| 1. |
- Arvidsson, Inger, et al.
(author)
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Should I Stay or Should I Go? : Associations between Occupational Factors, Signs of Exhaustion, and the Intention to Change Workplace among Swedish Principals
- 2023
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In: Sustainable Healthy Working Life for All Ages. - : MDPI Books. ; , s. 139-158
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- A high turnover among principals may disrupt the continuity of leadership and negativelyaffect teachers and, by extension, the students. The aim was to investigate to what extent variouswork environment factors and signs of exhaustion were associated with reported intentions tochange workplace among principals working in compulsory schools. A web-based questionnaire wasadministered twice, in 2018 and in 2019. Part I of the study involved cross-sectional analyses of theassociations 2018 (n = 984) and 2019 (n = 884) between occupational factors, signs of exhaustion, andthe intention to change workplace, using Generalized Estimating Equations models. Part II involved631 principals who participated in both surveys. The patterns of intended and actual changes ofworkplace across two years were described, together with associated changes of occupational factorsand signs of exhaustion. Supportive management was associated with an intention to stay, whiledemanding role conflicts and the feeling of being squeezed between management and co-workers(buffer-function) were associated with the intention to change workplace. The principals whointended to change their workplace reported more signs of exhaustion. To increase retention amongprincipals, systematic efforts are probably needed at the national, municipal, and local level, in orderto improve their working conditions
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| 2. |
- Arvidsson, Inger, et al.
(author)
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Should I stay or should I go? Associations between occupational factors, signs of exhaustion and the intention to change workplace among swedish principals
- 2021
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. - 1661-7827 .- 1660-4601. ; 18:10, s. 1-20
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A high turnover among principals may disrupt the continuity of leadership and negatively affect teachers and, by extension, the students. The aim was to investigate to what extent various work environment factors and signs of exhaustion were associated with reported intentions to change workplace among principals working in compulsory schools. A web-based questionnaire was administered twice, in 2018 and in 2019. Part I of the study involved cross-sectional analyses of the associations 2018 (n = 984) and 2019 (n = 884) between occupational factors, signs of exhaustion, and the intention to change workplace, using Generalized Estimating Equations models. Part II involved 631 principals who participated in both surveys. The patterns of intended and actual changes of workplace across two years were described, together with associated changes of occupational factors and signs of exhaustion. Supportive management was associated with an intention to stay, while demanding role conflicts and the feeling of being squeezed between management and co-workers (buffer-function) were associated with the intention to change workplace. The principals who intended to change their workplace reported more signs of exhaustion. To increase retention among principals, systematic efforts are probably needed at the national, municipal, and local level, in order to improve their working conditions.
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| 3. |
- Bülow, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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High incidence of mental disorders, reduced mental well-being and cognitive function in hypopituitary women with GH deficiency treated for pituitary disease
- 2002
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In: Clinical Endocrinology. - : Wiley. - 1365-2265 .- 0300-0664. ; 56:2, s. 183-193
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have shown possible neuroendocrine effects of GH. In the present study we investigated the incidence of mental disorders and the prevalence of mental distress and cognitive dysfunction in hypopituitary women with untreated GH deficiency compared to population-based controls.DESIGN AND PATIENTS: Thirty-three hypopituitary women with a median age of 64 years (range 39--77 years) were investigated cross-sectionally, without any change in hormone substitutions. Twenty-nine of the patients had been operated for a pituitary tumour, 25 had received radiotherapy and 15 had visual dysfunction. The patients were with a very high probability GH deficient, as 29 had subnormal IGF-I levels and the other four were GH deficient as assessed by an insulin tolerance test. The patients were compared with 33 controls matched for sex, age, smoking habits, educational level and residence.MEASUREMENTS: The incidence of mental disorders was calculated from the date of diagnosed hypopituitarism to the time of the present investigation. Mental well-being was assessed by three self-rating questionnaires: the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90), the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction (ISSI) and the social network concept. The subjects were examined with neuropsychological tests of vocabulary (SRB:1 vocabulary test), perceptual speed (WAIS-R Digit Symbol), spatial ability (WAIS-R Block Design), verbal memory (Cronholm--Molander verbal memory test), spatial learning (Austin Maze Test) and reaction time (APT Two-way Reaction Time and APT Inhibition).RESULTS: The hypopituitary women had a higher incidence of mental disorders than the controls; Incidence Rate Ratio 4.5 (95% CI 1.0--21). The Global Severity Index, i.e. the average score of all 90 questions of the SCL-90, was higher in patients (P = 0.001), and the patients had significantly more symptoms of somatization, anxiety, depression, obsession--compulsion, hostility--irritability, phobic and psychotic symptoms (all P less-than-or-equal 0.04). Moreover, 14 patients compared to four controls were classified as possible cases of mental distress according to the SCL-90 (P = 0.006). The patients experienced lower availability of both social attachment (P = 0.02) and integration (P = 0.001), but there were no group differences in the adequacy of these dimensions or in emotional support. The patients had lower scores in four of seven neuropsychological tests (all P less-than-or-equal 0.04).CONCLUSIONS: The hypopituitary women had a higher incidence of mental disorders, more symptoms of mental distress and increased prevalence of cognitive dysfunction. The impaired results in the patients could possibly be explained by several factors, such as transfrontal surgery, radiotherapy, visual dysfunction and unphysiological hormone substitution. Moreover, it is probable that GH deficiency contributed, but placebo-controlled double-blind studies are warranted to investigate whether the psychological dysfunction is reversible on GH substitution.
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| 4. |
- Carlsson, Frida, et al.
(author)
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Prevalence of annoyance attributed to electrical equipment and smells in a Swedish population, and relationship with subjective health and daily functioning
- 2005
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In: Public Health. - : Elsevier BV. - 1476-5616 .- 0033-3506. ; 119:7, s. 568-577
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Self-reported annoyance from electrical equipment has been in evidence since the mid-1980s, and the first reports of illness from everyday chemicals arose in the 1960s. However, the extent of the problem has not yet been fully established.AIMS: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of annoyance related to electrical and chemical factors in a Swedish general population, and to assess possible relationships with subjective health and daily functioning.METHODS: In total, 13,604 subjects, representative of the population of Scania, Sweden, answered a survey containing five questions regarding annoyance from five environmental factors: fluorescent tube lighting, visual display units, other electrical equipment, air that smells of chemicals, and other smells. The survey also obtained data on self-reported health (SRH-7), mental well-being [General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12], work situation and daily functioning.RESULTS: Almost one-third of the respondents reported annoyance from at least one environmental factor. Annoyance was more frequent among women, subjects of working age and immigrants. Subjects who reported environmental annoyance scored higher on GHQ-12 and lower on SRH-7, indicating impaired subjective physical and mental well-being. They were also more likely to report deteriorated daily functioning.CONCLUSIONS: Annoyance related to electrical and/or chemical factors was common in a Swedish population. Subjects reporting environmental annoyance rated their overall health significantly poorer than the general population. The association with subjective health and functional capacity increased with severity of annoyance, which suggests that there is some connection between environmental annoyance, well-being and functional capacity.
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| 5. |
- Carlsson, Frida, et al.
(author)
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Salivary cortisol and self-reported stress among persons with environmental annoyance
- 2006
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health. - 0355-3140. ; 32:2, s. 20-109
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Increased vulnerability to stress has been suggested as a possible mechanism behind medically unexplained conditions such as sensitivity to electricity and common smells. This study examined whether subjective environmental annoyance among the general population is associated with increased physiological reactivity or subjective stress scores.METHODS: Four groups were studied (N=141): an electrically annoyed (N=17), a smell-annoyed (N=29), and a generally annoyed group (N=39) and a reference group matched for age, gender, and socioeconomic status (N=56). Over 5 days, the participants collected saliva for cortisol determination at awakening, 30 minutes after awakening, 8 hours after awakening, and at 9 o'clock in the evening. On the evening preceding the fifth day, the participants ingested a 0.5-mg dexamethasone tablet so that possible differential suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis could be assessed. Each day, the participants also rated their subjective stress and health complaints.RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the groups regarding cortisol secretion over 5 days. The dexamethasone suppression test showed inhibited cortisol secretion in all four groups. No associations were found between the cortisol concentrations and the self-reported stress scores or subjective health complaints.CONCLUSIONS: Although the environmentally annoyed groups showed no signs of increased HPA-axis activation, being annoyed by both electrical devices and smells seems to be related to increased psychological activation in terms of self-reported stress. Because the participants were otherwise healthy and recruited from the general population, the results imply that subtle psychological stress processes may be important in the early development of environmental annoyance.
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| 6. |
- Carter, N, et al.
(author)
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EUROQUEST - A questionnaire for solvent related symptoms: Factor structure, item analysis and predictive validity
- 2002
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In: NeuroToxicology. - 1872-9711 .- 0161-813X. ; 23:6, s. 711-717
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The study evaluates the factor structure and predictive validity of the symptom questionnaire EUROQUEST (EQ) that had been developed with the goal of simplifying the evaluation of health effects associated with long-term solvent exposure. The EQ was added to the normal evaluation procedures for 118 male patients with suspected solvent-induced toxic encephalopathy (TE) referred to seven Swedish clinics of occupational medicine during an 18-month period. EQ was also completed by 239 males from a random sample of 400 Swedish males aged 25-64 years selected from the general population and a sample of 559 occupationally active male spray painters aged 25-64 years. Factor and item analyses of EQ responses were performed. Ordinary least square regression analysis was used to evaluate sensitivity and correlation to evaluate the specificity of EQ and the separate components. Questions concerning memory and concentration symptoms alone showed better sensitivity than the other five EQ dimensions singly or combined for the entire EQ and for a subset of questions approximating Q16, a widely used organic solvent symptom screening questionnaire. However, the diagnosis of TE required information in addition to exposure and responses to EQ and Q16-like questions. The results indicate that the subset of EQ questions concerning memory and concentration might replace the more cumbersome EQ and less sensitive Q16 in screening for TE, although none of the screening instruments alone replaces current clinical diagnostic procedures. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
- Eek, Frida, et al.
