Psychological Distress Odds Ratio Research Articles

Effects of the Need for Support From the Workplace and Resilience on Psychological Distress in Japanese Employees: A 1-Year Prospective Study.

This study examines workplace support and resilience's influence on psychological distress in Japanese employees. A 1-year prospective online cohort study was conducted. Logistic regression analyzed prevalence odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for psychological distress. Participants were grouped based on their support and resilience levels. Prevalence odds ratios for psychological distress followed this pattern for low and high resilience groups: "necessary but not received" (prevalence odds ratio and 95% confidence interval for low/high resilience: 9.71, 6.88-13.69 and 4.72, 2.97-7.52, respectively), "received" (6.65, 4.29-10.29 and 2.27, 1.21-4.25), and "not necessary" (4.43, 3.30-5.95 and reference). Workplace support had a stronger impact on psychological distress in low-resilience employees. We provided evidence that the combination of the need for support from the workplace and resilience affects psychological distress in employees.

Two sides of the same coin? Absolute income and perceived income inadequacy as social determinants of health

BackgroundAbsolute income is commonly used in studies of health inequalities, however it does not reflect spending patterns, debts, or expectations. These aspects are reflected in measures concerning perceived income inadequacy. While health inequities by absolute income or perceived income inadequacy are well established, few studies have explored the interplay of absolute income and perceived income inadequacy in relation to health.MethodsMultiple data sources were linked into a nationally representative dataset (n = 445,748) of Dutch adults (18 +). The association between absolute income, perceived income inadequacy and health (self-reported health, chronic disease and psychological distress) was tested using logistic and Poisson regressions, controlling for various potential confounders (demographics, education) and mastery. Interactions were tested to check the association between perceived income inadequacy and health for different absolute income groups.ResultsPerceived income inadequacy was reported at every absolute income group (with 42% of individuals in the lowest income group and 5% of individuals in the highest income group). Both absolute income and perceived income inadequacy were independently associated with health. The adjusted relative risk (RR) for lowest absolute income group is 1.11 (1.08–1.1.14) and 1.28 (1.24–1.32) for chronic disease and self-reported health respectively, and the Odds Ratio (OR) for psychological distress is 1.28 (1.16–1.42). For perceived income inadequacy the RR’s were 1.41 (1.37–1.46) and 1.49 (1.44–1.54) and the OR for psychological distress is 3.14 (2.81–3.51). Mastery appeared to be an important mediator for the relationship between perceived income inadequacy, poor self-rated health and psychological distress.ConclusionsAbsolute income and perceived income inadequacy reflect conceptually different aspects of income and are independently associated with health outcomes. Perceived income inadequacy may be accounted for in health inequality studies, alongside measures of absolute income. In policy-making, targeting perceived income inadequacy might have potential to reduce health inequalities.

Relationship between the housing coldness/warmth evaluation by CASBEE Housing Health Checklist and psychological distress based on TMM Community-Based Cohort Study: a cross-sectional analysis

ObjectivesPrevious studies have reported the relationship between housing environment and health, although due to cost and effort, it was difficult to conduct housing condition surveys on a large scale. The CASBEE Housing Health Checklist (the Checklist) made it possible to easily evaluate the housing condition from the resident's perspective. This study examined the relationship between housing coldness/warmth evaluation using the Checklist and psychological distress in a large-scale general Japanese population. Study designA cross-sectional study. MethodsWe analysed data from 29,380 people aged ≥20 years who lived in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. As an assessment of housing coldness/warmth, we used the Checklist. We classified participants' total scores on the Checklist related to coldness/warmth into quartiles. The Kessler 6 scale was used as an indicator of psychological distress. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Adjusted OR and P-values for linear trends were calculated using the quartiles of the Checklists' score. ResultsAmong participants in Q1 (i.e., poorer subjective house condition), the percentage of people with psychological distress was high. Compared to the highest quartile, Q1 showed poorer evaluation of housing coldness/warmth, and higher OR for psychological distress. The OR (95% CI) of psychological distress for Q3, Q2, and Q1 compared with Q4 were 1.93 (1.74–2.14), 2.82 (2.55–3.12), and 5.78 (5.25–6.35), respectively. ConclusionsHousing coldness/warmth evaluation was significantly related to psychological distress. This finding suggests that maintaining a comfortable thermal environment at home could be important for residents’ mental health.

