| 1. |
- Rising Holmström, Malin, et al.
(författare)
-
Transitions in the Swedish school system and the impact on student's positive self-reported-health
- 2014
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 14, s. Art. no. 1045-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: To explore three school based transitions and their impact on positive self-reported-health (SRH), pre-school to elementary school (6-10 y), elementary school to junior high school (10-13y), and junior high school to upper secondary school/high school (13-16y), in a long-term longitudinal population based study. Methods: The study followed three cohorts through one school transition each. A longitudinal study with data from 6693 Health Dialogue questionnaires were used. Data were collected in the middle of Sweden during 2007-2012 with school children age 6-16 years old. Results: Several significant factors were identified with an impact for a positive self-reported-health among children age 6-16y; not feeling sad or depressed, afraid or worried, positive school environment (schoolyard and restrooms), not bullied, good sleep, daily physical activity and ability to concentrate. There was no single factor identified, the factors differed according to gender and age. Conclusion: The study have identified several gender and age specific factors for successful school transitions relevant for a positive SRH. This is valuable information for school staff, parents and school children and provides a possibility to provide support and assistance when needed.
|
|
| 2. |
- Toomingas, Allan, et al.
(författare)
-
Variation between seated and standing/walking postures among male and female call centre operators
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - London : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 12, s. 154-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess variation in gross body posture amongst male and female call centre operators using whole-day registrations of seated and standing/walking periods, analyzed and described by a number of novel variables. Methods: Body postures, identified as either seated or standing/walking, were recorded using inclinometers throughout an entire work shift for 43 male and 97 female call centre operators at 16 call centres. Data were analyzed using an extensive set of variables describing occurrence of postures, switches between postures, posture similarities across the day, and compliance with posture recommendations. Results: The majority of the operators, both male and female, spent more than 80% of the shift in a seated posture. The average number of switches between seated and standing/walking or vice versa was 10.4 per hour. Female operators spent, on average, 11% of the day in periods of sustained sitting longer than 1 hour; male operators only 4.6% of the day (p=0.013). Only 38% of the operators followed current standard recommendations of having an uninterrupted break from seated work, lasting a minimum of 5minutes within a one hour of work and only 11% of operators had a 10 minute (or longer) uninterrupted break. Substantial variation between operators was observed in many variables. Since work tasks were essentially similar across operators and were expected to be similar across days, this indicates individual differences in working technique. Conclusions: The dominance of seated work for extended periods indicates that efforts should be made at call centres to introduce more gross physical variation during the work day. Appropriate and effective initiatives for realizing this intervention need to be identified
|
|
| 3. |
- Johansson, Bo, et al.
(författare)
-
Work and health among native and foreign-born residents in Sweden 1990-2008 : a register-based study on hospitalization for common potentially work-related disorders, disability pension and mortality
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 12:1, s. 845-854
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There are many immigrants in the Swedish workforce, but knowledge of their general and work-related health is limited. The aim of this register-based study was to explore whether documented migrant residents in Sweden have a different health status regarding receipt of a disability pension, mortality and hospitalization for lung, heart, psychiatric, and musculoskeletal disorders compared with the native population, and if there were variations in relation to sex, geographical origin, position on the labor market, and time since first immigration.Methods: This study included migrants to Sweden since 1960 who were 28-47 years old in 1990, and included 243 860 individuals. The comparison group comprised a random sample of 859 653 native Swedes. These cohorts were followed from 1991 to 2008 in national registers. The immigrants were divided into four groups based on geographic origin. Hazard ratios for men and women from different geographic origins and with different employment status were analyzed separately for the six outcomes, with adjustment for age, education level, and income. The influence of length of residence in Sweden was analyzed separately.Results: Nordic immigrants had increased risks for all investigated outcomes while most other groups had equal or lower risks for those outcomes than the Swedes. The lowest HRs were found in the EU 15+ group (from western Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand). All groups, except Nordic immigrants, had lower risk of mortality, but all had higher risk of disability pension receipt compared with native Swedes. Unemployed non-Nordic men displayed equal or lower HRs for most outcomes, except disability pension receipt, compared with unemployed Swedish men. A longer time since first immigration improved the health status of men, while women showed opposite results.Conclusions: Employment status and length of residence are important factors for health. The contradictory results of low mortality and high disability pension risks need more attention. There is great potential to increase the knowledge in this field in Sweden, because of the high quality registers.
|
|
| 4. |
- Lunde, Lars-Kristian, et al.
(författare)
-
Musculoskeletal health and work ability in physically demanding occupations : study protocol for a prospective field study on construction and health care workers
- 2014
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 14
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Musculoskeletal disorders have a profound impact on individual health, sickness absence and early retirement, particularly in physically demanding occupations. Demographics are changing in the developed countries, towards increasing proportions of senior workers. These senior workers may have particular difficulties coping with physically demanding occupations while maintaining good health. Previous studies investigating the relationship between physical work demands and musculoskeletal disorders are mainly based on self-reported exposures and lack a prospective design. The aim of this paper is to describe the background and methods and discuss challenges for a field study examining physical demands in construction and health care work and their prospective associations with musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence.Methods and design: This protocol describes a prospective cohort study on 1200 construction and health care workers. Participants will answer a baseline questionnaire concerning musculoskeletal complaints, general health, psychosocial and organizational factors at work, work demands, work ability and physical activity during leisure. A shorter questionnaire will be answered every 6 months for a total of two years, together with continuous sickness absence monitoring during this period. Analysis will prospectively consider associations between self-reported physical demands and musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence. To obtain objective data on physical exposures, technical measurements will be collected from two subgroups of N = 300 (Group A) and N = 160 (Group B) during work and leisure. Both group A and B will be given a physical health examination, be tested for physical capacity and physical activity will be measured for four days. Additionally, muscle activity, ground reaction force, body positions and physical activity will be examined during one workday for Group B. Analysis of associations between objectively measured exposure data and the outcomes described above will be done separately for these subpopulations.Discussion: The field study will at baseline produce objectively measured data on physical demands in the construction and health care occupations. In combination with clinical measurements and questionnaire data during follow-up, this will provide a solid foundation to prospectively investigate relationships between physical demands at work and development of musculoskeletal disorders, work ability and sickness absence.
|
|
| 5. |
- Marttila, Anneli, et al.
(författare)
-
Dilemmas in providing resilience-enhancing social services to long-term social assistance clients. A qualitative study of Swedish social workers
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : BMC. - 1471-2458. ; 12:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundLong-term recipients of social assistance face barriers to social and economic inclusion, and have poorer health and more limited opportunities for improving their health than many other groups in the population. During recent decades there have been changes in Swedish social policy, with cutbacks in public benefits and a re-emphasis on means-tested policies. In this context, it is important to investigate the necessary conditions for social workers to offer social assistance and services, as well as the mediating role of social workers between public policies and their clients. Swedish social services aim to promote social inclusion by strengthening the individual´s own resources. We investigated the issues that arise when providing social services to long-term social assistance clients within the framework of resilience, which focuses on the processes leading to positive functioning in adverse conditions.MethodsInterviews were conducted with 23 social workers in Stockholm and analysed by qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe main theme to emerge from the interviews concerned the constraints that the social workers faced in providing social services to social assistance clients. The first subtheme focused on dilemmas in the interaction between social workers and clients resulting from the dual role of exercising authority and supporting and building trust with clients. Working conditions of social workers also played a crucial role. The second subtheme addressed the impact of the societal context, such as labour market opportunities and coordination between authorities.ConclusionsOverall, we found that social workers to a great extent tried to find individual solutions to structural problems. To provide resilience-enhancing social services to long-term social assistance clients with varying obstacles and needs requires a constructive working environment, supportive societal structures and inter-sectoral cooperation between different authorities.
|
|
| 6. |
- Marttila, Anneli, et al.
