Climate change poses a growing threat to public health, disproportionately impacting older adults who are more vulnerable to extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods. The present study aims to examine generational differences in climate anxiety among South Korean adults using nationally representative data from the 2024 Social Survey. We analyzed climate change prevalence and associated factors across three age groups: young adults (aged 20-39), middle-aged adults (aged 40-59), and older adults (aged 60 and older). Results indicate a significant increase in climate anxiety from 2022 to 2024, with 53.2% of respondents expressing anxiety. Among them, 41.1% reported moderate anxiety, while 12.1% experienced severe anxiety. Climate anxiety levels showed generational differences: Climate anxiety levels were higher among middle-aged adults (57.5%) and younger adults (52.15%) than older adults (50.3%). Additionally, across all three age groups, those who are younger, women, and living in urban areas tended to have higher levels of climate anxiety. This suggests possible generational differences in risk perception, adaptation, or psychological resilience. As climate-related disasters become more frequent, these findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions. Policies should prioritize psychological resilience-building and developing age-sensitive risk communication strategies. Future research should explore coping mechanisms, long-term mental health impacts, and policy implications for different generations in the context of climate challenges.

Despite tremendous growth in the number of persons with dementia (PWD), little is known about the distinct social and multi-morbidity profiles that characterize PWD and whether they differ by race/ethnicity. We conducted a latent class analysis examining 653,832 PWD age ≥50 years using Medicare and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Health Administration data from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020. We triangulated multiple sources of data (e.g., geocode, health factors, VA’s Homeless Operations Management System) to identify distinct typologies of social risk and multi-morbidity. We found three distinct latent clusters defining multi-morbidity: (1) “Minimal Comorbidity” (49.6%); (2) “High Medical-Cardiac” (28.3%); (3) “Medical-High Depression/Sleep Disorder” (22.1%). We also found three clusters for social risk: (1) “Low-Moderate Social Risk” (92.1%); (2) “High Social Risk-Low Social Support/Housing Instability” (2.6%); and (3) “High Social Risk-Alcohol Abuse/Tobacco Dependence” (5.3%). These three-cluster multi-morbidity and social risk profiles differed by racial/ethnic groups. Notably, Non-Hispanic Black PWD had prominent diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (over 50%) in multi-morbidity class 3, and additionally high drug abuse (over 60%) in social risk class 3. While Multiracial PWD had higher overall social risk, including high financial strain (over 60%) in social risk class 2, and Hispanic PWD had lower medical concerns in multi-morbidity class 3 but higher cardiac concerns in class 2. Establishing social and multi-morbidity profiles of PWD quantifies heterogeneity in this highly vulnerable population. These findings may help inform a more personalized, effective, and equitable approach to dementia care and provide opportunities to tailor intervention/prevention.

Among older adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCC), poor mental health increases the risk for morbidity and mortality. Hispanic/Latino older adults are more likely to sustain early onset of MCC and age in poverty, with poorer access to health care, and greater functional limitations. However, most research on mental health related to MCC has focused primarily on non-Hispanic/Latino populations. This symposium aims to highlight findings on the mental health of Hispanic/Latino older adults with MCC through a range of approaches, including in-depth interviews, community-based approaches, and national and cross-national studies. Camacho et al. address the assessment of loneliness and wellbeing narratives among Hispanic/Latino older adults with MCC and chronic pain, highlighting the importance of culturally-informed assessments. De Main et al. discuss barriers and facilitators to recruitment of this population for mental health research, in partnership with community-based organizations. Malatyali et al. present findings from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) on the disproportionate burden of poor psychological outcomes in Hispanic/Latino older adults with MCC. Finally, Bishop examines the comparability of depressive symptom indicators across the HRS and the Mexican Health and Aging Study, informing cross-national examinations of depressive symptoms and comorbidities among Mexican-origin older adults. Overall, these papers will provide insights and recommendations into issues of assessment, engagement, and best practices in the evaluation of mental health in Hispanic/Latino older adults with MCC. The findings will be discussed with attention to cultural and contextual factors, and highlight implications for future interventions to improve mental health outcomes in this community.

People with significant health anxiety may experience brain-gut dysregulation, leading to increased visceral sensitivity and greater gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. Positive affect (PA), on the other hand, may serve as a protective characteristic, buffering the negative impact of health anxiety on GI symptoms. This study investigated interrelationships between health anxiety, PA, and GI symptoms. Longitudinal data were collected on health anxiety, PA, and GI symptoms via an online survey from 861 adults at two timepoints, 4 weeks apart. Regression models were conducted to examine the moderating effect of PA at baseline on future GI symptoms. Greater health anxiety at baseline predicted GI symptoms at follow-up, whereas higher levels of PA predicted reduced GI symptoms at follow-up. Post hoc testing revealed that PA significantly moderated the relationship between health anxiety and GI symptoms over time, such that higher levels of PA attenuated the effect of health anxiety on belly pain, nausea and vomiting, and reflux at follow-up. This study provides preliminary evidence PA may buffer the negative impact of health anxiety on GI symptoms. Future studies should explore whether the promotion of PA through interventions similarly attenuates health related anxiety's impact on GI symptoms.

Background: PrEP, a biomedical HIV prevention option, continues to be underutilized among transgender women who could benefit from sustained use, especially women of color and those who identify as Latina and/or reside in the southeastern US. Objective: We explored the barriers and facilitators experienced by transgender women who live in Florida regarding accessing, using, and/or staying on PrEP. Methods: In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted in either Spanish or English with adult transgender women living in Florida (N = 22). The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded in ATLAS.ti using thematic analyses. Results: The mean age of the participants was 42.2 years. Among the participants, 73% were Hispanic/Latina, 59% were foreign-born, and approximately one-third were living with HIV (but had past experience with PrEP). Transgender women cited the following barriers to accessing or considering PrEP: (1) costs and benefits of PrEP use; (2) under-representation in clinical trials resulting in unknown or misinformation regarding PrEP side effects; (3) chronic poverty; and (4) trauma and discrimination. Other stressors, such as behavioral healthcare needs, were identified. Conclusions: Our analysis revealed interlocking systems of oppression like transphobia, discrimination, and misgendering, which were common barriers experienced by our participants. These synergistically epidemic (i.e., syndemic) barriers contributed to their feelings of being systematically excluded in social spaces, research, public health planning and policies, laws, and social programs related to PrEP. These structural barriers are impediments to HIV preventive care but also act as a source of stress that contributes to mental health problems, financial vulnerability, substance abuse, and other deleterious health outcomes.

Background: Older Latino adults with HIV are at increased risk for mild cognitive impairment and earlier onset of aging-relatedcognitive decline. Improvements in cognitive functioning and cognitive outcomes are possible among people with HIV who adopthealth promotion behaviors. However, health promotion interventions for older Latino adults with HIV have not been extensivelyused or widely recognized as viable treatment options. Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) is a multicomponent, healthpromotion intervention that is uniquely tailored for older Latino adults with HIV.Objective: This study aims to (1) determine the feasibility and acceptability of an adapted version of HOLA aimed at improvingcognitive functioning among older Latino adults with HIV; (2) explore whether HOLA will produce changes in cognitivefunctioning; (3) explore whether HOLA will produce changes in activity, psychosocial functioning, or biomarkers of cognition;and (4) explore whether changes in activity, psychosocial functioning or cognitive biomarkers correlate with changes in cognition,while accounting for genetic risk for dementia.Methods: A single-arm pilot trial with 30 Latino (aged 50 years and older) men and women with HIV was conducted to assessfeasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects on cognition. Participants were assessed at 2 time points (baseline andpostintervention) on measures of neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning. In addition, blood samples were collected todetermine biomarkers of cognition at baseline and postintervention. Successful recruitment was defined as meeting 100% of thetargeted sample (N=30), with 20% (n=6) or less of eligible participants refusing to participate. Adequate retention was definedas 85% (n=25) or more of participants completing the postintervention assessment and acceptability was defined as 80% (n=38)or more of sessions attended by participants.Results: Participant recruitment began on February 22, 2022, and was completed on August 15, 2022. The last study visit tookplace on February 20, 2023. Data analysis is currently ongoing Conclusions: Encouraging findings from this exploratory study may provide a blueprint for scaling up the HOLA interventionto a larger cohort of older Latino adults with HIV who may be currently experiencing or are at risk for HIV-related cognitivechallenges.

Background Important gaps exist in our understanding of loneliness and biobehavioral outcomes among sexual minority men (SMM), such as faster HIV disease progression. At the same time, SMM who use methamphetamine are approximately one-third more likely than non-users to develop cardiovascular disease. This study examined associations of loneliness, stimulant use, and cardiovascular risk in SMM with and without HIV. Method Participants were enrolled from August 2020 to February 2022 in a 6-month prospective cohort study. The study leveraged self-report baseline data from 103 SMM, with a subset of 56 SMM that provided a blood sample to measure markers of cardiovascular risk. Results Loneliness showed negative bivariate associations with total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol in the cardiometabolic subsample (n = 56). SMM with methamphetamine use (t(101) = 2.03, p < .05; d = .42) and those that screened positive for a stimulant use disorder (t(101) = 2.07, p < .05; d = .46) had significantly higher mean loneliness scores. In linear regression analyses, negative associations of loneliness with LDL and total cholesterol were observed only among SMM who used methamphetamine. Conclusion We observed lower cholesterol in SMM reporting loneliness and methamphetamine use. Thus, in addition to the observed associations of loneliness with cholesterol, there are important medical consequences of methamphetamine use including cardiovascular risk, higher HIV acquisition risk and progression, as well as stimulant overdose death. This cross-sectional study underscores the need for clinical research to develop and test interventions targeting loneliness among SMM with stimulant use disorders.

Older people of color, those who are socially isolated, veterans, and incarcerated older adults experience disparities in mental healthcare and high levels of psychiatric and physical comorbidity, including increased risk of suicide. The identification of risk factors and understanding the culture and context that impact risk are major public health challenges. Effective approaches to address these challenges are likely to involve using national databases and applying advanced methodologies to address complex clinical questions in older adults. By leveraging extensive epidemiological datasets, we can effectively pinpoint risk factors and consequences associated with mental health disorders in later stages of life. Moreover, these datasets allow us to disaggregate heterogeneous groups which are often treated as homogeneous (e.g. people of color, veterans, etc.). This disaggregation may reveal significant within group differences and provide important contextual information regarding these groups which can be used to deliver precision mental healthcare in an efficient manner and reduce the burden of mental illness in late life. In this session, we will explore innovative methodologies of utilizing national datasets to discern the cultural and contextual elements that impact the mental health and well-being of four high-risk, older adult populations. Emphasis will be placed on identifying patterns in mental healthcare disparities and comprehending how factors such as race, ethnicity, sex, gender, and incarceration contribute to feelings of loneliness, suicide rates, and dementia. Furthermore, we will also discuss the potential application of this data in developing precise risk assessment tools and targeted prevention and treatment strategies. interventions for late-life mental health issues.

BACKGROUND:There is clear evidence that loneliness and social isolation have profound health consequences. Documenting the associations of loneliness and social isolation with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms, disease severity, and treatment outcomes could meaningfully improve health and quality of life in patients with IBD. PURPOSE:The purpose of this narrative review was to synthesize the empirical evidence on the associations of loneliness and social isolation with IBD symptoms, disease severity, and treatment outcomes. METHODS:Articles were identified through systematic database searches. Quantitative studies that enrolled patients with IBD were included if they examined one of the following outcomes: (a) loneliness or social isolation or (b) IBD-related symptoms, disease severity, or treatment outcomes. RESULTS:We identified 1,816 articles after removing duplicates. Of the 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria, 15 were cross-sectional and 3 were longitudinal. Overall, studies found that loneliness was associated with greater disease activity, functional gastrointestinal symptoms, IBD illness stigma, depressive symptoms, daily IBD symptom burden, reduced resilience, and poorer quality of life. Social isolation was associated with higher prevalence of IBD hospitalizations, premature mortality, and depression. CONCLUSIONS:Findings suggest that loneliness and social isolation are associated with poorer health and quality of life in patients with IBD. Prospective cohort studies examining the biobehavioral mechanisms accounting for the associations of loneliness and social isolation with IBD-related outcomes are needed to guide the development of psychological interventions for individuals living with IBD.

Unützer et al. examined the feasibility of partnering with community-based organizations to enhance standard collaborative care and the impact on older adults with depression. Collaborative care has demonstrated effectiveness in improving late-life depression within primary care settings. Still, clinics offering collaborative care find it challenging to address unmet needs that may impact the severity of patients’ depressive symptoms. Primary care clinics' partnerships with community-based organizations that have dedicated training and resources to address older adults’ unmet needs and social determinants of health have the potential to strengthen depression treatment.

