PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Minowa

Publications and source records attributed to M Minowa.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

[Social and health conditions in a former coal mining area in Fukuoka, Japan].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of the former coal mining industry upon the social and health conditions of an area that was the side of a once prospering coal mining industry. The area was partitioned into two types of districts according to the percentage of residential housing that was for coal miners. The first district consisted predominantly of tenant homes for the coal miners (coal miner district) and the remaining area made up the second district (other district). Health conditions in the two districts were compared by standard mortality rates (SMR), and age-specific death rates for all disease and non-disease related deaths. Social conditions were compared based upon sex, age, employment stauts, and job type. The results were as follows: (1) Total unemployment rate, the percentage of households with no income earner, and single-family households, was higher in the coal miner district than in the other district. (2) The SMRs for all deaths in the coal miner district were significantly higher than in the other district. (3) While not significant the SMRs for disease related deaths were higher in the coal miner district. (4) Even in the younger age group (both male and female), while having no direct relationship with the coal mining industry, the SMRs were higher in the coal mine district. (5) The SMRs for suicides and homicides that occurred among the men residing in the coal miner district were higher. In conclusion, the social and health conditions in this former coal mining residential area were poorer than in the other area.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Correlates of cigarette smoking among junior and senior high school students in Japan].

Data from a nationwide cross-sectional survey of the smoking status among junior and senior high school students in Japan conducted in 1990, were utilized to provide sociodemographic correlates of the use of cigarettes. The study was based on data from 57, 189 students. The analyses examined the relationship between smoking status and 9 explanatory variables, using multiple logistic regression for both males and females. The results of logistic regression analyses revealed the following main effects: 1) Smoking by a friend had the strongest relationship to smoking status of students for both sexes. The relative risks for having a smoking experience if a friend smoked were 3.45 for junior high school boys, 5.24 for junior high school girls, 3.65 for senior high school boys and 5.54 for senior high school girls and the risks for current smoking if a friend smoked were 8.54, 15.28, 6.99 and 12.47, respectively. 2) Among both boys and girls, smoking experience and current smoking was significantly more likely if a brother or sister, or mother smoked. Awareness of the harm of smoking was also an important correlate in both sexes. Whether the students enjoyed their school life was significantly related to current smoking status for females, but not for males. 3) The relative risks for current smoking if their mothers smoked were 1.60 for junior high school boys, 1.78 for junior high school girls, 1.61 for senior high school boys and 1.61 for senior high school girls. Fathers' smoking was not selected in this stepwise multiple logistic regression model. Therefore, mothers' smoking appears to be a stronger correlate of smoking status among students than fathers' smoking. 4) The relative risks for smoking experience and current smoking if there were smokers in the family, were higher among junior high school students than senior high school students.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Smoking restrictions in medical schools in Japan].

The theme of the 6th WHO World Non-Smoking Day in 1993 was "Health services: our window to a tobacco-free world". A survey of the public health departments of all medical schools and universities was conducted in April, 1992 in order to investigate the state of smoking restrictions in those departments responsible for training in health services. Responses were received from 76 schools out of 80. The results were as follows: 1) In school cafeteria: Smoking prohibited (17.8%), Separate smoking/non-smoking areas (21.9%), Unrestricted smoking (60.3%), In student lounges: Smoking prohibited (2.9%), Separate Smoking/non-smoking areas (7.1%), Unrestricted smoking (90.0%), 2) The number of schools with tobacco vending machines: 59 schools (77.6%), 3) In medical faculty meetings: Smoking prohibited--32 schools (42.1%), Unrestricted smoking--22 schools (28.9%), No rules but no smokers--22 schools (28.9%), A total of 54 schools (71.0%) have established non-smoking meetings. 4) The number of school that give no attention to raking students aware of smoking risks: 6 schools As a result of this investigation, one national and one private medical school initiated prohibition of smoking at medical faculty meetings. In order to stimulate consciousness of the health hazards of smoking in future medical professionals, freshmen orientation should be utilized for teaching about the risks of both tobacco and "chug-a-lugging" of alcoholic beverages. In addition, the elimination of tobacco vending machines from all medical department area is strongly indicated.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

[A retrospective cohort study on long-term health effects of shift work].

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine the long-term effects of shift work including night work upon sick leave utilization. The cohort consisted of all blue-collar workers aged 16 to 28 years, who entered a steel production plant between 1967 and 1970, who were then divided into a shift worker group (790 persons) and a day worker group (309 persons) according to their initial baseline work pattern. A 20 year follow-up study of the health administration files of the two groups was performed in November 1991. The main results were as follows: 1. Reasons for and time trends for retirements in the shift worker group were very similar to those in the day worker group. 2. With respect to illnesses needing hospitalization or medically certified absence lasting more than one month, the cumulative incidence rates during a 5-year period and a 10-year period in the shift worker group were 17% and 28% respectively, and 16% and 28% in the day worker group. No significant effect of shift work upon occurrence of illnesses could be found after controlling for factors at entrance and history of engagement in hazardous work although there were differences between the two groups. 3. No significant differences in incidence rates of any diagnostic categories were detected between the groups. 4. Among the workers still employed in 1990, we found no differences in prevalence rates of any diagnostic categories between the groups. These results lead to the conclusion that shift work appears to have no severe adverse effects upon morbidity when there is a high level of health and labor administration.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1993

[Nationwide survey of smoking prevalence among school students in Japan].

In 1990, a nationwide random survey of smoking habits among junior and senior high school students was conducted in order to study the smoking prevalence among adolescents in Japan. The self-administered anonymous questionnaires on personal smoking status were sent to all students in sample schools. Seventy junior high schools and thirty-three senior high schools responded with 57,566 questionnaires returned, of which 57,189 were subjected to analysis after excluding incomplete and inconsistent questionnaires. The results were as follows; 1) The percentage of experimenters who had smoked even once was 23.3% among boys and 8.7% among girls in the first grade of junior high school (seventh grade). The percentage increased with school grade and reached nearly half of boys and nearly one sixth of the girls in the third grade of senior high school (twelfth grade). 2) The smoking rate was much higher among boys than girls, and the current smoking rate in the first grade of junior high school was 4.0% for boys and 1.5% for girls. Current smoking rate increased with grade, reaching 25.5% for boys and 4.9% for girls in the third grade of senior high school. 3) While the percentage of regular smokers in the first grade of junior high school was less than 1% for both sexes, it went up to 20.3% for boys and 2.6% for girls in the third grade of senior high school. 4) In current smokers, the proportion of boys smoking 1-4 cigarettes per day decreased and that of those smoking 15-19 cigarettes, and 20 or more cigarettes increased with increasing school grade.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Illegal sale of tobacco to minors in Japan].

"The Act for Prohibition of Minors from Smoking" which was enacted in 1990 in Japan, states that a parent who tacitly permits smoking by his/her child, and those who sell tobacco to minors knowing that it is for their own use shall be punished. It is, however, unlikely that retailers is ascertaining the age of buyers who appear to be minors and whether the tobacco is for his/her own use. Purchase of tobacco by minors was tested at tobacco retail shops in Tokyo and Omiya city, a suburban city near Tokyo. A 17-year-old senior high school girl in Omiya and a 14-year-old junior high school boy in Tokyo, both dressed in school uniforms, were asked to buy a pack of Mild Seven, one of the most popular brands of domestic cigarettes in Japan. Both students were instructed to tell their age honestly if they were asked, and if asked, they should say that they themselves would smoke it. In Omiya, among 18 shops attempted, the student was refused tobacco, because of being a minor, at only one shop. At one shop, the student was told to buy tobacco from a vending machine. In Tokyo, at 19 out of 20 shops attempted, the student was able to buy tobacco without any problems. At the only shop where he had problems, he was instructed to buy it from the vending machine belonging to the shop. Although prohibition of sale of tobacco to minors is important, it is clear that such prohibition is by no means effective without a strict enforcement system by both the health sector as well as the police.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[A case-control study on factors relating to discontinuation of domiciliary care for the bedridden elderly in a metropolitan area].

A case-control study was conducted to examine factors relating to discontinuation of domiciliary care for the bedridden elderly in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. Cases were bedridden residents aged 65 years and over who had abandoned home care and applied for admission to live in a special nursing home for the aged between April and September in 1990 after being recipients of welfare allowances for disabled elderly. Controls were bedridden residents who continued to be given home care and matched to cases by sex, age and beginning month of the receiving of allowances. Among 50 cases and 94 controls interviewed, we obtained responses from 31 cases (62%) and 60 controls (64%). The main results were as follows: 1. During the home-care period, ADL (activities of daily living) of cases, especially walking ability, deteriorated more severely than in controls. Night delirium also appeared more frequently in cases. 2. The primary caregivers of cases were older than those of controls. Remarkable differences between cases and controls were observed in the family structure, the number of family members and the number of sub-caregivers. Cases tended to live alone or live with a spouse only, and with smaller number of family members and caregivers. 3. Case lived more frequently in houses with small numbers of rooms and without rooms of their own. 4. As regards utilization of domiciliary care services, cases used dispatch of home helpers more frequently and used day services less frequently.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[A workshop on the high risk group and the preventive oncology of renal cell carcinoma].

A workshop on the high risk group and the preventive oncology of renal cell carcinoma was held in Kyoto on September 7, 1990. The following subjects were presented: 1. Cohort study of renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Hirayama). 2. Pathoepidemiological study on the background of occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Aoki). 3. Case-control study on renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Watanabe). 4. Geographic distribution of renal cell carcinoma in Japan (Dr. Minowa). 5. Pathological findings of small renal cell carcinoma (Prof. Yatani). 6. Pathoepidemiological study on occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Tsuchihashi). 7. Clinical evaluation of small renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Masuda). 8. Clinical (biological) characteristics of renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Satomi). 9. Mass screening program for renal cell carcinoma on private urological clinic (Dr. Mishina). 10. Early stage detection of renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Ohe). 11. A review on the literature of epidemiology for renal cell carcinoma (Dr. Nakagawa). Possible risk factors reported for renal cell carcinoma were as follows: 1) Work in petroleum-related and dry-cleaning industries were positive risk. A predominant lifetime occupation as a professional was negative risk. 2) Milk or coffee consumption and use of artificial sweeteners were positive. Drinking of alcohol was negative. 3) Obesity was positive. 4) Personal history of cancer was positive. 5) Cigarette smoking was positive. 6) Exposure to radiation or hydrocarbon was positive. 7) Use of estrogen, diuretic and pain relievers was positive. 8) History of myocardial infarction, hypertension and diabetes mellitus was positive.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗
PubMed1991

A case-control study of lung cancer with special reference to asbestos exposure.

A case-control study of lung cancer was carried out in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture, the location of a pre-war Japanese Imperial naval factory and present site of a U.S. naval base. Cytologically or pathologically confirmed male fatal cases of lung cancer during the period of 1978 to 1982 in Yokosuka Kyosai Hospital were compared with a control group in the same hospital. Controls who died from causes other than cancer, pneumoconiosis, accident, or suicide were matched by age to the cases. Information that included occupational and smoking history was obtained by interviews with the families of the 96 cases and 86 controls. Major results were as follows: a) The relative risks of lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure and suspected exposure were 2.41 (p less than 0.05) and 1.56, respectively, after controlling for age and smoking history, and the relative risk associated with smoking was 6.01 (p less than 0.05) after adjusting for age and asbestos exposure. b) The age- and smoking-adjusted relative risks of lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure were 3.40 (p less than 0.01) and 1.72 for Kreyberg groups I and II, respectively. Significantly elevated relative risk associated with smoking history was demonstrated for Kreyberg group I, but not for group II, after controlling for age and asbestos exposure.

