The literature suggests that two distinct competencies [i.e., information technology ability (ITA), and internet self-efficacy] are necessary for the effective use of information technologies for successful ageing, but no study has examined the association of these skills on successful ageing and its domains (i.e., illness avoidance, functioning, and engagement with life). This study investigated whether Internet Self-Efficacy (ISE) moderates the potential association of ITA with successful ageing. The study adopted a cross-sectional design based on the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist and includes measures against confounding and common methods bias. The participants were 1186 older workers aged 50 years or older in three African countries (Kenya = 350; Nigeria = 260; Ghana = 576). The minimum sample size necessary was calculated, and data were analysed with hierarchical linear regression analysis. After controlling for the covariates, ITA and ISE had a positive association with successful ageing as well as illness avoidance, functioning, and engagement with life in the whole sample. ITA was also positively associated with successful ageing and its domains in Kenya and Ghana. The associations of ITA with successful ageing and its domains were positively moderated by ISE in the whole sample and within each of the three samples. Higher ITA can be associated with successful ageing among working older adults, and ITA positively influences successful ageing at different levels of ISE. Older adults with high ITA are more likely to avoid illness at a higher ISE.
文献表明,有效利用信息技术促进成功老龄化需要两种不同的能力[即信息技术能力(ITA)和互联网自我效能感],但还没有研究探讨这些技能与成功老龄化及其领域(即避免疾病、功能和参与生活)之间的关联。本研究探讨了互联网自我效能感(ISE)是否会调节 ITA 与成功老龄化之间的潜在关联。研究采用了基于加强流行病学观察性研究报告(STROBE)核对表的横断面设计,并采取了防止混淆和常见方法偏差的措施。参与者是非洲三个国家(肯尼亚 = 350 人;尼日利亚 = 260 人;加纳 = 576 人)的 1186 名 50 岁或以上的老年工人。计算出了所需的最小样本量,并采用分层线性回归分析法对数据进行了分析。在控制了协变量后,在整个样本中,ITA 和 ISE 与成功老龄化以及疾病规避、功能和生活参与度呈正相关。在肯尼亚和加纳,ITA 也与成功老龄化及其领域呈正相关。在整个样本和三个样本中的每个样本中,ITA 与成功老龄化及其领域的关系都受到 ISE 的正向调节。在工作的老年人中,较高的 ITA 与成功步入老年有关,并且在不同的 ISE 水平下,ITA 对成功步入老年有积极影响。在较高的 ISE 水平下,高 ITA 的老年人更有可能避免生病。
{"title":"Internet self-efficacy moderates the association of information technology ability with successful ageing among older employees in three African samples.","authors":"Nestor Asiamah, Sylvester Hatsu, Frank Frimpong Opuni, Faith Muhonja, Confidence Chinwe Opara, Sarra Sghaier, Emelia Danquah","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00827-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10433-024-00827-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The literature suggests that two distinct competencies [i.e., information technology ability (ITA), and internet self-efficacy] are necessary for the effective use of information technologies for successful ageing, but no study has examined the association of these skills on successful ageing and its domains (i.e., illness avoidance, functioning, and engagement with life). This study investigated whether Internet Self-Efficacy (ISE) moderates the potential association of ITA with successful ageing. The study adopted a cross-sectional design based on the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) checklist and includes measures against confounding and common methods bias. The participants were 1186 older workers aged 50 years or older in three African countries (Kenya = 350; Nigeria = 260; Ghana = 576). The minimum sample size necessary was calculated, and data were analysed with hierarchical linear regression analysis. After controlling for the covariates, ITA and ISE had a positive association with successful ageing as well as illness avoidance, functioning, and engagement with life in the whole sample. ITA was also positively associated with successful ageing and its domains in Kenya and Ghana. The associations of ITA with successful ageing and its domains were positively moderated by ISE in the whole sample and within each of the three samples. Higher ITA can be associated with successful ageing among working older adults, and ITA positively influences successful ageing at different levels of ISE. Older adults with high ITA are more likely to avoid illness at a higher ISE.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"31"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11489396/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142485870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-14DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00825-x
Fredrica Nyqvist, Rodrigo Serrat, Mikael Nygård, Marina Näsman
This study explored the role of social capital for non-institutionalised and institutionalised political participation among older adults compared to younger age groups using European Quality of Life Survey data (EQLS) from 2016 and 33 countries (n = 36,908). Multilevel logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between individual- and country-level social capital and political participation. Findings revealed that, at the individual level, active associational engagement was positively related to both forms of political participation, while social trust and political trust were linked only to non-institutionalised participation-higher social trust and lower political trust were associated with a greater likelihood of participation. Country-level associational engagement was related to non-institutionalised political participation and country-level political trust with institutionalised participation. For older adults, active associational engagement had stronger individual and contextual effects on non-institutionalised political participation. These results enrich our understanding of political engagement in later life and highlight the unexplored potential for civic involvement among older adults.
