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Turner SG, Brooker H, Ballard C, Corbett A, Hampshire A, Sabatini S. The Role of Awareness of Age-Related Change in the Longitudinal Association between Pain and Physical Activity. Int J Aging Hum Dev 2024; 99:287-306. [PMID: 37899713 PMCID: PMC11058115 DOI: 10.1177/00914150231208686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
We examined how physical pain impacts the developmental construct of Awareness of Age-Related Change (AARC-gains and AARC-losses) and, in turn, how AARC mediates and moderates the association between pain and subsequent physical activity. We used longitudinal data from 434 participants of the UK PROTECT Study (mean age = 65.5 years; SD = 6.94 years). We found that pain in 2019 predicted higher AARC-losses (β = .07; p = .036) and less physical activity (β = -.13; p-value = .001) in 2020. Additionally, we found that AARC-losses partially mediated, but did not moderate, the association of pain in 2019 and physical activity in 2020. AARC-losses may explain physical inactivity in middle-aged and older adults experiencing pain. Incorporating developmental constructs such as AARC into theories and empirical studies on pain and pain management may be necessary to more fully capture people's responses to pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shelbie G. Turner
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | - Adam Hampshire
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Serena Sabatini
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
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2
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Allemand M, Hill KC, Hill PL. Perceptions of the Future and Health Behavior in Adulthood. Int J Aging Hum Dev 2024:914150241268018. [PMID: 39105290 DOI: 10.1177/00914150241268018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
Engagement in healthier lifestyle behaviors often is motivated by a focus on the future. However, there is limited research on the associations between health behavior and future time perspective, defined as people's tendency to perceive their future as expansive or as limited. Data came from a survey of U.S. adults (N = 805, 49.3% female; M = 50 years, range: 19 to 85 years). Participants completed measures of perceptions of future opportunities and time and health behavior. Opportunities and time factors were uniquely associated with health behavior. While the perceived opportunities factor was strongly associated with better health behavior, the time factor was associated with poorer health behavior. However, this latter association was dependent on individual demographic and health status differences. These findings suggest that perceptions of future opportunities can play an important role in health behavior engagement and thus represent an important target for health promotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Allemand
- University Research Priority Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging", University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kyrsten C Hill
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
| | - Patrick L Hill
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, USA
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Early AS, Reynolds CM, Neupert SD. Traumatic losses permeate daily emotional experiences: roles of daily uplifts and subjective age. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2024; 16:1289-1304. [PMID: 38279576 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Daily emotional experiences may vary depending on a stressor's intensity or source. The present study aimed to examine the interaction between traumatic loss, daily uplifts, and daily subjective age predicting daily negative affect. Results from a 14-day daily diary study of 440 US adults aged 50-85 showed that daily increases in uplifts were associated with decreases in negative affect, especially for those who reported a traumatic loss when they also experienced increases in subjective age. Based on our study, daily events and perceptions can have a considerable impact on daily functioning and may serve as important mechanisms after a traumatic loss. Although traumatic losses may impact individuals differently, incorporating daily uplifts, based on available resources and capacities, may foster daily emotional well-being.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra S Early
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Caitlin M Reynolds
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
| | - Shevaun D Neupert
- Department of Psychology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
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Vaartio-Rajalin H, Snellman F, Gustafsson Y, Rauhala A, Viklund E. Understanding Health, Subjective Aging, and Participation in Social Activities in Later Life: A Regional Finnish Survey. J Appl Gerontol 2024; 43:638-649. [PMID: 38037740 PMCID: PMC11055408 DOI: 10.1177/07334648231214940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand health and well-being in later life, it is vital to consider the meaning of subjective aging. This study aimed to explore how perceived health, self-perceptions of aging, and participation in social activities relate to each other among older persons in the Bothnia region and Åland islands in Finland. Data were analyzed using Spearman's and polychoric correlation and multinomial logistic regression analyses. The perceived good health and the younger physical, psychological, and social dimensions of subjective age were found to be associated with each other and with participation in social activities outside one's home.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Vaartio-Rajalin
- Turku University of Applied Sciences/Master School, Turku, Finland
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Department of Health Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Fredrik Snellman
- Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Sciences, Umeå University, Sweden
| | - Ylva Gustafsson
- Faculty of Humanities, Department of Philosophy, Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland
| | - Auvo Rauhala
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Department of Health Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
- Finnish Centre for Client and Patient Safety, Wellbeing Services County of Ostrobothnia, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Emilia Viklund
- Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Department of Health Sciences, Åbo Akademi University, Vaasa, Finland
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Bhattarai U, Gautam A, Shrestha M, Rayamajhi A, Basnet R, Saravanan M, Dey AB, Chatterjee P. Factors Associated with Subjective Aging Among Older Outpatients In Northern - India. J Frailty Sarcopenia Falls 2024; 9:122-130. [PMID: 38835619 PMCID: PMC11145099 DOI: 10.22540/jfsf-09-122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives The objective of the study was to investigate factors associated with subjective aging among older patients visiting a geriatric medicine outpatient department in Northern-India. Methods The study is a cross-sectional study. Patients were categorized into three groups: whether they felt younger, equal, or older than their peers of same age. Factors such as fall, incontinence, anorexia, hand grip strength, cognition, depression, vision, hearing, cardiopulmonary function and immunization were assessed. Multinominal logistic regression was used to investigate the associated factors of subjective aging. Results We assessed 184 older patients with a median age of 66.5 years (IQR 63.0 -78.8). Chronological age and hand grip strength were the significant factors associated with subjective aging. With one year increase in age, odds of feeling older than peers of same age decreased by 8.9% (OR, 0.911; 95% CI, 0.831-0.999, p = 0.047). With one kilogram increase in hand grip strength, odds of feeling younger than peers of same age increased by 7.3% (OR, 1.073; 95% CI, 1.01-1.14, p = 0.032). Conclusion Chronological age and hand grip strength are the factors associated with subjective aging in Northern-Indian older adults. Further longitudinal multi-center studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urza Bhattarai
- Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | - Arun Gautam
- Department of Internal Medicine, B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
| | | | | | - Rohan Basnet
- B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal
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Diehl M, Wahl HW. Self-perceptions of aging: A conceptual and empirical overview. Curr Opin Psychol 2024; 55:101741. [PMID: 38065005 PMCID: PMC10842166 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2023.101741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
This article defines self-perceptions of aging (SPA) as individuals' perceptions, expectations, and experiences regarding their own process of growing old(er). As such, SPA are considered a critically important element of the aging self. Furthermore, the authors present a heuristic model that positions adults' SPA within a lifespan developmental and cultural-societal context and elaborates distal and proximal antecedents, process modes, and developmental outcomes. The remainder of the article summarizes recent empirical findings and discusses future challenges and directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manfred Diehl
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, USA.
| | - Hans-Werner Wahl
- Network Aging Research & Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Zisberg A, Gur-Yaish N, Shadmi E, Shulyaev K, Smichenko J, Rogozinski A, Palgi Y. The Role of Subjective Age in Predicting Post-Hospitalization Outcomes of Older Adults. Gerontology 2024; 70:361-367. [PMID: 38253031 PMCID: PMC11008723 DOI: 10.1159/000536364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Studies of community-dwelling older adults find subjective age affects health and functional outcomes. This study explored whether younger subjective age serves as a protective factor against hospital-associated physical, cognitive, and emotional decline, well-known consequences of hospitalization among the elderly. METHODS This study is a secondary data analysis of a subsample (N = 262; age: 77.5 ± 6.6 years) from the Hospitalization Process Effects on Mobility Outcomes and Recovery (HoPE-MOR) study. Psychological and physical subjective age, measured as participants' reports on the degree to which they felt older or younger than their chronological age, was assessed at the time of hospital admission. Independence in activities of daily living, life-space mobility, cognitive function, and depressive symptoms were assessed at hospital admission and 1 month post-discharge. RESULTS The odds of decline in cognitive status, functional status, and community mobility and the exacerbation of depressive symptoms were significantly lower in those reporting younger vs. older psychological subjective age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.46-0.98; OR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.36-0.98; OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.44-0.93; OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.43-0.96, respectively). Findings were significant after controlling for demographic, functional, cognitive, emotional, chronic, and acute health predictors. Physical subjective age was not significantly related to post-hospitalization outcomes. CONCLUSION Psychological subjective age can identify older adults at risk for poor hospitalization outcomes and should be considered for preventive interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Zisberg
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Science, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Center of Research and Study of Aging, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Nurit Gur-Yaish
- The Center of Research and Study of Aging, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Oranim Academic College of Education, Kiryat Tivon, Israel
| | - Efrat Shadmi
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Science, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ksenya Shulyaev
- The Center of Research and Study of Aging, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- The Minerva Center on Intersectionality in Aging (MCIA), Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Studies University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Juliana Smichenko
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Science, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amos Rogozinski
- The Cheryl Spencer Department of Nursing, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Science, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Maccabi Healthcare Services, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yuval Palgi
- The Center of Research and Study of Aging, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
- Department of Gerontology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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Sabatini S, Turner SG, Morris RG, Opdebeeck C, Thom JM, Hunt A, Allan L, Pentecost C, Clare L. Correlates of felt age in caregivers of people with dementia: findings from the IDEAL study. Front Psychol 2024; 14:1287842. [PMID: 38282846 PMCID: PMC10811155 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1287842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Family relationships influence how people appraise their own aging and how their appraisals impact their health. We analyzed felt age (FA) among family caregivers of people with dementia. Methods and measures We used a stratified sample of 1,020 spousal and 202 adult-child caregivers from the IDEAL study. We estimated cross-sectional associations and bidirectional influences between caregivers' FA and their health and wellbeing (depression, number of health conditions, stress, positive aspects of caregiving) over 2 years. Results Among spousal caregivers, 25% had a younger FA and 36% had an older FA. Among adult-child caregivers, 21.8% had a younger FA and 36.1% had an older FA. In spousal and adult-child caregivers an older FA was cross-sectionally associated with higher depression, number of health conditions, and stress, and fewer positive aspects of caregiving. In spousal caregivers, hours of care per day moderated the association between FA and depression, and FA was associated with stress 1 year later. Conclusion Caregiving may impact FA and its relationship with health. We urge continued research on the connections between caregiving and FA, and how interventions might support caregivers' positive views on their own aging, which will translate views on aging scholarship to meaningfully improve caregivers' lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Sabatini
- Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shelbie G. Turner
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Robin G. Morris
- Department of Psychology, King's College London Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, London, United Kingdom
| | - Carol Opdebeeck
- Department of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Jeanette M. Thom
- School of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, Darlington, NSW, Australia
| | - Anna Hunt
- REACH: The Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Louise Allan
- REACH: The Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Pentecost
- REACH: The Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Clare
- REACH: The Centre for Research in Ageing and Cognitive Health, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
- NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South-West Peninsula, Exeter, United Kingdom
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Wang S, Prizment A, Moshele P, Vivek S, Blaes AH, Nelson HH, Thyagarajan B. Aging measures and cancer: Findings from the Health and Retirement Study. MEDRXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES 2023:2023.09.20.23295845. [PMID: 37790462 PMCID: PMC10543046 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.20.23295845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Background Compared to cancer-free persons, cancer survivors of the same chronological age (CA) have increased physiological dysfunction, i.e., higher biological age (BA), which may lead to higher morbidity and mortality. We estimated BA using eight aging metrics: BA computed by Klemera Doubal method (KDM-BA), phenotypic age (PhenoAge), five epigenetic clocks (ECs, Horvath, Hannum, Levine, GrimAge, and pace of aging (POA)), and subjective age (SA). We tested if aging constructs were associated with total cancer prevalence and all-cause mortality in cancer survivors and controls, i.e., cancer-free persons, in the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a large population-based study. Methods In 2016, data on BA-KDM, PhenoAge, and SA were available for 946 cancer survivors and 4,555 controls; data for the five ECs were available for 582 cancer survivors and 2,805 controls. Weighted logistic regression was used to estimate the association between each aging construct and cancer prevalence (odds ratio, OR, 95%CI). Weighted Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the associations between each aging construct and cancer incidence as well as all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, HR, 95%CI). To study all BA metrics (except for POA) independent of CA, we estimated age acceleration as residuals of BA regressed on CA. Results Age acceleration for each aging construct and POA were higher in cancer survivors than controls. In a multivariable-adjusted model, five aging constructs (age acceleration for Hannum, Horvath, Levine, GrimAge, and SA) were associated with cancer prevalence. Among all cancer survivors, age acceleration for PhenoAge and four ECs (Hannum, Horvath, Levine, and GrimAge), was associated with higher all-cause mortality over 4 years of follow-up. PhenoAge, Hannum, and GrimAge were also associated with all-cause mortality in controls. The highest HR was observed for GrimAge acceleration in cancer survivors: 2.03 (95% CI, 1.58-2.60). In contrast, acceleration for KDM-BA and POA was significantly associated with mortality in controls but not in cancer survivors. When all eight aging constructs were included in the same model, two of them (Levine and GrimAge) were significantly associated with mortality among cancers survivors. None of the aging constructs were associated with cancer incidence. Conclusion Variations in the associations between aging constructs and mortality in cancer survivors and controls suggests that aging constructs may capture different aspects of aging and that cancer survivors may be experiencing age-related physiologic dysfunctions differently than controls. Future work should evaluate how these aging constructs predict mortality for specific cancer types.
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Sabatini S, Turner S, Brooker H, Ballard C, Corbett A, Hampshire A. Physical and mental health conditions account for variability in awareness of age-related changes. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1152177. [PMID: 37539325 PMCID: PMC10394239 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1152177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The concept of Awareness of Age-Related Changes captures people's perceptions of the positive (AARC-gains) and negative (AARC-losses) age-related changes they experience in several life domains, including their health. We investigated the cross-sectional associations of number and type of physical and mental health conditions with AARC-gains and AARC-losses. Methods The sample comprised 3,786 middle-aged and older adults (mean age = 67.04 years; SD = 6.88) participating to the UK PROTECT study. We used hierarchical regression models to analyze whether after having included sociodemographic variables (model 1), number of physical (model 2) and of mental (model 3) health conditions explained a significant additional amount of variance in AARC-gains and AARC-losses, and whether the association between number of conditions and AARC depended on participants' age. We used multiple regression models to analyze the associations of types of physical and mental health conditions with AARC-gains and AARC-losses. Results A higher number of physical health conditions was associated with higher AARC-gains and higher AARC-losses, but the association did not depend on participant age. After controlling for the number of physical health conditions, a higher number of mental health conditions was associated with higher AARC-losses but not with AARC-gains, and the association was stronger among older participants. Small effects were found between greater AARC-gains and current cancer and between greater AARC-losses and diagnoses of mild cognitive impairment, Parkinson's disease, arthritic condition, cancer in full remission, osteoporosis, depression, anxiety disorders, and personality disorder. The remaining health conditions were either negligibly or non-statistically related to AARC-losses. Conclusion Middle-aged and older adults having more physical health conditions and more mental health conditions may be at higher risk of negative views on their own aging. However, specific physical health conditions, such as arthritis, and certain mental health conditions, such as depression, may make adults particularly vulnerable to negative age-related perceptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Sabatini
- School of Medicine, Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Shelbie Turner
- Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Helen Brooker
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
- Ecog Pro Ltd, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Ballard
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Corbett
- University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Hampshire
- Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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Westerhof GJ, Nehrkorn-Bailey AM, Tseng HY, Brothers A, Siebert JS, Wurm S, Wahl HW, Diehl M. Longitudinal effects of subjective aging on health and longevity: An updated meta-analysis. Psychol Aging 2023; 38:147-166. [PMID: 36972091 PMCID: PMC10192139 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
This article updates and extends an earlier meta-analysis (Westerhof et al., 2014) on the longitudinal effects of subjective aging (SA) on health outcomes. A systematic search in different databases (APA PsycInfo, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus) resulted in 99 articles, reporting on 107 studies. Participants: Studies had a median sample size of 1,863 adults with a median age of 66 years. A randomized effect meta-analysis showed a significant, small effect (likelihood ratio = 1.347; 95% confidence interval [1.300, 1.396]; p < .001), similar in magnitude to the previous meta-analysis of 19 studies. Although the results showed high heterogeneity in the longitudinal link between SA and health outcomes, there were no differences in effects according to chronological age of participants, welfare state status (more or less developed social security system), length of follow-up, type of health-related outcome, or quality of the study. Effects were stronger for multiitem measures of self-perceptions of aging than for the frequently used single-item measures assessing subjective age, especially for indicators of physical health. Based on this meta-analysis, building on five times more studies than the 2014 review, we consider the associations of measures of SA with health and longevity across time as robust, albeit small in size. Future research should concentrate on the clarification of pathways mediating the relation between SA and health outcomes, as well as potential bidirectional effects. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerben J. Westerhof
- Department of Psychology, Health, and Technology, University of Twente, The Netherlands
| | | | - Han-Yun Tseng
- Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University
| | - Allyson Brothers
- Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University
| | | | - Susanne Wurm
- Prevention Research and Social Medicine, Institute for Community Medicine, University of Greifswald, Germany
| | - Hans-Werner Wahl
- Institute of Psychology and Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Germany
| | - Manfred Diehl
- Department of Human Development & Family Studies, Colorado State University
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Wettstein M, Wahl HW, Drewelies J, Wurm S, Huxhold O, Ram N, Gerstorf D. Younger Than Ever? Subjective Age Is Becoming Younger and Remains More Stable in Middle-Age and Older Adults Today. Psychol Sci 2023:9567976231164553. [PMID: 37071708 DOI: 10.1177/09567976231164553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about historical shifts in subjective age (i.e., how old individuals feel). Moving beyond the very few time-lagged cross-sectional cohort comparisons, we examined historical shifts in within-person trajectories of subjective age from midlife to advanced old age. We used cohort-comparative longitudinal data from middle-age and older adults in the German Ageing Survey (N = 14,928; ~50% female) who lived in Germany and were between 40 and 85 years old when entering the study. They provided up to seven observations over 24 years. Results revealed that being born later in historical time is associated with feeling younger by 2% every birth-year decade and with less intraindividual change toward an older subjective age. Women reported feeling younger than men; this gender gap widened across cohorts. The association of higher education with younger subjective age became weaker across cohorts. Potential reasons for the subjective-rejuvenation effect across cohorts are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wettstein
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University of Berlin
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University
| | | | - Johanna Drewelies
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University of Berlin
- Lise Meitner Group for Environmental Neuroscience, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Berlin, Germany
| | - Susanne Wurm
- Department of Prevention Research and Social Medicine, Institute for Community Medicine, University of Greifswald
| | | | - Nilam Ram
- Department of Communication, Stanford University
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University
- German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), Berlin, Germany
| | - Denis Gerstorf
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University of Berlin
- German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), Berlin, Germany
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Henry JD, Coundouris SP, Craik FIM, von Hippel C, Grainger SA. The cognitive tenacity of self-directed ageism. Trends Cogn Sci 2023:S1364-6613(23)00072-4. [PMID: 37147237 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2023.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Ageism refers to prejudice or discrimination based on a person's age. When ageism is directed at older people, it is unique in two ways: it is socially condoned in a manner that other types of prejudice are not, and the animus is eventually self-directed. Of central interest here is why ageism becomes self-directed in late adulthood, despite its potentially harmful personal costs. We present a cognitive model in which negative ageist beliefs become increasingly accessible and difficult to eliminate owing to broader developmental shifts in mentation. Given that these effects are contingent on our social environment, systemic changes in societal conceptions of age and aging are needed if we are to reduce vulnerability to self-directed ageism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie D Henry
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Sarah P Coundouris
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Courtney von Hippel
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Sarah A Grainger
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
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Fingelkurts AA, Fingelkurts AA. Turning Back the Clock: A Retrospective Single-Blind Study on Brain Age Change in Response to Nutraceuticals Supplementation vs. Lifestyle Modifications. Brain Sci 2023; 13:520. [PMID: 36979330 PMCID: PMC10046544 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13030520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is a growing consensus that chronological age (CA) is not an accurate indicator of the aging process and that biological age (BA) instead is a better measure of an individual's risk of age-related outcomes and a more accurate predictor of mortality than actual CA. In this context, BA measures the "true" age, which is an integrated result of an individual's level of damage accumulation across all levels of biological organization, along with preserved resources. The BA is plastic and depends upon epigenetics. Brain state is an important factor contributing to health- and lifespan. METHODS AND OBJECTIVE Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG)-derived brain BA (BBA) is a suitable and promising measure of brain aging. In the present study, we aimed to show that BBA can be decelerated or even reversed in humans (N = 89) by using customized programs of nutraceutical compounds or lifestyle changes (mean duration = 13 months). RESULTS We observed that BBA was younger than CA in both groups at the end of the intervention. Furthermore, the BBA of the participants in the nutraceuticals group was 2.83 years younger at the endpoint of the intervention compared with their BBA score at the beginning of the intervention, while the BBA of the participants in the lifestyle group was only 0.02 years younger at the end of the intervention. These results were accompanied by improvements in mental-physical health comorbidities in both groups. The pre-intervention BBA score and the sex of the participants were considered confounding factors and analyzed separately. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the obtained results support the feasibility of the goal of this study and also provide the first robust evidence that halting and reversal of brain aging are possible in humans within a reasonable (practical) timeframe of approximately one year.
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Sabatini S, Ukoumunne OC, Ballard C, Collins R, Kim S, Corbett A, Aarsland D, Hampshire A, Brooker H, Clare L. What does feeling younger or older than one's chronological age mean to men and women? Qualitative and quantitative findings from the PROTECT study. Psychol Health 2023; 38:324-347. [PMID: 34353194 DOI: 10.1080/08870446.2021.1960989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We explored which factors are associated with subjective age (SA), i.e. feeling younger, the same as, or older than one's chronological age, and whether these factors differ between men and women and between two age sub-groups. DESIGN Cross-sectional study using qualitative and quantitative data for 1457 individuals (mean age= 67.2 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Participants reported how old they feel they are and provided comments in relation to their SA judgments. RESULTS By using content analysis participants' comments were assigned to 13 categories, grouped into three higher-order categories (antecedents of age-related thoughts, mental processes, and issues when measuring subjective age). SA may result from the interaction between factors that increase or decrease age-related thoughts and mental processes that individuals use to interpret age-related changes. Chi-squared tests show that individuals reporting an older SA are more likely to experience significant negative changes and to engage in negative age-related thoughts than individuals reporting an age-congruent SA or a younger SA. Women experience a more negative SA and more age-salient events than men. CONCLUSION Individuals reporting an older SA may benefit from interventions promoting adaptation to negative age-related changes. There is the need to eradicate negative societal views of older women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Sabatini
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Obioha C Ukoumunne
- NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Clive Ballard
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel Collins
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Sarang Kim
- Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Anne Corbett
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Dag Aarsland
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Hampshire
- Department of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Brooker
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,Ecog Pro Ltd, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Linda Clare
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom.,NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC), University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
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Langballe EM, Skirbekk V, Strand BH. Subjective age and the association with intrinsic capacity, functional ability, and health among older adults in Norway. Eur J Ageing 2023; 20:4. [PMID: 36853397 PMCID: PMC9975130 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-023-00753-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This study investigates the relationships between subjective age, intrinsic capacity, functional ability and health among Norwegians aged 60 years and older. The Norwegian Survey of Health and Ageing (NORSE) is a population-based, cross-sectional study of home-dwelling individuals aged 60-96 years in the former county of Oppland. Age- and sex-adjusted regression models were used to investigate the gap between subjective and chronological age and this gap's association with self-reported and objectively measured intrinsic capacity (covering all six sub domains defined by WHO), health, and functional ability among 817 NORSE participants. The results show most participants felt younger than their chronological age (86.5%), while relatively few felt the same as their chronological age (8.3%) or older (5.2%). The mean subjective age was 13.8 years lower than mean chronological age. Participants with urinal incontinence, poor vision, or poor hearing felt 3.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) (0.6, 5.5)], 2.9 [95% CI (0.2, 5.6)], and 2.9 [95% CI (0.3, 5.5)] years older, respectively, than participants without those conditions, whereas none of the following factors-anxiety, depression, chronic disease, Short Physical Performance Battery score, grip strength, cognition, or frailty-significantly had an impact on the gap. In line with prior research, this study finds that feeling considerably younger than one's chronological age is common at older ages. However, those with poor hearing, poor vision, and urinal incontinence felt less young compared to those not having these conditions. These relationships may exert undesirable effects on vitality and autonomy, which are considered key factors of intrinsic capacity and healthy ageing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Melbye Langballe
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway. .,Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Vegard Skirbekk
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway ,Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
| | - Bjørn Heine Strand
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway ,Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway ,Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Luchetti M, Terracciano A. The prospective relationship between subjective aging and inflammation: Evidence from the health and retirement study. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14177. [PMID: 36124383 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
This study tested the prospective associations and potential mediators between subjective aging, indexed by subjective age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA), and a range of inflammatory markers, including C-reactive proteins (CRP) and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines among older adults. Participants (N = 6099, 59% women, age range = 50 to 94, Mean Age = 65.32, SD = 8.85) were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study. Subjective age, SPA, and demographic factors were assessed in 2008/2010. Assessments of soluble transformation growth factor-beta 1 (sTGF-β1), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), interleukin 6 (IL-6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNFR1), and high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) were measured in 2016. Potential mediators (body mass index, disease burden, physical inactivity, and depressive symptoms) were asssessed at baseline and in 2012/2014. Linear regression analyses indicated that an older subjective age and negative SPA were related to higher level of IL-10, IL-1Ra, IL-6, sTNFR1 and hsCRP. These associations were mediated by higher disease burden and physical inactivity. Negative SPA (but not subjective age) was associated with lower sTGF-β1. The link between subjective aging and inflammatory markers was relatively independent from chronological age. The present study provides new evidence that subjective aging is prospectively associated with inflammation, including systemic inflammation and pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
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Zhang S, Chen R, Wang Y, Hu W, Kiburg KV, Zhang J, Yang X, Yu H, He M, Wang W, Zhu Z. Association of Retinal Age Gap and Risk of Kidney Failure: A UK Biobank Study. Am J Kidney Dis 2022; 81:537-544.e1. [PMID: 36481699 DOI: 10.1053/j.ajkd.2022.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE The incidence of kidney failure is known to increase with age. We have previously developed and validated the use of retinal age based on fundus images as a biomarker of aging. However, the association of retinal age with kidney failure is not clear. We investigated the association of retinal age gap (the difference between retinal age and chronological age) with future risk of kidney failure. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 11,052 UK Biobank study participants without any reported disease for characterizing retinal age in a deep learning algorithm. 35,864 other participants with retinal images and no kidney failure were followed to assess the association between retinal age gap and the risk of kidney failure. EXPOSURE Retinal age gap, defined as the difference between model-based retinal age and chronological age. OUTCOME Incident kidney failure. ANALYTICAL APPROACH A deep learning prediction model used to characterize retinal age based on retinal images and chronological age, and Cox proportional hazards regression models to investigate the association of retinal age gap with incident kidney failure. RESULTS After a median follow-up period of 11 (IQR, 10.89-11.14) years, 115 (0.32%) participants were diagnosed with incident kidney failure. Each 1-year greater retinal age gap at baseline was independently associated with a 10% increase in the risk of incident kidney failure (HR, 1.10 [95% CI, 1.03-1.17]; P=0.003). Participants with retinal age gaps in the fourth (highest) quartile had a significantly higher risk of incident kidney failure compared with those in the first quartile (HR, 2.77 [95% CI, 1.29-5.93]; P=0.009). LIMITATIONS Limited generalizability related to the composition of participants in the UK Biobank study. CONCLUSIONS Retinal age gap was significantly associated with incident kidney failure and may be a promising noninvasive predictive biomarker for incident kidney failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiran Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiye Chen
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenyi Hu
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katerina V Kiburg
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Junyao Zhang
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Xiaohong Yang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Honghua Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingguang He
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Centre for Eye Research Australia, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, and Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuoting Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; Centre for Eye Research Australia, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; Department of Surgery, Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
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19
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Dark-Freudeman A, Bensadon BA. Advance care planning: End-of-life hopes and fears among community dwelling adults. J Health Psychol 2022; 27:3177-3189. [PMID: 35445612 DOI: 10.1177/13591053221089726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
End-of-life (EOL) medical care in the United States often does not align with patients' goals and preferences. This study explored EOL hopes and fears among 86 community-dwelling adults and examined medical and psychological predictors of death anxiety. Common EOL hopes included absence of suffering, closure, and personal fulfillment. Common EOL fears included suffering, lack of competence, and specific types of death. Fear of the dying process was greater than fear of death itself. Health predicted death anxiety; age alone, did not. Advance care planning and clinical decision making should include these psychological insights and explicitly address EOL hopes and fears.
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Yoon JE, Oh D, Hwang I, Park JA, Im HJ, Thomas RJ, Kim D, Yang KI, Chu MK, Yun CH. Association between older subjective age and poor sleep quality: a population-based study. Behav Sleep Med 2022:1-16. [PMID: 36377789 DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2022.2144860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the association of subjective age (SA) with sleep quality in an adult population. METHODS In the Korean Sleep and Headache Study, 2,349 participants (49.2% men; 48.1 ± 16.4 years old) were interviewed face-to-face using structured questionnaires between September and December 2018. SA was assessed by asking participants their perceived age in years and then compared with their chronological age (CA). Participants were assigned to three groups: feeling younger, feeling their age, and feeling older. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Association between SA and sleep quality was analyzed with multiple linear regression controlling for demographics, psychosocial, and sleep characteristics. RESULTS The group feeling older (n = 404, 17.2%; men, 58.2%; age, 46.5 ± 16.2 years) had worse sleep quality than the groups feeling younger and feeling their age (PSQI score, 4.3 ± 2.7, 3.8 ± 2.4, 3.4 ± 2.1, respectively, p <.001; prevalence of poor sleep quality, 29.0%, 18.4%, 13.5% respectively, p <.001). The association between SA and the PSQI score remained significant after adjusting for confounders (β = 1.05, 95% confidence interval 0.26, 1.83; p <.001). Stratified analyses by sex and CA showed that the association between SA and the PSQI score was significant only in women and in middle-aged and older group (aged 50-79), suggesting that sex and CA modified the association. CONCLUSION Age perception was associated with self-reported sleep quality, independent of CA. SA may be a useful marker that complements the conventional assessment of subjective sleep quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jee-Eun Yoon
- Department of Neurology, Uijeongbu Eulji Medical Center, Eulji University School of Medicine, Uijeongbu, Republic of Korea
| | - Dana Oh
- Department of Neurology, Seoul Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Inha Hwang
- Department of Neurology, Seoul Metropolitan Seobuk Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung Ah Park
- Department of Neurology, Daegu Catholic University School of Medicine, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Jin Im
- Department of Neurology, Dongtan Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Republic of Korea
| | - Robert J Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daeyoung Kim
- Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Chungnam, Republic of Korea
| | - Kwang Ik Yang
- Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Cheonan, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Kyung Chu
- Department of Neurology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang-Ho Yun
- Department of Neurology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
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21
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Sabatini S, Ukoumunne OC, Ballard C, Collins R, Corbett A, Brooker H, Clare L. Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Associations between Subjective Sleep Difficulties and Self-Perceptions of Aging. Behav Sleep Med 2022; 20:732-761. [PMID: 34689666 DOI: 10.1080/15402002.2021.1994405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Only one study has explored the associations of subjective sleep difficulties with self-perceptions of aging. It focused on a global indicator of self-perceptions of aging (subjective age) despite individuals reporting different experiences of aging in relation to different life domains. The concept of awareness of negative age-related change, capturing perceived losses across five domains (e.g., physical health, cognition), may be more appropriate when relating subjective sleep difficulties to self-perceptions of aging. We examined whether nine different indicators of subjective sleep difficulties predict levels of awareness of negative age-related change and subjective age, measured concurrently and one year later, while controlling for covariates (mood and daily function). PARTICIPANTS/METHODS We used data from the PROTECT cohort study; 4,482 UK residents (mean age = 66.1; SD = 6.9) completed measures of awareness of age-related change, subjective age, mood, daily function, and subjective sleep difficulties. RESULTS Based on linear regression analyses, poorer quality of sleep, lower alertness after awakening, satisfaction with sleep, depth of sleep, more frequent early awakening, difficulty falling asleep, more times awake during a night, fewer hours of sleep during the night and more hours of sleep during the day predicted higher awareness of negative age-related change at baseline and follow-up (p< .001). Associations were small in size. Associations between subjective sleep difficulties and subjective age were either negligible or statistically non-significant. CONCLUSIONS Although subjective sleep difficulties are one of the many factors associated with awareness of negative age-related change, addressing sleep difficulties, alongside negative mood, and poor daily functioning, may promote a small additional increase in positive self-perceptions of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Sabatini
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Obioha C Ukoumunne
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.,Nihr Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (Penarc), University of Exeter, Exeter, NIHR, UK
| | - Clive Ballard
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Rachel Collins
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Anne Corbett
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Helen Brooker
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.,Ecog Pro Ltd, Bristol, UK
| | - Linda Clare
- College of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.,Nihr Applied Research Collaboration South West Peninsula (Penarc), University of Exeter, Exeter, NIHR, UK
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22
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Subjective age and its relationships with physical, mental, and cognitive functioning: A cross-sectional study of 1,004 community-dwelling adults across the lifespan. J Psychiatr Res 2022; 152:160-166. [PMID: 35728360 PMCID: PMC9844078 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Perceived younger age is associated with positive health outcomes in existing literature. Few studies have examined these associations using a wide range of variables in large sample of adults of all ages. The objective of present study was to characterize the discrepancy between chronological age (CA) and subjective age (SA) in a large sample of community-dwelling adults across the lifespan, investigate associations with mental, physical, and cognitive health, and examine how it is related to a broad array of psychosocial variables relevant to well-being. Cross-sectional data from 1,004 individuals aged 21-100+ years from the Successful AGing Evaluation (SAGE) study were used for this analysis. Data included self-report measures of physical health (SF-36 - Physical Component), mental health composite score (created using CES-D Happiness scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, SF-36 Mental Component, Brief Symptom Inventory Anxiety Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Perceived Stress Scale), Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status - modified (TICS-m), and validated measures of various positive psychological variables such as meaning in life and optimism. On average, SA was 11.5 years younger than CA (SD 11.3). The discrepancy increased with CA. A younger SA compared to CA was associated with better mental and physical health in all age groups and was positively associated with measures of presence of meaning in life, successful aging, optimism, personal mastery, resilience, curiosity, hope, and social support. The association between age discrepancy and cognitive functioning was not statistically significant. These findings indicate that SA is potentially valuable for the purposes of clinical assessment and intervention, and this possibility should be investigated in future research.
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Heimrich KG, Prell T, Schönenberg A. What Determines That Older Adults Feel Younger Than They Are? Results From a Nationally Representative Study in Germany. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:901420. [PMID: 35836953 PMCID: PMC9274253 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.901420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background There is increasing evidence that subjective age is an important predictor of beneficial health outcomes besides chronological age. However, little is known about the factors associated with younger subjective age. This study aimed to identify which factors are predictive of feeling younger in old age. In this context, feeling younger was defined as an individual's perception of being younger than their current chronological age. Methods Data from 4,665 community-dwelling older people were drawn from wave 7 (2020) of the German Aging Survey (DEAS), a nationally representative study in Germany. Network, mediation, and binomial logistic regression analyses were performed to reveal the associations between feeling younger and biopsychosocial factors. Results A total of 4,039 participants reported feeling younger, while 626 did not. Older chronological age, engaging in sports more frequently, a better standard of living, a better state of health, higher satisfaction with life, more positive attitudes toward one's aging, and fewer depressive symptoms are associated with feeling younger in older people. Conclusion The present study provides novel and consistent evidence regarding the association between feeling younger and biopsychosocial factors. Further research is needed to confirm these factors and identify how they can be adapted in potential intervention studies to generate the life and health circumstances that allow older people the benefit of feeling younger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantin G. Heimrich
- Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
- *Correspondence: Konstantin G. Heimrich
| | - Tino Prell
- Department of Geriatrics, Halle University Hospital, Halle, Germany
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Is Subjective Age Associated with Physical Fitness in Community-Dwelling Older Adults? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19116841. [PMID: 35682424 PMCID: PMC9180396 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Although subjective age has been associated with a range of health-related outcomes, there has been little systematic study on the relationship between the subjective age and physical fitness in a given population. The purpose of this study was to determine the prospective association between subjective age and physical fitness in community-dwelling older adults. A sample of 276 older people who lived in the community was studied. Subjective age was measured by a face-to-face interview. Grip strength, balancing on one leg with eyes open, the 30 s chair stand test, 4 m habitual walk, and 6 min walk test were measured to reflect physical fitness. Results indicated that the felt younger older adults had a higher level of physical fitness compared to their felt older and felt the same counterparts. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that all the measured physical fitness items were significantly associated with subjective age in older men. All of the measured physical fitness items except for the 4 m habitual walk were remarkably related to subjective age in older women. The findings suggest that subjective age is closely associated with physical fitness in community-dwelling older adults. Much attention should be paid to the promotion of physical fitness to improve the subjective age of older adults.
