Respective Mediating Effects of Social Position and Work Environment on the Incidence of Common Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background Social position and work environment are highly interrelated and their respective contribution to cardiovascular risk is still debated. Methods and Results In a cohort of 20 625 French workers followed for 25 years, discrete‐time survival analysis with reciprocal mediating effects, adjusted for sex, age, and parental history of early coronary heart disease, was performed using Bayesian structural equation modeling to simultaneously investigate the extent to which social position mediates the effect of work environment and, inversely, the extent to which work environment mediates the effect of social position on the incidence of common cardiovascular risk factors. Depending on the factor, social position mediates 2% to 53% of the effect of work environment and work environment mediates 9% to 87% of the effect of social position. The mediation by work environment is larger than that by social position for the incidence of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, sleep complaints, and depression (mediation ratios 1.32–41.5, 6.67 when modeling the 6 factors together). In contrast, the mediation by social position is larger than that by work environment for the incidence of nonmoderate alcohol consumption, smoking, and leisure‐time physical inactivity (mediation ratios 0.16–0.69, 0.26 when modeling the 3 factors together). Conclusions The incidence of behavioral risk factors seems strongly dependent on social position whereas that of clinical risk factors seems closely related to work environment, suggesting that preventive strategies should be based on education and general practice for the former and on work organization and occupational medicine for the latter.

Slavery in Achaemenid-Period Babylonia: The Social World of Rībat, Son of Bēl-erība

This paper argues for a historically grounded view of slavery in Achaemenid-period Babylonia by examining the life of one particular individual, Rībat son of Bēl-erība, an ardu of the Murašû family (whose archive spans c. 454–404 BCE). In contrast to other studies which focus on the terminology or legal aspects of slavery, we examine the lived experience of Rībat. We do this in two ways. First, we study all of Rībat’s attested business ventures and demonstrate that, although Rībat occasionally acted under the direct orders of his masters, he more often pursued activities ancillary to those of the core Murašû business. Secondly, we use social network analysis of over 700 Murašû texts to demonstrate that, although Rībat was crucial in linking distinct individuals to the Murašû business, he lay outside his masters’ group of core associates. We then compare Rībat’s social position to that of other known Murašû subordinates to argue that Rībat’s experience was representative of that of other Murašû subordinates. We conclude by arguing for more social-historical studies of Babylonian servitude in the future.

Problemática de estudio en el caso de los retratos de El- Fayum

The mummification process of the ancient Egyptians has created great myths about this civilization but the process of creating the mummies was not immutable throughout the entire history of Egypt. Such is so, that before El-Fayum's portraits we find ourselves facing the best example in which three great civilisations converge, such as Egypt, Greece and Rome, in the same space-time framework. Nevertheless, this fact has meant a grievance as for its conservation, not having a clear answer about which researchers were better prepared to study them. Another one of the most outstanding peculiarities of these portraits, is the pictorial technique used, the great information it give us about the physical aspect of the mummy and even the social position they occupied, since until the appearance of these portraits, not everyone could afford a funeral in which its remains were mummified. El proceso de momificación de los antiguos egipcios ha creado grandes mitos acerca de esta civilización pero no durante toda la historia de Egipto el proceso de creación de las momias fue inmutable. Tal es así, que ante los retratos de El- Fayum nos encontramos frente al mejor ejemplo en el que convergen tres grandes civilizaciones, como son Egipto, Grecia y Roma, en un mismo marco espacio-temporal. Sin embargo, este hecho ha significado un agravio a la hora de su conservación, al no tener claro que investigadores estarían mejor preparados para estudiarlas. Otras de las peculiaridades más destacadas de estos retratos, son la técnica pictórica utilizada, la gran información que nos aportan sobre el aspecto físico de la momia e incluso la posición social a la que pertenecían ya que hasta la aparición de estos retratos, no todo el mundo podía permitirse un sepelio en el que sus restos fuesen momificados.

Perieci di Cirene

s paper, I discuss the profile and social position of the perioikoi in archaic Cyrene. The analysis of the occurrences and the use of this term in the Herodotean work suggests that, in general, the definition of perioikoi describes territorial proximity and binding relationship. Then, I will dwell on the reform of Demonax and in particular on the first of the moirai where the perioikoi are associated with the ancient founders. I, therefore, reflect on the nature and implications of this relationship, with particular attention both to the social structure of the city and to the specificities of its agricultural production. So I propose that the perioikoi of Cyrene are those groups of Greeks of minor status settled in the territory and closely linked to the landed aristocracy.

