TY - JOUR AU - Wei, Xindi AU - Zhuang, Longfei AU - Li, Yuan AU - Shi, Junyu AU - Yang, Yijie AU - Lai, Hongchang AU - Liu, Beilei PY - 2025/3/21 TI - Edentulousness and the Likelihood of Becoming a Centenarian: Longitudinal Observational Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e68444 VL - 8 KW - public health KW - edentulous KW - oral-systemic disease KW - epidemiology KW - cohort studies N2 - Background: In recent decades, the global life expectancy has risen notably to approximately 73.5 years worldwide, coinciding with a rapid growth in the older adult population, which presents a significant public health challenge in promoting healthy aging and longevity. Objective: This study aimed to prospectively investigate the link between edentulousness and the likelihood of reaching centenarian status among individuals aged 80 years and older. Methods: Data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey were analyzed. Logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between edentulousness and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian. Demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and disease histories were adjusted as confounding factors. Several sensitivity analyses, including propensity score matching and 2-year lag analyses, were conducted to further assess the association between edentulousness and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian. The correlation between the number of natural teeth as a continuous variable and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian was evaluated as well. Results: The study included 4239 participants aged 80-100 years. After adjusting for all covariates, the likelihood for becoming a centenarian increased in the nonedentulous group compared to the edentulous group (odds ratio [OR] 1.384, 95% CI 1.093?1.751). The relationship persisted after propensity score matching analysis (OR 1.272, 95% CI 1.037?1.561). The association remained statistically significant after excluding participants with a follow-up duration of less than 2 years (OR 1.522, 95% CI 1.083?2.140; P=.02). Furthermore, a significant positive association between the number of natural teeth and the likelihood of becoming a centenarian was found after adjusting for all covariates (OR 1.022, 95% CI 1.002?1.042; P=.03), which aligned with the main results of the study. Conclusions: The findings revealed that the presence of natural teeth was linked to an increased probability of becoming a centenarian, underscoring the importance of maintaining oral health even in advanced age. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2025/1/e68444 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/68444 ID - info:doi/10.2196/68444 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Rong, Jian AU - Pathiravasan, H. Chathurangi AU - Zhang, Yuankai AU - Faro, M. Jamie AU - Wang, Xuzhi AU - Schramm, Eric AU - Borrelli, Belinda AU - Benjamin, J. Emelia AU - Liu, Chunyu AU - Murabito, M. Joanne PY - 2024/12/31 TI - Baseline Smartphone App Survey Return in the Electronic Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Omni 1 Study: eCohort Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e64636 VL - 7 KW - mHealth KW - mobile health KW - mobile application KW - smartphone KW - digital health KW - digital technology KW - digital intervention KW - gerontology KW - geriatric KW - older adult KW - aging KW - eFHS KW - eCohort KW - smartphone app KW - baseline app surveys KW - Framingham Heart Study KW - health information KW - information collection KW - mobile phone N2 - Background: Smartphone apps can be used to monitor chronic conditions and offer opportunities for self-assessment conveniently at home. However, few digital studies include older adults. Objective: We aim to describe a new electronic cohort of older adults embedded in the Framingham Heart Study including baseline smartphone survey return rates and survey completion rates by smartphone type (iPhone [Apple Inc] and Android [Google LLC] users). We also aim to report survey results for selected baseline surveys and participant experience with this study?s app. Methods: Framingham Heart Study Offspring and Omni (multiethnic cohort) participants who owned a smartphone were invited to download this study?s app that contained a range of survey types to report on different aspects of health including self-reported measures from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). iPhone users also completed 4 tasks including 2 cognitive and 2 physical function testing tasks. Baseline survey return and completion rates were calculated for 12 surveys and compared between iPhone and Android users. We calculated standardized scores for the PROMIS surveys. The Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) was deployed 30 days after enrollment to obtain participant feedback on app functionality and aesthetics. Results: We enrolled 611 smartphone users (average age 73.6, SD 6.3 y; n=346, 56.6% women; n=88, 14.4% Omni participants; 478, 78.2% iPhone users) and 596 (97.5%) returned at least 1 baseline survey. iPhone users had higher app survey return rates than Android users for each survey (range 85.5% to 98.3% vs 73.8% to 95.2%, respectively), but survey completion rates did not differ in the 2 smartphone groups. The return rate for the 4 iPhone tasks ranged from 80.9% (380/470) for the gait task to 88.9% (418/470) for the Trail Making Test task. The Electronic Framingham Heart Study participants had better standardized t scores in 6 of 7 PROMIS surveys compared to the general population mean (t score=50) including higher cognitive function (n=55.6) and lower fatigue (n=45.5). Among 469 participants who returned the MARS survey, app functionality and aesthetics was rated high (total MARS score=8.6 on a 1?10 scale). Conclusions: We effectively engaged community-dwelling older adults to use a smartphone app designed to collect health information relevant to older adults. High app survey return rates and very high app survey completion rates were observed along with high participant rating of this study?s app. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e64636 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/64636 ID - info:doi/10.2196/64636 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Wu, Yuting AU - Gong, Cong AU - Pi, Lifang AU - Zheng, Meixin AU - Liu, Weifang AU - Wang, Yamei PY - 2024/10/28 TI - Interrelationships Among Individual Factors, Family Factors, and Quality of Life in Older Chinese Adults: Cross-Sectional Study Using Structural Equation Modeling JO - JMIR Aging SP - e59818 VL - 7 KW - quality of life KW - older adults KW - individual factor KW - family factor KW - structural equation modeling (SEM) N2 - Background: China's rapidly aging population necessitates effective strategies for ensuring older adults' quality of life (QOL). While individual factors (IF) and family factors (FF) are known to influence QOL, existing research often examines these factors in isolation or focuses on specific subpopulations, overlooking potential interactions and mediating pathways. Objective: This study aims to examine both direct and indirect pathways connecting IF and FF to older adults? QOL, focusing on the mediating roles of health risks (HR) and health care service demand (HSD). Methods: This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze cross-sectional data from 8600 older participants in the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a nationally representative study using a multistage probability proportional to size sampling method. Results: Among the 8600 participants, the majority (5586/8502, 65.7%) were aged 60-70 years, with a near-equal distribution of males and females at around 50%. The average PCS score was 76.77, while the MCS score averaged 59.70. Both IF (?=0.165, P<.001) and FF (?=0.189, P<.001) had a direct positive effect on QOL. Furthermore, the indirect effects of IF (?=0.186, P<.001) and FF (?=0.211, P<.001) through HR and HSD were also significant. In the direct model, IF and FF had a greater impact on MCS (?=0.841) than on PCS (?=0.639). However, after including the 2 mediating factors, HR and HSD, the influence of IF and FF on MCS (?=0.739) became consistent with that on PCS (?=0.728). Subgroup analyses revealed that the direct effect of IF on QOL was significant in the 60-70 age group (?=0.151, P<.001) but not in those over 70 years old (?=0.122, P=.074). Comorbidity status significantly influenced the pathway from HR to HSD, with older adults having 2 or more chronic diseases (?=0.363) showing a greater impact compared to those with fewer than 2 chronic diseases (?=0.358). Conclusions: Both IF (education, per capita disposable income, and endowment insurance) and FF (satisfaction with a spouse and children) directly impact the QOL in older people. Meanwhile, IF and FF have equal influence on QOL through the mediating role of HR and HSD. Recognizing the interplay among these factors is crucial for targeted interventions to enhance the well-being of older adults in China. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e59818 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/59818 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ ID - info:doi/10.2196/59818 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Ghabashi, Adil Mai AU - Azzeh, Sultan Firas PY - 2024/9/16 TI - Factors Influencing Malnutrition Among Older Adult Residents in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia: Sex Differential Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e55572 VL - 7 KW - Elderly KW - Makkah KW - Malnutrition KW - Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form KW - Risk factors N2 - Background: The global population of older adults is on the rise. As people age, their physical functions gradually decline, leading to a decrease in the overall functioning of different organ systems. Due to these changes, older individuals are at a higher risk of encountering various adverse health outcomes and complications, such as malnutrition. Objective: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of malnutrition and its associated factors among older adults dwelling in the western region of Saudi Arabia. We have analyzed these factors separately for both men and women to understand any potential sex differences. Methods: A nonrandomized cross-sectional study was conducted for older adults aged ?60 years in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Personal information was obtained through a closed questionnaire. The Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form was used to determine the malnutrition status of older adults. Consequently, the individuals were divided into 2 groups: normal and malnourished. To assess the risk factors related to malnutrition, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI were determined using a binary logistic regression. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition in men and women was around 7% and 5%, respectively. Potential risk factors related to malnutrition in men were higher age (OR 1.263, 95% CI 1.086-1.468; P=.002), being widowed (OR 8.392, 95% CI 1.002-70.258; P=.049), and having dental problems (OR 9.408, 95% CI 1.863-47.514; P=.007). On the other hand, risk factors associated with malnutrition in women were lower BMI (OR 0.843, 95% CI 0.747-0.952; P=.006) and being disabled (OR 18.089, 95% CI 0.747-0.952; P=.006). Conclusions: The findings of this study provide important insights into the risk factors for malnutrition among older adults in the western region of Saudi Arabia. While the overall prevalence of malnutrition was relatively low, the analysis revealed distinct risk factors for older men and women. Interventions developed based on the identified risk factors may prove effective in addressing the issue of malnutrition within this population. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e55572 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/55572 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ ID - info:doi/10.2196/55572 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Lee, Hyeri AU - Kim, Minji AU - Woo, Selin AU - Park, Jaeyu AU - Kim, Jin Hyeon AU - Kwon, Rosie AU - Koyanagi, Ai AU - Smith, Lee AU - Kim, Seo Min AU - López Sánchez, F. Guillermo AU - Dragioti, Elena AU - Lee, Jinseok AU - Lee, Hayeon AU - Rahmati, Masoud AU - Rhee, Youl Sang AU - Lee, Hyuk Jun AU - Woo, Geol Ho AU - Yon, Keon Dong PY - 2024/7/30 TI - National and Regional Trends in the Prevalence of Hypertension in South Korea Amid the Pandemic, 2009-2022: Nationwide Study of Over 3 Million Individuals JO - JMIR Public Health Surveill SP - e51891 VL - 10 KW - COVID-19 KW - pandemic KW - Korea KW - hypertension KW - HPN KW - high blood pressure KW - prevalence KW - national trends KW - regional trends KW - nationwide study KW - socioeconomic KW - trends KW - participant KW - population based KW - cross-sectional study KW - treatment N2 - Background: Understanding the association between hypertension prevalence and socioeconomic and behavioral variables during a pandemic is essential, and this analysis should extend beyond short-term trends. Objective: This study aims to examine long-term trends in the prevalence of participants diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension, using data collected by a nationally representative survey from 2009 to 2022, which includes the COVID-19 pandemic era. Methods: A nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional study used data collected from the South Korea Community Health Survey between 2009 and 2022. The study sample comprised 3,208,710 Korean adults over a period of 14 years. We aimed to assess trends in the prevalence of participants diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension in the national population from 2009 to 2022, with a specific focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, using weighted linear regression models. Results: Among the included 3,072,546 Korean adults, 794,239 (25.85%) were aged 19-39 years, 1,179,388 (38.38%) were aged 40-59 years; 948,097 (30.86%) were aged 60-79 years, and 150,822 (4.91%) were aged 80 years or older. A total of 1,426,379 (46.42%) were men; 761,896 (24.80%) and 712,264 (23.18%) were diagnosed with and received treatment for hypertension, respectively. Although the overall prevalence over the 14-year period increased, the upward trends of patients diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic era compared with the prepandemic era (? difference for trend during vs before the pandemic ?.101, 95% CI ?0.107 to ?0.094 vs ?.133, 95% CI ?0.140 to ?0.127). Notably, the trends in prevalence during the pandemic were less pronounced in subgroups of older adults (?60 years old) and individuals with higher alcohol consumption (?5 days/month). Conclusions: This nationwide representative study found that the national prevalence of participants diagnosed with and receiving treatment for hypertension increased during the prepandemic era. However, there was a marked decrease in these trends during the prepandemic era, compared with the pandemic era, particularly among specific subgroups at increased risk of negative outcomes. Future studies are needed to evaluate the factors associated with changes in the prevalence of hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic. UR - https://publichealth.jmir.org/2024/1/e51891 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/51891 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39078683 ID - info:doi/10.2196/51891 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Luo, Minjing AU - Dong, Yue AU - Fan, Bingbing AU - Zhang, Xinyue AU - Liu, Hao AU - Liang, Changhao AU - Rong, Hongguo AU - Fei, Yutong PY - 2024/6/10 TI - Sleep Duration and Functional Disability Among Chinese Older Adults: Cross-Sectional Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e53548 VL - 7 KW - sleep duration KW - functional disability KW - activity of daily living disability KW - instrumental activity of daily living KW - older population N2 - Background: The duration of sleep plays a crucial role in the development of physiological functions that impact health. However, little is known about the associations between sleep duration and functional disability among older adults in China. Objective: This study aimed to explore the associations between sleep duration and functional disabilities in the older population (aged?65 years) in China. Methods: The data for this cross-sectional study were gathered from respondents 65 years and older who participated in the 2018 survey of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, an ongoing nationwide longitudinal investigation of Chinese adults. The duration of sleep per night was obtained through face-to-face interviews. Functional disability was assessed according to activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scales. The association between sleep duration and functional disability was assessed by multivariable generalized linear models. A restricted cubic-spline model was used to explore the dose-response relationship between sleep duration and functional disability. Results: In total, 5519 participants (n=2471, 44.77% men) were included in this study with a mean age of 73.67 years, including 2800 (50.73%) respondents with a functional disability, 1978 (35.83%) with ADL disability, and 2299 (41.66%) with IADL disability. After adjusting for potential confounders, the older adults reporting shorter (?4, 5, or 6 hours) or longer (8, 9, or ?10 hours) sleep durations per night exhibited a notably increased risk of functional disability compared to that of respondents who reported having 7 hours of sleep per night (all P<.05), which revealed a U-shaped association between sleep duration and dysfunction. When the sleep duration fell below 7 hours, increased sleep duration was associated with a significantly lower risk of functional disability (odds ratio [OR] 0.85, 95% CI 0.79-0.91; P<.001). When the sleep duration exceeded 7 hours, the risk of functional disability associated with a prolonged sleep duration increased (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.29; P<.001). Conclusions: Sleep durations shorter and longer than 7 hours were associated with a higher risk of functional disability among Chinese adults 65 years and older. Future studies are needed to explore intervention strategies for improving sleep duration with a particular focus on functional disability. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2024/1/e53548 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/53548 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38771907 ID - info:doi/10.2196/53548 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Liu, Kui AU - Xie, Zhenhua AU - Xie, Bo AU - Chen, Songhua AU - Zhang, Yu AU - Wang, Wei AU - Wu, Qian AU - Cai, Gaofeng AU - Chen, Bin PY - 2022/7/29 TI - Bridging the Gap in End Tuberculosis Targets in the Elderly Population in Eastern China: Observational Study From 2015 to 2020 JO - JMIR Public Health Surveill SP - e39142 VL - 8 IS - 7 KW - pulmonary tuberculosis KW - elderly population KW - prediction N2 - Background: With a progressive increase in the aging process, the challenges posed by pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) are also increasing for the elderly population. Objective: This study aimed to identify the epidemiological distribution of PTB among the elderly, forecast the achievement of the World Health Organization?s 2025 goal in this specific group, and predict further advancement of PTB in the eastern area of China. Methods: All notified active PTB cases aged ?65 years from Zhejiang Province were screened and analyzed. The general epidemiological characteristics were depicted and presented using the ArcGIS software. Further prediction of PTB was performed using R and SPSS software programs. Results: Altogether 41,431 cases aged ?65 years were identified by the surveillance system from 2015 to 2020. After excluding extrapulmonary TB cases, we identified 39,832 PTB cases, including laboratory-confirmed (23,664, 59.41%) and clinically diagnosed (16,168, 40.59%) PTB. The notified PTB incidence indicated an evident downward trend with a reduction of 30%; however, the incidence of bacteriologically positive cases was steady at approximately 60/100,000. Based on the geographical distribution, Quzhou and Jinhua Cities had a higher PTB incidence among the elderly. The delay in PTB diagnosis was identified, and a significantly prolonged treatment course was observed in the elderly. Moreover, a 50% reduction of PTB incidence by the middle of 2024 was predicted using a linear regression model. It was found that