Prediction of near-future health change from subjects' preceding life changes

doi:10.1016/0022-3999(70)90008-5

Journal of Psychosomatic Research

Volume 14, Issue 4, December 1970, Pages 401-406

https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3999(70)90008-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

A prospective test of the life change and subsequent illness hypothesis was carried out utilizing virtually the entire complements aboard three U.S. Navy cruisers, 2664 men, who completed a life changes questionnaire prior to a cruise of from 6–8 months' duration. Cruise preiod illness data was subsequently gathered on over 90 per cent of those men sampled by questionnaire. The results, across ships, indicated a low-order, positive relationship between crew members' pre-cruise life change intensity and their number of reported illness throughout their time at sea. In support of previous retrospective pilot studies, a linear relationship was seen between the subjects' recent life changes intensities and their cruise period illness rates.

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Participants were recruited online globally and comprised 114 adults aged 23 to 73 years with BD-I (41.2 %) or BD-II (58.8 %). Participants completed an online questionnaire containing items regarding symptoms and trauma history followed by a diagnostic interview to confirm their BD diagnosis and assess BD symptoms.
Cumulative trauma accounted for most of the trauma exposure across both childhood (n = 89; 78.1 %) and adulthood (n = 72; 63.2 %). Those with lifetime cumulative trauma (n = 64; 56 %) were more likely to experience at least one other co-morbid mental health condition in addition to their BD diagnosis (88 %) and report significantly lower ratings of perceived social support compared to those who did not experience any cumulative trauma (N = 15; 13 %).
This study has been limited by the cross-sectional retrospective design as well as the use of self-selection to participate.
Cumulative trauma is highly prevalent in bipolar disorder and is associated with greater likelihood of experiencing a psychiatric comorbidity and decreased levels of social support. More research is needed to explore the nature of this relationship and determine whether increasing social support may be of benefit.
Assessment of cytokines, microRNA and patient related outcome measures in conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder (CD/FND): The CANDO clinical feasibility study
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Citation Excerpt :
Actual stress levels as measured by the LCU are strikingly elevated with only 27% of the patients scoring less than 150, which is associated with higher levels of depression (Cornelis et al., 1989), or being in a crisis (Holmes and Rahe, 1967). 30% scored 300 or higher, which is associated with elevated risk for an accident or physical disease (Rahe et al., 1970; Rahe and Arthur, 1978). Such high symptom load and low functioning has also been described in patients with a different kind of CD/FND, namely patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures.
Conversion disorder/functional neurological disorder (CD/FND) occurs often in neurological settings and can lead to long-term distress, disability and demand on health care services. Systemic low-grade inflammation might play a role, however, the pathogenic mechanism is still unknown.
1) To explore the feasibility to establish and assess a cohort of CD/FND with motor symptoms, involving persons with lived experience (PPI). 2) To generate proof of concept regarding a possible role for cytokines, microRNA, cortisol levels and neurocognitive symptoms in patients with motor CD/FND.
Feasibility study.
The study showed active involvement of patients despite high clinical illness burden and disability, neurocognitive symptoms, childhood adverse experiences (ACE) and current life events. The study provided valuable knowledge regarding the feasibility of conducting a study in these patients that will inform future study phases. In the sample there were elevated levels of IL6, IL12, IL17A, IFNg, TNFa and VEGF-a, suggesting systemic low-grade inflammation. Also, microRNAs involved in inflammation and vascular inflammation were correlated with TNFa and VEGFa respectively, suggesting proof of concept for an epigenetic mechanism. Owing to the COVID-19 outbreak, the patient sample was limited to 15 patients.
It is a novelty that this study is conducted in the clinical setting. This innovative, translational study explores stress-related SLI in CD/FND patients and the feasibility of a larger project aiming to develop new treatments for this vulnerable population. Given the positive findings, there is scope to conduct further research into the mechanism of disease in CD/FND.
Physical activity is positively associated with college students' positive affect regardless of stressful life events during the COVID-19 pandemic
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Stressful life events was assessed only at T2 (since March 13, 2020) with the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (Holmes & Rahe, 1967). The 43-item assessment is a validated measure of stressful life events (Rahe et al., 1970). Response options were either “yes” or “no”.
The study was designed to determine associations between physical activity (PA) and affect before and during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and how change in PA predicted change in affect during this time. Before and during COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, college students (n = 107) completed assessments of PA, positive and negative affect, sleep quality, food insecurity, and stressful life events (during stay-at-home order only). Total minutes of PA was positively associated with positive affect before (B = 0.01, p < 0.01) and during (B = 0.01, p = 0.01) COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Change in minutes of PA was positively associated with change in positive affect (B = 0.01, p = 0.01). Associations between PA and positive affect were not moderated by stressful life events. PA only predicted negative affect before COVID-19 stay-at-home orders (B = −0.003, p = 0.04). PA appears to enhance positive affect during a global pandemic. Findings have implications for PA as a tool for maintaining or enhancing mental health during a time of trauma and uncertainty.
Determination of Psychological Stress, Serum Immune Parameters, and Cortisol Levels in Patients With Human Papilloma Virus
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Citation Excerpt :
In 1967, Holmes and Rahe were interviewed using a survey of recent life changes based on Hawkins and Maps. In 1997, Rahe added another 36 new life events and adjusted the LCU values due to lifestyle changes.17 Therefore, RLCQ tracks stress events over the previous year, measuring events in LCUs and contains descriptions of different life events (from a spouse's death to childbirth, financial loans, job loss, and changes in eating habits or sleep, among others).
Because the results of studies investigating the relation between human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and the effects of psychological stress are inconsistent, this study was conducted to expand on previous research by analyzing patient stress levels, serum immune parameters, and cortisol levels in patients with clinical HPV manifestations. It also looked for differences in clinical manifestations of HPV depending on patient level of experienced stress.
This cross-sectional study included 213 subjects (94 women and 119 men aged ≥18 years; average age, 41 years) with clinical manifestations of HPV infection (165 subjects with extragenital manifestations and 48 with genital manifestations) who were treated at the Department of Dermatovenerology, Karlovac General Hospital, from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2015. Psychological, neurohormonal and immune parameters (serum values of leukocytes, alpha₂-globulins, beta-globulins, albumins, and proteins), and serum cortisol levels were analyzed. Questionnaires were used to determine patients' perception of stress: the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale, and the Brief Cope Test. One group of subjects had confirmed stressful experiences, defined by the Recent Life Changes Questionnaire as a period of 1 year with at least 500 life change units; the control group included patients with no significant stressful experiences.
Patients with confirmed significant stress experience had a statistically significant higher degree of perception of stress. There were no statistically significant differences in terms of the impact of stress on clinical HPV manifestations (genital and extragenital), sex, lesional duration, or recurrence. In patients with significant stress experience, significantly higher values of leukocytes (6.68 × 10⁹/L), alpha₂-globulins (6.85 g/L), and beta-globulins (7.33 g/L) were observed. Adaptive coping and a lower perception of stress significantly reduced the chances of having extragenital manifestations by 2.63 times. A higher perception of stress significantly increased the likelihood of genital manifestations.
Although this study found that stress increased the values of leukocytes, alpha₂-globulins, and beta-globulins, no evidence was found that it affected clinical manifestations of HPV infection. The redundancy of the immune system could account for this finding. This study is among the first to investigate the correlation between psychological, neurohormonal, and immune indicators of stress.
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The tool used to quantify life stress of the last year was the SRRS. While a score below 150 life units is associated with a low risk of suffering a stress related illness, a score of over 300 life units is associated with an 80% risk of developing a stress related illness during the next two years (Rahe et al., 1970). Low stress was reported to be a reason for lack of association between 5-HTTLPR genotype and amygdala activation, however our sample was of moderate life-stress (SRRS mean 284, SD 191), thus we do not expect stress to be responsible for low power in our sample.
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^☆: Report Number 70-18, supported by the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, under Research Work Unit MF12.524.001-9002. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and are not to be construed as necessarily reflecting the official view or endorsement of the Department of the Navy.

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Prediction of near-future health change from subjects' preceding life changes☆

Abstract

J. Psychosom. Res.

J. Psychosom. Res.

J. Psychosom. Res.

J. Psychosom. Res.

J. Psychosom. Res.

Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease—I. Preliminary observations on a group of males with lymphomas and leukemias

Psychosom. Med.

Psychological factors and reticuloendothelial disease—II. Observations on a group of women with lymphomas and leukemias

Psychosom. Med.

Emotional factors in coronary occlusion

A.M.A. Archs Internal Med.

Specific psychological factors in pulmonary tuberculosis

Hlth. Bull. Dept. Hlth. Scott.

Some psychological aspects of pulmonary tuberculosis

Int. J. Soc. Psychiat.

A study of an infant with gastric fistula

Psychosom. Med.