Older adults are at increased risk for complications from vaccine-preventable diseases, yet many remain undervaccinated. This study examined demographic variability in vaccination hesitancy among older adults in a rural state and the potentially mediating role of trust uncertainty. A cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 739 adults aged 65+ in North Dakota was conducted from May to July 2022. Using bootstrapped mediation analyses, we assessed whether trust uncertainty mediated the relationships between demographic characteristics and vaccine hesitancy and acceptance. Results showed uncertainty about whom to trust was a significant predictor of both higher vaccine hesitancy and lower vaccine acceptance. Uncertainty about whom to trust fully mediated the relationship between rurality and vaccine hesitancy, and between education and vaccine acceptance. Political leaning and physical health were also partially mediated through uncertainty about whom to trust. These findings highlight the role of trust in shaping vaccine attitudes and the need for tailored communication strategies that address information uncertainty.
This study aimed to investigate which dimensions of subjective age (feel age, look age, do age, interest age) are the strongest predictors of quality of life, focusing specifically on physical and mental health and life satisfaction among young and middle-aged adults. A total of 259 adults aged 18-58 (Mage = 26.86, SD = 8.50) participated in the study via an online survey following ethical approval from a Turkish university. Participants completed measures of subjective age, life satisfaction, and health-related quality of life (SF-12), along with demographic information. Correlation analyses and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 25. Correlational findings showed significant associations between all subjective age dimensions and quality-of-life indicators. However, regression analyses revealed that only feel age significantly predicted mental health (β = .156, p = .026) and life satisfaction (β = .182, p = .006), after controlling for chronological age and subjective health. None of the subjective age dimensions significantly predicted physical health once subjective health was accounted for. Subjective health emerged as the strongest predictor of both physical and mental health outcomes. The results emphasize the unique role of feel age as a psychologically meaningful aspect of subjective aging, especially in relation to mental health and quality of life. While other subjective age dimensions showed bivariate associations, only feel age demonstrated independent predictive power. These findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of subjective aging in early to mid-adulthood, highlighting its relevance beyond older adult populations. The study also underscores the importance of considering subjective health as a core variable in well-being research.
Population aging and increasing longevity have radically transformed social dynamics. Older women experience "double discrimination" known as gendered ageism and linked to the intersection of age and gender. Despite the relevance of this construct, no measurement scale for it currently exists. The aim of the research was to construct and validate the Gendered Ageism Scale (GAS). In a first study (N = 410), an initial set of items was developed; factor analyses were conducted; reliability and convergent validity were analyzed. The second study (N = 602) tested the stability of the factor structure, invariance, and reliability. The analyses yielded a final 16-item solution comprising four factors: Work Inadequacy, Youth as a Resource, Aesthetic Rigor, and Gender Differences. Both studies confirmed a second-order hierarchical model. Full gender and age measurement invariance was confirmed. The GAS has proven to be a useful instrument for combating intersectional discrimination against older women.
As digital, internet-based health communication becomes more common, understanding the factors influencing midlife and older adults' ability to navigate online resources is essential. This study investigated whether health literacy interacts with communication format to affect health search performance. Seventy-eight community-dwelling midlife and older adults classified as having high or low health literacy using the Newest Vital Sign completed a counterbalanced print- and internet-based health search task. A 2 × 2 mixed-factorial analysis of variance revealed that both lower health literacy and the internet format were associated with poorer task accuracy and greater task completion time. Contrary to expectation, the influence of task format on performance did not disproportionately affect individuals with low health literacy. Findings suggest that both health literacy and communication formats independently influence midlife and older adults' ability to accurately and efficiently retrieve health information. These results underscore the need for digital health literacy assessments and the development of interventions to support access to digital health information among aging adults.
Frailty and depression are geriatric syndromes commonly seen in older adults that negatively affect quality of life and functional status. This study examined the levels of frailty and depression and the relationship between them in 159 older adults who visited three family health centers. Data were collected using the Edmonton Frailty Scale and Geriatric Depression Scale. Depression was detected in 22.6% of participants, and frailty in 33.4%. Frailty showed a significant relationship with marital status, education, employment status, number of children, health insurance, chronic disease, and depression (p < .05). A positive and strong correlation was found between depression and frailty (p = .001). Furthermore, illiteracy, presence of chronic disease, and depression levels were identified as the strongest independent risk factors for frailty in older adults, while being married was found to be a significant protective factor (p < .05). A holistic nursing approach can improve the quality of life of frail older adults.
ObjectivesSocioeconomic disadvantage is associated with poorer health outcomes, yet the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study examined whether GrimAge epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) mediates the association between wealth and intrinsic capacity (IC).MethodsWe analyzed 1,143 Health and Retirement Study participants with temporally ordered measures of wealth, GrimAge EAA, and IC. Linear regression models assessed associations between GrimAge EAA and age-adjusted IC. Mediation of the wealth-IC association by GrimAge EAA was evaluated using natural effect models. Uncertainty was estimated via bootstrap.ResultsHigher GrimAge EAA was consistently associated with lower IC across domains. Natural effect models indicated partial mediation of the wealth-IC association by GrimAge EAA for psychology (12.5%), locomotion (11.1%), vitality (33.3%), and the composite score (10.8%).ConclusionOur findings support biological aging as one pathway through which wealth influences functional outcomes in later life, while suggesting that no single biomarker fully captures wealth-related functional decline.
While the literature suggests that loneliness may undermine cognitive functioning in later life, no work has simultaneously examined the associations between these constructs, taking a multidimensional approach to the assessment of each, where 360 older adults comprised the initial sample and 220 such persons comprised the 1-year longitudinal sample. Based upon correlational and regression-based data analyses, we found that social loneliness at Time 1 predicted everyday cognitive failures at Time 2, and that Time 1 poorer health, less education, less positive lifestyle attitudes, greater cognitive failures, and lower fluid ability performance were associated with greater Time 2 social loneliness. Neither social nor emotional loneliness predicted crystallized or fluid ability over time. These findings suggest that loneliness-cognition associations may be temporal in nature and support a view of loneliness-cognition associations in later life that is multidimensional in nature.
Using an observational longitudinal design, this study examined psychological well-being, activity satisfaction, and perceived social support among 91 middle-aged and older adults participating in community-based intergenerational activities in Taiwan. Across eight waves over 18 months, psychological well-being was assessed through mental health, subjective happiness, life satisfaction, and loneliness. Unconditional growth models showed no significant average linear change in any outcome, suggesting relative stability at the sample level. However, random-effect estimates indicated meaningful individual differences in initial status and, for some outcomes, rates of change. Activity satisfaction was associated with several well-being indicators, but its explanatory role for change was limited. Perceived social support, disaggregated into within-person fluctuations and between-person mean differences, was consistently associated with better mental health, higher happiness and life satisfaction, and lower loneliness. Findings position intergenerational participation as a relational context in which perceived support may be central to maintaining psychosocial well-being.
As China's middle-aged and older population increasingly engages in grandchild caregiving, this study examines its psychological implications through the lens of role theory, with particular attention to the mediating role of social participation. Based on three-wave panel data, the findings show that grandchild caregiving is associated with higher life satisfaction and lower levels of depressive symptoms and loneliness among older adults. Caregiving is also related to a broader range and higher frequency of social participation. Additionally, the mediating role of social participation is mainly observed for depressive symptoms and loneliness, whereas no significant mediation is found for life satisfaction. The results further indicate that these associations vary between urban and rural settings, with stronger direct associations among urban older adults. This study highlights the value of intergenerational caregiving as a means of mobilizing familial resources in elderhood and encourages policies that support older adults’ meaningful participation in family life, particularly in the realm of childcare.
Theory of Mind (ToM) refers to the ability to attribute beliefs, emotions, and intentions to oneself and others to predict and interpret behavior. This study examined ToM competence through participants' interpretations of short stories depicting social scenarios that varied in mentalistic content and complexity, including first- and second-order false beliefs, irony, persuasion, and faux pas. The objective was to trace ToM development across adulthood using performance-based measures in 454 neurotypical adults aged 18-94, grouped by decade. Results indicated a moderate decline until approximately age 60, followed by a more pronounced reduction and increased interindividual variability after 70. Factor analysis suggested three components: (1) high-difficulty stories involving complex false beliefs and faux pas; (2) irony-based narratives; and (3) low-difficulty persuasive stories linked to social communication skills. The most substantial age-related differences emerged in the first component. Overall, ToM decline appeared to depend primarily on task difficulty and related cognitive demands.
The present study addresses cognitive aging for first-generation college graduates (FGCGs) to contribute to the limited literature. The two waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) data (N = 4,068; aged 56 on average) were analyzed with multigroup analyses (across four educational groups) using change-regression models for verbal episodic memory and executive function, controlling for covariates. For both cognitive outcomes, the FGCG and continuing-generation college-graduate (CGCG) groups had higher levels at age 56 on average than the two non-college-graduate groups, whereas the CGCG group had smaller cognitive declines than the FGCG and non-college-graduate groups. Exploratory analyses suggested that physical activity mediated the associations between college graduation and levels of both cognitive outcomes, and income mediated its associations with changes in both outcomes. These findings highlight the potential benefits of college education and provide implications for approaches to supporting first-generation college students and promoting aging adults with different educational backgrounds.
Stereotype embodiment theory states that individuals who hold negative aging stereotypes may internalize them, and thus view their own aging process as negative. This study aimed to evaluate how older adult men may be influenced by their adherence to masculinity standards, such as men are expected to be strong and independent, in older adulthood. A sample of 439 heterosexual men aged 55 and older living in the southern United States was analyzed, finding that participating in masculine behaviors moderated the relationship between negative perceptions of aging and depression. Participants who reported often participating in masculine behaviors and a negative perception of aging had higher levels of depression. Participating in masculine behaviors did not moderate the relationship between depression and positive perceptions of aging. This suggests that masculinity is an important factor to consider for the well-being of older adult men, particularly when paired with a negative perception of aging.
Objective To summarize and compare the literature on social support and its effect on psychological well-being among older adults in low- and middle-income countries of the Asian region. Design A Systematic review. The review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews with identification number CRD42022334415. Data Sources Retrieved data from PubMed, CINAHL (EBSCO), PsycINFO, Scopus, and Cochrane Centre Register of Controlled Trials databases. The literature review was conducted from 2018 to 2024. Review Methods The review complies with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Results Initially, 4,615 records were identified using the predefined search strategy. Out of 95 articles selected for full-text screening, 27 met the inclusion criteria. This review identified family and friends as the primary source of social support, enhancing their overall well-being. The higher levels of social support, whether emotional, informational, companionship, or tangible, improve older adults’ psychological well-being and quality of life, including reduced depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Conclusions The emotional and mental health of older adults can be diminished significantly due to the lack of adequate social support, leading to a cascade of adverse outcomes. This challenge is especially prevalent in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where older adults often struggle to access formal healthcare, social services, and a structured community support system. Promoting robust social networks is crucial for older adults’ well-being and sustainable aging strategies in low-resource settings.
Dementia is a prevalent diagnosis, with individuals and their families affected by disease challenges including dementia-related stigma. Dementia-related stigma may lead to isolation, infantilization, discrimination, and a poorer quality of life. Stigma-reduction interventions have been implemented to combat these harms. This meta-analytic review examined seven dementia-related stigma reduction studies, totaling 13 interventions and 26 effect sizes. Overall, treatment groups had nonsignificant reductions in stigmatizing views (g = -.24) and improved quality of life (g = .20). Quality of life was a significant predictor of stigma reduction (β = -1.0732, P = .004), even though a nonsignificant correlation between quality of life and stigma was found (r = -.49, P = .09). This meta-analytic review highlights the difficult-to-change nature of dementia-related stigma, as well as the dearth of consensus among the field when it comes to intervention methods and measurement protocols for nuanced phenomena like stigma or quality of life.
PurposeThis study examined how transitions in living arrangements are associated with changes in sleep quality and sleep duration among Chinese older adults.Major findingsUsing four waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey data (2008-2018), we examined how living arrangement transitions affect sleep among 10,473 observations from older adults (65+). Cox models showed that older adults who remained living with household members (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.53-0.81; p < .001) or transitioned to living alone (HR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.57-0.89; p = .003) had significantly lower risks of experiencing a decline in sleep quality compared to those who transitioned to institutional care. Although similar patterns were observed for sleep duration, these associations were not statistically significant.ConclusionsOlder adults transitioning to institutional care may warrant additional monitoring and supportive care regarding sleep health during residential transitions.
Indonesian employees in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) often face psychological challenges after retirement due to strong emotional ties to their workplace. This study examined the effectiveness of coping strategy training in enhancing happiness among retired SOE personnel. Using a field-based randomized pretest-posttest design with a comparison group, 556 retirees were assigned to a training group (n = 278) or a comparison group (n = 278). The intervention integrated problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, including laughter techniques and relaxation. Happiness was measured using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire at pretest, posttest (1 month after the intervention), and follow-up assessments at 2 and 3 months, reflecting a longitudinal design to capture sustained effects. Mixed ANOVA results indicate a significant and sustained increase in happiness among participants who received the training. Qualitative findings showed improvements in emotional regulation, meaning-making, social connectedness, and engagement in daily activities, highlighting the potential of structured coping programs to support positive ageing.
This study examines whether aging anxiety (based on terror management theory) or demographic and experiential factors better explain attitudes toward older adults among social work students and professionals. Cross-sectional data were collected via an online survey from a sample of 309 social work students and professionals in Crete. Ageism and aging anxiety were assessed using the relating to older people evaluation scale and the aging anxiety scale. Multivariable analyses revealed that among students, positive attitudes toward older adults were primarily associated with fear of old people, while no significant multivariate predictors were identified for negative attitudes. Among social workers, positive attitudes were negatively associated with psychological concerns, urban origin, and higher educational attainment, and positively associated with fear of losses and early career experience. Negative attitudes were negatively associated with higher educational attainment. These findings underscore the need for targeted education, intergenerational programs, and further research to address ageism in social work practice.
This 6-month randomized controlled trial compared TEAM, a group intervention to reduce stroke risk versus a 6-month wait-list control in Black men with stroke or transient ischemic attack. The primary outcome was the change from baseline to 6 months in systolic blood pressure (SBP). There were 160 randomized, N = 78 to TEAM, N = 82 to Waitlist, mean age 61.2 ( SD 9.5). Attrition was 53.1% and similar across arms. Biomarker values were extracted from health records for individuals with missed visits. Baseline SBP was 135.3 ( SD 17.9). Among the entire sample, SBP was numerically but not statistically significantly reduced with no significant difference between TEAM versus Waitlist. Post-hoc analyses suggested those with elevated baseline blood pressure (BP) had significant BP reduction in the group as a whole and in TEAM. Future research might target Black men with poorly controlled BP and address barriers to engaging in risk reduction programs.
Grandparenting is a form of social participation that can be beneficial to healthy ageing. However, the barriers and facilitating factors to grandparenting are under-investigated. This systematic review aimed to collate identified barriers and facilitating factors to grandparenting in older adults by conducting systematic searches of PsycINFO, Medline and CINAHL. Forty-nine studies that assessed at least one grandparental involvement variable in adults aged 60 years with at least one grandchild were included. Our findings highlighted the interrelated relationship between four main themes of barriers and facilitating factors to grandparenting: Demographic factors, Individual factors, Social factors and Intergenerational factors. Positive intergenerational relationships facilitated grandparental involvement while conflicts around technology and demographic disparities acted as barriers. The identified barriers and facilitators suggested a potential need for interventions to strengthen intergenerational relationships and improve grandparents' access to social services, as well as for theoretical frameworks that integrate structural constraints with relational and developmental processes.
This study examines the association between yoga practice and multidimensional health outcomes among older adults in India using nationally representative data from LASI Wave 1 (2017-2018). The analysis includes 28,482 individuals aged 60 years and above. Yoga participation was categorized by frequency, and its association with cognitive function, social engagement, physical activity, sleep quality, depressive symptoms, functional health, and life satisfaction was assessed. Older adults who practiced yoga demonstrated better cognitive performance, greater social participation, higher life satisfaction-particularly among daily practitioners-improved sleep quality, and higher levels of physical activity. Daily yoga practice was also associated with fewer depressive symptoms and functional limitations. However, yoga participation across all frequencies was linked to increased reports of pain. A mixed dose-response pattern suggests that more frequent practice is associated with more favorable physical and mental health outcomes. These findings support integrating yoga-based interventions into public health strategies to promote healthy aging in India.
