This study, planned for a three year period, aims to (1) identify, describe and evaluate the self-care practices of three age cohorts of Japanese adults in response to perceived common symptoms, (2) test a model developed in the United States to identify factors that explain such practices, and (3) identify cultural differences in explanatory factors through comparisons with a U.S. study of self- care. A cross-sectional survey will be conducted using a probability sample of 900 older adults, stratified by age (45-59, 60-74 and 75- 89), and a size of community (metropolitan, middle sized city and small town. The survey instrument will be adapted from the self care questionnaire used in the United States, to assure comparability of data while provided appropriate Japanese language. Sampling and data collection will be performed by a Tokyo based research film. Subjects will be paid for their participation. Trained interviewers will conduct home interviews eliciting self-care practices for symptoms experienced within the prior three months. Two measures of rate of self-care will be used, one based on symptoms perceived by respondents as not serious, and the other for symptoms perceived as more serious. Major explanatory variables will be in two sets. Health practices and physical and emotional health status indicators comprise one set, and indicators of respondents attitudes toward health care and physician services comprise the other. Demographic characteristics will act as control variables. One special feature of this research is the use of health diaries to record the process of recognizing and dealing with symptoms. A 10% subsample, 30 persons from each age cohort, will keep a four week diary, for which they will be compensated, recording daily health problems and their methods of dealing with them. Another special feature is the nature of the research team: an established researcher with experience in cross national research as Principal Investigator, working with a Japanese speaking American and two English speaking Japanese researchers, all of whom have done prior work in different aspects of the proposed study.
| Haug, M R; Akiyama, H; Tryban, G et al. (1991) Self care: Japan and the U.S. compared. Soc Sci Med 33:1011-22 |
