Career development of a public health nurse : the life history of a public health nurse who conducted a pioneering community nursing practice on a remote island

本研究は,先駆的な公衆衛生看護活動を展開した一人の保健師の仕事生活に関連する人生体験に焦点を当て,キャリア発達を記述し,その特質を明らかにすることを目的とした.研究協力者は瀬戸内海の離島の町で先駆的な精神保健福祉活動を実践した50代の保健師である.データ収集のために数回の非構成面接を行い,面接内容を録音して逐語化した.逐語録からキャリア発達が表現されている箇所を取り出してストーリーを構成し,アウトラインを記述し,キャリア発達の特質を質的帰納的に分析した.その結果,キャリア発達の特質として,「働く女性としての道を切りひらくこと」「保健師として目指す方向をもち続けること」「活動を振り返りながら実践能力を高めること」「サポートネットワークを作り出すこと」「キャリア発達の基盤となる資質をもっていること」の5 つが見い出された.This thesis examines the career of a public health nurse who conducted and developed a pioneering community nursing practice, describes her career development and clarifies its characteristics. The subject of this research is a public health nurse in her 50s who was involved in pioneering mental welfare activities in a remote island community in the Seto Inland Sea. Several unstructured interviews were held with her, recorded for data collection and fabricated into a text. We extracted information pertaining to her career development, and made a qualitative and inductive analysis of it. This reveals five unique characteristics of her career development: creating a way as a working woman, retaining a high goal and commitment as a public health nurse, improving and promoting skills in practice by feedback from professional activities, constructing a support network, and possessing a basic competence for career development.広島保健学学会 特別講

Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Regulates Energy Expenditure Through the Central Nervous System in Obese Diabetic Mice

It has been previously demonstrated that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulates glucose metabolism and energy expenditure in rodent diabetic models such as C57BL/KsJ-leprdb/leprdb (db/db) mice. Central administration of BDNF has been found to reduce blood glucose in db/db mice, suggesting that BDNF acts through the central nervous system. In the present study we have expanded these investigations to explore the effect of central administration of BDNF on energy metabolism. Intracerebroventricular administration of BDNF lowered blood glucose and increased pancreatic insulin content of db/db mice compared with vehicle-treated pellet pair-fed db/db mice. While body temperatures of the pellet pair-fed db/db mice given vehicle were reduced because of restricted food supply in this pair-feeding condition, BDNF treatment remarkably alleviated the reduction of body temperature suggesting the enhancement of thermogenesis. BDNF enhanced norepinephrine turnover and increased uncoupling protein-1 mRNA expression in the interscapular brown adipose tissue. Our evidence indicates that BDNF activates the sympathetic nervous system via the central nervous system and regulates energy expenditure in obese diabetic animals

Substance use and sexual behaviours of Japanese men who have sex with men: A nationwide internet survey conducted in Japan

BACKGROUND: Japanese men who have sex with men (MSM), especially those living in large metropolitan areas such as Tokyo and Osaka, are facing a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic. Although the Internet is used as a new venue for meeting sex partners, it can also serve as a useful research tool for investigating the risk behaviours of Japanese MSM. This Internet survey explored the extent of substance use and its association with sexual risk behaviours among Japanese MSM. METHODS: Between 28 February 2003 and 16 May 2003 MSM were recruited through 57 Japanese gay-oriented Web sites, gay magazines, and Internet mailing lists. Participants completed a structured questionnaire anonymously through the Internet. RESULTS: In total, 2,062 Japanese MSM completed the questionnaire. The average age of participants was 29.0 years and 70.5% identified as gay, 20.8% as bisexual, and 8.7% as other. Overall, 34.5% reported never using a substance, 45% reported ever using one type of substance (lifetime reported single substance users), and 19.6% had used more than 1 type of substance (lifetime reported multiple substance users) in their lifetimes. The substances most commonly used were amyl nitrite (63.2%), 5-methoxy-N, N-diisopropyltryptamine (5MEO-DIPT) (9.3%), and marijuana (5.7%). In the multivariate analysis, unprotected anal intercourse, having had 6 or more sexual partners, visiting a sex club/gay venue in the previous 6 months, a lower education level, and being 30 to 39 years of age were associated with both lifetime single and lifetime multiple substance use. Lifetime reported multiple substance use was also correlated with having a casual sex partner, having symptoms of depression, being diagnosed as HIV-positive, and greater HIV/AIDS-related knowledge. CONCLUSION: This is the first Internet-based research focused on the sexual and substance use behaviours of MSM in Asia. Our findings suggest a compelling need for prevention interventions to reduce HIV risk-related substance use behaviours among Japanese MSM. The results also suggest that the Internet is potentially a useful tool for collecting behavioural data and promoting prevention interventions among this population