Purpose: Frailty is a state of declined vitality of the body and mind with age in which life functions are impaired. In addition, there is a difference in the susceptibility of older women to frailty compared with tha...Purpose: Frailty is a state of declined vitality of the body and mind with age in which life functions are impaired. In addition, there is a difference in the susceptibility of older women to frailty compared with that of older men. Therefore, assessing and encouraging physical activity in older adults before they become frail is essential. We aimed to clarify the relationship between calf circumference and body composition and assess the potential association between calf circumference and physical activity indices in older women. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 18 healthy older adults (age 69.0 ± 5.7 years). The physical characteristics, calf circumference, body composition, calf muscle thickness, and physical activity questionnaire that included items on exercise-related activity thermogenesis (EAT) and nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) were assessed. The association between calf circumference and these additional measures was examined. Results: Positive and significant correlations were found between the calf circumference and body weight, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass index, calf muscle thickness, total questionnaire score, and NEAT score (r = 0.66 - 0.87). However, no significant correlations were observed between the calf circumference and EAT scores. Conclusion: Calf circumference in older women may reflect NEAT activity. Improving NEAT activity is an important health-promoting factor in older women.展开更多
The number of older adults （individuals ≥65 years）, particularly women, in our society is increasing and understanding the impact of exercise on muscle capacity （e.g., strength and power） and subsequently physica...The number of older adults （individuals ≥65 years）, particularly women, in our society is increasing and understanding the impact of exercise on muscle capacity （e.g., strength and power） and subsequently physical function is of utmost importance to prevent disability and maintain independence. Muscle capacity declines with age and this change negatively impacts physical function in older women. Exercise, specifically resistance training, is recommended to counteract these declines; however, the synergistic relationships between exercise, muscle capacity, and physical function are poorly understood. This review will summarize the literature regarding age-related changes in the aforementioned variables and review the research on the impact of resistance training interventions on muscle capacity and physical function in older women. Recommendations for future research in this area will be discussed.展开更多
Objective: To assess the menopausal perceptions and experiences of older women from selected sites in Botswana. Design: This study used snowball sampling to recruit 444 older women in four health districts of Botswana...Objective: To assess the menopausal perceptions and experiences of older women from selected sites in Botswana. Design: This study used snowball sampling to recruit 444 older women in four health districts of Botswana. Trained research assistants administered a structured questionnaire to determine respondents’ menopausal symptoms, perceptions and knowledge of menopause and sexual experiences. Multiple logistic regression procedures were used to evaluate the association of socio-demographic characteristics with knowledge of menopause and factor analysis was used to cluster menopausal symptoms. Results: Participants had low levels of knowledge and awareness of menopause. The three most common changes identified were weakening of bones (78%), changes in sex drive (69.6%), and difficulty working (56.2%). The majority of respondents perceived menopause as freedom from menstrual cycles (85%) and cost saving (65%). Employment status was significantly associated with knowledge of menopause. The mean age at menopause was 48.9 years. With an average life expectancy of 54.5 years, there remains about 6 years of postmenopausal life. Recommendation: Public health care systems in and beyond Botswana should mobilize resources and take measures to improve older women’s awareness and knowledge about menopause-related changes through educational training and guidance to maintain active, healthy lives.展开更多
IN the early mornings people can be found exercising all over Shuangyushu Park. Some practice qi gong; some walk their caged songbirds; others come to perfect their ballroom dancing skills. Of all of these early riser...IN the early mornings people can be found exercising all over Shuangyushu Park. Some practice qi gong; some walk their caged songbirds; others come to perfect their ballroom dancing skills. Of all of these early risers, the groups of elderly and middle-aged women dancing with fans and swords immediately catch the eye. The sword dancers display a beautiful combination of rigidity and flexibility. The fan dancers perform with展开更多
BACKGROUND Changes in China's fertility policy have led to a significant increase in older pregnant women.At present,there is a lack of analysis of influencing factors and research on predictive models for postpar...BACKGROUND Changes in China's fertility policy have led to a significant increase in older pregnant women.At present,there is a lack of analysis of influencing factors and research on predictive models for postpartum depression(PPD)in older pregnant women.AIM To analysis the influencing factors and the construction of predictive models for PPD in older pregnant women.METHODS By adopting a cross-sectional survey research design,239 older pregnant women(≥35 years old)who underwent obstetric examinations and gave birth at Suzhou Ninth People's Hospital from February 2022 to July 2023 were selected as the research subjects.When postpartum women of advanced maternal age came to the hospital for follow-up 42 d after birth,the Edinburgh PPD Scale(EPDS)was used to assess the presence of PPD symptoms.The women were divided into a PPD group and a no-PPD group.Two sets of data were collected for analysis,and a prediction model was constructed.The performance of the predictive model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.RESULTS On the 42nd day after delivery,51 of 239 older pregnant women were evaluated with the EPDS scale and found to have depressive symptoms.The incidence rate was 21.34%(51/239).There were statistically significant differences between the PPD group and the no-PPD group in terms of education level(P=0.004),family relationships(P=0.001),pregnancy complications(P=0.019),and mother–infant separation after birth(P=0.002).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a high school education and below,poor family relationships,pregnancy complications,and the separation of the mother and baby after birth were influencing factors for PPD in older pregnant women(P<0.05).Based on the influencing factors,the following model equation was developed:Logit(P)=0.729×education level+0.942×family relationship+1.137×pregnancy complications+1.285×separation of the mother and infant after birth-6.671.The area under the ROC curve of this prediction model was 0.873(95%CI:0.821-0.924),the sensitivity was 0.871,and the specificity was 0.815.The deviation between the value predicted by the model and the actual value through the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was not statistically significant(χ^(2)=2.749,P=0.638),indicating that the model did not show an overfitting phenomenon.CONCLUSION The risk of PPD among older pregnant women is influenced by educational level,family relationships,pregnancy complications,and the separation of the mother and baby after birth.A prediction model based on these factors can effectively predict the risk of PPD in older pregnant women.展开更多
Background: In Brazil between 1960 and 1990 there established the hegemony of young people between 15 and 24 years old, a phenomenon known worldwide as “youth wave”. Forty years later, with continued declining level...Background: In Brazil between 1960 and 1990 there established the hegemony of young people between 15 and 24 years old, a phenomenon known worldwide as “youth wave”. Forty years later, with continued declining levels of fertility and mortality, in the first decade of this century, the young country came to bear white hair with the continued growth of the aging rate. Official census data show the growth of the elderly population, above sixty years, predominantly female, and population growth increasingly urbanized [1, 2]. This article reports the findings from a recent study of elderly women, in the contexts of “rurality”. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the social construction of gender division of work and retirement of older rural women. Comprehending through historically dialectical materialism, the process of exclusion of rural elderly women, some public policies and programs aimed at elderly populace. Ethnographic Method: fieldwork and interviews (one-to-one and in groups), field notes, participant observation, photography, and archival review. Sample: 27 women aged between 68 to 92 years. Findings: Only four receive retirement as peasant, three owners of land and a former employee;the other receive her husband’s pension or are included in the Provision of Continued Benefit (PBC). Conclusion: Non-receipt of retirement for these women, as citizen’s peasant, it is a violation of her rights recognized under the Federal Constitution of 1988, and reveals how the Aristotelian paradigm persists in their activities: That sweat of her bodies and the work of her hands, it is not considered as work;it is labor.展开更多
