Personality, Stress, and Indoor Environmental Symptomatology

The sick building syndrome (SBS) comprises eye, nose, skin, and throat symptoms, headache and fatigue. Gender, personality aspects, and psychosocial factors at work have lately been at focus in health research. The main aim of this thesis was to investigate the relationships between SBS and personal factors, personality traits, and psychosocial work stress. Two different populations were studied: a cohort of 195 subjects working in suspected “sick buildings” followed 1988-1999, and a random sample of 695 subjects from the Swedish population, 20-65 y. Two personality scales were used; the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP) and the Sense of Coherence (SOC). Two stress questionnaires were used: the 3-dimensional demands-control-support model (DCS) and the Assessment of Perceived Psychosocial Work Environment (PPWE). SBS and personal factors were assessed by a postal symptoms questionnaire and a symptom score (SC) was calculated. Personality was assessed by means of two verbal personality scales, the KSP and the SOC. Females in problem buildings had more SBS than men, and females had a lower SOC and more anxiety and aggressivity in the KSP. Females and males in the general working population reported differences in psychosocial work environment. Moreover, the associations between personality traits and SBS, and between DCS and SBS, differed between males and females. Over all, the investigated occupants of suspected sick-buildings were within the normal range for both KSP and SOC norms. However, those with symptoms showed prominent personality vulnerability, especially in anxiety, aggressivity, and lower SOC, compared to those that were not reporting symptoms. Female gender, low age, asthma, and a history of atopy were related to SBS in the general working population. A combination of low social support and either passive, strained, or active work situation, as well as a combination of high social support and active work situation, were associated with SBS. In conclusion, measurements of personality and psychosocial work environment could be of value in future studies on environmental syndromes. Moreover, the demans-control-support model can predict SBS, but in a more complex way than indicated by earlier research

A supportive climate and low strain promote well-being and sustainable working life in the operation theatre.

BACKGROUND: Shortage of health-care workers e.g. in operating theatres is a global problem. A shortage of staff negatively affects patient outcomes, making it important to keep the employees from quitting. The aim of this survey was to study if well-being, zest for work, and thoughts about leaving work in an operating theatre can be related to the psychosocial work environment, as described by the job demand-control-support (JDCS) model. METHODS: A questionnaire was provided to personnel in operating theatres of seven Swedish hospitals (n = 1405, with a response rate of 68%) that included the JDCS model, personal factors, work ability, well-being, zest for work, and thoughts about leaving their position. Ordinal scale regression was used for analyses. RESULTS: A majority reported moderate to high zest for work (76%). A minority (30%) had sometimes thought during at least one month in the last year of leaving their position. Lower social support scores and high demands together with low control (high-strain) scores were related to lower well-being, lower zest for work, and more thoughts about leaving the position. Anaesthetists scored in the low-strain field, nurse anaesthetists and assistant nurses in the passive field, and operating nurses in the active field, in comparison to all personnel. CONCLUSION: According to the JDCS model, both lower social support and high strain were related to lower well-being and negative thoughts about the position. Social support scores were about the same for different occupational groups in the operating theatre, and no occupation scored on average in the high-strain field

Återgång i arbetet efter sjukskrivning för rörelseorganens sjukdomar och lättare psykisk ohälsa

