@article {13821, title = {Age Differences Experiences of Pandemic-related Health and Economic Challenges among Adults Aged 55 and Older.}, journal = {The Gerontologist}, year = {Forthcoming}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The oldest adults faced the highest risk of death and hospitalization from COVID-19, but less is known about whether they also were the most likely to experience pandemic-related economic, health care, and mental health challenges. Guided by prior research on vulnerability versus resilience among older adults, the current study investigated age differences in economic hardship, delays in medical care, and mental health outcomes among adults aged 55 and older.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data were from the COVID-19 module and Leave Behind Questionnaire in the 2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We estimated linear probability models to examine differences in experiences of pandemic-related economic and health challenges by age group (55-64, 65-74, 75+) with and without controls for preexisting sociodemographic, social program, health, and economic characteristics from the 2018 HRS. Models accounting for differential mortality also were estimated.

RESULTS: Adults aged 65-74 and 75+ experienced fewer economic and mental health challenges and those aged 75+ were less likely to delay medical care than adults aged 55-64. Age gradients were consistent across a broad range of measures and were robust to including controls. For all age groups, economic challenges were less common than delays in medical care or experiences of loneliness, stress, or being emotionally overwhelmed.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Even though the oldest adults were at the greatest risk of death and hospitalization from COVID-19, they experienced fewer secondary pandemic-related challenges. Future research should continue to explore the sources of this resilience for older adults.

}, keywords = {Access to medical care, COVID-19, Economic hardship, Mental Health}, issn = {1758-5341}, doi = {10.1093/geront/gnae023}, author = {Wiemers, Emily E and Lin, I-Fen and Wiersma Strauss, Anna and Chin, Janecca and Hotz, V Joseph and Seltzer, Judith A} } @article {13772, title = {Depressive symptom trajectory of older adults with diabetes: exploring the role of physical activities using latent growth modeling.}, journal = {Aging \& mental health}, year = {Forthcoming}, pages = {1-9}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: The literature highlights the role of physical activities in reducing depression, primarily in clinical samples and international longitudinal studies on older adults with diabetes. Based on Andersen{\textquoteright}s Behavioral Model, this study aims to describe the trajectory of depressive symptoms in this population and examine whether physical activities are associated with this trajectory.

METHODS: This study used a longitudinal survey design, utilizing three waves of data from the Health and Retirement Study. The respondents were adults aged 50 or older ( = 4,278) with diabetes. After conducting descriptive analyses, latent growth modeling was performed including unconditional and conditional models.

RESULTS: The overall trajectory of depressive symptoms in adults with diabetes decreased over a 4-year period. Physical activities were significantly associated with the variance in the intercept of the trajectory (~.05), but not associated with the variance in the slope (~>~.05). Additionally, this study identified factors significantly associated with the variance in the intercept (e.g. age, gender, race, marriage, education, income, self-reported health) or the slope (e.g. race, marriage, education, self-reported health) of the depressive symptom trajectory (~.05).

CONCLUSION: The findings underscore the importance of implementing targeted interventions to encourage and promote physical activities among older adults with diabetes, recognizing the potential benefits for managing their mental health.

}, keywords = {Depressive symptoms, Diabetes, Mental Health, Older Adults, physical activities}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2024.2313722}, author = {Yoon, Young Ji} } @article {13831, title = {Dyadic profiles of couples{\textquoteright} self-perceptions of aging: Implications for mental health.}, journal = {Psychology and Aging}, volume = {39}, year = {2024}, pages = {153-165}, abstract = {

The way older adults perceive their own aging processes influences their mental health, but we know little about how this occurs in a dyadic context, where spouses{\textquoteright} perceptions and health are often intertwined. The present study sought to identify dyadic profiles of self-perceptions of aging (SPAs) in couples and examine how certain profiles are associated with each partner{\textquoteright}s mental health over time. A pooled sample of 3,850 heterosexual couples aged 50+ in the Health and Retirement Study (2012/2014) rated positive and negative SPAs and provided data on demographic characteristics, couple relationships, and health. We tracked these couples{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms over 2 years (2014/2016). Latent profile analysis revealed five profiles of couples{\textquoteright} SPAs: similarly positive (20\%), similarly negative (6\%), similarly average (38\%), husband negative (20\%), and wife negative (17\%). Physical health and marital quality consistently differentiated couples in profile membership. Couples with similarly positive and similarly average SPAs reported the smallest increases in depressive symptoms over time, and couples with similarly negative SPAs fared worst in mental health. We observed interesting gender differences across profiles; husbands in the husband negative profile reported significantly greater increases in depressive symptoms than those in the wife negative profile. Yet, wives in these two profiles did not differ in their depressive symptoms over time, and they reported worse mental health than wives in the similarly positive and similarly average profiles. This study adds to the emerging literature that advocates for an interpersonal approach to SPAs and reveals risk and resilience in couples as they age together. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

}, keywords = {Aged, Aging, Humans, Mental Health, Resilience, Psychological, Retirement, Self Concept}, issn = {1939-1498}, doi = {10.1037/pag0000801}, author = {Huo, Meng and Kim, Kyungmin} } @article {13631, title = {Involuntary delayed retirement and mental health of older adults.}, journal = {Aging \& mental health}, volume = {28}, year = {2024}, pages = {169-177}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association of multiple mental health measures with involuntary delayed retirement (IDR) in working older adults (>= 65 years) in the USA.

METHODS: Data were derived from the Health and Retirement Study, focusing on two combined waves of working older adults in 2010 and 2012. IDR was measured as the desire to stop working but the inability to do so due to financial constraints. In addition, mental health outcomes included depression, anxiety, anger-in, and anger-out. Using Stata 16.0, primary analyses were conducted for descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression. The odds ratios were reported with 95\% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: Older adults who reported IDR were more likely to have depression (OR = 3.20, CI = 1.03-9.88), anxiety (OR = 2.12, CI = 1.00-5.18), and anger-in (OR = 1.71, CI = 1.12-2.60) compared to those who did not report IDR. However, IDR was not significantly associated with anger-out in older adults who worked past the traditional retirement age.

CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that IDR is likely to act as a stressor and affects the mental health of older adults aged 65 and more. Policymakers should pay more attention to helping older adults maintain positive mental health even if they are required to work past retirement age.

}, keywords = {Great Recession, involuntary delayed retirement, Mental Health, Older Adults}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2023.2230927}, author = {Raihan, Mohammad M H and Chowdhury, Nashit and Chowdhury, Mohammad Z I and Turin, Tanvir C} } @article {https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12963, title = {Racial/ethnic differences in living arrangements, distant relations, and later-life mental health}, journal = {Journal of Marriage and Family}, year = {2024}, abstract = {Abstract Objective This research investigates associations between living arrangements and older adults{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms and whether these associations are moderated by extended family, friends, and neighborhoods for White, Black, and Hispanic older adults. Background The drastic marriage and kinship decline since the 1970s has raised growing concerns about aging alone in both the public and scholarship. This paper adopts critical race theory to examine the social convoy model which argues that distant networks will fill in to protect individuals from stressors in the absence of proximal relations. Methods This paper applies multilevel mixed-effects linear models to 2006{\textendash}2018 waves of Health and Retirement Study (N = 44,304 obs., with 32,599 White, 7028 Black, and 4677 Hispanics). Results While married couples living alone have the best mental health among Whites, co-residing with both spouses/partners and children (the intergenerational coresidence) is associated with the lowest depressive symptoms for Black and Hispanic older adults. Moreover, strong social support from extended family and friends and a high level of neighborhood social cohesion can significantly mitigate increased depressive symptoms associated with living alone or with others only (people other than spouses/partners and children) for Whites, but not for Blacks and Hispanics. Conclusion This research challenges the paradigm that considers {\textquotedblleft}married couples living alone{\textquotedblright} as a normalized family structure. It also emphasizes the {\textquotedblleft}double plight{\textquotedblright} of Black and Hispanic older adults, who show both a disproportionate decline in family ties and a lack of supportive distant relations serving as buffer zones in the absence of spouses and children.}, keywords = {Family Relations, friendship, Mental Health, Neighborhoods, Older Adults, race}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12963}, author = {Liu, Jingwen} } @article {13729, title = {Residential greenspace and major depression among older adults living in urban and suburban areas with different climates across the United States.}, journal = {Environmental Research}, volume = {243}, year = {2024}, pages = {117844}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Residential greenspace could alleviate depression - a leading cause of disability. Fewer studies of depression and greenspace have considered major depression, and, to our knowledge, none have considered how climate, which determines vegetation abundance and type, may change the impacts of greenspace. Our aim was to investigate whether residential greenspace is associated with major depression among older adults and explore effect modification by climate.

METHODS: We used biennial interviews between 2008 and 2016 from the Health and Retirement Study. We calculated greenness within walking distance of home addresses as the maximum NDVI for the year of each participant interview averaged within a 1~km buffer. Reflecting clinical criteria, a score of >=5 on the CIDI-SF indicated major depression in the preceding 12-months. We characterized climate using K{\"o}ppen-Geiger classifications. To estimate prevalence ratios, we used Poisson regression. Our models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, geography, annual sunshine, and bluespace.

RESULTS: The 21,611 eligible participants were 65~{\textpm}~10 years old on average, 55\% female, 81\% White, 12\% Black, 10\% Hispanic/Latino, and 31\% had at least a 4-year college degree. The 12-month prevalence of a major depression was 8\%. In adjusted models, more residential greenspace was associated with a lower prevalence of major depression (prevalence ratio per IQR, 0.91; 95\% CI, 0.84 to 0.98). There was evidence of effect modification by climate (P forinteraction, 0.062). We observed stronger associations in tropical (prevalence ratio per IQR 0.69; 95\% CI, 0.47 to 1.01) and cold (prevalence ratio per IQR, 0.83; 95\% CI, 0.74 to 0.93) climates compared to arid (prevalence ratio per IQR 0.99; 95\% CI, 0.90 to 1.09) and temperate (prevalence ratio per IQR 0.98; 95\% CI, 0.86 to 1.11) climates.

CONCLUSIONS: Residential greenspace may help reduce major depression. However, climate may influence how people benefit from greenspace.

}, keywords = {Aged, depression, Depressive Disorder, Major, Environmental Exposure, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Parks, Recreational, United States}, issn = {1096-0953}, doi = {10.1016/j.envres.2023.117844}, author = {Fossa, Alan J and D{\textquoteright}Souza, Jennifer and Bergmans, Rachel and Zivin, Kara and Adar, Sara D} } @article {12387, title = {Associations between participation in community arts groups and aspects of~wellbeing in older adults in the United States: a propensity score matching analysis.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, volume = {27}, year = {2023}, pages = {1163-1172}, abstract = {

There is a social gradient in both arts engagement and wellbeing that may have led to an overestimation of the impact of arts engagement on wellbeing. We tested whether participation in community arts groups was associated with wellbeing after removing confounding by demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. Using propensity score matching, we analyzed data from 12,055 older adults in the Health and Retirement Study. We measured community arts groups participation and concurrent life satisfaction (evaluative wellbeing), positive and negative affect (experienced wellbeing), and purpose in life, constraints on personal control, and mastery (eudaimonic wellbeing). After matching, arts group participation was associated with higher positive affect (average treatment effect on the treated [ATT] = 0.18, 95\% CI = 0.12-0.24), life satisfaction (ATT = 0.09, 95\% CI = 0.04-0.15), purpose in life (ATT = 0.07, 95\% CI = 0.02-0.13), and mastery (ATT = 0.07, 95\% CI = 0.01-0.14) than not participating. Participation was not associated with negative affect or constraints on personal control. In sensitivity analyses, these associations were maintained four years later. Arts group participation was associated with the positive elements of evaluative, experienced, and eudaimonic wellbeing. Facilitating participation in community arts groups could help to promote healthy aging, enabling a growing segment of the population to lead more fulfilling and satisfying lives.

}, keywords = {community groups, Cultural engagement, Epidemiology, Mental Health, music and arts, Quality of Life, Wellbeing}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2022.2068129}, author = {Bone, Jessica K and Fancourt, Daisy and Fluharty, Meg E and Paul, Elise and Sonke, Jill K and Bu, Feifei} } @mastersthesis {13476, title = {Cognitively Stimulating Leisure Activities, Emotional Health, and Cognitive Functions Among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Longitudinal Analysis}, year = {2023}, pages = {89}, type = {phd}, abstract = {Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal relationship between different levels of Cognitively Stimulating Leisure Activity (CSLA) participation and emotional health and cognitive function among older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Methods: The current study employed the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data from 2012 to 2020 (n = 5,932). Three cognitive function tests based on Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were used to assess three domains of cognition (i.e., memory, working memory, attention and processing speed) and screen whether the respondents have MCI. Using a Repeated-Measured Multivariate Analysis of Covariance (RM-MANCOVA), this study investigated (a) group mean differences in the positive and negative affect and (b) group mean differences in three cognitive functions in three CSLA groups (low, mid, and high participation).Results: (a) The high CSLA group showed higher positive affect and lower negative affect than the mid and low groups. Also, the mid-CSLA group presented higher positive affect and lower negative affect than the low CSLA group. (b) Both positive and negative affect showed significant differences between years and indicated a continuously declining slope year by year without exceptions. (c) The high CSLA group not only presented higher positive affect and lower negative affect during the period but also solely showed a rebounding feature in the declining slope on both emotions. (d) The high CSLA group indicated higher memory, working memory, and attention and processing speed than the mid and low groups. The mid-CSLA group showed higher working memory and attention and processing speed than the low CSLA group but not in working memory. (e) All three cognitive functions displayed significant differences between years and display a declining slope but the differences between the year 2014 and other years are not significant. (f) The high CSLA group always exhibited higher cognitive functions during the period and maintained a similar level of cognitive functions compared to the other groups. Discussion: The findings of this study provide valuable support for the design and implementation of CSLA participation programs and clinical guidelines for older adults with MCI. The results highlight the importance of determining the optimal level of CSLA engagement that is required to promote emotional health and cognitive function in this population. By incorporating the findings of this study into clinical guidelines, healthcare providers are able to offer an optimal level of CSLA programs offered at least four to three times a week. Further, efforts should be made to create strategies to overcome the barriers to CSLA participation, such as caregiver support and financial constraints, by establishing public care services, subsidies, and community support networks. These implications will contribute to the promotion of cognitive function and the potential prevention of dementia in older adults with MCI, and enhance their overall well-being and quality of life.}, keywords = {0347:Mental health, 0351:Gerontology, 0573:Public health, cognitive functions, cognitive impairment, Emotional Health, Gerontology, Leisure activities, Mental Health, Older Adults, Public Health}, isbn = {9798380122030}, url = {https://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/cognitively-stimulating-leisure-activities/docview/2852386350/se-2}, author = {Lee,Jungjoo} } @article {13680, title = {Family caregiving doesn{\textquoteright}t always mean poor mental health, study finds}, year = {2023}, publisher = {McKnights}, keywords = {Caregiving, depression, Mental Health}, url = {https://www.mcknights.com/news/clinical-news/family-caregiving-doesnt-always-mean-poor-mental-health-study-finds/}, author = {Fischer, Kristen} } @article {12785, title = {Friendship in Later Life: A Pathway between Volunteering Hours and Depressive Symptoms.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {78}, year = {2023}, pages = {673-683}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Friendships are essential in the face of social network changes in later life and friendships may be important for reducing depression risk. Social participation through volunteering is also associated with fewer depressive symptoms. What is less well-understood is whether friendships serve as a pathway in the link between volunteering and depression.

METHODS: We used panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2010, 2014, 2018). Negative binomial regression within the SEM modeling framework was employed to analyze the association between volunteering and friendship, focusing on the indirect effect of friendships for understanding the volunteering and depressive symptoms relationship.

RESULTS: Volunteer hours were positively associated with friendship (1-99 hours: β=0.17, p<.001, 100-199 hours: β=0.15, p<.001, 200 hours and more: β=0.23, p<.001) and negatively associated with number of depressive symptoms (1-99 hours: β=-0.07, p=.06, 100-199 hours: β=-0.14, p<.001, 200 hours and more: β=-0.17, p<.001). Friendship mediated the relationship between volunteer hours and depressive symptoms (indirect effects; 1-99 hours: β=-0.01, (95\% CI=[-0.02, -0.00], p=.03), 100-199 hours: β=-0.01, (95\% CI=[-0.02, -0.00], p=.03), 200 hours and more: β=-0.02, (95\% CI=[-0.03, -0.00], p=.03).

DISCUSSION: Our findings underscored the role of volunteering in generating and maintaining friendships, as well as for friendships as a pathway between volunteer hours and depressive symptoms. Providing opportunities to maintain and grow friendships in later life may be a possible intervention strategy for older adults at risk of depression.

}, keywords = {Emotional Health, Mental Health, pro-social behaviors, social engagement, Social Relationships}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbac168}, author = {Lim, Emily and Peng, Changmin and Burr, Jeffrey A} } @article {13542, title = {Hobby engagement and mental wellbeing among people aged 65 years and older in 16 countries.}, journal = {Nature Medicine}, volume = {29}, year = {2023}, pages = {2233-2240}, abstract = {

Growing aging populations pose a threat to global health because of the social and psychological challenges they experience. To mitigate this, many countries promote hobby engagement to support and improve mental health. Yet, it remains unclear whether there is consistency in benefits across different national settings. We harmonized measures of hobby engagement and multiple aspects of mental wellbeing across 16 nations represented in five longitudinal studies (N = 93,263). Prevalence of hobby engagement varied substantially across countries, from 51.0\% of Spanish respondents to 96.0\% of Danish respondents. Fixed effects models and multinational meta-analyses were applied to compare the longitudinal associations between hobbies and mental wellbeing. Independent of confounders, having a hobby was associated with fewer depressive symptoms (pooled coefficient = -0.10; 95\% confidence intervals (CI) = -0.13, -0.07), and higher levels of self-reported health (pooled coefficient = 0.06; 95\% CI = 0.03, 0.08), happiness (pooled coefficient = 0.09; 95\% CI = 0.06, 0.13) and life satisfaction (pooled coefficient = 0.10; 95\% CI = 0.08, 0.12). Further analyses suggested a temporal relationship. The strength of these associations, and prevalence of hobby engagement, were correlated with macrolevel factors such as life expectancy and national happiness levels but overall, little variance in findings was explained by country-level factors (<9\%). Given the relative universality of findings, ensuring equality in hobby engagement within and between countries should be a priority for promoting healthy aging.

}, keywords = {hobbies, Life Expectancy, Mental Health, Self Report}, issn = {1546-170X}, doi = {10.1038/s41591-023-02506-1}, author = {Mak, Hei Wan and Noguchi, Taiji and Bone, Jessica K and Wels, Jacques and Gao, Qian and Kondo, Katsunori and Saito, Tami and Fancourt, Daisy} } @article {13280, title = {The impact of a partner{\textquoteright}s nursing home admission on individuals{\textquoteright} mental well-being.}, journal = {Soc Sci Med}, volume = {327}, year = {2023}, pages = {115941}, abstract = {

This study analyzes the effect of a partner{\textquoteright}s nursing home admission on individuals{\textquoteright} mental well-being. To do so, we use longitudinal data on couples from the Health and Retirement Study and a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences design to isolate the causal effect of the transition. We hypothesize that: (i) a partner{\textquoteright}s nursing home admission has a negative impact on individuals{\textquoteright} mental well-being and (ii) the size of the negative effect is decreasing in the amount of caregiving provided by respondents pre-admission. We find that a partner{\textquoteright}s nursing home admission raises respondents{\textquoteright} depressive symptomology scores by 0.839, corresponding to a 50 percent increase from the average pre-admission baseline. Amongst respondents providing care to their partners pre-admission, a nursing home transition raises depression scores by 0.670, corresponding to a 36.8 increase from baseline. Non-caregiving respondents experience a corresponding 1.05 increase in depression scores, representing a 67.2 percent rise from baseline. Amongst pre-admission caregivers, we find that the negative well-being impact of a partner{\textquoteright}s admission decreases in the duration and intensity of caregiving pre-admission. We also find that partners of care recipients with more severe physical and cognitive impairment pre-admission experience less deterioration in mental well-being compared to their counterparts. Overall, our findings indicate that a partner{\textquoteright}s transition into residential care can provide respite from caregiving-related stressors. However, on average, the negative well-being effects of the transition tend to outweigh this positive respite effect. The policy implications are twofold: first, there is a need for continued support to families of care recipients during the latter{\textquoteright}s transition into institutional care. Second, nursing homes and other institutions have a role in providing respite care, especially for high-intensity caregivers.

}, keywords = {Caregivers, Hospitalization, Humans, Mental Health, Nursing homes, psychological well-being}, issn = {1873-5347}, doi = {10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.115941}, author = {Teo, Hansel} } @article {doi:10.1177/23780231231186072, title = {Mental Health Effects of Income over the Adult Life Course}, journal = {Socius}, volume = {9}, year = {2023}, pages = {23780231231186072}, abstract = {While a gradient between income and depression is well documented, associational estimates are subject to bias due to measurement errors, reverse causation, and other sources of confounding. Causal studies are few and report small and divergent estimates, even in their direction. But prior research has important limitations for causal inference, such as relying on comparisons between individuals sensitive to each other{\textquoteright}s relative income or capturing only a subset of pathways through which income affects well-being. This study leverages longitudinal and genomic data to assess how much some known biases affect the income-depression gradient and to what extent the gradient might be reflective of a causal effect. Findings from three U.S. samples{\textemdash}representing early midlife, late midlife, and older adulthood{\textemdash}are suggestive of a beneficial effect of income on mental health, especially in late midlife and beyond. The results have implications for interpreting the nature of socioeconomic disparities in mental health.}, keywords = {Adult, Income, Mental Health}, doi = {10.1177/23780231231186072}, author = {Tamkinat Rauf} } @article {13098, title = {Obesity Leaves Psychological Scars After the Weight Is Gone}, year = {2023}, publisher = {Bloomberg}, keywords = {depression, Mental Health, Obesity}, url = {https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-05-18/obesity-leaves-psychological-scars-after-the-weight-is-gone}, author = {Kresge, Naomi} } @article {13097, title = {Past obesity can have lasting effects on mental health, study finds}, year = {2023}, publisher = {The Guardian}, keywords = {Anxiety, depression, Mental Health, Obesity}, url = {https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/17/past-obesity-can-have-lasting-effects-on-mental-health-study-finds}, author = {Thomas, Tobi} } @article {AYALON2023102020, title = {Perceived neighborhood characteristics and wellbeing: Exploring mediational pathways}, journal = {Journal of Environmental Psychology}, volume = {88}, year = {2023}, pages = {102020}, abstract = {The present study evaluated possible mediators of the association between perceived neighborhood characteristics and wellbeing. Both objective: social participation, community engagement, and number of chronic conditions and subjective: loneliness, perceived discrimination, and subjective health indicators were examined as possible mediators. The health and retirement study is a longitudinal panel survey consisting of a representative sample of US citizens over the age of 50. Analysis was based on data collected in 2010, 2014, and 2018. A total of 5590{\textendash}5851 participants were included in the analyses. Path models were conducted to examine mediation, using 5000 bootstraps. Even after controlling for sociodemographic variables, there was a significant association between perceived neighborhood characteristics measured in 2010 and wellbeing measured in 2018. This association was partially mediated by loneliness, perceived discrimination, and subjective health measured in 2014, but not by community engagement, social participation, and number of chronic conditions. In a sensitivity analysis, some of the objective indicators partially accounted for the relationship between perceived neighborhood characteristics and the subjective indicators. The findings point to the importance of subjective mediators, rather than objective ones in explaining the association between perceived neighborhood characteristics and wellbeing. Hence, they call for further attention to the subjective characteristics of the neighborhood as important to older persons{\textquoteright} wellbeing.}, keywords = {Mental Health, neighborhood cohesion, neighborhood disorder, Objective, Subjective, Wellbeing}, issn = {0272-4944}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2023.102020}, author = {Liat Ayalon} } @article {12641, title = {Psychiatric history and later-life cognitive change: effect modification by sex, race and ethnicity.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, year = {2023}, abstract = {

We explored associations between psychiatric history and cognitive functioning, and differences by sex and race/ethnicity (SRE) in 20,155 Health and Retirement Study (1995-2014) participants aged 65 or older. Multi-level growth curve models examined cognition scores and their trajectories over time by SRE. A history of psychiatric, emotional, or nervous problems was significantly related to cognition scores and rates of decline. Hispanic and Black participants had significantly lower cognition scores at age 75 and steeper rates of decline than White females, and Black race and the Hispanic race/ethnicity-sex interaction erased the protective effects of being female. Future research should include specific psychiatric diagnoses. Population level findings as reported here, along with aggregate findings from similar studies, can inform interventions and policies regarding support for populations that are vulnerable to mental illness and to subsequent cognitive decline.

