A Context-Informed Evolutionary Concept Analysis of Ikigai in Later Life: Evidence Relevant to Older People in Korea.
HeeKyung Chang, JuHee Seo, Minji Park and 1 others
PMID 42400185WHAT IT FOUND
Ikigai in older Korean people is described as a sense life is worth living, built through valued roles, family ties, routines and reflection.
Nurses can use these cues in assessment, but this is a concept analysis, not evidence of benefit.
Key findings
01Ikigai is described as both valued sources of meaning and a felt sense that life is worth living.
02Korean evidence most directly supported social connectedness, cultural belonging and reflective wisdom or self-integration, while other attributes relied on non-Korean comparison studies.
03The review presents Ikigai as a dynamic meaning process in which valued roles and relationships are personally integrated, not just a list of activities.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The evidence base was small and heterogeneous, with 13 studies and only 3 conducted in Korea. Several studies examined meaning in life or purpose in life rather than Ikigai directly. The analysis used secondary literature, not primary patient data, and did not test whether Ikigai improves patient outcomes. Most quantitative studies were cross-sectional and self-reported, so they cannot show cause. Korean-language measurement of Ikigai remains limited, and surrogate terms may not match the original concept. Some attributes were based mainly on non-Korean comparison studies, so Korean-specific claims are provisional.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Research Foundation of Korea and the Ministry of Science and ICT, Republic of Korea. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Ikigai-based care improves outcomes. This is a concept analysis of descriptions from 13 studies, mostly outside Korea, and it does not test an intervention or patient outcome.