Psychological distress of young carers: A questionnaire survey among Saitama prefectural high school students

Objectives Research suggests that Japan has a substantial number of young carers-that is, children who provide care to their family members. However, little is known about the effects of the burden of caring on their mental health. This cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the relationship between caring roles and psychological distress among high school students, and discuss the effects of the burden of caring on young carers' mental health.Methods We conducted a questionnaire survey among 4,550 high school students from 11 prefectural schools in Saitama Prefecture, Japan; questions were on family members and students' caring roles. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler 6 scale (K6)-a modified version of the scale's official Japanese translation was used to make it easy for the students to understand the questions. Two types of regression analysis (i.e., multiple regression analysis and ordinal logistic regression analysis) were performed to investigate the relationship between caring roles and psychological distress with adjustment for potential confounding factors.Results A total of 3,917 valid questionnaires were collected; from these, 3,557, from those aged 15-25, having all the required information were analyzed. Of the 3,557 respondents, 23 (0.6%) were aged 19 and five (0.1%) were aged 20 or above. It was found that 34 (1.0%) provided care to infant siblings without disability, illness, or other special needs (Young Carers A), and 190 (5.3%) provided care to family members with disability, illness, or other special needs (Young Carers B). The remaining 3,333 (93.7%) (those who did not provide care to their family members) made up the control group. The two types of regression analysis yielded similar results, and both indicated a significant relationship between caring roles and psychological distress (P=0.003 and P<0.001, respectively). The results of ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio for psychological distress as assessed by the K6 for Young Carers B was 1.572, which was significantly higher than that for the control group (P<0.001); in contrast, the same for Young Carers A was 1.666, which was not statistically significant (P=0.084) but higher than that for the control group and close to the one for Young Carers B.Conclusion The results suggest that care burden may have adverse effects on young carers' mental health.

Relationship of workplace exercise with work engagement and psychological distress in employees: A cross-sectional study from the MYLS study.

We investigated the relationship between workplace exercise and psychological distress, and work engagement, both of which are factors related to the mental health and work productivity of employees. Data from the Meiji Yasuda Lifestyle study, collected from July 2017 through December 2017, were used. Data from an annual health checkup and questionnaire were collected from the Meiji Yasuda Shinjuku Medical Center in Tokyo, Japan. The 1321 participants (mean age: 50.8±9.5years, rate of female: 68.2%, rate of white-collar workers: 64.7%) were divided into three groups based on the frequency of performing workplace exercise: less than once, once or twice, and three or more times a week. Vigor of work engagement and psychological distress were assessed using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Logistic regression analyses were performed to examine relationships between workplace exercise frequencies and work engagement or psychological distress. Demographic variables, health behaviors, health status, work characteristics, and objectively measured physical activity and sedentary behavior were adjusted for odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Participants who performed workplace exercise once or twice and three or more times a week showed a significantly higher OR (OR=1.93, 95% CI=1.00-3.71, p=0.049, OR=1.63, 95% CI=1.23-2.15, p=0.001, respectively) for vigor of work engagement. Neither groups of workplace exercise showed a significant OR for psychological distress even when adjusted for covariates. The practice of workplace exercise is positively and independently related to vigor of work engagements of physical activity and sedentary behavior, and the association was observed regardless of the frequency of once or twice, or three or more times a week. Workplace exercise, however, does not correlate with psychological distress. Our findings indicated that workplace exercise at least once or twice a week could have practical implications for the enhancement of vigor of work engagement, especially among white-collar workers.

