Search Results (58)

As Thailand transitions into a super-aged society, falls are a rising public health issue. However, limited research focuses specifically on independent older adults in rural areas. This study examined intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with falls among independent older adults in a rural district of southern Thailand, contributing to localized fall prevention strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted using multi-stage probabilistic sampling with 325 older adults aged 60–79 years residing in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Data were collected through structured interviews, and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify fall predictors. A fall was defined as an unintended fall to a lower level within the previous 12 months. The fall prevalence was 29.8%, with the majority resulting in minor injuries. Multivariate analysis revealed protective factors, including sociodemographic factors such as higher monthly income (adjusted OR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.30–0.74) and agricultural employment (adjusted OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.27–0.95), as well as the extrinsic factor of pet ownership (adjusted OR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.35–0.81), were significantly associated with reduced fall risk. The study highlights context-specific protective factors that could inform community-based interventions. Future research should assess causality and intervention effectiveness in broader populations. Full article

Background: In rapidly aging societies like Japan, socioeconomic status (SES) plays a critical role in shaping older adults’ health behaviors. Disparities in SES influence access to healthcare, engagement in health-promoting activities, and the adoption of digital health technologies. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on how SES affects health behaviors among older adults and highlights challenges in promoting equitable and sustainable healthcare in aging populations. Methods: A PubMed search was conducted for English-language articles published up to May 2025 using the keywords “socioeconomic status”, “older adults”, and terms related to health behaviors. Studies were included if they focused on individuals aged 65 or older and examined associations between SES and healthcare use, digital health, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), supplements, or lifestyle behaviors. Results: A total of 24 articles were identified. Higher SES—typically measured by income, education, and occupation—was consistently associated with an increased use of preventive services, digital health tools, CAM, and healthier lifestyle behaviors such as diet, physical activity, and sleep. In contrast, lower SES was linked to healthcare underuse or overuse, digital exclusion, and less healthy behaviors. Structural and regional disparities often reinforce individual-level SES effects. Comorbidity burden and shifting health perceptions with age may also modify these associations. Conclusions: SES is a key determinant of health behavior in older adults. Policies should focus on redistributive support, digital inclusion, and SES-sensitive health system strategies to reduce disparities and promote healthy aging in super-aged societies. Full article

Japan’s shift to a super-aged society is reshaping household carbon footprint (HCF) in ways that vary by age, income, and region. Drawing on a two-tier national–prefectural framework, we quantify the influence of demographic shifts on HCF and evaluate inequalities, and project prefectural HCF to 2050 under fixed 2005 technology and consumption baselines. Nationally, emissions follow an inverted-U age curve, peaking at the 50–54 s (2.16 tCO₂) and dropping at both the younger and older ends. Carbon inequality—the gap between high- and low-income households—displays the opposite U shape, being the widest below 30 and above 85. Regional HCF patterns add a further layer: while the inverted U persists, its peak shifts to the 60–64 s in high-income prefectures such as Tokyo—where senior emissions rise by 44% by 2050—and to the 45–49 s in low-income prefectures such as Akita, where younger age groups cut emissions by 58%. Although spatial carbon inequality narrows through midlife, it widens again in old age as eldercare and home energy needs grow. These findings suggest that a uniform mitigation trajectory overlooks key cohorts and regions. To meet the 2050 net-zero target, Japan should integrate age-, income-, and region-specific interventions—for example, targeted carbon pricing, green finance for middle-aged consumers, and less-urban low-carbon eldercare—into its decarbonization roadmap. Full article

Background: This study examines how social and geographical factors shape life satisfaction among older adults in South Korea, which became a super-aged society in 2024. As Korea moves toward implementing a nationwide integrated eldercare system by 2026, understanding the contextual determinants of wellbeing among older populations is critical for effective policy design. Methods: We use nationally representative survey data and apply a two-stage instrumental variable regression approach to address potential endogeneity in estimating the effects of key predictors on life satisfaction. Results: Subjective health and social connectedness are positively associated with life satisfaction. Physical activity shows context-specific effects, with notable differences between urban and rural areas. Surprisingly, greater accessibility to government services is linked to lower levels of physical activity, indicating a possible unintended consequence of well-intentioned policy measures. Gender differences are also evident: in urban areas, women report higher life satisfaction than men, whereas in rural areas, men report higher satisfaction than women. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for aging policies that are context-sensitive and socially inclusive. Policymakers should consider regional and gender-specific dynamics when designing programs to improve life satisfaction among older adults in a rapidly aging society. Full article

