Poor Children in Rich Households and Vice Versa: A Blurred Picture or Hidden Realities?

An expanding evidence base suggests that children experiencing monetary and multidimensional poverty are not the same. This article breaks new ground by providing a unique mixed methods investigation of drivers of child poverty mismatch in Ethiopia and Vietnam, considering the role of measurement error and individualistic and structural factors. The analysis capitalises on large-scale secondary quantitative panel data and combines this with purposively collected primary qualitative data in both countries. It finds that factors at the household and structural level can mediate the effects of monetary poverty in terms of multidimensional poverty and vice versa, but that the size and sign of these effects are specific to place and time. The policy mix aiming to reduce all forms of child poverty need to be targeted on the basis of a multidimensional assessment of poverty and reflect the complex and contextspecific interactions between determinants of child poverty

Exploring working conditions as determinants of job satisfaction: an empirical test among Catalonia service workers

Job satisfaction is particularly important in the service industry since it involves direct contact with customers and thus has a direct influence on company performance. We analyzed the impact of ten working conditions on job satisfaction by means of structural equation modelling in a representative stratified random sample of 1553 service sector employees in Catalonia (Spain). We found significant effects in social aspects (recognition of a job well done and social support), followed by psychological loads (emotional demands and job insecurity) and by task contents (development & meaning and predictability). These variables explained 50% of the variance in job satisfaction

Psychosocial work conditions and registered sickness absence: a 3-year prospective cohort study among office employees

Purpose To investigate associations between a wide variety of psychosocial work conditions and sickness absence in a medium-sized company. Methods Prospective cohort study of 395 employees working in an insurance office. Self-reported psychosocial work conditions were measured by questionnaire in January 2002 and linked to registered sickness absence in the period January 2002 to December 2004 adjusting for earlier sick leave and psychological distress. Results The questionnaires of 244 employees were eligible for analysis. Decision authority and co-worker support were associated with sickness absence days, but their associations with sickness absence episodes were not significant. Role clarity was associated with the number of sickness absence days, but only with the number of short sickness absence episodes in women. Conclusions The wide variety of investigated psychosocial work conditions contributed little to the explanation of sickness absence in the medium-sized insurance office

Breast Cancer, Sickness Absence, Income and Marital Status. A Study on Life Situation 1 Year Prior Diagnosis Compared to 3 and 5 Years after Diagnosis

Background: Improved cancer survival poses important questions about future life conditions of the survivor. We examined the possible influence of a breast cancer diagnosis on subsequent working and marital status, sickness absence and income. Materials: We conducted a matched cohort study including 4,761 women 40–59 years of age and registered with primary breast cancer in a Swedish population-based clinical register during 1993–2003, and 2,3805 women without breast cancer. Information on socioeconomic standing was obtained from a social database 1 year prior and 3 and 5 years following the diagnosis. In Conditional Poisson Regression models, risk ratios (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated to assess the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis. Findings: Three years after diagnosis, women who had had breast cancer more often had received sickness benefits (RR = 1.49, 95 % CI 1.40–1.58) or disability pension (RR = 1.47, 95 % CI 1.37–1.58) than had women without breast cancer. W

Resuming Work After Cancer: A Prospective Study of Occupational Register Data

Introduction Long-term employment rates have been studied in cancer survivors, but little is known about the return to work of cancer patients. This study investigated return to work (RTW) within 2 years after the diagnosis of different types of cancer. Methods This prospective study investigated the associations of demographics (age, gender, socioeconomic status, and residential region) and occupational factors (occupation, duration of employment, and company size) of employees absent from work due to cancer with the time to partial RTW, defined as working at least 50% of the earnings before sickness absence. Likewise, the associations of demographics and occupational factors with full RTW at equal earnings as before sickness absence were investigated. Results The cohort included 5,234 employees who had been absent from work due to cancer between January 2004 and December 2006. The time to partial RTW was shortest among employees with skin cancer (median 55 days) and longest among employees with lung cancer (median 377 days). There were no significant associations between RTW and demographics. With regard to the occupational factors, employees in high occupational classes started working earlier than those in low occupational classes, but the time to full RTW did not differ significantly across occupational classes. Employees working in large companies returned to work earlier than those working in small companies. Conclusion RTW after different types of cancer depended on occupational factors rather than demographics

