Social epidemiological study on the association between employment of mothers and health of themselves and their family

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17295
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 58030:Hygiene and public health-related: excluding laboratory approach
• Research Institution: Keio University (2023); Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University (2021-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Yuka 慶應義塾大学, 医学部(信濃町), 助教 (50827269)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 社会疫学 / 育児 / 就業 / 女性の健康 / ジェンダー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We conducted a questionnaire survey for community-dwelling women raising children, and analyzed data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions, which had national representativeness. Our study found that most of the women raising children in our survey were employed, however, there was a significant concentration of household chores and childcare on women, and they had insufficient sleep. Particularly, when there was overlap between employment and high involvement in household chores and childcare, or when they felt having conflict between their work and family life, it was suggested that adequate sleep became difficult to achieve, and subjective health was compromised. Furthermore, we demonstrated that employment status and working hours were associated not only with the individual's health but also with the health of their spouse in households with children.

Free Research Field

社会疫学　公衆衛生

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、日本においてこれまでに構築されていなかった、育児中の女性を対象とした疫学データを創出し、本人ならびに家族の健康に影響を与える要因を検討することで、新規性ならびに独自性の高いエビデンスを提供した。
本研究により、共働きが当たり前となった現代社会における、健康面からの子育て世帯支援の方向性が示唆されたことには社会的意義がある。子育て中の女性を対象に、ポピュレーションアプローチとしての健康行動の増進支援、健康・健康行動を保った家庭生活と社会生活の両立支援の必要性が示された。また、子育て世帯を対象に、夫婦の働き方は家族の健康につながる事柄であるという認識に立った支援の重要性が示された。