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Gender differences in expectations predictive of volunteer experience among older Chinese professionals in Hong Kong
- Authors:
- MJELDE-MOSSEY Lee Ann, CHI Iris
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work, 13(4), 2004, pp.47-64.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This study examines gender differences in expectations predictive of volunteer experience. A sample of 438 Chinese professionals in Hong Kong ages 45-79, including retired (36.3%) and employed (63.7%), were asked about their expectations for volunteer work. Gender was evenly distributed, with 49.8% male and 50.2% female. Forty-three percent (43%) had volunteer experience. A multivariate logistic regression model was fit to sub-samples by gender, and gender differences emerged. For males, married and the expectation to utilize own skills were associated with volunteer experience. For females, self-rated health, retired, and the expectation to meet the needs of others were associated with volunteer experience. These results suggest that gender differences in expectations may influence volunteer activity. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
Depression and religiosity in African American and white community-dwelling older adults
- Authors:
- ROFF Lucinda Lee, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 10(1), 2004, pp.175-189.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This research examined the extent to which religiosity was predictive of level of depression, even after controlling for race, gender, social support, income sufficiency, and physical health. Data were collected using in-home interviews conducted from 1999 to 2001 with 1,000 adults age 65 to 106. Subjects were recruited from a stratified, random sample of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older in five central Alabama counties (three rural and two urban). The sample was stratified by county, race, and sex and included balanced numbers of African American males and females and White males and females. Highly religious persons had lower levels of depression, even when controlling for other known covariates, ß = -.16, t(972) p<.001. Females reported higher levels of depression, ß = .07, t(972) p<.05. Although race was unrelated to depression in the model including gender and religiosity only, African Americans reported fewer symptoms of depression than did Whites when social support, income sufficiency, and physical health were added to the model, ß = -.08, t(972) p<.01. Results suggest the importance of health and social service professionals' drawing upon older adults' positive spirituality in professional interventions to prevent and treat depression. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580)
Anxiety and the risk of death in older men and women
- Authors:
- VAN HOUT Hein P., et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 185(11), November 2004, pp.399-404.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
There are inconsistent reports as to whether people with anxiety disorders have a higher mortality risk. The aim was to determine whether anxiety disorders predict mortality in older men and women in the community. Longitudinal data were used from a large, community-based random sample (n=3107) of older men and women (55–85 years) in The Netherlands, with a follow-up period of 7.5 years. Anxiety disorders were assessed according to DSM–III criteria in a two-stage screening design. In men, the adjusted mortality risk was 1.78 (95% CI 1.01–3.13) in cases with diagnosed anxiety disorders at baseline. In women, no significant association was found with mortality. The study revealed a gender difference in the association between anxiety and mortality. For men, but not for women, an increased mortality risk was found for anxiety disorders.
The relationship between gender and the psychological impact of urinary incontinence on older people in Hong Kong: an exploratory analysis
- Author:
- LEE Jik-Joen
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 24(4), July 2004, pp.553-566.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Adult incontinence violates social norms and values and undermines the personal expectation of being independent, dry and clean. Urinary incontinence is widely known to have a psychological impact on elderly people. This paper reports the findings of a study of the impact of incontinence on a convenience sample of older people in Hong Kong. Several of the results concur with those of studies in western countries. It was found that the prevalence of urinary incontinence increased with adult age, and that the condition affected women more than men. Over half of both men and women respondents had suffered for less than three years. It appeared that the period of suffering was not strongly associated with the level of incontinence. There were no significant differences between the duration and the level of incontinence, or between health status and years of suffering. About 80 per cent of the incontinent respondents had negative psychological impacts. There were significant differences between the sexes in the impact of urinary incontinence as indicated by the following items: elderly men found incontinence more stressful than their women counterparts; and elderly men more often strove to hide their incontinence from their friends. In summary, older men reported more negative psychological effects than older women. This study is not able to conclude that the psychological suffering of those who reported more negative effects is greater than that of those who reported fewer.
The relationship between care-recipient behaviours and spousal caregiving stress
- Authors:
- INGERSOLL-DRAYTON Berit, RASCHICK Michael
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 44(3), June 2004, pp.318-327.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
This study examines gender differences in spousal caregiver stress associated with care-recipient problem behaviours and helping behaviours. Using data from the National Long-Term Care Survey, we examined bivariate and multivariate relationships between the behaviors of care recipients and the stress experienced by their spouses. Gender differences in caregiver stress emerged with respect to problem behaviours and helping behaviors of the care recipient. Helping behaviours had a moderating effect on the relationship between care-recipient problem behaviours and stress for caregiving husbands, but not for caregiving wives. As practitioners attempt to reduce spousal caregiving distress, they should assess the extent to which care recipient's problem behaviours and efforts to be helpful contribute to caregiver stress.
