Search Results (28)

Delayed marriage and non-marriage have become increasingly important issues in Japan, where marriage remains closely related to household formation and well-being. This study examines which sociodemographic characteristics are associated with being married and how marital status correlates with economic conditions, health behaviors, subjective well-being, and COVID-19-related measures. Using annual panel data from 2014 to 2022, we first conducted descriptive comparisons between married and non-married individuals and then estimated a Bayesian panel logit model with respondent-specific effects to account for unobserved heterogeneity. The analysis was designed to identify associations rather than causal effects. The results showed the strongest positive associations with being married for individuals aged 30–49 years, consistent with delayed marriage. Employment attributes such as holding side work and managerial positions were positively associated with marriage, whereas nonprofit employment and self-employment were negatively or imprecisely associated. Financial assets and total debt were positively correlated with marriage, consistent with joint household formation. Higher happiness and life hope were positively associated with being married; regular exercise and longer weekend sleep were negatively associated, whereas longer weekday sleep was positively associated. In addition, respondent-specific effects revealed substantial heterogeneity beyond observed covariates. These findings identify key socioeconomic and behavioral domains associated with marriage in Japan, highlight the importance of unobserved heterogeneity, and provide evidence that may help identify groups prone to delayed marriage under changing social and economic conditions. Full article

Traditional non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) faces challenges when dealing with complex data, primarily characterized by sensitivity to noise, neglect of data geometric structure, and inability to effectively utilize supervised information. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a class-driven robust non-negative matrix factorization with dual-hypergraph regularization (CRNMFDH) framework. The core contributions of this framework include the following: Firstly, the design of a novel dual-hypergraph regularization term that symmetrically captures and preserves the higher-order geometric structures of both the sample space and feature space, establishing a mutually reinforcing topological relationship between them. Secondly, an introduction of a class-driven mechanism to effectively integrate label information into the decomposition process, significantly enhancing the discriminative capability of the low-dimensional representations. Finally, the employment of a loss function based on correntropy to replace the traditional Euclidean distance, thereby enhancing the model’s robustness against noise and outliers. Extensive experiments across nine datasets demonstrate that CRNMFDH significantly outperforms existing state-of-the-art algorithms in multiple clustering evaluation metrics and noise robustness, providing an effective new solution for complex data clustering tasks. Full article

Background and Objectives: Regular exercise improves pain, fatigue, and overall function in individuals with fibromyalgia (FM), yet adherence remains low, especially among employed adults. This study examined symptom and workplace-related factors associated with exercise participation among employees with FM. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional workplace survey was conducted across nine large employers (>100 employees) representing diverse occupational roles. Participants (n = 1044) reported FM diagnosis, exercise participation (≥3 sessions/week), perceived exercise barriers, sleep duration, and job-related stress. Comparisons were conducted between employees with and without FM, and within-group analyses explored exercise-related patterns among those with FM. Results: Forty-two participants (4.0%) reported a formal FM diagnosis. Compared with employees without FM, those with FM were older and reported significantly greater pain, fatigue, emotional stress and poorer sleep (all p < 0.01). Despite this increased symptom burden, rates of regular exercise did not differ between FM and non-FM employees (40.5% vs. 36.8%, p = 0.38). Within the FM group, exercisers and non-exercisers showed minimal observable differences in symptom severity. However, employees with FM reported shorter exercise session durations and identified sleep disruption, fatigue, and work-related demands as prominent barriers. Conclusions: Among employed adults with FM, symptom severity alone did not appear to distinguish those who engaged in regular exercise from those who did not. Instead, modifiable workplace and environmental barriers were indicated as key factors influencing exercise participation, emphasizing the need for occupationally informed strategies to support sustained physical activity in this population. Full article

Labor market forecasting relies heavily on economic time-series data, often overlooking the “health–wealth” gradient that links population health to workforce participation. This study develops a machine learning framework integrating non-traditional health and social metrics to predict state-level employment density. Methods: We constructed a multi-source longitudinal dataset (2014–2024) by aggregating county-level Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) data with County Health Rankings to the state level. Using a time-aware split to evaluate performance across the COVID-19 structural break, we compared LASSO, Random Forest, and regularized XGBoost models, employing SHAP values for interpretability. Results: The tuned, regularized XGBoost model achieved strong out-of-sample performance (Test $R^2$ = 0.800). A leakage-safe stacked Ridge ensemble yielded comparable performance (Test $R^2$ = 0.827), while preserving the interpretability of the underlying tree model used for SHAP analysis. Full article

Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDSs) expose users to nicotine, volatile organic chemicals, and ultrafine particles that pose emerging toxicological concerns for youth. The prevalence of vaping among college students quadrupled between 2017 and 2019. The Vaping Initiation, Continuation, Termination, or Resumption in Youth (VICTORY) study explored a random sample of 543 undergraduate students at a Midwestern university, using an anonymous online survey, for factors associated with initiation and regular inhalation of vape-derived aerosols. Results showed that 50% of participants had ever used a vape, and 67% had used tobacco, vape, or marijuana. The mean age of first use of tobacco was 15.16 years, significantly younger than the mean ages for vaping (16.33) and marijuana (16.60). There were no significant gender differences in ENDS use, although more males reported tobacco as their first substance (18% difference). Notably, 40% reported non-alcoholic substance or alcohol use in the past 30 days. Decision-tree analysis revealed complex relationships between vaping aerosols, tobacco, alcohol use, marijuana use, and living arrangements. Logistic regression identified key predictors of regular vaping, including higher school year, lower household income, employment status, and younger age at first use. These findings highlight the need for tailored public health interventions and continued monitoring to address the growing trend of youth vaping. Full article

Background and Objectives: Shift work is associated with an increased risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and higher rates of smoking and alcohol consumption. This study examines how smoking and alcohol intake may influence the effect of shift work on ACS risk, indicating a complex interaction among these factors in individuals engaged in shift work. Materials and Methods: This investigation utilized data from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). Shift work was the primary exposure, and the main outcome was ACS, defined as either myocardial infarction or angina pectoris diagnosed from 2003 to 2020. Cox proportional regression analysis was employed to assess the impact of shift work, smoking, and alcohol intake on ACS incidence. Additionally, we performed an interaction analysis to examine the effects of shift work in conjunction with smoking and alcohol intake on ACS incidence. Results: Out of 10,038 participants enrolled during the study period, 3696 (36.8%) met the inclusion criteria. The incidence rate of ACS was 11.88 per 1000 person-years in the shift work group compared to 5.96 per 1000 person-years in the non-shift work group. Using Cox proportional logistic regression, shift work was found to be associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.74 (95% CI, 1.20, 2.53) compared to the non-shift work group. Smoking and alcohol consumption did not exhibit a significant HR for ACS incidence, with HRs of 1.31 (95% CI, 0.98, 1.75) and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.65, 1.07), respectively. In the interaction model, after adjusting for other covariates, shift work was not significantly associated with ACS incidence in current smokers (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.49, 2.23). However, among non-current smokers, shift work emerged as a significant risk factor for ACS incidence (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.44, 3.55) (p for interaction < 0.01). No interaction was found between alcohol consumption and shift work in relation to ACS incidence. Conclusions: Shift work is an independent risk factor for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), particularly among non-current smokers. This finding highlights the need to address both lifestyle and occupational factors when developing strategies to mitigate ACS risk among shift workers. Employers and policymakers should consider implementing targeted workplace interventions to reduce this risk. These may include optimizing shift schedules to minimize circadian disruption, providing regular health screenings focused on cardiovascular health, and promoting healthy lifestyle habits such as balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, and stress management programs. Additionally, workplace wellness initiatives could focus on reducing other modifiable risk factors, such as providing resources for smoking cessation and limiting exposure to occupational stressors. Integrating these strategies into occupational health policies can contribute to the early detection and prevention of ACS, ultimately improving the cardiovascular health of shift workers. Full article

The forest industry is a key sector in South Korea, significantly contributing to the national economy. Despite the growth of the forest industry, workers often face physically demanding tasks, high job stress, and factors reducing job satisfaction, such as remote locations and limited career opportunities. This study analyzes differences in job satisfaction and turnover intentions among forest industry workers based on socio-demographic and job characteristics. A survey of 654 workers across various sectors—including production, processing, retail, transportation, leisure, and services—was conducted. The data were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA. The results indicate that job satisfaction and turnover intentions significantly vary with age, education, income, employment type, workplace location, and working days. The workers with graduate degrees reported lower job satisfaction and higher turnover intentions. The non-regular employees and field workers exhibited lower job satisfaction and higher turnover intentions. The findings suggest that improving job conditions, creating quality positions for highly educated workers, and providing stable employment could enhance job satisfaction and reduce turnover intentions in the forest industry, aiding workforce retention and sustainability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Arthritis is a chronic, debilitating condition affecting millions of United States (US) adults. Regular physical exercise is particularly important for adults with arthritis. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics associated with regular physical exercise in US adults with arthritis. Methods: This cross-sectional database study used 2021 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data and included US adults (age ≥ 18) alive with arthritis. A multivariable logistic regression model was developed to test the association of the following variables with regular physical exercise (defined as moderate-vigorous intensity exercise for ≥30 min ≥5 times weekly; yes, no): age, sex, Hispanic, race, census region, marriage status, schooling, employment, health insurance, household income, mental health, general health, smoking status, chronic conditions, pain, and functional limitations. Results: Overall, 5091 people (regular physical exercise n = 2331, no regular physical exercise n = 2760) were involved in this analysis. Most were female, non-Hispanic, white, married, had schooling beyond high school, were unemployed, had private health insurance, had mid-high household income, had good mental health, had good general health, were non-smokers, had two or more chronic conditions, had little/moderate pain, and did not have a functional limitation. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, male vs. female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.440, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.185–1.749), employed vs. unemployed (OR = 1.277, 95% CI = 1.005–1.624), good vs. poor general health (OR = 2.174, 95% CI = 1.673–2.824), little/moderate vs. quite a bit/extreme pain (OR = 1.418, 95% CI = 1.109–1.818), and no functional limitation (OR = 1.592, 95% CI = 1.282–1.980) were associated with higher odds of reporting regular physical exercise, while Midwest vs. West census region (OR = 0.698, 95% CI = 0.521–0.935) was associated with lower odds of reporting regular physical exercise. Conclusions: This study identified variables associated with regular physical exercise among US adults with arthritis. Further work is needed to develop interventions for characteristics that may help increase exercise and, subsequently, health outcomes in this population. Full article

Research background: Many studies have shown that there are differences in income, health, and quality of life between regular and non-regular workers. However, relatively little is known about the leisure lives of regular and non-regular workers. Purpose of research: The purpose of this study was to provide an empirical basis, in terms of social and policy-level aspects, to enhance the sustainability and satisfaction of leisure life for regular and non-regular workers in Korea by identifying the factors affecting leisure satisfaction according to the employment type of workers and their relative influence. Research method: To this end, data on 3627 regular and non-regular workers were analyzed using the raw data from the ‘National Leisure Activity Survey’, which is statistically representative at the national level. For the data analysis, SPSS version 23.0 was used. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed to identify the characteristics of the analysis variables, and a hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to identify the major factors and their relative influences on leisure satisfaction. Results: The analysis revealed that the relative influence of factors affecting the leisure satisfaction of regular workers was found in the following order: leisure time on weekdays, marital status, number of vacation days used, implementation of a five-day workweek system, income, leisure time on holidays, regional scale, and working hours. For non-regular workers, the factors influencing leisure satisfaction in order of relative influence were as follows: leisure time on weekdays, leisure expenses, marital status, working hours, and income. Implication: Based on the results of the study, practical measures and policy-level proposals were made to increase the sustainability and satisfaction of leisure life for both regular and non-regular workers. Full article

Standardized suicide mortality rates per 100,000 population (SMRs) in Japan consistently decreased from 2009–2019, but these decreasing trends were reversed to increase in 2020. To clarify the mechanisms of recent increasing suicide in Japan, temporal fluctuations of SMRs disaggregated by sex and employment status (employed and unemployed individuals) and labor indices such as working hours, wages, and regular employment opportunity index (REO) from January 2012 to June 2023 were analyzed using interrupted time-series analysis. Additionally, temporal causalities from labor indices to SMRs were analyzed using vector autoregressive and non-linear auto-regressive distributed lag analyses. Decreasing trends among employed SMRs of both sexes were attenuated after the enactment of the “Work Style Reform Program” in 2018, but male SMRs were unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, female employed SMRs sharply increased, synchronized with the “Work Style Reform Act” and the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (the COVID-19 impact was greater than the “Work Style Reform Act”). Additionally, unemployed SMRs of both sexes sharply increased with the revision and scale-down of countermeasures against economic deterioration caused by COVID-19 (“revision of economic supportive countermeasures against economic deterioration caused by COVID-19”). Unexpectedly, after enacting the “Work Style Reform Act”, wages decreased due to possibly decreasing working hours. Increasing REO, which consistently increased, was a protective factor for male suicides, but unemployed SMRs were not affected by any labor indices. It has been established that controlling a heavy workload plays an important role in suppressing the deterioration of physical and mental conditions, including suicide; however, this study suggested that, at least within appropriate ranges of working hours, decreasing working hours due to excessive management probably contributes to increasing suicides of some vulnerable individuals via de-creasing their wages. Although governmental welfare and economic support measures had to be revised according to rapidly changing situations during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study also suggested that temporal gaps among a part of revisions of several welfare and economic support measures were unexpectedly involved in drastically/sharply increasing suicides of unemployed individuals in 2022. Full article

Marginalised families faced significant challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores inequalities in Japanese mothers’ and children’s health and well-being and family economic stability before and during the pandemic. Data sources were as follows: nationwide surveys in 2019 and 2021 of families with children using medical institutions across Japan; infant mortality and adolescent suicide rates between 2018 and 2021 from publicly available sources. Outcomes by poor and non-poor families were compared for 2019 and 2021 using simple descriptive statistics. Poor mothers’ part-time working increased from 41% to 61% and regular employment was reduced by two thirds. The well-being of poor mothers worsened from 39% to 55%. Employment opportunities and well-being did not change for non-poor mothers. School subsidies among poor families increased from 23% to 55%. The infant mortality rate (IMR) among unemployed families increased significantly from 12.9/1000 to 18.2/1000 between 2018 and 2021 compared with a decreasing overall IMR from 1.9/1000 to 1.7/1000. Suicide rates in 10–19-year-olds increased over the same period although no socio-economic indicators were available. Inequalities in mothers’ and children’s health and well-being indicators and family economics increased between 2019 to 2021 in Japan. This study cannot attribute causes but suggests a possible role of the pandemic. Full article

Background: Disabled people in Vietnam are some of the most vulnerable to disadvantage. Employment involving microenterprises can provide economic empowerment and wealth generation. This qualitative study aims to address a gap in the literature regarding the establishment of microenterprises for physically disabled people in Vietnam. Method: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with seven physically disabled individuals, including the founder and Director of ‘Company of Grace’ a non-governmental organisation with a mission to support physically disabled people in establishing their own microenterprises. Company of Grace (COG) supported six entrepreneurs in establishing microenterprises that provided English language instruction to school-aged children after regular school hours. Data were analysed utilising a framework that improves the probability of entrepreneurial success in developing countries. This framework aided in examining the approach of establishing microenterprises by the non-government organisation. Results: The physically disabled entrepreneurs reported earnings above average wages and feeling empowered by participating in the microenterprises. These feelings of empowerment were reportedly associated with greater independence, increased self-efficacy and confidence in planning for their futures. Conclusion: Microenterprises, exemplified by COG’s model, empowered disabled individuals to teach English, enhanced student engagement and fostered confidence and economic self-sufficiency among disabled entrepreneurs, thereby making a notable contribution to entrepreneurship for disability inclusion. Full article

