Perceptions of aging among rural, midwestern senior citizens: signs of women's resiliency

This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine perceptions of aging among rural-dwelling senior citizens (203 women and 112 men), ages 65 and older. Quantitative results revealed that, despite no significant gender differences in the total number of medical conditions reported, women were less likely than men to report that health problems interfered with their daily functioning. Qualitative analyses revealed that women were particularly like to identify relationships, frame of mind, participating in activities, and religion/spirituality as important contributors to successful aging.     

Sleep Behaviors in Older African American Females Reporting Nonmalignant Chronic Pain: Understanding the Psychosocial Implications of General Sleep Disturbance

This study examined factors that influence sleep quality in older African American women (N = 181) reporting chronic pain. Participants completed a series of questions assessing demographic and behavioral characteristics, health status, pain intensity, and sleep disturbance. Findings indicated that younger participants and those experiencing poorer physical functioning reported more difficulty sleeping due to pain. Similarly, participants who reported being awakened from sleep due to pain were younger and experienced greater pain intensity. Understanding the relationship between sleep and pain in this group of women may be useful in promoting effective disease management and sleep awareness among patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals.     

Perceptions of Aging Among Rural,Midwestern Senior Citizens: Signs of Women's Resiliency

ABSTRACT

This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative approaches to examine perceptions of aging among rural-dwelling senior citizens (203 women and 112 men), ages 65 and older. Quantitative results revealed that, despite no significant gender differences in the total number of medical conditions reported, women were less likely than men to report that health problems interfered with their daily functioning. Qualitative analyses revealed that women were particularly like to identify relationships, frame of mind, participating in activities, and religion/spirituality as important contributors to successful aging.     

Nonpharrnacologic Interventions for the Management of Chronic Pain in Older Women

Chronic pain can induce tremendous suffering, seriously affect.the quality of life, and impair optimal daily functioning in older adults. Advances in the conceptualization and treatment of pain support the use of a multirnodal approach to pain management incorporating both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions for the most effective management of chronic pain. Nonpharmacologic interventions, used concomitantly with pharmacologic approaches, typically result in more effective pain control, less reliance on medications, fewer side effects, less clinical impairment and an increased sense of personal control over pain.     

Living Productively with Arthritis

Anhritis is the most commonly experienced chronic disease among older women. As such, it is essential for professionals to understand the disease process, treatment options, physiological and psychosocial implications as well as how to assist older arthrictic women in developing and implementing strategies for productive living. The disease process, treatment options, physiological and psychosocial implications are presented. The importance of patient education is stressed in addition to mechanisms for assisting older women in coping with pain, preventing or combating learned helplessness, minimizing functional limitations, addressing issues of sexual functioning, complying with medical regimen, and enhancing social supports. Managing stress and dealing with feelings are also discussed.     

Older Women with Cardiovascular Disease: Perceptions of Initial Experiences and Long-Term Influences on Daily Life

ABSTRACT

In 2004, we conducted qualitative interviews with 29 White women diagnosed with cardiovascular disease (CVD) living in Southwest Virginia, aged 69 to 92 years (M age = 79.2 years; SD = 6.8); time since diagnosis ranged from 1 to 50 years (M = 14.3; SD = 11.2). We explored the women's initial illness episode and the influence of CVD on their current daily functioning, family activities and relationships, and social engagement. The women were slow to seek help for CVD symptoms. Postrecovery, 62% of women perceived their heart disease as influencing change in their daily lives. The influence of CVD varied depending on how congruent behavior changes were with their sense of self.     

Gender differences in activity of daily living of the elderly in rural China: evidence from Chaohu

Using data from a sample survey, Well-being of the elderly in Anhui province, China, this paper studies the effects of health, economic and family factors on the activities of daily living (ADLs) as measures of disability for elderly men and women. The objective is to explore reasons for gender differences in ADLs in rural China. Our results suggest that higher incidence rates of chronic diseases, lower cognitive ability, as well as heavier household and daily care burdens of females, are the main factors leading to a higher prevalence of ADL disability for the female elderly.     

