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Cranshaw O, Haworth S. Neighborhood Access to the Built Environment and Allostatic Load: A Systematic Review of the Use of Geographic Information Systems. Public Health Rev 2024; 45:1606624. [PMID: 38846333 PMCID: PMC11153763 DOI: 10.3389/phrs.2024.1606624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Objectives: This paper systematically reviews how spatial analysis has been used to measure relationships between access to the built environment and Allostatic Load (AL) or biomarkers relevant to the stress pathway. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) facilitate objective measurement of built environment access that may explain unequal health outcomes linked to living in stressful environments. Methods: Systematic review, search date 13 July 2022 with methods published a priori. Included studies that quantitatively assessed associations between GIS measures of neighborhood attributes and biomarkers of stress. Results: 23 studies from 14 countries were included having used GIS measures to assess relationships between access to the built environment and biomarkers relevant to AL, with 17 being cross-sectional and 6 longitudinal. Just 2 studies explicitly assessed associations between GIS measures and AL, but 21 explored biomarkers relevant to the stress pathway. GIS was used to calculate density (how much of x within y) and proximity (how far from a to b) measures. Conclusion: GIS measures of greenspace, the food environment, area-level demographics, and land-use measures were found to influence biomarkers relevant to the stress pathway, highlighting the utility of this approach. GIS use is extremely limited when measuring the built environment and its influence on AL but has been widely used to consider effects on individual biomarkers of stress. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=348355], identifier [CRD42022348355].
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Cranshaw
- Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER), University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
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2
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Endo T, Akai K, Kijima T, Kitahara S, Abe T, Takeda M, Nabika T, Yano S, Isomura M. An association analysis between hypertension, dementia, and depression and the phases of pre-sarcopenia to sarcopenia: A cross-sectional analysis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252784. [PMID: 34292967 PMCID: PMC8297796 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcopenia is intricately related to aging associated diseases, such as neuropsychiatric disorders, oral status, and chronic diseases. Dementia and depression are interconnected and also related to sarcopenia. The preliminary shift from robust to sarcopenia (i.e., pre-sarcopenia) is an important albeit underdiscussed stage and is the focus of this study. Identifying factors associated with pre-sarcopenia may lead to sarcopenia prevention. To separately examine the effects of dementia and depression on pre-sarcopenia/sarcopenia, we conducted multiple analyses. This cross-sectional study used health checkup data from a rural Japanese island. The participants were aged 60 years and above, and the data included muscle mass, gait speed, handgrip strength, oral status (teeth and denture), chronic diseases (e.g., hypertension), dementia (cognitive assessment for dementia, iPad Version), and depression (self-rating depression scale). A total of 753 older adult participants were divided into the sarcopenia (n = 30), pre-sarcopenia (n = 125), and robust (n = 598) groups. An ordered logit regression analysis indicated that age and depression were positively correlated with sarcopenia, while hypertension was negatively associated with it. A multiple logistic regression analysis between the robust and pre-sarcopenia groups showed significant associations between the same three variables. Depression was associated with pre-sarcopenia, but not dementia. There was also a significant association between hypertension and pre-sarcopenia. Further research is needed to reveal whether the management of these factors can prevent sarcopenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Endo
- Division of Internal Medicine, Unnan City Hospital, Shimane, Japan
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Kenju Akai
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - Tsunetaka Kijima
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
- Department of General Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Shimane, Japan
| | | | - Takafumi Abe
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - Miwako Takeda
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
| | - Toru Nabika
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
- Department of Functional Pathology Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Shimane, Japan
| | - Shozo Yano
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Shimane University Faculty of Medicine, Shimane, Japan
| | - Minoru Isomura
- Center for Community-Based Healthcare Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Shimane, Japan
- Shimane University Faculty of Human Sciences, Shimane, Japan
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Inconvenience of Living Place Affects Individual HbA1c Level in a Rural Area in Japan: Shimane CoHRE Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18031147. [PMID: 33525428 PMCID: PMC7908499 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18031147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background: It has been shown that the socio-geographical environment of residential areas, such as altitude, affects the health status and health-maintenance behavior of residents. Here, we examined a hypothesis that altitude of residence would influence glycemic control in a general elderly population living in a rural area. Methods: A thousand and sixteen participants living in a mountainous region in Japan were recruited at health examinations. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was measured in serum as a parameter of glycemic control. The altitude of residence, distance to grocery stores and to medical facilities were estimated using a geographic information system. Results: Linear regression analysis confirmed a significant effect of the altitude on log HbA1c even after adjustment of other demographic and biochemical factors. When the distance to grocery stores or medical facilities were used instead of the altitude in a linear regression analysis, distance to secondary medical facilities alone showed a significant effect on HbA1c. Conclusions: We found a positive correlation between HbA1c level and residential altitude in a rural area of Japan. The altitude seemed to be a parameter substituting the inconvenicence of residential areas. Socio-geographical factors of living place, such as inconvenience, may influence glycemic control of the residents.
