Self-reported Health Measures Research Articles

The Ambiguous Cue Task: Measurement reliability of an experimental paradigm for the assessment of interpretation bias and associations with mental health.

Interpretation biases in the processing of ambiguous affective information are assumed to play an important role in the onset and maintenance of emotional disorders. Reports of low reliability for experimental measures of cognitive biases have called into question previous findings on the association of these measures with markers of mental health and demonstrated the need to systematically evaluate measurement reliability for measures of cognitive biases. We evaluated reliability and correlations with self-report measures of mental health for interpretation bias scores derived from the Ambiguous Cue Task (ACT), an experimental paradigm for the assessment of approach-avoidance behavior towards ambiguous affective stimuli. For a non-clinical sample, the measurement of an interpretation bias with the ACT showed high internal consistency (rSB = .91 - .96, N = 354) and acceptable 2-week test-retest correlations (rPearson = .61 - .65, n = 109). Correlations between the ACT interpretation bias scores and mental health-related self-report measures of personality and well-being were generally small (r ≤ |.11|) and statistically not significant when correcting for multiple comparisons. These findings suggest that in non-clinical populations, individual differences in the interpretation of ambiguous affective information as assessed with the ACT do not show a clear association with self-report markers of mental health. However, in allowing for a highly reliable measurement of interpretation bias, the ACT provides a valuable tool for studies considering potentially small effect sizes in non-clinical populations by studying bigger samples as well as for work on clinical populations, for which potentially greater effects can be expected.

Oral microbial dysbiosis in patients with oral cavity cancers

ObjectivesThe pathogenesis of oral cavity cancers is complex. We tested the hypothesis that oral microbiota dysbiosis is associated with oral cavity cancer.Materials and methodsPatients with primary oral cavity cancer who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. Matching healthy individuals were recruited as controls. Data on socio-demographic and behavioral factors, self-reported periodontal measures and habits, and current dental status were collected using a structured questionnaire and periodontal chartings. In addition to self-reported oral health measures, each participant received a standard and detailed clinical examination. DNA was extracted from saliva samples from patients and healthy controls. Next-generation sequencing was performed by targeting V3-V4 gene regions of the 16 S rRNA with subsequent bioinformatic analyses.ResultsPatients with oral cavity cancers had a lower quality of oral health than healthy controls. Proteobacteria, Aggregatibacter, Haemophilus, and Neisseria decreased, while Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Lactobacillus, Gemella, and Fusobacteria increased in oral cancer patients. At the species level, C. durum, L. umeaens, N. subflava, A. massiliensis, and V. dispar were significantly lower, while G. haemolysans was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Major periodontopathogens associated with periodontal disease (P. gingivalis and F.nucleatum) increased 6.5- and 2.8-fold, respectively.ConclusionThese data suggested that patients with oral cancer had worse oral health conditions and a distinct oral microbiome composition that is affected by personal daily habits and may be associated with the pathogenicity of the disease and interspecies interactions.Clinical relevanceThis paper demonstrates the link between oral bacteria and oral cancers, identifying mechanistic interactions between species of oral microbiome.

The dynamics of emotion expression on Twitter and mental health in a UK longitudinal study

Introduction &amp; BackgroundAn estimated 4.95 billion people used social media in 2023, with the average user active on around seven platforms for over two hours per day. This widespread use leads to abundant digital footprint data around interactions with social media. These data can be collected continuously and reflect real behaviour of users in naturalistic settings. These strengths have led researchers to propose the use of social media data in digital phenotyping, where digital footprints can be used to quantify and predict health conditions. Mental health assessment in particular could benefit, as existing approaches, such as self-report questionnaires and inpatient assessment, are unable to perform the real-time monitoring that digital phenotyping could potentially achieve. Digital phenotyping models for mental health require careful consideration of what aspects of social media data to include. Including all data users generate could result in models that are overfitted and difficult to explain. Studies are required that explore the relationship between specific aspects of social media data, such as the time course of expressed emotion, and gold-standard measures of mental health. Objectives &amp; ApproachWith participants’ consent, we linked Twitter data to self-reported measures of mental health from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. We performed sentiment analysis using three different approaches—LIWC, VADER and RoBERTa—to estimate the amount, variability and instability of positive and negative emotional content in each participant’s Tweets over a one-year period. We explored the association between these measures of emotion expression and self-reported scores of depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms and wellbeing. These mental health measures are the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire, the Generalized Anxiety 7 and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale. Relevance to Digital FootprintsOur research is highly relevant to digital footprint research, as it involves the use of digital footprint data (i.e. Twitter data) to predict mental health outcomes. Conclusions &amp; ImplicationsThe results of our analysis will inform the development of digital footprint based phenotyping for mental health that could one day provide information to supplement clinical assessments.

