The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of interventions for menopausal symptoms among employees at a newspaper company in Japan and to clarify the role of the occupational health nurse. Since 2000, the company has focused on creating a comfortable work environment for its female employees. As part of this effort, this research study also aimed to evaluate a system to support employees experiencing menopausal symptoms. Methods of evaluation included surveys of current employees or former employees with symptoms of menopause and case studies of three women. As a result of these data, it became clear that differentiating between menopausal disorders and mental health issues was not always easy. However, comparisons before and after implementing changes in the health system revealed that the number of women describing symptoms of menopause decreased from 5 to 0, and the number of women retiring, dying while still employed, or taking more than 4 days of sick leave in a month decreased from 3 to O. This research revealed that interventions for menopause, similar to mental health interventions, require specific human resources and systemic support.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impact of interventions for menopausal symptoms among employees at a newspaper company in Japan and to clarify the role of the occupational health nurse. Since 2000, the company has focused on creating a comfortable work environment for its female employees. As part of this effort, this research study also aimed to evaluate a system to support employees experiencing menopausal symptoms. Methods of evaluation included surveys of current employees or former employees with symptoms of menopause and case studies of three women. As a result of these data, it became clear that differentiating between menopausal disorders and mental health issues was not always easy. However, comparisons before and after implementing changes in the health system revealed that the number of women describing symptoms of menopause decreased from 5 to 0, and the number of women retiring, dying while still employed, or taking more than 4 days of sick leave in a month decreased from 3 to 0. This research revealed that interventions for menopause, similar to mental health interventions, require specific human resources and systemic support.

Objective: This study reviewed the state of work engagement among nurses in Japan, and the relationship to job demands and job resources. Additionally, our research attempted to clarify the role of work engagement on the effects that job-resources have on nursing competence.Methods: A questionnaire composed of the Utrecht Work-Engagement Scale the Brief Scales for Job Stress-Nurse and the Clinical Nursing Competence Self-Assessment Scale was distributed to 917 nurses working in hospitals in Japan.Results: A negative correlation, although slight, was found between job-demands and work engagement. There was a positive correlation between job-resources and work engagement, however, work engagement was only found to be significantly affected by job fulfillment. Work engagement seems to mediate the relationship between job-resources and job-demands however the results from the path analysis did not fully support this model. Conclusions:Our study did not sufficiently explain the relationships between variables. It can be suggested that the correlations between job-resources, job-demands, and work engagement are bidirectional or circulatory, rather than unidirectional.

The purpose of our study was to investigate the social support network for working mothers, including physical, emotional and informational sources, and to discuss strategies to reduce stress caused by their multiple role strain. We asked 18 participants to fill in a questionnaire and conducted semi-constructed interviews. The results of this study showed that more than half of the working mothers want to continue their career because of self growth and the rewards from their job. Many mothers responded that a sympathetic understanding by their husbands, families and people at workplaces is essential to create a balance between their career and housework. As a result, their husbands mainly provide physical support in housekeeping and child caring, whereas their mothers provide physical and emotional support from knowledge based upon their own experience. Almost all working mothers complained of a shortage of nurseries and child caring facilities as well as limited availability of flexible services. In conclusion, the results of our study suggested that the identity of the traditional gender role needs to be changed to a contemporary one, like a husband fully participating in his child's rearing activities by reconsidering his working hours. Moreover, community services to support working mothers should be increased.

This research was designed to evaluate a work environment in which all female employees can work safely and comfortably by developing a health support system for women in the workplace. With consent from management, the occupational health nurse invited an OB/GYN physician, contracted from outside the company, to act as a specialist adviser. Because health-related concerns unique to women are sometimes difficult to differentiate from mental health issues, a health management system was developed to ensure that the psychological health of workers is promoted and maintained. After development of this system, case studies were reviewed and evaluated for menstrual disorders, perinatal health management, and menopausal disorders. Intraoffice cooperation and support were garnered from the Personnel Department, the Sexual Harassment Measures Comm ittee, the industrial physician , and the Health and Safety Committee. In addition, through the review of the case studies , the roles for care on every level were clarified. The number of female employees who opted for early retirement due to menstrual disorders, miscarriage, or menopausal disorders was also reduced. It is believed that as a result of this study, a health management system for health-related concerns unique to women and based on mental health care measures in the workplace was developed and supportive measures were practiced. In the future, it will be important to continue to comprehensively view and create a work environment in which all female staff members can work safely and comfortably.