Preventive Health Care for the Elderly

Demographic, economic and humanitarian considerations dictate that effective preventive health care be provided to the elderly. A disease-specific approach to geriatric preventive health care will not suffice; measures to enhance or maintain physical, mental and social function must also be emphasized. Unfortunately, the effectiveness of many preventive care procedures has not been adequately investigated in the elderly. Research is urgently needed to determine the efficacy of and appropriate target population for various geriatric preventive health care measures.     

Physical Activity and Bone Health in Schoolchildren: The Mediating Role of Fitness and Body Fat

Background

The relationship between physical activity (PA) and bone health is well known, although the role of percent body fat (%BF) and fitness as confounders or mediators in this relationship remains uncertain.

Objective

To examine whether the association between PA and bone mineral content (BMC) is mediated by %BF and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).

Methods

In this cross sectional study, BMC, total %BF (by DXA), vigorous PA (VPA), CRF, age and height were measured in 132 schoolchildren (62 boys, aged 8–11 years). ANCOVA was used to test differences in BMC by %BF, CRF and VPA, controlling for different sets of confounders. Simple mediation analyses and serial multiple mediation analyses were fitted to examine whether the relationship between PA and BMC is mediated by %BF and fitness.

Results

Children with high %BF had higher total body BMC than their peers after controlling for all sets of confounders. Children with good CRF or VPA had significantly less total body BMC after controlling for age and sex but in children with good CRF this inverse relation disappeared after adjusting by %BF. %BF and CRF both act as a full mediator in the association between VPA and BMC, after inclusion of the potential confounders in the models.

Conclusion

Fitness and %BF seem to have a mediator role on the relationship between physical activity and bone mass.     

Doing Health Anthropology: Research Methods for Community Assessment and Change

Doing Health Anthropology: Research Methods for Community Assessment and Change . Christie W. Kiefer. New York: Springer, 2007, xvii. 281 pp.     

Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in African-American Girls With and Without Obesity

WARD, DIANNE S, STEWART G TROST, GWEN FELTON, RUTH SAUNDERS, MARY ANN PARSONS, MARSHA DOWDA, RUSSELL R PATE. Physical activity and physical fitness in African-American girls with and without obesity. Lack of physical activity and low levels of physical fitness are thought to be contributing factors to the high prevalence of obesity in African-American girls. To examine this hypothesis, we compared habitual physical activity and physical fitness in 54 African-American girls with obesity and 96 African-American girls without obesity residing in rural South Carolina. Participation in vigorous (6 METs) (VPA) or moderate and vigorous physical activity (4 METs) (MVPA) was assessed on three consecutive days using the Previous Day Physical Activity Recall. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using the PWC 170 cycle ergometer test. Upper body strength was determined at two sites via isometric cable tensiometer tests. Relative to their counterparts without obesity, girls with obesity reported significantly fewer 30-minute blocks of VPA (0. 90 ± 0. 14 vs. 1. 3 ± 0. 14) and MVPA (1. 2 ± 0. 18 vs. 1. 7 ± 0. 16) (p<0. 01). Within the entire sample, VPA and MVPA were inversely associated with body mass index (r=?0. 17 and r=?0. 19) and triceps skinfold thickness (r=?0. 19 and r=?0. 22) (p<0. 05). In the PWC 170 test and isometric strength tests, girls with obesity demonstrated absolute scores that were similar to, or greater than, those of girls without obesity; however, when scores were expressed relative to bodyweight, girls with obesity demonstrated significantly lower values (p<0. 05). The results support the hypothesis that lack of physical activity and low physical fitness are important contributing factors in the development and/or maintenance of obesity in African-American girls.     

Self-Assessed General Health and Dental Status Among the Elderly in a Swedish County

A random sample of non-institutionalized elderly people in Örebro County, Sweden, has been examined. The present paper reports on the general health conditions obtained from interviews in this population and on the relation between general health and dental status. Eighty-one percent of the clinically examined subjects considered that they were healthy or fairly healthy. A higher percentage of women as compared to men regarded themselves to be moderately or very ill. Women also used more drugs than men did. Only 6% did not feel strong enough for extensive dental treatment. Physically handicapped people used dental services less than the rest of the population did. Otherwise, general health seemed to have limited influence on the use of dental services. Subjects with better dental status reported less frequent illness, chronic diseases, and medication as compared to subjects with poorer dental status. The self-assessed general health, also in the presence of age, sex, and residence variables, showed significant correlation with the dental status but not if socio-economic variables were also included in a regression model.     

