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Biomedical subjects

T Theorell

Publications and source records attributed to T Theorell.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Shift work and cardiovascular disease.

This paper reviews a number of studies which have presented results on the association between shift work and cardiovascular disease. It is suggested that many of the early studies suffer from methodological flaws which render them difficult to interpret. In studies in which incidence of disease has been computed and related to exposure to shift work, the results indicate a higher risk for cardiovascular disease among shift workers as compared to day workers. The evidence cannot yet, however, be considered conclusive.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1984

On the interplay between socioeconomic factors, personality and work environment in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.

This article summarizes some of the major findings in research on associations between psychosocial factors and cardiovascular illness. Methodological difficulties are discussed. Findings from some of the authors' own studies serve as illustrations. It is emphasized that an interplay between environmental and individual factors is of great importance. Personality factors relevant to the risk of cardiovascular illness may distort individual descriptions of the work environment. Cardiovascular risk factors such as cigarette smoking and repeated blood pressure elevations may be influenced by psychosocial factors. Lack of intellectual discretion at work, particularly if combined with excessive demands, may increase the risk of cardiovascular illness.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Life events and elevated blood pressure in young men.

The study group was recruited from a population of 18-yr-old men who were subjected to blood pressure screening. Subjects with blood pressure elevation from this group were compared with two samples from the same population, one normotensive and one hypotensive, with regard to self-reported life events. A detailed interview regarding life events during the total life span revealed no significant differences in total mean number of events between the groups. However, there were significant differences with regard to reports of positive life events. More positive events were reported during the later years in the hypotensive group. An analysis of particular events related to separation from family revealed no instances of reported divorce in the families of the hypertensive subjects in contrast to two divorces in the normotensive and four in the hypotensive families. The hypertensive group was divided into two subgroups, those who during an interview session showed consistent vasoconstriction--with more sustained and severe blood pressure elevation--and those who did not--with a less stable blood pressure elevation. These subgroups differed as to mean number of life events and life events perceived as negative. As a parallel to the findings in the main groups, the subgroup with more sustained blood pressure elevation had the smallest number of reported events. The psychosocial differences between the subgroups within the hypertensive group found in the present study is a further indication to the existence of different psychosomatic mechanisms operating.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Psychological, sociological and health behaviour aspects of a long term activation programme for institutionalized elderly people.

The present study deals with psychological, sociological and subjective health aspects of social isolation and understimulation in institutional elderly people. In a controlled study over a 6 month period, A programme was devised in collaboration with residents of a senior citizens apartment building and its staff. The aim of the programme was to increase social activation and to encourage among the elderly an enhanced control over their daily lives. It was agreed that the programme implemented should involve no extra costs, overtime work or external resources. Most psychological and sociological variables were stable over the 6 month period. However, social activity level increased 3-fold in the Experimental group compared with the Control group. The E-group also started to attend activities outside the actual programme, and in general spent more time out of doors. Seasonal variations were found in feelings of depression, visits to the country/summer houses, as well as visits by children and neighbours. There were no changes in psychosomatic or psychological complaints indices. However, feelings of restlessness decreased significantly in the E-group over the 6 month period compared with the C-group. There was also a non significant decrease over time in complaints of heart palpitations in the E-group.

Affective Symptoms↗
PubMed1983

Job characteristics of occupations and myocardial infarction risk:effect of possible confounding factors.

In this paper some previously found associations between psychosocial occupational characteristics and myocardial infarction (MI) risk are scrutinized regarding confounding effects. Standardized occupational characteristics were obtained for 118 occupational groups by means of a nation wide interview survey (3876 men). Possible confounding factors available were smoking, low level of education, high proportion of immigrants (mainly of Finnish origin) and heavy lifting. The standardized characteristics were utilized in a case-control study of 1216 men 40-64 years of age, living in the Stockholm County. It was concluded that occupations characterized by both high demand and at the same time small possibility of control or growth ('strain') are associated with an elevated MI risk regardless of the confounding factors. Taking each of the confounding factors into account the risk of developing MI for men aged 40-54 years employed in these strenuous occupations is about twice as high as for those employed in other occupations.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

An experimental study of social isolation of elderly people: psychoendocrine and metabolic effects.

Psychoendocrine and metabolic effects of social isolation and understimulation in real life were examined in a controlled study of 60 elderly people representative of their age group. Together with the staff and the elderly, a social activation program was formed at a senior citizen apartment building. Half of the elderly were part of this activation program (experimental group). The other half constituted the control group. Blood sampling and psychosocial testing were performed immediately before and after 3 and 6 months of social activation. Social activation increased threefold in the experimental group. Height decreased in the control group compared to the experimental subjects. Plasma levels of testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and estradiol increased significantly in the experimental group over the 6-month period compared to the control group. The most pronounced increase took place during the initial 3 months. Hemoglobin A1c decreased significantly in the experimental group over the 6-month period compared to the control group. In this preliminary study it is concluded that social isolation and understimulation may be associated with a wide range of psychophysiologic effects in elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Myocardial infarction risk and psychosocial work environment: an analysis of the male Swedish working force.

The project was designed to test the assumption that certain psychosocial characteristics of occupational groups are associated with elevated myocardial infarction risk. All cases of myocardial infarction below the age of 65 in men living in the region of greater Stockholm during the years 1974-1976 were identified (deaths as well as survivals) in the official registries of hospitalizations and deaths. For each case two controls without infarction (in younger ages four) matched for age, area of residence and sex were selected randomly from the parish registries. For each case and control (n = 334 and 882, respectively) information was available regarding occupation. The psychosocial characteristics of each one of the 118 occupations were recorded by means of a nation wide interview survey (3876 working men) in 1977. Relative age-adjusted risks of developing a myocardial infarction were calculated for occupations in which many vs occupations in which few subjects reported a given characteristic (50% with most vs 50% with least). Shift work and monotony were associated with significant excess risk. Hectic work was not associated with excess risk by itself but in combination with variables associated with low decision latitude and/or few possibilities for growth it was associated with significant excess risk.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Blood pressure variations across areas in the greater Stockholm region: analysis of 74,000 18-year-old men.

74,000 18-year-old men who went through the medical examination for the military draft procedure in the greater Stockholm region during the years 1969-1978 were divided into 63 areas of residence. Means of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, as well as heart rate, height, muscle strength and reasoning test results varied significantly across areas. In a univariate analysis, significant correlations were found between high average systolic blood pressure in an area on one hand and low median income and high proportion of subjects on social welfare in the area on the other hand. In a multivariate analysis these associations were partly explained by a tendency of areas with relatively poor socioeconomic conditions to have high average relative weight, high mean muscle strength and poor average reasoning test results. All of these variables were associated with high average systolic blood pressure. The findings are discussed in relation to ecological mechanisms. Somatic and psychological development during childhood is associated with educational environment at school and leisure activities. Areas with poor socioeconomic conditions and high average systolic blood pressure were those which tended to have high rates of migration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Social activation of the elderly. A social experiment.

Social isolation and understimulation are considered to be major problems among institutionalized aged. This article describes an 'activation' program for elderly people living in a senior citizen apartment building. The intention of the research team was to devise a program together with the elderly and the staff, the goals being to increase social activation and self-dependence among the elderly. The program devised was implemented within the apartment's existing financial framework, involving no additional costs, overtime work or external resources. The program was designed in such a way as to allow for measurement of social activation in both the experimental and control groups. This report focuses primarily on the problems which arose in the personnel group in conjunction with the program. Evaluation of these problems was carried out by means of tape-recorded personnel meetings. This paper presents the analysis of these recordings. It was of major importance to the program that any organizational changes be enacted only on the initiative of the elderly and the staff themselves. The results show that it is possible, with relatively simple and inexpensive methods, to stimulate the elderly's interests and counteract social isolation and understimulation.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

The influence of aging on hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was used as a marker of transient increases in plasma glucose over the preceding 8 to 12 weeks in 48 nondiabetics between the ages of 50 and 89 years. A major finding is the lack of any significant differences in fasting plasma glucose with age, whereas HbA1c differed significantly between the age groups 50 to 69, 70 to 79, and 80 to 89 years. The lowest values, 6.9 +/- .48%, were found among the youngest age group, whereas the highest, 8.62 +/- .28%, were found in those 80 to 89 years of age.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Incidence of myocardial infarction among male Finnish immigrants in relation to length of stay in Sweden.

In Finland, the incidence of coronary heart disease is reported to be about twice as high as in the neighbouring country of Sweden. The aim of this study was to find out what happens to this excess risk among Finnish immigrants to Sweden. A geographically defined population in Stockholm County was followed up in the in-patient care registry and the cause-of-death registry in order to find cases for a case-control study. All episodes of myocardial infarction (ICD numbers 410.00 and 410.99) that had occurred in men born between 1911 and 1935 during the period 1974-76 were recorded. An age-matched control group was randomly selected from the population. By means of the civil registration system it was possible to identify country of birth and length of stay in Sweden. Of the 356 cases, 32 (9%) had been born in Finland compared with 55 (6%) of the 887 controls. The overall relative risk for the Finnish immigrants compared with native Swedes was 1.7. For the group of Finnish immigrants who had been in Sweden for 20 years or more the relative risk was 1.3. It was concluded that since the relative risk decreases during the stay in Sweden the environmental factors dominate the explanation of the difference in the relative risk of developing myocardial infarction between Finland and Sweden.

Age Factors↗