Ph.D. student Ishimura and her team published a study examining the association between income and the development of impaired kidney function in JAMA Health Forum. The study showed the lowest income group had 1.7 times higher risks of rapid kidney function decline and initiation of kidney replacement therapy (dialysis or kidney transplantation) than the highest … Continue reading “Press Release: Income and impaired kidney function –the disparities of rapid kidney function decline and hemodialysis were 1.7 times– (Doctoral Student Ishimura)”

Congratulations to Associate Professor Kosuke Inoue and Assistant Professor Koryu Sato for their outstanding achievement! Their dedication and pioneering research have significantly contributed to the understanding of Social Epidemiology, leaving an indelible mark on the academic community. Their work has been recognized with publications among the Top 5 highest Impact Factor Journals between 2021-2023 in … Continue reading “News: Professors Inoue and Sato’s Research Featured in Top 5 Highest Impact Factor Journals 2021-2023 (School of Public Health, Kyoto University)”

Marisa Nishio, PhD student, announces the publication of a research paper concerning the validity of the concept of Healthy Ageing proposed by the United Nations. The United Nations has designated the period from 2021 to 2030 as the “Decade of Healthy Ageing,” encouraging countries worldwide to monitor the progress of Healthy Ageing using Functional Ability … Continue reading “Paper Publication: Development and validation of Healthy Ageing indicator proposed by the United Nations (PhD student, Marisa Nishio)”

A research group led by Mariko Kanamori (Kyoto University Institute for the Future of Human and Society) and Professor Naoki Kondo reported the impact of perceived community gender norms, such as “You are a man/woman, you shouldn’t/shouldn’t do XXX”, on the mental health of older people. Men who perceived the gender norms of the community … Continue reading “Press release: Depressive symptoms, suicide ideation and attempts are about twice as common among those who perceive community gender norms as restrictive (Collaborator Kanamori)”

Mr. Arakawa, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tokyo (Special research student at Kyoto University), Prof. Kondo, and colleagues published the article investigating the effectiveness of mHealth consultation services for preventing postpartum depression. This study included pregnant women living in Yokohama city. It revealed that women who were provided mHealth consultation services, in which … Continue reading “Press Release: Women who could use mHealth consultation services during the perinatal period had a two-third lower risk of postpartum depression (Doctoral Student Arakawa)”

A research group led by Takayuki Ueno, a researcher at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute for Gerontology, and Professor Naoki Kondo of our lab had previously identified five patterns of physical function decline during the last three years of life: “maintained independence until death,” “rapid decline,” “gradual decline,” “moderate maintenance,” and “severe maintenance.” In this study, the … Continue reading “Press Release: Older Adults Engaged in Social Participation Are More Likely to Maintain Independence Until the End of Life (Co-researcher: Takayuki Ueno)”

The video of the international symposium “Art, Connection, and Well-Being: Exploring the Social Value of Culture” held on June 4 is now available on our website. Please click the link below to view the video. We would be very happy if those who were able to attend the symposium as well as those who were … Continue reading “News: Now Available Video of the International Symposium “Art, Connections, and Well-Being: Exploring the Social Value of Culture””

We are pleased to announce that the sessions from the recent Nature Conference “Breaking Barriers or Gender and Health Equity Through Research” are now available on-demand. Professor Naoki Kondo participated in this important event and presented a lecture on “Gender Differences in the Impacts of Social Determinants of Health” during  Session VI: Sex and Gender … Continue reading “News: Now Available On-Demand – Breaking Barriers for Gender and Health Equity Through Research (Professor Kondo)”

Health disparities have become a major social issue in Japan. To reduce health disparities, it is necessary to shift from individual-level to societal-level interventions. Since 2021, health management support programs for public assistance recipients have been mandated in welfare offices. Assistant Professor Keiko Ueno and her colleagues focused on older public assistance recipients, particularly those in … Continue reading “Paper publication: Discovering daily life needs of older public assistance recipient subgroups (Assistant Professor Ueno)”

Medical student Kanta Kiyohara, Associate Professor Kosuke Inoue, Professor Taku Iwami, and Professor Naoki Kondo published a study using data from a large-scale randomized controlled trial to reveal that the effectiveness of intensive glycemic and blood pressure control among patients with diabetes varies by living arrangement status (living alone or not). This research, published in … Continue reading “Press Release: Living Arrangement Status and Treatment Effectiveness of Cardiovascular Prevention – (Medical Student Kanta Kiyohara)”

For three days, March 14, 15, and 18, 2024, a workshop on “Community Assessment” was held at the Kyoto University School of Public Health (KUSPH). This workshop was held in by inviting the officers from the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office and the WHO Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Center), and we also invited … Continue reading “News: “Community Assessment” Workshop was Held and Colleague from Brunei Darussalam were Invited”

We welcomed our new students (4 doctoral students and 5 master’s students) this year and held a welcome party at the campsite in the lab. They have diverse backgrounds and we look forward to working with them on a variety of research topics. Thank you for your continued support of the Kondo Lab this year!

