Search

Objectives Older adults rely on personal networks for different types of support. Given shifts in family composition in later adulthood, more work is needed to map network members who can provide multiple aspects of support and the implications for older adults. We explore the phenomenon of having the same network members as both a confidant and a caregiver (multiplexity) and its implications for the well-being of older adults. Methods Using the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study, we describe the prevalence of having someone as both a confidant and a caregiver (henceforth "multiplex helper") for older adults and examine its association with subjective well-being. We also investigate the differences by having whom as multiplex helpers. Results About three-quarters (76%) of older adults with at least 1 confidant and 1 caregiver have at least 1 multiplex helper. Partnered older adults are more likely to have any multiplex helpers than unpartnered counterparts and usually nominate their partner as a multiplex helper, whereas the unpartnered are more likely to rely on their children to serve multiple roles, especially for widowed older adults. Having a multiplex helper is associated with better subjective well-being. Discussion Network multiplexity is prevalent and positively associated with the subjective well-being of older adults who have at least 1 confidant and 1 caregiver, above and beyond having any confidants or caregivers separately. The baseline patterns established in this study lay the groundwork for future research to further explore support dynamics in older adults' networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives An individual's past, and reflections on it, may influence current and future well-being. Recent qualitative studies suggest retirees' recollections about their careers relate to well-being in retirement. We investigated associations between life course events and subjective career evaluations, gender differences in these associations, and their subsequent association with retirement adjustment. Methods We used data from 3 waves (2015, 2018, and 2023) of the NIDI Pension Panel Study (NPPS), a longitudinal survey of Dutch older workers. Using a sample of 6,109 respondents, we used ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models to investigate associations between employment stability facilitators and inhibitors (e.g. promotion, demotion, unemployment) and personal shocks (e.g. divorce, widowhood) and subjective evaluations of satisfaction with the work and family domains of career between genders. Using a follow-up sample (N  = 4,106), we employed ordinal logistic regression models to investigate the impact of these baseline subjective evaluations on retirement adjustment at follow-up. Results Employment stability factors such as demotion and unemployment, and personal shocks such as poor psychological health were associated with subjective evaluations of the work and family career domains. Gender differences in these associations were found. Evaluations in both the work and family domains were associated with retirement adjustment at follow-up. Discussion Our results demonstrate the importance of life course events on older workers' evaluations of their careers and the long-term impact of subjective career evaluations. Further research is needed to evaluate the predictive utility of these evaluations for other outcomes in older adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the researchers aimed to understand the life experience of older widowed women living alone. Employing a phenomenological approach, we interviewed 15 older women (age 62 to 95) living alone at homes in two villages in Central Java. Through systematic text condensation procedure, we identified five themes: (1) negative feelings at times, (2) getting used to living alone, (3) needing help to support independent living, (4) coping toward negative feelings, (5) attachment to the original house. We depicted the struggles of older women living alone in their homes. Despite the coping strategies they have developed over time, older women needed help during hard times, especially when getting sick. Families and neighbors were the main resources to maintain their independent living. Improving the home environment to increase suitability for aging residents and providing a support system are the options that best fit the needs and values the older women believed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the role of work in the bereavement process, we focused on health changes among widowed adults. We analyzed a sample of 518 adults (aged 52–95) from the Korean Retirement and Income Study (2011–2019) who experienced spousal loss during the study period. The widowed participants provided data on their employment status and perceived health at both pre-loss and post-loss. Widowed participants reported worse physical and mental health after the bereavement, but the significant health deterioration was not observed among employed participants. Adjusting for pre-loss health status and other covariates, employed widow(er)s showed a smaller decrease in physical and mental health, compared to their counterparts. The effect of employment on physical health changes was more pronounced for economically vulnerable widow(er)s. Work might serve as a restoring coping strategy for widowed individuals; economic benefits from the job may also contribute to their health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Social exclusions in India are not solely a result of marginalised, personal identities. They are equally about the failure of the state to recognise those identities. With an expansion of welfare programs, the turf of exclusions is now actively shaped by the state. Drawing upon fieldwork in the drought-prone Marathwada region of Maharashtra (India), this paper outlines the pathways of how citizens fail to access government welfare schemes. The resulting typology of exclusions is a layered one, encompassing failures of state outreach, rejections of citizens’ claims, and inclusions in the schemes coinciding with exclusions from the benefits, fully or partially. Importantly, the exclusions are deeply gendered. During their lifetime, women end up going through multiple cycles of identity verification by the state; pre-marriage, post-marriage and once again, in widowhood or if the marriage were to fail. Ironically, even as the state extends its welfare resources to women through specific schemes, the underlying procedural requirements render women invisible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Military widow/ers can experience spousal death suddenly and in traumatic circumstances. Evidence shows that this experience often has a long-term effect on surviving family members, highlighting the unique experiences of loneliness and social isolation in the armed forces community. This study aimed to explore military widow/ers' lived experiences of social isolation and loneliness and unmet needs relating to social participation. This paper presents the qualitative findings of a sequential study in which Phase One utilized an online survey (N = 165) and Phase Two employed semi-structured interviews (N = 26). Almost all participants across both Phases discussed feeling lonely, socially isolated, or both. Findings highlight the complexity in transition from military spouse to military widow/er through the loss of a military community and geographical location. This was further compounded by language barriers and perceived hierarchy (through service life or circumstances of death) which created obstacles to help seeking. However, individuals who did join military widow/ers' associations valued peer support through shared connection and understanding. Peer support was particularly valued as, for many, existing relationships with friends or family members were often negatively impacted following bereavement. These changed relationships led to feelings of both vulnerability and loss. Consideration needs to be given to how access to appropriate support is gained and what provision needs to be in place. This study recommends the use of more inclusive language for the military bereaved to promote inclusive practices and broaden the availability of support, including that which would increase social participation, across the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Widowhood has been shown to decrease surviving spouses' economic well-being. However, previous research has focused mostly on income-related outcomes, and has been less attentive to the importance of wealth, the processual nature of spousal death, and cross-national variation. In this study, we assessed how total, housing, and nonhousing wealth changes over the process of widowhood across 11 European countries. Methods Individual fixed-effects regressions and longitudinal data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe were used to estimate how household net total wealth, housing wealth, and nonhousing wealth changed 3 years prior and 6 or more years after spousal death relative to 4 or more years prior to widowhood in 11 European countries. Results In all countries, household net wealth stayed relatively constant across the widowhood process, except for Austria, the Czech Republic, and Poland, where wealth declines were observed especially in the years following death. However, we found declines in housing wealth over the widowhood process, including prior to spousal death, across most countries in our sample, particularly in Austria, France, Denmark, the Czech Republic, and Poland. Declines in housing wealth were generally not reflected by changes in nonhousing wealth but coincided with leaving homeownership and downsizing. Discussion Widowhood is associated with lower wealth, especially housing wealth, even in the years before spousal loss. Future research should focus on adjudicating the mechanisms behind country differences and exploring the implications of lost wealth following widowhood for surviving spouses' well-being and intergenerational transfers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ninety-one percent of surviving spouses in the U.S. cared for their spouses before they died. This review explores the challenges of the transition from caregiving to widowhood and different coping strategies used by widowed spousal caregivers. A systematic review of literature on the transition from caregiving to widowhood was conducted using four major academic search engines. Overall, 280 articles were identified, with 22 meeting the inclusion criteria. Challenges for widowed caregivers included experiencing care burden, letting go of the caregiver role, grief, and triggers. Widowed caregivers' coping strategies included social support and services use, filling the time gap, finding spirituality, and engaging in unhealthy behaviors. Future research is needed to determine the efficacy of widowed caregivers' coping strategies. Concerted and collaborative action by health professionals, community organizations, and policymakers is needed to develop programs and other approaches to support widowed caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the predicament of young widows residing in the tea estates of Bangladesh. The study used qualitative methods to understand how young widows perceive and interpret their experiences of widowhood. Nine young widows were chosen for the in-depth semi-structured interviews using referral sampling. Data were analysed thematically, which was then critically explored and contrasted with the previous literature. The results demonstrated that young widows in the tea gardens struggled to address the psychological, economic, health care, educational, and recreational demands of their children due to declining resource bases. Additionally, young widows face sexual harassment, emotional disturbances, financial insecurity, and gender-sensitive discriminatory cultural practices. The paper advocated for expanding the social safety net in the tea gardens and ensuring land ownership among the tea gardeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health is an important aspect of healthy aging, especially for widowed older adults. This study aims to examine the interrelationships between depression and anxiety symptoms and their associations with quality of life among widowed older adults. Using data from the 2017–2018 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS), we selected a sample of 6,061 widowed older adults (M age = 88.97, SD = 10.01). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CESD-10) Scale, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) Scale, and a self-reported question of quality of life (QoL), respectively. The network analysis was performed to identify central and bridge symptoms of depression and anxiety. Network stability was tested using a case-dropping bootstrap procedure. The "flow" package was used to identify symptoms directly or indirectly associated with QoL. The R package NetworkComparisonTest (NCT) was conducted to examine whether network characteristics differed by gender. Network analysis revealed that GAD2 "Uncontrollable worry" emerged as the most central symptom in the network of depression and anxiety. Bridge symptoms such as GAD1 "Nervousness", CESD6 "Felt fearful", and CESD1 "Felt bothered" were identified as triggers for depression and anxiety. CESD5 "Hopelessness" exhibited the most negative association with the quality of life among widowed older adults. Gender did not significantly influence the network structure and global strength. These findings deepen our understanding of the inter-relationships between depression and anxiety among Chinese widowed older adults. Targeting central and bridge symptoms for treatments or interventions, and promoting hope among widowed older adults may enhance their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To improve our understanding of older informal caregivers' (ICs) health, this paper aimed to compare multidimensional frailty and sociodemographic and economic characteristics between (subgroups of) older ICs and non-caregivers. Methods: Using data originating from the Belgian Ageing studies (n = 6054), intergroup differences between older ICs and non-caregivers and between care-dependent and -independent older ICs/non-caregivers were conducted. In addition binary logistic regressions were carried out to determine which variables were related to caregiver status and need of assistance. Results: Among all respondents, 14.3% were ICs reporting care needs themselves. Informal and non-caregivers with care needs, relative to those without, more often only (partially) completed primary education, were significantly older, more likely to be female and widowed, found it more difficult to make ends meet, and reported higher levels of frailty in each domain. Moreover, environmental and psychological frailty were associated with an increase in the likelihood of reporting need of assistance among older non-caregivers and ICs, respectively. Conclusions: This study revealed a particular vulnerable subpopulation of older ICs with care needs. Clinical Implications: It is essential for clinicians to be observant for unrecognized frailty and care needs in older ICs and to develop targeted intervention and prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure (HF) is associated with a high prevalence of unwanted loneliness. This study aimed to assess whether unwanted loneliness was associated with adverse clinical endpoints in HF patients. Additionally, we also aimed to examine the risk factors associated with unwanted loneliness in HF. We included 298 patients diagnosed with stable HF. Clinical, biochemical, echocardiographic parameters and loneliness using ESTE II scale were assessed. We analyzed the association between the exposure and adverse clinical endpoints by Cox (death or any hospitalization), and negative binomial regressions (recurrent hospitalizations or visits to the emergency room). Risk factors associated with loneliness were analyzed using logistic regression. The mean age was 75.8 ± 9.4 years, with 111 (37.2%) being women, 53 (17.8%) widowed, and 154 (51.7%) patients having preserved ejection fraction. The median (p25–p75%) ESTE II score was 9.0 (6.0–12.0), and 36.9% fulfilled the loneliness criteria (> 10). Both women (OR = 2.09; 95% CI 1.11–3.98, p = 0.023) and widowhood (OR = 3.25; 95% CI 1.51–7.01, p = 0.003) were associated with a higher risk of loneliness. During a median follow-up of follow-up of 362 days (323–384), 93 patients (31.3%) presented the combined episode of death or all-cause admissions. Loneliness was significantly related to the risk of time to the composite of death or any readmission during the composite (HR = 1.83; 95% CI 1.18–2.84, p = 0.007). Women and widowhood emerge as risk factors for unwanted loneliness in HF patients. Unwanted loneliness is associated with higher morbidity during follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Loneliness in older adults, exacerbated by widowhood, is a significant public health concern. While widowhood can lead to changes in living arrangements, its impact on loneliness may vary across cultural contexts. In Western societies, widowhood often results in older adults living alone, which can intensify feelings of loneliness. However, in China, the cultural norm of filial piety and multigenerational households may lead to different outcomes. As few studies have explored this connection over time, this research seeks to bridge this gap using data from older Chinese adults. Methods: Using 16 years of data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which covers 21,986 individuals aged 65–104 years, we conducted causal mediation analysis to test if changes in living arrangements (i.e., living alone versus with children) serve as a mediator between widowhood and loneliness. The potential variation in this mediation effect by gender and age was also evaluated. Results: Spousal loss was associated with an increase in loneliness. However, living with adult children post-loss reduced this emotional strain compared to living alone. The mediating influence of living arrangements was notably stronger for women than men and intensified with age in long term. In the short term, the mediating impact of living arrangements is significantly greater, particularly for older adults under 80 years old. Conclusion: Alterations in living arrangements play a pivotal role in mediating the effects of widowhood on loneliness among China's older adults. Encouraging co-residence with adult children post-spousal loss, especially for older women and the eldest age groups, might mitigate social isolation. These insights both deepen our theoretical understanding and suggest interventions to enhance the well-being of widowed older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Older adults with hearing impairments are vulnerable to cognitive impairment. Although previous reports suggest a correlation between widowhood and cognitive impairment, further investigation is needed to elucidate the effect of widowhood on cognitive function and the moderating effects of social support and participation on widowhood-related cognitive impairment in this vulnerable demographic. Methods: The study's data were sourced from the nationally representative Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) for the years 2011, 2014, and 2018. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between widowhood and cognitive function among older adults. Multivariate logistic regression examined the effect of widowhood on the likelihood of experiencing various levels of cognitive impairment in older adults with hearing impairments. A moderating effect model explored the roles of social support and participation in mitigating widowhood-related cognitive impairment. Results: The cognitive function of older adults with hearing impairment was found to be lower than that of those without hearing impairment. Widowhood was significantly negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in older adults, both with (Coef. = -0.898) and without (Coef.: = -0.680) hearing impairments. A stronger association was observed between widowhood and declining cognitive function among older adults with hearing impairment. Specifically, widowhood may be more likely to significantly increase the likelihood of moderate and severe cognitive impairment (RRR = 1.326, 1.538) among older adults with hearing impairments. Social support and social participation significantly moderated the cognitive impairment associated with widowhood among hearing-impaired older adults. These forms of support and engagement are buffers against the risk of widowhood-related cognitive impairment among this demographic. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that widowhood is significantly associated with cognitive impairment in older adults with hearing impairment. Social support and participation help mitigate this risk. Strategies should prioritize early screening, specialized cognitive rehabilitation, comprehensive care, and enhancing social support and participation to maintain cognitive health in this vulnerable population following widowhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although global poverty rates have declined in the last decade, the fall in the Asia-Pacific region has been slow relative to the rest of the world. Poverty continues to be a major cause of poor maternal and newborn health, and a barrier to accessing timely antenatal care. Papua New Guinea has one of the highest poverty rates and some of the worst maternal and neonatal outcomes in the Asia-Pacific region. Few studies have investigated equity in antenatal care utilization in this setting. We explored equity in antenatal care utilization and the determinants of service utilization, which include a measure of multidimensional poverty in Papua New Guinea. Methods: To explore the association between poverty and antenatal care utilization this study uses data from a ten-cluster randomized controlled trial. The poverty headcount, average poverty gap, adjusted poverty headcount, and multidimensional poverty index of antenatal clinic attendees are derived using the Alkire-Foster method. The distribution of service utilization is explored using the multidimensional poverty index, followed by multivariate regression analyses to evaluate the determinants of service utilization. Results: The poverty headcount was 61.06%, the average poverty gap 47.71%, the adjusted poverty headcount 29.13% and the average multidimensional poverty index was 0.363. Further, antenatal care utilization was regressive with respect to poverty. The regression analyses indicated that older women; being a widow (small number of widows (n = 3) asserts interpreting result with caution); or formally employed increase the likelihood of accessing antenatal care more often in pregnancy. Travelling for over an hour to receive care was negatively associated with utilization. Conclusion: This study indicated high levels of multidimensional poverty in PNG and that ANC utilization was regressive; highlighting the need to encourage pregnant women, especially those who are economically more vulnerable to visit clinics regularly throughout pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although widowhood has been considered a significant risk factor for mental health, the duration of its effects and the potential mitigating factors involved in this relationship remain inadequately understood among Chinese older adults. This study investigates the longitudinal relationship between widowhood and depression and examines the interaction effects of health asymmetry, the number of children, and urban–rural differences from individual, familial, and social perspectives. A sample of 9,563 individuals for the four rounds period (from 2011 to 2018) is obtained from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Results demonstrate that (a) the depression associated with widowhood is expected to revert to prewidowhood level after 3 years, (b) the relationship between widowhood and depression is stronger for older adults who are health pessimists compared to those who are health optimists, (c) the relationship between widowhood and depression is stronger for older adults with fewer children compared to those with more children, and (d) the relationship between widowhood and depression is stronger for older adults living in rural areas than those living in urban areas. These findings are essential for policymakers and practitioners working with widowed older adults. Public Policy Relevance Statement: Widowhood poses a substantial challenge for Chinese older adults, with postwidowhood depression typically reverting to prewidowhood levels within 3 years. This effect is more pronounced among older adults with a pessimistic view of health, fewer children, and rural residence. Enhancing the psychological well-being of widowed seniors necessitates policy and intervention development, focused on fostering positive self-health perceptions, strengthening familial bonds, and undertaking hukou system reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Life events can be stressful and have a detrimental impact on health, but evidence is inconclusive regarding life events and dementia risk. The present study tests whether life events are associated with incident dementia, whether experiencing multiple events has cumulative effects, and whether the associations vary across age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and genetic vulnerability. Methods UK Biobank participants (N = 493,787) reported on 6 life events that occurred within the past 2 years: serious illness, injury, assault to yourself or close relative, death of a spouse/partner or close relative, marital separation/divorce, and financial problems. Incident all-cause dementia was ascertained through health records from the UK National Health Service over a 16-year follow-up. Results Serious illness, injury, or assault to yourself, marital separation/divorce, and financial difficulties were associated with a higher risk of dementia; serious illness, injury, or assault of a close relative was associated with a lower risk of dementia. When combined, experiencing 3–4 events was associated with a more than 2-fold increase in dementia risk. The association for marital separation/divorce was stronger within the first 5 years of follow-up (consistent with reverse causality). Death of a spouse/partner or close relative was mostly unrelated to dementia risk. With few exceptions, the associations were similar across age, sex, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and apolipoprotein E e4 status groups. Discussion Severe illness, injury, or personal assault, marital separation or divorce, and financial hardships may raise risk of dementia, particularly when these events occur together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To assess how the role of neighbors and friends in people's networks changes with age and how this is affected by cohort, marriage, employment, and socioeconomic status. The hypothesis is that for most aspects of the network, friends lose "importance" as people become older, with neighbors gradually becoming more dominant in the nonkin network. Methods Data are used for people aged 55–90 between 1999 and 2019 from the Swiss Household Panel (N  = 5,585). A total of 4 network aspects were measured: size, contact, practical support, and emotional support. Measures for neighbors and friends were compared and analyzed with fixed-effects and hybrid-effects regression models on person-year observations. Results The sizes of both network segments declined with age but more strongly for friends