ScienceDaily: Workplace Health News

Work-related stress linked to increased blood fat levels, cardiovascular health risks

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:38:38 EDT

New results link job stress to dyslipidemia, a disorder that alters the levels of lipids and lipoproteins in the blood. An altered lipid profile is dangerous for the heart.

Positive social support at work shown to reduce risk of diabetes

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:36:36 EDT

Low levels of social support and high levels of stress in the workplace accurately predict the development of diabetes over the long term -- even in employees who appear to be healthy otherwise.

Parental addictions linked to adult children's depression

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:33:33 EDT

The offspring of parents who were addicted to drugs or alcohol are more likely to be depressed in adulthood, according to a new study. Investigators have examined the association between parental addictions and adult depression in a representative sample of 6,268 adults, drawn from the 2005 Canadian Community Health Survey.

Chronic pain sufferers likely to have anxiety

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:31:31 EDT

Patients coping with chronic pain should also be evaluated for anxiety disorders, according to new research.

Providing workplace wellness centers could backfire

Wed, 08 May 2013 21:30:30 EDT

People who signed up for a workplace wellness center but then used it infrequently experienced declines in their mental quality-of-life, finds a new study.

Self-affirmation improves problem-solving under stress

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:29:29 EDT

New research provides the first evidence that self-affirmation can protect against the damaging effects of stress on problem-solving performance. Understanding that self-affirmation -- the process of identifying and focusing on one's most important values -- boosts stressed individuals' problem-solving abilities will help guide future research and the development of educational interventions.

Persistent pain after stressful events may have a neurobiological basis

Thu, 02 May 2013 11:55:55 EDT

A new study is the first to identify a genetic risk factor for persistent pain after traumatic events such as motor vehicle collision and sexual assault. The study also contributes further evidence that persistent pain after stressful events has a specific biological basis.

Influence of the family on back pain sufferers

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:13:13 EDT

Researchers have published a research paper that focuses on the social factors involved in back pain sufferers returning to work, to give a wider context to the medical factors that are often considered.

Workplace stress poses risk to health

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 09:09:09 EDT

Stressful situations at work can have a negative impact on the cardiovascular system and the metabolism. Stress, which is transmitted by direct and indirect signaling pathways, leads to an inflammatory response in the body, which can trigger cardiovascular diseases, amongst others.

Social stress and the inflamed brain

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:38:38 EDT

Depression is the leading cause of disability with more than 350 million people globally affected by this disease. In addition to debilitating consequences on mental health, depression predisposes an individual to physiological disease such as heart disease, and conversely heart disease increases the risk of depression.

Intranasal neuropeptide Y may offer therapeutic potential for post-traumatic stress disorder

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 15:38:38 EDT

Stress triggered neuropsychiatric disorders take an enormous personal, social and economic toll on society. In the US more than half of adults are exposed to at least one traumatic event throughout their lives. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating anxiety disorder associated with exposure to a traumatic event outside the range of normal human experience.

Patient satisfaction with hospital stay does not reflect quality of surgical care

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:44:44 EDT

Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of a hospital’s service quality, but new research suggests that it doesn’t necessarily reflect the quality of the surgical care patients receive.

Acute stress primes brain for better cognitive and mental performance

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:45:45 EDT

Chronic stress is known to cause major health problems, yet acute stress can be good for you. A new study shows why. Stress generates new nerve cells in the brain that, two weeks later, help you learn better. Thus, unlike chronic stress, acute stress primes the brain for improved cognitive and mental performance.

Concert cacophony: Short-term hearing loss can be protective, not damaging, researchers find

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:23:23 EDT

Contrary to conventional wisdom, short-term hearing loss after sustained exposure to loud noise does not reflect damage to our hearing: Instead, it is the body's way to cope. The landmark finding could lead to improved protection against noise-induced hearing loss in future.

Pain improves during first year but mental-health problems linger in returning veterans with major limb injuries

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Few studies document short- and long-term pain and behavioral health in combat-injured service members with major limb trauma. In a 2-year longitudinal study, multiple post-injury pain and related outcomes are reported.

Benefits of cognitive pain relief methods

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:13:13 EDT

Those who accept their pain condition are best able to tolerate pain, while distraction can be the way to lower pain intensity, according to new research.

Stress during gestation causes a predisposition to the development of pathologies in adulthood

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:59:59 EDT

The intrauterine environment plays an important role in the health of the offspring. Now, experts from the affirm that the mother's stress, due to socio-economic or psycho-social causes, is associated with the development of pathologies related with obesity.

'Well-being risks' contribute to decreased productivity

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:09:09 EDT

In addition to health-related risk factors, some non-traditional "well-being risks" can have a significant impact on workers' productivity.

Brain's stress circuits undergo profound learning early in life, scientists find

Sun, 07 Apr 2013 13:33:33 EDT

Researchers have discovered that stress circuits in the brain undergo profound learning early in life. Using a number of cutting edge approaches, including optogenetics, scientists have shown stress circuits are capable of self-tuning following a single stress. These findings demonstrate that the brain uses stress experience during early life to prepare and optimize for subsequent challenges.

Research identifies co-factors critical to PTSD development

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

New research has found that the action of a specific gene occurring during exposure to adolescent trauma is critical for the development of adult-onset post-traumatic stress disorder.

Targeting mental defeat among pain patients could prevent anxiety and depression

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:19:19 EDT

A new study of Hong Kong chronic pain patients suggests that targeting feelings of mental defeat could prevent severe depression, anxiety and interference with daily activities.

College athletes twice as likely to have depression than retired collegiate athletes

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 15:01:01 EDT

A survey of current and former college athletes finds depression levels significantly higher in current athletes, a result that upended the researchers' hypothesis.

Cash for weight loss? Works better when employees compete for pots of money

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:13:13 EDT

Do cash rewards for healthier habits work? Maybe, says a new study, if you add on one more condition -- peer pressure. A growing number of companies are offering employees an opportunity to boost earning power at work via cash incentives to stay healthy. Under the Affordable Care Act, employers will soon be able to offer even larger financial incentives to prod healthy lifestyle behaviors among their workforce, such as quitting smoking and losing weight. But people who are offered money for weight loss may be much more successful when awards are based on a group's performance -- rather than just their own -- according to the new research.

Research explores links between physical and emotional pain relief

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:57:57 EDT

Though we all desire relief -- from stress, work, or pain -- little is known about the specific emotions underlying relief. New research explores the psychological mechanisms associated with relief that occurs after the removal of pain, also known as pain offset relief.

Probiotics reduce stress-induced intestinal flare-ups, study finds

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:02:02 EDT

Stress has a way of significantly altering the composition of gut bacteria, which leads to inflammation and often times, belly pain for those with irritable bowel syndrome. But a new study shows how probiotics can reverse the effect of stress.

Series of studies first to examine acupuncture's mechanisms of action

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 08:55:55 EDT

While acupuncture is used widely to treat chronic stress, the mechanism of action leading to reported health benefits are not understood. In a series of studies, researchers are demonstrating how acupuncture can significantly reduce the stress hormone response in an animal model of chronic stress.

Job burnout can severely compromise heart health

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:49:49 EDT

Dr. Sharon Toker of Tel Aviv University has found a link between job burnout and coronary heart disease (CHD), the buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries that leads to angina and heart attacks. She says that her findings were more extreme than she expected and make burnout a stronger predictor of CHD than many other risk factors.

Neck injuries linked to high costs for patients and spouses, study reports

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:37:37 EDT

Patients with neck injuries incur increased health and social costs -- which also affect their spouses and may begin years before the initial injury, a new study reports.

How the brain suppresses pain during times of stress

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:40:40 EST

How does the brain suppress pain? For the first time, it has been shown that suppression of pain during times of fear involves complex interplay between marijuana-like chemicals and other neurotransmitters in a brain region called the amygdala.

Insomnia is linked to increased risk of heart failure

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 20:03:03 EST

People who suffer from insomnia appear to have an increased risk of developing heart failure, according to the largest study to investigate the link.

Risk of heart attack death may increase after adult sibling's death

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:20:20 EST

The death of an adult sibling is associated with increased risk of death from heart attack among surviving siblings, especially if the sibling died of a heart attack. The increased risk is most evident years after the death. Healthcare providers should follow bereaved siblings to help recognize signs of acute or chronic psycho-social stress mechanisms that could lead to heart attack.

Study connects early childhood with pain, depression in adulthood

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 12:19:19 EST

New research examines how childhood socioeconomic disadvantages and maternal depression increase the risk of major depression and chronic pain when they become adults.

Texting becoming a pain in the neck

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:12:12 EST

Orthopedic surgeon, spine specialist says excessive leaning head forward and down, while looking at a phone or other mobile device could result in what some people call “text neck.”

Accidents waiting to happen: Insider knowledge

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:20:20 EST

Workplace accidents must be treated like any other source of knowledge if companies and their employees are to learn from such incidents and prevent future accidents from occurring, experts say.

Preventing chronic pain with stress management

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 09:20:20 EST

For chronic pain sufferers, such as people who develop back pain after a car accident, avoiding the harmful effects of stress may be key to managing their condition. This is particularly important for people with a smaller-than-average hippocampus, as these individuals seem to be particularly vulnerable to stress.

Early life stress may take early toll on heart function

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 10:43:43 EST

Early life stress like that experienced by ill newborns appears to take an early toll of the heart, affecting its ability to relax and refill with oxygen-rich blood, researchers report.

Organic tomatoes accumulate more vitamin C, sugars than conventionally grown fruit

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:49:49 EST

Tomatoes grown on organic farms accumulate higher concentrations of sugars, vitamin C and compounds associated with oxidative stress compared to those grown on conventional farms, according to new research.

Employees shed pounds in worksite-based weight loss intervention with behavioral counseling

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:35:35 EST

Workplace-based programs that include dietary advice coupled with behavioral counseling appear to be a promising approach for men and women with significant weight loss goals, based on the results of a pilot study. Employees enrolled in the intervention arm of a randomized controlled trial lost on average, 18 pounds over a six-month period compared to a two pound weight gain in a control group.

New evidence for link between depression and heart disease

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:16:16 EST

Interleukin-6, an inflammatory biomarker associated with cardiovascular disease, is significantly higher in patients with major depression, a study has found.

Community health workers help type 2 diabetes care

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:23:23 EST

Researchers who conducted a clinical trial in American Samoa to test whether community health workers could help adults with type 2 diabetes found that the patients who received the intervention were twice as likely to make a clinically meaningful improvement as those who remained with care only in the clinic.

Stress at work very unlikely to cause cancer

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 19:22:22 EST

Work-related stress is not linked to the development of colorectal, lung, breast or prostate cancers, a new study suggests.

Permanent stress can cause type 2 diabetes in men, study suggests

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:44:44 EST

Men who reported permanent stress have a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than men who reported no stress. This is the finding of a 35-year prospective follow-up study of 7,500 men in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Work-life balance needed for recovery from job stress

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:33:33 EST

Detaching from work -- mentally, physically and electronically -- is the key to recovery from job stress during nonwork hours, according to an expert.

Stress symptoms in midlife predict old-age disability, study shows

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:46:46 EST

Nearly 30 percent of adult workers suffer from work-related stress, and it is commonly acknowledged that stress has damaging effects on individual’s health. A recently published study from Finland provides strong evidence that perceived work-related stress in midlife predicts functional limitations and disability later in old age.

Poor mental health leads to unhealthy behaviors among low-income adults

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 21:24:24 EST

A new study says binge drinking, smoking, and illegal drug use may be used to cope with depression and anxiety. Poor mental health leads to unhealthy behaviors in low-income adults - not the other way around, according to a new study. In this study, stress and anxiety predicted subsequent health-compromising behaviors, such as smoking, binge drinking, illegal drug use, unprotected sex and unhealthy diets. One possible explanation for these findings is that health compromising behaviors may be used as coping mechanisms to manage the effects of stress and anxiety.

Humanitarian aid workers in Uganda show signs of stress, depression, and burnout

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:24:24 EST

The high risk for mental health problems among staff working in humanitarian organizations in northern Uganda is due in large part to their work environment. Scientists examined the mental health of 376 Ugandan workers at 21 humanitarian aid agencies and found that a significant number of the staff at these organizations experienced high levels of symptoms for depression (68 percent), anxiety disorders (53 percent), and posttraumatic stress disorder (26 percent), respectively.

Active duty military personnel prone to sleep disorders and short sleep duration

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:44:44 EST

A new study found a high prevalence of sleep disorders and a startlingly high rate of short sleep duration among active duty military personnel. The study suggests the need for a cultural change toward appropriate sleep practices throughout the military.

