Suchergebnisse

Abstract
This study examined the age differences in perceived preparedness for the continuation of COVID-19 pandemic; and tested the moderating effects of three types of social support, i.e., emotional, financial and instrumental support. Using a sample of 450 adults in Texas, USA from the research project 'Vulnerability and Resilience to Disasters' (October 2020 to January 2021), results of multiple linear regressions showed that compared with people aged over sixty-five, those aged eighteen–forty-four perceived a lower level of preparedness for the ongoing COVID-19 and there was no significant difference in perceived preparedness between individuals aged sixty-five+ and those aged forty-five–sixty-four. Receiving emotional and instrumental support was, respectively, more important for people aged sixty-five+ to perceive a better level of preparedness than for those aged eighteen–forty-four and forty-five–sixty-four. The findings highlighted the unique strengths of older adults in COVID-19 preparedness from the life course perspective and the importance of social support in their disaster preparedness. Based on these findings, social workers could incorporate the wisdom and experience of older adults into disaster management and develop age-specific interventions to promote preventive behaviours during future public health disasters.

Abstract
This study aimed to examine the differences in perceived disaster preparedness between Asian Americans and other major races in the USA, namely, Whites, African Americans and Native Americans, and how information-seeking behaviours and self-efficacy (i.e. perceived ability in conducting preparedness behaviours) mediated these racial differences. Data used were from the 2017 National Household Survey conducted by US Federal Emergency Management Agency and included 4,493 respondents. Multiple mediation analysis with percentile and bias-corrected bootstrapping was performed. Results showed that the perceived preparedness level of Asian Americans was lower than that of Whites and Native Americans. Asian Americans' lower level of self-efficacy explained their disadvantages in perceived disaster preparedness compared with Whites, African Americans and Native Americans. The disadvantages of Asian Americans relative to Native Americans were also attributed to fewer information-seeking behaviours. Based on these findings, disaster-related social work services and intervention strategies can be developed to improve the preparedness mechanisms within the Asian American community and reduce racial disparities in disaster planning.

Guided by influential theories of disaster research and gerontology, this study examines health resilience associated with tornadoes, particularly focusing on how individuals' tornado-associated stress, financial losses, and family members' well-being affected posttraumatic distress (PTD), posttraumatic growth (PTG), and self-reported changes in health among adults. To reach this goal, this study collected data from residents affected by two violent tornadoes in 2013, with the assistance of a professional survey lab which implemented a random-digit-dialling telephone survey. The working sample included 517 respondents with oversampled older adults. Multinomial logistic regression, Poisson regression, and Ordinary Least Square Regression were conducted separately for younger and older adults. The results indicated a significant effect of stress levels on PTG among older adults only. Nonetheless, the differences in effect sizes between the two groups were not significant. Meanwhile, respondents' financial losses and their family members' declined health were significant predictors of improved health among older adults. Similarly, family members' declined mental health was a significant predictor of PTD among older adults, but not younger adults. Compared to young adults, older adults were more vulnerable to their family members' declined mental health, but also more resilient to stressful situations, financial losses, and family members' declined physical health. Lastly, although risk and resilience factors could be constructed with the same set of items, they function differently among different groups of people. Hence, more studies on heterogeneity are needed to further refine resilience frameworks.

Cong Z, Silverstein M. Parents' depressive symptoms and support from sons and daughters in rural ChinaInt J Soc Welfare 2011: 20: S4–S17 © 2011 The Author(s), International Journal of Social Welfare © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.This investigation examined how initial levels of elder parents' depressive symptoms influenced financial, instrumental, and emotional support from sons and from daughters in rural China. Data were derived from a two‐wave (2001, 2003) longitudinal survey of 1,324 parents aged 60 and over living in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. Structural equation modeling with latent difference score was used to estimate the reciprocal relationships between children's support and elder parents' depressive symptoms. Results showed that older parents who had higher levels of depressive symptoms at baseline experienced reduced financial, instrumental, and emotional support from sons, but not from daughters. In rural China where the patrilineal family system has distinguished sons and daughters with respect to their functions in elder parents' support networks, the roles of sons and daughters warrant further examination, particularly when elder parents have some depressive symptoms, that elevate the needs of the parents and puts a strain on intergenerational relationships.

Abstract
Timely communication of warnings is essential to protection of lives and properties during tornado outbreaks. Both official and personal channels of communication prove to have considerable impact on the overall outcome. In this study, an agent-based model is developed to simulate warning's reception–dissemination process in which a person is exposed to, receives, and sends information while interacting with others. The model is applied to an EF5 tornado (EF indicates enhanced Fujita scale) that struck Moore, Oklahoma, in 2013. The parameters are calibrated using publicly available data or a poststorm telephone survey or were derived from literature reviews, expert judgement, and sensitivity analysis. The result shows a reasonable agreement between modeled and observed reception rates for older and younger adults and for different channels, with errors of less than 20 percentage points. Similar agreement is also seen for the average numbers of warning sources. The subsequent simulation indicates that, in the absence of tornado sirens, the overall reception rates for younger and older adults would drop from the baseline by 17 and 6 percentage points, respectively. Concurrently, there is a large decline in the number of warning sources. When a persons' social network is enlarged, the reception rate for older adults improves from 77% to 80%, whereas for younger adults it stays unchanged. The impact of increased connectivity is more pronounced when people are not watching television or a tornado siren is not available.

Significance Statement
Every year, tornadoes cause significant property damage and numerous casualties in the United States. This study aims to understand how tornado warnings reach the at-risk public through various communication channels. Using the agent-based model and simulation, we are able to reconstruct the dynamic patterns of warning's reception–dissemination process for older and younger adults within a historical EF5 tornado. Further analysis confirms the importance of tornado sirens in not only alerting more residents about the dangerous weather condition but also prompting protective actions. In the meantime, an increase in social connectivity among residents would compensate for the lack of exposure to television and tornado siren. Future work should investigate the robustness of this model and its parameters when applied to other tornado outbreaks.

Purpose. To examine the effect of parental support on sedentary behaviors among Hispanic children. Design and Setting. A longitudinal quasi-experimental design with five waves of data collection was used to examine the effect of parental support on children's sedentary behaviors in a school-based intervention program in west Texas. Subjects. Hispanic low-income parents and their children of 5 to 9 years (N = 416 child-parent dyads) over a 22-month period (1217 observations). Intervention. Transformation Para Salud was a multicomponent intervention program aimed at prevention and control of childhood overweight and obesity. It used a community-based participatory research approach, including nutrition education, physical exercise, gardening, and family involvement. Measures. Sedentary behaviors were measured by parents' report of their children's daily screen time per week, including TV/DVD, computer, Internet, and video games. Parental support was measured with parents' reported support for active living. Analysis. Growth curve analysis was used to examine trajectories of sedentary behaviors of children. Results. Response rate was over 70%. Parental support reduced children's sedentary behaviors. Girls were less sedentary than boys, but girls were less affected by parental support. The intervention was effective in reducing children's sedentary behaviors over time. Conclusion. It is important for school intervention programs to mobilize parents to provide more support to reduce sedentary behaviors.

Populations around the globe are ageing rapidly. This demographic shift affects families, market structures and social provisions. This timely volume, part of the Ageing and the Lifecourse series, argues that the lifecourse perspective helps us understand the causes and effects of population ageing. The lifecourse perspective suggests that individuals' experiences at an early age can influence their decisions and behaviour at a later age. This much-needed volume combines insights from different disciplines and real-life experiences to describe the theories and practices behind this idea. It therefore caters to the needs of scholars, practitioners and policy makers in a range of areas including sociology and political science