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Biomedical subjects

B E Holstein

Publications and source records attributed to B E Holstein.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Communication and coping as predictors of fertility problem stress: cohort study of 816 participants who did not achieve a delivery after 12 months of fertility treatment.

BACKGROUND: We investigated coping strategies and communication strategies as predictors of fertility problem stress 12 months after start of fertility treatment. METHODS: We used a prospective, longitudinal cohort design including 2250 people beginning fertility treatment with a 12-month follow-up. Data were based on self-administered questionnaires measuring communication with partner and with other people, coping strategies: active-avoidance coping, active-confronting coping, passive-avoidance coping, meaning-based coping, and fertility problem stress. The study population included those participants (n = 816, men and women) who had not achieved pregnancy by assisted reproduction or delivery at follow-up. RESULTS: Among both men and women, difficulties in partner communication predicted high fertility problem stress (odds ratio for women, 3.47, 95% confidence interval 2.09-5.76; odds ratio for men, 3.69, 95% confidence interval 2.09-6.43). Active-avoidance coping (e.g. avoiding being with pregnant women or children, turning to work to take their mind off things) was a significant predictor of high fertility problem stress. Among men, high use of active-confronting coping (e.g. letting feelings out, asking other people for advice, seeking social support) predicted low fertility problem stress in the marital domain (odds ratio 0.53, 95% confidence interval 0.28-1.00). Among women, medium or high use of meaning-based coping significantly predicted low fertility problem stress in the personal and marital domain. CONCLUSION: The study provides information about where to intervene with fertility patients in order to reduce their stress after medically unsuccessful treatment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2004

The social epidemiology of coping with infertility.

BACKGROUND: To analyse the cross-sectional association between coping responses with infertility and occupational social class. Infertility is evenly distributed across social classes in Denmark, and there is free access to high-quality assisted reproduction technology. METHODS: Data were based on a questionnaire in a consecutive sample of 1169 women and 1081 Danish men who were about to begin assisted reproduction treatment. The coping measure was developed from an adaptation of Lazarus and Folkman's Ways of Coping Questionnaire and based on results from interviews with infertile people. The measure was developed in four categories: active-avoidance coping; active-confronting coping; passive-avoidance coping; meaning-based coping. These subscales were later confirmed by factor analysis. Occupational social class was measured in a standardized way. RESULTS: Contrary to expectations, the logistic regression analyses showed that women from lower social classes V + VI and men from social classes III + IV used significantly more active-confronting coping. Women from lower social classes V + VI used significantly more meaning-based coping. Both men and women from social classes III - VI used significantly more passive-avoidance coping and significantly less active-avoidance coping. CONCLUSION: Due to the significant social differences in coping with infertility, the study suggested that elements of coping may be learned from one's social network and reference group.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2003

Patients' attitudes to medical and psychosocial aspects of care in fertility clinics: findings from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Research Programme.

BACKGROUND: The aims were (i) to identify gender differences in motivations to seek assisted reproduction and gender differences in expectations about medical and psychosocial services and (ii) to examine factors that predict the perceived importance of, and intention to use, psychosocial services among infertile people. METHODS: We conducted an epidemiological study based on questionnaires among all new couples attending five fertility clinics with a response rate of 80.0% and a total of 2250 patients. RESULTS: The vast majority of both men and women considered a high level of medical information and patient-centred care as important. Fewer respondents (women 10.0-20.8%, men 4.1-8.9%) felt that professional psychosocial services were important and/or had the intention to use these services. The main predictor of perceived importance of patient-centred care and professional psychosocial services for both men and women was high infertility-related stress in the marital, personal and social domain. CONCLUSIONS: A supportive attitude from medical staff and the provision of both medical and psychosocial information and support should be integral aspects of medical care in fertility clinics. Although only a minority of the participants perceived professional psychosocial services as important, they should be available for patients whose infertility causes them much strain, especially for patients whose marital relationship suffered much because of infertility.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2003

High ratings of satisfaction with fertility treatment are common: findings from the Copenhagen Multi-centre Psychosocial Infertility (COMPI) Research Programme.

