EAPSI: The role of health and relationships on positive health behaviors among older Japanese

Penner Anna, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Poor health behaviors such as smoking and poor exercise habits incur many costs, both personal and public. Japan has the highest percent of older adults in the world, raising important concerns about adequate financing and the availability of long-term healthcare. Although declines in health occur with advancing years, individual health promoting activities (e.g. proper exercise and diet) have been found to delay the onset of illness and disability, while poor health choices can increase mortality rates at all ages. This study will be completed in collaboration with sociologist and demographer Dr. Yasuhiko Saito at Nihon University in Japan. This study will draw on Dr. Saito's dataset, Nihon University Japanese Longitudinal Study of Aging, to investigate the predictors of positive health behaviors among Japanese older adults. The results of this study will evaluate the generalizability of findings based on comparable surveys conducted in the United States, and will also help inform understanding of how to promote health in countries with rapidly aging populations. The NUJLSOA is a longitudinal survey that began in 1999 with the latest wave being conducted in 2009. Wave 6 will be conducted shortly. The survey includes questions regarding health and functioning as well as lifestyle behaviors that make this dataset ideal to investigate this research question. Prior research suggests that individuals make conscious choices about engaging in healthy activities which, along with social activities and relationships, are beneficial to health outcomes. Of particular interest is how good health and functioning is related to positive health behaviors, and how household members and social networks may encourage healthy behaviors even in the face of poor health. This study will create a scale of positive health behaviors that impact health outcomes, and interactions between various positive health behaviors will be noted to maximize beneficial health outcomes. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.