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Objective Methods Results Conclusions To investigate the characteristics of underactive bladder (UAB) in participants of the 2023 Japan Community Health Survey (JaCS 2023).The JaCS 2023 was conducted among individuals aged 20–99 years old who had anonymously registered with a Japanese online research company. We divided the 6210 participants of JACS 2023 into UAB and non‐UAB groups as defined by the International Continence Society Working Group (ICS‐WG) and evaluated the prevalence of UAB as well as concomitant lower urinary tract symptoms. In addition, an association between UAB and vulnerability‐related factors, namely participants' characteristics including frailty and comorbidities, was explored by univariable and multivariable analyses.The prevalence of UAB in Japanese community‐dwelling men and women aged 20 years or older was 9.3% and 4.0% overall (p < 0.0001), respectively, and when excluding benign prostatic hyperplasia or pelvic organ prolapse, 7.0% and 3.7%, respectively, (p < 0.0001). A significant increase in the prevalence of UAB with age was observed (p < 0.0001). In addition, storage symptoms including overactive bladder were more frequent in the UAB group than the non‐UAB group (p < 0.0001). Frailty and several comorbidities were independently associated with UAB.According to the definition proposed by the ICS‐WG, the JaCS 2023 demonstrated that UAB was more prevalent in men than in women and increased in prevalence with age. Storage symptoms including overactive bladder sometimes coexisted with UAB. Vulnerability‐related factors were associated with UAB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: A large‐scale nationwide epidemiological survey of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) was conducted via the Internet in 2023 to clarify the current prevalence of LUTS and evaluate its impact on daily life in Japan. Methods: The survey was conducted among individuals aged 20–99 years old who had anonymously registered with a Japanese online research company. The survey consisted of 48 questions related to LUTS and daily life. Results: A total of 6210 participants (3088 females and 3122 males), who were selected by probability sampling based on the composition of the Japanese population (age range: 20–99), were recruited. The overall prevalence of LUTS was 77.9% among the subjects aged ≥20 and 82.5% among those aged ≥40. The prevalence of LUTS differed between the sexes and trends toward significant increases in prevalence with age were seen for almost all LUTS. Furthermore, the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) was 11.9% among the subjects aged ≥20 and 13.8% among those aged ≥40. This study also showed that LUTS negatively affected daily life. However, the percentage of subjects who visited a physician to receive treatment for LUTS was low, including for participants with a history of treatment for LUTS, although this increased with age. Conclusion: The prevalence of LUTS, including OAB, increased with age and negatively affected daily life. However, since the percentage of patients who visit a physician to receive treatment for LUTS remains low, further educational activities regarding LUTS are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives The relationship between social isolation/loneliness and oral health is unclear. This study investigated the association between social isolation/loneliness and tooth loss in older Japanese adults. Research Design and Methods This was a cross-sectional study of a population-based cohort (the Sukagawa Study); 5,490 cohort study participants aged ≥75 years and who were independent answered a self-administered questionnaire in 2018. Social isolation was defined based on the 6-item Japanese version of the Lubben Social Network Scale. Loneliness was measured by the 3-item Japanese version of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Loneliness Scale version 3. The primary outcome was tooth loss, defined as having fewer than 20 teeth. The secondary outcomes were decreased toothbrushing frequency and diminished ability to chew food. Prevalence ratios (PRs) were estimated using a modified Poisson regression analysis in 2 models—Model 1, which adjusted for age, gender, smoking status, alcohol consumption, low annual income, and short education period, and Model 2, which added history of depression, history of diabetes mellitus, history of stroke, and cognitive impairment to Model 1. Results The primary analysis included 4,645 participants. Adjusted PRs of social isolation and loneliness for tooth loss (Model 1) were 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92–1.01) and 1.06 (95% CI 1.01–1.12), respectively; those for decreased toothbrushing frequency were 1.13 (95% CI 0.95–1.36) and 1.56 (95% CI 1.26–1.92), respectively; and those for chewing difficulty were 1.61 (95% CI 1.06–2.43) and 2.94 (95% CI 1.91–4.53), respectively. The adjusted PRs in Model 2 demonstrated results similar to that of Model 1. Discussion and Implications Loneliness is associated with tooth loss among older adults, whereas social isolation is not. Our findings can inform plans for policymakers, professionals, and organizations to identify lonely older adults and provide social prescriptions to improve their access to oral health care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aimed to determine whether paid work has an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among older adults. Over three years, we longitudinally collected data from 5,260 community-dwelling older adults aged 75 years or older from a city in Japan. We assessed HRQOL using the Short-Form-8. We estimated the mean difference between the physical component summary (PCS) and the mental component summary (MCS) scores, which were stratified based on gender using multivariate, generalized estimating equation models. We further conducted a subgroup analysis based on the participants' occupational backgrounds. Engagement in paid work was associated with increased MCS scores across both genders and with increased PCS scores among women. In the subgroup analysis, only women who had previously worked as managerial workers showed an inverse association with MCS scores. In this population, engagement in paid work may be a crucial factor associated with well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In order to understand the digital divide among older adults during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, we investigated the association between internet use and compliance with COVID‐19 preventive behaviors during the first state of emergency in Japan. Methods: A total of 8952 community‐dwelling citizens aged 75 years and above were asked about their preventive behaviors during the first state of emergency using a paper‐based questionnaire. Among them, 51% responded and were divided into internet users and non‐users. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of internet use for compliance with preventive behaviors. Results: Approximately 40% of the respondents used the internet, and 9.29% used social media to collect COVID‐19‐related information. Internet usage was independently associated with compliance with using hand sanitizers, avoiding going out, avoiding eating out, avoiding traveling, getting vaccinated, and getting tested for COVID‐19; the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 1.21 (1.05–1.38), 1.19 (1.04–1.37), 1.20 (1.05–1.38), 1.32 (1.15–1.52), 1.30 (1.11–1.53), and 1.23 (1.07–1.41), respectively. Exploratory subgroup analyses demonstrated that social media users might have shown early adaptation to newly recommended preventive behaviors during the first state of emergency. Conclusions: Results suggest that a digital divide exists, as evidenced by the varied compliance with preventive behaviors depending on internet use. Additionally, social media use may be associated with early adaptation to newly recommended preventive behaviors. Therefore, future studies regarding the digital divide among older adults should investigate differences depending on the types and content of internet resources. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 289–296. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]