Dental health care for the elementary-school-aged child has been carried out in Japan only to detect dental caries and periodontitis. However, malocclusion and occlusal dysfunction in children are now very important problems to be controlled. Oral-perioral habits have not been noted clinically except for the habits of thumb sucking, lip sucking, or oral breathing during the early stage of infancy.
The author has reported already on the relation ship between oral diseases and oral-perioral habits Subconscious habits in daily life, for example, sleeping posture, unilateral mastication, or oral breathing habits have great influences biomechanically upon the skeletal system of the viscerocranium. Repeated external forces to the skeleton, including muscle movements, gradually change the form of the dental arch, dental alignment, and jawbone shape. These external forces are summarized as oral-perioral habits. By the control of oral-perioral habits in childhood, not only malocclusion, mandible prognathism, and cervical scoliosis but deformity of the dental arch and T-M joint arthrosis can be prevented. Therefore, from the standpoint of primary care in oral medicine, remedy of daily life habits relating to mandibular function is very important for health care during the elementary school years. [J.J.H.E.P, 1993; 1: 5-8]

View full abstract

The purpose of the this study was to assess the importance of self-care and combined the skills for oral health with information on dental diseases.
Experimental dental health education with and without instruction on oral health, oral health observation and dental plaque control training was given to classes of 13-14 year-old junior high school students. A control class received no instruction. The dental health knowledge, attitude, and behavior were assessed before, one week and one month after the education by the use of questionnaire. Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) was assessed before and one month after the education.
Correct response of a knowledge item of dental plaque which denotes for bakteria on teeth in the experimental groups were 47-69% and higher than that in the control group. Dental health behavior for less sugar intake was most effective in the group that accepted all intervention. Dental health attitude and OHI were not significant differences between experimental and control groups.
This study showed that dental health knowledge for junior high school students who improved in experimental groups, but the aspect of attitude was less influential. These results indicated that the dental health education program with the concept of self-care was relevant to develop oral health for schoolchildren and also suggested that the instruction method with self-evaluation for oral hygiene was prerequisite for health promotion. [J.J.H.E.P.1993; 1: 9-15]

View full abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the process and the effectiveness of a nutri tion education program focused on developing the eye estimation ability of dietary energy amount of 46 middle-aged for workers.
The eye estimation ability of dietary energy amount was presumed from the differences between the measured value (MV) and the estimated value (EE) by eye of amount of self-selected dish in the viking style dinners.
The nutrition education program consisted of lectures, cooking practices and viking style dinners. The results obtained are as follows :
1) On the opening dinner of the program, their average values of energy intake were 883±222 kcal/person/meal by MV and 1336±618 kcal by EE, respectively. The coefficient miscalculated rate (CMR) was 59±76 in average.
2) On the ending dinner, after 4 days, an improvement was observed thier eye estimation ability (MV : 728±227 kcal, EE : 797±216kcal, CMR : 17±14) .
3) In the “progressive” 27 men whose CMR was under 20, following tendencies were observed, comparing with “Non-progessive” 19 workers.
—Both of the amount of energy intake and the change of the body weight moved into the optimum zone.
—In the survey on 3 months after the seminer, some improvements were observed their weight control and/or energy intake behavior. [J.J.H.E.P. 1993; 1: 17-33]

View full abstract

This paper describes economic evaluations of health education and health promotion, which are rarely discussed in Japan.
First, the basic framework and methods of economic evaluations are summarized through a review of the available literature ; we focused on three methods-Cost-effectiveness analysis, Cost-benefit analysis, and Cost-utility analysis.
Secondly, empirical studies, to which the above three methods were applied, are shown and explained.
Finally, the effectiveness and issues involving economic evaluations of health education and health promotion are discussed. The main effectiveness seems to be the following : a new perspective-economy -can be introduced to evaluate the programmes ; different type of programmes can be compared through economic indicators ; and it can be usefull to determine the feasibility of preevaluations in the planning of programmes. On the other hand, there turns out to be many methodological issues, which relate to the range of costs and benefits and the valuing of costs and benefits. [J. J. H. E. P, 1993; 1: 35-48]

View full abstract

This study investigated the usefulness of employees' utilization of health-related VTRs provided by a corporate health service for use at home. The subjects were 107 employees (male 95; female 12) who responded to a questionnaire distributed to 142 employees who borrowed VTRs from the health service department of a company whose employees numbered about 1, 300. Eighty percent of the respondents who used VTRs answered that they took advantage of the service in order to learn about their own or family members' diseases or health disorders. The most common reason for selecting a VTR as health information was that it was considered an easier way to learn about health issues than other information sources. Ninety-four percent of the respondents answered that VTRs were very useful or useful for understanding health issues. Regarding the degree of difficulty in using VTRs to learn about health issues, only 4%of the respondents answered that VTRs were difficult. The percentage of employees who answerd that they were motivated to lead healthier life styles was 40 to 75%, but only 18% regarding smoking cessation. The percentage of employees who watched VTRs with their spouse, parents or children was 81%, 23% and 30%, respectively. This indicates that the utilization of VTRs by each employee at his or her home provides a valuable opportunity to think about health issues with family members, and that it is an effective method for employee health education. [J.J.H.E.P, 1993; 1: 49-56]

View full abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the process and the effectiveness of a trial nutrition education program for 45 male university students belonging to an American football club, who were not very interested in improving their diets.
Firstly, their dietary problems were assessed, after which a trial program aimed at making the target students able to manage their own diets was planned. The program consisted of three sessions and included lectures, self-learning, discussions and free dinners. In particular, during the second session, a systematic lecture focusing on the relation between physical training and diet was given.
Results:
The students who had more positive attitudes about their club activities attended the programs more often. The second session was given the best evaluation-most understandable and most enjoyable-by the students.
Those who attended the second session chose significantly more vegetable dishes at the third dinner, hed more correct answers concerning knowledge of nutritive values, but showed a lower confidence in understanding of food groups and food selections than those who didn't attend the second session. [J.J.H.E.P, 1993; 1: 57-69]

View full abstract