ONLINE STRESS NEWS, INTERNATIONAL, 2003

STRESS, HEALTH, NUTRITION, LAW, RESEARCH, PEOPLE, AND MUCH MORE

REGULAR UPDATE OF DEVELOPMENTS AT THE CENTRE FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT.

ALSO INFORMATION & NEWS ABOUT:

STRESS

STRESS RESEARCH

STRESS MANAGEMENT

STRESS COUNSELLING

STRESS & THE LAW

COURT AWARDS

PEOPLE IN STRESS

PUBLICATIONS

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

HEALTH & NUTRITION

ROYAL SOCIETY FOR THE PROMOTION OF HEALTH (RSH). The RSH now recognises successful completion of the Centre for Stress Management Diploma in Stress Management as providing eligibility for full membership (MRSH). The Centre Director, Professor Stephen Palmer said, 'We are very pleased with this exciting development. This will allow our successful candidates to join an established professional body which focuses on all aspects of health'. 1/10/03.

THE POWER OF BLACK AND GREEN TEAS. A report at the American Chemical Society suggests that chemicals in black and green teas may block the negative effects of ultraviolet light. Polyphenols found in tea may have an anti-cancer property. New sun tan lotion products may be developed. 1/10/03.

IBUPROFEN REDUCES CARDIO-PROTECTIVE BENEFITS OF ASPIRIN. A recent study published in Circulation (Sept. 2003, 108:1191-1195), found that taking aspirin would reduce the risk of a first heart attack in healthy men by 44%. However, this effect was halved by regular use of non-steroidal anti-inflamatory drugs taken more than 60 days a year. 1/10/03.

BRITAIN-NO LONGER THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE. Statistics released by the Office of Health Economics have highlighted a fall in mortality for both England and Wales. Mortality rates had fallen for men and women between 1990-1999 (Men 14%; Women 10%). Interestingly, Britain spent less GDP on health compared to France but in France there was an increase in mortality for women. This may suggest that Government spending on health may not be directly related to mortality. However, a good public health promotion programme may influence behaviour. Another study presented by Eurocare-3 at a conference in Copenhagen found that Britain was not so good at treating some cancers when compared to other countries in Europe. In fact, survival rates were similar to eastern European countries! 27/9/03.

STRESSFUL EVENTS TRIGGER RELAPSING-REMITTING MS. According to new research published in the British Medical Journal, stressful events increase exacerbations in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Buljevac and associates undertook a prospective study of 73 patients with the condition to examine the relation between self reported stressful life events and exacerbations. Data from patients' weekly diaries showed that occurrence of at least one stressful event (e.g. job stress, death of loved one, problems with a family member) was associated with a doubling in exacerbations over the following four weeks. More details on: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/327/7416/0-b?etoc 25/9/03.

'A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH: POPULATION MORTALITY AND FOOTBALL RESULTS'. Research undertaken by Dr Bill Kirkup, North East Regional Director of Public Health, England, and his colleagues, has found that the number of deaths among male football supporters increases by approximately 30% on the day of a home defeat. The psychological stress triggered by the supporter's team losing increased the risk of stroke or heart attack. The study was over a 5-year period. 25/09/03.

FOOTBALL IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH. A new study found that one in three football league managers is suffering from heart disease. The study was undertaken by the League Managers Association who represent the managers in the Premiership and Nationwide League. The study included over a half of the managers in the 92 professional clubs. Editor's comment: It is likely that they exhibit what is known as Type A Behaviour which is competitive, hostile, time pressured behaviour and is known to increase the chances of heart disease. 11/08/03.

SUTORESU (STRESS) NOT ON THE BANNED LIST IN JAPAN. Similar to the French, the National Institute for Japanese Language has a list of imported words that should not be used on official documents. Interestingly, Sutoresu, the word for stress, is acceptable. 10/08/03.

WORK STRESS MAY LEAD TO HEART ATTACKS AND STROKE. Employees exposed to stress for at least half their working lives are 25 per cent more likely to die from a heart attack, and have 50 per cent higher risk of suffering a fatal stroke. This may decrease their chances of drawing their pensions. A 'modern workers health check' was published in the latest issue of TUC-backed Hazards magazine highlights that blue-collar workers are more likely to suffer, and not the executives. TUC research shows that stress is the UK's top workplace health hazard. The TUC and Hazards campaign against overwork is backed by trade unions in New Zealand and Australia too. 8/08/03.

UNEMPLOYMENT LINKS TO SUICIDE. A study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community has found that males between the ages of 45 and 64 were two to three times more likely to commit suicide if they were unemployed. The study looked at 2 million adults and was undertaken in New Zealand. There were less female suicides in the group although an association was found between unemployement and women committing suicide. 8/08/03.

HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) ISSUES ENFORCEMENT NOTICE AGAINST A NHS HOSPITAL FOR FAILING TO PROTECT NURSES AND DOCTORS FROM STRESS. At last, the HSE has issued an enforcement notice regarding stress against a UK organisation. As tackling stress is one of eight main HSE targets, it was only a matter of time before this occurred. If UK organisations do not tackle work related stress they face criminal prosecution and unlimited fines under the Health & Safety at Work Act. West Dorset Hospitals NHS Trust in England, has been given till 15th December 2003 to assess stress levels of its 1100 employees and then develop a stress management & prevention programme to deal with it. Ironically, the hospital concerned, Dorset County Hospital, was highly rated, but not necessarily by some of the staff! It had only been opened in 1998 and had received three stars by the Commission for Health Improvement. A former employee’s complaint led to an investigation by the HSE in which the inspectors had site visits and undertook interviews. Their conclusion was that working practices constituted a health risk. Although it may be too early to draw any conclusions, a hospital with hardly any waiting lists may be quite a pressure on staff. Some staff claim to be working 12 hour days due to the workloads.

Editor’s comment: One of the hospital general managers believes that it is no worse than any other NHS hospital. However, can this be taken as a legitimate excuse for not tackling stress? In 2001, it has been claimed that 6428 companies paid out stress related damages, the average being £51,000. If the HSE takes action, as the fines can be unlimited, organisations will have to take the whole issue of work related stress far more seriously. Understandably, the Confederation of British Industry will back companies that want to challenge the stress regulations. 5/8/03.

CITY WORKER AWARDED £912,000 DAMAGES OVER ALLEGED BULLYING. Steven Horkulak, 39, from Chislehurst, Kent, England, claimed that Lee Amaitis, the president of Cantor Fitzgerald International, a brokerage company, had screamed obscenities at him on a regular basis over six months and had threatened to ‘rip (his) head off’ and ‘break him into two’. Timothy Brennan QC, for Mr Horkulak, told Mr Justice Newman at the High Court in London that the treatment went "beyond what anyone should have to put up with in the workplace". Mr Horkulak suffered from anxiety and stress at work.

Horkulak joined Cantor Fitzgerald International in 1997, and stated that his contract was to run until September 2002 and when dismissed in June, 2000, claimed damages for loss of salary and discretionary bonus. This Thursday, 31st July he was awarded £912,000 damages. The interest and costs took the final amount to almost a £1mil. Cantor Fitzgerald International denied breach of contract and the allegation of bullying.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Newman said the contract between Mr Horkulak and his employer had broken down. Mr Justice Newman said: "Mr Amaitis took every opportunity to vent his disapproval of the claimant, to the claimant and sometimes to him in the presence of others. "He demonstrated by his outbursts that he had lost faith in him and gave him no chance to re-establish the trust and confidence which would recreate the 'faith'. "His solution seems to have been to frighten the claimant into performing according to the standards he required and to make it plain that any contrary view which questioned his authority would not be tolerated." Cantor Fitzgerald International denied the allegation of bullying and breach of contract.

Editor's comment. It seems somewhat surprising that Cantor do not recognise what most professionals would consider as bullying behaviour. It would be interesting to learn what their definition of bullying is. 1/8/03.

CIPD SURVEY & STRESS. According to recent research published by the CIPD, stress is still the most common cause of long-term sickness absence among non-manual workers. Almost 60% of public sector organisations cite stress as the leading cause of long-term sickness absence. This is more than double the number of the private sector. 1/8/03.

COFFEE MAY REDUCE ALCOHOL INDUCED CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER. According to a new Norwegian study published in the Annals of Epidemiology, drinking three or more cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of cirrhosis of the liver by 40%. The data was taken from a survey of over 51,000 adults. Coffee drinkers have lower levels of liver enzymes in their blood. These enzymes relate to the index of liver damage. Other research has shown that moderate coffee drinking can protect against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and reduce the risk of gallstones and colon cancer. On the downside, coffee can increase the levels of stress hormones and four cups or more can double the risk of miscarriage.26/07/03.

STRESS IS NOT ALL IN THE MIND. IT IS ALSO IN THE GENES!!! It has been known for some years that the 5-HTT gene impacts upon how serotonin is used in the brain. New research by scientists at King's College London, just published in Science, confirms that people with two copies of the short version of the 5-HTT gene have more difficulty in dealing with stress and are more likely to become overwhelmed and depressed by multiple traumatic life events when compared to people who have inherited two long versions of the 5-HTT genes. Those with two short copies are 2.5 times more likely to become depressed. People who had inherited both one long and one short version came out roughly in the middle. Exact figures are: short-short 43% developed depression; short-long 33% developed depression; long-long 17% developed depression. Thus, the interplay between the number of traumatic life events and the type of 5-HTT genes a person has inherited may impact upon whether the person becomes depressed or not. It is worth noting that modern antidepressants such as Prozac or Seroxat also work directly upon how the brain uses serotonin. 19/7/03.

STUDENT COUNSELLING REPORT. More students than ever are seeking counselling for mental health problems, university counsellors say in a recent report published by the Association for University and College Counselling, a Division of the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy. Top of the list were relationship and academic issues, anxiety and depression. The study found that the length of wait to commence counselling was highest in 2001/02 at 2.7 weeks in HE colleges. This was followed by 2.6 weeks in FE colleges, 2.5 weeks in 'old' universities and 2.3 weeks in 'new' universities. One important finding is that 30% of counselling services in 'old' universities and 25% of services in FE colleges do not monitor or evaluate outcomes of the counselling provision. 4/7/03.

BAD BOSSES RAISE EMPLOYEE'S BLOOD PRESSURE. A new UK study has found that a 'bad boss' can raise an employee's blood pressure. A boss described as "habitually unfair and unreasonable" could cause a rise in blood pressure and cause a longer term risk of heart attack or stroke, according to the study. The study of 28 female healthcare assistants found those working for an 'unfair' boss registered up to a 15mg Hg difference in systolic blood pressure and a 7 mm Hg difference in diastolic. Fairness was defined as the giving of timely feedback, praise, showing trust and respect, being consistent, impartial and adaptable. The study, 'The effect on ambulatory blood pressure of working under favourably and unfavourably perceived supervisors 2003' was published in the journal: Occupational and Environmental Medicine; 60: pp 468-74. 25/6/03.

HEALTH RISK GENE. Researchers from Cancer Research UK believe that are at least two genes linked to particular unhealthy and risk-taking lifestyles such as smoking, drug use and alcohol abuse. This was found from an analysis of research involving some 20,000 people. The so-called "extrovert" gene allows them to take risks and seek out novelty. However, there is stronger evidence for another genetic variation, on a gene known as 5-HTT-LPR. Carriers of this gene are generally more anxious and social interactions can be stressful for them. In fact, alcohol or substance abuse may help them to tolerate their anxious feelings. 18/6/03.

CRANBERRY JUICE FIGHTS HEART DISEASE. According to researchers at the University of Scanton in Pennsylvania, USA, a glass of cranberry juice with every meal can boost antioxidants and ‘good’ cholesterol (high-density lipoprotein, HDL) which reduce the risk of heart disease. As HDL increases it seems that the levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol known as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) decrease. Overall it appears that cranberry juice is better than either grape juice which boosts antioxidants or orange juice which boosts HDL. 26/3/03

£100,000 FOR STRESS. In 1998 Sarah Hickinbotham, a prison clerk at Winson Green Prison, UK, thought she saw a work colleague held hostage. However, she was witnessing a training exercise in which three masked ‘prisoners’ threatened to kill a nurse. Hickinbotham went on to suffer from post-traumatic stress and has now been awarded £100,000 compensation. EDITOR’S COMMENT: This is another example of work-based training exercises going wrong. If a risk assessment had been properly undertaken, this error is unlikely to have occurred. 12/3/03

WOMEN, WORKLOAD & STRESS. Researchers, Ulf Lundberg & Birgitta Hellstrom, in the Departmnt of Psychology and Centre for Health Equity Studies at Stockholm University, Sweden have found significant positive correlations between the amount of overtime at work and salivary cortisol in women. Women who worked over 10 hours a week had on average twice as high morning cortisol levels when compared to women with normal or moderate (<10h/week)working hours. Cortisol can be used as a monitor of stress levels. The research was published in the journal Work & Stress, 2002, 16, 4, 356-363. 12/2/03.

INMATES PUT IN STRESS CLAIM. Last October in Lincoln Prison, UK, inmates were caught up in a prison riot which caused £2 million damage. Prison officers lost control and had to withdraw. The inmates controlled the prison for about 3 hours. Thirty two inmates who were held in the vulnerable unit claim that they were threatened by the other prisoners. This included razor blades being put under their cell doors and the threat that they would have to take drugs. The 32 inmates have been granted legal aid for a stress claim. 24/3/03

HAPPY NEW YEAR, FROM THE EDITORS AND STAFF AT ONLINE STRESS NEWS. WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED WITH STRESS NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE AS IT HITS OUR INBOX. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE PAST 42 MONTHS. 1/1/03

Contact us

Our products

Press release

News