Annual Report 2020
Division of Behavioral Sciences
Yosuke Uchitomi, Maiko Fujimori, Taichi Shimazu, Junko Saito, Masako Okamura, Kyoko Obama, Midori Kadowaki, Ayako Sato, Wataru Ishida, Takuhiro Yamaguchi, Tempei Miyaji, Ayumi Okizaki, Shin'ichi Goto, Aki Otsuki, Akiko Yaguchi-Saito, Miyuki Odawara, Yuki Kaji, Ayumu Matsuoka, Hironobu Takano, Saki Harashima, Ken Kurisu, Haruhiko Imamura, Rina Miyawaki, Kumiko Shinozaki, Rumiko Sugihara, Kotone Hata, Haruna Aiyoshi, Mayumi Ueda, Chihiro Unozawa, Hanako Saito, Miyuki Kanamaru, Miyuki Kurosaki, Maki Minemura, Tomo Fujiwara, Rika Sato, Kenta Teramoto
Introduction
In April 2020, a research division dealing with behavioral sciences was established for the first time at the National Cancer Center. There has been a remarkable development in technological innovation and drug development in cancer treatment. However, despite the fact that human behavior is deeply involved in all healthcare activities, including cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care, no department was found that deals with the underlying behavior. Behavioral science and behavioral medicine have just begun to be included in the core curriculum of medical education at universities nationwide.
The Team and What We Do
The goal of the Division of Behavioral Sciences is to develop individualized behavioral interventions and to create new evidence. Through a dialogue, we will develop effective behavioral interventions that are tailored to the diversity of individuals. We will also use implementation science methods to develop strategies to steadily and quickly scale up evidence-based, precise behavioral interventions nationwide.
Research activities
1. National Center Consortium in Implementation Science for Health Equity, N-EQUITY
N-EQUITY is a collaboration of six national centers working together to conduct and support implementation research projects in the areas of public health, clinical care, and international health. A Scientific Advisory Committee consisting of external experts including patients and citizens was established to review protocols for implementation research. As the first study, "Interactive assistance via eHealth for small and medium-sized enterprises' employer and healthcare manager teams on tobacco control" was approved as the N-EQUITY2101 study.
2. Implementation Research of Tobacco Control Measures in Workplaces
In order to promote the implementation of tobacco control measures and increase the number of employees quitting smoking in small and medium-sized enterprises, we developed an online intervention program for branch managers and health management personnel and investigated its feasibility. The intervention was implemented for six months starting from August 2020. After six months of the program, the behavioral goals of the branch managers and healthcare personnel were achieved, and the percentage of employees quitting smoking was good at 21%. Based on these results, the N-EQUITY2101 study was planned.
3. INFORM Study
A mail questionnaire survey of 10,000 randomly selected people aged 20 and older was conducted to identify ways to deliver useful information on cancer prevention and medical care. The response rate was 37%.
Clinical trials
Interactive assistance via eHealth for small and medium-sized enterprises' employer and healthcare manager teams on tobacco control (N-EQUITY2101/J-SUPPORT2102) (UMIN000044526)
Future Prospects
This division will promote behavioral science research related to public health and clinical practices, including cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care. We will also contribute to the development of evidence for implementation science. This will lead to the implementation of behavioral interventions for those who have difficulty accessing healthcare and for communities with few medical resources.
List of papers published in 2020
Journal
1. Wu Y, Levis B, Ioannidis JPA, Benedetti A, Thombs BD . Probability of Major Depression Classification Based on the SCID, CIDI, and MINI Diagnostic Interviews: A Synthesis of Three Individual Participant Data Meta-Analyses. Psychother Psychosom, 90:28-40, 2021
2. Okamura M, Fujimori M, Sato A, Uchitomi Y . Unmet supportive care needs and associated factors among young adult cancer patients in Japan. BMC Cancer, 21:17, 2021
3. Fujimori M, Sato A, Jinno S, Okusaka T, Yamaguchi T, Ikeda M, Ueno M, Ozaka M, Takayama Y, Miyaji T, Majima Y, Uchitomi Y. Integrated communication support program for oncologists, caregivers and patients with rapidly progressing advanced cancer to promote patient-centered communication: J-SUPPORT 1904 study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 10:e036745, 2020
4. Ukawa S, Tamakoshi A, Okada Y, Ito YM, Taniguchi R, Tani Y, Sasaki Y, Saito J, Haseda M, Kondo N, Kondo K. Social participation patterns and the incidence of functional disability: The Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. Geriatr Gerontol Int, 20:765-772, 2020
5. Wipfli H, Bhuiyan MR, Qin X, Gainullina Y, Palaganas E, Jimba M, Saito J, Ernstrom K, Raman R, Withers M. Tobacco use and E-cigarette regulation: Perspectives of University Students in the Asia-Pacific. Addict Behav, 107:106420, 2020
6. Nishioka D, Saito J, Ueno K, Kondo N. Frequent outpatient attendance among people on the governmental welfare programme in Japan: assessing both patient and supplier characteristics. BMJ Open, 10:e038663, 2020
7. Higuchi Y, Fujiwara M, Nakaya N, Fujimori M, Yamada Y, Wada R, Etoh T, Kakeda K, Uchitomi Y, Yamada N, Inagaki M. Trends in smoking rates among individuals with serious psychological distress: Analysis of data from a Japanese national survey, 2007-2016. Psychiatry Res, 291:113225, 2020
8. Fujisawa D, Umezawa S, Fujimori M, Miyashita M . Prevalence and associated factors of perceived cancer-related stigma in Japanese cancer survivors. Jpn J Clin Oncol, 50:1325-1329, 2020
9. Brehaut E, Neupane D, Levis B, Wu Y, Sun Y, Krishnan A, He C, Bhandari PM, Negeri Z, Riehm KE, Rice DB, Azar M, Yan XW, Imran M, Chiovitti MJ, Saadat N, Cuijpers P, Ioannidis JPA, Markham S, Patten SB, Ziegelstein RC, Henry M, Ismail Z, Loiselle CG, Mitchell ND, Tonelli M, Boruff JT, Kloda LA, Beraldi A, Braeken APBM, Carter G, Clover K, Conroy RM, Cukor D, da Rocha E Silva CE, De Souza J, Downing MG, Feinstein A, Ferentinos PP, Fischer FH, Flint AJ, Fujimori M, Gallagher P, Goebel S, Jette N, Juliao M, Keller M, Kjargaard M, Love AW, Lowe B, Martin-Santos R, Michopoulos I, Navines R, O'Rourke SJ, Ozturk A, Pintor L, Ponsford JL, Rooney AG, Sanchez-Gonzalez R, Schwarzbold ML, Sharpe M, Simard S, Singer S, Stone J, Tung KY, Turner A, Walker J, Walterfang M, White J, Benedetti A, Thombs BD . Depression prevalence using the HADS-D compared to SCID major depression classification: An individual participant data meta-analysis. J Psychosom Res, 139:110256, 2020
10. Fujiwara M, Higuchi Y, Nakaya N, Fujimori M, Yamada Y, Wada R, Etoh T, Kakeda K, Uchitomi Y, Nakayama T, Yamada N, Inagaki M. Trends in cancer screening rates among individuals with serious psychological distress: an analysis of data from 2007 to 2016 Japanese national surveys. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice, 2:e025, 2020