Contribution of Lifestyle to Positive Ageing in Hong Kong

Factors Affecting Trends in Societal Indicators of Ageing Well in Hong Kong: Policies, Politics and Pandemics

OBJECTIVES

To document the trend in a quality of life indicator for the older Hong Kong population as an assessment of the impact of age friendly city policies, political conflicts and the covid-19 pandemic.

DESIGN

Random telephone survey and collection of government data over four years (2017-2020).

SETTING

Community living older people.

PARTICIPANTS

People aged 50 years and over.

MEASUREMENTS

The Hong Kong Quality of Life Index covering four domains of in income security, health status, capability and enabling environment.

RESULTS

From 2017-9, improvements were seen in various domains in parallel with the adoption of the World Health Organization's Age Friendly City concept by government policy together with a territory wide initiative supported by a major philanthropic organization. However scores of all domains dropped markedly as a result of political conflicts as well as the onset of the pandemic.

CONCLUSION

The documentation of the trend in HKEQOL shows that while it may be used as a macro indicator that is able to reflect policies affecting the well-being of older people, it is also able to reflect the impact of societal unrest and pandemics, and that the latter may override the effect of existing ageing policies. It also follows that during social unrest and pandemics, specific policies targeting older people may be needed to maintain well-being.

[Psychometric evidence of a brief version of the Coping Humor Scale in elderly peruvians]

INTRODUCTION

Humour plays an important role in promoting successful and healthy aging. However, its scientific study is still limited, partly due to the absence of validated tools for use in Latin America. The objective of this study was to translate the 5-item Coping with Humor Scale (CHS-5) from English to Spanish and examine the evidence of reliability and validity based on the internal, convergent, and discriminant structure of the Peruvian version of the scale.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

The participants were 236 elderly Peruvian adults (78.4% A confirmatory factor analysis, analysis of correlation (r), and reliability (α, Cronbach's alpha and ω, omega) was performed.

RESULTS

The one-dimensional model presented an adequate fit of the data (χ² = 7.72, df =5, P=.17, χ² / df = 1.54, GFI = 0.988, CFI = 0.996, NFI = 0.988, RMSEA =0. 048 [95% CI; 0.000-0.111]; and SRMR = 0.016). The reliability indexes were adequate (α= 0.86 [95% CI: 0.82-0.89] and ω = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.87-0.91]). A positive correlation was observed between the mean score of CHS-5 and satisfaction with life, and was negative with depression.

CONCLUSIONS

The CHS-5 has excellent psychometric properties, being a measure that provides valid and reliable interpretations to be used in elderly Peruvians with depression.