{"title":"Does social capital enhance political participation in older adults? Multi-level evidence from the European Quality of Life Survey.","authors":"Fredrica Nyqvist, Rodrigo Serrat, Mikael Nygård, Marina Näsman","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00825-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00825-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study explored the role of social capital for non-institutionalised and institutionalised political participation among older adults compared to younger age groups using European Quality of Life Survey data (EQLS) from 2016 and 33 countries (n = 36,908). Multilevel logistic regression analysis was employed to assess the association between individual- and country-level social capital and political participation. Findings revealed that, at the individual level, active associational engagement was positively related to both forms of political participation, while social trust and political trust were linked only to non-institutionalised participation-higher social trust and lower political trust were associated with a greater likelihood of participation. Country-level associational engagement was related to non-institutionalised political participation and country-level political trust with institutionalised participation. For older adults, active associational engagement had stronger individual and contextual effects on non-institutionalised political participation. These results enrich our understanding of political engagement in later life and highlight the unexplored potential for civic involvement among older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"30"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11473466/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142477773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-10-05DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00826-w
Thijs van den Broek, Jack Lam, Cecilia Potente
Despite the growing acknowledgment of the importance of loneliness among older individuals, questionnaire length constraints may hinder the inclusion of common multi-item loneliness scales in surveys. Direct, single-item loneliness measures are a practical alternative, but scholars have expressed concerns that such measures may lead to underreporting. Our aim was to test whether such reservations are justified. We conducted a preregistered list experiment among 2,553 people aged 50 + who participated in the Dutch Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel. The list experiment method has been developed to unobtrusively gather sensitive information. We compared the list experiment estimate of the prevalence of frequent loneliness with the corresponding direct question estimate to assess downward bias in the latter. Next to pooled models, we estimated models stratified by gender to assess whether loneliness underreporting differed between women and men. Relying on the direct question, we estimated that 5.9% of respondents frequently felt lonely. Our list experiment indicated that the prevalence of frequent loneliness was 13.1%. Although substantial in magnitude, the difference between both estimates was only marginally significant (Δb: 0.072, 95% CI: - 0.003;0.148, p = .06). No evidence of gender differences was found. Although we cannot be conclusive that loneliness estimates are biased downward when a direct question is used, our results call for caution with direct, single-item measures of loneliness if researchers want to avoid underreporting. Replications are needed to gain more precise insights into the extent to which direct, single-item loneliness measures are prone to downward reporting bias.