using the exponential smoothing model would be better to predict the PTB trend in the elderly than a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average model. Conclusions: More comprehensive and effective interventions such as active PTB screening combined with physical checkup and succinct health education should be implemented and strengthened in the elderly. A more systematic assessment of the PTB epidemic trend in the elderly population should be considered to incorporate more predictive factors. UR - https://publichealth.jmir.org/2022/7/e39142 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/39142 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35904857 ID - info:doi/10.2196/39142 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Husted, Skov Karina Louise AU - Brink-Kjær, Andreas AU - Fogelstrøm, Mathilde AU - Hulst, Pernille AU - Bleibach, Akita AU - Henneberg, Kaj-Åge AU - Sørensen, Dissing Helge Bjarup AU - Dela, Flemming AU - Jacobsen, Brings Jens Christian AU - Helge, Wulff Jørn PY - 2022/5/10 TI - A Model for Estimating Biological Age From Physiological Biomarkers of Healthy Aging: Cross-sectional Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e35696 VL - 5 IS - 2 KW - biological age KW - model development KW - principal component analysis KW - healthy aging KW - biomarkers KW - aging N2 - Background: Individual differences in the rate of aging and susceptibility to disease are not accounted for by chronological age alone. These individual differences are better explained by biological age, which may be estimated by biomarker prediction models. In the light of the aging demographics of the global population and the increase in lifestyle-related morbidities, it is interesting to invent a new biological age model to be used for health promotion. Objective: This study aims to develop a model that estimates biological age based on physiological biomarkers of healthy aging. Methods: Carefully selected physiological variables from a healthy study population of 100 women and men were used as biomarkers to establish an estimate of biological age. Principal component analysis was applied to the biomarkers and the first principal component was used to define the algorithm estimating biological age. Results: The first principal component accounted for 31% in women and 25% in men of the total variance in the biological age model combining mean arterial pressure, glycated hemoglobin, waist circumference, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, maximal oxygen consumption, adiponectin, high-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor. The correlation between the corrected biological age and chronological age was r=0.86 (P<.001) and r=0.81 (P<.001) for women and men, respectively, and the agreement was high and unbiased. No difference was found between mean chronological age and mean biological age, and the slope of the regression line was near 1 for both sexes. Conclusions: Estimating biological age from these 9 biomarkers of aging can be used to assess general health compared with the healthy aging trajectory. This may be useful to evaluate health interventions and as an aid to enhance awareness of individual health risks and behavior when deviating from this trajectory. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03680768; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03680768 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/19209 UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2022/2/e35696 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/35696 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35536617 ID - info:doi/10.2196/35696 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Dimet-Wiley, Andrea AU - Golovko, George AU - Watowich, J. Stanley PY - 2022/3/16 TI - One-Year Postfracture Mortality Rate in Older Adults With Hip Fractures Relative to Other Lower Extremity Fractures: Retrospective Cohort Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e32683 VL - 5 IS - 1 KW - hip KW - fracture KW - mortality KW - aging KW - older adults KW - elderly KW - mortality risk KW - electronic health record KW - EHR KW - survival probability KW - postfracture mortality rate KW - fall KW - bone KW - injury KW - dementia KW - diabetes KW - type 2 diabetes KW - trauma KW - treatment KW - comorbidity KW - mobility N2 - Background: Hip fracture in older adults is tied to increased mortality risk. Deconvolution of the mortality risk specific to hip fracture from that of various other fracture types has not been performed in recent hip fracture studies but is critical to determining current unmet needs for therapeutic intervention. Objective: This study examined whether hip fracture increases the 1-year postfracture mortality rate relative to several other fracture types and determined whether dementia or type 2 diabetes (T2D) exacerbates postfracture mortality risk. Methods: TriNetX Diamond Network data were used to identify patients with a single event of fracture of the hip, the upper humerus, or several regions near and distal to the hip occurring from 60 to 89 years of age from 2010 to 2019. Propensity score matching, Kaplan-Meier, and hazard ratio analyses were performed for all fracture groupings relative to hip fracture. One-year postfracture mortality rates in elderly populations with dementia or T2D were established. Results: One-year mortality rates following hip fracture consistently exceeded all other lower extremity fracture groupings as well as the upper humerus. Survival probabilities were significantly lower in the hip fracture groups, even after propensity score matching was performed on cohorts for a variety of broad categories of characteristics. Dementia in younger elderly cohorts acted synergistically with hip fracture to exacerbate the 1-year mortality risk. T2D did not exacerbate the 1-year mortality risk beyond mere additive effects. Conclusions: Elderly patients with hip fracture have a significantly decreased survival probability. Greatly increased 1-year mortality rates following hip fracture may arise from differences in bone quality, bone density, trauma, concomitant fractures, postfracture treatments or diagnoses, restoration of prefracture mobility, or a combination thereof. The synergistic effect of dementia may suggest detrimental mechanistic or behavioral combinations for these 2 comorbidities. Renewed efforts should focus on modulating the mechanisms behind this heightened mortality risk, with particular attention to mobility and comorbid dementia. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2022/1/e32683 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/32683 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35293865 ID - info:doi/10.2196/32683 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Hu, Lu AU - Trinh-Shevrin, Chau AU - Islam, Nadia AU - Wu, Bei AU - Cao, Shimin AU - Freeman, Jincong AU - Sevick, Ann Mary PY - 2022/2/2 TI - Mobile Device Ownership, Current Use, and Interest in Mobile Health Interventions Among Low-Income Older Chinese Immigrants With Type 2 Diabetes: Cross-sectional Survey Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e27355 VL - 5 IS - 1 KW - technology use KW - Chinese immigrants KW - type 2 diabetes KW - mHealth KW - health disparities KW - immigrant health KW - diabetes KW - mobile health KW - intervention KW - smartphone KW - immigrant N2 - Background: Chinese immigrants suffer a disproportionately high type 2 diabetes (T2D) burden and tend to have poorly controlled disease. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been shown to increase access to care and improve chronic disease management in minority populations. However, such interventions have not been developed for or tested in Chinese immigrants with T2D. Objective: This study aims to examine mobile device ownership, current use, and interest in mHealth interventions among Chinese immigrants with T2D. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, Chinese immigrants with T2D were recruited from Chinese community centers in New York City. Sociodemographic characteristics, mobile device ownership, current use of social media software applications, current use of technology for health-related purposes, and interest in using mHealth for T2D management were assessed. Surveys were administered face-to-face by bilingual study staff in the participant?s preferred language. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the study sample and summarize technology use. Results: The sample (N=91) was predominantly female (n=57, 63%), married (n=68, 75%), and had a high school education or less (n=58, 64%); most participants had an annual household income of less than US $25,000 (n=63, 69%) and had limited English proficiency (n=78, 86%). The sample had a mean age of 70 (SD 11) years. Almost all (90/91, 99%) participants had a mobile device (eg, basic cell phones, smart devices), and the majority (n=83, 91%) reported owning a smart device (eg, smartphone or tablet). WeChat was the most commonly used social media platform (65/91, 71%). When asked about their top source for diabetes-related information, 63 of the 91 participants (69%) reported health care providers, followed by 13 who reported the internet (14%), and 10 who reported family, friends, and coworkers (11%). Less than one-quarter (21/91, 23%) of the sample reported using the internet to search for diabetes-related information in the past 12 months. About one-third of the sample (34/91, 37%) reported that they had watched a health-related video on their cell phone or computer in the past 12 months. The majority (69/91, 76%) of participants reported interest in receiving an mHealth intervention in the future to help with T2D management. Conclusions: Despite high mobile device ownership, the current use of technology for health-related issues remained low in older Chinese immigrants with T2D. Given the strong interest in future mHealth interventions and high levels of social media use (eg, WeChat), future studies should consider how to leverage these existing low-cost platforms and deliver tailored mHealth interventions to this fast-growing minority group. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2022/1/e27355 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/27355 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35107426 ID - info:doi/10.2196/27355 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Vancini, L. Rodrigo AU - Camargo-Neto, Luiz AU - Andrade, S. Marilia AU - de Lira, A. Claudio AU - dos Santos, G. Rafaela AU - Nikolaidis, T. Pantelis AU - Knechtle, Beat AU - Piacezzi, HV Luiz AU - Teixeira-Lopes, CB Maria AU - Assayag-Batista, E. Ruth AU - Pinto-Okuno, F. Meiry AU - Vancini-Campanharo, R. Cássia PY - 2021/9/14 TI - A Sociodemographic Profile of Mask Use During the COVID-19 Outbreak Among Young and Elderly Individuals in Brazil: Online Survey Study JO - JMIR Aging SP - e28989 VL - 4 IS - 3 KW - aging KW - older adults KW - COVID-19 KW - pandemic KW - sociodemographic profile KW - face mask KW - social media KW - online media KW - adolescents N2 - Background: Sociodemographic variables may impact decision making regarding safety measures. The use and selection of adequate face masks is a safety and health measure that could help minimize the spread of COVID-19 infection. Objective: This study aims to examine sociodemographic variables and factors relating to COVID-19 that could impact decision making or the choice to use or not use face masks in the prevention and care of a possible COVID-19 infection among a large sample of younger and older Brazilian people. Methods: An online survey composed of 14 closed-ended questions about sociodemographic variables and COVID-19 was used. A total of 2673 participants consisted of Brazilian people (aged ?18 years) from different states of Brazil and were grouped according to age (?59 years and ?60 years). To compare the variables of interest (associated with wearing a face mask or not), chi-square and likelihood ratio tests were used (with P<.05 being significant). Results: Most of the participants in both groups were women from the southeast region who had postgraduate degrees. Approximately 61% (1452/2378) of individuals aged ?59 years and 67.8% (200/295) of those aged ?60 years were not health professionals. In the group aged ?59 years, 83.4% (1983/2378) did not show COVID-19 signs and symptoms, and 97.3% (2314/2378) were not diagnosed with COVID-19. In the older adult group, 92.5% (273/295) did not show signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and 98.3% (290/295) were not diagnosed with the disease. The majority of the participants in both groups reported using face masks, and their decision to use face masks was influenced by the level of education and their occupation as a health professional. Conclusions: Younger and older adults have worn face masks during the COVID-19 outbreak. It is difficult to measure how much of a positive impact this attitude, habit, and behavior could have on the degree of infection and spread of the disease. However, it can be a positive indicator of adherence to the population?s security and safety measures during the pandemic. UR - https://aging.jmir.org/2021/3/e28989 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/28989 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34253508 ID - info:doi/10.2196/28989 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Reid, Holly AU - Miller, Cameron William AU - Esfandiari, Elham AU - Mohammadi, Somayyeh AU - Rash, Isabelle AU - Tao, Gordon AU - Simpson, Ethan AU - Leong, Kai AU - Matharu, Parmeet AU - Sakakibara, Brodie AU - Schmidt, Julia AU - Jarus, Tal AU - Forwell, Susan AU - Borisoff, Jaimie AU - Backman, Catherine AU - Alic, Adam AU - Brooks, Emily AU - Chan, Janice AU - Flockhart, Elliott AU - Irish, Jessica AU - Tsukura, Chihori AU - Di Spirito, Nicole AU - Mortenson, Ben William PY - 2021/9/1 TI - The Impact of COVID-19?Related Restrictions on Social and Daily Activities of Parents, People With Disabilities, and Older Adults: Protocol for a Longitudinal, Mixed Methods Study JO - JMIR Res Protoc SP - e28337 VL - 10 IS - 9 KW - COVID-19 KW - longitudinal study KW - spinal cord injury KW - disability KW - adult KW - occupational disruption KW - stroke KW - older adults N2 - Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to wide-scale changes in societal organization. This has dramatically altered people?s daily activities, especially among families with young children, those living with disabilities such as spinal cord injury (SCI), those who have experienced a stroke, and older adults. Objective: We aim to (1) investigate how COVID-19 restrictions influence daily activities, (2) track the psychosocial effects of these restrictions over time, and (3) identify strategies to mitigate the potential negative effects of these restrictions. Methods: This is a longitudinal, concurrent, mixed methods study being conducted in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Data collection occurred at four time points, between April 2020 and February 2021. The first three data collection time points occurred within phases 1 to 3 of the Province of BC?s Restart Plan. The final data collection coincided with the initial distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines. At each time point, data regarding participants? sociodemographics, depressive and anxiety symptoms, resilience, boredom, social support, instrumental activities of daily living, and social media and technology use were collected in an online survey. These data supplemented qualitative videoconference interviews exploring participants? COVID-19?related experiences. Participants were also asked to upload photos representing their experience during the restriction period, which facilitated discussion during the final interview. Five groups of participants were recruited: (1) families with children under the age of 18 years, (2) adults with an SCI, (3) adults who experienced a stroke, (4) adults with other types of disabilities, and (5) older adults (>64 years of age) with no self-reported disability. The number of participants we could recruit from each group was limited, which may impact the validity of some subgroup analyses. Results: This study was approved by the University of British Columbia Behavioural Research Ethics Board (Approval No. H20-01109) on April 17, 2020. A total of 81 participants were enrolled in this study and data are being analyzed. Data analyses are expected to be completed in fall 2021; submission of multiple papers for publication is expected by winter 2021. Conclusions: Findings from our study will inform the development and recommendations of a new resource guide for the post?COVID-19 period and for future public health emergencies. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/28337 UR - https://www.researchprotocols.org/2021/9/e28337 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/28337 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34292163 ID - info:doi/10.2196/28337 ER - TY - JOUR AU - Rivera-Rodriguez, Claudia AU - Cheung, Gary AU - Cullum, Sarah PY - 2021/1/6 TI - Using Big Data to Estimate Dementia Prevalence in New Zealand: Protocol for an Observational Study JO - JMIR Res Protoc SP - e20225 VL - 10 IS - 1 KW - routinely collected data KW - repeated measures KW - dementia KW - Alzheimer disease KW - modeling KW - complex sampling ? N2 - Background: Dementia describes a cluster of symptoms that includes memory loss; difficulties with thinking, problem solving, or language; and functional impairment. Dementia can be caused by a number of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease and cerebrovascular disease. Currently in New Zealand, most of the systematically collected and detailed information on dementia is obtained through a suite of International Residential Assessment Instrument (interRAI) assessments, including the home care, contact assessment, and long-term care facility versions. These versions of interRAI are standardized comprehensive geriatric assessments. Patients are referred to have an interRAI assessment by the Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) services after a series of screening processes. Previous estimates of the prevalence and costs of dementia in New Zealand have been based on international studies with different populations and health and social care systems. This new local knowledge will have implications for estimating the demographic distribution and socioeconomic impact of dementia in New Zealand. Objective: This study investigates the prevalence of dementia, risk factors for dementia, and drivers of the informal cost of dementia among people registered in the NASC database in New Zealand. Methods: This study aims to analyze secondary data routinely collected by the NASC and interRAI (home care and contact assessment versions) databases between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2019, in New Zealand. The databases will be linked to produce an integrated data set, which will be used to (1) investigate the sociodemographic and clinical risk factors associated with dementia and other neurological conditions, (2) estimate the prevalence of dementia using weighting methods for complex samples, and (3) identify the cost of informal care per client (in number of hours of care provided by unpaid carers) and the drivers of such costs. We will use design-based survey methods for the estimation of prevalence and generalized estimating equations for regression models and correlated and longitudinal data. Results: The results will provide much needed statistics regarding dementia prevalence and risk factors and the cost of informal care for people living with dementia in New Zealand. Potential health inequities for different ethnic groups will be highlighted, which can then be used by decision makers to inform the development of policy and practice. Conclusions: As of November 2020, there were no dementia prevalence studies or studies on informal care costs of dementia using national data from New Zealand. All existing studies have used data from other populations with substantially different demographic distributions. This study will give insight into the actual prevalence, risk factors, and informal care costs of dementia for the population with support needs in New Zealand. It will provide valuable information to improve health outcomes and better inform policy and planning. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/20225 UR - https://www.researchprotocols.org/2021/1/e20225 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/20225 UR - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33404510 ID - info:doi/10.2196/20225 ER -