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ABSTRACT: Using a previously developed method for calculating expected years of life with care needs based on data from the Japanese long-term care insurance system, we examined recent trends in expected years of life with care needs by age group and prefecture.
Information on care needs was available from the long-term care insurance system of Japan. Expected years of life with care needs by age group and prefecture in 2005-2009 were calculated.
Expected years of life with care needs at age 65 increased from 1.43 years in 2005 to 1.62 years in 2009 for men, and from 2.99 to 3.44 years for women. As a proportion of total life expectancy, these values show an increase from 7.9% to 8.6% in men and from 12.9% to 14.4% in women. Expected years with care needs did not increase in the age groups of 65 to 69 and 70 to 74 years but markedly increased in the age group of 85 years or older. Expected years with care needs increased in every prefecture during the period studied. The difference in 2005 between the 25th and 75th percentiles in prefectural distributions was 0.16 years for men and 0.35 years for women. The difference remained nearly constant between 2005 and 2009.
Expected number of years of life with care needs increased among Japanese from 2005 to 2009, and there was a wide range in distribution among prefectures. Further studies on coverage of care needs under the long-term insurance program are necessary.
Journal of Epidemiology 02/2012; 22(3):238-43. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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Shuji Hashimoto,
Miyuki Kawado,
Hiroya Yamada,
Rumi Seko,
Yoshitaka Murakami,
Masayuki Hayashi,
Masahiro Kato,
Tatsuya Noda,
Toshiyuki Ojima,
Masato Nagai,
Ichiro Tsuji
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ABSTRACT: Although disability-free life expectancy has been investigated in Japan, gains from elimination of diseases and injuries have not been examined.
We used data from the 2007 Japanese national health statistics to calculate the number of years with and without activity limitation that could be expected from eliminating 6 selected diseases and injuries.
At birth, the number of expected years of life without and with activity limitation was 70.8 and 8.4, respectively, in males and 74.2 and 11.8 in females. More than 1.0 expected years without activity limitation were gained from eliminating malignant neoplasms and cerebrovascular diseases; smaller gains were observed after eliminating other diseases and injuries. Elimination of cerebrovascular diseases, dementia, and fracture decreased expected years with activities of daily living (ADL) limitation, and elimination of shoulder lesions/low back pain decreased expected years with non-ADL limitation.
Elimination of diseases and injuries increased expected years with and without activity limitation among Japanese, which suggests that improved prevention of those diseases and injuries-including cerebrovascular diseases and dementia-would result in longer disability-free life expectancy and fewer years of severe disability.
Journal of Epidemiology 02/2012; 22(3):199-204. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: People who are obese have higher demands for medical care than those of the normal weight people. However, in view of their shorter life expectancy, it is unclear whether obese people have higher lifetime medical expenditure. We examined the association between body mass index, life expectancy and lifetime medical expenditure.
Prospective cohort study using individual data from the Ohsaki Cohort Study.
Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan.
The 41 965 participants aged 40-79 years. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The life expectancy and lifetime medical expenditure aged from 40 years.
In spite of their shorter life expectancy, obese participants might require higher medical expenditure than normal weight participants. In men aged 40 years, multiadjusted life expectancy for those who were obese participants was 41.4 years (95% CI 38.28 to 44.70), which was 1.7 years non-significantly shorter than that for normal weight participants (p=0.3184). Multiadjusted lifetime medical expenditure for obese participants was £112 858.9 (94 954.1-131 840.9), being 14.7% non-significantly higher than that for normal weight participants (p=0.1141). In women aged 40 years, multiadjusted life expectancy for those who were obese participants was 49.2 years (46.14-52.59), which was 3.1 years non-significantly shorter than for normal weight participants (p=0.0724), and multiadjusted lifetime medical expenditure was £137 765.9 (123 672.9-152 970.2), being 21.6% significantly higher (p=0.0005).
According to the point estimate, lifetime medical expenditure might appear to be higher for obese participants, despite their short life expectancy. With weight control, more people would enjoy their longevity with lower demands for medical care.
BMJ open. 01/2012; 2(3).
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Journal of Epidemiology 08/2011; · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: People who spend a longer time walking have lower demands for medical care. However, in view of their longer life expectancy, it is unclear whether their lifetime medical expenditure increases or decreases. The present study examined the association between time spent walking, life expectancy and lifetime medical expenditure.
