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Self-reported Health (self-reported + health)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	68%
Psychology	24%

Terms modified by Self-reported Health

self-reported health status

Selected Abstracts

Self-reported health, self-esteem and social support among young unemployed people: a population-based study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE, Issue 2 2002
Lars Axelsson
A population-based study was performed in southern Sweden in the autumn of 1998. The aim was to study connections between self-reported health, self-esteem and social support among unemployed (, three months) young people. The sample consisted of 264 unemployed individuals aged 20,25 years, and 528 individuals of the same age, randomly selected from the population register and not registered as unemployed. The response rate was 72%. Defined by means of factor analysis, mental health consisted of the symptoms tearfulness, dysphoria, sleeping disturbance, restlessness, general fatigue and irritability. The unemployed had more mental health problems than young people who were working or studying. Restlessness and dysphoria were significantly over-represented in the unemployed among both sexes. However, good social support seemed to predict mental health. Support from parents was most important, particularly in males. Those with low self-esteem and poor parental support were especially vulnerable. [source]

Lifestyle behaviours and weight among hospital-based nurses

JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 7 2009
JANE M. ZAPKA ScD
Aims, The purpose of this study was to (i) describe the weight, weight-related perceptions and lifestyle behaviours of hospital-based nurses, and (ii) explore the relationship of demographic, health, weight and job characteristics with lifestyle behaviours. Background, The obesity epidemic is widely documented. Worksite initiatives have been advocated. Nurses represent an important part of the hospital workforce and serve as role models when caring for patients. Methods, A sample of 194 nurses from six hospitals participated in anthropometric measurements and self-administered surveys. Results, The majority of nurses were overweight and obese, and some were not actively involved in weight management behaviours. Self-reported health, diet and physical activity behaviours were low, although variable by gender, age and shift. Reports of co-worker norms supported low levels of healthy behaviours. Conclusions, Findings reinforce the need to address the hospital environment and culture as well as individual behaviours for obesity control. Implications for nursing management, Nurse managers have an opportunity to consider interventions that promote a climate favourable to improved health habits by facilitating and supporting healthy lifestyle choices (nutrition and physical activity) and environmental changes. Such efforts have the potential to increase productivity and morale and decrease work-related disabilities and improve quality of life. [source]

Self-reported health and cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress in a large community sample: Cross-sectional and prospective associations

PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 5 2009
Anna C. Phillips
Abstract Exaggerated cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress have been implicated in a number of adverse health outcomes. This study examined, in a large community sample, the cross-sectional and prospective associations between reactivity and self-reported health. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at rest and in response to an arithmetic stress task. Self-reported health was assessed concurrently and 5 years later. In cross-sectional analyses, those with excellent/good self-reported health exhibited larger cardiovascular reactions than those with fair/poor subjective health. In prospective analyses, participants who had larger cardiovascular reactions to stress were more likely to report excellent/good health 5 years later, taking into account their reported health status at the earlier assessment. The findings suggest that greater cardiovascular reactivity may not always be associated with negative health outcomes. [source]

Self-perceived health and burden of diabetes in teenagers with type 1 diabetes: psychometric properties of the Swedish measure ,Check your health'

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 3 2010
G Viklund
Abstract The aim of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the instrument ,Check your health' in teenagers with type 1 diabetes. The instrument measures ,self-reported health' and ,burden of diabetes'. A convenience sample of 199 teenagers, 12,17 years of age, completed the questionnaires ,Check your health' and DisabKids when visiting the diabetes clinic. Forty-seven patients completed the questionnaires at home a second time. In the reliability test, the correlation between test and retest was found to be satisfactory, (0.94,0.62, except for social burden, 0.41). Convergent validity was moderate (0.62,0.38), while the instrument showed good discriminant validity. Self-reported health and burden of diabetes were different in boys and girls, in patients with good or poor metabolic control or who reported high and low disease severity. The domain burden of diabetes turned out to be very sensitive. Conclusion:, The instrument ,Check your health' showed clinical utility in teenagers with diabetes. Reliability and validity tests of the measure showed promising results in Swedish teenagers, and it can probably be used in clinical settings. To further strengthen the convergent validity, it should be compared with other QoL instruments, and to obtain normative values, it has to be used in a larger context. [source]

The impact of health on individual retirement plans: self-reported versus diagnostic measures

HEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 7 2010
Nabanita Datta Gupta
Abstract We reassess the impact of health on retirement plans of older workers using a unique survey-register match-up which allows comparing the retirement effects of potentially biased survey self-reports of health to those of unbiased register-based diagnostic measures. The aim is to investigate whether even for narrowly defined health measures a divergence exists in the impacts of health on retirement between self-reported health and objective physician-reported health. Our sample consists of older workers and retirees drawn from a Danish panel survey from 1997 and 2002, merged to longitudinal register data. Estimation of measurement error-reduced and selection-corrected pooled OLS and fixed effects models of retirement show that receiving a medical diagnosis is an important determinant of retirement planning for both men and women, in fact more important than economic factors. The type of diagnosis matters, however. For men, the largest reduction in planned retirement age occurs for a diagnosis of lung disease while for women it occurs for musculo-skeletal disease. Except for cardiovascular disease, diagnosed disease is more influential in men's retirement planning than in women's. Our study provides evidence that men's self-report of myalgia and back problems and women's self-report of osteoarthritis possibly yield biased estimates of the impact on planned retirement age, and that this bias ranges between 1.5 and 2 years, suggesting that users of survey data should be wary of applying self-reports of health conditions with diffuse symptoms to the study of labor market outcomes. On the other hand, self-reported cardiovascular disease such as high blood pressure does not appear to bias the estimated impact on planned retirement. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

The effect of health changes and long-term health on the work activity of older Canadians

HEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 10 2005
Doreen Wing Han Au
Abstract Using longitudinal data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey (NPHS), we study the relationship between health and employment among older Canadians. We focus on two issues: (1) the possible problems with self-reported health, including endogeneity and measurement error, and (2) the relative importance of health changes and long-term health in the decision to work. We contrast estimates of the impact of health on employment using self-assessed health, an objective health index contained in the NPHS , the HUI3, and a ,purged' health stock measure. Our results suggest that health has an economically significant effect on employment probabilities for Canadian men and women aged 50,64, and that this effect is underestimated by simple estimates based on self-assessed health. We also corroborate recent US and UK findings that changes in health are important in the work decision. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Measuring inequality in self-reported health,discussion of a recently suggested approach using Finnish data

HEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 7 2004
Jorgen Lauridsen
Health surveys often include a general question on self-assessed health (SAH), usually measured on an ordinal scale with three to five response categories, from ,very poor' or ,poor' to ,very good' or ,excellent'. This paper assesses the scaling of responses on the SAH question. It compares alternative procedures designed to impose cardinality on the ordinal responses. These include OLS, ordered probit and interval regression approaches. The cardinal measures of health are used to compute and decompose concentration indices for income-related inequality in health. Results are provided using Finnish data on 15D and the SAH questions. Further evidence emerges for the internal validity of a method used in a pioneering study by van Doorslaer and Jones which was based on Canadian data on the McMaster Health Utility Index Mark III (HUI) and SAH. The study validates the conclusions drawn by van Doorslaer and Jones. It confirms that the interval regression approach is superior to OLS and ordered probit regression in assessing health inequality. However, regarding the choice of scaling instrument, it is concluded that the scaling of SAH categories and, consequently, the measured degree of inequality, are sensitive to characteristics of the chosen scaling instrument. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Effect of Prescription Drug Coverage on Health of the Elderly

HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 5p1 2008
Nasreen Khan
Objective. To estimate the effect of prescription drug insurance on health, as measured by self-reported poor health status, functional disability, and hospitalization among the elderly. Data. Analyses are based on a nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized elderly (,65 years of age) from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) for years 1992,2000. Study Design. Estimates are obtained using multivariable regression models that control for observed characteristics and unmeasured person-specific effects (i.e., fixed effects). Principal Findings. In general, prescription drug insurance was not associated with significant changes in self-reported health, functional disability, and hospitalization. The lone exception was for prescription drug coverage obtained through a Medicare HMO. In this case, prescription drug insurance decreased functional disability slightly. Among those elderly with chronic illness and older (71 years or more) elderly, prescription drug insurance was associated with slightly improved functional disability. Conclusions. Findings suggest that prescription drug coverage had little effect on health or hospitalization for the general population of elderly, but may have some health benefits for chronically ill or older elderly. [source]

Measuring well-being rather than the absence of distress symptoms: a comparison of the SF-36 Mental Health subscale and the WHO-Five well-being scale

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2003
Per Bech
Abstract The health status questionnaire Short-Form 36 (SF-36) includes subscales measuring both physical health and mental health. Psychometrically, the mental health subscale contains a mixture of mental symptoms and psychological well-being items, among other things, to prevent a ceiling effect when used in general population studies. Three of the mental health well-being items are also included in the WHO-Five well-being scale. In a Danish general population study, the mental health subscale was compared psychometrically with the WHO-Five in order to evaluate the ceiling effect. Tests for unidimensionality were used in the psychometric analyses, and the sensitivity of the scales in differentiating between changes in self-reported health over the past year has been tested. The results of the study on 9,542 respondents showed that, although the WHO-Five and the mental health subscale were found to be unidimensional, the WHO-Five had a significantly lower ceiling effect than the mental health subscale. The analysis identified the three depression symptoms in the mental health subscale as responsible for the ceiling effect. The WHO-Five was also found to be significantly superior to the mental health subscale in terms of its sensitivity in differentiating between those persons whose health had deteriorated over the past year and those whose health had not. In conclusion, the WHO-Five, which measures psychological well-being, reflects aspects other than just the absence of depressive symptoms. Copyright © 2003 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]

Self-reported health, self-esteem and social support among young unemployed people: a population-based study

Validation and Comparison of Two Frailty Indexes: The MOBILIZE Boston Study

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 9 2009
Dan K. Kiely MPH
OBJECTIVES: To validate two established frailty indexes and compare their ability to predict adverse outcomes in a diverse, elderly, community-dwelling sample of men and women. DESIGN: Prospective observational study. SETTING: A diverse defined geographic area of Boston. PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred sixty-five community-dwelling participants in the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect, and Zest in the Elderly Boston Study. MEASUREMENTS: Two published frailty indexes, recurrent falls, disability, overnight hospitalization, emergency department (ED) visits, chronic medical conditions, self-reported health, physical function, cognitive ability (including executive function), and depression. One index was developed from the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) and the other from the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS). RESULTS: The SOF frailty index classified 77.1% as robust, 18.7% as prefrail, and 4.2% as frail. The CHS frailty index classified 51.2% as robust, 38.8% as prefrail, and 10.0% as frail. Both frailty indexes (SOF; CHS) were similar in their ability to predict key geriatric outcomes such as recurrent falls (hazard ratio (HR)frail=2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.2,4.0; HRfrail=1.9, 95% CI=1.2,3.1), overnight hospitalization (odds ratio (OR)frail=3.5, 95% CI=1.5,8.0; ORfrail=4.4, 95% CI=2.4,8.2), ED visits (ORfrail=3.5, 95% CI=1.4,8.8; ORfrail=3.1, 95% CI=1.6,5.9), and disability (ORfrail=5.4, 95% CI=2.3,12.3; ORfrail=7.7, 95% CI=4.0,14.7), as well as chronic medical conditions, physical function, cognitive ability, and depression. CONCLUSION: Two established frailty indexes were validated using an independent elderly sample of diverse men and women; both indexes were good at distinguishing geriatric conditions and predicting recurrent falls, overnight hospitalization, and ED visits according to level of frailty. Although both indexes are good measures of frailty, the simpler SOF index may be easier and more practical in a clinical setting. [source]

Using Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders Quality Indicators to Measure Quality of Hospital Care for Vulnerable Elders

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 11 2007
Vineet M. Arora MD
OBJECTIVES: To assess the quality of care for hospitalized vulnerable elders using measures based on Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE) quality indicators (QIs). DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Single academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects aged 65 and older hospitalized on the University of Chicago general medicine inpatient service who were defined as vulnerable using the Vulnerable Elder Survey-13 (VES-13), a validated tool based on age, self-reported health, and functional status. MEASUREMENTS: Inpatient interview and chart review using ACOVE-based process-of-care measures referring to 16 QIs in general hospital care and geriatric-prevalent conditions (e.g., pressure ulcers, dementia, and delirium); adherence rates calculated for type of care process (screening, diagnosis, and treatment) and type of provider (doctor, nurse). RESULTS: Six hundred of 845 (71%) older patients participated. Of these, 349 (58%) were deemed vulnerable based on VES-13 score. Three hundred twenty-eight (94%) charts were available for review. QIs for general medical care were met at a significantly higher rate than for pressure ulcer care (81.5%, 95% confidence interval (CI)=79.3,83.7% vs 75.8%, 95% CI=70.5,81.1%, P=.04) and for delirium and dementia care (81.5%, 95% CI=79.3,83.7 vs 31.4% 95% CI=27.5,35.2%, P<.01). According to standard nursing assessment forms, nurses were responsible for high rates of adherence to certain screening indicators (pain, nutrition, functional status, pressure ulcer risk; P<.001 when compared with physicians), although in patients with functional limitations, nurse admission assessments of functional limitations often did not agree with reports of limitations by patients on admission. CONCLUSION: Adherence to geriatric-specific QIs is lower than adherence to general hospital care QIs. Hospital care QIs that focus on screening may overestimate performance by detecting standard nursing or protocol-driven care. [source]

Ten Dimensions of Health and Their Relationships with Overall Self-Reported Health and Survival in a Predominately Religiously Active Elderly Population: The Cache County Memory Study

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 2 2006
Truls Østbye MD
OBJECTIVES: To document the extent of healthy aging along 10 different dimensions in a population known for its longevity. DESIGN: A cohort study with baseline measures of overall self-reported health and health along 10 specific dimensions; analyses investigated the 10 dimensions as predictors of self-reported health and 10-year mortality. SETTING: Cache County, Utah, which is among the areas with the highest conditional life expectancy at age 65 in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Inhabitants of Cache County aged 65 and older (January 1, 1995). MEASUREMENTS: Self-reported overall health and 10 specific dimensions of healthy aging: independent living, vision, hearing, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, absence of physical illness, cognition, healthy mood, social support and participation, and religious participation and spirituality. RESULTS: This elderly population was healthy overall. With few exceptions, 80% to 90% of persons aged 65 to 75 were healthy according to each measure used. Prevalence of excellent and good self-reported health decreased with age, to approximately 60% in those aged 85 and older. Even in the oldest old, the majority of respondents were independent in activities of daily living. Although vision, hearing, and mood were significant predictors of overall self-reported health in the final models, age, sex, and cognition were significant only in the final survival models. CONCLUSION: This population has a high prevalence of most factors representing healthy aging. The predictors of overall self-reported health are distinct from the predictors of survival in this age group and, being potentially modifiable, are amenable to clinical and public health efforts. [source]

Teachers' Pets and Why They Have Them: An Investigation of the Human Animal Bond,

JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 8 2006
Sara Staats
The present study queried a random, university faculty sample as to their reasons for owning pets. Mere pet ownership was not correlated with self-reported health, happiness, or quality of work life in this sample. Five dominant reasons were given for pet ownership. Women were more likely than men to self-report reasons related to social support for pet ownership, including that a pet helped them get through hard times and that they would be lonely without a pet. Men were more likely to report pragmatic reasons, such as the pet facilitating exercise or serving a useful function. Beliefs in the positive effects of pets on health were typical. Those beliefs in the health promoting aspects of pets are suggested as a link to human health and a promising area for future research. [source]

Associations among socioeconomic status, perceived neighborhood control, perceived individual control, and self-reported health,

JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 6 2010
Spencer Moore
Recent research has suggested that perceived control and a person's perceptions of their neighborhood environment may mediate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health. This cross-sectional study assessed whether perceptions of informal social control mediated the association between SES and self-reported health, and if these two constructs represented distinct mechanisms linking SES with self-reported health. The sample consisted of 869 adults residing in 300 census tracts in Montreal, Canada. Multilevel methods were used to assess the associations among self-reported health, SES, perceived control, and perceived informal social control adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Perceived control (mediation estimate=,0.16, p<.001) and perceived informal social control (mediation estimate=,0.05, p<.05) partially mediated the association between SES and self-reported health. Perceived control did not mediate the association of perceived informal social control with self-reported health. Perceived informal social control may act alongside but distinct from perceived control as a mechanism linking SES to self-reported health. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

The Effect of Functional Dentition on Healthy Eating Index Scores and Nutrient Intakes in a Nationally Representative Sample of Older Adults

JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 4 2009
R. Bethene Ervin PhD
Abstract Objective: The objectives of this study were to examine the associations between functional dentition and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores and nutrient intakes among older adults in the United States. Methods: The sample consisted of 2,560 adults, 60 years and over from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2002. We used multivariate linear regression to examine associations between functional dentition and HEI scores or nutrient intakes controlling for the potential confounding effects of age, race/ethnicity, education, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), self-reported health, and caloric intake. Dentate status was classified as: edentulous (no natural permanent teeth or implants), 1-20 teeth, or,21 teeth. A functional dentition was defined as having 21 or more teeth present. HEI scores and nutrient intakes were based on one 24-hour dietary recall. Results: Males with a functional dentition consumed slightly more fruit and had higher alpha- and beta-carotene intakes than edentulous males. Females with any natural teeth had higher vitamin C intakes than edentulous females. There were no significant associations between dentate status and any of the remaining HEI scores or nutrient intakes for either sex. Conclusions: Having a functional dentition did not contribute substantially to higher HEI scores or nutrient intakes in this nationally representative sample of older adults. However, older men and women with no teeth or those who wear dentures consumed fewer servings of fruits and vegetables, especially those rich in carotenes and vitamin C, than those with teeth. [source]

Back problems among emergency medical services professionals: The LEADS health and wellness follow-up study

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2010
Jonathan R. Studnek PhD
Abstract Objective Describe work-life and demographic characteristics associated with reporting recent back pain, and estimate back pain severity among Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals. Methods A 58-item postal questionnaire was used to collect relevant health and wellness information from a national sample of EMS professionals. The outcome variables were self-reported pain in the back or legs, and severity of recent back pain as indicated by the Aberdeen Back Pain Scale (ABPS). Results There were 470/930 (50.5%) participants who reported one or more days of pain in the back or legs over a 2-week period. The variables most strongly associated with recent back pain and pain severity were prior back problems, self-reported health, and job satisfaction. Conclusion This study indicated that work-life, health, and demographic characteristics of EMS professionals were associated with reporting recent back pain. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:12,22, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Self-reported health and cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress in a large community sample: Cross-sectional and prospective associations

Rank and health: a conceptual discussion of subjective health and psychological perceptions of social status

PSYCHOTHERAPY AND POLITICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 1 2006
Pierre Morin
Abstract The social dimensions of health and illness have been studied extensively from a materialistic angle. The nonmaterial or subjective factors of social experience affecting health have only recently received some attention. This paper introduces a new multidimensional concept of rank, which includes social dimensions as well as nonmaterially based elements of emotional, psychological, and spiritual strength. It proposes that rank is an important addition to the current literature of socioeconomic inequality and health and examines its relevance for the discussion of how social status inequalities affect people's global health. It suggests that rank as a signifier of power contributes to feelings of powerlessness and leads to worsened health outcomes. This paper suggests that perceived rank may play a role in the socioeconomic status (SES) effect on self-reported health. It presents a new conceptual and therapeutic model to address issues of rank-based discrimination in health care. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

People, places and policies , trying to account for health inequalities in impoverished neighbourhoods

AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 1 2009
Peter Feldman
Abstract Objective: We consider associations between individual, household and area-level characteristics and self-reported health. Method: Data is taken from baseline surveys undertaken in 13 socio-economically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in Victoria (n=3,944). The neighbourhoods are sites undergoing Neighbourhood Renewal (NR), a State government initiative redressing place-based disadvantage. Analysis:This focused on the relationship between area and compositional factors and self-reported health. Area was coded into three categories; LGA, NR residents living in public housing (NRPU) and NR residents who lived in private housing (NRPR). Compositional factors included age, gender, marital status, identifying as a person with a disability, level of education, unemployment and receipt of pensions/benefits. Results: There was a gradient in socio-economic disadvantage on all measures. People living in NR public housing were more disadvantaged than people living in NR private housing who, in turn, were more disadvantaged than people in the same LGA. NR public housing residents reported the worst health status and LGA residents reported the best. Conclusions: Associations between compositional characteristics of disability, educational achievement and unemployment income and poorer self-reported health were shown. They suggested that area characteristics, with housing policies, may be contributing to differences in self-reported health at the neighbourhood level. Implications: The clustering of socio-economic disadvantage and health outcomes requires the integration of health and social support interventions that address the circumstances of people and places. [source]

Subclinical late cardiac toxicity in childhood cancer survivors

CANCER, Issue 8 2008
Impact on self-reported health
Abstract BACKGROUND The authors analyzed how self-reported health and self-reported modified New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function scores were related to cardiac systolic function, cardiac risk factors, and cancer treatment history in childhood cancer survivors who reported no symptoms of cardiac disease. METHODS Long-term survivors of pediatric cancer who were treated between 1971 and 1995 (current ages, 16,39.7 years) underwent noninvasive clinical and laboratory cardiac risk evaluation and responded to selected subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey. Results were compared with survivor history of anthracycline therapy alone or with radiotherapy (n = 127 patients; mean, 10 years after diagnosis) versus no anthracycline therapy (n = 32 patients; mean, 11 years after diagnosis). RESULTS Sex, current age, highest school grade completed, race, age at diagnosis, diagnostic group, years off therapy, fractional shortening (FS), heart rate, and smoking status were found to be independently predictive of self-reported health. Interaction between female sex and higher low-density lipoprotein values and between diagnosis and abnormal FS variably predicted low reported vitality and low reported modified New York Heart Association (NYHA) scores. Echocardiographic findings, cardiac risk factors, and treatment history explained 13% to 28% of the variance in perceived health and self-reported modified NYHA scores. CONCLUSIONS Systolic function and cardiac risk factors were linked to lower self-reported health and NYHA scores even in the absence of clinically evident cardiotoxicity. Cancer 2008. ©2008 American Cancer Society. [source]

The enigma of the welfare state: excellent child health prerequisites , poor subjective health

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 6 2010
C Lindgren
Abstract The rate of subjective health complaints among Swedish children is increasing by age and over time, and more so than among children in other Scandinavian countries. In contrast, the somatic health and prerequisites for wellbeing are excellent. This paradoxical situation, The Enigma of the Welfare State, is the focus of this viewpoint. We argue that one important background factor may be late adverse effects of the welfare society itself and some of its inherent values. We have identified several possible pathways. We have given them names of diseases , on the society level , like health obsession, stress panic, welfare apathy and hyper-individualism. Together with other factors such as a dysfunctional school and an unsatisfactory labour market for youth, these diseases are involved in an interplay that is constantly inducing anxiety and low self-esteem. Conclusion:, The gradually deteriorating self-reported health among Swedish youth may, to some degree, be explained as a late adverse effect of the welfare society itself and its inherent values. [source]

Low-birthweight adolescents: Quality of life and parent,child relations

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 9 2005
Marit S. Indredavik
Abstract Aim: To explore the effect of low birthweight on quality of life, the parent,child relationship and the parents' mental health. Design/study groups: A population-based follow-up of 56 very-low-birthweight (1500 g), 60 term small-for-gestational-age (birthweight <10th centile) and 83 term control adolescents (birthweight10th centile) at 14 y of age. Outcome measures: Child Health Questionnaire (Child Form, Parent Form), Parental Bonding Instrument rated by adolescents and parents; Symptom Checklist-90-Revised rated by mothers and fathers. Results: There were no group differences in self-reported health or self-esteem. Parents reported more behavioural problems and lower psychosocial health for very-low-birthweight adolescents (p<0.001) compared with controls. Results did not differ significantly between small-for-gestational-age and control adolescents. The youngsters, their mothers and fathers perceived the same amount of relational warmth in all three groups. Very-low-birthweight parents reported more emotional impact than control parents, especially in the presence of psychiatric problems and cerebral palsy. There were no group differences in mothers' or fathers' mental health. Conclusion: The low-birthweight adolescents perceived quality of life as others did, but the parents reported functional disadvantages for the very-low-birthweight group. Birthweight did not influence the warmth in the parent,child relationship. Parents of very-low-birthweight adolescents experienced increased emotional burden, but they did not have more mental health problems than others. [source]