Takashi Tatsuse

Social class differences in health behaviours among employees from Britain, Finland and Japan: The influence of psychosocial factors

This study aims to examine social class differences in smoking, heavy drinking, unhealthy food habits, physical inactivity and obesity, and work-related psychosocial factors as explanations for these differences. This is done by comparing employee cohorts from Britain, Finland and Japan. Social class differences in health behaviours are found in the two western European countries, but not in Japan. The studied psychosocial factors related to work, work-family interface and social relationships did not explain the found class differences in health behaviours.

Explaining global job satisfaction by facets of job satisfaction: the Japanese civil servants study

ObjectivesManagement of job satisfaction is of growing importance in terms of the maintenance of employees’ health. This study aimed to evaluate which and to what extent facets of job satisfaction contributed to global job satisfaction.MethodsThe participants were 4286 employees aged 18–69 years working in local government in Japan. A questionnaire survey was conducted in 1998–1999. Seven facets of job satisfaction were evaluated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate which facets of job satisfaction contributed to global job satisfaction.ResultsFor all employees, all of the facets of job satisfaction significantly contributed to global job satisfaction. Among the facets of job satisfaction, ‘being satisfied with interests and skills involved in work’ and ‘how abilities were used’ contributed more strongly to global satisfaction than ‘being satisfied with how the section is running’, ‘co-workers’, ‘work prospects’, ‘physical working conditions’ and ‘payment’. The differing associations of facets of job satisfaction with global job satisfaction did not change substantially in stratified analysis by occupation, with one exception that only three facets of job satisfaction contributed to global job satisfaction in administrative workers.ConclusionJob satisfaction related to the intrinsic aspects of the job (i.e., ‘interests and skills involved in work’ and ‘how abilities were used’) contributed more to global job satisfaction than the other aspects of job satisfaction. Longitudinal research in employees with various occupations may be needed to confirm the results of this study.

Occupational Class Differences in Body Mass Index and Weight Gain in Japan and Finland

Background Occupational class differences in body mass index (BMI) have been systematically reported in developed countries, but the studies have mainly focused on white populations consuming a Westernized diet. We compared occupational class differences in BMI and BMI change in Japan and Finland. Methods The baseline surveys were conducted during 1998–1999 among Japanese (n = 4080) and during 2000–2002 among Finnish (n = 8685) public-sector employees. Follow-up surveys were conducted among those still employed, in 2003 (n = 3213) and 2007 (n = 7086), respectively. Occupational class and various explanatory factors were surveyed in the baseline questionnaires. Linear regression models were used for data analysis. Results BMI was higher at baseline and BMI gain was more rapid in Finland than in Japan. In Finland, baseline BMI was lowest among men and women in the highest occupational class and progressively increased to the lowest occupational class; no gradient was found in Japan (country interaction effect, P = 0.020 for men and P < 0.0001 for women). Adjustment for confounding factors reflecting work conditions and health behavior increased the occupational class gradient among Finnish men and women, whereas factors related to social life had no effect. No statistically significant difference in BMI gain was found between occupational classes. Conclusions The occupational class gradient in BMI was strong among Finnish employees but absent among Japanese employees. This suggests that occupational class inequalities in obesity are not inevitable, even in high-income societies.

Changes Over Time in Absolute and Relative Socioeconomic Differences in Smoking: A Comparison of Cohort Studies From Britain, Finland, and Japan.

INTRODUCTION Socioeconomic differences in smoking over time and across national contexts are poorly understood. We assessed the magnitude of relative and absolute social class differences in smoking in cohorts from Britain, Finland, and Japan over 5-7 years. METHODS The British Whitehall II study (n = 4350), Finnish Helsinki Health Study (n = 6328), and Japanese Civil Servants Study (n = 1993) all included employed men and women aged 35-68 at baseline in 1997-2002. Follow-up was in 2003-2007 (mean follow-up 5.1, 6.5, and 3.6 years, respectively). Occupational social class (managers, professionals and clerical employees) was measured at baseline. Current smoking and covariates (age, marital status, body mass index, and self-rated health) were measured at baseline and follow-up. We assessed relative social class differences using the Relative Index of Inequality and absolute differences using the Slope Index of Inequality. RESULTS Social class differences in smoking were found in Britain and Finland, but not in Japan. Age-adjusted relative differences at baseline ranged from Relative Index of Inequality 3.08 (95% confidence interval 1.99-4.78) among Finnish men to 2.32 (1.24-4.32) among British women, with differences at follow-up greater by 8%-58%. Absolute differences remained stable and varied from Slope Index of Inequality 0.27 (0.15-0.40) among Finnish men to 0.10 (0.03-0.16) among British women. Further adjustment for covariates had modest effects on inequality indices. CONCLUSIONS Large social class differences in smoking persisted among British and Finnish men and women, with widening tendencies in relative differences over time. No differences could be confirmed among Japanese men or women. IMPLICATIONS Changes over time in social class differences in smoking are poorly understood across countries. Our study focused on employees from Britain, Finland and Japan, and found relative and absolute and class differences among British and Finnish men and women. Key covariates had modest effects on the differences. Relative differences tended to widen over the 4- to 7-year follow-up, whereas absolute differences remained stable. In contrast, class differences in smoking among Japanese men or women were not found. Britain and Finland are at the late stage of the smoking epidemic model, whereas Japan may not follow the same model.

