Browsing by Author "Costa, Andrea"
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- Crenças alimentares previnem um tipo de cancro ? estudo exploratório na população oncológicaPublication . Costa, Andrea; von Humboldt, Sofia; Leal, Isabel
- Intergenerational relationships: do older adults experience ambivalence with their adult children?Publication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Costa, Andrea; Fernandes, Mariline; Silva, Sara; Leal, IsabelThis study aims to analyze the perspectives of intergenerational relationships between older adults and adult children. For this purpose, a qualitative research was carried out, which analyzes these relations at a cross-national level. Four hundred and twenty four older participants aged 65–97 years, were interviewed. Participants were of three different nationalities and lived in the community. All the interviews went through the process of verbatim transcription and subsequent content analysis. Two dimensions of generational ambivalence were revealed from the study; support and the conflict dimensions. Findings of content analysis produced six themes, which represent intergenerational relations between older adults and adult children: older adults-adult children interaction quality; family integration; care and support; definition of limits; distance and alienation; and communication difficulties. This study highlighted the diversity of experiences in old age, in relation to intergenerational relationships and underlined the conflicting expectations from older adults in relation to their adult children.
- Is age an issue? Psychosocial differences in perceived older workers’ work (un)adaptability, effectiveness, and workplace age discriminationPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Miguel, Isabel; Valentim, Joaquim P.; Costa, Andrea; Low, Gail; Leal, I.The aging population in the developed world has implied increasing age diversity in the workforce of organizations. Consequently, mutual perceptions about one’s coworkers and age discrimination are becoming increasingly important. This study aims to explore how perceptions about older workers’ work (un)adaptability, work effectiveness, and workplace age discrimination vary according to participants’ psychosocial factors, such as age group, gender, education level, and work sector. This study included a sample of 453 workers in Portugal, diverse in terms of age, gender, education level, and work sector. Four different instruments were used: (a) a sociodemographic questionnaire; (b) an older workers’ Work Adaptability scale; (c) an older workers’ Work Effectiveness Scale and; (d) the Workplace Age Discrimination Scale (WADS). Results: Middle-aged and older participants perceive older workers as more adaptable than younger participants. The oldest group of participants perceives older workers to be more workeffective and experience the highest levels of age discrimination in the workplace, when compared to the other age groups. Also, participants with lower levels of education tend to perceive higher levels of workplace age discrimination, when compared to participants with high school and higher education. Conclusions: Generational perceptions in the workplace are perceived by workers differently, hence organizations should implement age management strategies to address age discrimination, particularly due to the increasing proportion of older workers.
- Older adults, perceived ageism, civic participation and mental health: a qualitative studyPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Costa, Andrea; Ilyas, Namrah; Leal, I.Objectives: This study has three objectives: A) To investigate the relationship of ageism on older adults’ civic activities; B) To analyze the influence of ageism on mental health; and C) To explore the impact of civic participation on older adults’ mental health.Method: This qualitative study included 782 older people from three different nationalities (Portuguese, Brazilian, and English) ranging in age from 65 to 88. All the interviews went through the process of content analysis.Results: For the first objective, the findings encompass one high-level theme (Social and individual incompetence), which included social rejection (86%), reduced competence (84%), expectations of failure (83%), and not being able to contribute (77%). For the second objective, findings indicated two overarching categories: Perceived inability, including frustration and impotence (89%), incom-petence (77%) and irrelevance (71%); and Perceived distress, including anger (81%), feelings of anxiety (68%); and emotional bursts (63%). For the third objective, the following two high-level themes emerged: Ego-oriented resources, which comprised the development of a sense of purpose (81%), learning cognitive skills (71%), and (A3) practising sense of agency (67%); and Social-oriented resources, encompassing feeling socially integrated (80%); and expressing emotionally (54%). Findings indicated that the most verbalized themes for the three objectives were the same across the three nationalities.Conclusions: Ageism made it difficult for people to participate in civic life, which has been linked to better mental health. These findings emphasize the need to encourage inclusive civic involvement to improve older individuals’ mental health.
