Psychological Factors Predicting Sedentary Behavior of Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Brazil

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the psychological factors that might predict the sedentary behavior of 654 older adults from the South Region of Brazil. The participants were evaluated by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire; Mini-Mental State Exam; Geriatric Anxiety Scale; and the scales Geriatric Depression, Purpose in Life, Perceived Stress, Rosenberg Self-Esteem, and Satisfaction with Life. Data analysis was conducted through Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis (p < .05). No significant (p > .05) correlation was found between the sedentary behavior variables with self-esteem. Multiple regression analysis revealed that psychological variables explained 6% of the variance of sitting time during the week (R2 = .06; F = 11.546; p < .01). Depression showed a positive prediction (β = −0.10; p = .040), while life satisfaction (β = −0.16; p = .001) and purpose in life (β = −0.10; p = .026) showed negative prediction. Psychological variables predicted only 3% of the variance of sitting time during the weekend (R2 = .03; F = 5.629; p < .01), showing that life satisfaction had significant (p = .007) and negative (β = −0.13) association. Life satisfaction and purpose in life can be considered protector factors to sedentary behavior, while depression is a potentiating factor.

Examining Obedience Training as a Physical Activity Intervention for Dog Owners: Findings from the Stealth Pet Obedience Training (SPOT) Pilot Study

Dog training may strengthen the dog-owner bond, a consistent predictor of dog walking behavior. The Stealth Pet Obedience Training (SPOT) study piloted dog training as a stealth physical activity (PA) intervention. In this study, 41 dog owners who reported dog walking ≤3 days/week were randomized to a six-week basic obedience training class or waitlist control. Participants wore accelerometers and logged dog walking at baseline, 6- and 12-weeks. Changes in PA and dog walking were compared between arms with targeted maximum likelihood estimation. At baseline, participants (39 ± 12 years; females = 85%) walked their dog 1.9 days/week and took 5838 steps/day, on average. At week 6, intervention participants walked their dog 0.7 more days/week and took 480 more steps/day, on average, than at baseline, while control participants walked their dog, on average, 0.6 fewer days/week and took 300 fewer steps/day (difference between arms: 1.3 dog walking days/week; 95% CI = 0.2, 2.5; 780 steps/day, 95% CI = -746, 2307). Changes from baseline were similar at week 12 (difference between arms: 1.7 dog walking days/week; 95% CI = 0.6, 2.9; 1084 steps/day, 95% CI = -203, 2370). Given high rates of dog ownership and low rates of dog walking in the United States, this novel PA promotion strategy warrants further investigation.

Pawsitive Connections: The role of Pet Support Programs and pets on the elderly

OBJECTIVES

This study describes the experiences of Pet Support Program clients in Melbourne, Australia and how the programs reduce the social isolation of the elderly. The study also describes the role of pets and associated health benefits of pet ownership.

METHOD

The qualitative description study comprised of two phases: a secondary data analysis of interviews with 14 PSP clients, and key informant interviews with four PSP providers.

RESULTS

The interviews were thematically analysed which resulted in three interconnected themes: Attachment, Support and Social Isolation. Social isolation was reduced by the PSP through access to social support groups, as well as the provision of a regular visitor who provides meaningful conversation and companionship.

CONCLUSION

These results align with literature on pet ownership and Attachment Theory. The results also offer an insight into how PSPs allow the elderly to maintain pet ownership and age in place, thus enhancing their health and well-being.

Dog ownership and adults' objectively-assessed sedentary behaviour and physical activity

Evidence suggests a positive effect of dog ownership on physical activity. However, most previous studies used self-reported physical activity measures. Additionally, it is unknown whether owning a dog is associated with adults’ sedentary behaviour, an emerging health risk factor. In this study, physical activity and sedentary behaviour were objectively collected between 2013 and 2015 from 693 residents (aged 40–64 years) living in Japan using accelerometer devices. Multivariable linear regression models were used, adjusted for several covariates. The means of total sedentary time and the number of long (≥ 30 min) sedentary bouts were 26.29 min/day (95% CI − 47.85, − 4.72) and 0.41 times/day (95% CI − 0.72, − 0.10) lower for those who owned a dog compared to those not owning a dog, respectively. Compared with non-owners, dog-owners had significantly higher means of the number of sedentary breaks (95% CI 0.14, 1.22), and light-intensity physical activity (95% CI 1.31, 37.51). No significant differences in duration of long (≥ 30 min) sedentary bouts, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity were observed between dog-owners and non-owners. A novel finding of this study is that owning a dog was associated with several types of adults’ sedentary behaviours but not medium-to-high-intensity physical activities. These findings provide new insights for dog-based behavioural health interventions on the benefits of dog ownership for reducing sedentary behaviour.

