Abstract
Objective Novel countermeasures to increase healthcare expenditures should be explored in rapidly aging societies, including Japan. Social support is a resource for the older people that effectively reduces psychological distress, with or without specialized health service provision. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine whether home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers (organizations of community residents assigned by national or local governments) are associated with a lower risk of psychological distress among the older people. Methods Questionnaires were sent in August 2010 to all residents aged ≥65 years in three municipalities (n = 21,232) in Okayama Prefecture in Japan; 13,929 were returned (response rate = 65.6%). The final sample size for the analysis was 11,312 participants. Home visits, psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: K6 > 5), and severe psychological distress (K6 > 13) were measured by the questionnaire. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for psychological distress, adjusting for age, gender, education, marital status, and qualification for long-term care insurance. Results The prevalence was 41.4% for psychological distress and 6.5% for severe psychological distress among all participants. Home visits were significantly associated with a lower risk of psychological distress after adjusting for the covariates (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.65-0.77). These associations were comparable for men and women. The association was clearer for severe psychological distress (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.43-0.61). Conclusions Home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers are significantly associated with a lower risk of psychological distress among older people.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1156-1163 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 1 2015 |
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Keywords
- commissioned welfare volunteers (CWVs)
- Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6)
- older people
- psychological distress
- social support
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
- Psychiatry and Mental health
Cite this
Home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers and psychological distress : A population-based study of 11,312 community-dwelling older people in Japan. / Noguchi, Masayuki; Iwase, Toshihide; Suzuki, Etsuji; Takao, Soshi.
In: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, Vol. 30, No. 12, 01.12.2015, p. 1156-1163.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers and psychological distress
T2 - A population-based study of 11,312 community-dwelling older people in Japan
AU - Noguchi, Masayuki
AU - Iwase, Toshihide
AU - Suzuki, Etsuji
AU - Takao, Soshi
PY - 2015/12/1
Y1 - 2015/12/1
N2 - Objective Novel countermeasures to increase healthcare expenditures should be explored in rapidly aging societies, including Japan. Social support is a resource for the older people that effectively reduces psychological distress, with or without specialized health service provision. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine whether home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers (organizations of community residents assigned by national or local governments) are associated with a lower risk of psychological distress among the older people. Methods Questionnaires were sent in August 2010 to all residents aged ≥65 years in three municipalities (n = 21,232) in Okayama Prefecture in Japan; 13,929 were returned (response rate = 65.6%). The final sample size for the analysis was 11,312 participants. Home visits, psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: K6 > 5), and severe psychological distress (K6 > 13) were measured by the questionnaire. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for psychological distress, adjusting for age, gender, education, marital status, and qualification for long-term care insurance. Results The prevalence was 41.4% for psychological distress and 6.5% for severe psychological distress among all participants. Home visits were significantly associated with a lower risk of psychological distress after adjusting for the covariates (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.65-0.77). These associations were comparable for men and women. The association was clearer for severe psychological distress (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.43-0.61). Conclusions Home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers are significantly associated with a lower risk of psychological distress among older people.
AB - Objective Novel countermeasures to increase healthcare expenditures should be explored in rapidly aging societies, including Japan. Social support is a resource for the older people that effectively reduces psychological distress, with or without specialized health service provision. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine whether home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers (organizations of community residents assigned by national or local governments) are associated with a lower risk of psychological distress among the older people. Methods Questionnaires were sent in August 2010 to all residents aged ≥65 years in three municipalities (n = 21,232) in Okayama Prefecture in Japan; 13,929 were returned (response rate = 65.6%). The final sample size for the analysis was 11,312 participants. Home visits, psychological distress (Kessler Psychological Distress Scale: K6 > 5), and severe psychological distress (K6 > 13) were measured by the questionnaire. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for psychological distress, adjusting for age, gender, education, marital status, and qualification for long-term care insurance. Results The prevalence was 41.4% for psychological distress and 6.5% for severe psychological distress among all participants. Home visits were significantly associated with a lower risk of psychological distress after adjusting for the covariates (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.65-0.77). These associations were comparable for men and women. The association was clearer for severe psychological distress (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.43-0.61). Conclusions Home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers are significantly associated with a lower risk of psychological distress among older people.
KW - commissioned welfare volunteers (CWVs)
KW - Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6)
KW - older people
KW - psychological distress
KW - social support
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84947036729&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84947036729&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/gps.4268
DO - 10.1002/gps.4268
M3 - Article
C2 - 25727798
AN - SCOPUS:84947036729
VL - 30
SP - 1156
EP - 1163
JO - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
JF - International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
SN - 0885-6230
IS - 12
ER -