International Journal of Aging & Human Development最新文献

Evidence suggests that in old age, women are lonelier than men. Gender differences in loneliness are often explained by gender differences in longevity, social status and loss, health, and mobility-well-established predictors that may influence loneliness differently in "younger" (40-59 years) and "older" (60-80 years) groups of men and women in the second part of life. This study explores loneliness in men and women ages 40 to 80 years at baseline over a 15-year period using panel data from three waves of the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation Study (N = 2,315). Our analyses show that women were more lonely than men also in adjusted analyses. Logistic regression analyses indicated that loss of a partner and poor mental health are prospectively related to loneliness among men and women, whereas other factors like becoming a partner, stable singlehood, and poor physical health were related to loneliness among women but not men.

The objectives of this study were to examine the prevalence of race-based disparities in cognitive problems, functional limitations (FLs), and activity of daily living (ADL) limitations between US Black and White older adults in 2008 and 2017, to explore how age, sex, income, and education attenuate these racial disparities, and to determine if Black-White health disparities are narrowing. Secondary analysis of the nationally representative American Community Surveys including 423,066 respondents aged ≥65 (388,602 White, 34,464 Black) in 2008 and 536,984 (488,483 White, 48,501 Black) in 2017. Findings indicate that Black-White racial disparities were apparent for all three outcomes in 2008 and 2017. Approximately half of the racial disparities was attenuated when adjustments were made for education and income. Racial disparities in cognition declined between 2008 and 2017 (p < .001) but persisted unabated in FLs and ADL limitations. Further exploration on the mechanisms of racial disparities is warranted.

The present study relied on 15 dyads of adult children and their older parent to better understand intergenerational family relations from a life course perspective. Interviews were analyzed relying on qualitative thematic analysis, identifying similarities and differences within and between interviews and dyads. Our analysis resulted in three major themes. The first concerns the important role of intergenerational family relation as a means to define and conceptualize the experiences of loneliness and ways of coping with loneliness. The second theme concerned intergenerational relations as a cause (and at times a remedy) of loneliness. The third theme concerns the ability of the dyad's members to reflect on the level of loneliness of the other member in the intergenerational dyad. The findings stress the importance of intergenerational family relations throughout the life course and highlight the importance of adopting an intergenerational lens as a possible means to address loneliness.

Women are subject to health disparities across the life course, owing to multiple factors, including sexism, ageism, and other forms of structural discrimination and mistreatment which have been linked with greater risks for sexual violence and related trauma as well as resulting problems with physical and mental health as well as overall wellbeing. Thus, a more intersectional approach to healthcare and social service delivery for older women is expressly needed, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, to address UN Global goals of advancing health and wellness, gender equality, less disparities altogether, and with this, greater justice. As such, in this article, timely needs for practice, policy, research, and education will be explored, to address intersectional prejudice and discrimination, chiefly among older women who are members of nondominant populations, to improve healthcare and social services and social justice, principally in later life.

Rural areas are home to a larger proportion of older adults and populations who age within these locales and suffer disproportionately from health, mental health, and economic disparities compared to their urban counterparts. This article will explore the disparities faced by persons that reside in rural communities across the lifespan. It will briefly discuss what is meant by rural. As a rural region at specific risk, the issues confronting those aging in Appalachia will be examined. Finally, best practices and future directions to combat health disparities among rural residents and elders will be discussed. This includes the Appalachian Gerontology Experiences: Advancing Diversity in Aging Research training program which recruits and trains minority and first-generation undergraduate students in aging and health disparity research.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) older adults experience significant health disparities. Examining these disparities has become an international research priority, but gaps remain. In this review article, we summarize major contributions of and ongoing gaps in health disparities research among LGBTQ+ older adults, while focusing on four major content areas: (a) social determinants of health disparities, (b) mental, cognitive, and physical health disparities, (c) reproductive and sexual health disparities, and (d) seeking LGBTQ+-affirming and age-friendly care. Using a structural competency approach, we develop a four-part agenda for this research area that enhances our understanding of how macro-level systems, institutions, and structures drive health disparities among aging LGBTQ+ communities. We also outline future research on structural competency in LGBTQ+ older adult health, while providing recommendations for researchers and clinicians. These recommendations illuminate potential best practices for bettering the health and quality of life of LGBTQ+ older populations.

This study aimed to examine whether hypertension prevalence varies by race/ethnicity and within age groups in a nationally representative sample of men in the United States. Hypertension was defined as blood pressure (BP) readings of 140 mm Hg and higher for systolic BP, 90 mm Hg and higher for diastolic BP, or self-reports of taking medication for hypertension. Modified Poisson models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for race and age group associations with hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension was 38% overall and 46% of the men were aged 50 and older. Analyses that focused on older men (50 years of age or older) found that non-Hispanic Black men had a higher prevalence of hypertension (PR  =  1.28, 95% CI: 1.19 - 1.37) compared to non-Hispanic White men. We suggest future research utilize life course perspectives to better identify which cumulative experiences impact hypertension disparities.

The problem of health disparities across the lifespan and in older adulthood has gained recent attention by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and other organizations and researchers. These disparities are of significant interest as they greatly impact health, life span, and quality-of-life for countless individuals and create economic burden on societies. Given the critical nature of this problem, this special issue will focus on health disparities for older adults across the lifespan. This introductory article will lay the groundwork for subsequent works on disparities among older ethnic minorities, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans, as well as rural elders. Concepts critical to an understanding of the topic such as social determinants of health, marginalization, and intersectionality will also be discussed.

Although there have been interventions to increase growth mindset, little is known about their effectiveness over a longer period, especially for older adults. This study with older adults investigated the long-term effects of a learning intervention that included growth mindset lectures and discussions on growth mindset. In Study 1 (n = 27), participants were tracked for one year after a 12-week intervention. We found that an increased growth mindset did not last beyond the intervention. In Study 2 (n = 71), the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the intervention after only two months. Participants were followed up for two years, and their growth mindset at one year was greater than at the pretest (Week 0) but declined from the 1- to 2-year follow-up. Taken together, interventions incorporating growth mindset messages can increase growth mindset in the short term but may require booster sessions to retain effects, especially during disruptive life events.

Background: Trust is an integral part of the patient-physician relationship. None of the current measures of patient-physician trust has been validated with a sample of older adults. Age-appropriate samples are needed to support the use of assessment instruments and accurate interpretation of assessment results. The purpose of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale (WFPTS) with a sample of older adults. Methods: Internal consistency and convergent and discriminant validity evidence were examined. One hundred and sixty-one English-speaking, community-dwelling older adults participated. Results: Reliability evidence is strong based on coefficient alpha and average inter-item correlations. Convergent validity evidence is strong, with significant, moderate to strong correlations with measures of related constructs. Discriminant validity evidence is strong. Discussion: The results of this study provide support for the psychometric properties of the WFPTS with older adults. Future directions for research with this instrument are discussed.