Shinobu Tsurugano

Association of the metabolic syndrome with depression and anxiety in Japanese men: a 1-year cohort study.

Recent studies on the association between the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and depression have reported conflicting findings. This 1‐year cohort study aims to evaluate the association of MetS with the development of both depression and anxiety.

Job Stress and Mental Health of Permanent and Fixed-term Workers Measured by Effort-reward Imbalance Model, Depressive Complaints, and Clinic Utilization

Job Stress and Mental Health of Permanent and Fixed‐term Workers Measured by Effort‐reward Imbalance Model, Depressive Complaints, and Clinic Utilization: Mariko Inoue, et al. Department of Hygiene and Public Health, School of Medicine, Teikyo University—

Job stress and healthy behavior among male Japanese office workers.

BACKGROUND Lifestyle modification in healthy workers is challenging. We aim to investigate associations between job stress and healthy behavior change among workers. METHODS This cross-sectional study investigated 1,183 Japanese male white-collar workers in 2008 during health checkups for Metabolic Syndrome. Healthy behavior included either a calorie-focused diet or regular exercise. Job stress was measured by Job Content Questionnaire based on the job demands-control model and tension-anxiety and anger-hostility scales on the Profile of Mood States. RESULTS Healthy behaviors were confirmed in 54% of study subjects. Multivariate logistic model showed that healthy behaviors were positively associated with a higher degree of work control and negatively associated with greater work demand. Work control and support were negatively correlated with tension-anxiety and depression, whereas work demand and strain were positively correlated with these two emotion domains (all Ps < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS It is suggested that addressing job stress is of clinical importance to promote healthy behaviors.

Determinants of changes in income-related health inequalities among working-age adults in Japan, 1986-2007: Time-trend study

This study aimed to quantify the contributions of the factors that have influenced changes in income-related health inequalities. We used data from a nationally representative sample of Japanese men and women aged 20-59 years who participated in eight repeated cross-sectional surveys between 1986 and 2007. A concentration index (CI) was used to measure income-related inequalities in self-rated health (SRH) and decomposed into contributing factors. We then examined temporal changes in CIs and their contributing factors. Results showed that income-related inequalities in SRH, unfavourable to low-income groups, persisted throughout the study period. Despite widening income inequalities, inequalities in SRH narrowed during the period of economic stagnation since the late 1990s because of the profound deterioration in SRH among middle- to high-income groups. Decomposition analysis showed that income itself and unemployment or economic inactivity were the most important contributors to inequalities in SRH for both sexes at almost all time points. However, from 1986 to 2007, the relative contribution of income to these inequalities decreased from 78% to 14% in men and from 85% to 38% in women. By contrast, the relative contribution of unemployment or economic inactivity increased from 18% to 77% in men and from 10% to 31% in women. Our results suggest that a reduction in avoidable health inequalities could be achieved by reducing the influence of unemployment or economic inactivity on health.

Effort-reward imbalance and its association with health among permanent and fixed-term workers.

BackgroundIn the past decade, the changing labor market seems to have rejected the traditional standards employment and has begun to support a variety of non-standard forms of work in their place. The purpose of our study was to compare the degree of job stress, sources of job stress, and association of high job stress with health among permanent and fixed-term workers.MethodsOur study subjects were 709 male workers aged 30 to 49 years in a suburb of Tokyo, Japan. In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional study to compare job stress using an effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model questionnaire. Lifestyles, subjective symptoms, and body mass index were also observed from the 2008 health check-up data.ResultsThe rate of job stress of the high-risk group measured by ERI questionnaire was not different between permanent and fixed-term workers. However, the content of the ERI components differed. Permanent workers were distressed more by effort, overwork, or job demand, while fixed-term workers were distressed more by their job insecurity. Moreover, higher ERI was associated with existence of subjective symptoms (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.42-3.03) and obesity (OR = 2.84, 95% CI:1.78-4.53) in fixed-term workers while this tendency was not found in permanent workers.ConclusionsOur study showed that workers with different employment types, permanent and fixed-term, have dissimilar sources of job stress even though their degree of job stress seems to be the same. High ERI was associated with existing subjective symptoms and obesity in fixed-term workers. Therefore, understanding different sources of job stress and their association with health among permanent and fixed-term workers should be considered to prevent further health problems.

The possible absence of a healthy-worker effect: a cross-sectional survey among educated Japanese women

Objectives Despite being highly educated in comparison with women in other member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Japanese women are expected to assume traditional gender roles, and many dedicate themselves to full-time housewifery. Women working outside the home do so under poor conditions, and their health may not be better than that of housewives. This study compared the self-rated health status and health behaviours of housewives and working women in Japan. Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting A national university in Tokyo with 9864 alumnae. Participants A total 1344 women who graduated since 1985 and completed questionnaires in an anonymous mail-based survey. Primary and secondary outcome measures Health anxiety and satisfaction, receipt of health check-ups, eating breakfast, smoking, and sleep problems according to job status and family demands: housewives (n=247) and working women with (n=624) and without (n=436) family demands. ORs were used for risk assessment, with housewives as a reference. Results After adjustment for satisfaction with present employment status and other confounding factors, working women were more likely than housewives to feel health anxiety (with family demands, OR: 1.68, 95% CI1.10 to 2.57; without family demands, OR: 3.57, 95% CI 2.19 to 4.50) and health dissatisfaction (without family demands, OR: 3.50, 95% CI 2.35 to 5.21); they were also more likely than housewives to eat an insufficient breakfast (with family demands, OR: 1.91, 95% CI 1.22 to 3.00; without family demands, OR: 4.02, 95% CI 2.47 to 6.57) and to have sleep problems (ORs: 2.08 to 4.03). Conclusions No healthy-worker effect was found among Japanese women. Housewives, at least those who are well educated, appear to have better health status and health-related behaviours than do working women with the same level of education.

Full-time workers with precarious employment face lower protection for receiving annual health check-ups

BACKGROUND Precarious employment is one of the social determinants of health. In 2010, 34.4% of Japanese workers fell into this employment category. The purpose of our study was to assess whether the use of annual health check-ups varied by worker contract type. METHODS Using 2007 nationally representative survey data, we compared the annual health check-up compliance of permanently employed full-time workers versus that of precariously employed workers (hourly, dispatched, and fixed-term workers). RESULTS Dispatched workers and hourly workers received health check-ups less often compared with permanent workers. Hourly young male workers received health check-ups five times less frequently than permanent workers. The percentage of workers who consulted a physician after receiving advice to do so did not differ by employment types, except in older men. CONCLUSIONS In Japan, workers with precarious employment, most notably hourly and dispatched workers, had a lower rate of health check-ups compared with full-time workers in permanent positions.