著者
Juan Luis UGARTE CABO Hideki FUKUDA Yasuyo ABE Noboru TAKAMURA Makoto OSAKI Zhaojia YE Yumiko KAWASHITA Keiko HONDA Kohei INADA Yuko KOBUKE Fumiaki SHINSHO Kiyoshi AOYAGI
出版者
Nagasaki University School of Medicine
雑誌
Acta Medica Nagasakiensia (ISSN:00016055)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.51, no.3, pp.89-94, 2006 (Released:2006-11-22)
参考文献数
32

Good oral health is considered essential in maintaining of individual's good overall health. Information on oral problems and the behavior in visiting dentist is important for promoting oral health of the elderly. To elucidate the oral health status of the elderly in rural areas and factors affecting their oral health, we studied 147 people aged 60 years or over in a rural area of Nagasaki prefecture, Japan. We examined the dental status (dentate or edentate) and denture adaptability, and collected the information on socio-demographic variables, habits, chewing ability, visit to dentist for oral problems, self-perceived general health, and self-perceived oral health. About one-third of the subjects (47/147) had poor self-perceived oral health. Most socio-demographic variables were not associated with poor self-perceived oral health. Logistic regression analysis showed that poor chewing ability (odds ratio (OR): 3.4; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4-8.7), being dentate (OR: 6.6, 95% CI: 2.2-24.0), inadequate denture adaptability (OR: 3.7; 95% CI: 1.7-8.8), and no visit to dentist for oral problems (OR: 4.8; 95% CI: 1.8-14.2) were significantly associated with poor self-perceived oral health. In rural areas in Japan, adequate dental care and its good accessibility would be important for promoting the oral health in the elderly.
著者
Zhaojia Ye Yasuyo Abe Yosuke Kusano Noboru Takamura Kazuyuki Eida Tai-ichiro Takemoto Kiyoshi Aoyagi
出版者
Japan Society of Physiological Anthropology
雑誌
Journal of PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY (ISSN:18806791)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.26, no.2, pp.69-73, 2007 (Released:2007-04-15)
参考文献数
24
被引用文献数
34 47

Visual display terminals (VDT) are standard equipment for many office workers. Their use, however, may increase the risk of developing adverse conditions related to vision, the musculoskeletal system, and mental health. We carried out a survey among 3070 workers aged 18 to 67 years (mean, 39.9 years) at a prefectural administrative office, in which 76% of subjects were visual display terminal (VDT) users. We examined the relationship between duration of daily VDT use and eyestrain, neck or upper extremity pain, back pain, and mental health, and estimated the effect of breaks and rest during VDT work on these symptoms. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12: total scores ranged from 0 to 12) was used to identify potential poor mental health status, and subjects with 4 or more were considered to have symptoms of psychological distress. Seventeen percent of subjects reported eyestrain, 19.1% reported upper extremity pain, 11.6% reported back pain, and 17% of subjects had GHQ-12 scores of 4 or higher. Logistic regression analysis showed that duration of daily VDT use and lack of breaks and rest during VDT work were significantly associated with eyestrain, neck or upper extremity pain, back pain, and psychological distress. In order to protect users from the adverse effects associated with VDT work, reducing daily VDT exposure, taking breaks, and rest during VDT work are important.
著者
Kazumi Izutsu Kazuhiko Arima Yasuyo Abe Takuhiro Okabe Yoshihito Tomita Satoshi Mizukami Mitsuo Kanagae Takayuki Nishimura Kiyoshi Aoyagi
出版者
The Society of Physical Therapy Science
雑誌
Journal of Physical Therapy Science (ISSN:09155287)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.29, no.12, pp.2126-2132, 2017 (Released:2017-12-07)
参考文献数
27
被引用文献数
3 6

[Purpose] This study aimed to evaluate the sustainability and efficacy of exercise intervention, as implemented by professionally trained volunteers, on the health-related quality of life among Japanese community-dwelling older females. [Subjects and Methods] We conducted a non-randomized observational prospective study of a six-month exercise intervention delivered by volunteers or health professionals. Health-related quality of life was scored using the Short Form 36 Health Survey before and after the intervention. Participants were classified into three groups, comprising those with improved health, maintained health, and reduced health. [Results] Among 127 Japanese community-dwelling females aged >65 years, 50 of 62 (80.6%) females involved in the intervention conducted by volunteers, and 55 of 65 (84.6%) females involved in the intervention conducted by health professionals, completed the six-month intervention program. Scoring revealed that interventions by both volunteers and health professionals had a maintaining or improving effect on scores in >70% of participants instead of an expected six-month aging decline. [Conclusion] Exercise intervention by trained volunteers was sustainable and effective for improving the health-related quality of life among Japanese community-dwelling older females. Professionally trained volunteers could benefit communities in helping older persons avoid the need for daily nursing care through promoting health activities.