Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
3.5
2.4
Journals
Healthcare
Special Issues
Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition
share announcement

Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Community Care".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 6530

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Shinichi Noto

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Rehabilitation, Niigata University of Health and Welfare, Niigata, Japan
Interests: improvement of the quality of life and cost-effectiveness of rehabilitation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Aging is a social issue in some countries. This is because aging brings increased medical and long-term care costs and social losses due to informal care. The most common diseases that increase with age are cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, orthopedic diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. Although treatments for these diseases have been developed, they cannot completely prevent or cure the onset of these diseases. It is necessary to prevent the onset of these diseases that tend to occur with aging, and to provide treatment and social systems that support such prevention and treatment so that people can return to their normal state as much as possible after the onset of these diseases. We welcome the results of scientific research on these topics.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to consolidate the latest findings on age-related diseases and their treatment and healthcare systems. Rehabilitation will play an important role in treating age-related diseases, while healthcare systems will include prevention and prophylactic programs. It is also important to clarify the effects of aging from the perspective of the quality of life.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Systematic reviews on treatment and healthcare systems for age-related diseases;
  • Research on novel perspectives on the relationship between aging and health-related quality of life;
  • Advanced reports on prevention programs for age-related diseases;
  • Longitudinal studies of lifestyle-related disease rehabilitation with health-related quality of life as an outcome.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Shinichi Noto
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • quality of life
  • aging
  • older adults
  • elderly
  • frailty
  • rehabilitation
  • stroke
  • diabetes
  • prevention
  • healthcare system

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Other

10 pages, 257 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Users’ Perception of Home Care Provided by the Family Health Strategy Team: A Quali–Quantitative Approach
by José Victor Marconato, Luís Eduardo Genaro, Aylton Valsecki Junior and Fernanda Lopez Rosell
Healthcare 2024, 12(22), 2210; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12222210 - 6 Nov 2024
Viewed by 353
Abstract
Background/Objective: Home care involves actions and services aimed at promoting health. Despite being an important strategy for humanized care, strengthening bonds, and improving access, there is a lack of scientific evidence regarding users’ perceptions of home care. The objective of this study was [...] Read more.
Background/Objective: Home care involves actions and services aimed at promoting health. Despite being an important strategy for humanized care, strengthening bonds, and improving access, there is a lack of scientific evidence regarding users’ perceptions of home care. The objective of this study was to analyze the perception of users regarding the home care provided by the Family Health Strategy team. Methodology: A descriptive, quali–quantitative approach was used, with a sample of 60 patients who required home care. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured guide, and the analysis applied the Collective Subject Discourse. Results: Most participants were female (60%) and aged between 71 and 85 years (45%). The duration of home care varied, with 41.6% receiving care for 13 to 24 months. The majority of participants (61.6%) received home care weekly, while 33.4% were visited every 15 days, and 5% monthly. The most present professionals were community health agents (45%), followed by nursing assistants (18.3%), nurses (15%), and doctors (15%). Dentists and physiotherapists made fewer visits (3.3%). Regarding the care received, 36.6% valued the continuity of treatment, 31.6% were satisfied with the quality, and 25% highlighted the humanization of care. Only 6.6% desired more frequent visits. Conclusions: The analysis of perceptions revealed that participants valued the continuity of treatment and the quality of care received. Home visits were predominantly carried out by community health agents. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition)
14 pages, 702 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Speech Features in Alzheimer’s Disease with Machine Learning: A Case-Control Study
by Shinichi Noto, Yuichi Sekiyama, Ryo Nagata, Gai Yamamoto and Toshiaki Tamura
Healthcare 2024, 12(21), 2194; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12212194 - 4 Nov 2024
Viewed by 586
Abstract
Background: Changes in the speech and language of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been reported. Using machine learning to characterize these irregularities may contribute to the early, non-invasive diagnosis of AD. Methods: We conducted cognitive function assessments, including the Mini-Mental State Examination, [...] Read more.
Background: Changes in the speech and language of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been reported. Using machine learning to characterize these irregularities may contribute to the early, non-invasive diagnosis of AD. Methods: We conducted cognitive function assessments, including the Mini-Mental State Examination, with 83 patients with AD and 75 healthy elderly participants, and recorded pre- and post-assessment conversations to evaluate participants’ speech. We analyzed the characteristics of the spectrum, intensity, fundamental frequency, and minute temporal variation (∆) of the intensity and fundamental frequency of the speech and compared them between patients with AD and healthy participants. Additionally, we evaluated the performance of the speech features that differed between the two groups as single explanatory variables. Results: We found significant differences in almost all elements of the speech spectrum between the two groups. Regarding the intensity, we found significant differences in all the factors except for the standard deviation between the two groups. In the performance evaluation, the areas under the curve revealed by logistic regression analysis were higher for the center of gravity (0.908 ± 0.036), mean skewness (0.904 ± 0.023), kurtosis (0.932 ± 0.023), and standard deviation (0.977 ± 0.012) of the spectra. Conclusions: This study used machine learning to reveal speech features of patients diagnosed with AD in comparison with healthy elderly people. Significant differences were found between the two groups in all components of the spectrum, paving the way for early non-invasive diagnosis of AD in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 621 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the SarQoL® Questionnaire as a Screening Tool for Sarcopenia among Korean Older Adults
by Haneul Lee and Jiyoun Kim
Healthcare 2024, 12(19), 2000; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12192000 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 631
Abstract
Background/objectives: Sarcopenia, characterized by the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, poses significant risks to physical health, leading to a reduced quality of life (QoL), increased disability, and higher mortality rates among older adults. Early detection and intervention are crucial to prevent [...] Read more.
Background/objectives: Sarcopenia, characterized by the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, poses significant risks to physical health, leading to a reduced quality of life (QoL), increased disability, and higher mortality rates among older adults. Early detection and intervention are crucial to prevent the cascading effects of sarcopenia, including falls, fractures, and hospitalization. This study determined an optimal cut-off point of the SarQoL® score that can serve as an effective screening tool among community-dwelling Korean older adults. Methods: The study involved 451 South Korean older adults, assessing the correlation between SarQoL® scores and sarcopenia as defined by the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) criteria. Participants completed the Korean version of the SarQoL questionnaire. Results: Findings revealed that individuals diagnosed with sarcopenia had significantly lower SarQoL® scores compared to non-sarcopenic participants, with a cut-off score of ≤58.5 providing good diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.768, sensitivity = 69.3%, specificity = 75.2%). Conclusions: These results underscore the questionnaire’s reliability and validity in screening for sarcopenia-related QoL impairment and its potential utility as a clinical tool. Implementing the SarQoL® in routine assessments could improve clinical outcomes by enabling earlier and more precise identification of sarcopenia. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 303 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Impact of Multidisciplinary Collaboration on Quality of Life in Older Patients Receiving Primary Care: Cross Sectional Study
by Mohammed Nasser Albarqi
Healthcare 2024, 12(13), 1258; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12131258 - 25 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1899
Abstract
The growing aging population presents unique challenges in maintaining their quality of life (QoL), which encompasses physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. This study aimed to assess the impact of multidisciplinary collaboration on QoL among older patients receiving primary care. A cross-sectional study was [...] Read more.
The growing aging population presents unique challenges in maintaining their quality of life (QoL), which encompasses physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. This study aimed to assess the impact of multidisciplinary collaboration on QoL among older patients receiving primary care. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving a purposive sampling of 200 participants aged 60 years and above from Primary Healthcare Centers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, between March and May 2024. Data were collected using standardized tools: SF-36 for health-related QoL, Multidisciplinary Collaboration Evaluation Tool (MCET), and Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS). Multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between multidisciplinary collaboration, social support, and QoL outcomes. Multidisciplinary collaboration exhibited a significant positive association with improvements in physical functioning (β = 2.35, p < 0.001), mental health (β = 3.01, p < 0.001), and general health perceptions (β = 2.12, p < 0.001). Key drivers of effective collaboration included effective communication (β = 0.48, p < 0.001), coordination (β = 0.42, p < 0.001), and patient involvement (β = 0.40, p < 0.001). Social support, particularly from friends (β = 0.33, p < 0.001) and family (β = 0.28, p < 0.001), was also a robust predictor of better QoL. Younger age, female gender, married status, and absence of chronic conditions were associated with greater QoL improvements from multidisciplinary care. Multidisciplinary collaboration and social support networks significantly enhance QoL among older primary care patients. Healthcare systems should prioritize developing collaborative care models, fostering interdisciplinary teamwork, and integrating strategies to promote social connectedness for the aging population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition)

Other

Jump to: Research

20 pages, 1272 KiB  
Systematic Review
Exploring the Effectiveness of Technology-Assisted Interventions for Promoting Independence in Elderly Patients: A Systematic Review
by Mohammed Nasser Albarqi
Healthcare 2024, 12(21), 2105; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12212105 - 23 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1211
Abstract
Background: The aging global population presents significant challenges for healthcare systems. Technology-assisted interventions have emerged as promising tools to enhance independence and well-being among elderly individuals. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of technology-assisted interventions in promoting independence [...] Read more.
Background: The aging global population presents significant challenges for healthcare systems. Technology-assisted interventions have emerged as promising tools to enhance independence and well-being among elderly individuals. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of technology-assisted interventions in promoting independence among elderly patients and identify key barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Searches were performed in PubMed, IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Cochrane Library, and Scopus. Studies evaluating technology-assisted interventions for promoting independence in elderly patients were included. Data were synthesized through narrative and thematic analysis. Results: Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Technology-assisted interventions demonstrated positive impacts on physical and cognitive functioning, health management, quality of life, and technological engagement among elderly patients. Improvements were observed in areas such as mobility, chronic disease management, mental health, and daily living activities. High usability and adherence rates were reported for well-designed interventions. However, challenges in user-centered design, personalization, and integration with existing healthcare systems were identified. Conclusions: Technology-assisted interventions show promise in promoting independence among elderly patients. Future research should focus on addressing identified challenges and conducting larger, long-term studies to confirm effectiveness and sustainability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1375 KiB  
Systematic Review
Effectiveness of Telephysiotherapy in Improving Older Adults’ Physical and Psychological Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Siu-Shing Man, Huiying Wen, Kung-Ting Chiu, Fenghong Wang and Hoi-Shou Chan
Healthcare 2024, 12(17), 1775; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12171775 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1282
Abstract
(1) Objective: to investigate the effectiveness of telephysiotherapy compared with traditional rehabilitation for elderly patients and determine the factors impacting its efficacy. (2) Method: Five online databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane) were reviewed up to 31 July 2023. [...] Read more.
(1) Objective: to investigate the effectiveness of telephysiotherapy compared with traditional rehabilitation for elderly patients and determine the factors impacting its efficacy. (2) Method: Five online databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane) were reviewed up to 31 July 2023. The search included the literature in English from 2014 to 2023, to capture the latest practices in telephysiotherapy for elderly patients. Data from all qualified studies were independently extracted by two authors, quantifying effect size to reflect treatment performance. (3) Results: 222 records from 19 articles were analyzed. The effect size for telephysiotherapy was 0.350 (95% C.I. = 0.283–0.416; p < 0.01). The standardized mean differences for physical and psychological outcomes were 0.406 (95% C.I. = 0.325–0.488; p < 0.01) and 0.223 (95% C.I. = 0.110–0.336; p < 0.01), respectively. (4) Conclusions: Telephysiotherapy was more effective than traditional rehabilitation, significantly improving the physical and psychological status of elderly patients. The factors influencing the effectiveness of telephysiotherapy were intervention type, intervention duration, outcome, and gender. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Aging and Quality of Life: Second Edition)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop