Participation in voluntary activities and incident dementia among younger older population: A panel data study

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K02392
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Osaka Metropolitan University (2022); Osaka City University (2020-2021)
• Principal Investigator: UKAWA SHIGEKAZU 大阪公立大学, 大学院生活科学研究科, 教授 (40706751)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 若井 建志 名古屋大学, 医学系研究科, 教授 (50270989) ; 趙 文静 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 招へい教員 (50773339) ; 岡林 里枝 京都大学, 環境安全保健機構, 助教 (70526805) ; 玉腰 暁子 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 教授 (90236737)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The association between participation in volunteer activities and the incidence of dementia was examined in 1856 participants from the NISSIN Project. Of the study participants, 24.2% participated in volunteer activities. During the follow-up period, 332 developed dementia. Although the hazard ratio for incident dementia was smaller than 1 for those who participated in volunteer activities compared with those who did not participate, no significant association was found. Further analysis showed that participants in either of the six social activities measured: community events, neighborhood association or neighborhood association activities, activities among peers such as senior citizen associations and hobby clubs, volunteer activities, and activities to share skills and experiences with others, had significantly lower hazard ratios for incident dementia compared with those who did not participate.

Free Research Field

高齢者保健

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本では高齢化の進展に伴い、認知症と共に暮らす高齢者が増加している。2025年には約700万人前後にまで増加することが見込まれており、その対策は社会的喫緊の課題となっている。本研究の結果、65歳時点で社会的活動に参加をしている者は参加をしていない者に比べて認知症発症率が有意に低いことが明らかになった。