Digital Commons Network^™

Early Origins Of Adult Cancer Risk Among Men And Women: Influence Of Childhood Misfortune?, Blakelee R. Kemp, Kenneth F. Ferraro, Patricia M. Morton, Sarah A. Mustillo

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Objective—To examine the effect of five childhood misfortune domains—parental behavior, socioeconomic status, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and impairments—on all-site and selected site-specific cancer prevalence and all-site cancer incidence.

Method—Panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (2004–2012) were used to investigate cancer risk among adults above the age of 50.

Results—Risky parental behavior and impairment in childhood were associated with higher odds of all-site cancer prevalence, and childhood chronic disease was associated with prostate cancer, even after adjusting for adult health and socioeconomic factors. Moreover, having one infectious disease in childhood lowered the odds of colon cancer. Cancer trends varied …

Age Of Migration Differentials In Life Expectancy With Cognitive Impairment: 20-Year Findings From The Hispanic-Epese, Marc A. Garcia, Joseph L. Saenz, Brian Downer, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Sunshine Rote, Rebeca Wong

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives To examine differences in life expectancy with cognitive impairment among older Mexican adults according to nativity (U.S.-born/foreign-born) and among immigrants, age of migration to the United States.

Research Design and Methods This study employs 20 years of data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to estimate the proportion of life spent cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired prior to death among older Mexican adults residing in the southwestern United States. We combine age-specific mortality rates with age-specific prevalence of cognitive impairment, defined as a Mini-Mental Status Exam score of less than 21 …

An Exploratory Study Of Formal And Informal Help-Seeking Behavior Among Married Individuals Who Are Thinking About Divorce, David Michael Simpson

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on marital help-seeking has often focused on formal approaches such as marital therapy or relationship education and there is a greater need to understand married individual's informal help-seeking behaviors. This study explores both formal and informal help-seeking behavior using a national sample of 745 participants who have thought about divorce within the past 6-months. Findings indicate these participants more often engaged in informal help-seeking approaches to repair their marriage. Of those sampled, only 25% engaged in marital therapy together and only 9% engaged in a marriage strengthening class while over 30% read a relationship themed self-help book or …

Primetimes Newsletter, Fall 2017, Office Of Lifespan Studies

PrimeTimes Newsletter

PrimeTimes is the newsletter of the Office of Lifespan Studies in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University.

Primetimes Newsletter, Spring 2017, Office Of Lifespan Studies

PrimeTimes Newsletter

PrimeTimes is the newsletter of the Office of Lifespan Studies in the College of Science at Coastal Carolina University.

Relative Effects Of Sleep Hygiene Behavior And Physical Exercise On Sleep Quality, Austin Dopp

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Numerous studies have shown the relationship between sleep and overall health. A common measure of sleep is sleep quality which has been shown to be influenced by a variety of factors such as physical activity, diet, stress, social engagement, cognitive stimulating, and sleep hygiene behaviors. Data was analyzed from a previous study to determine whether trying to change one’s sleep would improve sleep quality and if this was more effective than physical exercise. A group of 104 individuals, randomized to the treatment group, were asked to log their daily activities, via smartphone app, within these six behavioral domains for six …

Older Adults And Mobile Technology: Factors That Enhance And Inhibit Utilization In The Context Of Behavioral Health, Alexis Kuerbis, Adina Mulliken, Frederick Muench, Alison A. Moore, Daniel Gardner

Publications and Research

While numbers and proportions of older adults with behavioral health issues are expected to substantially increase, there is also a widening gap in available services for older adults. Mobile health interventions (mhealth) are a way to address existing barriers to treatment, provide frontline assessment and increase access to services for older adults. Due to perpetuated stereotypes, many assume that older adults do not utilize mobile technology nor will they accept a mHealth intervention. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize contemporary literature from information technology and healthcare regarding: (1) current mobile technology utilization by older adults, particularly in regards …

Social Withdrawal And Psychological Well-Being In Later Life: Does Marital Status Matter?, Melanie Mei Serrao

