Download or read book Assessing the Social Network Characteristics and Diabetes Self care of Older Adults written by Monica Williams and published by . This book was released on 2021 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chronic disease including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer are responsible for most of the deaths in the United States. Over 25 percent of adults (65 years of age and older) have diabetes. Medication adherence and controlling blood glucose are central to diabetes management. Non-adherence to recommended therapies contributes to adverse health outcomes, complications, and death in older adults with diabetes. Among older adults with diabetes, a highly functional social network is associated with their increased health-promoting self-management behavior. Strong social support is a positive predictor of medication adherence. Guided by the Social Cognitive Theory, this study aimed to determine whether personal factors and social network characteristics as, environmental factors predict diabetes self-care in adults 55 years and older. This cross-sectional study collected and analyzed quantitative survey, and qualitative interview, data using a non-experimental approach. A convenience sample of 129 older adults with diabetes from 10 of the 12 states in the Mid-West Region of the United States was identified through the Qualtrics recruitment platform to participate in this study. Participants were asked to provide information related to their socio-demographic characteristics, including their diabetes diagnosis, reported health status, other diabetes-related conditions, and diabetes control. Participants were also required to provide information on their diabetes self-care, and their interaction with individuals in their Ego social networks. Most of the participants were female (51.9%), White (93.6%), diagnosed with diabetes for more than three years, and reported other diabetes-related health conditions (80.6%). A sub-sample of self-selected participants completed an interview to determine how the individual with the strongest tie in their social network influenced their diabetes self-care. Based on the statistical analyses, including regression analyses, diabetes control and reported health status were statistically significant predictors of older adults' diabetes self-care. Social network composition (specifically, the Dietician and Caregiver) and the importance of communication between older adults and individuals in their social network were also found to be statistically significant predictors of their diabetes self-care. The qualitative analysis found that most individuals who represent the strongest ties, and the weakest ties, in the social networks of older adults encouraged or promoted their diabetes self-care practices. Also, for the majority of older adults, their diabetes self-care practices positively affected their relationships with the individuals in their social network. Results of this study indicate that based on the constructs of the Social Cognitive Theory, improving personal factors such as supporting older adults' diabetes control, and their health status could lead to improved diabetes self-care. Additionally, adjusting for adjusting the environmental factors by providing access to healthcare practitioners such as Dieticians, and to Caregivers in older adults' social networks, and communication with social network members might improve their diabetes self-care. The theoretical implication for health education includes encouraging positive health behavior through the modifiable personal and environmental factors that influence older adults' performance of daily diabetes self-care regimens. Additionally, expanded opportunities for social interaction of older adults in health education programs could lead to positive health outcomes in older adults.
Download or read book Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2020-05-14 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Social isolation and loneliness are serious yet underappreciated public health risks that affect a significant portion of the older adult population. Approximately one-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated, and a significant proportion of adults in the United States report feeling lonely. People who are 50 years of age or older are more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Over a life course, social isolation and loneliness may be episodic or chronic, depending upon an individual's circumstances and perceptions. A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that social isolation presents a major risk for premature mortality, comparable to other risk factors such as high blood pressure, smoking, or obesity. As older adults are particularly high-volume and high-frequency users of the health care system, there is an opportunity for health care professionals to identify, prevent, and mitigate the adverse health impacts of social isolation and loneliness in older adults. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults summarizes the evidence base and explores how social isolation and loneliness affect health and quality of life in adults aged 50 and older, particularly among low income, underserved, and vulnerable populations. This report makes recommendations specifically for clinical settings of health care to identify those who suffer the resultant negative health impacts of social isolation and loneliness and target interventions to improve their social conditions. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults considers clinical tools and methodologies, better education and training for the health care workforce, and dissemination and implementation that will be important for translating research into practice, especially as the evidence base for effective interventions continues to flourish.
Download or read book Healthy Longevity in China written by Yi Zeng and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-01-10 with total page 438 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Key research in the world’s largest aging population – in China – has fed into this important new work, which aims to answer questions critical to older people worldwide. These include: is the period of disability compressing or expanding with increasing life expectancy and what factors are associated with these trends in the recent decades? And is it possible to realize morbidity compression with a prolongation of the life span in the future? Essential reading for gerontologists.
Download or read book Social Network Characteristics and Diabetes Self care Practices in a Latino Community written by Maria Lopez-Class and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Medical Microbiology and Infection written by Tom Elliott and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-05-29 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Medical Microbiology and Infection Lecture Notes is ideal for medical students, junior doctors, pharmacy students, junior pharmacists, nurses, and those training in the allied health professions. It presents a thorough introduction and overview of this core subject area, and has been fully revised and updated to include: Chapters written by leading experts reflecting current research and teaching practice New chapters covering Diagnosis of Infections and Epidemiology and Prevention & Management of Infections Integrated full-colour illustrations and clinical images A self-assessment section to test understanding Whether you need to develop your knowledge for clinical practice, or refresh that knowledge in the run up to examinations, Medical Microbiology and Infection Lecture Notes will help foster a systematic approach to the clinical situation for all medical students and hospital doctors.
Download or read book Families Caring for an Aging America written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2016-11-08 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Family caregiving affects millions of Americans every day, in all walks of life. At least 17.7 million individuals in the United States are caregivers of an older adult with a health or functional limitation. The nation's family caregivers provide the lion's share of long-term care for our older adult population. They are also central to older adults' access to and receipt of health care and community-based social services. Yet the need to recognize and support caregivers is among the least appreciated challenges facing the aging U.S. population. Families Caring for an Aging America examines the prevalence and nature of family caregiving of older adults and the available evidence on the effectiveness of programs, supports, and other interventions designed to support family caregivers. This report also assesses and recommends policies to address the needs of family caregivers and to minimize the barriers that they encounter in trying to meet the needs of older adults.
Download or read book Psychosocial Care for People with Diabetes written by Deborah Young-Hyman and published by American Diabetes Association. This book was released on 2012-12-25 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Psychosocial Care for People with Diabetes describes the major psychosocial issues which impact living with and self-management of diabetes and its related diseases, and provides treatment recommendations based on proven interventions and expert opinion. The book is comprehensive and provides the practitioner with guidelines to access and prescribe treatment for psychosocial problems commonly associated with living with diabetes.
Download or read book The Effect of Social Networks on Self care Behaviors and Health Outcomes Among Older People Living with Multiple Chronic Conditions written by Raeann G. LeBlanc and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Background: Older adults are the fastest growing segment of the population in the United States. By 2030, 72.1 million Americans will be over sixty-five years of age and many live with and manage multiple chronic conditions. Self-care behaviors are a priority to effectively manage chronic conditions, yet a gap exists in our understanding of how social networks influence the outcomes of self-care behavior and health within the context of aging and managing multiple chronic conditions. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine how social network features and functions influence self-care behaviors and health among community dwelling older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Design: This study integrated an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Methods: A cross-sectional sample of eighty-nine community dwelling older adults participated. Descriptive statistics were used to describe social networks. Bivariate correlations and regression statistics were used to examine the relationships of social networks with the dependent variables of self-care behaviors and health. Qualities that emphasize the contexts expanded the analysis of the survey data. and social support. Results: Ties strength and social support predicted the outcome of therapeutic self-care, mental health, sense of control and attributed dignity. Distinctions between tangible support and psychosocial support are made. Thematic analysis expanded understanding on network size, psychosocial support, activation of support and interaction frequency and type. Conclusions: Social networks influence self-care behaviors and mental health, sense of control and attributed dignity. In living with multiple chronic conditions, this research proposes new ways to understand social members in creating supportive self-care networks in older age.
Download or read book Egocentric Network Analysis written by Brea L. Perry and published by Structural Analysis in the Soc. This book was released on 2018-03-22 with total page 371 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An in-depth, comprehensive and practical guide to egocentric network analysis, focusing on fundamental theoretical, research design, and analytic issues.
Download or read book Critical Perspectives on Racial and Ethnic Differences in Health in Late Life written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2004-10-16 with total page 753 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In their later years, Americans of different racial and ethnic backgrounds are not in equally good-or equally poor-health. There is wide variation, but on average older Whites are healthier than older Blacks and tend to outlive them. But Whites tend to be in poorer health than Hispanics and Asian Americans. This volume documents the differentials and considers possible explanations. Selection processes play a role: selective migration, for instance, or selective survival to advanced ages. Health differentials originate early in life, possibly even before birth, and are affected by events and experiences throughout the life course. Differences in socioeconomic status, risk behavior, social relations, and health care all play a role. Separate chapters consider the contribution of such factors and the biopsychosocial mechanisms that link them to health. This volume provides the empirical evidence for the research agenda provided in the separate report of the Panel on Race, Ethnicity, and Health in Later Life.
Download or read book Cognitive Aging written by Institute of Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2015-07-21 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For most Americans, staying "mentally sharp" as they age is a very high priority. Declines in memory and decision-making abilities may trigger fears of Alzheimer's disease or other neurodegenerative diseases. However, cognitive aging is a natural process that can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive function in older adults - effects that vary widely among individuals. At this point in time, when the older population is rapidly growing in the United States and across the globe, it is important to examine what is known about cognitive aging and to identify and promote actions that individuals, organizations, communities, and society can take to help older adults maintain and improve their cognitive health. Cognitive Aging assesses the public health dimensions of cognitive aging with an emphasis on definitions and terminology, epidemiology and surveillance, prevention and intervention, education of health professionals, and public awareness and education. This report makes specific recommendations for individuals to reduce the risks of cognitive decline with aging. Aging is inevitable, but there are actions that can be taken by individuals, families, communities, and society that may help to prevent or ameliorate the impact of aging on the brain, understand more about its impact, and help older adults live more fully and independent lives. Cognitive aging is not just an individual or a family or a health care system challenge. It is an issue that affects the fabric of society and requires actions by many and varied stakeholders. Cognitive Aging offers clear steps that individuals, families, communities, health care providers and systems, financial organizations, community groups, public health agencies, and others can take to promote cognitive health and to help older adults live fuller and more independent lives. Ultimately, this report calls for a societal commitment to cognitive aging as a public health issue that requires prompt action across many sectors.
Download or read book Diabetes in Old Age written by Alan J. Sinclair and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-02-13 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new edition of the popular and market-leading Diabetes in Old Age features up-to-date and comprehensive information about the key aspects of managing older people with diabetes, predominantly type 2 diabetes. With a strong evidence-based focus throughout, the entire range of issues surrounding diabetes and its many complications are covered, each with a clear focus on how they relate directly to the older patient. Varying approaches to optimizing diabetes care in the community, primary care and secondary care health care arenas are presented, and the importance of comprehensive functional assessment is emphasized. Coverage of areas unique to an ageing population of older people with diabetes such as falls management, frailty and sarcopenia, and cognitive dysfunction form a key cornerstone of the book. In every chapter, best practice points and key learning outcomes are provided, as well as published evidence bases for each major conclusion. Diabetes in Old Age, 4th edition is essential reading for diabetologists and endocrinologists, diabetes specialist nurses, primary care physicians, general physicians and geriatricians, podiatrists and dieticians with an interest in diabetes, as well as all health professionals engaged in the delivery of diabetes care to older people.
Download or read book Social Networks of Older Adults written by Philip Silverman and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by four authors, Philip Silverman (PhD, Cornell University), Laura Hecht (PhD, Indiana University), J. Daniel McMillin (PhD, Southern Illinois University), and Shienpei Chang (MA, California State University Bakersfield), this unique book examines how social networks contribute to a sense of well-being and a positive self-identity among older Americans and Taiwanese. Although social network analysis has grown increasingly important in the last several decades, few comparisons are available with Chinese and American samples; this is the first research project that compares a Western and an Asian culture using social network types. This research is also the first ever to use social network types to test hypotheses about values, reciprocity, social capital, and the health status of older adults. The data, gathered through systematic sampling in northeastern Oregon and central Taiwan, are first analyzed for the content of exchanges with network members. Then, the structure of the social network is determined by cluster analysis from which four network types are derived. This innovative, two-part procedure reveals a deeper understanding of the role social networks play in the quality of life among elderly in these two cultures. By comparing two very different cultures, the research reveals important details about the relative impact of broader social changes and social networks on the well-being of older adults. The two societies represent contrasting cultural sensibilities regarding the position and treatment of the aged. Yet, social changes in both countries have had a similar impact on older adults in some respects, but not in others. The data allow a determination of whether the inherent dissimilarities between a Western and an Asian culture, or the differences in the structure of each network type, can best account for the variation in exchange modalities and outcomes related to well-being and self-identity. A final chapter highlights possible future research in light of the theoretical and methodological implications of the findings. This book is a valuable resource for those in cultural anthropology, comparative sociology, gerontology, and Asian studies.
Download or read book Assessment of Barriers to Diabetes Self management in Older Adults written by Joy Templo Catolico and published by . This book was released on 1995 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Social Networks and Health written by Thomas W. Valente and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-03-25 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Relationships and the pattern of relationships have a large and varied influence on both individual and group action. The fundamental distinction of social network analysis research is that relationships are of paramount importance in explaining behavior. Because of this, social network analysis offers many exciting tools and techniques for research and practice in a wide variety of medical and public health situations including organizational improvements, understanding risk behaviors, coordinating coalitions, and the delivery of health care services. This book provides an introduction to the major theories, methods, models, and findings of social network analysis research and application. In three sections, it presents a comprehensive overview of the topic; first in a survey of its historical and theoretical foundations, then in practical descriptions of the variety of methods currently in use, and finally in a discussion of its specific applications for behavior change in a public health context. Throughout, the text has been kept clear, concise, and comprehensible, with short mathematical formulas for some key indicators or concepts. Researchers and students alike will find it an invaluable resource for understanding and implementing social network analysis in their own practice.
Download or read book Digital Behaviors of Older Adults written by Ariz Amoroso Guzman and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page 173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The population of the United States is aging. Depression in older adults has serious consequences. Social support has long been recognized as a beneficial and protective factor in the prevention of depression in older adults. Social media have allowed older adults to connect with their social networks and social support systems. The use of social media was highlighted during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic as social distancing and self-quarantine discouraged face-to-face interactions. While social media behaviors and their influence on mental health is a growing area of research, the digital behaviors of an aging population specific to the relationship between their social media behavior, social network structures, social support, and depression under the context of the Coronavirus pandemic of 2019 (COVID-19) is understudied. This dissertation's overall purpose is to explore the relationship between social media use, social support, and depression in older adults. The First Manuscript is a review of the literature aimed at identifying and synthesizing quantitative studies addressing the relationship between social media use and depression in older adults. The findings of this review showed a dearth of literature and a complicated relationship between social media use and depression in older adults. Furthermore, there is a paucity of studies that use validated measures to measure social media use in the older adult population. Age-related health and social variables could potentially influence the relationship between social media use and depression. Further, studies of current social media use measurements in older adults omit descriptions of social network characteristics to include social network structure and function. The Second Manuscript is a cross-sectional study of 371 older adults. Using multiple mediation models, this study examines the mediating effect of social support in the relationship of social network structures (online and offline) and depression in older adults. This study found that social support does not significantly mediate the relationship between online social network structure and depression. However, social support mediated the relationship between offline social network structure and depression to some extent. The tangible and emotional/informational social support domains did not mediate the known relationship between network structure and depression in older adults. Both structural sizes of online and offline social network size did not show any significant relationship to depression. The size of the offline social network, not the online social network size, predicted higher levels of social support. Higher total social support scores predicted lower depression scores in both online and offline network size models. Online and offline social network size models showed that increased social support predicts lower depression scores on all social support scales except the emotional/informational subscale. Certain domains of social support did not mediate the known relationship between offline social network structure and depression in older adults in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Third Manuscript examined the mediating effect of social support in the relationship between social media use and depression in older adults, using the Social Media Use Integration Scale. This study showed that social support did not significantly mediate the relationship between social media use and depression in older adults in models that controlled for demographic and health covariates. Greater social media use significantly predicted higher depression scores in older adults when including only basic demographic covariates ([beta]=.070, se=.333, p=.037). However, when health covariates are included, this significant association between social media use and depression is removed ([beta]=.046, se=.032, p=.146). Social media use did not show a significant relationship with total social support scores and within each of its subscales in all our models. Increased social support predicts lower depression on all social support scales, except the emotional/informational subscale. The inclusion of health variables in social media use and depression studies could influence the identified relationship between social media use and depression outcomes for older adults. The COVID-19 pandemic, along with an infodemic, may have influenced the results of this study, as older adults' social life changed-from their social media use, social support, and uncertainties brought about by the pandemic. This dissertation's findings contribute to gaps in our understanding of an older adult's social media and characteristics and media behavior and its relationship to depression and social support. Health and social variables must be considered when exploring the relationship between social media use and depression in older adults. The relationship between social network size (offline and online) to social support and depression might have been complicated during the COVID-19 pandemic as certain domains of social support did not offer significant benefits against depression.
