Association between willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and sources of health information among Japanese workers: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: It is important to achieve herd immunity by vaccinating as many people as possible to end the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the relationship between willingness to receive vaccination and sources of health information among those who did not want to be vaccinated against COVID-19. METHODS: This prospective cohort study collected data using a self-administered questionnaire survey. The baseline survey was conducted during December 22-25, 2020, and the follow-up survey during February 18-19, 2021. Participants were aged 20-65 years and worked at the time of the baseline survey (N = 33,087). After excluding 6,051 invalid responses, we included responses from 27,036 participants at baseline. In total, 19,941 people responded to the follow-up survey (74% follow-up rate). We excluded 7,415 participants who answered "yes" to the question "If a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, would you like to get it?" in the baseline survey. We finally analyzed 12,526 participants. RESULTS: The odds ratio for change in willingness to be vaccinated from "no" to "yes" differed by source of health information. Compared with workers that used TV as a source of information, significantly fewer people who reported getting information from the Internet and friends/colleagues were willing to get the vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to approach workers who do not watch TV when implementing workplace vaccination programs. It is likely that willingness to be vaccinated can be increased through an active company policy whereby the top management recommend vaccination, coupled with an individual approach by occupational health professionals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.

[The System and Human Resources for Occupational Health in Thailand - For Japanese Enterprises to Manage Proper Occupational Health Activities at Overseas Workplaces].

We collected information necessary for conducting occupational health activities in Thailand with regard to occupational safety and health management systems (OSHMS). Based on an information collection check sheet developed in our previous research, we conducted a literature research and visited four local business bases, one ISO certification body and two higher educational institutions. The legal framework concerning occupational health in Thailand consists of the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Act of 2011 and 13 ordinances from the Ministry of Labor under that act. The original OSHMS standards for Thailand have been published, and the number of companies, especially large ones, introducing systems conforming to these standards has increased in recent years. For occupational health specialists, there are training programs for specialized occupational health physicians, professional safety officers and occupational nurses. Professional safety officers also play a central role in occupational health in the workplace. In Thailand, it is necessary to ensure compliance with related acts and regulations, and to conduct voluntary activities that satisfy workplace conditions as based on the OSHMS standards. Additionally, to improve occupational health performance, it is essential to use high-quality external services and/or occupational health professionals. Headquarters of Japanese companies have considered taking countermeasures such as recommending active use of professional safety officers, as well as issuing global standards.

The Japanese version of the occupational future time perspective scale: A validation study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to develop and validate a Japanese version of the Occupational Future Time Perspective scale (OFTP-J) and assess its structural validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability among Japanese workers. METHODS: The online survey was conducted with 2046 participants who met the eligibility criteria. The Japanese version of the OFTP scale was developed through translation and back-translation processes. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to evaluate the structural validity. Pearson's correlations were computed to assess construct validity, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated to determine internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was examined using Cohen's weighted kappa coefficients and intraclass correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The confirmatory factor analysis supported an 8-item model with three factors (i.e., focus on opportunities, perceived remaining time, and focus on limitations) for the Japanese version of the OFTP scale. The scale demonstrated high internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from 0.81 to 0.92. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations between the OFTP scale and its subscales, possible antecedents (age, self-rated health, and job control), and possible outcomes (learning goal orientation, job crafting, and work engagement). Test-retest reliability was confirmed with moderate agreement. CONCLUSIONS: The OFTP-J was found to be reliable and valid. It can be used to measure OFTP among Japanese workers and facilitate comparative research with the original English version. The OFTP-J provides valuable insights into the learning motivation and work engagement of the aging workforce.

[Systems and actual practices of occupational safety and health risk management in the People's Republic of China].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the systems and actual practices of occupational safety and health risk management in China. METHODS: First, we gathered basic information through a literature review using an academic search engine (Japan Medical Abstracts society, Pubmed, and Google Scholar), as well as a general search on the Internet. Next, we conducted field surveys at a graduate school for public health, providers of occupational health services (e.g. medical examinations, working environment measurements), and local workplaces of a Japanese construction machinery company in China. This information was analyzed in terms of legal framework, professional staff, working environment measurements, medical examinations, occupational diseases, and occupational health service providers. RESULTS: Health and safety-related matters have become codified in Chinese workplaces as a result of safety laws and measures to prevent occupational diseases. While the country does have safety and hygiene officers, they lack official frameworks for occupational physicians and nursing professionals. The employers are not obligated to appoint medical professionals. While general medical examinations are not provided for under Chinese law, businesses are obligated to bring in external providers of occupational safety to perform special medical exams and working environment measurements. Occupational diseases are on the rise; pneumoconiosis comprises roughly 80% of cases. In addition, occupational health technical service providers have specialized staff and are not permitted to perform medical examinations or other services without government accreditation. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: There are great disparities in specialist knowledge about health and hygiene between company staff and external organizations, thus running the risk of corporate health and safety policies existing only on paper. This issue demands greater utilization of public health physicians in Chinese workplaces and support from Japanese professionals who understand how occupational safety and health risk management operate in China.