Theses and Dissertations

Personality researchers have described dispositional traits to typically show stability over the life course and yet one such trait, shyness, has rarely been examined in later life. Shyness as a global trait has been linked negatively to multiple psychological indices of childhood well-being, including loneliness. Despite the fact that older adults may be already at risk for experiencing heightened loneliness, regret, or decreased fulfillment, research has not assessed these experiences in relation to personality in later life. In recent years, withdrawal research has begun to move past shyness as a global trait to examine the motivations behind socially withdrawn behavior. …

Late-Life Widowhood In Developing Southeast Asia: Comparative Perspectives From Myanmar, Thailand, And Vietnam, Bussarawan Puk Teerawichitchainan, John Knodel

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

We analyze recent aging surveys to examine the prevalence and correlates of widowhood among elderly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam and investigate how widowhood is associated with intergenerational support and old-age wellbeing. Widowhood is often associated with depressive symptoms, elevated mortality risk, and social-relationship changes. How one fares after spousal loss is nevertheless contingent on individual-level attributes, dyadic characteristics, and macro-social conditions. Thus, consequences likely vary across contexts. Most studies are conducted in western developed countries. Few existing Asia-focused research is primarily based on developed East Asia or China. Little is empirically known about the situation in non-western developing countries. …

Parenting A Second Time Around: The Strengths And Challenges Of Indigenous Grandparent Caregivers, Jessica Y. Hsieh, Kristen J. Mercer, Sarah A. Costa

GrandFamilies: The Contemporary Journal of Research, Practice and Policy

Background: There is a lack of knowledge and research of Indigenous grandparents rearing grandchildren. A burgeoning area of research, the literature only includes studies conducted from the year 2002 and onwards. In order to minimize the burdens that Indigenous grandparents encounter when assuming this role, a greater understanding of this population is crucial. This scoping review was undertaken in an attempt to gain insight into and generate awareness of this population, specifically concerning their needs and experiences. Methods: Sixteen databases were searched, including two medical databases and fourteen social science databases. A total of 92 titles and abstracts were independently …

What Does Successful Aging Mean? Lay Perception Of Successful Aging Among Elderly Singaporeans, Qiushi Feng, Paulin Tay Straughan

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Objectives: We explore the culturally specific meaning of successful aging in Singapore, an ethnically diverse city-state in Asia. We aim to investigate lay perceptions of successful aging among the elderly individuals in Singapore and further examine variations of these perceptions. Methods: We applied a mixed-method research design. Firstly, we conducted qualitative interviews with 49 elderly respondents, generating 12 main subjective components of successful aging. Next, we did a national survey with a sample of 1,540 local residents aged 50 to 69 years, in which respondents were asked to evaluate the importance of each subjective component of successful aging. We used …

Reliability And Validity Of The Hd-Pro-Triadtm, A Health-Related Quality Of Life Measure Designed To Assess The Symptom Triad Of Huntington's Disease., Nicholas R Boileau, Julie C Stout, Janes S Paulsen, David Cella, Michael K Mccormack, Martha A Nance, Samuel Frank, Jin-Shei Lai, Noelle E Carlozzi

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research

BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease (HD), is a neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with cognitive, behavioral, and motor impairments that diminish health related quality of life (HRQOL). The HD-PRO-TRIADTM is a quality of life measure that assesses health concerns specific to individuals with HD. Preliminary psychometric characterization was limited to a convenience sample of HD participants who completed measures at home so clinician-ratings were unavailable.

OBJECTIVES: The current study evaluates the reliability and validity of the HD-PRO-TRIADTM in a well-characterized sample of individuals with HD.

METHODS: Four-hundred and eighty-two individuals with HD (n = 192 prodromal, n = 193 early, and n …

Investigation Of Sandwich Generation Caregiver Perceptions And Factors Of Caregiving Strain, Samantha Marie Young

Masters Theses

The Sandwich Generation caregiver is responsible for caring for their children and parents simultaneously (Miller, 1981). In this study, stressors, burdens, and strains were analyzed in relation to caregiver demographics and the following variables: caregiving relationship quality, caregiving roles, communication, and resources (time and finances). The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute to perceived strains in Sandwich Generation caregivers. The Sandwich Generation Caregiver Survey was distributed through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn), email, listservs, and word of mouth through a nonprobability snowball approach (Creswell, 2012). The researcher used frequency counts, percentages, and mean …

Quality Improvement Initiative To Reduce Fall Risk In The Snf, Ramona C. Lancaster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Residents who fall in SNF either sustain significant decline to quality of life or die from their injuries. The average fall costs about $34,000 per incident. On average, 19.8% of residents fall at least once per month. The purpose of this project was to assess, identify, and advance nursing practice to decrease falls by evaluating current facility standard of practice, fall policy, procedures, and protocol. The objective was to create actions that would close the communication gap between clinicians and residents. This project encourages clinicians to intertwine resident feedback and strategies into the plan of care to help reduce fall …

Patients With Dementia Are Easily Distracted, Ronald C. Hamdy, Amber Kinser, Audrey Depelteau, Tracey Kendall-Wilson, J. V. Lewis, Kathleen Whalen

ETSU Faculty Works

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the middle ground between normal, age-appropriate memory impairment, and dementia. Whereas patients with MCI are able to cope with the memory deficit, those with dementia are not: Their memory impairment and other cognitive deficits are of sufficient magnitude to interfere with the patients’ ability to cope independently with daily activities. In both MCI and dementia, there is evidence of declining cognitive functions from a previously higher level of functioning. In both the conditions, there is also an evidence of dysfunction in one or more cognitive domains. There are two subtypes of MCI depending on whether …

Too Many Choices Confuse Patients With Dementia, Ronald C. Hamdy, J. V. Lewis, Amber Kinser, Audrey Depelteau, Rebecca Copeland, Tracey Kendall-Wilson, Kathleen Whalen

ETSU Faculty Works

Choices are often difficult to make by patients with Alzheimer Dementia. They often become acutely confused when faced with too many options because they are not able to retain in their working memory enough information about the various individual choices available. In this case study, we describe how an essentially simple benign task (choosing a dress to wear) can rapidly escalate and result in a catastrophic outcome. We examine what went wrong in the patient/caregiver interaction and how that potentially catastrophic situation could have been avoided or defused.

Aging And Disability Among Hispanics In The United States: Current Knowledge And Future Directions, Marc A. Garcia, Brian Downer, Michael Crowe, Kyriakos S. Markides

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Background and Objectives: Hispanics are the most rapidly aging minority population in the United States. Our objective is to provide a summary of current knowledge regarding disability among Hispanics, and to propose an agenda for future research.

Research Design and Methods: A literature review was conducted to identify major areas of research. A life course perspective and the Hispanic Paradox were used as frameworks for the literature review and for identifying future areas of research.

Results: Four research areas were identified: (1) Ethnic disparities in disability; (2) Heterogeneity of the U.S. older Hispanic population; (3) Risk factors for disability; and …

Initial Findings Of A Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Program, Hesper B. Nowatzki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the emphasis of benefits on preventive health, many older adults are not receiving the recommended age specific, evidence based screenings and vaccinations. The Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is designed to address modifiable risk factors with aging adults and close gaps in care not captured in routine office visits. Although a free Medicare benefit to patients, and a reimbursable service to health care providers, participation in the AWV is low nationwide. The purpose of the project is to introduce an AWV program to a rural health clinic in Northwest Illinois that has a population consisting of over 25% of …

‘Why I Sent My Child Away’: Culturally Structured Motivations For Long-Distance Parenting, Deepa Srivastava, Maria Rosario De Guzman

Department of Child, Youth, and Family Studies: Faculty Publications

Although long-distance parenting is often depicted as a response to crisis (e.g., economic) or other stressful life events, it is sometimes undertaken in various culturally normative situations. This current study explores the motivations of South Asian Indian immigrant parents for sending their young children to India to live temporarily with their grandparents. This qualitative study involves in-depth interviews with first generation immigrant parents about their experiences and motivations for sending their children to India. Analysis of the data revealed five themes, namely, (a) contextual and daily challenges in caring for their children in the United States, (b) parents’ concern around …

