Relationships between Ability to Raise the Upper Body and Physical and Psychological Functions of Community-Dwelling Elderly

要旨: 〔目的〕高齢者の上体起こしの可否を評価し，可否別にその他の身体機能や心理機能を比較検討した。〔対象〕地域在住高齢者475名（男性106名，女性369名，平均年齢74.5±5.9歳）である。〔方法〕筋力や歩行能力などの身体機能6項目と主観的健康感や生きがい感などの心理機能3項目について，性別および上体起こしの可否別に比較した。〔結果〕上体起こしが可能であったのは男性で65.1％，女性で41.5％であり，男性の方が有意に上体起こし可能者の割合が多かった。身体機能の指標とした筋力や歩行能力などの6項目すべてに有意差が認められ，上体起こし可能群が不可能群より良好な値を示した。心理面を評価した主観的健康感にも有意差が認められ，上体起こし可能群が不可能群より自身をより健康だと自覚していた。〔結語〕高齢者にとって上体起こしができるか否かは，身体機能をよく反映する簡便なテスト法であるということのみならず，主観的健康感を含めた高齢者の総合的な健康度を推測できる可能性が示された。[Purpose] We assessed the upper body-raising ability of elderly persons, and compared it with their physical and psychological functions. [Subjects] The subjects were 475 community-dwelling elderly persons: 106 males, 369 females, average age 74.5 ± 5.9. [Method] We compared 6 items of physical function, including muscle strength and walking ability, and 3 items of psychological function, including subjective health and purpose in life, and compared them between gender and ability to raise the upper body. [Results] The proportion of males, 65.1%, who could raise the upper body was significantly greater than that of females, 41.5%. Significant differences were found for all of the 6 items of physical function, and those who could raise the upper body showed better values than those who could not. Among the psychological items, a significant difference was found for subjective health, and those who could raise the upper body perceived themselves as being more healthy. [Conclusion] The results show that ability to raise the upper body is not just a simple test which well-reflects physical function, but one which can possibly ascertain the overall health levels of the elderly, including subjective health