[Systems and human resource development for occupational health in India: Effective occupational health management for Japanese enterprises with overseas branches].

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to collect and assess information about occupational health in India, for Japanese enterprises. METHODS: We conducted a preliminary survey through literature reviews and internet search engines. We then conducted interview-based surveys at a central government agency, an international organization, the Japanese embassy, educational and research institutions, and Japanese enterprises in India. This information was categorized into: (1) organizations, legal and inspection systems in occupational health, (2) occupational health management and specialists in workplaces, (3) occupational health-related activities in workplaces resulting from legal obligations, and (4) healthcare and workers' compensation systems. RESULTS: The Indian Ministry of Labour and Employment is primarily responsible for occupational safety and health. There are four main acts of legislation covering occupational safety and health in the factories, ports, mines, and construction sites. The Factories Act, 1948, mandates the establishment of an occupational health center and a safety committee in the factories; the appointment of factory medical officers and safety officers. These medical officers must possess an Indian medical degree, and undertake a three months' course to obtain an Associate Fellow of Industrial Health certificate. The rules and regulations under this act differ in each Indian state. Low-wage workers are registered with a medical insurance scheme. Most workers are covered by workers' compensation schemes, although the number of reported occupational injuries are low. CONCLUSIONS: Japanese enterprises should consider the local conditions of occupational health in India because of the different legalities and occupational health status in each state. Regardless of the Factories Act, 1948, stipulating a variety of occupational health-related activities, inadequate legal compliance is suspected to be common because of the ineffective labor inspection requirements and a shortage of specialists on human resources. The study also revealed a deficient social security system. Therefore, the internal educational support for specialists, external support from the company headquarters in Japan, and the local institutions in India; and the systemic support for effective occupational health-related activities are required for improving the status of occupational health in the factories in India.

Follow-Up of Occupational Health Issues and Measures Taken in Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Where Decommissioning Work Has Continued Over 6 Years Since 2014.

OBJECTIVES: To follow up arising occupational health (OH) issues, measures taken, and their performances in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant since 2014, and thus share experiences and extend the contribution of OH to long-term decommissioning work and preparation for future disasters. METHODS: Necessary information from official reports and through the OH-related activities involved was collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The issues were categorized into establishment of the OH management system, three individual issues, and others. During the 6 years until end 2019, the OH management system has been strengthened and OH measures have been enriched gradually by visualizing the broader picture, even though some resistance and problems have been encountered. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in the autonomy of contractors and their ability to respond to environmental changes is necessary.

Assessing the effect of mandatory progress reporting on treatment requirements identified during health examinations at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: A time series analysis.

OBJECTIVES: At the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, run by the Tokyo Electric Power Company, new procedures were introduced as part of the fitness for duty program in July 2016. These were designed to ensure that treatment and further investigations identified as necessary during health examinations were carried out. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the initiative by testing whether workers who needed further health examinations obtained them promptly, and whether the number with unmet health needs decreased and the number of workers being treated increased. METHODS: The primary contractors reported aggregated quarterly results of health examinations of both their own and their subcontractors' employees, and follow-up visits to medical institutions were also reported over the next two quarters. The study used data for the period from July 2016 to December 2018. Incident rate ratios were estimated using a multilevel Poisson regression model, including the logarithm of the number of workers who took health examination for each primary contractor company as offset. The linear trend was assessed by treating the number of periods as a continuous variable. RESULTS: The incident rate ratio for workers who needed treatment having a follow-up examination promptly showed a significant decrease over time. The incident rate ratio for those with unmet needs decreased, and those being treated increased over time. CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that the initiative was effective, with the number of early visits for further health examinations increasing and a decrease in the number of people with unmet health needs.

