Evaluation of a dementia prevention program to improve health and social care and promote human rights among older adults
Issued Date
2022-01-01
Resource Type
ISSN
20564902
eISSN
20564910
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85143384216
Journal Title
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare (2022)
Suggested Citation
Kaneko K., Sasamori F., Okuhara M., Maruo S.J., Ashida K., Tabuchi H., Akasaki H., Kobayashi K., Aoyagi Y., Watanabe N., Nishino T., Terasawa K. Evaluation of a dementia prevention program to improve health and social care and promote human rights among older adults. International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare (2022). doi:10.1108/IJHRH-12-2021-0206 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/86247
Title
Evaluation of a dementia prevention program to improve health and social care and promote human rights among older adults
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to evaluate a human rights-informed dementia prevention program promoting better health and social care among older adults. In this study, the authors examined whether a dual-task training would improve cognition in healthy older adults. Design/methodology/approach: Individuals attending the systematic health education program for older adults based in Japan were recruited for study inclusion, and divided into a dual-task training group (TG) and a control group (CG). The TG underwent 90 min of a weekly dual-task training for 12 weeks. Severity of dementia was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test. Brain function was assessed using a go/no-go task paradigm, during which cerebral blood flow was additionally measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to quantify oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb). Findings: MMSE total score, number of errors in the go/no-go tasks and oxy-Hb values showed significant improvements in the TG. Research limitations/implications: Owing to the small number of participants allocated to the CG, the results must be interpreted with caution. Replication and further validation based on large-scale, randomized-controlled trials is warranted. Practical implications: This study highlights potential benefits of incorporating an early prevention training for dementia into a human rights-friendly health education program. Social implications: This study suggests a potential means to reduce costs of social security and health care by introducing a human rights-informed dementia prevention program. Originality/value: The results suggest that dual-task training may improve cognitive function in healthy older adults, thereby contributing to better health and improvement of social health care, based on a human rights-informed health education program for the prevention of dementia.