Evaluating the understandability and actionability of online CKD educational materials.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have not fully determined whether online education materials on chronic kidney disease (CKD) for Japanese patients are easy to understand and help change their behavior. Therefore, this study quantitatively assessed the understandability and actionability of online CKD education materials. METHODS: In September 2021, we searched Google and Yahoo Japan using the keywords "kidney," "kidney disease," "CKD," "chronic kidney disease," and "renal failure" to identify 538 webpages. We used the Japanese version of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT), ranging from 0 to 100%, to evaluate the understandability and actionability of webpages. We set the cutoff point to 70%. RESULTS: Of the 186 materials included, the overall understandability and actionability were 61.5% (± 16.3%) and 38.7% (± 30.6%), respectively. The materials were highly technical in their terminology and lacked clear and concise charts and illustrations to encourage action. Compared to lifestyle modification materials on CKD overview, symptoms/signs, examination, and treatment scored significantly lower on the PEMAT. In addition, the materials produced by medical institutions and academic organizations scored significantly lower than those produced by for-profit companies. CONCLUSION: Medical institutions and academic organizations are encouraged to use plain language and to attach explanations of medical terms when preparing materials for patients. They are also expected to improve visual aids to promote healthy behaviors.

Nutrients and Foods Recommended for Blood Pressure Control on Twitter in Japan: Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Management and prevention of hypertension are important public health issues. Healthy dietary habits are one of the modifiable factors. As Twitter (subsequently rebranded X) is a digital platform that can influence public eating behavior, there is a knowledge gap regarding the information about foods and nutrients recommended for blood pressure control and who disseminates them on Twitter. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the nature of the information people are exposed to on Twitter regarding nutrients and foods for blood pressure control. METHODS: A total of 147,898 Japanese tweets were extracted from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. The final sample of 2347 tweets with at least 1 retweet was manually coded into categories of food groups, nutrients, user characteristics, and themes. The number and percentage of tweets, retweets, and themes in each category were calculated. RESULTS: Of the 2347 tweets, 80% (n=1877) of tweets mentioned foods, which were categorized into 17 different food groups. Seasonings and spices, including salt, were most frequently mentioned (1356/1877, 72.2%). This was followed by vegetable and fruit groups. The 15 kinds of nutrients were mentioned in 1566 tweets, with sodium being the largest proportion at 83.1% (n=1301), followed by potassium at 8.4% (n=132). There was misinformation regarding salt intake for hypertension, accounting for 40.8% (n=531) of tweets referring to salt, including recommendations for salt intake to lower blood pressure. In total, 75% (n=21) of tweets from "doctors" mentioned salt reduction is effective for hypertension control, while 31.1% (n=74) of tweets from "health, losing weight, and beauty-related users," 25.9% (n=429) of tweets from "general public," and 23.5% (n=4) tweets from "dietitian or registered dietitian" denied salt reduction for hypertension. The antisalt reduction tweets accounted for 31.5% (n=106) of the most disseminated tweets related to nutrients and foods for blood pressure control. CONCLUSIONS: The large number of tweets in this study indicates a high interest in nutrients and foods for blood pressure control. Misinformation asserting antisalt reduction was posted primarily by the general public and self-proclaimed health experts. The number of tweets from nutritionists, registered dietitians, and doctors who were expected to correct misinformation and promote salt reduction was relatively low, and their messages were not always positive toward salt reduction. There is a need for communication strategies to combat misinformation, promote correct information on salt reduction, and train health care professionals to effectively communicate evidence-based information on this topic.

Misinformation surrounding sodium reduction for blood pressure: content analysis of Japanese posts on X.

This content analysis aimed to assess misinformation themes regarding sodium reduction and blood pressure on X with the goal of providing strategies to address and debunk such misinformation. A total of 531 posts were manually coded into sodium-related misinformation themes, with inclusion criteria for posts asserting no association between sodium reduction and hypertension or claiming consuming sodium is beneficial for health. Numbers and post frequencies per misinformation theme were calculated. Post characteristics, including information sources, advertisements and narratives, were coded, and a correlation analysis was conducted to assess their association with each misinformation theme. Fourteen sodium-related misinformation themes were identified and consistently disseminated on X. The predominant theme, 'Natural Salt', accounted for 37.7% (n = 200), reaching 1.6 million followers, followed by 'Reducing salt could be bad for my health' theme, comprising 28.6% (n = 152) and reaching 1.5 million followers. There was a statistical correlation between the natural salt misinformation theme and advertisements. Many of the most frequent misinformation themes identified in this study have not been systematically debunked by organizations such as the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association. This study underscores the importance of continuous monitoring and analysis of sodium-related misinformation on social media platforms and their underlying commercial interests. Such monitoring has the potential to identify prevalent misinformation themes that may pose harm to the public and to inform public health organizations, enabling them to proactively address potential issues through debunking.

Evaluating the understandability and actionability of online educational videos on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease.

AIM: It remains undetermined whether online education videos for Japanese patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are easy to understand and allow adoption of behavioural changes. This study quantitatively assessed the understandability and applicability of online education videos for patients with CKD. METHODS: In September 2021, we identified 200 videos on YouTube using the Japanese translations of the keywords 'kidney,' 'kidney disease,' 'CKD,' and 'chronic kidney disease.' We used the Japanese version of the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool to evaluate the understandability and usability of webpages on a scale of 0% to 100%. The cut-off was set at 70%. RESULTS: A total of 54 videos were evaluated. The overall understandability and actionability of the materials were 57.6 (SD = 22.6) and 53.7 (SD = 33.4), respectively. Approximately 70% and 60% of the materials were considered insufficiently understandable and actionable, respectively. Most videos lacked a summary and had difficulty in using only everyday language. Most videos included at least one action for the audience to take. However, many failed to break down the action into sequential steps. They also lack visual aids to encourage the audience to take action. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that current information on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease was not presented in a manner that can be applied by laypeople.

Public perception of the resumption of HPV vaccine recommendation in Japan: Twitter content analysis.

On 12 November 2021, after a stagnation of 8.5 years, Japan decided to resume proactive recommendations for HPV vaccines. However, it is not known how the public reacted to the resumption of proactive recommendations for HPV vaccines, which are key elements in health communication that promote HPV vaccination. This study aimed to capture discussions on HPV vaccination on Twitter and to identify user characteristics, sentiments, discussed themes and their potential reach before and after 12 November 2021, when the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare's decision to resume proactive recommendation for HPV vaccines was first reported by the media in Japan. This study conducted a content analysis of tweets related to HPV vaccines posted on 11 November and 12 November 2021. Tweets were coded in terms of user characteristics, sentiments (i.e. positive, negative and neutral) and themes. Reach was measured by the number of retweets, likes and followers. A total of 3623 tweets were identified. The results showed that approximately 50% of health professionals and researchers tweeted neutral content about HPV vaccines. The most frequently discussed theme was the safety and side effects of HPV vaccines, which was accompanied by mainly negative sentiments. Although health professionals and researchers are influential on Twitter, half of them tweeted neutrally about HPV vaccines. Influential professionals, such as health professionals and researchers, are expected to disseminate accurate information to correct misinformation and recommend HPV vaccination on Twitter to overcome the HPV vaccination crisis, which is characterized by the low vaccination rates.

Using patient storytelling to improve medical students' empathy in Japan: a pre-post study.

BACKGROUND: Empathy for patients is now internationally accepted as one of the competencies of physicians for patient-centered medical practice and an essential component of medical education. Recently, "patient storytelling" has attracted attention in empathy education for medical students to understand patients' experiences, feelings, and perspectives. This study aimed to quantitatively evaluate how patient storytelling enhanced undergraduate medical students' empathy in Japan to the extent that they sustained it for six months. METHODS: Participants were 159 fourth-year undergraduate medical students in Tokyo in academic years 2018 and 2019. The questionnaire surveys were conducted three times: at the beginning of the class, immediately after the class, and six months after the class. The Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student Version was used in this study. Gender, age, and clinical orientation were also obtained through the self-reported questionnaire. We invited a male patient storyteller who was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease to the classes on "Professionalism." The title of his storytelling was "The Power of Medical Professionals' Words." RESULTS: JSE-S scores improved significantly immediately after listening to patient storytelling. The scores remained improved six months after the class. Interest of specialty was significantly positively associated with an immediate change in JSE-S scores. However, gender had no significant association with changes in JSE-S scores either immediately or six months after education. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings may suggest that patient storytelling would be useful to cultivate empathy among undergraduate medical students. It is to be expected that more medical schools will use patient storytelling to educate medical students in humanistic and communication education.

Patterns of alcohol and alcohol-flavoured non-alcoholic beverage advertisements over Japanese free-to-air television networks.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is a serious public health challenge worldwide. Japan has no government regulations or legal penalties against advertising alcoholic beverages on television (TV). Instead, advertisements depend on the Japanese alcohol industry's self-regulation on airtime (no advertisements from 5 am to 6 pm) and the content of alcoholic beverages, which must not tempt minors. However, many adolescents (10 to 19 years old) watch TV from 6 pm to 11 pm. The aim of this study was to describe the pattern in the advertising of alcoholic beverages and alcohol-flavoured non-alcoholic beverages (AFNAB) in Japan during the popular TV viewing time for adolescents. METHODS: A secondary analysis of advertising airtime data from five free-to-air Japanese TV networks in the Greater Tokyo area that aired between 12 August and 3 November 2019, was performed. RESULTS: During the study period, 5215 advertisements for alcoholic beverages and AFNABs aired (1451.75 min). In total, 2303 advertisements (44.2%) were beer, low-malt beer, or beer-taste beverages, 277 (5.3%) were whisky, 2334 (44.8%) were local alcoholic beverages (shochu and seishu), and 301 (5.8%) were AFNAB. On average, more advertisements aired on weekends (67.6 advertisements) than on weekdays (59.3 advertisements) per day. Approximately 30% of advertisements for AFNABs were aired during the time restricted for alcohol advertising, although AFNABs are considered alcohol according to industry guidelines. During the popular television viewing time for young adolescents, about two to three times more advertisements were aired per hour than during the rest of the day, on both weekdays and weekends (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The number of alcohol advertisements aired at times when adolescents often watch TV is 2 to 3.2 times higher than that at other times of the day. Furthermore, despite the industry's self-imposed regulations, some alcoholic beverages are still advertised. Therefore, other methods to protect children and adolescents from exposure to advertisements for alcoholic beverages should be investigated and implemented.

Declines in health literacy and health-related quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal study of the Japanese general population.

BACKGROUND: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the importance of health literacy (HL) was addressed by public health researchers. We longitudinally examined the changes in general HL and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) between immediately before the COVID-19 outbreak and 1 year later, and how general HL before the outbreak was related to changes in HRQOL in the Japanese general population. METHODS: Among the Japanese residents aged 20-79 years who participated in our previous study in 2017, 826 were followed-up via self-administered questionnaires in January 2020 and February 2021, for the purposes of this study. The HRQOL was measured using the SF-8, a short version of the SF-36 Health Survey, and general HL was measured using the short form of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HL-SF12) in the 2020 and 2021 surveys. RESULTS: The physical and mental dimensions of HRQOL as well as general HL declined significantly from immediately before the COVID-19 outbreak to 1 year later (p = .010, p < .001 and p < .001, respectively). The decline in HRQOL, especially the mental dimension, was more significant among women. A lower economic status was also related to a greater decline in HRQOL (p = .026 for the physical dimension and p = .012 for the mental dimension). Higher general HL before the COVID-19 outbreak was associated with a lesser decline in HRQOL in both the physical and mental dimensions (p = .040 and p < .001, respectively) after controlling for possible confounding variables such as gender and economic status. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare support is crucial for vulnerable populations during and after the pandemic. General HL may be important for attenuating the decline in HRQOL, by enabling effective use of health information and adaptive behaviors toward health threats. Further studies are needed to better understand the association between HL and HRQOL.

Development of a Japanese version of the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey: Examination of its reliability and validity.

