Social
Multilevel Resilience Factors, Discrimination, and Physical and Mental Health Among Older Adults. Aditya Chandel* Aditya Chandel Chandel Chandel Chandel Chandel Department of Epidemiology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
Background: Resilience factors at multiple levels (e.g., self-efficacy, social support) may reduce the negative physical and emotional effects of discrimination and enhance health and well-being among older adults. We examined associations between multilevel resilience factors and health-related quality of life, measured by Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS, MCS) scores, and assessed effect measure modification (EMM) by type of discrimination (age-, race-, or gender-based).
Methods: Adults aged ≥50 from 7 mid-Atlantic states completed an online cross-sectional survey. Adjusted linear regression models estimated associations between resilience factors (Brief Resilience Scale [BRS], self-care self-efficacy, social support, trust in the medical profession, and social cohesion), categorized as high/moderate versus low, and continuous PCS/MCS scores. EMM by discrimination type was also assessed.
Results: Among 2,407 adults (median age: 67; 57.3% female; 79.4% non-Hispanic White), higher BRS scores were positively associated with PCS (b=4.33, 95% CL:2.80, 5.85) and MCS (b=13.14, 95% CL:11.76, 14.52). Similarly, positive relationships between self-efficacy and both outcomes were most compatible with the data. Weak positive associations were most compatible for social support, trust in the medical profession, and social cohesion with MCS; however, the reverse relationships were observed for PCS. There was some evidence for EMM by discrimination. For instance, a positive association between social cohesion and PCS was most compatible with the data among those experiencing gender discrimination (b=1.60, 95% CL:-0.53, 3.73), but a negative association was most compatible among others (b=-0.86, 95% CL:-1.69, -0.03; p=0.03).
Conclusion: We found positive relationships between individual-level resilience factors and better physical and mental health. Self-care self-efficacy and social cohesion may help improve physical health in older adults facing gender discrimination.