Visualization of Livelihood Support Services in Depopulated Areas Using Geographic Information Systems

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13015
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: Kibi International University
• Principal Investigator: Kuromiya Akiko 吉備国際大学, 社会科学部, 准教授 (50435038)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 地域福祉 / 生活支援サービス / 中山間・離島地域 / 過疎地域 / 地理情報システム（GIS） / 可視化 / 地域アセスメント

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Using geographic information systems (GIS), this study enables “visualization” of community-based integrated care system in hilly and mountainous and remote island regions, and of the “livelihood support services” that are the foundation of said systems. These depopulated regions are experiencing rapid progression of population decline and depopulation. For GIS-based visualization, this study used the big data and the open data published regarding the aforementioned services by the national and local governments, and also data obtained via on-site social research.
The main research results were (1) our visualization using GIS of information on livelihood support services provided in each of the isolated and depopulated areas. (2) This enabled us to propose methods that can be used in community assessments, for use by professionals, including livelihood support services coordinators, who are responsible for community-based social work implementation.

Free Research Field

社会福祉学、社会学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

地域包括ケアシステム推進のためには、地域ニーズにあわせた生活支援サービスの整備、さらにはその基礎となる研究が必要不可欠な段階にある。特に民間事業者が希少である中山間・離島地域にあっては、活用できる社会資源の整備とともに、現在地域のどこに自発的な集いの場があり、どこで自主的に住民が介護予防活動を行っているか、といった社会資源に関する相対的な情報抽出と整理が課題となっている。地理情報システム（GIS）を用いた社会資源の可視化に関する本研究の成果は、地域を基盤とした社会福祉実践、特に地域アセスメントの手法に新たな示唆を与えるものと考える。