[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health最新文献

{"title":"[Effectiveness of letter and telephone reminders for specific health guidance use: A randomized controlled trial for those intending to use health guidance in a large city].","authors":"Hiroshi Murayama,&nbsp;Seitaro Shimada,&nbsp;Yuta Takahashi","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-107","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　Medical insurers have applied a reminder (i.e., recall) system to improve the implementation rate of specific health guidance. However, the effectiveness of the system has not been verified. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of two methods of specific health guidance reminders (i.e., letter and telephone) using a randomized controlled trial.Methods　Subscribers of National Health Insurance in Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture, who were eligible for specific health guidance in 2020, were recruited. A specific health examination questionnaire was used to identify participants intending to use health guidance. The intervention period was from September to November 2020, with 252 people being randomly assigned to one of the three groups: a \"no-reminder group,\" \"a letter-reminder group,\" or \"a telephone-reminder group\" (84 people each). Those in the letter-reminder group received a reminder by mail and those in the telephone-reminder group received a reminder by phone from a public health nurse two weeks after the specific health guidance coupon was sent to the participants by mail. The outcome showed the utilization rate of specific health guidance. Chi-square tests were performed to compare the three groups and conduct multiple comparisons (post-hoc test).Results　The participants had a mean age of 61.4±11.0 years and 70.6% were male. There was no difference among the three groups in terms of demographic characteristics and the results of specific health examinations. The utilization rates of specific health guidance were 20.2% in the no-reminder group, 22.6% in the letter-reminder group, and 20.2% in the telephone-reminder group; thus, the three groups did not significantly differ (χ²=0.191, P=0.909). Multiple comparisons also showed no difference between any two groups. However, in the telephonereminder group, 56.0% of the participants themselves or their family members could be reached by a public health nurse, and their utilization rate was higher than those participants whom a public health nurse could not reach.Conclusion　Neither letter nor telephone reminders changed the participants' utilization rates of specific health guidance compared to those with no reminder. Although the effectiveness of a telephone reminder might be underestimated, this study suggests setting a lower priority in reminding those who intend to use health guidance.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 6","pages":"381-389"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9678162","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":"[Temporal relationships between a state of emergency declaration or request and trends in the incidence of unlinked COVID-19 cases in Osaka from October 2020 to May 2021].","authors":"Yuki Takahashi,&nbsp;Kazutoshi Morisada,&nbsp;Miki Watanabe,&nbsp;Hideo Tanaka","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-041","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective　We examined the effectiveness of governmental declarations on the changing temporal trends in the incidence of COVID-19 cases with unknown transmission routes (unlinked cases) before SARS-CoV-2 vaccines became available in Osaka.Methods　Seven-day moving averages of the incidence of unlinked COVID-19 cases were calculated using daily reports posted on the official website of the Osaka Prefectural Government for the third (October 10, 2020-February 28, 2021) and fourth COVID-19 waves and about one week before and after (February 23, 2021-June 27, 2021). Then, we calculated daily percentage changes and identified dates of significant change (\"Joinpoint\") with a Joinpoint regression analysis. The date of a major change in the behavior of prefectural residents associated with the risk of infection (the date of a sudden change in behavior) was defined as the date counting backward from each Joinpoint date and considering the incubation period and interval between the date of onset and disclosure of the daily report. Subsequently, we examined the temporal relationships between the declaration date and defined date of the sudden change in behavior associated with the risk of infection.Results　Five Joinpoint dates contributing to a significant downward trend were identified: November 23, 2020, and in 2021, January 7, January 18, April 12, and April 30. We defined dates of sudden changes in behavior from each Joinpoint date from the corresponding time lag (8 to 9.9 days): in 2020, November 13 and December 30; in 2021, January 9, April 4, and April 22. Regarding the five estimated dates, the second emergency declaration was issued on January 9, 2021. Further, the first introduction of priority preventive measures was given on April 4, 2021. April 22 fell between the date that the third emergency declaration was requested and the date of its issuance.Conclusion　These descriptive epidemiological findings suggest that the issuance of these declarations could be triggers that reinforced infection avoidance behavior among Osaka prefectural residents, which resulted in the downward trends in unlinked COVID-19 cases.