Latent profile analysis of self-perceptions of ageing among Chinese community-dwelling older adults

Profiles of digital health literacy among university students and its association with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A latent profile analysis

Objective

Investigating the digital health literacy of university students can facilitate their effective acquisition of health information and adoption of appropriate protective behaviors. This study aims to explore the subtypes of digital health literacy among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic and their association with mental health outcomes.

Methods

From 17 November to 14 December 2022, a stratified random sampling approach was used to conduct an online questionnaire survey on digital health literacy, fear of COVID-19, and depression status among students at Jilin University, China. A total of 1060 valid responses were obtained in the survey. Latent profile analysis identified subtypes of digital health literacy and linear regression analyses were used to examine the association of digital health literacy to the mental health outcome.

Results

Three latent profiles were identified: Profile 1-low digital health literacy (n = 66, 6.23%), Profile 2-moderate digital health literacy (n = 706, 66.60%), and Profile 3-high digital health literacy (n = 288, 27.17%). Results from linear regression demonstrated a negative correlation between digital health literacy and fear of COVID-19 (B = -2.954, P < 0.001) as well as depression (B = -2.619, P < 0.001) among university students.

Conclusions

This study indicated that the majority of university students exhibit a moderate level of digital health literacy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the study validates a negative correlation between digital health literacy and mental health among university students.

Association between positive control in self-perceptions of aging and motoric cognitive risk syndrome among Chinese community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Self-perceptions of aging (SPA) are important psychosocial factors that lead to a wide range of outcomes including dementia. However, the relationships between positive SPA and motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR) which is a predementia syndrome are still unknown. This study aimed to reveal the associations of positive control and aging awareness of SPA with the risk of MCR and its components.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was conducted among 1137 Chinese community-dwelling older adults. Positive control and aging awareness were defined by two dimensions of SPA (Positive control and Timeline chronic). MCR was determined according to definition. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the associations.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of MCR was 11.5% (mean age = 71.62 ± 5.22). After adjusting for depression, anxiety, and cognitive function, positive control was associated with reduced risk of MCR (OR = 0.624, 95% CI 0.402-0.969, P = 0.036), subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) (OR = 0.687, 95% CI 0.492-0.959, P = 0.027), and gait speed (GS) (OR = 0.377, 95% CI 0.197-0.720, P = 0.003), respectively. Aging awareness was merely related to increased risk of MCR (OR = 1.386, 95% CI 1.062-1.810, P = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the crucial associations of positive control and aging awareness with MCR and its components. Our results emphasize that positive belief in control and adaptive aging awareness might be promising targets for preventing MCR.

Latent profile analysis of depression among older adults living alone in China

BACKGROUND

The number of older adults living alone has increased significantly. Depression is one of the significant mental health problems they face; classifying depressive conditions into homogeneous subgroups can help discover hidden information.

METHODS

The data comes from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify depression subgroups among elderly living alone, Chi-square tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to univariate analysis, multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors.

RESULTS

1831 older adults living alone were identified and classified as low-level (30.4 %), moderate-level (55.3 %) and high-level (14.4 %). All variables, except age, were significant in the univariate analysis. Multinomial logistic regression showed that not participating in exercise, sometimes interacting with friends, anxiety symptoms, and impaired IADL were associated with the moderate- and high-level of depression in older adults living alone; good or fair self-rated health and life satisfaction were associated with the low-level of depression in older adults living alone. Anxiety symptoms were associated with high-level of depression in older adults living alone compared to moderate-level; good or fair self-rated health and life satisfaction were associated with moderate-level of depression in older adults living alone.

LIMITATIONS

The CES-D-10 cannot fully determine the presence of depression in elderly people living alone at high-level.

CONCLUSIONS

In future primary health care, it would be more meaningful to provide targeted interventions for different subgroups of depression in older adults living alone.

Social participation of community-dwelling older adults in western China: A latent profile analysis

Objective

Social participation has become a policy framework to address population aging. However, little is known about the social participation of older adults in western China, and extensive, multicenter, regional research is lacking. This research investigated the profiles of social participation of older adults in western China and explored the characteristics and factors influencing social participation.

Method

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 provinces (Chongqing, Sichuan, and Inner Mongolia) in western China from March 2021 to December 2021 and included 3,456 participants aged 60 years or older. Social participation was assessed using the Chinese version of the Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire (IPA). Latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed to extract latent classes of social participation among older adults in western China. The chi-square test and multinomial regression analyses were used to identify differences between these classes.

Results

Three social participation classes were identified by LPA: high social participation (25.2%), moderate social participation (55.1%), and low social participation (19.7%). Being older, having a primary school education level, having mobility or speaking impairment, using assistive devices, and having a chronic disease were highly associated with the low social participation class (P < 0.05). Furthermore, older adults with no dependence (OR = 0.018, 95% CI = 0.005-0.062) or mild dependence (OR = 0.039, 95% CI = 0.011-0.139) in activities of daily living (ADLs) were less likely to be in the low social participation class. Older adults who were cared for by non-spouse primary caregivers were more likely to be assigned to the moderate social participation group (OR = 2.097, 95% CI = 1.501-2.930) than to the high social participation group.

Conclusions

Most older adults in western China have a moderate level of social participation. Advanced age, reduced ADL ability, reduced speech ability, reduced mobility, and non-spouse care are related to the level of social participation. Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the predictors for different classes, identifying high-risk groups as early as possible.