Factors associated with the preventive healthcare service use among older adults in Korea: Focusing on age variation

The importance of preventive health examinations for older adults has been well emphasized due to an increase in chronic diseases associated with age. In this study, we estimated the preventive health examination participation rate and its associated factors among the elderly with specific focuses on the moderating effects between age and socioeconomic status. We used data drawn from the first to sixth waves (4164 people) of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging for the elderly aged 65 and over. A generalized linear model was used to address research questions. The results showed that the participation rate decreased as older adults age. The interaction between age and education was also significant, indicating that older adults with higher education were more likely to use a preventive health examination compared to those with lower education. There were no significant interaction effects between income and age. Based on the findings, implications for theory and practice were discussed with specific focuses on age‐specific approaches in preventive healthcare services for older adults.     

Disparities in Access to Health Care Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Disabilities

Disability is increasing among middle-aged adults and, reversing earlier trends, increasing among older adults as well. Disability is experienced disproportionately by Black and lower socioeconomic status (SES) individuals. We used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data to examine health care disparities in access to health care for middle-aged (31 to 64 years of age) and older (65+ years of age) adults with disabilities by race and ethnicity, education, and income (n = 13,174). Using logistic regression, we examined three measures of potential (e.g., usual source of care), and three measures of realized (e.g., counseling related to smoking) access. Middle-aged and older minority individuals with disabilities had lower relative risks of having usual sources of care and higher relative risks of having suboptimal usual sources of care (e.g., a place rather than a person) than White adults with disabilities. There were SES effects observed for middle-aged adults with disabilities across most measures that were, for certain measures, more pronounced than SES effects among older adults with disabilities. These findings are important, since health resources (e.g., a usual source of care) may mediate relations among disability, morbidity, and mortality. Policy actions that may mitigate the disparities we observed include financial incentives to support access to an optimal usual source of care and mechanisms to foster behavioral interventions related to smoking and exercise. Ensuring that these actions address the specific concerns of individuals with disabilities, such as physical accessibility and provider cultural competency, is essential.     

Nonmaternal Care's Association With Mother's Parenting Sensitivity: A Case of Self‐Selection Bias?

Although attachment theory posits that the use of nonmaternal care undermines quality of mothers' parenting, empirical evidence for this link is inconclusive. Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N = 1,233), the authors examined the associations between nonmaternal care characteristics and maternal sensitivity during the first 3 years of children's lives, with special attention to selection effects and moderation by resource levels. Findings from fixed‐effects regression models suggested that, on average, there is little relationship between nonmaternal care characteristics and maternal sensitivity, once selection factors are held constant. Some evidence of moderation effects was found, however. Excellent‐quality care is related to more sensitivity for mothers with lower family income. Poor‐quality care is related to lower sensitivity for single mothers, but not partnered mothers. In sum, nonmaternal care characteristics do not seem to have as much influence on mothers' parenting as attachment theory claims.     

马克思“再生产整个自然界”思想探析

马克思＂再生产整个自然界＂的思想是马克思生态思想的重要组成部分。人能＂再生产整个自然界＂标志着人的主体地位及其不同于动物的活动方式的确立,它表明：人类的生产活动应当体现内在尺度和外在尺度的统一;社会经济再生产与生态环境再生产相互联系、相互制约,只要合理调控人与自然的物质变换,这两种再生产就能彼此协调,互相支持,持续发展;＂再生产整个自然界＂也是人按照美的规律来重塑自然界的过程。     

Familial Factors Associated With the Use of Multiple Child‐Care Arrangements

This study examined the use of multiple, concurrent, nonparental child‐care arrangements among children under 5 with employed mothers in the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (N= 759). Older children, those primarily cared for in informal child care, those living in cohabitating or single‐parent households, and those whose mothers were employed for 40 or fewer hours per week were likely to be in multiple arrangements. Higher quality primary child‐care and lower maternal satisfaction with primary care predicted the subsequent use of multiple arrangements. Little support for income differences in selection into multiple arrangements was found. Findings highlight the importance of child‐care characteristics and structure in child‐care choice. Policy implications are discussed.     

Explaining Female Teenagers' Sexual Behavior and Outcomes: A Bivariate Probit Analysis with Selectivity Correction

Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) data, this article estimates a model of teenage childbearing. The model recognizes that teenage childbearing is conditional on earlier sexual activity and that such activity is undertaken by only a portion of the female teenage population. Consequently, rather than estimate a single equation for birth probability as much past research has done, a bivariate probit model with selectivity correction is estimated to account for the sequential nature of the process. An important result of this research suggests that AFDC benefits play a role in the decision to become sexually active as well as to become a teenage parent.     

The Socioeconomic Determinants of the Age at First Marriage among Women in Hong Kong

This paper analyzes the determinants of the age at first marriage among women using an integrated approach incorporating social, familial, and economic factors. Hazard analysis was applied to an original data set for Hong Kong containing 1,024 observations compiled on the basis of a household survey with respondents selected by random sampling. Our findings support the human capital hypothesis, which predicts that women with higher educational attainment and stronger career commitment tend to marry later. In addition, we find that social and family background characteristics are also important determinants of the age at first marriage, including how strongly traditional values and ties to the natal family are held by the women. This research was funded by grants from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong and the Faculty Research Committee of the Hong Kong Baptist University, respectively. I would like to thank the editor and the anonymous reviewers of this journal for their valuable comments.     

Who participates? Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Women's Participation in Voluntary Groups

Participation in voluntary groups is potentially an important way to create health promoting social capital. This paper investigates women's participation in voluntary groups, utilising data from a postal survey of 968 female respondents and in‐depth interviews with 30 women. Logistic regression was conducted to examine factors associated with frequency of women's group involvement. Not working full time, living in a married relationship, and having a university education were all significantly associated with regular involvement. The qualitative data further illustrated some of the ways in which these three factors were linked with women's involvement in groups. We conclude that women who were able to regularly participate were those who already enjoyed levels of social and economic privilege. Policies to promote social capital via participation might focus on identifying what types of group involvement benefit women's health, and increasing the accessibility of such groups to include diverse groups of women.     

Socioeconomic Status and Age: The Effect of Income Sources and Portfolios on U.S. Adult Mortality

Despite the persistent inverse relationship between family income and mortality, no one has examined the effect of distinct income sources or income portfolios on mortality risk. We link the National Health Interview Survey to the Multiple Cause of Death file and use hazard models to examine income-related mortality across four age groups. Income from jobs, self-employment, interest, and dividends each predicts lower mortality at the younger, middle, and early old ages. Diverse income portfolios buffer against mortality risk at all ages, net of the amount of income received. These findings illuminate the various dimensions of income that shape U.S. mortality risks.     

我国居民性容许程度的现状及影响因素——基于社会经济地位理论与社会化理论的比较解释

基于社会经济地位决定论和社会化理论的双重视角,对比分析了现阶段中国居民性容许程度差异的原因;研究发现虽然当前人们的性容许程度还是处于较低的阶段,但总体上不断上升,对社会中各类婚外性行为持更加宽容、价值观多元化的人群正在不断增加;居民性容许程度差异主要是社会环境建构的结果,是不同类型和层次社会化过程的产物,社会经济地位对居民性容许程度几乎没有显著影响;居民性容许程度有呈现"整体碎片化"的趋势,说明转型时期中国价值观念的多元化和碰撞性。