than neighbors. Contact with friends was stable but contact with neighbors increased. Support from friends declined whereas support from neighbors was stable. Direct comparisons revealed that the relative share of neighbors vis-à-vis friends increased as people age. Friends were more common and supportive vis-à-vis neighbors for divorced and widowed people than for married people, but this gap declined with age. The share of neighbors increased with retirement, especially for men. The share of neighbors vis-à-vis friends was also larger for people with less income and education and this gap did not change with age. Discussion In the nonkin part of older adults' networks, proximity eventually becomes dominant. This finding is interpreted in terms of rising needs, greater opportunity for local contact, and friend mortality risks, all favoring the neighbor segment of the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Losing a spouse is a traumatic experience, especially at a younger age. This experience is arguably more intense and complex if the woman becomes a widow while pregnant. In the current study, we examined the strategies Israeli women who became widows while pregnant utilized to reconcile life and death. Twelve adult women who became widows while pregnant participated in this study, which involved in-depth semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis of the interview content revealed four main strategies utilized to reconcile their simultaneous paradoxical experience of both life and death: Passiveness – focusing on neither life nor death; Segregation – focusing on either life or death; Continuum – perceiving life and death are the same; and Integration – coming to terms with both life and death. The women commonly utilized multiple strategies while navigating this paradox, with most participants using all four at some point during their attempted reconciliation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The passing of a spouse is a difficult life event that many older women face. This study focuses on the transition period and the implications for the life left to live. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 older widowed women regarding their thoughts, feelings, and adjustments after the loss of their spouses and understand how their routines and lifestyle have changed over time. Overcoming challenges and finding new interests, often through leisure, created a sense of positivity about the future without their spouse and allowed these women to create a new identity and blossom into fulfilled individuals. Our findings suggest three ways that managing these adjustments may help women. Discovering that they can manage being alone can improve confidence to overcome larger tasks. Mastering new skills can create a sense of positivity about the future, and finally developing new activity patterns contributes to a new identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines how recent scholarship on religion and Reconstruction has highlighted the central role of churches in the post-emancipation South, emphasizing their impact on racial identity, gender roles, and political engagement. It also discusses the evolution of scholarly focus from civil rights-era studies of enslaved religion to contemporary analyses of Black religious institutions, their political strategies, and the intricate intersections of race, religion, and politics.

Abstract Background Older adults with hearing impairments are vulnerable to cognitive impairment. Although previous reports suggest a correlation between widowhood and cognitive impairment, further investigation is needed to elucidate the effect of widowhood on cognitive function and the moderating effects of social support and participation on widowhood-related cognitive impairment in this vulnerable demographic. Methods The study’s data were sourced from the nationally representative Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) for the years 2011, 2014, and 2018. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the association between widowhood and cognitive function among older adults. Multivariate logistic regression examined the effect of widowhood on the likelihood of experiencing various levels of cognitive impairment in older adults with hearing impairments. A moderating effect model explored the roles of social support and participation in mitigating widowhood-related cognitive impairment. Results The cognitive function of older adults with hearing impairment was found to be lower than that of those without hearing impairment. Widowhood was significantly negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores in older adults, both with (Coef. = -0.898) and without (Coef.: = -0.680) hearing impairments. A stronger association was observed between widowhood and declining cognitive function among older adults with hearing impairment. Specifically, widowhood may be more likely to significantly increase the likelihood of moderate and severe cognitive impairment (RRR = 1.326, 1.538) among older adults with hearing impairments. Social support and social participation significantly moderated the cognitive impairment associated with widowhood among hearing-impaired older adults. These forms of support and engagement are buffers against the risk of widowhood-related cognitive impairment among this demographic. Conclusions Our findings indicate that widowhood is significantly associated with cognitive impairment in older adults with hearing impairment. Social support and participation help mitigate this risk. Strategies should prioritize early screening, specialized cognitive rehabilitation, comprehensive care, and enhancing social support and participation to maintain cognitive health in this vulnerable population following widowhood.

Abstract Heart failure (HF) is associated with a high prevalence of unwanted loneliness. This study aimed to assess whether unwanted loneliness was associated with adverse clinical endpoints in HF patients. Additionally, we also aimed to examine the risk factors associated with unwanted loneliness in HF. We included 298 patients diagnosed with stable HF. Clinical, biochemical, echocardiographic parameters and loneliness using ESTE II scale were assessed. We analyzed the association between the exposure and adverse clinical endpoints by Cox (death or any hospitalization), and negative binomial regressions (recurrent hospitalizations or visits to the emergency room). Risk factors associated with loneliness were analyzed using logistic regression. The mean age was 75.8 ± 9.4 years, with 111 (37.2%) being women, 53 (17.8%) widowed, and 154 (51.7%) patients having preserved ejection fraction. The median (p25–p75%) ESTE II score was 9.0 (6.0–12.0), and 36.9% fulfilled the loneliness criteria (> 10). Both women (OR = 2.09; 95% CI 1.11–3.98, p = 0.023) and widowhood (OR = 3.25; 95% CI 1.51–7.01, p = 0.003) were associated with a higher risk of loneliness. During a median follow-up of follow-up of 362 days (323–384), 93 patients (31.3%) presented the combined episode of death or all-cause admissions. Loneliness was significantly related to the risk of time to the composite of death or any readmission during the composite (HR = 1.83; 95% CI 1.18–2.84, p = 0.007). Women and widowhood emerge as risk factors for unwanted loneliness in HF patients. Unwanted loneliness is associated with higher morbidity during follow-up.

Abstract Background Loneliness in older adults, exacerbated by widowhood, is a significant public health concern. While widowhood can lead to changes in living arrangements, its impact on loneliness may vary across cultural contexts. In Western societies, widowhood often results in older adults living alone, which can intensify feelings of loneliness. However, in China, the cultural norm of filial piety and multigenerational households may lead to different outcomes. As few studies have explored this connection over time, this research seeks to bridge this gap using data from older Chinese adults. Methods Using 16 years of data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which covers 21,986 individuals aged 65–104 years, we conducted causal mediation analysis to test if changes in living arrangements (i.e., living alone versus with children) serve as a mediator between widowhood and loneliness. The potential variation in this mediation effect by gender and age was also evaluated. Results Spousal loss was associated with an increase in loneliness. However, living with adult children post-loss reduced this emotional strain compared to living alone. The mediating influence of living arrangements was notably stronger for women than men and intensified with age in long term. In the short term, the mediating impact of living arrangements is significantly greater, particularly for older adults under 80 years old. Conclusion Alterations in living arrangements play a pivotal role in mediating the effects of widowhood on loneliness among China’s older adults. Encouraging co-residence with adult children post-spousal loss, especially for older women and the eldest age groups, might mitigate social isolation. These insights both deepen our theoretical understanding and suggest interventions to enhance the well-being of widowed older adults.

