著者
Takahiro Matsuo Fumika Taki Daiki Kobayashi Torahiko Jinta Chiharu Suzuki Akiko Ayabe Fumie Sakamoto Kazuyo Kitaoka Yuki Uehara Nobuyoshi Mori Tsuguya Fukui
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.63, no.1, pp.e12247, 2021 (Released:2021-09-25)
参考文献数
43
被引用文献数
22

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of burnout according to job category after the first wave of COVID-19 in Japan and to explore its association with certain factors.Methods: An online cross-sectional survey of health care workers (HCWs) from June 15 to July 6, 2020, was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Demographic characteristics, results of the Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey, types of anxiety and stress, changes in life and work after the peak of the pandemic, and types of support aimed at reducing the physical or mental burden, were determined.Results: Of 672 HCWs, 149 (22.6%) met the overall burnout criteria. Burnout was more prevalent in women (OR, 3.11; 95% CI, 1.45-6.67, P = .003), anxiety due to unfamiliarity with personal protective equipment (PPE) (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.20-3.27, P = .007), and decreased sleep duration (OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.20-3.20, P = .008). Conversely, participants who felt that the delivery of COVID-19-related information (OR, .608; 95% CI, .371-.996, P = .048) and PPE education opportunities (OR, .484; 95% CI, .236-.993, P = .048) and messages of encouragement at the workplace (OR, .584; 95% CI, .352-.969; p = .037) was helpful experienced less burnout.Conclusions: There is a need to focus on the above factors to maintain the mental health of HCWs. The delivery of COVID-19-related information and educational interventions for PPE and messages of encouragement at the workplace may be needed to reduce the mental burden.
著者
Tomohisa Nagata Kiminori Odagami Masako Nagata Koji Mori
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.64, no.1, pp.e12373, 2022 (Released:2023-01-25)
参考文献数
30
被引用文献数
1

Objectives: The present study examined the relationship between health culture evaluated by the Health and Productivity Survey Sheets and the implementation status of infection control measures against COVID-19 in the workplace.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using the corporate data (2518 companies) collected for the purpose of selecting the excellent company of health and productivity management by the Japanese government. The explanatory variable was the overall evaluation score, and the outcome was whether or not infection control measures against COVID-19 in the workplace. We used logistic regression analysis and calculated the odds ratio adjusted for the industry sector, the corporation size, and the operating profit ratio by the overall evaluation score category.Results: The odds ratio of all infection control measurements in the workplace increased as the evaluation score increased.Conclusions: This study revealed a new finding that the presence of a healthy culture in the workplace will lead to the appropriate implementation of infection control measures during a pandemic. The company's ordinary commitment to employee health will be effective even in times of health crisis, such as during the outbreak of the pandemic.
著者
Takashi Amagasa Takeo Nakayama Yoshitomo Takahashi
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.47, no.2, pp.157-164, 2005 (Released:2005-04-12)
参考文献数
31
被引用文献数
104

With the rapidly increasing number of work-related suicides in Japan (Karojisatsu, in Japanese), both applications for worker's compensation insurance and civil suits are proliferating. The phenomenon of work-related suicide is examined along with the process and related factors. With informed consent from bereaved families, two certified psychiatrists independently reviewed and summarized 22 insurance and legal reports filed by psychiatrists on employee suicides that were related to heavy workloads. A clinical epidemiologist participated in discussions with psychiatrists to reach a consensus concerning the cause of the suicides. Only one case involved a female. Seventeen had experienced personnel changes, such as a promotion or transfer. Low social support was recognized in 18, high psychological demand in 18, low decision latitude in 17, and long working hours in 19 cases (more than 11 hours per day for 3 months or more, and without a day off in 9). The subjects had depressive episodes by the ICD-10 criteria and showed suicidal signs. Ten of them saw a general practitioner because of unspecified somatic complaints, but no effective measures were taken. None of them had a history of psychiatric consultation or had received mental health education dealing with job stress management. Although causality cannot be made from this case series report, we hypothesize that long working hours, heavy workloads, and low social support may cause depression, which can lead to suicide. Appropriate countermeasures are urgently needed and the present findings suggest some of them are possible.
著者
Archana Shrestha Biraj Man Karmacharya Polyna Khudyakov Mary Beth Weber Donna Spiegelman
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.60, no.1, pp.31-45, 2018-01-20 (Released:2018-01-25)
参考文献数
75
被引用文献数
12

Objectives: The translation of lifestyle intervention to improve glucose tolerance into the workplace has been rare. The objective of this meta-analysis is to summarize the evidence for the effectiveness of dietary interventions in worksite settings on lowering blood sugar levels. Methods: We searched for studies in PubMed, Embase, Econlit, Ovid, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. Search terms were as follows: (1) Exposure-based: nutrition/diet/dietary intervention/health promotion/primary prevention/health behavior/health education/food /program evaluation; (2) Outcome-based: diabetes/hyperglycemia/glucose/HbA1c/glycated hemoglobin; and (3) Setting-based: workplace/worksite/occupational/industry/job/employee. We manually searched review articles and reference lists of articles identified from 1969 to December 2016. We tested for between-studies heterogeneity and calculated the pooled effect sizes for changes in HbA1c (%) and fasting glucose (mg/dl) using random effect models for meta-analysis in 2016. Results: A total of 17 articles out of 1663 initially selected articles were included in the meta-analysis. With a random-effects model, worksite dietary interventions led to a pooled -0.18% (95% CI, -0.29 to -0.06; P<0.001) difference in HbA1c. With the random-effects model, the interventions resulted in 2.60 mg/dl lower fasting glucose with borderline significance (95% CI: -5.27 to 0.08, P=0.06). In the multivariate meta-regression model, the interventions with high percent of female participants and that used the intervention directly delivered to individuals, rather the environment changes, were associated with more effective interventions. Conclusion: Workplace dietary interventions can improve HbA1c. The effects were larger for the interventions with greater number of female participants and with individual-level interventions.
著者
Mahmoud Mustafa Al-Qadi
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.63, no.1, pp.e12226, 2021 (Released:2021-07-25)
参考文献数
61
被引用文献数
30

Objectives: To clarify the concept of workplace violence in nursing and propose an operational definition of the concept.Methods: The review method used was Walker and Avant's eight-step method.Results: Identification of the key attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept resulted in an operational definition of the concept. The proposed operational definition identifies workplace violence experienced by nurses as any act or threat of verbal or physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the worksite with the intention of abusing or injuring the target.Conclusions: Developing insights into the concept will assist in the design of new research scales that can effectively measure the underlying issues, provide a framework that facilitates nursing interventions, and improve the validity of future studies.
著者
Akihito Shimazu Sabine Sonnentag Kazumi Kubota Norito Kawakami
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.54, no.3, pp.196-205, 2012 (Released:2012-07-06)
参考文献数
42
被引用文献数
64

Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate the Japanese version of the Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ-J), which assesses how individuals unwind and recuperate from work during leisure time (i.e., psychological detachment, relaxation, mastery and control). Methods: The translated and back-translated REQ was administered via the Internet to 2,520 Japanese employees from various occupations. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to evaluate factorial validity. The relationship with potential predictors and consequences of recovery experiences were investigated to evaluate construct validity. Internal consistency was examined to evaluate its reliability. Results: A series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the hypothesized four-factor model fit the data best. Construct validity was generally supported by expected correlations of recovery experiences with possible predictors and consequences. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for each of the four subscales was sufficient (0.85—0.89). Conclusions: This study confirmed that the REQ-J is an adequate measure of recovery experiences that can be used in the Japanese context.
著者
Miyuki Hasegawa Shamima Akter Huanhuan Hu Ikuko Kashino Keisuke Kuwahara Hiroko Okazaki Naoko Sasaki Takayuki Ogasawara Masafumi Eguchi Takeshi Kochi Toshiaki Miyamoto Tohru Nakagawa Toru Honda Shuichiro Yamamoto Taizo Murakami Makiko Shimizu Akihiko Uehara Makoto Yamamoto Teppei Imai Akiko Nishihara Kentaro Tomita Satsue Nagahama Ai Hori Maki Konishi Isamu Kabe Tetsuya Mizoue Naoki Kunugita Seitaro Dohi the Japan Epidemiology Collaboration on Occupational Health Study Group
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.62, no.1, pp.e12095, 2020-01-20 (Released:2020-02-28)
参考文献数
42
被引用文献数
17

Objective: The present study aimed to estimate cumulative incidence of overweight and obesity and describe 5-year longitudinal changes in body mass index (BMI) in a large occupational cohort in Japan.Methods: Participants were 55 229 Japanese employees, who were aged 20-59 years and attended at all subsequent annual health check-ups between 2009 and 2014. Mixed model analysis was performed to examine the effects of age and cohort by gender on BMI change, with age as a random variable. Cumulative incidence of overweight (23.0≤ BMI <27.5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2) was calculated. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios for the incidence of overweight and obesity according to age group.Results: The incidence of overweight and obesity was approximately double in men (28.3% and 6.7%, respectively) compared to women (14.3% and 3.9%, respectively). The incidence of obesity decreased with age in men, but did not differ according to age in women (P for trend: .02 and .89, respectively). Among overweight participants, the incidence of obesity was higher in women (18.9%) than men (14.5%) and decreased with advancing age (P for trend: <.001 in men and .003 in women). Mean BMI was higher in men than women in all age groups throughout the period. Younger cohorts tended to have a higher BMI change compared with older cohorts.Conclusions: In this Japanese occupational cohort, transition from overweight to obesity is higher in women than men, and the more recent cohorts had a higher change in mean BMI than the older cohorts.
著者
Seiichiro Tateishi Mariko Watase Yoshihisa Fujino Koji Mori
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.15-0188-OA, (Released:2015-11-07)
被引用文献数
4

Objectives: In Japan, employee fitness for work is determined by annual medical examinations. It may be possible to reduce the variability in the results of work fitness determination, particularly for situation, if there is consensus among experts regarding consideration of limitation of work by means of a single parameter. Methods: Consensus building was attempted among 104 occupational physicians by employing a 3-round Delphi method. Among the medical examination parameters for which at least 50% of participants agreed in the 3rd round of the survey that the parameter would independently merit consideration for limitation of work, the values of the parameters proposed as criterion values that trigger consideration of limitation of work were sought. Parameters, along with their most frequently proposed criterion values, were defined in the study group meeting as parameters for which consensus was reached. Results: Consensus was obtained for 8 parameters: systolic blood pressure 180 mmHg (86.6%), diastolic blood pressure 110 mmHg (85.9%), postprandial plasma glucose 300 mg/dl (76.9%), fasting plasma glucose 200 mg/dl (69.1%), Cre 2.0mg/dl (67.2%), HbA1c (JDS) 10% (62.3%), ALT 200 U/l (61.6%), and Hb 8 g/l (58.5%). Conclusions: To support physicians who give advice to employers about work-related measures based on the results of general medical examinations of employees, expert consensus information was obtained that can serve as background material for making judgements. It is expected that the use of this information will facilitate the ability to take appropriate measures after medical examination of employees.
著者
Koichi Miyaki Hirofumi Sakurazawa Hajime Mikurube Mika Nishizaka Hidehiko Ando Yixuan Song Takuro Shimbo
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
pp.1105160184, (Released:2011-05-18)
被引用文献数
31

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of a non-vaccine quarantine measure against pandemic influenza A H1N1 in workplaces. Methods: Design was quasi-cluster randomized controlled trial in two sibling companies (Cohort 1 n=6,634, Cohort 2 n=8,500). The follow-up period was from July 1st, 2009 to February 19th, 2010 (233 days). Intervention was voluntary waiting at home on full pay if the family became Influenza like Illness (ILI). The incidences of influenza A H1N1 and those of the subgroups whose families got ILI in both cohorts were compared by a Cox regression model and log-rank test. Results: There were 189 and 270 workers who got H1N1 infection during the follow-up period in each cohort. In this period 317, workers in Cohort 1 were asked to wait at home for several days (100% obeyed). The intervention group (Cohort 1) showed a statistically significant lower risk (p for log-rank test=0.033) compared with the control (Cohort 2), and the hazard ratio of the intervention was 0.799 [0.658-0.970] after adjusting for age, sex, BMI and smoking status. The workers who were asked to wait at home showed H1N1 infection more frequently (49 out of 317) compared with the workers whose family got ILI but were not asked to wait and work regularly (77 out of 990, RR=2.17 [1.48-3.18]). Conclusions: The waiting on full pay policy in the workplace reduced the overall risk of influenza A H1N1 by about 20% in one flu season in Japan. This kind of non-vaccine measure will be a promising option in workplaces to control the next flu pandemic.
著者
Natsu Sasaki Hiroki Asaoka Reiko Kuroda Kanami Tsuno Kotaro Imamura Norito Kawakami
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.63, no.1, pp.e12227, 2021 (Released:2021-07-25)
参考文献数
15
被引用文献数
67

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the longitudinal change of the psychological distress of healthcare workers (HCWs) with non-HCWs during the repeated outbreaks of the COVID-19 in Japan.Methods: The data were retrieved from the Employee Cohort Study in the Covid-19 pandemic in Japan study. An online survey was conducted on March 2020 (T1), on May 2020 (T2), on August 2020 (T3), and on November 2020 (T4). Psychological distress was measured by the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. A mixed-model repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted as an indicator of the group differences.Results: A total sample of analysis was n = 996 (HCWs, n = 111; non-HCWs, n = 885). HCWs consisted of physicians/nurses/midwives and other HCWs (eg, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technicians) in the clinical settings (n = 19; 17% and n = 61; 55%, respectively), and HCWs not working in the clinical settings (n = 31; 28%). Being HCWs were associated with a significant increase in psychological distress from T1 to T2, T3 and T4 (P = .001, P = .002, P < .001; respectively).Conclusions: The mental health of HCWs deteriorated through the COVID-19 outbreaks compared with non-HCWs. HCWs are continuously the important targets to provide mental health support.
著者
Masaya Takahashi
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.61, no.4, pp.269-277, 2019-07-20 (Released:2019-07-25)
参考文献数
48
被引用文献数
35

Objectives: Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases (CCVDs) and mental disorders, including suicide, are prevalent among overworked individuals in Japan. The 2014 legislation regarding the prevention of overwork-related deaths and disorders has accelerated the research in this field and ultimately the implementation of preventive actions.Methods: To understand the current problematic situations, the Research Center for Overwork-Related Disorders of the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, Japan, conducted analyses of compensated claims for overwork-related CCVDs and mental disorders that were recognized from January 2010 to March 2015.Results: The majority of CCVD cases were the men in their 50s. Transport and postal activities was the highest risk industry. Cerebrovascular cases were higher than cardiovascular ones. Long working hours was the principal factor for CCVDs. The mental disorder cases comprised approximately 70% men and affected younger age groups (peak in the third decade) with various industries at risk. In men, there was an almost equal number of F3 (Mood [affective] disorders) and F4 (Neurotic, stress-related, and somatoform disorders) diagnoses according to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. A larger number of women were diagnosed to have F4. The mental disorder cases were associated not only with long working hours, but also with injuries and disasters as well as interpersonal conflict at work.Conclusions: Multiple, simultaneous actions need to be made by employees, employers, researchers, and the authorities to achieve the goal of reducing the number of workers suffering from the overwork-related CCVDs and mental disorders.
著者
Yu Komase Kazuhiro Watanabe Natsu Sasaki Norito Kawakami
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.62, no.1, pp.e12185, 2020 (Released:2021-01-25)
参考文献数
44
被引用文献数
8

