Occupational Class Research Articles

Intragenerational Social Mobility and Well-being in Great Britain: A Biomarker Approach

AbstractSocial theory has long predicted that social mobility, in particular downward social mobility, is detrimental to the well-being of individuals. Dissociative and “falling from grace” theories suggest that mobility is stressful due to the weakening of social ties, feelings of alienation, and loss of status. In light of these theories, it is a puzzle that the majority of quantitative studies in this area have shown null results. Our approach to resolve the puzzle is two-fold. First, we argue for a broader conception of the mobility process than is often used and thus focus on intragenerational occupational class mobility rather than restricting ourselves to the more commonly studied intergenerational mobility. Second, we argue that self-reported measures may be biased by habituation (or “entrenched deprivation”). Using nurse-collected health and biomarker data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2010–2012, N = 4,123), we derive a measure of allostatic load as an objective gauge of physiological “wear and tear” and compare patterns of mobility effects with self-reports of health using diagonal reference models. Our findings indicate a strong class gradient in both allostatic load and self-rated health, and that both first and current job matter for current well-being outcomes. However, in terms of the effects of mobility itself, we find that intragenerational social mobility is consequential for allostatic load, but not for self-rated health. Downward mobility is detrimental and upward mobility beneficial for well-being as assessed by allostatic load. Thus, these findings do not support the idea of generalized stress from dissociation, but they do support the “falling from grace” hypothesis of negative downward mobility effects. Our findings have a further implication, namely that the differences in mobility effects between the objective and subjective outcome infer the presence of entrenched deprivation. Null results in studies of self-rated outcomes may therefore be a methodological artifact, rather than an outright rejection of decades-old social theory.

Avaliação espaço-temporal de focos de calor no sudoeste do estado de Goiás, Brasil

Os danos ocasionados associados aos eventos de incêndio causam grandes prejuízos todos os anos para áreas como a saúde pública, economia e o meio ambiente. O presente trabalho objetivou quantificar os focos de calor dentro do município de Rio Verde - GO entre janeiro de 2005 a dezembro de 2020 e realizar a determinação das áreas com maiores incidências de incêndios. Os usos e ocupações do solo observados dentro do município foram área agricultável em preparação (AEP), área de agricultura (AAG), área de vegetação (AVE) e área próxima de corpos de água (APA). Para todos os anos de estudo verificou-se uma área maior de cobertura para AAG, seguido por AEP, AVE e APA, respectivamente. Em relação ao comportamento temporal o número de focos de calor é crescente nos primeiros anos (2005 – 2011), posteriormente ocorre a diminuição (2012 – 2016) e com uma nova crescente nos últimos anos (2017 – 2020). Em relação as estações do ano o período seco compôs ao menos 75% do total de casos para cada ano. Quanto as classes de uso e ocupação do solo as que apresentaram os maiores números foram a AEP e AAG, respectivamente. A partir do presente trabalho foi possível concluir que as ferramentas de geotecnologias se mostraram altamente eficientes para avaliação espaço – temporal de eventos de incêndios ou queimadas.Palavras-chave: TERRA; AQUA; satélite; sensoriamento remoto. Spatio-temporal evaluation of hotspots in the municipality of Rio Verde - GOA B S T R A C T The damage associated with fire events causes great loss every year to areas such as public health, economy and the environment. The present work aimed to quantify the hotspots within the municipality of Rio Verde - GO between January 2005 and December 2020 and to determine the areas with the highest incidences of fires. The land uses and occupations observed within the municipality were arable area in preparation (AEP), agricultural area (AAG), vegetation area (AVE) and area close to water bodies (APA). For all years of study, there was a greater area of coverage for AAG, followed by AEP, AVE and APA, respectively. Regarding the temporal behavior, the number of hotspots is increasing in the first years (2005 - 2011), then there is a decrease (2012 - 2016) and with a new increase in recent years (2017 - 2020). Regarding the seasons of the year, the dry period made up at least 75% of the total cases for each year. As for classes of land use and occupation, those that presented the highest numbers were AEP and AAG, respectively. From the present work, it was possible to conclude that the geotechnological tools proved to be highly efficient for spatio-temporal evaluation of fire events.Keywords: AQUA, TERRA, satellite, remote sensing

대한제국 육군 부위(副尉) 황석(1849-1938년) 초상화의 군복(軍服) 연구

This study compare and analysis a military uniform drawn on the portrait of Hwang Seok, a lieutenant, stored in the Korea Army Museum by comparing it with the relics. The relics of Hwang Seok were registered as nationally registered cultural properties on October 5, 2020, under the name of ‘Formal infantry uniforms and mourning clothes(Hwang Seok).’ The portrait was also reported along with military uniforms, but it was excluded because it did not match the subject matter designated at the time. However, it is worth noting that the portrait includes epaulets(大禮肩章), sward knots(正緖), swords(刀), gloves[手套], and shoes[靴], which are not found in his relics. The relics and portraits must be put together to complete the uniform of the Great Han Empire worn by Hwang Seok. As a research method, the change of official position and rank of Hwang Seok was investigated based on garment analysis. The regulations of the military uniforms of the Great Han Empire era were identified and analyzed whether they matched the military uniforms and relics expressed in portraits. Based on this, opinions were presented on the patterns and expressions decorated on military uniforms of this period. The results of this study are as follows. It is confirmed that the portrait, a feather in the hat, a ceremonial army officer’s hat, an official jacket, pants, and military sash Waist Belt of the relics are the same. The color of the military hat, collar, and star-decorated sleeve cuffs and the number of lines representing occupational specialties and class expression methods are the same. In particular, the characteristics of the twist of golden yarns embroideries, such as Geumseon Yanggojik(金線兩股織), Geumsa Gwangjik(金絲廣織), and Geumsa(金絲), and the direction of the line folding point are described in detail in the same form as the relics of the portrait. In addition, the pattern of the button attached to the official uniform jacket also matches. After Hwang Seok’s army was disbanded, a metal buckle was added to the belt, and it is considered that he may have worn a military uniform even after moving to the Department of the Treasury(度支部).

Examining Science Achievement in Chile: A Multilevel Model Approach

This study employed data from the 2015 Chilean sample of the Programme for International Student Assessment to examine the factors that influence science achievement and factors that may reduce the gender gap in science achievement. Our research was guided by Eccles’ Expectancy-Value Theory, which focused on motivational factors that influence gender differences in students’ achievement choices and performance. Our results indicate that socioeconomic status (SES), motivation, enjoyment of science, expected occupational status, school SES, and class size are related to higher science achievement. Also, anxiety was negatively associated with science achievement. Implications for Chilean policymakers and school administrators to improve Chilean girls’ science achievement are discussed.

Assessing Socioeconomic Inequality in Self-Rated Health in Four ex-Yugoslav Countries

There has been a growing academic interest in explaining the well-established association between socioeconomic status and health. Among the various proposed mechanisms and pathways, social capital has been recognised as a potentially important antecedent of socioeconomic inequalities in health. However, these interrelationships remain relatively unexplored within the countries of former Yugoslavia. Therefore, this article aims to fill the gap in the literature by exploring the role of individual-level social capital in the relationship between socioeconomic status and self-rated health in four ex-Yugoslav countries. The present study is based on the data from the ninth round of the European Social Survey (2018). The author analysed the data of participants aged 25 and over from Croatia (N = 1534), Montenegro (N = 1002), Serbia (N = 1720) and Slovenia (N = 1149). In order to test the target associations, sequential multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. The results show that occupational social class and several social capital indicators are associated with self-rated health, although independently of each other. Across all countries, unskilled and skilled manual workers and long-term unemployed individuals were more likely to report poor health compared to non-manual workers, with the exception of Montenegrin skilled manual workers and the long-term unemployed participants from Slovenia. Moreover, despite some cross-country differences in the relationship between individual levels of social capital and self-rated health, social participation was associated with self-rated health across all countries. These findings highlight the importance of encouraging social participation within these countries, which can lead to health benefits through behavioural and psychosocial mechanisms.

Factors Related to Psychological Well-Being as Moderated by Occupational Class in Korean Self-Employed Workers.