Cleaning jobs linked to asthma risk

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:20:20 EST

A new study has found strong evidence for a link between cleaning jobs and risk of developing asthma. Researchers tracked the occurrence of asthma in a group of 9,488 people born in Britain in 1958. Not including those who had asthma as children, nine per cent developed asthma by age 42. Risks in the workplace were responsible for one in six cases of adult onset asthma – even more than the one in nine cases attributed to smoking, according to the analysis. There are many occupations that are thought to cause asthma. In this study, 18 occupations were clearly linked with asthma risk, four of which were cleaning jobs and a further three of which were likely to involve exposure to cleaning products.

How repeated aggression triggers social aversion in mice

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 06:47:47 EST

One of the mechanisms involved in the onset of stress-induced depression has been highlighted in mice. Scientists have determined the role of the corticosterone (stress hormone) receptor, in the long-term behavioral change triggered by chronic stress. In mice subject to repeated aggressions, this receptor participates in the development of social aversion by controlling the release of dopamine, a key chemical messenger. If this receptor is blocked, the animals become "resilient": although anxious, they overcome the trauma and no longer avoid contact with their fellow creatures.

Hearing-loss-prevention drugs closer to reality thanks to new test

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:33:33 EST

A new way to test anti-hearing-loss drugs in people could help land those medicines on pharmacy shelves sooner. Researchers have figured out the longstanding problem of how to safely create temporary, reversible hearing loss in order to see how well the drugs work.

Study assesses mood disorders with TMJ pain

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:20:20 EST

There is an ongoing debate about the role of psychological disorder symptoms as risk factors for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. Previous studies have associated depression and TMJ pain but large scale studies have not been performed. German researchers evaluated more than 3,000 community subjects and found that those with depression and anxiety had increased risk for temporomandibular pain upon palpation.

Is your business ready for a flu outbreak?

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 14:37:37 EST

Flu is reaching epidemic levels this year. A flu outbreak affects more than individual's health. Communities, schools and businesses will all be impacted by the virus. Will your business be ready for a flu outbreak?

Stress makes exhausted women over-sensitive to sounds

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 08:55:55 EST

Women suffering from stress-related exhaustion exhibit hypersensitivity to sounds when exposed to stress. In some cases, a sound level corresponding to a normal conversation can be perceived as painful.

US cancer screening rates decline over the last 10 years, finds new study

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 08:01:01 EST

The rate of people who seek preventive cancer screenings has fallen over the last 10 years in the United States with wide variations between white-collar and blue-collar workers, according to a new study.

Progress reported in quest to create objective method of detecting pain

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 23:49:49 EST

A method of analyzing brain structure using advanced computer algorithms accurately predicted 76 percent of the time whether a patient had lower back pain according to a new study.

Perceived stress may predict future coronary heart disease risk

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:14:14 EST

Are you stressed? Results of a new meta-analysis of six studies involving nearly 120,000 people indicate that the answer to that question may help predict one’s risk of incident coronary heart disease (CHD) or death from CHD.

Resident fatigue, stress trigger motor vehicle incidents

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:25:25 EST

It appears that long, arduous hours in the hospital are causing more than stress and fatigue among doctors-in-training -- they’re crashing, or nearly crashing, their cars after work, according to new research. Nearly half of the roughly 300 Mayo Clinic residents polled during the course of their residencies reported nearly getting into a motor vehicle crash during their training, and about 11 percent were actually involved in a traffic accident.

Workplace bullying ups risk of prescriptions for anxiety, depression, insomnia

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 20:57:57 EST

Witnessing or being on the receiving end of bullying at work heightens the risk of employees being prescribed antidepressants, sleeping pills, and tranquillisers, new research finds.

Sharp spike in computer-related injuries predicted for medical workers, find studies

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:17:17 EST

As U.S. health care goes high tech, spurred by $20 billion in federal stimulus incentives, the widespread adoption of electronic medical records and related digital technologies is predicted to significantly boost musculoskeletal injuries among doctors and nurses.

Imaging study identifies relationship between stress and seizures

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 12:14:14 EST

Many epilepsy patients believe that stress is a factor in their seizure control, while many other epilepsy patients do not have this perception. To better understand the potential role of stress among these patients, researchers conducted a functional neuroimaging study of patients with left temporal lobe epilepsy under imposed psychosocial stress.