Japan is facing challenges associated with its super-aging society, including increased social security burdens and a rise in the elderly workforce due to a declining younger labor force. Extending the healthy life expectancy is one countermeasure, necessitating lifestyle improvements such as frailty prevention and ensuring adequate sleep duration. This study investigated the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV) and sleep duration among older adults (aged ≥ 65) using electrocardiogram (ECG) and three-axis accelerometer data from the Allostatic State Mapping by the Ambulatory ECG Repository (ALLSTAR) database, recorded between January 2019 and March 2021. Inclusion criteria required a sinus rhythm and recording durations ≥80%. Continuous 24 h ECG and accelerometer data were analyzed for 55,154 participants (mean age 76 ± 6). The results consistently showed significant differences in HRV metrics, including MRRI, SDRR, ULF, LF, HF, and LF/HF, across sleep duration groups (G1–G4). Short-sleep groups (G4) exhibited decreased MRRI and SDRR and increased LF/HF, suggesting active lifestyles but reduced HRV. Conversely, long-sleep groups (G1) showed increased MRRI and reduced LF/HF but exhibited age-related declines in SDRR and ULF. These findings indicate that both insufficient and excessive sleep may contribute to HRV reduction in older adults. This study provides critical insights for improving elderly lifestyles through tailored interventions in exercise and sleep management. Full article

Chronic constipation is more common in the elderly and associated with numerous diseases. For the diagnosis of chronic constipation in the elderly, it is essential to exclude constipation secondary to colorectal cancer or other causes. Chronic constipation in the elderly also often requires lifestyle modifications, as well as drug treatments because of the involvement of pathologies such as reduced colonic transport capacity and rectal hyposensitivity. Therefore, it is extremely important to evaluate the pathophysiology of both the colon and the rectum. Transabdominal ultrasonography (TUS) is a key technique for providing comprehensive medical care and allows simultaneous functional assessment and exclusion of organic diseases related to constipation such as colorectal cancer. Although several studies have reported the clinical utility of TUS for chronic constipation, which includes its simplicity, noninvasiveness, and low cost, the majority were in children. Thus, there are limited studies in adults. Herein, we review the utility of TUS for indirect assessment of colonic transit time using several TUS parameters that can be applied clinically, as well as treatment options for chronic constipation. The constipation index (i.e., mean transverse diameter of the colon), assessed by TUS, is a useful indirect indicator of colonic transit time. If the constipation index is <21.2, increased fiber or treatment with osmotic agents should be used. If the constipation index is ≥21.2, then the ratio of the left to the right lateral colonic diameters should be evaluated. If this value is ≥0.5, a secretagogue or bile acid transporter inhibitor should be administered. It is noteworthy that nursing care is becoming increasingly important in Japan’s super-aging society. A significant proportion of nursing care is provided to patients with chronic constipation, a cohort that is predicted to grow in the future. In these patients, fecal masses often remain in the rectum, which may require an enema or stool extraction. Therefore, it is important to assess both the presence of feces in the rectum and the consistency of the feces. Recently, portable ultrasound (US) devices equipped with artificial intelligence have been developed and used clinically for treatment of patients with chronic constipation in nursing care. Rectal findings using portable US devices can aid in selecting appropriate constipation treatments. Thus, portable US will likely become increasingly important as a next-generation examination device in nursing care. TUS (including portable US) is noninvasive, simple, and repeatable and will become a fundamental modality in the management of chronic constipation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Today, society has a growing interest in healthy aging. This study analyzed health concerns, leisure satisfaction, athletic passion, and intention to continue participating in leisure sports of various age groups as well as the elderly, and we empirically analyzed the differences. Methods: This study conducted a survey of 306 adult men and women who regularly participated in leisure sports. Frequency, correlation, and difference analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Results: The main findings indicated that older age groups showed higher levels of health concern, obsessive passion, and intention to participate in leisure sports than younger age groups, whereas younger age groups had higher levels of harmonious passion than older age groups. Conclusions: This study provides results through a comparative analysis that can indirectly enhance the quality of life by presenting practical alternatives to increase older adults’ participation in leisure sports activities amid the global aging trend. Full article

