Tracking Egocentric Social Network Change Across Three Rounds of National Survey Data

Advances and innovations in methods for collecting egocentric network data

This article reviews recent methodological research that bears on the collection of egocentric network data. It begins with background on setting egocentric network boundaries and principal types of instruments that obtain information about such networks. It then discusses innovations in data collection and studies of data quality. The bulk of these address questions about "name generator" instruments that obtain information about the alters and relationships in a subject's network. Among topics receiving substantial attention in recent research are mitigation of respondent burden, interviewer effects, survey mode, and the performance of name generators in longitudinal studies. Potentially fruitful innovations supplement conventional question-and-answer surveys with visual elements that promise to better engage respondents and reduce the demands that name generator-based data collection poses. We close by highlighting both accomplishments of this body of research and some open issues.

Associations between trajectories of social participation and functional ability among older adults: Results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

Introduction

Functional ability (FA) and social participation (SP) are important indicators of healthy aging, both their trajectories are heterogeneous. It is little known about how the SP trajectories affects FA trajectories.

Methods

FA was assessed by 20 items covering the ability of meeting basic needs and mobility. SP was assessed by frequency of participating in 10 social activities. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to identify the trajectories of FA and SP of the participants.

Results

Two FA trajectories were identified: low baseline-decline tendency (16.1%) and high baseline-stable tendency (83.9%) trajectories. Two SP trajectories were also identified: low baseline-stable tendency (58.5%) and high baseline-increase tendency (41.5%) trajectories. After controlling for the potential covariates, participants among the high baseline-increase tendency SP trajectory group also had significantly higher odds ratios to be belonged in high baseline-stable tendency FA trajectory group (ORs = 2.64, 95%CI = 1.98-3.05).

Conclusions

High-increasing social participation had a protective effect to maintain high baseline-stable tendency functional ability among older adults. These findings suggest social participation appears to have great benefits on promoting healthy aging in China.

Detecting Risk of Neglect in NSHAP Round 3 Using New Follow-Up Questions to Activities of Daily Living Measures

OBJECTIVES

Elder neglect is a type of elder abuse wherein an older adult's basic needs remain unmet through negligence. The risk of neglect and its harmful consequences coincides with the need for care that arises with difficulties completing activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). In this paper, we describe how new questions included in Round 3 (2015-2016) of the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP-R3) can help detect the risk of elder neglect.

METHODS

Based on the 2,340 respondents who indicated problems with at least one ADL or IADL, we categorized respondents as at a higher risk of neglect if they were either: (a) not getting wanted help (WANTHELP) or (b) getting help from an undependable caregiver (UNRELIABLE). We tested the external validity of these indicators by examining their association with NSHAP-R3 measures of physical and mental health, personal hygiene, home tidiness, social support, and elder mistreatment, using t tests and chi-square tests.

RESULTS

Those labeled higher neglect risk based on the WANTHELP variable showed significantly worse self-rated physical health, personal hygiene, room tidiness, mental health, partner support, family support, and elder mistreatment. The same correlates were significantly associated with higher neglect risk based on the UNRELIABLE variable, except for self-rated physical health, personal hygiene, and room tidiness.

DISCUSSION

Findings suggest that these new measures can be useful for identifying NSHAP respondents who are at risk of types of neglect that can be associated with having I/ADL limitations.