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Faresjö, Tomas, ProfessorORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0003-4224-1032
Publications (10 of 68) Show all publications
Spencer, N. J., Ludvigsson, J., You, Y., Francis, K., Abu Awad, Y., Markham, W., . . . McGrath, J. J. (2022). Household income and maternal education in early childhood and activity-limiting chronic health conditions in late childhood: findings from birth cohort studies from six countries. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 76(11), 939-948
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Household income and maternal education in early childhood and activity-limiting chronic health conditions in late childhood: findings from birth cohort studies from six countries
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2022 (English)In: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, ISSN 0143-005X, E-ISSN 1470-2738, Vol. 76, no 11, p. 939-948Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background We examined absolute and relative relationships between household income and maternal education during early childhood (<5 years) with activity-limiting chronic health conditions (ALCHC) during later childhood in six longitudinal, prospective cohorts from high-income countries (UK, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Netherlands, USA). Methods Relative inequality (risk ratios, RR) and absolute inequality (Slope Index of Inequality) were estimated for ALCHC during later childhood by maternal education categories and household income quintiles in early childhood. Estimates were adjusted for mother ethnicity, maternal age at birth, child sex and multiple births, and were pooled using meta-regression. Results Pooled estimates, with over 42 000 children, demonstrated social gradients in ALCHC for high maternal education versus low (RR 1.54, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.85) and middle education (RR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.38); as well as for high household income versus lowest (RR 1.90, 95% CI 1.66 to 2.18) and middle quintiles (RR 1.34, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.54). Absolute inequality showed decreasing ALCHC in all cohorts from low to high education (range: -2.85% Sweden, -13.36% Canada) and income (range: -1.8% Sweden, -19.35% Netherlands). Conclusion We found graded relative risk of ALCHC during later childhood by maternal education and household income during early childhood in all cohorts. Absolute differences in ALCHC were consistently observed between the highest and lowest maternal education and household income levels across cohort populations. Our results support a potential role for generous, universal financial and childcare policies for families during early childhood in reducing the prevalence of activity limiting chronic conditions in later childhood.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2022
Keywords
child health; health inequalities; life course epidemiology; cohort studies
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-187359 (URN)10.1136/jech-2022-219228 (DOI)000829471200001 ()35863874 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding Agencies|Canadian Institutes of Health Research [OCO-79897, MOP-89886, MSH-95353, ROG-110537]; County Council of Ostergotland; Swedish Research Council [K2005-72X-11242-11A, K2008-69X-20826-01-4]; Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation (Barndiabetesfonden); Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Wallenberg Foundation [K 98-99D-12813-01A]; Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden(FORSS); Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research [FAS2004-1775]; Ostgota Brandstodsbolag; Australian Government Department of Social Services; partner organisations Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS); Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS); Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam; Erasmus University Rotterdam; Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw); Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO); Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport; Ministry of Youth and Families; Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC); Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC); Canadian Institute for Health Research (CIHR); Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI); Statistics Canada; Economic and Social Research Council; Office of National Statistics; various government departments; US Bureau of Labor Statistics; National Institute for Child Health and Human Development; [907.00303]; [916.10159]

Available from: 2022-08-19 Created: 2022-08-19 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved
Andersson White, P., Abu Awad, Y., Gauvin, L., Spencer, N. J., McGrath, J. J., Clifford, S. A., . . . Faresjö, T. (2022). Household income and maternal education in early childhood and risk of overweight and obesity in late childhood: Findings from seven birth cohort studies in six high-income countries. International Journal of Obesity, 46, 1703-1711
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Household income and maternal education in early childhood and risk of overweight and obesity in late childhood: Findings from seven birth cohort studies in six high-income countries
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2022 (English)In: International Journal of Obesity, ISSN 0307-0565, E-ISSN 1476-5497, Vol. 46, p. 1703-1711Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background/objectives This study analysed the relationship between early childhood socioeconomic status (SES) measured by maternal education and household income and the subsequent development of childhood overweight and obesity. Subjects/methods Data from seven population-representative prospective child cohorts in six high-income countries: United Kingdom, Australia, the Netherlands, Canada (one national cohort and one from the province of Quebec), USA, Sweden. Children were included at birth or within the first 2 years of life. Pooled estimates relate to a total of N = 26,565 included children. Overweight and obesity were defined using International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-offs and measured in late childhood (8-11 years). Risk ratios (RRs) and pooled risk estimates were adjusted for potential confounders (maternal age, ethnicity, child sex). Slope Indexes of Inequality (SII) were estimated to quantify absolute inequality for maternal education and household income. Results Prevalence ranged from 15.0% overweight and 2.4% obese in the Swedish cohort to 37.6% overweight and 15.8% obese in the US cohort. Overall, across cohorts, social gradients were observed for risk of obesity for both low maternal education (pooled RR: 2.99, 95% CI: 2.07, 4.31) and low household income (pooled RR: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.68, 4.30); between-cohort heterogeneity ranged from negligible to moderate (p: 0.300 to < 0.001). The association between RRs of obesity by income was lowest in Sweden than in other cohorts. Conclusions There was a social gradient by maternal education on the risk of childhood obesity in all included cohorts. The SES associations measured by income were more heterogeneous and differed between Sweden versus the other national cohorts; these findings may be attributable to policy differences, including preschool policies, maternity leave, a ban on advertising to children, and universal free school meals.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Springer Nature, 2022
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-187410 (URN)10.1038/s41366-022-01171-7 (DOI)000823341900001 ()35821522 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding Agencies|Canadian Institutes of Health Research [OCO-79897, MOP-89886, MSH-95353, ROG-110537]; Linkoping University

Available from: 2022-08-22 Created: 2022-08-22 Last updated: 2025-02-20Bibliographically approved
Duchén, K., Olsen Faresjö, Å., Klingberg, S., Faresjö, T. & Ludvigsson, J. (2020). Fatty fish intake in mothers during pregnancy and in their children in relation to the development of obesity and overweight in childhood: The prospective ABIS study. Obesity Science & Practice, 6(1), 57-69
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Fatty fish intake in mothers during pregnancy and in their children in relation to the development of obesity and overweight in childhood: The prospective ABIS study
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2020 (English)In: Obesity Science & Practice, E-ISSN 2055-2238, Vol. 6, no 1, p. 57-69Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background Although controversial, lower maternal intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) during pregnancy and lower levels of omega-3 PUFA in serum phospholipids during childhood have been related to obesity. The main source of omega-3 PUFA is fatty fish in the diet. Objectives To assess the relationship between overweight/obesity and the intake of fatty fish in maternal diet during pregnancy and in children up to 8 years of age. Methods The prospective cohort All Children in South-East Sweden (ABIS) followed babies from birth to 8 years of age. A total of 6749 children at 5 years of age (boys 52.6%) and 3017 children at 8 years (boys 52.3%) participated. A “fatty-fish index” was constructed on the basis of self-reports of nutritional habits. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity in children at 5 years were 12.9% and 4.2%, respectively. At 8 years, 12.2% of the children presented overweight and 2.3% obesity. Girls were more affected than boys by overweight/obesity. A higher fish index during pregnancy was not related to overweight/obesity in the children, whereas a higher fish index in the children during the first years of life was related to obesity at 5 and 8 years of age. This relationship disappeared in a multivariable analysis. Maternal body mass index (BMI), maternal education, maternal smoking during pregnancy, birth weight, and physical activity all remained related to overweight/obesity at both 5 and 8 years of age. Conclusion No relationships were found between a lower intake of fatty fish in the diet, neither in mothers during pregnancy nor in early childhood, and increased risk of overweight/obesity.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
WILEY, 2020
Keywords
children; fish; obesity; omega-3; risk factors
National Category
Pediatrics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-173604 (URN)10.1002/osp4.377 (DOI)000515562800007 ()32128243 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding agencies: The Ekhaga Foundation, The Swedish Research Council Formas, The Research Council for the South-East of Sweden, The Östergötland County Council, and Swedish Asthma and Allergy Research Foundation, The Swedish Research Council, and Trygg Hansa Research Foundation

Available from: 2021-02-25 Created: 2021-02-25 Last updated: 2021-03-16Bibliographically approved
Duchén, K., Jones, M., Olsen Faresjö, Å., Faresjö, T. & Ludvigsson, J. (2020). Predicting the development of overweight and obesity in children between 2.5 and 8 years of age: The prospective ABIS study. Obesity Science & Practice, 6(4), 401-408
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Predicting the development of overweight and obesity in children between 2.5 and 8 years of age: The prospective ABIS study
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2020 (English)In: Obesity Science & Practice, E-ISSN 2055-2238, Vol. 6, no 4, p. 401-408Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: A relationship between overweight and obesity early in life and adolescence has been reported. The aim of this study was to track changes in overweight/obesity in children and to assess risk factors related to the persistence of overweight/obesity between 2.5 and 8 years. Study design: Children who participated in all three follow-ups at 2.5, 5 and 8 years in the prospective cohort All Children in Southeast Sweden (ABIS) (N = 2245, 52.1% boys and 47.9% girls) were classified as underweight, normal, overweight or with obesity, and changes within categories with age were related to risk factors for development of obesity in a multivariate analysis. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity between 2.5 and 8 years was 11%-12% and 2%-3%, respectively. Children with normal weight remained in the same category over the years, 86% between 2.5 to 5 years and 87% between 5 and 8 years. Overweight and obesity at 5 and 8 years were positively related to each other (p < 0.0001 for both). High level of TV watching at 8 years and high maternal body mass index (BMI) when the child was 5 years were related to lower probability to a normalized ISO-BMI between 5 and 8 years of age (p < 0.05 for both). Conclusion: Children with ISO-BMI 18.5 to 24.9 remain in that range during the first 8 years of life. Children with overweight early in life gain weight and develop obesity, and children with obesity tend to remain with obesity up to 8 years of age. TV watching and high maternal BMI were related to lower probability to weight normalization between 5 and 8 years of age. A multidisciplinary approach to promote dietary and physical activity changes in the entire family should be used for the treatment and prevention of overweight and obesity in early childhood.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
WILEY, 2020
Keywords
children; obesity; risk factors; tracking
National Category
Pediatrics
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-173603 (URN)10.1002/osp4.418 (DOI)000521435100001 ()32874675 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding agencies: Region Östergötland ALF/LuA; JDRFWallenberg Foundation, Grant/A wardNumber: K 98-99D-12813-01A; MedicalResearch Council of Southeast Sweden; Östgöta Brandstodsbolag; Swedish ResearchCouncil, Grant/Award Numbers: K2005-72X-11242-11A, K2008-69X-20826-01-4; SwedishCouncil for Working Life and Social Research,Grant/Award Number: FAS2004–1775; Barndiabetesfonden

Available from: 2021-02-25 Created: 2021-02-25 Last updated: 2021-03-16Bibliographically approved
Gjessing, K., Ludvigsson, J., Olsen Faresjö, Å. & Faresjö, T. (2020). Using early childhood infections to predict late childhood antibiotic consumption: a prospective cohort study. BJGP open, 4(5)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Using early childhood infections to predict late childhood antibiotic consumption: a prospective cohort study
2020 (English)In: BJGP open, ISSN 2398-3795, Vol. 4, no 5Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: In the Swedish welfare system, the prescription and price of antibiotics is regulated. Even so, socioeconomic circumstances might affect the consumption of antibiotics for children.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate if socioeconomic differences in antibiotic prescriptions could be found for children aged 2–14 years, and to find predictors of antibiotic consumption in children, especially if morbidity or socioeconomic status in childhood may function as predictors.

Design & setting: Participants were from All Babies In Southeast Sweden (ABIS), a prospectively followed birth cohort (N = 17 055), born 1997-1999. Pharmaceutical data for a 10-year period, from 2005–2014 were used (the cohort were aged from 5–7, up to 14–16 years). Participation at the 5-year follow-up was 7443 children. All prescriptions from inpatient, outpatient, and primary care were included. National registries and parent reports were used to define socioeconomic data for all participants. Most children’s infections were treated in primary healthcare centres.

Method: Parents of included children completed questionnaires about child morbidity at birth and at intervals up to 12 years. Their answers, combined with public records and national registries, were entered into the ABIS database and analysed. The primary outcome measure was the number of antibiotic prescriptions for each participant during a follow-up period between 2005–2014.

