The health impact of an innovative summer camp for older adults: a pilot study using an interdisciplinary collaborative approach.

BACKGROUND: Healthy aging with dignity and aging in place are important for Taiwanese individuals. Although Taiwan did not experience COVID-19 outbreaks prior to May 2021, many older adults have been encouraged to stay at home since the beginning of the global pandemic in January 2020. Such shelter-in-place recommendations have resulted in significant lifestyle changes, limiting activities associated with aging with dignity such as exercise and community engagement. Few studies have explored how to promote or maintain holistic health practices and physical fitness in older adults residing in rural communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This pilot study aimed to establish an interdisciplinary collaboration with community care workers (CCWs) and evaluate the impact of an innovative summer camp (ISC) program for older adults residing in rural areas. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre-post-test design with an interdisciplinary collaborative approach was implemented. The ISC program was based on a standardized protocol of modified Baduanjin exercise combined with three recreational breathing games. Participants were recruited from three community centers around the western coastal region of Yunlin County between June and August 2020. The ISC program was designed and executed by a nurse-led health promotion research team that collaborated with trained CCWs for 90 min per day, five days per week, for 12 weeks. Participants and CCWs wore facemasks during all activities. Paired t-test was used to measure changes in physical biomarkers, pulmonary lung function, and health-related fitness changes. RESULTS: Sixty-eight participants completed the ISC program. The ISC program significantly improved the participants' physiological biomarkers and health-related fitness, including reduced body weight, waistline, and systolic blood pressure, and increased forced vital capacity, biceps arm flexion, and ability to sit and stand from a chair, step with a knee up in situ, and stand on one foot with eyes open. Most participants reported that they felt happy, satisfied, and hoped that this program would be continued in their community center. CONCLUSIONS: This interdisciplinary, collaborative ISC program improved physical biomarkers and health-related fitness in older adults. Despite limitations, results strongly suggested that primary healthcare providers and CCWs can employ the described ISC program to promote wellness in older adults.

Lung function impairment and cardiometabolic risks among rural adults: implication for an aging society.

BACKGROUND: Early detection and prevention of cardiometabolic risk factors in an increasingly aging society are a global public health concern. Maintaining adequate lung function is important for healthy aging. Few studies exist on lung function impairment and decline in primary healthcare settings, especially among rural adults with cardiometabolic risks. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of impaired lung function and its association with cardiometabolic risks among rural adults. METHODS: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted between March and December 2019 in western coastal Yunlin County, Taiwan. The lung function test was measured by spirometry, based on the American Thoracic Society recommendations. Three lung function parameters were obstructive lung impairment, restrictive lung impairment, and mixed lung impairment. Restrictive, obstructive, and mixed type lung function was categorized as impaired. Cardiometabolic risk factors and metabolic syndrome were based on the national standard and include five abnormal biomarkers, including abdominal obesity, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, and decreased high-density cholesterol levels. RESULTS: The median age of the 1653 (92.9%) participants with complete data was 66 years (interquartile range: 55 to 75 years). The prevalence of impaired lung function was 37%, including 31.7% restrictive, 2.5% obstructive, and 2.7% mixed type. Adults with impaired lung function (86% restrictive type) engaged more in smoking and betel nut chewing, ate fewer vegetables and fruit, and drank less water compared to the normal lung function group. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cardiometabolic risk factors were independently associated with restrictive lung impairment, while cigarette smoking (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.14-4.53) and betel nut chewing (OR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.09-5.01) were significantly associated with the obstructive type of lung impairment. CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of restrictive lung impairment, cardiometabolic risks, and unhealthy lifestyles among rural adults were found in this study. For adults with cardiometabolic risks in rural areas, initiating lifestyle modifications with culture-tailored programs to improve lung function should be an important issue for clinicians and primary healthcare providers.

Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Cardiometabolic Risks and Lung Function Impairment among Middle-Aged Women in Rural Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to explore the prevalence of and factors associated with cardiometabolic risks and lung function impairment among middle-aged women. METHODS: A nurse-led community health development and cross-sectional study design was applied in Yunlin County, Taiwan. Lung function test was performed by a certified technician using a valid spirometer, during annual community health checkups conducted by a collaborating local hospital. Lung function impairment and cardiometabolic risks were measured and defined, based on the medical diagnosis and the national standard, by the hospital. RESULTS: From a total of 439 middle-aged women, the prevalence of lung function impairment and metabolic syndrome were 26% and 47.2%, respectively. Many women adopted few health habits, e.g., only 30.5% engaged in regular exercise. A significant association between lung function impairment and four cardiometabolic risk factors (p < 0.05) was found. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that adopting few exercises (OR = 0.56, 95% CI 0.36-0.87) and lung function impairment (OR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.34-3.35) were independently associated with metabolic syndrome, after adjusting for confounding factors, such as age and education. CONCLUSIONS: The findings revealed that middle-aged women have a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risks and lung function impairment. Lung function impairment and physical inactivity were independently associated with an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome.