Biomedical subjects

Shosuke Suzuki

Publications and source records attributed to Shosuke Suzuki.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Factors associated with perceived health of very old inhabitants of Japan.

BACKGROUND: Perceived health or self-rated subjective health of the oldest inhabitants of Japan was studied to identify its associated impact on their lives. OBJECTIVE: The health status of the aged was evaluated to elucidate the correlation between their health complaints and perceived health status as expressed on a comprehensive rating scale. METHODS: A health questionnaire including the Todai Health Index (THI) was applied to 529 inhabitants of Central Japan, aged 85 years or older. THI is a symptom checklist composed of 130 questions. Twelve scale scores and two discriminant function values were calculated. Response rate was 99.8% (528/529). Other items included sex, age, prevalence of chronic disease and its treatment, marital status, academic career, and friendship. A question 'How is your health?' with five ordinal response options was used to assess perceived health. RESULTS: The mean values of THI scale scores of lie and aggression of poor (poor or extremely poor) perceived health were significantly lower than those of good (extremely good or good) perceived health. The mean values of other THI scale scores of poor perceived health except impulsiveness and nervousness in male subjects were significantly higher than those of good perceived health. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients between perceived health score and THI scale scores were all statistically significant. Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify significant factors predicting perceived health. THI scale scores of physical symptoms, depressive state, and irregular daily life were significant. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals in parentheses on each factor were 1.15 (1.07-1.23), 1.14 (1.02-1.30), and 1.15 (1.02-1.30), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Poor perceived health was significantly associated with irregular lifestyle, physical and mental complaints. Perceived health reflects the health status of the oldest inhabitants of Japan.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Perceived health as related to income, socio-economic status, lifestyle, and social support factors in a middle-aged Japanese.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the association of perceived health with socio-economic status, especially income, and social isolation and support in Japan. The purpose of this study is to clarify the associations among perceived health, lifestyle, and socio-economic status, as well as social isolation and support factors, in middle-aged and elderly Japanese. METHODS: Subjects were 9,650 participants aged 47-77 years who completed a self-administered questionnaire in 2000 in the second survey of a population-based cohort (the Komo-Ise study). The questionnaire included items on sociodemographic and socio-economic factors, social isolation and support, lifestyle, past history of chronic disease and perceived health. Perceived health was dichotomized into excellent or good health and fair or poor health. A logistic regression analysis was used to determine the odds ratios of socio-economic status, social characteristics and lifestyle in relation to self-reported fair or poor health. RESULTS: We found that household income, physical activity, sleeping, smoking habit, and BMI had a strong association with self-reported fair or poor health in middle-aged and elderly Japanese men and women. Male subjects tended to report fair or poor health as household income decreased. The results for women differed in that social isolation and low social support had a stronger association for self-reported fair or poor health than low household income. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that perceived health was associated with socio-economic and social characteristics among middle-aged and elderly residents in Japan.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Body mass index and mortality in a middle-aged Japanese cohort.

BACKGROUND: The relative risk of mortality in low and high body mass index (BMI) categories in various ethnic groups remains a controversial subject. METHODS: To examine the relationship between BMI and mortality, a population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in two areas of Gunma Prefecture, Japan, in 1993. A total of 5,554 men and 5,827 women aged 40-69 years completed a self-administered questionnaire and were followed up until the year 2000. The hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated by the Cox proportional hazards model for different BMI classes. RESULTS: During the seven year follow-up period, 329 men and 147 women died. As compared with those in the reference BMI category (22.0-24.9 kg/m(2)), men and women in the lowest BMI category (<18.5 kg/m(2)) had a HR (95% confidence interval [CI]) of death from all-causes of 2.66 (1.59-4.46) and 3.14 (1.38-7.13), respectively, and women in the highest BMI category (28.0+ kg/m(2)) had a HR of death of 3.25 (1.48-7.15), after adjusting for all possible confounding factors including smoking and after excluding deaths occurring during the first three years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: In this prospective study of a Japanese cohort consisting of subjects ranging in age from 40 to 69 years, the curve depicting the relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality was L-shaped in men and U-shaped in women.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Validation study on self-reported height, weight, and blood pressure.

Self-report data were compared with actual recorded data on height, weight, and blood pressure during health examinations to check for validity. The subjects were 1,823 persons, ages 40-68 years. Pearson correlations for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, height, weight, and Body Mass Index between data reported in 1993 and measurements made in 1991 were .63, .60, .96, .96, and .92, respectively. Pearson correlations for the same variables between the data reported in 1993 and the measurements made in 1992 were .73, .67, .97, .97, and .94, respectively. Self-reported values for height, weight, and Body Mass Index appear to be valid over years or so.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Dietary habits and selenium intake of residents in mountain and coastal communities in Japan.

We used a Simple Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFQ) in combination with other dietary approaches to estimate the selenium intake from different food groups based on the average long-term diet, in two rural communities in Japan, one in a mountain area and the other in a coastal area. The intake frequencies of rice and wheat products were significantly different in the two districts. The intake frequencies of fish, meat, and eggs, which are rich in selenium, were not significantly different. The mean dietary selenium intake, estimated from the SFFQ and the 24-h recall method, was 82.7 microg/d (n=234) (range 19.2-180.1 microg/d) in the mountain community. The mean dietary selenium intake estimated from the SFFQ and average value of the normal portion size was 118.0 microg/d (n=123) (range 22.6-255.3 microg/d) in the coastal community. These estimated mean values exceeded the Japanese RDA, although the range of daily selenium intake was large. In the mountain community, fish made the largest contribution to dietary selenium intake (48.2% of daily total), followed by eggs (24.3%), and meat (17.0%). In the coastal community, fish accounted for 57.7% of daily total selenium intake, followed by meat (17.5%), and eggs (16.1%). In both districts, the total contribution of rice and wheat products was around 10%. It was found that the contribution of fish to dietary selenium intake was high and the contribution of cereals was low among Japanese.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Population study on the prevalence of insomnia and insomnia-related factors among Japanese women.

BACKGROUND: To identify the effect of certain factors on insomnia in the general population. METHODS: A self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted among 648 Japanese women living in the residential area of a city. Age of participants ranged from 20 to 80 s. RESULTS: The crude prevalence of insomnia was 8.8%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with control for many confounding variables revealed that experiencing a major life event (OR=4.4, 95% CI=1.7-11.4, P<0.01), depressive state (OR=1.2, 95% CI=1.1-1.3, P<0.01), and 'relatively poor or poor' self-rated health (OR=3.2, 95% CI=1.0-10.1, P<0.05) were risk factors for insomnia. By contrast, there was no dose-response relationship between the distance of our subjects from a major road and prevalence of insomnia. CONCLUSIONS: The authors assume that depressive state by a major life event is closely associated with insomnia and that relatively poor self-rated health is also associated with stressful event and psychological distress. Although the noise from vehicles such as cars or motorcycles can affect the quality of sleep for subjects who live near a major road, in general the prevalence of insomnia did not increase significantly in this study.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Effect of air pollution on respiratory health in Indonesia and its economic cost.

A total of 16,663 pairs of junior high school students and their mothers in Indonesian cities were surveyed, using a self-administered questionnaire, to measure the effect of air pollution on respiratory health and the cost of associated illness. Multiple regression analysis showed that the prevalence rates of the symptoms of cough, phlegm, persistent cough, wheezing without a cold, and asthma, in the student and mother groups, were significantly correlated with the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emitted along large roads near their residences, and to a lesser extent with smoking. In Central Jakarta and Tangerang, where the average NO2 concentrations were highest (37 ppb and 31 ppb, respectively), reduction of NO2 to a proposed level of 25 ppb could yield savings in mean direct out-of-pocket expense per capita for treatment of the above symptom(s) of 15,639-18,165 Indonesian rupiah (6.80-7.90 US dollars), and reduce average work/school days lost per capita by 3.1-5.5 days.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Absence of specific symptoms in chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: No systematic research has been carried out on the symptoms of chronic hepatitis C, although the disease is believed to induce subjective symptoms such as fatigue or dullness in the legs. METHODS: The Todai Health Index has been developed as a symptom checklist that is used for screening particular diseases or for health management. The index was chosen as the most suitable questionnaire for measuring characteristic symptoms of chronic hepatitis C. Sixty patients with chronic hepatitis C who did not have any severe complications were compared with healthy control subjects who were selected randomly from the residents of Isesaki City, Gunma, Japan. RESULTS: The major findings were as follows: (1) male and female patients with chronic hepatitis C had no characteristic subjective physical symptoms when compared with the healthy controls, except for a significant difference in aggression, and (2) the severity of the hepatitis was not associated with the patients' symptoms after adjusting for age and treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with chronic hepatitis C who did not have any severe complications did not show specific subjective physical symptoms.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Copper in carrots by soil type and area in Japan: a baseline study.

The copper content in carrots cultivated in the Japanese archipelago was assessed and compared by area and soil type. 373 carrot samples were collected from 232 cities, towns and villages. According to geographical features and vegetation, the sampling sites were divided into 9 provinces and 7 soil types. Copper was measured by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. There was a significant difference in the mean values of copper in carrots by provinces, but not by soil type. Although the content of copper in the soil was different among soil types, the difference did not influence the content of copper in the carrots. The authors speculate that the low solubility of copper in the soil and the low intake into plant roots from the soil are related to this soil-plant discrepancy.

