The prevalence of herbal supplement use by the elderly and factors that influence regular versus occasional use were investigated in a group of independent residents of a continuing care retirement community in Salem, Oregon. A nine-page questionnaire was delivered to 402 residents of Capital Manor; 318 questionnaires were usable (84% response rate). The majority of respondents were female (68%) and Caucasian (88%) with an age range of 65 to 100 (average 82.2 years). Twenty percent of all respondents (n=65) were herbal supplement users. Sixty-two percent of them were regular users and 39% were occasional users. The majority of users were female (68%), Caucasian (85%), and non-smokers (78%). Their age range was 65 to 91 years (mean of 79.6 years). Sixty-nine percent reported living with a spouse. They had more than a high school education (78%) and had annual household incomes above $50,000 (49%). "Books, newspapers, and magazines" (84%) were the information sources most frequently relied on for herbal supplement information, followed by "medical doctor/nurse" (72%). Forty-four percent of user households spent more than $10 per month on herbal supplements. Supermarkets (41%) and health food stores (41%) were the most popular places to purchase herbal supplements. The majority of herbal supplement users strongly agreed/agreed that taking herbal supplements would "make you feel less stress" (88%), "protect you from getting a cold" (81%), and "improve your memory" (81%). Fifty-two percent of users strongly agreed/agreed that "herbal supplements may cause side effects" and 24% strongly agreed/agreed that "herbal supplement shouldn't be taken with other medications". Gingko biloba was the most frequently used of eight herbal supplements (71% of respondents) followed by echinacea (39%) and ginseng (29%). Males were significantly more likely to use saw palmetto (claimed to prevent enlargement of the prostate gland). Eighty-three percent of herbal supplement users reported having some knowledge about possible benefits of ginkgo biloba (claimed to reduce memory loss). A belief that herbal supplements "improve your memory" was significantly associated with usage. Regular herbal supplement users were significantly more likely to agree that taking herbal supplements reduces severity of memory loss. Four factors were significantly related to herbal supplement use: age group (with age group of 75 to 84 years old more likely to be users than age groups of 65 to 74 years and age group of 85 years and over); living status (with those living with spouses being more likely to be users than those living alone), health status changes in the past year (with users being more likely to report their health status as "improved" than non-users); and physical exercise participation (with users being more likely to exercise than nonusers). The fundamental hypothesis of this study was that the frequency of use of herbal supplements among older adults would be mediated by several factors including: perceived susceptibility to and severity of chronic diseases (i.e., heart disease and cancer); perceived benefits of and barriers to herbal supplement usage; information sources; vitamin/mineral supplement usage; and perceived preventive lifestyle factors. Of these, only vitamin/mineral supplement usage was significantly associated with herbal supplement usage. Ninety-seven percent of herbal supplement users also used vitamin/mineral supplements. In addition, perception of control over health (a measure of self-efficacy) was significantly associated with herbal supplement use. The more control perceived, the more likely respondents were to be herbal supplement users. In general, the Health Belief Model did not predict frequency of herbal supplement usage (i.e., regular vs. occasional). Hence, further research is needed to focus on factors predicting herbal supplement use versus non-use. In addition, lack of awareness about risks and benefits of herbal supplement use suggests a need for education targeted at older adults. / Graduation date: 2001

Two studies which were similar in protocol were conducted. Following a preliminary baseline period of 7 days, in which the subjects consumed their self-chosen diets, they received 3 eggs daily for 4 weeks. Depending upon the changes in plasma cholesterol in response to 3 eggs daily, the subjects in studies A and B were divided into 2 groups. During the subsequent 4 week treatment period, the hyporesponders received 6 eggs daily in study A, and 3 eggs and additional butter daily in study B. The hyperresponders consumed 3 eggs daily in study A; and 3 eggs with additional high PUFA margarine in study B. Dietary records were taken during the last 7 days of each period. A total of 128 seven-day dietary records kept by these subjects indicated that the majority of them met the RDA's for the nutrients studied, except vitamin B6 and folacin. Vitamin B6 intakes were below 67% of the RDA in 13% of the diets, and were below 67% of the RDA for folacin in 21% of the diets. There was a problem in meeting 67% of the RDA for zinc in subjects who consumed less than 70 g. of protein daily. When the subjects added 3 whole eggs daily to their self-chosen diets, there were significant increases in protein (p<0.05), total fat (p<0.01), phosphorous (p<0.01), sodium (p<0.001), iron (p<0.05), and dietary cholesterol (p<0.0001). A significant decrease in non-egg dietary cholesterol (p<0.01) was also observed. There were no significant differences in nutrient intake between hypos and hypers in either the baseline or classification periods. No further changes in nutrient intakes were seen in the 9 subjects who continued consuming 3 added eggs daily during treatment period. The 13 hyporesponders who added 6 eggs daily to their self-chosen diets had significant increases, compared to baseline, in protein (p<0.05), total fat (p<0.05), and dietary cholesterol (p<0.0001) and significant decreases in carbohydrate (p<0.01), thiamin (p<0.05), and vitamin B6 (p<0.05). Other than obvious increases in total fat, no other changes in nutrient intake were observed upon the addition of butter or margarine. The use of nutritional supplements was observed in 71% of the subjects: 58% regularly and 13% occasionally. All subjects who took supplements included vitamin C. In general, nutrient supplements did not improve poor nutrient intakes. These results show overall adequacy of the diets for most of the men, which is consistent with other studies. The effects of additional egg in the diet were increases in protein, fat and cholesterol intakes and a decrease in carbohydrate consumption. / Graduation date: 1985

The effect of pyridoxine (PN) supplementation on lymphocyte responsiveness was investigated in 15 elderly volunteers (aged 65-81 years) by measuring lymphocyte proliferation to T and B cell mitogens, lymphocyte subpopulations with monoclonal antibodies (T3, T4, T8) and plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) concentration at pre-supplementation and after 1 and 2 months of daily supplementation. Eleven subjects received 50mg of PN-HC1 and 4 received a placebo. Dietary histories were also evaluated for Intake of vitamin B-6, protein and kilocalories. Mitogens used for the stimulation of lvmphocyte proliferation were phytohemagglutinin (PHA), concanavalln A (Con A), pokeweed mitogen (PWM), and Staphylococcus aureus Cowain I (SAC). Plasma PLP was measured by a radio tracer method. Before supplementation, mean PLP of the 15 subjects was 31.7 +/- 14.1 nM; 5 PN and 3 placebo treated subjects had low PLP levels. After 1 and 2 months of PN-HCl supplementation, the PLP levels Increased by 195 +/-88 nM and 201 +/-84 nM, respectively. Lymphocyte proliferation In response to PHA, PWM, and SAC Increased significantly (p < 0.05) with PN supplementation. Among PN-treated subjects, Ivmpbocyte blaatogenesls was significantly greater In response to Con A and PWM in individuals whose initial PLP was low. Percentages of T3+ and T4+, but not T8+ cells increased significantly In PN-treated individuals. These results suggest that vitamin B-6 status is important in maintaining immunocompetence in the elderly. / Graduation date: 1986

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological inquiry was to explore college-aged women's experiences of body positivity and self-acceptance. I applied a conceptual framework that blended feminist identity development model (FIDM) and relational cultural theory (RCT) to answer the following questions: (a) what are the lived experiences of college-aged women who identify as having a positive and accepting body image? and (b) how do college-aged women's intersecting identities contribute to the development of positive and accepting body image? Ten college-age women participated in the current study. The participants provided detailed accounts of their experiences of body image throughout their life. Five overarching themes were identified through data analysis of the interview transcripts: (a) advocating for self and others, (b) beauty expectations and societal definitions, (c) intersecting identities, (d) journey of acceptance, and (e) relationships and community. Participants offered insight into the development of their current position of body positivity and self-acceptance that serve as implications for other relevant contexts. Implications and recommendations drawn from the participants' experiences can inform preventative and treatment care in educational settings, family environments, clinical practice, and integrated care.