This article presents an overview of the concept of social capital, reviews prospective multilevel analytic studies of the association between social capital and health, and discusses intervention ...strategies that enhance social capital.
We conducted a systematic search of published peer-reviewed literature on the PubMed database and categorized studies according to health outcome.
We identified 13 articles that satisfied the inclusion criteria for the review. In general, both individual social capital and area/workplace social capital had positive effects on health outcomes, regardless of study design, setting, follow-up period, or type of health outcome. Prospective studies that used a multilevel approach were mainly conducted in Western countries. Although we identified some cross-sectional multilevel studies that were conducted in Asian countries, including Japan, no prospective studies have been conducted in Asia.
Prospective evidence from multilevel analytic studies of the effect of social capital on health is very limited at present. If epidemiologic findings on the association between social capital and health are to be put to practical use, we must gather additional evidence and explore the feasibility of interventions that build social capital as a means of promoting health.
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FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, UL, UM, UPUK
Aim
The purpose of the present study was to examine the agreement of segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (SMF‐BIA) for the assessment of whole‐body and appendicular fat mass ...(FM) and lean soft tissue mass (LSTM) compared with dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in a community‐dwelling Japanese older population.
Methods
The study population included 551 community‐dwelling Japanese older adults (241 men and 310 women) aged between 65 and 87 years. Agreement between SMF‐BIA and DXA for whole‐body and appendicular body composition was assessed using simple linear regression and Bland–Altman analysis.
Results
High coefficients of determination (R2) were observed for whole‐body FM (R2 = 0.91, standard error of estimate SEE = 1.4 kg in men and R2 = 0.94, SEE = 1.2 kg in women) between SMF‐BIA and DXA. The R2 coefficient for whole‐body LSTM was higher in men (R2 = 0.88, SEE = 1.9 kg) than in women (R2 = 0.83, SEE = 1.5 kg). There was systematic bias with overestimation of whole‐body FM and underestimation of whole‐body LSTM by SMF‐BIA. Proportional bias was noted for measurement of whole‐body FM and LSTM in both men and women, but there was no proportional bias between the two methods for measurement of appendicular LSTM (r = 0.05, P = 0.428 and r = −0.10, P = 0.070 for men and women, respectively).
Conclusion
SMF‐BIA is a good alternative for estimating the whole‐body and appendicular FM and LSTM in a community‐dwelling Japanese older population, although it overestimated FM and underestimated LSTM when validated against DXA. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 1013–1022.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Over the last several decades, social isolation and loneliness among older adults have posed an increasingly urgent challenge due to the rapidly aging population in Japan. To remedy the situation, ...many communities have introduced intergenerational programs. However, few studies have investigated the benefits of social capital across generations as a result of intergenerational interaction between children and older generations. Therefore, we aim to ascertain the degree to which intergenerational programs that take root in a community will affect the social capital of all generations in the community.
We focus our research on one specific program, REPRINTS, an intergenerational health promotion program for older adults that has been active for over 10 years in Tama Ward, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture. We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of residents between the ages of 20 and 84 years who were randomly selected from the basic resident register. Approximately 2500 residents were selected, of which 978 responded; data from 891 respondents were analyzed.
Hierarchical linear modeling suggests that the duration of programs was a significant community-level indicator of neighborhood trust. At the individual level, people between 30 and 59 years of age and people over 60 years of age have more positive effects on neighborhood trust than do people between 20 and 39 years of age.
The ongoing intergenerational programs between older citizens and children can enforce neighborhood trust, thus strengthening a community's intergenerational ties. The REPRINTS program has been developed through cooperation with local citizens, senior volunteers, and teachers from the community. Its collaborative nature ensures longevity and continuous growth in a community. It is challenging to create long-term intergenerational programs that take root in communities, making persistence and collaboration a crucial factor in fruitful intergenerational relationships. Overall, ongoing intergenerational program implementation associates with building social capital, thereby strengthening potential intergenerational ties and promote mutual support among local residents which will reduce or prevent social isolation among older.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Rabbit anti-asialo-GM1 (ASGM1) serum or polyclonal antibodies can eliminate mouse splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity in vitro and in vivo. We developed rabbit monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) ...against ASGM1 using a single-cell analysis and isolation system. Five mAbs (GA109, GA115, GA116, GA131, and GA134) that were reactive to ASGM1 were isolated from the spleen lymphocytes of rabbits immunized with ASGM1. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and thin-layer chromatography immunostaining results showed that the mAbs strongly reacted with ASGM1. Two mAbs (GA116 and GA134) reacted exclusively with ASGM1, whereas three mAbs (GA109, GA115, and GA131) showed slight or considerable cross-reactivity with GM1. The administration of the mAbs (4–20 μg) to BALB/c mice completely abolished NK cell activity in vivo. The anti-ASGM1 rabbit mAbs obtained in this study may provide a useful and reproducible tool for various future studies, such as depleting NK cell activity to enhance xenograft engraftment in mouse models.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Studies have shown that rural residents face disadvantages concerning medical access and socio-economic conditions. However, the social determinants of health among older people in rural areas are ...still unclear. The Neuron to Environmental Impact across Generations (NEIGE) study investigated the social determinants of health among older rural adults.
A survey was conducted among the older residents of Tokamachi City, Japan. We randomly selected study participants (N = 1,346) from four stratified groups by age (65-74 and 75-84 years) and residential area (Tokamachi center downtown and Matsunoyama mountain). The survey collected data on socio-economic status, lifestyle, health, and neighborhood environment. Blood and urine sampling were also conducted, and physical activity was assessed. Magnetic resonance brain imaging (MRI) and Apo-E gene were also examined in the analysis.
In total, 527 people participated in the NEIGE study (participation rate: 39.2%). The average age of the participants was 73.5 (standard deviation, 5.6) years, and 47.3% were male. No differences in demographics were found between downtown and mountain residents, except for educational attainment, which was lower among mountain residents. Lifestyles were similar, except for the higher percentage of everyday drinkers (33.3-35.3%) in the mountain area. Concerning physical health, muscle mass, grip strength, and measured physical activity were significantly higher among mountain residents. However, gait speed and balance were better among downtown residents.
The findings of the NEIGE study will help elucidate the social determinants of health in older rural adults in Japan, and emphasize the different outcomes between downtown and mountain areas.
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FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
The aim of cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between loneliness, increased social isolation, and pain following the COVID-19 outbreak. A total of 25,482 participants, ...aged 15–79 years, were assessed using an internet survey; the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (Version 3), Short Form 3-item (UCLA-LS3-SF3) was used to assess loneliness, and a modified item of the UCLA-LS3-SF3 was used to measure the perception of increased social isolation during the pandemic. The outcome measures included the prevalence/incidence of pain (i.e., headache, neck or shoulder pain, upper limb pain, low back pain, and leg pain), pain intensity, and the prevalence of past/present chronic pain. Pain intensity was measured by the pain/discomfort item of the 5-level version of the EuroQol 5 Dimension scale. Odds ratios of pain prevalence/incidence and past/present chronic pain prevalence according to the UCLA-LS3-SF3 scoring groups (tertiles) and the frequency of the perceived increase in social isolation (categories 1–5) were calculated using multinomial logistic regression analysis. The mean pain intensity values among different loneliness and social isolation levels were tested using an analysis of covariance. Increased loneliness and the severity of the perceived social isolation were positively associated with the prevalence/incidence of pain, pain intensity, and the prevalence of past/present chronic pain.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Physical activity can help to protect against cognitive decline in older adults. However, little is known about the potential combined relationships of time spent in sedentary behavior (SB), ...light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with indices of cognitive health. We examined the cross-sectional associations of objectively-determined sedentary and physically-active behaviors with an indicator of cognitive function decline (CFD) in older adults.
A randomly-recruited sample of 511 Japanese older adults (47% male; aged 65-84 years) wore a tri-axial accelerometer for 7 consecutive days in 2017. Cognitive function was assessed by interviewers using the Japanese version of Mini-Mental State Examination, with a score of ≤23 indicating CFD. Associations of sedentary and physically-active behaviors with CFD were examined using a compositional logistic regression analysis based on isometric log-ratio transformations of time use, adjusting for potential confounders.
Forty one (9.4%) of the participants had an indication of CFD. Activity compositions differed significantly between CFD and normal cognitive function (NCF); the proportion of time spent in MVPA was 39.1% lower, relative to the overall mean composition in those with CFD, and was 5.3% higher in those with NCF. There was a significant beneficial association of having a higher proportion of MVPA relative to other activities with CFD. LPA and SB were not associated with CFD when models were corrected for time spent in all activity behaviors.
Larger relative contribution of MVPA was favorably associated with an indicator of CFD in older adults.