Allocation to highly sensitized patients based on acceptable mismatches results in low rejection rates comparable to non-sensitized patients

Whereas regular allocation avoids unacceptable mismatches on the donor organ, allocation to highly sensitized patients within the Eurotransplant Acceptable Mismatch (AM) program is based on the patient's HLA phenotype plus acceptable antigens. These are HLA antigens to which the patient never made antibodies, determined by extensive laboratory testing. AM patients have superior long-term graft survival compared to highly sensitized patients in regular allocation. Here, we questioned whether the AM program also results in lower rejection rates. From the PROCARE cohort, consisting of all Dutch kidney transplants 1995-2005, we selected deceased donor single transplants with minimum one HLA mismatch and determined the cumulative 6-month rejection incidence for patients in AM or regular allocation. Additionally, we determined the effect of minimal matching criteria of one HLA-B plus one HLA-DR, or two HLA-DR antigens on rejection incidence. AM patients showed significantly lower rejection rates than highly immunized patients in regular allocation, comparable to non-sensitized patients, independent of other risk factors for rejection. Contrasting to highly sensitized patients in regular allocation, minimal matching criteria did not affect rejection rates in AM patients. Allocation based on acceptable antigens leads to relatively low risk transplants for highly sensitized patients with rejection rates similar to non-immunized individuals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.</p

Gender and age differences in the recurrence of sickness absence due to common mental disorders: a longitudinal study

Background: Common mental disorders (CMDs) are an important cause of sickness absence and long-term work disability. Although CMDs are known to have high recurrence rates, little is known about the recurrence of sickness absence due to CMDs. The aim of this study was to investigate the recurrence of sickness absence due to CMDs, including distress, adjustment disorders, depressive disorders and anxiety disorders, according to age, in male and female employees in the Netherlands. Methods: Data on sickness absence episodes due to CMDs were obtained for 137,172 employees working in the Dutch Post and Telecommunication companies between 2001 and 2007. The incidence density (ID) and recurrence density (RD) of sickness absence due to CMDs was calculated per 1000 person-years in men and women in the age-groups of < 35 years, 35-44 years, 45-54 years, and >= 55 years. Results: The ID of one episode of CMDs sickness absence was 25.0 per 1000 person-years, and the RD was 76.7 per 1000 person-years. Sickness absence due to psychiatric disorders (anxiety and depression) does not have a higher recurrence density of sickness absence due to any CMDs as compared to stress-related disorders (distress and adjustment disorders): 81.6 versus 76.0 per 1000 person-years. The ID of sickness absence due to CMDs was higher in women than in men, but the RD was similar. Recurrences were more frequent in women < 35 years and in women between 35 and 44 years of age. We observed no differences between age groups in men. Recurrences among employees with recurrent episodes occurred within 3 years in 90% of cases and the median time-to-onset of recurrence was 11 (10-13) months in men and 10 (9-12) months in women. Conclusions: Employees who have been absent from work due to CMDs are at increased risk of recurrent sickness absence due to CMDs and should be monitored after they return to work. The RD was similar in men and in women. In women < 45 years the RD was higher than in women >= 45 years. In men no age differences were observed

Recurrence of Medically Certified Sickness Absence According to Diagnosis: A Sickness Absence Register Study

Introduction Sickness absence is a major public health problem. Research on sickness absence focuses on interventions aimed at expediting return to work. However, we need to know more about sustaining employees at work after return to work. Therefore, this study investigated the recurrence of sickness absence according to diagnosis. Methods We analyzed the registered sickness absence data of 137,172 employees working for the Dutch Post and Telecom. Episodes of sickness absence were medically certified, according to the ICD-10 classification of diseases, by an occupational physician. The incidence density (ID) and recurrence density (RD) of medically certified absences were calculated per 1,000 person-years in each ICD-10 category. Results Sickness absence due to musculoskeletal disorders had the highest recurrence (RD = 118.7 per 1,000 person-years), followed by recurrence of sickness absence due to mental disorders (RD = 80.4 per 1,000 person-years). The median time to recurrent sickness absence due to musculoskeletal disorders was 409 days after the index episode. Recurrences of sickness absence due to musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 37% of the total number of recurrent sickness absence days. For recurrences of sickness absence due to mental disorders this was 328 days and 21%, respectively. Unskilled employees with a short duration (<5 years) of employment had a higher risk of recurrent sickness absence. Conclusions Interventions to expedite return to work of employees sick-listed due to musculoskeletal or mental disorders should also aim at reducing recurrence of sickness absence in order to sustain employees at work

The My Active and Healthy Aging (My-AHA) ICT platform to detect and prevent frailty in older adults: Randomized control trial design and protocol

