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Non-pharmacological interventions for improved home care of persons with dementia and their family caregiver are and will be increasingly important for society. A music intervention study was performed on persons with persons with dementia and family caregiver. The persons with dementia and family caregiver were instructed to choose a daily routine for joint listening to recorded music. They selected the music they were interested in from a menu. The intervention period lasted for two months. Both persons with dementia and family caregiver provided daily saliva samples for the assessment of stress-related steroid hormones. In previous reports we have reported that the morning cortisol levels decreased significantly among the family caregiver when the intervention group was compared to a control group. In the present study we report narratives from four dyads, two of whom with beneficial effects of the music intervention, one dyad with no clear beneficial effects and one dyad with mixed results. The narratives illustrate the strong cohesive effect that the joint music listening could have, leading to improved social functioning paralleled by decreased morning cortisol levels particularly in the family caregiver. The narratives also illustrate reasons for failed effects.

Examination of the variability of stress biomarkers among people living with dementia and their family caregivers can provide evidence of stress reactions and corresponding self-regulation capacities, but no such research has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day variability patterns of salivary biomarkers in dyads of people living with dementia and their family caregivers and to investigate differences in variability patterns between music intervention and control groups. This study involved secondary analysis of data collected during a two-group, non-randomized open trial examining the effects of an 8-week music intervention on physiological stress markers. A total of 5791 salivary samples from 34 dyads were used to analyze the variability of morning and evening cortisol and of morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The variability indices employed were the intra- and inter-individual standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intra-class correlation coefficient. We found that family caregivers in the music intervention group had significantly greater coefficients of variation for all three biomarker endpoints than those in the control group. Our findings provide evidence that stress biomarkers in family caregivers with functional self-regulation capacities may be more likely to respond to music intervention. However, stress biomarkers in people living with dementia may not be responsive to music intervention, possibly due to their dysfunctional self-regulation capacities. Future stress biomarker studies involving dyads of people living with dementia and family caregivers should consider biomarker variability patterns in determining the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.

Examination of the variability of stress biomarkers among people living with dementia and their family caregivers can provide evidence of stress reactions and corresponding self-regulation capacities, but no such research has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day variability patterns of salivary biomarkers in dyads of people living with dementia and their family caregivers and to investigate differences in variability patterns between music intervention and control groups. This study involved secondary analysis of data collected during a two-group, non-randomized open trial examining the effects of an 8-week music intervention on physiological stress markers. A total of 5791 salivary samples from 34 dyads were used to analyze the variability of morning and evening cortisol and of morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The variability indices employed were the intra- and inter-individual standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intra-class correlation coefficient. We found that family caregivers in the music intervention group had significantly greater coefficients of variation for all three biomarker endpoints than those in the control group. Our findings provide evidence that stress biomarkers in family caregivers with functional self-regulation capacities may be more likely to respond to music intervention. However, stress biomarkers in people living with dementia may not be responsive to music intervention, possibly due to their dysfunctional self-regulation capacities. Future stress biomarker studies involving dyads of people living with dementia and family caregivers should consider biomarker variability patterns in determining the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.

This study explores the association between office design and (a) the psychosocial work environment and (b) the emotional health among 4352 employees in seven different office designs. A multivariate linear regression analysis was performed with adjustments for age and educational level for men and women separately. Results show that psychosocial factors and emotional exhaustion differ between both office designs and between genders, with best outcomes in cell offices, except for psychological demands that are rated the most favourable in shared-room offices. Cell offices and small open-plan offices show a strong beneficial association with emotional exhaustion in women. Among men, hot-desking is most problematic regarding psychosocial work environment and emotional exhaustion. Women rate the psychosocial environment low in combi-office and report emotional exhaustion in small open offices., QC 20240516

Examination of the variability of stress biomarkers among people living with dementia and their family caregivers can provide evidence of stress reactions and corresponding self-regulation capacities, but no such research has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day variability patterns of salivary biomarkers in dyads of people living with dementia and their family caregivers and to investigate differences in variability patterns between music intervention and control groups. This study involved secondary analysis of data collected during a two-group, non-randomized open trial examining the effects of an 8-week music intervention on physiological stress markers. A total of 5791 salivary samples from 34 dyads were used to analyze the variability of morning and evening cortisol and of morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The variability indices employed were the intra- and inter-individual standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intra-class correlation coefficient. We found that family caregivers in the music intervention group had significantly greater coefficients of variation for all three biomarker endpoints than those in the control group. Our findings provide evidence that stress biomarkers in family caregivers with functional self-regulation capacities may be more likely to respond to music intervention. However, stress biomarkers in people living with dementia may not be responsive to music intervention, possibly due to their dysfunctional self-regulation capacities. Future stress biomarker studies involving dyads of people living with dementia and family caregivers should consider biomarker variability patterns in determining the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.

Examination of the variability of stress biomarkers among people living with dementia and their family caregivers can provide evidence of stress reactions and corresponding self-regulation capacities, but no such research has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day variability patterns of salivary biomarkers in dyads of people living with dementia and their family caregivers and to investigate differences in variability patterns between music intervention and control groups. This study involved secondary analysis of data collected during a two-group, non-randomized open trial examining the effects of an 8-week music intervention on physiological stress markers. A total of 5791 salivary samples from 34 dyads were used to analyze the variability of morning and evening cortisol and of morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The variability indices employed were the intra- and inter-individual standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intra-class correlation coefficient. We found that family caregivers in the music intervention group had significantly greater coefficients of variation for all three biomarker endpoints than those in the control group. Our findings provide evidence that stress biomarkers in family caregivers with functional self-regulation capacities may be more likely to respond to music intervention. However, stress biomarkers in people living with dementia may not be responsive to music intervention, possibly due to their dysfunctional self-regulation capacities. Future stress biomarker studies involving dyads of people living with dementia and family caregivers should consider biomarker variability patterns in determining the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.