BACKGROUND: The aims were: (i). to identify gender differences in evaluation of medical and patient-centred (psychosocial) care in fertility clinics and (ii). to identify predictors of satisfaction. METHODS: An epidemiological prospective study based on questionnaire responses among all new couples attending five fertility clinics. The response rate at the 12 month follow-up was 87.7% and included a total of 1934 patients. RESULTS: During the follow-up period about two-thirds had achieved a pregnancy and about a third became parents. The participants were satisfied with both the medical and patient-centred (psychosocial) services. There were no sex differences in the evaluation of treatment except that women were more satisfied than men with how the staff had performed their medical examinations. Satisfaction with medical and patient-centred services was positively associated with a treatment-related pregnancy/delivery and the report of marital benefits resulting from the infertility experience. Lower social class was a significant predictor for satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Both men and women in fertility treatment had high ratings on medical and patient-centred care. It seemed that satisfaction with the psychosocial services was higher than in earlier studies from other countries.

Denmark↗
PubMed2003

Socioeconomic position in early life, birth weight, childhood cognitive function, and adult mortality. A longitudinal study of Danish men born in 1953.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relation between socioeconomic position in early life and mortality in young adulthood, taking birth weight and childhood cognitive function into account. DESIGN: A longitudinal study with record linkage to the Civil Registration System and Cause of Death Registry. The data were analysed using Cox regression. SETTING: The metropolitan area of Copenhagen, Denmark. SUBJECTS: 7493 male singletons born in 1953, who completed a questionnaire with various cognitive measures, in school at age 12 years, and for whom birth certificates with data on birth and parental characteristics had been traced manually in 1965. This population was followed up from April 1968 to January 2002 for information on mortality. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mortality from all causes, cardiovascular diseases, and violent deaths. RESULTS: Men whose fathers were working class or of unknown social class at time of birth had higher mortality rates compared with those whose fathers were high/middle class: hazard ratio 1.39 (95% CI 1.15 to 1.67) and 2.04 (95% CI 1.48 to 2.83) respectively. Birth weight and childhood cognitive function were both related to father's social class and inversely associated with all cause mortality. The association between father's social class and mortality attenuated (HR(working class)1.30 (1.08 to 1.56); HR(unknown class)1.81 (1.30 to 2.52)) after control for birth weight and cognitive function. Mortality from cardiovascular diseases and violent deaths was also significantly higher among men with fathers from the lower social classes. CONCLUSION: The inverse association between father's social class at time of birth and early adult mortality remains, however somewhat attenuated, after adjustment for birth weight and cognitive function.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Exposure to teachers smoking and adolescent smoking behaviour: analysis of cross sectional data from Denmark.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether adolescent smoking behaviour is associated with their perceived exposure to teachers or other pupils smoking at school, after adjustment for exposure to smoking at home, in school, and best friends smoking. DESIGN: Logistic regression analysis of cross sectional data from students in Denmark. SUBJECTS: 1515 grade 9 students (mean age 15.8) from 90 classes in 48 Danish schools. OUTCOME MEASURE: Self reported smoking behaviour; daily smoking and heavy smoking, defined as those smoking more than 20 cigarettes per week. RESULTS: Of the students in this study, 62% of boys and 60% of girls reported being exposed to teachers smoking outdoors on the school premises. The proportion of boys and girls reporting to have been exposed to teachers smoking inside the school building were 86% and 88%, respectively. Furthermore, 91% of boys and 92% of girls reported that they had seen other students smoking outdoors on the school premises. Adolescents' perceived exposure to teachers smoking outdoors on the school premises was significantly associated with daily smoking, having adjusted for sex, exposure to teachers smoking indoors at school and pupils smoking outdoors at school, as well as the smoking behaviour of mother, father, and best friend (odds ratio (OR) 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.2 to 2.8). Adolescents' perceived exposure to teachers smoking inside the school building was not associated with daily smoking (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.5 to 1.6) and perceived exposure to pupils smoking outdoors was not associated with daily smoking (adjusted OR 1.5, 95% CI 0.5 to 4.4). There were similar findings with heavy smoking as the outcome variable. CONCLUSIONS: Teachers smoking during school hours is associated with adolescent smoking. This finding has implications for future tobacco prevention strategies in schools in many countries with liberal smoking policies where it might provide support for those working to establish smokefree schools.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Stability and change in structural social relations as predictor of mortality among elderly women and men.

In a follow-up study of 70-95 years old women and men (n = 911) we studied the association between change and stability in three structural aspects of social relations (contact frequency, contact diversity, cohabitation status) from 1986-1990 and mortality after the next four years in 1994. Women aged 70-74 years who developed low contact frequency or developed small contact diversity showed significantly higher mortality, adjusted ORfreq: 3.78 (1.08-13.20), adjusted ORdiv: 3.79 (1.24-11.58). Women aged 70-74 years with continuously low contact frequency showed an increased mortality compared to women constantly experiencing high contact frequency, adjusted OR: 2.75 (1.04-7.26). A tendency in the same direction for sustained small contact diversity was found, adjusted OR: 1.98 (0.70-5.61). Among women aged 75+ years no impact of frequency and diversity was demonstrated, whereas continuously living alone was a significant predictor of mortality, when compared to women continuously living with somebody, adjusted OR: 2.57 (1.29-5.09). In men, we found a significantly increased mortality among those who developed high contact frequency and developed large contact diversity ORfreq: 3.91 (1.02-14.94) and ORdiv: 6.04 (1.30-28.03). In summary, we found rather larger age differences in the strength of the association between change in structural social relations and mortality. Furthermore, the associations seemed stronger among women than men, which may however mainly be explained by the small number of men in our cohort.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

[Injuries among 11-15 year old children].

The objective is to describe the one year incidence rate of self-reported injuries, their causes, where they happened, and their consequences within the age group 11-15 years. Four thousand and forty-six students from a random sample of 45 schools answered a standardized questionnaire about health and health behaviour. This report regards injuries treated by a doctor or a nurse. During one year, 28% were injured, 12% more than once; 12% needed medical treatment such as a plaster cast, stitches, surgery or staying in a hospital; 16% missed at least one full day in school. The injury incidence rate increases with age among boys but not among girls. The proportion with more than one injury increases by age among girls but not boys. The proportion who receive hospital treatment is higher among boys than girls. The proportion who stay home from school because of the injury increases with age among both girls and boys. Five percent are injured at home, 5% at school, 9% are injured at a sport facility, and 4% in the street/road. Ten percent report a sports injury, 4% an injury by falling, and 3% by riding a bicycle. Most common injuries are sprain/strain/pull of a muscle (9%), broken or dislocated bone (6%), and cuts (3%). In conclusion, the incidence of self-reported injuries is much higher than the hospital-reported. More research about injury-mechanisms and more preventive efforts are needed.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1999

[Bullying as health hazard among school children].

The objective was to analyse bullying in relation to sociodemographic factors, health, well-being, and health behaviours. The study is the 1998 Danish contribution to the international WHO-coordinated study Health Behaviour in School-aged Children. It includes 5,205 11-15 year-old students from a random sample of 55 schools who answered a standardized questionnaire. Twenty-five percent were bullied several times during the academic year, most frequently among the youngest students, and independent of sex; 32% bullied others, boys more frequently than girls; the frequency increased with age. Bullying was associated with low social class. Bullying varied considerably among schools. The victims had more problems as regards health, well-being and self-esteem; they smoked and drank less than others. Those who bullied others also had more problems but to a much smaller extent than the victims. They had higher levels of risk behaviours such as smoking, drinking, and seat-belt avoidance, and were less satisfied with school. In conclusion, victims of bullying have a very high proportion of health problems, poor well-being and low self-esteem. To bully others is significantly associated with health risk behaviours.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Active life in old age. Combining measures of functional ability and social participation.

UNLABELLED: This paper describes a new measure of Active Life Expectancy, called Active Life Classification (ALC) in which the criterion for successful aging is a combination of good functional ability and high social participation. OBJECTIVES: 1) to describe the distribution of ALC among 75-year-old men and women, 2) to investigate the association between ALC and life satisfaction and 3) to describe how ALC is determined by socio-demographic, psycho-social, and health factors. DESIGN: A cross-sectional population survey. SETTING: Eleven municipalities in the Western part of Copenhagen County in 1989. SUBJECTS: A random sample of 75-year-old people who were invited to participate in the study (participation rate: 89, n = 477). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: ALC is a combination of two dichotomized variables: functional ability (dependent vs not dependent of help) and social participation (low vs. high). RESULTS: For both men and women an active life (measured by ALC) was significantly associated with life satisfaction. For men only good self-rated health was related to ALC in the multivariate analysis. Among women high income, many social contacts, good self-rated health, good memory and lack of chronic diseases were associated with ALC. CONCLUSIONS: It is an advantage to combine functional ability and social participation in the description of quality of life in old age, as 1) a high social participation may compensate for a poor functional ability, and vice versa, 2) the combined measure is meaningful for both sexes, and 3) it gives more information than the two concepts used as separate outcome measures.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

["Sense of coherence", social class and health in a Danish population study].

The objectives are a) to present Antonovsky's concept Sense of Coherence (SOC) and his 13-item SOC-scale, b) to describe the distribution of SOC in a random sample of five age groups in the Danish population, and c) to study the association of SOC to sex, age, social class, and health. The Danish Longitudinal Health Behaviour Study (DLHBS) collected self-administered questionnaire data from a random sample of the population born in 1975, 1965, 1940, 1930, and 1920. The baseline study took place in 1990, response rate 71%, n = 2,858. The article reports data from the first follow-up in 1994, response rate 86% of the survivors, n = 2,352. SOC shows no gender differences; it is significantly lower in the youngest age group and increases with age. SOC is highest in the highest social classes. Poor SOC is associated with poor self-rated health and high prevalence of symptoms. Poor SOC is associated with high prevalence of long-term illness among respondents older than 50 years of age.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Social relations and mortality. An eleven year follow-up study of 70-year-old men and women in Denmark.

PURPOSE: To identify which aspects of social relations among 70-year-old men and women are predictive of mortality 11 years later. METHODS: The baseline study in 1984 included 734 70-year-old men and women in Glostrup (county of Copenhagen). The variables comprised the structure and the function of the social network, education, income and functional ability. Eleven years later, in November 1995, information about deaths was obtained from the Central National Register. RESULTS: The study showed an independent association between social relations and mortality. Men who did not help others with repairs and who lived alone and women with no social support to other tasks had increased risk of dying during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports (1) that there is an association between social relations and mortality, (2) that two aspects of the function of social relations matters: (a) to receive support for small or larger tasks needed, (b) to help others with different tasks, and (3) that social relations may serve different functions for men and women.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Functional ability among elderly people in three service settings: the discriminatory power of a new functional ability scale.

The purpose is to assess the discriminatory power of the Avlund scales: (1) by assessing the ability of the scales to discriminate between three different populations of elderly people, and (2) by studying groups with a poor fit between use of formal home care and functional ability. The study included (A) all residents in new sheltered housing facilities (response rate 68%, n = 102), (B) a random sample of users of home care (response rate 67%, n = 435), and (C) a random sample of individuals not using home care (response rate 74%, n = 501). All participants were 60+ years old. Data were collected by personal interviews (group A) and by postal questionnaires (group B and C). Functional ability was measured by The Avlund Mob-T scale about tiredness related to mobility and the Mob-H scale about need of help to mobility. Both scales were able to distinguish the three sub-populations. The whole range of the Mob-T scale was used in all three subpopulations, and the whole range of the Mob-H scale was used among the oldest residents and the oldest users of home care. A small group of well-functioning users of home care (n = 52) was characterized by good self-rated health, good hearing, vision and memory abilities; they gave more help to others, had higher social participation, and lived alone (only the women). A somewhat lager group of poor functioning non-users of home care (n = 266) had the opposite characteristics. In addition, they were older, had a poor social network and poor social support.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

[Smoking among 11-15 year-old adolescents, 1984-1994].