- Sexual expression in old age: How older adults from different cultures express sexually?Publication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Gonçalves, José Alberto Ribeiro; Costa, Andrea; Low, Gail; Leal, Isabel PereiraObjective This study aims to analyze how older adults express themselves sexually. For this purpose, a qualitative research was carried out, which analyzes their perspectives at a cross-cultural level. Methods Four hundred ninety-five older participants, aged 65 to 98 years, were interviewed. Participants were of three different nationalities and lived in the community. All the interviews went through the process of verbatim transcription and subsequent content analysis. Results A content analysis produced nine themes: tenderness and care (k = .91, p < .01); altruism and gratitude (k = .81, p < .01); attractiveness (k = 94, p < .01); positive communication (k = .89, p < .01); sexual activity (k = .88, p < .01); good health and physical condition (k = .96, p < .01); supportive relationship (k = .84, p < .01); eroticism (k = .94, p < .01); and feeling active and alive (k = .92, p < .01). Conclusions This study stressed different ways on expressing sexuality in old age and underlined the importance of tenderness and care and eroticism for older adults who are sexually active.
- Sexual well-being in older adults: A qualitative study with older adults from Portugal and SloveniaPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Ribeiro-Gonçalves, José Alberto; Costa, Andrea; Low, Gail; Benko, Ester; Leal, I.Introduction Beyond living longer, it is increasingly important to live with more and better health during aging; sexual well-being was found to contribute to health and well-being in old age and is highly under-researched in the older population. This study aims to analyze sexual well-being in a cross-cultural way through older Portuguese and Slovenian older samples. Methods We interviewed 136 older participants with an average age of 71.6 years old. Participants were Portuguese and Slovenian and lived in the community. Participants were subjected to semi-structured interviews and these were subjected to a content analysis process. Results The content analysis indicated nine themes related to sexual well-being: self-reported good health; demonstrations of love; non-sexual joint activities; overall well-being and quality of life; partner support; positive self-image; being independent and active; sexual compatibility; and masturbation. Conclusions Portuguese older adults experience their sexual well-being associated mainly with self-reported good health and demonstrations of love, while Slovenians older adults associate their sexual well-being mainly with non-sexual joint activities and overall well-being and quality of life. Policy Implications The themes found in this study are fundamental evidence for cultural interventions and guidelines outlining in the context of sexual health in aging, mainly due to the scarcity of knowledge of sexual well-being among older adults.
- Smart technology and the meaning in life of older adults during the Covid-19 public health emergency period: a cross-cultural qualitative studyPublication . von Humboldt, Sofia; Mendoza-Ruvalcaba, Neyda Ma.; Arias Merino, Elva Dolores; Costa, Andrea; Cabras, Emilia; Low, Gail; Leal, IsabelThe exponential increase of the older segment of the population is coinciding with the growing challenges of a digital society in different socio-cultural contexts. This exploratory study aims to analyze older adult perspectives of how smart technology influenced their meaning in life during the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency period, using qualitative research at a cross-national level. Three hundred and fifty-one community-dwelling older participants aged 65-87 years were included in the study. Participants were Italian, Mexican, Portuguese and Spanish. All the narratives went through a process of content analysis. Findings of content analysis produced six themes: Meaningful relations, rewarding activities, spirituality, health and safety-related support, self-growth, and physical activity. Smart technology was important in promoting significant relations for Mexican older adults (71.3%), rewarding activities for Portuguese older adults (57.1%), spirituality for Spanish older participants (71.6%), and physical activity for Italian older adults (29.5%). This study indicated that smart technology during the Health Emergency period was important for the meaning in life of older populations, mostly by facilitating meaningful relations, rewarding activities and spirituality. Future interventions with older adults during pandemic periods should consider the diversity of themes associated with increasing older adult well-being, from a cross-cultural perspective.
- A viuvez no envelhecimento : estudo exploratório com idososPublication . Costa, Andrea; von Humboldt, Sofia