[Purpose] This study examined the quality of life (QOL) of homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients and factors that affect it. [Subjects] The subjects of the study were 21 homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients who were 65 years old or over and required care for daily living (12 males and 9 females, average age: 79.3 ± 8.4 years old). Their physical and psychological conditions, QOL, and other characteristics were researched. [Methods] The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was used for the activities of daily living (ADL) assessment, and the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36, Japanese version 1.2) was used for the QOL assessment. [Results] No correlations were observed between the QOL of homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients and their age and gender. However, the results showed that their QOL was affected by their independence in ADL, bedridden degree, and care-need level. [Conclusion] These results suggest that in order to improve the QOL of homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients, ongoing rehabilitation to improve independence in ADL and lower the bedridden degree and care-need level is required.

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Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the factors affecting the burden of family caregivers of home-bound disabled elderly persons.[Subjects] Data were collected for 66 home-bound disabled elderly persons (mean age of 81.4 ± 9.7) and their 66 family caregivers (mean age of 62.4 ± 11. 5) who were living at home in Kobe city, Hyogo.[Method] Capacity to perform ADL was assessed using the Barthel Index for the home-bound disabled elderly persons. The care burden and health status of their family caregivers were also evaluated. [Results] There was no significant correlation between ADL, the grade of care required for home-bound disabled elderly persons and family caregivers' burden. It was also revealed that the family caregivers' burdens were determined by their state of depression.[Conclusion] These results suggest that social and psychological supports are necessary to reduce the burden of family caregivers.

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the health-related and subjective quality of life of community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients, and also examined how such quality of life correlate with their daily life activities and instrumental activities of daily living. [Subjects and Methods] Subjects were 27 community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients (mean age: 76.3 ± 7.4 years). Their health-related quality of life and subjective quality of life, life-space assessment, frenchay activities index were researched. [Results] For the relationships between the total subjective quality of life scores and health-related quality of life scores, significant positive correlations were observed for body pain, general health, vitality, social functions and mental health. The correlations were not statistically significant between the subjective quality of life scores and the life-space assessment and frenchay activities index scores. The correlations were statistically significant between some health-related quality of life scores and the life-space assessment and frenchay activities index scores. [Conclusion] The results suggest that supporting community-dwelling elderly females in orthopedic outpatients to improve their sense of physical and mental well-being, and prevent and reduce their depression and physical pain, is required in order to improve their QOL.

Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the severity and the persistence of low back pain (LBP) in care workers and its influence on their health-related quality of life (QOL).[Subjects] The subjects were one hundred and fifty eight female care workers who worked for three health care service facilities for the aged in Japan.[Methods] The investigation was carried out by questionnaire survey. Subjects were asked if they had LBP at the time of the survey. If they had LBP subjects were further asked to describe how long their LBP had lasted. We evaluated the degree of LBP and the Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess health-related QOL.[Results] The participants were classified into two groups: a H-LBP group that reported a high degree of LBP and an L-LBP group that reported a low degree of LBP. In addition, the participants who had LBP at the time of survey were classified into two groups: an Acute group in which LBP had continued for less than 3 months and a Chronic group in which LBP had continued for more than 3 months. The scores for all dimensions of SF-36 in the L-LBP group were significantly lower than in the H-LBP group. The Chronic group had a significantly higher degree of LBP and lower "Bodily Pain" than the Acute group. [Conclusion] It is clear that the presence or the severity of workers' LBP influenced not only their pain and physical functions but also their social and psychological QOL .

[Purpose] In this study, we examined problematic behaviors of independent-walking and non-independent-walking handicapped children in the infant, school child and adolescent development phases, using the Japanese version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC-J) to determine if such behaviors relate to their gross motor abilities. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 86 handicapped children who were receiving physical therapy. The subjects were classified into three groups by age. Using the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), each group was further divided into an independent-walking group and non-independent-walking group. Thirteen physical therapists and 8 occupational therapists, who were treating the subject children, rated the subjects using the ABC-J. [Results] Significant differences were observed between the independent-walking and the non-independent-walking groups in the stereotypy and lethargy scores of infants. [Conclusion] For schoolchildren and adolescents, no significant differences were observed between the independent-walking and the non-independent-walking groups in their problematic behavior scores.

Abstract. [Purpose] This study aimed to examine problematic behaviors of mentally handicapped children receiving pediatric physical therapy, through applying the Japanese version of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist(ABC-J) to persons receiving pediatric physical therapy.[Subjects] Subjects were 26 handicapped children who had received pediatric physical therapy (18 males and 8 females, aged from 1 year and 4 months to 19 years and 10 months). The raters were 5 physical therapists and 1 occupational therapist.[Methods] The subjects were rated using ABC-J.[Results] Twenty-four of 26 subjects showed "Irritability", 23 subjects showed "Lethargy", 13 subjects showed "Stereotypy", 23 subjects showed "Hyperactivity", 12 subjects showed "Inappropriate speech". [Conclusion] "Irritability" "Lethargy" and "Hyperactivity" showed comparatively a stronger tendencies. However, all items were graded high in comparison with reports for Down syndrome. The results of this study suggest that the subjects of pediatric physical therapy show problem in problematic behaviors.

Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to investigate the reliability of Japanese manuals for the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC-J) in daycare centers for handicapped children.[Subjects] Nine handicapped children with mental retardation, cerebral paralysis, etc were the subjects.[Methods] Four raters (one physical therapist: PT, one occupational therapist: OT, and two nursery teachers) individually used the ABC-J in an inter-rater reliability to determine the reliability of the result between different raters. Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability were examined using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC).[Results] Inter-rater reliability ICC (2.1) were 0.582, 0.144, 0, 0.494 and 0.467 for "Irritability", "Lethargy", "Stereotypy", "Hyperactivity", and "Inappropriate speech" respectively. In intra-rater reliability ICC (1.1), the ICCs of the PT were 0.720, 0.991, 0.996, 0.902, and 0.261 for each item, and those of the OT were 0.578, 0, 0.636, 0.288, and 1.[Conclusion] Some items had inter-rater reliability. In the intra-rater reliability, the score was 0.7 or more, excluding the item of Inappropriate speech for the PT and were 0.57 or more, excluding the items of Lethargy and Hyperactivity for the OT.