Examination of the variability of stress biomarkers among people living with dementia and their family caregivers can provide evidence of stress reactions and corresponding self-regulation capacities, but no such research has been conducted to date. The aim of this study was to examine day-to-day variability patterns of salivary biomarkers in dyads of people living with dementia and their family caregivers and to investigate differences in variability patterns between music intervention and control groups. This study involved secondary analysis of data collected during a two-group, non-randomized open trial examining the effects of an 8-week music intervention on physiological stress markers. A total of 5791 salivary samples from 34 dyads were used to analyze the variability of morning and evening cortisol and of morning dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The variability indices employed were the intra- and inter-individual standard deviation, coefficient of variation, and intra-class correlation coefficient. We found that family caregivers in the music intervention group had significantly greater coefficients of variation for all three biomarker endpoints than those in the control group. Our findings provide evidence that stress biomarkers in family caregivers with functional self-regulation capacities may be more likely to respond to music intervention. However, stress biomarkers in people living with dementia may not be responsive to music intervention, possibly due to their dysfunctional self-regulation capacities. Future stress biomarker studies involving dyads of people living with dementia and family caregivers should consider biomarker variability patterns in determining the effectiveness of behavioral interventions.

Background: Choir singing is an activity that engages individuals all over the world with a broad demographic representation. Both qualitative and quantitative studies have examined the benefits of the activity but very few have examined the effects when someone loses access to it and stops singing. Objectives: Examining the governmental and organisational responses precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, we asked what happens when a choir singer loses all of their routines associated with regular participation in choir singing. Materials and Methods: One national choir organization in Sweden (n = 3163) and one in Norway (n = 1881) were approached with a short survey. This comprised questions relating to the issue “what do you as a choir singer misses the most?” Each participant was asked to rate the importance of a number of elements that pertain to the experience of choir singing. Results: The social aspect of singing emerged as having the strongest weight in terms of perceived loss that is, it was the element that the participants missed the most. Professional singers report that they miss the aesthetic experiences, flow, and all the physical aspects (physical training, voice training, and breathing training) to a greater degree as compared to reports from the amateurs. The importance of aesthetic experiences and physical components appeared to rise with increasing number of years that an individual had engaged with choir singing. Conclusion: In the Scandinavian setting, the social aspect has a stronger weight than the other components and this seemed to be more significant in Norway compared to Sweden.

Background: Stress-related biomarkers have the potential to provide objective measures of whether interventions directed at people with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers (FCG) are successful. The use of such biomarkers has been limited by logistical barriers to sample collection. Objective: Explore saliva concentration of steroid hormones in dementia care dyads during a music intervention. Methods: Consecutive PWD attending a memory evaluation center and their FCG were allocated to either an intervention-with-music or a non-intervention control group. All were living at home. Stress biomarkers, salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) samples were collected by the PWD and their FCG, in the morning and evening, 5 days a week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Biomarker concentrations of the intervention and the control groups were compared at week 8, in an intention-to-treat approach with adjustment for baseline value. Results: Twenty-four PWD in the intervention group and 10 in the control group, and their FCG were included in the analyses. The mean number of morning saliva collections was similar in the intervention and the control groups, ranging from 4.3 to 4.9 per participant weekly during the first 7 weeks, declining to 3.3 during week 8. Median log morning cortisol (pg/mL) among caregivers was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (8.09 vs. 8.57, P = 0.0133). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that music intervention was associated with lower morning saliva cortisol concentrations for FCGs.

BACKGROUND: Stress-related biomarkers have the potential to provide objective measures of whether interventions directed at people with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers (FCG) are successful. The use of such biomarkers has been limited by logistical barriers to sample collection. OBJECTIVE: Explore saliva concentration of steroid hormones in dementia care dyads during a music intervention. METHODS: Consecutive PWD attending a memory evaluation center and their FCG were allocated to either an intervention-with-music or a non-intervention control group. All were living at home. Stress biomarkers, salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) samples were collected by the PWD and their FCG, in the morning and evening, 5 days a week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Biomarker concentrations of the intervention and the control groups were compared at week 8, in an intention-to-treat approach with adjustment for baseline value. RESULTS: Twenty-four PWD in the intervention group and 10 in the control group, and their FCG were included in the analyses. The mean number of morning saliva collections was similar in the intervention and the control groups, ranging from 4.3 to 4.9 per participant weekly during the first 7 weeks, declining to 3.3 during week 8. Median log morning cortisol (pg/mL) among caregivers was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (8.09 vs. 8.57, P = 0.0133). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that music intervention was associated with lower morning saliva cortisol concentrations for FCGs.

BACKGROUND: Stress-related biomarkers have the potential to provide objective measures of whether interventions directed at people with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers (FCG) are successful. The use of such biomarkers has been limited by logistical barriers to sample collection. OBJECTIVE: Explore saliva concentration of steroid hormones in dementia care dyads during a music intervention. METHODS: Consecutive PWD attending a memory evaluation center and their FCG were allocated to either an intervention-with-music or a non-intervention control group. All were living at home. Stress biomarkers, salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) samples were collected by the PWD and their FCG, in the morning and evening, 5 days a week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Biomarker concentrations of the intervention and the control groups were compared at week 8, in an intention-to-treat approach with adjustment for baseline value. RESULTS: Twenty-four PWD in the intervention group and 10 in the control group, and their FCG were included in the analyses. The mean number of morning saliva collections was similar in the intervention and the control groups, ranging from 4.3 to 4.9 per participant weekly during the first 7 weeks, declining to 3.3 during week 8. Median log morning cortisol (pg/mL) among caregivers was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (8.09 vs. 8.57, P = 0.0133). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that music intervention was associated with lower morning saliva cortisol concentrations for FCGs.

BACKGROUND: Stress-related biomarkers have the potential to provide objective measures of whether interventions directed at people with dementia (PWD) and their family caregivers (FCG) are successful. The use of such biomarkers has been limited by logistical barriers to sample collection. OBJECTIVE: Explore saliva concentration of steroid hormones in dementia care dyads during a music intervention. METHODS: Consecutive PWD attending a memory evaluation center and their FCG were allocated to either an intervention-with-music or a non-intervention control group. All were living at home. Stress biomarkers, salivary cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) samples were collected by the PWD and their FCG, in the morning and evening, 5 days a week, for 8 consecutive weeks. Biomarker concentrations of the intervention and the control groups were compared at week 8, in an intention-to-treat approach with adjustment for baseline value. RESULTS: Twenty-four PWD in the intervention group and 10 in the control group, and their FCG were included in the analyses. The mean number of morning saliva collections was similar in the intervention and the control groups, ranging from 4.3 to 4.9 per participant weekly during the first 7 weeks, declining to 3.3 during week 8. Median log morning cortisol (pg/mL) among caregivers was lower in the intervention group than in the control group (8.09 vs. 8.57, P = 0.0133). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that music intervention was associated with lower morning saliva cortisol concentrations for FCGs.

Transition to sustainability is a process that requires change on all levels of society from the physical to the psychological. This review takes an interdisciplinary view of the landscapes of research that contribute to the development of pro-social behaviors that align with sustainability goals, or what we call ‘inner sustainability’. Engaging in musical and dance activities can make people feel trust and connectedness, promote prosocial behavior within a group, and also reduce prejudices between groups. Sustained engagement in these art forms brings change in a matter of seconds (such as hormonal changes and associated stress relief), months (such as improved emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes), and decades (such as structural changes to the brains of musicians and dancers and superior skills in expressing and understanding emotion). In this review, we bridge the often-separate domains of the arts and sciences by presenting evidence that suggests music and dance promote self-awareness, learning, care for others and wellbeing at individual and group levels. In doing so, we argue that artistic practices have a key role to play in leading the transformations necessary for a sustainable society. We require a movement of action that provides dance and music within a constructive framework for stimulating social sustainability.

This case study presents different strategies that were explored by the patient’s mother (who is a researcher in music and medicine) when her 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). ME is not widely recognized in the Global as well as the Swedish population at large, and within healthcare, there are no standardized recommended treatments, partly due to the lack of published evidence-based studies. This case study aims to provide insights into how the Swedish healthcare system works, how different clinics and hospitals within it operate and interconnect; and how these contribute to health outcomes after 15 months of treatment.

Transition to sustainability is a process that requires change on all levels of society from the physical to the psychological. This review takes an interdisciplinary view of the landscapes of research that contribute to the development of pro-social behaviors that align with sustainability goals, or what we call ‘inner sustainability’. Engaging in musical and dance activities can make people feel trust and connectedness, promote prosocial behavior within a group, and also reduce prejudices between groups. Sustained engagement in these art forms brings change in a matter of seconds (such as hormonal changes and associated stress relief), months (such as improved emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes), and decades (such as structural changes to the brains of musicians and dancers and superior skills in expressing and understanding emotion). In this review, we bridge the often-separate domains of the arts and sciences by presenting evidence that suggests music and dance promote self-awareness, learning, care for others and wellbeing at individual and group levels. In doing so, we argue that artistic practices have a key role to play in leading the transformations necessary for a sustainable society. We require a movement of action that provides dance and music within a constructive framework for stimulating social sustainability.

This case study presents different strategies that were explored by the patient’s mother (who is a researcher in music and medicine) when her 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). ME is not widely recognized in the Global as well as the Swedish population at large, and within healthcare, there are no standardized recommended treatments, partly due to the lack of published evidence-based studies. This case study aims to provide insights into how the Swedish healthcare system works, how different clinics and hospitals within it operate and interconnect; and how these contribute to health outcomes after 15 months of treatment.

Little is known about how music affects family caregivers who provide care to persons with dementia at home. We examined the effects of an 8-week online music-based intervention on self-reported stress, coping, and depression among dementia family caregivers. Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-ranked tests were performed to examine between- and within-group differences between intervention (n = 24) and comparison (n = 11) groups from baseline to post-test. The coping subscale yielded a significant difference between the groups at post-test (U=76.50, Z=-1.978, p=0.048), indicating the intervention group had better coping than the comparison group at post-test. Significant within-group differences in overall stress (Z=-2.200, p=0.028) and coping subscale (Z=-1.997, p=0.046) in the comparison group at post-test suggest that overall stress and coping were maintained throughout the study in the intervention group, whereas the comparison group had higher overall stress and lower coping at post-test. Our in-home music-based intervention showed potential benefits for dementia family caregivers.

