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Prevalence of depression symptoms and related risk factors for depressive symptoms among Elderly persons living in a rural Japanese community: a cross-sectional study
- Authors:
- KANEKO Yoshihiro, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Community Mental Health Journal, 43(6), December 2007, pp.583-590.
- Publisher:
- Springer
To clarify the prevalence of depression in a rural community in Japan and to evaluate the social and familial risk factors for depression, with the goal of suicide prevention, a questionnaire survey was conducted on a total of 2,763 elderly persons. The determined prevalence of depressive symptoms (Zung’s self-rated depression scale score of 50 points or more) was 10.4%. Logistic regression analysis showed associations between depressive symptoms and age, absence of a friendly companion, irritation with one’s family, frequent loneliness, the opinion that stress has a large impact on one’s life, suicide ideation, and poor subjective physical and mental health.
Cognitive impairment as a strong predictor of incident disability in specific ADL-IADL tasks among community-dwelling elders: the Azuchi study
- Author:
- DODGE Hiroko H.
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 45(2), April 2005, pp.222-230.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
In a 3-year follow-up of community-dwelling elderly persons in Azuchi, Japan, this study assessed cognition by using the Hasegawa Dementia Scale. The study examined (a) the cross-sectional association between cognitive impairment and functional disability in each ADL–IADL item; (b) cognitive impairment as a risk factor for incident disability in each ADL–IADL item, through logistic regression models; and (c) probabilities of incident loss of ADL–IADL abilities or death in 3 years, using multinomial logistic regression models. The population attributable risk of cognitive impairment on incident loss of task-specific ADL–IADL abilities was also calculated. Cross-sectionally, the severity of cognitive impairment was associated with disability in each ADL–IADL task, with larger effects shown for ADL items. Longitudinally, minimally or mildly cognitively impaired individuals had a significantly higher risk of losing functional abilities compared with those with intact cognition. The study concludes that cognitively impaired subjects are heterogeneous; the severity of cognitive impairment has a different impact on incident loss of task-specific ADL–IADL abilities, and comorbidities could affect disabilities differently.
Elderly suicide: a multi-national view
- Authors:
- PEARSON J.L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 1(2), May 1997, pp.107-111.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Males aged 75 and older have the highest rates of suicide in nearly all industrialized countries. A fairly consistent pattern of risk factors for elderly suicides includes major depression diagnoses without comorbid substance use, and comorbid physical illness. Older suicides also demonstrate greater lethality of self-destructive behaviours compared to younger groups. This article summarises research findings and recent prevention efforts from several nations.
Socioeconomic factors and the risk of cognitive decline among the elderly population in Japan
- Author:
- OKAMOTO Shohei
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 34(2), 2019, pp.265-271.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Aim: In Japan, with the largest percentage of population aged 65 years or over, a dementia strategy is needed not only from a medical perspective, but also from a social policy viewpoint. This study aimed to verify the association between socioeconomic factors and cognitive decline among Japanese elderly people. Methods: Cognitive decline was assessed over a 15‐year follow‐up period using memory tests or through identifying missing/proxy responses to survey questions due to cognitive dysfunction. The author analysed 1886 men and 2102 women in Japan, using competing risk models for cognitive decline, to consider survival effects. Survival effects have not been considered so far although those who live longer may be more likely to experience cognitive decline. Results: Men with higher income had a lower risk of cognitive decline (sub‐hazard ratio [SHR]: 0.997, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.995‐0.999). Women with higher education had a lower risk of cognitive decline: 8 to 9 years (SHR: 0.646, 95% CI: 0.457‐0.914) and ≥12 years (SHR: 0.360, 95% CI: 0.164‐0.794) than women with 0 to 7 years of education. Conclusion: This study suggests that cognitive decline among the elderly Japanese population is associated with socioeconomic factors, such as income and education, even after taking survival effects into account. (Edited publisher abstract)
Gender differences in the contributions of risk factors to depressive symptoms among the elderly persons dwelling in a community, Japan
- Authors:
- KATSUMATA Yuriko, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 20(11), November 2005, pp.1084-1089.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The aim was to examine the relative importance of risk factors associated with depressive symptoms and gender differences in exposure to the risk factors among the elderly persons living in the community. The data came from the Minamifurano-town Aging Study, a community-based sample of non-institutionalized elderly persons aged 65 years or older. Of the 731 eligible subjects, 665 were assessed for four domains of the potential risk factors (demographic characteristics, health and disability, stress, and social networks) and depressive symptoms according to the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The mean overall GDS-score was 10.9 (SD 6.2), 10.2 (SD 6.0) in men and 11.6 (SD 6.4) in women. The stress domain in men and the health and disability domain in women contributed most to the explanation of the variation in the GDS-score. Stress for men and health and disability status for women were important factors associated with depressive symptoms. Future studies should determine whether modification of these factors may prevent depression among the elderly persons living in the community.
The long term care insurance law in Japan: impact on institutional care facilities
- Authors:
- IKEGAMI Naoki, YAMAUCHI Keita, YAMADA Yukari
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 18(3), March 2003, pp.217-221.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Following the introduction of the public long-term care (LTC) insurance in Japan on 1 April 2000, funding that had been split between the health and social welfare sectors was unified. All elderly people 65 and over have become entitled to receive benefits according to their eligibility level, regardless of income or family support. Except for those assessed as in the least dependent group, individuals can choose either community care or institutional care, with only the cost of food an additional payment for the latter. Despite the structural changes, the impact of the new programme has had minimal impact upon the providers of institutional care. The three types of facilities that had provided LTC have continued to function independently, basically retaining the same staffing requirements and charges. For indicators adjusted for risk, the quality of care tended to be higher in designated LTC hospital beds. Appropriate balance between institutional and community care and triaging among the three different types of facilities remains difficult because decisions rest with the individual. Indicators of quality must take into account differences in case-mix among the facility types