Xiaopiao Wen

Publications (2)6.33 Total impact

• Article: The effects of housework on the health of retired older adults: a preliminary investigation from the tongji-dongfeng cohort study, china.

  Xiaopiao Wen, Yuan Liang, Jiang Zhu, Tangchun Wu
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  ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study was to explore the relationship between housework and health of retired older adults, and to provide new evidences and clues for the effects of housework on health. METHODOLOGYPRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The data came from the baseline survey of the Tongji-Dongfeng Cohort Study with 25,501 participants. The independent variable was housework including child care, elder care, grocery shopping & cooking, and washing clothes & cleaning house. The dependent variable was self-reported two-week illness. Age, education, marital status, smoking and drinking were used as potential confounding variables. There are gender differences in the four types of housework, with higher prevalence among women than among men. The prevalence of two-week illness in women was higher than that in men. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, the four types of housework had almost no significant effects on two-week illness, except for washing clothes & cleaning house with a negative effect for women (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.06-1.29). CONCLUSIONSSIGNIFICANCE: The association of housework with health, especially of child care, elder care, and grocery shopping & cooking without significance and of washing clothes & cleaning house with significance for women, would provide a valuable clue for in-depth study of housework, namely the effects of housework on health would be subdivided into the dimensions of psychological and social activity besides physical activity, and it may not be suitable to simply classify housework as a kind of exercise.
  PLoS ONE 01/2013; 8(3):e57232. · 4.09 Impact Factor
• Article: The associations between family characteristics and depressive symptoms in older adults: a community-based survey in rural China.

  Yanhong Gong, Xiaopiao Wen, Chaoping Guan, Zhiqing Wang, Yuan Liang
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between family characteristics and depressive symptoms, and provide new evidence and recommendations for prevention and intervention in the depressive symptoms of older adults. The study was a cross-sectional survey conducted door-to-door, utilizing a sample of 1,317 individuals aged 60 years and above in rural China. The five family characteristic variables recorded were: living with spouse, living with descendant, support of family members, self-reported family economic status in the previous year, and family-related negative life events that occurred anytime in the past with a continuous psychological effect during the past 12 months. Gender, age, years of schooling, and self-rated physical health status were taken as potential confounders. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine independent effects on depressive symptoms. In addition to the potential confounders, only family-related negative life events, support of family members, and self-reported family economic status had significant effects on depressive symptoms in older adults. Experiencing a family-related negative life event was the most significant variable (OR = 11.70, 95% CI: 7.72-17.73), the second was support of family members (OR = 6.93, 95% CI: 3.26-14.70), while family economic status was less important than support of family members (OR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.08-5.25). This study, from the perspective of family characteristics on depressive symptoms in older adults, showed a strong correlation between being exposed to harmful family environments and depressive symptoms among the elderly. Efforts to address family risk factors and strengthen family cohesiveness deserve a higher priority, given the importance of these factors, compared with other efforts such as promoting economic development.
  International Psychogeriatrics 01/2012; 24(8):1226-34. · 2.24 Impact Factor