Epidemiology on ‘Dekasegi’(Working Away from Home Temporarily) V
A Study on ‘Dekasegi’ Farm Households as Classified by Regional Patterns and Economic Blocs
1976 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 107-116
Details
1976 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 107-116
On the statistical data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the author analyzed the status of “dekasegi” farm households as classified by regional patterns (Zengoku-chiiki-ruikei) and economic blocs (Keizai-chitai) and secured the following findings.
1. With the nation divided into seven regions in terms of regional patterns, the rate of “dekasegi” farm households is low in the industrial areas but high in the advanced farm areas centered around rice production, general areas centered around rice production, and isolated farm areas.
2. With the nation divided into regional patterns in terms of farm production and economic blocs, there were signs for a rise in the rate of “dekasegi” farm households in the order of suburban areas, farm villages on the flatland, farm villages in the mountains, and mountain villages. The lowest rate of “dekasegi” farm households was registered in the peripheries of major industrial cities, whereas mountain villages in secluded areas registered high percentages.
3. In the 27 areas classified by regional patterns and economic blocs, the correlation coefficients and regression lines of the rate of “dekasegi” farm houses (total number of “dekasegi” farm households/total number of farm households x 100), infant mortality, crude mortality and birth rate are as follows:
Infant mortality r=+0.7748 y =0.7781x-11.5637 Crude mortality r=+0.4680 y =1.7884x-9.0808 Birth rate r=-0.3807 y=-0.9969x+22.6291
The correlations of the rate of “dekasegi” farm households, infant mortality and crude mortality were minus. The fact that the correlations of the rate of “dekasegi” farm households and the infant mortality rate were as high as 0.7 indicates that “dekasegi” farm households are great in number in the areas where the health standards are low. From a sociomedical point of view, it follows that many “dekasegi” farm households exist in unhealthy areas. On the basis of this observation, the author has come to the conclusion that “dekasegi” is not a favorable social phenomenon.