{"title":"Do middle-aged and older people underreport loneliness? experimental evidence from the Netherlands.","authors":"Thijs van den Broek, Jack Lam, Cecilia Potente","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00826-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10433-024-00826-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Despite the growing acknowledgment of the importance of loneliness among older individuals, questionnaire length constraints may hinder the inclusion of common multi-item loneliness scales in surveys. Direct, single-item loneliness measures are a practical alternative, but scholars have expressed concerns that such measures may lead to underreporting. Our aim was to test whether such reservations are justified. We conducted a preregistered list experiment among 2,553 people aged 50 + who participated in the Dutch Longitudinal Internet studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel. The list experiment method has been developed to unobtrusively gather sensitive information. We compared the list experiment estimate of the prevalence of frequent loneliness with the corresponding direct question estimate to assess downward bias in the latter. Next to pooled models, we estimated models stratified by gender to assess whether loneliness underreporting differed between women and men. Relying on the direct question, we estimated that 5.9% of respondents frequently felt lonely. Our list experiment indicated that the prevalence of frequent loneliness was 13.1%. Although substantial in magnitude, the difference between both estimates was only marginally significant (Δb: 0.072, 95% CI: - 0.003;0.148, p = .06). No evidence of gender differences was found. Although we cannot be conclusive that loneliness estimates are biased downward when a direct question is used, our results call for caution with direct, single-item measures of loneliness if researchers want to avoid underreporting. Replications are needed to gain more precise insights into the extent to which direct, single-item loneliness measures are prone to downward reporting bias.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"29"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11456021/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142378434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-28DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00824-y
Chih-Liang Wang, Cheng-Xue Li, Sheng-Fu Liang
Studies of lifestyle through comprehensive objective and subjective measurements of health outcomes are lacking. An examination of lifestyle factors in middle-aged and older adults in terms of age, gender, and the interaction effect of age and gender from physiological and psychological perspectives are imperative. Recent advances in technology such as actigraphy have facilitated objective measurements. This exploratory study contributes to research on age and gender interactions on circadian rhythm, physical activity, sleep, and psychological variables by employing wrist accelerometers to measure behavioral circadian rhythm objectively and by using questionnaires to assess psychological status subjectively. The data were drawn from 218 participants aged 50 and older from the "Middle-aged and older adults Chinese Health and Actigraphy in Taiwan (MOCHA-T)". The results: (1) older adult group is associated with declined physical activity (MVPA time 79.9 min VS. 107.9 min, p = .002), worse sleep efficiency (78.1% VS. 81.9%, p = .008), and earlier lifestyle (Acrophase 14.19 h VS. 14.69 h, p = .01) comparing to middle-aged group. (2) Women have a more regular lifestyle (Interdaily stability 0.6 VS. 051, p < 0.001), higher physical activity (MVPA time 105.7 min VS. 79.3 min, p = .004), and better sleep efficiency (81.6% VS. 77.8%, p = .011) than men. (3) Significant age-by-gender interactions existed in life satisfaction (p = .025), relative amplitude (p = .016), and total wake time (p = .038). Furthermore, aging was associated with significant increases in life satisfaction among men as well as significant decreases in relative amplitude and reductions in the total wake time among women. In conclusion, aging exerted differential effects on life satisfaction in men as well as relative amplitude and the total wake time in women. This result highlights disparities in lifestyle arising from interconnected social and biological challenges.
