The Case for Conscientiousness: Evidence and Implications for a Personality Trait Marker of Health and Longevity

Purpose

Recent initiatives by major funding agencies have emphasized translational and personalized approaches (e.g., genetic testing) to health research and health management. While such directives are appropriate, and will likely produce tangible health benefits, we seek to highlight a confluence of several lines of research showing relations between the personality dimension of conscientiousness and a variety of health-related outcomes.

Methods

Using a modified health process model, we review the compelling evidence linking conscientiousness to health and disease processes, including longevity, diseases, morbidity-related risk factors, health-related psychophysiological mechanisms, health-related behaviors, and social environmental factors related to health.

Conclusion

We argue the accumulated evidence supports greater integration of conscientiousness into public health, epidemiological, and medical research, with the ultimate aim of understanding how facilitating more optimal trait standing might foster better health.     

The course of posttraumatic stress symptoms and functional impairment following a disaster: what is the lasting influence of acute versus ongoing traumatic events and stressors?

Purpose

Ongoing traumatic events and stressors, rather than acute sources of trauma, may shape long-term post-disaster mental health. The purpose of this study was to compare the influence of acute hurricane-related exposures and ongoing post-hurricane exposures on the short- and long-term course of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and functional impairment (FI).

Methods

A random sample of adults (n = 658) in Galveston and Chambers Counties, Texas, was selected 2–6 months after Hurricane Ike and interviewed 3 times over 18 months. Hurricane-related exposures included traumatic events such as death of a family member due to the hurricane and stressors such as loss/damage to personal property due to the hurricane. Post-hurricane exposures included traumatic events such as sexual assault and stressors such as divorce or serious financial problems.

Results

Experiencing an acute hurricane-related traumatic event or stressor was associated with initial post-hurricane PTSS [RR = 1.92 (95 % CI = 1.13–3.26) and RR = 1.62 (1.36–1.94), respectively] and FI [RR = 1.76; (1.05–2.97) and RR = 1.74 (1.46–2.08)], respectively, and acute hurricane-related stressors were associated with a higher rate of increase in FI over time [RR = 1.09; (1.01–1.19)]. In contrast, ongoing post-hurricane daily stressors were not associated within initial PTSS and FI, but were associated with PTSS and FI at the second and third interviews.

Conclusions

While immediate postdisaster interventions may influence short-term mental health, investment in the prevention of ongoing stressors may be instrumental to manage long-term mental health status.     

The shape- and weight-based self-esteem inventory in adolescent girls with eating disorders and adolescent controls

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the validity and psychometric properties of the Shape- and Weight-Based Self-Esteem (SAWBS) Inventory in British adolescent girls with and without eating disorders. Sixty patients and 60 age-matched controls completed the SAWBS Inventory and measures of eating disorder symptoms, body shape concerns, and depression. Patients also completed the Eating Disorders Examination. Adolescents with eating disorders attributed more of their self-esteem to weight and shape than those without eating disorders. The combination of weight and shape was the most important component of self-esteem for 28% of eating-disordered individuals compared with only 10% of controls. The measure showed acceptable validity in this sample. The SAWBS Inventory appears to be valid in British adolescent girls and is able to differentiate between those with and without eating disorders. The measure is likely to be a useful tool in both clinical and research settings with eating-disordered young people.     

Perceived Value of Teaching and Learning Curriculum Programs Among Pharmacy Practice Department Chairs

Objective. To determine the perceived value that pharmacy practice department chairs ascribe to pharmacy faculty candidates having completed a teaching and learning curriculum (TLC) program and related activities.Methods. An 18-item survey instrument was created that was intended to capture the overall impressions of pharmacy practice chairs regarding the value of TLC programs, relative importance compared to other accomplishments (eg, residency completion, board certification), and importance of specific activities. Following pilot testing and establishment of intra-rater reliability, invitations to complete the electronic survey instrument were sent to pharmacy practice chairs (or their equivalent) at accredited Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) programs in the United States.Results. Of the 127 pharmacy practice chairs invited, 53 completed the survey (response rate of 41.7%). The majority of respondents held a PharmD degree (90.6%), had been in their role of chair for zero to five years (60.4%), and represented a private institution (54.7%). The majority of respondents who answered the question (32 of 49) felt it was very important or important (16.3% and 49.0%, respectively) that teaching experiences be completed within a formal teaching and learning curriculum program. These programs were believed to be most important for candidates with less than five years of professional experience. Teaching and learning curriculum programs were not deemed to be more important than other accomplishments by most responders. The perceived most important TLC program activities were instruction on didactic and experiential teaching strategies, and experience developing learning objectives, developing examination items, evaluating examination results, and facilitating case conferences or practice laboratory activities.Conclusion. Teaching and learning curriculum programs may provide the foundational experiences needed for pharmacy graduates to stand out among other candidates, although department chairs’ perceptions of the value of teaching and learning curriculum experiences varied.     

Evidence of low vitamin D intakes in the Australian population points to a need for data-driven nutrition policy for improving population vitamin D status

Background

Nearly one in four Australian adults is vitamin D deficient (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations [25(OH)D] < 50 nmol L^–1) and current vitamin D intakes in the Australian population are unknown. Internationally, vitamin D intakes are commonly below recommendations, although estimates generally rely on food composition data that do not include 25(OH)D. We aimed to estimate usual vitamin D intakes in the Australian population.

Methods

Nationally representative food consumption data were collected for Australians aged ≥ 2 years (n = 12,153) as part of the cross-sectional 2011–2013 Australian Health Survey (AHS). New analytical vitamin D food composition data for vitamin D₃, 25(OH)D₃, vitamin D₂ and 25(OH)D₂ were mapped to foods and beverages that were commonly consumed by AHS participants. Usual vitamin D intakes (µg day^–1) by sex and age group were estimated using the National Cancer Institute method.

Results

Assuming a 25(OH)D bioactivity factor of 1, mean daily intakes of vitamin D ranged between 1.84 and 3.25 µg day^–1. Compared to the estimated average requirement of 10 µg day^–1 recommended by the Institute of Medicine, more than 95% of people had inadequate vitamin D intakes. We estimated that no participant exceeded the Institute of Medicine's Upper Level of Intake (63–100 µg day^–1, depending on age group).

Conclusions

Usual vitamin D intakes in Australia are low. This evidence, paired with the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Australia, suggests that data-driven nutrition policy is required to safely increase dietary intakes of vitamin D and improve vitamin D status at the population level.     

Cellular resolution anatomical and molecular atlases for prenatal human brains

Increasing interest in studies of prenatal human brain development, particularly using new single-cell genomics and anatomical technologies to create cell atlases, creates a strong need for accurate and detailed anatomical reference atlases. In this study, we present two cellular-resolution digital anatomical atlases for prenatal human brain at postconceptional weeks (PCW) 15 and 21. Both atlases were annotated on sequential Nissl-stained sections covering brain-wide structures on the basis of combined analysis of cytoarchitecture, acetylcholinesterase staining, and an extensive marker gene expression dataset. This high information content dataset allowed reliable and accurate demarcation of developing cortical and subcortical structures and their subdivisions. Furthermore, using the anatomical atlases as a guide, spatial expression of 37 and 5 genes from the brains, respectively, at PCW 15 and 21 was annotated, illustrating reliable marker genes for many developing brain structures. Finally, the present study uncovered several novel developmental features, such as the lack of an outer subventricular zone in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex, and the apparent extension of both cortical (excitatory) and subcortical (inhibitory) progenitors into the prenatal olfactory bulb. These comprehensive atlases provide useful tools for visualization, segmentation, targeting, imaging, and interpretation of brain structures of prenatal human brain, and for guiding and interpreting the next generation of cell census and connectome studies.