Predictors of Occupational Dysfunction in Community-Dwelling Female Older Adults

抄録

Background: Occupational dysfunction (OD) can become a major health problem for community-dwelling older adults. OD can be experienced by older adults despite the absence of an apparent medical diagnosis or disability. Therefore, OD may be a new health indicator in the field of preventive medicine.

Objectives: This study investigated possible predictors of OD in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Fifty-four participants (aged 63-94) in Japan completed a demographic questionnaire, the Classification and Assessment of Occupational Dysfunction Scale (CAOD), assessments of functional health (Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test, Timed Up & Go, Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire-Revised, and Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence), and responded about their subjective health (self-rated health). Only seven participants were men; therefore, male data were excluded from the analysis. Independent t-test and analysis of multiple regression model was performed to identify the predictors of OD.

Results: The results of the independent samples t-test shows that the OD group correlated to a significant younger age, more negative automatic thoughts, and better social engagement in older women. The results of the multiple regression analysis showed that negative automatic thoughts was a significant predictor of OD among older women.

Conclusion: Negatively evaluating stressful events related to occupational engagement may be associated with OD. It may be useful to assess, maintain, and improve negative automatic thoughts to prevent OD. The results of this study can provide an assessment perspective and intervention strategy focusing on occupations to occupational therapists active in the field of preventive occupational therapy.