The authors followed up 27,738 participants aged 40-79 years and prospectively collected data on their medical expenditure and survival covering a 13-year-period. Participants were classified into those walking <1 and ≥1 h per day. The authors constructed life tables and estimated the life expectancy and lifetime medical expenditure from 40 years of age using estimate of multiadjusted mortality and medical expenditure using a Poisson regression model and linear regression model, respectively.
Participants who walked ≥1 h per day have a longer life expectancy from 40 years of age than participants who walked <1 h per day. The multiadjusted life expectancy for those who walked ≥1 h per day was 44.81 years, significantly lower by 1.38 years in men (p=0.0073) in men and 57.78 years in women, non-significantly lower by 1.16 years in women (p=0.2351). In addition to their longer life expectancy, participants who walked ≥1 h per day required a lower lifetime medical expenditure from 40 years of age than participants who walked <1 h per day. The multiadjusted lifetime medical expenditure for those who walked ≥1 h per day was £99 423.6, significantly lower by 7.6% in men (p=0.0048) and £128 161.2, non-significantly lower by 2.7% in women (p=0.2559).
Increased longevity resulting from a healthier lifestyle does not necessarily translate into an increased amount of medical expenditure throughout life. Encouraging people to walk may extend life expectancy and decrease lifetime medical expenditure, especially for men.
BMJ open. 01/2011; 1(2):e000240.
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ABSTRACT: Interaction of CA19-9 with E-selectin is involved in initiation of hematogenous metastases. We investigated whether serum concentrations of E-selectin and CA19-9 are good predictors of hematogenous metastases and prognosis in colorectal cancer.
Pre-operative serum samples were obtained from 152 patients with colorectal cancer, and from 28 healthy volunteers. Correlation between serum E-selectin and CA19-9 was studied in terms of clinically detected hematogenous metastases and prognosis of patients.
Low serum concentration of E-selectin was defined as <50 U/ml in healthy volunteers, and on that basis, 20.4% of all patients belonged to the high E-selectin group. Several distinctive characteristics were observed in the clinical course of patients with high serum concentrations of both CA19-9 and E-selectin. The rate of Dukes' D cancer was significantly higher, and curative surgery was performed less frequently in patients with high serum concentrations of both CA19-9 and E-selectin (60 and 40%) than in others. However, there was no significant difference in the frequency of recurrence after curative surgery between patients with high serum concentrations of both CA19-9 and E-selectin (25.0%) and others. Overall the 5-year survival rate was significantly lower in patients with high serum concentrations of both CA19-9 and E-selectin (34.3%) than in other patients. Even if the serum concentration of CA19-9 was high, prognosis was not poor in patients with low serum concentration of E-selectin.
These results suggested that it was useful to measure both CA19-9 and E-selectin as markers of hematogenous metastases and as predictors of prognosis in colorectal cancer.
Japanese Journal of Clinical Oncology 11/2010; 40(11):1073-80. · 1.78 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Several studies have reported that serum concentrations of carotenoids and adiponectin are inversely associated with the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, no studies have investigated the association between serum concentrations of adiponectin and carotenoids in the general population.
We investigated cross-sectionally whether serum carotenoids are associated with serum high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin and some inflammatory markers in 437 Japanese subjects (116 men and 321 women) who attended a health examination.
In multiple linear regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors, serum beta-carotene concentrations were significantly associated with serum HMW adiponectin concentrations in both sexes (standardized beta coefficient=0.197, p=0.036 for men; standardized beta coefficient=0.146, p=0.012 for women). Serum alpha-carotene and beta-carotene concentrations were significantly associated with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in men. In women, there were significant negative associations between serum carotenoids concentrations and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations. Additional adjustment for serum concentrations of IL-6 or CRP did not significantly affect the association between carotenoids and HMW adiponectin in non-smoking men as well as in women.
Serum beta-carotene concentrations were positively associated with serum HMW adiponectin concentrations even after adjustment for possible confounding factors including inflammatory markers.
