2009 Volume 56 Issue 2 Pages 111-120
Objective This study was conducted to investigate the actual activities of public health nurses (PHNs) during routine health check-ups at health centers of municipalities, for the 18-month-old children in Japan.
Methods The targets were municipalities with 200 births and more per year. A questionnaire about the contents of implementation of health check-ups, and follow-up activities, were mailed to 105 municipalities between April 2000 and March 2001. The response rate was 62.9%.
Results 1) All municipalities adopted some form of group checku-ups. They mainly conducted medical interviews by physicians and dentists (100%), somatometry (100%), health interviews by PHNs (95.5%), group lectures (47.0%), individual health consultations, 93.9% (for all participants, 83.3%), and conferences after check-ups by main staff, (92.4%).
2) The allocation of various professionals included physicians and dentists (100%), PHNs (100%), dental hygienists (98%), dieticians (88%), and psychological staff. (75%).
3) Municipal populations had a negative correlation with check-up rates. Municipal populations and birth numbers per year had positive correlations with the frequency of group check-ups per year.
4) PHNs were involved in many scenarios, and were concerned with decisions regarding the effects of health check-ups. However, among these municipalities, only 36.4% had definite criteria, or a manual, for assessment of check-ups by PHNs. The follow-up rates ranged from 1.9 to 56.3%, with considerable differences.
5) Follow-up and absentees of check-ups were mainly dealt with by PHNs.
Conclusions We clarified the implementation of health check-ups and associated activities of PHNs among municipalities. The check-ups and follow-up activities were mostly conducted PHNs. However, the existence of standards for check-ups by PHNs, and the methods for follow-up differed considerably. Therefore, it is necessary to further consider the quality of check-ups.
