A Systematic Review of Allostatic Load, Health, and Health Disparities

2012 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theresa M. Beckie
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Allostatic Load ◽  
Health Priorities ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Multiple Time Points ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

The theoretical constructs of allostasis and allostatic load (AL) have contributed to our understanding of how constantly changing social and environmental factors impact physiological functioning and shape health and aging disparities, particularly along socioeconomic, gendered, racial, and ethnic lines. AL represents the cumulative dysregulation of biological systems with prolonged or poorly regulated allostatic responses. Nearly two decades of empirical research has focused on operationalizing the AL construct for examining the antecedents and health outcomes accompanying multisystem biological dysregulation. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the empirical literature that quantifies the AL construct; the review also evaluates the social, environmental, and genetic antecedents of AL as well as its predictive utility for a variety of health outcomes. A total of 58 articles published between 1997 and 2012 were retrieved, analyzed, and synthesized. The results revealed considerable heterogeneity in the operationalization of AL and the measurement of AL biomarkers, making interpretations and comparisons across studies challenging. There is, however, empirical substantiation for the relationships between AL and socioeconomic status, social relationships, workplace, lifestyle, race/ethnicity, gender, stress exposure, and genetic factors. The literature also demonstrated associations between AL and physical and mental health and all-cause mortality. Targeting the antecedents of AL during key developmental periods is essential for improving public health. Priorities for future research include conducting prospective longitudinal studies, examining a broad range of antecedent allostatic challenges, and collecting reliable measures of multisystem dysregulation explicitly designed to assess AL, at multiple time points, in population-representative samples.

scholarly journals Physical activity levels among ovarian cancer survivors: a prospective longitudinal cohort study

2021 ◽  
pp. ijgc-2020-002107
Author(s):  
Tamara Jones ◽  
Carolina Sandler ◽  
Dimitrios Vagenas ◽  
Monika Janda ◽  
Andreas Obermair ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Ovarian Cancer ◽  
Stage Iv ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal Study ◽  
Physical Activity Advice ◽  
Physical Activity Levels ◽  
Multiple Time Points ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal

ObjectivePhysical activity following cancer diagnosis is associated with improved outcomes, including potential survival benefits, yet physical activity levels among common cancer types tend to decrease following diagnosis and remain low. Physical activity levels following diagnosis of less common cancers, such as ovarian cancer, are less known. The objectives of this study were to describe physical activity levels and to explore characteristics associated with physical activity levels in women with ovarian cancer from pre-diagnosis to 2 years post-diagnosis.MethodsAs part of a prospective longitudinal study, physical activity levels of women with ovarian cancer were assessed at multiple time points between pre-diagnosis and 2 years post-diagnosis. Physical activity levels and change in physical activity were described using metabolic equivalent task hours and minutes per week, and categorically (sedentary, insufficiently, or sufficiently active). Generalized Estimating Equations were used to explore whether participant characteristics were related to physical activity levels.ResultsA total of 110 women with ovarian cancer with a median age of 62 years (range 33–88) at diagnosis were included. 53–57% of the women were sufficiently active post-diagnosis, although average physical activity levels for the cohort were below recommended levels throughout the 2-year follow-up period (120–142.5min/week). A decrease or no change in post-diagnosis physical activity was reported by 44–60% of women compared with pre-diagnosis physical activity levels. Women diagnosed with stage IV disease, those earning a lower income, those receiving chemotherapy, and those currently smoking or working were more likely to report lower physical activity levels and had increased odds of being insufficiently active or sedentary.ConclusionsInterventions providing patients with appropriate physical activity advice and support for behavior change could potentially improve physical activity levels and health outcomes.

scholarly journals Updated systematic review and meta-analysis of studies examining the relationship between reported racism and health and well-being for children and youth: a protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e043722
Author(s):  
Naomi Priest ◽  
Kate Doery ◽  
Mandy Truong ◽  
Shuaijun Guo ◽  
Ryan Perry ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Research Policy ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Critical Determinant ◽  
Health And Well Being

IntroductionRacism is a critical determinant of health and health inequities for children and youth. This protocol aims to update the first systematic review conducted by Priest et al (2013), including a meta-analysis of findings. Based on previous empirical data, it is anticipated that child and youth health will be negatively impacted by racism. Findings from this review will provide updated evidence of effect sizes across outcomes and identify moderators and mediators of relationships between racism and health.Methods and analysisThis systematic review and meta-analysis will include studies that examine associations between experiences of racism and racial discrimination with health outcomes of children and youth aged 0–24 years. Exposure measures include self-reported or proxy reported systemic, interpersonal and intrapersonal racism. Outcome measures include general health and well-being, physical health, mental health, biological markers, healthcare utilisation and health behaviours. A comprehensive search of studies from the earliest time available to October 2020 will be conducted. A random effects meta-analysis will examine the average effect of racism on a range of health outcomes. Study-level moderation will test the difference in effect sizes with regard to various sample and exposure characteristics. This review has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews.Ethics and disseminationThis review will provide evidence for future research within the field and help to support policy and practice development. Results will be widely disseminated to both academic and non-academic audiences through peer-review publications, community summaries and presentations to research, policy, practice and community audiences.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020184055.

