2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Causes and Effects of Bereaavement in an Aged Society: Survey of Japan in International Comparison

Research Project

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Project/Area Number	18H04075
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Review Section	Medium-sized Section 58:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
Research Institution	Kyoto University
Principal Investigator	Becker Carl B. 京都大学, 政策のための科学ユニット, 研究員 (60243078)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	今中雄一京都大学, 医学研究科, 教授 (10256919) 谷山洋三東北大学, 文学研究科, 准教授 (10368376) 山本佳世子天理医療大学, 医療学部, 講師 (10625445) 近藤恵 (有田恵) 大阪医科薬科大学, 中山国際医学医療交流センター, 講師 (40467402) 廣井良典京都大学, こころの未来研究センター, 教授 (80282440) 山田慎也国立歴史民俗博物館, 大学共同利用機関等の部局等, 教授 (90311133)
Project Period (FY)	2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
Keywords	遺族 / 医療費 / 生産性 / 薬剤 / ケア / カウンセリング / 葬儀 / 僧侶
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Our research demonstrated that more than 10% of Japanese will have increased medical and social work expenses after a family member dies. Since ALL Japanese will be bereaved by some loved one within the next decade, this will cost Japan billions of yen for additional medical care. People surprised by or impoverished by the death of their loved one tend to show the greatest ongoing grief leading to medical problems. This suggests that doctors should well explain the likelihood of patients’ death to their families in advance, and that social workers should help families to plan economically for life without their bread-winners. Moreover, people who hold small funerals or direct cremations are more likely to show psychological and physical problems in the following years. Conversely, if priests and funeral directors are properly trained in counseling, they may save significant national medical expenses by reducing the grief of recently bereaved families.
Free Research Field	健康増進・医療予防
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	患者の家族は、覚悟ができて居らず、死なれる事でショックと悲嘆を覚える。医療従事者は家族に対して、楽観せずに患者の死について語り合う必要がある。死別によって収入が激減する場合、ソーシャルワーカーが事前に家計簿的な計画を話し合う必要も生じる。なお、直葬や「小さな葬式」よりも、多くの親戚や知り合いが集まる葬式の方が、後々までサポートに繋がる。葬儀への不満に応じ、身体的な悲しみの症状、薬剤費の増加、医療の利用の増加が見られたので医療福祉の依存を避けるためにも、カウンセリングのできる葬儀社の必要性も証明された。