Does Self-restraint Due to the COVID-19 Epidemic Reduce the Self-rated Frequency of Activity in Older Adults? / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

Introduction: Our aim was to examine the changes in the self-rated frequency of activities among elderly residents living in communities during the self-restraint period associated with the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: Regular outpatients aged 75 years or older who visited the hospital or clinic at the Center for Community Medicine in north-western Gifu prefecture between May 11 and May 22, 2020 were selected as participants. The frequency of outings, walks, outdoor exercise, indoor exercise, farm work, communication and interaction, such as at community salons, direct communication with friends and estranged family members, and remote communication by telephone and video calls was surveyed using a questionnaire method at four levels: "0 days", "1-2 days", "3-4 days", and "5 days to every day" per week in the two weeks prior to the visit and in the same period in the previous year.Results: In total, 292 people aged 75-95 years participated in the study. There was an increase in the number of respondents who reported a lower frequency of going out, walking, farming, outdoor exercise, home exercise, visiting community salons, and direct conversation than in the previous year. There was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05).Conclusion: In this study, the self-rated frequency of physical activity and social activity decreased among community-dwelling elderly due to the COVID-19 epidemic, suggesting a reduction in these activities.

Factors associated with the survival duration of elderly individuals aged ≥80 years who had undergone a health check-up / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

<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.

A survey of awareness and knowledge of human papillomavirus vaccination in schoolgirls and their parents / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

<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.