The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the CAGE questionnaire, and the questionnaire's concurrent validity with current and previous alcohol consumption. This study employed data from the Nord-Trøndelag... more
The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the CAGE questionnaire, and the questionnaire's concurrent validity with current and previous alcohol consumption. This study employed data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Survey wave 1 (HUNT-1 in 1984–86: N= 24,900) and wave 2 (HUNT-2 in 1995–97: N= 36,350). The concurrent validity of the CAGE questionnaire was examined both as a dichotomous variable with the recommended cut-off (≥ 2 affirmative answers) for alcohol problems, ...
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For alcohol, the association with socioeconomic status (SES) is different than for other public health challenges – the associations are complex, and heterogeneous between socioeconomic groups. Specifically, the relationship between... more
For alcohol, the association with socioeconomic status (SES) is different than for other public health challenges – the associations are complex, and heterogeneous between socioeconomic groups. Specifically, the relationship between alcohol consumption per se and adverse health consequences seems to vary across SES. This observation is called the ‘alcohol harm paradox’. This study aims to describe different patterns of alcohol use and potential problems. Next, the associations between sub-groups characterized by different patterns of alcohol use and potential problems, and age, gender, educational level, full-time employment, occupational level and income is analysed. Employing data from the ongoing cross-sectional WIRUS-study, N = 4311 participants were included in the present study. Individual response patterns of the ten-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were analysed and latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify latent groups. Next, the associations b...
Background During the last decade, social media has permeated most parts of society. Adolescents are particularly active users of social media, and their use has been suggested as a contributing factor to mental health issues in this... more
Background During the last decade, social media has permeated most parts of society. Adolescents are particularly active users of social media, and their use has been suggested as a contributing factor to mental health issues in this group. Quantitative studies have found associations between the frequency and/or duration of social media use and more mental health issues. However, most studies are cross-sectional and the identified associations are weak and of questionable practical significance. The aim of this study was to investigate adolescents’ lived experiences of using social media, focusing on both negative and positive aspects, using a qualitative approach. Qualitative research enables in-depth explorations of the experiences of individuals, nuance quantitative findings, and offer the perspective of adolescents into policies regarding social media use. Methods Experiences and perspectives of 27 adolescents from two senior high schools in Norway were gathered using focus gro...
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may have multifarious adverse effects on the mental health for some youth. To our knowledge, no study has followed young people beyond the first six months of the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study... more
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic may have multifarious adverse effects on the mental health for some youth. To our knowledge, no study has followed young people beyond the first six months of the pandemic outbreak. The aim of this study was to examine 1) Change in internalizing, externalizing, and total mental health problems over two time-points with a nine-month interval during the COVID-19 outbreak and 2) Whether contextual and COVID-19-related factors contribute to change in mental health problems. Methods: Youth within the municipality of Bergen aged 11-18 years were invited via SMS to participate in an online survey in April and again in December 2020. A total of 2997 (40%) youth participated at baseline in the present study, and 1598 (53.3%) completed the second survey. At baseline, the mean age was 16.0 (SD=1.7) years, about 60% were girls, and 93% were born in Norway. Comparison across time was approached using inferential statistics and mixed linear models with maximum li...
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Social media (SOME) use among adolescents has been linked to mental health and well-being. SOME self-presentation has been highlighted as an important factor to better understand the potential links. The aims of this study were to... more
Social media (SOME) use among adolescents has been linked to mental health and well-being. SOME self-presentation has been highlighted as an important factor to better understand the potential links. The aims of this study were to investigate the association between focus on SOME self-presentation and mental health and quality of life among adolescents. We used a cross-sectional survey, with n = 513 (56%; mean age 17.1 years; 58% boys) students from a senior high school in Norway. Associations between focus on SOME self-presentation and symptoms of anxiety and depression and quality of life were investigated using blobbograms, standardized mean difference (SMD), and gender-specific linear regression models. A high focus on SOME self-presentation was associated with more mental health problems and reduced quality of life. The strength of the associations with symptoms of depression (0.75SMD) and anxiety (0.71SMD) was large, while it was medium-large for quality of life (−0.58SMD). Th...
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Alcohol-related presenteeism (impaired work performance caused by alcohol use) is an important but under-researched topic. The aim of this study was to explore whether psychosocial work environment factors were associated with... more
Alcohol-related presenteeism (impaired work performance caused by alcohol use) is an important but under-researched topic. The aim of this study was to explore whether psychosocial work environment factors were associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. A cross sectional study of Norwegian employees (n = 6620) was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used for estimating associations with alcohol-related presenteeism, which was reported among 473 (7.1%) of the employees. Adjusted by age, gender, education level and managerial level, higher levels of overcommitment to work were associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. Higher age, male gender and higher education were also associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. Occupational health services and employers should especially focus on overcommitted employees when designing workplace health promotion programs. Modifying attitudes towards alcohol-related presenteeism among overcommitted employees may be of importance fo...
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Objective: The aim of this two wave longitudinal study was to increase the knowledge on levels of parental stress and rewards among mothers and fathers of children aged 1-18 years, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.... more
Objective: The aim of this two wave longitudinal study was to increase the knowledge on levels of parental stress and rewards among mothers and fathers of children aged 1-18 years, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and infection control measures have caused changes to family life. Caring for children in home-school/kindergarten while working from home may have posed significant strain on parents that may negatively impact the quality of parent-child relationships and parents' sensitivity to their children's needs.Method: We employed data collected in April 2020 and in April 2021 from the longitudinal BiE-study. 7424 parents participated (58 % mothers and 41 % fathers). Results: The overall levels of parental stress and rewards did not change significantly. Being male, aged 40-49, having a relatively high income, or reporting initial difficulties with closed kindergartens or schools were associated with decreased parental stress...
Social media (SoMe) activity constitutes a large part of the lives of adolescents. Even though the behavior on SoMe is complex, the research on SoMe has mostly focused on negative effects, bad content, and online antisocial behavior... more
Social media (SoMe) activity constitutes a large part of the lives of adolescents. Even though the behavior on SoMe is complex, the research on SoMe has mostly focused on negative effects, bad content, and online antisocial behavior (OAB). Less research has been conducted on online prosocial behavior (OPB), and to what extent OPBs are widespread is relatively unknown. A review was conducted to investigate to what extent OPB is related to SoMe use among adolescents based on studies published from 2014 to May 2021. To be included, the studies had to be quantitative, non-experimental, have participants aged 13–18, include measures of SoMe and OPB, and be published in peer-reviewed journals with full text available in English, Swedish, Danish or Norwegian. A research was conducted in databases PsychINFO, Ovid MEDLINE(R), EMBASE, COCHRANE Database of Systematic Reviews, Web of Science, Sociological s, Sociological Services Abstracts, and Eric. Two studies met the eligibility criteria. Bo...
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Background and Aims: Several studies have pointed to relatively high levels of illicit drug use among students in higher education compared to the general population. The aim of the present study was to provide an updated examination of... more
Background and Aims: Several studies have pointed to relatively high levels of illicit drug use among students in higher education compared to the general population. The aim of the present study was to provide an updated examination of self-reported illicit drug use among Norwegian University and college students.Methods: Data stem from the SHoT study (Students' Health and Well-being Study), a nationwide cross-sectional survey for higher education in Norway including Norwegian full-time students aged 18–35. Self-reported illicit drug use across a range of specified drugs comprised the outcome variables. Information on gender, age, and study location (geographical area) was also collected and used as stratification variables. The SHoT-survey from 2018 (N = 50,054) was used for the analyses of associations between demographical variables and illicit drug use, while trends in illicit drug use were estimated by comparing the 2018-results with data from the SHoT-surveys conducted in...
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Whether lockdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic influences alcohol consumption is not well known. This study assesses alcohol consumption and hazardous drinking behavior during the initial phase of pandemic measures in Norway and... more
Whether lockdown related to the COVID-19 pandemic influences alcohol consumption is not well known. This study assesses alcohol consumption and hazardous drinking behavior during the initial phase of pandemic measures in Norway and identifies potential risk factors. A cross-sectional study (N = 25,708) was conducted in Bergen, Norway, following the first six weeks of strict infection control measures. In a model of self-assessed increased alcohol consumption, logistic regression analysis was conducted with independent variables for COVID-19-related worries, joblessness, quarantine, self-reported drinking behavior, age, gender, and occupational situation. These are reported with odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals. Fifty-one percent of respondents reported economic or health-related worries due to COVID-19, 16% had been in quarantine, 49% worked/studied from home, 54% reported hazardous drinking behavior, and 13% reported increased alcohol consumption. People aged 30–39 y...
