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Foster care alumni lag behind the general population in post-secondary academic achievement. This cross-sectional study uses a random sample of forty-six foster care alumni from a Midwestern public university to explore the relationship between exposure to trauma and post-secondary academic achievement (14.5% response rate; age range 17–24). While no significant relationship was found between trauma exposure and GPA or failing classes, participants who experienced increased exposure to trauma were more likely to have withdrawn from a class because it was too difficult or the semester was too overwhelming. More research is needed to further understand these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV infection among older adults is increasing. Previous research suggests that many older adults do not see themselves as at risk for HIV and that many subscribe to myths related to HIV transmission. In this focus group study (N = 48) we solicited the beliefs that older adults held about HIV. The older adults in this study were knowledgeable about how HIV is typically transmitted. However, we also identified that they subscribed to misconceptions regarding casual contact transmission and were fearful of transmission from the medical system. Educational efforts aimed at older adults must be tailored to address these persistent misconceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The purpose of our study was to examine the prevalence of sexual problems by age and race among older women in the United States and to examine quality of life correlates to sexual dysfunction among non-Hispanic white and African American older women. Methods: A cross-sectional study using self-report surveys was conducted among community-dwelling U.S. women, aged 60 years and over. A total of 807 women aged 61-89 years were included. Self-administered questionnaires assessed sexual dysfunction, satisfaction with life, depressive symptomatology, and self-rated health. Analyses included multivariate logistic regression. Results: The mean age of the sample was 66 years. Two-thirds of the sample had at least one sexual dysfunction; the most common for both African American and non-Hispanic white women were lack of interest in sex and vaginal dryness. Prevalence varied by age for each of the sexual dysfunctions. The odds of experiencing sexual dysfunction varied with age and race. Compared with non-Hispanic white women, African American women had lower odds of reporting lack of interest in sex or vaginal dryness. Poor self-rated health, depressive symptomatology, and lower satisfaction with life were associated with higher odds of having some sexual dysfunction. Conclusions: Improved understanding of how sexual dysfunction affects women across multiple age ranges and racial/ethnic groups can assist providers in making recommendations for care that are patient centered. The associations that we identified with quality of life factors highlight the need to assess sexual health care in the aging female population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the study: Little is known about the effects of chronic illness on social role participation among racially and ethnically diverse older adults. This study was undertaken to better understand disruptions in role among African American, black Caribbean, white, Latino, and Asian older adults with arthritis, heart disease, or diabetes. Design and methods: This study consisted of a cross-sectional secondary data analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys. Role disruption was operationalized using time out of role and role impairment in the past 30 days. Data from participants aged 65 and older were used in negative binomial regression analyses. Results: Overall, prevalence of role impairment occurred more often than time out of role. Race and ethnicity were not associated with time out of role, but they were for role impairment. Whites experienced more role impairment than any other racial or ethnic group. Within-group analyses identified that chronic illness, role participation, and socioeconomic factors are related in different ways depending on race or ethnicity. It appears that for some racially and ethnically diverse older adults, higher income and education are protective against role disruption. Implications: Race and ethnicity are factors in how the social roles of older adults are affected by chronic illness, and it appears that role disruption varies with type of illness. Interventions to support older adults with chronic illness should take into account the cultural factors related to role disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Within 5 years, half the U.S. HIV-infected population will be over age 50, and providers caring for older adults must deal with this reality. This study assessed attitudes toward people with HIV/AIDS and knowledge of HIV/AIDS among physicians with a geriatrics specialty, and nurses and social workers who specialize in gerontology. A survey mailed in 2008 to a random sample of U.S. providers yielded a 60% response rate. Main outcome measures included: Knowledge of HIV/AIDS, attitudes toward people with HIV/AIDS, and knowledge of issues related to HIV in older adults. General knowledge of HIV/AIDS was good with scores of 89%, 84%, and 81% for physicians, nurses, and social workers, respectively; groups differed significantly ( F(2, 483)=18.626, p<0.0005). Attitudes were positive, with a significant main effect of profession on the attitude subscales ( F(4, 952)=6.84, p<0.0005). Eighty-three percent of the sample were unaware that dementia due to HIV may be reversible; no significant differences by profession (χ2=4.50, p=0.105). The sample had difficulty ranking the four most common risk factors for HIV infection in older adults, with no significant differences among the professions ( F(2, 483)=1.22, p=0.296). Only 6% of the sample correctly ranked all four risk factors. Estimates of the percent of U.S. AIDS cases in people over age 50 varied widely; few answered correctly, with no significant differences by professional group ( F(2,319)=2.82, p=0.06). These findings highlight the need for further education among providers who specialize in aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The well-being of kinship caregivers is related to their level of meaning-making. • Meaning-making and well-being are positively correlated in kinship caregivers. • Multivariate analysis showed that confounding factors did not affect this relationship. • Further research is needed to better understand how to support kinship caregiver well-being. This exploratory study provides early research to understand the relationship between levels of meaning-making and well-being in kinship caregivers. It is hypothesized that there will be a positive correlation between meaning-making and well-being. A cross-sectional sample of 152 kinship caregivers from four partner organizations across the United States completed a survey that included measures of meaning-making and well-being. The results of this survey were analyzed with bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression to examine the relationship between the two variables. Bivariate analysis demonstrated a significant, moderate, and positive relationship between meaning-making and well-being. Using multivariate linear regression, it was determined that no confounding demographic covariates were responsible for the results. Additionally, no demographic covariates were found to lead to significant differences in caregiver well-being. Future research should be conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between meaning-making and well-being in kinship caregivers. Additionally, clinicians may use this as a starting point to integrate discussion of meaning-making into caregiver support groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]