Okamoto Nahoko

本研究の目的は、ホームレスを経験した日本の若者がホームレスに至った背景について年齢的・文化的な特徴を明らかにすることである。インタビュー調査とアンケート調査を通して、若者の家庭事情がホームレス状態になることに大きな影響を与えていることに加え、日本社会の特徴「同調圧力」と「自己責任」イデオロギーも影響を与えている可能性が示された。若年層のホームレス状態を予防することに家族福祉というセーフティネットが影響するが、若年層は住宅等の社会制度からの排除に遭遇していることがわかった。これらの結果は、頼ることができる家族の存在に関係なく、どんな若者でも困った時にSOSが出せ、それに応えることができる地域の家族機能を社会化する必要性を示唆している。

ABSTRACT Background While rapid population ageing is occurring worldwide, its speed is especially prominent in Asian countries. In Asia, cultural diversity might significantly affect care burden; however, few studies have investigated the differences in care burden, and mental, physical and social conditions among Asian countries. This study aimed to clarify the situations of and differences in family caregivers (FCs) of older persons in Japan and Thailand, and evaluate the factors associated with care burden in both countries. Methods A cross‐national survey of 217 in‐home FCs was conducted in Japan and Thailand and mainly included items regarding care burden and psychosocial conditions. Differences between the two countries were obtained, and the factors associated with care burden were analysed by multiple regression analyses. Results The FCs' and care receivers’ mean ages (64.8 ± 11.1 and 84.8 ± 8.6 years, respectively) in Japan were significantly higher than the mean ages (49.1 ± 13.3 and 77.1 ± 9.5 years) in Thailand. In Japan, FCs had more severe care burden, loneliness, and stress compared to those in Thailand. In Thailand, FCs had more social connections and informal support than those in Japan. The factors associated with care burden were different in each country; thus, severe stress, low emotional care preparation, and low willingness to continue care at home were significantly associated with severe care burden in Japan, whereas poor relationships with care receivers, few social connections, low confidence in providing care, low emotional care preparation, and lack of informal support were significantly associated with severe care burden in Thailand. Conclusions Despite there being a long‐term care insurance system in Japan, which is absent in Thailand, care burden and psychosocial conditions of FCs might be worse in Japan. There was a clear difference in the factors associated with care burden between Japan and Thailand.

This paper presents the finding from Japan, where information was collected from seven respondents about their social ties. In this paper, we focus on social spaces for single older men who have experienced homelessness. We explore the social ties the men gained by engaging in these social spaced. The study was conducted Tokyo and Osaka with face-to-face interview. The respondents in this study were given a place where they could freely come to go by being invited by others to participate in social gathering. They also received an opportunity to interact with others and engage in enjoyable working.