title: Health-related QOL and self-efficacy for activities of daily living in elderly residents of mountainous areas with kyphosis: a one-year longitudinal study.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate changes over one year in the prevalence of kyphosis, the ability to perform activities of daily living and self-efficacy among elderly residents of mountainous areas.
  
  
  
  The subjects included 155 elderly residents of mountainous areas (68 males, 87 females) aged 65 or older who participated in both our initial and follow-up investigations. The investigations were conducted via interviews using questionnaires and the index of kyphosis (I/K). The subjects were divided into three groups (non-kyphosis, kyphosis without changes, kyphosis with worsening) according to the change in I/K.
  
  
  
  The average patient age was 74.9±6.2 years. The average I/K on the initial investigation was 10.0±3.7 (2.4-20.0). On the follow-up investigation, the average I/K increased slightly to 10.2±3.6 (3.0-22.9). A particularly large number of females 65 to 69 years of age exhibited an increase in the I/K. The percentage of subjects with an I/K of 13.0 or above was 20.6%. The male kyphosis sufferers demonstrated a significant decrease in the health-related QOL categories of "able to fulfill everyday life roles (physical)" and "able to fulfill everyday life roles (mental)." There were no significant differences between the females with and without kyphosis. One year later, there were significant differences between the three groups in terms of the health-related QOL categories of "vitality" and "ability to live in society."
  
  
  
  Female kyphosis sufferers are affected by psychological factors. Kyphosis should be detected early and carefully followed up in elderly patients in order to prevent the need for nursing care, and appropriately estimating the patient's physical condition is required to prevent a decline in the lower limb function.
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Medical University School of Nursing.
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Furuto
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuki
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000531:Altitude; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007738:Kyphosis; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life