Purpose

  The number of Vietnamese technical intern trainees is increasing annually due to the revision of the Immigration Control Law in Japan. However, there are few studies focusing on the trainees’ health issues and medical consultations. This study aims to clarify the difficulties they face in obtaining healthcare services after coming to Japan.

Method

  Semi-structured interviews regarding the difficulties faced by trainees in accessing medical services were conducted. Twelve Vietnamese technical intern trainees (eight men [66.6%] and four women [33.4%] with an average age of 26.3 years and average stay period of 2 years and 3 months) living in the Kansai area were interviewed. Data analysis was conducted using a qualitative descriptive method.

Results and Discussion

  Four categories of difficulties in receiving medical treatment were found: “no hospital visits unless the situation worsens,” “inability to receive medical services without the support of company or supervising organization officials,” “inability to seek confirmation even if they have questions or are dissatisfied,” and “hesitation for seeking medical help due to work and scheduling.”

  For Vietnamese technical intern trainees, the company or supervising organization officials’ support played an important role in accessing medical services. Moreover, even if the trainees had doubts or dissatisfactions, they were unable to ask questions and receive confirmation. Therefore, it is necessary not only to actively explain the need for medical services to the company or supervising organization officials but also to ask the trainees if they have any doubts.

Conclusion

  The company and supervising organization official’s support played an important role at accessing medical service. It will be essential to cooperate not only with them but also with the occupational health field and regional medical institutions.

Introduction

  In Japan, midwives have difficulty communicating non-Japanese speaking women. The study aims to explore the midwives’ experience in communicating with them during the perinatal period.

Methods

  The semi-structured interviews were conducted for five midwives who have had experienced perinatal care for non-Japanese women.

Results

  Four categories were emerged during the pregnancy of the women: «Midwives desire to provide accurate information when giving medical and health related explanations», «Means and methods of health guidance depend on the contents», «It is much easier to interact with clients if verbal communication means are available during the prenatal check-ups» and «It is difficult to communicate by telephone about signs of onset of labor without having verbal communication means». Five categories have emerged in the intrapartum period including «Appropriate means and continuous involvement make communication smoother during delivery», «Non-verbal communication measures are useful in providing intrapartum care and «In case of an emergency of mother and fetus, ability of mother’s understanding and selection of appropriate means of communication are critical». Four categories have emerged in the postpartum period including «Midwives can communicate with non-verbal means for the health guidance» and «Midwives feel helpless when they cannot communicate verbally during the postpartum follow-ups». One thematic category «Midwives genuinely desire to provide quality communication despite the differences in language and culture»has emerged from over all period.

Conclusions

  It is important to prepare linguistic communication measures which help midwives to accurately communicate with their clients during the perinatal periods.

  Introduction

  This study aimed to clarify social networking and help seeking behaviors in relation to the health of pregnant and puerperal Brazilian women in Japan, using unanalyzed data collected in the article titled “Socio-cultural factors affecting the health of pregnant and puerperal Brazilian women in Japan” published in this journal.

Methods

  We conducted semi-structured interviews of pregnant and puerperal Brazilian women aged ≥20 years in their homes in Prefectures A and B during 2013-2014. We used the Japanese version of the interview guide based on the cultural determinants of help seeking developed by Arnault. The analysis was guided by analytic ethnography, and core themes were derived.

Results

  The interviews were conducted with 18 women. Their mean age was 32.4 years (5 women in their 20s and 13 women in their 30s). The average length of stay was 12.6 years (6 women: <10 years and 12 women: ≥10 years). Regarding residential status, 12 women were permanent residents. Two categories for social networking were derived: (1) limited social interaction and (2) reliance on family and trusted others. Two categories for help-seeking behaviors were derived: (1) reliance on informal resources close to them and (2) self-reliant problem solving.

Conclusions

  The social networking and help-seeking behaviors of pregnant and puerperal Brazilian women in Japan were related to their way of cultivating relationships in their transnational life as migrant workers. Their behaviors were also related to their perception on the family, their religion, and their self-reliant problem-solving behaviors.

  As global migration has been increasing rapidly, the Japan Association for International Health (JAIH) established the committee for migration and health in early 2021. This committee, which aims to challenge the health issues of migrants inside and outside Japan, held the first kick-off symposium in the 36^th Congress of JAIH on 27 November 2021. Five symposiasts were invited and had presentations from the viewpoints of human rights and culture, which were recognized as the common keywords. This article was written by all symposiasts and chairpersons as the report of the kick-off symposium.