Associations between work stress, alcohol consumption and sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasse, R M; Nijhuis, F J; Kok, G

1998-02-01

To test an interactional model on the associations between work stressors, perceived stress, alcohol consumption and sickness absence. Cross-sectional survey. The study was part of a Worksite Health Project including an Employee Assistance Programme and a Health Promotion Programme in the Netherlands. Participants were blue-collar workers from two Municipal Garbage Collecting Departments and white-collar workers from a Pharmaceutical Company (N = 471). Measurements included socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, education, marital status), work stressors, perceived stress, alcohol consumption and sickness absence. Type of work-site (blue- or white-collar) and smoking behaviour were used as covariates. Regression analyses resulted in three major findings. First, in the presence of stress, abstinence increased the risk of sickness absence compared with moderate drinking. We failed to find a significant relationship between excessive drinking and sickness absence. Secondly, stress mediated the associations between stressor and alcohol consumption, and between stressor and sickness absence, although stressors also directly predicted sickness absence. The association between abstinence and sickness absence could reflect medical problems of abstainers or a lack of skills for coping with stress. The failure to find a significant detrimental effect of excessive drinking may have been due to use of a low threshold for excessive drinking and/or low power. Prospective studies are needed to gain insight in causal relationships between the variables concerned.

Work Absence in Europe

OpenAIRE

Leo Bonato; Lusine Lusinyan

2004-01-01

Work absence is a part of an individual's decision concerning hours worked. This paper focuses on sickness absence in Europe and builds on an analytical framework in which absence enters both labor supply and demand considerations, with sickness insurance provisions and labor market institutions affecting the costs of absence. The results from a panel of 18 European countries indicate that absence is higher under generous insurance systems and where employers bear little responsibility for th...

[Sickness absence associated with major life events].

Science.gov (United States)

Markussen, Simen; Røgeberg, Ole

2012-05-29

Sickness absence in the Norwegian workplace doubled in the period 1993-2003. However, the extent to which the driving factors were medical or non-medical remains unclear, as does the extent to which the cause may be found in the composition of the workforce. A differences-in-differences regression model was used to estimate the added sickness absence associated with major life events such as separation, death of spouse and pregnancy in the period 1993-2005. The data were obtained from administrative registers covering the entire Norwegian population, and include all absence periods of 16 days' duration or more reported by a doctor's medical certificate. The primary outcome measures were incidence (the proportion of absentees in a given time window) and absence (the proportion of sick days in a given time window). The level of absence among employees exposed to the specified life events was compared to control groups matched for gender, age, education and income. In 1993, people in each of the three groups exposed to major life events had more frequent and longer periods of absence than people in the control groups. This added sickness absence increased between 1993 and 2005. The changes in added sickness absence were at times significant, particularly for pregnant women. While sickness absence among pregnant women in 1993 was 15.4 percentage points higher than in the control group, the difference had increased to 24.8 percentage points in 2005. We find it improbable for the increase in added sickness absence to be caused by changes in the medical impact of life events or alterations in the workforce composition. We believe the increase is caused by changing attitudes among the working population and in the medical profession towards sickness absence on grounds that are not strictly medical, combined with improved social acceptance and diagnosis of mental health issues, and/or a medicalisation of natural health variations (pregnancy) and emotional distress (grief).

Changes in alcohol drinking and subsequent sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Salonsalmi, Aino; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero; Laaksonen, Mikko

2015-06-01

The aim was to examine whether changes in alcohol drinking are associated with sickness absence. Repeated postal questionnaires on alcohol drinking were conducted among employees of the City of Helsinki in 2000-2 and 2007 to assess changes in drinking habits between these two time points. Data on the number of self-certified and medically confirmed sickness absences were derived from the employer's register. Sickness absences were followed from 2007 until the end of 2010 among employees participating in both questionnaire surveys. The study includes 3252 female and 682 male employees 40-60 years old at baseline. Poisson regression was used in the data analysis and population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated. Alcohol drinking was associated especially with self-certified sickness absence. Rate ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for increasing weekly average drinking were 1.38, 1.18-1.62 among women and 1.58, 1.18-2.12 among men. Also stable problem drinking (for women 1.39, 1.26-1.54, for men 1.44, 1.10-1.87) and among women stable heavy drinking (1.53, 1.20-1.94) increased self-certified sickness absence. There were associations between alcohol drinking and medically confirmed sickness absence but these were mainly explained by health and health behaviours. Also, a decrease in weekly average drinking was associated with sickness absence among women whereas among men former problem drinking increased sickness absence. According to the PAF values, problem drinking had a stronger contribution to sickness absence than weekly average drinking. Alcohol drinking is particularly associated with self-certified sickness absence. Reducing adverse drinking habits is likely to prevent sickness absence. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Health-related behaviours and sickness absence from work.

Science.gov (United States)

Laaksonen, M; Piha, K; Martikainen, P; Rahkonen, O; Lahelma, E

2009-12-01

To compare associations of health-related behaviours with self-certified and medically confirmed sickness absence, and to examine whether these associations can be explained by psychosocial and physical working conditions and occupational social class. The study included 5470 female and 1464 male employees of the City of Helsinki surveyed in 2000-2002. These data were linked to sickness absence records until the end of 2005, providing a mean follow-up time of 3.9 years. Poisson regression analysis was used to examine associations of smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, dietary habits and relative weight (body mass index) with self-certified (1-3 days) and medically confirmed (> or =4 days) absence spells. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated to quantify the sickness absence burden related to the behaviours. Smoking and high relative weight were most strongly associated with sickness absence, while the associations of other studied health-related behaviours were weaker. The associations were stronger for medically confirmed sickness absence spells for which heavy smoking and obesity more than doubled the risk of sickness absence in men and nearly doubled it in women. Adjusting for psychosocial working conditions had little or no effect on the associations. Physical working conditions and social class somewhat attenuated the associations, especially for smoking and relative weight. In self-certified sickness absence the PAF for smoking (16.4 in men, 10.3 in women) was largest, while in medically confirmed absence relative weight had the largest PAF (23.5 in men, 15.0 in women). Health-related behaviours, smoking and high relative weight in particular, were associated with subsequent sickness absence independently of psychosocial and physical working conditions and social class. Decreasing smoking and relative weight is likely to provide important gains in work ability and reduce sickness absence.

Psychosocial work factors and sickness absence in 31 countries in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Chastang, Jean-François; Sultan-Taïeb, Hélène; Vermeylen, Greet; Parent-Thirion, Agnès

2013-08-01

The studies on the associations between psychosocial work factors and sickness absence have rarely included a large number of factors and European data. The objective was to examine the associations between a large set of psychosocial work factors following well-known and emergent concepts and sickness absence in Europe. The study population consisted of 14,881 male and 14,799 female workers in 31 countries from the 2005 European Working Conditions Survey. Psychosocial work factors included the following: decision latitude, psychological demands, social support, physical violence, sexual harassment, discrimination, bullying, long working hours, shift and night work, job insecurity, job promotion and work-life imbalance. Covariates were as follows: age, occupation, economic activity, employee/self-employed status and physical, chemical, biological and biomechanical exposures. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel negative binomial hurdle models to study the occurrence and duration of sickness absence. In the models, including all psychosocial work factors together and adjustment for covariates, high psychological demands, discrimination, bullying, low-job promotion and work-life imbalance for both genders and physical violence for women were observed as risk factors of the occurrence of sickness absence. Bullying and shift work increased the duration of absence among women. Bullying had the strongest association with sickness absence. Various psychosocial work factors were found to be associated with sickness absence. A less conservative analysis exploring each factor separately provided a still higher number of risk factors. Preventive measures should take psychosocial work environment more comprehensively into account to reduce sickness absence and improve health at work at European level.

Improving workplace productivity--it isn't just about reducing absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Harte, Kathy; Mahieu, Kathleen; Mallett, David; Norville, Julie; VanderWerf, Sander

2011-01-01

Employers must get more aggressive in their health and productivity strategies. A comprehensive strategy includes data analytics across health and lost-time programs, absence policies that meet today's needs for both employer and employee, health and wellness programs targeting modifiable health behaviors, and absence program administration that is aligned to operational goals. This article targets key aspects of a comprehensive long-term health and productivity strategic vision. An organization can use these aspects independently to address immediate tactical issues while it develops its broader strategy. The target areas include a view from the perspective of data management, absence program design and management, employee health and wellness, and behavioral health.

Workplace bullying and sickness absence: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the research literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Indregard, Anne-Marthe Rustad; Øverland, Simon

2016-09-01

The association between workplace bullying and sickness absence remains unclear. This paper presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of research on the association. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published primary studies on workplace bullying and sickness absence. Studies based on prospective design or registry data on sickness absence were included. Cross-sectional studies with self-reported sickness absence were excluded. Seventeen primary studies were included in the review, sixteen originated from the Nordic countries and fifteen included registry data on sickness absence. All but one study found that exposure to workplace bullying was associated with increased risk of sickness absence. A meta-analysis of ten independent studies showed that exposure to bullying increased the risk of sickness absence (odds ratio 1.58, 95% CI 1.39-1.79). Five studies included variables that moderated the association between bullying and absenteeism. None of the studies included mediating variables. No studies examined sickness absence as a risk factor for later exposure to bullying. Following the GRADE guidelines, the evidence for an association between bullying and sickness absence is moderate. Workplace bullying is a risk factor for sickness absence, but the mechanisms to explain this relationship are not sufficiently described. It is unclear whether sickness absence predicts later exposure to bullying. While, the methodological quality of the reviewed studies was high, the knowledge base is small. There is a need for more research on how and when bullying is related to sickness absence and the possible bidirectional relationships involved.

Pancreatic invasion of gastric carcinoma in emaciated patients: The value of combined analysis with CT and upper gastrointestinal series

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jae Mun; Kim, Hyun; Kim, Choon Yul; Bahk, Yong Whee [Catholic University Medical College, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

1992-03-15

The obliteration of a fat plane between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas is a major criterion on CT scan for pancreatic invasion of gastric carcinoma. However, this sign is not always a reliable indicator of invasion, as the patients with gastric carcinoma are often emaciated, producing a false positive CT findings. The purpose of our study is to improve the diagnostic accuracy of pancreatic invasion of gastric carcinoma in cases which the fat plane between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas is obliterated in conventional CT scan. The authors performed lateral decubitus as well as supine CT scans and upper gastrointestinal series(UGIS) in 49 pathologically proven cases in which the fat plane was obliterated between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas on conventional supine CT scan. Pancreatic invasion was suggested when the fat plane was obliterated persistently in the lateral decubitus view as well as the spine CT images and the involved gastric wall and adjacent pancreas maintained constant approximation despite postural change(CT+), and when the gastric tumor moved downward on the erect view of the UGIS no more than 1.5 times the height of the first lumbar vertebral body(UGIS+). Among 49 cases in which the fat plane between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas was obliterated on supine CT scan, pancreatic invasion was confirmed pathologically in 11 cases(22.4%). Eight of 11 cases proven as pancreatic invasion were correctly diagnosed as pancreatic invasion by this combined analysis(CT+/UGIS+, 72.7%). Twenty seven of 38 cases proven as no pancreatic invasion were correctly diagnosed as no pancreatic invasion(CT-/UGIS-, 71.1%). Twelve cases showed CT+/UGIS- or CT-/UGIS+, so it was inconclusive whether there was invasion or not. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 71.4%. In conclusion, combined analysis with supine and lateral decubitus CT and UGIS is useful for improving diagnostic accuracy for pancreatic invasion by gastric carcinoma in patients of

Pancreatic invasion of gastric carcinoma in emaciated patients: The value of combined analysis with CT and upper gastrointestinal series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jae Mun; Kim, Hyun; Kim, Choon Yul; Bahk, Yong Whee

1992-01-01

The obliteration of a fat plane between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas is a major criterion on CT scan for pancreatic invasion of gastric carcinoma. However, this sign is not always a reliable indicator of invasion, as the patients with gastric carcinoma are often emaciated, producing a false positive CT findings. The purpose of our study is to improve the diagnostic accuracy of pancreatic invasion of gastric carcinoma in cases which the fat plane between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas is obliterated in conventional CT scan. The authors performed lateral decubitus as well as supine CT scans and upper gastrointestinal series(UGIS) in 49 pathologically proven cases in which the fat plane was obliterated between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas on conventional supine CT scan. Pancreatic invasion was suggested when the fat plane was obliterated persistently in the lateral decubitus view as well as the spine CT images and the involved gastric wall and adjacent pancreas maintained constant approximation despite postural change(CT+), and when the gastric tumor moved downward on the erect view of the UGIS no more than 1.5 times the height of the first lumbar vertebral body(UGIS+). Among 49 cases in which the fat plane between the gastric carcinoma and the pancreas was obliterated on supine CT scan, pancreatic invasion was confirmed pathologically in 11 cases(22.4%). Eight of 11 cases proven as pancreatic invasion were correctly diagnosed as pancreatic invasion by this combined analysis(CT+/UGIS+, 72.7%). Twenty seven of 38 cases proven as no pancreatic invasion were correctly diagnosed as no pancreatic invasion(CT-/UGIS-, 71.1%). Twelve cases showed CT+/UGIS- or CT-/UGIS+, so it was inconclusive whether there was invasion or not. The overall diagnostic accuracy was 71.4%. In conclusion, combined analysis with supine and lateral decubitus CT and UGIS is useful for improving diagnostic accuracy for pancreatic invasion by gastric carcinoma in patients of

A preliminary report of 123 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in HIV-positive patients with anemia and emaciation.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, N

2006-01-01

Cord blood, because of its rich mix of fetal and adult hemoglobin, high platelet and WBC counts, and a plasma filled with cytokine and growth factors, as well as its hypo antigenic nature and altered metabolic profile, has all the potential of a real and safe alternative to adult blood transfusion. Our team's experience (from 1st April 1999 to 1st July 2005) with 123 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood (62 ml-154 ml mean 85 ml +/- 8.4 ml SD, median 82 ml, mean packed cell volume 48.8 +/- 4.2 SD, mean percent hemoglobin concentration 16.3 g/dl +/- 1.6 g/dl SD; after collection the blood was immediately preserved in a refrigerator and transfused within 72 hours of collection) collected after lower uterine cesarean section (LUCS), and the transfusion to 16 consenting HIV-positive patients (12 cases had full blown AIDS) with anemia and emaciation is presented here. On the basis of our preliminary experience of cord blood transfusion, we are of the opinion that umbilical cord whole blood transfusion is safe in HIV-positive patients. This blood has the potential to carry more oxygen than adult blood and it does not trigger any clinical, immunological or non-immunological reaction after its transfusion to an adult host with a HIV-positive status. Apart from the correction of anemia, there was also definite improvement in the energy and fatigue levels in individuals with HIV, i.e., physical functioning, a sense of well-being and weight gain from two to five pounds, within three to ten months of the commencement of transfusion. There was also an immediate rise in CD34 levels of peripheral blood in the HLA-randomized host after transfusion, without any clinical graft vs host reaction.

A new intranuclear microsporidium, Enterospora nucleophila n. sp., causing an emaciative syndrome in a piscine host (Sparus aurata), prompts the redescription of the family Enterocytozoonidae.

Science.gov (United States)

Palenzuela, Oswaldo; Redondo, María José; Cali, Ann; Takvorian, Peter M; Alonso-Naveiro, María; Alvarez-Pellitero, Pilar; Sitjà-Bobadilla, Ariadna

2014-03-01

The presence of a new microsporidium is believed to be responsible for an emaciative syndrome observed in farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) from different facilities along the Spanish coast. Infected fish were approximately half the average weight and significant mortality was attributed to the condition in some facilities. Clinical signs included anorexia, cachexia and pale internal organs. The microsporidium was found mainly in the intestinal mucosa and occasionally in the submucosa. Morphological, histopathological, ultrastructural and molecular phylogenetic studies were conducted to characterise this organism. This microsporidium undergoes intranuclear development in rodlet cells and enterocytes, and cytoplasmic development mainly in enterocytes and macrophages. The nucleus-infecting plasmodium contains several diplokarya and displays polysporous development which occurs without an interfacial envelope. In the host cell cytoplasm, the parasite develops within a membrane-bound matrix. In both infection locations, the polar tube precursors appear as disks, first with lucent centres, then as fully dense disks as they fuse to form the polar filament, all before division of the plasmodium into sporoblasts. Up to 16 intranuclear spores result from the sporogonic development of a single plasmodium, whereas more than 40 spores result from several asynchronous reproductive cycles in the cytoplasmic infection. Fixed spores are ellipsoidal and diplokaryotic, with five to six coils of an isofilar polar filament in a single row. ssrDNA-based molecular phylogenetic inference places this parasite as a sister clade to crustacean-infecting species of the Enterocytozoonidae and closer to Enterocytozoon bieneusi than to other fish-infecting microsporidians presenting intranuclear development, i.e. Nucleospora, Paranucleospora and Desmozoon. Our studies result in the erection of a new species, Enterospora nucleophila, within the family Enterocytozoonidae, and the

Severe occupational hand eczema, job stress and cumulative sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Böhm, D; Stock Gissendanner, S; Finkeldey, F; John, S M; Werfel, T; Diepgen, T L; Breuer, K

2014-10-01

Stress is known to activate or exacerbate dermatoses, but the relationships between chronic stress, job-related stress and sickness absence among occupational hand eczema (OHE) patients are inadequately understood. To see whether chronic stress or burnout symptoms were associated with cumulative sickness absence in patients with OHE and to determine which factors predicted sickness absence in a model including measures of job-related and chronic stress. We investigated correlations of these factors in employed adult inpatients with a history of sickness absence due to OHE in a retrospective cross-sectional explorative study, which assessed chronic stress (Trier Inventory for the Assessment of Chronic Stress), burnout (Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure), clinical symptom severity (Osnabrück Hand Eczema Severity Index), perceived symptom severity, demographic characteristics and cumulative days of sickness absence. The study group consisted of 122 patients. OHE symptoms were not more severe among patients experiencing greater stress and burnout. Women reported higher levels of chronic stress on some measures. Cumulative days of sickness absence correlated with individual dimensions of job-related stress and, in multiple regression analysis, with an overall measure of chronic stress. Chronic stress is an additional factor predicting cumulative sickness absence among severely affected OHE patients. Other relevant factors for this study sample included the 'cognitive weariness' subscale of the Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure and the physical component summary score of the SF-36, a measure of health-related life quality. Prevention and rehabilitation should take job stress into consideration in multidisciplinary treatment strategies for severely affected OHE patients. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effect of absence of vision on posture.

Science.gov (United States)

Alotaibi, Abdullah Z; Alghadir, Ahmad; Iqbal, Zaheen A; Anwer, Shahnawaz

2016-04-01

[Purpose] The visual system is one of the sensory systems that enables the body to assess and process information about the external environment. In the absence of vision, a blind person loses contact with the outside world and develops faulty motor patterns, which results in postural deficiencies. However, literature regarding the development of such deficiencies is limited. The aim of this study was to discuss the effect of absence of vision on posture, the possible biomechanics behind the resulting postural deficiencies, and strategies to correct and prevent them. [Subjects and Methods] Various electronic databases including PubMed, Medline, and Google scholar were examined using the words "body", "posture", "blind" and "absence of vision". References in the retrieved articles were also examined for cross-references. The search was limited to articles in the English language. [Results] A total of 74 papers were shortlisted for this review, most of which dated back to the 1950s and 60s. [Conclusion] Blind people exhibit consistent musculoskeletal deformities. Absence of vision leads to numerous abnormal sensory and motor interactions that often limit blind people in isolation. Rehabilitation of the blind is a multidisciplinary task. Specialists from different fields need to diagnose and treat the deficiencies of the blind together as a team. Before restoring the normal mechanics of posture and gait, the missing link with the external world should be reestablished.

Systematic review of active workplace interventions to reduce sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Odeen, M; Magnussen, L H; Maeland, S; Larun, L; Eriksen, H R; Tveito, T H

2013-01-01

The workplace is used as a setting for interventions to prevent and reduce sickness absence, regardless of the specific medical conditions and diagnoses. To give an overview of the general effectiveness of active workplace interventions aimed at preventing and reducing sickness absence. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Psych-info, and ISI web of knowledge on 27 December 2011. Inclusion criteria were (i) participants over 18 years old with an active role in the intervention, (ii) intervention done partly or fully at the workplace or at the initiative of the workplace and (iii) sickness absence reported. Two reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. A narrative synthesis was used. We identified 2036 articles of which, 93 were assessed in full text. Seventeen articles were included (2 with low and 15 with medium risk of bias), with a total of 24 comparisons. Five interventions from four articles significantly reduced sickness absence. We found moderate evidence that graded activity reduced sickness absence and limited evidence that the Sheerbrooke model (a comprehensive multidisciplinary intervention) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) reduced sickness absence. There was moderate evidence that workplace education and physical exercise did not reduce sickness absence. For other interventions, the evidence was insufficient to draw conclusions. The review found limited evidence that active workplace interventions were not generally effective in reducing sickness absence, but there was moderate evidence of effect for graded activity and limited evidence for the effectiveness of the Sheerbrooke model and CBT.

Radiographic evaluation of 70 patients with absence of the corpus callosum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrd, S.E.; Flannery, A.; Osborn, R.E.; Radkowski, M.A.; Naidich, T.P.; Bohan, T.P.

1987-01-01

Absence (agenesis) of the corpus callosum is one of the most common congenital malformations of the brain seen in the pediatric population. The authors used CT, MR imaging, or US to study 70 children with absence of the corpus callosum. Patients were divided into two groups; those with isolated absence of the corpus callosum, and those with other associated brain lesions. The associated brain lesions included interhemispheric arachnoid cyst, Dandy-Walker malformations, encephaloceles, and migrational disorders (heterotopias, schizencephaly, lissencaphaly, septo-optic dysplasia, lipoma, Chiari malformations, and holoprosenscephaly). The clinical presentations and radiologic findings are described

Analyses of Sickness Absence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijnen, S.M.M.

2014-01-01

Sickness absence is an empirical phenomenon of all time. Generally, it has a medical cause. However, other factors also appear to have an impact on the actual rate of sickness absence, such as the institutional setting, the business cycle and the economic structure. Many questions on the different

Varied autopsy findings in five treated patients with Gaucher disease and parkinsonism include the absence of Gaucher cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Monestime, Gianina; Borger, Daniel K; Kim, Jenny; Lopez, Grisel; Allgaeuer, Michael; Jain, Dhanpat; Vortmeyer, Alexander; Wang, Hao-Wei; Sidransky, Ellen

2016-05-01

Enzyme replacement therapy is standard of care for patients with Gaucher disease, as it significantly improves skeletal, visceral, and hematological symptoms. Few pathological studies have documented the extent of pathological findings in treated patients. Autopsy findings in five treated patients, who ultimately developed parkinsonism, ranged from the complete absence of Gaucher pathology to extensive involvement of multiple tissues, without correlation to age, genotype, spleen status, or dose/duration of therapy. Additional autopsies may elucidate modifiers and biomarkers contributing to disease burden and response to therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Leakage from medically-certified to self-certified workplace absence among norwegian employees

OpenAIRE

Karlsen, Geir Runar; Ytterstad, Elinor

2017-01-01

Source at https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20021518.2017.1411119 There are two different kinds of sickness absence in Norway: self-certified absence (SCA), and medically-certified absence (MCA). In this study of 6437 Norwegian employees, we applied logistic regression models for a dichotomous SCA variable on initially 38 independent vari- ables including age and gender. Our findings showed that employees reporting long-term health issues but no record of MCA in the past 12 months (...

Multidimensional intervention and sickness absence in assistant nursing students

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svensson, Annemarie Lyng; Strøyer, Jesper; Ebbehøj, Niels Erik

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: When handling patients, nursing assistant (NA) students and nurse students are frequently exposed to risk factors for low back pain (LBP) including sudden loads and twisting and bending of the spine. Furthermore, LBP is a major cause of sickness absence. AIMS: To ascertain...... if a multidimensional prevention programme combining physical training, patient transfer technique and stress management prevents sickness absence and LBP in NA students. METHODS: The study was a 14-month cluster randomized controlled study. The participants were NA students from 37 randomly selected classes located...... at two schools of health and social care in Copenhagen, Denmark. The participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire regarding sickness absence, LBP and psychosocial factors on commencement and after completion of the study. RESULTS: Of 766 female NA students, 668 (87%) completed the baseline...

Strains of Sarcocystis neurona exhibit differences in their surface antigens, including the absence of the major surface antigen SnSAG1.

Science.gov (United States)

Howe, Daniel K; Gaji, Rajshekhar Y; Marsh, Antoinette E; Patil, Bhagyashree A; Saville, William J; Lindsay, David S; Dubey, J P; Granstrom, David E

2008-05-01

A gene family of surface antigens is expressed by merozoites of Sarcocystis neurona, the primary cause of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). These surface proteins, designated SnSAGs, are immunodominant and therefore excellent candidates for development of EPM diagnostics or vaccines. Prior work had identified an EPM isolate lacking the major surface antigen SnSAG1, thus suggesting there may be some diversity in the SnSAGs expressed by different S. neurona isolates. Therefore, a bioinformatic, molecular and immunological study was conducted to assess conservation of the SnSAGs. Examination of an expressed sequence tag (EST) database revealed several notable SnSAG polymorphisms. In particular, the EST information implied that the EPM strain SN4 lacked the major surface antigen SnSAG1. The absence of this surface antigen from the SN4 strain was confirmed by both Western blot and Southern blot. To evaluate SnSAG polymorphisms in the S. neurona population, 14 strains were examined by Western blots using monospecific polyclonal antibodies against the four described SnSAGs. The results of these analyses demonstrated that SnSAG2, SnSAG3, and SnSAG4 are present in all 14 S. neurona strains tested, although some variance in SnSAG4 was observed. Importantly, SnSAG1 was not detected in seven of the strains, which included isolates from four cases of EPM and a case of fatal meningoencephalitis in a sea otter. Genetic analyses by PCR using gene-specific primers confirmed the absence of the SnSAG1 locus in six of these seven strains. Collectively, the data indicated that there is heterogeneity in the surface antigen composition of different S. neurona isolates, which is an important consideration for development of serological tests and prospective vaccines for EPM. Furthermore, the diversity reported herein likely extends to other phenotypes, such as strain virulence, and may have implications for the phylogeny of the various Sarcocystis spp. that undergo sexual stages

Mortality patterns in endangered Hawaiian geese (Nene; Branta sandvicensis)

Science.gov (United States)

Work, Thierry M.; Dagenais, Julie; Rameyer, Robert; Breeden, Renee

2015-01-01

Understanding causes of death can aid management and recovery of endangered bird populations. Toward those ends, we systematically examined 300 carcasses of endangered Hawaiian Geese (Nene; Branta sandvicensis) from Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, and Kauai between 1992 and 2013. The most common cause of death was emaciation, followed by trauma (vehicular strikes and predation), and infectious/inflammatory diseases of which toxoplasmosis (infection with Toxoplasma gondii) predominated. Toxicoses were less common and were dominated by lead poisoning or botulism. For captive birds, inflammatory conditions predominated, whereas emaciation, trauma, and inflammation were common in free-ranging birds. Mortality patterns were similar for males and females. Trauma predominated for adults, whereas emaciation was more common for goslings. Causes of death varied among islands, with trauma dominating on Molokai, emaciation and inflammation on Kauai, emaciation on Hawaii, and inflammation and trauma on Maui. Understanding habitat or genetic-related factors that predispose Nene (particularly goslings) to emaciation might reduce the impact of this finding. In addition, trauma and infection with T. gondii are human-related problems that may be attenuated if effectively managed (e.g., road signs, enforcement of speed limits, feral cat [Felis catus] control). Such management actions might serve to enhance recovery of this endangered species.

Mineral density and biomechanical properties of bone tissue from male Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) exposed to organochlorine contaminants and emaciation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sonne, Christian; Wolkers, Hans; Rigét, Frank F; Jensen, Jens-Erik Beck; Teilmann, Jenni; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro; Fuglei, Eva; Ahlstrøm, Øystein; Dietz, Rune; Muir, Derek C G; Jørgensen, Even H

2009-01-01

We investigated the impact from dietary OC (organochlorine) exposure and restricted feeding (emaciation) on bone mineral density (BMD; g hydroxy-apatite cm(-2)) in femoral, vertebrate, skull and baculum osteoid tissue from farmed Arctic blue foxes (Vulpes lagopus). For femur, also biomechanical properties during bending (displacement [mm], load [N], energy absorption [J] and stiffness [N/mm]) were measured. Sixteen foxes (EXP) were fed a wet food containing 7.7% OC-polluted minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) blubber in two periods of body fat deposition (Aug-Dec) and two periods of body fat mobilisation (Jan-July) in which the food contained less energy and only 2% blubber. SigmaOC food concentration in the food containing 7.7% whale blubber was 309 ng/g wet mass. This corresponded to a SigmaOC exposure of ca. 17 microg/kg body mass/d and a responding SigmaOC residue in subcutaneous adipose tissue of ca. 1700 ng/g live mass in the 8 EXP fat foxes euthanized after 16 months. A control group (CON) composed of 15 foxes were fed equal daily caloric amounts of clean pork (Sus scrofa) fat. After 16 months, 8 EXP and 7 CON foxes were euthanized (mean body mass=9.25 kg) while the remaining 8 EXP and 8 CON foxes were given restricted food rations for 6 months resulting in a body weight reduction (mean body mass=5.46 kg). The results showed that only BMD(skull) vs. BMD(vertebrae) were significantly correlated (R=0.68; p=0.03; n=10) probably due to a similar composition of trabecular and cortical osteoid tissue. No difference in any of the BMD measurements or femoral biomechanical properties was found between EXP and CON foxes although BMD baculum was 1.6-folds lower in the EXP group. However, lean summer foxes had significantly lower femoral biomechanical properties measured as displacement (mm), energy absorption (J) and time (s) biomechanical properties than fat winter foxes (all pbones from fasting which is in agreement with previous studies. Further, it should be

Approaches for predicting long-term sickness absence. Re: Schouten et al. "Screening manual and office workers for risk of long-term sickness absence: cut-off points for the Work Ability Index".

Science.gov (United States)

van Amelsvoort, Ludovic Gpm; Jansen, Nicole W H; Kant, I Jmert

2015-05-01

We read with much interest the article of Schouten et al (1) on identifying workers with a high risk for future long-term sickness absence using the Work Ability Index (WAI). The ability to identify high-risk workers might facilitate targeted interventions for such workers and, consequently, can reduce sickness absence levels and improve workers' health. Earlier studies by both Tamela et al (2), Kant et al (3), and Lexis et al (4) have demonstrated that such an approach, based on the identification of high-risk workers and a subsequent intervention, can be effectively applied in practice to reduce sickness absence significantly. The reason for our letter on Schouten et al's article is twofold. First, by including workers already on sick leave in a study predicting long-term sick leave will result in an overestimation of the predictive properties of the instrument and biased predictors, especially when also the outcome of interest is included as a factor in the prediction model. Second, we object to the use of the term "screening" when subjects with the condition screened for are included in the study. Reinforced by the inclusion of sickness absence in the prediction model, including workers already on sick leave will shift the focus of the study findings towards the prediction of (re)current sickness absence and workers with a below-average return-to-work rate, rather than the identification of workers at high risk for the onset of future long-term sickness absence. The possibilities for prevention will shift from pure secondary prevention to a mix of secondary and tertiary prevention. As a consequence, the predictors of the model presented in the Schouten et al article can be used as a basis for tailoring neither preventive measures nor interventions. Moreover, including the outcome (sickness absence) as a predictor in the model, especially in a mixed population including workers with and without the condition (on sick leave), will result in biased predictors and

The gender gap in sickness absence from work and the influence of parental absence on offspring absence 15 years later: register-based cohort of Norwegians born in 1974-1976.

Science.gov (United States)

Kristensen, Petter; Corbett, Karina; Mehlum, Ingrid Sivesind

2015-07-21

Women have shown consistently higher levels of sickness absence from work in comparison to men, but explanations for this gender gap have not been completely understood. Life-course studies suggest that health and health-related social benefits in adult age are influenced by early life experiences. We aimed to estimate intergenerational associations with a 15-year time gap between parents' and offspring sickness absences, pursuing the hypothesis that this parental influence would have a stronger impact for women than for men. All persons born alive between 1974 and 1976 in Norway were followed up in several national registries. Employed persons considered to be at risk of sickness absence and also with parents at risk of sickness absence (n = 78,878) were followed in the calendar year of their 33(rd) birthday with respect to spells lasting >16 days. The probability of one or more spells during this year constituted the one-year risk under study. Additive risk differences in association with an exposure (parental sickness absence 15 years earlier) were estimated in a binomial regression analysis. The estimates were adjusted for parental socioeconomic factors. The 1-year sickness absence risk was higher for women (30.4%) than for men (12.3%). The crude risk differences between those exposed and those unexposed to parental sickness absence were similar in percentage points (PP) for women (3.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.6 to 4.9) and men (3.8; 95% CI 2.9 to 4.6). The risk differences were moderately attenuated after adjustment for parental education and father's income to 3.4 PP (2.2 to 4.5) for women and 2.8 PP (2.0 to 3.7) for men. Male absence was more strongly associated with the father's than with the mother's sickness absence, while associations for women were stronger for the same diagnostic groups as their parents. Parental sickness absence was moderately associated with sickness absence in the next generation. Bias from unmeasured confounders cannot

Examining paid sickness absence by shift workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Catano, V M; Bissonnette, A B

2014-06-01

Shift workers are at greater risk than day workers with respect to psychological and physical health, yet little research has linked shift work to increased sickness absence. To investigate the relationship between shift work and sickness absence while controlling for organizational and individual characteristics and shift work attributes that have confounded previous research. The study used archive data collected from three national surveys in Canada, each involving over 20000 employees and 6000 private-sector firms in 14 different occupational groups. The employees reported the number of paid sickness absence days in the past 12 months. Data were analysed using both chi-squared statistics and hierarchical regressions. Contrary to previous research, shift workers took less paid sickness absence than day workers. There were no differences in the length of the sickness absence between both groups or in sickness absence taken by female and male workers whether working days or shifts. Only job tenure, the presence of a union in the workplace and working rotating shifts predicted sickness absence in shift workers. The results were consistent across all three samples. In general, shift work does not seem to be linked to increased sickness absence. However, such associations may be true for specific industries. Male and female workers did not differ in the amount of sickness absence taken. Rotating shifts, regardless of industry, predicted sickness absence among shift workers. Consideration should be given to implementing scheduled time off between shift changes. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impact of School Flu Vaccine Program on Student Absences

Science.gov (United States)

Plaspohl, Sara S.; Dixon, Betty T.; Streater, James A.; Hausauer, Elizabeth T.; Newman, Christopher P.; Vogel, Robert L.

2014-01-01

Literature provides evidence that school attendance correlates with academic performance and student success. Influenza is a contributing factor to school absences. Primary prevention for influenza includes immunization. School-located influenza vaccine (SLIV) programs provide greater access for students to be immunized. A retrospective review of…

Job demands, health perception and sickness absence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, C.A.; Koopmans, P.C.; de Graaf, J.H.; van Zandbergen, J.W.; Groothoff, J.W.

2007-01-01

Background Investigation of the relations between job demands, health and sickness absence is required to design a strategy for the prevention of absence and disability. Aim To study the relationships between (physical and psychological) job demands, health perception and sickness absence. Methods

Job satisfaction and sickness absence: a questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Roelen, Corné A M; Koopmans, Petra C; Notenbomer, Annette; Groothoff, Johan W

2008-12-01

When dissatisfaction with work precedes sickness absence, screening for satisfaction levels might usefully detect workers at risk of sickness absence. To investigate whether job satisfaction was associated with subsequent sickness absence days or episodes. A sample of workers was randomly drawn from a population of employees who had an episode of absence between January and April 2003. Job satisfaction was measured using a validated single question with a Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (very dissatisfied) to 7 (very satisfied). Job satisfaction levels were linked to the number of recorded sickness absence days and episodes in 2003, distinguishing between short (1-7 days) episodes and long (>7 days) episodes. Of 898 questionnaires distributed, 518 (58%) were returned. The mean+/-standard deviation job satisfaction level was 5.1+/-1.4 and negatively related to the number of sickness absence days. Job satisfaction was also negatively related to the number of short episodes and long episodes of absence, but these associations were not significant. Job satisfaction was significantly related to total sickness absence duration. The association with the number of sickness absence episodes was weak and just below the level of statistical significance. Assessing work satisfaction levels might usefully identify those workers most likely to have the greatest sickness absence duration.

Employee experience of workplace supervisor contact and support during long-term sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Buys, Nicholas J; Selander, John; Sun, Jing

2017-12-07

Workplace support is an important factor in promoting successful return to work. The purpose of this article is to examine relationships between supervisor contact, perceived workplace support and demographic variables among employees on long-term sickness absence. Data were collected from 204 public employees at a municipality in Sweden who had been on long term sickness absence (60 days or more) using a 23 question survey instrument that collected information on demographic variables, supervisor contact and perceived workplace support. Most injured employees (97%) reported having contact with their supervisors during their sickness absence, with a majority (56%) reporting high levels of support, including early (58.6%) and multiple (70.7%) contacts. Most were pleased with amount of contact (68.9%) and the majority had discussed workplace accommodations (68.1%). Employees who self-initiated contact, felt the amount of contact was appropriate, had a personal meeting with their supervisors and discussed workplace adjustments reported experiencing higher levels of support from supervisors. Employees on long-term sickness absence appreciate contact from their supervisors and this is associated with perceived workplace support. However, the amount and employee experience of this contact is important. It needs to be perceived by employees as supportive, which includes a focus on strategies (e.g., work adjustment) to facilitate a return to work. Supervisor training is required in this area to support the return to work process. Implications for Rehabilitation Contact and support from workplace supervisors is important to workers on long-term sickness absence. Employees appreciate frequent contact from supervisors during long-terms sickness absence. Employees appreciate a personal meeting with supervisors and the opportunity to discuss issues related to return to work such as work adjustment. Employers should provide training to supervisors on how to communicate and

Does contact by a family nurse practitioner decrease early school absence?

Science.gov (United States)

Kerr, Jill; Price, Marva; Kotch, Jonathan; Willis, Stephanie; Fisher, Michael; Silva, Susan

2012-02-01

Chronic early school absence (preschool through third grade) is associated with school failure. The presence of school nurses may lead to fewer absences, and nurse practitioners in school-based health centers (SBHCs) can facilitate a healthier population resulting in improved attendance. Efforts to get students back to school are unexplored in nursing literature. This article describes a nursing intervention to decrease early school absence in two elementary schools K-3 (N = 449) and a Head Start program (N = 130). The Head Start Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) contacted families of chronically and excessively absent students by telephone, clinic visit at school, or home visit. The aggregate percentage attendance was evaluated by grades (preschool to third grade), schools (Head Start, Elementary Schools 1 and 2), and grades and schools and compared with publicly available school district aggregate data. There were statistically significant increases in attendance from Year 1 to Year 2 at p < .05 at the elementary level but not at the Head Start level. Student demographics, types of contacts, absence reasons (including sick child), and medical diagnoses are described.

[Congenital absence and loss of teeth in an orthodontic patient group].

Science.gov (United States)

Dechkunakorn, S; Chaiwat, J; Sawaengkit, P

1990-01-01

Panoramic radiographs of 1,160 orthodontic patients, 655 females and 505 males, 6-15 years of age were selected for study in congenital absence, loss of permanent teeth and premature loss of deciduous teeth. The result from this investigation showed congenital absence for 100 subjects (8.6%, not including third molars) and 185 subjects (16%, third molars included). The permanent upper lateral incisors are most frequently missing (22.4%, third molars excluded), followed by upper second premolar, 17.8%, lower second premolar, 15.1%, and then lower lateral incisor, 12.5%. The study also showed loss of permanent teeth of 105 subjects (9.1%). The lower first molars are most frequently lost (52.8%), followed by the upper first molar (18.2%). There is no statistical significance (alpha = 0.01) between females and males in both congenital absence and loss of permanent teeth. The premature loss of deciduous teeth was found in 467 subjects (40.3%). The most frequently loss happened to second deciduous molars, followed by first deciduous molars and then deciduous canines. There is more statistical significance (alpha = 0.01) in females than in males.

Long-term sickness absence from work due to physical inactivity: A registry-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Høgsbro, Cecilie; Davidsen, Michael; Sørensen, Jan

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between leisure-time physical inactivity and long-term sickness absence in a representative sample of individuals aged 16-54 years, within the labour market and in good health. It was hypothesised that physically inactive individuals have a higher risk of long-term sickness absence and longer duration of sickness absence. The study population was identified from the National Health and Morbidity Survey, 2010. Weekly data on long-term sickness absence were obtained from the National Register on Social Transfer Payments (the DREAM registry). The association of incidence and duration of long-term sickness absence with physical inactivity was explored using logistic and Poisson regression. Data were fitted to models with levels of physical activity, demographic, social and lifestyle characteristics as independent variables. A combined hurdle model was used to estimate the difference in mean number of absence weeks. Logistic regression showed that physically inactive individuals had a 27% higher incidence of long-term sickness absence compared with physically active individuals. The Poisson regression showed that long-term sickness absence was only slightly shorter (1 week less) for moderately active individuals compared with inactive individuals. The hurdle model estimated longer absence periods for inactive individuals (additional 2.5 weeks) in comparison with moderately and highly active individuals. The study showed that physically inactive individuals have a higher incidence of long-term absence and that physically inactive individuals have longer periods with sickness absence than moderately and highly active individuals. When adjustments for social and health behaviour were included, the estimated associations became statistically insignificant.

Sickness absence at a young age and later sickness absence, disability pension, death, unemployment and income in native Swedes and immigrants

Science.gov (United States)

Johansson, Bo; Nordqvist, Tobias; Lundberg, Ingvar; Vingård, Eva

2015-01-01

Background: Sickness absence with cash benefits from the sickness insurance gives an opportunity to be relieved from work without losing financial security. There are, however, downsides to taking sickness absence. Periods of sickness absence, even short ones, can increase the risk for future spells of sickness absence and unemployment. The sickness period may in itself have a detrimental effect on health. The aim of the study was to investigate if there is an association between exposure to sickness absence at a young age and later sickness absence, disability pension, death, unemployment and income from work. Methods: Our cohort consisted of all immigrants aged 21–25 years in Sweden in 1993 (N = 38 207) and a control group of native Swedes in the same age group (N = 225 977). We measured exposure to sickness absence in 1993 with a follow-up period of 15 years. We conducted separate analyses for men and women, and for immigrants and native Swedes. Results: Exposure to ≥60 days of sickness absence in 1993 increased the risk of sickness absence [hazard ratio (HR) 1.6–11.4], unemployment (HR 1.1–1.2), disability pension (HR 1.2–5.3) and death (HR 1.2–3.5). The income from work, during the follow-up period, among individuals with spells of sick leave for ≥60 days in 1993 was around two-thirds of that of the working population who did not take sick leave. Conclusions: Individuals on sickness absence had an increased risk for work absence, death and lower future income. PMID:25634955

Does Workplace Bullying Affect Long-Term Sickness Absence Among Co-Workers?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Åse Marie; Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Bonde, Jens Peter

2018-01-01

AIM: To examine if non-bullied employees at work units (WUs) with workplace bullying have more long-term sickness absence (LTSA) than employees in non-bullying WUs. METHODS: We included 7229 public health employees from 302 WUs and 3158 responders to a questionnaire on working conditions and health...... in 2007. WUs were classified into three categories of WUs; 1) no bullying (0% bullied); 2) moderate prevalence of bullying (bullied); and 3) high prevalence of bullying (≥10% bullied). LTSA (≥30 consecutive days of sickness absence) during the following two years was obtained by linkage to the Danish...... register of sickness absence compensation benefits and social transfer payments. RESULTS: Non-bullied co-workers in WUs, where bullying was reported had 15 to 22% more LTSA compared with non-bullying WUs. CONCLUSION: Workplace bullying may be associated with LTSA in the entire WU....

Medically certified sickness absence among health care workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Khawaja, Rajab Ali; Sikander, Raheel; Khawaja, Asad Ali; Jareno, Rechel Joy Macadaan; Halepota, Aurangzeb Taj

2012-09-01

To compare the days and spells of sickness absence among males versus females and Saudi nationals versus expatriate employees of King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, and to identify the cause of sickness absence. The cross-sectional, descriptive study comprised 3117 King Khalid University Hospital employees. Records of physician-certified sickness absence from January 1 to June 30, 2009, were obtained from the employee health clinic's register. Absence rate, frequency, duration and severity were assessed and compared between genders and nationalities, and causes were noted. SPSS version 16 and student's t test were used for statistical analyses and comparison. A total of 377 (12.1 %) employees had 416 spells of sickness absence with 639 sick-off days (mean: 1.54 +/- 0.85). The probability of sickness absence was higher among Saudi (OR=1.33) and female (OR=1.39) employees. The association of sickness absence was not found among the absentees with either gender (p= 0.335) or nationality (p = 0.086). Almost all spells of sick-off days were of short duration. Longer spells were mainly due to chicken pox which was found to be more among the expatriates. Heavy absenteeism was found only among the Saudis. The most common causes of sickness absence were acute upper respiratory infection, diseases of musculoskeletal system and the digestive system. The rate, frequency and duration of absence due to sickness in the study were higher among Saudi and female employees. The rate of absence, with passage of time, has increased significantly among Saudi nationals.

Predictors of sickness absence in pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Mette Lausten; Thulstrup, Ane Marie; Juhl, Mette

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this cohort study was to investigate associations between parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), assisted reproductive therapy (ART), time to pregnancy (TTP), and engagement in physical exercise and the risk of sickness absence in pregnancy from 10-29 completed pregnancy...... with higher HR of sickness absence. Physical exercise of >120 minutes per week was associated with lower HR 0.84 (95% CI 0.75-0.95). CONCLUSION: Risk for sickness absence was higher among women who were multiparous, overweight, obese, received ART, and had prolonged TTP, and lower among women engaged...

Relative deprivation and sickness absence in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Helgertz, Jonas; Hess, Wolfgang; Scott, Kirk

2013-08-29

A high prevalence of sickness absence in many countries, at a substantial societal cost, underlines the importance to understand its determining mechanisms. This study focuses on the link between relative deprivation and the probability of sickness absence. 184,000 men and women in Sweden were followed between 1982 and 2001. The sample consists of working individuals between the ages of 19 and 65. The outcome is defined as experiencing more than 14 days of sickness absence during a year. Based on the complete Swedish population, an individual's degree of relative deprivation is measured through income compared to individuals of the same age, sex, educational level and type. In accounting for the possibility that sickness absence and socioeconomic status are determined by common factors, discrete-time duration models were estimated, accounting for unobserved heterogeneity through random effects. The results confirm that the failure to account for the dynamics of the individual's career biases the influence from socioeconomic characteristics. Results consistently suggest a major influence from relative deprivation, with a consistently lower risk of sickness absence among the highly educated. Altering individual's health behavior through education appears more efficient in reducing the reliance on sickness absence, rather than redistributive policies.

Self-reported noise exposure as a risk factor for long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Clausen, Thomas; Christensen, Karl Bang; Lund, Thomas

2009-01-01

men and women when adjusting for demographic factors and health behavior. After further adjustment for physical workload at work the association between noise exposure and sickness absence disappeared for women, but not for men. Men that reported to be exposed to loud noise between one......Self-reported noise exposure is on the rise in Denmark. Little is known, however, about the social consequences, including sickness absence, of noise exposure. The aim of this paper was to investigate the association between self-reported noise exposure and long-term sickness absence....... The association was investigated using the Cox proportional hazards model to analyze outcomes in Danish register data on the basis of Danish survey data (5357 employees aged 18-69 in 2000). The analyses showed that self-reported noise exposure was significantly associated with long-term sickness absence for both...

Attention impairment in childhood absence epilepsy: an impulsivity problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Cerminara, Caterina; D'Agati, Elisa; Casarelli, Livia; Kaunzinger, Ivo; Lange, Klaus W; Pitzianti, Mariabernarda; Parisi, Pasquale; Tucha, Oliver; Curatolo, Paolo

2013-05-01

Although attention problems have often been described in children with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), the use of different methodological approaches, neuropsychological tests, and heterogeneous experimental groups has prevented identification of the selective areas of attention deficit in this population. In this study, we investigated several components of attention in children with CAE using a unique computerized test battery for attention performance. Participants included 24 patients with CAE and 24 controls matched for age and sex. They were tested with a computerized test battery, which included the following tasks: selective attention, impulsivity, focused attention, divided attention, alertness, and vigilance. Compared with healthy controls, patients with CAE made more commission errors in the Go/No-Go task and more omission errors in the divided attention task. Childhood absence epilepsy patients also showed decreased reaction times in measures of selective attention and a great variability of reaction times in alertness and Go/No-Go tasks. Our findings suggest that patients with CAE were impaired in tonic and phasic alertness, divided attention, selective attention, and impulsivity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leadership styles of nurse managers and registered sickness absence among their nursing staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Schreuder, Jolanda A H; Roelen, Corné A M; van Zweeden, Nely F; Jongsma, Dianne; van der Klink, Jac J L; Groothoff, Johan W

2011-01-01

Sickness absence leads to understaffing and interferes with nursing efficiency and quality. It has been reported in literature that managerial leadership is associated with self-reported sickness absence in the working population. This study investigated the relationship between managerial leadership and sickness absence in health care by associating nurse managers' leadership styles with registered sickness absence among their nursing staff. The cross-sectional study included 699 nurses working in six wards (staff range = 91-140 employees) of a Dutch somatic hospital employing a total of 1,153 persons. The nurse managers heading the wards were asked to complete the Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability Description questionnaire for situational leadership. The Leadership Effectiveness and Adaptability Description scores were linked to employer-registered nursing staff sickness absence. High relationship-high task behavior (odds ratio [OR] = 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.65-0.85) and high relationship-low task behavior (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.14 -0.98) were inversely related to the number of short (one to seven consecutive days) episodes of sickness absence among the staff. Low relationship-high task styles (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.14-5.22) as well as low relationship-low task styles (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.26-4.71) were positively associated with the number of short episodes of sickness absence. However, the leadership styles only explained 10% of the variance in short episodes of sickness absence. Leadership styles are associated with registered sickness absence. The nursing staff of relationship-oriented nurse managers has fewer short episodes of sickness absence than the staff of task-oriented managers. Training nurse managers in relational leadership styles may reduce understaffing and improve nursing efficiency and quality.

Do work-place initiated measures reduce sickness absence? Preventive measures and sickness absence among older workers in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Midtsundstad, Tove I; Nielsen, Roy A

2014-03-01

The article examines whether preventive measures and work adjustments at the establishment level affects sickness absence among workers aged 50 years and older. We combine survey data from a representative sample of 713 Norwegian companies, mapping the prevalence of preventive health measures in the work place in 2005, with register data on sickness absence and demographic variables for workers aged 50 years or older in 2001 and 2007. By means of a difference-in-differences approach, we compare changes and differences in the likelihood of sickness absence among the sample group, with and without the various measures/ instruments in 2005 respectively. In general, work-place preventive measures at the establishment level have not contributed to reducing the probability for sickness absence among workers aged 50 years and older. However, analyses comparing differences between industries find that the work-place measures have had a positive effect on public administration employees. Whether work-place preventive initiatives influence levels of sickness absence seems to be contingent on sector and industry. Therefore, work-place measures may be more effective in the public administration sector where most employees have office jobs compared to sectors such as manufacturing, construction and transportation, where many employees have manual work and more physical demanding jobs. Work-place initiatives thus seem to have less effect on preventing sickness absence in sectors dominated by manual labour.

The association between health and sickness absence among Danish and non-Western immigrant cleaners in Denmark.

Science.gov (United States)

Carneiro, Isabella G; Rasmussen, Charlotte D N; Jørgensen, Marie B; Flyvholm, Mari-Ann; Olesen, Kasper; Madeleine, Pascal; Ekner, Dorte; Søgaard, Karen; Holtermann, Andreas

2013-05-01

The aim of the study is to investigate the association between health and sickness absence among Danish and non-Western immigrant cleaners in Denmark. This study is based on a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 2007 to 2008. The study population includes 276 cleaners, 144 Danish and 132 non-Western immigrant cleaners. Cumulative sickness absences during a 6-month period from administrative records were subdivided into no sickness absence (0 days), low occurrence of sickness absence (1-10 days) and high occurrence of sickness absence (over 10 days). Measures of health consisted of self-report and objective assessments. The relationship between sickness absence and health was analyzed through multinomial logistic regression, stratified by immigrant status. For both Danish and non-Western immigrant cleaners, poor self-reported health was significantly related to high occurrence of sickness absence. Among Danish cleaners, high blood pressure was related to high occurrence of sickness absence. Among non-Western immigrant cleaners, total body pain and having one or more diagnosed chronic disease were related to high occurrence of sickness absence. No association between health and low occurrence of sickness absence was found. The findings confirm the importance of health for high occurrence of sickness absence, in both ethnic groups. Moreover, low occurrence of sickness absence was not related to the health conditions investigated.

Relative Deprivation and Sickness Absence in Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonas Helgertz

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background: A high prevalence of sickness absence in many countries, at a substantial societal cost, underlines the importance to understand its determining mechanisms. This study focuses on the link between relative deprivation and the probability of sickness absence. Methods: 184,000 men and women in Sweden were followed between 1982 and 2001. The sample consists of working individuals between the ages of 19 and 65. The outcome is defined as experiencing more than 14 days of sickness absence during a year. Based on the complete Swedish population, an individual’s degree of relative deprivation is measured through income compared to individuals of the same age, sex, educational level and type. In accounting for the possibility that sickness absence and socioeconomic status are determined by common factors, discrete-time duration models were estimated, accounting for unobserved heterogeneity through random effects. Results: The results confirm that the failure to account for the dynamics of the individual’s career biases the influence from socioeconomic characteristics. Results consistently suggest a major influence from relative deprivation, with a consistently lower risk of sickness absence among the highly educated. Conclusions: Altering individual’s health behavior through education appears more efficient in reducing the reliance on sickness absence, rather than redistributive policies.

Association Between Cortisol to DHEA-s Ratio and Sickness Absence in Japanese Male Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hirokawa, Kumi; Fujii, Yasuhito; Taniguchi, Toshiyo; Takaki, Jiro; Tsutsumi, Akizumi

2017-11-21

This study aimed to investigate the association between serum levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-s) and sickness absence over 2 years in Japanese male workers. A baseline survey including questions about health behavior, along with blood sampling for cortisol and DHEA-s, was conducted in 2009. In total, 429 men (mean ± SD age, 52.9 ± 8.6 years) from whom blood samples were collected at baseline were followed until December 31, 2011. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for sickness absence were calculated using a Cox proportional hazard model, adjusted for potential confounders. Among 35 workers who took sickness absences, 31 had physical illness. A high cortisol to DHEA-s ratio increased the risk of sickness absence (crude HR = 2.68, 95% CI 1.12-6.41; adjusted HR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.35-8.20). The cortisol to DHEA-s ratio was linearly associated with an increased risk of sickness absence (p for trend sickness absences. This trend did not change when limited to absences resulting from physical illness. Hormonal conditions related to the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and adrenal function should be considered when predicting sickness absence. The cortisol to DHEA-s ratio may be more informative than single effects of cortisol and DHEA-s levels.

Effects of sanitation on cognitive development and school absence: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sclar, G D; Garn, J V; Penakalapati, G; Alexander, K T; Krauss, J; Freeman, M C; Boisson, S; Medlicott, K O; Clasen, T

2017-08-01

We undertook this systematic review to explore the relationship between sanitation and learning outcomes, specifically cognitive development and absence. We searched leading databases to identify experimental and observational studies that address the effect of sanitation on our outcomes of interest. We identified 17 studies that met the review's eligibility criteria, four reporting on measures of cognitive development, 12 on school absence (with two studies reporting on school and work absence), and one study that reported on both outcomes. We assessed the risk of bias of individual studies as well as the overall strength of evidence for each outcome. Because of fundamental differences among the studies in terms of sanitation exposure and outcome measurement, pooling results via meta-analysis was deemed inappropriate so a descriptive review is presented. Studies reported that access to household sanitation was associated with measures of improved cognitive ability in children. However, collectively these studies were rated by GRADE as poor methodological quality with significant potential for confounding and bias, including publication bias. Studies on the association between household, community or school sanitation and school absence yielded mixed results. Some sanitation studies reported lower absence while others reported higher absence. Only the two randomized controlled trials reported no overall effects on absence even when combining sanitation with water supply improvements and hygiene promotion. Study quality as assessed by GRADE was again generally poor. While studies to date provide some support for positive effects from sanitation on cognitive development, the effects on school absence are uncertain. Differences in effects may be due to differences in study settings, type of sanitation exposure and most notably in outcome definitions. Further research in multiple settings using rigorous study designs and measuring intermediate outcomes such as exposure

Speaking absence. Art museums, representation and knowledge creation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tali, M.

2014-01-01

In my dissertation I investigate multiple absences that are at work in art museums. My understanding of absence is informed by postcolonial theory, gender studies and memory studies. Museal absence involves material and immaterial sides that are based on excluded objects and certain unwanted social

Source and sink nodes in absence seizures.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Abner C; Machado, Birajara S; Caboclo, Luis Otavio S F; Fujita, Andre; Baccala, Luiz A; Sameshima, Koichi

2016-08-01

As opposed to focal epilepsy, absence seizures do not exhibit a clear seizure onset zone or focus since its ictal activity rapidly engages both brain hemispheres. Yet recent graph theoretical analysis applied to absence seizures EEG suggests the cortical focal presence, an unexpected feature for this type of epilepsy. In this study, we explore the characteristics of absence seizure by classifying the nodes as to their source/sink natures via weighted directed graph analysis based on connectivity direction and strength estimation using information partial directed coherence (iPDC). By segmenting the EEG signals into relatively short 5-sec-long time windows we studied the evolution of coupling strengths from both sink and source nodes, and the network dynamics of absence seizures in eight patients.

