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Researchers have studied loneliness as a modern health epidemic which is associated with myriad negative health effects, yet the literature lacks evidence of loneliness' correlates, including incivility, in the workplace. This paper not only replicates previous work on incivility, a pervasive interpersonal workplace stressor, it also contributes novel findings on the relative importance of loneliness in explaining variance in occupational health outcomes. We tested hypotheses using two cross-sectional datasets containing data from the general working population (Sample 1) and state corrections supervisors (Sample 2). Through relative importance analyses, including relative weights analysis, we found that both general and workplace loneliness explain substantial variance in several outcomes (e.g., emotional exhaustion, depression symptoms, and turnover intentions) relative to the variance explained by workplace incivility. When controlling for perceived work stress, general loneliness appears to be more important than incivility in explaining variance in emotional exhaustion, job satisfaction, and depression symptoms.

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(1) Background: Correctional Officers show signs of adverse health early in their careers. We evaluated the impact of a one-year peer health mentoring program for new officers based on a Total Worker Health® approach; (2) Methods: Cadets (n = 269) were randomly assigned to a mentored or control group. Cadets in this mixed methods design completed physical assessments, and surveys at three time points to assess demographics, health, mentoring, and workplace variables. Physical testing included several health markers. Surveys and physical data were analyzed as repeated measures. Regression analyses were used to analyze the relationship between mentoring characteristics and outcomes. A semi-structured interview of mentors was analyzed qualitatively. (3) Results: Higher mentoring frequency was associated with lower burnout. Health behaviors and outcomes declined over time in all groups, but mentees displayed slower decline for body mass index (BMI) and hypertension compared to controls. (4) Conclusions: A continuous peer health mentoring program seemed protective to new officers in reducing burnout and also declines in BMI and hypertension. Short-term physical health markers in younger officers may not be an index of psycho-social effects. A participatory design approach is recommended for a long-term health mentoring program to be both effective and sustainable.

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AIMS: To assess associations among cannabis use, health-related quality of life, exercise, depression and sleep among a nationally representative sample of US adults living with cancer. DESIGN: A cross-sectional correlational study. METHODS: We used survey data from the 2016-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Analyses were considered for sample weights and the complex designs. Logistic regression was performed to assess associations among cannabis use (0, 1-19, vs. 20-30 [frequent] days), health-related quality of life (0-13 vs. ≥14 mentally or physically unhealthy days in the past 30 days; 0-13 vs. ≥14 functionally limited days), exercise, depression, and sleep after accounting for covariates. Reason for cannabis use (medical vs. non-medical) was also assessed. RESULTS: Frequent users had significantly more physically unhealthy days (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.28-2.51, p < .01) and reported ≥ 14 mentally unhealthy days (adjusted OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.78-3.32, p < .001) and depression (adjusted OR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.97-3.57, p < .001) compared with non-users. A positive relationship between frequency of cannabis use and depression existed only among non-medical cannabis users. CONCLUSION: Cancer survivors using cannabis frequently (20 days+ in the past month) had poorer mental health-related quality of life. The reason for cannabis use as well as frequency of use may be important considerations in predicting depression. IMPACT: This is the first study that evaluates the associations among cannabis use, the purpose of cannabis use, HRQoL, exercise, depression and sleep in a nationally representative sample of US adults living with cancer. Frequent cannabis users are likely vulnerable to poorer mental health-related quality of life and depression, and non-medical cannabis use in frequent users was associated with depression. Given expanding medical cannabis legalization, these findings warrant further attention so that this information can be used by people living with cancer in decision-making for symptom self-management.

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In the present research, we offer a novel method for informing consumers about the sugar content in sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). With a series of experiments, we present evidence that this method curbs preference for SSBs and leads to more negative attitudes toward SSBs. We propose that people view SSBs more negatively and show less preference for SSBs when they are able to concretely visualize the quantity of sugar in SSBs. For example, we suggest that people might have more negative views toward the idea of consuming 28 sugar cubes (concrete information), compared to consuming "70g" of sugar (abstract information). Indeed, we found that, without any intervention, people struggle to convert sugar grams into a concrete, physical sugar representation (Experiment 1). But, when people are provided ways to convert abstract sugar-nutrition information into a concrete representation, they find SSBs less attractive (Experiment 2) and are less likely to select SSBs in favor of sugar-free beverage options (Experiments 3 and 4). These findings offer direct applications to the design of public-health messages and nutrition-education interventions. Such applications might benefit society in its battle with the obesity epidemic.

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