Despite a social structure where elderly persons often live with their children and social interaction is likely to be more family-centered than in western countries, data from Taiwan suggest that participation in social activities outside the family may have a bigger impact on cognitive function than social contacts with family or non-relatives.

Objectives: To explore three questions: 1) Do chronic stressors predict physiological dysregulation? 2) Is that relationship moderated by characteristics of the individual and his or her social environment? and 3) Do perceived levels of stress mediate the relationship between stressors and dysregulation? Methods: Data come from a nationally representative, longitudinal study of older Taiwanese (n ϭ 916). Regression models are used to examine the relationship between the number of life challenges (i.e., stressors) during 1996 to 2000 and physiological dysregulation (in 2000) based on 16 biomarkers that reflect neuroendocrine function, immune system, cardiovascular function, and metabolic pathways. We include interaction terms to test whether psychosocial vulnerability moderates the impact of stressors. Additional models evaluate the mediating effects of perceived stress. Results: We find a positive association between the number of stressors and physiological dysregulation. The results indicate that this relationship is stronger for persons with greater psychosocial vulnerability, but even so, the magnitude of the effect remains modest. We find some evidence that the level of perceived stress mediates the relationship between chronic stressors and physiological dysregulation. Conclusions: Our results provide some support for the theory of allostatic load, although the relationship between life challenges and physiological dysregulation is weak. The evidence also supports the stress-buffering hypothesis: the combination of low social position, weak social networks, and poor coping ability is associated with greater physiological consequences of life challenges.

This investigation provides a technique for predicting the risk of infantile AD based on hereditary and environmental factors, which could be used for developing a preventive strategy against AD, especially among those children with a family history of atopy.

Incremental increases in depressive symptoms over time were associated with reduced risk of obesity and higher cortisol levels.

Despite considerable research examining the influence of socioeconomic status on health, few studies have considered this relationship as it pertains to older adults in non-Western societies. We attempt to ascertain the influence of education on changes in physical functioning in a rapidly developing country. Data come from the 1989 Survey of Health and Living Status of the Elderly in Taiwan and a follow-up interview in 1993 (N = 4,049, age = 60+). Individuals are conceptualized to be in a state of functional independence or functional limitation at the time of origin, based on their ability to perform three physical functioning tasks. The outcome at the follow-up interview is categorized as functionally independent, limited, or dead, allowing for six probabilities, one from each state of origin to each outcome. These are calculated using a multinomial logit model, controlling for other factors often thought to be associated with health transitions. High levels of educational attainment result in a decreased incidence of functional limitation for those originating in a state of independence. Contrary to expectations, however, education has little influence on those who originate functionally limited. Thus, higher education plays a substantial role in primary prevention of morbidity, delaying the onset of disability, but other factors are more important once limitations begin. We speculate on the reasons behind these findings, including that the results may be culturally dependent.