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Re-examining ethnic differences in concerns, knowledge, and beliefs about Alzheimer's disease: results from a national sample
- Author:
- AYALON Liat
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 28(12), 2013, pp.1288-1295.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The 2010 US Health and Retirement Study was used to evaluate the differences in concerns, knowledge, and beliefs about Alzheimer's disease (AD) in three ethnic groups of older adults (White, Latino, and Black). Data from 939 White, 120 Latino, and 171 Black respondents who completed a special module about AD concerns, knowledge, and beliefs were analysed for the study. Significant ethnic differences were found on 7 of 13 items. However, after the adjustment for education, gender, age, having a family member with AD, depressive symptoms, and medical comorbidity, only four items showed significant ethnic group differences; relative to White respondents, Black respondents were less likely to report that having a parent or a sibling with AD increases the chance of developing AD and that genetics was an important risk for AD. In addition, relative to White respondents, both Black and Latino respondents were more likely to perceive stress as a potential risk for AD. Latino respondents were less likely to perceive mental activity as a protective factor. The study found limited ethnic group differences, with most items showing a similar pattern across groups. Nevertheless, the nature of the ethnic group differences found might be associated with a differential pattern of health service use. (Edited publisher abstract)
What cognitive functions are associated with passive suicidal ideation? Findings from a national sample of community dwelling Israelis
- Authors:
- AYALON Liat, LITWIN Howard
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 24(5), May 2009, pp.472-478.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study aimed to identify the specific cognitive domains associated with passive suicidal ideation (e.g. thoughts of being better off dead). A cross sectional, national based study of 1,712 individuals over the age of 50. Outcome measure, passive suicidal ideation, was evaluated by the question, in the past month, have you felt that you would rather be dead?, taken from the Euro-D. Cognitive domains assessed were time orientation, verbal learning, verbal recall, word fluency, and arithmetic. After adjusting for demographic and clinical information, those reporting passive suicidal ideation were significantly more likely to have impaired performance on the time orientation task. None of the other cognitive domains were associated with passive suicidal ideation. Clinicians working with older adults need to be aware not only of demographic and clinical information, but also of cognitive functioning and more specifically, time orientation, as a potential determinant of passive suicidal ideation. Possibly, cognitive domains that are less affected by education and prior learning (e.g. time orientation) have a unique association with passive suicidal ideation.
Coping with the obligation dilemma: prototypes of social workers in the nursing home
- Authors:
- LEV Sagit, AYALON Liat
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Social Work, 46(5), 2016, pp.1318-1335.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
The authors examined the ways in which the social worker is coping with obligation dilemma in an Israeli nursing home. The research was conducted using semi-structured, in-depth interviews carried out with fifteen social workers employed in nursing homes. The interviews were analysed thematically, using constant comparisons. The three themes were concerned with the social worker's place in the nursing home, her relationship with the management and staff, and her coping with the obligation dilemma. These themes highlighted the difference between the interviewees. On the background of this difference, four prototypes of nursing home's social workers were defined: the managerial, the contented, the fighter and the frustrated. From analysing the findings, the significant place of the personal and environmental factors that influence the ways in which the social worker deals with these four themes emerges. The findings suggest that the strengthening, empowerment and support of social workers in institutions can directly enhance the health, security, emotional well-being and quality of life of nursing home residents. (Edited publisher abstract)
The perspectives of older care recipients, their family members, and their round-the-clock foreign home care workers regarding elder mistreatment
- Author:
- AYALON Liat
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 14(4), May 2010, pp.411-415.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Older adults with neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia are more likely to experience abuse and neglect. One of the most popular long-term care alternatives is round-the-clock care by foreign home care workers. The goal of this study was to identify attitudes towards the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease and to evaluate perspectives as to what constitutes elder mistreatment from the perspective of 3 stakeholders: older care recipients; their foreign home care workers; and their family members. Since the foreign home care workers come from different cultural backgrounds, it was hypothesised that their attitudes would deviate from the other stakeholders. Overall, 88 older care recipients, 142 family members, and 127 foreign home care workers responded to a hypothetical case vignette querying about the appropriate care of an older woman who suffers from neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia. The results showed that foreign home care workers tended to be more lenient toward elder mistreatment relative to older adults and their family members and to view as effective techniques that would non-equivocally be considered abusive and ineffective by current standards. The article concludes that interventions should inform these stakeholders about what constitutes elder mistreatment and should be particularly geared toward addressing cultural differences in the perception of elder mistreatment.