Effects of social ties on self-rated physical health among African American adults

Positive Effects of Religion and Social Ties on the Health of Former NFL Athletes

This study explores the relationship between religious service attendance, social ties, and health among former NFL players, a population with relatively high levels of religious attendance who endure physically demanding occupations. Research shows that frequent religious service attenders tend to have better health, partly because of social connections formed through religious involvement. We analyzed a sample of 1029 former NFL players. Consistent with previous research, bivariate and multivariate OLS regression models show that frequent religious attenders have statistically significantly better self-rated health. However, this relationship is moderated by social ties. Respondents who scored lower on the social ties index exhibited a stronger significant relationship between frequent religious attendance and health; those scoring higher on the social ties index exhibited no relationship between frequent attendance and health. Future research should examine how benefits of religious attendance vary depending upon strength of social relationships.

Racial Differences in Early Parental Death, Midlife Life Problems, and Relationship Strain With Adult Children

OBJECTIVES

Black Americans typically experience the death of a parent earlier in the life course than do non-Hispanic Whites, and early parental death is known to hinder subsequent relationship outcomes. Whether early parental death may contribute to racial differences in midlife family relationships and the role midlife adults' current life problems play remain unexplored.

METHOD

Using multilevel modeling, we examined how timing of parental death is associated with relationship strain with adult children and whether the association differs by midlife adults' life problems in Black (n = 166) and non-Hispanic White (n = 467) families from the Family Exchanges Study.

RESULTS

Losing a parent in childhood was associated with more relationship strain with adult children for Black midlife adults, but not for their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Among the bereaved, earlier timing of parental death was associated with more relationship strain with adult children only for Black midlife adults. In both bereaved and nonbereaved sample, participants' recent physical-emotional problems exacerbated the link between timing of parental death and relationship strain with adult children for Black midlife adults.

DISCUSSION

Experiencing the death of a parent in the early life course can be an added structural disadvantage that imposes unique challenges for Black Americans in midlife. Policies and programs aimed at supporting bereaved children may benefit relationships with their own children later in life, and addressing physical-emotional problems in midlife may be a viable intervention point for those midlife adults who experienced the death of a parent in the early life course.

Social participation and self-assessment of health status among older people in Brazil

To estimate the prevalence of social participation (exposure) and its association with positive self-assessment of overall health status (SAH) (outcome) among 7,712 Brazilian elderly interviewed in the National Health Survey 2013. A cross-sectional study that used Propensity Score (PS) to improve comparability between the group exposed and no exposed to social participation. Poisson regression was performed to determine the prevalence and association of interest using crude and adjusted by inverse probability of selection of PS. Social participation was reported by 25.1% (CI95%: 23.4-26.9) and was lower among poor older people, who depend on public transportation and live in more precarious contexts. Most did not SAH positively, but the proportion was higher when they had social participation (48.0%; CI95%: 46.0-51.0). There was a positive association of social participation with SAH positive. The association using the adjusted model (PR: 1.15; CI95%: 1.08-1.22) attenuated the estimated in the crude model. Elderly exposed were 15% more likely to provide a positive SAH. Despite low levels in Brazil, there was a positive association between of social participation and SAH, confirming that engagement in such activities provides important gains for the health and quality of life.

Examining the Role of Childhood Adversity on Excess Alcohol Intake and Tobacco Exposure among US College Students

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are often associated with substance use behaviors such as drinking excess alcohol and tobacco use. Resilience may protect individuals from engaging in these maladaptive behaviors following ACEs. Objectives: We examined the associations between ACEs and excessive alcohol consumption, and ACEs and tobacco intake and exposure among diverse college students, and whether resilience buffered this relationship. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey in October 2018 with students at a large Southern university to assess ACEs, levels of resilience, and students' health behaviors. We used the Adverse Childhood Experiences - International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) and the Brief Resilience Scale. Logistic regression modeled the relationship between ACEs and students' substance use behaviors. We adjusted for demographics, other health behaviors, and emotional health and we tested resilience as a possible buffer. Results: Participants (n = 568) were in their early twenties, almost three-fourths were female. We had a racially/ethnically diverse sample. Over two-thirds had experienced 1-4 ACEs. ACE exposure was not associated with excess alcohol consumption but exhibited a consistent dose-response relationship in unadjusted and adjusted models. Moderate ACEs increased the odds of tobacco exposure by 227% (OR: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.17-9.11) in adjusted models. Resilience was unrelated to either behavior. Black respondents had significantly reduced odds for both substance use outcomes. Tobacco exposure and excess alcohol intake were comorbid behaviors. Conclusion: Childhood adversity was a significant predictor for tobacco exposure among diverse US college students. Resilience did not buffer this relationship. Age, gender, and race/ethnicity were differentially associated with substance use.

