The Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) Women’s Health Project has presented a report titled, “Building an Educational Program to Improve Preconception Health Literacy Among Employees and Survey on Program Effectiveness.”
*Please note that the above documents are only available in Japanese for the time being.

This project was conducted as part of an initiative from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) to develop a comprehensive support program on preconception health for women with the goals of preventing impaired fertility and reducing the risk of pregnancy complications (representative for research and development: Kaori Koga, the University of Tokyo). HGPI Manager Ms. Yuko Imamura served as researcher for one of the themes of this project.

The Basic Policy on the Comprehensive Promotion of Policies for Child and Maternal Health approved by the Cabinet in February 2021 clearly states that “a system will be established for providing preconception care, such as by promoting the provision of healthcare information for future pregnancies through consultation support and health checkups, regardless of gender.”[1] In accordance with this policy, initiatives are now advancing to improve health literacy, such as by promoting the provision of accurate information on sex and reproduction. However, it has been pointed out there is a lack of comprehensive content for working adults, and that diligent efforts to deliver that information in an effective manner are not being made.[2]

In response, HGPI gathered information from specialists in various fields to create an educational program for improving preconception health literacy for working adults. The program was then used to conduct educational interventions for 941 male and female employees at two companies. A quantitative study was conducted using an online survey provided before and after the intervention to measure the results of the program.

The results of that survey suggested the “Educational Program to Improve Preconception Health Literacy Among Employees” improved retention rates when learning about preconception health and can result in changes in both attitudes and behaviors. The study also identified specific needs regarding educational systems and work environments for different occupations, suggesting that it will be important to promote measures for better employee health literacy to lead to appropriate health behaviors.

 

■ Research overview:
Research title: Building an Educational Program to Improve Preconception Health Literacy Among Employees and Survey on Program Effectiveness
Research method: Online survey (conducted before, after, and three months after participants attended an e-learning program)
Subjects: 941 people at two companies

■ For information regarding the content of the e-learning program:
Please see below. For inquiries regarding usage, please contact the Secretariat at the Japan Enlightenment Committee In Endometriosis (info@jecie.jp).

 

■ Recommendations based on survey results: 3 perspectives

Perspective 1: Promote the introduction of preconception health education for employees
Perspective 2: The need for focused efforts to develop content for preconception health education and methods of providing it
Perspective 3: The need for establish company consultation systems and mechanisms that link employees to appropriate consultation and healthcare institutions

 

■ Project team (Titles omitted; in no particular order)

• Yuko Imamura (Manager, HGPI)
• Mariko Nishikitani (Associate Professor, Medical Information Center, Kyushu University Hospital)
• Maya Fujimura (Program Specialist, HGPI)
• Noriko Miwa (Program Specialist, HGPI)
• Hiromi Iwai (Researcher, Graduate School of Public Health, Teikyo University)
• Yoshihisa Horiuchi (Secretary-General, Japan Enlightenment Committee In Endometriosis)
• Keiko Takami (Japan Enlightenment Committee In Endometriosis)
• Kaori Koga (Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo)
   

■ Advisory Board Members (Titles omitted; in no particular order)

• Naoko Arata (Director, Department of Maternal Internal Medicine, Perinatal and Maternal Care Center, National Center for Child Health and Development)
• Norio Isaka (Executive Director, C&R Group Health Insurance Association)
• Miho Egawa (Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University)
• Megumi Kawashima (Division of Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science)
• Yasuyuki Kinjo (Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health)
   

■ Corporate research partners

• Asahi Mutual Life Insurance Company
• Daiwa Securities Group Inc.
• Konica Minolta Co., Ltd.
• Musee Platinum Co., LTD.
  
  

 ■ Partner companies for e-learning production

• Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
• SMS Co., Ltd.
• MTI Ltd.
• CARADA medica Inc.
• Linkage
• HEALTHCARE TECHNOLOGIES Corp.
  
  

■ For questions regarding this research, please contact:

Health and Global Policy Institute (Contact: Imamura)

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[1] Initiatives to promote health management for future pregnancies among women and couples and definition of “preconception care” according to the Basic Policy on the Comprehensive Promotion of Policies for Child and Maternal Health; https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000735844.pdf (Retrieved April 20, 2022)
[2]  Hearings Conducted with Specialists in Preconception Health Care And Related Topics; https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/11920000/000919068.pdf (Retrieved April 20, 2022)