Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this ecological study was to elucidate the relationship between disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) and community health activities and related parameters.
Methods: One hundred and seventy-nine municipalities in Hokkaido (Japan) were used as units of analysis. DFLEs in 65-year-old men and women (DFLE65) were considered dependent variables. Data on demographics, socioeconomic factors, health care environment, health activities, and public health nursing activities in each unit were considered independent variables. The correlation coefficients were calculated to identify independent variables potentially associated with DFLE65, after which multivariate linear regression analysis was performed.
Results: Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that a higher number of public health nurses per 100,000 individuals was significantly associated with increased DFLE65s in the entire population and in units with a population of <12,000. Cancer mortality and cancer screening rates were significantly associated with DFLE65s in males across all units. Public health nursing activities were associated with DFLE65s in females across all units.
Discussion: The results suggest that early detection and treatment of cancer are significantly associated with increased DFLE65s in males, whereas public health nursing activities are significantly associated with increased DFLE65s in females.
