0000000000890839

AUTHOR

Josh A. Firth

Social isolation and physical activity mediate associations between free bus travel and wellbeing among older adults in England

Background: Aims of this study were: (i) to examine relationships between free bus travel and wellbeing, and (ii) to assess the extent to which these associations can be explained by two key potential mediators: social isolation and physical activity. Methods: Data were from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (n = 5861). Linear regression models tested associations between (i) concessionary bus pass (CBP) ownership and (ii) frequency of CBP use and three measures of wellbeing (quality of life, life satisfaction, depressive symptoms), adjusting for age, sex, marital status, socioeconomic status and limiting long-standing illness. Mediation analyses tested the role of (i) social isolati…

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Association between muscular strength and cognition in people with major depression or bipolar disorder and healthy controls

Importance Objective physical fitness measures, such as handgrip strength, are associated with physical, mental, and cognitive outcomes in the general population. Although people with mental illness experience reduced physical fitness and cognitive impairment, the association between muscular strength and cognition has not been examined to date. Objective To determine associations between maximal handgrip strength and cognitive performance in people with major depression or bipolar disorder and in healthy controls. Design, Setting, and Participants In a multicenter, population-based study conducted between February 13, 2005, and October 1, 2010, in the United Kingdom, cross-sectional analys…

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