(författare)
-
Living on social assistance with chronic illness: Buffering and undermining features to well-being
- 2010
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : BMC. - 1471-2458. ; 20, s. 279-279
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BackgroundIn Sweden, the social security and sickness insurance systems are comprehensive and aim to provide people whose illness prevents them from earning their own living, with either sickness benefits or disability pension. Some, however, are not entitled to these benefits or receive social insurance benefits at a level too low for subsistence, and are referred to social assistance. The purpose of this study was to explore in depth how social assistance recipients with chronic illness perceive and respond to the experience of living on social assistance.MethodsSeventeen in-depth interviews were carried out with chronically ill people who had received social assistance for several years. Grounded theory informed the design of the study.ResultsThe study showed that different strategies (living one day at a time, taking steps forwards and backwards and making attempts to find ways out of the situation) were employed by social assistance recipients to maintain or improve their well-being. Contextual features like the prevailing welfare system, public services and the local neighbourhood could buffer or undermine these strategies and their overall well-being. These features together influenced how interviewees perceived their situation, the possible ways out of the situation and the consequences for their well-being.ConclusionFrom this study it is evident that the way in which individuals on social assistance interact with services and how they are treated by professionals plays an important role in their well-being, in combination with what kind of help and support is available for recipients through the welfare system. In this respect, persons living on social assistance with chronic illness are particularly vulnerable. This study suggests that more effort should be made to find long term solutions concerning income support, rehabilitation and other services provided to this group.
|
|
| 7. |
- Priebe, Stefan, et al.
(författare)
-
Good practice in mental health care for socially marginalized groups in Europe : a qualitative study in 14 countries
- 2012
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; :12, s. 248-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background:Socially marginalised groups tend to have higher rates of mental disorders than the general populationand can be difficult to engage in health care. Providing mental health care for these groups represents a particularchallenge, and evidence on good practice is required. Thisstudy explored the experiences and views of experts in 14European countries regarding mental health care for six socially marginalised groups: long-term unemployed; street sexworkers; homeless; refugees/asylum seekers; irregular migrants and members of the travelling communities.Methods:Two highly deprived areas were selected in the capital cities of 14 countries, and experts were interviewed foreach of the six marginalised groups. Semi-structured interviews with case vignettes were conducted to exploreexperiences of good practice and analysed using thematic analysis.Results:In a total of 154 interviews, four components of good practice were identified across all six groups: a) establishingoutreach programmes to identify and engage with individuals with mental disorders; b) facilitating access to services thatprovide different aspects of health care, including mental health care, and thus reducing the need for further referrals; c)strengthening the collaboration and co-ordination betweendifferent services; and d) disseminating information onservices both to marginalised groups and to practitioners in the area.Conclusions:Experts across Europe hold similar views on what constitutes good practice in mental health care formarginalised groups. Care may be improved through better service organisation, coordination and information.
|
|
| 8. |
- Trygged, Sven, et al.
(författare)
-
Income and education as predictors of return to working life among younger stroke patients
- 2011
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 11, s. 742-
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Socioeconomic conditions are not only related to poor health outcomes, they also contribute to the chances of recovery from stroke. This study examines whether income and education were predictors of return to work after a first stroke among persons aged 40-59. Methods: All first-stroke survivors aged 40-59 who were discharged from a hospital in 1996-2000 and who had received income from work during the year prior to the stroke were sampled from the Swedish national register of in-patient care (n = 7,081). Income and education variables were included in hazard regressions, modelling the probability of returning to work from one to four years after discharge. Adjustments for age, sex, stroke subtype, and length of in-patient care were included in the models. Results: Both higher income and higher education were associated with higher probability of returning to work. While the association between education and return to work was attenuated by income, individuals with university education were 13 percent more likely to return than those who had completed only compulsory education, and individuals in the highest income quartile were about twice as likely to return as those in the lowest. The association between socioeconomic position and return to work was similar for different stroke subtypes. Income differences between men and women also accounted for women's lower probability of returning to work. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that education and income were independent predictors of returning to work among stroke patients during the first post-stroke years. Taking the relative risk of return to work among those in the higher socioeconomic positions as the benchmark, there may be considerable room for improvement among patients in lower socioeconomic strata.
|
|
| 9. |
- Ahmadi, Elena, 1978-, et al.