The Socio-Political And Economic Causes Of Natural Disasters, Nicole Southard

CMC Senior Theses

To effectively prevent and mitigate the outbreak of natural disasters is a more pressing issue in the twenty-first century than ever before. The frequency and cost of natural disasters is rising globally, most especially in developing countries where the most severe effects of climate change are felt. However, while climate change is indeed a strong force impacting the severity of contemporary catastrophes, it is not directly responsible for the exorbitant cost of the damage and suffering incurred from natural disasters -- both financially and in terms of human life. Rather, the true root causes of natural disasters lie within the …

When ‘Places’ Include Pets: Broadening The Scope Of Relational Approaches To Promoting Aging-In-Place, Ann M. Toohey, Jennifer A. Hewson, Cindy L. Adams, Melanie J. Rock

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Aging-in-place is a well-established concept, but discussions rarely consider that many older adults live with pets. In a ‘pet-friendly’ city, we conducted semi-structured interviews to explore perspectives of community-based social support agencies that promote aging-in-place, and those of animal welfare agencies. Applying a relational ecology theoretical framework, we found that pets may contribute to feeling socially- situated, yet may also exacerbate constraints on autonomy experienced by some older adults. Pet-related considerations at times led to discretionary acts of more-than-human solidarity, but also created paradoxical situations for service-providers, impacting their efforts to assist older adults. A shortage of pet-friendly affordable housing …

Age Of Migration Life Expectancy With Functional Limitations And Morbidity Among Mexican Americans, Marc A. Garcia, Luis M. Valderrama-Hinds, Chi-Tsun Chiu, Miriam S. Mutambudzi, Nai-Wei Chen, Mukaila Raji

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

The U.S. Mexican American population enjoys longer life expectancies relative to other racial/ethnic groups but is disproportionately affected by chronic conditions and functional limitations. Studying the impact of heterogeneity in age, time and other characteristics of migration among older Mexican Americans can inform our understanding of health disparities and health care needs in later-life. This research employed 20 years of data from the Hispanic Established Populations for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly to assess the proportion of life spent with functional limitations and one or more morbidity (by age of migration and gender) in the United States Mexican American …

Period And Cohort Changes In Americans’ Support For Marijuana Legalization: Convergence And Divergence Across Social Groups, Philip Schwadel, Christopher G. Ellison

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

We cast fresh light on how and why Americans’ views on marijuana legalization shifted between 1973 and 2014. Results from age-period-cohort models show a strong negative effect of age and relatively high levels of support for legalization among baby boom cohorts. Despite the baby boom effect, the large increase in support for marijuana legalization is predominantly a broad, period-based change in the population. Additional analyses demonstrate that differences in support for legalization by education, region, and religion decline, that differences by political party increase, and that differences between whites and African Americans reverse direction. We conclude by discussing the implications …

Contextualization Of Survey Data: What Do We Gain And Does It Matter?, Lindsay R. Wilkinson,, Kenneth F. Ferraro, Blakelee R. Kemp

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Survey research designs that integrate contextual data have become more prevalent in recent decades, presumably to enable a more refined focus on the person as the unit of analysis and a greater emphasis on interindividual differences due to social forces and contextual conditions. This article reviews varied approaches to contextualizing survey data and examines the value of linking two data sources to respondent information: interviewer ratings and neighborhood information (measured via census tracts). The utility of an integrative approach is illustrated with data from the Health and Retirement Study. The results reveal modest gains by using a contextualized approach but …

Parental Experience-Based Change: Positive And Negative Changes In Monitoring, Expectations, Nurturing, And Discipline, Joseph S. Rand