What researchers see in pre-school children’s reactions to live classical piano music, and how this knowledge can be interpreted into a broader societal context, is the focus of this study. The specific purpose was to see how a transdisciplinary group of researchers, interpreted 32 pre-school children’s reactions when listening to a short live classical professional piano concert, Beethoven’s piano sonata No. 23, Op. 57 “Appassionata”, first movement. The children were video recorded before, during and after the piano concert and were asked to draw self-figure drawings before and after the live concert. Through body language and cognitive/verbal reactions, interviews, analyses of movements and self-figure drawings, rich data from the pre-school child- ren were analyzed and discussed. The concert affected the children in differ- ent ways and as interpreted from the narratives from the pre-school teachers; the children were absorbed and energized many days after the concert. Re- search collaborations across disciplinary boundaries are needed to deepen the knowledge of how music can contribute to children’s creativity, curiosity, physical security, and creative learning for the coming school year. We need to look deeper into the meaning of kinesthetic musicality in pre-school con- texts and more frequently ask in what ways knowledge is taught and orga- nized.

Background: Although increasing attention is being paid to cortisol and the sulfated form of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA-S) as stress biomarkers, the feasibility of saliva collection of such biomarkers has yet to be investigated among dementia care dyads (persons with dementia [PWD] and family caregivers) living in a home setting. We explored the feasibility and acceptability of in-home saliva collection for cortisol and DHEA-S as stress biomarkers among dementia care dyads. Methods: Dementia care dyads were recruited from a memory evaluation center. After pre-evaluation and education sessions, participants collected their saliva 3 times a day, 5 days a week, for 8 consecutive weeks. We calculated frequency counts and percentages to assess enrollment rate, retention rate, the completion rate of saliva collection, and valid samples of cortisol and DHEA-S. Independent samples t-tests were performed to compare mean differences in the total number of collected samples and valid samples between PWD and family caregivers at each time point of saliva collection. Results: A total of 46 dyads were referred to this study; 32 dyads (69.6%) agreed to participate, and 26 started collecting saliva. Twenty-four dyads (75%) completed 8 weeks of saliva collection. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in the number of collected samples and valid samples between PWD and caregiver participants. Conclusion: This study supports the feasibility of in-home saliva collection for stress biomarker assay and the need for further investigation into self-administered collection of stress biomarkers with a particular focus on dementia care dyads living at home.

Transition to sustainability is a process that requires change on all levels of society from the physical to the psychological. This review takes an interdisciplinary view of the landscapes of research that contribute to the development of pro-social behaviors that align with sustainability goals, or what we call ‘inner sustainability’. Engaging in musical and dance activities can make people feel trust and connectedness, promote prosocial behavior within a group, and also reduce prejudices between groups. Sustained engagement in these art forms brings change in a matter of seconds (such as hormonal changes and associated stress relief), months (such as improved emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes), and decades (such as structural changes to the brains of musicians and dancers and superior skills in expressing and understanding emotion). In this review, we bridge the often-separate domains of the arts and sciences by presenting evidence that suggests music and dance promote self-awareness, learning, care for others and wellbeing at individual and group levels. In doing so, we argue that artistic practices have a key role to play in leading the transformations necessary for a sustainable society. We require a movement of action that provides dance and music within a constructive framework for stimulating social sustainability.

This study investigates whether increasing levels of job autonomy are linearly associated with improved psychological well-being, or whether the association is non-linear with higher levels of job autonomy being negatively associated with psychological well-being. The study is based on a survey in 4,340 individuals. After six months a follow-up survey was conducted. Associations were analysed using spline models in cross-sectional and prospective analyses of the full study population. We stratified the study population in four types of work for further cross-sectional analyses. The cross-sectional analysis of the full study population indicated a non-linear relationship as the association attenuated but remained positive at all levels of job autonomy. The prospective analysis indicated a positive linear association. The stratified cross-sectional analyses indicated a linear association in three of the four types of work and a non-linear but positive association among respondents in client-related work. Findings are supported in sensitivity analyses using alternative outcomes: vigour, job satisfaction and work stress. We conclude that job autonomy is positively associated with psychological well-being. Findings have relevance for job redesign by indicating that higher levels of job autonomy are beneficial for the psychological well-being of workers – especially among workers with low levels of job autonomy.

This case study presents different strategies that were explored by the patient’s mother (who is a researcher in music and medicine) when her 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). ME is not widely recognized in the Global as well as the Swedish population at large, and within healthcare, there are no standardized recommended treatments, partly due to the lack of published evidence-based studies. This case study aims to provide insights into how the Swedish healthcare system works, how different clinics and hospitals within it operate and interconnect; and how these contribute to health outcomes after 15 months of treatment.

What researchers see in pre-school children’s reactions to live classical piano music, and how this knowledge can be interpreted into a broader societal context, is the focus of this study. The specific purpose was to see how a transdisciplinary group of researchers, interpreted 32 pre-school children’s reactions when listening to a short live classical professional piano concert, Beethoven’s piano sonata No. 23, Op. 57 “Appassionata”, first movement. The children were video recorded before, during and after the piano concert and were asked to draw self-figure drawings before and after the live concert. Through body language and cognitive/verbal reactions, interviews, analyses of movements and self-figure drawings, rich data from the pre-school child- ren were analyzed and discussed. The concert affected the children in differ- ent ways and as interpreted from the narratives from the pre-school teachers; the children were absorbed and energized many days after the concert. Re- search collaborations across disciplinary boundaries are needed to deepen the knowledge of how music can contribute to children’s creativity, curiosity, physical security, and creative learning for the coming school year. We need to look deeper into the meaning of kinesthetic musicality in pre-school con- texts and more frequently ask in what ways knowledge is taught and orga- nized.