Results: The most important predictor for antibiotic prescription in later childhood was parent-reported number of antibiotic-treated infections at age 2–5 years (odds ratio (OR) range 1.21 to 2.23, depending on income quintile; P<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, lower income and lower paternal education level were also significantly related to higher antibiotic prescription.

Conclusion: Parent-reported antibiotic-treated infection at age 2–5 years predicted antibiotic consumption in later childhood. Swedish doctors are supposed to treat all patients individually and to follow official guidelines regarding antibiotics, to avoid antibiotics resistance. As socioeconomic factors are found to play a role, awareness is important to get unbiased treatment of all children.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Royal College of General Practitioners, 2020
Keywords
Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Prescriptions; Primary Health Care; Prospective Studies; Socioeconomic Factors
National Category
Infectious Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-174498 (URN)10.3399/bjgpopen20X101085 (DOI)33082156 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding agencies: County Council of Östergötland (grant number: LIO603511). ABIS has been supported by the Swedish Research Council (reference numbers: K2005-72X-11242-11A and K2008-69X-20826-01-4), the Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation (Barndiabetesfonden), the JDRF Wallenberg Foundation (reference number: K 98-99D-12813-01A), the Medical Research Council of Southeast Sweden (FORSS), the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research (reference number: FAS2004–1775), and Östgöta Brandstodsbolag.

Available from: 2021-03-22 Created: 2021-03-22 Last updated: 2023-04-05Bibliographically approved
Faresjö, T., Ludvigsson, J., Wennerholm, C., Olsen Faresjö, Å. & Nilsson, H. (2019). Folkhälsoskillnaderna består mellan Norrköping och Linköping [Public health differences between »the twin cities« persist].. Läkartidningen, 116, Article ID FI6H.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Folkhälsoskillnaderna består mellan Norrköping och Linköping [Public health differences between »the twin cities« persist].
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2019 (Swedish)In: Läkartidningen, ISSN 0023-7205, E-ISSN 1652-7518, Vol. 116, article id FI6HArticle in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [sv]

A decade ago, major public health differences between two neighboring, equal sized large Swedish cities, Norrköping and Linköping (»the Twin cities«) were revealed. These differences were considerable for cardiovascular mortality and life expectancy. An important finding was that cardiovascular mortality rates for men and women in the city of Norrköping were highest compared to other major Swedish cities. In this follow-up, a decade later, cardiovascular mortality rates are still highest for the Norrköping population in comparison to the largest Swedish cities. There are also still profound and major public health differences between these twin cities. The differences seem to persist over time. These differences could not be explained by differences in health care, but are rather reflecting different social history and socioeconomic and life style differences in these two cities.

Abstract [sv]

Hjärt–kärldödligheten minskar totalt sett i landet, men betydande skillnader i hjärt–kärldödlighet framkommer mellan de största svenska städerna.

Norrköping har den högsta hjärt–kärldödligheten både hos kvinnor och män, av de största svenska städerna, liksom för 10 år sedan.

Skillnaderna i hjärt–kärlmortalitet och förväntad medellivslängd mellan »tvillingstäderna« Norrköping och Linköping verkar inte minska i ett 10-årsperspektiv.

Folkhälsoskillnaderna mellan tvillingstäderna kan inte förklaras av skillnader i hälso- och sjukvård utan snarare av socioekonomiska och livsstilsrelaterade skillnader liksom städernas olika socialhistoria.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sveriges Läkarförbund, 2019
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-163818 (URN)31192409 (PubMedID)
Available from: 2020-02-20 Created: 2020-02-20 Last updated: 2020-04-01
Wennerholm, C., Bromley, C., Johansson, A., Nilsson, S., Frank, J. & Faresjö, T. (2017). Two tales of cardiovascular risks-middle-aged women living in Sweden and Scotland: a cross-sectional comparative study. BMJ Open, 7(8), Article ID e016527.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Two tales of cardiovascular risks-middle-aged women living in Sweden and Scotland: a cross-sectional comparative study
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2017 (English)In: BMJ Open, E-ISSN 2044-6055, Vol. 7, no 8, article id e016527Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

OBJECTIVES: To compare cardiovascular risk factors as well as rates of cardiovascular diseases in middle-aged women from urban areas in Scotland and Sweden.

