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Cross-cultural gerontology research methods: challenges and solutions
- Author:
- CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 31(3), April 2011, pp.371-385.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This article reviews the historical development and modern state of cross-cultural research in gerontology. Cross-cultural research in gerontology is important because the social processes of ageing vary. It aims to distinguish universal from culturally-specific processes and determine how cultural factors influence individual and population ageing. In doing so, it has to overcome many challenges such as how to design an equivalent and unbiased study, how to access different cultures, and how to ensure that questions are meaningful for different cultures. Appropriate strategies include using an international multicultural research team, becoming familiar with the local culture, maintaining good relationships with community leaders, studying only those aspects of behaviour that are functionally equivalent, using appropriate measures, and encouraging equal partnership and open communication among colleagues. To highlight the complexity of cross-cultural research and lessons learnt from such research experience, this article describes an example study of long-term care that involved researchers from more than 30 countries.
Living arrangement choices of the elderly in Hong Kong
- Author:
- CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Asia Pacific Journal of Social Work, 5(1), January 1995, pp.33-46.
- Publisher:
- Times Academic
The traditional preference of the Chinese is for the elderly to live with their children. It is also observed that there is a growing preference among the elderly to lead an independent life. It is not clear how well received this new preference for independent living among the elderly in Hong Kong is. This paper is an attempt to find out the factors that differentiate co-residence and independent living of the elderly persons in Hong Kong.
Do cognitive leisure activities really matter in the relationship between education and cognition? evidence from the aging, demographics, and memory study (ADAMS)
- Authors:
- LEE Yura, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 20(3), 2016, pp.252-261.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Increasing demand for early detection and prevention of dementia has shifted recent attention toward cognitive impairment with no dementia (CIND), which is often considered a possible risk path to dementia. Education and cognitive leisure activities are major predictors featured in dementia studies. However, the definition of cognitive leisure activities often has been inconsistent and diverse. This study explored different domains of these activities and their moderating roles on the relationship between education and cognition. Method: A sample of 704 participants aged 70 or older was drawn from the national Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to assess two domains from cognitive leisure activities: literacy and visuospatial activities. Multinomial logistic regression tested the main and moderating roles of each domain on cognition categorized as no impairment, CIND, and dementia. Results: Individuals with greater engagement in both literacy and visuospatial activities were more likely to have no cognitive impairment than CIND. Individuals with greater engagement in literacy activities were less likely to have dementia compared to CIND. Literacy activities and education years had a significant interaction effect. Individuals with higher education seem to benefit more by engaging in literacy activities, as evidenced by decreased odds of having dementia. Conclusion: Engagement in cognitive leisure activities for both cognitively intact and impaired older adults is suggested, with more focus on literacy activities for cognitively impaired and highly educated older adults. (Publisher abstract)
Does providing tangible support to children enhance life satisfaction of older Chinese women? The role of perceived filial piety of children
- Authors:
- GUO Man, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 19(4), October 2010, pp.317-330.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Many studies examining social support and well being among older adults focus on the support they receive. However aging parents, especially mothers, often provide their children with significant amounts of tangible support. This includes care of grandchildren, help with household chores and direct financial aid. Using data from a survey conducted by the China Research Centre on Aging carried out in 2000, this study examined whether providing tangible support to children enhances the life satisfaction of older Chinese women (n = 9,423, mean age 70 years, 57% unmarried), and whether perceptions of filial piety affect such relationships. Overall mothers who were married, had a sense of economic security and rated their children’s filial piety positively had higher levels of satisfaction than those who were widowed, did not feel financially secure and felt their children were not very devoted. Those caring for grandchildren were most likely to report higher life satisfaction and those providing monetary support the least. However the relationship between providing support and life satisfaction was conditioned by mothers' perceptions of children's filial piety. These findings emphasise the importance of perceived filial piety for the well-being of older Chinese women.
Utilization and accessibility of social services for Chinese Canadians
- Authors:
- MA Ambrose, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- International Social Work, 48(2), March 2005, pp.148-160.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The findings show that the awareness of service agencies and opinions on the services provided are predictors of Chinese Canadians’ service utilization, and that one-third of Chinese Canadians have not used any social services, for various reasons. When planning services for an ethnic minority group like Chinese Canadians, planners should consider socio-cultural and structural factors alike.
Reciprocal relationship between fear of falling and depression in elderly Chinese primary care patients
- Authors:
- CHOU Kee-Lee, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 12(5), September 2008, pp.587-594.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The objective of the current study is to investigate the link between depression and fear of falling in Hong Kong Chinese older adults in primary are settings. Using longitudinal data collected on 321 Chinese primary care patients 65 years of age and older, the authors investigated the reciprocal relationship between fear of falling and depression and examined whether functional disability and social functioning mediated the link between fear of falling and depression. Participants were recruited from three primary care units in Hong Kong. Subjects were assessed in Cantonese by two trained assessors with Minimum Data Set-Home Care twice over a period of one year. Findings revealed that fear of falling at baseline significantly predicted depression at 12 month follow-up assessment after age, gender, marital status, education and depression at baseline were adjusted, but depression at baseline did not predict fear of falling at 12 months after fear of falling at baseline was adjusted. Moreover, social functioning mediated the impact of fear of falling on depression. The findings presented here indicate that fear of falling potentially increases the risk of depression in Chinese older adults in primary care settings.
The temporal relationship between falls and fear-of-falling among Chinese older primary-care patients in Hong Kong
- Authors:
- CHOU Kee-Lee, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 27(2), March 2007, pp.181-193.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Although the association between falls and fear-of-falling has been established by previous studies, the temporal ordering of the two is uncertain. Moreover, the common and unique risk factors that contribute to falls and to fear-of-falling have not been investigated in either primary health-care settings or Asian societies. The aims of this study were to examine the temporal sequencing of fear-of-falling and a fall, and to identify the risk factors associated with the two. A prospective cohort study with three six-month measurement waves was conducted in primary-care settings in Hong Kong. The sample was derived from the waiting list control group of a randomised clinical trial, and 321 respondents participated in the three waves. They were evaluated with the Minimum Data Set for Home Care. It was found that falls and fear-of-falling at baseline were not independent predictors of respectively developing a fear-of-falling and becoming a faller, but that age was a common independent predictor for falls and the onset of a fear-of-falling. Individuals with a fear-of-falling were at risk of both falling and a fear-of-falling at 12 months. The good news is that no vicious cycle of falls and fear-of-falling was found, and modifiable risk factors, including IADL limitations, environmental hazards, and fear-of-falling were identified, so that effective prevention programmes for falls and for fear-of-falling can be designed.
Reciprocal relationship between pain and depression in elderly Chinese primary care patients
- Authors:
- CHOU Kee-Lee, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(10), October 2005, pp.945-952.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study examines the reciprocal relationship between pain and depression and to identify whether social support, functional disability or social functioning mediated the link between pain and depression among Hong Kong Chinese elderly primary care patients. Three hundred and eighteen patients were assessed by a trained assessor with MDS-HC at baseline and these subjects were randomly selected from attendants of three randomly selected elderly health centers in Hong Kong. These patients were re-assessed one year after baseline evaluation. Multiple regression analyses revealed that pain at baseline significantly predicted depression at 12-month follow-up assessment when age, gender, martial status, education, and depression at baseline were adjusted for, but depression at baseline was not associated with pain at 12-months after baseline measure while controlling for age, gender, martial status, education, and pain at baseline. However, depression did predict the onset of pain. Moreover, social support, physical disability or social functioning did not mediate the impact of pain on depression. These data suggest that pain is an important predictor of depression in elderly primary care patients. Therefore, aged care service practitioners must take this risk factor into consideration in their preventive intervention and treatment for psychological well-being.
Prevalence and correlates of depression in Chinese oldest-old
- Authors:
- CHOU Kee-Lee, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(1), January 2005, pp.41-50.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
In Hong Kong, the aged population will be increased rapidly in the coming three decades and the oldest-old (aged 80 and above) is the fastest growing age group. In this paper, we examined the prevalence rate and the correlates of depression for the oldest-old. This article analyzes cross-sectional data collected from a representative community sample of 1 903 Chinese elderly people aged 60 or above in Hong Kong. Respondents were interviewed in face-to-face format with structural questionnaire. Using 8 as the cut-off point for the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, we found that the prevalence rate was greater for the oldest-old (31.1% ± 9.7%) than for the young-old (aged between 60 and 69; 19.1% ± 2.8%) and the old-old (aged 70 and 79; 22.4% ± 4.2%) groups. Logistic regression analyses revealed that financial strain, poor self-rated health, loneliness, and heart disease were significantly and positively related to depression in the oldest-old after gender, marital status, education, living arrangement, functional disability, sensory impairment, cognitive ability, and the presence of eight medical conditions were controlled. Interestingly, financial strain, self-rated health, and loneliness were found to be significant correlates of depression in the young-old and the old-old groups, too. Depression is a serious problem for the oldest-old but a number of correlates are consistently identified in the oldest-old, as well as the two other age groups in the elderly population. Therefore, aged care service practitioners must take these correlates into consideration in their prevention and treatment for depression for all different age groups in the aged.
Combined effect of vision and hearing impairment on depression in elderly Chinese
- Authors:
- CHOU Kee-Lee, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(9), September 2004, pp.825-832.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Sensory impairment and depression are common in old age and the relation between depression and vision as well as hearing impairment have been established. However, few studies have directly compared their effects and examined the impact of dual sensory loss. The purpose of this study is to compare impacts of self-reported hearing and vision loss as well as the effect of double sensory impairment on depression. This article analyzes cross-sectional data collected from a representative community sample of 2,003 Chinese elderly people aged 60 or above in Hong Kong. Respondents were interviewed in a face-to-face format and data including vision and hearing impairment, socio-demographic variables, health indicators, family support, and depression were obtained. Logistic regression analyses revealed that visual impairment was significantly related to depression even after age, gender, marital status, education, self-reported health status, the presence of 11 diseases, functional limitation and family support were controlled but hearing loss was not. Hearing impairment did not add to the likelihood of depression where visual impairment was already present. The impact of visual impairment on psychological well-being among elderly Chinese is more robust than hearing loss. Therefore, aged care service practitioners must take this risk factor into consideration in their preventive intervention and treatment for psychological well-being.