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Strand BH, Håberg AK, Eyjólfsdóttir HS, Kok A, Skirbekk V, Huxhold O, Løset GK, Lennartsson C, Schirmer H, Herlofson K, Veenstra M. Spousal bereavement and its effects on later life physical and cognitive capability: the Tromsø study. GeroScience 2024:10.1007/s11357-024-01150-y. [PMID: 38594472 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01150-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Spousal bereavement is associated with health declines and increased mortality risk, but its specific impact on physical and cognitive capabilities is less studied. A historical cohort study design was applied including married Tromsø study participants (N=5739) aged 50-70 years with baseline self-reported overall health and health-related factors and measured capability (grip strength, finger tapping, digit symbol coding, and short-term recall) at follow-up. Participants had data from Tromsø4 (1994-1995) and Tromsø5 (2001), or Tromsø6 (2007-2008) and Tromsø7 (2015-2016). Propensity score matching, adjusted for baseline confounders (and baseline capability in a subset), was used to investigate whether spousal bereavement was associated with poorer subsequent capability. Spousal bereavement occurred for 6.2% on average 3.7 years (SD 2.0) before the capability assessment. There were no significant bereavement effects on subsequent grip strength, immediate recall, or finger-tapping speed. Without adjustment for baseline digit symbol coding test performance, there was a negative significant effect on the digit symbol coding test (ATT -1.33; 95% confidence interval -2.57, -0.10), but when baseline digit symbol coding test performance was taken into account in a smaller subsample, using the same set of matching confounders, there was no longer any association (in the subsample ATT changed from -1.29 (95% CI -3.38, 0.80) to -0.04 (95% CI -1.83, 1.75). The results in our study suggest that spousal bereavement does not have long-term effects on the intrinsic capacity components physical or cognition capability to a notable degree.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bjørn Heine Strand
- Department for Physical Health and Aging, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway.
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
| | - Asta K Håberg
- Department for Physical Health and Aging, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Harpa Sif Eyjólfsdóttir
- Aging Research Center (ARC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre of Public Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland
- Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Almar Kok
- Department of Epidemiology & Data Science, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Public Health, Aging & Later Life Programme, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vegard Skirbekk
- Department for Physical Health and Aging, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway
- Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health, Vestfold Hospital Trust, Tønsberg, Norway
- Department of Geriatric Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Gøril Kvamme Løset
- NOVA - Norwegian Social Research, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Carin Lennartsson
- Aging Research Center (ARC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Henrik Schirmer
- Department of Clinical Medicine, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
- Department of Cardiology, Akershus, University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Katharina Herlofson
- NOVA - Norwegian Social Research, Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
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Henning G, Løset GK, Huxhold O. Personality and 10-year personality development among Norwegians in midlife-Do retirement and job type play a role? Psychol Aging 2024:2024-71462-001. [PMID: 38573705 DOI: 10.1037/pag0000814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Our personality develops over the whole lifespan and in particular when our life circumstances change. Retirement is a life event that brings changes in identity, day structures, and social roles of former workers. Therefore, it may affect personality traits such as the Big Five (neuroticism, extraversion, intellect, conscientiousness, and agreeableness). Previous studies have shown conflicting results concerning the question whether and how retirement is associated with changes in personality traits. Furthermore, there is little knowledge about the role of the job people leave behind when retiring. In the present study, we compared personality development over a 10-year period, based on two waves of a Norwegian survey, between retiring and continuously working blue-collar versus white-collar workers (n = 1,263, Mage = 56.58). Latent change score models showed that neuroticism and openness declined in the sample, but to a comparable degree in all groups. We further found differences in baseline personality traits between blue-collar workers and white-collar workers, as well as between those retiring and not retiring, implying selection into retirement by personality traits. Item level analyses showed declines in some items. We discuss theoretical and methodological implications of our results in light of previous ambiguous findings and emphasize the possible heterogeneity across retirees. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gøril Kvamme Løset
- Department of Ageing Research and Housing Studies, Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University
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Løset GK, Hellevik T, von Soest T. Basic human values and sick leave: A study combining two-wave survey data with longitudinal register data. Scand J Psychol 2022; 63:658-669. [PMID: 35799472 PMCID: PMC9796180 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
