Abstract
Workfare programs, which have become prevalent worldwide. In Japan, governments are providing employment assistance for welfare recipients who are considered capable of working. The recipients of these services may have complex health concerns, all of which could be barriers to finding employment. However, there is a lack of research on this matter. The aim of this study is to clarify the structure of health characteristics that affect the willingness of welfare recipients to work via the workfare program. We conducted interviews with 31 welfare recipients in the workfare program and extracted [persistent agony, which is hard for others to understand], [vulnerability to stress], [difficulty of social adaptation], and [health management via their own style]as health characteristics. Additionally, we extracted [expecting to work], [worrying and mental conflict about ending welfare assistance], and [perception of social exclusion]as factors that affect their health and willingness to work. These categories relate to each other and cause «fracturing of willing of work due to work with complicated health problems versus the benefit of being a welfare recipient». The welfare recipients in this study who had physical, mental, and social health problems tended to be isolated; they have anyone to advise them regarding health problems. Health professional’s support is needed to alleviate recipients’ problems and provide more effective encouragement to strengthen their willingness to work.
