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Introduction of Epidemiological Studies of “Nanbyo”

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Epidemiological Studies of Specified Rare and Intractable Disease

Abstract

“Nanbyo” in Japanese is commonly used in the Japanese society to refer to so-called “intractable diseases.” In this chapter, we would like to introduce “Nanbyo” and the role of the Research Committee of the Epidemiology of “Nanbyo.” In 1972, the Japanese government began systemic countermeasures against “Nanbyo.” Since then, the government has been promoting research on “Nanbyo.” The Research Committee of the Epidemiology of “Nanbyo” was first organized in 1976. Because “Nanbyo” are diseases of low incidence and patients are scattered all over Japan, epidemiologists and clinicians work together to prevent laborious work as well as to save cost, and epidemiologists have many precious experiences by working with clinicians. Furthermore, younger epidemiologists are able to learn how to conduct epidemiological studies from senior epidemiologists of other universities and research institutes all over Japan. Although the involvement of epidemiologists was much lower in Japan than in the United Kingdom and the United States, based on the success experience of “Nanbyo,” the government promotes collaborative studies with epidemiologists and clinicians to investigate not only “Nanbyo” but also other research subjects.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Community Health and Clinical Epidemiology, St. Mary’s College, Kurume City, Fukuoka, Japan

    Masakazu Washio

  2. Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Yutaka Inaba

Authors
  1. Masakazu Washio
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  2. Yutaka Inaba
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masakazu Washio .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. St. Mary’s College, Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan

    Masakazu Washio

  2. Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan

    Gen Kobashi

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Washio, M., Inaba, Y. (2019). Introduction of Epidemiological Studies of “Nanbyo”. In: Washio, M., Kobashi, G. (eds) Epidemiological Studies of Specified Rare and Intractable Disease. Current Topics in Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1096-6_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1096-6_1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-1095-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-1096-6

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