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Objective: Recent studies have shown that today's college students more than ever are struggling with mental health and alcohol problems. While poor satisfaction with life and mental health problems have been linked to higher alcohol... more
Objective: Recent studies have shown that today's college students more than ever are struggling with mental health and alcohol problems. While poor satisfaction with life and mental health problems have been linked to higher alcohol consumption, there is still a lack of studies examining in detail the shape and nature of the relationship between mental health and alcohol consumption.Aim: To investigate the associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems among Norwegian university students. The shape of the associations was also examined.Methods: Data were drawn from a 2018 national survey of students in higher education in Norway (the SHoT-study). Associations between satisfaction with life, mental health problems and potential alcohol-related problems (AUDIT; risky and harmful alcohol use) were investigated using logistic regression. Both crude models and models adjusted for age, gender and marital status were conducte...
Alcohol-related presenteeism (impaired work performance caused by alcohol use) is an important but under-researched topic. The aim of this study was to explore whether psychosocial work environment factors were associated with... more
Alcohol-related presenteeism (impaired work performance caused by alcohol use) is an important but under-researched topic. The aim of this study was to explore whether psychosocial work environment factors were associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. A cross sectional study of Norwegian employees (n = 6620) was conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used for estimating associations with alcohol-related presenteeism, which was reported among 473 (7.1%) of the employees. Adjusted by age, gender, education level and managerial level, higher levels of overcommitment to work were associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. Higher age, male gender and higher education were also associated with alcohol-related presenteeism. Occupational health services and employers should especially focus on overcommitted employees when designing workplace health promotion programs. Modifying attitudes towards alcohol-related presenteeism among overcommitted employees may be of importance fo...
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The extent of mental health problems among adolescents seems to be on the rise, and this observed trend has often been linked to a coinciding increase in social media use. The goal of the current preliminary study was to investigate how... more
The extent of mental health problems among adolescents seems to be on the rise, and this observed trend has often been linked to a coinciding increase in social media use. The goal of the current preliminary study was to investigate how senior high school personnel experience the role of social media in relation to the mental health of their pupils. Two focus group interviews (total n = 11) were completed and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, resulting in 4 themes and 11 subthemes. The results illustrate that school personnel experience social media as a tool for communication, but also as a potential cause of mental health issues and reduced academic performance among pupils. The participants called for schools to become better equipped to meet the opportunities and challenges of social media.
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Objectives In western countries, more years are being spent in age retirement. The transition phase into age retirement may be important for physical and mental health in the years following retirement. The aim of the present study was to... more
Objectives In western countries, more years are being spent in age retirement. The transition phase into age retirement may be important for physical and mental health in the years following retirement. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether age retirement is associated with changes in the level of physical activity, smoking habits and alcohol habits. Design Using data on self-reported health-related behaviour from a population-based study (The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT3)) linked to registry data on age retirement, participants who retired within two years prior to and two years after participating in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (N = 2,197) were compared. Participants A total of 2,197 participants were included. Setting Population-based study in Norway. Main outcome measures Registry data on age retirement. Results No systematic differences in alcohol consumption, smoking or physical activity over the strata defined by time before or after age retirement...
Population-based studies have revealed a high occurrence of self-reported psychological distress symptoms during the early phases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Stress and negative affect can lead to emotional... more
Population-based studies have revealed a high occurrence of self-reported psychological distress symptoms during the early phases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Stress and negative affect can lead to emotional eating, which in turn can have negative outcomes on health. In this population-based study, 24,968 Norwegian inhabitants participated in an electronic questionnaire including structured questions on dietary habits, emotional eating, psychological distress symptoms, and COVID-19-related worries. The study took place during April 2020 after around six weeks of interventions to tackle the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, emotional eating was reported in 54% of the population and was markedly more frequent in female participants. Worries related to consequences of the pandemic were associated with increased emotional eating, and the association was stronger for worries related to personal economy—odds ratios (OR) 1.7 (95% confidence interval (CI9...
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Aims: There are concerns that lockdown measures taken during the current COVID-19 pandemic lead to a rise in loneliness, especially in vulnerable groups. We explore trends in loneliness before and during the pandemic and differences... more
Aims: There are concerns that lockdown measures taken during the current COVID-19 pandemic lead to a rise in loneliness, especially in vulnerable groups. We explore trends in loneliness before and during the pandemic and differences across population subgroups. Methods: Data were collected via online questionnaires in June 2020 and four to eight months prior in two Norwegian counties ( N=10,740; 54% women; age 19–92 years). Baseline data come from the Norwegian Counties Public Health Survey (participation rate 46%, of which 59% took part in a COVID-19 follow-up study). Results: Overall loneliness was stable or falling during the lockdown. However, some subgroups, single individuals and older women, reported slightly increased loneliness during lockdown. Interestingly, individuals with low social support and high levels of psychological distress and loneliness before the pandemic experienced decreasing loneliness during the pandemic. Conclusions: Although data limitations preclude st...
