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The COVID-19 pandemic and related physical distancing measures have posed a significant threat to the mental health of adults, particularly those living alone. Accordingly, the World Health Organization implemented the #HealthyAtHome program, encouraging people to keep in regular contact with loved ones, stay physically active, and keep a regular routine. The current study aims to examine a micro-longitudinal link between behavioral activation coping strategies (exercise, meditation, relaxation, and social connection) and depressive symptoms among adults who lived alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used 21 biweekly waves of longitudinal data from the Understanding America Study (UAS) collected between April 2020 and February 2021 (N = 1,280). The multilevel models with correlated random effects were estimated to examine lagged effects of coping strategies (t-1) on depressive symptoms (t). The results showed that exercise was predictive of lower depressive symptoms even after controlling for time-invariant and time-varying covariates. The results showed that modifiable lifestyle factors, such as taking time to exercise, may be beneficial for the mental health of Americans living in single-person households.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are common musculoskeletal conditions in the maxillofacial area. Although strong relationships between TMDs and other pain and diseases exist, few studies have comprehensively assessed the association between chronic diseases, ophthalmologic and otolaryngologic disorders and TMD. Of 25,534 individuals included in the fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2012), 17,575 aged ≥20 years who completed survey items on TMD symptoms were included for cross-sectional analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between chronic diseases, ophthalmologic and otolaryngologic disorders and examination findings, and TMD symptoms after adjusting for various confounding variables. Out of 17,575 participants, 2,059 (11.75%) reported experience of ≥1 TMD symptom(s). Compared to individuals without chronic disease, those with asthma (odds ratio (OR) 1.46; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.96), migraine (1.44; 1.26-1.65), osteoarthritis (1.51; 1.20-1.89), thyroid dysfunction (1.49; 1.13-1.96), and depressive symptoms (1.51; 1.29-1.77) had higher ORs for TMD prevalence. Participants with tinnitus (1.97; 1.70-2.27), hearing difficulties (1.55; 1.29-1.87), dizziness (1.52; 1.27-1.82), rhinitis (1.46; 1.28-1.65), and xerophthalmia (1.82; 1.57-2.12) also displayed higher ORs for TMD prevalence. Patients diagnosed with chronic rhinosinusitis upon otolaryngologic examination exhibited an OR of 1.44 (95% CI 1.11-1.87) for TMD prevalence, while that for individuals with abnormal laryngoscopic results was 0.57 (95% CI 0.36-0.90). These findings imply that TMDs, chronic diseases, and ophthalmologic and otolaryngologic disorders hold various correlations, suggesting the need for multitarget approaches to effectively address this phenomenon.

While considerable scholarly attention has been given to factors influencing productive activity, less is known about how multiple forms of resources predict the maintenance or initiation of such activity over time. Using two-wave panel data of older adults from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), the study investigated the relationship between measures of capital and changes in multiple types of productive activity. Findings showed that all three types of capital were associated with volunteering in cross-sectional analyses, but only education, neighbourhood socialisation and religious service attendance remain significant predictors of continued volunteerism. Human capital strongly influenced employment both cross-sectionally and over time. Aspects of social capital – marital status and network size – were linked to participation and initiation of care-giving activities. The findings demonstrate that different patterns emerge in cross-sectional and two-wave panel data of multiple productive activities, adjusting for baseline activity level and selective attrition. The project also suggests factors that promote or hinder continued engagement in productive activity.

Because subjective cognitive decline (SCD) manifests before the clinical and irreversible onset of dementia, efforts to address SCD are imperative for the early identification and prevention of dementia. For people who actually experience SCD, having a usual source of care may be an important catalyst for addressing memory issues. This study investigates the relationship between having a usual source of care and the discussion of SCD with healthcare providers, while taking into account racial and ethnic differences. The pooled 2019–2020 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) from 47 states in the U.S. was used. The sample included 7900 individuals aged 50 and older who reported significant cognitive decline. Using logistic regression with state-level clustering, we found that those with a usual source of healthcare were almost twice as more likely to discuss memory loss with a healthcare provider. In order to test for the multiplicative effects, we included an interaction term between each race category and having a primary care provider (PCP). There was a significant interaction effect between Hispanic ethnicity and having a PCP (OR = 0.25, p < 0.05). While non-Hispanic respondents who had a PCP had a higher probability of discussing memory issues with a healthcare provider (42% vs. 25%), Hispanic respondents with a PCP were less likely to discuss their memory loss with a healthcare provider (36% vs. 49%). The study adds to the growing literature on the vital role of the primary care service in provision of service to those with cognitive decline, while revealing ethnic disparity in memory-loss-related communication with healthcare providers in a primary care setting.

Given that nearly half of adults 50 and older have hypertension in the United States, public health interventions focus on reducing risk factors. However, population-based approaches that aim to enhance protective factors, such as social engagement, can be applied to larger groups, resulting in a downward shift in the population blood pressure distribution. Further, understanding the potential heterogeneous effects of volunteering frequency by demographic factors help identify the population subgroups in which volunteering is more (or less) protective against hypertension. The current project examines the link between volunteering and changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure by gender, race/ethnicity, and cohort as potential effect modifiers. Using the Health and Retirement Study (2006-2016, N=18,847), this study assessed the longitudinal relationships between volunteering (2010/2012) and blood pressures (2014/2016) within each stratum of gender, race/ethnicity, and age cohort. The analyses adjusted for pre-volunteering covariates (2006/2008) as well as selection into volunteering using Inverse Probability Treatment Weighting (IPTW). The joint exposure of volunteering and effect modifiers was estimated by the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). Results show that individuals volunteering 201+ hours annually had a lower likelihood of clinically high diastolic (PR=0.84, p=0.04) and systolic (PR=0.98, p=0.04) blood pressure. Moderate level of volunteering was predictive of low systolic blood pressure. The combination of volunteering 201+ hours and being female was protective against high diastolic blood pressure (RERI=-0.09, p=0.02). Given the modest effect modification, frequent volunteering has an anti-hypertensive effect for the general population of adults 50 and older.

Biological aging, distinct from chronological age, shows significant intra-individual variations particularly in later life. Volunteering, a modifiable lifestyle factor, correlated with improved physical health outcomes. Recent studies suggest a potential link between frequent volunteering and slower epigenetic aging, crucial in understanding biological aging mechanisms. However, changes in volunteering, selection biases, and life transitions impact this association. Using the 2014-2016 wave of Health and Retirement Study (HRS), including DNA methylation (DNAm) assays from the Venous Blood Study, we analyzed volunteering frequency (both contemporaneous and cumulative) and five DNAm clocks (Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPoAm) in working and retired individuals. Each DNAm measure was regressed on chronological age and cell types and was standardized for ease of comparison. We also considered selection into volunteering in 2014 via Inverse Probability Treatment Weighting. Findings show that low to medium level volunteering (1-50 hrs per year) predicted slower aging for Horvath and Hannum clocks, while GrimAge and DunedinPoAm showed deceleration with higher level volunteering (100+ hrs per year). Further, higher cumulative volunteering index was related with slower epigenetic aging acceleration for all clocks. Stratification by retirement status revealed nuanced effects, with higher volunteering hours being more beneficial for workers in GrimAge and DunedinPoAm. These findings indicate volunteering’s net effects on epigenetic age among older adults. However, frequent volunteering might be more protective against epigenetic age acceleration among workers compared to retirees. Understanding these dynamic relationships offers insights for public health interventions to decelerate biological aging and extend healthy life expectancy.

Formal volunteering in later life has been extolled as beneficial for both physical and mental health. However, research points to potential selection bias, in that older adults with key advantages, such as higher wealth, are more likely to volunteer and reap its benefits. As such, we test two competing propositions: Volunteering may act as an equalizer if it benefits the health of the least wealthy the most, or it may further exacerbate disparities if it benefits the health of the wealthiest the most. To that end, we analyzed data from the 2012 and 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N≈15,000). First, we used relevant covariates (e.g., sociodemographic characteristics, informal volunteering, and health) in 2012 to predict volunteering in 2014, developing the propensity score weights from these results. We then performed several regression analyses to assess the influence of volunteering on self-reported health and depressive symptoms among the general population (ATE) and volunteers themselves (ATT), while comparing the findings for the highest and lowest wealth quintiles. We found that volunteering enhanced self-reported health and reduced depressive symptoms. Further, those in the highest quintile experienced significantly fewer depressive symptoms from volunteering while those in the lowest quintile did not, albeit with no significant differences between the two coefficients. The study enhances the nuanced understanding of volunteering and health while suggesting that unmeasured factors felt strongest among the least wealthy—such as financial distress, discrimination, or lack of organizational support—may attenuate the benefits of voluntary activity.

INTRODUCTION This study examines how receiving a dementia diagnosis influences social relationships by race and ethnicity. METHODS Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (10 waves; 7,159 observations) of adults 70 years and older predicted to have dementia using Gianattasio‐Power scores (91% accuracy), this study assessed changes in social support, engagement, and networks after a dementia diagnosis. We utilized quasi‐experimental methods to estimate treatment effects and subgroup analyses by race/ethnicity. RESULTS A diagnostic label significantly increased the likelihood of gaining social support but reduced social engagement and one measure of social networks. With some exceptions, the results were similar by race and ethnicity. DISCUSSION Results suggest that among older adults with assumed dementia, being diagnosed by a doctor may influence social relationships in both support‐seeking and socially withdrawn ways. This suggests that discussing services and supports at the time of diagnosis is important for healthcare professionals.

The present study uses the National Youth in Transition Database (NYTD) to examine whether youth in foster care who live in states with tuition and fee waivers, scholarships, and/or collaborative support networks have higher levels of post-secondary enrollment. Results reveal that tuition and fee waivers and collaboratives can increase post-secondary enrollment. However, states vary dramatically in the effectiveness of these initiatives, leading to only marginal improvements in higher education enrollment for youth formerly in foster care in the United States.

Abstract The benefit of vital involvement (VI) in dementia care is largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate VI elements in a creative group storytelling program for persons living with dementia (TimeSlips). After offering 6 weekly storytelling sessions for 4 small groups in a memory care community, we interviewed participants (n = 21), family members (n = 2), and care associates (n = 6) to obtain feedback on the program. Themes from narratives in the audiorecorded and transcribed interviews suggest that participants enjoyed the program, enacting their personal values, strengths, and interests, and incorporating their past and current experiences, as supported by their sociospatial environment (e.g., facilitator, co-participants, researchers, shared table). When paired with the VI practice, creative group storytelling has potential to magnify favorable outcomes for participants with dementia, who may express more fully their meaningful engagement with their inner (psychological) and external (social and physical) world.