Multifaceted study between health condition and agricultural life in elderly dwellers

2024 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K11123
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Nose Mitsuhiro 京都大学, 東南アジア地域研究研究所, 連携研究員 (00568529)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2025-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者 / 農作業 / 健康診断 / 総合機能評価 / 作物のおすわ分け / 農福連携 / 生活満足度 / 充実感

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As the population aging and life expectancies increase, the time spent away from work and child-rearing is getting longer, it is important to ensure that people live healthy lives during this period. In rural areas, it is possible to practice productive aging, which involves maintaining health through productive activities including farm works, so this study investigated the relationship between farm work and health from multiple angles. According to questionnaires, health checkups, and field surveys of elderly people living in Tosa Town, Kochi Prefecture, compared to people who do not conduct the farm work, people who do farm work and share their products with others, people who find farm works enjoyable, and people who have continued farm works for five years had significantly better multiple indicators in physical function, activities of daily living, TMIG(Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology), and QOL(Quality of Life).

Free Research Field

農林健康学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

高齢者の健康に関する先行研究では、疾患や機能障害に着目し、その予防や治療に重点が置かれてきた。本研究では、高齢者の多様性に配慮し、健康状態を良好に保つアイテムとして農村地域で一般的に行われている農作業に焦点を当てた。これまでも健康状態との関連性は示されてきたが、作物のおすそ分け、農作業の楽しさ、農作業の継続といった側面は分析されておらず、成果は新たな知見となった。まだ有機的に結びついていないが、農福連携に高齢者を含める動きが出てきており、厚生労働省と農林水産省がサポートする施策を提示している。その実践にあたって、本研究で明らかにした農作業と健康との関連性はエビデンスとして有益な情報になる。