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Purpose: The impact of a sedentary lifestyle on health and well-being is well recognized. However, there is limited understanding of how a lifetime of physical activity and sedentary behaviour influences an active lifestyle in older adults. The aim of this study was to describe how lived experience of physical activity and sedentary behaviour impacts daily activities among older adults, from a life course perspective., Methods: Qualitative content analysis was used; individual telephone interviews were conducted with fourteen older adults aged 71 to 92 years. The participants received initial support from community care and lived in ordinary housing in southern Sweden., Results: The interviews yielded one theme, "Navigating with an embodied activity compass," and two sub-themes: "Being guided by the past" and "Unveiling pathways through body awareness.", Conclusions: Our study highlights how older adults' lived experiences of physical activity, with their connections to body awareness and acceptance, impact daily physical activity. These findings offer new knowledge for clinical practitioners balancing recommendations of sedentary behaviour and physical activity, to promote healthy daily physical activity among older adults. Future research and policies should consider the lived experiences of older adults when addressing public health matters related to sedentary behaviour and physical activity.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sweden implemented social distancing measures to reduce infection rates. However, the recommendation meant to protect individuals particularly at risk may have had negative consequences. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on very old Swedish peoples' mental health and factors associated with a decline in mental health., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among previous participants of the SilverMONICA (MONItoring of Trends and Determinants of CArdiovascular disease) study. Of 394 eligible participants, 257 (65.2%) agreed to participate. Of these, 250 individuals reported mental health impact from COVID-19. Structured telephone interviews were carried out during the spring of 2021. Data were analysed using the χ2 test, t-test, and binary logistic regression., Results: Of 250 individuals (mean age: 85.5 ± 3.3 years, 54.0% women), 75 (30.0%) reported a negative impact on mental health, while 175 (70.0%) reported either a positive impact (n = 4) or no impact at all (n = 171). In the binary logistic regression model, factors associated with a decline in mental health included loneliness (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]) (3.87 [1.83-8.17]) and difficulty adhering to social distancing recommendations (5.10 [1.92-13.53]). High morale was associated with positive or no impact on mental health (0.37 [0.17-0.82])., Conclusions: A high percentage of very old people reported a negative impact on mental health from the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily from loneliness and difficulty adhering to social distancing measures, while high morale seemed to be a protective factor., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Jonsson et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) has shown good validity and reliability, but few studies have examined the GDS among very old adults or the Swedish translation., Objectives: Evaluate the validity and reliability of the Swedish version of GDS-15 among very old adults., Methods: In the Umeå85 + /GErontological Regional DAtabase (GERDA) study, 387 participants were assessed with both the GDS-15 and the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). The mean age was 91 years. Concurrent validity between the scales was calculated using Spearman's correlation. We used the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) V symptom criteria for depression based on MADRS item scores to define depression. We calculated the Area Under the Curve (AUC) and found an optimal cut-off. A convenience sample with 60 individuals was used to calculate test-retest reliability with Cohen's kappa and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)., Results: Spearman's correlation coefficients between total scores for GDS-15 and MADRS were 0.60. Cronbach's alpha for the whole scale was 0.73. The AUC was 0.90 for distinguishing major depression, and the recommended cut-off of ≥ 5 showed a sensitivity of 95.2% and specificity of 65.8%. The test-retest showed that Cohen's kappa was substantial (0.71) and the ICC was excellent (0.95)., Conclusions: The Swedish version of the GDS-15 showed good validity and reliability among very old adults. The generally recommended cut-off of ≥ 5 seems reasonable to use with the Swedish version and among very old adults., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background Aging leads to increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and reduced skeletal muscle density. To which extent these are associated with the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and all-cause mortality in older adults is unknown. Methods and Results A total of 3294 70-year-old individuals (49.6% women) underwent a health examination in Umeå, Sweden, during 2012 to 2018. VAT and muscle density were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Cases of stroke, MI, and all-cause mortality were collected through national registers. Cox regressions were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs per SD greater VAT and per SD lower muscle density. During a mean follow-up of 3.6 years, there were 108 cases of stroke or MI, and 97 deaths. Greater VAT (adjusted HR [aHR], 1.56; 95% CI, 1.09-2.22), but not lower muscle density (aHR, 1.14; 95% CI, 0.97-1.34), was associated with increased risk of stroke or MI. Neither VAT (aHR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.65-1.41) nor muscle density (aHR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.92-1.34) was associated with all-cause mortality. The association of VAT with stroke or MI was only significant in men (aHR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.19-2.91) but not women (aHR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.25-1.42) ( P interaction =0.038). Conclusions With the limitation of being an observational study, these findings suggest that VAT is an important obesity-related predictor of cardiovascular risk in 70-year-old men, and by implication, that decreasing VAT may potentially reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease.

