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

{"title":"[Trends in smoking status and quit attempts among cigarette smokers].","authors":"Akiko Hagimoto, Kota Katanoda, Takahiro Tabuchi","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-047","DOIUrl":"10.11236/jph.25-047","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　The purpose of this study was to clarify smoking status and quit attempts among cigarette smokers after the release of heated tobacco products.Methods　We used data from the 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2022 waves of the Japan \"Society and New Tobacco\" Internet Survey (JASTIS), which aims to facilitate a better understanding of the current situation regarding new tobacco products in Japan. Participants were aged between 20 and 69 years in each wave and were regular cigarette smokers. Survey items included basic characteristics, smoking status, types of tobacco products smoked in the past year, and quit attempts and methods. We calculated the frequencies of basic characteristics, smoking status, and quit attempts for each survey year. Frequencies of quit attempt methods and overlapping status were also calculated. Chi-square tests were applied to each item, and significant differences were compared with the results from the previous year. The Cochran-Armitage trend test was applied to smoking status and quitting attempts.Results　There were 934 participants in 2016, 1,717 in 2018, 1,348 in 2020, and 4,117 in 2022. Most participants were in their 40s and 50s, and approximately 70% were male. The rate of cigarette-only smokers was 94.5% in 2016, dropping sharply to 60.3% in 2018 (P < 0.001). Conversely, the number of smokers who used cigarettes in combination with either heated tobacco products or e-cigarettes increased sharply from 4.0% to 37.3% within the same period (P < 0.001). The quit attempt rate was 16.0% in 2016, increasing annually and reaching 40.1% by 2022 (P < 0.001). The most common quit attempt method in 2016 was self-help, accounting for 71.8%, decreasing to 41.7% in 2018 (P < 0.001), while the use of heated tobacco products/e-cigarettes increased during the same period from 28.9% to 64.3% (P < 0.001). In 2016, smoking cessation treatments and nicotine preparations from pharmacies accounted for 18.1% and 26.2%, respectively, with both increasing since 2020.Conclusion　Since the launch of heated tobacco products, the number of smokers using cigarettes has decreased, whereas the number of smokers using heated tobacco products and/or e-cigarettes in combination with cigarettes has increased. Simultaneously, the rate of quit attempts has been steadily increasing, with growing preference for heated tobacco products/e-cigarettes as cessation methods. Emerging evidence indicates that heated tobacco products pose health risks and may also lower the success rate of quitting smoking, while increasing the relapse rate, making them an unsuitable cessation option.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"420-428"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999727","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 intra- and intergenerational exchanges and mental health status among adults living in rural mountainous areas: A focus on younger adults].","authors":"Kyoko Kurosawa, Aki Shibata, Satoru Kanamori","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-132","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.25-132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　This study aimed to investigate the relationship between intra- and intergenerational exchanges and mental health among adults living in rural mountainous areas, with particular emphasis on younger adults aged 20-49 years.Methods　A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in September 2023 among 980 residents aged 20-74 years in Nagatoro Town, Saitama Prefecture. Mental health was evaluated using the Japanese version of the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. A total score <13 or any item score ≤1 indicated poor mental health. Participants were categorized as younger adults (20-49 years) and middle-to-older adults (50-74 years). Intragenerational exchange was defined as interaction with peers outside family, relatives, or workplace relationships. Intergenerational exchange referred to interaction with individuals from different generations. Exchange patterns were classified into four groups: no exchanges, intragenerational only, intergenerational only, and both. The dependent variable was mental health status. Independent variables included the presence and patterns of intra- and intergenerational exchanges. Adjusted variables were sex, age, educational attainment, cohabitation with children, subjective economic status, participation in community activities, employment status, and self-rated health. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted.Results　Among 302 valid responses (30.8% response rate), 135 participants (44.7%) had good mental health, including 75 younger adults (41.9%). Among younger adults, 74.3% reported intragenerational exchanges and 78.2% reported intergenerational exchanges. In younger adults, the presence of intragenerational exchange was significantly associated with better mental health compared with no intragenerational exchange. In contrast, the presence of intergenerational exchange was not significantly associated with better mental health compared with no intergenerational exchange. Regarding exchange patterns, compared with intragenerational-only exchange, no exchange and intergenerational-only exchange were associated with poorer mental health among younger adults. Having both types of exchange was not significantly associated with mental health.Conclusion　Among adults living in rural mountainous areas, intragenerational exchanges were positively associated with good mental health among younger adults, whereas intergenerational exchanges showed no positive association. Absence of exchanges or intergenerational-only exchanges was negatively associated with mental health. These findings suggest that intragenerational exchange may contribute to better mental health among younger adults in rural communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935963","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":"[SMS-based health checkup encouragement evaluation: Focusing on effectiveness in younger age groups].","authors":"Naomi Naemura, Yoshiharu Fukuda","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.25-133","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　Improving the screening rates in specific health checkups and guidance represents a challenge for health insurance providers and local governments nationwide. In this study, we evaluated SMS-based health checkup encouragement efficacy using map functionality, focusing on younger groups, as implemented in Saitama City.Methods　This study covered the fiscal year of 2022, targeting individuals aged 40-60 years who had not undergone specific health checkups and men aged 35-39 years who had not undergone national health checkups. We divided the participants into two groups: an SMS and a written recommendation group, and provided health checkup encouragement to both groups. We evaluated health checkup encouragement efficacy using the following indicators: number of accesses to the SMS, rate of those who accessed the SMS and underwent the checkup, and overall rate of those who underwent the checkup.Results　Despite high access to the health checkup information page, SMS encouragement for younger groups did not result in health checkups. The examination rate was low both for SMS and written encouragements among the younger groups and it increased with age. We observed no significant difference between the post-encouragement examination rates of SMS and written encouragements, except for those among the older groups. Conclusion　In SMS-based checkup encouragement, younger age groups tended to view the health checkup information page but did not proceed with screening. In addition, SMS recommendations were not more effective than written ones in either age group.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935917","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":"[Impact of post-COVID-19 conditions on subsequent economic status: A population-based prospective cohort study in Yao City, Osaka, Japan.]","authors":"Miyuki Hori, Mina Hayama-Terada, Akihiko Kitamura, Mariko Hosozawa, Arisa Iba, Tomoaki Kobayashi, Eiko Kono, Yoshihiro Takayama, Hiroyasu Iso","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.25-113","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective　To examine the association between post-COVID-19 conditions (PCC) persisting for months or years and the subsequent socioeconomic status of individuals infected with COVID-19.Methods　A baseline survey conducted in November 2022 included 13,361 infected individuals aged 18-79 years living in Yao City, Osaka, who were diagnosed with COVID-19 between March 2021 and April 2022, along with 13,324 age- and sex-matched non-infected controls. A follow-up survey, conducted between January and February 2024, targeted 7,404 individuals who responded to the baseline survey. Data collected included infection date, disease severity, the presence of PCC (26 symptoms), and multiple indicators of socioeconomic status, including household income, subjective economic status, occupation, employment status, absenteeism, and presenteeism. PCC was defined as symptoms persisting for ≥2 months and still present at 3 months post-infection. The prevalence of PCC was estimated at 3, 6, and 12 months post-infection. Associations between PCC and subjective socioeconomic status were analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Absenteeism and presenteeism were also evaluated according to the PCC duration.Results　Of the 7,404 individuals invited to participate, 4,070 responded to the questionnaire, and 2,756 COVID-19 cases (mean age, 43.6 years; 63.5% female) were included in the analysis. The prevalence of PCC was 13.1% at 3 months, 11.0% at 6 months, and 6.2% at 12 months post-infection. Participants with PCC lasting ≥12 months had significantly poorer subjective economic status than those without PCC (adjusted odds ratio: 2.10; 95% confidence interval: 1.48-2.96). However, no significant differences were observed in household income, presenteeism, or other employment-related indicators.Conclusions　PCC persisting for 12 months or longer may negatively affect individuals' perceived economic and employment status despite stable household income. Continued follow-up studies are needed to assess the long-term socioeconomic effects of PCC.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935922","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":"[Public health responses and preventive measures for legionellosis outbreaks in Japan: Lessons from past cases].","authors":"Yusuke Sakata, Eiji Horimoto","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-150","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.11236/jph.25-150","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective　Several outbreaks of legionellosis in Japan have been attributed to baths. This study aimed to analyze past cases to inform outbreak responses and preventive measures.Methods　This study was conducted as part of a narrative review. The target cases were 36 major outbreaks that occurred in Japan between 2000 and 2023, and the sources of infection were bathing facilities, excluding baths on cruise ships and ferries. Relevant literature was searched using publicly available information, including J-STAGE, Google Scholar, and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as well as related governmental sources, with keywords such as \"date of occurrence,\" \"prefecture,\" and \"legionellosis.