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to create a measure of parent's perceptions of parental experience-based change (PEBC), or parents' perceptions of the changes they make to their parenting of secondborn children as a result of experiences with firstborn children. The measure assessed PEBC in the domains of monitoring, expectations, nurturing and discipline. Participants were 401 mothers or fathers of 2 or 3 adolescent children. Factor analyses revealed an 8 factor solution that assessed increasing and decreasing in each of the 4 domains. Criterion validity was evaluated using regression analyses to examine the relationships between each factor and parenting outcomes thought to be …

Pengembangan Umkm Olahan Pangan Lokal Dalam Gerakan One Day No Rice (Odnr) Di Kota Depok, Endar Purnawan, Fentiny Nogroho

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This thesis reveals the development of micro, small and medium local food entreprise. Furthermore, this descriptive research uses a qualitative approach. The result of this research show that ODNR action has encouraged the appearance of UMKM in a culinary sector and it also provided local food – non rice and non wheat. The roles of UMKM in a ODNR action is producing, supplying, distributing, marketing local food, conducting inovation, socializing ODNR action, creating new UMKM and job vacancies. Things supporting the development of UMKM are place, equipment, capital, human resources, skills, raw materials, and ODNR action itself. On the other …

Program Men Care Sebagai Upaya Pencegahan Kekerasan Dalam Rumah Tangga : (Studi Deskriptif Pada Yayasan Pulih, Jakarta), Clara Clara, Fentiny Nugroho

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Domestic violence is a delicate matter in our society. Many efforts have been made by many institutions to decrease the violence that continues to increase every year. One of them is a prevention effort through a Men Care program that presents the male-engagement. Therefore, this study specifically describes the Men Care program implemented by Yayasan PULIH in Jakarta. This research uses descriptive method with qualitative approach. The results is to describe the forms of male-engagement including advantages and disadvantages faced by Yayasan PULIH in disseminating those issue, as well as strategies undertaken to attract the public participation into the program.

Proses Disclosure Dan Kondisi Psikososial Anak Dengan Hiv/Aids, Arini Dwi Deswanti, Johanna Debora Imelda

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

HIV-infected children have a longer life expectancy after the invention of antiretroviral treatment. Therefore, a well-prepared HIV status disclosure become a significant issue for children living with HIV/AIDS (CLWHA). Previous studies have shown that disclosing a status of children with chronic illness helps them to cope with the illness. However, delayed disclosure for various reasons which often influenced by parents or caregivers consideration affect children’s psychosocial condition. This paper will illustrate the psychosocial condition of CLWHA in relation to the preparation of their disclosure process.This descriptive study used a qualitative approach with observations, in-depth interviews, and Focus Group Discussion on …

Lansia Anggota Kelompok Bina Keluarga Lansia (Bkl) Adalah Sebuah Aset (Potensi) Bagi Pembangunan Di Masyarakat Rw 04 Pancoran, Jakarta Selatan, Juli Yanto, Wisni Bantarti

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

This research depict a new paradigm of elderly. All this time, the elderly have been thouht as an unproductive age group, dependent to the family, consumptive, used up of the health budget, and useless jugment in the community. However, the existing of the BKL IMPALA group in the community indicates that the elderly in the BKL IMPALA group as an asset or potential human resources to participate in the development of RW 04 Pancoran, and they are not family’s or development’s burden. The result of this research that the elderly have been health, and active in every BKL IMPALA’s or …

Upaya Perusahan Pembiayaan Non Bank Dalam Mengembangkan Usaha Mikro, Kecil Dan Menengah : (Studi Deskriptif Pemberian Dan Pengembalian Kredit Oleh Pt "X"), Iman Syahrizal, Sari Viciawati Machdum

Jurnal Ilmu Kesejahteraan Sosial

Entrepreneurship basically is not an easy matter. Despite of the challenges, organizations of both government and non-governmental organizations have developed entrepreneurial development activities. As a non-governmental organization, profit-oriented PT “X” also plays a role in the process of entrepreneurship development by undertaking financing activities to micro enterprises. This article describes the efforts of PT “X” as a Non-Bank Company that implements the implementation of credit loan and return in UMKM. Based on qualitative research, the research result showed that PT “X” as a company has potential because it can give positive contribution to the development of UMKM in Indonesia. However, …