International Symposium “Art, Connection, and Well-being: Exploring the Social Value of Culture” will be held under the organization of the Department of Social Epidemiology. With the epidemic of the new coronavirus, many social activities have been restricted as “unnecessary and non-urgent.” Cultural activities such as festivals, traditional culture, art and sports were severely restricted. These … Continue reading “Notice: International Symposium “Art, Connection, and Well-being: Exploring the Social Value of Culture””

The content of the research, “Community gender norms, mental health and suicide ideation and attempts among older Japanese adults: a cross-sectional study,” was featured in several Japanese newspapers, 福福島民友・下野新聞・日本海新聞・中国新聞・徳島新聞・秋田魁新報・沖縄タイムス・佐賀新聞・山陰中央新報・高知新聞・福島民報・東京新聞夕刊・千葉日報・京都新聞朝刊・愛媛新聞・南日本新聞・琉球新報・岩手日報・岐阜新聞・長崎新聞・新潟日報, 福井新聞、山梨日日新聞, further amplifying its impact and reach. For details, click  here: Press release: Depressive symptoms, suicide ideation and attempts are about twice as common among those who … Continue reading “News: Media coverage “Community gender norms, mental health and suicide ideation and attempts among older Japanese adults: a cross-sectional study” – JAGES (January-March 2024)”

On March 11, 2024, we held a farewell party of Kondo Lab. We had a lunch party at SHIRAN cafe to wish the best to our graduates Yuki Arakawa, Sho Takeda, Yuma Goto, Kaori Suga, Kokoro Harii, Liu Qiuyi, Koryu Sato, Kozue Ueno, and Harumi Ito, who are leaving the lab. Professor Kondo sent a … Continue reading “Event: We held a Farewell party 2023”

Ph.D. student Ishimura and her team published a study examining the association between income and the development of impaired kidney function in JAMA Health Forum. The study showed the lowest income group had 1.7 times higher risks of rapid kidney function decline and initiation of kidney replacement therapy (dialysis or kidney transplantation) than the highest … Continue reading “Press Release: Income and impaired kidney function –the disparities of rapid kidney function decline and hemodialysis were 1.7 times– (Doctoral Student Ishimura)”

Congratulations to Associate Professor Kosuke Inoue and Assistant Professor Koryu Sato for their outstanding achievement! Their dedication and pioneering research have significantly contributed to the understanding of Social Epidemiology, leaving an indelible mark on the academic community. Their work has been recognized with publications among the Top 5 highest Impact Factor Journals between 2021-2023 in … Continue reading “News: Professors Inoue and Sato’s Research Featured in Top 5 Highest Impact Factor Journals 2021-2023 (School of Public Health, Kyoto University)”

The Planetary Health Project of Japan Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI) released a Joint Statement titled “A Significant Step Towards the Building a Green Healthcare System” on February 16, 2024, with Professor Kondo serving as an Advisory Board Member. This statement highlights the increasing significance of addressing planetary health challenges, particularly climate changes, as … Continue reading “News: Joint Statement on Building a Green Healthcare System released by the Japan Health and Global Policy Institute’s Planetary Health Project (Professor Kondo)”

A research group led by Yoko Matsuoka (Chiba University, Center for Preventive Medical Sciences) and Professor Naoki Kondo analyzed the effect of post-disaster relocation on mental health and the factors explaining this effect among the affected older adults of the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake. Post-disaster relocation is a risk factor for worsening mental health, but the … Continue reading “Press release: 3.8 times the risk of depression when moving to temporary housing; however, those who changed their participation in group activities upon moving had a 40% reduction in the risk (Visiting Researcher Matsuoka)”

The content of a paper published by the RISTEX project “How Did The Pandemic Affect Women’s Decisions On Pregnancy?,” sponsored by our laboratory, was recently featured on the website of Theravive, a Canadian organization of clinical psychologists. “Pregnancy decisions are influenced by societal factors. Those choosing delay often experience isolation and loneliness. This article aims … Continue reading “News: Media coverage “The decision to postpone pregnancy during the COVID-19 pandemic is strongly associated with lower well-being””

We are pleased to announce that Professor Kondo has been appointed to the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Social Connection (TAG-SC) for a two-year term. The TAG-SC, comprising up to 20 experts, will provide counsel to the WHO Secretariat on the profound interplay between social connection and health. This appointment underscores Professor Kondo’s expertise in … Continue reading “News: Professor Kondo Appointed to WHO Advisory Group on Social Connection (Professor Kondo)”

Marisa Nishio, PhD student, announces the publication of a research paper concerning the validity of the concept of Healthy Ageing proposed by the United Nations. The United Nations has designated the period from 2021 to 2030 as the “Decade of Healthy Ageing,” encouraging countries worldwide to monitor the progress of Healthy Ageing using Functional Ability … Continue reading “Paper Publication: Development and validation of Healthy Ageing indicator proposed by the United Nations (PhD student, Marisa Nishio)”

Professor Kondo participated in the 40th Anniversary Symposium “Digital Health: Opportunities and Challenges for Community Health,” organized by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Takemi Program in International Health. As a featured speaker, Professor Kondo delivered a presentation on “Social Common Capital and Digital Health” at the event held on November 11, 2023, … Continue reading “Symposium Video Release: Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Takemi Program in International Health (Professor Kondo)”

Professor Kondo shares an enjoyable experience in the first installment of the [Relay-essay], a new section at the Graduate School of Medicine. He explores values and desires through a unique and engaging game, shedding light on the importance of empathetic discussions within the context of Public Health. Click here for more details.