What researchers see in pre-school children’s reactions to live classical piano music, and how this knowledge can be interpreted into a broader societal context, is the focus of this study. The specific purpose was to see how a transdisciplinary group of researchers, interpreted 32 pre-school children’s reactions when listening to a short live classical professional piano concert, Beethoven’s piano sonata No. 23, Op. 57 “Appassionata”, first movement. The children were video recorded before, during and after the piano concert and were asked to draw self-figure drawings before and after the live concert. Through body language and cognitive/verbal reactions, interviews, analyses of movements and self-figure drawings, rich data from the pre-school child- ren were analyzed and discussed. The concert affected the children in differ- ent ways and as interpreted from the narratives from the pre-school teachers; the children were absorbed and energized many days after the concert. Re- search collaborations across disciplinary boundaries are needed to deepen the knowledge of how music can contribute to children’s creativity, curiosity, physical security, and creative learning for the coming school year. We need to look deeper into the meaning of kinesthetic musicality in pre-school con- texts and more frequently ask in what ways knowledge is taught and orga- nized.

This case study presents different strategies that were explored by the patient’s mother (who is a researcher in music and medicine) when her 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). ME is not widely recognized in the Global as well as the Swedish population at large, and within healthcare, there are no standardized recommended treatments, partly due to the lack of published evidence-based studies. This case study aims to provide insights into how the Swedish healthcare system works, how different clinics and hospitals within it operate and interconnect; and how these contribute to health outcomes after 15 months of treatment.

Transition to sustainability is a process that requires change on all levels of society from the physical to the psychological. This review takes an interdisciplinary view of the landscapes of research that contribute to the development of pro-social behaviors that align with sustainability goals, or what we call ‘inner sustainability’. Engaging in musical and dance activities can make people feel trust and connectedness, promote prosocial behavior within a group, and also reduce prejudices between groups. Sustained engagement in these art forms brings change in a matter of seconds (such as hormonal changes and associated stress relief), months (such as improved emotional wellbeing and learning outcomes), and decades (such as structural changes to the brains of musicians and dancers and superior skills in expressing and understanding emotion). In this review, we bridge the often-separate domains of the arts and sciences by presenting evidence that suggests music and dance promote self-awareness, learning, care for others and wellbeing at individual and group levels. In doing so, we argue that artistic practices have a key role to play in leading the transformations necessary for a sustainable society. We require a movement of action that provides dance and music within a constructive framework for stimulating social sustainability.

What researchers see in pre-school children’s reactions to live classical piano music, and how this knowledge can be interpreted into a broader societal context, is the focus of this study. The specific purpose was to see how a transdisciplinary group of researchers, interpreted 32 pre-school children’s reactions when listening to a short live classical professional piano concert, Beethoven’s piano sonata No. 23, Op. 57 “Appassionata”, first movement. The children were video recorded before, during and after the piano concert and were asked to draw self-figure drawings before and after the live concert. Through body language and cognitive/verbal reactions, interviews, analyses of movements and self-figure drawings, rich data from the pre-school child- ren were analyzed and discussed. The concert affected the children in differ- ent ways and as interpreted from the narratives from the pre-school teachers; the children were absorbed and energized many days after the concert. Re- search collaborations across disciplinary boundaries are needed to deepen the knowledge of how music can contribute to children’s creativity, curiosity, physical security, and creative learning for the coming school year. We need to look deeper into the meaning of kinesthetic musicality in pre-school con- texts and more frequently ask in what ways knowledge is taught and orga- nized.

What researchers see in pre-school children’s reactions to live classical piano music, and how this knowledge can be interpreted into a broader societal context, is the focus of this study. The specific purpose was to see how a transdisciplinary group of researchers, interpreted 32 pre-school children’s reactions when listening to a short live classical professional piano concert, Beethoven’s piano sonata No. 23, Op. 57 “Appassionata”, first movement. The children were video recorded before, during and after the piano concert and were asked to draw self-figure drawings before and after the live concert. Through body language and cognitive/verbal reactions, interviews, analyses of movements and self-figure drawings, rich data from the pre-school child- ren were analyzed and discussed. The concert affected the children in differ- ent ways and as interpreted from the narratives from the pre-school teachers; the children were absorbed and energized many days after the concert. Re- search collaborations across disciplinary boundaries are needed to deepen the knowledge of how music can contribute to children’s creativity, curiosity, physical security, and creative learning for the coming school year. We need to look deeper into the meaning of kinesthetic musicality in pre-school con- texts and more frequently ask in what ways knowledge is taught and orga- nized.

This case study presents different strategies that were explored by the patient’s mother (who is a researcher in music and medicine) when her 17-year-old daughter was diagnosed with ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). ME is not widely recognized in the Global as well as the Swedish population at large, and within healthcare, there are no standardized recommended treatments, partly due to the lack of published evidence-based studies. This case study aims to provide insights into how the Swedish healthcare system works, how different clinics and hospitals within it operate and interconnect; and how these contribute to health outcomes after 15 months of treatment.

Population ageing and shrinking are demographic phenomena with far-reaching implications for sustainability in the current context of extensive and rapid urbanization. This Perspective rationalizes their interface by (a) identifying the challenges and opportunities that ageing and shrinking urban populations will have for implementing the sustainable development goals (SDGs), and (b) discussing some emerging interventions to capitalise on the opportunities and reduce the challenges to achieving sustainability. We argue that a diverse set of context-specific technological, socioeconomic, institutional and governance interventions would be needed to leverage effectively the opportunities and minimize the risks posed by ageing and shrinking urban populations for long-term sustainability., QC 20240103

The purpose of the study is to explore a new research methodology that will improve our understanding of "flow" through indicators of physiological and qualitative state. We examine indicators of ‘flow’ experienced by musicians of a youth string quartet, two women (25, 29), and two men (23, 24). Electrocardiogram (ECG) equipment was used to record heart rate variability (HRV) data throughout the four movements in one and the same quartet performed during two concerts. Individual physiological indicators of flow were supplemented by assessments of group ‘state flow’ (means from standardized questionnaires) and a group interview in which the musicians provided qualitative data. A matrix was constructed for the characterization of different kinds of demands in the written music in each one of the four movements for each one of the musicians. HRV derived from ECG data showed non-significant trends for group state flow across the eight musical episodes. Individual-level analysis showed that compared to the other players the first violin player had the highest mean heart rate and the lowest increase in High Frequency power (HF) in HRV during this particular movement, particularly during the second concert. The qualitative data illustrated how an interplay of synchronised social interactions between this player and their colleagues during the musical performance was associated with a feeling of group state flow and served to support the first violinist. The case illustrates that the proposed mixed methodology drawing on physiological and qualitative data, has the potential to provide meaningful information about experiences of a flow state, both at individual and group level. Applications in future research are possible., Performance Evaluation project

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0© 2021 The AuthorsCorresponding author: Jenni ErvastiFunding: NordForsk, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Finland, and Finnish Work Environment Fund.

Background: Music listening can improve acquisition of new knowledge. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the emotional and cognitive effects of a knowledge concerton the attending audience. Methodology: The audience was asked to complete a Visual Analogue Scale (10 cm) before and after listening to the concert, along five variables: Arousal, Degree of happiness, Degree of worry, Daily worries and Benevolence. Follow-up qualitative interviews gathered narratives from the participants. Findings: 228 concert attendees took part in the study by completing the questionnaires (51 percent of the whole audience). Statistically significant changes were observed in the outcome measures for: Arousal (p=0.002), Daily worries (p<0.001) and Degree of happiness (p=0.01). Degree of worry interacted with age (p<0.001). No changes were found for Benevolence (p=0.93). Gender and previous music experiences did not make a difference to feelings evoked by the music. Age, however, was important since younger participants became more worried by the concert than older. Originality: We discuss the potential role of future knowledge concerts that comprise qualities explored, such as mitigating a variety of embodied psychological capacities, including reflection and agency in audiences, facilitating learning about sensitive issues, and potentially also transformation towards prosocial mindsets and behavior.

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0© 2021 The AuthorsCorresponding author: Jenni ErvastiFunding: NordForsk, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Finland, and Finnish Work Environment Fund.

Background: Music listening can improve acquisition of new knowledge. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the emotional and cognitive effects of a knowledge concerton the attending audience. Methodology: The audience was asked to complete a Visual Analogue Scale (10 cm) before and after listening to the concert, along five variables: Arousal, Degree of happiness, Degree of worry, Daily worries and Benevolence. Follow-up qualitative interviews gathered narratives from the participants. Findings: 228 concert attendees took part in the study by completing the questionnaires (51 percent of the whole audience). Statistically significant changes were observed in the outcome measures for: Arousal (p=0.002), Daily worries (p<0.001) and Degree of happiness (p=0.01). Degree of worry interacted with age (p<0.001). No changes were found for Benevolence (p=0.93). Gender and previous music experiences did not make a difference to feelings evoked by the music. Age, however, was important since younger participants became more worried by the concert than older. Originality: We discuss the potential role of future knowledge concerts that comprise qualities explored, such as mitigating a variety of embodied psychological capacities, including reflection and agency in audiences, facilitating learning about sensitive issues, and potentially also transformation towards prosocial mindsets and behavior.

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, Funding: NordForsk, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Finland, and Finnish Work Environment Fund.

Objectives To examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association. Design Multicohort study with three sets of analyses. Setting United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. Participants Three associations were examined: cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107 896 participants from seven population based prospective cohort studies from the IPD-Work consortium (individual participant data meta-analysis in working populations); cognitive stimulation and proteins in a random sample of 2261 participants from one cohort study; and proteins and dementia risk in 13 656 participants from two cohort studies. Main outcome measures Cognitive stimulation was measured at baseline using standard questionnaire instruments on active versus passive jobs and at baseline and over time using a job exposure matrix indicator. 4953 proteins in plasma samples were scanned. Follow-up of incident dementia varied between 13.7 to 30.1 years depending on the cohort. People with dementia were identified through linked electronic health records and repeated clinical examinations. Results During 1.8 million person years at risk, 1143 people with dementia were recorded. The risk of dementia was found to be lower for participants with high compared with low cognitive stimulation at work (crude incidence of dementia per 10 000 person years 4.8 in the high stimulation group and 7.3 in the low stimulation group, age and sex adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.92, heterogeneity in cohort specific estimates I2=0%, P=0.99). This association was robust to additional adjustment for education, risk factors for dementia in adulthood (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, job strain, obesity, hypertension, and prevalent diabetes at baseline), and cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke) before dementia diagnosis (fully adjusted hazard ra

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association. DESIGN: Multicohort study with three sets of analyses. SETTING: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Three associations were examined: cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107 896 participants from seven population based prospective cohort studies from the IPD-Work consortium (individual participant data meta-analysis in working populations); cognitive stimulation and proteins in a random sample of 2261 participants from one cohort study; and proteins and dementia risk in 13 656 participants from two cohort studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cognitive stimulation was measured at baseline using standard questionnaire instruments on active versus passive jobs and at baseline and over time using a job exposure matrix indicator. 4953 proteins in plasma samples were scanned. Follow-up of incident dementia varied between 13.7 to 30.1 years depending on the cohort. People with dementia were identified through linked electronic health records and repeated clinical examinations. RESULTS: During 1.8 million person years at risk, 1143 people with dementia were recorded. The risk of dementia was found to be lower for participants with high compared with low cognitive stimulation at work (crude incidence of dementia per 10 000 person years 4.8 in the high stimulation group and 7.3 in the low stimulation group, age and sex adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.92, heterogeneity in cohort specific estimates I2=0%, P=0.99). This association was robust to additional adjustment for education, risk factors for dementia in adulthood (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, job strain, obesity, hypertension, and prevalent diabetes at baseline), and cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke) before dementia diagnosis (fully adjusted haz, CC BY 4.0

