Atsushi Matsunaga

Aims: To develop a comprehensive practice model delineating public health nursing practices that promote social inclusion and illustrate their outcomes in Japan. Design: Qualitative descriptive research design. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 12 public health nurses from municipalities, ordinance‐designated cities, and prefectures in Japan. Transcripts were analysed using the framework method structured by a logic model and secondary inductive analysis, deriving the model. Results: Public health nurses recognized community friction and isolation as signs of social exclusion and intervened by establishing trust with individuals and families facing social exclusion, improving their daily lives, and empowering them. They also developed support networks and empowered community residents. Although some practices yielded positive outcomes, others required reassessment and adaptation. This iterative process advanced a more inclusive social system. All practices were consistently grounded in five core values and implemented using eight basic skills. Conclusion: We develop a model empirically demonstrating the logical pathways through which public health nursing promotes social inclusion. The model provides a framework that flexibly addresses diverse and emerging forms of social exclusion. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: Public health nurses should recognize that routine practices are key to facilitating social inclusion. The model can serve as a communication tool to explain these practices to non‐professional staff, fostering organizational environments that support inclusive public health nursing practices. Impact: This study addresses the lack of an explicit framework for operationalizing social inclusion in community settings. The findings reveal an empirical pathway connecting individual/family support to system‐level change. The model supports public health nurses' competency development and assists in creating environments that enable proactive, inclusive public health nursing practices. Reporting Method: The study was reported following the COREQ checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.

Home-visiting nurses require supportive work environments. This study examined factors associated with home-visiting nurses’ intention to remain at their current home-visit nursing agency during the child-rearing stage. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among Japanese home-visiting nurses with children younger than 13 years. Between July and August 2024, 4104 home-visit nursing agencies were faxed questionnaires. The survey assessed personal and family factors, workplace factors, the work–family interface, and intention to remain in the workplace. Responses were obtained from 347 participants, with 268 included in the analysis. In total, 184 participants (68.7%) intended to remain at their workplace. Univariate analysis compared groups based on intention to remain, followed by binary logistic regression analysis. Significant factors associated with intention to remain included part-time employment status (odds ratio [OR]: 0.370), duration of childcare leave of 1 year or more (OR: 0.218), managerial leadership (OR: 1.150), educational and career support for nursing quality (OR: 1.097), work–family negative spillover (OR: 0.906), and family–work negative spillover (OR: 0.805). The findings suggest the importance of supportive measures such as flexible work arrangements, support for nurses returning from extended parental leave, improved work–life balance, leadership development for managers, and enhanced educational and career support.

Introduction: This study aimed to conduct an exploratory investigation to compare the monthly implementation frequency of community-based group exercises between mildly affected communities (original communities) and severely affected communities (temporary communities) in a municipality affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011.

In white-collar workplaces, individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits may experience psychological strain and reduced productivity. This study examined structural relationships among ASD traits, social camouflaging, psychological distress, and work functioning impairment, with a focus on gender differences using a secondary analysis of data from an online survey of 543 Japanese white-collar workers (284 men, 259 women). Validated instruments were used to assess ASD traits, camouflaging, psychological distress, and work functioning impairment. Multi-group structural equation modeling by gender was applied using a NIOSH-inspired model. Men scored higher on the Imagination subscale of ASD traits, whereas women scored higher on Attention Switching and Assimilation. ASD traits were indirectly associated with work impairment through psychological distress, while the direct path between ASD traits and work impairment became negative when distress was controlled, indicating a statistical suppression pattern that was more pronounced among women. Assimilation was significantly associated with psychological distress in women but not in men, although the gender difference was at the trend level. The findings indicate a cross-sectional, context-dependent association between ASD traits and work functioning and highlight the importance of considering both gender and workplace context in non-clinical working populations.

While nurses balancing work and childcare face significant stress, this experience potentially leads to personal growth. However, previous studies on work–life balance have often focused on negative aspects such as an excessive burden of housework and childcare on mothers and the consequent decline in their health, and knowledge about the positive aspects is limited. We aimed to clarify the actual state of personal growth resulting from balancing work and childcare and its correlates among Japanese female nurses raising preschool children. A web-based, self-administered anonymous survey was conducted with 200 female nurses whose first child was of preschool age. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis and simple slope analysis were performed using the 25-item Japanese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory Extended and basic attributes (age, marital status, educational background, etc.). Data analysis (199 valid responses, 99.50%) revealed that work engagement and social support from family and others influenced personal growth among female nurses caring for preschool children. Furthermore, nurses who perceived strong social support from family and had high work engagement experienced greater personal growth. High work engagement and strong family support play a synergistic role in promoting personal growth. These findings emphasize the importance of not only providing support but also fostering a positive work attitude to help nurses grow during the childcare period. To explore this mechanism in greater depth, it is necessary to examine causal relationships with longitudinal changes and related variables. Not applicable.