[EN] Introduction Frailty increases the risk of poor health outcomes, disability, hospitalization, and death in older adults and affects 7%¿12% of the aging population. Secondary impacts of frailty on psychological health and socialization are significant negative contributors to poor outcomes for frail older adults. Method The My Active and Healthy Aging (My-AHA) consortium has developed an information and communications technology¿based platform to support active and healthy aging through early detection of prefrailty and provision of individually tailored interventions, targeting multidomain risks for frailty across physical activity, cognitive activity, diet and nutrition, sleep, and psychosocial activities. Six hundred adults aged 60 years and older will be recruited to participate in a multinational, multisite 18-month randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the My-AHA platform to detect prefrailty and the efficacy of individually tailored interventions to prevent development of clinical frailty in this cohort. A total of 10 centers from Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, and Australia will participate in the randomized controlled trial. Results Pilot testing (Alpha Wave) of the My-AHA platform and all ancillary systems has been completed with a small group of older adults in Europe with the full randomized controlled trial scheduled to commence in 2018. Discussion The My-AHA study will expand the understanding of antecedent risk factors for clinical frailty so as to deliver targeted interventions to adults with prefrailty. Through the use of an information and communications technology platform that can connect with multiple devices within the older adult's own home, the My-AHA platform is designed to measure an individual's risk factors for frailty across multiple domains and then deliver personalized domain-specific interventions to the individual. The My-AHA platform is technology-agnostic, enabling the integration of new devices and sensor platforms as they emerge.This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 689582 and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC) European Union grant scheme (1115818). M.J.S. reports personal fees from Eli Lilly (Australia) Pty Ltd and grants from Novotech Pty Ltd, outside the submitted work. All other authors report nothing to disclose.Summers, MJ.; Rainero, I.; Vercelli, AE.; Aumayr, GA.; De Rosario Martínez, H.; Mönter, M.; Kawashima, R. (2018). The My Active and Healthy Aging (My-AHA) ICT platform to detect and prevent frailty in older adults: Randomized control trial design and protocol. Alzheimer's and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions. 4:252-262. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trci.2018.06.004S2522624Blair, S. N. (1995). Changes in Physical Fitness and All-Cause Mortality. JAMA, 273(14), 1093. doi:10.1001/jama.1995.03520380029031Fried, L. P., Ferrucci, L., Darer, J., Williamson, J. D., & Anderson, G. (2004). Untangling the Concepts of Disability, Frailty, and Comorbidity: Implications for Improved Targeting and Care. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 59(3), M255-M263. doi:10.1093/gerona/59.3.m255Gillick, M. (2001). Guest Editorial: Pinning Down Frailty. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 56(3), M134-M135. doi:10.1093/gerona/56.3.m134Hamerman, D. (1999). Toward an Understanding of Frailty. Annals of Internal Medicine, 130(11), 945. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-130-11-199906010-00022Fried, L. P., Tangen, C. M., Walston, J., Newman, A. B., Hirsch, C., Gottdiener, J., … McBurnie, M. A. (2001). Frailty in Older Adults: Evidence for a Phenotype. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 56(3), M146-M157. doi:10.1093/gerona/56.3.m146Panza, F., Solfrizzi, V., Barulli, M. R., Santamato, A., Seripa, D., Pilotto, A., & Logroscino, G. (2015). Cognitive Frailty: A Systematic Review of Epidemiological and Neurobiological Evidence of an Age-Related Clinical Condition. Rejuvenation Research, 18(5), 389-412. doi:10.1089/rej.2014.1637Soong, J., Poots, A., Scott, S., Donald, K., Woodcock, T., Lovett, D., & Bell, D. (2015). Quantifying the prevalence of frailty in English hospitals. BMJ Open, 5(10), e008456. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008456Varadhan, R., Walston, J., Cappola, A. R., Carlson, M. C., Wand, G. S., & Fried, L. P. (2008). Higher Levels and Blunted Diurnal Variation of Cortisol in Frail Older Women. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 63(2), 190-195. doi:10.1093/gerona/63.2.190BROWN, I., RENWICK, R., & RAPHAEL, D. (1995). Frailty. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 18(2), 93-102. doi:10.1097/00004356-199506000-00001Buchner, D. M., & Wagner, E. H. (1992). Preventing Frail Health. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine, 8(1), 1-18. doi:10.1016/s0749-0690(18)30494-4Kojima, G., Iliffe, S., Jivraj, S., & Walters, K. (2016). Association between frailty and quality of life among community-dwelling older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 70(7), 716-721. doi:10.1136/jech-2015-206717Ory, M. G., Schechtman, K. B., Miller, J. P., Hadley, E. C., Fiatarone, M. A., … Province, M. A. (1993). Frailty and Injuries in Later Life: The FICSIT Trials. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 41(3), 283-296. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.1993.tb06707.xShamliyan, T., Talley, K. M. C., Ramakrishnan, R., & Kane, R. L. (2013). Association of frailty with survival: A systematic literature review. Ageing Research Reviews, 12(2), 719-736. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2012.03.001Woodhouse, K. W., & O’Mahony, M. S. (1997). Frailty and ageing. Age and Ageing, 26(4), 245-246. doi:10.1093/ageing/26.4.245CAMPBELL, A. J., & BUCHNER, D. M. (1997). Unstable disability and the fluctuations of frailty. Age and Ageing, 26(4), 315-318. doi:10.1093/ageing/26.4.315Drey, M., Pfeifer, K., Sieber, C. C., & Bauer, J. M. (2011). The Fried Frailty Criteria as Inclusion Criteria for a Randomized Controlled Trial: Personal Experience and Literature Review. Gerontology, 57(1), 11-18. doi:10.1159/000313433Albert, M. S., DeKosky, S. T., Dickson, D., Dubois, B., Feldman, H. H., Fox, N. C., … Phelps, C. H. (2011). The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease: Recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer’s Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 7(3), 270-279. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2011.03.008Petersen, R. C., Smith, G. E., Waring, S. C., Ivnik, R. J., Tangalos, E. G., & Kokmen, E. (1999). Mild Cognitive Impairment. Archives of Neurology, 56(3), 303. doi:10.1001/archneur.56.3.303Winblad, B., Palmer, K., Kivipelto, M., Jelic, V., Fratiglioni, L., Wahlund, L.-O., … Petersen, R. C. (2004). Mild cognitive impairment - beyond controversies, towards a consensus: report of the International Working Group on Mild Cognitive Impairment. Journal of Internal Medicine, 256(3), 240-246. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2796.2004.01380.xDubois, B., Hampel, H., Feldman, H. H., Scheltens, P., Aisen, P., … Andrieu, S. (2016). Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease: Definition, natural history, and diagnostic criteria. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 12(3), 292-323. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2016.02.002Moher, D., Hopewell, S., Schulz, K. F., Montori, V., Gotzsche, P. C., Devereaux, P. J., … Altman, D. G. (2010). CONSORT 2010 Explanation and Elaboration: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. BMJ, 340(mar23 1), c869-c869. doi:10.1136/bmj.c869Gray, L. C., Bernabei, R., Berg, K., Finne-Soveri, H., Fries, B. E., Hirdes, J. P., … Ariño-Blasco, S. (2008). Standardizing Assessment of Elderly People in Acute Care: The interRAI Acute Care Instrument. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 56(3), 536-541. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2007.01590.xRadloff, L. S. (1977). The CES-D Scale. Applied Psychological Measurement, 1(3), 385-401. doi:10.1177/014662167700100306Guralnik, J. M., Simonsick, E. M., Ferrucci, L., Glynn, R. J., Berkman, L. F., Blazer, D. G., … Wallace, R. B. (1994). A Short Physical Performance Battery Assessing Lower Extremity Function: Association With Self-Reported Disability and Prediction of Mortality and Nursing Home Admission. Journal of Gerontology, 49(2), M85-M94. doi:10.1093/geronj/49.2.m85Powell, L. E., & Myers, A. M. (1995). The Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale. The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences, 50A(1), M28-M34. doi:10.1093/gerona/50a.1.m28Kendzierski, D., & DeCarlo, K. J. (1991). Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale: Two Validation Studies. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 13(1), 50-64. doi:10.1123/jsep.13.1.50Folstein, M. F., Folstein, S. E., & McHugh, P. R. (1975). «Mini-mental state». Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12(3), 189-198. doi:10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6Brandt, J. (1991). The hopkins verbal learning test: Development of a new memory test with six equivalent forms. Clinical Neuropsychologist, 5(2), 125-142. doi:10.1080/13854049108403297Lubben, J. E. (1988). Assessing social networks among elderly populations. Family & Community Health, 11(3), 42-52. doi:10.1097/00003727-198811000-00008Russell, D., Peplau, L. A., & Cutrona, C. E. (1980). The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and discriminant validity evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(3), 472-480. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.39.3.472De Vries, O. J., Peeters, G. M. E. E., Lips, P., & Deeg, D. J. H. (2013). Does frailty predict increased risk of falls and fractures? A prospective population-based study. Osteoporosis International, 24(9), 2397-2403. doi:10.1007/s00198-013-2303-zTheou, O., Stathokostas, L., Roland, K. P., Jakobi, J. M., Patterson, C., Vandervoort, A. A., & Jones, G. R. (2011). The Effectiveness of Exercise Interventions for the Management of Frailty: A Systematic Review. Journal of Aging Research, 2011, 1-19. doi:10.4061/2011/569194Cadore, E. (2014). Strength and Endurance Training Prescription in Healthy and Frail Elderly. Aging and Disease, 5(3), 183. doi:10.14336/ad.2014.0500183Cadore, E. L., Rodríguez-Mañas, L., Sinclair, A., & Izquierdo, M. (2013). Effects of Different Exercise Interventions on Risk of Falls, Gait Ability, and Balance in Physically Frail Older Adults: A Systematic Review. Rejuvenation Research, 16(2), 105-114. doi:10.1089/rej.2012.1397Gardner, M. M. (2001). Practical implementation of an exercise-based falls prevention programme. Age and Ageing, 30(1), 77-83. doi:10.1093/ageing/30.1.77Eng, J. J. (2010). Fitness and Mobility Exercise Program for Stroke. Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, 26(4), 310-323. doi:10.1097/tgr.0b013e3181fee736Wadlinger, H. A., & Isaacowitz, D. M. (2008). Looking happy: The experimental manipulation of a positive visual attention bias. Emotion, 8(1), 121-126. doi:10.1037/1528-3542.8.1.121MacLeod, C. (2012). Cognitive bias modification procedures in the management of mental disorders. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 25(2), 114-120. doi:10.1097/yco.0b013e32834fda4aMensink, R. P., & Katan, M. B. (1989). Effect of a Diet Enriched with Monounsaturated or Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Levels of Low-Density and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Healthy Women and Men. New England Journal of Medicine, 321(7), 436-441. doi:10.1056/nejm19890817321070