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Understanding health anxiety among community dwelling seniors with varying degrees of frailty
- Authors:
- BOURGAULT-FAGNOU Michelle D., HADJISTAVROPOULOS Heather D.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 13(2), March 2009, pp.226-237.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The levels of health anxiety among younger adults and older people, with either low or high levels of frailty were compared. Predictors of health anxiety in older people were explored. Forty-nine seniors with high levels of frailty were compared with 63 seniors with low levels of frailty and 130 younger adults. Comparisons were made on the Illness Attitudes Scale (IAS) and on a Medically Adjusted Illness Attitudes Scale, an adapted version ensuring scores reflect health anxiety, and not greater illness. Seniors also completed measures of frailty, pain, depression, trait anxiety and coping. Results varied depending on the health anxiety measure. Using the traditional IAS, seniors with high frailty experienced greater levels of health anxiety than seniors with low-frailty and younger adults. Using the medically adjusted version, seniors with high frailty experienced similar levels of heath anxiety compared with younger adults; seniors with low frailty had the lowest levels of health anxiety. Using multiple regression analysis, emotional preoccupation and trait anxiety uniquely predicted health anxiety among seniors. Researchers and clinicians should ensure that health anxiety measures actually assess health anxiety and not physical illness. Using an appropriate health anxiety measure, the results suggest seniors with relatively fewer health problems may experience reduced health anxiety compared with other older adults and younger adults. The results are considered in the context of research on aging and anxiety. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Personality traits are associated with acute major depression across the age spectrum
- Authors:
- WEBER Kerstin, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 16(4), May 2012, pp.472-480.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Personality traits have been shown to be related both to increased risk of depression and also to depression recovery. The aim of the study was to explore the relationship between personality traits and major depression in 2 samples of young and old depressed outpatients in 2 age-matched groups. The study involved comparisons amongst 79 outpatients with major depression and 102 healthy controls. Two sub-groups of patients were determined: young (25–50 years) and old (60–85 years). The participants were assessed utilising the five-factor model of personality (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness), socio-demographic variables, physical health status, and depression features. The findings indicate that depressed patients show significantly higher levels of neuroticism and lower levels of extraversion, openness to experience and conscientiousness compared to controls. The levels of neuroticism did not allow for differentiating late-life from young age depression. Increased physical burden and decreased depression severity were the main predictors for this distinction. The data indicate that personality factors and depression are related, independently of patients’ age. They also stress the need to consider physical health, level of dependency and severity of symptoms when studying the relationship between personality traits and mood disorders.
Chronic illness burden and quality of life in an aging HIV population
- Authors:
- BALDERSON Benjamin H., et al
- Journal article citation:
- AIDS Care, 25(4), 2013, pp.451-458.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The population of persons living with HIV (PLWH) is growing older and more prone to developing other chronic health conditions. Disease progression has been shown to be related to quality of life (QoL). Approximately 452 PLWH aged 50 years or older were recruited from AIDS Service Organizations in nine US states. Participants completed a telephone survey that included measures of other chronic health conditions, perceived stress, depression, and health-related quality of life. As much as 94% of the sample reported a chronic health condition in addition to HIV. The highest reported conditions were hypertension, chronic pain, hepatitis, and arthritis. Despite relatively high rates of depression, overall QoL was moderately high for the sample. Physical functioning was most impacted by the addition of other chronic health problems. Social functioning, mental health functioning, stress, and depression were also strongly associated with chronic disease burden. Additional chronic health problems are the norm for PLWH aged 50 years and older. QoL is significantly related to the addition of chronic health problems. As increasing numbers of PLWH reach older age, this raises challenges for providing comprehensive healthcare to older PLWH with multiple chronic conditions. (Edited publisher abstract)
Perceived social position and health in older adults in Taiwan
- Authors:
- COLLIMNS Amy Love, GOLDMAN Noreen
- Journal article citation:
- Social Science and Medicine, 66(3), February 2008, pp.536-544.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
The authors examined whether perceived social position predicted mental and physical health outcomes (depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, mobility restrictions, and self-assessed health) in a prospective study based on a nationally representative sample of older persons in Taiwan. Cross-sectional and longitudinal models were used to demonstrate the relationship between perceived social position and health, as reported by participants in the Social Environment and Biomarkers of Aging Study in Taiwan (SEBAS). Lower perceived social position predicted declining health beyond what was accounted for by objective indicators of socioeconomic position. As predicted, the effect was substantially reduced for all health outcomes in the presence of controls for baseline health. After including these controls, perceived social position was significantly related only to depressive symptoms. The findings suggest that the strength of the association between perceived social position and health may have been overstated in cross-sectional studies.