Exploring associations between eating habits, gastrointestinal health and perceived stress and anxiety symptoms in adults

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are becoming increasingly common in young people in India and globally (1). Diet (eating habits, nutrient intake, and dietary diversity) and mental health (stress and anxiety levels) factors can independently and synergistically regulate gut health through dietary modulation of gut microbiota composition and gut-brain axis-related mechanistic pathways (2-3). However, few studies have investigated the associations between diet, mental health, and GI-related disturbances. Hence, this observational study was conducted to explore the possible effects of eating behaviors and stress and anxiety symptoms on self-reported measures of gastrointestinal health among 18-45-year-old adults in India.A purposive cluster sampling method guided the recruitment of participants (n=407). Two non- consecutive day 24-hour diet recalls were conducted to estimate nutrient intakes and calculate Individual Diet Diversity (IDD) and Food Variety Scores (FVS). Gastrointestinal health was assessed using a validated instrument comprising 35 items related to gastric, small intestine, and colon function, and GI inflammation. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10 scores 0 to 40 with higher scores representing higher levels of stress), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7 scores &gt;5 (mild), &gt;10 (moderate), and &gt;15 (severe)) were used to evaluate perceived stress and anxiety (4-5). Socioeconomic status and eating habits were self-reported and the anthropometry measurements were recorded. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed using sociodemographic characteristics, anthropometry measurements, eating habits, and stress and anxiety levels as independent (predictor) variables, and composite gastrointestinal health risk scores as the dependent variables.Participants reported mild anxiety (mean (M) = 7.09, standard deviation (SD)= 3.25) and moderate stress (M=18.44; SD= 9.89) with preponderance among females, higher age groups (&gt; 35 years), and lower socioeconomic status. Overall, 38.8% and 45.3% were at high-risk score categories for gastric function and GI inflammation respectively. Higher energy and fat consumption, frequent breakfast skipping, and lower IDDS and FVS scores were associated with higher scores for stress and anxiety. Moreover, participants having moderate to severe anxiety reported a higher frequency of GI symptoms such as indigestion (M= 3.23 SD= 2.1-4.6, p= 0.023), excessive belching (M= 2.36 SD =1.21, p=0.043), and post-meal lower abdominal discomfort and cramps (M= 3.07, SD = 2.22, p &lt; 0.001) as compared to those having nominal/mild anxiety. Age-adjusted regression models showed higher waist circumference (OR= 4.69, 95% CI =1.33- 7.28, p= 0.034), and stress scores (OR= 1.66, 95% CI= 1.32-1.90, p = 0.042), lower IDDS (OR= 2.34, 95% CI=1.80- 2.91, p &lt;0.001) and presence of &gt; 2 co-morbid conditions (OR= 8.12, 95% CI = 5.34- 11.21, p &lt; 0.001) as predictors of higher GI disorder risk scores.The preliminary findings of the study highlight associations between diet, stress, and GI health, presenting opportunities to modulate diet and optimize mental health to prevent and reduce the severity of GI disorders.

Work-, lifestyle-, and health-related factors among women and men working in the emergency medical services

Objectives. This study aimed to describe work-, lifestyle-, and health-related factors among ambulance personnel, and to analyse differences between women and men. Methods. The cross-sectional study (N = 106) included self-reported and objective measures of work, lifestyle, and health in 10 Swedish ambulance stations. The data collection comprised clinical health examination, blood samples, tests of physical capacity, and questionnaires. Results. A high proportion of the ambulance personnel reported heavy lifting, risk of accidents, threats and violence at work. A low level of smoking and alcohol use, and a high level of leisure-time physical activity were reported. The ambulance personnel had, on average, good self-rated health, high work ability and high physical capacity. However, the results also showed high proportions with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), e.g., high blood pressure, and high levels of blood lipids. More women than men reported high work demands. Furthermore, women performed better in tests of physical capacity and had a lower level of CVD risk factors. Conclusions. Exposure to work-related factors that might affect health was common among ambulance personnel. Lifestyle- and health-related factors were somewhat contradictory, with a low proportion reporting lifestyle-related risk factors, but a high proportion having risk factors for CVD.

Objective and subjective sleep patterns and biomarkers of stress among women with a history of sexual abuse in childhood.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) and sleep disturbance into adulthood. The latter is thought to emerge from dysregulation in biobehavioral systems, including nighttime hyperarousal; however, studies investigating specific mechanisms to explain these long-term sleep problems are limited. The present study examined presleep arousal, fear of sleep, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) as putative mediators between PTSS and sleep disturbance in women with a history of CSA. N = 64 cis-gendered women with a self-reported history of CSA completed a baseline diagnostic interview, self-reported mental health and sleep measures, 7 days of actigraphy monitoring with concurrent sleep diary, and 2 days of saliva sampling. PTSSs were not significantly associated with actigraphy-estimated sleep variables but were positively associated with self-reported sleep onset latency (SOL) and negatively associated with self-reported sleep quality. Similarly, PTSSs were not significantly associated with CAR but were associated with higher presleep arousal and fear of sleep ratings. Mediational models identified greater presleep cognitive arousal to partially explain the PTSS-SOL relationship. Specific features of CSA (i.e., age at time of abuse, location of abuse, relationship to the perpetrator) did not moderate this association. Findings suggest that targeting maladaptive cognitions (e.g., worries, rumination) that occur during the presleep period may be a potential intervention target in mitigating sleep disturbance and PTSSs in this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Quality of mother-infant interaction, breastfeeding, and perinatal mental health

IntroductionThe quality of mother-infant interactions is crucial for child development. Studies show that breastfeeding contributes to maternal sensitivity and the development of a positive mother-infant bond. Maternal mental health difficulties negatively impact both maternal sensitivity and breastfeeding. Thus, it is unclear whether breastfeeding contributes to the quality of mother-infant interactions independent from mental health. The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of exclusive breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum to the quality of the mother-infant relationship at 6 months postpartum, controlling for maternal mental health in a community sample of mothers in Chile. Materials and methodEighty women completed self-report measures of mental health and breastfeeding during the third trimester of pregnancy and 3 and 6 months postpartum. At 6 months after childbirth, the mother-infant interaction was assessed by coding a free-play session between mothers and infants. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the contribution of breastfeeding practices and mental health to the quality of mother-infant interactions. ResultsExclusive breastfeeding at 3 months postpartum increased the likelihood of displaying positive mother-infant interactions controlling for maternal mental health. Mothers who continued to breastfeed at 6 months postpartum reported less symptoms of antenatal depression and anxiety and higher levels of sensitivity and cooperation towards their infants. ConclusionBreastfeeding contributes to maternal sensitivity and cooperation even when controlling for maternal mental health. Implications for health practitioners and limitations due to the sample characteristics are discussed.

Patient-reported outcome measures in early psychosis: A cross-cultural, longitudinal examination of the self-reported health and self-reported mental health measures in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada

ObjectiveDespite their acknowledged value, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are infrequently used in psychosis, particularly in low-and middle-income countries. We compared ratings on two single-item PROMs, Self-Rated Health (SRH) and Self-Rated Mental Health (SRMH), of persons receiving similar early psychosis services in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada. We hypothesized greater improvements in SRH and SRMH in the Chennai (compared to the Montreal) sample. MethodsParticipants (Chennai N = 159/168 who participated in the larger study; Montreal N = 74/165 who participated in the larger study) completed the SRH and SRMH during at least two out of three timepoints (entry, months 12 and 24). Repeated measures proportional odds logistic regressions examined the effects of time (baseline to month 24), site, and relevant baseline (e.g., gender) and time-varying covariates (i.e., symptoms) on SRH and SRMH scores. ResultsSRH (but not SRMH) scores significantly differed between the sites at baseline, with Chennai patients reporting poorer health (OR: 0.33; CI: 0.18, 0.63). While Chennai patients reported similar significant improvements in their SRH (OR: 7.03; CI: 3.13; 15.78) and SRMH (OR: 2.29, CI: 1.03, 5.11) over time, Montreal patients only reported significant improvements in their SRMH. Women in Chennai (but not Montreal) reported lower mental health than men. Higher anxiety and longer durations of untreated psychosis were associated with poorer SRH and SRMH, while negative symptoms were associated with SRH. ConclusionsAs hypothesized, Chennai patients reported greater improvements in health and mental health. The marked differences between health and mental health in Montreal, in contrast to the overlap between the two in Chennai, aligns with previous findings of clearer distinctions between mind and body in Western societies. Cross-context (e.g., anxiety) and context-specific (e.g., gender) factors influence patients' health perceptions. Our results highlight the value of integrating simple PROMs in early psychosis.

Early-Life Exposure to War and Later-Life Physical Functional Health.

A growing body of research shows that early-life exposure to war has adverse effects on later-life health. Research has emphasized the importance of exposure timing implicating domain-specific developmental processes and associated critical/sensitive periods. This study looks at the impacts of early childhood war exposure and the repercussions for later-life physical and functional health, with a focus on time of exposure as a source of variability. We use residential histories from the Survey of Health Ageing, and Retirement in Europe linked to external data on the location and timing of hostilities to examine the impact of early-life exposure to World War II on later-life physical and functional health. Exposure to war increases the risk of objective (grip strength, chair rise, and peak expiratory flow) and self-reported (mobility limitations and activities of daily living) measures of functional health. Effects are especially pronounced for those born during the war and for those with more prolonged exposures. There is little evidence that the impact of war is mediated by war-related hardships, socioeconomic conditions, health behaviors, or adult chronic disease. Our results suggest early-life exposure to war has a lasting impact on physical functional health. Exposure appears to largely operate via direct effects, indicative of altered initial development of physical capacity in early life. Because exposure was so pervasive among some cohorts of older individuals, understanding the health of present older European populations requires wrestling with the residual consequences of wartime exposure at the start of their lives.

I don't feel sick: Cognitive and affective processing of self-health associations using the Implicit Association Test.

Measuring implicit associations of self-concept with health or illness attributes may offer valuable insight into the mechanisms entailing the perception of one's own health, as explicit measures of self-reported health are usually influenced by social desirability or response bias. In this study, healthy participants performed a modified version of the implicit association test (IAT) investigating implicit associations between the self and either health or illness related representations. Behaviorally, implicit associations dominated for self-health pairing, and their strength was inversely correlated with depressive traits. Neurally, concomitant EEG recording showed significant modulations of the P1, LPP, and N4 components evoked by such pairings, suggesting a facilitation of sensory responses to self-related stimuli and differential emotional processes engaged to integrate health versus illness information into self-related representations. These data offer new clues to better understand the cognitive and affective mechanisms underlying unrealistic optimism and pathological awareness of health conditions in various clinical populations.

Yearly and Daily Discrimination-Related Stressors and Mexican Youth’s Mental Health and Sleep: Insights From the First Wave of a Three-Wave Family Study

Research is needed to examine discrimination-related stressors and their social and psychological shaping of mental health and sleep outcomes of Latinx youth. The background, design, and methodology of a longitudinal study of Mexican families in Indiana and the initial findings of associations between discrimination-related stressors and youth mental health and sleep outcomes are presented. Initiating wave 1 of a 3-wave (yearly) longitudinal study, investigators surveyed an ethnically homogeneous sample of 344 Mexican-origin adolescents (ages 12-15) and their primary caregivers, assessing risks and protective factors for mental health and sleep outcomes. Youth also completed a one-time 21-day daily diary after wave 1. Self-reported measures of youth mental health, sleep, and discrimination across wave 1 and the daily diary were evaluated to compare the cross-sectional (wave 1) and daily associations between discrimination and youth mental health and sleep outcomes. Of youth, 88.1% reported at least one incident of lifetime discrimination. Almost one-third had elevated depressive symptoms, 44.5% had probable generalized anxiety disorder, and 50.9% had poor sleep quality. Between-youth correlations at wave 1 and in the daily diary were consistent in that perceived racial discrimination was positively correlated with worse mental health and poorer sleep quality. Smaller within-youth correlations were observed in the daily diary, but there was striking variability in the effect of discrimination across youth. The present results illustrate the powerful methods of combining yearly and daily time data to investigate how and for whom discrimination-related stressors lead to adverse outcomes. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science. One or more of the authors of this paper self-identifies as a member of one or more historically underrepresented sexual and/or gender groups in science. We actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our author group. While citing references scientifically relevant for this work, we also actively worked to promote inclusion of historically underrepresented racial and/or ethnic groups in science in our reference list. Seguimos Avanzando - Latino Youth Coping With Discrimination; https://clinicaltrials.gov/; NCT04875208.

Abstract WP280: Health and Functional Ability of Veterans and Non-Veterans With Stroke: An Analysis of the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Introduction: Veterans represent a unique population who may be at higher risk of developing stroke. The association between Veteran status and stroke and associated outcomes have not been well described. Methods: We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Participants were stratified based on Veteran status. Demographics, social factors, and vascular risk factors were compared between the two groups. Logistical regression models were created to explore the association between Veteran status and stroke. Health and functional limitations were also compared between Veterans and Non-Veterans with stroke. Results: We identified 52,518 Veterans and 382,958 Non-Veterans. Veterans more often self-reported a history of stroke compared to non-veterans (6.2% vs. 3.6%, p&lt;0.001). Veterans more often reported a history of diabetes, tobacco use, and obesity. After adjusting for demographic, social and vascular factors, Veterans remained at a higher odds of having a history of stroke (OR 1.26 [95% CI 1.20-1.33], 1.22 weighted, Table). Veterans and Non-Veterans with a history of stroke report similar self-reported measures of health and functional status although Veterans may have more difficulty with ambulation. Conclusions: Using a sample not limited to the Veterans Health Administration, we observed higher rates of self-reported stroke among Veterans compared to Non-Veterans which is not fully explained by differences in their demographics, social factors, or vascular health history. Despite this, Veterans with stroke appear to have similar overall health and functional abilities compared to non-Veterans.

The association between exposure to hate speech or perceived discrimination and mental health problems among Korean residents in Japan.

This study evaluated the effect of perceived discrimination and racism on the mental health state of Korean residents in Japan, with a particular focus on the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and psychological distress. Surveys were sent to Korean residents in Japan and a total of 240 valid responses were received. The valid response rate was 27.1%. The participants answered several questionnaire items, including demographic information and questions pertaining to their experiences of perceived discrimination, along with three self-reported measures of mental health, i.e., the Japanese version of Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The results indicated that Korean residents in Japan experience hate speech and discrimination with a markedly high frequency (92.9% and 100%, respectively), and that factors such as employment discrimination and exposure to hate speech via social networking services were significant predictors of probable PTSD and psychological distress.

Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health? An instrumental variable analysis using distance to nearest cycle path.

Previous studies have linked cycling with improved mental wellbeing but these studies tend to use cross-sectional survey data that have small sample sizes and self-reported health measures, and are potentially susceptible to omitted-variable bias and reverse causation. We use an instrumental variable approach and an objective measure of mental ill-health taken from linked administrative data to ask: 'Does cycle commuting reduce the risk of mental ill-health?' Our study links data on commuting in Edinburgh and Glasgow from the Scottish population census with mental health prescriptions from the National Health Service Prescribing Information System records. We use road distance from home to nearest cycle path as an instrumental variable for cycle commuting. In total, 378 253 people aged 16-74years living and working in the City of Edinburgh and Glasgow City council areas at the 2011 census were included in our study; 1.85% of commuters in Glasgow and 4.8% of commuters in Edinburgh cycled to work. Amongst cyclists, 9% had a prescription for mental health compared with 14% amongst non-cyclists. Using a bivariate probit model, we estimate a mean average reduction in prescriptions for antidepressants and/or anxiolytics in the 5years following the census of -15.1% (95% CI: -15.3% to -15.0%) amongst cycle commuters compared with those who use any other mode to commute. This work suggests that cycle commuting is causally related to reduced mental ill-health and provides further evidence in support of the promotion of active travel to encourage commuters travelling shorter distances to shift to cycle commutes.

Validity of individual self-report oral health measures in assessing periodontitis for causal research applications.

Self-reported measures of periodontitis developed for use in population surveillance are increasingly used in causal research. Numerous studies evaluate the validity of these measures against clinical parameters of periodontitis, yet few include validation parameters outside of multivariable models. Individual item validity is necessary to adequately inform use of these measures in causal research. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2014 in which dentate participants completed full-mouth periodontal examinations (N=6966). We evaluated six self-report questionnaire items related to periodontal disease status against periodontitis case definitions developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and American Academy of Periodontology (CDC-AAP). We estimated the sensitivity and specificity of individual items using severe and moderate-to-severe periodontitis classifications. We additionally combined items to evaluate the validity of joint measures. Sensitivity was highest when measures were evaluated against severe periodontitis. Self-rated oral health of fair/poor demonstrated the highest sensitivity for severe (0.60) and moderate-to-severe periodontitis (0.48). Specificity was highest when evaluated against moderate-to-severe periodontitis, with self-reported history of tooth mobility as the most specific measure (0.87 for severe disease; 0.92 for moderate-to-severe) followed by a history of bone loss (0.88 for severe; 0.91 for moderate-to-severe). Combining questions generally improved specificity at the expense of sensitivity. Our findings related to item-specific validity and the associated clinical profiles facilitate needed considerations for the use of self-reported measures of periodontitis in causal research. Additionally, item-specific validity can be used to inform assessments of misclassification bias within such investigations.

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the 10-item perceived stress scale in a sample of teachers.

The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale is a widely used questionnaire for measuring perceived stress. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale in a sample of Italian teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was performed. A sample of 1,179 teachers of pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools anonymously completed an online questionnaire. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed to compare the fit of a two-factor model against a one-factor solution of the scale. Multigroup CFA was run to test the measurement invariance of the two-factor PSS-10 solution across gender. The internal reliability of the scale was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald' omega coefficients. Convergent validity with measures of subjective well-being and self-reported health was evaluated. The results of the Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed that the two-factor structure of the 10-items Perceived Stress Scale provided a better fit to the data and supported the adequacy of the Italian version of the scale. The two-factor model showed measurement invariance across female and male groups, as result of the multigroup CFA. The scale proved to have good internal reliability. Correlation analyses with measures of the Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule and self-reported health supported convergent validity. These results suggest that the Italian version of the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale has good psychometric properties and can be considered a valid and reliable instrument to assess perceived stress.

Exploring factors associated with self-rated health in individuals with diabetes and its impact on quality of life: Evidence from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe.

Self-rated health (SRH), a measure of self-reported general health, is a robust predictor of morbidity and mortality in various populations, including people with diabetes. Diabetes is negatively associated with SRH and quality of life (QoL). Little is known about how people with diabetes rate their health and which aspects influence the rating. Also, the predictive value of SRH on future QoL has not yet been evaluated. We analyzed data from 46 592 participants of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Using linear regression, we aimed to determine which sociodemographic, socioeconomic, medical, social, mental, and health behavior factors determine SRH in people with diabetes. In addition, we analyzed the predictive value of SRH on future QoL using the generalized estimating equations procedure. We determined that country, current job situation, hospitalization, pain, polypharmacy, memory, eyesight, activities of daily living, number of chronic diseases, and depression are all linked to SRH. Together these variables explained 38% of the SRH's variance, whereas depression, pain, and memory had the greatest influence on SRH of people with diabetes. We also found that SRH independently predicted future QoL, supported by a regression coefficient of β = -1.261 (Wald chi-square test, χ2 = 22.097, df = 1, p < .05). As SRH is linked to future QoL, we conclude that incorporating SRH assessment into medical evaluations can help health care professionals gaining a more comprehensive understanding of an individual's health trajectory and supporting patients to enhance their QoL.