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association. DESIGN: Multicohort study with three sets of analyses. SETTING: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Three associations were examined: cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107 896 participants from seven population based prospective cohort studies from the IPD-Work consortium (individual participant data meta-analysis in working populations); cognitive stimulation and proteins in a random sample of 2261 participants from one cohort study; and proteins and dementia risk in 13 656 participants from two cohort studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cognitive stimulation was measured at baseline using standard questionnaire instruments on active versus passive jobs and at baseline and over time using a job exposure matrix indicator. 4953 proteins in plasma samples were scanned. Follow-up of incident dementia varied between 13.7 to 30.1 years depending on the cohort. People with dementia were identified through linked electronic health records and repeated clinical examinations. RESULTS: During 1.8 million person years at risk, 1143 people with dementia were recorded. The risk of dementia was found to be lower for participants with high compared with low cognitive stimulation at work (crude incidence of dementia per 10 000 person years 4.8 in the high stimulation group and 7.3 in the low stimulation group, age and sex adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.92, heterogeneity in cohort specific estimates I2=0%, P=0.99). This association was robust to additional adjustment for education, risk factors for dementia in adulthood (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, job strain, obesity, hypertension, and prevalent diabetes at baseline), and cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke) before dementia diagnosis (fully adjusted haz, CC BY 4.0

Background: Music listening can improve acquisition of new knowledge.Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the emotional and cognitive effects of a knowledge concert on the attending audience. Methodology: The audience was asked to complete a Visual Analogue Scale (10 cm) before and after listening to the concert, along five variables: Arousal, Degree of happiness, Degree of worry, Daily worries and Benevolence. Follow-up qualitative interviews gathered narratives from the participants. Findings: 228 concert attendees took part in the study by completing the questionnaires (51 percent of the whole audience). Statistically significant changes were observed in the outcome measures for: Arousal (p=0.002), Daily worries (p<0.001) and Degree of happiness (p=0.01). Degree of worry interacted with age (p<0.001). No changes were found for Benevolence (p=0.93). Gender and previous music experiences did not make a difference to feelings evoked by the music. Age, however, was important since younger participants became more worried by the concert than older. Originality: We discuss the potential role of future knowledge concerts that comprise qualities explored, such as mitigating a variety of embodied psychological capacities, including reflection and agency in audiences, facilitating learning about sensitive issues, and potentially also transformation towards prosocial mindsets and behavior.

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disord

Background: Music listening can improve acquisition of new knowledge. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the emotional and cognitive effects of a knowledge concerton the attending audience. Methodology: The audience was asked to complete a Visual Analogue Scale (10 cm) before and after listening to the concert, along five variables: Arousal, Degree of happiness, Degree of worry, Daily worries and Benevolence. Follow-up qualitative interviews gathered narratives from the participants. Findings: 228 concert attendees took part in the study by completing the questionnaires (51 percent of the whole audience). Statistically significant changes were observed in the outcome measures for: Arousal (p=0.002), Daily worries (p<0.001) and Degree of happiness (p=0.01). Degree of worry interacted with age (p<0.001). No changes were found for Benevolence (p=0.93). Gender and previous music experiences did not make a difference to feelings evoked by the music. Age, however, was important since younger participants became more worried by the concert than older. Originality: We discuss the potential role of future knowledge concerts that comprise qualities explored, such as mitigating a variety of embodied psychological capacities, including reflection and agency in audiences, facilitating learning about sensitive issues, and potentially also transformation towards prosocial mindsets and behavior.

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0© 2021 The AuthorsCorresponding author: Jenni ErvastiFunding: NordForsk, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Finland, and Finnish Work Environment Fund.

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disord

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association. DESIGN: Multicohort study with three sets of analyses. SETTING: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Three associations were examined: cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107 896 participants from seven population based prospective cohort studies from the IPD-Work consortium (individual participant data meta-analysis in working populations); cognitive stimulation and proteins in a random sample of 2261 participants from one cohort study; and proteins and dementia risk in 13 656 participants from two cohort studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cognitive stimulation was measured at baseline using standard questionnaire instruments on active versus passive jobs and at baseline and over time using a job exposure matrix indicator. 4953 proteins in plasma samples were scanned. Follow-up of incident dementia varied between 13.7 to 30.1 years depending on the cohort. People with dementia were identified through linked electronic health records and repeated clinical examinations. RESULTS: During 1.8 million person years at risk, 1143 people with dementia were recorded. The risk of dementia was found to be lower for participants with high compared with low cognitive stimulation at work (crude incidence of dementia per 10 000 person years 4.8 in the high stimulation group and 7.3 in the low stimulation group, age and sex adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.92, heterogeneity in cohort specific estimates I2=0%, P=0.99). This association was robust to additional adjustment for education, risk factors for dementia in adulthood (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, job strain, obesity, hypertension, and prevalent diabetes at baseline), and cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke) before dementia diagnosis (fully adjusted haz, CC BY 4.0

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0© 2021 The AuthorsCorresponding author: Jenni ErvastiFunding: NordForsk, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Finland, and Finnish Work Environment Fund.

