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The main objective of this study is to explain and predict subjective well-being among the elderly as a function of their social location in society and the nature of their social networks. More specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions: First, how do the elderly perceive their well-being? Second, does social location in society, as defined by income and education, produce different perceptions of well-being? Third, how would interaction and receipt of goods and services in the social support network modify the impact of social location on subjective well-being? Using the data of the National Survey on the Aged, 1975, conducted by Ethel Shanas, the study utilized a social structure and personality framework. as an approach to the problem. Through multiple regression analyses, the study found that the impact of social locational factors on subjective well-being among the elderly is not mediated by the pattern of social interaction in the social support network. Education was found to be an important correlate of subjective well-being among the elderly. / Master of Science

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between selected economic, social, and institutional variables and participation in the Food Stamp Program by elderly households. Data reported by elderly households (i.e., having one member aged 60 or over) were drawn from data collected in the states of California and Virginia for the North Central Regional Project NC-152. Interviewers collected data by conducting personal interviews with households between July, 1979 and May, 1980. Of the 150 elderly households, 59 had participated in the Food Stamp Program at some time in the 12 months preceding the interview and 91 were eligible for the program at the time of the interview but had not participated. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. The overall significance of the regression of participation in the Food Stamp Program on the linear combination of predictors was found to be statistically significant at the .05 level. The hypothesized relationships supported by the results were: (1) households receiving Supplemental Security Income are more likely tc participate than households net receiving SSI; (2) single person households are less likely to participate than households with more than one member; (3) households with a head aged 65 or over are less likely to participate than households with a head aged 59 or under; (4) households that have heard about the Food Stamp Program from a welfare worker are more likely to participate than households that have not beard about the Program from a welfare worker. / Master of Science

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

The demographic shift to an older population has led to a structural transformation of the labor force and rapid social change within American society. This, in turn, has given rise to the need to reassess the factors which facilitate and impede the older adults' interest and participation in work-related education (WRE). More specifically, the research sought to discover how the older adult's perceptions of self, work options, the accessibility of work-related education (WRE) programs, the attitudes and support of significant others, and job market experience affect their expression of interest and willingness to participate in WRE. Key perceptions regarding WRE and their interrelationships were suggested by Rubenson's Paradigm for Recruitment, which helped me to generate questions, guide the interviews, and analyze data. The interviewees were 19 healthy women, age 55 and over, who were living in a Southwestern Virginia city in which WRE programs were offered by public and private educational institutions. Interviewees were grouped according to financial and work status in order to examine how the women's perceptions varied by these characteristics. A qualitative methodology employing in-depth interviews was utilized to achieve the study's objective and to address the limitations of earlier research. Findings indicate a strong, but conditional interest in WRE existed among women in the workforce, despite initial negative responses to a survey-type question. Interest and willingness to participate in WRE varied by type of WRE and grouping of the women by income and work status. For example, financially secure working women were only interested in on-the-job training while financially-insecure women would require training subsidies and job guarantees. Case studies revealed that the working women's experiences with age-discrimination was a major factor qualifying their interest in WRE. Financially-secure-retired women were not interested in WRE under any conditions. Definitional problems associated with the concept of WRE resulted in mis-perceptions by some of the interviewees and most likely, have seriously affected the validity of some past survey research in this area. To account for the conditional nature of interest m WRE, modifications of Rubenson's paradigm and recommendations to guide further survey research were suggested. Data resulting from this study have implications for both the applied and theoretical aspects of adult education and gerontology. Resultant data augment the information available to educational policy-makers at all levels of government who are expected to respond equitably to the varied educational needs and interest of this diverse segment of the population. Senior employment counselors, human resource decision makers m companies, and employers of older adults may also benefit from the insights gained in this study. / Ed. D.

The purpose of this dissertation was to understand how genetics, socioeconomic status (SES), and lifestyle factors influence the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy in an adult population in Dallas County. Two hundred fifty-three older adults participated in this study as the sample. Crosstabulation and binary logistic regression were utilized to analyze the data. Results indicated a disparity among participants' test scores, visual health status, and perceptions of their visual impairment and highlighted the fact that many seniors are not educated about age-related retinal disorders. Furthermore, variables reaching statistical significance were consistent with the literature included race/ethnicity, age, having a family history of both AMD and diabetes, frequency of eye exams, and level of education. The results not consistent with the literature as affecting visual health included health insurance, access to health care, body weight, and smoking status. Recommendations for future study included applied research focusing on determining risk factors, raising awareness, educating, and providing early detection of these diseases among low to middle income Caucasian, African American, and Hispanic older adults.

The underlying assumption of this thesis was that different subgroups of older adults have different motivations for seeking employment.