\" The extracted literature was descriptively analyzed, focusing on facility characteristics, deficiencies in sanitary management, and local government responses and their rationale.Results　Nineteen cases were analyzed. Regarding facility characteristics, 52.6% (10/19) used hot spring water and 78.9% (15/19) had at least one additional facility such as open-air baths, recirculating systems, or bubble-generating devices. Regarding deficiencies in sanitary management, 63.2% (12/19) had inadequate control of the free residual chlorine concentration in bath water and 47.4% (9/19) had deficiencies in self-management manuals and checklists. Regarding local government responses and their rationale, based on the date of the first reported case, voluntary suspension requests were issued on average 3.9 days later, public announcements 12.0 days later, and business suspension orders 16.7 days later. Voluntary suspension requests were based on either or both inspection results and multiple patient reports in 81.8% (9/11) of the cases, public announcements on culture test results in 85.7% (6/7), and business suspension orders on genetic matches between environmental and clinical strains in 90.0% (9/10).Conclusion　These findings suggest that the use of hot spring water and presence of additional facilities are risk factors for legionellosis outbreaks. Prevention requires adequate control of the free residual chlorine concentration in bath water and proper implementation of self-management manuals and checklists, with the latter being verified before or immediately after the opening of the facility. The rationale for local government intervention appears to be the inspection results and multiple patient reports for voluntary suspension requests, culture test results for public announcements, and genetic matches between environmental and clinical strains for business suspension orders. To accelerate responses, reference criteria for each intervention should be established in advance, along with institutional measures including ordinance revisions, guideline development, and routine preparedness exercises.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935925","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":"[Providing nutritionally balanced meals and examining the factors associated with choice: An intervention study using nudges in a local restaurant].","authors":"Yumiko Chiba, Fumi Hayashi","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-077","DOIUrl":"10.11236/jph.25-077","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　This study implemented nutritionally balanced meals (T-set meals) at a local restaurant, and nudged selection of those meals, to evaluate the changes in menu usage and clarify the reasons for customers' meal choices.Methods　This pre-post intervention study was conducted at the T Restaurant in Toda City over 8 weeks (September-October 2024). The interventions included: (1) provision of T-set meals based on the Smart Meal^® criteria (two types of meals offered over two 4-week phases); (2) information provision using menu displays. Weeks 1-2 and 5-6 constituted Intervention Period A, during which menus displayed only meal names and prices. Weeks 3-4 and 7-8 comprised Intervention Period B, during which photographs and menu details were added. Development of the T-set meals and menu displays was based on the CAN nudge framework (C = Convenient, A = Attractive, N = Normative). The primary outcome was a change in the number and composition ratio of meals sold by category, evaluated by (1) changes in the outcome in the month before and after the intervention; (2) comparing Intervention Periods A and B. To examine the reasons for selecting T-set meals, online surveys were conducted during weeks 5 and 7. Only first-time respondents were included in that analysis. The characteristics of respondents and reasons for their selection were compared. In a sub-analysis, the reasons for selecting T-set meals were compared between for week 5 (Period A) and week 7 (Period B).Results　During weeks 1-4, the composition ratio of all menu (except T-set meals) categories significantly decreased compared with the pre-intervention period. However, in weeks 5-8, the proportion of grand menu items (set meal) increased again, returning to the pre-intervention level (27.6% vs. 30.6%). The proportion of T-set meals significantly increased during Period B in weeks 1-4 but significantly decreased during Period B in weeks 5-8. During intervention Period B, more number of respondents cited reasons such as \"collaboration with Kagawa Nutrition University,\" \"contains a lot of vegetables,\" \"looks tasty,\" and \"affordable price\" for selecting the T-set meals.Conclusion　These findings suggest that menu displays incorporating nudges, particularly those emphasizing visual appeal and pricing advantages, can positively influence meal selection. However, when a dish is unfamiliar or does not align with customer preferences, informational nudges alone may be insufficient to drive choice.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"372-380"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145806540","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":"[Relevance of health-related quality of life, metabolic syndrome, and lifestyle in workers].","authors":"Yoshiko Kato, Ami Kojima, Tomoyuki Furuyashiki, Masakazu Shinohara","doi":"10.11236/jph.24-110","DOIUrl":"10.11236/jph.24-110","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objective　Given the declining birthrate and aging society, extending healthy life expectancy by improving lifestyle habits to prevent metabolic syndrome (MetS) and maintain health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) has become a critical public health priority. Guided by the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, this study examined the relationships among lifestyle habits, MetS status, and HR-QOL.Methods　Participants included 1,393 workers (1,077 males, mean age 48.7 ± 9.2 years; 316 females, mean age 45.4 ± 8.6 years). HR-QOL was assessed using the SF-12 questionnaire, yielding the physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), and role/social component summary scores. Relationships between HR-QOL, MetS classification, and related indicators (body mass index, abdominal circumference, blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) were analyzed. Additionally, associations between HR-QOL and lifestyle habits, such as weight gain since age 20, eating habits (eating speed, snacking, dinner within 2 h before bedtime, skipping breakfast), chewing conditions, physical activity/exercise habits (sweating-inducing exercise, daily walking, walking speed), and sleep quality were examined. Furthermore, the relationships between lifestyle habits, MetS classification, and related indices were assessed.Results　PSC and MSC scores of HR-QOL were significantly influenced by MetS classification, abdominal circumference, HbA1c, and TG levels. Lifestyle habits, including weight gain since age 20, eating habits, chewing conditions, and physical activity/exercise habits, were significantly associated with MeS classification and/or MetS-related indicators. While lifestyle habits were primarily associated with PCS and MCS, some of these associations ceased to be significant when Met classification or related indicators were included as intermediate variables.Conclusions　Our findings suggest that both MetS status and lifestyle habits are associated with HRQOL. Lifestyle habits may influence HR-QOL indirectly through their effects on MetS status. Therefore, improving lifestyle behaviors may be an effective strategy to enhance HR-QOL and promote healthy longevity.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"322-337"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145805396","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":"[Classification of employment needs among older adults using cluster analysis: A Wako Cohort Study].","authors":"Yu Nofuji, Yuri Yokoyama, Yuka Nakamura, Kumiko Nonaka, Takayuki Ueno, Takumi Abe, Hiroshi Murayama","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-049","DOIUrl":"10.11236/jph.25-049","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　Employment in old age serves multiple purposes beyond economic independence. It helps maintain physical and mental health, fosters social connections, and provides a sense of purpose in life. Promoting employment among older adults requires an understanding of their preferred working styles. However, employment needs are multifaceted and aggregated needs have not yet been fully clarified. This study aimed to categorize older adults' employment needs based on multiple factors and to show the characteristics of each type.Methods　Data were drawn from the Wako Cohort Study of men and women aged 65 and older residing in Wako, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. Of the 6,429 valid respondents to the mail survey, 1,053 individuals who have expressed a desire to work were included in the analysis. Participants were classified through non-hierarchical cluster analysis, based on desired working days and hours, preferences for physical work and simple tasks, and factors they prioritized when choosing a job (i.e., salary, use of experience and skills, and sense of social contribution). Subsequently, chi-square test was performed to compare the three groups, and multiple comparisons were performed for sex, age group, living arrangements, longest-held job, current employment status, frailty, and desired job type.Results　Cluster analysis identified three types of employment needs based on the participants' characteristics. The \"Minimal-schedule Skill-utilizing Employment Type\" (35.2%) preferred working one to four days per week and one to less than four hours per day, with an emphasis on their capacity to use their experience and skills and being useful to others and society, rather than on physical or simple tasks. This group had a higher proportion of individuals with adequate living conditions and former professional/technical workers than other groups. The \"Minimal-schedule Manual Employment Type\" (25.6%) preferred simple tasks and working one to four days per week for one to less than four hours per day. The prevalence of unemployment and frailty was higher in this group. The \"Moderate-schedule Physical Employment Type\" (39.1%) preferred physical work of four to less than seven hours per day, three to four days per week. They comprised a higher percentage of men, individuals aged 65-69, current workers, and former blue-collar workers than the other groups.Conclusions　This study clarified three types of employment needs among older adults and identified the background factors associated with each. These findings can be used to develop employment opportunities and job-matching.