Takeshi Nakagawa1,2, Jinmyoung Cho3,4, Yasuyuki Gondo5, Peter Martin6, Mary Ann Johnson7, Leonard W Poon8, Nobuyoshi Hirose9. 1. a University Priority Research Program "Dynamics of Healthy Aging" , University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland. 2. b JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow For Research Abroad , Japan Society for the Promotion of Science , Tokyo , Japan. 3. c Center For Applied Health Research, Baylor Scott & White Health , Temple , TX , USA. 4. d Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Public Health , College Station , TX , USA. 5. e Graduate School of Human Sciences , Osaka University , Osaka , Japan. 6. f Department of Human Development and Family Studies , Iowa State University , Ames , IA , USA. 7. g Department of Foods and Nutrition Sciences , University of Georgia , Athens , Georgia. 8. h Institute of Gerontology, University of Georgia , Athens , Georgia. 9. i Center For Supercentenarian Research, School of Medicine , Keio University , Tokyo , Japan.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the cultural differences and similarities in the levels and predictors of subjective well-being in Japanese and American centenarians. METHOD: We analyzed data on cognitively intact Japanese (N = 59) and American (N = 125) participants from the Tokyo and Georgia Centenarian Studies, respectively. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale was used to measure subjective well-being, while sociodemographic, social, and health resources were assessed as potential predictors. RESULTS: The American participants reported higher scores on well-being (satisfaction with social relations and psychological comfort). However, cultural differences in the levels of well-being disappeared after we controlled for its predictors. The regression models revealed that health resources (cognitive function, hearing problems, and activities of daily living) were strong predictors of well-being in both countries. Social resources (living with others) were strongly associated with one dimension of well-being (attitude toward one's aging) among the Japanese participants. DISCUSSION: The findings support the existing lifespan and cross-cultural literature, indicating that declines in health impose certain limitations on adaptive capacity in oldest-old age irrespective of cultures, and that social embeddedness is valued in Eastern cultures. The authors speculate that cultural values, i.e. personal autonomy versus relational harmony, play an important role for well-being in oldest-old age.
OBJECTIVE: The present study examined the cultural differences and similarities in the levels and predictors of subjective well-being in Japanese and American centenarians. METHOD: We analyzed data on cognitively intact Japanese (N = 59) and American (N = 125) participants from the Tokyo and Georgia Centenarian Studies, respectively. The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale was used to measure subjective well-being, while sociodemographic, social, and health resources were assessed as potential predictors. RESULTS: The American participants reported higher scores on well-being (satisfaction with social relations and psychological comfort). However, cultural differences in the levels of well-being disappeared after we controlled for its predictors. The regression models revealed that health resources (cognitive function, hearing problems, and activities of daily living) were strong predictors of well-being in both countries. Social resources (living with others) were strongly associated with one dimension of well-being (attitude toward one's aging) among the Japanese participants. DISCUSSION: The findings support the existing lifespan and cross-cultural literature, indicating that declines in health impose certain limitations on adaptive capacity in oldest-old age irrespective of cultures, and that social embeddedness is valued in Eastern cultures. The authors speculate that cultural values, i.e. personal autonomy versus relational harmony, play an important role for well-being in oldest-old age.
Entities:
Keywords:
Well-being; culture; oldest-old; quality of life; resources
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