Publications by authors named "Asuna Arai"
Article Synopsis
- The study explored how social interactions—such as participation in activities, relationships with other residents, and communication with family and friends—affect behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in long-term care residents over the course of a year.
- Results showed that low participation in activities and poor relationships with other residents contributed to higher initial BPSD symptoms, while limited communication with family led to increased severity of symptoms over the year.
- Encouraging active engagement with family may help slow down the worsening of BPSD among residents in long-term care facilities.
Article Synopsis
- - The early development of clitellate annelids, like Tubifex tubifex, involves a specific pattern of unequal and spiral cleavages, leading to the formation of embryonic stem cells from the 2d cell lineage.
- - The study detailed 15 rounds of cell division in the 2d cell lineage, highlighting how this cell undergoes multiple unequal divisions to produce bilateral pairs of ectodermal teloblasts crucial for further development.
- - As cells like NOPQ and OPQ arise, they go through several additional rounds of unequal divisions, with the mitotic apparatus shifting position to facilitate these asymmetric cell divisions, ultimately generating ectoteloblasts important for embryonic structure.
Article Synopsis
- The study examines the use of pharmacological treatments in managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in nursing homes, emphasizing that non-drug treatments are preferred as first-line options.
- Conducted over one year with 312 older residents, the study tracks psychotropic drug (PD) use and its effects on BPSD severity, symptom count, and care burden among residents in Japan.
- Results indicate that new PD users, especially those taking anxiolytics and hypnotics, experienced greater symptom severity and increased care burden, while discontinuing PDs was linked to reduced burden, suggesting the need for careful prescribing and ongoing monitoring.
Aim: To ascertain if the factors associated with depression differ among ethnic groups in community-dwelling older people in Kandy District, Sri Lanka.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out of people aged ≥60 years living in a single divisional secretariat of Kandy District. The participants were asked about ethnicity (Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim), sociodemographic characteristics and depression status by face-to-face interviews with a structured questionnaire.
Article Synopsis
- Driving cessation often happens as dementia progresses, so support for patients and their families is essential to ensure safety and maintain social activity.
- A 35-page manual was created to help family caregivers of older drivers with dementia, which was made freely available online and garnered over 33,000 accesses.
- The survey of municipal welfare departments indicated high satisfaction with the manual, with 94.6% finding it useful and more engagement in smaller towns, highlighting the need for additional support resources.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to investigate the relationship between psychotropic drug use and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in elderly individuals living in long-term care facilities in Japan.
- A survey of 312 participants revealed that 45% were using psychotropic drugs, with higher rates among those showing BPSD symptoms like delusions and anxiety.
- Results indicated that psychotropic drug use was linked to increased numbers, severity, and care burden of BPSD, though overall usage rates were lower than in other countries.
Objective: To investigate the prevalence of the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) and associated factors in residents in long-term care (LTC) facilities.
Method: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of older residents with dementia or similar symptoms (n = 312) using a questionnaire for care staff in 10 selected LTC facilities in Hokkaido, Japan. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics, health conditions, living environments, and a brief questionnaire form of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory for assessing BPSD.
Background: In Sri Lanka, one of the major challenges in rabies control is to manage the dog population and subsequently to protect people, especially young children, from dog bites.
Methods: In 2009, an educational-entertainment campaign called 'Rabies Edutainment 4 Kids' was introduced in the school curricula in rural Sri Lanka to improve practices on rabies prevention and pet care among school children, and to evaluate its effectiveness through pre- and post-tests.
Results: The level of rabies knowledge, attitude and practice among the pupils was dependent on their responses to a survey, and scores were significantly improved both among the study and control groups after the intervention.
Self-assessed driving behaviors associated with age among middle-aged and older adults in Japan.
Arch Gerontol Geriatr
June 2015
Article Synopsis
- Increasing numbers of older drivers make road traffic safety a pressing public health concern, as it can be hard for them and their families to notice risky driving habits.
- A study conducted in Japan surveyed individuals aged 40 and over to identify driving behaviors that worsen with age, revealing significant unsafe practices linked to a 5-year age increase.
- The findings highlight specific dangerous behaviors associated with aging, such as not avoiding hazards, distractions, poor maneuvering, and ignoring turn signals, suggesting the need for targeted education and self-assessment for older drivers.
Article Synopsis
- Interventions for HIV/AIDS in Sri Lanka currently focus on high-risk populations, but a study assesses awareness and stigma in the general population.
- A survey of 869 residents in Kandy revealed that while 93.5% had heard of HIV/AIDS, the overall knowledge was low, with only 58.1% recognizing condoms as effective for prevention.
