Department of Health Policy

Our department conducts multidisciplinary research in national health policy for women's and children's health, with the aim to promote the health of future generations. We also undertake research with a focus on global health and health policy, particularly in developing countries.

Our research encompasses four major areas:

Theoretical studies in policy science. We investigate the concept and application of evidence-based health policy including social science research, such as ethics and political science, as we develop and evaluate health policy for children and their families. Our research focuses on national health policy in Japan as well as global health.

Research syntheses. We host Cochrane Japan and the Japanese Satellite of the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group. We not only produce Cochrane reviews in pregnancy and childbirth, but also conduct and support other reviews. Our department also provides technical support, such as project management and systematic reviewing for the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines in perinatal health. We also conduct decision analyses.

Primary and secondary data analyses. We are closely involved in collating data for the national and global registry of preterm infants (iNeo: International Network for Evaluation of Outcomes of Neonates) and other registries. Our other research projects include a cohort study on the mental health of pregnant women in Japan; a birth cohort study in Mongolia, and a cross-sectional study on the well-being of children with chronic conditions. We also conduct data analyses of national statistics by using record linkage techniques, and we act as the country coordinator for Japan in WHO global studies on maternal and neonatal health.

Evaluation of health policy. We conduct several international studies including cluster randomized controlled trials in the following areas:

• Quality improvement in neonatal units in Japan
• Maternal and child health handbook in Mongolia
• Community mobilization and facility strengthening in Bangladesh

We always welcome any effective collaboration to further promote maternal and child health and child development.

Memebers