COVID-19 workplace countermeasures that occupational physicians could not change in Japan: a qualitative study.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, information and circumstances changed from moment to moment, including the accumulation of scientific knowledge, the emergence of variants, social tolerance, and government policy. Therefore, it was important to adapt workplace countermeasures punctually and flexibly based on scientific evidence and according to circumstances. However, there has been no assessment of changes in workplace countermeasures.

Optimizing Radiation Protection in PET/CT Examinations: Reducing Occupational Exposure During Patient Positioning.

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the occupational radiation exposure of healthcare workers during positron emission tomography (PET)/CT examinations, focusing on patient positioning and assessing the effectiveness of different radiation protection measures. Methods Thirteen medical workers (physicians, radiological technologists, and nurses) performed PET/CT examinations on 86 patients at a major Japanese hospital from June to August 2019. Occupational doses were measured using a real-time semiconductor dosimeter: RaySafe i2 (Unfors RaySafe, Billdal, Sweden), recording the 1 cm dose equivalent (Hp(10)).

Effect of Annual Leave Days on Presenteeism - a Cohort Study in Employees of a Japanese Corporate Group.

Objective: This study investigated the association between leave use and improvement of work functioning impairment affecting presenteeism.

Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted among 5,752 employees in a single corporate group in Japan to analyze the number of days of leave taken over a one-year period and changes in work functioning impairment.

Results: As the number of leave days increased, work functioning impairment improved significantly.

Self-reported symptoms or activity limitations and job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.

Background: Previous studies have reported the impact of a diagnosed disease or self-perceived poor overall health on job loss. However, evidence is lacking on which self-reported symptoms or activity limitations are related to job loss, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Aims: We investigated whether self-reported symptoms or activity limitations were correlated with the occurrence of job loss within 1 year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dietary Differences by Job Type and Industry Among Workers in Japan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced people to change their lifestyles. We examined dietary differences by job type and industry among workers during the pandemic. This cross-sectional study was conducted using data an internet survey.

[Allergy and immunotoxicology in preventive and clinical medicine from theory to practice: Environmental factors in Bronchial Asthma].

Background: According to the gene-environment interactions (GEi) concept, the mechanism of health impairment can be explained by genetic factors, environmental factors, or their interaction. Physical and mental health effects resulting from environmental exposure may be classified either as toxicity, immune response, and allergic reaction. Moreover, despite the already established therapeutic approaches to bronchial asthma and decreasing mortality due to bronchial asthma, patients with difficult and severe asthma are increasing in number.

Associations of maternal urinary nitrophenol concentrations with adverse birth outcomes and neurodevelopment delay at 4 years of age: The Japan environment and children's study.

Maternal urinary nitrophenol concentrations are reportedly associated with preterm birth and foetal/offspring development delay, but the evidence is still inconclusive. We investigated the association between maternal urinary concentrations of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) and 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (3M4NP) and adverse birth outcomes, as well as offspring neurodevelopment delay, defined using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires at 4 years of age, stratified by offspring sex. A total of 3650 non-hypertensive mothers with singleton births were enrolled from the Japan Environment and Children's Study.

Relationship between anemia and occupational fall injuries in female part-time employees: an observational study of large supermarket stores in Japan.

Objectives: Occupational fall injuries have recently increased markedly in Japan, together with an increase in later-middle-aged females in the labor market. However, the association between anemia, which is prevalent among Japanese females, and falls is unclear. Here, we investigated the association between anemia and occupational fall injuries.

Frailty is a risk factor for occupational falls among older workers: an internet-based prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Occupational falls are a significant concern among older workers. Although recent cross-sectional studies have indicated a potential association between frailty and occupational falls among older workers, the causal relationship remains unclear. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate whether frailty is a risk factor for occupational falls among older workers using a longitudinal design.

[How smokers perceive pictorial and non-pictorial health warnings on cigarette packages: An online survey].

Objectives　This study aimed to evaluate Japanese smokers' perceptions of health warnings on tobacco packaging by comparing text-only and pictorial warnings.Methods　Data were sourced from the Japan Society and New Tobacco Internet Survey (JASTIS), an online, self-reported study conducted in February and March 2020. Participants included current smokers aged 15-74 years in Japan (n＝2,372).

Association of psychosocial factors at work with fertility and menstrual disorders: A systematic review.

Objectives: This systematic review aimed to assess the association between psychosocial factors in the workplace and menstrual abnormalities or fertility, focusing on literature implementing a prospective cohort design.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, and Japan Medical Abstracts Society electronic databases for studies published from inception to February 26, 2020, and updated the search in PubMed on May 29, 2024. Inclusion criteria were (P) adult female workers (over 18 years old), (E) presence of adverse psychosocial factors at work, (C) absence of adverse psychosocial factors at work, and (O) any menstrual cycle disorders, menstrual-related symptoms, or fertility issues.

Relationship between satisfaction with life and work and work functioning impairment among Japanese animators.

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between presenteeism and the level of satisfaction with the work environment in the anime industry. Data from the Animation Producers Survey 2023 were analyzed. A total of 366 laborers were included in this study.

Investigating the link between temperamental and motor development: a longitudinal study of infants aged 6-42 months.

Background: Since the 1920s, motor development has been a strong research theme, focusing on infants' acquisition of motor skills, such as turning over and crawling. In the 1980s, a dynamic systems approach began emphasizing children's own motivation, which helped explain individual differences in the emergence of motor skills. However, few studies have examined factors contributing to individual differences in early motor development.

Research topics in occupational medicine, 1990-2022: A text-mining-applied bibliometric study.

Objective: Occupational health has been influenced by societal and industrial changes. This study aimed to clarify topic trends in occupational health research in 1990-2022.

Methods: We conducted a text-mining-adjusted bibliometric study using research titles in occupational health.