Parkinson's disease (PD) causes troubles in everyday life with the progress of motor symptoms, and requires care all day as it becomes severe. As the physical function gradually declines, maintaining the quality of life (QOL) is an important issue for PD patients. This study aimed to clarify QOL-related factors in PD patients focusing on depression and Sense of coherence (SOC). We conducted an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey with PD patients. Relationship of QOL with depression and SOC was analyzed through covariance structure analysis. Of 185 questionnaires distributed, there were 146 valid responses (response rate; 78.9%).

Results showed that “Meaningfulness” (0.46, p＜0.001), which is an SOC subscale, and depression (-0.31, p<0.001) were each significantly associated with QOL. Additionally, the Barthel Index (0.13, p<0.05) and “Feel free to consult medical personnel” showed a relationship with QOL (0.13, p<0.05). SOC subscales of “Comprehensibility” (-0.36, p<0.001), “Meaningfulness” (-0.39, p<0.001), and Barthel Index (-0.16, p<0.05) were each associated with depression.

From these results, the importance of SOC as a factor related to QOL was demonstrated, suggesting that it is especially important to increase “Meaningfulness” of SOC to increase QOL.

Health is clearly influenced by socioeconomic status. However, few studies examine the relationship between socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors, mortality risk, and household income in Japanese working-age and retirement-age men. The purpose of this study is to clarify the associations between mortality risk and socioeconomic status in Japanese middle-aged men.

The subjects, 3,751 men aged 47-77 years, were separated into working-age and retirement-age groups. They were administered a questionnaire assessing age, annual household income, occupation, education level, marital status, household size, physical exercise, medical examination, BMI, dietary habits, chronic diseases, smoking habit and alcohol consumption. Household income was classified into five quintile groups. The numbers of deaths were counted in the period from 2000 to 2011. Logistic regression and Cox hazard models were used to test for statistical significance.

Men in the lower household income group showed significantly increased mortality risk which were related to unemployment rate, dissatisfaction with work, rates of living alone and of unmarried status, and significantly lower education levels in both age groups. In the working-age group, lower household income men had a significantly higher current smoking rate and a lower physical examination rate.

This study provides evidence that household income is an important contributor to mortality risk and social inequalities, and the income has a stronger effect on working-age men than on retirement-age men.