Objectives: Using Interpolated Markov Chain software, we compare the length of life with and without depression among married individuals and widowers, and the related sex differences. Methods: We applied a multi-state life table approach to estimate depression-free life expectancy among recent cohorts of older married and widowed women and men in the United States, using data from the Health and Retirement Study over a 7-year period (2012–2018). Results: The study revealed that the difference in life expectancy between sexes widens in the context of widowhood. At age 50, the sex gap in depression-free life expectancy is 0.8 years among married people, whereas the gap almost doubles to 1.7 years among widowed people. Discussion: By quantifying disparities in the duration of life affected by depression between married and widowed women and men, policymakers could properly allocate resources specifically to address the mental health needs of these groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vital role social relationships play in mental health and well-being has been well-documented. Disruption of an intimate bond through bereavement can be enduringly stressful, with loneliness featuring prominently, possibly compromising mental and physical health. We systematically reviewed studies examining loneliness across marital status groups, focusing on the widowed. The aim was to establish what is known about the prevalence of loneliness in widowhood, to compare loneliness between widowed and people with other marital statuses (divorced, married, never-married persons), and to investigate correlates of loneliness. Furthermore, our objective was to compare the empirical understanding of loneliness within the context of widowhood to how loneliness is addressed in contemporary grief literature. Searches were conducted via multiple, relevant databases. Studies investigating loneliness across marital statuses were considered if they included an adult, bereaved sample, were written in English, and used quantitative research methods. Thirty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Widowhood was associated with a greater likelihood of loneliness. On average, the widowed were found to be lonelier than divorced, married, and never-married people. Additionally, correlates of loneliness were identified, including mental health adversities, lack of social support, recent loss, and gender. Comparing empirical information from the two domains of marital status and grief research contributes to a more comprehensive knowledge about loneliness and bereavement. However, evidence remains limited due to several methodological shortcomings, such as inconsistent use of comparison groups, insufficient control for bereaved individuals in non-widowed marital statuses, lack of prospective, longitudinal studies, unreported means, and the use of different measures of loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Depression is one of the main causes of disability worldwide and makes a major contribution to the global disease burden, especially in developing countries. It is also one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the older people and a significant risk factor for both disability and death. Despite the fact that little research has been done on it among those who live in sub-Saharan Africa, especially Ethiopia, the aim of this study was to fill the above-mentioned gap among older people. Method: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April to June 2023. A total of 607 older people were included using the multistage sampling technique. An interview-administered questionnaire was used to assess depression using the Geriatric Depression Scale item 15 with a cut-off ≥5. For statistical analysis, the binary logistic regression model was employed. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 72.45 (SD ±9.08) years. The prevalence of depression was found to be 45%. Age 80 years and above, 70–79 years, widowed, retired, known chronic disease, and poor social support were associated factors with depression. Conclusion: Compared to other studies conducted in different regions of Ethiopia, the prevalence of depression in this study was found to be high, at 45%. The results of this study may be taken as providing health professionals, health policymakers, and other pertinent stakeholders' early warning signs and guidance on how to take efficient control measures and conduct periodic monitoring among older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses John D. Lyons's book, "Women and Irony in Molière's Comedies of Marriage," which explores the representation of gender dynamics in Molière's plays from the perspective of female characters. Lyons argues that the plays encourage sympathy for the women's struggles while constructing a philosophy of what they desire in romantic relationships. The study challenges traditional interpretations of Molière's theater and emphasizes the importance of female perspectives. Lyons's analysis focuses on the use of irony in the plays and highlights the diverse ways in which marriage factors into the emotional fulfillment of Molière's female characters. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract Background China’s transition into an aging society is accelerated by the simultaneous decline in fertility rates and the prolonged life expectancy of older adults. The impact of widowhood, a significant stressor in old age, has emerged as a crucial factor affecting the quality of life among the elderly. Methods This study is based on data from the 2018 China Health and Aging Tracking Survey. Multiple linear regression models were employed to investigate the influence of widowhood on the quality of life of older adults in China. Additionally, Bootstrap mediation effects were utilized to assess the mediating role of intergenerational support, considering both financial and emotional support from children. Results The findings indicate a substantial reduction in the quality of life index among older adults following widowhood. Moreover, the impact is more pronounced among older men compared to older women. Rural older adults experience a significant decline in quality of life post-widowhood, while the effect on urban counterparts is not statistically significant. Conclusions Intergenerational financial support was identified as a partial mediator between widowhood and the quality of life among older adults. This underscores the importance of familial financial assistance in mitigating the adverse effects of widowhood on the well-being of the elderly. These results offer valuable insights into the nuanced impact of widowhood on the quality of life among older adults in China, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions, especially in rural areas. Clinical trial Not applicable.

