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Race, employment, and spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVES: To examine issues of employment and race for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI), by assessing the type of work that was being done before and after injury and by placing this in the context of patterns for the general population. DESIGN: Retrospective, cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Centers funded as part of the federally sponsored Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems (MSCIS) Project. PARTICIPANTS: Two samples: 5925 African Americans and whites with SCI who are part of the MSCIS and a subset of 577 people with SCI. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic information, occupational status, employment rate, job census codes, Craig Hospital Assessment and Reporting Technique-Short Form, and Satisfaction With Life Scale. RESULTS: Racial disparities were found in employment rates before injury and at 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years after SCI. Differences were also found in the types of jobs that were held before SCI with patterns for participants similar to those of African Americans and whites in the general population. No differences were found in the types of jobs held by African Americans and whites with SCI at 1 year after injury. After injury, African Americans had lower economic self-sufficiency scores, regardless of employment status, and lower social integration scores among those who were not employed. CONCLUSIONS: Racial disparities found in employment patterns among persons with SCI mirrored patterns among the general population.

Adult↗

The validity of self-reported use of health care across socioeconomic strata: a comparison of survey and registration data.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic differences in health and in use of health care are well known. Most data on socioeconomic differences in health care utilization are based on retrospective self-report in community surveys, but the evidence on the validity of self-reported utilization of health care across socioeconomic groups is limited. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of self-reported utilization of health care across socioeconomic groups in the general population. METHODS: We compared the concordance of self-reported and registered hospitalization (one year, n = 1277), and utilization of physiotherapy (one year, n = 1302) and use of prescription drugs (3 months, n = 899), by socioeconomic group (educational level, income, occupational status). Data came from a face-to-face health interview survey in Amsterdam and a health insurance register, and were limited to native Dutch and lower and middle income groups. RESULTS: Concordance between reported and registered utilization was generally good to excellent; kappas (agreement adjusted for chance agreement) and percentage accurately reporting ranged from 0.60 and 80% (drugs) to 0.80 and 96% (hospitalization). They differed little, and without statistical significance, between people of low socioeconomic status and others. Assessment of socioeconomic groups in more detail yields somewhat more variation, but no systematic trend in concordance by higher socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: Self-report offers a reasonably valid estimate of differences in utilization of health care between socioeconomic groups in the general population, at least for lower and middle income groups.

Drug Utilization↗

The influence of selected variables on the experience of menstrual distress in alcoholic and nonalcoholic women.

Studies indicate that some alcoholic women relate their drinking to their menstrual cycle. Studies also indicate that the menses can serve as a situational stressor for certain alcoholic women. A study of 100 alcoholic and 100 nonalcoholic women was designed to investigate factors that influence menstrual distress. The factors of age, education, income, occupational status, and menstrual distress were investigated. None of the predictor variables accounted for significant amounts of variance in the criterion variable (menstrual distress). Alcoholic women were found to have a higher degree of menstrual distress than nonalcoholic women. The relationship of race to menstrual distress deserves further investigation. Nursing implications are presented.

Adolescent↗

Relationship of self-concept and social desirability tendency of Hong Kong Chinese adults with physical disabilities.

A study was performed to investigate the relationship of scores on self-concept and social desirability of 214 Hong Kong Chinese adults with physical disabilities. No significant correlations were found between self-concept and social desirability; however, their social desirability scores were significantly related to their age, education, and occupational status.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Coping with the late effects: differences between depressed and nondepressed polio survivors.

This study examined differences between depressed and nondepressed individuals with a history of paralytic poliomyelitis in terms of demographics, health status and coping strategies. The prevalence of distress and depression in this group of 116 polio survivors was determined. Subjects completed the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Coping with Disability Inventory and a questionnaire concerning their polio histories and self-perceptions of health. Medical assessments were performed by physicians. Only 15.8% of the sample had scores indicating depression and elevated distress. Depressed/distressed polio survivors were more likely to: be living alone, be experiencing further health status deterioration, seek professional help, view their health as poor, report greater pain, be less satisfied with their occupational status and their lives in general and exhibit poorer coping outcome behaviors in relation to their disability. Three factors in coping with the late effects of polio were identified through a factor analysis of the Coping with Disability Inventory: positive self-acceptance, information seeking/sharing about the disability and social activism. Differences between depressed/distressed and other polio survivors were found across these three factors, with depressed/distressed subjects having significantly lower coping scores. These and other results are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Reanalysis of the Harvard Six Cities Study, part II: sensitivity analysis.

Following the validation and replication of the Harvard Six Cities Study (Krewski et al., this issue), we conducted a wide range of sensitivity analyses to explore the observed associations between long-term exposure to fine particle or sulfate air pollution and mortality. We examined the impact of alternative risk models on estimates of risk, taking into account covariates not included in the original analyses. These risk models provided a basis for identifying covariates that may confound or modify the association between fine particle or sulfate air pollution and mortality, and for identifying sensitive population subgroups. The possibility of confounding due to occupational exposures was also investigated. Residence histories were coded for the study subjects and were used to examine temporal patterns of exposure and risk. Our sensitivity analyses showed the mortality risk estimates for fine particle and sulfate air pollution to be highly robust against alternative risk models of the Cox proportional hazards family, including models with additional covariates from the original questionnaires not included in the original published analyses. There was limited evidence of departures from the proportional hazards assumption. Flexible exposure-response models provided some evidence of departures from linearity at both low and high sulfate concentrations. Incorporating information on changes over time in cigarette smoking and body mass index had little effect on the association between fine particles and mortality. There was limited evidence of variation in risk with attained age, gender, smoking status, occupational exposure to dust and fumes, marital status, heart or lung diseases, or lung function. However, air pollution risk did appear to decreasing with increasing educational attainment. Extensive adjustment for occupation using aggregate indices of occupational "dirtiness" and occupational exposure to known lung carcinogens had little impact on the mortality risks associated with particulate air pollution. Our evaluation of population mobility indicated that relatively few subjects moved from their original city of residence. Attempts to identify critical exposure time windows were limited by the lack of marked interindividual variation in temporal exposure patterns throughout the study period. Overall, this extensive sensitivity analysis both supported the conclusions reached by the original investigators and demonstrated the robustness of these conclusions to alternative analytic approaches.

Age Factors↗

Race and sex differences in age-related hearing loss: the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for hearing loss in a sample of 2,052 older adults (aged 73-84; 46.9% male, 37.3% black) enrolled in the Health, Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of a longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Memphis, Tennessee, areas. PARTICIPANTS: Random sample of Medicare beneficiary subjects enrolled in the Health ABC program from 1997 to 1998. They included 2,052 individuals: 660 white men (32.2%), 631 white women (30.8%), 310 black men (15.1%), and 451 black women (22.0%). Participants ranged in age from 73 to 84, with a mean age of 77.5. MEASUREMENTS: Hearing sensitivity was measured using pure-tone threshold testing. Hearing loss was defined based on two averages of hearing thresholds: 500, 1,000, and 2,000 Hz greater than 25-decibel (dB) hearing level (HL) (hearing loss); and 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 Hz greater than 40-dB HL (high-frequency hearing loss). Potential hearing loss correlates, including demographics, medical history, ototoxic medication use, occupational noise exposure, and lifestyle factors, were collected via questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of hearing loss was 59.9%; the prevalence of high-frequency hearing loss was 76.9%. Hearing loss was most common in white men, followed by white women, black men, and black women. Older age, white race, diabetes mellitus, cerebrovascular disease, smoking, poorer cognitive status, occupational noise exposure, and ear surgery were associated with hearing loss after multivariable adjustment. Race- and sex-specific risk factors included higher blood pressure and occupational noise exposure (white men), poorer cognitive status and smoking (black women), and low total hip bone mineral density (black men). Possible protective factors included salicylate use (overall sample, black men) and moderate alcohol intake (black women). CONCLUSION: Hearing loss was extremely common in this population. Because many of the identified hearing loss risk factors are modifiable, some of the burden associated with hearing loss in older people should be preventable.

Aged↗

Longitudinal relationships among overweight, life satisfaction, and aspirations in young women.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated associations of overweight status and changes in overweight status over time with life satisfaction and future aspirations among a community sample of young women. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A total of 7865 young women, initially 18 to 23 years of age, completed two surveys that were 4 years apart. These women provided data on their future life aspirations in the areas of further education, work/career, marital status, and children, as well as their satisfaction with achievements to date in a number of life domains. Women reported their height and weight and their sociodemographic characteristics, including current socioeconomic status (occupation). RESULTS: Young women's aspirations were cross-sectionally related to BMI category, such that obese women were less likely to aspire to further education, although this relationship seemed explained largely by current occupation. Even after adjusting for current occupation, young women who were obese were more dissatisfied with work/career/study, family relationships, partner relationships, and social activities. Weight status was also longitudinally associated with aspirations and life satisfaction. Women who were overweight or obese at both surveys were more likely than other women to aspire to "other" types of employment (including self-employed and unpaid work in the home) as opposed to full-time employment. They were also less likely to be satisfied with study or partner relationships. Women who resolved their overweight/obesity status were more likely to aspire to being childless than other women. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that being overweight/obese may have a lasting effect on young women's life satisfaction and their future life aspirations.

Adolescent↗

Place, race and differential occupational opportunities.

A large body of literature investigating the link between black percentage in the community and occupational differentiation, has found disparities to be greater in places where blacks are in a higher proportion. The present paper discusses first, theoretical perspectives and methodological techniques employed in past research; second, examines the issue in terms of the relative odds of the races for incumbency in a series of occupational groupings; and third, analyzes the effect of percentage black on race-linked occupational differentiation across 124 major American cities. Using log-linear procedures, blacks, relative to whites, are much more likely to be in unskilled and semiskilled manual occupations, while whites, relative to blacks, are far more likely to be in white-collar and upper-status positions. Moreover, blacks' denial of access to higher-status positions, their channeling to lower-status work, and their ability to overflow into specific intermediate-status occupations are found to be greatly influenced both by percentage black as well as other community characteristics. The findings are discussed in light of sociological theories suggesting that the issue cannot be understood solely by the competition hypothesis. One must also consider the overflow and queuing explanations.

Black or African American↗

Social inequalities in health: next questions and converging evidence.

Mortality studies show that social inequalities in health include, but are not confined to, worse health among the poor. There is a social gradient: mortality rises with decreasing socio-economic status. Three large sample studies, one British and two American, brought together for their complementarity in samples, measures, and design, all show similar social gradients for adult men and women in physical and mental morbidity and in psychological well-being. These gradients are observed both with educational and occupational status and are not explained by parents' social status or lack of an intact family during childhood. They are also not accounted for by intelligence measured in school. This suggests that indirect selection cannot account for inequalities in health. Possible mediators that link social position to physical and mental health include smoking and features of psycho-social environment at work and outside.

Adult↗

Incidence of utilization of public mental health facilities as a function of short-term economic decline.

Analysis of the incidence of utilization of public mental health facilities during a 6-year time span yielded a significant relationship between lower occupational status and utilization of inpatient facilities. Further analysis revealed a significant relationship between education and utilization of outpatient facilities. Both of the findings held for 6 to 9 months after the beginning of economic decline.

Adult↗

Intelligence and behaviour and motor vehicle accident mortality.

Risk factors for mortality from motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were examined in all Australian former National Service conscripts of the Vietnam conflict era, by comparing all those who had died from MVAs since the end of their basic training up until 1982 with a random sample of survivors, using data available from service records. Decedents were in their third and fourth decades. Risk of mortality was higher for men with lower scores on the army intelligence test, with poorer education, with lower preenlistment occupational status, with a history of juvenile offenses before army enlistment, and who went absent without leave (AWOL) during National Service. These factors were modelled using logistic regression, which showed that intelligence plus either lower levels of education or a history of offenses before army service were the most important of these factors in predicting mortality in MVAs.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Careers and mortality in France: evidence on how far occupational mobility predicts differentiated risks.

This new study goes beyond the well-established correlation between mortality differentials and occupational status, to focus on the impact of professional careers on mortality risk. It shows heterogeneity in the mortality risks within occupational classes, strongly related to the type of occupational moves experienced. The occupational data are taken from the French longitudinal census sample-using 1968 and 1975 census records-and mortality risks are estimated over the 1975-1980 period, for both occupational classes and pathways between classes. Results show a close relationship between occupational mobility and mortality. For men, favorable occupational moves-e.g. from clerks to upper class-put them less at risk of mortality than their counterparts who remained in their class. An inverse relationship is found for unfavorable moves. In most cases, the mortality risks of the movers are in between the risks in the class left and in the class joined. Similar patterns apply to specific groups of women only (upper classes, manual workers, clerks) for which occupational moves are probably driven, as for most men, by mortality related determinants (level of education, qualifications, health, etc.). The findings strongly support the use of a dynamic approach, based on individuals' experiences, to improve our understanding of mortality differentials.

Age Factors↗

Socioeconomic status and the prevalence of clinical gallbladder disease.

The prevalence of clinical gallbladder disease was determined in a cross-sectional survey of Mexican Americans and non-Hispanic whites. The study population was randomly selected from three urban neighborhoods representing different socioeconomic strata. Gallbladder disease was defined as a history of cholecystectomy, or of stones on cholecystography. Mexican American women had an age-standardized prevalence of 16.9%, vs 8.7% for non-Hispanic whites (p less than 0.0001). Prevalences in men were 4.2 and 3.4%, respectively. The ethnic differences in women persisted after stratification by age, parity, and body mass index. Gallbladder disease prevalence was inversely related to four measures of socioeconomic status. After controlling for age, obesity, parity, and ethnicity, the prevalence in women was inversely related to levels of education, income, occupational status, and neighborhood. These socioeconomic differences, if not the result of detection bias, suggest that environmental factors may play a role in gallstone pathogenesis. Identification of such factors may lead to the development of preventive strategies.

Adult↗

Managing eating disorders in the natural environment: intensive vs. limited programs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate stratified management of care for eating disorders in community services using a personalized program (2-20 hours weekly) delivered in a therapeutic center by a multidisciplinary team, or in the patients' natural environment by clinical mentors. METHOD: Sixty females with anorexia nervosa and 63 with bulimia nervosa attended the program voluntarily. Symptoms and global outcome were assessed using the Anorexic Outcome Scale. RESULTS: At termination of treatment, 66% of the anorexics and 78% of the bulimics were in fully recovered or good condition. At four-year follow-up, 68% of the treated anorexic patients and 73% of the treated bulimic patients were categorized as fully recovered or in good condition. The improvement in social functioning and occupation status was greater among subjects treated in the extensive, compared with limited, programs. All patients who completed the program had regular occupations. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed treatment model addresses the heterogeneous needs of patients with eating disorders and, at the same time, allows them to stay in the community. It can serve as an alternative to hospitalization whenever patients are able and willing to cooperate with their treatment, and their medical condition allows for ambulatory treatment.

Adult↗

The occupational integration of former Soviet physicians in Israel.

This paper reports the findings of a five-year, three-stage study of the occupational status persistence of 333 physicians who immigrated to Israel from the former Soviet Union in 1990. The first data collection, by way of a structured questionnaire in Russian, was undertaken in 1991, during their participation in preparatory courses for the medical licensure examination. The second and third stages of data collection were undertaken by mail in 1993 and 1995. Data are presented regarding the influence of gender and age on employment status and on the relationship between employment status and psycho-social well-being, including work and general satisfaction, self-esteem, mood, health and overall adaptation, at both stages. The dynamics of occupational integration are investigated by looking at the effects of occupational stability vs occupational change between stage 2 and stage 3 on the psycho social outcome variables. After three years in Israel, men were more likely to be working as physicians than women, and women were more likely to be unemployed. However, after five years, women were equally likely to have found work in their profession, albeit in lower status positions. Younger respondents were more successful than older respondents in passing the licensure examination, finding work in their profession, and entering residency programs. The gap between them did not close between stage 2 and stage 3. At both stage 2 and stage 3, those working as physicians had significantly more positive well-being scores than those not working as physicians. All occupational groups had more positive scores at stage 3 than at stage 2, except for those who were working in non-medically related jobs. The greatest improvement in psycho-social well-being was among those who became physicians between stage 2 and stage 3, compared to those who were not physicians at either stage and those who were physicians at both stages.

Adult↗

[Social inequality in myocardial infarct and stroke in West Germany].

It is examined to which extent social inequalities exist in West-Germany (old federal states) regarding myocardial infarction and stroke in the general population. Databases were the regional and national health surveys which were conducted in the framework of the German Cardiovascular Prevention Study (GCP) from 1984 to 1991. 12.445 males and 13,335 females aged 40-69 years were included in this analysis. The assessment of myocardial infarction and stroke was done by a self administered questionnaire. 648 (5.2%) males and 252 (1.9%) females reported a myocardial infarction. 209 (1.7%) males and 143 (1.1%) females reported a stroke. Social class was measured using an additive index comprising the dimensions income, occupational status and education. For both genders it was found that the prevalence of myocardial infarction and stroke increased significantly with decreasing social class. This association remained significant also under control for age and the cardiovascular disease risk factors cigarette smoking, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and overweight. The results clearly demonstrate that in West-Germany--as was shown already for many other western industrialized nations--social factors independently from the classical risk factors have a significant effect on the incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke.

Adult↗

Role selection by nurses: managerial interests and personal attributes.

The relationship between interest in management roles and personality, demographic, and career background characteristics of 122 female nurses was investigated. The study tested the proposition that women in nursing seek roles within the profession that permit the expression of their personalities. The subjects, first-quarter master's degree students, were classified into management or non-management groups, based upon their scores on the business management scale of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII). Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for unequal N's showed significant group differences on seven of the 11 scales of the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI). Findings indicated that those who exhibited managerial interests were more practical-minded, sociable, conforming, dominant, expressive, and had more occupational interests than those who did not demonstrate such interest. Women lacking managerial interests showed a greater preference for "feminine," low-status occupations. No significant group differences were found on any of the 19 demographic and career background variables.

Administrative Personnel↗