Subjective Health Complaints Inventory Research Articles

Subjective Health Complaints among the Garments Worker

Background: The garments sector in Bangladesh is fronting prospective growth with millions of garments workers at the forefront. Workers suffered from different health problems due to extensive workload, inadequate personal protective equipment and poor or non-existent of health facilities in the workplace. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done to determine the subjective health complaints 180 among the garments workers of two garments factories in Dhaka. ‘Subjective Health Complaints Inventory’ (SHCs) scale was used to construct the questionnaire for interviewing the workers. Results: The garments workers mean age was 27.0±5.7 years and mean working hour’s55.4±6.3per week. The prevalence of SHCs was gastrointestinal problems (89.4%), flu (63.9%), musculoskeletal pain (56.7%), pseudo-neurology problems (41.1%) and allergy (33.3%). The significant subscale of SHCs prevalence was cold flu (59.1%) in flu, leg pain (27.5%) in musculoskeletal pain, heat flushes (23.0%) in pseudo-neurological problems, gas discomfort (53.4%) in gastrointestinal problems and allergies (28.3%) in allergy. Majority of the worker’s (85.0%) health conditions were good. Statistically significant association found coughing with the age; and gas discomfort and allergies (p<0.05) were significant with the gender of the workers. Conclusion: This study reveals that the majorities of the workers’ health condition was good and cough, gas discomfort and allergies being the most prevalent health issues. The garments authorities and policymakers indeed develop primary healthcare services in their garments by establishing health facilities in order to improve the health state of workers.

Reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Subjective Health Complaints (SHC) inventory, which can be used to monitor health complaints experienced by the hospital support staff.
 Materials and Methods: In this methodological study, data were collected from 240 hospital support staff working in five different hospitals in Turkey. Participants were asked demographic questions and administered a Turkish translated SHC inventory. Construct validity was confirmed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency was assessed by calculating the Cronbach’s alpha and split-half reliability coefficients. 
 Results: The Turkish SHC inventory with 29 items showed acceptable content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.905). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the original five-dimensional structure of the scale. Model fit indices implied a good model-data fit: the normed chi-square value of 1.488 (χ2 = 513.423, df=345); error of root mean square approximation of 0.045; comparative fit index of 0.939 and standardized root mean square residuals of 0.060.
 Conclusion: The findings assert the reliability and validity of the Turkish SHC inventory, and recommend its use as a suitable tool for monitoring health complaints experienced by health service workers.

Comparison of Two Multidisciplinary Occupational Rehabilitation Programs Based on Multimodal Cognitive Behavior Therapy on Self-Rated Health and Work Ability.

Objective: Musculoskeletal pain and common mental disorders constitute the largest proportion of people who are on sick leave. This study investigated the efficacy of two multidisciplinary occupational rehabilitation programs on self-rated health and work-related outcomes. The interventions were identical in content but differed in length. It was hypothesized that a longer inpatient program would yield greater improvements than a shorter outpatient program.Methods: Patients were sick-listed workers referred to occupational rehabilitation by the Norwegian Labor and Welfare Administration. A non-randomized 2 Condition (20 days, n = 64 versus 12 days, n = 62) × 4 repeated measures (start, end, 3 months, 12 months) between-subject design was used. Both programs were based on multimodal cognitive behavior therapy with a return-to-work focus. Health-related questionnaires were the Subjective Health Complaints inventory, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and SF-36 Bodily Pain. Work-related questionnaires were the Work Ability Index, the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire, Return To Work Self-Efficacy, and Return To Work expectations. Intervention effects were estimated using linear mixed models and Cohen’s d.Results: The results revealed that both groups improved on the selected outcomes. Within-group contrasts and effect sizes showed that the inpatient group showed larger effect sizes at the end of rehabilitation and 12 months post-intervention for work-related outcomes than the outpatient group.Conclusion: Both programs were efficacious in improving health- and work-related outcomes during and after rehabilitation, but the inpatient group generally displayed stronger and more rapid improvements and was more stable at one-year postintervention.

