| 1. |
- Ahlner, Johan, et al.
(författare)
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Prevalence of alcohol and other drugs and the concentrations in blood of drivers killed in road traffic crashes in Sweden
- 2014
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications (UK and US). - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 42:2, s. 177-183
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Drunk or drug-impaired drivers represent a major public health and societal problem worldwide. Because over 95% of drivers killed on the roads in Sweden are autopsied, reliable information is available about the use of alcohol and/or other drug before the crash. Methods: This retrospective 4-year study (2008-2011) used a forensic toxicology database (TOXBASE) to evaluate the concentrations of alcohol and other drugs in blood samples from drivers killed in road-traffic crashes. Results: The mean age of all victims (N = 895) was 48 +/- 20 years, and the majority were male (86%). In 504 drivers (56%), the results of toxicological analysis were negative and these victims were older; mean age (+/- SD) 47 +/- 20 years, than alcohol positive cases (35 +/- 14 years) and illicit drug users (34 +/- 15 years). In 21% of fatalities, blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) was above the statutory limit for driving (0.2 g/L), although the median BAC was appreciably higher (1.72 g/L). Illicit drugs (mainly amphetamine and cannabis) were identified in similar to 7% of victims, either alone (2.5%), together with alcohol (1.8%) or a prescription drug (2%). The psychoactive prescription drugs identified were mainly benzodiazepines, z-hypnotics and tramadol, which were found in the blood of 7.6% of crash victims. Conclusions: The high median BAC in fatally-injured drivers speaks strongly towards alcohol-induced impairment as being responsible for the crash. Compared with alcohol, the prevalence of illicit and psychoactive prescription drugs was fairly low despite a dramatic increase in the number of drug-impaired drivers arrested by the police after a zero-tolerance law was introduced in 1999.
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| 2. |
- Alwin, Jenny, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Societal costs of informal care of community-dwelling frail elderly people
- 2021
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 49:4, s. 433-440
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: The aims of this study are to describe informal care activities and to estimate the societal cost of informal care of community-dwelling frail elderly people in Sweden. Methods: This study was performed within the frame of the TREEE project that included 408 frail elderly patients. At index hospitalisation (baseline), primary informal caregivers of the patients were provided with a questionnaire on informal care during a period of three months. Questions concerning other (secondary) informal caregivers were also included. A rough estimate of the total cost of informal care of frail elderly people in Sweden was obtained by combining data from this study with published data and official statistics. Results: In total, 176 informal caregivers responded, and 89% had provided informal care. The informal caregivers (primary and secondary) provided care for an average of 245 hours over three months. Taking care of the home was the dominating activity. In total, the mean cost of informal care was estimated to approximately 18,000 SEK (euro1878) over three months, corresponding to an annual cost of approximately 72,000 SEK (euro7477) per frail elderly person. The total annual societal costs of informal care of community dwelling frail elderly people aged 75 years and older in Sweden was estimated to be approximately 11,000 million SEK (euro1150 million). Conclusions: The care of frail elderly people provided by informal caregivers is extensive and represents a great economic value. Although our calculations are associated with uncertainty, the size indicates that supporting informal caregivers should be a priority for society.
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| 3. |
- Annerbäck, Eva-Maria, et al.
(författare)
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A cross-sectional study of victimisation of bullying among schoolchildren in Sweden: Background factors and self-reported health complaints
- 2014
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : Sage Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 42:3, s. 270-277
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM:To examine background factors for bullying and associations between bullying victimisation and health problems.METHODS:A cross-sectional study on all pupils in grades 7 and 9 in a Swedish county was conducted in 2011 (n=5248). Data have been analysed with bi- and multivariate models.RESULTS:14% of the children reported that they had been bullied during the past 2 months. Background factors for bullying were: gender (girls more often); age (younger students more often); disability/disease; high body mass index, and having parents born abroad. There were strong associations between being bullied and poor health and self-harm. Associations with poor general health for boys and girls and mental health problems for girls showed stronger associations with higher frequency of bullying than with lower. For boys, physical bullying had stronger correlations with poor general health than written-verbal bullying.CONCLUSIONS:Bullying is a serious public health problem among young people and healthcare professionals have an important task in identifying exposed children. Children who are "different" are more exposed to bullying, which implies that school personnel, parents, and other adults in these children's social networks can play an important role in paying attention to and preventing the risk of bullying..
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| 4. |
- Aronsson, Mattias, et al.