Objectives: Workplace gratitude is important for improving work-related outcomes and individual well-being. Although the gratitude at work scale (GAWS) was developed in the United States, it has not been corroborated in Asian countries with interdependent cultures. This study aimed to develop and validate the GAWS among Japanese workers.Method: Japanese workers completed online surveys at baseline (N = 206) and 2 weeks later (N = 103). The Japanese GAWS was developed according to the international guidelines. We measured (a) trait gratitude as comparison for the criterion-related validity, (b) work-related outcomes/factors (eg, work engagement), and (c) well-being (eg, eudemonic well-being at work) as comparisons for convergent validity. Cronbach's alpha, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), and measurement errors were calculated to assess reliability; measurement validity was evaluated by correlational analyses and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).Results: A total of 206 and 93 workers were included for baseline and follow-up analyses, respectively. Cronbach's alpha and ICCs of the Japanese GAWS ranged from 0.81 to 0.91. CFA showed that the 2-factor model (ie, gratitude for (a) a supportive work environment and (b) meaningful work) demonstrated a good fit (χ2 (34) = 67.58, CFI = 0.967, TLI = 0.956, RMSEA = 0.069, SRMR = 0.037), similar to the original version. As we had hypothesized, overall GAWS and the two domains were significantly correlated with trait gratitude, work-related outcomes/factors, and well-being.Conclusions: The Japanese GAWS demonstrated good reliability and validity. Future research should explore mechanisms related to workplace gratitude and further intervention studies among workers.
著者
PIEN Li-Chung CHEN Duan-Rung CHEN Chiou-Jong Liang Kuei-Min Cheng Yawen
出版者
公益社団法人 日本産業衛生学会
雑誌
journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.57, no.6, pp.555-564, 2015
被引用文献数
6

<b>Objective:</b> Workplace violence is known to pose mental health risks. However, whether or not workplace violence in a surrounding area might further increase the risk of mental distress in workers has rarely been examined. <b>Methods:</b> The study subjects were 9,393 male and 7,716 female employees who participated in a nationwide survey in 2010. Their personal experiences of workplace violence over the past 1 year were ascertained by a standardized questionnaire. Also assessed were their psychosocial work characteristics and mental distress problems. Neighborhood-level workplace violence was computed based on aggregated data at the county level and was categorized into low-, medium-, and high-level categories. Multilevel logistic regression models were constructed to examine the associations between neighborhood-level workplace violence and individual-level mental distress problems, with adjustment of individual-level experience of workplace violence. <b>Findings:</b> The neighborhood-level prevalence of workplace violence ranged from 4.7 to 14.7% in men and from 6.4 to 14.8% in women across 22 counties. As compared with those who live in counties of the lowest tertile of workplace violence, female workers who lived in counties of the highest tertile of workplace violence had a 1.72-fold increased risk for mental distress problems after controlling for individual experience of workplace violence and other psychosocial work characteristics. <b>Conclusion:</b> Neighborhood-level workplace violence was associated with poor mental health in female workers. Preventative strategies targeting workplace violence should pay attention to neighborhood factors and gender-specific effects that might influence societal tolerance of abusive work practices and workers' vulnerability to mental health impacts of workplace violence.(J Occup Health 2015; 57: 555–564)
著者
Hayato Yamana Sachiko Ono Akira Okada Taisuke Jo Hideo Yasunaga
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.62, no.1, pp.e12183, 2020 (Released:2021-01-25)
参考文献数
17
被引用文献数
3

Objectives: It is unclear whether mandatory health examination is effective for employees who are already being treated for chronic diseases. We focused on patients being treated for hypertension and evaluated the association between employer-based health examination attendance and diabetes treatment initiation.Methods: Using a database that stores health insurance claims and health examination results of subscribers enrolled in society-managed health insurance plans in Japan, we identified employees aged 40-59 years who were being treated for hypertension when starting diabetes treatment from April 2012 to December 2016. A case-crossover analysis was conducted using 90, 180, and 270 days prior to diabetes treatment initiation as reference points and 90 days after the mandatory health examination as the exposure period. We conducted a subgroup analysis by hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level and frequency of outpatient blood glucose testing before the mandatory health examination.Results: We identified 1464 individuals starting treatment for diabetes while on antihypertensive drugs. The overall odds ratio for starting diabetes treatment within 90 days of the health examination was 1.89 (95% confidence interval: 1.70-2.10). The subgroup analysis showed that this odds ratio increased as HbA1c level increased and as blood glucose testing frequency decreased.Conclusions: Among employees starting treatment for diabetes while being treated for hypertension, employer-based mandatory health examination attendance was associated with initiation of diabetes treatment. The health examinations may be functioning as a complement to screening in outpatient settings.
著者
Hirosuke Takahashi Masako Nagata Tomohisa Nagata Koji Mori
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.63, no.1, pp.e12205, 2021 (Released:2021-03-25)
参考文献数
33
被引用文献数
5

