Cognitive Functioning in Young Adults with Depression, Anxiety Disorders, or Burnout Symptoms : Findings from a Population-based Sample

Background. Evidence of cognitive dysfunction in depressive and anxiety disorders is growing. However, the neuropsychological profile of young adults has received only little systematic investigation, although depressive and anxiety disorders are major public health problems for this age group. Available studies have typically failed to account for psychiatric comorbidity, and samples derived from population-based settings have also seldom been investigated. Burnout-related cognitive functioning has previously been investigated in only few studies, again all using clinical samples and wide age groups. Aims. Based on the information gained by conducting a comprehensive review, studies on cognitive impairment in depressive and anxiety disorders among young adults are rare. The present study examined cognitive functioning in young adults with a history of unipolar depressive or anxiety disorders in comparison to healthy peers, and associations of current burnout symptoms with cognitive functioning, in a population-based setting. The aim was also to determine whether cognitive deficits vary as a function of different disorder characteristics, such as severity, psychiatric comorbidity, age at onset, or the treatments received. Methods. Verbal and visual short-term memory, verbal long-term memory and learning, attention, psychomotor processing speed, verbal intelligence, and executive functioning were measured in a population-based sample of 21-35 year olds. Performance was compared firstly between participants with pure non-psychotic depression (n=68) and healthy peers (n=70), secondly between pure (n=69) and comorbid depression (n=57), and thirdly between participants with anxiety disorders (n=76) and healthy peers (n=71). The diagnostic procedure was based on the SCID interview. Fourthly, the associations of current burnout symptoms, measured with the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey, and neuropsychological test performance were investigated among working young adults (n=225). Results. Young adults with depressive or anxiety disorders, with or without psychiatric comorbidity, were not found to have major cognitive impairments when compared to healthy peers. Only mildly compromised verbal learning was found among depressed participants. Pure and comorbid depression groups did not differ in cognitive functioning, either. Among depressed participants, those who had received treatment showed more impaired verbal memory and executive functioning, and earlier onset corresponded with more impaired executive functioning. In anxiety disorders, psychotropic medication and low psychosocial functioning were associated with deficits in executive functioning, psychomotor processing speed, and visual short-term memory. Current burnout symptoms were associated with better performance in verbal working memory and verbal intelligence. However, lower examiner-rated social and occupational functioning was associated with problems in verbal attention, memory, and learning. Conclusions. Depression, anxiety disorders, or burnout symptoms may not be associated with major cognitive deficits among young adults derived from the general population. Even psychiatric comorbidity may not aggravate cognitive functioning in depressive or anxiety disorders among these young adults. However, treatment-seeking in depression was found to be associated with cognitive deficits, suggesting that these deficits relate to increased distress. Additionally, early-onset depression, found to be associated with executive dysfunction, may represent a more severe form of the disorder. In anxiety disorders, those with low symptom-related psychosocial functioning may have cognitive impairment. An association with self-reported burnout symptoms and cognitive deficits was not detected, but individuals with low social and occupational functioning may have impaired cognition.Tutkimus masennus- ja ahdistuneisuushäiriöihin liittyvistä kognitiivisista eli tiedonkäsittelyyn liittyvistä vaikeuksista on lisääntynyt viime vuosina. Tutkimus ei kuitenkaan ole ulottunut koskemaan nuoria aikuisia, vaikka masennus- ja ahdistuneisuushäiriöt ovat yleisiä tässä ikäryhmässä. Lisäksi tutkimus ei juurikaan ole koskenut ei-kliinisiä otoksia, ja psykiatrisen komorbiditeetin eli monihäiriöisyyden huomioon otto on tutkimusasetelmissa ollut heikkoa. Työuupumukseen liittyvää kognitiivista toimintakykyä on tutkittu vain muutamissa tutkimuksissa, ja niissäkin on kaikissa käytetty kliinisiä otoksia ja laajoja ikäryhmiä. Väitöstutkimuksen aluksi tehdyn kattavan kirjallisuuskatsauksen perusteella nuorten aikuisten kognitiivisia vaikeuksia masennus- ja ahdistuneisuushäiriöissä on tutkittu hyvin vähän. Siksi tämän tutkimuksen muissa osatöissä kartoitettiin väestöpohjaisessa otoksessa kognitiivista toimintakykyä yksisuuntaista masennusta ja ahdistuneisuushäiriöitä sairastaneilla nuorilla aikuisilla terveisiin verrokkeihin nähden, sekä yhteyksiä ajankohtaisten työuupumuksen oireiden ja kognitiivisten toimintojen välillä. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli lisäksi selvittää, vaihteleeko kognitiivisten vaikeuksien olemassaolo sairauden piirteiden mukaan, kuten sen vakavuudesta, psykiatrisesta komorbiditeetista, tai sairastumisiästä riippuen. Tutkimuksessa mitattiin kielellistä ja visuaalista lyhytkestoista muistia, kielellistä pitkäkestoista muistia ja oppimista, tarkkaavaisuutta, toiminnanohjausta, psykomotorista prosessointinopeutta ja verbaalista yleistä älykkyyttä 21-35-vuotiaiden nuorten aikuisten väestöpohjaisessa otoksessa. Suoriutumista neuropsykologisissa testeissä verrattiin ensin puhdasta ei-psykoottista masennusta sairastaneiden ja terveiden verrokkien välillä, toiseksi puhdasta ja komorbidia masennusta sairastaneiden välillä ja kolmanneksi ahdistuneisuushäiriöitä sairastaneiden ja terveiden verrokkien välillä. Neljänneksi, ajankohtaisten työuupumuksen oireiden ja neuropsykologisen testisuoriutumisen välistä yhteyttä tarkasteltiin työssäkäyvien nuorten aikuisten kesken. Tulokset osoittivat, että masennus, ahdistuneisuushäiriö tai työuupumuksen oireet eivät olleet yhteydessä merkittäviin kognitiivisiin vaikeuksiin nuorten aikuisten väestössä, eikä edes psykiatrinen komorbiditeetti näyttänyt vaikeuttavan kognitiivista toimintakykyä näillä nuorilla aikuisilla. Hoitoon hakeutuminen masennuksessa oli yhteydessä kognitiivisiin vaikeuksiin, osoittaen, että nämä vaikeudet saattavat liittyä lisääntyneeseen yleiseen psyykkiseen pahoinvointiin. Lisäksi varhaisempi masennuksen sairastumisikä oli yhteydessä toiminnanohjauksen vaikeuksiin, mikä voi merkitä vakavampaa sairauden muotoa. Ahdistuneisuushäiriöistä kärsineillä psykotrooppinen lääkitys ja matala psykososiaalinen toimintakyky oli yhteydessä kognitiivisiin vaikeuksiin, osoittaen, että kognitiiviset vaikeudet saattavat liittyä vakavampaan sairauden muotoon. Itse arvioidut työuupumuksen oireet eivät liittyneet kognitiivisiin ongelmiin, mutta niillä, joilla on matalampi sosiaalinen ja ammatillinen toimintakyky, saattaa olla myös heikompi kognitiivinen toimintakyky

