Objective: Multiple studies worldwide have supported the predictive validity of self-rated health (SRH) with regard to disability and mortality among elderly people. Although SRH is an important study topic providing clues to enhance a person’s quality of life, there is currently insufficient data on age- and gender-specific differences among factors associated with SRH in Japan, particularly in rural areas. The present study examined the factors associated with SRH of a segment of Japan’s rural population by age- and gender-specific analysis.
Methods: We used data from a cohort study of all users who underwent an annual health checkup at a public clinic in a rural area. The study subjects were 155 male and 169 female users from June 2009 to August 2010 who agreed to participate in this study. We divided the study subjects into 4 categories as follows: men aged less than 65, women aged less than 65, men aged 65 and over, and women aged 65 and over. The subjects who responded positively to the SRH-related questions were defined as the high SRH group, and those who responded negatively were defined as the low SRH group. We then compared the data between the high and the low groups in each category.
Results: In all four categories, there were statistically significant differences in regular hospital or clinic attendance between the high and low SRH groups. In all four categories, there were no significant differences in eating or exercise habits between the two SRH groups.
Conclusion: Because regular hospital or clinic attendance by a subject is indicative of the presence of chronic health problems, it is natural for the subject’s perception of their own health to be negative. However, rural physicians should provide patients with emotional and psychological support to deal with any health-related concerns positively.

We conducted a questionnaire survey of attitudes about cancer disclosure, brain death, and organ transplantation among fifth-year medical students at Nagoya University from 2001 through 2003. Their attitudes about these topics did not change markedly during the period. Most students favored receiving information about their own diagnosis of cancer, but significantly fewer students favored informing their parents about their diagnosis. Students did not have a strong interest in brain death or organ transplantation. Less than 30% of students possessed donor cards. This survey indicates that attitudes about cancer disclosure, brain death, and organ transplantation among Japanese medical students remain different from those among Western medical students. Instruction designed to address these differences may be beneficial.