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Øivind Ekeberg

Publications and source records attributed to Øivind Ekeberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

An exploration of job stress and health in the Norwegian police service: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Police work is regarded as a high-stress occupation, but so far, no nationwide study has explored the associations between work stress and health. AIMS: To explore physical and mental health among Norwegian police and associations to job stress. Comparisons were made with a nationwide sample of Norwegian physicians and the general Norwegian population. METHODS: Comprehensive nationwide questionnaire survey of 3,272 Norwegian police at all hierarchical levels, including the Norwegian Police Stress Survey with two factors (serious operational tasks and work injuries), the Job Stress Survey with two factors (job pressure and lack of support), the Basic Character Inventory, the Subjective Health Complaint questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Paykel's Suicidal Feelings in the General Population. RESULTS: The frequency of job pressure and lack of support was mainly associated to physical and mental health problems. Females showed higher means on anxiety symptoms than males (4.2, SD 2.9 and 3.7, SD 2.9, respectively; p < 0.01), while males showed higher means on depressive symptoms (3.1, SD 2.9 and 2.4, SD 2.5, respectively; p < 0.001). Police reported more subjective health complaints, depersonalization and higher scores on three of four personality traits than physicians, but lower scores on anxiety and depressive symptoms than the general population. CONCLUSION: This is the first nationwide study to explore job stress and physical and mental health in police. The results indicate that Norwegian police have high levels of musculoskeletal health problems mainly associated to the frequency of job pressure and lack of support. However, also frequent exposure to work injuries was associated to health problems. This may indicate that daily routine work as well as police operational duties must be taken into consideration in assessing job stress and police health.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Health status in the ambulance services: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have become increasingly aware that ambulance personnel may be at risk of developing work-related health problems. This article systematically explores the literature on health problems and work-related and individual health predictors in the ambulance services. METHODS: We identified the relevant empirical literature by searching several electronic databases including Medline, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL, and ISI Web of Science. Other relevant sources were identified through reference lists and other relevant studies known by the research group. RESULTS: Forty-nine studies are included in this review. Our analysis shows that ambulance workers have a higher standardized mortality rate, higher level of fatal accidents, higher level of accident injuries and a higher standardized early retirement on medical grounds than the general working population and workers in other health occupations. Ambulance workers also seem to have more musculoskeletal problems than the general population. These conclusions are preliminary at present because each is based on a single study. More studies have addressed mental health problems. The prevalence of post-traumatic stress symptom caseness was > 20% in five of seven studies, and similarly high prevalence rates were reported for anxiety and general psychopathology in four of five studies. However, it is unclear whether ambulance personnel suffer from more mental health problems than the general working population. CONCLUSION: Several indicators suggest that workers in the ambulance services experience more health problems than the general working population and workers in other health occupations. Several methodological challenges, such as small sample sizes, non-representative samples, and lack of comparisons with normative data limit the interpretation of many studies. More coordinated research and replication are needed to compare data across studies. We discuss some strategies for future research.

Accidents↗
PubMed2006

Help-seeking in the Norwegian Police Service.

A traditional view is that police officers possess negative attitudes toward seeking professional help. However, few empirical studies have investigated help-seeking behaviour in police services. This study aimed to investigate help-seeking behaviour, gender differences, and the relationship to self-reported physical and mental health problems in the Norwegian police service. Comparisons were made with a sample of the general Norwegian population. A comprehensive nationwide questionnaire survey of 3,272 Norwegian police officers at all hierarchical levels was conducted; measurements included help-seeking, Subjective Health Complaint questionnaire (SHC), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Paykel's Suicidal Feelings in the General Population, alcohol and medication to cope, self reported health, and sick leave. Female police officers contacted nearly all health professionals more than their male counterparts. Help-seeking was largely unaffected by age. Less than 10% of those reporting anxiety or depressive symptoms or serious suicidal ideation had contacted a psychologist or psychiatrist. A chiropractor had been contacted by 14.5% of the sample during the past year, compared with 7% in the general Norwegian population. Anxiety symptoms were associated with seeking a chiropractor (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.7). The strongest association with contacting a psychologist or psychiatrist was medication used to cope (OR 5.8, 95% CI 3.0-11.1). The first nationwide study on help-seeking behaviour showed that police officers sought help among specialists in private practice, physiotherapists and chiropractors relatively often. However, they contacted a psychologist or psychiatrist rarely, even when reporting serious suicidal ideation.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Self-prescribing among young Norwegian doctors: a nine-year follow-up study of a nationwide sample.