Background Older Latino adults with HIV are at increased risk for mild cognitive impairment and earlier onset of aging-related cognitive decline. Improvements in cognitive functioning and cognitive outcomes are possible among people with HIV who adopt health promotion behaviors. However, health promotion interventions for older Latino adults with HIV have not been extensively used or widely recognized as viable treatment options. Happy Older Latinos are Active (HOLA) is a multicomponent, health promotion intervention that is uniquely tailored for older Latino adults with HIV. Objective This study aims to (1) determine the feasibility and acceptability of an adapted version of HOLA aimed at improving cognitive functioning among older Latino adults with HIV; (2) explore whether HOLA will produce changes in cognitive functioning; (3) explore whether HOLA will produce changes in activity, psychosocial functioning, or biomarkers of cognition; and (4) explore whether changes in activity, psychosocial functioning or cognitive biomarkers correlate with changes in cognition, while accounting for genetic risk for dementia. Methods A single-arm pilot trial with 30 Latino (aged 50 years and older) men and women with HIV was conducted to assess feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects on cognition. Participants were assessed at 2 time points (baseline and postintervention) on measures of neurocognitive and psychosocial functioning. In addition, blood samples were collected to determine biomarkers of cognition at baseline and postintervention. Successful recruitment was defined as meeting 100% of the targeted sample (N=30), with 20% (n=6) or less of eligible participants refusing to participate. Adequate retention was defined as 85% (n=25) or more of participants completing the postintervention assessment and acceptability was defined as 80% (n=38) or more of sessions attended by participants. Results Participant recruitment began on February 22, 2022, and was completed on August 15, 2022. The last study visit took place on February 20, 2023. Data analysis is currently ongoing. Conclusions Encouraging findings from this exploratory study may provide a blueprint for scaling up the HOLA intervention to a larger cohort of older Latino adults with HIV who may be currently experiencing or are at risk for HIV-related cognitive challenges. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04791709; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04791709 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/55507

Abstract Larger social network size, a measure of social isolation, has been linked to better cognitive function in older adults. Research indicates that stress-related immune and endocrine pathways may activate in socially isolated adults and negatively impact brain tissue. This study examined whether Latine adults reporting poorer social network quality but holding familial cultural values that prioritize closeness and loyalty in the family group experienced worse cognitive function. Cross-sectional multiple regression and moderation analyses were used to evaluate the influence of familism (via MACVS Obligations and Support scale) on relations between Lubben Social Network Scale score and National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center cognitive domains in midlife Latine adults (n=51). Participants were predominantly female (92.16%), white (80.39%), and married or partnered (62.75%). The mean age of this sample was 52.84 (SD=4.89) years. Differential interaction effects were identified after adjusting for age, sex, race, income, and education level: familism strengthened relations between social network and episodic memory (β =.112, p = 0.019), and semantic memory (β =.059, p = 0.022) and weakened those with visuospatial (β =-.017, p = 0.044), executive function (β =-.04, p = 0.05), and verbal fluency (β = -.075, p = 0.046). These findings suggest that familism may be protective of visuospatial, executive function, and fluency domains, while semantic and episodic memory are more vulnerable in familism-aligned but socially isolated, aging Latine adults. Further evidence is necessary, however, to support the development of targeted interventions and support systems addressing cognitive health disparities in Latine adults.

With advancements in disease prevention and treatment, the United States (U.S.) is currently experiencing a long-awaited “Silver Tsunami.” With one-in-six Americans currently over the age of 65, 1 Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related StatisticsOlder Americans 2020: Key Indicators of Well-Being. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC2020 Google Scholar this number is expected to grow to over 20% by 2030, the time the last of the baby boom cohort reaches older adulthood, and well past 25% by 2060. Furthermore, the U.S. older adult population is becoming increasingly diverse with distinct needs that will continue to evolve as they age. Currently, one-in-four older adults identify as non-White with projections indicating that by 2044, most older Americans will identify as a person of color. 1 Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related StatisticsOlder Americans 2020: Key Indicators of Well-Being. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC2020 Google Scholar Finally, estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) predict a “Silver Tsunami” within the HIV community mirroring that of the general population, with those aged 50 or older accounting for nearly 70% of people with HIV by 2030. 2 Wing EJ. HIV and aging. Int J Infect Dis. Dec; 53:61-68. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2016.10.004. Google Scholar