Search

Objectives: The aim was to describe levels of subjective Health Literacy (HL), and to examine possible differences in prevalence proportions between sexes, age groups and level of educations among youth athletes and their mentors (coaches, parents/caregivers) in Swedish Athletics. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Data on subjective HL were collected using the Swedish Communicative and Critical Health Literacy (S-CCHL) instrument for mentors and for youth the School-Aged Children (HLSAC) instrument. Questions assessing mentors literacy on sports injury and return to play were also included. Results: The surveys were completed by 159 (91%) mentors and 143 youth athletes (87%). The level of S-CCHL was sufficient in 53% of the mentors. Of youth athletes, 28% reported a high level of HL and the item with least perceived high HL (21%) was critical thinking. Ninety-four percent of the mentors believed that it is quite possible to prevent injuries in athletics and 53% perceived having a very good knowledge about how to prevent injuries. Forty-six percent of the mentors perceived having a very good knowledge of return to sport criteria. Conclusions: The level of health literacy was low with about half of the mentors and one out of three youth athletes having adequate HL levels. Only half of the mentors stated having a good knowledge of various injury prevention strategies. To reduce health consequences in youth sport and enable talent development more work is needed to understand the facilitators and barriers for the uptake of various health promotion and injury prevention strategies. (c) 2021 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Funding Agencies|Swedish Centre for Sports Research (CIF) [FO2017-0010]; Swedish Athletics

Objectives To investigate how elite track and field athletes with a history of musculoskeletal pain (MSKP) describe their perceptions of clinical treatments based on dry needling guided by a neurological map (neuroanatomical dry needling (naDN)). Design Qualitative study. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with eight elite Swedish track and field athletes (6 males, 2 females, median age 28.5) treated at a clinic specialised in MSKP management. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were structured and analysed using a thematic method. Results The athletes approached clinical MSKP treatment from a performance-orientated perspective. They explained that they inevitably suffered MSKP episodes due to the intense physical demands of their sport. The use of naDN was considered an integral part of their sports practice and the study clinic's services were readily utilised when MSKP caused minor reductions in physical capacity. The athletes appreciated an unambiguous anatomical diagnosis, preferably supported by imaging scans, as this increased their confidence in clinical services. They valued the naDN treatment as it was perceived to provide fast-acting analgesia that enabled rapid return-to-play. These factors combined to reduce performance-related stress. Conclusions Elite track and field athletes with a history of MSKP sought and appreciated clinical treatment with naDN largely because it provided fast-acting analgesia that enabled rapid return-to-play at a high-performance level. These athletes’ expectations of MSKP diagnosis and management appear incongruent with current research indicating that MSKP sensitivity within the nervous system does not accurately reflect musculoskeletal tissue state or recovery following tissue damage.

We report on local nowcasting (short-term forecasting) of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) hospitalizations based on syndromic (symptom) data recorded in regular healthcare routines in Ostergotland County (population approximate to 465,000), Sweden, early in the pandemic, when broad laboratory testing was unavailable. Daily nowcasts were supplied to the local healthcare management based on analyses of the time lag between telenursing calls with the chief complaints (cough by adult or fever by adult) and COVID-19 hospitalization. The complaint cough by adult showed satisfactory performance (Pearson correlation coefficient r>0.80; mean absolute percentage error Funding Agencies|Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency [2010-2788]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research CouncilEuropean Commission [2021-05608]; ALF grants from Region Ostergotland [936190]; Research Council of Southeast Sweden [FORSS-940915]

To investigate health-related factors associated with self-rated race performance outcomes among recreational long-distance runners.Panel study.Data were collected from runners one month before and after a community-level race event including distances from 8 to 42.2 km. The primary outcome measure was self-rated race performance outcome. The explanatory variables represented health complaints suffered during the build-up year, the pre-race month, and the race and among full marathon runners predicted objective performance outcome (mean pace equal to training pace or faster). Multiple logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with the self-rated performance outcome.Two-hundred forty-five runners (29%) provided complete data sets. Seventy-four percent of the runners reached their desired race performance outcome. Achievement of the performance outcome was more likely when having avoided illness during the build-up and pre-race periods (OR = 3.8; 95% CI:1.8-8.0, p 0.001), having avoided per-race injury (OR=3.0; 95% CI:1.2-7.4, p = 0.02) and avoided per-race illness (OR = 4.1; 95% CI:1.3-15, p = 0.020). Having obtained the self-rated performance outcome was also associated with running a shorter distance (OR=3.6; 95% CI: 1.7-8.0, p = 0.001) and being younger than 50 years of age (OR = 2.4; 95% CI:1.1-5.3-8.3, p = 0.03). Having met the predicted objective performance outcome predisposed marathon runners to also obtain the self-rated performance outcome (OR = 4.7, 95% CI: 1.5-16, p 0.01).Having avoided illness during build-up and pre-race was positively associated with self-rated race performance outcome among recreational runners. Adjusting the desired performance outcomes with regard to recent illness and age may help recreational runners to more often achieve their goals and thereby prevent them from leaving the sport.

BACKGROUND: With increased participation in Paralympic sports, the burden of sports-related injuries and illnesses may increase. However, there is limited knowledge about the epidemiology of sports-related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sports (SRIIPS).OBJECTIVE: To describe among Swedish Paralympic athletes the 1-year retrospective period prevalence of severe SRIIPS and the point prevalence of all SRIIPS and to examine differences in prevalence proportions between athletes with different impairments, behaviors, and sport characteristics.DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.SETTING: Swedish Paralympic Programme.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and four Paralympic athletes with visual, physical, and intellectual impairment.METHODS: An eHealth application adapted to Paralympic athletes was used to collect self-report data on existing and previous SRIIPS, as well as impairment, behavior, and sport characteristics.MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: One-year retrospective period prevalence and point prevalence.RESULTS: The period prevalence of severe injuries was 31% (95% CI 23-40) and the point prevalence 32% (95% CI 24-41). The period prevalence of severe illnesses was 14% (95% CI 9-23), and 13% of the athletes (95% CI 8-22) reported a current illness. More severe injuries (P

Background Recurrence is a problem for many patients who have episodes of depression. In experimental settings, hyporeactivity in the Electrodermal Orienting Reactivity (EDOR) test has been observed to be more frequent in these patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical value of this test with regard to a prognosis of episode recurrence in patients hospitalized for depression. Methods The study was performed using a cohort design at a specialized psychiatric clinic in Warsaw, Poland. The primary endpoint measure was relapse or recurrence of depression. Data on electrodermal reactivity measured by the EDOR test, clinical status, and psychiatric history were collected at the clinic. Relapse and recurrence data were collected by clinical interviews 1 year after the EDOR test. The predictive (adjusting for confounders) and comparative (relative to other predictors) performance of electrodermal hyporeactivity was assessed using simple and multiple binary logistic regression. Results The patient sample included 97 patients aged between 20 and 81 years (mean, 51.2 years). Twenty patients (20.6%) were hyporeactive in the EDOR test. The group of hyporeactive patients did not differ significantly from the reactive group with regard to background factors or clinical status on admission. Forty-seven patients (51.6%) had at least one depressive episode during the follow-up period. In the analysis including potential confounders, the likelihood of relapse or recurrence of depression was nearly five times higher among the hyporeactive patients than the reactive patients (odds ratio [OR], 4.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3–16.2; p = 0.015). In the comparative analysis, only hyporeactivity was found to be associated with recurring episodes (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.1–10.2; p = 0.036). Conclusions Electrodermal hyporeactivity was associated with a higher risk of relapse or recurrence after discharge among patients hospitalized for depression. This finding warrants further clinical investigations that cover different types of depression and account for causal mechanisms. Trial registration The study design was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00010082).

Introduction Sports-related injuries and illnesses in Paralympic sport (SRIIPS) are a concern, but knowledge about the etiology and risk factors is limited. The aim of this study was to describe the annual incidence, type, and severity of injuries and illnesses among Swedish Paralympic athletes and to assess risk factors. Methods Swedish Paralympic athletes (n = 107) self-reported SRIIPS every week during 52 weeks using an eHealth application. Incidence proportions (IP) and incidence rates (IR) were used as measures of disease burden. Time-to-event methods (Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression) were used to identify risk factors. Results The annual IP for injury was 68% and for illness 77%. The injury IR was 6.9/1000 hours and the illness IR 9.3/1000 hours. The median time to injury was 19 weeks (95% CI: 10.5-27.4) and to illness 9 weeks (95% CI: 1.4-16.6). Most injuries occurred during training, and 34% were classified as severe (>= 21 days of time loss). An increased injury risk was observed among athletes in team sports (HR 1.88; 95% CI: 1.19-2.99), athletes with a previous severe injury (HR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.47-3.83), and male athletes (HR 1.76; 95% CI: 1.06-2.93). The most common illness type was infection (84%). Athletes in team sports (HR 1.64; 95% CI: 1.05-2.54) and males with a previous illness (HR = 2.13; 95% CI: 1.04-4.36) had a higher illness risk. Conclusion Paralympic athletes report a high incidence of injuries and illnesses over time. This emphasizes the need to develop preventive strategies of SRIIPS and optimize medical services for this heterogeneous athlete population. Funding Agencies|Swedish National Centre for Research in Sports [F2016-0024, P2019-0010]

Objectives To investigate whether self-reported health complaints and choice of heat stress prevention strategies during the taper predicted peaking at an athletics championship in hot conditions. Design Cohort study. Methods Data on health and heat stress prevention were collected before the 2015 World Athletics Championship in Beijing, China. Peaking was defined using the athlete’s pre-competition ranking and final competition rank. Baseline and endpoint data were fitted into multiple logic regression models. Results Two hundred forty-five (29%) of 841 eligible athletes participated. Both sprint/power (Odds ratio (OR) 0.33 (95% Confidence interval (CI) 0.11 to 0.94), P = 0.038) and endurance/combined events (OR 0.38 (95% CI 0.14 to 1.00), P = 0.049) athletes having sustained concern-causing health complaints during the taper were less likely to peak. Endurance/combined events athletes who chose pre-cooling to mitigate heat stress were less likely to peak (OR 0.35 (95% CI 0.15 to 0.80), P = 0.013), while sprint/power athletes reporting a sudden-onset injury complaint during the taper displayed increased peaking (OR 4.47 (95% CI 1.28 to 15.59), P = 0.019). Conclusions Health complaints that caused the athlete concern during the taper were predictive of failure to peak at a major athletics competition. Sprint/power athletes who experienced an acute injury symptom during the taper appeared to benefit from rest. Pre-cooling strategies seem to require further validation during real-world endurance/combined events. It appears that athletics athletes’ self-reported health should be monitored during the taper, concerns addressed, and heat stress prevention strategies individually tested before championships in hot conditions.

Objectives To investigate champion long-distance runners’ strategies for managing injury and illness symptoms and staying well. Design Qualitative research study. Methods Twelve long-distance runners were interviewed immediately after having competed in World Championships finals. Thematic analysis was used to categorise and structure the data. The results were presented as primary themes and overarching constructs representing connections between the primary themes. Results The champion runners’ basic tactic to manage symptoms of ill health was characterized by rapid adjustment of sports load and a strong incentive to learn from experience and professional advice. This tactic was named here educated flexibility. A secondary exigency tactic was associated with reaching short-term goals and a consequential acceptance of health hazards. The runners used economic and other environmental strain to explain use of the exigency tactic. Most champion runners’ long-term strategy to stay well included both tactics successfully combined to maintain a performance level assuring a regular income. Avoidance of letting environmental strain and health problems create vicious circles was at the centre of these strategies. Conclusions Champion runners’ main strategy to stay well and sustain their superiority in performance was characterized by constantly paying attention to symptoms of ill health, listening to medical advice, and not letting environmental strain interfere with adjustment of sports load. Many top-level runners originate from global regions where formal education programs and health insurance plans are poorly regulated and supported. Bio-psychosocial models including empowerment at individual and systems levels should be considered when health services are planned for professional runners.

Background Due to the dominance of overuse injuries among runners, knowledge of how use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and behavioral factors contribute to injury events is important. The aim of this study was to explore recreational marathon runners' strategies for coping with injury and illness, including use of drugs for control of pain and inflammation, and to investigate whether these strategies were associated with the 1-year prevalence of time-loss injury and illness. Methods An online questionnaire was used for data collection in this cross-sectional study. The population consisted of runners who had registered for a marathon (N.=341). Strategies used to understand and manage perceptions of injury and illness were measured with the Brief COPE instrument and the use of NSAIDs was investigated. Results Complete survey data were provided by 161 runners (47%). 42% reported NSAID use. A notable injury in the past year was reported by 43%, and 19% reported having had a time-loss illness episode. Runners who reported NSAID use in the past year reported significantly fewer time-loss injuries (P=0.003). Time loss due to illness only showed a negative correlation with using emotional support for coping (P=0.010) and a positive correlation with self-blame (P=0.039). Conclusions Runners stating NSAID use reported fewer time-loss running injuries than non-NSAID users. Time loss due to illness showed different correlates with NSAID use and coping strategies than time loss due to injury, i.e. no association with drug use, less use of emotional support for coping and more use of self-blame.

Our knowledge of sports-related injuries in para-sport is limited and there are no data on how Paralympic athletes themselves perceive an injury. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore Paralympic athletes' perceptions of their experiences of sports-related injuries, risk factors and preventive possibilities. Eighteen Swedish Paralympic athletes with vision impairment, intellectual impairment, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, myelomeningocele, dysplasia and neuromuscular disorder, representing 10 different para-sports, were interviewed. The qualitative phenomenographic method was used to interpret the data. The analysis revealed nine categories of perceptions of experiences. The athletes perceived that their impairments were involved in the cause and consequential chains associated with a sports-related injury. Other categories that denoted and described these injuries were: sport overuse, risk behaviour, functional limitations, psychological stressors, the normalised pain, health hazards, individual possibilities to prevent sports-related injuries and unequal prerequisites. This qualitative study revealed that Paralympic athletes' perceptions of their experiences of sports-related injuries are complex and multifactorial, and in several ways differ from able-bodied athletes. This needs to be considered in the sports health and safety work within the Paralympic Movement as well as in the design of future injury surveillance systems and preventive programmes.

SUMMARYWorkplaces are one of the most important regular meeting places in society. The aim of this study was to use simulation experiments to examine the impact of different workplace cultures on influenza dissemination during pandemics. The impact is investigated by experiments with defined social-mixing patterns at workplaces using semi-virtual models based on authentic sociodemographic and geographical data from a North European community (population 136 000). A simulated pandemic outbreak was found to affect 33% of the total population in the community with the reference academic-creative workplace culture; virus transmission at the workplace accounted for 10·6% of the cases. A model with a prevailing industrial-administrative workplace culture generated 11% lower incidence than the reference model, while the model with a self-employed workplace culture (also corresponding to a hypothetical scenario with all workplaces closed) produced 20% fewer cases. The model representing an academic-creative workplace culture with restricted workplace interaction generated 12% lower cumulative incidence compared to the reference model. The results display important theoretical associations between workplace social-mixing cultures and community-level incidence rates during influenza pandemics. Social interaction patterns at workplaces should be taken into consideration when analysing virus transmission patterns during influenza pandemics.

