ABSTRACT
<b>Objective</b> : To determine the factors associated with the survival duration of elderly individuals aged 80 years and older.<br><b>Methods</b> : Forty three elderly individuals, aged ≥80 years, who had undergone a health check-up in Wara Village (Gujo, Gifu Prefecture) between 1991 and 1995 (baseline evaluation) were followed-up until March 31, 2011. The relationships between survival duration and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), history of hypertension or diabetes, serum total and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, and smoking status were analyzed.<br><b>Results</b> : The average age at baseline examination was 81.9 years. On Cox proportional hazards models, there was a significant correlation between survival duration and history of diabetes, but no such association was found for age, sex, BMI, history of hypertension, total and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, or smoking status.<br><b>Conclusion</b> : The present study suggests that a history of diabetes is associated with a shorter survival duration in those aged ≥80 years who had undergone health check-ups.
ABSTRACT
<b>Objective</b> : To investigate the knowledge of cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination amongst vaccinated schoolgirls and their parents.<br><b>Methods</b> : All schoolgirls age range 12 to 18 years who received HPV vaccination and their parents, answered a questionnaire concerning the knowledge of HPV, cervical cancer, and vaccine provision at nine primary care clinics in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.<br><b>Results</b> : A total of 66 schoolgirls and 57 parents completed the questionnaire. A large proportion of the schoolgirls received information from their schools and their families regarding HPV. Many parents derived information about HPV from their local governments, television commercials, and their children's schools. Half of the schoolgirls were concerned about their decision to receive the HPV vaccination. Fifteen percent of them were hesitant to receive the vaccination because of the fear of pain. However, none of them were concerned about possible infertility or miscarriage. Fifteen percent of the schoolgirls and fifty-four percent of the parents acknowledged that cervical cancer is caused by HPV. Forty-one percent of the schoolgirls and seventy-nine percent of the parents reported that cervical cancer is a sexually transmitted infection. Twenty-one percent of the schoolgirls and sixty-three percent of the parents knew that a medical examination exists for detection of cervical cancer, whereas seventy-one percent of the former and ninety percent of the latter reported that the schoolgirls should receive an appropriate medical examination.<br><b>Conclusion</b> : Currently, schoolgirls' knowledge of the HPV vaccine in the Gifu area of Japan is inadequate and therefore, it is imperative to provide better healthcare education.