Factors associated with decreased physical activity levels among community-dwelling residents during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a long-term observational study.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the factors associated with decreased physical activity levels among community residents over a long-term observation period during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. [Participants and Methods] We conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire and daily steps as an indicator of physical activity levels. The study population consisted of 704 community-dwelling residents aged 40 years and older who participated in the health program from 2019 to 2020. We compared the daily steps from March-December 2019 to March-December 2020 and performed multivariate analysis to identify the factors associated with decreased daily steps. [Results] Of all participants, 447 (63.5%) returned the questionnaire and 309 (43.9%) were included in the analysis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 133 (43.0%) respondents had decreased physical activity levels. The multivariate analysis showed that working (odds ratio, 2.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.10-3.94) was significantly associated with decreased daily steps during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Conclusion] There was a significant association between decreased physical activity levels and working during the COVID-19 pandemic. When restrictive measures such as teleworking are implemented, it may be necessary to take measures to prevent a decline in physical activity levels.

Mental health training in family medicine residencies: International curriculum overview.

Integration of mental health into primary care has become a global trend, and many countries have developed mental health training in primary care. However, systematic mental health training for family physicians is insufficient in Japan. The newly established Japan Primary Care Association Mental Health Committee surveyed the current status of mental health training curricula in family medicine residency internationally. Participants were individuals involved in family medicine residency programs who were from Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The results revealed that many academic societies have created competency lists and curriculum guidelines for mental health training; however, the implementation varied. This study is novel as it examined and compared different countries' curriculum; the findings of which can be used as a reference to develop future mental health training curriculum in Japan.

Gender-Related Differences in Social Participation Among Japanese Elderly Individuals During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: The health of elderly individuals is known to benefit from maintaining societal involvement and relationships with other people, such as through social participation. We aimed to determine trends in the percentage of Japanese elderly people who engaged in social participation before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in one municipality in Japan, and compared differences in this status by gender. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Questionnaires were sent by mail to 3000 people aged 65 to 85 years who were randomly selected by the administrative staff of the city. Participant characteristics (age, gender, working status, residential status) and their economic status, daily physical activity, and social participation status were obtained at 3 time points: (1) before the COVID-19 pandemic in January 2020; (2) immediately prior to the declaration of a state of emergency in April 2020; and (3) in January 2021, 1 year after (1). RESULTS: A total of 1301 people responded to the survey. The mean age was 73.3 (SD 5.5) years, and 690 (53.0%) were women. There were significant gender differences in terms of living alone, employment status, and amount of physical activity. The number of people reporting social participation gradually decreased from 543 respondents (41.7%) at (1) to 319 (24.5%) at (2) and 251 (19.3%) at (3). Women were more likely to demonstrate reduced social participation. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly individuals, particularly women, reported decreased social participation during the pandemic.

Frailty and social participation in older citizens in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: This study examined the frailty status of older individuals in Japan at 1 year after the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic based on involvement in social activities before and during the pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed citizens aged 65 and 84 who did not require long-term care in January 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 3000 citizens in Kitaibaraki City, Japan. The questionnaire included social participation status in January 2020 and January 2021, the Kihon Checklist, working status, and economic status. We classified the respondents into the following groups: Nonparticipating, no participation at either time point; Discontinued, participation only in 2020; and Continued, participation at both time points. We compared the Discontinued and Continued groups in terms of Kihon Checklist items using the t-test. Results: Of 2963 individuals who received the questionnaire, 1307 (44.1%) returned it, and 1047 were analyzed. Of the respondents analyzed, 586 (56.0%) were in the Nonparticipating group, 254 (24.3%) were in the Discontinued group, and 207 (19.8%) were in the Continued group. On the Kihon Checklist, oral function and mood differed significantly between the Discontinued and Continued groups. The proportion of those with impairment in multiple categories of the Kihon Checklist was 12.3% in the Nonparticipating group, 5.5% in the Discontinued group, and 3.4% in the Continued group. Conclusions: Older individuals who continued participating in social activities at 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic might have a lower risk of frailty in terms of oral function and depressed mood.

Extreme snowfall and residential care: A case report of a 2-year-old girl with heart failure.

In residential care, the daily use of social networking services with patients (and patients' families) helps prepare for a potential disaster. This enables health workers to continue providing essential care even during disasters, while saving human and medical resources for those who need them the most.

Relationship between psychophysiological factors and prognosis for activities of daily living in patients with stroke in a recovery rehabilitation unit: a preliminary study.

[Purpose] The objective of the present study was to examine the factors, including physical and mental functions, that are associated with the prognosis for activities of daily living in patients with stroke in a recovery rehabilitation unit. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 13 patients with stroke who were admitted to the recovery rehabilitation unit of Tokai Memorial Hospital between March and October 2014 and followed up for 2 months. Their physical and mental functions were evaluated at the time of admission and the relationship between these functions and activities of daily living was assessed 2 months later. [Results] The activities of daily living at 2 months after admission showed a significant correlation not only with the severity of motor paralysis (R=-0.80) but mental function (R=-0.69) at the time of admission. No significant correlation was noted between the severity of motor paralysis and the mental function. [Conclusion] It is important to evaluate both mental function and severity of motor paralysis immediately after patients' admission to the recovery rehabilitation unit. Mental health intervention should be considered in the future to effectively improve subsequent activities of daily living.