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A healthful diet and sufficient physical activity (PA) are related to several health outcomes. However, there is a paucity of data on the association of PA and dietary pattern with life satisfaction (LS) in the older adults aged ≥65. The present study investigated the independent and combined association of PA and Baltic Sea diet (BSD) score with LS in older Finnish women. Subjects were 554 women aged 65–72 years from the Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention – Fracture Prevention Study. Women reported the hours and type of PA and lifestyle factors via questionnaires and dietary intake using the 3-d food record. Adequate PA was considered according to WHO recommendation: PA = 0, 0 < PA < 2·5 and ≥2·5 h/week. BSD score was categorised as <13 or ≥13 based on the median score. LS was self-reported using LS scale with four items on current 'interest', 'happiness in life', 'ease of living' and 'feelings of loneliness' (range: 4–20, lower score representing higher satisfaction). After adjusting for the confounders, PA was statistically significantly associated with lower LS score (β coefficient = −0·207, P = 0·001), where women with PA ≥ 2·5 h/week had the lowest LS score followed by women with 0 < PA < 2·5 and PA = 0 (P for trend = 0·020). Association between BSD and LS was NS. Only among women with BSD score ≥ 13, but not BSD < 13, PA ≥ 2·5 h/week was statistically significantly associated with lower LS score (mean = 9·3), followed by 0 < PA < 2·5 (mean = 9·9) and PA = 0 groups (mean = 11·8) (P for trend = 0·033). In conclusion, adequate PA according to WHO recommendation independently and in combination with higher BSD score may be associated with higher LS in older women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this population-based cross-sectional study was to describe and compare the prevalence and features of perceived loneliness among home-dwelling older adults with (n = 129) and without (n = 244) memory disorder. The latter group was randomly resampled from 789 respondents stratified by age to obtain a standardized control group. Loneliness was assessed using the six-item De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and perceived stress using Cohen, Kamarck and Mermelstein's 10-item Perceived Stress Scale. Results show that severe loneliness was common among the home-dwelling older adults, especially those with memory disorder, who also perceived stress more frequently than those without memory disorder. Both groups, but again more frequently those with memory disorder, were more likely to be emotionally than socially lonely. Thus, when planning social and healthcare services and interventions to mitigate loneliness among older adults living at home, memory problems and emotional loneliness require particular consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We aimed to describe the prevalence and age distribution of personality disorders and their comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders in an age-stratified sample of Australian women aged ⩾25 years. Methods: Individual personality disorders (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, histrionic, narcissistic, borderline, antisocial, avoidant, dependent, obsessive-compulsive), lifetime mood, anxiety, eating and substance misuse disorders were diagnosed utilising validated semi-structured clinical interviews (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders, Research Version, Non-patient Edition and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders). The prevalence of personality disorders and Clusters were determined from the study population (n = 768), and standardised to the Australian population using the 2011 Australian Bureau of Statistics census data. Prevalence by age and the association with mood, anxiety, eating and substance misuse disorders was also examined. Results: The overall prevalence of personality disorders in women was 21.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.7, 24.9). Cluster C personality disorders (17.5%, 95% CI: 16.0, 18.9) were more common than Cluster A (5.3%, 95% CI: 3.5, 7.0) and Cluster B personality disorders (3.2%, 95% CI: 1.8, 4.6). Of the individual personality disorders, obsessive-compulsive (10.3%, 95% CI: 8.0, 12.6), avoidant (9.3%, 95% CI: 7.1, 11.5), paranoid (3.9%, 95% CI: 3.1, 4.7) and borderline (2.7%, 95% CI: 1.4, 4.0) were among the most prevalent. The prevalence of other personality disorders was low (⩽1.7%). Being younger (25–34 years) was predictive of having any personality disorder (odds ratio: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.18, 4.74), as was being middle-aged (odds ratio: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.23, 4.72). Among the strongest predictors of having any personality disorder was having a lifetime history of psychiatric disorders (odds ratio: 4.29, 95% CI: 2.90, 6.33). Mood and anxiety disorders were the most common comorbid lifetime psychiatric disorders. Conclusions: Approximately one in five women was identified with a personality disorder, emphasising that personality disorders are relatively common in the population. A more thorough understanding of the distribution of personality disorders and psychiatric comorbidity in the general population is crucial to assist allocation of health care resources to individuals living with these disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important components of the developmental environment is the emotional atmosphere. Childhood experiences and perceptions of parental roles and behavior result in memory models and images, which may affect the children's relationships in adulthood. In the present study, the cross-sectional associations between childhood parental images and the quality of current intimate adult relationships were studied in a sub-study of a mother-child follow-up in northern Finland. The data were collected with a questionnaire mailed to 28-29-year-old adults, with a total of 337 replies. The present study included those respondents ( N = 253) who were married or cohabiting (153 women, 100 men). Since offspring can be affected by gender-specific parenting patterns, the analyses were made separately for both genders. In women, supportiveness in both maternal and paternal images was associated with a balanced intimate relationship, the latter also being associated with a loving relationship and providing protection against quarrelsome and repressive-submissive aspects of the relationship. In men, maternal supportiveness was linked with a balanced and loving intimate relationship and protected against a quarrelsome relationship. Paternal domination was associated with repressive-submissive relationships regardless of gender. In conclusion, the qualities of recalled childhood parenting are important to adult well-being in intimate relationships in a gender-specific manner. The specific importance of the father to the children's later life was also observed. This would indicate that supporting the relationship of the child with both parents is equally important for professionals working with children and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the association between use of antidepressants, mainly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), and bone quality, as measured by heel quantitative ultrasound (QUS). Topics include data from the Geelong Osteoporosis Study in south-eastern Australia, the lower mean broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) found in antidepressant users, and how the risk of osteoporosis is only higher in antidepressant users with low body weights.