Objective: To explore the behaviors and recognition of Filipino women in Japan about food, exercise, sleep, stress coping.

Method: We performed semi-structured interviews with 10 Filipino women who were older than 40 years and had been staying in Japan for more than 5 years. The data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive methodology.

Results: The behaviors to prevent obesity recognized by the Filipino women residing in Japan fell under these categories: ［Changing eating habits for obesity prevention and health maintenance］， ［Exercising to manage obesity-related diseases and health maintenance］，［Ensuring adequate sleep for health］ and ［Coping with daily stress］. Additionally, they recognized behaviors that prevent obesity, such as ［Changing eating habits that may cause obesity］，［Factors for the inability to exercise in daily life］，［Sleep patterns that cause obesity］ and ［Eating as a stress coping behaviour］.

Discussion: The findings revealed inconsistencies in the obesity prevention behaviors of Filipino women residing in Japan, and that they tended to use trial and error the and error to maintain health behaviors that were cultivated in both the Philippines and Japan. It is suggested that the pressure to assimilate into the Japanese culture and the changes in the sex role as a woman in Japan, influences their inconsistent obesity prevention behaviors.

Conclusion: We should provide obesity prevention support to Filipino women residing in Japan to address their inconsistent health behaviors that are based on trial and error and to help them maintain health behaviors cultivated in both the Philippines and Japan.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the psychological process of stopping smoking and continuing to be smoke free by outpatients of a Stop-Smoking Clinic.

Method: Six outpatients of a stop-smoking clinic were interviewed after visiting the clinic for three months, （from the initial visit until the last visit）．Results were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach.

Results: Various stages were observed within the process: from “developing the desire to quit smoking” and “preparing to organize one’s feelings” at the initial visit, “seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and relaxing a little” after starting to stop smoking by “consciously working to change one’s mind to quit,” and “definitely deciding to stop” by the end of the visits. Self-anxiety which decided smoking cessation at the initial visit changed to feelings of confidence through the above-described process. It was observed that “self-anxieties decreased but could not be completely eliminated” even to the end, and these two processes mutually existed. However, psychological support by family and clinic staff encouraged the stopping of smoking.

Discussion: While anxiety regarding being able to continue to stop smoking were concurrently present, a psychological process where feelings of achievement in overcoming difficulties and gaining a feeling of self-efficacy were found to connect to the continuation of efforts to stop smoking.

Purpose: This study aims to clarify the characteristics of social capital and functional capacities and its relation among frail older persons living in remote islands by comparing them with those living in urban and agricultural areas in the mainland. Independent variables are residential areas（remote islands, urban areas, agricultural areas），dependent variables are social capital（general trust and reciprocity, social network）and functional capacities（Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence ［TMIG-IC］，Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence［JST-IC］）．

Methods: Questionnaire surveys were conducted by care professions of community comprehensive care centers, with 741 frail older persons（remote islands: 241 persons, urban area: 250 persons, agricultural area: 250 persons）．

Results: The remote islanders were found to exhibit lower level of trust in others as compared to that in respondents from urban areas（remote islands ＝ 1.0, urban area ＝ 2.03, 95%CI:1.26–3.28, p ＜ 0.01）．As for functional capacities, the score on the TMIG-IC was lower as compared to that of respondents from agricultural areas（2.26, 95%CI:1.48–3.47, p ＜ 0.01），and the score on the JST-IC was lower than that of respondents from urban areas（3.04, 95%CI:1.85–5.00, p ＜ 0.01）.

Conclusion: Older persons living in remote islands were found to have lower trust in others and inferior functional capacities as compared to those in urban and agricultural areas.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to reveal the structure of the dilemma of public health nurses involved in individual-support activities for mentally disabled persons in the department of municipal welfare.

Methods: The participants included 11 public health nurses who had been working at the department of municipal welfare in the Kanto area and involved in individual-support activities for mentally disabled persons for more than one year. The data were collected by conducting semi-structured interviews on specific situations of the dilemma. The KJ method was used for analysis in order to reveal the structure by describing the relationships among factors using an illustration.

Results: The dilemma of the participants had formed a structure that they were changing simply by accepting the idea, that they “become staff as a public health nurse in name only（Factor 1）”, while constantly showing resistance to the current situation as they “want to support their clients（as a public health nurses）so that they will be able to help themselves（Factor 2）” and symbiosis as they “come to provide <welfare public health> that they believe in（Factor 3）”.

Conclusion: The participants had accepted the idea imposed by the difference of opinion in their tasks, while constantly showing the resistance that it was not actually their job. And they had a symbiotic relationship to the situation by showing their innate potential and performing activities according to the code of welfare. In order for them to overcome their dilemma, we need to promote re-recognition of their occupational identity through their reflections.

Objective: This study clarifies the curriculum for mothering and parenting classes and the planner’s evaluation of the classes for pregnant working women.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with the public health nurses and midwives who plan and implement classes for pregnant working women. We also conducted participatory observations of the classes and qualitatively analyzed the information collected.

Results: Three municipalities, each with an increasing population, were selected for interviews and observations. The curriculum was classified into 11 subcategories and 5 categories: （1）offering basic information about pregnancy, delivery and child care, （2）facilitating parental preparation for child care, （3）reducing conflict and the anxiety that arises in dual-earner couples, （4）promoting the development of companionship with other dual-earner couples in the community, and（5）supporting the balance between work and child care. The planner’s subjective evaluations of the classes were classified into 9 subcategories and 4 categories: （1）facilitation of readiness for the balance between work and child care for dual-earner couples, （2）the need to create a program in which multiple occupations and organizations collaborate, （3）class on weekends has both benefits and challenges, and（4）the need to consider how to operate an ongoing program.

Consideration: The curriculum addressed issues relevant to dual-earner couples such as reducing conflict, anxiety about balancing work and child care, and providing support to participants. While the planned classes had a certain efficacy, what became clear was the difficulty in responding to varied needs and managing an ongoing program.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the state of information network environments both in and out of the workplace for public health nurses（PHNs）, to clarify the use of ICT.

Method: The survey targeted 670 PHNs; it asked about the state of their information networks in and out of the workplace and their use for study based e-learning. As for the investigation, PHNs voluntarily filed an anonymous and self-administered questionnaires, which were separately mailed back.

Result: Of 350 respondents,317 who were employed full time were analyzed. The PHNs showed that 82.6% had an exclusive personal computer at work, and 95.0% had a personal device for accessing the internet outside of work. Furthermore, 92.7% conducted search-based learning on their work in or out of the workplace, and the PHNs, who owned an exclusive personal computer for work, had a high rate of usage（p=0.004）. Regarding e-learning, 77.9% hoped to study, there was no singnificance with the information network environment, in or out of work, and age.

Discussion: Over 80% of PHNs had an exclusive personal device for telecommunications, and over 90% had been searching or studying about duties through the internet. It was revealed that they utilized ICT. Approximately 80% of PHNs were hoping to study by e-learning, and it was suggested that PHNs are also interested in ICT as a learning tool besides using it for duties.