Digital Commons Network^™

Examining The Relationship Between Cardiometabolic Risk Factors And Telomere Length In Women: A Systematic Review, Jeni Page, Catherine Stephens, Melissa A Richard, Elizabeth Lyons, Elizabeth Baumler, M Terese Verklan, Elizabeth Lorenzo

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background and objectives: Cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS) poses a significant public health challenge due to its rising prevalence in aging and significant healthcare costs. Recent studies have suggested telomere length (TL), a marker of cellular aging, may be impacted by CMS among women, but comprehensive evidence remains limited. This study aimed to examine the association between CMS risk factors (increased waist circumference [WC], elevated blood pressure, impaired fasting blood glucose, elevated triglycerides, decreased high-density lipoproteins) and TL in women, with consideration of age and race or ethnicity.

Research design and methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, with searches …

Family And Community Role In The Provision Of Informal Care For Older People Living With Chronic Life-Limiting Illnesses In Rural Ghana, Barbara Adonteng-Kissi, Obed Adonteng-Kissi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Informal care for older people living with chronic life-limiting illnesses is associated with difficulties. The informal care system built around generational values and cultural norms is steadily weakening in rural Ghana because of economic challenges, migration, urbanisation, and changing family structure. In responding to this knowledge gap, we aimed to ascertain how the immediate family, extended family and community support impact on mechanisms underlying provision of informal care for older people living with chronic life-limiting illnesses. Ethnographic interviews were conducted amongst fifteen older people; fifteen informal caregivers; ten health care professionals, after participatory observations during six months of fieldwork utilised …

Bulletin Of Yale University School Of Nursing 2025-2026, Yale School Of Nursing

Yale School of Nursing Bulletins and Catalogues

Series 121, Number 16

September 5, 2025

Developing An Artificial Intelligence Framework For Identifying Fusion Blood-Based Biomarkers In Alzheimer's Disease, Ali H. Al-Nuaimi, Mohammed Kamal Nsaif, Shaymaa Al-Juboori

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is an irreversible neurological disorder, a major cause of disability among the elderly, with no effective therapeutic options currently available. It is an asymp-tomatic disease in the prodromal stages and begins many years before clinical appearances. Early diagnosis of AD allows patients to obtain appropriate healthcare assistance, accelerating the development of new medications. A biomarker that evaluates the alterations in the brain cells produced by AD in its preliminary periods might be significant for its early identification. Blood-based biomarkers (BBBMs) facilitate the early detection of AD. The BBBMs detection procedure is cost-efficient and minimally invasive. The aim …

Quality Of Life Among Indonesian Family Caregivers Caring For Dependent Older Persons With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In The Community: A Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study, Rinco Siregar, Charuwan Kritpracha, Tippamas Chinnawong, Jos M. Latour

School of Nursing and Midwifery

Background: The global prevalence of older adults with diabetes has increased, and family caregivers in Indonesia play a critical role in managing diabetes and providing personal care. However, caregiving can be complex and challenging, often negatively affecting caregivers' quality of life (QoL). Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a hypothesized causal model of QoL among Indonesian family caregivers who care for dependent older persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in 2024. Methods: A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted with 270 family caregivers recruited from five Community Health Centers. Data were collected using various scales: the Center for …

Metamorphosis: An Evaluation Of The Adaptation And Re-Use Potential Of Suburban Housing For Older Homeowners, Michelle Moore

Masters

Ireland’s population is ageing at a rate that is more than twice the EU average. Public policy in Ireland aims to support older persons to age-in-place. Over 80% of older adults in Ireland live in an owner-occupied home, following many decades of public policy promoting home ownership as the tenure of choice. Limited research has been undertaken on the housing adaptation options that could result in privately-owned homes being made more suitable for the evolving needs of the rapidly ageing demographic. This thesis addresses the hypothesis that, with the provision of an appropriate suite of enablers, older homeowners can be …

Age As More Than A Number: An Applied Geography Of Elderly Vulnerability To Heat Events In The Southeastern United States, John Darko

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Aerobic Exercise On Cardiometabolic Health In Patients With Diabesity: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Sameer Badri Al-Mhanna, Barry A. Franklin, John M. Jakicic, Emmanuel Stamatakis, Linda S. Pescatello, Deborah Riebe, Walter R. Thompson, James S. Skinner, Sheri R. Colberg, Jonathan K. Ehrman, George S. Metsios, Norsuhana Omar, Nouf H. Alkhamees, Bodor Bin Sheeha, Abdullah F. Alghannam, Alexios Batrakoulis

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Purpose

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to evaluate the effects of aerobic exercise on cardiometabolic health-related indices in patients with type 2 diabetes and concurrent overweight/obesity (diabesity).

Methods

PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched from inception to October 2024. The search strategy included the following keywords: diabetes, aerobic exercise, and endurance training. RCTs comparing aerobic exercise training ≥2 weeks in duration to standard treatment were considered eligible. Participants were adults with diabesity.

