News Briefing Archive
A major effort of the institute is to identify important trends in evidence-based research and practices locally, nationally and globally. Toward this end, Roybal Institute staff compile regular updates summarizing news articles, policy briefs, research studies and informational reports. Some websites and publications require registration and/or payment to access their content.
View past e-newsletters.
If you have any questions or comments about sources featured on the website, please feel free to contact: uscroybal@usc.edu.
To receive the institute's weekly news updates via e-mail, please subscribe to the USC Roybal Institute's e-newsletter:
June 19
- Puerto Rican Elders' Knowledge and Use of Community-Based Long-Term Care Services
Among other results, researchers find that elders living in Latino senior housing reported the greatest access to services. - Sodium Intake of Special Populations in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) study
The study investigates the sodium and potassium intake of 2152 African American and White subjects.
June 18
- Educational and Sex Differentials in Life Expectancies and Disability-Free Life Expectancies in São Paulo, Brazil, and Urban Areas in Mexico
Researchers find large between-country educational differences in incidence of and recovery from disability, with older adults in Mexico spending a longer time being disability-free than in São Paulo. - Marital Satisfaction and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Older Couples
Among other results, the study finds that husbands' marital satisfaction can predict their wives' depressive symptoms.
June 17
- The Impact of Social Capital on Depression among Older Chinese and Korean Immigrants: Similarities and Differences
Researchers find that partnership in the community is significantly associated with a lower level of depression. - Race Differences in Age-Trends of Autonomic Nervous System Functioning
Findings from the study indicate that African Americans are exposed to higher levels of stress and experience accelerated declines in health across the life span.
June 14
- Financial Security of Elderly Americans at Risk
The majority of elderly blacks and Hispanics are economically vulnerable, according to a new report from the Economic Policy Institute. - 2013 Long-Term Care Poll: Californians Not Prepared and Majority Support Public Policy Solutions
Among other results, the survey finds that 55 percent of nonwhites expressed significant concern about leaving debts to their families, compared to only 24 percent of whites.
June 13
- California State Plan on Aging: 2013-2017
California's Department of Aging releases its new State Plan on Aging. - Yamada Takes a Lonely Stand on ADHC Bill
California's Senate Committee on Health rejected a bill that was designed to perpetuate Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) services.
June 12
- Older African American Women's Lived Experiences with Depression and Coping Behaviours
Researchers find that the older women in their study viewed depression as a normal reaction to difficult life situations, which resulted in missed opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment. - Correlates of Health-Related Quality of Life Among Korean Immigrant Elders
The study aimed to identify correlates of health-related quality of life in a group of hypertensive Korean immigrant elders in the United States.
June 11
- Nonpharmacological Pain Management by Ethnically Diverse Older Adults With Chronic Pain: Barriers and Facilitators
Researchers' analysis identified barriers not recognized in prior studies, which include self-consciousness, the unavailability of certain treatments, and doubt about the effectiveness of nonpharmacological treatments. - Parkinson's Care Decisions Challenge Latino Families
Latinos and other ethnic families are more likely to choose home care as a first option for a family member with a disease like Parkinson's.
June 10
- Health Care Barriers Hinder Parkinson's Care for Latinos
Researchers are still trying to figure out why Latinos have a greater risk of developing the disease than Asians and African Americans. - African-Americans Remain Hardest Hit By Medical Bills
In a recent poll, 24 percent of African-American families said they have struggled to pay for needed prescription drugs.
June 7
- Obesity and Life Expectancy Among Long-Lived Black Adults
Among other results, researchers find that avoiding obesity promotes gains in life expectancy through at least the eighth decade of life in black adults. - Prevalence of Insomnia and Associated Factors in a Community Sample of Elderly Individuals in South Korea
Researchers conduct the first nationwide investigation of the prevalence of insomnia among elderly individuals in South Korea.
June 6
- Pain among Older Hispanics in the United States: Is Acculturation Associated with Pain?
Researchers find that pain prevalence and intensity were not related to acculturation after adjusting for sociodemographic factors. - Mediating Effect of Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) and Family Network on Quality of Life Among Low-Income Older Korean Immigrants
The study finds that a strong family network is positively associated with more years of attendance in ADHC and higher quality of life scores.