Gerontology Program
Research Programs
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The Gerontology Program supports gerontology research in several established research fields at Iowa State University. Several special research areas exist:
As more and more people achieve centenarian status, families, communities, and society will face an array of daunting challenges associated with the mobilization and provision of resources necessary for their care, support, and well being. Although some centenarians continue to function well and to live independently in their communities, many depend almost exclusively on others for their care and support. Peter Martin and Maurice MacDonald are part of a national team of researchers investigating the genetic, medical, and psychosocial factors in a study entitled “A Population-Based Multi-disciplinary Study of Centenarians.” The essential objective of the study is to identify predictors that distinguish between centenarians who are independent, healthy, and experience a sense of well being and those who are dependent, unhealthy (frail), and do not experience a sense of well being. A secondary objective is to compare centenarians to a younger age group, octogenarians. The researchers propose to evaluate predictors that differentiate within centenarians and between centenarians and octogenarians with regard to their functional status on a number of adaptational criteria: functional capacity and subjective health, cognitive impairment, mental health and psychological well-being, and economic-financial dependency. Martin, P., Bishop, A., Poon, L. W., & Johnson, M. A. (2006). The influence of personality and health behaviors on fatigue in late and very late life. Journal of Gerontology: Psychological Sciences, 61B, P161-P166. 2. Exercise and Immunity: Psychoendocrine Model This study examines exercise-associated alterations in psychosocial state as possible mediators of the exercise-induced modulation of immunity. The study is being conducted by Marian Kohut, Joan Cunnick, Warren Franke, and Dan Russell. Kohut, the principle investigator of this NIH funded study, hypothesizes that exercise will be associated with an enhanced immune response to the vaccine and improved psychological state. A total of 72 participants, all over the age of 65, will participate in this study. The research will measure immune system response to influenza immunization by collecting 12 small blood samples over the course of 17 to 18 months. Participants will complete surveys measuring diet, activity, and psychosocial factors at numerous points during the study. Subjects will be randomly assigned to either an aerobic exercise group or a flexibility/balance exercise group. The aerobic exercise intervention will consist of 12 months of high-intensity, supervised aerobic exercise. The other exercise group will participate in lower intensity flexibility, balance, and strength exercises. In the study, Kohut also aims to test the hypothesis that the immunomodulatory effects of exercise are mediated through an exercise-induced release of catecholamines. A subgroup of 32 participants (over the age of 65) currently being treated for high blood pressure with beta-blocker medications will participate to test this hypothesis. If catecholamines mediate the immune system response to exercise, Kohut hypothesizes that those participants being treated with beta-blockers will not demonstrate the same degree of change in the immune response to the vaccine. Kohut, M. L., Cooper, M. M., Nickolaus, M. S., Russell, D. R., & Cunnick, J. E. (2003). Exercise and psychosocial factors modulate immunity to influenza vaccine in elderly individuals. Journal of Gerontology: Medical Sciences, 57A, M557-M562. 3. Universal Design Learning Laboratory
The Universal Design Learning Laboratory in Room 78 LeBaron Hall continues to be a resource for the gerontology program. The lab has been updated with additional displays and assistive devices, as well as a fresh coat of paint and wallpaper. A home office and a children's bedroom have been added to the original "Home for all Ages" exhibit. A variety of ISU classes, as well as on- and off-campus groups, have toured the lab during the past year. Visitors can squeeze the soft bathtub, try gadgets and gizmos that make meal preparation easier, and learn ways to make a home more convenient and comfortable throughout the life span. To learn about the universal design features and equipment in the lab see: http://www.hdfs.hs.iastate.edu/udll/. Tours can be scheduling by calling Mary Yearns at 515-294-8520
In spring 2006, the Gerontology Program participated in the development of a statewide survey conducted by the Iowa State University Family Policy Center. The Iowa Family Survey was conducted through the mail with a random sample of 6,400 Iowa households. One-half of the households were randomly selected from 20 metro counties and one half from 79 non-metro counties. Data collection followed a four contact mail procedure (pre-notice letter, the survey with an incentive, a thank you/reminder post card, and replacement survey). Out of the possible sample of 6,141 surveys (259 were not delivered due to bad addresses or death of the householder), 4,004 surveys were completed yielding a response rate of 65%. In preliminary analyses conducted by Crull, Cook, and Yearns, faculty in HDFS, data from the 1134 respondents who were 65 years or older were examined to identify factors that may affect an older adult’s ability to age in place. The research is premised on the fact that a majority of older people say they want to age in place in their homes and communities. However, functional limitations increase with age and facing some disability in everyday living is likely. The goal of the research was to identify and evaluate the personal, housing, and community resources available to Iowa’s older adults. Several interesting results stand out. First, of the personal resources assessed, those respondents who were older, felt more lonely, and who indicated they were in poorer health were more likely than their younger, less lonely, and healthier counterparts to expect to age in place. Respondents who had purchased long-term care insurance were less likely to expect to age in place. Second, respondents with homes with first floor bedrooms and baths were more likely to expect to age in place. In contrast, those who indicated that their homes were in need of repair were less likely to expect to age in place. In other words, the better condition of their current home and the presence of a first floor bed & bedroom were sufficient to give respondents confidence that they could continue to live in their present home compared to their counterparts without these housing resources. Several community resource variables were examined but none were significantly related to respondents’ expectations to age in place. These initial results suggest that both personal and housing resources affect aging Iowans’ perceptions of the ability to age in place. Previous research has suggested that older individuals adapt psychologically rather than changing the physical or social environment. Our results suggest that those who have homes that can be modified to age in place, plan to do so. Housing modifications can facilitate adaptation and aging in place. 5. Iowa Family Survey I: Focusing on Grandparenting The Gerontology Program participated in a family survey conducted by the Iowa State University Family Policy Center. The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes toward grandparents and the level of grandparent-grandchild interaction in a sample of Iowa families. Attitudes were assessed for grandmothers and grandfathers, and the frequency of intergenerational contact was assessed. Finally, predictors of inter-generational contact were evaluated. Several important results stand out: First, grandmothers and grandfathers did not differ in their attitudes toward grandparenting. Second, grandparents were more likely to endorse grandparenting attitude items than non-grandparents. Third, grandmothers interacted more often with their grandchildren than grandfathers. Fourth, geographic proximity was a consistent predictor of grandparent-grandchild interaction. Fifth, place of residence influenced interaction with grandparents: grandparents in rural areas saw their children more often than grandparents in urban areas. Finally, age of grandparent and number of living grandparents influenced intergenerational contact: The younger the grandparent and the more grandparents were alive, the more interaction was reported. 6. Iowa Family Survey II: Rural Aging and Mental Health In spring 2006, the Gerontology Program participated in the development of a statewide survey conducted by the Iowa State University Family Policy Center. The Iowa Family Survey was conducted through the mail with a random sample of 6,400 Iowa households. One-half of the households were randomly selected from 20 metro counties and one half from 79 non-metro counties. Data collection followed a four contact mail procedure (pre-notice letter, the survey with an incentive, a thank you/remind post card, and replacement survey). Out of the possible sample of 6,141 surveys (259 were not delivered due to bad addresses or death of the householder), 4,004 surveys were completed yielding a response rate of 65%. The Iowa Family Survey includes two very important mental health scales, depression and loneliness, for older adults. Results for depression demonstrated that residential differences in depression. In particular, participants living in small towns reported higher levels of depression than those in rural or urban areas. In addition, results for loneliness demonstrated age differences in loneliness. In particular, participants 40-59 years of age reported higher loneliness than those in other age groups. Interestingly, participants over 80 years reported less loneliness than any other age group. 7. The Effects of Divorce on Women's Midlife Health Fred Lorenz, K.A.S. Wickrama (Iowa State University's Institute for Social and Behavioral Research), Rand Conger and Glen Elder have been studying romantic relationships and marriage in middle-aged adults through Iowa Youth and Family Project and Midlife Transition Projects -- an ISU study of more than 500 young adults from an eight-county area of Iowa that began in 1989. They recently published a paper on their research entitled, "The Short-Term and Decade-Long Effects of Divorce on Women's Midlife Health." Lorenz and colleagues demonstrated that divorce actually increased chronic stress and greater physical illness over a 10-year span. Getting a divorce had no immediate effects on health, but it did have effects on mental health. Ten years later, those effects on mental health led to effects in physical health. More specifically, they found that in the years immediately after their divorce (1991-94), women reported significantly higher levels of psychological distress when compared to married women, but no differences in physical illness. The increased distress among the recently divorced women was found after controlling for other sources of stress, including income. An important factor linking divorce to later psychological distress was the experience of stressful life events. A decade later (2001), the divorced women reported 37 percent more illnesses when compared to their married counterparts -- even after the researchers controlled for age, remarriage, education, income and prior health. Illness was measured by asking women to report their illnesses from a list that ranged from common colds and sore throats, to heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer. Other conditions associated with divorce -- perhaps social isolation and relatively poor job opportunities – seem to be important in explaining why divorced women reported more illnesses a decade after their divorce. According to the data, it looks like divorced women were trapped in this vicious circle of financial problems and other stressful life events -- such as having their safety net destroyed in the form of housing, insurance, transportation, social support, sharing in child care, etc. There are more than 100 events documented in the event history calendar, including such events as demotions, layoffs, accidents, critical illness, and parental problems. 8. Physical Health of Married and Divorced Mothers Fred Lorenz, K.A.S. Wickrama (Iowa State University's Institute for Social and Behavioral Research), Rand Conger and Glen Elder have recently published a paper on their research entitled, "Married and Recently Divorced Mothers’ Changes in Family Financial Strain and Physical Health: An Investigation of Trajectories During the Middle Years." The study investigated how divorce followed by single parenthood undermined the long-term physical health of rural mothers using four waves of survey data collected in Iowa, USA from 336 married and 80 divorced mothers during a 10-year period. Single-parenthood creates financial difficulties for rural mothers. Furthermore, this financial adversity is linked to self-assessed physical health trajectories that then contribute to change in morbidity. Divorced mothers had a higher rate of increase in self-assessed poor health from 1991 to 2001. Divorced mothers had chronically higher levels of family financial strain than did married mothers throughout the study period from 1991 to 2001. However, divorced mothers also had a more dramatic decline in family financial strain than did married mothers. In summary, changes in self-assessed health and financial strain were approximately linear over the study period. This study extends existing research on the association between women's marital status and well being by explicitly examining individual trajectories of change in family financial strain and physical health, as well as by examining the dynamic association between both during the middle years. 9. Iowa Unmarried Survivors Study The primary objective of the Iowa Unmarried Survivors Study was to compare three unmarried groups (the never married, the widowed, and the divorced) and three age groups (65-74 years, 75-84 years, and 85 years and older) with regard to psychosocial resources and mental health adaptation. The study funded by the Anthony Marchionne Foundation was conducted by Peter Martin, director of the Gerontology Program, and Alex Bishop, a former ISU student who is now a faculty member at Oklahoma State University. One main question was how never-married older adults differed when compared to divorced and widowed older adults. Of particular interest was the comparison of these three groups relative to cumulative life-event stress, individual resources social support, economic resources, coping, and well-being outcomes. The study reported that all groups generally showed high scores in resources and adaptation. For example, participants were relatively high in Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, and low in Neuroticism. Participants also reported high levels of support and economic resources, and the level of activities of daily living and mental health were also high. Physical health was reported as average. These results suggest that older unmarried adults adjusted very well to later life. When comparing the three unmarried groups of older adults, however, there were group differences in a couple of personality traits and support. The never-married group had the lowest scores in Extraversion but scored higher on autonomy, whereas the divorced group had the highest levels of social support. The study did not find group differences on loneliness that had been reported in prior research. Another key question was what the important predictors of health were for never married older adults. Social support was the most consistent predictor of mental health and subjective well being. In addition, conscientious participants and those with higher levels of support reported significantly higher subjective health. Stress and Neuroticism were related to depression and loneliness. Lower levels of stress and higher levels of support were significant predictors of autonomy.
10. Other individual research efforts
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Gerontology Program, 515-294-5186, 1096 LeBaron, pxmartin@iastate.edu
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