Anxiety for the life after retirement and the elderly institutional care among sexual minority adults in Japan.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18591
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Exploratory)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 8:Sociology and related fields
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Kawano Yoshiyuki 筑波大学, 人間系, 助教 (70624667)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: LGBTQ / 性的マイノリティ / ジェンダー / セクシュアリティ / 知識 / イメージ / 施設ケア / 老後不安

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted two surveys of 400 nurses and carers and 200 adults about their perceptions and knowledge of gender and sexual minorities as a related issue to institutional care and concerns in old age. The results of the surveys indicated that although there were no significant differences in their perceptions and knowledge of gender and sexual minorities compared to the general adult population, there were some groups that lacked sufficient training opportunities and had misunderstandings and prejudices. In addition, interviews were conducted with 16 gender and sexual minorities by age and gender and sexuality on their concerns about older age. The interviews revealed that in addition to financial and housing issues, they were concerned about the vulnerability of their partners' relationships due to the lack of a same-sex marriage system, the lack of role models around them, and whether they would be able to receive care at home or in institutions without prejudice or discrimination.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

性的マイノリティを巡る課題に関する関心は近年高まっているが、これまで老年期の課題について取り扱った研究は特に本邦では極めて限定的であった。本研究は、施設ケアに代表される老年期の医療や介護等のケアを担う側である看護師や介護従事者に対する調査にくわえ、性的マイノリティ当事者の側にもインタビュー調査を行うことにより、ケアを担う側と受ける側の双方の視点を有した知見を得ることができた。今後、より詳細な分析を実施していくなかで、イメージや知識に関する尺度を公表して広く学術使用できるよう準備を進めるとともに、インタビュー結果をもとに大規模な調査を実施するなど、さらに学術的・社会的意義を高める予定である。