目前还缺乏通过对健康结果的客观和主观综合测量来研究生活方式。当务之急是从生理和心理角度,从年龄、性别以及年龄和性别的交互影响等方面对中老年人的生活方式因素进行研究。最近,行动记录仪等技术的进步为客观测量提供了便利。这项探索性研究通过使用腕式加速度计客观测量行为昼夜节律,并使用问卷主观评估心理状态,为研究年龄和性别对昼夜节律、身体活动、睡眠和心理变量的相互作用做出了贡献。数据来自于 "台湾中老年华人健康与行动测量(MOCHA-T)"的 218 名 50 岁及以上的参与者。结果显示:(1)与中年组相比,老年组的体力活动减少(MVPA 时间为 79.9 分钟 VS 107.9 分钟,p = .002),睡眠效率降低(78.1% VS 81.9%,p = .008),生活方式提前(Acrophase 14.19 h VS 14.69 h,p = .01)。(2)与中年组相比,女性的生活方式更有规律(日间稳定性 0.6 VS.051, p
{"title":"The lifestyle of new middle-aged and older adults in Taiwan described by wearable device: age and gender differences.","authors":"Chih-Liang Wang, Cheng-Xue Li, Sheng-Fu Liang","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00824-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00824-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Studies of lifestyle through comprehensive objective and subjective measurements of health outcomes are lacking. An examination of lifestyle factors in middle-aged and older adults in terms of age, gender, and the interaction effect of age and gender from physiological and psychological perspectives are imperative. Recent advances in technology such as actigraphy have facilitated objective measurements. This exploratory study contributes to research on age and gender interactions on circadian rhythm, physical activity, sleep, and psychological variables by employing wrist accelerometers to measure behavioral circadian rhythm objectively and by using questionnaires to assess psychological status subjectively. The data were drawn from 218 participants aged 50 and older from the \"Middle-aged and older adults Chinese Health and Actigraphy in Taiwan (MOCHA-T)\". The results: (1) older adult group is associated with declined physical activity (MVPA time 79.9 min VS. 107.9 min, p = .002), worse sleep efficiency (78.1% VS. 81.9%, p = .008), and earlier lifestyle (Acrophase 14.19 h VS. 14.69 h, p = .01) comparing to middle-aged group. (2) Women have a more regular lifestyle (Interdaily stability 0.6 VS. 051, p < 0.001), higher physical activity (MVPA time 105.7 min VS. 79.3 min, p = .004), and better sleep efficiency (81.6% VS. 77.8%, p = .011) than men. (3) Significant age-by-gender interactions existed in life satisfaction (p = .025), relative amplitude (p = .016), and total wake time (p = .038). Furthermore, aging was associated with significant increases in life satisfaction among men as well as significant decreases in relative amplitude and reductions in the total wake time among women. In conclusion, aging exerted differential effects on life satisfaction in men as well as relative amplitude and the total wake time in women. This result highlights disparities in lifestyle arising from interconnected social and biological challenges.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"27"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11438744/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142337021","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-28DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00823-z
Erwin Stolz, Anna Schultz, Julia Zuschnegg, Franziska Großschädl, Thomas E Dorner, Regina Roller-Wirnsberger, Wolfgang Freidl
Analyses of late-life disability based on survey data of the oldest old often suffer from non-representative samples due to selective participation and attrition. Here, we use register data on the Austrian long-term care allowance (ALTCA) as a proxy for late-life disability. In this retrospective mortality follow-back study, we analyze receipt of ALTCA, a universal cash benefit based on physician-assessed disability in activities of daily living during the last 10 years of life, among all decedents aged 65 years and over from 2020 in Austria (n = 76,781) and its association with sex, age at death, and underlying cause of death. We find that on average, ALTCA was received for 3.5 and 5.3 years in men and women. At 10 years before death, 10% of men and 25% of women received ALTCA, which increased to 56% and 77% at one year before death. Both the probability and duration of ALTCA increased with age at death and varied by cause of death: Those who died from cancer, myocardial infarction, and external causes of death were less likely to receive ALTCA and for shorter durations, while those who died from dementia, Parkinson's disease, chronic heart disease, or chronic lung disease were more likely to receive it and longer so. Overall, our register-based estimates of the prevalence of late-life disability were higher than previous survey-based estimates. Policy-makers should be aware that costs of long-term care will rise as life expectancy rises and deaths from dementia and chronic heart disease will likely increase in the rapidly aging European societies.