A case of congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mo B

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Bi Mo,1 Vishnu Garla,2 Lawrence M Wyner1 1Department of Surgery, 2Department of Internal Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV, USA Background: Congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens occurs in 0.5%–1.0% of males. It has been associated with various genitourinary abnormalities, including renal agenesis. We report a case of congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens found incidentally during vasectomy in a patient with known unilateral renal agenesis. Case presentation: A 24-year-old male presented to our urology clinic requesting vasectomy. His past history was significant for left renal agenesis. Following successful right vasectomy, several attempts to locate the left vas deferens were unsuccessful. We diagnosed congenital unilateral absence of the vas deferens. Follow-up semen analysis showed azoospermia. Conclusion: As vasectomies are increasingly performed in outpatient settings, it is imperative that physicians be aware of this condition, which can be recognized by a simple physical exam. Recognition could prevent unnecessary surgery and prompt providers to investigate for associated abnormalities. Keywords: vas deferens, embryology, abnormalities, surgery

Strangulated obturator hernia - an unusual presentation of intestinal obstruction.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Zeeshan, Saqib

2012-01-31

An 81-year-old Caucasian emaciated female presented with 3 days history of colicky abdominal pain nausea, projectile vomiting and abdominal distension. A pre-operative diagnosis of mechanical bowel obstruction was made. The absence of characteristic clinical signs in this thin elderly woman with a small bowel obstruction failed to provide a pre-operative diagnosis. She underwent a midline laparotomy and resection and anastomosis of small bowel and repair of the strangulated right obturator hernia. The high mortality rate associated with this type of abdominal hernias requires a high index of suspicion to facilitate rapid diagnosis and prompt surgical intervention if the survival rate is to be improved.

Absence from work due to occupational and non-occupational accidents.

Science.gov (United States)

Jørgensen, Kirsten; Laursen, Bjarne

2013-02-01

The aim of the present study was to investigate absence from work in Denmark due to occupational and non-occupational accidents. Since the beginning of the last decade, political focus has been placed on the population's working capacity and the scope of absence due to illness. Absence from work is estimated at between 3% and 6% of working hours in the EU and costs are estimated at approximately 2.5% of GNP. Victims of accidents treated at two emergency departments were interviewed regarding absence for the injured, the family and others. All answers were linked to the hospital information on the injury, so that it was possible to examine the relation between absence and injury type, and cause of the accident. In total, 1,479 injured persons were interviewed. 36% of these reported absence from work by themselves or others. In mean, an injury caused 3.21 days of absence. Based on this the total absence due to injuries in Denmark was estimated to 1,822,000 workdays, corresponding to approximately 6% of the total absence from work due to all types of illness. Non-occupational injuries resulted in more absence than did occupational injuries. Absence due to accidents contributed to a considerable part of the total absence from work, and non-occupational accidents caused more absence than did occupational accidents.

Main and combined effects of musculoskeletal pain frequency and avoidant coping on sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Ulla; Schmidt, Lone; Hougaard, Charlotte Orsted

2013-01-01

Objective: Musculoskeletal pain and avoidant coping predicts sickness absence, but how these 2 predictors relate to each other is unknown. We examined the main and combined effects of musculoskeletal pain and avoidant, behavioural coping on incidence of sickness absence. Design and subjects......: Prospective cohort study of a sample of middle-aged Danes, economically active in 2006, reporting functional limitations due to musculoskeletal pain, n = 3115. Methods: Data included surveys from 2000 and 2006 and register data from 2007. Outcome was sickness absence exceeding 2 consecutive weeks in 2007....... The main effect of self-reported pain frequency and avoidant coping on sickness absence was analysed by multivariate logistic regression. The combined effect was calculated as departure from multiplicativity and by the inclusion of a product term. Results: Daily pain and use of avoidant coping were both...

Impacts on work absence and performance: what really matters?

Science.gov (United States)

Wynne-Jones, Gwenllian; Buck, Rhiannon; Varnava, Alice; Phillips, Ceri; Main, Chris J

2009-12-01

A number of factors influence an individual's decision to take sickness absence or to remain at work while ill. The relationship between health, work characteristics, individual perceptions of work and sickness absence and performance is complex and further clarification of the interactions between these factors is necessary. To assess the relative impact of health, work characteristics and perceptions of work on absence and performance. Cross-sectional survey of two public sector organizations (n = 505). Data were analysed using multivariate linear regression to assess the individual and combined influence of each class of independent variables on the following: days sickness absence, spells of sickness absence, VAS performance and presenteeism. Characteristics of work were weakly associated with days absence and performance. Perceptions of work were more strongly associated with performance than absence. Measures of mental health, rather than physical health, had the greatest influence on ability to work. Poor health had a greater impact on work performance than work absence. When considered together, health variables accounted for the largest proportion of explained variance in both absence and performance when compared with characteristics of work and work perceptions. Using absence as a marker of health-associated compromise at work may lead to an underestimation of the impact of health on work. This study demonstrates the need to manage the impact of health problems on the workforce not only from a bio-medical perspective but also in terms of the psychological pressures and the social context in which employees work.

The Group's Absence Norm and Commitment to the Group as Predictors of Group Member Absence in the Next Session: An Actor-Partner Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kivlighan, Dennis M., Jr.; Kivlighan, D. Martin, III; Cole, Odessa Dorian

2012-01-01

The group's absence norm, a construct from the applied psychology literature, was used to examine session absences in personal growth groups. Rather than examining the absence norm statically, we modeled it dynamically as a time-varying covariate (Tasca et al., 2010). We also examined moderation by modeling the interaction of the absence norm and…

Dizziness causes absence from work.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Zaag-Loonen, H J; van Leeuwen, R B

2015-09-01

The objective of the study was to assess absenteeism from work due to dizziness in patients referred to a tertiary centre. Consecutive patients with a paid employment completed the WHO Health and work Performance Questionnaire, including items on work absence in the past 7 days and 4 weeks, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory. Of the 400 patients [55% females, mean age 46.3 years (SD 10.8), range 18-68 years], 46 (12%) indicated they were completely disabled to work due to dizziness, while 202 (51%) patients indicated they had worked less than expected due to dizziness. Patients with more disease-related disabilities had more absenteeism from work. Half of the patients who are referred to a tertiary centre for dizziness report work absenteeism due to their complaints, and 12% is completely disabled to work.

How school climate relates to chronic absence: A multi-level latent profile analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Eck, Kathryn; Johnson, Stacy R; Bettencourt, Amie; Johnson, Sarah Lindstrom

2017-04-01

Chronic absence is a significant problem in schools. School climate may play an important role in influencing chronic absence rates among schools, yet little research has evaluated how school climate constructs relate to chronic absence. Using multilevel latent profile analysis, we evaluated how profiles of student perceptions of school climate at both the student and school level differentiated school-level rates of chronic absence. Participants included 25,776 middle and high school students from 106 schools who completed a district administered school climate survey. Students attended schools in a large urban school district where 89% of 6th through 12th grade students were African-American and 61% were eligible for the federally subsidized school meals program. Three student-level profiles of perceptions of school climate emerged that corresponded to "positive," "moderate," and "negative" climate. Two predominant patterns regarding the distribution of these profiles within schools emerged that corresponded to the two school-level profiles of "marginal climate" and "climate challenged" schools. Students reporting "moderate" and "negative" climate in their schools were more likely to attend schools with higher chronic absence rates than students reporting that their school had "positive" climate. Likewise, "climate challenged" schools had significantly higher chronic absence rates than "marginal climate" schools. These results suggest that school climate shares an important relation with chronic absence among adolescent students attending urban schools. Implications for prevention and intervention programs are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Society for the Study of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Absence from work due to occupational and non-occupational accidents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Kirsten; Laursen, Bjarne

2013-01-01

. Absence from work is estimated at between 3% and 6% of working hours in the EU and costs are estimated at approximately 2.5% of GNP. Methods: Victims of accidents treated at two emergency departments were interviewed regarding absence for the injured, the family and others. All answers were linked...... to the hospital information on the injury, so that it was possible to examine the relation between absence and injury type, and cause of the accident. Results: In total, 1,479 injured persons were interviewed. 36% of these reported absence from work by themselves or others. In mean, an injury caused 3.21 days...... of absence. Based on this the total absence due to injuries in Denmark was estimated to 1,822,000 workdays, corresponding to approximately 6% of the total absence from work due to all types of illness. Non-occupational injuries resulted in more absence than did occupational injuries. Conclusions: Absence due...

Relationship Between Occupational Stress Dimensions and Sickness Absence Among a Gas Company Employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rezvan Zare

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Working conditions have considerably changed and exposure to psychosocial risk factors, particularly occupational stress, has recently had an increasing trend. Studies have shown that sickness absence was the worst outcome of occupational stress. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between dimensions of occupational stress and sickness absence in a gas company in Boushehr, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 400 employees of a gas company, Boushehr, Iran who were selected through random sampling. Osipow occupational stress questionnaire was used to determine the participants’ stress levels. Then, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The participants’ mean of sickness absence was 2.164.57± days per year. Besides, 1.5%, 32.5%, 36.3%, and 29.8% of the participants had low, low to moderate, moderate to severe, and severe occupational stress, respectively. Additionally, the mean of total stress was moderate to severe among the study participants. This was also the case concerning the stress dimensions. The results revealed a significant relationship between the number of sickness absences and dimensions of occupational stress, including workload, role insufficiency, role conflict, responsibility, physical environment, and total stress (P=0.0001. Conclusion: The majority of the employees had high levels of occupational stress. Besides, a significant association was observed between the dimensions of occupational stress and sickness absence. Accordingly, to decrease the number of sickness absence, we should take measures to reduce occupational stress.

Sickness absence frequency among women working in hospital care

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, Corne A. M.; Schreuder, Jolanda A. H.; Koopmans, Petra C.; Moen, Bente E.; Groothoff, Johan W.

2009-01-01

Background Frequent short sickness absences result in understaffing and interfere with work processes. We need more knowledge about factors associated with this type of absence. Aims To investigate associations between the frequency of previous sickness absence and self-reported perceptions of

Organizational factors related to low levels of sickness absence in a representative set of Swedish companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Stoetzer, Ulrich; Bergman, Peter; Aborg, Carl; Johansson, Gun; Ahlberg, Gunnel; Parmsund, Marianne; Svartengren, Magnus

2014-01-01

The aim of this qualitative study was to identify manageable organizational factors that could explain why some companies have low levels of sickness absence. There may be factors at company level that can be managed to influence levels of sickness absence, and promote health and a prosperous organization. 38 representative Swedish companies. The study included a total of 204 semi-structured interviews at 38 representative Swedish companies. Qualitative thematic analysis was applied to the interviews, primarily with managers, to indicate the organizational factors that characterize companies with low levels of sickness absence. The factors that were found to characterize companies with low levels of sickness absence concerned strategies and procedures for managing leadership, employee development, communication, employee participation and involvement, corporate values and visions, and employee health. The results may be useful in finding strategies and procedures to reduce levels of sickness absence and promote health. There is research at individual level on the reasons for sickness absence. This study tries to elevate the issue to an organizational level. The findings suggest that explicit strategies for managing certain organizational factors can reduce sickness absence and help companies to develop more health-promoting strategies.

Self-reported and employer-recorded sickness absence in doctors.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, I J

2014-09-01

Doctors' sickness absence reduces the quality and continuity of patient care and is financially costly. Doctors have lower rates of sickness absence than other healthcare workers. To compare self-reported with recorded sickness absence in doctors in a UK National Health Service hospital trust. A retrospective questionnaire study. The main outcome measures were self-reported and trust-recorded sickness absence episodes of 4 days or more in two consecutive 6-month periods. The response rate was 82% (607/736). Self-reported sickness absence rates were 1.2% compared with a rate of 0.6% from trust-recorded data. There were 38 matched pairs of self-reported (mean duration: 18 days, standard deviation: 22 days) and trust-recorded (mean duration: 10 days, standard deviation: 17 days) sickness absence episodes of 4 days or more in the 12 months studied. A matched pairs t-test determined that the difference between the two means was significant (t = 2.57, P sickness absence was significantly under-recorded in this study population. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predictors of sickness absence in college and university educated self-employed: a historic register study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijnvoord, Liesbeth E C; Van der Klink, Jac J L; De Boer, Michiel R; Brouwer, Sandra

2014-05-02

Despite a large proportion of the workforce being self-employed, few studies have been conducted on risk factors for sickness absence in this population. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for future sickness absence in a population of college and university educated self-employed. In a historic register study based on insurance company files risk factors were identified by means of logistic regression analysis. Data collected at application for private disability insurance from 634 applicants were related to subsequent sickness absence periods of 30 days or more during a follow-up period of 7.95 years. Variables studied were self-reported lifestyle variables, variables concerning medical history and present health conditions and variables derived from the general medical examination including blood tests and urinary analysis. Results from analysis of data from 634 applicants for private disability insurance show that previous periods of sickness absence (OR 2.07), female gender (OR 2.04), health complaints listed in the health declaration (OR 1.88), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (OR 4.05) and the nature of the profession were related to a higher risk of sickness absence. Sickness absence was found to be related to demographic variables (gender, profession), medical variables (health complaints and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) and to variables with both a medical and a behavioural component (previous sickness absence).

Overcoming Absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paldam, Camilla Skovbjerg

2017-01-01

In this chapter, I address the rhetoric of modern love correspondence – its various purposes, modes of communication, and meta-reflections on writing and media – from the beginning of the 20th century till today. I analyze how love and the beloved are mediated in the articulated desire and longing...... of love letters, and how love letters are used as a medium to overcome absence. I also reflect on the material status of love letters in relation to the technological development and subsequently the replacement of traditional letters by their digital counterparts such as email, text messages and real...

Time to recurrence of mental health-related absence from work.

Science.gov (United States)

Norder, G; Hoedeman, R; de Bruin, J; van Rhenen, W; Roelen, C A M

2015-10-01

It is unclear when occupational health providers should re-evaluate workers after mental health-related absences from work. To investigate the time to recurrence of mental health-related absences, stratified by International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic categories. A 10-year observational study of workers employed at a steel mill. Sickness absence data were retrieved from an occupational health register. Mental health-related absences were defined as absence due to emotional disturbance or mental and behavioural disorders. The first mental health-related absence since baseline was called the index episode. Recurrences were defined as mental health-related absences occurring >28 days after recovery from the index episode. The frequency of recurrent mental health-related absence was assessed by the recurrence density (RD) per 1000 person-years. The time to recurrent mental health-related absence was investigated by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Of 15461 workers, 391 had recurrent mental health-related absences. RD was 30.5, 34.3, 29.9 and 37.7 per 1000 person-years after index episodes due to emotional disturbance, mood disorders, neurotic disorders and other psychiatric disorders, respectively. RDs did not differ across ICD-10 diagnostic categories. The median time to recurrent mental health-related absence was 15.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 12.6-17.7] and was shortest for mood disorders (5.2, 95% CI 1.4-8.9 months) and specific psychiatric disorders (5.3, 95% CI 1.0-13.1 months). Based on this observational study, we suggest that occupational and primary health care providers consider reviewing the mental health status of workers 6 months after recovery from mental health-related absence. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An exploration of anomia as origin of work absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Zoghbi-Manrique-de-Lara, Pablo; Sánchez-Medina, Agustín J

2015-01-01

Although it also portrays a loss of function in psychology, in this context the term anomia (from the Greek, an-: absence, and -nomos: law) is used to describe a sociological phenomenon that can lead individuals to misbehave due to feelings of valuelessness and cynicism resulting from a lack of integration in social life (Srole, 1956). Previous research has neglected anomia as part of the origin of employee work absence. This study tests the association between anomia and absence - operationalized as propensity to abusive absence due to illness. A large variety of job attitudes grouped in terms of organizational climate are controlled for. Data were collected from 84 of the 198 (42.4%) employees of a provincial Spanish Social Security Service. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the associations. With the climate factors controlled for by entering them together with anomia in a SEM model as causes of absence, the results show a significant relationship between anomia and absence. The findings explain the origin of absence at work and management strategies. The very nature of anomia suggests that strategies can be designed to provide employees with an organizational `micro-cosmos' that promotes support, predictability, and bonds of trust to create an effective bulwark against absenteeism.

the assessment of fasciola gigantica infection in the rabbit ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In this study, the rabbit was assessed as a laboratory host for the helminthes parasite, Fasciola gigantica. Three groups of rabbits were Infected experimentally with 5, 10 end 15 metacercariae of F. gigantica respectively. Clinical signs found included pale mucous membrane, progressive emaciation and rough hair coat.

The gender gap in sickness absence from work and the influence of parental absence on offspring absence 15?years later: register-based cohort of Norwegians born in 1974?1976

OpenAIRE

Kristensen, Petter; Corbett, Karina; Mehlum, Ingrid Sivesind

2015-01-01

Background Women have shown consistently higher levels of sickness absence from work in comparison to men, but explanations for this gender gap have not been completely understood. Life-course studies suggest that health and health-related social benefits in adult age are influenced by early life experiences. We aimed to estimate intergenerational associations with a 15-year time gap between parents? and offspring sickness absences, pursuing the hypothesis that this parental influence would h...

Analyzing sickness absence with statistical models for survival data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Karl Bang; Andersen, Per Kragh; Smith-Hansen, Lars

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Sickness absence is the outcome in many epidemiologic studies and is often based on summary measures such as the number of sickness absences per year. In this study the use of modern statistical methods was examined by making better use of the available information. Since sickness...... absence data deal with events occurring over time, the use of statistical models for survival data has been reviewed, and the use of frailty models has been proposed for the analysis of such data. METHODS: Three methods for analyzing data on sickness absences were compared using a simulation study...... involving the following: (i) Poisson regression using a single outcome variable (number of sickness absences), (ii) analysis of time to first event using the Cox proportional hazards model, and (iii) frailty models, which are random effects proportional hazards models. Data from a study of the relation...

Does self-efficacy predict return-to-work after sickness absence? A prospective study among 930 employees with sickness absence for three weeks or more

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Labriola, Merete; Lund, Thomas; Christensen, Karl B

2007-01-01

follows a cohort of 5357 working employees and 106 long-term sickness absent employees in Denmark. They were interviewed in 2000 regarding self-efficacy and various co-variates, and followed for 78 weeks in a national sickness absence register. Cox regression analysis was performed in order to assess...... or with Return-to-Work. CONCLUSION: The results may suggest that lower self-efficacy among employees with sickness absence is a result of the sickness absence itself rather than a precursor of it. This indicates a need to investigate the potential change in self-efficacy in relation to the employee's change......AIM: To compare levels of self-efficacy among the general working population and employees with sickness absence from work, and to examine if general self-efficacy measured before occurrence of sickness absence predicted subsequent onset of sickness absence and Return-to-Work. METHODS: The study...

Trends in sickness absence in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Kristina; Bihrmann, Kristine; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2009-01-01

's Authority, and the Labor Force Survey indicated a stable and largely unaltered pattern of sickness absence during the last 20 years. Findings from Statistics Denmark showed an increase in the cumulative incidence proportion from 6.6 to 7.5% among employed people between 2000 and 2007. CONCLUSION: Our data...... a linear regression analysis to analyze time trends in sickness absence based on datasets from the Danish Employers Confederation, the State Employer's Authority, the Labour Force Survey, and Statistics Denmark. RESULTS: The findings from the Confederation of Danish Employers, the State Employer...

Working conditions in the explanation of occupational inequalities in sickness absence in the French SUMER study.

Science.gov (United States)

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Lesuffleur, Thomas; Memmi, Sarah; Chastang, Jean-François

2017-12-01

Explanations of social inequalities in sickness absence are lacking in the literature. Our objectives were to evaluate the contribution of various occupational exposures in explaining these inequalities in a national representative sample of employees. The study was based on the cross-sectional sample of the SUMER 2010 survey that included 46 962 employees, 26 883 men and 20 079 women. Both sickness absence spells and days within the last 12 months, as health indicators, were studied. Occupation was used as a marker of social position. The study included both psychosocial work factors (variables related to the classical job strain model, psychological demands, decision latitude, social support and understudied variables related to reward, job insecurity, job promotion, esteem, working time/hours and workplace violence) and occupational exposures of chemical, biological, physical and biomechanical nature. Weighted age-adjusted Poisson and negative binomial regression analyses were performed. Strong occupational differences were found for sickness absence spells and days and for exposure to most work factors. Psychosocial work factors contributed to explain occupational differences in sickness absence spells, and the contributing factors were: decision latitude, social support, reward, shift work and workplace violence. Physical exposure, particularly noise, and biomechanical exposure were also found to be contributing factors. Almost no work factor was found to contribute to occupational differences in sickness absence days. Preventive measures at the workplace oriented towards low-skilled occupational groups and both psychosocial work factors and other occupational exposures may be beneficial to reduce sickness absence spells and occupational differences in this outcome. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Job stress as a risk factor for absences among manual workers: a 12-month follow-up study.

Science.gov (United States)

Heo, Yong-Seok; Leem, Jong-Han; Park, Shin-Goo; Jung, Dal-Young; Kim, Hwan-Cheol

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of job stress on absence from work caused by illnesses and accidents through a prospective research design. A total of 2,349 manual workers were included in this analysis. In the first survey, job stress was determined using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form. In the second survey, information on absence due to accidents or illnesses during the past one year was obtained through a questionnaire. The relationship was analyzed using a logistic regression model with multiple imputation. After adjusting for confounding variables for males, absence due to accidents was statistically associated with high job demand, insufficient job control, inadequate social support, and organizational injustice. In addition, high job demands and organizational injustice were related to increased absence due to illnesses in both genders. A lack of reward was associated with increased absence due to illnesses among female workers. We found that job stress was associated with a higher risk of absence caused by accidents or illnesses of manual workers.

School Board Policies on Leaves and Absences. Educational Policies Development Kit.

Science.gov (United States)

National School Boards Association, Waterford, CT. Educational Policies Service.

This report provides board policy samples and other policy resources on leaves and absences. The intent in providing policy samples is to encourage thinking in policy terms and to provide working papers that can be edited, modified, or adapted to meet local requirements. Topics covered in the samples include (1) sick leave, (2) maternity leave,…

A brief history of typical absence seizures - Petit mal revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Brigo, Francesco; Trinka, Eugen; Lattanzi, Simona; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Nardone, Raffaele; Martini, Mariano

2018-03-01

In this article, we have traced back the history of typical absence seizures, from their initial clinical description to the more recent nosological position. The first description of absence seizures was made by Poupart in 1705 and Tissot in 1770. In 1824, Calmeil introduced the term "absences", and in 1838, Esquirol for the first time used the term petit mal. Reynolds instead used the term "epilepsia mitior" (milder epilepsy) and provided a comprehensive description of absence seizures (1861). In 1854, Delasiauve ranked absences as the seizure type with lower severity and introduced the concept of idiopathic epilepsy. Otto Binswanger (1899) discussed the role of cortex in the pathophysiology of "abortive seizures", whereas William Gowers (1901) emphasized the importance of a detailed clinical history to identify nonmotor seizures or very mild motor phenomena which otherwise may go unnoticed or considered not epileptic. At the beginning of the 20th Century, the term pyknolepsy was introduced, but initially was not universally considered as a type of epilepsy; it was definitely recognized as an epileptic entity only in 1945, based on electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. Hans Berger, the inventor of the EEG, made also the first EEG recording of an atypical absence (his results were published only in 1933), whereas the characteristic EEG pattern was reported by neurophysiologists of the Harvard Medical School in 1935. The discovery of EEG made it also possible to differentiate absence seizures from so called "psychomotor" seizures occurring in temporal lobe epilepsy. Penfield and Jasper (1938) considered absences as expression of "centrencephalic epilepsy". Typical absences seizures are now classified by the International League Against Epilepsy among generalized nonmotor (absence) seizures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Avoidable sickness absence in a dutch working population

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kremer, A.M.; Steenbeek, R.

2010-01-01

Introduction Sickness absence has an important impact on employers (e.g. reduced productivity, high costs) and employees (e.g. replacement, job loss). Therefore, we investigated possible reduction by exploring avoidable sickness absence. Methods A questionnaire was filled out by 2,954 Dutch workers

Measures of work-family conflict predict sickness absence from work.

Science.gov (United States)

Clays, Els; Kittel, France; Godin, Isabelle; Bacquer, Dirk De; Backer, Guy De

2009-08-01

To examine the relation between work-family conflict and sickness absence. The BELSTRESS III study comprised 2983 middle-aged workers. Strain-based work-home interference (WHI) and home-work interference (HWI) were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaires. Prospective data of registered sickness absence during 12-months follow-up were collected. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted. HWI was positively and significantly related to high sickness absence duration (at least 10 sick leave days) and high sickness absence frequency (at least 3 sick leave episodes) in men and women, also after adjustments were made for sociodemographic variables, health indicators, and environmental psychosocial factors. In multivariate analysis, no association between WHI and sickness absence was found. HWI was positively and significantly related to high sickness absence duration and frequency during 12-months follow-up in male and female workers.

Impact of Father Absence: III. Problems of Family Reintegrating Following Prolonged Father Absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Stewart L.; and others

A three-phase, longitudinal study at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., of family problems with prolonged father absence indicates that there is (1) continuing family growth beyond the situational crisis, (2) active re-examination of roles and values, and (3) heightened awareness of family strength and resourcefulness during the…

Congenital absence of the portal vein in a boy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohda, E.; Hiramatsu, K.; Saeki, Morihiro; Nakano, Miwako; Masaki, Hidekazu; Ogawa, Kenji; Nirasawa, Mali

1999-01-01

Congenital absence of the portal vein (CAPV) is a malformation that is generally thought to be limited to females. We encountered an 11-year-old boy with this malformation. In 17 previously reported cases of CAPV, 2 were male. Three male patients, including our case, were Abernethy type Ib malformation. They had no associated liver tumour and two had no additional congenital abnormality. Conversely, 13 of the 15 female patients had congenital abnormalities and 6 had liver mass lesions. (orig.)

Congenital absence of infrarenal IVC and iliac venous system : Unusual collateral Pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jin Joo; Lee, Byung Hee; Kim, Kie Hwan; Do, Young Soo; Chin, Soo Yil

1994-01-01

We present a case with congenital absence of the infrarenal portion of inferior vena cava and iliac venous system, showing unusual venous collaterals including the left ovarian venous collateral via parametrial venous complex, and a mesenteric-periureteric venous connection. The venous collateral pathways were demonstrated by computed tomography and venography

Pretreatment seizure semiology in childhood absence epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kessler, Sudha Kilaru; Shinnar, Shlomo; Cnaan, Avital; Dlugos, Dennis; Conry, Joan; Hirtz, Deborah G; Hu, Fengming; Liu, Chunyan; Mizrahi, Eli M; Moshé, Solomon L; Clark, Peggy; Glauser, Tracy A

2017-08-15

To determine seizure semiology in children with newly diagnosed childhood absence epilepsy and to evaluate associations with short-term treatment outcomes. For participants enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, comparative-effectiveness trial, semiologic features of pretreatment seizures were analyzed as predictors of treatment outcome at the week 16 to 20 visit. Video of 1,932 electrographic absence seizures from 416 participants was evaluated. Median seizure duration was 10.2 seconds; median time between electrographic seizure onset and clinical manifestation onset was 1.5 seconds. For individual seizures and by participant, the most common semiology features were pause/stare (seizure 95.5%, participant 99.3%), motor automatisms (60.6%, 86.1%), and eye involvement (54.9%, 76.5%). The interrater agreement for motor automatisms and eye involvement was good (72%-84%). Variability of semiology features between seizures even within participants was high. Clustering analyses revealed 4 patterns (involving the presence/absence of eye involvement and motor automatisms superimposed on the nearly ubiquitous pause/stare). Most participants experienced more than one seizure cluster pattern. No individual semiologic feature was individually predictive of short-term outcome. Seizure freedom was half as likely in participants with one or more seizure having the pattern of eye involvement without motor automatisms than in participants without this pattern. Almost all absence seizures are characterized by a pause in activity or staring, but rarely is this the only feature. Semiologic features tend to cluster, resulting in identifiable absence seizure subtypes with significant intraparticipant seizure phenomenologic heterogeneity. One seizure subtype, pause/stare and eye involvement but no motor automatisms, is specifically associated with a worse treatment outcome. © 2017 American Academy of Neurology.

Involuntary Absence from an Organizational Point of View

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.M.P. de Kok (Jan)

1997-01-01

textabstractInvoluntary absence is often seen as an exogenous factor, but firms can take actions to reduce it. In this paper the notion that firms, especially SMEs, are faced with a single decision whether or not to undertake these actions is questioned. A firm model on involuntary absence measures

Gender difference in sickness absence from work: a multiple mediation analysis of psychosocial factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Casini, Annalisa; Godin, Isabelle; Clays, Els; Kittel, France

2013-08-01

Previous research has shown that job characteristics, private life and psychosocial factors partially account for gender difference in work absences because of sickness. Most studies have analysed these factors separately. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether these explanatory factors act as mediators when they are considered simultaneously. The evaluated data set comprises the merger of two Belgian longitudinal studies, BELSTRESS III and SOMSTRESS. It includes 3821 workers (1541 men) aged 21-66 years, employed in eight organizations. A multiple mediation analysis was performed to explain the higher prevalence among women. Estimated factors were occupational grade, total number of paid working hours per week, job strain, overcommitment, home-work interference and social support at and outside work. Prospective data concerning duration and frequency of medically justified sickness absence (registered by the organizations) were used as outcomes. Overall, the mediating factors partially account for gender difference in sickness absence. The strongest mediator for both outcomes is job strain. In addition, difference in absence duration is mediated by social support at work, whereas difference in frequency is mediated by professional grade and home-work interference. Our results call attention to the necessity to elaborate actual preventive actions aiming at favouring a better positioning of women on the labour market in term of hierarchical level as well as in terms of quality of work for reducing sickness absence in this group.

Neurochemical and Behavioral Features in Genetic Absence Epilepsy and in Acutely Induced Absence Seizures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bazyan, A.S.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van

2013-01-01

The absence epilepsy typical electroencephalographic pattern of sharp spikes and slow waves (SWDs) is considered to be due to an interaction of an initiation site in the cortex and a resonant circuit in the thalamus. The hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated cationic Ih pacemaker

Psychosocial work conditions associated with sickness absence among hospital employees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Suadicani, P; Olesen, K; Bonde, J P

2014-01-01

's salary database. RESULTS: A total of 1809 hospital employees took part with a response rate of 65%. The mean age was 43 (range: 20-69) and 75% were female. Totally, 363 study participants (20%) had at least 14 days sickness absence (defined as high absence) during the preceding year. Associations between...... essential covariates of sickness absence. METHODS: A cross-sectional questionnaire study of hospital employees which sought information on elements of the psychosocial work environment, general health status, life style, age, gender and profession. Data on sickness absence were obtained from the employer...

Isolated absence of the septum pellucidum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Supprian, T.; Sian, J.; Heils, A.; Hofmann, E.; Warmuth-Metz, M.; Solymosi, L.

1999-01-01

Absence of the septum pellucidum in the human is a rare congenital anomaly. Previous reports suggest it is almost always associated with other brain anomalies. However, MRI in two patients with absence of the septum pellucidum presented here, indicates that this anomaly may occur without associated anomalies. It may be one manifestation of a spectrum of developmental anomalies. One patient presented with schizophrenic psychosis; developmental disturbances in limbic areas are believed to be associated with schizophrenia. Agenesis of the septum pellucidum may indicate abnormal development of limbic structures and it may be associated with anomalies, such as cytoarchitectural disturbances of cortical layers, as yet undetectable by MRI. (orig.)

Effect of absence of vision on posture

OpenAIRE

Alotaibi, Abdullah Z.; Alghadir, Ahmad; Iqbal, Zaheen A.; Anwer, Shahnawaz

2016-01-01

[Purpose] The visual system is one of the sensory systems that enables the body to assess and process information about the external environment. In the absence of vision, a blind person loses contact with the outside world and develops faulty motor patterns, which results in postural deficiencies. However, literature regarding the development of such deficiencies is limited. The aim of this study was to discuss the effect of absence of vision on posture, the possible biomechanics behind the ...

Worried sick? Sickness absence during organizational turmoil

OpenAIRE

Bratberg, Espen; Monstad, Karin

2011-01-01

Sickness absence has risen over the past years in Norway. An explanation put forward is that a tougher labour market represents a health hazard, while a competing hypothesis predicts that loss of job security works as a disciplinary device. In this analysis we aim to trace a causal impact of organizational turmoil or job insecurity on sickness absence, applying a difference-in-difference approach. Utilizing a negative financial shock that hit specific employers and workplaces, we find that...

Thalamic stimulation in absence epilepsy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luttjohann, A.K.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van

2013-01-01

Purpose The site specific effects of two different types of electrical stimulation of the thalamus on electroencephalic epileptic activity as generated in the cortico-thalamo-cortical system were investigated in genetic epileptic WAG/Rij rats, a well characterized and validated absence

Evidence of Absence software

Science.gov (United States)

Dalthorp, Daniel; Huso, Manuela M. P.; Dail, David; Kenyon, Jessica

2014-01-01

Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly application used for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities has exceeded a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software is applicable even when zero carcasses have been found in searches. Depending on the effectiveness of the searches, such an absence of evidence of mortality may or may not be strong evidence that few fatalities occurred. Under a search protocol in which carcasses are detected with nearly 100 percent certainty, finding zero carcasses would be convincing evidence that overall mortality rate was near zero. By contrast, with a less effective search protocol with low probability of detecting a carcass, finding zero carcasses does not rule out the possibility that large numbers of animals were killed but not detected in the searches. EoA uses information about the search process and scavenging rates to estimate detection probabilities to determine a maximum credible number of fatalities, even when zero or few carcasses are observed.

26 CFR 1.410(a)-9 - Maternity and paternity absence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Maternity and paternity absence. 1.410(a)-9... Maternity and paternity absence. (a) Elapsed time—(1) Rule. For purposes of applying the rules of § 1.410(a...)(5)(E) and 411(a)(6)(E) (relating to maternity or paternity absence), the severance from service date...

Focus Group Study Exploring Factors Related to Frequent Sickness Absence.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annette Notenbomer

Full Text Available Research investigating frequent sickness absence (3 or more episodes per year is scarce and qualitative research from the perspective of frequent absentees themselves is lacking. The aim of the current study is to explore awareness, determinants of and solutions to frequent sickness absence from the perspective of frequent absentees themselves.We performed a qualitative study of 3 focus group discussions involving a total of 15 frequent absentees. Focus group discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Results were analyzed with the Graneheim method using the Job Demands Resources (JD-R model as theoretical framework.Many participants were not aware of their frequent sickness absence and the risk of future long-term sickness absence. As determinants, participants mentioned job demands, job resources, home demands, poor health, chronic illness, unhealthy lifestyles, and diminished feeling of responsibility to attend work in cases of low job resources. Managing these factors and improving communication (skills were regarded as solutions to reduce frequent sickness absence.The JD-R model provided a framework for determinants of and solutions to frequent sickness absence. Additional determinants were poor health, chronic illness, unhealthy lifestyles, and diminished feeling of responsibility to attend work in cases of low job resources. Frequent sickness absence should be regarded as a signal that something is wrong. Managers, supervisors, and occupational health care providers should advise and support frequent absentees to accommodate job demands, increase both job and personal resources, and improve health rather than express disapproval of frequent sickness absence and apply pressure regarding work attendance.

Focus Group Study Exploring Factors Related to Frequent Sickness Absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Notenbomer, Annette; Roelen, Corné A M; van Rhenen, Willem; Groothoff, Johan W

2016-01-01

Research investigating frequent sickness absence (3 or more episodes per year) is scarce and qualitative research from the perspective of frequent absentees themselves is lacking. The aim of the current study is to explore awareness, determinants of and solutions to frequent sickness absence from the perspective of frequent absentees themselves. We performed a qualitative study of 3 focus group discussions involving a total of 15 frequent absentees. Focus group discussions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Results were analyzed with the Graneheim method using the Job Demands Resources (JD-R) model as theoretical framework. Many participants were not aware of their frequent sickness absence and the risk of future long-term sickness absence. As determinants, participants mentioned job demands, job resources, home demands, poor health, chronic illness, unhealthy lifestyles, and diminished feeling of responsibility to attend work in cases of low job resources. Managing these factors and improving communication (skills) were regarded as solutions to reduce frequent sickness absence. The JD-R model provided a framework for determinants of and solutions to frequent sickness absence. Additional determinants were poor health, chronic illness, unhealthy lifestyles, and diminished feeling of responsibility to attend work in cases of low job resources. Frequent sickness absence should be regarded as a signal that something is wrong. Managers, supervisors, and occupational health care providers should advise and support frequent absentees to accommodate job demands, increase both job and personal resources, and improve health rather than express disapproval of frequent sickness absence and apply pressure regarding work attendance.

Can digital presence reconfigure experiences of absence?

OpenAIRE

Jain, J.; Clayton, W.

2014-01-01

Family Rituals 2.0 is a project based on the premise that work-related travel is unlikely to disappear in the foreseeable future. Many work roles – from truck drivers to CEOs – involve periods of absence, and often being away overnight. Travel which takes people away overnight impacts on family and home life; however, the emergence of powerful new digital communication technologies could challenge traditional experiences of such absence.\\ud \\ud Many studies have considered the potential for d...

Beyond the Excused/Unexcused Absence Binary: Classifying Absenteeism through a Voluntary/Involuntary Absence Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Birioukov, Anton

2016-01-01

Student absenteeism in secondary schools has received international academic attention for quite some time. Absenteeism has been linked to diminished academic outcomes and is one of the leading causes of high school dropout. Although absenteeism is a serious concern for educational scholars, the definitions of absences and their subtypes are…

Isolated absence of the septum pellucidum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Supprian, T. [Department of Psychiatry, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstrasse 15, D-97080 Wuerzburg (Germany)]|[Department of Neuroradiology, University of Wuerzburg (Germany); Sian, J.; Heils, A. [Department of Psychiatry, University of Wuerzburg, Fuechsleinstrasse 15, D-97080 Wuerzburg (Germany); Hofmann, E.; Warmuth-Metz, M.; Solymosi, L. [Department of Neuroradiology, University of Wuerzburg (Germany)

1999-08-01

Absence of the septum pellucidum in the human is a rare congenital anomaly. Previous reports suggest it is almost always associated with other brain anomalies. However, MRI in two patients with absence of the septum pellucidum presented here, indicates that this anomaly may occur without associated anomalies. It may be one manifestation of a spectrum of developmental anomalies. One patient presented with schizophrenic psychosis; developmental disturbances in limbic areas are believed to be associated with schizophrenia. Agenesis of the septum pellucidum may indicate abnormal development of limbic structures and it may be associated with anomalies, such as cytoarchitectural disturbances of cortical layers, as yet undetectable by MRI. (orig.) With 1 fig., 19 refs.

Socioeconomic status and duration and pattern of sickness absence. A 1-year follow-up study of 2331 hospital employees

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Sickness absence increases with lower socioeconomic status. However, it is not well known how this relation depends on specific aspects of sickness absence or the degree to which socioeconomic differences in sickness absence may be explained by other factors. The purpose of the study was to examine differences in sickness absence among occupational groups in a large general hospital; how they depend on combinations of frequency and duration of sickness absence spells; and if they could be explained by self-reported general health, personal factors and work factors. Methods The design is a 1-year prospective cohort study of 2331 hospital employees. Baseline information include job title, work unit, perceived general health, work factors and personal factors recorded from hospital administrative files or by questionnaire (response rate 84%). Sickness absence during follow-up was divided into short (1-3 days), medium (4-14 days) and long (>14 days) spells, and into no absence, "normal" absence (1-3 absences of certain durations) and "abnormal" absence (any other absence than "normal"). Socioeconomic status was assessed by job titles grouped in six occupational groups by level of education (from doctors to cleaners/porters). Effects of occupational group on sickness absence were adjusted for significant effects of age, gender, general health, personal factors and work factors. We used Poisson or logistic regression analysis to estimate the effects of model covariates (rate ratios (RR) or odds ratios (OR)) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results With a few exceptions sickness absence increased with decreasing socioeconomic status. However, the social gradient was quite different for different types of sickness absence. The gradient was strong for medium spells and "abnormal" absence, and weak for all spells, short spells, long spells and "normal" absence. For cleaners compared to doctors the adjusted risk estimates increased 4.2 (95% CI 2.8-6.2) and

Socioeconomic status and duration and pattern of sickness absence. A 1-year follow-up study of 2331 hospital employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikkelsen Sigurd

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sickness absence increases with lower socioeconomic status. However, it is not well known how this relation depends on specific aspects of sickness absence or the degree to which socioeconomic differences in sickness absence may be explained by other factors. The purpose of the study was to examine differences in sickness absence among occupational groups in a large general hospital; how they depend on combinations of frequency and duration of sickness absence spells; and if they could be explained by self-reported general health, personal factors and work factors. Methods The design is a 1-year prospective cohort study of 2331 hospital employees. Baseline information include job title, work unit, perceived general health, work factors and personal factors recorded from hospital administrative files or by questionnaire (response rate 84%. Sickness absence during follow-up was divided into short (1-3 days, medium (4-14 days and long (>14 days spells, and into no absence, "normal" absence (1-3 absences of certain durations and "abnormal" absence (any other absence than "normal". Socioeconomic status was assessed by job titles grouped in six occupational groups by level of education (from doctors to cleaners/porters. Effects of occupational group on sickness absence were adjusted for significant effects of age, gender, general health, personal factors and work factors. We used Poisson or logistic regression analysis to estimate the effects of model covariates (rate ratios (RR or odds ratios (OR and their 95% confidence intervals (CI. Results With a few exceptions sickness absence increased with decreasing socioeconomic status. However, the social gradient was quite different for different types of sickness absence. The gradient was strong for medium spells and "abnormal" absence, and weak for all spells, short spells, long spells and "normal" absence. For cleaners compared to doctors the adjusted risk estimates increased 4.2 (95

Socioeconomic status and duration and pattern of sickness absence. A 1-year follow-up study of 2331 hospital employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Kristensen, Trine R; Jensen, Signe M; Kreiner, Svend; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2010-10-25

Sickness absence increases with lower socioeconomic status. However, it is not well known how this relation depends on specific aspects of sickness absence or the degree to which socioeconomic differences in sickness absence may be explained by other factors.The purpose of the study was to examine differences in sickness absence among occupational groups in a large general hospital; how they depend on combinations of frequency and duration of sickness absence spells; and if they could be explained by self-reported general health, personal factors and work factors. The design is a 1-year prospective cohort study of 2331 hospital employees. Baseline information include job title, work unit, perceived general health, work factors and personal factors recorded from hospital administrative files or by questionnaire (response rate 84%). Sickness absence during follow-up was divided into short (1-3 days), medium (4-14 days) and long (>14 days) spells, and into no absence, "normal" absence (1-3 absences of certain durations) and "abnormal" absence (any other absence than "normal"). Socioeconomic status was assessed by job titles grouped in six occupational groups by level of education (from doctors to cleaners/porters). Effects of occupational group on sickness absence were adjusted for significant effects of age, gender, general health, personal factors and work factors. We used Poisson or logistic regression analysis to estimate the effects of model covariates (rate ratios (RR) or odds ratios (OR)) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). With a few exceptions sickness absence increased with decreasing socioeconomic status. However, the social gradient was quite different for different types of sickness absence. The gradient was strong for medium spells and "abnormal" absence, and weak for all spells, short spells, long spells and "normal" absence. For cleaners compared to doctors the adjusted risk estimates increased 4.2 (95% CI 2.8-6.2) and 7.4 (95% CI 3.3-16) times

Adrenocortical regulation, eating in the absence of hunger and BMI in young children.

Science.gov (United States)

Francis, L A; Granger, D A; Susman, E J

2013-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine relations among adrenocortical regulation, eating in the absence of hunger, and body mass index (BMI) in children ages 5-9years (N=43). Saliva was collected before and after the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C), and was later assayed for cortisol. Area under the curve with respect to increase (AUCi) was used as a measure of changes in cortisol release from baseline to 60min post-TSST-C. Age- and sex-specific BMI scores were calculated from measured height and weight, and eating in the absence of hunger was assessed using weighed food intake during a behavioral procedure. We also included a measure of parents' report of child impulsivity, as well as family demographic information. Participants were stratified by age into younger (5-7years) and older (8-9years) groups. In younger children, parents' reports of child impulsivity were significantly and positively associated with BMI; cortisol AUCi was not associated with BMI or eating in the absence of hunger. In older children, however, greater stress-related cortisol AUCi was related to higher BMI scores and greater energy intake in the absence of hunger. The results suggest that cortisol AUCi in response to psychosocial stress may be linked to problems with energy balance in children, with some variation by age. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Does paternity leave affect mothers’ sickness absence

OpenAIRE

Bratberg, Espen; Naz, Ghazala

2009-01-01

Female labour force participation is high in Norway but sickness absence rates are higher for women than for men. This may be partly a result of unequal sharing of childcare in the family. In this paper, we consider the effect of paternity leave on sickness absence among women who have recently given birth. We draw on a six-year panel taken from full population data from administrative sources. We find that in the 6% of families where fathers take out leave more than the standard quota (gende...

Sickness absence and workplace levels of satisfaction with psychosocial work conditions at public service workplaces

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munch-Hansen, Torsten; Wieclaw, Joanna; Agerbo, Esben

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of psychosocial work conditions on sickness absence while addressing methodological weaknesses in earlier studies. METHODS: The participants were 13,437 employees from 698 public service workplace units in Aarhus County, Denmark....... Satisfaction with psychosocial work conditions was rated on a scale from 0 (low) to 10 (high). Individual ratings were aggregated to workplace scores. Analysis of variance was used to compare the average number of days of yearly sickness absence in three groups with different levels of satisfaction...... with psychosocial work conditions. RESULTS: Sickness absence was 30.8% lower in the most satisfied group (11.7 days/year (CI 95%: 10.2; 13.1)) than in the least satisfied group (16.9 days/year (CI 95%: 15.3; 18.6)) adjusted for the covariates included. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction with psychosocial work conditions has...

Identifying workers at risk of sickness absence by questionnaire

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, Corne A. M.; van der Pol, Tjepke R.; Koopmans, Petra C.; Groothoff, Johan W.

2006-01-01

Background Sickness absence is an important economic problem, because of high costs and lost productivity. Determining factors associated with increased risk of sickness absence may lead to the development of preventive measures. Aims To determine whether self-report questionnaires can identify

Cortical and limbic excitability in rats with absence epilepsy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tolmacheva, E.A.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Chepurnov, S.A.; Kaminskij, Y.; Mares, P.

2004-01-01

The classical cortico-reticular theory on absence epilepsy suggests that a hyperexcitable cortex is a precondition for the occurrence of absence seizures. In the present experiment seizure thresholds and characteristics of cortical and limbic epileptic afterdischarges (AD) were determined in a

TYPICAL ABSENCES: RESULTS OF OWN INVESTIGATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Yu. Mukhin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Typical absences (TA are brief primary generalized epileptic seizures characterized by sudden onset and termination. According to their definition, absences consist of impairment of consciousness that is synchronously accompanied by electroencephalographic (EEG changes as generalized spike–slow wave discharges of 3 or more Hz. The authors conducted an investigation of 1261 patients with different forms of epilepsy with onset of seizures from the first days of life to the age of 18 years. The patients were followed up from 1990 to 2010. Absence seizures were detected in 231 patients, which accounts for 18.3 % of all the epileptic patients. TA were found in 102 patients, which constitutes 8.1 % of all cases of epilepsy with onset of seizures beyond the age of 18 years. The paper provides a detailed analysis of a group of patients with TA in terms of anamnestic, clinical, electroencephalographic, and neuroimaging features and the results of therapy with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs. The age of onset of TA-associated epilepsy was from 9 months to 17 years (mean 9.4 ± 4.06 years. The disease occurred most frequently in young school-age children (41.2 %. Isolated TA as the only type of seizures were observed in the clinical picture of 28 (27.5 % patients. TA were concurrent with other types of seizures in other cases. The investigators have identified 4 types of seizures which TA (generalized convulsions, myoclonic seizures, febrile seizures, and eyelid myoclonia may be concurrent with. Neuroimaging stated there were no brain changes in 85.3 % of TA-associated epilepsy cases. Moderate diffuse subatrophic changes were detected in other cases (14.7 %. Local cerebral structural abnormalities were absent. The use of antiepileptic therapy as both monotherapy and polytherapy using different combinations showed the high efficacy of AEDs. Complete remission was achieved in 84.3 % of TA-associated epilepsy cases. An AED-induced reduction in the frequency of

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

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bültmann Ute

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract 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 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 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

The cortical focus in childhood absence epilepsy; evidence from nonlinear analysis of scalp EEG recordings.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarrigiannis, Ptolemaios G; Zhao, Yifan; He, Fei; Billings, Stephen A; Baster, Kathleen; Rittey, Chris; Yianni, John; Zis, Panagiotis; Wei, Hualiang; Hadjivassiliou, Marios; Grünewald, Richard

2018-03-01

To determine the origin and dynamic characteristics of the generalised hyper-synchronous spike and wave (SW) discharges in childhood absence epilepsy (CAE). We applied nonlinear methods, the error reduction ratio (ERR) causality test and cross-frequency analysis, with a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) model, to electroencephalograms (EEGs) from CAE, selected with stringent electro-clinical criteria (17 cases, 42 absences). We analysed the pre-ictal and ictal strength of association between homologous and heterologous EEG derivations and estimated the direction of synchronisation and corresponding time lags. A frontal/fronto-central onset of the absences is detected in 13 of the 17 cases with the highest ictal strength of association between homologous frontal followed by centro-temporal and fronto-central areas. Delays consistently in excess of 4 ms occur at the very onset between these regions, swiftly followed by the emergence of "isochronous" (0-2 ms) synchronisation but dynamic time lag changes occur during SW discharges. In absences an initial cortico-cortical spread leads to dynamic lag changes to include periods of isochronous interhemispheric synchronisation, which we hypothesize is mediated by the thalamus. Absences from CAE show ictal epileptic network dynamics remarkably similar to those observed in WAG/Rij rats which guided the formulation of the cortical focus theory. Copyright © 2017 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Congenital Absence of the Internal Carotid Artery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Florio, Francesco; Balzano, Silverio; Nardella, Michele; Strizzi, Vincenzo; Cammisa, Mario; Bozzini, Vincenzo; Catapano, Giuseppe; D'Angelo, Vincenzo

1999-01-01

We report three cases of congenital absence of an internal carotid artery (ICA), diagnosed incidentally by digital subtraction angiography. The analysis of the cases is based on the classification of segmental ICA agenesis proposed by Lasjaunias and Berenstein. Usually the patients with this rare vascular anomaly are asymptomatic; some may have symptoms related to cerebrovascular insufficiency, compression by enlarged intracranial collateral vessels, or complications associated with cerebral aneurysms. Diagnosis of congenital absence of ICA is made by skull base computed tomography (CT) scan, CT and magnetic resonance angiography, and conventional or digital subtraction angiography

Work-family conflict as a risk factor for sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, N W H; Kant, I J; van Amelsvoort, L G P M; Kristensen, T S; Swaen, G M H; Nijhuis, F J N

2006-07-01

(1) To study both cross-sectional and prospective relationships between work-family conflict and sickness absence from work; (2) to explore the direction of the relationships between the different types of conflict (work-home interference and home-work interference) and sickness absence; and (3) to explore gender differences in the above relationships. Data from the Maastricht Cohort Study were used with six months of follow up (5072 men and 1015 women at T6). Work-family conflict was measured with the Survey Work-Home Interference Nijmegen (SWING). Sickness absence was assessed objectively through individual record linkage with the company registers on sickness absence. In the cross-sectional analyses, high levels of work-family conflict, work-home interference, and home-work interference were all associated with a higher odds of being absent at the time of completing the questionnaire, after controlling for age and long term disease. Differences in average number of absent days between cases and non-cases of work-home interference were significant for men and most pronounced in women, where the average number of absent days over six months follow up was almost four days higher in women with high versus low-medium work-home interference. A clear relation between work-family conflict and sickness absence was shown. Additionally, the direction of work-family conflict was associated with a different sickness absence pattern. Sickness absence should be added to the list of adverse outcomes for employees struggling to combine their work and family life.

Associations of work ability with frequent and long-term sickness absence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Notenbomer, A.; Groothoff, J. W.; van Rhenen, W.; Roelen, C. A. M.

Background Reduced work ability is related to long-term sickness absence. The relationship between work ability and frequent sickness absence has not previously been investigated. It is important to distinguish between frequent and long-term sickness absence as they are outcomes of different

THE CRIME OF UNJUSTIFIED ABSENCE IN THE ROMANIAN CRIMINAL CODE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirela GORUNESCU

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The new Criminal Code of Romania regulates in Title XI of its Special Part the crimes against the combat capability of the military forces. Under this title, Chapter I is dedicated to the crimes committed by the military and defines the crime of unjustified absence. In this study, the author analysed the specific elements of this crime, including: the specific legal object - military discipline, the field of the active subject and the essential requirements imposed by its objective side.

Sickness absence indicating depressive symptoms of working population in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Cheolmin; Ko, Young-Hoon; Yoon, Seoyoung; Jeon, Sang Won; Pae, Chi-Un; Kim, Yong-Ku; Patkar, Ashwin A; Han, Changsu

2018-02-01

Sickness absence has been regarded as an important indicator of workers' health and work productivity. This study is aimed to evaluate the association between depressive symptoms and sickness absence in workers of South Korea. We used nationwide cross-sectional survey data from 2889 individuals in the working population aged over 19 years in South Korea. Depressive symptoms were measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Those respondents who scored above 10 on PHQ-9 were regarded as having depressive symptoms. Sickness absence was considered a binary variable with an absence of at least 1 day in the past month. The survey instrument contained questions about sociodemographic factors, lifestyle, work-related factors, and chronic illnesses. Logistic regression models were used to find odds ratios and confidence intervals. The prevalence of sickness absence was found to be overall 4.6%. The adjusted odds ratio of sickness absence with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) was 3.63 (Confidence Interval: 2.13-6.20) after controlling of possible confounders. Compared to minimal depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 sickness absences were more significant. The sickness absence based on the memory of the respondent in this study may result in a recall bias. Incidence of at least 1 day of sickness absence per month increased the risk of depressive symptoms after controlling for the possible confounding factors in general working population. It may be necessary to consider strategies for assessing depression in the workers who take sick leaves. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Low job satisfaction does not identify nurses at risk of future sickness absence: results from a Norwegian cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Roelen, C A M; Magerøy, N; van Rhenen, W; Groothoff, J W; van der Klink, J J L; Pallesen, S; Bjorvatn, B; Moen, B E

2013-03-01

Sickness absence is high in healthcare and contributes to nursing staff shortages reducing the efficiency and quality of patient care. Assessing the risk of sickness absence in working nurses opens opportunities for preventive strategies. Job satisfaction has attracted much attention in healthcare research and has been associated with sickness absence among nurses. To investigate if job satisfaction scores are useful to identify working nurses at risk of future sickness absence. Prospective cohort study with a baseline period from November 2008 to March 2009 and 1-year follow-up. Hospitals, nursing homes, and ambulant care settings in Norway. 2059 Norwegian nurses, of whom 1582 (77%) could be followed-up. Nurses received a questionnaire at baseline and after 1-year follow-up. The questionnaire contained the Job Satisfaction Index (JSI), a 5-item scale measuring overall job satisfaction, and asked for sickness absence in the last 12 months. Baseline JSI scores were included in a logistic regression model with self-rated sickness absence at 1-year follow-up as outcome variable. Predictions of sickness absence were calibrated by the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. The ability of JSI scores to discriminate between nurses with and without sickness absence was examined by receiver operating characteristic analysis and expressed as area under the curve (AUC). Low job satisfaction was associated with higher odds of sickness absence (odds ratio [OR]=1.05; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.09) and high (≥ 31 days) sickness absence (OR=1.10; 95% CI 1.06-1.14). Calibration was acceptable, but job satisfaction neither discriminated between nurses with and without sickness absence (AUC=0.54; 95% CI 0.51-0.58) nor between nurses with and without high (≥ 31 days) sickness absence (AUC=0.58; 95% CI 0.54-0.63). The results of this study indicated that job satisfaction was associated with sickness absence, though job satisfaction scores as measured with the JSI did not

The effect on length of sickness absence by recognition of undetected psychiatric disorder in long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Bech, Per

2009-01-01

of return to work. METHODS: Over one year all 2,414 incident persons on LSA in a well-defined population were within one week after eight weeks of continuous sickness absence posted the Common Mental Disorders Screening Questionnaire (CMD-SQ) to screen for mental disorders. In a randomized controlled trial...... (RCT), of 1,121 responding participants, persons with a minimum level of psychiatric symptoms 420 were allocated to the intervention group and 416 to the control group. The intervention was a psychiatric examination including diagnostics with Present State Examination and feedback regarding treatment...... to work. RESULTS: The rate of return to work was non-significantly lower for the intervention group than for the control group, except for persons without a psychiatric sick-leave diagnosis who were sick-listed from full time work, who showed a significantly higher rate of return to work...

Long working hours and sickness absence-a fixed effects design.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstrøm, Vilde Hoff

2018-05-02

While long working hours seem to lead to impaired health, several studies have also shown that long working hours are related to lower levels of sickness absence. Previous studies on the relationship between long working hours and sickness absence have compared those who work long hours to those who do not, looking only at between-individual correlations. Those results might therefore reflect relatively stable differences between employees who typically work long hours and employees who typically do not. The aim of the present study is to examine within-individual correlations between long working hours and sickness absence. Records from the Human Resources department in a large Norwegian hospital from 2012 to 2015 provided objective data on both working hours and sickness absence. Two analyses were performed: a prospective cohort analysis to replicate the results from previous between-individual analyses and a second analysis of within-individual correlations using a fixed effect design. In line with existing research, both between-individual and within-individual analyses showed a negative relationship between long working hours (> 48 h/week) and short-term sickness absence (1-8 days) and no significant difference in incidence of long-term sickness absence (> 8 days). The results indicate that the negative relationship between long working hours and sickness absence is not due only to relatively stable individual differences between those who typically work long hours and those who do not. The results from both analyses therefore still contrast with previous research showing a negative relationship between long working hours and other health indicators.

Genetic models of absence epilepsy: New concepts and insights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Stein, J.

2017-01-01

The discovery, development and use of genetic rodent models of absence epilepsy have led to a new theory about the origin of absence seizures, which has gained impact within the international epilepsy community. A focal zone has been identified in the perioral region of the somatosensory cortex in

The predictive value of mental health for long-term sickness absence: the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5) compared.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Rugulies, Reiner; Hjarsbech, Pernille U; Bjorner, Jakob Bue

2013-09-17

Questionnaires are valuable for population surveys of mental health. Different survey instruments may however give different results. The present study compares two mental health instruments, the Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5), in regard to their prediction of long-term sickness absence. Questionnaire data was collected from N = 4153 Danish employees. The questionnaire included the MDI and the MHI-5. The information of long-term sickness absence was obtained from a register. We used Cox regression to calculate covariance adjusted hazard ratios for long-term sickness absence for both measures. Both the MDI and the MHI-5 had a highly significant prediction of long-term sickness absence. A one standard deviation change in score was associated with an increased risk of long-term sickness absence of 27% for the MDI and 37% for the MHI-5. When both measures were included in the same analysis, the MHI-5 performed best. In general population surveys, the MHI-5 is a better predictor of long-term sickness absence than the MDI.

Frequency of persistant backache in patients of spinal anaesthesia in the absence of prior history of backache

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farhat, N.; Rahman, F.U.; Gujua, S.K.

2013-01-01

To determine the frequency of persistant backache in patients of spinal anaesthesia in the absence of prior history of bachache. Study Design: Quasi experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: CMH Kharian from May 2008 to Sep 2009. Methods: Total 150 patients who were admitted at CMH Kharian during the study period were included in the study. The selection criteria included male and female patients above twenty years of age due for elective gynaecological, orthopaedics, urology and general surgical procedures. Only 112 patients reported for complete follow up for one year. Out of 112 patients, 61.6% were males while 38.4% were females. All patients with prior history of back pain were excluded from the study. Results: At the end of one year the frequency of persistent back pain after one year of spinal anaesthesia is (1/112) 0.89% in the absence of previous history of back pain. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that frequency of persistant back pain after spinal anaesthesia in the absence of previous history of back pain is very low. (author)

Bronchitis: sickness absence in London Transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cornwall, C J; Raffle, P A.B.

1961-01-01

Analysis of records of bronchitis morbidity of 4 days or more among 60,000 male London Transport employees for the years 1952 to 1956 is discussed. Bronchitis morbidity accounted for about 10% of the absences, similar to that for the country as a whole. Annual inception rate increased with age after age 45; average length of spell increased with age over the whole age range. Absence from bronchitis broadly correlated with foggy periods (Dec, 52; Jan, 56), more so with city workers. Higher rates exist in north sectors where pollution is higher (south wind), and there is more industry and a higher population density. Lower rates exist among country workers. 20 to 25% of bronchitis morbidity can be ascribed to air pollution when country and city workers are compared.

Peculiar enlargement of the nasopharynx in patients with anorexia nervosa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okamoto, K. [Department of Radiology, School of Dentistry, Niigata Univ. (Japan); Ito, J. [Department of Radiology, School of Dentistry, Niigata Univ. (Japan); Tokiguchi, S. [Department of Radiology, School of Dentistry, Niigata Univ. (Japan); Kuwabara, G. [Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata (Japan); Nishihara, M. [Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Niigata University, Niigata (Japan)

1995-11-01

We examined the nasopharynx and brain in 17 patients with anorexia nervosa by CT and compared the findings with those of 44 normal subjects and of 5 patients of the same age with marked emaciation caused by various psychiatric disorders. An enlarged nasopharyngeal space with a flattened posterior wall and enlarged lateral pharyngeal recesses were demonstrated in all patients with anorexia nervosa whose weight was lowest at the time of the CT examination, and these CT features regressed or became normal quickly after they had gained some weight. This characteristic enlargement of the nasopharynx and lateral pharyngeal recesses was observed neither in the markedly emaciated patients (2 with schizophrenia, 1 with major depression, 1 with stupor and the other with an extremely unbalanced diet) nor in 44 normal subjects without emaciation. These features were therefore thought to be characteristic and of diagnostic significance. (orig.). With 5 figs., 3 tabs.

Peculiar enlargement of the nasopharynx in patients with anorexia nervosa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okamoto, K.; Ito, J.; Tokiguchi, S.; Kuwabara, G.; Nishihara, M.

1995-01-01

We examined the nasopharynx and brain in 17 patients with anorexia nervosa by CT and compared the findings with those of 44 normal subjects and of 5 patients of the same age with marked emaciation caused by various psychiatric disorders. An enlarged nasopharyngeal space with a flattened posterior wall and enlarged lateral pharyngeal recesses were demonstrated in all patients with anorexia nervosa whose weight was lowest at the time of the CT examination, and these CT features regressed or became normal quickly after they had gained some weight. This characteristic enlargement of the nasopharynx and lateral pharyngeal recesses was observed neither in the markedly emaciated patients (2 with schizophrenia, 1 with major depression, 1 with stupor and the other with an extremely unbalanced diet) nor in 44 normal subjects without emaciation. These features were therefore thought to be characteristic and of diagnostic significance. (orig.). With 5 figs., 3 tabs

Sickness absence among health workers in belo horizonte, brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassi, Iara; Assunção, Ada Ávila; Pimenta, Adriano Marçal; Benavides, Fernando G; Ubalde-Lopez, Monica

2016-05-25

To describe the prevalence of sickness absence and to analyze factors associated with the outcome according to gender in a sample of healthcare workers at the Belo Horizonte Health Department. This study was based on a Belo Horizonte Health Department survey carried out between September 2008 and January 2009. From a randomly selected sample of 2,205 workers, 1,808 agreed to participate. Workers were classified into Health Staff or Health Care. Other explanatory variables were social and demographic data, work characteristics, and personal health. The Poisson regression was applied to analyze factors associated with sickness absence by the prevalence ratio (PR). The overall prevalence of sickness absence was 31.5% (23.8% for men and 34.6% for women). In the final model, we found higher rates of sickness absence in both male and female workers involved in tasks with high psychosocial demands (PR=1.86 men; PR=1.38 women) and in those that reported using medication for treating chronic diseases (PR=1.96 men; PR=1.50 women). Women having a permanent job contract had a higher prevalence of sickness absence than those having a temporary job contract (PR=1.71). Our findings suggest a paradox in how healthcare is organized: good results in terms of its global objective of providing healthcare for citizens contrast with lack of effective measures for protecting healthcare workers.

Job stress as a risk factor for absences among manual workers: a 12-month follow-up study

OpenAIRE

HEO, Yong-Seok; LEEM, Jong-Han; PARK, Shin-Goo; JUNG, Dal-Young; KIM, Hwan-Cheol

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of job stress on absence from work caused by illnesses and accidents through a prospective research design. A total of 2,349 manual workers were included in this analysis. In the first survey, job stress was determined using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form. In the second survey, information on absence due to accidents or illnesses during the past one year was obtained through a questionnaire. The relationship was analyzed using a...

Clinically diagnosed insomnia and risk of all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence: a nationwide Swedish prospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansson, Catarina; Alexanderson, Kristina; Kecklund, Göran; Åkerstedt, Torbjörn

2013-11-01

Insomnia is a large health problem. In some prior studies, positive associations between insomnia symptoms and sickness absence have been observed. There is, however, no previous nationwide cohort study of clinically diagnosed insomnia and risk of incident sickness absence. Prospective nationwide cohort study based on Swedish population-based registers including all 4,956,358 individuals registered as living in Sweden on 31 December 2004/2005, aged 17-64 years, not on disability pension, old-age pension or on-going sickness absence. Those having insomnia inpatient or outpatient care, defined as having at least one admission/specialist visit with a main or secondary diagnosis of disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep [insomnias] (ICD-10: G47.0) during 2000/2001-2005, were compared to those with no such care. All-cause and diagnosis-specific incident sickness absence were followed during 2006-2010. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression. In models adjusted for prior sickness absence, socio-demographic factors and inpatient and specialized outpatient care, associations between insomnia and increased risks of all-cause sickness absence (IRR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.35) and sickness absence due to mental diagnoses (IRR 1.75, 95% CI 1.36-2.25) were observed. After further adjustment for insomnia medications these associations disappeared. No associations between insomnia and risk of sickness absence due to cancer, circulatory or musculoskeletal diagnoses, or injuries, were observed. In this nationwide cohort study, we observed increased risks of all-cause sickness absence and sickness absence due to mental diagnoses after adjustment for several potential confounders that disappeared after further adjustment for insomnia medications.

[Association of leptin, adiponectin, and ghrelin in breast milk with the growth of infants with exclusive breastfeeding].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Li-Li; Yang, Fan; Xiong, Fei

2018-02-01

To investigate the association of leptin, adiponectin, and ghrelin in breast milk with the weight growth velocity of infants with exclusive breastfeeding. A total of 67 full-term singleton infants who received regular child care and exclusive breastfeeding and their mothers were enrolled. The nutritional status was evaluated based on the measurements of body weight and body length (underweight, growth retardation, emaciation, overweight, and obesity). Z score was used to calculate growth velocity, and according to the ΔZ score, the infants were divided into poor growth group, low growth velocity group, and normal growth velocity group. Mature breast milk samples were collected from their mothers, and ELISA was used to measure the levels of leptin, adiponectin, and ghrelin. The emaciation group had a significantly lower level of leptin in breast milk than the non-emaciation group (Pobesity group had a significantly lower level of adiponectin than the non-overweight/obesity group (Pmilk was positively correlated with Z score of current body weight and ΔZ score compared with birth weight (r s =0.280 and 0.290 respectively; Pmilk was an important influencing factor for the Z score of body weight (β=0.161, Pmilk, including leptin, adiponectin, and ghrelin, may regulate the growth and development of infants to a certain degree, but long-term studies and observation are needed to investigate their association with offspring growth and development and the health-promoting effect of breast milk on offspring.

20 CFR 416.1167 - Temporary absences and deeming rules.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED Income Deeming of Income § 416.1167 Temporary absences and deeming..., we consider your absence to be temporary through the date of discharge. (b) Child away at school. If you are an eligible child who is away at school but comes home on some weekends or lengthy holidays...

Genetic models of absence epilepsy: New concepts and insights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Coenen, A.M.L.; Schwartzkroin, P.A.

2009-01-01

The discovery, development, and use of genetic rodent models of absence epilepsy have led to a new theory about the origin of absence seizures. A focal zone has been identified in the peri-oral region of the somatosensory cortex in WAG/Rij and GAERS – the two most commonly used models – from which

Sickness absence, moral hazard, and the business cycle.

Science.gov (United States)

Pichler, Stefan

2015-06-01

The procyclical nature of sickness absence has been documented by many scholars in literature. So far, explanations have been based on labor force composition and reduced moral hazard caused by fear of job loss during recessions. In this paper, we propose and test a third mechanism caused by reduced moral hazard during booms and infections. We suggest that the workload is higher during economic booms and thus employees have to go to work despite being sick. In a theoretical model focusing on infectious diseases, we show that this will provoke infections of coworkers leading to overall higher sickness absence during economic upturns. Using state-level aggregated data from 112 German public health insurance funds (out of 145 in total), we find that sickness absence due to infectious diseases shows the largest procyclical pattern, as predicted by our theoretical model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of the Danish return-to-work program on long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Otto M; Aust, Birgit; Bjørner, Jakob

2014-01-01

participant receiving ordinary sickness benefit management (OSM). Study participants were working-age adults receiving long-term (≥8 weeks or more) benefits, included regardless of reason for sickness absence or employment status. Each beneficiary was followed-up for a maximum period of 52 weeks. Cox......OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Danish return-to-work (RTW) program on long-term sickness absence in a randomized controlled trial in three municipalities. METHODS: The intervention group comprised 1948 participants while the control group comprised 1157...... proportional hazards model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for return to work (RTW) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). RESULTS: The intervention effect differed significantly between the municipalities (P=0.00005). In one municipality (M2) the intervention resulted in a statistically significant...

Separate and combined associations of pain and emotional exhaustion with sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Saastamoinen, Peppiina; Leino-Arjas, Päivi; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahelma, Eero

2016-01-01

Pain and emotional exhaustion are prevalent conditions with consequences for sickness absence. Although they often co-occur, their combined associations with sickness absence are poorly understood. This study aimed to examine the separate and combined associations of pain and emotional exhaustion with subsequent sickness absence. The data were derived from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey sent to 40 to 60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki in 2000 to 2002 (n = 6457) linked with the City of Helsinki personnel register information on sickness absence (3 years on from the survey). Self-certified (1-3 days) and medically certified sickness absence spells (4-14 days, more than 14 days) were used as outcomes. Acute and chronic pain and emotional exhaustion were measured in a questionnaire survey. For the purposes of this study, sickness absence and pain variables were merged to form a new variable with 6 mutually exclusive categories. The main statistical method was negative binomial regression analysis. The synergy index was used to estimate the interaction. Among women, acute and chronic pain with and without emotional exhaustion predicted sickness absence, particularly absence lasting for more than 2 weeks, whereas emotional exhaustion alone did not. The associations persisted when further adjusted for socioeconomic and sociodemographic factors, health-related behaviors, and somatic and mental health. A synergistic interaction effect was found for co-occurring pain and emotional exhaustion on medically certified sickness absence. The results for men were mainly similar, but less stable. In order to tackle sickness absence, special attention should be paid to the prevention and treatment of employees with co-occurring pain and emotional exhaustion.

Socioeconomic status and duration and pattern of sickness absence. A 1-year follow-up study of 2331 hospital employees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, Trine Rønde; Jensen, Signe Marie; Kreiner, Svend

2010-01-01

prospective cohort study of 2331 hospital employees. Baseline information include job title, work unit, perceived general health, work factors and personal factors recorded from hospital administrative files or by questionnaire (response rate 84%). Sickness absence during follow-up was divided into short (1...... differences in sickness absence among occupational groups in a large general hospital; how they depend on combinations of frequency and duration of sickness absence spells; and if they could be explained by self-reported general health, personal factors and work factors. Methods The design is a 1-year...... doctors to cleaners/porters). Effects of occupational group on sickness absence were adjusted for significant effects of age, gender, general health, personal factors and work factors. We used Poisson or logistic regression analysis to estimate the effects of model covariates (rate ratios (RR) or odds...

Father absence and gendered traits in sons and daughters.

Science.gov (United States)

Boothroyd, Lynda G; Cross, Catharine P

2017-01-01

Research has previously found a number of apparently contradictory patterns in the relationship between 'father absence' (having a non-resident father during childhood) and the expression of gender roles, as well as other sexually dimorphic traits such as aggression. In the current study we measured a battery of sexually differentiated traits in relation to family background. 133 men and 558 women from the United States and Australia completed the Bem Sex Role Inventory, the Barrett Impulsivity Scale, the Fear Survey Schedule and the Buss & Perry Aggression Questionnaire. Principal components analysis found two main axes of variation in these traits. Firstly, a general 'reactivity' factor, on which aggression, impulsivity, and fear all loaded positively, was weakly associated with father absence in women. Secondly, 'masculinity' (consisting of high scores on masculine traits, low fear, and physical and verbal aggression) was not associated with father absence. Participants (except American males) reporting a poor childhood relationship with their parents also had high 'reactivity' but not higher 'masculinity'. We found some evidence of a link between father absence and earlier age of first coitus in American females (although not in Australia), but there was no link with age of menarche in either country. Overall, the current results suggest that previous findings linking gender development with father absence in girls may have arisen from a tendency towards greater externalising and reactive behaviour rather than a change in gender development per se.

Prediction of long-term absence due to sickness in employees: development and validation of a multifactorial risk score in two cohort studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Airaksinen, Jaakko; Jokela, Markus; Virtanen, Marianna; Oksanen, Tuula; Koskenvuo, Markku; Pentti, Jaana; Vahtera, Jussi; Kivimäki, Mika

2018-01-24

Objectives This study aimed to develop and validate a risk prediction model for long-term sickness absence. Methods Survey responses on work- and lifestyle-related questions from 65 775 public-sector employees were linked to sickness absence records to develop a prediction score for medically-certified sickness absence lasting >9 days and ≥90 days. The score was externally validated using data from an independent population-based cohort of 13 527 employees. For both sickness absence outcomes, a full model including 46 candidate predictors was reduced to a parsimonious model using least-absolute-shrinkage-and-selection-operator (LASSO) regression. Predictive performance of the model was evaluated using C-index and calibration plots. Results Variance explained in ≥90-day sickness absence by the full model was 12.5%. In the parsimonious model, the predictors included self-rated health (linear and quadratic term), depression, sex, age (linear and quadratic), socioeconomic position, previous sickness absences, number of chronic diseases, smoking, shift work, working night shift, and quadratic terms for body mass index and Jenkins sleep scale. The discriminative ability of the score was good (C-index 0.74 in internal and 0.73 in external validation). Calibration plots confirmed high correspondence between the predicted and observed risk. In >9-day sickness absence, the full model explained 15.2% of the variance explained, but the C-index of the parsimonious model was poor (<0.65). Conclusions Individuals' risk of a long-term sickness absence that lasts ≥90 days can be estimated using a brief risk score. The predictive performance of this score is comparable to those for established multifactorial risk algorithms for cardiovascular disease, such as the Framingham risk score.

Does muscle strength predict future musculoskeletal disorders and sickness absence?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faber, A; Sell, L; Hansen, J V

2012-01-01

High muscle strength is considered relevant for preventing musculoskeletal disorders and long-term sickness absence. However, prospective studies on the association between muscle strength and future musculoskeletal disorders and long-term sickness absence are few and show contrasting results....

Absence of evidence or evidence of absence: reflecting on therapeutic implementations of attentional bias modification.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarke, Patrick J F; Notebaert, Lies; MacLeod, Colin

2014-01-15

Attentional bias modification (ABM) represents one of a number of cognitive bias modification techniques which are beginning to show promise as therapeutic interventions for emotional pathology. Numerous studies with both clinical and non-clinical populations have now demonstrated that ABM can reduce emotional vulnerability. However, some recent studies have failed to achieve change in either selective attention or emotional vulnerability using ABM methodologies, including a recent randomised controlled trial by Carlbring et al. Some have sought to represent such absence of evidence as a sound basis not to further pursue ABM as an online intervention. While these findings obviously raise questions about the specific conditions under which ABM procedures will produce therapeutic benefits, we suggest that the failure of some studies to modify selective attention does not challenge the theoretical and empirical basis of ABM. The present paper seeks to put these ABM failures in perspective within the broader context of attentional bias modification research. In doing so it is apparent that the current findings and future prospects of ABM are in fact very promising, suggesting that more research in this area is warranted, not less.

The impact of effort-reward imbalance and learning motivation on teachers' sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Derycke, Hanne; Vlerick, Peter; Van de Ven, Bart; Rots, Isabel; Clays, Els

2013-02-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of the effort-reward imbalance and learning motivation on sickness absence duration and sickness absence frequency among beginning teachers in Flanders (Belgium). A total of 603 teachers, who recently graduated, participated in this study. Effort-reward imbalance and learning motivation were assessed by means of self-administered questionnaires. Prospective data of registered sickness absence during 12 months follow-up were collected. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. An imbalance between high efforts and low rewards (extrinsic hypothesis) was associated with longer sickness absence duration and more frequent absences. A low level of learning motivation (intrinsic hypothesis) was not associated with longer sickness absence duration but was significantly positively associated with sickness absence frequency. No significant results were obtained for the interaction hypothesis between imbalance and learning motivation. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of the impact of psychosocial work conditions and personal resources on both sickness absence duration and frequency. Specifically, attention could be given to optimizing or reducing efforts spent at work, increasing rewards and stimulating learning motivation to influence sickness absence. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Return to work following sickness absence due to infectious mononucleosis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koopmans, P.C.; Bakhtali, R.; Katan, A.A.; Groothoff, J.W.; Roelen, C.A.

BACKGROUND: Epstein-Barr virus infectious mononucleosis among adults is notorious because of the prolonged incapacitating fatigue it causes. AIMS: To investigate the duration of sickness absence and return to work following infectious mononucleosis. METHODS: Episodes of sickness absence due to

Interaction of Physical Exposures and Occupational Factors on Sickness Absence in Automotive Industry Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Valirad, Fateme; Ghaffari, Mostafa; Abdi, Alireza; Attarchi, Mirsaeed; Mircheraghi, Seyed Farzin; Mohammadi, Saber

2015-04-23

Increased sickness absence in recent years has been a trouble making issue in industrial society. Identify the causes of sickness absence and its influencing factors, is an important step to control and reduce its associated complications and costs. The aim of this study was to evaluate main factors associated with the incidence of sickness absence. In 2012, a cross-sectional study on 758 employees of a car accessories producing company was applied and relevant information about the number of days and episodes of sickness absence, Disease resulting in absence from work, personal features, occupational factors and physical exposures were collected. To determine risk factors associated with sickness absence, Logistic regression analysis was used. The most common diseases leading to sickness absence in order of frequency were Respiratory diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal diseases and injuries at work. Musculoskeletal disorders increased the danger of long term absence by 4/33 times. Blue collar and shift works were the most important occupational factors associated with the incidence of sickness absence. The main physical factors that affect incidence of sickness absence were frequent bending-twisting and heavy lifting. Identifying controllable factors of sickness absence and trying to prevent and modify them such as compliance of ergonomic principals to decrease physical can be effective in reducing sickness absence.

Pedagogy of Absence, Conflict, and Emergence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tom, Miye Nadya; Suárez-Krabbe, Julia; Caballero Castro, Trinidad

2017-01-01

This article employs the pedagogy of absence, conflict, and emergence (PACE), as an analytical approach to study concrete contributions to the decolonization of education. PACE seeks to transcend Eurocentric knowledge construction, and hence one of its fundamental efforts is to think from...

Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mari Hysing

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Previous studies have proposed that having parents out of work may influence adolescent illness behaviour and school attendance. However, prior research investigating this question has been limited by retrospective reporting and case control studies. In a large epidemiological study we investigated whether parental work absence was associated with symptom complaints and increased school absenteeism in adolescents. Methods We analysed data from a large epidemiological study of 10,243 Norwegian adolescents aged 16–19. Participants completed survey at school, which included demographic data, parental work absence and current health complaints. An official registry provided school attendance data. Results Parental work absence was significantly related to the number of adolescent symptom complaints as well as school absenteeism. Having a father out of work was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile of symptom reporting by an odds-ratio of 2.2 and mother by 1.6 (compared to the lowest quartile. Similarly, parental work absenteeism was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile for school absence by an odds-ratio of 1.9 for a father being out of work and 1.5 for a mother out of work. We found that the number of adolescent symptom complaints mediated the relationship between parental work absenteeism and school absenteeism. Conclusion We found that parental work absence was significantly associated with the number of adolescent symptom complaints and school absenteeism. The results suggest that parents may play a critical modelling role in the intergenerational transmission of illness and disability behaviour.

Parental work absenteeism is associated with increased symptom complaints and school absence in adolescent children.

Science.gov (United States)

Hysing, Mari; Petrie, Keith J; Bøe, Tormod; Sivertsen, Børge

2017-05-12

Previous studies have proposed that having parents out of work may influence adolescent illness behaviour and school attendance. However, prior research investigating this question has been limited by retrospective reporting and case control studies. In a large epidemiological study we investigated whether parental work absence was associated with symptom complaints and increased school absenteeism in adolescents. We analysed data from a large epidemiological study of 10,243 Norwegian adolescents aged 16-19. Participants completed survey at school, which included demographic data, parental work absence and current health complaints. An official registry provided school attendance data. Parental work absence was significantly related to the number of adolescent symptom complaints as well as school absenteeism. Having a father out of work was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile of symptom reporting by an odds-ratio of 2.2 and mother by 1.6 (compared to the lowest quartile). Similarly, parental work absenteeism was associated with an increased likelihood of being in the highest quartile for school absence by an odds-ratio of 1.9 for a father being out of work and 1.5 for a mother out of work. We found that the number of adolescent symptom complaints mediated the relationship between parental work absenteeism and school absenteeism. We found that parental work absence was significantly associated with the number of adolescent symptom complaints and school absenteeism. The results suggest that parents may play a critical modelling role in the intergenerational transmission of illness and disability behaviour.

Stress-related sickness absence and return to labour market in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Engström, Lars-Gunnar; Janson, Staffan

2007-03-15

To analyse factors influencing chances of returning to work after long-term sickness absence with a stress-related psychiatric diagnosis. Primary focus is on employer- and occupational categories as explanatory variables. Data was collected from the regional social insurance office in the county of Värmland for 911 individuals, all with stress-related sickness absences during November in the year 2000. Logistic regressions were carried out on outcome states from long-term sickness absence on two follow-up occasions after two and three years. The results indicate that the employer- and occupational categories only had a minor effect on return to work after the long-term sickness absence. Age and health-related factors together with time factors seem to be more relevant in explaining return to work. The findings suggest that individual labour market position, as occupation, employer, branch etc, seems to be less important than expected in explaining return to work from sickness absence due to stress-related psychiatric disorders.

Social protection and the employment contract: the impact on work absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tompa, Emile; Scott-Marshall, Heather; Fang, Miao

2010-01-01

This study investigates the impact of temporary employment on all-cause sickness absence of one week or more with a focus on how this relationship is moderated by factors related to social protection (job tenure, union membership and firm size). A sample of 5,307 individuals who experienced 9,574 distinct job episodes was drawn from a longitudinal Canadian labour market survey (2000-2004). Duration analysis was undertaken to model the time from the start of a job to the first sickness absence. Specifically, a proportional hazard model was estimated using a complementary log-log function for continuous time processes. Findings showed that temporary employment was associated with a lower rate of sickness absence after controlling for tenure, prior health status, and several other individual and job characteristics. The results suggest that the lack of social protection in temporary jobs is a powerful determinant of absence taking, even in the case of serious health conditions that require an absence of one week or more.

Psychosocial work factors and long sickness absence in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Slany, Corinna; Schütte, Stefanie; Chastang, Jean-François; Parent-Thirion, Agnès; Vermeylen, Greet; Niedhammer, Isabelle

2014-01-01

Studies exploring a wide range of psychosocial work factors separately and together in association with long sickness absence are still lacking. The objective of this study was to explore the associations between psychosocial work factors measured following a comprehensive instrument (Copenhagen psychosocial questionnaire, COPSOQ) and long sickness absence (> 7 days/year) in European employees of 34 countries. An additional objective was to study the differences in these associations according to gender and countries. The study population consisted of 16 120 male and 16 588 female employees from the 2010 European working conditions survey. Twenty-five psychosocial work factors were explored. Statistical analysis was performed using multilevel logistic regression models and interaction testing. When studied together in the same model, factors related to job demands (quantitative demands and demands for hiding emotions), possibilities for development, social relationships (role conflicts, quality of leadership, social support, and sense of community), workplace violence (physical violence, bullying, and discrimination), shift work, and job promotion were associated with long sickness absence. Almost no difference was observed according to gender and country. Comprehensive prevention policies oriented to psychosocial work factors may be useful to prevent long sickness absence at European level.

Absence from work and emotional stress in women undergoing IVF or ICSI: an analysis of IVF-related absence from work in women and the contribution of general and emotional factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bouwmans, Clazien A M; Lintsen, Bea A M E; Al, Maiwen; Verhaak, Chris M; Eijkemans, René J C; Habbema, J Dik F; Braat, Didi D M; Hakkaart-Van Roijen, Leona

2008-01-01

To assess productivity losses due to absence from work during in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment and to describe the pattern of IVF-related absence from work. Additionally, the influence of general and psychological variables on IVF-related absence from work was analyzed. Prospective cohort study. Eight IVF hospitals participated in the study. Women undergoing their first treatment with IVF/ICSI. The Health and Labour Questionnaire (HLQ) was used to estimate the costs of IVF-related absence from work (n=384). Diaries were used to collect background information and reasons for IVF-related absence. Psychological data were derived using the Spielberger State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory for Primary Care (BDI-PC) and the Inventory Social Relations and the Illness Cognition Questionnaire. Regression analyses were performed using two models, one without and one with psychological data, to assess the impact of the different variables on IVF-related absence from work. IVF-related absence from work and the costs of productivity losses due to IVF/ICSI per treatment. Overall absence from work during IVF/ICSI treatment was on average 33 hours, of which 23 hours were attributed to IVF/ICSI. Costs of productivity losses due to IVF/ICSI were euro596 per woman. Significant predictors of IVF-related absence from work were the number of hours of paid work, age and self-reported physical and/or emotional problems due to IFV treatment. Women experiencing emotional complaints and women with physical complaints due to IVF/ICSI reported significantly more IVF-related absence from work.

Does evening work predict sickness absence among female carers of the elderly?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tüchsen, Finn; Christensen, Karl Bang; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to predict the risk ratio of sickness absence lasting > or = 2 weeks due to shift work among Danish workers caring for the elderly during the evening and at night. METHODS: A sample of Danish carers of the elderly were interviewed in 2005. The response...... rate was 78%. A cohort of 5627 shift and day workers was followed for sickness absence lasting > or = 2 weeks and for sickness absence lasting > or = 8 weeks in a sickness compensation register covering all social transfer payments in Denmark. RESULTS: Among the evening workers, the rate ratio (RR......) of sickness absence lasting > or = 2 weeks was 1.29 (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.10-1.52). The rate ratio for sickness absence lasting > or = 8 weeks was 1.24 (95% CI 0.99-1.56). CONCLUSIONS: Evening work may cause long-term sickness absence lasting > or = 2 weeks....

Absence of back disorders in adults and work-related predictive factors in a 5-year perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Reigo, T; Tropp, H; Timpka, T

2001-06-01

Factors important for avoiding back disorders in different age-groups have seldom been compared and studied over time. We therefore set out to study age-related differences in socio-economic and work-related factors associated with the absence of back disorders in a 5-year comparative cohort study using a mailed questionnaire. Two subgroups (aged 25-34 and 54-59 years) derived from a representative sample of the Swedish population were followed at baseline, 1 year and 5 years. Questions were asked about the duration of back pain episodes, relapses, work changes and work satisfaction. A work adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, resolve (APGAR) score was included in the final questionnaire. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors predicting the absence of back disorders. Absence of physically heavy work predicted an absence of back disorders [odds ratio (OR), 2.86; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.3-6.3] in the older group. In the younger age-group, the absence of stressful work predicted absence of back disorders (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1-3.6). Thirty-seven per cent of the younger age-group and 43% of the older age-group did not experience any back pain episodes during the study period. The exploratory work APGAR scores indicated that back disorders were only associated with lower work satisfaction in the older group. The analyses point out the importance of avoiding perceived psychological stress in the young and avoiding perceived physically heavy work in the older age-group for avoiding back disorders. The results suggest a need for different programmes at workplaces to avoid back disorders depending on the age of the employees concerned.

Work health promotion, job well-being, and sickness absences--a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuoppala, Jaana; Lamminpää, Anne; Husman, Päivi

2008-11-01

The aim of this systematic literature analysis was to study the association between work health promotion and job well-being, work ability, absenteeism, and early retirement. This systematic review is a part of a large research project studying multiple workplace factors and interventions that may affect workers' health and well-being. Original articles published in 1970 to 2005 were searched in Medline and PsycINFO databases, the main search terms being health promotion, well-being, work ability, sick leave, and disability pension. Out of 1312 references and 35 potentially eligible publications, 10 studies were included in the analysis. Other sources producing 36 eligible studies, 46 studies in total were included in the analysis. There is moderate evidence that work health promotion decreases sickness absences (risk ratio [RR], 0.78; range, 0.10 to 1.57) and work ability (RR, 1.38; range, 1.15 to 1.66). It also seems to increase mental well-being (RR, 1.39; range, 0.98 to 1.91), but not physical well-being. There is no evidence on disability pension. Exercise seems to increase overall well-being (RR, 1.25; range, 1.05 to 1.47) and work ability (RR, 1.38; range, 1.15 to 1.66), but education and psychological methods do not seem to affect well-being or sickness absences. Sickness absences seem to be reduced by activities promoting healthy lifestyle (RR, 0.80; range, 0.74 to 0.93) and ergonomics (RR, 0.72; range, 0.13 to 1.57). Work health promotion is valuable on employees' well-being and work ability and productive in terms of less sickness absences. Activities involving exercise, lifestyle, and ergonomics are potentially effective. On the other hand, education and psychological means applied alone do not seem effective. Work health promotion should target both physical and psychosocial environments at work.

School absence and its effect on school performance for children born with orofacial clefts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Jane; Raynes-Greenow, Camille; Turner, Robin; Bower, Carol; Dodson, Alan; Hancock, Kirsten; Nassar, Natasha

2017-07-17

School absence is associated with lower performance on standardized tests. Children born with orofacial clefts (OFC) are likely to have more absence than children without OFC; however, school absence for children with OFC has not been quantified. We aimed to describe school absence and its relationship with school performance for children with and without OFC. Population-based record-linked cohort study of children (402 with OFC, 1789 without OFC) enrolled in schools in Western Australia, 2008 to 2012. We compared median school absence rates using Wilcoxon rank tests, and investigated the impact of school absence on standardized scores from reading, numeracy, and writing tests, using multivariable models fitted by generalized estimating equations. In Semester 1, at each primary school year level, children without OFC and children with cleft lip only or cleft palate only had similar median absence rates (approximately 1 week). Children with cleft lip and palate had significantly higher absence rates in Years 4 to 6 (between 1 and 2 weeks). During secondary school, median absence rates were higher (2 weeks) for all children, but not statistically different between children with and without OFC. Higher absence was significantly associated with lower standardized reading, numeracy, and writing scores. However, having a cleft of any type had little influence on the association between absence and test scores. School absence affected school performance for all children. Absence did not differentially disadvantage children born with OFC, suggesting current practices to identify and support children with OFC are minimizing effects of their absence on school performance. Birth Defects Research 109:1048-1056, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Workplace levels of psychosocial factors as prospective predictors of registered sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Karl Bang; Nielsen, Martin L; Rugulies, Reiner

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate whether workplace levels of psychosocial work environment factors predict individual sickness absence. METHODS: Data were collected in a prospective study in 52 Danish workplaces in three organizations: municipal care, technical services, and a pharmaceutical...... company. Psychosocial factors were aggregated as workplace means. We used multilevel Poisson regression models with psychosocial factors as predictors and individual level sickness absence from absence registries as outcome. RESULTS: High workplace levels of decision authority predicted low sickness...... absence in the technical services (rate ratio = 0.66, 95% confidence interval = 0.51-0.86) and high workplace levels of skill discretion predicted low sickness absence in the pharmaceutical company (rate ratio = 0.74, 95% confidence interval = 0.62-0.88) after control for relevant confounders. Workplaces...

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis

2017-01-01

two Danish cohort studies, the "Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease" (PRISME) cohort and the "Workplace Bullying and Harassment" (WBH) cohort (n = 5418). Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points......BACKGROUND: Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol...... levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. METHODS: Participants came from...

Development and validation of a prediction model for long-term sickness absence based on occupational health survey variables.

Science.gov (United States)

Roelen, Corné; Thorsen, Sannie; Heymans, Martijn; Twisk, Jos; Bültmann, Ute; Bjørner, Jakob

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a prediction model for identifying employees at increased risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA), by using variables commonly measured in occupational health surveys. Based on the literature, 15 predictor variables were retrieved from the DAnish National working Environment Survey (DANES) and included in a model predicting incident LTSA (≥4 consecutive weeks) during 1-year follow-up in a sample of 4000 DANES participants. The 15-predictor model was reduced by backward stepwise statistical techniques and then validated in a sample of 2524 DANES participants, not included in the development sample. Identification of employees at increased LTSA risk was investigated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis; the area-under-the-ROC-curve (AUC) reflected discrimination between employees with and without LTSA during follow-up. The 15-predictor model was reduced to a 9-predictor model including age, gender, education, self-rated health, mental health, prior LTSA, work ability, emotional job demands, and recognition by the management. Discrimination by the 9-predictor model was significant (AUC = 0.68; 95% CI 0.61-0.76), but not practically useful. A prediction model based on occupational health survey variables identified employees with an increased LTSA risk, but should be further developed into a practically useful tool to predict the risk of LTSA in the general working population. Implications for rehabilitation Long-term sickness absence risk predictions would enable healthcare providers to refer high-risk employees to rehabilitation programs aimed at preventing or reducing work disability. A prediction model based on health survey variables discriminates between employees at high and low risk of long-term sickness absence, but discrimination was not practically useful. Health survey variables provide insufficient information to determine long-term sickness absence risk profiles. There is a need for

Nickel-hydrogen battery state of charge management in the absence of active cooling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lurie, C.; Foroozan, S. [TRW, Redondo Beach, CA (United States); Brewer, J.; Jackson, L.G. [NASA, Huntsville, AL (United States). Marshall Space Flight Center

1995-12-31

Battery management during prelaunch activities has always required special attention and careful planning. `ne transition from nickel-cadmium to nickel-hydrogen batteries, with their higher self discharge rate and lower charge efficiency, as well as longer prelaunch scenarios, have made this aspect of spacecraft management even more challenging. The NASA AXAF-I Program requires high battery state of charge at launch. The use of active cooling, to ensure adequate state of charge during prelaunch charge, trickle charge, and stand was considered and proved to be expensive and difficult to implement. Alternate approaches were considered. A procedure including optimized charging and low rate (absence of active cooling, appeared promising and was investigated. The investigation includes three phases: (1) demonstration of the feasibility of the proposed procedure (2) development of a parametric data base (3) validation in an AXAF-I mission simulation test. Charging, trickle charging, and open circuit stand are considered in each phase. The major conclusion of this work is that nickel-hydrogen batteries can achieve and maintain high states of charge, in the absence of active cooling, using the approach described in this paper.

Bilateral congenital absence of the long head of the biceps tendon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koplas, Monica C. [Cleveland Clinic, Imaging Institute/HB6, Cleveland, OH (United States); Winalski, Carl S. [Cleveland Clinic, Imaging Institute/A21, Cleveland, OH (United States); Ulmer, William H. [Orthopedic and Spine Specialists, York, PA (United States); Recht, Michael [NYU Langone Medical Center, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States)

2009-07-15

Absence of the long head of the biceps tendon is a rare anomaly particularly when it occurs bilaterally. We present the magnetic resonance and arthroscopy findings in a patient with bilateral congenital absence of the long head of the biceps who presented with bilateral shoulder pain. Identification of a shallow or absent intertubercular groove may aid in differentiating congenital absence of the long head of the biceps from a traumatic tendon rupture. (orig.)

Military service absences and family members' mental health: A timeline followback assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Aubrey J; Margolin, Gayla

2015-08-01

Although military service, and particularly absence due to deployment, has been linked to risk for depression and anxiety among some spouses and children of active duty service members, there is limited research to explain the heterogeneity in family members' reactions to military service stressors. The current investigation introduces the Timeline Followback Military Family Interview (TFMFI) as a clinically useful strategy to collect detailed time-linked information about the service member's absences. Two dimensions of parent absence--the extent to which absences coincide with important family events and cumulative time absent--were tested as potential risks to family members' mental health. Data from 70 mother-adolescent pairs revealed that the number of important family events missed by the service member was linked to elevated youth symptoms of depression, even when accounting for the number of deployments and cumulative duration of the service member's absence. However, youth who reported more frequent contact with the service member during absences were buffered from the effects of extensive absence. Mothers' symptoms were associated with the cumulative duration of the service members' time away, but not with family events missed by the service member. These results identify circumstances that increase the risk for mental health symptoms associated with military family life. The TFMFI provides an interview-based strategy for clinicians wishing to understand military family members' lived experience during periods of service-member absence. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Father absence and reproduction-related outcomes in Malaysia, a transitional fertility population.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheppard, Paula; Snopkowski, Kristin; Sear, Rebecca

2014-06-01

Father absence is consistently associated with children's reproductive outcomes in industrialized countries. It has been suggested that father absence acts as a cue to particular environmental conditions that influence life history strategies. Much less is known, however, about the effects of father absence on such outcomes in lower-income countries. Using data from the 1988 Malaysian Family Life Survey (n = 567), we tested the effect of father absence on daughters' age at menarche, first marriage, and first birth; parity progression rates; and desired completed family size in Malaysia, a country undergoing an economic and fertility transition. Father absence during later childhood (ages 8 to 15), although not during earlier childhood, was associated with earlier progressions to first marriage and first birth, after controlling for other confounders. Father absence does not affect age at menarche, desired family size, or progression from first to second birth. The patterns found in this transitional population partly mirror those in developed societies, where father absence accelerates reproductive events. There is, however, a notable contrast between the acceleration in menarche for father-absent girls consistently found in developed societies and the lack of any association in our findings. The mechanisms through which father absence affects reproduction may differ in different ecological contexts. In lower-income contexts, direct paternal investment or influence may be of more importance in determining reproductive behavior than whether fathers act as a cue to environmental conditions.

Anaesthetic management of a child with panthothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renu Sinha

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Panthothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN (Hallervorden-Spatz disease is a rare autosomal recessive chromosomal disorder characterised by progressive neuroaxonal dystrophy. The characteristic features include involuntary movements, rigidity, mental retardation, seizures, emaciation. The anaesthetic concerns include difficult airway, aspiration pneumonia, dehydration, and post-operative respiratory, and renal insufficiency. We report successful anaesthetic management of a 9-year-old intellectually disabled male child with PKAN, scheduled for ophthalmic surgery under general anaesthesia.

Relationship between non-standard work arrangements and work-related accident absence in Belgium.

Science.gov (United States)

Alali, Hanan; Braeckman, Lutgart; Van Hecke, Tanja; De Clercq, Bart; Janssens, Heidi; Wahab, Magd Abdel

2017-03-28

The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between indicators of non-standard work arrangements, including precarious contract, long working hours, multiple jobs, shift work, and work-related accident absence, using a representative Belgian sample and considering several socio-demographic and work characteristics. This study was based on the data of the fifth European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). For the analysis, the sample was restricted to 3343 respondents from Belgium who were all employed workers. The associations between non-standard work arrangements and work-related accident absence were studied with multivariate logistic regression modeling techniques while adjusting for several confounders. During the last 12 months, about 11.7% of workers were absent from work because of work-related accident. A multivariate regression model showed an increased injury risk for those performing shift work (OR 1.546, 95% CI 1.074-2.224). The relationship between contract type and occupational injuries was not significant (OR 1.163, 95% CI 0.739-1.831). Furthermore, no statistically significant differences were observed for those performing long working hours (OR 1.217, 95% CI 0.638-2.321) and those performing multiple jobs (OR 1.361, 95% CI 0.827-2.240) in relation to work-related accident absence. Those who rated their health as bad, low educated workers, workers from the construction sector, and those exposed to biomechanical exposure (BM) were more frequent victims of work-related accident absence. No significant gender difference was observed. Indicators of non-standard work arrangements under this study, except shift work, were not significantly associated with work-related accident absence. To reduce the burden of occupational injuries, not only risk reduction strategies and interventions are needed but also policy efforts are to be undertaken to limit shift work. In general, preventive measures and more training on the job are needed to

Long-term sickness absence during pregnancy and the gender balance of workplaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Melsom, Anne M

2014-11-01

This study addresses how the gender composition of workplaces affects pregnant women's sickness absence. It also assesses whether an observed association may be explaine by differential selection to female- or male-dominated workplaces. The analyses are based on Norwegian registry data from 2003-2011. Using Poisson regressions with detailed control for occupational categories, I examine whether the number of absence days are associated with the proportion of females at the workplace. I address possible selection effects by Poisson regressions with fixed individual effects using only within-individual variation on women with two or more pregnancies during the time window. The analyses indicate a positive and significant relationship between the female proportion in workplaces and sickness absence rates during pregnancy. Analyses limited to within-individual variation also show positive and significant effects of similar strength, indicating that the observed relationship is not due to differential selection of absence-prone pregnant workers to female-dominated workplaces. The proportion of female individuals at workplaces is positively associated with sickness absence rates during pregnancy this association is not likely explained by occupational nor individual characteristics the results are consistent with absence culture theory and more lenient norms concerning sickness absence during pregnancy at female-dominated workplaces. © 2014 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Absence of positive eigenvalues for hard-core N-body systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ito, K.; Skibsted, Erik

We show absence of positive eigenvalues for generalized 2-body hard-core Schrödinger operators under the condition of bounded strictly convex obstacles. A scheme for showing absence of positive eigenvalues for generalized N-body hard-core Schrödinger operators, N≥ 2, is presented. This scheme inv...

Congenital Complete Absence of Pericardium Masquerading as Pulmonary Embolism

Science.gov (United States)

Tariq, Saad; Mahmood, Sultan; Madeira, Samuel; Tarasov, Ethan

2013-01-01

Congenital absence of the pericardium is a rare cardiac condition, which can be either isolated or associated with other cardiac and extracardiac anomalies. There are six different types, depending on the severity of the involvement. Most of the patients with this defect are asymptomatic, especially the ones with complete absence of the pericardium. However, some patients are symptomatic, reporting symptoms that include chest pain, palpitations, dyspnea, and syncope. Diagnosis is established by the characteristic features on chest X-ray, echocardiogram, chest computed tomography (CT), and/or cardiac magnetic resonance imging (MRI). We present here a case of a 23 year-old-male, who presented to our hospital with complaints of pleuritic chest pain and exertional dyspnea, of a two-week duration. He was physically active and his past history was otherwise insignificant. His chest CT with contrast was interpreted as showing evidence of multiple emboli, predominantly in the left lung, and he was started on a heparin and warfarin therapy. A repeat chest CT with contrast three weeks later showed no significant change from the previous CT scan. Both scans showed that the heart was abnormally rotated to the left side of the chest. An echocardiogram raised the suspicion of congenital absence of the pericardium, with a posteriorly displaced heart. In retrospect, motion artifact on the left lung, attributed to cardiac pulsations and the lack of pericardium, resulted in a CT chest appearance, mimicking findings of pulmonary embolism. The misdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism was attributed to the artifact caused by excessive cardiac motion artifact on the chest CT scan. In non-gated CT angiograms, excessive motion causes an artifact that blurs the pulmonary vessels, reminiscent of a ′seagull′ or a ′boomerang′. Physicians need to be aware of this phenomenon, as well as the characteristic radiological features of this congenital anomaly, to enable them to make a correct

The Relationship Between Father-Absence and Encopresis

Science.gov (United States)

Schaengold, Marilyn

1977-01-01

A review of the literature on encopresis shows strong emphasis on father-absence as a dominant factor. Other characteristics of patients and their families are listed, and theoretical considerations discussed. (MS)

Differences in sickness absence in Sweden and Denmark: the cross national HAKNAK study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Thomas; Christensen, Karl Bang; Vaez, Marjan

2009-01-01

AIM: To investigate potential differences in sickness absence among public sector employees in Sweden and Denmark, and to what extent a difference was associated with age, gender, physical and psychosocial work environment exposures, lifestyle factors, self-rated health or work ability. METHODS...... of dependent and independent variables in the two sub-cohorts. Stratified logistic regression analysis was performed to identify causes for absence within the two sub-cohorts, and logistic regression analysis was performed to study differences in sickness absence levels between the two sub-cohorts. RESULTS......: More subjects from the Swedish study population reported more than 7 days of sickness absence. Factors associated with sickness absence were largely similar in the two countries. The difference in absence level between Sweden and Denmark was not associated with differences in age, gender, skill level...

The Correlates of Childhood Father Absence in College-aged Women

Science.gov (United States)

Hainline, Louise; Feig, Ellen

1978-01-01

Personality and attitudinal correlates of father absence early (before age 5) or late (between 5 and 11) in childhood were studied in a sample of college- aged women. Father absence was due to either death or divorce. Results showed few differences between father-absent subjects and father-present controls. (Author/JMB)

29 CFR 1690.306 - Formal submission in absence of consultation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Formal submission in absence of consultation. 1690.306... § 1690.306 Formal submission in absence of consultation. If an initiating agency has an issuance which was already under development on or before July 1, 1978, when Executive Order 12067 became effective...

Omphalocele minor associated with complete absence of the large bowel.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Ferede, Atakelet

2012-02-01

Colonic atresia, unlike small intestine atresia, is a rare congenital malformation. Congenital absence of the entire colon is exceptionally rare. Moreover, an association of omphalocele and complete absence of the colon has not yet been reported in the literature. We present an infant born with such combination of congenital anomalies.

Development and validation of a prediction model for long-term sickness absence based on occupational health survey variables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roelen, Corné; Thorsen, Sannie; Heymans, Martijn

2018-01-01

LTSA during follow-up. Results: The 15-predictor model was reduced to a 9-predictor model including age, gender, education, self-rated health, mental health, prior LTSA, work ability, emotional job demands, and recognition by the management. Discrimination by the 9-predictor model was significant (AUC...... population. Implications for rehabilitation Long-term sickness absence risk predictions would enable healthcare providers to refer high-risk employees to rehabilitation programs aimed at preventing or reducing work disability. A prediction model based on health survey variables discriminates between...... employees at high and low risk of long-term sickness absence, but discrimination was not practically useful. Health survey variables provide insufficient information to determine long-term sickness absence risk profiles. There is a need for new variables, based on the knowledge and experience...

Being Included and Excluded

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korzenevica, Marina

2016-01-01

Following the civil war of 1996–2006, there was a dramatic increase in the labor mobility of young men and the inclusion of young women in formal education, which led to the transformation of the political landscape of rural Nepal. Mobility and schooling represent a level of prestige that rural...... politics. It analyzes how formal education and mobility either challenge or reinforce traditional gendered norms which dictate a lowly position for young married women in the household and their absence from community politics. The article concludes that women are simultaneously excluded and included from...... community politics. On the one hand, their mobility and decision-making powers decrease with the increase in the labor mobility of men and their newly gained education is politically devalued when compared to the informal education that men gain through mobility, but on the other hand, schooling strengthens...

The indirect association of job strain with long-term sickness absence through bullying: a mediation analysis using structural equation modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssens, Heidi; Braeckman, Lutgart; De Clercq, Bart; Casini, Annalisa; De Bacquer, Dirk; Kittel, France; Clays, Els

2016-08-22

In this longitudinal study the complex interplay between both job strain and bullying in relation to sickness absence was investigated. Following the "work environment hypothesis", which establishes several work characteristics as antecedents of bullying, we assumed that job strain, conceptualized by the Job-Demand-Control model, has an indirect relation with long-term sickness absence through bullying. The sample consisted of 2983 Belgian workers, aged 30 to 55 years, who participated in the Belstress III study. They completed a survey, including the Job Content Questionnaire and a bullying inventory, at baseline. Their sickness absence figures were registered during 1 year follow-up. Long-term sickness absence was defined as at least 15 consecutive days. A mediation analysis, using structural equation modeling, was performed to examine the indirect association of job strain through bullying with long-term sickness absence. The full structural model was adjusted for several possible confounders: age, gender, occupational group, educational level, company, smoking habits, alcohol use, body mass index, self-rated health, baseline long-term sickness absence and neuroticism. The results support the hypothesis: a significant indirect association of job strain with long-term sickness absence through bullying was observed, suggesting that bullying is an intermediate variable between job strain and long-term sickness absence. No evidence for the reversed pathway of an indirect association of bullying through job strain was found. Bullying was observed as a mediating variable in the relation between job strain and sickness absence. The results suggest that exposure to job strain may create circumstances in which a worker risks to become a target of bullying. Our findings are generally in line with the work environment hypothesis, which emphasizes the importance of organizational work factors in the origin of bullying. This study highlights that remodeling jobs to reduce

Doctor-certified sickness absence in first and second trimesters of pregnancy among native and immigrant women in Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Brekke, Idunn; Berg, John E; Sletner, Line; Jenum, Anne Karen

2013-03-01

The authors sought to estimate differences in doctor-certified sickness absence during pregnancy among immigrant and native women. Population-based cohort study of pregnant women attending three Child Health Clinics in Groruddalen, Oslo, and their offspring. Questionnaire data were collected at gestational weeks 10-20 and 28. The participation rate was 74%. A multivariate Poisson regression was used to analyse differences in sickness absence in pregnancy between immigrant and native women. A total of 573 women who were employed prior to their pregnancies were included, 51% were immigrants. After adjusting for age, years of education, marital status, number of children, occupation, part-time/full-time work, health status, severe pregnancy-induced emesis and language proficiency, the immigrant/native differences in number of weeks with sickness absence decreased from 2.0 to 1.2 weeks. Part-time/full-time work, health status, severe pregnancy-induced emesis and language proficiency were significant predictors of sickness absence. Immigrant women had higher sickness absence than native women during pregnancy. The difference in average number of weeks between native and immigrant women was partly explained by poorer health status prior to pregnancy, severe pregnancy-induced emesis and poorer proficiency in the Norwegian language among the immigrant women.

Refractory absence epilepsy associated with GLUT-1 deficiency syndrome.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Byrne, Susan

2011-05-01

GLUT-1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT-1 DS) is a disorder of cerebral glucose transport associated with early infantile epilepsy and microcephaly. We report two boys who presented with refractory absence epilepsy associated with hypoglycorrhachia, both of whom have genetically confirmed GLUT-1 DS. We propose that these children serve to expand the phenotype of GLUT-1 DS and suggest that this condition should be considered as a cause of refractory absence seizures in childhood.

Interaction with Shc prevents aberrant Erk activation in the absence of extracellular stimuli

KAUST Repository

Suen, KinMan

2013-05-01

Control mechanisms that prevent aberrant signaling are necessary to maintain cellular homeostasis. We describe a new mechanism by which the adaptor protein Shc directly binds the MAP kinase Erk, thus preventing its activation in the absence of extracellular stimuli. The Shc-Erk complex restricts Erk nuclear translocation, restraining Erk-dependent transcription of genes, including those responsible for oncogenic growth. The complex forms through unique binding sites on both the Shc PTB domain and the N-terminal lobe of Erk. Upon receptor tyrosine kinase stimulation, a conformational change within Shc - induced through interaction with the phosphorylated receptor - releases Erk, allowing it to fulfill its role in signaling. Thus, in addition to its established role in promoting MAP kinase signaling in stimulated cells, Shc negatively regulates Erk activation in the absence of growth factors and thus could be considered a tumor suppressor in human cells. © 2013 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.

Interaction with Shc prevents aberrant Erk activation in the absence of extracellular stimuli

KAUST Repository

Suen, KinMan; Lin, Chichuan; George, Roger R.; Melo, Fernando A.; Biggs, Eleanor R.; Ahmed, Zamal; Drake, Melanie N.; Arur, Swathi; Arold, Stefan T.; Ladbury, John E S D

2013-01-01

Control mechanisms that prevent aberrant signaling are necessary to maintain cellular homeostasis. We describe a new mechanism by which the adaptor protein Shc directly binds the MAP kinase Erk, thus preventing its activation in the absence of extracellular stimuli. The Shc-Erk complex restricts Erk nuclear translocation, restraining Erk-dependent transcription of genes, including those responsible for oncogenic growth. The complex forms through unique binding sites on both the Shc PTB domain and the N-terminal lobe of Erk. Upon receptor tyrosine kinase stimulation, a conformational change within Shc - induced through interaction with the phosphorylated receptor - releases Erk, allowing it to fulfill its role in signaling. Thus, in addition to its established role in promoting MAP kinase signaling in stimulated cells, Shc negatively regulates Erk activation in the absence of growth factors and thus could be considered a tumor suppressor in human cells. © 2013 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effort--reward imbalance and medically certified absence for mental health problems: a prospective study of white-collar workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ndjaboué, R; Brisson, C; Vézina, M; Blanchette, C; Bourbonnais, R

2014-01-01

Little is known about the effects of psychosocial work factors on objectively assessed mental health problems leading to medically certified absence. Only one study has evaluated the prospective effects of effort-reward imbalance (ERI) at work with regards to this outcome. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of ERI on the incidence of medically certified absence for mental health problems. The study included 2086 white-collar workers (63.3% women) employed in public organisations in Quebec city. Participants were followed over a 9-year period. Medical absences from work were collected from employers' files and psychosocial factors were measured using the ERI questionnaire. Cox regression models were used to estimate the incidence of certified sickness absence due to mental health problems that lasted 5 workdays or more, while controlling for confounders. Workers exposed to ERI had a higher risk of a first spell of medically certified absence for mental health problems (HR=1.38, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.76) compared with unexposed workers. Low reward was significantly associated with a high risk among men (HR=2.80, 95% CI 1.34 to 5.89) but not in women. (HR=1.24, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.73). Effort at work had no effect on certified absence. All these effects were adjusted for potential confounders. ERI and low reward at work were prospectively associated with medically certified absence for mental health problems. These effects seem to differ by gender. Primary prevention that is aimed at reducing these stressors should be considered to help reduce the incidence of such severe mental health problems.

Prevention of pressure sores by identifying patients at risk

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Klaus Ejner; Jensen, O; Kvorning, S A

1982-01-01

The risk of pressure sores developing in patients admitted with acute conditions was assessed by a simple risk score system based on age, reduced mobility, incontinence, pronounced emaciation, redness over bony prominences, unconsciousness, dehydration, and paralysis in a prospective clinical stu...... of pressure sores prevents their development.......The risk of pressure sores developing in patients admitted with acute conditions was assessed by a simple risk score system based on age, reduced mobility, incontinence, pronounced emaciation, redness over bony prominences, unconsciousness, dehydration, and paralysis in a prospective clinical study...

Common Mental Disorders in Longterm-Sickness Absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen

provided, in a randomized controlled design, a psychiatric examination giving feedback to the individuals, primary care, and rehabilitation officers with regard to treatment and rehabilitation. Half of individuals who just had passed eight weeks of continuous sickness absence had a mental disorder of which......Common Mental Disorders (CMD) such as depression, anxiety, and somatoform disorders impose heavy burdens on individuals and on society in the form of sickness absence. CMD are frequently undetected in primary care which postpone the initiation of proper treatment. This seriously worsens return...... to work (RTW). Comorbidity with somatic disorders also worsens RTW. CMD are, controlled for lifestyle, independent causes for the development of chronic and disabling somatic disorders. Collaborative care seems to be most effective intervention with regard to RTW. In this dissertation, the intervention...

Joint association of sleep problems and psychosocial working conditions with registered long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Ida E. H.; Larsen, Ann D.; Thorsen, Sannie V.

2016-01-01

Objectives: Sleep problems and adverse psychosocial working conditions are associated with increased risk of long-term sickness absence. Because sleep problems affect role functioning they may also exacerbate any effects of psychosocial working conditions and vice versa. We examined whether sleep...... problems and psychosocial working conditions interact in their associations with long-term sickness absence. Methods: We linked questionnaire data from participants to two surveys of random samples of the Danish working population (N=10 752) with registries on long-term sick leave during five years after...... questionnaire response. We defined sleep problems by self-reported symptoms and/or register data on hypnotics purchases of hypnotics. Psychosocial working conditions included quantitative and emotional demands, influence, supervisor recognition and social support, leadership quality, and social support from...

Father Absence Effects on Military Children

Science.gov (United States)

1981-03-01

during his absence. Then there’s the problem of learning how to drive an automobile after being on a cruise for nine months." For those who felt that...D.C. 20370 3. Director for HRM Plans and Policy (OP-150) Human Resource Management Division Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Manpoer. Personnel

NIPSA: a new scale for measuring non-illness predictors of sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Samuel B; Wang, Min-Jung; Dorrington, Sarah; Henderson, Max; Madan, Ira; Hatch, Stephani L; Hotopf, Matthew

2018-02-01

We describe the development and initial validation of a new scale for measuring non-illness factors that are important in predicting occupational outcomes, called the NIPSA (non-illness predictors of sickness absence) scale. Forty-two questions were developed which covered a broad range of potential non-illness-related risk factors for sickness absence. 682 participants in the South East London Community Health study answered these questions and a range of questions regarding both short-term and long-term sickness absence. Factor analysis was conducted prior to examining the links between each identified factor and sickness absence outcomes. Exploratory factor analysis using the oblique rotation method suggested the questionnaire should contain 26 questions and extracted four factors with eigenvalues greater than 1: perception of psychosocial work environment (factor 1), perceived vulnerability (factor 2), rest-focused attitude towards recovery (factor 3) and attitudes towards work (factor 4). Three of these factors (factors 1, 2 and 3) showed significant associations with long-term sickness absence measures (psickness absence has been developed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Case-specific colleague guidance for general practitioners' management of sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Nordhagen, H P; Harvey, S B; Rosvold, E O; Bruusgaard, D; Blonk, R; Mykletun, A

2017-12-02

General practitioners (GPs) report sickness absence certification as challenging. They express need for support with functional assessment beyond guidelines and reforms. Case-specific collegial one-to-one guidance for other clinical topics has proved popular with GPs and may be an acceptable and effective way to improve GPs skills and competence in sickness absence certification. To present a new model of case-specific colleague guidance focusing on the management of long-term sickness absence and to describe its feasibility in terms of application and reception among GPs, and also GPs' self-reports of effects on their practice. Randomly selected GPs received case-specific collegial guidance over a 12-month period, in two Norwegian trials, delivered by former GPs employed by the social security administration. We measured reception and perceived effects by GPs' self-report and registered participation and withdrawal rates. The participation rate (n = 165) was 94%, and no GPs withdrew during training. Among the 116 GPs responding to the survey (70%), 112 (97%; 95% CI 92-99) stated they would recommend it to their colleagues. Considerable benefit from the guidance was reported by 68 (59%; 95% CI 50-68). The GPs self-reported other effects on their sickness absence certification, specifically an increased use of part-time sickness absence (Fit-Note equivalent). This model of case-specific colleague guidance to aid GPs' management of long-term sickness absence is feasible and was popular. This type of guidance was perceived by GPs to be somewhat beneficial and to alter their sickness absence certification behaviour, though the true impact requires further testing in controlled trials. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Assessing Consumer Emotional Responses in the Presence and Absence of Critical Quality Attributes: A Case Study with Chicken Eggs.

Science.gov (United States)

Wardy, Wisdom; Sae-Eaw, Amporn; Sriwattana, Sujinda; No, Hong Kyoon; Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon

2015-07-01

Effects of attribute presence and absence on the emotional profile and consumer acceptability of products with varying qualities were assessed using eggs as an example. An online survey (n = 320) was used to evaluate emotional responses and acceptability to 5 types of egg quality attributes: intrinsic, aesthetic, extrinsic, expediency, and wholesome/safety, for both present and absent conditions. Attribute absence rather than presence evoked greater consumer discriminating emotions associated with eggs. Mean emotion intensity elicited by the presence of all quality attributes ranged from 1.67 (intrinsic; guilty) to 4.05 (wholesome; good) versus 2.01 (wholesome; satisfied) to 3.29 (wholesome; disgusted) when absent. Key positive emotions elicited by presence of attributes were active, calm, good, interested, happy, safe, and satisfied; while dominant negative emotions elicited by absence of attributes included disgusted and worried. Wholesome quality (constituted by egg freshness, "packing/best-before-date" and absence of visible cracks) exhibited the highest liking (7.65) and emotion intensities, while the emotional responses to both the presence and absence of intrinsic quality (constituted by nutrient-fortified egg, organic egg, and USDA-certified farm egg) were similar, reflecting their dynamic effects on emotions. Emotions and acceptability were more correlated for attribute absence than presence; and good, happy, and satisfied emotions were strongly related to egg acceptability (r ≥ 0.6). Egg product/packaging design can be oriented toward emphasizing wholesome and expedient attributes, since they enhance good, safe, and satisfied emotions, while minimizing disgust, worry, and boredom. The use of emotional responses and hedonic testing regarding attribute presence and absence would allow for improved selection of attributes critical to consumer acceptance of products. Assessing effects of attribute presence compared with absence on food-evoked emotions may

Physical and mental health functioning after all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence: a register-linkage follow-up study among ageing employees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minna Mänty

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sickness absence has been shown to be a risk marker for severe future health outcomes, such as disability retirement and premature death. However, it is poorly understood how all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence is reflected in subsequent physical and mental health functioning over time. The aim of this study was to examine the association of all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence with subsequent changes in physical and mental health functioning among ageing municipal employees. Methods Prospective survey and register data from the Finnish Helsinki Health Study and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland were used. Register based records for medically certified all-cause and diagnostic-specific sickness absence spells (>14 consecutive calendar days in 2004–2007 were examined in relation to subsequent physical and mental health functioning measured by Short-Form 36 questionnaire in 2007 and 2012. In total, 3079 respondents who were continuously employed over the sickness absence follow-up were included in the analyses. Repeated-measures analysis was used to examine the associations. Results During the 3-year follow-up, 30% of the participants had at least one spell of medically certified sickness absence. All-cause sickness absence was associated with lower subsequent physical and mental health functioning in a stepwise manner: the more absence days, the poorer the subsequent physical and mental health functioning. These differences remained but narrowed slightly during the follow-up. Furthermore, the adverse association for physical health functioning was strongest among those with sickness absence due to diseases of musculoskeletal or respiratory systems, and on mental functioning among those with sickness absence due to mental disorders. Conclusions Sickness absence showed a persistent adverse stepwise association with subsequent physical and mental health functioning. Evidence on health

Physical and mental health functioning after all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence: a register-linkage follow-up study among ageing employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Mänty, Minna; Lallukka, Tea; Lahti, Jouni; Pietiläinen, Olli; Laaksonen, Mikko; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2017-01-25

Sickness absence has been shown to be a risk marker for severe future health outcomes, such as disability retirement and premature death. However, it is poorly understood how all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence is reflected in subsequent physical and mental health functioning over time. The aim of this study was to examine the association of all-cause and diagnosis-specific sickness absence with subsequent changes in physical and mental health functioning among ageing municipal employees. Prospective survey and register data from the Finnish Helsinki Health Study and the Social Insurance Institution of Finland were used. Register based records for medically certified all-cause and diagnostic-specific sickness absence spells (>14 consecutive calendar days) in 2004-2007 were examined in relation to subsequent physical and mental health functioning measured by Short-Form 36 questionnaire in 2007 and 2012. In total, 3079 respondents who were continuously employed over the sickness absence follow-up were included in the analyses. Repeated-measures analysis was used to examine the associations. During the 3-year follow-up, 30% of the participants had at least one spell of medically certified sickness absence. All-cause sickness absence was associated with lower subsequent physical and mental health functioning in a stepwise manner: the more absence days, the poorer the subsequent physical and mental health functioning. These differences remained but narrowed slightly during the follow-up. Furthermore, the adverse association for physical health functioning was strongest among those with sickness absence due to diseases of musculoskeletal or respiratory systems, and on mental functioning among those with sickness absence due to mental disorders. Sickness absence showed a persistent adverse stepwise association with subsequent physical and mental health functioning. Evidence on health-related outcomes after long-term sickness absence may provide useful

Links of adolescent- and parent-reported eating in the absence of hunger with observed eating in the absence of hunger.

Science.gov (United States)

Shomaker, Lauren B; Tanofsky-Kraff, Marian; Mooreville, Mira; Reina, Samantha A; Courville, Amber B; Field, Sara E; Matheson, Brittany E; Brady, Sheila M; Yanovski, Susan Z; Yanovski, Jack A

2013-06-01

Eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) typically was assessed by measuring snack intake after consumption of a meal. There were no validated self-report measures of EAH. The relationship of adolescent self-report and parent-reported EAH to adolescents' measured intake in the absence of hunger was examined. Ninety adolescents completed the Eating in the Absence of Hunger Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (EAH-C) to describe eating when not hungry. Parents described children's EAH on a parallel version designed for parents (EAH-P). In a randomized crossover study, adolescent EAH in response to external cues was measured as snack intake after a lunch meal standardized to provide 50% of daily energy requirements and after a large array (>10,000 kcal). Parents' reports of children's EAH in response to external cues were associated with greater EAH after both meals, adjusting for body composition, sex, age, race, puberty, and meal intake. Adolescent-reported EAH was unrelated or showed an inverse association with observed EAH. Parent-reported EAH showed a positive association with adolescents' observed EAH and may be a useful research and clinical tool for assessing EAH in response to external cues in conditions when laboratory assessments are not feasible. Copyright © 2012 The Obesity Society.

Managerial leadership is associated with self-reported sickness absence and sickness presenteeism among Swedish men and women.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyberg, Anna; Westerlund, Hugo; Magnusson Hanson, Linda L; Theorell, Töres

2008-11-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between managerial leadership and self-reported sickness absence/presenteeism among Swedish men and women. Five thousand one hundred and forty-one Swedish employees, 56% of the participants in a nationally representative sample of the Swedish working population, were included in this cross-sectional questionnaire study. The leadership dimensions measured were five subscales of a standardized leadership questionnaire (Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness Programme): Integrity, Team integration, Inspirational leadership, Autocratic leadership, and Self-centred leadership. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted, adjusting for factors in private life, employment category, labour-market sector, working conditions, self-reported general health, and satisfaction with life in general. Inspirational leadership was associated with a lower rate of short spells of sickness absence (women. Autocratic leadership was related to a greater amount of total sick days taken by men. Sometimes showing integrity was associated with higher rate of sickness absence >1 week among men, and seldom showing integrity was associated with more sickness presenteeism among women. Managers performing Team integration were sometimes associated with women taking fewer short (1 week) spells of sickness absence. Adjustment for self-reported general health did not alter these associations for men, but did so to some extent for women. Managerial leadership was found to be relevant for the understanding of sickness absence in the Swedish working population. There were distinctive gender differences.

Congenital unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery in adults

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonzalez Garcia, Mauricio; Escalante Mora, Hector A; Lozano Castillo, Alfonso J

2000-01-01

Unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery is a rare anomaly. It occurs with pulmonary ipsilateral hypoplasia and it's frequently associated with other cardiovascular malformations. The majority of the cases are diagnosed in childhood. This is a case report of two adult patients of the Hospital Central de la Policia Nacional in Bogota, Colombia, with unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery one isolated and the other with patent ductus arteriosus. We describe the clinical and roentgenographic findings of this congenital anomaly

Danish Gulf War Veterans Revisited: No Evidence of Increased Sickness Absence or Reduced Labor Market Outcome After Deployment to the Persian Gulf.

Science.gov (United States)

Nissen, Lars Ravnborg; Stoltenberg, Christian; Nielsen, Anni B Sternhagen; Vedtofte, Mia S; Marott, Jacob L; Gyntelberg, Finn; Guldager, Bernadette

2016-11-01

To examine the assumption that postdeployment incidence of sickness and other absence from work are higher among Gulf War Veterans compared with nonveterans. A prospective registry study including a cohort of 721 Danish Gulf War Veterans and a control cohort of 3,629 nonveterans selected from the general Danish population. Outcome measures were up to 23 years postdeployment incidence of (1) long-term sickness absence and (2) long-term all types of absence from work. Long term with regard to sickness and other absence was defined as exceeding 8 weeks. The association between outcomes and information on deployment history was studied using time-to-event analysis. The index date was the return date from the last deployment to the Gulf. The follow-up period was the time from index date until April 27, 2014. As the main finding, no difference was found between veterans and nonveterans in the incidence rate of long-term sickness absence. After an initial short period (3 months) with elevated incidence rate of long-term absence from work among veterans, there was no difference between the cohorts. Among Danish Gulf War Veterans, no postdeployment increased risk of long-term sickness absence or long-term absence from work was found as compared with nonveterans. Reprint & Copyright © 2016 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Effect of organisational change type and frequency on long-term sickness absence in hospitals.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstrøm, Vilde H; Kjekshus, Lars Erik

2015-09-01

The present study was conducted to investigate how the frequency of structural change and patient care-related change is related to employees' long-term sickness absence. Although a growing body of research is investigating the potentially harmful effects of organisational change on employee health, most studies have focused on single episodes of organisational change and do not differentiate among the types and frequencies of change. National registry data were collected from 2005 and 2007. A total of 34 712 health professionals from 56 hospitals were included (76% nurses, 18% physicians and 6% other health professionals) and the data were analysed using multilevel logistic regression. The research findings reveal a significantly higher probability of long-term sickness absence among employees who experienced more frequent structural changes (OR = 1.03; CI: 1.00-1.06; P changes. A higher frequency of organisational change may lead to more sickness-related absence among employees, with the effect depending on the type of change. These findings highlight the need for managers who are contemplating or are in the process of implementing organisational change to become more aware of the potentially harmful effects of frequent organisational change on employee health. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Duration of Absence from Work Is Related to Psychopathology, Personality, and Sociodemographic Variables in a Longitudinal Cohort

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alex Gamma

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ObjectiveTo examine, in a non-clinical sample, the association of psychopathology, personality, sociodemographic information, and psychosocial indicators of non-occupational functioning with the duration of absence from work in the past 12 months.MethodA longitudinal community cohort of 591 adults from Switzerland was analyzed using multilevel ordered logistic regression, with several alternative models as robustness checks. Psychopathology was assessed using the total score (Global Severity Index of the Symptom Check List-90 Revised.ResultsThe highest psychopathology levels were associated with absences of 3 or more week duration, largely independently of age. Extraversion and being divorced, widowed or separated also corresponded with longer absences from work in some analyses. No effect of sex was found. Most effects tested were not statistically significant and estimates showed large uncertainty.ConclusionAlthough tentative, our results suggest a possible influence of psychopathology on work participation. It may thus be desirable in insurance-medical appraisals of work ability to include instruments for measuring psychopathology.

Cumulative exposure to shift work and sickness absence: associations in a five-year historic cohort

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alwin van Drongelen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Exposure to shift work has been associated with negative health consequences, although the association between shift work and sickness absence remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate associations between cumulative exposure to shift work and sickness absence among ground staff employees of an airline company. Methods This study used data from the MORE (Monitoring Occupational Health Risks in Employees cohort, which is a 5-year historic cohort. The population of the present study consisted of 7562 ground staff employees. For each employee, work schedules and sickness absence days between 2005 and 2009 were obtained from company records. For the exposure to different shift schedule types and to the cumulative number of night shifts, the association with long-term sickness absence (>7 consecutive sickness absence days and the number of sickness absence episodes during 2009, was calculated using logistic and Poisson regression analyses. Socio-demographic variables, work-related variables, job classification variables, and previous sickness absence days were regarded as confounders. Results After adjusting for previous sickness absence and job classification variables, only the group of employees that switched into working in a three-shift schedule, showed a significantly increased risk for long-term sickness absence (OR = 1.31, 95%CI 1.02–1.69. Night shift exposure was not significantly associated with long-term sickness absence. Exposure to shift work was negatively associated with more sickness absence episodes. Employees who were exposed to more than 46 night shifts also showed a lower risk for more sickness absence episodes. Subgroup analyses showed that single employees and employees without children had an increased risk for long-term sickness absence when exposed to a three-shift schedule, and when they had changed between shift schedule types. Conclusions Cumulative exposure to shift work proved to

Cumulative exposure to shift work and sickness absence: associations in a five-year historic cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

van Drongelen, Alwin; Boot, Cécile R L; Hlobil, Hynek; van der Beek, Allard J; Smid, Tjabe

2017-01-11

Exposure to shift work has been associated with negative health consequences, although the association between shift work and sickness absence remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate associations between cumulative exposure to shift work and sickness absence among ground staff employees of an airline company. This study used data from the MORE (Monitoring Occupational Health Risks in Employees) cohort, which is a 5-year historic cohort. The population of the present study consisted of 7562 ground staff employees. For each employee, work schedules and sickness absence days between 2005 and 2009 were obtained from company records. For the exposure to different shift schedule types and to the cumulative number of night shifts, the association with long-term sickness absence (>7 consecutive sickness absence days) and the number of sickness absence episodes during 2009, was calculated using logistic and Poisson regression analyses. Socio-demographic variables, work-related variables, job classification variables, and previous sickness absence days were regarded as confounders. After adjusting for previous sickness absence and job classification variables, only the group of employees that switched into working in a three-shift schedule, showed a significantly increased risk for long-term sickness absence (OR = 1.31, 95%CI 1.02-1.69). Night shift exposure was not significantly associated with long-term sickness absence. Exposure to shift work was negatively associated with more sickness absence episodes. Employees who were exposed to more than 46 night shifts also showed a lower risk for more sickness absence episodes. Subgroup analyses showed that single employees and employees without children had an increased risk for long-term sickness absence when exposed to a three-shift schedule, and when they had changed between shift schedule types. Cumulative exposure to shift work proved to be negatively associated with more sickness absence episodes, and

The association between health and sickness absence among Danish and non-Western immigrant cleaners in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carneiro, Isabella G.; Rasmussen, Charlotte D. N.; Jørgensen, Marie B.

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to investigate the association between health and sickness absence among Danish and non-Western immigrant cleaners in Denmark. METHODS: This study is based on a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from 2007 to 2008. The study population includes 276 cleaners...

Linkage and association analysis of CACNG3 in childhood absence epilepsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Everett, Kate V; Chioza, Barry; Aicardi, Jean

2007-01-01

Childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is an idiopathic generalised epilepsy characterised by absence seizures manifested by transitory loss of awareness with 2.5-4 Hz spike-wave complexes on ictal EEG. A genetic component to aetiology is established but the mechanism of inheritance and the genes...

Does Perceived Stress Mediate the Association Between Workplace Bullying and Long-Term Sickness Absence?

Science.gov (United States)

Grynderup, Matias Brdsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis; Conway, Paul Maurice; Bonde, Jens Peter; Francioli, Laura; Garde, Anne Helene; Kaerlev, Linda; Rugulies, Reiner; Vammen, Marianne Agergaard; Hgh, Annie; Hansen, Åse Marie

2016-06-01

To examine if perceived stress mediated the association between workplace bullying and subsequent long-term sickness absence. The PRISME cohort was established in 2007 and re-examined in 2009. Questionnaire data about workplace bullying and perceived stress were obtained from 4114 individuals. Participants were followed in registers on long-term sickness absence (≥30 consecutive days of sickness absence). Workplace bullying was associated with subsequent sickness absence (odds ratio [OR] = 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.57 to 2.65) and concurrent high perceived stress levels (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.86 to 2.96). A high perceived stress level was also associated with subsequent sickness absence (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.56). Perceived stress explained 13% (95% CI: 6 to 23%) of the total association between bullying and sickness absence. The association between workplace bullying and subsequent long-term sickness absence may be partially mediated by perceived stress.

Does computer use pose a hazard for future long-term sickness absence?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Johan Hviid; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2010-01-01

. The hazard ratio for sickness absence with weekly increase of one hour in computer use was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.99 to 1.00). Low satisfaction with work place arrangements and female gender both doubled the risk of sickness absence.We have earlier found that computer use did not predict persistent pain in the neck...... and upper limb, and it seems that computer use neither predicts future long-term sickness absence of all causes....

Hand sanitiser provision for reducing illness absences in primary school children: a cluster randomised trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patricia Priest

2014-08-01

rate of absence episodes due to illness per 100 child-days was similar (1.21 and 1.16, respectively, incidence rate ratio 1.06, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.18. The provision of an alcohol-based hand sanitiser dispenser in classrooms was not effective in reducing rates of absence episodes due to respiratory or gastrointestinal illness, the length of illness or illness absence episodes, or the rate of subsequent infection for other members of the household in these children. The percentage of children experiencing a skin reaction was similar (10.4% hand sanitiser versus 10.3% control, risk ratio 1.01, 95% CI 0.78 to 1.30. The rate or length of absence episodes for any reason measured for all children also did not differ between groups. Limitations of the study include that the study was conducted during an influenza pandemic, with associated public health messaging about hand hygiene, which may have increased hand hygiene among all children and thereby reduced any additional effectiveness of sanitiser provision. We did not quite achieve the planned sample size of 1,350 follow-up children per group, although we still obtained precise estimates of the intervention effects. Also, it is possible that follow-up children were healthier than non-participating eligible children, with therefore less to gain from improved hand hygiene. However, lack of effectiveness of hand sanitiser provision on the rate of absences among all children suggests that this may not be the explanation. CONCLUSIONS: The provision of hand sanitiser in addition to usual hand hygiene in primary schools in New Zealand did not prevent disease of severity sufficient to cause school absence. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12609000478213. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.

Automatic characterization of dynamics in Absence Epilepsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, Katrine N. H.; Nielsen, Trine N.; Kjær, Troels W.

2013-01-01

Dynamics of the spike-wave paroxysms in Childhood Absence Epilepsy (CAE) are automatically characterized using novel approaches. Features are extracted from scalograms formed by Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). Detection algorithms are designed to identify an estimate of the temporal development...

Father absence and depressive symptoms in adolescence: findings from a UK cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Culpin, I; Heron, J; Araya, R; Melotti, R; Joinson, C

2013-12-01

Previous studies suggest a link between parental separation or divorce and risk of depression in adolescence. There are, however, few studies that have prospectively examined the effects of timing of biological father absence on risk for depressive symptoms in adolescence while controlling for a range of confounding factors. We examine the association between father absence occurring in early (the first 5 years) and middle childhood (5-10 years) and adolescent depressive symptoms in a sample comprising 5631 children from the UK-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Self-reported depressive symptoms at 14 years were assessed using the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ). Father absence was assessed from maternal questionnaires completed at regular intervals from the birth of the study child up to 10 years. There was evidence for an association between father absence in early childhood and increased odds of depressive symptoms at 14 years. This association was stronger in girls than in boys and remained after adjusting for a range of socio-economic, maternal and familial confounders assessed prior to the father's departure. Conversely, there was no evidence for an association between father absence in middle childhood and depressive symptoms at 14 years. Father absence in early childhood increases risk for adolescent depressive symptoms, particularly in girls. Future research should be aimed at identifying possible biological and psychosocial mechanisms linking father absence to depressive symptomatology to enable the development of family-based early prevention and intervention programmes targeting young children at risk.

Reduction of sickness absence by an occupational health care management program focusing on self-efficacy and self-management.

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, Michael; Muschalla, Beate; Hansmeier, Thomas; Sandner, Gabriele

2014-01-01

The aim of occupational health care management programs (OHMP) is to improve the health status of employees, increase work ability and reduce absence time. This includes better coping abilities, work-related self-efficacy and self-management which are important abilities that should be trained within OHMPs. To study the effectiveness of an OHMP including special interventions to enhance self-efficacy and self-management. Employees from the German Federal Pension Agency. Effects of an OHMP on sickness absence was studied by comparing an intervention group and two control groups. A core feature of the OHMP were group sessions with all members of working teams, focussing on self-efficacy and self management of the individual participant as well as the team as a group (focus groups). Participants in the OHMP were asked for their subjective evaluation of the focus groups. Rates of sickness absence were taken from the routine data of the employer. Participants of the OHMP indicated that they had learned better ways of coping and communication and that they had generated intentions to make changes in their working situation. The rate of sickness absence in the intervention group decreased from 9.26% in the year before the OHMP to 7.93% in the year after the program, while there was in the same time anincrease of 7.9% and 10.7% in the two control groups. The data suggest that OHMP with focus on self-efficacy and self management of individuals and teams are helpful in reducing work absenteeism.

Multilevel analysis of workplace and individual risk factors for long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Labriola, Merete; Christensen, Karl B; Lund, Thomas

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine if psychosocial and physical work-environment factors predict long-term sickness absence (>8 weeks) at both the individual and the workplace level. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected in a prospective study in 52 Danish workplaces....... Psychosocial factors were aggregated as workplace means. We used multilevel logistic regression models with psychosocial factors as predictors of long-term sickness absence over 5 years based on data from a national absence register. RESULTS: Long-term sickness absence was predicted by physical work...

The indirect association of job strain with long-term sickness absence through bullying: a mediation analysis using structural equation modeling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heidi Janssens

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In this longitudinal study the complex interplay between both job strain and bullying in relation to sickness absence was investigated. Following the “work environment hypothesis”, which establishes several work characteristics as antecedents of bullying, we assumed that job strain, conceptualized by the Job-Demand-Control model, has an indirect relation with long-term sickness absence through bullying. Methods The sample consisted of 2983 Belgian workers, aged 30 to 55 years, who participated in the Belstress III study. They completed a survey, including the Job Content Questionnaire and a bullying inventory, at baseline. Their sickness absence figures were registered during 1 year follow-up. Long-term sickness absence was defined as at least 15 consecutive days. A mediation analysis, using structural equation modeling, was performed to examine the indirect association of job strain through bullying with long-term sickness absence. The full structural model was adjusted for several possible confounders: age, gender, occupational group, educational level, company, smoking habits, alcohol use, body mass index, self-rated health, baseline long-term sickness absence and neuroticism. Results The results support the hypothesis: a significant indirect association of job strain with long-term sickness absence through bullying was observed, suggesting that bullying is an intermediate variable between job strain and long-term sickness absence. No evidence for the reversed pathway of an indirect association of bullying through job strain was found. Conclusions Bullying was observed as a mediating variable in the relation between job strain and sickness absence. The results suggest that exposure to job strain may create circumstances in which a worker risks to become a target of bullying. Our findings are generally in line with the work environment hypothesis, which emphasizes the importance of organizational work factors in the

Academic Performance in the Context of a "Three Excused Absences" Psychiatry Clerkship Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Schillerstrom, Jason E.; Lutz, Mary

2013-01-01

Objective: In order to better manage medical student absences during the psychiatry clerkship, a policy allowing students to miss up to 3 days without penalty was developed. The purpose of this study was to describe absence patterns and compare academic performance between students with and without absences. Method: Authors reviewed the academic…

Hearing difficulties, ear-related diagnoses and sickness absence or disability pension--a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Friberg, Emilie; Gustafsson, Klas; Alexanderson, Kristina

2012-09-12

Hearing difficulties is a large public health problem, prognosticated to be the ninth leading burden of disease in 2030, and may also involve large consequences for work capacity. However, research regarding sickness absence and disability pension in relation to hearing difficulties is scarce. The aim was to gain knowledge about hearing difficulties or other ear-related diagnoses and sickness absence and disability pension through conducting a systematic literature review of published studies. Studies presenting empirical data on hearing difficulties or ear-related diagnoses and sick leave or disability pension, published in scientific peer-reviewed journals, were included. Studies were sought for in three ways: in literature databases (Pub-Med, Embase, PsycInfo, SSCI, and Cochrane) through March 2011, through scrutinising lists of references, and through contacts. Identified publications were assessed for relevance and data was extracted from the studies deemed relevant. A total of 18 studies were assessed as relevant and included in this review, regardless of scientific quality. Fourteen studies presented empirical data on hearing difficulties/ear diagnoses and sick leave and six on these conditions and disability pension. Only two studies presented rate ratios or odds ratios regarding associations between hearing difficulties and sick leave, and only two on hearing difficulties and risk of disability pension. Both measures of hearing difficulties and of sick leave varied considerable between the studies. Remarkably few studies on hearing difficulties in relation to sickness absence or disability pension were identified. The results presented in them cannot provide evidence for direction or magnitude of potential associations.

Sickness absence among municipal workers in a Brazilian municipality: a secondary data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Leao, Ana Lucia M; Barbosa-Branco, Anadergh; Turchi, Marília D; Steenstra, Ivan A; Cole, Donald C

2017-12-28

Sickness absence, work disability associated with illness or injury, is a major public health problem worldwide. Some studies have investigated determinants of sickness absence among workers with shorter job tenure, but have only focused on certain diagnostic groups. Although it is well established that job tenure has an inverse relationship with work injury rate, less is known about its association with sickness absence for other disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the risk factors for incidence and duration of sickness absence according to diagnosis over a 7-year period. A dynamic cohort consisting of all permanent civil servants hired from 2005 to 2011 by the Goiania municipality-Brazil. Data of certified sickness absences longer than 3 days were analyzed. The incidence density was calculated per 1000 person-years in each ICD-10 category. The association between sickness absence and socio-demographic and occupational characteristics was examined using negative binomial regression models. 18,450 workers, mean age of 32 years, accumulated 14,909 episodes of sickness absence. Overall, the incidence density was 234.6 episodes per 1000 person years. Diagnostic groups with the highest incidence density of sickness absences were injuries (49.1), musculoskeletal disorders (31.3) and mental disorders (29.2). Factors predicting any sickness absence were female gender, older age, low education, being a health professional, multiple jobs and full-time employment. Mental health disorders were more common among education professionals, musculoskeletal disorders among blue collar workers and injuries among inspection workers. Prolonged time on sick leave was associated with male gender, older age groups, low education and income, blue-collar workers, more than one job contract and full time employment. These findings demonstrate a substantial sickness absentee burden and they provide relevant information for targeting prevention and health promotion

Does computer use pose a hazard for future long-term sickness absence?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, JH; Mikkelsen, Sigurd

2010-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate if weekly duration of computer use predicted sickness absence for more than two weeks at a later time.A cohort of 2146 frequent computer users filled in a questionnaire at baseline and was followed for one year with continuously recording of the duration of...... and upper limb, and it seems that computer use neither predicts future long-term sickness absence of all causes.......The aim of the study was to investigate if weekly duration of computer use predicted sickness absence for more than two weeks at a later time.A cohort of 2146 frequent computer users filled in a questionnaire at baseline and was followed for one year with continuously recording of the duration...... of computer use and furthermore followed for 300 weeks in a central register of sickness absence for more than 2 weeks.147 participants of the 2,146 (6.9%) became first time sick listed in the follow-up period. Overall, mean weekly computer use did not turn out to be a risk factor for later sickness absence...

The WAG/Rij strain: a genetic animal model of absence epilepsy with comorbidity of depression [corrected].

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkisova, Karine; van Luijtelaar, Gilles

2011-06-01

A great number of clinical observations show a relationship between epilepsy and depression. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy, including absence epilepsy, has a genetic basis. The review provides evidence that WAG/Rij rats can be regarded as a valid genetic animal model of absence epilepsy with comorbidity of depression. WAG/Rij rats, originally developed as an animal model of human absence epilepsy, share many EEG and behavioral characteristics resembling absence epilepsy in humans, including the similarity of action of various antiepileptic drugs. Behavioral studies indicate that WAG/Rij rats exhibit depression-like symptoms: decreased investigative activity in the open field test, increased immobility in the forced swimming test, and decreased sucrose consumption and preference (anhedonia). In addition, WAG/Rij rats adopt passive strategies in stressful situations, express some cognitive disturbances (reduced long-term memory), helplessness, and submissiveness, inability to make choice and overcome obstacles, which are typical for depressed patients. Elevated anxiety is not a characteristic (specific) feature of WAG/Rij rats; it is a characteristic for only a sub-strain of WAG/Rij rats susceptible to audiogenic seizures. Interestingly, WAG/Rij rats display a hyper-response to amphetamine similar to anhedonic depressed patients. WAG/Rij rats are sensitive only to chronic, but not acute, antidepressant treatments, suggesting that WAG/Rij rats fulfill a criterion of predictive validity for a putative animal model of depression. However, more and different antidepressant drugs still await evaluation. Depression-like behavioral symptoms in WAG/Rij rats are evident at baseline conditions, not exclusively after stress. Experiments with foot-shock stress do not point towards higher stress sensitivity at both behavioral and hormonal levels. However, freezing behavior (coping deficits) and blunted response of 5HT in the frontal cortex to uncontrollable sound stress

Congenital Absence of Left Circumflex Coronary Artery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Ansari

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Congenital absence of left circumflex artery is a rare congenitalanomaly of the coronary arteries. The prevalence of theanomaly in different studies ranges from 0.6% to 1.3%. Ofthese, 80% are benign and asymptomatic and 20% are clinicallyimportant. We report a 56-year-old man presented withacute resting chest pain who was diagnosed as having acuteanterolateral infarction accompanied by electrocardiographicchanges and elevated cardiac enzymes. Coronary angiographyin different views was conducted, however, no left circumflexartery was found. The territory supplied by the artery had beenperfused by the super dominant right coronary artery. Therewas no left circumflex coronary artery with anomalous origin.Sever stenosis of left anterior ascending artery superimposedto the absent left circumflex artery was presented as acute anterolateralinfarction. Although absence of the artery is mostlyconsidered as a benign condition, atherosclerotic lesions maybe more important in such cases because of diminished compensatingmechanisms.

Spiritual absence and 1-year mortality after hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Deidre B; Christian, Lisa M; Patidar, Seema; Bishop, Michelle M; Dodd, Stacy M; Athanason, Rebecca; Wingard, John R; Reddy, Vijay S

2010-08-01

Religiosity and spirituality have been associated with better survival in large epidemiologic studies. This study examined the relationship between spiritual absence and 1-year all-cause mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. Depression and problematic compliance were examined as possible mediators of a significant spiritual absence-mortality relationship. Eighty-five adults (mean = 46.85 years old, SD = 11.90 years) undergoing evaluation for allogeneic HSCT had routine psychologie evaluation prior to HSCT admission. The Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic was used to assess spiritual absence, depression, and problematic compliance, the psychosocial predictors of interest. Patient status at 1 year and survival time in days were abstracted from medical records. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the psychosocial factors of interest and mortality after adjusting for relevant biobehavioral factors. Twenty-nine percent (n = 25) of participants died within 1 year of HSCT. After covarying for disease type, individuals with the highest spiritual absence and problematic compliance scores were significantly more likely to die 1-year post-HSCT (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.49, P = .043 and HR = 3.74, P = .029, respectively), particularly secondary to infection, sepsis, or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) (HR = 4.56, P = .01 and HR = 5.61, P = .014), relative to those without elevations on these scales. Depression was not associated with 1-year mortality, and problematic compliance did not mediate the relationship between spiritual absence and mortality. These preliminary results suggest that both spiritual absence and problematic compliance may be associated with poorer survival following HSCT. Future research should examine these relations in a larger sample using a more comprehensive assessment of spirituality.

Cross-National Validation of Prognostic Models Predicting Sickness Absence and the Added Value of Work Environment Variables

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, Corne A. M.; Stapelfeldt, Christina M.; Heymans, Martijn W.; van Rhenen, Willem; Labriola, Merete; Nielsen, Claus V.; Bultmann, Ute; Jensen, Chris

Purpose To validate Dutch prognostic models including age, self-rated health and prior sickness absence (SA) for ability to predict high SA in Danish eldercare. The added value of work environment variables to the models' risk discrimination was also investigated. Methods 2,562 municipal eldercare

Cross-National Validation of Prognostic Models Predicting Sickness Absence and the Added Value of Work Environment Variables

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, C.A.M.; Stapelfeldt, C.M.; Heijmans, M.W.; van Rhenen, W.; Labriola, M.; Nielsen, C.V.; Bultmann, U.; Jensen, C.

2015-01-01

Purpose To validate Dutch prognostic models including age, self-rated health and prior sickness absence (SA) for ability to predict high SA in Danish eldercare. The added value of work environment variables to the models’ risk discrimination was also investigated. Methods 2,562 municipal eldercare

Macroinvertebrates as indicators of fish absence in naturally fishless lakes

Science.gov (United States)

Schilling, Emily Gaenzle; Loftin, C.S.; Huryn, Alexander D.

2009-01-01

1. Little is known about native communities in naturally fishless lakes in eastern North America, a region where fish stocking has led to a decline in these habitats. 2. Our study objectives were to: (i) characterise and compare macroinvertebrate communities in fishless lakes found in two biophysical regions of Maine (U.S.A.): kettle lakes in the eastern lowlands and foothills and headwater lakes in the central and western mountains; (ii) identify unique attributes of fishless lake macroinvertebrate communities compared to lakes with fish and (iii) develop a method to efficiently identify fishless lakes when thorough fish surveys are not possible. 3. We quantified macroinvertebrate community structure in the two physiographic fishless lake types (n = 8 kettle lakes; n = 8 headwater lakes) with submerged light traps and sweep nets. We also compared fishless lake macroinvertebrate communities to those in fish-containing lakes (n = 18) of similar size, location and maximum depth. We used non-metric multidimensional scaling to assess differences in community structure and t-tests for taxon-specific comparisons between lakes. 4. Few differences in macroinvertebrate communities between the two physiographic fishless lake types were apparent. Fishless and fish-containing lakes had numerous differences in macroinvertebrate community structure, abundance, taxonomic composition and species richness. Fish presence or absence was a stronger determinant of community structure in our study than differences in physical conditions relating to lake origin and physiography. 5. Communities in fishless lakes were more speciose and abundant than in fish-containing lakes, especially taxa that are large, active and free-swimming. Families differing in abundance and taxonomic composition included Notonectidae, Corixidae, Gyrinidae, Dytiscidae, Aeshnidae, Libellulidae and Chaoboridae. 6. We identified six taxa unique to fishless lakes that are robust indicators of fish absence: Graphoderus

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Grynderup, Matias Brødsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis; Conway, Paul Maurice; Bonde, Jens Peter; Garde, Anne Helene; Gullander, Maria; Kaerlev, Linda; Persson, Roger; Rugulies, Reiner; Vammen, Marianne Agergaard; Høgh, Annie; Hansen, Åse Marie

2017-09-16

Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. Participants came from two Danish cohort studies, the "Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease" (PRISME) cohort and the "Workplace Bullying and Harassment" (WBH) cohort (n = 5418). Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points with approximately two years in between. After each data collection, all participants were followed for two years in registers, and cases with long-term sickness absence lasting 30 or more consecutive days were identified. The association between cortisol levels and subsequent sickness absence was assessed by logistic regression, while the extent to which the association between bullying and sickness absence was mediated by cortisol was quantified through natural direct and indirect effects. High evening cortisol was associated with a decreased risk of sickness absence (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68-0.99), but we did not find that high morning cortisol levels (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.81-1.18) or high morning-to-evening slope (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.82-1.18) were associated with subsequent sickness absence. We also tested for reverse causation and found that long-term sickness absence, but not salivary cortisol, was a strong risk factor for subsequent workplace bullying. There was no indication that cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We found no

The Behavioral Effects of Father Absence on Children and Their Mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, E. Doyle; And Others

1982-01-01

Investigated effect of father presence or absence in the home in New York City families: welfare AFDC families and lower-middle income families. Results indicated that children of surrogate fathers revealed significantly more behavioral difficulties. Cross-section children and mothers were more adversely affected by father absence than others.…

Absence of satellites of asteroids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gehrels, T.; Drummond, J.D.; Levenson, N.A.

1987-01-01

The absence of satellites within 0.1-7.0 arcmin of minor planets noted in the present CCD imaging survey is judged consistent with previous theoretical studies of collisions in which it is held that satellites would have to be larger than about 30 km in order to be collisionally stable. In view of tidal stability, the only main belt asteroid satellites which could conceivably possess stability over eons are near-contact binaries. Any recent collisional debris would be chaotic and collisionally unstable. 15 references

Longitudinal associations of active commuting with wellbeing and sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Mytton, Oliver Tristan; Panter, Jenna; Ogilvie, David

2016-03-01

Our aim was to explore longitudinal associations of active commuting (cycling to work and walking to work) with physical wellbeing (PCS-8), mental wellbeing (MCS-8) and sickness absence. We used data from the Commuting and Health in Cambridge study (2009 to 2012; n=801) to test associations between: a) maintenance of cycling (or walking) to work over a one year period and indices of wellbeing at the end of that one year period; and b) associations between change in cycling (or walking) to work and change in indices of wellbeing. Linear regression was used for testing associations with PCS-8 and MCS-8, and negative binomial regression for sickness absence. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, physical activity and physical limitation, those who maintained cycle commuting reported lower sickness absence (0.46, 95% CI: 0.14-0.80; equivalent to one less day per year) and higher MCS-8 scores (1.50, 0.10-2.10) than those who did not cycle to work. The association for sickness absence persisted after adjustment for baseline sickness absence. No significant associations were observed for PCS-8. Associations between change in cycle commuting and change in indices of wellbeing were not significant. No significant associations were observed for walking. This work provides some evidence of the value of cycle commuting in improving or maintaining the health and wellbeing of adults of working age. This may be important in engaging employers in the promotion of active travel and communicating the benefits of active travel to employees. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of GAMMA radiation on morphological changes of Poecilia reticulata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benova, K.; Cigankova, V.; Dvorak, P.; Hromada, R.

2006-01-01

In our experiment were followed histological changes after gamma-irradiation with dose of 30 Gy in Poecilia reticulata. After radiation shyness and lethargy were observed. The most prominent clinical symptoms observed were emaciation, hampered breathing, ex ophthalmia and hemorrhages. The histological picture found were adequate to these symptoms. The enteritic villi compared with controls were relatively low. Enterocytes taking part on resorption processes were damaged and desquamated on some sites, and the number of microvilli was reduced on their surface. As our earlier findings on rats revealed, the decrease in number of microvilli designates malfunctioning intestinal resorption, which can lead to emaciation. (authors)

Pathogenesis of arteriovenous malformations in the absence of endoglin.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoud, Marwa; Allinson, Kathleen R; Zhai, Zhenhua; Oakenfull, Rachael; Ghandi, Pranita; Adams, Ralf H; Fruttiger, Marcus; Arthur, Helen M

2010-04-30

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) result in anomalous direct blood flow between arteries and veins, bypassing the normal capillary bed. Depending on size and location, AVMs may lead to severe clinical effects including systemic cyanosis (pulmonary AVMs), hemorrhagic stroke (cerebral AVMs) and high output cardiac failure (hepatic AVMs). The factors leading to AVM formation are poorly understood, but patients with the familial disease hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) develop AVMs at high frequency. As most HHT patients have mutations in ENG (endoglin) or ACVRL1 (activin receptor-like kinase 1), a better understanding of the role of these genes in vascular development is likely to reveal the etiology of AVM formation. Using a mouse with a conditional mutation in the Eng gene, we investigated the sequence of abnormal cellular events occurring during development of an AVM. In the absence of endoglin, subcutaneous Matrigel implants in adult mice were populated by reduced numbers of new blood vessels compared with controls, and resulted in local venous enlargement (venomegaly). To investigate abnormal vascular responses in more detail, we turned to the more readily accessible vasculature of the neonatal retina. Endoglin-deficient retinas exhibited delayed remodeling of the capillary plexus, increased proliferation of endothelial cells and localized AVMs. Muscularization of the resulting arteriovenous shunts appeared to be a secondary response to increased blood flow. AVMs develop when an angiogenic stimulus is combined with endoglin depletion. Moreover, AVM formation appears to result from the combination of delayed vascular remodeling and an inappropriate endothelial cell proliferation response in the absence of endoglin.

Systematic review of active workplace interventions to reduce sickness absence

OpenAIRE

Odeen, Magnus; Magnussen, Liv Heide; Mæland, Silje; Larun, Lillebeth; Eriksen, Hege Randi; Tveito, Torill Helene

2013-01-01

Background: The workplace is used as a setting for interventions to prevent and reduce sickness absence, regardless of the specific medical conditions and diagnoses. Aims: To give an overview of the general effectiveness of active workplace interventions aimed at preventing and reducing sickness absence. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Psych-info, and ISI web of knowledge on 27 December 2011. Inclusion criteria were (i) participants over 18 years old with ...

Does Perceived Stress Mediate the Association Between Workplace Bullying and Long-Term Sickness Absence?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grynderup, Matias Brdsgaard; Nabe-Nielsen, Kirsten; Lange, Theis

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine if perceived stress mediated the association between workplace bullying and subsequent long-term sickness absence. METHODS: The PRISME cohort was established in 2007 and re-examined in 2009. Questionnaire data about workplace bullying and perceived stress were obtained from...... 4114 individuals. Participants were followed in registers on long-term sickness absence (≥30 consecutive days of sickness absence). RESULTS: Workplace bullying was associated with subsequent sickness absence (odds ratio [OR] = 2.05; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.57 to 2.65) and concurrent high...... perceived stress levels (OR = 2.34; 95% CI: 1.86 to 2.96). A high perceived stress level was also associated with subsequent sickness absence (OR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.56). Perceived stress explained 13% (95% CI: 6 to 23%) of the total association between bullying and sickness absence. CONCLUSIONS...

The effect on length of sickness absence by recognition of undetected psychiatric disorder in long-term sickness absence. A randomized controlled trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Bech, Per

2009-01-01

of return to work. METHODS: Over one year all 2,414 incident persons on LSA in a well-defined population were within one week after eight weeks of continuous sickness absence posted the Common Mental Disorders Screening Questionnaire (CMD-SQ) to screen for mental disorders. In a randomized controlled trial...... (RCT), of 1,121 responding participants, persons with a minimum level of psychiatric symptoms 420 were allocated to the intervention group and 416 to the control group. The intervention was a psychiatric examination including diagnostics with Present State Examination and feedback regarding treatment...... to work. RESULTS: The rate of return to work was non-significantly lower for the intervention group than for the control group, except for persons without a psychiatric sick-leave diagnosis who were sick-listed from full time work, who showed a significantly higher rate of return to work...

Labour Market Segregation and Gender Differences in Sickness Absence: Trends in 2005-2013 in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Leinonen, Taina; Viikari-Juntura, Eira; Husgafvel-Pursiainen, Kirsti; Virta, Lauri J; Laaksonen, Mikko; Autti-Rämö, Ilona; Solovieva, Svetlana

2018-04-18

Women have higher sickness absence rate than men, but less is known of changes in this difference over time. We examined gender differences in sickness absence trends focusing on gender segregation in the labour market. We used large nationwide register data on Finnish wage earners aged 25-59 and generalized estimation equations based on repeated logistic regression to estimate the annual risk of sickness absence lasting at least 2 weeks. Between 2005 and 2013, the age-adjusted proportion (%) of employees with all-cause sickness absence decreased from the initial levels of 10.6 among men and 15.1 among women by 16.7 and 13.6%, respectively. Among both genders, the largest decrease in sickness absence coincided with the peak of the economic recession in 2009. In sickness absence due to all causes and musculoskeletal diseases, also the excess decrease among men mainly occurred in 2009, and in sickness absence due to mental disorders 2 years later. In sickness absence due to all causes and musculoskeletal diseases, the increasing gender difference was mainly attributable to a larger decrease in sickness absence at the time of the recession in male-dominated groups, such as in manual and manufacturing work, than in other sectors and occupational classes. In mental disorders, the increasing gender difference was partly attributable to a later smaller decrease in sickness absence among female-dominated lower non-manual and lower income employment groups. The increasing gender differences did not result from differential distributional changes in employment or sociodemographic factors among the employed male and female populations. In fact, widening of the gender gap in sickness absence due to all causes and musculoskeletal diseases would have been even larger without faster increase among women in the educational level and in non-manual employment. Sickness absence decreased especially in male-dominated employment groups, resulting in a larger decrease in absences among

The associations between workplace bullying, salivary cortisol, and long-term sickness absence: a longitudinal study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matias Brødsgaard Grynderup

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Workplace stressors, such as bullying, are strongly related to subsequent long-term sickness absence, but little is known of the possible physiological mechanisms linking workplace stressors and sickness absence. The primary aim of this study was to investigate to what extent cortisol levels were associated with subsequent sickness absence and if cortisol mediated the association between workplace bullying and sickness absence. We additionally investigated possible bidirectional associations between bullying, cortisol, and long-term sickness absence. Methods Participants came from two Danish cohort studies, the “Psychosocial RIsk factors for Stress and MEntal disease” (PRISME cohort and the “Workplace Bullying and Harassment” (WBH cohort (n = 5418. Information about exposure to workplace bullying and morning and evening salivary cortisol was collected at three time points with approximately two years in between. After each data collection, all participants were followed for two years in registers, and cases with long-term sickness absence lasting 30 or more consecutive days were identified. The association between cortisol levels and subsequent sickness absence was assessed by logistic regression, while the extent to which the association between bullying and sickness absence was mediated by cortisol was quantified through natural direct and indirect effects. Results High evening cortisol was associated with a decreased risk of sickness absence (OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.68–0.99, but we did not find that high morning cortisol levels (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.81–1.18 or high morning-to-evening slope (OR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.82–1.18 were associated with subsequent sickness absence. We also tested for reverse causation and found that long-term sickness absence, but not salivary cortisol, was a strong risk factor for subsequent workplace bullying. There was no indication that cortisol mediated the association

A 'Balanced' Life: Work-Life Balance and Sickness Absence in Four Nordic Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Antai, D; Oke, A; Braithwaite, P; Anthony, D S

2015-10-01

Little attention has been given to the relationship between work-life balance and sickness absence. To investigate the association between poor work-life balance and sickness absence in 4 Nordic welfare states. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on pooled cross-sectional data of workers aged 15-65 years from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway (n=4186) obtained from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Poor work-life balance was defined based on the fit between working hours and family or social commitments outside work. Self-reported sickness absence was measured as absence for ≥7 days from work for health reasons. Poor work-life balance was associated with elevated odds (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.80) of self-reported sickness absence and more health problems in the 4 Nordic countries, even after adjusting for several important confounding factors. Work-related characteristics, ie, no determination over schedule (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.53), and job insecurity (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.02) increased the likelihood of sickness absence, and household characteristics, ie, cohabitation status (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.96) reduced this likelihood. The associations were non-significant when performed separately for women and men. Sickness absence is predicted by poor work-life balance. Findings suggest the need for implementation of measures that prevent employee difficulties in combining work and family life.

School Ethical Climate and Teachers' Voluntary Absence

Science.gov (United States)

Shapira-Lishchinsky, Orly; Rosenblatt, Zehava

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to offer a theoretical framework for linking school ethical climate with teachers' voluntary absence. The paper attempts to explain this relationship using the concept of affective organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach: Participants were 1,016 school teachers from 35 high schools in Israel. Data were…

Predictors of recurrent sickness absence among workers having returned to work after sickness absence due to common mental disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arends, I.; van der Klink, J.J.L.; van Rhenen, W.; de Boer, M.R.; Bultmann, U.

2014-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether sociodemographic, disease-related, personal, and work-related factors - measured at baseline - are predictors of recurrent sickness absence (SA) at 6 and 12 months follow-up among workers who returned to work after SA due to common mental

Predictors of recurrent sickness absence among workers having returned to work after sickness absence due to common mental disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arends, Iris; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; van Rhenen, Willem; de Boer, Michiel R.; Bultmann, Ute

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether sociodemographic, disease-related, personal, and work-related factors - measured at baseline - are predictors of recurrent sickness absence (SA) at 6 and 12 months follow-up among workers who returned to work after SA due to common mental

Isolated unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery. Review of the world literature and guidelines for surgical repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakibi, J G; Rastan, H; Nazarian, I; Paydar, M; Aryanpour, I; Siassi, B

1978-05-01

A 10-month-old boy is presented who had isolated unilateral absence of the right pulmonary artery. He suffered from hemoptysis and severe congestive heart failure. The patient underwent prosthetic anastomosis of the right to the main pulmonary artery. Although the hemodynamic response was favorable, his oxygenation did not improve due to diffuse pulmonary arteriovenous fistulae of the affected lung. The patient succumbed 3 months after operation due to massive uncontrollable hemoptysis from the right lung. Isolated unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery is a rare lesion. In our review of the world literature as of November 1976, 47 cases (including this report) of the unilateral absence of the pulmonary artery have been reported. Of these 25.5% had pulmonary hypertension and only 4 cases underwent successful repair of the lesion. Though repair of this defect can be carried out, the result may not be always gratifying. Our experience with this case has led us to consider a lung biopsy before proceeding to the surgical repair of the lesion. If the affected lung shows arteriovenous abnormalities the operation should not be recommended.

Relationship between Comorbid Health Problems and Musculoskeletal Disorders Resulting in Musculoskeletal Complaints and Musculoskeletal Sickness Absence among Employees in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Ji Hye; Kim, Young Sun; Yi, Kwan Hyung

2015-06-01

To investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and comorbid health problems, including depression/anxiety disorder, insomnia/sleep disorder, fatigue, and injury by accident, and to determine whether certain physical and psychological factors reduce comorbid health problems. In total, 29,711 employees were selected from respondents of the Third Korean Working Conditions Survey and categorized into two groups: Musculoskeletal Complaints or Musculoskeletal Sickness Absence. Four self-reported health indicators (overall fatigue, depression/anxiety, insomnia/sleep disorder, and injury by accident) were selected as outcomes, based on their high prevalence in Korea. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the relationship between comorbid health problems, musculoskeletal complaints, and sickness absence. The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints and musculoskeletal sickness absence due to muscular pain was 32.26% and 0.59%, respectively. Compared to the reference group, depression/anxiety disorder and overall fatigue were 5.2-6.1 times more prevalent in the Musculoskeletal Complaints Group and insomnia/sleep disorder and injury by accident were 7.6-11.0 times more prevalent in the Sickness Absence Group. When adjusted for individual and work-related physical factors, prevalence of all four comorbid health problems were slightly decreased in both groups. Increases in overall fatigue and depression/anxiety disorder were observed in the Musculoskeletal Complaints Group, while increases in insomnia/sleep disorder and injury by accident were observed in the Sickness Absence Group. For management of musculoskeletal complaints and sickness absence in the workplace, differences in health problems between employees with musculoskeletal complaints and those with sickness absence as well as the physical and psychological risk factors should be considered.

Congenital or torsion-induced absence of Fallopian tubes. Two case reports.

Science.gov (United States)

Paternoster, D M; Costantini, W; Uglietti, A; Vasile, C; Bocconi, L

1998-05-01

Unilateral absence of a uterine tube is an extremely rare finding, for which there are two possible etiopathogenic causes: in some cases it is due to haemorrhage filling of the cavity and its reabsorption as a result of asymptomatic torsion of the uterine tube during adult life, in pediatric age or even during intrauterine life; alternatively, the absence may be congenital, associated with developmental alterations of the mesonephric and paramesonephric ducts. The article presents two cases of fallopian tube absence: a congenital monolateral absence and a tubal torsion during pregnancy. The symptomatology of the torsion of the fallopian tube in pregnancy can be milder than in the classic description with peritoneal reaction and severe clinical alteration. The main risk factors for tubal torsion are: adhesions and inflammatory processes, ovarian cysts, usually of dermoid type, menstrual period, pregnancy, abnormal long mesosalpinx and/or mesovarium, pelvic congestion induced by constipation and disturbed venous blood flow from the adnexa. A congenital defect of the mesonephric duct is followed by a homolateral defect of the paramesonephric duct. The resulting anomaly is characterized by the absence of the uterine tube, uterus-tube angle, kidney and ureter. Partial or total unilateral defects of a paramesonephric duct are more common than aplasia of both ducts. Some authors have suggested that an inadequate blood supply during the descent into the pelvis of the caudal part of the paramesonephric duct might feasibly lead to incomplete tube development.

Effects of organizational justice on depressive symptoms and sickness absence: a longitudinal perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Ybema, Jan F; van den Bos, Kees

2010-05-01

A longitudinal three-wave study among a large representative sample of 1519 employees of various companies in The Netherlands examined how organizational justice (as measured by distributive and procedural justice) was related to depressive symptoms and sickness absence. It was predicted that perceived justice would contribute to lower depressive symptoms and sickness absence, whereas depressive symptoms and absenteeism in turn would contribute to lower perceptions of organizational justice. In line with the predictions, we found that both distributive and procedural justice contributed to lower depressive symptoms, and distributive justice contributed to lower sickness absence in the following year. With regard to reversed effects, sickness absence contributed to lower perceptions of distributive justice to some extent. Moreover, sickness absence was related to higher depressive symptoms a year later. This research shows the importance of justice in organizations as a means to enhance the wellbeing of people at work and to prevent absenteeism. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An application of viola jones method for face recognition for absence process efficiency

Science.gov (United States)

Rizki Damanik, Rudolfo; Sitanggang, Delima; Pasaribu, Hendra; Siagian, Hendrik; Gulo, Frisman

2018-04-01

Absence was a list of documents that the company used to record the attendance time of each employee. The most common problem in a fingerprint machine is the identification of a slow sensor or a sensor not recognizing a finger. The employees late to work because they get difficulties at fingerprint system, they need about 3 – 5 minutes to absence when the condition of finger is wet or not fit. To overcome this problem, this research tried to utilize facial recognition for attendance process. The method used for facial recognition was Viola Jones. Through the processing phase of the RGB face image was converted into a histogram equalization face image for the next stage of recognition. The result of this research was the absence process could be done less than 1 second with a maximum slope of ± 700 and a distance of 20-200 cm. After implement facial recognition the process of absence is more efficient, just take less 1 minute to absence.

Sickness Absence: a Pan-European Study

OpenAIRE

Livanos, Ilias; Zangelidis, Alexandros

2010-01-01

This study, using the EU-LFS, examines the determinants of sickness absence in 26 EU countries. The analysis highlights the importance of demographic and workplace characteristics and of institutional and societal conditions. Female workers aged 26-35 exhibit higher absenteeism, possibly reflecting the level of high household labour pressure. Increased job insecurity, captured by temporary contracts, and labour market uncertainty, reflected in higher unemployment rates, have a negative effect...

Efficacy of 'Tailored Physical Activity' on reducing sickness absence among health care workers: A 3-months randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersen, Lotte Nygaard; Juul-Kristensen, Birgit; Roessler, Kirsten Kaya; Herborg, Lene Gram; Sørensen, Thomas Lund; Søgaard, Karen

2015-10-01

The aim was to evaluate efficacy of "Tailored Physical Activity" (TPA) versus a reference group (REF) in reducing the number of self-reported days of sickness absence for health care workers in the Sonderborg Municipality. In this randomised controlled trial, all participants (n = 54) received health guidance for 1.5 h and were randomised to TPA or REF. The primary aim was to make a comparison of participants' self-reported sickness absence due to musculoskeletal troubles measured three months after baseline. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric, health-related and physical capacity measures. A TPA intervention was not significantly more effective than REF in reducing sickness absence caused by musculoskeletal troubles. However, there were significant improvements for TPA participants compared to REF in reducing pain intensity from 47.9 mm to 21.8 mm (p health care workers since participants achieved a substantial effect on their experience of pain, on their work ability and on their fear of physical movement relating to pain. Moreover, a difference in aerobic capacity was apparent between the sample groups. TPA however, had no significant effect in reducing sickness absence days. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness of return-to-work interventions that incorporate work-focused problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders: a systematic literature review

Science.gov (United States)

Dewa, Carolyn S; Loong, Desmond; Bonato, Sarah; Joosen, Margot C W

2015-01-01

Objectives This paper reviews the current state of the published peer-reviewed literature related to return-to-work (RTW) interventions that incorporate work-related problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders. It addresses the question: What is the evidence for the effectiveness of these RTW interventions? Design Using a multiphase screening process, this systematic literature review was based on publically available peer-reviewed studies. Five electronic databases were searched: (1) Medline Current, (2) Medline In-process, (3) PsycINFO, (4) Econlit and (5) Web of Science. Setting The focus was on RTW interventions for workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. Participants Workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. Interventions RTW intervention included work-focused problem-solving skills. Primary and secondary outcome measures RTW rates and length of sickness absences. Results There were 4709 unique citations identified. Of these, eight articles representing a total of six studies were included in the review. In terms of bias avoidance, two of the six studies were rated as excellent, two as good and two as weak. Five studies were from the Netherlands; one was from Norway. There was variability among the studies with regard to RTW findings. Two of three studies reported significant differences in RTW rates between the intervention and control groups. One of six studies observed a significant difference in sickness absence duration between intervention and control groups. Conclusions There is limited evidence that combinations of interventions that include work-related problem-solving skills are effective in RTW outcomes. The evidence could be strengthened if future studies included more detailed examinations of intervention adherence and changes in problem-solving skills. Future studies should also examine the long-term effects of problem

The role of SLC2A1 in early onset and childhood absence epilepsies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Muhle, Hiltrud; Helbig, Ingo; Frøslev, Tobias Guldberg

2013-01-01

Early Onset Absence Epilepsy constitutes an Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy with absences starting before the age of four years. Mutations in SLC2A1, encoding the glucose transporter, account for approximately 10% of EOAE cases. The role of SLC2A1 mutations in absence epilepsies with a later onset...

Job strain and informal caregiving as predictors of long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Jesper; Dich, Nadya; Lange, Theis

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the individual, joint and interactive effects of job strain and informal caregiving on long-term sickness absence with special attention to gender differences. METHODS: The study comprised a prospective cohort study of 6798 working adults from...... France, 14 727 from Finland, and 5275 from the UK. A total of 26 800 participants, age 52 (interquartile range 47-56) years participated in the study. Job strain was assessed using the demand-control model. Informal caregiving was defined as care for a sick, disabled, or elderly person. Long......-term sickness absence spells defined as absence >14 consecutive days were registered during two years follow-up. We used recurrent-events Cox regression in random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: A total of 12% men and 21% women had ≥1 long-term sickness absence spell. Among women, both high job strain [hazard...

Stress amongst nurses working in a healthcare telephone-advice service: relationship with job satisfaction, intention to leave, sickness absence, and performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Farquharson, Barbara; Allan, Julia; Johnston, Derek; Johnston, Marie; Choudhary, Carolyn; Jones, Martyn

2012-07-01

This paper is a report of a study, which assessed levels of stress amongst nurses working in a healthcare telephone-advice service. We explored whether stress related to performance, sickness absence, and intention to leave. Nurses report high levels of stress, as do call-centre workers. The emergence of telephone health advice services means many nurses now work in call-centres, doing work that differs markedly from traditional nursing roles. Stress associated with these roles could have implications for nurses, patients, and service provision. This paper reports cross-sectional survey results. The design of the overall study included longitudinal elements. A comprehensive study of stress was conducted amongst nurses working for a telephone-advice service in Scotland (2008-2010). All nurse-advisors were approached by letter and invited to participate. A total of 152 participants (33%) completed a questionnaire including General Health Questionnaire-12, Work Family Conflict Questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Scale and a measure of intention to leave the telephone-advice service and rated the perceived stress of 2 working shifts. Nurses' employers provided data on sickness absence and performance. Overall levels of psychological distress were similar to those found amongst Scottish women generally. In multiple regression, work-family conflict was identified as a significant predictor of job satisfaction and intention to leave, and significantly related to sickness absence. There were significant correlations between General Health Questionnaire scores and perceived stress of shifts and some performance measures. Work-family conflict is a significant predictor of job satisfaction, intention to leave, and sickness absence amongst telephone helpline nurses. Minimizing the impact of nurses' work on their home lives might reduce turnover and sickness absence. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

THE ABSENCE OF EX-COMPANIONS IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Di Stefano, R. [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); Kilic, Mukremin, E-mail: rd@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: kilic@ou.edu [Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Oklahoma, 440 West Brooks Street, Norman, OK 73019 (United States)

2012-11-01

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play important roles in our study of the expansion and acceleration of the universe, but because we do not know the exact nature or natures of the progenitors, there is a systematic uncertainty that must be resolved if SNe Ia are to become more precise cosmic probes. No progenitor system has ever been identified either in the pre- or post-explosion images of a Ia event. There have been recent claims for and against the detection of ex-companion stars in several SNe Ia remnants. These studies, however, usually ignore the angular momentum gain of the progenitor white dwarf (WD), which leads to a spin-up phase and a subsequent spin-down phase before explosion. For spin-down timescales greater than 10{sup 5} years, the donor star could be too dim to detect by the time of explosion. Here we revisit the current limits on ex-companion stars to SNR 0509-67.5, a 400-year-old remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. If the effects of possible angular momentum gain on the WD are included, a wide range of single-degenerate progenitor models are allowed for this remnant. We demonstrate that the current absence of evidence for ex-companion stars in this remnant, as well as other SNe Ia remnants, does not necessarily provide the evidence of absence for ex-companions. We discuss potential ways to identify such ex-companion stars through deep imaging observations.

THE ABSENCE OF EX-COMPANIONS IN TYPE Ia SUPERNOVA REMNANTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Stefano, R.; Kilic, Mukremin

2012-01-01

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) play important roles in our study of the expansion and acceleration of the universe, but because we do not know the exact nature or natures of the progenitors, there is a systematic uncertainty that must be resolved if SNe Ia are to become more precise cosmic probes. No progenitor system has ever been identified either in the pre- or post-explosion images of a Ia event. There have been recent claims for and against the detection of ex-companion stars in several SNe Ia remnants. These studies, however, usually ignore the angular momentum gain of the progenitor white dwarf (WD), which leads to a spin-up phase and a subsequent spin-down phase before explosion. For spin-down timescales greater than 10 5 years, the donor star could be too dim to detect by the time of explosion. Here we revisit the current limits on ex-companion stars to SNR 0509-67.5, a 400-year-old remnant in the Large Magellanic Cloud. If the effects of possible angular momentum gain on the WD are included, a wide range of single-degenerate progenitor models are allowed for this remnant. We demonstrate that the current absence of evidence for ex-companion stars in this remnant, as well as other SNe Ia remnants, does not necessarily provide the evidence of absence for ex-companions. We discuss potential ways to identify such ex-companion stars through deep imaging observations.

Workers' opinions on the effect of contact with health care providers on sickness absence duration.

Science.gov (United States)

Steenbeek, Romy

2014-01-01

Because of the aging working population and the increasing age of retirement the number of workers with chronic illnesses and disabilities is growing. It is important that workers with health complaints receive efficient health care in order to remain fully or at least partly productive. To explore workers' opinions about the effectiveness of contact with health care providers in shortening sickness absence duration. Data come from a four-wave study from 2005 to 2008 among Dutch workers (n=1,424). Data were obtained on visits to health care providers, sickness absence and workers' opinions on whether and how their absence could have been shortened. A third of the workers were of the opinion that the health care provider (most often the general practitioner, GP) had played a role in preventing sickness absence and 35% were of the opinion that the health care provider had limited their absence. Most often the physical therapist (71%) and mental health therapist (61%) shortened sickness absence duration, in contrast to the occupational physician (OP, 25%) and GP (32%). The effectiveness of the health care providers' treatment was associated with the cause of sickness absence. Approximately 15% of the workers reported that their sickness absence could have been shortened if health care providers had provided the proper treatment and if waiting times had been reduced. Health care providers differ in their potential to shorten sickness absence duration. Health care providers can further reduce sickness absence and health care costs by providing the proper treatment and by reducing waiting times.

Frequency of palmaris longus absence and its association with other anatomical variations in the Egyptian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Raouf, Hoda Abdel; Kader, Ghada Abdel; Jaradat, Ahmed; Dharap, Amol; Fadel, Raouf; Salem, Abdel Halim

2013-07-01

The palmaris longus (PL) is one of the most variable muscles in the human body. Racial differences in its variation have been documented. Several studies have attempted to correlate PL absence with other anatomical variations. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of absence of PL, correlate it with gender and body side and to determine its association with other anatomical variations in the Egyptian population. The presence of PL was clinically determined in 386 Egyptians using the standard technique. All subjects were examined for the presence of the flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) to the fifth finger. Allen's test was done to assess the completeness of the superficial palmar arch (SPA). The overall prevalence of absence of the PL in Egyptian subjects was 50.8%. There was no significant difference in PL absence with regard to the body side but a significant difference was seen as regards gender and when bilateral absence of PL was compared to its unilateral absence. Absence of FDS tendon to the fifth finger was seen in 1.3% subjects. There was no association between the absence of the FDS tendon to the fifth finger and either presence or absence of PL and also between the absence of PL and the incompleteness of SPA in both genders. In conclusion, the prevalence of absence of PL in the Egyptian population represents one of the highest rates of absence to be reported for this muscle, which is significantly different from that in other ethnic groups. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Longitudinal relationships between organizational justice, productivity, loss and sickness absence older employees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ybema, J.F.; Meer, L. van der; Leijten, F.R.M.

2016-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess whether organizational justice lowers productivity loss and sickness absence, and whether there are reverse effects of productivity loss and sickness absence on organizational justice.Method A longitudinal study with 2 years of follow-up was conducted

Contractor-, steward-, and coworker-safety practice: associations with musculoskeletal pain and injury-related absence among construction apprentices.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Seung-Sup; Dutra, Lauren M; Okechukwu, Cassandra A

2014-07-01

This paper sought to assess organizational safety practices at three different levels of hierarchical workplace structure and to examine their association with injury outcomes among construction apprentices. Using a cross-sectional sample of 1,775 construction apprentices, three measures of organizational safety practice were assessed: contractor-, steward-, and coworker-safety practice. Each safety practice measure was assessed using three similar questions (i.e., on-the-job safety commitment, following required or recommended safe work practices, and correcting unsafe work practices); the summed average of the responses ranged from 1 to 4, with a higher score indicating poorer safety practice. Outcome variables included the prevalence of four types of musculoskeletal pain (i.e., neck, shoulder, hand, and back pain) and injury-related absence. In adjusted analyses, contractor-safety practice was associated with both hand pain (OR: 1.27, 95 % CI: 1.04, 1.54) and back pain (OR: 1.40, 95 % CI: 1.17, 1.68); coworker-safety practice was related to back pain (OR: 1.42, 95 % CI: 1.18, 1.71) and injury-related absence (OR: 1.36, 95 % CI: 1.11, 1.67). In an analysis that included all three safety practice measures simultaneously, the association between coworker-safety practice and injury-related absence remained significant (OR: 1.68, 95 % CI: 1.20, 2.37), whereas all other associations became non-significant. This study suggests that organizational safety practice, particularly coworker-safety practice, is associated with injury outcomes among construction apprentices.

Certifying the absence of quantum nonlocality

OpenAIRE

Miller, Carl A.; Shi, Yaoyun

2016-01-01

Quantum nonlocality is an inherently non-classical feature of quantum mechanics and manifests itself through violation of Bell inequalities for nonlocal games. We show that in a fairly general setting, a simple extension of a nonlocal game can certify instead the absence of quantum nonlocality. Through contraposition, our result implies that a super-classical performance for such a game ensures that a player's output is unpredictable to the other player. Previously such output unpredictabilit...

25 CFR 700.841 - Determination of loss or absence of archaeological interest.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Determination of loss or absence of archaeological... OPERATIONS AND RELOCATION PROCEDURES New Lands Grazing § 700.841 Determination of loss or absence of... providing scientific or humanistic understandings of past human behavior, cultural adaptation, and related...

[Effect of oxidative stress-associated damage to the lung tissue caused by different body mass index in the rat models].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, X Y; Zhang, X J; Zhao, J H; Xu, J Y

2016-12-12

Objective: To investigate the influence of different diets on serum protein expression levels of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), thioredoxin (Trx), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and the activities of Trx and TrxR, and to explore the effect of damage to the lung tissue and the underlying mechanisms of different body mass index caused by different diets in the rat models . Method: Healthy clean male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, emaciation group and fat group, which were raised by different diets for 6 months.Then the rats were sacrificed and the serum and lung tissue were prepared. The levels of 4-HNE, Trx and TrxR in peripheral blood were quantitatively analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the activities of Trx and TrxR were measured by chemical methods. Results: Compared with the normal group, the lung tissue had more apparent emphysema in the emaciation and the fat groups under light microscope, and more inflammatory cell infiltration in alveolar septum was observed in the fat group.The levels of 4-HNE in the fat group[(24.7±8.7)mg/L]was significantly higher than that in the normal group[(15.4±4.7)mg/L, P 0.05)in the levels of 4-HNE between the emaciation and the normal groups. The levels of TrxR in the emaciation group[(7.7±1.4)μg/ml]was significantly higher than that in the normal and the fat groups[(6.2±1.1), (4.9±1.4)μg/ml, all P 0.05). The activity of Trx in the emaciation group[(32.4±8.5)×10 -3 A ·min -1 ·mg -1 ]was significantly higher than that in the normal group[(19.6±3.3)×10 -3 A ·min -1 ·mg -1 ]and the fat group[(11.3±7.5)×10 -3 A ·min -1 ·mg -1 , all P 0.05). Conclusion: Both high BMI and low BMI can affect the oxidative stress of the body, resulting in increased oxidants and decreased antioxidants, and can cause damage to the lung tissue in the rat models.

The cross-lagged relationship between father absence and child problem behaviour in the early years.

Science.gov (United States)

Flouri, E; Narayanan, M K; Midouhas, E

2015-11-01

Father absence has negative consequences for children's behaviour. Yet research has not examined how father absence and child behaviour may influence each other. This study models the cross-lagged relationship between father absence (non-residence) and child problem behaviour in the early years. We used data from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study, at children's ages 3, 5 and 7 years (Sweeps 2-4). The sample was 15,293 families in which both biological parents were co-resident at Sweep 1, when the child was aged 9 months. Child problem behaviour was assessed using the clinical cut-offs of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We also investigated gender differences in the association between father absence and problem behaviour. Father absence at age 3 predicted a higher probability of the child scoring above cut-off for total difficulties at age 5, as did father absence at age 5 for total difficulties at age 7. There were no significant effects for total difficulties on father absence. Similar father absence effects were found for individual SDQ subscales. Using these subscales, we found few child behaviour effects, mostly during the preschool years: children's severe externalizing and social (but not emotional) problems were associated with a greater probability of the father being absent in the next sweep. All cross-lagged relationships were similar for boys and girls. Father absence seems to be mainly the cause rather than the outcome of child problem behaviour in young UK families, and to affect boys and girls similarly. There were some child (mostly externalizing) behaviour effects on father absence, particularly in the early years. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The cross‐lagged relationship between father absence and child problem behaviour in the early years

Science.gov (United States)

Narayanan, M. K.; Midouhas, E.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background Father absence has negative consequences for children's behaviour. Yet research has not examined how father absence and child behaviour may influence each other. This study models the cross‐lagged relationship between father absence (non‐residence) and child problem behaviour in the early years. Methods We used data from the UK's Millennium Cohort Study, at children's ages 3, 5 and 7 years (Sweeps 2–4). The sample was 15 293 families in which both biological parents were co‐resident at Sweep 1, when the child was aged 9 months. Child problem behaviour was assessed using the clinical cut‐offs of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). We also investigated gender differences in the association between father absence and problem behaviour. Results Father absence at age 3 predicted a higher probability of the child scoring above cut‐off for total difficulties at age 5, as did father absence at age 5 for total difficulties at age 7. There were no significant effects for total difficulties on father absence. Similar father absence effects were found for individual SDQ subscales. Using these subscales, we found few child behaviour effects, mostly during the preschool years: children's severe externalizing and social (but not emotional) problems were associated with a greater probability of the father being absent in the next sweep. All cross‐lagged relationships were similar for boys and girls. Conclusions Father absence seems to be mainly the cause rather than the outcome of child problem behaviour in young UK families, and to affect boys and girls similarly. There were some child (mostly externalizing) behaviour effects on father absence, particularly in the early years. PMID:25708874

Women's experiences of long term sickness absence: implications for rehabilitation practice and theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Ockander, Marlene K; Timpka, Toomas

2003-01-01

In most European countries, spells of long-term absence contribute the largest number of days that are reimbursed as a result of sickness absence. This group is growing and it is constituted mainly of women. The present study seeks further knowledge about what happens then and there, i.e. how women on long-term sickness absence handle and explain, for themselves and others, this interruption in their daily life. Semi-structured interviews were performed with 82 middle-aged women with personal experience of long-term sickness absence. The women's accounts of sickness absence contained interpretations of what had happened to them, how things were at present, and what they thought the future would bring. Three different accounts could be distinguished: crisis, breakpoint, and migration. The perception of their own situation and especially what they thought about their future was associated with their feeling of power to take the initiative, and their well-being. From this study the authors have found implications for central topics of importance: time elapse, sense of coherence, reorientation/adaptation, vital goals, and gender.

Absence of bone sialoprotein (BSP) alters profoundly hematopoiesis and upregulates osteopontin.

Science.gov (United States)

Granito, Renata Neves; Bouleftour, Wafa; Sabido, Odile; Lescale, Chloé; Thomas, Mireille; Aubin, Jane E; Goodhardt, Michèle; Vico, Laurence; Malaval, Luc

2015-06-01

Matrix proteins of the SIBLING family interact with bone cells, extracellular matrix and mineral and are thus in a key position to regulate the microenvironment of the bone tissue, including its hematopoietic component. In this respect, osteopontin (OPN) has been implicated in the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) niche as negative regulator of the HSC function. We investigated the impact on hematopoietic regulation of the absence of the cognate bone sialoprotein (BSP). BSP knockout (-/-) mice display increased bone marrow cellularity, and an altered commitment of hematopoietic precursors to myeloid lineages, leading in particular to an increased frequency of monocyte/macrophage cells. The B cell pool is increased in -/- bone marrow, and its composition is shifted toward more mature lymphocyte stages. BSP-null mice display a decreased HSC fraction among LSK cells and a higher percentage of more committed progenitors as compared to +/+. The fraction of proliferating LSK progenitors is higher in -/- mice, and after PTH treatment the mutant HSC pool is lower than in +/+. Strikingly, circulating levels of OPN as well as its expression in the bone tissue are much higher in the -/-. Thus, a BSP-null bone microenvironment affects the hematopoietic system both quantitatively and qualitatively, in a manner in part opposite to the OPN knockout, suggesting that the effects might in part reflect the higher OPN expression in the absence of BSP. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

30 CFR 250.415 - What must my casing and cementing programs include?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... included in API RP 65, Recommended Practice for Cementing Shallow Water Flow Zones in Deep Water Wells... and are in either of the following two areas: (1) An “area with an unknown shallow water flow potential” is a zone or geologic formation where neither the presence nor absence of potential for a shallow...

Management of long term sickness absence: a systematic realist review.

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Angela; O'Halloran, Peter; Porter, Sam

2012-09-01

The increasing impact and costs of long term sickness absence have been well documented. However, the diversity and complexity of interventions and of the contexts in which these take place makes a traditional review problematic. Therefore, we undertook a systematic realist review to identify the dominant programme theories underlying best practice, to assess the evidence for these theories, and to throw light on important enabling or disabling contextual factors. A search of the scholarly literature from 1950 to 2011 identified 5,576 articles, of which 269 formed the basis of the review. We found that the dominant programme theories in relation to effective management related to: early intervention or referral by employers; having proactive organisational procedures; good communication and cooperation between stakeholders; and workplace-based occupational rehabilitation. Significant contextual factors were identified as the level of support for interventions from top management, the size and structure of the organisation, the level of financial and organisational investment in the management of long-term sickness absence, and the quality of relationships between managers and staff. Consequently, those with responsibility for managing absence should bear in mind the contextual factors that are likely to have an impact on interventions, and do what they can to ensure stakeholders have at least a mutual understanding (if not a common purpose) in relation to their perceptions of interventions, goals, culture and practice in the management of long term sickness absence.

PICK1 uncoupling from mGluR7a causes absence-like seizures

OpenAIRE

Bertaso, Federica; Zhang, Chuansheng; Scheschonka, Astrid; de Bock, Frédéric; Fontanaud, Pierre; Marin, Philippe; Huganir, Richard L; Betz, Heinrich; Bockaert, Joël; Fagni, Laurent; Lerner-Natoli, Mireille

2008-01-01

Absence epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes a recurrent loss of consciousness and generalized spike-and-wave discharges on an electroencephalogram (EEG). The role of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) and associated scaffolding proteins in absence epilepsy has been unclear to date. We investigated a possible role for these proteins in absence epilepsy, focusing on the mGluR7a receptor and its PDZ-interacting protein, protein interacting with C kinase 1 (PICK1), in rats and ...

Work, Sickness, Absence, and Identity-Work

OpenAIRE

Trude Gjernes

2013-01-01

This article explores how a group of industrial workers experience long-term sickness absence and how they cope with this situation. The article presents data from in-depth interviews with male industrial workers employed in a Norwegian factory. The findings suggest that the factory workers handle their failing health by engaging in activities other than wage work. They did not accept a social situation characterized by passivity, social isolation, marginalization, or loss of self. The worker...

Sickness Absence and Disability Pension After Breast Cancer Diagnosis: A 5-Year Nationwide Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kvillemo, Pia; Mittendorfer-Rutz, Ellenor; Bränström, Richard; Nilsson, Kerstin; Alexanderson, Kristina

2017-06-20

Purpose To explore future diagnosis-specific sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer compared with women without breast cancer. Also, to examine associations with disease-related and sociodemographic factors among those with breast cancer. Methods Longitudinal register data on 3,547 women living in Sweden (age 20 to 65 years) who were first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, and a matched comparison cohort (n = 14,188), were analyzed for the annual prevalence of diagnosis-specific sickness absence and disability pension over 5 years. Logistic regressions were used to explore associations of disease-related and sociodemographic factors with future sickness absence and disability pension among women with breast cancer. Results Immediately after being diagnosed with breast cancer, the proportion of women with sickness absence was high but decreased continuously from the 1st through 5th year after diagnosis (71%, 40%, 30%, 22%, and 19%, respectively). In comparison, the range for women without breast cancer was 17% to 11%, respectively. The higher prevalence of sickness absence after breast cancer was mainly a result of breast cancer diagnosis, not a mental diagnosis, or other somatic diagnoses. Advanced cancer at diagnosis, > 90 days sickness absence before diagnosis, low education, and being born outside Sweden were associated with higher odds ratios for sickness absence and disability pension (odds ratio range, 1.40 to 6.45). Conclusion The level of sickness absence increased substantially in women with breast cancer during the first year after diagnosis and approached the level of breast cancer-free women in the following years; however, even in the first year, most women were not on sickness absence for a substantial time, and even in high-risk groups, many were not on sickness absence or disability pension in the following years. Information about relatively low future sickness absence and disability pension levels can be used by

External Validation and Update of a Prediction Rule for the Duration of Sickness Absence Due to Common Mental Disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Norder, Giny; Roelen, Corne A. M.; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; Bultmann, Ute; Sluiter, J. K.; Nieuwenhuijsen, K.

Purpose The objective of the present study was to validate an existing prediction rule (including age, education, depressive/anxiety symptoms, and recovery expectations) for predictions of the duration of sickness absence due to common mental disorders (CMDs) and investigate the added value of

Absence from work and emotional stress in women undergoing IVF or ICSI: an analysis of IVF-related absence from work in women and the contribution of general and emotional factors.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwmans, C.A.; Lintsen, A.M.E.; Al, M.; Verhaak, C.M.; Eijkemans, R.J.; Habbema, J.D.F.; Braat, D.D.M.; Hakkaart-van Roijen, L.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess productivity losses due to absence from work during in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment and to describe the pattern of IVF-related absence from work. Additionally, the influence of general and psychological variables on IVF-related

Segmental absence of intestinal musculature with metachronous bowel perforations in an infant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noboru Oyachi

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Segmental absence of intestinal musculature is a rare condition. A female patient was born at 39 weeks gestational age with birth weight of 2,900 g. The patient was prenatally diagnosed as having segmental bowel distension in the fetal stage. She manifested bilious emesis with abdominal distension at day 1. Although excretion of viscous meconium was observed by gastrografin enema, gastrointestinal perforation developed. Emergency laparotomy and peritoneal drainage was required at that time and further laparotomy was performed on day 15. Multiple perforations were recognized discontinuously from the jejunum to the transverse colon, and jejunostomy was constructed. Additional bowel perforations occurred and re-exploration was required at day 43. We found newly formed small perforations in the proximal jejunum, ileum and the transverse colon and a tube jejunostomy and a colostomy were established. The patient required prolonged TPN management, which induced correlated cholestasis and liver failure, and died at day 143. Pathologic findings showed partial hypoplasia of the intrinsic muscle layer in the small intestine and diagnosed as segmental absence of intestinal musculature. Her disorder was unusual in its presentation, which included prenatal bowel dilatation, metachronous superimposed bowel perforation, and extensive discrete lesions from the jejunum to the transverse colon.

Electron beam CT diagnosis of congenital unilateral absence of pulmonary artery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Yuan; Dai Ruping; Cao Cheng; Zhang Gejun; Jing Baolian

2003-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the clinical value of electron beam CT (EBCT) in diagnosing congenital unilateral absence of pulmonary artery (UAPA). Methods: Patients with clinically suspected pulmonary artery disease or primary pulmonary hypertension underwent EBCT scanning. EBCT confirmed the diagnosis of UAPA in 11 patients, who were also evaluated with echocardiography and chest roentgenography. Cardioangiography and nuclear ventilation-perfusion scan were performed in some patients for a comparative study. Results: 4 female adults had UAPA with out associated congenital anomaly. 3 male children with coexisting complex congenital abnormality had unilateral absence of the left pulmonary artery and 4 patients coexisted other simple cardiovascular anomaly. EBCT scanning simultaneously displayed topographic pattern of both unilateral absence of pulmonary artery and coexisting congenital cardiovascular anomaly, as well as lung diseases. Conclusion: UAPA diagnosed in childhood usually has unilateral absence of the left pulmonary artery and associated congenital cardiovascular anomaly, while UAPA diagnosed in adult usually has UAPA on the right side without associated congenital anomaly. EBCT is one of the optimal imaging techniques in diagnosing UAPA and it greatly increases the diagnostic efficacy than echocardiography dose. Both EBCT and cardioangiography have their own advantages, however, EBCT, as a noninvasive method, should be complementary and not exclusive

Derrida, Foucault and “Madness, the Absence of an Œuvre”

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seferin James

Full Text Available This article argues that Foucault's 1964 paper “La folie, l'absence d'œuvre” ought to be understood as a response to Derrida's 1963 paper “Cogito et histoire de la folie”. I clarify the chronology of the exchange between these two thinkers and follow commentators Bennington and Flynn in emphasising themes other than the status of madness in Descartes. I undertake a thematic investigation of Foucault's 1961 characterisation of madness as the absence of an œuvre and the role of this characterisation in Derrida's 1963 paper. Then I turn to an investigation of Foucault's substantial change in position on these key themes with his 1964 paper. I argue that Foucault seeks to minimise the initial importance he attributed to his characterisation of madness as the absence of an œuvre, altering his understanding of the relation between madness and language as well as shifting the event that silences madness from Descartes to Freud. Derrida's reconsideration of Foucault's Folie et déraison in 1991 treats Freud as the new locus of the exchange. This is an implicit recognition by Derrida of Foucault's “La folie, l'absence d'œuvre” and confirmation of its place within the exchange.

Sickness Absence and Precarious Employment: A Comparative Cross-National Study of Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway.

Science.gov (United States)

Oke, A; Braithwaite, P; Antai, D

2016-07-01

Precarious employment is a major social determinant of health and health inequalities with effects beyond the health of workers. To investigate the association between precarious employment and sickness absence in 4 Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Logistic regression analyses were conducted separately for each country on data from 4186 respondents aged 15-65 years in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden derived from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey. Sickness absence was based on self-reports and defined as absence of seven or more day per year. Precarious employment was operationalized as a multidimensional construct of indicators. Analyses were also conducted separately for men and women. The prevalence of sickness absence was lowest in Sweden (18%), and highest in Finland (28%). 3 precarious employment indicators were positively associated with sickness absence; the pattern being largely similar in the total sample. In the sex-disaggregated sample, 5 precarious employment indicators increased the likelihood of sickness absence; the pattern was heterogeneous, with women generally having significantly higher odds of sickness absence than men. "Low household income" and "sickness presenteeism" were strong predictors of sickness absence among both sexes in most of the 4 studied countries. Sickness absence varied between the Nordic countries in the sex-disaggregated analyses. Precarious employment indicators predicted sickness absence in the Nordic countries. Findings emphasize the need to prioritize informed and monitored collective bargaining for all workers, increase working time flexibility, and improving work conditions.

Analysis of a case of drug-resistant childhood absence epilepsy concurrent with mysophobia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Karlov

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article presents a case of childhood absence epilepsy concurrent with mysophobia, panic attacks, and the development of alternative psychosis in an accentuated girl with drug-induced remission of absence seizures and EEG changes.

Evidence of absence (v2.0) software user guide

Science.gov (United States)

Dalthorp, Daniel; Huso, Manuela; Dail, David

2017-07-06

Evidence of Absence software (EoA) is a user-friendly software application for estimating bird and bat fatalities at wind farms and for designing search protocols. The software is particularly useful in addressing whether the number of fatalities is below a given threshold and what search parameters are needed to give assurance that thresholds were not exceeded. The software also includes tools (1) for estimating carcass persistence distributions and searcher efficiency parameters ( and ) from field trials, (2) for projecting future mortality based on past monitoring data, and (3) for exploring the potential consequences of various choices in the design of long-term incidental take permits for protected species. The software was designed specifically for cases where tolerance for mortality is low and carcass counts are small or even 0, but the tools also may be used for mortality estimates when carcass counts are large.

Multiple schwannomas of cauda equine in the absence of von Recklinghausen's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kayaoglu, Cetin R.; Sengul, G.; Aydin, Ismail H.

2007-01-01

Multiple schwannomas in the absence of neurofibromatosis is rarely reported in the literature. We present a 56-year-old female with a history of severe leg and back pain on the left side for one year. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed 4 schwannomas located in the cauda equine in the absence of von Recklinghausen's disease. (author)

Sickness absence among young employees: trends from 2002 to 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Sumanen, Hilla; Pietiläinen, Olli; Lahti, Jouni; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2015-01-01

Young adults entering employment are a key group in extending work careers, but there is a lack of research on trends in work ability among young employees. Prolonged sickness absence (SA) constitutes a risk for permanent work disability. We examined 12-year trends in SA spells among young female and male municipal employees. The data were obtained from the employers' registers in the City of Helsinki, Finland. The data included employees aged 18-24, 25-29, 30-34, and 35-54 from 2002 to 2013 (the average number for each year was 31,600). Self-certified (1-3 days) and medically certified intermediate (4-14 days) and long (15+ days) SAs were examined. Joinpoint regression models were used to identify major changes in SA trends. Younger employees had more short SAs but fewer long SAs than older employees. During the study period, SAs of almost any length first increased and later decreased among both genders, except for young men. The turning points for short SA were in 2007-2011 among younger and older employees. In intermediate and long SAs the respective turning points were in 2008-2009 and 2005-2009. Women had more SAs in all categories. Age is related to the length of absences. Given the relatively low chronic morbidity among younger employees, it is likely that reasons other than ill health account for increased SA. More evidence on factors behind the changing trends is needed in order to reduce SA and extend the working careers of young people.

Work situation and sickness absence in the initial period after breast cancer surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Petersson, Lena-Marie; Wennman-Larsen, Agneta; Nilsson, Marie; Olsson, Mariann; Alexanderson, Kristina

2011-02-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis in women, many of whom are of working age, and the five-year survival rate in Sweden is approaching 90%. Accordingly, aspects of working life and sickness absence are of increasing importance for breast cancer survivors and may have a long-term impact on health and quality of life of these women. The aim was to elucidate the work situation and sickness absence during the initial period after breast cancer surgery and to explore factors associated with sickness absence. This is a cross-sectional questionnaire study 4-6 weeks after breast cancer surgery of women aged 20-63 years, and living in Stockholm. A consecutive sample of 933 women were invited and 756 (81%) accepted to participate. Logistic regression analyses were computed to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios for associations between sick leave and other variables. Most women (86%) were employed (including self-employed) at diagnosis, and 91% of those worked ≥75% of full-time. At time of survey, 56% were on sick leave, the majority for full-time. Low self-rated health, poorer health than before diagnosis, having a strenuous work posture, and younger age were associated with sick leave during the initial period after breast cancer surgery in both univariate and multivariate analyses. The results of this study is not fully consistent compared to previous studies in this field, often performed in later phases after breast cancer surgery or after other cancer diagnoses. Therefore our results indicate that knowledge is needed during all phases of the breast cancer trajectory to determine factors of importance regarding sick leave and their impact throughout the disease trajectory.

Leadership styles of nurse managers and registered sickness absence among their nursing staff

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreuder, Jolanda A. H.; Roelen, Corne A. M.; van Zweeden, Nely F.; Jongsma, Dianne; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; Groothoff, Johan W.

2011-01-01

Background: Sickness absence leads to understaffing and interferes with nursing efficiency and quality. It has been reported in literature that managerial leadership is associated with self-reported sickness absence in the working population. Purposes: This study investigated the relationship

EEG features of absence seizures in idiopathic generalized epilepsy: Impact of syndrome, age, and state

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sadleir, L.G.; Scheffer, I.E.; Smith, S.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Factors influencing the electroencephalography (EEG) features of absence seizures in newly presenting children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) have not been rigorously studied. We examined how specific factors such as state, provocation, age, and epilepsy syndrome affect the EEG...... features of absence seizures. Methods: Children with untreated absence seizures were studied using video-EEG recording. The influence of state of arousal, provocation (hyperventilation, photic stimulation), age, and epilepsy syndrome on specific EEG features was analyzed. Results: Five hundred nine...... seizures were evaluated in 70 children with the following syndromes: childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) 37, CAE+ photoparoxysmal response (PPR) 10, juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE) 8, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) 6, and unclassified 9. Polyspikes occurred in all syndromes but were more common in JME...

Sickness absence and disability pension following breast cancer - A population-based matched cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lundh, Marie Høyer; Lampic, Claudia; Nordin, Karin; Ahlgren, Johan; Bergkvist, Leif; Lambe, Mats; Berglund, Anders; Johansson, Birgitta

2014-12-01

To compare sickness absence and disability pension in a population-based cohort of women with breast cancer (n = 463) from 1 year pre-diagnosis until 3 years post-diagnosis with a matched control group (n = 2310), and to investigate predictors of sickness absence during the 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis. Following breast cancer, the proportion of disease-free women with sickness absence decreased post-diagnosis (1st-3rd year; 78%-31%-19%), but did not reach the pre-diagnostic level (14%; P pension post-diagnosis (P > 0.05). Among patients, chemotherapy, baseline fatigue and pre-diagnosis sick days predicted sickness absence during the 2nd, 3rd, and 2nd and 3rd year post-diagnosis, respectively (P < 0.05). Breast cancer is associated with increased sickness absence 3 years post-diagnosis. In a clinical setting, prevention and treatment of side effects are important in reducing long-term consequences. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leading during change: the effects of leader behavior on sickness absence in a Norwegian health trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernstrøm, Vilde Hoff; Kjekshus, Lars Erik

2012-09-17

Organizational change often leads to negative employee outcomes such as increased absence. Because change is also often inevitable, it is important to know how these negative outcomes could be reduced. This study investigates how the line manager's behavior relates to sickness absence in a Norwegian health trust during major restructuring. Leader behavior was measured by questionnaire, where employees assessed their line manager's behavior (N = 1008; response rate 40%). Data on sickness absence were provided at department level (N = 35) and were measured at two times. Analyses were primarily conducted using linear regression; leader behavior was aggregated and weighted by department size. The results show a relationship between several leader behaviors and sickness absence. The line managers' display of loyalty to their superiors was related to higher sickness absence; whereas task monitoring was related to lower absence. Social support was related to higher sickness absence. However, the effect of social support was no longer significant when the line manager also displayed high levels of problem confrontation. The findings clearly support the line manager's importance for employee sickness absence during organizational change. We conclude that more awareness concerning the manager's role in change processes is needed.

Economy and job contract as contexts of sickness absence practices: revisiting locality and habitus.

Science.gov (United States)

Virtanen, P; Vahtera, J; Nakari, R; Pentti, J; Kivimäki, M

2004-04-01

This study revisits two Finnish local governments-Raisio and Nokia-that in an earlier study showed different sickness absence rates in the early 1990s. The locality difference was interpreted sociologically, within a framework inspired by Bourdieu's theory of social field, habitus and practice. The same framework is applied in the present study, starting out from the hypothesis that a constant historical and cultural locality context tends to reproduce prevailing sickness absence practices. The hypothesis was tested by extending the context beyond the locality to the macroeconomic fluctuations that occurred during the 1990s and to the type of employment contract. In both localities a 30% rise was observed in levels of sickness absence from 1991-1993 to 1997-2000. At the beginning of the 1990s the absence rate among permanent employees was 1.86 times higher in Nokia than in Raisio; at the end of the decade the corresponding rate ratio was 1.88. The absence rates were significantly lower among fixed-term employees than permanent employees, but the locality difference was seen in their case, too. Both results support the hypothesis. In spite of major changes taking place in the national economy, the differences between the two towns' sickness absence rates persisted, which in this particular case probably reflects the persisting working-class character of Nokia and middle-class character of Raisio. The theory also applies to the difference between permanent and fixed-term employees: the peripheral power position of the latter on work related social fields leads to the observed practices, i.e. to the relatively low absence rate. The results of our revisit give reason to recapitulate and elaborate upon our theoretical interpretation with a view to deepening our understanding of the social origins of sickness absence practices in the post-industrial workplace, which is characterised by increasing atypical employment and growing job insecurity.

[Problematic sickness absence: a quantitative and qualitative analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wees, P.J. van der; Stadhouders, N.; Staal, J.B.; Jeurissen, P.P.T.

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: In the Netherlands, an occupational physician supports absence management and staff's return to work, but this role may be hampered if there is uncertainty concerning return to labour options. The return to work process may be improved when a specialized second opinion organization is

Sickness Absence and Precarious Employment: A Comparative Cross-National Study of Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A Oke

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Precarious employment is a major social determinant of health and health inequalities with effects beyond the health of workers. Objective: To investigate the association between precarious employment and sickness absence in 4 Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Methods: Logistic regression analyses were conducted separately for each country on data from 4186 respondents aged 15–65 years in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden derived from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey. Sickness absence was based on self-reports and defined as absence of seven or more day per year. Precarious employment was operationalized as a multidimensional construct of indicators. Analyses were also conducted separately for men and women. Results: The prevalence of sickness absence was lowest in Sweden (18%, and highest in Finland (28%. 3 precarious employment indicators were positively associated with sickness absence; the pattern being largely similar in the total sample. In the sex-disaggregated sample, 5 precarious employment indicators increased the likelihood of sickness absence; the pattern was heterogeneous, with women generally having significantly higher odds of sickness absence than men. “Low household income” and “sickness presenteeism” were strong predictors of sickness absence among both sexes in most of the 4 studied countries. Sickness absence varied between the Nordic countries in the sex-disaggregated analyses. Conclusion: Precarious employment indicators predicted sickness absence in the Nordic countries. Findings emphasize the need to prioritize informed and monitored collective bargaining for all workers, increase working time flexibility, and improving work conditions.

Indications of a Scarring Effect of Sickness Absence Periods in a Cohort of Higher Educated Self-Employed

Science.gov (United States)

Wijnvoord, Liesbeth E. C.; Brouwer, Sandra; Buitenhuis, Jan; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; de Boer, Michiel R.

2016-01-01

Objectives Little is known regarding incidence and recurrence of sickness absence in self-employed. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the number of prior episodes of sickness absence on the risk of subsequent periods of sickness absence in higher educated self-employed. Methods In a historic register study based on the files of a Dutch private disability insurance company all sickness absence periods of 30 days or more were analysed. Results A total of 15,868 insured persons contributed 141,188 person years to the study. In total, 5608 periods of sickness absence occurred during follow-up. The hazard of experiencing a new period of sickness absence increased with every previous period, ranging from a hazard ratio of 2.83 in case of one previous period of sickness absence to a hazard ratio of 6.72 in case of four previous periods. This effect was found for both men and women and for all diagnostic categories of the first period of sickness absence. Conclusions Our study shows that for all diagnostic categories the hazard of experiencing a recurrence of sickness absence is appreciably higher than for experiencing a first episode. This suggests that this increased hazard may be related to the occurrence of sickness absence itself rather than related to characteristics of the insured person or of the medical condition. These findings could indicate that sickness absence periods may have a scarring effect on the self-employed person experiencing the sickness absence. PMID:27213963

The effectiveness of return-to-work interventions that incorporate work-focused problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders: a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dewa, Carolyn S; Loong, Desmond; Bonato, Sarah; Joosen, Margot C W

2015-06-15

This paper reviews the current state of the published peer-reviewed literature related to return-to-work (RTW) interventions that incorporate work-related problem-solving skills for workers with sickness absences related to mental disorders. It addresses the question: What is the evidence for the effectiveness of these RTW interventions? Using a multiphase screening process, this systematic literature review was based on publically available peer-reviewed studies. Five electronic databases were searched: (1) Medline Current, (2) Medline In-process, (3) PsycINFO, (4) Econlit and (5) Web of Science. The focus was on RTW interventions for workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. Workers with medically certified sickness absences related to mental disorders. RTW intervention included work-focused problem-solving skills. RTW rates and length of sickness absences. There were 4709 unique citations identified. Of these, eight articles representing a total of six studies were included in the review. In terms of bias avoidance, two of the six studies were rated as excellent, two as good and two as weak. Five studies were from the Netherlands; one was from Norway. There was variability among the studies with regard to RTW findings. Two of three studies reported significant differences in RTW rates between the intervention and control groups. One of six studies observed a significant difference in sickness absence duration between intervention and control groups. There is limited evidence that combinations of interventions that include work-related problem-solving skills are effective in RTW outcomes. The evidence could be strengthened if future studies included more detailed examinations of intervention adherence and changes in problem-solving skills. Future studies should also examine the long-term effects of problem-solving skills on sickness absence recurrence and work productivity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For

Do work factors modify the association between chronic health problems and sickness absence among older employees?

Science.gov (United States)

Leijten, Fenna R M; van den Heuvel, Swenne G; Ybema, Jan Fekke; Robroek, Suzan J W; Burdorf, Alex

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to (i) assess how common chronic health problems and work-related factors predict sickness absence and (ii) explore whether work-related factors modify the effects of health problems on sickness absence. A one-year longitudinal study was conducted among employed persons aged 45-64 years from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (N = 8984). The presence of common chronic health problems and work-related factors was determined at baseline and self-reported sickness absence at one-year follow-up by questionnaire. Multinomial multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess associations between health, work factors, and sickness absence, and relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) techniques were used to test effect modification. Common health problems were related to follow-up sickness absence, most strongly to high cumulative sickness absence (> 9 days per year). Baseline psychological health problems were strongly related to high sickness absence at follow-up [odds ratio (OR) 3.67, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 2.80-4.82]. Higher job demands at baseline increased the likelihood of high sickness absence at follow-up among workers with severe headaches [RERI 1.35 (95% CI 0.45-2.25)] and psychological health problems [RERI 3.51 (95% CI 0.67-6.34)] at baseline. Lower autonomy at baseline increased the likelihood of high sickness absence at follow-up among those with musculoskeletal [RERI 0.57 (95% CI 0.05-1.08)], circulatory [RERI 0.82 (95% CI 0.00-1.63)], and psychological health problems [RERI 2.94 (95% CI 0.17-5.70)] at baseline. Lower autonomy and higher job demands increased the association of an array of common chronic health problems with sickness absence, and thus focus should be placed on altering these factors in order to reduce sickness absence and essentially promote sustainable employability.

Congenital absence of the portal vein presenting as pulmonary hypertension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jun, Sur Young; Lee, Whal; Cheon, Jung Eun; Kim, Woo Sun; Kim, In One; Yeon, Kyung Mo

2007-01-01

Congenital absence of the portal vein (CAPV) is a rare malformation in which intestinal and splenic venous flow bypasses the liver and drains directly into the systemic circulation via a congenital portosystemic shunt. We describe two cases of CAPV presenting as pulmonary hypertension that were initially suspected as primary pulmonary hypertension. However, subsequent ultrasonography and CT detected the absence of a portal vein and the presence of a portosystemic shunt. Pulmonary hypertension is a recognized complication of liver disease and portal hypertension. However, these two cases illustrate that CAPV may result in pulmonary hypertension without liver disease or portal hypertension

Congenital absence of the portal vein presenting as pulmonary hypertension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jun, Sur Young; Lee, Whal; Cheon, Jung Eun; Kim, Woo Sun; Kim, In One; Yeon, Kyung Mo [Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2007-11-15

Congenital absence of the portal vein (CAPV) is a rare malformation in which intestinal and splenic venous flow bypasses the liver and drains directly into the systemic circulation via a congenital portosystemic shunt. We describe two cases of CAPV presenting as pulmonary hypertension that were initially suspected as primary pulmonary hypertension. However, subsequent ultrasonography and CT detected the absence of a portal vein and the presence of a portosystemic shunt. Pulmonary hypertension is a recognized complication of liver disease and portal hypertension. However, these two cases illustrate that CAPV may result in pulmonary hypertension without liver disease or portal hypertension.

Maternity Leave and Mothers' Long-Term Sickness Absence: Evidence From West Germany.

Science.gov (United States)

Guertzgen, Nicole; Hank, Karsten

2018-04-01

Exploiting unique German administrative data, we estimate the association between an expansion in maternity leave duration from two to six months in 1979 and mothers' postbirth long-term sickness absence over a period of three decades after childbirth. Adopting a difference-in-difference approach, we first assess the reform's labor market effects and, subsequently, prebirth and postbirth maternal long-term sickness absence, accounting for the potential role of the reform in mothers' selection into employment. Consistent with previous research, our estimates show that the leave extension caused mothers to significantly delay their return to work within the first year after childbirth. We then provide difference-in-difference estimates for the number and length of spells of long-term sickness absence among returned mothers. Our findings suggest that among those returned, mothers subject to the leave extension exhibit a higher incidence of long-term sickness absence compared with mothers who gave birth before the reform. This also holds true after we control for observable differences in prebirth illness histories. At the same time, we find no pronounced effects on mothers' medium-run labor market attachment following the short-run delay in return to work, which might rationalize a negative causal health effect. Breaking down the results by mothers' prebirth health status suggests that the higher incidence of long-term sickness absence among mothers subject to the reform may be explained by the fact that the reform facilitated the reentry of a negative health selection into the labor market.

Automatic Detection of Childhood Absence Epilepsy Seizures: Toward a Monitoring Device

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duun-Henriksen, Jonas; Madsen, Rasmus E.; Remvig, Line S.

2012-01-01

Automatic detections of paroxysms in patients with childhood absence epilepsy have been neglected for several years. We acquire reliable detections using only a single-channel brainwave monitor, allowing for unobtrusive monitoring of antiepileptic drug effects. Ultimately we seek to obtain optimal...... long-term prognoses, balancing antiepileptic effects and side effects. The electroencephalographic appearance of paroxysms in childhood absence epilepsy is fairly homogeneous, making it feasible to develop patient-independent automatic detection. We implemented a state-of-the-art algorithm...

A ‘Balanced’ Life: Work-Life Balance and Sickness Absence in Four Nordic Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D Antai

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Little attention has been given to the relationship between work-life balance and sickness absence. Objective: To investigate the association between poor work-life balance and sickness absence in 4 Nordic welfare states. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on pooled cross-sectional data of workers aged 15–65 years from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway (n=4186 obtained from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS. Poor work-life balance was defined based on the fit between working hours and family or social commitments outside work. Self-reported sickness absence was measured as absence for ≥7 days from work for health reasons. Results: Poor work-life balance was associated with elevated odds (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.80 of self-reported sickness absence and more health problems in the 4 Nordic countries, even after adjusting for several important confounding factors. Work-related characteristics, ie, no determination over schedule (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.53, and job insecurity (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.21 to 2.02 increased the likelihood of sickness absence, and household characteristics, ie, cohabitation status (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58 to 0.96 reduced this likelihood. The associations were non-significant when performed separately for women and men. Conclusion: Sickness absence is predicted by poor work-life balance. Findings suggest the need for implementation of measures that prevent employee difficulties in combining work and family life.

Longitudinal Relationships Between Organizational Justice, Productivity Loss, and Sickness Absence Among Older Employees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ybema, Jan Fekke; van der Meer, Laudry; Leijten, Fenna R M

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess whether organizational justice lowers productivity loss and sickness absence, and whether there are reverse effects of productivity loss and sickness absence on organizational justice. METHOD: A longitudinal study with 2 years of follow-up was conducted

Focal frontal epileptiform discharges in a patient with eyelid myoclonia and absence seizures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Satoru Takahashi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Eyelid myoclonia with absences is classified as a unique type of generalized seizure. Its pathogenesis is proposed to involve the functional abnormalities in cortical–subcortical networks. Here, we describe the case of a 7-year-old boy who had eyelid myoclonia with absences, along with focal motor seizures. Video-EEG monitoring demonstrated eyelid myoclonia associated with 4- to 5-Hz generalized polyspike–waves preceded by focal frontal discharges. Interictal EEG showed focal epileptiform discharges over the frontal regions. Our case suggests an important role of the frontal lobe in the generation of eyelid myoclonia with absences.

Critical Roles of the Direct GABAergic Pallido-cortical Pathway in Controlling Absence Seizures

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Min; Ma, Tao; Wu, Shengdun; Ma, Jingling; Cui, Yan; Xia, Yang; Xu, Peng; Yao, Dezhong

2015-01-01

The basal ganglia (BG), serving as an intermediate bridge between the cerebral cortex and thalamus, are believed to play crucial roles in controlling absence seizure activities generated by the pathological corticothalamic system. Inspired by recent experiments, here we systematically investigate the contribution of a novel identified GABAergic pallido-cortical pathway, projecting from the globus pallidus externa (GPe) in the BG to the cerebral cortex, to the control of absence seizures. By computational modelling, we find that both increasing the activation of GPe neurons and enhancing the coupling strength of the inhibitory pallido-cortical pathway can suppress the bilaterally synchronous 2–4 Hz spike and wave discharges (SWDs) during absence seizures. Appropriate tuning of several GPe-related pathways may also trigger the SWD suppression, through modulating the activation level of GPe neurons. Furthermore, we show that the previously discovered bidirectional control of absence seizures due to the competition between other two BG output pathways also exists in our established model. Importantly, such bidirectional control is shaped by the coupling strength of this direct GABAergic pallido-cortical pathway. Our work suggests that the novel identified pallido-cortical pathway has a functional role in controlling absence seizures and the presented results might provide testable hypotheses for future experimental studies. PMID:26496656

Income inequality as a moderator of the relationship between psychological job demands and sickness absence, in particular in men: an international comparison of 23 countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Muckenhuber, Johanna; Burkert, Nathalie; Großschädl, Franziska; Freidl, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether more sickness absence is reported in countries with higher income inequality than elsewhere, and whether the level of income inequality moderates the association between psycho-social job demands and sickness absence. Our analysis is based on the Fifth European Working Conditions Survey that compared 23 European countries. We performed multi-level regression analysis. On the macro-level of analysis we included the Gini-Index as measure of inequality. On the micro-level of analysis we followed the Karasek-Theorell model and included three scales for psychological job demands, physical job demands, and decision latitude in the model. The model was stratified by sex. We found that, in countries with high income inequality, workers report significantly more sickness absence than workers in countries with low income inequality. In addition we found that the level of income inequality moderates the relationship between psychological job demands and sickness absence. High psychological job demands are significantly more strongly related to more days of sickness absence in countries with low income inequality than in countries with high income inequality. As the nature and causal pathways of cross-level interaction effects still cannot be fully explained, we argue that future research should aim to explore such causal pathways. In accordance with WHO recommendations we argue that inequalities should be reduced. In addition we state that, particularly in countries with low levels of income inequality, policies should aim to reduce psychological job demands.

Leisure-time physical activity and direct cost of short-term sickness absence among Finnish municipal employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolonen, Anu; Rahkonen, Ossi; Lahti, Jouni

2017-03-04

We aimed to examine the direct costs of short-term (1-14 days) sickness absence and the effect of employees' physical activity on the costs. The Finnish Helsinki Health Study survey (2007) was used in the analysis (n = 3,935). Physical activity was classified into inactive, moderately active, and vigorously active. Sickness absence (3 years follow-up) and salary data were derived from the employer's registers. On average, an employee was absent 6 days a year due to short-term sickness absence, with a production loss of 2,350 EUR during the 3 years. The vigorously active had less sickness absence than those less active. The direct cost of sickness absence of a vigorously active employee was 404 EUR less than that of an inactive employee. Promoting physical activity among employees may decrease direct cost of short-term sickness absence.

Congenital absence of the nose: a case report and literature review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, Oe.E.; Rosendahl, K.; Gjelland, K.; Reigstad, H.

