Translation and validation of the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Quality of Life (UFS-QOL questionnaire for the Brazilian Portuguese language

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Luiz Gustavo Oliveira Brito

2017-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: Uterine fibroids (UF, also known as leiomyomas, are the most prevalent gynecological tumors. The Uterine Fibroid Symptoms and Quality of Life (UFS-QOL is the only specific questionnaire that assesses symptom intensity and quality-of-life issues for women with symptomatic UF; however, it only exists in the English language. Thus, we aimed to translate and culturally validate the UFS-QOL questionnaire for the Brazilian Portuguese language. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, FMRP-USP. METHODS: 113 patients with UF (case group and 55 patients without UF (control group were interviewed using the UFS-QOL questionnaire after translation and cultural adaptation. The Short Form-36 questionnaire was used as a control. Demographic and psychometric variables were analyzed. RESULTS: Women with UF presented higher mean age, body mass index, weight, parity and comorbidities than the control group (P < 0.05. The most prevalent complaints were abnormal uterine bleeding (93.8%, pelvic pain (36.3% and extrinsic compression (10.6% and these presented adequate construct validity regarding UFS-QOL severity (P < 0.05. The UFS-QOL questionnaire presented good internal consistency regarding symptom severity and quality-of-life-related domains (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.82/0.88. Structural validity presented correlation coefficients ranging from 0.59 to 0.91. Test-retest comparison did not show differences among the UFS-QOL subscales. After treatment, women with UF presented improvements on all subscales. CONCLUSION: The UFS-QOL questionnaire presented adequate translation to the Brazilian Portuguese language, with good internal consistency, discriminant validity, construct validity, structural validity and responsiveness, along with adequate test-retest results.

Dysphagia-related quality of life in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy: Psychometric properties of the SWAL-QOL instrument.

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Youssof, Sarah; Romero-Clark, Carol; Warner, Teddy; Plowman, Emily

2017-07-01

The Swallowing Quality of Life instrument (SWAL-QOL) is a patient-reported outcome measure of swallowing-related quality of life (SR-QoL). Its psychometric properties in oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD) are not known. We administered the SWAL-QOL to U.S. OPMD Registry participants. We described SR-QoL profiles and assessed reliability and validity. The mean composite score in 113 individuals with OPMD was 54.4 ± 20.7, indicating moderate impairment. Severe impairments were observed in eating duration, burden, and fatigue scales. Internal consistency reliability of all scales was found to be satisfactory, and 9 of 10 scales demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability. Data confirmed 86% of hypotheses, supporting construct validity. The SWAL-QOL limitations in OPMD include: floor/ceiling effects in 7 of 10 scales and low specificity of sleep, fatigue, and communication scales for dysphagia. SR-QoL is reduced in OPMD. Given several limitations of the SWAL-QOL, development of an improved dysphagia-specific QoL instrument for OPMD is warranted. Muscle Nerve 56: 28-35, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Validity and reliability of the TED-QOL: a new three-item questionnaire to assess quality of life in thyroid eye disease.

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Fayers, Tessa; Dolman, Peter J

2011-12-01

To develop and test a user-friendly questionnaire for rapidly assessing quality of life (QOL) in thyroid eye disease (TED). A three-item questionnaire, the TED-QOL, was designed and compared to the 16-item Graves Ophthalmopathy (GO)-QOL and the nine-item GO-Quality of Life Scale (QLS). 100 patients with TED were administered all three questionnaires on two occasions. Results were compared to clinical severity scores (Vision, Inflammation, Strabismus, Appearance (VISA) classification). Main outcomes were construct and criterion validity, test-retest reliability, duration, comprehension and completion rates. TED-QOL correlated strongly with the other questionnaires for corresponding items (Pearson correlation: appearance 0.71, 0.62; functioning 0.69, 0.66; overall QOL 0.53). Test-retest analysis demonstrated good reliability for all three questionnaires (intraclass correlations: TED-QOL 0.81, 0.74, 0.87; GO-QOL 0.81, 0.82; GO-QLS 0.74, 0.86, 0.67). TED-QOL was significantly faster to complete (1.6 min vs GO-QOL 3.1 min, GO-QLS 2.7 min, p<0.0001) and had a higher completion rate (100% vs GO-QOL 78%, GO-QLS 94%). There was only moderate correlation between items on all three questionnaires and VISA scores. The TED-QOL is rapid and easy to complete and analyse and has similar validity and reliability to longer questionnaires. All questionnaires showed only moderate correlation with disease severity, emphasising the discrepancy between objective and subjective assessments and the importance of measuring both.

The Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL-Child): Evidence of Construct Validity

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Chen, Kuan-Lin; Wang, Hui-Yi; Tseng, Mei-Hui; Shieh, Jeng-Yi; Lu, Lu; Yao, Kai-Ping Grace; Huang, Chien-Yu

2013-01-01

The Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life for Children (CP QOL-Child) is the first health condition-specific questionnaire designed for measuring QOL in children with cerebral palsy (CP). However, its construct validity has not yet been confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Hence, this study assessed the construct validity of the caregiver…

Development of a head and neck companion module for the quality of life-radiation therapy instrument (QOL-RTI)

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Trotti, Andy; Johnson, Darlene J.; Gwede, Clement; Casey, Linda; Sauder, Bonnie; Cantor, Alan; Pearlman, James

1998-01-01

Purpose/Objective: A review of available head and neck quality of life (QOL) instruments reveals them to inadequately address important radiation related side effects, or to be too cumbersome for routine use. The purpose of this study was to develop a head and neck disease specific module as a companion to the previously developed quality of life - radiation therapy instrument (QOL-RTI). The goal was to create a more complete, yet concise, head and neck site-specific module geared toward patients receiving radiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Methods and Materials: This exploratory study included 34 consecutive patients undergoing definitive radiotherapy over a 6-7 week course (60-79.8 Gy). We developed and administered a 14-item questionnaire to all eligible patients treated with radiotherapy for head and neck cancer who were not already registered in another research study assessing quality of life (e.g., RTOG). During the treatment period, the QOL-RTI general tool and the head and neck (H and N) module were administered as follows: at baseline, at week four (for test-retest), and at the end of the treatment period. For validation purposes the QOL-RTI/H and N was compared to the functional assessment cancer tool head and neck (FACT-H and N) questionnaire. The FACT-H and N was administered one time at week 4, on the same day as the QOL-RTI/H and N. This report includes the treatment phase of the study (during the course of radiation). Results: Mean age was 62 years (range 40-75). Internal consistency of the module was satisfactory (Chronbach's α = 0.85). Test-retest yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.90 (p < 0.001). Concurrent validity, established by comparing the module to the FACT/H and N , yielded a correlation coefficient of 0.85. Significant changes in quality of life scores during a course of radiation was noted for both general quality of life tool and the site specific module. For the head and neck module, the difference in the mean baseline

Transcultural adaptation and validation of the Celiac Disease Quality of Life (CD-QOL survey, a specific questionnaire to measure quality of life in patients with celiac disease

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Francesc Casellas

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction: celiac disease is a chronic condition that requires continued treatment, with the resultant impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL of people who suffer it. Most studies in this field have used generic questionnaires to measure HRQOL in celiac patients. It was therefore decided to conduct a study to translate into Spanish and validate a specific questionnaire for celiac disease, the Celiac Disease Quality Of Life Survey (CD-QOL. Objectives: to translate and validate in Spanish the specific celiac disease questionnaire CD-QOL. Methods: a multicenter, prospective, observational study was designed consisting of two phases: In the first phase, the questionnaire was translated and adapted into Spanish using the translation/back translation procedure and an understandability study. In the second phase, internal consistency of the translated questionnaire was analyzed. For this, results of the CD-QOL were compared to those of EuroQol and the Daily Fatigue Impact Scale (D-FIS. Understandability of the translated and adapted questionnaire was tested in six patients, and the validation study was done in 298 celiac patients (201 treated with a gluten-free diet and 97 at diagnosis. Results: in both celiac groups, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was high (0.90, feasibility was excellent (99.2 % of patients completed all questions, and there were no ceiling and floor effects. Spearman correlation to EuroQol and D-FIS was statistically significant (p < 0.05. CD-QOL score was different depending on whether state of health was good, fair, or poor based on the EuroQol score. Conclusion: the Spanish version of the CD-QOL is a valid tool for measuring HRQOL in celiac patients.

Measuring the quality of life of people with dementia in nursing homes in Germany - the study protocol for the Qol-Dem Project.

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Dichter, Martin Nikolaus; Halek, Margareta; Dortmann, Olga; Meyer, Gabriele; Bartholomeyczik, Sabine

2013-01-01

QUALIDEM is a standardized dementia-specific quality of life (Qol) measurement, which was developed and validated in the Netherlands. A German version has been available since 2008. This study protocol describes the design and methodology for the quality of life of people with dementia (Qol-Dem) project. This project aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the German version of the QUALIDEM. Due to the lack of both a universal definition of Qol and of standards to verify the validity of Qol measurements, this study is divided into three phases. The aim of the first theoretical phase is the development of a dementia-specific Qol model as a result of a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. The second empirical phase consists of the three following steps: (a) an investigation of the scalability and internal consistency of the measure, (b) an evaluation of the interrater and intrarater reliability, and (c) an extensive evaluation of the validity of the QUALIDEM. The resulting Qol model (phase 1) will be used for the selection of appropriate comparators for validity testing. In the third phase, the QUALIDEM will be adapted, if necessary, based on the knowledge generated in the first two phases. The findings of the Qol-Dem project should deliver an accurate assessment of the psychometric properties of the German version of the QUALIDEM. The results will contribute to the further development of the instrument. Furthermore, the results will contribute to the theoretical development of the concept of Qol among people with dementia.

Translation and validation of a Japanese version of the irritable bowel syndrome-quality of life measure (IBS-QOL-J

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Hongo Michio

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Aims To compare quality of life (QOL for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS between the U.S. and Japan, it is indispensable to develop common instruments. The IBS-QOL, which is widely used in Western countries, was translated into Japanese as there has been a lack of Japanese disease-specific QOL measures for IBS. Methods The original 34 items of the IBS-QOL were translated from English into Japanese through two independent forward translations, resolution, back translation, and resolution of differences. Forty nine patients who had GI symptoms but did not have any organic diseases (including 30 IBS patients diagnosed by Rome II criteria were recruited from Tohoku University Hospital in Sendai, Japan and completed a Japanese version of the IBS-QOL (IBS-QOL-J concomitant with a Japanese version of the IBS severity index (IBSSI-J twice within 7–14 days. Results The IBS-QOL-J demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha; 0.96 and high reproducibility (intraclass correlation coefficient; 0.92, p Conclusion The IBS-QOL-J is a reliable instrument to assess the disease-specific QOL for IBS. Considering cross-cultural comparison, this measure is likely to be a valuable tool to investigate the QOL in Japanese patients with IBS.

Assessment of Quality of Life (QOL) in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Dysthymic Disorder (DD): A Comparative Study.

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Vasudev, Roopesh Gopal Nariyandada; Yallappa, Sudarshan Chikkanayakanahalli; Saya, Ganesh Kumar

2015-05-01

There is paucity of data on Quality of Life (QOL) in non-psychotic mental disorders. To assess the Quality of Life (QOL) in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and compare it with Dysthymic Disorder (DD). This hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted in 30 patients each diagnosed to have OCD and DD during October 2009 to September 2011 in a medical institution in Davanagere, Karnataka, India. DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic statistical manual-IV-Text Revised) criteria was used for diagnosis of OCD and DD. Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and WHO QOL BREF (brief form) scales were used. Data was analysed by independent sample t-test. Overall QOL score was 51.07(SD=11.47) and 50.91(SD=7.41) in OCD and DD groups respectively. QOL score was comparatively low in psychological domain with score of 44.12(SD=14.14) and 45.10(12.35) in OCD and DD respectively. There was no significant difference in the QOL score of the two groups with respect to socio demographic variables in OCD group, but it was different with respect to place of residence in DD group (p0.05). Overall QOL score was average and there was no significant difference of QOL score between the OCD and DD groups implying that both these non-psychotic mental disorders may have same influence or effect on QOL of the subjects. Further analytical studies will explore the associated factors of QOL in OCD and DD.

The Validity and Reliability Test of the Indonesian Version of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Quality of Life (GERD-QOL) Questionnaire.

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Siahaan, Laura A; Syam, Ari F; Simadibrata, Marcellus; Setiati, Siti

2017-01-01

to obtain a valid and reliable GERD-QOL questionnaire for Indonesian application. at the initial stage, the GERD-QOL questionnaire was first translated into Indonesian language and the translated questionnaire was subsequently translated back into the original language (back-to-back translation). The results were evaluated by the researcher team and therefore, an Indonesian version of GERD-QOL questionnaire was developed. Ninety-one patients who had been clinically diagnosed with GERD based on the Montreal criteria were interviewed using the Indonesian version of GERD-QOL questionnaire and the SF 36 questionnaire. The validity was evaluated using a method of construct validity and external validity, and reliability can be tested by the method of internal consistency and test retest. the Indonesian version of GERD-QOL questionnaire had a good internal consistency reliability with a Cronbach Alpha of 0.687-0.842 and a good test retest reliability with an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.756-0.936; pGERD-QOL questionnaire has been proven valid and reliable to evaluate the quality of life of GERD patients.

Development of a head and neck companion module for the quality of life - radiation therapy instrument (QOL-RTI)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trotti, Andy; Johnson, Darlene J.; Gwede, Clement; Casey, Linda; Cantor, Alan

1997-01-01

N is being compared to the Functional Assessment Cancer Tool with a Head and Neck module (FACT-H and N). The FACT-H and N will be administered one time at week 4, on the same day that the QOL-RTI/H and N is administered. Follow-up administration of the QOL-RTI/H and N will continue at the patient's 6-8 weeks post-radiotherapy checkup, and at the six month and one year check-ups to determine when and if the quality of life returns to the baseline level and perhaps determine the impact of late effects on quality of life. Results: At this time, twenty-eight (28) patients have been consented and 27 patients are evaluable for the analyses reported here. Mean age at the start of treatment was 62 years (range 40-75). Internal consistency reliability of the module was satisfactory (Chronbach's α=0.844). Chronbach's alpha previously reported for the general tool (α=0.82). Test-retest reliability correlation coefficient for the module was 0.90 (p<0.001). Test-retest reliability was previously reported for the general tool 0.79 (p<0.0001) in a mixed group of patients (n=19) and 0.75 (p<0.0001) in a group of prostate patients (n=70). In this study test-retest for the general tool is 0.82 (n=23; p<0.001). Concurrent validity is being established by comparison to the F.A.C.T./H. and N. Preliminary analysis shows significant changes in quality of life scores due to treatment for both general QOL and disease targeted items. The average general QOL reported at baseline (n=26) was 7.185 (SD .622) and at end of treatment it was 5.828 (SD .799) (p<0.001). The mean average head and neck score reported at baseline (n=27) was 7.285 (SD 1.854) and the end of treatment head and neck score was 4.184 (SD 1.727) (p<0.001). Other areas with statistical significance included: KPS, appearance, appetite and taste, nausea, tiredness, pain in throat, swallowing difficulty, changes in saliva, trouble with breathing and coughing, and understandability were all significant (p=0.001). Conclusion

Validation of a health-related quality of life instrument for primary ciliary dyskinesia (QOL-PCD).

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Behan, Laura; Leigh, Margaret W; Dell, Sharon D; Dunn Galvin, Audrey; Quittner, Alexandra L; Lucas, Jane S

2017-09-01

Quality of life (QOL)-primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is the first disease-specific, health-related QOL instrument for PCD. Psychometric validation of QOL-PCD assesses the performance of this measure in adults, including its reliability, validity and responsiveness to change. Seventy-two adults (mean (range) age: 33 years (18-79 years); mean (range) FEV 1 % predicted: 68 (26-115)) with PCD completed the 49-item QOL-PCD and generic QOL measures: Short-Form 36 Health Survey, Sino-Nasal Outcome Test 20 (SNOT-20) and St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ)-C. Thirty-five participants repeated QOL-PCD 10-14 days later to measure stability or reproducibility of the measure. Multitrait analysis was used to evaluate how the items loaded on 10 hypothesised scales: physical, emotional, role and social functioning, treatment burden, vitality, health perceptions, upper respiratory symptoms, lower respiratory symptoms and ears and hearing symptoms. This analysis of item-to-total correlations led to 9 items being dropped; the validated measure now comprises 40 items. Each scale had excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.74 to 0.94). Two-week test-retest demonstrated stability for all scales (intraclass coefficients 0.73 to 0.96). Significant correlations were obtained between QOL-PCD scores and age and FEV 1 . Strong relationships were also found between QOL-PCD scales and similar constructs on generic questionnaires, for example, lower respiratory symptoms and SGRQ-C (r=0.72, pmeasures of different constructs. QOL-PCD has demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent and divergent validity. QOL-PCD offers a promising tool for evaluating new therapies and for measuring symptoms, functioning and QOL during routine care. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Validation and psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) in patients with fibromyalgia.

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Latorre-Román, Pedro A; Martínez-Amat, Antonio; Martínez-López, Emilio; Moral, Angel; Santos, María A; Hita-Contreras, Fidel

2014-04-01

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disease associated with high disability levels, which in turn lead to low quality of life (QOL). The objectives of this study were to translate the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS) into Spanish and to assess its reliability and validity for its use in patients with FM. A total of 140 women are suffering from FM (52.87 ± 9.35 years old). All belonged to an association of FM patients (AFIXA, Jaén, Spain). The Spanish versions of the FM impact questionnaire (FIQ), the SF-36, and Beck's Depression Inventory were used to assess them. The construct's validity was checked by means of exploratory factorial analysis (varimax with Kaiser normalization). Test-retest reliability was assessed through intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and convergent validity through Spearman's correlation. Results show that Cronbach's alpha was 0.887, which revealed high internal consistency. The value of ICC for the QOLS total was 0.765 (95 % CI 0.649-0.843, p < 0.001). QOLS presented a significant Spearman's correlation (p < 0.01) with Beck's Inventory, with the physical and mental subtotals of SF-36 and with FIQ. The main component analysis and the varimax rotation revealed the convergence on three factors that account for 54.05 % of variance. Taking into account the severity of the disorder, significant differences (p < 0.05) appeared in QOLS, with moderately afflicted patients getting higher scores than the most severe cases. In conclusion, our study shows that the Spanish version of the QOLS is a reliable instrument, with a good convergent and discriminant construct validity, for measuring the QOL of Spanish FM patients.

Utility analysis and calibration of QOL assessment in disease management.

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Liu, Mo

2018-05-02

In clinical trials, the assessment of health-related quality of life (QOL) (or patient-reported outcome [PRO] measure) has become very popular especially for clinical studies conducted for evaluating clinical benefits of patients with chronic, severe, and/or life threatening diseases. Health-related QOL information and PRO measures are useful for disease management for achieving best clinical practice. In this article, we will focus on health-related QOL assessment. The concept, design, and analysis of health-related QOL in clinical trials are reviewed. Validation of the use of health-related QOL instrument in terms of some key performance characteristics such as accuracy, reliability, sensitivity, and responsibility for assuring quality, integrity, and validity of collected QOL data are discussed. The concept of utility analysis and calibration (e.g., with respect to life events) for achieving the optimization of disease management are proposed. The change of the QOL could be translated into different life events for effective disease management. These translations could evaluate the treatment effect by more directly displaying the change of the QOL.

Physical and Mental Quality of Life (QOL) in Chronic Pancreatitis(CP): A Case-Control Study from the NAPS2 cohort

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Amann, Stephen T.; Yadav, Dhiraj; Barmada, M. Micheal; O’Connell, Michael; Kennard, Elizabeth D.; Anderson, Michelle; Baillie, John; Sherman, Stuart; Romagnuolo, Joseph; Hawes, Robert H.; AlKaade, Samer; Brand, Randall E.; Lewis, Michele D.; Gardner, Timothy B.; Gelrud, Andres; Money, Mary E.; Banks, Peter A.; Slivka, Adam; Whitcomb, David C

2012-01-01

Objectives Define the Quality of Life (QOL) in chronic pancreatitis (CP) subjects Methods We studied 443 well phenotyped CP subjects and 611 controls prospectively enrolled from 20 US centers between 2000–2006 in the North American Pancreatitis Study 2 (NAPS2). Responses to the SF-12 questionnaire were used to calculate the Mental (MCS) and Physical component summary scores (PCS) with norm based scoring (normal ≥50). QOL in CP subjects was compared with controls after controlling for demographic factors, drinking history, smoking and medical conditions. QOL in CP was also compared with known scores for several chronic conditions. Results Both PCS (38±11.5 vs. 52±9.4) and MCS (44±11.5 vs. 51±9.2) were significantly lower in CP compared with controls (p<0.001). On multivariable analyses, compared to controls, a profound decrease in physical QOL (PCS 12.02 points lower) and a clinically significant decrease in mental QOL (MCS 4.24 points lower) was seen due to CP. QOL in CP was similar to (heart, kidney, liver, lung disease) or worse than (non-skin cancers, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis) other chronic conditions. Conclusions The impact of CP on QOL appears substantial. The QOL in CP subjects appears to be worse or similar to the QOL of many other chronic conditions. PMID:23357924

Validity, reliability, and factor analysis of Persian version of quality of life questionnaire for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-QOL-34

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Nasrine Masaeli

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Quality of life (QOL improvement is the main objective of treating patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS. This study aimed to assess the validity, reliability, and factor analysis of IBS-QOL-34 questionnaire as a common transcultural instrument for Iranian IBS patients. Materials and Methods: Two hundred and forty patients with IBS (based on gastroenterologists′ diagnosis according to ROM III criteria were referred to Digestive Health Clinic in Psychosomatic Research Center have been selected in this study. Aside with IBS-QOL-34, MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36 and IBS severity index (IBSSI questionnaires were completed by the cases for determination of correlation coefficients; the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, Cronbach′s alpha, Pearson correlation coefficient by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS software, version 18. Results: Total reliability of the questionnaire was reported by using Cronbach′s alpha as 0.95, ranging from 0.65 to 0.90. Correlation coefficients of concurrent implementation of IBS-QOL with SF-36 and IBSSI resulted in −0.61 and 0.64, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis using varimax rotation identified eight principle components, which will determine QOL at 67% variance. Conclusion: According to the results, IBS-QOL-34 questionnaire has good psychometric properties in the research community and can be safely used as a valid tool to assess QOL of patients with IBS for healthcare and therapeutic purposes.

Edentulism and dental prostheses in the elderly: impact on quality of life measured with EuroQol--visual analog scale (EQ-VAS).

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Cano-Gutiérrez, Carlos; Borda, Miguel G; Arciniegas, Antonio J; Borda, Claudia X

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to measure the impact of edentulism and dental prostheses on quality of life (QOL) in older adults in Bogota, Colombia. Edentulism is a frequent condition in older adults and has great impact on their QOL. No epidemiological data are currently available on edentulism among older adults in Colombia. Data were obtained from the SABE-Bogota study, a cross-sectional study conducted in 2012, and used to analyze the EQ-VAS (Visual Analog Scale) from the EuroQol instrument to measure the perception of quality of life (QOL) in relation to edentulism. The study included 2,000 individuals over 60 years old. The Spearman-Rho correlation was used to analyze the correlation between EQ-VAS and edentulism. Chi-Square, ANOVA and t-test were used to study the differences in EQ-VAS scores between edentulous and healthy subjects. Statistical significance was set at peducation were related to edentulism. Individuals with fewer teeth and dental prostheses had lower EQ-VAS scores (pmeasuring the perception of QOL in dental health scenarios. Edentulism significantly affects QOL in older adults and the use of dental prosthesis does not improve the perception of QOL.

Clinical Utility and Psychometric Properties of the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life Scale (TBI-QOL) in US Military Service Members.

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Lange, Rael T; Brickell, Tracey A; Bailie, Jason M; Tulsky, David S; French, Louis M

2016-01-01

To examine the clinical utility and psychometric properties of the Traumatic Brain Injury Quality of Life (TBI-QOL) scale in a US military population. One hundred fifty-two US military service members (age: M = 34.3, SD = 9.4; 89.5% men) prospectively enrolled from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and other nationwide community outreach initiatives. Participants included 99 service members who had sustained a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and 53 injured or noninjured controls without TBI (n = 29 and n = 24, respectively). Participants completed the TBI-QOL scale and 5 other behavioral measures, on average, 33.8 months postinjury (SD = 37.9). Fourteen TBI-QOL subscales; Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version; Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; Combat Exposure Scale. The internal consistency reliability of the TBI-QOL scales ranged from α = .91 to α = .98. The convergent and discriminant validity of the 14 TBI-QOL subscales was high. The mild TBI group had significantly worse scores on 10 of the 14 TBI-QOL subscales than the control group (range, P quality of life in a mild TBI military sample. Additional research is recommended to further evaluate the clinical utility of the TBI-QOL scale in both military and civilian settings.

Description and Psychometric Properties of the CP QOL-Teen: A Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents with Cerebral Palsy

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Davis, Elise; Mackinnon, Andrew; Davern, Melanie; Boyd, Roslyn; Bohanna, India; Waters, Elizabeth; Graham, H. Kerr; Reid, Susan; Reddihough, Dinah

2013-01-01

To assess the measurement properties of a new QOL instrument, the Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire-Teen (CP QOL-Teen), in adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) aged 13-18 years, examining domain structure, reliability, validity and adolescent-caregiver concordance. Based on age, 695 eligible families were invited to participate by mail.…

Quality of life (QOL) assessment in patients received carbon ion radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamada, Tadashi; Mizoe, Jun-Etsu; Tsuji, Hiroshi; Yanagi, Tsuyoshi; Miyamoto, Tada-aki; Kato, Hirotoshi; Oono, Tatsuya; Yamada, Shigeru; Tsujii, Hirohiko

2003-01-01

Until February 2003, a total of 1,463 patients were enrolled in clinical trials of carbon ion radiotherapy. Most of the patients had locally advanced and/or medically inoperable tumors. The clinical trials revealed that carbon ion radiotherapy provided definite local control and offered a survival advantage without unacceptable morbidity in a variety of tumors that were hard to cure by other modalities. In this study, quality of life (QOL) outcomes of patients with unresectable bone and soft tissue sarcoma after carbon ion radiotherapy are investigated. (author)

Neuro-QOL

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Lai, J.-S.; Nowinski, C.J.; Victorson, D.; Peterman, A.; Miller, D.; Bethoux, F.; Heinemann, A.; Rubin, S.; Cavazos, J.E.; Reder, A.T.; Sufit, R.; Simuni, T.; Holmes, G.L.; Siderowf, A.; Wojna, V.; Bode, R.; McKinney, N.; Podrabsky, T.; Wortman, K.; Choi, S.; Gershon, R.; Rothrock, N.; Moy, C.

2012-01-01

Objective: To address the need for brief, reliable, valid, and standardized quality of life (QOL) assessment applicable across neurologic conditions. Methods: Drawing from larger calibrated item banks, we developed short measures (8–9 items each) of 13 different QOL domains across physical, mental, and social health and evaluated their validity and reliability. Three samples were utilized during short form development: general population (Internet-based, n = 2,113); clinical panel (Internet-based, n = 553); and clinical outpatient (clinic-based, n = 581). All short forms are expressed as T scores with a mean of 50 and SD of 10. Results: Internal consistency (Cronbach α) of the 13 short forms ranged from 0.85 to 0.97. Correlations between short form and full-length item bank scores ranged from 0.88 to 0.99 (0.82–0.96 after removing common items from banks). Online respondents were asked whether they had any of 19 different chronic health conditions, and whether or not those reported conditions interfered with ability to function normally. All short forms, across physical, mental, and social health, were able to separate people who reported no health condition from those who reported 1–2 or 3 or more. In addition, scores on all 13 domains were worse for people who acknowledged being limited by the health conditions they reported, compared to those who reported conditions but were not limited by them. Conclusion: These 13 brief measures of self-reported QOL are reliable and show preliminary evidence of concurrent validity inasmuch as they differentiate people based upon number of reported health conditions and whether those reported conditions impede normal function. PMID:22573626

Quality of Life (QoL) Survey in Hong Kong: Understanding the Importance of Housing Environment and Needs of Residents from Different Housing Sectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Gou, Zhonghua; Xie, Xiaohuan; Lu, Yi; Khoshbakht, Maryam

2018-01-27

This study presents a Quality of Life (QoL) survey to understand the influence of the housing environment and needs of residents from different housing sectors. The research focuses on Hong Kong where living conditions have become the main affect for people's QoL. Through a household survey using a standard instrument "Word Health Organisation (WHO) Quality of Life-BREF", the article found that among the four WHO QoL domains (Physical Health, Psychological Health, Social Relations And Environment), Environment, particularly its constitute aspect housing environment was the most influential factor for overall quality of life for the public rental housing sector where low-income people live. This research also found that different groups of people have differing needs of their housing environments: the low-income group needs better location and privacy while the medium and high-income groups need better architectural quality. Based on differentiating their needs and wants, this research argues for prioritizing the low-income group's needs for effectively improving their QoL.

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD): Prevalence and impact on quality of life (QoL).

Science.gov (United States)

Nappi, Rossella E; Cucinella, Laura; Martella, Silvia; Rossi, Margherita; Tiranini, Lara; Martini, Ellis

2016-12-01

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and quality of life (QOL) are both multidimensional and have a bidirectional relationship across the reproductive life span and beyond. Methodological difficulties exist in estimating the real prevalence of FSD because it is hard to determine the level of distress associated with sexual symptoms in a large-scale survey. Approximately 40-50% of all women report at least one sexual symptom, and some conditions associated with hormonal changes at menopause, such as vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA) and hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), have a significant impact on sexual function and QOL. Sexual distress peaks at midlife, declines with age and is strongly partner-related. Many postmenopausal women are still sexually active, especially if they are in a stable partnership. Even though sexual functioning is impaired, a variety of psychosocial factors may maintain sexual satisfaction. That being so, health care providers (HCPs) should proactively address sexual symptoms at midlife and in older women, from a balanced perspective. Adequate counselling should be offered. Women with distressing symptoms may benefit from tailored hormonal and non-hormonal therapies, whereas women without distress related to their sexual experiences should not receive any specific treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

[The relationship of quality of life (QOL) with physical fitness, competence and stress response in elderly in Japan].

Science.gov (United States)

Uemura, Shinichi; Machida, Kazuhiki

2003-09-01

In order to evaluate the relationship of quality of life (QOL) with physical fitness, competence and stress response in the elderly population in Japan, a cross sectional field survey of elderly subjects was conducted. This survey was taken in Naguri village, Saitama. The data collected included physical fitness, competence, stress response and QOL in addition to demographic variables. As for physical fitness indexes, grip strength (GS), single leg balance with eyes closed (SLB), bar grip ping reaction time (RT), trunk flexion (RF), ten-meter walking time (WT) and vital capacity (VC) were measured. The SF-36 was used for QOL assessment. A total of 120 elderly subjected participated to the survey. There were 42 males (73.5 +/- 5.74 years) and 78 females (74.2 +/- 6.17 years). The associations between physical health parameters in SF-36 and WT were highly significant: physical functioning (beta = -2.96, p fit indexes of the structural equation model describing the relationships among physical fitness, competence, stress response and QOL indicated excellent fit to the data with GFI = 0.95 and AGFI = 0.88. Stress response showed relatively stronger influence on QOL than physical fitness or competence. Although there were slight differences in degree of influence, physical fitness, stress response and competence were found to be clearly related to QOL in elderly subjects. To keep good QOL status, it is important to maintain good physical fitness and level of competence and to reduce stress response.

Effects of Aqua Exercises Towards Improving The Quality of Life (QoL) of Obese Women in Malaysia

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Karim, Noor Liyana Binti; Jalil, Asma Diyana binti Abd; Hasri, Noor Haninah Binti; Rahman, Hezlin Aryani Binti Abd; Shari, Maisarah Binti; Idris, Nur Izzati Binti

2018-05-01

Aqua exercise is a form of water exercise, done in the water which is beneficial for weight loss as well as improving the quality of life. It is suitable for all age group and fitness levels whereby due to the water buoyancy makes it easier to perform exercises especially for obese and knee-injured people. However, there was not much study done to measure the effectiveness of the aqua exercises in improving the quality life. Thus, this study aims to investigate and compare the effectiveness of aqua exercises towards obese women within eight domains of the Quality of Life (QoL). This study uses the 36-Items Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire and a purposive sample of 61 participants to measure the effectiveness of the aqua exercise before and after 36 days of aqua workout. As the nature of the data collected was not normally distributed, hence the Wilcoxon signed rank test was used as the statistical method of analysis. The findings of this study showed that there was a significant difference between the overall QoL pre and post since the p-value physical functioning, general health, social functioning, mental health, and health transition were the domains showing significant difference between the pre and post-test (p-value < 0.05), and where majority of the participants showed a significant improvement after the aqua workouts. Thus, it can be concluded that aqua exercises is effective in improving the general QoL of obese women.

Is the content of the Chinese Quality of Life Instrument (ChQOL) really valid in the context of traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong?

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Wendy; Lam, Cindy L K; Leung, K F; Zhao, L

2009-01-01

Content validity is crucial in quality of life instrument development but there is very little literature on this in Chinese culture. The Chinese Quality of Life Instrument (ChQOL) was developed in Mainland China to capture the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) concepts specific to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the content validity of ChQOL in a Chinese population whose spoken dialect and health-care system are different from those of Mainland China to find out whether the instrument is generalizable. 8 TCM practitioners and 10 patients rated the clarity, relevance and appropriateness of each of the 50 items of the ChQOL (HK version), and completed qualitative cognitive debriefing interviews. The content of ChQOL was rated valid by TCM practitioners with CVIs on clarity, relevance and appropriateness ranging from 80 to 100%. 49 out of 50 items were well understood by patients, but 12 items had CVI on relevance and 5 items had CVI on appropriateness lower than 70% among patients. After reviewing the patients and TCM practitioners' opinions, revisions were made for three items (2, 8 and 29) to form the ChQOL (HK version)-2008. In general, the ChQOL was found to be too long which called for shorter version. The content of ChQOL was shown to be really valid in the context of Chinese Medicine for Cantonese speaking Chinese. There was some discrepancy between the judgments of TCM practitioners and patients indicating the importance of evaluation by both experts and lay persons.

Validation of the quality of life-radiation therapy instrument (QOL-RTI) in patients receiving definitive radiation therapy for locally advanced prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwede, Clement; Friedland, Jay L.; Johnson, Darlene J.; Casey, Linda; Cantor, Alan; Sauder, Bonnie; Beres, Kathleen L.

1996-01-01

Purpose/Objective: The incidence of prostate cancer has tripled over the last 10 years, doubled over the last four years and continues to increase. A common method of treating prostate cancer is with external beam radiotherapy with or without hormones. Accurate and comprehensive documentation through prospective studies with long term follow-up is necessary to reduce the negative impact of treatment on a patient's quality of life. While it is increasingly recognized that radiation therapy treatment for prostate cancer may result in permanent alteration of the patient's quality of life, the extent and timing of this change in quality of life has not been adequately investigated in a comprehensive and prospective manner. Furthermore, there are limited instruments developed for use with patients undergoing definitive radiotherapy. The purpose of this paper is to report on the validation of the Quality of Life Radiation Therapy Instrument (QOL-RTI), a 24-item visual analogue general quality of life tool developed for use with patients receiving radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Health related quality of life was assessed in a prospective study of 62 patients treated with either combined hormonal therapy (HT) plus external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) or EBRT alone for locally advanced prostate cancer. Quality life was measured prospectively before, during, and after radiation therapy. Results: The estimated reliability of the subscales was assessed with coefficient alpha which ranged from 0.57 to 0.68. Internal consistency was calculated using initial questionnaires for the entire sample, yielding a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82. Test-retest produced a correlation coefficient of 0.75 (p<0.0001) [n=60]. Construct validity was assessed by a repeated measures design to look for time effect, group effect, group and time interaction effect. We examined quality of life total scores, subscale total scores and performance status scores for patients who were treated with HT+ EBRT and

Improvement of Quality of Life (QOL in Osteoporotic Patients by Elcatonin Treatment: A Trial Taking the Participants’ Preference into Account

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K. Yoh

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Osteoporosis is associated with compromised quality of life (QOL, to which pain has the most important contribution. Elcatonin, a derivative of calcitonin, is widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis in two ways. One is as the inhibitor of osteoclastic bone resorption. The other is for osteoporosis-related pain based on the unique analgesic effects of elcatonin. Since pain is subjective in nature, and QOL is the only clinical outcome representing the patients’ subjective perception of health status, pain associated with osteoporosis would be best evaluated based on QOL assessment. Evidence based medicine gives the highest remarks to the double-blinded, randomized controlled trial, which, however, cannot be free from methodological problems on some occasions. For example, it is practically impossible to remain blinded in the trial of a potent analgesia, which in turn causes biases. Thus, the significance of taking the patients’ preference into account is increasingly acknowledged. In this study, 45 osteoporotic patients were given brochures describing the pros and cons on the three treatment choices; calcium and alfacalcidol, additional use of elcatonin, and additional use of bisphosphonate. Those who favored elcatonin were older, had more vertebral fractures, and lower QOL scores. QOL was evaluated before and three months after the treatment using SF-8; the most widely used generic questionnaire, and RDQ; a lumbago-specific measure. Elcatonin treatment improved physical function, general health, and vitality of SF-8, and RDQ score. Although this is a preliminary study, our results suggest that patients with vertebral fracture(s have impaired QOL and more likely to favor elcatonin treatment expecting analgesia.

The QOL-DASS Model to Estimate Overall Quality of Life and General Health

OpenAIRE

Mehrdad Mazaheri

2011-01-01

"n Objective: In order to find how rating the WHOQOL-BREF and DASS scales are combined to produce an overall measure of quality of life and satisfaction with health rating, a QOL-DASS model was designed ; and the strength of this hypothesized model was examined using the structural equation modeling "n "nMethod: Participants included a sample of 103 voluntary males who were divided into two groups of unhealthy (N=55) and healthy (N=48). To assess satisfaction and negative  emotions of depress...

Factor Structure of the Schalock and Keith Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL-Q): Validation on Mexican and Spanish Samples

Science.gov (United States)

Caballo, C.; Crespo, M.; Jenaro, C.; Verdugo, M. A.; Martinez, J. L.

2005-01-01

Background: The Quality of Life Questionnaire (QOL-Q) is used widely to evaluate the quality of life of persons with intellectual disability (ID). Its validity for use with Spanish-speaking cultures has been demonstrated for individuals with visual disabilities, but not for those with physical or intellectual disabilities. Such was the purpose of…

Caring for a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Parents' Quality of Life: Application of the CarerQol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.J. Hoefman (Renske); N. Payakachat (Nalin); N.J.A. van Exel (Job); K.A. Kuhlthau (Karen); E.M. Kovacs (Erica); J.M. Pyne (Jeffrey); J.M. Tilford (John Mick)

2014-01-01

textabstractThis study describes the impact of caregiving on parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Secondly, we investigate construct validation of the care-related quality of life instrument (CarerQol) measuring impact of caregiving. Primary caregivers of children with ASDs

Factors that influence the QOL of cancer patients who have undergone radiotherapy as outpatients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senuma, Maiko; Shinoda, Shizuyo; Kitada, Yoko; Takei, Akemi; Kanda, Kiyoko; Seyama, Ruka; Igarashi, Reiko

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the factors that influence the QOL of cancer patients who have undergone radiotherapy in the outpatient setting. The patient's quality of life (QOL) was investigated by using the QOL evaluation standard functional assessment of cancer therapy-general (FACT-G) in 73 cancer patients (mean age 64.2±12.2 yrs standard deviation (SD)) who had undergone radiotherapy as outpatients. The mean QOL score was 74.8±17.1 pointy, and a significant difference was seen in about 25 items as a result of examining the factors that influenced the patient's QOL. In addition, a stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that the factors which influenced the QOL were the operation due to the original disease, social support (excluding the family), tiredness, relapse and the metastasis, performance status (PS), uneasiness of presence in descending order of influence. The results revealed the strong influence of psychological, mental and social factors on the QOL score. From the patient of view of nursing support for cancer patients, screening for these factors may allow earlier detection of any decrease in the QOL, or identify when the QOL has already decreased. Furthermore, support should be initiated at as early a stage as possible. (author)

The QOL-DASS Model to Estimate Overall Quality of Life and General Subjective Health

OpenAIRE

Mazaheri, Mehrdad

2011-01-01

Objective In Order to find how rating the WHOQOL-BREF and DASS scales are combined to produce an overall measure of quality of life and satisfaction with health rating, a QOL-DASS model was designed; and the strength of this hypothesized model was examined using the structural equation modeling. Method Participants included a sample of 103 voluntary males who were divided into two groups of unhealthy (N=55) and healthy (N=48). To assess satisfaction and negative emotions of depression, anxiet...

Evaluation of QOL in cancer patients treated with radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Takeo; Machida, Kikuo; Honda, Norinari; Hosono, Makoto; Murata, Osamu; Osada, Hisato; Omichi, Masahide

2002-01-01

Evaluation of quality of life (QOL) in cancer patients is an important theme. However, we do not have an established method to assess QOL in cancer patients during radiotherapy in Japan. We evaluated both the changes of QOL and the factors affecting QOL in radiotherapy patients. Three hundred fifty-five cancer patients, who filled in a questionnaire at the beginning, middle, and end of radiotherapy between 1998 and 2001, were studied. We used The QOL Questionnaire for Cancer Patients Treated with Anticancer Drugs (QOL-ACD)'' devised by Kurihara et al, the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The QOL Questionnaire had five categories: physical activity, physical condition, mental state, social interaction, and face scale. The total score, sum of the score of five categories, were established synthetically (maximum score is 110). The mean of total QOL scores were 75.8, 77.6, and 78.2 at the beginning, middle, and end of radiotherapy respectively. Patients with symptoms related to cancer had apparent improvement of QOL score. Patients receiving chemotherapy had a decreased QOL score at the end of radiotherapy. The score of physical condition was reduced improvement. It was suggested that radiotherapy could be performed without losing QOL of cancer patients, including older patients. However, patients receiving chemotherapy and those with head and neck cancer may lose their QOL, therefore, we should treat such patients carefully. (author)

Romanian Translation and Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the SarQol Questionnaire

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Ildiko Gasparik Andrea

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss is emerging as a major public health concern. A reduced quality of life (QoL due to impaired physical performance associated with this disease has been evidenced in these individuals. Generic instruments, such as Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36, do not accurately assess the impact of sarcopenia on QoL. SarQol (Sarcopenia Quality of Life questionnaire, was the first disease-specific questionnaire addressing quality of life in patients with sarcopenia and has been recently designed for providing a global picture on quality of life in community-dwelling elderly subjects aged 65 years and older. Our aim was the translation and cultural adaptation of the original SarQol, to finally obtain a highly reliable instrument for the assessment of the quality of life of Romanian patients, affected by sarcopenia. We followed the recommended process, the international protocol of translation. The pretest process involved 20 subjects (10 sarcopenic and 10 non sarcopenic with different educational and socioeconomic backgrounds who were asked to complete the questionnaire. Feedbacks were requested from all subjects regarding the clearness of questions, difficulties in completing the test or understanding the meaning of questions. Using the recommended best practice protocol for translation, the pre-final version is comparable with the original instrument in terms of content and accuracy. After the validation of psychometric properties, it should be a useful tool to assess Quality of Life and sarcopenia among elderly romanian patients.

