Efficacy of Community Health Worker-Delivered Family Health History-Based Breast Cancer Education and Services Among Chinese Americans.

Family health history (FHH) is an evidence-based genomics tool used in cancer prevention and education. Chinese Americans, the largest Asian American group, face unique barriers in FHH collection and communication. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of culturally and linguistically appropriate community health worker (CHW)-delivered FHH-based breast cancer (BC) education and services to Chinese Americans. A total of 1129 Chinese Americans received FHH-based BC education and service delivered by our trained Chinese American CHWs. Participants responded to evaluation surveys before, immediately after, and 3 months after the education and service. Participating Chinese Americans showed significant increases in rates of collecting FHH of BC, discussing FHH of BC with family members, informing their primary care physicians of their FHH of BC, and discussing their FHH of BC with their primary care physicians at 3 months post-education and service compared to the baseline data (all Ps < 0.01). Attitudes, intention, and self-efficacy related to FHH of BC communication and collection and FHH of BC knowledge were improved both immediately after and 3 months after the delivery of the education and services (all Ps < 0.01). Within 3 months, ~ 14.3% of participants who had a high risk of BC based on FHH reported visiting geneticists for genetic evaluation. Our Chinese American CHW-delivered FHH-based BC education and services showed initial success in increasing knowledge, collection and communication of BC-related FHH, and genetic service utilization among Chinese American participants. This study can serve as a starting point for conducting more robust studies, such as randomized controlled trials, in the future.

Benefits and concerns of expanded carrier screening: what do pregnant Latina women in Texas think?

The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) recommends carrier screening for all pregnant women regardless of race or ethnicity. In recent years, the ACMG broadened the guidelines to include expanded carrier screening (ECS) which can screen for 112 conditions. This study seeks to explore the perceptions of pregnant Latina women about the benefits and concerns related to ECS use. Partnering with prenatal clinics in Texas, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 32 pregnant Latina women in their second or third trimester of pregnancy. NVivo 8 was used to conduct content analysis and emergent coding of the data. Participants reported the benefits of ECS as helping them prepare for the baby's arrival, informing them of the baby's risk for genetic conditions, ensuring the health of their baby, and preventing diseases before birth. The ECS-related concerns expressed by the participants included worries surrounding potential positive ECS results, insufficient knowledge about the genetic diseases screened for by ECS, the accuracy of the ECS, the potential harm ECS may cause the baby, and the affordability of ECS. After weighing both their perceived benefits and concerns, nearly all the participants believed that ECS should be offered to all pregnant women. This study contributes to an understudied research area in the genetic/genomic field. Our findings can help increase the awareness of obstetricians, genetic professionals, and other healthcare providers regarding pregnant Latina women's views on ECS and inform the design of culturally appropriate care as ECS is adopted into routine clinical practice.

Comorbid pain and falls among Chinese older adults: the association, healthcare utilization and the role of subjective and objective physical functioning.

BACKGROUND: Pain and falls are significant disabling health conditions which cause substantial economic burdens on older adults and their families. Physical functioning (both subjective and objective) might play a significant role in older adults' pain and falls. In this study we aimed to examine: (1) the relationship between pain and falls among Chinese older adults; (2) pain-fall status (i.e., comorbid pain-fall, pain-only, fall-only, and neither-pain-nor-fall) in relation to healthcare utilization; and (3) whether physical functioning measured either subjectively or objectively would contribute differently to the pain intensity and to the occurrence of falls. METHODS: We used a nationally-representative sample of older adults from the 2011-2012 baseline survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 4,461, aged 60-95 years). Logistic, linear, and negative binomial models adjusted for demographic variables were used in the analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 36% of older adults reported pain, 20% had fall occurrences, and 11% had comorbid pain and falls. Pain intensity was significantly associated with falls. Individuals in groups of pain-only, fall-only, and comorbid pain-fall reported significantly higher healthcare utilization, that is, more frequent inpatient care and doctor visits than those in the neither-pain-nor-fall group. Subjective, not objective, physical functioning was associated with pain and falls. CONCLUSION: Pain and falls are significantly associated with each other, and both can lead to increased healthcare utilization. Compared to objective physical functioning, subjective physical functioning is more likely to correlate with pain and falls, suggesting that self-reported physical status should be considered when designing pain-fall preventive strategies.

Pregnant Latinas' perspectives on pursuing expanded carrier screening: "It is better to know than not".

