risk of limited physical activity. However, interventions aimed to increase their engagement in physical activity might help to reduce depressive symptoms within this group.
PMID: 22296412 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Prognostic factors, course, and outcome of depression among older primary care patients: The PROSPECT study.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Feb 1;
Authors: Bogner HR, Morales KH, Reynolds CF, Cary MS, Bruce ML
Abstract
Objectives: We sought to examine whether there are patterns of evolving depression symptoms among older primary care patients that are related to prognostic factors and long-term clinical outcomes. Method: Primary care practices were randomly assigned to Usual Care or to an intervention consisting of a depression care manager offering algorithm-based depression care. In all, 599 adults 60 years and older meeting criteria for major depression or clinically significant minor depression were randomly selected. Longitudinal analysis via growth curve mixture modeling was carried out to classify patients according to the patterns of depression symptoms across 12 months. Depression diagnosis determined after a structured interview at 24 months was the long-term clinical outcome. Results: Three patterns of change in depression symptoms over 12 months were identified: high persistent course (19.1% of the sample), high declining course (14.4% of the sample), and low declining course (66.5% of the sample). Being in the intervention condition was more likely to be associated with a course of high and declining depression symptoms than high and persistent depression symptoms (OR = 2.53, 95% CI [1.01, 6.37]). Patients with a course of high and persistent depression symptoms were much more likely to have a diagnosis of major depression at 24 months compared with patients with a course of low and declining depression symptoms (adjusted OR = 16.46, 95% CI [7.75, 34.95]). Conclusion: Identification of patients at particularly high risk of persistent depression symptoms and poor long-term clinical outcomes is important for the development and delivery of interventions.
PMID: 22296508 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Proactive aging: A longitudinal study of stress, resources, agency, and well-being in late life.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Feb 2;
Authors: Kahana E, Kelley-Moore J, Kahana B
Abstract
Objectives: Using the Proactivity Model of Successful Aging, we examined how internal and external resources contribute to the maintenance of psychological well-being and social activities among older adults who experience normative stressors of aging. Outcome variables in this study are collectively referred to as quality of life (QOL). We also examined the mediating role of proactive adaptations between internal and external resources and QOL indicators. Method: Based on five annual interviews of a sample of 1000 community-dwelling older adults in Florida (effective N = 561), we tested the lagged effects of stressors on two indicators of QOL, four years later. In the full longitudinal model, using structural equations, we estimated the direct effects of internal and external resources on QOL, along with indirect effects through proactive adaptations. Results: Stressors negatively influenced QOL four years later. Internal and external resources led to better QOL four years later, both directly and indirectly through proactive adaptations of marshaling support and planning for the future. Conclusion: These findings lend support to the Proactivity Model of Successful Aging by documenting the value of proactive adaptations (i.e., exercise, planning ahead, and marshaling support) as proximate influences on QOL outcomes (i.e., depressive symptomatology and social activities). Findings suggest that older adults can maintain successful aging even in the face of health-related and social stressors by invoking accumulated resources to deal actively with the challenges of aging.
PMID: 22299813 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Effect of social capital and personal autonomy on the incidence of depressive symptoms in the elderly: Evidence from a longitudinal study in Mexico.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Feb 2;
Authors: Bojorquez-Chapela I, Manrique-Espinoza BS, Mejía-Arango S, Téllez-Rojo Solís MM, Salinas-Rodríguez A
Abstract
Objectives: To estimate the effect of social capital (SC) and personal autonomy (PA) on the depressive symptoms (DS) in older people living in poverty. Method: Longitudinal study of elderly participants in the impact evaluation study of a non-contributory pension program in Mexico. For this study we selected the group of older people without significant DS at baseline. PA, SC indicators and covariates were measured at baseline. Using the Geriatric Depression Scale, the incidence of DS was assessed at a follow-up interview after 11 months. The effect of SC and autonomy on the occurrence of DS was estimated by using a multilevel logistic regression model. Results: Of the various indicators of PA, not being dependent in daily functioning, and being able to read/write were associated with lower risk of DS. A higher level of SC at baseline was associated with lower incidence of DS in women (odds ratio; OR = 0.73, p < 0.01), while for men there was no significant association (OR = 1.04, p = 0.69). Conclusions: PA and SC proved to be protective factors against the onset of DS in women. For men, only PA was a protective factor. Future studies need to explore in what ways that PA and SC may reduce risk of DS as well as the role of gender differences.
PMID: 22300005 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Using the salutogenic approach to unravel informal caregivers’ resources to health: Theory and methodology.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Jan 31;
Authors: Wennerberg MM, Lundgren SM, Danielson E
Abstract
Objectives: This article describes the theoretical foundation and methodology used in a study intended to increase knowledge concerning informal caregivers’ resources to health (in salutogenesis; General Resistance Resources, GRRs). A detailed description of how the approach derived from salutogenic theory was used and how it permeated the entire study, from design to findings, is provided. How participation in the study was experienced is discussed and methodological improvements and implications suggested. Method: Using an explorative, mixed method design, data was collected through salutogenically guided interviews with 32 Swedish caregivers to older adults. A constant comparative method of analysis was used to identify caregiver-GRRs, content analysis was further used to describe how participation was experienced. Findings: The methodology unraveled GRRs caregivers used to obtain positive experiences of caregiving, but also hindrances for such usage contributing to negative experiences. Mixed data made it possible to venture beyond actual findings to derive a synthesis describing the experienced, communal context of the population reliant on these GRRs; Caregivinghood. Participating in the salutogenic data-collection was found to be a reflective, mainly positive, empowering and enlightening experience. Conclusion: The methodology was advantageous, even if time-consuming, as it in one study unravelled caregiver-GRRs and hindrances for their usage on individual, communal and contextual levels. It is suggested that the ability to describe Caregivinghood may be essential when developing health-promoting strategies for caregivers at individual, municipal and national levels. The methodology makes such a description possible and suggested methodological improvements may enhance its usability and adaptability to other populations.
PMID: 22292489 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Patterns of tobacco use and tobacco-related psychiatric morbidity and substance use among middle-aged and older adults in the United States.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Jan 31;
Authors: Blazer DG, Wu LT
Abstract
Objectives: To examine prevalence of tobacco use and identify psychiatric symptoms and substance use correlates of tobacco use comparing adults 50-64 years of age with those 65+ years of age (N = 10,891). Methods: Data were from the 2008-2009 US National Surveys on Drug Use and Health. Results: Past-year tobacco use was one-half as frequent among adults aged 65+ years (14.1%) compared to adults aged 50-64 years (30.2%); the latter group surpassed the former in rates of cigarette smoking (24.8% vs. 10.6%), daily cigarette smoking (16.5% vs. 7.1%), cigar smoking (7.4% vs. 2.3%), and smokeless tobacco use (2.5% vs. 1.7%). Increased odds of cigarette smoking were noted among men, whites, African Americans, and those who had less education, had lower income, were not currently married, or were binge drinkers or illicit/non-medical drug users. In controlled analyses, odds ratio in those 65+ years of age who had smoked during the past year was 2.2 for binge drinking and 3.5 for illicit or non-medical drug use. Odds ratio of binge drinking among those 65+ years of age for cigar smokers during the past year was 3.1. Past-year cigarette smoking was not associated with reports of symptoms of depression or anxiety in the 65+ age group. Conclusions: Tobacco use is less prevalent among adults 65+ years of age yet continues to be strongly associated with binge drinking and illicit or non-medical drug use. Preventive efforts to decrease these substance use problems should include programs to decrease tobacco use.
PMID: 22292514 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Resilience and coping as predictors of general well-being in the elderly: A structural equation modeling approach.
Aging Ment Health. 2012 Jan 31;
Authors: Tomás JM, Sancho P, Melendez JC, Mayordomo T
Abstract
Objectives: The aims of this article are: (a) to test for the validity of the three constructs involved in the structural model; (b) to test for the effects of both coping strategies and resilient coping on well-being in a sample of elderly, by means of a structural model with latent variables; (c) to empirically study whether a brief scale of resilient coping could predict well-being over and above that predicted by the coping resources. Methods: The research is a survey design. The sample consisted of 225 non-institutionalized elderly people living in the city of Valencia (Spain). The three constructs measured were: well-being, resilient coping, and coping strategies. Results: The analyses consist of a series of alternative structural models with latent variables with resilience, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping as the potential predictors of well-being as measured by Ryff’s well-being scales. Due to parsimony reasons, the model retained is that with a single predictor of well-being: resilient coping. Conclusion: A latent variable measuring resilient coping is able to predict a significant and large part of the variance in well-being, without the need of including coping strategies. Results impact on well-being literature of the elderly is discussed.
PMID: 22292552 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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