2001-01-01

A case of congenital absence of the nose is presented. The etiology of this rare condition is unknown. A review of the literature reveals that the previously applied terms, e. g. 'arhinia', are unclear. In the reviewed cases there seems to be a pattern of facial anomalies associated with nasal absence. In most cases, one could probably expect a lack of the olfactory bulbs and tracts. We suggest a new terminology and summarize the aims of the radiological evaluation of this condition. (orig.)

Sickness absence: self-reported and objective risk factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vroome, E. de

2006-01-01

Absence from work in the Netherlands is partly caused by the work itself and therefore work-related interventions could be part of the solution. Such interventions should not only be aimed at risk factors highlighted by employees themselves, but should also focus on those factors that are found to

A theoretical understanding of sickness absence among women who have experienced workplace bullying.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Donnell, Sue; MacIntosh, Judith; Wuest, Judith

2010-04-01

Historically, we have assumed that workplaces, where employed individuals spend approximately one third of their days, provide safe and supportive environments and opportunities to enhance women's capacities. Unfortunately, workplace bullying and consequent sickness absence are prevalent and costly realities that significantly influence women's health. In this study, sickness absence among 18 Canadian women who were targets of workplace bullying was explored using a grounded theory secondary analysis. Findings show that although sickness absence is critical in attenuating the health consequences of being bullied, it is a partial solution because rehabilitation and successful return to work is challenged when working conditions remain unchanged. This problem is addressed using is a three-stage process of discerning a path that involves gaining space, making sense, and moving forward. Organizational support is critical to all stages of the process; it can reduce the risk of declines in health and sickness absence, and is essential for successful return to work.

Comparison between patient characteristics and cranial MR findings in chronic thinner intoxication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchino, Akira; Kato, Akira; Yoshikai, Tomonori; Kudo, Sho; Yuzuriha, Takefumi; Hiejima, Shigeto; Murakami, Masaru; Endoh, Koichi; Takashima, Yuki

2002-01-01

Chronic thinner intoxication is one of the most serious social problems among teenagers and young adults in Japan. The purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical characteristics of patients with thinner intoxication who had positive MR findings. During the past 4 years, cranial MR imaging of 85 patients (51 males and 34 females) with chronic thinner intoxication was done at a national psychiatric hospital. The MR imaging was performed on a 1.0-T scanner with use of standard pulse sequences including fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR). The established characteristic MR findings of chronic thinner intoxication were observed in 8 of the 85 patients: 4 males and 4 females. The female patients tended toward emaciation and were approximately 5 years younger than the male patients. Six of the 8 patients had severe neurological symptoms such as cerebellar ataxia and decreased visual acuity. In contrast, only 3 of 77 (4%) patients with normal MR findings had mild neurological abnormalities such as tremor. If patients with chronic thinner intoxication have significant neurological symptoms, MR imaging should be performed for evaluation of brain abnormalities. Emaciated female patients may be particularly vulnerable to neurological damage caused by thinner intoxication. (orig.)

Self-rated health and sickness-related absence: the modifying role of civic participation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lancee, B.; ter Hoeven, C.L.

2010-01-01

In this study, we examined civic participation as an effect modifier between self-rated health and absence from work. Building on the theoretical framework of social exchange, we use German data to test a conceptual model relating self-rated health to sickness-related absence, as well as the

Sociodemographic Differences Between Alcohol Use and Sickness Absence: Pooled Analysis of Four Cohort Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ervasti, Jenni; Kivimäki, Mika; Head, Jenny; Goldberg, Marcel; Airagnes, Guillaume; Pentti, Jaana; Oksanen, Tuula; Salo, Paula; Suominen, Sakari; Jokela, Markus; Vahtera, Jussi; Zins, Marie; Virtanen, Marianna

2018-01-01

We examined differences in sickness absence in relation to at-risk drinking and abstinence, taking into account potential changes in consumption. We used individual-participant data (n = 46,514) from four prospective cohort studies from Finland, France and the UK. Participants responded to a survey on alcohol use at two time points 4-6 years apart, and were linked to records of sickness absence for an ~6-year follow-up after the latter survey. Abstainers were those reporting no alcohol use in either survey. At-risk drinkers at T1 were labelled as 'former', at-risk drinkers at T2 as 'current' and at-risk drinkers at both times as 'consistent' at-risk drinkers. The reference group was low-risk drinkers at both times. Study-specific analyses were stratified by sex and socioeconomic status (SES) and the estimates were pooled using meta-analysis. Among men (n = 17,285), abstainers (6%), former (5%), current (5%) and consistent (7%) at-risk drinkers had an increased risk of sickness absence compared with consistent low-risk drinkers (77%). Among women (n = 29,229), only abstainers (12%) had a higher risk of sickness absence compared to consistent low-risk drinkers (74%). After adjustment for lifestyle and health, abstaining from alcohol was associated with sickness absence among people with intermediate and high SES, but not among people with low SES. The U-shaped alcohol use-sickness absence association is more consistent in men than women. Abstinence is a risk factor for sickness absence among people with higher rather than lower SES. Healthy worker effect and health selection may partly explain the observed differences. In a pooled analysis from four cohort studies from three European countries, we demonstrated a U-shaped association between alcohol use and sickness absence, particularly among men. Abstinence from alcohol was associated with increased sickness absenteeism among both sexes and across socioeconomic strata, except those with low SES. © The Author 2017

A Bile Duct Cancer Patient Whose Stent Shifted Significantly Over the Course of External Beam Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Hyong Geun

2011-01-01

The author reports a bile duct cancer patient whose stent shifted significantly from right to left over the course of radiotherapy. The 80-year-old female patient had a short stature with thoracic kyphosis and mutiple spinal compression fractures. She was also emaciated and very lean. By comparing the weekly scanned computed tomography images, the author found her stent to have shifted by more than 4 cm from right to left over the course of external beam radiotherapy. The results of this case study suggest that for a very lean and emaciated kyphotic bile duct cancer patient, the possibility of large interfractional movement of the bile duct or stent during radiotherapy should be considered.

A retrospective study of disease in elasmobranchs.

Science.gov (United States)

Garner, M M

2013-05-01

This report reviews diseases of 1546 elasmobranchs representing at least 60 species submitted to Northwest ZooPath from 1994 to 2010. Cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) (78), southern rays (Dasyatis americana) (75), dusky smooth-hounds (Mustelus canis) (74), bonnethead sharks (Sphyrna tiburo) (66), and bamboo sharks (Hemiscylliidae) (56) were the most commonly submitted species. Infectious/inflammatory disease was most common (33.5%) followed by nutritional (11.9%, mostly emaciation), traumatic (11.3%), cardiovascular (5.5%, mostly shock), and toxin-associated disease (3.7%). Bacterial infections (518/1546, 15%) included sepsis (136/518, 26%), dermatitis (7%), branchitis (6%), and enteritis (4%). Fungal infections (10/1546, 0.6%) included dermatitis (30%), hepatitis (30%), and branchitis (20%). Viral or suspected viral infections or disease processes (15/1546, 1%) included papillomatosis (47%), herpesvirus (20%), and adenovirus (7%). Parasitic infections (137/1546, 9%) included nematodiasis (36/137, 26%), ciliate infections (23%), trematodiasis (20%), coccidiosis (6%), myxozoanosis (5%), amoebiasis (4%), cestodiasis (1%), and flagellate infections (1%). Inflammation of unknown cause (401/1546, 26%) included enteritis (55/401, 14%), branchitis (9%), encephalitis (9%), and dermatitis (7%). Traumatic diseases (174/1546, 11.3%) included skin trauma (103/174, 60%), stress/maladaptation (9%), and gut trauma (7%). Toxicoses (57/1546, 4%) included toxic gill disease (16/57, 26%), gas bubble disease (19%), fenbendazole (7%), ammonia (7%), chlorine (5%), and chloramine (3%). Species trends included visceral nematodiasis in black-nosed sharks (Carcharhinus acronotus) (55%); sepsis in dusky smooth-hounds (41%), blue-spotted stingrays (36%), southern rays (36%), and wobeggong sharks (Orectolobus spp) (69%); emaciation in bamboo (33%) and bonnethead (32%) sharks and freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygon motoro) (32%); and trauma in bonnethead sharks (30%).

Prospective validation of criteria, including age, for safe, nonsurgical management of the ruptured spleen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, J.S. Jr.; Wengrovitz, M.A.; DeLong, B.S. (Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey (United States))

1992-09-01

One hundred twelve cases of blunt splenic rupture were prospectively entered (October 1987-October 1991) into surgical or nonsurgical management groups using these criteria for the nonsurgical group: hemodynamic stability-age less than 55 years-CT scan appearance of grade I, II, or III injury-absence of concomitant injuries precluding abdominal assessment+absence of other documented abdominal injuries. All ages were included and AAST injury scaling was used. Patients were grouped from the trauma room. The surgical treatment group included 66 patients (49 splenectomies, 17 splenorraphies). These patients were generally older and more severely injured, required more transfused blood, and a longer ICU stay. The nonsurgical group included 46 patients with 33 older than 14 years. There were 3 patients over the age of 55 years inappropriately included in this group, and nonsurgical therapy failed in all three. Statistical analysis (chi 2) showed that more splenic injuries were observed and more spleens were saved with these criteria applied prospectively compared with a previous retrospective series in the same institution. The series had a success rate of 93%, and validates the criteria used for safe, nonsurgical management of the ruptured spleen and adds a new criterion: a maximum age of 55 years.

Prospective validation of criteria, including age, for safe, nonsurgical management of the ruptured spleen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, J.S. Jr.; Wengrovitz, M.A.; DeLong, B.S.

1992-01-01

One hundred twelve cases of blunt splenic rupture were prospectively entered (October 1987-October 1991) into surgical or nonsurgical management groups using these criteria for the nonsurgical group: hemodynamic stability-age less than 55 years-CT scan appearance of grade I, II, or III injury-absence of concomitant injuries precluding abdominal assessment+absence of other documented abdominal injuries. All ages were included and AAST injury scaling was used. Patients were grouped from the trauma room. The surgical treatment group included 66 patients (49 splenectomies, 17 splenorraphies). These patients were generally older and more severely injured, required more transfused blood, and a longer ICU stay. The nonsurgical group included 46 patients with 33 older than 14 years. There were 3 patients over the age of 55 years inappropriately included in this group, and nonsurgical therapy failed in all three. Statistical analysis (chi 2) showed that more splenic injuries were observed and more spleens were saved with these criteria applied prospectively compared with a previous retrospective series in the same institution. The series had a success rate of 93%, and validates the criteria used for safe, nonsurgical management of the ruptured spleen and adds a new criterion: a maximum age of 55 years

Menstrual hygiene management among Bangladeshi adolescent schoolgirls and risk factors affecting school absence: results from a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Alam, Mahbub-Ul; Luby, Stephen P; Halder, Amal K; Islam, Khairul; Opel, Aftab; Shoab, Abul K; Ghosh, Probir K; Rahman, Mahbubur; Mahon, Therese; Unicomb, Leanne

2017-07-09

Many adolescent girls in low-income and middle-income countries lack appropriate facilities and support in school to manage menstruation. Little research has been conducted on how menstruation affects school absence. This study examines the association of menstrual hygiene management knowledge, facilities and practice with absence from school during menstruation among Bangladeshi schoolgirls. We conducted a nationally representative, cross-sectional study in Bangladeshi schools from March to June 2013 among girls 11 to 17 years old who reached menarche. We sampled 700 schools from 50 urban and 50 rural clusters using a probability proportional to size technique. We interviewed 2332 schoolgirls and conducted spot checks in each school for menstrual hygiene facilities. To assess factors associated with reported school absence, we estimated adjusted prevalence difference (APD) for controlling confounders' effect using generalised estimating equations to account for school-level clustering. Among schoolgirls who reached menarche, 41% (931) reported missing school, an average of 2.8 missed days per menstrual cycle. Students who felt uncomfortable at school during menstruation (99% vs 32%; APD=58%; CI 54 to 63) and who believed menstrual problems interfere with school performance (64% vs 30%; APD=27; CI 20 to 33) were more likely to miss school during menstruation than those who did not. School absence during menstruation was less common among girls attending schools with unlocked toilet for girls (35% vs 43%; APD=-5.4; CI -10 to -1.6). School absence was more common among girls who were forbidden from any activities during menstruation (41% vs 33%; APD=9.1; CI 3.3 to 14). Risk factors for school absence included girl's attitude, misconceptions about menstruation, insufficient and inadequate facilities at school, and family restriction. Enabling girls to manage menstruation at school by providing knowledge and management methods prior to menarche, privacy and a

Violence at Work Predicts Health-Related Absence from the Labor Market. A Follow-up Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Friis, Karina; Lasgaard, Mathias Kamp

Background and Aims: Exposure to workplace violence is one of the most serious threats to employee safety. Even so, only few longitudinal studies have investigated whether workplace violence increases the risk of health-related absence from work. The aim of the present study was to examine whether...... physical violence at work increases the risk of health-related absence from work and is associated with a greater risk of health-related absence from work in certain subgroups defined by gender, age, and educational level. Method: The study draws on data from a health and morbidity survey from 2006 merged...... with register data for the period from 2006 to 2015 (n = 14,250). Logistic regression models were used to examine violence at work as a predictor of health-related absence from work. Results: Workplace violence predicted health-related absence from work several years after the assault. In the 10-year follow...

A role for the preoptic sleep-promoting system in absence epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Suntsova, N; Kumar, S; Guzman-Marin, R; Alam, M N; Szymusiak, R; McGinty, D

2009-10-01

Absence epilepsy (AE) in humans and the genetic AE model in WAG/Rij rats are both associated with abnormalities in sleep architecture that suggest insufficiency of the sleep-promoting mechanisms. In this study we compared the functionality of sleep-active neuronal groups within two well-established sleep-promoting sites, the ventrolateral and median preoptic nuclei (VLPO and MnPN, respectively), in WAG/Rij and control rats. Neuronal activity was assessed using c-Fos immunoreactivity and chronic single-unit recording techniques. We found that WAG/Rij rats exhibited a lack of sleep-associated c-Fos activation of GABAergic MnPN and VLPO neurons, a lower percentage of MnPN and VLPO cells increasing discharge during sleep and reduced firing rates of MnPN sleep-active neurons, compared to non-epileptic rats. The role of sleep-promoting mechanisms in pathogenesis of absence seizures was assessed in non-epileptic rats using electrical stimulation and chemical manipulations restricted to the MnPN. We found that fractional activation of the sleep-promoting system in waking was sufficient to elicit absence-like seizures. Given that reciprocally interrelated sleep-promoting and arousal neuronal groups control thalamocortical excitability, we hypothesize that malfunctioning of sleep-promoting system results in impaired ascending control over thalamocortical rhythmogenic mechanisms during wake-sleep transitions thus favoring aberrant thalamocortical oscillations. Our findings suggest a pathological basis for AE-associated sleep abnormalities and a mechanism underlying association of absence seizures with wake-sleep transitions.

Experiences of sickness absence, marginality and Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms - A focus group study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

E.L., Werner; A, Aamland; Malterud, Kirsti

2013-01-01

PURPOSE: Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) form a major cause of sickness absence. The purpose of this study was to explore factors which may influence further marginalization among patients with MUPS on long-term sickness absence. METHODS: Two focus-group discussions were conducted...... of objective findings were perceived as an additional burden to the sickness absence itself. Factors that could counteract further marginalization were a supportive social network, positive coping strategies such as keeping to the daily schedule and physical activity, and positive attention and confidence from...

Investigation of a largescale common murre (Uria aalge) mortality event in California in 2015

Science.gov (United States)

Gibble, Corinne; Duerr, Rebecca; Bodenstein, Barbara; Lindquist, Kirsten; Lindsey, Jackie; Beck, Jessie; Henkel, Laird A.; Roletto, Jan; Harvey, Jim; Kudela, Raphael

2018-01-01

From August through December 2015, beachcast bird survey programs reported increased deposition of common murres (Uria aalge) on central and northern California beaches, but not on southern California beaches. Coastal wildlife rehabilitation centers received more than 1,000 live, stranded, and debilitated murres from Sonoma County to San Luis Obispo County during August–October. Approximately two-thirds of admitted birds were after-hatch-year birds in emaciated body condition and in various stages of molt, with extremely worn plumage. Necropsies were done on a sample (n=35) of birds to determine the probable cause of death of beachcast carcasses. Most birds examined during necropsy were emaciated, with starvation the most likely cause of death. Birds were also tested for underlying infectious diseases at the US Geological Survey National Wildlife Health Center (NWHC) and harmful algal bloom toxins at the University of California, Santa Cruz and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Twenty-four out of 29 tested birds had detectable levels of domoic acid, and no indication of infectious disease was found. Emaciation is thought to be the cause of death for these birds, with a large warm water anomaly and harmful algal bloom playing a secondary detrimental role.

Trichophagia along with trichobezoar in the absence of trichotillomania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aseem Mehra

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Trichobezoars are rarely described in the absence of trichotillomania. In this report we present a case of trichobezoar associated with trichophagia in the absence of trichotillomania. A 16-year-old girl presented to surgery outpatient with complaints of pain in abdomen and vomiting for the last 6 months. Physical examination revealed a 14 × 16 cm firm, tender, mass with smooth surface, irregular margins, which was mobile with respiration. Ultrasound abdomen revealed a bizarre lesion in the right upper and middle abdomen suggestive of gastric bezoars. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy did not reveal any abnormality in the esophagus and showed a large mobile mass in the stomach. In view of trichobezoar, psychiatry consultation was sought. Exploration of history revealed that the patient was eating hairs and clay since early childhood. As per patient she would eat hairs thrown by others. She would like the taste of hair and had strong persistent desire to eat hair and would go out searching for the same. At times she would also eat clay. However, she denied of pulling her own hairs. Physical examination of scalp and other body parts did not show any evidence of alopecia or pulling of hair/short hair. She was managed surgically and was counseled about the consequences of eating hairs and clays and was encouraged not to eat hair. To conclude our case suggests that patients can have trichobezoar and trichophagia even in the absence of trichotillomania.

Attention impairment in childhood absence epilepsy : An impulsivity problem?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cerminara, Caterina; D'Agati, Elisa; Casarelli, Livia; Kaunzinger, Ivo; Lange, Klaus W.; Pitzianti, Mariabernarda; Parisi, Pasquale; Tucha, Oliver; Curatolo, Paolo

Although attention problems have often been described in children with childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), the use of different methodological approaches, neuropsychological tests, and heterogeneous experimental groups has prevented identification of the selective areas of attention deficit in this

Factors impacting participation in sports for children with limb absence: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sayed Ahmed, Batoul; Lamy, Marena; Cameron, Debra; Artero, Lisa; Ramdial, Sandra; Leineweber, Matthew; Andrysek, Jan

2018-06-01

Individuals with limb absence benefit from participating in sports. While barriers and facilitators affecting sport participation are well documented for adults, they have not been explored for children with limb absence. To identify the perceived factors impacting participation in sports according to children with limb absence and their parents. This study uses a descriptive qualitative study design. Nineteen participants, consisting of children and their parents, were recruited from an outpatient hospital clinic for semi-structured interviews. The 11 interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were then coded and analyzed using the DEPICT model. The thematic analysis was guided by the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health framework. Analysis of our participant interviews identified six themes as having an influence on sport participation: "functionality of prosthesis", "plan in advance", "know what I can do" (understanding capabilities), "it's like every stroke, 2 million questions" (stigma and the social environment), "love for the game" (love for sport), and "these things are an investment" (the investment involved). The findings have the potential to inform the development and implementation of strategies to increase levels of participation in sports among children with limb absence. Information from this study may help to deepen the rehabilitation team's understanding of factors that impact engagement in sports among children with limb absence. Implications for Rehabilitation Children with limb absence present with unique barriers and facilitators to participating in sports, thus, what may be a facilitator or barrier for one child may not for another. Strategies to increase a child's participation in sports should consider both person and environmental factors. Rehabilitation professionals can play a crucial role in educating both families and the community on living and coping with a limb difference, services and

Income inequality as a moderator of the relationship between psychological job demands and sickness absence, in particular in men: an international comparison of 23 countries.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Muckenhuber

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate whether more sickness absence is reported in countries with higher income inequality than elsewhere, and whether the level of income inequality moderates the association between psycho-social job demands and sickness absence. METHODS: Our analysis is based on the Fifth European Working Conditions Survey that compared 23 European countries. We performed multi-level regression analysis. On the macro-level of analysis we included the Gini-Index as measure of inequality. On the micro-level of analysis we followed the Karasek-Theorell model and included three scales for psychological job demands, physical job demands, and decision latitude in the model. The model was stratified by sex. RESULTS: We found that, in countries with high income inequality, workers report significantly more sickness absence than workers in countries with low income inequality. In addition we found that the level of income inequality moderates the relationship between psychological job demands and sickness absence. High psychological job demands are significantly more strongly related to more days of sickness absence in countries with low income inequality than in countries with high income inequality. CONCLUSIONS: As the nature and causal pathways of cross-level interaction effects still cannot be fully explained, we argue that future research should aim to explore such causal pathways. In accordance with WHO recommendations we argue that inequalities should be reduced. In addition we state that, particularly in countries with low levels of income inequality, policies should aim to reduce psychological job demands.

A Study on the Absence of Palmaris Longus in a Multi- racial Population

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SA Roohi

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Palmaris longus is a dispensable muscle with a long tendon which is very useful in reconstructive surgery. It is absent 2.8 to 24% of the population depending on the race/ethnicity studied. Four hundred and fifty healthy subjects (equally distributed among Malaysia’s 3 major ethnic groups were clinically examined for the presence or absence of palmaris longus. This tendon was found to be absent unilaterally in 6.4% of study subjects, and bilaterally in 2.9% of study participants. Malays have a high prevalence of palmaris longus absence at 11.3% followed closely by Indians at 10.7% whilst Chinese had a low absence rate of 6.0%.

Longitudinal relationships between organizational justice, productivity, loss and sickness absence older employees

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Ybema, J.F.; Meer, L. van der; Leijten, F.R.M.

2016-01-01

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess whether organizational justice lowers productivity loss and sickness absence, and whether there are reverse effects of productivity loss and sickness absence on organizational justice.Method A longitudinal study with 2 years of follow-up was conducted among employed persons aged 45–64 years from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM). Participants (N = 7011) yearly filled out an online questionnaire. Structural equat...

Sickness absence as a predictor of disability retirement in different occupational classes: a register-based study of a working-age cohort in Finland in 2007-2014.

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Salonen, Laura; Blomgren, Jenni; Laaksonen, Mikko; Niemelä, Mikko

2018-05-09

The objective of the study was to examine diagnosis-specific sickness absences of different lengths as predictors of disability retirement in different occupational classes. Register-based prospective cohort study up to 8 years of follow-up. A 70% random sample of the non-retired Finnish population aged 25-62 at the end of 2006 was included (n=1 727 644) and linked to data on sickness absences in 2005 and data on disability retirement in 2007-2014. Cox proportional hazards regression was utilised to analyse the association of sickness absence with the risk of all-cause disability retirement during an 8-year follow-up. The risk of disability retirement increased with increasing lengths of sickness absence in all occupational classes. A long sickness absence was a particularly strong predictor of disability retirement in upper non-manual employees as among those with over 180 sickness absence days the HR was 9.19 (95% CI 7.40 to 11.40), but in manual employees the HR was 3.51 (95% CI 3.23 to 3.81) in men. Among women, the corresponding HRs were 7.26 (95% CI 6.16 to 8.57) and 3.94 (95% CI 3.60 to 4.30), respectively. Adjusting for the diagnosis of sickness absence partly attenuated the association between the length of sickness absence and the risk of disability retirement in all employed groups. A long sickness absence is a strong predictor of disability retirement in all occupational classes. Preventing the accumulation of sickness absence days and designing more efficient policies for different occupational classes may be crucial to reduce the number of transitions to early retirement due to disability. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The understanding of Norwegian women’s sickness absence: towards a holistic approach?

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Liv Johanne Solheim

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Vanlig tabell"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Background: In Norway men's sickness absence from work has been stable or reduced over the last decades while women's sickness-absence ratio has increased, but the reasons for these developments are complex and unclear. There have been considerable efforts introduced and implemented to reduce sickness absence, but they have not succeeded. One reason for this may be the insufficient knowledge about the reasons for sick leave, and especially for women's sick leave. The aim: This article aims to examine how social factors influence sickness absence and how long-term absentees interpret and explain their ill health and sickness absence. Method: In one Norwegian county in 2010 we performed individual in-depth interviews with 20 women and ten men between the ages of 25-60 years who had been or were sick-listed for more than 30 days during the last year with a mental illness or musculoskeletal diagnoses. Results: The study illustrates how social factors influence sickness absence in different ways. The women indicated complex causes for their sickness absence, and often described an interaction between work-related and domestic-related aspects. Some accounts illustrate that their ill health might have roots in life occurrences from childhood

Zhuyi: From Absence to Bustle? Some Comments on Wang Jianjiang’s Article “The Bustle and the Absence of Zhuyi”

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Aleš Erjavec

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article is a response to the article published in Filozofski vestnik in 2016 and written by Prof. Wanf Jianjiang who in recent years devoted much of his efforts to the influence of of Western aesthetics and philosophy on Chinese humanities. Thus a notion introduced by Prof. Wang Jianjiang – Zhuyi – became the center of discussion in the papers that are to be found in this volume of AM Journal. Prof. Jianjiang claims that Zhuyi has a similar meaning as Western -ism and argues that Chinese aestheticians and intellectuals in general must develop their own theories (-isms if they want to gain speech and not remain stuck with voice (cf. Jacques Rancière.   Article received: May 3, 2017; Article accepted: May 8, 2017; Published online: September 15, 2017 Original scholarly paper How to cite this article: Erjavec, Aleš. "Zhuyi: From Absence to Bustle? Some Comments on Wang Jianjiang’s Article 'The Bustle and the Absence of Zhuyi'." AM Journal of Art and Media Studies 13 (2017: 111-121. doi: 10.25038/am.v0i13.189

The Coffin-Siris syndrome: five new cases including two siblings.

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Carey, J C; Hall, B D

1978-07-01

Five new cases and one previously reported case of the Coffin-Siris syndrome are described. These cases plus the remaining four already published bring to ten the number of cases available for scrutiny. Constant features (100% frequency) include variable degrees of mental retardation, nail hypoplasia or absence with predominantly fifth digit involvement, hypotonia, infancy feeding problems, and retarded bone age. Frequent features (75% to 90%) include postnatal growth deficiency, microcephaly, wide nasal tip and mouth, prominent lips, eyebrow/eyelash hypertrichosis, and scalp hair hypotrichosis. Significant but less frequent findings include short philtrum (50%, scoliosis (40%), decreased fetal activity (40%), smallness for gestational age (30%), and congenital heart defects (30%). We found the craniofacial phenotype to be mild in the young infant, but progressively more characteristic with age. Autosomal recessive inheritance is suspected on the basis of our brother-and-sister pair.

Pregnancy-related sickness absence among employed women in a Swedish county.

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Alexanderson, K; Hensing, G; Carstensen, J; Bjurulf, P

1995-06-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the variation of pregnancy-related sickness absence among employed women according to age, occupation, and degree of male-female domination within occupations. Data from a prospective study of all new sick-leave spells exceeding 7 d in 1985 and 1986 in the county of Ostergötland, Sweden, were related to the population at risk, through the Swedish Medical Birth Register. The subjects included in the analysis were all 7000 employed women that gave birth in 1985 and 1986, of which some 3000 were sick-listed at least once with pregnancy-related diagnoses. There was little difference in the pregnancy-related sickness absence between the age groups. The age-standardized rate for sick leaves involving pregnancy-related diagnoses differed substantially between occupations. Women in the metal industry had the highest rates; those employed in administration, banking, and insurance had the lowest. White-collar occupations generally had lower rates and blue-collar occupations higher rates, with some exceptions (eg, in saw mills, farming, and the chemical industry). Gender-integrated occupations had the lowest sick-leave rate, while extremely male-dominated jobs had the highest. The latter association remained after adjustment for occupational area. There were considerable differences between occupational groups in the rates of sick leaves involving pregnancy-related diagnoses. Some differences were related to physical load of the jobs being done, but not all. It seems important to consider also male-female domination within a job with respect to such sick leaves.

A review of best work-absence management and return-to-work practices for workers with musculoskeletal or common mental disorders.

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Durand, Marie-José; Corbière, Marc; Coutu, Marie-France; Reinharz, Daniel; Albert, Valérie

2014-01-01

Workplace absenteeism is still a curse for developed countries, and more systematic practices need to be adopted to address this issue. To review the literature on best practices for managing work absences related to musculoskeletal or common mental disorders. A review was conducted by performing a search in bibliographic databases and on work-disability research institute websites. Recommendations regarding work-absence management and return-to-work practices were extracted from all the retained documents and organized within a chronological framework. In total, 17 documents were analyzed, leading to identification of common work-absence management and return-to-work practices, the importance of a worker support approach, and recommended roles and responsibilities for stakeholders. These practices were then integrated into a six-step process: (1) time off and recovery period; (2) initial contact with the worker; (3) evaluation of the worker and his job tasks; (4) development of a return-to-work plan with accommodations; (5) work resumption, and (6) follow-up of the return-to-work process. Based on this review, we constructed a comprehensive work-absence management and return-to-work process designed to assist organizations. Our results indicate that such a process must be included within a broader policy of health promotion and job retention. Adaptations will be required for implementation in the workplace.

Preserving location and absence privacy in geo-social networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Freni, Dario; Vicente, Carmen Ruiz; Mascetti, Sergio

2010-01-01

accessible to multiple users. This renders it difficult for GeoSN users to control which information about them is available and to whom it is available. This paper addresses two privacy threats that occur in GeoSNs: location privacy and absence privacy. The former concerns the availability of information...... about the presence of users in specific locations at given times, while the latter concerns the availability of information about the absence of an individual from specific locations during given periods of time. The challenge addressed is that of supporting privacy while still enabling useful services....... The resulting geo-aware social networks (GeoSNs) pose privacy threats beyond those found in location-based services. Content published in a GeoSN is often associated with references to multiple users, without the publisher being aware of the privacy preferences of those users. Moreover, this content is often...

Pokemon decreases the transcriptional activity of RARα in the absence of ligand.

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Yang, Yutao; Li, Yueting; Di, Fei; Cui, Jiajun; Wang, Yue; David Xu, Zhi-Qing

2016-12-20

Pokemon is a transcriptional repressor that belongs to the POZ and Krüppel (POK) protein family. In this study, we investigated the potential interaction between Pokemon and retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARα) and determined the role of Pokemon in regulation of RARα transcriptional activity in the absence of ligand. We found that Pokemon could directly interact with RARα. Moreover, we demonstrated that Pokemon could decrease the transcriptional activity of RARα in the absence of ligand. Furthermore, we showed that Pokemon could repress the transcriptional activity of RARα by increasing the recruitment of nuclear receptor co-repressor (NCoR) and silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor (SMRT) to the retinoic acid response element (RARE) element. Taken together, these data suggest that Pokemon is a novel partner of RARα that acts as a co-repressor to regulate RARα transcriptional activity in the absence of ligand.

Finding 'Evidence of Absence' in Medical Notes: Using NLP for Clinical Inferencing.

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Carter, Marjorie E; Divita, Guy; Redd, Andrew; Rubin, Michael A; Samore, Matthew H; Gupta, Kalpana; Trautner, Barbara W; Gundlapalli, Adi V

2016-01-01

Extracting evidence of the absence of a target of interest from medical text can be useful in clinical inferencing. The purpose of our study was to develop a natural language processing (NLP) pipelineto identify the presence of indwelling urinary catheters from electronic medical notes to aid in detection of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). Finding clear evidence that a patient does not have an indwelling urinary catheter is useful in making a determination regarding CAUTI. We developed a lexicon of seven core concepts to infer the absence of a urinary catheter. Of the 990,391 concepts extractedby NLP from a large corpus of 744,285 electronic medical notes from 5589 hospitalized patients, 63,516 were labeled as evidence of absence.Human review revealed three primary causes for false negatives. The lexicon and NLP pipeline were refined using this information, resulting in outputs with an acceptable false positive rate of 11%.

0156 Predictors of sickness absence in pregnancy - a Danish cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lausten Hansen, Mette; Marie Thulstrup, Ane; Kolding Kristensen, Jette

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To investigate if parity, fertility treatment, body mass index (BMI), time to pregnancy (TTP), and engagement in physical exercise are risk factors for sickness absence during pregnancy weeks 10 to 30. METHOD: We use data from The Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) and the Danish...... and health. We excluded women, who were no longer pregnant at the time of the interview, were unemployed, multiple pregnant or had an obstetrical event within one year before the DNBC pregnancy. This resulted in a study population of 65 047 pregnancies. Outcome data were retrieved from DREAM, which contains...... information on sickness absence on a weekly basis. Data will be analysed using multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 30.5 years, 46% were nulliparous, 6.3% received fertility treatment, mean BMI was 23.6 kg/m(2). Prevalence of sickness absence until pregnancy week...

Absence of SUN-domain protein Slp1 blocks karyogamy and switches meiotic recombination and synapsis from homologs to sister chromatids

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Vasnier, Christelle; de Muyt, Arnaud; Zhang, Liangran; Tessé, Sophie; Kleckner, Nancy E.; Zickler, Denise; Espagne, Eric

2014-01-01

Karyogamy, the process of nuclear fusion is required for two haploid gamete nuclei to form a zygote. Also, in haplobiontic organisms, karyogamy is required to produce the diploid nucleus/cell that then enters meiosis. We identify sun like protein 1 (Slp1), member of the mid–Sad1p, UNC-84–domain ubiquitous family, as essential for karyogamy in the filamentous fungus Sordaria macrospora, thus uncovering a new function for this protein family. Slp1 is required at the last step, nuclear fusion, not for earlier events including nuclear movements, recognition, and juxtaposition. Correspondingly, like other family members, Slp1 localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and also to its extensions comprising the nuclear envelope. Remarkably, despite the absence of nuclear fusion in the slp1 null mutant, meiosis proceeds efficiently in the two haploid “twin” nuclei, by the same program and timing as in diploid nuclei with a single dramatic exception: the normal prophase program of recombination and synapsis between homologous chromosomes, including loading of recombination and synaptonemal complex proteins, occurs instead between sister chromatids. Moreover, the numbers of recombination-initiating double-strand breaks (DSBs) and ensuing recombinational interactions, including foci of the essential crossover factor Homo sapiens enhancer of invasion 10 (Hei10), occur at half the diploid level in each haploid nucleus, implying per-chromosome specification of DSB formation. Further, the distribution of Hei10 foci shows interference like in diploid meiosis. Centromere and spindle dynamics, however, still occur in the diploid mode during the two meiotic divisions. These observations imply that the prophase program senses absence of karyogamy and/or absence of a homolog partner and adjusts the interchromosomal interaction program accordingly. PMID:25210014

Sickness absence in a municipal public service of Goiânia, Brazil.

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Leão, Ana Lúcia de Melo; Barbosa-Branco, Anadergh; Rassi Neto, Elias; Ribeiro, Cristina Aparecida Neves; Turchi, Marília Dalva

2015-01-01

Sickness absence, as work absenteeism justified by medical certificate, is an important health status indicator of the employees and, overall, sociodemographic and occupational characteristics are among the main factors associated with sickness absence. Public administration accounts for 21.8% of the formal job positions in Brazil. This population allows the study of a wide range of professional categories. To assess the profile and indicators of sickness absence among public workers from the municipality of Goiania, in the State of Goiás, Brazil. A cross-sectional study on certified sick leaves, lasting longer than three days, of all civil servants from January 2005 to December 2010. Prevalence rates were calculated using as main criteria the number of individuals, episodes and sick days. 40,578 certified sick leaves were granted for health treatment among 13,408 public workers, in an annual average population of 17,270 people, which resulted in 944,722 days of absenteeism. The cumulative prevalence of sick leave for the period was of 143.7%, with annual average of 39.2% and duration of 23 days per episode. The cumulative prevalence of sickness absence was higher among women (52.0%), older than 40 years old (55.9%), with a partner (49.9%), low schooling (54.4%), education professionals (54.7%), > 10 years of service (61.9%), and with multiple work contracts (53.7%). Diagnoses groups (ICD-10) with higher cumulative prevalence of sick leaves were those with mental disorders (26.5%), musculoskeletal diseases (25.1%), and injuries (23.6%). Indicators of sickness absence express the magnitude of this phenomenon in the public sector and can assist in planning health actions for the worker, prioritizing the most vulnerable occupational groups.

Congenital absence of the lumbar facet joint associated with bilateral spondylolysis of the fifth lumbar vertebra.

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Wang, Zhuo; Sakakibara, Toshihiko; Kasai, Yuichi

2013-01-01

A 14-year-old boy presented with a rare case of congenital absence of lumbar facet joint manifesting as low back pain. Physical examination showed no neurological or hematologic abnormalities. Radiography revealed absence of a facet joint on the right side of L4-5. Computed tomography and three-dimensional computed tomography revealed absence of the facet joint on the right side of L4-5 and spondylolysis on both sides of L5. Pain subsided after conservative treatment. This is an extremely rare case of congenital absence of lumbar facet joint associated with bilateral spondylolysis.

Can the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale be used to screen for risk of long-term sickness absence?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, C. A. M.; van Hoffen, M. F. A.; Groothoff, J. W.; de Bruin, J.; Schaufeli, W. B.; van Rhenen, W.

To investigate the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for their ability to identify non-sicklisted employees at increased risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA). One-year prospective cohort study including 4,921 employees participating

Can the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale be used to screen for risk of long-term sickness absence?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, C. A M; van Hoffen, M. F A; Groothoff, J. W.; de Bruin, J.; Schaufeli, W. B.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073779563; van Rhenen, W.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To investigate the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Survey (MBI—GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for their ability to identify non-sicklisted employees at increased risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA). Methods: One-year prospective cohort study including 4,921

Can the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale be used to screen for risk of long-term sickness absence?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, C. A. M.; van Hoffen, M. F. A.; Groothoff, J. W.; de Bruin, J.; Schaufeli, W. B.; van Rhenen, W.

2015-01-01

To investigate the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) for their ability to identify non-sicklisted employees at increased risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA). One-year prospective cohort study including 4,921 employees participating

Do Teacher Absences Impact Student Achievement? Longitudinal Evidence from One Urban School District. NBER Working Paper No. 13356

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Miller, Raegen T.; Murnane, Richard J.; Willett, John B.

2007-01-01

Rates of employee absences and the effects of absences on productivity are topics of conversation in many organizations in many countries. One reason is that high rates of employee absence may signal weak management and poor labor-management relations. A second reason is that reducing rates of employee absence may be an effective way to improve…

Work demands, job insecurity and sickness absence from work. how productive is the new, flexible labour force?

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D'Souza, Rennie M; Strazdins, Lyndall; Broom, Dorothy H; Rodgers, Bryan; Berry, Helen L

2006-06-01

We investigate one aspect of productivity--sickness absence--and ask whether job insecurity and high work demands are associated with increased sickness absence and, if so, whether mental or physical health mediates this association. We further investigate if having control at work modifies these associations. We used cross-sectional survey data from 2,248 employees aged 40-44 years living in two cities of south-eastern Australia. Logistic regressions were used to compare the associations between job insecurity and demands among those with short (1-3 days) or long-term (> 3 days) sickness absence with those who had no sickness absence in the last four weeks. The mediating effects of mental and physical health were assessed by evaluating changes in the magnitude of the association between these work conditions and sickness absence. High job insecurity (OR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.54-6.95) and high work demands (OR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.13-2.30) were significantly associated with long-term, but not with short-term, sickness absence. These associations were unaffected by job control. Depression and anxiety explained 61% of the association between high work demands and long-term sickness absence and 30% of the association between job insecurity and long-term sickness absence. Difficult working conditions may reduce productivity by contributing to longer absences from work. Reforms intended to improve economic performance should address any potential health costs of insecurity or intensification, which could inadvertently decrease productivity, possibly through their impact on mental health.

The Prognostic Value of the Work Ability Index for Sickness Absence among Office Workers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerstin G Reeuwijk

Full Text Available The work ability index (WAI is a frequently used tool in occupational health to identify workers at risk for a reduced work performance and for work-related disability. However, information about the prognostic value of the WAI to identify workers at risk for sickness absence is scarce.To investigate the prognostic value of the WAI for sickness absence, and whether the discriminative ability differs across demographic subgroups.At baseline, the WAI (score 7-49 was assessed among 1,331 office workers from a Dutch financial service company. Sickness absence was registered during 12-months follow-up and categorised as 0 days, 0absence were estimated by multinomial regression analyses. Discriminative ability of the WAI was assessed by the Area Under the Curve (AUC and Ordinal c-index (ORC. Test characteristics were determined for dichotomised outcomes. Additional analyses were performed for separate WAI dimensions, and subgroup analyses for demographic groups.A lower WAI was associated with sickness absence (≥15 days vs. 0 days: per point lower WAI score OR=1.27; 95%CI 1.21-1.33. The WAI showed reasonable ability to discriminate between categories of sickness absence (ORC=0.65; 95%CI 0.63-0.68. Highest discrimination was found for comparing workers with ≥15 sick days with 0 sick days (AUC=0.77 or with 1-5 sick days (AUC=0.69. At the cut-off for poor work ability (WAI≤27 the sensitivity to identify workers at risk for ≥15 sick days was 7.5%, the specificity 99.6%, and the positive predictive value 82%. The performance was similar across demographic subgroups.The WAI could be used to identify workers at high risk for prolonged sickness absence. However, due to low sensitivity many workers will be missed. Hence, additional factors are required to better identify workers at highest risk.

Changes in drinking as predictors of changes in sickness absence: a case-crossover study.

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Ervasti, Jenni; Kivimäki, Mika; Pentti, Jaana; Halonen, Jaana I; Vahtera, Jussi; Virtanen, Marianna

2018-01-01

We investigated whether changes in alcohol use predict changes in the risk of sickness absence in a case-crossover design. Finnish public sector employees were surveyed in 2000, 2004 and 2008 on alcohol use and covariates. Heavy drinking was defined as either a weekly intake that exceeded recommendations (12 units for women; 23 for men) or having an extreme drinking session. The responses were linked to national sickness absence registers. We analysed the within-person relative risk of change in the risk of sickness absence in relation to change in drinking. Case period refers to being sickness absent within 1 year of the survey and control period refers to not being sickness absent within 1 year of the survey. Periods of heavy drinking were associated with increased odds of self-certified short-term (1-3 days) sickness absence (multivariable-adjusted OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.38 for all participants; 1.62, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.21 for men and 1.15, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.33 for women). A higher risk of short-term sickness absence was also observed after increase in drinking (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.52) and a lower risk was observed after decrease in drinking (OR=0.83, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.00). Both increase (OR=1.38, 95% CI 1.21 to 1.57) and decrease (OR=1.27, 95% CI 1.19 to 1.43) in drinking were associated with increased risk of long-term (>9 days) medically certified all-cause sickness absence. Increase in drinking was related to increases in short-term and long-term sickness absences. Men and employees with a low socioeconomic position in particular seemed to be at risk. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Adolescent eating in the absence of hunger and relation to discretionary calorie allowance.

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Kral, Tanja V E; Moore, Reneé H; Stunkard, Albert J; Berkowitz, Robert I; Stettler, Nicolas; Stallings, Virginia A; Tanaka, Leeann M; Kabay, April C; Faith, Myles S

2010-12-01

Eating in the absence of hunger is a risk factor for overeating during childhood. The objective of this study was to examine eating in the absence of hunger in adolescents based on their familial predisposition to obesity and current weight status. Thirty-one subjects (16 male, 15 female), who were 13 years of age and born at low risk or high risk for obesity, consumed lunch to fullness. After lunch, subjects had access to different snacks for 15 minutes. Eating in the absence of hunger referred to energy intake from the snacks. Low-risk females consumed two and a half times more calories from snacks than high-risk females and twice as many calories as low-risk and high-risk males when expressed as an individualized percentage of daily allowance for discretionary calories. Normal-weight females consumed two and a half times more calories from snacks than obese females and normal-weight males. The association between eating in the absence of hunger and weight and obesity risk status depended on adolescents' sex and could reflect emerging developmental differences, such as dieting or social desirability. Copyright © 2010 American Dietetic Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sickness absence in relation to psychosocial work factors among daytime workers in an electric equipment manufacturing company.

Science.gov (United States)

Otsuka, Yasumasa; Takahashi, Masaya; Nakata, Akinori; Haratani, Takashi; Kaida, Kosuke; Fukasawa, Kenji; Hanada, Takanobu; Ito, Akiko

2007-04-01

Associations between psychosocial work factors and sickness absence were investigated in a cross-sectional study of 833 daytime workers. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding psychosocial work factors using the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Generic Job Stress Questionnaire (job control, quantitative workload, cognitive demands, variance in workload, intragroup conflict, intergroup conflict, supervisor support, coworker support, family support, job satisfaction and depressive symptoms) and the number of days of sickness absence within the previous year. Multivariate analyses of covariance with age and occupation as covariates (MANCOVA) were used to test the relationships between psychosocial work factors and sickness absence stratified by sex. In men, the age-adjusted MANCOVA showed that, quantitative workload was highest in the 0.5-4.5 d of sickness absence group (pjob satisfaction and depressive symptoms) in this group were almost identical to the levels recorded in the no sickness absence group. In contrast, low levels of job control (pjob satisfaction (pjob satisfaction was associated with 5 d or more sickness absence (p<0.10). This study suggests that appropriate use of sickness absence at times of being exposed to high quantitative workload may help male workers to recover from stressful situations.

Work-injury absence and compensation among partnered and lone mothers and fathers.

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Wong, Imelda S; Smith, Peter M; Mustard, Cameron A; Gignac, Monique A M

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the risk of a work-injury absence and the likelihood of receiving compensation among partnered and lone mothers and fathers. This study utilized data from an annual survey of Canadian residents. Logistic regression models examined the association between family status and the receipt of workers' compensation, and absences due to work-related injury or illnesses of 7 or more days. Being a lone mother was significantly associated with the risk of work-injury absence. Gender differences were observed for workers' compensation: mothers were half as likely as fathers to receive workers' compensation benefits, which may be attributed to differences in work experiences between men and women. Findings may help in understanding whether some parental situations are more vulnerable than others and may contribute to identifying policies that could help workers sustain employment or return to work following an injury. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Prognostic Value of the Work Ability Index for Sickness Absence among Office Workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeuwijk, Kerstin G; Robroek, Suzan J W; Niessen, Maurice A J; Kraaijenhagen, Roderik A; Vergouwe, Yvonne; Burdorf, Alex

2015-01-01

The work ability index (WAI) is a frequently used tool in occupational health to identify workers at risk for a reduced work performance and for work-related disability. However, information about the prognostic value of the WAI to identify workers at risk for sickness absence is scarce. To investigate the prognostic value of the WAI for sickness absence, and whether the discriminative ability differs across demographic subgroups. At baseline, the WAI (score 7-49) was assessed among 1,331 office workers from a Dutch financial service company. Sickness absence was registered during 12-months follow-up and categorised as 0 days, 0performed for separate WAI dimensions, and subgroup analyses for demographic groups. A lower WAI was associated with sickness absence (≥15 days vs. 0 days: per point lower WAI score OR=1.27; 95%CI 1.21-1.33). The WAI showed reasonable ability to discriminate between categories of sickness absence (ORC=0.65; 95%CI 0.63-0.68). Highest discrimination was found for comparing workers with ≥15 sick days with 0 sick days (AUC=0.77) or with 1-5 sick days (AUC=0.69). At the cut-off for poor work ability (WAI≤27) the sensitivity to identify workers at risk for ≥15 sick days was 7.5%, the specificity 99.6%, and the positive predictive value 82%. The performance was similar across demographic subgroups. The WAI could be used to identify workers at high risk for prolonged sickness absence. However, due to low sensitivity many workers will be missed. Hence, additional factors are required to better identify workers at highest risk.

Disentangling fathers' absences from household remittances in international migration: The case of educational attainment in Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Jason; Brazil, Noli

2016-09-01

Estimating the effects of international migration on left-behind children's educational attainment is complicated by the potential offsetting effects of fathers' absences and household remittances. Most research has not separated these aspects of international migration on children's human capital outcomes. We address this deficiency by using instrumental variables to isolate the effects of fathers' international migration absences from international household remittances on student enrollment and grade progression in Guatemala. Results indicate that fathers' absences and household international remittances are negatively related to enrollment, providing evidence for a culture of migration effect. For students who remain in school, household international remittances neutralize the harmful influence of fathers' absences on grade progression.

External validation of two prediction models identifying employees at risk of high sickness absence : cohort study with 1-year follow-up

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roelen, Corne A. M.; Bultmann, Ute; van Rhenen, Willem; van der Klink, Jac J. L.; Twisk, Jos W. R.; Heymans, Martijn W.

2013-01-01

Background: Two models including age, self-rated health (SRH) and prior sickness absence (SA) were found to predict high SA in health care workers. The present study externally validated these prediction models in a population of office workers and investigated the effect of adding gender as a

An out-break and observations on Trypanosomiasis in Fresian cattle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Bovine trypanosomiasis has clinical features characterized by anorexia, emaciation, ... The present study deals with the observations on naturally occurring ... and chronic conditions, low working capacity and high mortality in acute cases.

Indications of a Scarring Effect of Sickness Absence Periods in a Cohort of Higher Educated Self-Employed

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijnvoord, Liesbeth E C; Brouwer, Sandra; Buitenhuis, Jan; van der Klink, Jac J L; de Boer, Michiel R

2016-01-01

Objectives Little is known regarding incidence and recurrence of sickness absence in self-employed. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the number of prior episodes of sickness absence on the risk of subsequent periods of sickness absence in higher educated self-employed.

Work-related determinants of return to work of employees on long-term sickness absence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Post, M; Krol, B; Groothoff, JW

2005-01-01

Purpose. The aim of the study is to identify work-related determinants of return to work (RTW) of employees who are on long-term sickness absence. Method. The study was based on a sample of 926 employees on sickness absence ( maximum duration of 12 weeks). The employees filled out a baseline

Mental and physical health-related functioning mediates between psychological job demands and sickness absence among nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Roelen, Corné; van Rhenen, Willem; Schaufeli, Wilmar; van der Klink, Jac; Magerøy, Nils; Moen, Bente; Bjorvatn, Bjørn; Pallesen, Ståle

2014-08-01

To investigate whether health-related functioning mediates the effect of psychological job demands on sickness absence in nurses. Nurses face high job demands that can have adverse health effects resulting in sickness absence. Prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up. Data for 2964 Norwegian nurses were collected in the period 2008-2010. At baseline, psychological job demands were measured with the Demand-Control-Support Questionnaire. Health-related functioning was assessed by the Mental Composite Score and the Physical Composite Score of the SF-12 Health Survey (2nd version). Sickness absence (no = 0, yes = 1) was self-reported at 1-year follow-up. Interaction and mediation analyses were conducted stratified by tenure (6 years) as a registered nurse. A total of 2180 nurses (74%) with complete data were eligible for analysis. A significant three-way interaction between job demands, control and support was found in newly licensed nurses (tenure sickness absence at 1-year follow-up. This association was substantially weakened when Mental Composite Score and Physical Composite Score were introduced as mediator variables, indicating a partial mediation effect that was particularly pronounced in newly licensed nurses. Psychological job demands did not modify the effect of health-related functioning on sickness absence. Both mental and physical health-related functioning mediated between psychological job demands and sickness absence. Nurse managers should pay attention to health-related functioning, because poor health-related functioning may predict sickness absence, especially in newly licensed nurses. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Differences in the association between sickness absence and long-term sub-optimal health by occupational position: a 14-year follow-up in the GAZEL cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrie, Jane E; Kivimäki, Mika; Westerlund, Hugo; Head, Jenny; Melchior, Maria; Singh-Manoux, Archana; Zins, Marie; Goldberg, Marcel; Alexanderson, Kristina; Vahtera, Jussi

2011-10-01

Although sickness absence is a strong predictor of health, whether this association varies by occupational position has rarely been examined. The aim of this study was to investigate overall and diagnosis-specific sickness absence as a predictor of future long-term sub-optimal health by occupational position. This was a prospective occupational cohort study of 15 320 employees (73% men) aged 37-51. Sickness absences (1990-1992), included in 13 diagnostic categories, were examined by occupational position in relation to self-rated health measured annually during 1993-2006. 60% of employees in higher occupational positions and 22% in lower positions had no sickness absence. Conversely, 9.5% of employees in higher positions and 40% in lower positions had over 30 sick-leave days. Repeated-measures logistic regression analyses adjusted for age, sex and chronic disease showed employees with over 30 days absence, compared to those with no absence, had approximately double the risk of sub-optimal health over the 14-year follow-up in all occupational positions. 1-30 days sick-leave was associated with greater odds of sub-optimal health in the high (OR 1.48; 95% CI 1.27 to 1.72) and intermediate (1.29; 1.15 to 1.45) but not lower occupational positions (1.06; 0.82 to 1.38). Differences by occupational position in the association between sickness absence in 13 specific diagnostic categories and sub-optimal health over the ensuing 14 years were limited to stronger associations observed with cancer and mental disorders in the higher occupational positions. The association between sickness absence of more than 30 days over 3 years and future long-term self-rated health appears to differ little by occupational position.

Predictors of short- and long-term sickness absence in female post office workers in Poland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zuzanna Szubert

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to highlight major predictors of the frequency of sickness absence in a group of workers directly involved in customer service. Material and Methods: The study was carried out on a random sample of 229 women employed as assistants and clerks in post offices. The survey was based on the Subjective Work, Health Status and Life Style Characteristics Questionnaire, and sickness absence data for the years 2004–2006. Results: The negative binominal regression model of sickness absence risk revealed the following significant predictors of short-term absence spells (1–29 days: 1 marital status, sickness absence risk for single women was (rate ratio (RR = 1.56 (95% confidence interval (CI: 1.01–2.39 vs. married women; 2 post offices employing 7 workers had a rate ratio of sickness absence of 1.6 (95% CI: 1.04–2.42; 13–25 workers – RR = 2.03 (95% CI: 1.41–2.93; > 25 workers – RR = 1.82 (95% CI: 1.15–2.88 compared with an average number of 8–12 workers; 3 shift work, RR = 1.57 (95% CI: 1.14–2.14; 4 breaks from work – the risk of absence in the case of any breaks amounted to RR = 1.5 (95% CI: 1.07–2.07 in comparison with the statutory breaks; 5 self-rated health reported as moderate relative to good health, RR = 1.71 (95% CI: 1.26–2.32; and 6 occurrence of respiratory diseases resulted in the risk of RR = 1.51 (95% CI: 1.08–2.08. The Poisson regression model of long-term sickness absence spells (≥ 30 days revealed the following significant predictors: 1 number of clients per shift: 51–100 clients, RR = 3.62 (95% CI: 1.07–22.6 compared with a lower number of clients; 2 self-rated health, assessed as moderate, RR = 1.97 (95% CI: 1.06–3.78 and 3 household chores performed for at least 4 h a day, RR = 0.4 (95% CI: 0.18–0.79. Conclusions: Association between sickness absence and workload as well as work organization indicates directions of corrective actions, which could reduce the

Sickness absence, marginality, and medically unexplained physical symptoms: a focus-group study of patients' experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Aamland, Aase; Werner, Erik L; Malterud, Kirsti

2013-06-01

Medically unexplained physical symptoms (MUPS) form a major cause of sickness absence. The purpose of this study was to explore factors which may influence further marginalization among patients with MUPS on long-term sickness absence. Two focus-group discussions were conducted with a purposive sample of 12 participants, six men and six women, aged 24-59 years. Their average duration of sickness absence was 10.5 months. Participants were invited to share stories about experiences from the process leading to the ongoing sickness absence, with a focus on the causes being medically unexplained. Systematic text condensation was applied for analysis. Inspired by theories of marginalization and coping, the authors searched for knowledge of how patients' positive resources can be mobilized to counteract processes of marginality. Analysis revealed how invisible symptoms and lack of objective findings were perceived as an additional burden to the sickness absence itself. Factors that could counteract further marginalization were a supportive social network, positive coping strategies such as keeping to the daily schedule and physical activity, and positive attention and confidence from professionals. Confidence from both personal and professional contacts is crucial. GPs have an important and appreciated role in this aspect.