We examined factors related to the psychological well-being of self-employed workers in Korea, and the moderation of these effects by occupational class. This secondary analysis examined the data of 14,454 self-employed individuals from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017). In all occupational classes, psychological well-being score was greater in women, and increased with monthly income and the frequency of working at very high speed; there were lower mean scores in those who became self-employed out of necessity rather than personal choice; in addition, the score decreased as the number of musculoskeletal symptoms increased. The relationship of work factors with the psychological well-being of self-employed individuals also differed according to occupational class. In conclusion, our analysis indicated that self-employed workers in different occupational classes respond differently to identical stressors.

Factors related to psychological well-being in unskilled manual workers.

The authors characterized the demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial work factors associated with performance of unskilled manual work, and then identified the modifiable psychosocial work factors that affected the psychological well-being of these workers. This study analyzed data from the fifth Korean Working Condition Survey conducted in 2017. The study subjects were 37 081 Korean employees. The occupational classes investigated were: managers, professionals, and clerks; service and sales workers; and skilled or unskilled manual workers. Unskilled manual workers were more likely to be elderly and less educated, to have low income, to work fewer hours weekly, to have a shorter work duration, to perform temporary or daily jobs, and to report poor subjective health and well-being. Unskilled manual workers were also more likely to experience psychosocial hazards, such adverse social behaviors, a lack of job satisfaction, a lack of support from managers, and a poor social climate. However, with statistical adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial work factors, unskilled manual work was no longer associated with poor psychological well-being, but psychosocial work factors were associated with poor psychological well-being. The poor psychological well-being of unskilled manual workers cannot be explained by the intrinsic nature of this type of work. Instead, the poor psychological well-being of these workers is associated with unfavorable psychosocial work factors, such as a poor employment status, a lack of job satisfaction, a lack of support from managers, and a bad social climate. These results thus suggest that the modification of psychosocial work factors may improve the psychological well-being of unskilled manual workers. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(6):789-804.

The implementation of clinical guidelines concerning return to work after myocardial infarction

Purpose To examine the implementation, clinical effects, and adherence of occupational physicians to the clinical practice guidelines (CPG) published in 2003 in Israel, regarding return to work following acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods We analyzed 3 populations referred to Maccabi Health Services occupational clinics for fitness for work examinations following AMI, either before the guidelines were published (group 1), after their first publications in 2003 (group 2) or after they were re-published in Harefuah Journal in 2007 (group3). Results The documentation among groups 1,2,3 of different parameters like years of education (18.8%, 45.1%. 57.5%, p < 0.001), type of occupation (86.5%, 98.2%, 100.0%, p < 0.001) and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class (69.8%, 81.4%, 92.5%, p < 0.001) has all improved respectively over the years. No significant difference in sick leave was noted between the three populations. Conclusion The CPG should be interdisciplinary in the phase of writing and publication. Economical resources are needed in order to implement CPG. Implications for Rehabilitation The clinical practice guidelines should be interdisciplinary in the phase of writing and should involve all rehabilitation professionals as a team. The clinical practice guidelines need disseminating widely alongside a resource plan in order to implement it.

Who values status seeking? A cross-European comparison of social gradients and societal conditions

ABSTRACT This article investigates for European societies the contextual conditions and social stratification of status seeking, defined as the desire to increase one’s rank in the social hierarchy and thereby to gain prestige. We explore diverging assumptions about (a) the level of status seeking across societies and (b) the social gradient of status seeking within them, derived from three prominent sociological theories: the income inequality thesis sensu Wilkinson and Pickett, the post-materialism thesis sensu Inglehart, and the status competition thesis sensu Bourdieu. We employ representative, high-quality data from the European Social Survey (ESS) 2018 for more than 45.000 individuals in 29 countries, which we analyse in a multilevel framework. We find evidence that socioeconomic development dampens status seeking while income inequality is less influential. Within societies, a higher rank in the stratification system, in particular a more favorable occupational class position and higher income, are associated with stronger status seeking. While our results for contextual conditions match post-materialism theory best, the results for social gradients conform best to status competition theory. Both findings question the current dominance of the inequality thesis as the stepping stone into status seeking research.

Subjective social status, objective socioeconomic status, and memory aging

AbstractBackgroundMemory aging is a heterogeneous process. Many research efforts have been made to explore what might “slow down” memory aging. The present study examined how subjective social status and objective socioeconomic status may be protective for memory aging in normal adults.MethodWe recruited 272 participants (aged 20‐70 yrs old) online using MTurk, and measured their memory performance using a newly developed task that examines multiple domains of visual memory. During this task (Fig. 1), participants viewed and made judgements of pictures depicting an object in a scene and later completed a surprise recognition test where they indicated if they remember seeing the identical picture earlier. In the recognition test, some pictures were the exact pictures presented earlier; some were lures that had a different object, a different scene, or a different spatial relation of the object to the scene; and some were completely new pictures. We measured memory performance based on participant’s response accuracy. We additionally collected information on participants’ subjective social status (using the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status), education, occupation class, and individual and household income.ResultAs expected, increasing age was related to worse memory performance. Importantly, subjective social status moderated the aging effect on memory: people who rated their social status to be higher (top 40%) did not show the typical age‐related decrease in memory (Fig. 2a). Higher household income was also associated with slower memory aging: people who reported having higher household income (&gt;$75,000) did not show an age‐related memory decrease (Fig. 2b). Education and occupation, however, did not moderate memory aging. Finally, we found the moderating effects of subjective social status and income were interactive: higher income was associated with less memory aging in people with low subjective social status, while higher subjective social status was associated with less memory aging for people with low income (Fig. 2c).ConclusionSubjective beliefs of having a high social position and objectively having a high income are two factors that may “slow down” memory aging. They work together in a way where one protects when the other fails to do so.

Is there an association between socioeconomic status and the degree of diurnal variation in heart rate?

BackgroundDisruption in circadian rhythms is associated with cardiovascular disease and may play a role in socioeconomic differences in cardiovascular disease prevalence. However, it is unclear whether low SES is associated with a lower diurnal rhythm in autonomic activity markers. We investigated the association between SES and the amplitude of the daily fluctuation of heart rate. MethodsWe included data of 450 participants of a HELIUS sub-study in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Participants wore an Actiheart monitor (CamNtech), a chest-worn monitor which measures heart rate every 15 s for several days. Cosinor analysis was performed on the time series of heart rate within each participant. We analyzed the association between the cosinor parameters (amplitude, midline and peak time of the diurnal HR rhythm) and SES indicators (education, occupational class and a proxy of income) in multivariate linear regression models, adjusting for age, sex and ethnicity. ResultsThere was a clear diurnal rhythm in the average heart rates, with a peak between noon and 18:00 and a trough between 04:00 and 06:00. This rhythm was present for all categories of education, occupation and income proxy. The estimates for the cosinor parameters did not differ consistently and significantly between categories of education, occupation or income proxy. ConclusionsWe did not find any consistent evidence to support our hypothesis of a diminished amplitude in the diurnal variation of heart rate in individuals with lower SES. Future studies should explore SES differences in the diurnal variation in markers of autonomic activity other than heart rate.

Social Mobility, Health and Wellbeing in Poland.

Recently there has been a surge of interest in the consequences of intergenerational social mobility on individuals’ health and wellbeing outcomes. However, studies on the effects of social mobility on health, using high-quality panel survey data, have almost exclusively been conducted in Western welfare democracies. To account for this gap, and using empirical data from one of the largest and most eventful post-communist countries, Poland, in this study we investigate how individuals’ origin and destination socio-economic position and social mobility are linked to self-rated health and reported psychological wellbeing. We use the Polish Panel Survey (POLPAN) data to construct self-rated health and psychological wellbeing measures, origin, destination and occupational class mobility variables, and account for an extensive set of sociodemographic determinants of health. We employ diagonal reference models to distinguish social mobility effects from origin and destination effects, and account for possible health selection mechanisms. Our results suggest that there is an occupational class gradient in health in Poland and that both parental and own occupational class matter for individual health outcomes. We also find a positive reported psychological wellbeing effect for upward social mobility from the working to the professional class.

Occupational status and self-reported low back pain by gender: a nation-wide cross-sectional study among the general population in Japan

BackgroundWe aimed to examine the cross-sectional association between occupational class and self-reported low back pain (LBP) in a representative sample of the Japanese general population.MethodsWe used anonymized data from a nationwide survey (31,443 men and 35,870 women aged ≥ 20). Occupational class variables included working status, occupation, employment status, and company size (number of employees). Covariates included age, socio-economic status, lifestyle, and comorbidities. Poisson regression models stratified by gender were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for self-reported LBP.ResultsThe prevalence of self-reported LBP was 11.7% in men and 14.2% in women. After adjustment for covariates and mutual adjustment for all occupational class variables, among both genders, agricultural/forestry/fishery workers and non-workers had a significantly higher prevalence of self-reported LBP: APR (95% CI) of agricultural/forestry/fishery was 1.36 (1.08–1.70) in men and 1.59 (1.30–1.93) in women; that of non-workers was 1.42 (1.18–1.70) in men and 1.23 (1.08–1.40) in women. Among men, non-regular employees were more likely to have self-reported LBP than regular employees: APR (95% CI) was 1.25 (1.07–1.46) in part-timers and casual staff and 1.18 (1.03–1.35) in other types of non-regular employees. Moreover, compared to men working at companies with ≥ 100 employees, men working at companies with 30–99 employees had a significantly higher prevalence of self-reported LBP (APR 1.17; 95% CI, 1.03–1.34). Among women, professionals and technicians (1.26; 1.11–1.43) and sales workers (1.22; 1.04–1.43) had a significantly higher prevalence of self-reported LBP than clerks. Neither employment status nor company size was associated with self-reported LBP in women. After stratified analyses by age group, similar patterns were observed in participants aged 20–64, but not in those aged ≥ 65.ConclusionOur results suggest that self-reported LBP is highly prevalent among agricultural/forestry/fishery workers and the unemployed, regardless of gender, and that there are also gender differences in the association of occupational class factors with self-reported LBP. It is necessary, therefore, to take preventive measures against LBP based on gender and occupational class factors in Japan.

Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences and the novel inflammatory marker glycoprotein acetyls in two generations of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with increased risk of non-communicable diseases in adulthood, potentially mediated by chronic low-grade inflammation. Glycoprotein acetyls (GlycA) is a marker of chronic and cumulative inflammation. We investigated associations between ACEs and GlycA at different ages, in two generations of the population-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) birth cohort. MethodsALSPAC offspring’s total ACE scores were generated for two age periods using prospectively collected data: 0-7y and 0-17y. GlycA was measured using high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance at mean ages 8y, 18y, and 24y. Sample sizes ranged from: n = 5116 (8y) to n = 3085 (24y). ALSPAC mothers (n = 4634) retrospectively reported ACEs experienced before age 18y and GlycA was assessed at mean age 49y. We used multivariable linear regression to estimate associations between ACEs (total ACE score and individual ACEs) and subsequent GlycA in both samples, adjusting for key confounders. ResultsMean GlycA levels were similar in offspring and mothers and over time. In offspring, there was no evidence that ACEs (total score or individual ACE) were associated with GlycA at age 8y or 18y, or 24y after adjustment for maternal age at birth and parity, maternal marital status, household occupational social class, maternal education, maternal smoking, own ethnicity, sex, and age in months. In mothers, there was evidence of a positive association between the total ACE score and GlycA at age 49y (adjusted mean difference 0.007 mmol/L; 95%CI: 0.003, 0.01). Emotional neglect was the only individual ACE associated with higher GlycA after adjusting for confounders and other ACEs. ConclusionResults suggest the association between ACEs and GlycA may emerge in middle age. Future research should explore the extent to which inflammation in adulthood mediates well-documented associations between ACEs and adverse health outcomes in later life.

Applying Risk Indices to Assess and Manage Soil Salinization and Sodification in Crop Fields within a Mediterranean Hydro-Agricultural Area

Irrigation-induced or secondary salinization can occur when salts are introduced by irrigation water and accumulate within the root zone due to insufficient leaching. Mediterranean regions are especially susceptible, given the predominant climate and the expanding of irrigation areas. In this study, two indices to assess the risk of salinization (RSA) and sodification (RSO), previously applied at a regional scale, were used in a hydro-agricultural area (AHA) in Southern Portugal, in ten crop fields. Information on climate, irrigation water quality, soil characteristics, and land use was obtained from large databases and from local data. The results revealed the feasibility of using the RSA and RSO indices both on large and smaller scales, seeing as most of the area in the monitored crop fields presented the same risk classes (62% in RSA and 78% in RSO). Deviations were due to the reduction in scores for drainage and, in the case of RSO, the assigned irrigation method based on the land occupation class. Considering that different spatial scales of risk assessment are associated with different objectives and management options, a risk management framework was outlined following a multi-scale perspective for mitigation actions in salt-sensitive areas, ranging from territorial planning to the adoption of on-farm practices that can contribute to the sustainability of irrigated agriculture.

Occupation and Sickness Absence in the Different Autonomous Communities of Spain.

The occupation of a worker is a determining factor of sickness absence (SA) and can influence both the beginning and continuation of the latter. This study describes SA in Spain, separately in the different Autonomous Communities (AC) in relation to the occupation of workers, with the aim of determining the possible differences in its frequency and duration, relating it also to the diagnosis. A total of 6,543,307 workers, aged 16 years and older, who had at least one episode of SA in the year 2019, constituted the study sample. The obtained results indicate that SA is more frequent and shorter in more elemental occupations. The average duration increases with age and is longer in women, except in technical and administrative occupations, where there is no gender divide. Sickness absences caused by musculoskeletal and mental disorders are more frequent in the lower occupational classes, although their average duration is shorter than in other, more qualified groups. The ACs with shorter duration in almost all the occupational groups are Madrid, Navarre and the Basque Country. In conclusion, SA is more frequent and shorter in lower occupational classes.

Underweight among adolescents in Denmark: prevalence, trends (1998-2018), and association of underweight with socioeconomic status.

Underweight among adolescents is an important clinical and public health issue. It is associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life-span and may reflect food poverty, unhealthy eating habits, or some underlying health conditions. To study prevalence and trends in underweight among adolescents 1998-2018, to examine social inequality in underweight, and whether social inequality changed over time. Data were derived from 6 cross-sectional school surveys from The Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study in Denmark. The study included 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old schoolchildren in random samples of schools in 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 (n = 22,177). Underweight was determined by body mass index-for-age thinness grade 2-3 (the Cole and Lobstein method). Socioeconomic status was determined using occupational social class (the Danish OSC Measurement). The overall prevalence of underweight was 3.1% among boys and 5.3% among girls (P < 0.0001) and decreased by age (P < 0.0001) among both boys and girls. The prevalence of underweight was almost stable from 1998 to 2018. There was no observed absolute or relative social inequality in the prevalence of underweight among boys or girls. The prevalence of underweight in 11- to 15-year-olds was significantly higher among girls than boys. The prevalence remained stable from 1998 to 2018. There was no significant association between SES and prevalence of underweight. It is important to elucidate the underlying causes of underweight such as malnutrition, eating disorders, eating problems, loss of appetite, chronic diseases, insufficient knowledge of nutrients effects on bodily functions, and persistent pain.

Socio-demographic and psychosocial predictors of salivary cortisol from older male participants in the Speedwell prospective cohort study

IntroductionAssociations between measures of socio-economic position and cortisol remain controversial. We examined the association between social class and cortisol reactivity in an aging male population. MethodsThe Speedwell cohort study recruited 2348 men aged 45–59 years from primary care between 1979 and 1982 (phase I) where occupational social class was used to classify socioeconomic position. Men were seen on four more occasions, the last being between 1997 and 1999 (phase 5) when salivary samples were obtained capturing cortisol reactivity to stressors (cognitive test and venepuncture) and circadian variations (awakening and night-time cortisol levels, circadian slope and area under curve) at morning and afternoon clinic sessions. Longitudinal association between social class at phase 3 and log-transformed salivary cortisol measures at phase 5 was assessed using multivariable linear regression adjusted for variables associated with sampling time and age as a potential confounder, stratified by time of clinic session. We also explored possible mediation by psychosocial factors (e.g. work dislike) and health-related factors (e.g. waist-to-hip ratio and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). ResultsFrom 1768 living men, 1003 men (57%) attended a clinic at phase five, 854 participants (85% of attendees) returned home cortisol samples (mean age 71.7 years). We found little evidence of association between social class and baseline cortisol (i.e. prior to stress), cortisol response to stressors, and cortisol diurnal variation. However, we found lower social class was associated with higher and delayed post-stress recovery cortisol for participants that visited the clinic in the morning (adjusted β coefficient for manual versus non-manual 0.25 ng/ml; 95% CI: 0.06–0.48; P = 0.008). This association did not appear to be mediated by any of the measured psychosocial or health-related factors. ConclusionOur data did not show an overall association between social class and cortisol variability either diurnal or in response to a stressor. Lower social class was associated with a slower time to recover from exposure to stress in the morning, thereby increasing overall cortisol exposure. These findings provide some evidence for a mechanism that may contribute to the association between lower social class and a higher risk of adverse health outcomes.

