Problem Drinking and Associated Factors in Older Adults in South Africa.

Problem drinking and associated factors in older adults in South Africa.

Afr J Psychiatry (Johannesbg). 2013 Mar; 16(2): 104-109
Peltzer K, Phaswana-Mafuya N

OBJECTIVE: Alcohol abuse poses special risks for increased morbidity and mortality among older adults. Little attention has focused on assessing alcohol use and associated factors among older adults in transitional societies such as South Africa. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of alcohol use and associated factors in older South Africans who participated in the Study of Global Ageing and Adults Health (SAGE) in 2008. METHOD: We conducted a national population-based cross-sectional study with a sample of 3840 aged 50 years or older in South Africa in 2008. In this study we analysed data from all 2144 participants who were over 60 years old. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, alcohol intake as well as comorbidity. Risky drinking was defined in two ways: heavy drinkers (>7 drinks/week) and binge drinkers (>3 drinks/one occasion/week). RESULTS: Four percent of participants reported heavy drinking and 3.7% binge drinking. Male gender (Odds Ratio (OR) =3.79, Confidence Interval (CI) =1.38-10.37) and white population group (OR=3.01, CI=1.31-6.89) were associated with risky drinking in multivariate analysis; as well as tobacco use (OR=5.25, CI=2.20-12.52) and not being obese (OR=0.14, CI=0.05-0.35). Hypertension, diabetes and depression were not associated. CONCLUSION: This study reveals moderate rates of risky drinking among older adults (60 years and more) in South Africa that puts them at risk of morbidity. Alcohol problems among older adults are commonly under-recognized, indicating a need for health care worker intervention. HubMed – depression

S100A Expression and Interleukin-10 Polymorphisms Are Associated with Ulcerative Colitis and Diarrhea Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Dig Dis Sci. 2013 Apr 18;
Shiotani A, Kusunoki H, Kimura Y, Ishii M, Imamura H, Tarumi KI, Manabe N, Kamada T, Hata J, Haruma K

BACKGROUND: Both ulcerative colitis (UC) and diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) are associated with alterations in enteric serotonin (5-HT) signaling. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to compare the rectal and sigmoid colonic mucosal expression of S100A proteins and functional polymorphisms of the 5-HT transporter (5HTT) and interleukin-10 genes in patients with IBS-D or UC with healthy controls. METHODS: mRNA expression of S100 proteins was measured in sigmoid and rectal biopsies and in rectal epithelium isolated by laser-captured microdissection. Leucocyte DNA was analyzed by PCR-based reaction fragment length polymorphisms and direct sequencing. Clinical symptoms were assessed by the self-rating depression scale and by the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale. RESULTS: Fifty patients with IBS-D, 56 with UC and 50 healthy controls were studied. Colonic mucosal expression of S100A8 and S100A9 in UC was significantly higher than in IBS or controls and correlated with the UC disease activity index (r = 0.65, p < 0.001). S100A10 expression in the rectal epithelium of the IBS patients was significantly higher (0.643 vs. 0.402, p = 0.01) than in controls and correlated with the SDS scores (r = 0.41, p = 0.002). The frequency of IL10-819 CC genotype was significantly higher in IBS-D (10.7 vs. 0 %, p = 0.047) and UC (16 vs. 0 %, p = 0.007) than that in controls. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of S100A10 in the rectum may play a role in IBS as it is involved in modulating 5-HT1B receptors. The IL10-819 CC is a candidate genotype for both IBS and UC in Japanese. HubMed – depression

[Relationship between perceptions of safety climate at workplace and depressive disorders in manufacturing workers.]

Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2013 Apr; 31(4): 251-254
Liu XH, Xiao YN, Huang ZX, Huang SB, Cao XO, Guan DB, Chen WQ

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors for depressive disorders in manufacturing workers and to provide a basis for developing health promotion measures at workplace. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was performed in 8085 front-line production workers from 33 manufacturing enterprises in Nanhai District of Foshan, Guangdong Province, China. The questionnaire contained a survey of demographic characteristics, the Safety Climate Scale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, etc. The multilevel logistic regression analysis was applied to investigate the risk factors for depressive disorders in workers. RESULTS: A total of 6260 workers completed the survey; their mean age was 31.1 ± 8.6 years, and 53.2% of them were males. The multilevel logistic regression analysis showed that after adjustment for sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, and martial status, more depressive disorders were reported in the enterprises with higher score of “production safety training” than in those with lower score (OR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.07 ? 1.97); fewer depressive disorders were reported in the enterprises with higher score of “colleagues concerned about production safety” than in those with lower score (OR = 0.08, 95%CI = 0.03 ? 0.26); the relationships of “safety warnings and precautions” and “managers concerned about production safety” with workers’ depressive disorders were not statistically significant (OR = 0.78, 95%CI = 0.48 ? 1.28; OR = 1.08, 95%CI = 0.68 ? 1.72). CONCLUSION: Depressive disorders in manufacturing workers are related to the safety climate at workplace, which indicates that a good safety climate at workplace should be created to prevent and control depressive disorders in workers. HubMed – depression

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