Benjamin A Shaw
Biographic Data
| ID | 210712 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Benjamin A Shaw |
| GIVEN NAMES | Benjamin A |
| FAMILY NAME | Shaw |
| SIGNATURE | SHAW B A |
| AFFILIATIONS | University at Albany, State University of New York |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4756-495X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 43 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 330 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 43 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 10 |
Standing Up for Core Principles in Departments of Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health: Department Chairs Speak Out
The Effects of Midlife Acute and Chronic Stressors on Black–White Differences in Cognitive Decline
Middle-aged Black adults have lower initial cognition levels and experience earlier but less accelerated cognitive decline compared to White middle-aged adults. Midlife acute and chronic stressors influence baseline cognition but do so in different ways. Future research should examine the influence of other stressors on racial differences in cognitive decline at other points in the life course
Neighborhood characteristics and opioid use disorder among older Medicare beneficiaries: An examination of the role of the Covid-19 pandemic
Living Alone During Old Age and the Risk of Dementia: Assessing the Cumulative Risk of Living Alone
Living alone during late life is an important risk factor for dementia, but the cognitive effects of solitary living probably do not take hold immediately for most older adults and potentially demonstrate a dose-response relationship
County social isolation and opioid use disorder among older adults: A longitudinal analysis of Medicare data, 2013-2018
Older adults' physical activity-related social control and social support in the context of personal norms
This study investigated whether perceived physical activity norms moderated the effects of physical activity-related social interactions on intentions to engage in physical activity among community-residing older adults ( N = 217). Structural equation modeling tested whether two types of social support and social control interacted with personal norms in predicting intentions to be active. Emotional and informational support were associated with …
Trends in the Mortality Risk of Living Alone during Old Age in Sweden, 1992–2011
Objectives: This study investigates the association between living alone and mortality over a recent 19-year period (1992-2011). Method: Data from a repeated cross-sectional, nationally representative (Sweden) study of adults ages 77 and older are analyzed in relation to 3-year mortality. Results: Findings suggest that the mortality risk associated with living alone during old age increased between 1992 and 2011 ( p = .076). A small increase in t…
Impact of Extremely Hot Days on Emergency Department Visits for Cardiovascular Disease among Older Adults in New York State
Prior studies have reported the impact of ambient heat exposure on heat-related illnesses and mortality in summer, but few have assessed its effect on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) morbidity, and the association difference by demographics and season. This study examined how extremely hot days affected CVD-related emergency department (ED) visits among older adults from 2005-2013 in New York State. A time-stratified case-crossover design was used …
Age and gender differences in the association between body mass index and all-cause mortality among older Japanese
Objective: Increasing evidence suggests a reverse J-shaped association between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality among the older population. However, findings from non-Western societies including Japan are still sparse. Furthermore, little evidence regarding variation by age and gender in the BMI-mortality relationship in old age exists. This study aimed to examine age and gender variations in the relationship between BMI and all-caus…
Does the association between leisure activities and survival in old age differ by living arrangement
BACKGROUND: Government policies to promote ageing in place have led to a growing frail population living at home in advanced old age, many of whom live alone. Living alone in old age is associated with adverse health outcomes, but we know little about whether it moderates the health impact of other risk and protective factors. Engagement in leisure activities is considered critical to successful ageing. We investigated whether the association bet…
Physical activity-related social control and social support in older adults: Cognitive and emotional pathways to physical activity
A survey of 217 older adults assessed physical activity-related positive and negative social control and emotional and informational support, using structural equation modeling to investigate mediational effects of emotional responses and behavioral intentions on physical activity. There were significant indirect effects of social control and social support on intentions as mediated by positive, but not negative, emotional responses, and signific…
Ethnic differences in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality by physical activity levels among older adults in the US
Overall, PA in the elderly (either insufficient or active) is associated with a lower all-cause mortality across all race/ethnic groups as compared to NHW. Further investigation, including studies with larger sample, is needed to address the health consequences of varying degrees of PA in ethnically diverse populations
Smoking and Physical Inactivity as Predictors of Mobility Impairment During Late Life: Exploring Differential Vulnerability Across Education Level in Sweden
Differential vulnerability to unhealthy behaviors may vary across populations, age, time-periods, and health outcomes. In this study of older adults in Sweden, low and high education groups did not differ significantly in their associations between heavy smoking or physical inactivity, and the progression of mobility impairment
Racial/Ethnic Differences in Trajectories of Cognitive Function in Older Adults: Role of Education, Smoking, and Physical Activity
We found education had a partial mediating effect on racial differences in levels of cognition but not on the rate of change over time
Socioeconomic Status and the Trajectory of Body Mass Index Among Older Japanese: A Nationwide Cohort Study of 1987–2006
These findings provide new insights into the complex relationship between socioeconomic factors and BMI, and help to inform the design of health policies and interventions related to weight control among older adults with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds
Impact of Obesity and Physical Activity on Functional Outcomes in the Elderly: Data From NHANES 2005-2010
Overweight and obesity are associated with impairment in functional outcomes irrespective of PA
Social and economic conditions in childhood and the progression of functional health problems from midlife into old age
BACKGROUND: Childhood living conditions have been found to predict health and mortality in midlife and in old age. This study examines the associations between social and economic childhood conditions and the onset and progression of functional health problems from midlife into old age, and the extent to which potential associations are mediated by educational attainment and smoking. METHODS: Data from the Level of Living Survey and the Swedish P…
Socioeconomic inequalities in health after age 50: Are health risk behaviors to blame
Lifecourse Socioeconomic Position and Racial Disparities in BMI Trajectories Among Black and White Women: Exploring Cohort Effects in the Americans' Changing Lives Study
Does Social Support Buffer the Effect of Financial Strain on the Trajectory of Smoking in Older Japanese? A 19-Year Longitudinal Study
Our findings add a dynamic dimension to understanding the relationship among financial strain, social support, and smoking in old age. This knowledge is significant when designing health policies and interventions regarding health behaviors in late life
Associations between race, lifecourse socioeconomic position and prevalence of diabetes among US women and men: Results From a Population-Based Panel Study
Racial disparities in diabetes existed among both men and women, but lifecourse SEP was related to diabetes only among women. The pathway and cumulative hypotheses for lifecourse SEP effects on diabetes may be especially salient for women
Long-term health consequences of violence exposure in adolescence: A 26–year prospective study
This study's findings provide additional empirical support for the importance of policies and practices to identify and prevent violence exposure in adolescence and young adulthood and to supply treatments for adolescence exposed to violence and above all the young women
A prospective cohort study of health behavior profiles after age 50 and mortality risk
In both middle-aged and older adults, multiple unhealthy behaviors increase mortality risk. However, the level of risk varies across unique combinations of unhealthy behaviors. These findings highlight the role that lifestyle improvements could play in promoting healthy aging, and provide insight into which behavioral combinations should receive top priority for intervention
The Role of Pain in Understanding Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Frequency of Physical Activity Among Older Adults
When compared to Whites, older Blacks appear to have relatively low rates of physical activity even without comparatively high levels of pain, while older Hispanics experience relatively high rates of pain, but are perhaps more resilient to the effects of pain on physical activity
Age Differences in Long-Term Patterns of Change in Alcohol Consumption Among Aging Adults
Drinking behavior in our aging population appears to be on a relatively promising course, perhaps reflecting the effectiveness of public health efforts
Tracking Changes in Social Relations Throughout Late Life
These findings highlight the dynamic nature of social relationships in late life. In addition, the findings both provide evidence of older adults managing their social ties to meet the challenges of aging and suggest the importance of the interplay between giving and receiving support
Church-Based Social Support and Religious Coping
The purpose of this study is twofold: to explore the nature of church-based social support, and to see whether support received in religious settings is related to the use of religious coping methods. The data come from a nationwide survey of members of the Presbyterian Church USA. Three dimensions of religious support are examined in detail: emotional support from church members, spiritual support from church members, and emotional support from …
Gender Differences in Functional Status in Middle and Older Age: Are There Any Age Variations
A life course perspective can lead to new insights regarding gender variations in health within the context of intrapersonal and interpersonal differences. Smaller gender differences in the level of functional impairment in the younger groups may reflect improvement of women's socioeconomic status, greater rate of increase in chronic diseases among men, and less debilitating effects of diseases
Exploring Race Variations in Aging and Personal Control
