title: Relationships between social factors and physical activity among elderly survivors of the Great East Japan earthquake: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical inactivity is a health issue that often occurs after serious disaster. Social factors, which can be disrupted by disaster, are important determinants of physical activity levels in everyday living. This study was designed to confirm the association between social factors and physical activity among elderly survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
  
  
  METHODS
  From September 2011 to February 2012, 4316 males and females aged 65 or older participated in a health survey of Great East Japan Earthquake survivors. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed with the dichotomous dependent variable of physical activity (high versus low) and working status, social network, and place of residence (one's own home versus elsewhere) as independent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants who had been displaced from their homes were more likely to have low physical activity (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] for men: 1.37, 1.12 to 1.68; for women: 1.30, 1.09 to 1.55). Non-working status was significantly associated with low physical activity (men: 2.03, 1.65 to 2.49; women: 1.94, 1.60 to 2.34). Detriments to the social network were significantly associated with low physical activity (men: 1.71, 1.41 to 2.08; women: 1.79, 1.51 to 2.13).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Place of residence and social factors were associated with physical activity levels in elderly survivors of the Great East Japan Earthquake. The findings suggest a need for improvement of social factors to encourage increases in physical activity for elderly persons after disaster.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Environmental and Symbiotic Sciences, Prefectural University of Kumamoto, 3-1-100 Tsukide, Higashi-ku, Kumamoto, 862-8502, Japan. eyoshi@pu-kumamoto.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Education, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. kazu@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Kazuko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikawa-Takata
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Exercise, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. haruka-m@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Haruka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. ntsubo@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Nobuyo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuboyama-Kasaoka
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Epidemiology, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. mutsugky@nih.go.jp.|Center for International Collaboration and Partnership, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. mutsugky@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Megumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsubota-Utsugi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Exercise, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. miyachi@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Motohiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyachi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Welfare, Nihon Fukushi University, Okuda, Mihama-cho Chita-gun, Aichi, 470-3295, Japan. yukari0317@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yukari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokoyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 19-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan. ksakata@iwate-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kiyomi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, School of Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 19-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan. skoba@iwate-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Seiichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Iwate Medical University, 19-1 Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan. president@iwate-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.affiliation: Center for International Collaboration and Partnership, National Institute of Health and Nutrition, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8636, Japan. nnishi@nih.go.jp.
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004190:Disasters; D055866:Earthquakes; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
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