Means of occupational therapy in (individual) rehabilitation programs for people with Parkinson’s disease

The aim of the work is to develop a set of rehabilitation measures including occupational therapy classes for Parkinson’s disease and to assess the objective condition of patients on the scales of non-motor symptoms, cognitive and mental disorders. Materials and methods. The study of patients was conducted on the basis of anamnesis, objective examination and scales for assessment of non-motor symptoms, cognitive and mental disorders (scale of non-motor symptoms – NMSS, scale of mental disorders – MMSE, Montreal scale of cognitive disorders – MOCA); to assess non-motor symptoms, a patient questionnaire was additionally used to identify autonomic disorders (according to A. M. Wayne, 1998). The control and experimental groups were offered exercise, physiotherapy, massage and nutrition (diet). Occupational therapy was added for the experimental group. Results. After the physical rehabilitation, the condition of the patients significantly improved. The final score in the experimental group of patients with non-motor manifestations of Parkinson’s disease on the scale of assessment of non-motor symptoms was statistically significantly lower and was 61.04 ± 0.39 (P &lt; 0.01). The final score on the scale of mental disorders was statistically significantly higher – 27.78 ± 0.27 (P &lt; 0.01), on the scale of cognitive changes, it also became statistically significantly higher – 25.13 ± 0.19 (P &lt; 0.01). According to A. M. Wayne’s questionnaire of autonomic disorders, the total score in the control group was 64.0 ± 3.2. In the experimental group of patients, the total score was 51.0 ± 5.4 points (P &lt; 0.01). Thus, under the influence of additional occupational therapy classes, in the experimental group both on the scale of non-motor symptoms and by A. M. Wayne’s, questionnaire there was a statistically significant improvement in the condition of patients. Conclusions. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that there is a significant difference (P &lt; 0.01) in the condition of patients on the final scores, with the pronounced improvement in the condition of the experimental group patients in comparison with the control group patients, following the results of all survey scales. A significant difference is observed on the scale of non-motor symptoms. A certain role in improving the condition of patients with appropriate screening using study scales and a patient questionnaire to identify autonomic disorders (according to A. M. Wayne, 1998), apparently played a component of the rehabilitation program, which further included occupational therapy classes.

Occupational prestige and sickness absence inequality in Sweden: a registry-based study

Abstract Background Socioeconomic position has been linked to sickness absence (SA). However, less is known about the role of occupational prestige, a measure of social status afforded by one's occupation, in SA. To expand knowledge on socioeconomic determinants of SA and on gender differences in SA, this study aimed to investigate the association between occupational prestige and SA and the distribution of the association in women and men. The study also aimed to analyze the effects of intersections of gender and occupational prestige on SA. Methods The study was based on data of 97 397 employed individuals aged 25-59 years selected from the 2004, 2007 and 2010 waves of the Swedish Labour Force Survey. Baseline occupational prestige was measured with the Standard International Occupational Prestige Scale. Information on SA was retrieved from the national register. Two measures of SA were defined: the number of SA days in any particular year during a 3-year follow-up and long-term (&amp;gt;120 days) SA based on data of participants with at least one sick leave spell during the follow-up. Results Working in lower prestige occupations was associated with increased SA among women and men. The association was independent of other socioeconomic indicators, such as income, education, and occupational class. In the intersectional analysis, women regardless of prestige level and men in lower prestige occupations had higher probability of SA compared with men in high prestige occupations. Women in high prestige occupations had the highest absenteeism rates (IRR, 2.25, 95%CI, 2.20-2.31), while men in medium prestige occupations had the lowest rates (IRR, 1.17, 95%CI, 1.13-1.20). Compared with the rest of the groups, men in low and medium prestige occupations had higher odds for long-term absence. Conclusions Women, regardless of occupational prestige level, and men in lower occupational prestige had an increased risk of sickness absence. Key messages Occupational prestige was associated with sickness absence in women and men. There is need to pay close attention to occupational prestige as a factor that may influence health and labor market participation.