Empirical evidence suggests that the stability of personality itself contributes to successful ageing and is associated with longer life. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between personality tr...Empirical evidence suggests that the stability of personality itself contributes to successful ageing and is associated with longer life. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between personality traits and the self-perceived health status, stratified by medical conditions in a representative sample of non-institutionalized elderly people in Chile. The data used for this study come from the fourth waves (2009) of the Chilean Social Protection Survey (SPS-2009). Included were a total of 2655 subjects aged 65 and over. The results showed that higher scores of all five personality factors were associated with good health. Those with the perception of poor health were more likely to be female, with lower education level and older than those with good health. With the exception of agreeableness, strong and significant associations with self-perceived health were demonstrated for extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness, among elderly with medical conditions. Among elderly without medical problems, significant associations with self-perceived health were demonstrated only for extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. This study has shown that there is a consistent association between personality factors and self-perceived health throughout the older population. Our results suggest that extraversion and openness traits could be acting as “protector” factors and agreeableness and conscientiousness traits as “resilient” factors, facing to the health problems among elderly people.展开更多
Youthful feelings were shown to have a positive effect on the mental and physical conditions of the elderly. On the contrary, elderly people whose self-perceived age is older than their chronological age were shown to...Youthful feelings were shown to have a positive effect on the mental and physical conditions of the elderly. On the contrary, elderly people whose self-perceived age is older than their chronological age were shown to experience negative health outcomes. This study investigated whether the self-perceived age (younger or older) relative to chronological age promotes social activity. The baseline data acquired from 3094 older adults as part of the Keeping Active across Generations Uniting the Youth and the Aged study was used in the current study. The participants completed a questionnaire that solicits information pertaining to sociodemographic factors, felt age, self-rated health, physical activity, depression, disease burden, fall history, fear of falling, level of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and social activity. The discrepancy between felt age and chronological age was defined as the self-perceived age. Self-perceived age was calculated by subtracting the participant’s chronological age from the felt age, and the score for the difference was divided by the chronological age. The Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence was used to evaluate social activity. Regression analysis results revealed that a younger self-perceived age was associated with higher social activity after controlling for sociodemographic factors, self-rated health, depression, physical activity, disease burden, level of IADL, fall history and fear of falling. Fall history was significantly associated with higher social activity in young-old participants (65 - 74 years) (p = 0.014) but not in old-old participants (>75 years). This study suggests that a younger self-perceived age in older adults would lead to a high-level living function. This finding may provide useful information for interventions aimed at the promotion of health and/or the prevention of frailty.展开更多
The use of relaxation techniques in daily life is an effective means for the self-management of stress. Acupressure is a traditional technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points instead of puncturing the ...The use of relaxation techniques in daily life is an effective means for the self-management of stress. Acupressure is a traditional technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points instead of puncturing the skin. Self-administered acupressure is a potential method for dealing with stress. The effect of self-administered acupressure on anxiety has been examined but whether it can reduce perceived stress over longer periods is unknown. This study aimed to examine whether a self-administered, four-week acupressure intervention would reduce perceived stress over the past month. Fifteen male and nine female college students (age, 28.9 ± 8.51 yr) majoring in acupuncture and moxibustion medicine were randomly assigned to self-acupressure (AG) and control groups (CG). AG participants were instructed to conduct five sessions of acupressure in the morning, midday, and night. Each session included pressing six acupressure points on the neck (three points on the left and right side each) for five seconds. CG participants were asked to spend their daily life as usual. The outcome was the perceived stress level during the past month, which was assessed using a reliable and valid four-item scale. Perceived stress was measured at baseline, two weeks later, and after intervention. The stress level did not significantly differ between the two groups at baseline. In the AG, the stress level decreased from baseline to two weeks later and remained constant until the end of intervention. The stress level was significantly lower in the AG than in the CG only after intervention. These results provided initial evidence that self-administered acupressure reduces perceived stress over the past month.展开更多
Background: Tranexamic acid and vitamin C derivatives are important reagent used in cosmetic skin-whitening products. Recently, self-perceptions regarding improvement in facial skin status have been increasingly recog...Background: Tranexamic acid and vitamin C derivatives are important reagent used in cosmetic skin-whitening products. Recently, self-perceptions regarding improvement in facial skin status have been increasingly recognized as an important outcome of whitening cosmetic products intervention. Aims: The purpose of the study was to determine the receptiveness of objective and self-perceived facial skin status using whitening cosmetic products. Methods: A total of 40 volunteers were photographed using the Visia<sup>?</sup> machine and completed questionnaires at pre- and post-operation (8 weeks after receiving whitening cosmetic products). Visia<sup>?</sup> digital image analysis and questionnaires were used for assessment of facial skin status. The receptiveness of objective and self-perceived measures was assessed by paired t test and Effect Size (ES). Results: There were progresses with regard to the surface spot (ES = 0.22), wrinkles (ES = 0.24), texture (ES = 0.31) and pores (ES = 0.21) after using cosmetic products with tranexamic acid. For self-perceived measures, there were significant progresses in pigmented spots (ES = 0.75), rough complexion (ES = 0.76), red complexion (ES = 0.41), wrinkle (ES = 0.58) and obvious pores (ES = 0.75). Conclusions: This study suggests that the whitening cosmetic products are associated with improvement of objective and self-perceived facial skin status. The results could be provided as available information for cosmetic investigation.展开更多
文摘Empirical evidence suggests that the stability of personality itself contributes to successful ageing and is associated with longer life. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between personality traits and the self-perceived health status, stratified by medical conditions in a representative sample of non-institutionalized elderly people in Chile. The data used for this study come from the fourth waves (2009) of the Chilean Social Protection Survey (SPS-2009). Included were a total of 2655 subjects aged 65 and over. The results showed that higher scores of all five personality factors were associated with good health. Those with the perception of poor health were more likely to be female, with lower education level and older than those with good health. With the exception of agreeableness, strong and significant associations with self-perceived health were demonstrated for extraversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness, among elderly with medical conditions. Among elderly without medical problems, significant associations with self-perceived health were demonstrated only for extraversion, agreeableness and emotional stability. This study has shown that there is a consistent association between personality factors and self-perceived health throughout the older population. Our results suggest that extraversion and openness traits could be acting as “protector” factors and agreeableness and conscientiousness traits as “resilient” factors, facing to the health problems among elderly people.
