Older People In Chile Research Articles

Comparing cost and acceptability two instruments to measure instrumental activities of daily living in older people in Chile.

Population aging and increasing in long-term care needs call for designing and implementing better tools for assessing functional ability. In Chile, the Lawton & Brody (L&B) scale is used for identifying limitations with instrumental activities. This study compares the costs and acceptability of the L&B with a new instrument to measure IADL: the Instrument for the Assessment of Functionality Stages (IDEEF). Phone surveys were carried out to apply the L&B and the IDEEF to a sample of 200 older people (60+) participating in public programs for older people in the Metropolitan Region, Chile. Besides the items assessed by each scale, the survey captured completion times and included a short questionnaire on acceptability, data that allowed comparisons between instruments. On average, the L&B takes around 4 minutes to be applied; the completion times for the IDEEF are four times longer. However, the IDEEF performs better in terms of acceptability and has neither gender bias nor dependency bias. Both instruments have pros and cons but the IDEEF appears as a feasible alternative to the L&B to improve the assessment of IADL in the country.

Analysis of the factors that affect the adoption of electronic learning platforms by older people in Chile

Analysis of the factors that affect the adoption of electronic learning platforms by older people in Chile

Active sex life for older people in Chile: biological, psychological and social variables influencing engagement

Introduction: Sexual activity in later life is increasingly being researched, but there is a gap in knowledge about the Global South, mainly Latin America. Objective: The objective of this article is to evaluate how biological, psychological and social factors influence active sex life in older Chilean people, using a gender-stratified analysis. Methodology: The study is based on secondary data analysis of the fifth National Survey of Quality of Life in Old Age, carried out in Chile in 2019 with a sample of 2,132 people aged 60 and over. Bivariate analysis was conducted to test the influence of biological, psychological and social variables on having an active sex life. Additionally, multiple hierarchal logistic regressions were carried out using a gender-stratified analysis to explore whether the independent variables predict active sex life. Results: Self-perceived health and chronic illness did not have predictive value regarding active sex life in older Chilean adults. However, partner health was a significant factor in predicting active sex life, particularly for women. People who reported being dissatisfied with life had 55 percent lower chance of having an active sex life than those who reported being very satisfied with life. Attitude towards sexuality, relationship status and education level were other variables that predicted an active sex life for older adults in Chile. Still, there were significant gender differences in the results. Conclusion: Interpersonal, psychological and social factors are more relevant than biological factors (except for age) when predicting sexual activity for older Chileans, and gender differences are central when analysing sexual activity.

Determinants of entrepreneurship and self-employment for older people in Chile

Determinants of entrepreneurship and self-employment for older people in Chile

Determinants of entrepreneurship and self-employment for older people in Chile

Determinants of entrepreneurship and self-employment for older people in Chile

Childhood Socioeconomic Position, Adulthood Employment Trajectories, and Later Life Functional Limitations in Chile.

Relying on a life course perspective, we explored the association between childhood socioeconomic position (SEP), adulthood employment trajectories, and their interactions, with different domains of functional limitations among older people in Chile. We used data from a face-to-face, comprehensive and representative life history survey of older people (N = 802), and weighted bivariate, multivariate, and longitudinal quantitative methods. As a way to address potential problems of reverse causality, we adjust multivariate analyses by lifetime health indicators. Our results show that low childhood SEP and non-standard adulthood employment trajectories characterized by part-time work negatively affect later life functional limitations. The increased risk among people with low childhood SEP is higher if they follow a "part-time employment trajectory" in adulthood. In the conclusion, we emphasize that analyzing life course determinants of functional limitations serves to inform and help design strategies to reduce dependency in later life and promote healthy aging.

Religiosity, physical and functional health in older people in Chile.

To establish the association between different dimensions of religiosity - organizational, non-organizational and intrinsic - and physical and functional health indicators in older people in Chile. Data from the Fifth Survey on Quality of Life in Old Age 2019 were used. Descriptive and explanatory analyses were performed using logistic, linear and multinomial regression models, with dependent variables being self-perception of health, functional dependence, number of chronic diseases and perception of health compared with other people of the same age. As predictors, indicators of the three dimensions of religiosity (DUREL Scale) were included, controlling for the MOS-SS Social Support Scale, Apgar Family Functioning Scale, educational level, gender, age, and living with a partner. Almost a third of older Chileans attend religious services frequently, and half of them pray frequently. On a range of 1 to 5, the mean intrinsic religiosity is 3.94. 46% perceive their health to be good/very good and about half perceive their health as better than their peers. On 0 to 5, the mean number of chronic diseases is 1.69. 6% are classified as functionally dependent. The only significant relationship observed was between religious attendance and a lower probability of presenting functional dependency; on the other hand, praying increases such probabilities and a relationship between attendance and a better perception of health compared with other people of the same age. Organisational religiosity is a psychosocial resource that is positively associated with the process of successful aging.

Grandparent-grandchild relationships, generativity, subjective well-being and self-rated health of older people in Chile

With increasing life expectancy, grandparents and grandchildren have more years available to share. Furthermore, with lower fertility rates and fewer grandchildren, relationships can be more frequent and profound. Intergenerational relationships are expected to be associated with older people's quality of life, especially in Latin American countries such as Chile, with high intergenerational co-residence and contact between generations. This research aims to analyze the associations between the characteristics of intergenerational relationships and grandparents' subjective well-being (Diener Scale and Satisfaction) and self-rated health. The novelty stems from including the structural characteristics of relationships with grandchildren (frequency of contact, closeness, and care), the activities they share (generativity), and the quality of relationships (ambivalence). This study is based on data from a specific face-to-face grandparenting survey conducted on a sample of 464 grandparents in January 2020. It is representative of older Chilean grandparents living in private dwellings. Multiple logistic and ordinary regression models were estimated using the Diener Scale, unique satisfaction question, and health self-perception. The results demonstrated that subjective well-being, but not self-rated health, was highly associated with the characteristics of intergenerational relationships, especially with the quality of relationships and with generative activities such as recreational activities and family identity. In conclusion, intergenerational relationships' quality and content are strongly associated with subjective well-being in old age, but not with health self-perception. Even in a Latin American country like Chile, with high co-residence and intergenerational contact, the variations in quality and generativity activities significantly explain the variations in subjective well-being. For this reason, policies for the promotion of well-being in older people must consider the family environment in which older people live, encompassing wider family networks, including grandchildren.

Employment Trajectories Across the Life Course and Oral Health Among Older Persons in a Developing Country.

A significant research gap on socioeconomic determinants of oral health among older persons is that socioeconomic indicators, like employment status, have essentially been problematized and measured using a cross-sectional approach. Based on a life course approach, and using data from a population-representative, face-to-face and longitudinal-retrospective survey focused on older people in Chile (N = 802), we reconstructed representative types of individual employment trajectories and measured their association with different oral health indicators in old age. Our results show that employment trajectories characterized by continuous, formal, full-time employment have a protective effect for multiple oral health indicators among older people. Our study demonstrates the need for public policies on oral health in old age to incorporate a life course approach and to consider the negative impact of constantly working in informal employment or being out of the labor market permanently, particularly in countries like Chile where temporary and informal employment has risen steadily.

Association between Lifetime Tobacco Use and Alcohol Consumption Trajectories and Cardiovascular and Chronic Respiratory Diseases among Older People.

Background: We identify representative types of simultaneous tobacco use and alcohol consumption trajectories across the life course and estimate their association with cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases (CVDs and CRDs) among older people in Chile. Methods: We used data from a population-representative, face-to-face and longitudinal-retrospective survey focused on people aged 65–75 (N = 802). To reconstruct trajectory types, we employed weighted multichannel sequence analysis. Then, we estimated their associations with CVDs and CRDs through weighted logistic regression models. Results: Long-term exposure to tobacco use and alcohol consumption across life are associated with the highest CVD and CRD risks. Long-term nonsmokers and nondrinkers do not necessarily show the lowest CVDs and CRDs risks if these patterns are accompanied by health risk factors such as obesity or social disadvantages such as lower educational levels. Additionally, trajectories showing regular consumption in one domain but only in specific periods of life, whether early or late, while maintaining little or no consumption across life in the other domain, lead to lower CVDs or CRDs risks than trajectories indicating permanent consumption in both domains. Conclusions: A policy approach that considers CVDs and CRDs as conditions that strongly depend on previous individual experiences in diverse life domains can contribute to the improved design and evaluation of preventive strategies of tobacco use and alcohol consumption across the life course.

Defining 'older people' in Chile: challenges in planning policies for ageing populations.

The concept of older adult is extensively used in day-to-day discussions and public policy. Nonetheless, concrete operational definitions are scarce. This poses a challenge for policymakers when designing initiatives targeted to this population. Chronological age has been traditionally used as the sole criteria for identifying older people (OP). However, there is no consensus about what is the age that should define an elderly. The issue became evident when, in 2018, the Chilean Ministry of Health started a planning process to coordinate health initiatives for OP. Two thresholds had been commonly used-60 and 65 years-and the differences between choosing one and the other were significant. This article intends to structure the debate around age thresholds and the definition of OP in Chile, presenting information and evidence to guide decision-makers when deciding about the issue. Information was based on international guidelines and definitions, laws and practice in the country and epidemiological data. The analysis shows a lack of consensus when dealing with the definition of OP using age thresholds at every level. Results highlight the difficulty of using age as a guide for designing policies for OP and call for a more holistic way for identifying OP as beneficiaries of targeted programmes, considering the heterogeneity of this population and the availability of information. This debate is much needed in many countries that, like Chile, will experience significant demographic changes and face the challenges of healthy ageing.

Relationships in late life from a personal communities approach: perspectives of older people in Chile

AbstractAlthough the literature on social capital, social support and social networks uses the concept of emotional support, studies rarely recognise nuances of the emotional relationships in late life. Using a personal communities framework, we examine the subjective meaning of family and friendship ties that form the network of emotionally close relationships of a cohort of Chilean people between 60 and 74 years of age. Chile is an interesting case to investigate personal communities, as the country is facing both a rapid process of population ageing and the consequences of abrupt socio-cultural changes triggered by a military government. We conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews using personal communities diagrams that enabled study participants to reflect on what and how different types of personal ties were important to them. Data analysis included thematic analysis of interview transcripts and classification of identified personal communities using Pahl and Spencer's typology. The personal communities framework proved useful in capturing the composition of older people's networks of close relationships and in reflecting the diverse ways different ties are relevant in late life. We further developed a complementary typology based on the distinction between ‘clustered’ and ‘hierarchical’ personal communities. This complementary typology adds a cultural dimension to understand better emotional closeness in late life in a context of rapid socio-cultural changes affecting levels of social trust.

Does the selective attrition of a panel survey of older people affect the multivariate estimations of subjective well-being?

The increased population aging has resulted in a growing need for longitudinal studies about the quality of life among older people. Nevertheless, the results of these investigations could be biased because more disadvantaged people leave the original sample. The purpose of this study is to examine how the selective attrition observed in a panel survey affect multivariate models of subjective well-being (SWB). The question is if we could do reliable longitudinal investigations concerning the predictors of SWB in old age. This paper examines attrition in a panel of older people in Chile. Attrition was evaluated in the variables that affect elderly SWB. Probit models were fitted to compare dropouts with nondropouts. Then, multivariate probit models were estimated on satisfaction and depressive symptoms, comparing dropouts and nondropouts. Finally, we compared weighted and unweighted multivariate probit models on SWB. The attrition rate in 2years was 38.8%, including deaths and 32.9%, excluding them. Survey dropouts had lower satisfaction but not higher depressive symptoms. Among SWB predictors, people without a partner and with lower self-efficacy abandoned more the study. When applying the Becketti, Gould, Lillard, and Welch test, the probit coefficients of the predictor variables on SWB outcome variables were similar for dropouts and nondropouts. Finally, the comparison of multivariate models on SWB with weighting methods did not find substantial differences in the explanatory coefficients. Although some predictors of attrition were associated with SWB, attrition did not produce biased estimates in multivariate models of life satisfaction life or depressive symptoms in old age.

It Is Not Just Mortality: A Call From Chile for Comprehensive COVID-19 Policy Responses Among Older People

ObjectiveProvide a synthesis of the COVID-19 policies targeting older people in Chile, stressing their short- and long-term challenges.MethodCritical analysis of the current legal and policy measures, based on national-level data and international experiences.ResultsAlthough several policies have been enacted to protect older people from COVID-19, these measures could have important unintended negative consequences in this group’s mental and physical health, as well as financial aspects.DiscussionA wider perspective is needed to include a broader definition of health—considering financial scarcity, access to health services, mental health issues, and long-term care—in the policy responses to COVID-19 targeted to older people in Chile.

Factors influencing self-reported health in Chilean older people

Background Self-reported health is subjective and depends on external factors such as socioeconomic status, presence of chronic diseases and working status, among others. Aim To determine which factors influence self-reported health among older people in Chile. Material and Methods A secondary analysis of the National Socioeconomic Characterization survey done in 2015. A dichotomous response model was used classifying health status as good or bad. A logit regression model was carried out. Results The model had a good calibration and correctly classified 72 and 68% of men and women, respectively. The main factors that influenced health status self-perception were: not having health problems; having undergone a mental health interview, to receive supplemental nutrition, education, to have a productive work; and to having a social network. Conclusions There are health, cultural, economic and environmental factors that influence self-perceived health status.

¿Incrementar la edad legal de jubilación y extender la trayectoria laboral? Apuntes para la discusión sobre empleo en personas mayores en Chile

Basados en evidencia empírica nacional e internacional, en el presente artículo planteamos una discusión sobre diferentes dimensiones involucradas en las políticas que buscan incentivar el empleo en personas mayores y aplazar la transición a la jubilación en Chile. En concreto en primer lugar discutimos la actual participación laboral de hombres y mujeres mayores, sus condiciones laborales, y las trayectorias laborales y de cotización a las pensiones de las personas que hoy están próximas a jubilar. En segundo término, nos referimos a la manera en que se ha abordado la extensión de las carreras laborales y el incremento de la edad legal de jubilación en diferentes países. En tercer lugar, discutimos los principales desafíos de salud que actualmente enfrentan las personas mayores en Chile. En cuarto lugar, nos referimos al contexto cultural vinculado al envejecimiento poblacional en este país. Luego de esto, en la conclusión, resumimos los aspectos discutidos y proponemos posibles orientaciones que, desde nuestro punto de vista, debería tener una política pública que busque incentivar la postergación de la jubilación.

Controlling active ageing: a study of social imaginaries of older people in Chile

AbstractA key issue in understanding the social lives of older people is how active they are in coping with the demands of ageing. Often the ‘successfulness’ of ageing is measured with medical and biological criteria. While the notion of ‘active ageing’ is more appealing and neutral, its meaning is often obscured, fragmented or inconsistent. Our aims in this study were to establish ‘active ageing’ as a process in which older people try to take control of their lives by conforming to or resisting different social imaginaries of later life, and to explore individuals’ strategies for making the best use of available resources and fending off potential risks of social exclusion. We adopted a two-stage research design. First, we produced artistic images that corresponded to social imaginaries of tensions in ageing in three social domains (politics, mass media and older people). Then, we used these images as stimuli in interviews with a balanced sample of 32 middle-aged and older residents of Santiago, Chile, to discover their strategies for coping with these tensions. Although imaginaries of ageing tended to describe ageing in terms of restrictions and stereotypes, we found diverse and increasingly flexible life projects and expectations of activity in later life.

Structural disadvantage and (un)successful ageing: gender differences in activities of daily living for older people in Chile

ABSTRACTDiscourses on successful ageing have changed the way older age is viewed and the possibilities associated with it. However, such discourses do not always take into account differential capacities and resources that may shape disadvantage for women. The aim of this article is to examine gender differences in the experience of difficulties carrying out basic and instrumental activities of daily living (ADLs) in community-living people over the age of 65, using Chile as a case study. We also examine the effect of healthcare provider on performance of ADLs. We carried out logistic regressions on cross-sectional data from a sample of over 33,000 men and women, drawn from the 2015 National Socioeconomic Characterisation Survey, conducted by the Ministry of Social Development of the Government of Chile. We found significant gender differences in experiences of performing ADLs for older people in Chile, with women consistently reporting more problems than men. The affiliation with the public health provider was also associated with gender differences. The results of our study indicate that women in Chile experience structural disadvantage in their efforts to age successfully, reporting higher levels of functional limitations. We argue that it is important that gender-sensitive public health initiatives be developed, focusing on the prevention of functional disability.

Interdisciplinary-action-research: Post-earthquake interventions with older people in Chile

This article reflects on a methodological research proposal developed from the perspective of interdisciplinary action research in the context of fear-coping interventions for older people in seven rural areas of southern Chile, following the earthquake and tsunami of February 2010. First, we used interventions based on music and art therapy to gather information on their emotional condition. We not only identified high levels of psychological stress, but also that their strengths were related to the Chilean culture and folk traditions. The creative strategies used proved to be therapeutic and healing, since participants reported they were able to express their fears, giving new meaning to their experiences in a collective context. The results highlight the importance of engaging with community members in the production of knowledge, and in defining collectively the cultural pertinence of interventions. It concludes with a discussion about the possibility of replicating this proposal in post-disaster intervention contexts.

Chile y sus mayores: análisis de la encuesta nacional calidad de vida en la vejez (2007, 2010 y 2013)

In the last 30 years, Chile has experienced an accelerated process of population aging. Currently 15.6% of Chileans are elderly and projections estimate that in 2025 they will be 20% of the population. Quality of life in old age is a major concern in Chilean society. Therefore, the State, public and private institutions, academia and the elderly themselves have begun work on programs and initiatives that improve current conditions. This article aims to present an overview of the quality of life of older people in Chile, from its National Survey on the Quality of Life in Old Age, sheding light on future challenges for the country.