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Objectives: We investigated the impact of engaging in side jobs on turnover and its interaction with psychological distress among Japanese employees., Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted using a questionnaire-based survey. We investigated 2783 full-time employees in companies permitting side jobs. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between side jobs and turnover, and its relationship stratified by psychological distress., Results: Employees engaging in side jobs had higher odds ratios (ORs) for turnover after adjusting for covariates, including psychological distress (OR, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 1.93). Among those under psychological distress, ORs for turnover were significantly higher (OR, 1.96; 95% confidence interval, 1.39 to 2.76). Conversely, in employees without distress, no significant difference was observed., Conclusions: Side job engagement correlates with higher turnover, particularly among employees under psychological distress., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: T.N. reports personal fees from BackTech Inc., EWEL Inc., and Sompo Health Support Inc., outside the submitted work. K.M. reports research grants from Daido Life Insurance Company and Komatsu Ltd.; scholarship grants from AORC, BackTech Inc., Daido Life Insurance Company, EWEL Inc., iSEQ. Inc., JMA Research Institute Inc., Mediva Inc., SMS Co., Ltd., Sompo Health Support Inc., and T-PEC Corporation; and personal fees from BackTech Inc. and Sompo Health Support Inc., outside the submitted work. The other authors declare no conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

This cross-sectional study investigates the association between long working hours, short sleep duration, and mental health among Japanese physicians. We enrolled 232 Japanese physicians. We used the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire to assess high-stress status, and the Japanese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale to assess depressive status. Daily sleep duration (DSD) and weekly working hours (WWHs) were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association of the combined categories of DSD and WWHs with high-stress and depressive status. Compared to physicians with WWHs <80 h and DSD ≥6 h, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of high-stress status for those with WWHs ≥80 and DSD ≥6, WWHs <80 and DSD <6, and WWHs ≥80 and DSD <6 were 2.76 (0.97-7.87), 3.36 (1.53-7.40), and 3.92 (1.52-10.14), respectively. The respective ORs (CIs) of depressive status were 1.82 (0.42-7.81), 4.03 (1.41-11.53), and 4.69 (1.33-16.62). The results showed that regardless of working long hours or not, physicians with DSD <6 h had significantly higher stress and depressive status, suggesting that not only regulating long working hours but also ensuring adequate sleep duration is important for preventing physicians' mental health.

This cross-sectional study investigated the association between different types of physical activity (PA) and occupational psychological and physical stress responses among workers in Japan. Stress responses were assessed using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Work-related PA (time spent sitting, sitting bouts, standing, walking, engaging in heavy labor, and moderate-to-vigorous PA [MVPA]) and exercise-based PA (frequencies [times/week] of flexibility and muscle-strengthening activity, and walking) were measured using a questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was performed to examine the association between each type of PA and stress responses. Participants who engaged in >108 min/day of work-related MVPA exhibited a statistically significant association with higher psychological stress responses when compared to those who engaged in 0-42 min/day of work-related MVPA. For exercise-based PA, participants who engaged in flexibility activity or walking five or more times/week, or muscle-strengthening activity one to three times/week, demonstrated significantly lower psychological stress responses compared to those who did not exercise. Participants who engaged in flexibility activity five or more times/week demonstrated significantly lower physical stress responses compared to those who did not exercise. This study suggests that work-related MVPA is associated with higher psychological stress responses, while exercise-based PA is associated with lower psychological or physical stress responses.

Background: As the number of older people requiring care continues to increase across the globe, maintaining care workers' mental health is an important task for all countries. This study examines the association between interpersonal relationships at work and psychological distress among care workers at elder care facilities in Japan., Methods: This study was a secondary data analysis of cross-sectional data. There were 406 participants who were analyzed. Questions consisted of demographic variables, psychological distress, interpersonal problems in the workplace, and intention to improve interpersonal relationships. Psychological distress was evaluated using the Japanese version of the K6 scale. Factors related to psychological distress were identified by logistic regression analysis., Results: Prevalence of psychological distress was 53.2%. Care workers experiencing interpersonal problems in the workplace were 5.95 (95% CI: 3.82-9.43) times more likely to experience psychological distress than care workers without such problems. Moreover, those who displayed an intention to improve their interpersonal relationships were 0.33 times (95% CI: 0.15-0.71) less likely to experience psychological distress than those who did not., Conclusions: This study found there is a strong association between workplace interpersonal relationships and psychological distress among care workers at elder care facilities. Therefore, experiencing interpersonal problems in the workplace may be a risk factor for psychological distress, and displaying an intention to improve one's interpersonal relationships may attenuate psychological distress., (© 2024 Japanese Psychogeriatric Society.)

Objectives: This study investigated the causal effect of high stress assessment via an interview on the mental and physical health of workers 1 month later., Methods: Stress assessment interviews and feedback were conducted with 50 Japanese workers. In addition to the interviewer, two occupational health professionals assessed participants' stress based on recordings. The average treatment effect was estimated by propensity score matching., Results: High stress, according to the interview-based assessment, had a significant negative causal effect on self-reported well-being 1 month later (95% confidence interval: -3.02, -1.10). In addition, no effect of high stress on stress load, mental and physical symptoms, or burnout was observed., Conclusions: This study provides important insights into the prognosis of individuals who were assessed through interviews to have high stress. The findings are expected to help automate stress assessments using computer agents., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared., (Copyright © 2024 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

The present study investigated how life stress and sleep disturbance impact depressive symptoms among Chinese (N = 185) and Japanese (N = 464) workers. Based on a hypothesis that sleep disturbance can cause depression, a statistical model is established, expecting that work-related life stress indirectly increases depressive symptoms by worsening sleep disturbance rather than initiating depression directly. The study also examined the buffering effects of social support on depression. The extent of depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance symptoms (insomnia, hypersomnia, and nightmare), work-related stressors, and available social support were measured. The result revealed that the extent of depression was equivalent for both groups, but the Chinese reported more stress, less social support, and more severe sleep disturbance symptoms than the Japanese. Despite those differences, the statistical model fitted both groups well, suggesting that addressing sleep disturbance at the earliest opportunity can effectively prevent depression onset for workers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Matsuda, Kikutani. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Healthcare services provided by registered dietitians and dietitians have been changing because of evolving lifestyles and population dynamics, leading to subsequent changes in the occupational status and experiences of these professionals. However, few studies have examined occupational stress among registered dietitians and dietitians. This study involved a cross-sectional survey to investigate the status and associated factors of work engagement among registered dietitians and dietitians, whose professions differ based on licensing processes and scope of work. A total of 3,593 questionnaires were distributed, 1,890 responses were received, and 1,654 valid questionnaires were analyzed. Work engagement was measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between work engagement and each factor. The work engagement scores of dietitians were significantly lower than those of registered dietitians. Further, work engagement was associated with age, workplace, coworker support, and effort-reward ratio for both registered dietitians and dietitians. However, exercise habit was a significant factor associated with work engagement only among dietitians. Work engagement among registered dietitians was comparable to that of typical Japanese workers, whereas it was lower among dietitians. The findings highlight the importance of considering associated factors to improve work engagement further, especially among dietitians.

Objectives: This study aimed to validate the psychosocial characteristics and work-related challenges faced by workers exhibiting symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to clarify the factors that exacerbate abdominal symptoms or hinder work productivity by focusing on IBS-related cognitive-behavioral factors and job-related stressors., Methods: An online survey was conducted from October 5 to October 20, 2023, among workers in Japan aged 20-49 years with more than 30 hours of work per week, excluding managers and the self-employed. The data were obtained from 1062 participants (including 551 women and 329 individuals with IBS)., Results: The levels of depression in the IBS group were significantly higher than those in the Non-IBS group (P < .05). Cognitive-behavioral variables associated with abdominal symptoms were positively correlated with work productivity (r = 0.367-0.483, P < .001). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis with IBS symptoms and work productivity as dependent variables revealed a significant effect of the interaction between maladaptive cognition related to abdominal symptoms and job control on IBS symptoms (β = -.164, P = .002). The association between maladaptive cognition and IBS symptoms was more pronounced when job control was lower. Additionally, IBS symptoms (β = .130-.214, P < .05), maladaptive cognition (β = .196-.233, P < .01), and job overload (β = .106-.108, P < .05) significantly influenced work productivity., Conclusions: Maladaptive cognition regarding abdominal symptoms may lead to more severe abdominal symptoms in situations with a low sense of work control. Beyond cognitive-behavioral interventions for IBS, enhancing the sense of control over work environments is expected to contribute to alleviating abdominal symptoms and, consequently, enhancing work productivity., (© The Author(s) [2024]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Occupational Health.)

Background: Japan has a shortage of childcare personnel, and the high levels of stress causing turnover in childcare workers must be urgently resolved. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the characteristics and influencing factors of job stress in Japanese childcare workers., Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the job stress of childcare workers and explore the influence of demographic factors and the COVID-19 pandemic on such stress., Methods: The data were collected through an Internet survey from 2,472 respondents. A 23-item version of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to measure occupational stress in childcare workers. The instrument is recommended in the stress-check program implemented as a mental health measure in workplaces in Japan., Results: The percentage of childcare workers with high stress exceeded that of general workers. Multiple regression analyses showed that the only factor affecting all job stressors and social support was the fear of contracting COVID-19. Job stressors and the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant large effect on stress responses. Additionally, being married and having children moderated childcare workers' stress., Conclusions: This study provided basic data regarding job stress in Japanese childcare workers and compared them with those of other professionals. In the future, it will be necessary to clarify how stress is related to turnover intention and turnover in Japanese childcare workers to promote their career continuity.

This study aimed to identify characteristics of workers experiencing health problems without a decline in labor productivity to address presenteeism. A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 554 workers in Japan, with a median age of 43 years. Participants reported any health problems in the past month, along with job stressors, stress responses, social support, and job and life satisfaction using the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. They were categorized into three groups: "no symptoms," "pre-presenteeism" (health problems without work impact), and "presenteeism" (health problems with work impact). Results showed that 30.1% were in "prepresenteeism" and 52.0% in "presenteeism." Stress responses and social support were linked to both "pre-presenteeism" and "presenteeism," while job stressors and job and life satisfaction were only associated with "presenteeism." These findings offer insights for preventing presenteeism.

Objectives: A school teacher's job is considered one of the most stressful occupations worldwide. To maintain the mental health of teachers, it is crucial to clarify the factors affecting work-related stress among teachers. The present study thus aimed to examine the main stressors among primary school teachers considering the difference in job positions by using data from a large-scale nationwide survey., Methods: We analyzed the data from a nationwide survey of public school teachers conducted between June and December 2021. The total number of participants was 138,651. The information of perceived main stressors, working hours per day, job workloads, job control, workplace support, and stress response scores were assessed by job position., Results: Among all teachers' job positions, the working hours of vice-principals were the longest, but their stress response scores were the second lowest. In contrast, the stress response scores among diet and nutrition teachers and health education teachers were the highest; their supervisors' and co-workers' support scores were the lowest among all teachers. Quantitative and qualitative workloads, job control, workplace support from supervisors and co-workers are significantly associated with teachers' stress responses in all job positions. Perceived main stressors among teachers were different depending on job positions. However, regardless of job positions, relationships with supervisors and co-workers were significantly associated with stress response scores among teachers. Dealing with difficult students and parents as well as workloads of clerical tasks were also associated with teachers' stress responses depending on job positions., Conclusions: Perceived main stressors among teachers were different depending on job positions. However, relationships with supervisors and co-workers were significantly associated with stress response levels among teachers regardless of job positions. This study highlighted the importance of interpersonal relationships at the workplace in terms of teachers' mental health. The results suggest that providing interpersonal skills training targeting co-workers' relationships and harassment prevention measures would be crucial to maintain teachers' mental health. The results also suggest that increasing school staff and providing sufficient organizational support for teachers will be required to prevent teachers' burnout., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Tsubono and Ogawa.)

Background: Pregnancy results in physical and psychological changes in women; however, pregnant women hesitate to take a break from work even when they feel the need. Since working while physically ill leads to decreased job performance, it is important to determine the factors that lead to this phenomenon., Aim: To study the occupational stress associated with job performance and absenteeism of pregnant women compared with non-pregnant women., Methods: In 2019, non-pregnant and pregnant employed women in their 20-40 s in Japan completed an online survey examining job performance (Work Limitation Questionnaire - Short Form), absenteeism, occupational stress (Brief Job Stress Questionnaire), and working situations., Results: Of 918 respondents who met the inclusion criteria, 904 were included in the final analysis (454 non-pregnant and 450 pregnant women). Logistic regression analyses showed that absenteeism was significantly higher for pregnant women. However, for women who were absent, there was no significant difference between non-pregnant and pregnant women. After adjusting for attributes and working conditions, pregnant women had significantly higher (p < .001) work productivity losses than non-pregnant women, but only in the physical tasks domain; their physical stress response was also higher compared to non-pregnant women (p = .048). However, pregnant women reported significantly less interpersonal conflict stress (p < .001) and psychological stress (p = .026), as well as better workplace support as a buffering factor for stress (p = .021), than non-pregnant women., Conclusion: Clarifying the physical burden associated with pregnancy and assisting women in coordinating their work duties while considering the physical demands of pregnancy may minimize work productivity losses among pregnant women., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: This study provides objective evidence on the impact of COVID-19 based on employee occupational stress reported from 13 different industries, and examines the determinants of employee psychological well-being. As the economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic continue, governments should consider industry-level differences when making support decisions concerning public resource allocation to corporations. However, little evidence exists regarding the differences in occupational stress across industries., Methods: Employee occupational stress data (N = 673,071) was derived from workers in Japan from 2018 to 2020. The sample comprises workers from 13 industries, including civil services, service industry (other), real estate, medical/welfare, wholesale/retail, academic research, and accommodation/restaurant business. A logit model is employed to investigate the differences in employees' psychological well-being before and during the pandemic., Results: In 2020, 11 out of 12 industries had significantly worse occupational stress compared to employees engaged in civil services. Over 23% of employees from the wholesale/retail and accommodation/restaurant industries were observed as high-stress employees. Improved compensation policies supporting these industries are suggested. In contrast, reduced occupational stress was found among employees in the transportation/postal and information/communication industries. Among the 13 industries, aside from high job demands, tough inter-person relationships in the workplace became the most significant stressors during the pandemic., Conclusions: The results confirm that the pandemic has had a heterogeneous effect on employee occupational stress across industries, thus suggesting that the level of compensation given to different industries during the COVID-19 pandemic should be discussed and approved by the Japanese government. Additionally, support for the wholesale/retail and accommodation/restaurant industries during the pandemic should be improved., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has spread throughout the world. Poor mental health has been reported among healthcare professionals responding to COVID-19. However, no study has examined the impact of COVID-19-related workplace bullying or patient aggression on the mental health of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak. This study examined the prevalence of COVID-19-related workplace bullying and patient aggression and its association with psychological distress among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak in Japan. This was a cross-sectional study conducted from May 22 to 26, 2020, inviting participants (n = 1,421) from an online survey of full-time employees. We limited the sample to healthcare professionals for further analyses. Using an online self-report questionnaire, workplace bullying and patient aggression related to COVID-19 was measured using nine items with dichotomous response options. Psychological distress was measured using the Japanese version of Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. Among 1,032 participants (72.6%) who completed the survey, 111 healthcare professionals were identified. Among them, 19 participants (17.1%) had experienced any COVID-19-related workplace bullying or patient aggression: 11 participants (9.9%) had experienced any workplace bullying and 12 participants (10.8%) had experienced any patient aggression. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that any bullying or patient aggression related to COVID-19 significantly correlated with psychological distress. It was suggested that a non-negligible proportion of participants experienced workplace bullying or patient aggression related to COVID-19. Preventing and reducing workplace bullying and patient aggression may be effective in improving mental health of healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Objective: To investigate an association between quality-adjusted life years (QALY) and work-related stressors (job strain, effort/reward imbalance, and poor support from supervisor and coworkers), and estimate loss in QALY caused by these stressors., Methods: A cross-sectional study investigated data from a third-wave survey (in December 2017) of a 2-year prospective cohort study of Japanese workers. At baseline (first-wave survey), 5000 participants were recruited from workers who registered with an internet survey company. A total of 2530 participants responded to the second-wave survey 1 year later. Participants were then further recruited to the third-wave survey. An online questionnaire collected information regarding health-related quality of life (measured by EQ-5D-5L), job strain, supervisor and coworker support (Brief Job Stress Questionnaire), effort/reward imbalance (Effort/reward Imbalance Questionnaire), and demographic variables (age, sex, education, occupation, work contract, smoking, and alcohol drinking). Multiple linear regression analysis of the QALY score calculated from responses to EQ-5D-5L was employed on standardized scores of the work-related stressors and adjusted for demographic variables (SPSS version 26)., Results: Data of 1986 participants were analyzed. Job strain (unstandardized coefficient, b =  - 0.013, p < 0.01) and effort/reward imbalance (b =  - 0.011, p < 0.01) and coworker support (b = 0017, p < 0.01) were significantly associated with QALY score in the fully adjusted model., Conclusion: Job strain, effort/reward imbalance, and poor coworker support may be associated with a reduced QALY score among workers. A substantial impairment in QALY associated with the work-related stressors indicates that workplace interventions targeting work-related stressors may be cost-effective., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objectives: In Japan, companies are required to implement a "stress check program" to prevent mental health problems in workers. To identify "high-stress" workers, the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) is recommended. According to the stress check program manual issued by the government, high-stress can be defined using two criteria, either the "sum method" (simply summing the scores for each scales) or the "score converted method" (using converted scores according to the conversion table for each scales). In this study, we examined the differences in results found using these two criteria on "stress check program" data., Methods: We used data of 71,422 workers in 117 companies and organizations who conducted stress checks in 2016. The prevalence of high-stress was calculated by applying the two criteria simultaneously, and the chi-square test was used to compare the proportion of workers with high-stress. We subsequently divided participants into the four following groups and calculated the proportion of each group: group A was defined as having high-stress by both criteria; group B, only by the sum method; group C, only by the score converted method; and group D, not defined as high-stress by either criterion. We compared the average values of stress response among four groups using the Kruskal-Wallis test, and further compared the average values between group B and group C using the Bonferroni method., Results: The average age of participants was 43.7 ± 11.1, and 66.8% were males. The proportion of those defined as having high-stress were 11.7% using the sum method and 13.2% using the score converted method; the proportion of high-stress workers was thus significantly higher when using the score converted method (p <.001). Physical stress response was higher in group B; however, lack of vigor, irritation, fatigue, and depression were higher in group C (p <.01)., Conclusions: Compared to the sum method, 1.5% more high-stress workers were observed using the converted method, and this result was similar for individual and employment-related factors. Furthermore, workers were more likely to be judged as having "high-stress" when the score of the physical stress response was higher in the sum method. Hereafter, it is important to consider which criteria are applied when discussing proportions of high-stress. Further research is needed to examine which criteria will predict health disorders.

Purpose: To identify the conflicts between a career as a surgeon and pregnancy and childbirth for women in Japan., Methods: The Japan Surgical Society conducted a nationwide survey on pregnancy and childbirth among its members who are women. The questionnaire included items regarding demography, working styles, and pregnancy and childbirth, including adverse events and harassment., Results: The response rate was 29.9% (1068 responses, median age, 37 years). Among the responders, 61% were married and 47% had children (average number of children, 1.7). Half of the respondents reported having experienced sexual harassment and 62% reported having received unwelcome comments about pregnancy. About 20% had undergone fertility treatment. In total, 51% had pregnancies, with miscarriages in 33% of these. The top answer for the best timing for pregnancy and childbirth was after becoming board-certified. Nearly one-third of first-time mothers experienced adverse events during pregnancy and delivery, and 28% quit or changed their job because of their pregnancy and the birth of their first child., Conclusions: Japanese women who choose a career as a surgeon face obstacles during pregnancy and childbirth. It is vital to share the findings of this study and understand the issues associated with pregnancy and childbirth regardless of gender. Interventions are essential to ensure that every pregnant surgeon has a safe working environment to allow unobstructed development of her career.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to clarify the factors related to attitudes toward responses to a stress survey in the Stress Check Program, which is used to screen for workers with high psychosocial stress at the workplace., Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted on 1,800 regular staff member of a financial industry (valid response rate: 72.0%). The questionnaire items were the brief job stress questionnaire (BJSQ), the sense of coherence (SOC-13), the Japanese version of the Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES-J), attitudes toward responses to the stress survey, and the concerns of subjects regarding the stress check program., Results: The stress in interpersonal relationships at the workplace in the BJSQ, "concerns about leaking results to the company", "concerns about receiving persistent calls for an interview", and "concerns about a disadvantageous treatment by the company" were positively related to 'writing general truths', whereas the support from the boss in the BJSQ and the subscales of SOC-13 were negatively related to 'writing general truths'. The stress in interpersonal relationships at the workplace and "concerns about receiving persistent calls for an interview" were positively related to 'writing falsehoods', but the "dedication" in UWES-J was negatively related to 'writing falsehoods'., Conclusions: To obtain authentic answers in the stress survey, it is important (1) to smooth relationships at the workplace, (2) to devise operation systems such as an interview guidance, and (3) to provide support that enhances the ability of workers to cope with stress and work engagement.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the longitudinal change of the psychological distress of healthcare workers (HCWs) with non-HCWs during the repeated outbreaks of the COVID-19 in Japan., Methods: The data were retrieved from the Employee Cohort Study in the Covid-19 pandemic in Japan study. An online survey was conducted on March 2020 (T1), on May 2020 (T2), on August 2020 (T3), and on November 2020 (T4). Psychological distress was measured by the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire. A mixed-model repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted as an indicator of the group differences., Results: A total sample of analysis was n = 996 (HCWs, n = 111; non-HCWs, n = 885). HCWs consisted of physicians/nurses/midwives and other HCWs (eg, pharmacists, clinical laboratory technicians) in the clinical settings (n = 19; 17% and n = 61; 55%, respectively), and HCWs not working in the clinical settings (n = 31; 28%). Being HCWs were associated with a significant increase in psychological distress from T1 to T2, T3 and T4 (P = .001, P = .002, P < .001; respectively)., Conclusions: The mental health of HCWs deteriorated through the COVID-19 outbreaks compared with non-HCWs. HCWs are continuously the important targets to provide mental health support., (© 2021 The Authors. Journal of Occupational Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of The Japan Society for Occupational Health.)

Background: International research has indicated that teachers have an increased risk of mental disorders and work-related stress, compared with those working in other fields. In Japan, the deterioration of teachers' mental health has recently become a serious social issue. Teaching is a high-stress occupation, and job stress can affect teachers' physical and mental health. This study aimed to determine how sense of coherence, job satisfaction, and workplace social support contribute to the mental health status of public and private high school teachers in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan., Methods: The analytic sample comprised 370 high school teachers from eight public and three private schools in Nagasaki Prefecture who answered an anonymous survey comprising the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), which is a measure of mental health status, and questions regarding sociodemographic characteristics, occupational stressors, workplace social support systems, job satisfaction, and sense of coherence. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictors of mental health., Results: The survey was sent to 681 people, of whom 370 responded and were included in the analysis (effective response rate: 54.3%). The analysis indicated that sense of coherence was the strongest predictor of mental health (β = -.391, p < .0001), followed by workload stressors (β = .260, p < .0001), low job control (β = .099, p = .021), and job satisfaction (β = -.088, p = .040)., Conclusion: The results suggest that a greater sense of coherence and job satisfaction are associated with greater mental health. Meanwhile, workload stressors and low job control undermined mental health status.

Objective: We conducted an analysis using the Quick Environmental Exposure Sensitivity Inventory to examine the correlation between multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and personality traits by using temperament and character inventory, and environmental exposures., Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to 667 employees working at an IT manufacturing plant in Japan. Variables including chemically sensitive population (CSP), personality, and environmental chemical exposure were individually evaluated using U-test, chi-squared test, and correlation analyses. We also did covariance structure analysis to build a structural equation model., Results: There was little direct impact of temperament on the CSP, while there was a significant impact of character on the CSP. Women were more likely to exhibit symptoms of CSP., Conclusion: MCS is correlated with personality, impacted more by character acquired later in life than innate temperament. There were sex differences in the incidence of MCS.

Although the eudemonic perspective seems to be a promising in considering vocational identity among working population, well-being at work has been discussed primarily in terms of subjective/hedonic well-being. This study aimed to develop a new tool to measure eudemonic well-being at work (The University of Tokyo Occupational Mental Health [TOMH] well-being 24 scale)and investigate its validity in a collectivist culture. Two online surveys were conducted with a total of 1,760 workers in Japan. We created 89 potential items from existing scales. An exploratory factor analysis indicated eight factors for the dimensions of measurement. After item selection based on item response theory, the factor structure with three items from each of the eight dimensions indicated an excellent fit for another sample. Cronbach's α and intra-class coefficients ranged from 0.671 to 0.845. The scores of the tool were more strongly associated with subjective well-being in the work context rather than well-being in general. In addition, the participants in the group demonstrating a higher risk for mental illness and a more stressful work environment indicated significantly lower scores, even after adjusting for general eudemonic well-being. The new measurement may be useful both for academic and practical applications for measuring eudemonic well-being at work, independent from general eudemonic well-being.

Clinical anesthesiologists, particularly residents, work in stressful environments. However, evidence-based physiological and psychological tests to evaluate stress are still lacking. In this single-center study of 33 residents, we investigated the relationship between heart rate variability (HRV), which had the potential to screen residents' stress levels using Holter electrocardiography (ECG) and psychological mood as assessed by the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire. HRV analysis revealed 2 findings. Firstly, standard deviation of the average of 5-min normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDANN) was significant lower than that of same-aged healthy volunteers (69.3 ± 27.9 vs. 137.0 ± 43.0 ms, P < 0.05), which indicated suppression of autonomic nervous system activity throughout their work. Secondly, at induction of anesthesia, significant higher low frequency/high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio: 1.326 vs. 0.846; P < 0.05) and lower HF (3326 vs. 5967 ms 2 ; P < 0.05) and lower standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDNN: 50.5 vs. 79.4 ms; nervous system was suppressed at the induction of anesthesia: expected to be the most stressful period of their work. On the other hand, deviation scores of POMS questionnaire elucidated that all the residents were within normal range of psychological mood, and without any significant diurnal changes with respect to total mood disturbance deviation (TMD) scores (48 vs. 47; P = 0.368). HRV elucidated physiological stress among anesthesiology residents quantitatively by evaluating autonomic nervous activities, especially at induction of anesthesia. These changes in HRV could be observed regardless of psychological mood.

Background: Despite the huge burden of domestic work on women in Japan, its effects on their health have been poorly investigated. We aimed to assess the association between domestic work stress and self-rated psychological health among women., Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey using an online social research panel in February 2018. Participants were 2,000 women with paid work (the "workers" group) and 1,000 women without paid work (the "homemakers" group), aged between 25 and 59 years old and living with a partner. Self-rated psychological health (Mental Health and Vitality scales of the Japanese SF-36), occupational and domestic work stress (the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire), the 10-item Work-Family Conflict Scale, and sociodemographic factors were assessed., Results: The workers had lower domestic job control and higher support from a partner and their parents than the homemakers (p < 0.001), whereas domestic job demand and psychological health were similar between the groups. After adjustment for the covariates using multiple linear regression models, better psychological health was significantly associated with lower domestic job demand, higher domestic job control, and having a young child in both groups. In addition, work-family conflicts and occupational job stress among the workers and caregiving among the homemakers showed negative associations with psychological health., Conclusion: Self-rated psychological health in women was associated with domestic work stress regardless of employment status. To promote women's health, we need to take into account the effects of domestic work, work-family conflicts, and social support from families, as well as occupational factors.

Background: Flourishing, defined as the coexistence of hedonic and eudaimonic well-being, is the most favorable end of the mental health spectrum. A growing body of evidence has demonstrated the association between flourishing mental health and favorable work-related outcomes. However, epidemiology of flourishing mental health is scarce in Japan. Moreover, the relationship between flourishing mental health and occupational stress has not been elaborated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate (1) the prevalence of flourishing mental health and (2) the association between flourishing mental health and occupational stress among Japanese workers., Methods: The present survey was conducted in from February to March 2017 via an anonymous, self-administered, and web-based questionnaire among workers in Tsukuba Science City, Japan. Mental Health Continuum Short Form was used to assess flourishing mental health. We performed binomial logistic regression analyses to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of occupational stress for flourishing mental health, controlling for sociodemographic factors., Results: A total of 7012 respondents (4402 men, 2610 women) were analyzed. The overall prevalence of flourishing mental health among the respondents was 12.4%. Full-time (permanent) workers were less likely to be flourishing. Reward from work (AOR = 2.34, 95% CI = 2.04-2.68), support from colleagues and superiors (AOR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.44-1.94), and workload (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.05-1.36) were positively associated with flourishing mental health, whereas mental workload (AOR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.57-0.75) was inversely associated with flourishing mental health., Conclusions: The findings of the present study shed light on the association between flourishing mental health and occupational stress.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between the influence of occupational stress and coping style on periodontitis among Japanese workers. The study sample included 738 workers (age range: 19-65 years) at a manufacturing company in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. To analyze occupational stress and coping style, all participants answered a self-report questionnaire composed of items on their work environment and oral health behavior. Oral examinations were performed by calibrated dentists. Among all workers, 492 (66.7%) workers were diagnosed with periodontitis, and 50 (6.8%) were diagnosed with a high stress-low coping condition. Significant differences ( p < 0.05) were observed between the periodontitis and non-periodontitis groups in terms of age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, daily alcohol drinking, monthly overtime work, worker type, and stress-coping style. Logistic regression analysis showed that a high stress-low coping condition was associated with an increased risk of periodontitis (odds ratio: 2.79, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-7.43, p = 0.039). These findings suggest that a high stress-low coping condition is associated with periodontitis among the 19-65 years of age group of Japanese workers.