Background: Studies on the association between long working hours and health have captured only a narrow range of outcomes (mainly cardiometabolic diseases and depression) and no outcome-wide studies on this topic are available. To achieve wider scope of potential harm, we examined long working hours as a risk factor for a wide range of disease and mortality endpoints. Methods: The data of this multicohort study were from two population cohorts from Finland (primary analysis, n=59 599) and nine cohorts (replication analysis, n=44 262) from Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, all part of the Individual-participant Meta-analysis in Working Populations (IPD-Work) consortium. Baseline-assessed long working hours (≥55 hours per week) were compared to standard working hours (35-40 h). Outcome measures with follow-up until age 65 years were 46 diseases that required hospital treatment or continuous pharmacotherapy, all-cause, and three cause-specific mortality endpoints, ascertained via linkage to national health and mortality registers. Findings: 2747 (4·6%) participants in the primary cohorts and 3027 (6·8%) in the replication cohorts worked long hours. After adjustment for age, sex, and socioeconomic status, working long hours was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 1·68; 95% confidence interval 1·08-2·61 in primary analysis and 1·52; 0·90-2·58 in replication analysis), infections (1·37; 1·13-1·67 and 1·45; 1·13-1·87), diabetes (1·18; 1·01-1·38 and 1·41; 0·98-2·02), injuries (1·22; 1·00-1·50 and 1·18; 0·98-1·18) and musculoskeletal disorders (1·15; 1·06-1·26 and 1·13; 1·00-1·27). Working long hours was not associated with all-cause mortality. Interpretation: Follow-up of 50 health outcomes in four European countries suggests that working long hours is associated with an elevated risk of early cardiovascular death and hospital-treated infections before age 65. Associations, albeit weak, were also observed with diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0© 2021 The AuthorsCorresponding author: Jenni ErvastiFunding: NordForsk, the Medical Research Council, the National Institute on Aging, the Wellcome Trust, Academy of Finland, and Finnish Work Environment Fund.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association. DESIGN: Multicohort study with three sets of analyses. SETTING: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Three associations were examined: cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107 896 participants from seven population based prospective cohort studies from the IPD-Work consortium (individual participant data meta-analysis in working populations); cognitive stimulation and proteins in a random sample of 2261 participants from one cohort study; and proteins and dementia risk in 13 656 participants from two cohort studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cognitive stimulation was measured at baseline using standard questionnaire instruments on active versus passive jobs and at baseline and over time using a job exposure matrix indicator. 4953 proteins in plasma samples were scanned. Follow-up of incident dementia varied between 13.7 to 30.1 years depending on the cohort. People with dementia were identified through linked electronic health records and repeated clinical examinations. RESULTS: During 1.8 million person years at risk, 1143 people with dementia were recorded. The risk of dementia was found to be lower for participants with high compared with low cognitive stimulation at work (crude incidence of dementia per 10 000 person years 4.8 in the high stimulation group and 7.3 in the low stimulation group, age and sex adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.92, heterogeneity in cohort specific estimates I2=0%, P=0.99). This association was robust to additional adjustment for education, risk factors for dementia in adulthood (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, job strain, obesity, hypertension, and prevalent diabetes at baseline), and cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke) before dementia diagnosis (fully adjusted haz, CC BY 4.0

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between cognitively stimulating work and subsequent risk of dementia and to identify protein pathways for this association. DESIGN: Multicohort study with three sets of analyses. SETTING: United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Three associations were examined: cognitive stimulation and dementia risk in 107 896 participants from seven population based prospective cohort studies from the IPD-Work consortium (individual participant data meta-analysis in working populations); cognitive stimulation and proteins in a random sample of 2261 participants from one cohort study; and proteins and dementia risk in 13 656 participants from two cohort studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cognitive stimulation was measured at baseline using standard questionnaire instruments on active versus passive jobs and at baseline and over time using a job exposure matrix indicator. 4953 proteins in plasma samples were scanned. Follow-up of incident dementia varied between 13.7 to 30.1 years depending on the cohort. People with dementia were identified through linked electronic health records and repeated clinical examinations. RESULTS: During 1.8 million person years at risk, 1143 people with dementia were recorded. The risk of dementia was found to be lower for participants with high compared with low cognitive stimulation at work (crude incidence of dementia per 10 000 person years 4.8 in the high stimulation group and 7.3 in the low stimulation group, age and sex adjusted hazard ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 0.92, heterogeneity in cohort specific estimates I2=0%, P=0.99). This association was robust to additional adjustment for education, risk factors for dementia in adulthood (smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, job strain, obesity, hypertension, and prevalent diabetes at baseline), and cardiometabolic diseases (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke) before dementia diagnosis (fully adjusted haz, CC BY 4.0

Background Choir singing is an activity that engages individuals all over the world with a broad demographic representation. Both qualitative and quantitative studies have examined the benefits of the activity but very few have examined the effects when someone loses access to it and stops singing. Objectives Examining the governmental and organisational responses precipitated by the COVID 19- pandemic, we asked what happens when a choir singer loses all of their routines associated with regular participation in choir singing. Materials and Methods One national choir organization in Sweden (n= 3163) and one in Norway (n=1881) were approached with a short survey. This comprised questions relating to the issue “what do you as a choir singer miss the most?” Each participant was asked to rate the importance of a number of elements that pertain to the experience of choir singing. Results The social aspect of singing emerged as having the strongest weight in terms of perceived loss i.e. it was the element that the participants missed the most. Professional singers report that they miss the aesthetic experiences, flow, and all the physical aspects (physical training, voice training and breathing training) to a greater degree as compared to reports from the amateurs. The importance of aesthetic experiences and physical components appeared to rise with increasing number of years that an individual had engaged with choir singing. Conclusion In the Scandinavian setting, the social aspect has a stronger weight than the other components and this seemed to be more significant in Norway compared to Sweden