With the advance of genetic technologies, the use of expanded carrier screening (ECS) in the prenatal setting is growing. ECS tests for a wide range of inherited genetic disorders regardless of racial/ethnic background and family history. Latinxs are an important ECS stakeholder group as they are the largest minority group with the highest fertility rate in the United States. Yet, the Latinx population has, to date, been underrepresented and understudied in genetics/genomics research. We conducted a study to explore the knowledge and perspectives of pregnant Latinas regarding ECS in which descriptive statistics and content analysis were used to analyze the data. Thirty-two pregnant Latinas - mostly of low educational levels (no education beyond high school) and with less than $20,000 annual household income living in rural areas were surveyed, provided with education about ECS, and interviewed. Participants were found to possess limited knowledge about ECS prior to being interviewed. Most (68.8%), however, expressed interest in pursuing ECS following the educational component that explained ECS. Their interest was mainly driven by the desire to know their baby's chance of developing a genetic disorder, the low risk of ECS procedures for both pregnant Latinas and their fetus, and the opportunity to better prepare for raising a child with a genetic condition. Our findings contribute to the limited research in the genetics/genomics field by providing in-depth insights into the perspectives of pregnant Latinas regarding ECS. Obstetric providers and genetic counselors should provide culturally appropriate education and counseling to empower pregnant Latinas to make informed decisions about the use of ECS.

Chinese American and Non-Hispanic White Breast Cancer Patients' Knowledge and Use of BRCA Testing.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Chinese American women. Knowing the BRCA1 and BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) gene mutation status can improve breast cancer patients' health outcomes by guiding targeted treatment towards preventing breast cancer recurrence and other BRCA-related cancers. Nevertheless, it is unclear if there is a disparity in knowledge and use of BRCA testing among Chinese American breast cancer patients. This cross-sectional study investigated the possible presence of differences in the knowledge and the use of BRCA testing between Chinese American and Non-Hispanic White (NHW) breast cancer patients. We surveyed 45 Chinese American and 48 NHW adult breast cancer patients who had been diagnosed with breast cancer within the previous two years through telephone interviews. The results showed that race was not statistically related to the use of BRCA testing. BRCA testing utilization was associated with family history (p < 0.05) and age (p < 0.05). However, Chinese American participants' understanding of BRCA testing was significantly lower than that of NHW participants (p = 0.030). Our findings suggest that a disparity exists in BRCA testing knowledge between Chinese American and NHW breast cancer patients. Genetic education and counseling are needed to improve BRCA testing knowledge and uptake among Chinese American breast cancer patients.

What is the relationship between falls, functional limitations, and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults? The role of living alone.

OBJECTIVES: Although the association between falls and depressive symptoms is well documented, the mechanisms underlying this association remain largely unexplored. We investigated the mediation role of functional limitations in the association between falls and depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults and determined whether the living arrangement (living alone or not) is a significant moderator of the above-mentioned mediation pathway. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale short form (CESD-10), on which higher scores indicate higher levels of depressive symptoms. RESULTS: We used the harmonized China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study national baseline data (2011-2012 year) involving 7410 participants aged 60 years and over. After adjusting for covariates (e.g., age and sex), the effects of falls on depressive symptoms were seen to be mediated by functional limitations among Chinese older adults (ß = 0.82, p < .001). The moderated mediation analysis, which assesses whether an indirect effect is conditional on values of a moderating variable, found that the mediation effect was contingent upon the living arrangement (ß = -0.60, p = .029). Specifically, the levels of functional limitations and depressive symptoms were higher for people with falls who were living with others relative to those living alone. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that functional limitations are an important intervening variable that links falls to depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults. Interventions to promote older adults' physical function and prevent falls are recommended to decrease the risk of depressive symptoms. These interventions can particularly benefit those who live with others.

The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Perceived Physical Literacy for Chinese Elderly Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Physical literacy refers to a holistic view of physical activity (PA), which proposes that a person needs to be motivationally, physically, strategically, mentally, socially, and knowledgeably prepared to be and stay physically active. It has been recently introduced in the field of older adults' PA. Our study sought to develop the Perceived Physical Literacy for Chinese Elderly Questionnaire (PPLCEQ) and evaluate its psychometric properties. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted qualitative interviews and literature reviews to develop the item pool. Expert panel review and cognitive interviewing were used to evaluate the questionnaire's content validity. A convenience sample of 388 Chinese older adults was recruited to assess the questionnaire's validity and reliability. RESULTS: The developed PPLCEQ includes 47 items. Consistent with the conceptual definition of physical literacy, exploratory factor analysis showed that the PPLCEQ is composed of 6 subscales. Participants' PPLCEQ scores were moderately correlated to their leisure-time PA (r = 0.38, p < .001), PA maintenance (r = 0.44, ps < .001), and perceived competence for exercising regularly scores (r = 0.58, p < .001). Moreover, the Cronbach's alpha and the test-retest reliability of the questionnaire were 0.88 and 0.70, respectively. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Psychometric assessment results suggest that the PPLCEQ is a reliable and valid tool that can be used in future studies investigating Chinese older adults' perceived physical literacy.

