Relationships between Participation in Volunteer-Managed Exercises, Distance to Exercise Facilities, and Interpersonal Social Networks in Older Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in Japan

This study aimed to examine the factors related to participation in volunteer-managed preventive care exercises by focusing on the distance to exercise facilities and interpersonal social networks. A postal mail survey was conducted in 2013 in Kasama City in a rural region of Japan. Older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) who were living independently (n = 16,870) were targeted. Potential participants who were aware of silver-rehabili taisou exercise (SRTE) and/or square-stepping exercise (SSE) were included in the analysis (n = 4005). A multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that social and environmental factors were associated with participation in SRTE and SSE. After adjusting for confounding variables, exercise participation was negatively associated with an extensive distance from an exercise facility in both sexes for SRTE and SSE. Among women, participation in SRTE was negatively associated with weak interpersonal social networks (odds ratio (OR) = 0.57), and participation in SRTE and SSE was negatively associated with being a car passenger (SRTE, OR = 0.76; SSE, OR = 0.60). However, there were no significant interactions between sex and social and environmental factors. Our findings suggest the importance of considering location and transportation to promote participation in preventive care exercise.

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Factors associated with sarcopenia screened by finger-circle test among middle-aged and older adults: a population-based multisite cross-sectional survey in Japan

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-10844-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daiki Watanabe ◽

Tsukasa Yoshida ◽

Takashi Nakagata ◽

Naomi Sawada ◽

Yosuke Yamada ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Smoking Status ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Population Based ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Mail Surveys ◽

Osaka Prefecture ◽

Middle Aged Adults

AbstractBackgroundPrevious epidemiological studies have demonstrated the prevalence and relationship of various factors associated with sarcopenia in older adults; however, few have examined the status of sarcopenia in middle-aged adults. In this study, we aimed to, 1) evaluate the validity of the finger-circle test, which is potentially a useful screening tool for sarcopenia, and 2) determine the prevalence and factors associated with sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults.MethodsWe conducted face-to-face surveys of 525 adults, who were aged 40–91 years and resided in Settsu City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan to evaluate the validity of finger-circle test. The finger-circle test evaluated calf circumference by referring to an illustration printed on the survey form. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROC) was plotted to evaluate the validity of the finger-circle test for screening sarcopenia and compared to that evaluated by skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) measured using bioimpedance. We also conducted multisite population-based cross-sectional anonymous mail surveys of 9337 adults, who were aged 40–97 years and resided in Settsu and Hannan Cities, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling by sex and age in the elementary school zones of their respective cities. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to explore associations between characteristics and prevalence of sarcopenia.ResultsSarcopenia, defined by SMI, was moderately predicted by a finger-circle test response showing that the subject’s calf was smaller than their finger-circle (AUROC: 0.729, < 65 years; 0.653, ≥65 years); such subjects were considered to have sarcopenia. In mail surveys, prevalence of sarcopenia screened by finger-circle test was higher in older subjects (approximately 16%) than in middle-aged subjects (approximately 8–9%). In a multiple regression model, the factors associated with sarcopenia were age, body mass index, smoking status, self-reported health, and number of meals in all the participants.ConclusionsSarcopenia, screened by the finger-circle test, was present not only among older adults but also among middle-aged adults. These results may provide useful indications for developing public health programs, not only for the prevention, but especially for the management of sarcopenia.Trial registrationUMIN000036880, registered prospectively May 29, 2019, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000042027

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Watching sports and depressive symptoms among older adults: a cross-sectional study from the JAGES 2019 survey

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-89994-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Taishi Tsuji ◽

Satoru Kanamori ◽

Ryota Watanabe ◽

Meiko Yokoyama ◽

Yasuhiro Miyaguni ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Geriatric Depression Scale ◽

Depression Scale ◽

Mail Survey ◽

Prevalence Ratio ◽

Average Frequency ◽

Evaluation Study ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional

AbstractThe current study investigated the relationship between the frequency of watching sports and depressive symptoms among older adults. This study used cross-sectional data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study, a nationwide mail survey of 21,317 older adults. Depressive symptoms were defined as a Geriatric Depression Scale score of ≥ 5. Participants were queried regarding the average frequency at which they watched sports on-site and via TV/Internet over the past year. Among the 21,317 participants, 4559 (21.4%) had depressive symptoms, while 4808 (22.6%) and 16,576 (77.8%) watched sports on-site and via TV/Internet at least once a year, respectively. Older adults who watched sports on-site a few times/year (prevalence ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval, 0.65–0.74) or 1–3 times/month (0.66, 0.53–0.82) were less likely to have depressive symptoms compared to non-spectators after adjusting for frequency of playing sports, exercise activities, and other potential confounders. Meanwhile, a dose–response relationship was confirmed for watching via TV/Internet (prevalence ratio of 0.86, 0.79, and 0.71 for a few times/year, 1–3 times/month, and ≥ 1 time/week, respectively). This study suggested that watching sports on-site or via TV/Internet, regardless of whether they regularly engage in sports, may reduce the risk of depressive symptoms among older adults.

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Predictors of Physical Activity Levels in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Multivariate Approach Based on a Socio-Ecological Framework

Journal of Aging and Physical Activity ◽

10.1123/japa.2016-0286 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 26 (1) ◽

pp. 114-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Koren L. Fisher ◽

Elizabeth L. Harrison ◽

Brenda G. Bruner ◽

Joshua A. Lawson ◽

Bruce A. Reeder ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Older Adults ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

The Elderly ◽

Home Care Services ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Nursing Home Care ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Cross Sectional

The purpose of this study was to explore cross-sectional relationships between self-reported physical activity (PA) and personal, social, and environmental factors in community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older. Accounting for clustering by neighborhood, generalized estimating equations were used to examine associations between selected correlates and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) score while adjusting for confounders. Data for 601 participants were analyzed: 79% female, 37% married, mean age 76.8 (± 8.7) years, mean PASE score 112.6 (± 64.8). Age, living in seniors’ housing, using nursing/home care services, receiving encouragement to be active, and having benches available in the neighborhood were inversely associated with PASE. Self-efficacy, SF-12 score, PA barriers, social support, and the presence of trails showed positive associations. Several personal, social, and environmental factors associated with PA were identified. The inverse association between PA and living in seniors’ housing units should be considered when developing PA programs for older adults.

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Barriers and Motivators of Bicycling by Gender Among Older Adult Bicyclists in the Midwest

Health Education & Behavior ◽

10.1177/1090198119879731 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 67-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Amanda Grimes ◽

Matthew Chrisman ◽

Joseph Lightner

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Online Survey ◽

Ecological Model ◽

The United States ◽

Environmental Barriers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Social ◽

Personal Level ◽

Barriers And Motivators

Introduction. Physical activity (PA), particularly low-impact activities like bicycling, can improve health in older adults. However, bicycling rates are lower in the Midwest than other regions in the United States. Therefore, it is important to identify unique social, personal, and environmental factors that inhibit or promote bicycling, and how these are associated with PA. The influences of these factors were explored using the social ecological model. Method. A cross-sectional online survey was developed using previously validated local and national bicycling questionnaires, then distributed to Midwestern bicyclists 50 years and older. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted to understand the influences of social, personal, and environmental barriers and promoters on bicycling patterns. All models were conducted separately by gender, and accounted for age, race, education, marital status, income, and employment. Results. Social promoters (B = 0.386, p = .002), such as having friends/family that bicycle were associated with greater PA. Personal promoters (B = −0.311, p = .006) such as needing to lose weight were associated with reduced PA. Environmental factors had no associations with PA. However, individual environmental components, such as number of vehicles on the roads, were significantly associated with PA for both males and females. Females reported more barriers than males. The overall model accounted for 16.1% of the total variance in PA levels. Conclusion. Interventions to promote PA via bicycling in older adults should focus on social factors, while also reducing personal-level factors for males. Interventions for females could focus on reducing specific personal, social, and environmental barriers.

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PRESIDENTIAL SYMPOSIUM: HARNESSING SOCIAL NETWORKS TO OPTIMIZE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXTS FOR DIVERSE AGING EXPERIENCES

Innovation in Aging ◽

10.1093/geroni/igz038.2163 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. S583-S583

Author(s):

Philip A Rozario ◽

Emily Greenfield ◽

Nancy Kusmaul

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Social Networks ◽

Social Relations ◽

Low Income ◽

Disaster Preparedness ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Senior Housing

