Trends in Social Capital Research Contributing to the Health of the Elderly in Japan

Abstract

Purpose: Fostering social capital (SC) is important for addressing the rapidly declining birthrate and aging population. The purpose of this study is to identify trends in SC research contributing to the health of the elderly in Japan.

Method: Using three literature databases, a search was conducted with the keywords “elderly” and “SC”. After removing duplicate articles and those that met exclusion criteria, 79 articles were included in the analysis. The articles were organized by publication year, type of study, main research themes, characteristics of the target regions and elderly populations, and SC indicators, including questionnaires and scales.

Results: Over 90％ of the studies were quantitative. The most common research themes were daily living functions and social participation (40 studies). The studies covered diverse regions, and more than 40％ of the studies had ADL conditions for the subjects. While 69 articles were cited as sources for SC indicators, some studies were not clear about the SC indicators they cited.

Conclusion: Going forward, applied research that aligns with the characteristics of regions and groups is expected, to enable analyses that take into account geographic context and other factors.