Aging
Oral Health and Mortality Among Older Adults: A Doubly Robust Survival Analysis
Evidence on the association between oral health and mortality is inconclusive, and few studies have accounted for the nonrandom selection bias in estimating their relationship. This study aims to investigate the link between oral health and mortality in community-dwelling older adults by adjusting for confounding factors with a doubly robust survival estimation.One-Legged Balance Performance and Fall Risk in Mid and Later Life: Longitudinal Evidence From a British Birth Cohort
The one-legged balance test is widely used as a fall risk screening tool in both clinical and research settings. Despite rising fall prevalence in midlife, there is little evidence examining balance and fall risk in those aged <65 years. This study investigated the longitudinal associations between one-legged balance and the number of falls between ages 53 and 68 years.Social Engagement and All-Cause Mortality: A Focus on Participants of the Minority Aging Research Study
Social engagement is known to improve health; less is known about whether social activities at the core of African American life decrease mortality risk in this minoritized population. This study investigated whether and which aspects of social engagement predict mortality risk in older African Americans.Lifecourse Traumatic Events and Cognitive Aging in the Health and Retirement Study
Much of the heterogeneity in the rate of cognitive decline and the age of dementia onset remains unexplained, and there is compelling data supporting psychosocial stressors as important risk factors. However, the literature has yet to come to a consensus on whether there is a causal relationship and, if there is, its direction and strength. This study estimates the relationship between lifecourse traumatic events and cognitive trajectories and predicted dementia incidence.Discontinuation of Long-Term Opioid Therapy in Patients With Versus Without Dementia
Discontinuation of long-term opioid therapy has increased in recent years, but whether this trend extends to patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementia remains unclear.A Feasibility Study of Primary Care Liaisons: Linking Older Adults to Community Resources
Programs and services available through the aging services network can help community-dwelling older adults to age in place but are often not discussed in routine primary care. The primary care liaison was developed as a novel integration intervention to address this disconnect.Volunteering as an Equalizer: A Quasi-Experimental Study Using Propensity Score Analysis
Formal volunteering in later life is beneficial for both physical and psychological well-being. However, research points to potential selection bias because older adults with key advantages, such as wealth, are more likely to volunteer and reap its benefits. Accordingly, this study addresses this selection bias by considering the characteristics of volunteers and nonvolunteers using the inverse probability of treatment weighting. It also examines whether volunteering has differential impacts between the highest and lowest wealth quintiles using inverse probability of treatment weighting.Risk Patterns and Mortality in Postmenopausal Women Using Latent Class Analysis
Although risk factors often co-occur, previous studies examining lifestyle or psychosocial factors often treat these factors as individual predictors of health. This study aims to identify the underlying subgroups of women characterized by distinct lifestyle and psychosocial risk patterns and to investigate the prospective associations between risk patterns and mortality among postmenopausal women.Variability in Cardiometabolic and Inflammatory Parameters and Cognitive Decline
The relationship between variability in cardiometabolic and inflammatory parameters and cognitive changes is unknown. This study investigates the association of visit-to-visit variability in BMI, mean arterial pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HbA1c, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, ferritin, and fibrinogen with cognitive decline.Cannabis and Prescription Drug Use Among Older Adults With Functional Impairment
Psychoactive substance use may be risky for adults with functional impairments. This study investigates cannabis use and prescription opioid and tranquilizer/sedative (mis)use among adults aged ≥50 years reporting functional impairments in the U.S.Adapted Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries Questions for Falls Risk Screening: Predictive Ability in Older Drivers
Fall fatality rates among U.S. older adults increased 30% from 2007 to 2016. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention developed the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries algorithm for fall risk screening, assessment, and intervention. The current Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries algorithm with 2 levels (at risk and not at risk) was adapted to an existing cohort of older adult drivers.Cognitive Decline and Dementia Risk Reduction: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles and Blood Pressure Control
There is an immediate need to increase public health focus on the prevention of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD). The population upward shift in age drives this imperative, with 1 in 5 Americans expected to be aged ≥65 years by 2030.1 In 2020, there were an estimated 5.8 million people aged ≥65 years with ADRD in the U.S., and as the population ages, the number of people with ADRD is expected to reach 8.4 million by 2030 and 13.8 million by 2050.2 Research shows that the modifiable risk factors for ADRD are, for the most part, the same risks associated with cardiovascular disease.Adverse Childhood Experiences and Dementia: Interactions With Social Capital in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study Cohort
