The impact of socio-contextual, physical and lifestyle variables on measures of physical and psychological wellbeing among Māori and non-Māori: the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study

2011 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 1406-1424 ◽  
Author(s):  
PATRICK L. DULIN ◽  
CHRISTINE STEPHENS ◽  
FIONA ALPASS ◽  
ROBERT D. HILL ◽  
BRENDAN STEVENSON
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Disparities ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Health Work ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Biological Variables ◽  
Majority Population ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Retirement Study

ABSTRACTThis article provides an overview of the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study (HWR), the focus of which is on determinants of cultural-contextual factors on physical and mental health among 6,662 New Zealand citizens, a nationally representative sample of adults between 55 and 70 years of age. The HWR was initiated in 2006 with two-year re-assessment intervals. The health and wellbeing of older Māori was a study priority as previous research has shown large health disparities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand. Persons of Māori origin were over-sampled to ensure adequate information for subsequent analyses. First-wave results indicated that socioeconomic status, social support and retirement status were associated with optimal ageing among older adults in New Zealand. Māori scored lower on markers of physical and mental health, which was partially explained by restrictive factors including reduced economic living standards and a propensity towards less physical activity. After controlling for multiple socio-contextual and biological variables, ethnicity continued to predict health, suggesting that there are other markers of health and wellbeing in ageing among Māori. Structural variables which restrict access to health care and predispose Māori to engage in maladaptive lifestyle behaviours combined with the distal effects of colonisation may contribute to the health disparities found between Māori and the majority population in New Zealand.

scholarly journals COVID-19 and loneliness: A rapid systematic review

2021 ◽  
pp. 000486742110314
Author(s):  
Nagesh Pai ◽  
Shae-Leigh Vella
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Inclusion Criteria ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
General Adult Population ◽  
Key Terms ◽  
The Impact

Background: Loneliness is known to be associated with both poorer physical and mental health, being associated with increased mortality. Responses throughout the world to the current COVID-19 pandemic all incorporate varying degrees of social distancing and isolation. There is an imperative to provide a timely review and synthesis of the impact of COVID-19 on loneliness in the general population. Methods: PubMed was searched using the key terms ‘COVID-19’, ‘coronavirus’, ‘SARS-COV2’ and ‘loneliness’. Fifty-four articles were identified and screened against the inclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria stipulated that the study needed to incorporate a measure of loneliness with participants being drawn from the general adult population. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Results: The key data extracted from the 24 reviewed studies are presented and summarised with a focus on key demographics of participants, the research designs utilised, the measures of loneliness employed and the other variables assessed in the studies. Overall, the findings indicate that loneliness has been a significant issue during the current COVID-19 pandemic and loneliness is positively associated with mental health symptoms. However, there were inconsistencies in the results evident across studies. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first systematic review of research investigating loneliness during the current COVID-19 pandemic in the general adult population. Despite the inconsistencies evident in some of the results across the studies, it is clearly apparent that loneliness is having an impact on the mental health and wellbeing of the general adult population. Furthermore, it is apparent that the current COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on loneliness in the general adult population and that loneliness is significantly positively associated with mental illness symptomatology. Thus, there is an imperative to address loneliness through public policy and interventions. The limitations of this review are noted and directions given for future research.

