Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the resident's easiness to use the trial health notebook. The questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain fundamental data from the residents to see whether the trial health notebook was easy for user or not.
Methods: This study was made on 441 residents of Joetsu city, who were aged 40 years and over. The trial health notebooks and the questionnaires were kept by the examinee. The effective response rate was 73.0% (322 answers) . Two type of the trial health notebooks were prepared in size A5 (print, 12point) and A6 (print, 10point) to be compared.The survey items were as follows;
1.Aim and how to use the health notebook.2.Flow of health check and lifestyle.3.Record of health check.4.How to look up the test items.5.Self evaluation table.6.Record of health services and rehabilitation.7.Record of blood pressure.8.Degree of obesity.9.Expectation of life.10.Record of health care and welfare services.
1.to10.items were evaluated on a scale of 3 grades (10.20.30) in the 7 categories stated below and each average points were examined by the paired-sample t test.
1) Readability 2) Understandability 3) Portability 4) Ease of writing 5) Width of statement lines 6) Total ease of handling 7) Willingness to use the notebook.
Results: A5 received high points in such categories as 1), 2), 4) and 5) (p values <.001) .A6 scored higher in category 3) (p values <.001) .On the other hand, in the evaluation of category 7), there was not a significant difference between the two sizes.

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Purpose: This study was conducted in order to better identify the relationship between the psychological empowerment of mothers who have handicapped children and their subsequent involvement with self-help groups.
Methods: Sixteen mothers and one father, who have handicapped children and belong to 2 self-help groups, participated in our semi-structured interviews. Theoretical sampling methods were employed to have a variety of participatory lengths; one year (4 mothers), three to seven years (7 mothers and 1 father), more than ten years (5 mothers) . The data was analyzed using the grounded theory approach (B.Glaser and A.Strauss) .
Results: One core category of the empowerment process was identified, changing an encounter into the power, along with eleven lesser categories. All categories were defined using the following three stages of involvement with self-help groups and the abilities the mothers gained through their involvement. 1) ‘from showing interest, concern to motivated into gropely involvement’; ability to identity ones own and others strengths. 2) ‘from gropely involvement to exploratory involvement’; ability to recognize and respect differences. 3) ‘from exploratory involvement to supportive involvement’; ability to facilitate mothers empowerment, who have a short carrier as a handicapped children's mothers. The following three experiences related to empowerment development; 1) viewing themselves objectively and comparing with other mother participants, 2) awareness of the variety of members, 3) talking and narrating their own experiences as a handicapped children's mothers.

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