Association between childhood family structure and longitudinal health behaviour changes in adulthood -Northern Finland birth cohort 1966 study.

BACKGROUND: Childhood family structure is considered to play a role in person's health and welfare. This study investigated the relationships between the longitudinal changes of adult health behaviours and childhood family structure. METHODS: From Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 questionnaires, we collected data on childhood family structure at the age of 14 ('two-parent family', 'one parent not living at home/no information on father', and 'father or mother deceased'), and on health behaviours (smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity status) at the ages of 31 and 46. We used the multinomial logistic regression model to estimate the unadjusted and adjusted associations between childhood family structures and the longitudinal changes between 31 and 46 years of health behaviours (four-category variables). RESULTS: Of the study sample (n = 5431; 55.5% females), 7.1% of the offspring were represented in the 'One parent not living at home/no information on father' subgroup, 6.3% in the 'Father or mother deceased' subgroup and 86.6% in the 'Two-parent family'. 'One parent not living at home/no information on father' offspring were approximately twice as likely to smoke (adjusted OR 2.19, 95% CI 1.70-2.81) and heavily consume alcohol (adjusted OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.25-3.16) at both times in adulthood, relative to not smoking or not heavily consume alcohol, and compared with 'two-parent family' offspring. We found no statistically significant associations between childhood family structure and physical activity status changes in adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the offspring of single-parent families in particular should be supported in early life to diminish their risk of unhealthy behaviours in adulthood.

Pressure Pain Sensitivity and Chronotype: A Population-based Study of Middle-aged Finns.

Evening chronotype individuals experience pain more often than morning chronotypes, but relationships with pain sensitivity have rarely been studied. We examined whether chronotype is associated with pressure pain sensitivity, with special reference to mental health disorders, insomnia, and chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) pain as potential moderating factors. The study sample consisted of members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 aged 46. Pressure pain threshold and tolerance were measured via the standardized protocol, categorized as lowest quartile versus others. Chronotype (morning [M; the reference], intermediate [I], and evening [E]) was defined using the Short Morningness-Eveningness questionnaire. Sex-stratified binary logistic regression models were separately adjusted for education, body mass index, long-term diseases (fully adjusted model), and for mental health disorders, insomnia, and chronic MSK pain (a residual confounding analysis). Interaction terms (Chronotype × Mental health/insomnia/chronic MSK pain) were tested. The study had 2,132 males and 2,830 females. The E-type males had 1.5-fold odds of having a low pain threshold (fully adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.45, 95% confidence interval 1.05-2.00) and pressure pain tolerance (fully adjusted OR 1.47, 1.07-2.02), in comparison to M-types. Having a mental health disorder intensified the association with low pain threshold fourfold (4.06, 1.56-10.6). Being an E-type female was also associated with a low pain threshold, but the association was statistically nonsignificant (fully adjusted OR 1.18, .90-1.53). No statistically significant interactions were found among females. These results emphasize the role of chronotype in pain sensitivity and add an understanding of pain experience in light of innate circadian types. PERSPECTIVE: Male evening chronotypes are more sensitive to pain than morning chronotypes. Diagnosed mental health disorders in particular indicate a low pain threshold for evening chronotype males.

Associations of socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics, psychological symptoms, multimorbidity, and multisite pain with sciatica - a 15-year longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Sciatica is defined as pain radiating from the low back to the leg, usually below the knee. It is a disabling condition that causes a major burden to health care and society. Previous evidence of the multifactorial etiology of sciatica comes mostly from cross-sectional studies. Larger, longitudinal studies with a multidimensional set of variables are needed. PURPOSE: To examine how socioeconomic and lifestyle characteristics, psychological symptoms, multimorbidity, and multisite pain are associated with sciatica. STUDY DESIGN: A longitudinal study of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. PATIENT SAMPLE: In total 6,683 working-aged members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported sciatic pain status over a 15-year study period. METHODS: We conducted a 15-year longitudinal study from the age of 31 to 46. We used multivariable generalized estimation equations analysis to examine how socioeconomic characteristics (low education, unemployment, and living alone), lifestyle characteristics (overweight, obesity, current smoking, and physical inactivity), psychological symptoms (depression, anxiety), multimorbidity, and multisite pain were associated with sciatica. RESULTS: At the age of 31, 21.1% of the study population reported sciatic pain and at the age of 46, 36.7%. Multisite pain was clearly the strongest factor associated with sciatica (odds ratio [OR] 2.61, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.34‒2.92). In descending order of effect size, older age, low education, psychological symptoms, multimorbidity, overweight, obesity, physical inactivity and current smoking were positively associated with sciatica. Their ORs varied between 1.17 and 2.18. Living alone was negatively associated with sciatica (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72‒0.90). CONCLUSIONS: Multisite pain had the strongest association with sciatica. The effect sizes of the other factors were clearly smaller. To our knowledge this is the first study to evaluate the association of multisite pain with sciatica. This finding may have considerable implications for clinical work treating patients with sciatica.

A prognostic risk score for development and spread of chronic pain.

Chronic pain is a complex condition influenced by a combination of biological, psychological and social factors. Using data from the UK Biobank (n = 493,211), we showed that pain spreads from proximal to distal sites and developed a biopsychosocial model that predicted the number of coexisting pain sites. This data-driven model was used to identify a risk score that classified various chronic pain conditions (area under the curve (AUC) 0.70-0.88) and pain-related medical conditions (AUC 0.67-0.86). In longitudinal analyses, the risk score predicted the development of widespread chronic pain, the spreading of chronic pain across body sites and high-impact pain about 9 years later (AUC 0.68-0.78). Key risk factors included sleeplessness, feeling 'fed-up', tiredness, stressful life events and a body mass index >30. A simplified version of this score, named the risk of pain spreading, obtained similar predictive performance based on six simple questions with binarized answers. The risk of pain spreading was then validated in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort (n = 5,525) and the PREVENT-AD cohort (n = 178), obtaining comparable predictive performance. Our findings show that chronic pain conditions can be predicted from a common set of biopsychosocial factors, which can aid in tailoring research protocols, optimizing patient randomization in clinical trials and improving pain management.

The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire-Short Form and 2-year follow-up of registered work disability.

BACKGROUND: The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (ÖMPSQ) was developed to identify psychological and functioning-related risk factors among individuals with musculoskeletal pain at risk of work disability. This study aimed to examine whether the short version of the ÖMPSQ (ÖMPSQ-SF) can be used for this purpose, using registry-based outcomes. METHODS: The ÖMPSQ-SF was completed by the members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 at the age of 46 years (baseline). These data were enriched with national registers, including information on sick leaves and disability pensions (indicators of work disability). The associations between the ÖMPSQ-SF categories (low-, medium- and high risk) and work disability over a 2-year follow-up were analysed using negative binomial regression and binary logistic regression models. We made adjustments for sex, baseline education level, weight status and smoking. RESULTS: Overall, 4063 participants provided full data. Of these, 90% belonged to the low-risk, 7% to the medium-risk and 3% to the high-risk group. Compared to the low-risk group, the high-risk group had a 7.5 [Wald 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.2-9.0] times higher number of sick leave days and 16.1 (95% CI 7.1-36.8) times higher odds of disability pension after adjustments in the 2-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: : Our study suggests that the ÖMPSQ-SF could be used for predicting registry-based work disability at midlife. Those allocated to the high-risk group seemed to have a particularly great need of early interventions to support their work ability.

Recurrent prescription of sleep medication among primary care patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational study of real-world registry data.

BACKGROUND: Little knowledge exists on the prevalence of recurrent sleep medication prescriptions among primary care patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Our aims were to examine the prevalence of recurrent sleep medication prescriptions and to elucidate the most often prescribed sleep medications in a Finnish primary care T2D population. METHODS: The study examined 4,508 T2D patients who consulted a primary health care center between 2011 and 2019 in Rovaniemi, Finland. All the data were retrieved from patient records, and recurrent sleep medication was defined as two or more prescriptions within the study period. We used the Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests to compare patients who did and did not have recurrent sleep medication prescriptions. RESULTS: Altogether 28.1% of the T2D patients had been prescribed recurrent sleep medication. Benzodiazepine-like medication, melatonin, and mirtazapine were most often prescribed (to 56.9%, 44.4%, and 35.8%, respectively). Only 22.0% of the patients with recurrent sleep medication prescriptions had been diagnosed with a sleep disorder. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent sleep medication prescriptions are frequent among primary care T2D patients. It seems that sleep disorders are underdiagnosed in relation to this. Primary care clinicians should carefully estimate the need for sleep medication when treating T2D patients' sleep problems and emphasize the diagnostic patterns of sleep problems.

The role of co-occurring insomnia and mental distress in the association between lumbar disc degeneration and low back pain related disability.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is associated with low back pain (LBP). Although both insomnia and mental distress appear to influence the pain experience, their role in the association between LDD and LBP is uncertain. Our objective was to investigate the role of co-occurring insomnia and mental distress in the association between LDD and LBP-related disability. METHODS: A total of 1080 individuals who had experienced LBP during the previous year underwent 1.5-T lumbar magnetic resonance imaging, responded to questionnaires, and participated in a clinical examination at the age of 47. Full data was available for 843 individuals. The presence of LBP and LBP-related disability (numerical rating scale, range 0-10) were assessed using a questionnaire. LDD was assessed by a Pfirrmann-based sum score (range 0-15, higher values indicating higher LDD). The role of insomnia (according to the five-item Athens Insomnia Scale) and mental distress (according to the Hopkins Symptom Check List-25) in the association between the LDD sum score and LBP-related disability was analyzed using linear regression with adjustments for sex, smoking, body mass index, education, leisure-time physical activity, occupational physical exposure, Modic changes, and disc herniations. RESULTS: A positive association between LDD and LBP-related disability was observed among those with absence of both mental distress and insomnia (adjusted B = 0.132, 95% CI = 0.028-0.236, p = 0.013), and among those with either isolated mental distress (B = 0.345 CI = 0.039-0.650, p = 0.028) or isolated insomnia (B = 0.207, CI = 0.040-0.373, p = 0.015). However, among individuals with co-occurring insomnia and mental distress, the association was not significant (B = -0.093, CI = -0.346-0.161, p = 0.470). CONCLUSIONS: LDD does not associate with LBP-related disability when insomnia and mental distress co-occur. This finding may be useful when planning treatment and rehabilitation that aim to reduce disability among individuals with LDD and LBP. Future prospective research is warranted.

Family structure and multisite musculoskeletal pain in adolescence: a Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 study.

BACKGROUND: Family structure is suggested to be associated with adolescent pain, but evidence on its association with multisite MS pain is sparse. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the potential associations between family structure ('single-parent family', 'reconstructed family', and 'two-parent family') and multisite musculoskeletal (MS) pain in adolescence. METHODS: The dataset was based on the 16-year-old Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 adolescents with available data on family structure, multisite MS pain, and a potential confounder (n = 5,878). The associations between family structure and multisite MS pain were analyzed with binomial logistic regression and modelled as unadjusted, as the evaluated potential confounder, mother's educational level, did not meet the criteria for a confounder. RESULTS: Overall, 13% of the adolescents had a 'single-parent family' and 8% a 'reconstructed family'. Adolescents living in a single-parent family had 36% higher odds of multisite MS pain compared to adolescents from two-parent families (the reference) (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.36, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.17 to 1.59). Belonging to a 'reconstructed family' was associated with 39% higher odds of multisite MS pain (OR 1.39, 1.14 to 1.69). CONCLUSION: Family structure may have a role in adolescent multisite MS pain. Future research is needed on causality between family structure and multisite MS pain, to establish if there is a need for targeted support.

Chronic disease clusters are associated with prolonged, bothersome, and multisite musculoskeletal pain: a population-based study on Northern Finns.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diseases often accumulate with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. However, less evidence is available on idiosyncratic patterns of chronic diseases and their relationships with the severity of MSK pain in general MSK pain populations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Questionnaire-based data on physician-diagnosed chronic diseases, MSK pain and its dimensions (frequency, intensity, bothersomeness, and the number of pain sites), and confounders were collected from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 at the age of 46. Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was used to identify chronic disease clusters among individuals who reported any MSK pain within the previous year (n = 6105). The associations between chronic disease clusters, pain dimensions, and severe MSK pain, which was defined as prolonged (over 30 d within the preceding year), bothersome (Numerical Rating Scale >5), and multisite (two or more pain sites) pain, were analyzed using logistic regression and general linear regression models, adjusted for sex and educational level (n for the full sample = 4768). RESULTS: LCA resulted in three clusters: Metabolic (10.8% of the full sample), Psychiatric (2.9%), and Relatively Healthy (86.3%). Compared to the Relatively Healthy cluster, the Metabolic and Psychiatric clusters had higher odds for daily pain and higher mean pain intensity, bothersomeness, and the number of pain sites. Similarly, the odds for severe MSK pain were up to 75% (95% confidence interval: 44%-113%) and 155% (81%-259%) higher in the Metabolic and Psychiatric clusters, respectively, after adjustments for sex and educational level. CONCLUSIONS: Distinct patterns of chronic disease accumulation can be identified in the general MSK pain population. It seems that mental and metabolic health are at interplay with severe MSK pain. These findings suggest a potential need to screen for psychiatric and metabolic entities of health when treating working-aged people with MSK pain.Key messagesThis large study on middle-aged people with musculoskeletal pain aimed to examine the idiosyncratic patterns of chronic diseases and their relationships with the severity of musculoskeletal pain. Latent class cluster analysis identified three chronic disease clusters: Psychiatric, Metabolic, and Relatively Healthy. People with accumulated mental (Psychiatric cluster) or metabolic diseases (Metabolic cluster) experienced more severe pain than people who were relatively healthy (Relatively Healthy cluster). These findings suggest a potential need to screen for psychiatric and metabolic entities of health when treating working-aged people with MSK pain.

Accumulation of long-term diseases is associated with musculoskeletal pain dimensions among middle-aged individuals with musculoskeletal pain.

BACKGROUND: Long-term diseases often co-occur with musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. In middle-aged individuals with MSK pain, it remains unclear whether an accumulation (two or more) of long-term diseases is associated with MSK pain dimensions, including pain frequency, bothersomeness of pain, pain intensity and number of pain sites. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included data from the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 collected in 2012-2014 when the participants were 46 years of age. We included participants who reported having MSK pain during the previous year (collected retrospectively) and provided self-reported information related to MSK pain dimensions, long-term diseases and potential confounders (n = 4469). The association between long-term diseases and pain dimensions was modelled by general linear and logistic regression models, with beta (ß) coefficients, odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) being presented. Unadjusted models were followed by models adjusted for sex, educational level and smoking. RESULTS: The presence of accumulated long-term diseases was associated with over two-fold higher odds of daily pain (adjusted OR 2.6, 95% CI 2.0-3.4) and significantly higher levels of bothersomeness of pain and pain intensity (adjusted ß 1.1, 95% CI 0.9-1.4; adjusted ß 1.0, 95% CI 0.8-1.1, respectively), relative to the absence of long-term diseases. Females with accumulated long-term diseases had a stronger relationship to number of pain sites than males. Associations between one long-term disease and pain dimensions were significant but smaller in magnitude. CONCLUSION: There is a need for a better understanding of the relationships between accumulated long-term diseases and MSK pain. SIGNIFICANCE: This study on middle-aged individuals with musculoskeletal pain showed that the presence of long-term diseases was clearly associated with pain frequency, bothersomeness of pain, pain intensity and number of pain sites. Compared with no long-term diseases, the association between accumulated (two or more) long-term diseases and pain dimensions was stronger than the association between one long-term disease and pain dimensions.

Eveningness is Associated With Persistent Multisite Musculoskeletal Pain: A 15-Year Follow-up Study of Northern Finns.

Chronotype, a phenotype representing a person's 24-hour circadian rhythm, has been increasingly acknowledged as playing a role in musculoskeletal (MSK) pain. Most prior research on chronotype and MSK pain have been based on cross-sectional data, and no study has explored multisite MSK pain (2 or more pain locations) as the outcome. We drew the study sample from the 31- and 46-year data collections (baseline and follow-up, respectively) of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 and collected self-reported data on chronotype at follow-up (morning [M]-type, intermediate [I]-type, and evening [E]-type) and longitudinal multisite MSK pain trajectories (n = 3,294). Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in multisite MSK pain trajectories between the chronotypes. We conducted additional sensitivity analyses that 1) accounted for several confounders, and 2) examined the potential moderating role of sex, mental distress, and sleep disturbance status in the chronotype-multisite MSK pain associations. The E-types had two-and-a-half-times higher odds of multisite MSK pain at baseline and follow-up (OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.84-3.32) than the M-types. Having severe mental distress or poor sleep at baseline and follow-up, or sex did not change the strength of this association. Our examination of this longitudinal birth cohort study suggested that evening types, in comparison to morning types, are more likely to experience multisite MSK pain between ages 31 and 46 years. Chronotype should be recognized as a predictor of multisite pain and thus taken into account in the evaluation of a patient's risk for multisite pain. PERSPECTIVE: This longitudinal study shows that evening types, compared to morning types, have higher odds of experiencing multisite MSK pain between ages 31 and 46 years. Chronotype should be considered while evaluating MSK patient's risk for persistent multisite pain symptoms.

Association of renal function screening frequency with renal function decline in patients with type 2 diabetes: a real-world study in primary health care.

AIMS: To examine the association of the screening frequency of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with the substantial reduction in eGFR (≥ 25%) among type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with normal (eGFR≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2) and impaired kidney function (eGFR< 60 ml/min/1.73 m2). METHODS: A longitudinal study involving 5104 T2D patients with follow-up period of 6.8 years (1.9 SD) were treated at the Rovaniemi Health Center, Rovaniemi, Finland during 2011-2019. The association between the screening frequency of eGFR (yearly vs. non-yearly) and the substantial reduction in eGFR was studied with logistical models and adjusted with biochemical variables and preventive medications. RESULTS: Among the T2D patients with normal kidney function, non-yearly eGFR screening was significantly associated with substantial eGFR reduction in both unadjusted (odds ratio [OR] 3.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.54-4.33) and adjusted models (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.21-3.73) compared with yearly screening frequency. In the group of patients with impaired kidney function in the unadjusted model, non-yearly eGFR screening was significantly associated with substantial eGFR reduction (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.30-4.73), but became non-significant after adjustments (OR 1.89, 95% CI 0.61-7.21). CONCLUSIONS: This study underscores the role of regular eGFR screening in the prevention of kidney function decline.

Association of musculoskeletal pain with the achievement of treatment targets for type 2 diabetes among primary care patients.

AIMS: To assess the association of diagnosed musculoskeletal (MS) pain (low back, neck, shoulder, and knee pain; and the number of pain sites) with the achievement of targets for glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) among primary care patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: The cross-sectional study population consisted of 3478 patients with a registry-based T2D diagnosis and available registry-based data on MS pain diagnoses, covariates, and outcomes between 2016 and 2019. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the study aims. RESULTS: Overall, 22% had at least one of the four types of MS pain, and 73%, 57%, and 51% achieved the treatment targets of HbA1c, LDL, and SBP, respectively. T2D patients with or without MS pain did not differ in their achievement of T2D treatment goals. Of pain locations, low back pain was associated with higher rates of achievement of the LDL target (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.01-1.65), but the association was attenuated in the adjusted model. CONCLUSIONS: MS pain was relatively prevalent among primary care patients with T2D, but did not influence the achievement of T2D treatment goals.

Chronotypes and disabling musculoskeletal pain: A Finnish birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that chronotype, the individual preference for 24-h circadian rhythms, influences health. Sleep problems and mental distress are amongst the greatest risk factors for musculoskeletal (MS) pain. The aims of this study were first, to explore the associations between chronotypes and MS pain, with special reference to disabling MS pain and second, to test whether mental distress and insomnia have a modifying role in the associations between chronotypes and MS pain. METHODS: The dataset of 4961 individuals was composed of Northern Finns surveyed on MS pain, chronotypes and confounding factors (sex, insomnia, sleep duration, smoking, mental distress, occupational status, education level and number of coexisting diseases) at 46 years. The relationships between chronotypes (evening [E], intermediate [I] and morning [M]) and MS pain were evaluated using multinomial logistic regression. To address the second aim, we included an interaction term (chronotype*mental distress, chronotype*insomnia) in the logistic model. RESULTS: Compared to the M-types, both the E- and I-types had increased odds of suffering 'disabling pain' in the unadjusted model (odds ratio [OR] 1.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.37-2.33; OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.29-1.84, respectively). However, the association remained statistically significant only after adjusting for all covariates amongst the I-types (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.15-1.67). Neither mental distress nor insomnia was found to modify the chronotype-MS pain association. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the importance of chronotypes for individuals' MS health but suggest the presence of confounding factors in the interplay between these factors. SIGNIFICANCE: This study shows that evening and intermediate chronotypes are associated with disabling MS pain, but that mental distress, insomnia and coexisting diseases also play a role in these associations.

Association of personalised care plans with monitoring and control of clinical outcomes, prescription of medication and utilisation of primary care services in patients with type 2 diabetes: an observational real-world study.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association of personalised care plans with monitoring and controlling clinical outcomes, prescription of cardiovascular and antihyperglycaemic medication and utilisation of primary care services in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). PATIENTS: Primary care T2D outpatients from the Rovaniemi Health Centre. SETTING: The municipal health centre, Rovaniemi, Finland. DESIGN: A cross-sectional, observational, retrospective register-based study. The patients were divided into three groups: 'no care plan entries' (usual care); '1-2 care plan entries'; and '3 or more care plan entries'. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Monitoring of clinical and biochemical measures, achievement of treatment targets, prescription of cardiovascular and antihyperglycemic medication, and use of primary care services. RESULTS: A total of 5104 patients with T2D (mean age 65.5 years (SD 12.4)), of which 67% had at least one care plan entry. Compared to usual care, the establishment of a care plan (either care plan group) was associated with better monitoring of glycosylated haemoglobin A1c, low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure (sBP), and renal function, and there was more frequent prescription of all cardiovascular and antihyperglycemic medication. Patients in either care plan group were more likely to achieve sBP target (p < 0.05). Patients without a care plan had more unplanned primary care physician contacts compared to patients in care plan groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Establishment of a care plan is associated with more intensive and focussed care of patients with T2D. The appropriate use of primary care resources is essential and personalised care plans may contribute to the treatment of patients with T2D.Key PointsCare planning aims to empower patients with type 2 diabetes. This study demonstrates that personalised care planning is associated withmore frequent monitoring for clinical outcomes,more frequent prescription of cardiovascular and antihyperglycemic medication andmore frequent utilisation of planned diabetes consultations when compared to usual care.

Eveningness intensifies the association between musculoskeletal pain and health-related quality of life: a Northern Finland Birth Cohort Study 1966.

ABSTRACT: People with an evening (E)-type preference (ie, chronotype) experience musculoskeletal (MSK) pain and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) more often than morning (M) types. Musculoskeletal pain is a well-established contributor to reduced HRQoL. This study aimed to evaluate whether eveningness amplifies the association between MSK pain and HRQoL in contrast to morningness. Questionnaire data on MSK pain dimensions (intensity, disability at work, number of pain sites [NPSs], and frequency), chronotype, covariates (sex, sufficiency of sleep duration, mental distress, and presence of coexisting diseases), and HRQoL (measured by 15D) were collected among 46-year-old individuals belonging to the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (N = 4257). Individuals without any MSK pain were excluded. General linear models were conducted to estimate the associations between chronotypes, MSK pain dimensions, and HRQoL. The interaction terms (chronotype × pain dimension) were tested in the models. There were 13% E-types and 43% M-types in the study sample. Each pain dimension and chronotype were related to HRQoL. In the sex-adjusted chronotype-specific models, the reduction in HRQoL in relation to pain appeared to be stronger among E-types than among M-types in respect to all pain dimensions. After adjustments, this was particularly seen in terms of NPS and pain frequency. Our findings suggest that eveningness intensifies the association between MSK pain and HRQoL, and, thus, they are indicative of E-types being more sensitive than M-types to the consequences of MSK pain. As such, MSK pain treatment and rehabilitation actions to improve HRQoL should be especially targeted at E-types.

Association Between Family History of Surgically Treated Low Back Pain and Adolescent Low Back Pain.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. OBJECTIVE: To study the associations between a family history of surgically treated low back pain (LBP) and adolescent LBP. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: A family history of LBP is related to adolescent LBP, but whether a family history of back surgery is relevant to adolescent LBP is not known. METHODS: A subpopulation of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 was contacted when they were aged between 18 and 19years. The postal questionnaire asked the participants to report their LBP and a relative's (mother, father, sibling) LBP and back surgery, and to provide data on potential covariates. The association between a family history of LBP ("no family history of LBP," "family history of LBP but no surgery," and "family history of LBP and surgery") and adolescent LBP (no LBP, occasional LBP, and frequent LBP) were evaluated using logistic regression analysis with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for sex, smoking, and psychological distress. RESULTS: Of the 1374 adolescents in the study, 33% reported occasional LBP and 9% frequent LBP. Both the "family history of LBP but no surgery" and "family history of LBP and surgery" categories were associated with frequent LBP (adjusted OR [aOR] 2.09, 95% CI 1.38-3.16; aOR 2.23, 95% CI 1.02-4.90, respectively). Occasional LBP was associated with the "family history of LBP and surgery" category. A subgroup analysis of adolescents with a family history of LBP found no statistically significant associations between family history of back surgery and adolescent LBP. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that adolescents who report a family history of LBP have higher odds of frequent LBP irrespectively of a family history of back surgery.Level of evidence: 4.

Multimorbidity and achievement of treatment goals among patients with type 2 diabetes: a primary care, real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes (T2D), with its prevalence and disability-causing nature, is a challenge for primary health care. Most patients with T2D are multimorbid, i.e. have one or more long-term diseases in addition to T2D. Multimorbidity may play a role in the achievement of T2D treatment targets, but is still not fully understood. The aims of the present cross-sectional, register-based study were to evaluate the prevalence and the most common patterns of multimorbidity among patients with T2D; and to study the potential associations between multimorbidity and treatment goal achievement, including measurements of glycosylated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and systolic blood pressure (sBP). METHODS: The study population consisted of 4545 primary care patients who received a T2D diagnosis between January 2011 and July 2019 in Rovaniemi Health Centre, Finland. Data on seven long-term concordant (T2D-related) diseases, eight long-term discordant (non-T2D-related) diseases, potential confounders (age, sex, body mass index, prescribed medication), and the outcomes studied were collected from patients' records. Logistic regression models with odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were assessed to determine the associations between multimorbidity and the achievement of treatment targets. RESULTS: Altogether, 93 % of the patients had one or more diseases in addition to T2D, i.e. were considered multimorbid. Furthermore, 21 % had only concordant disease(s) (Concordant subgroup), 8 % had only discordant disease(s) (Discordant subgroup) and 64 % had both (Concordant and discordant subgroup). As either single diseases or in combination with others, hypertension, musculoskeletal (MS) disease and hyperlipidaemia were the most prevalent multimorbidity patterns. Being multimorbid in general (OR 1.32, CI 1.01-1.70) and belonging to the Concordant (OR 1.45, CI 1.08-1.95) and Concordant and discordant (OR 1.31, CI 1.00-1.72) subgroups was associated with achievement of the HbA1c treatment target. Belonging to the Concordant and discordant subgroup was related to meeting the LDL treatment target (OR 1.31, CI 1.00-1.72). CONCLUSIONS: Multimorbidity, including cardiovascular risk and the musculoskeletal disease burden, was extremely prevalent among the T2D patients who consulted primary health care. Primary care clinicians should survey the possible co-existence of long-term diseases among T2D patients to help maintain adequate treatment of T2D.

Accumulated unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial problems in adolescence are associated with labor market exclusion in early adulthood - a northern Finland birth cohort 1986 study.

BACKGROUND: The relevance of health-related behaviors to exclusion from the labor market in early adulthood remains poorly studied in relation to the magnitude of the problem. We explored whether adolescents' accumulated unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial problems are associated with later labor market exclusion, and whether multisite musculoskeletal pain (MMSP) impacts these relations. METHODS: We gathered questionnaire data on unhealthy behaviors and psychosocial problems and MMSP among adolescents aged 15 to 16 belonging to the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986. The findings were combined with registry data on unemployment, employment and permanent work disability during a five-year follow-up between the ages of 25 and 29 (n = 6692). In the statistical modeling we used education, family leave and socioeconomic status of childhood family as potential confounders, as well as latent class and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The Externalizing behavior cluster associated with over one year of unemployment (RR 1.64, CI 1.25-2.14) and permanent work disability (OR 2.49, CI 1.07-5.78) in the follow-up among the men. The Sedentary cluster also associated with over one year (RR 1.41, CI 1.13-1.75) and under one year of unemployment (RR 1.25, CI 1.02-1.52) and no employment days (RR 1.93, CI 1.26-2.95) among the men. Obese male participants were at risk of over one year of unemployment (RR 1.50, CI 1.08-2.09) and no employment days (RR 1.93, CI 1.07-3.50). Among the women, the Multiple risk behavior cluster related significantly to over one year of unemployment (RR 1.77, CI 1.37-2.28). MMSP had no influence on the associations. CONCLUSIONS: Unhealthy behavior patterns and psychosocial problems in adolescence have long-term consequences for exclusion from the labor market in early adulthood, especially among men. Simultaneously supporting psychological well-being and healthy behaviors in adolescence may reduce labor market inclusion difficulties in the early phase of working life.

Associations of co-occurring psychosocial and lifestyle factors with multisite musculoskeletal pain during late adolescence-A birth cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal (MS) pain is common. It often exists in several sites and is recurrent. Psychosocial difficulties and unhealthy behaviours have been related to multisite MS pain, but no literature has assessed the impact of accumulated psychosocial and lifestyle factors on recurrent multiple MS pain. METHODS: Our data were gathered from two questionnaires of the well-known Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1986 (NFBC1986), sent to members when they were aged 16 and 18. A total of 1,625 adolescents (712 boys and 913 girls) answered questions on smoking, physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleeping and emotional and behavioural problems at 16 years and on musculoskeletal pain at 16 and 18 years. Weight and height measurements were taken at a health examination at baseline. A latent class analysis and multinomial regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: We identified four clusters among both sexes. "Externalizing behavior" among both genders (OR 2.98, CI 1.73-5.13 among boys; OR 2.38, CI 1.38-4.11 among girls), "Multiple risk behaviors" among girls (OR 2.73, CI 1.30-5.71) and a "Sedentary" cluster among boys (OR 1.85, CI 1.21-2.82) were associated to recurrent multisite MS pain. "Obese" clusters had no significant associations with recurrent multiple MS pain. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with psychosocial difficulties and/or several adverse health behaviours were at an increased risk of recurrent multisite MS pain, which emphasizes the importance of simultaneously studying multiple rather than single factors. The identification of risk groups may help more accurately target preventive interventions. SIGNIFICANCE: This study found subgroups of adolescents at risk of recurrent multisite musculoskeletal pain during late adolescence. The accumulation of multiple adverse behaviours is likely to provide new perspectives for understanding the multidimensional nature of multiple MS pains.