Musculoskeletal pain and re-employment among unemployed job seekers: a three-year follow-up study

Abstract Background Poor health is a potential risk factor for not finding employment among unemployed individuals. We investigated the associations between localized and multiple-site musculoskeletal pain and re-employment in a three-year follow-up of unemployed job seekers. Methods Unemployed people (n = 539) from six localities in southern Finland who participated in various active labour market policy measures at baseline in 2002/2003 were recruited into a three-year health service intervention trial. A questionnaire was used to collect data on musculoskeletal health and background characteristics at baseline and on employment status at the end of the follow-up. We conducted a complete case (n = 284) and multiple imputation analyses using logistic regression to investigate the association between baseline musculoskeletal pain and re-employment after three years. Results Participants with severe pain in the lower back were less likely to become re-employed. This was independent of potential confounding variables. Pain in the hands/upper extremities, neck/shoulders, lower extremities, as well as multiple site were not determinants of re-employment. Conclusions Our findings lend some support to the hypothesis that poor health can potentially cause health selection into employment. There is the need to disentangle health problems in order to clearly appreciate their putative impact on employment. This will allow for more targeted interventions for the unemployed

Apostrofisuus Paavo Rintalan teoksessa Sarmatian Orfeus

Tiivistelmä Käsittelen artikkelissani apostrofin käyttöä Paavo Rintalan romaanissa Sarmatian Orfeus (1991). Rintalan romaani on rakennettu kertojan ja tämän pitkäaikaisen runoilijaystävän Johannes Bobrowskin poissaolon välisen pitkän tekstidialogin ympärille. Väitän, että tästä intensiivisestä dialogismista huolimatta apostrofi toimii metatekstuaalisesti niin, että se pikemminkin lisää poissaoloa kuin luo läsnäolon illuusion. Tämä käy vieläkin selvemmäksi, kun apostrofia käytetään puhuttaessa henkilöistä, jotka ovat kuolleita tai elottomista ja abstrakteista asioista, kuten huhtikuussa. Apostrofia käytetään myös useilla tekstitasoilla. Ensimmäinen on Johannes Bobrowskin runojen taso, joista kolme Rintala on kääntänyt kokonaisuudessaan. Toinen taso on kertoja, joka puhuu niin Bobrowskille ja muille historiallisille henkilöille, kuten Henri Beyle / Stendhal, kuin abstrakteille kokonaisuuksille. Kolmas taso on kirjan kansi, joka kuvaa Bobrowskin kirjettä ja puhuttelee siten lukijaa. Väitän, että vaikka teksti luo voimakkaan jännitteen dialogismin ja poissaolon välillä, lukijaa houkutellaan samanaikaisesti tuntemaan empatiaa muiden tarinoita kohtaan, säilyttää kuitenkin kriittisen etäisyyden, jota tarvitaan aitoon eettiseen pohdintaan. Toisten tarinat ja muukalaisuus säilyttävät itsenäisyytensä, mutta samalla ne tarjoavat lukijalle entistä parempia mahdollisuuksia eettiseen pohdintaan oman historiallisen rajoitetun näköalansa ulkopuolella

[Positive ibopamine provocative test in normal-tension glaucoma suspects]

BACKGROUND: Ibopamine is an alpha-adrenergic agent and causes an elevation of intraocular pressure in eyes with increased outflow resistance. It has been proposed as a test substance for the detection of early ocular hydrodynamic disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 64 normal-tension glaucoma suspect eyes without anti-hypertensive treatment were enrolled. A daily pressure curve was registered with measurements at 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 12:00 am, 17:00 pm using an applanation tonometer and a contour tonometer followed by instillation of ibopamine 2% in both eyes. Tonometry was performed every 15 minutes during the following hour. An IOP increase of > 2.0 mmHg was considered positive. RESULTS: The positive test group showed a significant pressure increase from 18.04 to 22.06 mmHg. Ocular pulse amplitude increased from 2.96 to 3.97 mmHg and was positively correlated with the pressure. Intraocular pressure was unchanged in the negative test group. Central corneal thickness was not significantly different in the two groups (p = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS: Ibopamine 2% eye drops have a positive pressure effect in 50% of suspected normal-tension glaucoma eyes and may differentiate between eyes with normal trabecular outflow capacity and eyes with increased resistance in the trabecular meshwork that are prone to pressure peaks and deterioration to glaucoma

Childhood adversity as a predictor of non-adherence to statin therapy in adulthood.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether adverse experiences in childhood predict non-adherence to statin therapy in adulthood. METHODS: A cohort of 1378 women and 538 men who initiated statin therapy during 2008-2010 after responding to a survey on childhood adversities, was followed for non-adherence during the first treatment year. Log-binomial regression was used to estimate predictors of non-adherence, defined as the proportion of days covered by dispensed statin tablets <80%. In fully adjusted models including age, education, marital status, current smoking, heavy alcohol use, physical inactivity, obesity, presence of depression and cardiovascular comorbidity, the number of women ranged from 1172 to 1299 and that of men from 473 to 516, because of missing data on specific adversities and covariates. RESULTS: Two in three respondents reported at least one of the following six adversities in the family: divorce/separation of the parents, long-term financial difficulties, severe conflicts, frequent fear, severe illness, or alcohol problem of a family member. 51% of women and 44% of men were non-adherent. In men, the number of childhood adversities predicted an increased risk of non-adherence (risk ratio [RR] per adversity 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.21], P for linear trend 0.013). Compared with those reporting no adversities, men reporting 3-6 adversities had a 1.44-fold risk of non-adherence (95% CI 1.12-1.85). Experiencing severe conflicts in the family (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.03-1.57]) and frequent fear of a family member (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.00-1.62]) in particular, predicted an increased risk of non-adherence. In women, neither the number of adversities nor any specific type of adversity predicted non-adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to childhood adversity may predict non-adherence to preventive cardiovascular medication in men. Usefulness of information on childhood adversities in identification of adults at high risk of non-adherence deserves further research