PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Japan’s national standardized health checkup program: impacts on self-employed and unemployed populations

Researchers assess how expanding municipal expenses on health checkup programs affect health outcomes and behaviors of self-employed and unemployed citizens

2025-09-29
(Press-News.org)

Rapidly aging populations and rising cases of lifestyle-related diseases (LRDs), like diabetes and hypertension, are driving significant financial strain on government budgets. While regular health checkups under a standardized government program can be a solution, it is not well understood how these initiatives benefit different socioeconomic sections of the society and their economic feasibility. Most studies have documented how health checkup programs affect salaried or employed workers, examining the program’s role in informing individuals about their health status and risks. However, there is limited research on self-employed and unemployed populations, even though these socioeconomic communities are at a greater risk of developing LRDs.

To mitigate this research gap, Assistant Professor Masato Oikawa from the Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Japan, evaluated the effects of health screening programs on health outcomes, municipal healthcare expenditure, and behaviors among self-employed and unemployed individuals. Dr. Oikawa along with Mr. Takamasa Otake from University of Pennsylvania, United States, Dr. Toshihide Awatani from Kochi Medical School, Japan, Dr. Haruko Noguchi and Dr. Akira Kawamura from Waseda University, used the Specific Health Checkups and Specific Health Guidance (SHC-SHG), implemented by the Japanese government in 2008, as the basis of their assessment.

“We used dosing difference-in-differences estimation and subgroup analysis to explore the effects of increasing municipal expenditure under the SHC-SHG policy standardization on health outcomes and behaviors among the self-employed and unemployed individuals. Additionally, we did a back-of-the-envelope calculation to estimate the cost-effectiveness of this increase in municipal funds for health checkup programs,” explains Dr. Oikawa. Their study was  made available online on August 08, 2025, and was published in Volume 103 of the Journal of Health Economics on September 01, 2025.

The assessments revealed that the SHC-SHG program led to a 16% reduction in the number of self-employed and unemployed people diagnosed with LRDs, with more noticeable effects on individuals with multiple diagnoses than those with a single diagnosis. This suggests that the program is effective in reducing the number of patients with severe conditions, in addition to lowering the overall prevalence of LRD cases.

However, the resultant health improvements were only seen among self-employed individuals and homeowners, but not among unemployed people and renters. Despite this, there were significant good behavioral changes among both self-employed and unemployed people, including a 50% increase in smoking cessation rates, 91% reduction in alcohol consumption, and 163.5% increase in people walking more than 8,000 steps daily.

Furthermore, the increase in municipal health checkup funds was found to be cost-effective, with the overall reduction in medical expenses outweighing the increase in municipal costs by approximately nine times (USD 216.4 million reduction versus USD 23.7 million increase). This suggests that preventive health services and checkups are crucial for improving public health outcomes for lower socioeconomic populations— who face higher risks of LRDs— and thereby mitigating the future financial burden on municipalities.

These findings have clear and immediate applications for policymakers in Japan and other countries facing similar demographic and public health challenges. Policymakers should design and prioritize preventive healthcare programs, particularly for socioeconomically vulnerable populations, to improve public health and reduce long-term costs. Moreover, these programs must be tailored to different socioeconomic groups, addressing the barriers specific to unemployed individuals, such as the perceived high cost of checkups or a lack of understanding about the asymptomatic nature of LRDs.

“Our research demonstrates the economic value of standardized health checkups for improving a country’s overall resilience to public health crises and also sheds light on areas where such programs can be upgraded and made more equitable for everyone. We believe that addressing the health needs of all socioeconomic populations is crucial for the sustainability of the social security system,” concludes Dr. Oikawa.

 

***


Reference
Authors: Masato Oikawaa,b , Takamasa Otakec,b, Toshihide Awatanid,b, Haruko Noguchie,b, and Akira Kawamuraf,b
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2025.103046
Affiliations: aFaculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Japan
bWaseda Institute of Social & Human Capital Studies (WISH), Japan
cWharton School, University of Pennsylvania, United States
dDepartment of Family Medicine, Kochi Medical School, Japan
eFaculty of Political Science and Economics, Waseda University, Japan
fFaculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Japan


About Waseda University
Located in the heart of Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research university that has long been dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and civic engagement at both the local and global levels since 1882. The University has produced many changemakers in its history, including eight prime ministers and many leaders in business, science and technology, literature, sports, and film. Waseda has strong collaborations with overseas research institutions and is committed to advancing cutting-edge research and developing leaders who can contribute to the resolution of complex, global social issues. The University has set a target of achieving a zero-carbon campus by 2032, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. 
To learn more about Waseda University, visit https://www.waseda.jp/top/en


About Assistant Professor Masato Oikawa from Waseda University
Dr. Masato Oikawa has been an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) at the Faculty of Education and Integrated Arts and Sciences, Waseda University, Japan, since April 2025. Before this, he taught as an Assistant Professor in the non-tenure track at other faculties at Waseda University. He completed his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Tokyo. Dr. Oikawa’s research focus lies in health economics, applied microeconometrics, and economics of education. He has 10 peer-reviewed publications to his name. He is the recipient of the Excellent Paper Award at the 12th Applied Econometrics Conference and the 30th Hongyo Prize from Yokohama National University.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

APSS accepting sleep and circadian research abstracts and session proposals for SLEEP 2026 in Baltimore

2025-09-29
DARIEN, IL – The Associated Professional Sleep Societies is accepting research abstracts and session proposal submissions for SLEEP 2026, the 40th annual meeting of the APSS, which will be held June 14 to 17 at the Baltimore Convention Center. Research abstracts will be accepted for oral and poster presentations in two tracks: basic and translational sleep and circadian science and clinical sleep science and practice. Accepted abstracts will be published online in a supplement of the journal Sleep. The APSS Program Committee is also accepting proposals for postgraduate courses and other sessions including bench-to-bedside sessions, clinical workshops, discussion ...

Startling images show how antibiotic pierces bacteria’s armor

2025-09-29
A team led by UCL (University College London) and Imperial College London researchers has shown for the first time how life-saving antibiotics called polymyxins pierce the armour of harmful bacteria. The findings, published in the journal Nature Microbiology, could lead to new treatments for bacterial infections – especially urgent since drug-resistant infections already kill more than a million people a year. Polymyxins were discovered more than 80 years ago and are used as a last-resort treatment for infections caused ...

Patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities substantially over-represented among long-stay psychiatric inpatients

2025-09-29
Toronto, ON, September 29, 2025 – Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) account for more than one in five patients who have been in Ontario’s mental health beds for over a year, according to a new study from researchers at ICES and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). The findings suggest that people with IDD have different support needs compared with patients without IDD as they are more likely to have moderate or severe cognitive impairment, difficulty caring for themselves, and few social supports, which may contribute to challenges transitioning out of hospital and into the community. Enhancing specialized ...

AI distinguishes glioblastoma from look-alike cancers during surgery

2025-09-29
At a glance: Correctly distinguishing between look-alike tumors found in the brain during surgery can guide critical decisions in real time while patient is still in the operating room. A new AI tool outperformed humans and other models in distinguishing glioblastoma from another type of cancer that appears similar under a microscope. The new AI tool has a built-in uncertainty feature that flags tumors the model has not encountered before and marks them for human review. A Harvard Medical School–led research team has developed an AI tool that can reliably tell apart two look-alike cancers found in the ...

Many older adults – especially Gen X women – show signs of addiction to ultra-processed foods

2025-09-29
They were the first generation of Americans to grow up with ultra-processed foods all around them – products typically loaded with extra fat, salt, sugar and flavorings. They were children and young adults at a time when such products, designed to maximize their appeal, proliferated. Now, a study shows, 21% of women and 10% of men in Generation X and the tail end of the Baby Boom generation, now in their 50s and early 60s, meet criteria for addiction to these ultra-processed foods. That rate is far higher than it is among ...

Simple test can predict risk of severe liver disease

2025-09-29
A new study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the scientific journal The BMJ, shows how a simple blood analysis can predict the risk of developing severe liver disease. The method may already start to be applied in primary care to enable the earlier detection of cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. “These are diseases that are growing increasingly common and that have a poor prognosis if detected late,” says Rickard Strandberg, affiliated researcher at Karolinska Institutet’s Department of Medicine in ...

RSV vaccines safe and effective, Cochrane review finds

2025-09-29
The review demonstrates that vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are both safe and effective in protecting groups who are most at risk for serious illness, including older adults and infants.   RSV is a common virus that causes coughs and colds but can also lead to life-threatening lung infections like pneumonia. Children under the age of two months are at the highest risk of severe RSV infection and death, with older adults also vulnerable to severe disease.   An international group of researchers analysed 14 ...

Unplanned, premature, out-of-hospital births pose challenges for emergency team

2025-09-28
Vienna, Austria: The first detailed analysis of unplanned births that occurred outside the hospital setting in Austria has shown that, although such deliveries are rare, they pose challenges for emergency teams that attend, especially if babies are born prematurely [1]. In a study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress today (Monday), the researchers found that between 2017 and 2024 there were 173 unplanned, out-of-hospital births in the Styria region of Austria, of which 16 (9%) were premature (less than 37 weeks’ gestation). The most premature ...

Hypnosis can make ventilation masks more acceptable to patients with breathing problems

2025-09-28
Vienna, Austria: Hypnosis can significantly improve patients’ tolerance of masks to help them breathe when they are suffering from acute respiratory failure, according to a pilot study presented at the European Emergency Medicine Congress today (Monday) [1]. People who come to hospital with breathing problems are often given non-invasive ventilation (NIV) via a mask and tubes connected to a machine in order increase the amount of oxygen in their blood and lower carbon dioxide levels. However, some ...

‘Staggering’ costs of e-scooter injuries are quantified for the first time for hospitals in Ireland

2025-09-28
Vienna, Austria: Injuries occurring to people who ride e-scooters cost Irish hospitals an average of €1,726 per patient, and researchers have calculated the total overall cost to one hospital in a single year was €128,650. Dr Thomas Suttie, a senior house officer in emergency medicine at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, Abbotstown, Dublin, Ireland, told the European Emergency Medicine Congress today (Monday): “In 2021 we published the number of patients who came to the emergency department of ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

PLOS announces a new publishing agreement in India

Touch sensor of the carnivorous plant Venus flytrap revealed

Mix insect, plant, and cultivated proteins for healthier, greener, tastier food, say experts

Far side of the moon may be colder than the near side

Societal inequality linked to structural brain changes in children

Scientists read mice’s ‘thoughts’ from their faces

Newly released dataset BIRDBASE tracks ecological traits for 11,000 birds

A new analytical tool to optimize the potency and selectivity of drugs

Psilocybin may present unique risks during the postpartum period

Immune cell ‘signatures’ could help guide treatment for critically ill patients

USC Stem Cell-led study generates authentic embryonic stem cell from birds

Medicaid work requirements have not boosted insurance coverage or employment

Biologic drug reduces symptoms, hospitalization for severe pulmonary hypertension after diagnosis

Experts warn federal cuts may extinguish momentum in tobacco control

The insomnia trade-off

Natural antimicrobial drugs found in pollen could help us protect bee colonies from infection

Why mamba snake bites worsen after antivenom

Biogas slurry boosts biochar’s climate benefits by reshaping soil microbes

New review warns of growing heavy metal threats in reservoirs, calls for smarter monitoring and greener cleanup solutions

Positive charges stabilize instantly in key solar fuel catalyst: New simulations track ultrafast polaron formation in NaTaO3.

Tiny but mighty: Groundbreaking study reveals mosses are secret carbon heroes in subtropical forests

The relaxed birder

Ten-year clinical trial report finds radiation comparable to surgery for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

Ketamine deaths increase twenty-fold since 2015 with mixing drugs on the rise

Hidden genetic risk could delay diabetes diagnosis for Black and Asian men

Researchers discover mechanism that can ramp up magnitude of certain earthquakes

MS does not worsen menopause symptoms: study

Radiation therapy shows promise for patients with severe heart rhythm disorder

NRG Oncology trial results show favorable bowel health related quality of life outcomes for localized immediate risk prostate cancer treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy

Could nasal sprays replace needles for delivering adrenaline to anaphylactic patients?

[Press-News.org] Japan’s national standardized health checkup program: impacts on self-employed and unemployed populations
Researchers assess how expanding municipal expenses on health checkup programs affect health outcomes and behaviors of self-employed and unemployed citizens