The impact of retirement on physical, mental health and wellbeing

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Odone ◽  
B Frascella ◽  
G Vigezzi ◽  
G Gaetti ◽  
V Gianfredi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Relevant Evidence ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Population ageing presents both challenges and opportunities for societies around the world. Increasing statutory retirement age and limiting exits to early retirement are frequent policy responses to population ageing, but this is unlikely to have the desired impact if the complex relationships that link work, retirement and health remains unknown. In this context, we designed and are currently conducting the multi-partner project on pension reforms and spatial-temporal patterns in healthy ageing, funded by Fondazione Cariplo. The project involves a multi-disciplinary research team from University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Bocconi University and the Unit of Epidemiology of the Regional Health Service of ASL TO3. In this first presentation we will first describe the project design, its general aim and specific objectives, then we will present a proposed conceptual framework on the association between retirement and health and its determinants. The framework is the first deliverable of the project and is the results of a comprehensive review of the available evidence and consultation with experts in the field. In particular we conducted a scoping review to retrieve, pool and critically appraise the relevant evidence on the impact of retirement and transition to retirement on physical and mental health and their determinants. We summarized the evidence collected in a conceptual framework that attempt to quantify how health and retirement are bi-directionally linked, how health is central to the timing of retirement, how labor-associated determinants condition employment cessation, how and retirement have varying effects on risk factors for physical and mental health and the role of confounding factors and mediators. Towards the end of the presentation we will outline an extensive stakeholder mapping carried out for the purposes of the project at the national and European level

scholarly journals Exploring the impact of shielding advice on the health and wellbeing of individuals identified as extremely vulnerable and advised to shield in Southwest England amid the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods evaluation

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gemma Lasseter ◽  
Polly Compston ◽  
Charlotte Robin ◽  
Helen Lambert ◽  
Matthew Hickman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Supplementary Information ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
The Impact

Objective: Explore the impact and responses to public health advice on the health and wellbeing of individuals identified as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) and advised to shield (not leave home for 12 weeks at start of the pandemic) in Southwest England during the first COVID-19 lockdown. Design: Mixed-methods study; structured survey and follow-up semi-structured interviews. Setting: Communities served by Bristol, North Somerset & South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group. Participants: 204 people (57% female, 54% >69 years, 94% White British, 64% retired) in Southwest England identified as CEV and were advised to shield completed the survey. Thirteen survey respondents participated in follow-up interviews (53% female, 40% >69years, 100% White British, 61% retired). Results: Receipt of official communication from NHS England or General Practitioner (GP) was considered by participants as the legitimate start of shielding. 80% of survey responders felt they received all relevant advice needed to shield, yet interviewees criticised the timing of advice and often sought supplementary information. Shielding behaviours were nuanced, adapted to suit personal circumstances, and waned over time. Few interviewees received community support, although food boxes and informal social support were obtained by some. Worrying about COVID-19 was common for survey responders (90%). Since shielding had begun, physical and mental health reportedly worsened for 35% and 42% of survey responders respectively. 21% of survey responders scored 10 or more on the PHQ-9 questionnaire indicating possible depression and 15% scored 10 or more on the GAD-7 questionnaire indicating possible anxiety. Conclusions: This research highlights the difficulties in providing generic messaging that is applicable and appropriate given the diversity of individuals identified as CEV and the importance of sharing tailored and timely advice to inform shielding decisions. Providing messages that reinforce self-determined action and assistance from support services could reduce the negative impact of shielding on mental health and feelings of social isolation.

scholarly journals The impact of precarious employment on the health and wellbeing of immigrants: a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Muoka ◽  
M Lhussier
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Negative Outcomes ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Precarious Employment ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Migration Experience ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Migration and precarious employment are social determinants associated with adverse health outcomes. In the United Kingdom, migration policy and labour market characteristics mean that migrants are often engaged in precarious work. We synthesise evidence on the experiences of migrants and explore the effects of precarious employment on their health and wellbeing. Methods Electronic databases were searched for peer-reviewed qualitative studies describing the experiences of United Kingdom migrants in precarious employment. Title and abstracts were screened, followed by full text screening using pre-specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data on employment experiences and effects of working conditions on physical and mental health and perceived wellbeing were extracted. The Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (2009) framework was used to conduct a narrative synthesis. Results Out of 1577 unique citations, 5 met our inclusion criteria. All included studies reported negative outcomes on physical and mental health. 2 reported positive or negative outcomes for perceived wellbeing depending on pre-migration experience. Musculoskeletal pain, exhaustion, anxiety and depression were commonly reported effects of precarious employment. Communication difficulties and over qualification were identified as migrant specific factors influencing health outcomes. Conclusions Stress response theories and risk factors associated with occupational injury explain how employment specific factors influence health. Extrinsic factors such as immigration policies, pre-migration experience, responsibilities in home country and acculturation mediate precarious employment effect on health. Key messages Migrants feel isolated in precarious employment and are vulnerable to negative mental and physical health impacts. Broader migration related policies impact on experiences of employment and health.

scholarly journals Queensland Family Cohort: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e044463
Author(s):  
Danielle Borg ◽  
Kym Rae ◽  
Corrine Fiveash ◽  
Johanna Schagen ◽  
Janelle James-McAlpine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Biological Samples ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Future Health ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionThe perinatal–postnatal family environment is associated with childhood outcomes including impacts on physical and mental health and educational attainment. Family longitudinal cohort studies collect in-depth data that can capture the influence of an era on family lifestyle, mental health, chronic disease, education and financial stability to enable identification of gaps in society and provide the evidence for changes in government in policy and practice.Methods and analysisThe Queensland Family Cohort (QFC) is a prospective, observational, longitudinal study that will recruit 12 500 pregnant families across the state of Queensland (QLD), Australia and intends to follow-up families and children for three decades. To identify the immediate and future health requirements of the QLD population; pregnant participants and their partners will be enrolled by 24 weeks of gestation and followed up at 24, 28 and 36 weeks of gestation, during delivery, on-ward, 6 weeks postpartum and then every 12 months where questionnaires, biological samples and physical measures will be collected from parents and children. To examine the impact of environmental exposures on families, data related to environmental pollution, household pollution and employment exposures will be linked to pregnancy and health outcomes. Where feasible, data linkage of state and federal government databases will be used to follow the participants long term. Biological samples will be stored long term for future discoveries of biomarkers of health and disease.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Mater Research Ethics (HREC/16/MHS/113). Findings will be reported to (1) QFC participating families; (2) funding bodies, institutes and hospitals supporting the QFC; (3) federal, state and local governments to inform policy; (4) presented at local, national and international conferences and (5) disseminated by peer-review publications.

scholarly journals Assessing the impact of the European resilience curriculum in preschool, early and late primary school children

2021 ◽  
pp. 014303432110250
Author(s):  
Celeste Simões ◽  
Anabela C. Santos ◽  
Paula Lebre ◽  
João R. Daniel ◽  
Cátia Branquinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Primary School Children ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Mental Health Difficulties ◽  
Prosocial Behaviours ◽  
The Impact

Resilience is an individual’s ability to adapt successfully to and persevere during and after significant challenges. Resilience programmes based on a socioemotional learning approach have been associated with an increase in protextive factors (e.g., prosocial competencies), improvements in physical and mental health, and a decrease in internalised and externalised symptoms. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of the RESCUR curriculum implemented in Portuguese schools on students’ academic, behavioural, and socioemotional outcomes, based on child and teacher reports. Participants included 1,084 children (53.2% male) aged 3-15 ( M = 7.24, SD = 2.31). A quasi-experimental study compared outcomes for an experimental intervention group (AIG) with a waiting list control group (WG). The results showed the RESCUR programme decreased mental health difficulties while increasing both prosocial behaviours and well-being. In addition, academic performance increased for those in preschool after implementation. Both teachers and children consistently reported positive behavioural changes in resilience-related competencies after implementing RESCUR. Our findings contribute to the recent research on the potential of RESCUR to address key socioemotional competencies and improve relevant protextive factors. Study limitations and future recommendations are addressed.

scholarly journals The Influence of Human–Animal Interactions on Mental and Physical Health during the First COVID-19 Lockdown Phase in the U.K.: A Qualitative Exploration

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 976 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Shoesmith ◽  
Lion Shahab ◽  
Dimitra Kale ◽  
Daniel S. Mills ◽  
Catherine Reeve ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Human Animal ◽  
Human Animal Interaction ◽  
Animal Interaction ◽  
The Impact

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents an opportunity to explore the role of animals as sources of emotional and physical support during a period when most of the population is experiencing social and environmental challenges. We investigated how companion animal owners perceived the influence of human–animal interaction on their physical and mental health during the first COVID-19 lockdown phase in the U.K., and what concerns they had regarding their animals at this time. We also explored the impact of participants’ interaction with non-companion animals during this phase. A cross-sectional online survey of U.K. residents aged over 18 was conducted between April and June 2020. The final item of the survey invited open-ended free-text responses, allowing participants to describe any experiences and/or perceptions of their human–animal relationships during the COVID-19 lockdown phase. A qualitative thematic analysis of responses was undertaken. Four main themes related to the following aspects of human–animal interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown phase were identified: the positive impact of animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., amelioration of wellbeing and mental health), concerns relating to animal ownership during the COVID-19 lockdown (e.g., concerns over animals carrying the COVID-19 virus), grief and loss of an animal during the COVID-19 lockdown and the impact of engaging with non-companion animals during the COVID-19 lockdown. The findings complement and extend previous insights into the impact of human–animal interaction with both companion and non-companion animals. They also highlight the challenges of caring for an animal during the lockdown phase and indicate the need to consider the development of further targeted support strategies, such as “day care” for the companion animals of key workers in this context.

scholarly journals A Risk Exchange: Health and Mobility in the Context of Climate and Environmental Change in Bangladesh—A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2629
Author(s):  
Patricia Nayna Schwerdtle ◽  
Kate Baernighausen ◽  
Sayeda Karim ◽  
Tauheed Syed Raihan ◽  
Samiya Selim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Quality Of Care ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Health Determinants ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Healthcare Environment

Background: Climate change influences patterns of human mobility and health outcomes. While much of the climate change and migration discourse is invested in quantitative predictions and debates about whether migration is adaptive or maladaptive, less attention has been paid to the voices of the people moving in the context of climate change with a focus on their health and wellbeing. This qualitative research aims to amplify the voices of migrants themselves to add nuance to dominant migration narratives and to shed light on the real-life challenges migrants face in meeting their health needs in the context of climate change. Methods: We conducted 58 semi-structured in-depth interviews with migrants purposefully selected for having moved from rural Bhola, southern Bangladesh to an urban slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis under the philosophical underpinnings of phenomenology. Coding was conducted using NVivo Pro 12. Findings: We identified two overarching themes in the thematic analysis: Firstly, we identified the theme “A risk exchange: Exchanging climate change and health risks at origin and destination”. Rather than describing a “net positive” or “net negative” outcome in terms of migration in the context of climate change, migrants described an exchange of hazards, exposures, and vulnerabilities at origin with those at destination, which challenged their capacity to adapt. This theme included several sub-themes—income and employment factors, changing food environment, shelter and water sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) conditions, and social capital. The second overarching theme was “A changing health and healthcare environment”. This theme also included several sub-themes—changing physical and mental health status and a changing healthcare environment encompassing quality of care and barriers to accessing healthcare. Migrants described physical and mental health concerns and connected these experiences with their new environment. These two overarching themes were prevalent across the dataset, although each participant experienced and expressed them uniquely. Conclusion: Migrants who move in the context of climate change face a range of diverse health risks at the origin, en route, and at the destination. Migrating individuals, households, and communities undertake a risk exchange when they decide to move, which has diverse positive and negative consequences for their health and wellbeing. Along with changing health determinants is a changing healthcare environment where migrants face different choices, barriers, and quality of care. A more migrant-centric perspective as described in this paper could strengthen migration, climate, and health governance. Policymakers, urban planners, city corporations, and health practitioners should integrate the risk exchange into practice and policies.

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