Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS)
Although early socioeconomic adversity is associated with poorer function and health in adulthood, those who are able to adapt positively to such risks and threats develop a resilience that may ameliorate harm. Predictors of resilience have been examined in children, however exploring the relationsh...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2016-12-01
|
| Series: | SSM: Population Health |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827316300787 |
| _version_ | 1811241788872065024 |
|---|---|
| author | Susan P. Phillips Mohammad Auais Emmanuelle Belanger Beatriz Alvarado Maria-Vitoria Zunzunegui |
| author_facet | Susan P. Phillips Mohammad Auais Emmanuelle Belanger Beatriz Alvarado Maria-Vitoria Zunzunegui |
| author_sort | Susan P. Phillips |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although early socioeconomic adversity is associated with poorer function and health in adulthood, those who are able to adapt positively to such risks and threats develop a resilience that may ameliorate harm. Predictors of resilience have been examined in children, however exploring the relationship between life-course events, lived environments and current resilience among older adults across countries is novel. We specifically studied how childhood social and/or economic adversity and current socioeconomic resources were associated with resilience in 2000 community dwelling older men and women in Canada, Colombia, Brazil and Albania. The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) collected information in 2012 and 2014 on childhood adversity, current income sufficiency social support and social engagement, and resilience (Wagnild Resilience Scale RS-14). Resilience levels were moderately high, and similar among women and men. Early social adversity predicted later resilience for some, with women but not men adapting positively. In contrast there was no bouncing back from early economic adversity. Current social engagement aligned with resilience (women only) as did social support from children (for women) and friends (for men). Partner support was of no advantage to either. Among men economic circumstances were stronger correlates of resilience while for women social circumstances were primary. The impact of site on resilience suggested that cultural norms and values have an independent effect on resilience of their populations, with strong and positive social ties more typical of Latin America than Canada appearing to offset lower absolute incomes. These findings are of importance because resilience is dynamic, can be fostered across the lifespan and is generally associated with greater health. Understanding which social assets and resources can be reinforced to build individual resilience offers a means for decreasing the harms of social and economic adversity. Keywords: Aging, Resilience, Adversity, Sex differences, Social engagement, Social support, Adverse childhood experiences, Income |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:42:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cacf55ff06e8462f941cd56aa3e0547a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2352-8273 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T13:42:21Z |
| publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SSM: Population Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-cacf55ff06e8462f941cd56aa3e0547a2022-12-22T03:30:49ZengElsevierSSM: Population Health2352-82732016-12-012708717Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS)Susan P. Phillips0Mohammad Auais1Emmanuelle Belanger2Beatriz Alvarado3Maria-Vitoria Zunzunegui4Queen's University, Department of Family Medicine, 220 Bagot St, Kingston, ON, Canada K7L 5E9; Corresponding author.Queen's University, School of Rehabilitation Therapy, 31 George St, Kingston, Canada K7L 3N6Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CanadaQueen's University, Public Health Sciences, 62 Fifth Field Company Lane, Kingston, Canada K7L 3N6Public Health Research Institute (IRSPUM), Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, CanadaAlthough early socioeconomic adversity is associated with poorer function and health in adulthood, those who are able to adapt positively to such risks and threats develop a resilience that may ameliorate harm. Predictors of resilience have been examined in children, however exploring the relationship between life-course events, lived environments and current resilience among older adults across countries is novel. We specifically studied how childhood social and/or economic adversity and current socioeconomic resources were associated with resilience in 2000 community dwelling older men and women in Canada, Colombia, Brazil and Albania. The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) collected information in 2012 and 2014 on childhood adversity, current income sufficiency social support and social engagement, and resilience (Wagnild Resilience Scale RS-14). Resilience levels were moderately high, and similar among women and men. Early social adversity predicted later resilience for some, with women but not men adapting positively. In contrast there was no bouncing back from early economic adversity. Current social engagement aligned with resilience (women only) as did social support from children (for women) and friends (for men). Partner support was of no advantage to either. Among men economic circumstances were stronger correlates of resilience while for women social circumstances were primary. The impact of site on resilience suggested that cultural norms and values have an independent effect on resilience of their populations, with strong and positive social ties more typical of Latin America than Canada appearing to offset lower absolute incomes. These findings are of importance because resilience is dynamic, can be fostered across the lifespan and is generally associated with greater health. Understanding which social assets and resources can be reinforced to build individual resilience offers a means for decreasing the harms of social and economic adversity. Keywords: Aging, Resilience, Adversity, Sex differences, Social engagement, Social support, Adverse childhood experiences, Incomehttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827316300787 |
| spellingShingle | Susan P. Phillips Mohammad Auais Emmanuelle Belanger Beatriz Alvarado Maria-Vitoria Zunzunegui Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) SSM: Population Health |
| title | Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) |
| title_full | Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) |
| title_fullStr | Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) |
| title_short | Life-course social and economic circumstances, gender, and resilience in older adults: The longitudinal International Mobility in Aging Study (IMIAS) |
| title_sort | life course social and economic circumstances gender and resilience in older adults the longitudinal international mobility in aging study imias |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827316300787 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT susanpphillips lifecoursesocialandeconomiccircumstancesgenderandresilienceinolderadultsthelongitudinalinternationalmobilityinagingstudyimias AT mohammadauais lifecoursesocialandeconomiccircumstancesgenderandresilienceinolderadultsthelongitudinalinternationalmobilityinagingstudyimias AT emmanuellebelanger lifecoursesocialandeconomiccircumstancesgenderandresilienceinolderadultsthelongitudinalinternationalmobilityinagingstudyimias AT beatrizalvarado lifecoursesocialandeconomiccircumstancesgenderandresilienceinolderadultsthelongitudinalinternationalmobilityinagingstudyimias AT mariavitoriazunzunegui lifecoursesocialandeconomiccircumstancesgenderandresilienceinolderadultsthelongitudinalinternationalmobilityinagingstudyimias |