Evaluation and proportion of remote communication among older people during the COVID-19 era

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17302
• 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: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Atsushi Nakagomi 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 准教授 (70792711)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: オンラインコミュニケーション / 孤立 / うつ / 認知症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I conducted a three-year follow-up study based on a survey conducted before the spread of COVID-19 in 2019 (the Japanese Gerontological Evaluation Study, JAGES). This study investigated how face-to-face and online social activities and interactions among older people changed before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. It also examined factors that inhibit internet usage and online interactions, and further clarified the impact of online interactions on depression. Specifically, there was a potential effect of video calls in reducing depression symptoms (risk ratio for the group with increased frequency of video calls: 0.89 [95% confidence interval 0.79-1.01]), suggesting the importance of online interactions when face-to-face communication is restricted.

Free Research Field

社会疫学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新型コロナウイルス感染症のような感染症の流行にとどまらず、様々な事情により対面での交流が制限される状況がある。そのような場合でもオンラインでの交流は可能であり、今回の研究ではうつ症状の緩和に有効な可能性が示された。また、高齢者ではデジタルディバイドと呼ばれるICTをうまく活用できる者とそうでない者との格差が課題となっており、その決定要因を明らかにし対策を練ることが重要である。本研究成果はオンラインでの交流に代表されるICT活用を高齢者で拡大させるための学術的証左となる。