These results show that lower levels of control are associated with older age in both Blacks and Whites, and that racial disparities in feelings of control persist across all age groups. This suggests that Blacks may be at a particular disadvantage in the face of the increasing challenges of aging
Giving Social Support to Others, Socioeconomic Status, and Changes in Self-Esteem in Late Life
The results highlight the dynamic nature of the helping process and underscore the importance of taking SES into account when studying the effects of assisting others in late life
Negative Interaction and Changes in Functional Disability During Late Life
The purpose of this study was to test two hypotheses. The first specifies that negative social interaction exerts a deleterious effect on changes in functional disability over time. The second proposes that the adverse effects of negative interaction on health will be especially evident among respondents with less education. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey provide support for Hypothesis 2, but not Hypothesis 1. A set of supplementary a…
Socioeconomic inequalities in health after age 50: Are health risk behaviors to blame
Religion, Death of a Loved One, and Hypertension Among Older Adults in Japan
The results suggest how one overlooked dimension of religion (i.e., religious beliefs) may bolster the health of older people in the face of adversity
Evolving Self-Rated Health in Middle and Old Age: How Does it Differ Across Black, Hispanic, and White Americans
Significant ethnic differences exist in the evolvement of self-rated health in middle and late life. Further inquiries may include analyzing ethnic heterogeneities from a person-centered perspective, health disparities across subgroups of Hispanics, effects of neighborhood attributes, and implications of left truncation
How Does Self-Assessed Health Change With Age? A Study of Older Adults in Japan
Diverse subjective health trajectories exist in old age, extending well into the 90s. Prior observations of the effects of SES, social relations, and baseline health on health states and transitions can now be extended to trajectories of subjective health. Our analysis of Japanese data provides important benchmarks for comparisons with observations made in other developed nations
Examining the Association Between Education Level and Physical Activity Changes During Early Old Age
Early old age is a critical period for promoting physical activity. Different intervention strategies for groups of different socioeconomic status may be needed
Age Differences and Social Stratification in the Long-Term Trajectories of Leisure-Time Physical Activity
American adults appear to be reducing their levels of physical activity relatively early in the life course and at increasingly steep rates among older age groups. The changing patterns of stratification in physical activity, as well as the associations between several time-varying predictors and physical activity, provide insight into the forces that may be responsible for these declines
Exposure to Physical Violence During Childhood, Aging, and Health
These results support the idea that the effects of childhood trauma may persist into later life. Therefore, in studying the antecedents of current health problems among adults, it may be necessary to consider the influence of events that have occurred throughout the entire life course
Social and economic conditions in childhood and the progression of functional health problems from midlife into old age
BACKGROUND: Childhood living conditions have been found to predict health and mortality in midlife and in old age. This study examines the associations between social and economic childhood conditions and the onset and progression of functional health problems from midlife into old age, and the extent to which potential associations are mediated by educational attainment and smoking. METHODS: Data from the Level of Living Survey and the Swedish P…
Intertwining Courses of Functional Status and Subjective Health Among Older Japanese
Researchers can generalize prior observations of the association between functional status and subjective health at one or more points in time to their long-term trajectories. These findings provide further insights into understanding the dynamics between two key dimensions of health among older adults in Japan
County social isolation and opioid use disorder among older adults: A longitudinal analysis of Medicare data, 2013-2018
Older adults' physical activity-related social control and social support in the context of personal norms
This study investigated whether perceived physical activity norms moderated the effects of physical activity-related social interactions on intentions to engage in physical activity among community-residing older adults ( N = 217). Structural equation modeling tested whether two types of social support and social control interacted with personal norms in predicting intentions to be active. Emotional and informational support were associated with …
Socioeconomic Status and the Trajectory of Body Mass Index Among Older Japanese: A Nationwide Cohort Study of 1987–2006
These findings provide new insights into the complex relationship between socioeconomic factors and BMI, and help to inform the design of health policies and interventions related to weight control among older adults with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds
Age Differences in Long-Term Patterns of Change in Alcohol Consumption Among Aging Adults
Drinking behavior in our aging population appears to be on a relatively promising course, perhaps reflecting the effectiveness of public health efforts
The Effects of Midlife Acute and Chronic Stressors on Black–White Differences in Cognitive Decline
Middle-aged Black adults have lower initial cognition levels and experience earlier but less accelerated cognitive decline compared to White middle-aged adults. Midlife acute and chronic stressors influence baseline cognition but do so in different ways. Future research should examine the influence of other stressors on racial differences in cognitive decline at other points in the life course
Trends in the Mortality Risk of Living Alone during Old Age in Sweden, 1992–2011
Objectives: This study investigates the association between living alone and mortality over a recent 19-year period (1992-2011). Method: Data from a repeated cross-sectional, nationally representative (Sweden) study of adults ages 77 and older are analyzed in relation to 3-year mortality. Results: Findings suggest that the mortality risk associated with living alone during old age increased between 1992 and 2011 ( p = .076). A small increase in t…
Physical activity-related social control and social support in older adults: Cognitive and emotional pathways to physical activity
A survey of 217 older adults assessed physical activity-related positive and negative social control and emotional and informational support, using structural equation modeling to investigate mediational effects of emotional responses and behavioral intentions on physical activity. There were significant indirect effects of social control and social support on intentions as mediated by positive, but not negative, emotional responses, and signific…
Impact of Obesity and Physical Activity on Functional Outcomes in the Elderly: Data From NHANES 2005-2010
Overweight and obesity are associated with impairment in functional outcomes irrespective of PA
The Role of Pain in Understanding Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Frequency of Physical Activity Among Older Adults
When compared to Whites, older Blacks appear to have relatively low rates of physical activity even without comparatively high levels of pain, while older Hispanics experience relatively high rates of pain, but are perhaps more resilient to the effects of pain on physical activity
Associations between Anticipated Support, Physical Functioning, and Education Level among a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Adults
These findings expand our understanding of the benefits of social relationships by suggesting that the perception of access to social support may enhance physical functioning in older age
Giving Social Support to Others, Socioeconomic Status, and Changes in Self-Esteem in Late Life
The results highlight the dynamic nature of the helping process and underscore the importance of taking SES into account when studying the effects of assisting others in late life
Exploring Race Variations in Aging and Personal Control
These results show that lower levels of control are associated with older age in both Blacks and Whites, and that racial disparities in feelings of control persist across all age groups. This suggests that Blacks may be at a particular disadvantage in the face of the increasing challenges of aging
Church-Based Social Support and Religious Coping
The purpose of this study is twofold: to explore the nature of church-based social support, and to see whether support received in religious settings is related to the use of religious coping methods. The data come from a nationwide survey of members of the Presbyterian Church USA. Three dimensions of religious support are examined in detail: emotional support from church members, spiritual support from church members, and emotional support from …
Exposure to Physical Violence During Childhood, Aging, and Health
These results support the idea that the effects of childhood trauma may persist into later life. Therefore, in studying the antecedents of current health problems among adults, it may be necessary to consider the influence of events that have occurred throughout the entire life course
Religion, Death of a Loved One, and Hypertension Among Older Adults in Japan
The results suggest how one overlooked dimension of religion (i.e., religious beliefs) may bolster the health of older people in the face of adversity
Negative Interaction and Changes in Functional Disability During Late Life
The purpose of this study was to test two hypotheses. The first specifies that negative social interaction exerts a deleterious effect on changes in functional disability over time. The second proposes that the adverse effects of negative interaction on health will be especially evident among respondents with less education. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey provide support for Hypothesis 2, but not Hypothesis 1. A set of supplementary a…
Social Structural Influences on Emotional Support from Parents Early in Life and Adult Health Status
The authors' purpose in this study was to identify social structural predictors of receiving emotional support from parents early in life and structural factors responsible for variations in the associations between early parental support and adult health status. Data from a US representative sample of 2,786 adults aged 25-74 years suggest that men, non-Whites, and individuals from socioeconomically advantaged families report having received high…
A Descriptive Epidemiology of Lifetime Trauma and the Physical Health Status of Older Adults.
Three issues are evaluated in this study. The 1st involves examining the relationship between exposure to trauma over the life course and physical health status in old age. The 2nd has to do with seeing whether the relationship between trauma and health varies across 3 cohorts of older adults: the young-old (ages 65-74), the old-old (ages 75-84), and the oldest old (age 85 and over). The 3rd issue involves seeing whether the age at which a trauma…
Emotional Support From Parents Early in Life, Aging, and Health.
