scholarly journals Comparison of quadriceps strength and handgrip strength in their association with health outcomes in older adults in primary care

AGE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
On Ying A. Chan ◽  
Anne H. van Houwelingen ◽  
Jacobijn Gussekloo ◽  
Jeanet W. Blom ◽  
Wendy P.J. den Elzen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Quadriceps Strength

scholarly journals Cohort profile: The prospective study on Chinese elderly with multimorbidity in primary care in Hong Kong

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e027279
Author(s):  
Dexing Zhang ◽  
Regina Wing Shan Sit ◽  
Carmen Wong ◽  
Dan Zou ◽  
Stewart W Mercer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Older Patients ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Severe Depression ◽  
Outpatient Clinics ◽  
Daycare Centre ◽  
Biopsychosocial Health ◽  
Health Profiles

PurposeThis is an ongoing prospective cohort aiming to examine the biopsychosocial health profiles and predictors of health outcomes of older patients with multimorbidity in primary care in Hong Kong.ParticipantsFrom April 2016 to October 2017, 1077 patients aged 60+ years with at least two chronic diseases were recruited in four public primary care clinics in the New Territories East Region of Hong Kong.Findings to dateAfter weighting, the patients had 4.1 (1.8) chronic conditions and 2.5 (1.9) medications on average; 37% forgot taking medication sometimes; 71% rated their health as fair or poor; 17% were frail; 73% reported one (21%) or two or more (52%) body pain areas; 62% were overweight/obese; 23% reported chewing difficulty, 18% reported incontinence; 36% had current stage 1/2 hypertension; 38% had handgrip strength below the cut-off; 10% screened positive in sarcopenia; 17% had mild or severer cognitive impairment; 17% had mild to severe depression; 16% had mild to severe anxiety; 50% had subthreshold to severe insomnia; 28% indicated being lonely; 12% needed help in at least one out of the five daily functions and the EuroQoL-5-Dimensions-5-Level index score was 0.81 (0.20) and its Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score was 67.6 (14.6). In the past 12 months, 17% were hospitalised, 92% attended general outpatient clinics, 70% attended specialist outpatient clinics and 10% used elderly daycare centre services, the median out-of-pocket health cost was HK$1000 (US$150). Female and male patients showed significant differences in many biopsychosocial health aspects.Future plansWith assessments and clinical data, the cohort can be used for understanding longitudinal trajectories of biopsychosocial health profiles of Chinese older patients with multimorbidity in primary care. We are also initially planning cohort studies on factors associated with various health outcomes, as well as quality of life and healthcare use.Cohort registration numberChiCTR-OIC-16008477

scholarly journals The Effects of Displacing Sedentary Behavior With Two Distinct Patterns of Light Activity on Health Outcomes in Older Adults (Implications for COVID-19 Quarantine)

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale Grant ◽  
David Tomlinson ◽  
Kostas Tsintzas ◽  
Petra Kolić ◽  
Gladys Leopoldine Onambele-Pearson
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Sedentary Behavior ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Gait Speed ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Serum Triglycerides ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Intensity Physical Activity ◽  
Light Activity

Rationale: The COVID-19 pandemic is limiting outdoor and community-based activities, especially for older adults owing to the requirement for self-isolation, potentially increasing prolonged sedentary behavior (SB). Given a poor tolerance for intense exercise, SB displacement with light intensity physical activity (LIPA) is a promising health enhancing alternative. Therefore, the aims of this study were to investigate the effects of two different types of SB displacement on health outcomes in older adults and any differential impact of associated LIPA pattern.Method: 28 older women (age: 73 ± 5 years, height: 1.60 ± 0.07 m, weight: 67 ± 10 kg, and BMI: 26.1 ± 3.6 kg/m2) underwent overnight fasted dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) imaging, blood sampling, and functional assessments before being randomly allocated to one of two groups: (1) single continuous bout of 45–50 min LIPA daily (n = 14); or (2) SB fragmentation (SBF; ~48 min LIPA daily, 2 min LIPA for every 30 min of SB; n = 14). Compliance was systematically monitored using tri-axial accelerometery. All measures were taken at weeks 0 and 8.Results: Physical behavior significantly altered (decreased SB/increased LIPA; p < 0.05) and to a similar extent in both groups. We observed a significant reduction in serum triglycerides [p = 0.045, effect size (ɳp2) = 0.15; SBF: −0.26 ± 0.77 mmol/L, LIPA: −0.26 ± 0.51 mmol/L], improved 30 s sit-to-stand (STS) count (p = 0.002, ɳp2 = 0.32, 2 ± 3 STS) and speed (p = 0.009, ɳp2 = 0.35, −10 ± 33%), as well as increased average handgrip strength (p = 0.001, ɳp2 = 0.45, 6 ± 12%), and gait speed (p = 0.005, ɳp2 = 0.27, 0.09 ± 0.16 m/s) in both groups. Interestingly, SBF caused a greater increase in peak handgrip strength (8 ± 14%), compared to LIPA (2 ± 10%; p = 0.04, ɳp2 = 0.38).Conclusion: SB displacement induced significant improvements in fasting triglycerides, gait speed, as-well as STS endurance/speed in older women. Frequent vs. continuous SB displacement also caused greater increases in handgrip strength. While both SB displacement protocols display promise as efficacious home-based interventions for self-isolating older adults, our results would suggest a physical functioning advantage of the SBF protocol for certain outcomes.

Personality and Health Outcomes Among Older Adults

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Chapman ◽  
Jeffrey Lyness ◽  
Paul Duberstein
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Outcomes

Addressing COVID-19 Worry and Social Isolation in Home-Based Primary Care

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Elizabeth Weiskittle ◽  
Michelle Mlinac ◽  
LICSW Nicole Downing
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Primary Care ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Mental Health Providers ◽  
Health Providers ◽  
Home Based Primary Care ◽  
Home Based ◽  
Socially Isolated

Social distancing measures following the outbreak of COVID-19 have led to a rapid shift to virtual and telephone care. Social workers and mental health providers in VA home-based primary care (HBPC) teams face challenges providing psychosocial support to their homebound, medically complex, socially isolated patient population who are high risk for poor health outcomes related to COVID-19. We developed and disseminated an 8-week telephone or virtual group intervention for front-line HBPC social workers and mental health providers to use with socially isolated, medically complex older adults. The intervention draws on skills from evidence-based psychotherapies for older adults including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, and Problem-Solving Therapy. The manual was disseminated to VA HBPC clinicians and geriatrics providers across the United States in March 2020 for expeditious implementation. Eighteen HBPC teams and three VA Primary Care teams reported immediate delivery of a local virtual or telephone group using the manual. In this paper we describe the manual’s development and clinical recommendations for its application across geriatric care settings. Future evaluation will identify ways to meet longer-term social isolation and evolving mental health needs for this patient population as the pandemic continues.

Preventative health screening community events, a mechanism to target minority ethnic populations in improving primary care utilisation to improve health outcomes

2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. bjgp20X711005
Author(s):  
Raza Naqvi ◽  
Octavia Gale
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Ethnic Minority ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Screening ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
Minority Ethnic

BackgroundPreventative medicine has become a central focus in primary care provision, with greater emphasis on education and access to health care screening. The Department of Health reports existing health inequalities and inequalities in access within ethnic minority groups. Studies assessing the value of community engagement in primary care have reported variable outcomes in term of subsequent service utilisation.AimTo consider the benefit of community-based health screening checks to improve access and health outcomes in minority ethnic groups.MethodAn open community health screening event (n = 43), to allow targeted screening within an ethnic minority population. Screening included BP, BMI, BM and cholesterol. Results were interpreted by a healthcare professional and counselling was provided regarding relevant risk factors. Post-event feedback was gathered to collate participant opinion and views.ResultsSeventy-nine per cent of participants were from ethnic minority backgrounds: 64% were overweight or obese and 53% of participants were referred to primary care for urgent review following abnormal findings. All those referred would not have accessed healthcare without the event referral. All (100%) participants believed it improved health education and access to health care.ConclusionThis study clearly demonstrates the value of targeted community-led screening and education events in public health promotion. There was a significant benefit in providing community-based screening. There is a need for a longitudinal analysis to determine the impact on health outcomes and long-term access to healthcare provision.

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