Urban growth is increasingly shifting from horizontal expansion to vertical development, resulting in skylines dominated by high-rise buildings. The post-construction operations and maintenance of these buildings are critical, requiring regular structural health monitoring (SHM) to proactively identify and address potential safety concerns. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has proven effective for monitoring building safety, but most studies rely on high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. The high cost and limited coverage of these images restrict their use for large-scale monitoring. Sentinel-1 medium-resolution SAR images, which are freely available and offer broad coverage, make large-scale SHM more feasible. However, studies on the use of Sentinel-1 SAR images for structural health monitoring, especially at large spatial scales, remain limited. To address this gap, in this study, Sentinel-1 SAR images and PS-InSAR technology are proposed for performing a comprehensive structural safety assessment of super high-rise buildings in the Guangzhou–Foshan Metropolitan Area (GFMA) and for analyzing the influencing factors. Our assessment shows that while the overall structural safety of these buildings is satisfactory, certain areas, including Pearl River New Town, central Huadu district in Guangzhou, and southeastern Shunde district in Foshan, exhibit suboptimal safety conditions. We verified these findings using GNSS data and on-site investigations, confirming that Sentinel-1 SAR imagery offers reliable accuracy for monitoring building structural health. Furthermore, we identified factors such as settlement in soft soil layers, the construction of surrounding (underground) infrastructure, and building aging, which could potentially impact building structural safety. The results demonstrate that Sentinel-1 SAR images provide a reliable, rapid, and cost-effective method for the large-scale monitoring of building stability, enhancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms and informing strategies to prevent potential safety crises, and also ensuring the sustainable development of society. Full article

Taiwan is currently an aging society and will be a super-aging society in the near future. The purpose of this research is to use two models of data envelopment analysis (DEA)—the slacks-based measurement (SBM) model and the dynamic slacks-based measurement (DSBM) model—to analyze the efficiency of long-term care (LTC) in Taiwan. This analysis aims to explore the current situation of LTC in Taiwan and provide policy recommendations for LTC. The computation empirical result on the LTC efficiency score presents that the DSBM model exhibits higher efficiency than the SBM model after considering the carry-over variable in the former model. The result from the SBM model indicates that Taiwan’s outlying islands display the worst LTC efficiency, but this result does not appear in the DSBM model. Lastly, these two models both indicate that the number of elderly people being serviced in institutions exhibits higher efficiency and lower slack than those serviced in homes in 2017 and 2018. This paper concludes that the DEA approach is a viable method for examining the performance of the LTC services system as Taiwan approaches a super-aged society. Full article

Background/Objective: Frailty is a significant health concern in the aging population, particularly in Japan’s super-aging society. Community-based interventions show promise in frailty prevention; however, their effectiveness requires further investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a continuous municipal rehabilitation program on frailty status and physical function in older adults living in suburban Japan. Methods: This prospective observational study included 52 participants aged ≥ 65 years (13 males and 39 females) who underwent assessments at baseline and after six months. Participants were divided into Pre-old (65–74 years) and Older (≥75 years) groups. Frailty was assessed using the Kihon checklist (KCL), and physical function was evaluated using the New Physical Fitness Test. Changes in frailty status, physical function, and KCL subcategories were analyzed. Results: Frailty prevalence decreased significantly from baseline to 6 months (21.2% to 7.7%, p = 0.018). In the Pre-old group, significant improvements were observed in the sit-up (p = 0.035) and six-minute walking (p = 0.017) scores. The Older group showed significant improvements in KCL lifestyle (p = 0.023) and physical function (p = 0.018). Seven of ten initially frailty participants transitioned to a non-frailty status after 6 months. Conclusions: The Co-Creative Well-being System was associated with a reduction in frailty prevalence and improvements in physical function, with age-specific benefits observed. This community-based approach presents a promising strategy for addressing frailty in aging populations. Full article

Objectives: The Republic of Korea is progressively becoming a super-aged society, emphasizing the need for regular physical activity among older adults because it has physical, psychological, and social benefits. Recently, increasing depression and suicide rates have been reported among older adults living alone. However, research that considers older adults’ living situations is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between health-promoting behaviors (HPB), physical self-efficacy (PSE), exercise adherence, and sports commitment among older adults aged ≥ 65 years who participated in sports activities and investigate the influence of their living situation. Methods: The participants were 452 individuals aged ≥ 65 who lived in the metropolitan areas of Chungcheong-do, Jeolla-do, and Gwangju Provinces, Republic of Korea, and who regularly participated in sports activities (men = 283, women = 169). This study was conducted from January to May 2024. Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire, and the collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and multi-group analysis. Results: Structural equation modeling showed that the research model was appropriate, and all five paths showed statistical significance. The identity of the model was verified in the multi-group analysis, but path coefficients differed between older adults living alone and those living with family members. HPB significantly affected PSE, exercise adherence, and sports commitment among both groups of older adults. However, the impact of PSE on exercise adherence and sports commitment was not statistically significant among older adults living alone. Conclusions: The results highlight the need to consider older adults’ living situations when establishing regular physical activity. Efforts should also be made to promote regular exercise participation among older adults living alone. Full article