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 6","pages":"390-399"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9678163","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 father's involvement with his wife/partner during pregnancy and father-to-infant bonding failure].","authors":"Kaki Tanaka,&nbsp;Emiko Okada,&nbsp;Takumi Hirata,&nbsp;Takashi Kimura,&nbsp;Akiko Tamakoshi","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-035","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-035","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　Bonding failure is lack of parental emotional relationship between a parent and their infant. This study aims to investigate the association between father's involvements with their partner during pregnancy.Methods　A total of 1,957 partners of pregnant women who had visited three maternity hospitals in Sapporo from May 2016 to December 2017 were included in the study. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to participants at 2,435 weeks gestation and at 6-8 weeks postpartum. The fathers who responded to both the questionnaires were included in the analysis. The participants' relationship with their partners during pregnancy was rated using two questions- whether they help their partner with personal care and household chores, and whether they consult with their partner. Answers for both questions were given on a scale of 0 to 4. A total score of 6-8 points was defined as a high-score group, 3-5 points as a mid-score group, and 0-2 points as a low-score group. Bonding failure was evaluated using the Japanese version of the Mother-Infant Bonding Scale (MIBS-J). The cut-off value was the score that included the top 10% with the highest degree of bonding disorder. A logistic regression was used to analyse the association between involvement with a partner during pregnancy and bonding failure. The confounding variables were father's age, household income, father's average working hours, previous pregnancy, history of abortion/a stillbirth/the death of the child, and partner's prepartum depression during pregnancy.Results　391 fathers responded to the initial questionnaire, and 86.4% of them filled out the second questionnaire up to 2 months postpartum, 10.6% up to 3 months, 2.5% up to 4 months, and 1.0% up to 5 months. Of these, 375 were included, excluding those with missing questionnaire items. 255 fathers were in the high score group of the involvement with partner during pregnancy, 48 had bonding failure, 35 had LA, and 17 had AR. The OR based on the high score group of involvement with partner during pregnancy for bonding failure was 4.81 (1.88-12.33) for mid-score group, and 6.89 (1.40-33.93) for low-score group, and for LA, 2.21 (0.97-5.04) for mid-score group, and 6.40 (1.54-26.68) for low-score group; however, AR showed no respectively significant association (trend P 0.0005, 0.0053, 0.6859).Conclusions　The results suggest that a father's unfavorable involvement with his partner affects the bonding with their infant. This suggests that involvement with a partner during pregnancy is an important factor in preventing bonding failure in fathers.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 6","pages":"359-368"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9678164","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":"[Health of technical intern trainees: One-year qualitative longitudinal study after arrival in Japan].","authors":"Hanae Aida,&nbsp;Yoshie Mori,&nbsp;Hiromi Tsujimura,&nbsp;Yumi Sato","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-091","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective　This study aimed to qualitatively analyze changes in the health status and factors affecting technical intern trainees over time during their first year in Japan and examined the necessary support for healthy living.Methods　The study targeted sixteen technical intern trainees who had been living in Japan for almost four months. The study was conducted quarterly in a year, using semi-structured interviews to measure physical and mental health conditions, injury or illness, subjective symptoms, and training and daily life conditions. Dietary content was assessed using photographs taken by participants. Health-check results were collected when available. Data were classified into the six components of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), and further qualitative data were analyzed inductively for health-affecting factors using qualitative longitudinal analysis.Results　The types and timing of illnesses, injuries, subjective symptoms, and health-affecting factors varied. Stress and concerns were experienced by more than 56.3% of each study's participants and more than 44.4% had the possibility of a mood or anxiety disorder. The participants with heavy labor had musculoskeletal disorders in the