}, keywords = {Cognitive decline, Disparities, Mental Health, social determinants, Trajectories}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2022.2116398}, author = {Brown, Maria T and Mutambudzi, Miriam} } @article {13267, title = {Racial Differences in Depression Indicators Before and After 2008 Financial Crisis in a Sample of Older Adults }, year = {2023}, institution = {Georgia Southern University}, abstract = {The present study was designed to examine patterns of mental health outcomes in older Black and White adults after the national 2008 financial crisis. The data was acquired from the University of Michigan Health and Retirement Study, a publicly available dataset. This longitudinal study has obtained data from a representative sample of approximately 20,000 older adults in America, aged 55 and older. The hypotheses were (1) rates of mental health indicators related to symptoms of depression will increase after the 2008 financial crisis and (2) that increase will be significantly higher in Black respondents compared to White respondents. The analysis revealed that Black participants displayed higher levels of the indicators of depression. However, the financial crisis had no significant influence on indicators of depression in this sample of older adults. Implications of the findings are discussed in terms of highlighting discrepancies in mental health for Black individuals.}, keywords = {Financial crisis, Gerontology, Mental Health, Racial Disparities}, url = {https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/2556}, author = {Angelina E. Jackson} } @article {12650, title = {Receptive and participatory arts engagement and healthy aging: Longitudinal evidence from the Health and Retirement Study}, journal = {Social Science \& Medicine}, volume = {334}, year = {2023}, pages = {116198}, abstract = {Background: There is increasing interest in the potential benefits of referring older adults to engage in community-based arts activities to enhance health. The arts have been found to have wide-ranging benefits for older adults including being associated with an increased lifespan. However, it remains unclear whether they are additionally associated with an increase in the portion of people{\textquoteright}s lives for which they remain healthy ({\textquoteright}healthspan{\textquoteright}). Methods: We included 1,269 older adults who completed the 2014 Arts and Culture Supplement of the Health and Retirement Study and were alive in 2016 and 2018. We measured the number of participatory arts activities engaged in (e.g., reading, crafts, dancing) and the frequency of receptive arts engagement (e.g., going to a gallery or performance) in the past year. Healthy aging was a binary outcome, conceptualized using a previously validated definition of no major chronic diseases, no cognitive impairment, good physical functioning, and good mental health. Logistic regression models tested whether receptive and participatory arts engagement were associated with healthy aging two and four years later. Results: After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic covariates, doing receptive arts activities once a month or more was associated with 84\% higher odds of healthy aging two years later compared to never engaging (adjusted OR [AOR]=1.84, 95\% CI=1.06-3.19). There was some weak evidence that this association was maintained four years later (AOR=1.68, 95\% CI=0.97-2.90). Although doing one participatory arts activity was associated with 53\% lower odds of healthy aging four years later compared to no participation (AOR=0.47, 95\% CI=0.26-0.87), this association was not present at two years or for higher levels of participatory arts engagement. Conclusions: Expanding on previous studies, which have suggested that receptive arts engagement is related to prolonged longevity, our findings suggest that receptive arts engagement may also be associated with better overall health and function in those who survive. Those with poorer health may have been engaging in participatory arts because they were unable to attend receptive arts or broader leisure activities (indicating reverse causality), or receptive arts activities may contain specifically beneficial active ingredients for healthy aging. These possibilities present promising avenues for future research.}, keywords = {Chronic disease, Cognition, cognitive impairment, Cultural engagement, Mental Health, physical functioning}, doi = {10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116198}, author = {Rena, Melinda and Fancourt, Daisy and Bu, Feifei and Paul, Elise and Sonke, Jill K and Bone, Jessica K} } @article {13300, title = {Relationships Between Types of Leisure Activities and Mental Health among Older Adults With Diabetes During the COVID-19 Pandemic.}, journal = {Am J Health Behav}, volume = {47}, year = {2023}, pages = {228-236}, abstract = {

Three types of leisure activities such as sedentary, social, and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) have been identified as essential factors that influence mental health outcomes among older adults with diabetes. In this study, we aimed to investigate what types of leisure activities are associated with mental health outcomes among older adults with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used 2020 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data. We extracted 310 records from 3266 individuals diagnosed with diabetes and conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to investigate the research question. LTPA was the strongest predictor of reduced loneliness and stress and increased happiness and life satisfaction among older adults with diabetes. Our findings highlight the relationship between different types of leisure activities and mental health for older adults with diabetes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data suggest that LTPA, social leisure, and sedentary leisure reduce loneliness and stress and improve happiness and life satisfaction.

}, keywords = {Aged, COVID-19, Diabetes Mellitus, Humans, Leisure activities, Mental Health, Pandemics}, issn = {1945-7359}, doi = {10.5993/AJHB.47.2.3}, author = {Lee, Jungjoo and Han, Areum and Kim, Junhyoung and Park, Se-Hyuk} } @article {13681, title = {Revisiting the caregiver stress process: Does family caregiving really lead to worse mental health outcomes?}, journal = {Advances in Life Course Research}, volume = {58}, year = {2023}, pages = {100579}, abstract = {

While the act of caregiving is often characterized as a stressful experience detrimental to mental health, recent studies are challenging this view by reporting robust health and well-being benefits linked to family caregiving. The current study attempted to provide an explanation of this apparent paradox by focusing on the role played by family health problems in the association between being a caregiver and mental health. Framed within the life course perspective and focusing on caregiving provided to aging mothers, the current study aimed 1) to demonstrate how the linkage between caregiving and depression reported in earlier studies may be misleading and 2) to further investigate whether caregiving to an aging mother may lead to any mental health benefits. Using longitudinal data drawn from the nationally representative US Health and Retirement Study, I follow adult children 50 and older who had a living mother during the observation period (N~=~4812; 18,442 person-wave observations). A series of within-between random effects models were estimated to explicate how health conditions of aging mothers (i.e., disability and dementia) and caregiving transitions of adult children were associated with changes in depressive symptoms of adult children. Findings demonstrated that caregiving transitions were unrelated to depressive symptoms among adult children once the model controlled for the confounding effects of having their mother experience disability and dementia. Further, caregiving behavior was found to buffer the direct detrimental effect of maternal disability on adult children{\textquoteright}s depressive symptoms. This study adds to the growing body of research that cautions against characterizing caregiving as a chronic stressor detrimental to mental health and further echoes earlier calls for a more balanced portrayal of caregiving in policy reports and research literature.

}, keywords = {Adult children, Caregivers, Dementia, Health Care, Mental Health, Outcome Assessment}, issn = {1879-6974}, doi = {10.1016/j.alcr.2023.100579}, author = {Han, Sae Hwang} } @article {RePEc:dem:wpaper:wp-2023-003, title = {The role of labor market inequalities in explaining the gender gap in depression risk among older US adults}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Background: We aim to investigate to what extent gender inequality at the labor market explains higher depression risk for older US women compared to men. Methods: We analyze data from 35,699 US adults aged 50-80 years that participated in the Health and Retirement Study. We calculate the gender gap as the difference in the prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms (>= 3, 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) between women and men. We employ a dynamic causal decomposition and simulate the life course of a synthetic cohort from ages 50-80 with the longitudinal g-formula. We introduce four nested interventions by assigning women the same probabilities of A) being in an employment category, B) occupation class, C) current income, and D) prior income group as men, conditional on women{\textquoteright}s health and family status until age 70. Findings: The gender gap in depression risk is 2.9\%-points at ages 50-51 which increases to 7.6\%-points at ages 70-71. Intervention A decreases the gender gap over ages 50-71 by 1.2\%-points (95\%CI for change: -2.81 to 0.4), intervention D by 1.64\%-points (95\%CI for change: -3.28 to -0.15) or 32\% (95\%CI: 1.39 to 62.83), and the effects of interventions B and C are in between those of A and D. The impact is particularly large for Hispanics and low educated groups. Interpretation: Gender inequalities at the labor market substantially explain the gender gap in depression risk in older US adults. Reducing these inequalities has the potential to narrow the gender gap in depression.}, keywords = {gender, Inequality, labor market, Mental Health, USA}, doi = {10.4054/MPIDR-WP-2023-003}, author = {Maria Gueltzow and Maarten J. Bijlsma and Frank J. van Lenthe and Mikko Myrskyl{\"a}} } @article {12048, title = {Sociodemographic dynamics and age trajectories of depressive symptoms among adults in mid- and later life: a cohort perspective.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, year = {2023}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: This study explored the age trajectories of depressive symptoms across multiple cohort groups who were in middle and late adulthood; examined sociodemographic differences in these trajectories; and investigated how relevant factors contributed to depressive symptoms trends of different cohorts.

METHODS: Drawing on data from the 1994-2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we used growth curve models to examine the age patterns of depressive symptoms, changes in sociodemographic gaps in depressive symptoms trajectories, and predictors of changes in depressive symptoms.

RESULTS: In general, adults{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms started high in middle-adulthood, declined in young-old life, increased moderately in mid-old life, and peaked in old-old life; In detail, more nuanced cohort-specific age trajectories of depressive symptoms were observed, challenging the prevailing assumption of a common age trajectory of depressive symptoms. Later-born cohorts displayed higher levels of depressive symptoms than earlier-born cohorts at observed ages. Second, we found intra-cohort sociodemographic differences in levels of depressive symptoms, but these differences{\textquoteright} growth rates varied by specific factors. Regardless of the cohort group, as people age, the gender gap in depressive symptoms persisted but the partnership gap reduced. A widening educational gap across cohorts was observed, but it declined with age in some cohorts.

CONCLUSION: Results suggest more evidence for the persistent inequality and age-as-leveler hypotheses rather than the cumulative (dis-)advantage hypothesis.

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2021.2010182 .

}, keywords = {Health Inequality, life course, Mental Health, psychological distress}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2021.2010182}, author = {Luo, Mengsha and Li, Lydia and Liu, Zhen and Li, Angran} } @mastersthesis {13523, title = {Three Essays on Intergenerational Transfers}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2023}, pages = {163}, school = {Syracuse University}, type = {phd}, address = {New York}, abstract = {Intergenerational transfers of money, time, and other resources are major drivers of wealth inequality in the United States (U.S.). Wealth confers a wide array of advantages, from financial security to social prestige, power, and health. Wealth also can be used to accumulate more wealth. Given that intergenerational transfers generate economic inequality, this three-essay dissertation will seek to examine the causes and consequences of intergenerational transfers in the U.S. The first two essays are devoted to the understanding of the precedents of intergenerational transfers, while the last essay assess the consequence of intergenerational transfers on mental health.Essay 1: Cumulative inequality theory (CIT) posits that disadvantage experienced in early life may not only adversely affect one{\textquoteright}s life course, it may also shape one{\textquoteright}s ability to provide assistance to the next generation. Since intergenerational exchanges can either promote or set back the next generation{\textquoteright}s success, this study therefore aims to determine how childhood disadvantages of parents are associated with the inter vivos downward transfers. Data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Childhood Retrospective Circumstances Survey and Rosters and Transfers Module were used to estimate linear regression models. Childhood experiences were measured in the following ways: an aggregate index, categorical variables, or as separate domains. Following CIT, domains included were economic, psychosocial (family, peer), environmental, and health. Downward transfers considered in this study were measured in terms of time transfers and money transfers in the past year, for aid in schooling, for home purchase, and for other purposes. Controlling for adult children{\textquoteright}s characteristics that reflect needs for parental assistance, and upward time and money transfers to account for reciprocity, the results indicate that parent{\textquoteright}s assistance to their adult children vary by their early-life experiences, and some childhood domains matter more (i.e., economic, family, environmental) than others (i.e., peer, health). Those with less affluent upbringing gave significantly more time transfers but less money to their adult children. Money earmarked for schooling purposes were at most $9,000 less for those with the worst level of childhood misfortunes. The forces that shape parental assistance to adult children, therefore, date as far back as the grandparent generation.Essay 2: Whether private intergenerational transfers crowd out or crowd in public welfare, have been subject to debate for almost half a century. Crowding out considers public and private transfers as substitutes, whereas when crowding in occurs the public sector frees up family{\textquoteright}s resources via social welfare provisions, allowing families to transfer resources amongst their members. Often, studies on this topic either use cross-country variation from different welfare regimes or average social welfare expenditure per capita, without consideration of the varied social welfare experiences among givers and receivers. This is the first study to document how parental financial transfers and time transfers in the form of grandchild care are associated with the relative welfare experiences of the parent (giver) and the adult child (beneficiary) by exploiting the heterogeneity of public welfare across U.S. states. Parent-child dyadic data come from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a longitudinal and nationally representative study of older adults in the U.S. I linked data from the HRS respondent file and the child-level file constructed by the RAND Corporation with state-specific public welfare expenditures per capita from the Government Finance Database. Controlling for parent, adult child, and reciprocity related determinants of downward transfers, mixed effects logistic regressions clustered by households showed that compared to dyads who both live in a state with low levels of welfare generosity: (1) dyads whose parents live in a less generous state compared to their children have lower odds of downward money and time transfers and (2) dyads whose parents live in a more generous state while the child lives in a relatively less generous states have lower odds of providing both money and time transfers. The results from this study provide partial support for both crowding out and crowding in while implying support for both altruistic and selfish transfer motives. These mixed results call for scholars to reevaluate the consensus of the crowding in hypothesis as the main explanation of downward transfers of money and time from aging parents to adult children, and suggest that better data on both givers{\textquoteright} and receivers{\textquoteright} public welfare experiences are needed to fully contextualize family transfers.Essay 3: Intergenerational transfers are potential social determinants of health, as multiple generations coexisting has become a commonplace in aging societies and austere social protections push families to support their members. This study therefore aims to assess the association between intergenerational transfers between parents, adult children, and other kin, and depressive symptoms among U.S. older adults aged 51+ using data from the Health and Retirement Study waves 2010-2018. Two subsamples were constructed to account for the effect of kin: (1) respondents with at least one adult child and deceased parents/ parents-in-law, and (2) respondents with at least one adult child and one living parent/ parent-in-law throughout the study period. Transfers were categorized as either giving or receiving money and time. Net of relevant sociodemographic factors, random effects logistic regression models revealed that for both subsamples, the odds of having high depressive symptoms were greater for those who have given money transfers. Receiving money transfers and time transfers were also found to be detrimental for mental health. The findings are consistent with the stress process model and also provide partial support for economic exchange theory and contingency exchange. Understanding the factors that are related to older adult well-being is vital as this age group is at risk of mental health decline due to the life course challenges that typically occur in advanced ages like social isolation, bereavement, as well as illnesses and functional limitations.}, keywords = {0347:Mental health, 0351:Gerontology, 0626:Sociology, 0938:Demography, childhood circumstances, Demography, depression, Gerontology, Intergenerational transfers, life course, Mental Health, Older Adults, Sociology, Transfer motives}, isbn = {9798380339124}, url = {https://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/three-essays-on-intergenerational-transfers/docview/2864812703/se-2}, author = {Cheng,Kent J. G.} } @article {13164, title = {Under Different Roofs? Coresidence With Adult Children and Parents{\textquoteright} Mental Health Across Race and Ethnicity Over Two Decades.}, journal = {Demography}, volume = {60}, year = {2023}, month = {2023 Apr 01}, pages = {461-492}, abstract = {

Many U.S. parents share a household with an adult child in later life. However, the reasons parents and adult children coreside may vary over time and across family race/ethnicity, shaping relationships with parents{\textquoteright} mental health. Using the Health and Retirement Study, this study investigates the determinants and mental health correlates of coresidence with adult children from 1998 to 2018 among White, Black, and Hispanic parents under age 65 and aged 65+. Findings show that the predictors of coresidence shifted with increasing odds that parents lived with an adult child, and several varied by parents{\textquoteright} age group and race/ethnicity. Compared with White parents, Black and Hispanic parents were more likely to live with adult children, especially at older ages, and to indicate that they helped their children with household finances or functional limitations. Living with adult children was associated with higher depressive symptoms among White parents, and mental health was negatively related to living with adult children who were not working or were helping parents with functional limitations. The findings highlight increasing diversity among adult child-coresident parents and underscore persistent differences in the predictors and meaning of coresidence with adult children across race/ethnicity.

}, keywords = {Adult, Adult children, ethnicity, Humans, Intergenerational Relations, Mental Health, Parents, Residence Characteristics}, issn = {1533-7790}, doi = {10.1215/00703370-10571923}, author = {Caputo, Jennifer and Cagney, Kathleen A} } @article {13252, title = {Working, Low Income, and Cancer Caregiving: Financial and Mental Health Impacts.}, journal = {J Clin Oncol}, volume = {41}, year = {2023}, pages = {2939-2948}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: Approximately 6 million people provide caregiving to people diagnosed with cancer. Many must remain employed to support their household and to have access to health insurance. It is unknown if caregiving for a spouse diagnosed with cancer is associated with greater financial and mental stress relative to providing care for a spouse with different conditions.

METHODS: Health and Retirement Study (2002-2020) data were used to compare employed caregivers, younger than age 65 years, caring for a spouse diagnosed with cancer (n = 103) and a matched control group caring for a spouse with other conditions (n = 515). We used logistic regression to examine a decrease in household income, increase in household debt, stopping work, and a new report of a mental health condition over a 4-year period, adjusting for socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, and health insurance status. Subanalyses stratified estimations by median household income.

RESULTS: Around a third of cancer caregivers reported they stopped working (35\%) and had an increase in household debt (30\%). Cancer caregivers in households below the median household income were more likely to report decreased income (13.4 percentage points [pp]; < .10), increased household debt (14.5 pp; < .10), and stopping work (18.8 pp; < .05) than similar noncancer caregivers. Mixed results were found for a change in mental health domains. The results were robust to multiple sensitivity analyses.

CONCLUSION: Cancer caregivers from low-income households were more likely to increase debt and incur work loss compared with noncancer caregivers in similar households. Policies such as paid sick leave and family leave are needed for this strained and important population who have financial and employment responsibilities in addition to caregiving.

}, keywords = {Aged, Caregivers, Employment, Humans, Income, Insurance, Health, Mental Health, Neoplasms}, issn = {1527-7755}, doi = {10.1200/JCO.22.02537}, author = {Bradley, Cathy J and Kitchen, Sara and Owsley, Kelsey M} } @article {11487, title = {Black-White Differences in the Link Between Offspring College Attainment and Parents{\textquoteright} Depressive Symptom Trajectories.}, journal = {Research on Aging}, volume = {44}, year = {2022}, pages = {123-135}, abstract = {

This study examines whether the relationship between children{\textquoteright}s college attainment and their parents{\textquoteright} mental health differs for Black and White parents as they age. Data come from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and multilevel growth curve models are used to assess parents{\textquoteright} depressive symptom trajectories. Results indicated that parents over age 50 whose children all completed college had significantly lower initial levels of depressive symptoms than those with no college-educated children. The initial benefit was stronger for Blacks than Whites. Results stratified further by parents{\textquoteright} education show that Black parents at nearly all levels of schooling experienced stronger returns to their mental health from children{\textquoteright}s college completion compared to White parents, for whom only those with a high school education showed an inverse association between offspring education and depression symptoms. The findings underscore how offspring education is a potential resource for reducing disparities in health across families.

}, keywords = {intergenerational relationships, life course, Mental Health, race}, issn = {1552-7573}, doi = {10.1177/0164027521997999}, author = {Jenjira J Yahirun and Connor M Sheehan and Krysia N Mossakowski} } @article {12376, title = {Contemporary Research on Older Black Americans, a Special Issue of Journal of Aging and Health in Honor of the Life and Legacy of James S. Jackson.}, journal = {Journal of Aging and Health}, volume = {34}, year = {2022}, pages = {301-306}, abstract = {

This special issue of the Journal of Aging and Health honors the memory of James Jackson by elevating his many research contributions to the physical and mental health of older Black Americans. The articles focus on the central problems and questions that James Jackson addressed throughout his illustrious career. All articles in the special issue focus on older Black Americans and include at least one of the following elements: (1) articles based on the National Survey of American Life, the data set for which James Jackson was the Principal Investigator; (2) articles that utilize the Environmental Affordances Model which was developed by James Jackson; (3) articles that include the Everyday Discrimination scale which was originally published by David Williams, James Jackson, and colleagues; (4) and articles based on the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the data set for which James Jackson served as Editor for a special issue of .

}, keywords = {African Americans, lifecourse, Mental Health, Social Factors, Well-being}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/08982643221086334}, author = {Taylor, Robert Joseph} } @article {11965, title = {The Death of a Child and Parents{\textquoteright} Psychological Distress in Mid to Later Life: Racial/Ethnic Differences in Exposure and Vulnerability.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {77}, year = {2022}, pages = {1561-1570}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: This study considered whether experiencing the death of a child is associated with subsequent psychological distress in older populations, as well as variation in both exposure and vulnerability to the death of a child among Black, Hispanic, and White older parents.

METHODS: We used multilevel models to link the death of a child with subsequent distress for 9,763 non-Hispanic White, 2,496 non-Hispanic Black, 1,014 foreign-born Hispanic, and 712 U.S.-born Hispanic parents from the Health and Retirement Study, 2006-2016.

RESULTS: The death of a child is associated with increased psychological distress in mid to later life for Black, White, and Hispanic parents, with greater vulnerability for foreign-born Hispanic parents. Notably, Black and U.S.-born Hispanic parents are disadvantaged because of the additive effects of their greater exposure to bereavement and their higher distress levels regardless of bereavement status. These effects persist net of additional stressors associated with race/ethnicity.

DISCUSSION: The death of a child is a traumatic life course event associated with lasting psychological distress for aging parents. Black and U.S.-born Hispanic parents are disadvantaged in that they are more likely than White parents to experience the death of a child, and foreign-born Hispanic parents may be disadvantaged by greater vulnerability to distress following child death.

}, keywords = {Bereavement, Cumulative advantage/disadvantage, Mental Health, Minority aging, Race/ethnicity}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbab206}, author = {Debra Umberson and Rachel Donnelly} } @article {11478, title = {Death of a child, religion, and mental health in later life.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, volume = {26}, year = {2022}, pages = {623-631}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The death of a child may be one of the most stressful events for parents to experience. This study aims to assess how the death of a child prior to midlife is associated with the mental health of parents in later life, and how this association is contingent upon religious belief in a divine plan.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using data from aging parents (aged 65 and older) in the six waves (2006-2016) of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we conducted negative binomial regression analyses to examine the main effects of the death of a child prior to midlife on late-life depressive symptoms, and the buffering effect of religious beliefs on this main effect ( = 8,248). Growth curve modeling was used to analyze the trajectories of depressive symptoms ( = 31,088).

RESULTS: Experiencing the death of a child prior to midlife is positively associated with depressive symptoms among older adults. Yet, the association is mitigated among respondents who exhibit a high level of belief in a divine plan at baseline. Further, a gradual decline in the number of depressive symptoms over time was observed among the bereaved parents who reported a high level of belief in a divine plan.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Belief in a divine plan has a protective effect on older adults who cope with the aftermath of child loss. The findings in the study advance our knowledge about the complex interrelationships among stress, religion, and mental health in later life.

}, keywords = {Bereavement, divine beliefs, Mental Health, Religion}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2021.1889968}, author = {Jung, Jong Hyun and Lee, Hyo Jung} } @article {12392, title = {Different Levels of Leisure-time Physical Activity, Coping, and Mental Health among Older Adults with Diabetes during the COVID-19 Pandemic.}, journal = {American Journal of Health Behavior}, volume = {46}, year = {2022}, pages = {177-185}, abstract = {

The COVID-19 has led public health researchers to try to improve mental health among older adults with diabetes. Leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) has emerged as a means of coping with mental health difficulties in the pandemic. We extracted 301 respondents from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) based on the following criteria: over 50 years old and the onset of diabetes. We used multiple questionnaire items to assess mental health (ie, loneliness, happiness, and positive and negative affect) for older adults with diabetes. We used multivariate analysis of variance to investigate the relationships between the fixed variable (ie, LTPA) and outcome variables (ie, mental health). We categorized LTPA participation into 3 groups (ie, low, mid, and high) and examined mental health following various levels of LTPA participation. LTPA participation showed a significant group mean differences for loneliness, happiness, and positive affect, but not for negative affect. High-LTPA respondents presented lower loneliness and higher happiness than low-LTPA respondents. High-LTPA and mid-LTPA respondents indicated higher positive affect than low-LTPA respondents. This study provides evidence of the benefits of LTPA on mental health for older adults with diabetes and suggests that high-LPTA involvement can be effective in promoting mental health among older adults with diabetes in the COVID-19 era.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, COVID-19, Cross-Sectional Studies, Diabetes Mellitus, Exercise, Leisure activities, Mental Health, Pandemics, Psychological}, issn = {1945-7359}, doi = {10.5993/AJHB.46.2.7}, author = {Kim, Junhyoung and Han, Sua} } @article {12517, title = {Economic Crises and Mental Health: Effects of the Great Recession on Older Americans}, number = {29817}, year = {2022}, institution = {National Bureau of Economic Research}, address = {Cambridge, MA}, abstract = {We examine the effect of the Great Recession of 2007-2009 on the mental health of older adults, using longitudinal Health and Retirement Study data linked to area-level data on house prices. We use a variety of measures to capture mental health and rely on the very large cross-sectional variation in falling house prices to identify the impact of the Great Recession on those outcomes. We also account for people who moved in response to falling prices by fixing each person{\textquoteright}s location immediately prior to the house price collapse. Our central finding is that the Great Recession had heterogeneous effects on health. While mental health was not affected for the average older adult, mental health declined among homeowners with few financial assets, who were therefore more vulnerable to falling house prices. Importantly, health impacts in this group differed by race and ethnicity: depression and functional limitations worsened among Black and other non-white homeowners and medication use increased among white homeowners. There were no measurable impacts for Hispanic homeowners. These results highlight the importance of examining heterogeneity across multiple dimensions when examining the health impacts of economic conditions.}, keywords = {economic conditions, Great Recession, health impacts, housing prices, Mental Health}, doi = {10.3386/w29817}, author = {David M Cutler and Sportiche, No{\'e}mie} } @article {11856, title = {Grandchild Care and Well-Being: Gender Differences in Mental Health Effects of Caregiving Grandparents.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {77}, year = {2022}, pages = {1294-1304}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: The literature on the gendered differences of mental health as a result of grandchild care has shown mixed results. Research on grandchild care further suggests that nonresidential grandchild care improves mental health outcomes, while residential grandchild care arrangements decrease mental health outcomes in grandparents. The moderating or buffering role of social engagement remains understudied in the grandchild care-mental health relationship. The present study examines mental health effect differences between caregiving grandmothers and grandfathers, and the moderating effects of social engagement.

METHOD: Using 2002-2012 data from the HRS (Health and Retirement Study), a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged 50 and over, I examine the mental health effects of grandchild care and the moderating effect of social engagement in fixed effects models.

RESULTS: Grandfathers experience particularly worsened mental health outcomes when providing grandchild care in a skipped-generation household. Both grandmothers and grandfathers experience mental health improvements from increased social engagement. Social engagement, particularly for grandmothers, serves as a buffer or produces role enhancement for grandmothers in skipped-generation care arrangements.

DISCUSSION: Nonresidential and residential grandchild care affect mental health outcomes differently for grandmothers and grandfathers. However, social engagement consistently serves as a buffer or mental health improvement for all grandparents. Findings further encourage the continued study of social engagement and gender differences in older adults more broadly.

