Life Styles and Health Care Behaviors: The Study on Japanese Elderly

일본 노인들의 라이프스타일과 건강상태에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships of the life style to health care behavior among Japanese elderly. The sample was composed of 89 older people over 60 years old who live in Osaka area in Japan. Major findings are as follows: 1) Japanese elderly have strong interests in health care and put themselves out to care health, 2) Japanese elderly are likely to be benefited with the medical treatment in hospital, but not economically dependent upon their children, 3) Their life style reflects both Japanese traditional collectivism and the neo-aging cultural value, and 4) Life style patterns of the Japanese elderly are related to their health state and health care behaviors.