Objective: For people with Parkinson disease, adaptation to social life, self-management of symptoms, and their relationships with healthcare providers can critically hinder the maintenance of daily living functions. However, reports measuring and evaluating such factors and investigating their effect on health-related indicators are few. Herein, we developed a scale to assess those factors and verified its validity.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used self-administered questionnaires whose responses were subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Relationships with external criteria were examined by applying and assessing the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-8 and self-reported health and good coping with Parkinson disease and its symptoms.

Results: Of 691 questionnaires, 203 were returned, of which, 198 were analyzed. We used two questionnaires for investigating how individuals manage their symptoms and assessing relationships with healthcare providers and social adaptation. The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses extracted three factors: “management of symptoms,” “maintenance of appropriate relationships with healthcare professionals,” and “adaptation to social life.” Moreover, these three factors are associated with health-related measures.

Conclusion: We developed a scale to evaluate symptom self-management in people living with Parkinson disease and confirm its validity. Using the scale in combination with health-related measures enables a comprehensive assessment of patients’ daily living conditions.

Objective: This survey aimed to identify characteristics of individuals interested in recipes featured in a leaflet designed to reduce salt intake and increase potassium intake.

Field activity: Starting in 2024, Higashidori Village in Aomori Prefecture distributed the leaflet to residents undergoing health checkups and to those visiting a village clinic for hypertension treatment. The objectives of distributing the leaflet were to promote awareness of the concept of the sodium-to-potassium ratio, increase understanding of it, and encourage dietary habits focused on reducing salt and increasing potassium intake. The leaflet introduced five “5-Minute Low-Salt & High-Potassium Recipes.” To understand the characteristics of individuals showing interest in the recipes, a self-administered questionnaire was distributed along with the leaflet.

Assessments: Questionnaires were collected from 185 participants in the community health checkup and 118 patients visiting the village clinic for hypertension treatment. The proportion of respondents expressing interest in the recipes was 223 (73.6%). Characteristics of those showing interest in the distributed recipes included being mindful of sodium intake and actively practicing it, and regularly using recipes when cooking.

Conclusion: Moving forward, it will be necessary to consider leaflet content that can also capture the interest of those who are not mindful of sodium or potassium intake and those who do not frequently use recipes in their daily lives.

Background: The Japan Society of Health Education and Promotion (JSHEP) Nutrition Education Committee has been conducting activities focused on the practical application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in nutrition education since fiscal year 2023. This article summarizes the annual workshop held on March 22, 2025, as part of the activities of the committee’s fiscal year 2024. The workshop was titled “Practical Techniques for ICT Application Using the SAMR model: Toward the Realization of Student-Centered Learning.”

Content: The online workshop was conducted in two parts: Part 1 featured a lecture by Dr. Kazuki Mitsui on the theme “Utilizing ICT to Realize Student-Centered Learning.” Part 2 involved a World Café-style discussion following the lecture. Participants were divided into small groups to discuss three points: ① Insights and questions arising from the lecture, ② Advantages and disadvantages of using ICT in nutrition education, and ③ Future practical applications of ICT based on the SAMR (Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition) model. Fifty participants attended the workshop. In the workshop survey (45 respondents, 90% response rate), all respondents reported learning something new and expressed their satisfaction. Common reasons for satisfaction included gaining new knowledge about the SAMR model and deepening their understanding through discussion. Furthermore, 96% of respondents stated that they felt capable of implementing student-centered learning using the ICT knowledge gained from the workshop.

Conclusion: This workshop provided knowledge on ICT application from the new perspective of the SAMR model and contributed to deepening learning, which will benefit participants’ future practice.

This special lecture of the 33rd Japanese Society of Health Education and Promotion Annual Conference was organized based on the conference theme of ‘Partnership,’ providing an opportunity to introduce Dr. Navarro’s extensive experience working with the Latino community in San Diego, USA, and to reconsider the significance of building partnerships in action research. Dr. Navarro emphasized the cyclical interaction of three elements: research, community activities, and training, asserting that integrating these components is essential for achieving sustainable, community-based participatory research. In her lecture, she highlighted the advantages of partnerships, such as long-term outcomes, unexpected synergistic effects, and enhanced social value and sustainability. Conversely, she pointed out several disadvantages, including the time required to achieve results, the burden of coordination, and the compromises of interests. Furthermore, she proposed practical strategies, such as sharing goals based on the SMART criteria, fostering mutual respect, adopting a mindset that views failure as a growth opportunity, establishing frameworks for action, and developing leadership succession and human resource strategies. She also recommended that partnerships should develop in a spiral rather than a circular manner, suggesting that researchers play a mediating role in connecting communities to facilitate change and innovation. This lecture shared wisdom based on Dr. Navarro’s practical experience, and the insights provided will be helpful for readers to apply in their own practice.

People’s health is determined not only by healthcare but also by diverse factors such as the economy, education, labor, and the environment. From this perspective, “Health in All Policies (HiAP)”—which integrates health into all policies—and its practical tool, “Health Impact Assessment (HIA),” are attracting attention. HIA has been internationally recommended as a method to anticipate and assess the health impacts of policies and projects, particularly contributing to the mitigation of health disparities. The Acheson Report in the UK and the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health report both prioritize the implementation of HIA as the primary measure to address health disparities. Furthermore, HiAP is a policy framework that promotes collaboration across a wide range of sectors—such as education, labor, and urban planning, transcending silos, making health a shared value for society as a whole. However, in Japan, awareness of HIA and educational systems remain insufficient, and challenges include a lack of practical examples and professional expertise. Meanwhile, “Health Japan 21” has set the goal of reducing health disparities, increasing the importance of HIA dissemination. Going forward, establishing an institutional foundation, introducing HIA into public health education, and cultivating professional experts are essential. Advancing HIA and HiAP is expected to contribute to extending healthy life expectancy and realizing a fair society.

Objective: This report summarizes the activities of The Young Division Initiative: “Partnerships We Aspire to Build for the Future of Health,” conducted during the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Japan Society of Health Education and Promotion.

Contents: Prior to the conference, a preliminary survey was conducted to collect opinions from young researchers and practitioners across various disciplines on “the future of health” and “the challenges to achieving it.” The results were presented during the session. Following a keynote comment by Mr. Ryo Utsunomiya, a graduate student in agricultural economics, young participants engaged in group discussions on the theme “partnerships we aspire to build.” In addition, comments were collected from senior researchers reflecting on their experiences and challenges in partnership formation.

Evaluation: A total of 73 participants attended the session. According to the post-event survey (N=24), 91.7% of respondents reported being either “very satisfied” or “satisfied.” Many highlighted learning from different disciplinary perspectives as a key takeaway. When describing the types of partnerships they wished to build, participants emphasized the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders, as well as the need for mutual understanding and respect.

Conclusion: Through the preliminary survey, keynote comments, and group discussions, the initiative provided an opportunity for young researchers and practitioners to reflect on the partnerships they wish to build and the attitudes necessary to do so. Continued efforts are needed to promote initiatives that foster such partnerships among future leaders in health promotion.

The International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE) is an international NGO working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) to improve the health and well-being of all people. The 25th International Conference, held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in May 2025, focused on the theme “Settings for Planetary Health and Well-Being.” It explored the role and new directions health promotion should play in the face of the diverse global polycrisis of recent years. The conference focused on shifting the perspective of the settings approach from local to global, moving from “Settings for Health” to “Beyond Settings” and then to “Planetary Settings for Health Promotion.” The conference produced important recommendations, including “Designing Cooler, Smarter Cities for a Warming Planet,” “Reimagining Digital Health: From Technology First to People First,” and “Mental Health as a Right, Not a Privilege.” This paper provides an overview of the international conference and summarizes the main points discussed, as well as reports on the activities of the North Western Pacific Region (NPWP), including Japan, and the challenges and prospects that the region will need to address in the future.

Background: Climate change, social inequities, and environmental degradation increasingly threaten global health. Addressing these intertwined challenges requires integrating well-being into public health and advancing planetary health through the inclusion of indigenous knowledge and cultural perspectives. Conventional health promotion approaches, whether focused on schools, workplaces, or communities, often fall short in ensuring equity and inclusive participation.

Objectives: This report synthesizes key insights from the 25th IUHPE World Conference, emphasizing the concept of “settings for planetary health and well-being.”

Results: Conference discussions showcased innovative approaches such as the use of AI and precision medicine, culturally grounded health interventions, and promoting climate adaptation and sustainability policies. Common themes included meaningful engagement of children and communities, inclusive institutional design, and cross-sector collaboration to reduce health inequities. Ongoing barriers, such as unequal participation and uneven resource distribution, highlight the urgency of integrated, equity-centered strategies.

Conclusions: Health-promoting settings must be reimagined as dynamic social systems that advance inclusion and justice. Strengthening planetary health depends on (1) participatory, collaboration across multiple settings; (2) equitable resources allocation, particularly for marginalized groups; and (3) design processes that embed cultural and indigenous knowledge. These principles are essential for creating resilient, sustainable societies capable of meeting global health and environmental challenges.

Objective: This paper reports an overview of the 25th IUHPE World Conference on Health Promotion, held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from May 13 to 16, 2025. It summarizes current research trends in the field of occupational health and presents the author’s study.

Methods and Content: The conference theme was “Settings for Planetary Health & Well-being.” Numerous studies from various countries addressed the workplace as a key “setting for health promotion.” A wide range of international practices were shared, including interventions to reduce sedentary behavior in Korea, the introduction of mindfulness programs in Finland, and the implementation of health literacy training in Morocco. The author presented a study entitled “Is drinking alcohol really useful for releasing stress?” The study analyzed data from 4,709 male manufacturing workers. Alcohol consumption was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), and depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ). Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between higher alcohol consumption (AUDIT ≥20) and increased prevalence of depression.

Conclusion: IUHPE 2025 reaffirmed the importance of extending occupational health beyond system-based approaches toward the comprehensive design of environments and cultures that foster well-being. Continuous dissemination of evidence and active engagement in global occupational health promotion are essential roles for occupational health professionals.