Dataset Information

Education and grip strength among older Thai adults: A mediation analysis on health-related behaviours.

ABSTRACT: Abstract.

Background

Previous studies have investigated the effect of differential educational attainment at younger ages on health disparities among older adults, but how such an effect can be attenuated remains understudied. This study examines the mediating effects of four health-related behaviours, namely smoking, alcohol drinking, healthy eating, and physical activity, on the relationship between older adults' education and grip strength.

Methods

The study used data from 7,064 individuals aged 60 years and older who participated in the 2009 National Health Examination Survey of Thailand. To examine the relationships among education, health behaviours, and grip strength, multivariate regressions were performed following Baron and Kenny's approach. Generalized Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was utilized to quantify the mediating effects.

Results

All else being equal, education is positively associated with stronger grip for both genders. The mediation analyses demonstrate that health-related behaviour plays an important role in the relationship between education and grip strength; however, the extent to which it mediates the effect of education varies with the type of health behaviour and between genders. Not smoking and engaging in physical activity can partly explain the relationship between education and grip strength in older men. Meanwhile, the consumption of fruits and vegetables and participation in regular physical activity significantly mediate the effect of education on grip strength in older women.

Conclusion

Our study reaffirms the importance of educational opportunity in earlier life and recommends health-related behavioural modifications to improve health status in low-educated older adults.

SUBMITTER: Pothisiri W

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8379495 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Background:Hand grip strength (HGS) is gaining the attention of researchers and clinicians, including geriatricians as a readily available, inexpensive, and useful measure of muscle strength. Objective:To identify the indicators of abnormal HGS as measured by a Jamar handheld dynamometer in community-dwelling Egyptian senior citizens. Study Design:The study was approved by the relevant ethical committee. This cross-sectional study included 200 randomly selected older adults of both sexes who attended geriatric and internal medicine outpatient clinics. Informed consent was obtained, and comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed, including assessment of the health-related quality of life by the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Measurement:HGS was measured, and values of 20 kg or less in females and 30 kg or less in males were considered abnormal. Statistical Methods:IBM SPSS statistics v25.0 was used for data analysis. Data were expressed as the mean ± SD for quantitative parametric measures and as the number and percentage for categorical data. Student's t-test, the chi-squared test, the diagnostic validity test, and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed. The ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve was constructed, and the AUC (area under the curve) was also calculated. Results:The subjects' ages ranged from 60 to 95 years with a mean age of 69 ± SD 7.1 years. The sample consisted of 117 females (58.5%) and 83 males (41.5%). The chi-squared test showed that abnormal findings for grip strength were significantly more common among females than males (67.7% vs 32.3%). Student's t-test showed that both height and weight were significantly lower among subjects with abnormal than normal HGS, while body mass index (BMI) showed a non-significant difference. Stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis showed that there was no actual relationship between sex and abnormality of HGS. Conclusion:The best indicators of abnormal HGS were found to be a general health score below 25 points on the SF-12 and a height of less than 178 cm. As the values of general health and height decrease below those cut-off points, HGS decreases as well, and vice versa.