Japan International Cooperation Agency

About: Japan International Cooperation Agency is a government organization based out in Tokyo, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Public health. The organization has 555 authors who have published 613 publications receiving 9536 citations.

Evaluating the impact of continuous quality improvement methods at hospitals in Tanzania: a cluster-randomized trial

Abstract: Objective To evaluate the impact of implementing continuous quality improvement (CQI) methods on patient's experiences and satisfaction in Tanzania. Design Cluster-randomized trial, which randomly allocated district-level hospitals into treatment group and control group, was conducted. Setting Sixteen district-level hospitals in Kilimanjaro and Manyara regions of Tanzania. Participants Outpatient exit surveys targeting totally 3292 individuals, 1688 in the treatment and 1604 in the control group, from 3 time-points between September 2011 and September 2012. Intervention Implementation of the 5S (Sort, Set, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) approach as a CQI method at outpatient departments over 12 months. Main outcome measures Cleanliness, waiting time, patient's experience, patient's satisfaction. Results: The 5S increased cleanliness in the outpatient department, patients’ subjective waiting time and overall satisfaction. However, negligible effects were confirmed for patient's experiences on hospital staff behaviours. Conclusions The 5S as a CQI method is effective in enhancing hospital environment and service delivery; that are subjectively assessed by outpatients even during the short intervention period. Nevertheless, continuous efforts will be needed to connect CQI practices with the further improvement in the delivery of quality health care.

Identification of Acetobacter, Gluconobacter, and Asaia Strains Isolated in Thailand Based on 16S-23S rRNA Gene Internal Transcribed Spacer Restriction and 16S rRNA Gene Sequence Analyses

Abstract: Twenty-six strains of acetic acid bacteria were isolated from fruits, flowers and related materials collected in Thailand. They were divided into three genera, Acetobacter, Gluconobacter and Asaia, by phenotypic characterization and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses. On the basis of 16S-23S rRNA gene internal transcribed spacer (16S-23S rDNA ITS) restriction and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, fourteen isolates assigned to the genus Acetobacter were divided into five groups: 1) Group 1A or A. tropicalis (one isolate); 2) Group 2A or A. orientalis (four isolates); 3) Group 3A or A. pasteurianus (five isolates); 4) Group 4A or A. syzygii (one isolate); and 5) Group 5A or A. ghanensis (three isolates). The eleven isolates assigned to the genus Gluconobacter were divided into three groups: 6) Group 1B or G. frateurii (four isolates); 7) Group 2B or G. japonicus (six isolates); and 8) Group 3B or unidentified (one isolate). The remaining isolate was placed into: 9) Group 1C or unidentified, which was assigned to the genus Asaia and considered to constitute a new species on the basis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA-DNA hybridization.

Enhancement of disaster preparedness with social capital and community capacity: A perspective from a comparative case study of rural communities in Kochi, Japan

Abstract: Social capital is defined as the factors promoting useful cooperative actions, such as social organizations and systems, norms, networks, people’s sense of values, consciousness and beliefs, held by members of the community and/or concerned external parties. It is argued that social capital can play an important role in the enhancement of communities’ disaster preparedness. Recently the importance of disaster preparedness has been widely recognized, and community based approaches have drawn significant attention. This paper attempts to clarify the key factors that local governments should take into account to in order to enhance a community’s capacity for disaster preparedness, through field observations and surveys in rural communities in Japan. Surveys were carried out in two communities of Tosashimizu city of Kochi Prefecture, which was highly affected by a torrential downpour in 2001. After the experience of the 2001 disaster, different actions were taken in the two communities during the catastrophic disaster of Typhoon 23 in 2004. Through key informant interviews and qualitative comparison of the two communities, it can be concluded that aspects of social capital such as 1) community leader’s leadership; 2) community’s bonds and networks; and 3) institutions and systems within the community should be considered to enhance a community’s disaster preparedness.

Neighborhood social capital and sleep duration: a population based cross-sectional study in a rural Japanese town.

Abstract: Studies on social capital and health outcomes have become common, but the relationship between neighborhood social capital and sleep duration by gender is still unclear. We examined the relationship between neighborhood social capital and sleep duration by gender in adults living in a rural community in Japan. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 12,321 residents aged ≥20 years in a town in Mie Prefecture in January–March 2013. Self-completed questionnaires were collected from the residents (n = 7782; valid participation rate, 63.2%). We used five items to assess the neighborhood social capital (Cronbach’s α = 0.86). We summed up the scores of each item, and then divided the participants into four groups by quartile of total scores of neighborhood social capital (lowest, low, high, and highest). Sleep duration of < 7 h/day was defined as insufficient sleep duration according to previous studies. To adjust for potential confounders, we performed a multiple log-binominal regression analysis and estimated the prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for insufficient sleep. Overall 42% of the men and 45% of the women had insufficient sleep. In the men, the lowest group of neighborhood social capital presented a 22% higher prevalence of insufficient sleep (PR 1.22; 95% CIs 1.08–1.38) compared to the highest group of neighborhood social capital. Similarly the low group of neighborhood social capital and the high group of neighborhood social capital had 20 and 19% higher prevalence of insufficient sleep (PR 1.20; 95% CIs 1.06–1.36; PR 1.19; 95% CIs 1.06–1.34, respectively) compared to the highest group of neighborhood social capital. For women there was no significant association between neighborhood social capital and insufficient sleep after controlling for all potential confounders. Having lower neighborhood social capital was associated with insufficient sleep among Japanese adults, particularly in the men. This suggests that the context of neighborhood social capital by gender should be considered to promote healthier behaviors with regard to getting enough sleep.