The objectives are to describe smoking habits among 11-15-year olds in Denmark in the period 1984-1994 and to describe the association between smoking and social background factors. The article reports data about children at the age of 11, 13 and 15 years from four cross-sectional studies in 1984-1985, 1988, 1991 and 1994 (n = 678, 1667, 1860 and 4046) based on stratified random samples of schools. Data were collected by standardized questionnaires. Median age for first smoking experience changed from approx 12 years in 1984-1985 to approx. 14 years in 1994. The proportion of smokers among 15 year-olds is almost unchanged from 1984 to 1994. In 1994, the proportion of smokers is respectively 2% and 4% among 11 year-old girls and boys, 16% and 11% among 13 year-old girls and boys, and 33% and 25% among 15 year-old girls and boys. The proportion of girls and boys in the three age groups respectively who smoke every day is 0%, 1%, 3%, 4%, 17%, and 11%. In conclusion, smoking habits among children changed considerably from the 1950's to 1980's. The smoking habits have not changed much since the 1980's apart from a slight delay in first smoking-experience.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Sex differences in health behavior and self assessed health in 11-15 years old children. A comparison between life conditions and health].

A total of 1860 children aged 11, 13 and 15 years from a nationwide random sample of schools completed an anonymous questionnaire on their social backgrounds, social networks, perceived health, life satisfaction, and health behaviour. Boys perceived their health to be better and had fewer psychosomatic symptoms than girls. They also did more physical exercise than girls. Boys and girls showed differences in social networks. Self-reported health status, weekly psychosomatic symptoms and health behaviour (smoking, exercise, and diet) were associated with social networks for both sexes. In particular, a good relationship to adults was found to be associated with positive health behaviour and perceived health.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[TV and video watching among 11-15-year old children--a sociomedical perspective].

A material of 1,671 schoolchildren replied to a questionnaire about health, time spent watching television, the demographic and social situation, social network, and life satisfaction. These pupils spend two hours daily watching television and one tenth of this time is spent on video programmes. 48% of the children spend 0-10 hours weekly watching television, 35% 11-27 hours, 15% 28-37 hours and 3% more than 37 hours. Boys spend more time watching television than girls, younger pupils more than older and children from lower social classes more than children from higher social classes. The time spent watching television increases with increasing degree of urbanisation. Children who spend many hours watching television have more problems in life satisfaction, health and social network compared with children who spend a few hours watching television.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Diet and health behavior in Danish children aged 11-15 years].

A total of 1,671 school children aged 11, 13 and 15 years answered a questionnaire on diet, other health behaviour, social background, social network, health and life satisfaction. The proportions who ate fruit, vegetables, and rye bread every day were 77%, 64% and 94%. Moreover, 78% had fibre-containing breakfast every day and 79% had a regular lunch meal every day. 26% of the children received an optimal diet containing all of these five components every day, and 19% received less than three of these components every day. The proportions who consumed five unhealthy diet components every day (candy, chips, French fries, sausages/hamburgers, and sweet longdrinks) were 32%, 12%, 5%, 5%, and 18%. 39% received at least one of these unhealthy diet components every day. There was no association between intake of healthy and intake of unhealthy diet components. We found no age differences among boys regarding the healthy diet components but an increasing consumption of unhealthy components with increasing age. Among girls we found a decreasing consumption of both healthy and unhealthy components with increasing age. Healthy diet was associated with high social class, good health, positive life satisfaction, positive school assimmilation, and positive health behaviour.

Adolescent↗