Attitudes towards sickness absence and sickness presenteeism in health and care sectors in Norway and Denmark: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Krane, Line; Larsen, Eva Ladekjær; Nielsen, Claus Vinther; Stapelfeldt, Christina Malmose; Johnsen, Roar; Risør, Mette Bech

2014-08-27

In the health and care sector, sickness absence and sickness presenteeism are frequent phenomena and constitute a field in need of exploration. Attitudes towards sickness absence involve also attitudes towards sickness presenteeism, i.e. going to work while sick, confirmed by previous studies. Sickness behavior, reflecting attitudes on work absence, could differ between countries and influence absence rates. But little is known about attitudes towards sickness absence and sickness presenteeism in the health and care sectors in Norway and Denmark. The aim of the present paper is therefore to explore attitudes towards sickness absence and sickness presenteeism among nursing home employees in both countries. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide, the main attention of which was attitudes towards sickness absence and sickness presenteeism. FGDs were conducted in two nursing homes in Norway and two in Denmark, with different geographic locations: one in a rural area and one in an urban area in each country. FGDs were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using framework analysis to identify major themes and explanatory patterns. Four major significant themes were identified from the FGDs: a) sickness absence and sickness presenteeism, b) acceptable causes of sickness absence, c) job identity, and d) organization of work and physical aspects of the workplace. Our analyses showed that social commitment and loyalty to residents and colleagues was important for sickness absence and sickness presenteeism, as were perceived acceptable and non-acceptable reasons for sickness absence. Organization of work and physical aspects of the workplace were also found to have an influence on attitudes towards sickness absence. The general interpretation of the findings was that attitudes towards sickness absence and sickness presenteeism among nursing home employees were embedded in situational patterns of moral relationships and were

Mycobacterium kansasii Isolated from Tuberculinpositive Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) in the Absence of Disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Shipley, Steven T; Johnson, David K; Roodgar, Morteza; Smith, David Glenn; Montgomery, Charles A; Lloyd, Steven M; Higgins, James A; Kriel, Edwin H; Klein, Hilton J; Porter, William P; Nazareno, Jerome B; Houghton, Paul W; Panda, Aruna; DeTolla, Louis J

2017-08-01

Mycobacterial infections are of primary health concern in NHP colonies in biomedical research. NHP are constantly monitored and screened for Mycobacterium spp. We report 6 Chinese-origin rhesus macaques infected with Mycobacterium kansasii that exhibited positive tuberculin skin tests in the absence of disease. Two of these macaques were being used for research purposes; the remaining 4 macaques were residing at the contract quarantine company. Histopathology and acid-fast staining of fixed tissues from all macaques showed that all were free of disease. Thoracic radiographs were negative for any signs of disease or infection. Samples from bronchial lavage and tissues including lung, spleen, hilar and mesenteric lymph nodes tested negative by PCR assay for Mycobacterium spp. One of the research macaques tested culture-positive for M. kansasii and a poorly characterized M. avium complex organism. One macaque from the contract quarantine facility tested culture positive for M. kansasii. Genomic testing and target gene RNA expression analysis of the 2 M. kansasii isolates were performed to evaluate possible kinship and affected genes that might contribute to susceptibility to mycobacterial infection. Genotyping of the 2 isolates revealed 2 genetically distinct strains (strains 1 and 4). The presence of positive tuberculin skin tests in the absence of disease raises serious concerns regarding diagnostic methods used for infected NHP.

Disentangling fathers’ absences from household remittances in international migration: The case of educational attainment in Guatemala

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Jason; Brazil, Noli

2016-01-01

Estimating the effects of international migration on left-behind children’s educational attainment is complicated by the potential offsetting effects of fathers’ absences and household remittances. Most research has not separated these aspects of international migration on children’s human capital outcomes. We address this deficiency by using instrumental variables to isolate the effects of fathers’ international migration absences from international household remittances on student enrollment and grade progression in Guatemala. Results indicate that fathers’ absences and household international remittances are negatively related to enrollment, providing evidence for a culture of migration effect. For students who remain in school, household international remittances neutralize the harmful influence of fathers’ absences on grade progression. PMID:27293309

Upper Limb Absence : Predictors of Work Participation and Work Productivity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Postema, Sietke G; Bongers, Raoul M; Brouwers, Michael A; Burger, Helena; Norling-Hermansson, Liselotte M; Reneman, Michiel F; Dijkstra, Pieter U; van der Sluis, Corry K

OBJECTIVES: To analyze work participation, work productivity, contributing factors, and physical work demands of individuals with upper limb absence (ULA). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study: postal survey (response rate, 45%). SETTING: Twelve rehabilitation centers and orthopedic workshops.

Medication adherence, comorbidities, and health risk impacts on workforce absence and job performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Loeppke, Ronald; Haufle, Vince; Jinnett, Kim; Parry, Thomas; Zhu, Jianping; Hymel, Pamela; Konicki, Doris

2011-06-01

To understand impacts of medication adherence, comorbidities, and health risks on workforce absence and job performance. Retrospective observational study using employees' medical/pharmacy claims and self-reported health risk appraisals. Statin medication adherence in individuals with Coronary Artery Disease was significant predictor (P absenteeism. Insulin, oral hypoglycemic, or metformin medication adherence in type 2 diabetics was significant (P performance. Number of comorbidities was found as significant (P absenteeism in five of nine subsamples. Significant links (P performance were found across all nine subsamples. Results suggest integrated health and productivity management strategies should include an emphasis on primary and secondary prevention to reduce health risks in addition to tertiary prevention efforts of disease management and medication management.

Effect of Psychosocial Work Environment on Sickness Absence Among Patients Treated for Ischemic Heart Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biering, Karin; Lund, Thomas; Andersen, Johan Hviid

2015-01-01

-force becomes increasingly important. Previous studies among healthy workers suggest that the psychosocial working environment is associated with sickness absence. Whether the psychosocial working environment plays a role for patients with existing cardiovascular disease on return to work and sickness absence...

Sleep disturbances and fatigue : independent predictors of sickness absence? A prospective study among 6538 employees

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bultmann, Ute; Nielsen, Maj Britt D.; Madsen, Ida E. H.; Burr, Hermann; Rugulies, Reiner

Background: Although sleep disturbances and fatigue are common conditions, frequently shown to be associated with sickness absence, only a few studies have prospectively investigated their independent effects on sickness absence, while adjusting for depressive symptoms. This study aims (i) to

Effects of biotic interactions and dispersal on the presence-absence of multiple species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohd, Mohd Hafiz; Murray, Rua; Plank, Michael J.; Godsoe, William

2017-01-01

One of the important issues in ecology is to predict which species will be present (or absent) across a geographical region. Dispersal is thought to have an important influence on the range limits of species, and understanding this problem in a multi-species community with priority effects (i.e. initial abundances determine species presence-absence) is a challenging task because dispersal also interacts with biotic and abiotic factors. Here, we propose a simple multi-species model to investigate the joint effects of biotic interactions and dispersal on species presence-absence. Our results show that dispersal can substantially expand species ranges when biotic and abiotic forces are present; consequently, coexistence of multiple species is possible. The model also exhibits ecologically interesting priority effects, mediated by intense biotic interactions. In the absence of dispersal, competitive exclusion of all but one species occurs. We find that dispersal reduces competitive exclusion effects that occur in no-dispersal case and promotes coexistence of multiple species. These results also show that priority effects are still prevalent in multi-species communities in the presence of dispersal process. We also illustrate the existence of threshold values of competitive strength (i.e. transcritical bifurcations), which results in different species presence-absence in multi-species communities with and without dispersal.

Reducing sickness absence in the catering department of Statoil; Naervaersarbeid i Statoil Forpleining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bauer, Mia Nadia; Odijk, Joseph

2004-07-01

Since 1997, the catering department of the Norwegian oil company Statoil has been working systematically to improve the working conditions such that as many employees as possible can be present at work and cope with the many demands and challenges. Using sickness absence data from Statoil and Statistics Norway, and a questionnaire to the employees, the authors have found that the sickness absence has gone down by 8 per cent since 1997. A large majority of the employees say that both the physical and the psychosocial working environment have improved. The leaders have improved their skill in leadership and have become good at organizing work such that it can be mastered by everybody. Collegial support also has improved. It appears that a good social network that emphasizes presence at the work-place reduces the sickness absence.

The longitudinal association between multiple job holding and long-term sickness absence among Danish employees: an explorative study using register-based data

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouwhuis, S.; Garde, A.H.; Geuskens, G.A.; Boot, C.R.I.; Bongers, P.M.; Beek, A.J. van der

2017-01-01

Purpose: Multiple job holding (MJH) is common in many countries, but little is known about its (health) consequences. Our aim is to explore the longitudinal association between MJH and long-term sickness absence (LTSA) among Danish employees. Methods: We included employees (N = 8968) who

Joint associations of sleep duration and insomnia symptoms with subsequent sickness absence: the Helsinki Health Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lallukka, Tea; Haaramo, Peija; Rahkonen, Ossi; Sivertsen, Børge

2013-07-01

We aimed to examine the joint associations of sleep duration and insomnia symptoms with subsequent sickness absence of various lengths while considering several covariates. Baseline surveys among 40-60-year-old employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland, (N = 6535) were prospectively linked with employer's personnel register data comprising short self-certified (1-3 days), medically-certified intermediate (4-14 days) and long (15 days or more) sickness absence spells. Average follow-up time was 4.1 years. Sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, sociodemographics, working conditions, health behaviours and health were self-reported in the surveys. Poisson regression analysis was used. Insomnia symptoms were associated with sickness absence at all levels of sleep duration. Adjusting for gender and age, U-shaped associations regarding sleep hours were found. Thus, those reporting short or long sleep and reporting insomnia symptoms had a higher risk for medically-certified intermediate and long sickness absence as compared to those reporting 7 hours of sleep without insomnia symptoms. Also, those reporting 6, 7, and 8 hours of sleep had a higher risk for such sickness absence, if they reported insomnia. Weak associations were also found for self-certified sickness absence, and for those reporting short and long sleep without insomnia. Adjustments attenuated the associations, but they mainly remained. These results suggest primacy of the effects of insomnia symptoms over sleep duration on sickness absence. Although insomnia dominated the joint association, U-shaped associations suggest that both sleep duration and insomnia symptoms need to be considered to promote work ability.

Longitudinal Relationships Between Organizational Justice, Productivity Loss, and Sickness Absence Among Older Employees

OpenAIRE

Ybema, Jan F.; van der Meer, Laudry; Leijten, Fenna R. M.

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess whether organizational justice lowers productivity loss and sickness absence, and whether there are reverse effects of productivity loss and sickness absence on organizational justice. METHOD: A longitudinal study with 2 years of follow-up was conducted among employed persons aged 45-64 years from the Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM). Participants (N = 7011) yearly filled out an online questionnaire. Structural eq...

Predicting long-term sickness absence and early retirement pension from self-reported work ability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sell, Lea; Bültmann, Ute; Rugulies, Reiner Ernst

2009-01-01

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between self-reported work ability and long-term term of sickness absence or early retirement from the labour market.......The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between self-reported work ability and long-term term of sickness absence or early retirement from the labour market....

5 CFR 353.106 - Personnel actions during employee's absence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... knowingly provides written notice of intent not to return to a position of employment with the agency, in... advantage of employment that they may have been entitled to had they not been absent. This is determined by... workplace and whether it was denied solely because of absence for military service; (2) Considering whether...

Bilateral absence of musculocutaneous nerve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathada V Ravishankar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Brachial plexus is an important group of spinal nerve plexus that supplies the muscles of the upper limb via the ventral rami of the Cervical 5 - Thoracic 1 fibers of the spinal nerves. It is not uncommon to notice the variations during cadaveric dissections in many regions of the body, at different levels, such as, roots, trunks, division, cords, communications, and branches as reported in the literature. Although the nerve supply of the body musculature takes place in the fetal life itself, its course, branching pattern, innervations, and communication can show variable patterns as the fetal development progresses. One such anomaly was noticed during our routine cadaveric dissection in the Department of Anatomy, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Belgaum, showing bilateral absence of the musculocutaneous nerve, which obviously drew the attention of the students of medicine, physiotherapy, and learning clinicians as well.

Sickness absence from 1978 to 1992 of Electricite de France (EDF) workers exposed to ELF-EMF: the substation group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souques, M.; Dab, W.; Lambrozo, J.; Chevalier, A.; Coing, F.

1996-01-01

Electromagnetic fields are suspected of many health effects, including cancers, immunity and fertility disorders, congenital malformations, suicides and depression.... Although the results of all studies are contradictory and no biological mechanism has been found, populations are concerned about this matter. This study analyzes the absence from work of some EDF employees who are a priori the most professionally exposed to ELF EMF. Absence from work is taken as an health indicator. Although it is not specific, it can be predictive of serious health problems. The specific context of EDF has made it possible to collect and analyze the medical aspect of absence from work, that is rare in France. We were interested with employees working with high voltage (over 90 kV). Three job categories have been selected: live line workers, substation maintenance workers and substation exploitation workers (called in the company the ATEX). The first group concerned the live linemen and the results were exposed previously. It appeared they had more accidents at work, but this was more related to the job of lineman rather than to the EMF exposure. Nevertheless, substation workers have an exposure less intensive but longer than live linemen. We present here the result about the absenteeism of the substation workers, maintenance and exploitation. (author)

Absence of early epileptiform abnormalities predicts lack of seizures on continuous EEG.

Science.gov (United States)

Shafi, Mouhsin M; Westover, M Brandon; Cole, Andrew J; Kilbride, Ronan D; Hoch, Daniel B; Cash, Sydney S

2012-10-23

To determine whether the absence of early epileptiform abnormalities predicts absence of later seizures on continuous EEG monitoring of hospitalized patients. We retrospectively reviewed 242 consecutive patients without a prior generalized convulsive seizure or active epilepsy who underwent continuous EEG monitoring lasting at least 18 hours for detection of nonconvulsive seizures or evaluation of unexplained altered mental status. The findings on the initial 30-minute screening EEG, subsequent continuous EEG recordings, and baseline clinical data were analyzed. We identified early EEG findings associated with absence of seizures on subsequent continuous EEG. Seizures were detected in 70 (29%) patients. A total of 52 patients had their first seizure in the initial 30 minutes of continuous EEG monitoring. Of the remaining 190 patients, 63 had epileptiform discharges on their initial EEG, 24 had triphasic waves, while 103 had no epileptiform abnormalities. Seizures were later detected in 22% (n = 14) of studies with epileptiform discharges on their initial EEG, vs 3% (n = 3) of the studies without epileptiform abnormalities on initial EEG (p monitoring is necessary.

Absence of paired crossing in the positive parity bands of 124Cs

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, A. K.; Basu, A.; Nag, Somnath; Hübel, H.; Domscheit, J.; Ragnarsson, I.; Al-Khatib, A.; Hagemann, G. B.; Herskind, B.; Elema, D. R.; Wilson, J. N.; Clark, R. M.; Cromaz, M.; Fallon, P.; Görgen, A.; Lee, I.-Y.; Ward, D.; Ma, W. C.

2018-02-01

High-spin states in 124Cs were populated in the 64Ni(64Ni,p 3 n ) reaction and the Gammasphere detector array was used to measure γ -ray coincidences. Both positive- and negative-parity bands, including bands with chiral configurations, have been extended to higher spin, where a shape change has been observed. The configurations of the bands before and after the alignment are discussed within the framework of the cranked Nilsson-Strutinsky model. The calculations suggest that the nucleus undergoes a shape transition from triaxial to prolate around spin I ≃22 of the positive-parity states. The alignment gain of 8 ℏ , observed in the positive-parity bands, is due to partial alignment of several valence nucleons. This indicates the absence of band crossing due to paired nucleons in the bands.

Work health determinants in employees without sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Schell, E; Theorell, T; Nilsson, B; Saraste, H

2013-01-01

Working ability is known to be related to good physical condition, clear work tasks, positive feedback and other occupational, organizational and psychosocial factors. In Sweden, high levels of sickness absence are due to stress-related disorders and musculoskeletal pain. To identify work health characteristics in a working population with a large variety of professional skills and occupational tasks. Employers' data on occupation, sickness absence, age and gender in a working population of 11 occupational groups and questionnaire responses regarding work-organization, environment, work stress, pain, health, and socio-demographic factors were collected. Employees with no history of sick-leave were compared with those with a history of sick-leave (1-182 days, mean 25 days). Of 2641 employees, 1961 participated. Those with no history of sick-leave reported less work-related pain, work-related stress, sleep disturbances, worry about their health, 'sick-presenteeism', monotonous work, bent and twisted working positions and exposure to disturbing noise than those with a history of sick-leave (P health, support from superiors, having influence on their working hours and evening and week-end working, longer working hours per week (P health and less neck, shoulder and back pain and more support from their superiors and influence on their working hours.

Congenital absence of the vagina with a functioning uterus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goto, Yasuo; Naito, Mariko; Noda, Yoichi; Ozasa, Hiroshi; Mori, Takahide

1986-01-01

A functioning uterus may be present in 5 to 10 % of the patients with congenital absence of the vagina. The proper treatment for these patients depends on accurate pre-operative diagnosis on whether or not a cervix is present, because the mode of operation should be selected according to the type of abnormality. Ultrasonography or X-ray CT scan will not always be useful to answer this question. We encountered a 15-year-old female with cyclic lower abdominal pain and the failure of onset of menstruation. The external genitalia were normal except for the absence of the vaginal opening. Ultrasonography and X-ray CT scan revealed the presence of both uterine corpus and hematocolpos, but no definite findings were obtained on the integrity of the cervix. By using NMR-CT scan, we found a hematocolpos, properly developed uterine cervix and corpus above it. We treated the patient by preserving the uterine function and the potential for pregnancy in the future. NMR-CT scan seems more useful in some cases for diagnosis of pelvic mass than ultrasonography and X-ray CT scan. (author)

Attention Contributes to Arithmetic Deficits in New-Onset Childhood Absence Epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Dazhi; Yan, Xiuxian; Gao, Zhijie; Xu, Keming; Chen, Qian

2017-01-01

Neuropsychological studies indicate that new-onset childhood absence epilepsy (CAE) is associated with deficits in attention and executive functioning. However, the contribution of these deficits to impaired academic performance remains unclear. We aimed to examine whether attention and executive functioning deficits account for the academic difficulties prevalent in patients with new-onset CAE. We analyzed cognitive performance in several domains, including language, mathematics, psychomotor speed, spatial ability, memory, general intelligence, attention, and executive functioning, in 35 children with new-onset CAE and 33 control participants. Patients with new-onset CAE exhibited deficits in mathematics, general intelligence, attention, and executive functioning. Furthermore, attention deficits, as measured by a visual tracing task, accounted for impaired arithmetic performance in the new-onset CAE group. Therefore, attention deficits, rather than impaired general intelligence or executive functioning, may be responsible for arithmetic performance deficits in patients with new-onset CAE.

Lung herniation into pericardial cavity: A case of partial congenital absence of right pericardium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadashiv B Tamagond

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Congenital absence of pericardium is rarely seen, often diagnosed intraoperatively during cardiac and thoracic surgeries. Left-sided pericardial defects are more common than right-sided ones. We present a case of an incidentally detected congenital absence of right pericardium with herniation of part of the right lung during ventricular septal defect closure surgery in a male child aged 4 years.

Exploring the linkage between the home domain and absence from work: Health, motivation, or both?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ten Brummelhuis, L.L.; ter Hoeven, C.L.; de Jong, M.D.T.; Peper, B.

2013-01-01

The aim of this study was twofold. First, we examined depleting and enriching effects of employees' home domain (home demands and quality time spent at home) on unscheduled absence from work. Second, we tested the assumption of the medical and withdrawal models that absence duration and frequency

Self-rated coping styles and registered sickness absence among nurses working in hospital care : A prospective 1-year cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schreuder, J. A. H.; Plat, N.; Mageroy, N.; Moen, B. E.; van der Klink, J. J. L.; Groothoff, J. W.; Roelen, C. A. M.

Background: Sickness absence is an important problem in healthcare that affects the quality of care. Sickness absence has been related to coping strategies. Problem-focused coping was shown to be associated with low sickness absence and emotion-focused coping with high sickness absence among postal

Parental Incarceration, Transnational Migration, and Military Deployment: Family Process Mechanisms of Youth Adjustment to Temporary Parent Absence

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez, Aubrey J.; Margolin, Gayla

2015-01-01

The temporary absence of a parent (e.g., due to incarceration, migration, or military deployment) is experienced by many youth and can have profound effects. Available research within these disparate literatures primarily has catalogued contextual and individual variables that influence youth adaptation, which are integrated and summarized here. In addition, we present a systematic review of proximal family process mechanisms by which youth and their family members adapt to periods of temporary parent absence. This systematic review across the different types of parent absence produced four themes: communication among family members, parenting characteristics during absence, negotiation of decision-making power and authority, and shifts in family roles. By juxtaposing the three types of temporary parent absence, we aim to bridge the separate research silos of parent absence due to incarceration, deployment, and migration, and to bring wide-ranging characteristics and processes of temporary parent-absent families into sharper focus. The review highlights possibilities for fuller integration of these literatures, and emphasizes the clinical value of considering these types of experiences from a family and relational perspective, rather than an individual coping perspective. PMID:25304163

Contempt as the absence of appraisal, not recognition, respect.

Science.gov (United States)

Mason, Michelle

2017-01-01

Gervais & Fessler's defense of a sentiment construct for contempt captures features distinguishing the phenomenon from basic emotions and highlights the fact that it comprises a coordinated syndrome of responses. However, their conceptualization of contempt as the absence of respect equivocates. Consequently, a "dignity" culture that prescribes respect does not thereby limit legitimate contempt in the manner the authors claim.

Common mental disorders : Prediction of sickness absence durations and recurrences

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuper, Lammechiena

2016-01-01

Psychological disorders cause a considerable proportion of long-term sickness absence and constitute the most significant reason for disability pensions of employees under 55 years of age. Knowledge of the risk factors will help occupational physicians to initiate treatments and interventions at an

Differences in sickness absence between self-employed and employed doctors: a cross-sectional study on national sample of Norwegian doctors in 2010

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background Doctors have a low prevalence of sickness absence. Employment status is a determinant in the multifactorial background of sickness absence. The effect of doctors’ employment status on sickness absence is unexplored. The study compares the number of sickness absence days during the last 12 months and the impact of employment status, psychosocial work stress, self-rated health and demographics on sickness absence between self-employed practitioners and employed hospital doctors in Norway. Methods The study population consisted of a representative sample of 521 employed interns and consultants and 313 self-employed GPs and private practice specialists in Norway, who received postal questionnaires in 2010. The questionnaires contained items on sickness absence days during the last 12 months, employment status, demographics, self-rated health, professional autonomy and psychosocial work stress. Results 84% (95% CI 80 to 88%) of self-employed and 60% (95% CI 55 to 64%) of employed doctors reported no absence at all last year. In three multivariate logistic regression models with sickness absence as response variable, employment category was a highly significant predictor for absence vs. no absence, 1 to 3 days of absence vs. no absence and 4 to 99 days of absence vs. no absence), while in a model with 100 or more days of absence vs. no absence, there was no difference between employment categories, suggesting that serious chronic disease or injury is less dependent on employment category. Average or poor self-rated health and low professional autonomy, were also significant predictors of sickness absence, while psychosocial work stress, age and gender were not. Conclusion Self-employed GPs and private practice specialist reported lower sickness absence than employed hospital doctors. Differences in sickness compensation, and organisational and individual factors may to a certain extent explain this finding. PMID:24885230

Sickness absence and subsequent disposable income: A population-based cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiberg, Michael; Friberg, Emilie; Palmer, Edward; Stenbeck, Magnus

2015-06-01

Studies show a negative association between an absence from work due to disease of injury (sickness absence (SA)) and subsequent earnings; however, little is known about the association between SA and an individuals' subsequent overall economic welfare. Our primary objective was to evaluate individuals' disposable income (DI) following a spell of SA. Our secondary objective was to examine if the potential association between SA and DI differs, depending on the diagnosis given to that sickness or the duration of the SA spell. We used a cohort based on a linked individual register database that includes all individuals living in Sweden from 2001 to 2005, aged 30-54. DI was measured 2-6 years after a spell of SA and compared with a propensity score-matched reference group (individuals without SA in 2005). Each year of follow-up during 2007-2011 was estimated by linear regression for three different forms of exposure: SA (yes/no), diagnosis specific (cancer, circulatory, injuries, musculoskeletal or mental illnesses), and by duration of the SA spell (15-29, 30-89, 90-179 or > 179 days). Individuals with SA during 2005 had 4% lower disposable income in subsequent years than the reference group. Our results were similar across diagnoses, except for mental diagnoses, where disposable income was 7-10% lower than the reference group; and for cancer, where we found only a marginal difference among those with SA and the reference group. Furthermore, DI was negatively associated with the SA spell duration. SA was associated with lower subsequent DI, 2–6 years after a SA spell, especially after a mental illness diagnosis and if the SA was for longer spells. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Risk factors of long-term sickness absence in Norway and Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vegard Johansen

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Aims: This paper examines the level of long-term sickness absence (LTSA in Norway and Sweden. It also investigates whether risk factors of LTSA are the same in Norway and Sweden. Methods: More than 2500 Norwegian and Swedish workers between 20 and 60 years of age answered a postal questionnaire. The Norwegian and Swedish samples are weighted and representative with regard to regional background variables and demographic background variables, but the response rate was low. LTSA is defined as 15 days or more sickness absence in the previous year. Binary logistic regression is used to detect which factors influence LTSA. The analyses of LTSA include demographic factors, socio-economic position, and occupational characteristics. Results: Nineteen per cent of respondents in Norway and 11 per cent of respondents in Sweden experienced LTSA in the previous year. Many respondents from Sweden report mental problems and many Norwegian respondents report pain in back, neck, knuckles, and muscles. Income level is the most important predictor of LTSA in both countries. The direct impacts of gender, age, and physical work conditions are stronger in Norway than Sweden.Discussion: In accordance with official statistics and previous studies, the proportion of Norwegian respondents with LTSA is much higher than the proportion of Swedish respondents. The different levels of LTSA could be linked to differences in social policy. In line with previous studies, respondents with low income are overrepresented with LTSA, and gender, age, and physical work also matter. In contrast to previous studies, there is not any evidence of higher levels of LTSA among non-western immigrants, people with less education, and non-managers. These results reflect the control for ‘income level’, but they could also be related to limits with the survey (non-response, response bias, etc..

Bilateral congenital absence of flexor pollicis longus with thumb hypoplasia and thenar atrophy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhary, Vikas; Sehgal, Harsha; Bano, Shahina; Parmar, Pranjali R; Kumar, Sanjay

2014-01-01

Congenital absence of flexor pollicis longus with or without associated anomalies of thenar muscles and thumb is of rare occurrence. Inability to flex the interphalangeal joint of the thumb and absent dorsal wrinkles and flexion creases of the thumb are important clues to the diagnosis. Routine radiography and cross-sectional imaging help to confirm and document the condition. This article presents an extremely rare case of bilateral congenital absence of flexor pollicis longus tendon with thumb hypoplasia and thenar atrophy

Workload, work stress, and sickness absence in Swedish male and female white-collar employees.

Science.gov (United States)

Krantz, Gunilla; Lundberg, Ulf

2006-01-01

This study aimed to analyse, in a homogeneous population of highly educated men and women, gender differences in self-reported sickness absence as related to paid and unpaid work and combinations of these (double exposure), as well as to perceived work stress and work-home conflict, i.e. conflict between demands from the home and work environment. A total of 743 women and 596 men, full-time working white-collar employees randomly selected from the general Swedish population aged 32-58, were assessed by a Swedish total workload instrument. The influence of conditions in paid and unpaid work and combinations of these on self-reported sickness absence was investigated by multivariate regression analyses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess differences between men and women. Overtime was associated with lower sickness absence, not only for men but also for women, and a double-exposure situation did not increase the risk of sick leave. Contrary to what is normally seen, conflict between demands did not emerge as a risk factor for sickness absence for women, but for men. Our assumption that sickness absence patterns would be more similar for white-collar men and women than for the general population was not confirmed. However, the women working most hours were also the least sick-listed and assumed less responsibility for household chores. These women were mainly in top-level positions and therefore we conclude that men and women in these high-level positions seem to share household burdens more evenly, but they can also afford to employ someone to assist in the household.

Does Father Absence Place Daughters at Special Risk for Early Sexual Activity and Teenage Pregnancy?

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, Bruce J.; Bates, John E.; Dodge, Kenneth A.; Fergusson, David M.; Horwood, L. John; Pettit, Gregory S.; Woodward, Lianne

2003-01-01

Longitudinal studies in two countries investigated impact of father absence on girls' early sexual activity (ESA) and teenage pregnancy. Findings indicated that greater exposure to father absence strongly related to elevated ESA and adolescent pregnancy risk. Elevated risk was not explained (U.S. sample) or only partly explained (New Zealand…

Labour market trajectories following sickness absence due to self-reported all cause morbidity--a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pedersen, Pernille; Lund, Thomas; Lindholdt, Louise; Nohr, Ellen A; Jensen, Chris; Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Labriola, Merete

2016-04-16

To investigate differences in return to work (RTW) and employment trajectories in individuals on sick leave for either mental health reasons or other health related reasons. This study was based on 2036 new sickness absence cases who completed a questionnaire on social characteristics, expectations for RTW and reasons for sickness absence. They were divided into two exposure groups according to their self-reported sickness absence reason: mental health reasons or other health reasons. The outcome was employment status during the following 51 weeks and was measured both as time-to-event analysis and with sequence analysis. Individuals with mental health reasons for sickness absence had a higher risk of not having returned to work (RR 0.87 (0.80;0.93)). Adjusting for gender, age, education and employment did not change the estimate, however, after adding RTW expectations to the model, the excess risk was no longer present (RR 1.01 (0.95;1.08)). In relation to the sequence analysis, individuals with mental health related absence had significantly higher odds of being in the sickness absence cluster and significantly lower odds for being in the fast RTW cluster, but when adjusting for RTW expectations, the odds were somewhat attenuated and no longer significant. Employees on sick leave due to self-reported mental health problems spent more weeks in sickness absence and temporary benefits and had a higher risk of not having returned to work within a year compared to employees on sick leave due to other health reasons. The difference could be explained by their lower RTW expectations at baseline. This emphasises the need to develop suitable and specific interventions to facilitate RTW for this group of sickness absentees.

Physical capacity and risk for long-term sickness absence: a prospective cohort study among 8664 female health care workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rasmussen, Charlotte Diana Nørregaard; Andersen, Lars Louis; Clausen, Thomas; Strøyer, Jesper; Jørgensen, Marie Birk; Holtermann, Andreas

2015-05-01

To assess the prospective associations between self-reported physical capacity and risk of long-term sickness absence among female health care workers. Female health care workers answered a questionnaire about physical capacity and were followed in a national register of sickness absence lasting for two or more consecutive weeks during 1-year follow-up. Using Cox regression hazard ratio analyses adjusted for age, smoking, body mass index, physical workload, job seniority, psychosocial work conditions, and previous sickness absence, we modeled risk estimates for sickness absence from low and medium physical capacity. Low and medium aerobic fitness, low muscle strength, low flexibility, and low overall physical capacity significantly increased the risk for sickness absence with 20% to 34% compared with health care workers with high capacity. Low physical capacity increases the risk of long-term sickness absence among female health care workers.

[Influence of the working conditions on sickness absence due to common diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Vaquero-Álvarez, Manuel; Álvarez-Theurer, Esther; Romero Saldaña, Manuel

2018-04-01

To estimate the importance of the working environment in sickness absence, as well as to show possible relationships with clinical-work variables. A descriptive observational study. SITE: Medical Inspection of an Andalusian province. A total of 1016 workers on certified sick leave due to a common illness. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect demographic data, profession, activity, risk assessment, and perceived occupational cause, on patients who voluntarily gave their consent when they were reviewed during 2015. The illness that caused certified sickness absences was verified in the computerised medical records. Using criteria applied by experts, the role of working conditions in each episode of certified sick leave was assessed. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine any relationships between the variables. An inadequate work environment was found in 17.1% of the sickness processes. Health and hospitality services activities have a significant association with working conditions as a cause of sick leave (P<.001). With respect to diagnosis, anxiety-depressive disorders (P<.01) and low back pain (P<.05) were associated with working conditions. The factors related to certified sickness absence and work environment were: residence (OR=0.34, 0.21-0.6), normal/higher education (OR=1.7, 1.2-2.4), (OR=2.0 1.3-3.1), large companies (OR=1.97, 1.3-2.9), and job (OR=2.7, 1.6-3, 2). Sickness absence is affected by factors related to the work environment. Specific preventive actions for workers at their workplace could reduce work related diseases classified as a common illness. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Computer-based video analysis identifies infants with absence of fidgety movements.

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Støen, Ragnhild; Songstad, Nils Thomas; Silberg, Inger Elisabeth; Fjørtoft, Toril; Jensenius, Alexander Refsum; Adde, Lars

2017-10-01

BackgroundAbsence of fidgety movements (FMs) at 3 months' corrected age is a strong predictor of cerebral palsy (CP) in high-risk infants. This study evaluates the association between computer-based video analysis and the temporal organization of FMs assessed with the General Movement Assessment (GMA).MethodsInfants were eligible for this prospective cohort study if referred to a high-risk follow-up program in a participating hospital. Video recordings taken at 10-15 weeks post term age were used for GMA and computer-based analysis. The variation of the spatial center of motion, derived from differences between subsequent video frames, was used for quantitative analysis.ResultsOf 241 recordings from 150 infants, 48 (24.1%) were classified with absence of FMs or sporadic FMs using the GMA. The variation of the spatial center of motion (C SD ) during a recording was significantly lower in infants with normal (0.320; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.309, 0.330) vs. absence of or sporadic (0.380; 95% CI 0.361, 0.398) FMs (P<0.001). A triage model with C SD thresholds chosen for sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 80% gave a 40% referral rate for GMA.ConclusionQuantitative video analysis during the FMs' period can be used to triage infants at high risk of CP to early intervention or observational GMA.

Predicting the duration of sickness absence for patients with common mental disorders in occupational health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieuwenhuijsen, Karen; Verbeek, Jos H A M; de Boer, Angela G E M; Blonk, Roland W B; van Dijk, Frank J H

2006-02-01

This study attempted to determine the factors that best predict the duration of absence from work among employees with common mental disorders. A cohort of 188 employees, of whom 102 were teachers, on sick leave with common mental disorders was followed for 1 year. Only information potentially available to the occupational physician during a first consultation was included in the predictive model. The predictive power of the variables was tested using Cox's regression analysis with a stepwise backward selection procedure. The hazard ratios (HR) from the final model were used to deduce a simple prediction rule. The resulting prognostic scores were then used to predict the probability of not returning to work after 3, 6, and 12 months. Calculating the area under the curve from the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve tested the discriminative ability of the prediction rule. The final Cox's regression model produced the following four predictors of a longer time until return to work: age older than 50 years [HR 0.5, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.3-0.8], expectation of duration absence longer than 3 months (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8), higher educational level (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.8), and diagnosis depression or anxiety disorder (HR 0.7, 95% CI 0.4-0.9). The resulting prognostic score yielded areas under the curves ranging from 0.68 to 0.73, which represent acceptable discrimination of the rule. A prediction rule based on four simple variables can be used by occupational physicians to identify unfavorable cases and to predict the duration of sickness absence.

Effects of a weight-gain restriction programme for obese pregnant women on sickness absence and pregnancy benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

Sydsjö, Gunilla; Monfils, Wiktor Gustafsson; de Keyser, Nicholas; Claesson, Ing-Marie; Sydsjö, Adam; Josefsson, Ann

2013-06-01

To evaluate the effect of a weight-gain restriction programme for obese pregnant women on sickness absence days and pregnancy benefit days during pregnancy and postpartum. A prospective, controlled intervention study. The Swedish Social Security Agency's records were utilized to compile sickness absence and pregnancy benefit information. Antenatal care clinics in the south-east of Sweden. One hundred fifty-five obese pregnant women who participated in a weight restriction program with weekly structured motivational and behavioural talks combined with aqua-aerobics during pregnancy. A total of 193 obese pregnant women with no intervention served as controls. Sickness absence benefits and pregnancy benefits expressed as a percentage. On average women in the intervention group had 76.68 total full days of sickness absence benefit compared with 53.09 days in the control group. Total full days of pregnancy benefits were 39.66% days and 41.41% for the intervention and control groups respectively. For the women who were on sick leave there were no differences between the groups in the amount of days taken. Given the complexity of factors that have an influence on sickness absence leave, it is possible that programmes that do not address the influence of social aspects and attitudes towards sickness absence have limited effect.

Studies of “emaciation ailment” in the Bactrian camel

African Journals Online (AJOL)

hope&shola

2010-12-06

Dec 6, 2010 ... found that concentrations of copper (Cu) in soil and forage from affected and unaffected areas were similar, but the .... superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase ... and Zn, respectively). On the ...

Genetic absence rats have a lower threshold for limbic type of afterdischarges: a cortical stimulation study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tolmacheva, E.A.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Chepurnov, S.A.; Mares, P.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Kuznetsova, G.D.; Coenen, A.M.L.; Chepurnov, S.A.

2004-01-01

Classical theories on absence epilepsy suggest that a hyperexcitable cortex is a precondition for the occurrence of absence seizures. In the present experiment seizure thresholds and cortical epileptic afterdischarges (AD) were determined in a comparative study of genetically epileptic WAG/Rij,

Congenital Absence of a Teat in a Japanese Black Heifer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Elshabrawy Ghanem

2011-01-01

Full Text Available A case of Japanese Black heifer with a congenital absence of teat (athelia was observed at Highashi-Hiroshima Agricultural High School, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. The heifer was born after transfer of embryo from Japanese Black cattle. The sire of the heifer was a proven Japanese Black. The birth weight of the heifer was 27 kg. On physical examination of the heifer at 21 months after birth, the teat at fore left was absent and the remaining three teats were normal in shape without any physical abnormalities. Per rectal palpation of the genital organs revealed the normal cervix and uterine horns. It was difficult to palpate the ovaries due to the fat around the organs. Blood samples were taken for cytogenetic and DNA testing. The heifer had normal chromosomal set. The heifer was culled due to its mammary abnormality. This might be the first to report a case of congenital absence of a teat in Japanese Black heifers.

The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin in alcohol-related sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hermansson, Ulric; Helander, Anders; Brandt, Lena; Huss, Anders; Rönnberg, Sten

2002-01-01

Previous studies have shown that elevated, risky levels of alcohol consumption may lead to higher rates of sickness absence. However, no studies have examined the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) or serum carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) in relation to sickness absence in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sick-days, 12 months before screening, and the AUDIT and CDT (CDTect kit). Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase also was used for comparison. The study was carried out over 36 months in a large workplace and formed part of an ongoing controlled study. In conjunction with a routine health examination, employees were offered the opportunity to undergo an alcohol screening. Absence data were obtained from the company payroll system, and sickness absence was analyzed by using a three-ordinal level cumulative logistic model on the number of sick-days. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. Of the 989 subjects who participated in the study, 193 (19.5%) screened positive in relation to either the AUDIT (>or=8 points) or CDT (women), or both. Employees who screened positive with the AUDIT had a significantly higher proportion of sick-days (p = 0.047) compared with those who screened negative (OR = 1.4, CI 1.0-1.9). Neither long, continuous periods of sickness absence nor absence on Mondays or Fridays gave a clear indication of individuals who screened positive on the AUDIT or CDT test. Our data indicate that individuals with moderately elevated or risky levels of alcohol consumption show an increase in sick-days. Accordingly, workplaces have a good reason for using a more systematic approach to alcohol screening in routine workplace health examinations.

A one-item workability measure mediates work demands, individual resources and health in the prediction of sickness absence.

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Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Burr, Hermann; Diderichsen, Finn; Bjorner, Jakob Bue

2013-10-01

The study tested the hypothesis that a one-item workability measure represented an assessment of the fit between resources (the individuals' physical and mental health and functioning) and workplace demands and that this resource/demand fit was a mediator in the prediction of sickness absence. We also estimated the relative importance of health and work environment for workability and sickness absence. Baseline data were collected within a Danish work and health survey (3,214 men and 3,529 women) and followed up in a register of sickness absence. Probit regression analysis with workability as mediator was performed for a binary outcome of sickness absence. The predictors in the analysis were as follows: age, social class, physical health, mental health, number of diagnoses, ergonomic exposures, occupational noise, exposure to risks, social support from supervisor, job control and quantitative demands. High age, poor health and ergonomic exposures were associated with low workability and mediated by workability to sickness absence for both genders. Low social class and low quantitative demands were associated with low workability and mediated to sickness absence among men. The mediated part was from 11 to 63 % of the total effect for the significant predictors. Workability mediated health, age, social class and ergonomic exposures in the prediction of sickness absence. The health predictors had the highest association with both workability and sickness absence; physical work environment was higher associated with the outcomes than psychosocial work environment. However, the explanatory value of the predictors for the variance in the model was low.

Long hours in paid and domestic work and subsequent sickness absence: does control over daily working hours matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Ala-Mursula, L; Vahtera, J; Kouvonen, A; Väänänen, A; Linna, A; Pentti, J; Kivimäki, M

2006-09-01

To explore the associations of working hours (paid, domestic, commuting, and total) with sickness absence, and to examine whether these associations vary according to the level of employee control over daily working hours. Prospective cohort study among 25 703 full-time public sector employees in 10 towns in Finland. A survey of working hours and control over working hours was carried out in 2000-01. The survey responses were linked with register data on the number of self-certified (3 days) sickness absences until the end of 2003. Poisson regression analyses with generalised estimating equations were used to take into account the fact that the employees were nested within work units. Adjustments were made for work and family characteristics and health behaviour. The mean follow-up period was 28.1 (SD 8.1) months. Long domestic and total working hours were associated with higher rates of medically certified sickness absences among both genders. In contrast, long paid working hours were associated with lower rates of subsequent self-certified sickness absences. Long commuting hours were related to increased rates of sickness absence of both types. Low control over daily working hours predicted medically certified sickness absences for both the women and men and self-certified absences for the men. In combinations, high control over working hours reduced the adverse associations of long domestic and total working hours with medically certified absences. Employee control over daily working hours may protect health and help workers successfully combine a full-time job with the demands of domestic work.

Socio-demographic and work-related risk factors for medium- and long-term sickness absence among Italian workers.

Science.gov (United States)

d'Errico, Angelo; Costa, Giuseppe

2012-10-01

Few studies investigated determinants of sickness absence in representative samples of the general population, none of which in Italy. Aim of this study was to assess influence and relative importance of socio-demographic and work-related characteristics on medium- and long-term sickness absence in a random sample of Italian workers. Approximately 60,000 workers participating in a national survey in 2007 were interviewed regarding sickness absence during the whole previous week, and on socio-demographics, employment characteristics and exposure to a set of physical and psychosocial hazards in the workplace. The association between sickness absence and potential determinants was estimated by multivariable logistic regression models stratified by gender. From the final multivariate models, in both genders sickness absence was statistically significantly associated with tenure employment, working in larger firms, exposure to risk of injury and to bullying or discrimination and, among employees, with shift work. In males, sickness absence was also associated with lower education, employment in the public administration and with exposure to noise or vibration, whereas among women also with manual work and ergonomic factors. In both genders, the attributable fraction for employment-related characteristics was higher than that for socio-demographic ones. The association with tenure or salaried jobs, and with employment in larger firms or in the public sector suggests that, besides illness, job security is the most important determinant of sickness absence, consistently with the results of previous studies. However, our results indicate that a reduction in exposure to workplace hazards may contribute to reduce absenteeism.

Does workplace social capital protect against long-term sickness absence? Linking workplace aggregated social capital to sickness absence registry data.

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Anne-Sophie K; Madsen, Ida E H; Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Melkevik, Ole; Bjørner, Jakob Bue; Andersen, Ingelise; Rugulies, Reiner

2018-05-01

Most previous prospective studies have examined workplace social capital as a resource of the individual. However, literature suggests that social capital is a collective good. In the present study we examined whether a high level of workplace aggregated social capital (WASC) predicts a decreased risk of individual-level long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in Danish private sector employees. A sample of 2043 employees (aged 18-64 years, 38.5% women) from 260 Danish private-sector companies filled in a questionnaire on workplace social capital and covariates. WASC was calculated by assigning the company-averaged social capital score to all employees of each company. We derived LTSA, defined as sickness absence of more than three weeks, from a national register. We examined if WASC predicted employee LTSA using multilevel survival analyses, while excluding participants with LTSA in the three months preceding baseline. We found no statistically significant association in any of the analyses. The hazard ratio for LTSA in the fully adjusted model was 0.93 (95% CI 0.77-1.13) per one standard deviation increase in WASC. When using WASC as a categorical exposure we found a statistically non-significant tendency towards a decreased risk of LTSA in employees with medium WASC (fully adjusted model: HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.48-1.27)). Post hoc analyses with workplace social capital as a resource of the individual showed similar results. WASC did not predict LTSA in this sample of Danish private-sector employees.

Increase in sickness absence with psychiatric diagnosis in Norway: a general population-based epidemiologic study of age, gender and regional distribution

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Brage Sören

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of sickness absence with psychiatric diagnoses from 1994–2000, and the distribution across gender, age groups, diagnostic groups and regions in a general population. Methods The population at risk was defined as all individuals aged 16–66 years who were entitled to sickness benefits in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000 (n = 2,282,761 in 2000. All individuals with a full-time disability pension were excluded. The study included approximately 77% of the Norwegian population aged 16–66 years. For each year, the study base started on 1 January and ended on 31 December. Individuals that were sick-listed for more than 14/16 consecutive days with a psychiatric diagnosis on their medical certificate were selected as cases. Included in this study were data for Norway, the capital city Oslo and five regions in the southeast of the country. Results Sickness absence with psychiatric diagnoses increased in all age groups, in women and men, and in all regions. At the national level, the cumulative incidence increased in women from 1.7% in 1994 to 4.6% in 2000, and in men from 0.8% in 1994 to 2.2% in 2000. The highest cumulative incidence was found in middle-aged women and men (30–59 years. Women had a higher incidence than men in all stratification groups. The cumulative incidences in 2000 varied between 4.6% to 5.6% in women in the different regions, and for men the corresponding figures were 2.1% to 3.2%. Throughout the four years studied, women in Oslo had more than twice as high incidence levels of sickness absence with alcohol and drug diagnoses as the country as a whole. There were some differences between regions in sickness absence with specific psychiatric diagnoses, but they were small and most comparisons were non-significant. Conclusion Sickness absence with psychiatric diagnoses increased between 1994 and 2000 in Norway. The increase was highest in the middle-aged, and in women

Cortical and subcortical brain alterations in Juvenile Absence Epilepsy

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Manuela Tondelli

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the common assumption that genetic generalized epilepsies are characterized by a macroscopically normal brain on magnetic resonance imaging, subtle structural brain alterations have been detected by advanced neuroimaging techniques in Childhood Absence Epilepsy syndrome. We applied quantitative structural MRI analysis to a group of adolescents and adults with Juvenile Absence Epilepsy (JAE in order to investigate micro-structural brain changes using different brain measures. We examined grey matter volumes, cortical thickness, surface areas, and subcortical volumes in 24 patients with JAE compared to 24 healthy controls; whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM and Freesurfer analyses were used. When compared to healthy controls, patients revealed both grey matter volume and surface area reduction in bilateral frontal regions, anterior cingulate, and right mesial-temporal lobe. Correlation analysis with disease duration showed that longer disease was correlated with reduced surface area in right pre- and post-central gyrus. A possible effect of valproate treatment on brain structures was excluded. Our results indicate that subtle structural brain changes are detectable in JAE and are mainly located in anterior nodes of regions known to be crucial for awareness, attention and memory.

The attribution of work environment in explaining gender differences in long-term sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Labriola, Merete; Holte, Kari Anne; Christensen, Karl Bang

2011-01-01

. Conclusion Differences in psychosocial work environments in terms of emotional demands, reward at work, management quality and role conflicts, explained roughly 30% of women's excess long-term sickness absence risk. Assuming women and men had identical working conditions would leave the larger part......Objectives To identify differences in risk of long-term sickness absence between female and male employees in Denmark and to examine to what extent differences could be explained by work environment factors. Methods A cohort of 5026 employees (49.1% women, mean age 40.4 years; 50.9% men, mean age....... Results 298 workers (5.9%) received sickness absence compensation for 8 weeks or more. Women had an excess risk of 37% compared to men, when adjusting for age, family status and socio-economic position. Physical work environment exposures could not explain this difference, whereas differences...

Alcohol use and sickness absence due to all causes and mental- or musculoskeletal disorders: a nationally representative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaila-Kangas, Leena; Koskinen, Aki; Leino-Arjas, Päivi; Virtanen, Marianna; Härkänen, Tommi; Lallukka, Tea

2018-01-17

Previous studies have not distinguished between different alcohol-use histories, which could have contributed to the current inconsistent evidence regarding the relationship between alcohol use and subsequent sickness absence. We thus examined alcohol use and subsequent diagnosis-specific sickness absence in groups with different levels of alcohol use, as well as in lifelong abstainers, former drinkers, and people with clinical alcohol use disorders. The data of the population-based Health 2000 Survey (BRIF8901) of 3666 Finns aged 30-55 were linked with national registers on medically certified sickness absences lasting for > 10 working days (long-term) for all causes (2000 - 2010) and for mental or musculoskeletal disorders (2004-2010), as well as with registers on pensions and death (2000-2010). Alcohol use was assessed by questionnaire. Chronic somatic diseases were evaluated at baseline in a clinical examination, and common mental and alcohol use disorders using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Cox regression analyses were conducted with censoring for death and retirement from work. During an average 10-year follow-up, 56.0% of the participants had at least one long-term sickness absence period. Compared with light drinkers, those having an alcohol use disorder had increased risk of all-cause sickness absence (HR = 1.27; 95% CI = 1.04 - 1.54) and sickness absence due to mental disorders (HR = 2.16; 95% CI = 1.39 - 3.35), when somatic and mental disorders as well as demographic, lifestyle-related and occupational factors at baseline were accounted for. Lifelong abstainers did not differ from light drinkers. Also high-volume drinking (HR = 1.52; 95% CI 1.03 - 2.25) and former drinking (HR = 1.57; 95% CI = 1.15 - 2.15) were associated with long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders. Alcohol use was not predictive of sickness absence due to musculoskeletal disorders. These results

A Japanese Stress Check Program screening tool predicts employee long-term sickness absence: a prospective study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsutsumi, Akizumi; Shimazu, Akihito; Eguchi, Hisashi; Inoue, Akiomi; Kawakami, Norito

2018-01-25

On December 1, 2015, the Japanese government launched the Stress Check Program, a new occupational health policy to screen employees for high psychosocial stress in the workplace. As only weak evidence exists for the effectiveness of the program, we sought to estimate the risk of stress-associated long-term sickness absence as defined in the program manual. Participants were 7356 male and 7362 female employees in a financial service company who completed the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ). We followed them for 1 year and used company records to identify employees with sickness absence of 1 month or longer. We defined high-risk employees using the BJSQ and criteria recommended by the program manual. We used the Cox proportional regression model to evaluate the prospective association between stress and long-term sickness absence. During the follow-up period, we identified 34 male and 35 female employees who took long-term sickness absence. After adjustment for age, length of service, job type, position, and post-examination interview, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for incident long-term sickness absence in high-stress employees were 6.59 (3.04-14.25) for men and 2.77 (1.32-5.83) for women. The corresponding population attributable risks for high stress were 23.8% (10.3-42.6) for men and 21.0% (4.6-42.1) for women. During the 1-year follow-up, employees identified as high stress (as defined by the Stress Check Program manual) had significantly elevated risks for long-term sickness absence.

A ‘Balanced’ Life: Work-Life Balance and Sickness Absence in Four Nordic Countries

OpenAIRE

D Antai; A Oke; P Braithwaite; DS Anthony

2015-01-01

Background: Little attention has been given to the relationship between work-life balance and sickness absence. Objective: To investigate the association between poor work-life balance and sickness absence in 4 Nordic welfare states. Methods: Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on pooled cross-sectional data of workers aged 15–65 years from Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway (n=4186) obtained from the 2010 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). Poor work-lif...

Interrupted Aortic Arch Associated with Absence of Left Common Carotid Artery: Imaging with MDCT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onbas, Omer; Olgun, Hasim; Ceviz, Naci; Ors, Rahmi; Okur, Adnan

2006-01-01

Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) is a rare severe congenital heart defect defined as complete luminal and anatomic discontinuity between ascending and descending aorta. Although its association with various congenital heart defects has been reported, absence of left common carotid artery (CCA) in patients with IAA has not been reported previously. We report a case of IAA associated with the absence of left CCA which was clearly shown on multidetector-row spiral CT

Backward running or absence of running from Creutz ratios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giedt, Joel; Weinberg, Evan

2011-01-01

We extract the running coupling based on Creutz ratios in SU(2) lattice gauge theory with two Dirac fermions in the adjoint representation. Depending on how the extrapolation to zero fermion mass is performed, either backward running or an absence of running is observed at strong bare coupling. This behavior is consistent with other findings which indicate that this theory has an infrared fixed point.

Absence of Debye screening in the quantum Coulomb system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brydges, D.C.; Keller, G.

1994-01-01

We present an approximation to the quantum Coulomb plasma at equilibrium which captures the power-law violations of Debye screening which have been reported in recent papers. The objectives are (1) to produce a simpler model which we will study in forthcoming papers, and (2) to develop a strategy by which the absence of screening can be proven for the low-density quantum Coulomb plasma itself

Complete absence of rib ossification, micrognathia and ear anomalies: extreme expression of cerebro-costo-mandibular syndrome?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hennekam, R. C.; Goldschmeding, R.

1998-01-01

We describe a newborn with complete absence of ossification of the ribs, extreme micrognathia, absence of external ear canals and the inner ears, and diminished mobility in the upper extremities. It is suggested that this represents an unusually severe expression of the cerebro-costo-mandibular

The absence of later wave components in auditory brainstem responses as an initial manifestation of type 2 Gaucher disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Okubo, Yusuke; Goto, Masahiro; Sakakibara, Hiroshi; Terakawa, Toshiro; Kaneko, Takashi; Miyama, Sahoko

2014-12-01

Type 2 Gaucher disease is the most severe neuronopathic form of Gaucher disease and is characterized by severe neurodegeneration with brainstem involvement and organ failure. Prediction or diagnosis of type 2 Gaucher disease before the development of neurological complications is difficult. A 5-month-old female infant presented with deafness without other neurological abnormalities. Auditory brainstem response analysis revealed the absence of later wave components. Two months later, muscular rigidity became evident, followed by the development of opisthotonus and strabismus. Rapid progression of splenomegaly led to the diagnosis of type 2 Gaucher disease. Abnormal auditory brainstem response findings may already exist before the development of severe brainstem abnormalities such as muscular rigidity and opisthotonus in type 2 Gaucher disease. When patients present with deafness and absent later wave components on auditory brainstem response, type 2 Gaucher disease should be included in the differential diagnosis even in the absence of other neurological abnormalities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Decrease in Work Ability Index and sickness absence during the following year: a two-year follow-up study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohta, Masanori; Higuchi, Yoshiyuki; Kumashiro, Masaharu; Yamato, Hiroshi; Sugimura, Hisamichi

2017-11-01

Using a 2-year follow-up design, we examined whether changes in work ability during 1 year predicted sickness absence in the following year. Workers (N = 1408) from the Japanese information technology sector each completed the Work Ability Index (WAI), the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ), and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in 2011 and 2012. Absence data during 2013 was obtained from employees' computerized attendance records. We used psychological distress as evaluated by the GHQ; job stress and job support calculated using the BJSQ; and job title, sex, and age as potential confounding variables. Thirty-five employees had at least one sickness absence lasting more than seven consecutive days in 2013. Forty-nine percent of sickness absences were due to mental illness, and the others were due to orthopedic disease (20%), cancer (9%), and other illnesses (23%). Decrease in WAI scores from 2011 to 2012 predicted sickness absence in 2013 (Odds ratio (OR) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12-1.27). This association remained unaltered after adjusting for sex, age, job title, WAI score from the year before, job stress, job support, and GHQ score (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.06-1.25). We analyzed this association separately by reason for absence: mental or other illness. WAI score decreases predicted sickness absence for both reasons (OR for mental illness 1.24, 95% CI 1.14-1.36; OR for other illnesses 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.24). Decrease in work ability during the year predicts sickness absence in the following year while predictive power was weak.

Age differences in the association between stressful work and sickness absence among full-time employed workers: evidence from the German socio-economic panel.

Science.gov (United States)

Götz, Simon; Hoven, Hanno; Müller, Andreas; Dragano, Nico; Wahrendorf, Morten

2018-05-01

We aim to extend current knowledge on associations between stressful work and sickness absence, first, by studying associations between ERI and sickness absence among full-time employees from various occupations, and second, by investigating if associations vary by age. We use data from four waves of the German socio-economic panel (GSOEP), collected among men and women between 2006 and 2012, with 9418 observations. Stressful work is measured with a short form of the ERI questionnaire. We investigate an imbalance between effort and reward (ER ratio) as well as the two main components ("high effort" and "low reward"). Sickness absence is measured by self-reported number of sickness days (assessed the following year). After descriptive analyses, we estimate a series of multivariable regressions, including tests for interactions between age and work stress. Each of the three indicators of stressful work is related to higher number of sickness days, with except of "high effort" in case of men. Findings remain significant after adjusting for social position (income, education and occupational class) and health. In addition, for both men and women, associations were slightly higher among older workers, though interactions did not reach statistical significance. Our findings support that stressful work is linked to sickness absence across a wide spectrum of jobs with varying incomes and educational levels, and also that associations are slightly more pronounced among older workers.

The influence of the absence of fathers and the timing of separation on anxiety and self-esteem of adolescents: a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, J; Wang, L-G; Gao, W-B

2012-09-01

Many rural children in China have been experiencing life without fathers since the 1990s, when their fathers left the rural areas for the urban areas to find a job that would allow them to continue to support their family. However, to date, knowledge and understanding of the effects of the absence of fathers and timing of separation on the mental health of adolescents are limited. A total of 2233 students, ranging in age from 11 to 23 years, from five provinces of China, including 1024 adolescents who experienced the absence of their fathers, were recruited for this study. The data were collected using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, which were self-report questionnaires. Findings from a structured questionnaire showed that the subjects who experienced life without fathers have increased state-anxiety (t=-5.80, P self-esteem (t= 39.54, P state-anxiety scores [F(3,992) = 2.26, P= 0.05], and post test also revealed that the self-esteem of female scores in the 0-2 timing group was higher than other timing group's [F(3,992) = 4.58, P= 0.004]. The influence of the absence of fathers on the anxiety and self-esteem of adolescents seems to be more serious than our expectation, and the influence will be different according to the timing of father absence. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Researching Absences and Silences in Higher Education: Data for Democratisation

Science.gov (United States)

Morley, Louise

2012-01-01

Knowledge, power and democracy are being more explicitly related to higher education globally. Increasingly there are calls for cognitive justice and the development of a sociology of absences, particularly in relation to structures of inequalities and knowledge production from the Global South. The university of the future will need to be…

Physical work environment risk factors for long term sickness absence: prospective findings among a cohort of 5357 employees in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Thomas; Labriola, Merete; Christensen, Karl Bang

2006-01-01

employees interviewed in 2000 about their physical work environment, and various covariates were followed for 18 months in a national sickness absence register. Outcome measurements Cox regression analysis was performed to assess risk estimates for physical risk factors in the work environment and onset......OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of physical work environment on long term sickness absence and to investigate interaction between physical and psychosocial risk factors. DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective cohort study of long term sickness absence among employees in Denmark. PARTICIPANTS: 5357...... of long term sickness absence, defined as receiving sickness absence compensation for eight consecutive weeks or more. RESULTS: 348 participants (6.9%) developed long term sickness absence during follow-up. Of these, 194 (55.7%) were women and 154 (44.3%) were men. For both female and male employees, risk...

