Alkohol, Tabak und Cannabis – Motive und Nutzungsverhalten

Conference given outside the academic context (2023)

Distribution of psychological instability among surgeons

in World Neurosurgery (2023)

Background High emotional instability, i.e. neuroticism, is associated with poor mental health. Conversely, traumatic experiences may increase neuroticism. Stressful experiences such as complications are ... [more ▼]

Background High emotional instability, i.e. neuroticism, is associated with poor mental health. Conversely, traumatic experiences may increase neuroticism. Stressful experiences such as complications are common in the surgical profession, with neurosurgeons being particularly affected. We compared the personality trait neuroticism between physicians in a prospective cross-sectional study. Methods 5,148). Multivariate linear regression was used to model differences between surgeons, non-surgeons and specialties with occasional surgical interventions with respect to neuroticism, adjusting for gender, age, age squared and their interactions, then testing equality of parameters of adjusted predictions separately and jointly using Wald tests. Results With an expected variability within disciplines, average levels of neuroticism are lower in surgeons than non-surgeons, especially in the first part of their career. However, the course of neuroticism across age follows a quadratic pattern, i.e., an increase after the initial decrease. The acceleration of neuroticism with age is specifically significant in surgeons. Levels of neuroticism are lowest towards mid-career, but exhibit a strong secondary increase towards the end of the surgeons’ career. This pattern seems driven by neurosurgeons. Conclusion Despite initially lower levels of neuroticism, surgeons suffer a stronger increase of neuroticism together with age. Since, beyond well-being, neuroticism influences professional performance and healthcare systems costs, explanatory studies are mandatory to enlighten causes of this burden. [less ▲]

The role of trust in government and risk perception in adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures: survey findings among young people in Luxembourg

in Health, Risk and Society (2023), 0(0), 1-26

Citizens’ trust in government is crucial in managing crises that require coordination as it is linked to cooperative behaviour and sociability. Willingness to adopt appropriate health measures plays a ... [more ▼]

Citizens’ trust in government is crucial in managing crises that require coordination as it is linked to cooperative behaviour and sociability. Willingness to adopt appropriate health measures plays a decisive role in the effective containment of COVID-19 and other pandemics. Preventive health measures such as physical distancing, avoiding crowded places, wearing masks, and frequent hand washing reduce the spread of the virus. In this study, we examined how trust in government, risk perception, and knowledge were separately and jointly related to compliance with preventive health measures. We focused on young adults who are less prone to the disease than older demographics, who therefore have fewer incentives to protect themselves, and are accordingly pertinent for the study of public health and understandings of risk. Using recent data from a survey completed by 2,455 young people in Luxembourg, we employed structural equation modelling to assess our hypotheses. We found that trust in government, risk perceptions, and COVID-19 knowledge are important predictors of young people’s adherence to health measures and prosocial protection. Additionally, these factors are interrelated in several complex and non-linear ways. Our findings provide insights into young people’s specific health behaviours, highlighting the roles of risk perception and trust in government in mitigating the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. [less ▲]

Associations between sedentary behavior and health and the moderating role of physical activity in young people within a cross-sectional investigation

in Preventive Medicine Reports (2023), 35

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of sedentary behavior (SB) on the frequency of health complaints (fHC) as well as on self-rated health (SRH) and body mass index (BMI), and to ... [more ▼]

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of sedentary behavior (SB) on the frequency of health complaints (fHC) as well as on self-rated health (SRH) and body mass index (BMI), and to determine whether physical activity (PA) moderated this influence. Data were obtained from the Youth Survey Luxembourg 2019 (N = 2,802), a nationally representative stratified random sample of all youths aged 16 to 29 years who were living in Luxembourg. fHC is a composite measure of eight common psychosomatic health complaints, SRH was measured on a five-point scale, and BMI was calculated by dividing participants’ body weight by the square of their body height (kg/m2). PA and SB values were obtained from factor analyses of the relevant questionnaire items. SB was evaluated as both leisure-time SB and gaming-associated SB. Multiple regression analyses adjusted for age, sex, socioeconomic status, and migration status were used to determine the association between SB, fHC, BMI, and SRH. We found that leisure-time SB was positively associated with fHC, but not with SRH or BMI. Gaming-associated SB was positively associated with fHC and BMI but was negatively associated with SRH. PA was negatively associated with fHC, BMI and SRH. No statistically significant moderating effects were observed. We found that both leisure-time and gaming-associated SB showed statistically significant impacts on health. Although PA is known to be beneficial to health, we conclude that its potential to mitigate the negative effects of SB is limited in young people. [less ▲]

Wohlbefinden in der Schule: Aktuelle Befunde, Potenziale und Herausforderungen

Conference given outside the academic context (2022)

The Influence of Family Resources on the Well-being of Young People during the Covid-19 Pandemic

Presentation (2022, August 25)

Young People and COVID-19: Social, Economic, and Health Consequences of Infection Prevention and Control Measures among Young People in Luxembourg – Technical Report 2021 Longitudinal Survey

Report (2022)

Young People and COVID-19: Social, Economic, and Health Consequences of Infection Prevention and Control Measures among Young People in Luxembourg – Technical Report 2020

Report (2022)

Die Förderung von Wohlbefinden und Gesundheit als Aufgabe der Jugendarbeit

Conference given outside the academic context (2022)

Hiring in Border Regions: Experimental and Qualitative Evidence from a Recruiter Survey in Luxembourg

in Journal for Labour Market Research (2022), 56

Firms in border regions typically deal with heterogeneous applicant pools that include both (foreign) domestic workers and cross-border commuters. However, we know little about recruiters’ workforce needs ... [more ▼]

Firms in border regions typically deal with heterogeneous applicant pools that include both (foreign) domestic workers and cross-border commuters. However, we know little about recruiters’ workforce needs and hiring practices in cross-border labour markets. Based on a survey of real recruiters in Luxembourg, this study presents experimental and qualitative findings on the role of country of residence in recruiters’ hiring intentions against foreigners. Luxembourg presents a rarely studied but highly relevant case for hiring practices owing to a combination of a strong economy, strict labour market regulations, and a transnational workforce. Drawing on data from a factorial survey experiment, we found no discrimination against Portuguese and French applicants living in Luxembourg. Yet, (highly skilled) cross-border workers from France and Germany faced disadvantages regarding recruiters’ hiring intentions. However, differences in effect sizes between foreigners and cross-border workers were small and not statistically significant. When further asked about the potential challenges of recruiting in Luxembourg’s cross-border labour market, respondents expressed concerns about flexibility, poor social fit, and cultural differences in hiring foreign and cross-border employees. Overall, our study provides further points of reference for studies on hiring intentions in cross-border labour markets across Europe. [less ▲]