Geographic differences in seasonality of preterm births in Japan.

Based on vital statistics from 1979 to 1983, we used a time-series analysis using the Box-Jenkins model (ARIMA model) to compare the seasonality of preterm births among 47 prefectures in Japan. We also evaluated the relation between seasonality of preterm births and temperature. According to the Box-Jenkins analysis, a seasonal moving average was detected for 44 prefectures.

An ecologic study of the relationship between mean birth weight, temperature and calorie consumption level in Japan.

This study reports an ecologic analysis of the relationship between mean birth weight (MBW) and nutritional, medical, and social variables, using 1982 data for 47 prefectures in Japan. Correlation analysis showed that variables that correlated significantly with MBW were mean temperature (r = 0.63), total calorie intake (r = 0.

[Challenges in the educational objectives of preventive medicine and community health curriculum in undergraduate medical education].

In the world-wide context of the current innovative movements in medical education it is of importance of set up the appropriate educational objectives--general instructional objectives (GIO) and specific behavioral objectives (SBO) for the undergraduate medical curriculum for preventive medicine and community health. These educational objectives should be constantly evaluated and modified according to the curricular changes which regularly occur so as to maintain relevance. An example is the recent modification of GIOs and SBOs in the curriculum of the University of Occupational and Environmental Health.

[Educational effect of field visit in the course of preventive medicine and community health-case report of the field visits to Chikuho districts (1981-89)].

The experiences over 9 years (1981-89) of field visits to the Chikuho districts as part of the preventive medicine and community health course were studied using the results of student evaluations of the educational value of such field visits conducted once or twice a year. The Chikuho district is one of the high priority regions in national public health policy since the decline of the coal mining around 1960. The field visits (an all day visit by bus) were implemented with the aim of educating doctors interested in public health by early exposure to the related establishments, such as municipal hospital, prefectural public health center, memorial museum of coal mining and regional center for vertebrate injuries, all located in this district.