ObjectiveTo examine associations between lifetime sexual and physical abuse, and the likelihood of injury within and outside sport in athletes involved in competitive athletics.MethodsA cross sectional study was performed among the top 10 Swedish athletics athletes using 1 year prevalence of sports and non-sports injuries as the primary outcome measure. Associations with sociodemographic characteristics, lifetime abuse history and training load were investigated. Data were analysed using simple and multiple logistic regression models.Results11% of 197 participating athletes reported lifetime sexual abuse; there was a higher proportion of women (16.2%) than men (4.3%) (P=0.005). 18% reported lifetime physical abuse; there was a higher proportion of men (22.8%) than women (14.3%) (P=0.050). For women, lifetime sexual abuse was associated with an increased likelihood of a non-sports injury (OR 8.78, CI 2.76 to 27.93; P13 years of age was associated with a lower likelihood of non-sports injury (OR 0.09, CI 0.01 to 0.81; P=0.032). Lifetime physical abuse was associated with a higher likelihood of sports injury in women (OR 12.37, CI 1.52 to 100.37; P=0.019). Among men, athletes with each parents with ≤12 years formal education had a lower likelihood of sustaining an injury during their sports practice (OR 0.37, CI 0.14 to 0.96; P=0.040).ConclusionsLifetime sexual and physical abuse were associated with an increased likelihood of injury among female athletes. Emotional factors should be included in the comprehension of injuries sustained by athletes.

Background: Despite the popularity of the sport, few studies have investigated community-level football injury patterns. This study examines football injuries treated at emergency medical facilities using data from three Swedish counties. Methods: An open-cohort design was used based on residents aged 0-59 years in three Swedish counties (pop. 645 520). Data were collected from emergency medical facilities in the study counties between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2010. Injury frequencies and proportions for age groups stratified by sex were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) and displayed per diagnostic group and body location. Results: Each year, more than 1/200 person aged 0-59 years sustained at least one injury during football play that required emergency medical care. The highest injury incidence was observed among adolescent boys [2009 injuries per 100 000 population years (95% CI 1914-2108)] and adolescent girls [1413 injuries per 100 000 population years (95% CI 1333-1498)]. For female adolescents and adults, knee joint/ligament injury was the outstanding injury type (20% in ages 13-17 years and 34% in ages 18-29 years). For children aged 7-12 years, more than half of the treated injuries involved the upper extremity; fractures constituted about one-third of these injuries. Conclusions: One of every 200 residents aged 0-59 years in typical Swedish counties each year sustained a traumatic football injury that required treatment in emergency healthcare. Further research on community-level patterns of overuse syndromes sustained by participation in football play is warranted. CC BY 4.0

To explore the performance of retrospective health data collected from athletes before Athletics championships for the analysis of risk factors for in-competition injury and illness (II).For the 2013 European Athletics Indoor Championships, a self-report questionnaire (PHQ) was developed to record the health status of 127 athletes during the 4 weeks prior to the championship. Physician-based surveillance of in-competition II among all 577 athletes registered to compete was pursued during the championships.74 athletes (58.3%) from the sample submitted a complete PHQ. 21 (28%) of these athletes sustained at least one injury and/or illness during the championships. Training more than 12 h/week predisposed for sustaining an in-competition injury, and a recent health problem for in-competition illness. Among the 577 registered athletes, 60 injuries (104/1000 registered athletes) were reported. 31% of injuries were caused by the track, and 29% by overuse. 29 illnesses were reported (50/1000 registered athletes); upper respiratory tract infection and gastro-enteritis/diarrhoea were the most reported diagnoses.Pre-participation screening using athletes' self-report PHQ showed promising results with regard to identification of individuals at risk. Indoor injury types could be attributed to extrinsic factors, such as small track size, track inclination, and race tactics.

SUMMARYThis study aims to develop a typology of generic meeting places based on social contact and mixing of relevance for infectious disease transmission. Data were collected by means of a contact diary survey conducted on a representative sample of the Swedish population. The typology is derived from a cluster analysis accounting for four dimensions associated with transmission risk: visit propensity and its characteristics in terms of duration, number of other persons present and likelihood of physical contact. In the analysis, we also study demographic, socio-economic and geographical differences in the propensity of visiting meeting places. The typology identifies the family venue, the fixed activity site, the family vehicle, the trading plaza and the social network hub as generic meeting places. The meeting place typology represents a spatially explicit account of social contact and mixing relevant to infectious disease modelling, where the social context of the outbreak can be highlighted in light of the actual infectious disease.

Engaging in competitive sports as a youth can have many health benefits, but recent studies also report a high risk for injury. The long-term purpose of this Swedish research program is to develop a framework for safe track and field training for young athletes (aged 12-15 years). The aim of this study was to establish what is perceived to contribute and cause injuries in youth track and field by compiling the best available experiential knowledge about the underlying factors and use this knowledge to identify appropriate areas to handle these in practical ways. Nine focus group interviews with in total 74 participants and confirming interviews with five individuals were performed in seven Swedish regions. Qualitative research methods were used for data analysis. Injuries in youth athletes were not considered to be strictly the result of individual factors but rather the result of the interactions between factors at different levels. Three major factors emerged as follows: Insufficient knowledge for athletic development in daily practice; shortsighted communities of practice and sports policies not adjusted to youth; and societal health behaviors. The experiential knowledge in the national sporting community suggests that if effective and sustainable injury prevention processes are to be implemented for youth track and field, an ecological (holistic-developmental) approach to injury prevention is needed. Such an approach allows a longitudinal development-focused strategy for prevention that spans an athlete's entire career.

Background: Traditional obesity prevention programs are time- and cost-intensive. Mobile phone technology has been successful in changing behaviors and managing weight; however, to our knowledge, its potential in young children has yet to be examined.Objective: We assessed the effectiveness of a mobile health (mHealth) obesity prevention program on body fat, dietary habits, and physical activity in healthy Swedish children aged 4.5 y.Design: From 2014 to 2015, 315 children were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Parents in the intervention group received a 6-mo mHealth program. The primary outcome was fat mass index (FMI), whereas the secondary outcomes were intakes of fruits, vegetables, candy, and sweetened beverages and time spent sedentary and in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Composite scores for the primary and secondary outcomes were computed.Results: No statistically significant intervention effect was observed for FMI between the intervention and control group (mean ± SD: -0.23 ± 0.56 compared with -0.20 ± 0.49 kg/m2). However, the intervention group increased their mean composite score from baseline to follow-up, whereas the control group did not (+0.36 ± 1.47 compared with -0.06 ± 1.33 units; P = 0.021). This improvement was more pronounced among the children with an FMI above the median (4.11 kg/m2) (P = 0.019). The odds of increasing the composite score for the 6 dietary and physical activity behaviors were 99% higher for the intervention group than the control group (P = 0.008).Conclusions: This mHealth obesity prevention study in preschool-aged children found no difference between the intervention and control group for FMI. However, the intervention group showed a considerably higher postintervention composite score (a secondary outcome) than the control group, especially in children with a higher FMI. Further studies targeting specific obesity classes within preschool-aged children are warranted. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02021786.

Objectives To determine preparticipation predictors of injury and illness at a major Athletics championship. Methods A cohort study design was used. Before the 2015 International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Athletics, all 207 registered national teams were approached about partaking in a study of preparticipation health; 50 teams accepted. The athletes (n=957) in the participating teams were invited to complete a preparticipation health questionnaire (PHQ). New injuries and illnesses that occurred at the championships were prospectively recorded. Logistic regression analyses were performed with simple and multiple models using any in-championship injury and in-championship illness as outcomes. Results The PHQ was completed by 307 (32.1%) of the invited athletes; 116 athletes (38.3%) reported an injury symptom during the month before the championships, while 40 athletes (13%) reported an illness symptom. 20 (6.5%) of the participating athletes sustained a health problem during the championships. Endurance athletes were almost 10-fold more likely to sustain an in-championship illness than speed/power athletes (OR, 9.88; 95% CI 1.20 to 81.31; p=0.033). Participants reporting a preparticipation gradual-onset injury symptom were three times more likely (OR, 3.09; 95% CI 1.08 to 8.79; p=0.035) and those reporting an illness symptom causing anxiety were fivefold more likely (OR, 5.56; 95% CI 1.34 to 23.15; p=0.018) to sustain an in-championship injury. Summary and conclusions Analyses of preparticipation predictors of injury and illness at a major Athletics championship suggest that endurance athletes require particular clinical attention. Preparticipation symptoms causing anxiety are interesting predictors for in-championship health problems.

Background: Little is known of injury patterns in track and field (athletics). Injury prevalence has been proposed as the most appropriate measure of the injury rate in sports where athletes are at risk for overuse problems. Purpose: To ascertain 1-year retrospective and current prevalence of injury in elite track and field athletes to help plan injury prevention programs for this sport. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Two hundred seventy-eight youth (16 years old) and adult athletes from an eligible study population of 321 athletes were included. Results: The 1-year retrospective injury prevalence was 42.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.9%-49.0%); the point prevalence was 35.4% (95% CI, 29.7%-41.4%). The diagnosis group displaying the highest injury prevalence was inflammation and pain in the gradual onset category (1-year prevalence, 20.9%; 95% CI, 16.2%-26.2%; and point prevalence, 23.2%; 95% CI, 18.4%-28.7%). A strong tendency for higher 1-year prevalence of 16.5% (95% CI, 12.2%-21.4%) than point prevalence of 8.5% (95% CI, 5.5%-12.5%) was recorded for sudden onset injuries in the diagnosis group sprain, strain, and rupture. The body region showing the highest injury prevalence was the knee and lower leg with 15.0% (95% CI, 11.0%-19.8%) 1-year prevalence and 13.7% (95% CI, 9.8%-18.3%) point prevalence, followed by the Achilles tendon, ankle, and foot/toe with 11.7% (95% CI, 8.2%-16.1%) 1-year prevalence and 11.4% (95% CI, 7.9%-15.8%) point prevalence. Conclusion: The injury prevalence is high among Swedish elite track and field athletes. Most of the injuries affect the lower extremities and are associated with a gradual onset. Although it is associated with a potential recall bias, the 1-year retrospective prevalence measure captured more sudden onset injuries than the point prevalence measure. Future prospective studies in track and field are needed to identify groups of athletes at increased risk.

Background: Knowledge about conditions that are understood to support safety is important for planning residential safety promotion in interactions with residents. How residents themselves perceive and reason about their own safety needs has seldom been investigated in Scandinavia. Aim: To identify factors perceived to be necessary to feel safe by residents in areas with blocks of flats and detached houses. Methods: Residents in a Swedish municipality were asked an open-ended question on the research topic by a mail survey; 787 residents provided narrative data that were fed into a summative qualitative and quantitative content analysis. Results: A stable social structure in the housing area was perceived to be the central factor in a safety-supportive residential environment. Whereas maintenance of good and reassuring relations was emphasised in detached housing areas, support for management of poor or even fear-provoking neighbour relations was requested from areas with blocks of flats. This finding emphasises the need to reduce the differential exposure to safety-related factors in the living environment. Conclusions: The results of our study encourage the continued use of a setting-orientated safety promotion approach in which residents and other stakeholders are involved. The policy recommendation that can be drawn from the study is that both the subjective and objective dimensions of safety should be identified and considered when developing local safety promotion interventions in community contexts.

Epidemiological studies have mainly been performed on team sports. The authors set out to develop a protocol for large-scale epidemiological studies of injuries among elite athletics athletes.An argument-based method for investigation of complex design problems was used to structure the collection and analysis of data. Specification of the protocol was preceded by an examination of requirements on injury surveillance in individual sports and iterated drafting of protocol specifications, and followed by formative evaluations.The requirements analysis shows that the central demand on the protocol is to allow for detailed epidemiological analyses of overuse injuries, which subsequently requires regular collection of self-reported data from athletes. The resulting study protocol is centred on a web-based weekly athlete e-diary enabling continual collection of individual-level data on exposure and injuries. To be able to interpret the self-reported data on injury events, collection of a wide range of personal baseline data from the athlete, including a psychological profile, is included in the protocol.The resulting protocol can be employed in intervention programmes that can prevent suffering among both adult elite and youth talent athletes who have made considerable life investments in their sport.

BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has an estimated 10%-12% prevalence in industrial countries. Studies from the United States have shown that IBS causes notable financial losses for employers. Due to the lack of pathophysiological markers, only a fraction of the pharmacological management of IBS has focused on etiological mechanisms. We hypothesized that there is a high consumption of nonspecific drugs among patients with IBS in their attempts to manage symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To analyze self-reported use of prescription and over-thecounter (OTC) drugs among patients with IBS in primary care compared with controls from the general population. METHODS: A population-based case-control design was used for the study. IBS cases were identified from the electronic medical records of 3 Swedish primary health care centers from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2001. A questionnaire containing specific questions about prescription and OTC drugs was mailed in 2003 to 5,015 working-age (18-64 years) individuals (IBS cases and controls) in the Linkoping IBS Population Study, a study of primary care patients with controls selected from the general population. RESULTS: After 2 reminders, the overall response rate was 63% (3,074 respondents of 4,913 deliverable surveys); 71% responded for the IBS cases (347/486) and 57% (2,509/4,427) responded for the controls. 72.3% of the IBS respondents and 51.9% of the controls were female. Acid-suppressive agents were the most commonly cited drug category for abdominal complaints reported by IBS patients (13.3%) compared with controls (1.6%) (unadjusted odds ratio [OR] = 9.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.94-14.25). Antidepressants were the most commonly cited drug category for nonabdominal complaints, reported by 13.3% of IBS patients versus 4.5% of controls (OR = 3.27, 95% CI = 2.27-4.70). An unadjusted univariate correlation analysis revealed that prescription acid-suppressive drugs, fiber and bulking laxatives, and antiflatulents and antidiarrhea drugs, as well as motility-regulating and antispasmodics drugs, were significantly more common among IBS cases compared with controls. In addition to the higher use of antidepressants, there were 3 other drug classes for nongastrointestinal complaints with a higher rate of use among IBS patients compared with controls: sedative hypnotics (OR = 2.49, CI = 1.444.29), analgesics (OR = 2.86, CI = 1.88-4.33), and thyroid hormones (OR = 2.43, CI = 1.39-4.26). CONCLUSIONS: There was higher use of antidepressants among patients with IBS compared with controls from the general population. Even though they are not recommended for this patient category, the use of prescription and OTC acid-suppressive drugs is also common among IBS cases in primary care.