Download or read book Examining the Role of Social Resources in Diabetes Control Among Middle Aged and Older Adults written by Glorian Persaud Yen and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 319 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Diabetes is a rapidly growing health issue in the United States and across the globe, and is currently the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to other health complications, including coronary heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, vision loss, and Alzheimer's disease. Diabetes also attributes to a large financial burden in the United States, costing an estimated $245 billion among individuals diagnosed with diabetes in 2012 and a 41 percent increase from 2007. Blood glucose control is essential to reducing diabetes complications and related health care costs. Social resources are central to adherence of these self-management practices, particularly in middle-aged and older adults. Past research has examined the effect of social resources on health behaviors and health outcomes, but little has been done to examine the role of chronic stress on this relationship. Chronic stress is important to diabetes control because stress can impair an individual's ability to perform diabetes self-management behaviors. The purpose of this research was to fully identify: 1.) predictors of four diabetes control typologies, 2.) if chronic stress mediates the relationship between social embeddedness and diabetes control, and 3.) whether perceived social support moderates the relationship between chronic stress and diabetes control. Data from the 2006-2012 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally-representative study of adults in the United States, was utilized for these analyses. Study 1 found that perceived diabetes control predicted objective diabetes control. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to determine that age, race, income, self-rated health, perceived control over health, presence of ADLs and IADLs, duration of diabetes, restless sleep, smoking status, and taking oral medication and insulin to treat diabetes were significant predictors of at least one of the four diabetes control typologies, 1.) truly controlled, 2.) falsely controlled, 3.) falsely uncontrolled, and 4.) truly uncontrolled. The results of Study 1 suggest that other factors are associated with the disconnect between perceived and objective diabetes control. Study 2 found limited evidence of a relationship between social embeddedness and 1.) perceived and 2.) objective diabetes control. Generalized structural equation modeling was used to examine the mediating effect of 1.) number of chronic stressors and 2.) perceived stress on the relationship between social embeddedness and both types of diabetes control. One social embeddedness factor, contact with children through meeting in person and speaking on the phone, was fully mediated by perceived stress in its relationship with perceived diabetes control. However, perceived stress did not mediate the association between this social embeddedness factor and objective diabetes control. The results of Study 2 suggest that social embeddedness does not impact diabetes control in the presence of chronic stress, but that support from a social network may. Study 3 examined the relationship between perceived stress and five diabetes control outcomes, 1.) perceived diabetes control, 2.) objective diabetes control, 3.) use of oral medication to treat diabetes, 4.) use of insulin to treat diabetes, and 5.) insulin compliance based on doctor's recommendation. This study also explored the moderating effect of perceived social support on the relationship between perceived stress and the five diabetes control outcomes. Overall, the findings from Study 3 suggest that perceived negative social support in the presence of high stress may hinder diabetes control and control-related behaviors, and that total social support from a spouse in the presence of high stress was predictive of insulin compliance. The project ultimately illustrated how perceptions of stress and support may impact perceptions of diabetes control and control-related behaviors, but not objective control. However, results of this study should be interpreted with caution because many of the psychosocial measures analyzed were not from validated survey instruments. Overall, future research must focus on how perceptions, whether of control, stress, or support, impact diabetes-related behaviors, and ultimately objective diabetes control. Public health programming can help to improve accurate perceptions of diabetes control by strengthening access to social resources and mitigating the impact of chronic stressors.