Prolonged activity time of paramedics at the scene is a major global problem in the emergency medical system (EMS). Assistant Professor Keiko Ueno conducted collaborative research with Hiroshima University, utilizing data from the ambulance transportation and request call records databases of the Higashihiroshima Fire Department over a period of seven years. They revealed that paramedics required more than 30 … Continue reading “Paper publication: Paramedics require more than 30 minutes of activity at the scene in older patients, female patients, fire accidents, natural disasters, motor vehicle accidents, assaults, self-injuries, number of hospital inquiries ≥ 4, and the COVID-19 pandemic among ambulance users with minor diseases or injuries (Assistant Professor Ueno)”

We have published a comprehensive review article on screening and assessment tools for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This is a collaborative effort with researchers from the Department of Cardiology at St. Luke’s International Hospital and the Department of Academic Informatics at St. Luke’s International University. The article … Continue reading “Press Release: Review of Screening and Assessment Tools for Social Determinants of Health in the Field of Cardiovascular Disease”

A research group led by Mariko Kanamori (Kyoto University Institute for the Future of Human and Society) and Professor Naoki Kondo reported the impact of perceived community gender norms, such as “You are a man/woman, you shouldn’t/shouldn’t do XXX”, on the mental health of older people. Men who perceived the gender norms of the community … Continue reading “Press release: Depressive symptoms, suicide ideation and attempts are about twice as common among those who perceive community gender norms as restrictive (Collaborator Kanamori)”

The Global Expert Meeting of the Obesity Control Promotion Project of the Japan Health and Global Policy Institute (HGPI), drawing upon insights from the event titled “The Next Steps for Engaging and Cooperating with Patients, Citizens, and Communities for Obesity Control,” held in Mach 2023. This month, the meeting has shared its Policy Recommendations outlined … Continue reading “News: Policy recommendations released by the Obesity Control Promotion Project of the Japan Health and Global Policy Institute (Professor Kondo)”

Dr. Yoko Matsuoka, a visiting researcher from Chiba University and graduate student from our lab, was awarded an oral presentation award at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Public Health (November 1, 2023). Her presentation titled “Relocation and mental health in older adults immediately after the earthquake: A mid- and long-term follow-up … Continue reading “Award: Dr. Matsuoka won the Oral Presentation Award at the Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Public Health”

Mr. Arakawa, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tokyo (Special research student at Kyoto University), Prof. Kondo, and colleagues published the article investigating the effectiveness of mHealth consultation services for preventing postpartum depression. This study included pregnant women living in Yokohama city. It revealed that women who were provided mHealth consultation services, in which … Continue reading “Press Release: Women who could use mHealth consultation services during the perinatal period had a two-third lower risk of postpartum depression (Doctoral Student Arakawa)”

Hakuhodo DY Holdings (HD) is conducting joint research with us and has been featured in multiple media outlets for its “Checkup Championship.” Our laboratory (Department of Social Epidemiology at Kyoto University) has been working with Hakuhodo DYHD to verify the effectiveness of the “Checkup Championship,” a workplace health and wellness program. This year, 3D avatar … Continue reading “Media Coverage: “JIBUN TRAINER” program for health guidance using avatars for employees (Checkup Championship)”

A research group led by Senior Lecturer Shiho Kino and Professor Jun Aida of the Department of Health Promotion Dentistry, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, in collaboration with Kyoto University and Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, has found that older public assistance recipients have lower rates of dental … Continue reading “Press Release: Dental visit rates among older public assistance recipients are more than 20% lower than among those who do not receive public assistance – Barriers other than economic factors to dental visits (Senior Lecturer Kino, Tokyo Medical and Dental University)”

A paper authored by Associate Professor Midori Matsushima of the University of Tsukuba and a research group led by Professor Naoki Kondo has been accepted for publication in BMC Public Health. The paper elucidates the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of pregnancy in Japan, and well-being of women who opted to delay … Continue reading “Press Release: 20% of Married Women who had Intended to Conceive Delay Childbearing under the COVID-19 and its Strong Association with Decline in Well-being (Associate Professor Matsushima, University of Tsukuba)”

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been noted that there were significant disparities in access to medical care. The situation varied greatly from country to country. Therefore, primary health care and public health researchers from eight countries gathered to examine each country’s response situation. In particular, they clarified the current state of cooperation … Continue reading “Paper Publication: Eight Countries’ Responses to Health Disparities in the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Did Primary Health Care and Public Health Work Together? (Professor Kondo and Researcher Nishioka)”

Professor Kondo had a presentation at the 3rd MEV-MEJ Forum on Sharing Experiences in Adaptation to Ageing and Care for Elderly between Japan and Vietnam on August 29, 2023. He participated as a symposium presenter and discussed how to promote equitable aging society measures. Title: “Achieving Health Equity by Data-Driven Community-Based Integrated Care System: Lessons … Continue reading “News: Presentation at International Conference 3rd MEV-MEJ Forum on Sharing Experiences in Adaptation to Ageing and Care for Elderly between Japan and Vietnam (Professor Kondo)”

The 32nd (FY2023) research grant of the Nakayama Foundation for Human Sciences (this year’s theme: Human Science of Health Disparities) was awarded to Marisa Nishio (3rd-year doctoral student), “Joint effect of intrinsic capacity and natural/built environmental factors on functional ability: validity of the United Nation’s Healthy Ageing concept.” The purpose of this research is to clarify … Continue reading “Award: The 32nd (FY2023) Research Grant from Nakayama Foundation for Human Sciences (Doctoral Student Nishio)”

Health is the cornerstone of life. Protecting the health of individuals receiving welfare support, including public assistance recipients, is especially important. Since 2021, welfare offices in Japan have been obliged to implement health management support programs for public assistance recipients. To provide health and life support efficiently and effectively, we have developed a new tailor-made … Continue reading “Press Release: Development of a new method for tailor-made health support for public assistance recipients (Assistant Professor Ueno)”

A study by Assistant Professor KYAN Akira (belonged to Kobe University at the time of research) and his colleagues found for the first time that socioeconomic inequality in achieving recommended physical activity levels among Japanese youth increased while difference in breakfast intake decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to levels before the pandemic. Specifically, despite … Continue reading “Press Release: Socioeconomic Inequality of Health Behaviors Among Japanese Adolescents increased by 2.5 times after COVID-19 Pandemic (Assistant Professor Kyan)”

Assistant Professor Sato has published a study examining the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and early childhood development in JAMA Pediatrics. His team showed that cohorts exposed to the pandemic were 4.39 months behind in development at age 5 compared to a cohort that was not during the follow-up. Variations in development were greater during … Continue reading “Press Release: Children exposed to the pandemic were 4.39 months behind in development at age 5 (Assistant Professor Sato)”

Associate Professor Inoue received the Young Investigator Award(YIA) at the 96th Annual Meeting of the Japan Endocrine Society. The meeting was held in Nagoya, Japan, from June 1st to 3rd, 2023. In his presentation, Dr. Inoue proposed the concept of “High Benefit Approach” in which treatment allocation is targeted to individuals with high benefit estimated … Continue reading “Award: Young Investigator Award(YIA) at The Japan Endocrine Society (Associate Professor Inoue)”

On May 31, the Act on Promotion of Policy for Loneliness and Isolation passed at the plenary session of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet.　[Please click here to view the video recording of this session (in Japanese). Voting begins at approximately 11:50 minutes.] Also, on May 30, the Committee on Cabinet … Continue reading “News: The Act on Promotion of Policy for Loneliness and Isolation passed”

On May 31, 2023, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced the basic policy of the third term of the “National Health Promotion Campaign in the 21st Century (Healthy Japan 21),” in which Professor Naoki Kondo has been involved as a national council member. It emphasizes the importance of “social environment improvement (or tackling … Continue reading “News: Health Japan 21 (3rd Round) has been announced (May 31)”

Many countries have been increasing their state pension age. Nonetheless, there is little consensus on whether retirement affects the risk of cardiovascular disease. Using a causal inference approach, Mr. Sato and colleagues found a 2.2%-point decrease in the risk of heart disease and a 3.0%-point decrease in physical inactivity among retirees, compared with workers. Policymakers … Continue reading “Press Release: Retirement is associated with reduced heart diseases and physical inactivity – a longitudinal study of over 100,000 people in 35 countries (Assistant Professor Sato)”

Professor Amparo Oliver and Professor Jose M. Tomas, both from the University of Valencia have joined the Kondo Lab as visiting scholars. Professor Amparo Oliver focuses on “the relationships between comprehensive characteristics and the well-being of older adults based on biological, psychological, and social aspects”. Professor Jose M. Tomas is researching “statistical models to predict … Continue reading “News: Welcome Professor Oliver and Professor Tomas”

Assistant Professor Keiko Ueno’s oral presentation was awarded  EMS (Emergency Medical System) RESEARCH PAPER 1st RUNNER-UP at the 12th Asian Conference on Emergency Medicine held in the Philippines from April 28 to April 30, 2023. Title: Identifying the features of subgroups in adult ambulance users with non-urgent medical conditions in Japan: A segmentation approach Paper … Continue reading “Award: The 12th Asian Association of Emergency Medicine RESEARCH PAPER 1st RUNNER-UP (Assistant Professor Ueno)”

A paper published last year in Epidemiology by Associate Professor Inoue was selected as the Runner-up of the Rothman Epidemiology Prize (four papers in total) as an epidemiology paper that had an important impact among the papers published by Epidemiology in the same year. It was recognized because it generalized the front-door formula, which had … Continue reading “News: Selected as Runner-up for the Rothman Epidemiology Paper Prize 2023 in Epidemiology(Associate Professor Inoue)”

On March 27, International Lectures ” Future Healthy Aging　Communities” and “Career Path in International Organizations” were held at Kyoto University School of Public Health(SPH) with WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO/WPRO) officers and researchers from Brunei and Cambodia as invited lecturers. “Future of Healthy Aging Communities” introduced the Healthy Aging policies developed by WHO/WPRO and … Continue reading “News: International Lecture ” Future Healthy Aging Communities” and “Career Path in International Organizations” at Kyoto University School of Public Health on March 27 (Professor. Kondo)”

We visited Nabari City, Mie Prefecture, a leading city in efforts to achieve “Healthy Aging” and “Social Prescribing” in Asia and the Western Pacific region, where the population is rapidly aging. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Office and researchers from Cambodia and Brunei participated in the tour. Faculty and students … Continue reading “News: Visiting Nabari City with Experts from WHO, Cambodia, and Brunei on March 28”

The research group led by Associate Professor Inoue, Professor Susan Athey of Stanford University, and Associate Professor Yusuke Tsugawa of the University of California, Los Angeles, has proposed the potential usefulness of the “high-benefit approach,” a next-generation personalized medicine strategy for hypertension treatment, by applying advanced machine learning models to the treatment of hypertension. This … Continue reading “Press Release: Proposal of a personalized medicine strategy “High Benefit Approach” in hypertension treatment (Associate Professor: Inoue)”

The research group led by Associate Professor Inoue and Associate Professor Yusuke Tsugawa of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), using U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, has found that achieving 8,000 steps per day, even just one or two days a week has a positive impact on health. Using accelerometer-measured step … Continue reading “Press release: Finding an association between weekly walking patterns and mortality risk – Can walking well twice a week keep you healthy? (Associate professor Inoue)”

The large-scale joint research and development project with the Tokyo University of the Arts, etc. (JST Industry-academia Co-creation), in which we have participated since last year, has been adopted for the development phase. Until now, Professor Naoki Kondo has been involved as an R&D collaborator, but from April 2023, Kondo will be in charge of … Continue reading “News: New project on “cultural prescribing” with Tokyo University of the Arts and National Museum”

The comments of the 2023 G7 Global Health Task Force, in which Professor Kondo serves as a working group member, were published in LANCET. Promote global solidarity to advance health-system resilience: proposals for the G7 meetings in Japan. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00690-6/fulltext The Pandemic Action Network (PAN), JCIE, and the University of Tokyo’s Center for Future Vision Research … Continue reading “News: Comments on the 2023 G7 Global Health Task Force published on LANCET”

On March 23, 2023, we held a farewell party of our Lab. We held a party in a hybrid style of on-site at Kyoto University and online and wished Yumiko Kobayashi, a graduate student, and Dorn and Harold, international students, the best of luck in their new careers. Prof.Kondo gave a message and a flower … Continue reading “Event: We held a farewell party for the year 2022”

A research group including Assistant Professor Inoue, Assistant Professor Tatsuhiko Naito of Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine (at the time of the research/now a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine), Professor Yukinori Okada (Team leader, RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences Laboratory for Systems Genetics / Professor of Department of Genome Informatics, … Continue reading “Press release: Identified genes involved in the pathogenesis of primary aldosteronism(Assistant Professor Inoue)”

The World Bank’s new book “Silver Opportunity : Building Integrated Services for Older Adults around Primary Health Care” has been published. Professor. Kondo and Assistant Professor. Sato wrote the chapter on governance and regulation. You can access the e-version of the book at here.

The book launch event will be held on Feb, 27, 2023, Tokyo and online. Book title: Silver Opportunity : Building Integrated Services for Older Adults around Primary Health Care https://www.worldbank.org/en/events/2023/02/27/phrd-uhc-funded-aging-and-long-term-care-case-studies-book-launch Book description We live in a rapidly aging world, in which people who are 65 years and older outnumber children under age 5. This book … Continue reading “EVENTS：World Bank – Aging and Long-Term Care Case Studies Book Launch”

A paper in joint research with Associate Professor Midori Matsushima at the University of Tsukuba has been published online in the Journal of Biosocial Science. A research group led by Associate Professor Midori Matsushima, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Tsukuba, and Professor Naoki Kondo examined the association between the COVID-19 pandemic and pregnancy postponement. … Continue reading “Press release: Pregnancy postponement during the COVID-19 pandemic -Income decline, job insecurity and anxiety about future household finances were related-“

A paper by Research Fellow Andrew Stickley has been published in SSM Population Health. This study was undertaken by  researchers from the Department of Social Epidemiology at Kyoto University (Dr Andrew Stickley, Professor Naoki Kondo, Dr Mariko Kanamori, Dr Shiho Kino, Doctoral Student Yuki Arakawa)  together with colleagues from the National Centre for Global Health … Continue reading “Press release: Worry about crime and loneliness: Examining the association in nine former Soviet countries”

Doctoral student Nagata and Assistant Professor Sato’s  paper has been published in Preventive Medicine. The Social Epidemiology Department, together with Hakuhodo DY Holdings Inc., has demonstrated in a study of metabolic syndrome that people who participated in the new workplace health promotion program “Checkup championship” improved their health checkup results compared to those who did … Continue reading “Press release：Entertainment-based health program incorporates game elements to improve metabolic syndrome and reduce weight, abdominal circumference, and obesity（Hakuhodo, Checkup Championship)”

On October 3, 2022, our laboratory, Mercari Inc. and the Urban Renaissance Agency announced the ” Launch of Joint Research on Mental and Physical Health of the Older Adults and the Use of Flea market Apps”.  We will research the influence of the “social connection” felt through the use of flea market apps on health … Continue reading “News: Launch of Joint Research with Mercari and Urban Renaissance Agency (Prof. Kondo)”

Professor Kondo received the National Academy of Medicine “Health Longevity Grand Challenge Catalyst Award” in 2020. This award was presented for “Novel Implementation Science Toward Healthy Longevity Based on Community Multi-sectoral Partnerships Using Big Health Data”. The Healthy Longevity Global Competition website is here.  

