•Prevalence of social and emotional loneliness among older adults in Hikkaduwa Municipality, a coastal suburb in Sri-Lanka is high.•Unmarried/widowhood/separation status is a risk factor for social ...and emotional loneliness in aging population.•Older adults who have rated themselves to have poor general health status were significantly lonely than the older adults who were having good self-rated general health status.
Loneliness is defined as an unpleasant experience due to lack of social interactions. Older adults are more susceptible to loneliness resulting poor quality life. There is evidence that loneliness can have both physical and mental health consequences. Our cross-sectional study aimed to describe the prevalence and associated factors of social and emotional loneliness (SEL) among older adults in Hikkaduwa Municipality (HM), a suburb in Sri Lanka. A multistage cluster sample of 120 older adults were interviewed administering a questionnaire comprising of De-Jong-Gierveld Loneliness Scale. Prevalence of SEL was calculated. Chi-square test was used to describe associated factors of SEL. We found a high prevalence of SEL of 47.8% in HM. Unmarried/ widowed status, non usage of phones and self-rated poor general health status were significantly associated with SEL. Several sociodemographic and social and health related factors significantly related to loneliness were observed, calling for further exploration of this to improve the life of the older adults. Interventions such as developing telephone hotlines, befriending schemes, facilitating to participate in activities of interest, frequent medical check-up are recommended.
Malnutrition in older adults can decrease quality of life and increase risk of morbidities and mortality. Accurate and timely identification of malnutrition, as well as subsequent implementation of ...effective interventions, are essential to decrease poor outcomes associated with malnutrition in older adults. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Evidence Analysis Center conducted a systematic review of the literature to develop an evidence-based nutrition practice guideline for the prevention and treatment of malnutrition in older adults. The objective of this guideline was to provide evidence-based recommendations to identify, prevent, or treat protein-energy malnutrition in older adults (mean age ≥65 years) living in long-term care and community settings. This guideline provides 11 nutrition recommendations to inform shared decision making among dietitians, members of the health care team, family members or caregivers, and older adults living in long-term care or the community to prevent or treat malnutrition. Topics include dietitian effectiveness, nutrition assessment tools, oral nutrition supplements, food fortification, and home-delivered and congregate meals. Guideline implementation should include consideration of the importance of comprehensive individualized nutrition care for older adults. Future research is needed to address gaps that were identified related to the validity, reliability, and feasibility of nutrition assessment tools, as well as the effectiveness of dietitian interventions on outcomes of interest in older adults living in long-term care and the community.
Depression is an important public health issue among older adults, often associated with their sleep-related problems. We aimed to investigate the association between sleep-related problems and ...depressive symptoms among Chinese community-dwelling older adults.
This cross-sectional study utilized self-reported data from 2896 participants (aged ≥60 years) from Shanghai, China. Nocturnal sleep duration and difficulty initiating sleep (DIS) symptoms were obtained through face-to-face questionnaires. Nocturnal sleep duration was categorized as ‘short’ (<7 h), ‘normal’ (7–8 h), and ‘long’ (>8 h). Subsequently, the 3 groups were further divided into 6 groups based on the presence of DIS, and the combined sleep behaviors were termed ‘sleep patterns'. Logistic regression was conducted to assess the association of sleep variables and sleep patterns with the risk of depressive symptoms.
Compared to the reference group, ‘short sleep duration’ and DIS symptoms were associated with depressive symptoms (with odds ratios (OR) of 1.50 and 1.79, respectively, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 1.14–1.97 and 1.39–2.31). When compared to ‘normal sleep duration without DIS', both ‘short sleep duration with DIS' (OR = 2.60, 95% CI: 1.81–3.72) and ‘normal sleep duration with DIS' (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.03–2.49) were statistically associated with depressive symptoms in adjusted regression models.
Short sleep duration and DIS symptoms were found to be associated with depressive symptoms. Combining DIS symptoms with sleep duration, DIS was identified as a risk factor for elevated depressive symptoms in individuals with short and normal sleep durations. In managing depressive symptoms, it is imperative to thoroughly evaluate insomnia and nighttime sleep, which can provide valuable insights for nursing and medical policy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new reality for consumers all around the globe. To cope, users of digital technologies have faced the necessity of adopting and using specific technologies ...practically overnight. They are doing this under the condition of social isolation, all while facing the fear of catching the disease. The purpose of the paper is to study the way unexpected circumstances cause disruptions in existing theoretical models and their implications for the post-COVID-19 era. Therefore, the paper examines the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model under the circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and social isolation, and it identifies herd behavior as a possible new mechanism affecting behavioral intention under these unique decision-making circumstances. Behavioral intention toward online shopping was analyzed using data from 420 individuals aged 60 and older who present an increasingly important potential market for electronic commerce and who are particularly affected by COVID-19. The main results show that performance expectancy still has the most important influence on behavioral intention, whereas the impact of social influence was not supported under these conditions. Rather, herd behavior was identified as particularly influential for behavioral intention. Based on the study results, the option to reconsider the social influence factor in the UTAUT model and its possible complementary mechanisms are discussed.
