The association between exposure to potentially traumatic events without and with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and subjective health complaints (SHCs) in an East German sample was investigated. Using data from the Study of Health in Pomerania (N = 2,173), three groups were examined: no exposure (n = 1,050), exposure without PTSD (n = 1,091), and exposure with PTSD (n = 32). Multiple hierarchical linear and negative binomial regression were employed to compare the groups regarding total SHC score, eight SHC subscales (anxiety/depression, exhaustion, difficulty breathing, pain, sensory disturbances of the extremities, digestive trouble, nausea/weight loss, temperature sensitivity), and the number of substantial complaints. Individuals exposed to potentially traumatic events with and without subsequent PTSD reported higher levels for the total SHC score, all types of SHC, and a larger number of substantial complaints than people without exposure. Exposure with PTSD was associated with the highest total SHC score, the number of substantial complaints, and the highest scores regarding several types of SHC. These findings improve our understanding of the clinical picture of people with potentially traumatic experiences and PTSD. It allows general practitioners and psychotherapists a more targeted treatment of their patients (e.g., screening PTSD patients for subjective complaints).
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate (1) the type and frequency of reported life events of the East German population related to the German reunification and (2) their associations with psychosocial health. Methods: Data of 2247 participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania was used.These qualitative responses were analysed using quantitative content analysis. Their associations with subjective physical and mental health, optimism, social support, depressive symptoms, and chronic stress were examined. Results: Eight life event categories were identified (education, employment-related changes, material changes, new opportunities, personal life events, politics, separations, reunifications). Especially, experiencing new opportunities was associated with a higher level of optimism as well as a lower level of depressive symptoms and chronic stress. Conclusions: In this study, events frequently described in the literature (e.g., employment-related and social changes) were confirmed and systematized.The observed associations of these events with psychosocial factors should be examined further in future studies.
Abstract Background Time-use surveys can closely monitor daily activities, times of stress and relaxation, and examine predictors and trajectories with regard to health. However, previous studies have often neglected the complex interaction of daily activities when looking at health outcomes. Methods Using latent profile analysis, this study examined patterns of self-reported daily time use (0–12h hours) for nine types of behaviour (work, errands, housework, childcare, care of persons in need, education, repairs and gardening, physical activity, and hobbies/leisure-time activities) in the 2018 wave of the German Socio-Economic Panel ( N = 30,152; 51.9% female; M = 46.87 years). Sociodemographic variables, affective wellbeing, general and domain-specific life satisfaction, and self-rated health were inspected as predictors via multinomial logistic regression models. Results Six latent profiles emerged: full-time work (47.2%), leisure (33.8%), childcare (8.9%), education (7.0%), part-time work & care (2.6%), and care (0.5%). Overall, the care and part-time work & care profiles showed the lowest wellbeing scores, lower subjective health, and life satisfaction. Women were more likely to be members of the care and childcare profiles. Men were more likely to belong to the full-time work profile, and they reported significantly higher wellbeing than women. Conclusions The analysis revealed distinct patterns of time use and a burden on women, given their investment in care and childcare. Part-time work, and care seemed particularly demanding, and thus, are important areas for prevention, for instance, regarding mental health problems. However, time use was assessed via self-reports, therefore future studies could implement objective measures like digital trackers to validate findings.
Abstract To a large extent health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a product of life-course experiences. Therefore, we examined employment, marital, and reproductive life-course typologies as predictors of HRQoL in women and men. To determine life course clusters, sequence and cluster analysis were performed on the annual (waves 1990–2019) employment, marital, and children in household states of the German Socio-Economic Panel data (N = 8,998; age = 53.57, 52.52% female); separately for men and women. Using hierarchical linear regression analyses, and Tukey HSD post-hoc tests, associations between clusters and change in life satisfaction, subjective mental, and physical health were examined. Five life-course clusters were identified in the female and six in the male sample. Life courses differed greatly across gender regarding employment aspects (e.g., men generally work full-time vs. women underwent frequent transitions). The family aspects appeared similar – e.g., ‘starting a family’ or ‘marital separation’ clusters – but still differed in the particulars. Life course typologies were related to distinct patterns of HRQoL. For instance, both for men and women the ‘separated’ clusters, as well as the male ‘entering non-employment’ cluster were associated with a steeper decline in HRQoL. However, change in subjective mental health showed few associations. Distinct types of life courses and differential associations with sociodemographic background and HRQoL emerged for women and men. The analyses reveal a burden on individuals who experienced marital separation, and non-employment and thus present important target groups for health prevention, e.g., for physical health problems.
