Exploring New Perspectives to 'Effectively Utilize' Stress Checks! Post-Project Report on Demonstration Project Focusing on Relationship with Women's Health Issues Published

With Midwife Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Setsuki Kishihata; hereinafter "With Midwife") conducted a verification of the relationship between women's specific health issues and stress check indicators under the FY 2025 Femtech Support Service Demonstration Project Subsidy.

With the planned expansion of mandatory stress checks in FY 2028, companies are increasingly required to shift from 'conducting' stress checks to 'utilizing' them. This demonstration project focused on the relationship between women's health issues, which have often been overlooked, and mental distress.

As a result, it was suggested that indicators showing "mind-body stress reactions" have a certain correlation with women's specific health issues.

Project Background and Challenges

Expansion of Mandatory Stress Checks and Corporate Challenges

In FY 2028, the obligation to conduct occupational stress checks at workplaces is scheduled to expand to businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Consequently, it is anticipated that mental health measures for employees will be required in more companies going forward.

On the other hand, on-site challenges include:

・ Already conducting stress checks but not utilizing them sufficiently

・ Limited response to high-stress individuals; few people undergo consultations.

In the future, it will be crucial to move beyond mere implementation and operationalize results into concrete support and workplace improvements.

"Women's Specific Health Issues" That Are Difficult to Perceive

In recent years, women's specific health issues such as menstruation, PMS, and menopause have garnered significant attention in many companies. As they can impact work performance and mental health, support for these issues has been expanding. However, due to their sensitive nature, these are areas that are difficult for companies to grasp.

Considering the expansion of mandatory stress checks, the challenges in effectively utilizing them, and our specialized domain of women's health issues, we approached this demonstration project with the belief that an integrated perspective would be required.

Survey Overview

This demonstration project was conducted with the following structure:

・Number of participating organizations: 5 ・Number of target employees: 506 └ Women: 368 / Men: 138

This Initiative

In this demonstration, the following were implemented for the target employees:

・ Survey

・ Questionnaire on health issues specific to physical sex differences

・ Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (hereinafter referred to as BJSQ)

・ Support

・ Individual support by medical professionals (online consultations via app chat, video calls, etc.)

・ Provision of e-learning

・ Effectiveness Verification

・ Effectiveness verification from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives as an evaluation of 1 and 2.

Main Results

Analysis of response data from female employees (n=278) among the target individuals regarding gender-specific health issues and BJSQ results revealed that among multiple indicators in the BJSQ, an indicator of "mind-body stress reactions" (indicators of mental and physical discomfort appearing due to stress, such as fatigue, anxiety, and depressive states) showed a correlation with women's specific health issues.

Specifically, in the group with higher stress reaction scores, a higher proportion of individuals had health issues such as menstruation, PMS, and menopause.

This suggests that women's specific health issues may be manifesting as "reactions" to psychological and physical stress.

On the other hand, clear correlations were not observed with indicators related to environmental factors such as "work stress factors" and "support from others" in the BJSQ.

These results suggest that individual physical and physiological factors may influence stress reactions, a different aspect than the workplace environment factors primarily evaluated in traditional stress checks.

Furthermore, an analysis of support effectiveness was conducted on 62 individuals who responded to the post-project survey (217 responses) and indicated they had utilized THE CARE.

The results confirmed the following:

・A certain improvement was observed in subjects according to WHO-HPQ (24.6% of those who improved).

・Cases leading to concrete actions such as medical treatment, system utilization, and industrial physician consultations were confirmed, promoting connection to supportive actions (actual results: 16, target: 10).

・Regarding support satisfaction, high ratings were received: 95.7% for chat/video call consultations and 94.3% for e-learning.

Analysis Results of Support Effectiveness

From these results, it was indicated that not merely providing information, but a supportive approach combining individual support and group intervention can lead to behavioral changes and certain outcome improvements.

In particular, the combination of anonymous online support and continuous engagement by medical professionals creates an environment where employees can feel secure consulting and facing their own health issues, which is a characteristic of this initiative.

What We Learned from These Results

This demonstration project suggested that in addition to the traditionally emphasized workplace environmental factors, women's specific health issues may also influence mental distress.

Notably, this analysis found correlations not with the factors causing stress (stressors), but with indicators of "mind-body stress reactions." This suggests that women's specific health issues may manifest as stress reactions through an individual's physical and physiological condition, rather than through the workplace environment itself.

These findings indicate the existence of areas that cannot be adequately addressed solely by "environmental improvement," which has been the focus of traditional stress check operations, and highlight the necessity of support that delves into individual conditions.

Furthermore, based on the analysis of post-project surveys, it is considered that stress checks should not be limited to risk identification but should be integrated with "measurement (grasping) → support design → intervention → behavioral change → effect verification" as a practical approach required of companies going forward.

"THE CARE," provided by our company, is a service that implements precisely this series of processes, enabling an approach to both individual employees' health issues and stress states through supportive engagement by medical professionals.

This demonstration project proves the effectiveness of an operational model that uses stress check results as a starting point and leads to support based on individual conditions, thereby validating the implementation value of THE CARE.

To Companies Facing Challenges in Employee Support

Based on the insights gained from this demonstration project, we are offering opportunities to individually introduce specific utilization methods and support designs tailored to each company's challenges.

Specifically for companies: ・That conduct stress checks with 50 or more employees ・That have challenges with utilizing stress check results or responding to high-stress individuals,

we are providing corporate-exclusive guidance.

We welcome inquiries even at the stage of "wanting to know if it can be utilized by our company" or "wanting to hear more first," so please feel free to contact us.

Comment from Setsuki Kishihata, Representative Director of With Midwife

Setsuki Kishihata, Representative Director / Midwife, With Midwife Co., Ltd.

In my medical practice, I have often witnessed how women's health challenges throughout their life stages affect their work-life balance. I feel that such issues cannot be resolved by medical care alone; a system is needed to provide support within the daily context of the company.

Through this demonstration project, the correlation between women's specific health issues and "mind-body stress reactions" was suggested, revealing aspects not captured by traditional stress checks alone. I also reaffirmed the importance of creating an environment where employees can consult with peace of mind and face their own conditions by combining it with supportive engagement from professionals.

Going forward, we will further develop support systems starting from stress checks, and contribute to realizing a society where everyone can continue to work with peace of mind, in collaboration with companies, municipalities, and medical institutions. I hope to expand this initiative with many companies.

About "THE CARE," an Employee Support Program (EAP Service) for Health and Child-Rearing

An employee support service, primarily an app, that allows people to consult 24/7/365 with dedicated nurses, midwives, and public health nurses who also possess a corporate perspective, regarding concerns related to life events and careers surrounding their work.

THE CARE Official Website: https://the-care.withmidwife.jp/

＜Three Features of THE CARE＞

Generous Support from Staff with Broad Expertise

Staff who hold national qualifications such as nurse, midwife, and public health nurse also acquire corporate perspective skills like labor affairs and career support (through a licensing system) to support working individuals.

App Pursuing Ease and Convenience

Each company is assigned at least three dedicated medical professionals. Employees of client companies and their families can consult about various personal and professional concerns, including mental health, physical condition management, fertility, child-rearing, and elder care, via a dedicated application. It is an external consultation service that accepts inquiries 24/7/365 and can be used anonymously.

Support from Both Companies and Individuals

Dedicated medical professionals with a corporate perspective understand the company's unique systems and culture while supporting employees. On the other hand, after analyzing consultation data, feedback is directly provided to the company to facilitate improvements and foster a positive culture. By closely engaging with both parties, we aim for a fundamental resolution of employees' concerns.

Company Profile

Company Name: With Midwife Co., Ltd.

Date of Establishment: November 1, 2019

Capital: 3 million JPY

Representative: Setsuki Kishihata

Location: QUINTBRIDGE 303, 4-15-82 Higashinoda-cho, Miyakojima-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture

Philosophy: "Realizing a future where even a single life that could not be born is not left behind."

We are regularly exposed not only to living lives but also to invisible lives such as miscarriages and stillbirths. We aim to realize a society where such lives are never left behind, through the power of midwives' 'care'.

Official HP: https://withmidwife.jp/

Keywords: Femtech, Healthcare, Health Management, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Mental Health, Stress Check, Health Consultation, Women's Health, Medical Care, Midwife