Participating in Different Activities and Their Association with Mental Health Problems in the Working Disabled Population in Korea.

BACKGROUND: There are a large number of people suffering from disabilities and this number is rapidly rising. People with disabilities experience various hardships and are more vulnerable to mental health problems. Participating in different types of activities (e.g., leisure, social, etc.) has been shown to ameliorate people's mental health problems such as stress and depression. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of leisure and social activities on the mental well-being of the working disabled population in Korea. METHODS: A total of 1521 disabled people aged between 15 and 64 were included in the study. The degree of participation in leisure (i.e., weekends or weekdays) and social activities, as well as stress and depressive symptoms, were measured using single-item questions. The association between participation in different activities (i.e., leisure and social) and mental health (i.e., stress and depression) was analyzed using a generalized estimating equation (GEE) model. RESULTS: In the fully adjusted model, participation in leisure activities was associated with the level of stress, and less leisure participation was significantly associated with higher odds of stress. For example, in the "2 or fewer hours" group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.461, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.193-1.789) with the "5 h or more" group used as the reference for weekdays and the "5-9 h" group (OR = 1.223, 95% CI = 1.007-1.486) with the "10 h or more" group used as the reference for weekends. In terms of participation in social activities, increased participation was associated with lower levels of depression. For example, in the "Very much" group (OR = 0.314, 95% CI = 0.156-0.633) compared to the "Not at all" group. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in different activities was associated with better mental health outcomes in the working disabled population in Korea.

The Association between Perceived Discrimination and Mental Health of Wage Workers with Disabilities: Findings from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled 2016-2018.

Despite efforts to integrate society, persons with disabilities (PWD) still experience considerable discrimination. Therefore, this study examined the association between experiences of discrimination and stress/depressive symptoms in wage working PWD. This study used data from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled 2016-2018 in South Korea. This study included 1566 wage working PWD aged 15-64. The dependent variable was stress and depressive symptoms, and the independent variable was the experience of discrimination due to disability in daily life (Never, Rarely, Often, and Regularly) and the experience of discrimination at the workplace (0, 1, 2, ≥3). This study used a generalized estimating equations model to consider the repeated measurement data. Wage working PWD who experienced more discrimination in their daily life due to disability and at workplaces showed a higher odds ratio (OR) of stress and depressive symptoms than those who did not experience discrimination. As a result of the analysis including both discrimination experiences, those who always experienced discrimination due to disability in daily life had the highest OR to stress and depression (OR = 2.64, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.37-5.08; OR = 4.96, 95% CI: 2.58-9.56, respectively). According to the experience at workplaces, wage working PWD who faced discrimination by two factors (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.22-2.25) had the highest OR of stress, and those who experienced three or more factors had the highest OR of depressive symptoms (OR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.83-2.11). Discrimination due to disability in daily life was more associated with the mental distress of working PWD than discrimination at workplaces. For the mental health of working PWD, not only policies or systems to eliminate discrimination in the workplace, but also overall social integration efforts based on improving awareness, are needed so that they do not experience discrimination in their daily life.

Effectiveness of Digital Interventions for Preventing Alcohol Consumption in Pregnancy: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption in pregnancy has been associated with serious fetal health risks and maternal complications. While previous systematic reviews of digital interventions during pregnancy have targeted smoking cessation and flu vaccine uptake, few studies have sought to evaluate their effectiveness in preventing alcohol consumption during pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aims to assess (1) whether digital interventions are effective in preventing alcohol consumption during the pregnancy/pregnancy-planning period, and (2) the differential effectiveness of alternative digital intervention platforms (ie, computers, mobiles, and text messaging services). METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Web of Science were searched for studies with digital interventions aiming to prevent alcohol consumption among pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant. A random effects primary meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the combined effect size and extent to which different digital platforms were successful in preventing alcohol consumption in pregnancy. RESULTS: Six studies were identified and included in the final review. The primary meta-analysis produced a sample-weighted odds ratio (OR) of 0.62 (95% CI 0.42-0.91; P=.02) in favor of digital interventions decreasing the risk of alcohol consumption during pregnancy when compared to controls. Computer/internet-based interventions (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.93) were an effective platform for preventing alcohol consumption. Too few studies of text messaging (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.29-2.52) were available to draw a conclusion. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our review highlights the potential for digital interventions to prevent alcohol consumption among pregnant women and women planning to become pregnant. Considering the advantages of digital interventions in promoting healthy behavioral changes, future research is necessary to understand how certain platforms may increase user engagement and intervention effectiveness to prevent women from consuming alcohol during their pregnancies.

Consideration of body mass index (BMI) in the association between hand grip strength and hypertension: Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA).

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between grip strength and hypertension in the Korean population aged 65 years or older. Furthermore, individual differences in BMI were taken into account to examine whether grip strength or a relative grip strength predicted hypertension better. METHODS: Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing from 2006 to 2016 were assessed, and a total of 3,383 participants were analyzed in our study (Male: 1,527, Female: 1,856). Using the generalized estimating equation model, the association between grip strength and hypertension, assessed by the response to the question 'have you ever been diagnosed with hypertension from your doctor?', over the follow-up period was analyzed. The relative grip strength, calculated by dividing the mean grip strength by BMI, was also analyzed in association of hypertension. RESULTS: Both grip strength and relative grip strength were significantly associated with hypertension in our sample. However, the results were more significant in the total sample when relative grip strength was used. In terms of grip strength, as the High group as reference: Low (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.238, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.096, 1.397), Middle Low (OR: 1.104, 95% CI: 0.990, 1.231), and Middle high (OR: 1.024, 95% CI: 0.934, 1.122). In the analysis using relative grip strength, as High group as reference: Low (OR: 1.393, 95% CI: 1.234, 1.573), Middle low (OR: 1.232, 95% CI: 1.104, 1.374), and Middle high (OR:1.104, 95% CI: 1.009, 1.209). Furthermore, the lower QIC measure in the model with relative grip strength (QIC: 25,251) compared with the one using grip strength (QIC: 25,266) indicated a better model fit in the former. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study strengthen the previous findings in regards to hand grip strength and health. Furthermore, the results of our study shines light on the necessity of considering individual differences in BMI, when using a physical measure as a study variable.

Relationships between cognitive function and frailty in older Korean adults: The moderating effect of the number of teeth.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive function and physical frailty are known to be closely related. Among older adults with dementia, those who wear dentures have a higher mortality rate than those who do not wear them. This suggests the possibility that oral health may affect the cognitive-frailty relationship. This study aims to investigate whether the number of teeth present, acts as a moderating variable in the cognitive function-frailty relationship. METHODS: Data were obtained from the cross-sectional baseline study of the Korean Frailty Aging Cohort Study (2016-2017). Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. Frailty score was based on the Cardiovascular Health Study Index. Oral condition was evaluated by the number of teeth present and analyzed using categories of 0-9 teeth, 10-19 teeth, and ≥20. The moderation effect was analyzed using the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. RESULTS: Data on 2,310 older adults (1,110 men; mean age 75.9 ± 3.9 years) was analyzed. Adjusting for age, sex, income, education, alcohol drinking, body mass index, and number of comorbidities, cognitive function and frailty showed a negative association (B=-.030, p = .011). In the 10-19 teeth category, compared to the 0-9 teeth category, a negative association with frailty was found (B=-.152, p = .026). A significant interaction effect between the number of teeth and cognitive function was detected (p = .007). CONCLUSION: The number of teeth may modify the degree of the association between cognitive function and frailty. For effective frailty management of older persons, cognitive function management and oral management should be considered and performed together.

The Predictive Value of Social Frailty on Adverse Outcomes in Older Adults Living in the Community.

