Ageing International最新文献

This study aimed to explore the association between dependency and cognitive function among older adults. A combined cross-sectional and longitudinal study was conducted in 26 locations in China. A total of 1160 participants aged ≥ 60 years were selected using a complex multistage sampling design, and 152 participants completed data collection after one year follow-up observation. A questionnaire was administered by face-to-face interviews. Dependency was measured using the standardized Chinese version of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-II. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between dependency and cognitive function. Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to identify causality between cognition function and dependency. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the orientation and outdoor instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) domains were significantly associated with dependency, with odds ratios of 1.45 (95% CI, 1.26–1.67; p < 0.001) and 1.16 (95% CI, 1.06–1.26; p < 0.001), respectively. In the Cox proportional hazards analysis, the DASC-21 score was significantly associated with dependency, with hazard ratio of 1.32 (95% CI, 1.03–1.69). The causality between cognition impairment and dependency was identified, and the orientation and outdoor IADL domains were significantly associated with dependency.

The study examined the determinants of out-of-pocket health expenditure among older adults in Nigeria. The data came from the Nigeria Living Standards Survey 2018–19. We employed a two-part model involving logistic regression and a generalized linear model to identify factors associated with out-of-pocket health expenditures among older adults. Analyses were performed using STATA version 14.2 software. The findings indicated that 79.49% of older adults made out-of-pocket payments for health care. The mean monthly out-of-pocket health expenditure among older adults was 3,498.14 naira (US$9.72). Having health insurance significantly reduced the risk of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditure, while larger household sizes, primary education, tertiary education, and being from a poorer household significantly increased the risk of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditure among older adults. The study concludes that a high proportion of older adults incur out-of-pocket health expenditures. This implies that older adults are not protected from the financial hardship of out-of-pocket health expenditures by the Nigerian health care system. Policymakers should target the factors that increase the likelihood of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditures in the design of health financing policies aimed at reducing OOP health expenditures for older adults. The finding that health insurance reduces the likelihood of incurring out-of-pocket health expenditures indicates that it is important to design and implement a social health protection scheme for older adults.

The rise in life expectancy and the resulting increase in the number of older adults raise concerns about the unique challenges that will inevitably arise during this stage of life. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive condition that, if untreated, progresses to more advanced stages. This study aimed to create and evaluate the impact of a memory-enhancing mobile app on the cognitive function of older adults with cognitive dysfunction. The study utilized a quasi-experimental design with a pretest–posttest control group. A total of 42 older adults with Alzheimer's disease were selected using cluster sampling from comprehensive urban health service centers in Larestan county, located in southwest Iran. The intervention group participated in a two-month memory-boosting training program, which included seven components such as repetition and practice. The mobile app was designed to be user-friendly and convenient. The data analysis was conducted using SPSS 25. The research findings showed that the experimental group, who received cognitive stimulation treatment with memory-boosting applications, demonstrated significant improvements in overall cognitive functions and abilities compared to the control group. These improvements were observed in various dimensions, including time and location awareness, recall, attention and calculation, recent memory, language functions, and spatial thinking (P < 0.05). There are no significant differences between demographic variables and cognitive function in the experiment group. Memory-boosting apps can assist older adults in enhancing their cognitive functions, which is crucial for preventing disease progression and promoting adherence to self-care recommendations. Further research is necessary to validate and explore additional impacts of game apps on this demographic.

Aim

The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of The Ideal Grandparent Scale(IGS).

Method

Content and construct validity were evaluated for the psychometric measurements of the scale. In addition, language validity and reliability analyzes were performed.

Results

The language and content validity of the scale was evaluated as appropriate. In the analyzes made for construct validity, item loads, variance and fit values of the scale were found to be appropriate. In addition, in the analyzes for reliability, it was determined that the cronbach alpha value and the test-retest correlation were appropriate. The mean total score taken from the scale is 68.65 ± 20.32. It was determined that the average score given to the scale items by the experts was between 3.71 ± 0.52 and 4.00 ± 0.00.

Conclussion

It was determined that the psychometric measurements of The Ideal Grandparent Scale were appropriate and could be adapted to Turkish culture.

Purpose

Individuals above the age of 65 are the first to be vaccinated. In this study, it was aimed to determine the health perceptions and vaccine complications of individuals over 65 years of age who recieved the covid-19 vaccine.

Methods

The research is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The sample consists of 151 adults over 65 who have received the Covid-19 vaccination. Individuals over the age of 65 who come to three different pharmacies in three distinct districts to buy medicine are considered participants.

Results

The age of the participants was 72.42 ± 6,838, and their health perception score was 40,987 ± 5,878. The majority of them are male (51%), have had Sinovac (88.1%), are a primary school graduate (82.1%), live with their spouse (68.9%), are non-smokers (83.4%), have a chronic disease (96,0%), regularly take medication (96.7%), do not regularly get seasonal flu vaccine (78.8%), do not regularly use vitamins (92.7%), do not have joint pain (71.6%), and sleep for 7–9 h daily (50.4%). Scale scores were found as follows; control center 11.02 ± 2.66, precision 8.97 ± 2.41, importance of health 11.74 ± 2.64, self awareness 9.26 ± 2.03 health perception 40.99 ± 5.88.

