1. |
- Andel, Ross, et al.
(author)
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Indicators of Job Strain at Midlife and Cognitive Functioning in Advanced Old Age
- 2011
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In: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 66B:3, s. 287-291
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives. We used data from SWEOLD, a Swedish nationally representative study of individuals aged 77 years or older, to examine midlife indicators of job strain in relation to cognitive performance and impairment. Methods. In all, 827 participants completed an abridged 11-point version of the Mini-Mental State Examination in-person in 1992 and/or 2002 and had self-reported and/or occupation-based scores for job control and demands from data collected in 1968. Seventeen percent scored below the cutoff for cognitive impairment. Results. Controlling for age, sex, education, self-rated health, and year of cognitive screening, low self-reported and occupation-based job control at midlife was associated with poorer cognitive performance later (ps < .001). For the occupation-based measure, low job control was also associated with greater likelihood of impairment, whereas having an active job (high job control/high job demands) was associated with better cognitive performance and lower likelihood of impairment (ps < .01). Childhood environment, midlife depressive symptoms, and social activity had limited influence, whereas the influence of both adulthood socioeconomic position and work complexity on these results was more pronounced. Discussion. Job control at midlife, by itself and in combination with job demands, may influence cognitive functioning later above and beyond demographic variables and other occupational characteristics.
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2. |
- Eriksson Sörman, Daniel, et al.
(author)
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Leisure Activity in Old Age and Risk of Dementia : a 15-Year Prospective Study
- 2014
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In: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press. - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 69:4, s. 493-501
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate whether leisure activity is associated with incident dementia in an older sample.Method. We examined a sample of 1,475 elderly (>= 65 years) who were dementia free at baseline over a follow-up period of up to 15 years. In addition to analyses involving the total time period, separate analyses of three time periods were performed, 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15 years, following baseline measurement of leisure activity.Results. After controlling for a variety of potential confounders, analyses of data for the total time period revealed that higher levels of "Total activity" and "Social activity," but not "Mental activity," were associated with decreased risk of dementia. However, analyses of the separate time periods showed that this association was only significant in the first time period, 1-5 years after baseline.Discussion. The results from this study provide little support for the hypothesis that frequent engagement in leisure activities among elderly serve to protect against dementia diseases across a longer time frame. The finding of a relationship for the first time period, 1-5 years after baseline, could indicate short-term protective effects but could also reflect reverse causality.
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3. |
- Fauth, Elizabeth B., et al.
(author)
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Changes in Depressive Symptoms in the Context of Disablement Processes : Role of Demographic Characteristics, Cognitive Function, Health, and Social Support
- 2012
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In: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 67:2, s. 167-177
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Gerontological research suggests that depressive symptoms show antecedent and consequent relations with late-life disability. Less is known, however, about how depressive symptoms change with the progression of disability-related processes and what factors moderate such changes. We applied multiphase growth models to longitudinal data pooled across 4 Swedish studies of very old age (N = 779, M age = 86 years at disability onset, 64% women) to describe change in depressive symptoms prior to disability onset, at or around disability onset (the measurement wave at which assistance in personal activities of daily living was first recorded), and postdisability onset. Results indicate that, on average, depressive symptoms slightly increase with approaching disability, increase at onset, and decline in the postdisability phase. Age, study membership, being a woman, and multimorbidity were related to depressive symptoms, but social support emerged as the most powerful predictor of level and change in depressive symptoms. Our findings are consistent with conceptual notions implicating disability-related factors as key contributors to late-life change and suggest that contextual and psychosocial factors play a pivotal role for how well people adapt to late-life challenges.
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4. |
- Piccinin, A. M., et al.
(author)
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Coordinated analysis of age, sex, and education effects on change in MMSE scores
- 2013
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In: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014 .- 1758-5368. ; 68:3, s. 374-390
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We describe and compare the expected performance trajectories of older adults on the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) across six independent studies from four countries in the context of a collaborative network of longitudinal studies of aging. A coordinated analysis approach is used to compare patterns of change conditional on sample composition differences related to age, sex, and education. Such coordination accelerates evaluation of particular hypotheses. In particular, we focus on the effect of educational attainment on cognitive decline. Regular and Tobit mixed models were fit to MMSE scores from each study separately. The effects of age, sex, and education were examined based on more than one centering point. Findings were relatively consistent across studies. On average, MMSE scores were lower for older individuals and declined over time. Education predicted MMSE score, but, with two exceptions, was not associated with decline in MMSE over time. A straightforward association between educational attainment and rate of cognitive decline was not supported. Thoughtful consideration is needed when synthesizing evidence across studies, as methodologies adopted and sample characteristics, such as educational attainment, invariably differ.
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5. |
- Piccinin, Andrea M, et al.
(author)
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Terminal decline from within- and between-person perspectives, accounting for incident dementia.
- 2011
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In: The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1758-5368 .- 1079-5014. ; 66:4, s. 391-401
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The terminal cognitive decline hypothesis has been debated for almost 50 years. This hypothesis implies a change in rate of decline within an individual. Therefore, we examine the hypothesis from a within-person perspective using a time to death chronological structure.
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6. |
- Lee, David M., et al.
(author)
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Frailty and Sexual Health in Older European Men
- 2013
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In: Journals of Gerontology - Series B Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1079-5014. ; 68:7, s. 837-844
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background. There has been little research on how late-life frailty interrelates with sexual health. Our objective was to examine the association of frailty with sexual functioning and satisfaction among older men. Methods. The study population consisted of 1,504 men aged 60 to 79 years, participating in the European Male Aging Study. Self-report questionnaires measured overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Frailty status was defined using a phenotype (FP) or index (FI). Associations between frailty and sexual function were explored using regression models. Results. Based on the frailty phenotype, 5% of men were classified as frail, and the mean frailty index was 0.18 (SD = 0.12). Frailty was associated with decreasing overall sexual functioning and increasing sexual function related distress in multiple linear regressions adjusted for age, smoking, alcohol consumption, living arrangements, comorbidities, and depression. Frailty was also associated with an increased odds of erectile dysfunction after adjustment for the same confounders: odds ratio = 1.99 (95% confidence interval = 1.14, 3.48) and 4.08 (95% confidence interval = 2.63, 6.36) for frailty phenotype and frailty index, respectively. Conclusions. Frailty was associated with impaired overall sexual functioning, sexual function related distress, and erectile dysfunction. Individuals assessed for frailty-related deficits may also benefit from an appraisal of sexual health as an important aspect of well-being and quality of life.
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