{"title":"Disability during the last ten years of life: evidence from a register-based study in Austria.","authors":"Erwin Stolz, Anna Schultz, Julia Zuschnegg, Franziska Großschädl, Thomas E Dorner, Regina Roller-Wirnsberger, Wolfgang Freidl","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00823-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00823-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Analyses of late-life disability based on survey data of the oldest old often suffer from non-representative samples due to selective participation and attrition. Here, we use register data on the Austrian long-term care allowance (ALTCA) as a proxy for late-life disability. In this retrospective mortality follow-back study, we analyze receipt of ALTCA, a universal cash benefit based on physician-assessed disability in activities of daily living during the last 10 years of life, among all decedents aged 65 years and over from 2020 in Austria (n = 76,781) and its association with sex, age at death, and underlying cause of death. We find that on average, ALTCA was received for 3.5 and 5.3 years in men and women. At 10 years before death, 10% of men and 25% of women received ALTCA, which increased to 56% and 77% at one year before death. Both the probability and duration of ALTCA increased with age at death and varied by cause of death: Those who died from cancer, myocardial infarction, and external causes of death were less likely to receive ALTCA and for shorter durations, while those who died from dementia, Parkinson's disease, chronic heart disease, or chronic lung disease were more likely to receive it and longer so. Overall, our register-based estimates of the prevalence of late-life disability were higher than previous survey-based estimates. Policy-makers should be aware that costs of long-term care will rise as life expectancy rises and deaths from dementia and chronic heart disease will likely increase in the rapidly aging European societies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"28"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11438747/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142337020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-18DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00821-1
Annette Meng, E Sundstrup, Lars Louis Andersen
Background Selection, optimisation, and compensation (SOC) can be important strategies for maintaining work ability as we age. This study aimed to explore differences in self-reported individual and collective use of SOC strategies across job functions, as well as their association with self-rated work ability.
Methods: In the third wave of the SeniorWorkingLife study, 10,798 workers aged 50 + , across the job function categories "Office work", "work with people", and "work in the field of production", replied to questions about collective and individual SOC strategies and work ability. Using multiple regression, we modelled associations between SOC and work ability.
Results: Associations between SOC and work ability were generally weaker among participants working in the field of production. Both individual and collective use of selection had much weaker associations with work ability in the job functions "office work" and "working with people". In the job function "working in the field of production", only collective compensation was positively associated with work ability while individual selection was significantly but negatively associated with work ability.
Conclusions: The use of SOC may be particularly beneficial for older employees working with people. Optimisation and compensation may be the most important SOC strategies for maintaining the work ability of older employees working with people and doing office work. For older employees working in the field of production, collective optimisation may support the maintenance of work ability while reduced work ability may be associated with the use of individual selection as a "coping strategy".
{"title":"The use of individual and collective selection, optimisation and compensation (SOC) strategies and their association with work ability among senior workers.","authors":"Annette Meng, E Sundstrup, Lars Louis Andersen","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00821-1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00821-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Background Selection, optimisation, and compensation (SOC) can be important strategies for maintaining work ability as we age. This study aimed to explore differences in self-reported individual and collective use of SOC strategies across job functions, as well as their association with self-rated work ability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In the third wave of the SeniorWorkingLife study, 10,798 workers aged 50 + , across the job function categories \"Office work\", \"work with people\", and \"work in the field of production\", replied to questions about collective and individual SOC strategies and work ability. Using multiple regression, we modelled associations between SOC and work ability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Associations between SOC and work ability were generally weaker among participants working in the field of production. Both individual and collective use of selection had much weaker associations with work ability in the job functions \"office work\" and \"working with people\". In the job function \"working in the field of production\", only collective compensation was positively associated with work ability while individual selection was significantly but negatively associated with work ability.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The use of SOC may be particularly beneficial for older employees working with people. Optimisation and compensation may be the most important SOC strategies for maintaining the work ability of older employees working with people and doing office work. For older employees working in the field of production, collective optimisation may support the maintenance of work ability while reduced work ability may be associated with the use of individual selection as a \"coping strategy\".</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"26"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11411037/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-09-09DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00820-2
Tommaso Feraco, Nicole Casali, Elena Carbone, Chiara Meneghetti, Erika Borella, Barbara Carretti, Veronica Muffato
Soft skills are key factors for success in multiple contexts of daily life, as well as for life satisfaction, but little is known about their role in late adulthood and older age. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationships of soft skills, as defined by the World Economic Forum, with two indicators of successful/healthy aging: life satisfaction and cognitive reserve. A sample of 435 adults aged 50 and over completed self-reported measures of soft skills, life satisfaction, and cognitive reserve. As control, fluid (reasoning) and crystalized (vocabulary) intelligence were assessed too, along with socio-demographic characteristics. A series of regression analyses showed that soft skills were positively related to both life satisfaction and, to a lower extent, cognitive reserve, above and beyond gender, age, and both fluid and crystallized intelligence. Interestingly, these associations were independent from participants' age. Overall, these results highlight the importance of considering soft skills also over the middle-late adult life course, due to the potential role of these individual qualities in supporting an individual's well-being and an active and engaged lifestyle, with implications for the promotion of a healthy aging.
