Finnish Women Research Articles

Experiences of weight discrimination were common in Finnish women with obesity

Abstract Background The consequences of obesity stigma, particularly weight discrimination, are widely felt in different sectors of society. Our aim was to examine the prevalence of experiences of weight discrimination in the Finnish adult population. Methods Data (n = 2,849) consisted of participants aged 20-64 years from the nationally representative Healthy Finland Survey in 2023, pregnant women and people with underweight excluded (body mass index, BMI, ≤18.5 kg/m2). The questionnaire inquired about the experiences of weight discrimination with a question “Have you experienced unfair treatment because of your weight during the last 12 months?”. Information on education (low, middle, high) was inquired too. Height and weight were measured during the health examination, and BMI was calculated (kg/m2). Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. Weighted prevalence was analyzed using logistic regression, considering sampling design and non-response. Results Overall, 13% (95% confidence interval, CI, 11-15) of women and 7% (95% CI 5-8) of men had experienced weight discrimination during the last 12 months. The experiences of weight discrimination varied according to BMI, as the prevalence was 27% (95% CI 22-32) among women with obesity vs. 7% (95% CI 6-9) among women without obesity. The corresponding numbers for men were 16% (95% CI 12-20) vs. 4% (95% CI 2-5). The results were similar across all educational classes. Conclusions Individuals with obesity had experienced weight discrimination more often than those without obesity. The problem affects women (in particular), as almost one third of women with obesity had experienced weight discrimination. It is important to raise awareness and recognize this phenomenon across all sectors of society to enhance inclusion in a world struggling with overweight and obesity. Key messages • People with obesity experience weight discrimination. Experiences of weight discrimination appear to be more common in women than men. • More information and understanding of weight-related stigma through education, research and values work is needed in different sectors of society.

Frequent Use of Premenopausal Progestin in Prior Pre-Eclamptic Women.

Women with a history of pre-eclamptic pregnancy are predisposed to later occlusive vascular diseases. We compared the use of cyclic progestins or levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) for treatment of menstrual cycle abnormalities between premenopausal women with and without a prior pre-eclamptic pregnancy. Register-based cohort study during 1994-2019 of oral progestin or levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) in Finnish women with (n=31 688) and without (n=91 726) prior pre-eclampsia in 1969-1993. Cyclic progestin or LNG-IUD use and its association with future use of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). Prior pre-eclamptic women had used cyclic progestins more often (23.5% vs. 9.1%; p<0.001) and initiated the use at younger ages (41.8 years [SD=6.3] vs. 45.9 years [3.1]; p<0.001) than control women. Also, LNG-IUD was inserted more frequently (p<0.001) in prior pre-eclamptic women (9.3%) than in controls (4.7%). Cyclic progestin or LNG-IUD use was accompanied by significant 37-90% elevations in future MHT use. Increased use of cyclic progestins and LNG-IUD in premenopausal women with a history of pre-eclamptic pregnancy can be seen as indirect evidence of earlier onset of ovulatory dysfunction. This may contribute to the elevated risk of endometrial cancer in these women. Our findings may indicate one additional late sequela of pre-eclamptic pregnancy.

Trends in educational inequalities in smoking-attributable mortality and their impact on changes in general mortality inequalities: evidence from England and Wales, Finland, and Italy (Turin)

BackgroundSocioeconomic mortality inequalities are persistent in Europe but have been changing over time. Smoking is a known contributor to inequality levels, but knowledge about its impact on time trends in...

Body Mass Index and the Risk of Adult-Onset Asthma: A Prospective Observational Study among 59,668 Middle-Aged Men and Women in Finland.

Introduction: Obesity, in addition to many other negative health consequences, affects pulmonary function and is a potential risk factor for asthma. Methods: We analyzed the association of body mass index (BMI) with incident asthma among 60,639 Finnish men and women aged 25 to 74 years who participated in a population-based chronic disease risk factor survey in 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, or 2012. Data on lifestyle factors such as smoking and physical activity, as well as medical history, were obtained, and various physical measurements, including height and weight, were taken at baseline. Incident asthma events were ascertained from the National Social Insurance Institution's register data. The study cohorts were followed-up until the end of 2017 through registers. Results: During the follow-up, 4612 (14%) women and 2578 (9.3%) men developed asthma. The risk of asthma was analyzed in the following three BMI categories: <24.9 (reference category), 25-29.9 (overweight) and ≥30 kg/m2 (obesity). Hazard ratios (95% CI) were 1.34 (1.24-1.43) and 1.57 (1.44-1.71) in women and 1.25 (1.14-1.37) and 1.63 (1.44-1.83) in men. The observed association was independent of smoking, height and leisure-time physical activity. In women, 30.8% (19.2% in men) of the total asthma incidence was attributed to overweight and obesity. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are important risk factors for asthma.

Work-life balance and the psychosocial work environment in Finnish working life: The case of gender and family life stages.

Work-life balance is associated with many positive effects at multiple levels and demands increased research attention. In the international literature on work-life balance, the term "gendered life-course" has been used to describe the differences between men and women in work biographies. However, whether this term applies to the Nordic work context remains underexplored. This study examined Finnish men's and women's subjective experience of the association between work-life balance and the psychosocial work environment (work demands and social support at work) across the life course, devoting special attention to family life stages encompassing the care of (young) children. Data from the Quality of Work Life Survey 2018 were utilized to conduct binary logistic regression analyses (N = 3790). Separate analyses were conducted for men and women. A significant association between family life stage and high work-life balance was found for women but not for men in the Finnish working life. Women in family life stages involving the care of young, dependent children reported the lowest odds of high work-life balance. For both men and women, a positive association between social support at work and high work-life balance was found, while a negative association was found between work demands and high work-life balance. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors in both the work and family settings for work-life balance. Further, the findings call for an expanded focus on gender equality, also including issues in unpaid work in addition to issues in paid work.

Menstrual blood loss is an independent determinant of hemoglobin and ferritin levels in premenopausal blood donors.

To prevent blood donors from developing iron deficiency (ferritin <15 μg/L) and subsequent anemia (hemoglobin <120 g/L), blood services rely on information about known risk factors, including the donor's sex and age. For example, while Finnish women are able to donate whole blood with a minimum donation interval of 91 days, women in the 18 to 25-year-old age group are recommended to donate no more than once per year. Menstrual blood loss is not accounted for in blood donation interval recommendations, despite being a known risk factor of iron deficiency. We aim to investigate to what extent menstrual bleeding is associated with ferritin and hemoglobin levels in female blood donors, and quantify the association of other menstruation-related variables not currently accounted for by blood services (i.e., use of hormonal contraception, heavy menstrual bleeding) with iron deficiency or anemia. The study population consisted of 473 premenopausal and 491 postmenopausal Dutch whole blood donors. Exclusion criteria were current pregnancy, BMI ≥50, ferritin ≥200, pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) ≥400, and age <18 or ≥70 years. Menstrual blood loss was quantified using a PBAC, a semiquantitative method to evaluate the number of used menstrual products and the degree of staining. We identified predictors of log(ferritin)/hemoglobin and iron deficiency/anemia using Bayesian linear and logistic regression models and quantified the average percentage of variance in log(ferritin) and hemoglobin explained by the covariates. Menstrual blood loss accounted for most of the explained variance in hemoglobin (8%) and second only to the number of days since last donation for ferritin (8%). Heavy menstrual bleeding (PBAC ≥150, OR = 3.56 [1.45-8.85], prevalence 13%) was associated with anemia, and use of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device was negatively associated with iron deficiency (OR = 0.06 [0.01-0.44]). After statistical control for menstrual blood loss, age was not associated with iron status. Menstrual blood loss and blood donation were the most important determinants of iron status in premenopausal women. Thus, results suggest that accounting for menstrual blood loss in donation interval guidelines may benefit blood donors.

Radiological features of screening-detected and interval breast cancers and subsequent survival in Eastern Finnish women.

Interval breast cancers are diagnosed between scheduled screenings and differ in many respects from screening-detected cancers. Studies comparing the survival of patients with interval and screening-detected cancers have reported differing results. The aim of this study was to investigate the radiological and histopathological features and growth rates of screening-detected and interval breast cancers and subsequent survival. This retrospective study included 942 female patients aged 50-69years with breast cancers treated and followed-up at Kuopio University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2016. The screening-detected and interval cancers were classified as true, minimal-signs, missed, or occult. The radiological features were assessed on mammograms by one of two specialist breast radiologists with over 15years of experience. A χ2 test was used to examine the association between radiological and pathological variables; an unpaired t test was used to compare the growth rates of missed and minimal-signs cancers; and the Kaplan-Meier estimator was used to examine survival after screening-detected and interval cancers. Sixty occult cancers were excluded, so a total of 882 women (mean age 60.4 ± 5.5years) were included, in whom 581 had screening-detected cancers and 301 interval cancers. Disease-specific survival, overall survival and disease-free survival were all worse after interval cancer than after screening-detected cancer (p < 0.001), with a mean follow-up period of 8.2years. There were no statistically significant differences in survival between the subgroups of screening-detected or interval cancers. Missed interval cancers had faster growth rates (0.47% ± 0.77%/day) than missed screening-detected cancers (0.21% ± 0.11%/day). Most cancers (77.2%) occurred in low-density breasts (< 25%). The most common lesion types were masses (73.9%) and calcifications (13.4%), whereas distortions (1.8%) and asymmetries (1.7%) were the least common. Survival was worse after interval cancers than after screening-detected cancers, attributed to their more-aggressive histopathological characteristics, more nodal and distant metastases, and faster growth rates.

Sisters Across the Gulf

This article explores the connections between Estonian and Finnish lesbian communities in the early 1990s, based on oral history interviews along with media and archival sources. The Estonian lesbian community formed very quickly in the spring and summer of 1990 and from the very start developed a strong bond with the Finnish lesbian community that then lasted for several years. We have interviewed both Finnish and Estonian lesbian women about the period to learn about the activities of this transnational network and the meaning it carried for its members. In our analysis, we focus on personal and social challenges and tensions, national differences and diverse identities and ways of living as a lesbian woman, but also on the fun and rewarding connections. Our study portrays the transnational network as an example of a relatively equal community, despite the stark economic differences, and addresses how the translocal connections formed as a natural, important and integral part of the development of both these communities.

Health-related resources and social support as enablers of digital device use among older Finns

Abstract Aim Older adults show considerable diversity in their use of digital devices, e.g., computers, tablets, and smart phones: some are non-users, some are learning to use them, and some use them fluently. The factors contributing to older adults’ digital device use are likely to differ between learners and fluent users. This paper examines whether different socioeconomic and health-related factors are associated with different levels of digital device use among older Finnish men and women. Subject and methods Data from 750 community-dwelling men and women were collected with face-to-face interviews and postal questionnaires and analyzed using multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results Younger age, presence of social support, and being partnered were associated with being a learner in digital device use, and higher education, a higher occupational status in working age, and higher health literacy were associated with being a fluent digital device user. Poor self-rated health was negatively associated with being a fluent user. Conclusions Fluent digital device users have personal resources, such as higher education, good health, and high health literacy, that contribute to their digital skills. Social resources are important enablers for those learning to use digital devices.

Eastern Middle Sweden, Finland and beyond in the Late Vendel and Early Viking periods

The Scandinavian interest in the Eurasian fur trade started in the early 8th century. Contacts between the Baltic Finns and the Permian groups in the Volga-Kama-Vjatka river region was the impetus for these contacts. The trail is seen in distinct Nevolino belt fittings, chain holders with twin horse heads and glass beads emanating from the East. Scandinavian fur traders established close interaction with the Baltic Finns in what is today Finland and probably Northern Estonia increased from AD 700. Scandinavian glass beads and swords were in use in South-Western Finland in the early 8th c. Finnish A III pottery emerged in Eastern Middle Sweden already in the late 7th c., both as imports proper but also as local products made by Finnish women. In this early phase of interaction personal contacts obviously played a major role. After c. AD 860 these connections changed. The Baltic Finns expressed their cultural identity in a more exposed way. Scandinavian traders turned their attention to the expanding market based on Birka and the Rus’. From c. AD 860 territorial claims in the East were accentuated, leading to the later, bigger Rus’.

First-trimester HbA1c in relation to plasma glucose concentrations in an oral glucose tolerance test at 12 to 16 weeks’ gestation—a population-based study

BackgroundEarly-onset GDM often requires pharmacological treatment and is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, but data is insufficient regarding the best methods to identify high-risk women requiring early GDM screening. The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of HbA1c in the prediction of (1) plasma glucose concentrations > 90th percentile in an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 12–16 weeks’ gestation; and (2) pharmacologically treated early- or late-onset GDM.MethodsHbA1c was measured at 8—14 weeks’ gestation in a population-based cohort of 1394 Finnish women recruited for the Early Diagnosis of Diabetes in Pregnancy (EDDIE) study between 3/2013 and 12/2016. Information on maternal risk factors were collected at recruitment. Subsequently, a 2-hour 75 g OGTT was performed at 12—16 weeks’ gestation (OGTT1), and if normal, repeated at 24–28 weeks’ gestation (OGTT2). Early- and late-onset GDM were diagnosed using the same nationally endorsed cut-offs for fasting, 1 h- and 2 h-plasma glucose: ≥5.3, ≥ 10.0mmol/l, and/or ≥ 8.6mmol/l, respectively. In total, 52/1394 (3.7%) women required metformin or insulin treatment for GDM, including 39 women with early-onset GDM diagnosed at OGTT1 and 13 women with late-onset GDM diagnosed at OGTT2.ResultsMaternal early-pregnancy HbA1c ≥ 35mmol/mol (≥ 5.4%) was the best cut-off to predict fasting or post-load plasma glucose > 90th percentile in OGTT1, but its diagnostic accuracy was low [AUC (95% CI) 0.65 (0.62 to 0.69), sensitivity 0.55 (0.49 to 0.60) and specificity 0.67 (0.64 to 0.70)] both alone and in combination with other maternal risk factors. However, HbA1c ≥ 35mmol/mol correlated positively with plasma glucose concentrations at all time points of OGTT1 and predicted pharmacologically treated GDM diagnosed at OGTT1 or OGTT2; AUC (95% CI) 0.75 (0.68 to 0.81), sensitivity 0.75 (0.61 to 0.86), specificity 0.64 (0.61 to 0.66).ConclusionsIn our population-based cohort, early-pregnancy HbA1c ≥ 35mmol/mol was positively associated with fasting and post-load plasma glucose concentrations in an OGTT at 12—16 weeks’ gestation and predicted pharmacologically-treated early- and late-onset GDM, suggesting potential utility in first-trimester identification of women at high risk of severe GDM subtypes.

Active forest ownership – Perception of Finnish women forest owners

“Active forest ownership” is often understood as a masculine and timber production-centric concept. The objective of this article is to study how women forest owners perceive the concept of “active forest ownership”. Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were conducted to study these questions. The interviews were analysed through the framework of feminist political ecology focusing specifically to different scales. The findings suggest that “active forest owner” is a more diverse concept for women forest owners than that described in Finnish forest policies or research. The definition includes feminine concepts like “taking care” of forests and understands that “being aware of forests” is a key part of being “active forest owner”. Furthermore, the intimate, family and local environment scales were crucial in impacting women's active forest ownership. These results indicate that forest policies would need to include a wider perspective of “active forest ownership” to address a larger proportion of forest owners and create more inclusive policies that could empower women.

Effect of major trauma on the expected number of births in Finnish women: A nationwide population-based public data and register analysis.

The effect of major trauma on subsequent fertility is poorly described. If women have lower fertility after trauma, they would have a lower risk of anti-D mediated hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn in a future pregnancy following the transfusion of RhD-positive blood to RhD-negative women during their resuscitation. Data was obtained from the Care Register for Health Care, National Medical Birth Register, and open access data from Statistic Finland to evaluate the effect of major trauma (traumatic brain injuries, spine, pelvic, hip/thigh fractures) on the age-specific number of births during years 1998-2018. The total number of births before a specific maternal age for different trauma populations was calculated and these were compared to the corresponding number of births in the general population. There were 50,923 injured women in this study. All injured women, including when analyzed by the nature of their injury, demonstrated lower expected numbers of births starting at approximately 28 years of age compared to the general population of women in Finland. At age 49, the expected number of births in the general population was approximately 1.8, whereas for all injured women 0.6, women with TBIs and spine fractures 0.6, women with pelvic fractures 0.5, and women with hip or thigh fractures 0.3. Injured women are predicted to have lower fertility rates compared to the general population of Finnish women. The lower fertility rate should be considered when planning a blood product resuscitation strategy for injured women.

Risk Factors for Lichen Sclerosus: A Case-Control Study of 43,000 Finnish Women.

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is an inflammatory skin disease probably arising from an interplay of genetics, local irritation, and autoimmune processes. We identified potential risk factors for the disease using data from nationwide Finnish registries. We identified all women diagnosed with LS within specialized health care during 1998-2016 (n = 10,692) and selected 3 age-matched population control women for each case. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for possible risk factors using conditional logistic regression. Dermatological autoimmune conditions were strongly associated with LS (OR = 15.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 13.6-16.7 for morphea; OR = 10.3, 95% CI = 5.02-19.0 for lichen planus; OR = 6.86, 95% CI = 5.65-8.33 for alopecia; OR = 2.20, 95% CI = 1.88-2.56 for vitiligo). A diagnosis of Crohn or celiac disease increased the odds of LS (OR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.71-1.89; OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 1.28-1.73, respectively) as did urge and stress incontinence (OR = 1.79, 95% CI = 1.71-1.87; OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.22-1.35, respectively).The odds of LS were lower in women after a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.41-0.45), coronary artery disease (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.38-0.43), and rheumatoid arthritis (OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.36-0.41).Parous women had higher odds of LS (OR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04-1.17) than nulliparous ones, but increasing number of births decreased the risk. Lichen sclerosus was not associated with socioeconomic status nor the urbanicity level of the place of residence. Certain autoimmune diseases and urinary incontinence were associated with LS.

Käsikirjaliste mustrivihikute tähtsus kangakudumise mustrite levimise ajaloos / The historical importance of weaving pattern books

The late 19th century can be considered a transformative period in the history of Estonian textile weaving, during which the weaving of art fabrics onso-called Finnish looms became increasingly widespread. From this period onwards, an increasing amount of Estonian women started to study weaving in Finland, and Finnish women were invited to Estonia to teach.&#x0D; The article describes, based on various surviving sources, the spread of weaving patterns in Estonia and the functioning of various weaving courses and schools during this time period. It also provides an overview of the weaving pattern books, which were prevalent in Estonia until the first decades of the 20th century, based on samples preserved in museums and private collections.&#x0D; Pattern looms, also known as countermarch looms, Finnish looms, and sometimes also “artisan weavers’ looms”, were expensive and seemed complicated to an average weaver. Therefore, by the end of the 19th century, these types of looms were not yet widely prevalent in Estonian peasant households. They only started to become common during the early years of the independent Republic of Estonia, and it was soon a matter of honor to have Finnish looms in the house.&#x0D; With the establishment of weaving schools and the spread of various courses in the late 19th century, new patterns from Europe reached Estonian households. Countermarch looms that arrived via Finland offered more opportunities for weaving different textile surfaces. Also, it was possible to weave wider fabrics on these looms compared to simple looms that had been used in farmsteads earlier.&#x0D; The development of weaving pattern books and textbooks in time shows how the spread of more complex looms into homes went hand in hand with the emergence and popularity of women’s handicraft schools. The industrial revolution that altered the previously established modes of production from the end of the 18th century to the beginning of the 19th century did bring more affordable factory products to homes. The national awakening in turn created a situation where the promotion of handicrafts was back on the social agenda.&#x0D; The industrial revolution, new trade relations, and the intensification of cultural exchange with neighbouring countries provided Estonian women with the opportunity to improve their position in society. From the beginning of the 20th century, cultural and educational interactions that had begun at the end of the previous century between educated and progressive women and women’s organisations became even more frequent.&#x0D; Keywords: weaving on loom, women’s crafts, housekeeping education, weaving pattern books, textile artisans

Every tenth malignant solid tumor attributed to overweight and alcohol consumption: A population-based cohort study

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that some four in ten cancers are attributable to a few key risk factors. The aim of this study was to estimate cohort-based population attributable fractions (PAFs) in Finland for potentially modifiable cancer risk factors. MethodsData from eight health studies including 253,953 subjects with 29,802 incident malignant solid tumors were analysed using Bayesian multivariate regression model with multiplicative risk factor effects. We estimated the effects of smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical activity, parity and education on cancer incidence and related PAFs by cancer site, accounting for competing mortality. ResultsPAF for all cancer sites and exposures combined was 34% (95% credible interval 29%−39%) in men and 24% (19%−28%) in women. In men, 23% (21%−27%) and in women 8% (6%−9%) of all cancers were attributed to smoking. PAF related to excess body weight was 4% (2%−6%) in men and 5% (2%−7%) in women, to alcohol 7% (3%−10%) in men and 4% (0%−7%) in women, and to excess body weight and alcohol combined 10% (6%−15%) in men and 9% (4%−13%) in women. ConclusionSmoking was the most important factor contributing to cancer burden in Finnish men and women over the last 40 years. The contribution of excess body weight and alcohol consumption together outweighed the role of smoking in women. As the prevalence of overweight is expected to increase, more efficient public health measures supporting adherence to healthy weight are essential to reduce cancer burden.

Intermarriage and health: Mortality among Finnish migrants in Sweden by spousal country of birth

Abstract Background Finnish migrants in Sweden experience a mortality disadvantage relative to the native population in part due to health behaviours. Interaction between migrants and natives may lead to a convergence of health behaviours and thereby mortality between the groups. Finnish migrants who are married to a native Swede may thus have mortality rates that are more similar to the Swedish population compared to those married to fellow Finns. Conversely, mortality rates of migrants married to a fellow Finn may more closely resemble those of the population in Finland. Methods We use register data to identify all Finnish migrants aged 40-64 in Sweden in 1999 who were married to a native Swede or a fellow Finn. We identify reference groups in both Sweden and Finland, using a combination of inverse probability weighting and direct matching to adjust for differences in sociodemographic characteristics between the groups. We analyse mortality from all causes, CVD, alcohol and smoking related causes during 2000-2017. Results Compared to Finnish migrant men married to a fellow Finn, migrant men who are married to a native Swede have lower mortality rates, closer to that of the native population of Sweden. This difference is largely explained by sociodemographic characteristics, although lower levels of all-cause and CVD mortality remain after adjustment. By contrast, migrant women married to a native Swede have higher smoking-related mortality, closer to that of native Swedish women. Migrant women married to a fellow Finn have lower smoking-related mortality, closer to that of Finnish-born women in Finland. This pattern is especially pronounced when adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions Being married to a native is associated with lower all-cause and CVD mortality for migrant men and higher smoking-related mortality for migrant women. Depending on gender and risk factor intermarriage can be either protective or detrimental for migrant health. Key messages • The mortality risk of Finnish migrants in Sweden vary by spousal country of birth but if intermarriage is protective or detrimental for health depends on gender and risk factor. • Being married to a native Swede is associated with lower CVD mortality for Finnish migrant men and higher smoking-related mortality for Finnish migrant women.

Adopting Public Relations-Like Strategies to Promote Labour Feminism in Finland, 1965–1975

When public relations as a field professionalized in Finland in the 1960s, it had knock-on effects beyond the corporate world. As an example of this, I analyse various public relations-like strategies adopted by a party political women's organization, the Finnish Women's Democratic League. I show that as a radical left organization, the Finnish Women's Democratic League began to value media visibility in the mid-1960s, but it also continued to use more traditional communication forms, such as leaflets and workplace visits, to spread its ideological message. The changes of emphasis between various forms of communication were affected by the politicization of Finnish society, which caused tensions between the bourgeois dominant public and the ‘people's democratic’ counterpublic. My analysis is based on a close reading of minutes of Finnish Women's Democratic League meetings, press releases and other archival material, as well as Pippuri, the organization's internal magazine, and Uusi Nainen, a commercial women's magazine published by the organization .

Education, Employment, Family Formation Behaviors, and the Gender Health Gap: A Cross-National Comparison of Korea, the United States, and Finland

Abstract Despite improvements in the social status of women in recent decades, women still tend to report lower levels of health compared to men. This study examines the role of individual factors (i.e., education, employment, and family formation behaviors) and aggregate factors (i.e., gender context, work cultures, and work-family policy) in the association between gender and health using the cases of Korea, the United States, and Finland. The study’s results indicate that women experience lower levels of health than men in Korea and the United States, especially among younger adults, even after accounting for education, employment, and family status. In Finland, however, women do not have lower levels of health than men. Moreover, among older individuals, Finnish women exhibit a health advantage relative to Finnish men. The findings indicate that traditional gender role expectations, long hours at work, and inadequate work-family balance largely account for gender disparities in health in Korea and the United States. Gender egalitarianism at work, reduced work hours, and more family friendly work policies should help reduce such disparities.

Autonomic nervous system and postural control regulation during orthostatic test as putative markers of physical resilience among community-dwelling older adults

IntroductionWe examined whether autonomic nervous system (ANS) and postural control regulation during orthostatic test reflect physical resilience by studying their associations with maximal walking speed and mortality. MethodsThe participants were community-dwelling Finnish men (n = 303) and women (n = 386) aged 75, 80, and 85 years at baseline. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate, and postural sway were obtained using a digital sphygmomanometer, a single-channel ECG, and thigh- and chest-worn accelerometers. Linear and Cox regression models were used to estimate the associations of the physiological indices with maximal 10-m walking speed and 5-year mortality separately for sexes. ResultsBetter maintenance of BP under orthostatic stress was associated with faster walking speed in women and lower mortality hazard in men. Greater HRV in terms of low frequency power and lower respiration rate in supine position and smaller orthostatic changes in these were associated with faster walking speed especially in women. Less postural sway after standing up was associated with faster walking speed in women (−0.057, SE 0.022, p = 0.011) and more postural sway with increased mortality hazard in men (HR 1.71, 95 % CI 1.20–2.43) even after controlling for BP responses. ConclusionsIn addition to ANS regulation at rest and under stress, adaptation of postural control system to orthostasis may be used in quantifying older adults' physical resilience. Wearable sensors capturing stimulus-response patterns and natural fluctuations of body functions may provide opportunities to monitor and incorporate different subsystems' resilience also in free-living conditions.