Wishes or Constraints? Mothers' Labour Force Participation and its Motivation in Switzerland

The aim of this article is to estimate the impact of various factors related to role conflict theory and preference theory on the reduction of women's labour force participation after their transition to parenthood. Objective and subjective dimensions of women's labour force participation are assessed. The empirical test is based on a survey of couples with children in Switzerland. Results show that compared to structural factors associated with role conflict reduction, preferences have little impact on mothers' labour force participation, but explain a good deal of their frustration if the factual situation does not correspond to their wishes. Structural factors, such as occupation, economic resources, childcare, and an urban environment, support mothers' labour force participation, whereas active networks and a home centred lifestyle preference help them to cope with frustrations.

Réduction de la consommation de sel: une mesure importante de santé publique en Suisse. [Reducing dietary salt intake: an important public health strategy in Switzerland]

La consommation actuelle de sel (chlorure de sodium) est très supérieure aux besoins physiologiques (1,5 g par jour, soit environ 550 mg par jour de sodium) dans la plupart des pays (> 8 g par jour). Les principales sources de sel sont les pains, les fromages, les produits dérivés de la viande et les plats précuisinés. En moyenne, une consommation élevée de sel est associée à une pression artérielle plus élevée. En Suisse, un adulte sur trois souffre d'hypertension artérielle. La moitié des accidents vasculaires cérébraux et des maladies cardiaques ischémiques sont attribuables à une pression artérielle trop élevée. L'Office fédéral de la santé publique conduit actuellement une stratégie visant à diminuer la consommation de sel dans la population suisse à moins de 5 g par jour sur le long terme (Salz Strategie 2008-2012). [Abstract] Current dietary salt (sodium chloride) intake largely exceeds physiological needs (about 1.5 g salt per day, or 550 mg sodium per day) in most countries (> 8 g salt per day). The main sources of dietar salt intake are breads, cheeses, products derived from meat and ready-to-eat meals. On average, a high-salt diet is associated with higher blood pressure levels. In Switzerland, one out of three adults suffers from arterial hypertension. Half of cerebrovascular events and ischaemic cardiac events are attributable to elevated blood pressure. The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health is currently running a strategy aiming at reducing dietary salt intake in the Swiss population to less than 5 g per day on the long run (Salz Strategie 2008-2012).

Hospital antibiotic consumption in Switzerland: comparison of a multicultural country with Europe.

The consumption of antibiotics in the inpatient setting of Switzerland was assessed to determine possible differences between linguistic regions, and to compare these results with European results. Data on antibiotic consumption were obtained from a sentinel network representing 54% of the national acute care hospitals, and from a private drug market monitoring company. Aggregated data were converted into defined daily doses (DDD). The total consumption density in Switzerland was close to the median consumption reported in European surveys. Between 2004 and 2008, the total consumption of systemic antibiotics rose from 46.1 to 54.0 DDD per 100 occupied bed-days in the entire hospitals, and from 101.6 to 114.3 DDD per 100 occupied bed-days in the intensive care units. Regional differences were observed for total consumption and among antibiotic classes. Hospitals in the Italian-speaking region showed a significantly higher consumption density, followed by the French- and German-speaking regions. Hospitals in the Italian-speaking region also had a higher consumption of fluoroquinolones, in line with the reported differences between Italy, Germany and France. Antibiotic consumption in acute care hospitals in Switzerland is close to the European median with a relatively low consumption in intensive care units. Some of the patterns of variation in consumption levels noticed among European countries are also observed among the cultural regions of Switzerland.

The fallacy of slimming products: a case analysis in Switzerland

Introduction: Many people desire to lose weight. This favors the marketing of "miracle" products with overemphasized slimming capacities. To our knowledge, no study regarding the claimed performances of slimming products has ever been conducted in Switzerland. Objectives: To assess weight loss claims of slimming products available in Switzerland by analyzing their corresponding advertisements. Methods: Between May 2008 and February 2013, 31 advertisements for 13 different slimming products from a single producer were collected. Weight loss claims and text of the advertisement were analyzed. Results: Weight loss claims ranged between 7 and 31 kg, with an estimated daily weight loss ranging between 300 g and 1 kg. 84% of the advertisements targeted women (by including the photograph of a woman), 61% showed a picture of a person before and after using the product, and 51% claimed that the product had improved marital relationships. The terms "natural", "miracle/extraordinary" and "scientific" were present in 92%, 77%, and 31% of the products, respectively. Free gifts were provided to buyers for 69% of the products. Cost was very similar for all 13 products (range: 49 to 59 CHF, with 8 products costing the same amount) and no correlation was found between cost of the product and weight loss claims. No differences were found for weight loss claims according to presence or absence of a picture or of the terms ".natural", ".miracle/extraordinary" and ".scientific" Finally, the yearly costs for advertising such products (French-speaking Switzerland) ranged between 56,000 and 126,000 CHF, suggesting that the gains obtained were higher than this value. Conclusion: In Switzerland, advertisements for slimming products use positive and reassuring terms to attract consumers, which are lured by unreachable, false promises of rapid and easy weight loss. Taking into account the costs of advertising, the gains obtained appear to be significant. Legislation on advertising of such products is urgently needed.