OBJECTIVES: Older people are often socially deprived, which may predispose them to frailty. The aim of the study was to identify the independent effects of social deficits and their combined effects with frailty ("social frailty") in predicting functional decline, institutionalization, and mortality in older adults living in the community. DESIGN: Longitudinal study with a 3-year follow-up. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older people aged 65 years or older in South Korea (N = 11,241). METHODS: Social deficits were defined as deficiencies in socioeconomic status, living situation, social network size, contact with social networks, social support, and social activities. The number of social deficits was categorized as none (0), low (1-2), and high (3 or more), based on the summated score. Frailty status was defined using the Fried criteria. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the effects of the increasing levels of social deficits on functional decline, institutionalization, and mortality. The combined effects of both social deficits and physical frailty were also assessed, controlling for covariates. RESULTS: The prevalence of frailty was 7.7%, with 49.1% being prefrail at baseline. Overall, the presence of social deficits tended to elevate the risk of adverse outcomes, where acquiring 1 social deficit was associated with an 11% to 27% increase in their risks. In the multivariable analysis, those with a high level of social deficits demonstrated a significantly elevated mortality risk [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07, 1.97). There was a trend toward increasing hazards when social deficits were combined with physical frailty, with the group having a high level of social deficits and being frail exhibiting the highest mortality risk (HR = 3.14, 95% CI: 1.81, 5.46). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Social adversity independently predicted mortality. When combined with physical frailty, an accumulation of social deficits increased the predictive value.

Korean frailty and aging cohort study (KFACS): cohort profile.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS) is to initiate a nationwide, population-based prospective cohort study of older adults living in the community to assess their frailty status and explore transitions between frailty states over time in Korea. PARTICIPANTS: The KFACS is a multicentre longitudinal study with the baseline survey conducted from May 2016 to November 2017. Each centre recruited participants using quota sampling stratified by age and sex. The number of participants recruited through 2 years of baseline study from 10 centres was 3014, with each site accounting for approximately 300 participants. The inclusion criteria were: having an age of 70-84 years, currently living in the community, having no plans to move out in the next 2 years, having no problems with communication and no prior dementia diagnosis. FINDINGS TO DATE: To define physical frailty, the KFACS used a modified version of the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP) consisting of five components of frailty: unintended weight loss, weakness, self-reported exhaustion, slowness and low physical activity. In the baseline study of 2016-2017, 2907 of 3014 individuals fulfilled all five components of FFP. The results indicated that 7.8% of the participants (n=228) were frail, 47.0% (n=1366) were prefrail and 45.2% (n=1313) were robust. The prevalence of frailty increased with age in both sexes; in the group aged 70-74 years, 1.8% of men and 3.7% of women were frail, whereas in the 80-84 years age group, 14.9% of men and 16.7% of women were frail. Women tended to exhibit a higher prevalence of frailty than men in all age groups. FUTURE PLANS: The KFACS plans to identify outcomes and risk factors associated with frailty by conducting a 10-year cohort study, with a follow-up every 2 years, using 3014 baseline participants.

Five-year survival rate among older adults participating in the national geriatric screening program: A South Korean population-based cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess the health benefits of a geriatric screening program comprising of physical function tests, screening questionnaires for depression and cognitive impairment, and bone mineral density measurements for women as a part of the National Screening Program for Transitional Ages (NSPTA). We compared the all-cause mortality between subjects who did and did not participate in the screening program. METHODS: This was a nationwide longitudinal study with a 5-year follow-up based on a 10% sample of the National Health Insurance beneficiaries aged 60 years and older. Mortality records were obtained from the qualification dataset in the elderly cohort database of 2005-2013 provided by the National Health Insurance Service. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the mortality risk. We sampled 11,986 subjects each in the screened (intervention) and non-screened (control) groups after exact matching using propensity score. RESULTS: After adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics (age, sex, household income, smoking, alcohol drinking, physical activity, body mass index, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index), all-cause mortality rates were found to be significantly lower (a) in the intervention group compared to the control group (hazard ratio = 0.73; 95% confidence interval: 0.65, 0.82) and (b) among women compared to men (hazard ratio = 0.50; 95% confidence interval: 0.44, 0.56). Lower hazard ratios were also observed among those with a higher body mass index, fewer comorbidities, and higher income. CONCLUSION: A nationwide geriatric screening program might be helpful in reducing the incidence of premature deaths among older people.