Human change and adaptation in Antarctica: Psychological research on Antarctic wintering-over at Syowa station

ABSTRACT An Antarctic wintering-over station is a unique environment, as a small isolated society facing extreme survival margins. Psychological surveys have been done over ten years, including the Baum test, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE), Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC), the Two-Sided Personality Scale (TSPS) and medical consultations in Syowa Station, a Japanese Antarctic station to reveal the mental status of team members. Team members experienced fewer physical health risks in Antarctica than in Japan. Wintering-over team members reinterpreted situations positively and accepted their environment, sought instrumental social support, planned ahead, and used active coping skills and humour to overcome difficulties. They did not act out emotionally or deny problems. Individuals exhibited two types of coping, either stability through maintaining a previous lifestyle or flexible adjustment to a new way of life. Positive affect remained constant during the wintering-over period. In living through a harsh reality, team members drew support from the subjective feelings of an “internal relationship” with home or family in their minds. Thus, an Antarctic wintering-over station is an ideal isolated environment for psychological surveys, which can help understand future space travel and group managements in everyday societies.

Sleep, health, and well-being in elite athletes from different sports, before, during, and after international competition

ABSTRACT Objectives: Limited research has been conducted on sleep problems in elite athletes at international competition, and how this relates to their general health and well-being. Methods: Sixty-five elite international athletes (37 males, 28 females, 21.8 ± 2.1 years) from different sports completed validated sleep (Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire), health (Subjective Health Complaints Inventory) and well-being (Sports Profile of Mood States) questionnaires; 1 month pre-competition, at the end of international competition, and 1 month post-competition. Results: Twenty-three percent of the elite athletes were identified as having a moderate or severe clinically significant sleep problem during competition, with 82% reporting less than 8 h of sleep per night. Athletes with a moderate or severe clinically significant sleep problem during competition had significantly greater general health complaints (p = 0.002), mood disturbance (p = 0.001) and poorer sleep hygiene (p = 0.002). Swimmers had more sleep difficulty pre and during competition compared to athletics and soccer (p = 0.009). Conclusion: Sleep disturbance during international competition is common and associated with poorer health and lower mood. Swimmers may be more at risk of sleep difficulty pre and during competition compared to those competing in athletics and soccer. Sleep services may be required to support elite athletes at international competition.

Musculoskeletal pain among offshore wind industry workers: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo assess whether there are differences in musculoskeletal pain among different types of occupations offshore and their relationship to ergonomic demands.MethodsWe conducted a web-based cross-sectional survey among workers from offshore wind energy companies operating within the German exclusive economic zone. We selected workers with regular offshore commitments and at least 28 days spent offshore in the past year (n = 268). Musculoskeletal pain was assessed using the Subjective Health Complaints inventory (SHC), which considers the past month.ResultsOf the 268 male participants eligible for analysis, 54% reported back pain 50.4% neck pain, 40.3% lower back pain, 35.5% shoulder, 23.3% arm and 22.1% leg pain, all of them during the past month. Compared to other offshore occupations, technicians reported more frequently arm (OR 3.13; 95% CI 1.58–6.19), back (OR 1.97; 95% CI 1.15–3.39), shoulder (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.11–3.40) and neck pain (OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.11–3.22). After adjusting for age and nationality, lifting and carrying heavy loads were associated with all types of pain except leg pain. Overhead work, work in awkward postures, and the use of personal protection equipment and heavy tools was associated with shoulder, back and arm pain.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that occupational health counselling, health promotion and preventive interventions of offshore wind energy workers needs to consider the specific tasks of the employee and be particularly tailored to the ergonomic needs of technicians.

Urinary incontinence in a fitness club setting\u2014is it a workout problem?

IntroductionThe aims of the present study were to report longitudinal data on the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in a fitness club setting and to investigate whether gym members are educated about and exercise their pelvic floor muscles.MethodsNew members (125 women) from 25 fitness clubs in Oslo, Norway, filled in a 25-min online questionnaire (SurveyXact) at four time points (onset, 3, 6 and 12 months of fitness club membership). The questionnaire covered background/health information, membership dropout and exercise habits, including pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT). A modified Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC Inventory) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) were used to gather repeated measures of UI.ResultsAt onset, 3, 6 and 12 months of fitness club membership, 16.8%, 13.8%, 19.6% and 18.7% reported UI, respectively (p = 0.11). Of these, 57.1% to 76.2% reported leakage during exercise and perceived the UI to be slight. Less than 8% had received information about PFMT by the fitness club staff. Adherence to regular exercise and PFMT throughout the follow-up period (minimum two sessions/week) did not show any association with absent or present UI at 12 months (p = 0.48 and p = 0.63) and was reported by 30% and 22.2% of the participants, respectively.ConclusionsAbout 17% reported UI at onset of fitness club membership, with no changes in proportions throughout the first year. Adherence to regular exercise and PFMT did not show any association with absent or present UI at 12 months. Few had been taught PFMT.