Promoting Healthy Behaviors among Egyptian Mothers: A Quasi-Experimental Study of a Health Communication Package Delivered by Community Organizations

Decisions made at the household level, for example, to seek antenatal care or breastfeed, can have a direct impact on the health of mothers and newborns. The SMART Community-based Initiatives program in Egypt worked with community development associations to encourage better household decision-making by training community health workers to disseminate information and encourage healthy practices during home visits, group sessions, and community activities with pregnant women, mothers of young children, and their families. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the program, with household surveys conducted before and after the intervention in intervention and comparison areas. Survey questions asked about women’s knowledge and behaviors related to maternal and newborn care and child nutrition and, at the endline, exposure to SMART activities. Exposure to program activities was high in intervention areas of Upper Egypt: 91% of respondents reported receiving home visits and 84% attended group sessions. In Lower Egypt, these figures were 58% and 48%, respectively. Knowledge of danger signs related to pregnancy, delivery, and newborn illness increased significantly more in intervention than comparison areas in both regions (with one exception in Lower Egypt), after controlling for child’s age and woman’s education; this pattern also occurred for two of five behaviors (antenatal care visits and consumption of iron-folate tablets). Findings suggest that there may have been a significant dose-response relationship between exposure to SMART activities and certain knowledge and behavioral indicators, especially in Upper Egypt. The findings demonstrate the ability of civil society organizations with minimal health programming experience to increase knowledge and promote healthy behaviors among pregnant women and new mothers. The SMART approach offers a promising strategy to fill gaps in health education and counseling and strengthen community support for behavior change.     

居民对社区卫生服务的满意度调查分析

目的:了解居民对社区卫生服务的满意度情况,为提高社区卫生服务质量提供科学依据.方法:采用随机抽样法对青岛市五区/市(市北区、崂山区、李沧区、黄岛区、即墨市)12所社区卫生服务机构抽取样本进行问卷调查并对结果进行分析.结果:对社区卫生服务总体比较满意的人数占调查总人数的81.05％,12.95％的居民对社区卫生服务总体评价为非常满意,但居民对于健康档案的建立、社区卫生服务机构的设备配置以及药品种类满意度较低.结论:青岛市居民对社区卫生服务机构总体满意度较高,但个别服务还有较大的改善空间.     

Association between Physical Fitness and Successful Aging in Taiwanese Older Adults

Population aging is escalating in numerous countries worldwide; among them is Taiwan, which will soon become an aged society. Thus, aging successfully is an increasing concern. One of the factors for achieving successful aging (SA) is maintaining high physical function. The purpose of this study was to determine the physical fitness factors associated with SA in Taiwanese older adults (OAs), because these factors are intervenable. Community-dwelling OAs aged more than 65 years and residing in Northern Taiwan were recruited in this study. They received a comprehensive geriatric assessment, which includes sociodemographic data, health conditions and behaviors, activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) function, cognitive and depressive status, and quality of life. Physical fitness tests included the grip strength (GS), 30-second sit-to-stand (30s STS), timed up-and-go (TUG), functional reach (FR), one-leg standing, chair sit-and-reach, and reaction time (drop ruler) tests as well as the 6-minute walk test (6MWT). SA status was defined as follows: complete independence in performing ADL and IADL, satisfactory cognitive status (Mini-Mental State Examination ≥ 24), no depression (Geriatric Depression Scale < 5), and favorable social function (SF subscale ≥ 80 in SF-36). Adjusted multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Among the total recruited OAs (n = 378), 100 (26.5%) met the aforementioned SA criteria. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics and health condition and behaviors, some physical fitness tests, namely GS, 30s STS, 6MWT, TUG, and FR tests, were significantly associated with SA individually, but not in the multivariate model. Among the physical fitness variables tested, cardiopulmonary endurance, mobility, muscle strength, and balance were significantly associated with SA in Taiwanese OAs. Early detection of deterioration in the identified functions and corresponding intervention is essential to ensuring SA.     