OBJECTIVES: The importance of supporting advance care planning (ACP) by healthcare professionals is recognized worldwide, and assessing the outcomes, such as people's understanding and readiness for ACP, using an appropriate instrument is essential. We, therefore, developed a Japanese version of the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey (ACP Engagement Survey; 15 items, 9 items, and 4 items), an international scale for assessing the progress of the ACP, and examined its validity and reliability. METHODS: The ACP Engagement Survey was translated into Japanese, back-translated, and culturally adapted, and the final version was reviewed by the author of the original version. Data on basic demographic information and ACP-related experiences were simultaneously collected as external criteria in an online survey of older adults with chronic diseases. The Cronbach's alpha was calculated to assess its internal consistency, and a retest was performed three days later to calculate the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS: A total of 200 respondents (mean age 70; 9.5% female) were included in the analysis. None of the items showed a ceiling effect, but several items did exhibit a floor effect. The factor structure was the same 2-factor structure as the original version, and both factors exhibited a high cumulative contribution rate. The Cronbach's alphas were 0.94 (15-item version), 0.91 (9-item version), and 0.95 (4-item version), and ICCs were of 0.88 (15-item version), 0.9 (9-item version), and 0.84 (4-item version). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The Japanese version of the ACP Engagement Survey was confirmed to have very good reliability regarding both internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Together with the result of the item analysis, we can conclude that the Japanese version of the ACP Engagement Survey is sufficiently reliable to be utilized in interventional studies, and it has acceptable content validity, construct validity, and criterion-related validity.

Patient-generated health data collection using a wearable activity tracker in cancer patients-a feasibility study.

PURPOSE: Incorporation of patient-generated health data (PGHD) into clinical research requires an investigation of the validity of outcomes and feasibility of implementation. This single-arm pilot trial investigated the feasibility of using a commercially available activity tracking wearable device in cancer patients to assess adherence to the device and real-time PGHD collection in a clinical research setting. METHODS: From July to November 2017, enrolled adult patients were asked to wear a wristband-style device. Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) and MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) were assessed at baseline and on day 29. Furthermore, 29-day Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, global impression of the devices, and NCI CTCAE v4 were evaluated. RESULTS: Of 30 patients (mean age, 58.6 years; male, 21 [70%]), 15 (50%) and 11 (36.7%) had gastrointestinal and lung cancer, respectively, and 27 (90%, 95% CI: 0.74-0.98) were well adhered (> 70%) to the device for 28 days. The mean adherence was 84.9% (range: 41.7-95.2%). More frequent PGHD synchronization tended to show better device adherence, with moderate correlation (r = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.33-0.80, p < 000.1). CONCLUSIONS: The feasibility of using a wearable activity tracker was confirmed in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy for a month. For future implementation in clinical trials, there is a need for further comprehensive assessment of the validity and reliability of wearable activity trackers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN: UMIN000027575.

Online Japanese-Language Information on Lifestyle Factors Associated With Reduced Fertility: Content Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Approximately one-third of Japanese couples currently worry or previously worried about infertility. To develop strategies for the primary prevention of infertility as a population approach, it is important for the general population to be knowledgeable about fertility and infertility. The internet may contribute to the dissemination of information regarding infertility and fertility. However, few studies have examined online information about fertility. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantitatively examine online Japanese-language information about lifestyle factors associated with reduced fertility. METHODS: We conducted online searches, using the 10 search terms with the highest numbers of searches that people hoping to conceive are likely to input in two major search engines in Japan (Google Japan and Yahoo! Japan). From the 2200 retrieved websites, 1181 duplicates and 500 websites unrelated to our objective were excluded, resulting in a final dataset of 519 websites. Coding guidelines were developed for the following lifestyle factors associated with reduced fertility: sexually transmitted diseases, psychological stress, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, nutrition and diet, physical activity and exercise, underweight, overweight and obesity, and environmental pollutants. RESULTS: In terms of the website author's professional expertise, 69.6 % of the coding instances for the selected lifestyle factors were mentioned by hospitals, clinics, or the media, whereas only 1.7% were mentioned by laypersons. Psychological stress (20.1%) and sexually transmitted diseases (18.8%) were the most frequently mentioned lifestyle factors associated with reduced fertility. In contrast, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, nutrition and diet, physical activity and exercise, underweight, overweight and obesity, and environmental pollutants were mentioned relatively infrequently. The association between reduced fertility and sexually transmitted diseases was mentioned significantly more frequently by hospitals and clinics than by the media (P<.001). The association between reduced fertility and nutrition and diet was mentioned significantly more frequently by the media than by hospitals and clinics (P=.008). With regard to the sex of the target audience for the information, female-specific references to psychological stress, sexually transmitted diseases, nutrition and diet, underweight, physical activity and exercise, and overweight and obesity were significantly more frequent than were male-specific references to these lifestyle factors (psychological stress: P=.002, sexually transmitted diseases: P<.001, nutrition and diet: P<.001, underweight: P<.001, physical activity and exercise: P<.001, overweight and obesity: P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Of the lifestyle factors known to be related to reduced fertility, cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and male-specific lifestyle factors are mentioned relatively infrequently in online information sources in Japan, and these factors should be discussed more in information published on websites.

Questionnaire survey of a mock jury on their impressions of medical-legal illustrations aimed at reducing trauma and PTSD of jurors.

Gruesome graphic evidence such as autopsy photographs and damaged corpses in criminal cases may affect some individuals involved in the trial. Specifically, individuals may suffer from psychological health issues, such as secondary traumatic stress and PTSD, and they may also be susceptible to punitive verdict bias owing to graphic evidence that often elicits a negative emotional response. In this study, we adopt medical-legal illustrations as an alternative for graphic images. The illustrations differed in the amount of detail portrayed (Realistic and inclusive of main Characteristics) and colouring (black and white or colour). Mock jurors (n = 37) were surveyed to determine which is the most suitable approach to describe graphic scenes in three cases. Emotions were assessed. In all three cases, mock jurors chose Characteristics illustrations as the most suitable - a level of detail that exaggerated some details and simplified others. Specialist forensic doctors agreed with this conclusion. Schematics and Realistic (including background information) illustrations were chosen as the most unsuitable. Realistic (including background information) illustrations in particular generated a higher emotional score than the other types.

Interviewing forensic specialists regarding medical-legal illustration methods to replace gruesome graphic evidence.

Jurors are often subject to psychological health issues like secondary trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to exposure to gruesome graphic evidence. Against this background, the current study investigated the usefulness of medical-legal illustrations that include important details on the victim, including nature and position of wounds and cause of death. However, there have been no attempts to establish an effective format for medical-legal illustrations to facilitate the delivery of accurate information while also minimising traumatic stress or PTSD symptoms. We interviewed forensic doctors to determine the most suitable representational format for conveying relevant information. We concluded that the degree of detail (realistic and inclusive of characteristics) and colouring were important factors in determining the effectiveness of illustrations' representational format.

Newspaper coverage before and after the HPV vaccination crisis began in Japan: a text mining analysis.

BACKGROUND: The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination coverage rate has fallen sharply in Japan since 2013, when newspapers began covering negative campaigns against the vaccination. We examined and compared contents from newspaper articles before and after the start of this HPV vaccination crisis. METHODS: We collected articles published between January 2005 and September 2017 in the four daily national Japanese newspapers with the highest domestic circulation. We then conducted text mining analysis to chronologically examine content distribution. RESULTS: From among the 1178 articles analyzed, 12 types of contents were identified. Contents related to cervical cancer prevention, such as on the risk of developing cervical cancer, causes of cervical cancer, and the effects of vaccination, were frequently conveyed until 2012. However, after March 2013, they were replaced with anti-vaccination contents, such as on adverse effects to vaccines, alleged victims, and related lawsuits. Meanwhile pro-vaccination contents, such as safety statements from the World Health Organization, scarcely received coverage. CONCLUSIONS: Newspaper contents changed profoundly before and after the start of the vaccination crisis. Those newspaper reports potentially had impact on readers' beliefs and actions. Journalists should strive for impartial coverage so readers can make more-informed decisions. Health professionals should be expected to work with journalists to help improve impartiality in newspaper coverage. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare should discus benefits and risks of the HPV vaccination based on the scientific evidences, and consider to resume the proactive recommendation of HPV vaccination. Well-organized advocacy among medical societies, scientists and health professionals will also be needed to influence the government.

Japanese anti- versus pro-influenza vaccination websites: a text-mining analysis.

