Intention to work among outpatients with malignant neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.

Objectives: Employment support for working age people with disease is important. We investigated the intention to work among outpatients with malignant neoplasms, ischemic heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease.

Methods: We used anonymous data from the 2007, 2010, and 2013 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan, a self-administered nationwide questionnaire survey.

Association between serum carotenoids and premature mortality in a population-based case-control study.

Carotenoids are abundant pigments mainly contained in vegetables and fruits, and show antioxidant properties by quenching free radicals in human body. Few studies have investigated associations between serum carotenoid levels and premature mortality. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between serum carotenoid level and premature mortality in a Japanese population.

Impact of musculoskeletal disorders on healthy life expectancy in Japan.

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are a key cause of morbidity in elderly people. How musculoskeletal disorders relate to healthy life expectancy remain elusive. Hence, we aimed to estimate gains in healthy life expectancy from the elimination of musculoskeletal diseases and injuries by using recent national health statistics data in Japan.

Circulating miR-21, miR-29a, and miR-126 are associated with premature death risk due to cancer and cardiovascular disease: the JACC Study.

Primary prevention of premature death is a public health concern worldwide. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been described as potential diagnostic biomarkers for diseases as cancer and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This case-cohort study aimed to investigate the potential relationship between circulating miRNAs and the risk of premature death.

Association between dietary inflammatory index and serum C-reactive protein concentrations in the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study.

Diet plays an important role in the regulation of chronic inflammation, which is linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and several cancers. The dietary inflammatory index (DII) was developed to estimate the inflammatory potential of an individual's diet. We examined the association between DII scores and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations using the baseline data from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study (JACC Study).

Estimating nationwide cases of sexually transmitted diseases in 2015 from sentinel surveillance data in Japan.

Background: The rates of newly diagnosed cases of sexually transmitted diseases, including genital chlamydial infection and gonorrhea, are important for prevention and control of these diseases. However, nationwide rates are not reported in Japan.

Methods: We used the number of cases of sexually transmitted diseases reported by nationwide sentinel surveillance in 2015, together with the number of all disease outpatients in September 2014 at all medical institutions, drawn from the Survey of Medical Institutions of Japan.

Comparison of standardised mortality ratios for renal failure before and after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: an analysis of national vital statistics.

Objective: The impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake on renal failure (RF) risk remains unclear. We examined the 1-year impact of this disaster on RF mortality.

Setting: This ecological study focused on the year before and after the earthquake.

Associations of occupation, employment type and company size with actions related to health examinations among Japanese employees.

Taking action in response to health examination results is important to stay healthy. We aimed to investigate the associations between occupation, employment type and company size, and having a health examination and taking action in response to the results among Japanese employees. We focused on three particular actions by employees in response to health examination results: paying attention to one's health, receiving health guidance, and visiting a medical institution.

[Changes in the average interval since last visit and the number of repeat outpatients in the Patient Survey of Japan].

Objectives　The Patient Survey provides basic information on disease and injury statistics of patients in Japan, and an estimation of the number of patients by disease and injury can be made using this survey. In this survey, the number of outpatients with repeat visits affects the survey results. The average interval since last visit (AILV) and a correction factor are used to estimate the number of repeat outpatients.

Clinical Improvement by Switching to an Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitor in Hemophiliac Patients with HIV: The Japan Cohort Study of HIV Patients Infected through Blood Products.

Objective: This study aimed to determine improvement in HIV RNA levels and the CD4 cell count by switching to an antiretroviral regimen with an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) in patients with HIV.

Method: This study was conducted on Japanese patients with HIV who were infected by blood products in the 1980s. Data were collected between 2007 and 2014.

Characteristics of pneumonia deaths after an earthquake and tsunami: an ecological study of 5.7 million participants in 131 municipalities, Japan.

Objective: On 11 March 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck off Japan. Although some studies showed that the earthquake increased the risk of pneumonia death, no study reported whether and how much a tsunami increased the risk. We examined the risk for pneumonia death after the earthquake/tsunami.

Estimated Number of Patients with Influenza A(H1)pdm09, or Other Viral Types, from 2010 to 2014 in Japan.

Infectious disease surveillance systems provide information crucial for protecting populations from influenza epidemics. However, few have reported the nationwide number of patients with influenza-like illness (ILI), detailing virological type. Using data from the infectious disease surveillance system in Japan, we estimated the weekly number of ILI cases by virological type, including pandemic influenza (A(H1)pdm09) and seasonal-type influenza (A(H3) and B) over a four-year period (week 36 of 2010 to week 18 of 2014).

Effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on Secondary Sex Ratio and Perinatal Outcomes.

Background: The effect of natural disasters on secondary sex ratio (SSR) and perinatal outcomes has been suggested. This study aimed to examine effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake on perinatal outcomes using vital statistics of Japan.

Methods: Birth registration data from vital statistics of Japan between March 2010 and March 2012 were used.

Long-term impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on functional disability among older people: A 3-year longitudinal comparison of disability prevalence among Japanese municipalities.

It has been unclear whether the prevalence of disability is higher in an area affected by natural disaster than in other areas even if more than one year has passed since the disaster. The aim of this ecological study was to examine whether the rate of increase in disability prevalence among the older population was higher in disaster-stricken areas during the 3 years after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and tsunami. This analysis used public Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) data covering 1570 municipalities.

[Prediction of future cost savings in long-term care and medical care if Japan achieves the health expectancy target of Health Japan 21 (second term)].

Objectives: An earlier study using the data from the Japanese Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) system reported a scenario for achieving the target of Health Japan 21 (the second term): future gains in health expectancy from 2011 to 2020 must be larger than gains in expectancy. According to this scenario (the Healthy Life Expectancy Extension Scenario), the proportion of disability (cases≥Care Level 2 in LTCI disability certification) will gradually decrease by 1% per year from 2011. The purpose of this study was to estimate the cost savings in long-term care and medical care if the Healthy Life Expectancy Extension Scenario is achieved.

Characteristics of geographical spread and temporal accumulation of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) epidemic in Japan Based on National Surveillance Data.

This study aimed to describe the geographical spread and temporal accumulation of cases during the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) epidemic in Japan. Using a method adopted by the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases (NESID) to identify epidemics, we described the frequency and temporal change of the 2009 influenza A (H1N1) epidemic among designated public health center areas in Japan. We calculated the proportion of public health center areas with an epidemic by week from 1999 to 2010.

Coffee consumption and risk of colorectal cancer: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have reported coffee consumption to be associated with various health conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of coffee consumption with colorectal cancer incidence in a large-scale prospective cohort study in Japan.

Methods: We used data from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC Study).

Low intake of vegetables and fruits and risk of colorectal cancer: the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study.

Background: The evidence for an association between low intake of vegetables and fruits and increased colorectal cancer risk is inconclusive. Evaluating the colorectal cancer risk associated with continued low intake is important.

Methods: We used data of 45 516 and 14 549 subjects aged 40-79 years obtained in the baseline and interim surveys, respectively, from the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC Study).

Number of sentinel medical institutions needed for estimating prefectural incidence in influenza surveillance in Japan.

Background: The sentinel surveillance system in Japan provides estimates of nationwide influenza incidence. Although prefectural influenza incidences can be estimated using data from the current surveillance system, such estimates may be imprecise.

Methods: We calculated the numbers of sentinel medical institutions (SMIs) needed in the surveillance system to estimate influenza incidences in prefectures, under the assumption that the standard error rates in 75% of influenza epidemic cases are less than 10%.

Impact of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on functional disability among older people: a longitudinal comparison of disability prevalence among Japanese municipalities.

Objective: To examine the hypothesis that disability prevalence has increased to a greater degree in the areas severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami of 11 March 2011 than in other areas.

Methods: Longitudinal analysis using public statistics data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan. The analysis included 1549 municipalities covered by the Long-term Care Insurance (LTCI) system.

[Future prediction of health expectancy considering the target of Health Japan 21 (the second term)].

Objectives: We attempted to predict health expectancy in Japan for the period between 2011 and 2020, considering the target of Health Japan 21 (the second term) that future gains in health expectancy be larger than in life expectancy.

Methods: We used data from Japanese national statistics. Health expectancy between 2011 and 2020 was predicted using the Sullivan method under the assumption that future mortality was equal to the estimate in Population Projections for Japan (January 2012), and under three scenarios of future prevalence of bad health status.

Impact of obesity, overweight and underweight on life expectancy and lifetime medical expenditures: the Ohsaki Cohort Study.

Objectives: People who are obese have higher demands for medical care than those of the normal weight people. However, in view of their shorter life expectancy, it is unclear whether obese people have higher lifetime medical expenditure. We examined the association between body mass index, life expectancy and lifetime medical expenditure.

Trends in life expectancy with care needs based on long-term care insurance data in Japan.

Background: Using a previously developed method for calculating expected years of life with care needs based on data from the Japanese long-term care insurance system, we examined recent trends in expected years of life with care needs by age group and prefecture.

Methods: Information on care needs was available from the long-term care insurance system of Japan. Expected years of life with care needs by age group and prefecture in 2005-2009 were calculated.