Psychiatric Home-Visiting Nurses' Views on the Care Information Required of Psychiatric Hospital Nurses.

The "construction of a community-based comprehensive care system for mental disorders" has been promoted in Japan. However, nurses in psychiatric hospitals do not intervene with community resources and support networks in Japan. This study aimed to determine the care information required by home visit nurses from psychiatric hospital nurses. A qualitative descriptive research design was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine psychiatric home-visiting nurses, and content analysis was performed to analyze the data. Findings revealed 319 narratives about the information that psychiatric home-visiting nurses seek from psychiatric hospital nurses, which were classified into six main categories. Information needed for home-visiting nurses to provide care includes the following : 1) to build trust with home-visiting service users, 2) to help home-visiting service users live according to their wishes, 3) to help home-visiting service users continue treatment in the community, 4) to perform symptom management, 5) to provide family care, and 6) to protect the safety of home visiting nurses during home visits. Nurses in psychiatric hospitals should communicate this information to nurses who provide psychiatric home care. This will improve the quality of continuing care for home care users and support their recovery in community living. J. Med. Invest. 71 : 162-168, February, 2024.

Development and psychometric testing of the Professional Interpersonal Competency Assessment Scale for Novice nurses (PICASN).

Background: Assessing the professional interpersonal competency of novice nurses is crucial for preventing staff turnover and promoting effective work. However, none of the instruments identified in the literature specifically target novice nurses. Objective: This study aimed to develop and psychometrically test the perception dimension of the Professional Interpersonal Competency Assessment Scale for Novice nurses (PICASN) in Japan. Methods: The study comprised four steps: 1) concept identification, 2) item construction, 3) validity measure, and 4) reliability measure. A cross-sectional web-based questionnaire was administered from February to April 2023 and was completed by 203 novice nurses. Data quality was assessed using mean, item response, missing values, floor and ceiling effects, internal consistency, and item-rest correlations. Content validity index (CVI) was used to determine the instrument's validity, while exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using maximum likelihood estimation with Promax rotation was employed to assess the factor structure. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate reliability. Results: The 27-item PICASN demonstrated an Item-CVI of 0.94 and a Scale-CVI of 0.88. EFA revealed two factors: 1) Basic competencies as a novice nurse (15 items) and 2) Relationship building skills within the healthcare team (12 items), which explained 80% of the variance. Internal consistency reliability was excellent at 0.94 and 0.91 for the factors, and the overall scale reliability was 0.95. The item-rest (I-R) correlation values exceeding 0.6 were considered acceptable. Conclusion: The PICASN demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties, making it an effective tool for measuring professional interpersonal competency among novice nurses in Japan. This instrument serves to assist novice nurses by promoting self-awareness and offering targeted insights into specific areas requiring improvement. Additionally, it provides experienced nurses and nurse managers with valuable insights into team dynamics, guiding interventions for continuous quality improvement.

Development and psychometric properties of the Person-centered Palliative Care Nursing Instrument (PPCNI) in the Philippines.

Background: Over the years, a few tools and instruments have been developed to assist in the assessment within a palliative care setting. However, many of these tools and instruments do not reflect a person-centered palliative care model. Objective: This study aims to develop a Person-centered Palliative Care Nursing Instrument (PPCNI) in the Philippines. Methods: An exhaustive search of the literature was conducted to develop a pool of items for the instrument. The validity of the instrument was evaluated using the content validity index (CVI), while the factor structure was assessed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using maximum likelihood estimation with Promax rotation. Also, the internal reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Results: EFA yielded three factors: 1) Caring as maintaining person's dignity (13 items), 2) caring as empowerment of person's autonomy (14 items), and 3) caring as understanding person's momentary concerns (10 items). Whereas the internal consistency reliability of these subscales appeared excellent (i.e., 0.95, 0.96, and 0.93, respectively), the Cronbach's alpha for the overall scale was 0.98. The item-total correlation coefficients were >0.30 for all items, ranging from 0.310 to 0.726. Conclusion: Findings support a three-factor, 37-item PPCNI that can be used in clinical practice to ensure that nurses provide palliative care based on patient needs and preferences.

