Research on Aging最新文献

This study explores how basic psychological needs and personality traits relate to the types of information that older adults use on social media platforms. Relying on a nationally representative survey of 1100 German Facebook and Instagram users aged 60+, it examines the relationship between three psychological needs-autonomy, competence, and relatedness-and four types of information use: undirected, topic-related, group-related, and problem-related. The study also explores associations with fear of missing out (FOMO), political interest, and openness to experience. Findings indicate that the need for relatedness and FOMO are key predictors of older adults' information use, emphasizing the social motivations behind their social media engagement. Notably, Facebook is more frequently used than Instagram across all types of information use. These insights provide a deeper understanding of the interactions between psychological needs, personality traits, and information behaviors among older adults, informing future research on their social media usage.

Area-level socioeconomic disadvantage is an established risk factor for functional limitations. Yet, mechanisms underlying this association and whether such processes vary by gender is unknown. Guided by stress process theory, we examine whether county- and tract-level poverty rates are differentially associated with functional limitations by gender and whether secondary ecological stressors (e.g., perceived neighborhood danger and physical disorder) and individual-level psychosocial factors (e.g., coping behaviors and social support) mediate these relationships. Using data from the Midlife in the United States study, findings from the path analyses revealed that while the total effect of county-level poverty rate did not differ by gender, indirect effects via mediators-especially stress eating-were significant for women only. Tract-level poverty exhibited a gendered total effect and gendered pathways through neighborhood safety and physical activity (significant for women exclusively). This study highlights gendered processes through which area socioeconomic disadvantage may influence the aging process.

This study applied Richardson's Resiliency Model to measure resilience in depressive symptoms among older adults with disabilities in rural China and examined its association with age-related and cohort-specific temporal effects using the Growth Curve Model to analyze resilience trajectories. We innovatively used propensity score matching to address confounding variables when calculating the resilience score. Data were derived from the Longitudinal Study of Older Adults in Anhui Province, China, with 3,672 observations from 2001 to 2021. The results revealed that 28.30 percent of rural older adults demonstrated resilience by maintaining or improving depressive symptoms post-disability onset. Resilience scores exhibited inverted U-shaped trajectories with increasing age. Similarly, resilience trajectories followed an inverted U-shape from the earlier cohort (born in 1924 or earlier) to the later cohort (born in 1950 or later). These insights into resilience trajectories can inform targeted policies and interventions, crucial as populations age and the prevalence of disability increases.

Loneliness became an increasing concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially as countries enacted "physical distancing" mitigation measures. Under these conditions, older adults with limited family availability (e.g., unpartnered, childless, and "kinless") might have been at higher loneliness risk, or perhaps were more accustomed to less social interaction. Using individual-level data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and country-level data from the Oxford Coronavirus Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), we analyzed loneliness outcomes for 34,943 older Europeans in 26 countries to examine associations between various types of family availability and loneliness under different COVID-19 stringency conditions. More stringent COVID-19 country contexts and being unpartnered were associated with loneliness, but "kinless" older adults had similar risk of loneliness as unpartnered older adults, underscoring the highly protective role of partnership. We discuss these findings considering the growing global population with limited family ties and make recommendations for future pandemic mitigation efforts.

We analyzed Wave 3 data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (weighted n = 2907) to examine variations in pain presence and intensity among US community-dwelling Black, Latino, and white adults aged 50 plus. Adjusting for factors that commonly contribute to stress and health inequalities (educational attainment, inadequate health insurance, perceived economic position, and perceived discrimination), we examined how pain presence and intensity varied by race/ethnicity. Seventy percent reported pain presence. Reported mean intensity was 2.91 (SD = .99; Range; 1-6) indicating moderate pain. Compared to white participants, Black and Latino individuals reported less presence of pain. However, Latinos reported higher pain intensity. Perceived discrimination and educational attainment were associated with pain outcomes, but these relationships varied by race/ethnicity. Work is needed to examine racial/ethnic differences in other pain dimensions and to understand how educational attainment and perceived discrimination may contribute poorer pain outcomes across groups.

Layoffs can have lasting effects on the bodyweight trajectories of both genders. However, prior studies usually overlook the nuanced gender differences in health impacts. This study investigates the differential impact of layoffs from State-Owned Enterprises in China on body mass index (BMI) trajectories in men and women over a span of two decades. Our results indicate that being laid-off was associated with higher BMI at mid-age and accelerated BMI growth in women, contrasting with a slower BMI growth in men as they aged. The diverging trends were primarily driven by women and men who were back on the job market and re-employed. Women with post-layoff childcare responsibilities had the least healthy mid-life BMI, and a faster BMI growth compared to their job retainer counterparts. This study emphasizes the importance of considering gendered life course perspectives to understand the health impacts of job loss.

The intersection of LGBTQ+ aging, family, and social isolation remains understudied. The study examines perceived social isolation (loneliness) among older lesbian, gay, bisexual, and heterosexual adults, focusing on the role of relationship status. Drawing on minority stress theory, queer family scholarship, and gerontology research, we test whether: (1) relationship status mediates sexual identity gaps in perceived isolation, and (2) the association between relationship status and isolation varies by sexuality. Analyses are stratified by gender. Using representative data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (N = 93,109), logistic regressions show that: (1) gay and bisexual men reported more perceived isolation than heterosexual men while bisexual women, but not lesbian women, reported more isolation than heterosexual women; (2) relationship status mediated more of the isolation gap between gay and heterosexual men; and (3) moderation by sexuality was generally absent, except among gay men. Findings underscore elevated isolation among aging sexual minority population, particularly bisexual and previously married adults.

Support provision may enhance older adults' well-being. Yet support for friends, a voluntary and socially engaging behavior, remains relatively understudied. This study examines daily support to close friends and its within-person links to mood, focusing on gender differences. Older adults (n = 180, Mean age = 74.02, 57% female) completed 5-6 days of ecological momentary assessments, reporting on their positive and negative mood every 3 hours and support exchanges daily. Emotional support to friends being most common, followed by advice and practical help. Findings showed men were less likely than women to provide emotional support to friends. Older adults experienced greater positive mood on days they provided practical support. Men experienced lower positive mood on days they provided emotional support, a pattern not observed in women. Findings highlight gender differences in helping close friends, suggesting potential emotional costs for older men in providing emotional support.

Care workers, whose roles frequently involve physically demanding tasks, gain significant benefits from using assistive devices that alleviate physical strain and improve their work environment. Despite these advantages, the relationship between assistive device use and caregivers' job tenure remains limited. Using propensity score matching (PSM) and data from the Korea Long-Term Care Survey, this study examines differences in caregivers' job tenure associated with the provision of assistive devices in long-term care institutions. We find that social workers and care assistants in institutions with access to assistive devices have longer job tenure, by 4.7 months and 3.3 months respectively, compared to those in institutions without access to these devices. In contrast, we do not observe a statistically significant change in job tenure for other occupations, such as nurses, nurse assistants, physical/occupational therapists, and non-care staff.