@booklet {unknown, title = {Leisure engagement and self-perceptions of aging: Longitudinal analysis of concurrent and lagged relationships}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Objectives: There is evidence to suggest that leisure engagement may influence self-perceptions of ageing, but disentangling potential bidirectionality in this relationship is challenging. A better understanding of the directionality of this association is essential for designing more effective interventions to promote healthy aging. We therefore tested both lagged and concurrent effects in both directions both for a composite measure of leisure engagement as well as specific domains of community, cognitive, creative, and physical activities. Method: A total of 17,753 adults aged 50 or above living in the United States from the Health and Retirement Study were included in the analysis. They provided 32,703 observations over three waves between 2008/2010 and 2016/2018. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling with both concurrent and lagged associations between self-perceptions of aging and leisure engagement, controlling for confounders including age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, and health conditions. Results: We found consistent evidence for leisure engagement as a predictor of self-perceptions of aging. There was weaker evidence for a reciprocal relationship, although this was found in the domains of creative activities and physical activities, where these two activities were also predicted by older adults{\textquoteright} self-perceptions of aging. Discussion: Our findings provide empirical support for potential benefits of leisure engagement on positive self-perceptions of aging, regardless of the type of activities. As the overall association appears to be stronger between leisure engagement and subsequent self-perceptions of aging, interventions designed to increase leisure engagement may be effective for improving older adults{\textquoteright} health.}, doi = {10.31234/osf.io/qzjvb}, author = {Bu, Feifei and Mak, Hei Wan and Bone, Jessica and Gao, Qian and Sonke, Jill and Fancourt, Daisy} } @article {PPR:PPR314453, title = {Engagement in leisure activities and depression in older adults in the United States: Longitudinal evidence from the Health and Retirement Study}, journal = {Social Science \& Medicine}, volume = {294}, year = {2022}, pages = {114703}, abstract = {Objectives: Receptive cultural engagement, such as going to the theater and museums, has been shown to reduce depression in older adults. However, whether more active engagement in artistic and creative activities is associated with lower rates of depression remains unknown. We aimed to test whether active arts engagement was associated with concurrent and subsequent depression. Methods: Using longitudinal data from 19,134 participants aged over 50 in the Health and Retirement Study, arts engagement was measured every four years, and depression every two years, between 2008 and 2016. A score of three or more on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale indicated depression. We fitted population-averaged panel data models using generalized estimating equations with a logit link. Results: Engaging in artistic and creative activities, such as clubs, hobbies, and baking/cooking was associated with reduced depression, independent of confounders. Concurrently, spending time on hobbies (monthly OR=0.80, 95\% CI=0.72-0.88; weekly OR=0.81, 95\% CI=0.73-0.89) and clubs (monthly OR=0.85, 95\% CI=0.77-0.94; weekly OR=0.78, 95\% CI=0.69-0.88) was associated with lower odds of depression versus not engaging. Longitudinally, the odds of depression two years later were reduced amongst people engaging in weekly baking/cooking (OR=0.85, 95\% CI=0.75-0.95), hobbies (OR=0.81, 95\% CI=0.71-0.92), and clubs (OR=0.82, 95\% CI=0.71-0.94). Writing, reading, sewing, and attending non-religious organizations were not consistently associated with depression. Discussion: Active engagement in artistic and creative activities is associated with reduced odds of depression. We should consider how older adults can be supported to actively engage in the arts as a health-promoting behavior.}, keywords = {activities, Arts, depression, Leisure}, doi = {10.1101/2021.04.15.21255495}, author = {Bone, Jessica and Feifei Bu and Meg Fluharty and Paul, Elise and Jill Sonke and Fancourt, Daisy} }