Japanese Journal of Health and Human Ecology

National health policy in Japan focuses on increasing physical activity from childhood to older adulthood in order to promote lifetime health. However it is not certain whether active children would continue to be active through adolescence and adulthood until older age. The purpose of this study is to evaluate retrospectively the relationship between physical activity in childhood and health-related habits including exercise in older adulthood. 203 women aged 73-91 years who lived in their own homes completed questionnaires about their perceived skill at eight kinds of play/games (beanbags, bouncing ball, jumping elastic band, jumping rope, run-race, iron bar, vaulting horse, dodge ball) in childhood and current health-related habits concerning from cooking to exercise. Those who perceived themselves to be ‘good’ at ‘iron bar/vaulting horse’ in childhood were found to be more likely to have an exercise (radio broadcasting calisthenics) habit than those of ‘poor’ (odds ratio=2.44, 95%CI 1.15-5.16, p=0.020) and those of ‘inexperienced’ (odds ratio=24.46, 95%CI 2.23-267.88, p=0.009). This result suggests the acquisition of motor skill at basic movements of whole body in childhood is important for the late life health through the maintenance of an exercise habit.

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Background : This study examined the community residents’ confidence in spending their end-of-life period at home, as well as the factors associated with the confidence.
Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional survey in two municipalities of the Fukuoka prefecture. In total, 1,800 community residents aged 20 to 79 received an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Participants responded their confidence in spending their end-of-life period at home, assuming they had a life expectancy of less than 6 months, had no physical pain, and needed caregiver assistance in their daily activities. After the participants’ characteristics were described, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with the confidence in spending the end-of-life period at home.
Results : In total, 1,168 valid questionnaires (64.9%) were returned. Among these, 195 (16.7%) respondents preferred their “home” and were confident in spending their end-of-life period at home. The result of the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed low confidence was associated with an older age and being male. On the other hand, a positive health status and the awareness of the availability of home care assistance from hospitals or medical clinics, as well as of 24-hour visiting nursing services, were associated with high confidence.
Conclusions : Sixteen point seven percent of the 1,168 participants stated they would feel confident in spending their end-of-life period at home. To enhance the community residents’ confidence, this study suggested the need to provide community residents with information about home care and medical services, which are available at home.

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