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Background: To investigate factors that have an impact on the risk of falls and determine whether radiographic knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a factor involved in falls independent of knee pain, psychological factors, and physical function. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 1083 subjects for the 2009 Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in the Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS). A logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between radiographic KOA and fall history. Results: Fall history was significantly associated with the severity of knee pain. Compared to subjects with no knee pain, the odds ratio (OR) was 1.53 times higher in the subjects with mild knee pain (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–2.25), 1.69 times higher in those with moderate knee pain (95%CI: 1.03–2.79), and 2.98 times higher in those with severe knee pain (95%CI: 1.67–5.30). In subjects with depression, the OR was 1.91 (95%CI: 1.25–2.92), and in those with decreased mobility, the OR was 1.70 (95%CI: 1.08–2.69). Age, gender, knee crepitus, BMI, OLST, and sleeping pill use were not significantly associated with fall risk. In a multivariate analysis, radiographic KOA severity was not significantly associated with fall risk (OR 0.81, 95%CI 0.44–1.50 in mild OA; OR 1.10, 95%CI 0.57–2.14 in severe OA). Conclusion: Knee pain, decreased mobility, and depression, but not the radiographic KOA severity, were significantly associated with a fall risk. Regardless of the individual's radiographic KOA severity, the risk of falls may be reduced by treating his/her knee pain, mobility problems, and/or psychological factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Dysphagia is a problem typically associated with aging. The aim was to investigate the relationship between dysphagia and motor function using a simple assessment method that can be performed in the community setting, and to promote the early detection and prevention of dysphagia. Methods: Data from the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS) were used. Those aged ≥65 years were included. Motor function was assessed using a grip strength test, single limb standing test (SLS), and timed up and go test (TUG). Swallowing function was assessed using the Japanese version of the 10‐item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT‐10). The association between motor function and swallowing function was analyzed. Results: In total, 1732 participants were included. In logistic regression modes in which grip strength, SLS, and TUG results were included separately, the odds ratio for dysphagia increased by 1.08 (P = 0.001) for each 1‐kg decrease in grip strength, and increased by 1.15 (P < 0.001) for each 1‐s increase in TUG time. No association was found for SLS. In the model in which grip strength and TUG were included simultaneously, the odds ratio for dysphagia increased by 1.06 (P = 0.01) in grip strength, and increased by 1.11 (P = 0.009) in TUG time. Conclusion: Our results suggest that skeletal muscle strength and dynamic balance function are associated with dysphagia in community‐dwelling older people. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 603–608. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To verify the validity of the prediction of oral intake recovery for inpatients with aspiration pneumonia using the Hyodo‐Komagane score. Background: Patients admitted for treatment of aspiration pneumonia sometimes have difficulty in resuming oral intake due to decreased swallowing function. Predicting whether the swallowing function will recover enough to achieve oral ingestion at discharge is an important factor in developing a treatment strategy. No studies have investigated the prediction of oral intake recovery using videoendoscopic examination. Methods: Subjects were 65 patients who were admitted to an acute care hospital for the treatment of aspiration pneumonia. The patients were divided into two groups, the oral feeding group and the tube feeding group, according to their oral intake status at discharge or transfer. Logistic regression analysis was performed using the condition that tube feeding was not required as an objective variable and the items with significant differences between the two groups as explanatory variables. Additionally, the receiver operating characteristic curve was used to identify patients who could take food orally at discharge. Results: The odds ratios for the Hyodo‐Komagane score and the pharyngeal clearance score were 1.485 and 3.379, respectively. When the cut‐off values of the Hyodo‐Komagane score and the pharyngeal clearance score were 6 and 1, the sensitivity was 0.88 and 0.91, and the specificity was 0.64 and 0.70, respectively. Conclusion: The Hyodo‐Komagane score and especially the pharyngeal clearance score are useful indices to predict oral intake recovery for inpatients with aspiration pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to elucidate the actual activities conducted by public health nurses during their dispatch and their health status during and after dispatch to the three prefectures most severely affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. Sample A survey request was sent to a total of 2,237 facilities. Of these, 778 facilities returned questionnaires from dispatched public health nurses. Results The participants of this study were 1,570 dispatched health nurses who participated in activities mostly at evacuation centers, followed by evacuees' homes. After dispatch, an earlier postdisaster phase at the start of dispatch was independently associated with poor subjective well-being, low mood, worsened sleep state, and intense fatigue. Work hours per day were associated with poor subjective well-being and intense fatigue after dispatch. Conclusion Results suggest that the factor that most strongly affected the postdispatch health of the nurses was the phase that they began their dispatch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the northeastern part of Japan. Low back pain is thought to increase after a natural disaster and is related to various factors. The aim of this study was to examine the influencing factors of "Living environment" and "Subjective economic hardship" on new-onset of low back pain in the chronic phase for the survivors of the earthquake evaluated by a self-report questionnaire.Methods: A panel study was conducted with the Great East Japan Earthquake survivors at 2 and 3 years after the disaster. New-onset of low back pain was defined as low back pain absent at the 1st period (2 years after the earthquake) and present at the 2nd period (3 years after the earthquake). Living environment was divided into 4 categories (1. Living in the same house as before the earthquake, 2. Living in a prefabricated house, 3. Living in a new house, 4. Others: Living in an apartment, house of relatives or acquaintance). Subjective economic hardship was obtained using the following self-report question: "How do you feel about the current economic situation of your household?" The response alternatives were "Normal", "A little bit hard", "Hard", and "Very hard". A univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were used.Results: 1357 survivors consented to join this study. There was no significant association between new-onset of low back pain and living environment. There was significant association between new-onset of low back pain and "A little hard" (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.07-2.40), "Hard" (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.56-3.74), and "Very hard" (OR = 3.19, 95% CI = 1.84-5.53) in subjective economic hardship.Conclusions: Subjective economic hardship was significantly associated with new-onset of low back pain in the chronic phase for survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]