The purpose of this study is to estimate the relationship between receiving emotional support from parents early in life and an individual's health in adulthood. Analysis of data from a nationally representative sample of adults ages 25-74 years suggests that a lack of parental support during childhood is associated with increased levels of depressive symptoms and chronic conditions in adulthood. These associations between early parental support …
Associations between Anticipated Support, Physical Functioning, and Education Level among a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Adults
These findings expand our understanding of the benefits of social relationships by suggesting that the perception of access to social support may enhance physical functioning in older age
How Does Self-Assessed Health Change With Age? A Study of Older Adults in Japan
Diverse subjective health trajectories exist in old age, extending well into the 90s. Prior observations of the effects of SES, social relations, and baseline health on health states and transitions can now be extended to trajectories of subjective health. Our analysis of Japanese data provides important benchmarks for comparisons with observations made in other developed nations
Age Versus Time Since Baseline as the Time Scale in the Analysis of Change
W E appreciate the comments by Mendes de Leon (2007) regarding the challenges involved in using multilevel models to analyze aging effects in samples of older adults that combine multiple birth cohorts. The core argument in the latter portion of his commentary focuses on the advantages of using continuous, rather than categorical, outcome variables when analyzing aging-related change. We are in complete agreement with Mendes de Leon on this point…
Intertwining Courses of Functional Status and Subjective Health Among Older Japanese
Researchers can generalize prior observations of the association between functional status and subjective health at one or more points in time to their long-term trajectories. These findings provide further insights into understanding the dynamics between two key dimensions of health among older adults in Japan
Tracking Changes in Social Relations Throughout Late Life
These findings highlight the dynamic nature of social relationships in late life. In addition, the findings both provide evidence of older adults managing their social ties to meet the challenges of aging and suggest the importance of the interplay between giving and receiving support
Examining the Association Between Education Level and Physical Activity Changes During Early Old Age
Early old age is a critical period for promoting physical activity. Different intervention strategies for groups of different socioeconomic status may be needed
Gender Differences in Functional Status in Middle and Older Age: Are There Any Age Variations
A life course perspective can lead to new insights regarding gender variations in health within the context of intrapersonal and interpersonal differences. Smaller gender differences in the level of functional impairment in the younger groups may reflect improvement of women's socioeconomic status, greater rate of increase in chronic diseases among men, and less debilitating effects of diseases
Evolving Self-Rated Health in Middle and Old Age: How Does it Differ Across Black, Hispanic, and White Americans
Significant ethnic differences exist in the evolvement of self-rated health in middle and late life. Further inquiries may include analyzing ethnic heterogeneities from a person-centered perspective, health disparities across subgroups of Hispanics, effects of neighborhood attributes, and implications of left truncation
Age Differences in Long-Term Patterns of Change in Alcohol Consumption Among Aging Adults
Drinking behavior in our aging population appears to be on a relatively promising course, perhaps reflecting the effectiveness of public health efforts
Age Differences and Social Stratification in the Long-Term Trajectories of Leisure-Time Physical Activity
American adults appear to be reducing their levels of physical activity relatively early in the life course and at increasingly steep rates among older age groups. The changing patterns of stratification in physical activity, as well as the associations between several time-varying predictors and physical activity, provide insight into the forces that may be responsible for these declines
Long-term health consequences of violence exposure in adolescence: A 26–year prospective study
This study's findings provide additional empirical support for the importance of policies and practices to identify and prevent violence exposure in adolescence and young adulthood and to supply treatments for adolescence exposed to violence and above all the young women
A prospective cohort study of health behavior profiles after age 50 and mortality risk
In both middle-aged and older adults, multiple unhealthy behaviors increase mortality risk. However, the level of risk varies across unique combinations of unhealthy behaviors. These findings highlight the role that lifestyle improvements could play in promoting healthy aging, and provide insight into which behavioral combinations should receive top priority for intervention
The Role of Pain in Understanding Racial/Ethnic Differences in the Frequency of Physical Activity Among Older Adults
When compared to Whites, older Blacks appear to have relatively low rates of physical activity even without comparatively high levels of pain, while older Hispanics experience relatively high rates of pain, but are perhaps more resilient to the effects of pain on physical activity
Does Social Support Buffer the Effect of Financial Strain on the Trajectory of Smoking in Older Japanese? A 19-Year Longitudinal Study
Our findings add a dynamic dimension to understanding the relationship among financial strain, social support, and smoking in old age. This knowledge is significant when designing health policies and interventions regarding health behaviors in late life
Associations between race, lifecourse socioeconomic position and prevalence of diabetes among US women and men: Results From a Population-Based Panel Study
Racial disparities in diabetes existed among both men and women, but lifecourse SEP was related to diabetes only among women. The pathway and cumulative hypotheses for lifecourse SEP effects on diabetes may be especially salient for women
Impact of Obesity and Physical Activity on Functional Outcomes in the Elderly: Data From NHANES 2005-2010
Overweight and obesity are associated with impairment in functional outcomes irrespective of PA
Medicine (38 works) · Health disparities and outcomes (34 works) · Gerontology (33 works) · Psychology (30 works) · Demography (28 works) · Demography (20 works) · Psychiatry (17 works) · Sociology (17 works) · Population (15 works) · Aging and Gerontology Research (14 works)