Self-reported Health Status Predicting Resilience and Burnout in Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the links between health-related indicators, adult resilience, and burnout. METHOD: The data were collected during two waves of the longitudinal study (in 2004-05, N=98, and 2011-12, N=88, respectively). Health behaviour, self-rated health (SRH), Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC), and Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM) were measured. RESULTS: The comprehensibility of SOC and physical fatigue of SMBM as measured in wave 2 were determined by SRH as measured in wave 1. In the cross-sectional part, the meaningfulness of SOC was related to SRH, and alcohol consumption in wave 1. The comprehensibility of SOC was related to SRH in wave 2. CONCLUSION: SOC is well known to have effect on health. However, the results show that self-reported health had effect on the comprehensibility of SOC. Our data also support the finding that the effect of SRH on burnout is stronger than the effect of burnout on SRH.

The role of community social capital in the relationship between socioeconomic status and adolescent life satisfaction: mediating or moderating? Evidence from Czech data.

BACKGROUND: The concept of social capital has been extensively used to explain the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and adolescent health and well-being. Much less is known about the specific mechanism through which social capital impacts the relationship. This paper investigates whether an individual's perception of community social capital moderates or mediates the association between SES and life satisfaction. METHODS: This study employs cross-sectional data from the 2009-2010 Czech Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey: a WHO Collaborative Cross-National Study (HBSC). A sample of 4425 adolescents from the 5th, 7th and 9th grade (94.5% school response rate, 87% student response) was used to perform multilevel analysis. RESULTS: We found that pupils' life satisfaction was positively related to both family affluence and perceived wealth. Moreover, we found the cognitive component of social capital to be positively associated with life satisfaction. Additionally, a significant interaction was found, such that the social gradient in life satisfaction was flattened when pupils reported high levels of perceived community social capital. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that community social capital acts as an unequal health resource for adolescents, but could potentially represent opportunities for public health policy to close the gap in socioeconomic disparities.

Health Related Outcomes of Successful Development.

AIM: Our longitudinal study of successful development would not be complete without an analysis of the health-related aspects of this successful development. METHOD: A sample of 88 Czech adults (49 women, 39 men), participants of the Czech Longitudinal Study from 1956, was examined using a set of psychological methods and somato-physiological measures (weight, height, BMI, WHR, systolic and diastolic blood pressure), selected biochemical parameters (total cholesterol, triglycerides, glycaemia), a health questionnaire and measures focused on selected behavioural aspects of health (subjectively perceived health, overview of health problems and diseases, treatment). RESULTS: The values of obtained results both of correlational and regression analyses are mostly low, reflecting the variables studied. CONCLUSION: The above mentioned data will offer a more comprehensive understanding of relationships and determinants between health, behavioural, psychological and social variables, predictors and outcomes within the adaptive functioning of personality during the life course.

Deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: results of patient surveys.

AIMS: The indications for implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) have been expanding, especially for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator saves lives; however, in near end-of-life situations linked to incurable diseases, the question arises as to whether or not to turn off the ICD to avoid excessive numbers of shocks as the heart begins to fail. This study examined the wishes of a cohort of ICD recipients. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive recipients of ICDs for primary or secondary prevention of sudden cardiac death were examined during a routine out-patient follow-up visit. Subjects completed a written survey about expected ICD benefits, feelings and circumstances under which they would want to deactivate the device. One hundred and nine patients fully completed the survey. Mean age was 67.6 ± 8.7 years, 91 (83.5%) were male and the mean systolic ejection fraction was 31.5 ± 10.9%. The severity of symptoms of heart failure according to the New York Heart Association classification was 2.1 ± 0.59 at implantation. Ninety-nine (90.8%) patients felt more secure and safe following ICD implantation and 66 (60.6%) patients reported a sense of improved health status after implantation. Thirty-one (28.4%) patients had experienced an ICD shock. Fifty (45.9%) patients indicated that they had never considered ICD deactivation during near end-of-life situations. This topic had been discussed with only eight (7.3%) patients. Forty-four (40.1%) patients wanted more information about ICD deactivation. On the other hand, 10 (41.7%) patients from secondary prevention and 19 (22.4%) from primary prevention groups categorically refused more information or further discussion on this topic (P = 0.058). CONCLUSION: Most ICD recipients felt safer following ICD implantation and most wanted more information regarding ICD deactivation. However, a significant number of patients (especially, secondary prevention patients) had no interest in receiving additional information about this topic.

Does neighbourhood social capital aid in levelling the social gradient in the health and well-being of children and adolescents? A literature review.

BACKGROUND: Although most countries in the European Union are richer and healthier than ever, health inequalities remain an important public health challenge. Health-related problems and premature death have disproportionately been reported in disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Neighbourhood social capital is believed to influence the association between neighbourhood deprivation and health in children and adolescents, making it a potentially interesting concept for policymakers. METHODS: This study aims to review the role of social capital in health inequalities and the social gradient in health and well-being of children and adolescents. A systematic review of published quantitative literature was conducted, focussing on (1) the mediating role of neighbourhood social capital in the relationship between socio-economic status (SES) and health-related outcomes in children and adolescents and (2) the interaction between neighbourhood social capital and socio-economic characteristics in relation to health-related outcomes in children and adolescents. Three electronic databases were searched. Studies executed between 1 January 1990 and 1 September 2011 in Western countries (USA, New Zealand, Australia and Europe) that included a health-related outcome in children or adolescents and a variable that measured neighbourhood social capital were included. RESULTS: Eight studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. The findings are mixed. Only two of five studies confirmed that neighbourhood social capital mediates the association between neighbourhood deprivation and health and well-being in adolescents. Furthermore, two studies found a significant interaction between neighbourhood socio-economic factors and neighbourhood social capital, which indicates that neighbourhood social capital is especially beneficial for children who reside in deprived neighbourhoods. However, two other studies did not find a significant interaction between SES and neighbourhood social capital. Due to the broad range of studied health-related outcomes, the different operationalisations of neighbourhood social capital and the conceptual overlap between measures of SES and social capital in some studies, the factors that explain these differences in findings remain unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Although the findings of this study should be interpreted with caution, the results suggest that neighbourhood social capital might play a role in the health gradient among children and adolescents. However, only two of the included studies were conducted in Europe. Furthermore, some studies focussed on specific populations and minority groups. To formulate relevant European policy recommendations, further European-focussed research on this issue is needed.