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Aim: This study investigated the association between COVID-19 pandemic-related work environment changes and suspected post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Japanese workers., Methods: A web survey of 1104 workers was conducted in Japan between February 24 and March 2, 2021. The Japanese version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and questions regarding work environments and COVID-19 pandemic-related lifestyle changes were used., Results: PTSD was suspected in 19.7% of respondents and was significantly higher in men (22.2%) than in women (17.2%). Being older and having an independent business were associated with decreased suspected PTSD risk. Longer online work hours, decreased sleep duration, and alcoholism were associated with increased suspected PTSD risk. When stratified by sex, long online work hours and fewer years of service were associated with increased suspected PTSD risk in men. An association between alcoholism and suspected PTSD was also observed in men. Younger age and decreased sleep duration were significantly associated with suspected PTSD in women., Conclusion: Younger men with shorter work service duration were particularly vulnerable to pandemic-related PTSD, emphasizing the risks associated with long online work hours and alcoholism in men. Decreased sleep duration was a PTSD predictor in both sexes, suggesting its importance in PTSD prevention strategies for workers., Competing Interests: N/A., (© 2024 The authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.)

Importance: Women with a high level of autistic traits in the general population may experience larger health disparities during pregnancy, particularly women diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which in turn may be associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes., Objective: To investigate the association between maternal autistic traits and the risk of adverse birth outcomes in the general population., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study included mothers of singletons from a nationwide, multicenter prospective birth cohort, the Japan Environmental Children's Study. Expecting mothers were recruited between January 2011 and March 2014. Data were analyzed between June 2021 and November 2023., Exposures: Autistic traits were self-reported during the second and third trimesters using the short form of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version (AQ-J10) (score range, 0-10; clinical range, ≥7)., Main Outcomes and Measures: Data on preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation) and neonates born small for gestational age (SGA) were transcribed from medical records. Additional analysis of gestational age groups (very preterm birth, <32 weeks' gestation; moderate-to-late preterm birth, 32-36 weeks' gestation) was also performed., Results: Among 87 687 women (mean [SD] age, 31.2 [5.0] years) included in the study, 2350 (2.7%) had AQ-J10 scores within the clinical range yet only 18 (0.02%) were diagnosed with ASD. A higher AQ-J10 score was associated with an increased risk of all birth outcomes, including preterm births (relative risk [RR] per 1-SD increase, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.09), moderate-to-late preterm births (RR per 1-SD increase, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08), very preterm births (RR per 1-SD increase, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26), and child born SGA (RR per 1-SD increase, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.06) after adjusting for maternal and pregnancy-related factors. The risks of all outcomes increased with higher AQ-J10 scores; compared with women below the clinical range, women within the clinical range had greater risk of preterm births (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.07-1.26), moderate-to-late preterm births (RR, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.03-1.22), very preterm births (RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.18-1.89), and a child born SGA (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.19)., Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, higher level of maternal autistic traits was associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, particularly very preterm birth. Acknowledging the risks and providing tailored and timely antenatal care support to women with a high level of autistic traits in the general population, particularly women with autistic traits within the clinical range, regardless of formal diagnosis, is warranted.