Introduction: We investigated the improvement in and the priorities of patient education training in community pharmacy from the student’s point of view to improve long-term practical training.
Method: We conducted a questionnaire survey to assess student satisfaction and the acquisition of behavioral objectives and analyzed the results with customer satisfaction analysis. Questionnaires were distributed to 32 students who had taken part in long-term practical training in the first year.
Results: Customer satisfaction analysis showed that 4 factors-“the frequency of patient education,” “the period of patient education,” “the aggressiveness of the student,” and “the facilitation by pharmacists on question-asking by the student”-were preferentially improved. In addition, we found that the level of acquisition varied according to the specific behavioral objectives.
Discussion: These results suggest that universities and community pharmacies must work together to organize the training system to increase the frequency of patient education and to improve students’ attitudes about patient education in community pharmacy.

The 2009 pandemic of novel swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) highlighted the importance of community mitigation measures such as voluntary isolation. During the pandemic, we investigated the voluntary isolation behavior of patients with influenza during the 7-day period after they visited an outpatient clinic at a hospital in Tokyo, Japan. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted on patients diagnosed with influenza. Of a total of 14 patients, 13 (93%) visited a workplace, school or other potentially crowded setting at least once in the 7-day period after presentation. Five patients (36%) visited a potentially crowded setting either with a fever or on the day after having a fever. The voluntary isolation behavior of Japanese people with influenza did not necessarily adhere to the Japanese government recommendation that people with influenza-like illness stay home for 7 days following the onset of symptoms.

Objective : There are two types of studies on the relationship between adverse events and genetic background and the relationship between constitution and genetic background.  To investigate the relationship between adverse events and constitution retrospectively, we first reviewed the appearance of the constitution responsible for the adverse events in the relevant sources of information.
Methods : Fifty two pharmaceutical interview sheets, 150 case reports and two manuals; “jyudaina fukusayou kaihi notameno fukuyaku sidou jyouhousyu”, “jyutoku fukusayou sikanbetu manual” were selected for review.
Results : Fourteen items about the constitution were found in the pharmaceutical interview sheets.  No items about the constitution were found in the case reports and manuals.
Conclusion : Rules for the preparation of pharmaceutical interview sheets and case reports to use the constitution information is necessary for retrospective analysis of this issue.

In concequence of the rapid extension of the average life expectancy of the Japanese after World War II, this country has realized a society of longevity. Although longevity is in itself something to be celebrated, many people have misgivings about health in their old age. Advances in medical technology, one of the factors which promoted the society of longevity, continued overcoming various diseases while bringing about many patients troubled with after effects. Also the number of old people suffered from chronic diseases has been increasing gradually.Today, people wish healthy long life from the heart, not simply longevity. Nagano Prefecture has come to be known as the area eminent for long healthy life expectancy in recent years. Behined this, there are various activities aimed at healthier life by citizens. In this paper, we report one of the activities carried out at “Yachiho village” (as a result of the affiliation with Saku machi in 2005 renamed Sakuho machi) located in the eastern part of Nagano Prefecture.The health care program for all villagers, which the government of Yachiho village started in 1959 with cooperation of Saku Central Hospital, produced fruit while breeding many voluntary activities by citizens. We explored the practices of the group worked on the improvement of nutrition, and studied about the essential conditions which have enabled the formation of health promotion activities by citizens.
Longevity ; Health Promotion ; Activities ; Life Expectancy ; Today

Nephroblastomatosis (NBM) is a precursor of Wilms tumor. We herein report a case in which Wilms tumor was initially suspected and the affected kidney was removed.The tumor was subsequently diagnosed as intralobar NBM and a favorable outcome was achieved with postoperative chemotherapy. A 2-year-old boy who presented with gross hematuria was found to have an enlarged left kidney with hydronephrosis.Needle biopsy of the left kidney suggested Wilms tumor and left nephrectomy was performed. The tumor was histopathologically diagnosed as intralobar NBM.Although NBM is regarded as a precancerous lesion, a definite treatment plan has not yet been established. In the present case, we used a similar chemotherapy regimen to that for Wilms tumor. Eight years after the completion of chemotherapy, Wilms tumor has not developed or recurred. Appropriate management plans need to be developed by accumulating similar cases.

Background: Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains an important complication in pediatric cancer patients. The present study compared the efficacy of meropenem (MEPM) and piperacillin/tazobactam (PIPC/TAZ) with or without intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) as second-line therapy for FN in pediatric patients. Methods: As first-line treatment for FN, 394 episodes in 99 patients were randomly assigned to receive PIPC/TAZ (360 mg/kg/day, maximum 18 g/day) or MEPM (120 mg/ kg/day, maximum 3 g/day). Eighty-four episodes in 42 patients were judged as failures, and, thus, were enrolled for second-line treatment. In second-line treatment, antibiotics were switched to MEPM or PIPC/TAZ, and episodes were further randomized for treatment with or without concomitant IVIG at 100 mg/kg/day (maximum 5 g/day) for 3 consecutive days. Results: The total success rate of second-line treatment was 50.0% (52.0% in PIPC/ TAZ and 47.2% in MEPM with or without IVIG, P=0.826). The success rates of patients treated with (IVIG+ group) and without IVIG (IVIG− group) were 53.8 and 46.7%, respectively (P=0.662). In the IVIG+ group, the success rate of patients younger than 8 years old was 78.6%, which was significantly higher than that of those aged 8 years and older (40.0%, P=0.043). Conclusion PIPC/TAZ and MEPM were equally effective as second-line treatment. Concomitant IVIG was also effective, particularly in patients younger than 8 years.

In Niger, insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) have been distributed to the target group of households with young children and/or pregnant women at healthcare facilities in the course of antenatal/immunization clinics. With the aim of universal coverage, ITNs were additionally distributed to households through strengthened community health committees in 2009. This study assessed the impact of the community-based net distribution strategy involving community health committees in the ITN coverage in Boboye Health District, Niger. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on 1,034 households drawn from the intervention area (the co-existence of the community-based system together with the facility-based system) and the control area (the facility-based system alone). In the intervention area, 55.8% of households owned ITNs delivered through the community-based system, and 29.6% of households exclusively owned ITNs obtained through the community-based system. The community-based system not only reached households within the target group (54.6% ownership) but also those without (59.1% ownership). Overall, household ITN ownership was significantly higher in the intervention area than in the control area (82.5% vs. 60.7%). In combination, the community-based system and the facility-based system achieved a high ITN coverage. The community-based system contributed to reducing leakage in the facility-based system.