Background: Falling is a serious issue among elderly community dwellers, often resulting in disability. We aimed to investigate the risk factors for falls among elderly community dwellers. Methods: We recruited 232 participants from multiple community learning and care centers, who provided their information through questionnaires. They were divided into two groups, according to their falling events after a 1-year follow-up. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 64 participants reported a fall at the 1-year follow-up. The falling group comprised older and single people with lower education levels, higher rates of dementia, a history of falls, lower scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination, and more disability functions when compared to the non-falling group (all p < 0.05). The regression model showed that a history of falls (OR: 62.011; p < 0.0001), lower education levels (OR: 4.088; p = 0.039), mild dementia (OR: 20.729; p = 0.028), older age (OR: 1.176; p < 0.0001), walking for 300 m (OR: 4.153; p = 0.030), and running for 30 m (OR: 3.402; p = 0.015) were 1-year risk factors for falls. Conclusion: A history of falling, low education levels, aging, mild dementia, and certain mobility limitations were strong risk factors for future falling accidents in elderly Taiwanese community dwellers.

Constipation is one of the most frequent non-motor problems in older adults. As constipation is commonly ignored by dementia patients, it is not usually reported on time. Constipation has a serious impact on the activity of daily living and quality of life in dementia patients. The relationships between constipation, demographic variables, and the nutritional status of patients with dementia remain unknown. This study aimed to assess the possible factors associated with constipation. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital from January to November 2019. This hospital is a medical center and the main referral hospital of southern Taiwan, serving 3 million inhabitants. In total, 119 patients with dementia were evaluated using the Rome III diagnostic criteria for functional constipation. There were 30 patients with dementia included in the constipation group and 89 patients with dementia included in the no constipation group. Mini-Nutritional Assessment and 3-day diet diary records were employed. The clinical dementia rating score was used to evaluate the severity of dementia in patients of the outpatient clinic. Approximately 25.2% of dementia patients had constipation. Patients in the dementia with constipation group were older, had severer dementia, and displayed a lower water intake. After multivariable adjustment, low liquid consumption was the predictor of constipation among patients with dementia. The findings support the clinical recommendations to treat constipation with an increased liquid intake, but not exercise, in dementia patients.

Background: Sweating and increased skin temperature caused by exercise can reduce physical activity and the willingness to exercise in adolescents with atopic dermatitis. This study was conducted to investigate the exercise load capacity of adolescents with atopic dermatitis and analyzed their exercise behavior and motivation. Methods: Adolescents with and without atopic dermatitis were assigned to the atopic dermatitis group and control group (n = 27 each). Both groups completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test and questionnaires to assess their exercise capacity, weekly exercise volume, exercise motivation, and self-efficacy, respectively. Results: The ratio of measured forced vital capacity to the predicted forced vital capacity and the peak oxygen consumption of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire scores of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. As for the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2, the scores for the introjected and identified regulations of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Regarding the Multidimensional Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, the scheduling efficacy and total scores of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Conclusions: Adolescents with atopic dermatitis had lower peak exercise capacity and lower weekly exercise volume. Furthermore, they lacked the negative feelings toward inactivity and the self-confidence to plan regular exercise independently. The results of this study suggest that adolescents with atopic dermatitis should be encouraged to engage in regular indoor exercise.

Introduction: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a childhood illness causing blood vessel inflammation. Children with KD have similar cardiopulmonary function to healthy children, but lower moderate-to-vigorous activity and exercise self-efficacy—possibly harming their cardiopulmonary function in adolescence. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cardiopulmonary function, exercise behaviors, exercise motivations, and self-efficacy of adolescents who once had KD. Methods: adolescents who once had KD and adolescents matched to the KD group in age and sex were enrolled. The cardiopulmonary exercise test was used to assess cardiopulmonary function. Weekly exercise behavior, exercise motivation, and self-efficacy were assessed with questionnaires. Results: this study recruited 50 and 30 participants, respectively, to the KD and control groups. The KD group had a lower ratio of VO₂/kg at the anaerobic threshold and peak to the predicted VO₂/kg at the peak (p = 0.021 and 0.043, respectively). No significant differences were found in questionnaire scores. The correlations of weekly exercise behavior scores with exercise motivation and self-efficacy scores were stronger in the KD group. Conclusions: adolescents with KD history had significantly lower aerobic metabolism capacity and peak exercise load capacity than controls. The correlations of amount of weekly exercise with exercise motivation and self-efficacy were stronger in the KD group.

BACKGROUND: Patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) may have low back pain (LBP), radicular pain and spinal instability. Current programs emphasize intervention of spinal stabilization exercise. However, no prospective, randomized studies have elucidated standardized treatment for DLS. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of spinal stabilization exercise and Biodex balance system (BBS) training in patients with DLS. METHODS: It was a prospective, clinical trial. Participants were allocated into three groups: (1) DLS-balance group treated with balance training (DLSB), (2) DLS non-balance training group (DLSNB), and (3) lumbar spondylosis without spondylolisthesis (SC). ALL patients underwent a rehabilitation program with lumbar stabilization exercises. The evaluation included the Numeric Pain Scale, the BBS, the Quebec back pain disability scale and Oswestry disability index. RESULTS: LBP was significantly different among three groups. Radicular pain was significantly different in the DLSB and SC groups. In post-hoc analysis, only the DLSB group had greater pain relief than the DLSNB group. Fall risk significantly decreased in the DLSB group. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar stabilization exercise were beneficial for DLS. BBS could provide more pain relief than lumbar stabilization exercise alone. BBS also enhanced balance in DLS patients, thereby reducing fall risks. Findings could provide a clinical reference for designing rehabilitation programs.