Sayuri Suwa1, Mayuko Tsujimura2, Naonori Kodate3, Sarah Donnelly3, Helli Kitinoja4, Jaakko Hallila4, Marika Toivonen4, Hiroo Ide5, Camilla Bergman-Kärpijoki6, Erika Takahashi7, Mina Ishimaru8, Atsuko Shimamura9, Wenwei Yu10. 1. Division of Visiting Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. Electronic address: suwa-sayuri@faculty.chiba-u.jp. 2. Division of Visiting Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. 3. School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. 4. Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, Seinäjoki, Finland. 5. Institute for Future Initiatives, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan. 6. City of Pargas, Pargas, Finland. 7. Graduate School of Humanities, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. 8. Division of Community Health Nursing, Graduate School of Nursing, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan. 9. Division of Community Health Nursing, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Toho University, Chiba, Japan. 10. Center for Frontier Medical Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To clarify potential users' perceptions toward the development and social implementation of home-care robots in Japan, Ireland, and Finland. METHODS: Unsigned, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to adults aged 65 or older, family caregivers, and home-care/health and social care professionals (HSCPs). A total of 1004 responses were collected. RESULTS: In Japan, many people were already familiar with robots in their daily lives. The most notable finding about their perspectives on home-care robots was related to safety. Moreover, 93.7 % of the Japanese respondents said, "If the user cannot decide whether to use a home-care robot, family members who know the user well should decide," followed by 76.4 % in Ireland and 83.1 % in Finland (p < .001). In Ireland, 81.8 % of the respondents said, "I want to help other people and society by participating in the research and development of home-care robots" (Japan: 69.9 %; Finland: 67.5 %) (p = .006). In Finland, many people had a negative impression of robots compared to the other two countries. Finland had the highest percentage (75.4 %) of respondents who said, "Health care professionals should be allowed to use secondary information collected by a home-care robot" (Japan and Ireland: 64 %) (p = .024). Moreover, Ireland and Finland emphasized the need to guarantee the entitlement to receive human care. CONCLUSIONS: Devising optimal strategies for the development and social implementation of home-care robots by incorporating various perspectives while valuing human dignity will require examination of each country's characteristics with respect to history, culture, policies, and values related to robots.
PURPOSE: To clarify potential users' perceptions toward the development and social implementation of home-care robots in Japan, Ireland, and Finland. METHODS: Unsigned, self-administered questionnaires were distributed to adults aged 65 or older, family caregivers, and home-care/health and social care professionals (HSCPs). A total of 1004 responses were collected. RESULTS: In Japan, many people were already familiar with robots in their daily lives. The most notable finding about their perspectives on home-care robots was related to safety. Moreover, 93.7 % of the Japanese respondents said, "If the user cannot decide whether to use a home-care robot, family members who know the user well should decide," followed by 76.4 % in Ireland and 83.1 % in Finland (p < .001). In Ireland, 81.8 % of the respondents said, "I want to help other people and society by participating in the research and development of home-care robots" (Japan: 69.9 %; Finland: 67.5 %) (p = .006). In Finland, many people had a negative impression of robots compared to the other two countries. Finland had the highest percentage (75.4 %) of respondents who said, "Health care professionals should be allowed to use secondary information collected by a home-care robot" (Japan and Ireland: 64 %) (p = .024). Moreover, Ireland and Finland emphasized the need to guarantee the entitlement to receive human care. CONCLUSIONS: Devising optimal strategies for the development and social implementation of home-care robots by incorporating various perspectives while valuing human dignity will require examination of each country's characteristics with respect to history, culture, policies, and values related to robots.
Keywords:
Ageing society; Home-care robots; International joint research; Research & development; Self-administered questionnaire; Social implementation