Epidemiological and intervention studies on the association between positive psychological factors and lifestyle-related diseases after major disasters.

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K24261
• 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: Fukushima Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Eguchi Eri 福島県立医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (60635118)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 笑い / 東日本大震災 / 生活習慣病 / 避難

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A total of 41,432 people aged 30–89 years participated in the Fukushima Health Management Survey in 2013 or 2014 were included. Sex-specific, age-adjusted and multivariable odds ratios of lifestyle diseases were calculated using logistic regressions stratified by evacuation status. Compared to those who do not laugh every day, those do so had significantly lower multivariable odds ratios for hypertension(HT), diabetes mellitus(DM), and heart disease(HD) for men and HT, DM, and dyslipidemia(HL) for women, especially for evacuees in men. The daily frequency of laughter was associated with a lower prevalence of lifestyle disease, especially for evacuees.

Free Research Field

疫学・公衆衛生学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

笑いが生活習慣病や循環器疾患等の発症に予防的な効果があることが報告されてきたが、今回、大規模災害後においても笑いの頻度が高い人においては生活習慣病の有病割合が低いことや、この関連が特に男性では避難者において顕著であることが明らかになり、その点に新規性があり、意義のある研究である。今後、大規模災害の発生時には健康管理に活用できる可能性がある。