Marital histories, marital support, and bone density: findings from the Midlife in the United States Study.

UNLABELLED: We examined the association between marital life history and bone mineral density (BMD) in a national sample from the US. In men, being stably married was independently associated with better lumbar spine BMD, and in women, more spousal support was associated with better lumbar spine BMD. INTRODUCTION: Adult bone mass may be influenced by stressors over the life course. We examined the association between marital life history and bone mineral density (BMD) net socioeconomic and behavioral factors known to influence bone mass. We sought evidence for a gender difference in the association between marital history and adult BMD. METHODS: We used data from 632 adult participants in the Midlife in the United States Study to examine associations between marital history and BMD, stratified by gender, and adjusted for age, weight, menopausal stage, medication use, childhood socioeconomic advantage, adult financial status, education, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. RESULTS: Compared to stably married men, men who were currently divorced, widowed, or separated, men who were currently married but previously divorced, widowed, or separated, and never married men had 0.33 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.65), 0.36 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.83), and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.83) standard deviations lower lumbar spine BMD, respectively. Among men married at least once, every year decrement in age at first marriage (under age 25) was associated with 0.07 SD decrement in lumbar spine BMD (95% CI: 0.002, 0.13). In women, greater support from the spouse was associated with higher lumbar spine BMD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that marriage before age 25 and marital disruptions are deleterious to bone health in men, and that marital quality is associated with better bone health in women.

Socioeconomic status, race, and bone turnover in the Midlife in the US Study.

UNLABELLED: Among a group of 940 US adults, economic adversity and minority race status were associated with higher serum levels of markers of bone turnover. These results suggest that higher levels of social stress may increase bone turnover. INTRODUCTION: To determine socioeconomic status (SES) and race differences in levels of bone turnover. METHODS: Using data from the Biomarker Substudy of the Midlife in the US (MIDUS) study (491 men, 449 women), we examined cross-sectional associations of SES and race with serum levels of bone turnover markers (bone-specific alkaline phosphatase [BSAP], procollagen type I N-terminal propeptide [PINP], and N-telopeptide [Ntx]) separately in men and women. Linear multivariable regression was used to control for body weight, menopausal transition stage, and age. RESULTS: Among men, low family poverty-to-income ratio (FPIR) was associated with higher turnover, but neither education nor race was associated with turnover. Men with FPIR <3 had 1.808 nM BCE higher Ntx (P = 0.05), 3.366 U/L higher BSAP (P = 0.02), and 7.066 higher PINP (P = 0.02). Among women, neither education nor FPIR was associated with bone turnover, but Black women had 3.688 nM BCE higher Ntx (P = 0.001), 5.267 U/L higher BSAP (P = 0.005), and 11.906 µg/L higher PINP (P = 0.008) compared with non-Black women. CONCLUSIONS: Economic adversity was associated with higher bone turnover in men, and minority race status was associated with higher bone turnover in women, consistent with the hypothesis that higher levels of social stresses cause increased bone turnover. The magnitude of these associations was comparable to the effects of some osteoporosis medications on levels of turnover.

HIV-related traumatic stress symptoms in AIDS caregiving family dyads.

This study assesses HIV-related traumatic stress symptoms in 135 AIDS caregiving family dyads in which the caregiver is a midlife or older mother or wife, and the care-recipient is her HIV-infected adult son or husband. Symptoms of HIV-related traumatic stress can be reliably measured in these dyads, with both caregivers and care-recipients reporting avoidant and intrusive thoughts. Among care-recipients, high symptoms are associated with high daily living assistance requirements, low dyadic adjustment, and high constriction of social activities. Among caregivers, high symptoms of traumatic stress are associated with being HIV positive, feeling overloaded by caregiving demands, and perceiving high levels of HIV stigma. Caregiving mothers and wives may feel traumatized 'courtesy' of their loved one's HIV infection, the caregiving scenario, or the resultant caregiving stress.

The role of family caregivers in HIV medication adherence.

This study examines the role that mid-life and older wives and mothers play in promoting medication adherence among their HIV-infected husbands or adult sons who require daily living assistance. Interviews were conducted with 112 caregiving dyads, with caregivers reporting on their own behaviours and attitudes towards medications, and care-recipients (persons living with HIV [PLH]) providing information about their own adherence practices. By examining how caregiver characteristics, behaviours, and attitudes may influence PLH adherence it is explicitly recognized that caregivers and PLH are linked within a caregiving dyad. Findings indicate that caregivers often remind PLH to take medications, but these reminders are not significantly associated with adherence. Caregivers also report strong attitudes about medication hassles, concerns over treatment failure and general concerns about adherence. Controlling for background characteristics, high perceived adherence hassles on the part of the caregiver were associated with low PLH adherence, providing evidence of shared influence within the caregiving dyad. Adherence interventions may maximize their effectiveness if they consider the role of the family caregiver because these data suggest that caregiver attitudes are linked with PLH adherence behaviours.