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The authors examined the impact of a widower's preparedness before his wife's death from cancer on his risk of long-term morbidity. In a population-based study, 691 (76%) of 907 Swedish men who lost a wife to breast, ovarian, or colon cancer in 2000 or 2001 answered an anonymous questionnaire in 2004 or 2005 measuring preparedness at the time of the wife's death and psychological well-being at follow-up. Men aged 38-61 years with a low degree of preparedness at the time of their spouse's death had increased risk of psychological morbidity and other symptoms, such as anxiety (adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 2.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.0, 4.3), a heightened startle response (aRR = 5.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 23.6), emotional numbness (aRR = 2.1, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.6), little or no grief resolution (aRR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.3, 5.4), and sleep disorders (aRR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.2, 4.3), 4-5 years after the loss. For older widowers (aged 62-80 years), a low degree of preparedness increased the risk of having repeated painful memories (aRR = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.2) and a heightened startle response (aRR = 5.7, 95% CI: 1.5, 21.4) at follow-up. These results show that to improve the long-term psychological well-being of widowers, it may be fruitful to identify care-related facilitators and inhibitors of preparedness.

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There is a scarcity of data on mental health effects of the global economic recession. In this study, we investigated potential change in self-reported levels of psychological stress in the Icelandic population as a result of the major national economic collapse that occurred in 2008. We used a national cohort of 3,755 persons who responded to a survey administered in 2007 and 2009, including demographic questions and a stress measure (the 4-item Perceived Stress Scale). We used repeated-measures analysis of variance and logistic regression models to assess change in mean stress levels and risk of high stress levels (>90th percentile) in 2009 as compared with 2007. Age-adjusted mean stress levels increased between 2007 and 2009 (P = 0.004), though the increase was observed only for women (P = 0.003), not for men (P = 0.34). Similarly, the odds ratios for experiencing high stress levels were increased only among women (odds ratio (OR) = 1.37), especially among women who were unemployed (OR = 3.38), students (OR = 2.01), had middle levels of education (OR = 1.65), or were in the middle income bracket (OR = 1.59). The findings indicate that psychological stress may have increased following the economic collapse in Iceland, particularly among females in economically vulnerable groups.

ObjectiveTo examine the associations between the 2008 economic collapse in Iceland and smoking behaviour at the national and individual levels.DesignA population-based, prospective cohort study based on a mail survey (Health and Wellbeing in Iceland) assessed in 2007 and 2009.SettingNational mail survey.ParticipantsRepresentative cohort (n=3755) of Icelandic adults.Main outcome measureSmoking status.ResultsA significant reduction in the prevalence of smoking was observed from 2007 (pre-economic collapse) to 2009 (postcollapse) in both males (17.4–14.8%; p 0.01) and females (20.0–17.5%; p 0.01) in the cohort (n=3755). At the individual level of analysis, male former smokers experiencing a reduction in income during the same period were less likely to relapse (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.16 to 0.85). Female smokers were less likely to quit over time compared to males (OR 0.65; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.93). Among male former smokers who experienced an increase in income between 2007 and 2009, we observed an elevated risk of smoking relapse (OR 4.02; 95% CI 1.15 to 14.00).ConclusionsThe national prevalence of smoking in Iceland declined following the 2008 economic crisis. This could be due to the procyclical relationship between macro-economic conditions and smoking behaviour (ie, hard times lead to less smoking because of lower affordability), or it may simply reflect a continuation of trends already in place prior to the crisis. In individual-level analysis, we find that former smokers who experienced a decline in income were less likely to relapse; and conversely, an increase in income raises the risk. However, caution is warranted since these findings are based on small numbers.

We identified several care-related factors that may influence the preparedness of men before their wife's death to cancer. These factors can be considered in future intervention studies aiming at influencing preparedness before the death of a loved one.

ObjectivesThe study aimed to determine whether exposure to a volcanic eruption was associated with increased prevalence of physical and/or mental symptoms.DesignCohort, with non-exposed control group.SettingNatural disasters like volcanic eruptions constitute a major public-health threat. The Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull exposed residents in southern Iceland to continuous ash fall for more than 5 weeks in spring 2010. This study was conducted during November 2010–March 2011, 6–9 months after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption.ParticipantsAdult (18–80 years of age) eruption-exposed South Icelanders (N=1148) and a control population of residents of Skagafjörður, North Iceland (N=510). The participation rate was 72%.Main outcome measuresPhysical symptoms in the previous year (chronic), in the previous month (recent), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) measured psychological morbidity.ResultsThe likelihood of having symptoms during the last month was higher in the exposed population, such as; tightness in the chest (OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.1 to 5.8), cough (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.7 to 3.9), phlegm (OR 2.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 3.2), eye irritation (OR 2.9; 95% CI 2.0 to 4.1) and psychological morbidity symptoms (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0 to 1.7). Respiratory symptoms during the last 12 months were also more common in the exposed population; cough (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.6 to 2.9), dyspnoea (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.1 to 2.3), although the prevalence of underlying asthma and heart disease was similar. Twice as many in the exposed population had two or more symptoms from nose, eyes or upper-respiratory tract (24% vs 13%, p<0.001); these individuals were also more likely to experience psychological morbidity (OR 4.7; 95% CI 3.4 to 6.5) compared with individuals with no symptoms. Most symptoms exhibited a dose–response pattern within the exposed population, corresponding to low, medium and high exposure to the eruption.Conclusions6–9 months after the Eyjafjallajökull eruption, residents living in the exposed area, particularly those closest to the volcano, had markedly increased prevalence of various physical symptoms. A portion of the exposed population reported multiple symptoms and may be at risk for long-term physical and psychological morbidity. Studies of long-term consequences are therefore warranted.

In a population of men with a prevalence of depression similar to that of the normal population, almost none of those responding 'No' to the written question 'Are you depressed?' were depressed according to HADS-D > or =11. Adding the category 'I don't know' increases sensitivity in detecting depression.