ABSTRACT
Background: Older adults have faced not only health threats but grave mental health challenges since the emergence of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Using factor analysis, this study is the first to identify the underlying dimensions of COVID-19-related stressors, then examine the relationship between these factors and mental health and alcohol use/misuse longitudinally in a middle aged to older adult sample in the United States. Methods: As part of a long-term follow-up study, 921 survey participants completed measures of COVID-related stressors, psychological distress, and alcohol use/misuse in a 2020 survey. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to examine the dimensionality of COVID-related stress. Regression models were utilized to examine relationships between the extracted factors and depression, anxiety, and alcohol-related outcomes measured approximately one year later, in 2021. Results: Four dimensions of COVID-19 stressors were extracted, including 1) jobs, finances and loss of routine; 2) practical difficulties; 3) social worries and challenges; and 4) supply shortages. Practical difficulties were associated with higher depression at follow-up, while jobs, finances and loss of routine were associated with past 12 month frequency of intoxication at follow-up. Conclusions: Challenges from the pandemic may have longer-term implications for mental health in older adults past the acute phase of the pandemic. It is important to allocate sufficient attention and resources to the prevention of late life depression and mental health as policymakers and health professionals continue to deal with the pandemic and future variants of the virus.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: We examine relationships between workplace harassment (WH) and onset of health conditions over a 23-year period. METHODS: Participants were surveyed at seven points between 1997-2006 and again in 2020. Regression analyses (n = 921) assessed effects of chronic WH exposure on onset or recent health conditions by 2020. RESULTS: Growth mixture modeling revealed infrequent and chronic classes of generalized workplace harassment (GWH; 33.39% chronic) and sexual harassment (SH; 32.32% chronic). Prevalence of health conditions ranged from 3.71% for myocardial infarction to 43.06% for hypertension. Analysis via propensity score matching showed chronic WH class membership increased odds of coronary heart disease (GWH, odds ratio [OR] = 3.42, P < 0.05), arthritic/rheumatic conditions (SH, OR = 1.56, P < 0.05), and recent migraine (SH, OR = 1.68, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Workplace harassment is associated with coronary heart disease, arthritic/rheumatic conditions, and migraine. Worker health can be protected through strengthening and enforcing organizational and social antiharassment policies and laws.
Subject(s)
Coronary Disease , Migraine Disorders , Sexual Harassment , Humans , Follow-Up Studies , Workplace , Surveys and Questionnaires , Coronary Disease/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Objectives: Examines whether a personality characteristic, need for approval, moderates the relationship between harassment exposure and alcohol misuse over time in a college sample, and compare the results between genders. Participants: Six waves of data (fall 2011 to fall 2015) were collected from 1,240 study participants sampled from eight colleges and universities in the Midwestern United States. Methods: Two-level mixed modeling was conducted separately for exposure to sexual and generalized harassment and modeled separately for women and men. Results: In men only, need for approval significantly moderated the relationship between generalized harassment and binge drinking over time, where a higher need for approval put male students at increased risk. Conclusions: Harassment is a risk factor contributing to high levels of drinking among college students. School counseling centers and mental health professionals should take this factor into consideration, as well as individual personality characteristics when addressing student health and wellness.