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Objectives: This study aims to quantify the degree of work–family conflict (WFC) and financial issues among ready-made garment (RMG) workers in Bangladesh and to investigate their potential associations with self-reported health outcomes. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 1118 RMG workers in labor colonies in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in February and March 2021. Descriptive analyses were performed to characterize WFC (i.e., family life disturbing the job or facing problems in family due to the job) and financial issues (i.e., savings, debt, financial obligations, financial support). We ran multivariable Poisson regression models to examine possible associations between WFC and financial issues and workers' health (self-reported general health and 10 specific health complaints). Results: We found low levels of WFC, low levels of savings, moderate levels of debt, and high levels of financial obligations: virtually all workers agreed they had to keep their job to financially support their spouse, children or other relatives. Only about a third of workers expected they would be able to receive financial support in case of a job loss. Work–family conflict was positively associated with poor health but not consistently with specific symptoms. Financial support was negatively associated, whereas being indebted was weakly positively associated with poor health. Conclusions: Our findings suggest low levels of WFC among RMG workers but high levels of financial obligations. Work–family conflict was positively associated with poor health, but not consistently with specific symptoms. Being indebted was weakly positively associated with poor health. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zentralblatt fuer Arbeitsmedizin, Arbeitsschutz und Ergonomie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: Since 1901, at least 15 scholars who contributed to cardiovascular research have received a Nobel prize in physiology or medicine. Methods: Using the Nobel nomination database (nobelprize.org), which contains 5950 nominations in the accessible period from 1901 to 1953 in physiology or medicine, we listed all international nominees who contributed to cardiovascular research. We subsequently collected nomination letters and jury reports of the prime candidates from the archive of the Nobel Committee in Sweden to identify shortlisted candidates. Results: The five most frequently nominated researchers with cardiovascular connections from 1901 to 1953 were, in descending order, the surgeon René Leriche (1879–1955) (FR) with a total of 79 nominations, the physiologist and 1924 Nobel laureate Willem Einthoven (1860–1927) (NL) (31 nominations), the surgeon Alfred Blalock (1899–1964) (US) (29 nominations), the pharmacologist and 1936 Nobel laureate Otto Loewi (1873–1961) (DE, AT, US) (27 nominations) and the paediatric cardiologist Helen Taussig (1898–1986) (US) (24 nominations). The research of these scholars merely hints at the width of topics brought up by nominators ranging from the physiological and pathological basics to the diagnosis and (surgical) interventions of diseases such as heart malformation or hypertension. Conclusion: We argue that an analysis of Nobel Prize nominations can reconstruct important scientific trends within cardiovascular research during the first half of the twentieth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psychosocial working conditions—in terms of job decision authority, among others—may influence asthma self-management at work and in leisure time, as recent qualitative research has shown. We sought to statistically investigate potential relationships between job decision authority and two types of self-management behaviours: physical activity (PA) and visits to the general practitioner (GP). Methods: We combined data from waves 1 and 2 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) for cross-sectional analyses. The sample was restricted to participants who were employed and reported asthma but no other chronic lung disease (n = 387). The three key variables were each measured by one item. We estimated the prevalence ratios of adequate PA (i.e., more than once a week) and regular GP visits (i.e., ≥ 4 per year) according to job decision authority (low vs. high) using Poisson regression with the robust variance. Results: We found no evidence of a relationship between job decision authority and PA. However, employees with low levels of job decision authority had a higher prevalence of reporting that they consulted their GP at least four times per year (prevalence ratio = 1.30; 95% confidence interval = 1.03–1.65). Conclusions: This study was the first to quantitatively investigate the relationship between job decision authority and PA specifically among individuals with asthma. Our results contradict prior epidemiological studies among general working populations, which reported a positive relationship between job decision authority and PA. Our results concerning the association between low job decision authority and more GP visits are inconsistent with our qualitative findings but supported by epidemiological studies among general occupational samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambivalent social ties, i.e., whereby a relationship is evaluated simultaneously in positive and negative terms, are a potential source of distress and can perturb health-relevant biological functions. Social interactions at the workplace, in particular with supervisors, are often described in ambivalent terms, but the psychological and psychobiological impact of such interactions has received little scientific attention. The current study examined associations between ambivalent attitudes towards one's supervisor, perceived distress (general and work-related), and diurnal dynamics of the stress hormone cortisol. 613 employees evaluated their supervisor in terms of positive and negative behaviors, which was combined into an ambivalent index. Higher ambivalence was associated with higher perceived distress and work-related stress (p <.001), and with a larger cortisol awakening response and higher day-time secretion post-awakening (p <.01). The present study is the first to identify ambivalence towards supervisors as a predictor of employee distress and stress-related endocrine dysregulation. In consequence, focusing solely on positive or negative leader behavior may insufficiently capture the true complexity of workplace interactions and attempts to compensate negative behaviors with positive are unlikely to reduce distress—but quite the opposite—by increasing ambivalence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although psychosocial stress has been associated with adverse health parameters, little is known about this topic among the variety of university students. We thus examined associations of psychosocial stress due to academic education with self-rated health, and symptoms of depression and anxiety among students from various study disciplines.Methods: We used data from the Nutrition and Physical Activity (NuPhA) Study, a cross-sectional online survey among students enrolled across German universities (n = 698). Academic stress was assessed by a newly developed and validated student version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI-Student) Questionnaire. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were measured by applying the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) and using validated cut-offs.Results: Separate multivariate logistic regression analyses run for the different ERI components, the ERI-ratio revealed that high effort, low reward, high over-commitment, and a high ERI-ratio were associated with poor self-rated health, and depressive and anxiety symptoms (odds ratios ≥ 2.43). Separate analyses for medical students and non-medical students largely confirmed these findings for both groups. Associations between all ERI components, the ERI ratio, and both mental health measures were, however, more pronounced among medical students.Conclusions: We were able to show consistent associations between the ERI-Student Questionnaire and self-rated health and mental health across students from different study disciplines. Further research on associations between academic stress and health parameters is necessary to develop effective strategies that prevent students from adverse health outcomes during their academic education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous epidemiological studies among health care staff have documented associations of adverse psychosocial working conditions with poorer health-related outcomes, a reduced quality of patient care and intentions to leave the profession. The evidence for physician assistants in Germany remains limited though.Methods: We surveyed a total of 994 physician assistants between September 2016 and April 2017. Psychosocial working conditions were measured by the established effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire and by a questionnaire specifically developed to capture psychosocial working conditions among physicians. Health outcomes (i.e., self-rated health, depression, anxiety), self-rated quality of care and the intention to leave the profession were assessed by established measures. We ran multivariable logistic regression analyses.Results: The prevalence of work stress in terms of ERI equalled 73.77%. Work stress according to the ERI model was associated with significantly poorer self-rated health [odds ratio (OR) 3.62], elevated symptoms of depression (OR 8.83) and anxiety (OR 4.95), poorer quality of care (OR for medical errors 4.04; OR for interference of work with patient care 3.88) and an increased intention to leave one’s current profession (OR 3.74). The PA-specific questionnaire showed similar, albeit weaker, associations (all ORs > 1.22).Conclusions: Our results are in line with previous findings among health care staff and provide specific and novel evidence for physician assistants. Interventions aiming at the improvement of working conditions seem needed given their potential adverse consequences in terms of employee health, quality of care, and personnel policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research has suggested that psychological stress is associated with reduced lung function and with the development of respiratory disease. Among the major potential sources of stress in adulthood are working conditions. We aimed to examine the relationship of work stress with lung function. Methods: We drew on 4-year prospective data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. The analyzed sample comprised 2627 workers aged 50 years or older who were anamnestically free of respiratory disease. Work stress at baseline was operationalized by abbreviated instruments measuring the well-established effort-reward imbalance model (seven items) and the control component of the job-demand control (two items). Peak expiratory flow (PEF) was determined at baseline and at follow-up. Continuous and categorized (i.e., by the tertile) work stress variables were employed in multivariable linear regression models to predict PEF change. Results: Work stress did not show statistically significant associations with PEF change. For instance, the unstandardized regression coefficient for PEF decline according to high versus low effort-reward imbalance was −1.41 (95% confidence interval = −3.75, 0.94). Conclusions: Our study is the first to examine prospective relationships between work stress and PEF. Overall, we did not observe meaningful associations. Future studies should consider a broader spectrum of spirometric parameters and should expand research to younger and possibly less-selected working populations (i.e., aged <50 years). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research addressing links of work stress or family stress with asthma is constrained by (1) inconsistent evidence, (2) failure to consider the combined exposure to work stress and family stress, and (3) its primary focus on Western study populations. We aimed to address these knowledge gaps. Methods: We used cross-sectional data collected in 2015 among 7816 women from five professional groups in five Chinese cities. Work stress was measured by the 10-item effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. Family stress was assessed by a psychometrically evaluated instrument comprising five items on, e.g., familial conflicts or domestic workload. Asthma was operationalized by self-reports of a physician diagnosis. Associations were examined by multivariable logistic regression estimating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Both high work stress (i.e., ERI score >1) and high family stress (i.e., score above the median) were associated with asthma (OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.22-2.27 and OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.10-1.99, respectively). Women with combined exposure (versus none) had somewhat higher odds of asthma (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.42-3.19) than those with sole exposure to either work stress (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.20-2.96) or family stress (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.03-2.84). Interaction terms were significant for continuous variables ( p = 0.046), but not for dichotomized variables ( p = 0.199). Conclusions: The present study suggests that both work stress and family stress are positively associated with asthma in women in China. Further, the combined exposure may be associated with a further excess of asthma occurrence. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings and to explore potential temporal relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Somatic complaints (SC) are highly prevalent in working populations and cause suffering and extensive health-care utilization. Adverse psychosocial working conditions as conceptualized in the Job Demand-Control-Support Model (JDC-S) and adverse working time characteristics (WTC) are potential risk factors. This combination is particularly common in hospital physicians. This study examines associations of JDC-S and WTC with SC in resident physicians from Germany. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 405 physicians at the end of residency training. SC were measured using the Giessen Subjective Complaints List (GBB-24) containing the sub-categories exhaustion, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular complaints. Data on working conditions were collected by a self-report method for work analysis in hospitals (TAA-KH-S) and by questions on WTC (i.e., working hours). Multivariable stepwise regression analyses were applied. Results: Workload showed the most pronounced relationship with all sub-categories of SC except gastrointestinal complaints. Job autonomy was not significantly related to any SC sub-category. Social support at work was inversely associated with all SC sub-categories except for cardiovascular complaints. Free weekends were associated with reduced SC except for exhaustion. Shift work was related to an increased SC total score and musculoskeletal complaints. Working hours showed no association with SC. Conclusion: In resident physicians, high workload and shift work are associated with increased SC, while social support at work and free weekends are associated with decreased SC. These insights may inform the development of preventive measures to improve the health of this professional group. Prospective studies are needed though to corroborate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tinnitus refers to the perception of a sound while an external source is absent. Research has identified work-related stress and its potential mental health-related sequelaes, i.e., depression and burnout, as risk factors for tinnitus. Perceived unfairness at work (organizational injustice), which is considered a psychosocial occupational stressor, has been shown to predict depression and burnout but its potential associations with tinnitus remains unaddressed. Purpose: The aim was to determine the relationship of organizational injustice with tinnitus, and to examine depression and burnout as potential mediators. Method: Cross-sectional data from a sample of 1632 employees were used. Tinnitus was assessed by self-report ( n = 207; 13.9 %). Organizational justice and its subcomponents (interactional and procedural justice), burnout, and depressive symptoms were measured by validated questionnaires. Associations were assessed by logistic regressions, and mediation was assessed by maximum likelihood logistic regression estimations. Results: Overall organizational justice, interactional and procedural justice were inversely related to tinnitus (z-score for overall justice: OR = 0.754; 95 % CI = 0.649 to 0.876). These associations were independent of demographics, socioeconomic status, job characteristics (including potential noise exposure), and health behaviors. Mediation analyses suggested a potential mediation by burnout (95 % CI indirect effect −0.188 to −0.066) and depressive symptoms (95 % CI indirect effect −0.160 to −0.043). Parallel multiple mediation analysis revealed that mediation through burnout was significantly larger than through depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Organizational justice appeared inversely related to tinnitus and this association was explained by individual differences in burnout symptoms, suggesting mediation. Longitudinal studies may further help to strengthen the evidence base for prevention of tinnitus through promotion of organizational justice and prevention of burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Psychosocial work characteristics may be associated with needle stick and sharps injuries (NSIs) among nurses. The current evidence is, however, sparse, inconclusive, and mainly limited to cross-sectional investigations. We aimed to contribute prospective data. Methods: We conducted a prospective study among 1,791 female hospital nurses from China. At baseline and at a 1-year follow-up, fourteen psychosocial work characteristics were assessed by the short Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. At follow-up, any NSI in the workplace during the previous year was measured by participants' self-reports. We quantified associations between (1) psychosocial work characteristics at baseline and NSIs at follow-up by multivariate relative risks (Poisson regression) and (2) NSIs reported at follow-up with psychosocial work characteristics at follow-up (multivariate linear regression, among others, adjusted for psychosocial work characteristics at baseline). Results: The only psychosocial work characteristic associated with a slightly increased risk of subsequent NSIs was quantitative demands. Examining the opposite direction of effect, we found that NSIs during the year preceding the follow-up were associated with slightly worse ratings of seven psychosocial work characteristics at follow-up (i.e., influence at work, meaning of work, commitment to the workplace, quality of leadership, social support, social community at work, and job insecurity). Conclusions: Overall, our study does not provide compelling evidence for an association of psychosocial work characteristics and subsequent occurrence of NSIs. By contrast, experience of NSIs may predict less favorable perceptions of psychosocial work characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is evidence to suggest that work stress is positively associated with the occurrence of asthma. A limitation is that the small number of prior studies utilized unestablished work stress measures, thus constraining interpretation and generalizability. The present study re-examined this association by assessing work stress based on the well-established effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model. Methods: We drew on data from two cross-sectional studies. Study 1 was conducted in a large pharmaceutical company in 2013 ( n = 1,464). Study 2 was based on data from the 2011 wave of the population-based German Socio-Economic Panel ( n = 8,388). ERI was assessed by validated questionnaires. Asthma was determined by self-report of a physician-based diagnosis. Associations between ERI or its subcomponents 'effort', 'reward' and 'overcommitment' ( z scores or categorized) with asthma were estimated by logistic regression models and reported as adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A one standard deviation increase of the ERI score (reflecting higher work stress) was associated with a 22-48 % elevated odds of asthma (Study 1: OR 1.48, 95 % CI 1.13-1.95, and Study 2: OR 1.22, 95 % CI 1.10-1.36). Z score-based analyses of the separate ERI components generally suggested moderate associations of effort, reward and overcommitment with asthma in both studies (Study 1: OR effort 1.25, 95 % CI 0.95-1.64, OR reward 0.67, 95 % CI 0.51-0.87, OR overcommitment 1.32, 95 % CI 1.01-1.72; and Study 2: OR effort 1.21, 95 % CI 1.09-1.34, OR reward 0.83, 95 % CI 0.76-0.92, OR overcommitment 1.12, 95 % CI 1.01-1.25). Analyses of categorized exposures largely confirmed these observations. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate a link between an established work stress measure and asthma. Longitudinal studies are needed to determine the direction of these associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We examined associations of organizational justice (OJ) and effort-reward imbalance (ERI) with burnout and intentions to leave the teaching profession (ILTP) among primary school teachers in China. Methods: Six primary schools located in Wuhan, China, were randomly selected from three different socioeconomic areas in 2010. In total, these schools employed 533 teachers, and 436 of these (82 %) participated in a cross-sectional survey. OJ and ERI were assessed by 13-item and 10-item questionnaires, respectively. Burnout was measured using the emotional exhaustion subscale of the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory. ILTP were operationalized based on the frequency of thoughts about turnover during the past year. Logistic regression-based odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated separately for OJ and ERI. In a second step, these work stress scales were entered into the same regression model. Results: Separate regression models suggested moderate to strong associations of OJ and ERI with burnout and ILTP. After simultaneous adjustment, the overall OJ score remained associated with burnout and ILTP, but ERI appeared to be the stronger and more consistent determinant of both outcomes. For instance, an increase of 1 standard deviation of the ERI score was associated with an OR of 2.60 (95 % CI 1.97-3.43) for burnout and with an OR of 2.26 (95 % CI 1.66-3.08) for ILTP. Conclusions: Organizational justice and in particular ERI appeared to be determinants of burnout and ILTP among primary school teachers in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Protecting the health of the work force has become an important issue in public health research. Purpose: This study aims to explore potential associations between supportive leadership style (SLS), an aspect of leadership behavior, and self-rated health (SRH) among employees. Method: We drew on cross-sectional data from a cohort of industrial workers ( n = 3,331), collected in 2009. We assessed employees' ratings of supportive, employee-oriented leadership behavior at their job, their SRH, and work stress as measured by the effort-reward model and scales measuring demands, control, and social support. Logistic regression estimated odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between the perception of poor SLS and poor SRH controlling for work-related stress and other confounders. Sensitivity analyses stratified models by sex, age, and managerial position to test the robustness of associations. Results: Perception of poor SLS was associated with poor SRH [OR 2.39 (95 % CI 1.95-2.92)]. Although attenuated following adjustment for measures of work-related stress and other confounders [OR 1.60 (95 % CI 1.26-2.04)], the magnitude, direction, and significance of this association remained robust in stratified models in most subgroups. Conclusion: SLS appears to be relevant to health in the workplace. Leadership behavior may represent a promising area for future research with potential for promoting better health in a large segment of the adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comorbid depression predicts poor health outcomes in patients with angina pectoris (AP). However, epidemiological data on the depression-AP comorbidity is limited and largely restricted to studies from Western countries, making generalizability to other regions uncertain. We aimed to provide additional epidemiological data for non-Western as well as Western countries. The present study used population-based data gathered in 47 countries from four continents (Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe) included in the cross-sectional 2002 WHO World Health Survey. Self-reported indicators of depression included: (a) its diagnosis, (b) its treatment, and (c) seven symptom items to determine presence of a major depressive episode. Similarly, information on AP comprised (a) a self-reported diagnosis, (b) self-reported AP treatment, (c) and a definition according to the WHO Rose questionnaire. In primary analyses, we operationalized depression or AP as positive if any of the respective indicators was present. Associations were estimated by multivariate logistic regression. In the entire sample (n = 213,264), the odds of AP were more than doubled among those with depression [odds ratio (OR) = 2.60, 95 % confidence interval = 2.36, 2.87] versus those without depression. These positive associations were replicated across all continents and were observed in both men and women. Likewise, meaningful associations (ORs ≥ 1.5) were observed in virtually all individual countries (46/47). Application of different operationalizations of depression and AP confirmed the above findings, both in the entire sample and in continent-specific analyses. Our study extends the current evidence accrued in Western populations to non-Western populations. The co-occurrence of AP and depression appears to represent a universal phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of the present study was to validate a German 11-item organizational justice questionnaire (G-OJQ) that consists of two subscales, referred to as 'procedural justice' (PJ) and 'interactional justice' (IJ) adapted from Moorman's organizational justice (OJ) questionnaire. A second objective was to determine associations of the G-OJQ with self-rated health. Methods: This study used cross-sectional data from an occupational cohort of 1518 factory workers from Germany (87.7 % male; mean age = 38.8 with SD = 11.9). After splitting the sample in two random subsamples, we assessed structural validity by exploratory factor analyses in one subsample and by confirmatory factor analysis in the other subsample. Internal validity was assessed by Cronbach's α. Associations with self-reported poor health were estimated by logistic regression. Results: The full scale and its subscales yielded Cronbach's α's of ≥0.9, and item-total correlations were ≥0.5. Factor analyses confirmed the expected 2-factor structure, labeled 'interactional justice' (IJ, 4 items, λ 0.43-0.94) and 'procedural justice' (PJ, 7 items, λ 0.46-0.83), respectively, and showed an acceptable fit to the data ( χ = 61; p = .001; CFI = 0.995; RMSEA = 0.037). The OJ total score as well as subscale scores in the lowest quartile, when compared to the highest quartile, was associated with an ≥2.3 increased odds of reporting poor health. Conclusion: The G-OJQ seems to be a valid and useful tool for observational and intervention studies in occupational settings. Future studies may additionally explore longitudinal associations and test the generalizability of the present findings to other populations and health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes is rapidly rising globally, and the relation of psychosocial stress in workplace to diabetes and prediabetes is not well investigated. Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the association of work stress with diabetes and prediabetes in a sample of German industrial workers. Method: In this cross-sectional survey of an occupational cohort ( n = 2,674, 77 % male), work stress was measured by the Effort–Reward Imbalance (ERI) Questionnaire. Diabetic status, i.e., diabetes and prediabetes, were diagnosed by glycated hemoglobin A1c criterion or fasting plasma glucose criterion supplemented by self-reports. Results: The overall prevalence rates of diabetes and prediabetes were 3.5 and 42.2 %, respectively. Using ordinal logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounding factors, high ERI at work was associated with diabetes-related ordinal variable (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI], 1.02–1.58) and prediabetes-related ordinal variable (OR, 1.26; 95 % CI, 1.01–1.58) in men, whereas the associations in women were somewhat less pronounced and did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: The findings indicate that work stress in terms of ERI is associated with diabetes and prediabetes in German industrial male workers. If supported by prospective evidence, results point to a new approach towards primary prevention of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is consistent evidence of the co-occurrence of poor mental health and asthma in Western populations. Since the experience and expression of mental health is partly culturally determined, it is of interest to examine if similar associations are found in other cultural settings. In that regard, very little is known about the association between mental health and asthma in Asian countries, such as China. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between mental health and asthma in a large sample from China. Method: We used data from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study phase 3 ( n = 9,280). Participants reported physician-diagnosed asthma. Mental health measures included the 15-item Chinese version of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-C) and the SF-12 Mental Component Summary (MCS) score. We compared the prevalence of asthma by GDS-C and MCS scores by estimating prevalence ratios (PRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), using Poisson regression. Results: Compared to those without depression, the prevalence of asthma was higher in those with moderate or severe depression levels (PR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.58-4.40 and PR = 4.43, 95% CI = 1.62-12.09, p for trend ≤0.0001). The prevalence of asthma increased by 46% with every 1 standard deviation increase of the GDS-C score (PR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.24-1.73). The MCS score was not associated with asthma. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms were associated with asthma prevalence in a Chinese population. Further research into the mechanism and potential directions of causality is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genome-wide association studies have reported an association between the A-allele of rs1006737 within CACNA1C and affective disorders and schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between rs1006737 and established and potential endophenotypes for these disorders in a population-based cohort of 3793 subjects, using an analytical method designed to assess a previously reported sex-specific effect of CACNA1C. The investigated endophenotypes included personality traits and resilience factors. At 10-year follow-up, subjects were screened for depressive symptoms. All subjects were genotyped for rs1006737. The direction of the effect and mode of inheritance of rs1006737 differed between the sexes. In men, the A-allele was associated with higher emotional lability and lower resilience, that is, lower sense of coherence (P=0.021), lower perceived social support (P=0.018), lower dispositional optimism (P=0.032) and more depressive symptoms at follow-up (P=0.007). In women, the A-allele was associated with lower emotional lability and stronger resilience, that is, higher sense of coherence (P=0.00028), higher perceived social support (P=0.010), lower neuroticism (P=0.022) and fewer depressive symptoms at follow-up (P=0.035). After conservative Bonferroni correction for 32 tests, results only remained significant for sense of coherence in women (P=0.009). These results suggest that CACNA1C is involved in the genetic architecture of endophenotypes for affective disorders and schizophrenia, and that it shows a distinct sex-specific effect. Comprehensive phenotype characterization in case-control samples and the general population, as well as an adequate modeling of sex-specific genetic effects, may be warranted to elucidate the pathogenetic mechanisms conferred by robustly identified susceptibility genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective  To examine the association between alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and endometrial cancer. Methods  In 1986, the Netherlands Cohort Study was initiated. A self-administered questionnaire on dietary habits and other cancer risk factors was completed by 62,573 women. Follow-up for cancer was established by record linkage to the Netherlands Cancer Registry. Results  After 11.3-years of follow-up, 280 incident endometrial cancer cases were available for analyses. In multivariate analysis, the rate ratio (RR) for alcohol users versus non-users was 1.06 (95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) = 0.78–1.43). There were neither dose-dependent trends nor associations with different types of beverages. The RR for former and current smokers versus never-smokers was 0.83 (95% CI = 0.58–1.20) and 0.59 (95% CI = 0.40–0.88), respectively. These estimates did not change significantly when body mass index (BMI) and age at menopause were added to the models. Conclusions  There is no association between alcohol consumption and endometrial cancer. Current smoking is associated with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer. This association is neither mediated by BMI nor by age at menopause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Beiträge zur Klinik und Erforschung der Tuberkulose und der Lungenkrankheiten is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Patients' needs in asthma remain insufficiently understood and met. We therefore aimed to investigate the potential determinants of patients' needs in asthma treatment. Our study was based on survey data on 189 adults with asthma. Needs were measured using the 13-item Needs in Asthma Treatment questionnaire, which yields a total score and subscale-specific scores ('exacerbations', 'patient expertise', 'handling drugs' and 'drug effects'). We considered age, sex, education, years since diagnosis and anxiety/depression (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-4) as potential determinants. Associations were estimated by multivariable linear regression. Overall, we observed that younger age, poor mental health and a more recently established asthma diagnosis were independently associated with increased needs. Information on drug effects was an exception to this pattern as the need in that domain was solely determined by sex (being greater in men). In conclusion, our study provides novel evidence on patient characteristics that are associated with needs in asthma treatment. If confirmed by future studies, our observations may assist healthcare professionals to identify asthma patients with potentially elevated information, support and training needs and could contribute to the development of tailored interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]