Depressive symptom patterns among older women

The structure of depressive symptom patterns was investigated in a community sample of 344 women between the ages of 51 and 92 who were administered the SCL-90-R Depression and Additional Symptoms Scales. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test alternative measurement hypotheses implied by clinical formulations of depressive symptom patterns among elderly persons. The findings show support for the hypothesis that 2 somewhat different depressive syndromes, along with 4 more delimited forms of distress, underlie symptom-reporting patterns. Implications of these findings for future research on the relation between aging and depression are discussed.     

Changes in depressive-symptom experiences among older women.

Changes in depressive-symptom experiences over a 5-year period were investigated in a community sample of 251 women between the ages of 51 and 92 years. Findings from a confirmatory factor analysis of the SCL-90-R Depression and Additional Symptoms scales (Derogatis, 1983) indicate that two phenomenally different syndromes underlie symptom-reporting patterns. A depressive syndrome, more classic in form, shows decreasing levels with increasing age, although a depletion syndrome, marked by feelings of enervation and a loss of interest in things, shows increasing levels with advancing age. The relative independence of the two syndromes, as well as their differing relations to four more delimited forms of distress that were identified in the analyses, have important implications for future research on the age-depression relation.     

Employment and health among married women with children

A sample of nearly 500 urban married women with children was used to evaluate the possible effect of outside-the-home employment on the mental and physical health of married mothers. Six measures of health were used, some drawn from interviews with the women, others from a medical examination. After controlling for ethnicity, education, and age of the women, the husband's occupation, number of children in the family, and length of time the woman has been married, it was found that wives who had been employed for more than a year were healthier than wives not employed outside the home and wives who had worked less than one year. Housewives who had never worked outside the home were healthier, on the whole, than wives who had been employed at some time in the past. Poor marital relationships and having no preschool age children seemed to increase the health advantage of long-term employed wives over those in the housewife categories. The occupational status of wife and husband did not seem to change these health differences very much.An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the Southwest Social Science Association, San Antonio, March 1975. The authors would like to thank Donna Duvall, Ministry of State for Urban Affairs, Ottawa; Elaine Hess, University of Nebraska at Omaha; and David R. Johnson, University of Nebraska — Lincoln for their comments. Gilles Robert and Marie Josepha Hebert ably assisted with various aspects of this project. Support for the project was provided by the Ministry of State for Urban Affairs, but the views expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Ministry.     

Psychological well-being and homemaker vs. retiree identity among older women

Social roles have been a central focus in both sociological and developmental theories of adjustment in late life. Research on roles and well-being, however, has focused on earlier adulthood or on comparisons of tenuous roles (such as retiree) with institutional roles (such as employee), especially among men. The few studies comparing older women in the tenuous roles of homemaker and retiree all compare single-role women, and show contradictory results. One possibility is that multiple role identities are linked to greater well-being in older women, as they are among younger women. In this paper the life satisfaction, depression, and self-esteem of older women who consider themselves retired only, homemakers only, or both are compared. The sample includes 864 Black (N=242) and White (N=622) women ages 60 and over from a 1986 national survey. Retired women and homemakers did not differ in well-being; women who called themselves both had higher self-esteem and lower depression than single-role women. In analyses exploring what tenuous role content (daily activities) might explain group differences in well-being, do-it-yourself activities and volunteer activities were significant. Age, education, health, and marital status were also important factors. Recommendations include adopting a multiple role perspective with older women and encouraging their participation in instrumental, informal role activities to maximize well-being.Northwestern University     

Mental health issues among clergy and other religious professionals: a review of research

The authors reviewed the literature on mental health issues among clergy and other religious professionals, using electronic searches of databases of medical (Medline), nursing (CINAHL), psychology (PsycINFO), religious (ATLA), and sociological research (Sociofile). The existing research indicates the Protestant clergy report higher levels of occupational stress than Catholic priests, brothers, or sisters. Catholic sisters repeatedly reported the lowest work-related stress, whereas women rabbis reported the highest stress levels in various studies. Occupational stress appears to be a source of family stress among Protestant clergy--a factor which clergy and their spouses believe the denominational leadership should address. High levels of stress also have been found to be associated with sexual misconduct among clergy. The authors make several recommendations based on these and other findings they report in their review.     

Social cognitive models of health and exercise behavior: An introduction and review of conceptual issues

Abstract

This article reviews the major social cognitive models of adherence or compliance in health and exercise behavior and attempts to show that these models are more similar to each other than different from each other. Self-efficacy theory and the theory of reasoned action/planned behavior have guided most of the theory-based research on exercise behavior. Two other models, protection motivation theory and the health belief model, have guided much research on the role of social cognitive factors in other health behaviors. These models are comprised largely of the same basic set of social cognitive variables: self-efficacy expectancy, outcome expectancy, outcome value, and intention. Two other factors, situational cues and habits, although not common to all the models, round out the theoretical picture by explaining how the relationship between the major social cognitive variables and behavior may change with repeated performance of a behavior over time.An integration of these models is offered using the theory of planned behavior as a foundation. It is suggested that research on health and exercise behavior that pits one model against another to determine which one is the better predictor of behavior is likely to be unproductive due to the striking similarities of the models. It is suggested instead that theorists and researchers focus their efforts on integration of the major social cognitive models and on determining the relative predictive utility of the various social cognitive factors with various health behaviors and in various contexts.     

An examination of sex differences in social support among older men and women

This paper is designed to empirically investigate sex differences in social support. Several types of sex differences are examined, including quantity and quality of support, the relationship between quantitative and qualitative measures of support, the number and source of support provided and received, and the relative predictive power of quality and quantity of support on well-being. The data are taken from the Supports of the Elderly, a national survey of older people (Kahn and Antonucci, 1984). Included in the present study are 214 men and 166 women ranging in age from 50 to 95 who are married and have at least one child. The analyses reveal that women have larger networks and receive supports from multiple sources, while men tend to rely on their spouses exclusively. Men report greater satisfaction with marriage than women. Quantitative supports are more related to qualitative supports for women than for men. For both sexes, the quality of support rather than the quantity of support has significantly greater effects on well-being; both the quantity and quality of social support have a greater impact on the well-being of women compared to men.     

Church-based social relationships, belonging, and health among older Mexican Americans

The purpose of this study is to explain how church-based emotional support influences the health of older Mexican Americans. This issue is evaluated with a theoretical model that contains the following core linkages: (1) older Mexican Americans who go to church more often will be more likely to receive emotional support from fellow church members; (2) older Mexican Americans who receive more support from their fellow church members will be more likely to feel they belong in their congregation; (3) older Mexican Americans who feel they belong in their congregation are likely to have a stronger sense of personal control; and (4) older Mexican Americans who have a stronger sense of personal control are likely to enjoy better health. Data from a recent nationwide survey of older Mexican Americans provide support for each of these relationships.     

Suicide among older people: projections for the future

Guided by recent demographic analyses of birth cohort effects, the authors demonstrate the relationship between cohort size and longitudinal suicide rates, with reference to four particular cohorts which have entered adulthood at various periods throughout the present century. Combining this perspective with a look at projected population increases among older age groups, estimates are made of the scope of the problem of suicide among older people which is likely to be encountered during the early decades of the next century.     

Emotional and cognitive health correlates of leisure activities in older Latino and Caucasian women

This study examined differences in the frequency of leisure activity participation and relationships to depressive symptom burden and cognition in Latino and Caucasian women. Cross-sectional data were obtained from a demographically matched subsample of Latino and Caucasian (n?=?113 each) postmenopausal women (age ≥60 years), interviewed in 2004-2006 for a multiethnic cohort study of successful aging in San Diego County. Frequencies of engagement in 16 leisure activities and associations between objective cognitive performance and depressive symptom burden by ethnicity were identified using bivariate and linear regression, adjusted for physical functioning and demographic covariates. Compared to Caucasian women, Latinas were significantly more likely to be caregivers and used computers less often. Engaging in organized social activity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms in both groups. Listening to the radio was positively correlated with lower depressive symptom burden for Latinas and better cognitive functioning in Caucasians. Cognitive functioning was better in Latinas who read and did puzzles. Housework was negatively associated with Latinas' emotional health and Caucasians' cognitive functioning. Latino and Caucasian women participate in different patterns of leisure activities. Additionally, ethnicity significantly affects the relationship between leisure activities and both emotional and cognitive health.     

Abuse, health locus of control, and perceived health among HIV-positive women.

This study of 230 predominantly poor Hispanic and African American women aged 25 to 61 years living with HIV/AIDS in New York City revealed high levels of both sexual (39%) and physical (44%) trauma before the age of 16. Both types of early trauma were correlated with later trauma, and all forms of trauma were significantly associated with current perceived health. In multivariate analyses controlling for relevant covariates, the Powerful Others and Internal Control subscales of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales (K. A. Wallston, B. S. Wallston, & R. DeVellis, 1978) acted as independent predictors of perceived health rather than (as hypothesized) mediators of the association between trauma and perceived health. Findings underscore the importance of addressing trauma and perceptions of control over one's physical health in the provision of health services to HIV-positive women.     

Factorial structure of two health belief measures among older adults.

Confirmatory factor analysis of Wallston's Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale and Krantz's Health Opinion Survey was conducted using 197 nondiabetic and 171 diabetic older adults. Qualified support was found for the 3-factor structure of the Wallston measure when applied to older adults. The Krantz model provided a less-than-adequate representation of the older sample's data. When the items from these 2 measures were combined, a 4-factor structure was found. Multisample simultaneous factor analyses using LISREL revealed that the factor structures of the Wallston and the Krantz measures fit the diabetic and the nondiabetic samples fairly equivalently. Despite the similarities in factor structures, diabetic individuals reported greater belief in powerful others and less desire for behavioral involvement in the health-care process than did nondiabetics.     

Self-presentational determinants of health risk behavior among college freshmen

Abstract

This study examined adolescents' use of unhealthy and potentially dangerous behaviors for self-presentational reasons. At the start of their first semester at college, 110 freshmen (M age = 18.2) completed trait measures of self-presentational concern. At the end of the semester they were asked about their use of health risk behaviors as impression management tactics. Seventy-five percent of respondents reported performing at least 1 risky behavior for self-presentational reasons during their first college semester. The most common behaviors were smoking, drinking, driving recklessly and performing dangerous stunts. The desire to be perceived as “cool” or a “risk-taker” often prompted healdi risks. Modest correlations between the trait measures and health risk behaviors provided additional evidence that self-presentational motives sometimes play a role in adolescent health risk behavior.     

Predictors of mental distress and poor physical health among homeless women

Abstract

We tested a latent variable path model in which situational, personal, and social resources predicted several mediators and the key health outcomes of mental distress and poor physical health among 871 homeless women. Mental distress was predicted by risky sexual behavior, less social support, avoidant coping, less self-esteem, client abuse history, social support from deviant sources, less drug self-efficacy and health care utilization. Poor physical health was predicted by a client abuse history, less drug self-efficacy, fewer perceived rewards for drug use, higher perceived costs for drug use, and a doctor visit. Current risky sexual behavior was predicted by a parent drug abuse history, less drug self-efficacy, and more social support from deviant sources. Current drug use was predicted by parent drug abuse history, less drug self-efficacy, more social support from deviant sources and by high perceived costs for drug use. Implications of results for intervention and theory are discussed.     

Self-perception of health and fitness among French and Tunisian men and women

This work examines the effects of sex and culture on physical self-perceptions. The aim was to compare the perception of physical fitness of French and Tunisian men and women. 400 individuals ages 20 to 35 years assessed their own fitness, endurance, strength, flexibility, body composition, and health according to specific category scales by completing a questionnaire. In general, the Tunisian group rated themselves higher than the French group. It appears that perceived physical fitness was related mainly to perceived endurance for both groups. Some disparities were observed between the two nationalities. Analysis showed an interaction between sex and culture (French vs Tunisian). For French men and women and Tunisian men, perceived physical fitness was more associated with perceived endurance, whereas for Tunisian women, perceived physical fitness was more strongly associated with flexibility. These data show that self-perception of physical fitness is a dimension which varies between individuals from different cultures.     

Anxiety and aspects of health behavior among adolescents in Northern Ireland

A sample of 238 15- to 16-year-old secondary school students from Northern Ireland answered a questionnaire in their schools about the level of anxiety and some aspects of their health behavior. Analysis of the findings showed that these teenagers had no higher anxiety than a Northern American sample of teenagers. In addition, anxiety was clearly correlated with a variety of health complaints and with use of the health service. The findings are discussed with reference to previous research on adolescent health and on stress in Northern Ireland.     

Person factors associated with suicidal behavior among African American women and men

This study compared person risk factors among the following groups of low-income, African American adults in an urban, public hospital: (a) suicide attempters and nonattempters, (b) male and female attempters, and (c) all 4 groups (50 female attempters, 50 female nonattempters, 50 male attempters, and 50 male nonattempters). Participants completed psychological distress, aggression, substance use, cognitive processes, religiosity/spirituality, and ethnic identity measures. Compared with nonattempters, attempters reported more psychological distress, aggression, substance use, and maladaptive coping strategies; less religiosity/spirituality; and lower levels of ethnic identity. Male attempters endorsed more substance use than female attempters. No person risk factors differentiated among the 4 groups. Assessment of person risk factors and implementation of commensurate culturally competent interventions are recommended.     

Relationships between locus of control,health value,and preventive health behaviors among women

This study examines the relationships between locus of control expectancies, rated health value, and reported participation in preventive health behaviors among a healthy sample of undergraduate women. The prediction that participation in preventive health behaviors would be a joint function of an internal health-related locus of control belief and holding health in high value was not supported. Instead, individuals who valued their health reported participating in a greater number of health-enhancing behaviors compared to those who valued their health less. Respondents' scores on a health value scale in combination with their rated health status proved to be better predictors of health behaviors than their locus of control beliefs. Limitations of locus of control research with young, healthy individuals are discussed and further investigation into the utility and validity of health value scales is recommended.     

Stress and health among women and men in a Swedish telecom company

The aim of the study was to investigate gender differences at managerial and nonmanagerial level in perceived stress and control and the relationship to health problems. Questionnaires were collected from 281 women and men at both managerial and nonmanagerial level in a sales department in a large Swedish telecom company. Items describing sources of stress were selected from Dallner, Gamberale, Olsson, and Örelius (1999) and developed through a group interview. The results showed only minor differences in perceived stress and no differences in perceived control when comparing men and women working at the same level in the organization. Instead the differences in perceived stress and control were found between managers and nonmanagers. In addition, the study showed both differences and similarities in explaining health symptoms for women and men at the same organizational level. Similarities were found at a nonmanagerial level but at a managerial level health problems were not predicted by the same factors for women and men. The need to consider organizational level in future studies about stress and gender is addressed.