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Hamano T, Shiotani Y, Takeda M, Abe T, Sundquist K, Nabika T. Is the Effect of Body Mass Index on Hypertension Modified by the Elevation? A Cross-Sectional Study of Rural Areas in Japan. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14091022. [PMID: 28880204 PMCID: PMC5615559 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14091022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2017] [Revised: 09/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is an established independent risk factor for developing hypertension. A recent study showed that the effect of obesity on hypertension varies by the elevation of the residence area. Thus, we hypothesized that the interaction effect of body mass index (BMI) and elevation has a significant association with hypertension. The first aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether BMI was associated with hypertension, after adjustment for covariates. The second aim was to examine whether the interaction term between BMI and elevation was associated with hypertension, after adjustment for covariates. Data were collected from a cross-sectional study conducted in a rural area of Japan in 2016. After excluding participants with missing data (n = 2), data from 729 participants were analyzed. We found that BMI was significantly associated with hypertension. In addition, the interaction term between BMI and elevation had a significant association with hypertension. The findings of the present study support the recent evidence that high BMI is an independent risk factor for hypertension, but its effect varies by elevation. Thus, context-specific interventions could be an effective approach to prevent hypertension in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Hamano
- Department of Sports Sociology and Health Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Kyoto Sangyo University, Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan.
- Department of Functional Pathology, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-chou, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Yoshiya Shiotani
- Department of Sports Sociology and Health Sciences, Faculty of Sociology, Kyoto Sangyo University, Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8555, Japan.
| | - Miwako Takeda
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, 223-8 Enya-chou, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Takafumi Abe
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, 223-8 Enya-chou, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Building 28, Floor 11, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Skåne University Hospital, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden.
- Departments of Family Medicine and Community Health and of Population Health Science and Policy, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, Box 1077, New York, NY 10029, USA.
| | - Toru Nabika
- Department of Functional Pathology, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-chou, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, 223-8 Enya-chou, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
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Is Accessibility to Dental Care Facilities in Rural Areas Associated with Number of Teeth in Elderly Residents? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2017; 14:ijerph14030327. [PMID: 28335583 PMCID: PMC5369162 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph14030327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Given that public transportation networks are less developed in rural than in urban areas, a lack of accessibility to dental care facilities could be a barrier to routine dental checkups. Thus, we hypothesized that the distance to the dental care facilities is a risk factor for tooth loss. The aim of this study was to test whether there is an association between the distance to dental care facilities, estimated by geographic information systems, and number of teeth, assessed by an oral examination, among elderly residents of a rural area in Japan. Data were collected in 2016 from a cross-sectional study conducted in Shimane prefecture, Japan. After excluding participants with missing data (n = 21), we analyzed data from 710 participants. Of them, 40.6% were male and the mean (standard deviation) age was 67.4 (7.4) years. Further, 68.0% (n = 483) had at least 20 teeth. We found that the distance to dental care facilities was significantly associated with the number of teeth (less than 20) (odds ratio = 1.07, 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.12) after adjustment for potential confounders. This result suggested that individuals without easy access to dental care facilities may be important targets for dental care.
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Geographic Elevation, Car Driving, and Depression among Elderly Residents in Rural Areas: The Shimane CoHRE Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2016; 13:ijerph13070738. [PMID: 27455292 PMCID: PMC4962279 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph13070738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Given that public transportation networks are often worse in rural areas than in urban areas, it is difficult for elderly non-drivers to access health-promoting goods, services, and resources related to mental health. Moreover, geographical location, assessed by elevation, could modify this association in a rural area. The aim of this study was to test whether the association between car driving (being a driver or not) and depression, as measured by the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), varied by elevation. Data were collected from a cross-sectional study conducted in the town of Ohnan located in a rural area of Japan. After excluding participants with missing data (n = 26), 876 participants were analysed in this study. After adjustment for potential confounders, being a non-driver had a significantly higher odds ratio of SDS (40+) among elderly people living at a low elevation (odds ratio = 2.17, 95% confidence interval = 1.28–3.71). However, similar findings were not observed among elderly people living at a high elevation. These results suggest that car driving importantly predicts depression in elderly people living at relatively low elevations in rural areas.
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Fallah Z, Kelishadi R, Heshmat R, Motlagh ME, Ardalan G, Kasaeian A, Asayesh H, Qorbani M. A nationwide report on blood pressure of children and adolescents according to socioeconomic status: The CASPIAN-IV study. JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN MEDICAL SCIENCES 2015; 20:646-55. [PMID: 26622253 PMCID: PMC4638066 DOI: 10.4103/1735-1995.166210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Background: Hypertension is a major leading factor for global burden of diseases. Blood pressure (BP) tracks from childhood to adulthood. So, it is important to investigate its aff ecting factors. In this study we aimed to compare the BP status in the Iranian pediatric population according to the socioeconomic status (SES) of their living area. Materials and Methods: In this nationwide study, a representative sample of 14,880 students, aged 6-18 years was chosen by multistage random cluster sampling from 30 provinces in Iran. Anthropometric indices and BP were measured. A validated questionnaire, including the questions of the World Health Organization Global School-based Student Health Survey was completed. Findings were compared across the four regions of the country, categorized based on their elevating SES: Southeast, north-northeast, west, and central. Results: Participants consisted of 13,486 children and adolescents, that is, a participation rate of 90.6%, composed of 49.2% girls and 75.6% urban residents. The mean (standard deviation) age of participants was 12.47 (3.36) years. The region with highest SES (central) had the lowest rate of high BP (HBP), that is, 3.0% (95% of confidence interval [CI]: 2.4-3.9), and the region with lowest SES (southeast) had the highest rate, that is, 7.4% (4.4-12.2). The mean (95% CI) values of systolic BP for the four regions from lowest to highest SES were 100.5 (99.6-101.3), 100.9 (100.3-101.4), 101.7 (101.3-102), and 101.7 (101.2-102.1) mmHg. The corresponding mean Diastolic BP values were as follows: 65.4 (64.6-66.1), 63.4 (62.9-63.8), 65.6 (65.3-65.8), and 64.4 (64.0-64.7) mmHg. Conclusion: We found significant differences in mean BP and the frequency of HBP according to the SES of the living area. Further studies are necessary to find the underlying factors resulting in such differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Fallah
- Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran ; Student Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Roya Kelishadi
- Department of Pediatrics, Child Growth and Development Research Center, Research Institute for Primordial Prevention of Non-communicable Disease, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Ramin Heshmat
- Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Gelayol Ardalan
- Department of School Health, Bureau of Population, Family and School Health, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Kasaeian
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamid Asayesh
- Department of Medical Emergencies, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran
| | - Mostafa Qorbani
- Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran ; Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Hamano T, Onoda K, Takeda M, Sundquist K, Yamaguchi S, Nabika T. Geographic Elevation and Cognitive Function among Elderly Residents in Rural Mountainous Areas: Shimane CoHRE Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:13365-71. [PMID: 26512683 PMCID: PMC4627035 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph121013365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Revised: 10/19/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to test whether there is an association between elevation and cognitive function among elderly residents in rural mountainous areas. Data were collected in 2012 from a cross-sectional study conducted in Ohnan Town, which is located in a rural mountainous area in the southern part of Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Cognitive function was evaluated using CADi (Cognitive Assessment for Dementia, iPad version) and elevation was estimated by using Geographic Information Systems according to the participant’s address. After excluding subjects with missing data, 866 participants were analyzed. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, higher elevation was significantly associated with decreased cognitive function. This finding suggests that it is important to consider the physical environment, i.e., elevation, that would affect accessibility to health-promoting goods, services, and resources when seeking to maintain cognitive function in elderly people living in rural mountainous areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Hamano
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, 223-8 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Keiichi Onoda
- Department of Neurology, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Miwako Takeda
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, 223-8 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Kristina Sundquist
- Center for Primary Health Care Research, Lund University, Clinical Research Centre (CRC), Building 28, floor 11, Jan Waldenströms gata 35, Skåne University Hospital, SE-205 02 Malmö, Sweden.
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Medical School Office Building (MSOB), 251 Campus Drive MC 5411, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Shuhei Yamaguchi
- Department of Neurology, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
| | - Toru Nabika
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, 223-8 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
- Department of Functional Pathology, Shimane University School of Medicine, 89-1 Enya-cho, Izumo, Shimane 693-8501, Japan.
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Ferdaus SI, Kohno K, Hamano T, Takeda M, Yamasaki M, Isomura M, Shiwaku K, Nabika T. Altitudes of residential areas affect salt intake in a rural area in Japan: a Shimane CoHRE Study. Hypertens Res 2015; 38:895-8. [PMID: 26311164 DOI: 10.1038/hr.2015.91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Revised: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
There is increasing evidence of an association between residential environments and hypertension. As shown in our previous study, the inconvenience of the locations of residential areas may be one of the factors influencing the blood pressures of inhabitants. Salt intake is one of the likely mediators between inconvenience and hypertension. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the association between the altitudes of residential areas and salt intake in a rural Japanese region because altitude may be one of the proxies for inconvenience. In this cross-sectional study, 1016 participants living in a mountainous region in Japan were recruited during health examinations. The altitude of each participant's residence was estimated using a geographic information system. Subjects were divided into quartile groups according to the altitudes of their residences. To evaluate salt intake, we employed the 24-h salt intake estimation of Kawano et al. (e24-h salt intake) and the urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio (uNa/K). Linear regression analyses indicated that altitude was an independent factor influencing both e24-h salt intake and uNa/K after adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol consumption, triglycerides and county of residence. The same result was observed when the subjects who did not take antihypertensive medications were analyzed (N=633). The present study indicated that altitude of residence had a significant positive influence on salt intake in a rural area of Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia I Ferdaus
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.,Department of Functional Pathology, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.,Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Kunie Kohno
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Hamano
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Miwako Takeda
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yamasaki
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.,Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Minoru Isomura
- Department of Functional Pathology, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.,Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Kuninori Shiwaku
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.,Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
| | - Toru Nabika
- Department of Functional Pathology, School of Medicine, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan.,Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (CoHRE), Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
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Association Between Geographic Elevation, Bone Status, and Exercise Habits: The Shimane CoHRE Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:7392-9. [PMID: 26133130 PMCID: PMC4515663 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120707392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2015] [Revised: 06/24/2015] [Accepted: 06/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the association between the residential environment and health. The association between residential environment (i.e., geographic elevation) and bone status is unknown. Furthermore, these associations could differ by exercise habits due to the chronically greater daily activity caused by steep slopes in mountainous areas. The aim of this study was to test whether the association between bone status of elderly people measured using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and elevation varied according to the exercise habits in a mountainous area population. Data were collected from a cross-sectional study conducted during 2012–2013. QUS value was expressed as a proportion of the young adult mean (%YAM), with higher scores donating better bone status. After excluding subjects with missing data, we analyzed the data for 321 men and 500 women. Our results indicate that %YAM was not associated with elevation among men, or among women with exercise habits. However, elevation was associated with %YAM among women without exercise habits. Our results highlight the importance of considering residential environment and exercise habits when establishing promotion strategies to maintain bone status of the elderly people who live in rural mountainous areas.
