Tetsuo Ichikawa, Tomoya Koda, Mio Kitamura, Takahiro Kishimoto, Takashi Matsuda, Takaharu Goto, Domichi Masayuki, Suganuma Akiko, Fujiwara Shinji, Yasuhiko Shirayama, Kotani Kazuhiko and Sakane Naoki : Subjective assessment of sensory function and oral function decline in older adults, PLoS ONE, 20, 6, e0326788, 2025.
2.
Mio Kitamura, Takaharu Goto, Tetsuo Ichikawa and Yasuhiko Shirayama : Clarifying the actual situation of old-old adults with unknown health conditions and those indifferent to health using the National Health Insurance Database (KDB) system, Geriatrics, 9, 6, 156, 2024.
(要約)
: This study aimed to investigate the actual situation of individuals with unknown health conditions (UHCs) and those indifferent to health (IH) among old-old adults (OOAs) aged 75 years and above using the National Health Insurance Database (KDB) system. : A total of 102 individuals with no history of medical examinations were selected from the KDB system in a city in Japan. Data were collected through home visit interviews and blood pressure monitors distributed by public health nurses (PHNs) from Community Comprehensive Support Centers (CCSCs). The collected data included personal attributes, health concern levels, and responses to a 15-item OOA questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven PHNs. The control group consisted of 76 users of the "Kayoinoba" service (Kayoinoba users: KUs). : Of the 83 individuals who could be interviewed, 50 (49.0%) were classified as UHCs and 11 (10.8%) were classified as IH, including 5 from the low health concern group and 6 who refused to participate. In the word cloud generated from the PHNs' interviews, the words and phrases "community welfare commissioner", "community development", "blood pressure monitor", "troublesome", "suspicious", and "young" were highlighted. In the comparison of health assessments between UHCs and KUs, "body weight loss" and "cognitive function" were more prevalent among KUs, and "smoking" and "social participation" were more prevalent among UHCs. : The home visit activities of CCSCs utilizing the KDB system may contribute to an understanding of the actual situation of UHCs, including IHs, among OOAs. UHCs (including patients with IH status) had a higher proportion of risk factors related to smoking and lower social participation than KUs.
Takaharu Goto, Shinji Fujiwara, Tomoya koda, Takashi Matsuda, Mio Kitamura, Yasuhiko Shirayama and Tetsuo Ichikawa : Biopsychosocial consideration of Ikigai in older adults in Japan through a cross-sectional study., Geriatrics, 9, 3, 78, 2024.
(要約)
-a Japanese concept that includes elements such as life's purpose and meaning-has been reported to be associated with various systemic health conditions, such as the risk of developing physical dysfunction or death in older adults. However, there are no reports that comprehensively examine the psychological and social aspects of . We attempted to clarify the characteristics of by examining it from a biopsychosocial model using physical, psychological, and social perspectives through a cross-sectional study on sarcopenia, frailty and healthy life expectancy in a hilly and mountainous area of Japan. Koyadaira in Mima City, which is located in a hilly and mountainous region on Shikoku Island in Japan, was targeted. This cross-sectional study included 105 outpatients aged 65 and over, with an average age of 79.02 ± 6.91 years. (self-rating score on a scale of 0 (no ) to 5 (the highest )) participants' level of physical activity (the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly, PASE), degree of depression (the Geriatric Depression-15 Scale, GDS-15), cognitive function (the Mini-Mental State Examination, MMSE) and social isolation (the abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale, LSNS-6) was assessed. Significant positive correlations were found between PASE and MMSE. The LSNS-6 significantly correlated with the MMSE and GDS-15. In a path model, out of four paths from PASE, GDS-15, MMSE, and LSNS-6 to , the path from the GDS-15 alone was significant (correlation coefficient -0.271, < 0.01). The adaptability of this model was good. This study indicates that depressive status has a large impact on , along with physical, cognitive, and social conditions; thus, it is appropriate to consider that an affective psychological status, such as depressive symptoms, is a fundamental condition for having .
Mio Kitamura, Takaharu Goto, Shinji Fujiwara and Yasuhiko Shirayama : Did Kayoinoba Prevent the Decline of Mental and Physical Functions and Frailty for the Home-Based Elderly during the COVID-19 Pandemic?, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 9502, 2021.
(要約)
The purpose of this study is to grasp the management situation of "" under the conditions of self-quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is also to clarify the efficacy of "" using the Kihon Checklist (KCL) for the assessment of mental and physical functions in the elderly. The respondents were 136 elderly people aged 65 years and over who lived in A City, a standard rural area in Japan. The age, gender, living style, affluence for living, and the frequency of participation in "" were examined by using the KCL as a self-completed questionnaire. Finally, 101 respondents were included in the final analysis. There was no difference in the participation status before and after the spread of COVID-19. The frailty ratio tended to decrease from 23.8% to 19.8% between the two periods, but there was no difference in the frailty ratio. It is suggested that the participants in "" may have suppressed the deterioration of mental and physical conditions, excluding physical activity. This would prevent the frailty of the elderly, even during self-quarantine due to the spread of COVID-19.
To demonstrate the usefulness of a virtual reality device that authentically portrays the emotions of dementia patients and their families (VR Dementia Experience) for encouraging an understanding of and reducing and eliminating prejudice towards dementia patients among local residents. In Prefecture T, Town N, 85 residents of Neighborhood A were chosen as the intervention group, and 95 residents of Neighborhood B were chosen as the non-intervention group. The VR Dementia Experience was provided only to the residents of Neighborhood A. Residents of both neighborhoods completed a 35-item questionnaire regarding their degree of understanding and prejudice towards dementia patients before and after the intervention. Seventy-seven residents of Neighborhood A and 82 residents of Neighborhood B were analyzed. Their gender, age, and pre-intervention test baseline values were equivalent in the degree of understanding and prejudice. Significant increases were observed in 9 of 35 items for Neighborhood A residents (7 understanding-related, 2 prejudice-related) and 2 items for Neighborhood B residents (1 understanding-related, 1 prejudice-related). To ascertain the usefulness of the VR Dementia Experience, we compared the number of items with a significant increase: 9/35 (25.7%) in Neighborhood A and 2/35 (5.7%) in Neighborhood B. An effect (≥ 20%) was observed among the residents of Neighborhood A. Furthermore, after exposure to the VR Dementia Experience, the connection between understanding, prejudice, and dementia was strengthened among the residents of Neighborhood A compared to the residents of Neighborhood B. The VR Dementia Experience is a useful tool for encouraging an understanding of and reducing and eliminating prejudice towards dementia patients among local residents. However, to encourage the widespread usage of the technology, we should compare results with other public awareness campaigns as well as make improvements to the device and its VR content.
(キーワード)
認知症 (dementia) / vertual reality / local residents
Mio Kitamura, Takaharu Goto, Misaki Ichinomiya, Fujiwara Shinji, Kei Tanaka, Kosuke Kataoka and Yasuhiko Shirayama : Literature Review for the Development of the CIH (Curiosity-IKIGAI-Health) Advancemant Model, Program Booklet The 13th IAGG Master Class on Asing in Asia, 133-134, May 2025.