Health, Occupational Stress, and Psychosocial Risk Factors in Night Shift Psychiatric Nurses: The Influence of an Unscheduled Night-Time Nap.

BACKGROUND: Occupational stress and shift work (including night shift work) are associated with physical and psychological health consequences in healthcare providers in general and those working in psychiatric establishments in particular. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of occupational risk factors and unscheduled night-time naps on self-reported health disorders among nurses working in a French psychiatric hospital. METHODS: We performed a 12-month observational field study of experienced nurses working at Philippe Pinel Psychiatric Hospital (Amiens, France) between September 2018 and September 2019. A comparative descriptive study of two groups of nurses who filled out a questionnaire on health and occupational stress was performed: nurses working permanently on the night shift (the night shift group, who took unscheduled naps), and nurses rotating weekly between morning and afternoon shifts (the day shift group). RESULTS: The night and day shift groups comprised 53 and 30 nurses, respectively. There were no intergroup differences in health disorders, sleep quality, occupational stress, and risk factor perception. Correlation analyses showed that in the day shift group, a low level of support from supervisors was associated with elevated levels of distress, anxiety, and gastrointestinal disorders. In the night shift group, a greater overall work load was associated with elevated levels of anxiety and distress. These findings indicated that the nurses on the night shift had adapted well to their working conditions. CONCLUSIONS: An organizational strategy including an unscheduled night-time nap might improve health among night shift nurses.

Is there an accurate relationship between simple self-reported functional limitations and the assessment of physical capacity in early old age?

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between individual self-reports and measurements of physical condition in early old age. BACKGROUND: The use of self-reported questions assessing physical limitations remains questionable in large epidemiological studies. We aimed to test whether there is an accurate relationship between objective measures of physical capabilities and answers given to questions asked of general early old age populations. METHODS: 20,335 subjects (45 to 69 years old) performed two gait speed tests at usual and at rapid speeds, and a hand grip strength test. They also completed an interview which included questions about general and specific limitations on their ability to walk one kilometer, climb stairs, and carry 5 kg over a distance of 10 meters. The questions were coded by the patients on a 4-point scale according to the severity of the limitation. Analyses were performed using description of distributions and related tests were carried out. RESULTS: A fair association was found between individual self-reports and measurements of physical state: limitations on walking one kilometer and climbing stairs were more closely related to rapid than to usual gait speed and to carrying a 5 kg load. For general limitations, the strength of these associations was weaker than the other scores. The association between hand grip strength and the reported score for carrying a mass was better than that for gait speed tests. CONCLUSION: Such simple self-assessment questions on physical performance might be useful tools for evaluating functional limitations across a large early old age population in epidemiological research.

The "Picardie en Forme" Network: Federating Regional Health-enhancing Sports Resources / Fédérer les ressources régionales du sport-santé : le réseau Picardie en Forme.

Initiated by the Regional Olympic and Sports Committee and the Regional Directorate of Youth, Sports and Social Cohesion, the "Picardie en Forme" network has been working since 2011 in favour of adults of all ages, with chronic noncommunicable or similar diseases, to encourage a gradual return to reassuring and perennial regular physical activity,. A first step consisted of organizing a care pathway based on two principles: inform general practitioners so that they can encourage their patients to be physically active by referring them to the network, develop a range of local sports by accrediting certain clubs with sports instructors who have been trained in the management of this specific population. In 2013, 121 users entered the network at the request of 61 doctors. 48 sports instructors were trained and 20 associations obtained the Picardie en Forme label. Comparison of the results of tests performed on entry in the network and then eight months later shows a general physical reconditioning of users, increasing their motivation and perceived physical value. However, despite these encouraging results, the network has difficulty retaining users, and maintaining the involvement of general practitioners and certain local partners. This article discusses the relevance of initial approaches and describes the changes made to sustain this regional network, which, for the first time, links sport, health and users.

Does a short period of lower limb strength training improve performance in field-based tests of running and agility in young professional soccer players?

The present study assessed the effects of specific leg strength training (as part of a broader exercise program) on running speed and agility in young professional soccer players. Twenty-six male players (ages 17 to 19 years) were divided into 3 groups. The reference group (Re) performed individual technical work only, the coordination group (Co) performed a circuit designed to promote agility, coordination, and balance control (together with some technical work) and the Squat group (Sq) underwent 3 series of 3 squat repetitions (at 90% of the individual maximum value) and a sprint, before competition of the agility circuit and some technical work. These specific training programs were performed 5 times a week for 3 weeks. Before the experimental session and at the end of each week, all players were assessed using 4 types of tests, (agility, a shuttle test with changes of direction, and 2 sprints over 10 and 7.32 meters, respectively), with completion time being the only performance parameter recorded. Our results indicate that in the short sprints or shuttle sprint with changes in direction, lower limb strengthening did not improve performance. Performance improved in all 3 groups in the agility test but more so in the reference and coordination groups. It appears that soccer-specific training composed of exercise circuits specifically adapted to the different types of effort actually used in match play can enhance agility and coordination.

Effects of home-based training at dyspnea threshold in children surgically repaired for congenital heart disease.

The present investigation was aimed at assessing the effect of home-based training on cardiorespiratory responses in children surgically corrected for congenital heart impairment using dyspnea threshold (DT) as training intensity. A group of 23 children aged 15 +/- 1.4 years who had undergone surgical correction for congenital heart disease (CHD group) and 12 healthy children used as a control group performed an exercise protocol during which aerobic capacity, ventilatory threshold (VT), and DT were assessed. Afterwards, the CHD group was divided into two subgroups: trained and untrained subjects. Training sessions over a period of 2 months were performed at an intensity corresponding to DT by the CHD trained group. Dyspnea was scored according to a visual analog scale during the warm up, at each exercise stage, and during the recovery period. DT was located on the oxygen uptake/dyspnea curve when a sudden increase in the dyspnea score occured, while VT was defined according to the methodology previously employed by Beaver and colleagues. The results showed that children who had undergone surgery for CHD had reduced aerobic capacity. No significant difference was observed between VT and DT in children corrected for CHD. These two thresholds were highly related. Home-based training at DT did not strongly improve aerobic capacity nor did it influence the relationship between VT and DT. Further studies should be conducted to confirm these preliminary findings, particularly when aerobic capacity is improved by training.