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FFLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, UL, UM, UPUK
Background As population aging progresses, volunteers in health field are expected to play a key role in health promotion and disease prevention, which may improve community residents' health and ...well-being and at the same time help slow the growth of healthcare cost. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of self-oriented motives and altruistic motives as explanatory factors for Japanese Community Health Workers (CHWs)' desire to continue their service. Unraveling the relative effects of these two types of motivation on CHW retention may lead to policy and practical implications for recruiting, training, and supporting CHWs in Japan. Haddad (2007) observed that citizens in Japan generally have a sense of governmental and individual responsibility for dealing with social problems. Applying these insights to CHWs, we hypothesize that altruistic motives have more potent influence on volunteers' willingness to continue to serve than self-oriented motives. Methods Three cities in Shiga prefecture, Japan agreed to participate in the study. Anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was mailed to all CHWs who work in the three communities. The survey data were collected in March and April, 2013. A total of 417 questionnaires were mailed to CHWs, of which 346 were completed and returned (response rate 83.0%). Nine questionnaires missing response to the question concerning willingness to continue serving were removed from the analysis. The final analysis used 337 questionnaires (effective response rate 80.8%). Results One hundred ninety-nine (59.1%) of the respondents answered the question about willingness to continue CHW affirmatively, and 138 (40.9%) negatively. Controlling for other relevant factors, those with self-oriented motives in serving as CHWs were more likely to state they are willing to continue to serve (OR:1.54, confidence interval 1.00-2.37) than those without such motives. Those with altruistic motives were also more likely to say they want to continue their service (OR 1.56, confidence interval 1.08-2.27) than those without such motives. Contrary to our hypothesis, the two motives, altruistic and self-oriented, were shown to have nearly equal degree of influence on respondents' willingness to continue serving as CHWs. Conclusion One practical implication of the research is that learning more about the twin motives, self-oriented and altruistic, of volunteers and tailoring the content of CHW training by municipal health professionals to address those motives may be beneficial.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Background
A life-course perspective is essential in understanding the determinants of higher-level functional limitations. We examine the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on ...higher-level functional limitations in older people.
Methods
Data were from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study 2013, a population-based cohort of independent people aged 65 years or older across Japan (n = 19,220). ACEs before the age of 18 were assessed in terms of seven adversities: parental death, parental divorce, parental mental illness, family violence, physical abuse, psychological neglect, and psychological abuse. Associations between the cumulative number of ACEs and higher-level functional limitations were investigated by multivariate Poisson regression with robust error variances, adjusted for age, gender, childhood disadvantage, adult sociodemographics, adult health behaviors, and health status.
Results
Of the older people, 36.3% reported at least one ACE. Older people who had experienced two or more ACEs showed significantly greater higher-level functional limitations than those with no ACE in a crude model (prevalence ratio, PR = 1.61, 95% confidence interval, CI = 1.51–1.71). After adjusting the covariates, this association remained (PR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.12–1.27).
Conclusions
ACEs showed robust independent effects on higher-level functional limitations among older Japanese without disabilities, even after adjusting for potential covariates in childhood and adulthood. The current findings may help in understanding the impact of the latent effects of ACEs on functional limitations in older people.
Abstract
Background
Message framing is frequently used to advocate health perceptions and behaviors. The effects of message framing on various health behaviors have been examined; however, its ...effects on social participation, a key determinant of healthy aging, are unclear. This study investigated the effects of message framing on older adults’ attitudes and intentions toward social participation.
Methods
A questionnaire survey conducted in 2020 targeted community-dwelling people aged ≥ 65 years in two rural areas in Japan. Participants were randomly allocated to four groups according to the types of framed messages to promote social participation activities: “private gain-framed message,” “private loss-framed message,” “public gain-framed message,” or “no message.” Outcomes included attitudes and intentions toward social participation (impression, interest, and readiness for social participation activities).
Results
A total of 1,524 participants were analyzed (men: 46.3%; average age: 75.7 ± 7.9 years). Ordinal logistic regression analyses of individuals who engaged in any social participation activity showed no significant intergroup difference in the outcomes after adjusting for potential covariates. Among people who did not engage in any activity, the private loss-framed message was associated with a more favorable impression and higher interest and readiness than no message. The private gain-framed message was related to a higher interest in social participation.
Conclusions
Private loss-framed messages are possibly most effective in reinforcing attitudes and intentions toward social participation, particularly among individuals without social participation experience. These findings highlight the possibility of using a message-framing approach to promote social participation in older adults.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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