Social capital and health status:longitudinal race and ethnicity differences in older adults from 2006 to 2014

Objectives: We examined the longitudinal associations of social capital on self-rated health and differences by race/ethnicity in older adults. Methods: We used Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative sample of US adults aged ≥ 50 years evaluated every 2 years (2006–2014) (N = 18,859). We investigated the relationship between social capital indicators (neighborhood social cohesion/physical disorder, positive/negative social support) with self-rated health accounting for age, gender, education and stratified by race/ethnicity. We used structural equation multilevel modeling estimating the associations: within-wave and between-persons. Results: We observed between-persons-level associations among social capital indicators and self-rated health. Individuals with overall levels of positive social support and neighborhood social cohesion tended to have overall better self-rated health [correlations 0.21 (p < 0.01) and 0.29 (p < 0.01), respectively]. For Hispanics, the correlations with self-rated health were lower for neighborhood social cohesion (0.19) and negative social support (− 0.09), compared to Whites (0.29 and − 0.20). African-Americans showed lower correlations of positive social support (0.14) compared to Whites (0.21) and Hispanics (0.28). Conclusions: Interventions targeting social capital are in need, specifically those reinforcing positive social support and neighborhood social cohesion and diminishing neighborhood physical disorder and negative social support of older adults

Health related quality of life of immigrant children: towards a new pattern in Germany?

Background: To study Health related quality of life (HRQoL) of a sample of kindergarten children with migration background. Methods: Five kindergartens in Frankfurt/Main and Darmstadt (Germany) participated. HRQoL was measured with the Kiddy-KINDL (KK) in 3 to 5 year old children. We examined the associations of HRQoL with socio-demographic variables, positive development and resilience, socio-emotional and motor development. Linear regression models were applied to examine differences in HRQoL between migrant and native-born German children. Results: The response rate was 90.5% (N = 283). The children had predominantly migrant background (81.35%). Perceived health was slightly higher in migrants (69.85, SD 17.00) compared to native-born German children (68.33, SD 17.31, p > 0.05), even though migrant children were characterized by a lower socio-economic status (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Results suggest that HRQoL at early ages in our study exhibits a different pattern than reported previously in studies among older individuals. We attribute the discrepancy partly to a possible changing pattern of migration in Europe with more migrants capable to migrate with healthy profiles, and to the age of our population. Our findings underscore the need to study the life course trajectory of HRQoL among young immigrants and replication in representative samples

Pediatric Health-Related Quality of Life:A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Objectives: One of the most referenced theoretical frameworks to measure Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is the Wilson and Cleary framework. With some adaptions this framework has been validated in the adult population, but has not been tested in pediatric populations. Our goal was to empirically investigate it in children.Methods: The contributory factors to Health Related Quality of Life that we included were symptom status (presence of chronic disease or hospitalizations), functional status (developmental status), developmental aspects of the individual (social-emotional) behavior, and characteristics of the social environment (socioeconomic status and area of education). Structural equation modeling was used to assess the measurement structure of the model in 214 German children (3-5 years old) participating in a follow-up study that investigates pediatric health outcomes.Results: Model fit was chi(2) = 5.5; df = 6; p = 0.48; SRMR = 0.01. The variance explained of Health Related Quality of Life was 15%. Health Related Quality of Life was affected by the area education (i.e. where kindergartens were located) and development status. Developmental status was affected by the area of education, socioeconomic status and individual behavior. Symptoms did not affect the model.Conclusions: The goodness of fit and the overall variance explained were good. However, the results between children' and adults' tests differed and denote a conceptual gap between adult and children measures. Indeed, there is a lot of variety in pediatric Health Related Quality of Life measures, which represents a lack of a common definition of pediatric Health Related Quality of Life. We recommend that researchers invest time in the development of pediatric Health Related Quality of Life theory and theory based evaluations.</p

Effect on Health-related Quality of Life of changes in mental health in children and adolescents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The objective of the study was to assess the effect of changes in mental health status on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children and adolescents aged 8 - 18 years.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A representative sample of Spanish children and adolescents aged 8-18 years completed the self-administered KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire at baseline and after 3 years. Mental health status was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Changes on SDQ scores over time were used to classify respondents in one of 3 categories (improved, stable, worsened). Data was also collected on gender, undesirable life events, and family socio-economic status. Changes in HRQOL were evaluated using effect sizes (ES). A multivariate analysis was performed to identify predictors of poor HRQOL at follow-up.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Response rate at follow-up was 54% (n = 454). HRQOL deteriorated in all groups on most KIDSCREEN dimensions. Respondents who worsened on the SDQ showed the greatest deterioration, particularly on Psychological well-being (ES = -0.81). Factors most strongly associated with a decrease in HRQOL scores were undesirable life events and worsening SDQ score.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Changes in mental health status affect children and adolescents' HRQOL. Improvements in mental health status protect against poorer HRQOL while a worsening in mental health status is a risk factor for poorer HRQOL.</p

Impact of recent life events on the health related quality of life of adolescents and youths: the role of gender and life events typologies in a follow-up study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most studies on the effect of life events (LEs) have been carried out in convenience samples which cannot be considered representative of the general population. In addition, recent studies have observed that gender differences in the health related quality of life (HRQoL) impact of LEs might be lower than believed. We assessed the relationship between LEs and HRQoL in a representative sample of Spanish adolescents/youths, focusing on gender differences.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants (n = 840) completed the KIDSCREEN-27 to measure HRQoL at baseline and again after 3 years (n = 454). Follow-up assessment included the Coddington Life Events Scales (CLES) to measure LEs experiences in the previous 12 months. Respondents were categorized according to the amount of stress suffered. We calculated both the number of LEs and the Life Change Unit (LCU) score, a summary of the amount of stress inherent to the event and the time elapsed since occurrence. LEs were classified as desirable or undesirable, and family-related or extra-family. Effect sizes were calculated to evaluate changes in HRQoL. To assess the impact of LEs typologies, multiple linear regression models were constructed to evaluate their effect on HRQoL.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Girls reported a mean 5.7 LEs corresponding to 141 LCUs, and boys 5.3 and 129, respectively. The largest impact of LEs on HRQoL was observed in the group of boys that reported to have lived more stress (third tertil of LCUs distribution). The linear association between LEs and HRQoL tended to be stronger among boys than girls, but the difference was not statistically significant. The effect on HRQoL was deemed important when undesirable events had been experienced. To have an important impact on HRQoL, 200 LCUs due to undesirable events were necessary in boys. In girls, slightly higher scores were necessary for a similar impact.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A moderate association was found between recent LEs and HRQoL, mainly among those who experienced several undesirable events that correspond to at least 200 LCUs. No gender differences were found in this association. Results may be useful for identifying adolescents with particular health risks, regardless of gender.</p

The Influence of multiple determinants on health related quality of life and mental health of a Spanish representative sample of adolescents and youths

The thesis is based on the Kidscreen Follow-up study. A representative sample of Spanish adolescents and youths and one of their parents were assessed twice (3 years apart) to evaluate adolescents and youths health related quality of life and mental health. The specific objectives of this thesis were to assess the effect of life events, and family and social variables (parents' mental health and home life) on three different health related outcomes: heath related quality of life, mental health, and psychosomatic complaints of adolescents and youths. The Coddington Life Events Scales were adapted into Spanish using the translation and back-translation process. Multiple linear regression and structural equation modelling were used to analyze the effect of the determinants selected. Life events and parents' mental health acted as risk factors for the outcomes selected, specially on mental health outcomes, whereas family factors like the relation with family members in home life were protective factors. Social factors inside the family should be promoted and reinforced to protect adolescents and youths from the effect of risk factors.Aquesta tesi és part de l'estudi KIDSCREEN Follow-up. Utilitzant una mostra representativa d'adolescents i joves de l'estat espanyol, es van mesurar diferents aspectes relacionats amb la salut, avaluant la mostra dues vegades (amb una separació de 3 anys). Concretament, l'objectiu de la tesi va ser avaluar l'efecte dels aconteixements vitals i factors familiars i socials (salut mental dels pares i vida familiar) en tres resultats en salut: la qualitat de vida relacionada amb la salut, la salut mental i els problemes psicosomàtics dels adolescents i joves. Per això, es va adaptar l'escala Coddington Life Events Scales seguint la metodologia de traducció-retrotraducció. Es van utilizar models de regressió i models d'equacions estructurals per analitzar l'efecte dels determinants en salut. Els aconteixements vitals i la salut mental dels pares van ser dos factors de risc importants, especialment en la salut mental dels adolescents i joves. Per altra banda, les variables familiars com la relació dels membres de la família van actuar com a factors protectors. La cohesió dels membres de la família s'ha de promoure per tal de protegir els adolescents i joves de l'efecte de factors de risc

