Health literacy, sociodemographic factors, and cognitive training in the active study of older adults

The impact of sociodemographic and health aspects on cognitive performance in the older adult population in the republic of Serbia

The aim of this study was to investigate how sociodemographic and health factors contribute cognitive abilities in the older population of the Republic of Serbia, using data from the 2019 national health survey. The study included 3,743 participants, of whom 2,061 (55.1%) were women and 1,682 (44.9%) were men. The median age of all participants was 72 (10) years. Study used logistic regression on cross-sectional data to analyze how education, social support, and healthcare access affect cognitive abilities, while adjusting for demographic variables. The results revealed negative associations between higher levels of education and lower odds of experiencing memory and concentration problems, while recent visits to specialists were positively associated with increased risk for the same. The highest percentage of participants (22.6%) reporting major difficulties in memory and concentration were in the age group of 85-89 years (p < 0.001). A statistically significant relationship was found between social support and issues related to memory and concentration (p < 0.001). Social support emerged as a significant factor in preserving cognitive abilities. The discussion underscores the need for a comprehensive approach in promoting cognitive health, taking into account education, social integration, and access to healthcare as key factors. The study acknowledges its limitations, including its cross-sectional nature and potential subjective biases in self-assessment of cognitive abilities. Future research should incorporate longitudinal studies and more objective measures of cognitive abilities.

Concept analysis of "Insufficient health literacy" in older adults and refinement of a diagnosis proposal

PURPOSE

This study aims to conduct a thorough analysis of the concept of insufficient health literacy (IHL) in older adults and to refine a nursing diagnosis proposal while considering the specific characteristics of this demographic.

METHODS

A comprehensive concept analysis was undertaken using Walker & Avant's method as a framework.

FINDINGS

A systematic search across seventeen databases yielded 29 relevant studies for inclusion. Through analysis, we identified 15 antecedents, 3 attributes, and 7 consequents associated with IHL in older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

The concept analysis brought clarity to the understanding of IHL within older adults, facilitating the refinement of a diagnosis proposal. This process was instrumental in establishing a diagnostic structure that accounts for the unique needs and challenges faced by older adults.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

The structured diagnosis derived from the concept analysis provides a solid theoretical foundation for nurses specializing in Gerontology. By tailoring care interventions to address the specific requirements of older adults, this framework enhances the quality of nursing practice and contributes to improved patient outcomes in geriatric care settings.

The association between health literacy and pedestrian safety behavior among adults: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCTION

Pedestrians are considered the most vulnerable and complex road users as human behavior constitutes one of the fundamental reasons for traffic-related incidents involving pedestrians. However, the role of health literacy as a predictor of Pedestrian safety behavior remains underexplored. Therefore, the current study was designed to examine the level of health literacy and its association with the safety behavior of adult pedestrians in the city of Tabriz.

METHODS

This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among individuals aged 18 to 65 years in the metropolitan area of Tabriz from January to April 2023. Data were collected using the HELIA standard questionnaire (Health Literacy Instrument for adults), comprising 33 items across 5 domains (access, reading, understanding, appraisal, decision-making and behavior), as well as the Pedestrian Behavior Questionnaire (PBQ) consisting of 29 items. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (independent t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient) via SPSS-22 software.

RESULTS

Based on the results, 94% (376 individuals) had excellent health literacy levels, and their safety behavior scores were at a good level. Health literacy and safety behavior were higher among the age group of 31 to 45 years, women, married individuals, those who read books, and individuals with higher education. However, safety behavior showed no significant association with education level (P > 0.05). There was a significant and positive relationship between health literacy and all its domains and pedestrian safety behavior (r = 0.369, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the significant impact of health literacy on pedestrians' safety behavior. The findings reveal that higher levels of health literacy are associated with better safety behavior among individuals aged 18 to 63. Demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, and education level also play a role in shaping both health literacy and safety behavior. By recognizing these relationships, interventions can be tailored to improve health literacy levels and promote safer pedestrian practices, ultimately contributing to a healthier and safer community in Tabriz city.

