[Relationship between the number of public health nurses and the total number of people receiving home-visit nursing services for mental health/intractable diseases, and those numbers' regional differences].

Objectives　The primary aim of this study was to clarify the relationship between the number of public health nurses (PHNs) and the total number of people who received home-visit nursing services for mental health or intractable diseases. The secondary aim was to clarify the extent of regional differences in the number of PNHs and mental health or intractable diseases.Methods　This study used the total number of people who received home-visit nursing services for mental health or intractable diseases in 2019 from the Portal Site of Official Statistics of Japan (e-Stat) and population and area data in January 2020. Single and multiple regression analyses (covariates: population and area) were performed on the relationship between the number of PHNs per 100,000 population (abbreviated as "ratios of PHNs") and the total number of people who received home-visit nursing services for mental health or intractable diseases per 100,000 population (abbreviated as "mental health/intractable disease achievements"). Regional differences in ratios of PHNs and mental health/intractable disease achievement were examined using mean, standard deviation, maximum/minimum values, and Gini coefficients. Analyses were performed for each of the five units: the prefectures as a whole, prefectural public health centers, municipalities within the jurisdiction of prefectural public health centers, and cities in which public health centers are established (including or not including special wards).Results　Regression analyses indicated a positive relationship between the ratios of PHNs and mental health/intractable disease achievements. Multiple regression analysis indicated that both achievements were positively associated with population size and negatively associated with area size. The largest regression coefficients between the ratios of PHNs and achievements were 34.07 and 5.48 regarding mental health achievements and intractable disease achievements, respectively. For regional differences, the smallest Gini coefficient was the ratios of PHNs, and the largest was intractable disease achievements. The smallest and largest coefficient of the prefectures as a whole was 0.15 and 0.34, respectively. The maximum/minimum values of the prefectures as a whole also indicated that the smallest was 3.8 in the ratio of PHNs and the largest was 30.0 in intractable disease achievement.Conclusions　Increasing number of PHNs is needed to provide more home-visit nursing services for mental health and intractable diseases. It is particularly important to fill up the larger number of PHNs in smaller populations or larger area prefectures. Due to regional differences in the home-visit nursing service, it is important to promote the increase in the level of these activities.

[Investigation of occupational health activities during the COVID-19 pandemic: a survey for small- and medium-sized enterprises and occupational physicians mainly in the Shizuoka prefecture].

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies of occupational health services (OHS) during the coronavirus infection disease (COVID-19) pandemic have focused on either occupational physicians (OPs) or enterprises mainly in the metropolitan areas. This survey aimed to assess OHS in some local cities during the pandemic and different perceptions of OPs and small- and medium- sized enterprises, which could contribute to efficient OHS in the future. METHODS: From July to October 2021, we conducted a questionnaire survey targeting 196 OHS officers and 42 OPs in Shizuoka prefecture. We mailed 196 questionnaires (anonymous) to the OHS officers, with self-addressed postcards requesting their OP's cooperation for a similar survey. Based on the postcards replies, we mailed 149 questionnaires to 36 OPs. The survey was consisted of five categories; demographic characteristics, changes in OHS during the pandemic, infection countermeasures, infection status of employees, and free descriptions. RESULTS: The effective responses included 155 and 124 questionnaires from officers and 29 OPs, respectively. Regarding demographic characteristics, manufacturing and processing industries comprised the most frequent office types, whereas fewer than 100 employees comprised the most common office size. Regarding the changes in OHS, 8.4% of enterprises had OP's remote participation in health committees, and 14.5% of enterprises had stopped workplace patrols. Regarding infection countermeasures, approximately 90% of enterprises received advice and support from OPs and perceived health committees as the most helpful in receiving it. Whereas, OPs primarily gave it in workplace patrols. Many enterprises have implemented various infection countermeasures; however, they feel that promoting smoking cessation is difficult. They believed that the following advice and support was useful for the countermeasures; promoting awareness-raising activities to prevent infection, ventilation methods, and infection control while eating. Approximately 6.6% of enterprises were reluctant to share information about infection status among employees with OPs, and 34.5% of OPs were reluctant to share it with OHS officers. Moreover, about the ratio of enterprises whose employees had COVID-19, we found a difference between enterprises (39.4%)and OPs (28.2%). In free descriptions, some enterprises complained that OPs focused on COVID-19-related OHS and neglected conventional OHS. CONCLUSIONS: The survey revealed the OHS during the pandemic in some local cities and different perceptions about infection status between enterprises and OPs. To prepare for future pandemics, official organizations and academic conferences should provide guidelines for sharing information between OPs and enterprises. We believe this survey will lead to further cooperation between the two and better OHS combining COVID-19-related and conventional OHS.