Copper↗

PubMed2002

Relationship of dietary intake of fish and non-fish selenium to serum lipids in Japanese rural coastal community.

Several studies have suggested that dietary selenium deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). In the present study, 55 men and 71 women were selected from participants in a health examination in a rural coastal community in Japan. The mean dietary selenium intake calculated from the simple food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ) was 127.5 micrograms/day. Fish was the major source of dietary selenium and it contributed to 68.7% of the daily total. HDL cholesterol was higher in the middle selenium intake group and in the high selenium intake group than in the low selenium intake group in all subjects and for males, and a significant difference was found between the middle selenium intake group and the low selenium intake group. The atherogenic index was significantly higher in the low selenium intake group than in the middle selenium intake group and in the high selenium intake group in males. GPx activity, total cholesterol and triacylglycerols did not show any significant differences among the three different selenium intake groups. Dietary intake of non-fish Se had a positive correlation with HDL cholesterol, and an inverse correlation with the atherogenic index in all subjects and for females. On the other hand, dietary intake of fish-Se had no relationship with any serum lipids. Non-fish Se is an important factor in selenium status for the prevention of CHD.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Monitoring sleep hours using a sleep diary and errors in rotating shiftworkers.

The sleep hours of male workers on rotating shift schedules were measured using a sleep diary. The mean age of workers was 40.3 years. Work shifts were rotated on a weekly basis and fell into three periods: morning, evening, and night. One working week consisted of 5 days. Errors that occurred during the work were also evaluated. A significant difference in the mean length of sleep was observed for each of the three shifts. Compared with the morning shift, the length of sleep for workers working evening and night shifts were significantly longer. The error of workers was not recognized in three rotating shift schedules in the survey period. Rotating shiftwork affects the amount of sleep, but not the event of error.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Social networks and mortality based on the Komo-Ise cohort study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: No prospective studies have examined the association between social networks and all-cause and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged Japanese. The study of varied populations may contribute to clarifying the robustness of the observed effects of social networks and extend their generalizability. METHODS: To clarify the association between social networks and mortality among middle-aged and elderly Japanese, a community-based prospective study, the Komo-Ise Study, was conducted in two areas of Gunma Prefecture, Japan. A total of 11 565 subjects aged 40-69 years at baseline in 1993 completed a self-administered questionnaire. During the 7-year follow-up period, 335 men and 155 women died and the relative risk (RR) of each social network item was estimated by the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Single women had significantly increased risks of all-cause (multivariate RR = 2.2), and all circulatory system disease (age-area adjusted RR = 2.6) mortality. Men who did not participate in hobbies, club activities, or community groups had significantly higher multivariate RR for all-cause (RR = 1.5), all circulatory system disease (RR = 1.6) and non-cancer and non-circulatory system disease (RR = 2.3) mortality. Urban women who rarely or never met close relatives had significantly elevated risks of all-cause (RR = 2.4), all cancer (RR = 2.6), and non-cancer and non-circulatory system disease (RR = 2.7) mortality after adjustment for established risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that social networks are an important predictor of mortality risk for middle-aged and elderly Japanese men and women. Lack of participation, for men, and being single and lack of meeting close relatives, for women, were independent risk factors for mortality.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Rural-urban differences in sociodemographic, social network and lifestyle factors related to mortality of middle-aged Japanese men from the Komo-Ise cohort study.

To examine rural-urban differences in the relationships of sociodemographic, social network, and lifestyle factors to mortality in middle-aged men, we used the data from a community based prospective cohort study, the Komo-Ise study. The subjects were all men aged 40-69 years living in Komochi Village, the rural group (n=2,295), or the downtown district of Isesaki City, the urban group (n=3,334), as of 1993. They completed a self-administered questionnaire in 1993 and were followed for all-cause deaths until 2000. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to compute relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Low educated men and men without a spouse in the rural group had an increased risk of mortality (RR=4.4; 95%CI: 1.1-18.2, RR=2.4; 95%CI: 1.2-4.5). Men who did not enjoy good fellowship with their neighbors in the rural group had a decreased risk of mortality (RR=0.58; 95%CI: 0.35-0.97). Mortality risks were significantly higher in urban men not participating in hobbies, club activities or community groups (RR=1.6; 95%CI: 1.1-2.4). These variables remained significant risk factors, even after controlling for all sociodemographic, social network, lifestyle, and health status variables. Educational level, marital status and relation to neighborhoods showed significant rural-urban differences.

Adult↗