| Research Abstract |
This study examined the social health and its related factors of later stage elderly people and discussed with physical, psychological condition, and social states of welfare etc. The survey was carried out as a joint project by the author and Nishihara Town, with the help of regional social workers and Nishihara Town affiliated care managers. Surveys were collected through house visit interviews or collection box drop offs, with 536 people (176 male, 360 female) completing the surveys(return rate 74.2%).
A relationship was found between a high level of physical health and the degree of subjective health, and social health was found to be good in those who had no health related anxiety, those who had no experience with falls, those who did not visit a hospital at frequent intervals, and those who were self sufficient. In addition, the existence of disease or illness was found to limit participation in social activities.
In respect to social interaction and support, the more one interacte
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d with children, neighbors, and friends/acquaintances, and the more one accepted and provided social support, the higher his/her level of social health.
Concerning psychosocial conditions, social health was found to be significantly higher in those with higher levels of self esteem and life satisfaction, and less tendency towards depression.
In relation to traditional events, views on life and death, the context of praying to an ancestor altar, and the utilization of an Okinawan Yuta, social health was found to be good in those who participated and were depended upon in traditional events, and those who worshipped to an ancestor alter daily.
Multiple regression analysis showed a strong relationship between social health and participation in traditional events and self sufficiency in daily life activities, as well as a significant relationship between social health and interaction with neighbors, social support, self esteem, and life satisfaction.
These results suggest the importance of an integrated physical, social, and mental approach to maintaining and improving the social health of later stage elderly people. Less
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