The primary goal of this study was to investigate the factors associated with social activities among older residents living in urban areas. This study seeks to identify significant factors that can be targeted to support social activities and prevent the need for long-term care. A secondary aim was to explore how these factors interact with each other.
A cross-sectional study of 100 independent living older residents aged 65 and older in Totsuka Ward, Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and Hachioji City was conducted. A survey was carried out between June and August 2021, participants were excluded if with severe cognitive impairments, or who refused to respond.
The survey was conducted using a signed, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaires were distributed by hand and collected by mail. A pilot test was also conducted as part of this study. The study focused on 100 participants, of whom 41 met the inclusion criteria. Participants requiring those with severe cognitive impairments, or those who declined to respond were excluded from the study. Data collection involved a questionnaire covering social activity, subjective sense of health, exercise habits, physical activity level, and the presence of disease.
Data were analyzed using SPSS ver 27, with correlations assessed through Spearman's and Pearson's coefficients. Significant independent variables were identified through stepwise multiple regression analysis.
Forty-one older residents, 26 females, 15 males, mean age = 75.4 (SD = 6.4) meeting the inclusion criteria completed the survey. Analysis revealed significant correlations between the number of social activities and both exercise habits (rho=0.373, p0.01) and subjective health perception (rho=0.370, p0.01). Regression analysis provides model Y (social activities) = 4.192 + 1.470(exercise habits) + 1.562(subjective health perception). The adjusted R2 was 0.198, indicating that these factors contribute to active social activities among urban older residents.
The findings suggest that promoting exercise habits and enhancing subjective health perception may promote social activities among the urban older populations. Encouraging community involvement and fostering long-term relationships within neighborhoods could further enhance these outcomes.
Additionally, the study suggests that community ties and years of residence may also play a supportive role, although their impact was less pronounced.
Incorporating subjective health perception and exercise habits into screening assessments may provide an effective approach to evaluating and promoting social activities among the older residents, thereby supporting long-term care prevention strategies. Future research should involve larger samples and broader geographical areas to further explore these factors. Additionally, developing community-based programs that emphasize these elements could significantly improve the quality of life for urban older residents.
Older Residents
Urban
