Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affected not only individuals but also families. The purpose of this study was to clarify the temporal changes in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on entire families with older adults susceptible to infection living on small islands in Japan over the duration o...

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Main Authors: Naohiro Hohashi, Mikio Watanabe, Minami Taniguchi, Shiho Araki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-12-01
Series:Healthcare
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/23/3088
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author Naohiro Hohashi
Mikio Watanabe
Minami Taniguchi
Shiho Araki
author_facet Naohiro Hohashi
Mikio Watanabe
Minami Taniguchi
Shiho Araki
author_sort Naohiro Hohashi
collection DOAJ
description Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affected not only individuals but also families. The purpose of this study was to clarify the temporal changes in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on entire families with older adults susceptible to infection living on small islands in Japan over the duration of the pandemic. Family ethnographic research was conducted from 2021 to 2023, using the Concentric Sphere Family Environment Theory as the theoretical framework. Formal interviews were conducted with 20 families. In addition, data from informal interviews, participant observation and other sources were compiled into field notes. All data on the impact on the entire family were extracted and content analysis was conducted. Six categories (family internal environmental system, family system unit, micro system, macro system, supra system, and family chrono-environment system) and a total of 85 subcategories were extracted. The results show that COVID-19 exerted not only negative but also positive impacts on the entire family, and their temporal changes are clarified. The impact on families is believed to have been influenced by the family external environment, such as increases and decreases of infection cases or events that occurred outside the family. The knowledge acquired from these studies will help healthcare professionals in providing appropriate family support.
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spelling doaj.art-87ee10f9d0524eef999f37575d931d6d2023-12-08T15:16:11ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-12-011123308810.3390/healthcare11233088Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic ResearchNaohiro Hohashi0Mikio Watanabe1Minami Taniguchi2Shiho Araki3Division of Family Health Care Nursing, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, JapanDivision of Family Health Care Nursing, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, JapanDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, JapanDepartment of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe 654-0142, JapanCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) affected not only individuals but also families. The purpose of this study was to clarify the temporal changes in the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on entire families with older adults susceptible to infection living on small islands in Japan over the duration of the pandemic. Family ethnographic research was conducted from 2021 to 2023, using the Concentric Sphere Family Environment Theory as the theoretical framework. Formal interviews were conducted with 20 families. In addition, data from informal interviews, participant observation and other sources were compiled into field notes. All data on the impact on the entire family were extracted and content analysis was conducted. Six categories (family internal environmental system, family system unit, micro system, macro system, supra system, and family chrono-environment system) and a total of 85 subcategories were extracted. The results show that COVID-19 exerted not only negative but also positive impacts on the entire family, and their temporal changes are clarified. The impact on families is believed to have been influenced by the family external environment, such as increases and decreases of infection cases or events that occurred outside the family. The knowledge acquired from these studies will help healthcare professionals in providing appropriate family support.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/23/3088COVID-19remote islandfamily with older adultsConcentric Sphere Family Environment Theoryfamily ethnographic research
spellingShingle Naohiro Hohashi
Mikio Watanabe
Minami Taniguchi
Shiho Araki
Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research
Healthcare
COVID-19
remote island
family with older adults
Concentric Sphere Family Environment Theory
family ethnographic research
title Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research
title_full Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research
title_fullStr Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research
title_full_unstemmed Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research
title_short Changes in the Impacts of COVID-19 over Time on Families with Older Adults Living on Remote Islands in Japan: A Study in Family Ethnographic Research
title_sort changes in the impacts of covid 19 over time on families with older adults living on remote islands in japan a study in family ethnographic research
topic COVID-19
remote island
family with older adults
Concentric Sphere Family Environment Theory
family ethnographic research
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/23/3088
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