We organized salon activities in Kudoyama-cho, Wakayama Prefecture, that engaged pharmacy students in community health support activities. The project aimed to explore current health support initiatives and the potential contributions of the students to local communities. During the activities, the students engaged with participants through exercises, dances, and games. We found that students' participation enhanced interactions in the salon through their creative approaches. A system enabling pharmaceutical students to be continuously involved in the salon should be established through collaborations between universities and local governments.

Introduction: To examine the relationship between empathy and burnout among a multi-professional population at a remote base hospital. Methods: This study was conducted as a single-center cross-sectional study from November 1 to 30, 2024. The subjects were all 263 staff members working at a remote base hospital. Empathy was assessed using the Japanese version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and burnout was assessed using the Japanese version of the Burnout Assessment Index (BAT-J). Correlation analysis and analysis of variance were used for data analysis. Results: Of the 136 respondents (response rate 51.7%), 123 were included in the analysis. The participants had an average of 18.6 years of professional experience (± 11.0 years). Mean IRI and BAT-J scores were 87.3 (± 11.2) and 79.1 (± 17.7), respectively. A weak positive correlation was observed between IRI and BAT-J scores. Among professions, nurses showed significantly higher BAT-J scores than therapists and technicians. No significant differences were observed in IRI. Conclusion: We found no significant difference in empathy among professions. However, our findings suggest that nurses were at higher risk of burnout than therapists.

The importance of addressing social determinants of health (SDH) in clinical practice is widely acknowledged. However, managing SDH becomes particularly challenging when patients exhibit psychological deficits and behavioral disorders. The present case involved a woman in her 80s who lived on public assistance and exhibited multiple co-morbidities. Following the initiation of home medical care, her condition deteriorated due to an interruption in necessary medical treatment after the electricity in her house was disconnected for nonpayment. The patient had strained relationships with the public assistance officer and other support personnel. As her primary physician, I convened all relevant parties to address the situation, evaluated her psychological and behavioral issues, and provided financial management support. Within six months, she paid her overdue electricity bill, following which her symptoms showed notable improvement. This report details the challenges healthcare workers face while addressing multiple SDHs such as the patient's financial hardship and severed connections with social resources. Our findings suggest that interventions tailored to a patient's psychological and behavioral needs improve their health.

Family issues are common in daily life, and the impact of illness and health on family has been researched in various contexts. In Japan's primary care settings, many patients face family problems. One approach proposed to address these issues is "family-oriented care." Family-oriented care is based on "systems theory" and "family therapy" and involves collaborations between family physicians and family therapists. Although several previous studies have discussed its practice and effectiveness, standardized training programs have yet to be established, leaving each facility to refine its approach through trial and error. Furthermore, limited literature exists on the current state of education in this field, making it difficult to grasp the overall landscape. This review article provides an overview of the current status of family-oriented care practice and education in Japan, compares it with advanced efforts in the U.S., and discusses challenges in standardizing education in Japan. Furthermore, we propose the development of a standardized education model for "Japanese-style family-oriented care," tailored to Japan's unique cultural context, customs, family dynamics, and societal structures.

Objective: This study aimed to conduct a narrative review of research on single caregiving to investigate the current status and challenges faced by single caregivers, identify their support needs, and examine these findings from both medical and nursing perspectives.Method: A literature search of databases, including Igaku Chuo Zasshi and CiNii Article, was conducted to extract articles related to single caregiving. Fifteen articles were extracted and used to assess the situation of single caregivers and the required support.Results: Single caregiving was based on a relationship with the cared-for person. The single caregiver had to balance caregiving with his or her lifestyle in a situation where there was no one else to take his or her place. Balancing work and caregiving was difficult, which led to economic and health problems. There were nine categories of support sought, including "improvement of work-life balance," "establishment of a comprehensive support system," "improvement of the working environment," and "support by medical and nursing personnel." Conclusion: Balancing work and caregiving is important for single caregivers. Medical and nursing professionals must identify whether a caregiver is a single caregiver at an early stage, provide information that takes into account the history of relationships between family members, support the health of both the caregiver and the cared-for individual, and have a long-term perspective on assistance.