DESIGN: Comparative cross-sectional study.

SETTING: Data from the general population in urban areas of Scotland and the general population in two major Swedish cities in southeast Sweden, south of Stockholm.

PARTICIPANTS: Comparable data of middle-aged women (40-65 years) from the Scottish Health Survey (n=6250) and the Swedish QWIN study (n=741) were merged together into a new dataset (n=6991 participants).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: We compared middle-aged women in urban areas in Sweden and Scotland regarding risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), CVD diagnosis, anthropometrics, psychological distress and lifestyle.

RESULTS: In almost all measurements, there were significant differences between the countries, favouring the Swedish women. Scottish women demonstrated a higher frequency of alcohol consumption, smoking, obesity, low vegetable consumption, a sedentary lifestyle and also more psychological distress. For doctor-diagnosed coronary heart disease, there were also significant differences, with a higher prevalence among the Scottish women.

CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies that clearly shows that Scottish middle-aged women are particularly affected by a worse profile of CVD risks. The profound differences in CVD risk and outcome frequency in the two populations are likely to have arisen from differences in the two groups of women's social, cultural, political and economic environments.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
London: BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, 2017
Keywords
cardiovascular risk factors, comparative study, lifestyle, middle-aged women, psychological distress, public health
National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-140935 (URN)10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016527 (DOI)000411802700172 ()28790040 (PubMedID)2-s2.0-85027162863 (Scopus ID)
Note

Funding agencies: Swedish Heart and Lung Association [E136-15/E106/13]; Clinic ALF funds, Region Ostergotland, Sweden [LiO-446241]; Research and PhD studies Committee (FUN), Linkoping University, Sweden [LiU-2014-020251]

Available from: 2017-09-18 Created: 2017-09-18 Last updated: 2025-02-21Bibliographically approved
Ruiz, M., Goldblatt, P., Morrison, J., Porta, D., Forastiere, F., Hryhorczuk, D., . . . Pikhart, H. (2016). Impact of Low Maternal Education on Early Childhood Overweight and Obesity in Europe. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, 30(3), 274-284
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Impact of Low Maternal Education on Early Childhood Overweight and Obesity in Europe
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2016 (English)In: Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology, ISSN 0269-5022, E-ISSN 1365-3016, Vol. 30, no 3, p. 274-284Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

BackgroundComparable evidence on adiposity inequalities in early life is lacking across a range of European countries. This study investigates whether low maternal education is associated with overweight and obesity risk in children from distinct European settings during early childhood. MethodsProspective data of 45 413 children from 11 European cohorts were used. Childrens height and weight obtained at ages 4-7 years were used to assess prevalent overweight and obesity according to the International Obesity Task Force definition. The Relative/Slope Indices of Inequality (RII/SII) were estimated within each cohort and by gender to investigate adiposity risk among children born to mothers with low education as compared to counterparts born to mothers with high education. Individual-data meta-analyses were conducted to obtain aggregate estimates and to assess heterogeneity between cohorts. ResultsLow maternal education yielded a substantial risk of early childhood adiposity across 11 European countries. Low maternal education yielded a mean risk ratio of 1.58 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34, 1.85) and a mean risk difference of 7.78% (5.34, 10.22) in early childhood overweight, respectively, measured by the RII and SII. Early childhood obesity risk by low maternal education was as substantial for all cohorts combined (RII = 2.61 (2.10, 3.23)) and (SII = 4.01% (3.14, 4.88)). Inequalities in early childhood adiposity were consistent among boys, but varied among girls in a few cohorts. ConclusionsConsiderable inequalities in overweight and obesity are evident among European children in early life. Tackling early childhood adiposity is necessary to promote childrens immediate health and well-being and throughout the life course.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
WILEY-BLACKWELL, 2016
Keywords
child; preschool; child development; cohort studies; comparative study; Czech Republic; epidemiology; Europe; Finland; France; Greece; health inequalities; Italy; maternal educational status; meta-analysis; Netherlands; obesity; overweight; Portugal; Spain; Sweden; United Kingdom; Ukraine
National Category
Clinical Medicine Basic Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-127547 (URN)10.1111/ppe.12285 (DOI)000373623800008 ()26945670 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding Agencies|European Union [278350]; Ministry of Education of the Czech Republic [LM2011028, LO1214]; Grant Agency of the Masaryk University [MUNI/M/1075/2013]; Academy of Finland; Biocenter, University of Oulu, Finland; European Commission (EUROBLCS) [QLG1-CT-2000-01643]; EU [EurHEALTHAgeing-277849]; Medical Research Council, UK (PrevMetSyn/SALVE); MRC; Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw) [40-00812-98-11010]; Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation; Research Council of Southeast Sweden

