Policy Research to Promote the Strengthening of the Community Mental Health and Welfare System
This study seeks to make feasible recommendations for more effectively implementing evidence-based mental health and welfare services in the community to help people with mental disorders and their families live their lives with a peace of mind. In Japan, mental health services that support people with mental disorders in the community remain inadequate, and further strengthening of the functions of the community mental health and welfare system is necessary. Currently, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is advancing the construction of ‘community-based comprehensive care systems for people with mental disorders’ to more strongly promote the ‘from inpatient-centred care to community living-centred care’ principle as stated in the ‘Vision for the Reform of Mental Health and Welfare (2004)’. The present study is expected to contribute to the promotion of these government-initiated measures.
Funding source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Health and Labour Sciences Research Grants
Development of a website as the platform for the evidence of mental health and welfare and outcomes of long-term psychiatric patients after discharge to communities
In recent years, there has been much attention in our country's administrative agencies to "evidence-based policymaking". However, in the field of mental health and welfare, especially in the area of community care, There are scattered areas where are provided supports that relies solely on the empirical principles of practitioners.
The reasons for this are presumably due to 1) the widespread availability of material on desirable practices in the country. It is not shared. 2) Little information on overseas evidence.
This study aims to address the following three points for implementation of effective practices among domestic practitioners.
(1) Gathering and classification of evidence on the effectiveness of mental health and welfare services, and evaluation of their reliability
(2) Conducting a systematic review of national and international surveys and studies on the outcomes of long-term psychiatric patients after discharge
(3) Development of a website as a Japanese language platform for easy access to research results
Funding source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Health and Labor Sciences Research Grants
Early discharge and Prognostic community Outcomes for Psychiatric inpatients in Japan: A longitudinal study (ePOP-J)
The study is a multicenter prospective longitudinal study in an acute psychiatric care setting. The study recruited the inpatients who admitted to an acute psychiatric ward in the participating hospitals. When the study participants are (were) discharged within 1 year, we follow up (have followed up) them for 12-months. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the association between rehospitalization (outcome) and subjective experience (exposure) such as quality of life. We also aim to comprehensively examine the factors which influence rehospitalization (outcome) through collecting multiple exposure variables including individual characteristics, medication, psychosocial interventions, community care, and community resource).
Funding source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Health and Labor Sciences Research Grants
Talking about Outcomes and Gathering Essential THEmes in mental health Research (TOGETHER study)
The study has two main goals. One is to discuss the outcomes that should be assessed in community mental health research. Another is to examine implementation and strategies for patient and public involvement (PPI) and co-production for research in a Japanese community mental health setting. We conduct(ed) focus group interviews and online surveys among multiple stakeholders such as service users, family members of service users, service providers, (local) government staff, and researchers.
Funding source: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Intramural research grant
Risk factors of self-harm, suicide, and violence in forensic patients in outpatient service
Self-harm, suicide, and violence are behaviors that interfere with recovery. This study is a prospective file-review study of Medical Treatment and Supervision Act (MTSA) patients living in the community. The Rehabilitation Coordinators will follow up MTSA patients for six months to determine the risk factors of adverse outcomes such as self-harm, suicide, and violence and observe the overlap between factors. The study aims to identify factors reflecting the care-need of forensic patients in the community and discuss its implications for management and support.
Funding source: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Intramural research grant
Effects of brief family psychoeducation for caregivers of people with schizophrenia in Japan provided by visiting nurses: A cluster randomised controlled trial
The purpose of this study is to discover whether a brief FPE programme provided by visiting nurses caring for people with schizophrenia will alleviate family burden through a cluster randomised controlled trial (cRCT). Forty-seven visiting nurse agencies will be randomly allocated to the brief FPE group (intervention group) or treatment as usual group (control group). The primary outcome will be caregiver burden, measured using the Japanese version of Zarit Burden Interview. Outcome assessments will be conducted at baseline, 1-month follow-up and 6-month follow-up. Multiple levels of three-way interactions in mixed models will be used to examine whether the brief FPE programme will alleviate the burden on caregivers relative to treatment as usual.
Funding source: National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry Intramural research grant
The effectiveness of the program that combine vocational services using the individual placement and support model with cognitive rehabilitation - a randomized control study-
Cognitive Rehabilitation (CRT) is a rehabilitation technique that uses drills and computer games to train the essential functions of the brain: attention, memory, planning, and the ability to do more than one thing at a time.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports from abroad that combining CRT with highly individualized employment services, called "supported employment," for people with severe mental illness can help improve the rate and duration of employment.
The purpose of this study is to examine using an RCT design whether the combination of the supported employment with CRT is effective in improving the employment rate and job tenure for people with severe mental illness receiving supported employment.
Funding source: Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Assertive Community Treatment -a randomized control study-
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psychological therapy that uses recording forms or special sheets to help a person acquire thoughts and behaviors that make their life easier.
In other countries, there have been recent attempts to provide CBT in outreach services as part of community support for people with severe mental illness.
The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an RCT design for people with severe mental illness, especially those with anxiety that interferes with their daily lives (inability to go out, use public transportation, or stop checking), when CBT is provided within an outreach service in Japan.
Funding source: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(C)
Development of mental health and well-being in Japanese elite athletes
The goal of this research project is to understand an overview of the mental health status of Japanese professional athletes and to demonstrate more about factors that either contribute or hamper the mental health of the athletes. These findings can contribute to the development of mental health support system that is effective for the athletes in Japan. to developing a system for mental health promotion and support for elite athletes in Japan.
There is a growing academic and practical interest in mental health support for elite athletes. Expert opinions and statements by several international sports committees have claimed that elite athletes, who might previously have been considered never to experience mental health problems, also need mental health support to the same extent as the general population. The pressing need to develop a mental health system for the athletes, including early detection and intervention, has also been documented in expert opinions and statements. Research into mental health problems in elite athletes has increased rapidly, internationally. However, Asian countries, including Japan, have published little on this topic.
Therefore, we launched a research project to create mental health promotion and care systems for professional athletes in Japan through the qualitative and quantitative mixed methods approach as Co-production with the Japan Rugby Players Association.
We will echo the meaning for an increased focus on mental health education from the professional level through to junior athletes, within sporting environments, and young people in the school community. The findings of this project could be shared and extended to those who are reluctant to seek help or to disclose their mental health problems, especially those with high traditional masculinity.
Funding source: This research was funded by the TOYOTA foundation, grant number D19-ST-0012.