世論 What Japan Thinks

The Cabinet Office of Japan recengtly conducted a survey looking at care robots.

Demographics

Between the 1st and 11th of August 2013 3,000 members of the public with Japanese nationality were randomly selected. 1,842 of them (61.4%) chose to answer the questionnaire at face-to-face interviews. Further demographic breakdown was not provided.

Before you get the idea of robo-nurses into your head, as can be seen in the preamble to Q4 it is more just technology to assist the carer and the cared-for rather than the science-fiction image of autonomous androids tending to their human wards.

Research results

Q1: Have you or members of your family had experience of performing nursing care at home? (Sample size=1,842)

Yes, myself (to SQ)	26.3%
Yes, other family members (to SQ)	11.5%
No	62.1%
No answer	0.1%

Q1SQ: Which aspect of nursing care at home were particularly arduous? (Sample size=696, multiple answer)

Toilet (on toilet, changing nappies, etc)	62.5%
Bathing (getting into bath, washing, etc)	58.3%
Meal times (perparation, feeding)	49.1%
Transferring (from wheelchair to toilet, bath, bed, etc)	48.3%
Getting up (from bed, out of chairs, etc)	47.7%
Moving (walking around the house)	37.8
Dementia care	28.9%
Watching over (perventing wandering off, falling out of bed, etc)	28.2%
Going out (shopping escort, etc)	19.4%
Rehabilitation training	16.1%
Other	0.6%
Nothing in particular	2.4%
Don’t know	0.6%

Q2: Do you know about “Care Robots”? (Sample size=1,842)

Know what they are	31.9%
Just heard the term	41.9%
Don’t know them	26.1%
Don’t know if I know	0.1%

Q3: What do you think are the attractions of a Care Robot? (Sample size=1,842, multiple answer)

The physical and mental toll on the carer will be reduced	63.9%
The carer need not pay full attention to their ward	41.5%
The things the cared-for person can do by themselves will increase	35.8%
Will help prevent the physical and mental decline of the cared-for person	21.0%
The costs of care will decrease	19.9%
It will be even safer than human carers	15.4%
Can receive leading-edge care	13.7%
Other	0.8%
Nothing in particular	7.0%
Don’t know	4.7%

Next, the respondents were shown information describing the five fields that in November 2012 the government declared were important fields for care-related robotic technology. These were:

1. When lifting the cared-for person, a wearable device to reduce the strain on the carer’s back, etc
2. When transferring the cared-for person from bed to wheelchair, equipment to assist the process
3. When going out, a battery-assisted “Silver Car”, Granny cart
4. Self-purging toilet for living rooms
5. Sensor system to assist in looking out for a card-for person

Q4: Would you want to use a Care Robot at your own home when caring for someone else? (Sample size=1,842)

Yes	24.7%
Perhaps	35.1%
Perhaps not	19.3%
No	14.6%
Don’t know	6.4%

Q5: Would you want to be cared for by a Care Robot? (Sample size=1,842)

Yes	35.1%
Perhaps	30.0%
Perhaps not	14.9%
No	14.3%
Don’t know	5.6%

Q6: When choosing a Care Robot, what do you think would be especially important? (Sample size=1,842, multiple answer)

Easy to operate	74.4%
Cheap price	68.6%
Has a safety certificate	54.6%
Covered by national health insurance scheme	53.6%
Comes with a guarantee against injury from careless use	46.1%
Easy to clean, easy to replace parts, otherwise simple on-going maintenance	45.2%
Don’t take up much space	39.7%
Endorsed by local, national government	35.5%
Good reviews from others	18.2%
Company has large market share	16.0%
Made by a well-known company	8.0%
Good design	6.7%
Often see adverts for it	6.6%
Other	0.5%
Nothing in particular	3.5%
Don’t know	3.0%