抄録
沖縄県の島嶼地域である久高島の高齢者42名(男性13名,女性29名)を対象に,ストレスと心身の健康状態との関連を明らかにすることを目的に,生体内ストレス指標の1つである唾液中free-MHPGと老研式活動能力指標,PGCモラールスケールおよびWHO/QOL26との関連をみた.その結果,老研式活動能力指標およびPGCモラールスケールとの関連では,有意な関連は認めなかった.唾液中free-MHPGとの関連では,WHO/QOL26の下位項目である"心理領域","社会領域"および"環境領域"において有意な負の相関がみられた.本結果から,日常生活における肯定的感情や精神的充足感が低い高齢者ほど,また人間関係や友人関係などのソーシャルサポートおよび環境に対する受容・適応状況が不良な高齢者ほど唾液中free-MHPGを指標としたストレス度は高く,高齢者のストレス関連要因としてQOL(quality of life)が大きく影響することが示唆された.
Objectives: In the present study, we used as a bodily index for stresses, free-MHPG (3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylethyleneglycol) in saliva which was easily obtainable without giving any stress to the elderly subjects. From the data obtained, we discussed the degree of stress by surveying their ADL, the degree of their well-being, and their QOL by examining the relationship between psychological health and stresses. Subjects and Method: As for the subjects, 42 elderly aged over 65 consisting of 13 males and 29 females living in Kudakajima Island of Okinawa were selected. The contents of the questionnaire used in this survey consisted of their basic attributes, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, PGC moral scales and WHO/QOL26. We also conducted semi-constructive interviews with them and took saliva from each of them using test tube made especially for collecting it (SALIVETTE, SARSTEDT). For the statistical analysis, Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation were applied, using SPSS15.0J, in which the statistically significant differences were evaluated by less than 5%. Results and Discussion: Statistically, the free-MHPG level in saliva had a negative correlation with the psychological domain, the social and environmental domain that was the lower ones of WHO/QOL26. The more psychologically and socially maladjusted the elderly, and the more environmentally discontent, the higher the free-MHPG level in saliva, showing that the more stressfully suffered, the higher values the elderly had. Conclusion: From the above results, we concluded that psychological, social and environmental factors would give stresses to the elderly, and these results suggest in paticular that daily feeling of satisfaction, support from friends, and social welfare services which softened such stresses are important to the elderly. Free-MHPG in saliva was usable to evaluate chronic stresses, and a comprehensive study of the relation between inner stress and QOL would help with an effective approach to solve health problems of mentality and body in the elderly.