文摘Youthful feelings were shown to have a positive effect on the mental and physical conditions of the elderly. On the contrary, elderly people whose self-perceived age is older than their chronological age were shown to experience negative health outcomes. This study investigated whether the self-perceived age (younger or older) relative to chronological age promotes social activity. The baseline data acquired from 3094 older adults as part of the Keeping Active across Generations Uniting the Youth and the Aged study was used in the current study. The participants completed a questionnaire that solicits information pertaining to sociodemographic factors, felt age, self-rated health, physical activity, depression, disease burden, fall history, fear of falling, level of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) and social activity. The discrepancy between felt age and chronological age was defined as the self-perceived age. Self-perceived age was calculated by subtracting the participant’s chronological age from the felt age, and the score for the difference was divided by the chronological age. The Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence was used to evaluate social activity. Regression analysis results revealed that a younger self-perceived age was associated with higher social activity after controlling for sociodemographic factors, self-rated health, depression, physical activity, disease burden, level of IADL, fall history and fear of falling. Fall history was significantly associated with higher social activity in young-old participants (65 - 74 years) (p = 0.014) but not in old-old participants (>75 years). This study suggests that a younger self-perceived age in older adults would lead to a high-level living function. This finding may provide useful information for interventions aimed at the promotion of health and/or the prevention of frailty.
文摘The use of relaxation techniques in daily life is an effective means for the self-management of stress. Acupressure is a traditional technique where pressure is applied to acupuncture points instead of puncturing the skin. Self-administered acupressure is a potential method for dealing with stress. The effect of self-administered acupressure on anxiety has been examined but whether it can reduce perceived stress over longer periods is unknown. This study aimed to examine whether a self-administered, four-week acupressure intervention would reduce perceived stress over the past month. Fifteen male and nine female college students (age, 28.9 ± 8.51 yr) majoring in acupuncture and moxibustion medicine were randomly assigned to self-acupressure (AG) and control groups (CG). AG participants were instructed to conduct five sessions of acupressure in the morning, midday, and night. Each session included pressing six acupressure points on the neck (three points on the left and right side each) for five seconds. CG participants were asked to spend their daily life as usual. The outcome was the perceived stress level during the past month, which was assessed using a reliable and valid four-item scale. Perceived stress was measured at baseline, two weeks later, and after intervention. The stress level did not significantly differ between the two groups at baseline. In the AG, the stress level decreased from baseline to two weeks later and remained constant until the end of intervention. The stress level was significantly lower in the AG than in the CG only after intervention. These results provided initial evidence that self-administered acupressure reduces perceived stress over the past month.
文摘Background: Tranexamic acid and vitamin C derivatives are important reagent used in cosmetic skin-whitening products. Recently, self-perceptions regarding improvement in facial skin status have been increasingly recognized as an important outcome of whitening cosmetic products intervention. Aims: The purpose of the study was to determine the receptiveness of objective and self-perceived facial skin status using whitening cosmetic products. Methods: A total of 40 volunteers were photographed using the Visia<sup>?</sup> machine and completed questionnaires at pre- and post-operation (8 weeks after receiving whitening cosmetic products). Visia<sup>?</sup> digital image analysis and questionnaires were used for assessment of facial skin status. The receptiveness of objective and self-perceived measures was assessed by paired t test and Effect Size (ES). Results: There were progresses with regard to the surface spot (ES = 0.22), wrinkles (ES = 0.24), texture (ES = 0.31) and pores (ES = 0.21) after using cosmetic products with tranexamic acid. For self-perceived measures, there were significant progresses in pigmented spots (ES = 0.75), rough complexion (ES = 0.76), red complexion (ES = 0.41), wrinkle (ES = 0.58) and obvious pores (ES = 0.75). Conclusions: This study suggests that the whitening cosmetic products are associated with improvement of objective and self-perceived facial skin status. The results could be provided as available information for cosmetic investigation.
