[An interview survey for health promotion for older residents in T District, Sendai City].
OBJECTIVE
To plan a program for promoting health and improving quality of life among the older residents in T District, Miyagino Ward, Sendai City.


METHODS
T District has the highest rate of aged individuals and the largest number of elderly living alone in the Ward. Based upon our community-based health and welfare activities, we recognized that many older residents in T District had health and social problems. In order to grasp these problems and plan a program for health promotion, we conducted an interview survey (using the Esnographic method) of resource persons and older residents in the District. The information obtained at interviews was analyzed by the KJ method.


RESULTS
The interview survey indicated the most prominent needs for the older residents were extension of the network for human relationships and increase in opportunities for communication and meeting each other. The older residents did not have enough information on the health and welfare services provided by Miyagino Public Health and Welfare Center, and we realized the importance of promoting communication between residents, private organizations and our Center. We informed the residents of these results, and discussed the strategies to promote health and improving quality of life among the older residents in T District in 2001. Based upon the survey and discussion, we started to publish and circulate "Community Information for Older Residents", established a class for residents to become supporters of the needy older population in T District, and facilitated their active participation in the community activities.


CONCLUSIONS
The interview survey using the Esnographic approach and analysis with the KJ method were useful tools for us to plan and implement a program for health promotion for older residents.
Department of Nursing, Yamagata University School of Medicine.
Yumi
Y
Suzuki
Fumiko
F
Okazaki
Junko
J
Kobayashi
Shuji
S
Suzuki
D000368:Aged; D018672:Community Health Planning; D006284:Health Plan Implementation; D006293:Health Promotion; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007564:Japan; D011788:Quality of Life