Influence of Chronic Pain on the Family Relations of Older Women

Explorations of family problems in elderly women with problems of chronic pain is an uncharted territory as is the application of family and couple therapy. The interpersonal conflicts encountered by older pain patients are not fundamentally different than their younger counterparts. Several case illustrations are provided to show the impact of chronic pain as it affects older women in their roles as patients and caregivers.     

Is the outcome of frailty syndrome gender dependent?

ABSTRACT

We assessed the relationship between the stages of the frailty syndrome and the development of limitations in the activities of daily living, hospitalization, and death among women aged ≥80 as compared to men over the course of 12 months. The Fried criteria and selected tests of comprehensive geriatric assessment were performed in 213 participants (phase 1). After 12 months, detailed feedback on the general health and functioning was collected (phase 2). Statistically significantly higher mortality (p < .05) was found among men as compared to women. The number of deaths in the frail group was higher among frail men than frail women (p < .007).     

Gender Differences in Activity of Daily Living of the Elderly in Rural China: Evidence from Chaohu

ABSTRACT

Using data from a sample survey, “Well-being of the elderly in Anhui province, China,” this paper studies the effects of health, economic and family factors on the activities of daily living (ADLs) as measures of disability for elderly men and women. The objective is to explore reasons for gender differences in ADLs in rural China. Our results suggest that higher incidence rates of chronic diseases, lower cognitive ability, as well as heavier household and daily care burdens of females, are the main factors leading to a higher prevalence of ADL disability for the female elderly.     

Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain:

Two diseases, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, are responsible for a majority of the chronic musculoskeletal pain that older women experience. Osteoporosis is the metabolic bone disease most common in older women and is responsible for fractures, kyphosis, and chronic pain. Osteoarthritis, the most commonly diagnosed musculoskeletal problem in older women, causes degeneration of the weight-bearing joints in the body, resulting in limited function and chronic pain. In this paper, these and other common disorders are briefly described and typical coping strategies used by older women in pain are reviewed. In addition, potential multidisciplinary treatment regimens are discussed.     

Assessment of Older Women with Chronic Pain

Females suffer from a larger number of chronic pain syndromes, live longer with chronic pain and disability, and more often live alone than males. Thus, they should be prime candidates for pain treatment. Yet a number of factors inhibit geriatric patients from receiving rehabilitation for their pain. Chronic pain has been determined to be a complex perceptual event that is influenced by psychosocial, behavioral, and biomedical factors. A comprehensive strategy for assessing chronic pain patients is described. Special attention is given to the association between pain and depression and the important medication of perceived interference with life, social support, and functional activities as these variables appear to be particularly relevant to a geriatric pain population.     

Effects of chronic illness on daily life and barriers to self-care for older women: A mixed-methods exploration

This mixed-methods study examined the subjective experience of living with chronic illness and identified barriers to self-care. Community-dwelling older women with chronic illness completed an initial (N = 138) and follow-up mailed survey 6 months later (N = 130). On average, participants reported four comorbid health conditions and the corresponding physical pain, activities curtailed or relinquished, and time and energy focused on managing health. Only 34% of participants practiced all 10 key self-care behaviors. Reported barriers to self-management included pain, lack of financial resources, and worry. In the regression analysis, having more depressive symptoms was a significant predictor of challenges with self-care behaviors.     

Chronic Pain and Older Women:

Drawing upon the available research literature, this article highlights the research and practice issues that must be addressed if we are to be responsive to the chronic health problems, and subsequent pain, that often codront individuals as they age. This list should by no means be 'seen as exhaustive, but rather as a starting point from which to further our understanding of chronic pain in the lives of older women.     

Research on persistent pain in late life: current topics and challenges

Older women often experience pain in their daily lives. This article provides an overview of topics addressed in the geriatric pain research published between 1999 and 2004. New areas of emphasis of research have emerged such as the recognition of body mass and weight as a factor in persistent pain, while other areas have expanded, including the focus on pain among elders with cognitive impairments and the use of alternative treatment approaches. Understanding of pain in late life is hindered by study samples that lack diversity, treatment approaches that are narrowly focused, and a lack of attention to quality of life issues.     