The measurement of social capital

Social capital has been defined as the resources available to individuals and groups through membership in social networks. The definition is consistent with either an individualistic approach, i.e. resources (such as information or instrumental assistance) that are accessed by individuals through their network connections; or a collective approach, e.g. the benefits accruing to members of a group – such as the ability of a community to engage in collective action – as a consequence of the existence of cohesive relationships. While research often restricts itself to a single level of analysis, the benefits (and downsides) of social capital accrue to both the individual as well as to the network to which he belongs. In the Dictionary of Epidemiology both the individual and collective levels of analysis were recognized in the definition of social capital

Emergent Social Capital during the Coronavirus Pandemic in the United States in Hispanics/Latinos

The coronavirus pandemic has drastically impacted many groups that have been socially and economically marginalized such as Hispanics/Latinos in the United States (U.S.). Our aim was to understand how bonding social capital, bridging social capital, and trust played a role in Hispanics/Latinos over the course of the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as explore the negative consequences of social capital. We performed focus group discussions via Zoom (n = 25) between January and December 2021 with Hispanics/Latinos from Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, and New York City, NY. Our findings suggest that Hispanics/Latinos experienced bridging and bonding social capital. Of particular interest was how social capital permeated the Hispanic/Latino community’s socioeconomic challenges during the pandemic. The focus groups revealed the importance of trust and its role in vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, the focus groups discussed the dark side of social capital including caregiving burden and spread of misinformation. We also identified the emergent theme of racism. Future public health interventions should invest in social capital, especially for groups that have been historically marginalized or made vulnerable, and consider the promotion of bonding and bridging social capital and trust. When prospective disasters occur, public health interventions should support vulnerable populations that are overwhelmed with caregiving burden and are susceptible to misinformation

Longitudinal impact of volunteering on the cognitive functioning of older adults: A secondary analysis from the US Health and Retirement Study

Objectives: To examine the relationship of volunteering with cognitive activity, social activity, and physical activity among older adults and, ultimately, with later cognitive functioning across different time periods. Methods: We used individual responding to three waves of the US Health and Retirement Study panel data from 2008, 2012, and 2016 (n = 2,862). Self-reported questionnaires were used to assess annual volunteering frequency (non volunteering, volunteering <100 h and ≥100 h), and an adapted version of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS) was used to assess memory, mental processing, knowledge, language, and orientation. A structural equation model was estimated to assess effects on cognitive functioning throughout waves. Results: Those participants that were part of volunteering activities in 2012 showed an increase between 2008 and 2012 in moderate physical activity (β = 0.19, P < 0.001 for those volunteering less than 100 h and β = 0.21, P < 0.001 for those volunteering at least 100 h), increase in social activity (β = 0.10, P = 0.052 for those volunteering less than 100 h and β = 0.12, P = 0.018 for those volunteering at least 100 h) and increase in higher cognitive activity (β = 0.13, P < 0.001 for those volunteering at least 100 h), compared to participants who did not volunteer. Higher levels of cognitive activity in 2008 and 2012 were associated with higher cognitive functioning on the following waves (β = 0.66 and β = 0.60, P < 0.001, respectively). Discussion: Volunteering is a modifiable activity that can be increased to bolster cognitive functioning in older adulthood, primarily mediated by increased cognitive activity