Effect of the Japanese preventive-care version of the Minimum Data Set--Home Care on the health-related behaviors of community-dwelling, frail older adults and skills of preventive-care managers: a quasi-experimental study conducted in Japan.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the Japanese preventive-care version of the Minimum Data Set-Home Care improves the health-related behaviors of older adults and the skills of preventive-care managers.


METHODS
Municipal preventive-care managers were instructed on the use of the Japanese preventive-care version of the Minimum Data Set--Home Care and asked to employ it in their interactions with clients during the intervention period (intervention group). The health-related behaviors of older adults (maintenance of self-care and consumption of a balanced diet) were assessed by self-rating methods. The skills of the preventive-care managers were assessed by considering the number of and variations in the needs of the clients, as reflected in the care plans formulated by the managers.


RESULTS
The clients' self-care levels were higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). A greater number of needs, as reflected in the care plans, were noted in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05), and the variation in the assessed needs was greater in the former than in the latter.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that the Japanese preventive-care version of the Minimum Data Set--Home Care may improve the skills of preventive-care managers, and consequently, the health-related behaviors of frail older clients.
Igarashi
Ayumi
A
Graduate School of Health Care Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. igarashi-a@umin.ac.jp
Ikegami
Naoki
N
Yamada
Yukari
Y
Yamamoto-Mitani
Noriko
N
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D018574:Home Care Agencies; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged