Comparative study on the activities of part-time occupational physicians in Japan between 2008 and 2016: effects of the stress-check program.

The Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare of Japan recommends that an occupational physician (OP) play an important role in implementing the stress-check program since 2015. This study aimed to compare the activities and encountered difficulties of Japanese part-time OPs in 2008 and 2016, and to investigate the effects of the stress-check program. Questionnaires were sent via mail to 946 part-time OPs in Kyoto prefecture in 2016. Completed questionnaires were returned by 181 OPs who were private practitioners or physicians in hospitals, and served as OPs on a part-time basis. In 2016, OPs utilized long hours for activities related to general health examination and to stress-check. Hours for specific health examination, health and hygiene education, health promotion activity, development of a comfortable workplace, and guidance of workers on sick leave reduced from 2008 to 2016. A total of 62% OPs frequently encountered difficulties in the stress-check-related activities in 2016. Many OPs also reported difficulties in the mental health care and the prevention of health hazard due to overwork both in 2008 and 2016. Enforcement of the stress-check program in 2015 changed the activities of part-time OPs in Japan. OPs should be given opportunities to gain more information in this area.

[An outbreak of Hemophylus influenzae infection among residents in an insurance care facility for the elderly].

AIM: To study the epidemics of the hemophilus influenzae (HI) infection in the summer, 2005 among 46 residents in the second floor of our insurance care facility, Mam Cuore. METHODS: The spreading pattern of HI infection, antibiotic susceptibility and serological identification of HI isolated from sputum culture were investigated, and underlying diseases, functional disorders, body weight, age, sex, ADL- and dementia-scores were compared among patients with the non-symptomatic group, HI infection and severe HI pneumonia groups. RESULTS: Lower ADL and body weight were noted to suffer significantly more HI infection and severe pneumonia. Furthermore, stroke patients tended to suffer more HI infection. Dementia patients suffered significantly more severe pneumonia. Residents of rooms close to the room of original patient showed symptoms earlier than patients in more distant rooms. While the numbers of patients with HI infection were 15 (60%) and 10 (40%) before and after the first isolation of HI, 5 out of 15 patients (33%) and one out of 10 patients (10%) progressed to severe pneumonia, respectively. Although these results did not have statistical significance, they suggests that rapid assessment and therapy of HI infection tended to prevent aggravation. Non-typeable strains were detected and were all beta-lactamase nonproducing ampicillin resistant (BLNAR) without susceptibilities to cefaclor (CCL) and cefdinir (CFDN). Preceding the epidemic, an outbreak of the common cold syndrome was recognized. CONCLUSION: Assessing elderly patients suspected of the HI infection, and organized management for treatment are essential to improving outcome.