A causal model for longitudinal randomised trials with time‐dependent non‐compliance

In the presence of non‐compliance, conventional analysis by intention‐to‐treat provides an unbiased comparison of treatment policies but typically under‐estimates treatment efficacy. With all‐or‐nothing compliance, efficacy may be specified as the complier‐average causal effect (CACE), where compliers are those who receive intervention if and only if randomised to it. We extend the CACE approach to model longitudinal data with time‐dependent non‐compliance, focusing on the situation in which those randomised to control may receive treatment and allowing treatment effects to vary arbitrarily over time. Defining compliance type to be the time of surgical intervention if randomised to control, so that compliers are patients who would not have received treatment at all if they had been randomised to control, we construct a causal model for the multivariate outcome conditional on compliance type and randomised arm. This model is applied to the trial of alternative regimens for glue ear treatment evaluating surgical interventions in childhood ear disease, where outcomes are measured over five time points, and receipt of surgical intervention in the control arm may occur at any time. We fit the models using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to obtain estimates of the CACE at successive times after receiving the intervention. In this trial, over a half of those randomised to control eventually receive intervention. We find that surgery is more beneficial than control at 6months, with a small but non‐significant beneficial effect at 12months. © 2015 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine Published by JohnWiley & Sons Ltd.     

Long-run effects of gestation during the Dutch Hunger Winter famine on labor market and hospitalization outcomes

The Dutch Hunger Winter (1944/45) is the most-studied famine in the literature on long-run effects of malnutrition in utero. Its temporal and spatial demarcations are clear, it was severe, it was not anticipated, and nutritional conditions in society were favorable and stable before and after the famine. This is the first study to analyze effects of in utero exposure on labor market outcomes and hospitalization late in life, and the first to use register data covering the full Dutch population to examine long-run effects of this famine. We provide results of famine exposure by sub-interval of gestation. We find a significantly negative effect of exposure during the first trimester of gestation on employment outcomes 53 or more years after birth. Hospitalization rates in the years before retirement are higher after middle or late gestational exposure.     

浙江省儿科医生工作满意度与离职意愿调查

目的 了解浙江省儿科医生工作满意度和离职意愿现状,分析满意度和离职意愿的影响因素.方法 抽取浙江省儿科医生414名,采取问卷调查法,运用明尼苏达工作满意度短式量表和离职意愿量表进行调查.结果 浙江省儿科医生本科学历居多,大多来自三级医院;总体满意度与职称、收入成正相关,与专业背景、离职意愿负相关(P＜0.05);外在满意度与学历、专业背景、离职意愿负相关(P＜0.05);内在满意度与年龄、职称、儿科工作年限、收入、医院等级正相关,与离职意愿负相关(P＜0.05);离职意愿与年龄、职称、儿科工作年限、收入、各满意度负相关(P＜0.05).结论 提高儿科医生满意度要重点提高其外在满意度,即工作环境、职位的晋升、收入等;提高收入可以明显降低儿科医生离职意愿;专业背景是满意度和离职意愿共同的影响因素,儿科专业背景的儿科医生具有更好的从业稳定性.     

Predictors for Employment Status in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A 10-Year Longitudinal Observational Study

Objective

To identify predictors for employment status after 10 years in a cohort of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), with the aim to increase knowledge concerning factors present at an early stage that are important for working life and work-life balance.

Health risks and informal employment in South Africa: does formality protect health?

Background:

The association between work and health has not been well explored in the context of economically developing countries, largely due to inadequate data.

Objectives:

The objective of this study was to identify the association between informal wage work and health in South Africa using a newly available data set that includes detailed information on both employment and health.

Methods:

To explore the relationship between formality, work, and health in South Africa, data from the first (2008) wave of the National Income Dynamic Study (NIDS) were analyzed. We constructed a “formality index” which represents work arrangements on a continuum of formality to informality allowing for a more nuanced analysis of the association between wage work and health.

Results:

We found that formality of employment was significantly associated with health in South Africa, but that the protective effect of formality in employment on health was largely derived from the higher levels of income earned through more formal types of employment. Nevertheless, we did find that the association between informality and poor health was significantly greater for women in wage employment than for males.     

Return to work after medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: A systematic review

IntroductionThis study aims to evaluate the current literature with regard to the average time to and overall rate of return to work (RTW) following medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA).MethodsA systematic search was conducted on MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, Pubmed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library to identify studies reporting RTW after UKA. Primary outcomes were the rate and time to RTW after UKA. Secondary outcomes were postoperative changes in work intensity, functional scores, and factors affecting RTW. Methodological quality was evaluated using the the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria.ResultsSeven studies met inclusion criteria. Results were summarized qualitatively. The overall methodological quality of the studies was moderate based on the MINORS score. These studies included 636 patients with 46.5% male. Mean age was 63.1 years. The average rate of RTW was 81.7%. The average time to RTW was 5.4 ± 3.9 weeks (range 1–32 weeks). 81.8% of patients in one study returned to an equally or more physically demanding job, while 83.5% were able to work the same or longer hours postoperatively in another study. Functional scores improved after surgery (n = 6 studies). Factors affecting RTW were postoperative rehabilitation, retirement, and the effects of surgery.ConclusionLimited evidence from the included studies with moderate quality suggests that UKA allows patients to RTW faster, with a high rate of RTW and improved functional outcomes. However, consensus definitions and methods of work status analysis are needed for future studies.     

The Occupational Characteristics and Health Status of Workers in Geographically Isolated and Confined Areas in the Republic of Korea

BackgroundThis study investigates the safety and health status of geographically isolated and confined workers.MethodsThis study was conducted in Baekryeong Island in Korea in 2020. The age-standardized prevalence ratios (aSPR) for occupational injury, unmet medical needs, psychological status, and lifestyle were estimated from the available data. Also, we compared the aSPRs of workers in Baekryeong Island with a reference study population who participated in a nationally representative survey in Korea.ResultsThe study revealed that Baekryeong Island workers had an increased risk of acquiring health and safety problems compared to the general worker population. The island workers showed a significant increase in unmet medical care (aSPR, 5.319; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.984–6.958) and occupational injury (aSPR, 8.371; 95% CI, 3.820–15.892).ConclusionThis study identified the safety and health problems of geographically isolated workers in Baekryeong Island. The risk of occupational injury and unmet medical care are simultaneously highlighted in the region''s population, thereby underscoring the importance of prevention.