Continuous improvement of fitness-for-duty management programs for workers engaging in stabilizing and decommissioning work at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

BACKGROUND: Numerous workers have participated in recovery efforts following the accident that occurred at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the Great East Japan Earthquake. These workers, belonging to various companies, have been engaged in various tasks since the accident. Given the hazards and stress involved in these tasks and the relatively long time required to transport sick or injured workers to medical institutions, it became necessary to quickly implement a more stringent management program for fitness for duty than in ordinary work environments. CASE: It took considerable time to introduce and improve a fitness-for-duty program because of several concerns. Various efforts were conducted, sometimes triggered by guidance from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), but the implementation of the program was insufficient. In April 2016, a new program was initiated in which all primary contractors confirmed that their subcontractors had achieved five conditions for workers' fitness for duty on the basis of guidance from the MHLW and occupational health experts. TEPCO confirmed that all primary contractors had implemented the program successfully as of the end of November 2016. CONCLUSION: Following a disaster, even though the parties concerned understand the necessity of fitness-for-duty programs and that companies in high positions have responsibilities beyond their legal requirements, it is highly possible that they may hesitate to introduce such programs without guidance from the government. It is necessary to prepare a governmental framework and professional resources that introduce these stringent management programs quickly.

[The System and Human Resources for Occupational Health in Republic Of Indonesia for Japanese Enterprises to Manage Proper Occupational Health Activities at Overseas Workplaces].

OBJECTIVES: To consider the appropriate occupational health system for Japanese enterprises in Indonesia with information on the regulations and development of the specialists. METHODS: In this study, we used the information-gathering checklist developed by Kajiki et al. Along with literature and internet surveys, we surveyed local corporations owned and operated by Indonesians, central government agencies in charge of medical and health issues, a Japanese independent administrative agency supporting subsidiaries of overseas Japanese enterprises, and an educational institution formulating specialized occupational physician training curricula. RESULTS: In Indonesia, the Ministry of Manpower and the Ministry of Health administer occupational health matters. The act No. 1 on safety serves as the fundamental regulation. We confirmed at least 40 respective regulations in pertinent areas, such as the placement of medical and health professionals, health examinations, occupational disease, and occupational health service agencies. There are some regulations that indicate only an outline of activities but not details. Occupational physicians and safety officers are the two professional roles responsible for occupational health activities. A new medical insurance system was started in 2014, and a workers' compensation system was also established in 2017 in Indonesia according to the National Social Security System Act. DISCUSSION: Although safety and health laws and regulations exist in Indonesia, their details are unclear and the quality of expert human resources needed varies. To conduct high-quality occupational health activities from the standpoint of Japanese companies' headquarters, the active promotion of employing highly specialized professionals and cooperation with educational institutions is recommended.

[A review of assessment of fitness for work and adjustments for health and safety at worksites overseas].

OBJECTIVE: In this research, we reviewed studies about assessment of fitness for work and adjustments for health and safety at worksites overseas. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed (1980-2010) using keywords related to fitness for work. The collected studies are discussed with respect to the country, timing of medical examinations, health problems of workers, occupations, categories of health level in workers, criteria for assessment of fitness for work, and the decision-making process related to accommodations at work. RESULTS: Seventy articles were identified that met the inclusion criteria. They focused on two key points related to assessing fitness for work: 1) safety and risk to workers themselves, to other workers and the public, and 2) ability to perform in potentially dangerous situations, such as those encountered by the military and firemen. Employers were required to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled or sick workers. The following steps were taken to make accommodation decisions: 1) analysis of job requirements; 2) worker analysis, including evaluation of work limitations or risks related to disabilities or illness; 3) choice of necessary adjustments at work, based on reasonable accommodations decided during talks between the disabled or sick workers and employers, including feasibility, effectiveness, and costs of such adjustments; 4) judgment of fitness for work based on steps 1 to 3, and opinions of specialists in various fields. CONCLUSION: In this investigation, we could not find any clear criteria for judgments about fitness for work or numerical criteria for adjustments at worksites after medical examinations of employees. However, we confirmed the following. Assessing fitness for work should be based on a comparison of workers' health with the risks and demands of the job. In addition, doctors should have the ability to offer opinions on adjustments at worksites. The employer's obligation to provide reasonable accommodations is attracting more attention in Japan. To make adjustments for health and safety at worksites for all workers, the procedures and important issues must be determined as well as criteria of judgments or numerical criteria. Moreover, doctors should provide opinions about adjustments at worksites. Therefore, they need more training in assessing fitness for work.