The Association Between Childhood Adversity and Self-Rated Physical Health in US College Students

Purpose:

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are related to unhealthy behaviors and poor self-rated health. Poor self-rated physical health (SRPH) is negatively associated with college students’ grades and overall academic achievement. This study examined the effects of ACEs on SRPH among undergraduate and graduate students (n = 568; 18-30 years) from a public university in the southeast.

Methods:

Students completed a cross-sectional online survey in October 2018. We conducted unadjusted and adjusted logistic regressions to examine the relationship between ACEs and SRPH among US college students.

Results:

Most participants reported 1 to 4 ACEs; one-fourth reported poor SRPH. Higher ACE exposure increased the odds for poor SRPH in a curvilinear relationship. Unadjusted results indicate ACE exposure increased risk between 82% and 228%, and that higher levels of resilience and adherence to diet and physical activity guidelines reduced risk for poor SRPH. In adjusted models, moderate ACE exposure was associated with 2.46 times greater odds (95% CI = 1.28-9.34) of reporting poor SRPH. Graduate students (odds ratio [OR] = .52, 95% CI = .27-.99) and those who met healthy diet (OR = .12, 95% CI = .02-.93) and physical activity recommendations (OR = .36, 95% CI = .23-.58) had reduced odds of poor SRPH.

Conclusions:

Students who have experienced ACEs are at a greater risk for poor health. Student health programs on campus should take a holistic approach by screening students for childhood adversity and promoting healthy behaviors to improve physical health.

Social Support and Self-Rated Health of African American Women Informal Caregivers: Urban and Rural Differences

In this study, we examined how geographic location might differently influence social support and self-rated health for rural and urban African American women caregivers. We used cross-sectional data from 253 urban and 263 rural women primary caregivers. Controlling for key demographic factors, we regressed caregivers' self-rated health on social engagement, structural, and functional aspects of social support for urban and rural caregivers separately. The perception of family functioning was positively associated with urban and rural caregivers' self-rated health. Urban caregivers reported having significantly more contact with their family and more informal helpers compared to rural caregivers. Furthermore, church attendance, a measure of social engagement, was significant for urban caregivers' self-rated health, but not rural caregivers. Our findings affirmed the importance of foregrounding context and disaggregating social support, and point to the need for interventions targeting family functioning and paying attention to geographic location.

Relationship between Social Support Networks and Physical Functioning in Older Community-Dwelling Mexicans

Some studies have demonstrated the relationship between social support networks (SSNs) and health status. In this sense, it has been considered that physical and mental functioning is a key indicator of the health in the age people. The aim of this study was to determine the association between social support networks and physical functioning. A cross-sectional study was carried out including a convenience sample of 150 older community-dwelling Mexicans. We assessed the familial, extra-familial and institutional SSNs; social contacts; the activities of daily living (ADL); the instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs); and physical functioning task (PFT) performance among study participants. Of the 150 older subjects, 53 reported living alone (35%), 113 (75%) reported having few SSNs, and 37 (25%) reported having enough SSNs. Persons with few familial SSNs were at increased odds of demonstrating dependence in at least one of the ADL (OR = 3.25, 95% CI 1.06-9.92, p < 0.05). Likewise, persons with few institutional SSNs and few social contacts were at increased odds of demonstrating dependence in at least one of the IADL (OR = 6.96, 95% CI 1.57-30.7, p < 0.01; OR = 5.02, 95% CI 1.44-17.5, p < 0.01, respectively). We also observed that having few extra-familial SSNs and few social contacts were the main risk factors for PFT dependence, with ORs of 3.70 (95% CI 1.21-11.2, p < 0.05) and 3.85 (95% CI 1.10-13.5, p < 0.05), respectively. Our findings suggest that having few SSNs could be a significant risk factor for reduced physical functioning in older adults.

The Effects of Social Support on Physical Functioning in Older African Americans: Longitudinal Results from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging

INTRODUCTION

Compared with other racial/ethnic groups, African Americans have higher rates of chronic conditions and suffer a disproportionate burden of disability. We aimed to examine the effects of social support on physical functioning among older African Americans.

