Association of Social Participation with Physical Frailty, Sarcopenia, and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome in the Elderly in Japan

Koji Ikeda, Koji Takimoto, Hideaki Takebayashi, Hiromi Sasano, Hiroshi Kondo
Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the results of the assessment of physical frailty, sarcopenia, and Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome (MCR), which are used as screening tools for the elderly, reflect the aspects of social participation in the elderly.

Methods:

The following assessments were conducted on 116 elderly people (mean age 79±7 years) living independently in Nara City, Kansai Region, who were aged 65 years or over. To assess social participation, the LSNS-6 (scores), social capital (SC, from Cabinet Office of Japan method; scores), and social frailty (SF, Makizako’s methods; robust or social frailty) were assessed using a questionnaire. On the other hand, we assessed physical frailty using the J-CHS and sarcopenia using the AWGS2019 as indicators reflecting the risk of the elderly. The MCR was determined based on the definition of Verghese et al. (2013). We defined the MCR as a condition in which the subject answered "yes" to the question, "Do you feel you have more problems with memory than most?" (from GDS) and their walking speed is below the mean minus 1SD for the subjects in this study. For the statistical analysis, logistic regression analysis was performed with the results of the J-CHS frailty assessment, the AWGS2019 sarcopenia assessment, and the MCR assessment as the objective variables and the three social participation indicators as the explanatory variables.

Results:

Logistic regression analysis with physical frailty (p0.01, R2=0.19), sarcopenia (p0.01, R2=0.23) and MCR (p=0.02, R2=0.12) as objective variables all showed significant regression equations. In common, all social participation indicators were included in the regression equation, and in addition, SF was a significant odds for physical frailty (OR=2.27, p=0.04), sarcopenia (OR=3.97, p=0.12), and MCR (OR=5.64, p0.01).

Conclusion(s):

Older adults with social frailty may be at increased risk for physical frailty, sarcopenia, and the MCR. Therefore, support for social participation should be considered in interventions aimed at improving the health of older adults.

Implications:

Physical therapists have mainly contributed to the support of physical function. However, the results of this study suggest that physical therapists need to actively work to support social participation for the health of older adults.

Funding acknowledgements:
Part of this research was funded by JSPS KAKENHI (grant number JP21K17419).
Keywords:
Sosial Participation
Elderly
Social Frailty
Primary topic:
Older people
Second topic:
Health promotion and wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Third topic:
Community based rehabilitation
Did this work require ethics approval?:
Yes
Name the institution and ethics committee that approved your work:
The Ethics Committee of Naragakuen University
Provide the ethics approval number:
4-H008
Has any of this material been/due to be published or presented at another national or international conference prior to the World Physiotherapy Congress 2025?:
No

Back to the listing