No abstract

Individuals experiencing pain rely on impulse to make decisions, including choices regarding food consumption (Darbor, Lench, & Carter-Sowell, 2016). This study examined whether older adults experiencing chronic pain report higher instances of emotional eating in comparison to a population of older adults not experiencing chronic pain. Data stemmed from the Midlife in the United States study was analyzed to investigate whether individuals used food as a coping mechanism for chronic pain symptoms (Ryff et al., 2017). The sample consisted of Americans aged 60 to 74 years of age. Pain conditions included: has chronic pain (n=686) and does not have chronic pain (n=1036). Results of the Independent Samples T-Test indicated that participants were found to be engaging in emotional eating when experiencing chronic pain symptoms, as hypothesized. Participants in the has chronic pain condition reported relying on food as a coping mechanism more (M= 3.66, SD= 1.87) than participants in the does not have chronic pain condition (M= 3.42, SD= 1.71); t(1370)= 2.71, p= .007, d= 0.13. Results suggest that older adults experiencing chronic pain report utilizing food as a coping mechanism more than older adults that do not experience chronic pain. These findings have health implications given the rising obesity rates associated with persistent pain. Future directions may include studies on the negative health outcomes that result from high instances of emotional eating in older adults experiencing chronic pain. Additionally, investigating alternative coping mechanisms for chronic pain would be beneficial to diminish the harmful health effects of emotional eating.

The American Stroke Association reports stroke as the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, with 66% of hospitalized cases being older adults. Recovery from stroke is a public health issue, as post-stroke depression (PSD) is a significant concern. Approximately 20-23% of stroke survivors identified co-occurring diagnoses, which are associated with physical, functional, and cognitive limitations and increased mortality risk. Antidepressant use has exhibited its efficacy in treating PSD. This study explores the association between antidepressant use and mortality risk in older adults with history of stroke. Older adults aged 65 and older (N=3631, 55.4% female, 72.6% Caucasian, Mage=79.64 years, SDage=7.29 years, MEd=14.55 years, SDEd=8.269 years) with history of stroke were selected from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center database to explore the association between antidepressant use and mortality. A chi-squared test of independence was calculated comparing antidepressant use and mortality rates. A significant association was found (χ2 (1) = 15.933, p < .001) between current antidepressant use and mortality. Findings suggest antidepressant use is associated with lower mortality rates in subjects with a history of stroke. Implications include highlighting the role psychologists play in the early identification of PSD and early antidepressant intervention post-stroke to increase life longevity. Although findings only infer association, they demonstrate evidence for the link between PSD, antidepressant use, and lower mortality rates. Future directions include exploring other forms of depression treatment and mechanisms of antidepressant use. Limitations include examining potential moderators (e.g., gender, SES, type of stroke), and substance use within this population.