Anti-vaccination sentiment exists worldwide and Japan is no exception. Health professionals publish pro-influenza vaccination messages online to encourage proactive seeking of influenza vaccination. However, influenza vaccine coverage among the Japanese population is less than optimal. The contents of pro- and anti-influenza vaccination websites may contribute to readers' acceptance of one or the other position. We aimed to use a text-mining method to examine frequently appearing content on websites for and against influenza vaccination. We conducted online searches in January 2017 using two major Japanese search engines (Google Japan and Yahoo! Japan). Targeted websites were classified as 'pro', 'anti' or 'neutral' depending on their claims, with author(s) classified as 'health professionals', 'mass media' or 'laypersons'. Text-mining analysis was conducted, and statistical analysis was performed using a chi-squared test. Of the 334 websites analyzed, 13 content topics were identified. The three most frequently appearing content topics on pro-vaccination websites were vaccination effect for preventing serious cases of influenza, side effects of vaccination, and efficacy rate of vaccination. The three most frequent topics on anti-vaccination websites were ineffectiveness of influenza vaccination, toxicity of vaccination, and side effects of vaccination. The main disseminators of each topic, by author classification, were also revealed. We discuss possible tactics of online influenza vaccination promotion to counter anti-vaccination websites.

[Transparency in relations between multinational R&D pharmaceutical companies' corporate social responsibility activities and patient organizations in the Europe, Japan, and the United States].

Objectives　Multinational R&D pharmaceutical companies operating in many countries and regions have deep ties with patient groups that are recipients of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). CSR activities are diverse and range from direct funding (including donations and sponsorships) to indirect funding (such as expenses associated with company-sponsored lectures); there are rewards for CSR requests for patient groups (writing, supervision, and surveys), and labor is provided by company employees. In developing pharmaceutical products, R&D companies can provide greater benefits to patients by listening to them. It is therefore important for all stakeholders to ensure transparency regarding the relationship between companies and patient groups. This study aimed to identify trends in information disclosure toward ensuring transparency of relations between CSR activities and patient groups based on industry groups regulations in Japan, the United States, and Europe.Methods　The contents described in regulations by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), and the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) concerning such transparency were qualitatively and inductively analyzed in terms of four concepts: transparency, equal partnership, mutual benefit, and independence.Results　Most of the descriptions relate to transparency. The EFPIA regulation is the most detailed; it states that there should be no influence on patient groups' work or on events and activities organized by companies or patient groups. The rules of the three associations also impose the need to maintain records concerning the purpose and contents of financial support and activity items. However, information disclosure to secure transparency is not required in the PhRMA regulation. The JPMA regulation does not specify a clear update schedule; the EFPIA regulation requires disclosure information to be updated once a year. In terms of equal partnership, such terms as "mutual respect," "equal value," and "establishing a trust relationship" appeared in searches with all three regulations. None of the regulations referred to "mutual benefit." All the regulations either respected or validated the independence of patient groups.Conclusion　Each pharmaceutical association set its own regulations and recommended voluntary information disclosure by member companies; however, the extent of such disclosure differed with each association. The regulations of industry associations form the basis for the policies of member companies; thus, it is desirable that the contents and regulations related to mutual information disclosure be established in great detail worldwide.

Investigation of suitable illustrations in medical care.

Visual representation methods have long been used as tools to communicate information in health education settings, and their effect on improving health literacy has been investigated. The question arises: How should an illustration function in relation to the textual information it illustrates? Medical illustrations are likely to be featured in media such as brochures and textbooks. If the textual information in such materials is so complex, what function should illustrations play? We reviewed the sociological literature on illustrations to obtain findings potentially applicable to health education and the improvement of health literacy. We then evaluated these tools to determine the types of illustrations that are suitable for the information. Of the three topics for which we developed the materials-cancer, food allergies and HEV light-only for the HEV light topic were earlier findings replicated. One key factor behind this result was that the illustrations for the HEV topic underwent a more thorough deliberative process than those for the other two topics. The results of our study also highlight the importance of third-party opinion in the illustration design process.

Improving health literacy in a Japanese community population-A pilot study to develop an educational programme.