}, keywords = {gender, Grandparenting, Mental Health, social engagement}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbab164}, author = {Notter, Isabelle Roc{\'\i}o} } @article {12987, title = {HEARING LOSS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES FOR SPOUSAL MENTAL HEALTH: EVIDENCE FROM THE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT STUDY}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {6}, year = {2022}, pages = {431}, abstract = {Hearing loss (HL) is an increasingly prevalent chronic stressor among older adults and is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes. The life course perspective and stress process framework highlight that an individual{\textquoteright}s stressors may have a short and/or long-term impact on the health of others. However, little is known about how HL influences the proliferation of stress within married couples. Drawing on nationally-representative data from 11 waves (1998-2018) of the Health and Retirement Study (n=9,000 individuals, 4,500 couples), we use age-based mixed models to examine how one{\textquoteright}s own HL, spouse{\textquoteright}s HL, or both spouses have HL shape the level and changes in depressive symptoms. For men, we find that their wives{\textquoteright} HL, their own HL, and both spouses having HL are each associated with an increase in depressive symptoms{\textemdash}and that the associations persist as spouses age. For women, we find that their own HL and both spouses having HL is associated with an increase in depressive symptoms. Furthermore, we find that the differences in women{\textquoteright}s depressive symptoms between spouses who both have HL and those who do not have HL significantly declines with age. We also find no evidence to suggest that husbands{\textquoteright} HL is associated with wives{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms. Together, these findings suggest that the connections between spouses{\textquoteright} HL and their depressive symptoms are a dynamic process that unfolds differently by gender over time. Interventions that recognize the proliferation of stress associated with HL may help both individuals with HL and their spouses reduce their depressive symptoms.}, keywords = {Hearing loss, Mental Health, Spouses}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igac059.1692}, author = {West, Jessica and Smith, Sherri and Dupre, Matthew} } @article {12366, title = {Hope, Purpose, and Religiosity: The Impact of Psychosocial Resources on Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged and Older Blacks.}, journal = {Journal of Aging and Health}, volume = {34}, year = {2022}, pages = {363-377}, abstract = {

We assessed the effects of hope, purpose in life, and religiosity on trajectories of depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older Blacks, with a focus on age differences in these associations. Data come from 1906 respondents from the 2006-2016 Health and Retirement Study. Linear mixed models were estimated and included interactions between age and time and between age and each psychosocial resource. Depressive symptoms decreased for Blacks ages 51-64, did not change for those 65-74, and increased among Blacks age 75+. Hope and purpose in life were inversely associated with symptom levels but were not associated with change over time in symptomology. Associations were stronger among the youngest age group and weakest among the oldest. Religiosity was unrelated to depressive symptoms. Psychosocial resources protect against depressive symptoms in age-dependent ways among middle-aged and older Blacks. Differences in these effects may be related to aging, cohort, and selection effects.

}, keywords = {African Americans, Age differences, Mental Health, Protective factors, Resilience, stress process}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/08982643221085820}, author = {Mitchell, Uchechi A and Nguyen, Ann W and Brown, Lauren L} } @article {12076, title = {The Impact of Marital Quality as Older Couples Adjust to Dementia Onset.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {77}, year = {2022}, pages = {1026-1036}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: A burgeoning literature links being married to better cognitive health, but less attention has been paid to how couples view their marital relationships. Couples do not always concur in their assessments, and such discrepancies affect both partners{\textquoteright} health. We present a dyadic study on whether and how overall and discrepant views of marital quality predicted (a) dementia onset and (b) changes in older adults{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms with spousal dementia.

METHOD: A pooled sample of couples aged 50+ (dyad N = 3,936) from the Health and Retirement Study rated positive and negative marital quality at baseline (2006/2008). Each participant reported whether they had been told of having dementia and their depressive symptoms once every other year (2006-2016).

RESULTS: Cox proportional hazards regression revealed that older adults who rated their marriages either more positively or more negatively than their spouses were more likely to develop dementia. We applied multiphase growth curve modeling to older adults whose spouses developed dementia, finding that those in marriages that were more negative overall reported more depressive symptoms but exhibited a smaller increase in these symptoms in response to spousal dementia.

DISCUSSION: This study adds to the literature by showing how discrepant marital assessments shape cognitive aging and offers new insights into identifying older adults with greater dementia risk. Findings also revealed the impact of overall negative marital quality on older adults{\textquoteright} psychological adjustment to spousal dementia, which could inform interventions intended to help couples better cope with early-stage dementia from a relational perspective.

}, keywords = {dementia onset, Mental Health, spousal discrepancy}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbab235}, author = {Huo, Meng and Kim, Kyungmin and Sae Hwang Han} } @article {12028, title = {Inner child of the past: long-term protective role of childhood relationships with mothers and fathers and maternal support for mental health in middle and late adulthood.}, journal = {Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology}, volume = {57}, year = {2022}, pages = {1399-1416}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: National longitudinal studies that investigate the long-term association between early family life and mental health in middle and older adulthood are limited. This study aims to fill the gap by examining the protective effect of positive childhood relationships with mothers and fathers and parental support against depression among women and men in middle and late adulthood.

METHODS: The sample of 12,606 adults (7319 females; 5287 males) from the US Health and Retirement Study was nationally representative with the inclusion of 7 depression measures from 2008 to 2018. Two depression measures, CESD-8 scale and binary indicators of severe depressive symptoms, were used. Generalized estimation equations (GEE)-negative binomial models were estimated for CESD-8 and GEE-logit models were estimated for the binary indicator of severe depression. This study aimed to assess how positive parent-child relationships and maternal support protect the mental health of women and men in adulthood. Other risk and psychosocial factors, such as childhood depression, traumatic life events, stressful life events, marital status, and social support in adulthood were adjusted for.

RESULTS: Positive childhood relationships with mothers, fathers, or both parents and increased maternal support were associated with a lower risk of depression among both females and males from middle to old age, even if they experienced trauma, stressful life events, divorce, singlehood, widowhood, or little social support. Females benefited more psychologically than males from positive mother-daughter relationships and high-quality relationships with both parents. However, compared to mother-child relationships, positive father-child relationships protected men better psychosocially than females.

CONCLUSION: Findings underscore the importance of fathers{\textquoteright} roles in promoting their children{\textquoteright}s, especially sons{\textquoteright}, emotional well-being. Interventions in early mother-child and father-child relationships and parental support are crucial for healthy aging in mental development.

}, keywords = {depression, Mental Health, Paternal support}, issn = {1433-9285}, doi = {10.1007/s00127-021-02200-y}, author = {Chen, Ping} } @mastersthesis {12425, title = {Involuntary Delayed Retirement and Mental Health of Older Adults Following the Great Recession}, year = {2022}, school = {University of Calgary}, address = {Calgary, Alberta}, abstract = {This thesis examines whether involuntary delayed retirement (IDR) is associated with multiple measures of mental health in working older adults (age 65+) in the United States following the Great Recession. In addition, two other related aims are also addressed in this thesis: 1) whether IDR is associated with multiple measures of mental health through a lower sense of control, and 2) whether a sense of control buffers the association between IDR and multiple mental health measures. Data were derived from the Health and Retirement Study, focusing on two combined waves of working older adults in 2010 and 2012 (N=947). IDR was measured as wanting to stop working but not being able to due to financial constraints. In addition, mental health outcomes included depression, anxiety, anger-in and anger-out, and life satisfaction. Using Stata 16.0, primary analyses were conducted with ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. The bootstrapping approach to testing mediation was followed for testing whether the sense of control mediated each association between IDR and the mental health outcomes. Interactions were tested to assess whether the sense of control moderated the relationship between IDR and the mental health outcomes. Results showed that older adults who worked after retirement age (age 65+) often experienced IDR. Furthermore, the results showed a lack of overall association between IDR and multiple mental health outcomes, but also demonstrated indirect relationships between IDR and depression, anxiety, anger-out, and life satisfaction through a sense of control. In addition, the sense of control did not act as a buffering agent in the relationship between IDR and mental health. While there is no overall association, there is an indirect deleterious effect, which suggests that IDR may have additional beneficial effects that should be investigated in future research. The findings also suggest that a sense of control is an essential mental health resource for older adults who work past retirement age. Mental health researchers, therefore, should pay more attention to a sense of control because the sense of control will help older adults maintain positive mental health even if they are required to work past retirement age.}, keywords = {Great Recession, involuntary delayed retirement, Mental Health}, url = {http://hdl.handle.net/1880/114643}, author = {Raihan, Mohammad Mojammel Hussain} } @article {FREISE2022102689, title = {Late-career unemployment and cognitive abilities}, journal = {Journal of Health Economics}, year = {2022}, abstract = {We study the effect of unemployment on cognitive abilities among individuals aged between 50 and 65 in Europe. To this end, we exploit plant closures and use flexible event-study estimations together with an experimentally elicited measure of fluid intelligence, namely word recall. We find that, within a time period of around eight years after the event of unemployment, cognitive abilities only deteriorate marginally {\textendash} the effects are insignificant both in statistical and economic terms. We do, however, find significant effects of late-career unemployment on the likelihood to leave the labor force, and short-term effects on mental health problems such as depression and sleep problems.}, keywords = {Cognitive abilities, Event studies, Mental Health, Plant closures, Unemployment}, issn = {0167-6296}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhealeco.2022.102689}, author = {Diana Freise and Hendrik Schmitz and Matthias Westphal} } @article {12726, title = {Leisure, Mental Health, and Life Satisfaction among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment.}, journal = {American Journal of Health Behavior}, volume = {46}, year = {2022}, pages = {477-487}, abstract = {

Little research has investigated the relationship between types of leisure activities and mental health outcomes among older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The purpose of this study was to investigate how certain leisure activities are associated with life satisfaction, anxiety, loneliness, happiness, and positive and negative affect. In this study, we used the 2020 Health and Retirement Study Core Early data and conducted a hierarchical regression analysis to investigate the different effects of the 3 types of leisure activities on the mental health of older adults with MCI (N=901). We found that leisure-time physical activity was the strongest predictor of enhanced life satisfaction, positive affect, and happiness, and reduced anxiety and loneliness. In addition, sedentary leisure was associated with reduced anxiety and loneliness and increased happiness. These findings suggest that engagement in leisure-time physical activity and sedentary leisure can be instrumental in promoting the life satisfaction and mental health of older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

}, keywords = {Cognition, Cognitive Dysfunction, Leisure activities, Mental Health, Personal Satisfaction}, issn = {1945-7359}, doi = {10.5993/AJHB.46.4.8}, author = {Kim, Junhyoung and Lee, Jungjoo and Ko, Myung Jin and Min Oh, Seok} } @article {12424, title = {A Longitudinal Examination of the Association Between Loss of Control and Loneliness Among Older Adults Diagnosed with Cancer.}, journal = {Journal of Aging and Health}, volume = {34}, year = {2022}, pages = {1092-1100}, abstract = {

The objective of this paper is to examine whether feeling a loss of control over one{\textquoteright}s life is associated with an increased risk for loneliness among those diagnosed with cancer. We draw on data from the Health and Retirement Study to identify three baseline and follow-up cohorts of cancer survivors age 50 and older. Ordinary least squared regression is used to examine predictors for future loneliness. Upon adjusting for other known predictors of loneliness, feelings of loss of control was significantly predictive of loneliness among 4-year cancer survivors. Social workers and other health care practitioners should seek to provide evidence-based interventions to reduce the risk for loneliness for cancer survivors feeling a loss of control.

}, keywords = {Cancer, Disability, Loneliness, Mental Health, Social work}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/08982643221092735}, author = {Morris, Zachary and Malik, Sana and Burke, Shanna and Grudzien, Adrienne and Cadet, Tamara} } @article {11561, title = {A longitudinal study shows stress proliferation effects from early childhood adversity and recent stress on risk for depressive symptoms among older adults.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, volume = {26}, year = {2022}, pages = {870-880}, abstract = {

We evaluated whether the effects of recent stressful life events (SLEs) and early childhood adversities (ECAs) on depressive symptoms are consistent between men and women and across older age, and whether there was evidence for the following: stress sensitization, whereby the psychological impact of SLEs is greater for individuals with ECAs compared with those without; or stress proliferation effect, whereby those with ECAs are more likely to report more SLEs than those without ECAs to effect depressive symptoms. ECAs, SLEs in the past two years, and current depressive symptoms through a modified CES-D were obtained from 11,873 individuals participating in a population representative study of older adults, yielding 82,764 observations. Mixed-effects regression models on depressive symptoms were constructed to control for multiple observations per participant and evaluate within-person effects over time, thereby reducing bias from reverse causation. Results suggest a stress proliferation effect and do not support stress sensitization. ECAs contribute to vulnerability for depressive symptoms, with a dosage effect for each additional ECA. Recent SLEs result in greater depressive symptom risk, with stable effects over age and dosage effects for each additional SLE that were smaller than the effects of ECAs among men, but not women. Belonging to an ethnic minority group, having less education, and less household income at baseline were associated with greater depressive symptom risk. Findings suggest the importance of addressing early childhood adversity and sociodemographic factors, among at-risk older adults to mitigate life-course stress proliferative processes and thereby reduce disparate risk for depression in older age.

}, keywords = {adverse child events, depression, Mental Health, stress generation, Trauma}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2021.1904379}, author = {Thalida E. Arpawong and Mekli, Krisztina and Lee, Jinkook and Drystan F. Phillips and Margaret Gatz and Carol A Prescott} } @article {12091, title = {The Long-Term Impact of Childhood Disability on Mental Health Trajectories in Mid- to Late-Life.}, journal = {Journal of Aging and Health}, year = {2022}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: We draw from the life course and stress process frameworks to examine how experiencing disability in early life influences mental health in adulthood.

METHODS: Data come from the Health and Retirement Study Cross-Wave Childhood Health and Family Aggregated Data file (2008-2018, = 15,289). Childhood disability status is a retrospective self-report of whether respondents were disabled for six months or more because of a health problem before the age of 16 ( = 581). We used age-based growth curve models to construct trajectories of depressive symptoms by childhood disability status.

RESULTS: Respondents who experienced childhood disability exhibit more depressive symptoms at age 50 compared to those who did not experience this stressor. However, there is no difference in the growth of depressive symptoms with age between these groups, suggesting maintained inequality over the late adulthood life course.

DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that childhood disability has long-term implications for life course mental health.

}, keywords = {aging with disability, Disability, growth curve models, Mental Health}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/08982643211066184}, author = {Jessica S West and Kamis, Christina} } @article {12036, title = {Marital Transitions, Change in Depressive Symptomology, and Quality of Social Relationships in Midlife and Older U.S. Adults: An Analysis of the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {The International Journal of Aging and Human Development}, volume = {95}, year = {2022}, pages = {349-371}, abstract = {

Preventing negative health outcomes following marital transitions can promote personal recovery and well-being. We used the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (2012, 2014) to test whether social relationship quality moderated the association between marital transition and change in depressive symptomology among U.S. adults aged 50 and older (n = 3,705). Marital status transitions between 2012 and 2014 included remained married/partnered, divorced/separated, and widowed. Depressive symptomology was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale 8 Short Form (CES-D 8). Social support, social contact, and social strain were indicators of social relationship quality. Change in depressive symptomology was modeled using autoregressive multiple regression. Social relationship quality appeared to influence depressive symptomatology for those experiencing divorce/separation. Compared to individuals who remained married/partnered, depressive symptomatology in those experiencing separation/divorce decreased among those reporting low social support, increased among those reporting high social support, and increased among those who reported low social strain. Limitations and clinical implications are discussed.

}, keywords = {depression, Divorce, marital transitions, Mental Health, Social Support, Widowhood}, issn = {1541-3535}, doi = {10.1177/00914150211066551}, author = {Julia E Tucker and Nicholas J Bishop and Wang, Kaipeng and Phillips, Farya} } @article {11527, title = {Negative marital interaction, purpose in life, and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older couples: evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, volume = {26}, year = {2022}, pages = {860-869}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Negative marital interaction and purpose in life have been associated with depressive symptoms. Yet, these associations have not been fully explored in a dyadic context. This study examines the actor (intra-individual) and partner (cross-spousal) effects of negative marital interaction on depressive symptoms in couples and the potential mediating role of purpose in life.

METHODS: Data came from 1186 heterosexual married couples who participated in the 2016 (T1) and 2018 (T2) waves of the Health and Retirement Study and completed the psychosocial questionnaire in 2016. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the direct and indirect associations among T1 negative marital interaction, T1 purpose in life, and T2 depressive symptoms at the actor and partner levels. Models controlled for age, race, educational level, self-rated health, and length of marriage.

RESULTS: At the actor level, a greater negative marital interaction was associated with significantly lower levels of purpose in life for husbands and wives. Negative marital interaction was also associated with depressive symptoms for wives. Purpose in life mediated the relationship between negative marital interaction and depressive symptoms. At the partner level, wives{\textquoteright} negative marital interaction was negatively associated with husbands{\textquoteright} purpose in life, independent of husbands{\textquoteright} own effects.

CONCLUSION: The findings support the dominant marital discord model of depression and highlight gender differences in the cross-spousal effects of negative marital interaction on purpose in life. Positive psychology interventions can be beneficial to promote purpose in life and subsequently improve mental health outcomes among couples.

}, keywords = {dyadic analysis, Mental Health, psychological well-being, relationship quality}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2021.1904831}, author = {Irani, Elliane and Park, Sumin and Hickman, Ronald L} } @article {13115, title = {Retirees Mental Health: Are There Risky Behaviors Used to Cope with the Retirement Transitions?}, year = {2022}, institution = {Universidad Mayor}, address = {Santiago, Chile}, keywords = {cope, Mental Health, Retirees, retirement transitions, risky behaviors}, author = {Antonia D{\'\i}az-Vald{\'e}s} } @article {12400, title = {Retirement Depression: Coping with the Emotional Pain}, year = {2022}, publisher = {PyschCentral}, abstract = {The loss of a routine and sense of purpose could lead you to experience symptoms of depression after retirement. Help is available and relief is possible.}, keywords = {depression, Mental Health, Retirement}, url = {https://psychcentral.com/depression/retirement-depression}, author = {Chamlou, Nina} } @article {11584, title = {Social isolation and loneliness before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study of US Adults over 50.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {77}, year = {2022}, pages = {e185-e190}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: The potential impact of social distancing policies during the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation and loneliness is of increasing global concern. Although many studies focus primarily on loneliness, patterns of social isolation-particularly physical and digital isolation-are understudied. We examined changes in social isolation, physical isolation, digital isolation, and loneliness in US adults over 50 before and during the lockdown.

METHODS: Two waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a national panel sample of US adults over 50 years old, were used. Fixed-effects regression models were fitted to identify within-person change from 2016 to 2020 to examine the impact of social distancing policies during the pandemic.

RESULTS: There was an increase in physical isolation and social isolation among respondents during the COVID-19 social distancing policies. However, respondents experienced no change in digital isolation or loneliness. The increase in physical isolation was only present for people with high COVID-19 concern whereas people with low concern experienced no change in physical isolation.

DISCUSSION: Despite an increase in physical isolation due to the social distancing policies, US adults aged over 50 stayed connected through digital contact and were resilient in protecting themselves from loneliness.

}, keywords = {COVID-19, Digital isolation, Mental Health, Social Relationships, Social Support}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbab068}, author = {Peng, Siyun and Roth, Adam R} } @article {12371, title = {Stress is a Latent Construct: Exploring the Differential Experience of Stress and Discrimination on Depressive Symptoms Among Black Older Adults.}, journal = {Journal of Aging and Health}, volume = {34}, year = {2022}, pages = {334-346}, abstract = {

While evidence highlights the detrimental mental health consequences of chronic stress exposure, the impact of this stress exposure on older Black Americans{\textquoteright} mental health varies by exposure to other types of stressors like discrimination as well as subjective evaluations of stress like chronic stress appraisal. Using data from the 2010/2012 Health and Retirement Study, we use latent profile analysis (LPA) to describe 2,415 Black older adults experience with chronic stress exposure, appraisal, and discrimination and examine which stress contexts are associated with depressive symptomology. Analyses revealed five stress clusters-demonstrating the diversity in the stress experience for older Black adults. Black older adults with stress profiles that include lower stress appraisal report fewer depressive symptoms regardless of number of stress exposures. LPA is as an alternative approach to examining the stress-mental health link that can define stress profiles by both exposure and appraisal-based measures.

}, keywords = {Chronic stress, Mental Health, Racism, stress appraisal}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/08982643221086333}, author = {Brown, Lauren L and Garc{\'\i}a, Catherine and Reeves, Alexis N and Pamplin, John R and Mitchell, Uchechi A} } @article {12487, title = {The trajectories of depressive symptoms and subsequent incident dementia, coronary heart diseases, stroke and all-cause mortality.}, journal = {Journal of Affective Disorders}, volume = {312}, year = {2022}, pages = {9-16}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests the occurrence of depressive symptoms in mid- to late-life inflates the risk for ageing-related morbidity compared to people without depressive symptoms. The eventual association between depressive symptoms in mid- to late-life and long-term (over 10-year) risks for incident dementia, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, and morbidity is to be established.

METHODS: This longitudinal cohort study utilized Health and Retirement Study (HRS) of U.S residents aged~>=~50~years who were interviewed every 2-year during follow-up (average follow-up: 11.6~{\textpm}~2.85~years). Trajectories of depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale from 1994 to 2000 at baseline. Incident dementia, CHD, stroke and all-cause mortality were determined from 2000 to 2018.

RESULTS: Among 7810 individuals who were free from dementia, CHD and stroke, five trajectories of depressive symptoms were identified: non-depressed (36.7~\%), mild (48.8~\%), worsening (7.8~\%), improving (4.1~\%) and persistent (2.7~\%). Compared with those in the non-depressed group, participants with mild, worsening and persistent depressive symptoms had significantly greater hazards of incident dementia (multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95~\% confidence intervals: 1.32 [1.17-1.48], 1.58 [1.30-1.93], 2.82 [2.17-3.67], respectively), CHD (1.13 [1.03-1.24], 1.47 [1.25-1.73], 1.34 [1.03-1.74], respectively), stroke (1.30 [1.12-1.52], 1.58 [1.23-2.04], 1.71 [1.16-2.53], respectively) and all-cause mortality (1.17 [1.07-1.27], 1.46 [1.27-1.68], 1.66 [1.35-2.06], respectively). The hazards of incident events, except for CHD, were not significantly greater in individuals with improving depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest even sub-clinical threshold depressive symptoms were associated with the hazards of ageing related diseases while such associations were not significant with managed depressive symptoms.

}, keywords = {Dementia, depressive disorders, Mental Health, Population Health}, issn = {1573-2517}, doi = {10.1016/j.jad.2022.06.001}, author = {Wu, Tao and Li, Chenglong and Zhu, Yidan and Ma, Yanjun and Hua, Rong and Zhong, Baoliang and Xie, Wuxiang} } @article {11722, title = {Unmet Expectations About Work at Age 62 and Depressive Symptoms.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {77}, year = {2022}, pages = {615-625}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Exiting the labor force earlier or later than planned is common, with predictable economic consequences. However, the mental health ramifications of such off-time events are not known but are important to promoting well-being in retirement.

METHODS: Using the Health and Retirement Study (1992-2016), we created six groups based on the alignment of expectations about full-time work at age 62 (reported at ages 51-61) with realized labor force status after reaching age 62 (N=10,421). Negative binomial models estimated the adjusted association between unmet expectations about work and depressive symptoms.

RESULTS: Unexpectedly not working was associated with higher depressive symptoms than working as expected after adjusting for sociodemographic, economic, and health factors at the time of expectations (IRR=1.35, 95\% CI:1.17, 1.56). Additionally adjusting for health declines and marriage dissolution between expectations and age 62 partially attenuated the association, but unexpectedly not working remained significantly associated with a 1.16 increase in the incidence rate of depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly working at 62 was not associated with depressive symptoms. Race/ethnicity interacted with expectation alignment (F(15,42)=2.44, p=0.0118) in that Hispanic respondents experienced an increase in depressive symptoms when working after unmet and unsure expectations compared to met expectations, whereas white respondents did not.

DISCUSSION: Unlike working longer than expected, unexpectedly not working at 62 was associated with depressive symptoms, even after accounting for health declines. Public and employer policies should assist workers in remaining in the labor force as long as planned and offer mental health supports for unexpected work exits.

}, keywords = {depression, Expectations, Mental Health, Retirement}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbab113}, author = {Leah R. Abrams and Philippa J Clarke and Neil K Mehta} } @article {MILLER202215, title = {The welfare cost of late-life depression}, journal = {Journal of Economic Behavior \& Organization}, volume = {204}, year = {2022}, pages = {15-36}, abstract = {We quantify the welfare cost of depression among older Americans by estimating a panel VAR model of mental and physical health, labor supply, and consumption using data from the Health and Retirement Study. We use the estimated model and age sixty joint distribution of outcomes to simulate life-cycle paths with and without prevalence of depressive symptoms after age sixty. We estimate that the prevalence of late-life depressive symptoms costs an average of between 0.85 and 2.1 years in quality-adjusted life expectancy per person. Moreover, depression may result in an average loss of labor supply of up to 1.1 months and lifetime consumption of up to $16,000. Combining into a single compensating variation welfare metric, we estimate a bound on the average welfare cost of depression of 8{\textendash}15\% of annual consumption after age sixty. On aggregate, this amounts to roughly $180{\textendash}360 billion annually. We also project that while the average welfare cost of late-life depression is declining slightly over birth cohorts, the welfare burden is becoming significantly more unequal.}, keywords = {consumption, Cost-utility analysis, depression, Mental Health, Retirement}, issn = {0167-2681}, doi = {10.1016/j.jebo.2022.10.001}, author = {Ray Miller and Sayorn Chin and Ashish Kumar Sedai} } @article {BEST2021, title = {Age and sex trends in depressive symptoms across middle and older adulthood: Comparison of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging to American and European cohorts}, journal = {Journal of Affective Disorders}, volume = {295}, year = {2021}, pages = {1169-1176}, abstract = {Background : The literature suggests depressive symptoms differ in a non-linear fashion across adulthood and are more commonly reported in women as compared to men. Whether these trends are observed across countries in population-based cohorts is unclear. Methods : Cross-sectional observational study of approximately 138,000 women and men between the ages of 45 and 95 from three population-based cohorts representing Canadian, European, and American populations. Age, gender, educational attainment and annual income were assessed in each cohort. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale in the US and Canadian cohorts, and by the EURO-D in the European cohort. Results : Across all three cohorts, non-linear age trends and gender differences were observed in the report of depressive symptoms, independent from educational attainment and annual income effects. The non-linear age trends reflected a negative association between depressive symptoms and age during midlife and then a positive association in late life. Females reported greater depressive symptoms than males; however, an interaction between gender and age was also observed in the Canadian and European cohorts. Among Canadians, the gender differences were largest after age 70, whereas among Europeans, gender differences where largest among those approximately aged 60. Limitations : Limitations include: 1) the cross-sectional nature of the study, resulting in age differences potentially reflecting cohort effects rather than a developmental process; and 2) the use of different depressive symptoms measures across cohorts. Conclusions : Characterization of depressive symptoms over mid and late adulthood in women and men provides insights into potential focal points for intervention and allocation of resources.}, keywords = {Cross-cohort comparison, Gender Differences, Mental Health, Population-based trends, SHARE}, issn = {0165-0327}, doi = {10.1016/j.jad.2021.08.109}, author = {John R. Best and Daniel R.Y. Gan and Andrew V. Wister and Theodore D. Cosco} } @article {11700, title = {COVID-19, Inter-household Contact and Mental Well-being among Older Adults in the US and the UK}, journal = {Frontiers in Sociology}, volume = {6}, year = {2021}, pages = {714626}, abstract = {Interacting with family members and friends from other households is a key part of everyday life and is crucial to people{\textquoteright}s mental well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic severely curtailed face-to-face contact between households, particularly for older adults (aged 60 and above), due to their high risk of developing severe illness if infected by COVID-19. In-person contact, where possible, was largely replaced by virtual interaction during the pandemic. This article examines how inter-household contact in face-to-face and virtual forms, as well as combinations of the two forms of contact, related to older adults{\textquoteright} mental well-being during the pandemic. Data from two national longitudinal surveys, collected from the same respondents before (2018{\textendash}2019) and during (June 2020) the pandemic, were comparatively analysed: the Health and Retirement Study in the US and Understanding Society in the UK. The findings showed a notable increase in loneliness in the US and a decline in general mental well-being in the UK following the outbreak of COVID-19. In both countries, more frequent inter-household face-to-face contact during the pandemic was associated with better general mental well-being, but inter-household virtual contact, via means such as telephone and digital media, was not associated with general mental well-being in either the US or the UK. In the US, older adults who engaged more frequently in virtual contact were more likely to feel lonely during the pandemic, particularly if their face-to-face contact was limited. In both countries, the increase in loneliness following the outbreak of the pandemic was greater for older adults who reported more virtual contact. The findings suggest that household-centred crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic had unintended mental health implications in both the US and the UK, despite contextual differences between the two countries. Although face-to-face contact between households helped to sustain older adults{\textquoteright} mental well-being, virtual contact was not a qualitatively equivalent alternative. The findings also provide an important evidence base for informing policy developments and for supporting the mental health of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the longer term.}, keywords = {COVID-19, Inter-household contact, Mental Health, Virtual interaction}, doi = {10.3389/fsoc.2021.714626}, author = {Hu, Yang and Qian, Yue} } @article {11377, title = {Do Big Five Personality Traits Moderate the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Health Trajectories? Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology, Series B }, volume = {76}, year = {2021}, pages = {44-55}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Theory suggests that individuals with higher neuroticism have more severe negative reactions to stress, though empirical work examining the interaction between neuroticism and stressors has yielded mixed results. The present study investigated whether neuroticism and other Big Five traits moderated the effects of recent stressful life events on older adults{\textquoteright} health outcomes.

METHOD: Data were drawn from the subset of Health and Retirement Study participants who completed a Big Five personality measure (N = 14,418). We used latent growth curve models to estimate trajectories of change in depressive symptoms, self-rated physical health, and C-reactive protein levels over the course of 10 years (up to six waves). We included Big Five traits and stressful life events as covariates to test their effects on each of these three health outcomes. We examined stressful life events within domains of family, work/finances, home, and health, as well as a total count across all event types.

RESULTS: Big Five traits and stressful life events were independently related to depressive symptoms and self-rated health. There were no significant interactions between Big Five traits and stressful life events. C-reactive protein levels were unrelated to Big Five traits and stressful life events.

DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that personality and stressful life events are important predictors of health outcomes. However, we found little evidence that personality moderates the effect of major stressful events across a 2-year time frame. Any heightened reactivity related to high neuroticism may be time-limited to the months immediately after a major stressful event.

}, keywords = {Mental Health, Personality, Physical Health, Stress reactivity, Stressful Life Events}, issn = {1758-5368}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbaa075}, author = {Lauren L Mitchell and Zmora, Rachel and Finlay, Jessica M and Jutkowitz, Eric and Joseph E Gaugler} } @proceedings {12603, title = {The Effect Habitual Exercise on Older Adults Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic.}, journal = {American College of Sports Medicine, Mid-Atlantic Chapter}, volume = {10}, year = {2021}, note = {Issue 9, Volume 10}, publisher = {International Journal of Exercise Science}, abstract = {The COVID-19 pandemic increased existing social isolation challenges in older adults due to quarantine and social distancing policies. Social isolation can be associated with an increase in mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Due to social isolation, many older adults had limited access to exercise opportunities. This is important because exercise can also affect mental health. PURPOSE: To consider the impact of exercise habits on older adults{\textquoteright} mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The data used were from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal study interviewing a representative sample of older adults biennially about physical and mental health, employment, and daily activities. In 2020, additional questions were added relating to COVID-19 and distributed to a subset of participants. Participants completed a physical activity questionnaire, the Beck Anxiety Inventory (n=1920) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression questionnaire (n=2909). We ran logistic regression models. Model one had anxiety as the outcome of interest, and model 2 depressive symptoms. The independent variable was engaging in moderate exercise at least twice a week. All analyses were adjusted for covariates including the number of chronic health conditions, race/ethnicity, financial hardship during the pandemic, education, and alcohol use. RESULTS: Approximately 47\% of this sample reported exercising 1 or less times per week (mean age 70{\textpm}11 years, 49\% female) compared to 53\% reporting that they exercise 2 or more times per week (mean age 67{\textpm}11 years, 51\% female). Compared to older adults who exercised 2 or more times a week, those who exercised 1 or fewer times per week were found to be at increased risk for having elevated anxiety (OR = 1.41, 95\% CI= .695 -2.92) and depressive symptomology (OR =1.98,95\% CI =1.51-2.59). CONCLUSIONS: Exercising one or fewer times a week during the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with higher odds of anxiety and depressive symptoms in older adults. Older individuals who exercise less may be at increased risk for mental health symptoms during times of high psychosocial stress. With the emergence of new variants and uncertainty of the pandemic, it is important that older adults are encouraged to exercise to reduce odds of poor mental health outcomes.}, keywords = {COVID-19, Exercise, Mental Health}, url = {https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5500\&context=ijesab}, author = {Resnick, Stephanie and Fridley, Echo and Mutambudzi, Miriam and Heffernan, Kevin} } @article {11824, title = {Estimating the effects of Mexico to U.S. migration on elevated depressive symptoms: evidence from pooled cross-national cohorts.}, journal = {Annals of Epidemiology}, volume = {64}, year = {2021}, pages = {53-66}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Migrating from Mexico to the U.S. is a major, stressful life event with potentially profound influences on mental health. However, estimating the health effects of migration is challenging because of differential selection into migration and time-varying confounder mediators of migration effects on health.

METHODS: We pooled data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study (N=17,771) and Mexican-born U.S. Health and Retirement Study (N=898) participants to evaluate the effects of migration to the U.S. (at any age and in models for migration in childhood or adulthood) on depressive symptom-count, measured with a modified Centers for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression scale. We modeled probability of migrating in each year of life from birth to either age at initial migration to the U.S. or enrollment and used these models to calculate inverse probability of migration weights. We applied the weights to covariate-adjusted negative binomial GEE models, estimating the ratio of average symptom-count associated with migration.

RESULTS: Mexico to U.S. migration was unrelated to depressive symptoms among men (ratio of average symptom-count= 0.98 [95\% CI: 0.89, 1.08]) and women (ratio of average symptom-count=1.00 [95\% CI: 0.92, 1.09]). Results were similar for migration in childhood, early adulthood, or later adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of older Mexican-born adults, migration to the U.S. was unrelated to depressive symptoms.

}, keywords = {depression, Immigration, Mental Health, MHAS, Selection}, issn = {1873-2585}, doi = {10.1016/j.annepidem.2021.08.014}, author = {Audrey R Murchland and Adina Zeki Al Hazzouri and Zhang, Lanyu and Elfassy, Tali and Grasset, Leslie and Riley, Alicia and Wong, Rebecca and Mary Haan and Richard N Jones and Jacqueline M Torres and M. Maria Glymour} } @article {10548, title = {Hearing Impairment and Mental Health Among Married Couples}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology: Series B}, volume = {76}, year = {2021}, pages = {933-943}, abstract = {Disablement is a significant health problem and chronic stressor for older adults and is associated with negative mental health outcomes. Although some research has explored how disability extends beyond individuals to influence the mental health of their support networks, less population-based research has assessed the consequences of hearing impairment, a growing public health concern that affects 72.4\% of people aged 65 and older. Moreover, although much research has examined the negative individual impact of hearing impairment, less population-based research has assessed its consequences on spouses. To fill this gap, the current study builds on gender, marriage, and stress proliferation research to examine 1) the association between own hearing impairment and spouses{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms, and 2) whether this association varies by the gender of the spouse.Fixed-effects regression models were conducted using data from 5,485 couples (10,970 individuals) from 10 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (1998-2016).Wives{\textquoteright} fair or poor hearing is significantly associated with an increase in husbands{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms, net of controls. However, husbands{\textquoteright} fair or poor hearing is not associated with an increase in wives{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms.These findings suggest that hearing impairment can proliferate from one spouse to the other, but that this proliferation depends on gender. Health care providers need to be aware of the implications for husbands when treating women with hearing impairment.}, keywords = {Couples, hearing, Mental Health}, issn = {1079-5014}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/gbaa023}, author = {Jessica S West} } @article {11989, title = {How Does Debt Shape Health Outcomes for Older Americans?}, number = {WP$\#$2021-17}, year = {2021}, institution = {Center for Retirement Research at Boston College}, address = {Newton, MA}, abstract = {This study explores the association between debt burdens and health at older ages. It examines a range of physical and mental health measures and assesses how they may be shaped by the debt held by older adults. It compares health outcomes for older adults with and without debt. It also explores whether the amount or type of debt modifies the debt-health nexus. To address the likely endogeneity of debt and health, the study employs marginal structural models, developed specifically as an identification strategy in the presence of possible endogeneity, alongside population-averaged models that allow us to compare outcomes for populations with and without debt without having to rely on unverifiable assumptions regarding the underlying population distribution, as is the case with random- and fixed-effects models. Data for this study come primarily from the Health and Retirement Study, and the sample is limited to respondents ages 55 and older from the 1998 through 2016 survey waves.}, keywords = {Debt, health outcomes, Mental Health, Physical Health}, url = {https://crr.bc.edu/working-papers/how-does-debt-shape-health-outcomes-for-older-americans/}, author = {Mudrazija, Stipica and Barbara A Butrica} } @mastersthesis {11939, title = {Integrating Genetics into Economics}, year = {2021}, school = {Erasmus University}, address = {Rotterdam, Netherlands}, abstract = {The massive increase in sample size of genetic cohorts, combined with an increase in the collection of data on social-scientific outcomes in these datasets, has made it possible to study many socio-economically relevant individual characteristics from a genetics perspective. In economics, the subfield that studies the genetic architecture of socioeconomic outcomes and preferences is often called genoeconomics. Ultimately, genoeconomics can help economics in four different ways: genes can be used as measures of previous latent variables, genes can uncover biological mechanisms, genes can be used as control variables or instrumental variables, and genes can be used to target policy interventions. In this thesis, I develop and compare some methods that can be used in genoeconomics, and I show through empirical studies how genetically informed study designs can give new insights to economists. The methods developed and compared in this thesis foster the use of genes as instrumental variables and help further the understanding of genetic relationships across socio-economically relevant characteristics. The main empirical applications in this thesis concern smoking behaviour, entrepreneurship, and the structure of the brain. This first chapter provides an overview of the thesis, including a discussion of the research questions it addresses and the implications resulting from the answers to these questions.}, keywords = {Economics, Entrepreneurship, Genetics, Mental Health, Polygenic risk scores}, isbn = {978-90-5892-596-1}, url = {https://repub.eur.nl/pub/135159/122919-binnenwerk.pdf}, author = {Eric Slob} } @article {11480, title = {Private Insurance and Mental Health among Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Longitudinal Analysis by Race and Ethnicity}, journal = {International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}, volume = {18}, year = {2021}, pages = {1-15}, abstract = {Older adults with multiple chronic conditions have a higher risk than those without multiple conditions of developing a mental health condition. Individuals with both physical and mental conditions face many substantial burdens. Many such individuals also belong to racial and ethnic minority groups. Private insurance coverage can reduce the risks of developing mental illnesses by increasing healthcare utilization and reducing psychological stress related to financial hardship. This study examines the association between private insurance and mental health (i.e., depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment) among older adults in the United States with multiple chronic conditions by race and ethnicity. We apply a multivariate logistic model with individual fixed-effects to 12 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. Among adults with multiple chronic conditions in late middle age nearing entry to Medicare and of all racial and ethnic groups, those without private insurance have a stronger probability of having depressive symptoms. Private insurance and Medicare can mediate the risk of cognitive impairment among non-Hispanic Whites with multiple chronic conditions and among Blacks regardless of the number of chronic conditions. Our study has implications for policies aiming to reduce disparities among individuals coping with multiple chronic conditions.}, keywords = {Cognitive health, Health Insurance, Mental Health, Multiple Chronic Conditions, race disparity}, doi = {10.3390/ijerph18052615}, author = {Jun, Hankyung and Emma Aguila} } @inbook {Tayor2021123, title = {Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Physical and Mental Health Among Black Older Adults}, booktitle = {Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Volume 41, 2021: Black Older Adults in the Era of Black Lives Matter}, volume = {41}, year = {2021}, pages = {123 {\textendash} 144}, publisher = {Springer Publishing Company}, organization = {Springer Publishing Company}, chapter = {5}, abstract = {Social isolation and loneliness are consistently associated with worse health and well-being outcomes among older adults. However, many studies have not examined their concurrent impact on health and well-being, and even fewer studies examine their influence among Black older adults. The 2014 and 2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study were used to examine the influence of social isolation and loneliness among a nationally representative sample of Black older adults. Social isolation was measured using a social network index based on marital and household status, contact with family members and friends, and participation in social and religious activities. Loneliness was measured by the 3-item loneliness scale. Health outcomes were self-rated physical health and number of chronic health conditions, depressive symptoms, and lifetime occurrence of a psychiatric disorder. Each health outcome was examined using: (a) social isolation, (b) loneliness, and (c) social isolation and loneliness, controlling for sociodemographic covariates. Social isolation was associated with self-rated health and depressive symptoms, while loneliness was associated with all health outcomes. When examined jointly, social isolation was associated with self-rated health, while loneliness was associated with all health outcomes. Study findings suggest that due to its association with multiple physical and mental health measures, loneliness may be a more significant factor for health that should be routinely assessed in working with Black older adults.}, keywords = {African Americans, Black older adults, Loneliness, Mental Health, Social determinants of health, social isolation}, isbn = {978-082616632-6; 978-082616631-9}, doi = {10.1891/0198-8794.41.123}, author = {Taylor, Harry O} } @mastersthesis {11690, title = {Social resources, pension policy, and older adults{\textquoteright} mental, physical, and cognitive health: A cross-national comparison between China, England, Mexico, and the United States }, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2021}, school = {Iowa State University}, address = {Ames, IA}, abstract = {Population aging is accelerating across the globe. A cross-national comparison perspective is imperative and important because such comparison provides an opportunity to contrast experiences of different countries and learn from each other. Promoting healthy aging is one of the ultimate goals of social policies related to older adults. Guided by the integrative theoretical framework based on the social ecological model and life course perspective, this dissertation investigates the relationship of social resources with older adults{\textquoteright} physical, mental, and cognitive health in China, the United States, England, and Mexico using the Harmonized Health and Retirement Study (HRS) dataset and its international sister studies. Four countries were chosen primarily based on their geographic location, different level of economic development, and availability in the Harmonized HRS dataset. The dissertation comprises three projects.The first project explored the relationship between retirement/pension and depressive symptoms of older adults across the life course. Regression models were estimated using structural equation modelling. Results indicated that retirement was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms for the U.S. and with lower levels of depressive symptoms for Mexico and England. Having a public pension was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms for Mexico and with higher levels of depressive symptoms for the U.S. and China. Having a private pension was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms for the U.S., China, and England. The study showed that continuity theory demonstrates cross-national variation in explaining the association between retirement and depressive symptoms. The second project tested the cross-cultural applicability of the shared resource hypothesis in explaining mental health concordance among older couples. Dyadic data were analyzed to examine the actor and partner effects of demographic, health, and household variables on depressive symptoms using both multilevel model and structural equation model. Results indicated both husbands{\textquoteright} and wives{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms were associated with their own and the spouses{\textquoteright} social and health status. Most couple-level resources were nonsignificant predictors for Chinese and Mexican couples{\textquoteright} concordance, but having more social and financial resources was associated with higher concordance among British and American couples. It is concluded that the shared resource hypothesis was more applicable to depressive symptom concordance within couples in the U.S. and England, but not in China and Mexico. The third project examined health inequalities between genders and countries in the context of cumulative dis/advantage (CDA) and welfare state theories. Regression models were fitted to examine the moderation roles of country and gender. Health patterns across age groups were cross-examined by linear regression models and negative binomial models. Results indicated older Chinese and Mexican respondents had poorer health status than their British and American counterparts consistently except for Mexicans{\textquoteright} memory. Cumulative health gaps between developing and developed countries existed only for functional ability. However, there is no evidence of gender gaps in health status across age groups. CDA explains the increasing gaps of functional ability across age groups between countries. General health and mental health, however, may depend more on individuals{\textquoteright} intrinsic capacity and human agency. Findings from these interconnected projects corroborate the person-in-environment perspective and suggest older adults{\textquoteright} health is influenced by multilevel factors including micro demographic characteristics, meso household resources, and macro culture/policy contexts across countries. The cross-national comparisons provide a unique perspective on variables associated with older adults{\textquoteright} health in different societal contexts. Suggestions were recommended for clinical practice to work with diverse aging population and for decision makers to improve policy design, with the ultimate goal to promote healthy aging and reduce health disparity in later life.}, keywords = {CHARLS, Cognitive health, ELSA, Mental Health, MHAS, pension policy, Physical Health}, url = {https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=9554\&context=etd}, author = {Lu, Peiyi} } @article {11296, title = {The Black-White Mental Health Paradox Among Older Adults: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {581}, abstract = {Most studies of middle-aged adults find blacks have higher levels of psychological distress compared to whites but have lower risk of common psychiatric disorders. For instance, there is evidence of lower rates of depressive and anxiety disorders among blacks relative to whites despite large disparities in stress, discrimination and physical health in midlife{\textemdash}commonly referred to as the black-white mental health paradox. We examine evidence of the black-white paradox in anxiety and depressive symptoms among older adults. Data come from 6,019 adults ages 52+ from the 2006 Health and Retirement Study. Unadjusted models show older blacks report more anxiety and depressive symptoms than whites. After adjusting for socioeconomic factors, everyday discrimination, chronic conditions, and chronic stress, there are no black-white differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Findings suggest the black-white mental health paradox only extends into older adulthood for blacks living under similar stress and health landscapes as whites.}, keywords = {Mental Health, race}, isbn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa057.1935}, author = {Brown, Lauren} } @article {10899, title = {Childhood Circumstances and Health Inequality in Old Age: Comparative Evidence from China and the United States}, number = {13460}, year = {2020}, note = {ISSN: 2365-9793}, institution = {IZA Institute of Labor Economics}, address = {Bonn, Germany}, abstract = {This paper estimates the extent to which childhood circumstances contribute to health inequality in old age and evaluates the importance of major domains of childhood circumstances to health inequalities in the USA and China. We link two waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in 2013 and 2015 with the newly released 2014 Life History Survey (LHS), and two waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) in 2014 and 2016 with the newly released 2015 Life History Mail Survey (LHMS) in the USA, to quantify health inequality due to childhood circumstances for which they have little control. Using the Shapley value decomposition approach, we show that childhood circumstances may explain 7-16 percent and 14-30 percent of health inequality in old age in China and the USA, respectively. Specifically, the contribution of childhood circumstances to health inequality is larger in the USA than in China for self-rated health, mental health, and physical health. Examining domains of childhood circumstance, regional and rural/ urban status contribute more to health inequality in China, while family socioeconomic status (SES) contributes more to health inequality in the USA. Our findings support the value of a life course approach in identifying the key determinants of health in old age. Distinguishing sources of health inequality and rectifying inequality due to early childhood circumstances should be the basis of policy promoting health equity.}, keywords = {childhood circumstances, Frailty, inequality of opportunity, life course approach, Mental Health, Self-rated health}, url = {http://ftp.iza.org/dp13460.pdf}, author = {Chen, Xi and Yan, Binjian and Thomas M Gill} } @article {10920, title = {Childhood Circumstances and Health Inequality in Old Age: Comparative Evidence from China and the USA}, journal = {Social Indicators Research }, year = {2020}, abstract = {This paper estimates the extent to which childhood circumstances contribute to health inequality in old age and evaluates the importance of major domains of childhood circumstances to health inequalities in the USA and China. We link two waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2013 and 2015 with the newly released 2014 Life History Survey, and two waves of the Health and Retirement Study in 2014 and 2016 with the newly released 2015 Life History Mail Survey in the USA, to quantify health inequality due to childhood circumstances for which they have little control. Using the Shapley value decomposition approach, we show that childhood circumstances may explain 7{\textendash}16 and 14{\textendash}30\% of health inequality in old age in China and the USA, respectively. Specifically, the contribution of childhood circumstances to health inequality is larger in the USA than in China for self-rated health, mental health, and physical health. Examining domains of childhood circumstance, regional and rural/urban status contribute more to health inequality in China, while family socioeconomic status contributes more to health inequality in the USA. Our findings support the value of a life course approach in identifying the key determinants of health in old age. Distinguishing sources of health inequality and rectifying inequality due to early childhood circumstances should be the basis of policy promoting health equity.}, keywords = {childhood circumstances, Frailty, inequality of opportunity, life course approach, Mental Health, Self-rated health}, isbn = {1573-0921}, doi = {10.1007/s11205-020-02436-2}, author = {Chen, Xi and Yan, Binjian and Thomas M Gill} } @article {11696, title = {Depressive Symptoms and Loneliness Among Black and White Older Adults: The Moderating Effects of Race.}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {igaa048}, abstract = {

Background and Objectives: Loneliness is consistently linked to worse depression/depressive symptoms; however, there are few studies that have examined whether the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms varies by race. The purpose of this study was to determine whether race moderated the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms.

Research Design and Methods: Data come from the 2014 wave of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) Core survey and Psychosocial Leave-Behind Questionnaire; only black and white older adults were included in the analysis ( = 6,469). Depressive symptoms were operationalized by the eight-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale; however, the "felt lonely" item was removed given concerns with collinearity. Loneliness was operationalized using the Hughes 3-Item Loneliness Scale. Sociodemographic variables included gender, age, education, household income, employment status, marital status, and living alone or with others. Furthermore, social support and negative interactions from family members and friends, and religious service attendance were included in the analysis. Lastly, we created an interaction term between race and loneliness. All analyses used survey weights to account for the complex multistage sampling design of the HRS. Missing data were multiply imputed.

Results: In multivariable analysis, we found race significantly moderated the relationship between loneliness and depressive symptoms while controlling for sociodemographic covariates, social support and negative interaction variables, and religious service attendance.

Discussion and Implications: Our findings demonstrate a differential racial effect for loneliness and depressive symptoms. For both blacks and whites, greater loneliness affected depressive symptoms; however, the effect was stronger among whites than it was for blacks. Given this is one of the first studies to examine the differential effects of race on loneliness and depressive symptoms, more research is necessary to determine the consistency of these results.

}, keywords = {Mental Health, Negative interactions, Social networks, Social Support}, issn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa048}, author = {Taylor, Harry O and Ann W Nguyen} } @article {11187, title = {Examining Health and Wealth Correlates of Perceived Financial Vulnerability: A Normative Study.}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, abstract = {

Background and Objectives: Age-associated financial vulnerability was introduced because it was increasingly recognized that cognitively intact older adults experienced changes that rendered them financially vulnerable. In this study, we attempt to apply the construct of Age-Associated Financial Vulnerability to a measure of Perceived Financial Vulnerability and whether this perceived vulnerability is predicted by risk factors from the 4 categorical domains used to define Age-Associated Financial Vulnerability{\textquoteright}s impact.

Research Design and Methods: This study was part of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) survey in 2018. The survey contained 7 experimental module items of Perceived Financial Vulnerability. One thousand three hundred fourteen participants completed the Perceived Financial Vulnerability measure. The sample was drawn from Waves 13 and 14 of the HRS (2016 and 2018, respectively). The measurement of Perceived Financial Vulnerability was developed on the basis of 7 questions assessing financial awareness and psychological vulnerability items regarding personal finance that were included in the 2018 HRS data collection. Predictors included measures of cognition, function/health, depression, and wealth. Predictor measures from 2016 were regressed on 2018 Perceived Financial Vulnerability scores.

Results: Six items of Perceived Financial Vulnerability had psychometric properties acceptable for a new measure. Responses revealed variability in Perceived Financial Vulnerability. Overall, 18\% of variance was accounted for and measures from cognition, depression, assets, and functional abilities were all unique and significant predictors.

Discussion and Implications: This study represents both a conceptual and empirical contribution to our understanding of older adult{\textquoteright}s perceptions of financial vulnerability. The high levels of Perceived Financial Vulnerability found in this normative sample underscore the importance of context in understanding people{\textquoteright}s economic behaviors. For instance, more than one half of the sample indicated that they wished they had someone to talk to about their finances. This desire to talk with others is normative and yet often underappreciated.