Prevalence and associated occupational factors of low back pain among the bank employees in Dhaka City.

ObjectiveLow back pain (LBP) is one of the common health problems among full‐time office employees that causes absenteeism from work. The aim of the study is to identify the association between occupational factors and LBP among full‐time bank employees in Dhaka City.Materials and MethodsWe conducted a cross‐sectional study involving 593 full‐time bank employees who were engaged in sedentary works. The 1‐month complaint of LBP was measured using a subscale of subjective health complaints inventory. Multivariable logistic models were performed to identify variables related to LBP, and a random forest technique was performed to determine the top five important variables.ResultsThe 1‐month prevalence for LBP was found to be 36.6% among the bank employees, and the prevalence was the highest (64.3%) for the 51‐ to 59‐year‐old age group. The regression analysis indicates that respondents from both agegroups, 41‐50 years (OR = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.10‐3.69) and 51‐59 years age groups (OR = 5.14, 95% CI = 2.05‐13.64), are significantly associated with LBP. Furthermore, obesity (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.01‐4.21), and prolong working hours (>9 hours) (OR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.01‐2.0) are positively associated with LBP. The top five important variables for LBP identified by random forest technique are: age, length of employment, prolong office hours, presence of chronic illness, and physical activity.ConclusionLBP is highly prevalent in full‐time bank employees. The occupational factors, including the length of employment (>10 years) and long working hours, play a significant role in developing LBP among bank employees. Moreover, several factors, including age, chronic illness, obesity, and physical activity, should be taken into account in the prevention of LBP in bank employees.

Health complaints and work experiences among adults with neurofibromatosis 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a rare genetic disorder with usually benign nerve tumours, skin problems, pain and cardiovascular problems among common complications. To examine work participation and experiences in relation to health complaints among adults with NF1. We conducted a cross-sectional self-reported survey among 142 persons with NF1 (mean age = 50.3 years, SD = 12.0; 62% females). We measured physical and social dimensions of work experiences with eight items from the third wave of the epidemiological survey 'Nord-Trøndelag Health Study' (HUNT3). We compared NF1 data to 27 036 HUNT3 controls. We measured health complaints with the 29-item Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC; subscales musculoskeletal pain, pseudoneurology and gastrointestinal problems) and compared NF1 data to norms. Compared to controls, significantly more persons with NF1 reported workplace bullying (13% versus 5%) and work as physically exhausting (74% versus 44%), whereas fewer reported work autonomy (64% versus 80%). Women with NF1 reported significantly more SHC than female norms (99% versus 86%). Men with NF1 reported significantly more pseudoneurology and gastrointestinal problems compared to male norms (76% versus 58%). SHC explained 9% of the variance in physical work experiences (β = -0.47; 95% CI -0.76 to -0.19) and 8% of the variance in social work experiences (β = 0.48; 95% CI 0.18-0.78). Persons with NF1 experience more physical and social work problems, and both work domains were related to health complaints. Individualized assessment and information to co-workers and managers may represent ways to increase work participation among persons with NF1.

Work-Related Health Problems Among Primary and Secondary School Teachers: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: It is generally assumed that teachers lead healthy lifestyles; meanwhile, due to their specific working conditions, they stand among occupational groups exposed to a wide variety of health hazards associated with their profession. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of work-related health problems in the teaching profession of Shiraz, Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 508 primary and secondary school teachers in Shiraz. The participants were chosen using a multi-stage sampling. On the basis of Subjective Health Complaints Inventory, a standard multi-section questionnaire was prepared for data collection. To analyze the data, chi-squared test was used in SPSS, version 19. Results: A total of 508 questionnaires were returned by the primary and secondary school teachers. The results showed that 94.7% (n = 468; 95% CI [91.5 - 95.8]) of the respondents suffered at least one type of the 38 single complaints during the previous 30 days. The 10 most frequently reported health complaints among the teachers were lower back pain, tiredness, leg pain, voice disorder, headache, neck pain, anxiety, shoulder pain, varicose veins of lower limbs, and sleep problems. The 5 most severe complaints were tiredness, leg pain, lower back pain, voice disorder, and headache. Conclusions: A wide variety of somatic health problems reported by studied teachers indicates the importance of preventive and rehabilitative measures rather than treatment. We hope that our results can raise the awareness of the government and respective organizations, such as the ministry of education to improve teachers’ working condition.

Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal breast cancer patients: A 5-year prospective study

PurposeAdjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in breast cancer reduces recurrence risk and increases overall survival. The aim of the study was to quantify non-adherence and discontinuation to ET in postmenopausal women with breast cancer, and identify possible clinical or social risk factors. MethodsWomen with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer (N = 138), mean age 58 (SD 9.3) years, filled in 4 questionnaires within 1–12, 24, 36 and 48–60 months after surgery; Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Social Support Subscale (FACT-ES), and Quality of Patient Information Questionnaire (QPI). Adherence to Tamoxifen (Tam) or Aromatase Inhibitors (AI) was examined using the self-reported Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) and data from the Norwegian Prescription Database (NorPD). Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression models estimated adherence to ET. ResultsThe estimate of discontinued ET within 60 months was 38%. Self-reported discontinuation was 7% compared with 25% from the NorPD. Being overweight or obese were significantly time dependent factors predictive for discontinuing ET, p = 0.025. ConclusionCloser follow-ups, tailor-made information about the proven benefits of ET, and keeping a normal body mass index (BMI) may improve adherence to ET in postmenopausal women with breast cancer.

Poor sleep is related to lower general health, increased stress and increased confusion in elite Gaelic athletes

ABSTRACTObjectives: Persistent poor sleep is associated with a range of adverse health outcomes. Sleep is considered the main method of recovery in athletes; however, studies report that a significant number of athletes are getting insufficient sleep. The purpose of this study was to assess the sleep profiles of elite Gaelic athletes and to compare wellbeing in those with poor sleep and those with good sleep.Methods: 69 elite Gaelic athletes completed questionnaires, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC), Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), stress subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), the tension-anxiety, anger-hostility and confusion-bewilderment subscales of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) as well as the catastrophising subscale of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ). Participants were categorised into poor sleepers (PSQI ≥5) and good sleepers (PSQI <5) and outcome measures of health and wellbeing were analysed between the two groups.Results: 47.8% of athletes were poor sleepers. Self-reported sleep duration was 7.5 ± 0.6 h per night. 63.7% of poor sleepers took >30 min to fall asleep, compared to 5.6% of good sleepers. Poor sleepers had significantly lower general health (SHC) (p = 0.029), increased stress (DASS) (p = 0.035) and increased confusion (POMS-subscale) (p = 0.005). There was no significant difference between groups for number of painful body parts (NMQ) (p = 0.052), catastrophising (CSQ) (p = 0.287), overall mood (POMS) (p = 0.059), or POMS subscales of anger (p = 0.346) or tension (p = 0.593).Conclusion: Nearly 50% of elite Gaelic athletes report poor sleep. There is a significant relationship between poor sleep and lower general health, increased stress and increased confusion, and these factors may interact with each other. Monitoring of and interventions to enhance sleep may be required to improve athletes’ wellbeing.

Self-reported health in parents of boys with sex chromosome aneuploidies

ABSTRACTParents of boys with sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCA) were examined. Parents (22 mothers; 16 fathers) of 25 boys aged 2–18 years (M = 11.7, SD = 4.5) with SCA self-reported the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Personal Wellbeing Index. Parents reported more SHC and poorer daytime functioning than norms. Mothers reported more SHC, poorer sleep and daytime functioning, and lower health satisfaction than fathers. Parent-reported socio-emotional problems for sons (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) significantly overlapped with parental sleep disturbance. Parental health should be considered in medical consultations involving families of boys with SCA.

Symptom load and general function among patients with erythema migrans: a prospective study with a 1-year follow-up after antibiotic treatment in Norwegian general practice