Background: Like most women, female nurses in the workforce experience life events such as marriage, childbirth, and child-rearing, and carry out numerous personal roles. This may result in an increase in various demands for nurses, and coping with these roles may promote work engagement. However, few studies have focused on work engagement or spillover effects, including those in the family domain, in female nurses with multiple roles. In the present study, we aimed to examine work engagement in female nurses and investigate its relationship with factors such as the presence or absence of multiple personal roles., Methods: The subjects of this study were 1225 female nurses working at three general hospitals, each with at least 200 hospital beds in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The cross-sectional design of the study used anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Responses were received from 650 nurses (response rate 53.1%), of which 612 were valid (valid response rate 50.0%). Multiple regression analysis was performed on the 612 responses regarding associations between work engagement and the presence or absence of multiple roles (role as a wife or mother), spillover effects, coping characteristics, job demands, and job resources., Results: In general, the work engagement of female nurses was low, as is the case with other female workers in Japan, but work engagement was higher among female nurses with multiple roles than among those without. The regression analysis showed that factors associated with better work engagement in female nurses were family-to-work positive spillover, job resources, coping strategies including "changing a point of view," "active solution for problems," "avoidance and suppression," and the presence of multiple roles., Conclusions: The results indicate that in addition to resources in the work domain, a family-to-work positive spillover effect, which is a variable in the non-work domain, may also promote energetic work among female nurses. Therefore, it is necessary for nurses to receive support at work and use effective coping strategies.

Non-regular employment is increasing and its mental health impact is a globally important problem. In Japan, non-regularly employed researchers are increasing, especially within young age groups, because employment quotas were not sufficiently expanded against rapid increasing number of doctorate holders. It is therefore important to understand the relationship between non-regular employment and mental health. The significance of our research is to contribute to the improvement of researchers' mental health by clarifying the influence of employment status on psychological distress. We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey in 2017 via an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire distributed to workers in Tsukuba Science City, Japan. The survey questionnaire items included employment status, psychological distress, occupational stress, sex, age, and income. We analyzed 2,762 valid responses in two categories (1,850 regular employment, 912 non-regular employment) and two subcategories based on age according to the definition of "young researcher" by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (20-39 years vs. 40-59 years). Psychological distress was defined as a total K6 score of 5 or greater. Binomial logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for psychological distress. Non-regular employment was significantly associated with psychological distress in the age 20-39 group but not in the age 40-59 group. At the age 20-39 group, a negative association was shown between psychological distress and reward from work (i.e., pride in their job, ability utilization, and sense of accomplishment). Support to increase psychological work rewards may be important in reducing psychological distress for young non-regularly employed researchers.

Study Objective: To determine longitudinal effects of experiences related to the Fukushima nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011, on insomnia risk among workers of nuclear power plants on identified disaster-related potential risk factors for the subtypes of insomnia., Methods: We included a total of 1403 workers who responded to a questionnaire on insomnia-related symptoms measured by the Athens Insomnia Scale from 2011 to 2014 and on disaster-related experiences in 2011. We examined the longitudinal relationships between disaster-related experiences and insomnia using mixed-effect logistic regression models. We also used path analysis to examine the potential effects of disaster-related experiences on the subtypes of insomnia (i.e. initial, sleep maintenance, and early morning awakening)., Results: All disaster-related experiences were significantly associated with insomnia, except death of a family member or colleague. We found that most of these types of traumatic exposure were associated with the risk of insomnia in a time-independent way. However, the effect of experiencing life-threatening danger decreased with time. Based on the results of the path analysis, we found that life-threatening experiences, such as experiences of life-threatening danger or witnessing the explosion, may conjure up disturbing scenes that hamper sleep initiation. On the other hand, early morning awakening may be related to life uncertainty. We found that social discrimination/slurs was associated with all three types of insomnia and was also influenced by other experiences, such as life-threatening danger, property loss, and colleague death., Conclusion: Our findings emphasize the importance of comprehensive psychosocial support for workers with disaster-related experiences., (© Sleep Research Society 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Sleep Research Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: To investigate associations of work-related stressors and their changes over time with the risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Japanese manufacturing workers., Methods: Participants were 1,040 employees aged 19 to 68 years who were free from MetS at baseline and completed the three year-interval follow-up survey. MetS was defined according to the Joint Interim Statement. Work-related stressors (job strain, job demands, job control, and worksite social support) were assessed based on the Job Content Questionnaire and were split into two categories (low and high) by the median value at each survey. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to investigate the associations of baseline work-related stressors and their changes over time with the incidence of MetS., Results: Three years later, 61 workers developed MetS. Higher job demands at baseline were significantly associated with a lower risk of MetS (adjusted odds ratio 0.46, 95% confidential interval: 0.24, 0.89). In the analyses of the changes in stressors over time, those whose job demands changed from low to high showed significantly higher risk of MetS (adjusted odds ratio 3.27, 95% confidential interval: 1.46, 7.34), compared with those who reported low job demands in both surveys., Conclusions: Results suggest that an increase in job demands over time, but not higher job demands at baseline, is associated with increased risk of MetS.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine effects of persistence or change in job insecurity on psychological distress (PD) among Japanese community dwellers., Methods: The sample comprised 889 men and 762 women aged 25-50 years who were employed and completed both wave 1 (2010) and wave 2 (2012) surveys of the Japanese Study on Stratification, Health, Income, and Neighborhood (J-SHINE). Job insecurity, a perception of threat of job loss, was self-reported in both waves to define persistence and change of the status. Logistic regression analysis was performed to compare PD (K6 score ≥ 5) at wave 2 for employees whose job security changed or who remained insecure with that of those who remained secure., Results: Persistent job insecurity was associated with PD (for men, OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.03-2.63; for women OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.02-2.65), after adjustment for confounders. Additionally, change from secure to insecure perception was also associated with PD in men, while change from insecure to secure was associated with PD in women. Regardless of gender, these effects were observable among workers with children but not among those without children., Conclusions: Persistent job insecurity and change in job insecurity has adverse effects on PD, especially for workers with children. Gender differences in the effects of change in job security on PD might be explained by the social norms of gender roles and labor market gender segregation. Policy makers should consider dependent family and gender inequalities when developing policies to reduce job insecurity and its negative health effects.

Objectives: Although well-being at work is important for occupational health, multi-dimensional workplace well-being measures do not exist for Japanese workers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of the Japanese version of the Workplace PERMA-Profiler., Methods: Japanese workers completed online surveys at baseline (N = 310) and 1 month later (N = 100). The Workplace PERMA-Profiler was translated according to international guidelines. Job and life satisfaction, work engagement, psychological distress, work-related psychosocial factors, and work performance were measured as comparisons for convergent validity. Cronbach's alphas, Intra-class Correlation Coefficients (ICCs), and measurement errors were calculated for the reliability, and the validity of the measure was tested by correlational analyses and confirmatory factor analysis., Results: A total of 310 (baseline) and 86 (follow-up) workers responded and were included in the analyses. Cronbach's alphas and ICCs of the Japanese Workplace PERMA-Profiler ranged from 0.75 to 0.96. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the 5-factor model demonstrated a marginally acceptable fit (χ2 (80) = 351.30, CFI = 0.892, TLI = 0.858, RMSEA = 0.105, SRMR = 0.051). Overall well-being and the five PERMA domains had moderate-to-strong correlations with job satisfaction, psychological distress (inversely), and work-related factors., Conclusions: The Japanese version of the Workplace PERMA-Profiler demonstrated adequate reliability and validity. This measure could be useful to assess well-being at work, promote well-being research among Japanese workers, and address the problem of definition for well-being in further studies.

Background: Mental disorders and suicide resulting from overwork or work-related stress have become major occupational health issues worldwide, particularly in Asian countries. However, no studies have reported incidence rates of mental disorders and suicide by sex, age group and industry, using a national database containing all cases involving compensation in Asian countries., Aims: The present study examined incidence rates of occupational mental disorders and suicide by sex, age group and industry using a database containing all cases involving compensation for mental disorders and suicide in Japan over a 5-year period., Methods: Cases involving compensation for mental disorders and suicide in Japan between January 2010 and March 2015 were analysed. Incidence rates over the 5-year study period were calculated by sex, age group and industry., Results: In total, 1990 cases involving compensation for mental disorders and suicide (619 women and 1371 men) between January 2010 and March 2015 were analysed. The incidence rate involving compensation was higher in employees aged between 30 and 39 years. In men, incidence rates were higher in 'accommodation/eating/drinking services', 'information/communication' and 'scientific research, professional and technical services'. In these industries, incidence rates were particularly high for those aged 29 years or younger., Conclusions: Our findings highlight the importance of promoting mental health support for younger employees and increasing awareness of their working conditions. Differences in incidence rates by sex, age and industry should be taken into consideration in the development of a national policy and industry- and age-specific preventive measures for overwork-related mental disorders and suicide.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify whether work-related adverse events in cases involving compensation for mental disorders and suicide differ by sex and industry using a database containing all relevant cases reported from 2010 to 2014 in Japan., Methods: A total of 1362 eligible cases involving compensation for mental disorders (422 females and 940 males) were analyzed., Results: Among males, 55.7% of cases were attributed to "long working hours." In both sexes, the frequencies of cases attributed to "long working hours" and other events differed significantly by industry. Among cases involving compensation for suicide, 71.4% were attributed to "long working hours.", Conclusions: The frequency distribution of work-related adverse events differed significantly by sex and industry. These differences should be taken into consideration in the development of industry-specific preventive measures for occupational mental disorders.

Objectives: On December 1, 2015, the Japanese government launched the Stress Check Program, a new occupational health policy to screen employees for high psychosocial stress in the workplace. As only weak evidence exists for the effectiveness of the program, we sought to estimate the risk of stress-associated long-term sickness absence as defined in the program manual., Methods: Participants were 7356 male and 7362 female employees in a financial service company who completed the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ). We followed them for 1 year and used company records to identify employees with sickness absence of 1 month or longer. We defined high-risk employees using the BJSQ and criteria recommended by the program manual. We used the Cox proportional regression model to evaluate the prospective association between stress and long-term sickness absence., Results: During the follow-up period, we identified 34 male and 35 female employees who took long-term sickness absence. After adjustment for age, length of service, job type, position, and post-examination interview, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for incident long-term sickness absence in high-stress employees were 6.59 (3.04-14.25) for men and 2.77 (1.32-5.83) for women. The corresponding population attributable risks for high stress were 23.8% (10.3-42.6) for men and 21.0% (4.6-42.1) for women., Conclusions: During the 1-year follow-up, employees identified as high stress (as defined by the Stress Check Program manual) had significantly elevated risks for long-term sickness absence.