Syftet med detta projekt var att genom en vetenskaplig systematisk litteratur¬översikt beskriva vad som främjar återgång i arbete efter sjukskrivning för besvär från rörelseapparaten och s.k. ”lättare” psykisk ohälsa. Två fokus har funnits: 1. Effekten av rehabilitering och andra icke-kirurgiska/farma¬kologiska interventioner 2. Effekten av förhållanden i arbetsmiljön Intervention omfattar prevention, såväl primär (för att förhindra ohälsa), sekundär (att bota och lindra ohälsa) som tertiär (begränsa negativa effekter av ohälsa). Rehabilitering finns of-tast i gruppen tertiär prevention men kan också räknas till grupperna sekundär och primär pre-vention. God arbetsmiljö kan ses som en primärpreventiv insats som hindrar ohälsa och nedsatt arbetsförmåga. Svårigheter finns, främst inom fem områden, vid jämförelser mellan olika studier och hur resultaten kan evidensgraderas och generaliseras. • Skillnader i försäkringssystem • Förändringar i arbetsmarknaden över tid och mellan länder • Definitionen av återgång i arbete är inte entydig. • Sjukskrivningens längd innan interventionen genomförs • Tiden mellan interventionen och uppföljningen Vår systematiska litteraturgenomgång utgick från vetenskapliga originalartiklar, som fanns i litteraturdatabaserna Medline, PsychInfo, och Cochrane-biblioteket från 900101-081231. Rörelseorganens sjukdomar innefattar besvär från ländrygg, nacke, skuldra, armar, händer höft, knä, ben och fot. För många av dessa sjukdomar finns ingen specifik diagnos utan de är symtomdiagnoser där smärta och funktionsinskränkning är centrala fenomen. ”Lättare” psy-kisk ohälsa inkluderade i denna sammanställning är depression, ångest, utbrändhet eller ut-mattningsdepression samt anpassningsstörning. Förvånansvärt få studier har på ett vetenskapligt korrekt sätt undersökt effekten av interventioner och arbetsplatsfaktorer när det gäller återgång i arbete efter en kortare eller längre tids sjukskrivning. Området är svårstuderat och säkert finns åtgärder som har god effekt men som inte har kunnat vetenskapligt beläggas. Det finns ett visst stöd för att multi¬disciplinär rehabilitering som innehåller komponenter av fysisk aktivitet och psykologisk intervention, lösningsfokuserad KBT eller jämför¬bart, är posi-tivt för personer som är sjuk¬skrivna för besvär i rörelseorganen. Stödet begränsas till personer med sjukskrivnings¬tider på mellan ca fyra veckor till 4-6 månader. Det finns även stöd för att koordinerad vård och coachning för att komma tillbaka till arbetet är positivt i ett relativt ti-digt skede i sjukskriv¬ningen (< 3 månader). Effekterna är dock i flera fall inte stora. Det finns begränsat stöd för psykologiska interventioner som ensam behandlingskomponent. Med hänsyn till det omfattande fokus på sjukskrivningar för stressdiagnoser (utmattnings-syndrom, ”utbrändhet”, utmattningsdepression etc.) som varit i Sverige och vissa andra länder under det senaste årtiondet, är det förvånansvärt få studier publicerade som har sjukskrivning eller återgång i arbete som utfall. De studier som har ingått i vår granskning ger inte något entydigt stöd för några effektiva behandlingsmetoder vid denna typ av besvär. Det finns stort behov av fler vetenskapliga studier med fokus på återgång i arbete och före-trädesvis att man då använder tiden till återgång i arbete som utfall. Samtidigt måste hänsyn också tas till återfall i sjukfrånvaro med tanke på att det är relativt vanligt. Det finns också behov att utvärdera så kallade ”screening instrument” som med hög tillför-lighet kan prognostisera återgång i arbete för personer sjukskrivna kortare eller längre tid och med olika diagnoser. Även om en RCT studie under kontrollerade former har visat positiva resultat för en inter-vention, är det därmed inte sagt att samma grad av resultat uppnås när interventionen ges i reell miljö under mindre kontrollerade former. Många störfaktorer kan då göra sig gällande. För att fastställa hur strikt vetenskapliga resultat fungerar i den mer kaotiska verkligheten be-hövs stora observationsstudier för att följa upp hur nya interventioner fungerar inom vården och i arbetslivet

Self-rated health (SRH), recovery from work, fatigue, and insomnia among commercial pilots concerning occupational and non-occupational factors

Background: This study investigated associations of self-rated health (SRH), recovery from work, fatigue, and insomnia with working conditions, the psychosocial work environment, lifestyle, and sense of coherence (SOC) among commercial pilots. Methods: A standardized questionnaire was sent to all pilots in an airline company, of whom 354 (61%) responded. Associations were analyzed via ordinal and logistic regression with mutual adjustment. Results: Overall, 21.8% of participants reported low SRH, 13.0% reported not recovering from work during their free time, 61.9% experienced fatigue, and 70.6% experienced insomnia symptoms. A high level of demand at work was associated with poor SRH and more fatigue, and low social support at work was associated with insomnia and poorer recovery from work. Habits surrounding exercise and BMI were associated with SRH. Part-time pilots and captains reported experiencing better recovery from work than their counterparts, while female pilots and younger pilots reported less fatigue. Amount of free time after work and the type of airplane operated were associated with experience of insomnia symptoms. Finally, having a strong sense of coherence was protectively associated with all health outcomes. Conclusion: The psychosocial environment at work is essential for the health of pilots, and a strong sense of coherence can be protective. Occupational conditions may influence recovery from work, fatigue, and insomnia. Moreover, engaging in exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, working part-time, and having more free time after the working day could improve pilots' health

Data_Sheet_1_Self-rated health (SRH), recovery from work, fatigue, and insomnia among commercial pilots concerning occupational and non-occupational factors.docx

BackgroundThis study investigated associations of self-rated health (SRH), recovery from work, fatigue, and insomnia with working conditions, the psychosocial work environment, lifestyle, and sense of coherence (SOC) among commercial pilots.MethodsA standardized questionnaire was sent to all pilots in an airline company, of whom 354 (61%) responded. Associations were analyzed via ordinal and logistic regression with mutual adjustment.ResultsOverall, 21.8% of participants reported low SRH, 13.0% reported not recovering from work during their free time, 61.9% experienced fatigue, and 70.6% experienced insomnia symptoms. A high level of demand at work was associated with poor SRH and more fatigue, and low social support at work was associated with insomnia and poorer recovery from work. Habits surrounding exercise and BMI were associated with SRH. Part-time pilots and captains reported experiencing better recovery from work than their counterparts, while female pilots and younger pilots reported less fatigue. Amount of free time after work and the type of airplane operated were associated with experience of insomnia symptoms. Finally, having a strong sense of coherence was protectively associated with all health outcomes.ConclusionThe psychosocial environment at work is essential for the health of pilots, and a strong sense of coherence can be protective. Occupational conditions may influence recovery from work, fatigue, and insomnia. Moreover, engaging in exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, working part-time, and having more free time after the working day could improve pilots' health.</p