Effects of tai chi on postural balance and quality of life among the elderly with gait disorders: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Tai Chi is good for improving the physical fitness of older adults. But few studies have reported the effects of Tai Chi on the postural balance and quality of life of older adults with gait disorders. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to assess the influence of tai chi on postural stability and quality of life in older adults with abnormal gait. METHOD: According to the literature retrieval principles, the works published from the inception date to May 2023 were retrieved, including the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, EBSCOhost, and Google Scholar. Subsequently, literature screening and quality assessment were performed. RESULTS: A total of 16 randomized controlled trials were included in this study, Tai Chi intervention can affect populations with Parkinson's disease (PD), no exercise, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), chronic stroke, sedentary, fear of falling, or history of falling. Postural instability is associated with balance, gait, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Subscale 3 (UPDRS III), mobility, lower body strength, and falls. Only two articles looked at quality of life. The Yang style is the most commonly used in the intervention. Nonetheless, most studies were performed on female participants, hence, more research on older male populations is needed. CONCLUSION: Tai Chi intervention benefits postural balance in patients with gait disorders. 12 weeks is the most common intervention period for patients with gait disorders. The frequency of intervention is seven articles twice a week, and the intervention time is about 60 minutes. The Tai Chi intervention methods in this study involve Yang Style, Sun Style, Taoist Tai Chi, and Health Qigong Tai Chi, but the Yang Style Tai Chi intervention is the most widely used.

[Analysis on the changing trend of mortality rate and spectrum regarding causes of death in the last recent 30 years in Hunan province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changing trend of mortality and the spectrum regarding causes of death in the population of Hunan, and to analyze the health-related major diseases. METHODS: With retrospective study method, a sample survey on causes of death and the related information was carried out from 2004 to 2005 among the residents in Hunan province. Results were compared with the data from a retrospective survey on causes of death in Hunan during 1973-1975 and 1990-1992, respectively. RESULTS: The crude mortality rates and the standardized mortality ratios (SMR) of the residents in Hunan were 901.59/100 000 and 865.14/100 000 during the period of 1973-1975 while 588.64/100 000 and 537.42/100 000 during the period of 1990-1992, and 608.27/100 000 and 413.67/100 000 during the period of 2004-2005, respectively. During the past 30 years, the SMR of the residents in Hunan decreased by 52.18% and the descending range from the rural areas was more than that of the urban areas, and higher in females than in males. The death proportion of infectious diseases, maternal and perinatal diseases, nutritional deficiencies decreased significantly (P<0.01), but the death proportion of chronic non-communicable diseases increased significantly (P<0.01). The changing ranges of the former two proportions were both larger in the rural areas than those in the urban areas. The highest proportions of deaths due to injury and poisoning during the past 30 years were both seen in the 5 year olds, followed by the age groups of 25 year olds (P<0.01). During the period of 2004-2005, the death proportion of all the infectious diseases, maternal/perinatal diseases and nutritional deficiencies was 8.01% altogether, and those of chronic non-communicable diseases, injury and poisoning were 80.66% and 11.33%, respectively. During the past 30 years, the SMR of the three kinds of diseases all significantly decreased, more significantly seen in infectious diseases, maternal and perinatal diseases, and nutritional deficiencies but less in chronic non-communicable diseases. Among the death cases of chronic non-communicable diseases, the SMR of cerebrovascular disease, malignant tumor, and heart disease showed an increasing tendency and the sequences of them had been advanced to the first, the second, and the fourth in the death ranking during the period of 2004-2005, respectively. CONCLUSION: The SMRs of the residents in the urban and rural areas from Hunan province showed a declining tendency. Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular diseases and malignant tumors had become the important diseases affecting the health of the people, while injury and poisoning had otherwise topped the causes of death among children and adolescents in Hunan province.