The quantity and quality of scientific evidence about the health of working women in occupational health of Japan: A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: We aim to investigate the quantity and quality of scientific evidence dealing with comprehensive health issues of working women in occupational health. METHODS: This scoping review of original articles that investigated comprehensive health issues of working women aged 19-64 years in Japan was published in PubMed (1967-2022) and Igaku Chuo Zasshi (or Ichu-shi, 1982-2022). Using identical broad search terms, we first identified 17 122 English and 6154 Japanese articles. We excluded those with clinically relevant topics, or ethnicity other than Japanese and included 853 English and 855 Japanese articles for review and classified them into nine research areas considered to be critical factors for women in the workforce and five study design groups to investigate the quality of the evidence accumulated. RESULTS: Among 853 English-language articles in PubMed, "Mental health" was the most frequent area studied, followed by "Work-related disease" and "Lifestyle-related disease." Among 855 Japanese-language articles from Ichu-shi, "Mental health" was the most frequently studied area followed by "Work and balance," and "Work-related disease." "Infertility, pregnancy, and childbirth" and "Menstruation, menopause, and genital disease" were well studied in Ichu-shi but scarcely published in PubMed. "Harassment and discrimination" were sparsely reported in both databases. As for research designs, many articles in both PubMed and Ichu-shi employed descriptive or cross-sectional study designs. However, a few studies employed cohort/longitudinal or interventional studies. CONCLUSION: The results underscored the need for higher-quality study designs with more scientific evidence on working women's health in the field of occupational health.

Relationship between somatic symptoms with menstruation and intention to leave work among university hospital nurses in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the association between menstrual symptoms and the intention to leave work among female nurses in Japan. METHODS: This cross-sectional study investigated female nurses (n = 317) at two university hospitals. The items measured were their characteristics (e.g., age, body mass index), "intention to leave" work, somatic symptoms related with menstruation, self-reported menstrual characteristics (e.g., pain), physical workloads (e.g., working hours and night shifts) and psychological workloads, measured with the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), and the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Participants with at least four somatic symptoms (e.g., cold, fatigue) which are present during their menstrual cycles were considered to have "somatic symptoms associated with menstruation." We also measured serum ovarian and gonadotropin-releasing hormones. RESULTS: Approximately 40% of women answered "intention to leave" work, and 17% had "somatic symptoms associated with menstruation." Multiple logistic regression analysis suggested that nurses reporting "somatic symptoms associated with menstruation" were more likely to have "intention to leave" work: the adjusted odds ratios (AOR, 95% confidence interval [CI]) were 2.15 (1.12-4.11) in the personal-burnout model, 2.23 (1.16-4.31) in the work-related burnout model, 2.91 (1.52-5.56) in the client-related burnout model; 2.96 (1.50-5.82) in the JCQ model. There was no association between serum and gonadotropin hormones and the intention to leave. CONCLUSION: Somatic symptoms with menstruation were associated with intention to leave work among female Japanese nurses. Intervention for somatic symptoms with menstruation might support nurses to continue work.

Influence of LINE-Assisted Provision of Information about Human Papillomavirus and Cervical Cancer Prevention on HPV Vaccine Intention: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

We conducted a prospective, randomized two-arm, parallel group, and open label trial to investigate whether the use of LINE would increase HPV vaccine intention among not completely vaccinated university students. In June 2020, we recruited students aged between 18 and 35 years from four universities in Japan. Among the 357 enrollees (female, 53%), 178 and 179 participants were randomized into the LINE and Mail groups, respectively. At baseline, within three years, vaccine intention was observed in 40% vs. 42% of participants, respectively. At the first intervention, which provided similar PDF leaflets about HPV vaccine and cervical cancer prevention, there was no significant difference in vaccine intention between the two groups. However, at the second intervention of LINE-assisted knowledge intervention for 5 days per week for 7 weeks, the LINE group had a higher proportion of vaccine intention than the no intervention group (66% vs. 44%, OR: 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.59-4.35) in per-protocol analysis. The significance remained in the intention-to-treat analysis of multiply imputed datasets. Although LINE did not directly increase HPV vaccine intention compared to conventional posts, the LINE-assisted provision of information was effective in improving HPV vaccine intention among Japanese university and college students.

HPV vaccine intention among university students during suspension of active recommendation in Japan.

In Japan, active recommendation of the human papillomavirus vaccine was withheld between 2013 and 2021 due to adverse reaction reports. This resulted in low vaccine coverage with reports from less than 1%. This study aimed to investigate if knowledge and health-belief related factors associated with vaccine intention among young adolescents with the hope that our findings may be helpful in promotion campaigns. We recruited students in four colleges and universities in Akita Prefecture from 2020 to 2021 who had never been vaccinated. A total of 318 students (male 54%, mean age 21 years) responded to a self-administered questionnaire; only 6% reported immediate vaccine intention, and 61% reported no such intention or "do not know." The correct percentages of 20-item knowledge about HPV vaccine-related morbidity, mortality, and prevention were very low regardless of gender (average males 41.4% vs. females 39.6%). Multivariable logistic regression models demonstrated that in males, higher levels of literacy, perceived susceptibility, and place for vaccination (logistical barrier) were associated with HPV vaccine intention, whereas "no need now" was associated with less intention. In females, a higher level of knowledge was significantly associated with vaccine intention, whereas "concerns of adverse effects" were associated with less intention.

Longitudinal survey of depressive symptoms among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

While changes in response to the different stages of the pandemic remain unknown, this study investigated the longitudinal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depressive symptoms in Japanese university students and identified factors associated with new onset of depression and suicidal ideation. Two surveys were conducted at one university in Akita, Japan, during the first COVID-19 outbreak period (T1: May-June 2020) and 1 year later (T2: March-May 2021). Moderate depressive symptoms were defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥ 10 and suicide-related ideation score ≥ 1 on question 9 of the questionnaire. Among 985 students who completed surveys in T1 and T2, participants with moderate depressive symptoms and suicide-related ideation increased from 11 to 17% and from 5.8 to 11.8%, respectively. Among 872 students at risk after excluding those with moderate depressive symptoms at T1, 103 students (11.8%) developed moderate depressive symptoms at T2. Among the 928 students at risk, after excluding those who had suicidal ideation at T1, 79 (8.5%) developed suicidal ideation. Multivariate logistic modeling revealed financial insecurity and academic performance as risk factors (ps < 0.01), while having someone to consult about worries was a coping factor for depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation (ps < 0.001). Our findings demonstrated that socioenvironmental factors may determine depressive symptoms of university students.

COVID-19 Vaccine Intention and Knowledge, Literacy, and Health Beliefs among Japanese University Students.

This study investigated the intention to get the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine and its associated factors among Japanese university students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to May 2021 via an e-learning platform at Akita University. Participants were 1776 graduate and undergraduate students who answered the survey on vaccine intention, the health belief model (HBM), sociodemographic characteristics, and concerns over COVID-19-related situations. Vaccine intention was stratified into active, slightly less, and no intention, and the associated factors were determined using the multinomial logistic regression model. Results showed that 56.7% of students had active intention, followed by slightly less intention (34.5%) and no intention (8.8%). After adjusting for covariates, healthcare course, perceived severity (life-threatening and serious social consequences), and perceived benefits from HBM were significantly associated with active intention, with adjusted odds ratios of 4.02 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.11-7.67), 1.40 (95% CI, 1.16-1.69), 1.23 (95% CI, 1.04-1.46), and 2.03 (95% CI, 1.66-2.49), respectively; perceived barriers (side effect, troublesome, and parent disagreement) were adversely associated with active intention. The public health strategy to improve students' vaccine uptake requires providing accurate information on vaccine safety and efficacy while removing any barriers to vaccination.

Cross-sectional survey of depressive symptoms and suicide-related ideation at a Japanese national university during the COVID-19 stay-home order.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms as well as suicide-related ideation among Japanese university students during the stay-home order necessitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic in Japan, and offer evidence in support of future intervention to depression and suicide prevention strategies among college and university students. METHODS: The data for this cross-sectional study were derived from the Student Mental Health Survey conducted from May 20 to June 16, 2020 at a national university in Akita prefecture. Among the 5111 students recruited, 2712 participated in this study (response rate, 53%; mean age ± standard deviation, 20.5 ±3.5 years; men, 53.8%). Depressive symptoms were identified by using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate depressive symptoms based on a PHQ-9 score ≥10 and suicide-related ideation based on question 9 of PHQ-9 ≥1, which encompasses thoughts of both suicide and self-harm, was 11.7% and 6.7%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that risk factors for depression included being a woman, smoking, alcohol consumption, and social network communication using either video or voice. For suicide-related ideation, alcohol consumption was the only risk factor. Exercise and having someone to consult about worries were associated with decreased risk of both depressive symptoms and suicide-related ideation. CONCLUSIONS: Negative lifestyles of smoking and drinking, and being a woman, may be important risk factors for depressive symptoms, whereas exercise and having someone to consult about worries may be protective factors.

