Competency acquisition among rehabilitation professionals supporting older residents' community-based activities in Japan: a qualitative study.

[Purpose] In Japan, community-gathering initiatives for older residents often involve support from rehabilitation professionals. However, the quality of this support varies. This study aimed to clarify the rehabilitation professionals' competency-acquisition process for establishing better support methods and processes, thereby reducing regional and individual differences. [Participants and Methods] The study included 10 rehabilitation professionals (nine physical therapists and one occupational therapist; eight males and two females, aged 34-57 years) with 2-7 years of experience facilitating community gatherings. Semi-structured interviews and the modified grounded theory approach were used. [Results] The results of this study identified 38 concepts, 15 subcategories, and finally the following 6 categories pertaining to the effective support process of care prevention: "not confident", "prepare for support", "form a rapport", "know the field", "implement effective support", and "utilize support experiences". [Conclusion] To prevent long-term frailty among older residents, rehabilitation professionals should 1) establish a system for ensuring their participation in the project, 2) understand the core principles of community rehabilitation, 3) facilitate residents' initiatives, and 4) mediate group activities. Apart from conventional physical-therapy skills, rehabilitation professionals must acquire specific competencies to support community gatherings as a part of their education, such as providing indirect group support rather than direct individual support.

Characteristics of individuals who developed type 2 diabetes from prediabetes despite undergoing interventions, and evaluation of the performance of urinary myo-inositol as a risk factor for developing diabetes.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristics of individuals with prediabetes who developed type 2 diabetes despite undergoing interventions, and to evaluate the performance of urinary myo-inositol (UMI) as a noninvasive indicator for the risk of developing diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 51 individuals with prediabetes who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, ΔUMI (the difference in the UMI : creatinine ratio between before and 120 min after 75-g glucose loading), fasting plasma glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, noninvasive testing (age, body mass index, blood pressure) and general blood tests were measured at baseline, and underwent dietary/exercise guidance for 8 years were studied. RESULTS: A total of 31 participants developed diabetes in 8 years. At baseline, the group that developed diabetes was characterized by high ΔUMI, hemoglobin A1c, fasting plasma glucose and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and insulinogenic index (I.I.). I.I and ΔUMI showed a higher correlation than fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c. Regarding diabetes onset within 8 years, Cox regression analysis of diabetes onset showed the baseline ΔUMI is an independent predictor, adjusted for the result of not only noninvasive markers, but also that of noninvasive and general blood markers. The log-rank test showed that all glycemic indicators were significantly associated with diabetes onset. CONCLUSION: Participants who developed type 2 diabetes from prediabetes despite undergoing interventions were characterized by high glycemic control markers and low I.I. As noninvasive measurement of ΔUMI is associated with I.I. and diabetes onset, it could be a useful indicator for identifying individuals with a high risk of diabetes onset.

Factors affecting the progression of renal dysfunction and the importance of salt restriction in patients with type 2 diabetic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is the most common cause of end-stage renal failure, and the prevention of its progression has been a topic of discussion. METHODS: Sixty type 2 DKD patients were retrospectively evaluated for 1 year. Factors independently affecting the annual Ccr decline were examined by multivariable linear regression analysis. Patients were further divided into 2 groups based on their degree of renal function, and between-group differences at study initiation were evaluated. RESULTS: Ccr values were 21.0 ± 11.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2) at study initiation, and 15.7 ± 10.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2) after 1 year of observation. The multivariable linear regression analysis indicated salt intake (standardized coefficient: -0.34, P = 0.010) and urinary protein excretion (standardized coefficient: -0.33, P = 0.011) to be factors independently affecting the annual Ccr decline. Although decliners (-9.8 ± 4.7 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/year) had a significantly higher salt intake than non-decliners (-1.1 ± 3.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/year) at study initiation, this difference disappeared at the end of the study as a result of intensive dietary education. In 21 decliners with an additional year of follow-up, the annual Ccr decline significantly improved from -10.1 ± 5.3 to -5.3 ± 7.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/year (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Salt intake and urinary protein excretion were associated with annual Ccr decline in type 2 DKD patients. Furthermore, dietary education covering salt intake may have positively affected the change in Ccr.