Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors.

Background: Loneliness, dementia, and mortality are interconnected. Thus, understanding the pathways, along with their potential interaction provides a relevant area of research to be developed.

Method: The study tested bi-directional relationships between dementia, loneliness and mortality, while examining both interactions and mediating effects in a large sample of older US adults participating in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study.

Characteristics and healthcare utilization among aging veterans in supported housing: A comparison with independently housed age-matched veterans.

Background And Objectives: There is a large and growing population of older, formerly homeless adults living in permanent supportive housing, and there are concerns about how to address their healthcare needs. This study compared veterans aged 55 years and older residing in the Department of Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program to an age-matched group of independently housed veterans receiving care through the U.S.

Pathways From Socioeconomic Factors to Major Cardiovascular Events Among Postmenopausal Veteran and Nonveteran Women: Findings From the Women's Health Initiative.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a leading cause of death for women in the United States, with veterans being at potentially higher risk than their nonveteran counterparts due to accelerated aging and distinct biopsychosocial mechanisms. We examined pathways between selected indicators of socioeconomic status (SES) such as education, occupation, household income, and neighborhood SES and major CVD events through lifestyle and health characteristics among veteran and nonveteran postmenopausal women.

Methods And Results: A total of 121 286 study-eligible WHI (Women's Health Initiative) participants (3091 veterans and 118 195 nonveterans) were prospectively followed for an average of 17 years, during which 16 108 major CVD events were documented.

Alzheimer's Disease polygenic risk, the plasma proteome, and dementia incidence among UK older adults.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a complex polygenic neurodegenerative disorder. Its genetic risk's relationship with all-cause dementia may be influenced by the plasma proteome. Up to 40,139 UK Biobank participants aged ≥ 50y at baseline assessment (2006-2010) were followed-up for ≤ 15 y for dementia incidence.

Identifying diagnosed major chronic diseases associated with recent housing instability among aging adults: data from the 'All of Us' research program.

Background: Housing instability is a known barrier to healthcare utilization potentially affecting the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases among diverse groups of adults. We examined the intersection of recent housing instability with prevalent cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and psychiatric diagnoses among aging adults.

Methods: Cross-sectional data on 147 465 participants of the 'All of Us' Research Program (6 May 2018-1 July 2022), ≥50 years of age at enrollment, were analyzed.

Correlates of six-month housing instability among U.S. adults by veteran status: Exploratory study using data from the All of Us Program.

Housing instability (HI) is a social determinant of health affecting adults in the United States (U.S.).

Longitudinal association of homocysteine with depressive and anxiety symptoms among urban adults: healthy aging in neighborhoods of diversity across the life span study.

Longitudinal associations of homocysteine (HCY) with depressive symptoms scores among urban adults remain under-studied, especially across sex, race and levels of anxiety. We examined longitudinal associations of homocysteine (HCY) with depressive symptoms scores among urban adults, before and after stratifying by sex, race and anxiety level, using data from 1460 Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Lifespan Study (HANDLS) participants aged 30-64 y at v (2004-2009), followed across 3 visits up to 2017. In addition to LnHcy, we used group-based trajectory models predicting z-transformed likelihood of greater LnHcy with age (Hcy).

Drug overdose deaths among homeless veterans in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system.

Background And Aims: With an epidemic of drug overdoses, contemporary research is needed to examine drug overdose deaths among homeless populations. This study measured rates, types and correlates of drug overdose deaths occurring over a 5-year study period among veterans experiencing homelessness (VEH) and non-homeless veterans (NHV) in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Uncovering mediational pathways behind racial and socioeconomic disparities in brain volumes: insights from the UK Biobank study.

Mediation pathways explaining racial/ethnic and socioeconomic (SES) disparities in structural MRI markers of brain health remain underexplored. We examined racial/ethnic and SES disparities in sMRI markers and tested total, direct, and indirect effects through lifestyle, health-related, and cognition factors using a structural equations modeling approach among 36,184 UK Biobank participants aged 40-70 years at baseline assessment (47% men). Race (non-White vs.

Poor sleep quality, dementia status and their association with all-cause mortality among older US adults.

Background: Evidence points to associations between sleep quality, dementia, and mortality. We examined whether poor sleep quality mediated or moderated the association between dementia and mortality risk among older US adults and vice versa, and whether these associations differed by sex and by race.

Methods: The study investigated bi-directional associations between sleep quality, dementia and mortality in older US adults using data from the Health and Retirement Study ( = 6,991, mean age = 78.

Plasma homocysteine and longitudinal change in cognitive function among urban adults.

Background: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have inconsistently linked cognitive performance and change over time to an elevated level of homocysteine (Hcy), with few conducted among urban adults.

Methods: Longitudinal data [Visit 1 (2004-2009) and Visit 2 (2009-2013)] were analyzed from up to 1430 selected Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) participants. Baseline and follow-up blood Hcy was measured, while 11 cognitive function test scores were assessed at either of these two visits.

Infection burden, periodontal pathogens, and their interactive association with incident all-cause and Alzheimer's disease dementia in a large national survey.

Introduction: Relationships and interplay of an infection burden (IB) and periodontal pathogens or periodontal disease (Pd) markers with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and all-cause dementia among US adults were examined.

Methods: Less than or equal to 2997 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Survey III were linked to CMS-Medicare [≥45 years (1988-1994); ≤30 years follow-up].

Results: Hepatitis C (hazard ratio = 3.

Mediating and moderating effects of plasma proteomic biomarkers on the association between poor oral health problems and brain white matter microstructural integrity: the UK Biobank study.

The plasma proteome can mediate associations between periodontal disease (Pd) and brain white matter integrity (WMI). We screened 5089 UK Biobank participants aged 40-70 years for poor oral health problems (POHP). We examined the association between POHP and WMI (fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), Intracellular Volume Fraction (ICVF), Isotropic Volume Fraction (ISOVF) and Orientation Diffusion (OD)), decomposing the total effect through the plasma proteome of 1463 proteins into pure mediation, pure interaction, neither, while adjusting for socio-demographic and cardiovascular health factors.

Small Observational Study of Battlefield Acupuncture for Homeless-Experienced Veterans.

Homeless-experienced veterans (HEVs) are an important but challenging group to care for in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care system, and there are opportunities to examine the potential of integrative and complementary medicine approaches.

Screening rates for hepatitis B and C among low-income US veterans: Data from the National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences Study.

Screening for viral hepatitis is considered a high-priority area in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Yet, few studies have examined viral hepatitis screening test use among low-income veterans who are considered high-risk with limited healthcare access. Using cross-sectional data from 933 participants in the 2021-2022 National Veteran Homeless and Other Poverty Experiences (NV-HOPE) study, we examined rates and correlates of lifetime screening for hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) infections.

Mediating and moderating effects of plasma proteomic biomarkers on the association between poor oral health problems and incident dementia: The UK Biobank study.

The plasma proteome can mediate poor oral health problems (POHP)'s link to incident dementia. We screened 37,269 UK Biobank participants 50-74 years old (2006-2010) for prevalent POHP, further tested against 1463 plasma proteins and incident dementia over up to 15 years of follow-up. Total effect (TE) of POHP-dementia through plasma proteomic markers was decomposed into pure indirect effect (PIE), interaction referent (INTREF), controlled direct effect (CDE), or mediated interaction (INTMED).

Serum neurofilament light chain as a prognostic marker of all-cause mortality in a national sample of US adults.

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a neuron-specific structural protein released into the extracellular space, including body fluids, upon neuroaxonal damage. Despite evidence of a link in neurological disorders, few studies have examined the association of serum NfL with mortality in population-based studies. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey were utilized including 2,071 Non-Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adult participants and adult participants of other ethnic groups (20-85 years) with serum NfL measurements who were followed for ≤ 6 years till 2019.

Lifetime prevalence and correlates of colorectal cancer screening among low-income U.S. Veterans.

Purpose: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the U.S. While preventive healthcare services are high priority in the VHA, low-income U.

Plasma proteomic biomarkers and the association between poor cardiovascular health and incident dementia: The UK Biobank study.

Background: The study examined how plasma proteome indicators may explain the link between poor cardiovascular health (CVH) and dementia risk.

Methods: The present study involved 28,974 UK Biobank participants aged 50-74y at baseline (2006-2010) who were followed-up for ≤ 15 y for incidence of dementia. CVH was calculated using Life's Essential 8 (LE8) total scores.

Opioid Use Disorder among Hospitalized Adults in North Carolina: Analysis from the 2000-2020 NC State Inpatient Database.

Objectives: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is characterized as a chronic condition that was first outlined in the , and now the . It encompasses frequent opioid usage, cravings, the development of tolerance, withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation, unsuccessful attempts to quit or reduce use, and recurrent use even when faced with negative consequences. Both national- and state-level data show that overdose deaths associated with prescription opioids are increasing at an alarming rate.

Loneliness, Dementia Status, and Their Association with All-Cause Mortality Among Older US Adults.

Background: Loneliness, dementia, and mortality are interconnected.

Objective: We aimed at understanding mediating pathways and interactions between loneliness and dementia in relation to mortality risk.

Methods: The study tested bi-directional relationships between dementia, loneliness, and mortality, by examining both interactions and mediating effects in a large sample of older US adults participating in the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study.