Profiling the Variability and Inequity in the Residential Environment in Cyprus According to Citizens’ Ratings: A Cross-Sectional Internet-Based “Place Standard” Survey

Background The “Place Standard Tool” (PST) offers a practical framework for structuring conversations about physical and social dimensions of Place which can impact on health and well-being. While extensively used in the context of community engagement, its properties as a measurement tool haven’t been explored. Methods Under the auspices of the Cyprus Healthy Cities Office, an open call was addressed to citizens to rate their neighbourhood environment across the 14 PST items (1: large to 7: little room for improvement). Exploratory factor, cluster and regression analyses were used to explore the dimensionality of the scale, depict neighbourhood profiles and explore differences in ratings according to socio-demographic characteristics, area-level census indicators and residents’ assessment of neighbourhood social position on a 10-step ladder. Results With the exception of safety (M=4.4, SD=1.7), 492 participants (mean age 42, 50% residents for >10 years) from 254 postcodes (21.7% islandwide) did not rate other features favourably, with lowest scores for “influence and sense of control” and “public transport”. A stepwise pattern of dissatisfaction was observed along the social position continuum both for features rated less favourably as well as more favourably (e.g. social contact). For instance, among participants who placed their neighbourhood at the three top steps of the ladder 48.8% gave a low rating for “influence and sense of control”, while the equivalent figure was 81.0% at the bottom three steps (OR=4.5, 95% CI 2.3, 8.6). A clear dimensionality of Built (6 items, Cronbach’s α coefficient for internal consistency=0.798), Physical (3 items, α = 0.765), Social (2 items, α = 0.749) and Service (3 items, α = 0.58) environment was identified. A social gradient was evident according to objective census measures of socio-economic disadvantage (e.g. pre-1980 housing, single-parent households) with larger differences in terms of the built than the social environment. Conclusions The study profiled the variability and documented the inequity in the health-related neighbourhood environment across Cypriot communities. The readily interpretable dimensionality of the scale supports its construct validity, allowing calculation of composite scores. The PST can be used as measurement tool in research as well as public health practice to advocate for neighbourhood initiatives which support and enhance citizens’ participation.

Social rehabilitation of patients after stroke

Disability after stroke is still a significant medical and social problem. The disease changes the social position of a person and puts forward new personal and social problems. Resocialization is one of the most important tasks of rehabilitation helping in overcoming the problems

Mobilities: Physical and Social

This chapter focuses on the influence of prosthesis use on social mobility, challenging predominant utopian views regarding nineteenth-century prosthetics. It exposes the social restrictions underpinning prosthesis use, while showing how several writers challenged the status quo. Centring on a case study of Charles Dickens’s portrayal of the villainous wooden-leg user Silas Wegg in Our Mutual Friend (1864–1865), the chapter identifies how Dickens drew from anxieties surrounding the social position of amputees by presenting a wooden-leg user as a transgressive social climber. The chapter places Dickens’s representation of Wegg in context with his other depictions of prosthesis users and those found in his journals Household Words and All the Year Round. This chapter argues that stories such as Dickens’s ultimately problematize the logic of prosthesis use.

HEADDRESSES AS SYMBOLS OF HIGH SOCIAL STATUS (BASED ON NEAR EASTERN MATERIALS OF THE EARLY METALS PERIOD)

Статья посвящена археологическим находкам металлических деталей головных уборов. Диадемы в виде длинных узких лент появляются на Ближнем Востоке во второй половине IV тыс. до н. э. В III тыс. до н. э. вырабатываются другие типы головных украшений, среди которых простые овальные и ромбовидные налобные бляхи и сложные конструкции с дополнительными деталями. Соответствующие находки рассматриваются как маркеры высокого социального статуса, связанные с процессом формирования элитарных групп в догосударственных и раннегосударственных обществах Месопотамии и Анатолии. The article is focused on the archaeological finds of headdress details made of metals. The diadems in the shape of long narrow bands appeared in the Near East in the second half of the 4th millennium BC. In the 3rd millennium BC other types of head ornaments were introduced, among them oval and rhomboidal frontlets and elaborate constructions with additional details. The corresponding finds are considered as markers of high social position related with the process of formation of elite groups in pre-state and early state societies in Mesopotamia and Anatolia.

Social situation and environment of the legal “left” opposition in the modern Russia (on the material of political parties)

The purpose of this study is to determine the social status and environment of the counter-elite groups of the legal left opposition, represented by such political parties as the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia. The study is based on the relationship between social reality and ideology. The latter is not only a cover or justification by certain social groups of their momentary interests (private ideology), but also a reflection of the social position they occupy (total ideology). Some elements of self-positioning of the left legal elite, its social position and environment, attitude to the socio-economic formation existing in modern Russia, as well as a number of other nuances of the social structure of the Russian Federation are determined. In particular, it was established that Party representatives are not associated with the business elite; the desire to increase the number of supporters of left-wing parties should explain the refusal to focus on any particular social class and the active use of national identity (primarily Russians) in their ideological self-positioning; the circle of social contacts of the leaders of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and “Fair Russia” is limited to groups of the bureaucratic and economic elite, as well as the sub-elite “expert” community (they do not enter into direct social contacts with other social groups); the social position of representatives of the two parties of the legal left opposition is generally similar.