BACKGROUND: Self-prescribing among doctors is common, but no longitudinal studies have documented this issue. We studied the self-prescribing behaviour among young Norwegian physicians and the predictors of self-prescribing. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide, prospective and longitudinal study following young Norwegian physicians from internship through the subsequent nine years using three postal questionnaires. Chi-square tests and logistic regression models were applied. RESULTS: About 54% of the physicians in their fourth and ninth postgraduate years had self-prescribed medication at least once during the previous year. Among those who had used prescription medication during the previous year, about 90% had self-prescribed. Self-prescribing behaviour did not differ significantly between men and women, or according to the type of work at any time. The most frequently self-prescribed medications were antibiotics (71%-81%), contraceptives (24%-25%), analgesics (18%-21%), and hypnotics (9%-12%). Those who had needed treatment for mental problems had self-prescribed hypnotics and sedatives to a greater extent than the others. Being male, having self-prescribed during internship, somatic complaints, mental distress, subjective health complaints, and not having sought help from a general practitioner, were significant adjusted predictors of self-prescribing in the ninth postgraduate year. CONCLUSION: The level of self-prescribing among young Norwegian physicians is relatively high, and this behaviour is established early in their professional lives. Although self-prescribing is acceptable in some situations, physicians should seek professional help for illness. Efforts to inculcate more rational help-seeking behaviour should probably start in medical schools.

Analgesics↗
PubMed2005

Patient's satisfaction and distress compared with expectations of the medical staff.

OBJECTIVE: Patient satisfaction is increasingly used to measure and evaluate patient treatment in hospital. The aim of this study is to assess satisfaction regarding communication, support and the degree of anxiety and depression among the patients, and to compare reports from the patients with the expectations of the staff. METHODS: In a prospective study, 176 (93%) of the patients and 52 (80%) of the nurses completed a similar questionnaire. Degree of satisfaction was measured on a five-point scale (0-4), and degree of anxiety and depression was measured with the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HAD). RESULTS: Satisfaction regarding communication with nurses (3.4+/-0.07) and physicians (3.0+/-0.08) was higher than expected by the staff (2.9+/-0.09 and 2.4+/-0.09, respectively) (p<0.01). The staff expected a higher degree of anxiety (2.3+/-0.10 versus 1.5+/-0.12) (p<0.01). The patients scored significantly higher on HAD anxiety compared with the population in general. The HAD score correlated negatively with the level of satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The patients generally showed a high degree of satisfaction with communication and support. The staff underestimated the patients' degree of satisfaction and overestimated their degree of anxiety. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Knowledge of patients' degree of satisfaction is important for satisfactory communication with the staff, compliance with treatment and in order to reduce staff's concern for their care.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

[Psychological intervention after trauma--does it work?].

A Cochrane review from 1998 concluded that single-session intervention does not prevent the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder. This led to a debate about what is the best, if any, psychological treatment after traumas. In consequence, some clinicians have become doubtful about as how to deal with traumatized patients. We present three examples in order to illustrate situations in which psychological intervention is useful. The conclusions in the Cochrane review are well documented. However, insufficient correspondence between the traumas and the intervention offered gave us cause to question the clinical importance of existing studies. Future studies of psychological intervention after traumas should use an individualized design in which the intervention is in proportion to the trauma. Based on knowledge not given by randomized controlled studies, we recommend clinicians to offer psychological help to those exposed to traumatic incidents. Most people need adequate information after traumas. For those who develop health problems, intervention until recovery is recommended.

Accidents↗
PubMed2005

Multiple predictors of health-related quality of life in early stage breast cancer. Data from a year follow-up study compared with the general population.

Prospective longitudinal health-related quality of life (QOL) data from 161 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer were compared to age-adjusted mean QOL scores from a general female population (n=949). In addition, multiple factors (demographic, personality trait, participation in treatment decision-making, information satisfaction, and medical data), which previous research has indicated affect the QOL of breast cancer patients, were simultaneously investigated in a multivariate model, in order to determine which of these variables have the strongest influence on QOL one year after surgery. QOL was evaluated with the EORTC QLQ-C30 at time of diagnosis, three- and 12-months postoperatively. Women with breast cancer scored significantly lower on emotional, cognitive, and social functioning (p < 0.01) at time of diagnosis compared to the general female population, and continued to score lower on cognitive (p=0.008) and social (p=0.009) functioning one-year after surgery. In addition to the initial QOL, breast conservation surgery was predictive of better physical functioning (p=0.01) and body image (p < 0.0001), while chemotherapy was predictive for poorer role functioning (p=0.01) one year after surgery. Dispositional optimism was predictive for better emotional (p=0.003) and social functioning (p=0.01) one year after surgery. At time of diagnosis and throughout the post-diagnosis period, dispositional optimism was associated with better QOL and fewer symptoms.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Does change from a traditional to a new medical curriculum reduce negative attitudes among students? A quasi-experimental study.

The authors investigated whether a new type of medical school curriculum-with problem-based learning, integrated preclinical and clinical phases, and increased levels of contact between students, patients and teachers--is associated with lower levels of students' negative attitudes towards medical training than is a traditional medical school curriculum. This association was found, and was confirmed by a comparison between students in a university that had changed from a traditional curriculum to a new curriculum. Curriculum design may explain differences in students' attitudes towards medical school.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The relative importance of individual and organizational factors for the prevention of job stress during internship: a nationwide and prospective study.

This study aimed to investigate the relative and sequential importance of individual and organizational predictors of job stress associated with medical internship work. All medical students who graduated in Norway over 2 years (n = 631) were surveyed and followed up 1 year later at the end of the hospital internship year. The outcome was job stress as a house officer; predictor variables included individual factors at medical school and work-related factors during internship. A total of 371 (58%) responded at both time points. Adjusted predictors of job stress were: vulnerability (neuroticism) personality trait (beta 1.7 [95% CI, 0.94 to 2.5]); perceived recording skills (beta -0.43 [-0.78 to -0.08]); number of hours of sleep when on call (beta -2.3 [-3.6 to -1.0]); and learning environment on the hospital wards (beta -0.56 [-0.82 to -0.30]) (see table 2). The vulnerability trait was especially important among the female interns. The predictors explained 29% of the total variance in the model; personality contributed 16% of the variance, perceived recording skills 4% and the organizational factors measured in the internship year explained 9%. In terms of prevention, both individual factors (personality trait and perceived skills) and organizational work-related factors (sleep deprivation and learning environment on the wards) should be considered.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Stability in optimism-pessimism in relation to bad news: a study of women with breast cancer.

In this study, we investigated the stability of optimism-pessimism in relation to receiving bad news (i.e., positive lymph nodes, more advanced cancer stage) after breast cancer surgery and in comparison to the stability of anxiety and depression level. The women (n = 165) completed the Life Orientation Test-Revised (Scheier, Carver, & Bridges, 1994) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Zigmond & Snaith, 1983) at time of diagnosis, 3 months, and 12 months after surgery. Overall, women's optimism-pessimism levels remained stable over the follow-up period whether they received bad news or not. In contrast, women's anxiety and depression level decreased significantly over the same time period with 1 exception. Women's level of depression remained fairly stable among those who received bad news. Optimism-pessimism appears to remain stable over situations as well as time and regardless of negative affects.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

Suicide risk in cancer patients from 1960 to 1999.

PURPOSE: Suicide risk is reportedly higher for cancer patients than for the general population, but estimates vary and analyses of trends are few. The aim of the present study was to determine whether cancer patients had a higher suicide risk between 1960 and 1999. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cohort comprising patients from the Cancer Registry of Norway 1960 to 1997 was linked to suicide diagnosis in the Register of Deaths at Statistics Norway and observed during 1960 to 1999. The cohort consisted of all cancer patients registered in the Cancer Registry of Norway 1960 to 1997 (N = 490,245 patients with 520,823 cancer diagnoses). Suicide was defined according to death certificates based on the International Classification of Diseases (versions 7, 8, 9, and 10). RESULTS: During the period, 589 cancer patients (407 males and 182 females) committed suicide. The relative risk was elevated for males and females, with standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) of 1.55 (95% CI, 1.41 to 1.71) and 1.35 (95% CI, 1.17 to 1.56), respectively. Risk was highest in the first months after diagnosis. For both sexes, there was a significant decrease in the relative suicide risk over decades. The risk was markedly increased among male patients with cancer of respiratory organs (SMR, 4.08; 95% CI, 2.96 to 5.47). Otherwise, the SMRs varied from 0.76 to 3.67 across cancer types. CONCLUSION: Cancer may be a risk factor for suicide, particularly shortly after diagnosis. However, the relative risk gradually decreased during the period 1960 to 1999.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Emotional strain, communication, and satisfaction of family members in the intensive care unit compared with expectations of the medical staff: experiences from a Norwegian University Hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To determine satisfaction in regard to information concerning, and support and facilities for relatives in the intensive care unit (ICU), and to compare this with the staff's expectations on these issues; to determine relatives' degree of psychological distress and use of hypnotics, anxiolytics, and antidepressants; finally, to compare the distress of relatives of survivors and relatives of non-survivors. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: University-affiliated ICU. METHODS: Relatives of 50 patients who survived at least 6 days in the ICU and relatives of 18 non-survivors who stayed for at least 24 h anonymously completed a mailed questionnaire at home 4 weeks after treatment in the ICU. Forty-three staff members (69%) answered the questionnaire. The degree of satisfaction was measured on a five-point scale (0-4). MAIN RESULTS: The average satisfaction scores were 3.4+/-0.6 SD for relatives of survivors and 3.4+/-0.5 for relatives of non-survivors. Staff expected a significantly lower degree of satisfaction, with a score of 2.9+/-0.5 (P<0.001). The distress scores of relatives of survivors (2.7+/-1.0) were no higher than the ones of relatives of non-survivors (2.4+/-0.6) during the ICU stay, but significantly lower than staff expectations (3.2+/-0.5) (P<0.01). The use of medication was moderate. CONCLUSIONS: The relatives' satisfaction was greater than anticipated by the staff. Staff generally expected a higher degree of distress among relatives than was actually the case. Relatives were very satisfied with the support and communication in the ICU despite substantial distress. Relatives of survivors and non-survivors were equally satisfied.

Adult↗