first half of the study period. The health-check results were in Japanese and some participants did not fully understand them. Fifteen categories were extracted as health-affecting factors:《sleeping conditions》,《joy of independence and anxiety》,《decreased vitality and fatigue》,《undertaking the training》,《communication skills and efforts to learn Japanese》,《efforts for self-health care》,《adaptation to Japanese lifestyle》,《leisure and interaction with Japanese people》,《religious activities》,《training environment》,《living environment》,《support from friends, family and workplace》,《natural environment and economic trends》,《saving-oriented lifestyle》, and《motive for coming to Japan and self-evaluation after one year》.Conclusion　The technical intern trainees experienced various physical and psychological symptoms. Support in maintaining and promoting positive aspects of health-affecting factors and removing negative aspects is important for the health of trainees. In addition, it is important to support the improvement of the health literacy of trainees by offering information on exercise facilities and medical institutions providing health-check services in multiple languages, and improving means of communications through cooperation with related organizations and the use of regular channels by trainees. Furthermore, involving healthcare professionals in \"regional councils\" is necessary.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 6","pages":"369-380"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9678161","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":"[Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations and risk factors for pneumonia in older adults: A report by the Monitoring Report Committee of the Japanese Society of Public Health].","authors":"Masakazu Washio,&nbsp;Tatsuro Ishizaki,&nbsp;Shouzoh Ueki,&nbsp;Yoshinori Fujiwara,&nbsp;Tomoko Ohura,&nbsp;Masaya Anzai,&nbsp;Ichiro Kai,&nbsp;Jiro Okumura,&nbsp;Tetsuya Otsubo,&nbsp;Sayuri Yaniwa,&nbsp;Takako Shimamoto,&nbsp;Shuichiro Watanabe","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-069","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 6","pages":"351-358"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9880914","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":"[Determinants of salt taste threshold among urban residents: the KOBE study].","authors":"Minami Wakako,&nbsp;Mizuki Sata,&nbsp;Yoshimi Kubota,&nbsp;Yoko Nishida,&nbsp;Sachimi Kubo,&nbsp;Aya Higashiyama,&nbsp;Takumi Hirata,&nbsp;Aya Kadota,&nbsp;Aya Hirata,&nbsp;Junji Miyazaki,&nbsp;Mizuki Kawahara,&nbsp;Kazuyo Kuwabara,&nbsp;Daisuke Sugiyama,&nbsp;Naomi Miyamatsu,&nbsp;Yoshihiro Miyamoto,&nbsp;Tomonori Okamura","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-062","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-062","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　Though having a high salt taste threshold has been associated with hypertension, its exact determinants remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the determinants of salt taste threshold in a community-based population and to determine the relationship between salt taste thresholds and the simultaneous presence of multiple determinants.Methods　Of the 1,117 participants of the baseline survey of the Kobe study, a cohort study of healthy urban residents, aged 40-74 years, with no history of cancer or cardiovascular diseases, nor undergoing treatment for hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia, was conducted. Among them, 1,116 underwent the salt taste threshold test, and urine samples were collected to determine their estimated salt intake. The salt taste threshold test was carried out using SALSAVE^®, with a salt taste threshold of 0.6% defined as normal, and that of 0.8% or more defined as high. A binomial logistic regression model was used, with high salt taste threshold as the objective variable, and life and family status, education, smoking and alcohol drinking status, intake status of salt dried fish, stress indicators, and daily salt intake (estimated from the urine sample) as the explanatory variables. A binomial logistic regression analysis was conducted, through multivariate analysis using the forced entry method, with factors influencing salt taste threshold as explanatory variables, and salt taste threshold (normal/high) as the objective variable. This analysis was performed excluding the urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio to account for multicollinearity with the estimated daily salt intake.Results　The mean age was 60.9±9.0 years for men, and 58.0±8.7 years for women. The salt taste threshold was normal in 80.9% (n=903) of the participants (73.6% [n=251] men and 84.1% [n=652] women), and high in 19.1% (n=213) of the participants (26.3% [n=90] men and 15.9% [n=123] women). Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking habits were significantly associated with a higher salt taste threshold, with an odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 2.51 (1.33-4.74) for all participants. The odds ratio for a high salt taste threshold was 1.45 (1.03-2.03) for the top 25% estimated daily salt intake group, showing a significant association with a high salt taste threshold. In the analysis by sex, smoking habits were associated with higher salt taste thresholds, while an association with estimated daily salt intake was observed only in men.Conclusion　Smoking status and estimated daily salt intake were associated with higher salt taste thresholds in healthy urban residents.