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Accessible Transportation, Geographic Elevation, and Masticatory Ability Among Elderly Residents of a Rural Area. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2015; 12:7199-207. [PMID: 26132474 PMCID: PMC4515650 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph120707199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2015] [Revised: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 06/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Given that public transportation networks are often worse in rural areas than in urban areas, rural residents who do not drive can find it difficult to access health-promoting goods, services, and resources related to masticatory ability. Moreover, geographical location, assessed by elevation, could modify this association. The aim of this study was to test whether the association between access to transportation and masticatory ability varied by elevation. Data were collected from a cross-sectional study conducted in Mizuho and Iwami counties, Japan. Objective masticatory ability was evaluated using a test gummy jelly and elevation was estimated by the geographic information systems according to the participant’s address. After excluding subjects with missing data, 672 subjects (Mizuho = 401 and Iwami = 271) were analyzed. After adjustment for potential confounders, being a driver was not significantly associated with masticatory ability among elderly people living at low elevation (≤313 m) in Mizuho county. However, after the same adjustment, being a driver remained significantly associated with increased masticatory ability among elderly at high elevations. Similar findings were observed in Iwami county. Accessible transportation was significantly associated with increased mastication ability in elderly people living at high elevations, but not in those living at low elevations.
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Hamano T, Kimura Y, Takeda M, Yamasaki M, Isomura M, Nabika T, Shiwaku K. Effect of environmental and lifestyle factors on hypertension: Shimane COHRE study. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49122. [PMID: 23152860 PMCID: PMC3494668 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2012] [Accepted: 10/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In recent years there has been increasing evidence of an association between residential remoteness and hypertension (HTN); however, no study has examined the effects of residential remoteness-lifestyle associations on HTN. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of residential remoteness, as measured by road network distance and elevation, and lifestyle associations, including access to daily products as a measure of car use, on HTN in a rural region in Japan. Method This is a cross-sectional population based study. We analyzed data from the Shimane COHRE study conducted from 2006 to 2009 in the rural mountainous regions of Japan. After excluding missing data, we conducted a logistic regression analysis of the data for 1,348 individuals and examined the effects of residential remoteness and lifestyle associations, including road network distance, elevation and access to daily products as a measure of car use, on the prevalence of HTN. Principal Findings In participants without access to car use, the odds ratios for self-reported HTN (i.e. taking antihypertensive medication) were significantly increased in those living in moderate (odds ratio (OR): 2.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19–4.08) and far (OR: 2.55, 95% CI: 1.00–6.51) road distances, whereas there were no significant associations in participants with access to car use. There were no significant associations between elevation and HTN for participants either with or without access to car transportation. Conclusions Our findings show that specific residential remoteness-hypertension associations vary according to access to daily products as a measure of car use in a rural mountainous area of Japan. These results advance the understanding and importance of considering residential environment, “where people live,” in establishing health policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsuyoshi Hamano
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (COHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Yoshinari Kimura
- Department of Geography, Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Miwako Takeda
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (COHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan
| | - Masayuki Yamasaki
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (COHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan
| | - Minoru Isomura
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (COHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
- Department of Functional Pathology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan
| | - Toru Nabika
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (COHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
- Department of Functional Pathology, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan
| | - Kuninori Shiwaku
- Center for Community-Based Health Research and Education (COHRE), Organization for the Promotion of Project Research, Shimane University, Izumo, Japan
- Department of Environmental and Preventive Medicine, Shimane University School of Medicine, Izumo, Japan
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