Professor Kondo assumed a member of the 2023 G7 Global Health Task Force for Japanese Government. This Task Force has been established under the “Global Health and Human Security” Steering Committee launched by the Japan Center for International Exchange. The objective is to compile recommendations on the global health agenda for the G7 Summit to … Continue reading “News: Assumed a member of the G7 Global Health Task Force for 2023 (Prof. Kondo)”

The Global Health Strategy based on the presentations and discussions among the members of Global Health Strategy Expert Task Force and guest speakers has been finalized and released by the Headquarters for Healthcare Policy, the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan. The report includes several statements related to Prof. Kondo’s opinions as follows (translated by the … Continue reading “News: Global Health Strategy: released by the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan (Prof. Kondo)”

The Social Determinants of Health (SDH) Review Committee, of which Naoki Kondo is vice chair, led the revision work. Japan  Primary Care Association Revised version of “Views and Action Guidelines on Health Disparities”PDF The main revisions are as follows ・Added concepts such as “Social prescribing” and “Inclusive Society”. ・Added important information related to research and … Continue reading “News:Release of the revised version of “Views and Action Guidelines on Health Disparities” by the Japan Primary Care Association (Professor Kondo)”

Professor Kondo received the Best Teacher Award 2021 in the Kyoto University School of Public Health. The Best Teacher Award is an award given by the School of Public Health to faculty members who have given high quality classes in order to improve the quality of teaching, and is determined by the results of student … Continue reading “Award: Best Teacher Award 2021（School of Public Health) (Professor Kondo)”

Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. published a paper supervised by Kondo,  “ICT for Solving Post-COVID19 Social Issues”. Nomura Securities Co., Ltd. “ICT for Solving Post-COVID19 Social Issues” Click here for pdf. Click here to read about the start of the research.

Assistant Professor Maho Haseda’s paper has been published in the Health & Place. Haseda M, Takagi D, Stickley A, Kondo K, & Kondo N. (2022). Effectiveness of a community organizing intervention on mortality and its equity among older residents in Japan: A JAGES quasi-experimental study. Health & place, 74, 102764. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102764 Abstract Interventions that involve … Continue reading “New Paper: Supporting municipalities by community organizing intervention reduced the three-year mortality risk for older male residents by 0.92 times.(Assitant Professor Maho Haseda)”

Assistant Professor Koryu Sato’s paper has been published in the Health & Place. Sato, K., Kondo, N., Kondo, K. Pre-pandemic individual- and community-level social capital and depressive symptoms during COVID-19: A longitudinal study of Japanese older adults in 2019-21. Health & Place, 74; 102772 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102772 Abstract During a pandemic, it is important to know … Continue reading “New Paper: Community reciprocity was associated with 10% less risk of depression during the COVID-19 pandemic(Assistant Professor Koryu Sato)”

Three research papers by Mariko Kanamori were introduced in an editorial in the Japan Agricultural News.2022.5.16 The Japan Agricultural News “Rural Depression Prevention　A Comfortable Environment to Live in” 【Explanation】＊Jump to Mariko Kanamori’s website 1.Relationship between rurality, depression, and social capital 2.Those who have long farming experience are 1.1 to 1.4 times more likely to be … Continue reading “Media Coverage: The Japan Agricultural News 2022.5.16(Research Collaborator Mariko Kanamori)”

Mariko Kanamori’s research revealing the relationship between rurality and depression was introduced in the Japan Agricultural News.2022.5.9 Click here to read an earlier article about this study. Click here for Mariko Kanamori’s website.

A series of lectures on “Causal Inferrence for Clinical and Epidemiological Research” in the Medical News which assistant professor Kosuke Inoue wrote has been finalized. No 14.Better understanding of causal inference and realization of a healthy future for people and society.(2022.5.9 Weekly Medical News(Usual number) ：From No.3468) Click here for Kosuke Inoue’s website.

The following paper published in the international journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior received the Wiley “Top Cited Article 2020-2021” award, which is given to papers with the highest number of citations in the journal. Award-winning papers “Suicide and Types of Agriculture ：A Time-Series Analysis in Japan”(Authors. Mariko Kanamori, Naoki Kondo) https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.12559

Assistant Professor Kosuke Inoue has been writing a series of lectures on “Causal Inferrence for Clinical and Epidemiological Research” in the Medical News. No.13,Estimating causal effects using mediator.(2022.4.4 Weekly Medical News(Usual number) ：From No.3464) Click here for Kosuke Inoue’s website.

Assistant Professor Kosuke Inoue has been writing a series of lectures on “Causal Inferrence for Clinical and Epidemiological Research” in the Medical News. No.12, Estimating the effects of exposures and interventions on populations.(2022.3.7 Weekly Medical News(Usual number) ：From No.3460) No11,Estimating Causal Effects Using Instrumental Variables.(2022.2.7 Weekly Medical News(Usual number) ：From No.3456) Click here for Kosuke … Continue reading “Serial Report: Lecture on Causal Inference for Clinical and Epidemiological Research(The Medical News, Assistant Professor Inoue)”

「Transforming Food Environments」 Chapter 16 ‘Choice Architecture and Nudging for Better Food Choice’ We regularly find ourselves in food environments that promote the consumption of high fat and sugary foods rather than encouraging us to eat more fruit and vegetables. However, because of increased media attention, people are becoming more interested in alternative approaches to … Continue reading “Publication: Transforming Food Environments(Professor Kondo)”

Assistant Professor Koryu Sato contributed to an article in the Weekly Toyo Keizai about the increase in the out of pocket medical expenses for late-stage elderly that will take effect in October this year. Toyo Keizai Inc.  Weekly Toyo Keizai  March 12, 2022.

Open Campus of Kyoto University School of Public Health will be held on the following dates. Webinar : 10:00-16:00, April 23, 2022 Webinar : 13:00-15:00, May 14, 2022 For more information, click here.(Pre-registration) If you are interested in doctoral programs (PhD or DrPH), professional degree course (Master of Public Health;MPH), Master Program  for Clinical Research(MCR) , … Continue reading “Open Campus 2022”

On November 23-25, 2021, Naoki Kondo participated in Sharing knowledge to create Age-friendly environments held by WHO Western Pacific Regional Office  (WPRO). Policymakers, academics, opinion leaders, and people active in the field of creating age-friendly environments gathered at the webiner. Click here for the PDF presented in this webinar.