Psychological distress in cancer patients in a large Chinese cross-sectional study

BackgroundAlthough psychological distress is common among patients with chronic diseases, the degree of risk for developing psychological distress is not well-established. Our aim with this study is to determine the odds ratio for psychological distress in patients with cancer as compared to either 1) patients with chronic disease patients without cancer, or 2) healthy controls in a large representative sample of Chinese population. MethodsUsing a multistage, stratified cluster sampling method, 21,101 subjects 18–79 years old were interviewed face-to-face in Jilin province, China. Their psychological status was assessed with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). A total score of ≥4 was used as the threshold for determining psychological distress. ResultsThe prevalence of psychological distress was 14.08% across the entire sample: 10.63% in healthy controls; 14.81% in patients with chronic diseases; and 20% in patients with cancer. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that, as compared to the health controls, both cancer (OR = 1.609, 95%CI = 1.245–2.081) and chronic disease patients (OR = 1.330, 95%CI = 1.189–1.478) were more likely to suffer from psychological distress. Moreover, cancer patients had a higher risk of psychological distress than patients with chronic diseases (OR = 1.295, 95%CI = 1.049–1.600; p = 0.016). In addition, the cancer group (2.68 ± 0.114) demonstrated a higher GHQ score than the patients with chronic diseases (2.30 ± 0.017) and healthy controls (1.98 ± 0.029) (both p < 0.001). ConclusionOur results showed both a higher rate and greater degree of psychological distress in patients with cancer. This suggests a need for better psychological management in cancer patients to help alleviate their distress.

Risk of psychological distress in partners with functional disability among older Japanese adults.

The present cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the association of psychological distress with a partner's disability in an older Japanese population, as well as the effect modification of social support on this association. The baseline survey was carried out between 1 December and 15 December 2006, and included 6809 participants from whom we collected data regarding functional disability and psychological distress. We defined functional disability as certification for long-term care insurance in Japan, and psychological distress as a Kessler 6 score of ≥10 out of 24. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for increased psychological distress according to the categories of functional disability among partners. Stratified analyses were also carried out to investigate whether social support significantly affected the association between a partner's functional disability and psychological distress. The multiple-adjusted OR for psychological distress was 1.48 (95% CI 1.06-2.04) among participants whose partners had functional disabilities (vs those whose partners did not have functional disabilities). In the social support-stratified analysis, a significant association with psychological distress was observed among participants lacking social support for help with their daily housework (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.23-4.83), but not among those with social support (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.79-1.72); P for interaction = 0.03). A partner with functional disability conferred a significantly higher risk of psychological distress on older Japanese individuals, and this association was modified by social support. We conclude that social support might buffer psychological distress in this population. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 775-782.

Changes in drinking habits and psychological distress in Japanese non- or occasional drinking workers: a one-year prospective cohort study.

This study investigated whether non- or occasional drinkers’ changes in drinking habits during a one-year period were related to psychological distress. Overall, 2,495 non- or occasional drinking employees (2,109 men and 386 women) completed a self-administered questionnaire measuring alcohol intake, psychological distress (12-item General Health Questionnaire), and demographic characteristics at baseline and one-year follow-up. They also completed a Web-based version of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire to assess job stressors at baseline. Participants were categorized into three groups (stable non- or occasional drinkers; new light drinkers; new moderate drinkers) according to weekly alcohol consumption at follow-up (males 0 g/wk, 1–79 g/wk, and ≥80 g/wk; females 0 g/wk, 1–39 g/wk, and ≥40 g/wk, respectively); multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted by sex. Among only male participants, both stable non- or occasional drinkers and new moderate drinkers showed significantly higher odds ratios for psychological distress at follow-up than new light drinkers after adjusting for demographic characteristics, job stressors, and psychological distress at baseline (adjusted odds ratios of 1.72 and 1.99, respectively). These findings suggest that men who started to drink 80 g or more alcohol per week during the one-year follow-up period should have been monitored for psychological distress.

Working hours and common mental disorders in English police officers.

There is a paucity of evidence on working hours and their psychological correlates in police officers of the federated ranks in England. An exploratory study to establish the extent to which a sample of English police officers worked long hours and the association between long working hours and common mental disorder (CMD). Officers of the federated ranks (constable, sergeant, inspector) from two English county forces completed a questionnaire to report their typical weekly working hours and symptoms of CMD. We also collected socio- and occupational-demographic data. We defined long working hours as ≥49 h in a typical week in accordance with 48-h weekly limit specified in the 1993 European Directive on the Organisation of Working Time. We established associations between long working hours and self-reported CMDs using binary logistic regression to generate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusted for potential confounding variables. Twenty-seven per cent (n = 327/1226) of respondents reported long working hours. The ORs for psychological distress (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.57-2.68), emotional exhaustion (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.52-2.59), and depersonalization (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.00-1.71) were significantly increased for long working hours after adjustment for socio- and occupational-demographic characteristics. More than one quarter of sampled police officers reported working long hours and were significantly more likely to report CMD. National and longitudinal research is required to confirm these findings, which suggest management of working hours may effectively promote psychological well-being.

Cumulative exposure to childhood stressors and subsequent psychological distress. An analysis of US panel data

Research has shown that childhood stress increases the risk of poor mental health later in life. We examined the effect of childhood stressors on psychological distress and self-reported depression in young adulthood. Data were obtained from the Child Development Supplement (CDS) to the national Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a survey of US families that incorporates data from parents and their children. In 2005 and 2007, the Panel Study of Income Dynamics was supplemented with two waves of Transition into Adulthood (TA) data drawn from a national sample of young adults, 18–23 years old. This study included data from participants in the CDS and the TA (n = 2128), children aged 4–13 at baseline. Data on current psychological distress was used as an outcome variable in logistic regressions, calculated as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Latent Class Analyses were used to identify clusters based on the different childhood stressors. Associations were observed between cumulative exposure to childhood stressors and both psychological distress and self-reported depression. Individuals being exposed to three or more stressors had the highest risk (crude OR for psychological distress: 2.49 (95% CI: 1.16–5.33), crude OR for self-reported depression: 2.07 (95% CI: 1.15–3.71). However, a large part was explained by adolescent depressive symptoms. Findings support the long-term negative impact of cumulative exposure to childhood stress on psychological distress. The important role of adolescent depression in this association also needs to be taken into consideration in future studies.

Psychological distress and incidence of type 2 diabetes in high-risk and low-risk populations: the Whitehall II Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVEWe examined whether psychological distress predicts incident type 2 diabetes and if the association differs between populations at higher or lower risk of type 2 diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSThis was a prospective cohort of 5,932 diabetes-free adults (4,189 men and 1,743 women, mean age 54.6 years) with three 5-year data cycles (1991–2009): a total of 13,207 person-observations. Participants were classified into four groups according to their prediabetes status and Framingham Offspring Type 2 Diabetes Risk Score: normoglycemia with a risk score of 0–9, normoglycemia with a risk score of 10–19, prediabetes with a risk score of 10–19, and prediabetes with a risk score of >19. Psychological distress was assessed by the General Health Questionnaire. Incident type 2 diabetes was ascertained by 2-h oral glucose tolerance test, doctor diagnosis, or use of antihyperglycemic medication at the 5-year follow-up for each data cycle. Adjustments were made for age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, antidepressant use, smoking, and physical activity.RESULTSAmong participants with normoglycemia and among those with prediabetes combined with a low risk score, psychological distress did not predict type 2 diabetes. Diabetes incidence in these groups varied between 1.6 and 15.6%. Among participants with prediabetes and a high risk score, 40.9% of those with psychological distress compared with 28.5% of those without distress developed diabetes during the follow-up. The corresponding adjusted odds ratio for psychological distress was 2.07 (95% CI 1.19–3.62).CONCLUSIONSThese data suggest that psychological distress is associated with an accelerated progression to manifest diabetes in a subpopulation with advanced prediabetes.

Exposure to Nonpermanent Employment and Health

To clarify the associations of nonpermanent employment with poor health in longitudinal setting with different health outcomes. A population cohort (n = 1071) was surveyed at the age of 30 and then again at the age of 42. They were classified according to exposure to nonpermanent employment. The outcomes included indicators of mental and somatic health and health behavior. When adjusted for baseline level of the outcome under study, the odds ratio of the heavily exposed was 1.90 (1.25 to 2.88) for nervous symptoms, 1.77 (1.03 to 2.05) for psychological distress, and 1.52 (1.03 to 2.25) for suboptimal mood. Among the lightly exposed, the odds ratio for psychological distress was 1.94 (1.10 to 2.10). Psychological distress is particularly sensitive to exposure to nonpermanent employment. The effects on somatic health or health behavior should be studied only with carefully specified hypotheses.

Shift work among women—a century-old health issue in occupational health

Shift work among women—a century-old health issue in occupational health

Associations between type A behaviour pattern and psychological distress

To investigate the relationships between type A behaviour pattern (TABP) and psychological distress measured in middle aged men participating in two surveys 28 years apart. Men residing in Oslo and born in 1923-1952 (all men aged 40-49 years and 7% of those aged 20-39 years--30,016 altogether) were invited to a cardiovascular screening in 1972/1973--asking about risk factors, symptoms and diseases. All the 17,972 participants were also asked questions about TABP (two items) and psychological distress (one item). Of the original invited cohort, those who still lived in Oslo or its vicinity in 2000 were invited to a new health examination carried through by similar procedures. Among other questions the participants answered ten items about psychological distress (Hopkins Symptoms Checklist: HSCL-10). Altogether 7,393 men participated in both surveys. In 1972/1973 almost 57% of those participating twice considered themselves as a person who stresses himself and chooses high speed and at the same time denied that they rather preferred a tranquil and quiet life--a combination of answers defined as type A behavior pattern. The corresponding TABP in 2000, when most of the men were retired, was 27%. A confirmatory factor analyses based on questions asked in 2000, verified that the HSCL/distress items reflected one underlying latent factor, and that this was a different factor than the one reflected in the two TABP items. The cross-sectional association between TABP and distress in 1972/1973 was highly significant (P < 0.001)--the odds ratio for psychological distress adjusted for background variables was 2.23 (95% confidence interval 1.98, 2.50). The corresponding association in 2000 showed a higher mean HSCL-10 score and a higher proportion with HSCL-score >or=1.85 in men with TABP compared with men without (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively), but the odds ratio in 2000 was lower than the result 28-years earlier. When those reporting psychological distress in 1972/1973 were excluded, TABP in 1972/1973 predicted psychological distress (HSCL-10) in the follow-up survey when adjusted for background variables (P < 0.05) using structural equation modelling. Type A behaviour pattern and psychological distress reflect two different latent factors. TABP seems to be associated with psychological distress, both cross-sectionally and prospectively. This knowledge permits early detection of individuals who have a higher probability of experiencing psychological distress over a considerable period of time.

The Double Burden of and Negative Spillover Between Paid and Domestic Work: Associations with Health Among Men and Women

ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to determine whether the double burden of and negative spillover between domestic and full-time paid work are associated with an increase in health problems. Survey responses were linked with sickness absence records in a cross-sectional study of 6442 full-time municipal employees. Women and men experiencing severe work-family spillover had a 1.5–1.6 (95% confidence intervals 1.1 to 2.0) times higher rate of sickness absence than those with no such experience. The corresponding odds ratios for psychological distress and suboptimal self-assessed health varied between 3.6 and 6.5 (2.3 to 11.0). Among the women, severe family-work spillover increased the risk of psychological distress and suboptimal health [odds ratios 2.0 (1.4 to 2.9) and 1.6 (1.1 to 2.3), respectively], and accumulated sole responsibilities were associated with a 1.5 (1.1 to 2.1) times higher odds ratio for psychological distress. Long domestic work hours (> 50/week) were associated with a 1.5 (1.1 to 2.0) times higher rate of sickness absence among the men, but there was no such increase among the women. We conclude that negative work-family spillover especially is associated with health problems among both women and men, and negative family-work spillover is related to a poorer health status among women.

Effect of employee worktime control on health: a prospective cohort study

Aims: To investigate the health effects of employee worktime control. Methods: Prospective cohort study among 4218 permanent full time municipal employees linking questionnaire data from 1997 and 2000 with sickness...