Healthy aging

Background Sleep duration is an important component of healthy aging, yet gender differences in short and long sleep among older adults remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine gender differences in sleep duration among Chinese older adults and quantify the contributions of socioeconomic, behavioral, functional, and health-related factors to these differences. Methods Data were obtained from 9,590 adults aged ≥65 years who participated in the 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Sleep duration was self-reported and categorized as short (<6 h), normal (6–8 h), or long (>8 h). Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with short and long sleep, with weighted analyses and Poisson regression performed as sensitivity analyses. Separate Fairlie decomposition analyses were conducted for short and long sleep to quantify the contributions of observed characteristics to gender differences. Results Overall, 44.95% of participants had abnormal sleep duration, with a higher prevalence among women than men (46.87% vs. 42.66%, p < 0.001). Compared with men, women had a higher relative risk of short sleep (RRR = 1.399, 95% CI: 1.204–1.625) but a lower relative risk of long sleep (RRR = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.754–0.972). The association with short sleep remained significant in the weighted analysis (RRR = 1.530, 95% CI: 1.210–1.935), whereas the gender difference in long sleep was attenuated (RRR = 0.821, 95% CI: 0.661–1.021). For short sleep, observed characteristics explained 21.65% of the gender disparity. Education (22.75%), depressive symptoms (11.07%), IADL limitation (6.02%), and self-assessed health (4.82%) contributed positively to the disparity, whereas smoking status (−22.57%), drinking status (−12.45%), and exercise (−4.87%) partially offset it. The gender difference in long sleep was negligible, with substantial offsetting contributions across factors. Conclusion Gender differences in sleep duration among Chinese older adults were primarily concentrated in short sleep, with women experiencing a higher risk. Socioeconomic, behavioral, psychological, and functional characteristics contributed to this disparity, although most of the short-sleep difference remained unexplained. Gender-sensitive interventions addressing educational disadvantage, depressive symptoms, functional limitations, and health behaviors may help reduce inequalities in sleep duration among older adults.

Background As global aging accelerates, age-related psychophysiological conditions have emerged as major public health concerns. Promoting and sustaining vitality, an inherent human capacity, is essential for healthy aging and long-term well-being. The Mindfulness-based Vitality Promotion (MVP) program is a mindfulness-based behavioral intervention designed to enhance physical and psychological vitality and support sustainable well-being. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of the MVP program and explored preliminary pre–post changes in health-related outcomes among community-dwelling individuals in a lifelong learning setting. Methods This study employed a single-arm mixed-methods design. A total of 35 participants were recruited for this study. The MVP program was delivered over 8 weeks, with each session lasting 90 min. Quantitative data were collected through self-report questionnaires, and qualitative data were obtained via semi-structured interviews. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed based on program retention, session attendance, and participant satisfaction. Results Quantitative analysis revealed significant pre–post increases in integrative vitality and well-being, along with significant reductions in depression, fatigue, and anxiety. No statistically significant changes were observed in pain, sleep disturbance, digestive symptoms, anger, or mindfulness. Of the 35 enrolled participants, 31 completed the program (88.6%), with a mean attendance of 6.37 of eight sessions. Among the 30 satisfaction survey respondents, 28 (93.3%) indicated willingness to participate again and 30 (100%) indicated willingness to recommend the program to others. The qualitative analysis identified four major themes: (i) diverse life challenges and self-care needs, (ii) learning through experience, connection, and application, (iii) regaining balance and agency in life, and (iv) sustaining practice requires continued support. Conclusion Mixed-methods findings provide preliminary information regarding the feasibility and acceptability of the MVP program and indicate favorable pre–post changes in several self-reported health-related outcomes. The MVP program may represent a practical lifelong learning intervention with potential relevance for public health promotion. Further controlled studies are warranted to establish its efficacy. Trial registration The trial was first submitted to the Clinical Research Information Service, Republic of Korea (KCT0009961, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do?seq=28524&search_page=L ), on October 8, 2024, before participant enrollment began, and registration was finalized on November 28, 2024.