The Multidisciplinary Swallowing Team Approach Decreases Pneumonia Onset in Acute Stroke Patients.

Dysphagia occurs in acute stroke patients at high rates, and many of them develop aspiration pneumonia. Team approaches with the cooperation of various professionals have the power to improve the quality of medical care, utilizing the specialized knowledge and skills of each professional. In our hospital, a multidisciplinary participatory swallowing team was organized. The aim of this study was to clarify the influence of a team approach on dysphagia by comparing the rates of pneumonia in acute stroke patients prior to and post team organization. All consecutive acute stroke patients who were admitted to our hospital between April 2009 and March 2014 were registered. We analyzed the difference in the rate of pneumonia onset between the periods before team organization (prior period) and after team organization (post period). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazards model to determine the predictors of pneumonia. We recruited 132 acute stroke patients from the prior period and 173 patients from the post period. Pneumonia onset was less frequent in the post period compared with the prior period (6.9% vs. 15.9%, respectively; p = 0.01). Based on a multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model, it was determined that a swallowing team approach was related to pneumonia onset independent from the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score on admission (adjusted hazard ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval 0.19-0.84, p = 0.02). The multidisciplinary participatory swallowing team effectively decreased the pneumonia onset in acute stroke patients.

Synthetic 13C-dipeptide breath test for the rapid assessment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency in rats.

OBJECTIVE: (13)C-breath tests have been investigated in order to assess pancreatic exocrine function using various (13)C-compounds, but they have not been accepted for routine clinical use. One of the barriers to their acceptance is that these tests are time-consuming and require up to several hours for breath collection. The purpose of this study was to design a novel (13)C-compound that would make a rapid (13)C-breath test for assessing exocrine pancreatic function possible. MATERIAL AND METHODS: N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine was synthesized, and the characteristics of its cleavage in duodenal juice and in the duodenum of rats were examined. Thereafter, a (13)C-breath test was carried out in which N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine was given orally to pancreatic exocrine-insufficient and normal control rats. RESULTS: N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine was readily cleaved and liberated 1-(13)C-L-alanine in the duodenal juice. Carboxypeptidase was a major contributor to the cleavage. When N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine was injected into the duodenum and orally administered to the rats, the (13)C atom% of CO(2) in breath increased rapidly. This indicated that N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine in the duodenum liberated (13)C-Ala on cleavage. (13)C-Ala is absorbed and metabolized to liberate (13)CO(2), which is exhaled. It was shown that the Delta(13)CO(2) ( per thousand) in the N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine breath test in the pancreatic exocrine-insufficient rats, in whom the absorption and metabolism of (13)C-Ala was unimpaired, was significantly lower than that in the control rats. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of increase in the Delta(13)CO(2) ( per thousand) in the N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine breath test is expected to be proportional to the rate of N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine cleavage by pancreatic proteases in the duodenum. We propose the N-benzoyl-L-tyrosyl-1-(13)C-L-alanine breath test as a rapid test for assessing pancreatic exocrine function.

[Marital norm, reality and satisfaction in middle-aged couples: why are wives less satisfied than husbands?].

The purpose of this study was to investigate recent changes in marital norm and reality in middle-aged couples, and how marital reality, as perceived by oneself, was associated with their demographic variables, as well as their marital satisfaction. A questionnaire was administered, and 277 pairs of middle-aged, nuclear-family couples participated. Main findings were as follows. First, factor analysis of marital reality variables extracted three factors: love each other, respect for the husband's life style, and respect for wife's life style. Second, concerning the wife's education and income, 'respect for the wife's life style' was highest among highly educated double income couples. Third, 'love each other' was the most important predictor of marital satisfaction for both husbands and wives. Finally, 'respect for the husband's the life style' was associated with husband's satisfaction, while that for the wife's was not with wife's marital satisfaction.