Evaluating the feasibility of "Friends in Nature," a complex nature-based social intervention to address loneliness and quality of life in six cities worldwide.

Background: Loneliness, a major public health concern, could be alleviated through social interventions with nature contact as a primary component. "Friends in Nature" is a complex nature-based social intervention designed to be implemented as part of "Reimagining Environments for Connection and Engagement: Testing Actions for Social Prescribing in Natural Spaces" (RECETAS). This project aims to alleviate loneliness and promote health-related quality of life in six different geographic areas worldwide.

Association of oral frailty with falls in long-term care residents.

Purpose: We investigated the relationship between oral frailty (OFr) and falls among long-term care residents.

Methods: Residents (N = 254, mean age 84 y, 79% women) participated in this longitudinal cohort study in 2018-2021. OFr was defined by six signs.

Performance of the SARC-F, SARC-CalF, and calf circumference for sarcopenia case finding in community-dwelling older adults.

Purpose: We compared the performance of SARC-F, SARC-CalF, calf circumference (CC), and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted CC for sarcopenia case-finding in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: Data of Finnish participants (women/men n = 192/36, mean age (SD) of 76.9 (4.

Impact of the Swine flu pandemic on General Practitioner (GP) visits in Finland: sex and age differences.

Background: Swine flu might serve as a model for challenges that primary care faces during pandemics. This study examined changes in the numbers and diagnoses of general practitioner (GP) visits during and after the Swine flu pandemic in Vantaa, a Finnish city, and how GP activities recovered after the pandemic. Putative sex and age group differences were also evaluated.

Continuity of care and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: How continuity of general practitioner care (GP-CoC) affects mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) is unclear.

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of having no continuity of care (CoC) and GP-CoC on mortality in primary health care (PHC) patients with T2D.

Design & Setting: Cohort study in patients aged 60 years or older with T2D within the public PHC of the city of Vantaa, Finland.

Comparing Loneliness, Social Inactivity, and Social Isolation: Associations with Health-Related Quality of Life and Mortality among Home-Dwelling Older Adults.

Introduction: Loneliness, social inactivity, and social isolation are intertwined concepts. When assessed separately, they indicate poor well-being, adverse health effects, and increased mortality. Studies exploring overlapping and comparing the prognosis of these concepts are scarce.

Secular trends in frailty among community-dwelling 75-95-year-old cohorts over three decades in Helsinki, Finland.

Background: Frailty Index (FI) reflects health, functioning and well-being of older people. It is valuable to compare how frailty has changed over time in ageing cohorts. This study aims to examine trends in frailty among 75-95-year-old men and women over three decades.

Symptomatic diagnoses in primary care: an observational cohort study.

Background: It can be impossible to assign a definitive diagnosis for symptoms reported or observed by primary health care patients. In these situations, symptomatic diagnoses are often used.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to examine the proportion of symptomatic diagnoses among primary health care patients.

Who visits primary health care general practitioners and why? A register-based study in a Finnish city.

This is a register-based study that examines the distribution of diagnoses made by general practitioners (GPs) in the public primary health care of the city of Vantaa, Finland. Data were gathered from the electronic health record (EHR) system and consisted of every record entered into the EHR system between 1 January 2016 and 31 December 2018. Both absolute numbers and relative proportions of the 10 edition of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) diagnosis recordings were reported and calculated.

Sleep duration in midlife and old age and risk of mortality over a 48-year follow-up: The Helsinki businessmen study (HBS) cohort.

Objectives: Both short and long sleep duration have been associated with increased mortality, but there are few truly long-term studies.

Study Design: This is a cohort study of 2504 men born between 1919 and 1934. In 1974-1975 (mean age 48), participants underwent baseline clinical examinations and sleep duration assessments.

Nature-based social interventions to address loneliness among vulnerable populations: a common study protocol for three related randomized controlled trials in Barcelona, Helsinki, and Prague within the RECETAS European project.

Background: The negative effects of loneliness on population health and wellbeing requires interventions that transcend the medical system and leverage social, cultural, and public health system resources. Group-based social interventions are a potential method to alleviate loneliness. Moreover, nature, as part of our social and health infrastructure, may be an important part of the solutions that are needed to address loneliness.

Oral frailty among dentate and edentate older adults in long-term care.

Background: The objectives of this study were to compare oral frailty (OFr) among edentate and dentate older adults living in long-term care facilities (LTCF) and to clarify how edentulism and oral disease burden (ODB) of dentate older adults are associated with OFr.

Methods: The population of this study comprised 94 edentate and 209 dentate residents in LTCF in Helsinki, Finland, who had previously participated in a nutritional study. The participants underwent a clinical oral examination.

Relationship between oral frailty, health-related quality of life, and survival among long-term care residents.

Purpose: We evaluated oral frailty (OFr) and its association with health-related quality of life (HRQoL), energy and protein intake, and survival among older long-term care residents.

Methods: This cross-sectional study with a 3-year follow-up for survival assessed 349 residents in long-term care facilities (73% female, mean age 82 years). We defined OFr with six signs (dry mouth, food residue on oral surfaces, unclear speech, inability to keep mouth open or pain expression during the clinical oral examination, diet pureed/soft) and OFr severity was categorized as Group 1, (mild) = 0-1 signs, Group 2 (moderate) = 2-4 signs, and Group 3 (severe) = 5-6 signs.

Effect of Milk Fat Globule Membrane- and Protein-Containing Snack Product on Physical Performance of Older Women-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Sarcopenia is common in people 70+ years of age, and its prevalence increases with further aging. Insufficient energy and protein intake accelerates muscle loss, whereas sufficient protein intake and milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) may suppress age-associated deterioration of muscle mass and strength. Our objective was to test whether a snack product high in MFGM and protein would improve physical performance in older women.

The feasibility of a 6-month dietary intervention aiming to increase protein intake among community-dwelling older adults with low habitual protein intake: A secondary analysis of the PROMISS randomised controlled trial.

Background: The PROMISS randomised controlled trial showed that personalised dietary advice increased protein intake and improved 400-m walk time and leg strength among community-dwelling older adults with a low habitual protein intake. This secondary analysis describes and further evaluates the methods and feasibility of the model used to carry out dietary intervention in the PROMISS randomised controlled trial.

Methods: In total, 185 participants (≥65 years, 54% women) with a habitual low protein intake (<1.

Association of medication use with falls and mortality among long-term care residents: a longitudinal cohort study.

Background: Falls in long-term care are common. The aim of our study was to explore how medication use is associated with incidence of falls, related consequences, and all-cause mortality among long-term care residents.

Methods: Five hundred thirty two long-term care residents aged 65 years or older participated in this longitudinal cohort study in 2018-2021.

Being actively engaged in life in old age: determinants, temporal trends, and prognostic value.

Purpose: Recently, the concept of successful ageing has shifted from healthy ageing to active ageing, the latter emphasising even more the subjective perspective. Active agency is a marker for better functioning. However, the concept of active ageing lacks a clear definition so far.

Comparison of two GP service provider models in older adults: a register-based follow-up study.

Background: In Finland, there have been various strategies attempting to provide access to GPs. The 'restricted-List General Practitioner model' (rLGP) was launched in primary health care (PHC) in the city of Vantaa after the 'named General Practitioner model' (nGP) failed to provide sufficient access to GPs. This was done to improve access to GP appointments for those most needing care.

Subgingival microbiome at different levels of cognition.

Oral health and declining cognition may have a bi-directional association. We characterized the subgingival microbiota composition of subjects from normal cognition to severe cognitive decline in two cohorts. Memory and Periodontitis (MINOPAR) include 202 home-living participants (50-80 years) in Sweden.