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This study examined the association between occupation and health status among Japanese employees. The data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan encompassed 102,575 employees (55,399 males and 47,176 females), who were employed workers aged 15–44 years. Self‐rated health was used as an indicator of health status in the health questionnaire. A multiple logistic regression analysis of the association between health status and occupation was conducted to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with an adjustment for confounding factors. When the non‐regular employees were assessed, many of their occupations were linked to poorer health tendencies in general, with the exception of male Service workers (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60–0.94). Finally, particular employment and occupations were observed as having better or worse health tendencies than other types of work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the relationship between grief reactions and alexithymia, 54 Japanese women (33 outpatients attending a psychosomatic clinic and 21 normal healthy participants) completed the Texas Inventory of Grief (TIG), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Profile of Mood States (POMS). Each woman had experienced the death of a spouse or a first-degree relative. The TIG scores were positively correlated to the scores on the first TAS-20 factor of Difficulty Identifying Feelings and on the POMS tension-anxiety and depression scales. The scores on the first TAS-20 factor were higher in the psychosomatic group than in the normal group. Complicated grief reactions may be closely associated with both alexithymic character and mood states in bereaved Japanese women.

This survey of 67 university and 172 nonuniversity teaching hospitals in Japan found that many of the residents, especially in the university hospitals, received no experience in basic clinical skills during their 2-year residencies. Possible explanations for this lack are offered, and the need for improved training in basic clinical skills is stressed. (DB)

Objective To determine smoking trends in Japan in comparison with lung cancer mortality. Methods Age-specific smoking prevalence among cohorts born between 1897 and 1985 were determined for the period 1949- 2010. The percentages of the cohorts born between 1893 and 1979 who initiated smoking early (e.g. before the age of 20 years) were determined. The results were compared against lung cancer mortality rates in people aged 40-84 years belonging to cohorts born between 1868 and 1968. Findings In males, smoking prevalence was generally high, particularly among those born before the late 1950s, and early initiation was fairly uncommon. Early initiation was most common among recent birth cohorts of males, who showed relatively low prevalences of smoking. In females, the prevalence of smoking was generally low and early initiation was very uncommon, particularly among those born in the late 1930s and before the late 1940s, respectively. Recent cohorts of females showed relatively high prevalences of smoking and relatively high percentages of early initiation. In both sexes, lung cancer mortality was generally low but increased over the study period. Conclusion Lung cancer mortality in Japanese males was relatively low given the high prevalence of smoking, perhaps because early initiation was fairly uncommon. Over the last four decades, however, early initiation of smoking has become more common in both sexes. The adverse effect this is likely to have on lung cancer mortality rates has probably not been observed because of the long time lag. Objectif Determiner les tendances du tabagisme au Japon comparees a la mortalite par cancer du poumon. Methodes Les taux de prevalence du tabagisme en fonction de l'age, parmi les cohortes nees entre 1897 et 1985, ont ete determines pour la periode 1949-2010. Les pourcentages des cohortes nees entre 1893 et 1979, ayant commence a fumer de maniere precoce (par exemple avant l'age de 20 ans), ont ete determines. Les resultats ont ete compares aux taux de mortalite par cancer du poumon chez les personnes agees de 40 a 84 ans, appartenant aux cohortes nees entre 1868 et 1968. Resultats Chez les hommes, la prevalence du tabagisme etait generalement elevee, en particulier parmi les personnes nees avant les annees 1950, et l'initiation precoce etait assez peu frequente. L'initiation precoce etait plus frequente parmi les cohortes de naissances d'hommes, montrant des prevalences relativement faibles de tabagisme. Chez les femmes, la prevalence du tabagisme etait generalement faible, et rinitiation precoce tres peu frequente, en particulier chez les personnes nees dans les annees 1930 et avant les annees 1940, respectivement. Les cohortes recentes de retomes ont montre des prevalences relativement elevees de tabagisme et des pourcentages relativement eleves d'initiation precoce. Pour les deux sexes, la mortalite par cancer du poumon etait generalement faible, mais elle a augmente au cours de la periode etudiee. Conclusion La mortalite par cancer du poumon chez les hommes japonais etait relativement faible compte tenu de la forte prevalence du tabagisme, peut-etre parce que l'initiation precoce etait assez rare. Au cours des quatre dernieres decennies cependant, rinitiation precoce du tabagisme s'est davantage repandue chez les deux sexes. l'effet negatif que cela peut avoir sur les taux de mortalite par cancer du poumon n'a pas ete observe, probablement en raison du decalage. Objetivo Conocer las prevalencias del tabaquismo en Japon respecto a la mortalidad por cancer de pulmon. Metodos Se determinaron los indices de prevalencia dei tabaquismo por edad entre cohortes nacidas entre 1897 y 1985 para el periodo 1949-2010. Se establecieron los porcentajes de las cohortes nacidas entre 1893 y 1979 que iniciaron el consumo de tabaco a edad temprana (por ejemplo, antes de los 20 anos de edad). Se contrastaron los resultados con los indices de mortalidad por cancer de pulmon en personas entre los 40 y 84 anos de edad que pertenecian a cohortes nacidas entre 1868 y 1968. Resultados En varones, el indice de prevalencia del tabaquismo resulto ser generalmente alto, particularmente entre aquellos nacidos antes del final de la decada de 1950; asimismo, la iniciacion temprana fue inusual. Esta resulto ser mas comun entre las cohortes de nacimiento varones recientes, quienes mostraron una prevalencia del tabaquismo relativamente baja. En mujeres, el indice de prevalencia del tabaquismo resulto ser generalmente bajo y la iniciacion temprana fue muy poco comun, en particular entre aquellas nacidas a finales de la decada de 1930 y antes de finales de la decada de 1940, respectivamente. Las cohortes de mujeres recientes mostraron una prevalencia del tabaquismo relativamente alta, asi como porcentajes de iniciacion temprana relativamente altos. En ambos sexos, la mortalidad por cancer de pulmon resulto ser generalmente baja, aunque incremento a lo largo del periodo de estudio. Conclusion La mortalidad por cancer de pulmon en varones japoneses fue relativamente baja, si se compara con la alta prevalencia del tabaquismo. Quiza esto se deba a que la iniciacion temprana fue poco comun. No obstante, en las ultimas cuatro decadas la iniciacion temprana ai tabaquismo es mas comun en ambos sexos. Posiblemente, no se ha observado el efecto adverso que esto pueda tener sobre los indices de mortalidad por cancer de pulmon debido al gran lapso temporal., Introduction Although smoking is known to cause cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and other health problems, (1) almost one billion men and 250 million women in the world smoke. (2) [...]