Evaluating quick return restrictions on sickness absence in healthcare employees: A difference-in-differences study.

Background: Short intervals between shifts, known as quick returns, have been linked to adverse health effects, and increased risk of occupational accidents, particularly among healthcare employees. To safeguard employee health, the 2020 reform of Working Time Act in Finland limited rest periods under 11 h in irregular shift work.

Objective: To evaluate the changes in quick returns following the 2020 reform of the Working Time Act in Finland and their association with sickness absence among public healthcare employees.

Impaired hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis underlies eccentric contraction-induced force loss in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle.

Eccentric contraction- (ECC) induced force loss is a hallmark of murine dystrophin-deficient (mdx) skeletal muscle that is used to assess efficacy of potential therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. While virtually all key proteins involved in muscle contraction have been implicated in ECC force loss, a unifying mechanism that orchestrates force loss across such diverse molecular targets has not been identified. We showed that correcting defective hydrogen sulfide (H2S) signaling in mdx muscle prevented ECC force loss.

COVID-19 infection and later risk of sickness absence by socioeconomic status: a cohort study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant health risk and resulted in increased sickness absence during the pandemic. This study examines whether a history of COVID-19 infection is associated with a higher risk of subsequent sickness absence.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 32,124 public sector employees responded to a survey on COVID-19 infection and lifestyle factors in 2020 and were linked to sickness absence records before (2019) and after (2021-2022) the survey.

Associations Between Active Commuting and Sickness Absence in Finnish Public Sector Cohort of 28 485 Employees.

Active commuting can be beneficial for health. We examined whether active commuting by walking or cycling was associated with a lower risk of sickness absence in a Finnish public sector cohort of 28 485 employees. We used negative binomial regression to test associations of weekly active commuting in kilometers (no, low, moderate, and high dose) with all-cause sickness absence.

Psychosocial risks and resources at work and employee wellbeing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: time series of cross-sections.

Objective: We examined the relationships between psychosocial factors and employee wellbeing in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Survey data were from Finnish public sector employees from 2018 (T1 = before), 2020 (T2 = during), and 2022 (T3 = after the pandemic) (n = 29,360). Employee wellbeing was measured with self-rated health, work ability, and recovery from work.