BACKGROUND：Subjective walking speed has been shown to be a useful predictor of the risk of developing disease. However, the relationship between subjective walking speed and physical function has not been fully investigated. OBJECTIVE：The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between subjective walking speed, physical function, and functional capacity among community-dwelling older women. METHODS：Participants were 273 community-dwelling older women. Subjective walking speed was assessed using a four-point scale to answer the question, “Compared with people of the same age and sex, do you think your walking speed is faster?” Physical function was measured using maximum walking speed, grip strength, quadriceps muscle strength, one-leg standing time, the 30-s chair stand test, and the timed up-and-go test. The functional capacity was assessed using the Kihon Checklist. Cognitive and physical functions and the functional capacity were compared according to fast and slow subjective walking speed groups. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted using subjective walking speed as the dependent variable and all measured variables as independent variables. RESULTS：The slow subjective walking speed group had significantly lower cognitive and physical functions and a significantly higher proportion of those with limited functional capacity. The binomial logistic regression analysis identified maximum walking speed as an independently relevant factor, with an odds ratio of 1.04（95% confidence interval: 1.02-1.05）for subjective walking speed. CONCLUSION：Subjective walking speed can be used as a surrogate indicator of maximum walking speed among older female community residents.

BACKGROUND：Recently it has been pointed out that the specialties and roles of occupational therapists（OTs）have become diverse and unclear. It may lead to an identity crisis of the OTs. Therefore, a number of studies regarding the professional identity of OTs（OTPI）were conducted in these years. OBJECTIVE：In this study, a scoping review was conducted to identify the current status and issues of OTPI in Japan. METHODS：To ensure validity, three OTs conducted a scoping review-based analysis using the Ichushi Web and CiNii Articles databases. RESULTS：It is only in these years that research on OTPI were conducted since 2018, therefore, this field of research seems to be new. The OTPI definition emphasizes the importance of an individual’s professional sense and identity being influenced by interactions with professional groups. The studies on diverse participants with varying experience levels and workplace environments suggest that those factors have impact on OTPI. In several studies, reliable scales for young OTs in the field of physical disabilities have been developed. CONCLUSION：The reviewed literatures gave some details of the relatively recent emergence of OTPI research in Japan. These literatures all emphasized the importance of interpersonal interactions in OTPI formation. However, in this study, a comprehensive definition of OTPI proved difficult to formulate due to the diversity within occupational therapy professions. Ongoing verification efforts, including in-depth subject analyses and longitudinal studies, are essential for further development of reliable scales.

BACKGROUND：Chewing impacts many health conditions. While recent research has shown that young people’s chewing ability is declining, few studies have reported the relationship between chewing status and lifestyle, fatigue and depression levels in younger generations. OBJECTIVE：This study aimed to investigate the relationship between subjective chewing status and fatigue and depressive status among college students. METHODS：An online survey was disseminated among college students aged 20‒25. Survey items gathered information on basic demographics, lifestyle, subjective chewing status, subjective symptoms of fatigue, and a questionnaire on depressive status（Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression［CES-D］）. The relationships between subjective chewing status and lifestyle, subjective symptoms of fatigue, and CES-D score were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis after divided the participants into two groups, using the median of the total score for subjective symptoms of fatigue and 16 points as the cutoff for CES-D. RESULTS：Significant differences were found between groups in the relationships between subjective chewing status and subjective health status, nutritional balance of meals, mealtime regularity, bedtime, sleep status, and exercise habits. The better the subjective chewing status, the more people adopted a good lifestyle. Better chewing status was significantly associated with lower obesity rate, fatigue and CES-D scores. Regarding bad chewing status, the adjusted odds ratio was 2.30（95% confidence interval［CI］ : 1.33-3.97） for subjective fatigue and 2.62（95%CI：1.28-5.33） for depressive status. CONCLUSION：College students with better chewing status exhibited better lifestyle habits and lower obesity rate, subjective symptoms of fatigue and depressive status.