by Kenneth Wing-kin Law. / Publication date from spine. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [325]-371). / Questionnaire in Chinese. / List of Tables --- p.viii / Acknowledgements --- p.x / Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 / Global Trend of Population Aging --- p.2 / Population Aging as a Sort of Social Problem --- p.5 / The Development of Elderly Studies in Hong Kong --- p.13 / Areas of Study --- p.19 / Chapter (1) --- Social exaggeration of the elderly problem --- p.22 / Chapter (2) --- Social construction of the elderly problem --- p.25 / Chapter (3) --- Ethics of applied social research --- p.29 / Organization of the Dissertation --- p.32 / Chapter 2. --- Literature Review --- p.34 / Early Sociological Study on the Elderly (1940-1980) --- p.35 / Chapter (1) --- Role theory --- p.36 / Chapter (2) --- Activity theory --- p.38 / Chapter (3) --- Disengagement theory --- p.39 / Chapter (4) --- Subculture theory --- p.40 / Chapter (5) --- Modernization theory --- p.41 / Contemporary Sociological Study on the Elderly (1980and onwards) --- p.46 / Chapter (1) --- Modernization and the decline of social status of the elderly --- p.48 / Chapter (2) --- Nature of the elderly problem --- p.52 / Chapter (3) --- Myths towards later life --- p.55 / Chapter 3. --- Analytical Framework --- p.59 / Biaes in Elderly Studies --- p.61 / Chapter (1) --- Conceptual bias --- p.62 / Chapter (2) --- Methodological bias --- p.67 / Social Construction of Social Problems --- p.69 / Chapter (1) --- Definition of social problems --- p.70 / Chapter (2) --- The subject matter of the sociology of social problems --- p.77 / Chapter (3) --- Social problems as claims-making activities --- p.81 / Social Exaggeration and Claims-making Activities --- p.88 / Chapter 4. --- Research Design --- p.97 / Social Exaggeration of the Elderly Problem in Hong Kong --- p.98 / Chapter (1) --- The logic and design of the survey --- p.99 / Chapter 1. --- Sample design and data collection --- p.101 / Chapter 2. --- Instrumentation --- p.103 / Chapter (2) --- The logic and design of the content analysis --- p.107 / Chapter 1. --- Sample and data collection --- p.109 / Chapter 2. --- Instrumentation --- p.110 / Social Construction of Elderly Problem --- p.113 / Ethics of Applied Social Research --- p.116 / Chapter 5. --- Population Aging in Hong Kong --- p.120 / The Growth of the Elderly Population --- p.120 / Convergence with Western Aged Societies --- p.123 / Divergence with Western Aged Societies --- p.129 / Explanations: Conventional Wisdom --- p.133 / An Alternative Explanation: Chinese Immigrants from Mainland China --- p.136 / Implications --- p.142 / Concluding Remarks --- p.150 / Chapter 6. --- Social Exaggeration of the Elderly Problemin Hong Kong --- p.153 / Social Perception of the Elderly --- p.155 / Chapter (1) --- Social perception of the social status of the elderly --- p.157 / Chapter (2) --- Social stereotyping of the elderly --- p.165 / Chapter (3) --- Social perception of elderly problems --- p.178 / Social and Economic Life of the Elderly in Hong Kong --- p.181 / Chapter (1) --- Social network and social relationships --- p.181 / Chapter (2) --- Economic sufficiency --- p.186 / Chapter (3) --- Life satisfaction --- p.189 / Chapter (4) --- Physical health condition --- p.197 / Chapter (5) --- Social status --- p.202 / An Alternative Explanation of the Discrepancy --- p.206 / Chapter (1) --- Structural origins of the negative social steretyping of the elderly --- p.206 / Chapter (2) --- Conceptual bias --- p.209 / Chapter (3) --- Methodological bias --- p.215 / Concluding Remarks --- p.222 / Chapter 7. --- Social Construction of the Elderly Problemin Hong Kong --- p.225 / The Process of the Social Construction of the Elderly Problem in Hong Kong --- p.231 / Chapter (1) --- Stage 1: Agitation --- p.240 / Chapter (2) --- Stage 2: Legitimating and co-optation --- p.249 / Politicization of Social Problems and Professionalization of Social Work --- p.254 / Concludidng Remarks --- p.262 / Chapter 8. --- Ethics of Applied Social Research --- p.266 / The Predomination of Applied Social Research in Hong Kong --- p.268 / Value in Applied Social Research --- p.273 / Ethical Issues in Elderly Research in Hong Kong --- p.283 / Chapter (1) --- General quality of researchers --- p.286 / Chapter (2) --- Value in applied social research --- p.291 / Chapter (3) --- Social responsibility of researchers --- p.306 / Concluding Remarks --- p.310 / Chapter 9. --- Conclusion --- p.312 / Bibliography --- p.325 / Appendix 1: Survey Questionnaire --- p.372 / Appendix 2: List of Reviewed Research Reports --- p.394 / Appendix 3: Comparison of the Distribution of Age and Sex between Sample and Population --- p.400

A large body of empirical research has documented strong beneficial effects of educational attainment on a wide range of health outcomes. In addition, there has been growing interest in the links between religion and health, and some studies have suggested that the benefits of religious involvement on health are strongest for persons with low-to-moderate levels of education. To date, however, the bulk of this work has been conducted in the U.S. or other nations in the developed West. Although researchers have called for more comparative and cross-cultural studies on these topics, few if any studies have focused on the interplay of education, religion, and multiple health outcomes in China, particularly among its most elderly citizens. This project aims to address this gap in the research literature, with the following objectives: (1) to examine whether and how education is related to emotional and cognitive well-being, and reflects possible gender differences; (2) to explore whether and how religious participation is associated with various health indicators; and (3) to examine whether religious practice may complement or moderate the association between individual-level SES or community-level SES and health in this distinctive population. To investigate these issues, I use data from the Chinese Healthy Longevity Survey, a nationwide survey of the oldest old adults in China; my analyses involve the 1998 baseline survey, as well as data from the 2000 and 2002 follow-up surveys. Findings suggest that: (1) education impacts emotional and cognitive well-being through different mechanisms; (2) the indirect effects of religion on health are primarily mediated by psychological resources and lifestyle, but not by social resources; (3) females report higher levels of religious participation and get more cognitive benefits from it than males; (4) individual-level SES is negatively associated with religious participation, whereas community-level SES is positively associated with religious participation; and (5) the beneficial effects of religion on psychological wellbeing are more pronounced for residents in poorer areas. The theoretical and policy implications of the findings are discussed and elaborated.