The roles and competencies of welfare commissioners supporting children with developmental disorders and their families expected by Japan's public health nurses.

Background: Public Health Nurses (PHNs) collaborate with community volunteer welfare commissioners to support children with developmental disorders and their families lead a life without isolation. Objective: This study aims to clarify the roles and competencies that PHNs expect of welfare commissioners in supporting children with developmental disorders and their families. Methods: An online survey was administered through Survey Monkey© to 220 PHNs working in Japanese municipalities using an independently developed questionnaire regarding the roles and competencies of welfare commissioners supporting children with developmental disorders and their families expected by PHNs. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was performed to simplify the data structure and enhance understanding. The reliability of the scale was confirmed using Cronbach's α. Differences due to PHN attributes (e.g., experience collaborating with welfare commissioners) were analyzed using Welch's t-test. This study was conducted between April and September 2021. Results: The highest scoring items were, for the role, "a welfare commissioner's role is to pass on accurate information to their successor," and for competencies, "a necessary competency for a welfare commissioner is to protect the information about children with developmental disorders, and their families learned during one's work." The EFA results revealed a two-factor structure for role items: Factor 1, "Supporting children with developmental disorders and their families and preventing abuse," and Factor 2, "Connecting to social resources." Competency items were also found to have a two-factor structure: Factor 1, "Understanding the position of children with developmental disorders and their families and connecting with local residents," and Factor 2, "Understanding developmental disorders and supporting them based on assessment." A comparison of the attributes of PHNs showed no significant differences. Conclusion: PHNs feel welfare commissioners should pass on the information and protect confidentiality when supporting children with developmental disorders and their families. Furthermore, PHNs expect welfare commissioners to connect children with developmental disorders and their families to the community, prevent abuse, and provide support based on assessment. PHNs had the same expectations regarding the roles and competencies of welfare commissioners regardless of their own attributes.

Psychometric Properties of Grief Traits and State Scale for Nurses to Measure Levels of Grief.

Frequent exposure to patient deaths prompts nurses to experience grief. Unresolved grief leads to harmful consequences of nurses' mental health and quality of nursing care. A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted to determine the psychometric properties of the Grief traits and State Scale for Nurses. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors measuring the level of nurses' grief traits (Cronbach's alpha: 0.84) and two factors in grief state (Cronbach's alpha: 0.86). Nurses' feelings of unable to provide good care were associated with a higher risk of grief (odds ratio (OR): 4.30, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.45-12.75), uncomfortable feeling toward deaths (OR: 11.29, 95%CI: 1.48-85.91), and emotional exhaustion (OR: 7.12, 95%CI: 1.63-30.99). Results indicated that the scale was reliable in determining the levels of their grief. Nurse managers can use the scale to identify their nurses' levels of grief, creating opportunities to influence the resolution of the grief experiences.

Comparison of Subjective Facial Emotion Recognition and "Facial Emotion Recognition Based on Multi-Task Cascaded Convolutional Network Face Detection" between Patients with Schizophrenia and Healthy Participants.

Patients with schizophrenia may exhibit a flat affect and poor facial expressions. This study aimed to compare subjective facial emotion recognition (FER) and FER based on multi-task cascaded convolutional network (MTCNN) face detection in 31 patients with schizophrenia (patient group) and 40 healthy participants (healthy participant group). A Pepper Robot was used to converse with the 71 aforementioned participants; these conversations were recorded on video. Subjective FER (assigned by medical experts based on video recordings) and FER based on MTCNN face detection was used to understand facial expressions during conversations. This study confirmed the discriminant accuracy of the FER based on MTCNN face detection. The analysis of the smiles of healthy participants revealed that the kappa coefficients of subjective FER (by six examiners) and FER based on MTCNN face detection concurred (κ = 0.63). The perfect agreement rate between the subjective FER (by three medical experts) and FER based on MTCNN face detection in the patient, and healthy participant groups were analyzed using Fisher's exact probability test where no significant difference was observed (p = 0.72). The validity and reliability were assessed by comparing the subjective FER and FER based on MTCNN face detection. The reliability coefficient of FER based on MTCNN face detection was low for both the patient and healthy participant groups.

Robots and Robotics in Nursing.

Technological advancements have led to the use of robots as prospective partners to complement understaffing and deliver effective care to patients. This article discusses relevant concepts on robots from the perspective of nursing theories and robotics in nursing and examines the distinctions between human beings and healthcare robots as partners and robot development examples and challenges. Robotics in nursing is an interdisciplinary discipline that studies methodologies, technologies, and ethics for developing robots that support and collaborate with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare workers in practice. Robotics in nursing is geared toward learning the knowledge of robots for better nursing care, and for this purpose, it is also to propose the necessary robots and develop them in collaboration with engineers. Two points were highlighted regarding the use of robots in health care practice: issues of replacing humans because of human resource understaffing and concerns about robot capabilities to engage in nursing practice grounded in caring science. This article stresses that technology and artificial intelligence are useful and practical for patients. However, further research is required that considers what robotics in nursing means and the use of robotics in nursing.

Nurses' Awareness and Actual Nursing Practice Situation of Stroke Care in Acute Stroke Units: A Japanese Cross-Sectional Web-Based Questionnaire Survey.

The awareness of care provided by stroke care unit (SCU) nurses in Japan to patients with an acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and the characteristic differences in their actual nursing practice were evaluated. A cross-sectional web-based questionnaire survey was administered to 1040 SCU nurses. Data collection and reporting procedures followed the STROBE Statement Checklist for cross-sectional studies. Exploratory factor analysis, using 52 observation items, identified eight factors with a factor loading > 0.4. For all factors, the actual practice was significantly lower than the awareness of the importance of nursing care for patients with acute CVA. Awareness and actual practice of recognition of patients' physical changes (RPPCs) were high. The actual practice of RPPCs and preventing the worsening of acute stroke and related symptoms varied, depending on years of experience in acute phase stroke care. RPPCs in actual practice had a significantly higher score among certified nurses or certified nurse specialists. Their awareness of the importance of collaborating with therapists was low. On-the-job training can improve nurses' competence and prevent worsening conditions in patients with CVA. An emphasis on enhancing practice experience toward patients with acute CVA and facilitating the deployment of certified nurses in SCUs can improve nursing care practice.

Aesthetic expression of caring in nursing among Japanese undergraduate nursing students.

BACKGROUND: Caring is the heart of nursing. However, not many understand the significance of caring in nursing from the perspectives of undergraduate nursing students, especially in Japan. AIM: To describe caring in nursing among Japanese nursing students as learned and communicated through their aesthetic expressions. METHODS: The study employed hermeneutic phenomenology. Sixty-one Japanese nursing students in their second year of baccalaureate degree studies participated. Constituting the data were art-based graphic expressions, such as drawings and written reflections on the drawings, as a response to the question of how the participants describe their meanings of caring in nursing. The thematic analysis method was used to analyze and interpret the data. The trustworthiness of the research was established following Lincoln and Guba's criteria. FINDINGS: Seven thematic categories were identified. These categories include (1) Engaging with others; (2) Knowing each other; (3) Being with other persons; (4) Nurturing intimate personal growth; (5) Supporting wholeness of persons; (6) Vacillating rhythm; and (7) Intensifying competency. CONCLUSION: This study described the understanding of caring in nursing among undergraduate Japanese nursing students during their second year of study. The caring in nursing focused on reciprocal relationships, whole-person relating, and practice competency. Findings suggested that nurse educators should develop teaching-learning strategies for nursing students to continuously grow as caring persons.

Interactions between healthcare robots and older people in Japan: A qualitative descriptive analysis study.

AIM: This study aimed to describe the interactions between healthcare robots and older persons in two selected institutions. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive analysis study using simultaneous observations of healthcare robot and older person interactions was conducted at two healthcare institutions in Japan. The Pepper robot equipped with Care Prevention Gymnastics Exercise programs was used in two situations: (a) exercise regimen led by Pepper; and (b) interactive dialogue between Pepper and older persons during the exercise process. These interactions were recorded using audiovisual equipment and analyzed using content analysis thereby revealing four thematic categories. Interpretation and discussion were structured based on assumptions of the Transactive Relationship Theory of Nursing. RESULTS: The analysis revealed four thematic categories: (a) intermediary participation of healthcare practitioners; (b) technologies of care for practice; (c) human-robot interactions involving artificial intelligence; and (d) valuing safety in nursing through technology. CONCLUSION: Interactions between healthcare robots and older persons may improve quality of care. However, issues regarding fidelity and functionality of dialogic conversations, and ensuring safety and security of using healthcare robots are recognized as critical nursing practice concerns in healthcare robot use in institutional settings.

Perceptions of nurse managers and staff nurses regarding Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing theory in general hospitals in Japan.

Background: Nurses as primary healthcare providers demonstrate quality nursing care through competencies with healthcare technologies, while nurse managers assume the primacy of managing quality healthcare in their respective care settings. However, little is known about perceptions of the influence of care technologies on their nursing practice. Objective: This study aimed to determine managers' and staff nurses' perceptions regarding the Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (TCCN) theory in general hospitals in Japan. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design, with 421 participants selected using a stratified sampling method. Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing Instrument-Revised (TCCNI-R) was used for online data collection using Survey Monkey©. Data were analyzed using Welch's t-test and ANOVA. Results: Nurses with years of experience within the range of 20 to less than 30 years showed the highest TCCNI-R scores among the two groups. Nurses who had received education on caring in nursing showed significant differences for Factor 2 (Technological Competency as Caring), that of expressing Technological Competency as Caring. Three other factors showed no significant difference, namely in Factor 1 (Nursing Expression as Caring), Factor 3 (Technology and Caring), and Factor 4 (Technological Knowing). However, the average scores of these factors were high, which reflect high professional ethics and occupational discipline and increased awareness of caring in nursing. It was also found that the nurse managers were more aware of the TCCN than were the staff nurses. The nurse managers were also more aware of providing care using technology, recognizing the need-to-know patient needs through technology and providing care to the ever-changing patient's condition. Conclusion: The study discovered that continuing education is needed regarding the practice of nursing based on theory, enabling appropriate and accurate understanding of practicing knowing persons as caring in nursing.

Nurses' perception regarding patient safety climate and quality of health care in general hospitals in Japan.

AIM: To clarify perceptions of nurses towards patient safety climate and quality of health care in Japan. BACKGROUND: Nurses' perceptions of patient safety climate and quality of health care services are not well-known. METHOD: The survey was conducted at general hospitals with 200 beds or more using the Patient Safety Climate Scale and the Modified multiple-item scale for consumer perceptions of health care service quality. RESULTS: Significant positive correlations were found among nurses' perception towards patient safety and health care service quality. The experience of nurses as members of the committee on patient safety and their employment position did not show any significant difference in the perception towards patient safety and health care services quality. Perceptions of health care service quality were lower among those with 6- to 10-year experience than with over 21 years. CONCLUSION: In the perception of nurses and nurse managers' continuous improvement, perceptions towards patient safety were related to reliability, assurance, responsiveness and empathy in health care service quality. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Generalist nurses with 21 years or more experiences in multiple departments showed high perception towards health care service quality. Experienced nurses' perceptions of activities to improve patient safety and quality of health care services are important.

Disruptive Engagements With Technologies, Robotics, and Caring: Advancing the Transactive Relationship Theory of Nursing.

Human caring, founded on a Japanese caring perspective and nursing theory, fosters innovative and creative ideas for an aging society. The growing reality of health care dependency on technology presents a temptation to give robots utility as partners in nursing practice. Human caring expressed in human-to-human relationships, and also between humans and nonhumans, is a futuristic model for health care, with humanoid robots as major supporters. The purpose of this article is to explore this disruptive technology, along with its functions and characteristics. Tanioka's Transactive Relationship Theory of Nursing is shared along with its relevance for addressing technological disruptions in health care.

A Reflective Journey of Caring : A Case Study Between A Patient with Schizophrenia and the Interdisciplinary Team.

This case study focuses on caring for a patient living with schizophrenia who has been isolated from the community caused by long-term hospitalization in Japan. Using the philosophical perspective of caring, which focuses on nurturing the wholeness and well-being of persons in caring relationship, the case study illuminates the caring, empathy, and courage among the interdisciplinary team. The purpose of this case study is to discuss the interdisciplinary caring process for patients living with schizophrenia using Carper's ways of knowing. Personal knowing is presented through the lens of patients and families and the stigma associated with mental illness. The expression of respect and caring for the patient and their families led by the interdisciplinary team aided in destigmatization of mental illness. Empirical and ethical knowing is demonstrated through the mental health care team's delivery of high quality and clinical excellence with competence, compassion and caring. Aesthetic knowing was offered by the interdisciplinary team focused on the patient's underlying hopes, dreams and aspirations. Through the support of the interdisciplinary team, patients are able to move toward their goals,hopes and dreams, externalizing tasks, as they grow together through mutual caring. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 15-18, February, 2019.

Criterion-related Validity of the Perceived Inventory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (PITCCN) in Acute Care Settings.

The Perceived Inventory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (PITCCN) based on Locsin's theory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (TCCN, 2005) was developed (Kato et al. 2016) and revised by Miyamoto et al. (2017). The purpose of this study was to verify criterion-related validity of PITCCN using the Practice of Caring Behavior Questionnaire (PCBQ, Shigehisa, 2007). The study was approved by the Ethical Review Board of Tokushima University Hospital. Data were collected from September 2017 to October 2017. Of the 402 questionnaire copies distributed, only 299 copies were returned and analyzed to determine correlations between total score value and Mean Factor Point of each factor for PITCCN and PCBQ. These were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Statistical significance was at .01 levels. Strong positive correlation coefficient was obtained between total score values (r=.76, p?.01) and factors of PITCCN and PCBQ (r=.19 to .68, p?.01) , except the PITCCN's factor 3 : "Utilization of information obtained from technology and continuous knowing" and PCBQ's factor 6 : "Enriched relationships between patient and nurse", (r=.13, not significant). From these results, the criterion-related validity of PITCCN as the inventory of TCCN could be confirmed. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 42-45, February, 2019.

Characteristics of Transactive Relationship Phenomena among Older adults, Care Workers as Intermediaries, and the Pepper Robot with Care Prevention Gymnastics Exercises.

Healthcare for older adults is a significant problem in Japan and in other developed countries. To address this problem, healthcare robots, now realized, can assist and meet healthcare and welfare practice demands. The aim of this study was to clarify characteristics of Transactive Relationships (TR) in older adults, in care workers as intermediaries, and Pepper (Softbank Robotics Corporation) a robot equipped with the application program of Care Prevention Gymnastics Exercises for Pepper (Pepper-CPGE) made by Xing Company, Japan. Data were collected by observing TRs between Pepper and older patients in Kagawa Prefecture,Japan between from May 8 to August 1 2018. The Transactive Relationship Theory of Nursing (TRETON) was used to explain how Pepper-CPGE led the exercises with older adults as physical exercises. The role of PepperCPGE was to provide instructions for the older adults in performing gymnastic exercises. During the exercising activity, care workers were present to prevent falls of the older adults, and to operate and observe the video presentations by supporting and caring for the participants. In using Pepper-CPGE, it was possible to change the role of the healthcare providers, originally thought to contribute to increasing the quality of older adult care and their rehabilitation. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 46-49, February, 2019.

Encounter of Pepper-CPGE for the elderly and patients with schizophrenia: an innovative strategy to improve patient's recreation, rehabilitation, and communication.

In Japan, humanoid robots has been introduced in the medical and elderly care environment. The application program of Care Prevention Gymnastics Exercises for Pepper (Pepper-CPGE) made by Xing Company, Japan is a body-brain gymnastics recreation program for 40 minutes tailored to the elderly's functional level. It consists of moving, watching/healing, and playing. "Move the body" exercise and other active range of motion activities are done according to the music. Pepper-CPGE was introduced as a clinical trial at the Mifune hospital, beginning in May 2018. At the units where clinical trials are done, 80% of the patients are with mental illness diagnosis with decreased physical functions often moving by wheelchair only. When Pepper-CPGE was introduced, the following changes were observed : (1) communication between patients and nurses during rehabilitation care using Pepper-CPGE was increased ; (2) patients wereinteractive, engaged, and actively participated in the Care Prevention Gymnastic Exercises using Pepper-CPGE ; (3) patients had fun and enjoyed talking to Pepper-CPGE. Interventions using Pepper-CPGE appear to be an effective rehabilitation strategy to increase engagement and participation of elderly patients who require long-term care and rehabilitation. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 50-53, February, 2019.

Report on the Second International Seminar and Workshop on Technological Competency as Caring in the Health Sciences 2018.

The Second International Seminar and Workshop (ISW) on Technological Competency as Caring in the Health Sciences was offered by the Rozzano Locsin Institute for Advancing the Theory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing, and held from August 17- 19, 2018 at Tokushima University in Tokushima,Japan. The ISW was envisioned to provide a platform for sharing research and scholarly works into innovative design and developments on studying and applying the theory of Technological Competency as Caring in the Health Sciences. This ISW was founded on the theory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing (TCCN) (Locsin, 2005). The ISW, as aimed broadened the influence of theory, research, and practice through the advancements in technology, caring, and nursing, as espoused in the theory of Technological Competency as Caring particularly within the Health Sciences. This report illuminates the contents of the ISW and its outcomes, and reveals the direction of the theory, its development, and future implications through formalized activities. J. Med. Invest. 66 : 54-57, February, 2019.

Lived experience of caring for dying patients in emergency room.

BACKGROUND: Dying often occurs in hospitals and frequently in emergency rooms. Understanding caring for critical and dying patients is necessary for quality nursing. PURPOSE: This study described the meaning of nurses' lived experience of caring for critical and dying patients in the emergency rooms. METHODS: This study was conducted in three emergency rooms of tertiary hospitals in southern Thailand. Twelve nurses met the inclusion criteria: nurses working in emergency room for at least 2 years, and experienced caring for critical and dying patients in an emergency department. Data were collected using in-depth individual interviews. Data transcription and analysis used van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Trustworthiness was established following Lincoln and Guba's criteria. FINDINGS: Experiences of caring for critical and dying patients revealed four thematic categories: defying death; no time for palliative care; lacking support for family; and privacy for peaceful deaths. These thematic categories reflected van Manen's four lived worlds of body, time, relations and space. CONCLUSIONS: The study described the meaning of the experience of caring for critical and dying patients while supporting the development of nursing knowledge for palliative and end-of-life care in emergent settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: Findings of the study influence nursing policies toward enhancing education of nurses regarding palliative and end-of-life care in emergency settings. These findings can also influence the value of caring-healing environments for critical and dying patients and their families. Policies can focus on practice and education of families particularly about end-of-life care for critical and dying patients.

Measuring quality of sleep and autonomic nervous function in healthy Japanese women.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between quality of sleep and autonomic nervous functioning in healthy adult Japanese women using three measures, namely, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) for subjective assessment of sleep quality, actigraphy for objective assessment of sleep, and heart rate variability using high frequency and low frequency domains. Participants were 31 healthy women in their 20s to 40s who met the selection criteria, including having normal monthly menstrual periods. Participants were categorized as good or poor sleepers according to their PSQI score. Median correlation coefficients of activity count and high frequency were -0.62 (range -0.43 to -0.84) for good sleepers and -0.45 (range 0.003 to -0.64) for poor sleepers. Good sleepers showed a significantly higher correlation of activity count and high frequency (Z=-2.11, P<0.05). Median correlation coefficients of activity count and low frequency/high frequency were 0.54 (range 0.29-0.73) for good sleepers and 0.41 (range 0.11-0.63) for poor sleepers. The PSQI, actigraphy data, and heart rate variability results showed positive correlations between sleep time as measured by PSQI and duration of inactivity as measured by actigraphy (r=0.446, P<0.05) and sleep time as measured by actigraphy (r=0.377, P<0.05), and a negative correlation between sleep time as measured by PSQI and the correlation coefficients of activity count and high frequency (r=-0.460, P<0.01). These results support the finding that sleep-wake rhythms can be monitored efficiently with actigraphy, providing accurate data that can support the diagnosis of sleeping disorders. Furthermore, actigraphy data were associated with heart rate variability and PSQI findings, but only in subjects who were poor sleepers. Actigraphy is an accurate, efficient, rapid, and inexpensive test for determining objective and subjective sleeping problems, and can also be used in clinical tests for sleep assessment.