目的:从细胞因子角度在基因表达水平上探讨太极拳运动前后调节性T细胞(regulatoryT cells,Treg)对辅助性T细胞(helper T cell,Th)亚群Th1/Th2平衡的影响。方法:将自愿参加本实验的34名中老年女性随机分为太极拳组和对照组。太极拳组参...目的:从细胞因子角度在基因表达水平上探讨太极拳运动前后调节性T细胞(regulatoryT cells,Treg)对辅助性T细胞(helper T cell,Th)亚群Th1/Th2平衡的影响。方法:将自愿参加本实验的34名中老年女性随机分为太极拳组和对照组。太极拳组参加为期32周、每周3次、每次1小时的24式和42式太极拳锻炼;对照组不锻炼,保持原有生活状态。实验前后采集受试者外周血,使用流式细胞术检测Treg细胞数量;使用Real-time PCR定量分析Th1型淋巴细胞相关细胞因子干扰素-γ(Interferon-gamma,IFN-γ)和Th2型淋巴细胞相关细胞因子白介素-4(Interleukin-4,IL-4)、Treg相关细胞因子白介素-10(Interleukin-10,IL-10)和转化生长因子-β(transforming growth factor,TGF-β)以及细胞毒T淋巴细胞相关抗原-4(cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4,CTLA-4)mRNA表达。结果:实验后,太极拳组IFN-γ、TGF-β、CTLA-4和IL-10 mRNA表达量较实验前显著上升(P<0.01),IFN-γ与IL-4 mRNA表达量比值显著上升(P<0.05),Treg细胞占CD4+T细胞比例显著上升(P<0.01)。实验后,对照组除TGF-βmRNA表达下降(P<0.05)外,其他指标变化均无统计学意义。结论:太极拳运动影响外周血Treg细胞数量及相关细胞因子mRNA表达,提高中老年女性Th1/Th2型细胞因子mRNA表达量比值,在基因表达水平上改善老年女性Th1/Th2失衡。展开更多
文摘Purpose: Frailty is a state of declined vitality of the body and mind with age in which life functions are impaired. In addition, there is a difference in the susceptibility of older women to frailty compared with that of older men. Therefore, assessing and encouraging physical activity in older adults before they become frail is essential. We aimed to clarify the relationship between calf circumference and body composition and assess the potential association between calf circumference and physical activity indices in older women. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 18 healthy older adults (age 69.0 ± 5.7 years). The physical characteristics, calf circumference, body composition, calf muscle thickness, and physical activity questionnaire that included items on exercise-related activity thermogenesis (EAT) and nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) were assessed. The association between calf circumference and these additional measures was examined. Results: Positive and significant correlations were found between the calf circumference and body weight, body mass index (BMI), skeletal muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass index, calf muscle thickness, total questionnaire score, and NEAT score (r = 0.66 - 0.87). However, no significant correlations were observed between the calf circumference and EAT scores. Conclusion: Calf circumference in older women may reflect NEAT activity. Improving NEAT activity is an important health-promoting factor in older women.
文摘The number of older adults （individuals ≥65 years）, particularly women, in our society is increasing and understanding the impact of exercise on muscle capacity （e.g., strength and power） and subsequently physical function is of utmost importance to prevent disability and maintain independence. Muscle capacity declines with age and this change negatively impacts physical function in older women. Exercise, specifically resistance training, is recommended to counteract these declines; however, the synergistic relationships between exercise, muscle capacity, and physical function are poorly understood. This review will summarize the literature regarding age-related changes in the aforementioned variables and review the research on the impact of resistance training interventions on muscle capacity and physical function in older women. Recommendations for future research in this area will be discussed.
文摘Objective: To assess the menopausal perceptions and experiences of older women from selected sites in Botswana. Design: This study used snowball sampling to recruit 444 older women in four health districts of Botswana. Trained research assistants administered a structured questionnaire to determine respondents’ menopausal symptoms, perceptions and knowledge of menopause and sexual experiences. Multiple logistic regression procedures were used to evaluate the association of socio-demographic characteristics with knowledge of menopause and factor analysis was used to cluster menopausal symptoms. Results: Participants had low levels of knowledge and awareness of menopause. The three most common changes identified were weakening of bones (78%), changes in sex drive (69.6%), and difficulty working (56.2%). The majority of respondents perceived menopause as freedom from menstrual cycles (85%) and cost saving (65%). Employment status was significantly associated with knowledge of menopause. The mean age at menopause was 48.9 years. With an average life expectancy of 54.5 years, there remains about 6 years of postmenopausal life. Recommendation: Public health care systems in and beyond Botswana should mobilize resources and take measures to improve older women’s awareness and knowledge about menopause-related changes through educational training and guidance to maintain active, healthy lives.
文摘IN the early mornings people can be found exercising all over Shuangyushu Park. Some practice qi gong; some walk their caged songbirds; others come to perfect their ballroom dancing skills. Of all of these early risers, the groups of elderly and middle-aged women dancing with fans and swords immediately catch the eye. The sword dancers display a beautiful combination of rigidity and flexibility. The fan dancers perform with
基金This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Suzhou Ninth People's Hospital.
文摘BACKGROUND Changes in China's fertility policy have led to a significant increase in older pregnant women.At present,there is a lack of analysis of influencing factors and research on predictive models for postpartum depression(PPD)in older pregnant women.AIM To analysis the influencing factors and the construction of predictive models for PPD in older pregnant women.METHODS By adopting a cross-sectional survey research design,239 older pregnant women(≥35 years old)who underwent obstetric examinations and gave birth at Suzhou Ninth People's Hospital from February 2022 to July 2023 were selected as the research subjects.When postpartum women of advanced maternal age came to the hospital for follow-up 42 d after birth,the Edinburgh PPD Scale(EPDS)was used to assess the presence of PPD symptoms.The women were divided into a PPD group and a no-PPD group.Two sets of data were collected for analysis,and a prediction model was constructed.The performance of the predictive model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test.RESULTS On the 42nd day after delivery,51 of 239 older pregnant women were evaluated with the EPDS scale and found to have depressive symptoms.The incidence rate was 21.34%(51/239).There were statistically significant differences between the PPD group and the no-PPD group in terms of education level(P=0.004),family relationships(P=0.001),pregnancy complications(P=0.019),and mother–infant separation after birth(P=0.002).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a high school education and below,poor family relationships,pregnancy complications,and the separation of the mother and baby after birth were influencing factors for PPD in older pregnant women(P<0.05).Based on the influencing factors,the following model equation was developed:Logit(P)=0.729×education level+0.942×family relationship+1.137×pregnancy complications+1.285×separation of the mother and infant after birth-6.671.The area under the ROC curve of this prediction model was 0.873(95%CI:0.821-0.924),the sensitivity was 0.871,and the specificity was 0.815.The deviation between the value predicted by the model and the actual value through the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was not statistically significant(χ^(2)=2.749,P=0.638),indicating that the model did not show an overfitting phenomenon.CONCLUSION The risk of PPD among older pregnant women is influenced by educational level,family relationships,pregnancy complications,and the separation of the mother and baby after birth.A prediction model based on these factors can effectively predict the risk of PPD in older pregnant women.
文摘Background: In Brazil between 1960 and 1990 there established the hegemony of young people between 15 and 24 years old, a phenomenon known worldwide as “youth wave”. Forty years later, with continued declining levels of fertility and mortality, in the first decade of this century, the young country came to bear white hair with the continued growth of the aging rate. Official census data show the growth of the elderly population, above sixty years, predominantly female, and population growth increasingly urbanized [1, 2]. This article reports the findings from a recent study of elderly women, in the contexts of “rurality”. Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the social construction of gender division of work and retirement of older rural women. Comprehending through historically dialectical materialism, the process of exclusion of rural elderly women, some public policies and programs aimed at elderly populace. Ethnographic Method: fieldwork and interviews (one-to-one and in groups), field notes, participant observation, photography, and archival review. Sample: 27 women aged between 68 to 92 years. Findings: Only four receive retirement as peasant, three owners of land and a former employee;the other receive her husband’s pension or are included in the Provision of Continued Benefit (PBC). Conclusion: Non-receipt of retirement for these women, as citizen’s peasant, it is a violation of her rights recognized under the Federal Constitution of 1988, and reveals how the Aristotelian paradigm persists in their activities: That sweat of her bodies and the work of her hands, it is not considered as work;it is labor.