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"311-321"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145806588","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 employment type and employee lifestyle among individuals under the same health insurance society].","authors":"Yugo Ikeda, Tomo Takasugi, Toshiyuki Ojima","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-076","DOIUrl":"10.11236/jph.25-076","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　The prevalence of metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases, varies across occupations. We aimed to clarify how employment type contributed to lifestyle differences among individuals covered by one health insurance society.Methods　Among 17,855 individuals covered by the health insurance society of a Japanese automobile manufacturer who had undergone specific health checkup, we analyzed 13,188 individuals aged 40-64 years, after excluding those with confounding prior medical histories or current medication use. The participants were classified into four groups: headquarter employees (including indirect corporate functions such as management, human resources, general affairs, public relations, and vehicle development), dealership employees (sales representatives, maintenance technicians, and clerical staff), factory employees (working in the company's production plants), and affiliated employees (e.g., component-manufacturing workers in medium-sized companies, real estate employees, and financial sector employees). Descriptive statistics were calculated by sex using responses to questionnaires collected during routine health checkup appointments. Univariate logistic regression analyses were then conducted, with each lifestyle factor as the dependent variable and employment type as the independent variable, followed by multivariable logistic regression adjusted for age (five strata). Odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, with headquarter employees as the reference group.Results　Among men, the dealership employees had the highest prevalence of low physical activity, with 80.1% reporting exercising for ≥30 min only ≤1 day per week (OR: 1.97, CI: 1.77-2.20). Headquarter employees had the highest proportion of walking for ＜1 h per day (69.1%, reference). The factory employees reported the highest rate of slower walking speeds vs their peers (60.3%, OR: 1.60, CI: 1.45-1.77). The dealership employees also tended to have less healthy overall lifestyle behaviors: 43.4% smoked (OR: 2.55, CI: 2.29-2.83), 48.7% ate dinner within two hours of bedtime (OR: 1.73, CI: 1.57-1.91), 30.4% skipped breakfast ≥3 times per week (OR: 3.08, CI: 2.70-3.50), and 14.0% consumed ≥2 alcoholic drinks daily (OR: 1.95, CI: 1.63-2.34). The factory employees were less motivated to change their lifestyles (38.3%, OR: 2.29, CI: 2.05-2.57), and were less likely to participate in health guidance programs (85.7%, OR: 2.58, CI: 2.27-2.92).Conclusion　Employee lifestyles differed significantly by job type in our cohort, although all were covered by the same health insurance society. Employment type also associated with motivation to adopt healthier behaviors. Occupational characteristics should therefore be considered when designing interventions to promote lifestyle improvements using health-related guidance.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"349-359"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145999705","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":"[Determining the status of health application implementation in Japanese prefectures for health promotion].","authors":"Mizuki Yoshioka, Chika Okada, Mieko Nakamura","doi":"10.11236/jph.25-061","DOIUrl":"10.11236/jph.25-061","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Objectives　This study aimed to determine the current implementation status and content of health applications (apps) targeting all Japanese prefectures as part of their health promotion measures using Information and Communication Technology (ICT).Methods　Information on health apps and health promotion projects was collected from the official websites of all Japanese prefectures and special sites focusing on these topics operated by the prefectures between August 6 and September 3, 2024. The status of health promotion app implementation, implementation period, development leaders, targets, number of users, and functions in the financial year (FY) 2024 was evaluated. We categorized app functions into six types: action records, health management, health information acquisition, competitiveness, gamification, and incentives.Results　Thirty-four (72.3%) prefectures implemented health apps between FY2014 and FY2024, excluding limited-time projects. App development leaders were divided into local governments and private companies. When local government was the development leader, the apps tended to be multifunctional, including functions such as the number of steps, health management, health checkups, and event participation. With private companies, local governments tend to adopt applications with only one or a few functions, with many involving a system that allowed users to select their region of residence. Among the categorized functions in the apps, the most common action records functions were step count (33 prefectures), event participation (21 prefectures), and health checkups (18 prefectures). The most common health management functions in the apps were data concerning body weight (28 prefectures), caloric intake (22 prefectures), and blood pressure levels (19 prefectures). The most common health information acquisition function was the type of exercise (11 prefectures). Some prefectures incorporated competitiveness into their apps, such as the number of steps and point rankings (28 prefectures); gamification, such as collecting and nurturing characters (13 prefectures); incentives through privileges and lotteries; and other conditions (limited to higher-ranking individuals) (30 prefectures) to motivate behavioral change and continued app usage.Conclusion　We clarified the current state of health-app implementation in all the prefectures, including their functions and content. This information may serve as a useful reference when considering local government initiatives that use ICT to promote health.</p>","PeriodicalId":72032,"journal":{"name":"[Nihon koshu eisei zasshi] Japanese journal of public health","volume":" ","pages":"381-393"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145806579","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}