Long Live The Japanese
By: Mack-Cozzo, Jane. American Enterprise, Jul/Aug2006, Vol. 17 Issue 6
In Western countries we hear constantly about the longevity ot the Japanese, and therefore assume that the quality of Japanese health care is very high. Living in Japan for more than 12 years brought me up close and personal with that system.
And I found it to be a disconcerting experience.
For starters, hospitalization in Japan can be a bit frightening. You are required to bring your own bedding, towels, and soap. It falls on a family member or friend to bring clean bed linens and towels and wash the used ones. There are hardly any private or semi-private bathrooms, lught beds to a room is not uncommon. Often, you must brush your teeth at a common "trough" where several patients do the same.
Nurses are instructed that they must always ask the sensei (doctors) before imdertaking any procedure. Initially, this seems proper. But the same deference applies even when emergencies happen. One friend told me of his wife receiving an IV to ease labor, and watching her go into convulsions because she was allergic to the drug. The attending nurse refused to disconnect the IV "until sensei doctor authorized it." Terrified of losing her, he finally pulled it out himself.
Procedures done on an out-patient basis are no less daunting. Sigmoidoscopies and colonoscopies are routinely done without any kind of anesthetic. One friend, wracked with pain from such a procedure, was exhorted by the attending nurse to grit his teeth and hang on. Enduring pain and suffering without complaint is a hallmark of Japanese culture, even during routine medical procedures.
One time, J was at a dental surgery clinic with an impacted molar that needed to be removed. The head dentist was called in. His disheartening comment after examining me was "Til try." And he did—-as is customary, without general anesthetic. My queries were clearly considered impudent.
In Japan, one does not question any doctor. Waiting to see a physician is an exercise in patience. Two to three hour waits are a regular occurrence. Most lapanese accept this as a normal part of their nationalized health service. (There are few private clinics or practices in Japan.) Many use the time to gossip with friends and neighbors.
Since abortion is used as a method of birth control in Japan, the sound of suction machines is olten heard in gynecological clinics. Contraceptive pills were only made legal in Japan in 1999, due to the lobbying efforts of Japanese abortionists and condom manufacturers.
The Pill continues to be unpopular in Japan—-only a small percentage of women use it—perhaps in part because women are required to see their gynecologists every three months to renew prescriptions, and the national health service doesn't cover these costs.
So what accounts for the longevity of the Japanese? Probably good genetics and, to a lesser extent, diet. Not superior medical care.
—Jane Mack-Cozzo was n professor in Tokyo from 1986 to 1999.
In Western countries we hear constantly about the longevity ot the Japanese, and therefore assume that the quality of Japanese health care is very high. Living in Japan for more than 12 years brought me up close and personal with that system.
And I found it to be a disconcerting experience.
For starters, hospitalization in Japan can be a bit frightening. You are required to bring your own bedding, towels, and soap. It falls on a family member or friend to bring clean bed linens and towels and wash the used ones. There are hardly any private or semi-private bathrooms, lught beds to a room is not uncommon. Often, you must brush your teeth at a common "trough" where several patients do the same.
Nurses are instructed that they must always ask the sensei (doctors) before imdertaking any procedure. Initially, this seems proper. But the same deference applies even when emergencies happen. One friend told me of his wife receiving an IV to ease labor, and watching her go into convulsions because she was allergic to the drug. The attending nurse refused to disconnect the IV "until sensei doctor authorized it." Terrified of losing her, he finally pulled it out himself.
Procedures done on an out-patient basis are no less daunting. Sigmoidoscopies and colonoscopies are routinely done without any kind of anesthetic. One friend, wracked with pain from such a procedure, was exhorted by the attending nurse to grit his teeth and hang on. Enduring pain and suffering without complaint is a hallmark of Japanese culture, even during routine medical procedures.
One time, J was at a dental surgery clinic with an impacted molar that needed to be removed. The head dentist was called in. His disheartening comment after examining me was "Til try." And he did—-as is customary, without general anesthetic. My queries were clearly considered impudent.
In Japan, one does not question any doctor. Waiting to see a physician is an exercise in patience. Two to three hour waits are a regular occurrence. Most lapanese accept this as a normal part of their nationalized health service. (There are few private clinics or practices in Japan.) Many use the time to gossip with friends and neighbors.
Since abortion is used as a method of birth control in Japan, the sound of suction machines is olten heard in gynecological clinics. Contraceptive pills were only made legal in Japan in 1999, due to the lobbying efforts of Japanese abortionists and condom manufacturers.
The Pill continues to be unpopular in Japan—-only a small percentage of women use it—perhaps in part because women are required to see their gynecologists every three months to renew prescriptions, and the national health service doesn't cover these costs.
So what accounts for the longevity of the Japanese? Probably good genetics and, to a lesser extent, diet. Not superior medical care.
—Jane Mack-Cozzo was n professor in Tokyo from 1986 to 1999.
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