Harvard Bell Fellow Lindsay Kobayashi, PhD, is lead author on a paper in PLOS One that takes a closer look at the sociodemographic, biomedical, behavioral, and psychological predictors of older adults’ perceived life expectancy, which is predictive of mortality risk.
CVD risk management varies in South Africa by gender, socioeconomic & disability status
A study just out by a team of HAALSI researchers finds that in South Africa cardiovascular disease risk is not being managed as well for women, those of lower socioeconomic status, and for those with physical disabilities.
Cognitive health plays key role in late-life well-being in sub-Saharan Africa
A study by Collin Payne, PhD, a recent Bell Fellow and current research associate at the Harvard Pop Center, focuses on the under-explored patterns that link cognition, health and well-being in a low-income population.
Can having a sense of purpose later in life help you function better physically?
A novel study published in JAMA Psychiatry by Ichiro Kawachi, MD, and Laura Kubzansky, PhD, and colleagues has found an association between having a sense of purpose and better physical functioning, such as grip strength and walking speed, in older adults in the U.S.
What is driving later-life cognitive function of a rural South African population that lived under Apartheid?
Harvard Bell Fellow Lindsay Kobayashi, PhD, is lead author on a paper published in Social Science & Medicine that is one of the few studies that takes a closer look at the life-course drivers (e.g., self-reported childhood health and father’s occupation) of cognitive aging in South Africa. Other authors include researchers associated with the Harvard Pop Center and the HAALSI study.
Is becoming a homeowner after the age of 50 good for mental health?
Research findings indicate yes, although according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the reasons why a new home is acquired make a difference. Harvard Pop Center faculty member and former fellow Mauricio Avendano, PhD, is an author on the study.
Depression and anxiety levels increase with age and vary by gender in aging South African population
Harvard Bell Fellow Collin Payne, PhD, is author on a paper in Demography that takes a rare look at the mental health status of aging adults in Malawi, South Africa, a low-income setting with a high incidence of HIV. Findings suggest that declining levels of physical health with age may be a key driver of the rise in depression and anxiety.
What explains difference in heart rate recovery among those of varying levels of socioeconomic status?
Harvard Pop Center Director Lisa Berkman and colleagues, including recent visiting scientist Cathal McCrory, are authors on a paper published in The Journals of Gerontology Series A that links higher levels of educational attainment with better heart rate recovery, which is an important biomarker of cardiovascular health and predictor of mortality. Lifetime smoking was found to play a significant role in explaining some of the differences between the educational levels.
Harvard Pop Center is hiring a Research Associate (HAALSI)
Interested in working on research projects involving dementia, cognitive functioning and aging studies? Learn more!
HAALSI website focuses on health of aging population of South African community
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the overall gains in life expectancy due to socioeconomic and health improvements—as well as the scale-up of antiretroviral treatment (ART)—have meant that adults are now experiencing the onset of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases at unforeseen levels, with projections of rates to more than double over the next 20 years. Funded by a grant from the National Institute on Aging, the HAALSI (Health and Aging in Africa: A Longitudinal…
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