OBJECTIVE: Although a growing number of interventional studies on health literacy have been conducted recently, the majority were designed in clinical settings, focusing mainly on functional health literacy. This study evaluated a programme designed to improve health literacy in a community population, with a scope of going beyond functional health literacy. METHODS: In collaboration with an Approved Specified Nonprofit organization (NPO), we evaluated a five-session programme designed to provide basic knowledge on health-care policy and systems, current issues in health care in Japan, patient roles and relationships with health-care providers and interpersonal skills. In total, 67 of 81 programme participants agreed to participate in the study, and 54 returned the completed questionnaires at baseline and at follow-up. Health literacy and trust in the medical profession were measured at baseline and at follow-up. Participants' learning through the programme was qualitatively analysed by thematic analysis. RESULTS: Quantitative examinations of the changes in health literacy and degree of trust in medical professionals between the baseline and follow-up suggested that health literacy significantly improved after implementing the programme. The thematic analysis of participants' learning throughout the programme suggested that they not only acquired knowledge and skills but also experienced a shift in their beliefs and behaviours. DISCUSSION: Providing individuals who are motivated to learn about health-care systems and collaborate with health-care providers with the necessary knowledge and skills may improve their health literacy, which could enable them to maintain and promote their health and that of their family and other people around them.

Reliability and validity of a 12-item medication adherence scale for patients with chronic disease in Japan.

BACKGROUND: To improve and support medication adherence among patients with chronic diseases, especially for long-term medication, it is important to consider both their relationship with healthcare providers and their lifestyle. We tested the reliability and validity of a modified 12-item Medication Adherence Scale. METHODS: We revised a 14-item measure of medication adherence, created in 2009, to a more concise and clear 12-item version, and we verified the reliability and validity of the 12-item scale. We included 328 patients with chronic diseases participating in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program in Japan from 2011 to 2014. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess whether the four factors assessed were the same as the previous 14-item Medication Adherence Scale. Cronbach's coefficient alpha was used to assess internal consistency reliability, and the relationships between patient demographic characteristics and medication adherence were compared with previous studies. RESULTS: The 12 items were categorized into the four factors "medication compliance", "collaboration with healthcare providers", "willingness to access and use information about medication", and "acceptance to take medication and how taking medication fits patient's lifestyle". Confirmatory factor analysis showed χ2/df = 2.6, CFI = 0.94, and RMSEA = 0.069. Cronbach's alpha for the 12-item scale was 0.78. Cronbach's alpha for the four subscales was 0.74, 0.81, 0.67, and 0.45. Higher medication adherence was significantly associated with being a female patient, living with someone else, and age 40-49 years versus age 20-29 years. These relationships were the same as in previous studies. CONCLUSIONS: We modified our original 14-item scale to a 12-item Medication Adherence Scale for patients with chronic diseases, which considers their relationship with healthcare providers and lifestyle. Refinement might be needed because of the relatively low reliability of subscales. However, the modified scale is expected to contribute to more effective self-management of medication and to improving medication adherence, particularly among patients with chronic diseases who require long-term medication not only in Japan but also in other countries.

Changes in patient-centered attitude and confidence in communicating with patients: a longitudinal study of resident physicians.

BACKGROUND: Patient-centered care has been one of the most frequently discussed principles in medical practice. However, there is a serious concern that the patient-centered attitudes of physicians diminish over the course of their medical education. This longitudinal study examined changes in resident physicians' patient-centered attitudes and their confidence in communicating with patients, and explored the relationship between the two traits. METHODS: The study participants were resident physicians at a university hospital in Tokyo. Participants' patient-centered attitudes (as measured by the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale [PPOS]), and their confidence in communicating with patients (as per the Physician Confidence in the Medical Interview scale: [PCMI]) were assessed through self-reported questionnaires completed at the beginning of residency (n = 204) and again at the end of the first year (n = 95). RESULTS: PPOS scores declined significantly during the year, both in terms of attitude toward sharing information and decision-making with patients, and attitude of caring for patients' expectations and emotions. The shift in caring attitude differed significantly by gender. The increase in PCMI score was greater for those with a smaller decrease in PPOS score. CONCLUSIONS: As seen in previous studies of medical students, resident physicians' patient-centered attitudes declined during their first year of residency, while there may be a gender-based difference within the shift. The increase in physicians' confidence in communicating with patients was greater for those who showed a smaller decline in patient-centered attitude. Additional studies are needed to detail the changes in physicians' attitudes, confidence, and communication skills over the course of their medical training, and to develop systematic assessment and training programs.