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Middle Adulthood
Biosocial Development
Age range: approx. 36-64
Primary and Secondary Aging
Primary Aging: age-related changes that
inevitably take place in a person as time
goes by (genetic differences vary its timing)
Secondary Aging: age-related changes that
take place as a consequence of a person’s
behavior or a society’s failure to eliminate
unhealthy conditions.
Secondary Aging
Many diseases and chronic conditons:
– Skin cancer
– Arthritis
– Diabetes
– Heart disease
– All common as we grow old but influenced by habits such as drinking, smoking, eating, and exercising.
Good News!
Many aspects of secondary aging can be
slowed or even reversed by a change in
behavior before first signs appear, drugs,
surgical interventions, or modern medicine
However, most age related changes occur
in both types primary and secondary.
Looking Old
Age related visible changes include:– Gray and thinning hair
– Drier and more wrinkled skin
– Weakened stomach muscles
– Fat settles in various body parts: upper arms, buttocks, abdomen, eyelids, chin
– Loss of connective tissue results in loss of height
*All inevitable but can develop sooner based on diet, lack of exercise, smoking, drinking, and exposure to extremes
The Senses
Eyes: lenses of the eye become less elastic and the cornea becomes flatter resulting in need for reading glasses
Taste, smell, and touch become less sharp
Hearing: Men’s hearing declines twice as fast as women’s. By 65, most men are hard of hearing.
Secondary aging makes a difference: exposure to loud noises (traffic, music, construction)
Vital Body Systems
Reduction of organ reserve capacity in lungs,
heart, digestive system, etc. continue to decline
Resulting in more vulnerability to chronic disease
and death, if severe stress
Increased immunity to the common cold and flu
because of multiple exposures but lengthier
recovery period needed for illness.
Health
Flu shots are recommended, flu not more likely but impact more debilitating
Autoimmune diseases (lupus and arthritis) more destructive
Since 1940, US death rates for Middle Age has been cut in half.
Has much to do with modern medicine and preventative care
Sexual-Reproductive System
Level of sex hormones gradually decreases
Menopause: In women, between 42-58 (avg. 51) ovulation and menstruation stop because of decrease in production of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone
Dated one year after last menstrual period
Age depends on genes, cigarette smoking and malnutrition, increases chance of earlier Age of Onset
Menopause
Perimenopause: three years before and three years after last period– resulting in shorter cycles
– then erratic timing of periods
– duration variable
– ovulation unpredictable
Health Risks due to decreased estrogen:
Osteoporosis: loss of bone calcium (brittle bones)
Coronary Heart Disease: fat deposits in arteries
Menopause
Symptoms: – Vasomotor Instability: temporary disruption in the body’s
homeostatic mechanism that constricts or dilates the blood vessels that maintain body temp.
– causes hot flashes (feeling hot) and hot flushes (looking hot)
– Low estrogen: causes drier skin, less vaginal lubrication, loss of some breast tissue, mood changes (indirectly)
Long term use of Hormone Replacement Therapy increases risk of heart disease, stroke, breast cancer
NO Male Menopause
Gradual decrease in sperm production, sperm motility, and testosterone with age
But no male menopause.
However, anxiety increases of impotence concerns, testosterone levels dip with stress
Levels of testosterone correlate with levels of sexual desire and speed of sexual responsiveness
Increase in use of Viagra and Levitra
Measuring Health
Mortality: number of deaths each year per 1,000 members in a given population– In US, in 2000: 8.7
Morbidity: Incidence of Illness
– Acute and chronic, emotional and physical
Disability: long term difficulty in performing normal activities of daily life (physical, mental or emotional condition)
In US, 1 in 5 Middle Aged Persons is Disabled
Vitality: How healthy and energetic: physically, intellectually, and socially an individual feels
Health Habits
Tobacco: ¼ of middle aged adults are smokers
– In 1970, half of all adults smoked
– Lung cancer death rates are down 20%
– Increases in other diseases
– Decreases in lung capacity, cognitive functioning
– Worldwide, the incidence of tobacco related illnesses is increasing
Alcohol
Adults who drink alcohol in moderation tend to live longer (no more than two servings per day) than those who never drink due to decrease in coronary heart disease– Alcohol increases supple of HDL (HDL reduces LDL)
– Reduce tension and aid in digestion
Not in moderation: stresses heart and stomach, destroys brain cells, increases osteoporosis decreases fertility, increases cancer, cirrhsis of the liver
Obesity
Excess pounds bring poorer health
Overweight 40 y.o. lose 3 years
Obese 40 y.o lose 7 years
In 2000, 65% of adults were overweight (BMI: above 25)
Best way to lose weight: Exercise
Ethnic Variations
Community Support and Quality of Healthcare
(related to income and education)
Ethnicity: African Americans, Native Americans,
Whites, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans
Causes: Genetic Risks, Healthcare behaviors,
and Social Context (stress and poverty)
Variations in Health
Due to Community Support and Quality of
Healthcare (related to income and education)
Ethnicity: powerful influence on health
– African Americans, Native Americans, European
Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans
Influenced by genetic risks, health care behaviors, and
social context factors such as stress and poverty