title: The effectiveness of a 17-week lifestyle intervention on health behaviors among airline pilots during COVID-19

authors: Wilson, Daniel

subjects: COVID-19

abstract: PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 17-week, 3-component lifestyle intervention for enhancing health behaviors during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 
METHODS: A parallel-group (intervention and control) study was conducted amongst 79 airline pilots over a 17-week period during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervention group (n = 38) received a personalized sleep, dietary, and physical activity (PA) program. The control group (n = 41) received no intervention. Outcome measures for sleep, fruit and vegetable intake, PA, and subjective health were measured though an online survey before and after the 17-week period. The changes in outcome measures were used to determine the efficacy of the intervention. 
RESULTS: Significant main effects for Time × Group were found for International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Walk (p = 0.02) and for all other outcome measures (p < 0.01). The intervention group significantly improved in sleep duration (p < 0.01; d = 1.02), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (p < 0.01; d = -1.01), moderate-to-vigorous PA (p < 0.01; d = 1.32), fruit and vegetable intake (p < 0.01; d = 3.11), Short-Form-12v2 physical score (p < 0.01; d = 1.84), and Short-Form-12v2 mental score (p < 0.01; d = 2.69). The control group showed significant negative change for sleep duration (p < 0.01; d = -0.47), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (p < 0.01; d = 0.28), and Short-Form-12v2 mental score (p < 0.01; d = -0.64). 
CONCLUSION: Results provide preliminary evidence that a 3-component healthy sleep, eating and PA intervention elicit improvements in health behaviors and perceived subjective health in pilots and may improve quality of life during an unprecedented global pandemic.

text: The effectiveness of a 17-week lifestyle intervention on health behaviors among airline pilots during COVID-19 PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 17-week, 3-component lifestyle intervention for enhancing health behaviors during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. 
METHODS: A parallel-group (intervention and control) study was conducted amongst 79 airline pilots over a 17-week period during the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervention group (n = 38) received a personalized sleep, dietary, and physical activity (PA) program. The control group (n = 41) received no intervention. Outcome measures for sleep, fruit and vegetable intake, PA, and subjective health were measured though an online survey before and after the 17-week period. The changes in outcome measures were used to determine the efficacy of the intervention. 
RESULTS: Significant main effects for Time × Group were found for International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Walk (p = 0.02) and for all other outcome measures (p < 0.01). The intervention group significantly improved in sleep duration (p < 0.01; d = 1.02), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (p < 0.01; d = -1.01), moderate-to-vigorous PA (p < 0.01; d = 1.32), fruit and vegetable intake (p < 0.01; d = 3.11), Short-Form-12v2 physical score (p < 0.01; d = 1.84), and Short-Form-12v2 mental score (p < 0.01; d = 2.69). The control group showed significant negative change for sleep duration (p < 0.01; d = -0.47), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score (p < 0.01; d = 0.28), and Short-Form-12v2 mental score (p < 0.01; d = -0.64). 
CONCLUSION: Results provide preliminary evidence that a 3-component healthy sleep, eating and PA intervention elicit improvements in health behaviors and perceived subjective health in pilots and may improve quality of life during an unprecedented global pandemic.

year: 2020

title: The classification of substance and behavioural addictions: A preliminary investigation

authors: McLaughlan, Andre David

subjects: pathological gambling

abstract: The term addiction has been used to refer to impaired control over substance use for several centuries however recently there has been a shift toward using this term in the context of non-substance use disorders, such as pathological gambling. A preliminary investigation was conducted in an attempt to clarify the most appropriate classification of 'behavioural addictions'. Participants with alcohol dependence (AD, n = 24), pathological gambling (PG, n = 20) and compulsive buying disorder (CBD, n = 14) completed an Addictive Disorder Questionnaire (ADQ); the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90R); Barratt Impulsivity Scale II; and substance specific adaptations of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Although the AD group reported more severe addiction symptoms and had higher levels of depression and anxiety, there were broad similarities across the three disorders in relation to cravings, dyscontrol, impulsivity and obsessions. Despite the small sample size and the different recruitment strategies used across the groups, the findings from this preliminary study provide support for broadening addiction diagnostic definitions to include non-substance related disorders which in turn may contribute to the development of more efficacious treatments.

text: The classification of substance and behavioural addictions: A preliminary investigation The term addiction has been used to refer to impaired control over substance use for several centuries however recently there has been a shift toward using this term in the context of non-substance use disorders, such as pathological gambling. A preliminary investigation was conducted in an attempt to clarify the most appropriate classification of 'behavioural addictions'. Participants with alcohol dependence (AD, n = 24), pathological gambling (PG, n = 20) and compulsive buying disorder (CBD, n = 14) completed an Addictive Disorder Questionnaire (ADQ); the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90R); Barratt Impulsivity Scale II; and substance specific adaptations of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Although the AD group reported more severe addiction symptoms and had higher levels of depression and anxiety, there were broad similarities across the three disorders in relation to cravings, dyscontrol, impulsivity and obsessions. Despite the small sample size and the different recruitment strategies used across the groups, the findings from this preliminary study provide support for broadening addiction diagnostic definitions to include non-substance related disorders which in turn may contribute to the development of more efficacious treatments.

year: 2012

title: Empirical analysis of Pacific, Māori and ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand

authors: Cochrane, William

abstract: A descriptive profile of the four ethnic groups, by gender, is provided to illustrate the heterogeneities across populations in terms of a number of variables grouped into the following categories: individual characteristics, educational attainment, region, household and job-related characteristics. The main empirical analysis involves estimation of the statistical contribution of observed factors (within each of the aforementioned categories) towards explaining the ethnic pay gaps. As this research is primarily aimed as an input towards the Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry being conducted by the Human Rights Commission, we focus our summary of the key findings on the Pacific – European pay gap.
This includes variables on permanent contract status, an indicator if in part-time work, occupation, and industry. These results are therefore likely an indication of the strong role of occupational segregation in the labour market. An additional factor that had a relatively strong contribution to the pay gap, particularly for the Pacific – European female gap, was educational attainment. Overall, even after accounting for differences in job-related characteristics and educational attainment, amongst a number of other observed factors, it was still found that only 27 percent of the pay gap for Pacific males (relative to Europeans) could be explained; and the corresponding proportion for females was 39 percent. The remaining portion of the Pacific Pay Gap is likely to reflect a range of causes that cannot be quantified or disentangled in this analysis – such as not including other factors of importance as they weren’t observed in the data (for example, literacy proficiency or field of study for qualification attained); ethnic differences in preferences for non-wage components of the job; unconscious bias; and discrimination.

text: Empirical analysis of Pacific, Māori and ethnic pay gaps in New Zealand A descriptive profile of the four ethnic groups, by gender, is provided to illustrate the heterogeneities across populations in terms of a number of variables grouped into the following categories: individual characteristics, educational attainment, region, household and job-related characteristics. The main empirical analysis involves estimation of the statistical contribution of observed factors (within each of the aforementioned categories) towards explaining the ethnic pay gaps. As this research is primarily aimed as an input towards the Pacific Pay Gap Inquiry being conducted by the Human Rights Commission, we focus our summary of the key findings on the Pacific – European pay gap.
This includes variables on permanent contract status, an indicator if in part-time work, occupation, and industry. These results are therefore likely an indication of the strong role of occupational segregation in the labour market. An additional factor that had a relatively strong contribution to the pay gap, particularly for the Pacific – European female gap, was educational attainment. Overall, even after accounting for differences in job-related characteristics and educational attainment, amongst a number of other observed factors, it was still found that only 27 percent of the pay gap for Pacific males (relative to Europeans) could be explained; and the corresponding proportion for females was 39 percent. The remaining portion of the Pacific Pay Gap is likely to reflect a range of causes that cannot be quantified or disentangled in this analysis – such as not including other factors of importance as they weren’t observed in the data (for example, literacy proficiency or field of study for qualification attained); ethnic differences in preferences for non-wage components of the job; unconscious bias; and discrimination.

year: 2022-07