Women of Vision: Unique Insights into Women of the 20th Century. edited by Eileen A. Gavinn,Gavin, Aphrodite Clamar,and Mary Anne Siderits

The purpose of this study was to explore comparatively personality variables, subjective well-being variables, and participation in daily life activities in 150 women aged 50 to 82 years with different employment status. Moreover, we also analyzed the extent to which personality and participation in daily life activities accounted for life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Results from analyses of variance showed that there were significant differences between women with different working status. Multiple regression analyses revealed that self-esteem, optimism, and social activities accounted for a significant amount of variance in predicting life satisfaction and positive affect.     

Gender differences in the associations of self esteem, stress and social support with functional health status among older adults with heart disease

This study explored and compared the role of self esteem, stress and social support in maintenance or improvement in physical and psychosocial functioning over 12 months in older men and women with cardiovascular disease. Data from 502 adults over 60 years of age showed that self esteem and stress were both significantly associated with functioning when demographic and clinical factors were controlled. Men were significantly more likely than women to maintain or improve in functioning. Self esteem, stress, compliance with medication regimens, and marital status were significantly associated with maintenance or improvement of functioning among women. Only age and stress were significantly associated with maintenance or improvement in functioning among men. Findings indicated that: (1) stress and self esteem were stronger predictors of functioning, especially among women, than demographic and clinical factors; and (2) women in the highest quartile of the self esteem distribution were approximately five times as likely to maintain or improve their functioning as women in the lowest quartile.     

Indicators of Preclinical Disability: Women's Experiences of an Aging Body

This paper is derived from a larger multimethod longitudinal study of women's bodily experiences and coping practices before the onset of disability. Twelve women participated in repeated performance measures, in-depth interviews of daily life and physically challenging events, and observations of daily activities conducted over 18 months. Interpretive phenomenological analysis of textual data showed that women's bodies provided multiple indicators or symptoms of preclinical disability. These indicators informed the women that their body was out of synch with their environment; conspicuous during social activities; and vulnerable to becoming dependent on others, technology, or assistive devices to accomplish daily activities. Greater attention to bodily indicators or symptoms may offer a practical method for clinicians to identify preclinical disability.     

Black/White Differences in Health Status and Mortality Among the Elderly

Grade of membership (GOM) representations are used to characterize and compare the health status of a very heterogeneous sample of blacks and whites in an elderly cohort of 2,806 noninstitutionalized men and women living in New Haven, Connecticut. They were interviewed in 1982 as part of the Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly (EPESE). Ideal profiles based on functional disabilities, chronic diseases, and selected biomedical and behavioral risk factors are constructed empirically. Each individual in the sample is represented by a set of GOM scores, interpreted as degrees of similarity of his or her health record to each of the profiles. Four profiles emerge from GOM analyses: healthy elderly, elderly with cognitive impairment, elderly with impairment in mobility function and physical performance and with selected chronic conditions, and elderly with major limitations in activities of daily living and multiple chronic conditions. Although elderly blacks and whites generally have similar configurations of profiles, there are important differences, especially when chronic conditions are related to specific types of functional impairments. Questions about and claims for black/white mortality crossovers at older ages, usually addressed with aggregate data, are examined conditional on GOM scores that correspond to diverse combinations of disabilities (or lack thereof) together with housing characteristics of cohort members (e.g., whether they live in public housing for the elderly or in owned or rented housing in the community).     

Correlates of wellbeing among African American lesbians

Although there is a growing body of knowledge about health among African American women in general, there is a dearth of information on African American lesbians. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the correlates of health-related quality of life among African American lesbians using a cross-sectional anonymous survey with topics and measures developed by members of the African American lesbian community. Surveys were completed by 123 English speaking adult women who identified as African American lesbians and were attending the Zuna Institute's National Black Lesbian Conference. Overall, we found a very high health-related quality of life, in spite of a high frequency of health impairments. The average body mass index (BMI) for this sample was 32.2 (SD?=?8.0); 13% were morbidly obese, having a BMI of 40 or more and only 15% of the women were in a healthy weight range; advancing age was associated with poorer physical functioning, decreased physical role functioning, and more pain. Health-related quality of life was associated with depression and spirituality, but not religion. This study highlights the need for subjective measures of health-related quality of life as well as checklists of diseases and disorders.