FORGING AHEAD - LINKING HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR TO IMPROVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN OLDER-PEOPLE

Authors
Citation
Mg. Ory et Dm. Cox, FORGING AHEAD - LINKING HEALTH AND BEHAVIOR TO IMPROVE QUALITY-OF-LIFE IN OLDER-PEOPLE, Social indicators research, 33(1-3), 1994, pp. 89-120
Citations number
61
Categorie Soggetti
Social, Sciences, Interdisciplinary
Journal title
ISSN journal
03038300
Volume
33
Issue
1-3
Year of publication
1994
Pages
89 - 120
Database
ISI
SICI code
0303-8300(1994)33:1-3<89:FA-LHA>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
This chapter will focus on conceptual and methodological issues relate d to health promotion/disability prevention for older people. The firs t section will begin with a discussion of why older people, as compare d to younger persons, are not traditionally seen as targets of health promotion efforts. In recent years several national working groups hav e been established to examine how older people's health and functionin g can be improved. Their objectives and recommendations for older Amer icans will be reviewed. The second section will address the conceptual framework underlying health and behavior research supported by the Na tional Institute on Aging. Tle movement from correlational studies to studies of basic mechanisms linking health and behaviour will be discu ssed, with particular attention to interactions with aging processes. Examples of health and behavior research representing these processes will be presented as well as methodological issues in the measurement of health and functional outcomes for older people. Measurement of qua lity of life in the cognitively impaired is seen as especially difficu lt. The third section will review several common themes emanating from these research studies. These include attention to a life course pers pective, variability in aging processes, alternative research approach es, and intervention strategies for both initiating and maintaining re commended behavioral changes. A fourth section will review current are as of investigation at the National Institute of Aging. Successful int ervention strategies in both community and institutional settings will to presented. These include: (1) a comprehensive behavioral and envir onmental falls prevention program which has been shown to reduce falls in the community; (2) a health education program to increase older wo men's use of cancer-related health practices; and (3) behavioral strat egies for reducing incontinence in nursing homes. A new NIA initiative on special care units for persons with dementia will also be discusse d. The fifth and final section will deal with issues involved in the t ranslation of research into policy and practice. Approaches for increa sing the relevance of research to policymakers will be discussed.