Predicting the duration of sickness absence spells due to back pain: a population-based study from Sweden

ObjectivesWe aimed to develop and validate a prediction model for the duration of sickness absence (SA) spells due to back pain (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision: M54), using Swedish nationwide register microdata.MethodsInformation on all new SA spells >14 days from 1 January 2010 to 30 June 2012 and on possible predictors were obtained. The duration of SA was predicted by using piecewise constant hazard models. Nine predictors were selected for the final model based on a priori decision and log-likelihood loss. The final model was estimated in a random sample of 70% of the SA spells and later validated in the remaining 30%.ResultsOverall, 64 048 SA spells due to back pain were identified during the 2.5 years; 74% lasted ≤90 days, and 9% >365 days. The predictors included in the final model were age, sex, geographical region, employment status, multimorbidity, SA extent at the start of the spell, initiation of SA spell in primary healthcare and number of SA days and specialised outpatient healthcare visits from the preceding year. The overall c-statistic (0.547, 95% CI 0.542 to 0.552) suggested a low discriminatory capacity at the individual level. The c-statistic was 0.643 (95% CI 0.634 to 0.652) to predict >90 days spells, 0.686 (95% CI 0.676 to 0.697) to predict >180 spells and 0.753 (95% CI 0.740 to 0.766) to predict >365 days spells.ConclusionsThe model discriminates SA spells >365 days from shorter SA spells with good discriminatory accuracy.

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Sickness absence among privately employed white-collar workers: A total population study in Sweden

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494820934275 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 140349482093427

Author(s):

Kristin Farrants ◽

Kristina Alexanderson

Keyword(s):

Sickness Absence ◽

Rural Areas ◽

White Collar ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Population Based ◽

Small Towns ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Individual Level ◽

White Collar Workers ◽

The Individual

Background: Knowledge about sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP) among privately employed white-collar workers is very limited. Aims: This study aimed to explore SA and DP among privately employed white-collar women and men using different measures of SA to investigate differences by branch of industry, and to analyse the association between sociodemographic factors and SA. Methods: This was a population-based study of all 1,283,516 (47% women) privately employed white-collar workers in Sweden in 2012, using register data linked at the individual level. Several different measures of SA and DP were used. Logistic regression was used to investigate associations of sociodemographic factors with SA. Results: More women than men had SA (10.9% women vs. 4.5% men) and DP (1.8% women vs. 0.6% men). While women had a higher risk of SA than men and had more SA days per employed person, they did not have more SA days per person with SA than men. The risk of SA was higher for women (odds ratio (OR)=2.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2.51–2.58)), older individuals (OR age 18–24 years=0.58 (95% CI 0.56–0.60); age 55–64 years OR=1.43 (95% CI 1.40–1.46) compared to age 45–54 years), living in medium-sized towns (OR=1.05 (95% CI 1.03–1.06)) or small towns/rural areas (OR=1.13 (95% CI 1.11–1.15)), with shorter education than college/university (OR compulsory only=1.64 (95% CI 1.59–1.69); OR high school=1.38 (95% CI 1.36–1.40)), born outside the EU25 (OR=1.23 (95% CI 1.20–1.27)) and singles with children at home (OR=1.33 (95% CI 1.30–1.36)). Conclusions: SA and DP among privately employed white-collar workers were lower than in the general population. SA prevalence, length and risk varied by branch of industry, sex and other sociodemographic factors, however, depending on the SA measure used.

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Does workplace social capital protect against long-term sickness absence? Linking workplace aggregated social capital to sickness absence registry data

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494817721672 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 290-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Anne-Sophie K. Hansen ◽

Ida E. H. Madsen ◽

Sannie Vester Thorsen ◽

Ole Melkevik ◽

Jakob Bue Bjørner ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Private Sector ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Collective Good ◽

Standard Deviation Increase ◽

Individual Level ◽

The Individual ◽

Adjusted Model ◽

Workplace Social Capital

Aims: Most previous prospective studies have examined workplace social capital as a resource of the individual. However, literature suggests that social capital is a collective good. In the present study we examined whether a high level of workplace aggregated social capital (WASC) predicts a decreased risk of individual-level long-term sickness absence (LTSA) in Danish private sector employees. Methods: A sample of 2043 employees (aged 18–64 years, 38.5% women) from 260 Danish private-sector companies filled in a questionnaire on workplace social capital and covariates. WASC was calculated by assigning the company-averaged social capital score to all employees of each company. We derived LTSA, defined as sickness absence of more than three weeks, from a national register. We examined if WASC predicted employee LTSA using multilevel survival analyses, while excluding participants with LTSA in the three months preceding baseline. Results: We found no statistically significant association in any of the analyses. The hazard ratio for LTSA in the fully adjusted model was 0.93 (95% CI 0.77–1.13) per one standard deviation increase in WASC. When using WASC as a categorical exposure we found a statistically non-significant tendency towards a decreased risk of LTSA in employees with medium WASC (fully adjusted model: HR 0.78 (95% CI 0.48–1.27)). Post hoc analyses with workplace social capital as a resource of the individual showed similar results. Conclusions: WASC did not predict LTSA in this sample of Danish private-sector employees.

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Cohort Profile: The China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) Study

10.1101/2020.02.14.20022970 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Xing Zhao ◽

Feng Hong ◽

Jianzhong Yin ◽

Wenge Tang ◽

Gang Zhang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Clinical Laboratory ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Data Access ◽

Population Based ◽

Baseline Survey ◽

Individual Level ◽

Long Term Storage ◽

Level Data ◽

The Individual ◽

Study Participants

AbstractCohort purposeThe China Multi-Ethnic Cohort (CMEC) is a community population-based prospective observational study aiming to address the urgent need for understanding NCD prevalence, risk factors and associated conditions in resource-constrained settings for ethnic minorities in China.Cohort BasicsA total of 99 556 participants aged 30 to 79 years (Tibetan populations include those aged 18 to 30 years) from the Tibetan, Yi, Miao, Bai, Bouyei, and Dong ethnic groups in Southwest China were recruited between May 2018 and September 2019.Follow-up and attritionAll surviving study participants will be invited for re-interviews every 3-5 years with concise questionnaires to review risk exposures and disease incidence. Furthermore, the vital status of study participants will be followed up through linkage with established electronic disease registries annually.Design and MeasuresThe CMEC baseline survey collected data with an electronic questionnaire and face-to-face interviews, medical examinations and clinical laboratory tests. Furthermore, we collected biological specimens, including blood, saliva and stool, for long-term storage. In addition to the individual level data, we also collected regional level data for each investigation site.Collaboration and data accessCollaborations are welcome. Please send specific ideas to corresponding author at: [email protected].

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Sex differences in sickness absence and the morbidity-mortality paradox: a longitudinal study using Swedish administrative registers

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-024098 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. e024098

Author(s):

Daniel Avdic ◽

Pathric Hägglund ◽

Bertil Lindahl ◽

Per Johansson

Keyword(s):

Hospital Admission ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Outcome Measures ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Individual Level ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Preventive Behaviour ◽

The Individual ◽

Coherent Picture ◽

Specific Health

ObjectiveTo analyse whether gender-specific health behaviour can be an explanation for why women outlive men, while having worse morbidity outcomes, known as the morbidity-mortality or gender paradox.SettingThe working population in Sweden.ParticipantsThirty per cent random sample of Swedish women and men aged 40–59 with a hospital admission in the 1993–2004 period were included. The sample for analysis consists of 233 274 individuals (115 430 men and 117 844 women) and in total 1 867 013 observations on sickness absence.InterventionHospital admission across 18 disease categories.Main outcome measuresThe main outcome measures were sickness absence (morbidity) and mortality. Longitudinal data at the individual level allow us to study how sickness absence changed after a hospital admission in men and women using a difference-in-differences regression analysis. Cox regression models are used to study differences in mortality after the admission.ResultsWomen increased their sickness absence after a hospital admission by around five more days per year than men (95% CI 5.25 to 6.22). At the same time, men had higher mortality in the 18 diagnosis categories analysed. The pattern of more sickness absence in women was the same across 17 different diagnosis categories. For neoplasm, with a 57% higher risk of death for men (54.18%–59.89%), the results depended on the imputation method of sickness for those deceased. By using the premortality means of sickness absence, men had an additional 14.47 (-16.30– -12.64) days of absence, but with zero imputation women had an additional 1.6 days of absence (0.05–3.20). Analyses with or without covariates revealed a coherent picture.ConclusionsThe pattern of increased sickness absence (morbidity) and lower mortality in women provides evidence on the more proactive and preventive behaviour of women than of men, which could thus explain the morbidity-mortality paradox.

