Association between Tai Chi Yuttari Exercise and Longevity and Prevention of Long-Term Care Need: Survival Analysis in Kitakata City, Japan

Author: Nobuaki Moriyama1, Tomomi Kuga1, Tetsuzo Oshima2, Kumiko Sato2, Miho Kurita2, Seiji Yasumura1
Affiliation:
1 Department of Public Health, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 960-1295, Japan.
2 Health and Welfare Department, Elderly Welfare Division, Kitakata 966-8601, Japan.
Conference/Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health
Date published: 2023 Feb 16
Other: Volume ID: 20 , Issue ID: 4 , Pages: 3472 , Special Notes: doi: 10.3390/ijerph20043472. , Word Count: 204


This study examined whether participation in Tai Chi Yuttari exercise is associated with a delay in the death and new certification for long-term care need of older adults. Individuals who participated in Tai Chi Yuttari exercise classes in 2011-2015 (participation group) were compared with individuals from the Basic Resident Register of Kitakata City (non-participation group). Death and new certification for long-term care need were selected to evaluate the effectiveness of participation in Tai Chi Yuttari exercise classes. The periods from the start date of the observation to each person's date of occurrence of events were calculated. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to compare survival curves between the groups. A total of 105 and 202 individuals in the participation and non-participation groups, respectively, were observed. Survival duration (χ2 = 8.782, p = 0.003) and the period before receiving certification for long-term care (χ2 = 5.354, p = 0.021) were longer in the participation group than in the non-participation group. In the stratified analysis by sex, survival duration was longer in the participation group in men only (χ2 = 7.875, p = 0.005). Participation in Tai Chi Yuttari exercise might be effective in delaying death, especially in men, and new certification for long-term care.

Keywords: Tai Chi Yuttari exercise; long-term care need; longevity; older people.

PMID: 36834168 PMCID: PMC9961723 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20043472

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