Social Engagement and Health in Younger, Older, and Oldest-Old Adults in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study
| Autor: | Lynn Roy LaMotte, S. Michal Jazwinski, Julia Volaufova, Robert H. Wood, David A. Welsh, Madlyn I. Frisard, Jennifer Silva Brown, Rebecca Ellis, Erin Jackson Walker, L. Joseph Su, Katie E. Cherry |
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| Rok vydání: | 2011 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Gerontology Aging Health Status Psychological intervention Article Young Adult Social support Surveys and Questionnaires Humans Healthy aging Young adult Social Behavior Geriatric Assessment Aged Aged 80 and over Social Support Physical health Middle Aged Louisiana Social engagement Female Geriatrics and Gerontology Psychology Construct (philosophy) Social behavior |
| Zdroj: | Journal of Applied Gerontology. 32:51-75 |
| ISSN: | 1552-4523 0733-4648 |
| Popis: | Social support has been shown to influence health outcomes in later life. In this study, we focus on social engagement as an umbrella construct that covers select social behaviors in a life span sample that included oldest-old adults, a segment of the adult population for whom very little data currently exist. We examined relationships among social engagement, positive health behaviors, and physical health to provide new evidence that addresses gaps in the extant literature concerning social engagement and healthy aging in very old adults. Participants were younger (21-59 years), older (60-89 years), and oldest-old (90-97 years) adults ( N = 364) in the Louisiana Healthy Aging Study (LHAS). Linear regression analyses indicated that age, gender, and hours spent outside of the house were significantly associated with self-reported health. The number of clubs and hours outside of home were more important factors in the analyses of objective health status than positive health behaviors, after considering age group and education level. These data strongly suggest that social engagement remains an important determinant of physical health into very late adulthood. The discussion focuses on practical applications of these results including social support interventions to maintain or improve late-life health. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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