To determine the prevalence of fear of falling and associated factors among Japanese community-dwelling older adults.Cross-sectional study between 2011 and 2013.Community in which residents voluntarily attended a health examination.We recruited 844 older adults (male, n = 350; female, n = 494) aged 60 to 92 years from among those who presented at the health examination.We assessed fear of falling, falls in the previous year, pain, comorbidity, and cataracts. Five times chair stand time was applied as an indicator of physical performance.The prevalence of fear of falling was 26.9% and 43.3% among the men and women, respectively. Men and women who feared falling were older (P < .01), had longer 5 times chair stand time (P < .01), and more falls in the previous year (P < .05), pain (P < .01), and comorbidity (P < .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified advanced age (odds ratios [OR], 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–2.39), falls in the previous year (OR, 2.44; 95%CI, 1.29–4.64), and pain (OR, 1.82; 95%CI, 1.03–3.22) in men, and advanced age (OR, 1.59; 95%CI, 1.13–2.24), longer 5 times chair stand times (OR, 1.28; 95%CI, 1.04–1.59), falls in the previous year (OR, 2.59; 95%CI, 1.54–4.34), and pain (OR, 1.65; 95%CI, 1.06–2.55) in women as being independently associated with fear of falling.The prevalence of fear of falling was similar to previous reports. Advanced age, falls in previous year, and pain were associated with fear of falling in men. A longer 5 times chair stand time was also associated with fear of falling among older adult women. Maintenance of physical function and pain management might be important for older adults with fear of falling.

Keywords: end-of-life care, place of death, social capital s u m m a r y Background: To investigate factors influencing the preferred place of death among community-living elderly people in Japan in relation to personal attributes, health status, self-rated health, and social capital indicators. Methods: A self-report questionnaire survey was conducted between July 2009 and September 2009 on a total of 238 elderly people aged 65 years living in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. Patients were either members of a social club for the elderly, individuals undergoing special health check-ups, or participants of health workshops held by cities. A total of 178 patients who provided complete responses (79 men, 99 women) were analyzed. Results: Half or more of the patients (men: 68.4%, women: 52.5%) indicated home as their preferred place of death. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that good self-rated health [odds ratio (OR): 2.6, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.2e5.7, p ¼ 0.013], participation in volunteer activities (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.0e3.8, p ¼ 0.038) and the spouse as the preferred caregiver (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.3e4.8, p ¼ 0.007) were associated with home as the preferred place of death. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider individual preferences and public health strategies in order to enable elderly people to receive suitable and comfortable end-of-life care in their preferred location.

Background Osteoporosis and related fractures, a worldwide public health issue of growing concern, is characterized by compromised bone strength and an increased risk of fracture. Here we show an association between self-reported walking speed and bone mass among community-dwelling postmenopausal Japanese women aged 50 years and older. Design; cross-sectional study Setting and Participants; The survey population included 1008 postmenopausal women 50–92 years of age residing in rural communities. Methods Self-reported walking speed was ascertained by asking the participants: “Is your walking speed faster than others of the same age and sex?” to which participants responded “yes (faster)” or “no (moderate/slower).” Calcaneal stiffness index was measured. Results Women with a faster self-reported walking speed were younger and had a lower BMI, higher stiffness index, and higher grip strength than women with a slower walking speed. Multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for age, BMI, grip strength, comorbidity, current smoking, and alcohol drinking status showed a significant association between faster self-reported walking speed and higher calcaneal stiffness index (p <  0.001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that questionnaires of walking speed may be useful for predicting bone mass and that a fast self-reported walking may benefit bone health in postmenopausal women.

Background Osteoporosis and related fractures, a worldwide public health issue of growing concern, is characterized by compromised bone strength and an increased risk of fracture. Here we show an association between self-reported walking speed and bone mass among community-dwelling postmenopausal Japanese women aged 50 years and older. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,008 postmenopausal women who underwent a general medical check-up in 2014 and 2016 as recommended by the Japanese government. Self-reported walking speed was ascertained by asking the participants: “Is your walking speed faster than others of the same age and sex?” to which participants responded “yes (faster)” or “no (moderate/slower).” Calcaneal stiffness index was measured. Results Women with a faster self-reported walking speed were younger and had a lower BMI, higher stiffness index, and higher grip strength than women with a slower walking speed. Multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for age, body mass index, grip strength, comorbidity, current smoking, and alcohol drinking status showed a significant association between faster self-reported walking speed and higher calcaneal stiffness index (p < 0.001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that questionnaires of walking speed may be useful for predicting bone mass and that a fast self-reported walking may benefit bone health in postmenopausal women.