Millennials and the World of Work: Experiences in Paid Work During Adolescence

Age at job initiation and risk of coronary heart disease: findings from the UK biobank cohort study

BACKGROUND

Commencing work at an early age has been linked to various risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), such as shift work and intensive job strain. However, the relationship between starting work too early and CHD risk remains largely unclear. We examined the association between age at job initiation and the risk of CHD.

METHODS

UK Biobank participants aged 38 to 70 years without cardiovascular disease who provided data on their age at job initiation were included. The primary outcome was CHD, which was ascertained using hospital and death records. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CIs) for the association between age at job initiation and CHD were calculated using multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS

Of the 501,971 participants, 114,418 eligible participants were included in the final analysis. The median age at job initiation was 19.0 years. During the mean follow-up of 12.6 years, 6,130 (5.4%) first CHD events occurred. We observed that age at job initiation was inversely associated with CHD (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99), and the association was potentially J-shaped. The HRs for the < 17-year, 17-18-year, and 19-21-year age groups were 1.29 (95%CI 1.18-1.41), 1.12 (95% CI 1.03-1.22) and 1.05 (95% CI 0.97-1.14), respectively, compared with those of the ≥ 22-year group.

CONCLUSIONS

Age at job initiation was associated with incident CHD, which was independent of socioeconomic status. Participants who commenced employment before the age of 19 years exhibited a higher risk of developing CHD later in adulthood.

Comparative Evaluation of 2 Work Experience Approaches for Predominantly Black Youth in a Rural Community: Implications for Public Health Workforce Development

CONTEXT

In order to create a more diverse workforce, there is a need to involve historically excluded youth in public health-related work. Youth involvement in asset-based work experience approaches is especially relevant for rural areas with workforce shortages.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the public health workforce development implications of community-based career exploration and asset mapping work experience from the perspective of Black youth.

DESIGN

We used qualitative in-depth interviews with youth, aged 14 to 22 years, who participated in a work experience program anchored in several rural counties in southeastern United States. A phenomenological lens was applied for qualitative analyses with iterative, team-based data coding. Participants were also surveyed pre- and postprogram to supplement findings.

PROGRAM

A rural community-based organization's work experience program consisted of 2 tracks: (1) Youth Connect-a career exploration track that included work placement within community agencies; and (2) MAPSCorps-a track that employs youth to conduct asset mapping for their community.

RESULTS

We interviewed 28 of 31 total participants in the 2 tracks. We uncovered 4 emergent profiles in how youth described shifts in their perceptions of community: (1) Skill Developers; (2) Community Questioners; (3) Community Observers; and (4) Community Enthusiasts. In comparing between tracks, youth who participated in work experience that involved asset mapping uniquely described increased observation and expanded view of community resources and had greater increases in research self-efficacy than youth who participated only in career exploration.

CONCLUSION

Asset mapping work experience that is directly placed in rural communities can expose Black youth to and engage them in essential public health services (assessing and mobilizing community assets) that impact their community. This type of program, directly integrated into rural communities rather than placed near academic centers, could play a role in creating a more diverse public health workforce.

Examining Job Attribute Preferences Across Three Generational Cohorts

This study examines whether job attribute preferences differ across three generational cohorts (i.e., cohorts of undergraduate students from 1995, 2004, and 2013). In 2013, we surveyed undergraduate students from several U.S. universities. We also obtained archival results from surveys administered to undergraduate students in 1995 and 2004. We found that salary/benefits, career advancement, and flexible work policies become more important across all three generational cohorts, whereas gender/racial equality increased in importance only from 2004 to 2013. Leadership showed no net gain from the 1995 to 2013 cohorts. Although most job attributes increased in importance, they largely have the same relative importance. Therefore, organizations should pause before making wholesale changes to workplace incentives and practices to cater to the new generation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to include U.S. millennial college students in the comparison of job attribute preferences across generations.

An Explorative Study on the Relationship between Learning Opportunities at School and at Work and Adolescents' Mental Health

Based on the Job Demands-Resources model, this study examined the association of learning opportunities of adolescents at school and work with their mental health, operationalized in terms of life satisfaction and depression. Intrinsic motivation at school and at work were studied as potential mediators. Within a representative sample of adolescents (n = 474), the results supported within domain relationships in the sense that learning opportunities at school and at work were positively related to intrinsic motivation at school and at work, respectively, which in turn were related to higher levels of life satisfaction and lower levels of depression. Cross-domain relationships were not significant, except for a negative relationship between learning opportunities at work and intrinsic motivation at school, suggesting that having a good job can pull students away from school.

Short-Term Effectiveness of Job Search Skills Training: Comparisons by Summer Work Experience Participation

We utilized a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test design to assess the effects of job search skills training on job search knowledge, job search behavior, job search behavior self-efficacy, and job search outcomes self-efficacy. We also examined differences in outcomes based on participation in a vocational rehabilitation agency-sponsored summer work experience (SWE) program. Participants were 92 youth with visual impairments, ages 15 to 22 years, from three U.S. states. The intervention was an intensive job search skills training program involving 35 to 40 hr of content; 42 youth also participated in an SWE program for approximately 6 weeks. Intervention group participants significantly improved in job search knowledge, job search behavior, and job search behavior self-efficacy in contrast to comparison group participants, but results for job search outcomes self-efficacy did not differentiate the two groups. SWE participation by itself was related to increases in both self-efficacy measures, and participation in the intervention plus the SWE was related to larger increases in job search behavior self-efficacy. Results indicate that job search skills training and SWE programs may have differential effects on short-term outcomes. Rather than finding jobs for youth, practitioners could foster youths’ competence, confidence, and preparation for the future by teaching job search skills and encouraging independent job-seeking.

Psychosocial maladjustment arising from workplace sexual behavior directed at adolescent workers

Objective: The objective of the current study was to examine psychosocial maladjustment related to adolescents' appraisals of workplace sexual behavior. Method: High school aged adolescents with formal work experience completed a survey containing a battery of scales. Results: Descriptive statistics addressing frequency of exposure showed that 45% of adolescent men reported at least one incident of sexual behavior directed at them personally, and 24% of adolescent women reported the same. Results further indicated that adolescent men reporting a positive experience after being targeted by direct sexual behavior at work also showed signs of internal maladjustment, such as depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Gender role strain model, which suggests that the male adolescents experienced trauma when conforming to hyper-masculine norms that call for acceptance of sexual behavior, was offered to explain why male adolescents differed from female adolescents in associations between sexual behavior appraisal and maladjustment.

The Public's Perception of Interventions for Migraine Headache Disorders: A Crowdsourcing Population-Based Study

Background

Migraine disorders are a leading cause of morbidity and decreased economic productivity in the United States among both men and women. As such, it is important to consider patient opinions, and have an accurate representation of the burden and sentiment toward currently available interventions among those suffering from migraines.

Objectives

The aim of the study was to assess patient options regarding adverse outcomes of the various treatment options available for migraine headaches.

Methods

A prospective cross-sectional study of volunteers recruited through an internet crowdsourcing service, Amazon Mechanical Turk©, was conducted. Surveys were administered to collect patient-reported opinions regarding adverse outcomes of both surgical and nonsurgical treatment options for migraine headaches.

Results

The prevalence of migraine headache across all study participants was 15.6% and varied slightly across participant demographics. Individuals ages 35–44 (2.73 migraines per month) experienced the fewest migraine and with the lowest severity. Those individuals ages 45+ experienced the most severe headaches (Visual Analog Scale = 44.23 mm). Additionally, the greatest migraine frequency and severity existed among those households with yearly income of $75,000–$100,000. The lowest injection therapy utility scores were obtained for adverse outcomes of hematoma (47.60 mm) and vertigo (54.40 mm).

Conclusions

Migraine headaches remains a significant problem among the US population, with an overall prevalence of 15.6% (approximately 50 million Americans). Additionally, physicians interesting in offering minimally invasive or surgical treatment for migraine headaches should focus on mitigating patient fears regarding clinical outcomes and cost of care.

Depression and Behavioral Problems Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women Employees of the Textile Industry in India

Stress and depression are common in textile industry employees due to inadequate working conditions and challenging socioeconomic conditions. The objective of the study was to assess depression and mental health among adolescent and young females currently employed in a textile factory located in Tamil Nadu compared with past employees and women who have never been employed. This cross-sectional study included a total of 107 participants in each study group who were interviewed. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire were administered to screen participants for depression and mental health. More current employees (16.82%) and past employees (15.88%) suffered from depression severe enough to require treatment compared with never employed girls and young women (2.8%). Of the study participants, 59.8% of current employees, 63.6% of past employees, and 32.7% of never employed women had mental health or behavior problems. In the regression model, history of abuse was significantly associated with depression. Participants who were current employees and reported family debt and a history of abuse were significantly more likely to have mental health or behavior problems. Mental health issues such as depression and behavior problems were more likely among adolescent girls currently employed in textile industries. Further studies into the causes of this phenomenon are needed.

Abuse of working children and influencing factors, Turkey

OBJECTIVE

The study was planned as the research of the kind/kinds of abuse and the factors influencing the abuse that the children under 18 who are working full-time at a workplace and enrolled in a vocational training center subjected to.

METHOD

Questionnaires were administered to 595 apprentices who were attending a vocational training center.

RESULTS

It was determined that totally 62.5% of the apprentices are subjected to abuse at their workplaces -21.8% physical, 53.6% emotional and 25.2% sexual-, 100% of them are subjected to physical neglect, and 28.7% of them are subjected to emotional neglect. While being subjected to abuse in the family increases all kinds of abuse; divorced parents, being male, low wage of the apprentice increase the possibility of the physical abuse at a work place; the low family income and the extended working time of the apprentice increase the possibility of sexual abuse. Working conditions and workplace characteristics, evaluated within the context of physical neglect are bad in all apprentices. In all kinds of abuse, employer abuse is higher than other people at work.

CONCLUSION

In spite of their being legally protected in theory, the children who are being employed with labor contracts can not benefit from this protection practically at their workplaces. It is seen that most apprentices are subjected to abuse and neglect. Employment of the children is an area which is open to exploitation. It is necessary to prevent the abuse of working children and workplaces should be constantly inspected. The relation between domestic abuse and workplace abuse demonstrates that families occupy the key point in the vicious circle of violence.

Adolescent Work Quality

Adolescent employment is commonly valued in the United States for its ability to promote youths’ positive psychosocial development. Empirical research, however, suggests the extent to which youth reap such benefits from work is largely a function of work’s quality. This study investigated adolescent work quality by examining the extent to which characteristics associated with positive or negative psychosocial outcomes are found in the jobs adolescents hold today. Our findings from surveys and interviews with working youth show that contemporary adolescent jobs provide at least moderate levels of the characteristics that promote positive psychosocial outcomes and some of those that promote negative outcomes. Adolescent jobs have the greatest capacity to encourage positive psychosocial development by providing opportunities for youth to be helpful and, to a lesser extent, to be around supportive others and to learn new things. Improvements in other areas of work quality are needed to maximize work’s potential to contribute positively to adolescent psychosocial development.