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30 Percent of Elderly Niigata Quake Victims Suffering from Inactivity Disorder
Mainichi Daily News
Japan
October 13, 2005
About 30 percent of elderly people in areas affected by last year's devastating Niigata Chuetsu Earthquake are showing signs of inactivity disorder as the first anniversary of the quake approaches, a government survey has found.
The survey, carried out by Yayoi Okawa of the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology and other researchers on behalf of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, was the first of its kind in Japan.
Researchers have compiled a manual to treat lifestyle inactivity disorder, sometimes referred to as disuse syndrome, in the event of a disaster. They plan to release the manual in the near future, and are asking for it to be used to reintegrate elderly people into society.
The research team conducted its survey with the Niigata Prefecture city of Nagaoka and other areas on people aged 65 or over who had been living in regions that were evacuated when the earthquake hit. It sought responses from a total of 1,626 people who had not been designated as requiring care.
A total of 31 percent of the respondents said they had found it difficult to walk outside after the quake. A total of 23 percent of elderly people who did not use shelters and 28 percent of elderly people who did not move into temporary housing said it had become difficult for them to walk.
Over half the number of elderly people who were able to walk around their neighborhoods or go outside if they were with someone else had suffered a decline in their walking ability, researchers found.
"Knowledge about lifestyle inactivity disorder is still sparse nationwide. Knowing about it is important not just in times of natural disasters; it is also the basis for preventative care," Okawa said. "We want local governments to utilize our manual and consider countermeasures."
Lifestyle inactivity disorder is a condition in which a person's mental and physical functions weaken due to inactivity. Common symptoms include reduction of muscular strength and a decline in the working ability of the heart and digestive system, as well as depression, poor posture, the inability to walk and being bedridden.
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