Abstract Social networks provide opportunities for engagement with others and structure the receipt and provision of emotional, instrumental, informational and appraisal support. Indeed scholars in this field have documented the importance of having strong social networks in influencing older adults’ well-being and quality of life. The three papers in this symposium draw on the convoy model of social relations and ecological model to examine and better understand the micro, mezzo, macro contexts that shape and influence how older people engage with and benefit from their networks in three areas: low-income senior housing communities, urban areas specifically targeting older Latinos with dementia, and disaster preparedness in micropolitan counties in eastern Iowa. The first paper, a cross-sectional study focusing on social connections in senior housing communities, examines levels of social networks, engagement, support and loneliness and their relationship with well-being outcomes. The second paper, a community-based participatory research project, reports an intervention that seeks to train natural helpers in a predominantly Latino urban neighborhood to identify and refer older Latinos with dementia to bilingual assessment services. The third paper, synthesizing findings from interventions targeting network building at the individual and state levels as well as a community-based network analysis, presents ways to strengthen networks at the mezzo and macro levels as well as environmental contexts that enable better disaster preparedness for community-based older adults. These papers will consider practice, policy and research implications in strengthening social networks and engagement to optimize older adults’ well-being in various settings.

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Neighborhood Environment, Residential Satisfaction, and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Adults in Residential Care Homes

The International Journal of Aging and Human Development ◽

10.1177/0091415017730812 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 87 (3) ◽

pp. 268-288 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Susu Liu ◽

Zheng Ouyang ◽

Alice M. Chong ◽

Haitao Wang

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Residential Care ◽

Severe Depression ◽

Residential Satisfaction ◽

Neighborhood Environment ◽

Care Homes ◽

Environmental Characteristics ◽

Cross Sectional

Burgeoning evidence has shown that neighborhood environments are related to depressive symptoms in the older population. Older adults living in residential care homes may be more vulnerable to environmental characteristics. The current study sought to understand how institutionalized older adults relate to environmental factors and residential satisfaction in terms of depressive symptoms. Data were collected from a cross-sectional national survey of 1,429 Chinese elders living in residential care homes. The findings reveal that 46.1% of the older Chinese residents living in residential care homes suffered from mild to severe depression. In addition, the current study finds that both environmental factors (e.g., geographic position, air quality, and transportation) and residential satisfaction are negatively associated with depressive symptoms. The findings support that residential satisfaction partially mediate the relationship between exterior environmental characteristics and depressive symptoms.

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Association of Triglyceride Glucose (TyG) Index With Leukoaraiosis in Middle-aged and Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-124306/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Dong-Hyuk Jung ◽

Byoung Jin Park ◽

Yong-Jae Lee

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Brain Mri ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Fasting Blood Glucose ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Examination ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Tyg Index

Abstract Background: Leukoaraiosis refers to lesions of high signal intensity in the periventricular and subcortical white matter that result from chronic microvascular ischemic damage to the brain. Increasing evidence suggests that the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is associated with arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease, which are both closely related to ischemic arterial damage. We hypothesized that the serum TyG index could be associated with cerebrovascular microangiopathy as measured by leukoaraiosis among middle-aged and older adults.Methods: This cross-sectional study included 2,162 Korean adults aged ≥45 years who participated in a health examination program between 2010 and 2011. TyG index was calculated as Ln (fasting triglycerides (mg/dl) × fasting blood glucose (mg/dl)/2). TyG index quartiles were categorized as follows: Q1, ≤8.12; Q2, 8.13-8.50 Q2, 8.51-8.89; and Q4, ≥8.90. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for leukoaraiosis based on brain MRI scans were calculated across TyG index quartiles using multiple logistic regression analysis.Results: The overall prevalence of leukoaraiosis was 5.4% and increased with serum TyG index quartiles. Compared to the lowest quartile, the ORs (95% CIs) of the highest TyG index quartile for leukoaraiosis was 2.37 (1.17-4.79) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, alcohol intake, regular exercise, mean arterial pressure, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol levels, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.Conclusions: The serum TyG index was positively and independently associated with leukoaraiosis. Our findings indicate that the TyG index might be a useful additional measure for assessing cerebrovascular microangiopathy in clinical settings.

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The role of VES-13 to identify limited life expectancy in older adults in primary healthcare settings

Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP ◽

10.1590/s1980-220x2020003603743 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 55 ◽

Author(s):

Danilo Lopes Assis ◽

Virgínia Oliveira Chagas ◽

Helton Saulo ◽

Claudia Kimie Suemoto ◽

Alfredo Nicodemos Cruz Santana

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Life Expectancy ◽

Primary Healthcare ◽

Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Limited Life Expectancy ◽

Healthcare Settings ◽

Limited Life ◽

The Mean

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the potential role of the Vulnerable Elders Survey to identify older adults with limited life expectancy in primary healthcare settings. Method This cross-sectional study was performed in all (nine) healthcare units in Jatai, Goiás (Brazil) from July to December 2018. A sample size of 407 older adults was obtained considering an older population (≥ 60 years old). Participants answered a questionnaire about sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, including the Vulnerable Elders Survey and the Suemoto index. We tested the association between limited life expectancy and the Vulnerable Elders Survey using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results The mean age was 68.9 ± 6.6 yo, and 58.0% were women. The mean score of the Vulnerable Elders Survey was 2.0 ± 2.2, the mean score of Suemoto index was 31.5 ± 21.1%, and 17.2% had limited life expectancy. The Vulnerable Elders Survey was associated with limited life expectancy (OR = 1.57; p = < 0.0001). Conclusion The Vulnerable Elders Survey was able to identify older adults with limited life expectancy in primary healthcare settings and can play a role in detecting older adults who would not benefit from screening and strict control of chronic diseases.

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Association Between Public Knowledge About COVID-19, Trust in Information Sources, and Adherence to Social Distancing: Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.22060 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ilona Fridman ◽

Nicole Lucas ◽

Debra Henke ◽

Christina K Zigler

Keyword(s):

Social Networks ◽

Information Sources ◽

Public Knowledge ◽

Trust In Government ◽

Government Information ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Negatively Associated ◽

Social Distancing ◽

The Impact

BACKGROUND The success of behavioral interventions and policies designed to reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic depends on how well individuals are informed about both the consequences of infection and the steps that should be taken to reduce the impact of the disease. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate associations between public knowledge about COVID-19, adherence to social distancing, and public trust in government information sources (eg, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), private sources (eg, FOX and CNN), and social networks (eg, Facebook and Twitter) to inform future policies related to critical information distribution. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional survey (N=1243) between April 10 and 14, 2020. Data collection was stratified by US region and other demographics to ensure representativeness of the sample. RESULTS Government information sources were the most trusted among the public. However, we observed trends in the data that suggested variations in trust by age and gender. White and older populations generally expressed higher trust in government sources, while non-White and younger populations expressed higher trust in private sources (eg, CNN) and social networks (eg, Twitter). Trust in government sources was positively associated with accurate knowledge about COVID-19 and adherence to social distancing. However, trust in private sources (eg, FOX and CNN) was negatively associated with knowledge about COVID-19. Similarly, trust in social networks (eg, Facebook and Twitter) was negatively associated with both knowledge and adherence to social distancing. CONCLUSIONS During pandemics such as the COVID-19 outbreak, policy makers should carefully consider the quality of information disseminated through private sources and social networks. Furthermore, when disseminating urgent health information, a variety of information sources should be used to ensure that diverse populations have timely access to critical knowledge.

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The Relations between Disability and Environmental Factors: A Pilot Study in Iranian Older Adults

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v8n12p87 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 8 (12) ◽

pp. 87 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mohammadreza Shahbazi ◽

Mahshid Foroughan ◽

Mahdi Rahgozar ◽

Reza Salmanroghani

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Health Care ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Health Care Services ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

World Health ◽

Structural Barriers ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Care Services ◽

Health Organization

OBJECTIVE: This study explored disability and its correlations with the environmental factors in a group of Iranian older adults.MATERIALS & METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed. One hundred participants receiving adult day care services in Kahrizak center in Iran were selected by using the complete enumeration method. The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2 (WHODAS II) and the Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors (CHIEF) questionnaires were used to collect data.RESULTS: The mean score of disability was 20.61±13.66, and the scores were higher in women compared to men (P=0.001). Among the CHIEF-25 items‚ the most frequently perceived barrier by the participants was transportation followed by home design and unavailability of health care services. There was a significant association between the disability scores and the environmental factors (P<0.001). Also, significant relationships were found between the disability and all the subscales investigated in the study (polices‚ physical/structural‚ attitude/support‚ services/assistance) (P<0.001).CONCLUSION: Appropriate transportation‚ availability to health care services and removing physical/structural barriers should be taken in consideration.

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