Associations and correlates of general versus specific successful ageing components

Myriam V. Thoma (), Luca Kleineidam, Simon Forstmeier, Andreas Maercker, Siegfried Weyerer, Marion Eisele, Hendrik den Bussche, Hans-Helmut König, Susanne Röhr, Janine Stein, Birgitt Wiese, Michael Pentzek, Horst Bickel, Wolfgang Maier, Martin Scherer, Steffi G. Riedel-Heller and Michael Wagner
Additional contact information
Myriam V. Thoma: University of Zurich
Luca Kleineidam: University of Bonn
Simon Forstmeier: University of Siegen
Andreas Maercker: University of Zurich
Siegfried Weyerer: Heidelberg University
Marion Eisele: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hendrik den Bussche: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Hans-Helmut König: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Susanne Röhr: Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig
Janine Stein: Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig
Birgitt Wiese: WG Medical Statistics and IT-Infrastructure, Institute of General Practice
Michael Pentzek: Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf
Horst Bickel: Technical University of Munich
Wolfgang Maier: University of Bonn
Martin Scherer: University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf
Steffi G. Riedel-Heller: Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), University of Leipzig
Michael Wagner: University of Bonn

European Journal of Ageing, 2021, vol. 18, issue 4, No 11, 549-563

Abstract: Abstract The heterogeneity in the operationalisation of successful ageing (SA) hinders a straightforward examination of SA associations and correlates, and in turn, the identification of potentially modifiable predictors of SA. It is unclear which SA associations and correlates influence all facets of the SA construct, and whether psychosocial reserve models developed in neuropathological ageing research can also be linked to SA. It was therefore the aim of this study to disentangle the effect of various previously identified SA associations and correlates on (1) a general SA factor, which represents the shared underpinnings of three SA facets, and (2) more confined, specific factors, using bifactor modelling. The associations and correlates of three recently validated SA operationalisations were compared in 2478 participants from the German AgeCoDe study, aged 75 years and above. Based on participants’ main occupation, cognitive reserve (CR) and motivational reserve (MR) models were built. Younger age, male gender, more education, higher socio-economic status, being married or widowed, as well as more physical exercise and cognitive activities in old age were found to correlate positively with the general SA factor, indicating a simultaneous effect on all aspects of SA. Smoking and ApoE-ε4 were related only to the physiological facet of SA. CR models were significantly related to the general SA factor. Among all SA associations and correlates, proxy indicators of lifelong cognitive activity and physical exercise showed the strongest effects on SA. Future intervention studies should assess the influence of the preservation of active lifestyle across the life span on SA.

Keywords: Successful ageing; AgeCoDe; Associations and correlates; Health; Cognitive reserve (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1007/s10433-020-00593-4

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