Early Old Age Research Articles

Legislation on early assignment of old-age pensions: some issues of regulatory practice

Many workers carry out labor activities in working conditions that deviate from normal (in harmful, dangerous,difficult conditions, etc.). In this regard, they may have the right to an early old-age insurance pension. However,the legislation on compulsory pension insurance is very voluminous and difficult to apply. In a number of cases, in order to exercise their right to pension provision, employees go to court. This article has been prepared taking into account materials from judicial practice and shows the problems of applying the rules of law on early oldage pensions, which the parties to the employment contract should pay attention to in order to properly form and implement the employee’s pension rights.

Does a prolonged hardship reduce life span? Examining the longevity of young men who lived through the 1930s Great Plains drought

The Great Plains drought of 1931–1939 was a prolonged socio-ecological disaster with widespread impacts on society, economy, and health. While its immediate impacts are well documented, we know much less about the disaster’s effects on distal human outcomes. In particular, the event’s effects on later life mortality remain almost entirely unexplored. Closing this gap would contribute to our understanding of the long-term effects of place-based stress. To help fill this gap, I use a new, massive, linked mortality dataset to investigate whether young men’s exposure to drought and dust storms in 341 Great Plains counties was linked to a higher risk of death in early-old age. Contrary to expectations, results suggest exposure to drought conditions had no obvious adverse effect among men aged 65 years or older at time of death—rather, the average age at death was slightly higher than for comparable men without exposure. This effect also appears to have been stronger among Plainsmen who stayed in place until the drought ended. A discussion of potential explanations for these counterintuitive results is provided.

Concurrent and Predictive Associations between the Life's Simple 7 & Brain Structure in Middle-Age and Early-Old Age

American Heart Association’s (AHA) Life’s Simple 7 (LS7), an index of cardiovascular health risks, has been associated with worse brain outcomes but few examined this relationship in midlife. We examined whether LS7 scores at midlife were associated with brain morphometry in early old age. Participants were 471 men who participated in the Vietnam Era Twin Study of Aging. The LS7 index was assessed at mean age 62 (range 55-66) and 68 (range 61-71) and included smoking, physical activity, diet, body mass index, cholesterol, glucose, and blood pressure. Each factor was coded, per AHA criteria, on a 3-point scale (0/poor-2/ideal) and summed to create a composite score (0-14). At mean age 68, participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging, which was used to create the previously validated brain measures. Scores included: the ratio of abnormal white matter to white matter, and two Alzheimer’s disease brain signatures (cortical thickness/volume signature and a mean diffusivity (MD) signature). Analyses controlled for age, education, income, ethnicity, and APOE genotype. Concurrently at mean age 68, the LS7 was associated with cortical thickness/volume (F=4.85, p = .028), MD (F=10.89, p = .001) signatures and abnormal white matter ratio (F=14.04, p < .001). Prospectively, the LS7 at mean 62 was significantly associated with age 68 cortical thickness/volume (F=5.08, p = .025) and MD (F=5.54, p = .019) signatures but not with abnormal white matter ratio. These results suggest that prevention strategies that promote heart healthy behaviors could have implications for healthy brain aging.

Measures of obesity are associated with MRI markers of brain aging

To examine associations between measures of obesity in middle to early-old age with later-life MRI markers of brain aging. We analyzed data from the Northern Manhattan MRI Sub-Study (n = 1,289). Our exposures of interest were body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio, and plasma adiponectin levels. Our outcomes of interest were total cerebral volume (TCV), cortical thickness, white matter hyperintensity volume (WMHV), and subclinical brain infarcts (SBI). Using multivariable linear and logistic regression models adjusted for sociodemographics, health behaviors, and vascular risk factors, we estimated β coefficients (or odds ratios) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and tested interactions with age, sex, and race/ethnicity. On average at baseline, participants were aged 64 years and had 10 years of education; 60% were women and 66% were Caribbean Hispanic. The mean (SD) time lag between baseline and MRI was 6 (3) years. Greater BMI and WC were significantly associated with thinner cortices (BMI β [95% CI] -0.089 [-0.153, -0.025], WC β [95% CI] -0.103 [-0.169, -0.037]) in fully adjusted models. Similarly, compared to those with BMI <25, obese participants (BMI ≥30) exhibited smaller cortical thickness (β [95% CI] -0.207 [-0.374, -0.041]). These associations were particularly evident for those aged <65 years. Similar but weaker associations were observed for TCV. Most associations with WMHV and SBI did not reach statistical significance. Adiposity in early-old age is related to reduced global gray matter later in life in this diverse sample. Future studies are warranted to elucidate causal relationships and explore region-specific associations.

Factors related to mental health and hearing in community-dwelling elderly.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to clarify the factors related to mental health and hearing in community-dwelling elderly. Elderly participants in a project to prevent long-term care need were given a self-administered questionnaire and tested by pure-tone audiometry. One hundred fifty were taken as subjects. Forty-one of these subjects (27.3%) were found to have poor mental health. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis with mental health level as the dependent variable indicated that subjects 65–74 years old who did not think their own hearing was bad had better mental health than those who did think their hearing was bad (odds ratio 10.800). Among subjects 75 years and older, those who had not been certified as needing long-term care had better mental health than those who had been certified (odds ratio 3.937). When planning mental health support for community-dwelling elderly in the future, it will be necessary to consider differences in background due to age group. The present results suggest that appropriate support for awareness of hearing and acceptance of decreased hearing ability in people in early old age (65–74 years old) may help to prevent declining mental health in later old age.

The impact of childhood parental quality on mental health outcomes in older adults

ABSTRACTObjective: Parental bonding is cited as a determinant of mental health outcomes in childhood, adolescence and early-mid adulthood. Examination of the long-term impact for older adults is limited. We therefore examine the long-term risk of perceived poor parental bonding on mental health across the lifespan and into early-old age.Methods: Participants (N = 1255) were aged 60–64 years of age and drawn from the Australian Life Histories and Health study. Quality of parental bonding was assessed with the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI). Self-reported history of doctors’ mental health diagnoses and current treatment for each participant was recorded. Current depression was assessed with the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression-8 (CESD-8). Due to known gender differences in mental health rates across the lifespan, analyses were stratified by sex.Results: A bi-factor analysis of the PBI in a structural equation framework indicated perceived Poor Parental Quality as a risk for both ever and current depression for both sexes. For males, Over-Protective Fathers were a risk for ever and current depression, whilst overall Poor Parental Quality was a risk for reporting current depression treatment. Whilst a number of the risks associated with current depression and treatment were attenuated when controlling for current mood, parental quality remained a significant risk for having reported a lifetime diagnosis for depression and anxiety for men.Conclusion: Our results extend the existing literature base and demonstrate that mental health risk attributed to poor perceived parental quality continues across the life-course and into early-old age.

Higher Fasting Plasma Glucose is Associated with Increased Cortical Thinning Over 12 Years: The PATH Through Life Study.

Recent evidence suggests that type 2 diabetes (T2D) is associated with accelerated brain ageing, consistent with the observation of increased risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in affected individuals. Even non-diabetic individuals with impaired fasting plasma glucose (IFG) levels have shown increased cerebral atrophy, compared to individuals with normal glucose levels. We tested whether longitudinal rates of age-related cortical thinning were associated with fasting plasma glucose levels in a large sample (n = 322) of early-old age individuals (60-66 years) who were scanned with magnetic resonance imaging (1.5T) on up to four occasions over 12 years. Higher plasma glucose levels (measured on up to three occasions) were associated with increased cortical thinning in individuals with T2D as well as those with IFG, with a similar trend for individuals with normal fasting glucose (NFG) levels. Across groups, a 1mmol/l increase in plasma glucose (above 5mmol/l in NFG and IFG and above 6.1mmol/l in T2D) resulted in a 10-13% increase in annual cortical thinning. Increased cortical thinning was detected in insular cortex, as well as posterior cingulate, parahippocampus and medial orbitofrontal cortex. Our results provide support for the idea that raised plasma glucose levels, even in the normal range, are associated with accelerated age-related cortical atrophy.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Alcohol Consumption in Midlife and Early Old-Age.

To examine the individual and cumulative effects of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on alcohol consumption in midlife and early old-age, and the role of ACEs in 10-year drinking trajectories across midlife. Data were from the Whitehall II study, a longitudinal British civil service-based cohort study (N = 7870, 69.5% male). Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the individual and cumulative effects of ACEs on weekly alcohol consumption. Mixed-effect multilevel modelling was used to explore the relationship between ACEs and change in alcohol consumption longitudinally. Participants who were exposed to parental arguments/fights in childhood were 1.24 (95% CI 1.06, 1.45) times more likely to drink at hazardous levels in midlife (mean age 56 years) after controlling for covariates and other ACEs. For each additional exposure to an ACE, the risk of hazardous drinking versus moderate drinking was increased by 1.12 (95% CI 1.03, 1.21) after adjusting for sex, age, adult socio-economic status, ethnicity and marital status. No associations between ACEs and increased risk of hazardous drinking in early old-age (mean age 66 years) were found. In longitudinal analyses, ACEs did not significantly influence 10-year drinking trajectories across midlife. The effect of exposure to parental arguments on hazardous drinking persists into midlife.

Mortality Increase in Late-Middle and Early-Old Age: Heterogeneity in Death Processes as a New Explanation

Deviations from the Gompertz law of exponential mortality increases in late-middle and early-old age are commonly neglected in overall mortality analyses. In this study, we examined mortality increase patterns between ages 40 and 85 in 16 low-mortality countries and demonstrated sex differences in these patterns, which also changed across period and cohort. These results suggest that the interaction between aging and death is more complicated than what is usually assumed from the Gompertz law and also challenge existing biodemographic hypotheses about the origin and mechanisms of sex differences in mortality. We propose a two-mortality model that explains these patterns as the change in the composition of intrinsic and extrinsic death rates with age. We show that the age pattern of overall mortality and the population heterogeneity therein are possibly generated by multiple dynamics specified by a two-mortality model instead of a uniform process throughout most adult ages.

Mortality Increase in Late-Middle and Early-Old Age: Heterogeneity in Death Processes as a New Explanation

Mortality Increase in Late-Middle and Early-Old Age: Heterogeneity in Death Processes as a New Explanation

Relationships between cognitive function and frontal grey matter volumes and thickness in middle aged and early old-aged adults: The PATH Through Life Study

The study examined the relationship of lateral frontal cortical volume and thickness with cognitive function in two samples of healthy middle aged (MA, 44–48years old) and early old-age (OA, 64–68years old) adults. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans were acquired in 400 MA and 397 OA adults from respective random community samples. Cortical volumes and thickness were measured with a surface-based segmentation procedure (http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu). Volumes of lateral frontal grey matter were found to be significantly lower for OA than MA. Structure–function relationships were investigated using path analyses. In OA, smaller lateral frontal volumes were associated with better episodic memory (EM) (p<0.012, B=−0.117), and Symbol-Digit Modalities Test (SDM) (p<0.031, B=−0.118) performance. Smaller frontal cortical thickness was also associated with better EM (p<0.01) and SDM (p<0.01) performance in OA. However, in MA greater cortical thickness was associated with better EM and (p<0.01) and reaction time (RT) (p<0.01). OA cohort showed significant positive correlations between Total Brain Volume and SDM, Digit-Backwards span and RT. Possible explanations and implications of the relationships in the context of cognitive aging in healthy adults, and limitations of cross-sectional research are discussed.

Exercise and the Onset of Disability in Later Life

This study was to examine whether overall physical activity levels, and different types of earlier sporting activities, are associated with the onset of locomotor disability in early older age. A longitudinal analysis of a general population cohort of British men and women born in the early 1930s was conducted. Measures of overall activity levels at age 58 did not show a relationship with locomotor disability 5-6 years later. Swimming was the only sporting activity to show any strong evidence of a protective association with later locomotor disability. The promotion of swimming in adulthood could play a role in the prevention of locomotor disability and aid people's ability to follow active living health promotion guidelines in late mid-life and early old-age.

Patterns and predictors of late-life drinking trajectories: A 10-year longitudinal study.

This study examines the extent of group-level and intra-individual decline in alcohol consumption among adults as they traverse a 10-year interval spanning late-middle to early-old age. Further, it identifies key baseline predictors of these adults' 10-year drinking trajectories. Community residents (n = 1,291; age 55 to 65 years at baseline) were assessed at 4 points over a 10-year interval on demographic and health characteristics, coping responses, social context, and alcohol consumption. Descriptive cross-wave statistics, and multilevel regression analyses, indicated that in the sample overall, participants' 10-year patterns of alcohol consumption were relatively stable. However, men's patterns, and those of individuals drinking beyond recommended alcohol consumption guidelines at baseline, were more variable and showed steeper rates of decline, than did those of women and individuals drinking within recommended levels. Contrary to expectation baseline use of substances to reduce tension and heavier reliance on avoidance coping predicted faster rate of decline in alcohol consumption. Post hoc prospective mediation analyses suggested that this may have occurred because these and other baseline predictors heighten risk of developing new health problems which, in turn, motivate reduced alcohol consumption.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Life Events as Antecedents of Depressive Symptoms in Middle and Early-Old Age: Path Through Life Study

To evaluate cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and life events (LE) as predictors of depressive symptoms in a mid-life and an early late-life cohort to determine whether they had independent or interacting effects, and whether there were age differences in the effects. Cohorts aged 40 to 44 years (n = 2530) and 60 to 64 years (n = 2551) at baseline (Wave 1) were followed up after 4 years (Wave 2) as part of the PATH Through Life Study based in Canberra and Queanbeyan, Australia. Cross-sectional analyses evaluated rates of CVRF and LE in depressed compared with nondepressed participants. Hierarchical generalized linear models were used to evaluate demographic variables, CVRF (diabetes, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, cholesterol medication, hypertension), LE, and Wave 1 depressive symptoms as predictors of depressive symptoms at Wave 2. At baseline, those with high levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to report smoking, using cholesterol-lowering medications, hypertension, diabetes, past stroke, and higher body mass index. Predictors of depressive symptoms at Wave 2 in the cohort of 40- to 44-year-old persons included Wave 1 depressive symptoms, diabetes, and LE at Wave 2. In the cohort of 60- to 64-year-old individuals, Wave 1 depression, stroke, smoking, low education, and Wave 2 LE predicted depressive symptoms. There was no evidence of interactions between CVRF and LE. LE and CVRF are independent sets of risk factors for depressive symptoms with different effects in the 40- to 44-year-old and 60- to 64-year-old cohorts. These findings have implications for preventative strategies for depression.

Age, SES, and health: a population level analysis of health inequalities over the lifecourse

This paper tests two competing hypotheses on the relationship between age, SES, and health inequality at the cohort/population level. The accumulation hypothesis predicts that the level of SES-based health inequality, and consequently the overall level of health inequality, within a cohort progressively increases as it ages. The divergence-convergence hypothesis predicts that these inequalities increase only up to early-old age then decrease. Data from a Canadian national health survey are used in this study, and are adjusted for SES-biases in mortality. Bootstrap methods are employed to assess the statistical precision and significance of the results. The Gini coefficient is used to estimate change in the overall level of health inequality with age, and the Concentration coefficient estimates the contribution of SES-based health inequalities to this change. Health is measured using the Health Utilities Index, and income and education provide the measure of SES. First, the findings show that the Gini coefficient progressively increases from 0.048 (95% CI: 0.045, 0.051) at ages 15-29 to 0.147 (95% CI: 0.131, 0.163) at ages 80+. Second, the data reveal that health inequalities between SES groups (Concentration coefficients for income and education) tend to follow a similar pattern of divergence. Together these findings provide support for the accumulation hypothesis. A notable implication of the study's findings is that the level of health inequality increases when compensating for age-specific socio-economic differences in mortality. These selective effects of mortality should be considered in future research on health inequalities and the lifecourse.