Clinica chimica acta; international journal of clinical chemistry 09/2010; 411(17-18):1330-4. · 2.54 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A number of lifestyle factors, including smoking and drinking, are known to be independently associated with all-cause mortality. However, it might be more effective in motivating the public to adopt a healthier lifestyle if the combined effect of several lifestyle factors on all-cause mortality could be demonstrated in a straightforward manner.
We examined the combined effects of 6 healthy lifestyle behaviors on all-cause mortality by estimating life expectancies at 40 and 60 years of age among 62 106 participants in a prospective cohort study with a 14.5-year follow-up. The healthy behaviors selected were current nonsmoking, not heavily drinking, walking 1 hour or more per day, sleeping 6.5 to 7.4 hours per day, eating green leafy vegetables almost daily, and having a BMI between 18.5 to 24.9.
At age 40, we found a 10.3-year increase in life expectancy for men and a 8.3-year increase for women who had all 6 healthy behaviors, as compared with those who had only 0 to 2 healthy behaviors. Increases of 9.6 and 8.2 years were observed for men and women, respectively, at age 60 with all 6 healthy behaviors. When comparing currently nonsmoking individuals with 0 to 1 healthy behaviors, the life expectancy of smokers was shorter in both men and women, even if they maintained all 5 other healthy behaviors.
Among individuals aged 40 and 60 years, maintaining all 6 healthy lifestyle factors was associated with longer life expectancy. Smokers should be encouraged to quit smoking first and then to maintain or adopt the other 5 lifestyle factors.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2010; 20(5):370-6. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In Japan, life expectancy at birth is currently the highest in the world. However, recent trends in disability-free life expectancy in Japan have not been examined.
We used data from Japanese national surveys for the period 1995-2004. These surveys included information on activity status measured by common self-reported instruments. The numbers of expected years with and without activity limitation were estimated by using the Sullivan method.
The numbers of expected years of life without activity limitation, at birth, in 1995 and 2004 were 68.5 and 69.7, respectively, in males and 72.1 and 73.0 in females. As a proportion of total life expectancy, at birth, these values represent a decrease from 89.7% to 88.6% in males and from 87.1% to 85.3% in females. The proportion of expected years with a limitation of some activities except activities of daily living (ADL) increased in males and females. The proportion of those with an ADL limitation increased in females, but not in males.
The trends in expected years with and without activity limitation suggest that the duration of life with a light or moderate disability increased in Japanese males and females during the period 1995-2004.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2010; 20(4):308-12. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: There have been few reports on longitudinal change in activities of daily living (ADL), functional capacity, and life satisfaction in patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON).
A total of 1309 SMON patients 40 to 79 years of age underwent a medical examination conducted by the SMON Research Committee during the period from 1993 through 1995 (baseline) in Japan; 666 (51%) were followed-up after 12 years and were thus eligible for analysis. We calculated scores for ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction at baseline, and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 years after baseline, using data from medical examinations conducted in 1993 through 2007. The Barthel Index, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, and the patient's response to the question "Are you satisfied with life?" were used to assess ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction, respectively.
As compared with baseline, the mean scores for ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction were all significantly lower after 12 years in men and women, with the exception of life satisfaction in women. The change in scores for functional capacity from baseline to year 12 was significantly associated with change in life satisfaction; however, the changes in ADL and age at baseline were not.
We observed decreases in ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction among SMON patients. Our results suggest that a decrease in life satisfaction can be prevented by maintaining or improving functional capacity.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2010; 20(6):433-8. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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Koji Suzuki,
Yoshinori Ito, Shuji Hashimoto,
Miyuki Kawado,
Takashi Inoue,
Masahiko Ando,
Yoshiyuki Watanabe,
Yutaka Inaba,
Kazuo Tajima,
Kei Nakachi,
Akiko Tamakoshi
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ABSTRACT: Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and its main binding protein, IGFBP-3, modulate cell growth and survival, and thus are thought to be important for tumor development. Carotenoids and retinol have been linked to the prevention of several cancers. We here evaluated associations of serum levels of carotenoids and retinol with IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 within the context of the JACC Study. The study subjects were 924 controls (578 men and 346 women) of a nested case-control study of lung and colorectal cancer risk. Using frozen-stored sera, serum levels of a-carotene, b-carotene, lycopene, b-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin/lutein, and retinol were separately determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 were measured by immuno-radiometric assay. Confounding factors-adjusted least squares mean levels of serum IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 for each quartile of serum levels of carotenoids and retinol were estimated. Serum IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 levels increased with increasing serum retinol levels. Moreover, serum IGF-I levels were significantly higher in highest quartile of serum provitamin A, such as a-carotene, b-carotene, and b-cryptoxanthin, among women. Serum IGFBP-3 levels decreased with increasing serum lycopene levels in women and with increasing serum zeaxanthin/lutein levels in men. The current study indicates that positive associations exist for serum retinol levels with serum levels of IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 independent of age, BMI, smoking habits, drinking habits, and intake of energy and protein among Japanese healthy men and women.
Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention: APJCP 12/2009; 10 Suppl:29-35. · 0.66 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Patients with subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON) suffer from a number of serious neurological symptoms that adversely affect their activities of daily living (ADL). However, the effects of these neurological symptoms on functional capacity and life satisfaction have not been reported.
We analyzed data from 1,300 SMON patients aged 55-94 years that was obtained at medical check-ups carried out by the SMON Research Committee in 2004-2006 in Japan. The neurological symptoms investigated were visual impairment, dysbasia, symptoms of the lower extremities, and sensory symptoms. Neurological symptoms were classified by severity. The Barthel Index, the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, and the participant's response to the question "Are you satisfied with life?" were used to evaluate ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction, respectively. Data were analyzed using a proportional odds model with the scores for these items as ordinal dependent variables.
For most neurological symptoms, scores for ADL, functional capacity, and life satisfaction were significantly lower in participants with severe or moderate neurological symptoms than in those with nearly normal results upon examination. The odds ratio for life satisfaction due to superior functional capacity was significant after adjustment for sex, age, and ADL score.
The presence of neurological symptoms in SMON patients was associated with low functional capacity, life satisfaction, and ADL. Our results suggest that the life satisfaction of SMON patients can be increased by improving their functional capacity.
Journal of Epidemiology 02/2009; 19(1):28-33. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The effect of the interaction between long-term mental stress and eating habits on weight gain has not been confirmed in humans.
A population of 1080 healthy Japanese male local government employees without lifestyle-related diseases at baseline were studied [corrected]. Height and weight were measured and perception of mental stress and the frequency of eating to satiety, drinking, smoking, and exercise were surveyed by means of a questionnaire in both 1997 and 2002. Exposure patterns during this 5-year period were classified as low or high. Information on daily food and energy intake was collected in 2002. The effect of the interaction between stress and the frequency of eating to satiety on change in BMI (DeltaBMI) during this 5-year period was examined by 2-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance (ANCOVA) adjusted for age, BMI at baseline, and other lifestyle habits. The association between satiation eating and DeltaBMI was compared between participants with high and low levels of stress.
Stress and satiation eating were not significantly mutually correlated. Two-way ANCOVA showed a significant interaction (F = 4.90, P = 0.03) between mental stress and satiation eating. Among participants with a high level of stress, BMI gain was significantly larger in those who ate to satiety than in those who ate moderately, when DeltaBMI was unadjusted or adjusted for covariates (adjusted mean [SE]: 0.34 +/- 0.06 kg/m(2) vs. 0.12 +/- 0.07 kg/m(2), P = 0.002). Among participants with a low level of stress no such difference was observed. These results were unchanged after further adjustment for energy intake in 2002.
In this population, eating pattern interacted with long-term mental stress to produce a larger body mass gain in satiation eaters than in moderate eaters among participants with a high level of stress, independent of energy intake or other lifestyle habits.
Journal of Epidemiology 02/2009; 19(2):88-93. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The objectives of the present study were to estimate an annual number of patients with moyamoya disease in Japan and to describe the clinicoepidemiological features of the disease.
The study consisted of 2 questionnaire surveys, which were distributed to randomly selected departments of neurosurgery, internal medicine, neurology, cerebrovascular medicine, and pediatrics in hospitals throughout Japan. The first survey inquired about the number of the patients treated in 2003, and the second requested additional detailed clinicoepidemiological information about each patient identified in the first survey.
