The compatibility between characteristics of employees at risk for sickness absence and components of a preventive coaching intervention

The aim of this study was to assess the compatibility between characteristics of employees ‘at risk’ for sickness absence and components of a preventive coaching intervention. Data from baseline questionnaires of the ‘at risk’ study population of a randomized trial, and of two reference groups of the Maastricht Cohort Study were used to compare (mental) health and work related characteristics. Details of the intervention were described. Similarities between characteristics of the study population and components of the coaching intervention were discussed. Substantial differences between characteristics of the ‘at risk’ study population and the ‘not at risk’ reference group were found, which were all addressed during the coaching intervention. The contrast with the ‘sick leave’ reference group was less obvious. The ‘at risk’ study population could be indicated as the most beneficial population for this preventive intervention. The results show that preventive coaching is an appropriate intervention for employees ‘at risk’ for sickness absence

Alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and the risk of subtypes of head-neck cancer: results from the Netherlands Cohort Study

Background: Prospective data on alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and risk of head-neck cancer (HNC) subtypes, i.e. oral cavity cancer (OCC), oro-/hypopharyngeal cancer (OHPC), and laryngeal cancer (LC), are limited. We investigated these associations within the second largest prospective study on this topic so far, the Netherlands Cohort Study. Methods: 120,852 participants completed a questionnaire on diet and other cancer risk factors in 1986. After 17.3 years of follow-up, 395 HNC (110 OCC, 83 OHPC, and 199 LC) cases and 4288 subcohort members were available for case-cohort analysis using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: For total HNC, the multivariable adjusted incidence rate ratio (RR) was 2.74 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.85-4.06) for those drinking >= 30 g ethanol/day compared with abstainers; in subtypes, RRs were 6.39 for OCC, 3.52 for OHPC, and 1.54 for LC. Compared with never cigarette smokers, current cigarette smokers had a RR of 4.49 (95% CI 3.11-6.48) for HNC overall, and 2.11 for OCC, 8.53 for OHPC, and 8.07 for LC. A significant, positive, multiplicative interaction between categories of alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking was found for HNC overall (P interaction 0.03). Conclusions: Alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking were independently associated with risk of HNC overall, with a positive, multiplicative interaction. The strength of these associations differed among HNC-subtypes: OCC was most strongly associated with alcohol consumption but most weakly with cigarette smoking, whereas LC was not statistically significantly associated with alcohol consumption

Nitrate Intake Does Not Influence Bladder Cancer Risk: The Netherlands Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES: N-nitroso compounds, endogenously formed from nitrate-derived nitrite, are suspected to be important bladder carcinogens. However, the association between nitrate exposure from food or drinking water and bladder cancer has not been substantially investigated in epidemiologic studies. METHODS: We evaluated the associations between nitrate exposure and bladder cancer in the Netherlands Cohort Study, conducted among 120,852 men and women, 55–69 years of age at entry. Information on nitrate from diet was collected via a food frequency questionnaire in 1986 and a database on nitrate content of foods. Individual nitrate exposures from beverages prepared with tap water were calculated by linking the postal code of individual residence at baseline to water company data. After 9.3 years of follow-up and after excluding subjects with incomplete or inconsistent dietary data, 889 cases and 4,441 subcohort members were available for multivariate analyses. We calculated incidence rate ratios (RR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using Cox regression analyses. We also evaluated possible effect modification of dietary intake of vitamins C and E (low/high) and cigarette smoking (never/ever). RESULTS: The multivariate RRs for nitrate exposure from food, drinking water, and estimated total nitrate exposure were 1.06 (95% CI, 0.81–1.31), 1.06 (95% CI, 0.82–1.37), and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.84–1.42), respectively, comparing the highest to the lowest quintiles of intake. Dietary intake of vitamins C and E (low/high) and cigarette smoking (never/ever) had no significant impact on these results. CONCLUSION: Although the association between nitrate exposure and bladder cancer risk is biologically plausible, our results in this study do not support an association between nitrate exposure and bladder cancer risk

Крим в українських історичних піснях

Метою даної роботи є Кримські мотиви в історичних піснях. Тема широка, але ми розглянемо окремі її аспекти, взявши пісні про боротьбу з татарами і турками ХVI – XVII ст

The role of coffee consumption in breast and ovarian cancer risk: updated meta-analyses

Background: Coffee consumption in relation to female hormone-related cancers has been investigated but metaanalyses regarding breast and ovarian cancer include studies published up to 2012 with inconsistent results for ovarian cancer. Methods: We conducted two updated meta-analyses of studies published up to June 2016 to quantify the association of coffee intake with breast and ovarian cancer risk with random effects models. We used the dataset developed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer Working Group for Monograph 116 meeting (May 2016). We additionally performed a PubMed search in June 2016. Results: Summary relative risks (RRs) (95% confidence intervals (CI)) for the study-specific highest vs. lowest coffee consumption were for breast and ovarian cancer respectively: 0.97 (0.93–1.00, Ι2 5.5%, 40 studies, 76,728 cases) and 1.03 (0.93–1.14, Ι 2 31.9%, 31 studies, 13,111 cases). For decaffeinated coffee the corresponding RRs were: 1.00 (0.93-1.08, I2 32.2%, 13 studies) and 0.83 (0.71-0.96, I2 about 0%, 9 studies). The association of coffee with ovarian cancer risk was higher among publications before (RR=1.37, 1.12–1.69) compared to after 2000 (RR=0.96, 0.86-1.06). Conclusion: Our meta-analyses provide strong, quantitative evidence that coffee consumption is not related to breast cancer risk and appears to be unrelated to ovarian cancer risk

Body Size and Colorectal Cancer Risk After 16.3 Years of Follow-up: An Analysis From the Netherlands Cohort Study

A large body size may differentially influence risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) by anatomic location. The Netherlands Cohort Study includes 120,852 men and women aged 55-69 years who self-reported weight, height, and trouser/skirt size at baseline (1986), as well as weight at age 20 years. Derived variables included body mass index (BMI; weight (kg)/height (m)2), BMI at age 20 years, and BMI change. After 16.3 years of follow-up (1986-2002), 2,316 CRC cases were available for case-cohort analysis. In men, the highest risk estimates were observed for body fat (per 5-unit increase in BMI, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05, 1.46; for highest quintile of trouser size vs. lowest, HR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.29 (P-trend = 0.02)) and appeared more closely associated with distal colon tumors (for BMI (5-unit increase), HR = 1.42, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.79; for highest quintile of trouser size, HR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.55, 4.24 (P-trend < 0.01)) than with proximal colon or rectal tumors. In women, body fat was not associated with CRC risk unless it was considered simultaneously with physical activity; a large trouser/skirt size and a low level of physical activity increased risk for all subtypes. Height was associated with risk of CRC, especially distal colon tumors (highest quintile vs. lowest: HR = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.03, 2.27; P-trend = 0.05), in women only. © 2011 The Author