Background Optimizing self-care decision-making is important for healthy aging, chronic disease management, and health promotion in rapidly aging populations. However, the absence of culturally validated instruments limits the systematic assessment of decision-making styles and the development of person-centered health management strategies for older adults in China. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Inventory of Self-Care Decision-Making Styles of Older Adults (DECIDE) and evaluate its psychometric properties among Chinese older adults. Methods This study was conducted in two phases. In phase 1, the DECIDE was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Chinese using Brislin’s forward-backward translation procedure. Expert review and pilot testing were conducted to refine linguistic clarity and cultural relevance. In phase 2, a multicenter cross-sectional validation study was conducted from November 2025 to January 2026. A total of 3,470 older adults were recruited through multicenter convenience sampling from 15 cities in Sichuan, Liaoning, Zhejiang, and Hunan provinces, China. Psychometric evaluation included item analysis, validity assessment, and reliability testing. Results All 20 items met the prespecified retention criteria, and the Chinese version retained the four-dimensional structure of the original DECIDE. Content validity was satisfactory, with I-CVI values ranging from 0.800 to 1.000 and an S-CVI of 0.950. Exploratory factor analysis yielded four factors explaining 65.73% of the common variance, and confirmatory factor analysis supported the resulting model (CMIN/DF = 2.513, RMSEA = 0.028). The AVE and CR values ranged from 0.502 to 0.588 and from 0.834 to 0.877, respectively, and the findings supported both convergent and discriminant validity. Cronbach’s α, split-half reliability, and 2-week retest reliability for the total inventory were 0.896, 0.790, and 0.861, respectively. Conclusion The C-DECIDE demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties in this multicenter convenience sample of older adults from four Chinese provinces. It may support the assessment of self-care decision-making styles and inform individualized health education, decision-support strategies, and public health-oriented chronic disease management for older adults.

زمینه و هدف: بهینه‌سازی تصمیم‌گیری خودمراقبتی برای سالمندی سالم، مدیریت بیماری‌های مزمن و ارتقای سلامت در جمعیت‌های در حال سالمند شدن سریع اهمیت دارد. با این حال، فقدان ابزارهای اعتبارسنجی‌شده فرهنگی، ارزیابی نظام‌مند سبک‌های تصمیم‌گیری و توسعه راهبردهای مدیریت سلامت فردمحور برای سالمندان در چین را محدود می‌کند. هدف این مطالعه ترجمه و انطباق فرهنگی پرسشنامه سبک‌های تصمیم‌گیری خودمراقبتی سالمندان (DECIDE) و ارزیابی ویژگی‌های روان‌سنجی آن در میان سالمندان چینی بود. روش‌ها: این مطالعه در دو مرحله انجام شد. در مرحله اول، پرسشنامه DECIDE با استفاده از روش ترجمه پیشرو-پسرو Brislin به زبان چینی ترجمه و به صورت بین‌فرهنگی انطباق داده شد. بازبینی توسط خبرگان و آزمون مقدماتی جهت بهبود وضوح زبانی و تناسب فرهنگی انجام شد. در مرحله دوم، یک مطالعه اعتبارسنجی مقطعی چندمرکزی از نوامبر 2025 تا ژانویه 2026 انجام شد. در مجموع ۳۴۷۰ سالمند از طریق نمونه‌گیری در دسترس چندمرکزی از ۱۵ شهر در استان‌های سیچوان، لیائونینگ، ژجیانگ و هونان چین جذب شدند. ارزیابی روان‌سنجی شامل تحلیل ماده، ارزیابی روایی و آزمون پایایی بود. یافته‌ها: هر ۲۰ ماده معیارهای نگهداری از پیش تعیین‌شده را برآورده کردند و نسخه چینی ساختار چهاربعدی نسخه اصلی DECIDE را حفظ کرد. روایی محتوا رضایت‌بخش بود، به طوری که مقادیر I-CVI بین ۰٫۸۰۰ تا ۱٫۰۰۰ و S-CVI برابر با ۰٫۹۵۰ بود. تحلیل عاملی اکتشافی چهار عامل استخراج کرد که ۶۵٫۷۳٪ از واریانس مشترک را تبیین کردند و تحلیل عاملی تأییدی مدل حاصل را تأیید کرد (CMIN/DF = 2.513، RMSEA = 0.028). مقادیر AVE و CR به ترتیب بین ۰٫۵۰۲ تا ۰٫۵۸۸ و ۰٫۸۳۴ تا ۰٫۸۷۷ بود و یافته‌ها از روایی همگرا و متمایز حمایت کردند. آلفای کرونباخ، پایایی دو نیمه و پایایی بازآزمایی دو هفته‌ای برای کل پرسشنامه به ترتیب ۰٫۸۹۶، ۰٫۷۹۰ و ۰٫۸۶۱ بود. نتیجه‌گیری: نسخه چینی DECIDE ویژگی‌های روان‌سنجی رضایت‌بخشی را در این نمونه در دسترس چندمرکزی از سالمندان چهار استان چین نشان داد. این ابزار می‌تواند از ارزیابی سبک‌های تصمیم‌گیری خودمراقبتی و اطلاع‌رسانی به آموزش سلامت فردی، راهبردهای حمایت از تصمیم‌گیری و مدیریت بیماری‌های مزمن مبتنی بر سلامت عمومی برای سالمندان حمایت کند.

