Relationships among High School Student-Athletes' Mental Health, Stressors, and Social Support during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

ObjectivesThe impact of the spread of COVID-19 on the mental health and its mitigating factors of high school athletes is not fully understood. The aims of this study were 1) to describe the psychological distress and stressors experienced by high school athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic and to elucidate the relationships between them and 2) to determine the relationship between psychological distress and social support. MethodsParticipants of this cross-sectional study were recruited from public high schools in East Japan. We conducted either an online or paper-based questionnaire survey from July 12 to 31, 2020, and used data collected from 3017 high school student athletes (valid response rate: 88.7%) for the analyses. We evaluated psychological distress (K6 [≥]10), stressors to athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic (SAC-19), and perceived social support from others. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for developing psychological distress. ResultsAmong the participants, 764 (25.3%) experienced psychological distress. Among the five factors extracted from the SAC-19, self-restraint requests (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01- 1.04), pressure from the surrounding environment (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.12-1.18), and difficulties in maintaining athletic activities (OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.12-1.21) increased the risk of psychological distress. On the other hand, participants who were satisfied with the support from family members (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.67-0.90), teammates (the same grade) (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.67-0.98), and coaches and instructors (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.65-0.91) showed lower psychological distress. ConclusionsDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, high school athletes experienced more psychological distress than usual. Stressors such as self-restraint requests, pressure from the surrounding environment, and difficulties in maintaining athletic activities increased the risk. On the other hand, social support from family members, teammates (the same grade), and coaches and instructors can help alleviate these stressors.

For making a declaration of countermeasures against the falling birth rate from the Japanese Society for Hygiene: summary of discussion in the working group on academic research strategy against an aging society with low birth rate

In 1952, the Japanese Society for Hygiene had once passed a resolution at its 22nd symposium on population control, recommending the suppression of population growth based on the idea of cultivating a healthier population in the area of eugenics. Over half a century has now passed since this recommendation; Japan is witnessing an aging of the population (it is estimated that over 65-year-olds made up 27.7% of the population in 2017) and a decline in the birth rate (total fertility rate 1.43 births per woman in 2017) at a rate that is unparalleled in the world; Japan is faced with a "super-aging" society with low birth rate. In 2017, the Society passed a resolution to encourage all scientists to engage in academic researches to address the issue of the declining birth rate that Japan is currently facing. In this commentary, the Society hereby declares that the entire text of the 1952 proposal is revoked and the ideas relating to eugenics is rejected. Since the Society has set up a working group on the issue in 2016, there have been three symposiums, and working group committee members began publishing a series of articles in the Society's Japanese language journal. This commentary primarily provides an overview of the findings from the published articles, which will form the scientific basis for the Society's declaration. The areas we covered here included the following: (1) improving the social and work environment to balance between the personal and professional life; (2) proactive education on reproductive health; (3) children's health begins with nutritional management in women of reproductive age; (4) workplace environment and occupational health; (5) workplace measures to counter the declining birth rate; (6) research into the effect of environmental chemicals on sexual maturity, reproductive function, and the children of next generation; and (7) comprehensive research into the relationship among contemporary society, parental stress, and healthy child-rearing. Based on the seven topics, we will set out a declaration to address Japan's aging society with low birth rate.

Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with depressive tendencies in general Japanese men and women: NIPPON DATA2010

BACKGROUND@#The gender-specific characteristics of individuals at an increased risk of developing depression currently remain unclear despite a higher prevalence of depression in women than in men. This study clarified socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with an increased risk of subclinical depression in general Japanese men and women.@*METHODS@#Study participants were residents not receiving psychiatric treatments in 300 sites throughout Japan in 2010 (1152 men, 1529 women). Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for socioeconomic factors and lifestyle factors were calculated using a logistic regression analysis.@*RESULTS@#Risk of depressive tendencies was significantly higher in men who were single and living alone (OR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.56-6.88) than those married. The risk was significantly lower in women who were not working and aged ≥ 60 years (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.68) and higher in men who were not working and aged < 60 years (OR, 3.57; 95%CI, 1.31-9.72) compared with those who were working. Current smoking was also associated with a significantly increased risk of depressive tendencies in women (OR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.68-5.22) but not in men.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors were associated with an increased risk of depressive tendencies in general Japanese. Related factors were different by sex.

