Recorded presentation

Ruth Palombo, PhD RD, Office of Elder Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 250 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108, 617-624-5424, ruth.palombo@state.ma.us

Gender can have an important influence on psychological well-being among older adults. As people age, certain life events are more likely to occur such as changes in marital, employment and economic status as well as greater losses due to death, illness and moves of family and friends that may affect psychological well-being among women and men differently.

This study uses data from the Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), an annual statewide telephone survey of Massachusetts adults. It examines health and social factors associated with psychological well being among adults age 65 and older and looks at the influence of gender on psychological well being.

Negative social support from family and perception of one’s health as fair or poor predicted poor psychological well-being among women overall. For women with functional limitations, inadequate emotional support and social disengagement were also significant predictors of poor psychological well being. For men overall, dissatisfaction with level of social activities was a significant negative predictor of psychological well-being. For males with functional limitations, current smoking, being a non-drinker and negative social support from family predicted poor psychological well-being. Social resources seemed to play a more important role for women than men overall, and particularly for women with functional limitations..

Study findings provide direction to health agencies for program planning, program implementation and resource allocation for older populations, and help to draw attention to the importance of addressing gender differences in strategies to improve the lives and health of older adults.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to identify health and social factors that affect psychological well-being among older adults and identify differnces between men and women.
• Participants will be able to identify the types of social resources that are particularly important for women with functional limitations.

Keywords: Aging, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation