Occupational Cohort Studies Research Articles

Changes in Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Sedentary Time and Their Associations With Psychological Distress: An Occupational Cohort Study.

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are associated with mental ill-health. We examined changes in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and sedentary time, and their associations with psychological distress in an occupational cohort. We used phase 1 survey data, collected among the employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland, aged 19-39years in 2017, and phase 2 follow-up survey from 2022 (n = 1914 participants, 75% women). A 4-category variable (High→High, Low→High, High→Low, and Low→Low) was constructed for both LTPA and sedentary time to reflect the change over time. The 21-item Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale was used to measure psychological distress. Logistic regression analysis estimated odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% CIs, adjusting for sociodemographic factors, working conditions, health-related factors, and physician-diagnosed mental disorders at phase 1. Repeated low LTPA was associated with anxiety (OR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.44-2.85), depressive (OR = 1.69; 95% CI, 1.22-2.36), and stress (OR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.58-3.12) symptoms after adjusting for gender and age, compared with repeated high LTPA. The associations remained after full adjustments in anxiety (OR = 1.57; 95% CI, 1.08-2.30) and stress (OR = 1.92; 95% CI, 1.32-2.78) symptoms. Additionally, a change from high to low LTPA was associated with anxiety (OR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.05-2.04) symptoms after full adjustments. Repeated low levels of LTPA are associated with anxiety and stress symptoms. No consistent associations between sitting time and psychological distress could be confirmed. Considering the increasing levels of psychological distress in recent years, particularly among younger adults, it is essential to explore effective countermeasures through large interventions or prospective study designs.

Physical functioning trajectories over statutory retirement: a finnish occupational cohort study

BackgroundThe association of workload and performance with physical functioning is recognised among the ageing public sector workforce. The characteristics of working conditions and social- and health-related factors associated with physical functioning after statutory retirement are still unknown. Also, previous studies on changes in physical functioning have not used a person-oriented approach. We examined physical functioning trajectories over statutory retirement and how social- and health-related factors are associated with them. Our aim was to identify distinct developmental trajectories of physical functioning over statutory retirement and to examine how social- (age, gender, marital status, education) and health-related (physical workload, self-reported sleep problems, alcohol consumption, smoking, fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), and body mass index (BMI)) factors before retirement were associated with the identified trajectories.MethodsWe used data from the Helsinki Health Study cohort. Participants consisted of 2736 employees of the City of Helsinki, Finland who retired during the follow-up. Growth mixture modelling was used to identify physical functioning trajectories and multinominal regression analyses to examine associations of social- and health-related factors with them.ResultsThree distinct developmental patterns in physical functioning before and after retirement were found among ageing and retired employees. Lower educational level, sleep problems, physical inactivity, and obesity were associated with the trajectory groups of ‘fast decreasing’ and ‘slowly increasing’, compared to the ‘stable high’ trajectory.ConclusionThe results suggest that poor social- and health-related factors are key risk factors associated with declining and lower-level physical functioning over the retirement period. Supporting healthy lifestyles among older employees might maintaining good physical functioning until retirement and beyond.

Associations of Ultra-Processed Food Intake with the Incidence of Cardiometabolic and Mental Health Outcomes Go Beyond Specific Subgroups-The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health.

Background/Objectives: Avoidance of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has been recommended to achieve a healthy diet, but whether it applies equally to all UPFs is uncertain. We evaluated individual UPF subgroups in the prediction of cardiometabolic and mental health outcomes. Methods: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) is an occupational cohort study of 15,105 adults (35-74 years) recruited in 2008-2010. We followed participants up to 2018 to ascertain elevated weight and waist gains and the onset of metabolic syndrome, hypertension, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, diabetes, common mental disorders, depressive episodes, and anxiety disorders. Results: In adjusted robust Poisson regression, greater overall UPF intake at the baseline predicted all studied outcomes. Various subgroups of UPF, most frequently processed meat and sweetened beverages, individually conferred a greater risk, and nearly all predicted at least one studied outcome. Considering all subgroups and outcomes, a broad pattern of overall risk was present. When subgroups not individually predictive of these outcomes were aggregated, increased risk (for a one-standard deviation change) was observed for elevated weight (RR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.01-1.11) and waist (RR = 1.05; 95% CI 1.00-1.10) gains, and for the incidence of common mental (RR = 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.12), and anxiety (RR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.02-1.16) disorders. Conclusions: UPFs overall and their subgroups predicted future cardiometabolic and mental health outcomes. The pattern of individual UPF subgroup associations varied across outcomes, and the aggregate of subgroups not individually predicting risk also predicted large gains in overall and central adiposity and the incidence of mental health disorders. While additional studies investigating other outcomes are needed, these findings justify avoidance of overall UPF intake in health promotion and disease prevention.

Long-term sickness absence trajectories and associated occupational and lifestyle-related factors: a longitudinal study among young and early midlife Finnish employees with pain

ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify distinct trajectories of long-term sickness absence (LTSA, >10 consecutive working days) among young and early midlife Finnish employees who experienced pain at baseline. It also...

Advancing prediction of age-related vascular cognitive impairment based on peripheral and retinal vascular health in a pilot study: a novel comprehensive assessment developed for a prospective workplace-based cohort (The Semmelweis Study).

With a growing elderly population in the European Union, age-related diseases associated with unhealthy aging pose increasing public health challenges, including a loss of independence and heightened societal burdens. The Semmelweis Study, a prospective occupational cohort study in Hungary, seeks to identify determinants of unhealthy aging, focusing on the complex relationship between lifestyle, environmental, occupational factors, and the development of chronic age-associated diseases, including age-related vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). The primary objective of this pilot study was to establish a robust, high-throughput assessment methodology to comprehensively evaluate both peripheral and cerebrovascular health to provide a solid foundation for the forthcoming Semmelweis Study framework. The study involved 49 participants aged 23 to 87years, and it assessed multi-domain cognitive performance through an automated battery of tests (CANTAB). Vascular health was comprehensively evaluated using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), flow-mediated dilation (FMD), static and dynamic retinal vessel analysis (SVA, DVA), and measurements of vascular stiffness. The retinal microvasculature, which closely mirrors the cerebral circulation in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, provided a unique window for examination. Optical imaging through SVA and DVA enables the identification of structural and functional changes in the central nervous system's microcirculation, which are highly relevant to the pathogenesis of VCI. Subsequently, the collected measures were integrated into vascular health indices using principal component analysis (PCA) and the relationship to the age and cognitive status of study participants was explored. These comprehensive vascular health indices demonstrated a correlation not only with age but also with cognitive performance. This methodology holds promise for providing novel insights into the intricate interplay between vascular and cognitive health within the context of the Semmelweis Study.

Mortality risk associated to arsenic exposure after a major disaster. Results from the Manfredonia occupational cohort study 1976–2021

BackgroundOn September 1976, due to the explosion of an ammonia-washing column at the petrochemical plant in Manfredonia (Italy), 39 tonnes of arsenic were released into the atmosphere, contaminating the plants and the neighbourhoods close to it. The aim of this study is to present the results of a 45-year follow up of exposed workers with a focus on residential exposure. MethodsWe contacted Italian General Registries Offices and updated the vital status of persons involved in the clean-up activities following the disaster. The outcome of interest was the overall and cause-specific mortality. An accelerated failure time (AFT) approach was used when appropriate to model the risk of mortality. Results1772 workers contributing 67,743 person years were considered in the analysis. For overall mortality, results of the age-adjusted AFT model show an accelerator factor of 0.89 (95%CI 0.80–0.99) among contract workers, which means a shortening of survival in comparison to the reference category (plastic area workers). When accounting for latency greater than 20 years, higher mortality rates for lung cancer were observed among workers residing in Manfredonia. DiscussionAn increased risk of mortality among workers who were more exposed to arsenic during the clean-up activities has been observed. In fact, a loss of 5 years of life among more exposed workers was calculated. Furthermore, the mortality rates of residents in Manfredonia were higher than those of workers residing elsewhere.

A prospective exploration of the urban exposome in relation to headache in the Dutch population-based Occupational and environmental health cohort study (AMIGO)

ObjectiveHeadache is one of the most prevalent and disabling health conditions globally. We prospectively explored the urban exposome in relation to weekly occurrence of headache episodes using data from the Dutch population-based Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort Study (AMIGO). Material and MethodsParticipants (N = 7,339) completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires in 2011 and 2015, reporting headache frequency. Information on the urban exposome covered 80 exposures across 10 domains, such as air pollution, electromagnetic fields, and lifestyle and socio-demographic characteristics. We first identified all relevant exposures using the Boruta algorithm and then, for each exposure separately, we estimated the average treatment effect (ATE) and related standard error (SE) by training causal forests adjusted for age, depression diagnosis, painkiller use, general health indicator, sleep disturbance index and weekly occurrence of headache episodes at baseline. ResultsOccurrence of weekly headache was 12.5 % at baseline and 11.1 % at follow-up. Boruta selected five air pollutants (NO2, NOX, PM10, silicon in PM10, iron in PM2.5) and one urban temperature measure (heat island effect) as factors contributing to the occurrence of weekly headache episodes at follow-up. The estimated causal effect of each exposure on weekly headache indicated positive associations. NO2 showed the largest effect (ATE = 0.007 per interquartile range (IQR) increase; SE = 0.004), followed by PM10 (ATE = 0.006 per IQR increase; SE = 0.004), heat island effect (ATE = 0.006 per one-degree Celsius increase; SE = 0.007), NOx (ATE = 0.004 per IQR increase; SE = 0.004), iron in PM2.5 (ATE = 0.003 per IQR increase; SE = 0.004), and silicon in PM10 (ATE = 0.003 per IQR increase; SE = 0.004). ConclusionOur results suggested that exposure to air pollution and heat island effects contributed to the reporting of weekly headache episodes in the study population.

Modifiable prognostic factors of high societal costs among people on sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders: findings from an occupational cohort study

ObjectivesThe objective was to identify modifiable prognostic factors of high societal costs among people on sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders, and to identify modifiable prognostic factors of high costs...

Designing a test battery for workers’ well-being: the first wave of the Tsukuba Salutogenic Occupational Cohort Study

In recent years, there has been a diversification of working styles. The concept of workers' well-being is no longer limited to material wealth, such as how satisfied they are with their wages. Psychological enrichment, encompassing factors like motivation and interpersonal relationships, is also important. This study was established to develop a scale to evaluate the well-being of workers, named the Abundance Index for Workers (AIW). This new concept proposed by the authors comprehensively considers both job-related resources and personal and societal resources. This study was carried out as part of the Tsukuba Salutogenic Occupational Cohort Study (T-SOCS). We utilized data from a survey targeting workers affiliated with institutions under the Tsukuba Science City Network, examining aspects of their daily life, work, and mental health. The deviation scores for each survey item were averaged to calculate an overall score. The correlations of the comprehensive score with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) index for depression and the Single-item Presenteeism Question (SPQ) index for presenteeism were analyzed to determine criterion-related validity. The number of participants analyzed was 2,745. Factor analysis categorized the data into three factors: workplace mental health, societal resources, and lifestyle habits. Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.688. There were correlations of -0.363 (p < 0.001) between the total score and SPQ, and -0.558 (p < 0.001) between the total score and PHQ-9, suggesting a degree of criterion-related validity. In this study, we designed a test battery that assesses workers' well-being based on job-related resources and the richness of societal resources. The internal consistency of this battery was not as high as expected due to the broad scope of well-being. Although it is difficult to evaluate workers' well-being on a single scale, we believe that the AIW functions well as a test battery by combining scales with different attributes, which enables well-being to be captured from as many different perspectives as possible. This tool is designed to assist individuals in evaluating their own well-being and recognizing factors that can enhance it. Not applicable; this study is not an intervention trial.

Achievement of Treatment Goals and Mortality in Individuals with Diabetes: The ELSA-Brasil Study.

To prevent diabetes complications, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has recommended the treatment of blood glucose, blood pressure, and LDL-cholesterol (LDL-c) to target levels. Our aim is to characterize the risk of death according to the achievement of these goals in subjects with diabetes participating in the ELSA-Brasil study. ELSA-Brasil is an occupational cohort study of middle-aged and elderly adults followed from a 2008-2010 baseline to 2019 by two additional clinic visits and annual telephone interviews. We ascertained known diabetes by self-reported diagnosis or anti-diabetic medication use. We used treatment targets based on the 2022 ADA guidelines. We ascertained deaths from any cause based on the annual surveillance confirmed by death certificates. After 11 (1.8) years of follow-up, 261 subjects had died among 2423 with known diabetes. Within-target HbA1c was associated with the greatest protection (HR = 0.66; 95%CI 0.50-0.88) against all-cause mortality. Achieving both glycemic and blood pressure targets conferred substantial protection (HR = 0.54; 95%CI 0.37-0.78). Within-target LDL-c, however, was associated with increased mortality (HR = 1.44; 95%CI 1.11-1.88). Glucose and blood pressure control, especially when concomitant, reduced mortality. The increased mortality associated with achieving the LDL-c target merits further investigation.

High seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers in COVID-19 wards indicates an occupational hazard-a prospective cohort study during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kalmar County, Sweden.

The aim of this study is to report the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in healthcare workers with various risk of occupational exposure in Kalmar County, Sweden, during the first year of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We performed SARS-CoV-2 antibody measurements at four time points, from May 2020 to May 2021, in 401 healthcare workers (HCW) at seven hospital wards and two residential care facilities, with different risk of SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Overall, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in HCW in Kalmar County was high compared to similar studies from other countries and increased from May 2020 to May 2021. Initially, 14% of the participants were SARS-CoV-2 seropositive. This number increased to 18% in September and 21% in December 2020. In May 2021, the prevalence of antibodies to nucleocapsid antigen had increased to 28%, while antibodies to spike protein had increased to 95% due to vaccination. A large variation in seroprevalence between different wards was detected and HCW in a COVID-19 designated ward had significantly higher seroprevalence than HCW working in wards without COVID-19 patients, with a risk ratio of 7.28, (95% CI 2.38-22.33) in May 2020. Our findings suggest a relationship between occupational COVID-19 exposure and seropositivity which implies that efficient hygiene routines for health- and social care workers are essential to avoid that COVID-19 care will constitute an occupational hazard.

Occupational exposure register-based cohort study on mortality among asbestos-related workers in Italy after the ban.

Asbestos is a human carcinogen and can cause some types of cancer, including mesothelioma. A relevant number of workers are still engaged in asbestos removal and disposal activities, whose actual risk of asbestos-related diseases is still scarcely recognized. The main objective of this study is to assess the cause-specific mortality among workers involved in asbestos removal and disposal after the ban in Italy. Data from the Information System on Occupational Exposure to carcinogens (SIREP) in the period 1996-2018 were selected. Proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) by cause of death were calculated by linking exposure occupational information to national mortality statistics (2005-2018), assuming a Poisson distribution of the data. A total of 142 deaths (all men) were identified among 13 715 asbestos removal and disposal workers. A significant excess ( P < 0.05) of mesothelioma deaths was found among male workers, about five-fold the expected. A significant increase in the mortality ratio was also found for malignant melanoma of skin. A risk of mesothelioma has been found among workers involved in asbestos removal and disposal. Epidemiological surveillance and promotion of prevention action plans are highly recommended for workers engaged in asbestos removal and disposal activities, to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and reduce the still relevant risk of contracting the related tumor pathology.

Esteatose hepática como preditor de diabetes incidente em adultos: avaliação prospectiva no Estudo Longitudinal de Saúde do Adulto (ELSA-Brasil)

Increasing epidemiological evidence suggests a bidirectional relationship between non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes, and that NAFLD may precede and/or promote the development of diabetes. This study aimed to investigate whether liver steatosis is associated with the incidence of diabetes in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). The ELSA-Brasil is an occupational cohort study of active or retired civil servants, aged 35-74 years, in six capital cities in Brazil. We excluded participants with diabetes at baseline, those who reported excessive alcohol consumption or with missing information on relevant covariates, and those with self-referred hepatitis or cirrhosis. In total, 8,166 individuals participated, and the mean duration of follow-up was 3.8 years. The Cox proportional regression model was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the associations. Abdominal ultrasonography was used to detect liver steatosis. In the follow-up period, the cumulative incidence of diabetes was 5.25% in the whole sample, 7.83% and 3.88% in the groups with and without hepatic steatosis, respectively (p &lt; 0.001). Compared to those without steatosis, individuals with hepatic steatosis had an increased risk of developing diabetes (HR = 1.31; 95%CI: 1.09-1.56) after adjustment for potential confounders, including body mass index (BMI). Hepatic steatosis was an independent predictor of incident diabetes in the ELSA-Brasil cohort study. Physicians should encourage changes in lifestyle and screen for diabetes in patients with fatty liver.

Associations between the urban exposome and type 2 diabetes: Results from penalised regression by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and random forest models

BackgroundType 2 diabetes (T2D) is thought to be influenced by environmental stressors such as air pollution and noise. Although environmental factors are interrelated, studies considering the exposome are lacking. We simultaneously assessed a variety of exposures in their association with prevalent T2D by applying penalised regression Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO), Random Forest (RF), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) approaches. We contrasted the findings with single-exposure models including consistently associated risk factors reported by previous studies. MethodsBaseline data (n = 14,829) of the Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort study (AMIGO) were enriched with 85 exposome factors (air pollution, noise, built environment, neighbourhood socio-economic factors etc.) using the home addresses of participants. Questionnaires were used to identify participants with T2D (n = 676(4.6 %)). Models in all applied statistical approaches were adjusted for individual-level socio-demographic variables. ResultsLower average home values, higher share of non-Western immigrants and higher surface temperatures were related to higher risk of T2D in the multivariable models (LASSO, RF). Selected variables differed between the two multi-variable approaches, especially for weaker predictors. Some established risk factors (air pollutants) appeared in univariate analysis but were not among the most important factors in multivariable analysis. Other established factors (green space) did not appear in univariate, but appeared in multivariable analysis (RF). Average estimates of the prediction error (logLoss) from nested cross-validation showed that the LASSO outperformed both RF and ANN approaches. ConclusionsNeighbourhood socio-economic and socio-demographic characteristics and surface temperature were consistently associated with the risk of T2D. For other physical-chemical factors associations differed per analytical approach.

Time course of health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure and predictors of electromagnetic hypersensitivity over 10 years in a prospective cohort of Dutch adults

BackgroundSome individuals attribute health complaints to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure. This condition, known as idiopathic environmental intolerance attributed to RF-EMFs (IEI-RF) or electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), can be disabling for those who are affected. In this study we assessed factors related to developing, maintaining, or discarding IEI-RF over the course of 10 years, and predictors of developing EHS at follow-up using a targeted question without the condition of reporting health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure. MethodsParticipants (n = 892, mean age 50 at baseline, 52 % women) from the Dutch Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort Study AMIGO filled in questionnaires in 2011/2012 (T0), 2013 (T1), and 2021 (T4) where information pertaining to perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk, non-specific symptoms, sleep problems, IEI-RF, and EHS was collected. We fitted multi-state Markov models to represent how individuals transitioned between states (“yes”, “no”) of IEI-RF. ResultsAt each time point, about 1 % of study participants reported health complaints that they attributed to RF-EMF exposure. While this percentage remained stable, the individuals who reported such complaints changed over time: of nine persons reporting health complaints at T0, only one reported IEI-RF at both T1 and T4, and two newly reported health complaints at T4. Overall, participants had a 95 % chance of transitioning from “yes” to “no” over a time course of 10 years, and a chance of 1 % of transitioning from “no” to “yes”. Participants with high perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk had a general tendency to move more frequently between states. ConclusionsWe observed a low prevalence of IEI-RF in our population. Prevalence did not vary strongly over time but there was a strong aspect of change: over 10 years, there was a high probability of not attributing symptoms to RF-EMF exposure anymore. IEI-RF appears to be a more transient condition than previously assumed.

Time course of electromagnetic hypersensitivity in a prospective cohort of Dutch individuals

BACKGROUND Some individuals attribute health complaints to radiofrequency electromagnetic field (RF-EMF) exposure. This condition, known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS), can be disabling for those who are affected. Psychosocial factors are thought to play a role but little is understood about the time course of EHS. In this study we assessed factors related to developing, maintaining, or discarding EHS over the course of 10 years, defined as reporting health complaints attributed to RF-EMF exposure. METHODS Participants (n=892, mean age 50 at baseline, 52% women) from the Dutch Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort Study AMIGO filled in questionnaires in 2011/2012 (T0), 2013 (T1), and 2021 (T2) where information pertaining to perceived RF-EMF exposure and risk, symptoms, sleep problems, and EHS was collected. We fitted multi-state Markov models to represent how individuals transitioned between states (yes, no) of symptom attribution to RF-EMF exposure. RESULTS At each time point, about 1% or study participants reported health complaints that they attributed to RF-EMF exposure. While this percentage remained stable, the individuals who reported such complaints changed over time: of 9 persons reporting health complaints at T0, only 1 reported EHS at both T1 and T2. Overall, participants had a 95% chance of transitioning from yes to no over a time course of 10 years, and a chance of 1% of transitioning from no to yes. Participants with a high RF-EMF exposure and risk perception had a general tendency to move more frequently between states. CONCLUSIONS We observed a low prevalence of symptom attribution to RF-EMF exposure in our population. Prevalence did not vary strongly over time but there was a strong aspect of change: over 10 years, there was a high probability of not attributing symptoms to RF-EMF exposure anymore. Being EHS appears to be a more transient condition than previously assumed. KEYWORDS electromagnetic hypersensitivity

The urban exposome and type 2 diabetes: A deep learning approach

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a chronic disease with high individual and societal burden. Risk of T2D is partly influenced by urban characteristics, such as air pollution, or indirectly through their relation with lifestyle behaviours (e.g. walkability, food environment). Environmental characteristics are generally studied individually in their association with T2D, but occur simultaneously in real life, and may associate with T2D in nonlinear and non-additive ways. We aimed to identify which factors of the urban exposome are associated with T2D by applying artificial neural networks (ANN). In addition, we compared results of ANN model with penalized regression LASSO, as a more conventional method. METHODS: We analyzed baseline data from 14,829 participants of the Occupational and Environmental Health Cohort study living across the Netherlands. Self-reported questionnaire data were used to identify participants diagnosed with T2D (n=676(4.6%)). Exposome variables (n=86) were linked to individual home addresses, including air pollution, traffic noise, green-space, chemicals in drinking water, built environmental and neighborhood socio-demographic characteristics. Models were adjusted for individual socio-demographic variables. Nested cross-validation was used to determine the optimal model parameters of both approaches (ANN and LASSO), and the cross-validated predictive accuracies were compared. RESULTS: One exposure was selected by each approach. Living in neighborhoods with a higher share of non-Western immigrants (selected by ANN) was associated with a higher risk of T2D. Higher average home value in residential neighborhood (selected by LASSO) was associated with a lower risk of T2D. Cross-validated prediction error logLoss (sd) was 0.177 (0.0060) for ANN and 0.167 (0.0022) for LASSO. CONCLUSIONS: Neighborhood socio-demographic characteristics are associated with the risk of T2D. Accuracy of the ANN model was lower than LASSO, which might be due to the low prevalence of diabetes and relatively weak signal in the data. KEYWORDS: Multiple exposures, Machine learning, Neighborhood socio-demographic characteristics

Workplace Social Support and Reduced Psychological Distress: A 1-Year Occupational Cohort Study.

There is little evidence that workplace social support can relieve workers' mental health problems. Therefore, we examined whether social support from coworkers and supervisors was associated with reduced serious psychological distress among employees. We used two-wave panel data from 13 Japanese companies. The baseline survey was conducted in 2011, and the follow-up survey 1 year later. From 9889 respondents, we selected 759 who had psychological distress at baseline, defined as ≥13 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Increased coworker support was significantly associated with employees' reduced psychological distress (odds ratio, 3.51; 95% confidence interval, 2.17 to 5.68). The association between increased supervisor support and reduced psychological distress was nonsignificant (odds ratio, 1.32, 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 2.04). Encouraging coworker support may contribute to the secondary prevention of mental health problems among employees.

Trajectories of mental health among UK university staff and postgraduate students during the pandemic

ObjectivesThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the social and working lives of many. Past studies have highlighted worsening mental health during the pandemic, but often rely on small samples or infrequent...

Cerebrovascular Disease Mortality after occupational Radiation Exposure among the UK National Registry for Radiation Workers Cohort.

Exposure to ionizing radiation can damage the cerebrovascular system, however there is uncertainty regarding the effects after chronic exposure to low doses of radiation, such as that experienced by the public and those occupationally exposed. This study uses data from the UK National Registry for Radiation Workers cohort to assess the association between low-dose exposure to external radiation and cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) mortality. Poisson regression was used to estimate the Excess Relative Risk of CeVD mortality per Sievert (ERR/Sv) of radiation exposure. Estimates were obtained for all CeVD combined, ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke and other/ill-defined CeVD. Results were adjusted for attained age, calendar period, sex, employer, industrial category and employment length. 166,812 nuclear workers (3,665,413 person-years) were included. By the end of 2011, 23% were dead including 3,219 deaths with an underlying cause of CeVD. The ERR/Sv for all CeVD deaths was 0.57 (95% CI: 0.00, 1.31; p = 0.05). Increased CeVD mortality rates were observed after doses as low as 10-20 mSv. However, a linear-exponential model fit the data significantly better than a linear model (p = 0.02). In the sub-type analyses, no evidence of linear associations were observed, however the patterns of response appeared to differ and there was some suggestion of an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke at lower doses. These results are broadly consistent with other occupational cohort studies and suggest external radiation exposure may increase CeVD risk at lower doses than current ICRP protection guidelines suggest. Exploration of factors driving the observed dose-response shape, the potential impact of the healthy worker survivor effect, and further studies of cohorts with data on other potential confounders would be valuable.