TY - JOUR T1 - Long-term and short-term predictors of worries about getting Alzheimer's disease JF - European Journal of Ageing Y1 - 2015 A1 - S. J. Cutler A1 - Bragaru, C. KW - Health Conditions and Status KW - Methodology AB - Cumulative stresses associated with concerns about cognitive functioning and worries about developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been shown to be related to poorer health and lower psychological well-being. Among older persons, AD also generates higher levels of fear than any other disease. But much remains to be learned about predictors of worries and fears, especially from a temporal perspective. Thus, the principal objective of the current research is to examine long-term effects of self-perceptions of cognitive functioning on worries about developing AD. Data for the study are drawn from the University of Michigan's Health and Retirement Study. We use up to ten measurements of self-perceived cognitive functioning collected from 1992 to 2010 for respondents 50 years of age and older at the time of their entrance into the study. Demographics (marital status, age, education, and gender); beliefs about the role of genetics, personal knowledge of someone with AD, and their interaction; and depression and health are other variables included in the model. The data are analyzed using the full information maximum likelihood procedure and latent growth curve modeling to account for the long-term effects. The analysis shows evidence of both short-term effects of depression, age, beliefs, and the interaction of beliefs and personal familiarity and long-term effects of cognitive self-assessment on worries about getting AD. Further analyses of these relationships and inclusion of these items in other studies are recommended. PB - 12 VL - 12 IS - 4 U4 - dementia/Alzheimers disease/health status/Memory functioning/depression/cognitive decline/Methodology ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Worries About Getting Alzheimer's: Who's Concerned? JF - American Journal of Alzheimers Disease and Other Dementias Y1 - 2015 A1 - S. J. Cutler KW - Health Conditions and Status AB - The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is projected to grow dramatically, but efforts to treat its progression have been unsuccessful. Fear of AD among older persons is greater than fear of cancer, and lingering worries about developing AD can be detrimental to well-being. Yet, much remains to be known about such worries and their precursors. This study, based on data from the Health and Retirement Survey, examines correlates of worry. Results of multivariate analyses show the following to be independent and significant correlates: present memory ratings, perceived changes in memory, personal familiarity with AD, belief that being a first-degree relative of someone with AD heightens the chance of developing AD, and age. Interaction analyses show that memory ratings and perceived changes in memory functioning are associated with worry regardless of personal familiarity. These findings will enable practitioners to identify patients and clients at risk of being worried about getting AD. PB - 30 VL - 30 IS - 6 N1 - Times Cited: 0 0 U4 - Alzheimer disease/dementia/memory ratings/memory functioning/worry ER -