Socioeconomic Inequity in Access to Medical and Long-Term Care Among Older People.

Background: Ensuring equitable access to medical and long-term care (LTC) is critical to enable older people to maintain their health and well-being even after they undergo a decline in their intrinsic capacity.

Methods: We used data from five waves of the National Survey of the Japanese Elderly, conducted between 2002 and 2021, to assess gradients in access to medical care and LTC by income and education among Japanese individuals aged 60 years and above. Specifically, we assessed self-reported unmet needs for medical care and LTC, and public LTC use, and estimated the concentration indices (CI) to evaluate the degree of inequality and inequity.

Let us move forward: Comment on "are generations a useful concept?".

Generational labels (e.g., Millennials and Baby Boomers) are widely used in daily life to represent the unique characteristics of groups of people.

FL118 Is a Potent Therapeutic Agent against Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Resistant to BCR-ABL Inhibitors through Targeting RNA Helicase DDX5.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is induced by the expression of the fused tyrosine kinase BCR-ABL, which is caused by a chromosomal translocation. BCR-ABL inhibitors have been used to treat CML; however, the acquisition of resistance by CML cells during treatment is a serious issue. We herein demonstrated that BCR-ABL induced the expression of the RNA helicase DDX5 in K562 cells derived from CML patients in a manner that was dependent on its kinase activity, which resulted in cell proliferation and survival.

Universal health coverage in the context of population ageing: catastrophic health expenditure and unmet need for healthcare.

Background: Universal health coverage means that all people can access essential health services without incurring financial hardship. Even in countries with good service coverage and financial protection, the progress towards universal health coverage may decelerate or be limited with respect to the growing older population. This study investigates the incidence/prevalence, determinants, and consequences of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and unmet need for healthcare and assesses the potential heterogeneity between younger (≤ 64 years) and older people (65 years≤).

Cohort differences in trajectories of life satisfaction among Japanese older adults.

Individual development and aging are shaped by historical changes in sociocultural contexts. Studies indicate that later-born cohorts experience improvements in well-being in the young-old. However, whether this historical trend holds in the old-old remains unknown.

Effects of adverse life events on mental health in single older adults in Japan.

Background: This study tested a hypothesised model of the effects of adverse life events on the mental health of middle-aged and older adults living alone, as mediated by thought suppression and help-seeking behaviours, considering gender differences.

Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted on a sample of 1202 (622 men; 580 women) individuals from 247445 residents aged 50-79 in District A of Tokyo. The questionnaire items covered parameters on adverse life events, help-seeking behaviour, thought suppression, and mental health status.

The Impact of Generativity on Maintaining Higher-Level Functional Capacity of Older Adults: A Longitudinal Study in Japan.

Generativity is defined as an individual's concern for and actions dedicated toward the well-being of others, especially youth and subsequent generations. It is a key stage of psychological development from midlife to older age and can be a guiding concept for promoting engagement of older adults in productive and contributive activities, which benefit their well-being. This study examined the longitudinal association between generativity and higher-level functional capacity (HLFC) decline in older Japanese adults.

Economic effects of healthy ageing: functional limitation, forgone wages, and medical and long-term care costs.

This study aims to estimate the potential economic benefits of healthy ageing by obtaining estimates of the economic losses generated by functional limitations among middle-aged and older people. Utilising two data sources retrieved from nationally representative samples of the Japanese people, we analysed the association between functional limitation and economic indicators, including labour market outcomes, savings, investment, consumption, and unpaid activities among individuals aged ≥ 60. Using the estimated parameters from our micro-econometric analyses and the official statistics by the Japanese government and a previous study, we calculated the financial costs that can be averted if healthy ageing is achieved as foregone wages and formal medical/long-term care costs incurred by functional limitations.

Living Alone and Depressive Symptoms Among Older Japanese: Do Urbanization and Time Period Matter?

Objectives: Previous research has suggested cross-national differences in the association between living alone and well-being among older adults. This study examined whether the association varied across social contexts within the country, Japan, in terms of varying degree of urbanization and differential time periods.

Methods: Data were obtained from a nine-wave nationwide longitudinal survey with a probability sample of Japanese adults aged 60 years and over.

Psychological Factors That Suppress Help-Seeking among Middle-Aged and Older Adults Living Alone.

Help-seeking among destitute adults has not been adequately investigated. Therefore, this study clarifies the mechanisms that suppress help-seeking in middle-aged and older adults living alone. Data were collected from 1274 individuals (aged 50-79 years) who were living alone, using a survey that measured future time perspective, barriers to help-seeking, help-seeking intentions, and current and childhood economic statuses.

The Retirement-Health Puzzle: A Sigh of Relief at Retirement?

Objectives: While the health effects of retirement have been well studied, existing findings remain inconclusive, and the mechanisms underlying the linkage between retirement and health are unclear. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of retirement on health and its potential mediators.

Methods: Using a national household survey conducted annually from 2004 to 2019 in Japan (the Japan Household Panel Survey), we evaluated the effects of retirement among Japanese men aged 50 or older on their health, in addition to other outcomes that could be attributed to health changes associated with retirement (i.

Influence of "Face-to-Face Contact" and "Non-Face-to-Face Contact" on the Subsequent Decline in Self-Rated Health and Mental Health Status of Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Japanese Adults: A Two-Year Prospective Study.

This study aims to identify the independent influence of face-to-face contact (FFC) and non-face-to-face contact (NFFC) on the subsequent decline in self-rated health and mental health status by age. A total of 12,000 participants were randomly selected among residents in the study area, and 1751 of them responded to both the 2016 and 2018 mail surveys. The participants were subsequently classified into three age groups (25-49: Young adults; 50-64: Mid-aged adults; and 65-84: Older adults).

Retirement and Social Activities in Japan: Does Age Moderate the Association?

Although retirement age is increasing in aging societies, its impact on individuals and communities is unclear. This study examined how age moderates the linkage between transition into retirement and participation in productive and non-productive social activities after retirement, using a nationwide longitudinal survey with a probability sample of Japanese aged 60 and over ( = 3,493). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to predict changes in volunteering and hobbies/learning during 3-5 years of follow-up and their participation level at the follow-up.

Short-, Medium-, and Long-term Weight Changes and All-Cause Mortality in Old Age: Findings From the National Survey of the Japanese Elderly.

Background: Recent studies, predominantly in Western populations, suggest that both weight loss and weight gain are associated with an increased mortality risk in old age. However, evidence of this association in older Asian populations remains sparse. This study aimed to examine the association between weight change and all-cause mortality in a nationally representative sample of community-dwelling older Japanese people.

Two Cases of Cranial Nerve Metastasis Treated with Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy in Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma.

The incidence of central nervous system metastasis is known to be high among patients with lung cancer. The frequency of brain metastasis and carcinomatous meningitis during the entire clinical course of non-small cell lung cancer is reported to be about 40% and 5%, respectively. In contrast, the incidence of cranial nerve metastasis is extremely rare, and detailed reports of its clinical course remain limited.

Decomposition of gender differences in cognitive functioning: National Survey of the Japanese elderly.

Background: It is well known that females generally live longer than males, but women tend to suffer from more illnesses and limitations than men do, also for dementia. However, limited empirical evidence is available why this 'male-female health-survival paradox' is observed. This study aimed to investigate factors which account for gender differences in health, particularly cognitive functioning and decline among older adults.

Social Isolation and Cognitive Functioning: A Quasi-Experimental Approach.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the relationship between social isolation and cognitive functioning.

Method: Data were retrieved from the National Survey of the Japanese Elderly, a nationally representative sample of Japanese adults, aged 60 years or older. We estimated a social isolation index to incorporate variables, such as social interactions, social engagement, and social support, with perceived social isolation, for a comprehensive measurement.

Influence of co-existing social isolation and homebound status on medical care utilization and expenditure among older adults in Japan.

Objective: To examine whether co-existing social isolation and homebound status influence medical care utilization and expenditure in older adults.

Methods: Postal surveys on social isolation and homebound status were performed on older adults aged ≥65 years residing in a Japanese suburban city. Information on medical care utilization and expenditure was obtained from insurance claims data.

Concomitant emphysema might increase the false-negative rate of urinary antigen tests in patients with pneumococcal pneumonia: results from a retrospective study.

The urinary antigen test (UAT) is a rapid diagnostic method for pneumococcal pneumonia, but the high false-negative rate of 30% may affect its reliability. To maximize the utility of UAT, it is necessary to investigate the patient factors affecting UAT results. However, there is no report elucidating the association between its utility and pre-existing lung abnormalities.