EFFECT OF LIFE SPAN EXPERIENCE WITH ADVERSITIES AND TRAUMA ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AMONG OLDER COMMUNITY DWELLERS

• Published in: Innovation in aging 2018-11, Vol.2 (suppl_1), p.272-272
• Main Authors: Yang, M, Hedeker, D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igy023.1007

Using the life course guidance, the goal of this study was to see if whether trauma experienced during various time points (childhood, middle-age and later life) changed across time for the subjects with respect to subjective well-being among older adults. Very little research has focused on how older community dwelling foreign born exposed to adversities during different points in the life course fare in relation to subjective well-being as defined by life satisfaction, depression, and self-rated health. This study employed data from the Health and Retirement study (1992–2012) (N = 5,666) to examine these trends over time. We used multilevel models to test for specific individual change across time. The mean age for this group was 70.9 (SD = 8.8). The majority of the respondents were female (60%). About 6% were foreign born non-Hispanic Whites, 12% were non-Hispanic Blacks, 2% were non-Hispanic other, 9% were Hispanic, and 78% were non-Hispanic Whites. In terms of early childhood adversities, 77% had experienced at least one trauma and 72% has experienced at least one trauma in adulthood. Findings suggested exposure to childhood adversities and adulthood trauma increases depression, poor self-rated health, and low satisfaction of life over time. Foreign born (non-Hispanic Whites) older adults suffered from depression, rated their health poor, and had lower life satisfaction compared to their counterparts. Findings from this study provide insight into how life course exposure of adversities and trauma among older adults showed a negative trend over time.