Jurgita Andruškienė

Insomnia symptoms and mortality: a register‐linked study among women and men from Finland, Norway and Lithuania

Evidence on the association between insomnia symptoms and mortality is limited and inconsistent. This study examined the association between insomnia symptoms and mortality in cohorts from three countries to show common and unique patterns. The Finnish cohort comprised 6605 employees of the City of Helsinki, aged 40–60 years at baseline in 2000–2002. The Norwegian cohort included 6236 participants from Western Norway, aged 40–45 years at baseline in 1997–1999. The Lithuanian cohort comprised 1602 participants from the City of Palanga, aged 35–74 years at baseline in 2003. Mortality data were derived from the Statistics Finland and Norwegian Cause of Death Registry until the end of 2012, and from the Lithuanian Regional Mortality Register until the end of 2013. Insomnia symptoms comprised difficulties initiating sleep, nocturnal awakenings, and waking up too early. Covariates were age, marital status, education, smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, depression, shift work, sleep duration, and self‐rated health. Cox regression analysis was used. Frequent difficulties initiating sleep were associated with all‐cause mortality among men after full adjustments in the Finnish (hazard ratio 2.51; 95% confidence interval 1.07–5.88) and Norwegian (hazard ratio 3.42; 95% confidence interval 1.03–11.35) cohorts. Among women and in Lithuania, insomnia symptoms were not statistically significantly associated with all‐cause mortality after adjustments. In conclusion, difficulties initiating sleep were associated with mortality among Norwegian and Finnish men. Variation and heterogeneity in the association between insomnia symptoms and mortality highlights that further research needs to distinguish between men and women, specific symptoms and national contexts, and focus on more chronic insomnia.

Psychosocial work experiences related to health: A study of Lithuanian hospital employees

BACKGROUND Research in the area of workplace health promotion from a salutogenic perspective is lacking in Eastern Europe. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between psychosocial work environment and health from a salutogenic perspective among Lithuanian hospital workers. METHODS Using a cross-sectional design a questionnaire was distributed to staff in a large hospital in Lithuania. Out of 811 employees, 714 completed the survey: 151 physicians, 449 nurses and 114 other staff members (e.g., psychologists, technicians, therapists). A response rate of 88.0% was achieved. The Work Experience Measurement Scale (WEMS) and the Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) were linguistically adapted and used for the first time in a Lithuanian context. Logistic and multiple linear regression models were used for the analyses. RESULTS Supportive working conditions, positive internal work experiences and time experience contributed the most to good health, defined as a high SHIS index. Having an executive post was significantly related to good work experiences, i.e. a high WEMS score, while being at the age of 40-54 years was associated with a low WEMS score. Physicians had the highest score on supportive working conditions; while nurses had the lowest scores on autonomy. CONCLUSIONS A salutogenic approach enables an organisation to identify how to improve working conditions for the employees by focusing on possibilities and resources. Individual activities for workplace health promotion among different work groups seem necessary.

Socioeconomic Characteristics, Oral Care Habits and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among the Parents of Pre-School Children in Klaipėda

Abstract There is a lack of data about oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among the parents of pre-school children, especially in Lithuania and the relationships among socio-economic status, oral care habits and OHRQoL. Research questions: is OHRQoL influenced by socioeconomic status or oral care habits? Research focus – oral health-related quality of life among the parents of pre-school children. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationships among socioeconomic status, oral care habits and oral helath-related quality of life among the parents of pre-school children in Klaipeda. The study sample consisted of 375 parents (mother or father) of pre-school children. The questionnaire survey was conducted at randomly selected 23 kindergartens in Klaipeda city. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic and oral care habits questions. All the participants were examined by self-administered OIDP questionnaire, which measured oral impacts on physical, psychological and social aspects of daily performances. The highest overall impact on OHRQoL among the parents of pre-school children was observed in the domain of Carrying out major work or role (73.0), the lowest one in the Eating and enjoying food (25.74) domain. Mean OIDP score was significantly higher among the parents whose socioeconomic status was low (35.44), reflecting poorer OHRQoL, as compared with high (8.07) socioeconomic status. Parents with poor oral care habits significantly more frequently were affected (79.2%) in Smiling, laughing domain, as compared to the parents whose oral care habits were good (20.8%). Lower socioeconomic status and poorer oral care habits were related with worsened oral health-related quality of life, especially in the area of psychological performances.