Pet Ownership Patterns and Successful Aging Outcomes in Community Dwelling Older Adults

Introduction: Diminishing cognitive and physical functions, worsening psychological symptoms, and increased mortality risk and morbidity typically accompany aging. The aging population's health needs will continue to increase as the proportion of the population aged > 50 years increases. Pet ownership (PO) has been linked to better health outcomes in older adults, particularly those with chronic conditions. Much of the evidence is weak. Little is known about PO patterns as people age or the contribution of PO to successful aging in community-dwelling older adults. This study examines PO patterns among healthy community-dwelling older adults and the relationship of PO to cognitive and physical functions and psychological status. Methods: Participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (> 50 years old, N = 378) completed a battery of cognitive, physical function, and psychological tests, as well as a PO questionnaire. Descriptive and non-parametric or general/generalized linear model analyses were conducted for separate outcomes. Results: Most participants (82%) had kept pets and 24% have pets: 14% dogs, 12% cats, 3% other pets. The most frequent reasons for having pets included enjoyment (80%) and companionship (66%). Most owners had kept the pet they had the longest for over 10 years (70%). PO was lower in older decades (p < 0.001). Pet owners were more likely to live in single-family homes and reside with others (p = 0.001) than non-owners. Controlling for age, PO was associated independently with better cognitive function (verbal leaning/memory p = 0.041), dog ownership predicted better physical function (daily energy expenditure, p = 0.018), and cat ownership predicted better cognitive functioning (verbal learning/memory, p = 0.035). Many older adults who did not own pets (37%) had regular contact with pets, which was also related to health outcomes. Conclusion: PO is lower at older ages, which mirrors the general pattern of poorer cognitive and physical function, and psychological status at older ages. PO and regular contact with pets (including PO) are associated with better cognitive status compared with those who did not own pets or had no regular contact with pets independent of age. Dog ownership was related to better physical function. Longitudinal analysis is required to evaluate the association of PO and/or regular contact with maintenance of health status over time.

Evacuating People and Their Pets: Older Floridians' Need for and Proximity to Pet-Friendly Shelters

OBJECTIVES

Pets influence evacuation decisions, but little is known about pet-friendly emergency shelters' availability or older adults' need for them. Our study addresses this issue, focusing on the most densely populated area of Florida (Miami-Dade)-the state with the oldest population and greatest hurricane susceptibility.

METHOD

We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based methodology to identify the shortest paths to pet-friendly shelters, based on distance and congested and uncongested travel times-taking into account the older population's spatial distribution. Logistic regression models using the 2013 American Housing Survey's Disaster Planning Module examine anticipated shelter use as a function of pet ownership and requiring pet evacuation assistance.

RESULTS

Thirty-four percent of older adults in the Miami-Dade area have pets-35% of whom report needing pet evacuation assistance. However, GIS accessibility measures show that travel time factors are likely to impede older adults' use of the area's few pet-friendly shelters. Logistic regression results reveal that pet owners are less likely to report anticipating shelter use; however, the opposite holds for pet owners reporting they would need help evacuating their pets-they anticipate using shelters.

DISCUSSION

High pet shelter need coupled with low availability exacerbates older adults' heightened vulnerability during Florida's hurricane season.

Older Adult Productive Activity Participation Using the National Health and Aging Trends Study

This study aims to characterize factors related to productive activity participation among community-dwelling older adults. Cross-sectional analyses using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study were used to calculate weighted frequencies representative of the U.S. population of older adults. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore factors related to participation outcomes (paid work, volunteering, caregiving). We found that 21% of community-dwelling older adults in the United States reported currently working. Older adults reported working in a wide range of occupations. Driving emerged as one of the most important factors related to increased odds of productive activity participation. Age, gender, and health factors were also significantly associated with increased odds of productive activity participation. By understanding the current profile of participation in activities including employment, caregiving, and volunteering among a national sample of community-dwelling older adults, we can effectively inform intervention programs and resource allocation to support productive aging.

Dogs as Support and Motivation for Physical Activity

Physical activity behavior change theorists are actively shifting the field to better align with the science of motivation and decision making. With this shift has come increasing interest in the role of affective judgments, habit, and identity in long-term physical activity maintenance, as well as the importance of framing physical activity in ways that protect autonomy and support personal values. This special communication makes the case for dog walking as a physical activity modality that fits well with the field's new focus. The authors provide an overview of dog walking research performed to date and discuss unanswered research questions. Given the large percentage of U.S. households that own a dog and the mainstream animal welfare movement to rehome adoptable shelter pets, there are innumerable opportunities to leverage the human-dog bond to increase physical activity levels.Dog walking interventions may be a highly practical approach to population-level physical activity promotion.

Social Support Moderates the Negative Association Between Reduced Driving and Life Satisfaction in Older Adults

When older adults reduce their driving, there can be subsequent decreases in life satisfaction. In this cross-sectional study, we used baseline data from the multi-site Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) study to examine whether social support moderates the negative association between reduced driving and life satisfaction. The outcome variable was life satisfaction, and the main predictor variable was past-year reduced driving (yes/no). Emotional, instrumental, and informational social support were measured using PROMIS v2.0 (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) items. We used generalized linear regression models to examine how social support moderated the association between reduced driving and life satisfaction. Statistical adjustment for social support attenuated the negative effect of reduced driving on life satisfaction by ~10% for all three types of social support.

Examining How Dog 'Acquisition' Affects Physical Activity and Psychosocial Well-Being: Findings from the BuddyStudy Pilot Trial

Dog owners are more physically active than non-dog owners, but evidence of a causal relationship between dog acquisition and increased physical activity is lacking. Such evidence could inform programs and policies that encourage responsible dog ownership. Randomized controlled trials are the 'gold standard' for determining causation, but they are prohibited in this area due to ethical concerns. In the BuddyStudy, we tested the feasibility of using dog fostering as a proxy for dog acquisition, which would allow ethical random assignment. In this single-arm trial, 11 participants fostered a rescue dog for six weeks. Physical activity and psychosocial data were collected at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks. At 6 weeks, mean change in steps/day was 1192.1 ± 2457.8. Mean changes on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale were -4.9 ± 8.7 and -0.8 ± 5.5, respectively. More than half of participants (55%) reported meeting someone new in their neighborhood because of their foster dog. Eight participants (73%) adopted their foster dog after the 6-week foster period; some maintained improvements in physical activity and well-being at 12 weeks. Given the demonstrated feasibility and preliminary findings of the BuddyStudy, a randomized trial of immediate versus delayed dog fostering is warranted.

Comportamento sedentário como discriminador dos transtornos mentais comuns em idosos

RESUMO Objetivo Analisar o comportamento sedentário (CS) como discriminador dos Transtornos Mentais Comuns (TMC) entre idosos. Métodos Estudo transversal com amostra composta por 310 indivíduos idosos, residentes no município de Ibicuí-BA. Foi utilizado um questionário contendo informações sobre características sociodemográficas, inatividade física no tempo livre e questões autorreferidas do tempo gasto sentado em um dia habitual da semana e de um dia do final de semana. Para estimar o ponto de corte do Comportamento Sedentário na discriminação dos TMC, utilizou-se a curva Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC). Resultados A prevalência de TMC foi de 55,8%, sendo maior entre as mulheres (66,7%). Os maiores valores para a área sob as curvas ROC entre CS e TMC foi para o sexo masculino: CS/dia 0,58 (IC 95% = 0,49-0,67). Os pontos de corte propostos para CS/dia foram: homens: > 330 min/dia; mulheres: > 300 min/dia. Conclusão O comportamento sedentário é um indicador válido para identificação de suspeita de TMC em idosos, mostrando-se ser um fator de risco que deve ser observado pelos profissionais de saúde.

Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD): study design and methods

BACKGROUND

As an important indicator of mobility, driving confers a host of social and health benefits to older adults. Despite the importance of safe mobility as the population ages, longitudinal data are lacking about the natural history and determinants of driving safety in older adults.

METHODS

The Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD) project is a multisite prospective cohort study designed to generate empirical data for understanding the role of medical, behavioral, environmental and technological factors in driving safety during the process of aging.

RESULTS

A total of 2990 active drivers aged 65-79 years at baseline have been recruited through primary care clinics or health care systems in five study sites located in California, Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, and New York. Consented participants were assessed at baseline with standardized research protocols and instruments, including vehicle inspection, functional performance tests, and "brown-bag review" of medications. The primary vehicle of each participant was instrumented with a small data collection device that records detailed driving data whenever the vehicle is operating and detects when a participant is driving. Annual follow-up is being conducted for up to three years with a telephone questionnaire at 12 and 36 months and in-person assessment at 24 months. Medical records are reviewed annually to collect information on clinical diagnoses and healthcare utilization. Driving records, including crashes and violations, are collected annually from state motor vehicle departments. Pilot testing was conducted on 56 volunteers during March-May 2015. Recruitment and enrollment were completed between July 2015 and March 2017.

CONCLUSIONS

Results of the LongROAD project will generate much-needed evidence for formulating public policy and developing intervention programs to maintain safe mobility while ensuring well-being for older adults.