This study investigated whether individual-level social capital modifies the association between adverse childhood experiences and dementia onset.Impact of Social Isolation on Physical Functioning Among Older Adults: A 9-Year Longitudinal Study of a U.S.-Representative Sample
Social isolation among older adults is associated with poor health and premature mortality, but its impact on physical functioning is not fully understood. Previous studies have typically relied on community samples, cross-sectional data, and suboptimal prospective designs. This study generates more robust evidence by investigating the longitudinal associations between social isolation and physical functioning in a large panel of older adults.Disparities in Preventable Hospitalization Among Patients With Alzheimer Diseases
System-level care coordination strategies can be the most effective to promote continuity of care among people with Alzheimer's disease; however, the evidence is lacking. The objective of this study is to determine whether accountable care organizations are associated with lower rates of potentially preventable hospitalizations for people with Alzheimer's disease and whether hospital accountable care organization affiliation is associated with reduced racial and ethnic disparities in preventable hospitalizations among patients with Alzheimer's disease.Trends in Opioid Use Disorder Among Older Adults: Analyzing Medicare Data, 2013–2018
Opioid use disorder has grown rapidly over the years and is a public health crisis in the U.S. Although opioid use disorder is widely studied, relatively little is known about it among older adults. The goal of this study is to gain a better understanding of opioid use disorder among older Medicare beneficiaries over time and across several sociodemographic dimensions.Neighborhood Green Land Cover and Neighborhood-Based Walking in U.S. Older Adults
Greenspace exposure has been associated with physical activity, but few studies have investigated its association with physical activity in the residential neighborhood. This study investigates whether greater amounts of neighborhood open space and forest are associated with neighborhood-based walking in older adults.Suicide Distribution and Trends Among Male Older Adults in the U.S., 1999–2018
This study examines the distribution and trends in suicide death rates among male adults aged ≥65 years in the U.S. from 1999 to 2018.Physical Function in Midlife and Older Adults From an African American Church-Based Health Screening
Limitations in physical function are predictive of adverse health outcomes, and screening has been recommended in clinical settings for older adults. Rarely assessed in community-based settings, physical function could provide insight for tailoring health-related community-based programs and raise awareness about this important aspect of health. This cross-sectional study seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of integrating physical function assessments into health screenings in African American churches in Chicago, Illinois, through a large health partnership and to determine the prevalence and correlates of physical function limitations among midlife (aged 40–59 years) and late-life (aged ≥60 years) participants.Allostatic Load Among U.S.- and Foreign-Born Whites, Blacks, and Latinx
The objective of this study is to examine how allostatic load, a multidimensional measure of the body's cumulative response to stressors experienced throughout the life course, has changed over time and by age among U.S.- and foreign-born Whites, Blacks, and Latinx.Misuse of Prescription Pain Relievers, Stimulants, Tranquilizers, and Sedatives Among U.S. Older Adults Aged ≥50 Years
Misuse of prescription medications has led to higher mortality and morbidity in the U.S. This study investigates medical and nonmedical use of prescription medications (prescription pain relievers, stimulants, prescription tranquilizers, and sedatives) among adults aged ≥50 years.Adverse Childhood Experiences and Decreased Renal Function: Impact on All-Cause Mortality in U.S. Adults
Evidence suggests that individuals with a history of adverse childhood experiences have higher odds of developing kidney disease than individuals with no adverse childhood experiences. However, no study has examined the influence of coexisting adverse childhood experiences and kidney disease on mortality risk. This study uses a longitudinal survey of adults to examine the influence of coexisting adverse childhood experiences and decreased renal function on all-cause mortality in a sample of U.S.Associations of Activity and Sleep With Quality of Life: A Compositional Data Analysis
Associations between time spent on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep and quality of life are usually studied without considering that their combined time is fixed. This study investigates the reallocation of time spent on physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep during the 24-hour day and their associations with quality of life.Volunteering and Subsequent Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: An Outcome-Wide Longitudinal Approach
Growing evidence documents strong associations between volunteering and favorable health and well-being outcomes. However, epidemiological studies have not evaluated whether changes in volunteering are associated with subsequent health and well-being outcomes.Shingles Vaccination of U.S. Adults Aged 50–59 Years and ≥60 Years Before Recommendations for Use of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine
In 2006, zoster vaccine live was recommended for adults aged ≥60 years. In 2011, zoster vaccine live was approved for use but not recommended for adults aged 50–59 years. This study assessed zoster vaccine live coverage among adults aged 50–59 years and ≥60 years.