Leisure time physical activity and subsequent physical and mental health functioning among midlife Finnish, British and Japanese employees: a follow-up study in three occupational cohorts

Objectives The aim of this study was to examine whether leisure time physical activity contributes to subsequent physical and mental health functioning among midlife employees. The associations were tested in three occupational cohorts from Finland, Britain and Japan. Design Cohort study. Setting Finland, Britain and Japan. Participants Prospective employee cohorts from the Finnish Helsinki Health Study (2000–2002 and 2007, n=5958), British Whitehall II study (1997–1999 and 2003–2004, n=4142) and Japanese Civil Servants Study (1998–1999 and 2003, n=1768) were used. Leisure time physical activity was classified into three groups: inactive, moderately active and vigorously active. Primary outcome measure Mean scores of physical and mental health functioning (SF-36) at follow-up were examined. Results Physical activity was associated with better subsequent physical health functioning in all three cohorts, however, with varying magnitude and some gender differences. Differences were the clearest among Finnish women (inactive: 46.0, vigorously active: 49.5) and men (inactive: 47.8, active vigorous: 51.1) and British women (inactive: 47.3, active vigorous: 50.4). In mental health functioning, the differences were generally smaller and not that clearly related to the intensity of physical activity. Emerging differences in health functioning were relatively small. Conclusions Vigorous physical activity was associated with better subsequent physical health functioning in all three cohorts with varying magnitude. For mental health functioning, the intensity of physical activity was less important. Promoting leisure time physical activity may prove useful for the maintenance of health functioning among midlife employees.

Outdoor physical activity and its relation with self-reported health in Japanese children: results from the Toyama birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND Few studies have examined trends in engagement in outdoor physical activity as children grow and whether changes in physical activity at different ages affect childrens health. This study determined the preference for and frequency of physical activity among Japanese children from ages 6 to 12 years and investigated the effect of physical activity and of change in physical activity on childrens self-reported health. METHODS Data were from the prospective, longitudinal Toyama Birth Cohort Study, a total of 5238 children were followed at their age of 12 years. Preference for and frequency of outdoor physical activity were from the self-administered questionnaire. Self-reported health was from the Japanese version of Dartmouth Primary Care Co-operative project charts. RESULTS Reporting liking and participating in outdoor physical activity at both ages 6 and 12 years were associated with higher likelihood of good self-reported health (Odds ratio 1.24 [95% CI: 1.03-1.50] for liking activity and OR = 1.27[1.08, 1.50] for participating in activity) compared with those who did not like or participate in this at only one or at neither age, after adjustment for lifestyle factors and body pain. The adjusted OR was 1.23 (95% CI: 0.97-1.56) for girls whose preference for liking outdoor physical activity was not changed at both ages compared with those whose preference changed. The OR was 1.47 (95% CI: 1.14-1.89) for boys who persisted in participating in the outdoor physical activity than those who did not persist. CONCLUSIONS There is an association between a persistent expression of liking outdoor physical activity and self- reported health.

U-shaped associations between time in bed and the physical and mental functioning of Japanese civil servants: The roles of work, family, behavioral and sleep quality characteristics

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate (i) whether work, family, behavioral and sleep quality characteristics differ among individuals with different time in bed (TIB), and (ii) whether and how much the U-shaped associations between TIB and health can be explained by these characteristics. METHODS Participants were 3510 employees (2371 males and 1139 females) aged 20-65 years working in local government in Japan. They completed a questionnaire regarding work, family, and behavioral characteristics. Sleep quality and physical and mental functioning were evaluated using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Short Form 36. RESULTS High job demands, long work hours, and high work-family conflict were more prevalent among those with short TIB. Those with long TIB had daily drinking habits. Whereas those with short TIB had poor sleep, mainly due to poor subjective sleep quality and daytime dysfunction, those with long TIB had poor sleep, mainly due to long sleep latency, poor sleep efficiency and sleep disturbances. The U-shaped associations between TIB and poor physical and mental health, with the best health observed in those spending ~8 h in bed, weakened considerably after adjustment for sleep quality, followed by work and family characteristics. After adjusting for behavioral characteristics and long-standing illnesses, the associations hardly changed. CONCLUSIONS The U-shaped associations between TIB and health may be explained by U-shaped associations between TIB and poor sleep and psychosocial stress in work and family life.

Sex differences in factors contributing to family-to-work and work-to-family conflict in Japanese civil servants.

Sex Differences in Factors Contributing to Family‐to‐work and Work‐to‐family Conflict in Japanese Civil Servants: Yuko FUJIMURA, et al. Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama—

Association among number, order and type of siblings and adolescent mental health at age 12.

Although the sibling relationship is a unique one, the effects of the number and type of siblings on mental health among adolescents have not been reported.

Social class inequalities in health among occupational cohorts from Finland, Britain and Japan: A follow up study

We examined whether relative occupational social class inequalities in physical health functioning widen, narrow or remain stable among white collar employees from three affluent countries. Health functioning was assessed twice in occupational cohorts from Britain (1997-1999 and 2003-2004), Finland (2000-2002 and 2007) and Japan (1998-1999 and 2003). Widening inequalities were seen for British and Finnish men, whereas inequalities among British and Finnish women remained relatively stable. Japanese women showed reverse inequalities at follow up, but no health inequalities were seen among Japanese men. Health behaviours and social relations explained 4-37% of the magnitude in health inequalities, but not their widening.