I have been engaged in the study of field medicine, especially with regards to the study of geriatrics across the countries of Southeast Asia and also Japan. My colleagues and I have clarified the functional abilities and mental health of the community-dwelling aged in those countries. The concept of the Quality of Life (QOL) could be defined essentially as “human well-being”. However the affects that a person’s cultural and religious background have on the QOL is unclear. My current research interest is concerned with clarifying the universality and diversity of QOL. I also would like to assess the QOL during the end of life and the quality of individual death with dignity from the point of view of practical setting.
Research topics
Over the course of the 20th century, world population increased from 1.7 billion to 6 billion. Meanwhile, population ageing is rapidly growing worldwide, not only in developed countries but also in developing countries. This phenomenon is expected to continue in the 21st century and could be a major threat to sustainable development. Challenges of aging in developing countries are increasing burdens of chronic disease, pensions and income security for older people, not to mention older people who have been “left behind” in the processes of urbanization and modernization with globalization. In order to tackle those challenges, it is essential to conduct interdisciplinary research and this project is such an attempt as outlined below.
Firstly, I would like to evaluate the universality and diversity of quality of life (QOL). In terms of putting forward the research regarding the sustainable development of the humanosphere from the human-nature dynamics standpoint, we should consider what “good life” is. To pursue the meaning of “good life”, the concept of QOL could contribute to promote dialogues in our interdisciplinary research team. However, there are very few reports regarding QOL or mental health in developing countries and its measurement remains fundamentally incomplete.
I have been engaged in the depression screening of older people living in Southeast Asian countries based on the international standard diagnostic criteria which was made by WHO or American Psychiatric Association. Those criteria were developed in Western countries in English and several screening methods were used worldwide. However, its validity in the Asian setting is as yet, unknown. How the cultural and religious background affect the QOL is also unclear, nonetheless the common concept of human well-being might be definable. I would like to develop the scale of QOL or mental health in Southeast Asian countries using an interdisciplinary approach, and to clarify how the meditation practice in Asian countries affects the QOL and the individual death with dignity of older people.
Secondly, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is to be continued in south-east Asian countries. The World Bank defines the working-age population as the population aged from 15 to 64. But, if the people aged 65 years or older can maintain functional ability and continue their work, they can contribute to economic growth. Lack of information regarding functional ability among older people makes the estimation of economic sustainability difficult. CGA can contribute to the refining of the estimation of an essential “working-age population”. Older people themselves are resources as their knowledge has the potential to generate a new paradigm. If they can continue to work in their society, the essential working population will not decrease rapidly. In that case, sustainable development might be possible. I would like to assess their working ability by evaluating the intellectual activity and social role as well as basic activities of daily living like toileting or bathing using CGA. To clarify the risk factor of such functional ability of older people may open a way to sustainable development in developing countries.
(Related publication)