(author)
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Factors associated with prospective development of environmental annoyance
- 2010
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In: Journal of Psychosomatic Research. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-1360 .- 0022-3999. ; 69:1, s. 9-15
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: Idiopathic environmental intolerance (IEI) has in cross-sectional studies been associated with emotional problems and psychiatric disorders. However, in the absence of prospective studies it has not been possible to determine whether emotional problems precede the onset of IEI, or are a consequence of IEI. The purpose of this study was to address this issue in a prospective panel study design. Methods: The study sample (n=10 275) responded to a postal survey that included five questions regarding annoyance from environmental factors, at baseline and at follow-up five years later. Associations between a number of self-rating scales of stress, subjective health, and working conditions at baseline on one hand, and development of environmental annoyance from baseline to follow-up on the other, were examined. Results: Participants having developed environmental annoyance between baseline and follow-up had at baseline reported more subjective health complaints, higher levels of stress, strain, and lack of recovery, more dissatisfaction with their work situation, and lower personal social support, compared to participants not developing environmental annoyance. Conclusion: Elevated subjective health complaints, high stress in daily life and a strained work situation, all possible signs of sustained arousal, increase the risk of developing annoyance to environmental factors. The results fit the hypothesis that reduced subjective health, over the course of time, may be attributed to environmental factors. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Fjalldal, Sigridur, et al.
(author)
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Hypothalamic Involvement Predicts Cognitive Performance and Psychosocial Health in Long-term Survivors of Childhood Craniopharyngioma
- 2013
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In: Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. - : Endocrine Society. - 0021-972X .- 1945-7197. ; 98:8, s. 3253-3262
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context: Hypothalamic damage caused by craniopharyngioma (CP) is associated with poor functional outcome. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanObjective: To assess cognitive function and quality of life in childhood-onset CP on hormonal replacement, including GH treatment. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanDesign: A cross-sectional study with a median follow-up time of 20 years (1-40). less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanSetting: Patients were recruited from the South Medical Region of Sweden. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanParticipants: The study included 42 patients (20 women) surgically treated for a childhood-onset CP between 1958 and 2000. Patients were aged andgt;= 17 years. Equally many controls, matched for age, sex, residence, and smoking habits, were included. Tumor growth into the third ventricle was found in 25 patients. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanMain Outcome Measures: All subjects were examined with a battery of cognitive tests and the following questionnaires: Symptom Checklist-90, the Interview Schedule for Social Interaction, and the Social Network concept. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanResults: The CP patients had lower cognitive performance, reaching statistical significance in 12 of 20 test variables, including executive function and memory. Comparison of patients with tumor growth into the third ventricle to controls revealed a significant lower mean total score (P = .006). A significant negative correlation was recorded between mean z-score of cognitive performance and years since operation (r = -0.407; P = .014). No statistically significant group differences were observed across any of the 9 Symptom Checklist-90 subscales. less thanbrgreater than less thanbrgreater thanConclusions: Adults with childhood-onset CP, on hormone replacement, including GH treatment, have memory defects, disturbed attention, and impaired processing speed. Patients with hypothalamic involvement are more affected. Patients rated their quality of life as good as their matched controls.
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| 10. |
- Follin, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Cardiovascular Risk, Cardiac Function, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life with and without Long-Term Growth Hormone Therapy in Adult Survivors of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.
- 2010
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In: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. - : The Endocrine Society. - 1945-7197 .- 0021-972X. ; 95, s. 3726-3735
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context: Long-term data are missing in GH-treated acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. GH therapy may result in poorer outcome regarding cardiovascular (CV) and particularly cardiac effects than in patients with hypothalamic-pituitary disease. Objective: Our objective was to evaluate GH therapy on CV risk, cardiac function, physical activity, and quality of life in ALL patients treated with cranial radiotherapy (18-24 Gy) and chemotherapy (anthracycline dose 120 mg/m(2)). Design and Setting: We conducted a 5- and 8-yr open nonrandomized prospective study in a university hospital clinic. Study Participants: Two groups of GH-deficient ALL patients (aged 25 yr; range 19-32 yr) and matched population controls participated. Interventions: One ALL group (n = 16) received GH for 5 yr, and the other ALL group (n = 13) did not receive GH therapy. Main Outcome Measures: We evaluated the prevalence of CV risk factors and metabolic syndrome (International Diabetes Federation consensus), cardiac function (echocardiography), and quality of life and physical activity questionnaires. Results: In comparison with 8 yr without, 5 yr with GH therapy resulted in significant positive changes in plasma glucose (-0.5 vs. 0.6 mmol/liter, P = 0.002), apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio (-0.1 vs. 0.0, P = 0.03), and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (0.20 vs.-0.01 mmol/liter, P = 0.008) and a significant reduction in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (P = 0.008). No significant difference in the left-ventricular systolic function or in physical activity and quality of life was recorded before and after 5 or 8 yr, respectively (all P > 0.3). Conclusion: GH therapy reduced the CV risk in this young ALL population but resulted in no clear benefit or deterioration in cardiac function.
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