Racial differences in social engagement and health status among older women

Are Filial Piety and Ethnic Community Engagement Associated With Psychological Wellbeing Among Older Chinese American Immigrants? A Cultural Resource Perspective

This research examined whether perceived receipt of filial piety from adult children and ethnic community engagement—two major ethnocultural resources—were associated with psychological wellbeing of older Chinese American immigrants. Analyses used data from the PINE study, a sample of older Chinese adults in Chicago. Tobit regression revealed that elders who received more filial piety and visited community centers experienced less loneliness and depression than their counterparts did. Tests of interactions showed that community center visits moderated the negative relationship between perceived filial piety and depression. Results suggest the importance of community engagement for diminishing depressive symptoms in older Chinese American immigrants, particularly those with culturally weak intergenerational ties. Discussion centers on how visiting community centers in ethnically dense neighborhoods compensates for unfulfilled filial piety expectations by protecting the mental health of minority elders within a rapidly growing and acculturating immigrant population.

Adapting to chronic pain: A focused ethnography of black older adults

This study aimed to understand the coping strategies used by a group of Black older adults to manage chronic pain. To this end, a focused ethnography was completed within a senior housing facility. Following participant observation, 106 residents completed informal interviews and surveys comprised of a demographic tool, the Brief Pain Inventory, the PROMIS Global Health scale, and the Psychological Stress Measure – 9. Further, a subset of 20 participants that reported daily pain completed formal semi-structured interviews, which were recorded and transcribed. Descriptive statistics were completed on survey data while interviews were analyzed contextually and thematically. The adaptive coping strategies used by participants to manage pain included: remaining positive, remaining active, being engaged in the community, prayer/meditation, and maintaining positive support systems. Effective coping strategies lead to compensated levels of adaptation for participants. A middle range schema of pain is presented that may guide future nursing pain management practice.

Senior Centres in Canada and the United States: A Scoping Review

Les centres pour personnes âgées ont été identifiés comme des points focaux pour la prestation de services pour la population vieillissante, qui est en forte croissance au Canada et aux États-Unis. Malgré ce rôle important des centres pour personnes âgées, peu de recherches leur ont été consacrées. Cet examen de portée a ciblé les études empiriques en langue anglaise portant sur les centres pour personnes âgées qui ont été publiées dans des revues scientifiques depuis 2000. Un total de 58 études ont été repérées (n = 51 pour les études américaines, n = 7 pour les études canadiennes). La majorité de ces articles était centrée sur des thèmes liés à la participation d’individus dans les centres pour personnes âgées, et quelques études seulement traitaient du milieu associé aux centres pour personnes âgées. Ces résultats suggèrent que les recherches futures devraient cibler les avantages de la programmation des centres pour personnes âgées, avec une attention particulière sur les besoins des baby-boomers, sur les facteurs clés liés au financement, aux espaces et au personnel, ainsi que sur les caractéristiques et les rôles des centres pour personnes âgées dans le contexte canadien.

Senior Centers and Nutritional Outcomes: A Texas Example

Healthy diet and weight control are important for elders and senior centers (SCs). The authors consider effects of SCs on attendee nutrition and health and efforts to improve diets and weight. Data derive from surveys in 2006 (N = 798) and 2007 (N = 742) at 21 multipurpose SCs in Tarrant County, Texas, supplemented with data from 2012 (N = 1,402). Measures included attendee agreement that SC meals improved nutrition, improved health, attempts to improve diets, and success in controlling weight. Cumulative and binary logistic regression methods were employed. SC attendance and social engagement explained agreement that SC meals improved nutrition and health but were not shown to predict changes in diet or weight control. Findings suggest success of SC programs, as well as physician recommendations, in influencing attendee nutritional behavior and perceptions of nutrition and health effects. Practice recommendations include SC collaborations with local health providers to promote attendee nutritional health.

Racial and ethnic disparities in social engagement among US nursing home residents

BACKGROUND

The numbers and proportions of racial and ethnic minorities have increased dramatically in US nursing homes in recent years. Concerns exist about whether nursing homes can serve appropriately the clinical and psychosocial needs of patients with increasingly diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This study determined racial and ethnic disparities in social engagement among nursing home long-term residents.

METHODS

We analyzed the 2008 national Minimum Data Set supplemented with the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting File and the Area Resource File. We estimated multivariable logistic regressions to determine disparities and how disparities were explained by individual, facility, and geographic factors. Stratified analyses further determined persistent disparities within patient and facility subgroups.

RESULTS

Compared with white residents (n = 690,228), black (n = 123,116), Hispanic (n = 37,099), and other (n = 17,568) residents showed lower social engagement, with overall scores (mean ± SD) being 2.5 ± 1.7, 2.2 ± 1.6, 2.0 ± 1.6, and 2.1 ± 1.6, respectively. Disparities were partially explained by variations in individual, facility, and geographic covariates, but persisted after multivariable adjustments. Stratified analyses confirmed that disparities were similar in magnitude across patient and facility subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS

Although nursing home residents showed overall low social engagement levels, racial/ethnic minority residents were even less socially engaged than white residents. Efforts to address disparities in psychosocial well-being and quality of life of nursing home residents are warranted.