title: [Factors regarding awareness of preventive care exercises: Distance to exercise facilities and their social networks].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study examines factors affecting individuals' awareness of certain types of preventive care exercises, particularly the distance from their home to an exercise facility and their social networks.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 3206 men (age, 73.0±6.2 years) and 3395 women (age, 73.2±6.4 years) aged ≥65 years who had not been certified as persons with care needs and who had responded to an inventory survey conducted in Kasama City, Japan, in 2013. We performed multiple logistic regression analysis to assess the characteristics associated with participants' awareness of two types of exercises for preventive care: "silver rehabili taisou" (SRT) and "square-stepping exercise" (SSE). Independent variables were distance from home to the exercise facility, social networks, transportation availability, physical function, cognitive function, and neighborhood population density.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Older adults who were aware of the exercises lived significantly closer to an exercise facility (SRT, aware: 1,148.5±961.3 m vs. unaware: 1,284.2±1,027.4 m; SSE, aware: 1,415.9±1104.1 m vs. unaware: 1,615.7±1,172.2 m). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that participation in community activities (men, SRT-odds ratio [OR]=2.54 and SSE-OR=2.19; women, SRT-OR=4.14 and SSE-OR=3.34] and visiting friends (men, SRT-OR=1.45 and SSE-OR=1.49; women SRT-OR=1.44 and SSE-OR=1.73) were promoting factors for awareness of both types of exercises. In men and women, low physical function (SRT-OR=0.73 and SSE-OR=0.56) and dependence on another person to drive them to the destination (SRT-OR=0.79 and SSE-OR=0.78) were inhibiting factors, respectively. A distance of >500 m between their home and the facility tended to be an inhibiting factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A shorter distance from home to an exercise facility and better social networks increased awareness of preventive care exercises in both sexes and for both types of exercise. Establishing exercise centers and devising effective methods of imparting information to individuals (e.g., via community magazines and home visits) may promote participation in preventive care exercises.
authors.affiliation: Doctoral Program in Physical Education, Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Soma
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsunoda
authors.forename: Naruki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jindo
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Okura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D057187:Independent Living; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires