Abstract
For developing the evaluation of environmental interaction (EEI), comprehensive longitudinal study started in 1991 and has been continuing every year since then. The subjects were all the 60 years or above who lived in farming communities near major urban centers in Japan (693 persons). The contents of the interview were about the interaction between individual and environment, situation of their health and life style, their feeling about themselves and social activities. The results were as follows ; 1) Generally speaking, environmental interaction decreased according to age, especially among female subjects over 80. 2) Environmental interaction were divided into 5 subscales by factor analysis, i. e. : a) Interactive stimulation through family members and other people, b) Material stimulation, c) Social interactive stimulation, d) Availability of physical environment, e) Promoting self reliance and interaction. 3) Lack of environmental interaction significantly correlated to the physical deterioration studied after 3 years duration. Further research must be done to develop the evaluation of environmental interaction which can predict precisely the physical deterioration related to the socio-psychological factors by continuing with these mass subjects.