Results

A total of 1391 middle-aged/older adult patients (55 % females) were included …

How Does Social Capital Influence The Preferences For Aging In The Community? Based On The Study Toward Older Adults In Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City, Biyun Xiang

Electronic Theses & Dissertations (2024 - present)

This study examines how social capital influences older adults’ preferences for aging in the community, focusing on Yuexiu District, Guangzhou. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study explores family, structural, and cognitive dimensions of social capital.

Quantitative data were collected through 439 surveys, with 400 valid responses from adults aged 60 and above. Regression analysis identified key predictors of aging-in-community preferences, including family financial support, care commitment, activities with grandchildren, community trust, mutual help, and service satisfaction.

Qualitative data from 10 interviews with community service workers revealed six themes: (1) access to services like fitness and health screenings; (2) levels of …

Young Adults’ Views On Personal Death, Victor N. Soto

Anthós

Within academic discussions of death and dying, there is a deficit of qualitative studies on how young adults view personal death. This article explores young adults’ (18-24) views on personal death using inductive coding of the transcriptions of three 1:1 interviews and one focus group. Soto’s findings show that young adults view their personal death in three ways: 1) they reflect on family death experiences as frames of reference for personal death, 2) they rely on a life well- lived to ease anxiety around personal death, and 3) they use humor as a coping mechanism in thinking about and discussing …

Evaluation Of A Community-Based Socialization Program For Independently Living Older Adults, Patricia A. Shane, Anne T. Ferguson, Erin L. Woodhead

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Social isolation among older adults is a major public health concern because of the adverse impact it has on health and well-being. Reducing social isolation can improve health and decrease the use of costly healthcare services. However, there is little consensus on the critical ingredients of programming to reduce social isolation. Bay Area Older Adults® (BAO) is a nonprofit organization whose community-based Healthy Living Program (HLP) focuses on building and nourishing older adults’ social networks through transitions such as retirement, divorce and loss of loved ones. The current study was a program evaluation of the HLP using a survey to …

"You Sure Feel Like You're Alone, Kind Of Flailing Away Out There": Family Caregiver Perspectives Of Caring For An Individual With Glioblastoma Multiforme, Christy Muasher-Kerwin, Abby Baumbach, Yujun Liu, M. Courtney Hughes

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

Objectives

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer. Family caregivers of individuals with GBM must navigate a wide range of their care recipients’ physical, cognitive, and psychosocial deficits to provide effective care, which is both mentally and physically demanding. This study aimed to investigate the perspectives of family caregivers of GBM patients about the barriers and challenges they encounter when providing care to their care recipients. Methods

Nineteen current and former family caregivers for individuals with GBM participated in semi-structured interviews from October 2023 through January 2024. We conducted interviews virtually and used applied …

Mind Over Matter: Do Nootropics Hold The Key To Fighting Alzheimer’S?, Ben Berkowitz

The Science Journal of the Lander College of Arts and Sciences

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline, memory loss, and impaired daily functioning. Nootropics, a class of cognitive-enhancing compounds, have recently emerged as potential therapeutic agents for mitigating the cognitive impairments associated with AD. This paper reviews the current evidence regarding the efficacy (or lack thereof) of different treatments used in the past for treating Alzheimer’s, including cholinesterase inhibitors and anti-Aβ antibodies. The findings are compared to those using various nootropics, including natural supplements and synthetic compounds, in modulating neurobiological pathways relevant to AD pathology. Mechanisms of action such as neuroprotection, antioxidant activity, acetylcholine modulation, …

Toward Precision Longevity: Aging Interventions In The Single-Cell Atlas Era, Jason B Chen, Miranda C Wang, Shangyu Gong, Hongjie Li

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

With growing global interest in extending not only lifespan but also healthspan, healthy aging has emerged as a central goal in biomedical research. This review provides an overview of current longevity interventions, including genetic manipulations, dietary restriction, exercise, pharmacological treatments, targeting senescence and cellular reprogramming strategies, as studied in key model organisms such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, and Mus musculus. We examine the limitations and challenges associated with these approaches, particularly their variability across tissues and cell types. Furthermore, we emphasize the critical role of single-cell aging atlas technologies in uncovering cell-type–specific aging patterns and molecular …

Age-Related Variations In Hba1c Improvemecnts: Insights From A Telehealth-Supported Community-Based Intervention, Laura Porterfield, Xiaoying Yu, Amber B Amspoker, Craig A Johnston, Aanand D Naik, Salim S Virani, Christie M Ballantyne, Ashok Balasubramanyam, Elizabeth M Vaughan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and objectives: We previously demonstrated that a telehealth-supported community health worker (CHW) intervention significantly improved clinical outcomes in diabetes care. However, the extent to which these benefits vary across different age groups remains unclear. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a CHW-led multidimensional diabetes intervention in reducing HbA1c across age groups.