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Productivity losses among people with back pain and among population-based references: a register-based study in Sweden

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036638 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. e036638

Author(s):

Filip Gedin ◽

Kristina Alexanderson ◽

Niklas Zethraeus ◽

Korinna Karampampa

Keyword(s):

Back Pain ◽

Reference Group ◽

Productivity Loss ◽

Work Capacity ◽

Population Based ◽

Productivity Losses ◽

Classification Of Diseases ◽

International Statistical Classification ◽

Years Lived With Disability

ObjectiveBack pain is the leading cause for years lived with disability globally and among the main reasons for sickness absence (SA) and disability pension (DP). The objective of this study was to explore the occurrence of SA and DP and to estimate productivity losses among individuals with back pain compared with among matched population-based references.DesignExplorative prospective cohort study using register microdata.Participants and settingA total of 23 176 people, aged 19–60 years, with a first visit to inpatient or specialised outpatient healthcare for back pain (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems code M54) in 2010 in Sweden and a matched population-based reference group (n=115 880).OutcomesLong-term SA (in SA spells >14 days) and DP and productivity losses, measured in € (2018 prices) by multiplying the SA and DP net days by the societal cost of each such day.ResultsIn the back-pain group, 42% had SA or DP days; in the reference group, the corresponding proportion was 15%. Productivity loss per patient with back pain was €8928 during the 12-month follow-up period; in the reference group, it was €3499 (p<0.0001).ConclusionsSA and DP, leading to excess productivity losses among people with back pain, reflect the challenges these patients are facing to maintain their work capacity. Interventions to promote that individuals with back pain remain in paid work should be a priority in order to address the high costs.

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Fair data for next-generation management of multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458517748475 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (9) ◽

pp. 1151-1156 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Liesbet M Peeters

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Multidisciplinary Treatment ◽

Treatment Strategies ◽

Population Based ◽

Disease Modifying Drugs ◽

Disease Epidemiology ◽

Individual Level ◽

Precision Level ◽

The Central Nervous System ◽

The Individual

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive demyelinating and degenerative disease of the central nervous system with symptoms depending on the disease type and the site of lesions and is featured by heterogeneity of clinical expressions and responses to treatment strategies. An individualized clinical follow-up and multidisciplinary treatment is required. Transforming the population-based management of today into an individualized, personalized and precision-level management is a major goal in research. Indeed, a complex and unique interplay between genetic background and environmental exposure in each case likely determines clinical heterogeneity. To reach insights at the individual level, extensive amount of data are required. Many databases have been developed over the last few decades, but access to them is limited, and data are acquired in different ways and differences in definitions and indexing and software platforms preclude direct integration. Most existing (inter)national registers and IT platforms are strictly observational or focus on disease epidemiology or access to new disease modifying drugs. Here, a method to revolutionize management of MS to a personalized, individualized and precision level is outlined. The key to achieve this next level is FAIR data.

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The Role of Work Group in Individual Sickness Absence Behavior

Journal of Health and Social Behavior ◽

10.1177/002214650804900406 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 49 (4) ◽

pp. 452-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ari Väänänen ◽

Nuria Tordera ◽

Mika Kivimäki ◽

Anne Kouvonen ◽

Jaana Pentti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sickness Absence ◽

Work Group ◽

Individual Level ◽

Municipal Employees ◽

The Social ◽

Liberal Attitude ◽

Study Population ◽

The Individual ◽

Social Components

The purpose of our two-year follow-up study was to examine the effect of the social components of the work group, such as group absence norms and cohesion, on sickness absence behavior among individuals with varying attitudes toward work attendance. The social components were measured using a questionnaire survey, and data on sickness absence behavior were collected from the employers' records. The study population consisted of 19,306 Finnish municipal employees working in 1,847 groups (78% women). Multilevel Poisson regression modeling was applied. The direct effects of work group characteristics on sickness absence were mostly insignificant. In contrast, both of the social components of a work group had an indirect impact: The more tolerant the group absence norms (at both individual- and cross-level) and the lower the group cohesion (at the individual level), the more the absence behavior of an individual was influenced by his or her attitude toward work attendance. We conclude that work group moderates the extent to which individuals with a liberal attitude toward work attendance actually engage in sickness absence behavior.

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Under fire –simultaneous volatilome and transcriptome analysis unravels fine-scale responses of tansy chemotypes to dual herbivore attack

10.21203/rs.3.rs-47578/v2 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mary V. Clancy ◽

Georg Haberer ◽

Werner Jud ◽

Bishu Niederbacher ◽

Simon Niederbacher ◽

...