{"title":"Soft skills and their relationship with life satisfaction and cognitive reserve in adulthood and older age.","authors":"Tommaso Feraco, Nicole Casali, Elena Carbone, Chiara Meneghetti, Erika Borella, Barbara Carretti, Veronica Muffato","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00820-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00820-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Soft skills are key factors for success in multiple contexts of daily life, as well as for life satisfaction, but little is known about their role in late adulthood and older age. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationships of soft skills, as defined by the World Economic Forum, with two indicators of successful/healthy aging: life satisfaction and cognitive reserve. A sample of 435 adults aged 50 and over completed self-reported measures of soft skills, life satisfaction, and cognitive reserve. As control, fluid (reasoning) and crystalized (vocabulary) intelligence were assessed too, along with socio-demographic characteristics. A series of regression analyses showed that soft skills were positively related to both life satisfaction and, to a lower extent, cognitive reserve, above and beyond gender, age, and both fluid and crystallized intelligence. Interestingly, these associations were independent from participants' age. Overall, these results highlight the importance of considering soft skills also over the middle-late adult life course, due to the potential role of these individual qualities in supporting an individual's well-being and an active and engaged lifestyle, with implications for the promotion of a healthy aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11383892/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-31DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00818-w
Giorgio Di Gessa, Christian Deindl
Although the long-term consequences of informal care provision have been well investigated, few studies have examined the trajectories of informal care provision among older people and the socioeconomic, demographic, health, and family characteristics associated with them. We use data from four waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, with 6561 respondents followed for 6 years (2012/3-2018/9). We used group-based trajectory modelling to group people's provision of care over time into a finite number of distinct trajectories of caregiving. Using multinomial logistic regressions, we then investigated the characteristics associated with these trajectories. Four distinct trajectories of caregiving were identified: "stable intensive", "increasing intensive", "decreasing", and "stable no care". Results suggest that although there are socioeconomic, demographic, and health differences across the trajectories of caregiving (with younger women in good health and poorer socioeconomic status more likely to care intensively throughout), family characteristics are their main drivers. Respondents who live alone, with no children, and no parents alive are more likely to never provide care, whereas those with older parents and who live with adults in poor health are more likely to provide stable intensive care. Also, changes in family characteristics (e.g. death of parents, widowhood, or deterioration of the partner's health) are associated with trajectories representing increases or decreases in caregiving over time. Overall, trajectories of informal caregiving undertaken by older people are varied and these patterns are mostly associated with both the availability and health of family members, suggesting that need factors represent the most immediate reason for caregiving commitments.
