Examining the Structural Relationship of Chronic Illness,Physical Function,Life Satisfaction,and Social Support in the Development of Depression Among Filipino Elderly in Institutionalized Settings

Considering the increasing prevalence of chronic illness in the Filipino elderly, this study seeks to test a model that describes the relationship between chronic illness and depression and how this link might interact with physical functioning, life satisfaction, and social support. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the causalities among these variables. With the participation of 151 respondents, data were gathered using a five-part instrument consisting of the robotfoto, Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, Life Satisfaction Checklist, Social Support Scale, and Geriatric Depression Scale. Data were analyzed using AMOS version 19. Results showed that the duration and number of present chronic illness will not lead to an increase in social support, although those things proved to have a negative effect on physical functioning and life satisfaction. Social support from the family also showed to have a direct impact on life satisfaction while social support from the caregivers revealed a negative effect on physical functioning. Life satisfaction had a negative influence on depression while other suggested variables have no impact on depression at all. Through this model examining the variables relating to depression, holistic care must be provided to manage not only the medical conditions of the elderly but also their physical, social, and psychological well-being.     

Older adults,in Lebanon,committed to learning: Contextualizing the challenges and the benefits of their learning experience

ABSTRACT

The University for the Third Age, a relatively new concept in Lebanon, provides educational and social opportunities for older adults. The goal of later-life educational institutions supposedly covers more than a mere provision of learning. This being said, highlighting the significance of rewards associated with older adult learning—and the barriers it faces—is needed. Through this study, we hope to deepen the understanding of the benefits of later-life learning. In addition, we also payi special attention to environmental and social factors that were previously excluded dimensions of the challenges to learning. We explored the benefits perceived by older adults after finishing one term at a University for the Third Age in Lebanon. Also, we distinguished between the different types of barriers faced by seniors in the same context. We included 461 older adults from two cohorts, and we followed a qualitative approach, using content analysis of 247 solicited answers to our research questions. The data consisted of relatively short answers describing self-perceived benefits of the learning experience, as well as its perceived challenges. Findings indicated the existence of three types of benefits: social, cognitive, and psychological, with cognitive benefits the most reported ones. In addition, educational challenges were categorized into dispositional, situational, and institutional, with the latter being the most reported. After interpreting the findings with the Self-Determination Theory in mind, it was concluded that educational challenges negatively affect the well-being of older adults, while educational rewards could enhance it.     

大学生知足、领悟社会支持与主观幸福感的关系

为探讨知足、领悟社会支持和主观幸福感的关系,采用领悟社会支持量表、自编知足量表和主观幸福感量表对重庆大学、重庆警官职业学院、重庆通信学院和重庆教育学院等四所学校的287名大学生进行测试.结果显示有积极的亲密关系支持的大学生主观幸福感的得分高于没有亲密关系支持的大学生P<0.001;知足对主观幸福感的预测率为40.5%,同时领悟社会支持的直接效应仍然显著(β=0.285,P<0.001).表明积极的亲密关系支持对大学生的主观幸福感有积极的促进作用;知足可以很好地预测主观幸福感;知足在领悟社会支持与主观幸福感之间起到部分中介作用.     

Effects of Third Age Learning Programs on the Life Satisfaction,Self-Esteem,and Depression Level among a Select Group of Community Dwelling Filipino Elderly

With the growing number of older adults becoming a global concern, many countries have focused on education as a means of promoting successful aging. Although third age learning is gaining substantial ground in other countries, it is not well-established in the Philippines. The overall intent of this experimental study was to assess the effectiveness of community-based third age learning programs on the life satisfaction, self-esteem, and level of depression of a select group of Filipino elderly in a community setting. A pre- posttest study design was used on 40 community dwelling Filipino elderly who were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. Both groups accomplished the Life Satisfaction Index for the Third Age Short Form (LSITA-SF), Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale (RSES), and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The experimental group was exposed to a four-month program consisting of wellness, physical fitness, and livelihood training activities facilitated by volunteer faculty from a local university; the control group received no intervention. The results of t tests showed statistically significant group differences between the experimental and control group, with the former posting higher life satisfaction, self-esteem, and lower depression level compared to the control group. Findings of this study add to the knowledge base that active participation in third age learning programs—which include opportunities for physical activity, cognitive learning, recreation, and social interaction—can improve the psychological and psychosocial health of an older adult.     

教育对妇女的社会与经济水平的影响--玻利维亚个案研究

哈佛大学、世界教育杂志、教育发展中心和波利维亚的研究人员完成了一项在玻利维亚的历时3年多的大规模的纵深研究.我们已发现女童的教育与其发展二者相关,本研究则旨在阐明成人基础教育和妇女的社会与经济水平之间是否有相类似的关系存在. 该研究随机抽样了2200名成年妇女,包括1600名该项目的参与者和600名非参与者.研究人员综合衡量了妇女社会地位与经济水平及其发展结构,他们使用的指数包括1)识字/教育水平;2)挣钱活动的参与度;3)家庭决定权;4)子女教育;5)公民事务参与度与公民意识;6)法律权利参与度与法律意识;7)保健参与度及保健意识.此项研究的一个关键研究成果是综合基础成人教育项目对玻利维亚妇女的生活有重要作用(或影响),甚至在考虑了妇女的个人特点、所受正规教育水平、社会地位、经济地位、家庭所在地以及三年中的种种未知因素后依然如此.该项目参与者在社会与经济水平上比未参与者净增11个百分点.本文解释了所应用的研究框架、方法和得出的重要发现.     

Does Social Interaction Explain Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health Status? Results from the Japanese Community-Dwelling Elderly Age 65 to 84 Years

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate whether social interaction has a mediating influence on the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health status among elderly community-dwelling Japanese. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all of the elderly age 65 years and over in Tama City in Japan in 2001. Overall 8,558 elderly individuals answered the questionnaire, with a response rate of 80.2%. Bivariate correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. The results showed that social interaction exerted direct and positive effects on health status (0.51 for men, 0.57 for women); SES not only directly affected health status (0.14 for men, 0.21 for women), but also demonstrated an indirect effect via social interaction (0.13 for men, 0.23 for women), particularly on subjective health (0.82 for elderly men, 0.74 for elderly women). All of the associations were more pronounced among elderly women. In conclusion, social interaction may partly explain SES differences in health status, especially for elderly women. Therefore, the promotion of social contact and participation may contribute to the reduction of health disparities among Japanese community-dwelling elderly individuals age 65–84 years.     

Collective Worldviews and Health of Pacific American Elders

The community as part of the social environment is a key social determinant of health and is a central organizing feature of Pacific culture. A collective worldview informs the way social support is conceived in Pacific cultures, and it is core to Samoan and Tongan elders’ perceptions of the influence of community on health and well-being. In turn, inability to fulfill community responsibilities may be an indication of poor health and well-being and may be distressful because of this collective worldview. Using principles of grounded theory that informed the data collection and analysis, in-depth interviews were conducted with 10 Samoan and 10 Tongan elders in Hawai'i, the port of entry for most Pacific Americans migrating to the U.S. and the location where the majority of Samoans and Tongans reside. Four main themes—community norms, social functions of community, community capacity, and negative community influences—were identified as community factors affecting the health and well-being of Samoan and Tongan elders. Implications for research and policy practice are offered.     

The geographic accessibility and inequality of community-based elderly learning resources: a remodeling assessment, 2009–2017

Continuous elderly learning activities not only empower elderly populations’ knowledge about health but also enhance these populations’ social connections and social abilities, which can enhance their overall quality of life. Geographic accessibility is a determinant factor for elderly participation in social activities. In this study, we proposed six measurement methods and employed the Gini coefficient to discuss the geographic accessibility and geographic inequality of community-based elderly learning resources. This study provides three methodological contributions for future research. First, we propose an origin–destination cost matrix analysis that incorporates a post-pruning technique. Applying this technique allows for the consideration of policy restrictions in relation to resource utilization. This approach also contributes to the ability to obtain a reliable assessment of the accessibility of resources. Second, this study proposes a new, more direct and convenient, method of calculating the Gini coefficient. Third, we find that the different distance-decay index β indicates the impact of distance factors on the efficiency of resource utilization. The distance-decay index β should carefully discern when distance is under 1 km. These results indicate that assessing accessibility does not only consider length and traffic distance but also requires a deliberate and weighted calculating process depending on the distance, elderly demand population, and supply capacities of learning centers. Although our study focuses on Taiwanese cases, our methodologies and results illustrate possibilities for other contributions that assess geographic accessibility and resource-allocation inequality for elderly learning policy planning and implementation.     

高师学生社会支持、应对方式与心理健康的相关性研究

该文主要探讨社会支持、应对方式对心理健康的影响，以及社会支持与应对方式之间的关系。采用社会支持、应对方式及SCI－90三个量表对863名高师学生进行测量。提出社会支持、应对方式是影响心理健康水平的中介因素。     

Cogito ergo sum: A grounded theory of the Filipino elderly transition experiences in third age education program

A considerable number of studies have been carried out to explore the experiences of the elderly engaging in third age education, however, most of these investigations have focused on elderly motivation, the benefits accruing from their participation, and the barriers they have encountered during their lifelong learning experience. However, there has been little attempt to probe into the experiences of the elderly engaging in third age education and how they view themselves during that time. This grounded theory study purported to describe the processes through which a select group of Filipino elderly experienced community-based third age learning programs. A series of in-depth interviews were conducted on 24 Filipino elderly who participated in a 4-month third age education program. Interestingly, this study revealed four distinct and yet interrelated stages of Holding Back, Opening Up, Moving Forward and Empowering which were embedded in the model H.O.M.E: A Pulley Model of Elderly Participation in Third Age Education Program. The emerged model is a valuable compass for gerontologists as they provide meaningful and geriatric-friendly programs, projects and activities that not only address the growing needs of the elderly but also facilitate their smooth entry to and completion of their third age learning participation.     

EDUCATING AN AGING SOCIETY: THE UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE IN FINLAND

Finland has responded to the educational needs of its aging population with the development of its version of the University of the Third Age. This article traces the creation of the University of the Third Age in Finland from seeds sown in France and England during the 1970s. The unique features of Finland's cultural hybrid University of the Third Age (U3A) are described from existing literature and field research data collected for this study. In addition, the educational interests and activities of a sample of older learners from five University of the Third Age campuses in Finland are described. Emerging organizational issues associated with growth in student populations and credentialing concerns are noted and briefly discussed.     

An ethnographic field study of the influence of social interactions during the school day for children diagnosed with ADHD

The aim of this ethnographic field study was to investigate the influence of school-day social interactions on the well-being and social inclusion of children diagnosed with ADHD. The empirical data consisted of participant observations and informal interviews over a three-month period at a Danish primary school. Two ADHD-diagnosed 11-year-old boys in the fourth and fifth grades were followed on an alternating basis. The field notes were analysed using a qualitative content analysis that incorporated Etienne Wenger’s concepts of social identity and participation. The results revealed that the effects of school-day social interactions are complex and situation dependent. Medication, friendships and relationships with teachers and other adults strongly influence how children diagnosed with ADHD participate in social interactions and, consequently, how they thrive. We argue that it is important to emphasise the mediation of these children’s participation in the classroom community throughout an entire school day to ensure their social inclusion and well-being.     

Nonformal learning and well-being among older adults: Links between participation in Swedish study circles,feelings of well-being and social aspects of learning

ABSTRACT

How does participation in nonformal learning influence the self-perceived well-being among older adults? This article looks into that issue through a study of people aged 65 years or older who have participated in Swedish study circles. The data analyzed consists of a nation-wide survey of study circle participants. The results show that there are beneficial effects from participating in study circles for the well-being of older adults. As could be expected, participants claim that their knowledge and skills have increased; but the main finding is the importance of the social dimension of participating in nonformal learning activities. The fellowship created in study circles is both an important motive for participation and an important outcome of having participated. This, however, is not at the expense of gaining new knowledge. Rather, the two dimensions may strengthen each other. Nonformal settings appear to provide an environment that has positive effects on the well-being of older adults. They do this by fostering a sense of belonging and the opportunity to be part of a fellowship that may work as an aid in avoiding social isolation and loneliness.     

心理健康的新诠释：幸福感视角

人类对幸福感的探索和实践,"有一个漫长的过去,只有一个短暂的历史"。在心理学意义上,作为幸福感主要成分的主观幸福感、心理幸福感和社会幸福感,与人们的学习生活、情绪情感、自我意识、人际关系和社会适应等心理健康要素紧密相关;而心理健康本身就是一种幸福状态,又使它与幸福感直接发生关联。实际上,从内涵上审视,心理健康与幸福感属仲、伯之间;从溯源上考察,心理健康需要幸福感的支撑;从目标上解析,心理健康的价值追求就是幸福感;从结果上考察,心理健康应是幸福感的副产品。一句话,幸福感是心理健康的本质特征和核心所在。可以说,正是对幸福感的不懈追求,人们开始重视心理健康,生命也藉此完成质的飞跃。显然,幸福感与心理健康及其要素相互促进,且已成为新时代心理健康的一种新诠释、一抹新亮色。     

Child Welfare,Education, Inequality,and Social Policy in Comparative Perspective

Using international data on child well-being and educational attainment, this article compares child well-being in the United States to member countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Multiple measures of child well-being are analyzed, such as material well-being (including poverty, unemployment, and income inequality), child health and safety (birth weight, infant mortality, health care, and childcare), educational attainment, and family and peer relationships (including generational cleavages). Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory as an organizational framework, the impact and interrelatedness of these systems on educational attainment are examined, with parallels drawn between a nation's social policies, child well-being, and educational attainment. The author asserts that social policy in the United States is more comprehensive than is commonly believed, although the redistributive benefits of social policies are allocated much differently compared to OECD countries. Explanations for comparative differences in social policy include differences in political culture and political development as well as racial and class conflict. The author concludes that it is difficult to ignore the role of race and socioeconomic class in explaining differences in social welfare expenditures between the United States and European countries because the pattern of social welfare distribution (broadly conceived—including programs, tax breaks, and incentives) falls largely along racial and class lines.     

老年人内外向人格与心理健康:社会支持的中介效应

为考察社会支持在老年人内外向人格与心理健康之间的中介作用,采用分层随机抽样选取533名老人,采用艾森克人格问卷(EPQ)、社会支持评定量表和症状自评量表(SCL-90)进行调查。结果发现,内外向人格和心理健康在性别上存在显著差异,内外向人格和心理健康在城乡上存在显著差异,社会支持和心理健康在年龄上存在显著差异,社会支持和心理健康在居住方式上存在显著差异,内外向人格、社会支持和心理健康在受教育程度上存在显著差异;内外向、社会支持与心理健康之间存在显著相关;社会支持在内外向人格与心理健康之间起部分中介效应,中介效应的效应量为29%。研究认为,内外向人格既可以直接影响老年人的心理健康水平,也可以通过影响老年人的社会支持程度进而影响其心理健康水平。     

What shapes the self-esteem of elderly Filipinos working beyond the retirement age? A structural equation model (SEM)

Previous studies have indicated that major transitions in life such as retirement or exit from working life may contribute to the normative decline in self-esteem. A growing trend on elderly’s labor force beyond retirement invites the conduct of more empirical studies on the dynamics of self-esteem among the elderly group. Anchored on the Self-Determination Theory, this study is an attempt to test a model that examines the impact of social support, health promotion, activities of daily living and anxiety on the self-esteem of a select group of Filipino elderly working beyond the retirement age. Two-hundred eighteen (218) working elderly from the capital of the Philippines participated in this exploratory study. Data gathered from a multi-aspect questionnaire were analyzed using SPSS version 19 and AMOS version 19. Results of structural equation model (SEM) indicated that social support; activities of daily living and health promotion have direct effects on self-esteem, thus supporting the hypotheses. A direct relationship exists between elderly activities of daily living and their social support and anxiety. Notably, an inverse relationship exists between elderly anxiety and factors such as health promotion and self-esteem. The emerged model in this study could serve as valuable tool for nurses in enhancing nursing care aimed at promoting the psychological-well-being and occupational health among the elderly.     

海口市居民主观幸福感现状调查

采用“中国城市居民主观幸福感量表（简版）”作为工具,利用自评和测评相结合技术,对2257名海口市居民幸福感进行研究。结果表明：海口市居民幸福感自评平均得分为75．29,测评平均得分为81．98,处于中等偏上水平;健康、经济收入、婚姻、居住条件和社会支持是海口市居民认为影响其幸福感的前五位因素。对海口市居民主观幸福感的群体差异进行方差分析发现：婚姻、文化程度、个人月收入对主观幸福感有显著影响。