Western European pensions privatisation: a response to Jay Ginn
- Authors:
- HYDE. Mark, DIXON John, DROVER Glenn
- Journal article citation:
- Social Policy and Society, 3(2), April 2004, pp.135-141.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
A recent paper on state-mandated private pension schemes in Western Europe has been criticised by Ginn because it did not look specifically at the impact of private provision on women. This was not the intent, but she raises important issues that are largely ignored in economics-driven pension privatisation policy discourses. She has addressed this omission by demonstrating that private pension provision may result in significant levels of economic disadvantage among women retirees. The authors do not disagree with the broad thrust of her analysis and its conclusions. However, because she has failed to appreciate the crucial difference between voluntary and state-mandated private pension provision, her thoughtful analysis does not invalidate our proposition that the state-mandated provision of private pensions in Western Europe is consistent, to varying degrees, with the notion of collective responsibility for needs satisfaction.
European pension privatisation: taking account of gender
- Author:
- GINN Jay
- Journal article citation:
- Social Policy and Society, 3(2), April 2004, pp.123-134.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
This article argues that, despite considerable variation among countries in the nature of their private pension schemes, the latter share a failure to incorporate allowances for periods of unpaid caring work over the lifecourse. Argues comparison of the needs-satisfying capacity of private and public pensions must take account of the situation of those who raise the next generation of producers and taxpayers.
Activity and psychological well-being in older people
- Authors:
- WARR P., BUTCHER V., ROBERTSON I.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 8(2), March 2004, pp.172-183.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Affective well-being and life satisfaction between the ages of 50 and 74 were investigated as a function of the frequency with which individuals undertook six types of activity, after control for potential confounding variables. Overall activity level (across all types) was significantly positively associated with both outcome variables. Activities in the Family and Social and in the Church and Charity domains were found to be important in this age-range, but other types of activity were less consistently associated with affective well-being or life satisfaction. Differences were observed in the frequency of some activity types between men and women and between people in employment, unemployment and retirement. However, associations between activity and psychological well-being did not vary between men and women, and differences in correlations with well-being between non-employed and employed individuals were significant only for aggregate indicators.
Gender and the negotiation between older people and their carers in the prevention of falls
- Authors:
- HORTON Khim, ARBER Sara
- Journal article citation:
- Ageing and Society, 24(1), January 2004, pp.75-94.
- Publisher:
- Cambridge University Press
Little is known about how negotiation between older people and their carers varies according to gender. This paper reports a study of older men and women who have had multiple falls and the actions of their key family members to prevent multiple falls. In-depth interviews were conducted with 35 older people who had had recurrent falls, and separately with the identified key family member. The actions taken by the relatives to prevent future falls were classified as protective, coercive, negotiating, engaging and ‘reflective of mutual respect’. It was found that sons caring for older mothers took only ‘protective’ and ‘coercive’ actions, resulting in mothers having passive and submissive roles. In contrast, the daughters who were caring for their fathers undertook most often ‘engaging’ and some ‘negotiating’ actions, which empowered the fathers in their decision making. Daughters had a ‘peer-like’ relationship with the mothers that they supported and cared for, and undertook primarily ‘negotiating’ as well as ‘engaging’ actions. The two men who cared for older men took no specific actions but maintained mutual respect for each other. The findings demonstrate several ways in which the gender of the dyad members influences the nature of the negotiation between close relatives, and throws light on the factors that influence the autonomy and dependence of older people.
Obesity and depressive symptoms in Chinese elderly
- Authors:
- LI Zhi Bin, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 19(1), January 2004, pp.68-74.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The main objective was to examine the association between obesity and depressive symptoms among Chinese elderly in Hong Kong. Cross-sectional data on depressive symptoms and body mass index from 56 167 clients aged 65 or over who enrolled as members of Elderly Health Centres from July 1998 to December 2000 were analysed using multiple logistic regression with adjustment of potential confounders. Among 18 750 men and 37 417 women, the prevalence [95% confidence interval (CI)] of depressive symptoms (based on the Geriatric Depression Scale) was 4.9% (4.6-5.2%) and 7.9% (7.6-8.1%) respectively (p < 0.001). The prevalence of obesity (by World Health Organisation Asian standard: body mass index 25.0) in women was significantly higher than that of men (42.1% (41.6-42.7%) vs 36.6% (35.9-37.3%), p < 0.001). Obese men and women were about 20% less likely to suffer from depressive symptoms compared with those with normal weight after adjustment for confounders, with odds ratios (95% CI) of 0.82 (0.69-0.97) and 0.78 (0.71-0.86) respectively. Negative linear trends were observed between depressive symptoms and BMI categories in both sexes, and women showed a greater slope and stronger statistical significance than men. Both obese elderly men and women in Hong Kong were less likely to suffer from depressive symptoms than those of normal weight. The results support the jolly fat hypothesis previously restricted to men, and extend the hypothesis to female elderly. Chinese traditional culture and positive values towards obesity may be protective against depressive symptoms.