In 2003, the total number of patients treated in Japan was estimated at 7700 (95% confidence interval, 6300 to 9300). Sex ratio (women to men) of the patients was 1.8. For men, the peak of moyamoya disease was observed in patients aged 10 to 14 years and for women aged 20 to 24 years. Annual rate of newly diagnosed cases in 2003 was 0.54 per 100,000 population. Family history of moyamoya disease was found in 12.1% of the patients. The majority (77.9%) were treated as outpatients.
Although the clinicoepidemiological features of the patients in the present study were almost similar to those obtained in previous ones, the estimated prevalence of moyamoya disease in Japan has almost doubled during the recent decade (3900 in 1994 and 7700 in 2003). The increase could partly be explained by the increase in newly diagnosed cases (0.35 in 1994 and 0.54 in 2003 per 100,000 population).
Stroke 02/2008; 39(1):42-7. · 5.73 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Epidemics of infectious diseases usually start in small areas and subsequently become widespread widely. Although a method for detecting epidemics in public health center (PHC) areas has been proposed and used in the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases in Japan, wide-area epidemics have not been fully investigated.
Using the abovementioned method, we defined an epidemic as that occurring for a week in at least one PHC area in a prefecture and a wide-area epidemic as that when the number of people living in epidemic PHC areas exceeds 30% of the prefectural population. The number of weeks of an epidemic or wide-area epidemic for influenza and 11 pediatric diseases was observed in 47 prefectures in Japan from 1999 through 2005.
Epidemics and wide-area epidemics of influenza occurred for an average of 7.0 and 4.3 weeks in a year in a prefecture, respectively. The proportion of wide-area epidemics in epidemic weeks was 62%. The average number of wide-area epidemic weeks for pediatric diseases varied among diseases; it was more than 4 weeks for infectious gastroenteritis and herpangina and less than 1 week for pertussis, rubella, and measles. The proportion of wide-area epidemics in epidemic weeks was 28-41% for infectious gastroenteritis, hand-foot-mouth disease, and herpangina and less than 20% for other diseases.
The frequency of wide-area epidemics of influenza and pediatric diseases in various prefectures was observed. Epidemics of infectious diseases such as influenza and herpangina occurring in small areas were likely to spread to wide areas.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2008; 17 Suppl:S23-31. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: In 1999 the Communicable Disease Prevention Law of Japan was completely revised into the "New" Infectious Disease Control Law, which reiterated the importance of surveillance and information dissemination and re-organized the surveillance system. This paper is an attempt to illustrate the potential impact of the new surveillance system through a description of the existing surveillance system and data before and after the revision.
After a historical review of surveillance system in Japan, the current surveillance system is described. Data sets of actual case numbers reported and incidence rate per 1,000,000 population are compared before and after the revision.
Comparison of the data between the 2 periods revealed that most of the diseases have had declining trends after the new law was enacted with several exceptions. However, although no major break in continuity is observed in seriously perceived disease, in milder diseases there are striking gaps between the numbers reported in the mandatory and sentinel reporting framework. Sentinel reporting framework maintained the continuity of data without major gaps.
From this perspective, the new surveillance system with two different frameworks of mandatory reporting for severe diseases and sentinel reporting for milder diseases seems to be working well. But continuous efforts should be made for evaluation and improvement of surveillance system and risk communication through the research on data analysis and effective communication method.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2008; 17 Suppl:S3-13. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: A method for determining epidemics in small areas from the sentinel surveillance data has been proposed and applied in the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases (NESID) in Japan. We observed epidemics of influenza and 11 pediatric diseases by the method in the NESID in Japan during 1999-2005.
We assumed that an epidemic in a public health center area began in a week when the number of cases reported to the NESID per sentinel clinic and hospital in the area in the week exceeded a given value, and that the epidemic ended when the number was lower than another given value. The proportion of public health center areas with epidemics (epidemic area proportion) by week in fiscal 1999-2005 was calculated. Total public health center area-weeks observed were about 30,000 each year.
The mean epidemic area proportion in the 7 years was 6.0% for influenza and 0.2-7.4% for pediatric diseases. The proportion increased in pharyngoconjunctival fever and group A streptococcal pharyngitis, decreased in measles and was less than 1.0% in pertussis and rubella. In influenza, the height of the peak in the weekly epidemic area proportion varied between 6 and 90% in the 7 years and the week of the peak varied widely. In some pediatric diseases, the height of the peak varied, while the week of the peak was relatively constant.