Keyword(s):

De Novo ◽

A Priori ◽

Insect Community ◽

Aphid Infestation ◽

Voc Emissions ◽

Individual Level ◽

Herbivore Attack ◽

Pre Treatment ◽

Insect Interactions ◽

The Individual

Abstract BackgroundTansy plants (Tanacetum vulgare L.) are known for their high intraspecific chemical variation, especially of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from the terpenoid compound group. These VOCs are closely involved in plant-insect interactions and, when profiled, can be used to classify plants into groups known as chemotypes. Tansy chemotypes have been shown to influence plant-aphid interactions, however, to date no information is available on the response of different tansy chemotypes to simultaneous herbivory by more than one insect species.ResultsUsing a multi-cuvette system, we investigated the responses of five tansy chemotypes to feeding by sucking and/or chewing herbivores (aphids and caterpillars; Metopeurum fuscoviride Stroyan and Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval). Herbivory by caterpillars following aphid infestation led to a plant chemotype-specific change in the patterns of terpenoids stored in trichome hairs and in VOC emissions. The transcriptomic analysis of a plant chemotype represents the first de novo assembly of a transcriptome in tansy and demonstrates priming effects of aphids on a subsequent herbivory. Overall, we show that the five chemotypes do not react in the same way to the two herbivores. As expected, we found that caterpillar feeding increased VOC emissions, however, a priori aphid infestation only led to a further increase in VOC emissions for some chemotypes.ConclusionsWe were able to show that different chemotypes respond to the double herbivore attack in different ways, and that pre-treatment with aphids had a priming effect on plants when they were subsequently exposed to a chewing herbivore. If neighbouring chemotypes in a field population react differently to herbivory/dual herbivory, this could possibly have effects from the individual level to the group level. Individuals of some chemotypes may respond more efficiently to herbivory stress than others, and in a group environment these "louder" chemotypes may affect the local insect community, including the natural enemies of herbivores, and other neighbouring plants.

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Role Ambiguity in Sport Teams

Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology ◽

10.1123/jsep.25.4.534 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 534-550 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Mark A. Eys ◽

Albert V. Carron ◽

Mark R. Beauchamp ◽

Steven R. Bray

Keyword(s):

Role Ambiguity ◽

A Priori ◽

Operational Definition ◽

General Purpose ◽

Future Research ◽

First Year ◽

Individual Level ◽

Sport Teams ◽

Definition Of ◽

The Individual

The general purpose of the present study was to examine the nature of role ambiguity in sport teams and to explore the construct validity of the operational definition of role ambiguity developed by Beauchamp, Bray, Eys, and Carron (2002). Role ambiguity was operationalized as a multidimensional construct (Scope of Responsibilities, Behavioral Responsibilities, Evaluation of Performance, and Consequences of Not Fulfilling Responsibilities) that occurs in two contexts, offense and defense. Consistent with the a priori hypothesis, perceptions of role ambiguity exhibited some degree of within-group consistency and group-level variability, but most of the variance in role ambiguity was seen at the individual level. Also, perceptions of role ambiguity decreased from early to late season. Finally, veteran athletes experienced less role ambiguity than first-year athletes at the beginning of the season, but not at the end. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.

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On Simpson’s paradox: To remain or not to remain a population-based science

Theory & Psychology ◽

10.1177/09593543211011525 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 460-464

Author(s):

Seth Oppong

Keyword(s):

Psychological Research ◽

Population Based ◽

Simpson’S Paradox ◽

Individual Level ◽

Final Cause ◽

Perceptual Control Theory ◽

Perceptual Control ◽

Standard Practices ◽

The Individual ◽

Simpson's Paradox

In this article, I critically reflect on J. F. Arocha’s (2021) contention that psychologists need to use methods and tools that are suitable for data analysis at the individual level. First, I discuss the beleaguered nature of the philosophical underpinnings of the standard practices in psychological research. Of the five assumptions he presented, the aggregate assumption results in Simpson’s paradox, a form of ecological fallacy. While the other assumptions need urgent attention, the proposals Arocha makes for addressing the aggregate assumption are still unsettled in many ways. I show that while perceptual control theory informed by the Aristotelian concept of final cause or telos allows for embracing variability as a psychological fact of human behaviour, one cannot say the same for his recommendation for the use of observation-oriented modelling (OOM) to address the aggregate assumption or to circumvent Simpson’s paradox.

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