Cultural adaptation and validation of the Neuropathy - and Foot Ulcer - Specific Quality of Life instrument (NeuroQol for Brazilian Portuguese - Phase 1 Adaptación cultural y validación del Neuropathy - and Foot Ulcer - Specific Quality of Life (NeuroQol para el idioma portugués de Brasil - Fase 1 Adaptação cultural e validação do Neuropathy - and Foot Ulcer - Specific Quality of Life (NeuroQol para a língua portuguesa do Brasil - Fase 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonia Tayana da Franca Xavier

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This methodological study aimed to adapt the Neuropathy - and Foot Ulcer - Specific Quality of Life instrument - NeuroQol to Brazilian Portuguese and to analyze its psychometric properties. Participants were 50 people with peripheral diabetic neuropathy and foot ulcers. The floor and ceiling effects, the convergent and discriminant validity and the reliability were analyzed. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to test the reliability and the Pearson’s correlation coefficient to estimate the convergent validity, the Student’s t test was used to evaluate the discriminant validity in the comparison of the NeuroQol scores between participants with and without ulcers. Floor and ceiling effects were found in some domains of the NeuroQol. The reliability was satisfactory. The correlations between the domains of the NeuroQol and the SF-36 were negative, significant and of moderate to strong magnitude. The findings show that the Brazilian version of the NeuroQol is reliable and valid and may be employed as a useful tool for improving nursing care for people with DM.Estudio metodológico que tuvo como objetivos adaptar el Neuropathy - and Foot Ulcer - Specific Quality of Life - NeuroQol para el idioma portugués de Brasil y analizar sus propiedades psicométricas. Participaron 50 personas con neuropatía diabética periférica y úlceras en los pies. Fueron analizados los efectos floor y ceiling, la validez convergente, la discriminante y la confiabilidad. Fue utilizado el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach para comprobar la confiabilidad y la correlación de Pearson para estimar la validez convergente; el test t-Student fue empleado para evaluar la validez discriminante en la comparación de los puntajes del NeuroQol entre los participantes con y sin úlceras. Se constataron efectos floor y ceiling en algunos dominios del NeuroQol. La confiabilidad fue satisfactoria. Las correlaciones entre los dominios del NeuroQol y SF-36 fueron negativas

Pre-diagnosis quality of life (QoL) in patients with hematuria : Comparison of bladder cancer with other causes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goossens-Laan, C.A.; Kil, P.J.M.; Bosch, J.L.; de Vries, J.

2013-01-01

Purpose To examine quality of life (QoL), health status, sexual function, and anxiety in patients with primary hematuria who later appear to have bladder cancer (BC) and patients with other diagnoses. Methods From July 2007 to July 2010, 598 patients with primary hematuria were enrolled in this

Quality of life in patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), assessed using the IBS-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) measure after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment with mebeverine hydrochloride or pinaverium bromide: results of an international prospective observational cohort study in Poland, Egypt, Mexico and China.

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Xiaohua; Chen, Shengliang; Zhang, Yali; Sha, Weihong; Yu, Xiaofeng; Elsawah, Hesham; Afifi, Afifi Fahmy; El-Khayat, Hisham Raafat; Nouh, Alaa; Hassan, Mohamed Fathalla; Fatah, Ayman Abdel; Rucker Joerg, Isabel; Sánchez Núñez, Juan Manuel; Osthoff Rueda, Rodolfo; Jurkowska, Grazyna; Walczak, Michal; Malecka-Panas, Ewa; Linke, Krzysztof; Hartleb, Marek; Janssen-van Solingen, Gwendolyn

2014-11-01

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) has a substantial impact on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) but high-quality data pre- and post-treatment using the IBS-Quality of Life (IBS-QOL) measure are limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes from baseline of the IBS-QOL scores, symptom scores and health economic data in IBS patients, after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment with mebeverine hydrochloride or pinaverium bromide. This was a prospective observational cohort study in patients with IBS, diagnosed using the Rome III criteria in four countries (Poland, Egypt, Mexico and China). A total of 607 patients were enrolled. At baseline, the IBS-QOL total scores were 52.0 in Poland, 48.9 in Egypt, 51.9 in Mexico, 76.4 in China and 56.4 overall. Increases in IBS-QOL total score were statistically significant at Weeks 4 and 8 overall and in each country (overall: 11.8 at Week 4, 24.3 at Week 8; p < 0.001). Improvements were shown in all IBS-QOL subscales and scores. Symptoms and health economic outcomes were improved. Furthermore, the favourable safety profile of these treatments was confirmed in this study. This study demonstrated that IBS patients have a substantially reduced HR-QoL and that treatment with mebeverine hydrochloride or pinaverium bromide improved HR-QoL.

Caring for a Child with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Parents' Quality of Life: Application of the CarerQol

Science.gov (United States)

Hoefman, Renske; Payakachat, Nalin; van Exel, Job; Kuhlthau, Karen; Kovacs, Erica; Pyne, Jeffrey; Tilford, J. Mick

2014-01-01

This study describes the impact of caregiving on parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Secondly, we investigate construct validation of the care-related quality of life instrument (CarerQol) measuring impact of caregiving. Primary caregivers of children with ASDs were included. Many parents experienced considerable problems…

Effects of music and art education in early life and oral functions on the QOL of the Takarazuka Revue Company OG compared with general elderly females.

Science.gov (United States)

Masutani, Takiko; Yamamoto, Yasuji; Konishi, Junya; Maeda, Kiyoshi

2010-03-01

Today, Japan is becoming a super-aged society, with senior citizens already constituting over 21% of the population. In this situation, the question of how elderly people can extend their lives and enjoy independent lifestyles is becoming more important. The present study aims to clarify the relationship between the Quality of Life (QOL) of elderly females and their current oral functions and experiences of music and art education in early life. We carried out a survey study focusing on elderly females (Takarazuka Revue Company OG group and general female group) by carrying out a questionnaire survey and comparing cognitive function, oral examinations, cerebral atrophy in magnetic resonance imaging, and other characteristics. It was shown that the Takarazuka Revue Company OG group had greater hippocampal volumes and significantly higher cognitive functions than the general female group. In addition, in the general female group, there was a significant correlation between a decrease in the number of remaining teeth and a decrease in activities in daily living, but in the Takarazuka Revue Company OG group, no such correlation was observed. The results showed that those who have received art education as part of their careers over an extensive period since early life have higher levels of cognitive function, QOL, physical activity, social activity and life satisfaction compared with the general female group; showing that they sense a purpose in life and live with a positive attitude. In contrast, in the general female group, those who have continued to enjoy hobbies have higher levels of cognitive function, QOL, physical activity, social activity and life satisfaction than those who have not, thus showing that they live with a positive attitude.

Quality of life (QoL) and neurotoxicity in germ-cell cancer survivors (GCCS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lauritsen, J.; Bandak, Mikkel; Mortensen, M. S.

2016-01-01

Background: The majority of patients with testicular cancer become long-term survivors. However, treatment is associated with late effects which may hamper QoL. The aims of the present study were to assess the impact of treatment on long-term QoL and evaluate the influence of neurotoxicity on Qo...

Development and validation of the positive affect and well-being scale for the neurology quality of life (Neuro-QOL) measurement system.

Science.gov (United States)

Salsman, John M; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W; Peterman, Amy H; Heinemann, Allen W; Nowinski, Cindy; Cella, David

2013-11-01

To develop and validate an item-response theory-based patient-reported outcomes assessment tool of positive affect and well-being (PAW). This is part of a larger NINDS-funded study to develop a health-related quality of life measurement system across major neurological disorders, called Neuro-QOL. Informed by a literature review and qualitative input from clinicians and patients, item pools were created to assess PAW concepts. Items were administered to a general population sample (N = 513) and a group of individuals with a variety of neurologic conditions (N = 581) for calibration and validation purposes, respectively. A 23-item calibrated bank and a 9-item short form of PAW was developed, reflecting components of positive affect, life satisfaction, or an overall sense of purpose and meaning. The Neuro-QOL PAW measure demonstrated sufficient unidimensionality and displayed good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, model fit, convergent and discriminant validity, and responsiveness. The Neuro-QOL PAW measure was designed to aid clinicians and researchers to better evaluate and understand the potential role of positive health processes for individuals with chronic neurological conditions. Further psychometric testing within and between neurological conditions, as well as testing in non-neurologic chronic diseases, will help evaluate the generalizability of this new tool.

Neuro-QOL: brief measures of health-related quality of life for clinical research in neurology.

Science.gov (United States)

Cella, D; Lai, J-S; Nowinski, C J; Victorson, D; Peterman, A; Miller, D; Bethoux, F; Heinemann, A; Rubin, S; Cavazos, J E; Reder, A T; Sufit, R; Simuni, T; Holmes, G L; Siderowf, A; Wojna, V; Bode, R; McKinney, N; Podrabsky, T; Wortman, K; Choi, S; Gershon, R; Rothrock, N; Moy, C

2012-06-05

To address the need for brief, reliable, valid, and standardized quality of life (QOL) assessment applicable across neurologic conditions. Drawing from larger calibrated item banks, we developed short measures (8-9 items each) of 13 different QOL domains across physical, mental, and social health and evaluated their validity and reliability. Three samples were utilized during short form development: general population (Internet-based, n = 2,113); clinical panel (Internet-based, n = 553); and clinical outpatient (clinic-based, n = 581). All short forms are expressed as T scores with a mean of 50 and SD of 10. Internal consistency (Cronbach α) of the 13 short forms ranged from 0.85 to 0.97. Correlations between short form and full-length item bank scores ranged from 0.88 to 0.99 (0.82-0.96 after removing common items from banks). Online respondents were asked whether they had any of 19 different chronic health conditions, and whether or not those reported conditions interfered with ability to function normally. All short forms, across physical, mental, and social health, were able to separate people who reported no health condition from those who reported 1-2 or 3 or more. In addition, scores on all 13 domains were worse for people who acknowledged being limited by the health conditions they reported, compared to those who reported conditions but were not limited by them. These 13 brief measures of self-reported QOL are reliable and show preliminary evidence of concurrent validity inasmuch as they differentiate people based upon number of reported health conditions and whether those reported conditions impede normal function.

Self-initiated coping with Tourette's syndrome: Effect of tic suppression on QOL.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuda, Natsumi; Kono, Toshiaki; Nonaka, Maiko; Fujio, Miyuki; Kano, Yukiko

2016-02-01

Because of the semi-voluntary nature of tics, patients with Tourette' syndrome (TS) often report self-initiated coping with tics. Our goals were to understand the experiences of self-initiated coping with tics by individuals with TS (e.g., suppression frequency, suppression ability, and side effects of tic suppression), and investigate the effects of tic control on quality of life (QOL). One hundred participants with TS (38 children and 62 adults) answered a questionnaire concerning tic control, QOL, and other clinical characteristics. Fifty-eight percent of the participants always or frequently tried to suppress tics daily. In contrast, over 90% felt uncomfortable or incomplete when they suppressed tics and needed concentration or extra effort to suppress them. Thirty-four percent could suppress tics for less than one minute and 65% could suppress tics for less than 10min. Higher subjective satisfaction with tic control was positively correlated with life satisfaction and QOL. Individuals with TS often attempt self-initiated coping in their daily lives, especially through tic suppression, despite experiencing subjective discomfort and being aware that the duration of tic suppression is often limited. Moreover, it was found that their subjective satisfaction with tic control and effective tic suppression might have a positive influence on their life satisfaction and QOL. Thus, self-initiated coping with tics is vital for improving the QOL of individuals with TS and intervention aimed at enhancing subjective satisfaction with tic control could help manage TS. Copyright © 2015 The Japanese Society of Child Neurology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Hyposalivation on Quality of Life (QoL and Oral Health in the Aging Population of Al Madinah Al Munawarrah

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad S. Ahmad

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Hyposalivation (HS affects aging individuals by causing pain and discomfort in the oral cavity. The aim here was to determine the impact of hyposalivation and the saliva pH on the quality of life and caries status of geriatrics population. A total of 138 male outpatients attending the Taibah University College of Dentistry (TUCoD dental clinic were included in the study. The saliva flow, pH, Quality of Life (QoL, and caries status were recorded. The QoL was measured using the Arabic version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14, and the caries status was recorded using the Decayed, Missed, Filled Teeth (DMFT index. The mean age was 67.5 years and 64% were classified as having hyposalivation. The older respondents tended to have a lower saliva flow and pH compared to their younger counterparts. There was a significant inverse association (p = 0.02 between the caries status and mean saliva flow rate. There was also a significant (p < 0.001 positive correlation between caries and the OHIP-14 scores (Spearman’s ρ = 0.293. The prevalence of hyposalivation was relatively high and there was an inverse relationship between the age, the saliva flow, and pH. Those with more caries reported significantly poor QoL.

Meaning in life and perceived quality of life in Switzerland: results of a representative survey in the German, French and Italian regions.

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Bernard, Mathieu; Braunschweig, Giliane; Fegg, Martin Johannes; Borasio, Gian Domenico

2015-09-29

analysis highlights the positive and significant influence of MIL on the perceived QOL in a representative sample of a general, multilingual and multicultural population. This result indicates that the existential dimension is not only determinant for QOL in some critical life events, as shown e.g. in psycho-oncology and palliative care, but also in everyday life.

Which factors determine our quality of life, health and ability? Results from a Danish population sample and the Copenhagen perinatal cohort.

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Ventegodt, Søren; Flensborg-Madsen, Trine; Andersen, Niels Jørgen; Merrick, Joav

2008-07-01

To examine the statistical associations between Global Quality of Life (QOL) and a series of indicators representing health, ability, philosophy of life, sexuality, quality of working life and other medically relevant aspects of life. Cross-sectional comparative study using the self-administered SEQOL questionnaire. The Quality of Life Research Center, the University Hospital Copenhagen, Denmark. (1) A representative sample of 2,500 Danes (18-88 years) randomly selected from the CPR register, (2) Follow-up survey of members of the Copenhagen Perinatal Birth Cohort, 4,648 Danes (31-33 years). The associations were measured qualitatively as well as quantitatively calculating the difference in percentage and using the method of weight modified linear regression. QOL, measured by SEQOL (self-evaluation of quality of life), containing eight global QOL measures: well-being, life-satisfaction, happiness, fulfillment of needs, experience of temporal and spatial domains, expression of life's potentials and objective factors. Strongest was the association between QOL, overall view of life (41.5% / 59.1%), relationship to self (39.3% / 56.8%), partner (32.2% / 31.7%) and friends (33.3% / 42.7%). Different aspects of physical as well as psychological health were also strongly correlated with QOL: self-perceived physical health (33.2% /29.4%), satisfaction with own health (27.3% / 29.0%), self-perceived mental health (38.4/51.0), number of severe health problems (29.8% / 35.3%). Objective factors such as income, age, sex, weight and social group did not have any noteworthy relationship to QOL, and neither did lifestyle factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, drug use, exercise, and diet. It seems that the factors important for present QOL and health is derived from good relations, with the close as well as the distant world, and overall view of life. What one possesses in objective terms--money, status, work--does not seem to be important to global quality of life and

Quality-of-Life (QOL during Screening for Phase 1 Trial Studies in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors and Its Impact on Risk for Serious Adverse Events

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Sidra Anwar

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background: Serious adverse events (SAEs and subject replacements occur frequently in phase 1 oncology clinical trials. Whether baseline quality-of-life (QOL or social support can predict risk for SAEs or subject replacement among these patients is not known. Methods: Between 2011–2013, 92 patients undergoing screening for enrollment into one of 22 phase 1 solid tumor clinical trials at Roswell Park Cancer Institute were included in this study. QOL Questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30 and FACT-G, Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey (MOSSSS, Charlson comorbidity scores (CCS and Royal Marsden scores (RMS were obtained at baseline. Frequency of dose limiting toxicities (DLTs, subject replacement and SAEs that occurred within the first 4 cycles of treatment were recorded. Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test were used to study the association between categorical and continuous variables, respectively. A linear transformation was used to standardize QOL scores. p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Baseline QOL, MOSSSS, CCS and RMS were not associated with subject replacement nor DLTs. Baseline EORTC QLQ-C30 scores were significantly lower among patients who encountered SAEs within the first 4 cycles (p = 0.04. Conclusions: Lower (worse EORTC QLQ-C30 score at baseline is associated with SAE occurrence during phase 1 oncology trials.

Predictors of family caregiver ratings of patient quality of life in Alzheimer disease: cross-sectional results from the Canadian Alzheimer's Disease Quality of Life Study.

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Naglie, Gary; Hogan, David B; Krahn, Murray; Black, Sandra E; Beattie, B Lynn; Patterson, Christopher; Macknight, Chris; Freedman, Morris; Borrie, Michael; Byszewski, Anna; Bergman, Howard; Streiner, David; Irvine, Jane; Ritvo, Paul; Comrie, Janna; Kowgier, Matthew; Tomlinson, George

2011-10-01

To assess whether the core symptoms of Alzheimer disease (AD) and caregiver factors consistently predict family caregiver ratings of patient quality of life (QOL) as assessed by a variety of QOL measures in a large national sample. : Cross-sectional. Fifteen dementia and geriatric clinics across Canada. : Family caregivers (n = 412) of community-living patients with AD of all severities. Caregiver ratings of patient QOL using three utility indexes, the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, Quality of Well-Being Scale and Health Utilities Index; a global QOL visual analogue scale; a disease-specific measure, the Quality of Life-Alzheimer's Disease; and a generic health status measure, the Short Form-36. Patient cognition was assessed with the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale and Mini-Mental State Examination, function with the Disability Assessment for Dementia, and behavioral and psychological symptoms with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale. Caregiver burden was assessed with the Zarit Burden Interview and caregiver depression with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. One-way analysis of variance and fully adjusted multiple linear regression were used to assess the relationship between patient dementia symptom and caregiver variables with QOL ratings. In multivariable analyses, caregiver ratings of patient function and depressive symptoms were the only consistent independent predictors of caregiver-rated QOL across the QOL measures. Caregiver ratings of patient function and depression were consistent independent predictors of caregiver-rated QOL, using a spectrum of QOL measures, while measures of patient cognition and caregiver burden and depression were not. These findings support the continued use of caregiver ratings as an important source of information about patient QOL and endorse the inclusion in AD clinical trials of caregiver-rated measures of patient function, depression

Personal goals and factors related to QoL in Dutch homeless people: what is the role of goal-related self-efficacy?

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van der Laan, Jorien; Boersma, Sandra N; van Straaten, Barbara; Rodenburg, Gerda; van de Mheen, Dike; Wolf, Judith R L M

2017-05-01

Very little is known about the personal goals of homeless people and how these relate to their quality of life (QoL). By using survey data on 407 homeless adults upon entry to the social relief system in 2011, we examined the personal goals of homeless adults and the association between their perceived goal-related self-efficacy and their QoL. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyse the association between QoL and goal-related self-efficacy, relative to factors contributing to QoL, such as demographic characteristics, socioeconomic resources, health and service use. Results indicate that the majority of homeless adults had at least one personal goal for the coming 6 months and that most goals concerned housing and daily life (94.3%) and finances (83.6%). The QoL of homeless adults appeared to be lower in comparison with general population samples. General goal-related self-efficacy was positively related to QoL (β = 0.09, P = 0.042), independent of socioeconomic resources (i.e. income and housing), health and service use. The strongest predictors of QoL were psychological distress (β = -0.45, P people as the starting point of integrated service programmes and to promote their goal-related self-efficacy by strength-based interventions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Exploring the quality of life (QOL) in the Indian software industry: a public health viewpoint.

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Jha, Ayan; Sadhukhan, Sanjoy Kumar; Velusamy, Saravanan; Banerjee, Gargi; Banerjee, Arpita; Saha, Amitava; Talukdar, Sumit

2012-04-01

Our objectives were to describe the QOL and its determinants among software professionals of Kolkata, and to compare the same according to information technology (IT) and IT-enabled services (ITeS) sub-sectors. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among software professionals of Kolkata applying a two-stage stratified random sampling technique. The WHO QOL BREF questionnaire was administered along with a list of pertinent variables. Overall, the analysis for 338 software professionals (177 IT and 161 ITeS) clearly demonstrated significant differences between mean scores of these two sectors for each of the six outcome domains of WHO QOL BREF. Multilevel multivariate analysis outlined 13 significant predictors of QOL-four positive (age, regular fitness regimes, foreign placements and changing companies frequently) and the rest of the nine, negative (multiple sex partners, multiple addictions, extended working hours, night-shift duties, income, expenditure, carrying office work home, current illness and ITeS company type). Our study helps in obtaining a clear understanding of the multifaceted risk factors prevailing in this sector, the majority of which can be effectively addressed by specific health promotional interventions. A dedicated health policy is mandated at both government and company levels.

A Measure of Suffering in relation to Anxiety and Quality of Life in IBS Patients: Preliminary Results

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Sanda Pletikosić Tončić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS is a chronic gastrointestinal (GI disorder with a severe impact on quality of life (QoL. We explored the relationship of a visual measure of suffering, the PRISM-RII, with quality of life (QoL and anxiety measures in IBS patients. Participants were 44 IBS patients who completed several questionnaires and kept a symptom diary for two weeks. The measures used were PRISM-RII (self-illness separation (SIS; illness perception measure (IPM; IBS-36 (IBS health related QoL; SF-36 (physical and mental health related QoL; State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T; Visceral Sensitivity Index (VSI; GI-specific anxiety; and a symptom diary. SIS was negatively correlated to VSI, while IPM was negatively correlated to SIS and the physical component of SF-36 and positively to VSI and symptom severity. We found significant differences between participants who perceive their illness as small and those who perceive it as medium in SIS, symptom severity, VSI, and the mental component of SF-36. Participants, who perceived their illness as small, represented their illness as more distant, showed lower average symptom severity, and had lower GI-specific anxiety and higher QoL. The results indicate that IPM and SIS can be useful in discriminating patients with more prominent psychological difficulties and QoL impairment.

Quality of life and growth after childhood craniopharyngioma: results of the multinational trial KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2007.