Climatic and anthropogenic influence on the stable isotope record from bulk carbonates and ostracodes in Lake Neuchatel, Switzerland, during the last two millennia

Lake Neuchatel is a medium sized, hard-water lake, lacking varved sediments, situated in the western Swiss Lowlands at the foot of the Jura Mountains. Stable isotope data (delta(18)O and delta(13)C) from both bulk carbonate and ostracode calcite in an 81 cm long, radiocarbon-dated sediment core represent the last 1500 years of Lake Neuchatel's environmental history. Comparison between this isotopic and other palaeolimnologic data (mineralogical, geochemical, palynological, etc.) helps to differentiate between anthropogenic and natural factors most recently affecting the lake. An increase in lacustrine productivity (450-650AD ca), inferred from the positive trend in delta(13)C values of bulk carbonate, is related to medieval forest clearances and the associated nutrient budget changes. A negative trend in both the bulk carbonate and ostracode calcite delta(18)O values between approximately 1300 and 1500AD, is tentatively interpreted as due to a cooling in mean air temperature at the transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age. Negative trends in bulk carbonate delta(18)O and delta(13)C values through the uppermost sediments, which have no equivalent in ostracode calcite isotopic values, are concomitant with the recent onset of eutrophication in the lake. Isotopic disequilibrium during calcite precipitation, probably due to kinetic factors in periods of high productivity is postulated as the mechanism to explain the associated negative isotopic trends, although the effect of a shift of the calcite precipitation towards the warmer months cannot be excluded.

Intergenerational differences in cardiovascular risk factor levels in Switzerland

Background: There is little information regarding cardiovascular risk factor (CV RF) trends in Switzerland. We aimed at assessing generation differences in CV RFs by comparing CV RFs levels within selected age groups separated by a 20 year time lag. Design: Two population-based surveys. Methods: Data from the Monica (1984-1986) and Colaus (2004-2006) surveys were used. Analyses were stratified by sex and age groups (35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-75 years). Results: No changes were found for BMI levels and status between surveys: in men, 26}3, 26}3, 27}4 and 27}4 kg/m2 for age groups 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-74, respectively, in MONICA, vs. 26}4, 26}4, 27}4 and 28}4 kg/m2 in COLAUS, p=NS, in women: 24}4, 26}4, 26}4 and 26}5 kg/m2 in MONICA, vs. 24}5, 25}5, 26}5 and 26}5 kg/m2 in COLAUS, p=NS. Similar results were found after adjusting for education. Smoking prevalence increased in men: 28, 30, 22 and 15% for age groups 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-74, respectively, in MONICA, vs. 35, 29, 28 and 21% in COLAUS. In women, changes differed according to age: 39, 26, 16 and 18%, in MONICA vs. 28, 30, 22 and 15% in COLAUS. Blood pressure decreased in the younger age groups and remained constant in the older ones: in men, systolic blood pressure was 129}15, 133}16, 138}18 and 143}21 mm Hg in MONICA, vs. 125}12, 129}15, 137}16 and 144}19 mm Hg in COLAUS, p<0.01. Similar findings were obtained after adjusting for education. Prevalence of hypertension increased, due to an increase in the prevalence of treated subjects, in men : 4, 8, 16 and 19% for age groups 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-74, respectively, in MONICA, vs. 5, 14, 31 and 46% in COLAUS, p<0.05; in women: 2, 10, 16, and 24% in MONICA, vs. 4, 12, 24, and 34% in COLAUS, p<0.05. This increase was stronger in men: 14, 17, 23 and 31% for age groups 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65-74, respectively, in MONICA vs. 10, 21, 41 and 55% in COLAUS, p<0.01 and smaller in women: 6, 15, 24 and 44% in MONICA vs. 6, 16, 30 and 42% in COLAUS, p=NS. Similar findings were obtained after adjusting for education. Conclusion: With the exception of BMI, the newer Swiss generations appear to have a worse CV profile than the older generations. This is especially true regarding smoking and hypertension.

Nationalism and patriotism as predictors of immigration attitudes in Switzerland: A municipality-level analysis

Using Swiss data from the 2003 International Social Survey Programme (N = 902), this multilevel study combined individual and municipality levels of analysis in the explanation of nationalism, patriotism and exclusionary immigration attitudes. On the individual level, the results show that in line with previous research nationalism (uncritical and blind attachment to the nation) increased exclusionary immigration attitudes, while patriotism (pride in national democratic institutions) was related to greater tolerance towards immigration. On the municipality level, urbanization, socioeconomic status and immigrant proportion (and their interaction effects) were found to affect nationalism, patriotism and immigration attitudes. Nationalist and patriotic forms of national attachment were stronger in German-speaking municipalities than in the French-speaking municipalities. Path analyses further revealed that living in a Swiss-German municipality indirectly led to more negative immigration attitudes through an increase in nationalism. The research is discussed in light of social psychological and political science literature on political attitudes.