BACKGROUND: Although virtual supports may promote engagement with brain-healthy lifestyle behaviours among aging adults, few are designed with the needs of end-users in mind. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study explored the needs and preferences of integrating virtual peer support into brain health programs among Canadian adults aged 55 years and older. METHODS: = 18 women) were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Participants discussed different brain-healthy behaviours and outlined barriers and facilitators to maintaining a brain-healthy lifestyle. Most women reported perceived differences in experiences between genders, whereas most men did not perceive any gender differences in terms of brain-healthy lifestyles. Participants indicated interest in virtual supports that provide education on brain health, include peer support, promote social engagement, and empower aging adults to maintain autonomy. DISCUSSION: Findings underscore the importance of designing person-centered and gender-responsive virtual brain health programs that reflect aging adults' lived experiences to foster resilience.

زمینه: اگرچه حمایت‌های مجازی می‌تواند مشارکت در رفتارهای سبک زندگی مرتبط با سلامت مغز را در میان بزرگسالان سالمند ارتقا دهد، اما تعداد کمی از این حمایت‌ها با در نظر گرفتن نیازهای کاربران نهایی طراحی شده‌اند. هدف: این مطالعه کیفی به بررسی نیازها و ترجیحات ادغام حمایت همتای مجازی در برنامه‌های سلامت مغز در میان بزرگسالان کانادایی ۵۵ ساله و بالاتر پرداخت. روش‌ها: مصاحبه‌های نیمه‌ساختاریافته با ۱۸ زن انجام و با استفاده از تحلیل تماتیک بررسی شد. یافته‌ها: شرکت‌کنندگان رفتارهای مختلف مرتبط با سلامت مغز را مورد بحث قرار دادند و موانع و تسهیل‌کننده‌های حفظ سبک زندگی سالم برای مغز را بیان کردند. اکثر زنان تفاوت‌های ادراک‌شده‌ای را در تجارب بین جنسیت‌ها گزارش کردند، در حالی که اکثر مردان تفاوتی از نظر سبک زندگی سالم برای مغز بین جنسیت‌ها احساس نکردند. شرکت‌کنندگان به حمایت‌های مجازی که آموزش درباره سلامت مغز ارائه می‌دهد، شامل حمایت همتایان است، تعامل اجتماعی را ترویج می‌کند و بزرگسالان سالمند را برای حفظ خودمختاری توانمند می‌سازد، علاقه نشان دادند. بحث: یافته‌ها بر اهمیت طراحی برنامه‌های مجازی سلامت مغز با محوریت فرد و پاسخگو به جنسیت که بازتاب‌دهنده تجارب زیسته بزرگسالان سالمند باشد و تاب‌آوری را تقویت کند، تأکید دارد.