The Relationship Between Social Isolation and Psychological Well-Being Among Older Adults in the Community

Objective:To investigate the psychological well-being of the elderly in Baoding City,Hebei Province,and analyze its influencing factors,with a focus on exploring the relationship between social isolation and psychological well-being.This study aims to provide a reference for effective interventions that promote the physical and mental health of elderly individuals in the community.Methods:A total of 265 elderly individuals from six communities in Baoding City,Hebei Province were surveyed between November 2023 and March 2024 using the general information questionnaire,the Social Isolation Scale for the Elderly,and the Comprehensive Happiness Questionnaire.Results:The total score of the Social Isolation Scale for the elderly in the community was(14.15±3.73)points,indicating a moderate level of social isolation.The average score of P50 on the Psychological Well-being Scale was 4.88,suggesting that the psychological well-being of the elderly in the community was moderate to high.Multivariate regression analysis showed that the level of social isolation significantly influenced the psychological well-being of the elderly(P<0.05),with social isolation negatively correlated with psychological well-being.Conclusion:Healthcare professionals should pay attention to the social isolation of elderly individuals in the community and develop targeted interventions to improve their psychological well-being and quality of life.

Analysis of the Current Situation and Influencing Factors of Psychological Well-Being of Elderly People in the Community

Objective:To investigate the current psychological well-being of older people in the community and analyze its influencing factors.Methods:A total of 265 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 and above in Baoding City,Hebei Province,were selected through convenience sampling from November 2023 to March 2024.They were surveyed using a general information questionnaire and a comprehensive well-being questionnaire,with results analyzed statistically using SPSS 27.0.Results:Six dimensions of the psychological well-being scale for community older adults were identified:life vitality(P50=4.83),health concern(P50=4.6),self-worth(P50=5.6),friendly relationships(P50=5.33),altruistic behavior(P50=5.2),personality growth(P50=4.67),and comprehensive well-being(P50=161).Multivariate regression analysis showed that social isolation(β=-0.021,P<0.001),type of work(β=-0.142,P<0.001),chronic disease history(β=0.004,P<0.001),need for mobility aid(β=0.192,P<0.001),and monthly income(β=0.381,P<0.001)were factors influencing psychological well-being.Conclusion:The psychological well-being of the elderly is slightly above moderate and requires improvement.Enhancing factors such as reducing social isolation,addressing chronic disease history,and improving financial support could improve psychological well-being in older adults.

Women health and microbiota:Different aspects of well-being

In this editorial,we comment on the article by Marano et al recently published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology 2023;29(45):5945-5952.We focus on the role of gut microbiota(GM)in women’s health,highlighting the need to thoroughly comprehend the sex differences in microbiota.Together,the host and GM support the host’s health.The microbiota components consist of viruses,bacteria,fungi,and archaea.This complex is an essential part of the host and is involved in neu-rological development,metabolic control,immune system dynamics,and host dynamic homeostasis.It has been shown that differences in the GM of males and females can contribute to chronic diseases,such as gastrointestinal,metabolic,neurological,cardiovascular,and respiratory illnesses.These differences can also result in some sex-specific changes in immunity.Every day,research on GM reveals new and more expansive frontiers,offering a wealth of innovative oppor-tunities for preventive and precision medicine.

Relationship Between Individuals’Epidemic Risk Perception Within Living Space and Subjective Well-Being:Empirical Evidence from China after the First Wave of COVID-19

It is common to observe the epidemic risk perception(ERP)and a decline in subjective well-being(SWB)in the context of public health events,such as Corona Virus Disease 2019(COVID-19).However,there have been few studies exploring the impact of individuals’ERP within living space on their SWB,especially from a geographical and daily activity perspective after the resumption of work and other activities following a wave of the pandemic.In this paper,we conducted a study with 789 participants in urban China,measuring their ERP within living space and examining its influence on their SWB using path analysis.The results indicated that individuals’ERP within their living space had a significant negative effect on their SWB.The density of certain types of facilities within their living space,such as bus stops,subway stations,restaurants,fast food shops,convenience shops,hospitals,and public toilets,had a significantly negative impact on their SWB,mediated by their ERP within living space.Additionally,participation in out-of-home work and other activities not only increased individuals’ERP within living space,but also strengthened its negative effect on their SWB.