A longitudinal study of changes in physical activity and calcaneus quantitative ultrasound measurement over a 2-year period in Japanese schoolchildren / 体力科学

The effects of physical activity (PA) on bone mass gained during growth in Japanese are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to examine whether changes in PA affected bone mass gained by Japanese schoolchildren, as measured by calcaneus quantitative ultrasound (QUS). Three hundred and seven children aged 9–13 years participated in the study and were followed for a 2-year period. The stiffness index (Stiffness) of the calcaneus was measured by QUS, and PA evaluated by a questionnaire. Participants were divided into two groups according to PA: high (≥ 7 hours/week, H) or low (< 7 hours/week, L). Participants were also divided into four groups according to their 2-year change in PA: consistently high (HH), consistently low (LL), changed from high to low (HL), and changed from low to high (LH). Analysis of covariance was used to compare adjusted Stiffness across all four groups. The adjusted 2-year changes in Stiffness ranked in decreasing order among girls: HH (20.8 %), HL (17.6 %), LH (14.3 %), and LL (12.2 %), respectively (trend test, P = 0.027). This trend was not observed among boys. These results suggest that changes in PA significantly affected bone mass gain among peripubertal girls, and that a continuing PA of more than 7 hours a week (approximately ≥ 60 min/day) from a young age is effective in increasing peak bone mass. However, given the limitations of this study, further robust studies which recruit representative samples and consistently employ validated measurement instruments are needed.

The association between physical activity and depressive symptoms among japanese school children / 体力科学

In recent years, physical inactivity among children or adolescents has been a major public health concern. Although a number of studies have examined the effect of physical inactivity on depressive symptoms in adults, only few studies have examined this effect on children. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of physical activity on the development of depressive symptoms in children by using longitudinal data. The study participants were students in grades 4 to 8 in the Koshu City. Their physical activity and depressive symptoms were examined in 2008 by a questionnaire. One year later, their depressive symptoms were examined again. Students who had depressive symptoms at the baseline were excluded. Physical activity at the baseline was categorized into 3 groups as independent variables. The development of depressive symptoms was used as the dependent variable. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship. At the baseline, 1532 students completed the questionnaire. Of them, 1379 students (727 boys and 652 girls) did not have depressive symptoms. One year later, 1319 students (95.6%) completed the questionnaires on depressive symptoms. Of them, 41 (6.0%) boys and 68 (10.6%) girls had developed depressive symptoms during the study period. High physical activity was significantly associated with decreased incidence of depressive symptoms compared to low physical activity only in boys (odds ratio: 0.37, 95% confidence interval: 0.12-0.95). Our results suggest that high physical activity significantly affects the depressive symptoms in boys.

Musculoskeletal disorders among staff in South Korea's largest nursing home

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>Although musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) represent a significant occupational issue for most nursing home staff, few epidemiological studies have been conducted in Korea.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We investigated the prevalence of, and risk factors for, MSD within South Korea's largest nursing home using a previously validated, self-reporting questionnaire.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>From a total of 130 registered employees, 91 (70.0%) successfully completed questionnaires were obtained. The majority were female (80.2%, n=73), with an age range of 27 to 62 years and an average age of 47.0 years (SD 8.0). MSD occurred in varying amounts and was classified into distinct categories depending on body site. The most commonly affected region was the shoulder (reported by 35.2%), followed by the arm (22.0%), knee (20.9%) and lower back (19.8%). Three statistically significant risk factors were consistently identified among all 4 MSD sites: manually handling patients (OR 5.1 to 20.8), changing a patient's clothes (OR 6.7 to 30.1) and working as a nursing aide (OR 3.7 to 74.3).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Overall, the present results suggest that employment within a South Korean nursing home incurs certain hazards depending on job description and daily work tasks. The MSD prevalence differed from other occupations within South Korea and previous nursing home studies.</p>