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Background: Self-report data indicate a deterioration of population mental health in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Norwegian epidemiological diagnostic psychiatric interview survey was conducted from January to September... more
Background: Self-report data indicate a deterioration of population mental health in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Norwegian epidemiological diagnostic psychiatric interview survey was conducted from January to September 2020, allowing for comparison of current prevalence of mental disorders from before through different pandemic phases. Prevalence of suicide deaths were compared between 2020 and 2014-2018. Methods: Participants from the Trondelag Health Study (HUNT) in Trondheim were recruited through repeated probability sampling. Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 5.0) (n=2,154), current prevalence of mental disorders was examined in repeated cross-sectional analyses. Data on suicide was retrieved from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry and compared for the first phase of the pandemic with the same months 2014-2018. Findings: Prevalence of mental disorders decreased significantly from the pre-pandemic phase (January 28th to March 11th 2020; 15·3% [95% CI 12·4-18·8]) to the first pandemic phase (March 12th – May 31st ; 8·7% [6·8-11·0]) and was fairly stable through the interim phase (June 1st July 31st ; 14·2% [11·4-17·5]) and the second phase (August 1st -September 18th ; 11·9% [9·0-15·6]). Suicidal ideation was non-significantly (n.s) increased during the pandemic. Suicide deaths were 15% lower (n.s) in March-May 2020 (n=140) compared with the same months pooled over 2014-2018 (n=165). Interpretation: We found no increase in mental disorders or suicides during the COVID-19 pandemic up through early autumn 2020. COVID-19 related mortality, transmission rates, intensity and implementation of measures and lockdowns have been less severe in Norway than many other countries and could account for these results. Funding: None Declaration of Interests: Dr. Hotopf reports grants from European Commission IMI/EFPIA, grants from National Institute of Health Research, grants from Medical Research Council, and grants from Economic and Social Research Council outside the submitted work. In the past 3 years, Dr. Kessler was a consultant for Datastat, Inc., Sage Pharmaceuticals, and Takeda. The authors Dr. Knudsen, Dr. Gustavson, Dr. Krokstad, Dr. Skogen, Dr. Stene-Larsen, Dr. Overland and Dr. Reneflot report no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The survey was a collaboration between the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH) and the HUNT Research Centre and approved by the Regional Committee for Medical Research Ethics (2017/28/REK midt).
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Background: Alcohol consumption is deeply integrated in people’s social- and work lives and, thus, constitutes a serious public health challenge. Attitudes toward drinking stand out as important predictors of drinking, but have to date... more
Background: Alcohol consumption is deeply integrated in people’s social- and work lives and, thus, constitutes a serious public health challenge. Attitudes toward drinking stand out as important predictors of drinking, but have to date been sparsely studied in employee populations. This study explores the association of employees’ attitudes toward drinking with their alcohol-related problems, and whether this association is moderated by gender and employment sector. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from a heterogeneous sample of employees (N = 4094) at 19 Norwegian companies. Drinking attitudes were assessed using the Drinking Norms Scale. The AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) scale was then used to assess any alcohol-related problems. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and multiple logistic regression. Results: Employees with predominantly positive drinking attitudes were almost three times as likely to report alc...
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ObjectivesIn western countries, more years are being spent in age retirement. The transition phase into age retirement may be important for physical and mental health in the years following retirement. The aim of the present study was to... more
ObjectivesIn western countries, more years are being spent in age retirement. The transition phase into age retirement may be important for physical and mental health in the years following retirement. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether age retirement is associated with changes in the level of physical activity, smoking habits and alcohol habits.DesignUsing data on self-reported health-related behaviour from a population-based study (The Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT3)) linked to registry data on age retirement, participants who retired within two years prior to and two years after participating in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (N = 2,197) were compared.ParticipantsA total of 2,197 participants were included.SettingPopulation-based study in Norway.Main outcome measuresRegistry data on age retirement.ResultsNo systematic differences in alcohol consumption, smoking or physical activity over the strata defined by time before or after age retirement were identified.ConclusionThe current and previous findings do not suggest that transition into age retirement changes health-related behaviours. However, there is probably merit in investigating complicating factors related to the retirement process, such as degree of voluntariness, as these factors may influence the impact of age retirement on health behaviours.
Objective The Job Demands and Control model classifies job types as active, passive, low-strain or high-strain, based on a combination of job demands and control. While studies have shown high-strain jobs to have adverse consequences for... more
Objective The Job Demands and Control model classifies job types as active, passive, low-strain or high-strain, based on a combination of job demands and control. While studies have shown high-strain jobs to have adverse consequences for health and work participation, prognostic factors for the four job types have been less explored. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between sociodemographic factors and job descriptors and being in high-strain, low-strain, active and passive jobs. Methods The WIRUS Screening study targeted Norwegian employees in private and public enterprises. In this study, associations with job types among 4,487 employees were investigated with binary logistic regression analyses, adjusting for sociodemographic and job-related variables. Results In fully adjusted models, high-strain job was associated with female gender; lower education; shift work; and doing work outside the workplace. Low-strain job was associated with opposite scores on the s...
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Research Interests: Medicine and Drug abuse
Background An increase in reported psychological distress, particularly among adolescent girls, is observed across a range of countries. Whether a similar trend exists among students in higher education remains unknown. The aim of the... more
Background An increase in reported psychological distress, particularly among adolescent girls, is observed across a range of countries. Whether a similar trend exists among students in higher education remains unknown. The aim of the current study was to describe trends in self-reported psychological distress among Norwegian college and university students from 2010 to 2018. Methods We employed data from the Students' Health and Wellbeing Study (SHoT), a nationwide survey for higher education in Norway including full-time students aged 18–34. Numbers of participants (participation rates) were n = 6065 (23%) in 2010, n = 13 663 (29%) in 2014 and n = 49 321 (31%) in 2018. Psychological distress was measured using the Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 (HSCL-25). Results Overall, a statistically significant increase in self-reported psychological distress was observed over time across gender and age-groups. HSCL-25 scores were markedly higher for women than for men at all time-points. E...
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Research Interests: Health Sciences, Health Promotion, Epidemiology, Infectious disease epidemiology, Death, and 14 moreMental Health, Chronic Pain, Public Health Policy, Health Education, Clinical Epidemiology, Tobacco, Drugs And Alcohol, Community Health, Public Health, Medicine, Smoking and Drug Rehabilitation, Life Expectancy, Burden of Disease, and Public health systems and services research
Background For alcohol, the association with socioeconomic status (SES) is different than for other public health challenges – the associations are complex, and heterogeneous between socioeconomic groups. Specifically, the relationship... more
Background For alcohol, the association with socioeconomic status (SES) is different than for other public health challenges – the associations are complex, and heterogeneous between socioeconomic groups. Specifically, the relationship between alcohol consumption per se and adverse health consequences seems to vary across SES. This observation is called the ‘alcohol harm paradox’. This study aims to describe different patterns of alcohol use and potential problems. Next, the associations between sub-groups characterized by different patterns of alcohol use and potential problems, and age, gender, educational level, full-time employment, occupational level and income is analysed. Methods Employing data from the ongoing cross-sectional WIRUS-study, N = 4311 participants were included in the present study. Individual response patterns of the ten-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) were analysed and latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify latent groups. Next,...
Aims: Economic gender equality is one of the goals of the Nordic Welfare states. Despite this, there is a considerable gender gap in pensionable income in the European Union, and an unmet need for measures that absorb more of the... more
Aims: Economic gender equality is one of the goals of the Nordic Welfare states. Despite this, there is a considerable gender gap in pensionable income in the European Union, and an unmet need for measures that absorb more of the complexity associated with accumulated (dis)advantages across gender and population groups. The aims of the present study were to examine the gender difference in association between average earned pension points and 1) education and 2) current occupational prestige, and to discuss pension points as a possible indicator of accumulated disadvantages. Methods: We linked a community-based survey, the Hordaland Health study (HUSK), to the national register of insurance benefits (FD-trygd). This made it possible to trace gendered patterns of economic (dis)advantages associated with educational level, career development and gainful work over the life course for 17,275 individuals. Results: We found profound differences in earned accrued pension rights between men...
