Objective: This study aimed to develop a Japanese version and a shortened version of the Online Social Support Scale and test their reliability and validity. Method: A 40-item scale was developed with the permission of the original developer to measure online and other social support, depressive symptoms, and self-esteem. Study participants were recruited online using snowball sampling. Internal and test-retest reliability were tested; confirmatory factor analysis was used to test for structural validity, and correlation analysis was used to test for convergent validity. A follow-up survey was conducted 2 weeks later to examine the test-retest reliability of the scale. A shortened 12-item version was also developed and tested. Result: A total of 288 people participated in the survey, of whom 254 (88.2%) responded to the follow-up survey. The Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.98 for the overall scale and ranged from 0.94-0.96 for the subscales. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.90 for the scale as a whole and ranged from 0.85–0.88 for the subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a four-factor structure with an acceptable model fit. The scale showed a significant positive correlation with social support and a significant negative correlation with depressive symptoms but no significant correlation with self-esteem. The shortened version demonstrated similar reliability and validity. Conclusion: The Japanese version of the Online Social Support Scale showed adequate reliability and some validity, and the short version showed adequate reliability and validity, making them useful tools for measuring online social support in various contexts, such as peer support groups or remote work environments.

Background: The globalization of business has significantly increased the number of international business travelers (IBTs), yet their health issues remain inadequately studied. Short-term IBTs, who travel for less than 6 months, lack mandatory health checks under Japanese law, making it difficult to assess their health risks. The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated business travel, highlighting the need for enhanced health management strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among listed companies in Japan between September and December 2021. The survey targeted general affairs and human resources departments of 3,845 companies, yielding 251 valid responses (6.5% response rate). The questionnaire covered the necessity of business travel, health concerns before and after COVID-19, and expectations for occupational health support. Statistical analyses, including Pearson’s chi-square test and text mining, were performed to evaluate trends. Results: Before COVID-19, key health concerns included medical issues during travel (82.2%), infectious disease prevention (69%), and general health management (19.7%). Post-pandemic, priorities shifted to COVID-19 prevention, infectious disease control, and mental health support. Large companies emphasized psychological care, while smaller firms focused on infectious disease management. Business travel remained crucial for 85% of respondents, particularly for on-site guidance and sales. Conclusions: The pandemic underscored the need for comprehensive health management for IBTs, incorporating infection control, psychological support, and preventive care. As global travel resumes, companies must reassess health strategies to mitigate risks and ensure traveler well-being.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the prospective association between stress profile as defined using the Stress Check Program manual and long-term sickness absence among a working population with various backgrounds. Methods: We analyzed 1,741 participants who participated in two online surveys in December 2023 and October 2024. In the first survey, we asked participants to complete the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire and evaluated their stress profile using the Japanese Stress Check Program manual. In the second survey, we asked participants if they had experienced sickness absence for 1 month or longer between the first and second surveys. We then examined the association between stress status in the first survey and experience of sickness absence during the waves. We calculated the odds ratio after adjusting for gender, age, marital status, educational attainment, household income, employment contract, average working hours per week, occupation, and industrial sector. To estimate the impact of high stress on sickness absence, we calculated the population attributable risk for high stress. Results: After adjusting for confounding factors, we found that high stress was associated with sickness absence, with an odds ratio of 3.54 (95% confidence interval, 2.05–6.12). The corresponding population attributable risk for high stress was 21.4%. Conclusions: The observed prospective association between high stress (as defined using the Stress Check Program manual) and long-term sickness absence among a working population from a wide range of occupations and industries provides evidence supporting the usability of the index in occupational health practice.

Objective: There is a demand for information on the proper selection, use, and maintenance of impermeable chemical protective gloves to prevent direct skin contact with hazardous substances. This review aims to summarize simplified testing methods for evaluating glove performance. Methods: The survey highlighted a lack of awareness regarding permeation resistance in glove selection. Various simplified testing methods were developed, such as real-time monitoring and gas chromatography, to evaluate the permeation resistance of chemical protective gloves, including the efficacy of multilayer films in reducing permeation. Results: The investigation revealed significant flaws in glove selection regarding permeation resistance to chemicals. Analysis showed that thin nitrile gloves offer inadequate protection against chloroform, while laminated film gloves demonstrated strong resistance to various chemicals. Real-time monitoring facilitated glove performance evaluation and confirmed that commonly used gloves may still allow harmful substances to permeate. Conclusion: The review underscores the urgent need for simplified permeation testing methods, enabling workers to make informed choices about glove materials based on their specific workplace hazards. Implementing these testing methodologies and adhering to updated safety regulations will better protect workers from chemical exposure, particularly in environments handling hazardous substances. Further research and development of glove materials with improved permeation resistance are recommended to enhance occupational safety.

Traditional paper-and-pencil methods have limitations for data collection in occupational health research. Here, we introduce a new web-based version (Fatigue checker web-ver.) of an application designed to better facilitate survey management and communication with participants. The application operates on mobile web browsers and integrates with LINE, Japan’s most popular messaging app, and contains customizable forms, psychological tasks such as the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT), Flanker Task, and n-back Task. Daily schedule acquisition is achieved via a dedicated user interface. Cross-correlation analysis showed fair synchronization between the app and gold-standard PVT equipment, indicating the app’s reliability in measuring reaction times. Specifically, the analysis revealed significant cross-correlation for mean reaction time, median reaction time, mean reciprocal reaction time, and number of lapses, which indicates that the app can reliably measure fatigue and alertness levels. Since its release, the app has been successfully employed collecting high-quality data in six projects involving 571 participants. Despite minor issues, the app significantly improves the efficiency and accuracy of remote surveys, offering valuable insights into workers’ health and safety. It also enables occupational health and safety specialists to monitor workers and workplaces from a broader perspective than traditional methods. The public version of the app also enables every worker to monitor their own occupational health and safety status. Insights from repeated self-checking of fatigue will promote better working conditions and environments.

Objectives: Mental health literacy (MHL) is a crucial determinant of mental wellbeing and encompasses knowledge, understanding, and attitudes related to mental health and mental disorders. Presently, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses, or even literature reviews exist regarding MHL interventions targeting healthcare professionals in Japan. Therefore, this protocol for scoping review aims to provide strategies to report interventions intended at improving MHL among Japanese healthcare professionals in the workplace. Methods: The review will adhere to the methodological framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley and enhanced by the Joanna Briggs Institute, which consists of five stages: identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; selecting eligible studies; charting the data; and collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. This review will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews Extension for Scoping Reviews. The participants, concept, and context framework will be employed to identify the key elements of the research question, with the participants being Japanese healthcare professionals (doctors or nurses), the concept being the content and effectiveness of MHL intervention programs, and the context being the workplace setting in Japan. The search strategy will involve searching electronic databases, hand-searching the reference lists of the included studies, and consulting experts in the field. Strengths and limitations: Given the lack of research and reviews on this topic in Japan, this review will provide valuable insights into the current state of MHL interventions for Japanese healthcare professionals and inform future research and practice in this area.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in automobiles on driving performance. Methods: A driving simulator experiment was conducted with eight taxi drivers. The experiment was conducted under low CO2 concentration (<500 ppm) and high CO2 concentration (5,000 ppm) conditions. To evaluate driving performance and cognitive function, three measures were employed: a two-back task, an LED response task, and a driving assessment. The driving assessment used scoring criteria from the driving license proficiency test. Results: Poisson regression analysis showed that wobble (p=0.044), signal failure (p=0.045), contact (p=0.003), and wheel departure (p=0.005) were significantly increased under high CO2 concentration conditions. Generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) analysis showed that reaction time in the LED response task was significantly reduced under high CO2 concentration conditions (p<0.001). On the other hand, the GLMM analysis of the two-back task showed no significant effect of CO2 concentration (incorrect response rate: p=0.733, non-response rate: p=0.485). Conclusions: These results suggest that elevated CO2 concentrations may have a negative impact on driving behavior, especially skill-based driving behavior. On the other hand, the effects on cognitive tasks requiring working memory were limited. The results of this study suggest that managing CO2 concentration in vehicles is important for maintaining safe driving and raise the need for specific measures, such as the development of systems for measuring, predicting, and controlling CO2 concentration in vehicles, and the implementation of driver education programs.

The Japan Society for Occupational Health (JSOH) recommends the Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) as reference values for preventing adverse health effects on workers caused by occupational exposure to chemical substances, continuous or intermittent noise, impulsive or impact noise, heat stress, cold stress, whole-body vibration, hand-arm vibration and time-varying electric, magnetic and electromagnetic fields and ultraviolet and ionizing radiation.