Conceptualising person-centered advance care planning for people with intellectual disabilities: a multifaceted theoretical approach
- Authors:
- McGINLEY Jacqueline M., KNOKE Victoria
- Journal article citation:
- Ethics and Social Welfare, 12(3), 2018, pp.244-258.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Abingdon
Due to advances in care in recent decades, adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are living longer than ever before. This requires increased attention to issues surrounding serious illness and end-of-life care. Person-centered advance care planning has been identified as an important aspect of respecting the wishes and values of individuals. Despite this, adults with ID are largely excluded from these discussions. This paper triangulates the Bioecological Theory of Human Development, Symbolic Interactionism, and the Human Rights Perspective to explore the complexity of person-centred care for older adults with ID. Specifically highlighted will be some of the ethical concerns and environmental barriers that limit the participation of adults with ID in person-centered care. The framework outlined in this paper seeks to facilitate a more comprehensive understanding among researchers, social workers, and care systems that there is nothing inherent in people with ID that precludes them from person-centered advance care planning and end-of-life care as they age and experience serious illness. Implications for social work practice will also be discussed. (Edited publisher abstract)
Serious illness in the over 50s
- Author:
- BEACH Brian
- Publisher:
- International Longevity Centre UK
- Publication year:
- 2015
- Pagination:
- 10
- Place of publication:
- London
Using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA), this briefing examines the prevalence of serious illness among people aged 50+ in the UK, focusing on Alzheimer's disease and other dementia, Parkinson's disease, cancer, heart attack, and stroke. The research suggests that whilst the number of older people with a serious illness will increase, improvements in health may actually result in a fall in the proportion of older people suffering one of the five conditions explored. ELSA data suggests that the prevalence of serious illness among those aged 50+ has been slightly decreasing over time, from 15.8 per cent in 2002 to 13.6 per cent in 2012. However, it also indicates that the overall prevalence of older people living with cancer shows a notable upward trend from 2002 to 2012 and that the prevalence of serious illness increased among those aged 80+, while declining dramatically for those in their 60s and 70s. (Edited publisher abstract)
Elderly suicide in primary care
- Authors:
- TADROS George, SALIB Emad
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 22(8), August 2007, pp.750-756.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Primary care is probably the most suitable setting to start a strategy for suicide prevention for the elderly especially as more people are seen before committing suicide in primary care than in secondary care. This study examines the nature of complaints and timing of presentation to general practitioners by suicide victims in their last GP consultation, comparing persons aged 65 and over with those aged between 18 and 64. Details of all cases of suicide verdict and open verdict, which were returned in inquests, held at the Coroner's Court of Birmingham and Solihull, between January 1995 and December 1999 were reviewed. The study provided a comparison between older people (65+) and younger adults. Older people had more physical illness, and were more likely to have seen their GP in the 6 months before suicide. Younger adults presented with more psychiatric symptoms, while older adults presented with more physical symptoms. Complaints to the GP in the last consultation were significantly different between the two age groups. Older people are more commonly present with physical pain and depression. The study found that elderly suicide victims had different characteristics and attributes from those of younger adults presenting to primary care. This difference may have implications for suicide research, training of primary care staff and suicide prevention programmes.
Socioeconomic determinants of health: the contribution of nutrition to inequalities in health
- Authors:
- JAMES W. Philip T., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Medical Journal, 24.5.97, 1997, pp.1545-1549.
- Publisher:
- British Medical Association
Looks at the social and economic reasons for the poorer health of people in the lower socioeconomic groups in Britain. The article highlights a poor quality diet, physical inactivity, and smoking as a lethal triad for the lower social classes, leading to an intergenerational spiral of ill health and handicap.
Continuing care: NHS and local councils' responsibilities
- Author:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department of Health
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department of Health
- Publication year:
- 2001
- Pagination:
- 20p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Guidance on continuing care, mainly for older people, but also including all adults aged over eighteen requiring continuing NHS care as a result of illness or accidents. Continuing or long term care describes the care that people need over an extended period of time, as a result of disability, accident or illness to address both physical and mental health needs and may include both health and social services.