Job characteristics and mental health for older workers

Background: Adverse job characteristics have been linked with increased incidence of depression and anxiety in working populations. However, the association between job characteristics and mental health, in an older working population while controlling for personality traits, is less well known. Aims: To examine the association between job characteristics (job demands and job control) and mental health (depression and anxiety) for older workers while controlling for personality traits. Methods: A sample of workers aged 50-69 years were recruited from a primary health care clinic in Southern Ireland. Job characteristics were measured using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire; demands (quantitative and cognitive) and control (influence at work and possibilities for development). Personality traits were measured using the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale and anxiety was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Descriptive analysis, simple and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted. Results: The final sample size was 1025 with an initial 67% response rate. Multiple linear regression analysis showed job characteristics (in particular, job demands) to be significant positive predictors of symptoms of depression and anxiety. The inverse was true for job control variables and symptoms of depression. Neither possibilities for development nor influence at work were associated with symptoms of anxiety. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that despite potential confounders, higher demands at work can impact the worker's mental health negatively. Reducing job demands and encouraging role development may benefit the mental health of older workers

Clinical and economic systematic literature review to support the development of an integrated care programme for chronic disease prevention and management for the Irish health system

Report prepared for the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division (CSPD) of the Health Service Executive to support the work of integrated clinical care programmes.Based on a clinical and economic systematic review of the international literature, this report presents the evidence on integrated care programmes and generic models of care designed for chronic disease prevention and management. This evidence will support the work of integrated clinical care programmes in Ireland through the Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division of the HSE

Heroin initiation and risk: an ethno-epidemiological approach.

This thesis provides an in-depth exploration into the process of heroin and injecting initiation among young people in Ireland. It also presents a detailed investigation of risk perception and behaviour during the early heroin and injecting career. Rather than providing an individualistic account that primarily identifies and locates the causes of behaviour within the individual, this study adopts a 'risk environment' framework (Rhodes 2002. 2009). It seeks therefore, to explore the environmental forces and social processes that both contextualise and shape young people's risk behaviour and their pathways to heroin and injecting drug use. The principle aim is to present the views and subjective experiences of young recent heroin or injecting initiates in order to capture the social organisation and construction of risk

Hazardous journeys to better places: positive outcomes and negative risks associated with the care pathway before, during and after an admittance to the Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Women's Prison, Dublin, Ireland.

This report provides information on the care pathway and outcomes for Irish female drug using prisoners. This is a process evaluation and treatment outcome study of female drug using prisoners admitted to The Dochas Centre, Mountjoy Prison, Dublin, Ireland. Questions addressed included the nature and extent of treatment provided, discharge planning, aftercare arrangements and a study of the integrated care pathway. The outcome evaluation looked at whether clients of the service had changed over time. Key activities in process and outcome evaluations include; A review of existing treatment methods and resources; Identification and critical analysis of programme logic models; Focus groups and discussions with programme participants and other key stake holders and a survey of the population being evaluated. We recruited 40 drug using women who had been admitted to The Dochas Centre. We re-interviewed these women 6 months later and had full follow up information on 75% and contact information on 97.5% of our original cohort. We found the strongest positive outcomes among the crime variables and varying positive improvements in drug use and treatment. Physical and mental health showed only minor improvements. Associated with the improvements were very significant negative risks. In particular, the risk of death, overdose, self harm and homelessness. During the 6 month follow up period 3 (7.5%) of our original cohort of 40 women passed away. In spite of the negative risks we can imply from our results that the 6 month period did have a positive impact on key outcome measures and that the women showed some improvement at that time

ROSIE Findings 1: summary of 1-year outcomes.

The Research Outcome Study in Ireland evaluating drug treatment effectiveness (ROSIE) is the first national, prospective,longitudinal, multi-site drug treatment outcome study in the country. The National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD)commissioned this study in 2002 as required by the National Drugs Strategy Action 99. The aim of the Study is to recruit and follow opiate users entering treatment over a period of time documenting the changes observed. The Study recruited 404 opiate users entering treatment. The outcomes at 1-year for drug use, involvement in crime, injecting-related risk behaviour, physical and mental health among others are presented in this paper. statistically significant1 differences are given emphasis in this document. Behaviour changes relate to the 90 days prior to interviews, unless otherwise stated