Background: As the group of very old persons will form an increasing part of society, the study of how well-being is described and affected by specific factors will be of importance to meet the future needs of these persons. The aim of the study was to increase knowledge of well-being in very old persons by combining assessments and perceptions using the Philadelphia Geriatric Morale Scale (PGCMS)., Method: In a mixed method, convergent parallel design, 52 persons 80 years or older were assessed and interviewed using the PGCMS to combine assessment of morale and descriptions of perceptions of well-being using a mixed method approach., Results: Quantitative and qualitative results converged in four areas: not feeling lonely and being included, rating and perceiving health as good, high physical function/ability and being physically active, living in own house and feeling at home. Areas perceived as important to well-being captured only in qualitative analysis were having freedom and engagement. An example of insights not achievable from the quantitative or qualitative analysis alone was that individuals with high morale expressed anxiety about losing their health due to potential ageing-related threats and that individuals with low morale struggled with acceptance. Acceptance was the key strategy for handling adverse consequences of ageing in all described areas., Conclusion: When using standardized assessment scales in clinical practice, it could be useful to combine quantitative and qualitative data. Acceptance was key for well-being; however, acceptance could be resigned or reorienting in nature., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Older adults with diabetes take fewer steps per day than those without diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association of daily step count with incident diabetes in community-dwelling 70-year-olds., Methods: This prospective cohort study included N = 3055 community-dwelling 70-year-olds (52% women) who participated in a health examination in Umeå, Sweden during 2012-2017, and who were free from diabetes at baseline. Daily step count was measured for 1 week using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. Cases of diabetes were collected from the Swedish National Patient Register. The dose-response association was evaluated graphically using a flexible parametric model, and hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using Cox regressions., Results: During a mean follow-up of 2.6 years, diabetes was diagnosed in 81 participants. There was an inverse nonlinear dose-response association between daily step count and incident diabetes, with a steep decline in risk of diabetes from a higher daily step count until around 6000 steps/day. From there, the risk decreased at a slower rate until it leveled off at around 8000 steps/day. A threshold of 4500 steps/day was found to best distinguish participants with the lowest risk of diabetes, where those taking ≥ 4500 steps/day, had 59% lower risk of diabetes, compared to those taking fewer steps (HR, 0.41, 95% CI, 0.25-0.66). Adjusting for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) attenuated the association (HR, 0.64, 95% CI, 0.38-1.06), which was marginally altered after further adjusting for sedentary time, education and other cardiometabolic risk factors and diseases (HR, 0.58, 95% CI, 0.32-1.05)., Conclusions: A higher daily step count is associated with lower risk of incident diabetes in community-dwelling 70-year-olds. The greatest benefits occur at the lower end of the activity range, and much earlier than 10,000 steps/day. With the limitation of being an observational study, these findings suggest that promoting even a modest increase in daily step count may help to reduce the risk of diabetes in older adults. Because VAT appears to partly mediate the association, lifestyle interventions targeting diabetes should apart from promoting physical activity also aim to prevent and reduce central obesity.

Background and Purpose: Intravenous thrombolysis is a well-established treatment for acute ischemic stroke. Our aim was to quantify the effect of each minute delay in door-to-needle time (DNT) on 90-day survival, intracerebral hemorrhagic complication <36 hours, and functional outcomes at 3 months, in routine clinical practice., Methods: Our nationwide registry-based study included 14 132 adult patient admissions with ischemic stroke receiving intravenous thrombolysis from 2010 to 2017. Outcomes were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders., Results: Median DNT was 47 minutes, with an improvement from 65 to 38 minutes during the study. Median age was 74 years, and median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale 8 points. We found a significant impact of each minute delay in DNT with reduced odds of survival by 0.6%, increased odds of intracerebral hemorrhagic and worse activities of daily living by 0.3%, and worse living conditions and mobility by 0.4%., Conclusions: Improving DNT is a key factor in achieving good outcomes after stroke. We estimate that in Sweden alone in 2017, compared with 2010, the shorter DNT achieved have saved 38 lives, avoided 8 intracerebral hemorrhagic transformations, and spared, respectively, 36, 51, and 52 patients from a worsening in activities of daily living, living conditions, and mobility. DNT is sensitive for interventions and should be targeted in quality improvement efforts.

