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Browsing by Author "Li, Lun"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    The effect size and nonlinearity of the relationship between cannabis consumption and consumer self‐perceived mental health: a study based on eight national surveys in Canada
    (2024) Deng, Qian; Li, Lun
    Previous research suggests a negative association between cannabis consumption and consumer mental health, but the magnitude and linearity of this association require further investigation. Therefore, this study analyzed eight suitable national survey datasets from Statistics Canada from 2009 to 2021. In the general population, the mean effect size between cannabis use (yes/no) and self-perceived mental health is negative but very small in magnitude (R= 0.096). Moreover, in the cannabis user sub-population, the mean effect size between cannabis usage frequency and mental health is small in magnitude (R= 0.157). More importantly, among cannabis users, a nonlinear negative relationship between cannabis use frequency and mental health was identified. Specifically, as cannabis use becomes more frequent and people's self-perceived mental health worsens, the association becomes stronger. These findings have significant implications for social marketing and health promotion.
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    The effects of loneliness on depressive symptoms among older adults during COVID-19: longitudinal analyses of the Canadian longitudinal study on aging
    (2023) Wister, Andrew; Li, Lun; Levasseur, Mélanie; Kadowaki, Laura; Pickering, John
    Objectives: This paper examines the longitudinal effects of changes in the association between loneliness and depressive symptoms during the pandemic among older adults (65+). Methods Baseline (2011–2015) and Follow-up 1 (2015–2018) from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), and the Baseline and Exit waves of the CLSA COVID-19 study (April–December, 2020) (n = 12,469) were used. Loneliness was measured using the 3-item UCLA Loneliness Scale and depression using the CES_D- 9. Results Loneliness is associated with depressive symptoms pre-pandemic; and changes in level of loneliness between FUP1 and the COVID Exit survey, adjusting for covariates. No interaction between loneliness and caregiving, and with multimorbidity, on depressive symptoms were observed, and several covariates exhibited associations with depressive symptoms. Discussion Strong support is found for an association between loneliness on depressive symptoms among older adults during the pandemic. Public health approaches addressing loneliness could reduce the burden of depression on older populations.
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    Examination of the healthy caregiver effect among older adults: findings from the Canadian longitudinal study on aging
    (2023) Li, Lun; Wister, Andrew; Mitchell, Barbara
    Introduction: The Healthy Caregiver Hypothesis (HCH) suggests that caregiving is associated with beneficial health impacts for family caregivers. However, mixed results have been reported, particularly when different levels of caregiving intensity were examined. This study analyzes the relationship between caregiving intensity and three health indicators (functional health, chronic illness, and self-rated general health) among Canadian older adults over 3 years. Methods: We drew upon a subsample of 11,344 participants aged 65 years and older from the Baseline and Follow-up 1 data of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and used linear mixed models to test the hypothesis based on different levels of caregiving intensity. Results: Older adults who provided low-intensity care recently or continuously reported better functional health and self-rated health than noncaregivers. In contrast, older adults with low-intensity caregiving responsibility reported more chronic conditions over time compared to noncaregivers, but this association was not found for high-intensity caregivers. Discussion/Conclusion: This study elucidates the HCH by incorporating caregiving intensity to understand patterns of better functional health and perceived health but more chronic conditions. The findings yielded from different health indicators suggest the impact of caregiving on health may be domain specific.
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    The impact of telepresence robots on family caregivers and residents in long-term care
    (2025) Hung, Lillian; Wong, Joey Oi Yee; Ren, Haopu (Lily); Zhao, Yong; Fu, Jason Jincheng; Mann, Jim; Li, Lun
    Telepresence robots can enhance social connection and support person-centered care in long-term care (LTC) homes. This study evaluates their impact in facilitating virtual visits between family caregivers and older residents in Canadian LTC homes. Telepresence robots were placed in residents’ rooms, allowing virtual visits at mutual convenience. A total of 18 residents and 17 family caregivers participated. Quantitative assessments included the Zarit Burden Interview, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease scale, while qualitative data were collected through interviews, field notes, and observations. Repeated ANOVA showed that using telepresence robots significantly reduced caregiver burden (p = 0.008), improved residents’ quality of life (p = 0.028), and decreased resident loneliness (p = 0.038). Older caregivers experienced the greatest burden reduction, with scores dropping from a mean of 25.0 at baseline to 16.1 at two months. Qualitative findings provided further context, revealing that residents felt more connected, close, and engaged, while families found the robots facilitated continuity of care, complemented in-person visits, reduced stress and guilt, and provided reassurance. These findings suggest that telepresence robots can enhance the well-being of both residents and caregivers in LTC homes, though future research should explore their long-term impact and technological limitations.
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    Loneliness and cannabis use among older adults: findings from a Canada national survey during the COVID-19 pandemic
    (2024) Li, Lun; Deng, Qian
    Background: Cannabis use has been increasing among older adults in Canada, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the association between loneliness and cannabis use among older Canadians during the pandemic. Methods: Quantitative data analyses were performed based on 2,020 participants aged 55 years and older from the Canadian Perspectives Survey Series 6, 2021: Substance Use and Stigma During the Pandemic. Results: This study found that participants who used cannabis in the 30 days before the survey reported significantly higher loneliness scores than those who never used cannabis after adjusting social-demographic, social interaction, and pandemic-related factors. Participants who kept using cannabis during the pandemic also reported significantly higher loneliness scores than those who never used cannabis. Conclusion: The findings about the correlation between cannabis use and greater loneliness contribute to the discourse on potential health and wellbeing harms of cannabis use among older adults.
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    Multimorbidity resilience and health behaviors among older adults: a longitudinal study using the Canadian longitudinal study on aging
    (2022) Wister, Andrew; Li, Lun; Whitmore, Carly; Ferris, Jennifer; Klasa, Katarzyna; Linkov, Igor
    There has been a growing interest in examining why some individuals adapt and bounce back from multimorbidity (resilience) better than others. This paper investigates the positive role of protective health behaviors on multimorbidity resilience (MR) among older adults focusing on older persons with two or more concurrent chronic conditions, and separately for three multimorbidity chronic illness clusters.
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    Roles and experiences of informal caregivers of older adults in community and healthcare system navigation: a scoping review
    (2023) Kim, Boah; Wister, Andrew; O’dea, Eireann; Mitchell, Barbara A.; Li, Lun; Kadowaki, Laura
    Informal caregivers are playing a vital role in improving the degree to which older adults access community and healthcare systems in a more seamless and timely manner, thereby fulfilling their complex needs. It is critical to understand their experiences and perspectives while navigating these systems. This review aimed to identify and organise the research findings on the roles and experiences of informal caregivers of older adults while navigating community and healthcare systems.
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    Transition into the caregiver role among older adults: a study of social participation and social support based on the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Ageing
    (2023) Li, Lun; Wister, Andrew; Lee, Yeonjung; Mitchell, Barbara
    Objectives Older adults (65 years and older) are increasingly providing care for their spouses, family members, and nonkin others (e.g., friends and neighbors). However, available knowledge of older caregivers is limited to spousal caregivers and their psychological outcomes. Other caregiver role types or social outcomes among older caregivers are less well studied. Thus, this study examines the social participation and social support among older caregivers by comparing 3 types of older caregivers, including spousal caregivers, nonspouse family caregivers, and nonkin caregivers. Methods Participants for this study were drawn from the Baseline and Follow-up 1 data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. A total of 3,789 older adults became caregivers during the 2 data collection time points. Linear mixed models were applied to examine the change of social participation and social support among the three caregiver role types over the course of survey. Results The study finds that after transitioning into the caregiving role, spousal caregivers, and nonkin caregivers experienced a decline in social participation, and spousal caregivers also received less social support over time. When comparing the 3 caregiver role types, spousal caregivers reported the greatest decline in social participation and social support. Discussion This study adds to the relatively limited knowledge of older caregivers by presenting the changes in social participation and social support after transitioning into 3 types of caregiver roles. The results indicate the need to provide support for caregivers, particularly spousal and nonkin caregivers, to help them maintain social relationships and networks for participation and support.
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    Volunteering among culturally diverse older adults before and during the-COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal analyses of the CLSA
    (2024) O'Dea, Eireann; Wister, Andrew; Li, Lun; Canham, Sarah L.; Mitchell, Barbara
    The COVID-19 pandemic has presented numerous challenges to older adults in Canada, including the ability to volunteer. The purpose of this study is to improve the understanding of the social context surrounding volunteering in Canada, by (a) determining changes in associations between human, social, and cultural capital and volunteering among older adults; and (b) examining the relationship between ethnic minority status and volunteering, using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), collected prior to and during the pandemic. This study utilized data from 24,306 CLSA Baseline, Follow-up 1 (FUP1), and COVID-19 Baseline Survey participants (aged 55+). Results confirm a decrease in volunteering during the early stages of the pandemic. Compared to pre-pandemic associations, volunteers during the early stages of the pandemic were more likely to be young-old, male, employed, and not involved in religious activities. Findings provide evidence of pandemic effects on volunteering among older adults in Canada.