Staying well 
Public Health Centers
To promote public health, there are public health centers in each area
which provide a variety of services. These vary from area to area; you
can find out more at your local public health center.
◆ Prevention of disease
・ Health consultations, examinations, and vaccinations are offered to protect
against disease. Some are free; some you will have to pay for. Charges for
these services are, however, generally lower than those of hospitals and clinics.
◆ Mother and child health
・ Consultations, guidance, and health checkups are available for pregnant women,
young mothers and for children.
◆ Mental health
・ Consultations, guidance, and referrals to the relevant hospital or clinic
are available for anyone with mental health problems or mental disabilities.
◆ Nutrition
・ Besides advice on diet, health centers handle complaints about food products.
◆ Dental health
・ Advice is available on oral health.
For further information:
Contact（through a Japanese speaker）the public health center.
Mental problems of foreigners living in Japan
When people are away from the surroundings they are used to, they are
at risk from psychological stresses. Foreigners living in Japan need
to build new relationships as well as to learn a new language, culture,
customs and way of life. They sometimes suffer stress as a result of
discriminatory treatment, simply because they are not Japanese.
All of us suffer stressful situations at some time or other. However,
surveys have shown that foreigners in Japan suffer extra stress because
Japanese people do not understand their different ways. In some cases,
even foreigners themselves do not realize what is different. Some foreigners
find it hard to get along with some in their community, and start to
feel heavy stress.
If you feel any of these are true of you, you may be suffering from
high levels of stress:
? I get irritated because I cannot express myself well.
? When I touch a Japanese person in greeting, I feel upset because they react
in a scared or embarrassed way.
? Although I work as hard as my Japanese colleagues, people do not appreciate
me, because I am a foreigner. It’s often difficult to make myself understood.
? I can only just make a living in Japan, but I also have to provide for relatives
staying with me and/or send money to my family back home.
Stress can result in physical or mental illness. Added to this is the language
barrier with doctors. Many foreigners are also ineligible for Japanese health
insurance and/or social welfare services, further complicating their situation.
Undoubtedly, many foreigners enjoy their life in Japan and adapt after overcoming
initial problems. However, if you do face serious problems and you can’t see
a way to cope with them, you should not just tell yourself, “It will be all
right.” If the situation persists, you could be at risk of mental health problems.
In situations where there are sharp differences of opinion within a
group of people, this may cause a situation of conflict, but it is healthier
and more productive than everyone thinking the same way. We should not
reject others who think differently; we need to make an effort to understand
each other and find a way to resolve the differences.
Don ’t hold it in: ask for
advice
When we suffer a lot of stress, we may be unable to deal with it alone.
If we have people to turn to for advice, it’s easier to overcome our
problems.
Some problems may be best solved through specialist counseling. If
you find that you are having serious difficulty dealing with a problem
alone, you may need to find the courage to ask for expert help.
There are also self-help groups in which people facing similar problems get
together to encourage and help each other. You can learn new ways of coping
with your problems as well as sharing your experience with others who can benefit
from your advice.
AMDA International Medical Information Center
http://homepage3.nifty.com/amdack/
Tuberculosis
There are laws that provide for preventative measures to control outbreaks
of tuberculosis as well as appropriate medical treatment for people infected
with tuberculosis.
These include the prohibition of certain types of work and compulsory hospitalization
in designated medical facilities for anyone who is diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Medical expenses are subsidized or sometimes covered in these cases.
→ See “Help with medical expenses.”
◆ Symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis
These include: a chronic cough with heavy phlegm for more than two weeks, persistent
fever, blood in your phlegm, or vomiting blood.
◆ If you are worried about tuberculosis
・ Some symptoms of tuberculosis are similar to those of the common cold or
those caused by heavy smoking, but if they persist for more than two weeks,
you should consult a doctor about whether you need to take a tuberculosis test
(chest X-ray and sputum test).
・ You will need to pay for the tests, which can be performed at most hospitals
and clinics, as well as at public health centers in some municipalities.
・ Tuberculosis should be diagnosed and properly treated in its early stages,
because it is highly contagious and you can pass it to others by coughing.
◆ Preventing tuberculosis
・ You are at much greater risk of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases
if your general health declines or your physical resistance is lowered. You
should therefore ensure that you keep healthy and avoid chronic tiredness.
For further information:
Contact your local public health center (through a Japanese speaker).
AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is a disease caused when
you are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV. AIDS
causes the immune system, the body’s natural defense against germs, to
progressively stop functioning.
◆ Main infection routes
Sexual contact, sharing infected needles, infected blood products, or mother-to-child
infection.
◆ To prevent infection
・ Prevent contact with body fluids (blood, semen and vaginal secretions) of
an infected person. Follow these rules to protect yourself and loved ones:
① Do not share objects of personal hygiene such as razors, toothbrushes
② Do not share needles.
③ You can reduce your chances of HIV infection, as well as other sexually transmitted
diseases, if you use condoms correctly.
・ You cannot get infected with HIV through the air, from mosquito bites, or
from shaking hands, touching or kissing an infected person or other ordinary
contact, such as from coughing or sneezing.
◆ If you think may be at risk from AIDS
・ You can get an HIV test at a public health center, but you should phone the
center before you go.
・ If you wish, you can have an anonymous test.
・ As the HIV virus cannot be detected immediately after you have been infected,
you will need to have a test at least 3 months after any risk of infection.
・ Only a few drops (5 cc) of blood are needed to do an HIV test.
HIV test results are only given face-to-face: you will need to return for your
test results after one or two weeks.
◆ Test fees
・ Tests at public health centers are free of charge.
・ Tests can also be taken at medical facilities (charged).
For further information:
Contact your local public health center (through a Japanese speaker).
◆ 24-hour AIDS Information Line
English 0120-085-812
Thai 0120-494-812
◆ AIDS Support Line 03-3592-1181
When you hear the automatic menu, choose the language by dialing:
Japanese #1 English #2 Spanish #3 Portuguese #4
Thai #5 Chinese #6 Korean #7 Tagalog #8
Food poisoning
In Japan’s hot summers, food spoils easily, increasing the risk of
food poisoning. It is caused by bacteria, such as, Salmonella, Staphylococcus
aureus Vibrio enteritidis, and Escherichia coli (E.coli). Escherichia
coli bacteria live normally in the human intestine, but in some cases
can cause stomach-ache and diarrhea. 0-157 is a particularly dangerous
variety of Escherichia coli.
◆What is 0-157?
0-157 poisoning is generally caused when you eat infected food. Symptoms begin
to appear 4-10 days later. Symptoms include watery or bloody diarrhea. If you
go to a hospital or clinic immediately and get appropriate treatment, you will
generally recover within 4-8 days. But very young children, elderly or other
vulnerable people have much lower resistance and the recovery can take much
longer. In severe cases, 0-157 infection can lead to kidney failure and even
death.
◆How to prevent food poisoning
Wash hands with soap when you get home, before cooking, before a meal, or after
using the toilet.
Wash cooking utensils and tableware thoroughly, and dry them well with a clean
dish-cloth before storing them.
You should eat perishable food soon after buying it.
Throw away food that has sat a long time after cooking. In summer, be especially
careful if eating outdoors, for example on a picnic.
◆Testing for food poisoning
Go to a hospital or clinic where you can be tested by a doctor, who may ask
you to do a stool test. You will need to go back to find out the results four
to five days later.
◆What should I do if I suspect I have food poisoning?
Go to a medical facility and receive appropriate treatment. Drink plenty of
water to maintain your fluid level, as you are at risk of dehydration if you
suffer from prolonged diarrhea. You may need an intravenous drip to re-hydrate
you if you are severely dehydrated. Wash your hands thoroughly with antibacterial
soap after using the toilet, before meals, and after changing a baby’s diaper,
to avoid re-infecting yourself or passing on the infection to others.