Zusammenfassung Gewalterfahrungen in der Kindheit erhöhen das Risiko für psychische Probleme im Erwachsenenalter. Wie die frühe institutionelle Betreuung in der DDR mit Gewalterfahrungen assoziiert ist und Angst und Depression im Erwachsenenalter beeinflussen, ist wenig erforscht. Die Stichprobe umfasst N=1743 Personen, geboren in der DDR (1949–1983). Mit Multigruppen-Pfadanalysen (stratifiziert Männer/Frauen) untersuchen wir den Einfluss vorschulischer Betreuung über den Mediator Kindheitstrauma (CTS) auf Ängstlichkeit (GAD-7) und Depressivität (PHQ-9) im Erwachsenenalter. Es zeigen sich keine direkten Effekte der vorschulischen Betreuung auf Ängstlichkeit und Depressivität. Kindheitstrauma wirkt sich signifikant auf die aktuelle psychische Gesundheit aus (Frauen β=0,253–0,610; Männer β=0,092–0,439). Die Analysen legen nahe, dass es keinen Zusammenhang zwischen institutioneller Betreuung und Gewalterfahrungen in der Kindheit gibt. Weiterer Kontextfaktoren in Betreuung sind für die Entwicklung bevölkerungsweiter Präventionsstrategien, für die Sicherheit von Kindern von Bedeutung.
To identify und support particular target groups for mental health prevention, we explore the links between shame and help-seeking intentions concerning mental health in different lifestyles (based on socioeconomic status as well as health-related behaviors). Lifestyles were operationalized by nine confirmatory, homogenous clusters of the sample. These clusters are based on individuals' similarities in sociodemographic aspects and health behavior. Analyses included t tests, Chi-square, ANOVA, regressions investigating in sociodemographic characteristics. Hierarchical linear models examining cross-sectional associations of shame and willingness to seek help for different lifestyles of participants of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-START-1 and SHIP-START-3, data collected 2002-2006 and 2014-2016; n = 1630). Hierarchical linear models showed small context effects for lifestyle-related associations of shame and willingness to seek help. For younger as well as male participants, lifestyles indicated different associations of shame and help-seeking intentions: Especially the lifestyles with unhealthy behaviors and high as well as low socioeconomic status resulted in higher shame being associated with low help-seeking intentions in case of mental illness. Lifestyle clusters might be a useful tool to identify marginalized groups with unhealthy behaviors, which should be addressed by interventions and prevention programs.
BACKGROUND Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) is increasingly used to capture real-time data on well-being and time use in daily life, yet its feasibility in specific, particularly time-strained populations, such as parents, is not well understood. OBJECTIVE This study examines compliance rates and feasibility of EMA for measuring daily well-being and time use among parents. METHODS An explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted with 74 parents who completed baseline and follow-up online questionnaires after completing EMA surveys four times daily over one week, whereby a subset of parents were subsequently interviewed about their experience. Compliance and feasibility were analysed using a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses. RESULTS Despite several aspects of the study design impeding feasibility—such as difficulties accommodating the 7:30 survey time point and challenges integrating daily surveys into individual routines—participants completed 82.5% of the daily surveys on average. Men showed significantly higher compliance than women. Participants generally found the survey frequency and length manageable, though some suggested longer or shorter study periods depending on their personal routines. Qualitative analysis revealed additional points for improvement, for instance, regarding the data collection format, and technical issues. CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrates that, when accounting for certain sociodemographic and study design factors, EMA can be a feasible method for data collection regarding daily well-being and time use, even in highly time-constrained populations like parents, showing great potential for future research and complementing established methods (e.g., retrospective daily diaries). CLINICALTRIAL Open Science Framework: https://osf.io/8qj3d INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT RR2-10.2196/54728