Objectives: Our previous study found that occupational health staff and workers generally prefer a nudge-based notification for follow-up examinations. However, it did not assess their impact on actual screening behaviors. This practice aimed to demonstrate whether the notification could improve the appointment rates of follow-up examinations with abnormal findings. Methods: The notification specified the department where follow-up examinations should be conducted and instructed recipients to report their appointment status. Appointment data from workers of a Japanese transportation company who received a notification in June 2024 were analyzed. Results: A total of 91 workers received notifications. Among them, 53.3% scheduled appointments by the end of July, exceeding the follow-up examination attendance rate of the previous year (43.8%), even without reminder notifications. The age of workers who scheduled appointments (mean 56.2; standard deviation, 8.8 years) was higher than that of workers who did not report appointments (mean 46.2; standard deviation, 11.8 years: p<0.001). Conclusions: Workers who reported their appointment status are expected to have a high probability of undergoing follow-up examinations. Therefore, the notification may have contributed to improved attendance. This improvement is believed to result from the nudges aligning with the cognitive ease and present biases of the workers. This practice has several strengths, including high cost-effectiveness and transparency under nudging conditions. To further enhance this rate, sending reminder notifications integrating several nudges is necessary.

Objectives: To elucidate the status of reduction in working hours following physician work-style reforms and factors associated with long working hours. Methods: A nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted among obstetricians and gynecologists (OB/GYNs) working in hospitals. The survey elucidated actual working conditions, including working hours and number of out-of-hour (OOH) shifts. To identify factors associated with long working hours, a multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, with ≥60 or ≥80 working hours per week as dependent variables and OB/GYNs attributes (sex, age, job position, hospital type by ownership, total number of hospital beds, and regional characteristics) as independent variables. Results: Questionnaires were sent to 1,170 hospitals. Valid responses were obtained from 1164 OB/GYNs at 423 hospitals (response rate: 36%): 26.0% worked ≥60 hours per week, a reduction from 58.1% in 2019 (equivalent to over 960 hours of overtime annually), 5.4% worked ≥80 hours per week, a reduction from 41.2% in 2019 (equivalent to over 1,920 hours of overtime annually); and 46.9% worked OOH shifts ≥5 times per month. Factors significantly associated with long working hours per week included male sex, resident position, teaching duty, and number of OOH shifts. Conclusions: Although the working hours of OB/GYNs have decreased because of physician work-style reforms initiated in 2019, long working hours persist. To ensure health of OB/GYNs and patient safety, it is necessary to actively promote physician work-style reforms and advance measures aimed at the centralization of medical resources and addressing their maldistribution.

Objectives: Hypertension and dyslipidemia are major risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, many people do not consider these risk factors important, even if they are noted during their annual health checkups and left untreated for a long time. Here, we report a novel nudge method to encourage people who had these risk factors and examine the resultant changes in the willingness to undergo secondary health examinations. Methods: Employees of Novartis Pharma K.K. and its affiliated companies who had elevated blood pressure and/or lipid levels during annual health checkups were allocated to either the social nudge group (postcards were sent to their spouses) or the control group (postcards were sent to themselves) after confirming their agreement to receive postcards in order to encourage them to take secondary health examination. A web-based survey via email was conducted before and after sending the postcards to understand the willingness to undergo secondary health examinations. Results: Regarding the willingness to undergo the secondary health examinations, a significant difference was observed in the social nudge group (n=58) before (12.1%) and after (46.6%) the postcard was sent (p<0.0001), and no significant difference was observed in the control group (n=9, p=1.0000). The proportion of employees who underwent secondary health examinations did not increase significantly in either group. Conclusions: This study suggested that a social nudge via spouse has a possibility of increasing the willingness to undergo secondary health examinations at low cost. To increase the proportion of undergoing it, combinations with other nudges might be necessary.

Objectives: Teleworking is a flexible means of working to effectively utilize one’s time and workplace using information and communication technology. However, teleworking can also lead to work–life conflict and health problems. To support the health of teleworkers, this study aimed to elucidate the factors correlated with the self-rated health of teleworkers raising children, focusing on differences between genders. Methods: The study sample included 1,000 teleworkers (500 women and 500 men). Results: The responses to questionnaire items about health differed between men and women. For men, “marital status,” “walks and exercises,” “keeps an uplifted state of mind as much as possible,” and “work-to-family negative spillover” were extracted. For women, “leads a disciplined life,” “keeps an uplifted state of mind as much as possible,” “eating speed compared with others: slower,” and “sufficiently rests through sleep” were found to affect self-rated health. Conclusions: For male teleworkers raising children, sufficient exercise and physical activity is a crucial aspect of health management. For female teleworkers raising children, self-discipline is needed.

Objective: The ready-made garment (RMG) sector is pivotal to Bangladesh’s economy, providing export opportunities and employment. To ensure sustained productivity and a thriving workforce, workplace hazards like heat must be acknowledged, assessed and managed. This paper explores heat impacts on health and productivity of production-line workers in two RMG factories of Bangladesh. Methods: Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were conducted with the workers of two RMG factories in Dhaka in 2022 to identify perceived heat-related health and productivity impacts and explore barriers to workers accessing heat-related medical care. Key informant interviews were conducted with factory officials, onsite health professionals, government officials, the RMG peak body, and non-government organisation professionals with expertise in industry and workplace issues. Results: Workers and health professionals attributed symptoms like headaches, dizziness, fatigue and nausea to heat. Factory health professionals observed changes in cardiovascular strain (eg, altered blood pressure responses) in workers during summer. Other key informants identified higher absenteeism across summer. Heat was identified as an impediment to overall productivity by workers themselves and others working across the sector. Conclusion: This qualitative study identified how heat exposure in indoor work environments of RMG in Bangladesh influences health of workers and how productivity is influenced directly by heat but also indirectly via necessary cooling measures to reduce heat strain that take workers away from the production line. Despite knowledge of access to hydration as an important heat health risk mitigation strategy, quota pressures inherent in these factories restrict the use of this vital measure.

Objective: To clarify the relationship between the implementation of health and productivity management (H&PM) and staff health-related attributes in Japanese hospitals. Method: This study selected 2,000 hospitals from the FY2021 Bed Function Report data and conducted a questionnaire survey from November to December 2023. The questionnaire enquired about the H&PM implementation status, which was the explanatory variable; and health-related attributes, which was the objective variable. The implementation status of the four items and the presence or absence of Excellent H&PM Corporation certification were used to divide the hospitals into three groups: certification, implementation, and non-implementation groups. Logistic regression analysis was conducted with H&PM implementation status and health-related attributes as the variables. Results: Data from 221 hospitals were analyzed. There were 25 hospitals in the certification group, 68 in the implementation group, and 128 in the non-implementation group. Logistic regression used average monthly physician overtime as the outcome, with non-implementation hospitals as the reference. Results showed significant positive associations for the implementation and certification groups. Clear written policies on H&PM promotion and full-time occupational health staff were also significantly associated. However, health issue understanding, plan formulation, and management training were not linked to physician overtime. Other health-related attributes were also unrelated to H&PM implementation status. Conclusion: Hospitals engaging in H&PM may provide an appropriate working environment for physicians.

Objectives: This study examined the effects of an online group program based on acceptance and commitment therapy for young employees on employee well-being. Methods: Using a single-case A-B design, this study implemented a program that spanned three 90-min sessions among 24 employees of a Japanese company, who were up to 3 years after graduation from university or postgraduate studies. The baseline (times 1–5) phase was conducted across 15 days, followed by the intervention, which was conducted over 16 days. The intervention (times 6–10) phase was conducted over 35 days following session 1. Results: Fourteen participants met the inclusion criteria. A hierarchical Bayesian model indicated that the hypotheses were not supported in terms of the primary outcome of well-being and process outcome of psychological inflexibility of 10 employees because the credible interval included 0 (well-being: expected a posteriori estimation [EAP] 0.22; 95% credible interval, −0.31 to 0.81; Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II: EAP −2.20; 95% credible interval, −5.60 to 1.31). Tau-U for well-being varied from −0.56 to 0.84 among the participants. Similarly, for the secondary outcomes of 13 employees, the hypotheses were not supported for work performance, work engagement, and stress reaction (World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire: EAP −0.32; 95% credible interval, −1.22 to 0.57; Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-3: EAP −0.08; 95% credible interval, −0.47 to 0.34; stress reaction: EAP −0.49; 95% credible interval, −3.76 to 2.66). Conclusions: The online group program implemented in this study did not improve employee well-being. Trial registration: The study protocol was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (ID: UMIN000042912).