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Of Master of Family Medicine Johannesburg, July 2014 / BACKGROUND Physical activity has been consistently shown to play an important role in healthy ageing. While motivators and barriers to regular physical activities among old people residing in old age homes have been studied in other parts of the world, the researcher found no studies on this subject in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this research was to identify the motivators and barriers to regular exercise in elderly people residing in old age homes in Ekurhuleni Southern sub-district of Gauteng province. METHODS This was a descriptive cross sectional study conducted among elderly residents in old age homes in Ekurhuleni Southern Sub-district. A structured questionnaire was administered in the common languages: English, Afrikaans and Zulu. The data was collected by the researcher (assisted by research assistants) from 139 residents in seven old age homes. A Pearson chi square test was used to examine the relationship between participants’ characteristics with regular exercise. RESULTS This study showed that having knowledge of exercise benefits (P-value= 0.001) an opportunity to socialize (P-value= 0.001) was statistically associated with regular exercise. Similarly, younger age (P- value= 0.02), high educational attainment (P-value= 0.03), being of white race (P -value= 0.04) were the main motivators to regular exercise. In contrast, poor health (P-value=0.001) and lack of knowledge of exercise benefits (P-value=0.001) were the major barriers to regular exercise. CONCLUSION Increasing residents’ knowledge of the benefits of regular exercise, opportunity for socialization and providing support to elderly people are crucial in increasing the uptake and maintenance of regular exercise among elderly people living in old age homes in Ekurhuleni Southern Sub-district.

According to Lombard and Kruger (2009), the status of older persons has not changed considerably despite the promulgation of the Older Persons Act in 2005 and the adoption of the South African Policy for Older Persons in 2006. The researcher attempted to contribute to a better understanding of the problematic status of older persons through an exploratory study of institutional arrangements involved in the implementation of the policy using a case study approach. The network theory was used as a guiding theoretical framework. Findings from the study indicate a randomly related network affected by lack of robust, efficient and effective leadership and co-ordination. Formalization of network membership through written rules and a constitution that spells out the roles and responsibilities of network members, and continued interaction amongst network members is suggested to strengthen the network and the leadership. It is the conviction of the researcher that strengthening of the network will improve the implementation of the South African Policy on Older Persons, thereby improving the lives of older people.

O exercício físico possui papel importante para a qualidade de vida e qualidade física da população em geral e, sobretudo para os idosos, pessoas com possibilidade de obter maiores benefícios com essa prática. Estima-se que o conhecimento sobre esse tema venha sendo divulgado entre as autoridades e os profissionais da área da saúde. Entretanto, especificamente no que se refere à população idosa do município de Ribeirão Preto, não se conhece, com precisão, o grau de conhecimento que possuem acerca do exercício físico, mesmo para as pessoas inseridas em Programas específicos. Assim, este estudo objetivou caracterizar os núcleos dos Programas de Integração Comunitária (PIC) da cidade de Ribeirão Preto, participantes deste estudo, segundo tempo de fundação, atividades realizadas e participação da comunidade; caracterizar os idosos que participam das atividades destes núcleos, segundo variáveis sociodemográficas, condições de saúde, atividade física e avaliação cognitiva; descrever o conhecimento e a percepção desses idosos acerca do exercício físico e correlacionar o conhecimento às variáveis sociodemográficas, econômica, tempo de prática de exercício físico e cognitiva. Trata-se de um estudo observacional, seccional e correlacional. Após a definição dos 22 Núcleos que fizeram parte deste estudo, a amostra foi obtida mediante Amostragem Aleatória Simples (AAS). A