title: Activity as a predictor of mental well-being among older adults.
abstract: This eight-year follow-up study examines the roles of physical and leisure activity as predictors of mental well-being among older adults born in 1904-1923. As part of the Evergreen project, 1224 (80%) persons aged 65-84 years were interviewed at baseline (1988), and 663 (90%) persons in the follow-up (1996). Mental well-being factors including depressive symptoms, anxiety, loneliness, self-rated mental vigour and meaning in life were constructed using factor analysis. The predictors of mental well-being included physical and leisure activity, mobility status and number of chronic illnesses. We used a path analysis model to examine the predictors of mental well-being. At baseline, low number of chronic illnesses, better mobility status and leisure activity were associated with mental well-being. Baseline mental well-being, better mobility status and younger age predicted mental well-being in the follow-up. Explanatory power of the path analysis model for the mental well-being factor at baseline was 19% and 35% in the follow-up. These findings suggest that mental well-being in later life is associated with activity, better health and mobility status, which should become targets for preventive measures.
authors.affiliation: The Finnish Centre for Interdisciplinary, Gerontology, University of Jyväskylä, Viveca, FIN-40014 Jyväskylä, Finland. lampinen@sport.jyu.fi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lampinen
authors.forename: R-L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kauppinen
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heikkinen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D009043:Motor Activity; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires