Development and assessment of the validity and reliability of a scale for measuring the mentoring competencies of Japanese clinical midwives: An exploratory quantitative research study.

Background: Midwives are always involved in educational activities whenever novice midwives are present. Although various scales for measuring the educational competencies of nurses have already been developed in previous studies, a scale for the educational competencies particular to midwives has yet to be developed, or even no previous studies have revealed their functions as clinical educators.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop a scale to measure the mentoring competencies of clinical midwives (MCCM Scale) and to confirm its validity and reliability.

Factors defining the mentoring competencies of clinical midwives: An exploratory quantitative research study in Japan.

Background: Clinical education is an extremely important process in cultivating healthcare professionals, and the quality of educators has a major impact on the quality of future practitioners. Although practicing clinical midwives contribute to the education of pre-registered midwives and those qualified within the past year (new midwives), the factors defining the educational competencies of clinical midwives have not been clarified.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that define the mentoring competencies of clinical midwives involved in educating new midwives.

Impact of a nursing education program about caring for patients in Japan with malignant pleural mesothelioma on nurses' knowledge, difficulties and attitude: a randomized control trial.

Purpose: In Japan nursing care lags behind the growing population of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. This study evaluated an educational program for nurses about caring for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma in Japan.

Method: In this randomized controlled study relative to care for malignant pleural mesothelioma, Knowledge, Difficulties and Attitude were measured at baseline, at post-test and at follow-up one month later.

[Relationship between pregnant women's sensitivity to cold (hiesho) and premature labor assessed using propensity scores for adjusting confounding factors].

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of sensitivity to cold or hiesho in pregnant Japanese women and to examine the relationship between hiesho and premature labor.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study in Japanese women after delivery, information for the approximately 12 months between October 19, 2009 and October 8, 2010 was obtained using questionnaire surveys and medical records at 6 hospitals with obstetric and pediatric departments in the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan Area. Further, in this analysis, confounding factors were adjusted by performing analysis of covariance and stratified analysis using propensity scores.

Development and validation of a 15-item Japanese Health Knowledge Test.

Background: Health literacy affects the acquisition of health knowledge and is thus linked to health outcomes. However, few scales have been developed to assess the level of health knowledge among the general public.

Methods: The 15-item Japanese Health Knowledge Test (J-HKT) was developed by using item response theory to score an item pool.

[Developing a professional identity scale: identifying factors related to professional identity of government-employed public health nurses].

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop "a professional identity scale for public health nurses (PISP)" and to discover factors related to professional identity for use in studies to improve public health nurse (PHN) activities.

Method: Questionnaires including a tentative PISP together with "ego identity' "self-esteem', and "nurse identity' scales were sent to PHNs working in the Kanto region. Out of 986 questionnaires sent, 739 were be collected, and the data were statistically analysed for reliability,validity, and identify-related factors.

Population-level preferences for primary care physicians' characteristics in Japan: a structural equation modeling.

Objective: Primary care has potential to play a role for improving the patient care in Japanese health care system; however, little information is available about how patients perceive the roles of primary care physicians (PCPs) within the Japanese health care system. We aimed to assess population-level preferences for PCPs and investigated the extent to which preferences vary in relation to different population groups in Japan.

Methods: Data were extracted from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in October 2003.

The interrelationships between working conditions, job satisfaction, burnout and mental health among hospital physicians in Japan: a path analysis.

A growing number of physicians are leaving their hospitals because of painful working conditions in hospitals throughout Japan. We set out to analyze the interrelationships between working conditions, job satisfaction, burnout and mental health among Japanese physicians. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2007 for hospital physicians throughout Japan.

Interpersonal trust and quality-of-life: a cross-sectional study in Japan.

Background: There is growing interest in psychosocial factors with positive attitudes, such as interpersonal trust, as determinants for Quality-of-life (QOL) or subjective well-being. Despite their longevity, Japanese people report a relatively poor subjective well-being, as well as lower interpersonal trust. Our aim in this study was to evaluate the possible association between interpersonal trust and QOL among Japanese people.

Assessing items on the SF-8 Japanese version for health-related quality of life: a psychometric analysis based on the nominal categories model of item response theory.

Objectives: The Short Form-8 (SF-8) questionnaire is a commonly used 8-item instrument of health-related quality of life (QOL) and provides a health profile of eight subdimensions. Our aim was to examine the psychometric properties of the Japanese version of the SF-8 instrument using methodology based on nominal categories model.

Methods: Using data from an adjusted random sample from a nationally representative panel, the nominal categories modeling was applied to SF-8 items to characterize coverage of the latent trait (theta).

Relationships between working status and health or health-care utilization among Japanese elderly.

Background: As we have previously proposed redefining elderly from "65 years and over" to "75 and over" in Japan, many elderly Japanese now keep working beyond the traditional retirement age, around 60-65 years of age, in this rapidly aging society. It is important to assess the influence of working status on health and health-care utilization among elderly Japanese.

Methods: We evaluated a random sample of community-dwelling Japanese elderly, aged 55-74 years.

Prospective health diary study for new onset chest symptoms in the Japanese general population.

Objectives: Our aim was to analyze the incidence of new onset chest symptoms for the period of a month and to evaluate the possible association of these chest symptoms with demographic, socioeconomic or clinical characteristics.

Design: Prospective observational cohort study using a self-reported health diary among subjects without baseline chest diseases.

Setting: A nationally representative sample of households in Japan.

Health locus of control and use of conventional and alternative care: a cohort study.

Background: Health locus of control influences health-related behaviour, but its association with healthcare use is unclear.

Aim: To investigate the association between individuals' health locus of control and the use of conventional and alternative health care.

Design Of Study: Prospective cohort study.

Musculoskeletal pain in Japan: prospective health diary study.

The objective of this study was to understand musculoskeletal pain events and the use of health care services, including complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in Japan. We conducted a prospective cohort study for a 1-month period using a health diary in a random sample of adults. Of the 2,226 adults, 1,065 (48%) reported new musculoskeletal pain events.

Gastrointestinal symptoms in a Japanese population: a health diary study.

Aim: To investigate the incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms and the nature of consequent utilization of health care services in a Japanese population.

Methods: Using self-report, we conducted a prospective cohort study of a nationally representative sample of the Japanese population over a one-month period to determine the incidence of gastrointestinal symptoms of all kinds and resultant health care utilization. Both information on visits to physicians and use of complementary and alternative medicine therapies were collected.