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Research news
As an ICAA member you can access a library of over 2,000 peer-reviewed and published studies. You can also stay up to date with current research by reading ICAA Research Review, the online newsletter of breaking news in health, wellness and demographics. Published 45 times each year, Research Review is emailed to ICAA members. To learn more about becoming an ICAA member please visit, www.icaa.cc or telephone ICAA toll-free at 866-335-9777.
Debt ‘blind spot’ creates financial security risk
The greatest risk to financial security during retirement may be the debt consumers don’t see today, suggests the recent survey Debt: The Blind Spot on America’s Road to Retirement—Securian’s Multi-Generational Study. More than 2,000 consumers from Generations Y and X, plus Baby Boomers and those who were at or near retirement, participated in the online survey. According to the survey report, nearly half (46%) of the respondents declined to classify at least one common financial obligation as debt—including outstanding balances on credit cards or home-equity lines of credit, overdue utility bills, or “payday loans” from friends or family members. In fact, 11% of people with debt didn’t consider themselves as being in debt.
Among nonretirees surveyed, 43% indicated that debt would greatly affect their ability to save for a comfortable retirement; 32% with debt said they had cut back on their retirement savings as a result. Among retirees, more than half (52%) acknowledged they were in debt when they entered retirement. Respondents with the heaviest debt loads were most likely to express feelings of financial insecurity.
“It’s understood that Americans have debt, but what’s surprising is the impact of debt on their ability to prepare financially for retirement,” says Kerry Geurkink, director, Annuity Marketing for Securian Retirement, a unit of Securian Financial Group. “The challenge of finding the right balance between today’s living and tomorrow’s security becomes larger when consumers either don’t acknowledge or simply don’t understand the extent of their debt.”
Source: Securian Financial Group, March 12, 2008
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Physical activity relieves arthritis pain
A recent study evaluated the effects of the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program, formerly called People with Arthritis Can Exercise (PACE), to promote managing arthritis through exercise. Although pilot studies had shown that the program led to improvements for arthritis patients, this was the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the program.
Led by Leigh F. Callahan, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the study involved 346 patients with an average age of 70 who had self-reported arthritis. The participants were randomly divided into an intervention group that took part in the Arthritis Foundation program (consisting of exercise classes at basic and advanced levels that met twice a week for one hour for eight weeks), and a control group that was offered the program after eight weeks. The intervention group also completed self-report assessments three and six months after finishing the program. Pain, stiffness and fatigue were measured, as were physical function and psychosocial outcomes.
The intervention group had significant improvements in pain, fatigue and managing arthritis at eight weeks, and maintained improvements in pain and fatigue at six months. A separate analysis found that those completing the program showed increased strength in their upper and lower extremities. In addition, participants who continued the program independently at home reported continued improvements.
Source: Arthritis Care & Research, 59(1), 92–101, 2008
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Smokers more likely to quit at retirement
Many people spend a lifetime trying to give up smoking, but there is good news for older smokers, according to research carried out at the Peninsula Medical School in southwest England. A study by Iain Lang, PhD, and colleagues reveals that the point of retirement is one of the most effective times to try to give up smoking.
The study followed 1,712 smokers ages 50 years and older over a six-year period, taking into account their work status (working or retired) and smoking status (nonsmoker or smoker). The research showed that 42.5% of those who had recently retired had quit smoking, compared with 29.3% of those in employment and 30.2% for those who were already retired. The results indicate those who are undergoing the transition into retirement are more likely to quit smoking than those who are not. “Retirement is one of the great transitions in life, which is why a greater proportion of people may find it easier to make significant changes elsewhere in their lives at this time,” says Lang.
Source: The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, March 6, 2008
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Consumers’ complaints about fitness clubs soar
Complaints received by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) about fitness clubs have increased more than 90% in the last five years. And, according to a recent analysis conducted by BBB, the most common complaints consumers have about fitness clubs focus on two related areas: contract disputes (41.5%) and billing issues (31.7%). BBB has also seen a rise in complaints about fitness centers that sold memberships, only to go out of business a few weeks later (15.1%), leaving disgruntled customers behind trying to recoup their advance payments.
While some complaints regarding billing are basic billing errors (9.4%), the majority center on being billed after the member felt their contract had expired (22.3%). Many consumers either assumed their contract would not be renewed, or filed the appropriate paperwork to cancel their membership but continued to have fees withdrawn from their bank accounts.
Contract dispute complaints (38.9%) vary, but typically involve disagreements over promises made by the salesperson versus what the membership actually included (23.8%), and the policy for getting out of the contract if the member relocated to another area (15.1%).