尽管对提供非正规护理的长期后果进行了深入研究,但很少有研究考察了老年人提供非正规护理的轨迹以及与之相关的社会经济、人口、健康和家庭特征。我们使用了英国老龄化纵向研究(English Longitudinal Study of Ageing)的四波数据,对 6561 名受访者进行了为期 6 年(2012/3-2018/9)的跟踪调查。我们使用基于群体的轨迹模型,将人们在一段时间内提供的护理归类为有限数量的不同护理轨迹。然后,我们使用多叉逻辑回归法研究了与这些轨迹相关的特征。我们确定了四种不同的护理轨迹:"稳定的强化护理"、"强化护理的增加"、"强化护理的减少 "和 "稳定的无护理"。结果表明,虽然在不同的护理轨迹中存在社会经济、人口和健康方面的差异(健康状况良好和社会经济地位较差的年轻女性更有可能在整个过程中都进行密集护理),但家庭特征是其主要驱动因素。独居、无子女和父母不在世的受访者更有可能从不提供护理,而父母年长和与健康状况不佳的成年人生活在一起的受访者则更有可能提供稳定的集中护理。此外,家庭特征的变化(如父母双亡、丧偶或伴侣健康状况恶化)也与随着时间推移护理增加或减少的轨迹有关。总体而言,老年人进行非正式护理的轨迹是多种多样的,这些模式大多与家庭成员的可用性和健康状况有关,这表明需求因素是承诺提供护理的最直接原因。
{"title":"Determinants of trajectories of informal caregiving in later life: evidence from England.","authors":"Giorgio Di Gessa, Christian Deindl","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00818-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10433-024-00818-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although the long-term consequences of informal care provision have been well investigated, few studies have examined the trajectories of informal care provision among older people and the socioeconomic, demographic, health, and family characteristics associated with them. We use data from four waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, with 6561 respondents followed for 6 years (2012/3-2018/9). We used group-based trajectory modelling to group people's provision of care over time into a finite number of distinct trajectories of caregiving. Using multinomial logistic regressions, we then investigated the characteristics associated with these trajectories. Four distinct trajectories of caregiving were identified: \"stable intensive\", \"increasing intensive\", \"decreasing\", and \"stable no care\". Results suggest that although there are socioeconomic, demographic, and health differences across the trajectories of caregiving (with younger women in good health and poorer socioeconomic status more likely to care intensively throughout), family characteristics are their main drivers. Respondents who live alone, with no children, and no parents alive are more likely to never provide care, whereas those with older parents and who live with adults in poor health are more likely to provide stable intensive care. Also, changes in family characteristics (e.g. death of parents, widowhood, or deterioration of the partner's health) are associated with trajectories representing increases or decreases in caregiving over time. Overall, trajectories of informal caregiving undertaken by older people are varied and these patterns are mostly associated with both the availability and health of family members, suggesting that need factors represent the most immediate reason for caregiving commitments.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"24"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11365911/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142113480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-30DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00819-9
Larissa Zwar, Hans-Helmut König, André Hajek
Family-centered values are important for caregiving. However, findings on their association with burden are inconsistent. We aim to analyze whether positive aspects of caregiving are mediating the effect of familism on burden among informal caregivers of older adults in Germany. Participants (n = 277) were drawn from the Attitudes Toward Informal Caregivers (ATTIC) project and include informal long-term caregivers of older relatives (aged ≥ 60) quota-sampled from Germany (December 2023). Mediation analyses (linear OLS regression) with robust standard errors were conducted with the classic and the counterfactual causal mediation framework. The classic approach indicated a significant positive direct effect of familism on burden, a significant negative direct effect of PAC on burden and a significant negative indirect effect of familism via PAC on burden; the total effect was not significant. The causal mediation approach supports this; the interaction between familism and PAC was not significant. Thus, sociocultural family-centered values seemed to worsen burden but also to reduce it through positive experiences of caregiving, which did not depend on the strength of familism values. The findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the stress appraisal of the informal care situation and emphasize the role of positive experiences of care.