scholarly journals The job demands-resources model and the international work context – a systematic review

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 260-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy T.B. Rattrie ◽  
Markus G. Kittler
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Domestic Work ◽  
Job Demands ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
International Work ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Work Contexts

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a synthesis and evaluation of literature surrounding the job demands-resources (JD-R) model (Demerouti et al., 2001) in the first decade since its inception, with particular emphasis on establishing an evidence-based universal application towards different national and international work contexts. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a systematic review approach following the stages suggested by Tranfield et al. (2003). Based on empirical data from 62 studies, the authors systematically analyse the application of the JD-R model and queries whether it is applicable outside merely domestic work contexts. Findings – The authors find convincing support for the JD-R model in different national contexts. However, the authors also found an absence of studies employing the JD-R model in cross-national settings. None of the empirical studies in the sample had explicitly considered the international context of today’s work environment or had clearly associated JD-R research with the IHRM literature. Research limitations/implications – Based on the wide acceptance of the JD-R model in domestic work contexts and the increased interest in work-related outcomes such as burnout and engagement in the IHRM literature, the study identifies a gap and suggests future research applying the JD-R model to international work and global mobility contexts. Originality/value – This study is the first to systematically assess the application of the JD-R model in domestic and international work contexts based on a systematic review of empirical literature in the first decade since the inception of the model. The study identifies a lack of internationally focussed JD-R studies and invites further empirical research and theoretical extensions.

scholarly journals Association between psychosocial factors at work and health outcomes after retirement: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e030773
Author(s):  
Kotaro Imamura ◽  
Akizumi Tsutsumi ◽  
Yumi Asai ◽  
Hideaki Arima ◽  
Emiko Ando ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Psychosocial Factors ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Included Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Registration Number ◽  
Q Statistic ◽  
Work And Health

IntroductionThe world’s population is rapidly ageing, and health among older people is thus an important issue. Several previous studies have reported an association between adverse psychosocial factors at work before retirement and postretirement health. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to examine the association between psychosocial factors at work and health outcomes after retirement, based on a synthesis of well-designed prospective studies.Methods and analysisThe participants, exposures, comparisons and outcomes of the studies in this systematic review and meta-analysis are defined as follows: (P) people who have retired from their job, (E) presence of adverse psychosocial factors at work before retirement, (C) absence of adverse psychosocial factors at work before retirement and (O) any physical and mental health outcomes after retirement. Published studies were searched using the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES and Japan Medical Abstracts Society. The included studies will be statistically synthesised in a meta-analysis to estimate pooled coefficients and 95% CIs. The quality of each included study will be assessed using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies-of Interventions. For the assessment of meta-bias, publication bias will be assessed by using Egger’s test, as well as visually on a funnel plot. Heterogeneity will be assessed using the χ² test with Cochran’s Q statistic and I2.Ethics and disseminationResults and findings will be submitted and published in a scientific peer-reviewed journal and will be disseminated broadly to researchers and policy-makers interested in the translatability of scientific evidence into good practices.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018099043.

Multiple Sclerosis: MRI and Other Imaging Approaches in MS

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Absinta ◽  
Daniel S. Reich
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Resonance Imaging ◽  
Lesion Development ◽  
Diagnostic Role ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Mri ◽  
Multiple Time Points

Aside from its paramount diagnostic role, imaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), provide unparalleled insights into multiple sclerosis (MS) by assessing the spatiotemporal dynamics of the associated inflammation and neurodegeneration. This dynamical view, predicated on interrogation of individuals with MS at multiple time points, is impossible with pathology. The chapter approaches MRI in MS from this perspective, describing features related to lesion development and location, as well as assessment of global and regional damage. It summarizes current knowledge, addresses the limitations of that knowledge, and suggests ways in which imaging can advance future research.

Aging Couples: Benefits and Costs of Long Intimate Relations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria I. Michalowski ◽  
Denis Gerstorf ◽  
Christiane A. Hoppmann
Keyword(s):  
Time Frame ◽  
Multiple Time Scales ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Intimate Relations ◽  
Benefits And Costs ◽  
Over Time

Aging does not occur in isolation, but often involves significant others such as spouses. Whether such dyadic associations involve gains or losses depends on a myriad of factors, including the time frame under consideration. What is beneficial in the short term may not be so in the long term, and vice versa. Similarly, what is beneficial for one partner may be costly for the other, or the couple unit over time. Daily dynamics between partners involving emotion processes, health behaviors, and collaborative cognition may accumulate over years to affect the longer-term physical and mental health outcomes of either partner or both partners across adulthood and into old age. Future research should move beyond an individual-focused approach to aging and consider the importance of and interactions among multiple time scales to better understand how, when, and why older spouses shape each other’s aging trajectories, both for better and for worse.

The Personal and Professional Consequences of Physician Burnout: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2019 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
pp. 371-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric S. Williams ◽  
Cheryl Rathert ◽  
Sandra C. Buttigieg
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Conservation Of Resources ◽  
Physician Burnout ◽  
Health Physician ◽  
Reducing Costs ◽  
Dynamic Loss

The well-being of the health care workforce has emerged as both a major concern and as a component of the “quadruple aim” to enable the “triple aim” of improving patient experiences, reducing costs, and improving population health. Physician burnout is problematic given its effects on physicians, patients, health care organizations, and society. Using conservation of resources theory as a frame, we conducted a systematic review of the empirical literature on the relationship of physician burnout with physician personal and professional outcomes that includes 43 articles. Nine outcomes were organized into three categories illustrating burnout as a dynamic loss spiral rather than a static end-state. Findings show that emotional exhaustion had the greatest impact with the outcomes explored, while depersonalization and lack of professional accomplishment manifested fewer associations. The results suggest that burnout is a complex, dynamic phenomenon, which unfolds over time. Future research and implications of these results are discussed.

scholarly journals Correlates of grief-related disorders and mental health outcomes among adult refugees exposed to trauma and bereavement: A systematic review and future research directions

2020 ◽  
Vol 267 ◽  
pp. 171-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cyrille Kossigan Kokou-Kpolou ◽  
Charlemagne Simplice Moukouta ◽  
Joanic Masson ◽  
Amal Bernoussi ◽  
Jude Mary Cénat ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Directions ◽  
Future Research Directions

A systematic review of the methodologies used in research related to adult drug and alcohol rehabilitation in therapeutic communities published 2000-2013

2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 193-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra Perryman ◽  
Genevieve Dingle
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Size Analysis ◽  
Multiple Time ◽  
Therapeutic Communities ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Multiple Time Points

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize research conducted in long-term residential rehabilitation centers, including therapeutic communities (TCs), in order to further clarify the effectiveness of this treatment approach and to evaluate the quality of TC research conducted in the period 2000-2013. Design/methodology/approach – The composite search engine UQ database Summon were used to find articles with “Therapeutic Community” as title words, and the search was limited to adult participants, peer-reviewed articles, published between January 2000 and June 2013 in the English language. The review was conducted using Cochrane Collaboration methods and reported under the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses guidelines. Findings – In total, 25 studies met inclusion criteria for the review and represented data from n=5,923 participants in the USA, Australia, Spain, England, and Belgium. Evidence supports the TC approach for a diverse range of individuals who misuse a range of substances. Several studies reported a relationship between retention and outcomes however dropout from treatment is a widespread issue. A paucity of research using multiple time points precludes any firm conclusions regarding the optimal length of treatment in a TC. There is a lack of research on the interplay between individual and community-level factors on client well-being, retention, and longer term outcomes. Research limitations/implications – This review highlights the need for TC research that includes multiple time points and follow-up assessments, and measures of change in theoretically meaningful constructs alongside standard measures of demographics, substance use, and psychiatric symptoms. Practical implications – The reporting format of TC research should be better standardized in order to create a better basis for research comparison. More standardized reporting would also allow for effect size analysis, and create a more efficacious evidence base. Originality/value – This updates the systematic review body of research.

scholarly journals Pet Ownership and Quality of Life: A Systematic Review of the Literature

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 332
Author(s):  
Kristel J. Scoresby ◽  
Elizabeth B. Strand ◽  
Zenithson Ng ◽  
Kathleen C. Brown ◽  
Charles Robert Stilz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
The Body ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Prospective Longitudinal ◽  
The Impact

Pet ownership is the most common form of human–animal interaction, and anecdotally, pet ownership can lead to improved physical and mental health for owners. However, scant research is available validating these claims. This study aimed to review the recent peer reviewed literature to better describe the body of knowledge surrounding the relationship between pet ownership and mental health. A literature search was conducted in May 2020 using two databases to identify articles that met inclusion/exclusion criteria. After title review, abstract review, and then full article review, 54 articles were included in the final analysis. Of the 54 studies, 18 were conducted in the general population, 15 were conducted in an older adult population, eight were conducted in children and adolescents, nine focused on people with chronic disease, and four examined a specific unique population. Forty-one of the studies were cross-sectional, 11 were prospective longitudinal cohorts, and two were other study designs. For each of the articles, the impact of pet ownership on the mental health of owners was divided into four categories: positive impact (n = 17), mixed impact (n = 19), no impact (n = 13), and negative impact (n = 5). Among the reviewed articles, there was much variation in population studied and study design, and these differences make direct comparison challenging. However, when focusing on the impact of pet ownership on mental health, the results were variable and not wholly supportive of the benefit of pets on mental health. Future research should use more consistent methods across broader populations and the development of a pet-ownership survey module for use in broad, population surveys would afford a better description of the true relationship of pet ownership and mental health.

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