Japanese Journal of Hygiene最新文献

{"title":"[Individual Differences in the Impact of Habitual Alcohol Drinking on Blood Pressure].","authors":"Ichiro Wakabayashi","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25010","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Habitual alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for hypertension. To prevent hypertension, daily alcohol consumption is generally recommended to be less than 20-30 ml in men and 10-20 ml in women. The association between alcohol consumption and hypertension is affected by various factors, including age, sex, body weight, genetic disposition, drinking patterns, smoking habits, and medication for hypertension. The difference in blood pressure between drinkers and nondrinkers tended to be more prominent in men than in women, in the elderly than in the young, in individuals with high alcohol exposure per body weight than in those with low alcohol exposure, in smokers than in nonsmokers, and in individuals not receiving medication for hypertension than in those receiving it. Regarding the effect of polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes on the association between alcohol consumption and blood pressure or hypertension, the findings of previous studies were inconsistent: the associations were reported to be stronger in individuals showing facial flushing after drinking (flushers) than in nonflushers in some studies, but not in others. It remains to be clarified whether the polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 is involved in determining the sensitivity of blood pressure to alcohol. Drinking with a meal may be effective in suppressing the increase in blood pressure induced by alcohol consumption. According to the evidence obtained from the previous studies, differences in the types of alcohol beverage may not affect the association between alcohol consumption and blood pressure, although the anti-oxidative action of wine is expected to lower blood pressure by increasing nitric oxide activity. In conclusion, the effects of the aforementioned confounders on the relationship between alcohol consumption and blood pressure should be taken into consideration when recommending the upper limit of individual alcohol consumption for the prevention and therapy for hypertension.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"81 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147623949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Evidence and Dissemination of Lively 100-Year-Old Exercise: Promoting Community-based Initiatives for Fall Prevention Among Community-dwelling Older Adults].","authors":"Chisato Hayashi, Junko Saito, Ayako Okuyama","doi":"10.1265/jjh.26002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.26002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Falls among older adults are a growing public health concern and an increasingly important cause of long-term care needs. Evidence shows that exercise programs combining balance and resistance training can effectively reduce fall risk, yet participation in regular exercise remains limited among community-dwelling older adults in Japan. The Lively 100-Year-Old Exercise was developed in Kochi City in 2002 as a resident-led, community-based fall-prevention program. Despite its spread to many municipalities nationwide, regional disparities in implementation remain, and certain populations-particularly older men-are less likely to participate. To address these challenges, in this paper, implementation science frameworks are applied. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used to identify barriers and facilitators across five domains, namely, innovation, outer setting, inner setting, individual, and implementation process. Key strategies include strengthening social appeal, administrative support, interdepartmental collaboration, and resident leadership. Furthermore, the COM-B model was used to identify barriers and facilitators to individual participation in the Lively 100-Year-Old Exercise, classifying them into capability (understanding health benefits), motivation (enjoyment and sense of purpose), and opportunity (social support and accessible environments). In this paper, it is concluded that sustained dissemination of the Lively 100-Year-Old Exercise requires evidence-based implementation strategies, systematic evaluation of implementation outcomes, and close collaboration among researchers, local governments, and community stakeholders.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"81 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147677418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Association between Social Relationships and Domain-specific Cognitive Functions among Community-dwelling Older Adults: The Wakayama Study].","authors":"Masato Kashiba, Hiroko Hayakawa, Mika Morishita, Tomoko Maruoka, Yukiko Sakamoto, Tetsuya Kawabe, Sonomi Hattori, Akihiro Yamamoto, Mikio Arita, Nobuyuki Miyai","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>In this study, we aimed to clarify the association between social relationships and specific domains of cognitive function in older adults.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The participants were 1,409 community-dwelling individuals aged 65-95 years (mean age: 68.7 years) who had not received treatment for cognitive impairment. Their cognitive function was assessed using the Japanese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-J), which evaluates six domains: orientation, registration, attention, recall, language, and figure copying. Social relationships were measured using the Index of Social Interaction (ISI), which consists of 18 items across five subdomains: independence, social curiosity, interpersonal interaction, social participation, and sense of safety.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Although MMSE-J domain scores were high, attention showed greater variability between individuals and declined earlier than other domains, whereas registration and figure copying remained relatively stable. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression analyses revealed that reduced social curiosity was associated with lower scores across multiple cognitive domains. A lower score for independence in daily life was associated with lower scores in recall and language, and limited social participation was linked to lower scores in orientation and figure copying. Furthermore, age-related patterns were observed. Among individuals under 75 years, reduced social curiosity was associated with cognitive decline. In contrast, among those aged 75 years and over, cognitive decline was more strongly associated with a lack of safety, fewer interpersonal interactions, and limited social participation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings suggest that the association between social relationships and cognitive function varies across cognitive domains and differs by age group, providing valuable information for developing support and preventive strategies for older adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"81 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147482060","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Associations between Self-reported Symptoms, Quality of Life, and Work Productivity Loss among Japanese Workers: A Cross-sectional Analysis of a Large-scale Questionnaire-based Person-reported Outcomes Database (PRO-DB)].","authors":"Katsuhiko Iwasaki, Ayako Shoji, Koichiro Osaka, Chihiro Miyashita, Shigeji Tokuda, Kei Tokutsu, Kinya Kokubo","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25011","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Japanese workers face long working hours, mental stress, and caregiving responsibilities, contributing to physical and psychological symptoms (e.g., fatigue, depressive mood, and sleep disturbances). These symptoms adversely affect the quality of life (QOL) and work productivity. Nationwide studies on symptom-QOL-work productivity associations across various occupations remain scarce.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>In this study, we quantitatively assessed the associations between self-reported symptoms, QOL, and work productivity loss using a large-scale person-reported outcomes database (PRO-DB).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional analysis, we used data from the first PRO-DB survey (June 2024). Among 192,572 employed respondents, demographic data, 40 self-reported symptoms, QOL (EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level questionnaire), and work productivity loss [overall work impairment (OWI), Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire] were analyzed. Generalized linear regression models, adjusted for demographics, were used to assess the impact of symptoms on QOL and OWI. A weighted analysis was conducted to estimate workforce burden by weighting the effect sizes of symptoms on QOL and OWI by the number of respondents reporting each symptom.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Consciousness disturbance (-0.207 QOL, 29.3 OWI) and hallucinations/delusions/auditory hallucinations (-0.192 QOL, 29.3 OWI) were strongly associated with lower QOL and increased OWI but had a limited population impact due to their low prevalence. In contrast, weighted analysis showed that easy fatigability (-0.0199 QOL, 4.79 OWI) and depressive mood (-0.0135 QOL, 2.44 OWI) had the greatest workforce-wide effects on QOL and productivity loss.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings highlight a dual burden of symptoms among Japanese workers. Effective interventions should address both rare severe symptoms and common mild symptoms to improve well-being and productivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"81 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147623880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Preventing Bathing-Related Accidents without Overemphasizing \"Heat Shock\": toward Prevention Strategies Centered on Heat-Related Illness].","authors":"Yoshiaki Tai, Kenji Obayashi, Yuki Yamagami, Keigo Saeki","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Japan is reported to have the world's highest per-capita drowning mortality among older adults, and most deaths occur in bathtubs, suggesting that Japan-specific bathing practices contribute to this occurrence. Because fatal bath-related accidents increase during the cold seasons and physiological studies simulating bathing have documented marked blood pressure fluctuations, prevention efforts have traditionally focused on preventing rapid blood pressure changes induced by indoor temperature gradients-the so-called \"heat shock.\" However, it has been reported that cases involving organic diseases, such as myocardial infarction or stroke, which may be triggered by blood pressure fluctuations, account for less than half of all fatal bath-related accidents. Furthermore, among individuals rescued after being unable to get out of the bathtub unaided, fewer than 10% were diagnosed as having an organic disease; in the remaining individuals, impaired consciousness, hyperthermia, and tachycardia improved after their rescue and removal from the hot environment. These findings suggest that hyperthermia due to heat exposure-i.e., heat illness-may play a larger role than blood pressure fluctuations alone, indicating the need to prioritize prevention strategies with heat illness in mind.In this article, we re-examine the validity of the conventional heat-shock-centered framework and argue for new prevention strategies focused on preventing hyperthermia and heat illness during bathing. We specifically address two practical questions: how to avoid bathing-related hyperthermia that can lead to heat illness, and how to detect early situations in which hyperthermia causes impaired consciousness and prevents self-evacuation from the bathtub.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"81 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147692688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Relationship between Dysphagia and Daytime Sleepiness among Japanese Workers].","authors":"Akira Minoura, Yoshiaki Ihara, Hirotaka Kato, Kouzou Murakami, Yoshio Watanabe, Kojiro Hirano, Yoshinori Ito, Akatsuki Kokaze","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>In this study, we aimed to examine the relationship between the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT10) score, a screening index for dysphagia, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score, which evaluates daytime sleepiness in Japanese workers.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A cross-sectional study of 496 workers (454 men and 42 women) at two business locations in Japan was conducted from November 2021 to June 2022. Dysphagia was assessed using the score of EAT10, a self-administered questionnaire. Daytime sleepiness was evaluated by calculating the score of ESS, a self-administered questionnaire. To examine the correlation between the degree of dysphagia (EAT10 score) and the degree of daytime sleepiness (ESS score), Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated. Logistic regression analysis was performed with the presence or absence of daytime sleepiness as the dependent variable and the presence or absence of dysphagia and basic attributes as the independent variables, and the effect of dysphagia on daytime sleepiness was evaluated using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>EAT10 scores of 3 or higher accounted for 5.6% of the total number of participants. High ESS scores (3 or higher) were significantly more frequent in the high-EAT10score group (odds ratio, 3.92: 95% confidence interval, 1.54-10.1) when adjusting for the effects of gender, age, body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that dysphagia may be associated with daytime sleepiness in Japanese workers. Even a method using only a simple self-administered questionnaire may enable early detection and treatment of dysphagia and excessive daytime sleepiness.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"80 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145016384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"","authors":"","doi":"10.1265/jjh.21001T1","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.21001T1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"80 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144327064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Work Environmental Factors Related to Work Engagement Among Nurses in a Medium-Sized Hospital: Examination Based on Score of Sense of Coherence].","authors":"Kosuke Kawamura, Takuji Kobatake, Masato Kashiba, Hiroko Hayakawa, Ikuharu Morioka","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>In this study, we aimed to identify work environmental factors related to work engagement among nurses in a medium-sized hospital, based on levels of sense of coherence (SOC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire was administered to 102 nurses working at a medium-sized hospital. The participants were divided into two groups based on the mean SOC scores, and multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the work environmental factors related to work engagement.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the low SOC-score group, positive factors included \"My workplace provides opportunities to learn necessary knowledge\" and \"Facilities such as a nap room and daycare center are provided.\" Positive factors in the high SOC-score group included \"I have opportunities to demonstrate my abilities including my qualifications and experience.\" However, \"Ward meetings and committee activities held during working hours\" was a negative factor.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To create a workplace that enhances work engagement, it is important to support the acquisition of necessary knowledge in a series of steps. When SOC is low, it is important to provide nap rooms and childcare facilities. When SOC is high, it is vital to provide support so that they can focus on patient care during working hours and attend meetings without difficulty.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"80 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145348860","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[On the description of \"Forum\" by Drs. Futatsuka, Eto, and Uchino].","authors":"Shigeru Takaoka","doi":"10.1265/jjh.25002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.25002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In response to the review of my book \"Minamata Disease and the Responsibility of Medicine\" by Makoto Futatsuka, Komyo Eto, and Makoto Uchino, I submitted a \"Reply\" pointing out that the review contained many medical errors, logical inconsistencies, and ethical problems. In the \"Forum\" that the three authors subsequently contributed, they presented six more points of negative findings on exposure and health problems related to Minamata disease in a fragmented manner, without responding to the various issues that I had pointed out in the \"Reply.\" In the case of environmental pollution causing diseases such as Minamata disease, the tasks of researchers in the field of medicine and public health are to (1) investigate the temporal and spatial spread of health problems, (2) investigate the pathophysiological factors for the health problems caused by environmental pollution, and (3) establish diagnostic criteria based on toxicological and epidemiological information. However, the three authors' opinions and logic clearly indicate that they lacked a standard academic or practical approach to methylmercury poisoning to pursue these three points, and that their understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease was inadequate and the premise for pursuing a diagnosis was flawed. Through discussions in this forum, the inaction of experts in the fields of public health, neurology, and pathology with regard to Minamata disease, as insisted in my book, was considered to be further confirmed.</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"80 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145233707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[The Effects of Personality Traits and Self-Efficacy Measured by NEO-FFI on Eating Attitudes of Young Women].","authors":"Arisa Takagi, Masahiro Toda","doi":"10.1265/jjh.24012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1265/jjh.24012","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Eating attitudes represent a significant health risk for young women. According to Japan's 2019 National Health and Nutrition Survey, 20.7% of women in their 20s have a Body mass index (BMI) below 18.5 kg/m². In this study we aimed to examine the psychological mechanisms underlying body image distortion, weight loss desire, and high Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) scores, with a focus on personality traits and self-efficacy, in young women without suspected eating disorders.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in December 2020 on 167 female university students in Okayama, Japan. Participants with EAT-26 scores of 20 or higher were excluded, and the final analysis was conducted on young women without suspected eating disorders. The survey assessed personality traits using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), self-efficacy using the Trait Self-Efficacy Scale, and eating attitudes using EAT-26. Data were analyzed using multiple regression and path analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Factor analysis revealed five subscales of self-efficacy: \"Patience\", \"Coping Skills\", \"Execution Ability\", \"Sociability\", and \"Challenge\". Multiple regression analysis showed that both \"Patience\" and \"Coping Skills\" were negatively associated with body image distortion and weight loss desire. The NEO-FFI subscale \"Extraversion\" was positively associated with both weight loss desire and EAT-26 scores, whereas \"Neuroticism\" was positively associated with EAT-26 scores. These subscales may serve as predictive psychological factors. Furthermore, path analysis confirmed a sequential model of a process in which body image distortion leads to weight loss desire, which in turn contributes to higher EAT-26 scores.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In this study we developed a sequential model of a process in which body image distortion leads to weight loss desire, which subsequently results in higher EAT-26 scores. This process was found to be associated with the self-efficacy subscales \"Patience\" and \"Coping Skills\" and the personality trait subscales \"Neuroticism\" and \"Extraversion\".</p>","PeriodicalId":35643,"journal":{"name":"Japanese Journal of Hygiene","volume":"80 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145558050","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}