Factors Affecting Pulmonary Function in the Elderly Ex-Smokers

BACKGROUND: The elderly ex-smokers are not free from the effect of previously exposed smoking, and have a tendency to participate in health promoting behavior eagerly. This study was designed to evaluate factors that affect pulmonary function in the elderly ex-smokers. METHODS: The ex-smokers with normal chest radiological findings who visited Seoul National University Hospital Health Promotion Center were analyzed. The effect of various factors including age, height, smoking amount, and duration of smoking cessation on pulmonary function indices were analyzed with bivariate correlation analysis. Multiple regression analysis was performed using factors indentified significant in bivariate correlation tests. RESULTS: Multiple regression analyses were done for the all age group and the elderly group. Factors significantly affecting Forced vital capacity(FVC) were height,age and duration of smoking cessation for both grroups. Smoking amount was not significant. Forced expiratory volume in 1 second(FEV1) was significantly influenced by height, age, duration of smoking cessation, and smoking amount for both group. In the all age group, peak expiratory flow(PEF) was siginificantly influenced by age, regular exercise, and duration of smoking cessation. In the elderly group, PEF was significantly affected by height, age, regular exercise, and duration of smoking cessation. The factors significantly affectiong FEV1/FVC were age, smoking amount in the all age group, and regular exercise, smoking amount in the elderly group. CONCLUSION: Smoking amount was a significant factor decreasing FEV1 in the elderly ex-smoker. Duration of smoking cessation was significant in normalization of pulmonary function indices in both the all age group and the elderly group. It is inferred that smoking cessation is beneficial in reversing the adver sely affected pulmonary function indices even in the elderly.

Factors related with amount of stress in the elderly

BACKGROUND: Functional status is important in the elderly and stress is highly related with functional status. This study was designed to evaluate the factors related with stress amount of the elderly. METHODS: The questionnaires for stress amount and health related factors were asked to the elderly who visited Health promotion center of Seoul national university hospital before health examination. Chi square-test, analysis of covariance were constructed to explore the factors related to stress amount. RESULTS: Mean age is 65.2+/-4.0 years and the proportion of the male is 54.9%. The frequency of severe stress is 10.4%, frequency of moderate is 26.5% and frequency of mild is 63.1%. The variables related to the stress are sex, marriage status, education status, average income, exercise, smoking, alcohol, subjective health cognition, satisfaction on life, disaster and personal loss and disease (anemia, hyperthyroidism). CONCLUSION: We conclude that sociodemographic characters, family factors, health behaviors, psychologic factors and biomedical factors are all related to the stress amount.