Frequency of social participation by types and functional decline: A six-year longitudinal study

Using women-only fitness club and functional disability: a cross-sectional study using propensity score matching

BACKGROUND

As the aging population grows, identifying effective interventions to achieve healthy ageing is crucial. Specific environments, such as Curves, the women-only fitness club (WOFC), may provide a supportive setting for older women to engage in physical activities that promote overall healthy ageing. This study aims to compare the functional disability prediction score between WOFC members and control group in older adults.

METHODS

Our study design was cross-sectional design. We applied propensity score matching to control for 9 potential confounders, including age, sociodemographic factors, health-related factors. A total of 6,058 participants were matched (3,029 WOFC memberships and 3,029 control groups from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study). The functional disability prediction scores we used can predict the risk of functional disability within three years for community-dwelling older adults without activity of daily living limitations.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, the covariates of the two groups were well balanced. The average age after propensity score matching was 72.4 for WOFC members and 72.7 for the control group. The average functional disability prediction score was 0.53 points lower for WOFC members than for the control group (p =.005).

CONCLUSIONS

WOFC members had lower scores on the functional disability prediction score related to healthy aging. Future studies should investigate the long-term impact of such programs.

Public libraries and functional disability: A cohort study of Japanese older adults

This study examined the association between the presence of public libraries and functional disability risk among community-dwelling older adults. We studied 73,138 participants aged 65 years or older in 19 Japanese municipalities using data from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. They were physically and cognitively independent at baseline and followed up between 2013 and 2021 (mean follow-up: 7.3 years). The onset of functional disability was ascertained by linking participants to the public registries of long-term care insurance. The exposures were the number of library books and that of libraries per population in each municipality. During the study period, we observed 16,336 cases (22.3%) of functional disability onset. Our Cox proportional hazards model revealed that the number of library books (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-0.97) and that of libraries (HR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.28-1.00) were associated with the onset of functional disability. The association was consistent even after adjusting for individuals' reading habits and other potential confounders, which suggested the contextual effect of public libraries on older adults' functional ability. Additionally, the magnitude of association was larger for the younger, women, and people with reading habits than their counterparts. Building new libraries and increasing the number of library books in a community may contribute to lowering the functional disability risk among older adults.

Oral hypofunction and social aspects in older adults visiting frailty outpatient clinic

BACKGROUND

Oral and social problems can exacerbate long-term care. Understanding the relationship between social aspects and oral hypofunction can help identify high-risk factors for long-term care.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the social aspects of oral hypofunction among medical outpatients.

METHODS

This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients who visited an outpatient clinic for frailty. The oral function was assessed using seven items: oral hygiene, occlusal force, masticatory function, tongue-lip motor function, tongue pressure, oral dryness and swallowing function. Participants with three or more functional declines were classified as having 'oral hypofunction'. Social aspects were assessed using 21 items in four categories: general resources, basic social needs, social resources and social behaviours/activities. We analysed the relationship between oral hypofunction and each social aspect.

RESULTS

A total of 316 participants (age 78.5 ± 6.4 years) were included, and 128 (41%) had oral hypofunction. Participants with oral hypofunction were significantly more likely to have limited education, require long-term care, not use transportation, depend on others for shopping, not participate in events, lack association membership and not engage in charity or volunteer work. After logistic regression analysis, 'long-term care' and 'no association membership' remained significantly associated with oral hypofunction (odds ratios 2.3, 2.3; 95% CI 1.1-5.0, 1.1-4.7, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Participants with oral hypofunction faced challenges in 'general resources' and 'social behaviour/activities', which were linked to oral function issues. Future longitudinal studies are necessary to further investigate this relationship.

Development of a weighted scoring model for social activities to predict disability incidents among older Japanese adults

BACKGROUND

Social activities contribute to health improvements in older adults, but methods for evaluating these activities are not yet established. We developed a scoring model for social activity, weighted by specific activities, to assess the association between disability incidence in older adults and social activities.

METHODS

Data were obtained from Japan's National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Study of Geriatric Syndromes (NCGG-SGS). Social activity was evaluated across 16 domains. Disability was determined using data extracted from Japan's long-term care insurance system.

RESULTS

Data from 4998 older adults were analyzed; among them, 422 (8.4 %) developed a disability within 35 months (Interquartile range: 32-39). The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess 16 domains of social activity. The results yielded risk factors for disability incidence in six social activity domains: work, travel, hobbies, babysitting, family caregiving, and events. The coefficients for these activities were assigned weights of 3, 3, 2, 1, 1, and 1, respectively. The weighted social activity scoring model significantly improved the ability to predict disability incidence when the number of social activities in which individuals participated was considered (social activity score: area under the curve [AUC] 0.691, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.664-0.717; number of social activities: AUC 0.681, 95 % CI 0.654-0.707, P = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

The composite score derived from the weighted social activity scoring model serves as a valuable tool due to its enhanced predictability, which complements established background factors associated with the incidence of disability in older adults.

Social determinants of intrinsic capacity: A systematic review of observational studies

BACKGROUND

The World Health Organization defined healthy ageing as the maintenance of functional ability with ageing. Intrinsic capacity is a measurement of healthy ageing, and can be shaped by social determinants. However, an overall understanding of how multiple social determinants contribute to intrinsic capacity remains unclear. We aim to summarize observational studies investigating the relationships between social determinants and intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling adults.

METHODS

A systematic search was conducted through Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, and CINAHL until August 14, 2023.

RESULTS

After reviewing 813 articles, we included 21 studies from nine countries in Asia, Europe, and America. Seventeen studies used a cross-sectional design and the others were longitudinal studies. Social determinants related to intrinsic capacity can be classified into five domains, containing socioeconomic status (16, 76.2% of studies), lifestyles (14, 66.7%), psychosocial factors (9, 42.9%), material circumstances (4, 19.0%), and healthcare systems (1, 4.8%). Strong evidence supported that better intrinsic capacity was associated with higher education, higher wealth, more physical activities, no smoking, more social engagement, and being married or partnered. The relationships of intrinsic capacity with dietary patterns and alcohol drinking were contradictory across studies. Research on the associations of working status, housing environments, and healthcare accessibility with intrinsic capacity was insufficient to draw conclusions.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight roles of socioeconomic status, lifestyles, and psychosocial factors in improving intrinsic capacity thus promoting healthy ageing. Future research is needed to investigate causal relationships between social determinants and intrinsic capacity, especially material circumstances and healthcare systems.

Interdependent culture and older adults' well-being: Health and psychological happiness in Japanese communities

This review article examined perspectives on the well-being and health of older adults in Japan, a nation renowned for its longevity. We emphasized the impact of social capital and social relationships in local communities, considering both individual and societal factors. The prevailing values in Japanese culture tend to foster a sustained and stable form of interdependent happiness among older adults, suggesting that communal support systems play an important role. This article highlights the value of multi-level datasets, such as the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) dataset, for understanding the influence of social participation on the health and well-being of older adults. A growing body of evidence underscores the central role of social relationships in the health and well-being of older adults.