中高年のメンタルヘルス：加齢に伴う変化とその決定要因

小塩隆士（一橋大学経済研究所）

Mental Health of Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Japan: Its Age Trajectory and Determinants

Takashi Oshio (Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University, Japan)

要旨Abstract

　本研究の目的は，17回にわたる厚生労働省「中高年者縦断調査」の個票データを用いて，中高年のメンタルヘルスが加齢に伴ってどのように変化し，それがどのような要因によって左右されるかを考察することである．中高年のメンタルヘルスは加齢に伴って悪化するが，そのかなりの部分は主観的健康感の悪化や日常生活活動における問題，社会参加活動からの撤退といった要因によって説明される．その度合いは，女性ほど顕著である．健康増進や社会参加活動の促進・支援といった政策介入によって，中高年のメンタルヘルス悪化を抑制することが期待される．

　This study aimed to investigate the age trajectory of mental health among middle-aged and older adults and the factors affecting it using individual data from the 17 waves of the “Longitudinal Survey of Middle-aged and Elderly Persons,” conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan. The mental health of middle-aged and older adults deteriorates with age, and a significant portion of this is explained by factors such as worsening self-rated health, problems with activities of daily living, and withdrawal from activities involving social participation. The degree of this mediating effect was more pronounced among women. Policy interventions such as promoting health and supporting social participation activities are expected to suppress the deterioration of mental health among middle-aged and older adults.

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書誌情報Bibliographic information

Vol. 75, No. 2, 2024
Article Number: er.ar.033324
DOI (Link to J-STAGE): https://doi.org/10.60328/keizaikenkyu.er.ar.033324
JEL Classification Codes: I18, I38, J12