Health literacy in older adults: The newest vital sign and its relation to cognition and healthy lifestyle behaviors

Health literacy tends to decrease with age, and lower health literacy has been associated with lower levels of physical function, mental health, and medication adherence. The present study examined health literacy in relation to cognition in a sample of community-dwelling older adults. The study also examined the impact of health literacy on engagement in healthy aging lifestyle behaviors. Participants included 128 older adults (age: M = 72.07, SD = 6.71; education: M = 16.34, SD = 2.56; 74% female) who completed a health literacy measure (Newest Vital Sign; NVS), a lifestyle behavior questionnaire (Healthy Aging Activity Engagement scale; HAAE), and several neuropsychological tests. The cognitive domains assessed included memory, executive function, and attention/working memory. Two variables were computed from the NVS to represent the health literacy factors of document and numeracy literacy; these factors demonstrated a small correlation (r = .18). Results revealed that attention/working memory, executive function, and memory were all significantly related to numeracy literacy and overall health literacy. Only memory was significantly related to document literacy. After accounting for age, education, and cognition, a hierarchical regression revealed that health literacy significantly predicted engagement in healthy aging lifestyle behaviors. Multiple cognitive abilities are necessary for searching, finding, and processing information to make health-related decisions. Health literacy accounted for a significant amount of variance in older adults' engagement in everyday lifestyle behaviors. Health literacy skills may be an area of focus for intervention efforts to improve brain health in older adults.

Health literacy mediates the relationships of cognitive and physical functions with health-related quality of life in older adults

Background

Declining cognitive function (CF) and physical function (PF) relate to poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older adults. As health literacy (HL) facilitates health information utilization, it may mediate links between functionality and HRQoL appraisals. This study examined HL as an intermediary between joint CF and PF contributions and HRQoL in Hong Kong older adults.

Methods

490 older adults aged 50-80 years completed assessments from March to July 2021. Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire Short Form 12 questions (HLS-SF12), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Senior Fitness Test (SFT) and 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (SF-12v2) were used to assess HL, CF, PF and HRQoL, respectively. Path analysis tested a model with HL mediating CF/PF predictors and HRQoL outcome.

Results

Results for direct effects indicated that CF significantly associated with PF (β = 0.115, SE = 0.012, p < 0.001), PF significantly connected to HL (β = 0.101, SE = 0.022, p < 0.001), and HL significantly related to HRQoL (β = 0.457, SE = 0.049, p < 0.001). Meanwhile, PF significantly linked to HRQoL directly (β = 0.156, SE = 0.025, p < 0.001) as well as indirectly (β = 0.046, 95% CI [0.028, 0.067]). Significant mediating effect of HL was found on the relationship of PF and HRQoL.

Conclusion

Findings confirm CF and PF joint impacts on HL and HRQoL in older adults, elucidating HL's mediating role in translating functionality levels into HRQoL. Fostering enduring health knowledge access may thus buffer effects of age-related declines on well-being. Results can inform interventions leveraging this pathway to promote resilient trajectories.

Social prescribing for older adults in mainland Portugal: Perceptions and future prospects

Background

In order to address health inequalities, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and promote older adults' quality of life, it is necessary to explore non-medical approaches such as social prescribing. Social prescribing is a person-centered approach that allows health professionals to refer patients to services provided by the social and community sectors. This study aimed to explore older adults' perceptions of social prescribing in mainland Portugal and to identify factors associated with these perceptions, providing insights for future implementation strategies.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 613 older adults aged 65 to 93. Participants' sociodemographic, economic, and health characteristics were assessed, along with their perceptions of social prescribing's benefits and activity interest.

Results

Over 75% of respondents agreed that social prescribing would benefit the health system and their community. Most participants (87.7% and 89.7%, respectively) thought that activities like personal protection and development activities and cultural enrichment would be particularly relevant to them. Factors such as marital status, education, health status, and pain/discomfort levels influenced the perceived relevance of these activities.

Conclusion

This study reveals that older adults in mainland Portugal are open to social prescribing and suggests that tailored interventions considering individual preferences and characteristics can lead to more effective implementation and equal access to social prescribing. Further research and policy efforts should focus on integrating social prescribing into the healthcare system to support healthy aging in Portugal.

Online health information searching and health literacy among middle-aged and older adults: A cross-sectional study

Given the rapid increase in health information available, health literacy is now more important than ever when searching for health information online. Furthermore, health literacy and online health information searching are reported to be associated with support from others. In this study, we examined the associations of health literacy and social support with online health information searching among individuals in their 50s and 60s. Between March and May 2022, an anonymous self-administered questionnaire was administered among 750 middle-aged and older adults (age 50-69) living in northern Japan. The questionnaire items included personal characteristics, frequency of online health information searching, health literacy domains, and social support. A total of 237 respondents answered all the items (response rate: 31.6%). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that communicative health literacy was significantly associated with searching for information about illnesses and health promotion, while critical health literacy was significantly associated with searching for information about medical institutions. Controlling for personal characteristics, health literacy, was associated with online health information searching, suggesting that improving health literacy is important in a digital and information society.

Which factors preceding dementia identification impact future healthcare use trajectories: multilevel analyses in administrative data

BACKGROUND

Healthcare use patterns preceding a diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Diseases (ADRD) may be associated with the quality of healthcare use trajectories (HUTs) after diagnosis. We aimed to identify determinants of future favorable HUTs, notably healthcare use preceding ADRD identification.

METHODS

This nationwide retrospective observational study was conducted on subjects with incident ADRD identified in 2012 in the French health insurance database. We studied the 12-month healthcare use ranging between 18 and 6 months preceding ADRD identification. The five-year HUTs after ADRD identification were qualified by experts as favorable or not. In order to take into account geographical differences in healthcare supply, we performed mixed random effects multilevel multivariable logistic regression model to identify determinants of future favorable HUTs. Analyses were stratified by age group (65-74, 75-84, ≥ 85).

RESULTS

Being a woman, and preventive and specialist care preceding ADRD identification increased the probability of future favorable HUT, whereas institutionalization, comorbidities, medical transportation and no reimbursed drug during [-18;-6] months decreased it. Besides, some specificities appeared according to age groups. Among the 65-74 years subjects, anxiolytic dispensing preceding ADRD identification decreased the probability of future favorable HUT. In the 75-84 years group, unplanned hospitalization and emergency room visit preceding ADRD identification decreased this probability. Among subjects aged 85 and older, short hospitalization preceding ADRD identification increased the probability of future favorable HUTs.

CONCLUSION

Regular healthcare use with preventive and specialist care preceding ADRD identification increased the probability of future favorable HUTs whereas dependency decreased it.

Predictors of successful natural sleep MRI for sensorineural hearing loss in infants

OBJECTIVES

Cochlear implantation (CI) in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) before 12 months of age (mo) improves language outcomes. MRI is important to assess CI candidacy. Anesthesia before 3 years old may increase risk of neurocognitive delay. Natural sleep MRI (NS-MRI) is an emerging technique to avoid anesthesia in infants, but relies on successful sleep for adequate imaging. Our multidisciplinary team hypothesized the following predictors of successful NS-MRI for CI evaluation: age, distance travelled, comorbidities, primary language, insurance type, HL characteristics, time and duration of MRI.

METHODS

We performed retrospective review of children 0-12mo who attempted NS-MRI. The NS-MRI was successful if imaging was sufficient for definitive clinical management per the managing otolaryngologist.

RESULTS

Among 26 patients (29 scans), the median age was 3.2mo (range: 1.2-6.8mo), distance travelled was 16.3 miles (range: 0.9 to 365 miles), 12 (46%) children had medical comorbidities. 8 (31%) had public insurance. 10 (38%) had bilateral HL. 52% (15/29) of scans were successful. Patients with comorbidities had significantly lower odds of successful NS-MRI (OR 0.09; 95% CI 0.01-0.54). Success was not associated with age, distance travelled, insurance type, primary language, HL characteristics, time or duration of MRI on univariable analysis. All 11 children who failed NS-MRI underwent hearing-aid fitting and/or imaging with sedation and CI as clinically indicated before 12mo.

CONCLUSION

NS-MRI was successful in 52% of infants, regardless of age, demographics, HL or MRI characteristics. Unsuccessful NS-MRI did not result in delayed intervention. NS-MRI is an effective consideration for a broad range of infants with SNHL.

The Multidimensionality of Low Health Literacy in Older Adults: A Scoping Review of International Studies

This scoping review aims to map the dimensions encompassing the low health literacy (HL) of older adults, describing their respective causes and consequences. A three-step search strategy was conducted using 16 databases from nine portals and reference lists. Of the 4,259 identified studies, 2,845 were screened and 29 (1%) were included. Studies were published between 1999 and 2021, most of them in English (86.2%), from the American continent (48.3%) and with observational design (86.2%). Four dimensions encompassing the low HL of older adults were mapped: (1) patient dimension, (2) healthcare system dimension, (3) social/economic dimension, and (4) health condition dimension. This review highlights specific dimensions encompassing the low literacy in older adults with evidence about its causes and consequences. These results can guide future research and evidence-based practice involving HL of older adults.

Active aging awareness and well-being among older adults in Portugal

Objective

This study aims to assess the active aging awareness of older adults in mainland Portugal and their levels of overall well-being and to identify social and health-related factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with a representative sample of 613 older adults, aged 65 or older, who participated in the PROKnos - Knowing Social Prescribing needs of the elderly study in Portugal. The questionnaire consisted of the Active Ageing Awareness Questionnaire and the World Health Organization - Five Well-Being Index, as well as sociodemographic, economic, and health status questions. Correlation coefficients, t-tests for independent samples, and one-way ANOVA were used to explore potential associations between variables.

Results

The active aging awareness levels were significantly higher for women (p = 0.031), and those who were younger (p = 0.011), more educated (p < 0.001), had a better financial situation (p < 0.001), and had better health (p < 0.001). The same pattern was found for well-being, except in relation to gender, as men had higher levels (p = 0.016). These variables were found to be correlated.

Discussion

Even though active aging is an important strategy to implement, it is indispensable to consider the perceptions and conditions that need to be in place before that. This study reveals that several social and health-related factors are associated with well-being and active aging awareness, as well as the differences between groups that exist in mainland Portugal in relation to that. This emphasizes how vital it is to address social inequalities in active aging efforts, which are not necessarily uncovered when only considering actual active aging measures.

Measuring Digital Vaccine Literacy: Development and Psychometric Assessment of the Digital Vaccine Literacy Scale

BACKGROUND

The use of the internet to look for information about vaccines has skyrocketed in the last years, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital vaccine literacy (DVL) refers to understanding, trust, appraisal, and application of vaccine-related information online.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to develop a tool measuring DVL and assess its psychometric properties.

METHODS

A 7-item online questionnaire was administered to 848 French adults. Different psychometric analyses were performed, including descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and convergent and discriminant validity.

RESULTS

We developed the 7-item DVL scale composed of 3 factors (understanding and trust official information; understanding and trust information in social media; and appraisal of vaccine information online in terms of evaluation of the information and its application for decision making). The mean DVL score of the baseline sample of 848 participants was 19.5 (SD 2.8) with a range of 7-28. The median score was 20. Scores were significantly different by gender (P=.24), age (P=.03), studying or working in the field of health (P=.01), and receiving regular seasonal flu shots (P=.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The DVL tool showed good psychometric proprieties, resulting in a promising measure of DVL.

