Investigation of the role of social relationships in preventing the severity of long-term care needs of home care older adults

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17322
• 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: National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
• Principal Investigator: Noguchi Taiji 国立研究開発法人国立長寿医療研究センター, 研究所 老年学・社会科学研究センター, 研究員 (40844981)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 要介護高齢者 / 重度化予防 / 社会的関係性 / 社会的機能 / 孤食 / 高齢者にやさしいまち / Age-Friendly Cities

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study revealed that having a high level of social functioning and eating together were associated with a lower risk of functional decline among older adults with long-term care needs, suggesting the importance of maintaining rich social relationships in this population. Additionally, the assessment scale of Age-Friendly Cities (AFC) as community environmental factor of older adults with disabilities was established, which showed the necessity of community development. Furthermore, we constructed a new cohort baseline data of older adults under long-term care and build a foundation for research promotion in this field.

Free Research Field

衛生学および公衆衛生学分野関連:実験系を含まない

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本では介護保険制度の開始以降、要介護高齢者数は急増していることから、制度の持続的な運用の観点からも要介護の重度化予防の推進が急務となっている。重度化予防については社会関係や環境要因についてのエビデンスは乏しく、本研究を通じて要介護認定を受けた後でも、豊かな社会関係を維持し要介護高齢者を取り巻く社会環境整備を行う必要性を示唆した。また本領域の研究推進のために一次データの取得から新規コホートの構築も行い、今後の分析を通じてさらなるエビデンス構築に繋げることができた。