The first aim for this paper was to examine gender and age differences in the intensity of usage of information and communication technology (ICT: computer for digital playing, writing and e‐mailing and communication, and Internet surfing, and mobile phone). Second, we modelled the possible mediating role of sleeping habits and waking‐time tiredness in the association between ICT usage and perceived health (health complaints, musculoskeletal symptoms, health status). The participants were 7292 Finns aged 12, 14, 16 and 18 years responding to a postal enquiry (response rate 70%). The results showed that boys played digital games and used Internet more often than girls, whose mobile phone usage was more intensive. Structural equation model analyses substantiated the mediating hypothesis: intensive ICT‐usage was associated with poor perceived health particularly or only when it negatively affected sleeping habits, which in turn was associated with increased waking‐time tiredness. The associations were gender‐specific especially among older adolescents (16‐ and 18‐year olds). Intensive computer usage forms a risk for boys’, and intensive mobile phone usage for girls’ perceived health through the mediating links. Girls were vulnerable to the negative consequences of intensive mobile phone usage, as it associated with perceived health complaints and musculoskeletal symptoms both directly and through deteriorated sleep and increased waking‐time tiredness. The results of gender‐specific ICT usage and vulnerability are discussed as reflecting gendered psychophysiological, psychological and social developmental demands.

Background and objective. To estimate whether aerobic training has an effect on frequency of hot flushes or quality of life.Design. A randomized controlled trial.Participants and setting. Symptomatic, sedentary women (n = 176), 43–63 years, no current use of hormone therapy.Intervention. Unsupervised aerobic training for 50 minutes four times per week during 6 months.Outcomes. Hot flushes as measured with Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL, SF-36), daily reported hot flushes on phone-based diary, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), and body composition.Results. Intervention group had larger decrease in the frequency of night-time hot flushes based on phone diary (P for month X group = 0.012), but not on WHQ scale. Intervention group had less depressed mood (P= 0.01) than control women according to change in WHQ score. Changes in WHQ score in depressed mood (P = 0.03) and menstrual symptoms (P=0.01) in the intervention group were significantly dependent on frequency of training sessions. HRQoL was improved among the intervention group women in physical functioning (P= 0.049) and physical role limitation (P= 0.017). CRF improved (P= 0.008), and lean muscle mass increased (P= 0.046) significantly in the intervention group as compared to controls.Conclusions. Aerobic training may decrease the frequency of hot flushes and improve quality of life among slightly overweight women.

Objective Extended working lives due to an ageing population will necessitate the maintenance of work ability across the life course. This systematic review aimed to analyze whether workplace interventions positively impact work ability. Methods We searched Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Embase databases using relevant terms. Work-based interventions were those focused on individuals, the workplace, or multilevel (combination). Work ability - measured using the work ability index (WAI) or the single-item work ability score (WAS) - was the outcome measure. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development & Evaluation (GRADE) criteria was used to assess evidence quality, and impact statements were developed to synthesize the results. Meta-analysis was undertaken where appropriate. Results We reviewed 17 randomized control trials (comprising 22 articles). Multilevel interventions (N=5) included changes to work arrangements and liaisons with supervisors, whilst individual-focused interventions (N=12) involved behavior change or exercise programs. We identified only evidence of a moderate quality for either individual or multilevel interventions aiming to improve work ability. The meta-analysis of 13 studies found a small positive significant effect for interventions on work ability [overall pooled mean 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.03-0.21] with no heterogeneity for the effect size (Chi =11.28, P=0.51; I=0%). Conclusions The meta-analysis showed a small positive effect, suggesting that workplace interventions might improve work ability. However, the quality of the evidence base was only moderate, precluding any firm conclusion. Further high quality studies are require to establish the role of interventions on work ability.

P rospective studies with a follow-up time stretching from midlife to old age have shown that lower socioeconomic status, as indicated by lower education level or occupational grade, predicts a decline in health and functioning in the working population.1-4 This association is similar, if not more pronounced, in old age. 5-7Higher levels of work-related mental and physical strain increase the risk of early retirement and predict a decline in health and an increase in mortality among the working population. 3,[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] However, the association between the demands of the work in conjunction with inadequate mental or physical resources (i.e., work ability) 16 and health and functioning in old age has not been studied.17 Using a population-based 28-year follow-up study involving middle-aged municipal employees, we investigated whether work ability in midlife predicts the risk of death and disability during old age among white-collar and blue-collar employees. Methods Participants and designThe Finnish Institute of Occupational Health's Finnish Longitudinal Study on Municipal Employees (FLAME) targeted 7344 individuals aged 44-58 years at baseline in 1981.18 The participants had been chosen at random from members of all municipal professions in Finland. The baseline cohort consisted of 6257 employees (44.7% men), for a response rate of 85.2%. The first questionnaire, which explored work, health and lifestyle factors, was sent out in 1981, and follow-up data were collected in 1985, 1992, 1997 and 2009. Data on work ability were missing for 199 women and 87 men. The analyses in this study are based on the responses of 5971 Work ability in midlife as a predictor of mortality and disability in later life: a 28-year prospective follow-up study Mikaela B. von Research CMAJ Background: Poor work ability correlates with increased morbidity and early retirement from the workforce, but the association in old age is not known. We investigated work ability in midlife among white-collar and blue-collar employees as a predictor of mortality and disability 28 years later.

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BackgroundMusculoskeletal symptoms among adolescents are related to the time spent using a computer, but little is known about the seriousness of the symptoms or how much they affect everyday life. The purpose of the present study was to examine the intensity of musculoskeletal pain and level of inconvenience to everyday life, in relation to time spent using a computer.MethodsIn a survey, 436 school children (12 to 13 and 15 to 16 years of age), answered a questionnaire on musculoskeletal and computer-associated musculoskeletal symptoms in neck-shoulder, low back, head, eyes, hands, and fingers or wrists. Pain intensity (computer-associated symptoms) and inconvenience to everyday life (musculoskeletal symptoms) were measured using a visual analogue scale. Based on the frequency and intensity, three categories were formed to classify pain at each anatomic site: none, mild, and moderate/severe. The association with time spent using the computer was analyzed by multinomial logistic regression.ResultsModerate/severe pain intensity was most often reported in the neck-shoulders (21%); head (20%); and eyes (14%); and moderate/severe inconvenience to everyday life was most often reported due to head (29%), neck-shoulders (21%), and low back (16%) pain. Compared with those using the computer less than 3.6 hours/week, computer use of ≥ 14 hours/week, was associated with moderate/severe increase in computer-associated musculoskeletal pain at all anatomic sites (odds ratio [OR] = 2.9-4.4), and moderate/severe inconvenience to everyday life due to low back (OR = 2.5) and head (OR = 2.0) pain.ConclusionsMusculoskeletal symptoms causing moderate/severe pain and inconvenience to everyday life are common among adolescent computer users. Daily computer use of 2 hours or more increases the risk for pain at most anatomic sites.

The results of the present study indicate that multi-site musculoskeletal pain at baseline strongly predicts poor work ability after 4 years among industrial workers. Counting the number of concurrent pain sites may be a simple method of identifying workers with high risk of work disability in occupational health practice.

We utilized longitudinal data on both the work ability index (WAI) and the work ability score (WAS) to predict disability pension (DP) among men and women. We also took into account the effect of job content on the associations. Based on the results, WAS can be considered a good alternative to WAI in the prediction of DP.