Available from: 2016-05-04 Created: 2016-05-03 Last updated: 2018-01-10
Rahmqvist, M., Gjessing, K. & Faresjö, T. (2016). Influenca-like illness among children: Young children suffer, primary care takes the strain, society bears the cost. In: : . Paper presented at Nordic Vaccine Meeting, Reykjavik Iceland, April 28-29 2016.
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Influenca-like illness among children: Young children suffer, primary care takes the strain, society bears the cost
2016 (English)Conference paper, Poster (with or without abstract) (Refereed)
Abstract [en]

Conclusions

Our results demonstrated a significant increase in the burden of disease during the peak influenza season with increased direct medical costs, especially in primary care. The largest impact of ILI was identified among the youngest children (2-4 years). Increased absence from work due to parents' care of ill children correlates strongly with the ILI encounters in health care. This loss of productivity represents a large indirect cost for society.

National Category
Public Health, Global Health and Social Medicine
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-130721 (URN)
Conference
Nordic Vaccine Meeting, Reykjavik Iceland, April 28-29 2016
Available from: 2016-08-22 Created: 2016-08-22 Last updated: 2025-02-20
Karlén, J., Ludvigsson, J., Hedmark, M., Olsen Faresjö, Å., Theodorsson, E. & Faresjö, T. (2015). Early Psychosocial Exposures, Hair Cortisol Levels, and Disease Risk. Pediatrics, 135(6), E1450-E1457
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Early Psychosocial Exposures, Hair Cortisol Levels, and Disease Risk
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2015 (English)In: Pediatrics, ISSN 0031-4005, E-ISSN 1098-4275, Vol. 135, no 6, p. E1450-E1457Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

BACKGROUND: Early psychosocial exposures are increasingly recognized as being crucial to health throughout life. A possible mechanism could be physiologic dysregulation due to stress. Cortisol in hair is a new biomarker assessing long-term hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. The objective was to investigate whether early-life adverse psychosocial circumstances influence infant cortisol levels in hair and health outcomes in children prospectively until age 10. METHODS: A cohort study in the general community using a questionnaire covering 11 psychosocial items in the family during pregnancy and the cumulative incidence of diagnoses until age 10 years in 1876 children. Cortisol levels in hair were measured by using a radioimmunoassay in those with sufficient hair samples at age 1, yielding a subsample of n = 209. RESULTS: Children with added psychosocial exposures had higher infant cortisol levels in hair (B = 0.40, P less than .0001, adjusted for gender and size for gestational age) in a cumulative manner and were significantly more often affected by 12 of the 14 most common childhood diseases, with a general pattern of increasing odds ratios. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the model of physiologic dysregulation as a plausible mechanism by which the duration and number of early detrimental psychosocial exposures determine health outcomes. The model indicates that the multiplicity of adversities should be targeted in future interventions and could help to identify children who are at high risk of poor health. Furthermore, given the prolonged nature of exposure to a stressful social environment, the novel biomarker of cortisol in hair could be of major importance.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015
National Category
Occupational Health and Environmental Health
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-119795 (URN)10.1542/peds.2014-2561 (DOI)000355557400012 ()25941311 (PubMedID)
Note

Funding Agencies|Swedish Child Diabetes Foundation (Barndiabetesfonden); Research Council of Southeast Sweden [FORSS-87771, FORSS-36321]; Swedish Medical Research Council [K99-72X-11242-05A]; Wallenberg Foundation [K 98-99D-12813-01A]; County Council of Ostergotland project grant, Linkoping, Sweden

Available from: 2015-06-26 Created: 2015-06-26 Last updated: 2018-01-11Bibliographically approved
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ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0003-4224-1032

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