- Positive attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS were linked to better knowledge, indicating the need for public education to reduce stigma and misconceptions related to the disease.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to identify mental health risk factors among international students using a self-administered questionnaire to assess depressive symptoms with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.
- Out of 726 students surveyed, 480 responded, revealing that 43.1% experienced depressive symptoms, with most notably poor sleep quality, low exercise levels, and inadequate housing conditions linked to these symptoms.
- The findings suggest that financial status did not significantly impact depressive symptoms, indicating that issues related to sleep, exercise, and housing require more attention for mental health support.
Objective: To investigate comparative road user crash and fatality rates in Japan between 2000 and 2010 in the elderly and young.
Methods: Data from the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare Vital Statistics Database and the Institute for Traffic Accident Research and Data Analysis were used to calculate crash rates by age group, vehicle, and license category.
Results: Fatal crash rates per 100,000 licensed drivers for 4-wheeled motor vehicle drivers decreased by 53, 56, and 42 percent among the 65-69, 70-74, and ≥75 age groups between 2000 and 2010, respectively, compared to 66 and 60 percent among the 16-19 and 20-24 age groups, respectively.
Aim: This study analyzed the trend of gender gaps in life expectancy (GGLE) in Japan between 1947 and 2010, and explored the correlations of GGLE with gender mortality ratio and social development indices.
Methods: Using GGLE and social indices data collected from the official websites, we carried out trends analysis of GGLE by calculating segmented average growth rates for different periods. We explored the association between GGLE and all-cause mortality; and between GGLE and Human Development Index (HDI) while controlling for time trend, by computing the generalized additive models based on the software R (version 2.
Religious leaders in Sri Lanka may have a high potential of contributing to HIV/AIDS prevention among the general public because of their social status. In order to assess their current HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitude and the possibility of becoming community advocates of HIV/AIDS prevention, we conducted a questionnaire survey among Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Christian leaders in Sri Lanka in 2009. There were limited correct responses about HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV), and information regarding condoms, HIV testing and counselling were poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe general public's concern about developing dementia and related factors in Japan.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry
November 2012
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzes life expectancy (LE) trends across genders over 49 years (1960-2008) to assess societal health and identify gaps in gender equity.
- It finds that most OECD countries show an inverted U-curve in gender gaps in life expectancy (GGLE), with happier countries having earlier peak years and smaller current gaps.
- The research concludes that GGLE trends progress through three phases, and improvements in happiness, Human Development Index (HDI), and Gender Empowerment Measure (GEM) indicate a decrease in GGLE, particularly noted for Japan's upcoming decline.
Article Synopsis
- Social and lifestyle activities can influence how negative life events (NLEs) affect depression in older adults, suggesting they might help mitigate depressive symptoms.
- A study involving 682 older adults found that specific NLEs, particularly those related to relationships, health, and finances, were linked to higher depressive symptoms.
- Frequent contact with family and friends significantly moderated the relationship between these negative events and depression, indicating that supportive social connections can help buffer the effects of stress.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates how fear of falling and self-belief in preventing falls relate to higher-level abilities in older adults living in Japan.
- Out of 822 seniors, 731 were asked to participate, and data from 648 completed questionnaires were analyzed using multivariate regression analysis.
- Results showed that fear of falling and low self-efficacy were linked to greater functional disability, with significant differences based on sex, highlighting the need for programs that address these fears to maintain seniors' competence.
Differences in perceptions regarding driving between young and old drivers and non-drivers in Japan.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry
December 2010
Article Synopsis
- The study addresses the public health issue of driving cessation for dementia patients in Japan, highlighting how perceptions about driving create barriers for family and social support.
- A survey of over 1,000 individuals aged 40 and older reveals that drivers view driving as a fundamental right more than non-drivers, often fearing loss of mobility if required to stop driving.
- The findings suggest that to effectively manage driving cessation for people with dementia, efforts should consider not only the practical need for transportation but also the emotional and motivational value that driving holds for older individuals.
[Attitudes towards family caregiving of people with dementia among the general public in Japan: scale development and validation].
Nihon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi
February 2011
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to create a scale measuring public attitudes towards family caregiving for dementia patients in Japan, using a postal questionnaire that gathered over 2,161 valid responses from adults aged 20 and older.
- It identified four key attitudes through factor analysis: feelings of obligation, expected caregiving burden, personal growth expectations, and negative attitudes; all of which showed good reliability.
- The findings revealed significant relationships between personal anxiety about dementia, caregiving experience, and attitudes towards caregiving, confirming the scale's reliability and validity.