Monetary Diet Cost is Associated with not only Favorable but also Unfavorable Aspects of Diet in Pregnant Japanese Women: The Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

While several observational studies in European countries have shown that higher monetary diet cost is associated with healthier diets, information on the relationship of cost to diet quality in other countries is sparse, including Japan. This cross-sectional study examined the association between monetary diet cost and dietary intake in a group of pregnant Japanese women. Subjects were 596 pregnant Japanese housewives. Dietary intake was estimated using a validated, self-administered, comprehensive diet history questionnaire. Monetary diet cost was calculated using retail food prices. Values of monetary diet cost and nutrient and food intake were energy-adjusted using the density method. Monetary diet cost was associated positively with the intake of protein, total fat, saturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, cholesterol, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, D, E, C, and folate, and inversely with that of carbohydrate. For foods, cost was associated positively with the intake of potatoes, pulses and nuts, fish and shellfish, meat, dairy products, vegetables, and fruits, and inversely with that of rice and bread. No association was seen for noodles, confectioneries and sugars, fats and oils, or eggs. Cost was also associated inversely with dietary energy density. In conclusion, monetary diet cost was associated with not only favorable aspects of diet, including a higher intake of dietary fiber, key vitamins and minerals, fruits, and vegetables and lower dietary energy density, but also unfavorable aspects, including a higher intake of fat and sodium and lower intake of carbohydrate and rice, in a group of pregnant Japanese women

Preliminary Microbial Analyses of Groundwater in Heronobu Underground Research Laboratory, Hokkaido, Japan

Horonobe Underground Research Center of Japan Nuclear Cycle Development InstituteDowa Engineering金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科Scedule:17-18 March 2003, Vemue: Kanazawa, Japan, Kanazawa Citymonde Hotel, Project Leader : Hayakawa, Kazuichi, Symposium Secretariat: XO kamata, Naoto, Edited by:Kamata, Naoto

Predictive factors of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination series completion: a one-year longitudinal web-based observational study in Japan

IntroductionAddresing vaccine hesitancy is considered an important goal in management of the COVID-19 pandemic. We sought to understand what factors influenced people, especially those initially hesitant, to receive two or more vaccine doses within a year of the vaccine’s release.MethodsWe conducted longitudinal Web-based observational studies of 3,870 individuals. The surveys were conducted at four different time points: January 2021, June 2021, September 2021, and December 2021. In the baseline survey (January 2021), we assessed vaccination intention (i.e., “strongly agree” or “agree” [acceptance], “neutral” [not sure], and “disagree” or “strongly disagree” [hesitance]), and assumptions about coronavirus disease (COVID-19), COVID-19 vaccine, COVID-19-related health preventive behavior, and COVID-19 vaccine reliability. In subsequent surveys (December 2021), we assessed vaccination completion (i.e., ≥2 vaccinations). To investigate the relationship between predictors of COVID-19 vaccination completion, a multivariable logistic regression model was applied. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated while adjusting for gender, age, marital status, presence of children, household income category, and presence of diseases under treatment. In a stratified analysis, predictors were determined based on vaccination intention.ResultsApproximately 96, 87, and 72% of those who demonstrated acceptance, were not sure, or hesitated had been vaccinated after 1 year, respectively. Overall, significant factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine compliance included the influence of others close to the index participant (social norms) (AOR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.56–2.08; p < 0.001), vaccine confidence (AOR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.18–1.64; p < 0.001) and structural constraints (no time, inconvenient location of medical institutions, and other related factors) (AOR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70–0.91; p = 0.001). In the group of individuals classified as hesitant, significant factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine compliance included social norms (AOR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.83–3.22; p < 0.001), confidence (AOR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.10–1.88; p = 0.008), and knowledge (AOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.53–0.88; p = 0.003).DiscussionWe found that dissemination of accurate information about vaccines and a reduction in structural barriers to the extent possible enhanced vaccination rates. Once the need for vaccination becomes widespread, it becomes a social norm, and further improvements in these rates can then be anticipated. Our findings may help enhance vaccine uptake in the future

JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire: initial report

AbstractBackgroundThere is no widely accepted objective evaluation for lumbar spine disorders. New outcome measures should be patient-oriented and should measure symptoms and self-reported functional status in multiple dimensions. The aim of this study was to identify items to be included in the disease-specific quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for the assessments of patients with lumbar spine disorders.MethodsThe draft of the QOL questionnaire that consisted of a total of 60 items, including 24 items derived from the Japanese version of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) and 36 items derived from the Japanese version of Short Form 36 (SF-36), were administered to patients and controls. After obtaining written informed consent, the following data were collected from the patient group (n = 328) and the control group (n = 213): (1) background characteristics, including age, diagnosis, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and finger to floor distance; (2) responses to the questionnaire; (3) the identification rate by discrimination analysis to select the candidates for adoption and by adopting explanatory variables. The items to be excluded were determined by examining the explanatory variables, which were selected after the discrimination analysis, by setting the candidate to-be-excluded items as an objective variable.ResultsBased on the distribution of the responses, two items, RDQ-15 and RDQ-19, were excluded. From the results of the correlation coefficient calculation for each question in the patient group, 33 items were excluded and 27 candidate items were adopted. Based on the adoption explanatory variable used in the discrimination analysis, 25 of the 27 candidate items for adoption were accepted.ConclusionsThis study identified the 25 specific questionnaire items that should be included in the questionnaire to evaluate QOL of patients with various lumbar spine disorders

Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ): Part 2. Endorsement of the alternative item

AbstractBackgroundA new self-administered questionnaire as an outcome measure for patients with cervical myelopathy was drawn up in Part 1 (Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire, JOACMEQ). Because a question with regard to driving a car (C-41) was not suitable for this patient group, the authors composed an alternative question related to neck motion (C-41-2). The purposes of the present study were to perform a secondary survey on patients with cervical myelopathy and to statistically analyze the responses to validate the JOACMEQ, and also to determine if it was possible to convert item C-41 to the alternative question.MethodsA member of the Subcommittee on Low Back Pain and Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation from each hospital administered the questionnaire to more than 50 patients with cervical myelopathy in each hospital. The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions, 24 of which were extracted in the primary survey. The authors statistically examined whether it was possible to convert question C-41 to C-41-2.ResultsThree hundred and sixty-eight patients with cervical myelopathy were enrolled in the present study. No questions elicited no answer or “I am not sure” in more than 5% of patients except question C-41. There were no questions that the patients answered with difficulty. There was no tendency that was concentrated on one option as an answer to questions. There was a high correlation between questions C-41 and C-41-2. Spearman’s correlation coefficient and κ value showed that there was high coincidence between the two questions C-41 and C-41-2. It is possible to convert the question C-41 to the alternative question C41-2.ConclusionThe questionnaire has sufficient reliability for clinical use. It is possible that the JOACMEQ will prevail and become a global standard to evaluate outcomes in patients with cervical myelopathy

Japanese Orthopaedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire. Part 3. Validity study and establishment of the measurement scale: Subcommittee on Low Back Pain and Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation of the Clinical Outcome Committee of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, Japan

AbstractBackgroundThe Japanese Orthopaedic Association decided to revise the JOA score for low back pain and to develop a new outcome measure. In February 2002, the first survey was performed with a preliminary questionnaire consisting of 60 evaluation items. Based on findings of that survey, 25 items were selected for a draft of the JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ). The second survey was performed to confirm the reliability of the draft questionnaire. This article further evaluates the validity of this questionnaire and establishes a measurement scale.MethodsThe subjects of this study consisted of 355 patients with low back disorders of any type (201 men, 154 women; mean age 50.7 years). Each patient was asked to fill in a self-administered questionnaire. Superficial validity was checked in terms of the completion rate for filling out the entire questionnaire. Factor analysis was then performed to evaluate the validity of the questionnaire and establish a measurement scale.ResultsAs a result of the factor analysis, 25 items were categorized into five factors. The factors were named based on the commonality of the items: social function, mental health, lumbar function, walking ability, and low back pain. To establish a measurement scale for each factor, we determined the coefficient for each item so the difference between the maximum factor scores and minimum factor scores was approximately 100. We adjusted the formula so the maximum for each factor score was 100 and the minimum was 0.ConclusionsWe confirmed the validity of the JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire and est ablished a measurement scale