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This article examines some of the conditions that can explain the rise in young workers’ mental health and well-being problems in early work life. Based on 30 qualitative interviews with Danish workers under 30, who all had experienced different kinds of mental health and well-being problems in early work life, it shows how poor working environment and employment conditions often are triggering factors for young workers’ mental health and well-being problems. Mental health and well-being in early work life seem to be linked to the conditions through which young workers’ cultivate themselves as valuable working subjects in a time where work is a crucial arena for self-formation and self-realization. It is concluded that the combination of performance-oriented workplace cultures, temporary employment, and young workers’ aiming to achieve success in their work life, is a toxic combination for mental health and well-being. This article examines some of the conditions that can explain the rise in young workers’ mental health and well-being problems in early work life. Based on 30 qualitative interviews with Danish workers under 30, who all had experienced different kinds of mental health and well-being problems in early work life, it shows how poor working environment and employment conditions often are triggering factors for young workers’ mental health and well-being problems. Mental health and well-being in early work life seem to be linked to the conditions through which young workers’ cultivate themselves as valuable working subjects in a time where work is a crucial arena for self-formation and self-realization. It is concluded that the combination of performance-oriented workplace cultures, temporary employment, and young workers’ aiming to achieve success in their work life, is a toxic combination for mental health and well-being.

Additional file 1. Psychological resource change scores between the age of 15 to 18 and the association with labour market participation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown that there is a correlation between arthroscopic experience and performance on a virtual-reality (VR) unit. We analyzed the development inexperienced surgeons went through during VR training of shoulder arthroscopy.METHODS: 14 inexperienced surgeons from Silkeborg Regional Hospital were randomized into an intervention group and a control group. 7 experienced surgeons constituted another control group. All were tested twice on insightMIST-an advanced arthroscopic VR trainer-within a period of 6-15 days. The intervention group also received a 5-hour training program on the VR unit.RESULTS: The average time for the arthroscopy in the intervention group was reduced from 720 (SD 239) seconds to 223 (SD 114) seconds (p = 0.03 compared to the inexperienced control group). Distance travelled by the camera was reduced from 367 (SD 151) cm to 84 (SD 44) cm in the intervention group (p = 0.02 compared to the inexperienced control group). Depth of collisions was also significantly reduced, whereas distance travelled by the probe and number of collisions were improved in the intervention group, although not statistically significantly.INTERPRETATION: VR training is a possible way for young and inexperienced surgeons to achieve basic navigation skills necessary to perform arthroscopic surgery. Further studies regarding the transferability of the skills acquired on the VR unit to the operating theater are desirable.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the present study was to compare the characteristics of epidemiological survey non-respondents with the characteristics of respondents who participated by mail and phone. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was based on data from questionnaires and registered data on socio-demographics. The Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 1-5 (CBCL/1-5) and "Experiences when answering a questionnaire" was mailed to 300 parents of children aged 18 months to five years. Parents who did not respond after a mail reminder were contacted by telephone. RESULTS: A total of 138 families replied to the mail contact, 99 replied after telephone contact, and we received no response from 63 families. No statistical differences in socio-demographic characteristics were found between the three groups. No statistical differences were found concerning the total problem behaviour score of the CBCL/1-5 between mail and phone responders. Parents who participated by phone thought more frequently than mail responders that questions on the CBCL/1-5 were ethically offensive, and that their own knowledge about child well-being and behaviour was unsatisfactory, p < 0,01. CONCLUSION: Non-participation is associated with parental attitudes towards ethical issues related to CBCL/1-5 and to poor parental knowledge about child well-being and behaviour. In spite of this, and although there was a low initial participation rate, it seems reasonable to assume that the results of child psychiatric epidemiological questionnaire surveys can be generalised. Udgivelsesdato: 2009-Feb-2