Journal des soins infirmiers et des soins

The Role of Public Health Nurses in Japanese Long-term Care Prevention Projects in the Community

Abstract

Mai Kabayama, Kei Kamide, Kazue Sakakibara and Kazuo Hayakawa

As the frontrunner of ageing countries, we would like to introduce the role of public health nurses in Japanese long-term care prevention projects in the community and our research on healthy longevity in this review article. Previous studies in Japan reported that lack of participation in social activities was significantly related to an increased risk to suffer from disability and subsequently requiring the application of Japanese long-term care insurance. As for primary/secondary prevention for old populations, public health nurses are expected to develop and utilize the social capital in health promotion interventions at individual and community levels in Japan. Since 2006, long-term care insurance was revised focusing on preventive care by detecting people aged 65 years and older who are at high risk of needing future care or support. There will be increasing demand for health care professionals to promote a community's overall health status in cost-effective ways, and public health nurses should play an important role to make it.