FINDINGS FROM NSHAP: SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, HEALTH INDICATORS, MEDICATION EFFECTS, AND PREDICTING MORTALITY

Abstract The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project’s broad range of both social measures, and objective and self-reported health measures enable detailed analysis of the intersections between these fundamental aspects of older adults’ lives. The papers in this symposium explore various aspects of these topics from different angles. The first explores employment as an important form of social participation, establishing that full-time employment among respondents is associated with better cognitive function, and less ADL and IADL difficulties. The second examines how social isolation affects men and women differently. Social Networks are the focus of the third paper and compare family to friendship ties. Using NSHAP’s unique medication log, Wilder examines sleep disturbances and the prevalence of respondents taking medications with somnolence as an adverse event, demonstrating the need for more research into how this might affect older adults’ health and well-being. Li uses NSHAP data to develop machine learning models to predict 10-year mortality of older adults in the US which perform with better accuracy than logistic regression.

Patient-reported outcome measures in early psychosis: Evaluating the psychometric properties of the single-item self-reported health and self-reported mental health measures in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada.

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide valuable information and promote shared decision-making but are infrequently used in psychosis. Self-rated Health (SRH) and Self-rated Mental Health (SRMH) are single-item PROMs in which respondents rate their health and mental health from 'poor' to 'excellent'. We examined the psychometric properties of the SRH and SRMH in early psychosis services in Chennai, India and Montreal, Canada. Assessments were completed in Tamil/English in Chennai and French/English in Montreal. Test-retest reliability included data from 59 patients in Chennai and Montreal. Criterion validity was examined against clinician-rated measures of depression, anxiety, positive and negative symptoms, and a quality-of-life PROM for 261 patients in Chennai and Montreal. SRH and SRMH had good to excellent test-retest reliability (ICC >0.63) at both sites and in English and Tamil (but not French). Results for criterion validity were mixed. In Montreal, low SRH was associated with not being in positive symptom remission, and poorer functioning and quality of life. SRH was associated only with functioning in Chennai. No associations were found for SRMH in Montreal. In Chennai, low SRMH was associated with not being in positive symptom remission and poorer functioning. Patient-reported outcome measures may perform differently across contexts as a potential function of variations in sociodemographics, illness characteristics/course, understandings of health/mental health, and so forth. More work is needed to understand if discrepancies between PROMs and CROMs indicate poor validity of PROMs or 'valid' differences between patient and clinician perceptions. Our work suggests that single-item PROMs can be feasibly integrated into clinical settings.

Effects of workday characteristics and job demands on recovery from work among Finnish home care nurses: a multi-source cross-sectional study

ObjectiveAgeing populations and poor care workforce availability are causing increasing job demands for home care nurses across Europe. While recovery from work helps sustain work ability and wellbeing, past research has relied mainly on self-reported measures of health, stressors, and recovery. This study aims to examine how objective and subjective job demands are associated with measured day-time recovery among home care nurses.MethodsHeart rate variability recording was conducted for 95 Finnish home care nurses. The study participants documented their work tasks throughout the workday and filled a wellbeing questionnaire. The amount of care time, breaktime, number of different weekly clients, and their care needs were obtained from the survey. The associations between job demands and measured day-time recovery were analysed using multivariate linear regression.ResultsThe amount of day-time recovery was on average 75 min. The number of different clients during the workday (e.g., care continuity) and higher care needs of the clients were associated with lower day-time recovery. Additionally, something slightly disrupting the course of the workday was associated with increased recovery.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that reducing especially the objective job demands (workday characteristics) can contribute to better day-time recovery among home care nurses. To help sustain work ability and improve wellbeing, day-time recovery can be promoted with better work scheduling that supports care continuity and ensures sufficient care resources and support for nurses with many clients or clients with high care needs.