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 5","pages":"300-310"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9634747","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 of marital relationships with obstetrical history and physical and psychosocial factors of pregnant women in urban areas: A cross-sectional analysis from the perspective of adaptation to pregnancy].","authors":"Kyoko Kawamura,&nbsp;Mami Tamaue","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-040","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　This study aimed to determine the association of marital relationships with pregnant women's obstetrical history, physical and psychosocial factors, and characteristics of women and husbands from the perspective of adaptation to pregnancy. Moreover, it sought to offer suggestions regarding support for couples during pregnancy in urban areas.Methods　We distributed self-reported questionnaires to pregnant women who participated in antenatal classes, organized by Public Interest Incorporated Foundation A, in four designated cities in the Kansai region of Japan. We investigated women's obstetrical history, physical and psychosocial factors, and characteristics of women and husbands using the Japanese Prenatal Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (Relationship with Husband) (J-PSEQ). Of the 778 women, 413 (53.1%) responded. After applying the exclusion criteria, 388 participants were eligible for analysis (valid response rate: 93.9%). Based on their J-PSEQ scores, participants were divided into two groups: poor marital relationship and normal or good marital relationship. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the factors related to the quality of marital relationships from the perspective of adaptation to pregnancy.Results　Based on the J-PSEQ scores, 93 (24.0%) participants were categorized into the poor marital relationship group, and 295 (76.0%) were categorized into the normal or good marital relationship group. For the poor marital relationship group, the logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratios (confidence intervals) for \"pregnancy after infertility treatment,\" \"easily angered and irritated,\" and \"husband's health: somewhat poor\" were 2.54 (1.38-4.66), 3.55 (1.86-6.78), and 3.54 (1.06-11.87), respectively. Women who described household finances, husbands' working conditions, and lack of support to be the most stressful factors were more likely to have poor marital relationships. The factors associated with normal or good marital relationships included women experiencing physical discomfort, women not engaging in Satogaeri Shussan (staying at women's parents' homes before and after birth), husbands taking paternity leave after childbirth, and husbands having good health.Conclusions　This study revealed that the factors associated with poor marital relationships in terms of adaptation to pregnancy were pregnancy after infertility treatment, anger and irritation in women, and poor health of husbands. Healthcare professionals may need to focus more closely on supporting such couples in urban areas during pregnancy.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 5","pages":"289-299"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9906019","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":"[Sub-staff training program for community residents to provide community-based care services at day-care facilities].","authors":"Kumiko Ito,&nbsp;Hisashi Kawai,&nbsp;Kazumasa Nishida,&nbsp;Manami Ejiri,&nbsp;Shuichi Obuchi","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　As the birthrate declines and the population ages, increase in the number of older adults certified as requiring long-term care and shortage of care staff are important issues to be considered. This study developed a sub-staff training program that trains community residents as sub-staff (paid auxiliary staff who possess knowledge and skills in care prevention and confidentiality) to provide care for enhancing independence of older adults with the support of staff in day-care facilities. The study also examined the program's feasibility and key factors, through the introduction of practical examples and surveys, for implementation in care prevention projects of local governments.Methods　The four-month training program included lectures on care prevention and provided job training to ensure participants understood the goals and contents of the care plan and learnt to provide care services with the assistance of facility staff. The training program was conducted at 14 facilities in Tokyo and Chiba from 2015 to 2017. The evaluation focused on the completion rate, change in understanding of care prevention and confidence regarding activities at the facility and in the community, participation in community activities after program