More than 15% of complaints came from consumers whose fitness center either closed completely or changed management shortly after they joined. The complainants typically wanted refunds for membership fees paid in advance, or were dissatisfied with the new ownership and policies and wanted out of their contract.
Consumers can search BBB’s website (www.bbb.org) for its list of accredited fitness clubs, together with their track records for keeping customers satisfied, advises BBB.
Source: Council of Better Business Bureaus, December 12, 2007
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New report profiles 50-plus housing market
A report released in February 2008 by the Washington, DC-based National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) shows that more than a quarter of a million people will opt to buy new housing in communities specifically built for those ages 55 or older. In addition, more than 100,000 units constructed in 2008 will be targeted to this growing niche market. The report, Profile of the 50+ Housing Market, also dispels some common perceptions about the older home buyer.
“Our data shows that 55-plus home buyers may be ‘downsizing,’ but not by much,” says Paul Emrath, NAHB’s lead researcher on the study. “The average home in an active adult community still includes more than two bedrooms and more than 2,000 sq.-ft. of living space.” Other data reveals that most buyers (77%) choose a new home in a particular age-restricted community because they like the home’s look and overall design, while the top reasons they choose the community is the design (49%) and to be close to friends and relatives (28%).
The report also suggests that new home buyers in this niche market are not as adversely affected by the current troubles in the mortgage market. Fewer than half of the customers who bought a new home in an age-qualified active adult community needed to take out a mortgage. Of those who did, the study found, the loan-to-value ratio was under 50%. Nearly all home buyers in these communities who made a downpayment reported that the downpayment came from the sale of a previous home.
“Given the strong demographics of the Baby Boom generation, the active adult buyer will continue to be a very important housing consumer for a long time to come,” comments Mark Stemen, senior vice president with K. Hovnanian’s active adult division in the mid Atlantic and a member of NAHB’s 50+ Housing Council.
Source: National Association of Home Builders, February 20, 2008
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Guideline identifies those most at risk of falling
People with stroke, dementia, and walking and balance disorders are at the highest risk of falling, according to a newly published guideline from the American Academy of Neurology. Having fallen in the past year also strongly predicts that a person will fall again. Moreover, people with Parkinson’s disease, peripheral neuropathy, weakness in the legs or feet, and substantial vision loss are also likely to fall, state guideline developers. They stress that certain neurology patients are at a high risk of accidental falls and should be regularly screened to help prevent the high number of fall-related injuries and deaths.
“There is a lack of awareness among doctors and patients in recognizing and preventing falls, which can lead to hip fractures, head injury, hospitalization and in some cases death,” says lead guideline author David J. Thurman, MD, MPH, of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, a division of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thurman is also a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
Thurman adds that identifying people at high risk of falling is a critical step in preventing future falls. “This guideline recommends doctors routinely ask patients about falls and use screening measures, such as the Get-Up-and-Go Test or Timed-Up-and-Go Test, and mobility tests, to determine if a person is likely to fall and needs prevention help, such as making their home safer or beginning a regular exercise program.” Routinely asking patients about falls will ultimately help reduce fall-related injuries and deaths and lead to better quality of life for patients at risk.
In a recent CDC study, an estimated 5.8 million adults over age 65 reported they fell at least once in the previous three months, and 1.8 million of them—about 30% of those who fell—sought medical help or restricted their activity for at least a day. These findings are based on an analysis of data from the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Researchers caution that this is a snapshot and should not be used to estimate the number of annual falls.
Sources: American Academy of Neurology, February 4, 2008; Neurology, 70(6), 473–479, 2008; US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, March 6, 2008; Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 57(9), 225–229, 2008
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Healthy lifestyle adds years to life
Two recent studies point to the life-prolonging benefits of healthy behaviors. A study published in the January 8, 2008, issue of the online journal PloS Medicine showed that people who adopt four healthy behaviors—not smoking; exercising; moderate alcohol intake; and eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day—live on average an additional 14 years compared with people who don’t embrace any of these behaviors.
The researchers used a health behavior score to assess study participants—20,000 men and women in the United Kingdom between the ages of 45 and 79, none of who had cancer or heart or circulatory disease. Participants completed a questionnaire that yielded a score between 0 and 4. A point was awarded for: not currently smoking; being physically active; a moderate alcohol intake of 1–4 units a week (a unit is a half-pint of beer or a glass of wine); and a blood vitamin C level consistent with eating five servings of fruit or vegetables a day.
Over an average period of 11 years, people with a score of 0—that is, those who did not take up any of the healthy forms of behavior—were four times more likely to have died than those who had scored 4 in the questionnaire. Furthermore, a person with a health score of 0 had the same risk of dying as someone 14 years older who had scored 4 in the questionnaire. The authors state that several small changes in lifestyle could have a marked impact on health.