Background Methods Results Conclusions Spousal loss is a stressful life event that is associated with loneliness and social isolation, both of which affect mental and physical health. The primary objective of this paper was to synthesize longitudinal studies that investigated loneliness and social isolation in widowhood.A systematic search of the literature was conducted using three electronic databases. 26 longitudinal studies published through June 2024 were included for further analysis. Participant characteristics, study design, and key findings were extracted.Most studies were from the United States or Europe, included more widows than widowers, and assessed loneliness in older adults aged >60 years. Loneliness peaked directly following spousal death, but findings were inconsistent regarding the lasting effects of widowhood. Heterogeneity in the longitudinal trajectories of loneliness was noted, with studies showing linear increases, decreases, or curvilinear relationships over time. Several factors modified the relationship between widowhood and loneliness, including volunteerism, military experience, income, and age. Widowers consistently reported greater loneliness and worse social isolation when compared with widows. Few studies investigated social isolation specifically, but those that did found that social isolation may decrease in widowhood.As the world grapples with a social pandemic of loneliness and social isolation, widowed adults may be uniquely affected. Few studies investigated the longitudinal trajectory of loneliness and especially social isolation in widowhood, and those that did found heterogenous results. Future work is needed to understand why some widowed adults are uniquely affected by feelings of loneliness and social isolation while others are not, and whether potentially modifiable factors that moderate or mediate this relationship could be leveraged by psychosocial interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following late-life spousal bereavement, sensory and quasi-sensory experiences of the deceased (SED) are commonly reported. This longitudinal study examined SED among 310 older widowed adults 6–10 (T1) and 18–20 (T2) months post loss. Reports of SED in the first 6–10 months after loss were associated with higher symptom levels of prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, and loneliness at T1. Experiencers of SED were more likely to experience symptoms of prolonged grief and post-traumatic stress above cut-off scores at T1. Importantly, only a minority of the experiencers of SED displayed these elevated levels of bereavement-related distress. In addition, employing multi-level-modeling, a similar trajectory of decreasing bereavement-related distress over time was found for both experiencers and non-experiencers of SED. We argue that SED may be one of several potential reactions to bereavement, which should not be seen as an indicator of grief complications per se. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: China's transition into an aging society is accelerated by the simultaneous decline in fertility rates and the prolonged life expectancy of older adults. The impact of widowhood, a significant stressor in old age, has emerged as a crucial factor affecting the quality of life among the elderly. Methods: This study is based on data from the 2018 China Health and Aging Tracking Survey. Multiple linear regression models were employed to investigate the influence of widowhood on the quality of life of older adults in China. Additionally, Bootstrap mediation effects were utilized to assess the mediating role of intergenerational support, considering both financial and emotional support from children. Results: The findings indicate a substantial reduction in the quality of life index among older adults following widowhood. Moreover, the impact is more pronounced among older men compared to older women. Rural older adults experience a significant decline in quality of life post-widowhood, while the effect on urban counterparts is not statistically significant. Conclusions: Intergenerational financial support was identified as a partial mediator between widowhood and the quality of life among older adults. This underscores the importance of familial financial assistance in mitigating the adverse effects of widowhood on the well-being of the elderly. These results offer valuable insights into the nuanced impact of widowhood on the quality of life among older adults in China, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions, especially in rural areas. Clinical trial: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the mediating effect of social support on the relationship between social activity and depressive symptoms among older widows in Taiwan. A cross-sectional study was conducted that recruited 256 older widows in southern Taiwan. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, self-rated health, instrumental activities of daily living, social activity, social support, and depression. Multiple linear regressions performed examined whether social activities and social support were significantly associated with depressive symptoms and which types of social activity were significantly related to social support and depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses performed tested the mediation effect of social support between the number of different types of social activities performed (termed "number of activities" in this study) and depression. Overall, 17.2% of the participants reported having at least two depressive symptoms. The total effect of the number of activities on depressive symptoms was significant (p < .001). The direct pathway from the number of activities to depressive symptoms remained significant (p < .001), and the mediation pathway (from the number of activities to depressive symptoms through social support) was also significant (Bootstrap CI = −.072, −.003). These findings demonstrated that older widows had more social support when they participated in more social activities, which could then decrease depressive symptoms. In addition, informal community group activities and religious group activities were the most effective at increasing social support and reducing depressive symptoms among the older Taiwanese widows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Tinea capitis is a global public health concern with a unique therapeutic challenge and mostly affects children. The burden is double in developing countries. There is no study on school-going children from the urban residence in Ethiopia. Objective: To determine the prevalence of Tinea capitis and its associated factors among school children in Gondar town northwest, Ethiopia 2021. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among school children in Gondar town from November 20 to December 20, 2021. Data was collected through an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. A stratified simple random sampling technique was employed. Then data were entered into EPI Info version 7.22 and transferred to Statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 22 for further analysis. The binary logistic regression model was employed to identify factors associated with tinea capitis, and the strength of association and statistical significance was declared using the adjusted odds ratios with its corresponding 95% CI, and p-value ≤ 0.05 respectively. Result: The prevalence of tinea capitis among school children in Gondar town was found to be 29.4%. Public school student (AOR = 2.79 95% CI: 1.34–5.87), widowed mother (AOR = 6.09, 95% CI: 1.83–11.23), students in the age group of 5–8 years (AOR = 3.79 95% CI: 1.68–8.55), animal contact (AOR = 2.61 95% CI: 1.15–5.90), and family similar illness category (AOR = 8.49 95% CI: 3.73–11.39) have risen the likelihood of tinea capitis among school children. Conclusions: The prevalence of tinea capitis was higher. Young age, children from widowed marital status, illiterate mother, history of share blades, animal contact, a family similar illness, and lower number of living rooms are important factors contributing to tinea capitis among school children. Health education for the mother on the mode of transmission, prevention, and improve the low socioeconomic status of the parent is crucial. Key terms: Children, Ethiopia, Gondar, School age, Tinea capitis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To date, most studies examining the prevalence and determinants of depression among individuals aged 80 and over have used geographically limited samples that are not generalisable to the wider population. Thus, our aim was to identify the prevalence and the factors associated with probable depression among the oldest old in Germany based on nationally representative data. Methods: Data were taken from the nationally representative 'Old Age in Germany (D80+)' study (n = 8386; November 2020 to April 2021) covering both community‐dwelling and institutionalised individuals aged 80 and over. The Short Form of the Depression in Old Age Scale was used to quantify probable depression. Results: Probable depression was found in 40.7% (95% CI: 39.5% to 42.0%) of the sample; 31.3% were men (95% CI: 29.7% to 32.9%) and 46.6% women (95% CI: 44.9% to 48.3%). The odds of probable depression were positively associated with being female (odds ratio (OR): 1.55, 95% CI: 1.30 to 1.84), being divorced (compared to being married, OR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.76), being widowed (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.00 to 1.30), having a low education (e.g., medium education compared to low education, OR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.74 to 0.99), living in an institutionalised setting (OR: 2.36, 95% CI: 1.84 to 3.02), living in East Germany (OR: 1.21, 95% CI, 1.05 to 1.39), not having German citizenship (German citizenship compared to other citizenship, OR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.95), poor self‐rated health (OR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.28 to 0.34), and the number of chronic conditions (OR: 1.12, 95% CI: 1.09 to 1.14). Conclusion: About four out of 10 individuals aged 80 and over in Germany had probable depression, underlining the importance of this challenge. Knowledge of specific risk factors for this age group may assist in addressing older adults at risk of probable depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication use around widowhood has been poorly described for most medication classes. Medication use patterns can reflect health consequences of spousal loss, as previously shown for psychotropic drugs. Methods: We used data from nationwide health registers (2008–2020) to describe the patterns of use of dispensed medications in all widowed Swedes aged ≥65 years followed between 2 years before and 2 years after spousal death. All prescription drugs used by at least 5% of the cohort were considered according to their therapeutic subgroups (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical [ATC] classification system 2nd level). We used group‐based trajectory models to cluster widowed individuals into up to 4 distinct longitudinal patterns of monthly medication use. We ranked the therapeutic subgroups with similar patterns according to their plausibility to reflect potential health effects of spousal loss, compared to those of psycholeptics (mainly anxiolytics, hypnotics) and psychoanaleptics (mainly antidepressants) as the references. Results: From 212,111 widowed adults included (68% female and 70% aged ≥75 years), we observed a significant increasing trend in medication use, especially after spousal death, for 21 out of the 39 different therapeutic subgroups that were used by at least 5% (most represented pharmacological groups: cardiovascular system, nervous system, and alimentary tract and metabolism). This increasing trend often concerned only a small proportion of individuals, with varying magnitude and speed of change in medication use across therapeutic subgroups. The patterns of use of antiepileptics, laxatives, skin emollients/protectives, analgesics, and drugs for anemia, constipation, or peptic ulcers, were the closest to those of references, displaying the largest changes in use, and were therefore ranked as the most likely to reflect health effects of spousal loss. Conclusion: Our results confirmed the increase in psychotropic medications' use in widowed older adults and identified several potential physical health effects of spousal loss that warrant further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the topic of maternal mortality and gender differences in mortality rates in early New England. It emphasizes the high risk of death in childbirth for women during this time period and the need for more accurate studies on this topic. The author introduces a dataset of Yale College graduates as a valuable source of demographic data for studying gender differences in mortality. However, it acknowledges that this dataset is not representative of the general population. The article concludes by discussing the limitations of previous studies on early American mortality and the biases that can arise from missing or incomplete data. [Extracted from the article]

The study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of workplace violence (WPV) against pediatric emergency healthcare workers and evaluate the relationship between WPV and psychological resilience. This study is cross-sectional and correlational. According to the results, the prevalence of WPV was 69.8%, and its distribution was as follows: verbal abuse (56.9%), bullying/mobbing (37.6%), physical abuse (12.8%), and sexual abuse (2.2%). Being single/separated/divorced/widowed (odds ratio [OR]: 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-3.30), being a physician (OR: 4.74, 95% CI: 1.73-12.96), being a staff member (OR: 2.57, 95% CI: 1.10-5.99), routine direct physical contact with patients/clients (OR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.40-5.48), and lack of encouragement to report WPV (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.01-7.01) were independent predictors of WPV (P <.05), and WPV was found to be associated with low psychological resilience. Arrangements related to violence prevention, preparation, and intervention should be made and maintained in all pediatric emergency departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the housing literature, questions regarding the residential mobility and housing choice of people who have recently transitioned into widowhood remain unanswered – especially when it comes to the differences between widows and widowers. This article utilizes unique Danish administrative panel data to investigate these questions through a case observing and following all widows and widowers between 50 and 90 years of age over a 25-year period. The results show that while both widows and widowers are significantly more likely to move in the years following a partner's death, but also that widows are more residentially mobile than widowers. Furthermore, the results show that the transition into widowhood increases widows' likelihood to move closer to their adult children, while both widows and widowers are more likely to downsize following a move. These results indicate that the death of a partner affects the residential situation of men and women differently, even within a Danish context that strongly emphasizes gender equality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At any given time, 16% of the world's female population is made up of widowed women, though this figure varies by region. The loss of a spouse usually means the loss of economic and social support for the surviving partner. Understanding the experience of widowhood is essential to understanding society; the lives of widows offer insights into how societies are organised and what responses there are to those in need. This paper investigates the survival strategies of widows in Cape Town in 1938/9 using a household survey in order to understand whether their experiences differed by race in the city just before World War II and a decade before the formalisation of apartheid. The survey provides the opportunity to understand how widows in the city lived and worked, whether they cared for others or were given care from others. The paper considers the structures of households and the incomes of widows. Who did widows live with? Or did they live alone? Were they more likely to work than other women in the city? Was it common for widows to live with non-family members? One finding is that although coloured and white households seemed similar in size and nature, widowhood brought differences between them to the fore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of bereavement, little is known about the mechanisms that differentiate normative adjustment patterns from those that may indicate potential psychopathology. This study aimed to replicate and extend previous work by (1) characterizing the trajectories of depressive symptoms from 3 to 12 months after the loss of a spouse, (2) examining whether (a) childhood maltreatment and attachment style predicted distinct depression trajectories, and (b) different depression trajectories were associated with the risk of prolonged grief at 12 months post‐loss. Recently bereaved individuals (N = 175) completed self‐report assessments at 3, 4, 6, and 12‐months post‐loss. Trajectories of depressive symptoms were estimated using group‐based trajectory modelling. Four distinct trajectories of depressive symptoms were identified: (1) resilience (minimal/no depression across time points; 45%), (2) moderate depression‐improved (alleviated to 'mild' by 12 months; 31%), (3) severe depression‐improved (alleviated to 'moderate' by 12 months; 15%), and (4) chronic depression ('severe' symptoms across time points; 9%). Higher childhood maltreatment predicted a greater likelihood of belonging to the 'severe depression‐improved' and 'chronic depression' groups than the 'resilient' and 'moderate depression‐improved' groups. Widow(er)s with higher attachment anxiety were more likely to belong to the 'severe depression‐improved' and 'chronic depression' groups than the 'resilient' group. The trajectory groups with persistent levels of depressive symptoms up until 6 months were more likely to exhibit prolonged grief at 12 months post‐loss. Changes from pre‐loss functioning cannot be estimated. Our findings provide insight into the early identification of post‐loss prolonged grief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most research investigating the effect of suicide on loss survivors has been limited to first‐degree family members. Few studies examine the impact of suicide on others outside the immediate family and the influence of relationship type and closeness on mental health. Methods: This study used data from a sample obtained through random digit dialing (n = 805) to assess exposure to suicide loss, relationship types, perceived closeness, and mental health symptoms (prolonged grief, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder). Results: Familial status, friend status, and higher perceived closeness were associated with prolonged grief, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder, with the strongest adjusted associations observed for posttraumatic stress disorder and prolonged grief. In general, the magnitude of adjusted standardized associations for closeness and mental health symptoms was stronger than those observed for familial status and mental health symptoms and friend status and mental health symptoms. Conclusion: Closeness, familial status, and friend status are associated with mental health symptoms experienced after suicide loss, but the magnitude of associations was strongest for closeness. Future studies should examine perceived closeness in addition to other factors related to relationship type and dynamics to assess the complexities of suicide bereavement reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Set in 1960s Catholic Ireland, Colm Tóibín's Nora Webster (2014) foregrounds the inherent and pathogenic vulnerabilities of widowhood –from bereavement to economic precarity and the culture of grief for widows– in the figure of its eponymous protagonist. Drawing on recent research on vulnerability theory, this study adopts an understanding of vulnerability not as perpetual injury or victimhood, but as a site of potential transformation, which impels Tóibín's protagonist to relate to herself and others differently in order to restore a sense of security and well-being. This study therefore details the ways in which Tóibín dramatises Nora's progression towards increased autonomy, and how her vulnerability initiates a path towards resilience and self-reinvention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate how loneliness develops over the marital dissolution process in older age (i.e., transition at or after age 50) while paying close attention to heterogeneities by the dissolution pathway—widowhood and separation—and gender. Using data from over 8,000 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey respondents, we assess the association of interest using fixed effects regressions. Findings indicate that loneliness increased in the year before widowhood or separation among both women and men. Levels spiked in the year of dissolution, particularly for widowhood but less for separation. Widowed men were substantially more affected than widowed women, and gender differences were negligible for separation. Although loneliness levels gradually declined, widowed men remained vulnerable for remarkably long periods. Such chronic loneliness might be linked to other health disadvantages. These findings highlight the importance of long-term and gender-specific approaches to social support and integration after marital dissolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are two aims in writing this paper. Firstly, I reflect on several incidents that highlighted for me what it meant to be a widow in the eyes of others. The intention is to bring to light how becoming a widow reinforces how people define you relative to a man, more poignant because that man is absent. Providing personal insights sifted through theory is a form of feminist autoethnography that functions here as an intervention into more common views of widowhood. The second aim is to consider my experience of having the original version of this paper rejected by a journal. The reviewers' comments made me understand that my execution of feminist autoethnography was seen as problematic. This experience has spurned me to explore the need for methodological risk-taking, particularly when the topic being discussed, in this case widowhood, requires personal resilience to bring out of the shadows. Discussing issues that are "heartfelt" can contribute to debates about the construction of knowledge because they invite consideration of what is taken to be rational and what is taken to be emotional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elizabeth Gaskell's protagonists are often categorized as redundant, particularly spinsters and widows. Such characters potentially complicate Gaskell's feminist status, seemingly embodying the repressive stereotypes of Victorian femininity. But rather than portraying them as unproductive, ridiculous, and marginal, Gaskell creates characters who directly counter the idea of redundancy. Her spinsters and widows are reformers who catalyze significant social change and redefine the power of elderly, unmarried women against patriarchal paradigms. The shift from redundancy to reform is especially evident in Cranford (1853) and My Lady Ludiow C 1858), which cast Miss Matty and Lady Ludlow as influential social figures who not only challenge tradition but reject its intolerance by working to rebuild their communities around a inore inclusive model based on morality and relationality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The poor prognosis of breast cancer in Sudan could be due to delayed treatment and diagnosis at an advanced stage. Our study aimed to assess the extent of delays from onset of symptoms to treatment in Sudanese women with breast cancer, as well as identify factors contributing to these delays. Materials and Methods We conducted a multi-center cross sectional study between March and April 2023. Data were collected from the medical records and interviews with women with breast cancer in the two main oncology centers in Sudan. Linear regression was used to identify the predictors of delayed presentation. Results We interviewed 601 women with breast cancer. The majority of women (50.1%) were diagnosed at locally advanced or metastatic disease. The median interval from the onset of symptoms to receiving oncologic treatment was 221 days (IQR = 92, 496). The longest delay was the presentation delay 61 (31 244) days. The median duration for diagnosis delay and treatment delay was 21 (10.57) days and 27 (10.64) days, respectively. Predictors of early presentation included, being young (β = −5.3; 95% CI = 0.06 to 10), married (β = −264; 95% CI = −427 to −101), divorced (β = −306; 95% CI = −549 to −63), or widowed (β = −320; 95% CI = −-543 to −97), urban residence (β = −107; 95% CI = −213 to −2.3), and seeking traditional healer (β = −204; 95% CI = −383 to −26). Conclusion Most Sudanese women with breast cancer experience significant patient delays, often presenting at advanced stages. Factors like being single, older, and living in rural areas contribute to these delays. Increasing breast cancer education, improving healthcare access and addressing sociodemographic barriers can potentially expedite diagnosis and improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives Ghana's older adult population is growing rapidly and is projected to double by 2050. It is well-documented that social, health, and housing factors influence segmented aging trajectories that lead to disparate rates of disability. However, little is known about how the intersection of place (i.e. urban and rural) and gender (i.e. woman and man) inform rates of disability among older Ghanaians. We seek to examine this gap in the literature through an intersectional approach. Research Design and Methods Using logistic regression with Wave 1 (2007/2008) data from the World Health Organization's Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Ghana, we investigate the prevalence of reporting activities of daily living (ADL) disability among respondents ages 50+ (n  = 4,106). To document gender differences by place, we compute separate adjusted odds ratio models among urban and rural respondents. We also control for health, social, and housing factors that might explain gender differences. Results Compared to urban men, urban women's ADL disability disadvantage was explained by marital status, particularly widowhood. In contrast, rural women consistently reported an ADL disability disadvantage when compared to rural men. Additionally, we found that the morbidity profiles of those who reported ADL disability differed by place and that certain ADL difficulties (i.e. bed transferring and toileting) were especially common among women respondents. Discussion and Implications Women, regardless of urban or rural residence, were especially vulnerable to ADL disability. Marital status, particularly widows, explained the difference in disability risk between urban men and urban women. This finding suggests that urban women's risk of ADL disability is attenuated during the partnership. Also, we speculate that varied morbidity associations with ADL disability are due to different stressors in urban versus rural environments. These findings also generate further interest in about rural women's disability disadvantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionWidowed women make up 18-40% of the 12 million women living with HIV in eastern and southern Africa. Widowhood has also been associated with greater HIV morbidity and mortality. We compared the effectiveness of a multisectoral climate adaptive agricultural livelihood intervention (called Shamba Maisha) on food insecurity, and HIV related health outcomes among widowed and married women living with HIV in western Kenya.MethodsWe implemented Shamba Maisha (NCT02815579) using a cluster-randomized control trial design. The intervention arm received an US$175 in-kind loan to purchase a micro-irrigation pump, seeds, and fertilizer, and received eight training sessions on sustainable agriculture and financial management. Study outcomes were measured every 6 months over a 24-month follow-up period and trends in outcomes assessed using multilevel mixed-effects models.ResultsThe trial enrolled 232 (61.5%) married and 145 (38.5%) widowed women. Widowed women (mean age 42.8 ± 8.4 years) were older than married women (35.8 ± 9.0 years) (p