title: Social participation and the prevention of functional disability in older Japanese: the JAGES cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We examined the relationship between incident functional disability and social participation from the perspective of number of types of organizations participated in and type of social participation in a prospective cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was based on the Aichi Gerontological Evaluation Study (AGES) Cohort Study data. We followed 13,310 individuals aged 65 years or older for 4 years. Analysis was carried out on 12,951 subjects, excluding 359 people whose information on age or sex was missing. Social participation was categorized into 8 types.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to those that did not participate in any organizations, the hazard ratio (HR) was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73-0.95) for participation in one, 0.72 (0.61-0.85) for participation in two, and 0.57 (0.46-0.70) for participation in three or more different types of organizations. In multivariable adjusted models, participation in the following types of organization was protective for incident disability: local community organizations (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.96), hobby organizations (HR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64-0.87), and sports organizations (HR = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.54-0.81).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social participation may decrease the risk of incident functional disability in older people in Japan. This effect may be strengthened by participation in a variety of different types of organizations. Participating in a local community, hobby, or sports group or organization may be especially effective for decreasing the risk of disability.
authors.affiliation: Tokyo Medical University, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Tokyo, Japan; Human Resource Management Department, ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kanamori
authors.affiliation: Physical Fitness Research Institute, Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.affiliation: Department of International and Community Oral Health, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Miyagi, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aida
authors.affiliation: Center for Preventive Medical Science, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; Center for Well-being and Society, Nihon Fukushi University, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kawachi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Sciences, School of Law and Letters, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kokoro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirai
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Social Behavior, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Policies, Aichi Gakuin University, Aichi, Japan.
authors.forename: Kayo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006686:Hobbies / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D058992:Social Participation / Q000523:psychology; D013177:Sports / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology