In the present study, we conducted a clinical controlled trial to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) training in improving depression and self-esteem in workers. A total of 261 workers were assigned to either an intervention group (n=137) or a waiting-list group (n=124). The intervention group was offered participation in a group session with CBT specialists and three e-mail sessions with occupational health care staff. Betweengroup differences in the change in Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and Self-Esteem Scale from baseline to three months after the end of training were assessed by analysis of covariance. All subjects in the intervention group completed the group session and 114 (83%) completed the three e-mail sessions. CES-D score decreased by 2.21 points in the intervention group but increased by 0.12 points in the control group, a significant difference of -2.33 points (95% confidence interval: -3.89 to-0.77; p<0.001). The between-group difference in change of self-esteem scores was not significant. Results of the present study suggest that CBT training cooperatively provided by CBT specialists and occupational health care staff using brief e-mail is effective in improving feelings of depression in workers.

Organizational justice has recently attracted attention as a predictor of employee mental and physical health. However, the lack of a Japanese translation of the original English-language organizational justice scale (OJS) has precluded its application in Japan. The present study aimed to develop Japanese version of the measure of organizational justice. We translated the original questionnaire, which is comprised of 20 items, from English to Japanese. The OJS is made up of four distinct dimensions: procedural, distributive, interpersonal and information justice. A total of 229 employees responded to the Japanese version of the OJS (OJS-J), the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). To assess construct validity, we recorded job satisfaction using the visual analog scale (VAS). Our exploratory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure model of OJS-J. Correlation coefficients between the OJS-J and ERI, K10 and VAS were statistically significant, indicating a reasonable degree of construct validity. Obtained internal consistency was markedly high (Cronbach's alpha was 0.96), and test-retest reliability as analyzed with an intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.91. These results suggest that the OJS-J is a reliable and valid measure that may be suitable for use as a predictor of employee health in the Japanese work place.

. PSQI score also improved, but the inter-group difference was not statically significant. The present study provides preliminary evidence that brief sleep hygiene education may improve afternoon sleepiness at work, but not sleep at night for IT workers.

No abstract

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is the major determinants of hypertension. Recent studies indicated sleep duration, in addition to shift work, were also associated with hypertension. But very little attention has been paid to these two factors when looking at the effects of SDB on blood pressure. We conducted the present study to evaluate the relationship between SDB and hypertension adjusting for sleep duration and shift work in a sample of Japanese steel workers. In this cross-sectional study, we measured blood pressure and oxygen desaturations index (ODI) by nocturnal pulse oximetry of 249 male workers aged 20 to 65 yr. SDB was defined by 3%ODI level of 15 or more events per hour. Logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the associations of SDB with hypertension after adjustment for age, body mass index, alcohol intake, smoking, usual sleep duration, shift work, and occupation. The prevalence of SDB was 18.1%. The adjusted odds ratio of hypertension for high (≥15) vs. low (<15) category of 3%ODI level was 2.86 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-6.66). The significant association between SDB and hypertension suggests that screening for SDB among steel workers is useful for prevention of hypertension.