1,757 research outputs found
Perceptions of active ageing in Britain: divergences between minority ethnic and whole population samples
No full textObjective: to identify perceptions of, and associations with, active ageing among ethnically diverse and homogeneous samples of older people in Britain.
Design and setting: cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys of older people living at home in Britain.
Measures: active ageing, health, psych-social, socio-economic circumstances, and indicators of quality of life.
Results: respondents defined active ageing as having health, fitness, and exercise; psychological factors; social roles and activities; independence, neighbourhood and enablers. The ethnically diverse sample respondents were less likely to define active ageing as having physical health and fitness, and were less likely to rate themselves as ageing actively, than more homogeneous sample respondents. The lay-based measure of quality of life used was independently and consistently associated with self-rated active ageing in each sample
Conclusion: Policy models of active ageing were reflected in lay views, although the latter had a more multidimensional focus. Lay definitions of active ageing were also more dynamic, compared with definitions of quality of life and successful ageing. Differences in self-rated active ageing and perceptions of this concept by ethnic group need further exploration
Psychometric properties of the new patients’ expectations questionnaire
No full textThe authors explore the development of the Patients’ Expectations Questionnaire (PEQ) and examination of psychometric characteristics it encompasses by reviewing surveys of primary care and hospital outpatients before and after their clinic visit. Three scales were developed for Pre-visit Ideal and Realistic expectations, and Post-visit Experiences (met expectations), based on literature review, semi-structured interviews, and subsequently piloted and refined. Patients completed the questionnaire about their ideal and realistic expectations before they saw the doctor, and were asked if their expectations had been met afterwards. The results show the scales met acceptability criteria for reliability (Cronbach’s alphas exceeded ? 0.70), administration mode (interview and self-completion), and sample type (general practice and hospital). Split-half reliability was also acceptable. Adjusted odds ratios showed that post-visit experiences (met expectations), followed by feelings of control in life, and age, were the most powerful independent predictors of overall patient satisfaction ratings with the clinic visit, and independent self-ratings of whether their expectations had been met overall. This leads the authors to conclude that the PEQ as a self-report instrument, has good reliability and validity and covers the main types of patient expectations of ambulatory health care. It has policy potential for monitoring expectation management, and is thus of potential benefit to providers and purchasers of health services, and ultimately to patients
Socioeconomic differentials in mortality among older people
No full textResearch in social epidemiology and medical sociology has consistently shown that people in lower socioeconomic status groups experience poorer health and live shorter lives than those in higher status groups. However, investigations of such differentials among people aged 65 and over is still comparatively rare. In this issue of the journal Huisman et al report on the results of their analyses of socioeconomic status (housing tenure, education) and mortality among older people. These were based on data from mortality registries linked with population census data from 11 European countries and regions. Institutionalised populations were not included. Their results indicate that absolute and relative socioeconomic inequalities in mortality persisted into old age among men and women, and that relative socioeconomic inequalities in mortality were as great among older as middle aged people in some populations, although the age pattern of relative inequalities differed between populations by sex. However, an association between socioeconomic status and mortality was still present in the oldest age groups (90+). Their pooled data show that absolute socioeconomic mortality inequalities increased with age, while relative socioeconomic mortality inequalities generally decreased with age, although there were international variations in patterns. Overall, socioeconomic inequalities in relation to housing tenure were smaller than with education in the two oldest age groups. The authors conclude such inequalities are an important public health problem in Europe. The issue of socioeconomic inequalities in morbidity, as well as mortality, has attracted a large number of investigators, but comparatively few have focused on elderly populations. By including the very old age groups, the study by Huisman makes a significant contribution to the literature on inequalities and mortality, and emphasises the importance of considering older people in public health policy and actions. It is a topic of increasing importance given the aging populations in developed countries, and increases in life expectancy, and given that most people who die and who are in poor health are aged over 60
Ageism in cardiology
No full textIn assessing the ability to benefit from treatment, chronological age is less important than other factors concerned with the biological ageing process and the presence of associated disease. Any rationing because of limitation of health resources should be on the basis of assessed individual physiological ability to benefit, not on the basis of age any more than on sex or skin colour
Challenges in comparing the quality of life of older people between ethnic groups, and the implications for national well-being indicators: a secondary analysis of two cross-sectional surveys
No full textBackground
The current international interest in well-being indicators among governmental agencies means that many quality of life scales are potential components of such national indicator sets. Measuring well-being in minority groups is complex and challenging. Scales are available that have been validated in specific parts of the population, such as older people. However, validation among combinations of minority groups, such as older adults of ethnic minority backgrounds, is lacking.
Findings:
We pooled data from two surveys of older adults in Great Britain: one conducted among White British people, and one among four ethnic minority groups. Quality of life was measured by the Older People's Quality of Life (OPQOL); Control, Autonomy, Self-realisation, Pleasure (CASP-19); and World Health Organization Quality of Life scale for older people (WHOQOL-old). We found differences, some significant, between groups in terms of self-reported importance of various aspects of quality of life. A regression model of each total quality of life scale revealed greater unexplained variability in the White British group than the others. Principal components analysis within each ethnic group's data showed considerable differences in the correlation structures.
Conclusions
There are differences between ethnic groups that are consistent across the three scales and are not explained by a battery of predictor variables. If scales such as these are used to compare quality of life between ethnic groups, or equivalently between geographical regions, the different results in each group are liable to bias any comparison which could lead to inequitable policy decisions
Research methods in health: investigating health and health services. 2nd edition
No full textThis new edition of Ann Bowling's well-known and highly respected text has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect key methodological developments in health research. It is a comprehensive, easy to read, guide to the range of methods used to study and evaluate health and health services. It describes the concepts and methods used by the main disciplines involved in health research, including: demography, epidemiology, health economics, psychology and sociology. The research methods described cover the assessment of health needs, morbidity and mortality trends and rates, costing health services, sampling for survey research, cross-sectional and longitudinal survey design, experimental methods and techniques of group assignment, questionnaire design, interviewing techniques, coding and analysis of quantitative data, methods and analysis of qualitative observational studies, and types of unstructured interviewing. With new material on topics such as cluster randomization, utility analyses, patients' preferences, and perception of risk, the text is aimed at students and researchers of health and health services. It has also been designed for health professionals and policy makers who have responsibility for applying research findings in practice, and who need to know how to judge the value of that researc
Do older and younger people differ in their reported well-being? A national survey of adults in Britain
No full textAim To document population perceptions of well-being and predictors of self-assessed well-being.
METHODS: National face-to-face interview survey of adults aged ?16 years, conducted by the Office for National Statistics for their Omnibus Survey in Britain (response 58%; 1049 of 1823 eligible).
RESULTS: People aged 65+ years were more likely than younger people to define well-being as being able to continue to do the things they had always done. Most men and women, in all age groups, rated their well-being and mental well-being positively. Self-rated health, mental health symptoms, long-standing illness and social support were the main drivers of overall well-being in all age groups. Mental health symptoms, long-standing illness and social support were the main drivers of mental well-being. For example, in reduced multivariable models, those who reported no long-standing illness had almost twice the odds of others, of good, rather than not good, overall well-being, and over three times the odds of good, rather than not good, mental well-being. The odds of good versus not good overall well-being were also multiplied by 1.002 for each additional available person for comfort and support and similarly by 1.073 in relation to mental well-being.
CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the drivers of well-being among adults, including older adults, is of high policy importance. Attention should be focused on improvements in population health and functioning and on encouraging younger and older people to develop and maintain social support networks and engagement in social activities
Mode of questionnaire administration can have serious effects on data quality
No full textBackground One of the main primary data collection instruments in social, health and epidemiological research is the survey questionnaire. Modes of data collection by questionnaire differ in several ways, including the method of contacting respondents, the medium of delivering the questionnaire to respondents, and the administration of the questions. These are likely to have different effects on the quality of the data collected.Methods This paper is based on a narrative review of systematic and non-systematic searches of the literature on the effects of mode of questionnaire administration on data quality.Results Within different modes of questionnaire administration, there were many documented potential, biasing influences on the responses obtained. These were greatest between different types of mode (e.g. self-administered versus interview modes), rather than within modes. It can be difficult to separate out the effects of the different influences, at different levels.Conclusions The biasing effects of mode of questionnaire administration has important implications for research methodology, the validity of the results of research, and for the soundness of public policy developed from evidence using questionnaire-based research. All users of questionnaires need to be aware of these potential effects on their data
Do perceptions of neighbourhood environment influence health? Baseline findings from a British survey of aging
No full textObjectives: To investigate the relation between perceived neighbourhood environment, social contact and support, and self efficacy, on the health of older people.
Design: British cross sectional population survey of people aged 65 and over.
Participants: 999 people aged 65 plus living at home in Britain.
Results: Regression modelling showed that high self efficacy had a strong independent association with better self rated health status and physical functioning. Indicators of perceived neighbourhood environment that showed strong associations with both good health and functioning were: perceptions of good quality facilities in the area (social/leisure, facilities for people aged 65+, rubbish collection, health services, transport, closeness to shops, somewhere nice to walk), and high levels of neighbourliness (knows/trusts people). Perceptions of problems in the area (noise, crime, air quality, rubbish/litter, traffic, graffiti) were also predictive of poorer health. Measures of social contact and support did not show any independent associations with health or functioning.
Conclusions: The unique value of this paper is in the simultaneous analysis of associations between perceived neighbourhood, social contact and support, self efficacy, and health. The consistent strength of older people?s perceptions of the quality of facilities in their neighbourhoods shows that responsive reinforcement of local infrastructures might have wider health benefits. Also of interest was the strength of self efficacy as a predictor of self rated health and physical functioning. The results have implications for both neighbourhood level interventions and self management programmes in chronic illness
- …