{"title":"Look on the bright side: the relation between family values, positive aspects of care and caregiver burden.","authors":"Larissa Zwar, Hans-Helmut König, André Hajek","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00819-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-024-00819-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Family-centered values are important for caregiving. However, findings on their association with burden are inconsistent. We aim to analyze whether positive aspects of caregiving are mediating the effect of familism on burden among informal caregivers of older adults in Germany. Participants (n = 277) were drawn from the Attitudes Toward Informal Caregivers (ATTIC) project and include informal long-term caregivers of older relatives (aged ≥ 60) quota-sampled from Germany (December 2023). Mediation analyses (linear OLS regression) with robust standard errors were conducted with the classic and the counterfactual causal mediation framework. The classic approach indicated a significant positive direct effect of familism on burden, a significant negative direct effect of PAC on burden and a significant negative indirect effect of familism via PAC on burden; the total effect was not significant. The causal mediation approach supports this; the interaction between familism and PAC was not significant. Thus, sociocultural family-centered values seemed to worsen burden but also to reduce it through positive experiences of caregiving, which did not depend on the strength of familism values. The findings advance our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the stress appraisal of the informal care situation and emphasize the role of positive experiences of care.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11364734/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142113481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-13DOI: 10.1007/s10433-024-00817-x
Maura K M Gardeniers, Martijn Huisman, Erik Jan Meijboom, Emiel O Hoogendijk, Marjolein I Broese van Groenou
As health impairment increases, older adults utilize care from different types of caregivers, but little is known about changes in the composition of care networks. We mapped the transitions between different care networks to gain insight into which people develop care networks that include informal, privately and publicly paid care. We used three waves (2012-2015-2018) of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam with 1413 Dutch community-dwelling adults, aged 64-100. Network types were identified using six types of caregivers: (1) co-resident, (2) non-co-resident children, (3) other kin, (4) neighbours/friends/acquaintances, (5) publicly paid, (6) privately paid, in a latent transition analysis with mortality and moving to a care facility as missing states. Five types of care networks were identified: (1) no care, (2) privately paid, (3) mixed informal, (4) mixed publicly paid, (5) co-resident. The co-resident network was the most unstable and had a high transition rate to nursing homes. Participants from the privately paid care network often transitioned to a mixed informal network and rarely transitioned to a mixed publicly paid network. Transitions out of the no-care network were mostly to the privately paid network. The two mixed care networks were the most stable. Transitions appeared to be most triggered by deteriorating health. Transitions to institutional care were most likely in the mixed informal, mixed publicly paid and the co-resident network. Thus, these networks appear to require additional support to facilitate ageing in place.
{"title":"Transitions between care networks: a prospective study among older adults in the Netherlands.","authors":"Maura K M Gardeniers, Martijn Huisman, Erik Jan Meijboom, Emiel O Hoogendijk, Marjolein I Broese van Groenou","doi":"10.1007/s10433-024-00817-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10433-024-00817-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>As health impairment increases, older adults utilize care from different types of caregivers, but little is known about changes in the composition of care networks. We mapped the transitions between different care networks to gain insight into which people develop care networks that include informal, privately and publicly paid care. We used three waves (2012-2015-2018) of the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam with 1413 Dutch community-dwelling adults, aged 64-100. Network types were identified using six types of caregivers: (1) co-resident, (2) non-co-resident children, (3) other kin, (4) neighbours/friends/acquaintances, (5) publicly paid, (6) privately paid, in a latent transition analysis with mortality and moving to a care facility as missing states. Five types of care networks were identified: (1) no care, (2) privately paid, (3) mixed informal, (4) mixed publicly paid, (5) co-resident. The co-resident network was the most unstable and had a high transition rate to nursing homes. Participants from the privately paid care network often transitioned to a mixed informal network and rarely transitioned to a mixed publicly paid network. Transitions out of the no-care network were mostly to the privately paid network. The two mixed care networks were the most stable. Transitions appeared to be most triggered by deteriorating health. Transitions to institutional care were most likely in the mixed informal, mixed publicly paid and the co-resident network. Thus, these networks appear to require additional support to facilitate ageing in place.</p>","PeriodicalId":47766,"journal":{"name":"European Journal of Ageing","volume":"21 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11322471/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141976931","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}