[Characteristics of elderly leaders volunteering to participate in a fall prevention programme].
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to assess characteristics of elderly leaders volunteering to participate in a fall prevention programme.


METHODS
We surveyed 1,503 individuals (75 elderly leaders volunteering to participate in a fall prevention programme and 1,428 non-leader elderly) among the elderly population living in a rural community, Miyagi Prefecture. Subjects were aged 70-84 years. The questionnaire covered socio-demographic factors, as well as physical, psychology and social variables. To analyze the characteristics of the elderly leaders volunteering to participate in this programme, the relationships of socio-demographic, physical, psychology and social factors to whether the elderly were leaders in the programme were analyzed using logistic regression.


RESULTS
As a result of multiple logistic regression analysis, the characteristics of elderly leaders volunteering to participate in the fall prevention programme were as follows; 1) being male (OR = 0.25, 95%CI 0.14-0.44); 2) young age (OR=0.43, 95%CI 0.25-0.73); 3) having a high intellectual activity (OR = 2.72, 95%CI 1.65-4.48); 4) being well satisfied with their health (OR = 1.45, 95%CI 1.02-2.07), and 5) having a high IKIGAI (OR = 1.06, 95%CI 1.01-1.13).


CONCLUSIONS
Only elderly individuals capable of high-level intellectual activities can fill the roles of elderly volunteer group leaders discussed in this study.
Shimanuki
Hideki
H
Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University.
Ueki
Shouzoh
S
Ito
Tunehisa
T
Honda
Haruhiko
H
Takato
Jinro
J
Kasai
Toshiyuki
T
Sakamoto
Yuzuru
Y
Niino
Naoakira
N
Haga
Hiroshi
H
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003153:Community Health Services; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007857:Leadership; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012424:Rural Population; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014838:Volunteers / Q000523:psychology*