高齢者における慢性型ストレッサーの特徴

抄録

Characteristics and the content of chronic stressors among older adults were investigated. Participants aged 65–79 years (n=16,740) were inquired about the presence of chronic stressors and requested to respond to an open-ended questionnaire in an Internet survey. Results indicated that 26.3% had stressors that had persisted over six months, which were classified into 27 categories. A chi-squared test and a Fisher's exact test revealed that elderly men were more likely to experience chronic stressors due to economic, health, and workplace-related problems, whereas elderly women were more likely to experience chronic stressors due to family, housework, and caregiving issues. Furthermore, participants in the 65–69 age group were more likely to experience chronic stressors from relationships at the workplace, and those in the 70–79 age group were more likely to experience chronic stressors related to their hobbies and volunteer activities. This study identified chronic stressors that were not focused on previous studies such as the stressor of community activities and leisure activities. The results also suggest the importance of considering gender and age differences in stress.