The world is aging, and an increasing number of countries are becoming aged or super-aged societies. Japan has already become the world’s first super-aged society, with an aging rate of 29.1% of the entire population of the country. As of 15 September 2021, there were approximately 36.40 million people aged 65 years and over. The advent of the super-aged society has increased the possibility of multimorbidity and multiple disabilities (MMDs) in the elderly population. According to a survey by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the percentage of people with multiple disabilities of all people with physical disabilities has fluctuated between 4.0 and 7.0%, but rapidly increased to 8.9% in 2006 and 17.7% in 2016. This review aimed to establish the present status of MMDs and the rehabilitation for MMDs. In rehabilitation settings, patients with MMDs are more common than patients with a single disease or disability; however, evidence on MMD rehabilitation is insufficient. Inexperienced and unconfident medical professionals are overly cautious in providing rehabilitation; therefore, adequate rehabilitation is not provided. Furthermore, to respond to the rehabilitation needs of patients with MMDs, human resources need to be cultivated, and a scientific basis needs to be built. It is expected that MMD guidelines will soon be developed based on various case studies and surveys. In MMD rehabilitation, it is important to provide “wider, earlier, more intimate, and more connected rehabilitation”; for this, the training and cooperation of rehabilitation medical professionals is necessary. Full article

Objectives: As the Republic of Korea transitions towards a super-aged society, the health and mental well-being of older adults are emerging as critical issues. While many researchers are focusing on successful aging among older adults who participate in exercise, there is a research gap in the Korean literature regarding the preconditions that foster this outcome. Therefore, this study analyzed the relationship between satisfaction and exercise, physical self-efficacy (PSE), exercise adherence, and successful aging among Korean older adults who exercise regularly. Methods: The participants were 369 (234 male and 135 female) older adults aged 65 or older living in the Republic of Korea, with an average age of 69.91 years. Data were collected from March 2024 to June 2024 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. Results: There was no problem with the model fit. Satisfaction with exercise positively affected PSE (β = 0.317, p < 0.001), exercise adherence (β = 0.487, p < 0.001), and successful aging (β = 0.669, p < 0.001). PSE positively affected exercise adherence (β = 0.356, p < 0.001), and exercise adherence positively affected successful aging (β = 0.190, p < 0.05). Furthermore, PSE (β = 0.019, p < 0.01) and exercise adherence (β = 0.081, p < 0.05) mediated the relationship between satisfaction with exercise and successful aging. Conclusions: Satisfaction with exercise is important for promoting successful aging among Korean older adults who exercise. Satisfaction with exercise can increase their efficacy for performing physical activities and encourage them to continue exercising. This can ultimately lead to a happy life in old age. Full article

Marginal vitamin B6 (B6) deficiency is common in various segments worldwide. In a super-aged society, sarcopenia is a major concern and has gained significant research attention focused on healthy aging. To date, the primary interventions for sarcopenia have been physical exercise therapy. Recent evidence suggests that inadequate B6 status is associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia and mortality among older adults. Our previous study showed that B6 supplementation to a marginal B6-deficient diet up-regulated the expression of various exercise-induced genes in the skeletal muscle of rodents. Notably, a supplemental B6-to-B6-deficient diet stimulates satellite cell-mediated myogenesis in rodents, mirroring the effects of physical exercise. These findings suggest the potential role of B6 as an exercise-mimetic nutrient in skeletal muscle. To test this hypothesis, we reviewed relevant literature and compared the roles of B6 and exercise in muscles. Here, we provide several pieces of evidence supporting this hypothesis and discuss the potential mechanisms behind the similarities between the effects of B6 and exercise on muscle. This research, for the first time, provides insight into the exercise-mimetic roles of B6 in skeletal muscle. Full article

Worldwide, interest in healthy living has been increasing as people’s lifespans have lengthened, owing to interest in health and the development of the medical industry. The need for research on healthy lifestyles aided by sports activities for older adults is greater than before. This study aimed to compare and analyze constraints on participation in leisure sports and participation price sensitivity based on age groups in a super-aging society. From 22 May to 10 July 2024, in three community and sports centers, Korean adults over the age of 20 who regularly participated in leisure sports voluntarily responded to a questionnaire. Based on a quantitative research design using a survey with a convenience sampling technique, 305 collected survey responses were analyzed for validity, reliability, and exploratory factor analysis through SPSS 28. Additionally, one-way multivariate analysis of variance and the price sensitivity meter technique allowed us to analyze the differences in leisure participation constraints and price sensitivity among the groups. No statistically significant group differences were found in the health and social factors of leisure sports participation constraints. However, statistically significant differences were found for the cost and time factors. Finally, the price sensitivity meter technique found differences in price sensitivity in participating in leisure sports among the three age groups. This scientific analysis, aiming to expand older adults’ participation in leisure sports, provides objective data for the future. Full article