Do work factors modify the association between chronic health problems and sickness absence among older employees?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

F.R.M. Leijten (Fenna); S.G. van den Heuvel (Swenneke); J.F. Ybema (Jan Fekke); S.J.W. Robroek (Suzan); A. Burdorf (Alex)

2013-01-01

textabstractObjectives The aim of this study was to (i) assess how common chronic health problems and work-related factors predict sickness absence and (ii) explore whether work-related factors modify the effects of health problems on sickness absence. Methods A one-year longitudinal study was

A 48,XXXX female with absence of ovaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Collen, R J; Falk, R E; Lippe, B M; Kaplan, S A

1980-01-01

A 16 1/2-year-old phenotypic female had primary amenorrhea, mild mental retardation, radioulnar synostosis, and other minor anomalies. Chromosome constitution of leukocytes and skin fibroblasts was 48,XXXX. Plasma levels of gonadotropins were increased, and those of estrogens, decreased consistent with ovarian failure. Laparoscopy showed a small midline uterus, and 2 fallopian tubes, and fimbriae. Neither ovaries nor gonadal streaks were seen on either side. This patient appears to represent the first instance of 48,XXXX aneuploidy with documented absence of ovaries.

The dismissal of an employee because of absence from work after recent labor reforms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josep Moreno Gené

2013-01-01

Full Text Available By analyzing contract termination because of absence from work for both objective reasons (article 52 d ET and disciplinary dismissal (article 52.4 a ET, this article aims to discuss the two defining aspects of the effect of the labour reforms of 2012 on the termination of work contracts: namely, that the dismissal of a worker is much simpler and much more economical. To this end, we first analyse the reformulationof the cause of termination because of absence from work covered by article 52 d ET, which has made it easier for employers to terminate contracts by this means. Then we study the effects of the declaration of unfair dismissal because of absence from work covered in both article 54.2 a ET and article 52 d ET. In both cases, the amount of compensation has been considerably reduced and procedural salaries have virtually been done away with.

Sickness absence in student nursing assistants following a preventive intervention programme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svensson, A L; Marott, J L; Suadicani, P

2011-01-01

reduced SF-36 scores for general health perception [general health (GH)], psychological well-being [mental health (MH)] and energy/fatigue [vitality (VT)] compared with the intervention group, which remained at the baseline level for all three measures. AIMS: To ascertain whether this effect remained......BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that a multidimensional programme combining physical training, patient transfer techniques and stress management significantly reduced sickness absence rates in student nurse assistants (NAs) after 14 months of follow-up. At follow-up, the control group had...... after a further 36 months of follow-up and to analyse the association of GH, MH and VT scores with sickness absence. METHODS: This was a cluster randomized prospective study. The original study involved assessment at baseline and follow-up at 14 months (the duration of the student NA course). Of 568...

Absence-like and tonic seizures in aspartoacylase/attractin double-mutant mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Gohma, Hiroshi; Kuramoto, Takashi; Matalon, Reuben; Surendran, Sankar; Tyring, Stephen; Kitada, Kazuhiro; Sasa, Masashi; Serikawa, Tadao

2007-04-01

The Spontaneously Epileptic Rat (SER), a double-mutant for tremor and zitter mutations, shows spontaneous occurrences of absence-like and tonic seizures. Several lines of evidence suggest that the combined effect of Aspa and Atrn mutations is the most likely cause of the epileptic phenotype of the SER. To address this issue, we produced a new double-mutant mouse line carrying both homozygous Aspa-knockout and Atrn(mg-3J) mutant alleles. The Aspa/Atrn double-mutant mice exhibited absence-like and tonic seizures that were characterized by the appearance of 5-7 Hz spike-wave-like complexes and low voltage fast waves on EEGs. These results demonstrate directly that the simultaneous loss of the Aspa and Atrn gene functions causes epileptic seizures in the mouse and suggest that both Aspa and Atrn deficiencies might be responsible for epileptic seizures in the SER.

Socioeconomic differences in health check-ups and medically certified sickness absence: a 10-year follow-up among middle-aged municipal employees in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Piha, Kustaa; Sumanen, Hilla; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2017-04-01

There is contradictory evidence on the association between health check-ups and future morbidity. Among the general population, those with high socioeconomic position participate more often in health check-ups. The main aims of this study were to analyse if attendance to health check-ups are socioeconomically patterned and affect sickness absence over a 10-year follow-up. This register-based follow-up study included municipal employees of the City of Helsinki. 13 037 employees were invited to age-based health check-up during 2000-2002, with a 62% attendance rate. Education, occupational class and individual income were used to measure socioeconomic position. Medically certified sickness absence of 4 days or more was measured and controlled for at the baseline and used as an outcome over follow-up. The mean follow-up time was 7.5 years. Poisson regression was used. Men and employees with lower socioeconomic position participated more actively in health check-ups. Among women, non-attendance to health check-up predicted higher sickness absence during follow-up (relative risk =1.26, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.37) in the fully adjusted model. Health check-ups were not effective in reducing socioeconomic differences in sickness absence. Age-based health check-ups reduced subsequent sickness absence and should be promoted. Attendance to health check-ups should be as high as possible. Contextual factors need to be taken into account when applying the results in interventions in other settings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Unilateral hydronephrosis with congenital absence of contralateral kidney in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muren, C.; Wikstad, I.

1988-01-01

The case histories of six children with absence of functioning renal parenchyma on one side and dilatation of the contralateral pelvis are reviewed. The hydronephrosis was obstructive in two cases. In the others no cause could be found. The development of this combination of renal malformations is discussed against an embryologic background. (orig.)

Determinants of absenteeism in public organizations: A unit-level analysis of work absence in a large Danish municipality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løkke Nielsen, Ann-Kristina

2008-01-01

This study investigates the determinants of absenteeism in a large Danish municipality. Based on a review of the literature on absence, an integrative model is developed combining the individual, the social psychological and the economic approaches. The model is tested on data from approximately 5...... frequency and the department manager's observed absence frequency, but the effect is lower and less significant. Furthermore the study shows a positive relationship between absence frequency and being a male deputy head. The contracted number of work hours also has a positive association to absence...

Implications of the absence of high-mass radion signals

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Aqeel; Dillon, Barry M.; Grzadkowski, Bohdan; Gunion, John F.; Jiang, Yun

2017-05-01

Given the disappearance of the 750 GeV diphoton LHC signal and the absence of signals at high mass in this and other channels, significant constraints on the mixed Higgs-radion of the five-dimensional Randall-Sundrum model arise. By combining all channels, these constraints place a significant radion-mass-dependent lower bound on the radion vacuum expectation value that is fairly independent of the amount of Higgs radion mixing.

Climate in the Absence of Ocean Heat Transport

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, B. E. J.

2015-12-01

The energy transported by the oceans to mid- and high latitudes is small compared to the atmosphere, yet exerts an outsized influence on the climate. A key reason is the strong interaction between ocean heat transport (OHT) and sea ice extent. I quantify this by comparing a realistic control climate simulation with a slab ocean simulation in which OHT is disabled. Using the state-of-the-art CESM with a realistic present-day continental configuration, I show that the absence of OHT leads to a 23 K global cooling and massive expansion of sea ice to near 30º latitude in both hemisphere. The ice expansion is asymmetric, with greatest extent in the South Pacific and South Indian ocean basins. I discuss implications of this enormous and asymmetric climate change for atmospheric circulation, heat transport, and tropical precipitation. Parameter sensitivity studies show that the simulated climate is far more sensitive to small changes in ice surface albedo in the absence of OHT, with some perturbations sufficient to cause a runaway Snowball Earth glaciation. I conclude that the oceans are responsible for an enormous global warming by mitigating an otherwise very potent sea ice albedo feedback, but that the magnitude of this effect is still rather uncertain. I will also present some ideas on adapting the simple energy balance model to account for the enhanced sensitivity of sea ice to heating from the ocean.

Sickness absence: could gender divide be explained by occupation, income, mental distress and health?

Science.gov (United States)

Smeby, Lisbeth; Bruusgaard, Dag; Claussen, Bjørgulf

2009-09-01

Women have more spells of sickness absence than men but the reasons for this are unknown. We wanted to see if occupation, working conditions, income, health and mental distress may explain this gender difference. In a health survey in 2000-01 of all Oslo inhabitants aged 40, 45, and 59/60 years, 11,072 (48.7%) participated. Survey data were linked to the National Insurance Administration and Statistics Norway for the 8,174 eligible for sickness pay in the next four years. Occupation, working conditions, general health and mental distress were self-reported, and income was from official statistics. Long-term sickness absence (>16 days) was calculated for 2001-04 as cumulative incidence and number of days reimbursed. Cumulative incidence was 50.1% for women and 34.7% for men in the four years after the survey. An age-adjusted female overweight of 48% was only reduced to 41% by adjusting for occupation, working conditions, income, self-reported health and mental distress. Duration of long-term sickness absence was 17 days more for women than for men, and was not influenced by adjustments. We have not explained why women have more sickness absence than men, either by work-related factors or by general health or mental distress. Factors explaining the gender divide should be sought elsewhere.

Psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence -- a population-based cross-sectional study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Søgaard, Hans Jørgen; Bech, Per

2009-01-01

AIMS: The study estimates the incidence of psychiatric disorders in long-term sickness absence (LSA; more than eight weeks of continuous sickness absence) over one year. The study is the first accounting for everybody on LSA by linking a psychiatric assessment for all persons on LSA to public...... registers. METHODS: In a Danish population of 120,000 inhabitants all 2,414 incident persons on LSA within one year were posted a questionnaire, of whom 1,121 (46.4%) responded. In a two phase design the 1,121 sick-listed persons were screened for psychiatric disorders. Phase 2 consisted of 844 people...

Work engagement and voluntary absence : The moderating role of job resources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Shantz, Amanda; Alfes, Kerstin

2015-01-01

The present study examined the moderating role of job resources, namely, organizational trust, the quality of employees’ relationship with their manager, and the motivating potential of jobs, on the negative relationship between work engagement and voluntary absence. Employee survey results and

The α2δ subunit and absence epilepsy: Beyond calcium channels?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Celli, R.; Santolini, I.; Guiducci, M.; Luijtelaar, E.L.J.M. van; Parisi, P.; Striano, P.; Gradini, R.; Battaglia, G.; Ngomba, R.T.; Nicoletti, F.

2017-01-01

Spike-wave discharges, underlying absence seizures, are generated within a cortico-thalamo-cortical network that involves the somatosensory cortex, the reticular thalamic nucleus, and the ventrobasal thalamic nuclei. Activation of T-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCCs) contributes to the

The mediating role of psychophysic strain in the relationship between workaholism, job performance, and sickness absence: a longitudinal study.

Science.gov (United States)

Falco, Alessandra; Girardi, Damiano; Kravina, Luca; Trifiletti, Elena; Bartolucci, Giovanni Battista; Capozza, Dora; De Carlo, Nicola A

2013-11-01

To test a theoretical model in which workaholism predicts both directly and indirectly, via psychophysic strain, job performance and sickness absences. A multimethod study was performed examining a sample of 322 workers in a private company. The study was articulated into two phases, over a time period of 15 months. Workaholism was assessed using a self-report measure (time 1). Psychophysic strain was measured by the occupational physician, performance by the supervisor, and data on sickness absences were collected from the company's database (time 2). Results highlighted a positive relationship between workaholism and psychophysic strain. Psychophysic strain was negatively associated with job performance and positively associated with sickness absences. In addition, workaholism predicted sickness absences. Workaholism negatively affects the health of workers. This is associated with lower working performance and greater sickness absences.

Do gastrointestinal complaints increase the risk for subsequent medically certified long-term sickness absence? The HUSK study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Øverland Simon

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Gastrointestinal complaints are very common in the general population and very often co-occur with common mental disorders. We aimed to study the prospective impact of gastrointestinal complaints on long term sickness absence, and address the contribution from co-occurring common mental disorders and other somatic symptoms. Method Health data on 13 880 40-45 year olds from the Hordaland Health Study (1997-99 were linked to national registries on sickness absence. As part of a wider health screening, gastrointestinal complaints were ascertained. Participant's anxiety and depression, and the presence of other somatic symptoms were evaluated. In Cox regression models, we predicted sickness absences over an average 5.4 years follow-up, with adjustment for confounders, anxiety and depression and other somatic symptoms. Results After adjusting for gender, level of education and smoking, those reporting GI complaints had higher risk for later sickness absence (HR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.34-1.51. GI complaints were associated with both anxiety (OR = 3.66, 95% CI 3.31-4.04 and depression (OR = 3.28, 95% CI 2.89-3.72, and a high level of other somatic symptoms (OR = 8.50, 95% CI 7.69-9.40. The association of GI complaints was still independently associated with future sickness absence (HR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.10-1.16 adjusting for mental illness and other somatic symptoms. Discussion Sickness absence is a complex behavioural outcome, but our results suggest GI complaints contribute by increasing the risk of long term sickness absence independently of comorbid mental illness and presence of other somatic symptoms. Occupational consequences of illness are important, and should also be addressed clinically with patients presenting with GI complaints.

[Healthier after Psychotherapy? Analysis of Claims Data (Lower Saxony, Germany) on Sickness Absence Duration before and after Outpatient Psychotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Epping, Jelena; de Zwaan, Martina; Geyer, Siegfried

2017-11-17

Introduction In employed populations sickness absence can be used as a good indicator of health status. In the present study, it was examined how periods of sickness absence are developing within one year before and after psychotherapy under comparison of three types of psychotherapy (behavior therapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and psychoanalysis), all fully covered by statutory health insurance. Methods and data The analyses were performed with pseudonymized claims data from the AOK Niedersachsen, a statutory health insurance (N=2,900,065 insured). Certified sickness absences before and after psychotherapy were examined for 9,916 patients. Parallelized controls were used to build a comparison of the length of sickness absences. Analyses were performed separately for women and for men. Results Within one year before starting psychotherapy, patients had longer sickness absences than controls on average. There was a reduction in the length of sickness absence of 20 days (median) within one year before to 12 days (median) within one year after the psychotherapy. The obtained differences between types of psychotherapy were considerable. Discussion Differences in terms of sickness absences may in part be explained by socio-demographic differences. Patients who underwent psychoanalysis were younger and had higher educational levels. However, it remains unclear why the differences of sickness absence periods were that high. It has to be discussed whether self-selection of patients with better health into psychoanalysis had occurred. Conclusions Patients undergoing psychoanalysis differ from patients who underwent other types of psychotherapy in terms of their duration of sickness absence as well as socio-demographic profile. Thus, due to differences in the composition of patients future research in psychotherapy will have to differentiate by type of psychotherapy. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Sickness absence and psychosocial job quality: an analysis from a longitudinal survey of working Australians, 2005-2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Milner, Allison; Butterworth, Peter; Bentley, Rebecca; Kavanagh, Anne M; LaMontagne, Anthony D

2015-05-15

Sickness absence is associated with adverse health, organizational, and societal outcomes. Using data from a longitudinal cohort study of working Australians (the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey), we examined the relationship between changes in individuals' overall psychosocial job quality and variation in sickness absence. The outcome variables were paid sickness absence (yes/no) and number of days of paid sickness absence in the past year (2005-2012). The main exposure variable was psychosocial job quality, measured using a psychosocial job quality index (levels of job control, demands and complexity, insecurity, and perceptions of unfair pay). Analysis was conducted using longitudinal fixed-effects logistic regression models and negative binomial regression models. There was a dose-response relationship between the number of psychosocial job stressors reported by an individual and the odds of paid sickness absence (1 adversity: odds ratio (OR) = 1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 1.45 (P = 0.002); 2 adversities: OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09, 1.51 (P = 0.002); ≥3 adversities: OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.29, 1.94 (P job quality. These results suggest that workplace interventions aiming to improve the quality of work could help reduce sickness absence. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Probiotics and child care absence due to infections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laursen, Rikke Pilmann; Larnkjær, Anni; Ritz, Christian

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The risk of infections is higher in children attending child care compared with children cared for at home. This study examined the effect of a combination of probiotics on absence from child care because of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in healthy infants aged 8 to 14...... range: 6-16). Intention-to-treat analysis showed no difference between the probiotics and placebo groups (P = .19). Additionally, there was no difference in any of the secondary outcomes between groups; the number of children with doctor-diagnosed upper or lower respiratory tract infections, the number...

Bilateral Congenital Absence of the Stapes Superstructure in Two Siblings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jose Ignacio Undabeitia

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Middle ear ossicle malformations are an uncommon event. Among them, the congenital absence of the stapes is a very rare condition that is seldom described in the literature. We report the cases of two women, aged 19 and 22 , who presented with a long history of conductive deafness. An exploratory tympanotomy was performed and the absence of the stapes superstructure and an abnormal position of the facial nerve could be observed. A bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA was implanted in both patients with good results. It is believed that stapes agenesis is related to an abnormal development of the facial nerve, which by the 5th to 6th week of gestation would interpose between the otic capsule and the stapes blastema, preventing these structures from contacting. A long history of nonprogressive hearing loss from birth or early childhood is the key to reach a diagnosis. Several treatment options have been described. The authors opted for a hearing aid due to the high risk of facial nerve lesion, with good functional results.

Perceived organizational justice as a predictor of long-term sickness absence due to diagnosed mental disorders: results from the prospective longitudinal Finnish Public Sector Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elovainio, Marko; Linna, Anne; Virtanen, Marianna; Oksanen, Tuula; Kivimäki, Mika; Pentti, Jaana; Vahtera, Jussi

2013-08-01

Organizational justice perceptions have been suggested to be associated with symptoms of mental health but the nature of the association is unknown due to reporting bias (measurement error related to response style and reversed causality). In this study, we used prospective design and long-term (>9 days) sickness absence with psychiatric diagnosis as the outcome measure. Participants were 21,221 Finnish public sector employees (the participation rate at baseline in 2000-2002 68%), who responded to repeated surveys of procedural and interactional justice in 2000-2004 along with register data on sickness absence with a diagnosis of depression or anxiety disorders (822 cases). Results from logistic regression analyses showed that a one-unit increase in self-reported and work-unit level co-worker assessed interactional justice was associated with a 25-32% lower odds of sickness absence due to anxiety disorders. These associations were robust to adjustments for a variety of potential individual-level confounders including chronic disease (adjusted OR for self-reported interactional justice 0.77, 95% CI 0.65-0.91) and were replicated using co-worker assessed justice. Only weak evidence of reversed causality was found. The results suggest that low organizational justice is a risk factor for sickness absence due to anxiety disorders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spindle formation in the mouse embryo requires Plk4 in the absence of centrioles.

Science.gov (United States)

Coelho, Paula A; Bury, Leah; Sharif, Bedra; Riparbelli, Maria G; Fu, Jingyan; Callaini, Giuliano; Glover, David M; Zernicka-Goetz, Magdalena

2013-12-09

During the first five rounds of cell division in the mouse embryo, spindles assemble in the absence of centrioles. Spindle formation initiates around chromosomes, but the microtubule nucleating process remains unclear. Here we demonstrate that Plk4, a protein kinase known as a master regulator of centriole formation, is also essential for spindle assembly in the absence of centrioles. Depletion of maternal Plk4 prevents nucleation and growth of microtubules and results in monopolar spindle formation. This leads to cytokinesis failure and, consequently, developmental arrest. We show that Plk4 function depends on its kinase activity and its partner protein, Cep152. Moreover, tethering Cep152 to cellular membranes sequesters Plk4 and is sufficient to trigger spindle assembly from ectopic membranous sites. Thus, the Plk4-Cep152 complex has an unexpected role in promoting microtubule nucleation in the vicinity of chromosomes to mediate bipolar spindle formation in the absence of centrioles. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sickness absence among depressed patients attending the General Out Patients Department of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Goar, G S; Moses, D A; Micheal, T A

2013-01-01

Depression has been associated with low productivity and long absence from work. This has a serious consequence for the individuals, the employer and the society. The objectives of this study were to determine sickness absence from work among depressed patients attending General Out Patients Department (GOPD) in the preceding 12 months, to assess socio-demographic correlates of sickness absence in these patients and lastly, to determine the effect of depression on perception of work performance. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study among 200 consecutive patients attending the General Out Patients Department of the Jos University Teaching Hospital from November 2006 to March 2007. A semi-structured questionnaire designed by the authors was used to collect socio-demographic variables, self-reported perception of work and sickness absence days in the 12 months prior to the study. Depression was assessed using Structured clinical Interview for DSM- IV (SCID) axis 1 disorder. A total of 51(25.4%) of the 200 patients met the DSM IV diagnostic criteria for major depression. The depressed respondents significantly had higher mean and cumulative days of sickness absence compared to the non-depressed (p marital status (p = 0.867) were associated with sickness absence. Older age (P = 0.001) was associated with sickness absence in the non-depressed while gender (p = 0.117), and marital status (p = 0.752) were not. Having a diagnosis of depression was associated with poor work performance compared with the non-depressed (p productivity and toprevent long spells of sickness absence.

Emotional Dissonance, Mental Health Complaints, and Sickness Absence Among Health- and Social Workers. The Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy

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Indregard, Anne-Marthe R.; Knardahl, Stein; Nielsen, Morten B.

2018-01-01

Health- and social workers are frequently exposed to emotionally demanding work situations that require emotion regulation. Studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between emotion regulation and health complaints and sickness absence. In order to prevent health complaints and to reduce sickness absence among health- and social workers, there is need for greater attention to mechanisms explaining when and how emotionally demanding work situations are related to employee health and sickness absence. The overarching aim of this study was therefore to examine the moderating role of generalized self-efficacy on the association between emotional dissonance, employee health (mental distress and exhaustion), and registry based sickness absence. The sample consisted of 937 health- and social workers. Data on emotional dissonance, generalized self-efficacy, exhaustion, and mental distress was collected through questionnaires, whereas official registry data were used to assess sickness absence. A two-step hierarchical regression analysis showed that emotional dissonance was significantly associated with exhaustion, mental distress, and sickness absence, after adjusting for sex, age, and occupation. Interaction analyses with simple slope tests found that self-efficacy moderated the association between emotional dissonance and both exhaustion and mental distress, but not the association with sickness absence. This study shows that health- and social workers who frequently experience emotional dissonance report higher levels of exhaustion and mental distress, and have a higher risk of medically certified sickness absence. Further, health- and social workers with lower self-efficacy beliefs are apparently more sensitive to the degree of emotional dissonance and experienced higher levels of exhaustion and mental distress. PMID:29740375

Interactional justice at work is related to sickness absence: a study using repeated measures in the Swedish working population.

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Leineweber, Constanze; Bernhard-Oettel, Claudia; Peristera, Paraskevi; Eib, Constanze; Nyberg, Anna; Westerlund, Hugo

2017-12-08

Research has shown that perceived unfairness contributes to higher rates of sickness absence. While shorter, but more frequent periods of sickness absence might be a possibility for the individual to get relief from high strain, long-term sickness absence might be a sign of more serious health problems. The Uncertainty Management Model suggests that justice is particularly important in times of uncertainty, e.g. perceived job insecurity. The present study investigated the association between interpersonal and informational justice at work with long and frequent sickness absence respectively, under conditions of job insecurity. Data were derived from the 2010, 2012, and 2014 biennial waves of the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). The final analytic sample consisted of 19,493 individuals. We applied repeated measures regression analyses through generalized estimating equations (GEE), a method for longitudinal data that simultaneously analyses variables at different time points. We calculated risk of long and frequent sickness absence, respectively in relation to interpersonal and informational justice taking perceptions of job insecurity into account. We found informational and interpersonal justice to be associated with risk of long and frequent sickness absence independently of job insecurity and demographic variables. Results from autoregressive GEE provided some support for a causal relationship between justice perceptions and sickness absence. Contrary to expectations, we found no interaction between justice and job insecurity. Our results underline the need for fair and just treatment of employees irrespective of perceived job insecurity in order to keep the workforce healthy and to minimize lost work days due to sickness absence.

Emotional Dissonance, Mental Health Complaints, and Sickness Absence Among Health- and Social Workers. The Moderating Role of Self-Efficacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Indregard, Anne-Marthe R; Knardahl, Stein; Nielsen, Morten B

2018-01-01

Health- and social workers are frequently exposed to emotionally demanding work situations that require emotion regulation. Studies have demonstrated a direct relationship between emotion regulation and health complaints and sickness absence. In order to prevent health complaints and to reduce sickness absence among health- and social workers, there is need for greater attention to mechanisms explaining when and how emotionally demanding work situations are related to employee health and sickness absence. The overarching aim of this study was therefore to examine the moderating role of generalized self-efficacy on the association between emotional dissonance, employee health (mental distress and exhaustion), and registry based sickness absence. The sample consisted of 937 health- and social workers. Data on emotional dissonance, generalized self-efficacy, exhaustion, and mental distress was collected through questionnaires, whereas official registry data were used to assess sickness absence. A two-step hierarchical regression analysis showed that emotional dissonance was significantly associated with exhaustion, mental distress, and sickness absence, after adjusting for sex, age, and occupation. Interaction analyses with simple slope tests found that self-efficacy moderated the association between emotional dissonance and both exhaustion and mental distress, but not the association with sickness absence. This study shows that health- and social workers who frequently experience emotional dissonance report higher levels of exhaustion and mental distress, and have a higher risk of medically certified sickness absence. Further, health- and social workers with lower self-efficacy beliefs are apparently more sensitive to the degree of emotional dissonance and experienced higher levels of exhaustion and mental distress.

Teacher Absence as a Factor in Gender Inequalities in Access to Primary Schooling in Rural Pakistan

Science.gov (United States)

Ghuman, Sharon; Lloyd, Cynthia

2010-01-01

The presence of a teacher in the classroom is central to the provision of schooling, with accumulating evidence showing that teacher absence compromises student learning. Teacher absence is common in schools in low- and middle-income countries. With much of the developing world making rapid progress in achieving universal primary school enrollment…

Et l'absence, éloquente, de geste...

OpenAIRE

Baudry, Robert

2014-01-01

Si le geste peut se faire révélateur des sentiments intimes d'un personnage, l'absence de tout geste peut parfois s'avérer tout aussi significative. Hypnose, coup de foudre, pétrification, extase : autant d'attitudes qui peuvent dévoiler l'état d'âme du héros. Qu'on songe à la pétrification de Lancelot à la vue de Guenièvre, à l'extase de Perceval devant le sang de l'oie blessée sur la neige, a l'hypnose de Gauvain devant les gouttes tombées de la Lance flamboyante sur la table d'ivoire, au s...

Absence of suction feeding ichthyosaurs and its implications for triassic mesopelagic paleoecology.

Science.gov (United States)

Motani, Ryosuke; Ji, Cheng; Tomita, Taketeru; Kelley, Neil; Maxwell, Erin; Jiang, Da-yong; Sander, Paul Martin

2013-01-01

Mesozoic marine reptiles and modern marine mammals are often considered ecological analogs, but the extent of their similarity is largely unknown. Particularly important is the presence/absence of deep-diving suction feeders among Mesozoic marine reptiles because this would indicate the establishment of mesopelagic cephalopod and fish communities in the Mesozoic. A recent study suggested that diverse suction feeders, resembling the extant beaked whales, evolved among ichthyosaurs in the Triassic. However, this hypothesis has not been tested quantitatively. We examined four osteological features of jawed vertebrates that are closely linked to the mechanism of suction feeding, namely hyoid corpus ossification/calcification, hyobranchial apparatus robustness, mandibular bluntness, and mandibular pressure concentration index. Measurements were taken from 18 species of Triassic and Early Jurassic ichthyosaurs, including the presumed suction feeders. Statistical comparisons with extant sharks and marine mammals of known diets suggest that ichthyosaurian hyobranchial bones are significantly more slender than in suction-feeding sharks or cetaceans but similar to those of ram-feeding sharks. Most importantly, an ossified hyoid corpus to which hyoid retractor muscles attach is unknown in all but one ichthyosaur, whereas a strong integration of the ossified corpus and cornua of the hyobranchial apparatus has been identified in the literature as an important feature of suction feeders. Also, ichthyosaurian mandibles do not narrow rapidly to allow high suction pressure concentration within the oral cavity, unlike in beaked whales or sperm whales. In conclusion, it is most likely that Triassic and Early Jurassic ichthyosaurs were 'ram-feeders', without any beaked-whale-like suction feeder among them. When combined with the inferred inability for dim-light vision in relevant Triassic ichthyosaurs, the fossil record of ichthyosaurs does not suggest the establishment of modern

Do pseudo-absence selection strategies influence species distribution models and their predictions? An information-theoretic approach based on simulated data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guisan Antoine

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Multiple logistic regression is precluded from many practical applications in ecology that aim to predict the geographic distributions of species because it requires absence data, which are rarely available or are unreliable. In order to use multiple logistic regression, many studies have simulated "pseudo-absences" through a number of strategies, but it is unknown how the choice of strategy influences models and their geographic predictions of species. In this paper we evaluate the effect of several prevailing pseudo-absence strategies on the predictions of the geographic distribution of a virtual species whose "true" distribution and relationship to three environmental predictors was predefined. We evaluated the effect of using a real absences b pseudo-absences selected randomly from the background and c two-step approaches: pseudo-absences selected from low suitability areas predicted by either Ecological Niche Factor Analysis: (ENFA or BIOCLIM. We compared how the choice of pseudo-absence strategy affected model fit, predictive power, and information-theoretic model selection results. Results Models built with true absences had the best predictive power, best discriminatory power, and the "true" model (the one that contained the correct predictors was supported by the data according to AIC, as expected. Models based on random pseudo-absences had among the lowest fit, but yielded the second highest AUC value (0.97, and the "true" model was also supported by the data. Models based on two-step approaches had intermediate fit, the lowest predictive power, and the "true" model was not supported by the data. Conclusion If ecologists wish to build parsimonious GLM models that will allow them to make robust predictions, a reasonable approach is to use a large number of randomly selected pseudo-absences, and perform model selection based on an information theoretic approach. However, the resulting models can be expected to have

Dysregulation of soluble epoxide hydrolase and lipidomic profiles in anorexia nervosa

KAUST Repository

Shih, P. B.; Yang, J.; Morisseau, C.; German, J. B.; Scott-Van Zeeland, A. A.; Armando, A. M.; Quehenberger, O.; Bergen, A. W.; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Berrettini, W.; Halmi, K. A.; Schork, N.; Hammock, B. D.; Kaye, W.

2015-01-01

Individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN) restrict eating and become emaciated. They tend to have an aversion to foods rich in fat. Because epoxide hydrolase 2 (EPHX2) was identified as a novel AN susceptibility gene, and because its protein product

Streptococcal Arthritis, Osteolysis, Myositis, and Spinal Meningitis in Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Broodstock

Science.gov (United States)

This report details findings of an investigation into complaints by commercial fingerling producers of low-grade mortalities, poor reproductive success, emaciation, skin lesions, and severely arched backs among broodstock of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Gross lesions involved the jaw, fin ba...

The clinical and radiological evaluation of absence of the corpus callosum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrd, S.E.; Radkowski, M.A.; McLone, D.G.; Northwestern Univ., Chicago, IL; Flannery, A.

1990-01-01

A retrospective and prospective analysis of children with a diagnosis of complete absence of the corpus callosum (ACC) at the Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago over a 5-year period was performed. The diagnosis was based on the computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance (MR) images. From this material, 105 children with a diagnosis of ACC were analyzed on the basis of clinical symptomatology and radiological studies (CT, MR and ultrasound). Eighty-three percent of our children were symptomatic. The most common symptoms and signs were macrocephaly with hydrocephalus and seizures. MR was the best radiological imaging modality for evaluating children with ACC and associated brain anomalies. The most common associated brain anomalies with ACC in decreasing frequency in our children were: interhemispheric cyst with hydrocephalus, Dandy-Walker malformation, migrational disorders, absence of the inferior vermis, cephaloceles and lipoma aof the interhemispheric fissure. (author). 15 refs.; 8 figs.; 2 tabs

Does Postponement of First Pregnancy Increase Gender Differences in Sickness Absence? A Register Based Analysis of Norwegian Employees in 1993–2007

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Ariansen, Anja M. S.; Mykletun, Arnstein

2014-01-01

Background From 1970–2012, the average age at first delivery increased from 23.2–28.5 in Norway. Postponement of first pregnancy increases risks of medical complications both during and after pregnancy. Sickness absence during pregnancy has over the last two decades increased considerably more than in non-pregnant women. The aim of this paper is twofold: Firstly to investigate if postponement of pregnancy is related to increased sickness absence and thus contributing to the increased gender difference in sickness absence; and secondly, to estimate how much of the increased gender difference in sickness absence that can be accounted for by increased sickness absence amongst pregnant women. Methods We employed registry-data to analyse sickness absence among all Norwegian employees with income equivalent to full-time work in the period 1993–2007. Results After control for age, education, and income, pregnant women's sickness absence (age 20–44) increased on average 0.94 percentage points each year, compared to 0.29 in non-pregnant women and 0.14 in men. In pregnant women aged 20–24, sickness absence during pregnancy increased by 0.96 percent points per calendar year, compared to 0.60 in age-group 30–34. Sickness absence during pregnancy accounted for 25% of the increased gender gap in sickness absence, accounting for changes in education, income and age. Conclusions Postponement of first pregnancy does not explain the increase in pregnant women's sickness absence during the period 1993–2007 as both the highest level and increase in sickness absence is seen in the younger women. Reasons are poorly understood, but still important as it accounts for 25% of the increased gender gap in sickness absence. PMID:24667483

Impact of recurrent changes in the work environment on nurses' psychological well-being and sickness absence.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhaeghe, Rik; Vlerick, Peter; Gemmel, Paul; Van Maele, Georges; De Backer, Guy

2006-12-01

This paper is a report of a study of how the occurrence and appraisal of recurrent changes in the work environment of hospital nurses affect psychological well-being (i.e. job satisfaction, eustress and distress) and absence through illness. Many researchers have demonstrated the impact of major organizational changes on employees' psychological well-being, but only a few have focused on the permanent consequences in work conditions. In a contemporary healthcare setting, an increased number of recurrent operational changes has become a normal characteristic of nurses' work environment. Specific work situations have frequently been associated with occupational stress, whereas employees' appraisal of recurrent changes as stressors and their relation to psychological well-being and health outcomes (i.e. sickness absence) have been dismissed. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2003 with 2094 Registered Nurses in 10 general hospitals. Logistic regressions were used to investigate the impact on psychological well-being and prospectively measured rates of sickness absence (frequency and duration). The occurrence of changes in the work environment (in the past 6 months) had had a negative impact on staff psychological well-being. Nurses who had been confronted with changes scored statistically significantly higher for distress. Changes appraised as threatening were negatively related to job satisfaction and eustress, and positively related to distress and sickness absence (frequency and duration). Changes appraised as challenging were positively related to job satisfaction and eustress but had no impact on distress and sickness absence. Future research should take into consideration the impact of the occurrence and appraisal of recurrent changes in the work environment of healthcare employees (i.e. Registered Nurses) on psychological well-being and sickness absence. This should also be considered by managers when dealing with these nursing workforce

Job adjustment as a means to reduce sickness absence during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Strand, K; Wergeland, E; Bjerkedal, T

1997-10-01

This study examined the effect of job adjustment on sickness absence during pregnancy and also determined the conditions under which such adjustments are obtained. Data were derived from a nationally representative survey on work conditions during pregnancy in Norway in 1989. For employees (N = 2713) remaining in the same job throughout pregnancy, the percentage of women on sick leave immediately before delivery was determined according to the need for job adjustment and the obtainment of job adjustment. Those obtaining job adjustment were grouped according to workplace size, labor-market sector, co-worker gender, educational level, work schedules, weekly workhours, children under 16 years of age in the household, and age. All told, 1691 women (62.3%) needed job adjustment, among whom 936 (55.4%) obtained such adjustment. The proportions of those on sick leave before delivery were 45.2% for "no need", 67.9% for "need - adjustment obtained", and 79.2% for "need - adjustment not obtained". In the last category, the difference (versus "adjustment obtained") constituted 44.5% of the weeks lost because of sickness absence in the last half of pregnancy. The odds ratio (OR) for obtaining job adjustment was larger for workplaces with more than 50 employees (OR 1.4) and smaller for jobs with work schedules other than daytime or shift work (OR 0.5) and also for women living with children under 16 years of age (OR 0.8). Job adjustment is associated with reduced sickness absence during pregnancy. Further studies should explore workplace characteristics that make it difficult to obtain such adjustments, as required by law.

Harmful alcohol habits did not explain the social gradient of sickness absence in Swedish women and men

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ann-Charlotte M Mardby

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Background: the aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and socioeconomic distribution of harmful alcohol habits in sick-listed women and men, and whether the social gradient in sickness absence could be explained by the socioeconomic distribution of harmful alcohol habits.Methods: this cross-sectional questionnaire study included newly sick-listed individuals (n=2 798, 19-64 years, 66% women from Sweden. The outcome variable, self-reported harmful alcohol habits, was measured with the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test. Registered socioeconomic variables (education, income, occupational class were explanatory variables with age as confounder and selfreported health, symptoms, mental wellbeing, and self-efficacy as mediators. Chi2-tests and logistic regression models were applied.Results: 9% of sick-listed women and 22% of men had harmful alcohol habits. Women with a low annual income (≤149 000 SEK had higher odds ratios (OR=2.47; 95% CI=1.43-4.27 of harmful alcohol habits than those with ≥300 000 SEK/year. The significance of low income remained when mediators were introduced into the logistic regression model (OR=2.03, 95% CI=1.13-3.65. In the model including age, income was no longer significant. Men with low income were more likely to have harmful alcohol habits than men with high income (OR=2.59; 95% CI=1.45-4.62. When mediators were included low income remained significant (OR=2.88; 95% CI=1.56-5.31. Income was no longer significant when age was introduced. Education and occupational status were not significant.Conclusions: harmful alcohol habits were common among sick-listed women and men. The socioeconomic differences in harmful alcohol habits did not explain the social gradient in sickness absence.

A one-item workability measure mediates work demands, individual resources and health in the prediction of sickness absence

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thorsen, Sannie Vester; Burr, Hermann; Diderichsen, Finn

2012-01-01

absence. We also estimated the relative importance of health and work environment for workability and sickness absence. METHODS: Baseline data were collected within a Danish work and health survey (3,214 men and 3,529 women) and followed up in a register of sickness absence. Probit regression analysis...... with workability as mediator was performed for a binary outcome of sickness absence. The predictors in the analysis were as follows: age, social class, physical health, mental health, number of diagnoses, ergonomic exposures, occupational noise, exposure to risks, social support from supervisor, job control......; physical work environment was higher associated with the outcomes than psychosocial work environment. However, the explanatory value of the predictors for the variance in the model was low....

Congenital absence of anterior papillary muscle of the tricuspid valve and surgical repair with artificial chordae.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Chuan; Pan, Shiwei

2017-02-01

We report the case of a 26-year old woman who underwent successful tricuspid valve repair for the absence of the anterior papillary of the tricuspid valve. Preoperative echocardiography revealed grade IV tricuspid valve regurgitation, caused by congenital absence of the anterior papillary muscle and prolapse of the anterior leaflet. Tricuspid valve repair was performed using artificial chords consisting of two polytetrafluoroethylene sutures and a concomitant ring annuloplasty. Postoperative echocardiography revealed mild tricuspid valve regurgitation. This approach represented a safe and effective technique for tricuspid valve repair in congenital absence of papillary muscle. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

48 CFR 9904.408 - Accounting for costs of compensated personal absence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Accounting for costs of compensated personal absence. 9904.408 Section 9904.408 Federal Acquisition Regulations System COST ACCOUNTING... AND COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS COST ACCOUNTING STANDARDS 9904.408 Accounting for costs of compensated...

The mediating role of recovery opportunities on future sickness absence from a gender- and age-sensitive perspective.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J S Boschman

Full Text Available A lack of sufficient recovery during and after work may help to explain impaired health in the long run. We aimed to increase knowledge on the mediating role of recovery opportunities (RO during and after work on future sickness absence from a gender- and age-sensitive perspective. We used data on RO from a Swedish national survey in 2011 and linked these to sickness absence (>14 days two years later among the general working population (N = 7,649. Mediation of the relationship between gender and sickness absence by exposure to RO was studied through linear regression. We conducted separate analyses for RO during and after work and for three different age groups (16-29; 30-49; 50-64. The sample consisted of 3,563 men and 4,086 women. Sickness absence was higher among the women than among the men (11 days vs 5 days, p<0.001. Men reported statistically significantly more positive on their RO than women. RO during (ß 0.3-1.8 and after work (ß 0.4-0.6 mediated the relationship between gender and sickness absence. Mediation effects existed across age groups, with the strongest effects of RO during work found among the age group between 50 and 64 years of age (attenuation 36%. Our results indicate that gender inequality is also reflected in worse RO among women. This partially explains the increased risk of future sickness absence, particularly among those above 50 years of age. These findings show that RO during work deserve more attention in working life research.

The influence of household work and of having children on sickness absence among publicly employed women in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Voss, Margaretha; Josephson, Malin; Stark, Stefan; Vaez, Marjan; Alexanderson, Kristina; Alfredsson, Lars; Vingård, Eva

2008-08-01

To investigate whether family obligations influence the risk of sickness absence among female municipal employees in Sweden. A 1-year prospective cohort study of 1464 female municipal employees work, financial situation, working hours and work-family conflicts for repeated sick-leave spells (>or=4 spells) and long-term sickness absence (>or=28 days) were calculated by applying Poisson regression models. Women reporting financial strain or work-family conflicts were at elevated risk for long-term sickness absence. Having children was not a risk factor for repeated sick-leave spells or long-term sickness absence among married/cohabiting women. Single women with children had a two-fold greater risk of repeated sick-leave spells than single women without children. The findings suggest that the combination of gainful employment and children does not influence the risk of repeated sick-leave spells or long-term sickness absence among married/cohabiting publicly employed women. However, this was not true for single women with children, which indicates that their circumstances are particularly strained.

Unexplained Absences and Risk of Death and Injury Among Nursing Home Residents: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Woolford, Marta H; Weller, Carolina; Ibrahim, Joseph E

2017-04-01

Unexplained absence of nursing home (NH) residents is one of the most challenging issues related to the care of older people. The aim of this review was to examine the death and injury outcomes of unexplained absence of NH residents. We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, AgeLine, and Cochrane Library to identify qualitative and quantitative studies published in the English language. Data on death and injury were collated, and aggregate proportions were calculated where possible. Nine studies were identified; most (n = 6) were conducted in the United States. Persons with dementia formed the study population in all studies. There were 1440 individual unexplained absences reported across the 9 studies. We calculated a rate of 82 deaths and 61 injuries per 1000 incidents of unexplained absence. Extreme temperatures were the most common cause of death. Most individuals left by foot, and were found within a 1-mile radius of place last seen in green vegetation and waterways. This review provides valuable insight into death and injury outcomes. Further studies are recommended to improve understanding and prevent adverse outcomes. Copyright © 2017 AMDA – The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlling absence seizures by deep brain stimulus applied on substantia nigra pars reticulata and cortex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu, Bing; Wang, Qingyun

2015-01-01

Epilepsy is a typical neural disease in nervous system, and the control of seizures is very important for treating the epilepsy. It is well known that the drug treatment is the main strategy for controlling the epilepsy. However, there are about 10–15 percent of patients, whose seizures cannot be effectively controlled by means of the drug. Alternatively, the deep brain stimulus (DBS) technology is a feasible method to control the serious seizures. However, theoretical explorations of DBS are still absent, and need to be further made. Presently, we will explore to control the absence seizures by introducing the DBS to a basal ganglia thalamocortical network model. In particular, we apply DBS onto substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) and the cortex to explore its effects on controlling absence seizures, respectively. We can find that the absence seizure can be well controlled within suitable parameter ranges by tuning the period and duration of current stimulation as DBS is implemented in the SNr. And also, as the DBS is applied onto the cortex, it is shown that for the ranges of present parameters, only adjusting the duration of current stimulation is an effective control method for the absence seizures. The obtained results can have better understanding for the mechanism of DBS in the medical treatment.

Workplace psychosocial factors associated with work-related injury absence: a study from a nationally representative sample of Korean workers.

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Lu, Ming-Lun; Nakata, Akinori; Park, Jae Bum; Swanson, Naomi G

2014-02-01

Little is known about the association between psychosocial factors and injury absence in the workplace. This study aims to assess the association of comprehensive workplace psychosocial factors with work-related injury absence among Korean workers. The data (n = 7,856) were derived from the First Korean Working Conditions Survey conducted in 2006 with a representative sample (n = 10,043) of the Korean working population. The survey instrument contained questions about hours of work, physical risk factors, work organization, and the effect of work on health/injury. Work-related injury absence was indicated by a dichotomous variable with at least 1 day absence during the preceding 12 months. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratio and confidence interval (CI). Incremental adjustments for sociodemographic, health behavior, and occupational confounding variables were employed in the models. The overall 1-year prevalence of work-related injury absence in this study was 1.37 % (95 % CI, 1.11-1.63 %). Those who experienced violence at work (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 7.05 (95 % CI, 2.69-18.5)), threat of violence at work (aOR, 4.25 (95 % CI, 1.32-13.64)), low job autonomy (aOR, 1.79 (95 % CI, 1.17-2.74)), and high job strain (aOR, 2.38 (95 % CI, 1.29-4.42) had an increased risk of injury absence, compared with their respective counterparts (p workers in Korea were at a near fourfold risk of work absence due to occupational injuries, compared with managers in low-risk jobs. Workplace violence and increased job strain were two key workplace psychosocial factors associated with work-related injury absence.

Advantages and disadvantages of an objective selection process for early intervention in employees at risk for sickness absence.

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Duijts, Saskia F A; Kant, Ijmert; Swaen, Gerard M H

2007-05-02

It is unclear if objective selection of employees, for an intervention to prevent sickness absence, is more effective than subjective 'personal enlistment'. We hypothesize that objectively selected employees are 'at risk' for sickness absence and eligible to participate in the intervention program. The dispatch of 8603 screening instruments forms the starting point of the objective selection process. Different stages of this process, throughout which employees either dropped out or were excluded, were described and compared with the subjective selection process. Characteristics of ineligible and ultimately selected employees, for a randomized trial, were described and quantified using sickness absence data. Overall response rate on the screening instrument was 42.0%. Response bias was found for the parameters sex and age, but not for sickness absence. Sickness absence was higher in the 'at risk' (N = 212) group (42%) compared to the 'not at risk' (N = 2503) group (25%) (OR 2.17 CI 1.63-2.89; p = 0.000). The selection process ended with the successful inclusion of 151 eligible, i.e. 2% of the approached employees in the trial. The study shows that objective selection of employees for early intervention is effective. Despite methodological and practical problems, selected employees are actually those at risk for sickness absence, who will probably benefit more from the intervention program than others.

Climate in the absence of ocean heat transport

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Rose, B. E. J.

2017-12-01

The energy transported by the oceans to mid- and high latitudes is small compared to the atmosphere, yet exerts an outsized influence on climate. A key reason is the strong interaction between ocean heat transport (OHT) and sea ice extent. I quantify the absolute climatic impact of OHT using the state-of-the-art CESM simulations by comparing a realistic control climate against a slab ocean simulation in which OHT is disabled. The absence of OHT leads to a massive expansion of sea ice into the subtropics in both hemispheres, and a 24 K global cooling. Analysis of the transient simulation after setting the OHT to zero reveals a global cooling process fueled by a runaway sea ice albedo feedback. This process is eventually self-limiting in the cold climate due to a combination of subtropical cloud feedbacks and surface wind effects that are both connected to a massive spin-up of the atmospheric Hadley circulation. A parameter sensitivity study shows that the simulated climate is far more sensitive to small changes in ice surface albedo in the absence of OHT. I conclude that the oceans are responsible for an enormous global warming by mitigating an otherwise very potent sea ice albedo feedback, but that the magnitude of this effect is rather uncertain. These simulations provide a graphic illustration of how the intimate coupling between sea ice and ocean circulation governs the present-day climate, and by extension, highlight the importance of modeling ocean - sea ice interaction with high fidelity.

Psychosocial work environment exposures as risk factors for long-term sickness absence among Danish employees: results from DWECS/DREAM

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Thomas; Labriola, Merete; Christensen, Karl Bang

2005-01-01

and followed up during the proceeding 1.5 years regarding onset of long-term sickness absence. RESULTS: Long-term sickness absence among female employees was associated with role conflict, low reward, and poor management quality. Demands for hiding emotions and high emotional demands predicted long......-term sickness absence among men. No significant interactions between psychosocial and physical exposures were found for female or male employees. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests a potential for reducing long-term sickness absence through interventions targeted toward reducing role conflict, and improving reward...... and management quality among female employees, and through reducing emotional demands and demands for hiding emotions among male employees....

On the absence of order in 2-dimensional systems with compact symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruschi, M.L.; Garcia, A.A.; Masperi, L.; Garcia Canal, C.A.

1984-01-01

An alternative proof for the generalization to any compact Lie group of the absence of an ordered phase in one and two dimensional classical systems is provided using the original Bogoliubov inequality. (Author) [pt

Occupational class differences in diagnostic-specific sickness absence: a register-based study in the Finnish population, 2005-2014.

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Pekkala, Johanna; Blomgren, Jenni; Pietiläinen, Olli; Lahelma, Eero; Rahkonen, Ossi

2017-08-22

Musculoskeletal diseases and mental disorders are major causes of long-term sickness absence in Western countries. Although sickness absence is generally more common in lower occupational classes, little is known about class differences in diagnostic-specific absence over time. Focusing on Finland during 2005-2014, we therefore set out to examine the magnitude of and changes in absolute and relative occupational class differences in long-term sickness absence due to major diagnostic causes. A 70-per-cent random sample of Finns aged 25-64 linked to register data on medically certified sickness absence (of over 10 working days) in 2005-2014 was retrieved from the Social Insurance Institution of Finland. Information on occupational class was obtained from Statistics Finland and linked to the data. The study focused on female (n = 658,148-694,142) and male (n = 604,715-642,922) upper and lower non-manual employees and manual workers. The age-standardised prevalence, the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and the Relative Index of Inequality (RII) were calculated for each study year to facilitate examination of the class differences. The prevalence of each diagnostic cause of sickness absence declined during the study period, the most common causes being musculoskeletal diseases, mental disorders and injuries. The prevalence of other causes under scrutiny was less than 1 % annually. By far the largest absolute and relative differences were in musculoskeletal diseases among both women and men. Moreover, the absolute differences in both genders (p class differences in mental disorders. In the case of injuries, no major changes occurred in absolute differences but relative differences narrowed over time in men (p Class differences in the other studied diagnostic causes under scrutiny appeared negligible. By far the largest occupational class differences in long-term sickness absence concerned musculoskeletal diseases, followed by injuries. The results highlight

Severe hyponatraemia with absence of hyperkalaemia in rapidly progressive Addison's disease.

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Thompson, Michael D; Kalmar, Eileen; Bowden, Sasigarn A

2015-05-28

We present a case of rapidly progressing Addison's disease in adrenal crisis with severe hyponatraemia and absence of hyperkalaemia in a 10-year-old girl. She presented with 2 weeks of vomiting, fatigue and weight loss. Her serum electrolytes obtained 1 week prior to presentation were normal, except for mild hyponatraemia at 131 mmol/L, which dropped to 112 mmol/L on admission. She had normal serum potassium, low-serum osmolality, with elevated urine sodium and osmolality, indistinguishable from syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH). Subsequently, Addison's disease was diagnosed on the basis of gingival hyperpigmentation and undetectable cortisol on adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test. She rapidly responded to stress dose hydrocortisone, followed by hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone replacement therapy. The absence of hyperkalaemia in the presence of severe hyponatraemia cannot rule out Addison's disease in children. The mechanism of hypo-osmolar hyponatraemia in primary adrenal insufficiency and clinical clues to differentiate it from SIADH are discussed. 2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

Bilateral Absence of Musculocutaneous Nerve: A Case Report

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Saha, Anubha

2014-01-01

Detailed knowledge of course and distribution of nerves in the axilla and arm is very important in the management of nerve injuries particularly in case of their variations. Bilateral absence of the musculocutaneous nerve was found during routine dissection in a male cadaver. The dissected part was cleared to see the distribution of the muscles of the arm. The muscles of the flexor compartment were supplied by the median nerve, instead of the musculocutaneous nerve. The present case report of this anatomical variation of the nerves should help in management of nerve injuries in the axilla or the arm. PMID:25386419

Egr3 dependent sympathetic target tissue innervation in the absence of neuron death.

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Lin Li

Full Text Available Nerve Growth Factor (NGF is a target tissue derived neurotrophin required for normal sympathetic neuron survival and target tissue innervation. NGF signaling regulates gene expression in sympathetic neurons, which in turn mediates critical aspects of neuron survival, axon extension and terminal axon branching during sympathetic nervous system (SNS development. Egr3 is a transcription factor regulated by NGF signaling in sympathetic neurons that is essential for normal SNS development. Germline Egr3-deficient mice have physiologic dysautonomia characterized by apoptotic sympathetic neuron death and abnormal innervation to many target tissues. The extent to which sympathetic innervation abnormalities in the absence of Egr3 is caused by altered innervation or by neuron death during development is unknown. Using Bax-deficient mice to abrogate apoptotic sympathetic neuron death in vivo, we show that Egr3 has an essential role in target tissue innervation in the absence of neuron death. Sympathetic target tissue innervation is abnormal in many target tissues in the absence of neuron death, and like NGF, Egr3 also appears to effect target tissue innervation heterogeneously. In some tissues, such as heart, spleen, bowel, kidney, pineal gland and the eye, Egr3 is essential for normal innervation, whereas in other tissues such as lung, stomach, pancreas and liver, Egr3 appears to have little role in innervation. Moreover, in salivary glands and heart, two tissues where Egr3 has an essential role in sympathetic innervation, NGF and NT-3 are expressed normally in the absence of Egr3 indicating that abnormal target tissue innervation is not due to deregulation of these neurotrophins in target tissues. Taken together, these results clearly demonstrate a role for Egr3 in mediating sympathetic target tissue innervation that is independent of neuron survival or neurotrophin deregulation.

Can pulsed xenon ultraviolet light systems disinfect aerobic bacteria in the absence of manual disinfection?

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Jinadatha, Chetan; Villamaria, Frank C; Ganachari-Mallappa, Nagaraja; Brown, Donna S; Liao, I-Chia; Stock, Eileen M; Copeland, Laurel A; Zeber, John E

2015-04-01

Whereas pulsed xenon-based ultraviolet light no-touch disinfection systems are being increasingly used for room disinfection after patient discharge with manual cleaning, their effectiveness in the absence of manual disinfection has not been previously evaluated. Our study indicates that pulsed xenon-based ultraviolet light systems effectively reduce aerobic bacteria in the absence of manual disinfection. These data are important for hospitals planning to adopt this technology as adjunct to routine manual disinfection. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders is associated with individual features and psychosocial work conditions.

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Silva-Junior, João Silvestre da; Fischer, Frida Marina

2014-01-01

Sickness absence is a socioeconomic global burden. In Brazil, mental disorders are the third leading cause of social security benefits payments. The aim of the present study was to compare factors associated with long-term sickness absence between workers who claimed social benefits due to mental disorders or by other causes. We investigated individual features and occupational characteristics. In addition, we evaluated psychosocial factors at work assessed by the Demand-Control-Support (DCS) and Effort-Reward Imbalance (ERI) models, and whether they were associated with long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders (LTSA-MD). The present case-control study was conducted in São Paulo, Brazil. The sample (n = 385) included workers on sick leave for more than 15 days. Cases were the participants with disabling psychiatric illnesses, and controls were the ones with other disabling diseases. Interviews were conducted to assess individual features (sociodemographic data, health habits/lifestyle, health conditions) and occupational characteristics. The participants' perception of exposure to dimensions of the DCS and ERI models was also recorded. Multiple logistic regressions were performed to evaluate the association between independent variables and LTSA-MD. All the regression analyses showed that LTSA-MD was associated with female sex, self-reported white skin color, higher education level, high tobacco consumption, high alcohol intake, two or more comorbidities, exposure to violence at work, high job strain and low social support at work, effort-reward imbalance and high overcommitment to work. LTSA-MD was associated with separate and combined DCS and ERI stress models. Individual features and work conditions were associated with LTSA-MD. Combined analysis of stress models showed that psychosocial factors at work were significantly associated with LTSA-MD. Resourceful use of this information may contribute to the implementation of preventive actions and

Long-term sickness absence due to mental disorders is associated with individual features and psychosocial work conditions.

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