Development and Verification of Community Development Index for Improving Functioning of Aged People in Rural Districts (The Second Report) : Associations Between Societal Mutual Assistance and Vital Functions Among Aged People in Rural Districts

The objective of this study was to investigate associations between societal mutual assistance and vital functions among Aged People in rural Districts. This cross-sectional survey used questions based on the Anderson Behavioral Model, including relevant items such as “Individual characteristics (predisposing, enabling, and need factors)” and “Community characteristics (physical factors)”. We distributed questionnaires to 2,500 people and used 974 valid responses for study analyses. Our results showed that older adults in rural districts with lower levels of societal mutual assistance tended to have lower vital functions levels. Also, actual lower vital functions levels appear to be associated with lower levels of “Living in harmony with nature” and “No available social groups to participate in” at the group or community level, which define vital functions. It is necessary to objectively review self- and mutual-assistance roles of older adults living in rural areas as well as the mutual and public assistance functions that are typically involved in public health services.