An international symposium on social prescribing will be held at Kyoto University on May 27–28.

Social prescribing is an approach that originated in the UK. Through link workers, healthcare professionals connect people at risk of social isolation, such as older adults and people with disabilities, to community activities including art, recreation, and sports. Its aim is to prevent the physical and mental health impacts of isolation, and although research is still developing, some studies have reported potential reductions in healthcare costs.

In Japan, social prescribing is gradually gaining attention. However, many challenges remain, including how to integrate it into Japanese primary care within a different healthcare system from the UK, as well as limited financial and human resources.

I believe this symposium will be a valuable opportunity to understand the current state of social prescribing in Japan. I am also looking forward to learning more about developments in Japan and other countries, which may inspire future research topics and creative projects.

https://ispc2026.symposium-hp.jp/index.html