[Purpose] This study aimed to determine whether children who have undergone surgery experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) and to clarify the factors that influence PTG. [Methods] Using the Japanese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-C-R-J), we conducted a PTG survey among five children who had undergone surgery. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to examine a wide range of factors that influence PTG. [Results] In the data analysis of the content, the PTGI-C-R-J scores revealed that all participants experienced post-surgical PTG. Furthermore, “diverse feelings about surgery”, “family ties”, “recognition of support from friends”, “recognition of support from health care providers”, “encounters with other patients”, and “change in themselves” were identified as factors that led to the realization of PTG. [Conclusion] It is suggested that long-term support related to changing the child's perception of surgery, noticing connections with others, the presence of other patients, and helping the child realize their growth may contribute to the child's PTG.

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[Purpose] This study aims to evaluate a specific health guidance program focusing on individuals’ ‘strengths’ to consider effective programs in A City. [Methods] The researchers created, implemented, and evaluated a specific health guidance program that focuses on individuals’ ‘strengths.’ The program involved five sessions targeting groups with the following overall aims: (1) Enhance interest in own body, (2) Provide opportunities to reflect on oneself through discussions with others, (3) Find ways to take care of own body, (4) Discover own goals, (5) Focus on own strengths, and (6) Build connections for health promotion. Specific goals were also set for each session. An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate the achievement of the aims and goals. [Results] A total of 194 people (103 males, 91 females) participated in the study. Analysis showed that the aims of the program and the goals for each session were largely achieved. However, the sixth goal, building connections for health promotion, was not fully achieved. In the first session, female participants had higher scores than males in the understanding of health check-up results. In the second session, which focused on dietary themes, females increased their interest in their bodies more than males did. When comparing the full and partially participating groups, the two groups showed no significant differences in age, gender, or participation category, and no significant correlation in the goal achievement levels. [Conclusion] The participants may have addressed their bodies without anxiety by focusing on their desired lifestyles and strengths. Building connections needs a strategy that allows people to feel a sense of connection by stimulating affection for the community and utilizing existing networks and ICT.

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[Purpose] This study aimed to identify the challenges that mid-level public health nurses (PHNs) face when conducting project evaluations based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle in large municipalities. [Methods] Nine mid-level PHNs working in large municipalities were interviewed using a semi-structured approach. Depending on the participant's preference, interviews were conducted either face-to-face or via an online meeting platform. An interview guide was used to facilitate the interviews. With participant consent, all interviews were audio- or videorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Descriptions of difficulties encountered during project evaluation were extracted and coded. Similar codes were grouped into subcategories, and broader categories were created by identifying common themes across subcategories. [Results] A total of nine mid-level public health nurses (eight women and one man) from four municipalities participated in the study. The participants had an average age of 40 years and an average of 13.7 years of experience working as PHNs. Their experience was primarily in maternal and child health, adult health, mental health, intractable diseases, and infectious disease control. The analysis identified seven categories of challenges: “Uncertainty in setting evaluation indicators impeding evaluation design”; “Stagnation of evaluation and improvement resulting in a formalized PDCA cycle”; “Challenges linking the use of data and evaluation”; “Continuity of evaluation and improvement dependent on individuals and systems”; “Self-contained evaluation activities hindering organizational sharing and improvement”; “Reluctance toward conducting and receiving evaluations”; and “Lack of learning opportunities and support systems”. [Conclusion] Mid-level public health nurses possess extensive experience and serve as the core of practical operations. However, they are in a position within the organization where they have limited access to support. This limited access may contribute to the formalization of the PDCA cycle and hinder continuous project improvement. Moving forward, it will be essential to establish organizational support systems and foster an evaluation culture to promote sustainable project evaluation and enhance the quality of community health activities.

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