2026 年 21 巻 3 号 p. 261-268
Objective: Owing to geographic isolation, limited healthcare services, and aging populations, residents with illnesses living on highly isolated islands may engage more actively in health self-management. However, this assumption has not been empirically examined. The aim of this study was to compare health self-management behaviors among residents with illnesses according to the degree of island isolation.
Materials and Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in clinics on four remote islands administered by Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, between July and August 2025. Participants consisted of 65 and 64 individuals from islands with low and high levels of isolation, respectively.
Results: Preventive health behaviors differed according to the level of isolation. Attendance at lung and colorectal cancer screening was lower on highly isolated islands, likely reflecting reduced availability and accessibility. Illness coping behaviors also varied. Among residents of more isolated islands, fewer searched independently for health information before deciding whether to seek care, whereas a higher proportion reported not caring, even when feeling unwell.
Conclusion: Residents on more isolated islands were less active in health self-management behaviors than those on less isolated islands, possibly because of limited availability of healthcare services and closer relationships with medical professionals. These findings suggest that isolation from the mainland influences residents’ health self-management and represents a distinct form of geographic disparity. Considering these behavioral differences is important when allocating medical resources and developing telemedicine strategies for island communities.