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Heinks, Kerstin; Boekhoff, Svenja; Hoffmann, Anika; Warmuth-Metz, Monika; Eveslage, Maria; Peng, Junxiang; Calaminus, Gabriele; Müller, Hermann L

2018-02-01

Quality of life (QoL) after childhood-onset craniopharyngioma (CP) is frequently impaired due to tumor and/or treatment-related factors such as endocrine deficits and hypothalamic involvement/lesions. In a multinational trial, we prospectively analyzed parental and self-assessment of CP patient QoL at 3 months, 1 and 3 years after CP diagnosis related to growth hormone (GH) substitution. 47 of 194 CP recruited between 2007 and 2015 in KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2007 were analyzed for QoL 1 and 3 years after CP diagnosis. QoL was assessed by Pediatric Quality of Life (PEDQOL) questionnaire and PEDQOL scores of parental and self-assessed QoL during 3 years follow-up after CP diagnosis were analyzed. Parents estimated QoL of their children worse than patients did themselves. GH substitution had no relevant effect on short-term weight and height development. CP patients GH-treated at 3 years follow-up presented at baseline (1 year after diagnosis, before GH substitution) with reduced self-assessed QoL when compared with GH non-treated CP. QoL stabilized during 1-3 years of follow-up in GH-treated patients, whereas non GH-treated patients experienced decreases in autonomy (p = 0.03), cognition (p = 0.01), and physical function (p = 0.04). Parents assess QoL in CP survivors worse than their children. GH substitution should be considered as a therapeutic option to ameliorate imminent impairments of QoL after CP.

Quality of life in patients with prostatic carcinoma: a review and results of a study in N+ disease. Prostate-specific antigen as predictor of quality of life

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van Andel, G.; Kurth, K. H.; de Haes, J. C.

1997-01-01

Clinical evaluation in oncology has typically focused on outcome indicators, while less attention has been paid to how treatment affects quality of life (QOL) of the patient. In this article some general aspects of quality of life are discussed, a short review of published data on QOL in patients

The impact of iron overload and its treatment on quality of life: results from a literature review

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Jones Paula

2006-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To assess the literature for the impact of iron overload and infusion Iron Chelation Therapy (ICT on patients' quality of life (QoL, and the availability of QoL instruments for patients undergoing infusion ICT. Also, to obtain patients' experiences of having iron overload and receiving infusion ICT, and experts' clinical opinions about the impact of treatment on patients' lives. Methods A search of studies published between 1966 and 2004 was conducted using Medline and the Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED. Qualitative results from patient and expert interviews were analysed. Hand searching of relevant conference abstracts completed the search. Results Few studies measuring the impact of ICT with deferoxamine (DFO on patients QoL were located (n = 15. QoL domains affected included: depression; fatigue; dyspnoea; physical functioning; psychological distress; decrease in QoL during hospitalization. One theme in all articles was that oral ICT should improve QoL. No iron overload or ICT-specific QoL instruments were located in the articles. Interviews revealed that the impact of ICT on patients with thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and myelodysplastic syndromes is high. Conclusion A limited number of studies assessed the impact of ICT or iron overload on QoL. All literature suggested a need for easily administered, efficacious and well tolerated oral iron overload treatments, given the impact of current ICT on adherence. Poor adherence to ICT was documented to negatively impact survival. Further research is warranted to continue the qualitative and quantitative study of QoL using validated instruments in patients receiving ICT to further understanding the issues and improve patients QoL.

Psychometrics of the Short Form 36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2 and the Quality of Life Scale for Drug Addicts (QOL-DAv2.0 in Chinese mainland patients with methadone maintenance treatment.

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Kaina Zhou

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To test psychometrics of the Short Form 36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2 and the Quality of Life Scale for Drug Addicts (QOL-DAv2.0 in Chinese mainland patients with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT. METHODS: A total of 1,212 patients were recruited from two MMT clinics in Xi'an, China. Reliability was estimated with Cronbach's α and intra-class correlation (ICC. Convergent and discriminant validity was assessed using multitrait-multimethod correlation matrix. Sensitivity was measured with ANOVA and relative efficiency. Responsiveness was evaluated by pre-post paired-samples t-test and standardized response mean based on the patients' health status changes following 6-month period. RESULTS: Cronbach's α of the SF-36v2 physical and mental summary components were 0.80 and 0.86 (eight scales range 0.73-0.92 and the QOL-DAv2.0 was 0.96 (four scales range: 0.80-0.93. ICC of the SF-36v2 two components were 0.86 and 0.85 (eight scales range: 0.72-0.87 and the QOL-DAv2.0 was 0.94 (four scales range: 0.88-0.92. Convergent validity was lower between the two instruments (γ <0.70 while discriminant validity was acceptable within each instrument. Sensitivity was satisfied in self-evaluated health status (both instruments and average daily methadone dose (SF-36v2 physical functioning and vitality scales; QOL-DAv2.0 except psychology scale. Responsiveness was acceptable in the improved health status change (SF-36v2 except vitality scale; QOL-DAv2.0 except psychology and symptoms scales and deteriorated health status change (SF-36v2 except vitality, social functioning and mental health scales; QOL-DAv2.0 except society scale. CONCLUSIONS: The SF-36v2 and the QOL-DAv2.0 are valid tools and can be used independently or complementary according to different emphases of health-related quality of life evaluation in patients with MMT.

Short and long-term quality of life after reconstruction of bladder exstrophy in infancy: preliminary results of the QUALEX (QUAlity of Life of bladder EXstrophy) study.

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Jochault-Ritz, Sandy; Mercier, Mariette; Aubert, Didier

2010-08-01

The aim of the study was to assess quality of life (QOL) of patients born with bladder exstrophy (BE) and reconstructed during early childhood in 7 French university hospitals (QUALEX study: QUAlity of Life of bladder EXstrophy). Patients from 6 to 42 years old answered self-administered Short-Form 36 (SF-36), VSP-A (Vécu et Santé Perçue de l'Adolescent), VSP-AE (Vécu et Santé Perçue de l'Enfant), AUQUIE (AUto-QUestionnaire Imagé de l'Enfant), and general questionnaires about functional and socioeconomic data. Dimension scores were compared between adults and adolescents using SF-36 and adolescents and children using VSP-AE. Scores were also compared to the general French population. Among the 134 eligible patients, 36 adults, 18 adolescents, and 17 children answered the questionnaire. There was no difference between responders and nonresponders in reconstruction criteria. Continence was achieved in 77% of adults, 65% of adolescents, and 12% of children. Adolescent QOL was globally superior to adults and children. Adult QOL was globally lower than the general population except on the physical dimension. Children's QOL was also globally lower than the general population except for relations with family and school work. Adolescents' scores on SF-36 were superior to the general population but lower on half of the dimensions with VSP-AE. Patients presenting with reconstructed BE have impaired QOL, and functional results seem to be the most likely predictive factor of health-related QOL score. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity and responsiveness of the patient-reported TED-QOL to rehabilitative surgery in thyroid eye disease.

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Fayers, Tessa; Fayers, Peter M; Dolman, Peter J

2016-12-01

We tested the sensitivity and responsiveness of the TED-QOL to rehabilitative surgery in thyroid eye disease (TED). The 3-item TED-QOL and 16-item GO-QOL, which assess quality of life (QoL) in TED, were administered to consecutive patients undergoing rehabilitative surgery. The questionnaires were completed pre-and post-operatively to assess sensitivity (ability to discriminate between different surgical groups) and responsiveness (ability to detect within patient changes over time).56 patients underwent 69 procedures for TED (29 orbital decompressions, 15 strabismus operations, 25 eyelid procedures). The differences in scores between the three types of surgery (a measure of sensitivity) were statistically significant at the 5% level pre-operatively and post-operatively for all 3 TED-QOL scales and for both GO-QOL scales, but much more so for the TED-QOL scales in each case. The within-patient changes between the pre- and post-operative scores for the same subjects (a measure of responsiveness) were statistically very highly significant for the TED-QOL overall and appearance scales for each of the surgeries. The pre- and post-operative difference for the TED-QOL functioning scale was highly statistically significant for strabismus surgery but not for decompression or lid surgery. The change between the pre- and post-operative scores for the GO-QOL was significant for the functioning scale with strabismus and lid surgery, and was highly significant for the appearance scale with lid surgery but not for strabismus surgery or decompression. The 3-item TED-QOL is sensitive and responsive to rehabilitative surgery in TED and compares favorably with the lengthier GO-QOL for these parameters.

The impact of iron overload and its treatment on quality of life: results from a literature review.

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Abetz, Linda; Baladi, Jean-Francois; Jones, Paula; Rofail, Diana

2006-09-28

To assess the literature for the impact of iron overload and infusion Iron Chelation Therapy (ICT) on patients' quality of life (QoL), and the availability of QoL instruments for patients undergoing infusion ICT. Also, to obtain patients' experiences of having iron overload and receiving infusion ICT, and experts' clinical opinions about the impact of treatment on patients' lives. A search of studies published between 1966 and 2004 was conducted using Medline and the Health Economic Evaluation Database (HEED). Qualitative results from patient and expert interviews were analysed. Hand searching of relevant conference abstracts completed the search. Few studies measuring the impact of ICT with deferoxamine (DFO) on patients QoL were located (n = 15). QoL domains affected included: depression; fatigue; dyspnoea; physical functioning; psychological distress; decrease in QoL during hospitalization. One theme in all articles was that oral ICT should improve QoL. No iron overload or ICT-specific QoL instruments were located in the articles. Interviews revealed that the impact of ICT on patients with thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and myelodysplastic syndromes is high. A limited number of studies assessed the impact of ICT or iron overload on QoL. All literature suggested a need for easily administered, efficacious and well tolerated oral iron overload treatments, given the impact of current ICT on adherence. Poor adherence to ICT was documented to negatively impact survival. Further research is warranted to continue the qualitative and quantitative study of QoL using validated instruments in patients receiving ICT to further understanding the issues and improve patients QoL.

Quality of Life After Bariatric Surgery.

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Mazer, Laura M; Azagury, Dan E; Morton, John M

2017-06-01

The purpose of this review is to provide an introduction to quality of life (QOL) outcomes after bariatric surgery and a summary of the current evidence. QOL has been emphasized in bariatric surgery since the NIH Consensus Conference statement in 1991. Initial studies were limited to 1- and 2-year follow-up. More recent findings have expanded the follow-up period up to 12 years, providing a better description of the impact on long-term QOL. Overall, there is little to no consensus regarding the definition of QOL or the ideal survey. Bariatric surgery has the greatest impact on physical QOL, and the impact on mental health remains unclear. There are some specific and less frequently reported threats to quality of life after bariatric surgery that are also discussed. Obesity has a definite impact on quality of life, even without other comorbidities, and surgery for obesity results in significant and lasting improvements in patient-reported quality of life outcomes. This conclusion is limited by a wide variety of survey instruments and absence of consensus on the definition of QOL after bariatric surgery.

Late Life Immigration and Quality of Life among Asian Indian Older Adults.

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Mukherjee, Anita J; Diwan, Sadhna

2016-09-01

Late-life immigration among seniors for purposes of family reunification is a growing phenomenon in developed countries. Using the World Health Organization's Quality of Life instrument short form (WHOQOL-BREF) and other psychosocial measures related to the political/legal context of immigration, and personal and environmental autonomy (mastery, immigration status, access to transportation, and language barrier), this study examined quality of life (QoL) in Asian Indian seniors (N = 109), who immigrated to the United States to reunite with their adult children. The sample scores on Overall QoL and QoL domains (physical and psychological health, social relationships, and environment) were similar to established norms. Although all QoL domains correlated significantly with Overall QoL at the bivariate level, multivariate analysis showed that only environmental domain contributed significantly to Overall QoL. Linear regressions indicated: Mastery contributed significantly to Overall QoL and all QoL domains; access to transport contributed to Overall QoL, physical health, and environmental QoL; immigration status (a proxy for political/legal context) contributed to environmental QoL whereas language barrier contributed to none. Implications for improving perceptions of QoL, mastery, access to transport and other services are discussed.

The Use of COVD-QOL Questionnaire in School Vision Screening

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Nurul Farhana Abu Bakar

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose: To evaluate the application of College of Optometrist in Vision Development (COVD Quality of Life (QOL questionnaire in vision screening for normal school children and children with learning disabilities (LD and to determine appropriate referral-score for different target population. Methods: A total of 90 children (Normal: 45, LD: 45 who attended government primary schools aged between 6 to 12 years old were recruited. An interview session with normal children and parents or teachers in children with LD was made to determine visual symptoms using shorter version of COVD-QOL questionnaire. A comprehensive eye examination was performed after completion of the questionnaire. The evaluation was made base on the sensitivity and specificity for detection of refractive error, amblyopia, strabismus, vergence and accommodative disorders. Results: The mean score for normal children and children with LD were 22.47±10.75 and 12.24±8.72 respectively. Rapidity of the test in normal children and children with LD were 177.27±9.52 seconds and 162.16±16.58 seconds respectively. In normal children referral score of =20 showed highest sensitivity (66.7% and specificity (95.8% for detection of amblyopia. Sensitivity and specificity for referral-score of =20, =10 and =4 for detection of overall vision problems in children with LD were (20.4%, 100.0%, (54.5%, 100.0% and (81.8%, 100.0% respectively. Conclusion: COVD-QOL questionnaire was recommended as an easy, rapid and cost-effective tool for school vision screening. Different referral-score was suggested for different target population.

Health-related quality of life and life satisfaction in colorectal cancer survivors: trajectories of adjustment.

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Dunn, Jeff; Ng, Shu Kay; Breitbart, William; Aitken, Joanne; Youl, Pip; Baade, Peter D; Chambers, Suzanne K

2013-03-14

This longitudinal study describes the five year trajectories of health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) and life satisfaction in long term colorectal cancer survivors. A population-based sample of 1966 colorectal cancer survivors were surveyed at six time points from five months to five years post-diagnosis. Predictor variables were: socio-demographic variables, optimism; cancer threat appraisal; perceived social support. Quality of life was assessed with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Colorectal (HR-QOL); and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. Growth mixture models were applied to identify trajectory classes and their predictors. Distinct adjustment trajectories were identified for HR-QOL and life satisfaction. Lower optimism, poorer social support, a more negative cognitive appraisal, and younger age were associated with poorer life satisfaction, while survivors with less than 8 years of education had higher life satisfaction. This pattern was similar for overall HR-QOL except that educational level was not a significant predictor and later stage disease and female gender emerged as related to poorer outcomes. One in five survivors reported poorer constant HR-QOL (19.2%) and a small group had poor life satisfaction (7.2%); 26.2% reported constant high HR-QOL and 48.8% had high constant life satisfaction. Socioeconomic disadvantage and remoteness of residence uniquely predicted poorer outcomes in the colorectal cancer specific HR-QOL sub domain. Although HR-QOL and subjective cognitive QOL share similar antecedents their trajectory patterns suggested they are distinct adjustment outcomes; with life satisfaction emerging as temporally stable phenomenon. Unique patterns of risk support suggest the need to account for heterogeneity in adjustment in longitudinal QOL studies with cancer survivors.

Quality of Life Assessment Using EuroQOL EQ-5D Questionnaire in Patients with Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis: The Relation with Symptoms and Locations

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Touboul, C.; Amate, P.; Ballester, M.; Bazot, M.; Fauconnier, A.; Daraï, E.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) using EuroQOL (EQ-5D) and its correlation with symptoms and locations of endometriotic lesions. One hundred and fifty-nine patients referred for DIE from January 2011 to April 2011 were prospectively invited to complete questionnaires evaluating symptoms associated with endometriosis as well as the EQ-5D questionnaire and health state. Patients also had locations of DIE evaluated by clinical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All 159 patients completed the questionnaires. Item response rate was 91.1%. The most intense symptoms were dysmenorrhea (7.1/10), painful defecation (6.3/10), and fatigue (6.0/10). Mean (SD) scores were 77 (14) for the EQ-5D questionnaire and 63.4 (21) for the health state. A relation was observed between the EQ-5D questionnaire and the presence of dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, cyclic pelvic pain, painful defecation, and diarrhea or constipation. Vaginal and rectal infiltrations were significantly associated with altered EQ-5D and health state scores. The EQ-5D questionnaire is easy to complete and well related to symptoms of DIE. Rectal and vaginal infiltrations were found to be determinant factors of altered QOL by the EQ-5D questionnaire and health state. PMID:26464845

Comparison of QOL between patients with different degenerative dementias, focusing especially on positive and negative affect.

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Kurisu, Kairi; Terada, Seishi; Oshima, Etsuko; Horiuchi, Makiko; Imai, Nao; Yabe, Mayumi; Yokota, Osamu; Ishihara, Takeshi; Yamada, Norihito

2016-08-01

Quality of life (QOL) has become an important outcome measure in the care of dementia patients. However, there have been few studies focusing on the difference in QOL between different dementias. Two-hundred seventy-nine consecutive outpatients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) or frontotemporal dementia (FTD) were recruited. The QOL was evaluated objectively using the QOL Questionnaire for Dementia (QOL-D).The QOL-D comprises six domains: positive affect, negative affect and actions, communication, restlessness, attachment to others, and spontaneity. General cognition, daily activities, and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were also evaluated. The scores of positive affect of QOL-D of AD patients were significantly higher than those of patients with DLB or FTD (AD 3.1 ± 0.8, DLB 2.6 ± 0.9, FTD 2.6 ± 0.7). The scores of negative affect and action of QOL-D of FTD patients were significantly higher than those of patients with AD or DLB (FTD 2.0 ± 0.8, AD 1.4 ± 0.5, DLB 1.5 ± 0.6). The apathy scores of FTD and DLB patients were significantly higher than those of patients with AD. The disinhibition scores of FTD patients were significantly higher than those of patients with AD or DLB. The apathy of FTD and DLB patients and depression of DLB patients might affect the lower positive affect of FTD and DLB patients compared to AD patients. The disinhibition of FTD patients might affect the abundance of negative affect & actions in FTD patients compared to AD and DLB patients.

QOL models constructed for the community-dwelling elderly with ikigai (purpose in life) as a composition factor, and the effect of habitual exercise.

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Demura, Shinichi; Kobayashi, Hidetsugu; Kitabayashi, Tamotsu

2005-09-01

The purpose of this study was to construct QOL models for the elderly that included ikigai as a composition factor and to clarify differences in two kinds of models, one constructed for the elderly with habitual exercise and the other for those without it. The subjects were 1,566 healthy community-dwelling independent people aged 60 years or more (752 males, 814 females). First, the ratio of subjects with ikigai was calculated. The ratios of subjects with different kinds of objects of ikigai were also calculated. Next, structural equation models (SEM) were constructed on the basis of social, physical, and mental QOL and ikigai. Fits of the models were evaluated. To examine whether the presence or absence of habitual exercise caused any difference in the QOL model, subjects were divided into 4 groups according to whether they were male or female and whether they had or did not have an exercise habit. Multi-population group simultaneous analysis was then performed among the four groups. More than 85% of the subjects had objects of ikigai. Ikigai is an important factor for comprehending the QOL of the elderly. It was possible to construct QOL models for the elderly with ikigai as a composition factor. The effect of physical QOL on mental QOL was negligible in females irrespective of whether they had an exercise habit. The effect of social QOL on mental QOL was profound in aged females with an exercise habit. The effect of the living situation on mental QOL was profound in aged females without an exercise habit. The effect of mental QOL on ikigai was more marked in subjects without an exercise habit than in those with an exercise habit.

Leisure time physical activity and quality of life in medical students: results from a multicentre study.

Science.gov (United States)

Peleias, Munique; Tempski, Patricia; Paro, Helena Bms; Perotta, Bruno; Mayer, Fernanda B; Enns, Sylvia C; Gannam, Silmar; Pereira, Maria Amelia D; Silveira, Paulo S; Santos, Itamar S; Carvalho, Celso Rf; Martins, Milton A

2017-01-01

We evaluated the association between leisure time physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QoL) in medical students. Our hypothesis was that there was a positive association between volume of PA and various domains of perception of QoL. Data were evaluated from a random sample of 1350 medical students from 22 Brazilian medical schools. Information from participants included the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire-short form (WHOQOL-BREF), a questionnaire specifically designed to evaluate QoL in medical students (VERAS-Q) and questions for both global QoL self-assessment and leisure time PA. According to the amount of metabolic equivalents (METs) spend during PA, volunteers were divided into four groups, according to the volume of PA: (a) no PA; (b) low PA, ≤540 MET min/week; (c) moderate PA, from 541 to 1260 MET min/week and (d) high PA, > 1261 MET min/week. Forty per cent of the medical students reported no leisure time PA (46.0% of females and 32.3% of males). In contrast, 27.2% were classified in the group of high PA (21.0% of females and 34.2% of males). We found significant associations between moderate and high levels of PA and better QoL for all measurements. For low levels of PA, this association was also significant for most QoL measurements, with the exceptions of WHOQOL physical health (p=0.08) and social relationships (p=0.26) domains. We observed a strong dose-effect relationship between the volume of leisure time PA and QoL in both male and female medical students.

rTMS in fibromyalgia: a randomized trial evaluating QoL and its brain metabolic substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyer, Laurent; Dousset, Alix; Roussel, Philippe; Dossetto, Nathalie; Cammilleri, Serge; Piano, Virginie; Khalfa, Stéphanie; Mundler, Olivier; Donnet, Anne; Guedj, Eric

2014-04-08

This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study investigated the impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on quality of life (QoL) of patients with fibromyalgia, and its possible brain metabolic substrate. Thirty-eight patients were randomly assigned to receive high-frequency rTMS (n = 19) or sham stimulation (n = 19), applied to left primary motor cortex in 14 sessions over 10 weeks. Primary clinical outcomes were QoL changes at the end of week 11, measured using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ). Secondary clinical outcomes were mental and physical QoL component measured using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), but also pain, mood, and anxiety. Resting-state [(18)F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET metabolism was assessed at baseline, week 2, and week 11. Whole-brain voxel-based analysis was performed to study between-group metabolic changes over time. At week 11, patients of the active rTMS group had greater QoL improvement in the FIQ (p = 0.032) and in the mental component of the SF-36 (p = 0.019) than the sham stimulation group. No significant impact was found for other clinical outcomes. Compared with the sham stimulation group, patients of the active rTMS group presented an increase in right medial temporal metabolism between baseline and week 11 (p FIQ and mental component SF-36 concomitant changes (r = -0.38, p = 0.043; r = 0.51, p = 0.009, respectively). QoL improvement involved mainly affective, emotional, and social dimensions. Our study shows that rTMS improves QoL of patients with fibromyalgia. This improvement is associated with a concomitant increase in right limbic metabolism, arguing for a neural substrate to the impact of rTMS on emotional dimensions involved in QoL. This study provides Class II evidence that rTMS compared with sham rTMS improves QoL in patients with fibromyalgia.

Quality of Life Among Radiation Workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibrahim, M.S.

2013-01-01

Quality of life (QOL) is a general term applied to the totality of physical, psychological, and social functioning. The World Health Organization (WHO) regards health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being, and not merely the absence of disease. Every person's life is different, and thus the way in which each person experiences a QOL is unique. Individuals lead complex lives that have many dimensions. A QOL approach recognizes that there are many different aspects of living that may contribute to quality. In this study, Quality of life was evaluated using the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire for one hundred and fifty radiation workers who handled ionizing radiation for at least twelve years, and one hundred fifty control individuals who did not knowingly come in contact with any radiation source., the QOL effects on work and achievements were also evaluated. Results revealed that radiation workers have lower quality of life compared to those who never come in contact with a radiation source

Individuals' quality of life linked to major life events, perceived social support, and personality traits.

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Pocnet, Cornelia; Antonietti, Jean-Philippe; Strippoli, Marie-Pierre F; Glaus, Jennifer; Preisig, Martin; Rossier, Jérôme

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between major recent life events that occurred during the last 5 years, social and personal resources, and subjective quality of life (QoL). A total of 1801 participants from the general population (CoLaus/PsyCoLaus study) completed the Life Events Questionnaire, the Social Support Questionnaire, the NEO Five-Factor Inventory Revised, and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life. Major life events were modestly associated with the QoL (about 5 % of the explained variance). However, QoL was significantly related to perceived social support and personality traits (about 37 % of the explained variance). Particularly, perceived social support, extraversion and conscientiousness personality dimensions were positively linked to life satisfaction, whereas a high level of neuroticism was negatively associated with QoL. This study highlights the negative but temporary association between critical events and QoL. However, a combination of high conscientiousness and extraversion, and positive social support may explain better variances for a high-perceived QoL.

Evaluation of long-term results and quality of life in patients who underwent rib fixation with titanium devices after trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Billè, Andrea; Okiror, Lawrence; Campbell, Aideen; Simons, Jason; Routledge, Tom

2013-06-01

To describe the long-term results, quality of life and chronic pain after chest wall fixation for traumatic rib fracture using a quality of life (QOL) score and a numeric pain score. Retrospective analysis of 10 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for rib fractures after trauma and reconstruction between October 2010 and March 2012. Chest rib fractures were fixed with titanium clips and bars or titanium plates and screws through a posterolateral thoracotomy. Pain was assessed with a numeric pain scale 0-10 and quality of life (QOL) with the EORTC questionnaire QLQ-C30. There were 5 males and 5 females. The median age was 58 years (range 21-80). There were no postoperative deaths. The only postoperative complication observed was a contralateral pleural effusion requiring drainage. Median length of stay of the drain and median length of hospital stay were 2 days (range 0-8) and 4 days (range 1-42 days), respectively. The average follow-up period of operatively managed patients was 14 months (range 8-23.5 months). Seven patients scored the pain as 0, one as 1 (mild), one as 4 (moderate) and one as 8 (severe). Only two patients are taking occasionally pain killers. Only one patient presents severe limitation in his life scoring his QOL as poor. Titanium devices (clips and bars; screws and plates) are effective and safe for repair of rib fractures and showed good long-term results in terms of pain and quality of life after the operation.

Psychometrics of the Short Form 36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2) and the Quality of Life Scale for Drug Addicts (QOL-DAv2.0) in Chinese mainland patients with methadone maintenance treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Kaina; Zhuang, Guihua; Zhang, Hongmei; Liang, Peifeng; Yin, Juan; Kou, Lingling; Hao, Mengmeng; You, Lijuan

2013-01-01

To test psychometrics of the Short Form 36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36v2) and the Quality of Life Scale for Drug Addicts (QOL-DAv2.0) in Chinese mainland patients with methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). A total of 1,212 patients were recruited from two MMT clinics in Xi'an, China. Reliability was estimated with Cronbach's α and intra-class correlation (ICC). Convergent and discriminant validity was assessed using multitrait-multimethod correlation matrix. Sensitivity was measured with ANOVA and relative efficiency. Responsiveness was evaluated by pre-post paired-samples t-test and standardized response mean based on the patients' health status changes following 6-month period. Cronbach's α of the SF-36v2 physical and mental summary components were 0.80 and 0.86 (eight scales range 0.73-0.92) and the QOL-DAv2.0 was 0.96 (four scales range: 0.80-0.93). ICC of the SF-36v2 two components were 0.86 and 0.85 (eight scales range: 0.72-0.87) and the QOL-DAv2.0 was 0.94 (four scales range: 0.88-0.92). Convergent validity was lower between the two instruments (γ <0.70) while discriminant validity was acceptable within each instrument. Sensitivity was satisfied in self-evaluated health status (both instruments) and average daily methadone dose (SF-36v2 physical functioning and vitality scales; QOL-DAv2.0 except psychology scale). Responsiveness was acceptable in the improved health status change (SF-36v2 except vitality scale; QOL-DAv2.0 except psychology and symptoms scales) and deteriorated health status change (SF-36v2 except vitality, social functioning and mental health scales; QOL-DAv2.0 except society scale). The SF-36v2 and the QOL-DAv2.0 are valid tools and can be used independently or complementary according to different emphases of health-related quality of life evaluation in patients with MMT.

Quality of life in schizophrenia measured by the MOS SF-36 and the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile: a comparison

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijer, C. J.; Schene, A. H.; Koeter, M. W. J.

2002-01-01

Objective: To compare two Quality of Life (QoL) instruments on reliability, feasibility and conceptual overlap in a group of schizophrenic out-patients. Method: The Lancashire Quality of Life Profile (LQoLP) and the MOS SF-36 were used to assess the QoL of 143 schizophrenic out-patients. Results:

QOL in caregivers of Japanese patients with Prader-Willi syndrome with reference to age and genotype.

Science.gov (United States)

Ihara, Hiroshi; Ogata, Hiroyuki; Sayama, Masayuki; Kato, Aya; Gito, Masao; Murakami, Nobuyuki; Kido, Yasuhiro; Nagai, Toshiro

2014-09-01

This study aimed to measure quality of life (QOL) of the primary family caregivers for patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). Comparisons were made between caregivers' QOL in regard to their dependents' genotype and age group. The participants with PWS consisted of 22 children (aged from 6 to 12 years) and 23 adolescents (aged from 13 to 19 years), including 6 children and 7 adolescents with maternal uniparental disomy (mUPD) and 16 children and 16 adolescents with deletion (DEL). The QOL of the primary family caregiver for each patient was assessed using the Japanese version of the WHOQOL-BREF. To examine the effect that age (children vs. adolescents) and genotype (DEL vs. mUPD) have on the QOL of caregivers, a two-way ANOVA was conducted, followed by the Bonferroni procedure to test the simple main effects. The two age groups and the two genotypes of PWS were used as independent variables and the total QOL of caregivers as a dependent variable. The two-way ANOVA (F(1, 41) = 6.98, P caregivers of DEL adolescents showed little difference from that with DEL children, but the QOL of caregivers for mUPD adolescents was shown to be lower than that with mUPD children along with that of caregivers with DEL adolescents. There is hence a growing tendency for the deterioration in the QOL of caregivers to manifest itself later in the patients' adolescence, found mainly with mUPD patients. © 2014 The Authors. American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Determinants of Quality of Life in Ageing Populations: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in Finland, Poland and Spain.

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Alberto Raggi

Full Text Available To comprehensively identify the determinants of quality of life (QoL in a population study sample of persons aged 18-50 and 50+.In this observational, cross-sectional study, QoL was measured with the WHOQOL-AGE, a brief instrument designed to measure QoL in older adults. Eight hierarchical regression models were performed to identify determinants of QoL. Variables were entered in the following order: Sociodemographic; Health Habits; Chronic Conditions; Health State description; Vision and Hearing; Social Networks; Built Environment. In the final model, significant variables were retained. The final model was re-run using data from the three countries separately.Complete data were available for 5639 participants, mean age 46.3 (SD 18.4. The final model accounted for 45% of QoL variation and the most relevant contribution was given by sociodemographic data (particularly age, education level and living in Finland: 17.9% explained QoL variation, chronic conditions (particularly depression: 4.6% and a wide and rich social network (4.6%. Other determinants were presence of disabling pain, learning difficulties and visual problems, and living in usable house that is perceived as non-risky. Some variables were specifically associated to QoL in single countries: age in Poland, alcohol consumption in Spain, angina in Finland, depression in Spain, and self-reported sadness both in Finland and Poland, but not in Spain. Other were commonly associated to QoL: smoking status, bodily aches, being emotionally affected by health problems, good social network and home characteristics.Our results highlight the importance of modifiable determinants of QoL, and provide public health indications that could support concrete actions at country level. In particular, smoking cessation, increasing the level of physical activity, improving social network ties and applying universal design approach to houses and environmental infrastructures could potentially increase QoL of

Determinants of Quality of Life in Ageing Populations: Results from a Cross-Sectional Study in Finland, Poland and Spain.

Science.gov (United States)

Raggi, Alberto; Corso, Barbara; Minicuci, Nadia; Quintas, Rui; Sattin, Davide; De Torres, Laura; Chatterji, Somnath; Frisoni, Giovanni Battista; Haro, Josep Maria; Koskinen, Seppo; Martinuzzi, Andrea; Miret, Marta; Tobiasz-Adamczyk, Beata; Leonardi, Matilde

2016-01-01

To comprehensively identify the determinants of quality of life (QoL) in a population study sample of persons aged 18-50 and 50+. In this observational, cross-sectional study, QoL was measured with the WHOQOL-AGE, a brief instrument designed to measure QoL in older adults. Eight hierarchical regression models were performed to identify determinants of QoL. Variables were entered in the following order: Sociodemographic; Health Habits; Chronic Conditions; Health State description; Vision and Hearing; Social Networks; Built Environment. In the final model, significant variables were retained. The final model was re-run using data from the three countries separately. Complete data were available for 5639 participants, mean age 46.3 (SD 18.4). The final model accounted for 45% of QoL variation and the most relevant contribution was given by sociodemographic data (particularly age, education level and living in Finland: 17.9% explained QoL variation), chronic conditions (particularly depression: 4.6%) and a wide and rich social network (4.6%). Other determinants were presence of disabling pain, learning difficulties and visual problems, and living in usable house that is perceived as non-risky. Some variables were specifically associated to QoL in single countries: age in Poland, alcohol consumption in Spain, angina in Finland, depression in Spain, and self-reported sadness both in Finland and Poland, but not in Spain. Other were commonly associated to QoL: smoking status, bodily aches, being emotionally affected by health problems, good social network and home characteristics. Our results highlight the importance of modifiable determinants of QoL, and provide public health indications that could support concrete actions at country level. In particular, smoking cessation, increasing the level of physical activity, improving social network ties and applying universal design approach to houses and environmental infrastructures could potentially increase QoL of ageing

Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents With Learning Problems: Development and Validation of the LD/QOL15 Scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Waber, Deborah P; Boiselle, Ellen C; Forbes, Peter W; Girard, Jonathan M; Sideridis, Georgios D

2018-05-01

Learning problems (LP) can have wider implications than the academic deficits per se. The goal of the present series of studies was to develop a reliable and valid quality-of-life measure targeted to children and adolescents with LP. In Study 1, using a 35-item questionnaire, we surveyed 151 parents/guardians of children referred for assessment of learning disorders. Exploratory factor analysis identified a three-factor model: Academic Performance, School Understanding, and Child/Family Psychological. These factors were validated against standardized measures of academic achievement and psychosocial functioning. The questionnaire was then reduced to 15 items-the LD/QOL15 -and administered to a community sample of 325 parents/guardians of children in Grades 1 to 8 (Study 2). The three-factor model was verified with confirmatory factor analysis. Comparison of general education ( n = 232) and LP ( n = 93) groups within the community sample documented substantial group differences ( p measure that is valid to assess quality of life and, potentially, outcomes in children and adolescents with LP.

rTMS in fibromyalgia: a randomized trial evaluating QoL and its brain metabolic substrate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boyer, L.; Dousset, A.; Roussel, P.; Dossetto, N.; Cammilleri, S.; Piano, V.M.M.; Khalfa, S.; Mundler, O.; Donnet, A.; Guedj, E.

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study investigated the impact of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on quality of life (QoL) of patients with fibromyalgia, and its possible brain metabolic substrate. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients were randomly assigned

Association of quality of life of carers with quality of life and functional independence of stroke survivors

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Deepak Ganjiwale

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Stroke has a great impact not only on patients′ but also on their caregivers′ lives. Carers may experience high levels of burden that can result in deterioration of their health status, social life, and well-being. Association between quality of life (QOL of carers and that of stroke survivors in Indian setting is not much researched. Aims and Settings: To find out QOL and mental health of caregivers of individuals with stroke visiting Physiotherapy Department of Tertiary Care Center in Western India. Design and Methodology: A cross-sectional survey to find QOL and mental health of caregiver of stroke survivors, self-administered screening instrument WHO-QOL BREF, functional independence measurement (FIM scale, and BRIEF COPE were used for data collection on adult populations. Statistical Analysis Used: The statistical analysis was performed by descriptive analysis and correlation. Result: Fifty-four stroke patients and their caregivers (all adults were included in the study. Average FIM score was 83.75 (18.46 while median was 90 (25. FIM score of patients did not much affect QOL of caregivers. Discussion: Analysis of QOL data showed that QOL of caregivers was good in all domains, but patient′s QOL was good only in social relations. There was no correlation found in QOL of carers and stroke survivors. Nine percent of change in caregivers social relationship scores can be attributed to patients′ sphincter scores. Conclusion: QOL of carers and stroke survivors may be independent. Stroke patients in the study required a moderate assistance for their functional independence which does not seem to affect the caregivers QOL significantly.

Quality of life in children with epilepsy

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Jayashree Nadkarni

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition with many co-morbid features. It has been observed that children with epilepsy (CWE have a compromised quality of life (QOL. Objective: To assess the QOL in CWE and to study the various factors affecting QOL among CWE. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 102 CWE aged 5-15 years of either sex. QOL was measured by Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE questionnaire, a 76-item, parent-reported questionnaire. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the subscales and Pearson correlation to determine construct validity. The t-test and analysis of variance were used to compare mean QOLCE scores. Results: Factors affecting QOL included age, place of residence, socioeconomic condition, maternal education, seizure type and frequency and number of antiepileptic drugs. Conclusion: CWE have a relatively compromised QOL and comprehensive care needs to go beyond the attempt of controlling seizures.

Serum magnesium and not vitamin D is associated with better QoL in COPD

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hashim Ali Hussein, Sarah; Nielsen, Lars Peter; Dolberg, Mette K.Bøgebjerg

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Deficiency of serum levels of vitamin D3 (se vitD), magnesium (se Mg) and calcium (se Ca) may be associated with increased exacerbation risk in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, associations with other aspects of COPD, e.g. lung function and quality of life (QoL),...

Validity and QOL of neck dissection preceding radiation therapy for hypopharyngeal cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uemura, Hirokazu; Yoshino, Kunitoshi; Fujii, Takashi; Suzuki, Motoyuki

2009-01-01

Thirty-one cases of hypopharyngeal cancer with neck dissection preceding radiation and 16 cases of hypopharyngeal cancer with neck dissection for locoregional recurrences after radiation were reviewed in order to make comparative evaluations of difficulty in surgical operation, postoperative complications, laryngeal preservation rate, and cause specific 5-year survival rate retrospectively. And quality of life (QOL) after neck dissection was additionally evaluated through the questionnaire. Since neck dissection preceding radiation for hypopharyngeal cancer may be superior to neck dissection for radiation failure, with easy surgical approach an non-lymphoid tissue preservation, that modality can be a reasonable choice of treatment for patients with nodal lesions, which are probably difficult to treat with radiation alone. Even though further investigation on QOL questionnaire is necessary, this modality can make a contribution to the neck and shoulder condition after neck dissection. (author)

Correlation of physical aptitude; functional capacity, corporal balance and quality of life (QoL) among elderly women submitted to a post-menopausal physical activities program.

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza Santos, César Augusto; Dantas, Estélio Enrique Martin; Moreira, Maria Helena Rodrigues

2011-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of physical activity from the "Menopause in Form" program on physical aptitude, functional capacity, corporal balance and QoL among elderly women. In addition, correlations among these variables were examined. The present work was a longitudinal study that was quasi-experimental and correlational. A total of 323 elderly women (age: 69.0±5.53 years) participated in this study. Subjects were non-institutionalized, post-menopausal individuals residing at the Elderly Care Center in Belém Municipality (Pará, Brazil) and practiced one activity (i.e., dancing or walking) over a 10-month period. The assessment protocols used were the following: the Fullerton functional fitness test battery (physical aptitude); the activities of daily living (ADL) indices (functional capacity); the Tinetti-scale (corporal balance); and the WHOQOL-OLD questionnaire (QoL). The adopted significance level was p<0.05. Results from the Wilcoxon test demonstrated significant differences for the post-test assessment of functional capacity (Δ%=5.63%; p=0.0001) and general QoL (Δ%=9.19%; p=0.001). These results suggest that the physical activities employed during the "Menopause in Form" program resulted in significant improvements in the functional capacity and QoL of post-menopausal elderly women. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surgery for two cases with markedly impaired QOL(Quality of Life) of radiation enterocolitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shiba, Tadaaki; Tanishima, Satoru; Sato, Masahiko; Yanagisawa, Terumasa; Yoshino, Masaaki; Takatsuka, Jun

1996-01-01

Two cases of radiation enterocolitis with markedly impaired QOL for a long period were reported. Case 1: A 61 years old female. She received 60 Gy irradiation post hysterectomy and ovariectomy due to uterine cancer at the age of 39 y. She suffered from fecal incontinence and anal pain at 58 y, was diagnosed to have radiation colitis. She was hospitalized due to neurosis, anal pain and hypertension at 59 y. She received nephrostomy due to hydronephrosis and ureterostenosis at 60 y, and colostomy and ileal conduit formation due to anal pain and dyschezia. Case 2: A 70 years old female who received 60 Gy irradiation post surgery similar to case 1 at the age of 61 y. She suffered from ileus, intestinal retention and hydronephrosis thereafter. She was hospitalized due to metastasis of the cancer to sacred bone, and received further 40 Gy radiation therapy at the age of 65 y. Up to the present, she received several operations such as ileostomy, nephrostomy and hemorrhoids excision. It is important for surgeons to understand the actual QOL of patients with radiation enterocolitis. (K.H.)

Surgery for two cases with markedly impaired QOL(Quality of Life) of radiation enterocolitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shiba, Tadaaki; Tanishima, Satoru; Sato, Masahiko; Yanagisawa, Terumasa; Yoshino, Masaaki; Takatsuka, Jun [Toho Univ., Tokyo (Japan). School of Medicine

1996-10-01

Two cases of radiation enterocolitis with markedly impaired QOL for a long period were reported. Case 1: A 61 years old female. She received 60 Gy irradiation post hysterectomy and ovariectomy due to uterine cancer at the age of 39 y. She suffered from fecal incontinence and anal pain at 58 y, was diagnosed to have radiation colitis. She was hospitalized due to neurosis, anal pain and hypertension at 59 y. She received nephrostomy due to hydronephrosis and ureterostenosis at 60 y, and colostomy and ileal conduit formation due to anal pain and dyschezia. Case 2: A 70 years old female who received 60 Gy irradiation post surgery similar to case 1 at the age of 61 y. She suffered from ileus, intestinal retention and hydronephrosis thereafter. She was hospitalized due to metastasis of the cancer to sacred bone, and received further 40 Gy radiation therapy at the age of 65 y. Up to the present, she received several operations such as ileostomy, nephrostomy and hemorrhoids excision. It is important for surgeons to understand the actual QOL of patients with radiation enterocolitis. (K.H.)

Health-related quality of life in patients with atopic dermatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Maksimović, Nataša; Janković, Slavenka; Marinković, Jelena; Sekulović, Lidija K; Zivković, Zorica; Spirić, Vesna T

2012-01-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic relapsing condition that can have considerable effects on the patients' quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study was to measure the health-related QOL in patients with AD, using generic and specific instruments, to compare the scores obtained by different instruments and to verify the relationship between them. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 132 outpatients with AD. To assess the QOL, Short Form 36 (SF-36), Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI) were administered. In order to assess the disease severity of AD, we used the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) and physician assessment of disease severity. Stressful life events during the last 12 months were assessed with Paykel's Interview for Recent Life Events. Patients with AD had inferior social functioning and mental health scores compared with the general population. The correlations between the DLQI and SF-36 were found for the mental components of the QOL. Increasing disease severity was associated with greater impairment in QOL in both, children and adults. Our study found the influence of the stressful life events on the role emotional of AD patients. These results demonstrate that AD influences health-related QOL, especially in children. This study supports the decision to use both generic and skin-specific instruments to assess the impact of AD on QOL. © 2011 Japanese Dermatological Association.

