Volume 2 Issue 4
Authors: Sachiko Makabe; Kimie Fujita; Kiyoko Makimoto; Kaoru Kozuka; Mayumi Miura; Taiki Kanno; Takeshi Masuda; Masaaki Mawatari
Abstract: The Japanese lifestyle includes activities with a greater range of hip motion, such as squat toilet and sitting on the floor. These activities increase the risk of hip dislocation for patients with total hip arthroplasty. However, research concerning the impact of Japanese lifestyle on quality of life for patients with total hip arthroplasty is limited. This cross-sectional study investigated lifestyle differences between two regions and quality of life related to Japanese lifestyle, controlling age and other covariates. Participants comprised 392 total hip arthroplasty patients with a postoperative period of one to seven years from major hospitals in northern (192 patients) and southern (200 patients) Japan. Participants were administered by the EQ-5D (assessing generic health-related quality of life), Oxford hip score (assessing hip-specific health condition), Japanese lifestyle difficulties (squat toilet, sitting on the floor, etc.) and lifestyle at home. The southern hospital sample retained more of a Japanese lifestyle compared to the northern hospital sample. Nearly 50% of participants reported some level of difficulty related to the Japanese squat toilet, although only a low percentage had it at home. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to predict the quality of life, and the final model retained the pain and function of the Oxford hip scores and Japanese squat toilet difficulty. The result indicates that physical environments outside of the house have an impact on quality of life for THA patients in Japan. Some aspects of the Asian lifestyle require a greater range of motion of the hip joint. In non-Western countries, regional differences in lifestyle and physical environments outside of their home need to be taken into consideration in discharge planning and rehabilitation. Further multinational comparison of the Asian lifestyle via prospective research is necessary, controlling pre-operative conditions.
Keywords: Japanese Lifestyle; Quality of Life; Total Hip Arthroplasty
Authors: Margaret M.L. PAU; Winnie K.W. So; Lorna K. P. Suen
Abstract: Purpose of research: Yoga has a remarkably long history originating in India. Numerous studies have shown its benefits to health. Given the ageing population, exploring the impact of yoga on the physical and psychosocial well-being of older people in Hong Kong is worthwhile in order to improve their quality of life. This study aims to examine the effects of yoga on the quality of life and functional performance of community-dwelling older people in Hong Kong. Methods: A 12-week quasi-experimental study was conducted with a two-group pretest-posttest control group design based on subject preferences. The subjects were selected based on the criteria that they must be community-dwelling older people aged 60 and above, yoga novices, able to speak Cantonese and cognitively sound. The assessment tools included Timed Up-and-go Test (TUGT) and One-leg Stand Test (OLST) to measure the functional performance and the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) was used to measure the quality of life. Altogether, 135 subjects were recruited from five community centres. The data for the main study were collected from July 2011 to January 2012. Results and conclusions: A total of 127 completed the main study, with the attrition rate of 5.9%. After 12 weeks of intervention, significant differences were found in the overall physical (p=0.015) and mental components (p=0.023) in the summary measures of SF-36 between the intervention and control groups. Significant improvement was likewise observed in TUGT (p<0.001) but not in OLST results (p=0.438) of the intervention group. Innovation: A 12-week yoga programme could improve the quality of life and gait speed of the participants. Positive information about the benefits of this exercise should be promoted.
Keywords: Yoga; Older People; Quality of Life; Functional Performance