Risk and Protective Factors for Depressive Symptoms Among Indigenous Older Adults: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and Social Support

Research on depression and intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by Indigenous older adults is virtually nonexistent. Given the associations between IPV and depression and their disproportionately high rates among Indigenous peoples in a context of historical oppression, the purpose of this inquiry is to examine how IPV and social support are associated with depressive symptoms for Indigenous older adults. We expand the knowledge base on IPV in later life, which primarily focuses on female samples, by including older men. We predicted: (a) IPV will be positively associated with depressive symptoms and (b) levels of social support will be negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Hierarchical regression analyses of data from a sample of Indigenous older adults (N = 233) in the Upper Midwest indicated that physical aggression (but not psychological aggression, sexual coercion, injury, or negotiation) was positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms.     

西方青年女性眼中的中国男人形象实证研究--基于在爱尔兰的调查

已有跨种族、跨文化婚姻研究忽视了中国男性和西方女性这种稀少但重要的类别。涉外通婚是一个蕴含深刻社会意义并折射出多方面结构性社会问题、价值取向、民族因素的复杂社会现象,应该从理论的深度、战略的高度去思考这一现象及其对国家和民族带来的影响。通过调查在爱尔兰的西方女性眼中的中国男性形象,探索性地测量了中国男性对于西方女性的婚恋吸引力,从西方女性的视角将中国男性的形象与西方男性的形象予以比较,分析西方女性的择偶偏好,发现中国男性真正“不那么受欢迎”的原因,从而在文化建构、性别气质和媒体塑造等方面进一步分析中国男性在西方世界里形象呈现的深层缘由。     

Immigration,living arrangement and the poverty risk of older adults in Hong Kong

Using 2011 census data, this study investigated how living arrangement affects disparities in poverty between older adults (aged 65 and older) who migrated to Hong Kong from Mainland China and those who were born in Hong Kong. Our sample consisted of 29,987 immigrants and 9,398 natives, all of whom were ethnic Chinese and living in Hong Kong at the time of the census. We found higher poverty rates among older immigrants than among natives, a disparity that persisted even after adjusting for living arrangement, human capital characteristics, assimilation‐related variables, household composition and demographic characteristics. We also found that living arrangement moderated the impact of immigrant status on the poverty risk among older adults, and that the impact was due mainly to the number of earners in the household. The implications of our results with respect to poverty among older adults and anti‐poverty measures are discussed.     

Exploring a blind spot in comparative pension reform research: Long‐term trends in non‐contributory pensions in Europe

Over the past two decades, pension reforms have been high on the agenda of social policy makers in Europe. In many countries, these reforms have resulted in less generous public pensions. At the same time, minimum income protection for older adults has received attention from policy makers, but much less so from social policy researchers. Therefore, this study explored how benefit levels of non‐contributory minimum income schemes for older adults evolved from 1992 to 2012 in 13 ‘old’ EU member states. Building on two cross‐national longitudinal datasets with comparative data on minimum income protection in Europe, the study shows that over the past 20 years, the erosion of the principal safety net of last resort for older persons has been limited. Moreover, a substantial number of European countries have pursued a deliberate policy of considerably increasing minimum income benefits.     

Motives,experiences and strategies of next of kin helping older relatives in the Swedish welfare context: a qualitative study

Dunér A. Motives, experiences and strategies of next of kin helping older relatives in the Swedish welfare context: a qualitative study Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 54–62 © 2008 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. Next of kin provide the major part of the help given to older people in Sweden, a country where the official goals of formal eldercare are universality and extensive coverage. This qualitative interview study investigates the thoughts and actions of next of kin who provide informal help to older relatives who also receive formal help from the municipal eldercare. Informal help‐giving, in the context of Swedish social policy, was connected with a multiplicity of motives, experiences and strategies. The motives for help‐giving were moral considerations, emotional attachment and ‘out of necessity’. The experiences of next of kin support the idea of ambivalence as a significant feature of informal help‐giving. Different strategies were employed, both active and passive in nature, to manage their situation. The study points out the importance of outlining working forms and methods of collaboration for older persons and their informal and formal networks to lessen the ambivalence experienced by help‐giving next of kin.     

The gap in social care provision for older people in China

Because of its unprecedented sociodemographic changes, particularly rapid population aging, China faces huge challenges in social care. Using data from the 2012 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (n = 9,765), this article examines the need for social care, as well as the major sources of provision. The findings indicate that the majority of older people face some restriction in their daily living activities. From their perspective, however, the most urgent social protection services are related to health care and legal aid rather than services supporting daily living. Although Chinese Government policy since the 1990s has been a strategy of social welfare socialization, the role of government, both as provider and funder, is limited and focuses only on the most deprived and on urban areas. The result is a massive “care gap” between the need for social care and its supply. The primary responsibility for care provision is borne by the family. The direction of social policy in the future should focus on shared care between the family and the state, giving priority to expanding the coverage of social care services, especially in rural areas.     

Family and community support among older Chilean adults: the importance of heterogeneous social support sources for quality of life

Family and community social networks act as social resources that promote well-being at advanced ages. In this study, we analyze the association between social support received from personal social networks (social support from various family members and friends) and community social networks (social support from neighbors and the neighborhood, age, ethnic, or religious group peers and formal social support networks) and quality of life (QoL) for a sample of older Chilean persons (n = 777). The results confirm that social support from family (partner, children, and extended family) and friends, integration in the community (neighbors) and social support from informal systems (social groups) are associated with QoL. Moreover, the model including both types of support explains 25.8% of variance in QoL. The results and their possible implications are discussed.     

It makes you keep trying: Life review writing for older adults

Life review writing produces numerous psychosocial benefits for older adults, who are at risk for isolation and depression. This article shares findings from a study that examined the experiences of older adults participating in a life review writing group. The impact of gender composition on the group dynamic was also explored. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, this study explored the experiences of six women and one man who participated in a life review writing group. Six unifying themes emerged from the research findings: (1) legacy, (2) connecting with others, (3) reflection, (4) vitality, (5) structure of the group, and (6) gender dynamics. Implications for theory, practice, and research are discussed.     

新媒体在老年患者子女健康素养干预中的应用

目的通过微信、微博等新媒体对老年患者子女健康素养进行干预,并分析评价其效果,以探索适应时代的新型健康教育模式。方法采用对照试验研究设计,将某三甲医院2012年10月～12月入住该院的老年患者随机分成新媒体干预组和对照组,利用新媒体对干预组老年患者子女进行健康素养的干预,对比干预前后的效果。结果利用新媒体对干预组老年患者的子女开展健康素养的干预,干预组干预后较干预前健康素养三个维度和五类健康问题的具备率均明显高于对照组,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;干预后干预组健康素养三个维度和五类健康问题具备率较对照组均明显增高,差异也均有统计学意义（P〈0．01）;干预组中91．2％老年患者子女阅读过每一条信息,特意阅读信息者为39．2％;对信息内容34．9％的人反映很有帮助,60．2％的反映较有帮助,且77．4％认为该方式应推广。结论新媒体在老年患者子女中的应用,对提高老年健康素养具有一定的效果和优势,同时其效果要不断巩固。     

当前影响高校人才培养的五大因素及主要对策

高等教育大众化、经济全球化、社会信息化、学习终身化、就业多样化是影响高校人才培养的五大因素。高校应重视人才培养大背景的变化 ,在更新教育观念、推进素质教育、加强德育工作、优化育人环境、明确办学思路等方面采取相应的对策