Determinants of quality of life in the elderly

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Mária Sováriová Soósová

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Aim: To assess the impact of selected demographic (age, sex, socio-economic (marital status, education, income and health factors (functional status, anxiety, depression on quality of life (QOL of seniors in the Košice region. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: QOL was assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD questionnaires, functional status was assessed by the Barthel test Activities of Daily Living (ADLs, anxiety by the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and depression by the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. Relations between variables were assessed by Pearson correlation coefficients. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate QOL predictors. Results: In a sample of a hundred and two elderly people, the best QOL was found in the domain of social relationships, death and dying, and intimacy. The worst QOL was found in physical health, social participation, and past, present and future activities. QOL was reduced particularly by depression, poly-morbidity, and life without a partner. The maintenance of independence in ADLs had a positive impact on most QOL domains. Conclusion: The results indicate the necessity of creating opportunities for the development and maintenance of social contacts, the involvement of seniors in various leisure activities and in different programs or voluntary activities. The screening for and treatment of depression and anxiety is very important in improving quality of life in older adults, as is maintaining and improving self-care in ADLs.

Quimp (QUality of life IMPairment): an addition to the Quality of Life lexicon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chernyshov, P. V.; Linder, M. D.; Pustišek, N.; Manolache, L.; Szepietowski, J. C.; Tomas-Aragones, L.; Marron, S. E.; Poot, F.; Augustin, M.; Bewley, A.; van Cranenburgh, O. D.; Jemec, G. B.; Salek, N. N.; Sampogna, F.; Svensson, A.

2017-01-01

There has been a constant growth in the number of publications each year concerning "quality of life (QoL)" and "dermatology," since the publication of the Dermatology Life Quality Index in 1994. Numerous dermatology and disease-specific QoL instruments have since been created. Quality of life is

Prevalence of swallowing and speech problems in daily life after chemoradiation for head and neck cancer based on cut-off scores of the patient-reported outcome measures SWAL-QOL and SHI.

Science.gov (United States)

Rinkel, Rico N; Verdonck-de Leeuw, Irma M; Doornaert, Patricia; Buter, Jan; de Bree, Remco; Langendijk, Johannes A; Aaronson, Neil K; Leemans, C René

2016-07-01

The objective of this study is to assess swallowing and speech outcome after chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer, based on the patient-reported outcome measures Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) and Speech Handicap Index (SHI), both provided with cut-off scores. This is a cross-sectional study. Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery of a University Medical Center. Sixty patients, 6 months to 5 years after chemoradiation for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Swallowing Quality of Life Questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) and SHI, both validated in Dutch and provided with cut-off scores. Associations were tested between the outcome measures and independent variables (age, gender, tumor stage and site, and radiotherapy technique, time since treatment, comorbidity and food intake). Fifty-two patients returned the SWAL-QOL and 47 the SHI (response rate 87 and 78 %, respectively). Swallowing and speech problems were present in 79 and 55 %, respectively. Normal food intake was noticed in 45, 35 % had a soft diet and 20 % tube feeding. Patients with soft diet and tube feeding reported more swallowing problems compared to patients with normal oral intake. Tumor subsite was significantly associated with swallowing outcome (less problems in larynx/hypopharynx compared to oral/oropharynx). Radiation technique was significantly associated with psychosocial speech problems (less problems in patients treated with IMRT). Swallowing and (to a lesser extent) speech problems in daily life are frequently present after chemoradiation therapy for head and neck cancer. Future prospective studies will give more insight into the course of speech and swallowing problems after chemoradiation and into efficacy of new radiation techniques and swallowing and speech rehabilitation programs.

Trajectories of quality of life, life satisfaction, and psychological adjustment after prostate cancer.

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Chambers, Suzanne K; Ng, Shu Kay; Baade, Peter; Aitken, Joanne F; Hyde, Melissa K; Wittert, Gary; Frydenberg, Mark; Dunn, Jeff

2017-10-01

To describe trajectories of health-related quality of life (QoL), life satisfaction, and psychological adjustment for men with prostate cancer over the medium to long term and identify predictors of poorer outcomes using growth mixture models. One-thousand sixty-four (82.4% response) men diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited close to diagnosis and assessed over a 72-month (6-year) period with self-report assessment of health-related QoL, life satisfaction, cancer-related distress, and prostate specific antigen anxiety. Urinary, bowel, and sexual function were also assessed using validated questionnaires. Poorer physical QOL was predicted by older age, lower education, lower income, comorbidities, and receiving hormone therapy. Lower life satisfaction was related to younger age, lower income, not being partnered, and comorbidities. Poorer psychological trajectories were predicted by younger age, lower income, comorbidities, and receiving radical prostatectomy or brachytherapy. Better urinary, bowel, and sexual function were related to better global outcomes over time. Anxiety about prostate specific antigen testing was rare. Distinct trajectories exist for medium- to long-term QoL, life satisfaction, and psychological adjustment after prostate cancer; with age and socioeconomic deprivation playing a differential role in men's survivorship profile and the impact of functional status on outcomes increasing over time. These results reinforce the need for an appraisal of men's life course in addition to treatment side effects when planning survivorship care after cancer. © 2016 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Landless female peasants living in resettlement residential areas in China have poorer quality of life than males: results from a household study in the Yangtze River Delta region.

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Liang, Ying; Li, Shuqin

2014-05-15

Urbanization has accelerated in China, and a large amount of arable land has been transformed into urban land. Moreover, the number of landless peasants has continually increased. Peasants lose not only their land, but also a series of rights and interests related with land. The problems of landless peasants have been long-standing; however, only a few studies have examined their health or quality of life (QOL). This paper assesses the QOL of landless peasants in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, analyzes gender differences, and explores health inequity. Data are derived from household samples in six resettlement residential areas of three cities (Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Yangzhou) in the YRD region (N = 1,500; the effective rate = 82.4%). This study uses the short version of World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) scale to measure the QOL of landless peasants, and performs confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and analyze gender differences in QOL on the basis of CFA. First, we use Analysis of Variance and Non-parametric Tests to test if the differences of mean value of testing generals have statistical significances. Results shows significant differences occur between the impacts of different genders on the four domains of QOL (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment). The internal reliability of the WHOQOL-BREF scale is good (Cronbach's alpha > 0.8), and the four domains of QOL are connected with each other. Second, scores in each QOL domain are commonly low, whereas the scores of females are much lower, indicating a poorer QOL than that of males. Third, results of the CFA of the QOL domains and their related observed variables indicate a good model fit. Fourth, results imply that the order of importance of the four domains (psychological health (males = 26.74%, females = 27.17%); social relationships (males = 26.23%, females = 25.35%); environment (males = 25

High-dose radiotherapy or concurrent chemo-radiation in lung cancer patients only induces a temporary, reversible decline in QoL

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Pijls-Johannesma, Madelon; Houben, Ruud; Boersma, Liesbeth; Grutters, Janneke; Seghers, Katarina; Lambin, Philippe; Wanders, Rinus; De Ruysscher, Dirk

2009-01-01

Background and purpose: Aggressive radiotherapy or concurrent chemo-radiation therapy for lung cancer leads to a high incidence of severe, mostly esophageal, toxicity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the evolution of quality of life (QoL) in patients with lung cancer, selected for curative radiotherapy (RT) or chemo-RT. Methods: Seventy-five lung cancer patients completed a longitudinal the EORTC QLQ-C30 and LC13. Linear mixed regression models were fitted to investigate the impact of different factors on overall QoL. Results: Overall QoL decreased shortly after the end of RT (4 points, p = 0.19), but increased back to baseline within 3 months. Mean scores of role functioning (p = 0.018), cognitive functioning (p = 0.002), dyspnoea (EORTC QLQ-LC13; p = 0.043), dysphagia (p = 0.005) and hoarseness (p = 0.029), showed a significant worsening over time. Emotional functioning (p = 0.033) improved significantly over time. Severe esophagitis (≥grade 2) was reported in only 12% of the patients. Next to maximal esophageal toxicity ≥grade 2 (p = .0.010), also tumor stage IIIA (p < 0.001), tumor stage IIIB (p = 0.003), gender (p = 0.042) and fatigue (p < 0.001) appeared to be significant predictors of QoL. Conclusion: High-dose radiotherapy or concurrent chemo-radiation in the treatment of lung cancer seems to be a well-tolerated treatment option with preservation of QoL.

Predictors of quality of life for autistic adults.

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Mason, David; McConachie, Helen; Garland, Deborah; Petrou, Alex; Rodgers, Jacqui; Parr, Jeremy R

2018-05-07

Research with adults on the autism spectrum is as yet limited in scope and quality. The present study describes quality of life (QoL) of a large sample of autistic adults in the UK and investigates characteristics that may be predictive of QoL. A total of 370 autistic adults from the Adult Autism Spectrum Cohort-UK (ASC-UK) completed the WHOQoL-BREF, and the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS, autism symptom severity), along with the ASC-UK registration questionnaire giving information on mental health and their life situation. QoL for autistic adults was lower than for the general population for each WHOQoL domain. Younger participants reported higher QoL than older participants in psychological and environment domains. Males reported higher physical QoL than females, and females reported higher social QoL than males. Significant positive predictors of QoL were: being employed (physical QoL), receiving support (social and environment QoL), and being in a relationship (social QoL). Having a mental health condition and higher SRS total score were negative predictors of QoL across all four domains. Autistic adults require access to effective mental health interventions, and informal and formal support for their social difficulties, to improve their quality of life. Autism Res 2018. © 2018 The Authors Autism Research published by International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. There has been limited research into the lived experience of autistic adults. Using the World Health Organization quality of life measure, we found that autistic people (370) in the UK reported their quality of life to be lower than that of the general population. Better quality of life was associated with being in a relationship; those with a mental health condition had poorer quality of life. This research suggests some ways in which autistic people can be helped to improve their quality of life. © 2018 The Authors Autism Research published by International Society for

Quality-of-life assessment in advanced cancer.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Donnelly, S

2000-07-01

In the past 5 years, quality-of-life (QOL) assessment measures such as the McGill, McMaster, Global Visual Analogue Scale, Assessment of QOL at the End of Life, Life Evaluation Questionnaire, and Hospice QOL Index have been devised specifically for patients with advanced cancer. The developers of these instruments have tried to respond to the changing needs of this specific population, taking into account characteristics including poor performance status, difficulty with longitudinal study, rapidly deteriorating physical condition, and change in relevant issues. Emphasis has been placed on patient report, ease and speed of completion, and the existential domain or meaning of life. Novel techniques in QOL measurement have also been adapted for palliative care, such as judgment analysis in the Schedule for the Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life. It is generally agreed that a single tool will not cover all QOL assessment needs.

Quality of life related to swallowing in Parkinson's disease.

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Carneiro, Danielle; das Graças Wanderley de Sales Coriolano, Maria; Belo, Luciana Rodrigues; de Marcos Rabelo, Aneide Rocha; Asano, Amdore Guescel; Lins, Otávio Gomes

2014-10-01

Swallowing difficulties in Parkinson's disease can result in decreased quality of life. The swallowing quality of life questionnaire (SWAL-QOL) is an instrument for specifically assessing quality of life with respect to swallowing, which has been little explored in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The goal of this study was to evaluate the quality of life with respect to swallowing in persons with PD compared to controls and at several stages of the disease using the SWAL-QOL. The experimental group was composed of 62 persons with PD at stages 1-4. Forty-one age-matched healthy subjects constituted the control group. The SWAL-QOL scores were significantly lower for the patients with PD than for the controls in all SWAL-QOL domains. Eating duration had the largest difference in score between persons with PD and the controls and the lowest mean score, followed by communication, fatigue, fear, sleep, and food selection. The scores of most domains were lower at later stages of the disease. The scores for eating duration, symptom frequency, and sleep were significantly lower at stage 4 than stages 1 and 2. In conclusion, patients with PD have significantly lower scores in all domains of the SWAL-QOL than normal controls. This means swallowing difficulties occurring in patients with PD negatively affect their QOL. Progression of the disease worsens swallowing QOL, more specifically in the domains of eating duration, symptom frequency, and sleep. This occurs mostly at later stages of the disease.

Impaired quality of life in patients with treated acromegaly despite long-term biochemically stable disease: Results from a 5-years prospective study.

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Kyriakakis, Nikolaos; Lynch, Julie; Gilbey, Stephen G; Webb, Susan M; Murray, Robert D

2017-06-01

Patients with acromegaly demonstrate impaired quality of life (QoL), but data on long-term QoL changes in treated acromegaly are limited. This study evaluates and identifies factors that influence QoL in patients with long-term biochemical remission. The study consists of a cross-sectional arm comparing QoL between patients with treated and controlled acromegaly and healthy controls; and a longitudinal arm assessing QoL changes in patients with biochemically stable disease during 5.7±0.6 years of follow-up. A total of 58 patients and 116 matched controls were recruited for the cross-sectional arm; 28 patients completed the longitudinal arm. Three generic questionnaires (Psychological General Well-Being Schedule [PGWBS], 36-item Short-Form [SF-36], EuroQoL [EQ-5D]) and the disease-specific acromegaly QoL questionnaire (AcroQoL) were applied. Quality of life assessment was performed 11.6±8.2 years following diagnosis and treatment of acromegaly. Patients with treated acromegaly had lower QoL scores compared with controls in all questionnaires with the exception of the PGWBS "Anxiety" subscale. The AcroQoL "Appearance" subscale and the "Physical Function" subscales of the remaining questionnaires were the most underscored domains. No difference in the total and subscale scores of all questionnaires was observed between baseline and follow-up, with the exception of the SF-36 "Physical Function," where a decline was found (58.5±24.7% vs 43.1±31.1%; P=.002). However, after adjusting for covariates, no significant change in any of the QoL scores was seen. Duration of IGF-1/GH control was positively correlated with QoL scores in most questionnaires at baseline, whereas use of GH lowering therapy at the time of QoL assessment was a negative predictive factor of QoL. Patients with biochemically controlled acromegaly demonstrate impaired QoL, which persists despite long-term disease control. This primarily consists of impaired physical function and secondly of impaired

Sudarshan Kriya yoga improves quality of life in healthy people living with HIV (PLHIV: results from an open label randomized clinical trial

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N Mawar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background & objectives: Improving quality of life (QOL of healthy people living with HIV (PLHIV is critical needing home-based, long-term strategy. Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY intervention is acknowledged for its positive impact on health. It is hypothesised that SKY would improve PLHIV′s QOL, justifying an evaluation. Methods: In this open label randomized controlled pilot trial, 61 adult PLHIV with CD4 count more than 400 cells/µl and Karnofsky scale score above 70 were enrolled. Those with cardiac disease, jaundice, tuberculosis, or on antiretroviral therapy/yoga intervention were excluded. All were given standard care, randomized to SKY intervention (31: I-SKY and only standard of care in control (30: O-SOC arms. The I-SKY participants were trained for six days to prepare for daily practice of SKY at home for 30 min. A validated 31-item WHOQOL-HIVBREF questionnaire was used to document effect in both arms from baseline to three visits at 4 wk interval. Results: Baseline QOL scores, hypertension and CD4 count were similar in both arms. An overall 6 per cent improvement of QOL scores was observed in I-SKY group as compared to O-SOC group, after controlling for baseline variables like age, gender, education and occupation ( p0 =0.016; 12 per cent for physical ( p0 =0.004, 11 per cent psychological ( p0 =0.023 and 9 per cent level of independence ( p0 =0.001 domains. Improvement in I-SKY observed at post-training and in the SKY adherence group showed increase in these two domains. Conclusions: A significant improvement in QOL scores was observed for the three health related QOL domains in SKY intervention arm. This low cost strategy improved physical and psychological state of PLHIV calling for upscaling with effective monitoring for sustainability of quality of life.

A cross-sectional study of QOL of diabetic patients at tertiary care hospitals in Delhi

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Gautam Yogesh

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background: According to WHO estimates India will be the global capital of diabetes by 2025, accounting for 57.2 million diabetics. Worsening the situation is the fact that diabetes affects the economically productive age-group (45-65 years in developing countries. Objective : To measure quality of life (QOL and study the clinical profiles and associated sociodemographic factors affecting diabetic patients aged 20 years and above. Materials and Methods: We conducted a hospital-based cross-sectional study using a generic instrument, Short-Form 36 (SF-36 of the Medical Outcome Study Group to measure QOL of diabetic subjects aged ≥20 years. Two hundred and sixty diabetics, including 91 males and 169 females, were selected from the clinics of SSK Hospital and Dr RML Hospital of New Delhi. Data was analysed using SPSS for Windows, version 12. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 49.7 years, with 80% of respondents being in the age-group of 40-69 years. The majority (52.1% of female respondents were illiterate and 91.1% were economically dependent. Of the male respondents, 65.9% were skilled workers. Substance abuse was present among 41.8% male subjects. Type 2 diabetes was the commonest, with 94.6% of the subjects having this form. The mean duration of diabetes was 6.96 ± 6.08 years. Oral hypoglycemic agents were being taken by 70.77% of the respondents. Among the diabetics the most common comorbidity was hypertension (30.8% and the commonest complication was neuropathy (26.2%. We calculated the body mass index (BMI of all subjects and found that, 46.2% of the male and 59.8% of the female respondents were either overweight or obese. As predicted by the waist/hip ratio (WHR, 53.8% of the male and 66.9% of the female respondents had high risk for CHD. Regular physical activity was undertaken by less than half of the subjects (46.5%. Out of eight domains of QOL in the SF-36, the two most affected were ′General Health′ and �

Depression, quality of life (QoL) and will to live of community-dwelling postmenopausal women in three Asian countries: Korea, China and Japan.

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Ina, Koichiro; Hayashi, Toshio; Nomura, Hideki; Ishitsuka, Asako; Hirai, Hisako; Iguchi, Akihisa

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of screening-detected depression and the association of depression with QoL in community-dwelling postmenopausal women living in three Asian countries. We examined self-reported questionnaires and conducted the study. A total of 698 community-dwelling postmenopausal women living in three Asian countries participated in this study. The mean age was 59.4±6.6 years (±SD) Depressive symptoms were assessed using a 15-item geriatric depression scale (GDS-15). Using the cut-off of 5/6 for the GDS-15, the percentages of subjects with depression were 39.0% of the Korean subjects, 29.2% of the Chinese subjects, and 33.9% of the Japanese subjects. For the assessment of QoL, we used the EQ-5D of the EuroQoL Group. The following five dimensions were assessed: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. The proportions of subjects reporting problems for each dimension were examined. Subjects with depression had significantly lower levels of some dimensions of QoL than those without depression in all three countries. In all three countries, 29.2-39.0% of community-dwelling postmenopausal women had screening-detected depression, which was significantly associated with a lower level of some dimensions of QoL. These results suggest that clinicians should pay more attention to depression in community-dwelling postmenopausal women. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Quality of life in the contemporary politics of healthcare: … but what is a life?

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Phillips, Catherine R

2018-03-01

'Quality of life' (QoL) is a ubiquitous phrase in medicine. There is considerable literature on the meaning of 'quality' in 'quality of life', but little on the meaning of 'life'. And yet, rooted in measurements of QoL, is a conceptualization of 'a life' used to judge 'quality'. In this article I focus on 'life' within institutional healthcare, arguing that for patients who are considered elderly, their life is defined against functionality. I use an autoethnographic method to enter this conversation, underlining the disjuncture between patients' understanding of 'a life', and that of healthcare professionals. I draw on the writings of the Italian philosopher Georgio Agamben to interrogate 'life', shifting the conversation of QoL from one of measurement and administration to one of political order. I discuss both the formal, evidence-based tools and the nature of their application. I conclude by arguing that QoL tools and their application, produce a particular kind of life, and that what is at stake in the invocation of 'quality of life' in health care is our very experience of aging and our embodiment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improvement of quality of life, anxiety and depression after surgery in patients with stress urinary incontinence: Results of a longitudinal short-term follow-up

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Giesinger Johannes M

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to compare the effect of incontinence surgery and pelvic floor training on quality of life (QOL, anxiety and depression in patients with stress urinary incontinence (SUI. Methods In a prospective longitudinal study, females with proven SUI were asked to complete a set of standardized questionnaires (sociodemographic data sheet, FACT-G, I-QOL, HADS before and eight weeks after treatment. The comparison groups consisted of a surgical treatment group and a conservative group that underwent supervised pelvic floor training for eight weeks. Results From the 67 female patients included in the study a number of 53 patients completed both assessment time points (mean age 57.4, mean years of SUI 7.6. The surgical treatment group consisted of 32 patients of which 21 patients received a modified Burch colposuspension and 11 patients a tension-free mid-urethral tape suspension. The 21 patients in the conservative group attended eight once-weekly supervised pelvic floor training sessions. After treatment the surgical intervention group showed a significantly higher improvement of QOL (FACT-G and I-QOL and anxiety (HADS than the pelvic floor training group. Conclusion For female patients with SUI surgery yielded a better outcome than pelvic floor training with regard to quality of life and anxiety.

