Family medicine is a vital medical specialty in an aging society. The scope of each family doctor’s training and practice varies according to the context of their work, their roles, the organization and resources of the health systems in each country, and their ability to adapt to the healthcare needs of their country. As societal requirements change, so does the role of family medicine. In Japan, family physicians’ educational systems were officially established in 2017 as the nineteenth specialty, following discussions among family physicians, general internal medicine physicians, and hospitalists. Family physicians’ specialization in systems could facilitate access to appropriate health resources with proper timing while respecting the culture and context of each patient. Therefore, family physicians can be systems specialists on the same basis as organ and other specialists. Family physicians include people and families in their ecological systems. Family physicians should therefore specialize in healthcare systems.

Help-seeking behavior (HSB) is vital for older people to sustain their health. As people in aging societies increasingly demand management of their multiple symptoms, communities should encourage HSBs. In rural communities, insufficient healthcare and human resources influence older people’s health. However, no related comprehensive evidence exists so far. This study investigates the present condition of older people’s HSBs in rural contexts in aging societies. We conducted a systematic review by searching six databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, and Web of Science) for original studies regarding HSBs of older people in rural contexts published until January 2022. Extracted articles were analyzed based on participants, settings, HSB causes and contents, and older people’s HSB outcomes in rural contexts. Sixteen studies were included in the systematic review: seven investigated the associations between HSBs and participants’ backgrounds, and three the quality of life. Six studies investigated HSB perception, diagnosis, clarifying HSB contents, professional care trend, self-rated health, and mortality. Unlike few studies investigating the association between HSBs and health-related outcomes, this systematic review explains the current evidence regarding rural older people’s HSBs. Due to insufficient evidence from longitudinal studies in clarifying interventions for effective HSBs, future studies should use observational and interventional designs.

Community organizing with government support, termed local self-governance (LSG), is a form of policy decentralization for community wellbeing through solutions tailored to local issues. One form of LSG is multifunctional autonomy, in which citizens can comprehensively manage their communities with government support. This study clarified the effect of multifunctional autonomy on healthy life expectancy by assessing related advantages and challenges in rural Japanese communities, using a mixed-methods approach. Disability-free life expectancy from 65 years (DFLE-65) was assessed to compare healthy life expectancies between two rural Japanese cities (with/without multifunctional autonomy). Comparisons revealed better DFLE-65 only among older men in a city with multifunctional autonomy. A cost-effectiveness analysis investigated the relationship between the budget and DFLE-65 change using questionnaire data. Cost-effectiveness analysis of multifunctional autonomy indicated 61,147 yen/DFLE-65. Thematic analysis revealed that multifunctional autonomy created new roles for older men, improving community relationships. However, sustainable multifunctional autonomy in LSG communities may be hindered by a generally aging society, generation gap, and lack of mutual understanding between rural communities and local governments. To ensure the sustainability of multifunctional autonomy, collaborations between local communities and governments and among various generations are critical.

Home care is essential for the continuity of care, but rural communities struggle to procure these services regularly. As rural populations age, these difficulties may be exacerbated. This study examines the challenges and solutions for offering home care in rural areas. Healthcare professionals held focus groups and one-on-one interviews in rural communities, and these interviews were recorded and analyzed using thematic analysis. Changing rural contexts, stakeholder relationships, and sustainable communities were the primary themes. Increasing knowledge, sharing information, and dialogue among stakeholders were also crucial. Collaboration between professions may also create more sustainable home care in rural communities.

Parvimonas micra (P. micra), a bacterium that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract, is often isolated from periodontitis and abscesses as part of a complex bacterial infection. However, reports of monobacterium infections due to P. micra are limited. Here, we report a case of monobacterial bacteremia caused by P. micra with the aim of identifying the source of the invasion and clarifying the clinical features. A 54-year-old patient presented with bacteremia due to P. micra and with an oral invasion that we suspected resulted from prior dental treatment. Using PubMed and Google Scholar databases, we undertook a systematic review of monobacteremia caused by P. micra. We identified 26 patients (mean age, 70.15 years) in our systematic review. P. micra bacteremia and its associated phenotypes were most frequently identified in spinal discitis, followed by epidural and lumbar abscesses, and infective endocarditis. The major risk factors were malignancy, diabetes mellitus, and post-arthroplasty. When P. micra is detected in blood cultures, evaluation and intervention for oral contamination may be indicated.

In this mixed-methods study, we hypothesized that social cognitive theory (SCT)-based educational interventions for healthcare participation can improve the self-efficacy of older rural citizens in participating in their health management without any difficulties. Quasi-experimental study before and after SCT-based educational interventions and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Participants were Japanese elderly (>65 years) from rural communities. Propensity score matching was performed to estimate the effectiveness of educational interventions on participants’ perception (intervention: n = 156; control: n = 121). Interview contents were transcribed verbatim and analyzed based on thematic analysis. The intervention group scored significantly higher than the control group for participation in planning and managing self-care. Interviews revealed three themes: ability to manage health conditions, relationship with medical professionals, and relationship among citizens. Participants reported difficulties in judging symptoms and communicating with medical professionals. Hierarchy and low motivation to participate in healthcare hindered collaboration. The findings suggest that SCT-based educational interventions can positively impact rural citizens’ self-efficacy in healthcare participation.