[A study of health behavior of the elderly without occupation--correlation between participation in health examinations and health behavior].
A survey on the health behavior of inhabitants without occupations, aged 60 or over who lived in city A in Kagawa prefecture (400 people), was performed. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The rates of participation in the general health checkup and the screening for colon cancer were high. In females, significant correlations were observed between the rates of participation in health examinations/screenings and age, but they were not significant in males. 2. The rates of good health practices were high in the items "Taking breakfast", "No change of body weight", "Sleeping adequately" and "Drinking moderately or no drinking". The rate of "Exercise" for males was higher than for females, and the rate of "No smoking" was lower for males than for females. For females, a correlation was observed between the score of good health practices and age, and this score decreased with age, but in males there was no significant difference. 3. The rate of participation in health education or health consultation was about 40 percent, and the rate of participation was larger for female inhabitants than for male inhabitants. 4. Persons who participated in the health examinations/screenings had more healthful practices than who did not participate. A correlation was observed between the rates of participation in health examinations/screenings and "Exercise." 5. Persons who participated in health education or health consultation had more healthful practices than who did not participate. 6. Correlations were observed between the rates of participation in health examinations/screenings and the rate of participation in the health education, or health itself. In this analyzed sample population, the health behavior of primary prevention and secondary prevention were related to each other, and the existence of common factors among health behavior for primary prevention and secondary prevention was estimated. Differences were observed between males and females concerning correlations between health behavior and age. It is thus necessary to improve health behavior via a continuous approach to the lifestyle for women. We think that good health behavior which continues over a long period of time can be instilled by approaching the lifestyle at the time of retirement for men.
Fukunaga
I
I
Department of Hygiene and Public health, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa Medical University, Japan.
Jitsunari
F
F
Takeda
N
N
Asakawa
F
F
Maruyama
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors