ABSTRACT
This study attempted to clarify the effects of 3- and 6-month comprehensive health education programs based on hot spa bathing, lifestyle education and physical exercise on physique, psychological vigor, blood properties, pains in the knee and back, and mental and psychological aspects of women. We examined middle-aged and elderly women who were randomly divided into two groups and followed up until six months and one year later, respectively.<br>Spa programmers, an exercise instructor, and a dietician instructed subjects to one hour of life-style education and physical exercise (lecture on behavior modification, walking, rhythmic exercise, cooking practice, etc.) and one hour (including time for changing clothes and washing body) of a half bath (salt spring, temperature at 41.5) once a week. The program for the 3-month group (n=19) was repeated in the 6-month group (n=14).<br>The evaluation items were BMI, PWC75%HRmax (by a bicycle ergometer as aerobic capacity), blood properties (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, arteriolosclerotic index, uric acid, and HbAlc), profile of mood states, self-rating depression scale, subjective happiness, and pains in the knee and back.<br>Compared with pre-intervention data (26.3±3.6), the BMI decreased significantly (p<0.05) immediately after the intervention (25.7±3.5) and at the follow up six months later (25.7±3.3) in the group of 6-month intervention. In addition, the PWC75%HRmax, HbAlc, pains in the back, vigor, depression, and subjective happiness remained significantly improved (p<0.05), as measured at the 6-month follow-up. On the other hand, some of the items improved in the 3-month intervention group immediately after the intervention, but returned to nearly the same levels as those before intervention at the 1-year follow-up. Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in the PWC75%HRmax, HbAlc, and fatigue between the two groups, all of which were improved in the 6-month intervention group.<br>These results suggest that a low frequency, once-a-week intervention requires duration longer than three months to maintain the effects, and that the effects should be monitored over years for a correct assessment.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to examine how constitutions, blood profiles, knee and back pain, and the psychological state of middle-aged and elderly women were influenced by comprehensive health education that consisted of instructions in appropriate ways of bathing in hot springs and education on lifestyle and exercise.<br>Of the middle-aged and elderly female residents in village A in Nagano prefecture, 266 underwent health check-ups in August and September 2002. Fifty-six of these women voluntarily participated in this study, and were divided into an intervention and a control group randomly. Finally, the intervention group and control groups consisted of 22 and 26 subjects, respectively, who were considered suitable for study purposes.<br>The intervention group received comprehensive health education once a week for 3 months (total 11 times) between the latter part of September and the middle of December. For the comprehensive health education, subjects participated in hot spa bathing in a salt spring for 20 minutes in all (two 10-minute periods), and lifestyle education and exercise, including stretching, walking, light sports, dietary instruction, etc., during 60-minute sessions. After the series of comprehensive health education was completed, the following improvements were noted in the intervention group. As to blood profiles, the plasma level of uric acid significantly decreased from 4.4±1.1mg/<i>dl</i> to 4.1±1.1mg/<i>dl</i> (p<0.05) and the arterioloscerotic index decreased from 2.85±0.90 to 2.68±0.83 (p=0.07). The intensity of lumbago expressed on a visual analogue scale significantly decreased from 23.5±28.4% to 14.2±21.5% (p<0.01). The intensity of psychological tension decreased from 45.3±6.3 points to 43.2±6.0 points (p=0.06). The mean number of comprehensive health education sessions attended was 9.9±1.4 (range 7 to 11). The number of improvements implemented with regard to a healthy lifestyle significantly increased (p<0.05). Behavior of the subjects in the intervention group appeared to have changed towards a desirable lifestyle.<br>The results of this study show that even intermittent and brief health education combining “hot spa bathing and lifestyle education and exercise” is effective to maintain and improve health of middle-aged and elderly women.