Relationship between community-based general support center and health workers, and the roles expected of health workers in Suzaka, Nagano Prefecture

The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationship between the community-based general support center and health workers in Suzaka, Nagano Prefecture, and the roles health workers are expected to fulfill. A semi-structured interview survey was conducted with employees of a community-based general support center that is directly operated by government. The extracted results revealed three core categories of the aforementioned relationship: “Relationship with current health workers during interviewees is working at the community-based general support center,” “Relationship with current health workers during interviewees was working at the health promotion division,” and “Relationship with former health workers during interviewees is working at the community-based general support center.” Four categories related to the role health workers were expected to play were also identified: “Community contact for health promotion and care prevention,” “Support for the elderly,” “Maintaining ties with the community,” and “Building a community network to address problems.” The system of transferring public health nurses between health centers and community-based general support centers, and discrepancies in the scope of districts covered by health workers and community-based general support centers respectively, were identified. The development of activities by health workers is expected to contribute to the establishment of an integrated-community-based care system.