Development and evaluation of a self-care assessment inventory for workers.

AIM: To develop and evaluate a self-care assessment inventory for workers (SCAI-W). METHODS: A study using a self-care assessment inventory for workers consisting of 27 self-care items, the Japanese version of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Japanese version of the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology Mood Adjective Checklist (JUMACL) was conducted. These questionnaires were distributed to 2297 workers. There were 893 valid responses (39.9%, 584 men and 309 women, mean age 37.2±10.2 years). RESULTS: Three primary and eight secondary factors were established for the conceptual structure of self-care and validated by structural equation modeling. "Positive attitude" comprised the secondary factors, "hope" and "sense of fulfillment", and was influenced by another secondary factor, "social support". "Positive attitude" contributed to "attitude toward health". "Attitude toward health" comprised the secondary factors, "care about one's health" and "correction of bad habits". "Attitude toward health" influenced a primary factor, "everyday behavior", comprised of "wakefulness", "eating in moderation", and "lack of self-control". The primary factors "positive attitude" and "everyday behavior" influenced the BDI scores. A multiple regression analysis indicated that JUMACL subscale scores (energetic arousal and tense arousal), demographic data (living alone, sex, and age) and health-related data (exercise, smoking, body mass index, drinking more than three alcoholic drinks/day, and gambling) predicted the scores of the self-care assessment inventory for workers. CONCLUSION: This assessment inventory could be a useful measure of workers' self-care because it establishes a relationship between psychological and behavioral concepts that are important for health promotion.

Development of a Japanese Benefit Finding scale (JBFS) for patients with cancer.

The primary aim of this study was to develop a scale to evaluate benefits for patients with cancer under treatment in Japan (the Japan Benefit Finding scale [JBFS]). The participants were 98 patients with cancer who completed the JBFS, which has 26 items, the General Health Questionnaire short version (GHQ 12). Factor analysis, structural equation modeling (SEM), and correlation analysis were performed. Three key domains were identified: ''Recognition of one's role in the family and priorities,'' ''Appreciation for life,'' and ''Faith.'' Validity was confirmed by SEM. There was a significant correlation between the JBFS and GHQ 12. The reliability and validity are adequate, and the JBFS shows that Japanese patients who found benefits in cancer were able to adjust to their disease.

Recognition of asymmetric alterations to pictures of cats: effects of method of alteration and type of change in elderly subjects.

Recognition of environmental changes is essential in everyday life. In this study, recognition of animate objects by elderly people was examined with various methods (introduction, restoration) and types (addition, deletion) of change. For restoration, deletions and additions were produced by eliminating features from pictures and reintroducing the deleted features, respectively. In introduction, additions and deletions were produced by adding and deleting features from original pictures. 37 subjects (M age = 74 yr.) viewed each card for 10 sec. (learning phase) and were then asked (test phase) whether they had viewed the card in the learning phase and to rate their confidence in their answer. Percentage correct rejection and confidence ratings were higher for introductions compared to restorations and for deletions compared to additions. Findings are similar to those in young adults and children, which indicates developmental robustness of asymmetric effects in recognition of animate objects.