Association between computer game type, playing time and sense of coherence in Lithuanian adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: As an excessive gaming is the addiction of the 21th century, purpose of our study was to investigate how sense of coherence interacts with gaming time, choice of various games types, age and gender characteristics. Our task was to evaluate relationship between computer gaming and an adolescent's sense of coherence. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on a self-reported questionnaire was performed among the representative samples of 1,806 adolescents aged 13-18 years. Adolescents reported the amount of time spent gaming computer games, types of games, as well as sense of coherence. The relations between the choice of computer games type, time spent gaming computer games and sense of coherence of respondents were assessed by odds ratio using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS: 32.9% of boys and 81.1% of girls reported gaming computer games less than 5 hours per day during the last month (p < 0.001). 30.9% of boys and 4.1% of girls reported gaming computer games more than 10 hours per day during the last month (p < 0.001). Boys and girls aged 13-15 with a weak sense of coherence had significantly higher probability to play action or combat computer games for 5 or more hours per day in comparison to the respondents who had a strong sense of coherence. Also, this probability was 2 times higher among boys than among girls. CONCLUSION: Sense of coherence is a useful tool to identify adolescents who are at risk of excessive gaming. Game playing time is linked to the sense of coherence. Adolescent with a weak sense of coherence had a higher probability to play more times, especially in younger age.

Associations between musculoskeletal pain and work-related factors among public service sector computer workers in Kaunas County, Lithuania.

BACKGROUND: Information technologies in occupational activities have been developing very rapid. Epidemiological studies have shown that musculoskeletal disorders are widely prevalent among employees working with a computer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in various anatomical areas and its associations with individual, ergonomic, and psychosocial factors among computer workers of the public sector in Kaunas County, Lithuania. METHODS: The investigation consisting of two parts - questionnaire study (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire and Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire) and direct observation (evaluation of work ergonomics using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment [RULA]) - was carried out in three randomly selected public sector companies of Kaunas County. The representative study sample comprised 513 public service office workers. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in five anatomical areas of the body (shoulders, elbows, wrists/hands, as well as upper and low back) was evaluated. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, upper and low back pain were 50.5 %, 20.3 %, 26.3 %, 44.8 %, and 56.1 %, respectively. Individual factors such as gender, age, computer work experience, and body mass index were found as significant for musculoskeletal pain in various musculoskeletal regions. The respondents reporting pain in shoulder, wrist/hand, upper back, and low back areas had a statistically significantly higher mean RULA score. The duration of working with a computer was found as a significant factor for shoulder pain. High quantitative demands were related to musculoskeletal pain in all investigated anatomical areas expect for the low back; weak social support was a significant predictor for complaints in upper and low back areas. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed associations between musculoskeletal pain and work ergonomics; therefore, preventive measures at the workplace should be directed to the improvement in ergonomic work environment, education, and workload optimization.

Problematic computer game use as expression of Internet addiction and its association with self-rated health in the Lithuanian adolescent population.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Computers and the Internet have become an integral part of today's life. Problematic gaming is related to adolescent's health. The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of Internet addiction among 13-18-year-old schoolchildren and its relation to sex, age, and time spent playing computer games, game type, and subjective health evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1806 schoolchildren aged 13-18 years were interviewed. The evaluation of Internet addiction was conducted by the Diagnostic Questionnaire according to Young's methodology. The relation between the choice of computer games type, time spent while playing computer games and respondents' Internet addiction were assessed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: One-tenth (10.6%) of the boys and 7.7% of the girls aged 13-18 years were Internet addicted. Internet addiction was associated with the type of computer game (action or combat vs. logic) among boys (OR=2.42; 95% CI, 1.03-5.67) and with the amount of time spent playing computer games per day during the last month (≥5 vs. <5h) among girls (OR=2.10; 95% CI, 1.19-3.70). The boys who were addicted to the Internet were more likely to rate their health poorer in comparison to their peers who were not addicted to the Internet (OR=2.48; 95% CI, 1.33-4.62). CONCLUSIONS: Internet addiction was significantly associated with poorer self-rated health among boys.

Trends in the incidence of occupational diseases in Lithuania between 1999 and 2008.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the trends in the incidence of occupational diseases in Lithuania during the period of 1999-2008. The analysis concerned both the individuals with diagnosed disease(s) and the number of diagnosed cases. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Incidence rates were calculated using data from the Republic of Lithuania National Register of Occupational Diseases and data on the employed population provided by the government Department of Statistics. The rates were age-standardized using the direct standardization method. The changes in the incidence rates throughout the study period were analyzed using segmented regression calculated with the JOINPOINT (v. 3.3.1) statistical software. We determined joinpoints in the dynamic lines of the incidence rates and calculated mean annual absolute change and mean annual relative (percentage) change for each period. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, the number of occupational diseases was, on average, 1.5 times as high as the number of individuals diagnosed with such diseases. Joinpoint positions in the dynamic lines of the incidence rates coincided for individuals with occupational diseases and for the cases of occupational diseases. The incidence was found to slightly increase during the period of 1999-2003, then to rise more rapidly during that of 2003-2006, and to decrease from 2006 to 2008.

Working conditions and health of the employees of public bus and trolleybus transport in Lithuania.

A questionnaire was used for investigation of 788 workers from three transport enterprises. The questionnaire was used for evaluation of occupational environment, lifestyle, psychosocial factors and self-evaluation of health. The most harmful occupational factors are unsatisfactory microclimatic conditions, diesel fuel, cooling oil, vibration, musculoskeletal load, and mental tension. Worker's lifestyle isn't healthy: 46% of them are smoking, 83% are drinking alcohol, 53% are physically inactive, 82% have bad nutrition regimen, 27% are everyday suffering from stressful situations. Main health impairments are musculoskeletal (46.2%), respiratory tract (22.2%), gastrointestinal (17.3%) and central nervous system (32.2%) diseases. Musculoskeletal disorders are statistically related to bad ergonomic work conditions, long workday hours, aged employees and long work experience of workers (p<0.05-0.002).