Health Services Research

Members

Keywords

long-term care; quality of care; care coordination; transitional care; family caregiver; medical care system for elderly; health checkup for elderly; health promotion; preventing the severity of disease

Major Research Titles

1. Ensuring coordination and continuity of medical and long-term care
2. Evaluative research on integrated community care policy
3. Research on ideal medical and health systems for the elderly using regional epidemiological surveys and public databases

Profile

1. Ensuring coordination and continuity of medical and long-term care

To improve quality of transitional care for older individuals, we explore a program that ensures coordination and continuity of medical and long-term care during transitions between hospitals, the patient's home, and long-term care facilities in Japan.

2. Evaluative research on integrated community care policy

The research aims to identify administrative issues and challenges that a community may face when implementing a national policy called "Integrated Community Care Systems." The methods to be used for this research are interviewing elderly, family caregivers and professional who supports them to illuminate relations between care needs and resources available for local care provision.

3. Research on ideal medical and health systems for the elderly using regional epidemiological surveys and public databases

We examine the ideal medical and health care for older people that contributes to extending healthy life expectancy from the perspective of preventing major lifestyle-related diseases and preventing frailty through analysis of regional epidemiological studies and public databases. Simultaneously, we aim to recommend sustainable health policies that enable older people to live healthy and independent lives.

