Close relations to parents and emotional symptoms among adolescents: beyond socio-economic impact?

Objectives

This study examined the relationship between trustful communication with parents and frequency of emotional symptoms in schoolchildren and whether this relationship was modified by the family’s socio-economic position.

Methods

Pooled data (n = 15,646) from the Danish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children surveys 2002, 2006 and 2010 were analysed by multilevel multivariable logistic regression.

Results

8 % of all schoolchildren reported emotional symptoms almost daily. Odds ratio for daily symptoms was 2.1 (1.8–2.4) for children without trustful communication with parents compared to children with trustful communication. This association appears unaffected by family occupational class. A substantial socio-economic gradient in emotional symptoms persisted, independent of parent–child communication.

Conclusions

Trustful communication with parents might have a fundamental importance, regardless of socio-economic position.     

Is there a menopausal syndrome? Menopausal status and symptoms across racial/ethnic groups

In recent years, research on menopausal symptomalogy has focused on identifying symptom groupings experienced by women as they progress from premenopausal to postmenopausal status. However, most of these studies have been conducted among Caucasian women from western cultures. This leaves open the question of whether the findings from these studies can be extended to women of other racial/ethnic groups or cultures. Furthermore, many of the previous studies have been conducted on relatively small samples. This paper addresses the diversity of the menopause experience by comparing symptom reporting in a large cross-sectional survey of women aged 40-55 years among racial/ethnic groups of women in the United States (Caucasian, African-American, Chinese, Japanese, and Hispanic). Evaluation of the extent to which symptoms group together and consistently relate to menopausal status across these five samples provides evidence for or against a universal menopausal syndrome. The specific research questions addressed in this paper are: (1) How does the factor structure of symptoms among mid-aged women compare across racial/ethnic groups? (2) Is symptom reporting related to race/ethnicity or menopausal status? and (3) Does the relation between menopausal status and symptoms vary across racial/ethnic groups? Analyses are based on 14,906 women who participated in the multi-ethnic, multi-race, multi-site study of mid-aged women called the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Study participants completed a 15-min telephone or in-person interview that contained questions on a variety of health-related topics. Items of interest for these analyses include symptoms, menstrual history (to assess menopausal status), health status, and sociodemographics. Factor analysis results showed that across all five racial/ethnic groups, two consistent factors emerged; one consisting of clearly menopausal symptoms -- hot flashes and night sweats -- and the other consisting of psychological and psychosomatic symptoms. Results of regression analyses showed racial/ethnic differences in symptom reporting, as well as differences by menopausal status. Controlling for age, education, health, and economic strain, Caucasian women reported significantly more psychosomatic symptoms than other racial/ethnic groups. African-American women reported significantly more vasomotor symptoms. Perimenopausal women, hormone users, and women who had a surgical menopause reported significantly more vasomotor symptoms. All of these groups, plus postmenopausal women, reported significantly more vasomotor symptoms than premenopausal women. The pattern of results argues against a universal menopausal syndrome consisting of a variety of vasomotor and psychological symptoms.     

Widowhood and depressive symptoms among older Chinese: do gender and source of support make a difference?

In this study, we examined the effects of gender and pre-bereavement social support from three different sources (spouse, adult children, and friends) on widowhood adjustment among older adults in China. Hypotheses were developed by integrating the literature in the West and the cultural context of China. Data came from a panel survey, conducted in 1991 (baseline) and 1994 (follow-up), of a probability sample of older persons in Wuhan, China. For the present analysis, only those who were married with children at baseline were selected (N = 1,263). About 10% of the sample experienced spousal death between the two measurement points. Multiple regression analyses suggest that widowhood had a negative mental health consequence for older Chinese. Social support from adult children buffered the deleterious effect of widowhood, whereas spousal support during the marriage increased one's vulnerability. Support from friends was not found to have a significant effect. Gender difference in the effect of widowhood was also not evident. In this study, we have extended bereavement and social support research to a developing nation, with some findings similar to and some different from studies in Western developed nations.     

New-onset rhinitis symptoms among hospitalized patients: are flowers a culprit?

New-onset rhinitis symptoms following admission to the hospital were reported by 12.7% of surveyed patients. Presence of flower arrangements in the proximity of patients' beds was highly associated with the development of new rhinitis (odds ratio, 9.7; 95% confidence interval, 4.3-21.7), or what may be more aptly referred to as "florocomial" rhinitis.     

