IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i24p16437-d996802.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multi-Dimensional Dynamics of Psychological Health Disparities under the COVID-19 in Japan: Fairness/Justice in Socio-Economic and Ethico-Political Factors

Author

Listed:
  • Masaya Kobayashi

    (Graduate School of Social Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan)

  • Hikari Ishido

    (Graduate School of Global and Transdisciplinary Studies, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan)

  • Jiro Mizushima

    (Graduate School of Social Sciences, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan)

  • Hirotaka Ishikawa

    (Graduate School of Humanities and Studies on Public Affairs, Chiba University, Chiba 263-8522, Japan)

Abstract

This article addresses citizens’ psychological health disparities in pandemic-stricken Japan from the perspective of positive psychology with a collective/political perspective. Our analysis of three internet surveys in 2020 and 2021 in Japan indicates most people’s well-being declined continuously during this period, while some people’s well-being increased. As previous studies of health inequality proved about physical health, the objective income/assets level has influenced psychological inequality. This paper demonstrated this relation in Japan, although it is often mentioned as an egalitarian country with comparatively better health conditions. Moreover, psychological levels and changes have been associated with biological, natural environmental, cultural, and social factors. Social factors include economic, societal-community, and political factors, such as income/assets, stratification, general trust, and fairness/justice. Accordingly, multi-dimensional disparities are related to psychological health disparity; tackling the disparities along the multi-layered strata is desirable. Furthermore, subjective perception of fairness/justice is significantly associated with the level of psychological health and mitigating its decrease. Thus, fairness and justice are found to be dynamic and protective factors against the decline of psychological health. While relatively little literature on health inequality analyzes fairness/justice philosophically, this paper highlights these together with income/assets by clarifying the significance of multi-dimensional factors: natural environmental, cultural, socioeconomic, and political.

Suggested Citation

  • Masaya Kobayashi & Hikari Ishido & Jiro Mizushima & Hirotaka Ishikawa, 2022. "Multi-Dimensional Dynamics of Psychological Health Disparities under the COVID-19 in Japan: Fairness/Justice in Socio-Economic and Ethico-Political Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-45, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16437-:d:996802
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/16437/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/16437/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hye-Ryoung Kim & Hwa-Mi Yang, 2022. "COVID-19 Fear, Health Behaviors, and Subjective Health Status of Call Center Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-9, July.
    2. Braveman, P.A. & Kumanyika, S. & Fielding, J. & LaVeist, T. & Borrell, L.N. & Manderscheid, R. & Troutman, A., 2011. "Health disparities and health equity: The issue is justice," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 101(SUPPL. 1), pages 149-155.
    3. Tampubolon, Gindo & Hanandita, Wulung, 2014. "Poverty and mental health in Indonesia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 20-27.
    4. Hiyoshi, Ayako & Fukuda, Yoshiharu & Shipley, Martin J. & Brunner, Eric J., 2014. "Health inequalities in Japan: The role of material, psychosocial, social relational and behavioural factors," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 201-209.
    5. Anand, Sudhir, 2004. "Public Health, Ethics, and Equity," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199276363.
    6. Alberto Dionigi & Giulia Casu & Paola Gremigni, 2020. "Associations of Self-Efficacy, Optimism, and Empathy with Psychological Health in Healthcare Volunteers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(16), pages 1-13, August.
    7. Shira Bukchin-Peles & Tammie Ronen, 2022. "Linking Self-Control, Hope, Positivity Ratio, Anxiety and Handwashing Habits during the Coronavirus Outbreak," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-13, July.
    8. Tetsuya Yamamoto & Chigusa Uchiumi & Naho Suzuki & Junichiro Yoshimoto & Eric Murillo-Rodriguez, 2020. "The Psychological Impact of ‘Mild Lockdown’ in Japan during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Nationwide Survey under a Declared State of Emergency," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-19, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Liu, Jiawei & Niederdeppe, Jeff, 2024. "Effects of communicating health disparities using social comparison framing: A comprehensive review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 348(C).
    2. Judith Muhonja Ochieng & Janice D. Crist, 2021. "“I put diabetes on the shelf†: African-American Women’s Perceptions of Risk for Diabetes Complications," Clinical Nursing Research, , vol. 30(7), pages 1012-1022, September.
    3. Tamara Power & Denise Wilson & Odette Best & Teresa Brockie & Lisa Bourque Bearskin & Eugenia Millender & John Lowe, 2020. "COVID‐19 and Indigenous Peoples: An imperative for action," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(15-16), pages 2737-2741, August.
    4. Jessica Naidu & Elizabeth Oddone Paolucci & Tanvir C. Turin, 2023. "A Critical Lens on Health: Key Principles of Critical Discourse Analysis and Its Benefits to Anti-Racism in Population Public Health Research," Societies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-10, February.
    5. Gina Voss & Andreia F. Paiva & Alice Delerue Matos, 2021. "A Study of the Association between the Stringency of Covid-19 Government Measures and Depression in Older Adults across Europe and Israel," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Johan Fritzell & Olli Kangas & Jennie Bacchus-hertzman & Blomgren, J. (Jenni), 2012. "GINI DP 64: Cross-Temporal and Cross-National Poverty and Mortality Rates among Developed Countries," GINI Discussion Papers 64, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    7. Badland, Hannah & Whitzman, Carolyn & Lowe, Melanie & Davern, Melanie & Aye, Lu & Butterworth, Iain & Hes, Dominique & Giles-Corti, Billie, 2014. "Urban liveability: Emerging lessons from Australia for exploring the potential for indicators to measure the social determinants of health," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 64-73.
    8. Masatoshi Tahara & Yuki Mashizume & Kayoko Takahashi, 2020. "Coping Mechanisms: Exploring Strategies Utilized by Japanese Healthcare Workers to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-12, December.
    9. repec:ces:ifodic:v:12:y:2014:i:2:p:19116213 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Buhong Zheng, 2011. "A new approach to measure socioeconomic inequality in health," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 9(4), pages 555-577, December.
    11. Elisabeth Paul & Céline Deville & Oriane Bodson & N'koué Emmanuel Sambiéni & Ibrahima Thiam & Marc Bourgeois & Valéry Ridde & Fabienne Fecher, 2019. "How is equity approached in universal health coverage? An analysis of global and country policy documents in Benin and Senegal," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/298047, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    12. Sagar Sharma, 2016. "Impact of Globalisation on Mental Health in Low- and Middle-income Countries," Psychology and Developing Societies, , vol. 28(2), pages 251-279, September.
    13. Meenakshi Richardson & Sara F. Waters, 2023. "Indigenous Voices Against Suicide: A Meta-Synthesis Advancing Prevention Strategies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(22), pages 1-19, November.
    14. Mohamad Fahmi & Adiatma Siregar & Deni K Sunjaya & Gilang Amarullah & Rahma Rahma & Nur Afni Panjaitan, 2017. "Social Capital and Mental Health in Indonesia," Working Papers in Economics and Development Studies (WoPEDS) 201701, Department of Economics, Padjadjaran University, revised Sep 2017.
    15. Gagnon-Dufresne, Marie-Catherine & Gautier, Lara & Beaujoin, Camille & Boivin, Pauline & Coulibaly, Abdourahmane & Richard, Zoé & Gomes de Medeiros, Stéphanie & Dutra Da Nóbrega, Raylson Emanuel & de , 2023. "Did the design and planning of testing and contact tracing interventions for COVID-19 consider social inequalities in health? A multiple case study from Brazil, Canada, France & Mali," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    16. Chie Hirama & Zechen Zeng & Nobutoshi Nawa & Takeo Fujiwara, 2022. "Association between Cooperative Attitude and High-Risk Behaviors on the Spread of COVID-19 Infection among Medical Students in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-10, December.
    17. ZHAO Meng (KONISHI Moe), 2017. "Health-Related Income Gaps and the Effectiveness of Redistributive Policies in Japan," Discussion papers 17039, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    18. Jocelyn Dejong, 2006. "Capabilities, reproductive health and well-being," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(7), pages 1158-1179.
    19. Tore Bonsaksen & Mariyana Schoultz & Hilde Thygesen & Mary Ruffolo & Daicia Price & Janni Leung & Amy Østertun Geirdal, 2021. "Loneliness and Its Associated Factors Nine Months after the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Cross-National Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-11, March.
    20. Pierluigi Diotaiuti & Stefania Mancone & Stefano Corrado, 2022. "Motivations and Personal Traits Can Predict Self-Efficacy of the Clown Therapist: A Descriptive Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-20, June.
    21. Barlow, P. & Thow, A.M., 2021. "Neoliberal discourse, actor power, and the politics of nutrition policy: A qualitative analysis of informal challenges to nutrition labelling regulations at the World Trade Organization, 2007–2019," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 273(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16437-:d:996802. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.