HEALTH AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS OF OLDER ADULTS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT: INTERNATIONAL SURVEY RESULTS

摘要

This symposium examines health and health behaviors among older adults in China, India, and Norway using national and international surveys. The first three papers used the WHO’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (SAGE) Wave-1 in 2010. The fourth paper used the 2008–2009 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey and the 2006–2008 Nord-Trøndelag Health Study data. The first paper assessed gender differences in the association between migration and cognition among older adults in China and India across six groups of residents: urban, rural, urban-to-urban, rural-to-urban, rural-to-rural, and urban-to-rural. The results demonstrated a consistent female disadvantage in cognition, and the association between migration and cognition differed by gender and country. The second study investigated the relationships between perceived stress, sleep quality, duration, and cognition among older adults in China and India. The study found that perceived stress was negatively associated with cognition while duration of sleep was positive correlated. Perceived stress moderates the relationship between sleep and cognition sleep. The third paper assessed the factors related to physical activity (PA) among adults in China and India. Nearly one third of the sample reported no PA. Indian respondents were more likely to have PA than the Chinese. Several sociodemographic factors and chronic conditions related to PA were identified. The fourth paper investigated the prevalence and determinants of elevated alcohol consumption in China and Norway. The results showed that the prevalence of elevated alcohol consumption was higher in China compared to Norway. Country-specific factors related to elevated alcohol consumption were also found.