Objectives: The working-age population is rapidly declining in Japan, so the government has adopted “health and productivity management” (HPM). This policy initiative aims to encourage corporations to view health promotion activities as an investment in their employees’ health. The objective of this study was to examine the association between organizational factors and knowledge of the organization's effectiveness and program participation levels, and to understand the factors that affect effectiveness of corporations’ activities.Methods: We used data from all corporations that completed the HPM Survey Sheets in 2018 (n = 1800). The explanatory variables were organizational factors: written company-wide policy, agenda item at management-level meetings, regular education for managers, and full-time occupational health staff. The outcome variables were knowledge of the corporation's status on the effectiveness indicators (employees’ exercise habits, risk for high blood pressure, visiting hospital after a health examination, and long-term sickness absences) and rates of participation in four areas (health education, exercise program, dietary program, and influenza vaccination). The associations between organizational factors and knowledge on effectiveness indicators and rates of program participation were analyzed using multiple logistic regression analysis.Results: All the organizational factors were related to knowledge of effectiveness indicators, but only some were associated with the program participation indicators in the model, including all explanatory variables.Conclusion: Enhancing organizational factors may lead to improvement of HPM programs and higher program participation among employees in corporations.
著者
Masanori Ohta Tetsuya Mizoue Norio Mishima Masaharu Ikeda
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.49, no.1, pp.46-52, 2007 (Released:2007-02-22)
参考文献数
28
被引用文献数
62

Although some evidence suggests that exercise may improve mental health status, information regarding the intensity and duration of exercise is incomplete. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the association between physical activities in both leisure time and commuting to work and mental health. A questionnaire survey was conducted at three municipal offices in Japan. A total of 670 men and women completed the questionnaire. Mental health status was assessed by the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Respondents were asked about weekly hours of leisure-time exercise for four levels of exercise, and the volume of exercise was assessed using a metabolic equivalent task index. Information about commuting to work on foot or by bicycle was also obtained. The mean GHQ scores were calculated according to physical activity levels using analysis of covariance with adjustment of potential confounders including job stress. In men, the GHQ score decreased steadily with increasing levels of leisure-time exercise, and an inverse association was evident even for mild intensity exercise. Moreover, the GHQ score decreased according to increasing duration of time on commuting to work by either walking or cycling in men, but not in women. These relations did not materially change after adjustment for potential confounding factors. In women, there was no significant association between any of the indices of physical activity. In conclusion, leisure-time exercise and walking or cycling during commuting to work may be associated with better mental health in men.
著者
Akiomi Inoue Norito Kawakami Hisashi Eguchi Akizumi Tsutsumi
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.58, no.5, pp.460-469, 2016-09-20 (Released:2016-09-30)
参考文献数
40
被引用文献数
11

Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the buffering effect of workplace social capital (WSC) on the association of job insecurity with psychological distress in Japanese employees. Methods: 2,971 employees from two factories of a manufacturing company in Japan completed a self-administered questionnaire including the scales on job insecurity, WSC, psychological distress, demographic and occupational characteristics, and quantitative workload. Using psychological distress (defined as a total score of the K6 scale ≥5) as a dependent variable, multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted. In a series of analyses, interaction term of job insecurity×WSC was included in the model. Results: After adjusting for demographic and occupational characteristics as well as for quantitative workload and interaction effect of quantitative workload×WSC, high job insecurity and low WSC were significantly associated with psychological distress. Furthermore, a significant interaction effect of job insecurity×WSC was observed. Specifically, the association of job insecurity with psychological distress was greater among those who perceived lower levels of WSC (prevalence odds ratio=3.79 [95% confidence interval=2.70-5.32] for high vs. low job insecurity subgroup) than among those who perceived higher levels of WSC (prevalence odds ratio=2.96 [95% confidence interval=2.19-4.01] for high vs. low job insecurity subgroup). These findings were replicated among permanent male employees in the gender-stratified analyses. Conclusions: The present study suggests that WSC has a buffering effect on the association of job insecurity with psychological distress at least among Japanese permanent male employees.
著者
Ziyang Song Edwin J. Boezeman Karen Nieuwenhuijsen Xiaodong Li Angela G. E. M. de Boer
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.62, no.1, pp.e12174, 2020 (Released:2020-11-25)
参考文献数
40
被引用文献数
7