To examine associations between calcium intake in the diet, lifestyle factors, and forearm bone mineral density (BMD) in order to identify population subgroups for targeting by screening programs. A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 15 of the inhabitants aged 20-79 years from 2 Swedish municipalities, and the subsample from one of the municipalities was invited to measurement of BMD. The survey response rate was 74 (n=1,1121,510) and participation in BMD measurements was 68 (n=448659). Only a tendency (p=.085) toward direct association between calcium intake and forearm BMD was found, and the best multiple regression model was retained to explain BMD excluded calcium intake. Low calcium intake was, instead, in complementary analyses, found to be correlated with the factors old age, female sex, and urban residence in the best multiple regression model. Population subgroups whose calcium intake is in a range that justifies preventive action could be identified. Screening programs staffed by public health nurses can thereby be informed regarding the subgroups of the population that are at the highest risk of insufficient calcium intake. © 2007, Blackwell Publishing, Inc.

The etiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) tends to be complex and multi-factorial and there is still a lack of understanding of how different psychosocial factors are associated with the syndrome. Our aim was to examine the occurrence of psychosocial and behavioural factors among patients diagnosed with IBS in primary care. The study had an epidemiological population-based case-control design comparing 347 IBS cases to 1041 age and sex matched controls from the general population. A survey was directed to cases and controls based on validated questions asking for mood status, job strain, family history of IBS, and sleeping habits as well as education, nutritional and exercise habits and medication. In multivariate analyses, independent associations were found between IBS and lack of influence on work planning, a family history of IBS, anxiety, and sleeping disturbances. Important factors associated with IBS diagnosis among females were anxiety as well as family history of IBS and lack of co-determination at work. For males, only lack of influence on working pace and family history of IBS remained independently associated with an IBS diagnosis. The causal associations of the complex risk factor panorama for IBS warrants further study. This study indicates that there should be a special focus on investigating the psychosocial working conditions and their associations to IBS.

Everyday psychosocial functioning and quality of life are known to be reduced for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), but few previous studies have analyzed associations with functioning in working life. Accordingly, we examined perceptions of working conditions, functioning in the workplace, quality of life, and psychological complaints among IBS patients compared with age- and sex-matched controls.A case-control study design was used based on 347 IBS patients from Swedish general practice who were compared with age- and sex-matched controls (N = 1,041) randomly selected from the general population. A survey was performed including validated questions concerning job strain, quality of life (SF-36 [Short Form 36]), absence because of illness, depression, anxiety, and sleeping habits.The IBS patients reported considerably more often that their daily performance in working life was affected by their gastrointestinal problems (OR [odds ratio] 7.14, 95% CI 5.45-9.36). Male IBS cases only reported less authority regarding decisions on their working pace (OR 5.44, 95% CI 1.28-23.18), while female IBS patients reported less decision authority regarding planning their work (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.13-4.64), fewer learning opportunities at work (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.26-3.57), and more long-term sick leave than their controls (OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.94-7.07). The female IBS cases also reported lower quality of life in all dimensions than their controls.In particular, female IBS patients reported lower authority over decisions at work and problems in their daily functioning in the workplace. These associations persisted after adjustments for possible confounders such as mood, sleeping problems, and perceived health.

Athletes' psychological characteristics are important for understanding sports injury mechanisms. We examined the relevance of psychological factors in an integrated model of overuse injury risk in athletics/track and field.Swedish track and field athletes (n=278) entering a 12-month injury surveillance in March 2009 were also invited to complete a psychological survey. Simple Cox proportional hazards models were compiled for single explanatory variables. We also tested multiple models for 3 explanatory variable groupings: an epidemiological model without psychological variables, a psychological model excluding epidemiological variables and an integrated (combined) model.The integrated multiple model included the maladaptive coping behaviour self-blame (p=0.007; HR 1.32; 95% CI 1.08 to 1.61), and an interaction between athlete category and injury history (p0.001). Youth female (p=0.034; HR 0.51; 95% CI 0.27 to 0.95) and youth male (p=0.047; HR 0.49; 95% CI 0.24 to 0.99) athletes with no severe injury the previous year were at half the risk of sustaining a new injury compared with the reference group. A training load index entered the epidemiological multiple model, but not the integrated model.The coping behaviour self-blame replaced training load in an integrated explanatory model of overuse injury risk in athletes. What seemed to be more strongly related to the likelihood of overuse injury was not the athletics load per se, but, rather, the load applied in situations when the athlete's body was in need of rest.

Objectives: To examine a self-referral psychological service provided to young adults with regard to effects on anxiety, depression and psychological distress and to explore client factors predicting non-adherence and non-response. Design: Observational study over a 2-year period. Setting: Young Adults Centre providing psychological services by self-referral (preprimary care) to Linkoping, Atvidaberg, and Kinda municipalities (combined population 145 000) in Ostergotland county, Sweden. Participants: 607 young adults (16-25 years of age); 71% females (n= 429). Intervention: Individually scheduled cognitive behavioural therapy delivered in up to six 45 min sessions structured according to an assessment of the clients mental health problems: anxiety, depression, anxiety and depression combined, or decreased distress without specific anxiety or depression. Primary outcome measures: Pre-post intervention changes in psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire-12, GHQ-12), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Anxiety/Depression (HADS-A/D). Results: 192 clients (32.5%) discontinued the intervention on their own initiative and 39 clients (6.6%) were referred to a psychiatric clinic during the course of the intervention. Intention-to-treat analyses including all clients showed a medium treatment effect size (d= 0.64) with regard to psychological distress, and small effect sizes were observed with regard to anxiety (d= 0.58) and depression (d= 0.57). Restricting the analyses to clients who adhered to the agreed programme, a large effect size (d= 1.26) was observed with regard to psychological distress, and medium effect sizes were observed with regard to anxiety (d= 1.18) and depression (d= 1.19). Lower age and a high initial HADS-A score were the strongest risk factors for non-adherence, and inability to concentrate and thinking of oneself as a worthless person increased the risk for discontinuation. Conclusions: We conclude that provision of psychological services to young people through a self-referral centre has potential to improve long-term mental health in communities, but management of non-adherence remains a central challenge. Funding Agencies|Region Ostergotland [L10-446971]

Objectives To determine the health status of athletes before the start of an international athletics championship and to determine whether preparticipation risk factors predicted in-championship injuries. Methods At the beginning of the 2013 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships, all registered athletes (n=1784) were invited to complete a preparticipation health questionnaire (PHQ) on health status during the month preceding the championships. New injuries that occurred at the championships were prospectively recorded. Results The PHQ was completed by 698 (39%) athletes; 204 (29.2%) reported an injury complaint during the month before the championships. The most common mode of onset of preparticipation injury complaints was gradual (43.6%). Forty-nine athletes in the study reported at least one injury during the championships. Athletes who reported a preparticipation injury complaint were at twofold increased risk for an inchampionship injury (OR=2.09; 95% CI 1.16 to 3.77); p=0.014). Those who reported a preparticipation gradual-onset injury complaint were at an almost fourfold increased risk for an in-championship time-loss injury (OR=3.92; 95% CI 1.69 to 9.08); p=0.001). Importantly, the preparticipation injury complaint severity score was associated with the risk of sustaining an inchampionship injury (OR=1.14; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.22); p=0.001). Summary and conclusions About one-third of the athletes participating in the study reported an injury complaint during the month before the championships, which represented a risk factor for sustaining an injury during the championship. This study emphasises the importance of the PHQ as a screening tool to identify athletes at risk of injuries before international championships.

The aim of this study was to identify the social and organizational requirements for a decision support system (DSS) to be implemented in a clinical rheumatology setting, utilizing data-mining techniques. Field observations and focus group interviews were used for data collection. The decision-making was found to be situated, patient-focused, and long-term in nature. At the same time, the main part of peer-to-peer communication was informal. Patient records were involved in almost every decision. The conclusion is that the main challenges, when introducing a DSS at a rheumatology unit, are adapting the system to informal communication structures and integrating it with patient records. Considering incentive structures, understanding workflow and incorporating awareness are relevant issues when addressing these issues in future studies.

Summary Objectives Few studies have investigated the impact of home safety promotion programmes on different social strata. The aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of effects of a community-based home safety programme on home injury rates among families with different connections to the labour market. Methods A quasi-experimental design was used, with pre- and post-implementation registrations covering the total populations below 65 years of age in the programme implementation area (population 41,000) and in a neighbouring comparison municipality (population 26,000) in Ostergotland County, Sweden. Results In the intervention and comparison areas, households in which the adults were not vocationally active displayed the highest rates of home injury. After 6 years of programme activity, the home injury rates for males and females in all social status categories displayed a decreasing trend in the intervention area. The opposite was true for the comparison area, i.e. the incidence of injury increased, with the exception of females in non-vocationally active households. The decline in injury rates in the intervention area was statistically significant for males and females in the employed category and for males in the non-vocationally active category. Changes in injury rates in the comparison area were not statistically significant. Conclusion The programme was partially successful in that it reduced the injury rate in non-vocationally active households, but it did not influence the injury rate in the employed households. The study design did not allow for conclusions regarding why the post-intervention injury rates remained higher in non-vocationally active households. Further research on the association between the incidence of home injury and socio-economic factors is warranted.

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between forearm bone mineral density (BMD), calcaneal stiffness, and physical activity levels in a normal population using different non-invasive methods. Methods: The participants were invited to undergo bone measurements using single photon absorptiometry of the forearm and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneal bone, and also to complete a questionnaire. Physical activity levels were designated low, moderate, and high in the question on leisure-time activity. Results: There were 956 participants included in the present study. Forearm BMD in the eighth age decade was 0.40 g/cm2 (95% CI 0.33 - 0.46 g/cm2) lower than in the third decade among women and 0.28 g/cm2 (95% CI 0.18 - 0.37 g/cm2) lower among men. The differences in calcaneal stiffness between the same age decades were 22.4 (95% CI 17.5 - 27.4) among women and 15.8 (95% CI 8.0 - 23.5) among men. The correlation between forearm BMD and calcaneal stiffness was 0.58 (95% CI 0.52 - 0.64) in women and 0.34 (95% CI 0.25 - 0.42) in men. Reported moderate and high leisure-time activity levels in both genders were associated with higher calcaneal stiffness but not with forearm BMD. Conclusions: The QUS may be used to measure the effect of present physical activity levels on calcaneal bone at the population level. Further longitudinal studies are warranted in order to determine the most appropriate non-invasive method in population-based studies.

Associations between a 10-year community-based osteoporosis and fall prevention program and fracture incidence amongst middle-aged and elderly residents in an intervention community are studied, and comparisons are made with a control community. A health-education program was provided to all residents in the intervention community, which addressed dietary intake, physical activity, smoking habits and environmental risk factors for osteoporosis and falls. Both communities are small, semi-rural and situated in Östergötland County in southern Sweden. The analysis is based on incidences of forearm fractures in the population 40 years of age or older, and hip fractures in the population 50 years of age or older. Data for three 5-year periods (pre-, early and late intervention) are accumulated and compared. In the intervention community, forearm fracture incidence decreased in women. There are also tendencies towards decreasing forearm fracture incidence in men, and towards decreasing trochanteric hip fracture incidences in women and in men in the late intervention period. No such changes in fracture incidences are found in the control community. Cervical hip fracture incidence did not change in the intervention and the control communities. Although the reported numbers of fractures are small (a total of 451 forearm and 357 hip fractures), the numbers are based on total community populations and thus represent a true difference. The decrease in forearm fracture incidence among women, and the tendency towards decreasing trochanteric hip fractures, in contrast to the absence of change in cervical hip fractures, might be mainly due to a more rapid effect of fall preventive measures than an increase in bone strength in the population. For the younger age groups an expected time lag between intervention and effect might invalidate the short follow-up period for outcome measurements. Thus, the effect of the 10-year intervention program on fracture incidence should be followed during an extended post-intervention period.

Background Although social inequality in health has been an argument for community-based injury prevention programmes, intervention outcomes with regard to differences in social standing have not been analysed. The objective of this study was to investigate rates of injuries treated in health-care among members of households at different levels of labour market integration before and after the implementation of a WHO Safe Community programme. Methods A quasi-experimental design was used with pre- and post-implementation data collection covering the total populations

Today, nurses from many disciplines are expected to provide nursing care to refugees severely traumatized in war and conflict. The general aim of this study was to explore the long-term impact of torture on the mental health of war-wounded refugees. The study group consisted of 22 tortured and 22 nontortured male refugees who had been injured in war. Standardized interview schedules, exploring different background characteristics, and three instruments for assessment of mental health were used: the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, the Post Traumatic Symptom Scale and a well-being scale. The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms was high in both groups. However, there were no significant differences in mental health between the tortured and the nontortured refugees. The patterns of associations between background characteristics and mental health were different in the two groups. The strongest associations with lower level of mental health were higher education in the tortured group and unemployment in the nontortured group. Methodological difficulties in research on sequelae of prolonged traumatization remain. Further studies within the caring sciences can broaden the present understanding of the impact of torture and other war traumas.

The complex nature of recent wars and armed conflicts has forced many war-injured persons into exile. To investigate their long-term mental health, three instruments for assessing mental health (HSCL-25, PTSS-10, and a Well-Being scale) were presented to 44 war-wounded refugees from nine different countries 8 years after arrival in Sweden. The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms was high and corresponds to findings in previous studies of refugee patient populations. A lower level of mental health was associated with higher education, unemployment, and poor physical health. The findings suggest a high psychiatric morbidity and a need for psychiatric interventions in this refugee group. Methodological issues to be considered in research on sequels of war traumas are discussed.

Failure to incorporate the beliefs and attitudes of the public into theoretical models of preparedness has been identified as a weakness in strategies to mitigate infectious disease outbreaks. We administered a cross-sectional telephone survey to a representative sample (n = 443) of the Swedish adult population to examine whether self-reported intentions to improve personal hygiene and increase social distancing during influenza outbreaks could be explained by trust in official information, self-reported health (SF-8), sociodemographic factors, and determinants postulated in protection motivation theory, namely threat appraisal and coping appraisal. The interviewees were asked to make their appraisals for two scenarios: a) an influenza with low case fatality and mild lifestyle impact; b) severe influenza with high case fatality and serious disturbances of societal functions. Every second respondent (50.0%) reported high trust in official information about influenza. The proportion that reported intentions to take deliberate actions to improve personal hygiene during outbreaks ranged between 45–85%, while less than 25% said that they intended to increase social distancing. Multiple logistic regression models with coping appraisal as the explanatory factor most frequently contributing to the explanation of the variance in intentions showed strong discriminatory performance for staying home while not ill (mild outbreaks: Area under the curve [AUC] 0.85 (95% confidence interval 0.82;0.89), severe outbreaks AUC 0.82 (95% CI 0.77;0.85)) and acceptable performance with regard to avoiding public transportation (AUC 0.78 (0.74;0.82), AUC 0.77 (0.72;0.82)), using handwash products (AUC 0.70 (0.65;0.75), AUC 0.76 (0.71;0.80)), and frequently washing hands (AUC 0.71 (0.66;0.76), AUC 0.75 (0.71;0.80)). We conclude that coping appraisal was the explanatory factor most frequently included in statistical models explaining self-reported intentions to carry out non-pharmaceutical health actions in the Swedish outlined context, and that variations in threat appraisal played a smaller role in these models despite scientific uncertainties surrounding a recent mass vaccination campaign.

The aim of this study was to investigate the nature of chronic pain in male war-wounded refugees and to examine the relationship between chronic pain and psychiatric symptoms. A culturally heterogeneous group of 44 war-wounded refugees were investigated during hospitalization, shortly after arrival, and followed up after two years. This study is an additional follow-up after eight years. The data collection methods used were structured interviews and physical examination. The measures of outcome were: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) grading of pain; clinical categorization of pain into nociceptive or neurogenic; Hopkins Symptom Check List (HSCL-25); Post Traumatic Symptom Scale (PTSS-10). Chronic pain was found in 32 (73%) out of 44 subjects. The pain was purely nociceptive and neurogenic in 53% and 25%, respectively. The frequency of psychiatric symptoms was significantly related to the mean intensity of pain. War-wounded refugees display psychiatric symptoms and chronic pain in a complex pattern. Further research is needed as a basis for pain rehabilitation programmes suitable for this group.

The purpose of this thesis was to study in a general adult population the prevalence and incidence of back trouble, predictive factors for new episodes of back pain, new sick leave episodes, and factors important for recovery from back pain. The pain drawing method was used in an epidemiological survey to identify pain in the entire back area. The bias that knowledge of back pain history has on the interpretation of pain drawings was studied in a separate study.The cross-sectional main study population consisted of 2000 individuals aged 20-59 years. A prospective survey was conducted after one year on the study population of factors important for new sick leave, new back pain episodes and recovery and after five years on two age strata of factors important for retaining back health. After ten years the number of disability pensions granted for back pain during the time period was studied. The socio-demographic and work-related factors that predicted disability pension were studied.The prevalence of back pain was found to be 23%. Back pain with radiation was reported by 40%, according to the pain drawings. Only 4% reported localised neck pain. Sick leave was reported by 12% of those with back pain. The more generalised pain pattern suggested that back pain is more than a local back pain problem.The one-year incidence of new back pain was 24%. Seventy-nine percent of the episodes lasted less than 2 months. A history of previous back pain predicted new back pain episodes, while stress at work and low work satisfaction was associated factors. Low age, more qualified work tasks and residence predicted recovery from back pain. New sick leave periods were predicted by unqualified work tasks, pain debut at work, previous back pain history and pain at the primary survey.The clinical findings in the group with pain at the primary survey showed that the absence of tenderness in the trapezium muscle was the strongest predictor of recovery. It was also found that straighter lordosis and restricted mobility in the cervical spine were associated with new sick leaves in the prospective year.The pain drawing study showed that knowledge of the pain history affected the interpretation and reliability of the pain drawing evaluation.The five-year survey showed that absence of physical load in the old age group and absence of psychological stress at work in the younger age group predicted retained back health.The study of disabilities granted on the grounds of back pain during ten prospective years has shown that age over 40, sick leave at the primary survey together with perceiving the work tasks as meaningless predicted disability pension.The results of this thesis suggest that back pain should be seen as arecurrent problem, where previous episodes strongly predict new episodes. The complex nature of back pain as a health problem suggests that the rehabilitation should be individualised and include both work-related factors as well as a wide range of factors not related to paid work.

To investigate the prevalence of back pain in a general population aged between 20 and 59 years.A representative sample of 2000 individuals from Ostergotland County, Sweden (population 400,000).Cross-sectional study using a questionnaire including the pain drawing.The observed point prevalence was 28% (95% confidence interval 26-31%). The adjusted prevalence taking into account the non-responders was 23% (21-25%). Lumbar pain with radiation was reported by 40%, while 4% had only cervical pain with radiation. Twelve per cent were on sick-leave due to back pain. Activity of daily life was affected mainly in the group of men aged 40-59 and only in household tasks. The back problems did not affect social activity.The prevalence of back problems in the vocational ages was found to be 23%. Only small parts of a pain population are on sick-leave or have changed working tasks because of back problems. The distribution of pain in most cases is combined with radiation to extremities and not isolated to a single region. The combination of different localisations shows the pain problem to be more than just a "low back" problem.

To assess whether the clinical knowledge of the treating surgeon had any effect on the reliability of the pain-drawing evaluation, drawings from 50 low-back pain patients were evaluated by the treating surgeon and by three colleagues who had no clinical knowledge of the patient. The evaluation was repeated after 10 days. The treating surgeons were also blinded to clinical data. The kappa value in the evaluation when the surgeon had clinical knowledge of the patient was lower (0.29 (95% Cl 0.13-0.45)) than the kappa value in the evaluations made without clinical knowledge (0.60 (Cl 0.45-0.75)). The differences observed in interobserver reliability between open and blind evaluations suggest that clinical knowledge of a patient influences the evaluation of the pain drawings.

Background Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a hidden public health disease that affects up to 20% of the general population. Although co-morbidity can affect diagnose setting and treatment of the disease, there are few studies concerning diagnosed and registered co-morbidity for IBS patients in primary care. The aim of this study was to analyse co-morbidity among IBS-patients compared to age- and sex-matched controls from the general population using data from a county-wide computerized medical record system. Methods IBS cases were recruited from three Swedish primary health care centres during a five-years period and controls from the same corresponding geographical areas. Co-morbidity data for IBS-patients and morbidity data for controls were derived from a population-based Health Care Register (HCR) covering all diagnoses in primary as well as hospital care in the region. Odds Ratios with 95% confidence intervals for morbidity in gastro-intestinal and non-gastrointestinal diagnoses for cases with irritable bowel syndrome compared to controls were calculated separately for each gender and diagnosis. Results We identified more co-morbidity among IBS patients of both sexes, compared to matched controls in the general population. Patients with IBS were particularly more worried about having a serious disease than their control group. The risk among male IBS-cases to get this latter diagnose was three times higher compared to the male controls. Conclusions In this population based case–control study, the analysis of diagnoses from the HCR revealed a broad spectrum of common co-morbidity and significantly more physician-recorded diagnoses among IBS-patients in comparisons to the control group.

To estimate the incidence, type and severity of musculoskeletal injuries in youth and adult elite athletics athletes and to explore risk factors for sustaining injuries.Prospective cohort study conducted during a 52-week period.Male and female youth and adult athletics athletes ranked in the top 10 in Sweden (n=292).199 (68%) athletes reported an injury during the study season. Ninety-six per cent of the reported injuries were non-traumatic (associated with overuse). Most injuries (51%) were severe, causing a period of absence from normal training exceeding 3 weeks. Log-rank tests revealed risk differences with regard to athlete category (p=0.046), recent previous injury (3 weeks time-loss; p=0.039) and training load rank index (TLRI; p=0.019). Cox proportional hazards regression analyses showed that athletes in the third (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.54 to 2.78) and fourth TLRI quartiles (HR 1.79; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.74) had almost a twofold increased risk of injury compared with their peers in the first quartile and interaction effects between athlete category and previous injury; youth male athletes with a previous serious injury had more than a fourfold increased risk of injury (HR=4.39; 95% CI 2.20 to 8.77) compared with youth females with no previous injury.The injury incidence among both youth and adult elite athletics athletes is high. A training load index combing hours and intensity and a history of severe injury the previous year were predictors for injury. Further studies on measures to quantify training content and protocols for safe return to athletics are warranted.

The first-hand needs and demands of laypersons are not always considered when safety promotion programmes are being developed. We compared focal areas for interventions identified from residents' statements of safety needs with focal areas for interventions identified by local government professionals in a Swedish urban community certified by the international Safe Community movement supported by the World Health Organization. Quantitative and qualitative data on self-expressed safety needs from 787 housing residents were transformed into an intervention design, using the quality function deployment (QFD) technique and compared with the safety intervention programme developed by professionals at the municipality administrative office. The outcome of the comparison was investigated with regard to implications for the Safe Community movement. The QFD analysis identified the initiation and maintenance of social integrative processes in housing areas as the most highly prioritized interventions among the residents, but failed to highlight the safety needs of several vulnerable groups (the elderly, infants and persons with disabilities). The intervention programme designed by the public health professionals did not address the social integrative processes, but it did highlight the vulnerable groups. This study indicates that the QFD technique is suitable for providing residential safety promotion efforts with a quality orientation from the layperson's perspective. Views of public health professionals have to be included to ascertain that the needs of socially deprived residents are adequately taken into account. QFD can augment the methodological toolbox for safety promotion programmes, including interventions in residential areas.

Background An online health-promoting community (OHPC) has the potential to promote health and advance new means of dialogue between public health representatives and the general public. The aim of this study was to examine what aspects of an OHPC that are critical for satisfying the needs of the user community and public health goals and service capabilities. Methods Community-based participatory research methods were used for data collection and analysis, and participatory design principles to develop a case study OHPC for adolescents. Qualitative data from adolescents on health appraisals and perspectives on health information were collected in a Swedish health service region and classified into categories of user health information exchange needs. A composite design rationale for the OHPC was completed by linking the identified user needs, user-derived requirements, and technical and organizational systems solutions. Conflicts between end-user requirements and organizational goals and resources were identified. Results The most prominent health information needs were associated to food, exercise, and well-being. The assessment of the design rationale document and prototype in light of the regional public health goals and service capabilities showed that compromises were needed to resolve conflicts involving the management of organizational resources and responsibilities. The users wanted to discuss health issues with health experts having little time to set aside to the OHPC and it was unclear who should set the norms for the online discussions. Conclusions OHPCs can be designed to satisfy both the needs of user communities and public health goals and service capabilities. Compromises are needed to resolve conflicts between users’ needs to discuss health issues with domain experts and the management of resources and responsibilities in public health organizations.

The aim of this study was to analyze Swedish health science student decision-making regarding vaccination against pandemic influenza during a national mass vaccination campaign. A questionnaire was distributed to 430 students during the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in 2009. The data from medical and nursing students were compared and a multiple logistic regression model was applied to identify items independently associated with the decision to be vaccinated. The overall survey response rate was 90%. More medical (93.2%) than nursing students (84.8%) reported that they had received the vaccine (p0.01). Only the perception that benefits can outweigh possible side effects was significantly (p0.001) associated with the decision to get vaccinated. We recommend that, during pandemics, health science universities focus vaccination information for students on objective risk communication. It should be taken into account that the pandemic information provided by authorities to the general public also affects health care students.

An understanding of the occurrence and comparative timing of influenza infections in different age groups is important for developing community response and disease control measures. This study uses data from a Scandinavian county (population 427,000) to investigate whether age was a determinant for being diagnosed with influenza 2005–2010 and to examine if age was associated with case timing during outbreaks. Aggregated demographic data were collected from Statistics Sweden, while influenza case data were collected from a county-wide electronic health record system. A logistic regression analysis was used to explore whether case risk was associated with age and outbreak. An analysis of variance was used to explore whether day for diagnosis was also associated to age and outbreak. The clinical case data were validated against case data from microbiological laboratories during one control year. The proportion of cases from the age groups 10–19 (p

The aim of this study was to examine injury events and risk-factors among Swedish adult eventing athletes. A cross-sectional study design with retrospective recording of 1-year sports-specific exposure and injury data was used. The invited study population consisted of all members of the Swedish Equestrian Federation with eventing as their primary discipline (n = 513). The participation rate was 70.0%. The total 1-year injury prevalence was 26.6%; the specific 1-year prevalence of traumatic injury was 19.3% and of overuse injury 10.9%. The incidence of traumatic injury events was 0.54 injury events/1000 eventing hours (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.35-0.73 injury events/1000 eventing hours) for novices and 0.35 injury events/1000 eventing hours for qualified riders (95% CI, 0.21-0.49 injury events/1000 eventing hours). A total of 27.9% of the traumatic injury events led to severe injuries (causing more than 3 weeks absence from riding). Attitude to risk-taking was the only factor predicting an athlete becoming injured (p = 0.023), and qualification level was the only risk factor for additional injuries among injured riders (p = 0.003). Our results suggest that injury prevention programs in eventing should also give attention to overuse injuries and that care should be taken when eventing athletes are licensed into higher qualification groups.

Background Reviews of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for anxiety disorders have reported large pre- to post-treatment within-group effect sizes on measures of anxiety when supplied in therapist consultations and in technology-supported settings. However, the stringent experimental control of RCTs results in a lack of external validity, which limits the generalizability of findings to real-world frontline clinical practice. We set out to examine the specification of a protocol for study of the effectiveness of cell phone-supported CBT for in situ management of anxiety disorders. Methods and design Nominal group methods were used for requirements analysis and protocol design. Making a distinction between different forms of technology-supported therapy, examination of therapists' role, and implementing trials in existing organizational and community contexts were found to be the central requirements in the protocol. Discussion The resulting protocol (NCT01205191 at clinicaltrials.gov) for use in frontline clinical practice in which effectiveness, adherence, and the role of the therapists are analyzed, provides evidence for what are truly valuable cell phone-supported CBT treatments and guidance for the broader introduction of CBT in health services.

Background: Interprofessional Education (IPE) is now spreading worldwide and many universities are now including IPE in their curricula. The aim of this study was to investigate whether or not such student characteristics as gender, previous working experience in healthcare, educational progress and features of the learning environment, such as educational programmes and curriculum design, have an impact on their open-mindedness about co-operation with other professions. Methods: Medical and nursing students at two Swedish universities were invited to fill in the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS). Totally, 955 students were invited and 70.2% (n = 670) participated in the study. A factor analysis of the RIPLS revealed four item groupings (factors) for our empirical data, but only one had sufficient internal consistency. This factor was labelled "Team Player". Results: Regardless of the educational programme, female students were more positive to teamwork than male students. Nursing students in general displayed more positive beliefs about teamwork and collaboration than medical students. Exposure to different interprofessional curricula and previous exposure to interprofessional education were only to a minor extent associated with a positive attitude towards teamwork. Educational progress did not seem to influence these beliefs. Conclusions: The establishment of interprofessional teamwork is a major challenge for modern healthcare. This study indicates some directions for more successful interprofessional education. Efforts should be directed at informing particularly male medical students about the need for teamwork in modern healthcare systems. The results also imply that study of other factors, such as the students personality, is needed for fully understanding readiness for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. We also believe that the RIPL Scale still can be further adjusted. Original Publication:Margareta Wilhelmsson, Sari Ponzer, Lars-Ove Dahlgren, Toomas Timpka and Tomas Faresjö, Are female students in general and nursing students more ready for teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in healthcare?, 2011, BMC Medical Education, (11), 15, .http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1472-6920-11-15Licensee: BioMed Centralhttp://www.biomedcentral.com/