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Barrett AE, Michael C. Spotlight on Age: An Overlooked Construct in Medical Sociology. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 2022; 63:177-190. [PMID: 35227106 DOI: 10.1177/00221465221077221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Medical sociology gives limited attention to age-a surprising observation given the aging of the population and the fact that age is among the strongest determinants of health. We examine this issue through an analysis of articles published in Journal of Health and Social Behavior (JHSB) and Sociology of Health & Illness (SHI) between 2000 and 2019. One in 10 articles focused on age or aging, with attention increasing over the period. However, the journals differed. More JHSB than SHI articles addressed it, but fewer focused on the latest life stages when frailty often appears. We discuss three dimensions of age that would enrich medical sociology: as a dimension of inequality akin to race and gender with similar health effects, as an institution interacting with the medical one, and as an identity-again, akin to race and gender-through which people process their experiences in ways that affect health.
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26
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Kalir DM, Shrira A, Palgi Y, Batz C, Ben-Eliezer A, Heyman N, Lieberman D, Seleznev I, Shugaev I, Zaslavsky O, Zikrin E, Bodner E. Feeling Younger, Rehabilitating Better: Reciprocal and Mediating Effects between Subjective Age and Functional Independence in Osteoporotic Fracture and Stroke Patients. Gerontology 2022; 69:109-117. [PMID: 35613557 PMCID: PMC9808737 DOI: 10.1159/000524885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The current study aimed to find reciprocal effects between subjective age and functional independence during rehabilitation from osteoporotic fractures and stroke and whether these effects can be mediated by indicators of well-being. METHODS Participants were 194 older adults (mean age = 78.32 years, SD = 7.37; 64.8% women) who were hospitalized following an osteoporotic fracture or stroke. Participants completed measures of subjective age and well-being (i.e., optimism, self-esteem, and life satisfaction) several times during rehabilitation. Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was completed by nursing personnel at admission and at discharge. RESULTS Younger subjective age at admission predicted higher FIM scores at discharge. The reverse effect, that is, of FIM scores at admission on subjective age at discharge, was nonsignificant. Optimism during hospitalization mediated the effect of subjective age on subsequent FIM scores while self-esteem and life satisfaction did not. Sensitivity analyses further showed that the effect of subjective age on FIM was significant for both fracture and stroke patients. DISCUSSION The findings highlight the effect of subjective age on rehabilitation outcomes among osteoporotic fractures and stroke patients and suggest several potential mechanisms behind this effect. Rehabilitation outcomes following osteoporotic fractures or strokes could improve if subjective age and an optimistic outlook are taken into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amit Shrira
- The Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel,*Amit Shrira,
| | - Yuval Palgi
- Department of Gerontology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Carmel Batz
- The Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
| | | | - Noemi Heyman
- Department of Geriatrics, Shoham Medical Center, Pardes Hanna-Karkur, Israel
| | - Devora Lieberman
- Department of Geriatrics, Soroka Medical Center, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Irena Seleznev
- Department of Geriatrics, Shoham Medical Center, Pardes Hanna-Karkur, Israel
| | - Inna Shugaev
- Fliman Geriatric Rehabilitation Hospital, Haifa, Israel,Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Oleg Zaslavsky
- School of Nursing, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Evgeniya Zikrin
- Department of Geriatrics, Soroka Medical Center, Beersheba, Israel
| | - Ehud Bodner
- The Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel,Department of Music, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Kornadt A, Canada B, Terracciano A. Personality and subjective age: Evidence from six samples. Psychol Aging 2022; 37:401-412. [PMID: 35298205 PMCID: PMC9843495 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Subjective age is associated with health-related outcomes across adulthood. The present study examined the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between personality traits and subjective age. Participants (N > 31,000) were from the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS), the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the National Health and Aging Study (NHATS), the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate (WLSG) and Siblings (WLSS) samples, and the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). Demographic factors, personality traits, and subjective age were assessed at baseline. Subjective age was assessed again in the MIDUS, the HRS, and the NHATS, 4 to almost 20 years later. Across the samples and a meta-analysis, higher neuroticism was related to an older subjective age, whereas higher extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were associated with a younger subjective age. Self-rated health, physical activity, chronic conditions, and depressive symptoms partially mediated these relationships. There was little evidence that chronological age moderated these associations. Multilevel longitudinal analyses found similar associations with the intercept and weak evidence for an association with the slope in the opposite of the expected direction: Lower neuroticism and higher extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness were related to feeling relatively older over time. The present study provides replicable evidence that personality is related to subjective age. It extends existing conceptualization of subjective age as a biopsychosocial marker of aging by showing that how old or young individuals feel partly reflects personality traits. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angelina R. Sutin
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA
| | - Anna Kornadt
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
| | | | - Antonio Terracciano
- Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA
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Cismaru-Inescu A, Hahaut B, Adam S, Nobels A, Beaulieu M, Vandeviver C, Keygnaert I, Nisen L. Sexual Activity and Physical Tenderness in Older Adults: Prevalence and Associated Characteristics From a Belgian Study. J Sex Med 2022; 19:569-580. [PMID: 35236640 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.01.516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the World Health Organization calling for sexuality to be recognized as an aspect of well-being, no studies have explored sexual activity and physical tenderness in older adults aged ≥ 75 years in Belgium or those aged ≥ 85 years worldwide. AIM To assess the prevalence and predictors of sexual activity and physical tenderness in a sample of older adults. METHODS Using data from a Belgian cross-sectional study on sexual violence (UN-MENAMAIS), information on sexual activity, physical tenderness, and associated characteristics was collected during structured face-to-face interviews with older adults living in the community, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes. Cluster random probability sampling with a random route-finding approach was used to select the participants. OUTCOMES Current sexual activity and physical tenderness in the previous 12 months, sociodemographic characteristics, chronological age, subjective age, number of sexual partners, sexual satisfaction, attitudes toward sexuality in later life, quality of life, and lifetime sexual victimisation. RESULTS Among the 511 participants included, 50.3% were in a relationship, mainly living with their partner; 31.3% indicated they were sexually active; and 47.3% of sexually inactive participants reported having experienced forms of physical tenderness in the previous 12 months. Sexual activity was associated with the presence of a partner, satisfaction with sexual life, permissive attitudes regarding sexuality in later life, a younger age, and a lack of disability. Physical tenderness was associated with the presence of a partner, community residency, and permissive attitudes regarding sexuality in later life. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Raising awareness among the general population, healthcare professionals, and older adults about sexuality in later life could contribute to ending this taboo and should therefore be a priority for society. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS Our study fills a gap in the literature regarding sexual activity and physical tenderness in older adults aged ≥ 70 years, including respondents aged up to 99 years. Additionally, we explored different forms of sexual expression beyond intercourse, and face-to-face interviews contributed to the quality of the collected data. The main limitation of this study was the sample size, although the findings were similar to recent statistical indicators in Belgium. CONCLUSION One in 3 older adults aged ≥ 70 years living in Belgium are sexually active. These findings provide an opportunity to inform the general public and older adults about later life sexuality and to educate healthcare professionals about aging sexuality to increase discussions and avoid assumptions of asexuality in later life. Cismaru-Inescu A, Hahaut B, Adam S et al. Sexual Activity and Physical Tenderness in Older Adults: Prevalence and Associated Characteristics From a Belgian Study. J Sex Med 2022;19:569-580.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adina Cismaru-Inescu
- CARE-ESPRIst, Studies and Evaluations, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium; Psychology of Aging Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.
| | - Bastien Hahaut
- CARE-ESPRIst, Studies and Evaluations, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Stéphane Adam
- Psychology of Aging Unit, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Anne Nobels
- International Centre for Reproductive Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Marie Beaulieu
- School of Social Work and Research Centre on Aging, University of Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Christophe Vandeviver
- Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Belgium
| | - Ines Keygnaert
- International Centre for Reproductive Health, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Laurent Nisen
- CARE-ESPRIst, Studies and Evaluations, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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Barrett AE, Barbee H. The subjective life course framework: Integrating life course sociology with gerontological perspectives on subjective aging. ADVANCES IN LIFE COURSE RESEARCH 2022; 51:100448. [PMID: 36652311 PMCID: PMC10216003 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcr.2021.100448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The expansion of life expectancy has precipitated a cultural transformation of the life course - altering the perceived temporal contours of middle and later life. However, our understanding of these perceptions is limited by the absence of a framework within which to examine them. This paper builds on the life course perspective - which emphasizes the objective patterning of lives - by focusing on the subjective side of the life course. Drawing on theoretically, methodologically, and substantively diverse studies, this paper develops the concept of the subjective life course - a term we use to denote individuals' perceptions of the life course, including its structure and timing and their advancing location in it. We outline two dimensions of the subjective life course - the target of the perception (i.e., generalized other versus self) and the temporal frame of reference (i.e., past, present, or future). Using the resulting framework as an organizational tool, we then discuss key constructs located at each intersection along these dimensions, providing examples, where possible, of empirical studies examining them. We close with a discussion of two broad directions for research: leveraging the framework to yield insight on the subjective life course and exploring links between objective and subjective dimensions of the life course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne E Barrett
- Department of Sociology, Florida State University, 636W. Call St., Tallahassee, FL 32306-1121, USA.
| | - Harry Barbee
- Center for Medicine, Health, and Society, Vanderbilt University, 300 Calhoun Hall, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37235-1665, USA.
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Terracciano A. Subjective Aging and Objectively Assessed Hearing Function: A Prospective Study of Older Adults. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2022; 77:1637-1644. [PMID: 35092438 PMCID: PMC9757156 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbac018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Subjective aging is consistently related to a range of health-related outcomes, but little is known about its relationship with sensory functioning. The present prospective study tested whether subjective age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are associated with objective hearing function. METHODS Participants were 7,085 individuals aged 50-93 years (60% women, mean = 65.15, standard deviation [SD] = 8.71) from the Health and Retirement Study. Measures of subjective age, SPA, and information on demographic factors were obtained in 2008/2010. Objective hearing function was assessed 8 years later in 2016/2018. Furthermore, potential mediating variables (C-reactive protein, body mass index, physical inactivity, and chronic conditions) were assessed in 2012/2014. RESULTS In regression analyses that accounted for demographic factors, older subjective age and negative SPA were associated with lower hearing acuity 8 years later. In addition, 1 SD older subjective age and negative SPA were related to a 9% and 7% higher likelihood of hearing impairment. Mediation analyses revealed that physical inactivity and chronic conditions partially mediated subjective age and SPA associations with hearing acuity. There was little evidence that the link between subjective aging and hearing was moderated by hearing aids and partial support for a moderating role of age. DISCUSSION This study provides new evidence that subjective aging is prospectively related to hearing function. Individuals with older subjective age or negative SPA have unfavorable behavioral and clinical profiles that explain part of their lower hearing function. Individuals' experience with their aging process is a marker of risk for impaired hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Stephan
- Address correspondence to: Yannick Stephan, PhD, Euromov, University of Montpellier, UFRSTAPS, 700, Avenue du Pic St Loup, 34090 Montpellier, France. E-mail:
| | - Angelina R Sutin
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
| | - Antonio Terracciano
- Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA
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31
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Schönstein A, Schlomann A, Wahl HW, Bärnighausen T. Awareness of age-related change in very different cultural-political contexts: A cross-cultural examination of aging in Burkina Faso and Germany. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:928564. [PMID: 36741568 PMCID: PMC9894898 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.928564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Combining recent developments in research on personal views on aging (VoA) and a cross-country comparative approach, this study examined awareness of age-related change (AARC) in samples from rural Burkina Faso and Germany. The aims of this study were (1) to examine for an assumed proportional shift in the relationship between gains/losses toward more losses as predicted by life span psychology; (2) to estimate the association between AARC dimensions and subjective age; and (3) to examine the association between health variables and AARC. A cross-sectional method involving a large, representative sample from rural Burkina Faso that included participants aged 40 and older (N = 3,028) and a smaller convenience sample of German respondents aged 50 years and older (N = 541) were used to address these questions. A proportional shift toward more AARC-losses was more clearly observable in the sample from Burkina Faso as compared to the German reference. In both samples, subjective age was consistently more strongly related to AARC-losses than to AARC-gains. Within the sample from Burkina Faso, differential associations of AARC-gains and AARC-losses to health variables could be shown. In conclusion, the findings support key tenets of life span psychology including that age-related gains occur even late in life and that a shift toward more losses occurs with increasing age. Also, feeling subjectively younger may indeed be more strongly guided by lowered negative aging experiences than by increased positive ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Schönstein
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Department of Psychology, Mannheim University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anna Schlomann
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute for Educational Sciences, Heidelberg University of Education, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hans-Werner Wahl
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.,Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Fundenberger H, Stephan Y, Hupin D, Barth N, Terracciano A, Canada B. Prospective associations between subjective age and fear of falling in older adults. Aging Ment Health 2022; 26:86-91. [PMID: 33291957 PMCID: PMC8978267 DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2020.1856775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Subjective age has been implicated in a range of health outcomes but its associations with Fear of Falling (FoF) are unknown. The present study examined the relation between subjective age and FoF in large national sample. METHODS Participants were drawn from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS, 2011-2017). 1,679 participants provided data on FoF, subjective age, demographic factors, depressive symptoms, prior falls, self-rated health and measures of the Short Physical Performance Battery. FoF was assessed again 7 years later. RESULTS Regression analyses revealed that an older subjective age was related to a 24% higher likelihood to develop FoF 7 years later. This association was independent of age, sex, educational attainment, race and prior falls. In addition, depressive symptoms, self-rated health, and physical inactivity mediated the associations between subjective age and FoF. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed that an older subjective age is related to the development of FoF over time, and further identified psychological and functional pathways that may explain this association. These results confirm the role of subjective age on one of the markers of frailty in the aging population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hervé Fundenberger
- SNA EPIS, Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE,Corresponding author: Hervé Fundenberger, EA SNA EPIS 4607, Université de Lyon, Université Jean Monnet, Saint-Étienne, 42055 Saint-Etienne cedex 2, France,
| | | | - David Hupin
- SNA EPIS, Jean Monnet University, Saint-Etienne, FRANCE
| | | | - Antonio Terracciano
- Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA
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Veenstra M, Løset GK, Daatland SO. Socioeconomic Inequalities in Mortality After Age 67: The Contribution of Psychological Factors. Front Psychol 2021; 12:717959. [PMID: 34690874 PMCID: PMC8526927 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.717959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverging trends of longer lives and increased inequalities in age-at-death invite to updated research on late-life mortality. Earlier studies have identified health behavior, childhood, psychosocial, and material conditions as key determinants of life expectancy, but the role of psychological factors remains a topic of debate. The current study is framed in a life course developmental perspective and assesses the mediating role of secondary control strategies (subjective age) and primary control capacity (perceived control) to socioeconomic (wealth and education) inequality in mortality after age 67. Data are derived from the second wave of the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation study (N=1,432 and age 67–85). All in all, 366 deaths were observed over a mean follow-up of 9.6years. Perceived control was measured by the Pearlin and Schooler Mastery Scale. SA was measured with proportional discrepancy scores in felt age and ideal age. Stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted to analyze the relative contribution of SES (education and accumulated wealth), felt age, and ideal age discrepancies and perceived control on 11-year mortality. Findings show that lower levels of wealth and perceived control independently predict increased elderly mortality over an 11-year period. Feeling younger and smaller ideal age discrepancies are positively associated with perceived control, but do not account for additional variability in longevity among older adults. Findings add to the interdisciplinary field of socioeconomic inequalities in elderly mortality and underline the specific importance of structural conditions (wealth) and the continued importance of (perceived) primary control capacity for longevity also after age 67. Future research may assess in more detail how wealth and perceived control complement each other in contributing to healthy aging and longevity, for example, by longitudinal research including the role of significant life events in the second half of life in different welfare state contexts.
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Kaspar R, Wahl HW, Diehl M. Awareness of Age-Related Change as a Behavioral Determinant of Survival Time in Very Old Age. Front Psychol 2021; 12:727560. [PMID: 34650486 PMCID: PMC8505719 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.727560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Although research on the association between subjective views of aging (VOA) and survival is scarce, more negative VOA have been found to be associated with increased all-cause mortality, even after controlling for possible confounders. Longitudinal studies on the predictive association of VOA with survival in individuals aged 80 years or older are, however, very limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to link adults' awareness of age-related change (AARC), a multidimensional measure of adults' subjective VOA, to survival time across a 3.5-year observation interval in advanced old age. To put the AARC construct in context, the study also considered related psychosocial concepts (i.e., perceived control and appraisal of life) essential for coping with late-life challenges as potential behavioral predictors of longevity. Data came from a representative panel study that included persons living in community and institutional settings. A total of 1,863 interviews were conducted at wave 1. This study used meta-data from wave 2 fieldwork 2 years after the initial assessment and death records obtained during panel maintenance after 3.5 years to estimate determinants of survival. Results showed that loss-related VOA indicated increased risk to survival, whereas gain-related VOA were predictive of longer survival. Both perceived age-related losses and perceived age-related gains exerted a significant independent effect on late-life mortality over and above socio-demographic background characteristics, perceived control, engagement with life, as well as health status. These findings suggest that the multidimensional examination of very old adults' VOA may help to better understand successful longevity in the Fourth Age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Kaspar
- Cologne Center for Ethics, Rights, Economics, and Social Sciences of Health, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Hans-Werner Wahl
- Network Aging Research of Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manfred Diehl
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Luchetti M, Aschwanden D, Terracciano A. Subjective age and verbal fluency among middle aged and older adults: A meta-analysis of five cohorts. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2021; 97:104527. [PMID: 34534857 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2021.104527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to examine the relation between subjective age and verbal fluency in five large samples of older adults to advance knowledge on the role of subjective age in a complex cognitive function that is an intermediate marker of cognitive impairment and dementia risk. METHODS Participants (N > 27,000), aged 32 to 99 years old, predominantly white, were from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study Graduate (WLSG) and Siblings (WLSS) samples, the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS), and the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). They provided complete data on subjective age, demographic factors and verbal fluency. Estimates from each sample were combined in a meta-analysis. RESULTS Across each of the five samples and in the meta-analysis, an older subjective age was related to lower performance on the verbal fluency task. This association was independent of chronological age and was not moderated by age, sex, nor education. The difference in fluency between individuals with an older and younger subjective age ranged from d = 0.09 to d = 0.37 across the five samples. CONCLUSIONS This study found replicable evidence for an association between an older subjective age and lower verbal fluency, extending knowledge about an intermediate marker of cognitive function.
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Alonso Debreczeni F, Bailey PE. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Subjective Age and the Association With Cognition, Subjective Well-Being, and Depression. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:471-482. [PMID: 32453828 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to quantify the degree to which subjective age is associated with cognition, subjective well-being, and depression. METHOD A systematic search was performed in three electronic social scientific databases, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science in May 2018. A manual forward and backward citation search of articles meeting the criteria for inclusion, including a mean participant age of 40+ years, was conducted in November 2019. Twenty-four independent data sets were included in the meta-analysis. RESULTS Overall, a younger subjective age was related to enhanced subjective well-being and cognitive performance, and reduced depressive symptoms (r = .18). This association was stronger among collectivist (r = .24) than individualist (r = .16) cultures. Mean chronological age across samples (ranging from 55 to 83 years), type of subjective age scoring, and gender did not influence the strength of the overall association. Further analysis revealed that subjective age was individually associated with depressive symptoms (r = .20), subjective well-being (r = .17), and cognition (r = .14), and none had a stronger association with subjective age than the other. DISCUSSION The results indicate a small yet significant association between subjective age and important developmental outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Phoebe E Bailey
- School of Psychology, Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia
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37
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Psychological Predictors of Perceived Age and Chronic Pain Impact in Individuals With and Without Knee Osteoarthritis. Clin J Pain 2021; 36:569-577. [PMID: 32398442 DOI: 10.1097/ajp.0000000000000842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chronological age is a risk factor in chronic pain; however, aging research supports the premise that physical and psychological health may better predict perceived age. Given the lack of evidence on perceived age in the context of chronic pain, the current study presents novel findings about the relationship between perceived age, chronic pain impact, and psychological function in adults with and without knee osteoarthritis. METHODS This secondary analysis was part of an ongoing multisite observational cohort study to understand the progression of knee pain and disability. Community-dwelling adults (N=227) ages 45+ completed measures of trait resilience, trait positive and negative affect, pain catastrophizing, subjective perceptions of age, and the Graded Chronic Pain Scale. RESULTS On average, participants reported feeling 10 years younger than their chronological age; however, this effect was attenuated in individuals reporting high-impact pain. Lower perceived age was associated with lower pain impact (low pain/low disability), while higher perceived age correlated with higher pain impact (high pain/high disability) and more adverse psychological effects. Using hierarchical linear regression, high-impact pain and positive affect emerged as statistically significant predictors of perceived age, whereas no differences were observed among trait resilience, negative affect, or pain catastrophizing. DISCUSSION These findings highlight the importance of a biopsychosocial approach in understanding the intersection between psychological and physical factors associated with chronic pain. Addressing negative self-perceptions of aging, while simultaneously augmenting positive affect, through psychological therapies may mitigate pain and disability.
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Schönstein A, Ngo DTT, Stephan Y, Siè A, Harling G, Bärnighausen T, Wahl HW. Feeling Younger in Rural Burkina Faso: Exploring the Role of Subjective Age in the Light of Previous Research from High Income Countries. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:2029-2040. [PMID: 34379769 PMCID: PMC8599075 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Previous research on subjective age (SA), that is, how young or old a person feels relative to their chronological age, has shown that older adults tend to feel younger than they are (by about 15%–20%), but the extent of this effect depends, in part, on their health. However, as most of the studies have been conducted in Western countries, it is unclear how well these results generalize to culturally different samples. Objectives, therefore, were to examine SA in middle-aged and older adults from a very low-income setting in rural Burkina Faso, to examine associations between SA and health/quality of life-related measures, and to compare findings with Western studies. Methods Representative, cross-sectional sample of N = 3,028 adults (≥40 years, recruited in 2018) from north-western Burkina Faso. Data included questionnaires on depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life scale, including subjective health) as well as performance-based and objective health-related measures (Community Screening Instrument for Dementia as cognitive screening, walking speed). Results Respondents felt on average 3% younger (SD = 0.13) than their chronological age, with 48% (95% confidence interval: 0.46–0.50) feeling younger—27 percentage points lower than seen in representative Western studies. Lower depression, better walking speed, cognition, and quality of life were all associated with younger SA. Discussion Middle-aged and older adults in Nouna felt less young than similar age groups in Western studies. One of the reasons may be that youthfulness is less of a value outside Western cultures. As in Western studies, parts of the variation in SA can be explained by health parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Schönstein
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - D T T Ngo
- Network Aging Research, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Y Stephan
- University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - A Siè
- CRSN Nouna, Boucle de Mouhoun, Burkina Faso
| | - G Harling
- University College, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - H-W Wahl
- Network Aging Research & Institute of Psychology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Hartanto A, Majeed NM, Ng WQ, Chai CKN, Lua VYQ. Subjective age and inflammation risk in midlife adults: Findings from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) studies. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2021; 7:100072. [PMID: 35757054 PMCID: PMC9216680 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2021.100072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that subjective age—a subjective evaluation of one's own age—is a promising construct in gerontology that may contribute our understanding of risk for immune dysfunction. Nevertheless, studies documenting the association between subjective age and inflammatory biomarkers remain limited and provide mixed findings. In the present study, we revisited the relation between subjective age and systemic inflammation by utilizing a range of well-established inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, E-selectin, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1) through the collection of fasting blood samples before breakfast. In a large-scale dataset of midlife adults (N = 1800), we found some evidence that an older subjective age is associated with elevated inflammation when indexed by C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, as well as a composite inflammation score. However, these relations were not significant when health variables were controlled for, suggesting that the association between subjective age and systemic inflammation is fully accounted for by better health profiles among those with a younger subjective age. Additionally, the subjective age-inflammation association was influenced by slight variations in the analytic method, highlighting the importance of sensitivity analyses in this area. Subjective age predicted a composite score comprising five inflammatory biomarkers. Subjective age is linked with elevated C-reactive protein and fibrinogen. Subjective age-systemic inflammation link is fully accounted by health profiles. Subjective age predicted the composite score and fibrinogen after correcting for multiple comparisons. Variation in analyses can influence subjective age-inflammation associations.
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Li Y, Liu M, Miyawaki CE, Sun X, Hou T, Tang S, Szanton SL. Bidirectional relationship between subjective age and frailty: a prospective cohort study. BMC Geriatr 2021; 21:395. [PMID: 34187378 PMCID: PMC8244193 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-021-02344-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Subjective age refers to how young or old individuals experience themselves to be and is associated with health status, behavioral, cognitive, and biological processes that influence frailty. However, little research has examined the relationship between subjective age and frailty among older adults. This study examined the bidirectional association between subjective age and frailty among community-dwelling older adults. Methods We used data from the 2011 to 2015 waves of the National Health and Aging Trends Study. Our sample consists of 2,592 community-dwelling older adults with complete data on main outcome variables. Subjective age was measured by asking participants, “What age do you feel most of the time?” Based on the five phenotypic criteria: exhaustion, unintentional weight loss, low physical activity, slow gait, and weak grip strength, frailty was categorized into robust = 0, pre-frailty = 1 or 2; frailty = 3 or more criteria met. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the concurrent and lagged association between subjective age and frailty. Results Participants were, on average, 75.2 ± 6.8 years old, non-Hispanic whites (76 %), female (58 %). 77 % of the participants felt younger, 18 % felt the same, and 5 % felt older than their chronological age. About 45 %, 46 %, and 9 % of the participants were robust, pre-frailty and frailty in the first wave, respectively. Generalized estimating equations revealed that an “older” subjective age predicted a higher likelihood of pre-frailty and frailty (OR, 95 % CI = 1.93, 1.45–2.56). Conclusions These findings suggest that people with older subjective age are more likely to be pre-frail/frail. Subjective age could be used as a quick and economical screening for those who are potentially frailty or at risk for frailty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiao Li
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road of Yuelu District, Hunan, 410013, Changsha, China
| | - Minhui Liu
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road of Yuelu District, Hunan, 410013, Changsha, China. .,School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | | | - Xiaocao Sun
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road of Yuelu District, Hunan, 410013, Changsha, China
| | - Tianxue Hou
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road of Yuelu District, Hunan, 410013, Changsha, China
| | - Siyuan Tang
- Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, 172 Tongzipo Road of Yuelu District, Hunan, 410013, Changsha, China
| | - Sarah L Szanton
- School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Wurm S, Terracciano A. Subjective Aging and Incident Cardiovascular Disease. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:910-919. [PMID: 32857131 PMCID: PMC8063671 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbaa106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Subjective aging, including subjective age and self-perceptions of aging (SPA), predicts health-related outcomes in older adults. Despite its association with cardiovascular risk factors, little is known about the association between subjective aging and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, the present study examined whether subjective age and SPA are related to the incidence of heart conditions and stroke. METHODS The sample comprises 10,695 participants aged 50-100 years from the Health and Retirement Study. Subjective age, SPA, demographic factors, and health-related behaviors, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes, and depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline. Self-reported physician diagnosis of heart conditions and stroke were assessed biennially over up to 9 years of follow-up. RESULTS Controlling for demographic factors, an older subjective age and more negative SPA were related to a higher risk of incident heart conditions and stroke. Feeling older and holding negative SPA were associated with around 40% higher risk of experiencing heart conditions over time. An older subjective age and negative SPA were related to almost twofold and 30% higher risk of incident stroke, respectively. Health risk behaviors, BMI, hypertension, diabetes, and depressive symptoms accounted for part of the associations between subjective aging and heart diseases and stroke. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with the literature on subjective aging and cardiovascular risk factors, this large prospective study indicates that an older subjective age and negative SPA increase the risk of incident stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Susanne Wurm
- Institute for Community Medicine, Department of Social Medicine and Prevention, University Medicine Greifswald, Germany
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Hughes ML, Touron DR. Aging in Context: Incorporating Everyday Experiences Into the Study of Subjective Age. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:633234. [PMID: 33897492 PMCID: PMC8062800 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.633234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The age that a person feels is a strong predictor of their well-being and long-term health, beyond chronological age, showing that people have a self-awareness that provides insight into their aging process. It appears this insight has broad implications for a person's everyday life and functioning. One's subjective age is shaped by metacognitive beliefs about aging, including both expectations about typical changes but most notably the awareness and interpretation of personal experiences. Subjective age has been described as multidimensional, aligning with life domains such as cognitive, social, and physical functioning. This perspective, coupled with laboratory studies that manipulate subjective age, suggests that situational context has an important role in determining the age a person feels. Here we review literature on subjective age with a focus on how research and theoretical perspectives should be adapted to integrate momentary experiences. We propose a contextual model that will help discriminate the links between situational influences and subjective age, as well as resulting behaviors that impact health and well-being. While most research has considered subjective age to be a relatively stable variable, we provide a novel account of how daily life offers a variety of situational contexts and experiences that directly impact the age a person feels at a given moment. We propose that studying moment-to-moment context is a critical next step in understanding the associations between subjective age, lifestyle choices, and health outcomes.
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Canada B, Terracciano A. The Association between Subjective Age and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: Results from a Population-Based Cohort Study. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 2021; 76:2023-2028. [PMID: 33718965 DOI: 10.1093/geronb/gbab047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The motoric cognitive risk (MCR) syndrome, characterized by cognitive complaints and slower gait speed, is a pre-dementia syndrome associated with dementia and mortality risk. The present study examined whether subjective age, that is how old or young individuals feel relative to their chronological age, is related to concurrent and incident MCR syndrome. A relation between subjective age and MCR will inform knowledge on psychological factors related to dementia risk, identify who is at greater risk, and suggest a potential target of intervention. METHOD The study sample was composed of 6,341 individuals aged 65 to 107 years without dementia from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a longitudinal study of adults aged 50 years and older. Participants completed measures of subjective age, cognitive complaints, and gait speed and provided information on demographic factors, cognition, physical activity, depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI) at baseline in 2008/2010. Incident MCR was assessed four and eight years later. RESULTS Controlling for demographic factors, an older subjective age was related to more than 60% higher likelihood of MCR at baseline and to around 50% higher risk of incident MCR over time. These associations remained significant when cognition, physical inactivity, depressive symptoms, and BMI were included in the analytic models. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that how old individuals feel is related to concurrent and incident MCR beyond the effect of chronological age, other demographic factors, physical inactivity, depressive symptoms, BMI, and cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Angelina R Sutin
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA
| | | | - Antonio Terracciano
- Department of Geriatrics, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Verena Klusmann
- Department of Psychology, Psychological Assessment and Health Psychology, University of Konstanz, Constance, Germany
- Department of Psychology and Human Movement Science, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anna E. Kornadt
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, Université du Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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Abstract
Perceptions of age and perceptions of health have each been found to predict future health and well-being, yet surprisingly, studies typically focused on one or the other. Studies on perceived age suggested that its effects on longevity may be mediated by perceived health. Within each of these lines of research, the constructs have not been consistently operationalized, making it difficult to generalize across studies. We aimed to investigate the associations of different measures of perceptions of age and of health with one another and with longevity. Data collected at baseline from the 851 participants of the Rutgers Aging and Health longitudinal study (mean age 73) included perceptions of age and health, each assessed with four different single-item measures, sociodemographic, and health measures. Mortality was followed-up for 10 years. All four health perceptions and two of the age perceptions (Age-group identity and nearness-to-death) were associated with survival time. Age and health perceptions had similar independent effects in models that included measures of both types, controlling for demographics and chronic conditions, though not after controlling for age. In contrast with our hypothesis, health perceptions did not mediate the association between age perceptions and mortality. Findings regarding health perceptions were generally consistent across measures, whereas age perception measures differed in their associations with various outcomes, indicating that they assess different subjective age constructs. The findings correspond with proposed explanations for the predictive effect of age and health perceptions and support the significant though weaker independent effects of age perceptions compared with health perceptions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Benyamini
- Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, 6997801 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Edith Burns
- Department of Medicine, Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine, Manhasset, NY 11030 USA
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Stephan Y, Sutin AR, Terracciano A. Physical activity and subjective age across adulthood in four samples. Eur J Ageing 2020; 17:469-476. [PMID: 33381000 PMCID: PMC7752936 DOI: 10.1007/s10433-019-00537-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study examined the prospective association between physical activity and subjective age across adulthood and factors that mediate this association. Participants were adults aged from 20 to 90 years (N > 10,000) drawn from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study graduates and siblings samples, the Health and Retirement Study and the Midlife in the United States Survey. In the four samples, physical activity was assessed at baseline and subjective age was measured 8 to 20 years later. Personality, self-rated health, disease burden, depressive symptoms, and cognition were assessed as potential mediators. In the four samples, higher physical activity at baseline was associated with a younger subjective age at follow-up. Logistic regression revealed that physical activity was related to a 30-50% higher likelihood of feeling younger 8 to 20 years later. Significant indirect effects were found through openness to experience and self-rated health in the four samples. This study provides new evidence on the link between a health-related behavior and subjective age. Physically active individuals may sustain health and an open psychological disposition that is associated with feeling younger.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick Stephan
- Euromov, University of Montpellier, UFRSTAPS, 700, Avenue du Pic St Loup, 34090 Montpellier, France
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Mitina M, Young S, Zhavoronkov A. Psychological aging, depression, and well-being. Aging (Albany NY) 2020; 12:18765-18777. [PMID: 32950973 PMCID: PMC7585090 DOI: 10.18632/aging.103880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Aging is a multifactorial process, which affects the human body on every level and results in both biological and psychological changes. Multiple studies have demonstrated that a lower subjective age is associated with better mental and physical health, cognitive functions, well-being and satisfaction with life. In this work we propose a list of non-modifiable and modifiable factors that may possibly be influenced by subjective age and its changes across an individual's lifespan. These factors can be used for a future development of individual psychological aging clocks, which may be utilized as a sensitive measure for health status and overall life satisfaction. Furthermore, recent progress in artificial intelligence and biomarkers of biological aging have enabled scientists to discover and evaluate the efficacy of potential aging- and disease-modifying drugs and interventions. We propose that biomarkers of psychological age, which are just as important as those for biological age, may likewise be used for these purposes. Indeed, these two types of markers complement one another. We foresee the development of a broad range of parametric and deep psychological and biopsychological aging clocks, which may have implications for drug development and therapeutic interventions, and thus healthcare and other industries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Mitina
- Deep Longevity, Inc., Three Exchange Square, The Landmark, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Deep Longevity, Inc., Three Exchange Square, The Landmark, Hong Kong, China,Insilico Medicine, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP), Hong Kong, China,The Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA 94945, USA
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Abstract
AbstractSubjective age (SA) is a core indicator of the individual ageing experience, with important consequences for successful ageing. The aim of the current study was to investigate the directions of the longitudinal associations between domains of SA and subjective wellbeing and physical functioning in the second half of life. We used three-wave survey data (2002, 2007 and 2017) spanning 15 years from the Norwegian Lifecourse, Ageing and Generation Study, including 6,292 persons born between 1922 and 1961. SA was measured with felt-age and ideal-age discrepancies, wellbeing with the Satisfaction of Life Scale and physical functioning with the Short-Form 12. Three-wave cross-lagged panel models were applied to assess the temporal relationships between the different domains of SA, life satisfaction and physical functioning, adjusted for age, gender and education. Findings indicated that wanting to be younger was negatively associated with life satisfaction and physical functioning over time. Felt-age discrepancies did not predict subsequent wellbeing or physical functioning. The results did not reveal any evidence for reversed effects, i.e. from functioning or life satisfaction to SA. Our findings support the psychological pathway from satisfaction with age(ing) to subjective wellbeing and physical functioning over time. Small ideal-age discrepancies reflect positive self-perceptions of ageing, which may help to accumulate psychological resources, guide behavioural regulation and support health.
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Schroyen S, Letenneur L, Missotten P, Jérusalem G, Adam S. Impact of self-perception of aging on mortality of older patients in oncology. Cancer Med 2020; 9:2283-2289. [PMID: 32020758 PMCID: PMC7131843 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.2819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Several studies show that self-perception of aging (SPA) is a significant predictor of mental and physical health. In this study, we analyze the effect of SPA on mortality in the specific context of geriatric oncology. METHODS The sample constituted of 140 individuals aged 65 years and older suffering from a recent nonmetastatic cancer (breast, lung, gynecological, or hematological), followed up to 6 years. We used Cox proportional hazards model to assess the effect of SPA at baseline on mortality. It was adjusted for age, gender, educational and cognitive level, oncological information (the site and kind of cancer), number of comorbidities, and physical and mental health at baseline. RESULTS Patients were aged 73 years at diagnosis and were more often women (85.7%). Individuals with more negative SPA were 3.62 times more likely to die than those with a more positive SPA, with control of gender, age, education and cognitive level, mental and physical health, the category (breast, lung, gynecological, or hematological), and kind (initial or recurrence) of cancer. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that SPA influence the mortality of older people in the particular context of oncology. Therefore, the need to change our attitudes toward aging and older people implied indirectly by these results is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Luc Letenneur
- UMR1219 Bordeaux Population HealthINSERMUniversity of BordeauxBordeauxFrance
| | | | - Guy Jérusalem
- Laboratory of Medical OncologyUniversity of LiègeLiègeBelgium
- Department of Medical OncologyCHU Sart‐Tilman LiègeLiègeBelgium
| | - Stéphane Adam
- Psychology of Aging UnitUniversity of LiègeLiègeBelgium
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