老年疼痛住院患者健康教育流程改造及效果评价

目的：探索老年疼痛住院患者健康教育流程改造的实施效果。方法：以2012年3月~10月入住我科的老年疼痛患者为试验组,采用自行设计的一体式《住院患者健康教育表单》进行健康教育,在重点环节进行改进。2011年7月~2012年2月入住我科的老年疼痛患者为对照组,对比分析两组的满意度、跌倒人次、给予护士表扬次数。结果：试验组患者满意度为（95.81±3.01）%,对照组满意度为（99.61±0.74）%,差异有统计学意义（t=-3.46,P〈0.01）。结论：采用一体式的健康教育表单,改造健康教育流程,有助于提高老年患者满意度,改善住院体验,值得临床推广。     

武汉地区老年变应性鼻炎现况分析研究

目的:通过研究老年变应性鼻炎患者年龄分布及变应原阳性率等变化,了解老年变应性鼻炎的发病趋势.方法:回顾性分析2006年至2010年武汉地区294例50～84岁的老年变应性鼻炎患者过敏原点刺试验结果,描述老年变应性鼻炎患者年龄分布及各变应原阳性率随时间变化的临床特征.结果:老年期患者(≥65岁)人数在受试老年患者总人数的比例随时间推移逐渐增加,但差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05).在5年间老年变应性鼻炎患者粉尘螨阳性率为历年最高,其次为屋尘螨,两者的阳性率在5年间差异不具有统计学意义(P＞0.05);艾蒿、豚草花粉、真菌Ⅰ组、真菌Ⅱ组阳性率改变均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05),其中艾蒿、豚草花粉阳性率呈逐年下降趋势,真菌Ⅰ组、真菌Ⅱ组阳性率呈上升趋势;多价兽毛阳性率有增长趋势,但差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05);春季花粉Ⅰ组、春季花粉Ⅱ组阳性率均呈波动性改变,其中春季花粉 Ⅱ组差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论:老年变应性鼻炎患者人数显示逐年增长趋势,尘螨过敏在老年患者中仍为最为常见的变应原,但无整体人群体现出的增长趋势,真菌阳性检出率呈现显著增长趋势,兽毛过敏有较弱升高倾向.     

Occupational Physical Activity and Body Mass Index: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study / Study of Latinos

Purpose

To examine the associations between overweight/obesity and occupation among Hispanics/Latinos, the largest minority population in the U.S.

Methods

This study included 7,409 employed individuals in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), a prospective study of Hispanic/Latino individuals aged 18–74 in four communities in the U.S. We independently examined the relationships between BMI, Occupational Activity (OA), and Total Hours Worked, quantified via self-reported hours worked per week and occupation-assigned Metabolic Equivalents (METs).

Results

More than three quarters of the participants were either overweight (39.3%) or obese (37.8%). Individuals with a primary occupation and those employed in a secondary occupation worked an average of 36.8 and 14.6 hrs/wk, respectively. The overall adjusted odds for being obese compared to normal weight were 3.2% (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.01, 1.05) and 14.4% (AOR = 1.14 95% Cl 1.07, 1.23) greater for each 10 MET•hrs/wk unit of increased OA, and each 10-hrs/wk unit of Total Hours Worked, respectively.

Conclusion

This study presents the first findings on the association between OA with overweight/obesity among Hispanic/Latino individuals in the U.S. Increasing OA and Total Hours Worked per week were independently associated with increasing odds of overweight/obesity suggesting that the workplace is only one part of the overall energy expenditure dynamic. Our findings point to the need to emphasize engaging employed individuals in greater levels of PA outside of the work environment to impact overweight/obesity.     

Improving Maternal and Newborn Health: Effectiveness of a Community Health Worker Program in Rural Kenya

Background

Volunteer community health workers (CHWs) form an important element of many health systems, and in Kenya these volunteers are the foundation for promoting behavior change through health education, earlier case identification, and timely referral to trained health care providers. This study examines the effectiveness of a community health worker project conducted in rural Kenya that sought to promote improved knowledge of maternal newborn health and to increase deliveries under skilled attendance.

Methods

The study utilized a quasi-experimental nonequivalent design that examined relevant demographic items and knowledge about maternal and newborn health combined with a comprehensive retrospective birth history of women’s children using oral interviews of women who were exposed to health messages delivered by CHWs and those who were not exposed. The project trained CHWs in three geographically distinct areas.

Results

Mean knowledge scores were higher in those women who reported being exposed to the health messages from CHWs, Eburru 32.3 versus 29.2, Kinale 21.8 vs 20.7, Nyakio 26.6 vs 23.8. The number of women delivering under skilled attendance was higher for those mothers who reported exposure to one or more health messages, compared to those who did not. The percentage of facility deliveries for women exposed to health messages by CHWs versus non-exposed was: Eburru 46% versus 19%; Kinale 94% versus 73%: and Nyakio 80% versus 78%.

Conclusion

The delivery of health messages by CHWs increased knowledge of maternal and newborn care among women in the local community and encouraged deliveries under skilled attendance.