| 1. |
- Axmon, A, et al.
(author)
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Psychiatric diagnoses in relation to severity of intellectual disability and challenging behaviors : a register study among older people
- 2018
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In: Aging and Mental Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1364-6915 .- 1360-7863. ; 22:10, s. 1344-1350
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible association between severity of intellectual disability (ID) and presence of challenging behavior, respectively, on diagnoses of psychiatric disorders among older people with ID.METHODS: People with a diagnosis of ID in inpatient or specialist outpatient care in 2002-2012 were identified (n = 2147; 611 with mild ID, 285 with moderate ID, 255 with severe or profound ID, and 996 with other/unspecified ID). Moreover, using impairment of behavior as a proxy for challenging behavior, 627 people with, and 1514 without such behavior were identified.RESULTS: Severe/profound ID was associated with lower odds of diagnoses of psychotic, affective, and anxiety disorders than was mild/moderate ID. People with moderate ID had higher odds than those with mild ID of having diagnoses of affective disorders. Diagnoses of psychotic, affective, and anxiety disorders, and dementia were more common among people with challenging behavior than among those without.CONCLUSIONS: People with severe/profound ID had lower odds of receiving psychiatric diagnoses than those with mild and moderate ID. Whether this is a result of differences in prevalence of disorders or diagnostic difficulties is unknown. Further, challenging behaviors were associated with diagnoses of psychiatric disorders. However, the nature of this association remains unclear.
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| 2. |
- Bartels, Sara Lauren, et al.
(author)
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Do you observe what I perceive? : The relationship between two perspectives on the ability of people with cognitive impairments to use everyday technology
- 2019
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Routledge. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 24:8, s. 1295-1305
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Everyday technologies (ETs) can be challenging to use, particularly for older adults with cognitive impairments. This study evaluated the relationship between the self-perceived ability to use ET and observable performance of self-chosen and familiar, but challenging ETs in people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia.Method: A self-perceived report, the Everyday Technology Use Questionnaire (S-ETUQ), and a structured observational tool, the Management of Everyday Technology Assessment (META), assessing the perceived and observed ability to use ET, were used in 41 people with MCI and 38 people with dementia. Correlations were investigated with non-parametric statistical tests.Results: In the dementia group, self-perceived report and observational scores correlated on a significant medium level (Rs=0.44, p = 0.006). In the MCI group, no significant correlation was found.Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest the ability of older adults with cognitive impairments to use ETs can be depicted with self-perceived reports as well as with observations. However, the combination of both approaches is recommended to get a comprehensive picture. While the S-ETUQ provides a broad picture of the use, presence and relevance of technologies in an individual’s life, the META describes a specific human-technology interaction in detail. Furthermore, the results suggest people with early dementia retain the ability and insight to accurately reflect on their own ability to use ET, emphasizing the need to include their experiences in research and clinical work.
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| 3. |
- Boman, Erika, et al.
(author)
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Inner strength : associated with reduced prevalence of depression among older women
- 2015
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 19:12, s. 1078-1083
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore if inner strength is independently associated with a reduced prevalence of depression after controlling for other known risk factors associated with depression.Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was performed, where all women living in Åland, a Finnish self-govern island community in the Baltic Sea, aged 65 years or older were sent a questionnaire including the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Inner Strength Scale along with several other questions related to depression. Factors associated with depression were analyzed by means of multivariate logistic regression.Results: The results showed that 11.2% of the studied women (n = 1452) were depressed and that the prevalence increased with age and was as high as 20% in the oldest age group. Non-depressed women were more likely to never or seldom feel lonely, have a strong inner strength, take fewer prescription drugs, feeling needed, being able to engage in meaningful leisure activities, as well as cohabit.Conclusion: Our results showed an association between stronger inner strength and being non-depressed. This can be interpreted to mean that inner strength might have a protective effect against depression. These findings are interesting from a health-promotion perspective, yet to verify these results, further longitudinal studies are required.
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| 4. |
- Bratt, Anna S., 1969-, et al.
(author)
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Effects on life satisfaction of older adults after child and spouse bereavement
- 2017
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Routledge. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 21:6, s. 602-608
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Few studies have compared the impact of different familial losses on life satisfaction (LS). Furthermore, there is a lack of research on the effect of having lost both a child and a spouse among older adults. Sample: A random sample of 1402 individuals, 817 women and 585 men, aged 60–96 years from the Blekinge part of the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care (SNAC-B) participated in this cross-sectional study. Aims: The first aim was to compare the effects of child or spouse or both child and spouse bereavement on LS and, the second aim, to investigate if there were gender differences within the bereaved groups. Results: The results showed that having lost a child, spouse or both child and spouse had a negative association with LS, although this effect was small. Having experienced multiple losses did not predict more variance than a single child or spouse loss. Gender differences were found within all the bereaved groups with bereaved men having lower LS than bereaved women. Longer time since the loss was associated with higher LS. Conclusions: Bereaved older adults have somewhat lower LS than non-bereaved and bereaved men seem more affected than bereaved women. Future research needs to address older men´s experiences after the loss of a loved one.
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| 5. |
- Bratt, Anna S., 1969-, et al.
(author)
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The Role of Neuroticism and Conscientiousness on Mortality Risk in Older Adults After Child and Spouse Bereavement
- 2016
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Routledge. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 20:6, s. 559-566
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Bereavement effects on mortality risk were investigated in 1150 randomly selected participants, aged 60-104, in the Swedish National Study of Aging and Care.Method: Cox proportional hazards models, controlling for age, gender, functional ability, the personality traits neuroticism and conscientiousness as well as time since the latest loss were used to predict mortality risk.Results: Having lost a child, spouse or both child and spouse did not predict mortality risk. An indirect link between bereavement and mortality was found showing for each year since loss the mortality risk decreased by about 1%. Neuroticism, but not conscientiousness, was associated with mortality risk, with a small-effect size.Conclusions: The different bereavements did not predict mortality risk while an indirect link was found showing that mortality risk decreased with time.
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| 6. |
- Cedervall, Ylva, et al.
(author)
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Maintaining well-being and selfhood through physical activity : experiences of people with mild Alzheimer's disease
- 2015
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 19:8, s. 679-688
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To contribute to furthering the understanding of how people with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) reason about physical activity as part of everyday life, with a specific focus on the meanings attached to such activity. Method: In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 individuals with mild AD. Qualitative content analysis was used to interpret the data. Results: The analysis revealed three sub-themes reflecting interrelated perspectives on how people with mild AD reason about physical activity: (1) striving to be physically active, mirrors the concrete approaches used for handling the consequences of having AD in relation to being active; (2) perceptions of physical activity, reflect how their thoughts and beliefs regarding written and tacit norms encouraged them to remain physically active, and (3) physical activity as a means to well-being, alludes to feelings and emotions related to the performance of physical activity. Interpretation of the underlying patterns in these sub-themes revealed one overarching theme: Physical activity as a means to selfhood maintenance, which suggests that physical activity can help to shift the focus from the dementia diagnosis (i.e. ill health) to a more healthy and able self. Conclusion: The findings suggest that physical activity, apart from maintaining body functions, can be a way to sustain well-being and selfhood in mild AD. This aspect of physical activity is important to consider in research, policy and practice when addressing the needs of people with dementia.
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| 7. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Long-term predictors of loneliness in old age : results of a 20-year national study
- 2018
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 22:2, s. 190-196
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The understanding of social phenomena is enhanced if individuals can be studied over longer periods. Regarding loneliness in old age, there is a general lack of longitudinal research. The aim of this study was to examine whether there is an association between loneliness in old age and social engagement 20 years earlier, as stated by life course theory and the convoy model.METHOD: Data from the nationally representative Swedish Panel Study of Living Conditions of the Oldest Old (2002 and 2011 data collection waves) and the Swedish Level of Living Survey (1981 and 1991 data collection waves) were used. The sample included 823 individuals with an average age of 62.2 years at baseline and 82.4 years at follow-up.RESULTS: Each form of social engagement in old age was significantly associated with the same form of social engagement 20 years earlier. Close forms of social engagement were associated with loneliness in old age; as were more distant forms of social engagement, but only when they were considered solely in old age.CONCLUSION: Patterns of social engagement in old age were established at least 20 years earlier and close forms of social engagement are long-term predictors of loneliness, although current social engagement tended to be more influential on loneliness. The study underlines the importance of interventions targeted at close relationships that can provide social support in old age.
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| 8. |
- Dahlberg, Lena, 1970-, et al.
(author)
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Predictors of loneliness among older women and men in Sweden : A national longitudinal study
- 2015
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Routledge. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 19:5, s. 409-417
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Longitudinal research on loneliness in old age has rarely considered loneliness separately for men and women, despite gender differences in life experiences. The objective of this study was to examine the extent to which older women and men (70+) report feelings of loneliness with a focus on: (a) changes in reported loneliness as people age, and (b) which factors predict loneliness.Method: Data from the 2004 and 2011 waves of SWEOLD, a longitudinal national survey, was used (n = 587). The prediction of loneliness in 2011 by variables measured in 2004 and 2004–2011 variable change scores was examined in three logistic regression models: total sample, women and men. Variables in the models included: gender, age, education, mobility problems, depression, widowhood and social contacts.Results: Older people moved into and out of frequent loneliness over time, although there was a general increase in loneliness with age. Loneliness at baseline, depression increment and recent widowhood were significant predictors of loneliness in all three multivariable models. Widowhood, depression, mobility problems and mobility reduction predicted loneliness uniquely in the model for women; while low level of social contacts and social contact reduction predicted loneliness uniquely in the model for men.Conclusion: This study challenges the notion that feelings of loneliness in old age are stable. It also identifies important gender differences in prevalence and predictors of loneliness. Knowledge about such differences is crucial for the development of effective policy and interventions to combat loneliness in later life.
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| 9. |
- Djukanovic, Ingrid, et al.
(author)
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Association between depressive symptoms and age, sex, loneliness and treatment among older people in Sweden
- 2015
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor & Francis. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 19:6, s. 560-568
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of and the association between depressive symptoms and loneliness in relation to age and sex among older people (65–80 years) and to investigate to what extent those who report depressive symptoms had visited a health care professional and/or used antidepressant medication.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a Swedish sample randomized from the total population in the age group 65–80 years (n = 6659). Chi square tests and logistic regression analyses were conducted.Results: The data showed that 9.8% (n = 653) reported depressive symptoms and 27.5% reported feelings of loneliness. More men than women reported depressive symptoms, and the largest proportion was found among men in the age group 75–80 years. An association between the odds to have a depressive disorder and loneliness was found which, however, decreased with increasing age. Of those with depressive symptoms a low proportion had visited a psychologist (2.9%) or a welfare officer (4.2%), and one in four reported that they use antidepressant medication. Of those who reported depressive symptoms, 29% considered that they had needed medical care during the last three months but had refrained from seeking, and the most common reason for that was negative experience from previous visits.Conclusion: Contrary to findings in most of the studies, depressive symptoms were not more prevalent among women. The result highlights the importance of detecting depressive symptoms and loneliness in older people and to offer adequate treatment in order to increase their well-being.
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| 10. |
- Enmarker, Ingela, et al.
(author)
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Depression in older cat and dog owners : The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT)-3
- 2015
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In: Aging & Mental Health. - : Taylor and Francis Ltd.. - 1360-7863 .- 1364-6915. ; 19:4, s. 347-352
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Depression constitutes a major health problem for older people, in this study defined as people 65 years of age and older. Previous studies have shown that mental health among older people who live with animals could be improved, but contrary results exist as well. Therefore, the objective of the present population study was to compare the self-rated depression symptoms of both female and male non-pet owners, cat owners, and dog owners.Method: The participants in this cross-sectional population study included 12,093 people between the ages of 65 and 101. One thousand and eighty three participants owned cats and 814 participants owned dogs. Self-rated depression symptoms were measured using HADS-D, the scale of self-administered depression symptoms in HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale).Results: The main results showed higher mean values on the HADS-D for cat owners than for both dog and non-pet owners. The latter group rated their depression symptoms the lowest. When dividing the ratings into low- and high-depression symptoms, the logistic regression analysis showed that it was more likely that males who owned cats perceived lower depression symptoms than females who owned cats. No interactions were recognized between pet ownership and subjective general health status, loneliness, or marital status.Conclusions: Our results provide a window into the differences in health factors between older females and males who own cats and dogs in rural areas. Results from population studies like ours might increase the available knowledge base when using cats and dogs in clinical environments such as nursing homes.
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