TY - JOUR T1 - Diagnoses of Chronic Health Conditions and Change in Subjective Age: The Moderating Role of Chronological Age. JF - Gerontologist Y1 - 2022 A1 - Prasad, Anyah A1 - Edward Alan Miller A1 - Jeffrey A Burr A1 - Boerner, Kathrin KW - Chronic Diseases KW - Felt age KW - Perceived age AB -

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Health is a predictor of subjective age, and although inconclusive, the strength of this association is not uniform across different age groups. This study investigates if new diagnoses of chronic health conditions are associated with a change in subjective age and if chronological age moderates this relationship.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, residualized change regression analysis was performed for a sample of 5,158 respondents older than 50 years to examine their subjective age in 2014 relative to that reported in 2010. The main predictor was the number of chronic health conditions newly diagnosed between 2010 and 2014. Chronological age in 2010 was the moderator.

RESULTS: Results showed that each new diagnosis of a chronic health condition was significantly associated with a 0.68-year increase in subjective age reported in 2014, compared to subjective age reported in 2010. However, this increase in subjective age was attenuated by 0.05 years for each additional year in 2010 chronological age.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: According to Social and Temporal Comparison theories, people compare themselves to their age peers and earlier selves. Given expectations for better health at younger chronological ages, being diagnosed with chronic health conditions may have a stronger association with subjective age among middle-aged persons as compared to older persons. The findings suggest that subjective age may be used as a screening tool to predict how chronic disease diagnosis may influence peoples' sense of self, which in turn shapes future health.

VL - 62 IS - 2 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Pension Plan Types and Financial Literacy in Later Life. JF - Gerontologist Y1 - 2019 A1 - Li, Yang A1 - Jeffrey A Burr A1 - Edward Alan Miller KW - Financial literacy KW - Pensions KW - Retirement Planning and Satisfaction AB -

Background and Objectives: The ongoing shift from defined benefit (DB) to defined contribution (DC) pension plans means that middle-aged and older adults are increasingly being called upon to manage their own fiscal security in retirement. Yet, half of older Americans are financially illiterate, lacking the knowledge and skills to manage financial resources. This study investigates whether pension plan types are associated with varying levels of financial literacy among older Americans.

Research Design and Methods: Cross-sectional analyses of the 2010 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) (n = 1,281) using logistic and linear regression models were employed to investigate the association between different pension plans and multiple indicators of financial literacy. The potential moderating effect of gender was also examined.

Results: Respondents with DC plans, with or without additional DB plans, were more likely to correctly answer various financial literacy questions, in comparison with respondents with DB plans only. Men with both DC and DB plans scored significantly higher on the financial literacy index than women with both types of plans, relative to respondents with DB plans only.

Discussion and Implications: Middle-aged and older adults, who are incentivized by participation in DC plans to manage financial resources and decide where to invest pension funds, tend to self-educate to improve financial knowledge and skills, thereby resulting in greater financial literacy. This finding suggests that traditional financial education programs may not be the only means of achieving financial literacy. Further consideration should be given to providing older adults with continued, long-term exposure to financial decision-making opportunities.

VL - 59 IS - 2 U1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28958076?dopt=Abstract ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Stress and inflammation among older adults: The moderating role of religiosity JF - Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging Y1 - 2019 A1 - Jane Tavares A1 - Corina R Ronneberg A1 - Edward Alan Miller A1 - Jeffrey A Burr KW - Depressive symptoms KW - Religion KW - Social Factors AB - Chronic stress weakens the immune system and leads to heightened bodily inflammation, which in turn is linked with serious health conditions. This study examined whether religiosity moderates the relationship between stress and inflammation (measured by C-reactive Protein (CRP)). A sample of 4,734 community-dwelling older adults was drawn from the 2006 wave of the Health and Retirement Study. Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between chronic stress (8-item index), inflammation (high CRP level), and religiosity (organizational, nonorganizational, and intrinsic), controlling for other factors. Higher levels of stress were significantly associated with high inflammation/CRP (p =.039). Further, intrinsic religiosity acted as a moderator of this relationship (p =.024), such that the relationship between stress and inflammation is lessened for persons with higher levels of intrinsic religiosity. Higher intrinsic religiosity attenuated the effects of stress on inflammation, suggesting that individuals with stronger religious commitment/motivation may better cope with stress. VL - 31 UR - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15528030.2018.1536910https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/15528030.2018.1536910 IS - 2 JO - Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging ER -