completion, the psychological impact on care service recipients, and the perception of workload reduction by the facility staff.Results　A total of 96 out of 104 participants completed the training program (completion rate of 92.3%). The survey results showed that participants' confidence in activities at the facilities and understanding of care prevention increased significantly; 65.3% participated in new community activities after program completion, including activities at the facilities. The results of the survey of care service recipients showed that negative psychological effects did not increase among those who received care services from the participants compared to those who did not receive care from participants. Among the facility staff, 85.7% indicated that their workload had reduced after the community residents' participation in care services.Conclusion　The training program improved participants' confidence in care-related activities and their understanding of care prevention. More than half of them engaged in new community activities afterwards. Participants' provision of care services had a less negative impact on the service recipients and led to a reduction in workload for the facility staff. These results suggest high feasibility of the training program for care prevention projects.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 5","pages":"311-320"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9535493","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":"[Survey of post-discharge support for psychiatric involuntary inpatients by health center staff].","authors":"Kenzo Kawauchi,&nbsp;Mayumi Fujiki,&nbsp;Ayaka Sasaki,&nbsp;Minoru Itayama","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-076","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 5","pages":"321-331"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9562392","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":"[Neutralizing antibody titer after recommended early vaccination against Japanese encephalitis].","authors":"Noriko Oitate,&nbsp;Katsuhiko Kitazawa,&nbsp;Tomoko Ogawa,&nbsp;Shinichi Sato","doi":"10.11236/jph.22-001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.22-001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective　Following the case of a 10-month-old with Japanese encephalitis in Chiba in 2015, the Chiba Pediatric Association and Chiba Medical Association recommended that children receive the Japanese encephalitis vaccine at six months of age. In this study, we investigated early vaccinations and standard vaccinations of children in a patient outbreak area. Additionally, we examined changes in the timing of vaccination initiation and the acquisition and maintenance of protective immunity before and after the early vaccination recommendation.Methods　With the cooperation of the medical institution designated for Type II Infectious Diseases, which treated affected children in 2015, the history and timing of vaccinations for children who visited the hospital between October 2018 and March 2020 were investigated, and serum samples were collected. The data obtained in this study and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Community Health Service Report were used to investigate the timing of vaccinations. Neutralizing antibody titers in serum were quantified with the focus measurement method and examined with respect to the number of vaccinations, doses, and number of days since vaccination.Results　A total of 154 samples were obtained, with 89 from the vaccinated group and 65 from the unvaccinated group. There was no difference in the percentage of children based on the age of first vaccination between Japan, Chiba Prefecture, and the study subjects until FY2015, but from FY2016 onward, the percentage of children vaccinated early was higher among the study subjects, as well as for children from Chiba Prefecture and Japan, in that order. The antibody possession rate by vaccination frequency was 9.2% for the unimmunized, 87.5% for those vaccinated once, 95.1% for those vaccinated twice, and 100% for those vaccinated three times. In the group vaccinated twice, antibody titers of children who received half the vaccine dose were significantly lower than those of children who received the normal dose.Conclusion　In the districts targeted in this study, significantly more children under three years of age were vaccinated before the early vaccination recommendation, suggesting the effectiveness of that recommendation. In addition, the high rate of antibody positivity among unvaccinated children suggests that it is important to promote early vaccination in areas at high risk for Japanese encephalitis. In this study, there was no evidence of attenuation of antibody titers over time after early immunization, but the possibility remains that the children who completed early immunization received a booster due to pathogen exposure and maintained antibody titers, given that Japanese encephalitis was endemic in the target area.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":"70 4","pages":"243-251"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9723732","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}