Experiences of Japanese women simultaneously caring for children and older people:

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K11130
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Medical University (2021-2023); Aichi Prefectural University (2020)
• Principal Investigator: SUGIYAMA Kimi 金沢医科大学, 看護学部, 講師 (10527766)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 表 志津子 金沢大学, 保健学系, 教授 (10320904) ; 岡本 理恵 金沢大学, 保健学系, 准教授 (50303285)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 育児 / 介護 / ダブルケア / 女性 / エスノグラフィー / 質的研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study revealed the experiences of Japanese women who are simultaneously responsible for childcare and caregiving. Among them were: “I accept both childcare and caregiving as my role,” “I cannot fulfill my role as a mother,” “I am supported by my children and grandparents,” “I cannot talk to anyone about the burden of caregiving,” and “I realized that caregiving is not the only way of life. Japanese women who care for both children and the elderly were influenced by traditional Japanese values. However, these women had a sense of mission and accepted their role in providing for their families. They felt guilty for not being able to fulfill their role as mothers, and they felt lonely for not having anyone to understand or advise them. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a support system for female caregivers.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本は急速な少子高齢化と女性の晩産化の進行により、今後、女性ダブルケアラーの増加が見込まれている。これまでわが国の女性ダブルケアラーの実態は量的な実態把握が中心で、質的な実態把握はほとんど把握されていない。本研究の結果は、わが国の社会文化的な文脈による女性ダブルケアラーの経験を質的に把握することによって有効な支援を検討するための一助となり、学術的意義や社会的意義があると考える。