Relation of Employment Status, Behavioral and Social Conditions on Individual Perception of Health in a Region of Slovakia: Pilot Study

Abstract Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) has a negative impact on job functioning and majority of SCD patients cannot retain their jobs. Recurrent acute vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) and organ dysfunction related to SCD can limit employment options and interfere with job retention. Potential associates of unemployment and poor job performance in adults with SCD include health-related (pain frequency and intensity, health-care utilization) and psychosocial (support system, coping mechanism). Unemployment can lead to major psychosocial stress that may translate into physiologic stress resulting in increased emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Poor psychosocial state may predispose patients to increased chronic pain, and use of alcohol or illicit drugs. The aim of this study is to identify the association between the status of employment of SCD and SCD pain-related hospitalizations. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective, observational pilot study of SCD patients at our comprehensive SCD clinic. Surveys were administered during routine clinic visits. Surveys contain multiple questions relating to patients' employment history and healthcare utilization. We excluded patients on chronic transfusion therapy and those with disabling conditions unrelated to SCD. We reviewed extensive data in our electronic medical records relating to subjects of interest. Among the patients who have at least 12 months of continuous employment status (employed or unemployed), we assessed SCD pain-related hospitalization rates in the previous 12 months period. Descriptive analysis was performed with frequency distributions. Univariate logistic regression was conducted to investigate the association between employment status and hospitalization rate. Results: A cohort of 74 SCD patients completed surveys about employment and hospitalization history. Of the patients, 51 patients showed continuous employment history greater than 12 months. Thirty-nine out of fifty-one (76.47%) were unemployed. Majority of patients (90.20%) were hospitalized at least once and sixteen patients (31.37%) were hospitalized more than 5 times during the previous 12 months. The univariate logistic regression analysis showed SCD patients with employed status were significantly less likely to be admitted to the hospital compared with unemployed SCD patients (Odds Ratio 0.255, 95% CI: 0.073-0.895). Conclusions: In this cohort, unemployed SCD patients have a significantly higher rate of hospitalization for pain crisis when compared with employed SCD patients. Development of interventions and programs that can improve job accommodation for SCD patients will likely decrease hospitalization and reduce related healthcare costs. In addition, the negative economic impact of SCD on the society will be less. Moreover, improved job accommodation will likely lead to better psychosocial and overall well-being for the patients. Providers who care for SCD patients should encourage patients to engage in job activities as tolerated which may positively influence their overall health. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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What influences individual perception of health? Using machine learning to disentangle self-perceived health

SSM - Population Health ◽

10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100996 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 100996

Author(s):

Jordi Gumà

Keyword(s):

Machine Learning ◽

Perceived Health ◽

Individual Perception ◽

Perception Of Health

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The Effectiveness of Auxiliary Prescription Labels: A Pilot Study

Drug Intelligence & Clinical Pharmacy ◽

10.1177/106002808301700317 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 17 (3) ◽

pp. 216-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joseph B. Wiederholt ◽

Jeffrey A. Kotzan ◽

James W. Cooper

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Color Blindness ◽

Written Text ◽

Significant Variance ◽

Individual Perception ◽

Scientific Analysis ◽

Pertinent Information ◽

Series Of Experiments ◽

Color Form ◽

Subject Differences

Affixed auxiliary prescription labels are widely used in the practice of pharmacy because they supposedly provide the patient with pertinent information that is not contained within the prescription signature. Yet, whether the labels are effective is not known, nor is it known whether the label's elements, such as color, form, and logo, affect perception of the written text. Sound scientific analyses of these questions are limited. Therefore, a pilot study involving a series of experiments was designed to determine whether individual perception of pertinent information is affected by the use of affixed auxiliary prescription labels. The second objective of this study was to evaluate how color and logo differences affected perception of the label's written text. Participants were selected for the experiments after being screened for color blindness, corrected vision, and, in some cases, previous pharmacy employment. Subjects viewed labels affixed to prescription vials via a two-channel tachistoscope. The tachistoscopic methodology measured perception, and its accuracy was verified through a forced-choice instrument. Results from the pilot study were threefold: (1) a sound scientific analysis found affixed auxiliary labels to be effective, (2) significant variance could be attributed to both individual and subject differences, and (3) the unique effects of color and logo could not be determined.

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Health, Disease, and Social Structure in Rural India

Journal of Health and Allied Sciences NU ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1692517 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 09 (01) ◽

pp. 22-27

Author(s):

Devajana Chinnappa Nanjunda

Keyword(s):

Disease Process ◽

Health Seeking ◽

Rural People ◽

Individual Perception ◽

Seeking Behavior ◽

Health And Disease ◽

The Individual ◽

Political Health ◽

Organic Disorder ◽

Perception Of Health

AbstractHealth and disease are the two noteworthy dimensions of behavior. During the lifetime, every individual traverses through health and disease. It is not an all or none type of occurrence but a relative location that explains whether the individual is healthy or unhealthy. The individual perception of health status is largely a psychological phenomenon. In spite of the beginning of the disease process, an individual may not even perceive it at any point of time. An organic disorder may not at all involve an individual until it is perceptible. Conversely, without any organic disorder, an individual may report himself to be unhealthy. Thus, logically, disease and health may coexist in the same individual. These two are not just equally exclusive entities. This study has been performed with two objectives (1) to study the changing social, economical, cultural, political, health, and demographic profile of the studied rural population and (2) to understand the changing illness ideology of the rural people and to find out the existing perception, health-seeking behavior, and culturally bounded attitudes about the onset of certain common diseases, and use of different systems of medicines. This study has been done in the selected districts on 800 households of Karnataka, India, using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.

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P.02.6 LOW FODMAP DIET IN THE LONG TERM: EFFICACY, ACCEPTABILITY AND INDIVIDUAL PERCEPTION OF TRIGGER FOODS. A PILOT STUDY

Digestive and Liver Disease ◽

10.1016/s1590-8658(19)30291-9 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 ◽

pp. e150

Author(s):

A. Rossi ◽

A.G. Nagy ◽

D. Gambaccini ◽

L. Bertani ◽

A. Pancetti ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Term Efficacy ◽

Individual Perception ◽

Fodmap Diet

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Long-term sickness absence and social exclusion

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/1403494809346871 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 37 (8) ◽

pp. 839-845 ◽

Cited By ~ 50

Author(s):

Anna Bryngelson

Keyword(s):

Social Exclusion ◽

Sickness Absence ◽

Employment Status ◽

Research Question ◽

Social Conditions ◽

Mediating Effect ◽

Regression Analyses ◽

Level Of Living ◽

The Relationship

Background: In previous research, ill-health and marginalization from the labour market have been pointed out as potential triggers for being marginalized from other spheres of society as well, e.g. economic, political and social, i.e. social exclusion. However, very few studies have examined the consequences of long-term sickness absence. Aim: The research question raised here is therefore to examine the relationship between long-term sickness absence (≥60 days) and social exclusion among individuals. Methods: The logistic regression analyses are based on longitudinal data (n = 3,144) from the Swedish Level of Living Survey linked to register data. Results: The results suggest that both women and men have higher odds of having no excess cash (‘‘cash margins’’) after their long-term sickness absence, compared with people with no such sickness absence. Women seem more likely to have no cash margins combined with being single/unmarried and having no close friends after long-term sickness absence, than do women without such sick-listing. The results indicate a slight mediating effect of employment status on the odds ratios for these economic and social conditions. Conclusions: The present study suggests that long-term sickness absence increases the risk of adverse economic and social conditions among individuals. That these conditions can be seen as indicators of social exclusion is more doubtful.

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