Pregnant Latinas' views of adopting exome sequencing into newborn screening: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: There are, currently, conflicting opinions about the adoption of exome sequencing (ES) into the standard newborn screening program. This study aimed to explore the views of pregnant Latinas, a hard-to-reach, underserved, and understudied population, about pursuing ES for their newborns. METHODS: We conducted semistructured interviews with 32 pregnant Latinas who predominately lived in rural areas and had low levels of income and education. An emergent coding approach was used to analyze the qualitative data collected. RESULTS: Our entire sample believed that ES should be offered as a part of newborn screening, which could empower pregnant Latinas to better understand their children's health and take early treatment actions. Although some participants were concerned about potentially bad ES results and had questions about the accuracy of ES results, nearly all interviewees reported that they would be willing to have their newborns undergo ES. The main reasons given were to be informed of diseases that the baby may have, and the perception that ES is a procedure that involves minimal risk. CONCLUSION: Pregnant Latinas in this study had favorable attitudes toward newborn ES. Their perspectives should be considered when decisions are made about incorporating ES into newborn screening.

Understanding Community-Dwelling Chinese Older Adults' Engagement in Physical Activity: A Grounded Theory Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Limited information is available on the process of Chinese older adults' initiation, engagement, and maintenance of physical activity (PA), thus limiting the development of effective PA promotion programs. The purpose of the study was to investigate Chinese old adults' perspectives and experiences with PA engagement and to develop a conceptual model illustrating the process of how community-dwelling Chinese older adults engage in PA. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This study used grounded theory methodology. Nineteen community-dwelling Chinese older adults aged older than 60 years participated. We conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with participants. Open, axial, and selective coding, along with constant comparative analysis, was performed to analyze the data. RESULTS: Participants described PA engagement as a complex and dynamic process, consisting of 3 stages: Getting started, Participating in PA, and Making PA part of life. The transition from one stage to the next was driven by an increasing internalized motivation toward PA through Seeing benefits. Many participants described that Staying in groups was a key strategy for them to keep physically active. Moreover, Restructuring occurred when Chinese older adults encountered trigger situations. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: This study identified the stages of how community-dwelling Chinese older adults engage in to perform and maintain PA. The developed conceptual model can inform future interventions for promoting PA among Chinese older adults.

Characteristics and Quality of Mobile Apps Containing Prenatal Genetic Testing Information: Systematic App Store Search and Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Prenatal genetic testing is an essential part of routine prenatal care. Yet, obstetricians often lack the time to provide comprehensive prenatal genetic testing education to their patients. Pregnant women lack prenatal genetic testing knowledge, which may hinder informed decision-making during their pregnancies. Due to the rapid growth of technology, mobile apps are a potentially valuable educational tool through which pregnant women can learn about prenatal genetic testing and improve the quality of their communication with obstetricians. The characteristics, quality, and number of available apps containing prenatal genetic testing information are, however, unknown. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to conduct a firstreview to identify, evaluate, and summarize currently available mobile apps that contain prenatal genetic testing information using a systematic approach. METHODS: We searched both the Apple App Store and Google Play for mobile apps containing prenatal genetic testing information. The quality of apps was assessed based on the criteria adopted from two commonly used and validated mobile app scoring systems, including the Mobile Application Rating Scale (MARS) and the APPLICATIONS evaluation criteria. RESULTS: A total of 64 mobile apps were identified. Of these, only 2 apps were developed for a specific prenatal genetic test. All others were either pregnancy-related (61/64, 95%) or genetics-related (1/64, 2%) apps that provided prenatal genetic testing information. The majority of the apps (49/64, 77%) were developed by commercial companies. The mean quality assessment score of the included apps was 13.5 (SD 2.9), which was equal to the average of possible theoretical score. Overall, the main weaknesses of mobile apps in this review included the limited number of prenatal genetic tests mentioned; incomprehensiveness of testing information; unreliable and missing information sources; absence of developmental testing with users (not evidence based); high level of readability; and the lack of visual information, customization, and a text search field. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the quality of mobile apps with prenatal genetic testing information must be improved and that pregnant women should be cautious when using these apps for prenatal genetic testing information. Obstetricians should carefully examine mobile apps before referring any of them to their patients for use as an educational tool. Both improving the quality of existing mobile apps, and developing new, evidence-based, high-quality mobile apps targeting all prenatal genetic tests should be the focus of mobile app developers going forward.

Perceptions of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Etiology among Parents of Children with ASD.

BACKGROUND: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social communication deficits and restricted or repetitive behaviors. Parental perceptions of the etiology of their child's ASD can affect provider-client relationships, bonding between parents and their children, and the prognosis, treatment, and management of children with ASD. Thus, this study sought to examine the perceptions of ASD etiology of parents of children with ASD. METHODS: Forty-two parents of children diagnosed with ASD were recruited across Texas. Semi-structured interviews were conducted individually. All interviews were recorded and later transcribed verbatim for content analysis utilizing NVivo 12.0 (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia). RESULTS: The content analysis identified the following themes regarding parental perceptions of ASD etiology: Genetic factors (40.5%), environmental factors (31.0%), problems that occurred during pregnancy or delivery (23.8%), vaccinations (16.7%), other health problems (7.1%), parental age at the time of pregnancy (4.8%), and spiritual or religious factors (2.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The parental perceptions of ASD etiology were diverse, but several views, such as vaccinations and spiritual or religious factors, were not based on scientific evidence. Health professionals and researchers can use these findings to develop and provide targeted education to parents who have children with ASD. Our findings also support policymakers in developing campaigns designed to increase parental ASD awareness and knowledge.

Longitudinal trajectories of physical functioning among Chinese older adults: the role of depressive symptoms, cognitive functioning and subjective memory.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Maintaining physical functioning (i.e. mobility, activities of daily living [ADLs], instrumental activities of daily living [IADLs]) in older adults is essential for independent living. However, little is known about how longitudinal trajectories of physical functioning differ by varying levels of depressive symptoms, subjective memory impairment and cognitive functioning. We aimed to examine whether, and to what degree, the rate of change in physical functioning over time was associated with depressive symptoms, subjective memory and cognitive functioning. DESIGN: A correlational longitudinal design. METHODS: The sample included 5,519 older adults (mean age = 68.13 years) from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (three waves: 2011-15) who self-reported their depressive symptoms, subjective memory impairment and physical functioning. Cognitive functioning was assessed through interview-based tests. RESULTS: There were significant increases in mobility impairment (ß = 0.27, P < 0.001), ADLs impairment (ß = 0.05, P < 0.001) and IADLs impairment (ß = 0.03, P = 0.006) over time. Compared with the mean score at baseline in 2011, the mobility, ADLs and IADLs impairment increased by 13.32, 10.57 and 4.34% for every 2 years, respectively. Those with high depressive symptoms had accelerated rates of mobility (ß = 0.212, P < 0.001), ADLs (ß = 0.104, P < 0.001) and IADLs impairment (ß = 0.076, P = 0.002). Those with poorer cognitive functioning had more rapid rates of mobility impairment. In contrast, those with differing levels of subjective memory impairment did not experience different physical functioning trajectories. CONCLUSIONS: High depressive symptoms and poor cognitive functioning may be precursors to rapid declines in physical functioning. Proactive screening for these precursors may attenuate physical decline among Chinese older adults.

Attitudes toward Pursuing Genetic Testing among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Qualitative Investigation.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) cases is increasing in Taiwan. Genetic testing for children with ASD offers several potential benefits and is available with out-of-pocket expenses. Parents play a pivotal role in having their children with ASD tested; therefore, understanding their perceptions of, and perceived barriers to genetic testing is vital. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 parents of children with ASD in Taiwan. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. NVivo 12 software (QSR International, Doncaster, Australia) was used to facilitate an inductive coding methodology. RESULTS: The majority of participants (74.4%) supported ASD genetic testing for their children with ASD, citing reasons such as clarifying ASD etiology, well-informed family planning, contributing to ASD research, and early ASD detection and intervention. Others indicated that they were either against such testing (17.9%), or unsure (7.7%) about whether to take their children with ASD for genetic testing. Those who were opposed reported that their main concerns related to perceptions of no value of genetic testing, potential for family conflict, and financial difficulties. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the parents of children with ASD that we interviewed expressed favorable views of ASD genetic testing. There exists a need to increase parental access to education and counseling, and to include testing coverage in Taiwanese national health insurance.

Effects of family health history-based colorectal cancer prevention education among non-adherent Chinese Americans to colorectal cancer screening guidelines.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of the first family health history (FHH)-based colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention education on 1) FHH of CRC communication with family members and primary care physicians (PCPs), 2) fecal occult blood test (FOBT) uptake, and 3) CRC preventive lifestyle modifications among 50- to 75-year-old Chinese Americans non-adherent to CRC screening guidelines. METHODS: Using a community-based participatory research approach, we developed and implemented 62 culturally and linguistically appropriate, theory-driven, FHH-based CRC prevention educational workshops across Texas for 344 Chinese Americans (mostly with low education/income) aged 50-75 years who were non-adherent to CRC screening guidelines. RESULTS: Linear mixed modeling analyses showed that participants' FHH of CRC communication with PCPs and family members significantly increased two-week post-workshop compared to pre-workshop data (ps<0.001). Moreover, at two-weeks post-workshop, 91.9 % of participants underwent FOBT. Nevertheless, no significant changes were found in participants' lifestyles. CONCLUSION: Our educational workshops successfully increased Chinese Americans' FHH of CRC communication and FOBT uptake. Personalized education with longer follow-ups may be needed in future studies to promote lifestyle changes among Chinese Americans. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Health and public health professionals may adopt our workshop educational materials to provide patient and public CRC prevention education for Chinese Americans.

A cross-lagged model of depressive symptoms and mobility disability among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with arthritis.

AIM: To examine the reciprocal and longitudinal associations between depressive symptoms and mobility disability in middle-aged and older Chinese adults with arthritis. METHODS: We used three waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The analytic sample included 4682 community-dwelling adults aged ≥45 years with arthritis who completed the self-report measurement of depressive symptoms and mobility disability every 2 years over a 4-year study period. Analysis involved an autoregressive cross-lagged model. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of comorbid depressive symptoms and mobility disability were 38.9%, 33.2% and 38.9%, respectively across three waves. There was a significant bidirectional and longitudinal relationship between depressive symptoms and mobility disability among middle-aged and older Chinese adults with arthritis. A higher level of depressive symptoms in previous waves was associated with a subsequent increase in mobility disability over time. A similar pattern was also shown in the opposite direction from mobility disability to depressive symptoms over time. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that depressive symptoms and mobility disability are reciprocally related in Chinese adults with arthritis over time. In addition, it highlights the importance of early interventions aimed at reversing the downward spiral of depressive symptoms and mobility disability to improve the health of Chinese adults with arthritis. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 873-877.

The mediating role of power distance and face-saving on nurses' fear of medication error reporting: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The fear of social and professional consequences is a significant barrier to medication error reporting among nurses. Although some studies have identified cultural factors as playing a significant role in medication error reporting, little is known about the mechanisms by which these cultural characteristics influence the relationship between patient safety emphasis and the fear of medication error reporting. OBJECTIVES: (1) Identify nurses' perceptions of patient safety emphasis, face-saving, power distance, and fear of medication error reporting; and (2) explore face-saving and power distance as the underlying mechanisms for cultural factors in the relationship between nurses' perceptions of safety emphasis and the fear of medication error reporting. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational design. SETTINGS: Three tertiary teaching hospitals located in China, including one children's hospital and two adult hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: We recruited a total of 569 female registered nurses with at least one year of work experience. Most of the participants (73.8%) were junior nurses with mid-associate or associate degrees (55.4%). METHODS: Participants completed four questionnaires, including Safety Emphasis subscales from the Safety Climate Scale, Face-Saving Scale, the Index of Hierarchy of Authority, and the Nurses' Fear of Medication Error Reporting. RESULTS: The average scores of safety emphasis, face-saving, power distance, and the fear of medication error reporting were 20.27 (SD=2.36), 14.63 (SD=3.57), 17.36 (SD=3.49), and 18.92 (SD=4.20), respectively. There were no demographic characteristics associated with these variables, except education (B=-0.16, p = 0.013) and work experience (B=-0.14, p = 0.019), which were related to power distance. Face-saving and power distance were significant mediators that explained the effect of safety emphasis on nurses' fear of medication error reporting. The overall indirect effect for both mediators was statistically significant (ß=-0.27, p<0.05). When we compared the specific mediators' indirect effects, face-saving was a more powerful mediator than power distance (ß=-0.24 vs. ß=-0.04). These mediation effects remained after we adjusted for the effects of education and work experience on power distance. CONCLUSIONS: When nurses have a common cultural background, they tend to perceive similar barriers to medication error reporting. For this study, face-saving and power distance are the two most important cultural factors because they significantly influence the relationship between safety emphasis and the fear of medication error reporting among Chinese nurses. It may not be possible to develop a work culture that minimizes fears of medication error reporting without first addressing face-saving needs and power differences.