Epidemiological data on women suffering from vulvovaginal candidiasis and its recurrence are outdated and vague. The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of women diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis, as well as the epidemiological profile and associated risk factors in the province of Granada (Spain). Data from the Centre for Sexually Transmitted Infections of the Granada province between 2000 and 2018 (N = 438) were used in this study. Associations between sociodemographic and sexual behaviour variables with vulvovaginal candidiasis were analysed using the Chi-square test and bivariate logistic regression. The prevalence of candidiasis was 14.6%. The sociodemographic profile corresponded to a woman aged 25.14 ± 4.8 years on average, who is of Spanish nationality (60.9%), a student (55.7%), in non-active employment (59.7%), with a higher education (56.7%), single (93.5%), and under 30 years of age (79.7%). Variables associated with this diagnosis were the absence of oro-genital contact (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 0.25–0.74), having a regular partner (OR = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.05–3.75), and age of sexual debut, with the probability increasing by 12% (95% CI = 1.00–1.24) with each year. In this context, vulvovaginal candidiasis infection is common, and its epidemiological profile is contradictory, so our results do not suggest a relevant role of sexual risk behaviours in the diagnosis. Further research is needed to improve the estimates and factors associated with this infection. Full article

(1) Background: This cross-sectional study aims to highlight the assessment and foot care practices in an advanced clinical setting, the clinical characteristics of the patients, and to understand the barriers and facilitators for effective foot care from the perspectives of healthcare practices, resources, and patients’ socioeconomic and cultural practices, and other aspects in terms of new technologies for effective foot care such as infrared thermography. (2) Methods: Clinical test data from 158 diabetic patients and a questionnaire to assess the foot care education retention rate were collected at the Karnataka Institute of Endocrinology and Research (KIER) facility. (3) Results: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) were found in 6% of the examined individuals. Male patients were more likely to have diabetes complications, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.18 (CI = 0.49–2.84). Other diabetes problems raised the likelihood of DFUs by OR 5 (CI = 1.40–17.77). The constraints include socioeconomic position, employment conditions, religious customs, time and cost, and medication non-adherence. The attitude of podiatrists and nurses, diabetic foot education, and awareness protocols and amenities at the facility were all facilitators. (4) Conclusions: Most diabetic foot complications might be avoided with foot care education, regular foot assessments as the standard of treatment, and self-care as a preventive/therapeutic strategy. Full article

The physical, psychiatric, and social comorbidities interfere with the everyday activities of community-dwelling individuals with schizophrenia and increase the risk of their readmission. However, these comorbidities have not been investigated comprehensively in Japan. We conducted a self-reported internet survey in February 2022 to identify individuals aged 20–75 years with and without schizophrenia using a prevalence case-control study. The survey compared physical comorbidities such as being overweight, hypertension, and diabetes; psychiatric comorbidities such as depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances; social comorbidities such as employment status, household income, and social support between participants with and without schizophrenia. A total of 223 participants with schizophrenia and 1776 participants without schizophrenia were identified. Participants with schizophrenia were more likely to be overweight and had a higher prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia than participants without schizophrenia. Additionally, depressive symptoms, unemployment, and non-regular employment were more prevalent in participants with schizophrenia than those without schizophrenia. These results highlight the necessity of comprehensive support and interventions addressing physical, psychiatric, and social comorbidities in individuals with schizophrenia in the community. In conclusion, effective interventions for managing comorbidities in individuals with schizophrenia are necessary to enable them to continue to live in the community. Full article