The Effects of Childhood Trauma on College Students’Depressive Symptoms:The Mediation Role of Subjective Well-Being and the Moderation Role of Resilience

Background:The enduring and detrimental impact of childhood trauma on later health and well-being is now well established.However,research on the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms,along with the potential risk and protective factors,is insufficient in the context of Chinese college student population.Methods:Data on childhood trauma,depressive symptoms,resilience,and subjective well-being were collected through surveys conducted with 367 Chinese university students.The data collected in this study were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS 3.5.Results:The results revealed that subjective well-being mediated the relationship between childhood trauma and depressive symptoms among college students,with direct and indirect effects accounting for 59.46%and 40.54%of the total effect,respectively.The pathway process between subjective well-being and depressive symptoms was moderated by resilience,whereby an increase in resilience levels corresponded to a gradual escalation in the predictive power of subjective well-being on depressive symptoms.Conclusion:The study indicates that childhood trauma significantly and positively predicts depressive symptoms among college students,and it can also directly predict depressive symptoms through the mediating effect of subjective well-being.Elevating levels of psychological resilience and subjective well-being among college students can mitigate depression and promote psychological well-being.From the perspective of positive psychology,the present study provides a new perspective for the prevention and intervention of depressive symptoms among college students.

Self-Compassion Moderates the Effect of Contingent Self-Esteem on Well-Being:Evidence from Cross-Sectional Survey and Experiment

Contingent self-esteem captures the fragile nature of self-esteem and is often regarded as suboptimal to psychological functioning.Self-compassion is another important self-related concept assumed to promote mental health and well-being.However,research on the relation of self-compassion to contingent self-esteem is lacking.Two studies were conducted to explore the role of selfcompassion,either as a personal characteristic or an induced mindset,in influencing the effects of contingent self-esteem on well-being.Study 1 recruited 256 Chinese college students(30.4%male,mean age=21.72 years)who filled out measures of contingent self-esteem,self-compassion,and well-being.The results found that self-compassion moderated the effect of contingent self-esteem on well-being.In Study 2,a sample of 90 Chinese college students(34%male,mean age=18.39 years)were randomly assigned to either a control or self-compassion group.They completed baseline trait measures of contingent self-esteem,self-compassion,and self-esteem.Then,they were led to have a 12-min break(control group)or listen to a 12-min self-compassion audio(self-compassion group),followed by a social stress task and outcome measures.The results demonstrated the effectiveness of the brief self-compassion training and its moderating role in influencing the effects of contingent self-esteem on negative affects after the social stress task.This research provides implications that to equip with a self-compassionate mindset could lower the risk of the impairment of well-being associated with elements of contingent selfesteem,which involves a fragile sense of self-worth.It may also provide insights into the development of an“optimal selfesteem”and the improvement of well-being.

Disparities in the impact of economic well-being on self-esteem in adulthood:Race and ethnicity

BACKGROUND Most studies have defined economic well-being as socioeconomic status,with little attention given to whether other indicators influence self-esteem.Little is known about racial/ethnic disparities in the relationship between economic wellbeing and self-esteem during adulthood.AIM To explore the impact of economic well-being on self-esteem in adulthood and differences in the association across race/ethnicity.METHODS The current study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.The final sample consisted of 2267 African Americans,1425 Hispanics,and 3678 non-Hispanic Whites.Ordinary linear regression analyses and logistic regression analyses were conducted.RESULTS African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to be in poverty in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites.More African Americans were unemployed than Whites.Those who received fringe benefits,were more satisfied with jobs,and were employed were more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem.Poverty was negatively associated with self-esteem.Interaction effects were found between African Americans and job satisfaction predicting self-esteem.CONCLUSION The role of employers is important in cultivating employees’self-esteem.Satisfactory outcomes or feelings of happiness from the workplace may be more important to non-Hispanic Whites compared to African Americans and Hispanics.

The Impact of Supervisory Career Support on Employees’Well-Being:A Dual Path Model of Opportunity and Ability

Background:In the pursuit of fostering employees’well-being,leaders are recognized as playing a vital role.However,so far,most of the existing research has focused on leadership behavior and the superficial interaction between leaders and members but has unexpectedly ignored the specific supporting role of supervisors in the career development of employees,that is,supervisory career support.Additionally,the internal mechanism of how career support from supervisors is related to and promotes employees’wellbeing is still unclear.Based on social cognitive career theory(SCCT),this study aimed to explore whether,how,and when supervisory career support affects employee well-being by introducing the two paths of‘career prospect’and‘career confidence.’Methods:During July 2023,this study employed a cross-sectional design.We gathered participants from corporate situated in Southern China.Results:Results based on a large sample of 14,533 employees showed that supervisory career support was positively related to employees’well-being through the dual path of career prospects(opportunity)and career confidence(ability).Employees high in proactive personality experienced the above positive effects most.Conclusion:This study provides meaningful implications for managers to implement personalized support strategies to improve employees’well-being.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

Researching the Impact of the Quality of Village Governance on Farmers’Well-Being:From the Perspectives of Income and Occupational Differentiation

The goal of village governance is to improve the well-being of farmers,so this study aims to measure the impact the quality of village governance on the well-being of farmers.It also examines the heterogeneity of this impact across different farmer groups from the perspectives of income levels and occupational differentiation.To this end,this study developed an indicator system based on survey data collected from 1,442 farmers in the Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces,as well as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.Multiple linear regression models were then used to analyze this data,and the findings revealed that improvements in the quality of village governance significantly increased the well-being of farmers.Specifically,primary-level empowerment and capacity building were shown to contribute the most to the enhancement of the farmers’well-being,followed by social inclusion,and social cohesion was found to have only a minimal effect.In terms of income levels,improving the quality of village governance benefited middle-income farmers the most,followed by low-income farmers,and it had the least effect on high-income farmers.In terms of occupations,full-time farmers gained the most from improvements in the quality of village governance,followed by off-farm farmers,with part-time farmers benefiting the least.Based on these findings,this study suggests that policymakers should improve the quality of village governance to enhance the well-being of farmers,focusing on the impact that level of income and occupational differentiation have on village governance.

Community-led total sanitation(CLTS)implementation in West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly in Ghana.What do communities think eleven years on?

Objective Access to improved sanitation is a fundamental human right and an important aspect of Public Health.However,an estimated thousands of people in Ghana especially,the West Mamprusi Municipal Assembly(WMMA)still have no access to adequate toilet facilities.This has brought untold health repercussions to the inhabitants,the community,and the environment at large.To address this menace,the community-led total sanitation(CLTS)was implemented.This study aimed to assess communities’perspectives on the implementation of CLTS and to understand the factors influencing its success and failures.Methods A mixed-method approach involving sequential qualitative and quantitative methods was employed in this study.Participants for the quantitative study were randomly selected and surveyed using questionnaires.The qualitative study employed focus group discussion involving purposively sampled participants including assembly members,opinion leaders,and assembly staff.Results The CLTS program in WMMA realized an apparent use of construction and proper use of household latrines leading to a reduction of open defecation free(ODF)and two communities achieving sanitized status in the history of the study area,enabling the training of latrine artisans and natural leaders to facilitate the CLTS expansion and sustainability,improved sanitation and hygiene,strengthened the enforcement of community rules and regulations and many others.Conclusion The CLTS program has received more widespread acceptance in the study area than the previous government policy of constructing public toilets,which was greeted with massive failures due to poor implementation.To ensure that gains achieved through CLTS implementation are sustained longer,it is recommended that chiefs and opinion leaders should be involved in the CLTS programs to ensure checks and enforcement.The entrenchment of bylaws and more education to address enduring myths and misconceptions will sustain the program.Subsidies in the form of sanitation loans for latrine construction materials by the government and supporting non-governmental organizations(NGOs)will be paramount in sustaining ODF.

Association between Mental Health Literacy and Workplace Well-Being of Chinese Grassroots Civil Servants:The Chain Mediating Effects of Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy and Resilience

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between mental health literacy(MHL)and workplace well-being(WWB)of Chinese grassroots civil servants,with regulatory emotional self-efficacy(RESE)and resilience as mediating variables.A questionnaire survey was conducted among Chinese grassroots civil servants,with a valid sample size of 2673 after excluding missing values and conducting relevant data processing.The PROCESS was used to examine the relationship between MHL,RESE,resilience,and WWB.The study found that MHL among grassroots civil servants was positively and significantly correlated with WWB(r=0.73,p<0.01).RESE partially mediated the relationship between MHL and WWB(β=0.25,95%CI[0.22,0.28]).Resilience partially mediated the relationship between MHL and WWB(β=0.22,95%CI[0.19,0.26]).MHL had a positive effect on WWB through the chain mediating effect of RESE and resilience(β=0.05,95%CI[0.03,0.07]).There is a close relationship between MHL and WWB,where Chinese grassroots civil servants with higher levels of MHL can develop stronger RESE and resilience,leading to higher WWB.The results of this study remind organizational institutions of Chinese grassroots civil servants that enhancing MHL,RESE,and resilience is an important pathway to promoting their WWB.

The pain of inequality:Income gap and carbon intensity of well-being

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations sets out 17 sustainable development goals(SDGs)that call for global action to end poverty,protect the planet,and improve the lives and futures of all people,including reducing inequality and taking climate action.The academic and policy issues corresponding to these two goals are income distribution and low-carbon development respectively.This paper makes a connection between the two and examines the impact of income gap on carbon intensity of well-being(CIWB)based on panel data of 40 countries around the world,which has important theoretical significance and empirical reference value.The main conclusions are as follows:(1)During the sample period,the carbon intensity of well-being of 36 in the 40 countries showed a downward trend,indicating that the pressure brought by the increase of unit well-being level on carbon emission space was gradually decreasing.The biggest drop in carbon intensity of well-being is in Estonia.(2)According to the average value of the past years,the income gaps are large in Colombia,Costa Rica,Paraguay,Ecuador and Peru,and the five countries with the smallest income gap are Ukraine,Slovenia,Belarus,the Czech Republic and Kyrgyzstan Republic.(3)The regression results of the econometric model with carbon intensity of well-being as the dependent variable,income gap as the independent variable,and urbanization rate,energy consumption structure and export trade as the control variables show that the increase of income gap will increase carbon intensity of well-being,and the increase of urbanization rate,renewable energy consumption and export dependence will reduce carbon intensity of well-being.Finally,according to the research conclusions,the policy implications for China's future high-quality development are extracted.

A Review of Western and Eastern Traditional Views of Well-Being

This paper reviews traditional understanding of well-being from both Western and Eastern cultural perspectives. First, two distinct Western traditions in defining well-being are compared, namely hedonic and eudaemonic approaches. The hedonic approach defines happiness as the maximization of pleasure, while the eudaemonic approach regards happiness as the fulfillment of a person’s natural needs and overall flourishing. Second, the views of well-being in lens of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism in the East are reviewed. The common and different understandings of well-being between Western and Eastern traditions are discussed as followed. Finally, two well-known operationalized definitions of well-being, that is subjective well-being and psychological well-being, proposed in the roots of Western traditions are elucidated.

Analysis of Distribution of Public Toilets within Walking Range around Communities of the Elderly under the Model of Community Home-based Care for the Elderly: A Case Study of Changxindian, Fengtai District, Beijing

In recent years,under the influence of multiple factors such as traditional ideas and living economic conditions,the aging population in China continues to increase.Most of the elderly are more inclined to aged at home,and the first places for elderly activities are communities and the surrounding environment,which greatly affects the convenience of life and happiness of the elderly.In this paper,Changxindian area in Fengtai District of Beijing was as the research object,and detailed calculation and analysis were carried out by using POI data and arcGIS software.The relative location of residential areas and surrounding public toilets was explored,and the best location of public toilets in the daily walking area under the model of community home-based care for the elderly was further studied.

The Relationship between Mental Health Literacy and Subjective Well-Being of Young and Middle-Aged Residents: Perceived the Mediating Role of Social Support and Its Urban-Rural Differences

This study investigates mental health literacy among young and middle-aged urban and rural residents and the differences in mental health literacy,perceived social support and subjective well-being.From January to February 2022,620 participants(320 rural and 300 urban residents)from three provinces of China were selected by con-venience sampling.A general data questionnaire,mental health literacy scale,perceived social support scale and subjective well-being scale were administered.The mental health literacy scores of urban residents were 3.34±0.57 and those of rural residents were 2.73±0.79.The results of multiple regression analysis showed that the mental health literacy scores of rural residents were more significant than those of urban residents in terms of sex and age,while urban residents’mental health literacy scores were more significant than those of rural resi-dents in terms of monthly income.Mental health literacy,perceived social support and subjective well-being of young and middle-aged urban and rural residents were all positively correlated(P<0.01).While the level of mental health literacy is better among urban residents than rural residents,perceived social support plays a partial mediating role between mental health literacy and subjective well-being of both urban and rural residents,and should be the focus of researchers seeking to improve the level of well-being of residents.

