Publications by authors named "Dagmar Weeg"
Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate age-group-specific incidence rates and risk factors for depressive symptoms in the highest age groups.
Methods: Data were derived from a prospective multicenter cohort study conducted in primary care - the AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe study. In total, 2,436 patients 75 years and older were followed from baseline to ninth follow-up.
Purpose: The present study aims to investigate the prospective effect of depressive symptoms on overall QoL in the oldest age group, taking into account its different facets.
Methods: Data were derived from the multicenter prospective AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe cohort study, including data from follow-up 7-9 and n = 580 individuals 85 years of age and older. Overall QoL and its facets were assessed using the WHOQOL-OLD instrument.
Social isolation in the oldest-old: determinants and the differential role of family and friends.
Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol
June 2024
Article Synopsis
- - The study investigates how sociodemographic and health factors contribute to social isolation among the oldest-old, utilizing data from the AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe cohort with participants averaging 86.6 years old.
- - Results showed that 34.6% of participants were socially isolated, with greater isolation from friends (average score 6.0) compared to family (average score 8.0), and noted significant gender and age differences.
- - The findings suggest that depression increases isolation, while better cognitive functioning decreases it; therefore, focusing on the social context is vital for addressing and preventing social isolation.
Article Synopsis
- Several lifestyle factors, particularly occupational cognitive requirements (OCR), may protect against Alzheimer's disease (AD) by potentially enhancing brain maintenance, brain reserve, or cognitive reserve throughout a person's life.
- The study analyzed data from two population-based cohorts to understand how OCR interacts with genetic and biomarker factors related to cognitive decline and dementia onset.
- Results indicated that higher OCR scores correlate with reduced cognitive decline risk, delayed onset of Alzheimer's, and relationships with brain structure and memory function, although OCR did not significantly affect Alzheimer's disease biomarkers over time.
Purpose: Higher Fit fOR The Aged (FORTA) scores have been shown to be negatively associated with adverse clinical outcomes in older hospitalized patients. This has not been evaluated in other health care settings. The aim of this study was to examine the association of the FORTA score with relevant outcomes in the prospective AgeCoDe-AgeQualiDe cohort of community-dwelling older people.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency of and the gender differences in the use of professional home care in Germany.
Methods: We used harmonized data from three large cohort studies from Germany ("Healthy Aging: Gender-specific trajectories into the latest life"; AgeDifferent.de Platform).
Article Synopsis
- Social isolation is a potential risk factor for dementia, but its relationship with mortality needs further investigation, especially in older adults.
- The study analyzed data from 1,161 individuals aged around 86, finding that while a significant portion experienced social isolation, it did not correlate with the development of dementia after accounting for death risk.
- The results challenge previous findings and suggest that future research should explore longer follow-up periods and deeper insights into social relationships to better understand these dynamics.
Introduction: Only a few studies have investigated incidence and risk factors of depression in the highest age groups. This study aims to determine incidence rates as well as risk factors of incident depressive symptoms in latest life, adjusting for the competing event of mortality.
Methods: Data of a prospective, longitudinal, multi-centered cohort study conducted in primary care - the AgeCoDe-/AgeQualiDe study.
Objective: Since there is a lack of longitudinal studies in this area, our aim was to identify the determinants of persistent frequent attendance in primary care among the oldest old in Germany.
Methods: Longitudinal data (follow-up wave 7-9) were taken from the multicenter prospective cohort "Study on needs, health service use, costs, and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe), covering primary care patients ≥ 85 years (FU7 = 741, mean age 88.9 years (SD 2.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore how social support affects health-related quality of life over time in people aged 85 and older.
- Using data from over 600 participants in a multicenter study, researchers measured social support and quality of life using specific scales.
- Results showed that decreases in social support were linked to increasing issues in self-care and mental health, but did not significantly affect overall quality of life scores over time.
Incidence of Anxiety in Latest Life and Risk Factors. Results of the AgeCoDe/AgeQualiDe Study.
Int J Environ Res Public Health
December 2021
Research on anxiety in oldest-old individuals is scarce. Specifically, incidence studies based on large community samples are lacking. The objective of this study is to assess age- and gender-specific incidence rates in a large sample of oldest-old individuals and to identify potential risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Due to the strong association between old age and the need for long-term care, the number of individuals in need for care is projected to increase noticeably. The aim of this study was to examine the determinants of institutionalization among the oldest old longitudinally.
Methods: Longitudinal data (follow-up [FU] wave 7-9) were gathered from a multicenter prospective cohort study ("Study on needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest old primary care patients [85+]," AgeQualiDe).
Objectives: Autonomy (defined as self-governance; not equivalent to independence) is relevant to well-being and psychological functioning. However, there is a lack of research on individuals aged >85 years and their perception of autonomy when receiving informal care. This study aims to answer the question if and how the receipt of informal care is associated with perceived autonomy of individuals aged over 85 years.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWidowhood is common in old age, can be accompanied by serious health consequences and is often linked to substantial changes in social network. Little is known about the impact of social isolation on the development of depressive symptoms over time taking widowhood into account. We provide results from the follow-up 5 to follow-up 9 from the longitudinal study AgeCoDe and its follow-up study AgeQualiDe.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Longitudinal studies investigating the link between social support and functional decline are limited among the oldest old. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine whether changes in social support are associated with functional decline among the oldest old longitudinally using panel regression models.
Methods: Longitudinal data from 3 waves (waves 7, 8, and 9) of a multicenter prospective cohort study covering primary care patients aged ≥85 years were used.
Purpose: To investigate the association between health-related quality of life and ego integrity among the oldest old.
Materials And Methods: Cross-sectional data were taken from follow-up wave 9 of the multicenter prospective cohort study "Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe). Our analytical sample comprised n = 495 observations.
Objectives: There is a lack of studies identifying the correlates of institutionalization specifically among the oldest old. Therefore, our aim was to fill this gap in knowledge.
Methods: Cross-sectional data (Follow up wave 9; n = 633 observations in the analytical sample) were used from the multicenter prospective cohort study "Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" Correlates of institutionalization among the oldest old-Evidence from a multicenter cohort study.
Introduction: There is a lack of studies examining the link between perceived autonomy and frailty among the oldest old. Therefore, our objective was to fill this gap.
Methods: Data were used from the multicenter prospective cohort study "Needs, health service use, costs and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe; follow-up [FU] wave 9; n = 510 observations in the analytical sample).
Background: Increasingly more very old people are active drivers. Sensory, motor and cognitive limitations, and medication can increase safety risks. Timely attention to driving safety in the patient-doctor relationship can promote patient-centred solutions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: There is a lack of studies disentangling whether changes in frailty are associated with subsequent changes in depressive symptoms or vice versa among the oldest old. Consequently, we aimed to disentangle this link.
Design: Three waves [follow-up (FU) wave 7 to FU wave 9; n = 423 individuals in the analytical sample] were used from the multicenter prospective cohort study "Needs, Health Service Use, Costs and Health-Related Quality of Life in a Large Sample of Oldest-Old Primary Care Patients (85+)" (AgeQualiDe).
Article Synopsis
- Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) is identified as a potential early warning sign for developing dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease.
- A study with 2,402 participants over 12 years found that a significant percentage of individuals who converted to dementia had experienced memory decline and met SCD criteria prior to diagnosis.
- The research highlighted that while some subtypes of SCD demonstrate high specificity for predicting future dementia, they tend to have low sensitivity, resulting in modest positive predictive values in a population with a low prevalence of dementia.
Purpose: To describe health status and health state utilities measured by the EQ-5D-3L in a population-based sample of individuals aged 85 + in Germany, and to analyze associations with basic socio-demographic variables.
Methods: Cross-sectional data from follow-up wave 7 (n = 761) of the German AgeCoDe Study were used. The EQ-5D-3L questionnaire was used to record problems in five health dimensions, its visual analogue scale (EQ VAS) was used to record self-rated health status, and the German EQ-5D-3L index was used to derive health state utilities.
Article Synopsis
- - Previous research suggests that high mental demands at work may protect against cognitive decline and dementia, but the specific types of demands and the role of genetic factors like the APOE e4 allele remain unclear.
- - A study involving over 2,000 cognitively healthy individuals aged 75 and older found that jobs with high demands in language, pattern detection, information processing, and service correlated with slower cognitive decline.
- - Results indicate that while carriers of the APOE e4 allele face faster cognitive decline, this effect is less pronounced with higher work demands, suggesting that maintaining mental engagement can benefit cognitive health, even for those at genetic risk.
Introduction: There is a lack of studies investigating the link between time-varying factors associated with changes in frailty scores in very old age longitudinally. This is important because the level of frailty is associated with subsequent morbidity and mortality.
Objective: To examine time-dependent predictors of frailty among the oldest old using a longitudinal approach.
Objectives: Social isolation is increasing in aging societies and several studies have shown a relation with worse cognition in old age. However, less is known about the association in the oldest-old (85+); the group that is at highest risk for both social isolation dementia.
Methods: Analyses were based on follow-up 5 to 9 of the longitudinal German study on aging, cognition, and dementia in primary care patients (AgeCoDe) and the study on needs, health service use, costs, and health-related quality of life in a large sample of oldest-old primary care patients (AgeQualiDe), a multi-center population-based prospective cohort study.