A Cross-Cultural Study of Older Women's Experiences with Physical Decline

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K13083
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Social welfare and social work studies
• Research Institution: Kansai University of International Studies (2017-2018); Shiga University of Medical Science (2015-2016)
• Principal Investigator: KAWABATA Makie 関西国際大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (60177730)
• Research Collaborator: NARUSHIMA Miya
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 要介護 / 女性 / 身体機能 / ナラティブ / 健康格差 / 健康の社会的決定要因 / 社会的公正

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study explored social determinants influencing older women's experiences as they decline physically. Narratives gathered from 21 Japanese and 16 Canadian women were analyzed and compared. The analysis showed that Japanese women's experiences were associated with the idea of individual responsibility embedded in current policies on aging and health promotion. The traditional norm of family-caregivers also affected the way they reconstruct their lifestyle . In Canada, older women's well being was influenced by the lack fo universal home-care insurance and the unequal availability of cultural sensitive community care. Findings from the comparison suggest that Japanese women still rely on family care-givers despite the established comprehensive long-term care system. This suggests that the system may exacerbate health inequalities of socially disadvantaged older women who have already suffered from various social inequalities throughout their lives.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生看護学、社会福祉学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の学術的意義は、要介護状態にある高齢者の当事者の語りを分析することで、当事者の主体的体験を明らかにする希少な研究であることにある。社会的意義としては、高齢者間の療養生活の格差を社会構造的に解明し可視化することで、要介護状態にある高齢者の支援者あるいは行政担当者の高齢者の直面する課題を格差として再認識することを促し、保健医療福祉行政での高齢者の健康格差是正への効果的な政策立案への手がかりを提供することにある。