METHODS

We analyzed a sample of 448 urban, community-dwelling, older African Americans (aged 48-98 years) from the Baltimore Study of Black Aging. Baseline physical functioning was collected between 2006 and 2008 (wave 1), and change in physical functioning was collected between 2009 and 2011 (wave 2), physical functioning was assessed by self-reported limitations in 7 activities of daily living-eating, dressing, grooming, walking, bathing, using the toilet, and transferring in and out of bed-using a binary variable to indicate whether the individual had difficulty performing each specific activity. Social support was measured by how frequently participants provided/received goods and services, financial assistance, transportation, companionship, advice, or encouragement (never [0], rarely [1], sometimes [2], frequently [3]). Negative binomial regression models were used to test the effects of social support given, received, and a ratio (support received/support given) on physical functioning for those who improved and those who declined in physical functioning.

RESULTS

Participants reported physical functioning at wave 1 (1.24, standard deviation [SD] = 1.98) and at wave 2 (0.34, SD = 0.83). Average social support given was 7.49 (SD = 3.26), and average social support received was 7.81 (SD = 3.17). Those who improved in physical function gave less social support and had lower social support ratios; social support received had no effect. Those who remained stable or declined in physical function gave more social support; neither social support received nor social ratio had an effect.

CONCLUSION

Social support given and social support received as well as the ratio should be considered when seeking to understand how physical functioning changes over time among older African Americans.

An Examination of Self-Rated Health Among African-American Men

Self-rated health is a concept that has been linked to objective health outcomes but has not received much attention with regard to African-American men. The purpose of this study is to examine the relation of multiple factors (sociodemographic, health behaviors, personal health measures, and personality traits) with self-rated health in a sample of African-American men. The role personality plays in self-rated health in combination with other variables among African-American males has not thoroughly been explored. One hundred and seventy African-American men, ages 30-70 years old, were recruited for this study and completed a questionnaire assessing self-rated health, sociodemographics, health behaviors, personal health measures, and personality traits. Block-wise regression modeling was employed. The blocks were sociodemographics, health behaviors, personal health measures, and personality traits. Variables significantly associated with self-rated health in block-wise regression analyses at P < .05 (household income, BMI, number of health conditions, and neuroticism) were entered into the final multiple logistic regression model. Being obese was associated with greater odds of poor/fair self-rated health compared to being normal weight (OR = 9.02, 95 % CI 2.85-28.51, P < .001). Compared to reporting no health conditions, having more than one health condition was associated with greater odds of reporting poor/fair self-rated health (OR = 4.82, 95 % CI 1.18-19.69, P = .029). This study shows that existing medical conditions are important determinants of self-rated health among African-American men.

Does race-ethnicity moderate the relationship between CPAP adherence and functional outcomes of sleep in US veterans with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome?

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the association of race-ethnicity and the relationship of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) adherence with functional outcomes of sleep in American samples with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This retrospective study examines whether race-ethnicity moderates the relationship between CPAP adherence and functional outcomes of sleep in OSAS.

METHODS

Over 4 months, consecutive OSAS patients had CPAP data downloads and completed questionnaires (demographics, Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire [FOSQ], Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS], Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]) at the Miami VA sleep center. Medical diagnoses and polysomnography data were obtained from medical record. CPAP adherence was measured as mean daily hours of use. Hierarchical regression modeling was used to explore the differential impact of race-ethnicity and CPAP adherence on functional outcomes of sleep.

RESULTS

Two hundred twenty-seven veterans (93% male, age 59 ± 11 years) were included; 142 (63%) participants self-reported as white or Hispanic, and 85 participants (37%) as black. Hierarchical regression analyses failed to show main effects for race-ethnicity or CPAP use and FOSQ scores; however, the interaction of race-ethnicity with CPAP adherence was significantly associated with the total FOSQ (p = 0.04), Social (p = 0.02), and Intimacy (p = 0.01) subscale scores. For blacks, in adjusted analyses, CPAP adherence was positively associated with Social and Intimacy FOSQ subscales; however, no significant relationship was noted between CPAP use and FOSQ scores in whites/Hispanics.

CONCLUSIONS

Race-ethnicity may moderate the relationship between CPAP adherence and some functional outcomes of sleep; however, further studies are needed.