Participation in paid employment among the Finnish Roma

The article describes participation in paid work among Finnish Roma, based on data gathered by face-to-face interviews for the Finnish Roma Participation and Well-being Study (n = 234). We wanted to assess the relevance of some explanatory factors for the low paid work rate of the Roma, found in countries with a significant Roma minority, in the light of new material from Finland where the Roma minority is small and rather homogeneous. No earlier studies on their participation in paid work in Finland exist.The research shows the importance of education to finding paid employment, in compliance with earlier international results. Adherence to Roma culture, too, seems to cause problems to participation in paid employment. We were been able to assess discrimination at recruitment, obviously the key phase for successful or unsuccessful integration of the Roma in the Finnish labour market. Unlike in many countries, in Finland there was no significant difference in the paid employment rate of Roma men and women

The Association between Pre- and Post-Migration Wellbeing Factors with Integration among Russian, Somali, and Kurdish Origin Women in Finland

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Overweight and Obesity among Russian, Somali, and Kurdish Origin Populations in Finland

Peer reviewe

Iranian and Iraqi torture survivors in Finland and Sweden : findings from two population-based studies

Background: Most refugees and other forced migrants have experienced potentially traumatic events (PTEs). Torture and other traumatic experiences, as well as various daily stressors, impact the mental health and psychosocial well-being of war-affected populations. Methods: The study includes two population-based samples of Iranian and Iraqi men living in Finland and Sweden. The Finnish Migrant Health and Well-being Study (Maamu) was conducted in 2010-2012. The Linkoping study was conducted in Sweden in 2005. In both samples, health and well-being measures, social and economic outcomes as well as health service utilization were reported. Results: The final sample for analysis consisted of two groups of males of Iranian or Iraqi origin: 278 residents in Finland and 267 residents in Sweden. Both groups were subdivided according to the reported PTEs: Torture survivors; Other PTEs; No PTEs. Migrants that reported PTEs, torture survivors in particular, had significantly poorer social and health outcomes. Torture survivors also reported lower trust and confidence in authorities and public service providers, as well as more loneliness, social isolation and experiences of discrimination. Conclusions: Torture and other PTEs prevalent in refugee and migrant populations create a wide-ranging and long-term impact in terms of increased risk of various types of adverse social and health conditions. Early identification through systematic and effective screening should be the first step in guiding migrants and refugees suffering from experiences of torture and other PTEs to flexible, multidisciplinary services.Peer reviewe

Impact of Covid-19 on the health and wellbeing of persons who migrated to Finland : The MigCOVID Survey 2020-2021

This report presents findings from the Impact of the Coronavirus on the Wellbeing of the Foreign Born Population (MigCOVID) Survey on the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on daily life, health, functioning, psychological wellbeing, and quality of life among persons who have migrated to Finland. The survey was conducted by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) between October 2020 and February 2021. The data collection phase coincided with the second wave of the Covid-19 epidemic in Finland. The information presented in this report can be used for evidence-based development of services and health promotion strategies during and after the Covid-19 epidemic. Furthermore, findings can be used to develop strategies aiming at supporting the health and wellbeing of persons of migrant origin during future crises. Findings are not only highly significant in the Finnish context but are of high relevance for other countries also interested in promoting the health and wellbeing of persons of migrant origin