A separate study in men published in the February 11, 2008, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine identified modifiable factors associated with exceptionally long life. The researchers studied 2,357 men participating in the Physician’s Health Study. A total of 970 (41%) lived to age 90 or older. “Smoking, diabetes, obesity and hypertension significantly reduced the likelihood of a 90-year life span, while regular vigorous exercise substantially improved it,” the authors write. “Furthermore, men with a life span of 90 or more years also had better physical function, mental well-being, and self-perceived health in late life compared with men who died at a younger age. Adverse factors associated with reduced longevity—smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyle—also were significantly associated with poorer functional status in elderly years,” they conclude.
Sources: PLoS Medicine, 5(1), e12, doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0050012; Archives of Internal Medicine, 168(3), 284–290, 2008
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Music therapy might soften depression symptoms
Music therapy might help ease the symptoms of depression, though its effectiveness as a stand-alone intervention is not certain, according to a recent review of five small studies. Three studies focused on adults ages 60 and older; one looked at adults between ages 21 and 65; and one focused on 14- and 15-year-old adolescents. Four of the studies found reduced depression symptoms in participants receiving music therapy compared to those who did not. The fifth study did not find any difference.
The benefits of music appeared greatest when providers used theory-based therapeutic techniques rather than “winging it.” “In the four studies where there was an impact, there was a very coherent theoretical framework, a very coherent explanation of what went on in the session and obvious reasons why the therapists were there,” says lead author Anna Maratos. “In the study that showed no effect, there didn’t seem to be any theoretical underpinning to the intervention.”
Maratos, head of profession for Arts Therapies at the Central and Northwest London NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, and colleagues looked for randomized controlled trials that compared music therapy with other, more traditional interventions for depression. They found a dearth of rigorous research. Of the five studies used, there was little or no uniformity in study approaches, study populations or therapeutic techniques, so the researchers did not pool the results for meta-analysis.
Although the studies did not show a definitive cause-and-effect relationship between music therapy and clinical improvement in depression, the authors found a positive correlation. They also found unusually high levels of participation and compliance among patients receiving the therapeutic interventions, which included listening to music in groups, body movement and painting to music, and improvised singing.
Source: Health Behavior News Service, February 28, 2008; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 1, 2008
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Active elders curb costs for healthcare
Long-term total healthcare costs grew more slowly for older members of a group health plan who used a health club benefit regularly compared with those who did not, according to a recently published study.
Researchers from Group Health Cooperative and the University of Washington, both in Seattle, studied nearly 5,000 Group Health patients ages 65 and older who participated in SilverSneakers, an exercise program designed specifically for older adults. More than 9,000 control patients were matched to participants by age and sex. By the study’s second year, compared with control participants, SilverSneakers participants had significantly fewer inpatient admissions and lower total healthcare costs.
“Physical activity can help seniors improve their balance to prevent falls; boost cardiovascular health to prevent heart attacks; and improve overall metabolism to help delay diabetes onset and complications of diabetes,” says study coauthor James LoGerfo, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine and health services at the University of Washington. LoGerfo is also an affiliate investigator at the Group Health Center for Health Studies.
Lead author Huong Q. Nguyen, MD, assistant professor of biobehavioral nursing systems at the university, stressed the important takeaway message from this study: Elders, especially those on fixed incomes, need to remain active and incorporate physical activity in their lives for many reasons, including cutting down on unexpected healthcare costs. In addition, health plans that offer physical activity benefits should have mechanisms in place that support wide adoption and consistent use by older-adult members.
Source: Preventing Chronic Disease; 5(1), 2008
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Osteoarthritis guidelines emphasize exercise and weight loss
New national standards for osteoarthritis in the UK encourage core lifestyle changes to help ease patients’ pain and symptoms. Issued in February 2008, these guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the National Collaborating Centre for Acute Care in London, call for healthcare professionals to provide verbal and written information to all people with osteoarthritis to enhance understanding of the condition and its management. This information should also counter patient misconceptions, such as the notion that osteoarthritis is part of aging and cannot be treated. Key recommendations include:
- exercise that includes local muscle strengthening and aerobic exercise as a core treatment for people with osteoarthritis, irrespective of age, other illnesses or conditions, pain or disability
- support for people with osteoarthritis who are overweight or obese to lose weight
- use of various topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before oral NSAIDs, Cox-2 inhibitors, or opioids
- referral for joint replacement surgery for people with osteoarthritis who have joint symptoms that substantially impact their quality of life and do not respond to nonsurgical treatment
Source: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, February 28, 2008
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