}, keywords = {Financial strain, Mental Health, Wealth}, issn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa039}, author = {Peter A Lichtenberg and Daniel Paulson and Han, S Duke} } @mastersthesis {11115, title = {Financial Stress and Loneliness in Older Adults}, volume = {Master of Science}, year = {2020}, school = {Ohio Stat University }, address = {Columbus, OH}, abstract = {The population of older adults is growing in developed nations worldwide. This demographic trend, attributed to falling fertility and mortality rates, has shifted the focus of researchers toward this population, with the goal of improving health and well-being outcomes. This study focuses on the economic and mental health well-being of older adults in the United States. Previous research indicates that low income status is associated with feelings of isolation and loneliness in older adults. This study builds on that prior research by examining how subjective and objective financial changes are associated with general loneliness in the population of older adults in the U.S. Subjectively, financial stress is represented by a measure of subjective financial strain, while it is measured objectively using changes in income and assets. Data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a sample of U.S. older adults, will be used to examine the relationship between financial changes and loneliness, and to determine if the relationship is mediated by mental health, social participation, or personality. First-differencing analysis is used to determine if household financial changes are related tochanges in general loneliness. Preliminary analysis indicates that there is a relationship between the subjective measure of subjective financial strain and general loneliness, independent of mental health, social participation, and personality mediators. }, keywords = {Finances, Mental Health}, author = {Drost, Madeleine} } @article {PAK2020105871, title = {Food stamps, food insecurity, and health outcomes among elderly Americans}, journal = {Preventive Medicine}, volume = {130}, year = {2020}, abstract = {This study examined associations between very low food security and health outcomes in older adults, and tested whether participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) mitigates adverse health consequences associated with very low food security. Data were drawn from the 1998{\textendash}2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 148,138 from 27,281 persons). A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between very low food security and health condition depending on SNAP participation was conducted using the individual fixed effects regression. Respondents{\textquoteright} health status was assessed by self-rated health, grip strength, and depressive symptoms. The correlations between very low food security and physical health outcomes were negatively significant prior to SNAP enrollment (p < 0.05) but became insignificant upon participation, indicating that SNAP may have prevented poor physical health resulting from very low food security. However, results concerning mental health showed that SNAP enrollment does not modify the association between very low food security and depression; very low food security remained a significant risk factor of depressive symptoms conditional on SNAP enrollment (p < 0.001). Further analyses showed that SNAP participation is correlated with negative self-attitudes (p < 0.05), and that the correlation between SNAP and depression becomes insignificant after controlling for self-attitudes. These results suggest that a stigma effect arising from welfare use may have reduced self-esteem and resulted in depressive moods. Future research needs to delve into whether reforms to the food assistance program aimed at reducing stigma can help alleviate emotional distress among welfare recipients.}, keywords = {depression, Food assistance, Mental Health, Self-esteem, Stigma, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program}, issn = {0091-7435}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105871}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091743519303470}, author = {Tae-Young Pak and GwanSeon Kim} } @article {10583, title = {FUNCTIONAL TRAJECTORIES AT THE END OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DEMENTIA: FINAL REPORT}, year = {2020}, month = {01/2020}, institution = {OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PLANNING AND EVALUATION, U.S. Department of Health \& Human Services}, abstract = {Dementia, including Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease and related disorders, is a neurocognitive disease affecting an individual{\textquoteright}s cognitive function and behavior. Dementia is a leading cause of death and is particularly prevalent at the end of life (EOL) in older adults. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the patterns of decline for adults with dementia, who may also have comorbid terminal conditions. This knowledge gap may prevent providers from offering palliative and hospice services, because they may not be able to identify when a dementia patient has entered the terminal phase of illness. It may also limit patients{\textquoteright} and families{\textquoteright} ability and willingness to access palliative services that can improve and complement EOL care. For this project, we used a sample of decedents from the 2000-2012 Health and Retirement Study to understand the trajectories of functional decline of older adults with dementia near the EOL, and how these trajectories differ from those of people without dementia. In addition, we examined whether and how these trajectories vary by other patient characteristics such as demographics, comorbidities, and access to caregiving. Overall, the findings from the point-in-time analyses indicated that people with dementia have significantly higher levels of functional impairments than do people without dementia up until the last year of life. However, the functional impairment of people with dementia at 2-4 years before death may look similar to people without dementia in the last 6-12 months before death, after controlling for other characteristics.}, keywords = {Alzheimers disease, cognitive impairment, Dementia, end of life, Formal Hospice, Health Services, Mental Health}, url = {https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/functional-trajectories-end-life-individuals-dementia-final-report}, author = {Ila H. Broyles} } @article {11060, title = {Hopelessness among Middle-aged and Older Blacks: The Negative Impact of Discrimination and Protecting Power of Social and Religious Resources}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {igaa044}, abstract = {Hopelessness{\textemdash}a state of despair characterized by a negative outlook towards the future and a belief in insurmountable challenges{\textemdash}is a risk factor for major depression, cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality among older adults. It is also an understudied consequence of discrimination. Older Blacks disproportionately report experiencing discrimination and, as a result, may be at greater risk of feeling hopeless. However, social and religious resources may protect against the adverse effects of discrimination. The current study examines whether social support, social engagement, religious attendance, and religiosity buffer the effects of self-reported everyday discrimination on hopelessness among a nationally representative sample of Blacks.Using data from the 2010/2012 psychosocial assessment of the Health and Retirement Study, we regressed hopelessness on everyday discrimination, stratifying by two age groups, ages 51-64, representing middle-age (n=1,302) and age 65 and older, representing old age (n=887). Interaction terms tested whether each resource moderated the discrimination-hopelessness relationship controlling for depressive symptoms, socioeconomic status, and demographic characteristics.Greater reports of everyday discrimination were associated with higher levels of hopelessness for middle-aged and older Blacks. For middle-aged Blacks, the resources did not moderate the discrimination-hopelessness relationship; rather higher levels of support (b=-.294, p\<0.01), religiosity (b=-.297, p\<0.001), religious attendance (b=-.218, p\<0.05) were independently and inversely associated with hopelessness. For older Blacks, higher levels of religiosity moderated the discrimination-hopelessness relationship (b=-.208, p\<0.05) and higher levels of support (b=-.304, p\<0.05) and social engagement (b=-.236, p\<0.05) were independently and inversely associated with hopelessness.Findings suggest that self-reported everyday discrimination increases hopelessness among middle-aged and older Blacks but social and religious resources may counterbalance its effects, in age-specific ways, to protect against hopelessness. Religiosity may be especially important for older Blacks as a buffer against the negative consequences of discrimination on hopelessness.}, keywords = {African American, Mental Health, Minority Issues, race, Religion and spirituality, Social networks, Social Support, Stress \& Coping}, isbn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa044}, author = {Uchechi A Mitchell and Gutierrez-Kapheim, Melissa and Ann W Nguyen and Al-Amin, Nadia} } @article {11037, title = {Measuring More Than Exposure: Does Stress Appraisal Matter for Black-White Differences in Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults?}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {igaa040}, abstract = {Prior research and theory suggest that exposure to objectively stressful events contributes to mental health disparities. Yet, Blacks report higher cumulative stress exposure than whites but lower levels of common psychiatric disorders. In order to understand why Blacks bear disproportionate stress exposure but similar or better mental health relative to whites, we need to consider race differences in not only stress exposure, but also stress appraisal{\textemdash}how upsetting stress exposures are perceived to beWe examine whether race differences in the number of reported chronic stressors across five domains (health, financial, residential, relationship, caregiving) and their appraised stressfulness explain Black-white differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms. Data come from 6,019 adults ages 52+ from the 2006 Health and Retirement StudyOlder Blacks in this sample experience greater exposure to chronic stressors but appraise stressors as less upsetting relative to whites. In fully adjusted models stress exposure is related to higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms and perceiving stress as upsetting is associated with higher symptomology for whites and Blacks. We also find that Blacks report greater anxiety symptoms but fewer depressive symptoms with more stress exposure relative to whites. Stress appraisal partially explains race differences in the association between stress exposure and anxiety symptoms and fully explains race differences in the association between exposure and depressive symptomsThe relationship between race, chronic stress exposure, and mental health is mediated by stress appraisal. Stress appraisal provides insight on important pathways contributing to Black-white mental health disparities in older adulthood}, keywords = {Aging, Chronic stress, Health Disparities, Mental Health}, isbn = {2399-5300}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa040}, author = {Lauren L Brown and Leah R. Abrams and Uchechi A Mitchell and Jennifer A Ailshire} } @mastersthesis {10949, title = {Neighbourhood effects, local crime and mental health: longitudinal analyses over the life course}, volume = {Doctor of Philosophy}, year = {2020}, school = {The University of Edinburgh}, address = {Edinburgh}, abstract = {Mental health conditions are major contributors to global disability and suffering, with a substantial social and economic burden. Besides well-established individuallevel biopsychosocial determinants, emerging literature emphasises that social and physical features of the residential environment are associated with mental health. However, there is a limited understanding of how, where and for whom neighbourhood matters for mental health, partly because of the methodological shortcomings of existing literature. This thesis takes a longitudinal approach to examine the links between place-based factors, in particular neighbourhood crime, and anxiety, depression and psychosis. A systematic review and meta-analysis on the association between local crime and mental disorders sets the context for the thesis. Based on 50 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, random-effects meta-analyses indicated higher risk of depression and psychological distress in high crime areas; for anxiety and psychosis there was only limited evidence. Associations varied by study design (longitudinal versus cross-sectional), type of crime measurement (perceived versus objective) and between different age groups. Importantly, the review identified research gaps, which were the focus of the following chapters. The thesis was structured around four longitudinal investigations, two utilizing perceived and two objective neighbourhood measurements. First, available evidence in the field is limited to a few countries and there is no information on country-level heterogeneity. Data on perceived neighbourhood conditions and depression from 16 countries were utilised across three ageing cohorts (English Longitudinal Study of Ageing; Health and Retirement Study; Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe [SHARE]) capturing adults aged 50 and over (n=32,531). Findings indicated elevated risk of depression amongst participants living in an area with perceived neighbourhood disorder (including crime) or with lack of social cohesion. Further analyses uncovered cross-level interactions by income inequality, population density and air pollution for social cohesion and by forest coverage for neighbourhood disorder. Second, neighbourhood effects might be determined by vulnerability build up over the life course; however, no information is available on the long-term impact of childhood stressors, a sensitive period in human development. Prospective and retrospective data on adults aged 50 and over (n=10,328), were analysed from the SHARE survey. In addition to a higher risk of depression when living in areas with perceived neighbourhood nuisances (including crime), and lower in areas with good access to neighbourhood services, childhood socioeconomic conditions modified neighbourhood effects. Older adults who grew up in better childhood circumstances benefited more from neighbourhood resources, but they were at higher risk of depression when exposed to neighbourhood problems. Third, there is a lack of understanding of different neighbourhood crime and mental health associations across psychiatric conditions. A large data-linkage study (Scottish Longitudinal Study [SLS]), on small area-level crime rates and prescribed psychotropic medications was carried out (n=129,945). Findings indicated higher risk of antidepressants and antipsychotics, but not anxiolytics medications in high crime areas. Moreover, there was higher risk of antidepressants prescriptions among adults aged 24-53 in 2009, antipsychotics among men aged 44-53 in 2009, and among those in the middle of the social ladder, when living in high crime areas. Fourth, although changing levels of neighbourhood exposure may help in understanding the causal relationship between context and health, very few studies have utilised repeated measurements of small area-level crime. Analysis based on the previous study (SLS) with additional linkage for three consecutive area crime measurements were carried out, to explore the association of changing crime rates with self-reported mental illness and prescribed medications among residential stayers and movers (n=112,251). Recent increase in crime exposure was associated with mental health problems among stayers aged 16-30 (self-reported mental illness, antidepressants), and among movers aged 31-45 (self-reported mental illness, antipsychotic medication). After excluding individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, findings suggested causation for the former, and health selective migration for the latter group. Neighbourhood crime and other contextual factors in the residential area are significant determinants of mental health, but associations differ by childhood and adult socioeconomic conditions, across sex and age groups, and between anxiety, depressive and psychotic disorders. Place-based interventions aimed at reducing crime, supporting social cohesion and allocating targeted mental health preventions and services in the vicinity of high crime areas, may have long-term benefits for residents{\textquoteright} mental health, especially for those more vulnerable. Future research should investigate the relationship between area stressors and mental health by exploring direct and indirect pathways, studying crime effects at different geographical levels, and applying the life course framework.}, keywords = {Crime, Mental Health, Neighborhoods}, doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7488/era/499}, author = {Baranyi, Gerg{\H o}} } @article {11040, title = {Perceived Discrimination Trajectories and Depressive Symptoms Among Middle-Aged And Older Black Adults}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {igaa041}, abstract = {Perceived discrimination is a risk factor for poor mental health. However, most studies measure discrimination at one time point, which does not account for heterogeneity in the cumulative patterning of exposure to discrimination. To address this gap, we examine the association between discrimination trajectories and depressive symptoms among black middle-aged and older adults.Data were analyzed from a subsample of black Health and Retirement Study respondents (2006 {\textendash} 2018, N = 2,926, 50+). General discrimination and racial discrimination trajectories were constructed based on the Everyday Discrimination Scale using repeated measures latent profile analyses. We examined the extent to which the association between discrimination trajectories are differentially associated with depressive symptoms (8-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies {\textendash} Depression scale) using negative binomial regression models adjusted for potential confounders. Effect modification by age and gender was tested.Individuals in the persistently high (IRR: 1.70; 95\% CI: 1.49, 1.95) and moderate general discrimination trajectories (IRR: 1.19; 95\% CI: 1.06, 1.33), were more likely to have elevated depressive symptoms in comparison to those in the persistently low trajectory. This relationship was strongest among older adults aged 65+. Respondents in the persistently high racial discrimination trajectory (IRR: 1.50; 95\% CI: 1.29, 1.73) had higher risk of elevated depressive symptoms in comparison to respondents in the persistently low trajectory. Sensitivity analyses indicated that there was an independent association between persistently high racial discrimination trajectory class and elevated depressive symptoms, after adjusting for racial discrimination measured at a single time point.Characterizing longitudinal patterns of perceived discrimination may facilitate the stratification of mental health risk and vulnerability among black middle-aged and older adults. Trajectories of racial discrimination may inform risk of worse depressive symptoms more accurately than a single assessment of discrimination.}, keywords = {Cumulative Inequality, Life-course perspective, Mental Health, Minority aging, Race/ethnicity, Racial Discrimination}, isbn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa041}, author = {White, Kellee and Bell, Bethany A and Huang, Shuo J and Williams, David R} } @article {2020-17231-00120200304, title = {Perceived social isolation, social disconnectedness and falls: The mediating role of depression.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, year = {2020}, month = {03/2020}, type = {Journal}, abstract = {Objectives: to estimate the association of social disconnectedness and perceived social isolation with the risk of falls and also investigate whether depression mediated this association.Method: Biennial longitudinal survey data from 2006 to 2012 waves of the U.S. Health and Retirement Study of adults aged 65 and older (N = 22,153 observations) were examined. The outcome variable was number of self-reported falls over the observation period. Independent variables included social isolation (social disconnectedness, perceived social isolation) and number of depressive symptoms. Generalized Estimating Equation regressions were performed to address the research questions.Results: Regression models indicated that social disconnectedness is associated with a 5\% increase in the risk of falls. Perceived social isolation (lack of perceived social support and loneliness combined) was associated with a 33\% increase in falls risk. For each increase in the number of depressive symptoms, the risk o}, keywords = {Loneliness, Mental Health, population-based study, Social Relationships}, issn = {1360-7863}, url = {http://proxy.lib.umich.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true\&db=psyh\&AN=2020-17231-001\&site=ehost-live\&scope=site}, author = {Lien Quach and Jeffrey A Burr} } @article {10787, title = {The price of mental well-being in later life: the role of financial hardship and debt}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, year = {2020}, note = {PMID: 32426995}, pages = {1-7}, abstract = {Objective: This study investigated the associations between various financial hardship and debt indicators and mental health status among older adults. Methods: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we considered the association between different forms of financial hardship and debt of those who were identified as having high levels of depressive symptoms (N = 7678) and anxiety (N = 8079). Financial hardship indicators: difficulty paying bills, food insecurity, and medication need; debt indicators: credit card and medical debt. Associations were tested using multiple logistic regression analyses and are reported as relative risk (RR) ratios and 95\% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Participants who had difficulty paying bills were more likely to have high levels of depressive symptoms (RR = 2.06, CI = 1.75{\textendash}2.42, p < 0.001) and anxiety (RR = 1.46, CI = 1.02{\textendash}2.05, p < 0.001) compared to those who did not have financial difficulty. Similarly, medical debt was associated with depressive symptoms (RR = 1.43, CI = 1.14{\textendash}1.74, p < 0.01) and anxiety (RR = 1.20, CI = 0.96{\textendash}1.50, p < 0.01). Credit card debt was not significantly associated with either mental health outcome. Conclusion: Indicators of financial hardship and medical debt were associated with depressive symptoms and anxiety in a cohort of older adults. In contrast, the influence of credit card debt appeared to be more complex and vary by individual. These findings indicate that doing without meeting personal salient needs has a particularly adverse effect on psychological well-being.}, keywords = {Anxiety, Debt, depression, Financial hardship, Mental Health}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2020.1758902}, author = {Gillian L Marshall and Eva Kahana and William T Gallo and Kim L. Stansbury and Stephen M Thielke} } @article {10994, title = {Social Support, Everyday Discrimination, and Depressive Symptoms Among Older African Americans: A Longitudinal Study}, journal = {Innovation in Aging}, volume = {4}, year = {2020}, pages = {igaa032}, abstract = {The purpose of the study is to explore the long-term effects of everyday discrimination on depressive symptoms among older African Americans, as well as the moderating role of social support in this association.Mixed-effects negative binomial regression analyses were performed on data selected from six waves of the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2016; baseline N=1144). The number of depressive symptoms was calculated based on an 8-item CES-D measure. Everyday discrimination was measured by using a 6-item scale. Contact with and perceived support from extended family and friends were assessed.Older African Americans who experienced more frequent perceived discrimination had more depressive symptoms over time. Significant interactions between discrimination and perceived support from extended family and friends were found, indicating that among older African Americans who reported higher support from extended family and friends, perceived discrimination was positively associated with depressive symptoms over time. However, perceived discrimination and depressive symptoms were not longitudinally related among those who reported lower levels of perceived support.This is one of the few studies to examine the effects of discrimination on depressive symptoms over time and the first longitudinal study to test the role of social support in coping with discrimination in older African Americans. This study extends cross-sectional works on discrimination and mental health, indicating that experiences of discrimination can result in worse mental health over time. The significant interactions are consistent with the resource mobilization framework, which suggests that individuals who are more negatively affected by discrimination (more depressive symptoms) are more likely to reach out to friends and family to cope with discrimination.Older African Americans who experience more discrimination and depressive symptoms are more likely to seek support from extended family and friends for coping with discrimination over time. The study findings suggest that older African Americans may benefit from interventions based on stress coping resources via support from extended family and friends in coping with discrimination.}, keywords = {Black older adults, family social support networks, friendship social support networks, Mental Health, unfair treatment}, isbn = {2399-5300}, doi = {10.1093/geroni/igaa032}, author = {Qin, Weidi and Ann W Nguyen and Mouzon, Dawne M and Tyrone C Hamler and Wang, Fei} } @article {NBERw26690, title = {The State of Mental Health Among the Elderly Chinese}, number = {No. 26690}, year = {2020}, institution = {National Bureau of Economic Research}, type = {Report}, address = {Cambridge, MA}, abstract = {China introduced its stringent family planning policies from the early 1970s, known as the "Later, Longer, Fewer" policies, and followed it with the One-Child Policy from 1979. The number of children born to Chinese parents significantly decreased from 5.7 in late 1960s to 2.5 in 1988. In Chen and Fang (2019), we show that family planning policies have drastically different effects on elderly parents{\textquoteright} physical and mental well-beings. Whereas parents more exposed to the family planning policies consume more and enjoy slightly better physical health status, they report more severe depression symptoms. In this paper, we present a more complete picture of the difference in mental health among residents in rural and urban areas, between males and females, between different education groups, between those with one child and those with more than one children, and between widowed and non-widowed. We highlight the role of family support (from children and spouse) for the mental health status among the elderly Chinese.}, keywords = {China, Mental Health}, doi = {10.3386/w26690}, url = {http://www.nber.org/papers/w26690}, author = {Chen, Yi and Fang, Hanming} } @mastersthesis {10561, title = {Analysis of Dementia Risks among African Immigrants Compared with Caucasian Americans in Retirement}, volume = {D.P.H.}, year = {2019}, note = {Copyright - Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works; Last updated - 2020-01-13}, pages = {119}, school = {Capella University}, type = {phd}, abstract = {This dissertation investigated the differential risk factors for Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease and dementias among foreign-born African immigrants and native-born Americans in retirement. As immigrants integrate and assimilate, other behavioral processes such as adoption of host nation lifestyle practices endanger immigrant health status that adversely impact cognitive functioning at old age. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess risk factors for Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease and dementia diagnoses among the study subjects. The results showed that acculturation between 10{\textendash}15 years in the United States puts foreign-born African immigrants at 1.71 OR unadjusted:1.71; 98\% CI (1.16, 2.51); p = 0.0012] times higher risk of being diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease compared with Caucasian Whites. Similarly, African race OR adjusted=1.39; 98\% CI (0.97, 2); p = 0.0361] indicated the lack of sufficient and statistically significant evidence that being Black race plays a statistically significant role in the risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease or dementias in retirement compared with Caucasian Whites. Higher educational attainment OR adjusted=0.45; 98\% CI (0.29, 0.68); p < 0.0001] was statistically significant protective factor against the risk of being diagnosed as demented or Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease among African immigrants compared with Caucasian Whites. Also, when educational attainments were equivalent among African immigrants and native Caucasians, the risk was substantially higher OR adjusted=1.11; 98\% CI (0.71, 2.91); p = 0.073] but not statistically significant among African immigrants compared with Caucasian Whites. In conclusion, as foreign-born African immigrants adopt host nation health behaviors and dietary practices, live in the United States for at least 10 years, and had fewer than 13 years of educational attainment were at increased risks of being diagnosed with Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease and related dementias.}, keywords = {0308:Biostatistics, 0347:Mental health, 0631:Ethnic studies, 0766:Epidemiology, Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s disease, Biostatistics, Demography, Epidemiologic transition, Epidemiology, Ethnic studies, Foreign-born African immigrant, Health and Retirement Study, Mental Health}, isbn = {9781392544235}, url = {https://search.proquest.com/docview/2336369737?pq-origsite=gscholar}, author = {Bibio, Desmond K.} } @article {12564, title = {Cohort Profile: The Ageing Trajectories of Health - Longitudinal Opportunities and Synergies (ATHLOS) project.}, journal = {International Journal of Epidemiology}, volume = {48}, year = {2019}, pages = {1052-1053i}, keywords = {Female, Global Health, Health Behavior, Health Status, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Physical Functional Performance, Social Environment, Socioeconomic factors}, issn = {1464-3685}, doi = {10.1093/ije/dyz077}, author = {Sanchez-Niubo, Albert and Egea-Cort{\'e}s, Laia and Olaya, Beatriz and Caballero, Francisco F{\'e}lix and Ayuso-Mateos, Jose L and Prina, Matthew and Bobak, Martin and Arndt, Holger and Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata and Paj{\k a}k, Andrzej and Leonardi, Matilde and Koupil, Ilona and Panagiotakos, Demosthenes and Tamosiunas, Abdonas and Scherbov, Sergei and Sanderson, Warren and Koskinen, Seppo and Chatterji, Somnath and Haro, Josep Maria} } @mastersthesis {10238, title = {Hope and Positive Emotions in Bereavement Among Older Adults in the United States}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2019}, month = {08/2019}, school = {Columbia University}, address = {New York, NY}, abstract = {This three-paper dissertation aims to enhance our understanding of the role of positive psychology constructs, hope, and positive emotions during bereavement among older adults. The study will be mainly guided by the Broaden-and-Build Theory of Positive Emotion, the Hope Theory, and the Revised Stress and Coping Theory. This dissertation is based on secondary data analysis using two different data - the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) for Paper 1 and the Complicated Grief Treatment in Older Adults Study (CGTOA) for Paper 2 and Paper 3. Paper 1 examines the level of positive and negative emotions before and after bereavement, and the impact of positive emotions on bereavement adjustment outcomes such as depression and purpose in life among a nationally representative sample of widowed older adults. Paper 1 finds that recently widowed older adults experience a significant decrease in positive emotions and an increase in negative emotions (compared to the married comparison group) after the loss of their spouse, but they still experience a considerable level of positive emotions during bereavement. The level of post-loss positive emotions was significantly associated with better adjustment outcomes, lower odds of having depression, and a higher level of purpose in life. A significantly greater impact of positive emotions on purpose in life was found among the widowed group compared to the married counterparts. However, the beneficial impact of positive emotions on depression did not differ between the widowed and married groups. Paper 2 and Paper 3 explore hope among the bereaved older adults with complicated grief using data from the CGTOA Study, a randomized clinical trial, which compared the treatment efficacy of complicated grief treatment (CGT) with interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Paper 2 focuses on evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Trait Hope Scale (THS) among older adults with complicated grief before proceeding to address the role of hope in CGT in Paper 3. Paper 2 suggests that overall the THS is a valid and reliable tool to measure hope among older adults with complicated grief. The THS demonstrated its sensitivity to change with treatment, showing a significantly greater increase in hope score among treatment responders (in both CGT and IPT) compared to non-responders. However, unlike the theoretically supported two-factor structure of the THS (Pathways and Agency), a different two-factor structure was identified in the study, which suggests that further validation of the factor structure of the THS in older adults with complicated grief is necessary in future studies. Paper 3 investigates the role of hope in CGT, particularly examining hope as a potential moderator and/or mediator of treatment effects. Paper 3 found that both CGT and IPT groups increased their hope scores significantly during the treatment. However, there was no significant difference in increases in hope between CGT and IPT groups. Mediation analysis showed that hope is not a mediator of treatment effects of CGT over IPT. However, significant treatment effects of CGT (over IPT) were found for reduction in the level of grief-related avoidance among those with lower baseline hope, but not for those with higher baseline hope, which confirmed hope is a moderator of treatment effects for only the grief-related avoidance outcome. The findings of this dissertation suggest that 1) positive emotions during bereavement may play a beneficial role in adaption to bereavement, 2) the Trait Hope Scale is a valid and reliable tool to measure hope among older adults with complicated grief, and 3) hope can be improved in complicated grief interventions (both CGT and IPT), and regaining hope may be an important factor associated with the resolution of complicated grief symptoms.}, keywords = {Bereavement, Gerontology, Hope, Mental Health, Positive psychology}, url = {https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/d8-8qnb-x083}, author = {Soyeon Kim} } @article {10182, title = {The Longitudinal Associations between Physical Health and Mental Health among Older Adults.}, journal = {Aging \& Mental Health}, year = {2019}, abstract = {This study examines the lead-lag relationship between physical and mental health among older adults. Data are collected from 16,417 older adults aged 50 years and older participating in the biannual Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Participants were assessed on up to 11 measurement points over a 21-year period from 1994 to 2014. Physical health was measured as a composite of chronic diseases, functional limitations, and difficulties in basic and instrumental activities of daily living. Mental health was measured with the modified CES-D. Bivariate latent change score models (BLCSM) were estimated. : Both physical and mental health declined in the observed years, with slower declining rates over time. A reciprocal relationship emerged, with the prior level of physical health acting as the leading indicator of subsequent change in mental health, and the prior mental health state acting as the leading indicator of subsequent changes in physical health. Additionally, the influence of physical health on mental health changes was larger than the corresponding effect of mental health on subsequent physical health. This study demonstrates the reciprocal relationship between physical and mental health in later adulthood and highlights the need to pay attention to the mental health of older people with physical health problems.}, keywords = {Depressive symptoms, Mental Health, Physical Ability, Physical Health}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2019.1655706}, author = {Luo, Meng Sha and Ernest Wing Tak Chui and Lydia W Li} } @article {10619, title = {The Longitudinal Associations of Perceived Neighborhood Disorder and Lack of Social Cohesion With Depression Among Adults Aged 50 Years or Older: An Individual-Participant-Data Meta-Analysis From 16 High-Income Countries}, journal = {American Journal of Epidemiology }, year = {2019}, type = {Report}, abstract = {Although residential environment might be an important predictor of depression among older adults, systematic reviews point to a lack of longitudinal investigations, and the generalizability of the findings is limited to a few countries. We used longitudinal data collected between 2012 and 2017 in 3 surveys including 15 European countries and the United States and comprising 32,531 adults aged 50 years or older. The risk of depression according to perceived neighborhood disorder and lack of social cohesion was estimated using 2-stage individualparticipant-data meta-analysis; country-specific parameters were analyzed by meta-regression. We conducted additional analyses on retired individuals. Neighborhood disorder (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25) and lack of social cohesion (OR = 1.76) were significantly associated with depression in the fully adjusted models. In retirement, the risk of depression was even higher (neighborhood disorder: OR = 1.35; lack of social cohesion: OR = 1.93). Heterogeneity across countries was low and was significantly reduced by the addition of country-level data on income inequality and population density. Perceived neighborhood problems increased the overall risk of depression among adults aged 50 years or older. Policies, especially in countries with stronger links between neighborhood and depression, should focus on improving the physical environment and supporting social ties in communities, which can reduce depression and contribute to healthy aging.}, keywords = {Cohort Studies, depression, Mental Health, meta-analysis, multicenter studies, Residence Characteristics}, doi = {10.1093/aje/kwz209}, url = {https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gergo_Baranyi/publication/336217860_The_Longitudinal_Association_of_Perceived_Neighborhood_Disorder_and_Lack_of_Social_Cohesion_With_Depression_Among_Adults_Aged_50_and_Over_An_Individual_Participant_Data_Meta-Analysis}, author = {Baranyi, Gerg{\H o} and Sieber, Stefan and Cullati, St{\'e}phane and Pearce, Jamie and Chris J.L. Dibben and Courvoisier, Delphine S} } @article {10072, title = {Mental illness, not obesity status, is associated with food insecurity among the elderly in the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics}, volume = {38}, year = {2019}, pages = {149-172}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Food insecurity, limited or uncertain access to adequate nutrition, is an increasingly recognized determinant of health outcomes and is often associated with having obesity. It is unclear, however, if this association persists in elderly populations.

METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2868 participants{\textquoteright} aged 65+ years from the Health and Retirement Study. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess associations between food insecurity and body mass index, demographic characteristics, psychiatric history, and medical history.

RESULTS: Participants with overweight/obesity had a higher prevalence of food insecurity than leaner counterparts, however, weight status was not a significant predictor of food insecurity after multivariate adjustment. Instead, mental illness, current smoking status, and non-White race were all independently associated with food insecurity.

DISCUSSION: Beyond financial status, health care providers are encouraged to use these characteristics to identify elderly patients that may be at risk of food insecurity.

}, keywords = {BMI, Depressive symptoms, Food insecurity, Mental Health}, issn = {2155-1200}, doi = {10.1080/21551197.2019.1565901}, author = {Diana P Brostow and Gunzburger, Elise and Lauren M. Abbate and Lisa A Brenner and Kali S Thomas} } @mastersthesis {10290, title = {The Association between Depression and Social Isolation among Older Adults}, volume = {Master of Science in Gerontology }, year = {2018}, note = {Copyright - Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works; Last updated - 2018-05-08}, pages = {50}, school = {California State University}, type = {phd}, abstract = {The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is a twenty-five-year longitudinal study that studies populations over the age of fifty. There is a lack of studies that examine depression and social isolation as comorbid conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine secondary data from the 2014 wave of the HRS regarding associations between depression, social isolation and demographic characteristics, including age (50{\textendash}104 years), gender, and marital status. Self-reported data from 18,289 participants (10,703 females and 7,586 males) suggested a positive association between depression and social isolation ( r = .365, p < .001) in that as levels of depression increase so do feelings of social isolation. Significantly more females than males reported having depression. Those who were married reported less depression and social isolation. Younger ages experienced depression and older ages social isolation. Further research should explore solutions to decreasing depression and social isolation among older adults in the United States.}, keywords = {depression, Health and environmental sciences, Health and Retirement Study, Mental Health, Older Adults, social isolation, Social Sciences}, isbn = {9780355650143}, url = {https://pqdtopen.proquest.com/doc/2015148276.html?FMT=ABS}, author = {Gelgur,Lauren A.} } @mastersthesis {10259, title = {Care Receipt and Care Provision in Parent-Adult Child Relationships: Their Association with Older Adults{\textquoteright} Mental Health.}, volume = {PhD}, year = {2018}, month = {05/2018}, pages = {97}, school = {Florida State University}, address = {Tallahassee, FL}, abstract = {Unprecedented shifts in age structure has important implications for the number of people ages 65 and older living with disabilities and requiring long-term care. Further, health care trends, including the early discharge of hospital patients and the transition of Medicaid funds away from nursing home care to community-based care (Stillman and Black 2005), has resulted in increasing numbers of older adults relying on assistance from family, especially adult children (Freedman and Spillman 2014). While it is known that adult children play an instrumental role in caring for their aging parents, relatively little is known about how this arrangement impacts the well-being of the parent. Using data from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study, this dissertation examines care receipt and care provision among functionally limited older adults and their adult children, as well as their associations with mental health. Unlike previous research examining care (receipt and provision) between older adults and their adult children, this study pays greater attention to potential gender differences in the type of care given or received, as well as their associations with mental health. In my first analysis I use logistic regression analysis to examine how sociodemographic, socioeconomic, and health factors affect the likelihood of giving and receiving various types of care. Results examining care receipt revealed that parents who are most in need of care {\textendash} for example, women, race/ethnic minorities, and those with fewer socioeconomic resources and poorer health {\textendash} are also more likely to receive it from their adult children. Results examining care provision revealed that parents with greater socioeconomic resources were most likely to provide financial support to adult children, while women, non-Hispanic Blacks and non-married parents were more likely to provide delayed care provision, including a will/trust or life insurance benefit. In my second set of analyses address I use negative binomial regression to examine how care (receipt and provision) are associated with mental health. I also examine how associations between care (receipt and provision) and mental health vary by gender and by level of functional limitation. Results for care receipt reveal that receiving help with IADLs is associated with better mental health and that this association is stronger for women and for those with greater functional limitations. Results for care provision reveal that including a child in a will or as a life insurance beneficiary was associated with better mental health, on average. In contrast, providing financial support to adult children was associated with worse mental health for women and those with more functional limitations. This study underscores the importance of examining specific types of care received and given and highlights the importance of considering the gender of care recipients when examining the association between care and mental health.}, keywords = {adult care relationships, Cognition, Mental Health, parent-child relationships}, url = {http://fsu.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fsu\%3A650274}, author = {Glasgow, Katherine Lynn} } @article {9850, title = {Divorce and health in middle and older ages}, journal = {Review of Economics of the Household}, year = {2018}, month = {May-10-2018}, abstract = {The prevalence and incidence of divorce at older ages have doubled since 1990. We use Health and Retirement Study data to describe associations between divorce, remarriage and health in middle and later life, following individuals and couples through divorce and remarriage in models with individual or couple fixed effects. At middle and older ages, divorce is more often associated with adverse physical and mental health changes for women than for men. Remarriage is associated with a restoration of health and depression to pre-divorce levels for men and women. However, men are more likely to remarry. Evidence from couple models suggests that for husbands, but not wives, remarriage may be associated with less depression than the baseline marriage. Differences in self-reported health associated with divorce appear linked to (diagnosed) mental health conditions among wives and physical health conditions among husbands. }, keywords = {Depressive symptoms, Divorce, Gender Differences, health, Mental Health, Remarriage}, issn = {1569-5239}, doi = {10.1007/s11150-018-9435-z}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11150-018-9435-zhttp://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11150-018-9435-z.pdfhttp://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11150-018-9435-z.pdfhttp://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11150-018-9435-z/fulltext.html}, author = {Alice Zulkarnain and Korenman, Sanders} } @article {9852, title = {Effects of long-term care setting on spousal health outcomes}, journal = {Health Services Research}, year = {2018}, month = {Nov-09-2019}, abstract = {Objective: To provide empirical evidence on the effects of home and community-based services (HCBS) (vs nursing home) use on spousal health. Data Sources: Merged data from the 1996 to 2012 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Area Health Resource File (AHRF). Study Design: We assess the impact of HCBS use on spousal health. We use an instrumental variable (IV) approach to account for the potential endogeneity of the choice of care setting and reverse causality. Our instrument is the supply of skilled nursing home beds per 1000 people older than 65 years. Data Extraction Methods: Our sample includes spouses of HCBS or nursing home users, resulting in 8608 observations. Principal Findings: We find that HCBS use leads to harmful effects on spousal physical health, which may be caused by increased informal care responsibilities. We also find improved spousal mental health, especially in depression symptoms, which may be caused by increased satisfaction. Conclusions: We find evidence of both beneficial (mental health) and harmful (physical health) consequences for spouses of individuals receiving LTC at home relative to in an institution. Our results are important in estimating the potential cost and effectiveness of HCBS expansion. {\textcopyright} Health Research and Educational Trust }, keywords = {Happiness, Long-term Care, Marriage, Mental Health, Nursing homes, Physical Health}, doi = {10.1111/1475-6773.13053}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/1475-6773.13053http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1111/1475-6773.13053/fullpdfhttps://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111\%2F1475-6773.13053}, author = {Dong, Jing and Pollack, Harold and R. Tamara Konetzka} } @article {9292, title = {Estimating the Prevalence of Serious Mental Illness and Dementia Diagnoses Among Medicare Beneficiaries in the Health and Retirement Study}, journal = {Research on Aging}, volume = {40}, year = {2018}, pages = {668-686}, abstract = {Methods: This study utilizes HRS-linked Medicare claims data sets and inverse probability weighting to estimate overall and age-specific cumulative prevalence rates of dementia and serious mental illnesses among 18,740 Medicare beneficiaries. Two-way tabulations determine conditional probabilities of dementia diagnoses among beneficiaries diagnosed with specific mental illnesses, and binary logistic regressions determine conditional probabilities of dementia diagnoses among beneficiaries diagnosed with specific mental illnesses, controlling for covariates. Results: Weighted prevalence estimates for dementia, schizophrenia (SZP), bipolar disorder (BPD), and major depressive disorder (MDD) are similar to previous studies. Odds of dementia diagnosis are significantly greater for beneficiaries diagnosed with SZP, BPD, or MDD. Conclusions: Co-occurring mental disabilities require further investigation, as in the near future increasing numbers of mentally ill older adults will need appropriate and affordable community-based services and supports. }, keywords = {Cognitive Ability, Dementia, Depressive symptoms, Medicare linkage, Mental Health}, issn = {0164-0275}, doi = {10.1177/0164027517728554}, url = {http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0164027517728554}, author = {Maria T. Brown and Douglas A. Wolf} } @article {12254, title = {The Hidden Risk of Retirement: The Impact of Retirement on Mental Health}, year = {2018}, institution = {SSRN}, abstract = {Early retirement is a popular goal for many Americans but little research has been conducted to investigate the impact of this decision. This paper estimates the effects of retirement on several mental health outcomes using an ordered-probit model. Results suggest that retirement is negatively related to mental health in four of the tested categories: cognitive skills, mental status, memory, and Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s symptoms. This implies that early retirement may have hidden costs and that working longer may help to preserve mental health.}, keywords = {Mental and Physical Health, Mental Disorders, Mental Health, Retirement}, url = {https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3254547}, author = {Christopher Crouch} } @article {https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.3579, title = {Mental health and retirement savings: Confounding issues with compounding interest}, journal = {Health Economics}, volume = {27}, year = {2018}, pages = {404-425}, abstract = {Summary The questionable ability of the U.S. pension system to provide for the growing elderly population combined with the rising number of people affected by depression and other mental health issues magnifies the need to understand how these household characteristics affect retirement. Mental health problems have a large and significant negative effect on retirement savings. Specifically, psychological distress is associated with decreasing the probability of holding retirement accounts by as much as 24 percentage points and decreasing retirement savings as a share of financial assets by as much as 67 percentage points. The magnitude of these effects underscores the importance of employer management policy and government regulation of these accounts to help ensure households have adequate retirement savings.}, keywords = {depression, household finance, Mental Health, retirement savings, Social Security}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.3579}, url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hec.3579}, author = {Bogan, Vicki L. and Fertig, Angela R.} } @article {9268, title = {The Mental Health Benefits of Acquiring a Home in Older Age: A Fixed-Effects Analysis of Older Americans}, journal = {American Journal of Epidemiology}, volume = {187}, year = {2018}, pages = {465{\textendash}473}, abstract = {Homeownership is consistently associated with better mental health, but whether becoming a homeowner in later in life has positive psychological benefits has not been examined. We assessed whether acquiring a home after 50 is associated with depression in a representative sample of older Americans. We used individual fixed-effects models based on data from 20,524 respondents aged >=50 from the Health and Retirement Study and interviewed biannually between 1993 and 2010. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-item Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. Controlling for confounders, becoming a homeowner in later life predicted a decline in depressive symptoms in the same year (β = -0.0768, 95\% CI [confidence interval]: -0.152, -0.007). The association remained significant after two years (β = -0.0556, 95\% CI: -0.134 to -0.001) but weakened afterwards. Buying a home for reasons associated with positive characteristics of the new house or neighborhood drove this association (β = -0.426, 95\% CI: -0.786, -0.066), while acquiring a home for reasons associated with characteristics of the previous home or neighbourhood, the desire to be closer to relatives, downsizing or upsizing did not predict mental health improvements. Findings suggest that there are small but significant benefits for mental health associated with acquiring a home in older age.}, keywords = {Consumption and Savings, Housing, Mental Health, Retirement Planning and Satisfaction}, issn = {0002-9262}, doi = {10.1093/aje/kwx278}, url = {http://academic.oup.com/aje/article/doi/10.1093/aje/kwx278/4080981/The-Mental-Health-Benefits-of-Acquiring-a-Home-inhttp://academic.oup.com/aje/article-pdf/doi/10.1093/aje/kwx278/19501585/kwx278.pdf}, author = {Courtin, Emilie and Jennifer B Dowd and Mauricio Avendano} } @mastersthesis {10304, title = {Religion/Spirituality and Disability in Older Adults}, volume = {PhD}, year = {2018}, note = {Copyright - Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works; Last updated - 2018-05-19}, pages = {52}, school = {Fordham University}, type = {phd}, abstract = {A secondary data analysis was conducted using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to explore the relationships between physical disability, religion/spirituality (R/S), and mental health outcomes. The sample consisted of older adults randomly sampled from the United States. Ordinary least square regressions were done to test the proposed hypotheses that severity of disability would be associated with more R/S, more depression and more stress, and that R/S would be associated with less depression and less stress. The main effects were significant, and a mediation regression analysis was completed to determine if R/S significantly mediates the relationship of disability severity with depression and stress. The mediated effect was small but statistically significant, indicating that R/S potentially protects against negative mental health outcomes like depression and stress, as disabilities become more severe. Such findings have important research and practice implications in the treatment of older adults.}, keywords = {0201:Disability studies, 0318:Religion, 0347:Mental health, depression, Disability, Disability studies, Health and environmental sciences, Mental Health, Philosophy, Religion, religion and theology, Stress}, isbn = {9780355877892}, url = {https://fordham.bepress.com/dissertations/AAI10807818/}, author = {Cantin,Alyssa} } @article {9320, title = {Does How We Feel About Financial Strain Matter for Mental Health?}, journal = {Journal of Financial Therapy}, volume = {8}, year = {2017}, pages = {63-78}, abstract = {This study investigated how stress responses to financial strain are related to mental health (i.e., depression) to answer the question: Does how we feel about financial strain matter? Informed by the ABC-X model of family stress and analyzed with data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), results reveal that financial strain is significantly related to increased depression; however, financial stress was found to moderate this relationship. Financially strained respondents without a stress response did not have significantly different depression scores than those who were not experiencing financial strain; however, depression scores increased as the stress response to financial strain increased. Consistent with the ABC-X model, results suggest that financial strain is a neutral event until it is processed and interpreted by an individual, with subjective perceptions a more powerful predictor of mental health than objective financial circumstances. These results emphasize an area of synergy for financial and mental health researchers and professionals.}, keywords = {Depressive symptoms, Financial burden, Mental Health, Stress}, issn = {19457774}, doi = {10.4148/1944-9771.1130}, url = {http://newprairiepress.org/jft/vol8/iss1/5}, author = {Asebedo, Sarah D. and Wilmarth, Melissa J.} } @article {8751, title = {The Effect of Widowhood on Mental Health - an Analysis of Anticipation Patterns Surrounding the Death of a Spouse.}, journal = {Health Econ}, volume = {26}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 12}, pages = {1505-1523}, abstract = {

This study explores the effects of widowhood on mental health by taking into account the anticipation and adaptation to the partner{\textquoteright}s death. The empirical analysis uses representative panel data from the USA that are linked to administrative death records of the National Death Index. I estimate static and dynamic specifications of the panel probit model in which unobserved heterogeneity is modeled with correlated random effects. I find strong anticipation effects of the partner{\textquoteright}s death on the probability of depression, implying that the partner{\textquoteright}s death event cannot be assumed to be exogenous in econometric models. In the absence of any anticipation effects, the partner{\textquoteright}s death has long-lasting mental health consequences, leading to a significantly slower adaptation to widowhood. The results suggest that both anticipation effects and adaptation effects can be attributed to a caregiver burden and to the cause of death. The findings of this study have important implications for designing adequate social policies for the elderly US population that alleviate the negative consequences of bereavement. Copyright {\textcopyright} 2016 John Wiley \& Sons, Ltd.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Bereavement, Cause of Death, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Models, Econometric, Qualitative Research, Spouses, Widowhood}, issn = {1099-1050}, doi = {10.1002/hec.3443}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/hec.3443http://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002\%2Fhec.3443}, author = {Siflinger, Bettina} } @article {8831, title = {Honest Labor Bears a Lovely Face: Will Late-Life Unemployment Impact Health and Satisfaction in Retirement?}, journal = {J Occup Environ Med}, volume = {59}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 02}, pages = {184-190}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Unemployment among older adults during recessionary cycles has been tied to early retirement decisions and negative health outcomes. This study explored episodes of unemployment experienced between age 50 and retirement as predictors of retirement age and health outcomes.

METHODS: A total of 1540 participants from the U.S. Health and Retirement Study aged 50 years and older who transitioned from workforce to retirement were analyzed with descriptive statistics and multiple regression controlling for unemployment, demographics, and health status.

RESULTS: Late-life unemployment significantly related to earlier retirement age and lowered life satisfaction, independent of income effects. We found no main effect for late-life unemployment on physical health status.

CONCLUSIONS: Potential improvements in future life satisfaction might be gained if job search obstacles are removed for older unemployed adults, reducing reliance on involuntary early retirement as an income source.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Chronic disease, depression, Female, Health Status, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Retirement, Unemployment, United States, Work}, issn = {1536-5948}, doi = {10.1097/JOM.0000000000000933}, url = {http://content.wkhealth.com/linkback/openurl?sid=WKPTLP:landingpage\&an=00043764-900000000-98945}, author = {Maren W Voss and Wendy Church Birmingham and Lori Wadsworth and Wei Chen and Bounsanga, Jerry and Gu, Yushan and Hung, Man} } @article {8818, title = {The Use of Life-Sustaining Procedures in the Last Month of Life Is Associated With More Depressive Symptoms in Surviving Spouses.}, journal = {J Pain Symptom Manage}, volume = {53}, year = {2017}, month = {2017 02}, pages = {178-187.e1}, abstract = {

CONTEXT: Family caregivers of individuals with serious illness who undergo intensive life-sustaining medical procedures at the end of life may be at risk of negative consequences including depression.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to determine the association between patients{\textquoteright} use of life-sustaining procedures at the end of life and depressive symptoms in their surviving spouses.

METHODS: We used data from the Health and Retirement Study, a longitudinal survey of U.S. residents, linked to Medicare claims data. We included married Medicare beneficiaries aged 65~years and older who died between 2000 and 2011 (n~=~1258) and their surviving spouses. The use of life-sustaining procedures (i.e., intubation/mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, gastrostomy tube insertion, enteral/parenteral nutrition, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation) in the last month of life was measured via claims data. Using propensity score matching, we compared change in depressive symptoms of surviving spouses.

RESULTS: Eighteen percent of decedents underwent one or more life-sustaining procedures in the last month of life. Those whose spouses underwent life-sustaining procedures had a 0.32-point increase in depressive symptoms after death (scale range~=~0-8) and a greater likelihood of clinically significant depression (odds ratio~=~1.51) compared with a matched sample of spouses of those who did not have procedures (P~<~0.05).

CONCLUSION: Surviving spouses of those who undergo intensive life-sustaining procedures at the end of life experience a greater magnitude of increase in depressive symptoms than those whose spouses do not undergo such procedures. Further study of the circumstances and decision making surrounding these procedures is needed to understand their relationship with survivors{\textquoteright} negative mental health consequences and how best to provide appropriate support.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Caregivers, depression, Female, Humans, Intubation, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Respiration, Artificial, Spouses, Survivors, Terminal Care}, issn = {1873-6513}, doi = {10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2016.08.023}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0885392416307850http://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0885392416307850?httpAccept=text/plainhttp://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0885392416307850?httpAccept=text/xml}, author = {Katherine A Ornstein and Melissa D. Aldridge and Melissa M Garrido and Rebecca Jean Gorges and Bollens-Lund, Evan and Albert L Siu and Kenneth M. Langa and Amy Kelley} } @article {8548, title = {Are There Spillover Effects from the GI Bill? The Mental Health of Wives of Korean War Veterans.}, journal = {PLoS One}, volume = {11}, year = {2016}, month = {2016}, pages = {e0154203}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The Korean War GI Bill provided economic benefits for veterans, thereby potentially improving their health outcomes. However potential spillover effects on veteran wives have not been evaluated.

METHODS: Data from wives of veterans eligible for the Korean War GI Bill (N = 128) and wives of non-veterans (N = 224) from the Health and Retirement Study were matched on race and coarsened birth year and childhood health using coarsened exact matching. Number of depressive symptoms in 2010 (average age = 78) were assessed using a modified, validated Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale. Regression analyses were stratified into low (mother < 8 years schooling / missing data, N = 95) or high (mother >= 8 years schooling, N = 257) childhood socio-economic status (cSES) groups, and were adjusted for birth year and childhood health, as well as respondent{\textquoteright}s educational attainment in a subset of analyses.

RESULTS: Husband{\textquoteright}s Korean War GI Bill eligibility did not predict depressive symptoms among veteran wives in pooled analysis or cSES stratified analyses; analyses in the low cSES subgroup were underpowered (N = 95, β = -0.50, 95\% Confidence Interval: (-1.35, 0.35), p = 0.248, power = 0.28).

CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence of a relationship between husband{\textquoteright}s Korean War GI Bill eligibility and wives{\textquoteright} mental health in these data, however there may be a true effect that our analysis was underpowered to detect.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, depression, Female, Humans, Korean War, Male, Mental Disorders, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Odds Ratio, Population Surveillance, Social Class, Spouses, Veterans, Veterans Health}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0154203}, url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27186983}, author = {Anusha M Vable and Ichiro Kawachi and Canning, David and M. Maria Glymour and Marcia P Jimenez and S. V. Subramanian} } @article {8383, title = {Healthcare Stereotype Threat in Older Adults in the Health and Retirement Study.}, journal = {American Journal of Preventive Medicine}, volume = {50}, year = {2016}, pages = {191-198}, publisher = {50}, abstract = {

INTRODUCTION: Healthcare stereotype threat is the threat of being personally reduced to group stereotypes that commonly operate within the healthcare domain, including stereotypes regarding unhealthy lifestyles and inferior intelligence. The objective of this study was to assess the extent to which people fear being judged in healthcare contexts on several characteristics, including race/ethnicity and age, and to test predictions that experience of such threats would be connected with poorer health and negative perceptions of health care.

METHODS: Data were collected as part of the 2012 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). A module on healthcare stereotype threat, designed by the research team, was administered to a random subset (n=2,048 of the total 20,555) of HRS participants. The final sample for the present healthcare stereotype threat experiment consists of 1,479 individuals. Logistic regression was used to test whether healthcare stereotype threat was associated with self-rated health, reported hypertension, and depressive symptoms, as well as with healthcare-related outcomes, including physician distrust, dissatisfaction with health care, and preventative care use.

RESULTS: Seventeen percent of respondents reported healthcare stereotype threat with respect to one or more aspects of their identities. As predicted, healthcare stereotype threat was associated with higher physician distrust and dissatisfaction with health care, poorer mental and physical health (i.e., self-rated health, hypertension, and depressive symptoms), and lower odds of receiving the influenza vaccine.

CONCLUSIONS: The first of its kind, this study demonstrates that people can experience healthcare stereotype threat on the basis of various stigmatized aspects of social identity, and that these experiences can be linked with larger health and healthcare-related outcomes, thereby contributing to disparities among minority groups.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Ageism, Attitude of Health Personnel, depression, Female, Health Status, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Overweight, Physician-Patient Relations, Physicians, Prejudice, Racism, Sex Factors, Socioeconomic factors, Stereotyping}, issn = {1873-2607}, doi = {10.1016/j.amepre.2015.07.034}, author = {Cleopatra M Abdou and Adam W. Fingerhut and James S Jackson and Felicia V Wheaton} } @mastersthesis {8990, title = {The Influence of Mental Health on Portfolio Choice of Older Households.}, volume = {Ph.D.}, year = {2016}, school = {The Ohio State University}, type = {Dissertation}, address = {Columbus, Ohio}, abstract = {With an aging population, an increasing number of people including the baby boomers are entering their retirement age. The need for appropriate financial planning for the elderly is an important issue as most of them will need to depend on their retirement savings for expenditures in their retirement. The elderly people{\textquoteright}s well-being will hinge on how well they manage their personal finances. Yet there are many challenges facing the older population with respect to personal financial management. One of the most important challenges is that many elderly people have mental health conditions which may affect their ability to manage their household portfolios. This study examines the influences of different kinds of mental health conditions including depression, memory problems, sleep problems and psychiatric problems on household portfolio choice. This study specifically examines two potential significant mechanisms by which mental health conditions might affect household portfolio choice, namely direct influence of mental health on portfolio choice and indirect influence of mental health on portfolio choice through affecting cognitive ability. Based on the theoretical background on the relationship among mental health conditions, cognitive ability and portfolio choice, a model concerning these factors is established. Empirical specifications are built based on health and personal financial management literature. Several research hypotheses are developed to test the direct and indirect influences of mental health conditions on household portfolio choice. Panel regression analyses with fixed effects and mediation models are used to test the hypotheses concerning portfolio decisions in older households in various empirical specifications.Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, this study finds that elderly persons suffering from mental health conditions, including memory problems and depression, have significantly lower cognitive ability than those without these conditions. Fixed effects regressions and mediation models show that memory problems and depression are indirectly associated with a decrease in ownership of risky assets mediated by cognitive ability. Sleep problems, however, are indirectly associated with increase in ownership of risky assets mediated by cognitive ability. On the other hand, sleep problems, memory problems, depression and psychiatric problems are not significantly associated with the proportion of risky assets in the investment portfolios of older households.The results of this study have important policy implications in the area of personal financial management of the elderly. This study establishes the possible mechanism by which mental health conditions influence household portfolio choice. Policy makers may wish to suggest laws to protect elderly people suffering from mental health conditions while they make important investment decisions on their portfolios. One example is to make it mandatory for financial institutions to provide the mentally ill with adequate access to certified{\textellipsis} Advisors/Committee Members: Yilmazer, Tansel (Advisor).}, keywords = {Decision making, Mental Health, Older Adults, Portfolios}, url = {http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1460215976}, author = {Cheung, Cheuk Hee} } @article {10276, title = {Cognitive function and the concordance between survey reports and Medicare claims in a nationally representative cohort of older adults.}, journal = {Med Care}, volume = {53}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 May}, pages = {455-62}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: While age-related cognitive decline may affect all stages in the response process--comprehension, retrieval, judgment, response selection, and response reporting--the associations between objective cognitive tests and the agreement between self-reports and Medicare claims has not been assessed. We evaluate those associations using the Survey on Assets and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old (AHEAD).

METHODS: Eight waves of reinterviews (1995-2010) were linked to Medicare claims for 3661 self-respondents yielding 12,313 person-period observations. Cognitive function was measured by 2 episodic memory tests (immediate and delayed recall of 10 words) and 1 mental status test (backward counting, dates, and names). Survey reports on 12 diseases and 4 health services were mapped to Medicare claims to derive counts of concordant reports, underreports, and overreports, as were the numbers of hospital episodes and physician visits. GEE negative binomial and logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS: Better mental status was associated with more concordant reporting and less underreporting on disease history and the number of hospital episodes. Better mental status and delayed word recall were associated with more concordant reporting and less underreporting on health services use. Better delayed recall was significantly associated with less underreporting on the number of physician visits. These associations were not appreciably altered by adjustment for demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, self-rated health, or secular trends.

CONCLUSION: We recommend that future surveys of older adults include an objective measure of mental status (rather than memory), especially when those survey reports cannot be verified by access to Medicare claims or chart review.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aging, Cognition Disorders, Data collection, Female, Humans, Insurance Claim Review, Male, Medicare, Mental Health, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Self Report, United States}, issn = {1537-1948}, doi = {10.1097/MLR.0000000000000338}, url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25793268}, author = {Frederic D Wolinsky and Michael P Jones and Fred A Ullrich and Yiyue Lou and George L Wehby} } @article {8175, title = {The effects of constraints and mastery on mental and physical health: Conceptual and methodological considerations.}, journal = {Psychol Aging}, volume = {30}, year = {2015}, note = {Export Date: 29 May 2015 Article in Press}, month = {2015 Jun}, pages = {432-448}, publisher = {30}, abstract = {

Perceived control and health are closely interrelated in adulthood and old age. However, less is known regarding the differential implications of 2 facets of perceived control, constraints and mastery, for mental and physical health. Furthermore, a limitation of previous research testing the pathways linking perceived control to mental and physical health is that mediation was tested with cross-sectional designs and not in a longitudinal mediation design that accounts for temporal ordering and prior confounds. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; n = 7,612, M age = 68, SD = 10.66; 59\% women) we examined the effect of constraints and mastery on 4-year changes in mental and physical health and whether physical activity mediated such effects in a longitudinal mediation design. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we modeled the 2-factor structure of perceived control that consisted of constraints and mastery. In our longitudinal mediation model, where we accounted for possible confounders (e.g., age, gender, education, neuroticism, conscientiousness, memory, and health conditions), constraints showed a stronger total effect on mental and physical health, than mastery, such that more constraints were associated with 4-year declines in mental and physical health. Physical activity did not mediate the effect of constraints and mastery on mental and physical health (indirect effect). To demonstrate the importance of a longitudinal mediation model that accounts for confounders, we also estimated the mediated effect using 2 models commonly used in the literature: cross-sectional mediation model and longitudinal mediation model without accounting for confounders. These mediation models indicated a spurious indirect effect that cannot be causally interpreted. Our results showcase that constraints and mastery have differential implications for mental and physical health, as well as how a longitudinal mediation design can illustrate (or not) pathways in developmental processes. Our discussion focuses on the conceptual and methodological implications of a 2 facet model of perceived control and the strengths of longitudinal mediation designs for testing conceptual models of human development.

}, keywords = {Aged, Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic, Cross-Sectional Studies, Factor Analysis, Statistical, Female, Health Status, Health Surveys, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Motor Activity, Retirement, Self-control}, issn = {1939-1498}, doi = {10.1037/a0039050}, author = {Frank J Infurna and Axel Mayer} } @article {8307, title = {The effects of income on mental health: evidence from the social security notch.}, journal = {J Ment Health Policy Econ}, volume = {18}, year = {2015}, note = {Times Cited: 0 0}, month = {2015 Mar}, pages = {27-37}, publisher = {18}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Mental health is a key component of overall wellbeing and mental disorders are relatively common, including among older adults. Yet the causal effect of income on mental health status among older adults is poorly understood.

AIMS: This paper considers the effects of a major source of transfer income, Social Security retirement benefits, on the mental health of older adults.

METHODS: The Social Security benefit "Notch" is as a large, permanent, and exogenous shock to Social Security income in retirement. The "Notch" is used to identify the causal effect of Social Security income on mental health among older ages using data from the AHEAD cohort of the Health and Retirement Study.

RESULTS: We find that increases in Social Security income significantly improve mental health status and the likelihood of a psychiatric diagnosis for women, but not for men.

DISCUSSION: The effects of income on mental health for older women are statistically significant and meaningful in magnitude. While this is one of the only studies to use plausibly exogenous variation in household income to identify the effect of income on mental health, a limitation of this work is that the results only directly pertain to lower-education households.

IMPLICATIONS: Public policy proposals that alter retirement benefits for the elderly may have important effects on the mental health of older adults.

}, keywords = {Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Humans, Income, Male, Mental Health, Models, Econometric, Retirement, Sex Factors, Social Security, Socioeconomic factors, United States}, issn = {1091-4358}, author = {Ezra Golberstein} } @mastersthesis {11129, title = {The Influence of the Built Environment on the Driving Behaviors and Mental Health of Older Adults.}, volume = {Health Behavior and Health Education}, year = {2015}, school = {University of Michigan}, abstract = {Due to increases in life expectancy, the aging of the baby boom generation, and a decline in birth rates, the US population is aging rapidly. In the future, older people will not only comprise a larger proportion of the general population, but also the driving population. This issue is characterized by a conflict between roadway safety for those who can no longer safely drive, and loss of independence when driving reduction and cessation become necessary. Previous research on driving decision making among older adults has largely focused on individual- and interpersonal-level factors. This study examined the influence of the physical transportation environment on driving reduction and cessation, after controlling for the effects of other predictors. Differences by gender and race were also assessed, as was the influence of the transportation environment on depressive symptoms. Longitudinal survival analysis techniques and generalized estimating equations were used to analyze seven waves of data spanning a 12-year period from 1998 through 2010. Results showed that after controlling for the effects of demographics, health, and social support, there was a significant influence of the transportation environment on both driving reduction and driving cessation. As roadway density and congestion increased, the odds of driving reduction and cessation also increased. Men were more affected than women by the transportation environment, and Whites and Hispanics were more affected than African Americans and those of Other race. Driving reduction, driving cessation, and the transportation environment also significantly predicted the rate of depressive symptoms over time. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with driving limitations, while a more congested environment predicted fewer depressive symptoms. Other predictors of driving reduction and cessation included relationship status, household size, and having a friend who lives nearby. Results suggest that policy changes and modifications to the physical environment should be made to improve older drivers{\textquoteright} ability to remain engaged in life. Creating mixed-use livable communities with goods and services in close proximity are warranted to mitigate some of the mobility challenges of older adulthood. Older individuals should also consider and plan for how their transportation environment will affect their desire to age in place.}, keywords = {Driving, driving behavior, Environment Design, health, Mental Health}, url = {https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/handle/2027.42/113589}, author = {Jonathon M Vivoda} } @article {8214, title = {Loneliness, eudaimonia, and the human conserved transcriptional response to adversity.}, journal = {Psychoneuroendocrinology}, volume = {62}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Dec}, pages = {11-7}, publisher = {62}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Chronic social adversity activates a conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) marked by increased expression of pro-inflammatory genes and decreased expression of antiviral- and antibody-related genes. Recent findings suggest that some psychological resilience factors may help buffer CTRA activation, but the relative impact of resilience and adversity factors remains poorly understood. Here we examined the relative strength of CTRA association for the two best-established psychological correlates of CTRA gene expression-the risk factor of perceived social isolation (loneliness) and the resilience factor of eudaimonic well-being (purpose and meaning in life).

METHODS: Peripheral blood samples and validated measures of loneliness and eudaimonic well-being were analyzed in 108 community-dwelling older adults participating in the longitudinal US Health and Retirement Study (56\% female, mean age 73). Mixed effect linear model analyses quantified the strength of association between CTRA gene expression and measures of loneliness and eudaimonic well-being in separate and joint analyses.

RESULTS: As in previous studies, separate analyses found CTRA gene expression to be up-regulated in association with loneliness and down-regulated in association with eudaimonic well-being. In joint analyses, effects of loneliness were completely abrogated whereas eudaimonic well-being continued to associate with CTRA down-regulation. Similar eudaimonia-dominant effects were observed for positive and negative affect, optimism and pessimism, and anxiety symptoms. All results were independent of demographic and behavioral health risk factors.

CONCLUSIONS: Eudaimonic well-being may have the potential to compensate for the adverse impact of loneliness on CTRA gene expression. Findings suggest a novel approach to targeting the health risks associated with social isolation by promoting purpose and meaning in life.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Down-Regulation, Female, Humans, Inflammation, Loneliness, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, social isolation, Social Support, Stress, Psychological, Transcriptome}, issn = {1873-3360}, doi = {10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.07.001}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306453015002358}, author = {Steven W. Cole and Morgan E. Levine and Jesusa M. G. Arevalo and Ma, Jeffrey and David R Weir and Eileen M. Crimmins} } @article {8254, title = {Perceived discrimination and physical, cognitive, and emotional health in older~adulthood.}, journal = {Am J Geriatr Psychiatry}, volume = {23}, year = {2015}, month = {2015 Feb}, pages = {171-9}, publisher = {23}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether perceived discrimination based on multiple personal characteristics is associated with physical, emotional, and cognitive health concurrently, prospectively, and with change in health over time among older adults.

DESIGN: Longitudinal.

SETTING: Health and Retirement Study (HRS).

PARTICIPANTS: Participants (N~= 7,622) who completed the Leave-Behind Questionnaire as part of the 2006 HRS assessment (mean age 67 years); participants (N~= 6,450) completed the same health measures again in~2010.

MEASUREMENTS: Participants rated their everyday experience with discrimination and attributed those experiences to eight personal characteristics: race, ancestry, sex, age, weight, physical disability, appearance, and sexual orientation. At both the 2006 and 2010 assessments, participants completed measures of physical health (subjective health, disease burden), emotional health (life satisfaction, loneliness), and cognitive health (memory, mental status).

RESULTS: Discrimination based on age, weight, physical disability, and appearance was associated with poor subjective health, greater disease burden, lower life satisfaction, and greater loneliness at both assessments and with declines in health across the four years. Discrimination based on race, ancestry, sex, and sexual orientation was associated with greater loneliness at both time points, but not with change over time. Discrimination was mostly unrelated to cognitive health.

CONCLUSIONS: The detrimental effect of discrimination on physical and emotional health is not limited to young adulthood but continues to contribute to health and well-being in old age. These effects were driven primarily by discrimination based on personal characteristics that change over time (e.g., age, weight) rather than discrimination based on more stable characteristics (e.g., race, sex).

}, keywords = {Aged, Cognition, Female, Health Status, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Prejudice, Social Perception}, issn = {1545-7214}, doi = {10.1016/j.jagp.2014.03.007}, author = {Angelina R Sutin and Yannick Stephan and Carretta, H. and Antonio Terracciano} } @article {8190, title = {Weight Discrimination and Risk of Mortality.}, journal = {Psychol Sci}, volume = {26}, year = {2015}, note = {Times Cited: 0 0}, month = {2015 Nov}, pages = {1803-11}, publisher = {26}, abstract = {

Discrimination based on weight is a stressful social experience linked to declines in physical and mental health. We examined whether this harmful association extends to risk of mortality. Participants in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS; N = 13,692) and the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS; N = 5,079) reported on perceived discriminatory experiences and attributed those experiences to a number of personal characteristics, including weight. Weight discrimination was associated with an increase in mortality risk of nearly 60\% in both HRS participants (hazard ratio = 1.57, 95\% confidence interval = [1.34, 1.84]) and MIDUS participants (hazard ratio = 1.59, 95\% confidence interval = [1.09, 2.31]). This increased risk was not accounted for by common physical and psychological risk factors. The association between mortality and weight discrimination was generally stronger than that between mortality and other attributions for discrimination. In addition to its association with poor health outcomes, weight discrimination may shorten life expectancy.

}, keywords = {Adult, Aged, Female, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Mortality, Overweight, Prejudice, Proportional Hazards Models, Social Discrimination, Stress, Psychological, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States}, issn = {1467-9280}, doi = {10.1177/0956797615601103}, author = {Angelina R Sutin and Yannick Stephan and Antonio Terracciano} } @article {8046, title = {Cohort Profile: the Health and Retirement Study (HRS).}, journal = {Int J Epidemiol}, volume = {43}, year = {2014}, month = {2014 Apr}, pages = {576-85}, publisher = {43}, abstract = {

The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of more than 37 000 individuals over age 50 in 23 000 households in the USA. The survey, which has been fielded every 2 years since 1992, was established to provide a national resource for data on the changing health and economic circumstances associated with ageing at both individual and population levels. Its multidisciplinary approach is focused on four broad topics-income and wealth; health, cognition and use of healthcare services; work and retirement; and family connections. HRS data are also linked at the individual level to administrative records from Social Security and Medicare, Veteran{\textquoteright}s Administration, the National Death Index and employer-provided pension plan information. Since 2006, data collection has expanded to include biomarkers and genetics as well as much greater depth in psychology and social context. This blend of economic, health and psychosocial information provides unprecedented potential to study increasingly complex questions about ageing and retirement. The HRS has been a leading force for rapid release of data while simultaneously protecting the confidentiality of respondents. Three categories of data-public, sensitive and restricted-can be accessed through procedures described on the HRS website (hrsonline.isr.umich.edu).

}, keywords = {Aged, Female, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Health Status, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Physical Fitness, Retirement, United States}, issn = {1464-3685}, doi = {10.1093/ije/dyu067}, author = {Amanda Sonnega and Jessica Faul and Mary Beth Ofstedal and Kenneth M. Langa and John W R Phillips and David R Weir} } @article {8123, title = {Perceived neighbourhood social cohesion and myocardial infarction.}, journal = {J Epidemiol Community Health}, volume = {68}, year = {2014}, note = {Times Cited: 0 0}, month = {2014 Nov}, pages = {1020-6}, publisher = {68}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: The main strategy for alleviating heart disease has been to target individuals and encourage them to change their health behaviours. Although important, emphasis on individuals has diverted focus and responsibility away from neighbourhood characteristics, which also strongly influence people{\textquoteright}s behaviours. Although a growing body of research has repeatedly demonstrated strong associations between neighbourhood characteristics and cardiovascular health, it has typically focused on negative neighbourhood characteristics. Only a few studies have examined the potential health enhancing effects of positive neighbourhood characteristics, such as perceived neighbourhood social cohesion.

METHODS: Using multiple logistic regression models, we tested whether higher perceived neighbourhood social cohesion was associated with lower incidence of myocardial infarction. Prospective data from the Health and Retirement Study--a nationally representative panel study of American adults over the age of 50--were used to analyse 5276 participants with no history of heart disease. Respondents were tracked for 4 years and analyses adjusted for relevant sociodemographic, behavioural, biological and psychosocial factors.

RESULTS: In a model that adjusted for age, gender, race, marital status, education and total wealth, each SD increase in perceived neighbourhood social cohesion was associated with a 22\% reduced odds of myocardial infarction (OR=0.78, 95\% CI 0.63 to 0.94. The association between perceived neighbourhood social cohesion and myocardial infarction remained even after adjusting for behavioural, biological and psychosocial covariates.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher perceived neighbourhood social cohesion may have a protective effect against myocardial infarction.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic, Female, Health Behavior, Health Status, Health Surveys, Humans, Incidence, Interviews as Topic, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Multilevel Analysis, Myocardial Infarction, Perception, Prospective Studies, Protective factors, Residence Characteristics, Self Report, Social Environment, Socioeconomic factors, United States}, issn = {1470-2738}, doi = {10.1136/jech-2014-204009}, author = {Eric S Kim and Armani M. Hawes and Jacqui Smith} } @article {10576, title = {Unemployment and Disability: Evidence from the Great Recession }, year = {2012}, institution = {National Bureau of Economic Research}, abstract = {It is well known that disability insurance (DI) enrollment is countercyclical. But less is known about why DI is countercyclical. Understanding this point is crucial given the rapid rise in DI caseloads in recent decades combined with the widely publicized forecast that the Social Security Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted by 2016. However, no systematic evidence describes how or why caseloads have changed during the Great Recession. In this paper, we compare DI applications and awards during the great recession to other recent recessions. We find that changes in the caseload from 2007 to 2010 are not unique compared with other recessions. We then use individual data on older U.S. workers from the Health and Retirement Study to analyze two hypotheses for why DI applications rise during recessions. Based on research suggesting that job loss and recessions more broadly have deleterious effects on health, we test whether the number and/or severity of health shocks during recessions can explain elevated DI application rates. Second, we test whether changes in the opportunity costs of applying for DI can explain higher DI application rates during recessions. Although we find evidence that severity of health shocks and measures of the opportunity cost of DI application predict DI application among older workers, we find no support for either the health shocks or opportunity cost hypothesis. Alternative explanations for the countercyclicality of DI applications are required to describe recent recessions, including the Great Recession. }, keywords = {Disabilities, Mental Health, Recession, Unemployment}, url = {http://projects.nber.org/projects_backend/rrc/papers/orrc12-12.pdf}, author = {David M Cutler and Meara, Ellen and Richards-Shubik, Seth} } @article {7546, title = {Job loss and depression: the role of subjective expectations.}, journal = {Soc Sci Med}, volume = {72}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Feb}, pages = {576-83}, publisher = {72}, abstract = {

Although the importance of expectations is well documented in the decision-making literature, a key shortcoming of the empirical research into effects of involuntary job loss on depression is perhaps its neglect of the subjective expectations of job loss. Using data from the US Health and Retirement Study surveys we examine whether the impact of job loss on mental health is influenced by an individual{\textquoteright}s subjective expectations regarding future displacement. Our results imply that, among older workers in the age range of 55-65 year, subjective expectations are as significant predictors of depression as job loss itself, and ignoring them can bias the estimate of the impact of job loss on mental health.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Bias, depression, Empirical Research, Health Surveys, Humans, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Stress, Psychological, Unemployment, United States}, issn = {1873-5347}, doi = {10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.11.014}, author = {Mandal, Bidisha and Padmaja Ayyagari and William T Gallo} } @article {7580, title = {A prospective cohort study of long-term cognitive changes in older Medicare beneficiaries.}, journal = {BMC Public Health}, volume = {11}, year = {2011}, month = {2011 Sep 20}, pages = {710}, publisher = {11}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Promoting cognitive health and preventing its decline are longstanding public health goals, but long-term changes in cognitive function are not well-documented. Therefore, we first examined long-term changes in cognitive function among older Medicare beneficiaries in the Survey on Assets and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old (AHEAD), and then we identified the risk factors associated with those changes in cognitive function.

METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a prospective, population-based cohort using baseline (1993-1994) interview data linked to 1993-2007 Medicare claims to examine cognitive function at the final follow-up interview which occurred between 1995-1996 and 2006-2007. Besides traditional risk factors (i.e., aging, age, race, and education) and adjustment for baseline cognitive function, we considered the reason for censoring (entrance into managed care or death), and post-baseline continuity of care and major health shocks (hospital episodes). Residual change score multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict cognitive function at the final follow-up using data from telephone interviews among 3,021 to 4,251 (sample size varied by cognitive outcome) baseline community-dwelling self-respondents that were >= 70 years old, not in managed Medicare, and had at least one follow-up interview as self-respondents. Cognitive function was assessed using the 7-item Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-7; general mental status), and the 10-item immediate and delayed (episodic memory) word recall tests.

RESULTS: Mean changes in the number of correct responses on the TICS-7, and 10-item immediate and delayed word recall tests were -0.33, -0.75, and -0.78, with 43.6\%, 54.9\%, and 52.3\% declining and 25.4\%, 20.8\%, and 22.9\% unchanged. The main and most consistent risks for declining cognitive function were the baseline values of cognitive function (reflecting substantial regression to the mean), aging (a strong linear pattern of increased decline associated with greater aging, but with diminishing marginal returns), older age at baseline, dying before the end of the study period, lower education, and minority status.

CONCLUSIONS: In addition to aging, age, minority status, and low education, substantial and differential risks for cognitive change were associated with sooner vs. later subsequent death that help to clarify the terminal drop hypothesis. No readily modifiable protective factors were identified.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Cognition, Cognition Disorders, Cohort Studies, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Medicare, Mental Health, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Prospective Studies, Regression Analysis, Risk Factors, United States}, issn = {1471-2458}, doi = {10.1186/1471-2458-11-710}, author = {Frederic D Wolinsky and Suzanne E Bentler and Jason Hockenberry and Michael P Jones and Paula A Weigel and Kaskie, Brian and Robert B Wallace} } @article {7639, title = {The relationships between major lifetime discrimination, everyday discrimination, and mental health in three racial and ethnic groups of older adults.}, journal = {Aging Ment Health}, volume = {15}, year = {2011}, note = {Ayalon, Liat Gum, Amber M U01AG009740/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States Evaluation Studies Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural England Aging and mental health Aging Ment Health. 2011 Jul 1;15(5):587-94.}, month = {2011 Jul 01}, pages = {587-94}, publisher = {15}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the relationships between perceived exposure to major lifetime discrimination, everyday discrimination, and mental health in three racial/ethnic groups of older adults.

DESIGN: The Health and Retirement Study is a nationally representative sample of individuals 50 years and older living in the United States. A total of 6455 Whites, 716 Latinos, and 1214 Blacks were eligible to complete a self-report psychosocial questionnaire in the year 2006.

RESULTS: Whereas 30\% of the general population reported at least one type of major lifetime discrimination, almost 45\% of Black older adults reported such discrimination. Relative to the other two racial/ethnic groups (82\% Whites, 82.6\% Blacks), Latinos were significantly less likely to report any everyday discrimination (64.2\%), whereas Blacks reported the greatest frequency of everyday discrimination. Whites reported the highest levels of life satisfaction and the lowest levels of depressive symptoms. Relative to major lifetime discrimination, everyday discrimination had a somewhat stronger correlation with mental health indicators. The relationships between discrimination and mental health outcomes were stronger for White compared to Black older adults, although everyday discrimination was still significantly associated with outcomes for Black older adults.

CONCLUSIONS: Black older adults experience the greatest number of discriminative events, but weaker associated mental health outcomes. This could be because they have become accustomed to these experiences, benefit from social or cultural resources that serve as buffers, or selective survival, with the present sample capturing only the most resilient older adults who have learned to cope with the deleterious effects of discrimination.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Asian, Black or African American, Cross-Cultural Comparison, depression, Discrimination, Psychological, ethnicity, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Personal Satisfaction, Prejudice, Prevalence, Social Perception, Socioeconomic factors, Surveys and Questionnaires, United States, White People}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607863.2010.543664}, author = {Liat Ayalon and Amber M Gum} } @article {7477, title = {Functional declines, social support, and mental health in the elderly: does living in a state supportive of home and community-based services make a difference?}, journal = {Soc Sci Med}, volume = {70}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Apr}, pages = {1050-8}, publisher = {70}, abstract = {

This study examines how acute and chronic stresses associated with functional declines in seniors and their spouses are moderated by their informal and formal support contexts. In the United States, states vary greatly in their support for home and community-based services (HCBS) for seniors with disabilities. This state-to-state variation allowed us to examine mental health effects of living in a society supportive of HCBS for the oldest old, who are at high risk for low or declining functions in daily activities and cognitive abilities. Using a ten-year panel study of a nationally representative sample of the oldest old (>or=70 years old) covering the period 1993-2002, we conducted mixed-effects logistic regression analysis to incorporate time-varying characteristics of persons and states. As expected, low and declining functions in daily living and cognition constituted significant stressors among seniors and their spouse. Results demonstrated the important role of informal support available from non-spouse family/friends in lowering depression. Living in a state supportive of HCBS was associated with lower depression among seniors experiencing consistently low levels of function or recent functional declines, especially among those without informal support. Our findings were consistent with moderating or buffering models of formal support, suggesting that state HCBS support is effective mainly under conditions of high levels of stressors. Political will is needed to prepare US society to collectively support community-based long-term needs, given the difficulty of preparing ourselves fully for common, but often unexpected, functional declines in later life.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Cognition, Community Health Services, depression, Disabled Persons, Female, Home Care Services, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Mental Health, Multilevel Analysis, Risk Factors, Social Support, Spouses, State Government, Stress, Psychological, United States}, issn = {1873-5347}, doi = {10.1016/j.socscimed.2009.12.005}, author = {Muramatsu, Naoko and yin, Hongjun and Hedeker, Donald} } @article {7538, title = {Loneliness matters: a theoretical and empirical review of consequences and mechanisms.}, journal = {Ann Behav Med}, volume = {40}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Oct}, pages = {218-27}, publisher = {40}, abstract = {

As a social species, humans rely on a safe, secure social surround to survive and thrive. Perceptions of social isolation, or loneliness, increase vigilance for threat and heighten feelings of vulnerability while also raising the desire to reconnect. Implicit hypervigilance for social threat alters psychological processes that influence physiological functioning, diminish sleep quality, and increase morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this paper is to review the features and consequences of loneliness within a comprehensive theoretical framework that informs interventions to reduce loneliness. We review physical and mental health consequences of loneliness, mechanisms for its effects, and effectiveness of extant interventions. Features of a loneliness regulatory loop are employed to explain cognitive, behavioral, and physiological consequences of loneliness and to discuss interventions to reduce loneliness. Loneliness is not simply being alone. Interventions to reduce loneliness and its health consequences may need to take into account its attentional, confirmatory, and memorial biases as well as its social and behavioral effects.

}, keywords = {Cognition, Gene Expression, Health Status, Humans, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Immune System, Loneliness, Mental Health, Mortality, Pituitary-Adrenal System}, issn = {1532-4796}, doi = {10.1007/s12160-010-9210-8}, author = {Louise C Hawkley and John T. Cacioppo} } @article {7514, title = {Migration and psychological well-being among older adults: a growth curve analysis based on panel data from the Health and Retirement Study, 1996-2006.}, journal = {J Aging Health}, volume = {22}, year = {2010}, month = {2010 Oct}, pages = {882-913}, publisher = {22}, abstract = {

PURPOSE: A vibrant body of research examines migration among older adults. Existing research, however, grants scarce attention to the implications of later-life migration for the migrants themselves. Our research focuses on the impacts of migration on depressive symptomatology among older U.S. adults.

METHODS: Our analysis employs six waves of panel data from the Health and Retirement Study, 1996-2006. Growth curve modeling techniques are employed.

RESULTS: Net of other stressful life events, migration effects appear to vary significantly across persons. Findings highlight the particularly depressive impact of moves motivated by negative life events or circumstances. Results further suggest that later life moves may be especially stressful for women and as individuals age.

DISCUSSION: The stress of moving late in life may depend on social integration at destination. Further research should pursue this issue. Study limitations and additional directions for further research are delineated.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, Psychological, Age Factors, Aging, depression, Female, Happiness, Health Status, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Models, Theoretical, Multivariate Analysis, Psychometrics, Retirement, Stress, Psychological, Transients and Migrants}, issn = {1552-6887}, doi = {10.1177/0898264310368430}, author = {Don E Bradley and Van Willigen, Marieke} } @article {7355, title = {Does job loss cause ill health?}, journal = {Health Econ}, volume = {18}, year = {2009}, month = {2009 Sep}, pages = {1075-89}, publisher = {18}, abstract = {

This study estimates the effect of job loss on health for near elderly employees based on longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study. Previous studies find a strong negative correlation between unemployment and health. To control for possible reverse causality, this study focuses on people who were laid off for an exogenous reason - the closure of their previous employers{\textquoteright} business. I find no causal effect of exogenous job loss on various measures of physical and mental health. This suggests that the inferior health of the unemployed compared to the employed could be explained by reverse causality.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Cohort Studies, Cross-Sectional Studies, Employment, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Sex Factors, Smoking, Socioeconomic factors}, issn = {1099-1050}, doi = {10.1002/hec.1537}, author = {Salm, Martin} } @article {7328, title = {Factors associated with long-stay nursing home admissions among the U.S. elderly population: comparison of logistic regression and the Cox proportional hazards model with policy implications for social work.}, journal = {Soc Work Health Care}, volume = {48}, year = {2009}, month = {2009}, pages = {154-68}, publisher = {48}, abstract = {

Two statistical methods were compared to identify key factors associated with long-stay nursing home (LSNH) admission among the U.S. elderly population. Social Work{\textquoteright}s interest in services to the elderly makes this research critical to the profession. Effectively transitioning the "baby boomer" population into appropriate long-term care will be a great societal challenge. It remains a challenge paramount to the practice of social work. Secondary data analyses using four waves (1995, 1998, 2000, and 2002) of the Health Retirement Study (HRS) coupled with the Assets and Health Dynamics among the Oldest Old (AHEAD) surveys were conducted. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards model were performed and compared. Older age, lower self-perceived health, worse instrumental activities of daily living (IADL), psychiatric problems, and living alone were found significantly associated with increased risk of LSNH admission. In contrast, being female, African American, or Hispanic; owning a home; and having lower level of cognitive impairment reduced the admission risk. Home ownership showed a significant effect in logistic regression, but a marginal effect in the Cox model. The Cox model generally provided more precise parameter estimates than logistic regression. Logistic regression, used frequently in analyses, can provide a good approximation to the Cox model in identifying factors of LSNH admission. However, the Cox model gives more information on how soon the LSNH admission may happen. Our analyses, based on two models, dually identified the factors associated with LSNH admission; therefore, results discussed confidently provide implications for both public and private long-term care policies, as well as improving the assessment capabilities of social work practitioners for development of screening programs among at-risk elderly. Given the predicted surge in this population, significant factors found from this study can be utilized in a strengths-based empowerment approach by social workers to aid in avoiding LSNH utilization.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Geriatric Assessment, Health Status, Homes for the Aged, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Mental Health, Nursing homes, Proportional Hazards Models, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Social work, Socioeconomic factors, United States}, issn = {0098-1389}, doi = {10.1080/00981380802580588}, author = {Cai, Qian and J. Warren Salmon and Mark E. Rodgers} } @article {7302, title = {Reconstructing childhood health histories.}, journal = {Demography}, volume = {46}, year = {2009}, month = {2009 May}, pages = {387-403}, publisher = {46}, abstract = {

This article provides evidence about the quality of retrospective childhood health histories given to respondents in the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) and the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). Even though information on early life health events is critical, there is legitimate skepticism about the ability of older respondents to remember specific health problems that they had during childhood. The evidence presented in this article suggests that this view is too negative. Respondents appear to remember salient childhood events about themselves, such as the illnesses they had during childhood, quite well. Moreover, these physical and psychological childhood health events are important correlates of adult health during middle age.

}, keywords = {Humans, Income, Mental Health, Retirement, Retrospective Studies}, issn = {1533-7790}, doi = {10.1353/dem.0.0058}, author = {James P Smith} } @article {7264, title = {Early motherhood and mental health in midlife: a study of British and American cohorts.}, journal = {Aging Ment Health}, volume = {12}, year = {2008}, note = {PMID: 18855176}, month = {2008 Sep}, pages = {605-14}, publisher = {12}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Examine the relationship between early age at first birth and mental health among women in their fifties.

METHODS: Analysis of data on women from a British 1946 birth cohort study and the U.S. Health and Retirement Study birth cohort of 1931-1941.

RESULTS: In both samples a first birth before 21 years, compared to a later first birth, is associated with poorer mental health. The association between early first birth and poorer mental health persists in the British study even after controlling for early socioeconomic status, midlife socioeconomic status and midlife health. In the U.S. sample, the association becomes non-significant after controlling for educational attainment.

CONCLUSIONS: Early age at first birth is associated with poorer mental health among women in their fifties in both studies, though the pattern of associations differs.

}, keywords = {Adolescent, Birth Order, Cohort Studies, England, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Maternal Age, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Mothers, Pregnancy, Pregnancy in Adolescence, United States}, issn = {1364-6915}, doi = {10.1080/13607860802343084}, author = {John C Henretta and Emily M D Grundy and Lucy C Okell and Michael E J Wadsworth} } @article {7307, title = {Effects of social integration on preserving memory function in a nationally representative US elderly population.}, journal = {Am J Public Health}, volume = {98}, year = {2008}, month = {2008 Jul}, pages = {1215-20}, publisher = {98}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: We tested whether social integration protects against memory loss and other cognitive disorders in late life in a nationally representative US sample of elderly adults, whether effects were stronger among disadvantaged individuals, and whether earlier cognitive losses explained the association (reverse causation).

METHODS: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (N = 16,638), we examined whether social integration predicted memory change over 6 years. Memory was measured by immediate and delayed recall of a 10-word list. Social integration was assessed by marital status, volunteer activity, and frequency of contact with children, parents, and neighbors. We examined growth-curve models for the whole sample and within subgroups.

RESULTS: The mean memory score declined from 11.0 in 1998 to 10.0 in 2004. Higher baseline social integration predicted slower memory decline in fully adjusted models (P<.01). Memory among the least integrated declined at twice the rate as among the most integrated. This association was largest for respondents with fewer than 12 years of education. There was no evidence of reverse causation.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides evidence that social integration delays memory loss among elderly Americans. Future research should focus on identifying the specific aspects of social integration most important for preserving memory.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cognition Disorders, Female, Health Behavior, Health Status, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Mental Health, Mental Recall, Predictive Value of Tests, Reproducibility of Results, Severity of Illness Index, social isolation, Social Support, Socioeconomic factors, United States}, issn = {1541-0048}, doi = {10.2105/AJPH.2007.113654}, author = {Karen A Ertel and M. Maria Glymour and Lisa F Berkman} } @article {7262, title = {Job loss, retirement and the mental health of older Americans.}, journal = {J Ment Health Policy Econ}, volume = {11}, year = {2008}, month = {2008 Dec}, pages = {167-76}, publisher = {11}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: Millions of older individuals cope with physical limitations, cognitive changes, and various losses such as bereavement that are commonly associated with aging. Given increased vulnerability to various health problems during aging, work displacement might exacerbate these due to additional distress and to possible changes in medical coverage. Older Americans are of increasing interest to researchers and policymakers due to the sheer size of the Baby Boom cohort, which is approaching retirement age, and due to the general decline in job security in the U.S. labor market.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: This research compares and contrasts the effect of involuntary job loss and retirement on the mental health of older Americans. Furthermore, it examines the impact of re-employment on the depressive symptoms.

METHODS: There are two fundamental empirical challenges in isolating the effect of employment status on mental health. The first is to control for unobserved heterogeneity--all latent factors that could impact mental health so as to establish the correct magnitude of the effect of employment status. The second challenge is to verify the direction of causality. First difference models are used to control for latent effects and a two-stage least squares regression is used to account for reverse causality.

RESULTS: We find that involuntary job loss worsens mental health, and re-employment recaptures the past mental health status. Retirement is found to improve mental health of older Americans.

DISCUSSION: With the use of longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study surveys and the adoption of proper measures to control for the possibility of reverse causality, this study provides strong evidence of elevating depressive symptoms with involuntary job displacement even after controlling for other late-life events. Women suffer from greater distress levels than men after job loss due to business closure or lay-off. However, women also exhibit better psychological well-being than men following retirement. The present study is the first to report that the re-employment of involuntary job-loss sufferers leads to a recapturing of past mental health status. Additionally, we find that re-entering the labor force is psychologically beneficial to retirees as well.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION: It is well established that out-of-pocket expenditures on all forms of health care for seniors with self-diagnosed depression significantly exceeds expenditures for seniors with other common ailments such as hypertension and arthritis in the U.S. Thus, our research suggests that re-employment of older Americans displaced from the labor force will be cost-effective with regard to personal mental health outcomes.

IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH POLICIES: That re-employment of involuntary job loss sufferers leads to a recapturing of past mental health status illuminates one potential policy trade off - increased resources dedicated to job training and placement for older U.S. workers could reap benefits with regard to reduced private and public mental health expenditures.

IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Further research could more clearly assess the degree to which the mental health benefits of employment among older Americans would warrant the expansion of job training and employment programs aimed at this group.

}, keywords = {depression, Female, Health Status, Humans, Insurance Coverage, Insurance, Health, Life Change Events, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Retirement, Socioeconomic factors, Stress, Psychological, Unemployment, United States}, issn = {1091-4358}, doi = {10.2139/ssrn.991134}, author = {Mandal, Bidisha and Roe, Brian} } @article {7223, title = {Productive activities and psychological well-being among older adults.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {63}, year = {2008}, month = {2008 Mar}, pages = {S64-72}, publisher = {63B}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to test whether paid work and formal volunteering reduce the rate of mental health decline in later life.

METHODS: Using four waves of Health and Retirement Study data collected from a sample of 7,830 individuals aged 55 to 66, I estimated growth curve models to assess the effects of productive activities on mental health trajectories. The analytical strategy took into account selection processes when examining the beneficial effects of activities. The analyses also formally attended to the sample attrition problem inherent in longitudinal studies.

RESULTS: The results indicated that activity participants generally had better mental health at the beginning of the study. Full-time employment and low-level volunteering had independent protective effects against decline in psychological well-being. Joint participants of both productive activities enjoyed a slower rate of mental health decline than single-activity participants.

DISCUSSION: The results are consistent with activity theory and further confirm the role accumulation perspective. The finding that full-time work combined with low-level volunteering is protective of mental health reveals the complementary effect of volunteering to formal employment. Methodological and theoretical implications are discussed.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Aged, Cohort Studies, depression, Employment, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Models, Psychological, Psychological Theory, Psychomotor Performance, Quality of Life, Social Environment, Volunteers}, issn = {1079-5014}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/63.2.s64}, author = {Hao, Yanni} } @article {7021, title = {Health and living arrangements among older Americans: does marriage matter?}, journal = {J Aging Health}, volume = {17}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Jun}, pages = {305-35}, publisher = {17}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: This research examines how physical and mental health influence living arrangements among older Americans and whether these effects differ for married and unmarried persons.

METHODS: Data came from the Asset and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old study. These two intervals were pooled, and hierarchical multinomial logistic regressions were used to analyze pooled time lags.

RESULTS: Functional status and cognitive functioning are significantly associated with living arrangements among those not married. Health conditions exert no significant effects among those married. Given the same functional status, unmarried elders are significantly more likely than their married counterparts to reside with their children or with others.

DISCUSSION: These results underscore the critical role of the spouse in influencing living arrangements, providing new evidence supporting the assertion that a spouse is the greatest guarantee of support in old age and the importance of the marriage institution.

}, keywords = {Adult children, Aged, Demography, Health Status, Humans, Institutionalization, Marital Status, Marriage, Mental Health, Parents, Residence Characteristics, Social Support, Socioeconomic factors, Spouses, United States}, issn = {0898-2643}, doi = {10.1177/0898264305276300}, author = {Jersey Liang and Brown, Joseph W. and Krause, Neal M. and Mary Beth Ofstedal and Joan M. Bennett} } @article {7011, title = {The impact of childhood and adult SES on physical, mental, and cognitive well-being in later life.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {60}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Mar}, pages = {S93-S101}, publisher = {60B}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and health across the life course and their variations by gender and race/ethnicity.

METHODS: The sample included 19,949 respondents aged 50 or over from the 1998 Health and Retirement Study.

RESULTS: Lower childhood SES was associated with worse health outcomes in later life. Part of the effect of childhood SES on adult health occurred through childhood health. The impact of childhood SES on education and income in adulthood explained an even larger share of this effect. We also found a stronger effect of adult SES for those with lower childhood SES than for those with more advantaged childhoods. Moreover, childhood SES had a similar impact on health in later life for women and men and for Whites and non-Whites. However, college education seemed more important for women{\textquoteright}s later health, whereas income seemed more important for men{\textquoteright}s health. Education appeared to have a weaker effect on adult health for Blacks and Hispanics than for Whites.

DISCUSSION: Both childhood and adult SES are important for health. The negative impact of low childhood SES can be partially ameliorated if people from a low SES position during childhood mobilize to higher status in adulthood.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aging, Black People, Child, Cognition, Cohort Studies, Data collection, Education, ethnicity, Female, Health Status, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Income, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Retirement, Sex Factors, Social Class, White People}, issn = {1079-5014}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/60.2.s93}, author = {Ye Luo and Linda J. Waite} } @article {7044, title = {Physical and mental health status of older long-term cancer survivors.}, journal = {J Am Geriatr Soc}, volume = {53}, year = {2005}, month = {2005 Dec}, pages = {2145-52}, publisher = {53}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: To assess the physical and mental health status of older long-term cancer survivors.

DESIGN: Cohort study using propensity score methods to control for baseline differences between cancer survivors and controls.

SETTING: General community population in the United States.

PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred sixty-four cancer patients who had survived for more than 4 years and 14,333 control patients who had never had cancer from a population-based sample of Americans aged 55 and older responding to the 2002 Health and Retirement Study.

MEASUREMENTS: Medical conditions, symptoms, health behaviors, health status, mobility, activities of daily living, mental health diagnoses, self-rated memory, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, and self-reported life expectancy.

RESULTS: Cancer survivors reported higher rates of lung disease (13.9\% vs 9.6\%; P=.001), heart condition (29.3\% vs 22.9\%; P<.001), arthritis (69.4\% vs 59.4\%; P<.001), incontinence (26.6\% vs 19.7\%; P=.001), frequent pain (36.4\% vs 29.4\%; P=.005), and obesity (27.0\% vs 24.2\%; P=.001) than individuals without cancer but lower rates of smoking (12.0\% vs 14.8\%; P=.03). Cancer survivors were less likely than persons without cancer to report excellent or very good health status (37.2\% vs 44.6\%; P<.001) and had more mobility (P<.001) and activity of daily living (P=.01) limitations. Cancer survivors did not differ from persons without cancer in rates of depression or cognitive function (both P>.2) but were less optimistic about their life expectancy (P=.004).

CONCLUSION: The physical health status of older long-term cancer survivors is somewhat worse than that of comparable persons who have never had cancer, but they have surprisingly similar mental health status. Future research is needed to understand factors contributing to poorer health status and identify patients at highest risk of long-term cancer-related problems.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Case-Control Studies, Chronic disease, Cohort Studies, Female, Health Behavior, Health Status, Humans, Logistic Models, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Survivors, United States}, issn = {0002-8614}, doi = {10.1111/j.1532-5415.2005.00507.x}, author = {Nancy L. Keating and Norredam, Marie and Landrum, Mary Beth and Haiden A. Huskamp and Meara, Ellen} } @article {6924, title = {The effect of spousal mental and physical health on husbands{\textquoteright} and wives{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms, among older adults: longitudinal evidence from the Health and Retirement Survey.}, journal = {J Aging Health}, volume = {16}, year = {2004}, month = {2004 Jun}, pages = {398-425}, publisher = {16}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the effect of spousal depressive symptoms and physical health on respondents{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms in a national sample of older married couples.

METHOD: We used data on 5,035 respondent husbands and wives from the 1992 and 1994 waves of the Health and Retirement Survey. Multivariate regression models were estimated to examine the impact of spousal depressive symptoms and physical health on respondents{\textquoteright} depressive symptoms.

RESULTS: Adjusting for respondent mental and physical health and sociodemographic traits, having a spouse with more depressive symptoms was associated with significantly higher follow-up depressive symptoms in the respondent (p < .001). Controlling for spousal depressive symptoms, a decline in the spouses{\textquoteright} physical health was associated with a significant reduction in respondent depressive symptoms (p < .05).

DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest that health care providers treating older adults should be sensitive to the possibility that spouses may be affected when clients suffer poor mental or physical health.

}, keywords = {Aged, Caregivers, depression, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Models, Theoretical, Spouses, United States}, issn = {0898-2643}, doi = {10.1177/0898264304264208}, author = {Michele J. Siegel and Elizabeth H Bradley and William T Gallo and Stanislav V Kasl} } @article {6928, title = {Honeymoons and joint lunches: effects of retirement and spouse{\textquoteright}s employment on depressive symptoms.}, journal = {J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci}, volume = {59}, year = {2004}, month = {2004 Sep}, pages = {P233-45}, publisher = {59B}, abstract = {

With hypotheses derived from a life course perspective in conjunction with life event stress and role theories, we examine whether a spouse{\textquoteright}s employment and length of retirement affect a person{\textquoteright}s postretirement depressive symptoms and whether such effects differ by gender. Analyses use pooled data from Waves 1-4 of the Health and Retirement Survey, using a subsample of married individuals who either remained continuously employed over time or completely retired since the Wave 1 interviews (N = 2,695). Recently retired men seem to be negatively affected by their spouses{\textquoteright} continuous employment when compared with men whose wives were continuously not employed. In contrast, spouses{\textquoteright} joint retirement has a beneficial influence on both recently retired and longer-retired men. However, for recently retired men, the positive effect of wives{\textquoteright} retirement seems to be contingent on spouses{\textquoteright} enjoyment of joint activities. Among women, effects of spouses{\textquoteright} employment occur only among very recently retired wives (0-6 months). These wives report more depressive symptoms if their spouses were already nonemployed prior to wives{\textquoteright} retirement. These results demonstrate the complexity of retirement adaptation processes and suggest that marital context plays an important role in retirement well-being.

}, keywords = {Adaptation, Psychological, Aged, Aging, Data collection, depression, Employment, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Retirement, Sex Factors, Spouses}, issn = {1079-5014}, doi = {10.1093/geronb/59.5.p233}, author = {Maximiliane E Szinovacz and Adam Davey} } @article {6955, title = {Religion and functional health among the elderly: is there a relationship and is it constant?}, journal = {J Aging Health}, volume = {16}, year = {2004}, month = {2004 Jun}, pages = {355-74}, publisher = {16}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: Religion significantly influences a variety of health outcomes, especially among the elderly. Few studies have examined how the relationship may differ by age within this age group. It is possible that increasing levels of religiosity within the elderly, or other age-related differences, may strengthen the influence of religion on functional limitations.

METHOD: This study used the Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal data set, to estimate the effects of religious attendance and salience on functional ability.

RESULTS: More frequent attendance is associated with fewer functional limitations, whereas higher levels of salience are associated with more limitations. No significant age interactions were found.

DISCUSSION: Attendance and salience predict the number of functional limitations in the elderly but in different directions. These effects tend to be stable within the elderly population, indicating that further age divisions may not be necessary when examining this relationship in future studies.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Aging, Demography, Health Behavior, Health Status, Humans, Mental Health, Religion and Psychology, Socioeconomic factors, United States}, issn = {0898-2643}, doi = {10.1177/0898264304264204}, author = {Benjamins, Maureen Reindl} } @article {6825, title = {Linking clinical variables to health-related quality of life in Parkinson{\textquoteright}s disease.}, journal = {Parkinsonism Relat Disord}, volume = {8}, year = {2002}, month = {2002 Jan}, pages = {199-209}, publisher = {8}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: Identify the point-in-time relationship between Parkinson{\textquoteright}s disease (PD) signs and symptoms and measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL).

BACKGROUND: Clinical measures used in PD assessments traditionally emphasize physical signs and symptoms. We hypothesized that these measures would be strongly associated with the physical function dimensions of HRQL that reflect mental symptoms.

DESIGN/METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 193 neurology clinic PD patients employed self-administered in-clinic and take-home questionnaires and in-person clinical examinations and interviews.

RESULTS: The variance explained by PD physical signs and symptoms was substantial for physical function, but only modest for all other HRQL dimensions. Mental symptoms explained a larger proportion of variance than physical symptoms for 12 of the 14 HRQL measures.

CONCLUSION: PD patients{\textquoteright} well-being, general health perceptions, health satisfaction and overall HRQL are strongly influenced by mental health symptoms and more weakly influenced by physical symptoms. Clinical evaluation of PD patients should include mental health and self-reported HRQL assessment.

}, keywords = {Aged, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Middle Aged, Parkinson Disease, Quality of Life}, issn = {1353-8020}, doi = {10.1016/s1353-8020(01)00044-x}, author = {Elizabeth A Chrischilles and Linda M. Rubenstein and Voelker, Margaret D. and Robert B Wallace and Rodnitzky, Robert L.} } @article {6724, title = {Older adults and financial bequests.}, journal = {Int J Aging Hum Dev}, volume = {50}, year = {2000}, month = {2000}, pages = {227-44}, publisher = {50}, abstract = {

Using data from Aging and Health Dynamics (AHEAD), this research investigated a model predicting an older adult{\textquoteright}s assessment regarding the chances (from 0 to 100) of leaving a financial bequest. Structural equation modeling analyses revealed three significant predictors of a high assessment (i.e., older age, high sense of control, and high socioeconomic status) and three predictors of a low assessment (i.e., race, physical health problems, and assessment of the chances of medical expenses depleting savings). Whites had higher financial bequests assessments than non-Whites. Physical health problems and the depleting savings assessment exerted negative effects on the financial bequest assessment. Marital status and negative psychological functioning exerted indirect effects through sense of control and through the depleting savings assessment.

}, keywords = {Activities of Daily Living, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Attitude, Female, Health Care Costs, Health Status, Humans, Male, Mental Health, Michigan, Models, Economic, Sampling Studies, Sex Factors, Socioeconomic factors, Spouses, Surveys and Questionnaires, Wills}, issn = {0091-4150}, doi = {10.2190/AJJ3-AVG7-QKMW-R21R}, author = {Goetting, Marsha A. and Peter Martin and Johnson, Christine} } @article {6610, title = {Do medical conditions affect cognition in older adults?}, journal = {Health Psychol}, volume = {17}, year = {1998}, month = {1998 Nov}, pages = {504-12}, publisher = {17}, abstract = {

Analyses of a nationally representative sample who completed a list recall task (weighted n = 6,446) and 2 mental status tasks (weighted n = 6,646) were conducted to determine whether specific medical conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes as well as general health ratings predict cognitive performance in adults aged 70 to 103. Presence of stroke and poorer health ratings predicted poorer performance on the 3 tasks. Presence of diabetes predicted poorer performance on recall and 1 mental status task. Age interacted with medical conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes in predicting mental status, with condition-related deficits confined to the younger end of the age continuum. Global health ratings interacted with age, with poorer ratings associated with worse mental status in the younger participants. Findings suggest that stroke and diabetes are associated with cognitive deficits. Some deficits are more pronounced in younger old adults with high blood pressure and poorer health ratings.

}, keywords = {Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Cerebrovascular Disorders, Cognition, Diabetes Complications, Diabetes Mellitus, Female, Health Status, Humans, Hypertension, Male, Mental Health}, issn = {0278-6133}, doi = {10.1037//0278-6133.17.6.504}, url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9848800/}, author = {Elizabeth Zelinski and Eileen M. Crimmins and Sandra L Reynolds and Teresa Seeman} }