Construct validity of the items on the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) questionnaire that evaluate the participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

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Silva, Soraia Micaela; Corrêa, Fernanda Ishida; Pereira, Gabriela Santos; Faria, Christina Danielli Coelho de Morais; Corrêa, João Carlos Ferrari

2018-01-01

Analyze the construct validity and internal consistency of the Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) items that address the participation component of the ICF as well as analyze the ceiling and floor effects. One hundred subjects were analyzed: 85 community-dwelling and 15 institutionalized individuals. The analysis of construct validity was performed using classic psychometrics: (1) the comparison of known groups (individuals without restriction to participation vs. those with restriction to participation) using the Mann-Whitney test and (2) convergent validity - correlation between the scores on the SS-QOL items that address participation and the subscale scores of measures used to evaluate the similar constructs and concepts [the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Functional Independence Measure (FIM) and grip strength test]. Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated for this analysis. Cronbach's α was used for the analysis of internal consistency and both the ceiling and floor effects were analyzed. The level of significance for all analyses was α = 0.05. The a priori hypotheses regarding construct validity were partially demonstrated, as only five of the eight domains exhibited positive moderate to strong correlations (r > 0.40) with measures that address constructs similar to those addressed on the SS-QOL questionnaire. The items demonstrated adequate internal consistency and are capable of differentiating individuals with and without restriction to participation. The ceiling and floor effects were considered adequate for the total SS-QOL score, but beyond acceptable standards for some domains. The 26 items of the SS-QOL questionnaire measure a multidimensional construct and therefore do not only address participation. However, the items demonstrated adequate internal consistency and are capable of differentiating individuals with and without restriction to participation. Implications for rehabilitation The 26 items of the SS-QOL

Quality of life outcomes in patients living with stoma

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Fakhrialsadat Anaraki

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Despite efforts to maintain the intestinal tissue and treat gastrointestinal disease, a large number of patients undergo ostomy surgery each year. Using stoma reduces the patient′s quality of life (QOL greatly. Although there are approximately 3000 patients in Iran; there is little information about the impact of stoma on their QOL. Aims: The study aims to evaluate QOL of stoma patients using a special measurement tool. Settings and Design: This survey was a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 102 random samples of stoma patients. Materials and Methods : The City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire was used for collecting demographic and clinical information and evaluating QOL. Statistical Analysis Used: Univariate and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of QOL. Results: The mean score for the overall QOL for stoma patients was 7.48 ± 0.9. 70% of patients were dissatisfied with sexual activities. More than half of them reported feelings of depression following stoma surgery. Univariate analysis indicated that factors such as the type of ostomy (temporary/permanent, the underlying disease that had led to the stoma, depression, problem with location of ostomy, and change in clothing style had significant effects on overall QOL and its subscales ( P < 0.05. The results of the regression analyses showed that only depression and problem with the location of ostomy were statistically significant in predicting patients′ QOL and its subscales ( P < 0.05. Conclusions: The findings demonstrated that living with stoma influences the overall aspect of QOL. Education for the patients and their families is important for improving the stoma patients′ QOL. Sexual and psychological consultation may also improve patients′ QOL.

Analysis of the physical aspects of quality of life of kidney recipients

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Ana Elza Oliveira de Mendonça

2015-02-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE To identify the main factors of the physical domain modified after kidney transplantation and analyze the influence of those aspects in the perception of Overall quality of life (QOL. METHOD Longitudinal study, conducted with 63 chronic kidney patients, evaluated before and after kidney transplant, using the quality of life scale proposed by the World Health Organization. RESULTS We observed significant improvement in the physical aspects of QOL after kidney transplantation. Significant correlations were observed between physical aspects and the Overall QOL. CONCLUSION The kidney transplant generated improvement in all physical aspects of QOL. The factors that showed stronger correlation with the Overall QOL before the transplant were the capacity to work and pain. After the transplant, the perception of need for treatment was the factor that showed stronger correlation with the Overall QOL.

Engaging patients to recover life projectuality: an Italian cross-disease framework.

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Barello, Serena; Graffigna, Guendalina

2015-05-01

Chronic disease is recognized as having a large impact on patient quality of life (QoL), which can be defined as an individual's satisfaction or happiness with life in domains he or she considers important. Policy makers and clinicians recognize increasingly that patients can safeguard their QoL by making healthy lifestyle choices and being actively engaged in their health care. However, in the emphasis on promoting patient engagement to enhance patients' QoL, there is no consensus regarding the relationship between QOL and patient engagement, resulting in a lack of shared guidelines among clinicians on interventions. Furthermore, no studies have provided an in-depth exploration of the perspective of patients with chronic conditions who are engaged in their health care and their requirements to achieve an improved QoL. Given this theoretical gap, the present study attempted to explore the patient engagement experience and its relationship with patient QoL in the context of the Italian healthcare system and in relation to different chronic diseases. In-depth qualitative interviews on a sample of 99 patients with a wide variety of chronic conditions (heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer). Patient engagement in health care can be defined as a context-based and cross-disease process that appears to enable patients to recover their life projectuality, which had been impaired by the onset of chronic disease. Successful patient engagement may also be related to a positive shift in the ways in which patients perceive self and life and experience empowerment to realize their life potential, thus improving quality of life. Patient engagement is a powerful concept capable of reflecting significant psychosocial changes that promote patient QoL along the care process. There appears to be theoretical and empirical justification for a broad definition of QoL. QoL deeply depends on the patient ability to engage in their care and on the

Spanish Adaptation and Validation of the Family Quality of Life Survey

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Verdugo, M. A.; Cordoba, L.; Gomez, J.

2005-01-01

Background: Assessing the quality of life (QOL) for families that include a person with a disability have recently become a major emphasis in cross-cultural QOL studies. The present study examined the reliability and validity of the Family Quality of Life Survey (FQOL) on a Spanish sample. Method and Results: The sample comprised 385 families who…

PREDICTORS OF QUALITY OF LIFE IN 165 PATIENTS WITH ACROMEGALY: RESULTS FROM A SINGLE-CENTER STUDY.

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Kreitschmann-Andermahr, Ilonka; Buchfelder, Michael; Kleist, Bernadette; Kohlmann, Johannes; Menzel, Christa; Buslei, Rolf; Kołtowska-Häggsträm, Maria; Strasburger, Christian; Siegel, Sonja

2017-01-01

Even if treated, acromegaly has a considerable impact on patient quality of life (QoL); despite this, the exact clinical determinants of QoL in acromegaly are unknown. This study retrospectively examines a cohort of treated patients with acromegaly, with the aim of identifying these determinants. Retrospective survey analysis, with 165 patients included in the study. All patients completed a survey, which included demographic data and the clinical details of their disease, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the Bern Embitterment Inventory (BEI). Stepwise regression was used to identify predictors of QoL. The strongest predictors of the physical component score of the SF-36 were (in order of declining strength of association): Delay between first presentation of the disease and diagnosis, body mass index (BMI), number of doctors visited before the diagnosis of acromegaly, and age at diagnosis. For the mental component score, the strongest predictors were: number of doctors visited, previous radiotherapy, and age at study entry; and, for the BDI-II score: number of doctors visited, previous radiotherapy, age at study entry, and employment status at the time of diagnosis. The following were predictors of the BEI score: number of doctors visited, and age at study entry. Diagnostic delay and lack of diagnostic acumen in medical care provision are strong predictors of poor QoL in patients with acromegaly. Other identified parameters are radiotherapy, age, BMI, and employment status. An efficient acromegaly service should address these aspects when devising disease management plans. BDI-II = Beck Depression Inventory II BEI = Bern Embitterment Inventory BMI = body mass index IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1 MCS = mental component summary (score) PCS = physical component summary (score) QoL = quality of life SDS = standard deviation score SF-36 = Short Form-36 Health Survey.

Quality of life in adults with Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome

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2012-01-01

Background Few studies have used standardized QOL instruments to assess the quality of life (QOL) in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (GTS) patients. This work investigates the QOL of adult GTS patients and examines the relationships between physical and psychological variables and QOL. Methods Epidemiological investigation by anonymous national postal survey of QOL of patients of the French Association of Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome (AFGTS) aged 16 years or older. The clinical and QOL measures were collected by four questionnaires: a sociodemographic and GTS-related symptoms questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality Of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL-26), the Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ), and a self-rating questionnaire on psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90), all validated in French. We used stepwise regression analysis to explicitly investigate the relationships between physical and psychological variables and QOL domains in GTS. Results Questionnaires were posted to 303 patients, of whom 167 (55%) completed and returned them. Our results, adjusted for age and gender, show that patients with GTS have a worse QOL than the general healthy population. In particular, the “Depression” psychological variable was a significant predictor of impairment in all WHOQOL-26 domains, psychological but also physical and social. Conclusions The present study demonstrates a strong relationship between QOL in GTS and psychiatric symptoms, in particular those of depression. PMID:22888766

Quality of life outcome measures using UW-QOL questionnaire v4 in early oral cancer/squamous cell cancer resections of the tongue and floor of mouth with reconstruction solely using local methods.

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Boyapati, Raghuram P; Shah, Ketan C; Flood, Valerie; Stassen, Leo F A

2013-09-01

Cancer treatment either by surgery alone or in a combination of surgery, radiotherapy±chemotherapy has significant consequences on the physical, mental, emotional and psychosocial wellbeing of the patient. Measurement of quality of life (QOL) is necessary to understand the patient's perception of their own treatment, as clinicians' views can be biased. Reconstruction of a cancerous defect with a free vascular flap is ideal in large, often composite defects, provided it is appropriate to the advanced stage and prognosis of the disease, medical condition of the patient, availability of surgical and financial resources and allows the prosthetic rehabilitation of the anatomic area. Using University of Washington Quality of life 4 questionnaire (UW-QOL4), we assessed the QOL of 38 patients, who underwent local surgical reconstructions after resection of T1/T2 tongue/floor of mouth squamous cell carcinoma defects. Objective assessment of speech and swallow function was also carried out using therapy outcome measure (TOM) scores by the speech and language therapy team (SALT) aiming to see the differences in the scores obtained in patients who underwent post-operative radiotherapy. Our study, conducted 6months after completion of all oncologic treatment for the primary disease, showed satisfactory levels of quality of life parameters with good function showing that local reconstructive methods are successful and may have benefits in the management of early oral cancers involving the tongue and floor of mouth. They are beneficial by providing a good quality in terms of function, by reducing the operating time, the surgical morbidity, simplifying post-operative care and thereby becoming an efficient, effective and a cost effective method. Copyright © 2012 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modification of the Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-Hm) to consider personalized satisfaction with participation in activities and roles: results from a construct validity study with older adults.

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Roy-Bouthot, Kathleen; Filiatrault, Patrick; Caron, Cyndi; Gagnon, Maxime; Prémont, Stéphanie; Levasseur, Mélanie

2014-01-01

Participation, defined as a person's involvement in activities and roles, is a primary intervention goal in rehabilitation. To achieve client-centered practice, rehabilitation professionals need to go beyond objective accomplishment criteria and consider satisfaction with and the importance of participation in activities and roles. To our knowledge, no instrument considers accomplishment, satisfaction and importance of activities and roles, and allows numerical scoring and comparison. The objectives of this study were to modify the Assessment of Life Habits questionnaire (LIFE-Hm) to consider personalized satisfaction (satisfaction weighted by importance) with participation in activities and roles, and to: (1) examine its convergent validity with quality of life (QOL) and (2) compare the associations between QOL on the one hand and, satisfaction (LIFE-H) and personalized satisfaction (LIFE-Hm) with participation on the other. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 84 older adults, average age 76 years, with different functional autonomy levels. Quality of life was associated with personalized satisfaction for all categories of activities and roles (r = 0.45 to 0.75; p study found good construct validity of the LIFE-Hm with QOL. Personalization can add value in achieving client-centered practice. Implications for Rehabilitation The LIFE-Hm becomes the first instrument available in English and French that allows comparison between individuals and informs rehabilitation professionals about the level of accomplishment, satisfaction and personalized satisfaction with participation in activities and roles. Personalized satisfaction can add value in achieving client-centered practice as it considers not only how satisfying activities and roles are for the person, but also the importance that these activities and roles have for her/him. The LIFE-Hm offers the advantage of systematically identifying activities and roles which are not satisfactory but

Quality of life in children with epilepsy

OpenAIRE

Nadkarni, Jayashree; Jain, Arti; Dwivedi, Rashmi

2011-01-01

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition with many co-morbid features. It has been observed that children with epilepsy (CWE) have a compromised quality of life (QOL). Objective: To assess the QOL in CWE and to study the various factors affecting QOL among CWE. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 102 CWE aged 5-15 years of either sex. QOL was measured by Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire, a 76-item, parent-reported questionnaire. Cronbach alpha ...

Quality of life (QOL) among community dwelling older people in Taiwan measured by the CASP-19, an index to capture QOL in old age.

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Wu, Tai-Yin; Chie, Wei-Chu; Kuo, Kuan-Liang; Wong, Wai-Kuen; Liu, Jen-Pei; Chiu, Shih-Ting; Cheng, Yeung-Hung; Netuveli, Gopal; Blane, David

2013-01-01

There was no existing scale in Mandarin Chinese to specifically measure QOL in old age. We aimed to validate a Chinese Taiwan version of the CASP-19 (control, autonomy, self-realization, pleasure), a QOL questionnaire, in Taiwan. The existing CASP-19 Cantonese version was modified into Chinese Taiwan version and pilot tested. Data were then gathered from 699 older people. Score distribution, exploratory and confirmatory factor structure, reliability and clinical validity of the CASP-19 and its shortened version, the CASP-12, were examined. The mean age of the participants was 75.5 (standard deviation (SD) 6.5), and half (49.5%) were female. The mean CASP-19 score was 38.2 (range 11-56; SD 7.1), lower than that of Western countries. Exploratory factor analysis revealed an additional factor, 'participation' (CASPP-19). There was satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's α 0.63-0.85) for the subscales, except for the control domain. For the 19-item scale, the first order five-domain model (CASPP-19) yielded the best fit. For the CASP-12, first and second order original CASP-12 models performed equally well. There was an inverse relationship between the CASP total scores and frailty, chronic diseases, depressive disorders, living alone and fall events in the past 12months, supporting good clinical validity for all versions of the CASP scale (CASP-19, CASPP-19, original and new CASP-12). The original CASP-12 may be presently the best choice for use in China, Taiwan or other Mandarin-speaking populations due to its conciseness and model parsimony. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and psychometric characteristics of the SCI-QOL Bladder Management Difficulties and Bowel Management Difficulties item banks and short forms and the SCI-QOL Bladder Complications scale.

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Tulsky, David S; Kisala, Pamela A; Tate, Denise G; Spungen, Ann M; Kirshblum, Steven C

2015-05-01

To describe the development and psychometric properties of the Spinal Cord Injury--Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Bladder Management Difficulties and Bowel Management Difficulties item banks and Bladder Complications scale. Using a mixed-methods design, a pool of items assessing bladder and bowel-related concerns were developed using focus groups with individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and SCI clinicians, cognitive interviews, and item response theory (IRT) analytic approaches, including tests of model fit and differential item functioning. Thirty-eight bladder items and 52 bowel items were tested at the University of Michigan, Kessler Foundation Research Center, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the University of Washington, Craig Hospital, and the James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Seven hundred fifty-seven adults with traumatic SCI. The final item banks demonstrated unidimensionality (Bladder Management Difficulties CFI=0.965; RMSEA=0.093; Bowel Management Difficulties CFI=0.955; RMSEA=0.078) and acceptable fit to a graded response IRT model. The final calibrated Bladder Management Difficulties bank includes 15 items, and the final Bowel Management Difficulties item bank consists of 26 items. Additionally, 5 items related to urinary tract infections (UTI) did not fit with the larger Bladder Management Difficulties item bank but performed relatively well independently (CFI=0.992, RMSEA=0.050) and were thus retained as a separate scale. The SCI-QOL Bladder Management Difficulties and Bowel Management Difficulties item banks are psychometrically robust and are available as computer adaptive tests or short forms. The SCI-QOL Bladder Complications scale is a brief, fixed-length outcomes instrument for individuals with a UTI.

Quality of life questionnaires in otorhinolaryngology; a systematic overview

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koenraads, Simone P C; Aarts, Mark C J; vd Veen, EL; Grolman, Wilko; Stegeman, Inge

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: The importance of quality of life (QOL) as an endpoint and the use of validated QOL questionnaires has increased over time. OBJECTIVE OF OVERVIEW: To evaluate health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) measurement instruments used in patients in otorhinolaryngology (ORL). We aim to

Social media users have different experiences, motivations, and quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Campisi, Jay; Folan, Denis; Diehl, Grace; Kable, Timothy; Rademeyer, Candice

2015-08-30

While the number of individuals participating in internet-based social networks has continued to rise, it is unclear how participating in social networks might influence quality of life (QOL). Individuals differ in their experiences, motivations for, and amount of time using internet-based social networks, therefore, we examined if individuals differing in social network user experiences, motivations and frequency of social network also differed in self-reported QOL. Two-hundred and thirty-seven individuals (aged 18-65) were recruited online using the online platform Mechanical Turk (MTurk). All participants completed a web-based survey examining social network use and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-Bref) to assess QOL. Individuals who reported positive associations with the use of social networks demonstrated higher QOL while those reporting negative associates demonstrated lower QOL. Moreover, individuals using social networks to stay connected to friends demonstrated higher QOL while those using social networking for dating purposes reported lower QOL. Frequency of social network use did not relate to QOL. These results suggest that QOL differs among social network users. Thus, participating in social networking may be a way to either promote or detract from QOL. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship between individual quality of life and family quality of life for people with intellectual disability living in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bertelli, M; Bianco, A; Rossi, M; Scuticchio, D; Brown, I

2011-12-01

There is substantial literature investigating quality of life (QoL) of individuals with intellectual disability (ID). QoL of families of people with ID is emerging as an important field of research. Despite this, there is a lack of studies regarding their relationship. The present paper aimed to study the relationship between QoL scores of individuals with ID and members of their families. Twenty-seven parents or relatives of 27 adults with ID were recruited by four different research centres across Tuscany (Italy) to be interviewed through the Italian adaptation of the Family Quality of Life Survey - 2006 (FQoLS-2006), a tool developed for use in a multiple-country study on family QoL. The FQoLS-2006 was translated and adapted to Italian through three revisions. The last was submitted to the authors of the original version, who also maintain an electronic data file and data archive for statistical evaluations in various countries. QoL of persons with ID was assessed through the administration of the Quality of Life - Instrument Package. QoL scores were analysed to describe population characteristics and to examine the relationships among measures of individual and family QoL using correlations (Pearson and Spearman). Findings showed that family ratings of QoL were generally low. Families interviewed reported a low level of QoL in 'Support from Others' and 'Community Interaction', while 'Family Relationships' and 'Health of the Family' rated higher. For individual QoL, individuals had the lowest scores in the area of 'Spiritual being' and higher scores in the area of 'Physical being'. Correlations examining possible relationships among Importance, Satisfaction and Opportunities found some statistically significant correlation coefficients between some aspects of the three main areas of individual QoL (Being, Belonging and Becoming) and the nine family domains. Most of these correlations regarded family 'Financial Well-Being', 'Family Relationships, 'Support from

Quality of life in patients with Behcet's disease and Recurrent aphthous stomatitis

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Burcu Tuğrul Ayanoğlu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Background and Design: Behçet’s disease (BD is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS is a condition affecting oral health-related quality of life (QoL. In this study, we aimed to evaluate QoL of BD patients by using the Behçet’s disease quality of life instrument (BDQLI and to compare the QoL of patients with BD with that of patients with RAS and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with BD and 40 patients with RAS and 40 healthy subjects with similar sociodemographic characteristics were included in the study. We used the BDQLI to evaluate QoL of patients with BD and the Dermatology-specific quality of life instrument for comparison of QqL between patients with BD and RAS. 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and clinical data form were applied in all participants. The results were analyzed statistically. The power of the study was 99%. Results: QoL of patients with BD were lower than that of healthy controls. It was observed that patients with BD had decreased physical functions, impaired perception of pain and poor general health (p0.05. Female gender, relapse periods and mucocutaneous symptoms negatively affected QoL of patients with BD. Female gender and duration of the disease were found to be the main factors affecting QoL of patients with RAS. Conclusion: Unlike the results obtained with other instruments, with BDQLI, QoL, particularly in patients with active period and female gender was found to be decreased. In this study, there was a dominance of active mucocutaneous symptoms. This may explain the effect of mucocutaneous symptoms on QoL and the fact that there was no difference in QoL between BD and RAS patients. Further studies comparing QoL of patients with BD in whom visceral involvement is also observed with those with other diseases. QoL of BD patients may be improved by paying attention on symptoms that patients have trouble and by evaluating QoL with

Quality of life in boarding houses and hostels: a residents' perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Horan, M E; Muller, J J; Winocur, S; Barling, N

2001-08-01

In the last forty years deinstitutionalization has transferred the care of people with a serious mental illness from the psychiatric hospitals to community based facilities. More recently it has been questioned whether these new facilities offer the anticipated benefits of quality of life. This study examines the Quality of Life (QOL) of people diagnosed with schizophrenia living in two different accommodation facilities, hostels and boarding houses. QOL is examined from the resident's perspective. Lehman's (1988b) QOL Interview was used to measure objective, subjective, and global QOL of 60 participants in three hostels and two boarding house clusters. Hostel and boarding house data were compared and results showed that residents preferred boarding house accommodation. Overall, residents of both accommodation facilities reported satisfaction with QOL, and indicated that they regard them as asylum or sanctuary from the outside world.

Quality-of-Life After Everolimus-Eluting Stents or Bypass Surgery for Left-Main Disease: Results From the EXCEL Trial.