The frequency and temporal change were described in the epidemics of influenza and pediatric diseases in public health center areas from the NESID data in Japan, 1999-2005.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2008; 17 Suppl:S14-22. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Drug-resistant bacteria have been increasing together with advancement of antimicrobial chemotherapy in recent years. In Japan, the target diseases in the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases (NESID) include some drug-resistant bacterial infections.
We used the data in the NESID in Japan, 2001-2005. Target diseases were methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) and multi-drug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA) infections. The numbers of patients reported by sentinel hospitals (about 500) on a monthly basis were observed.
The numbers of patients per month per sentinel hospital of 2001-2005 were 3.37-3.98 in MRSA, 0.96-1.19 in PRSP, and 0.11-0.13 in MDRPA infections. The sex ratios (male / female) of patients were 1.69-1.82, 1.34-1.43, and 1.71-2.52, respectively. More than 50% of all patients were adults aged 70 years or older in MRSA and MDRPA infections, but more than 60% were children under 10 years in PRSP infections. The number of patients per sentinel hospital in MRSA infections showed little variation between months, but evidenced a large variation in PRSP and MDRPA infections. The annual trend in the number of patients per sentinel hospital was increasing significantly for the 5-year period in MRSA and PRSP infections, but not in MDRPA infections.
We revealed sex-age distributions of the patients reported to NESID in Japan, 2001- 2005. An increasing incidence of MRSA and PRSP infections and monthly variation in PRSP and MDRPA infections were observed for the 5-year period. Extended observation would be necessary to confirm these trends and variations.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2008; 17 Suppl:S42-7. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The method for estimating incidence of infectious diseases from sentinel surveillance data has been proposed. In Japan, although the annual incidence rates of influenza and pediatric diseases estimated using the method were reported, their weekly incidence rates have not.
The weekly sex- and age-specific numbers of cases in the sentinel medical institutions in the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases in Japan in 2002-2005 were used. Annual and weekly incidence rates of influenza and 12 pediatric diseases were estimated by the above-mentioned method, under the assumption that sentinels are randomly selected from all medical institutions.
The annual incidence rate of influenza in 2002-2005 was 57.7-142.6 per 1,000 population. The highest weekly incidence rate was 7.4 at week 8 in 2002, 14.9 at week 4 in 2003, 14.1 at week 5 in 2004, and 21.2 at week 9 in 2005. The annual incidence rate per 1,000 population of 0-14 years old in 2002-2005 was less than 5.0 for pertussis, rubella and measles, 293.2-320.8 for infectious gastroenteritis, and 5.3-89.6 for 8 other diseases. The highest weekly incidence rate was less than 1.0 for exanthem subitum, and was more than 5.0 for infectious gastroenteritis, hand-foot-mouth disease and herpangina.
We estimated annual and weekly incidence rates of influenza and pediatric diseases in Japan in 2002-2005, and described their temporal variation.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2008; 17 Suppl:S32-41. · 1.86 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Observing the epidemics of vector-borne diseases is important. One or more cases of 6 vector-borne diseases were reported to the National Epidemiological Surveillance of Infectious Diseases in Japan in 2000-2005.
The reports of those cases were available. The incidence was observed by region of acquired infection, prefecture reporting, and week and year of diagnosis.
The incidence rate per year per 1,000,000 population was 0.36 for dengue fever, 0.04 for Japanese encephalitis, 0.38 for Japanese spotted fever, 0.08 for Lyme disease, 0.74 for malaria, and 3.50 for scrub typhus. There were no cases of dengue fever or malaria derived from domestic infections. The yearly incidence rate increased for dengue fever and Japanese spotted fever, and declined for malaria and scrub typhus. The proportion of cases reported in Tokyo was 44% for dengue fever and 37% for malaria. The number of prefectures reporting one or more cases of Japanese spotted fever increased in western Japan. The cases of scrub typhus increased in autumn-winter in prefectures of eastern Japan, and increased both in autumn-winter and spring in western prefectures.
The study reveals the epidemiologic features of both temporal and geographic distributions of cases of 6 vector-borne diseases in Japan, 2000-2005.
Journal of Epidemiology 01/2008; 17 Suppl:S48-55. · 1.86 Impact Factor
