Twelve-hour shifts are a popular alternative to 8-h shifts as many consider these shift arrangements superior in terms of facilitating a better social and family life. This view is largely based on anecdotal evidence, however as few studies have examined longitudinal relations between work/non-work conflict and shift length. Using self-report data from 137 machine operators, this study examined...

This study is an assessment of a programme of physical activity for the elderly. The programme offers to residents of retirement homes several physical activities designed to avoid falls, and light gym regimes. The programme is evaluated using a randomised controlled trial protocol in around 30 retirement homes in Europe. The results show a clear reduction in falls and a significant improvement...

This paper presents a positive philosophy of life developed to support and inspire patients to take more responsibility for their own lives and to draw more efficiently on their known or hidden resources. The idea is that everybody can become wiser, use themselves better, and thus improve quality of life, subjective health, and the ability to function. To be responsible means to see yourself as...

BACKGROUND Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important determinant of population health. Explanatory approaches on how SES determines health have so far included numerous factors, amongst them psychosocial factors such as social relationships. However, it is unclear whether social relationships can help explain socioeconomic differences in general subjective health. Do different aspects of socia...

STUDY OBJECTIVE To report the distribution of various sleep parameters in a population-based study. DESIGN Population-based cross-sectional study with self-administered questionnaires. SETTING Conducted as part of the Hordaland Health Study '97-'99 in collaboration with the Norwegian National Health Screening Service. PARTICIPANTS 8860 subjects, aged 40 to 45 years, answered the sleep que...

BACKGROUND Bullying is a widespread and serious problem that might influence both mental and psychical well being as well as school performance and social life. The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of bullying, mental health problems and psychical complaints among 10th and 12th grade students and to analyze the association between bullying, mental health problems and muscle and ...

The use of the term "quality of life" to encompass the values and perceptions of patients has created doubt, confusion, and misunderstanding among practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and patients. The principal reason for this state of affairs is that a clear conceptual basis for quality-of-life measures is lacking. In this article, the current rationale for quality-of-life measurement in...

PURPOSE This study assessed self-reported pain in the oldest old and examined its changes over time and in relation to other measures of health and functioning. DESIGN AND METHODS A population-based sample of the oldest old (86-92 years of age) residing in Sweden who were participating in a multiwave longitudinal investigation were interviewed about their experience of pain, as well as other ...

Asthma is a common but neglected problem in older people, the impact of which is relatively unstudied. The aim of this study was to objectively assess quality of life and depression in older asthmatics. The subjects studied were 50 hospitalized known asthmatics, over 55 yrs of age (mean age 72 yrs). Of these, 40 had objective evidence of asthma, and were compared to 40 age- and sex-matched cont...

BACKGROUND A specific and still poorly investigated issue in the field of infertility is represented by the impact that the need for IVF techniques may have on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS A total of 1000 consecutive couples (1000 women and 1000 men) were invited to complete the Health Survey Short Form (SF-36) questionnaire separately, prior to initiating their first IVF a...