Browsing by Author "Hill, Nikki L."

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    Factors that influence the emotional impact of memory problems in older adults: A qualitative descriptive study
    (Wiley, 2022) Hill, Nikki L.; Bratlee-Whitaker, Emily; Wion, Rachel K.; Madrigal, Caroline; Bhargava, Sakshi; Mogle, Jacqueline; School of Nursing
    Background: Associations among psychological health and memory concerns in older adults are well-established, but much of this research is quantitative. Objectives: This study examined how memory problems influence emotional well-being in older adults without dementia, and whether this differs by cognitive status and current depressive or anxiety symptoms. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to examine our research questions. Community-dwelling older adults without dementia (n = 49, Mage = 74.5[10.1], 63% women) completed a cognitive assessment, questionnaires and two semi-structured interviews. Content analysis was used to code and categorise the transcribed interview data, then identify themes within and across participant groups. Results: Five themes described the influence of memory problems on emotional well-being: Evoking Emotions, Fearing Future, Undermining Self, Normalising Problems and Adjusting Thinking. Memory problems' impact on emotional well-being varied by current anxiety symptoms, characteristics of the problem and personal experience with dementia. Conclusion: The emotional impact of memory problems tended to differ by affective symptoms, not cognitive status. Older adults who report memory concerns without objective evidence of impairment may be at risk for negative impacts to mental health and well-being. Implications for practice: Cognitive screening guidelines should consider best practices for responding to memory concerns when cognitive testing results are normal.
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    The role of cognitive self-report measure type in predicting cognitive decline among older adults: A systematic review
    (Sage, 2022) Wion, Rachel K.; Hill, Nikki L.; Bell, Tyler R.; Mogle, Jacqueline; Yates, Jennifer; Bhang, Iris; School of Nursing
    Many types of items are used to measure self-reported cognition, resulting in heterogeneity across studies. Certain cognitive self-report measure types may be more predictive of future decline. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to compare whether specific types of cognitive self-report measures better predict risk for cognitive decline over time when measures are directly compared within the same study. The PRISMA criteria guided the review. Eligibility criteria included: longitudinal studies, outcome of cognitive decline, at least 2 different cognitive self-report measures, and no cognitive impairment at baseline. Nineteen studies were included in the final review. A narrative synthesis of results was completed, resulting in 3 thematic groups of comparisons across self-reported measure types. Self-reported memory decline with worry and peer perceptions of memory were associated with the highest risk for cognitive decline. Future longitudinal investigations of self-reported cognitive problems should focus on using measures that may be most sensitive to predicting cognitive decline risk.
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    Within-Person Associations Among Self-Perceptions of Memory, Depressive Symptoms, and Activity Participation in Older Adults
    (Oxford, 2020) Hill, Nikki L.; Mogle, Jacqueline; Bhargava, Sakshi; Bratlee-Whitaker, Emily; Wion, Rachel K.; Sweeder, Logan; Sliwinski, Martin; Barnes, Lisa L.; School of Nursing
    Background and Objectives Self-perceptions of memory problems may impact older adults’ mood as well as their activity participation, thereby negatively affecting health and well-being. We examined within-person associations among self-reported memory, depressive symptoms, as well as physical, social, and cognitive activity participation in older adults without cognitive impairment. Research Design and Methods Samples were drawn from the Einstein Aging Study (EAS), National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS), Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP), and Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), with over 8,000 participants (65+ years) included across data sets. In a series of coordinated analyses, multilevel structural equation modeling was used to examine within-person relationships over periods of up to 20 years. Results Across EAS, NHATS, and MAP/MARS samples, we found that older adults’ self-perceptions of memory did not directly covary with activity participation over time. However, we did find an indirect association in NHATS such that within-person changes in depressive symptoms were associated with changes in self-reported memory, and these contributed to lower physical as well as social activity participation. Discussion and Implications Older adults’ activity participation is important for health, but maximizing engagement requires understanding potentially impeding factors. We found some evidence that as self-perceptions of memory change over time, associated depressive symptoms may contribute to lower activity participation. Inconsistent findings across data sets, however, suggest future research is needed to understand individual characteristics that may influence these relationships.