The health benefits of positive emotions among community-dwelling older people

• Project/Area Number: 26860425
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2016); Fukushima Medical University (2014-2015)
• Principal Investigator: HIROSAKI MAYUMI 京都大学, 東南アジア地域研究研究所, 連携助教 (70586304)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: ポジティブ感情 / 笑い / 地域在住高齢者 / 日常生活動作（ADL） / 主観的健康度 / 笑いヨガ / 健康教室 / ヘモグロビンＡ１ｃ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Elderly people with low frequency of laughter had a higher level of depressive symptoms and lower scores for ADLs than those with high frequency of laughter. A prospective cohort study showed that elderly people with low frequency of laughter and low self-rated health had a higher risk for subsequent functional decline compared to those with high frequency of laughter and good self-rated health, even after controlling for potential confounding factors.
A laughter yoga program had positive effects on hemoglobin A1c and positive affect among community-dwelling older people. The health program using laughter might provide physiological and psychological health benefits.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Self-rated health is associated with subsequent functional decline among older adults in Japan (2017)
  • Author(s): Mayumi Hirosaki, Kiyohito Okumiya, Taizo Wada, Masayuki Ishine, Ryota Sakamoto, Yasuko Ishimoto, Yoriko Kasahara, Yumi Kimura, Eriko Fukutomi, Chen Wen Ling, Masahiro Nakatsuka, Michiko Fujisawa, Kuniaki Otsuka, Kozo Matsubayashi
  • Journal Title: International psychogeriatrics Volume: 印刷中
  • Peer Reviewed / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Effects of a laughter yoga program on glycemic control in older people with diabetes (2016)
  • Author(s): Mayumi Hirosaki, Tetsuya Ohira, Y Wu, Rie Hayashi, H Nishizawa, Iichiro Shimomura, Hiroyasu Iso
  • Organizer: ECPP 2016
  • Place of Presentation: Angers, France
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-28
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Effects of a laughter yoga program on glycemic control in older people with diabetes (2016)
  • Author(s): Hirosaki M, Ohira T, Wu Y, Nishizawa H, Shimomura I, Iso H.
  • Organizer: 8th European Conference on Positive Psychology
  • Place of Presentation: Anges
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-28
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Frequency of laughter predicts subsequent functional ability in community-dwelling older Japanese (2015)
  • Author(s): Hirosaki Mayumi, Ishimoto Yasuko, Kasahara Yoriko, Sakamoto Ryota, Okumiya, Kiyohito, Wada Taizo, Matsubayashi Kozo
  • Organizer: The 29th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society
  • Place of Presentation: Cyprus
  • Year and Date: 2015-09-01
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] The effects of laughter yoga program on glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized controlled trials. (2015)
  • Author(s): Ohira T, Hirosaki M, Wu Y, Nishizawa H, Shimomura I, Iso H.
  • Organizer: The 29th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society
  • Place of Presentation: Cyprus
  • Year and Date: 2015-09-01
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] 地域在住高齢者の笑いの頻度と包括的健康評価との関連 (2014)
  • Author(s): 広崎 真弓
  • Organizer: 日本健康心理学会第27回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 沖縄
  • Year and Date: 2014-11-02
• [Presentation] Self-rated health and functional ability in community-dwelling older adults: a longitudinal study (2014)
  • Author(s): Hirosaki Mayumi, Ishimoto Yasuko, Kasahara Yoriko, Sakamoto Ryota, Okumiya Kiyohito, Wada Taizo, Matsubayashi Kozo
  • Organizer: The 28th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society
  • Place of Presentation: Innsbruck
  • Year and Date: 2014-08-27
• [Presentation] Frequency of laughter and functional ability in community-dwelling older Japanese (2014)
  • Author(s): Hirosaki Mayumi, Ishimoto Yasuko, Kasahara Yoriko, Sakamoto Ryota, Okumiya Kiyohito, Wada Taizo, Matsubayashi Kozo
  • Organizer: The 26th International Society of Humor Studies (ISHS) Conference
  • Place of Presentation: Utrecht
  • Year and Date: 2014-07-10