Gesundheitliche Probleme in der Eingangsphase der Arbeitslosigkeit

"Mitte November 1981 hat das IAB eine repräsentative Stichprobe von deutschen Arbeitslosen gezogen und wenige Wochen danach befragt. Bei Arbeitslosen im Alter von 25 oder mehr Jahren wurde - neben und in Verbindung mit den im Vordergrund stehenden Problemen der beruflichen Wiedereingliederung - auch der Gesundheitszustand ausführlich thematisiert, um mögliche Auswirkungen der Arbeitslosigkeit auf die Gesundheit zu erfassen. ... Die vorliegenden Ergebnisse lassen erkennen, daß der physische Gesundheitszustand von Arbeitslosen in den ersten Wochen der Arbeitslosigkeit entgegen den ursprünglichen Erwartungen im Durchschnitt nicht schlechter, in Teilgruppen sogar etwas besser ist als der von vergleichbaren Erwerbstätigen. ... Anders sieht es im Hinblick auf die psychische Gesundheit von Arbeitslosen aus. Hierauf nehmen offenbar finanzielle Probleme Einfluß, mehr noch mit der Arbeitslosigkeit verbundene psychosoziale Belastungen, weniger dagegen der Arbeitslosigkeit vorgelagerte demographische und berufsbiographische Faktoren. ... Naheliegende und auch im Rahmen der vorliegenden Untersuchung aufzeigbare Zusammenhänge zwischen physischer und psychischer Gesundheit lassen erwarten, daß - in dynamischer Betrachtung - als Folge langanhaltender oder wiederholter Arbeitslosigkeit auch das körperliche Wohlbefinden zumindest bei einem Teil der Arbeitslosen wesentlich beeinträchtigt wird." (Autorenreferat)Arbeitslosigkeit - Auswirkungen, Arbeitslose, Gesundheit

The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) scale: A methodological review

BACKGROUND: This paper compiles data from different sources to get a first comprehensive picture of psychometric and other methodological characteristics of the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) scale. The scale was designed and standardized as a self-administered scale to (a) to assess symptoms/complaints of aging women under different conditions, (b) to evaluate the severity of symptoms over time, and (c) to measure changes pre- and postmenopause replacement therapy. The scale became widespread used (available in 10 languages). METHOD: A large multinational survey (9 countries in 4 continents) from 2001/ 2002 is the basis for in depth analyses on reliability and validity of the MRS. Additional small convenience samples were used to get first impressions about test-retest reliability. The data were centrally analyzed. Data from a postmarketing HRT study were used to estimate discriminative validity. RESULTS: Reliability measures (consistency and test-retest stability) were found to be good across countries, although the sample size for test-retest reliability was small. Validity: The internal structure of the MRS across countries was astonishingly similar to conclude that the scale really measures the same phenomenon in symptomatic women. The sub-scores and total score correlations were high (0.7–0.9) but lower among the sub-scales (0.5–0.7). This however suggests that the subscales are not fully independent. Norm values from different populations were presented showing that a direct comparison between Europe and North America is possible, but caution recommended with comparisons of data from Latin America and Indonesia. But this will not affect intra-individual comparisons within clinical trials. The comparison with the Kupperman Index showed sufficiently good correlations, illustrating an adept criterion-oriented validity. The same is true for the comparison with the generic quality-of-life scale SF-36 where also a sufficiently close association has been shown. CONCLUSION: The currently available methodological evidence points towards a high quality of the MRS scale to measure and to compare HRQoL of aging women in different regions and over time, it suggests a high reliability and high validity as far as the process of construct validation could be completed yet

Bioactive Phenolic Compounds from Lingonberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea L.): Extraction, Chemical Characterization, Fractionation and Cellular Antioxidant Activity

Lingonberries contain high contents of bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acids and anthocyanins. In addition to radical scavenging and antioxidant activities, these compounds can protect cells from DNA damage. For this reason, lingonberries might be well suited for nutraceuticals or natural biomedicines. To assess these applications, the present study characterized and identified the most effective extract, only consisting of anthocyanins, copigments or a mixture of both, obtained from a lingonberry juice concentrate. An extract was generated by using a XAD-7 column followed by fractionation into anthocyanins and copigments using adsorptive membrane chromatography. After identification of main polyphenols by HPLC–photodiode array–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry, free radical scavenging activity was analyzed by electron spin resonance spectroscopy using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and galvinoxyl radicals. Furthermore, cyclic voltammetry analyses and the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay were applied. Finally, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) reducing effects of the lingonberry extract and its fractions were evaluated in HepG2 cells. While the combination of anthocyanins and copigments possessed the highest antioxidant activities, all samples (XAD-7 extract, anthocyanin and copigment fraction) protected cells from oxidative stress. Thus, synergistic effects between phenolic compounds may be responsible for the high antioxidant potential of lingonberries, enabling their use as nutraceuticals

The Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale: Update and compilation of international versions

BACKGROUND: The interest of clinical research in aging males increased in recent years and thereby the interest to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and symptoms of aging men. The Aging Males' Symptoms scale (AMS) became the most commonly used scale to measure HRQoL and symptoms in aging males in many countries worldwide. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the instrument particularly concerning versions of the scale in different languages in the light of the quality of the translation process. AMS VERSIONS AVAILABLE: Most of the translations were performed following international methodological recommendations for linguistic & cultural adaptation of HRQoL instruments. Mainly the English version was used as source language for the translation into Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Swedish, and Japanese (attached as additional PDF-files). Preliminary versions that were derived only from forward translations are of secondary quality and available in Finnish, Flemish, and Russian. It is recommended to complete the translation process for the latter languages before using them in international studies. TRANSLATIONS IN PROCESS: The AMS scale is in the process of consensus finding of two existing French versions, and the versions in the Korean, Thai, and Indonesian languages have not yet been completed in the translation process. CONCLUSION: The AMS scale is obviously a valuable tool for assessing health related quality of life in aging men, because it is used worldwide. It is a standardized scale according to psychometric norms. Most of the currently available language versions were translated following international standards for linguistic and cultural translation of quality of life scales. Assistance is offered to help interested parties in the translation process

Everolimus after failure of one prior VEGF-targeted therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma : Final results of the MARC-2 trial

MARC-2, a prospective, multicenter phase IV trial, aimed to investigate clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with everolimus after failure of one initial vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI) therapy and to identify subgroups benefiting most, based on clinical characteristics and biomarkers. Patients with clear cell mRCC failing one initial VEGFR-TKI received everolimus until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival rate (6moPFS). Secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), PFS, overall survival (OS), and safety. Between 2011 and 2015, 63 patients were enrolled. Median age was 65.4 years (range 43.3-81.1). 6moPFS was 39.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27.0-51.3) overall, 54.4% (95% CI, 35.2-70.1) vs 23.7% (95% CI, 10.5-39.9) for patients aged ≥65 vs 25 vs ≤25 kg/m2. A Cox proportional hazards model confirmed a longer PFS for patients aged ≥65 years (hazard ratio [HR] 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26-0.80) and a longer OS for patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 (HR 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18-0.71). Median PFS and median OS were 3.8 months (95% CI, 3.2-6.2) and 16.8 months (95% CI, 14.3-24.3). ORR was 7.9% and disease control rate was 60.3%. No new safety signals emerged. Most common adverse events were stomatitis (31.7%), fatigue (31.7%), and anemia (30.2%). One patient died from treatment-related upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Everolimus remains a safe and effective treatment option for mRCC patients after one prior VEGFR-TKI therapy. Patients aged ≥65 years and patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 benefited most