都築 晃

BACKGROUND: In this study, we investigated subjective geriatric complaints (SGCs) as conditions regarding health concerns in community-dwelling older people and analyzed their frequencies with aging and relationships with other factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 10,434 older people living in a community with a representative aging population in Japan. A questionnaire was sent by mail to those who had not applied for formal care needs certification. The presence of and concern for symptoms common in old age were asked as SGCs, as were physical function levels, multimorbidity, and depression. Categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) of the symptoms was performed, and the association between the obtained components and other factors was analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 73.7 ± 6.1 years, and 52.5% were women. On average, they had 1.72 ± 1.57 SGCs, which showed a gradual increase with age. The results of the CATPCA revealed four components: SGC1, excretory/circulatory/swallowing complaints; SGC2, audiovisual complaints; SGC3, neurological complaints; and SGC4, musculoskeletal complaints. All SGC components were independently associated with physical function, multimorbidity, and depression. CONCLUSIONS: Each SGC showed various frequencies and differences along with aging, and SGCs were classified into four components that were thought to share a common background. These findings could contribute to the planning of better health management strategies for older people.

AIM: Subjective memory complaints (SMC) have attracted attention in recent years in relation to the early stages of dementia. However, it is not clear whether SMC are related to social and leisure activities. The aim of this study was to evaluate SMC in relation to activities in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A questionnaire inquiring about SMC and social and leisure activities was sent to 14 850 people aged ≥65 years residing in Toyoake City, as part of the Toyoake Integrated Care Study. After a preliminary analysis, we targeted respondents aged ≥70 years. Therefore, 6685 people were included in the analysis. Three question items were used detecting SMC: the feeling of a memory problem (SMC-1), memory loss pointed out by others (SMC-2) and difficulty in recalling today's date (SMC-3). Logistic regression was carried out to determine the relationship between SMC and activities. RESULTS: In response to SMC-1, 2 and 3, 45.3%, 13.3% and 23.5% participants, respectively, agreed with the statement. Social and leisure activities were negatively associated with SMC-2 and SMC-3, after controlling for confounding factors (SMC-2: odds ratio 0.76, 95% confidence interval 0.65-0.89; SMC-3: odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.70-0.90). However, a significant increase in participation in social and leisure activities was associated with a positive response to SMC-1 (SMC-1: odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.38). Conclusion A relationship was observed between SMC and social and leisure activities in community-dwelling older people, although differences in the impact of SMC were seen depending on the question asked. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2020; 20: 867-872.