Establishment of health management system for long-term Japanese older expatriates residing in abroad and its effectiveness

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K01794
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Applied health science
• Research Institution: Wakayama Medical University
• Principal Investigator: Morioka Ikuharu 和歌山県立医科大学, 保健看護学部, 教授 (70264877)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 服部 園美 和歌山県立医科大学, 保健看護学部, 准教授 (00438285) ; 宮井 信行 和歌山県立医科大学, 保健看護学部, 教授 (40295811) ; 宮下 和久 和歌山県立医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (50124889)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 在外邦人 / 高齢者 / ロングステイ / 健康行動 / 健康管理

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The health survey was performed for Japanese older expatriates who had stayed in the Philippines and Thailand for a long time, and health behavior, health management ability, social environmental factors, and medical support from Japan were evaluated. The participants were 95 members of the Japanese circles in Cebu, Philippines and Changmai, Thailand, who were 50 years old or older and had stayed for three months or more. They actively performed physical activities and were concerned about nutrition. Since many of them returned to Japan, the follow-up initially planned for 3 years was impossible. A health management system for Japanese older expatriates who want to live in abroad for a long time is desirable to include the utilization of local Japanese circles, and support for collecting correct information from government agencies and an easy-to-understand explanation of medical English before departure.

Free Research Field

保健科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年「第二の人生」の活動として、海外にロングステイする高齢者は増えているが、そのような方の健康管理や健康教育はこれまで注目されてこなかった。海外において日本人高齢者が健やかな生活を送れることは、本人のみならず、日本にいる家族にとっても重要なことである。本研究の成果が海外にロングステイする高齢者の心身の健康管理や健康教育のモデルになれば、今後ますます増えてくると考えられる高齢者ロングステイの積極的な健康支援に繋がることが期待される。