Predictors of female registered nurses' interest in enrolling in master's programs of nursing graduate schools in Japan.

Objective: Enrollment in graduate schools presents a useful opportunity for registered nurses to enhance their expertise in their nursing field and gain better opportunities to achieve their desired career advancements. This study investigates the predictors associated with registered nurses' interest in enrolling in master's programs of nursing graduate schools. Materials and Methods: For the predictors associated with interest in enrolling in master's programs of nursing science, we evaluated items related to registered nurses' perceptions of their work environments and their impressions regarding master's programs in nursing. The analyzed subjects were 3,611 female registered nurses working in 30 hospitals in Mie prefecture, Japan. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to investigate registered nurses' predictors of interest in enrolling in master's programs of nursing graduate schools. We included the variables with Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) less than (<) 2 in the statistical model. Results: Full-time nurses were more interested in enrolling in master's programs than part-time nurses. Registered nurses who felt that they could keep up with courses in graduate schools, that they would be able to acquire skills to contribute to society, and that their colleagues were competent, showed stronger interest in master's programs. Registered nurses who were under the impression that graduate school teachers were dedicated to their students showed lower interest in master's programs. Registered nurses who felt that their superiors were competent and that they were expected to perform well by physicians also showed lower interest in master's programs. Conclusion: Predictors significantly associated with registered nurses' interest in enrolling in master's programs of nursing graduate schools were determined. Further studies are required to gain a more detailed understanding of the nurses' attitudes investigated.

Leisure-time physical activity in youth as a predictor of adult leisure physical activity among Japanese workers: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Workers in Japan are not sufficiently active; however, it remains unclear how their leisure-time physical activity habits may be developed. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship of age- and intensity-specific leisure-time physical activity in youth to adulthood leisure-time physical activity habits among Japanese workers. METHODS: In 2012, 968 workers (333 males and 635 females) from three companies and six hospitals in the Tokai region of Japan agreed to complete and submit a self-administered questionnaire. Intensity-specific leisure-time physical activity at ages 12 and 20 years was assessed retrospectively, and workers' current participation in regular leisure-time physical activity was assessed as an outcome measure. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Mean ages for males and females were 40 and 37 years, respectively. Strenuous leisure-time physical activity at age 12 years was significantly positively associated with adulthood participation in leisure-time physical activity among male workers [adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.29 (1.02, 5.14)]. Additionally, both strenuous and moderate physical activity at age 20 years was significantly positively associated with participation in regular leisure-time physical activity in adulthood among males and females. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that some leisure-time physical activity in youth may predict adult workers' participation in regular leisure-time physical activity in Japan. Encouragement of leisure-time physical activity in youth could therefore be an effective measure to develop adult leisure-time physical activity habits among workers.

Barriers to continuing education and continuing professional development among occupational health nurses in Japan.

As Japan's industries pursue technical innovations, the responsibilities of occupational health nurses are becoming increasingly complex. With such change, continuing professional development (CPD) and continuing education (CE) are crucial to the provision of appropriate care for workers. This study examined current practices of occupational health nurses and identified barriers to conducting occupational CPD and CE activities. A survey questionnaire was sent to 2,077 occupational health nurses late in 2010, asking about factors affecting attendance at and participation in CPD and CE activities, including challenges for occupational health nurses in practice. Findings demonstrated that many occupational health nurses do not work for companies that support CPD and CE. A significant finding was that occupational health nurses in Japan desire CPD activities and recognize the importance of attending CE activities. Continuing education is viewed by occupational health nurses as essential for their professional development and advancement with broader practice responsibilities and authority. Findings from this study are useful in crafting recommendations to increase occupational health nurse participation in both CPD and CE, leading to improvement in overall workplace health and safety in Japan.

Factors affecting early psychiatric intervention for patients with first-episode psychosis in Japan.

AIM: The present study aimed to clarify the factors affecting early psychiatric intervention for patients with first-episode psychosis in Japan. METHODS: A postal questionnaire survey was conducted in 346 members of the Association of Family of Psychosis Patients, in Mie, Japan. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 138 respondents. The mean interval between a suspected first episode of psychosis and the first visit to a medical institution was 18.4 months (SD: 40.0, range: 0-336 months). Forty-five respondents consulted a family member first and required a mean duration of 9.8 months (SD: 11.2) before their first visit; this was significantly shorter than those who did not. Eighteen respondents consulted their class teacher at school first and required a mean duration of 40.2 months (SD: 63.0) before their first visit; this was significantly longer (P < 0.05) than those who did not. When loss of sleep or appetite was present, the mean duration before their first visit was 9.3 months (SD: 12.1), which was significantly shorter (P < 0.05) than the time required by those who did not. Logistic regression analysis using the first episode-first visit interval as an independent variable, and independent variables such as age, gender of the patient and family member, and loss of sleep, revealed that variables relating to the respondent's notion about the psychosis were mitigating factors (e.g. 'prejudice-causing' and 'nothing to do with me'). CONCLUSION: Prejudice towards psychosis and poor awareness about mental illnesses are two factors that may affect early psychiatric intervention.

Motivation of primary care physicians for participating in early intervention for psychosis in Japan.

People with psychosis as represented by schizophrenia experience lengthy delays between the onset and the start of treatment. This duration is called Duration of Untreated Psychosis (DUP). Since it has been indicated that shorter DUP leads to their better prognosis, early intervention has been a hot topic for decades in clinical psychiatry. In Japan, as any patient can visit either specialists or primary care physicians using medical insurance, a considerable portion of psychosis patients are supposed to visit the latter first. Thus, a role of primary care physicians seems keys of success in implementation of early intervention system in the Japanese society. In this study, to clarify the motivation of physicians to participate in early intervention, we sent postal questionnaires to 4030 private clinics throughout Japan, inquiring physicians' situations around psychiatric disorders. Seven hundred and fourteen questionnaires were used for analysis (17.7%). Among these 714 respondents, 364 (51.0%) reported that they have willingness to participate in early intervention. Similarly, 494 (69.2%) were interested in psychiatric disorders, whereas only 168 (23.5%) were confident in identifying schizophrenia. The interest in psychiatric disorders was most strongly associated with their willingness to participate (Odds ratio = 3.54 by logistic regression analysis). These results, therefore, suggest that the interest in psychiatric disorders motivates them to participate in early intervention for psychosis; this has considerable implications for future approach to build up early intervention system in Japan.