Objectives
The study aims to clarify the difficulties of pregnancy, delivery, and child raising for immigrant women in Japan and their strategies for overcoming them.
Methods
The semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 immigrant women who have experience of delivery or child raising in Japan. The participants were asked about their experiences and difficulties faced during pregnancy, delivery, and child raising, and how they overcame them. The data were analyzed in a qualitative and descriptive manner.
Results
Seven core categories of difficulties were extracted:«anxiety about child raising»,«problems with relationships with others»,«socio-economic problems»,«anxiety about pregnancy, delivery, and diseases»,«problems caused by illiteracy»,«lack of understanding about Japanese health system»,«choice of the delivery country». Women's«making efforts to manage»is supported by family members and it leads to«use of the Japanese health system». Getting support from friends and neighbors, and the use of an interpreter also leads to this. Some women try to overcome the difficulties by«using a non- Japanese health system»or«doing nothing».
Conclusions
When foreigners access health services, not only literacy but also health literacy, such as understanding medical terms or health systems are necessary. Many immigrant women got support from family and friends to overcome the difficulties. However, some women could not get such support and it is necessary for them to make a support network. Foreign women who take negative strategies and use non-Japanese health systems may be in the process of adjusting to Japanese society. Health providers should not deny such strategies, but understand them as a way of decreasing anxiety.

Investigations were made into the actual working and living conditions of adults, both men and women, in the families engaged in mixed farming.
The working conditions were analyzed according to the types of crops farmers are growing. The work study was necessary to probe into the causes of farmers' health disturbances.
A questionnaire revealed that farmers are short of sleep during the busiest season. Especially housewives are forced to cut down on their sleeping hours.
It also found that some farmers spray pesticides in quantity and expose themselves to the potentially health injurious chemicals with alarming frequency.
There was evidence to show that some ailments, notably low back pain, had been reduced due to imporovements on farmwork and working environment.
Health checkups showed that the incidences of hypercholesterolemia and obesity remain high. There was imbalance between carolic intake and consumption.

BACKGROUND: There have been inconsistent findings reported on maternal passive smoking during pregnancy and child risk of ADHD. In this study, ADHD symptoms at pre-school age children in association with prenatal passive and active tobacco smoke exposure determined by maternal plasma cotinine levels in the third trimester were investigated. METHODS: This was a follow-up study of the birth cohort: the Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health. Children whose parents answered Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) to identify child ADHD symptoms (hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems) and total difficulties at age 5 years with available maternal plasma cotinine level at the third trimester were included (n = 3216). Cotinine levels were categorized into 4 groups; ≦ 0.21 ng/ml (non-smoker), 0.22-0.51 ng/ml (low-passive smoker), 0.52-11.48 ng/ml (high-passive smoker), and ≧ 11.49 ng/ml (active smoker). RESULTS: Maternal cotinine levels of active smokers were significantly associated with an increased risk of total difficulties (OR = 1.67) and maternal low- and high-passive smoking also increased the risk (OR = 1.11, 1.25, respectively) without statistical significance. Similarly, maternal cotinine levels of active smokers were associated with an increased risk of hyperactivity/inattention (OR = 1.49). Maternal low- and high-passive smoking and active smoking increased the risk of hyperactivity/inattention (OR = 1.45, 1.43, and OR = 1.59, respectively) only in boys. CONCLUSION Our findings suggested that maternal active smoking during pregnancy may contribute to the increased risk of child total difficulties and hyperactivity/inattention at pre-school age. Pregnant women should be encouraged to quit smoking and avoid exposure to tobacco smoke.
Adult ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; epidemiology ; etiology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; Child, Preschool ; Cotinine ; blood ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Japan ; epidemiology ; Male ; Maternal Exposure ; adverse effects ; Mothers ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Trimester, Third ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Risk ; Sex Factors ; Tobacco Smoking ; adverse effects ; epidemiology