Asbestos↗
PubMed1991

[A cohort study on deaths from SMON in Japan].

Causes and risk factors of deaths from subacute myelo-optico neuropathy (SMON) were studied in a prospective cohort of 4,329 SMON patients followed for 3 years and 7 months (Sept. 1985-March 1989) with the following findings: (1) Recent excess deaths of SMON patients was estimated as 4% from ratio of O/E (SMR = 104) and deaths due to SMON itself was 6.4%. (2) The ratio of O/E was significantly higher for deaths from cancer of colon/rectum in females, cancer of pancreas in males, hypertension in males, pneumonia/influenza in females, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in males, tuberculosis and intestinal obstructive disease in males and females. (3) The ratio of O/E was 1.8 times or greater for those SMON patients with complications of cerebrovascular disease, severe blindness, complete loss of ambulation, and who were bedridden, and who are unable to receive home care from family members or trained home helpers.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1990

[A five-year follow-up study of recipient rates for welfare allowance for the disabled elderly in a metropolitan area].

Improvement of the domiciliary care system for the disabled elderly is one of the most urgent issues of welfare for the elderly. In order to understand more clearly the utilization of domiciliary care service in a metropolitan area, we studied recipient rates for welfare allowance for disabled elderly which was the most frequently used welfare service. Between October 1984 and March 1985 a baseline survey was performed on a random sample of elderly living at home, aged from 65 to 89, in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo. A follow-up survey of this sample of 873 persons was performed in November 1989 where survival and their recipience of welfare allowance were reviewed. The main results were as follows: 1. Recipient proportion of welfare allowance increased rapidly with disability of ADL. Of the severely disabled elderly at the baseline the recipient proportion was 46%. During the following five years 27% of the severely disabled were accepted as new recipients. 2. Recipient proportion of elderly who died at age 75 or greater for the following five years was more than 30%. 3. The recipient incidence rate of those who were non-recipient at baseline increased significantly with age after controlling for ADL. This indicates that the risk of ADL disability increases with age. 4. Mean recipient duration varied according to age. Mean durations for those aged over 80 and those under 80 were 2.1 years and 3.9 years respectively.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1989

[Epidemiological study of SMON death--from the observation of death certificates during a 13-year 6-month period from July 1972].

Eight hundred and twelve vital statistics death certificates, in which either the cause of death or complications was SMON, were selected from all the death certificates filed in Japan in a 13-year 6-month period from July 1972 to December 1985. In 411, or 50.6%, of these certificates, the SMON Research Committee had records of the clinical pictures as a result of the nationwide surveys conducted earlier. The epidemiological picture presented by the death certificates and the relationship between the information in these certificates and clinical records in nationwide surveys was observed. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The male/female ratio revealed in the 812 death certificates was 0.53, which is higher than those reported in nationwide surveys (0.4). 2. Although the yearly number of certificates was more than 70 in 1974 or before, it decreased year by year. The numbers in 1984 and 1985 were less than 50. 3. The leading underlying causes of death were; SMON in 44.0% of all the certificates, heart diseases in 10.3%, cerebrovascular diseases in 9.2% and malignant neoplasm in 8.6%. 4. The presence of clinical symptoms was compared between death cases and total cases reported by the nationwide surveys. Symptoms such as visual impairment and walking incapacity were seen more frequently in death cases. 5. From these results, it was suggested that the level of the severity of the disease at onset influences the long-term prognosis of the disease, although selection bias in the death certificates observed is unavoidable.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Geographic pattern of lung cancer in Japan and its environmental correlations.

Standardized lung cancer mortality ratios, 1969-1978, for basic administrative units of Japan were related to various environmental characteristics by multiple regression analysis. Elevated lung cancer mortality was demonstrated in the areas along the sea coast, particularly those with fishing ports, low socioeconomic status, and high level of air pollution. High mortality was also observed in coal mining areas and areas with shipyards. Data on tobacco expenditures provided partial adjustment for the effects of cigarette smoking on these correlations.

Female↗