Objectives: A recent study of acute stroke patients in England and Wales revealed several patterns of temporal variation in quality of care. We hypothesized that similar patterns would be present in Sweden and aimed to describe these patterns. Additionally, we aimed to investigate whether hospital type conferred resilience against temporal variation., Materials and Methods: We conducted this nationwide registry-based study using data from the Swedish Stroke Register (Riksstroke) including all adult patients registered with acute stroke between 2011 and 2015. Outcomes included process measures and survival. We modeled time of presentation as on/off-hours, shifts, day of week, 4-hour, and 12-hour time blocks. We studied hospital resilience by comparing outcomes across hospital types., Results: A total of 113 862 stroke events in 72 hospitals were included. The process indicators and survival all showed significant temporal variation. Door-to-needle (DTN) time within 30 minutes was less likely during nighttime than daytime (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.41-0.60). Patients admitted during off-hours had lower odds of direct stroke unit (SU) admission (OR 0.72; 95% CI 0.70-0.75). 30-day survival was lower in nighttime vs daytime presentations (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.84-0.96). The effects of temporal variation differed significantly between hospital types for DTN time within 30 minutes and direct SU admission where university hospitals were more resilient than specialized non-university hospitals., Conclusions: Our study shows that variation in quality of care and survival is present throughout the whole week. We also found that university hospitals were more resilient to temporal variation than specialized non-university hospitals., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: The objectives were to study changes in morale in individuals 85 years and older, and to assess the effect of negative life events on morale over a five-year follow-up period., Method: The present study is based on longitudinal data from the Umeå85+/GERDA-study, including individuals 85 years and older at baseline (n = 204). Morale was measured with the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS). Negative life events were assessed using an index including 13 negative life events occurring during the follow-up period. Linear regression was used for the multivariate analyses., Results: The majority of the sample (69.1%) had no significant changes in morale during the five-year follow-up. However, the accumulation of negative life events was significantly associated with a greater decrease in PGCMS. A higher baseline PGCMS score did not attenuate the adverse effect negative life events had on morale., Conclusion: Morale seemed to be mainly stable in a five-year follow-up of very old people. It seems, nonetheless, that individuals are affected by negative life events, regardless of level of morale. Preventing negative life events and supporting individuals who experience multiple negative life events could have important implications for the care of very old people.

Background: high morale is defined as future-oriented optimism. Previous research suggests that a high morale independently predicts increased survival among old people, though very old people have not been specifically studied., Objective: to investigate whether high morale is associated with increased survival among very old people., Subjects: the Umeå 85+/GErontological Regional DAtabase-study (GERDA) recruited participants aged 85 years and older in northern Sweden and western Finland during 2000-02 and 2005-07, of whom 646 were included in this study., Methods: demographic, functional- and health-related data were collected in this population-based study through structured interviews and assessments carried out during home visits and from reviews of medical records. The 17-item Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) was used to assess morale., Results: the 5-year survival rate was 31.9% for participants with low morale, 39.4% for moderate and 55.6% for those with high morale. In an unadjusted Cox model, the relative risk (RR) of mortality was higher among participants with low morale (RR = 1.86, P < 0.001) and moderate morale (RR = 1.59, P < 0.001) compared with participants with high morale. Similar results were found after adjustment for age and gender. In a Cox model adjusted for several demographic, health- and function-related confounders, including age and gender, mortality was higher among participants with low morale (RR = 1.36, P = 0.032) than those with high morale. There was a similar but non-significant pattern towards increased mortality in participants with moderate morale (RR = 1.21, P value = 0.136)., Conclusion: high morale is independently associated with increased survival among very old people., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)