The association between experience of COVID-19-related discrimination and psychological distress among healthcare workers for six national medical research centers in Japan.

Background: Discrimination is an important determinant of negative mental health outcomes. This study determined the association between the experience of COVID-19-related discrimination and psychological distress among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Japan.

Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted a health survey among 5703 HCWs of six national medical and research centers in Japan from October 2020 to March 2021.

[Text-mining of children's answers to national web-survey questions on parental status during COVID-19].

Objectives　Behavior at school has been restricted due to infection control during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to clarify children's opinions by examining the structure of their text responses to open-ended web survey questions, as well as how they differed to the psychological and socio-economic status of their parents.Method　From September to October 2020, approximately six months after the temporary closure of schools in Japan due to COVID-19, 2,111 respondents (elementary, junior high, and high school students) answered a questionnaire on "The third wave of CORONA-CODOMO project" website.

COVID-19 vaccine literacy and vaccine hesitancy among pregnant women and mothers of young children in Japan.

Background: Delays in the spread of vaccination have been recognized as an urgent public health issue in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine literacy (VL) is a critical determinant of vaccine uptake; however, little is known about VL among pregnant women and mothers of young children.

Methods: We analyzed data from a nationwide, cross-sectional internet survey in Japan on VL and vaccine hesitancy, conducted with 1,639 pregnant women and 5,688 mothers of young children who had given birth after July 2019, between July 24 and August 30, 2021.

Japanese school children's intake of selected food groups and meal quality due to differences in guardian's literacy of meal preparation for children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, a state of emergency (SOE) was enforced by the Japanese government, which included temporary school closures with the aim of overcoming COVID-19 spread, which prevented access to school lunches. We evaluated the relationship between meal quality and guardians' literacy of meal preparation for a nationally representative sample of 1107 Japanese schoolchildren (aged 10-14 years) before, during, and after the SOE on the basis of 7 questions scored using a 5-point Likert scale. The guardians' literacy of meal preparation for children was divided into quartiles, with Q1 and Q4 including participants with the lowest and highest scores on food literacy, respectively.

Emotional Exhaustion of Burnout Among Medical Staff and Its Association With Mindfulness and Social Support: A Single Center Study During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan.

Background: Although higher rates of burnout have been reported during the COVID-19 pandemic, the contribution of the modifiable factors is lesser-known. We investigated how the risk of emotional exhaustion was associated with mindfulness skills and social support in a single medical center in Japan.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional web survey on mental health for all staff of a national medical hospital from February to March 2021.

Children's daily lives and well-being: Findings from the CORONA-CODOMO survey 1st wave.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has changed people's lives dramatically. Few data on the acute effects of the pandemic on children's daily lives and well-being have been published to date. This study aimed to capture its effects on Japanese children during the first peak of the outbreak.

Depressive symptoms, anxiety, and quality of life of Japanese women at initiation of ART treatment.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment accounted for 6% of total births in 2017 and is increasing which places Japan among the top worldwide in number of treatments performed. Although ART treatment patients often experience heavy physical and psychological burden, few epidemiologic studies have been conducted in Japan. We examined mental health and health-related quality of life (QOL) among women at early stages of treatment.

[Effectiveness of an educational video about infant crying on prevention of shaken baby syndrome among pregnant Japanese women and their partners].

Objectives　Previous studies have shown that educating new mothers or pregnant women about infant crying, may prevent shaken baby syndrome (SBS). However, no studies in Japan have examined the effectiveness of educational materials during pregnancy. This study aims to determine whether pregnant women and their partners improve their knowledge about infant crying and SBS, after watching an educational video created by the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare.

Psychological distress and living conditions among Japanese single-mothers with preschool-age children: An analysis of 2016 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions.

Background: The early life period provides a critical foundation for child health and development, and mothers exert great influence as primary caregivers. Previous studies have shown that single-motherhood is associated with negative child outcomes. In Japan, few studies have addressed the situation faced by single-mothers with young children, such as living conditions and mental health issues.

Age-Dependent and Seasonal Changes in Menstrual Cycle Length and Body Temperature Based on Big Data.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of age and season on menstrual cycle length and basal body temperature (BBT). We also examined the effects of climate on cycle length and BBT, taking into account Japanese geographic and social characteristics.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from 6 million menstrual cycles entered into a smartphone application from 310,000 females from 2016 to 2017.

Association of Infertility Treatment with Perception of Infant Crying, Bonding Impairment and Abusive Behavior towards One's Infant: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis.

Background: Although previous qualitative studies suggested the link between infertility treatment and negative emotions towards infants, few empirical population-based studies have investigated the association of infertility treatment with the perception of infant crying, bonding impairment, and abusive behavior towards one's infant.

Methods: Women who participated in a four month health-checkup program in Aichi Prefecture, Japan ( = 6590) were asked to a complete a questionnaire that included infertility treatment history, perception of infant crying, maternal-infant bonding impairment assessed by the Mother to Infant Bonding Scale Japanese version, and abusive behavior towards one's infant. Outcomes were dichotomized, and a conditional logistic regression was applied, using the propensity score match for infertility treatment exposure adjusted for known covariates.

Effectiveness of an Educational Video in Maternity Wards to Prevent Self-Reported Shaking and Smothering during the First Week of Age: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to investigate whether watching an educational video on infant crying and the dangers of shaking and smothering within 1 week after delivery at maternity wards reduces self-reported shaking and smothering, at a 1-month health checkup. A cluster randomized controlled trial, stratified by area and hospital function, was employed in 45 obstetrics hospitals/clinics in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. In the intervention group, mothers watched an educational video on infant crying and the dangers of shaking and smothering an infant, within 1 week of age, during hospitalization at maternity wards, without blinding on group allocation.

Effectiveness of using an educational video simulating the anatomical mechanism of shaking and smothering in a home-visit program to prevent self-reported infant abuse: A population-based quasi-experimental study in Japan.

Background: A video that simulates the anatomical mechanism of shaking the infant head, which may have a stronger impact on the viewer, and a tool to prevent self-reported smothering in response to crying, has never been investigated.

Objective: To investigate whether watching an educational video at home visit at 2 months postpartum on infant crying and the dangers of shaking and smothering reduces self-reported shaking and smothering behaviors at 4 months postpartum.

Method: In a quasi-experimental study in A city in Japan, the video intervention was implemented at home visits by a midwife, public health nurse or trained volunteers when babies were 2 months old.

[Effectiveness of an educational video on infant crying for prevention of shaken baby syndrome among Japanese caregivers of infants].

Objectives　Spreading awareness of shaken baby syndrome is considered to be essential in the prevention of infant deaths resulting from abuse. This study aimed to determine whether an educational video on infant crying, developed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, was effective at increasing knowledge of infant crying and shaking among Japanese caregivers of infants aged under 1 year.Methods　We targeted caregivers who had infants aged under 1 year for intervention through health checkups and home visits in 29 municipalities across Japan from April 2013 to March 2014.

Municipality-Level Checklist to Promote Parental Behaviors Related to Prevention of Unintentional Injury in Young Children: A Multilevel Analysis of National Data.

Background: Unintentional injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among young children in developed countries. In this national study, we examined the role of municipality-level safety checklist implementation for reducing risky child-safety-related parental behaviors.

Methods: Nationwide data were collected to evaluate the impact of the Healthy Parents and Children 21 initiative of the Japanese government.

Chemicals, Nutrition, and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mini-Review.

The rapid increase of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) suggests that exposure to chemicals may impact the development of ASD. Therefore, we reviewed literature on the following chemicals, nutrient to investigate their association with ASD: (1) smoke/tobacco, (2) alcohol, (3) air pollution, (4) pesticides, (5) endocrine-disrupting chemicals, (6) heavy metals, (7) micronutrients, (8) fatty acid, and (9) parental obesity as a proxy of accumulation of specific chemicals or nutritional status. Several chemical exposures such as air pollution (e.