References

1. Yoshida Y, Ishizaki T, Hirata T, Masui Y, Inagaki H, Miura Y, Ogawa M, Ito K, Arai Y, Kamide K, Ikebe K, Gondo Y. Impact of polypharmacy on self-rated health in community-dwelling older adults: a 3-year SONIC study. J Am Med Dir Assoc 2025; 26(7): 105621.
2. Mitsutake S, Lystad RP, Okuba T, Long JC, Braithwaite J, Hirata T, Mitchell R. Effect of hospital-acquired complications on hospital length of stay and cost for older adults after a hip fracture in New South Wales, Australia. Osteoporos Int 2025; 36(7): 1267-1275.
3. Mitsutake S, Ono K, Akishita M, Hirata T. The association of anticoagulant use and hospitalization for hemorrhagic stroke among older adults aged 75 years and older: a propensity score-matched study. Aging Clin Exp Res 2025; 37(1): 322.
4. Tsuchiya-Ito R, Mitsutake S, Teramoto C, Hamada S, Yoshie S, Tamiya N, Iijima K, Ishizaki T. Individual factors associated with out-of-hours outpatient visits for emergency medical care and readmissions within 90 days of discharge among older adults: a retrospective cohort study. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25(6): 789-798.
5. Yano S, Mitsutake S, Hirata T. Factors associated with the incidence of aspiration pneumonia during hospitalization in older adults admitted for non-respiratory diseases in an acute care hospital: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Geriatr 2025; 25(1): 881.
6. Terada S, Godai K, Kabayama M, Kido M, Akagi Y, Akasaka H, Takami Y, Nakagawa T, Yasumoto S, Gondo Y, Ikebe K, Arai Y, Masui Y, Hirata T, Yamamoto K, Kamide K. Prevalence of high N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide levels and associated factors among community-dwelling older adults aged over 75 years (the SONIC study): a cross-sectional study. BMC Res Notes 2025; 18(1): 224.
7. Terada S, Godai K, Kabayama M, Kido M, Akagi Y, Maus M, Akasaka H, Takami Y, Nakagawa T, Yasumoto S, Gondo Y, Ikebe K, Arai Y, Masui Y, Hirata T, Yamamoto K, Kamide K. Association between serum N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels and frailty in community-dwelling old-old older adults: SONIC study. Circ Rep 2025; 7(10): 965-972.
8. Matsuzawa A, Moriyama Y, Wakui T, Ochi M, Takahashi H. "Caring for Oneself Program": Protocol for a randomized controlled trial of an online positive psychoeducational intervention for informal caregivers of older adults. Arch Gerontol Geriatr Plus 2025; 2(2): 100162.
9. Fujihara S, Wakui T, Tsuji T, Moriyama Y, Nakagawa T, Obuchi S, Awata S, Kai I. Effect of Self-quantification on caregiver burden and depression among family caregivers: A SWING-Japan study. Psychogeriatrics 2025; 25(4): e70053.
10. Itoh S, Miwa H, Watanabe K, Wakui T. Use of assistive technology for ADLs among family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults. Stud Health Technol Inform 2025; 327: 1252-1253.
11. Itoh S, Watanabe K, Miwa H, Wakui T. Acceptance of care technologies for medication management among family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults with dementia. Stud Health Technol Inform 2025; 329: 2028-2029.
12. Wang C, Nakagawa T, Masui Y, Kasuga A, Yasumoto S, Ogawa M, Yoshida Y, Kamide K, Ikebe K, Hirata T, Gondo Y. The function of leisure activity measure (FLAM): a multidimensional assessment tool for older adults. Leis Sci 2025 (Published Online; doi: 10.1080/01490400.2025.2541845)
13. Yamashiro D, Suzuki H, Ogawa S, Yamashita M, Moriya H, Sasai H, Obuchi SP, Abe T, Murayama H, Hirata T, Fujiwara Y, Awata S, Akishita M, Toba K. Development of a predictive model for long-term care and support eligibility certification associated with dementia-related functional impairments: the IRIDE cohort study. BMC Public Health 2025; 25(1): 2867.
14. Takase M, Nakaya N, Kogure M, Hatanaka R, Nakaya K, Chiba I, Tokioka S, Nochioka K, Nakamura T, Tsuchiya N, Hirata T, Koshiba S, Kumada K, Motoike I, Hishinuma E, Narita A, Obara T, Ishikuro M, Ohseto H, Takahashi I, Kobayashi T, Kodama EN, Hamanaka Y, Orui M, Ogishima S, Nagaie S, Fuse N, Sugawara J, Kuriyama S, Matsuda K, Izumi Y, Ohneda K, Kinoshita K, Hozawa A, Yamamoto M. Association of circulating metabolites and polygenic risk score with incident type 2 diabetes: a prospective community-based cohort study. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2025; 24(1): 335.
15. Takase M, Hirata T, Nakaya N, Kogure M, Hatanaka R, Nakaya K, Chiba I, Tokioka S, Nochioka K, Nakamura T, Tsuchiya N, Metoki H, Satoh M, Narita A, Obara T, Ishikuro M, Ohseto H, Takahashi I, Kobayashi T, Kodama EN, Hamanaka Y, Orui M, Ogishima S, Nagaie S, Fuse N, Sugawara J, Kuriyama S, Tamiya G, Hozawa A, Yamamoto M. Associations of family history of hypertension, genetic, and lifestyle risks with incident hypertension. Hypertens Res 2025; 48(10): 2606-2617.
16. Oba K, Tamura Y, Ishikawa J, Murao Y, Yorikawa F, Kodera R, Toba A, Toyoshima K, Chiba Y, Iizuka A, Hirata T, Fujiwara Y, Araki A. High red blood cell distribution width associated with incident frailty in patients with cardiometabolic diseases: a longitudinal study. Sci Rep 2025; 15(1): 30907.
17. Takase M, Nakaya N, Kogure M, Hatanaka R, Nakaya K, Chiba I, Tokioka S, Nochioka K, Nakamura T, Tsuchiya N, Hirata T, Kanno I, Narita A, Obara T, Ishikuro M, Ohseto H, Takahashi I, Uruno A, Kobayashi T, Kodama EN, Hamanaka Y, Orui M, Ogishima S, Nagaie S, Fuse N, Sugawara J, Kuriyama S, Matsuda K, Izumi Y, Kinoshita K, Tamiya G, Hozawa A, Yamamoto M. Effect of healthy lifestyle on renal dysfunction risk: Interactions with genetic risk. Clin Kidney J 2025; 18(10): sfaf275.
18. Nishikawa T, Miyamatsu N, Higashiyama A, Kubota Y, Nishida Y, Hirata T, Hirata A, Miyazaki J, Tatsumi Y, Sugiyama D, Kuwabara K, Kubo S, Miyamoto Y, Okamura T. Association of repeated high serum osmolarity with cognitive function in older Japanese adults in a KOBE Study subanalysis. Sci Rep 2025; 15(1): 36784.
19. Nakano M, Toyoshima K, Tamura Y, Murao Y, Yorikawa F, Higuchi A, Kodera R, Oba K, Chiba Y, Hirata T, Ishikawa J, Araki A. Comparison of predictive ability of clinical frailty scale, Kihon Checklist, and DASC-8 for new certification of long-term care needs: a longitudinal study. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25(12): 1741-1748.
20. Tachibana Y, Kobayashi K, Kabayama M, Kido M, Akagi Y, Akasaka H, Iwashima Y, Yasumoto S, Masui Y, Ikebe K, Hirata T, Arai Y, Gondo Y, Yamamoto K, Kamide K. Longitudinal association between pulmonary function and incident cognitive decline: results of the SONIC cohort study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2026; 142: 106109.
21. Terashima K, Akasaka H, Onishi Y, Fujimoto T, Yoshida S, Ohara R, Minami T, Yasunobe Y, Isaka M, Godai K, Akagi Y, Kido M, Kabayama M, Yasumoto S, Ogawa M, Nakagawa T, Masui Y, Hirata T, Ikebe K, Arai Y, Gondo Y, Kamide K, Yamamoto K. Longitudinal association between the carotid intima-media thickness and sarcopenia in an older Japanese population: the SONIC study. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2026; 26(1): e70326.
22. Hirata T, Hirata A, Torii S, Takashima N, Kadota A, Choudhury SR, Okayama A, Miura K, Okamura T. Association between alcohol intake and death from cardiovascular diseases and its subtypes stratified by dyslipidemia in Japanese men: 20-years follow-up of NIPPON DATA90. Environ Health Prev Med 2024; 29: 61.
23. Masui Y, Nakagawa T, Yasumoto S, Ogawa M, Ishioka Y, Kasuga A, Hori N, Inagaki H, Yoshida Y, Ito K, Takayama M, Arai Y, Ikebe K, Kamide K, Ishizaki T, Gondo Y. Development in gerotranscendence in community-dwelling older adults in Japan: a longitudinal study over a nine-year period. J Adult Dev 2024; 32: 198-209.
24. Yoshida Y, Ishizaki T, Masui Y, Miura Y, Matsumoto K, Nakagawa T, Inagaki H, Ito K, Arai Y, Kabayama M, Kamide K, Rakugi H, Ikebe K, Gondo Y. Effects of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on physical function in community-dwelling older adults: a 3-year prospective cohort study from the SONIC. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 126: 105521.
25. Mitsutake S, Ishizaki T, Yano S, Hirata T, Ito K, Furuta K, Shimazaki Y, Ito H, Mudge A, Toba K. Predictive validity of hospital-associated complications of older people identified using Diagnosis Procedure Combination data from an acute care hospital in Japan: observational study. JMIR Aging 2025; 8: e68267.
26. Mitsutake S, Lystad RP, Long JC, Braithwaite J, Mitchell R. Impact of COVID-19 public health restrictions on fall-related hip fracture hospitalizations: an interrupted time series analysis. Bone 2024; 188: 117237.
27. Mitsutake S, Lystad RP, Long JC, Braithwaite J, Ishizaki T, Close J, Mitchell R. Group-based trajectories of potentially preventable hospitalisations among older adults after a hip fracture. Osteoporos Int 2024; 35: 1849-1857.
28. Wakui T, Fujihara S, Moriyama Y, Nakagawa T, Okubo S, Obuchi S, Awata S, Kai I. Participation factors in a self-quantification program for family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults with long-term care in Japan. BMC Res Notes 2024; 17: 388.
29. Yoshida Y, Ishizaki T, Masui Y, Hori N, Inagaki H, Ito K, Ogawa M, Yasumoto S, Arai Y, Kamide K, Ikebe K, Gondo Y. Effect of number of medications on the risk of falls among community-dwelling older adults: a 3-year follow up study of the SONIC study. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 306-310.
30. Mitsutake S, Sa Z, Long J, Braithwaite J, Levesque JF, Watson DE, Close J, Mitchell R. The role of frailty risk for fracture-related hospital readmission and mortality after a hip fracture. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 117: 105264.
31. Mitsutake S, Ishizaki T, Yano S, Tsuchiya-Ito R, Uda K, Toba K, Ito H. All-cause readmission or potentially avoidable readmission: Which is more predictable using frailty, comorbidities and ADL?. Innov Aging 2023; 7: igad043.
32. Mitsutake S, Yano S, Ishizaki T, Furuta K, Hatakeyama A, Sugiyama M, Awata S, Ito H, Toba K. Association of functional and cognitive impairment severity with discharge to long-term care facilities in older patients admitted to a general acute care hospital from home. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2023; 115: 105111.
33. Mitsutake S, Ishizaki T, Edahiro A, Kitamura A, Hirata T, Saito A. The effects of dental visits on the occurrence of acute hospitalization for systemic diseases among patients aged 75 years or older: A propensity score-matched study. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2023; 107: 104876.
34. Masui Y, Gondo Y, Yoshida Y, Inagaki H, Nakagawa T, Yasumoto S, Ogawa M, Matsumoto K, Wang C, Ito K, Arai Y, Ikebe K, Kamide K, Hirata T. Compared to people of the same age in the past, older people in Japan today are more functional and socially superior; however, their psychological well-being is declining. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2025; 25(7): 989-991.
35. Iwasa H, Suzuki T, Masui Y, Yoshida Y, Inagaki H, Kawai H, Makizako H, Hirata T. The current challenges and future prospects of the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (JST-IC). Geriatr Gerontol Int 2026; 26(2): e70386.