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There is ample evidence of associations between a perceived stressful working environment and several health-related outcomes. To better understand potential mechanisms behind these observations some studies have focused on the... more
There is ample evidence of associations between a perceived stressful working environment and several health-related outcomes. To better understand potential mechanisms behind these observations some studies have focused on the relationship between effort-reward imbalance at work and alcohol consumption. So far, the findings have been inconsistent. One reason for this inconsistency might come from the focus on alcohol consumption per se, while disregarding other aspects such as adverse consequences related to the consumption of alcohol. The aim of the present study was to explore associations between perceived effort and reward, effort-reward imbalance and overcommitment, and alcohol-related problems. Using data from the alcohol screening component in the Norwegian WIRUS-project (N = 5,080), we ascertained the perceived effort, reward, effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and overcommitment using the effort-reward imbalance questionnaire. Alcohol-related problems was determined using a cut...
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Aims: The aim of the current study was to provide estimates of the distribution of alcohol-related problems in a large sample of college and university students. We also sought to examine trends in the distribution of alcohol-related... more
Aims: The aim of the current study was to provide estimates of the distribution of alcohol-related problems in a large sample of college and university students. We also sought to examine trends in the distribution of alcohol-related problems from 2010 to 2018. Methods: Data stem from a recent national health survey from 2018 for higher education in Norway (the SHoT study) in which 50,054 full-time students (69.1% women; 30.9% men) aged 18–35 years participated. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess potential alcohol-related problems. Data on demographic characteristics were also collected. Results: More than half of the male students (52.8%) and 4 out of 10 of the female students (40.1%) reported risky, harmful or dependent alcohol use. Compared to women, men had an increased risk of risky alcohol use (relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1.57), harmful alcohol use (RRR = 2.45) and dependent alcohol use (RRR = 2.73). Younger students had higher rates of ri...
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BACKGROUND Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with sleep disturbances in adulthood. However, longitudinal studies have yet to identify among CSA-survivors subgroups distinguished by the trajectory of their insomnia severity, or... more
BACKGROUND Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with sleep disturbances in adulthood. However, longitudinal studies have yet to identify among CSA-survivors subgroups distinguished by the trajectory of their insomnia severity, or predictors of subgroup membership. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine longitudinal insomnia symptom trajectories, as well as predictors and correlates of the identified trajectories, over a 4 year study period in a sample of adult, mainly female CSA-survivors. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING The sample comprised 533 adult survivors of CSA (94.9% women, mean age 39.2 years, mean age of abuse onset 6.5 years), recruited from support centers for sexual abuse survivors in Norway. METHODS Latent class growth analyses were used to identify insomnia symptom trajectories. RESULTS Three distinct trajectories of insomnia symptoms were identified; one characterized by high insomnia symptom scores minimally decreasing over the study period ('high and decreasing', 30.6%), one characterized by stable intermediate insomnia symptom scores ('intermediate and stable', 41.5%), and one characterized by stable low insomnia symptom scores ('low and stable', 27.9%). Predictors of belonging to the high and decreasing trajectory (using the low and stable trajectory as a reference), was lower age of abuse onset (expotentiated coefficient (EC): 0.93, p = 0.026), abuse involving penetration (EC: 2.36, p = 0.005), threats (EC: 3.06, p < 0.001) or physical violence (EC: 3.29 p < 0.001), a higher score on a composite variable comprising multiple other abuse and perpetrator aspects (EC: 2.55, p < 0.001), as well as scoring above a clinical cut-off on a measure of posttraumatic stress symptoms (EC: 12.17, p < 0.001). Those belonging to the high and decreasing trajectory also reported lower levels of perceived social support and higher levels of subjectively experienced relational difficulties compared to those belonging to the two other trajectories. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that different longitudinal insomnia trajectories exist among adult CSA survivors. The overall results, as well as the significant predictors, are discussed alongside their potential clinical implications.
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Sense of time is a fundamental aspect of human psychology. The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) is a widely used questionnaire meant to measure fundamental experiential dimensions of time, such as past, present and future. The... more
Sense of time is a fundamental aspect of human psychology. The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (ZTPI) is a widely used questionnaire meant to measure fundamental experiential dimensions of time, such as past, present and future. The aim of this study was to establish model fit of a Norwegian extended version of the ZTPI. The study is based on a convenience sample of 713 individuals. Based on previous findings, we employed confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory structural equation modelling to investigate different factor structures of ZTPI. The analyses were carried out using the WLSMV-estimation approach, and several fit indices was used as indicators of how well the data fitted the suggested factor structure. This first investigation of a Norwegian version of ZTPI did not find support for the original 56-item scale, the S-ZTPI version (64 items), nor an extended version that also incorporated the transcendental time perspective (74 items). In post-hoc analyses, we identi...
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Aims: The literature on associations between internalising problems and subsequent alcohol/drug use and problems shows mixed results, and it is important to consider different aspects of internalising problems along with co-occurring... more
Aims: The literature on associations between internalising problems and subsequent alcohol/drug use and problems shows mixed results, and it is important to consider different aspects of internalising problems along with co-occurring externalising problems. Methods: In a longitudinal study ( n = 2438) followed up when the subjects were 7–9, 11–13, and 16–19 years of age, we investigated associations between parent/teacher-reported externalising and internalising problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ) and adolescent self-reported alcohol and illicit drug use and problems. Socioeconomic status (SES), gender, and age were included as potential confounding variables. We also adjusted for the potential confounding effects from externalising problems on the association between internalising problems and alcohol/drug use, and vice versa. Results: Externalising problems were positively associated with all measures of alcohol/drug use and problems (adjusted odds ratios [ AO...
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Abstract Social position, education, gender and increasing age are all identified as important risk factors for disability pension. This study takes an intersectionality approach and examines their co-constitution, in relation to inequity... more
Abstract Social position, education, gender and increasing age are all identified as important risk factors for disability pension. This study takes an intersectionality approach and examines their co-constitution, in relation to inequity in disability pension. The population included 22,203 middle-aged men and women participating in the community-based Hordaland Health Study, Western Norway (1997–1999). The participants were categorised in four exposure groups: higher educated men, higher educated women, lower educated men and lower educated women. The outcome was disability pension from 1992 to end of 2007, from a national registry. Using recommendations for intersectionality-informed quantitative research, we estimated the main effects of gender and educational attainment on disability pension, and potential statistical multiplicative interactions between gender and education in relation to cause-specific and all-cause disability pension. For all-cause disability pension, men with higher education had the lowest risk for disability pension (rate per 1000 person-years: 2.01) during the course of working life (from age 35 to 57), followed by higher educated women (rate 3.56), and lower educated men (rate 4.59). Finally, women with lower education had a substantially increased risk already in early middle age (rate 8.39). We found a statistical multiplicative effect of lower education and female gender on all-cause disability pension and disability pension with musculoskeletal disorders compared with men with higher education. The discussion highlights that inequity in disability pension is not only about defining vulnerable groups, but also about understanding how privileges and disadvantages are unequally distributed.
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The aim of this study is to investigate associations between use of cigarettes, cannabis, and alcohol (CCA) and psychosocial problems among adolescents with different cultural backgrounds living in Nordic countries. Data from six... more
The aim of this study is to investigate associations between use of cigarettes, cannabis, and alcohol (CCA) and psychosocial problems among adolescents with different cultural backgrounds living in Nordic countries. Data from six questionnaire-based surveys conducted in Denmark, Norway, and Greenland, with participants from different cultural and religious backgrounds, were compared. A total of 2212 adolescents between 15 and 18 years of age participated in the study. The surveys were carried out nationally and in school settings. All adolescents answered a 12-item questionnaire (YouthMap12) with six questions identifying externalizing behavior problems and six questions identifying internalizing behavior problems, as well as four questions regarding childhood neglect and physical or sexual abuse, and questions about last month use of CCA. Externalizing behavior problems were strongly associated with all types of CCA use, while childhood history of abuse and neglect was associated with cigarette and cannabis use. The associations did not differ by sample. Despite differences between samples in use of CCA, national, cultural, and socioeconomic background, very similar associations were found between psychosocial problems and use of CCA. Our findings highlight the need to pay special attention to adolescents with externalizing behavior problems and experiences of neglect and assault in CCA prevention programs, across different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
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Internationally adopted adolescents are at increased risk for mental health problems. However, little is known about problematic alcohol and drug use, which are important indicators of maladjustment. The aim of this study was to examine... more
Internationally adopted adolescents are at increased risk for mental health problems. However, little is known about problematic alcohol and drug use, which are important indicators of maladjustment. The aim of this study was to examine the level of problematic alcohol and drug use in internationally adopted adolescents compared to their nonadopted peers. The study is based on data from the youth@hordaland-survey, which was conducted in Hordaland County, Norway, in the spring of 2012. All adolescents born from 1993 to 1995 residing in Hordaland at the time of the study were invited to participate. Information on adoption was obtained from the Central Adoption Registry and linked to self-report data from the youth@hordaland-survey. Among 10,200 participants, 45 were identified as internationally adopted. No significant differences were found between international adoptees and their peers regarding whether or not they had tried alcohol or illicit drugs or their patterns of drinking behavior. However, adopted adolescents had a higher mean score on a measure of problematic alcohol and drug use compared to their nonadopted peers. The difference was attenuated and no longer significant when adjusting for measures of depression and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Results from a structural equation model indicated a full mediation effect of mental health problems on the association between adoption status and problematic alcohol and drug use. Our findings indicate that internationally adopted adolescents experience more problematic alcohol and drug use than their nonadopted peers, and the difference can largely be explained by mental health problems. (PsycINFO Database Record
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ObjectiveThe aim of the current paper was to investigate the association between the patterns of duration, timing and sequencing of exposure to low family income during childhood, and symptoms of mental health problems in... more
ObjectiveThe aim of the current paper was to investigate the association between the patterns of duration, timing and sequencing of exposure to low family income during childhood, and symptoms of mental health problems in adolescence.SettingSurvey administered to a large population-based sample of Norwegian adolescents.ParticipantsSurvey data from 9154 participants of 16–19 years age (53% participation rate; 52.7% girls) were linked to registry-based information about childhood family income from tax return data.Outcome measuresMental health outcomes were symptoms of emotional, conduct, hyperactivity, peer problems and general mental health problems measured with the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, symptoms of depression measured with Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire and symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) measured with the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale.ResultsLatent class analysis and the BCH approach in Mplus were used to examine associations ...
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To determine if symptoms of depression and anxiety are differentially associated with clinical diabetes measures and self-management behaviours in individuals with Type 2 diabetes, and whether these associations vary by patient sex. A... more
To determine if symptoms of depression and anxiety are differentially associated with clinical diabetes measures and self-management behaviours in individuals with Type 2 diabetes, and whether these associations vary by patient sex. A cross-sectional analysis using data from 2035 adults with Type 2 diabetes in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study. Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore associations between symptoms of depression and anxiety and waist girth, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, triglycerides, c-reactive protein, glycemic control, diet adherence, exercise, glucose monitoring, foot checks for ulcers, and the subjective patient experience. Analyses were stratified by sex. Depression was associated with a lower likelihood of avoiding saturated fats (OR=0.20 [95% CI: 0.06, 0.68]) and increased odds of physical inactivity (OR=1.69 [95% CI: 1.37, 2.72]). Anxiety was associated with increased odds of eating vegetables (OR=1.66 [95% CI: 1.02, 2.73]), and an over...
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In the present study, our aim was to examine longitudinal posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) trajectories in a Norwegian sample of adults who had experienced sexual abuse during childhood, and to identify predictors of PTSS-trajectory... more
In the present study, our aim was to examine longitudinal posttraumatic stress symptom (PTSS) trajectories in a Norwegian sample of adults who had experienced sexual abuse during childhood, and to identify predictors of PTSS-trajectory belongingness. The sample consisted of 138 adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (96.4% women, mean age=42.9years, mean age at the first abuse=5.9 years), recruited from support centers for sexual abuse survivors. The majority (78.3%) reported penetrative abuse, and a large proportion of the sample reported that the perpetrator was a biological parent (38.4%) or someone they trusted (76.1%), reflecting a high severity level of the abusive experiences. Latent Profile Analyses revealed the best overall fit for a two PTSS-trajectories model; one trajectory characterized by sub-clinical and decreasing level of PTSS (54.9%), and the other by high and slightly decreasing level of PTSS (45.1%). Increased odds for belonging to the trajectory with clinical...
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Research Interests:
Depression is strongly linked to increased mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Despite high rates of co-occurring anxiety and depression, the risk of death associated with comorbid anxiety in individuals with type 2 diabetes is... more
Depression is strongly linked to increased mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Despite high rates of co-occurring anxiety and depression, the risk of death associated with comorbid anxiety in individuals with type 2 diabetes is poorly understood. This study documented the excess mortality risk associated with symptoms of depression and/or anxiety comorbid with type 2 diabetes. Using data for 64,177 Norwegian adults from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 2), with linkage to the Norwegian Causes of Death Registry, we assessed all-cause mortality from survey participation in 1995 through to 2013. We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine mortality risk over 18 years associated with type 2 diabetes status and the presence of comorbid affective symptoms at baseline. Three clear patterns emerged from our findings. First, mortality risk in individuals with diabetes increased in the presence of depression or anxiety, or both. Second, mortality risk was lowest for sym...