Annual Report 2022
Division of Behavioral Sciences
Yosuke Uchitomi, Taichi Shimazu, Maiko Fujimori, Junko Saito, Aki Otsuki, Miyuki Odawara, Yuki Kaji, Haruhiko Imamura, Rina Miyawaki, Akiko Yaguchi-Saito, Keiichi Yuwaki, Rumi Izumi, Emi Ibusuki, Risa Kato, Ayaka Kiyono, Hanako Saito, Hikari Nagao
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, there had been no department 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 generate new evidence. Through a dialogue, we intend to develop effective behavioral interventions that are tailored to the diversity of individuals. We also use implementation science methods to develop strategies to steadily and rapidly 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 implement and support implementation research projects in the areas of public health, clinical care, and international health (Figure 1). A Scientific Advisory Committee consisting of external experts was established to review protocols for implementation research. In FY2022, three new N-EQUITY research proposals were approved (No. 2202, 2203, and 2204) (Table 1).
Figure 1. Organization of N-EQUITY(since December 2019)
Table 1. N-EQUITY Approved Studies (2019-2023.3)
2) Implementation Research of Tobacco Control Measures in Workplaces
We started recruiting participants for a cluster randomized controlled trial in July 2021 (eSMART-TC [N-EQUITY2101/J-SUPPORT2102]). We completed data collection for the primary endpoint in December 2022. The objective of this study was to examine whether interactive six-month interventions for employers and health managers through online sessions using behavioral change techniques to promote the implementation of tobacco control measures increase successful smoking cessation of employees compared with the absence of such interventions.
3) INFORM Study
A mail questionnaire survey of 10,000 randomly selected people aged 20 and older was conducted to identify methods to deliver useful information on cancer prevention and medical care (INFORM Study 2020). We have published a paper on our results. We also developed a questionnaire and sampled study subjects to conduct a survey on living with cancer in 2023 using the same study design (INFORM Study 2023).
Clinical Trials
Interactive assistance via eHealth for small and medium-sized enterprises' employer and health care manager teams on tobacco control (N-EQUITY2101/J-SUPPORT2102) (UMIN000044526)
Education
We supervised the research of one doctoral student and two master's students.
We held ten "Implementation Science Seminars."
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 health care and for communities with limited medical resources.
List of papers published in 2022
Journal
1. Matsuoka A, Shimazu T, Takahashi M, Nagashima F, Nishiyama H, Fujimori M, Ando Y. A nationwide, cross-sectional, web-based survey on healthcare providers’ knowledge about, attitudes toward, and perceived barriers to adherence to clinical practice guidelines for anticancer drug therapy for older patients with cancer in Japan. Journal of geriatric oncology, 14:101399, 2023
2. Mitsutake S, Takahashi Y, Otsuki A, Umezawa J, Yaguchi-Saito A, Saito J, Fujimori M, Shimazu T. Chronic Diseases and Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated With Online Health Information Seeking and Using Social Networking Sites: Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Survey in Japan. Journal of medical Internet research, 25:e44741, 2023
3. Matsuoka A, Fujimori M, Narikazu B, Takashima A, Okusaka T, Mori K, Akechi T, Shimazu T, Okizaki A, Miyaji T, Majima Y, Nagashima F, Uchitomi Y. Geriatric assessment and management with question prompt list using a web-based application for elderly patients with cancer (MAPLE) to communicate ageing-related concerns: J-SUPPORT 2101 study protocol for a multicentre, parallel group, randomised controlled trial. BMJ open, 12:e063445, 2022
4. Yaguchi-Saito A, Kaji Y, Matsuoka A, Okuyama A, Fujimori M, Saito J, Odawara M, Otsuki A, Uchitomi Y, Zenda S, Shimazu T. Factors affecting the implementation of guideline-based prophylactic antiemetic therapy for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in Japan: a protocol for a hospital-based qualitative study. BMJ open, 12:e055473, 2022
5. Yamada Y, Fujiwara M, Shimazu T, Etoh T, Kodama M, So R, Matsushita T, Yoshimura Y, Horii S, Fujimori M, Takahashi H, Nakaya N, Miyaji T, Hinotsu S, Harada K, Okada H, Uchitomi Y, Yamada N, Inagaki M. Patients’ acceptability and implementation outcomes of a case management approach to encourage participation in colorectal cancer screening for people with schizophrenia: a qualitative secondary analysis of a mixed-method randomised clinical trial. BMJ open, 12:e060621, 2022
6. Yamada Y, Fujiwara M, Etoh T, Wada R, Inoue S, Kodama M, Yoshimura Y, Horii S, Matsushita T, Fujimori M, Shimazu T, Nakaya N, Hinotsu S, Tabata M, Tamura K, Uchitomi Y, Yamada N, Inagaki M. Issues of cancer care in people with mental disorders as perceived by cancer care providers: A quantitative questionnaire survey. Psycho-oncology, 31:1572-1580, 2022
7. Odawara M, Saito J, Yaguchi-Saito A, Fujimori M, Uchitomi Y, Shimazu T. Using implementation mapping to develop strategies for preventing non-communicable diseases in Japanese small- and medium-sized enterprises. Frontiers in public health, 10:873769, 2022
8. Shimizu Y, Tsuji K, Ochi E, Okubo R, Kuchiba A, Shimazu T, Tatematsu N, Sakurai N, Iwata H, Matsuoka YJ. Oncology care providers’ awareness and practice related to physical activity promotion for breast cancer survivors and barriers and facilitators to such promotion: a nationwide cross-sectional web-based survey. Supportive care in cancer, 30:3105-3118, 2022
9. Akashi H, Kodoi H, Noda S, Tamura T, Baba H, Chinda E, Thandar MM, Naito K, Watanabe Y, Suzuki Y, Narita T, Shimazu T. Reporting on the implementation to set up a "care and isolation facility" for mild COVID-19 cases in Tokyo. Global health & medicine, 4:71-77, 2022
10. Kako J, Kobayashi M, Kanno Y, Kajiwara K, Nakano K, Morikawa M, Matsuda Y, Shimizu Y, Hori M, Niino M, Suzuki M, Shimazu T. Nursing support for symptoms in patients with cancer and caregiver burdens: a scoping review protocol. BMJ open, 12:e061866, 2022
11. Lwin KS, Bhandari AKC, Nguyen PT, Saito J, Yaguchi-Saito A, Ota E, Shimazu T. Factors influencing implementation of health-promoting interventions at workplaces: Protocol for a scoping review. PloS one, 17:e0275887, 2022
12. Obikane E, Sasaki N, Imamura K, Nozawa K, Vedanthan R, Cuijpers P, Shimazu T, Kamada M, Kawakami N, Nishi D. Usefulness of Implementation Outcome Scales for Digital Mental Health (iOSDMH): Experiences from Six Randomized Controlled Trials. International journal of environmental research and public health, 19:15792, 2022
13. Nagasawa T, Saito J, Odawara M, Imamura H, Kaji Y, Yuwaki K, Nogi K, Nakamura M, Shimazu T. Smoking cessation interventions and implementations in Japan: a study protocol for a scoping review and supplemental survey. BMJ open, 12:e063912, 2022
14. Otsuki A, Saito J, Yaguchi-Saito A, Odawara M, Fujimori M, Hayakawa M, Katanoda K, Matsuda T, Matsuoka Y J, Takahashi H, Takahashi M, Inoue M, Yoshimi I, Kreps GL, Uchitomi Y, Shimazu T. A nationally representative cross-sectional survey on health information access for consumers in Japan: A protocol for the INFORM Study. World Medical & Health Policy, 14:225-275, 2022