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Objectives:This paper examines differentials in self-rated health (SRH) among older adults (aged 60+ years) across three impoverished and ethnically diverse neighborhoods in post-conflict Lebanon and assesses whether variations are explained by social and economic factors. Design:Data were drawn from the Older Adult Component (n = 740) of the Urban Health Survey, a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in 2003 in a formal community (Nabaa), an informal settlement (Hey El-Sellom), and a refugee camp for Palestinians (Burj El-Barajneh) in Beirut, Lebanon. The role of the social capital and economic security constructs in offsetting poor SRH was assessed using multivariate ordinal logistic regression analyses. Results:Older adults in Nabaa fared better in SRH compared to those in Hey El-Sellom and Burj El-Barajneh, with a prevalence of good, average, and poor SRH being respectively, 41.5%, 37.0%, and 21.5% in Nabaa, 33.3%, 23.9%, and 42.7% in Hey El-Sellom, and 25.2%, 31.3%, and 43.5% in Burj El-Barajneh. The economic security construct attenuated the odds of poorer SRH in Burj El-Barajneh as compared to Nabaa from 2.57 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.89–3.79) to 1.42 (95% CI: 0.96–2.08), but had no impact on this association in Hey El-Sellom (odds ratio, OR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.39–3.24). The incorporation of the social capital construct in the fully adjusted model rendered this association insignificant in Hey El-Sellom (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 0.96–2.32), and led to further reductions in the magnitude of the association in Burj El-Barajneh camp (OR: 1.18, 95% CI: 0.80–1.76). Conclusions:The social context in which older adults live and their financial security are key in explaining disparities in SRH in marginalized communities. Social capital and economic security, often overlooked in policy and public health interventions, need to be integrated in dimensions of well-being of older adults, especially in post-conflict settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective.Multiracial (two or more races) American health related to racial stability over the life course is a pressing issue in a burgeoning multi-ethnic and multicultural global society. Most studies on multiracial health are cross-sectional and thus focus on racial categorization at a single time point, so it is difficult to establish how health indicators change for multiracials over time. Accordingly the central aim of this paper was to explore if consistency in racial categories over time is related to self-rated health for multiracial young adults in the USA.Methods.Data were drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) survey (N= 7957). Weighted multivariate logistic regression was used to exam health status in early adulthood between individuals who switched racial categories between Waves 1 and 3 compared to those who remained in the same racial categories.Results.There were significant differences in report of self-rated health when comparing consistent monoracial adults with multiracial adults who switch racial categories over time.Diversifying(switching from one category to many categories) multiracial respondents are less likely to report fair/poor self-rated health compared to single-race minority young adults in the fully adjusted model (OR = 0.20; 95% CI [0.06–0.60]).Conclusion.These results demonstrate the importance of critically examining changes in racial categories as related to health status over time. Furthermore, these results demonstrate how the switch in racial categories during adolescence can explain some variations in health status during young adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective. Previous studies have identified several factors to be associated with physical activity (PA) among African-Americans, e.g., demographic and health-related characteristics. Formative studies suggest a link between sociocultural factors and PA among ethnic minorities; yet, it is unclear whether these factors play a role in PA among African-Americans. This paper explores the association of selected sociocultural characteristics with self-reported PA by gender among African-American adults, taking into account demographic and health-related characteristics. Design. Data from the baseline survey of a colorectal cancer communication intervention trial were used. Participants included 446 African-American men and women, aged 45–75 years. Self-report data were collected on demographics, health-related characteristics, selected sociocultural constructs (e.g., ethnic identity, religiosity, collectivism, and medical mistrust), and PA. PA was categorized as meeting or not meeting recommended levels; recommended levels were defined as participating in vigorous PA for 20 minutes/day for at least three days/week or moderate PA for 30 minutes/day for at least five days/week or a minimum of 600 MET-minutes/week in at least five days. Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression models were used to characterize the association between the selected sociocultural constructs and PA among men and women, after adjusting for demographic and health-related characteristics. Results. Most participants reported some PA but only 59% were found to be meeting recommended levels. Univariate analyses revealed that high collectivist attitudes were associated with meeting recommended PA (OR=1.74), particularly for women (OR=1.81). In multivariate analyses, high collectivist attitudes were significantly associated with meeting PA recommendations among men (OR=1.87); while high religiosity and high collectivism were significant among women (OR=1.87 and 1.85, respectively). Conclusions. Few of the selected sociocultural characteristics were found to be associated with meeting recommended PA levels. Further study is needed to understand the association of these characteristics with PA among African-Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]