Childhood Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Divorce in a Large Norwegian Cohort: Results from the HUNT Study

The aim of this study is to investigate the association between childhood sensorineural hearing loss (CSNHL) and divorce in a large, Norwegian cohort. Data from the School Hearing Investigation in Nord-Trøndelag (SHINT), Norway, are combined with registry data on marital status from Statistics Norway and matched controls from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT). The sample includes a total of 50,022 individuals, of which 756 persons were classified with CSNHL (216 with moderate-severe, 294 with mild, and 246 with slight CSNHL). The results from the cox regression analyses showed that people in the group with any CSNHL as well as people with moderate-severe CSNHL had a significantly higher risk of getting divorced compared to the reference group (HR = 1.21, p = .024, 95% CI = 1.03–1.42; HR = 1.33, p = .052, 95% CI = 1.00–1.76, respectively) after controlling for age at first marriage, sex and education. This suggests that CSNHL in one or both partners in a couple could be a potential threat to the marriage

The association between age at menarche and chronic pain outcomes in women: the Tromsø Study, 2007 to 2016

Sex differences in chronic pain are well established with documented predominance in women. This study assessed relationships between age at menarche and chronic pain, site-specific chronic pain, pain characteristics, and chronic widespread pain (CWP). We used data from the Tromsø Study conducted in 2007 to 2008 and 2015 to 2016 (Tromsø 6 and Tromsø 7 waves) including participants aged 30 to 99 years. The associations between age at menarche and chronic pain were examined in Tromsø 6 (n = 6449), Tromsø 7 (n = 5681), and the combination of Tromsø 6 and Tromsø 7 (n = 12,130). Tromsø 7 data were used further to examine the associations between age at menarche and site-specific chronic pain, 4 pain characteristics (pain duration, pain intensity, episode duration, and episode frequency), and CWP. All analyses were adjusted for body mass index, age, and economic status of the household in childhood. Lower age at menarche was associated with an increased risk of chronic pain in all 3 samples (risk ratio for each year delay in menarche 0.98, 95% CI [0.97 to 0.99] across samples). Risk differences were −0.014, CI 95% (−0.02 to −0.005) in Tromsø 6, −0.011, CI 95% (−0.02 to −0.02) in Tromsø 7, and −0.012, CI 95% (−0.02 to −0.01) in the combined sample. Age at menarche was significantly associated with chronic pain in the neck, abdomen, and both arms, and CWP. Of the 4 pain characteristics, pain duration was statistically significant. We conclude that early menarche is an independent risk factor for pain across a broad spectrum of pain outcomes

Consistent pattern between physical activity measures and chronic pain levels: the Tromsø Study 2015-2016

Epidemiological literature on the relationship between physical activity and chronic pain is scarce and inconsistent. Hence, our aim was to assess the relationship applying comprehensive methodology, including self-reported and accelerometer measures of physical activity and different severity levels of chronic pain. We used data from the Tromsø Study (2015-2016). All residents in the municipality, aged 40 years and older were invited to participate (n=32,591, 51% women). A total of 21,083 (53% women) reported on questionnaires. Additionally, 6,778 participants (54% women) were invited to wear accelerometers (6,125 with complete measurements). Our exposure measures were self-reported leisure time physical activity, exercise frequency, duration and intensity and two accelerometer-measures (steps per day and minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day). Outcome measurements were chronic pain and moderate-to-severe chronic pain. We used Poisson regression to estimate chronic pain prevalence and prevalence ratios for each physical activity measure, with adjustments for sex, age, education level, smoking history, and occupational physical activity. Our main analyses showed an inverse dose-response relationships between all physical activity measures and both severity measures of chronic pain, except that the dose-response relationship with exercise duration was only found for moderate-to-severe pain. All findings were stronger for the moderate-to-severe pain outcomes than for chronic pain. Robustness analyses gave similar results as the main analyses. We conclude that an inverse dose-response association between physical activity and chronic pain is consistent across measures. To summarize, higher levels of physical activity is associated with less chronic pain and moderate-to-severe chronic pain

A population-based study of inflammatory mechanisms and pain sensitivity

This is a non-final version of an article published in final form in Schistad, E. I., Kong, X. Y., Furberg, A.-S., Bäckryd, E., Grimnes, G., Emaus, N., ... Nielsen, C. S. (2019). A population-based study of inflammatory mechanisms and pain sensitivity. Pain, 161(2), 338-350. https://doi.org/10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001731Two recent studies suggest that experimental pain sensitivity is associated with low-grade systemic inflammation. However, only 2 biomarkers have been identified, and the studies were conducted in adult individuals where confounding effects of comorbid diseases cannot be excluded. We therefore tested associations between pain sensitivity and 119 inflammation-related serum biomarkers in 827 healthy adolescents (15-19 years) in the population-based Tromsø Study: Fit Futures. The main outcome measure was cold-pressor pain tolerance (CPT), tested by placing the dominant hand in circulating cold (3°C) water for a maximum of 105 seconds. Secondary outcomes were heat and pressure pain threshold and tolerance. Twelve proteins and 6 fatty acids were significantly associated with CPT after adjustment for possible confounding factors and correction for multiple comparisons. Of these, all fatty acids and 10 proteins were protective, ie, higher biomarkers levels were associated with increased CPT, whereas 2 biomarkers were associated with lower tolerance. Taken together, these biomarkers predicted completion of the tolerance test with a C-statistic of 0.65. Results for heat and pressure pain tolerance were remarkably similar, strengthening the generalizability of our findings. In this cohort of young healthy individuals, we found a relationship between inflammation-related biomarkers and pain tolerance and thresholds. Biomarkers with anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects predominated, suggesting that the development of prophylactic dietary or pharmaceutical treatments may be possible

Effects of Changed Aircraft Noise Exposure on Experiential Qualities of Outdoor Recreational Areas

The literature indicates that sound and visual stimuli interact in the impression of landscapes. This paper examines the relationship between annoyance with sound from aircraft and annoyance with other area problems (e.g., careless bicycle riding, crowding, etc.), and how changes in noise exposure influence the perceived overall recreational quality of outdoor recreational areas. A panel study (telephone interviews) conducted before and after the relocation of Norway’s main airport in 1998 examined effects of decreased or increased noise exposure in nearby recreational areas (n = 591/455). Sound from aircraft annoyed the largest proportion of recreationists, except near the old airport after the change. The decrease in annoyance with sound from aircraft was accompanied by significant decreases in annoyance with most of the other area problems. Near the new airport annoyance with most factors beside sound from aircraft increased slightly, but not significantly. A relationship between aircraft noise annoyance and perceived overall recreational quality of the areas was found

Cardiovascular co-medication among users of antiobesity drugs: a population-based study

Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate to what extent patients using prescription antiobesity drugs (orlistat, sibutramine and rimonabant) used cardiovascular and antidiabetic drugs. An additional aim was to investigate whether such co-medication differed according to gender, age and amount of antiobesity drugs used. Method Data were retrieved from the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD). All patients who had an antiobesity drug (ATC code A08A) dispensed from a Norwegian pharmacy between January 2004 and December 2007 were included in the study. Results During the 4-year study period 83,717 patients had antiobesity drugs dispensed. One in three patients using antiobesity drugs had at least on one occasion used a cardiovascular and/or an antidiabetic drug concomitantly. A significantly higher percentage of men used antihypertensives (40.4 vs. 27.2%, P < 0.0005), lipid modifying agents (24.4 vs. 11.9%, P < 0.0005) and drugs used in diabetes (12.7 vs. 6.4%, P < 0.0005) concomitantly with antiobesity drugs when compared to women. The percentage of patients who had concomitant drug use increased markedly with age. One in four patients had antiobesity drugs dispensed only once during the period 2004–2007. Conclusion Use of cardiovascular and antidiabetic drugs among patients using antiobesity drugs was extensive, especially among men and elderly patients. Overall, there was a high degree of polypharmacy among users of antiobesity drugs. Also, many patients dispensed antiobesity drugs in amounts that indicated use less than the recommended daily dose, and many dispensed antiobesity drugs only once. When prescribing antiobesity drugs to patients the potential benefits of antiobesity drugs should be considered in relation to the patients other chronic diseases and to the total complexity of the patients drug regimen

Retirement age and disability status as pathways to later-life cognitive impairment: Evidence from the Norwegian HUNT Study linked with Norwegian population registers

Background Research shows that retirement age is associated with later-life cognition but has not sufficiently distinguished between retirement pathways. We examined how retirement age was associated with later-life dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) for people who retired via the disability pathway (received a disability pension prior to old-age pension eligibility) and those who retired via the standard pathway. Methods The study sample comprised 7210 participants from the Norwegian Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT4 70+, 2017–2019) who had worked for at least one year in 1967–2019, worked until age 55+, and retired before HUNT4. Dementia and MCI were clinically assessed in HUNT4 70+ when participants were aged 69–85 years. Historical data on participants' retirement age and pathway were retrieved from population registers. We used multinomial regression to assess the dementia/MCI risk for women and men retiring via the disability pathway, or early (<67 years), on-time (age 67, old-age pension eligibility) or late (age 68+) via the standard pathway. Results In our study sample, 9.5% had dementia, 35.3% had MCI, and 28.1% retired via the disability pathway. The disability retirement group had an elevated risk of dementia compared to the on-time standard retirement group (relative risk ratio [RRR]: 1.64, 95% CI 1.14–2.37 for women, 1.70, 95% CI 1.17–2.48 for men). MCI risk was lower among men who retired late versus on-time (RRR, 0.76, 95% CI 0.61–0.95). Conclusion Disability retirees should be monitored more closely, and preventive policies should be considered to minimize the dementia risk observed among this group of retirees.publishedVersio

Effects of Changed Aircraft Noise Exposure on the Use of Outdoor Recreational Areas

This paper examines behavioural responses to changes in aircraft noise exposure in local outdoor recreational areas near airports. Results from a panel study conducted in conjunction with the relocation of Norway’s main airport in 1998 are presented. One recreational area was studied at each airport site. The samples (n = 1,264/1,370) were telephone interviewed about their use of the area before and after the change. Results indicate that changed aircraft noise exposure may influence individual choices to use local outdoor recreational areas, suggesting that careful considerations are needed in the planning of air routes over local outdoor recreational areas. However, considerable stability in use, and also fluctuations in use unrelated to the changes in noise conditions were found. Future studies of noise impacts should examine a broader set of coping mechanisms, like intra- and temporal displacement. Also, the role of place attachment, and the substitutability of local areas should be studied