Ideal Community and Society Which Elderly People Living Alone Demand- Mixed Methods Research

• Project/Area Number: 17K09200
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Hygiene and public health
• Research Institution: University of Fukui
• Principal Investigator: Ikai Tomoki 福井大学, 学術研究院医学系部門, 教授 (10554777)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2020)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,810,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,110,000); Fiscal Year 2019: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥130,000 (Direct Cost: ¥100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥30,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥2,340,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥540,000)
• Keywords: 独居高齢者 / 健康の社会的決定要因 / 高齢者保健 / 独居

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research which reveal social determinants of health for elderly people living alone, we created the hypothesis from interviews qualitatively and discussed through questionnaire about social determinants of health and health outcomes. Finally we concluded two elements as specific social determinants of health for elderly people living alone - "live as usual without social supports ( Alone is OK)" and "roles in the community as a elderly person living alone (None less than you can do it)".

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は「独居高齢者に特徴的な健康の社会的決定要因」という未知の事象に量・質混合研究を採用することで本質的に迫った過去に類を見ない研究であり、今後益々重要になる独居高齢者の社会的支援を形成するにあたり十分に考慮されるべき要素が導き出された。今後時代の流れとともに日本の抱える課題は変化するであろうし、独居高齢者の抱える問題も複雑化・困難化する可能性があるが、本研究のような課題に向き合い続ける研究が継続的に実施され、独居高齢者が真に安心して過ごせる社会を実現させることが何よりも重要である。