Age, preceding health changes, and the temporal structure of self-continuity.

Middle aged adults experience depression and anxiety differently thanyounger adults. Age may affect life circumstances, depending on accessibility ofsocial connections, jobs, physical health, etc, as these factors influence theprevalence and symptomatology. Depression and anxiety are typically measured usingrating scales; however, recent research suggests that such symptoms can be assessedby open-ended questions that are analysed by question-based computational languageassessments (QCLA). Here, we study middle aged and younger adults’ responsesabout their mental health using open-ended questions and rating scales about theirmental health. We then analyse their responses with computational methods based onnatural language processing (NLP). The results demonstrate that: (1) middle agedadults describe their mental health differently compared to younger adults; (2)where, for example, middle aged adults emphasise depression and loneliness whereasyoung adults list anxiety and financial concerns; (3) different semantic models arewarranted for younger and middle aged adults; (4) compared to young participants,the middle aged participants described their mental health more accurately withwords; (5) middle-aged adults have better mental health than younger adults asmeasured by semantic measures. In conclusion, NLP combined with machine learningmethods may provide new opportunities to identify, model, and describe mental healthin middle aged and younger adults and could possibly be applied to the older adultsin future research. These semantic measures may provide ecological validity and aidthe assessment of mental health.

Self-continuity, the sense of being the same person across the past, present, and future, is associated with physical and mental health and sensitive to prior life experiences. However, little is known about the association between self-continuity and longitudinal health trajectories across the adult life span. In this pre-registered study, we used data from 1,655 participants (aged 18-94, M = 52.73, 53% women) in the German Socio-economic Panel Innovation Sample. We examined the implications of longitudinal trajectories of mental and physical health for subsequent self-continuity—both with respect to average self-continuity and with respect to temporal patterns of self-continuity (i.e., relative self-continuity for past vs. future and close vs. distant time points). Self-continuity was assessed across three temporal distances (1/5/10 years) into the past and future. Health-related predictors captured both broad variations in general mental and physical health (i.e., life satisfaction and self-rated health) and more specific aspects (e.g., recent affective states, illness burden). Latent growth models were applied to examine the effects of longitudinal health trajectories on both average levels and temporal variations of past/future self-continuity. Multiple health factors, including illness burden, self-rated health, physician visits, life satisfaction, and affective states, significantly predicted both average levels of self-continuity and decrements in self-continuity for more distant time points. Interactions with age and gender were observed, and, consistent with prior research, self-rated health and negative affect had a stronger impact on past versus future self-continuity. Findings extend our understanding of longitudinal shifts in health as precursors of self-continuity across the life span.

Health inequality is a global issue, with a particularly significant impact on older adults. In China, differences in the urban administrative hierarchy may lead to uneven allocation of public resources, resulting in the concentration of public resources in cities with higher administrative hierarchies and, consequently, health inequality among older adults. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between urban administrative hierarchies and older adults' subjective physical and mental health, while also analyzing the role of resource allocation mechanisms in shaping this dynamic. This study utilizes data from the China Family Panel Studies, the China City Statistical Yearbook, and the China Urban Construction Statistical Yearbook, employing a multi-dimensional fixed effects model, incorporating province, individual, and time variables, to evaluate the impact of the urban administrative hierarchy on the subjective physical and mental health inequality of older adults. The study considers medical and environmental resources as potential mediating variables and explores the moderating role of marketization. The findings reveal a positive correlation between the urban administrative hierarchy and older adults' subjective physical and mental health, with those in cities with higher administrative hierarchies enjoying higher quality of life and subjective health levels. This is primarily due to cities with higher administrative hierarchies owning medical and environmental resources. Furthermore, the level of marketization has a positive moderating effect on the positive relationship between urban administrative hierarchy and older adults' mental health, but has no significant impact on physical health. Heterogeneity analysis by region and age indicates that the impact of the urban administrative hierarchy on the physical and mental health of older adults is more pronounced in economically less developed regions and among younger elderly individuals. The study highlights the inequalities in the subjective physical and mental health of older adults across cities with different administrative hierarchies in China. By providing more resources, cities with higher administrative hierarchies can significantly improve older adults' life quality and subjective health. Meanwhile, marketization further strengthens the positive impact of urban administrative hierarchy on mental health. By introducing the urban administrative hierarchy as a macro-level political system into the study of individual health disparities, this research not only expands the analytical perspective on health inequalities among older adults, but also provides empirical support for understanding the current trends in elderly migration for retirement. Moreover, it offers valuable insights for global aging governance and promoting health equity.

Sociodemographic, Financial, and Mental Health Predictors of Frequency of Dental Visits in Middle-Aged and Young Adults in the U.S.: Findings From the National Health Interview Survey 2023.

Applying a gender- and age group-sensitive approach, we investigated the effect of labour-market transitions (job loss and re-employment) on subjective physical and mental health. A combination of the difference-in-differences approach and propensity score matching controls for selectivity and initial health differences. This allowed us to analyse the causal effect of job loss and re-employment on subjective health. We made use of data from the German Panel Study Labour Market and Social Security and combined survey information with administrative records of the Federal Employment Agency for employed and unemployed men and women 31-60 years of age ( n = 2213). We controlled for labour-market experiences before the time period under study and for labour-market transitions between the interviews. Subjective health was assessed using the SF-12 health questionnaire, enabling us to differentiate between subjective mental and physical health functioning. We found that physical health was affected mainly in older persons between 45 and 60 years old. Controlling for covariates using propensity score matching, mental health was affected only when living-wage jobs (i.e. jobs that provide sufficient income to achieve a defined minimum standard of living above the social benefit level) are gained or lost. Younger women showed a significant improvement in mental health after re-employment. In contrast, job loss affected only older individuals' mental health, with a particularly negative effect observed for men. Our results not only showed that women and men are affected differently by job loss and re-employment, but also that age is an important factor. Older men were affected most severely by job loss, whereas re-employment was found to improve mental health only in women aged 31-44 years. It is therefore important to address the health problems of different socio-demographic groups separately, and to apply active labour-market policies with regard to unemployed men and women with health impairments. Based on our results, we suggest the promotion of employment with income levels above the maximum welfare benefit award.

Mental health and the UK general election

We set out to investigate the mediating roles of depression, resilience, smoking, and alcohol use, in the relationship between potentially traumatic life events and objective and subjective, physical and mental health in a single study. A face-to-face, population-based survey was conducted in Hong Kong (N = 1147). Information on health conditions and traumatic life events was obtained, and participants completed measures of subjective physical and mental health, depression, and resilience. Smoking and drinking were not significant mediators of the relationship between life events and both objective and subjective health. Depressive symptomatology was found to mediate the relationship between life threatening illness and subjective physical health, the relationship between abuse (physical and sexual) and subjective mental health, and the relationship between the death of a parent/partner and subjective mental health. Resilience was found to mediate the relationships between multiple traumatic life events and subjective physical and mental health. Our results indicate that psychological factors rather than biological are important mediators of the relationship between life events exposure and health. Our findings provide evidence that depressive symptomatology has a mediating role only in the case of specific potentially traumatic life events and that resilience is only a critical factor in the face of exposure to multiple traumatic events, rather than single events. Our results also indicate that behavioural factors, such as smoking and drinking, are not significant mediators of the relationship between life events and health.

Loneliness is a complex and uncomfortable feeling that results from the perception of a lack of desired personal and social ties. Loneliness is accentuated with aging. It has been related to a wide range of objective and subjective health indicators and is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. One of the proposed underlying mechanisms through which loneliness affects health is the dysregulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. However, the relationship between loneliness and cortisol, the main product of the HPA axis, is unclear and requires more research. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to investigate the relationships between loneliness, subjective health, and cortisol indexes, taking the sex into account, and investigate whether the HPA axis mediates the relationship between loneliness and subjective health. For this purpose, 79 participants (between 55 and 75 years old) completed several scales on loneliness, depression, perceived stress, psychological and physical health, and social relationships. Various salivary cortisol measurements were obtained on two consecutive days. The initial results showed that loneliness was related to psychological and physical health in the mixed-sex sample. However, when covariates were introduced, loneliness was only associated with psychological health in males. In addition, the cortisol indexes employed were not related to loneliness and did not mediate the relationship between loneliness and subjective health. Hence, we did not find a relevant role of the HPA axis in the association between loneliness and subjective health. More severe perceptions of loneliness would probably be necessary to detect this role. Overall, these results also show that the expected negative outcomes of loneliness associated with aging can be countered by an active life that can compensate for the natural losses experienced with age or at least delay these negative outcomes. Finally, some sex differences were found, in line with other studies, which warrants further examination of social variables and dimensions related to gender in future research.

BackgroundYoung adults with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) often have an active disease with significant functional impairment in adulthood that can affect their physical and mental functions.ObjectivesThe aim of the study...

Relationships between mental, physical and cognitive health can differentially impact individuals’ ability to function in everyday life. As people age, this can further influence independence and quality of life. To better understand these relationships, the current study implemented path analysis to investigate the impact of subjective mental, physical, and cognitive health on disability. Analyses explored relationships between demographic variables, subjective mental and physical health, cognitive decline, and self-reported disability (difficulty Walking/Climbing stairs [WC], Dressing/Bathing [DB], and Doing Errands [EA]). Data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were examined. The most recent four waves (2015-2018) of available data from states utilizing the Cognitive Decline Module were included (50 states, two territories). Path analyses were conducted and modeled in AMOS. Measures of CFI (0.986), TLI (0.938), and RMSEA (0.046) indicate good model fit. Listwise deletion was utilized (n=212117) . Respondents were aged 45+ and were generally white (82.8%), female (58.7%), and of “good/very good” subjective general health (64.0%). Results revealed being non-white (WCΣβ=0.028, DBΣβ=0.021, EAΣβ=0.025, all p’s<.001), of older age (WCΣβ=0.124, DBΣβ=0.004, EAΣβ=0.001, all p’s<.001), female (WCΣβ=0.016, DBΣβ=0.013, EAΣβ=0.016, all p’s<.001), poorer mental health (WCΣβ=0.080, DBΣβ=0.082, EAΣβ=0.116, all p’s<.001), poorer physical health (WCΣβ=0.410, DBΣβ=0.294, EAΣβ=0.314, all p’s<.001), and presence of subjective cognitive decline (WCΣβ=0.107, DBΣβ=0.107, EAΣβ=0.138, all p’s<.001) all had a positive total effect on disability. Ultimately, these results indicate the interrelationship between subjective health and self-reported ability/disability. These findings may help to improve care considerations for an aging population by serving as indicators for needs for assistance and support.

BackgroundInternet use is an important means of accessing health-related information. Identifying the associations between internet use and health outcomes could provide insight into strategies for improving public health among middle-aged and older adults (45 years and up).ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the relationship between internet use and health outcomes in middle-aged and older adults.MethodsData were obtained from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Physical, mental, and subjective health were assessed using the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Scale, the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the 3-level Self-Rated Health Scale, respectively. The chi-square test and rank sum test were used to explore whether internet use was associated with health status. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine this association further after controlling for the confounding factors.ResultsOverall, 13% (1752/13,474) of the participants used the internet. Regression analyses revealed that the prevalence of depression (odds ratio [OR] 0.59, 95% CI 0.52-0.68; P<.001), negative self-rated health (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.61-0.76; P<.001), and difficulty with ADL (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.39-0.60; P<.001) in the participating middle-aged and older adult was lower in those using the internet than nonusers. After controlling for confounding factors, internet use was found to be negatively associated with difficulty with ADL (urban: OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.32-0.61; P<.001 vs rural: OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.41-0.75; P<.001), depression (urban: OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.57-0.84; P<.001 vs rural: OR 0.52, 95% CI: 0.43-0.63; P<.001), and self-rated health status (urban: OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.61-0.81; P<.001 vs rural: OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.57-0.78; P<.001) among middle-aged and older adults in both urban and rural areas.ConclusionsInternet use had a positive effect on the physical and mental health of middle-aged and older adults who participated in this study. However, the internet usage rate remains low among older Chinese people. Therefore, the internet penetration rate should be a priority.

IntroductionTo extend individuals’ healthy life expectancies, the improvement of subjective health and quality of life (QOL) has been increasingly prioritized, alongside the improvement of their physical functioning. Reports have indicated that intake of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) benefits the physical health of older individuals requiring nursing care, and athletes, and healthy individuals. But there are few studies investigating the effects of MCTs on subjective health and QOL. The present study sought to evaluate the combined effects of 12-week MCTs supplements and moderate-intensity walking exercise on the subjective health and QOL of middle-aged and older adults aged 60–74 with low BMIs (&amp;lt; 24 kg/m2) and who had no exercise habits.MethodsA placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group trial was conducted. Three MCTs supplement groups with different doses and fatty acid compositions were compared with a control group. The study used the SF-36v2 questionnaire to assess subjective health and health-related QOL (HRQOL).ResultsThe result showed significant improvements in the scores on subscales of the physical QOL, such as Physical functioning and General health, and summary scores on the mental QOL, compared to the control.ConclusionIt is estimated that the combination of continuous intake of MCTs and walking exercise may affect HRQOL and improve subjective physical and mental health in sedentary, healthy, middle-aged and older adults.Clinical trial registrationhttps://rctportal.niph.go.jp/s/detail/um?trial_id=UMIN000046861, UMIN000046861.

Standard information about the physical, mental, and social status of older people is needed to promote their health. The aim of this study was to determine the physical, mental and social health status of older people in Mazandaran, taking into account the specific climatic conditions and public culture, and to adapt it to the indicators of the "Aging and Health Program" of the World Health Organization (WHO) to localize and better use this index. In this cross-sectional study, 390 elderly aged ≥65 years in Mazandaran were selected by the quota method. Their physical, mental, and social health status and demographic information were collected using a questionnaire (a 36-itemshort-form health survey (SF-36)) and face-to-face interviews. Physical and mental health status was classified into five levels based on the score obtained. The data were analyzed using SPSS 26. The average age of the elderly was 71.48 years. In terms of physical performance, 40.7% of the elderly were below and 30.8% above the average of international standards. In terms of mental health, 18.9 and 41.5% of the elderly were below and above the average, respectively, and 17 and 51.8% of the elderly had low and high social performance, respectively. The Pearson correlation test showed a significant relationship between physical health (0.176), mental health (0.16), and social health (0.178) and quality of life at the 0.01 level. The physical, mental and social health status of the elderly in Mazandaran is far from the indicators of health in old age established by WHO, and their condition is unfavorable (at least in terms of physical and mental health).

Environment (i.e., rural vs. urban) and socioeconomic status (SES) are moderating factors of physical (i.e., obesity and/or physical activity) and internalizing mental health (i.e., stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms) in adolescents. Relationships between physical and mental health have been shown in adolescents; however, research has not addressed these relationships in those from low-income, rural backgrounds. Thus, the present study characterized physical and mental health in rural, low-SES adolescents and investigated relationships between physical and mental health in this population. Data were collected from 253 10th and 11th-grade students from Title I schools in rural Alabama. Self-report measures of mental health, self-esteem, body image, and physical activity were obtained, in addition to functional fitness and physical health assessments completed at each school. Relationships between mental and physical health were assessed using Pearson correlations and multivariate data-driven cluster analysis. Positive correlations were observed between body composition and mental health symptoms, while negative correlations were observed between body image and mental health and body composition. However, sex differences were present in these relationships. The multivariate cluster analysis identified groups of individuals based on profiles of mental and physical health. This individual-level analysis identified students with greater mental and/or physical health burdens (n = 53 and n = 40) who may benefit from targeted interventions. Overall, these results provide evidence of elevated mental and physical health burdens among rural, low-income adolescents. Moreover, targeted programs are needed to provide education about the relationship between physical and mental health to reduce health burdens in both domains in this population.

BackgroundThe Household Health Survey (HHS) was developed to understand the socioeconomic determinants of mental and physical health, and health inequalities in health and social care. This paper aims to provide a detailed rationale of the development and implementation of the survey and explore socio-economic variations in physical and mental health and health care.MethodsThis comprehensive longitudinal public health survey was designed and piloted in a disadvantaged area of England, comprising questions on housing, physical health, mental health, lifestyle, social issues, environment, work, and finances. After piloting, the HHS was implemented across 28 neighbourhoods – 10 disadvantaged neighbourhoods for learning (NfLs), 10 disadvantaged comparator sites, and eight relatively advantaged areas, in 2015 and 2018. Participants were recruited via random sampling of households in pre-selected neighbourhoods based on their areas of deprivation.Results7731 residents participated in Wave 1 (N = 4319) and 2 (n = 3412) of the survey, with 871 residents having participated in both. Mental health, physical health, employment, and housing quality were poorer in disadvantaged neighbourhoods than in relatively advantaged areas.ConclusionsThis survey provides important insights into socio-economic variations in physical and mental health, with findings having implications for improved care provision to enable residents from any geographical or socio-economic background to access suitable care.