Naoki Kondo’s research on the relationship between MUJIN and healthy life expectancy was introduced in The Economist. The Economist 「Japan is searching for the secrets to healthy old age」 “Investments such as upgrading cultural facilities or creating mobile libraries to serve remote communities may not appear to be health-related, but can benefit public health, says … Continue reading “Media Coverage: The Economist “Japan is searching for the secrets to healthy old age” (Professor Kondo)”

Assistant Professor Kosuke Inoue has been writing a series of lectures on “Causal Inference for Clinical and Epidemiological Research” in the Medical News. No.10, Quantifying Assumable Bias.(2022.1.17 Weekly Medical News(Usual number) ：From No.3453) No9,Examine the effects of exposure on outcomes.(2021.11.29 Weekly Medical News(Usual number) ：From No.3447) Click here for Kosuke Inoue’s website.

Assistant Professor Koryu Sato wrote a part of the book “The Health Economics and Innovation from a Variety of Perspective”, which was published by Chikura Shobo on February 10, 2022. Sato was in charge of Chapter 3, “Health Care Economics from the U.S. Perspective” and discusses the implications for Japan from the recent U.S. health … Continue reading “Publication:The Health Economics and Innovation from a Variety of Perspective(Assistant professor Sato)”

Our lab members have presented at various conferences in the second half of 2021. Click here for the member’s introduction page. August Maho Haseda:Post Conference Symposium “Addressing the social determinants of health and career development of physicians “The 53th Annual Meeting of Japan Society for Medical Education.Symposist. September Mariko Kanamori:One Welfare World Conference: Presenter of … Continue reading “Report: Conference presentations from August to December 2021 (members)”

Resarch Student,Mariko Kanamori,has received the 12th JSPS Ikushi Prize. Research theme for which the award was given Identifying the social determinants of suicide in rural areas and developing a community empowerment model for suicide. the 12th JSPS Ikushi Prize This year, 18 students were awarded from among 165 graduate school doctoral students recommended by the … Continue reading “News: Received Japan Society for the Promotion Science(JSPS) Ikushi Prize (Resarch student,Mariko Kanamori)”

Our new paper has been published in the Health Place. Haseda M, Takagi D, Stickley A, Kondo K, Kondo N. Effectiveness of a community organizing intervention on mortality and its equity among older residents in Japan: A JAGES quasi-experimental study. Health Place. 2022 Feb 9;74:102764. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2022.102764. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35151182. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35151182/

Our new paper has been published in the Lancet Reg Health West Pac. Okuzono SS, Shiba K, Kim ES, Shirai K, Kondo N, Fujiwara T, Kondo K, Lomas T, Trudel-Fitzgerald C, Kawachi I, VanderWeele TJ. Ikigai and subsequent health and wellbeing among Japanese older adults: Longitudinal outcome-wide analysis. Lancet Reg Health West Pac. 2022 Feb … Continue reading “New paper: Ikigai and subsequent health and wellbeing among Japanese older adults: Longitudinal outcome-wide analysis. (Okuzono SS)”

Our new paper has been published in the Soc Sci Med. Gero K, Yazawa A, Kondo N, Hanazato M, Kondo K, Kawachi I. Comparison of three indices of relative income deprivation in predicting health status. Soc Sci Med. 2022 Feb;294:114722. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.114722. Epub 2022 Jan 13. PMID: 35065345.

The Stockholm University website has announced that Mariko Kanamori has been awarded the JSPS Ikushi Prize. Mariko Kanamori awarded the prestigious Ikushi Prize “”Our research using Swedish registry data was of great interest to the jury members in the interview. I hope that this award will shed some light on the research field” says Mariko … Continue reading “Award: Mariko Kanamori awarded the Ikushi Prize (featured on the Stockholm University website)”

A project for which Naoki Kondo is the principal investigator has been published on the RISTEX website. Research Institute of Science and Technology for Society. Solve for SDGs : Social Isolation & Loneliness.”Solution-Driven Co-creative R&D Program for SDGs (SOLVE for SDGs): Preventing Social Isolation & Loneliness and Creating Diversified Social Networks” KONDO Naoki. “Building Community-based … Continue reading “News: “Building Community-based “Anywhere Door” -type Hybrid Care Networks.” Listed on the RISTEX website (English version) Project List.”

A meeting of the Council for the Promotion of Measures against Loneliness and Isolation was held at the Official residence, and a priority plan outlining measures was decided and released. Click here for the Priority Plan for measures against Isolation and Loneliness. Click here for the expert meeting on the priority plan for measures against … Continue reading “Report: Priority Plan for measures against Loneliness and Isolation Decided and Released (Professor. Kondo)”

Naoki Kondo has been appointed as an Deputy editor of the Journal of Epidemiology published by the Japanese Epidemiological Association from January 2022. Journal of Epidemiology 2022 Vol.32 No.1

Naoki Kondo’s co-authored paper, “Global Environmental Transformation and Health in the Anthropocene,” has been published in the January 2022 , Science Journal KAGAKU. Iwanami Shoten Co., Ltd.　Science Journal KAGAKU. Jan.2022 vol92 No.1  

We published a new paper from SSM Population Health. Marisa Nishio, Michael Green, Naoki Kondo.Roles of participation in social activities in the association between adverse childhood experiences and health among older Japanese adults.SSM Popul Health . 2021 Dec 14;17:101000. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.101000. eCollection 2022 Mar. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352827321002755

We published a new paper from Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics Shiho Kino,Daisuke Nishioka, Keiko Ueno, Naoki Kondo.Role of psychosocial factors in starting and leaving public assistance programs by older Japanese population: Longitudinal Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.Arch Gerontol Geriatr. 2021 Dec 26;99:104615. doi: 10.1016/j.archger.2021.104615. Online ahead of print. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167494321002788

Naoki Kondo and Maho Haseda wrote a part of the book, “‘Commuting Places’ in the Post-COVID19 Era,” published by Japan Nurses Association Press. They were in charge of Chapter 1, “The Current State of ‘Commuting Places ‘” , 3) Exceeding the numerical target through the cooperation of multiple departments (Mifune Town, Kumamoto Prefecture). This booklet … Continue reading “Publication: “‘Commuting Places’ in the Post-COVID19 Era” (Professor Kondo, Assistant Professor Haseda)”

We published a new paper from Social Science & Medicine. Shiho Kino,Daisuke Nishioka, Keiko Ueno, Masashige Saito, Naoki Kondo. Changes in social relationships by the initiation and termination of public assistance in the older Japanese population: A JAGES study. Soc Sci Med.2021 Dec 17;293:114661.doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114661. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795362100993X?via%3Dihub#!

We published a new paper from Population, Space and Place. Mariko Kanamori,Naoki Kondo,Sol P. Juárez,Agneta Cederström,Andrew Stickley,Mikael Rostila. Does increased migration affect the rural–urban divide in suicide? A register-based repeated cohort study in Sweden from 1991 to 2015. Population, Space and Place. https://doi.org/10.1002/psp.2503 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/psp.2503

We published a new paper from International Journal for equity in Health. Daisuke Nishioka, Keiko Ueno, Shiho Kino, Jun Aida, Naoki Kondo. Sociodemographic inequities in dental care utilisation among governmental welfare recipients in Japan: a retrospective cohort study. Int J Equity Health . 2021 Jun 16;20(1):141. doi: 10.1186/s12939-021-01473-8. https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-021-01473-8

We published a new paper from International Journal of behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. Koryu Sato, Naoki Kondo, Masamichi Hanazato, Taishi Tsuji, Katsunori Kondo. Potential causal effect of physical activity on reducing the risk of dementia: a 6-year cohort study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act . 2021 Oct 29;18(1):140. … Continue reading “New paper: Potential causal effect of physical activity on reducing the risk of dementia: a 6-year cohort study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study”

We published a new paper from Geriatrics Gerontology International. Shigekazu Ukawa, Akiko Tamakoshi, Yukako Tani, Yuri Sasaki, Junko Saito, Maho Haseda, Kokoro Shirai, Naoki Kondo, Katsunori Kondo, Ichiro Kawachi. Leisure activities and instrumental activities of daily living: A 3-year cohort study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study.Geriatr Gerontol Int . 2021 Dec 22. doi: 10.1111/ggi.14334. … Continue reading “New paper:Leisure activities and instrumental activities of daily living: A 3-year cohort study from the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study”

On 30 November 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the “Framework for countries to achieve an integrated continuum of long-term care”. It is available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240038844 Naoki Kondo and Kyoka Sasaki have contributed to the publication. The download is here (PDF).

Project “Hybrid Care Network with ‘Anywhere Door’ for Local Communities”, for which Naoki Kondo is the principal investigator, was introduced in Tsukuba Science News. Tsukuba Science News “Toward Solving the Problem of Social Isolation and Loneliness, which is Essential to Achieving the SDGs”  

An event attended by Naoki Kondo and Mr.Toshinari Watanabe (President, Link and Communication Co., Ltd.), with whom he is conducting joint research, was introduced in Data no Jikan. Data no Jikan “With COVID-19 era, questioning the state of health management from lifelog data, updataNOW20 event report” Published on November 4, 2021.      

Here is the event notice. The 14th Volunteer Study Group for the Next Health Promotion, “From the Field of Support for the Needy Person of the COVID-19 Disaster. Lecturer: Ms. Maki Nemoto. Social Worker, Council of Social Welfare, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo. Date and time: Friday, December 10, 2021, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Location: Hybrid event … Continue reading “Notice: The 14th Volunteer Study Group for the Next Health Promotion, Lecturer: Ms. Maki Nemoto “From the Field of Support for the Needy Person of the COVID-19 Disaster”

Naoki Kondo gave a special lecture on November 19, 2021 at the “Forum for Building a Community of Healthy and Longevity – “Mifune-cho” Fostering Community Connections and Mutual Support”, which was held in conjunction with Mifune-cho, Kumamoto Prefecture. Mifune-cho, Kumamoto Prefecture, is a municipality that JAGES Organization, of which Kondo is a board member, is … Continue reading “Report: Forum for Building a Town of Health and Longevity. Special Lecture: “The ‘Connection’ You Create is the Medicine – The Secret of Building a Healthy Town in Mifune-cho” (Professor. Kondo)”

Naoki Kondo’s article, “Nudge for Health Promotion: Key Points and Cautions for Effective and Sustainable Health Promotion,” has been published in the December 2021 The journal of Public Health Practice. Igaku Shoin Co.　The journal of Public health Practice.  Dec. 2021 issue