Efforts and systems by local governments to improve participation rates in national and local health and nutrition surveys in Japan: Findings from a workshop 2019-2024

Abstract

The Japanese National Health and Nutrition Survey and local health and nutrition surveys have been used to monitor the effects of health promotion policies in Japan. However, participation rates are declining, affecting overall results. Since 2019, we have held workshops to share the efforts of local governments responsible for the survey to improve participation rates, but we have not included systems for survey implementation. Therefore, this study elucidated the efforts and systems through workshops. In 2024, 26 employees of local governments participated in the workshop using the methods developed in a previous study. The participants were divided into five groups to discuss current problems and potentially effective efforts and systems by local governments to improve participation rates. The researchers then analyzed results from the workshop, coded similar contents, and categorized similar codes and integrated them into one. These were organized into three steps (preparation for the survey, distribution and collection of the questionnaires, and following the collection of the questionnaires) for implementing surveys. The study identified that "preparation for a survey" required efforts such as "disseminating information to participants using various channels," including "handling of the personal information of respondents." In local structure for survey, they mentioned "cooperation with key persons such as the president of residents' association." For "the distribution and collection of questionnaires," the efforts included "selecting response methods convenient for the subjects." The systems for implementing surveys included "organization of teams composed of experienced investigators and development of members in research skills" and "specific interview practice and simulation." For "after the collection of questionnaires," they pointed to "holding a response standardization meeting," and "formulating guidelines and raising awareness based on results" as efforts. From these results, the potentially effective efforts and systems for improving participation rates in the national and local health nutrition surveys conducted by local governments were elucidated.

Fig 1. Outline of effective efforts and system implemented and potentially effective for improving survey participation rate by local governments.