Research design and methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 10 studies (n = 301) that focused on low-income Hispanic adults with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. The intervention included CHW-participant coaching via mobile Health (mHealth), monthly CHW-led group education, and bidirectional mHealth feedback among …

Naming Abilities In Aging Monolinguals And Bilinguals: Longitudinal Analyses Of The Multilingual Naming Test, Kyara Y. Velez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

Individuals who can speak more than one language may score lower than monolinguals on verbal naming tasks. The Multilingual Naming Task (MINT) is a 32-item assessment that is used at the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in the USA. This study looks at the impact of monolingualism and bilingualism on language abilities over three years in three clinical groups (cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia), using the MINT as a measure. The results show that bilingual individuals perform worse on the MINT than monolinguals at each time point, after controlling for demographic factors; however, there is no difference between language …

Examining The Impact Of A Health Course On Lifelong Learner Attitudes Toward Psychedelic And Entheogenic Substances, Dustin B. Larrazolo

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

This study examined the impact of a three-week Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) health course, “Far Out” Medicine: The Science and History of Psychedelics, on midlife and older adult learners’ knowledge, attitudes, and perspectives regarding psychedelic and entheogenic substances. Eleven midlife and older adults (ages 40 - 80; M = 59.0, SD = 15.35) completed matched pre- and post-course surveys assessing demographic characteristics, factual knowledge, attitudes, personal willingness, and social or policy views. The sample was highly educated (1 associate, 5 bachelor’s, 3 master’s, and 2 doctoral degrees) and demonstrated strong internal consistency and response convergence across repeated measures. …

Abdominal Myosteatosis Measured With Computed Tomography Predicts Poor Outcomes In Patients With Glioblastoma, Farzaneh Rahmani, David H Ballard, Tammie L S Benzinger, Sonika Dahiya, John Evans, Sara Hosseinzadeh Kassani, Cyrus A Raji, Marilyn J Siegel, Joseph E Ippolito, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Alterations in cellular metabolism affect cancer survival and can manifest in metrics of body composition. We investigated the effects of various body composition metrics on survival in patients with glioblastoma (GBM).

METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients who had an abdominal and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scan performed within 1 month of diagnosis of GBM (178 participants, 102 males, 76 females, median age: 62.1 years). Volumetric body composition metrics were derived using automated CT segmentation of adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and aortic calcification from L1 to L5. Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were performed separately in males and …

System Readiness And The Patient Care Pathway For Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis And Treatment, B Joy Snider, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Promising therapeutic interventions that target the underlying pathophysiology are changing the landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. The AD care pathway must be transformed to meet the challenge of bringing these new therapies to the increasing number of people living with AD within the existing healthcare framework. Challenges include identifying patients who may benefit from treatment interventions early in the course of the disease, ensuring that diagnostic tools are accessible and accurate, and developing capabilities to monitor the effectiveness of interventions over time. These challenges must be addressed at all levels, from primary care settings to tertiary treatment centers; this …

Psychosocial Behavioral Phenotypes Of Racially/Ethnically Minoritized Older Adults Enrolled In Habs-Hd Differ On Neuroimaging Measures Of Brain Age Gap, Hippocampal Volume, And Cortical Thickness, Alexandra L Clark, Makenna B Mcgill, Alexandra J Weigand, Julie K Wisch, Kalen Petersen, Beau Ances, Meredith N Braskie, Sid O'Bryant, Kelsey R Thomas, Habs‐Hd Study Team

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: This study examined whether previously identified psychosocial behavioral phenotypes differed on structural neuroimaging markers.

METHODS: Latent profile analysis (LPA) employed in a sample of 1820 community-dwelling older adults (1118 Hispanic and 702 Black) replicated previous Low Resource/Low Distress, High Resource/Low Distress, and Low Resource/High Distress phenotype classifications. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) adjusting for relevant factors examined phenotype differences on neuroimaging outcomes of predicted brain age gap (BAG) (DeepBrainNet

RESULTS: The Low Resource/Low Distress and Low Resource/High Distress phenotypes had significantly higher predicted BAGs relative to the High Resource/Low Distress phenotype, and the Low Resource/High Distress group displayed significantly lower …

Discovering Subtypes With Imaging Signatures In The Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome Consortium Using Weakly Supervised Clustering, Bhargav Teja Nallapu, Kellen K Petersen, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Understanding the heterogeneity of brain structure in individuals with the Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR) may improve the current risk assessments of dementia.

METHODS: We used data from six cohorts from the

RESULTS: Three subgroups (Groups A, B, and C) were identified through MRI-based clustering with significant differences in regional brain volumes, gait speeds, and performance on Trail Making (Part-B) and Free and Cued Selective Reminding Tests.

DISCUSSION: Based on structural MRI, our results reflect heterogeneity in the population with moderate and slow gait, including those with MCR. Such a data-driven approach could help pave new pathways toward dementia …