Nontraditional energy-assisted mechanical machining of difficult-to-cut materials and components in aerospace community:a comparative analysis

The aerospace community widely uses difficult-to-cut materials,such as titanium alloys,high-temperature alloys,metal/ceramic/polymer matrix composites,hard and brittle materials,and geometrically complex components,such as thin-walled structures,microchannels,and complex surfaces.Mechanical machining is the main material removal process for the vast majority of aerospace components.However,many problems exist,including severe and rapid tool wear,low machining efficiency,and poor surface integrity.Nontraditional energy-assisted mechanical machining is a hybrid process that uses nontraditional energies(vibration,laser,electricity,etc)to improve the machinability of local materials and decrease the burden of mechanical machining.This provides a feasible and promising method to improve the material removal rate and surface quality,reduce process forces,and prolong tool life.However,systematic reviews of this technology are lacking with respect to the current research status and development direction.This paper reviews the recent progress in the nontraditional energy-assisted mechanical machining of difficult-to-cut materials and components in the aerospace community.In addition,this paper focuses on the processing principles,material responses under nontraditional energy,resultant forces and temperatures,material removal mechanisms,and applications of these processes,including vibration-,laser-,electric-,magnetic-,chemical-,advanced coolant-,and hybrid nontraditional energy-assisted mechanical machining.Finally,a comprehensive summary of the principles,advantages,and limitations of each hybrid process is provided,and future perspectives on forward design,device development,and sustainability of nontraditional energy-assisted mechanical machining processes are discussed.

The Mediating Role of Religious Beliefs in the Relationship between Well-Being and Fear of the Pandemic

Religion is one of the social entities that has had a significant impact on the pandemic.The study’s goals are to investigate the relationship between well-being and fear of COVID-19,as well as to test whether religious beliefs mediate the effect of wellbeing on fear of COVID-19.The sample comprised of 433 participants in Vietnam.Independent Sample t-Test,One-way ANOVA,mediation analysis were used to analyze the data.In the levels of well-being,individuals who engage in religious services daily have higher levels than those hardly and never attend,and people from the age of 18 to 30 have higher levels than individuals from 31 to above 60 years.In addition,people aged from 51 to above 60 have higher levels of religious beliefs than people aged from 18 to 50.Females experience more fear of COVID-19 compared to males.The latter illustrates that religious beliefs mediate the effect of well-being on fear of COVID-19.Social workers and clinicians must prioritize older adults and people with chronic diseases for early mental interventions,and they should be aware of the role of religion in psychological treatment integration.

Implication of community-level ecophysiological parameterization to modelling ecosystem productivity:a case study across nine contrasting forest sites in eastern China

Parameterization is a critical step in modelling ecosystem dynamics.However,assigning parameter values can be a technical challenge for structurally complex natural plant communities;uncertainties in model simulations often arise from inappropriate model parameterization.Here we compared five methods for defining community-level specific leaf area(SLA)and leaf C:N across nine contrasting forest sites along the North-South Transect of Eastern China,including biomass-weighted average for the entire plant community(AP_BW)and four simplified selective sampling(biomass-weighted average over five dominant tree species[5DT_BW],basal area weighted average over five dominant tree species[5DT_AW],biomass-weighted average over all tree species[AT_BW]and basal area weighted average over all tree species[AT_AW]).We found that the default values for SLA and leaf C:N embedded in the Biome-BGC v4.2 were higher than the five computational methods produced across the nine sites,with deviations ranging from 28.0 to 73.3%.In addition,there were only slight deviations(<10%)between the whole plant community sampling(AP_BW)predicted NPP and the four simplified selective sampling methods,and no significant difference between the predictions of AT_BW and AP_BW except the Shennongjia site.The findings in this study highlights the critical importance of computational strategies for community-level parameterization in ecosystem process modelling,and will support the choice of parameterization methods.

Insights into microbiota community dynamics and flavor development mechanism during golden pomfret(Trachinotus ovatus)fermentation based on single-molecule real-time sequencing and molecular networking analysis

Popular fermented golden pomfret(Trachinotus ovatus)is prepared via spontaneous fermentation;however,the mechanisms underlying the regulation of its flavor development remain unclear.This study shows the roles of the complex microbiota and the dynamic changes in microbial community and flavor compounds during fish fermentation.Single-molecule real-time sequencing and molecular networking analysis revealed the correlations among different microbial genera and the relationships between microbial taxa and volatile compounds.Mechanisms underlying flavor development were also elucidated via KEGG based functional annotations.Clostridium,Shewanella,and Staphylococcus were the dominant microbial genera.Forty-nine volatile compounds were detected in the fermented fish samples,with thirteen identified as characteristic volatile compounds(ROAV>1).Volatile profiles resulted from the interactions among the microorganisms and derived enzymes,with the main metabolic pathways being amino acid biosynthesis/metabolism,carbon metabolism,and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis.This study demonstrated the approaches for distinguishing key microbiota associated with volatile compounds and monitoring the industrial production of high-quality fermented fish products.