Quality of life as a mediator of leisure activity and perceived health among older women.

Despite consistent evidence to suggest that participating in leisure is associated with perceived health status among older adults, there have been few attempts to determine the possible underlying mechanisms in this relationship, including the role of quality of life (QoL). This study examined the role of perceived quality of life in the relationship between leisure and perceived health in older women. Correlations, regression, and mediation analysis were conducted on data from the Woman's College Alumnae Women's Health Study. Results indicate that QoL partially mediates the relationship between leisure and perceived health in older women. Findings further establish the link between leisure and perceived health with QoL playing an important role in the relationship.

The relationship between physical activity and perceived health status in older women: findings from the Woman's College Alumni Study.

Using data collected from the Woman's College (WC) Alumni Study, the purpose of this study was to determine whether perceived health status is related to physical activity in older women. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between amounts of physical activity and self-reported health status. The results of the current study reveal that the level of physical activity is significantly correlated with perceived health status. The findings of this study have implications for the assessment of older individuals' health and may lead to interventions that are tailored to increase physical activity among older women.

Preliminary Evidence for the Validity of the Family Caregiver Identity Scale.

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the Family Caregiver Identity Scale (FCIS), an instrument designed to measure the extent to which an individual identifies with the family caregiver role. The process of instrument development outlined in the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing was combined with Dillman's four stages of pretesting. This was a multistage, iterative process, including several revisions based on feedback from experts, interviews, and pilot testing. Factor analyses were performed to test the hypothesized model of caregiver identity. A version of the FCIS consisting of 18 items was created and demonstrated initial evidence of validity. The FCIS will enable gerontological professionals to assess caregiver identity. The absence of caregiver identity is a factor in caregivers not accessing support services. This study contributes to the growing body of research connecting caregiver identity and support service utilization by caregivers.