The Relation between the Maintenance of Physical Functions and Social Interaction among Community-dwelling Elderly People: A Six-year Follow-up Study

抄録

[Purpose] This study was aimed at exploring relation between social interaction and maintenance of physical function for community dwelling elderly by six-year follow-up. [Subjects] This study enrolled all individuals aged from over 60 years to under 75 years living in a farming village (total population: 4,688, of whom 14.6% were farmers) neighboring a large city in the Chubu district of Japan. There were 113 males and 106 females, with a mean age of 65.72 ± 4.18 years. [Methods] We investigated the age, gender, and disease, social interaction, and physical function (mobility). The baseline study was conducted in 2002 with a follow-up in 2005 and 2008. The chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationships of maintenance of physical function with age, gender, and disease, and social interaction. Analyses were performed using the computer program SAS. [Results] The results of the present study indicate that maintenance of physical function related with social interaction. After 3 years, physical function was related to social interaction related, odds ratio (OR) 1.301 (95%CI 1.047-1.615). After 6 years, social interaction, age, and gender related, OR 1.238 (1.023-1.499), 1.247 (CI 1.104-1.408), 0.318 (0.118-0.857). [Conclusion] This study was explored the relation between social interaction and maintenance of physical function for community dwelling elderly. These in conjunction with more multiple analyses deserve further study. To examine the mechanisms of maintenance of physical function need to be determined in detail.