coleta de dados foi realizada, no período de janeiro a abril de 2009, nos Núcleos do PIC, após contato telefônico prévio com os representantes destes. Utilizou-se uma adaptação do Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS), o Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM) e um questionário de avaliação do conhecimento sobre o exercício físico. Foram estudados 142 idosos com média de idade de 68,5 anos; 93% eram mulheres; 49,3% casados e 38,7 viúvos; com média de três filhos; 50,7% estudaram entre um e quatro anos; 54,2% eram aposentados; Com relação à saúde, 54,2% auto-avaliaram a saúde entre Boa e Ótima; evidenciou-se em média 4,45 doenças por idoso. No que se refere aos hábitos de exercício físico, o tempo de prática de exercício físico no PIC foi em média de sete anos; 54.9% três vezes por semana; 42,3% preferem as atividades de intensidade leve e sem impacto, como alongamento; 76,1% indicaram a manutenção da saúde como objetivo desta prática. Quanto a avaliação pelo MEEM, 61,3% apresentaram bom desempenho no teste e o escore médio foi de 26,1 pontos. O escore médio de conhecimento sobre o exercício físico foi de 18 pontos e condizentes com as respostas adequadas. Na analise de regressão linear múltipla houve associação somente entre o conhecimento sobre o exercício físico e a escolaridade. O estudo revelou que os idosos apresentaram nível adequado de conhecimento sobre o exercício físico e, que houve associação entre o conhecimento e o nível de escolaridade. Programas destinados à prática de exercício físico devem ser mantidos e/ou criados, pois podem representar um estímulo ao combate do sedentarismo, principalmente para os idosos. / Physical exercise has an important role for the quality of life and physical quality of the population in general and mainly for elderly people, who can have more benefits from this practice. It is estimate the knowledge about this theme has been published among health professionals and authorities. However, specifically regarding the elderly population of the city of Ribeirão Preto, the degree of knowledge they have about physical exercises is not exactly known, even for people involved in specific Programs. Thus, this observational, cross-sectional and correlational study aimed to characterize the services of the Community Integration Programs (PIC) of the city of Ribeirão Preto, participants of this study, according to services time of existence, activities carried out and community participation; to characterize elderly adults who participate of the services activities, according to sociodemographic variables, health conditions, physical activities and cognitive assessment; to describe the knowledge and perception of these elderly people regarding physical exercises and correlate the knowledge to the time of physical exercise practice, sociodemographic, economic and cognitive variables. The sample was obtained through Simple Random Sampling (SRS), after defining the 22 Services that participated in the study. Data collection was carried out between January and April 2009, at PIC services, after previous telephone contact with the representative of the services. An adaptation of the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS), the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a questionnaire to assess knowledge about physical exercise were used. In total, 142 elderly adults participated in the study, with average age of 68.5 years; 93% were female; 49.3% married and 38.7% widower; with an average of three children; 50.7% had studied between one and four years; and 54.2% were retired. Regarding health, 54.2% self-assessed their health as Good or Excellent; on average, 4.45 diseases were evidenced per elderly person. As to physical exercise habits, the time of practice at PIC was on average seven years; 54.9% three times a week; 42.3% prefer low intensity and no-impact activities, such as stretching; 76.1% indicated health maintenance as the practices objective. As to the MEEM assessment, 61.3% presented good performance in the test and scored on average 26.1. The average score of knowledge about physical exercise was 18 points and suitable to adequate answers. The multiple linear regression analysis showed association only between knowledge about physical exercise and educational level. The study revealed that elderly adults presented appropriate level of knowledge about physical exercise and there was association between knowledge and educational level. Programs targeting physical exercise practice should be maintained and/or created, as they can be an incentive to fight the sedentary lifestyle, especially for elderly people.

Introdução: A manutenção das habilidades cognitivas e funcionais constitui um dos fatores associados à qualidade de vida no envelhecimento. A literatura ainda dispõe de poucos dados a respeito dos fatores associados ao melhor desempenho cognitivo global em idades avançadas. Objetivo: Identificar os fatores associados ao melhor desempenho cognitivo global em idosos sem prejuízo cognitivo do município de São Paulo. Método: Para tanto, foram analisados os dados do Estudo SABE - Saúde e Bem- Estar no Envelhecimento, um estudo multicêntrico, longitudinal e realizado em uma amostra representativa dos idosos residentes no município de São Paulo/SP do ano de 2006. Investigaram-se os idosos sem declínio cognitivo pertencentes a quatro faixas de escolaridade: sem escolaridade, com 1-3 e 4-7 anos e 8 anos de estudo e mais. Entre as três primeiras faixas de escolaridade foram considerados com desempenho cognitivo normal os idosos com pontuação do MEEM classificada no primeiro e segundo terciis e com melhor desempenho aqueles com pontuação dentro do terceiro tercil. Com relação aos idosos com 8 ou mais anos de escolaridade, foram considerados com desempenho normal aqueles com pontuação de 28 e 29 e com melhor desempenho aqueles com pontuação máxima (30 pontos) no MEEM. As variáveis investigadas foram idade; sexo; condição de moradia; estado marital; autopercepção de renda; condições sócio- econômicas e de saúde nos primeiros 15 anos de vida; funcionalidade familiar; sintomas depressivos; doenças crônicas auto-referidas; dificuldades em pelo menos uma ou mais Atividade Básica e Instrumental de Vida Diária (ABVD e AIVD); freqüência de participação em atividades ocupacionais, físicas e relacionadas ao contato social ativo; e freqüência de contatos sociais (familiares e amigos). O grupo de referência para o modelo de regressão logística múltipla foi composto pelos idosos com desempenho normal. Para as análises foi usado um nível de significância de 5 por cento . Resultados: Os idosos com melhor desempenho no MEEM eram mais jovens e a sua maioria referiu morar com alguém no domicílio e possuir um companheiro (a). Aproximadamente metade desse grupo referiu que os rendimentos eram suficientes para cobrir as necessidades diárias. Esses idosos apresentaram menor prevalência de dificuldades nas ABVD e AIVD e elevado nível de participação nas atividades investigadas. No modelo de regressão logística final os idosos com maiores chances de apresentar melhor desempenho referiram ausência de dificuldades nas AIVD, consumo álcool (sem abuso), auto-percepção de que os rendimentos são suficientes para cobrir as necessidades diárias, contato social ativo com familiares e amigos e idade mais jovem / Background: The maintenance of functional and cognitive abilities is one of the factors associated to quality of life during aging. The literature has little data about the factors associated with better cognitive performance in older adults. Objective: To identify factors associated with better global cognitive performance in older adults residents in São Paulo. Method: For this, data from the SABE Study - Health and Wellness in Aging was analyzed, a multicenter and longitudinal research conducted in a representative sample of older adults living in São Paulo/SP in 2006. Older adults without cognitive decline according to four levels of schooling, no schooling, 1 to 3 years, 4 to 7 and 8 years and more were investigated. Among the first three levels of schooling the group of normal cognitive performance were composed to older adults with MMSE scores ranked in the first and second tertiles. The group with better cognitive performance scored in the third tertile. Regard to the older adults with 8 or more years of schooling were considered normal performance score 28 and 29 points and better cognitive performance 30 points on MMSE. The variables examined were age, sex, housing condition, marital status, income perception, socioeconomic health in the first 15 years of life, family functioning, depressive symptoms, self-reported chronic disease; difficulties in at least one or more Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), frequency of participation in group activities, occupational, physical and related to active social contact, and frequency of social contacts (family and friends). Data were analyzed by multiple logistic regression models. The reference group for the models consisted of the elderly with normal cognitive performance. The significance level of analysis was 5 per cent (p 0.05). Results: Individuals with better MMSE scores were concentrated in the age group 60 to 74 years and it´s majority reported living with someone at home and have a partner (a). Approximately half of this group was composed of older women and older who reported that revenues were insufficient to meet their daily needs. These older adults had a lower prevalence of difficulties in ADL and IADL and high level of participation in the activities investigated. In the final logistic regression model with the older adults more likely to outperform the absence of reported difficulty in IADL, no excess alcohol consumption (without abuse), self-perception that earnings are sufficient to meet daily needs, active social contact with family and friends and the younger age group