ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to examine topophilia in the elderly living in mountainous areas. Topophilia, which is the geographical concept invented by Yi-Fu Tuan in 1999, is defined as the affective bond between people and place or environmental setting. A total of 120 elderly subjects living in a mountainous area responded to a standardized, validated 9-item Life Satisfaction Index K (subjective well-being) developed by Wataru Koyano and a new structured 6-item questionnaire on topophilia. Factor analyses revealed two domains of topophilia (public emotion and private emotion toward the living place). Public emotion was the emotion of being hard to leave the living place. Private emotion was the emotion of not loving the living place. There were areas where the elderly had a lesser degree of attachment toward the present state of the elderly could hardly have a sense of well-being and attachments to the current domicile. It is considered that not only physical but also mental approach is necessary to support the daily life of the elderly living in the mountainous area. Also, we examined the influences of aging and the living place on a subjective well-being and topophilia. There was no significant correlation between age and subjective well-being, but there was significant positive correlation between age and the degree of topophilia (r＝0.234, p‹0.01). On the other hand, the degree of subjective well-being by the place of residence was significantly different (p‹0.001; ANOVA), and the degree of topophilia by the place of residence was not significantly different. These findings suggest that subjective well-being is not influenced by age but influenced by the place of residence, and topophillia is not influenced by the place of residence but influenced by age.
ABSTRACT
Background: Chronic infections, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Chlamydophila pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae), are known to contribute to atherosclerosis. However, the relationship of the infections to cerebral infarction is still controversial. Methods: The Jichi Medical School (JMS) Cohort Study, a prospective population-based study, investigated the risk factors of cardiovascular disease in Japanese community-dwelling populations. In 1999, we measured serum H. pylori IgG, C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA levels in 2,632 subjects. Logistic regressions were used to analyze associations between H. pylori and C. pneumoniae seropositivities and cerebral infarction. Results: A total of 2,243 subjects were followed up and, during 10.7-years, 64 developed cerebral infarctions, whose prevalence of H. pylori IgG, C. pneumoniae IgG and IgA seropositivities were 51.6%, 71.9%, and 67.2%, respectively. Among seropositive subjects, adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for cerebral infarctions were 1.04 (95% confi dence interval (CI), 0.58-1.87, P=0.89), 2.02 (1.03-3.95, P=0.04), and 1.35 (0.73-2.49, P=0.34) respectively, after adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting blood sugar, smoking, alcohol, and fi brinogen. C. pneumoniae IgG seropositivities in subjects aged > 65 years were associated with cerebral infarctions, whereas those in subjects aged < 65 years, were not. Conclusions: C. pneumoniae IgG was associated with cerebral infarction, C. pneumoniae IgA and H. pylori IgG were not.
ABSTRACT
<b>Objective</b> : To analyze and reveal the contents of medical questionnaires distributed to nationwide general practice outpatients prior to their initial medical consultations.<br><b>Method</b> : An observational study was conducted, based on questionnaire format. Sample questionnaires were collected from 85 hospitals registered with the Japan Primary Care Association.<br><b>Results</b> : No standard format was found among the samples. A4 size forms (210 mm×297 mm) averaging 19.7 questions were in the majority, accounting for 68%. The distribution frequency of questionnaires reported by research cooperation centers listed 28 items (31.8%) concerning medical history, 19 items (21.6%) related to lifestyle, and 7 items (8.0%) referring to social and reproductive status.<br><b>Conclusion</b> : This research assessed the qualitative value of medical questionnaires used in General Practice Clinics in Japan. The results indicate the nature of the medical information required by physicians prior to medical consultation.
ABSTRACT
<b>Background:</b> <i>Helicobacter pylori</i> (<i>H. pylori</i>) infection has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular risk factors by inducing chronic low-grade inflammation and by influencing endocrine and metabolic systems, as well as the immunological response evoked by the host. This study investigated the association between <i>H. pylori</i> infection and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in Japanese subjects.<br><b>Methods:</b> The study subjects were 2,632 (1,061 men and 1,571 women) living in rural areas in Japan. We checked <i>H. pylori</i> serum immunoglobulin G (IgG), HDL-C and other cardiovascular risk factors in 1999.<br><b>Results:</b> The overall prevalence of <i>H. pylori</i> seropositivity was 53.5% and increased with age. The prevalence was higher among men (58.3%) than women (50.3%). <i>H. pylori</i> seropositive women were more associated with decreased HDL-C than seronegative subjects (58.1±13.6 vs. 60.5±14.7, p<0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis with <i>H. pylori</i> seropositivity, age, body mass index (BMI), fibrinogen, blood glucose, and smoking and alcohol habits demonstrated that <i>H. pylori</i> seropositivity was a significant predictor of decreased HDL-C in women. In addition, there was a linear decrease in HDL-C with increments in the value of <i>H. pylori</i> antibody titer as a continuous variable in women. This association remained in <i>H. pylori</i> seropositive women aged ≥50 years. Moreover, <i>H. pylori</i> seropositive women with BMI <22 were associated with decreased HDL-C, whereas the association was not significant in women with BMI ≥22.<br><b>Conclusions:</b> We show that <i>H. pylori</i> seropositivity is associated with decreased HDL-C, especially in women with a lower BMI in rural areas of Japan.