Objective: Promptly treated erythema migrans (EM) has good prognosis. However, some patients report persistent symptoms. Do patients with EM have more symptoms than the general population? We describe individual symptoms and general function in EM-patients at time of diagnosis and one year after treatment.Design: Prospective study with 1-year follow up after treatment. Questionnaires included a modified version of the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory, comprising three additional Lyme borreliosis (LB) related symptoms. General function was assessed using a five-point scale modified from the COOP/WONCA charts.Setting: Norwegian general practice.Subjects: A total of 188 patients were included in a randomized controlled trial comparing three antibiotic regimens for EM, of whom 139 had complete data for this study.Main outcome measures: Individual symptoms, symptom load and general function.Results: Mild symptoms were common, reported by 84.9% at baseline and by 85.6% at follow-up. At baseline, patients reported a mean of 5.4 symptoms, compared with 6.2 after one year. Severely bothersome symptoms and severely impaired general function were rare. Tiredness was the most reported symptom both at baseline and at follow-up. Palsy (other than facial) was the least reported symptom, but the only one with a significant increase. However, this was not associated to the EM.Conclusion: The symptom load was comparable to that reported in the general population. We found an increase in symptom load at follow-up that did not significantly affect general function.Implication: Monitoring patients’ symptom loads prior to treatment reduce the probability of attributing follow-up symptoms to LB.Key pointsErythema migrans has a good prognosis.Patients treated for erythema migrans have a slight increase in symptom load one year after treatment.This increase does not affect general function.The levels of subjective health complaints in patients treated for erythema migrans are comparable to the background population.

Reducing worry and subjective health complaints: A randomized trial of an internet-delivered worry postponement intervention.

Several studies have shown that perseverative, worrisome thoughts are prospectively related to subjective health complaints (SHC) and that a short worry postponement intervention can decrease these complaints. As SHC and worry are prevalent and costly, we tested whether the intervention can be offered online to reduce these complaints in the general population. A randomized parallel-group trial was conducted with self-selected participants from the general population. Via the research website, 996 participants were instructed to register their worrying for 6 consecutive days. The intervention group was instructed to postpone worry to a special 30-min period in the early evening. The Subjective Health Complaints inventory, as administered before and after the intervention, and daily worry frequency and duration were considered the primary outcomes. Three hundred and sixty-one participants completed the study. Contrary to our expectation, the registration group (n = 188) did not differ from the intervention group (n = 163) in SHC (ηp² = .000, CI [0.000-0.003]), or in worry frequency or duration. Nevertheless, the different worry parameters were moderately related to SHC (r between .238 and .340, p ≤ .001). In contrast to previous studies using pen-and-pencil versions of the worry postponement intervention, this study suggests that a direct online implementation was not effective in reducing SHC and worry. Overall, participants had high trait worry levels and reported difficulty with postponing worrying. Reducing SHC and worries via the Internet might require more elaborate interventions that better incorporate the advantages of delivering interventions online. What is already known on this subject? The perseverative cognition hypothesis argues that perseverative cognition, such as worry and rumination, acts as a mediator by which psychosocial stress may produce negative health effects. Prior research has indeed shown that worry and subjective health complaints (SHC) are prospectively related, but causality studies - that is, showing that changes in worry induce changes in health outcomes - are scarce and have mainly been conducted in young samples. These studies showed that reducing worry, using a worry postponement intervention, can reduce daily worrying and SHC. What does this study add? Trait and daily worrying are associated with SHC. An online worry postponement intervention is ineffective in reducing worry and SHC. Paper-and-pencil interventions cannot directly be used as online interventions.

Health complaints after a malodorous chemical explosion: a longitudinal study.

Physical and psychological symptoms are prevalent in populations recently affected by industrial accidents. Follow-up studies of human health effects are scarce, and as most of them focus on residents, little is known about the long-term health effects among workers exposed to malodorous emissions following a chemical explosion. To assess whether subjective health complaints (SHC) among workers declined over a 4-year period after an oil tank explosion that emitted malodorous sulphurous compounds. A longitudinal survey from 2008 (18 months after the explosion) to 2012, performed using the SHC inventory. Questionnaire data were analysed using a linear mixed effects model. There was a decrease in SHCs among the exposed workers, but they still had significantly more subjective neurological symptoms (P < 0.01) compared with controls, adjusted for gender, age, smoking habits, educational level and proximity to the explosion. Although there was a downward trend in SHCs among exposed workers in the follow-up period, they reported more subjective neurological complaints than controls. Symptoms may be mediated by perceived pollution and health risk perception, and adaptation or anxiety may cause a chronic effect, manifested by a dysfunctional and persistent neuropsychological response.

The impact of disaster work on community volunteers: The role of peri-traumatic distress, level of personal affectedness, sleep quality and resource loss, on post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and subjective health

Disaster work has shown to cause PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints in professional emergency personnel. However, very little is known about how disaster work affects community volunteers.This first time longitudinal study examined factors contributing to post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD) and subjective health complaints in volunteers working in an earthquake setting. At six and eighteen months post disaster, a sample of 506 Indonesian Red Cross volunteers were assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory. Factors analyzed in relation to the outcomes included: peri-traumatic distress, level of personal affectedness by the disaster, sleep quality and loss of resources as a consequence of the disaster.At 18 months post-disaster the findings showed high levels of PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints. Quality of sleep was related to both outcomes but resource loss only to PTSD symptoms. Neither peri-traumatic distress nor level of affectedness by the disaster (external versus directly affected volunteers), were predictive of symptoms. This study indicates that characteristics of disaster work e.g. low quality of sleep, may be an important contributor to PTSD symptoms and subjective health complaints in volunteers.

Subjective Health Complaints Among Workers in the Aftermath of an Oil Tank Explosion

The aim of the study was to assess whether exposed workers had more subjective health complaints than controls 1 1/2 years after a chemical explosion involving a mixture of hydrocarbons and sulfurous compounds. A cross-sectional survey based on the Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (SHC) was conducted among 147 exposed workers and 137 controls. A significantly higher total SCH score (linear regression, p =.01) was found for the exposed workers compared with controls when adjusting for gender, age, smoking habits, and educational level. The exposed workers reported significantly more headache, hot flashes, sleep problems, tiredness, dizziness, and sadness/depression. The cause of these complaints is unknown, but health personnel should be aware that health complaints might be related to polluting episodes even when exposure levels are below occupational guideline levels.

Subjective health complaints in patients with lumbar radicular pain and disc herniation are associated with a sex - OPRM1 A118G polymorphism interaction: a prospective 1-year observational study.

BackgroundEarlier observations show that development of persistent pain may be associated with the genetic variability in the gene encoding for the μ-opioid receptor 1, the OPRM1 A118G (rs1799971). The aim of this study was to investigate the association between OPRM1 genotype and subjective health complaints in patients with radicular pain and disc herniation.MethodsA prospective, 1-year observational study was conducted at a hospital back clinic, including 118 Caucasian patients with lumbar radicular pain and MRI confirmed disc herniation. Single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping regarding the OPRM1 A118G was performed. The data of individuals with AA versus AG or GG were analysed separately by linear mixed models. The Subjective Health Complaints Inventory (0-81) including 27 common complaints experienced the previous month on a scale from not at all (0) to severe (3) was used as outcome. Pain, prior duration of leg pain, age, smoking status, and lumbar disc surgery were considered as covariates.ResultsIn total 23 of 118 patients were carriers of the OPRM1 G-allele. All patients except female carriers of the G-allele reported a decrease in pain from baseline to 1 year. Female carriers of the G-allele reported significantly higher subjective health complaints score during the study time span than male carriers of the G-allele when controlling for pain and pain duration.ConclusionThe present data indicate that, when controlling for pain intensity and duration, subjective health complaints are associated with a sex - OPRM1 A118G polymorphism interaction in patients with radicular pain.

Is Anatomy Exam Really So Stressful for Dentistry and Medical Students?

Introduction Test-taking situation is a stressful situation in which many students experience negative emotions associated with significant neurohormonal (changes in cortisol level) and physiological changes (psychosomatic symptoms). The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between trait anxiety, test anxiety, cortisol level, psychosomatic symptoms, perception of test difficulty and final grade. Materials and Methods The investigation was conducted with 116 first-year dentistry and medical students while taking a very difficult written examination in anatomy course. Just before the exam they filled in Test Anxiety Inventory, provided saliva samples, assessed the level of difficulty of the exam and the grade they expected. Immediately after the exam they filled in Subjective Health Complaints Inventory and a week after the exam they filled in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and stated the grade they achieved. Results Exam results had significant effect on the level of trait anxiety and the assessment of exam difficulty, but there was no significant effect of exam difficulty on test anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms. Trait anxiety and test anxiety explained 49% of variance in psychosomatic symptoms. Although there were only five samples of cortisol that were analyzed in the laboratory, the level of salivary cortisol showed significant positive correlation with overall psychosomatic symptoms. Conclusion Although there is no difference in expressing test anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms between successful and unsuccessful students, there is a significant contribution of test anxiety to discomfort caused by psychosomatic symptoms. There is a need for reorganization of teaching classes and exam in anatomy course.