Objectives: To investigate the association of subjective fit perceptions, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement, with work functioning, among young construction project management professionals (CPMPs).Methods: The research had a cross-sectional design. Dutch young CPMPs (142 participants, age range: 20 to 30 years of age) completed a questionnaire containing general questions recording their demographic characteristics, and instruments recording the following concepts: perceived person-organization fit, perceived person-job fit (including demands-abilities fit and needs-supplies fit), distress, emotional exhaustion, work engagement, and work functioning. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the association of fit perceptions, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement, with work functioning.Results: The correlation analysis indicated that person-organization fit, needs-supplies fit, distress, emotional exhaustion, and work engagement correlated significantly with work functioning problems of young CPMPs. The multiple regression analyses corroborated that needs-supplies fit, distress, and emotional exhaustion related significantly to the work functioning problems of young CPMPs, with the standardized regression coefficients (β) of −0.28, 0.52, and 0.38 (P < .01), respectively. Other than would be expected, the multiple regression analyses also made clear that work engagement does not significantly relate to work functioning problems beyond distress and emotional exhaustion.Conclusions: Incongruence between personal needs and job supplies, psychological distress, and emotional exhaustion are central correlates of the work functioning problems of young CPMPs. Occupational health professionals can use these insights to help young CPMPs at work.
著者
Kiyotaka KOHSHI Takahiko KATOH Haruhiko ABE Toshio OKUDERA
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.43, no.1, pp.56-60, 2001 (Released:2006-03-27)
参考文献数
21
被引用文献数
14

Neurological Diving Accidents in Japanese Breath-Hold Divers: A Preliminary Report: Kiyotaka KoHSHI, et al. Department of Neurosurgery and Division of Hyperbaric Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health—There have been no reports of diving accidents involving Korean or Japanese professional breath-hold (ama) divers except for our 2 recent cases. We investigated a direct interview survey on their village to determine whether other ama divers had experienced any accidents during or after dives. Interview responses were retrospectively obtained from 16 partially assisted male ama divers belonging to the Utsu Union on Mishima Island, Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japan. We questioned the divers about diving history (diving depth, length of the diving shift, number of dives and diving accidents), medical history (hypertension, cardiac arrhythmia, diabetes mellitus, and cerebrovascular diseases) and health habits (smoking and alcohol consumption). Nine of 16 ama divers previously had stroke-like neurological accidents, in which the most common symptom were unilateral motor weakness [7 cases] and sensory abnormalities [4 cases]. All of these neurological problems had manifested transiently. In addition, 13 of 16 divers had occasional episodes of dizziness, nausea and/or euphoria during such dives. Repeated deep breathhold dives may be harmful to the divers and cause brain involvement. (J Occup Health 2001; 43: 56-60)
著者
Akira Bannai Shigekazu Ukawa Akiko Tamakoshi
出版者
Japan Society for Occupational Health
雑誌
Journal of Occupational Health (ISSN:13419145)
巻号頁・発行日
vol.57, no.1, pp.20-27, 2015 (Released:2015-02-14)
参考文献数
40
被引用文献数
36

Objectives: Long working hours have the possibility to influence human health. In Japan, it is well known that teachers have long working hours, and the number of leaves of absence due to mental disorders among public school teachers increased from 2,687 in 2002 to 4,960 in 2012. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between long working hours and psychological distress among school teachers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from mid-July to September in 2013 in Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. Questionnaires were distributed to 1,245 teachers in public junior high schools. Information about basic characteristics, including working hours, and responses to the General Health Questionnaire-28 were collected anonymously. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between long working hours and psychological distress by gender. Results: Of the 1,245 teachers contacted, 558 (44.8%) responded. After excluding responses with missing data, the final sample included 522 teachers (337 males and 185 females). Psychological distress was identified in 47.8% of males and 57.8% of females. Our results showed a significantly increased risk only in males working >60 hours per week (adjusted OR=4.71 [95% CI 2.04–11.56]) compared with those working ≤40 hours per week. There were no significant associations between long working hours and psychological distress for females. Conclusions: There is a significant association between long working hours and psychological distress in male teachers. However, the causal relationship remains unclear. Further studies such as cohort studies with large sample sizes are needed.(J Occup Health 2015; 57: 20–27)