Association between psychological factors such as apathy and frailty among community-dwelling elderly in revitalization phase after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24218
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0908:Society medicine, nursing, and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital and Institute of Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Yamashita Mari 地方独立行政法人東京都健康長寿医療センター(東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所), 東京都健康長寿医療センター研究所, 研究員 (80848424)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: アパシー / 東日本大震災 / フレイル / 地域在住高齢者 / コミュニティの再生 / 孤独感 / リロケーションダメージ / 心理的要因

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study aimed to clarify the association between apathy and frailty in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. A total of 7,845 valid questionnaires collected by a mail survey were analyzed. The results showed that apathy (prevalence 46.5%) was significantly associated with frailty (prevalence 23.5%). Consequently, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 36 individuals who had apathy during the mail survey, and the background of apathy was categorized by thematic analysis. The results showed that 73.3% were classified as Decline type with aging and illness, 20.0% as Crisis type with loss experiences such as divorce and bereavement, and 6.7% as Carry over type with problems that started before old age.

Free Research Field

臨床心理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は横断的な分析であり、因果の方向性は今後の研究課題であるが、被災地の高齢者におけるアパシーはフレイルと関連していることが示唆された。高齢者におけるフレイル対策では、運動・栄養・社会参加への介入が有効だとされているが、被災地では、これに加えてアパシー等メンタルヘルスへの介入を行う必要があることが示唆された。