RESEARCH REPORT POSTER DISPLAY

THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN OLDER PEOPLE IN RELATION TO COMPREHENSIVE GERIATRIC TRAINING. Inaba Y¹, Obuchi S², Arai T^1,2, Satake K³, Sato H⁴, Futami T¹; ¹Graduate school of Medical Science, Kitasato University. ²Preventive Care, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology. ³Sapporo Health Promotion Center. ⁴School of Allied Science, Kitasato University

PURPOSE: Interventional research to improve older people’s disuse have increased, and physical and mental improvements have been shown in high-intensity resistance training programs. However, there has hardly been any research into long-term changes in Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) after intervention. Moreover, it is not clear whether the changes in HRQOL after intervention are maintained. The purpose of the present study was to investigate 1) the persistence rate of resistance training with weight training machines (machines) on subjects after the intervention, and 2) the long-term changes of HRQOL between a training maintenance group (one or more days per week after intervention) (TR) and a detraining group (DT) after the intervention in a progressive resistance and balance training program named Comprehensive Geriatric Training (CGT). RELEVANCE: Caring for the expanding elderly population is an important challenge in Japan as well as in other countries. Maintenance of physical functioning and a high HRQOL has become an important goal. Having knowledge of the long-term changes of a subject’s HRQOL provides information about the psychological effects of the training and the importance of maintaining training in the aged. PARTICIPANTS: The study included 167 community-dwelling persons aged 65 years and older (mean age, 74.0 ±4.9y). The subjects were recruited through a public relations magazine and through invitation by public health nurses. Informed consent was obtained from all persons prior to participation. METHODS: The subjects’ SF-36 as HRQOL were measured before intervention (T1), after intervention (T2), and 1 year later (T3). We also interviewed the subjects about their maintenance of training from T2 to T3. ANALYSIS: We used two-way ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni’s multiple comparisons. RESULTS: One-hundred fifty-three subjects out of 167 completed the CGT, and the HRQOL were measured in 135 subjects and all data collected. Of the 135 subjects, 58 subjects (43.0%) were in the TR group and 77 (57.0%) in the DT group. Physical Functioning, Bodily Pain, General Health, Vitality, and Mental Health subscale scores were changed over time in both groups. Physical Functioning, Role Physical, General Health, Vitality, and Mental Health were significantly improved in the TR group compared to the DT group. In the TR group, the T2 score significantly improved from T1 in Physical Functioning, Vitality and Mental Health. Moreover, the T3 scores significantly improved from the T1 scores in Physical Functioning and Role Physical. In the DT group, the T2 scores were significantly higher than the T1 scores in Vitality and Mental Health, while the T3 scores significantly decreased from the T2 scores in Physical Functioning, General Health, Vitality and Mental Health. No subscale scores in T3 were significantly lower than in T1. CONCLUSIONS: The subjects improved and maintained HRQOL through CGT. Maintaining training led to the maintenance of a high HRQOL after one year. However, if training is not maintained, the improvement in HRQOL gained by this program does not continue after one year. IMPLICATIONS: For physical therapy practice, these results suggest that for the elderly, doing training and maintaining training is good not only for physical function, but for HRQOL. KEYWORDS: HRQOL, Long-term effect, Community-dwelling older persons. FUNDING ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: This work was unfunded. CONTACT: yasuko178@h3.dion.ne.jp