[Present state of social participation and associated factors among middle-aged and older people--a survey in Hatoyama Town, Saitama Prefecture].
BACKGROUND
Many studies have documented that social participation is beneficial for maintaining autonomy and quality of later life. However, little is known about present state of social participation in the Japanese elderly and effective means for its promotion.


OBJECTIVE
To establish what factor might promote social participation in later life, this study was performed to examine the present state of social participation and a number of parameters among middle-aged and older people living in a Japanese community.


METHODS
The subjects comprised 1,568 residents aged 55 to 79 years, a 1/3 random sample selected from the total population of this age group in H town, Saitama Prefecture. They were requested to answer the questionnaire delivered by mail. We examined the level of social participation from four aspects: work, social and volunteer activities, individual pursuits and study activities, and analyzed possible associations with demographic, socio-economic, health-, and community-related variables by multiple regression analysis.


RESULTS
A total of 964 persons answered the questionnaire (61.5% response rate). Age and gender were associated with each of four social activity domains. Living arrangements (with or without spouse) were independently associated with social and volunteer activity, and study. Educational attainment positively correlated with work and individual pursuits. Residents in a newly constructed town-region were less likely to engage in work, social and volunteer activities, and study than their counterparts living in an older town-region. Those who had a stronger sense of co-living in the community, and who would like to keep their social activity level, were more likely to participate in social and volunteer, as well as study activities and also individual pursuits. People feeling that the municipality should support social activities among residents had a higher level of study activity.


CONCLUSIONS
These results show that cultivating a sense of co-living in the community among residents and maintaining their motivation are needed for promoting social participation among older residents. To what extent public support should meet potential needs of social participation remains for further study.
Kim
Jungnim
J
Tokyo University of Social Welfare.
Shinkai
Shoji
S
Kumagai
Shu
S
Fujiwara
Yoshinori
Y
Yoshida
Yuko
Y
Amano
Hideki
H
Suzuki
Takao
T
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors