[Evaluation of environmental stimulation and its relation to physical deterioration in the elderly after 3 years--a health-social longitudinal study].

ABSTRACT

A comprehensive longitudinal study was started in 1991 and has been continuing every year to develop an evaluation of environmental stimulation (EES). The subjects were all the 60 years or above who lived in a farming community near major urban centers in Japan (n = 693). The contents of the interview were about the interaction between the individual and the environment, health status and life style, their feeling about themselves, and social activities. The results were as follows; 1) Environmental stimulation was divided into 5 subscales by factor analysis. i.e. a) Interactive stimulation through family members and other people, b) Material stimulation, c) Social interactive stimulation, d) Availability of physical environment, e) Promoting self reliance and interaction. The cumulative prevalence rate for these factors was 54.2% and Cronbach alpha was 0.78, 2) Lack of environmental stimulation was significantly correlated to physical deterioration over the 3 years duration of the study. Further research is needed on this cohort to develop a more effective scale of environmental stimulation which can predict precisely the physical deterioration related to socio-psychological factors.