高齢者にとっての健康：『誇りをもち続けられること』―農村地域におけるエスノグラフィーから

Elders'Perception of Their Own Health：“Maintaining Their Pride”: Ethnography of the Elderly People Living in a Rural Community

要旨

　特定の農村地域に居住する高齢者にとっての健康の意味と行動パターンから彼らの捉える健康について記述することを目的に，エスノグラフィーを用い，S市内の通称I村に住む高齢者13名を含む23名の研究参加者への半構成的インタビューを中心にデータを収集し，分析した．

　I村の高齢者の捉える健康とは『自分への誇りをもち続けられること』であった．高齢者は【老化による身体の衰え】，【農業の機械化による役割の喪失】，【家族の一員としての立場の喪失】という抗えない現実の中で，【自身で何でもできる自分】，【農業を続けられる自分】，【家族の役に立つ自分】という自分への誇りをもち続けようと努力していた．その手段として，【働くこと】は誇りをもち続ける手立てであり，【仲間との結びつき】は誇りを支える心の拠りどころであった．そして，状況に応じて自分への誇りを相互に補完させながら健康である自分を確認することができていた．

Abstract

　The object of this research was to describe what elderly residents of a rural community thought of their own health using behavior patterns and perception. I interviewed 23people, including 13 elders from one village in S City. The data were collected and analyzed using ethnography.

　The interview showed that maintaining health means maintaining pride. Issues that the elderly people could not change included physical decline from senility, loss of a job because of mechanization of agriculture, and loss of position in the family. However, they struggled to maintain their pride by attempting to do everything on their own, continuing to work in agriculture, and being helpful to their families. Their pride was maintained by working and by the strength and support provided by friends. I found that they perceived themselves as being healthy when they could maintain their pride in various situations.

　This study suggested that it is important for us to understand elderly people in many aspects and support them in maintaining their pride, which is one of the practical supports for elderly people to promote their health independently.