Building Relationships Between Community Care Professionals and Convenience Stores in Japan: Community-Based Participatory Research.

Abstract

Building Relationships Between Community Care Professionals and Convenience Stores in Japan:Community-Based Participatory Research Ayumi Igarashi, RN, PhD, Hiroshige Matsumoto, RN, PhD, Manami Takaoka, RN, PhD, Haruna Kugai, RN, PhD, Miho Suzuki, RN, PhD, Satoshi Murata, Masakazu Miyahara, and Noriko Yamamoto-Mitani, RN, GNP, PhD What Is the Purpose of this Study? • This study aimed to describe a community-based participatory research process and evaluate the development of collaborative relationships between health/social care professionals and convenience stores in the community. What Is the Problem? • Although it is important to establish collaborations between health/social care professionals in the community and convenience stores, there are obstacles to this. • No previous studies had examined strategies for collaborating with private sector enterprises, such as convenience stores, based on the cultures of enterprises and communities. What Are the Findings? • As a result of approaching convenience stores directly, based on the public support agreement, the relationships between healthcare professionals and convenience stores and helping behaviors improved significantly. Who Should Care Most? • Health/social care providers, who need to collaborate with various community members. • Researchers and municipal government, who aim to construct an effective community-based integrated care system. Recommendations for Action • The two-step strategy to build organizational and individual collaborative relationships, which includes direct approach by health/social care professionals, would effectively promote collaboration and helping behaviors at convenience stores. • The strategy could be applied to build relationships with other private sectors, such as supermarkets, banking services, and newspaper delivery services. [End Page e1] Ayumi Igarashi Department of Gerontological Home Care and Long-term Care Nursing, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Hiroshige Matsumoto Department of Community Health Nursing, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Manami Takaoka Department of Gerontological Home Care and Long-term Care Nursing, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Haruna Kugai Department of Gerontological Home Care and Long-term Care Nursing, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Miho Suzuki Faculty of Nursing and Medical Care, Keio University Satoshi Murata ASNA Co., Ltd. Masakazu Miyahara Community and Cultural Affairs Division, Nerima City, Tokyo, Japan Noriko Yamamoto-Mitani Department of Gerontological Home Care and Long-term Care Nursing, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo Corresponding author: Ayumi Igarashi, Department of Gerontological Home Care and Long-term Care Nursing, Division of Health Sciences & Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. E-mail: aigarashi-tky@g.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp Copyright © 2023 Johns Hopkins University Press