BACKGROUND：Rowing provides physical and mental benefits, even for individuals with disabilities. However, the specific benefits for athletes with intellectual impairments remain unclear. OBJECTIVE：This study aimed to investigate the positive physical and mental impacts of rowing on athletes with intellectual impairments. METHODS：Four athletes with intellectual impairments and their mothers were included in the study. Athletes completed the WHO QOL26 questionnaire via an online survey. These WHO QOL26 scores were compared to those of university students with autism spectrum disorder and able-bodied people. Furthermore, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with the mothers, and the interview data were analyzed using the KJ method. RESULTS：The mean WHO QOL26 scores for physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains were 3.21 ± 0.34, 2.88 ± 0.25, 3.08 ± 0.08, and 3.47 ± 0.37, respectively, with an overall QOL and general health of 3.25 ± 0.25. Analysis of the interview data generated 63 codes, 45 subcategories, 12 middle categories, and 5 higher-level categories: “Improved interpersonal skills,” “Enhanced independence,” “Increased self-esteem,” “Improved rowing skills,” and “Heightened motivation for growth.” CONCLUSION：Rowing positively imbued athletes with intellectual impairments with interpersonal skills, independence, rowing skills, growth motivation, and self-esteem. Additionally, it is expected that high self-esteem in individuals with intellectual impairments is associated with an improvement in their quality of life.

BACKGROUND：Adequate measures to address shoulder stiffness among nursing care staff have not been implemented, and many care nursing care staff may suffer from shoulder stiffness symptoms caused by daily physical caregiving tasks. OBJECTIVE：In the present study, we examined the prevalence of self-reported shoulder stiffness among nursing care staff and its association with the types of caregiving tasks. METHODS：A survey of 1,214 nursing care staff at long-term care facilities assessed the prevalence of self-reported shoulder stiffness. Chi-square tests and residual analysis were used to compare prevalence by sex and age group（≤39 years vs. ≥40 years）. A questionnaire examined work-related factors, and their association with shoulder stiffness symptoms was analyzed by age group using the same statistical methods. RESULTS：Valid responses were obtained from 973 participants, of whom 755（77.6%） reported shoulder stiffness. The prevalence of shoulder stiffness was significantly higher in women（83.0%）than in men（65.9%）. Residual analysis revealed that a higher proportion of women aged 40 years and older reported shoulder stiffness（83.8%）. Individuals who were aware of poor posture, perceived a shortage of staff, performed frequent lifting motions, or had many tasks requiring bending at the waist were more likely to report shoulder stiffness. There were no other associations between other work-related factors and shoulder stiffness. CONCLUSION：Shoulder stiffness was highly prevalent among nursing care workers, especially in women aged 40 years or older. Both physical factors, such as caregiving tasks and posture, and psychological factors contributed to its development.

BACKGROUND：In examining the effectiveness of nutritional education, there have been reports on goal development according to the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, intervention methods, and post-intervention effects. However, there have been no reports of athletes as the participants. OBJECTIVE：We reviewed the published literature to examine assessment items that may serve as nutritional and dietary goals in nutrition education for athletes. METHODS：Based on the reporting guidelines for scoping reviews, we searched for literature published in Japanese journals from 2002‒2022 using ICHUSHI Web and CiNii Research. Among these, we selected those that included items for assessing quality of life（QOL）and health status（including nutritional status）, items for understanding nutritional and dietary factors, and those that included statistical analyses of nutritional and dietary support for athletes in Japan. The assessment indicators used in these studies were classified into frameworks based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. RESULTS：The review included 17 references selected from 844 references. The assessment items used in the literature included food-related QOL, physical measurements, urinalysis, blood tests, physical fitness, subjective health status, nutrient and other intake levels, food intake levels, cooking intake levels, food preparation-related behaviors, eating behaviors, information use, lifestyle, food knowledge, food attitudes, food skills, support from the surroundings, food access, and access to information. CONCLUSION：Items that could be targeted in nutrition education for athletes were organized into a framework based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model. However, the validity of these assessment parameters should be examined.