Self-rated health and postnatal depressive symptoms among immigrant mothers in Québec

Data from the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development were used to examine factors associated with postnatal depression and the links between self-rated health (SRH) and depressive symptoms in mothers 5 months after giving birth, according to immigration status. Postnatal depressive symptoms were measured using the 12-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Immigrant mothers were classified according to their ethnocultural (majority or minority) group and compared with Canadian-born mothers. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between SRH and depressive symptoms. The prevalence of high depressive symptoms was larger among immigrants from minority groups (24.7%) than among immigrants from majority groups (8.3%) and Canadian-born mothers 11.2%). SRH was associated with depressive symptoms among Canadian- born mothers, but not among minority immigrant mothers. Canadian- born mothers integrated mental health into their assessment of overall health status, however, depressive symptoms among minority immigrant mothers were common, and their determinants warrant further research.     

Diet and Respiratory Infections: Specific or Generalized Associations?

Background: Based on our recently reported associations between specific dietary behaviors and the risk of COVID-19 infection in the UK Biobank (UKB) cohort, we further investigate whether these associations are specific to COVID-19 or extend to other respiratory infections. Methods: Pneumonia and influenza diagnoses were retrieved from hospital and death record data linked to the UKB. Baseline, self-reported (2006–2010) dietary behaviors included being breastfed as a baby and intakes of coffee, tea, oily fish, processed meat, red meat (unprocessed), fruit, and vegetables. Logistic regression estimated the odds of pneumonia/influenza from baseline to 31 December 2019 with each dietary component, adjusting for baseline socio-demographic factors, medical history, and other lifestyle behaviors. We considered effect modification by sex and genetic factors related to pneumonia, COVID-19, and caffeine metabolism. Results: Of 470,853 UKB participants, 4.0% had pneumonia and 0.2% had influenza during follow up. Increased consumption of coffee, tea, oily fish, and fruit at baseline were significantly and independently associated with a lower risk of future pneumonia events. Increased consumption of red meat was associated with a significantly higher risk. After multivariable adjustment, the odds of pneumonia (p ≤ 0.001 for all) were lower by 6–9% when consuming 1–3 cups of coffee/day (vs. <1 cup/day), 8–11% when consuming 1+ cups of tea/day (vs. <1 cup/day), 10–12% when consuming oily fish in higher quartiles (vs. the lowest quartile—Q1), and 9–14% when consuming fruit in higher quartiles (vs. Q1); it was 9% higher when consuming red meat in the fourth quartile (vs. Q1). Similar patterns of associations were observed for influenza but only associations with tea and oily fish met statistical significance. The association between fruit and pneumonia risk was stronger in women than in men (p = 0.001 for interaction). Conclusions: In the UKB, consumption of coffee, tea, oily fish, and fruit were favorably associated with incident pneumonia/influenza and red meat was adversely associated. Findings for coffee parallel those we reported previously for COVID-19 infection, while other findings are specific to these more common respiratory infections.     

What accounts for depressive symptoms among mothers? The impact of socioeconomic status,family structure and psychosocial stress

Objectives  

Based on a cross-sectional population survey of 3,129 women with minor children, it was analyzed how socioeconomic status, family structure and perceived psychosocial stress are linked and how they contributed to women’s self-reported depressive symptoms.     

The preterm infant: Breast or bottle?

The long term survival of preterm infants has greatly improved in the last decade. Clinicians have consequently been able to concentrate more on their optimal nutrition and this has led to a controversy regarding the best milk for these infants. Current theory and practice suggests that the fastest growth and the best energy retention is obtained if a highly modified preterm formula milk is used. Banked mature human breast milk appears nutritionally inadequate and has no proven advantages. The use of fresh mothers' own milk merits further investigation, although its widespread use will usually be impractical.     

Associations between walking and depressive symptoms among older adults: Do purposes and amounts of walking matter? Results from the VoisiNuAge Study

BackgroundWalking has been associated with lower depressive symptoms. However, walking may be performed for different purposes and there is uncertainty regarding the optimal amount (duration and frequency) of walking among older adults.Objectives1) To investigate whether walking for fitness purposes and walking for purposes other than fitness are differentially associated with depressive symptoms; 2) to investigate the effect of amounts of walking.MethodsParticipants (n = 436) were older adults from the VoisiNuAge Study. Regression analyses examined whether fitness walking and walking for purposes other than fitness were differentially associated with depressive symptoms, independent of physical activity other than walking, socio-demographic variables, stressful events, number of chronic illnesses, and neighborhood variables. For both fitness walking and walking for other purposes, three amounts of walking were investigated: moderate (≥30 min, ≥ 3 days a week), high (≥30 min, ≥ 5 days a week), and very high (≥30 min, 7 days a week) amounts of walking. Analyses were stratified by amounts of walking.ResultsWalking for fitness purposes, but not walking for purposes other than fitness, was significantly associated with lower depressive symptoms. However, the association between fitness walking and lower depressive symptoms was statistically significant when amount of walking was moderate or high but not when walking amount was very high.DiscussionWalking is not necessarily associated with depressive symptoms per se: Rather, the joint influence of purposes and amounts of walking must be taken into account.     

Relation of female gender and low socioeconomic status to internalizing symptoms among adolescents: A case of double jeopardy?

Characteristics associated with disadvantaged social position, such as low socioeconomic status (SES) and female gender, may play a significant role in the development of internalizing symptoms among adolescents. Indeed, theories of "double jeopardy" suggest that these disadvantaged status characteristics interact to produce particularly harmful mental health outcomes. We tested the hypothesis that lower SES places adolescent females at greater risk for internalizing symptoms than males. We used data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods collected from a 15-year-old adolescent cohort (n=640) at baseline and at two-year follow-up. Female gender predicted internalizing symptoms cross-sectionally and prospectively, whereas household income and caretaker education generally were not associated with internalizing symptoms. Findings overall did not indicate interactive effects between gender and SES indicators. However, subgroups of females at the lowest levels of caretaker education and household income displayed increased risk for specific outcomes, including higher internalizing symptom levels at follow-up and maintenance of severe symptom levels from baseline to follow-up.     

Factor analysis of self-reported symptoms: does it identify a Gulf War syndrome?

Active duty US Naval mobile construction battalion personnel (Seabees) were surveyed in 1994 for the presence of a variety of symptoms. Questions were drawn from the Hopkins Symptom Checklist and from a collection of symptoms either defining clinical depression or commonly reported by Persian Gulf War veterans. Of those surveyed, 524 were Gulf War veterans and 935 were nondeployed Gulf War-era veterans. Factor analysis applied to Gulf War veterans yielded five factors, three deriving from the Hopkins Symptom Checklist, one suggesting clinical depression, and one containing symptoms commonly reported by Gulf War veterans. Factor analysis applied to nondeployed veterans yielded five similar factors. Three of the factors yielded statistically significantly greater standardized factor scores for Gulf War veterans than for nondeployed veterans. Four of the factors resembled factors resulting from a previous analysis on a sample of similar Gulf War veterans. Gulf War veterans and nondeployed era veterans reported similar clusters of symptoms and illnesses. However, Gulf War veterans reported these same clusters with greater frequencies than did nondeployed veterans. The authors conclude that, in contrast to a previous report, factor analysis did not identify a unique Gulf War syndrome.     

Musculoskeletal symptoms among young male workers and associations with exposure to hand–arm vibration and ergonomic stressors

Objective

The overall aim of this study was to explore the association between incident musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limbs and exposure to hand–arm vibration and ergonomic stressors.

Methods

The study has a prospective design and data at baseline and follow-up was assessed by self-administered questionnaires. The study population consisted of students that had graduated from vocational high schools in 2001–2003 in northern and western Sweden and a total of 586 men responded to both the baseline and follow-up questionnaires. The mean age was 20.7 (range 19–27) years, and the exposure information included questions regarding hand–arm vibration, postural stress, computer work, mental stress and perception of muscular tension. Musculoskeletal symptoms in the neck and upper limbs were assessed at baseline and at follow-up.

Results

Men who reported their daily vibration exposure duration (work and leisure) as more than 1 h at baseline had an increased risk of neck pain in the preceding 7 days at follow-up, when adjusting for all the other exposure variables (PR 3.29, 95% CI 1.02–14.9). Men with a calculated 8-h weighted vibration exposure level [A(8)] above 1.7 m/s² had an increased risk of developing neck pain in both the unadjusted and adjusted analyses compared to those with an exposure level below 0.5 m/s².

Conclusion

Men who reported their daily vibration exposure duration (work and leisure) to be more than 1 h at baseline had an increased risk of neck pain for the preceding 7 days at follow-up. An increased prevalence of neck pain was also observed in individuals with a calculated 8-h frequency weighted vibration exposure level above 1.7 m/s² (calculated from data assessed at follow-up) compared to those with an exposure level below 0.5 m/s². The increased risks remained when adjusting for postural and mental stress; however the results could still be confounded by other ergonomic and physical load factors not adjusted for in the analyses.

     

Neurophysiological symptoms and aspartame: What is the connection?

Aspartame (α-aspartyl-l-phenylalanine-o-methyl ester), an artificial sweetener, has been linked to behavioral and cognitive problems. Possible neurophysiological symptoms include learning problems, headache, seizure, migraines, irritable moods, anxiety, depression, and insomnia. The consumption of aspartame, unlike dietary protein, can elevate the levels of phenylalanine and aspartic acid in the brain. These compounds can inhibit the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, which are known regulators of neurophysiological activity. Aspartame acts as a chemical stressor by elevating plasma cortisol levels and causing the production of excess free radicals. High cortisol levels and excess free radicals may increase the brains vulnerability to oxidative stress which may have adverse effects on neurobehavioral health. We reviewed studies linking neurophysiological symptoms to aspartame usage and conclude that aspartame may be responsible for adverse neurobehavioral health outcomes. Aspartame consumption needs to be approached with caution due to the possible effects on neurobehavioral health. Whether aspartame and its metabolites are safe for general consumption is still debatable due to a lack of consistent data. More research evaluating the neurobehavioral effects of aspartame are required.     

Are physical symptoms among survivors of a disaster presented to the general practitioner? A comparison between self-reports and GP data

Background

Most studies examining medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) have been performed in primary or secondary care and have examined symptoms for which patients sought medical attention. Disasters are often described as precipitating factors for MUS. However, health consequences of disasters are typically measured by means of questionnaires, and it is not known whether these self-reported physical symptoms are presented to the GP. It is also not known if the self-reported symptoms are related to a medical disorder or if they remain medically unexplained. In the present study, three research questions were addressed. Firstly, were self-reported symptoms among survivors presented to the GP? Secondly, were the symptoms presented to the GP associated with a high level of functional impairment and distress? Thirdly, what was the GP's clinical judgment of the presented symptoms, i.e. were the symptoms related to a medical diagnosis or could they be labeled MUS?

Methods

Survivors of a man-made disaster (N = 887) completed a questionnaire 3 weeks (T1) and 18 months (T2) post-disaster. This longitudinal health survey was combined with an ongoing surveillance program of health problems registered by GPs.

Results

The majority of self-reported symptoms was not presented to the GP and survivors were most likely to present persistent symptoms to the GP. For example, survivors with stomachache at both T1 and T2 were more likely to report stomachache to their GP (28%) than survivors with stomachache at only T1 (6%) or only T2 (13%). Presentation of individual symptoms to the GP was not consistently associated with functional impairment and distress. 56 – 91% of symptoms were labeled as MUS after clinical examination.

Conclusion

These results indicate that the majority of self-reported symptoms among survivors of a disaster are not presented to the GP and that the decision to consult with a GP for an individual symptom is not dependent on the level of impairment and distress. Also, self-reported physical symptoms such as headache, back pain and shortness of breath are likely to remain medically unexplained after the clinical judgment of a GP.

     

Which agents cause reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS)? A systematic review

Aim To identify those agents reported as being associated withreactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS). Methods A systematic review was undertaken. Abstracts were screenedand those selected reviewed against pre-determined diagnosticcriteria for RADS. Results Significant information gaps were identified for allmeasures of interest. In some articles, even the causative agentwas not reported. The most commonly reported agents were chlorine(nine subjects), toluene di-isocyanate (TDI) (n = 6) and oxidesof nitrogen (n = 5). Most exposures occurred in the workplace(n = 51) and affected men (60%). Dyspnoea (71%) and cough (65%)were the commonest symptoms. Median symptom duration was 13months (interquartile range = 6.5–43.5) for RADS. Conclusions Although the most commonly reported agent associatedwith RADS was chlorine, the main finding of a general lack ofadequate information on exposure, investigation and outcomesuggests that to better explore RADS a more structured approachto gathering information is required. A minimum data set forreporting RADS cases is proposed.