(författare)
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Differences between hypothetical and experience-based value sets for EQ-5D used in Sweden: Implications for decision makers
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 43:8, s. 848-854
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: A number of value sets are available today for converting EQ-5D questionnaire responses to quality-adjusted life year-weights used in health economic evaluations. The aim of this study is to analyse the differences between the commonly used hypothetical UK value set and the newly introduced Swedish experience-based value set and to evaluate health economic implications of such differences on policy decisions. Methods: Differences between the two value sets were studied using two methods: a comparison of health states and improvements as well as an empirical comparison. In the comparison of health states and improvements, the valuations of all EQ-5D states and all pure improvements were compared. In the empirical study, a database of 23,925 individuals was used to identify patient groups that could be affected by the implementation of the Swedish experience-based value set. Results: The comparison of health states and possible improvements showed that only three health states were assigned a lower quality-adjusted life year-weight and most improvements were given smaller absolute values if the experience-based value set was used. The empirical comparison showed that severe conditions were assigned higher values when using the experience-based value set. Conclusions: The Swedish experience-based value set seems to render a higher estimated level of health-related quality of life in virtually all health conditions compared to the hypothetical UK value set. In extension, health-related quality of life enhancing interventions are likely to be given higher priority in decision-making situations where hypothetical values are used to construct quality-adjusted life year-weights. In situations where experience-based quality-adjusted life year-weights are used, life-prolonging interventions would be prioritised.
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| 5. |
- Aspberg, Sara, et al.
(författare)
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Large differences between patients with acute myocardial infarction included in two Swedish health registers
- 2013
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications (UK and US). - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 41:6, s. 637-643
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Acute myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause for morbidity and mortality in Sweden. We aimed to compare patients with an acute MI included in the Register of information and knowledge about Swedish heart intensive care admissions (RIKS-HIA, now included in the register Swedeheart) and in the Swedish statistics of acute myocardial infarctions (S-AMI). Methods: Population based register study including RIKS-HIA, S-AMI, the National patient register and the Cause of death register. Odds ratios were determined by logistic regression analysis. Results: From 2001 to 2007, 114,311 cases in RIKS-HIA and 198,693 cases in S-AMI were included with a discharge diagnosis of an acute MI. Linkage was possible for 110,958 cases. These cases were younger, more often males, had fewer concomitant diseases and were more often treated with invasive coronary artery procedures than patients included in S-AMI only. There were substantial regional differences in proportions of patients reported to RIKS-HIA. Conclusions: Approximately half of all patients with an acute MI were included in RIKS-HIA. They represented a relatively more healthy population than patients included in S-AMI only. S-AMI covered almost all patients with an acute MI but had limited information about the patients. Used in combination, these two registers can give better prerequisites for improved quality of care of all patients with acute coronary syndromes.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Bergh, Anne-Louise, et al.
(författare)
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Psychometric properties of the Swedish version of the Well-Being Questionnaire in a sample of patients with diabetes type 1.
- 2000
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Ingår i: Scandinavian journal of public health. - : Sage Publications Ltd.. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 28:2, s. 137-45
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present investigation was to further test the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the Well-Being Questionnaire (WBQ) in order to determine whether it could be suitable for measuring health-related quality of life among type 1 diabetic patients. METHODS: In total, 94 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected for the study and of these 85% participated. Reliability was tested with Cronbach's alpha coefficient and the internal validity by means of principal component analysis and multitrait analysis. To test the external validity, comparisons were made with two other questionnaires, the Short form-36 and a Swedish Mood Adjective Check List. RESULTS: The results show that, above all, the Swedish version of the WBQ measures psychological well-being, and thus must also be complemented with scales that measure other consequences of the illness and/or treatment, i.e. physical symptoms. The questionnaire has low discriminatory validity between subscales, which casts doubt on the appropriateness of using the four subscales as separate measures. The two scales measuring anxiety and depression are not sensitive enough for use among type 1 diabetics without complications and high or normal levels of psychological well-being. CONCLUSIONS: The Well-Being Questionnaire alone does not give any more information about subjective health status among type 1 diabetic patients than, for example, the generic SF-36.
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| 8. |
- Berman, Anne H., Professor, et al.
(författare)
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Compliance with recommendations limiting COVID-19 contagion among university students in Sweden : associations with self-reported symptoms, mental health and academic self-efficacy
- 2022
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 50:1, s. 70-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims: The COVID-19 containment strategy in Sweden uses public health recommendations relying on personal responsibility for compliance. Universities were one of few public institutions subject to strict closure, meaning that students had to adapt overnight to online teaching. This study investigates the prevalence of self-reported recommendation compliance and associations with self-reported symptoms of contagion, self-experienced effects on mental health and academic self-efficacy among university students in Sweden in May–June 2020.Methods: This was a cross-sectional 23 question online survey in which data were analysed by multinomial regression, taking a Bayesian analysis approach complemented by null hypothesis testing.Results: A total of 4495 students consented to respond. Recommendation compliance ranged between 70% and 96%. Women and older students reported higher compliance than did men and younger students. Mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms were reported by 30%, severe symptoms by fewer than 2%; 15% reported being uncertain and half of the participants reported no symptoms. Mental health effects were reported by over 80%, and changes in academic self-efficacy were reported by over 85%; in both these areas negative effects predominated. Self-reported symptoms and uncertainty about contagion were associated with non-compliance, negative mental health effects, and impaired academic self-efficacy.Conclusions: Students generally followed public health recommendations during strict closure of universities, but many reported considerable negative consequences related to mental health and academic self-efficacy. Digital interventions should be developed and evaluated to boost coping skills, build resilience and alleviate student suffering during the pandemic and future similar crises.
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| 9. |
- Bernfort, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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A case of community-based fall prevention : Survey of organization and content of minor home help services in Swedish municipalities
- 2014
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : Sage Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 42:7, s. 643-8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to survey minor home help services provided by Swedish municipalities with the main purpose to prevent fall injuries.METHODS: If minor home help services were presented on the homepage of a municipality, an initial telephone contact was taken. Thereafter a questionnaire was administered, including questions about target groups, aim with the services, tasks included, costs and restrictions for users, budget, and experienced gains with the services. Municipalities not providing minor home help services were asked about the reason therefore and if the municipality had previously provided the services Results: The questionnaire response rate was 92%. In 191 of Sweden's 290 municipalities services were provided by, or in cooperation with, the municipality. Reasons for not providing the services were mainly financial and lack of demand. Services were more often provided in larger cities and in municipalities located in populous regions. In some municipalities services were performed by persons with functional disabilities or unemployed persons. CONCLUSIONS: BOTH PROVIDERS AND USERS EXPRESSED SATISFACTION WITH THE SERVICES ASPECTS EXPRESSED WERE THAT SERVICES LEAD TO GREATER SENSE OF SAFETY AND SOCIAL GAINS THE EFFECT OF THE SERVICES IN TERMS OF FALL PREVENTION IS YET TO BE PROVED WITH ONLY A SMALL FALL-PREVENTIVE EFFECT SERVICES ARE PROBABLY COST-EFFECTIVE IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE, SENSE OF SAFETY, AND BEING ABLE TO OFFER MEANINGFUL WORK TO OTHERWISE UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ARE IMPORTANT ASPECTS THAT MIGHT IN THEMSELVES MOTIVATE THE PROVISION OF MINOR HOME HELP SERVICES.
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| 10. |
- Bjereld, Ylva, et al.
(författare)
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The association between self-reported psychosomatic complaints and bullying victimisation and disability among adolescents in Finland and Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 51:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To analyse the associations between bullying victimisation, disability, and self-reported psychosomatic complaints in adolescents, and to investigate the role of support from parents and teachers in such associations. Methods: The study was based on Finnish and Swedish data from two waves (2013/2014 and 2017/2018) of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey (n=16,057). Descriptive statistics were produced for four groups of adolescents: (a) bullied with disabilities; (b) not bullied with disabilities; (c) bullied without disabilities; and (d) not bullied without disabilities (reference group). Two multilevel multinomial logistic regression models were performed for the Finnish and Swedish samples separately. The first model analysed associations between psychosomatic complaints and bullying victimisation, controlling for a range of confounders. The second model analysed associations between psychosomatic complaints and social support from parents and teachers. Results: Across both countries, bullied adolescents with disabilities were more likely to self-report psychosomatic complaints than the reference group, even after adjusting for other potential confounders. Teacher support was identified as a potential protective factor as the odds ratio for psychosomatic complaints decreased when including teacher support as a factor in the model. The association with parent support showed mixed findings in Finland and Sweden. Conclusions: Disability in combination with bullying victimisation generated the highest levels of self-reported psychosomatic complaints compared to adolescents that were not bullied nor had disabilities. High teacher support may be a protective factor against psychosomatic complaints for bullied and/or disabled adolescents.
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