Conclusion

Those who received Sinovac, those with chronic disease, those who received routine influenza vaccination, those who took vitamin supplements, those who did not have joint pain, and those who had cough problems had higher health perception scores, and the difference was significant (p0.05). It will be critical to educate those over 65 about the vaccine's importance and adverse effects, as well as to boost their awareness in the appropriate manner.

different populations have different averages of life-space assessment scores and defining cutoff values of clinical significance by each population should take into consideration. Different cutoffs to define restricted life space have been reported. The most common is a score of 60 points. There are other cutoffs derived from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and used to classify older adults according to their ability in activities of daily living (ADLs) (52.3 points) or instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) (56 points); other cutoffs are specialized for people with cognitive impairment (26.75 points) or people with spinal cord injury who need mobility aids (78.5 points). The aims were to identify cutoff points of Life Space Assessment (LSA) in older adults in different sites and to determine the relationship of the cutoff scores with mobility disability and depression. The study population was composed of community-dwelling adults aged 65–74 years who were not institutionalized. An ROC analysis was constructed, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to identify the optimal cutoff that discriminates life-space restriction for each city. Logistic regressions were executed by site to comprehend the association among restricted LSA and mobility disability and depression. In total, 1890 participants were included in the analyses (52.38% women, 37.19% mobility disability and 21.32% had depression). Canada cities had the highest cutoff, while Tirana and Natal had the lowest cutoff (< 50). Kingston was the site with the highest association between life-space restriction and mobility disability (OR 5.4, 95% CI 2.9–10). Saint-Hyacinthe, Tirana, and Manizales had significant associations between depression and restricted life space (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.53–6.89, OR 3.14, 95% CI 1.88–5.24, and OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.28–6.98, respectively). Different cutoffs to define restricted life-space have been identified in elderly people at different sites. The analysis of the relationship between the restricted life space and personal characteristics like depression and mobility disability supported these findings. The groupings produced by the cutoff points for each site showed notable variations. These findings emphasize the importance of population-based cutoffs to improve the general applicability of LSM criteria and take into consideration the importance of site-specific approaches.

This study aims to explore the role of social resilience in providing community-based healthcare to older adults in Northeast Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 20 community-dwelling older adults in Maha Sarakham province, Thailand, and semi-structured interviews were conducted from 2020 to 2021. Interview transcripts were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach with multiple coders to triangulate findings. The results of the IPA show that, during the pandemic, social resilience was related to social distancing, social isolation, social control, social safety, and social support. The respondents identified that providing community-based healthcare during the pandemic was associated with primary care, rehabilitative care, healthcare delivery, health behaviors, and distress intolerance. These findings highlight that social reciprocity, preventative healthcare, residential care, and good healthcare practices are important aspects of resilience among community-dwelling older adults in times of pandemic.

To verify the factor structure of the LIFE-H 3.1-Brasil in a sample of independent older adults, and to analyze their responses to the instrument. Cross-sectional study with175 older adults assisted by the Family Health Strategy in the interior of the State of São Paulo/Brazil. We used Cronbach’s alpha to assess internal consistency, Pearson’s correlation coefficient for retained dimensions, and exploratory factor analysis to examine the factor structure. Among participants, 62.3 per cent were women, 49.2 per cent were aged between 60–69 years, 54.3 per cent had 0–3 years of schooling and 67.4 per cent were retired. Based on our factor analysis, four factors were identified that explained 43.5 per cent of the variance: personal care, community, recreation, and communication. Cronbach’s alphas ranged from .76 to .93. We demonstrated that a 4-dimensional model for the LIFE-H 3.1-Brasil was valid and reliable to measure the quality of social participation of independents older adults living in the community. Findings support its use in clinical practice and research. Nonetheless, future research is warranted to confirm the proposed factorial structure. This study supports the importance of identifying older adults’ social participation through a valid instrument such as the LIFE-H, which has been widely used internationally.

There are a number of challenges in recruiting people living with dementia for research purposes, and consequently, studies may be underpowered or fail. This commentary describes barriers experienced by a research study in recruiting people with early-stage dementia living in the community, for a focus group about their perceptions of using a technology-enabled pain assessment tool to detect and quantify pain. Four potentially important groups of barriers encountered during the recruitment phase are discussed, namely dementia, pain, mobile health application (mHealth) technology and COVID-19. The strategies used in an attempt to overcome these barriers are also discussed. Despite a comprehensive approach to recruitment, the required participant number was not achieved. It is recommended careful consideration be given to recruitment including flexibility in recruitment strategies tailored to the unique contexts of a study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on human health and has led to social isolation and health implications. In order to optimize public health, it is important to understand the role of social and behavioral sciences, including dietary patterns and lifestyle changes. This study aimed to identify the effect of lockdown on dietary patterns and its association with Body Mass Index (BMI) and lifestyle changes in the older Indian population (aged 60 and above).The study was conducted using an online web-based Google form and 674 participants took part over a one-month period. The k-means algorithm was used to identify non-overlapping dietary patterns and logistic regression was employed to determine the factors associated with changes in dietary patterns. Three dietary patterns were identified: pro-healthy, constant, and unhealthy.During the study, 33.1% of the participants decreased their physical activity while 61.6% increased their screen usage. 26.7% consumed a pro-healthy dietary pattern, while 61.9% consumed an unhealthy dietary pattern. Women reported lower consumption of the pro-healthy pattern (23.8%) and higher consumption of the unhealthy dietary pattern (64.5%) compared to men (30.6% and 58.3%, respectively). Adherence to the pro-healthy dietary pattern was positively associated with age. Participants with a lower BMI were less likely to consume a pro-healthy dietary pattern [AOR: 0.02; CI: 0.01, 0.2]. Those who increased their physical activity were more likely to follow the pro-healthy dietary pattern [AOR: 6.49; CI: 0.76, 55.76]. Those who had less sleep [AOR: 10.22; CI: 1.97, 52.92] and more screen time [AOR: 7.61; CI: 3.28, 17.62] had a higher risk of following an unhealthy dietary pattern.The lockdown had a significant impact on dietary patterns and was associated with unhealthy lifestyle outcomes among older Indian adults. From a public health perspective, promoting awareness of healthy dietary patterns and promoting healthy lifestyles through educational programs is a priority.