Do Health Information Sources Influence Health Literacy among Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Urban Areas of Western China

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have found that the dissemination pattern and delivery mechanism of information can provide crucial resources and empowerment for individuals to the promotion of health literacy. The present study investigates how health information sources are associated with health literacy among older adults in west China, and tries to explain the mechanisms underlying the link between health information sources and health literacy in the Chinese context.

METHODS

The cross-sectional study employed a representative sample of 812 urban citizens aged 60 and older in 2017 in Western China.

RESULTS

We found that health information sources including healthcare practitioners (B = 4.577, p < 0.001), neighbors (B = 2.545, p < 0.05), newspapers (B = 4.280, p < 0.001), and television (B = 4.638, p < 0.001) were positively associated with health literacy. Additionally, age (B = -1.781, p < 0.001) was negatively associated with health literacy, and the socio-economic status factors including minority (B = -10.005, p < 0.001), financial strain status of perceived very difficult (B = -10.537, p < 0.001), primary school (B = 11.461, p < 0.001), junior high school (B = 18.016, p < 0.001), polytechnic school or senior high school (B = 21.905, p < 0.001), college and above (B = 23.433, p < 0.001) were significantly linked to health literacy, and suffering from chronic diseases (B = 3.430, p < 0.01) was also positively related to health literacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Health information sources including healthcare practitioners, neighbors, newspapers, and television have a strong influence on health literacy, which implies that the four main types of sources are the important patterns of health information dissemination in the reinforcement of health literacy. In addition, the present findings also indicate age, minority and disease differences in health literacy and confirm the influence of enabling factors including educational attainment and financial strain on health literacy. Based on these findings and their implications, specific evidence is presented for the reinforcement of health literacy in interpersonal and mass communication, and in the educational and financial settings in the Chinese context. The present results also suggest that the age-specific, minority-specific and disease-specific measures should be taken to promote health literacy among older adults.

Development of a short-form Chinese health literacy scale for low salt consumption (CHLSalt-22) and its validation among hypertensive patients

Background

With the accelerated pace of people’s life and the changing dietary patterns, the number of chronic diseases is increasing and occurring at a younger age in today’s society. The speedily rising hypertensive patients have become one of the main risk factors for chronic diseases. People should focus on health literacy related to salt consumption and reach a better quality of life. Currently, there is a lack of local assessment tools for low salt consumption in mainland China.

Objective

To develop a short-form version of the Chinese Health Literacy Scale For Low Salt Consumption instrument for use in mainland China.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was conducted on a sample of 1472 people in Liaoxi, China. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Chinese version of the CHLSalt-22, the measuring change in restriction of salt (sodium) in the diet in hypertensives (MCRSDH-SUST), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and the Benefit-Finding Scales (BFS) to test the hypothesis. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to examine the underlying factor structure of the CHLSalt-22. One month later, 37 patients who participated in the first test were recruited to evaluate the test-retest reliability.

Results

The CHLSalt-22 demonstrated adequate internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, satisfactory construct validity, convergent validity and discriminant validity. The CHLSalt-22 count scores were correlated with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), education level, income, occupation, the Measuring Change in Restriction of Salt (sodium) in Diet in Hypertensives (MCRSDH-SUST), the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ), and the Benefit-Finding Scales (BFS).

Conclusion

The results indicate that the Chinese Health Literacy Scale For Low Salt Consumption (CHLSalt-22) version has good reliability and validity and can be considered a tool to assess health literacy related to salt consumption in health screenings.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Correspondence Between Subjective Cognitive Ratings and Cognitive Impairment

OBJECTIVES

Responding to racial/ethnic disparities in dementia diagnosis and care, we examined the role of race/ethnicity in the correspondence between subjective and objective ratings of cognitive impairment. Our examination focused on the two types of discordance: (1) positive ratings in the presence of cognitive impairment and (2) negative ratings in the absence of cognitive impairment.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional assessment was conducted using the data from the Harmonized Cognitive Assessment Protocol project, a sub-study of the Health and Retirement Study. Our analytic sample included 3,096 participants: 2,257 non-Hispanic Whites, 498 Blacks, and 341 Hispanics.

MEASUREMENTS

Discordant groups were identified based on self-ratings of cognition (positive versus negative) and the Langa-Weir classification of cognitive impairment (normal versus impaired).

RESULTS

Blacks and Hispanics were more prone to falsely positive perceptions of their cognitive function in the presence of cognitive impairment than non-Hispanic Whites. On the other hand, non-Hispanic Whites were more likely to manifest negative ratings even in the absence of cognitive impairment.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate the critical role of race/ethnicity in determining discordance between subjective and objective measures of cognition and highlight the importance of a tailored effort to promote dementia diagnosis and care.

Scoping review: Influence of cisgender male and female genders on health literacy of the elderly people

This scoping review mapped out the relevant literature, identified gaps and made suggestions on the influence of cisgender on the health literacy (HL) of the elderly people. This scoping review was guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist. The databases Wiley Online Library™ and Elsevier™ were searched for academic articles published in the English language between February 2011 and February 2021 that met a pre-set criteria of content. The process of selection of sources of evidence based on screening and eligibility of evidence reduced the initially identified 153 sources of evidence in the searched databases to 14 sources of evidence. The content of these 14 sources of evidence was mapped out on a charting table where data was summarised and synthesised individually and collectively by the authors. Repetitive and irrelevant data were deleted. Identified gaps include the lack of extensive exploration of male and female genders alone as a determinant of HL, how gender may be utilised to encourage elderly men and women to apply HL, how different sociocultural and sociodemographic backgrounds of elderly men and women would require separate academic research, the scarcity of social sciences based research and qualitative research methodologies on the subject as well as the use of mixed-methodologies and longitudinal studies. Future research directions were suggested and limitations of this scoping review are addressed in the discussion.

Evaluation of the health literacy level of female fibromyalgia patients and relationship between health literacy level and disease activity

Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the health literacy in women with fibromyalgia (FM) and relationship between health literacy and disease activity.

Patients and methods

This cross-sectional study included a total of 32 female patients (mean age: 46.2±8.8 years; range, 28 to 62 years) with FM according to the 2016 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria and 27 healthy female controls (mean age: 41.7±12.6 years; range, 24 to 65 years) between May 2020 and July 2020. Demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded. Health literacy levels of the participants were assessed with the Turkish version of European Health Literacy Scale (EHLS-TR), disease activity by Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and pain level with the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS).

Results

Age, education, marital status, and residential area were similar between the groups. There was a significant difference in the job and income level between the groups (p=0.004 and p<0.001, respectively). The EHLS-TR scores were significantly lower, in FM group compared to the control group (p=0.006, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). There was a negative correlation between the EHLS-TR scores and age in the FM group (r=-0.499, p<0.001). A positive significant correlation was found between education status, income level, and EHLS-TR scores in the FM group (r=0.416, p<0.05 and r=0.316, p<0.05, respectively).

Conclusion

Our study results suggest that healthy literacy level is lower in patients with FM compared to healthy controls. In addition, healthy literacy is associated with age, education status, and income level in this patient population.

Health Literacy Among Patients With Chronic Lung Disease Entering Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Their Resident Loved Ones

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was determine the prevalence of low health literacy (HL) and low reading ability among patients with chronic lung disease referred for pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in the Netherlands and their loved ones; and to understand whether low HL or low reading ability influence PR outcomes.

METHODS

Health literacy was measured using the Health Literacy Survey-Europe Q16 (HLS-EU-Q16). Reading ability and cognitive functioning were measured using the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine-Dutch (REALM-D) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Exercise capacity, health status, and symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed.

RESULTS

Patients (n = 120) entering PR and loved ones (n = 41) participated. Of all patients, 51% had low HL and 29% had low reading ability. Also, 39% of all loved ones had low HL. PR outcomes were comparable between patients with low or adequate HL. Patients with adequate reading ability showed greater improvement in symptoms of depression than patients with low reading ability (P = .047).

CONCLUSION

Low HL and low reading ability are common among patients entering PR and their loved ones. For patients with low or adequate HL, PR is an effective treatment. Whether considering low HL and low reading ability by offering tailored education during treatment could augment the benefits of PR warrants further study.

Association of Health Literacy with the Implementation of Exercise during the Declaration of COVID-19 State of Emergency among Japanese Community-Dwelling Old-Old Adults

Health literacy is important for promoting and maintaining good health in old-old adults. It may influence the implementation of exercise in the coronavirus disease epidemic. The present cross-sectional study investigated the association of each dimension of health literacy with the implementation of exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency due to coronavirus disease in community-dwelling old-old adults. We collected data from 483 community-dwelling old-old adults (52.8% women) aged between 77 and 99 years who participated in a mail survey. Participants were divided into exercise or nonexercise groups based on the implementation of exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency. Health literacy was assessed using a 14-item health literacy scale. There were 327 (67.7%) participants in the exercise group and 156 (32.3%) in the nonexercise group. A significantly higher score of health literacy was observed in the exercise group than in the nonexercise group (communicative health literacy score = 14.0 ± 3.6 vs. 12.7 ± 3.8, p = 0.001). In a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounders, high communicative health literacy scores were significantly associated with the implementation of exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency (odds ratio = 1.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.20–2.93). Approximately two-thirds of community-dwelling old-old adults implement exercise during the declaration of a state of emergency. High communicative health literacy was associated with the implementation of exercise during this period.

Interactive Effects of Racial Identity and Repetitive Head Impacts on Cognitive Function, Structural MRI-Derived Volumetric Measures, and Cerebrospinal Fluid Tau and Aβ

BACKGROUND

Factors of increased prevalence among individuals with Black racial identity (e.g., cardiovascular disease, CVD) may influence the association between exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI) from American football and later-life neurological outcomes. Here, we tested the interaction between racial identity and RHI on neurobehavioral outcomes, brain volumetric measures, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau181), and Aβ1 - 42 in symptomatic former National Football League (NFL) players.

METHODS

68 symptomatic male former NFL players (ages 40-69; n = 27 Black, n = 41 White) underwent neuropsychological testing, structural MRI, and lumbar puncture. FreeSurfer derived estimated intracranial volume (eICV), gray matter volume (GMV), white matter volume (WMV), subcortical GMV, hippocampal volume, and white matter (WM) hypointensities. Multivariate generalized linear models examined the main effects of racial identity and its interaction with a cumulative head impact index (CHII) on all outcomes. Age, years of education, Wide Range Achievement Test, Fourth Edition (WRAT-4) scores, CVD risk factors, and APOEε4 were included as covariates; eICV was included for MRI models. P-values were false discovery rate adjusted.

RESULTS

Compared to White former NFL players, Black participants were 4 years younger (p = 0.04), had lower WRAT-4 scores (mean difference = 8.03, p = 0.002), and a higher BMI (mean difference = 3.09, p = 0.01) and systolic blood pressure (mean difference = 8.15, p = 0.03). With regards to group differences on the basis of racial identity, compared to White former NFL players, Black participants had lower GMV (mean adjusted difference = 45649.00, p = 0.001), lower right hippocampal volume (mean adjusted difference = 271.96, p = 0.02), and higher p-tau181/t-tau ratio (mean adjusted difference = -0.25, p = 0.01). There was not a statistically significant association between the CHII with GMV, right hippocampal volume, or p-tau181/t-tau ratio. However, there was a statistically significant Race x CHII interaction for GMV (b = 2206.29, p = 0.001), right hippocampal volume (b = 12.07, p = 0.04), and p-tau181/t-tau ratio concentrations (b = -0.01, p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

Continued research on racial neurological disparities could provide insight into risk factors for long-term neurological disorders associated with American football play.

Influence of rurality on the awareness of myocardial infarction symptoms in the US

BACKGROUND

Myocardial infarctions (MIs) are the leading cause of death in the United States (US). Differences in MI mortality rates exist between rural and urban areas in the US. Early recognition of MI symptoms can lead to receiving prompt lifesaving treatment. In this study, we identified the influence of living in a rural area, rurality, on disparities in MI symptom awareness across the US.

METHODS

We examined 2007 and 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillances System survey data using logistic regressions to model the impact of rurality on MI symptom awareness while controlling for sociodemographic and MI clinical factors. From the results of these models, we created a type of marginal probability, known as average adjusted predictions (AAPs) and the difference in AAPs, called average marginal effects (AMEs), to determine patterns of awareness for each MI symptom between rural, suburban, and urban areas.

RESULTS

We found that there were similar odds and probabilities of being aware of all five MI symptoms between rural, suburban, and urban areas, although rural residents consistently had a slightly higher odds and probability of being aware of all five MI symptoms compared with suburban and urban residents. Rural, suburban, and urban residents had the highest probability of being aware of chest pain/discomfort (95.5-96.1%) and the lowest probability of being aware of jaw/back/neck pain (68.6-72.0%). After adjustment, more than 25% of rural, suburban, and urban residents were found to be unaware that jaw/back/neck pain and feeling weak/light-headed/faint were symptoms of MI. AMEs were greatest for all areas for jaw/back/neck pain (-3.5% to -3.2%) and smallest for chest pain/discomfort (-0.6% to -0.2%).

CONCLUSIONS

The study's results highlight the need to increase awareness of the MI symptoms of jaw/back/neck pain and feeling weak/light-headed/faint to shorten hospital delay and time to treatment, especially for rural areas where cardiovascular disease mortality is high.

Mental Health Issues in Racial and Ethnic Minority Elderly

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

With the current demographic shifts, the USA will soon become a "majority minority" country. While the population of the USA over the age of 65 years is projected to increase from 13.5% to 20% in 2030, racial and ethnic minority elderly, who are now 21% of the population, will increase to 44% by 2060. As the population of racial and ethnic minority elderly continues to grow, there is a demographic and public health imperative to understand how to better care for this population.

RECENT FINDINGS

This review evaluates the impact of race, ethnicity, and culture on the aging process, psychopathology, psychiatric care, psychiatric education, and clinical research. Relevant advances in recent literature are reviewed, and gaps in cultural competency education and training, and clinical research are identified. Clinical recommendations and future directions are highlighted, as an effort to improve care for this underserved population at risk. By striving to better care for racial and ethnic minority elders, one of the most marginalized populations, health care is improved for all.

Factors associated with health literacy in rural areas of Central China: structural equation model

Background

Health literacy is a strong predictor of health status. This study develops and tests a structural equation model to explore the factors that are associated with the health literacy level of rural residents in Central China.

Methods

The participants were recruited from a county-level city in Central China (N = 1164). Face-to-face interviews were conducted to complete the self-designed questionnaire of each participant. The questionnaire included items for the (1) demographic information, (2) socioeconomic status, and (3) health literacy of the participants. Mplus analyses were performed to evaluate the proposed model.

Results

The final model showed good fit for the data, and both demographic characteristics (i.e., age, BMI, and residence) and socioeconomic status (i.e., monthly income, occupation, and education level) were significantly associated with health literacy level. The effects of these two variables were − 0.277 (P < 0.05) and 0.615 (P < 0.001), respectively, and the model explained 70.2% of the variance in health literacy.

Conclusions

Health literacy was significantly associated with age, BMI, distance between residence and nearest medical institution, monthly income, occupation, and education level, whereas socioeconomic status was a dominant predictor of health literacy level. Targeting these factors might be helpful in allocating health resources rationally when performing health promotion work.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12913-019-4094-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.