There is growing recognition that dispositional factors and social norms can predict work absence. Human values have been linked to related concepts, including work commitment and receipt of disability pension; however, there is a lack of research on whether human values are associated with sickness absence. We address this issue by combining survey data from two waves (2007, 2017) of the Norwegian Life-Course, Ageing and Generation Study (N = 1,330) with longitudinal register data on sickness absence between survey waves. Stepwise regression analyses showed that, out of Schwartz's 10 basic values, achievement was prospectively associated with higher levels of self-reported sick leave, even when controlling for a variety of potential confounders. Self-direction was also related to higher risk of self-reported sick leave in the adjusted analysis. Conservation values (security and conformity) were related to stricter attitudes toward sick leave when controlling for potential confounders, while stimulation was associated with lenient sick leave attitudes in the adjusted analysis. None of the human values were prospectively associated with longer-term register-based sick leave beyond bivariate correlations. We conclude that broad human values to some extent predict attitudes toward sick leave and self-certified sick leave where persons may vary according to which degree they consider sick leave to be necessary and appropriate, while human values do not predict long-term, physician-certified sickness absence. Future research may examine whether health- or work-specific values have greater explanatory power for sick leave, including long-term sickness absence that is typically more closely linked to more serious health problems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Tilmann von Soest
- University of Oslo and OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan UniversityOsloNorway
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Abstract
Although several studies show that personality traits are associated with absenteeism, few large-scale studies have examined these relationships prospectively, integrating survey data and register data on sickness absence. This study examines whether personality is associated with sickness absence, and whether health factors, gender, age, type of occupation and job satisfaction moderate this relationship. We combine survey data assessing the Big Five personality traits from a large sample of Norwegian employees aged 18–62 years ( N = 5017) with register data on physician-certified sickness absence up to four years after. Negative binomial regression analyses showed that extraversion was positively associated with subsequent sickness absence when controlling for several covariates, including health, work factors and previous spells of sickness absence. Neuroticism also showed significant positive associations with sick leave; however, the association diminished when accounting for previous spells of sickness absence. Moderator analyses demonstrated that age and type of occupation affected some of the associations between personality and sickness absence. The findings indicate that – in addition to general health promotion measures – specific interventions targeting individuals high in extraversion may be beneficial in reducing sick leave. How socio-demographic and work-related factors moderate the relationship between personality and sickness absence may be an interesting future research area.
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Veenstra M, Løset GK, Daatland SO. Socioeconomic Inequalities in Mortality After Age 67: The Contribution of Psychological Factors. Front Psychol 2021; 12:717959. [PMID: 34690874 PMCID: PMC8526927 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.717959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Diverging trends of longer lives and increased inequalities in age-at-death invite to updated research on late-life mortality. Earlier studies have identified health behavior, childhood, psychosocial, and material conditions as key determinants of life expectancy, but the role of psychological factors remains a topic of debate. The current study is framed in a life course developmental perspective and assesses the mediating role of secondary control strategies (subjective age) and primary control capacity (perceived control) to socioeconomic (wealth and education) inequality in mortality after age 67. Data are derived from the second wave of the Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation study (N=1,432 and age 67–85). All in all, 366 deaths were observed over a mean follow-up of 9.6years. Perceived control was measured by the Pearlin and Schooler Mastery Scale. SA was measured with proportional discrepancy scores in felt age and ideal age. Stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were conducted to analyze the relative contribution of SES (education and accumulated wealth), felt age, and ideal age discrepancies and perceived control on 11-year mortality. Findings show that lower levels of wealth and perceived control independently predict increased elderly mortality over an 11-year period. Feeling younger and smaller ideal age discrepancies are positively associated with perceived control, but do not account for additional variability in longevity among older adults. Findings add to the interdisciplinary field of socioeconomic inequalities in elderly mortality and underline the specific importance of structural conditions (wealth) and the continued importance of (perceived) primary control capacity for longevity also after age 67. Future research may assess in more detail how wealth and perceived control complement each other in contributing to healthy aging and longevity, for example, by longitudinal research including the role of significant life events in the second half of life in different welfare state contexts.
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Veenstra M, Herlofson K, Aartsen M, Hansen T, Hellevik T, Henriksen G, Løset GK, Vangen H. Cohort Profile: The Norwegian Life Course, Ageing and Generation Study (NorLAG). Int J Epidemiol 2021; 50:728-729i. [PMID: 33496326 PMCID: PMC8271209 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyaa280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Marijke Veenstra
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Katharina Herlofson
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marja Aartsen
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Thomas Hansen
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tale Hellevik
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Gøril Kvamme Løset
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Hanna Vangen
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
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Løset GK, Dale-Olsen H, Hellevik T, Mastekaasa A, von Soest T, Østbakken KM. Gender equality in sickness absence tolerance: Attitudes and norms of sickness absence are not different for men and women. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200788. [PMID: 30067801 PMCID: PMC6070205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous research offers limited understanding as to why sickness absence is higher among women than among men, but attitudes and norms have been suggested as plausible explanations of this gender gap. The purpose of the present study is to examine whether the gender gap in sickness absence reflects gender differences in sickness absence attitudes or gendered norms of sickness absence in society. The analyses are based on data from a factorial survey experiment covering 1,800 male and female employed respondents in Norway in 2016. Each participant was asked to evaluate whether sick leave would be reasonable in six unique, hypothetical sickness absence scenarios (i.e. vignettes) in which occupation, gender and reason for sick leave varied. Sick leave judgments were regressed on respondent gender and vignette gender using binary logistic regressions across three cut points. Overall, we did not find a substantial gender difference in either attitudes towards sickness absence or sickness absence norms. However, further analyses indicated more tolerant social norms of sickness absence for employees in gender-dominated occupations than for employees in gender-integrated occupations. This pattern could be a result of the type of work attributed to these occupations rather than their gender composition. Contrary to popular belief, we conclude that widely held attitudes and norms of sickness absence are unlikely to be drivers of the gender gap in sickness absence. The results can be useful for policies and interventions aimed at safeguarding gender equality in the labour market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gøril Kvamme Løset
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Centre for Welfare and Labour Research, OsloMet–Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
- * E-mail:
| | | | - Tale Hellevik
- Norwegian Social Research (NOVA), Centre for Welfare and Labour Research, OsloMet–Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Arne Mastekaasa
- Department of Sociology and Human Geography, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tilmann von Soest
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Kunst JR, Løset GK, Hosøy D, Bjorvatn B, Moen BE, Magerøy N, Pallesen S. The relationship between shift work schedules and spillover in a sample of nurses. Int J Occup Saf Ergon 2014; 20:139-47. [PMID: 24629875 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2014.11077030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to estimate spillover effects between the work and the family sphere in a sample of nurses (N = 2058). Hierarchical regression analyses investigated whether shift work schedules were associated with negative or positive spillover, both from family to work and vice versa, controlling for demographic factors, job demands and decision latitude. With daytime work as a reference group, all types of shift work (day and evening shift, night shift only and rotating 3 shift) were associated with higher negative work-to-family spillover. Night work was associated with significantly less negative family-to-work spillover. None of the different shift work schedules were related to any type of positive spillover. The results indicate that working outside of daytime hours is less compatible with workers' family lives, compared to working ordinary day shifts. On the other hand, working night shifts only was associated with reduced negative family-to-work spillover.
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