•Online shopping adoption among older adults during the pandemic was reviewed.•Social influence does not have a major role in behavioral intention to adopt online shopping.•Contrary to our expectations, COVID-19 fear does not influence behavioral intention to adopt online shopping.•Herd behavior importantly influences behavioral intention in the pandemic situation.•Complementary mechanisms to social influence in UTAUT are discussed.
Little is known about the benefits of lipid-lowering medications in those age ≥ 75 years. We assessed the effect of lipid-lowering medications on progression to severe atherosclerosis in patients ...age > 75.
Data was retrospectively obtained from the Stroke Prevention & Atherosclerosis Research Centre, Canada. Atherosclerosis burden was measured as carotid total plaque area (TPA), a powerful predictor of cardiovascular risk. Survival time free of severe atherosclerosis (SFSA) was defined as the period when TPA remained <1.19 cm2. Kaplan–Meier, multiple Cox proportional hazard and hierarchical mixed-effect models were used to determine the effects of lipid-lowering medications on progression to severe atherosclerosis.
In total 1404 cases (mean age 81 ± 4 years; women 52%) were included. Those taking lipid-lowering medications were more likely to have a history of diabetes and a higher burden of atherosclerosis at baseline. In Kaplan–Meier analysis, the SFSA was significantly longer in those receiving lipid-lowering therapy. In multivariable-adjusted analyses, those not receiving lipid lowering therapy (irrespective of their vascular disease at baseline) were more likely to have TPA > 1.19 cm2 (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09,0.71). Similar findings were observed in mixed effects models when plaque progression was defined as any change >0.05 cm2 per year (odds ratio (OR):2.17, 95% CI:1.38,3.57).
Lipid-lowering therapy is effective in controlling the burden of atherosclerosis among older adults with and without vascular disease. The measurement of plaque burden can guide selection and follow-up of those who may benefit from treatment.
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•Lipid lowering therapy increases the time free of severe atherosclerosis in older patients.•Significant effectiveness for decreasing the progression of Reduction in total plaque area over time was found with lipid-lowering therapy, regardless of vascular disease history.•The risk of progression to severe atherosclerosis was significantly higher in patients not receiving lipid-lowering medications.
Objectives: Current tobacco use (CTU) and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among older adults in India (≥60 years) are prevalent in India and indicate the importance of addressing associated factors. ...Methods: Pooled Global Adult Tobacco Survey India 2009–2010 and 2016–2017 data (n = 17,299) for older adults examined prevalence of CTU and SHS exposure at home and/or in public places and associated socioeconomic and demographic correlates. Results: CTU among older adults in India was 44.6%, and SHS exposure at home and public places were 20.0% and 30.0%, respectively. Men, younger age-group, rural, lower education, lower wealth index, and lower knowledge were independently associated with CTU. Men, rural, lower education, lower wealth index, CTU, and lower knowledge were independently associated with SHS exposure at home. Men, younger age, and rural residence were associated with SHS exposure in public places. Conclusion: CTU and SHS exposure among older adults in India suggest targeted interventions to address associated social and demographic factors.
To solve the problems related to the ageing society, effective strategies to reduce younger people's ageism towards older adults should be developed. Previous studies incorporated the content of ...stereotype embodiment theory (SET) into ageism reduction strategy, suggesting that younger participants' ageism eventually has undesirable impacts on their own future (i.e., SET intervention). In the SET intervention, participants read an explanatory text on several empirical findings related to SET. To enhance the versatility of this intervention, two experiments were conducted with younger participants in Japan. Study 1 examined concerns that arise in the practical application of the intervention. Results revealed that the SET intervention had few effects on fear of death and increased state self-esteem. In Study 2, the SET intervention was combined with interventions to encourage life planning, in which they freely described possible negative/positive events in their future. SET intervention reduced ageism, increased advocacy for policies to support older adults and increased emphasis on life planning and hope for the future. Many previous studies have shown that intergenerational contact-based interventions are effective in reducing ageism, and future research should be conducted in combination with the SET interventions.
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