Light-emitting element lighting device, light-emitting module, illuminating apparatus, and light-emitting element lighting method

A light-emitting element lighting device which turns ON an organic electroluminescence (organic EL) light-emitting element, the light-emitting element lighting device comprising:

• a current generation unit configured to output a current that flows to the organic EL light-emitting element;
• a mode selection unit configured to select between (i) a rated mode for passing a rated current for turning ON the organic EL light-emitting element and (ii) a detection mode for passing an abnormality detection current, which is smaller than the rated current, for detecting an abnormality in the organic EL light-emitting element;
• a voltage detection unit configured to detect a voltage across both ends of the organic EL light-emitting element;
• and
• a current control unit configured to cause the current generation unit to stop outputting the current to the organic EL light-emitting element, when the voltage across both ends detected by the voltage detection unit in the detection mode is lower than or equal to an abnormality detection threshold voltage which is set lower than the rated voltage at a time when the organic EL light-emitting element is turned ON.