Loneliness as a mediator of the impact of social isolation on cognitive functioning of Chinese older adults.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: older adults have increased risk of social isolation, loneliness and cognitive functioning impairment, but the relationships among these factors are not conclusive. We investigated the potential mediation mechanism of loneliness on the association between social isolation and cognitive functioning among Chinese older adults within their cultural context. DESIGN: secondary analysis of the baseline wave (2011-12) of the harmonised China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: community-dwelling older adults in China (N = 7,410 participants aged 60-101 years). METHODS: we applied a multiple indicator multiple cause approach to determine whether the construct of social isolation is well defined by four indicators (social activity engagement, weekly adult children contact, caregiving for grandchildren and living alone) and used structural equation modelling to examine the direct and indirect effects among variables of interest. RESULTS: the results demonstrated that social activity engagement, weekly adult children contact and caregiving for grandchildren were significantly related to social isolation (ß = -0.26 to -0.28) (Living alone was fixed to 1 for model identification.) The indirect effect of social isolation on cognitive functioning through loneliness was significant (ß = -0.15), indicating loneliness was an important mediator. However, the direct effect of social isolation on cognitive functioning also remained significant (ß = -0.83), suggesting a partial mediation effect. CONCLUSIONS: our study highlights the mediation role of loneliness in the relationship between social isolation and cognitive functioning among Chinese older adults. The findings support the beneficial effects of maintaining social relations and coping with feelings of loneliness on older adults' cognitive functioning.

Leisure-Time Daily Walking and Blood Pressure Among Chinese Older Adults: Evidence From the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS).

This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to describe the characteristics of participants who engaged in leisure-time daily walking (LTDW) and examine the relationship between LTDW and blood pressure (BP) in Chinese older adults in general, and specifically among Chinese older adults with hypertension. Participants included 780 adults who were 65 and older from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Participants self-reported their LTDW time, and BP was measured three times using an Omron HEM-7200 Monitor. Multiple linear regression models and ordinal logistical models were used to examine the characteristics of daily walkers and associations between LTDW time with systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). Older adults of younger age (ß = -0.02, p = 0.012) and higher education (ß = 0.52, p = 0.018) were more likely to engage in LTDW, whereas being married was associated with less LTDW (ß = -0.24, p = 0.025). In addition, 2 to 4 hours of LTDW time was associated with lower DBP (ß = -4.13, p = 0.002). For hypertensive older adults, 30 minutes to 2 hours of LTDW time was related to lower DBP (ß = -4.42, p = 0.024). LTDW may have varying benefits on BP. Clinical recommendations should be based on patient characteristics and chronic conditions. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2019; 12(5): 248-258.].

The association between psychological stress and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Literature suggests that occupational stress is associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome; yet less is known whether other sources of stress have similar effects. This review aims to examine whether the relationship between psychological stress and metabolic syndrome differs by sources of stress. Three databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL) were searched for eligible articles; meta-analyses were conducted using the random effects model. After controlling for covariates, adults in the high-stress groups had 45% higher chance of having metabolic syndrome than adults in the low-stress groups (odds ratio [OR] = 1.450; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.211-1.735; P < .001). The subsequent meta-analysis based on cross-sectional studies suggested that occupational stress showed the strongest effect (OR = 1.692; 95% CI, 1.182-2.424; P = .004), while perceived general stress showed the weakest effect (OR = 1.217; 95% CI, 1.017-1.457; P = .032). Unfortunately, there is a lack of longitudinal studies for subsequent meta-analysis based on sources of stress. There is a need for continued research to examine the long-term relationship between different sources of stress and the risk of metabolic syndrome. Traditional recommendations for preventing metabolic syndrome (eg, low-fat diet and exercise) may not achieve the best outcome if clinicians overlook patients' psychosocial stress.