(författare)
-
Managers in the context of small business growth: a qualitative study of working conditions and wellbeing
- 2024
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer. - 1471-2458. ; 24
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeIn view of the importance of managers’ wellbeing for their leadership behaviour, employee health, and business effectiveness and survival, a better understanding of managers’ wellbeing and working conditions is important for creating healthy and sustainable businesses. Previous research has mostly provided a static picture of managers’ wellbeing and work in the context of small businesses, missing the variability and dynamism that is characteristic of this context. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how managers in small companies perceive their working conditions and wellbeing in the context of business growth.MethodsThe study is based on qualitative semi-structured interviews with 20 managers from twelve small companies. Content and thematic analysis were applied.ResultsThe findings indicate that a manager’s working environment evolves from its initial stages and through the company’s growth, leading to variations over time in the manager’s experiences of wellbeing and work–life balance as well as changes in job demands and resources. Managers’ working situation becomes less demanding and more manageable when workloads and working hours are reduced and a better work–life balance is achieved. The perceived improvement is related to changes in organizational factors (e.g. company resources), but also to individual factors (e.g. managers’ increased awareness of the importance of a sustainable work situation). However, there were differences in how the working conditions and wellbeing changed over time and how organizational and individual resources affected the studied managers’ wellbeing.ConclusionsThis study shows that, in the context of small business, managers’ working conditions and wellbeing are dynamic and are linked to growth-related changes that occur from the start of organizational activities and during periods of growth. In addition, the findings suggest that changes in managers’ working conditions and wellbeing follow different trajectories over time because of the interaction between organizational and personal factors.
|
|
| 10. |
- Barboza, Madelene, et al.
(författare)
-
Towards health equity: core components of an extended home visiting intervention in disadvantaged areas of Sweden
- 2022
-
Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : BMC. - 1471-2458. ; 22:1
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Understanding the mechanisms of implementation of public health interventions in community settings is a key aspect of programme assessments. To determine core components and establish a programme theory are important tools to improve functioning and support dissemination of programme models to new locations. An extended early childhood home visiting intervention has been developed on-site in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area of Sweden since 2013 with the aim of reducing persisting health inequities in the population. This study aimed at investigating the core programme components and how the intervention was perceived to contribute towards health equity from early childhood.Methods: Qualitative framework method was applied in a document analysis and subsequent semi-structured interviews with 15 key actors involved in the programme.Results: The intervention was found to be constituted of five core components centred around the situation-based, parental strengthening work method delivered by a qualified team of child health care nurse and social worker. The programme theory foresaw positive effects on child and parental health, responsive parenting practices, families' use of welfare services according to need and increased integration and participation in society. The principles of Proportionate Universalism were recognised in the programme theory and the intervention was perceived as an important contribution to creating conditions for improved health equity for the families. Still, barriers to health equity were identified on the structural level which limit the potential impact of the programme.Conclusions: The core components of the Extended home visiting programme in Rinkeby correspond well to those of similar evidence-based home visiting interventions. Combining focus on early childhood development and responsive parenting with promoting access to the universal welfare services and integration into society are considered important steppingstones towards health equity. However, a favourable macro-political environment is required in the endeavour to balance the structural determinants' influence on health inequities. Improved availability and accessibility to welfare services that respond to the needs of the families regarding housing, education and employment are priorities.Trial registration: The study was retrospectively registered on 11/08/2016 in the ISRCTN registry ( ISRCTN11832097 ).
|
|