Belief about the future possibility of national aging security system and its association with mortality.

In line with well-known subjective measures of health, such as self-rated health and subjective life expectancy, an individual's belief about future security provided by the government could also be an important factor affecting his life expectancy. The aim of this study was to use the response of the elderly Korean population in regards to the National Aging Security System (NASS), and assess its association with the risk of mortality even with SRH included in the analysis. Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA) from 2006 to 2016 were assessed using longitudinal data analysis and 10,254 research subjects were included at baseline in 2006. To analyze the association between belief about future possibility of NASS and all-cause mortality, Cox proportional hazards model was used. In terms of the future possibility of NASS, people who thought more negatively displayed greater risk of mortality at the end of the follow-up. With the Positive group as reference: Moderate group showed a 18% increase (HR = 1.178, 95% CI: 1.022, 1.357), and Negative groups showed a 19% increase (HR = 1.192, 95% CI: 1.043, 1.362). The results of our study showed that people's belief regarding future security could be associated with mortality rates. Our finding is important, because it provides additional support to the importance of considering subjective measures of health in epidemiological research. Furthermore, the findings of our research could be useful in terms of future policy making.

The Association between Frequency of Social Contact and Frailty in Older People: Korean Frailty and Aging Cohort Study (KFACS).

BACKGROUND: The trend of aging society is occurring globally, and with it, one of the health problems that is emerging is frailty. Efforts are being made to account for the increasing prevalence of frailty, and various modifiable factors are being considered in regards to frailty. Because social contact has shown beneficial effects in terms of health in previous studies, it is increasingly being considered in relation to frailty. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of different types of social contact with frailty status. METHODS: A total of 1,200 Korean elders aged 70-84 years old were included in the study. Using Fried's Cardiovascular Health Study index to categorize the frailty status, the relationship between frailty status and frequency of contact (i.e., with family members, friends, or neighbors) was analyzed using multinomial logistic regression accounting for confounders. RESULTS: Adjusting for all covariates, frequency of contact with friends was the most statistically significant. Less frequent contact was associated with a significantly higher odds of pre-frailty: monthly (odds ratio [OR], 2.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-3.20), and rarely (OR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.17-2.99), with daily contact group as reference. Also, those contacting friends monthly (OR, 5.04; 95% CI, 2.29-11.08) or rarely (OR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.58-6.61) were more likely to be frail compared to the daily group. CONCLUSION: Frequency of social contact, especially with friends, is strongly associated with frailty.

Association of solidarity between adult children and older parents with cognitive decline.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between older adults' contact with their adult children and their cognitive decline. Furthermore, contact with children was considered in terms of visual contact and non-visual contact. METHODS: Data from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging from 2006 to 2014 was assessed using longitudinal data analysis, and 6634 participants were included at baseline with no missing information. The χ2 -test and generalized linear mixed model with a binary distribution were used to investigate the association between solidarity of adult children and parents, and cognitive decline. RESULTS: Non-visual contact with the first-born child was significantly associated with cognitive decline. With daily contact as the reference: for two to three times weekly, the OR was 1.224 (P = 0.033); for two to three times monthly, the OR was 1.357 (P = 0.003); for five to six times yearly, the OR was 1.3816 (P = 0.008); and for very rarely, the OR was 1.786 (P < 0.0002), showing a significant effect for all groups. In the final sex-, age- and marriage status-specific analysis, non-visual contact with the first-born child was significantly associated with cognitive decline for women, people aged ≤64 years and people who were married. CONCLUSIONS: The present study validated previous research on the importance of social contact, and further assessed different modes of contact to show that non-visual contact is more beneficial than visual contact in terms of cognitive decline. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 1501-1506.

The effects of frailty and cognitive impairment on 3-year mortality in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Frailty and cognitive impairment in late life increase the risk of mortality. Physical frailty is closely associated with cognitive impairment. The aim of the study was to examine the independent and interaction effects of frailty and cognitive impairment in predicting mortality. STUDY DESIGN: A nationally representative sample of community-dwelling Koreans aged 65 years and older (n=11,266) was followed for 3 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Frailty was categorized using Fried's phenotype model. Cognitive impairment was defined as more than 1.5 standard deviations below the age-, gender-, and education-specific norm of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to analyze the mortality risk by frailty status and the moderating effect of cognitive impairment. RESULTS: Frailty was associated with cognitive impairment, with 922 (19.1%), 1609 (28.1%), and 392 (42.8%) of the nonfrail, prefrail, and frail group, respectively, being cognitively impaired. Compared with the nonfrail group, those who were prefrail (hazard ratio [HR]=1.38; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10, 1.73) and frail (HR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.29, 2.46) had higher mortality rates, after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, health behaviors, and chronic conditions. Cognitive impairment was associated with a 30% increased mortality rate. A significant interaction between frailty and cognitive impairment was observed (p=0.003). Compared with those nonfrail and not cognitively impaired, frail persons with cognitive impairment had a lower survival rate (HR=1.92, 95% CI: 1.26, 2.93). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty was a significant predictor of 3-year mortality in community-dwelling older adults, with the association being moderated by baseline cognitive status. Taking cognitive function into account may allow better prediction of adverse outcomes of frailty in later life.

Diet quality and osteosarcopenic obesity in community-dwelling adults 50 years and older.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between diet quality and osteosarcopenic obesity (OSO), low bone and muscle mass with concurrent high fat mass, in middle-aged and older adults. STUDY DESIGN: Data were from a cross-sectional study of 2579 men and 3550 women aged 50 years and older who completed the Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey from 2008 to 2010. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected using 24-h dietary recall, and diet quality was determined by the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), on which higher scores denote better quality. Body composition was evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The association between dietary quality and the number of body composition abnormalities (including OSO) was analyzed by multinomial logistic regression, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: In women, after controlling for covariates, higher scores on the DQI-I were associated with a significantly lower number of phenotypes associated with adverse body composition. Those in the highest tertile group of DQI-I were less likely to have OSO compared with those in the lowest tertile (odds ratio=0.54, 95% confidence interval: 0.32-0.92). In men, DQI-I scores were not associated with the number of body composition abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Middle-aged and older women who eat a healthier diet, as determined by a high DQI-I score, are less likely to have multiple body composition abnormalities.

Association of sleep duration with rheumatoid arthritis in Korean adults: analysis of seven years of aggregated data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES).

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and self-reported sleep duration. SETTING: The present study analysed 7 years of aggregated cross-sectional data (2007-2013) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 37 979 individuals were selected for the analyses. INTERVENTIONS: RA. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Sleep duration. RESULTS: After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds of short-duration sleepers (≤6 hours/day) and long-duration sleepers (≥9 hours/day) for RA were 1.23-fold (95% CI 1.101 to 1.51) and 1.27-fold (95% CI 0.85 to 1.88) higher, respectively, than those for persons with sleep duration of 7-8 hours/day. A subgroup analysis according to the extent of pain in RA revealed that the strong relationship between RA and sleep disturbances was observed in those with high pain from RA (OR: 1.28 CI 1.04 to 1.58). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with RA may be at a higher risk for sleep disturbances compared with individuals without RA. Therefore, the provision of comprehensive care for patients with RA by healthcare professionals should include assessments of sleep duration and patients with RA should be encouraged to report sleep problems.