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Baron, Suzanne J; Chinnakondepalli, Khaja; Magnuson, Elizabeth A; Kandzari, David E; Puskas, John D; Ben-Yehuda, Ori; van Es, Gerrit-Anne; Taggart, David P; Morice, Marie-Claude; Lembo, Nicholas J; Brown, W Morris; Banning, Adrian; Simonton, Charles A; Kappetein, A Pieter; Sabik, Joseph F; Serruys, Patrick W; Stone, Gregg W; Cohen, David J

2017-12-26

The EXCEL (Evaluation of Xience Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularization) trial compared outcomes in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease (LMCAD) treated with coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using everolimus-eluting stents. Whereas rates of death, stroke, and myocardial infarction were similar at 36 months, event timing and repeat revascularization rates differed by treatment group. To understand the effects of revascularization strategy from the patient's perspective, a prospective quality of life (QoL) substudy was performed alongside the EXCEL trial. Between September 2010 and March 2014, 1,905 patients with LMCAD were randomized to undergo CABG or PCI, of whom 1,788 participated in the QoL substudy. QoL was assessed at baseline and 1, 12, and 36 months using the Seattle Angina Questionnaire, the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey, the Rose Dyspnea Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-8, and the EQ-5D. Differences between PCI and CABG were assessed using longitudinal random-effect growth curve models. Over 36 months, both PCI and CABG were associated with significant improvements in QoL compared with baseline. At 1 month, PCI was associated with better QoL than CABG. By 12 months though, these differences were largely attenuated, and by 36 months, there were no significant QoL differences between PCI and CABG. Among selected patients with LMCAD, both PCI and CABG result in similar QoL improvement through 36 months, although a greater early benefit is seen with PCI. Taken together with the 3-year clinical results of EXCEL, these findings suggest that PCI and CABG provide similar intermediate-term outcomes for patients with LMCAD. (Evaluation of Xience Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left Main Revascularization [EXCEL]; NCT01205776). Copyright © 2017 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier

Decreased physical activity, reduced QoL and presence of debilitating fatigue in patients with Addison's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Valk, Eline S; Smans, Lisanne C C J; Hofstetter, Hedwig; Stubbe, Janine H; de Vries, Marieke; Backx, Frank J G; Hermus, Ad R M M; Zelissen, Pierre M J

2016-09-01

Health-related quality of life in patients with Addison's disease has been assessed in various European countries, indicating a reduced quality of life. However, no studies have addressed the impact of Addison's disease on physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of life in Dutch patients with Addison's disease particularly regarding the presence of fatigue and the ability to be physically active. In this cross-sectional study, a postal survey was performed among Dutch patients with Addison's disease on stable glucocorticoid replacement therapy with hydrocortisone or cortisone acetate. For quality of life and physical activity assessment, patients completed general and health-related quality of life and physical activity questionnaires, and scores were compared to Dutch controls. A total of 328 patients with Addison's disease were studied. In patients with Addison's disease, only 45·7% met the standard of physical activity (Combinorm) compared to 67·8% of Dutch controls (P < 0·01). Forty-eight per cent of patients showed abnormal fatigue, while 61% had severe fatigue. The CIS fatigue scores were significantly higher compared to controls (P < 0·01). We found reduced general subjective health-related QoL scores in both male and female patients, especially in younger patients <65 years of age. Physical activity is decreased in patients with Addison's disease, combined with a reduced subjective health-related QoL and increased fatigue. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Individual quality of life of people with severe mental disorders.

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Pitkänen, A; Hätönen, H; Kuosmanen, L; Välimäki, M

2009-02-01

People with mental disorders have been found to suffer from impaired quality of life (QoL). Therefore, the assessment of QoL has become important in psychiatric research. This explorative study was carried out in acute psychiatric wards. Thirty-five patients diagnosed with schizophrenia and related psychosis were interviewed. QoL was rated by the Schedule for Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life which is a respondent-generated QoL measure using semi-structured interview technique. Patients named five areas of life important to them and then rated their current status and placed relative weight on each QoL area. The data were analysed with qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics. The most frequently named areas for QoL were health, family, leisure activities, work/study and social relationships, which represented 72% of all QoL areas named. Patients' average satisfaction with these QoL areas ranged 49.0-69.1 (scale 0-100). The mean global QoL score was 61.5 (standard deviation 17.4; range 24.6-89.6; scale 0-100). Awareness of patients' perceptions of their QoL areas can enhance our understanding of an individual patient's QoL and reveal unsatisfactory areas where QoL could be improved with individually tailored needs-based interventions.

Summary scores captured changes in subjects' QoL as measured by the multiple scales of the EORTC QLQ-C30.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Rachel; Gandhi, Mihir; Cheung, Yin Bun; Findlay, Michael P; Win, Khin Maung; Hai, Hoang Hoa; Yang, Jin Mo; Lobo, Rolley Rey; Soo, Khee Chee; Chow, Pierce K H

2015-08-01

To examine the performance of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) global health status/quality of life (QoL) scale and two summary scores to detect changes in the QoL profile over time, according to changes in the individual scales. Data came from 167 clinical trial patients with unresectable (advanced) hepatocellular carcinoma. The global health status/QoL scale of the questionnaire contained two items: overall health and overall QoL. Nordin and Hinz proposed summary scores for the questionnaire. A mixed-effect model was fitted to estimate trends in scores over time. Predominantly the individual scale scores declined over time; however, the global health status/QoL score was stable [rate of change = -0.3 per month; 95% confidence interval (CI): -1.2, 0.6]. Nordin's summary score, which gave equal weight to the 15 questionnaire scales, and Hinz's summary score, which gave equal weight to the 30 questionnaire items, showed a statistically significant decline over time, 3.4 (95% CI: -4.5, -2.4) and 4.2 (95% CI: -5.3, -3.0) points per month, respectively. In contrast to the global health status/QoL scale, the summary scores proposed by Nordin and Hinz detected changes in subjects' QoL profile described by the EORTC QLQ-C30 individual scales. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of Life of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Receiving Cancer Specific Treatments

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James Gonsalves

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Head and neck cancer (HNC remains a considerable challenge to both patient and health care provider as the disease can have profound effect on Quality of life (QOL. Aims and Objectives: To assess the QOL and performance status of HNC patients, to find relation between domains of QOL and to find association between QOL and demographic and disease variables. Settings and Design: The study was conducted at Manipal group of hospitals, Manipal and Mangalore, using descriptive survey design. Material and Methods: The study comprised of 89 samples with all stages of HNC. Patients primarily diagnosed with HNC and undergoing disease specific treatment were included in the study. Tool on demographic, disease variables and quality of life were developed and content validity was established. Reliability of the tool was established. Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS scale was used to assess performance status. Corelational analysis was done to find relation between the domains of QOL. Association was found between the quality of life and demographic and disease variables. Results: Majority (83% of the participants were males, 39% had cancer arising from oral cavity, and 35% each were in cancer stage III and IV. Quality of life was poor among 30% of the subjects and 65% had KPS scores<80 %. There was moderate positive relation between the domains of QOL and a positive correlation between the QOL and performance status. No statistically significant association was found between QOL and disease and demographic variables. Conclusion: Physical, psychological, social and spiritual domains of QOL and functional status are affected in patients with HNC. The impact on one domain area of well being, significantly affects the other domain of QOL and there is relationship between the performance status and QOL

Quality of life of patients who undergone myocardial revascularization surgery

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Hirla Vanessa Soares de Araújo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the quality of life of patients who underwent revascularization surgery. Method: a descriptive, cross sectional study, with quantitative approach carried out with 75 patients. The questionnaire WHOQOL-Bref was used to evaluate the quality of life (QOL. Results: patients' QOL evaluation presented a moderate result, with need of improvement of all domains. Low income patients had the worst evaluation of QOL in the domain environment (p=0,021, and the ones from Recife/metropolitan area, in the domain social relationship (p=0,021. Smoker (p=0,047, diabetic (p=0,002 and alcohol consumption (p=0,035 patients presented the worst evaluation of the physical domain. Renal patients presented the worst evaluation of QOL in the physical (P=0,037, psychological (p=0,008, social relationship (p=0,006 domains and total score (p=0,009. Conclusion: the improvement of QOL depends on the individual's process of behavioral change and the participation of health professionals is essential to formulate strategies to approach these patients, especially concerning health education.

Measuring depression after spinal cord injury: Development and psychometric characteristics of the SCI-QOL Depression item bank and linkage with PHQ-9.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulsky, David S; Kisala, Pamela A; Kalpakjian, Claire Z; Bombardier, Charles H; Pohlig, Ryan T; Heinemann, Allen W; Carle, Adam; Choi, Seung W

2015-05-01

To develop a calibrated spinal cord injury-quality of life (SCI-QOL) item bank, computer adaptive test (CAT), and short form to assess depressive symptoms experienced by individuals with SCI, transform scores to the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) metric, and create a crosswalk to the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9. We used grounded-theory based qualitative item development methods, large-scale item calibration field testing, confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory (IRT) analyses, and statistical linking techniques to transform scores to a PROMIS metric and to provide a crosswalk with the PHQ-9. Five SCI Model System centers and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the United States. Adults with traumatic SCI. Spinal Cord Injury--Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Depression Item Bank Individuals with SCI were involved in all phases of SCI-QOL development. A sample of 716 individuals with traumatic SCI completed 35 items assessing depression, 18 of which were PROMIS items. After removing 7 non-PROMIS items, factor analyses confirmed a unidimensional pool of items. We used a graded response IRT model to estimate slopes and thresholds for the 28 retained items. The SCI-QOL Depression measure correlated 0.76 with the PHQ-9. The SCI-QOL Depression item bank provides a reliable and sensitive measure of depressive symptoms with scores reported in terms of general population norms. We provide a crosswalk to the PHQ-9 to facilitate comparisons between measures. The item bank may be administered as a CAT or as a short form and is suitable for research and clinical applications.

Current Quality-of-Life Tools Available for Use in Contact Dermatitis.

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Swietlik, Jacquelyn; Reeder, Margo

2016-01-01

Contact dermatitis is a common dermatologic condition that can cause significant impairment in patients' overall quality of life (QoL). This impact is separate and potentially more clinically relevant than one's disease "severity" in contact dermatitis and should be consistently addressed by dermatologists. Despite this, QoL tools specific to contact dermatitis are lacking, and there is little consistency in the literature regarding the tool used to evaluate clinical response to therapies. Measurements currently available to evaluate disease-related QoL in contact dermatitis fit into 1 of the following 3 general types: generic health-related QoL measures, dermatology-related QoL measures, or specific dermatologic disease-related QoL measures. This article reviews the strengths and weaknesses of existing QoL tools used in contact dermatitis including: Short Form Survey 36, Dermatology Life Quality Index, Skindex-29, Skindex-16, Dermatology-Specific Quality of Life, and Fragrance Quality of Life Index.

Quality of Life as Medicine. II. A Pilot Study of a Five-Day �Quality of Life and Health� Cure for Patients with Alcoholism

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Soren Ventegodt

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Alcoholism can be understood as a self-treatment for existential pain. A 5-day treatment was designed to relieve this psychological pain and existential anxiety, and thereby diminish the need for self-treatment with alcohol. The basic principle behind the treatment was holistic, restoring the quality of life (QOL and relationship with self, which according to the life mission theory happens when life-denying views are corrected and inner emotional conflicts are solved. The method in this treatment was a course with teachings in philosophy of life, psychotherapy, and body therapy. The synergy attained was considerable and the outcome demonstrates that in the course of 1 week, people have time to revise essential life-denying views and to integrate important, unfinished life events involving negative feelings. This was demonstrated by an improved QOL and a decrease in their dependency and need for alcohol abuse. In the week before, after the 5-day course, and again after 1 and 3 months, the 16 participants completed the SEQOL questionnaire on QOL and health. This was a pilot study based on a pre-experimental design, without a control group and without clinical control. Common for the group were a low QOL, numerous health problems, and alcohol dependency in spite of treatment with Antabus� (disulfiram. The study showed an increase in QOL from 57.6% before the course to 69.4% 3 months after the course, or an improvement in QOL of 11.8%. There was a 24.0% improvement in self-perceived mental health, and satisfaction with health in general was improved by 11.1%. The total sum of health symptoms in the group was reduced from 59% of maximum to 33%. It is concluded that for this small and motivated group with alcohol problems, it was possible to improve QOL and health in only 5 days with a holistic treatment that combined philosophy of life, psychotherapy, and body therapy, but the results are not final. Further research is needed.

Quality of life of community-based chronic schizophrenia patients in Penang, Malaysia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mubarak, A R; Baba, Ismail; Chin, Low Heng; Hoe, Quah Soon

2003-10-01

This is a study of the quality of life (QOL) of 174 community-based chronic schizophrenia patients in Penang, Malaysia. The study samples were selected from the Out Patient Department, Department of Psychiatry, Penang General Hospital, Malaysia. The data was collected through personal interviews with the respondents. A questionnaire prepared by the research team was used to collect data on background characteristics. Lehman's (1988) Quality of Life Interview was used to collect data on patients' QOL. Equal number of males and females participated in the study. The interviews on QOL indicated problems in the areas of life in general, place of living, daily activities, social relations, finance, work and general health. The results also revealed that community-based schizophrenia patients had acute poverty and experienced social isolation, discrimination and exploitation in the workplace. Implications of these results on the implementation process of National Mental Health Policy in Malaysia are discussed. The research paper also discusses the negative impacts of limited rehabilitation facilities available in the community and its implications on the QOL of severely mentally ill patients. The need for immediate research attention on QOL of such patients in the South-east Asian region has been highlighted.

Quality of life in childhood epilepsy with lateralized epileptogenic foci

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Mathiak Krystyna A

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Measuring quality of life (QOL helps to delineate mechanisms underlying the interaction of disease and psychosocial factors. In adults, epileptic foci in the left temporal lobe led to lower QOL and higher depression and anxiety as compared to the right-sided foci. No study addressed the development of QOL disturbances depending on the lateralization of epileptogenic focus. The objective of our study was to examine QOL in children with lateralized epileptiform discharges. Methods Thirty-one parents of children with epilepsy filled the Health-Related Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE. Fifteen children had foci in the left hemisphere and sixteen in the right, as verified with Electroencephalography (EEG examinations. Results We found a significant correlation between foci lateralization and reduced QOL (Spearman's rho = 0.361, p Conclusions We demonstrated for the first time that in children left- and right-hemispheric foci were associated with discordant QOL scores. Unlike in adults, foci in the right hemisphere led to worse emotional and social functioning demonstrating that seizures impact the brain differentially during development.

Fragrance allergy and quality of life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heisterberg, Maria V; Menné, Torkil; Johansen, Jeanne D

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: Fragrance ingredients can cause contact allergy, which may affect quality of life (QoL). However, few studies have investigated this topic. OBJECTIVES: To investigate QoL life among subjects with a fragrance allergy as compared with other eczema patients. METHODS: A case-control survey...

SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF QUALITY OF LIFE ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

FOBUR

the quality of life depressed patients and also to assess the predictors of patients' subjective QOL. .... Table 2: Relationship between overall quality of life, sociodemographic variables and number of ..... work . Several depressive episodes predicted poorer overall QOL in this study. ... Family and religious support, which.

Predictors of parent-reported quality of life of adolescents with cerebral palsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rapp, Marion; Eisemann, Nora; Arnaud, Catherine

2017-01-01

AIM: Parent-reporting is needed to examine Quality of Life (QoL) of children with cerebral palsy (CP) across all severities. This study examines whether QoL changes between childhood and adolescence, and what predicts adolescent QoL. METHOD: SPARCLE is a European cohort study of children with CP...... domain). Associations were assessed using linear regression. RESULTS: Between childhood and adolescence, average QoL reduced in six domains (1.3-3.8 points, pChildhood...... QoL was a strong predictor of all domains of adolescent QoL. Severe impairments of motor function, IQ or communication predicted higher adolescent QoL on some domains; except that severe motor impairment predicted lower adolescent QoL on the Autonomy domain. More psychological problems and higher...

Changes in quality of life as a result of ketogenic diet therapy: A new approach to assessment with the potential for positive therapeutic effects.

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Bruce, Susan; Devlin, Anita; Air, Linda; Cook, Lucy

2017-01-01

There are difficulties inherent in measuring Quality of life (QoL) in patients with chronic illness, including agreement on definitions of quality of life and the type of measure used, disease specific or generic. Well validated QoL instruments for epilepsy exist but focus on capturing common themes pertinent to children and families as a group instead of focusing on themes important to individual patients and their families/carers. In addition, it is common for numerous items on these inventories to be left incomplete or responded to with "not applicable" since many of the items are not suitable for children with disabilities and their families. This led us to devise a way to capture individual quality-of-life measures that are linked to parental/carer expectations in families of children undergoing ketogenic diet therapy for epilepsy. As part of our routine clinical assessment, parents/carers were asked to describe what they would like to see happen or change as a result of their child being on ketogenic diet therapy. A simple unstructured form was designed to facilitate the assessment process. Parents were then asked to rate their own QoL against these criteria on a Likert scale of 0-10 prior to commencement of the diet. This assessment was repeated at subsequent visits with parents/carers initially blinded to their original responses. Our assessments indicated that ketogenic diet therapy improves quality of life over a twelve-month period when measured against parental expectations. This ideographic approach has demonstrated changes in parental Qol and parental perceptions of their child's quality of life that would not have been captured by other validated measures. A lengthy questionnaire is avoided and is replaced by a skilled supportive conversation that identifies goals for treatment that are important to parents. This helps parents to reflect on the progress their child makes on the diet by revisiting their previously stated aspirations, and assessing

The direction of research into visual disability and quality of life in glaucoma

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Garway-Heath David F

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Glaucoma will undoubtedly impact on a person's ability to function as they go about their day-to-day life. The purpose of this study is to investigate the amount of published knowledge in quality of life (QoL and visual disability studies for glaucoma, and make comparisons with similar research in other chronic conditions. Methods A systematic literature search of the Global Health, EMBASE Psychiatry and MEDLINE databases. Title searches for glaucoma and six other example chronic diseases were entered alongside a selection of keywords chosen to capture studies focusing on QoL and everyday task ability. These results were further filtered during a manual search of resulting abstracts. Outcomes were the number of publications per year for each disease, number relating to QoL and type of glaucoma QoL research. Results Fifteen years ago there were no published studies relating to the impact of glaucoma on QoL but by 2009 this had risen to 1.2% of all glaucoma articles. The number of papers relating to QoL as a proportion of all papers in glaucoma in the past 10 years (0.6% is smaller than for AMD and some other disabling chronic diseases. Most QoL studies in glaucoma (82% involve questionnaires. Conclusion QoL studies in glaucoma are increasing in number but represent a tiny minority of the total publications in glaucoma research. There are fewer QoL articles in glaucoma compared to some other disabling chronic conditions. The majority of QoL articles in glaucoma research use questionnaires; performance-based measures of visual disability may offer an additional method of determining how the disease impacts on QoL.

Quality of life and time to death: have the health gains of preventive interventions been underestimated?

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Gheorghe, Maria; Brouwer, Werner B F; van Baal, Pieter H M

2015-04-01

This article explores the implications of the relation between quality of life (QoL) and time to death (TTD) for economic evaluations of preventive interventions. By using health survey data on QoL for the general Dutch population linked to the mortality registry, we quantify the magnitude of this relationship. For addressing specific features of the nonstandard QoL distribution such as boundness, skewness, and heteroscedasticity, we modeled QoL using a generalized additive model for location, scale, and shape (GAMLSS) with a β inflated outcome distribution. Our empirical results indicate that QoL decreases when approaching death, suggesting that there is a strong relationship between TTD and QoL. Predictions of different regression models revealed that ignoring this relationship results in an underestimation of the quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gains for preventive interventions. The underestimation ranged between 3% and 7% and depended on age, the number of years gained from the intervention, and the discount rate used. © The Author(s) 2014.

Quality of life in children with OCD before and after treatment.

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Weidle, Bernhard; Ivarsson, Tord; Thomsen, Per Hove; Lydersen, Stian; Jozefiak, Thomas

2015-09-01

Quality of life (QoL) is a well-established outcome measure. In contrast to adult obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), little is known about the effects of treatment on QoL in children with OCD. This study aimed to assess QoL after cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in children and adolescents with OCD compared with the general population and to explore factors associated with potential changes in QoL after treatment. QoL was assessed in 135 children and adolescents (ages 7-17; mean 13 [SD 2.7] years; 48.1% female) before and after 14 CBT sessions, using self-report and a caregivers proxy report of the Questionnaire for Measuring Health-related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents (KINDL-R). QoL was compared with an age- and gender-matched sample from the general population. Before treatment, QoL was markedly lower in children with OCD compared with the general population. QoL improved significantly in CBT responders (mean score change 7.4), to the same range as QoL in the general population. Non-responders reported no QoL changes after treatment, except for one patient. Comorbidity, family accommodation and psychosocial functioning were not associated with changes in QoL after treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the changes in QoL after treatment of paediatric OCD. The assessment of QoL beyond symptoms and function in children with OCD has been shown to be reliable and informative. The results of this study support the application of QoL assessment as an additional measure of treatment outcome in children and adolescents with OCD.

Factors During Pregnancy, Delivery and Birth Affecting Global Quality of Life of the Adult Child at Long-term Follow-up. Results from the Prospective Copenhagen Perinatal Birth Cohort 1959-61

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Søren Ventegodt

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a prospective cohort study, where we explore associations between pregnancy, delivery and the global quality of life (QOL of the adult child 31-33 years later. The data is from the Copenhagen Perinatal Birth Cohort 1959-61 using two sets of questionnaires send to 7,222 persons: one filled out by physicians during pregnancy and delivery, while the follow-up questionnaire was completed by the adult children 31-33 years later. The main outcome measures were objective factors describing pregnancy and delivery along with global quality of life, including: Well-being, life satisfaction, happiness, fulfilment of needs, experience of life's temporal and spatial domains, expression of life's potentials and objective measures. Results showed two main factors in pregnancy that seemed to be associated with a reduced quality of life for the child 31-33 years later: the mother's smoking habits and the mother's medication–especially painkillers and different psychopharmacological drugs with the association being most prevalent early in pregnancy. Considering what can and do go wrong during the various stages of labour and delivery and considering how few connections we found between the factors examined and the later global QOL, it seems that the child is remarkably resilient to external influences during pregnancy and delivery concerned with global QOL, as an adult.

Comparison of quality of life of Turkish cancer patients and their family caregivers.

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Yesilbalkan, Oznur Usta; Ozkutuk, Nilay; Ardahan, Melek

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients and their family caregivers and determine associations. A total of 93 paired patients and caregivers from an outpatient chemotherapy unit of the oncology units were recruited at a large university hospital in İzmir, all completing the Quality of Life Scale (QoLS). The mean age of patients was 45.2 years, and of their family caregivers was 40.5. The results indicated that the patients perceived a poorer quality of life than their family caregivers. There was a middle and positive correlation between the social participation and work performance dimensions of patients' QoL and social participation and work performance dimension of family caregivers' QoL (r =0.273, p 0.05). Caregivers' employment status was found to have an affect on their quality of life (p ommunication skills, financial planning and distress management skills and be given spiritual support to decrease effects of cancer on their quality of life.

Cancer patient preferences for quality and length of life.

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Meropol, Neal J; Egleston, Brian L; Buzaglo, Joanne S; Benson, Al B; Cegala, Donald J; Diefenbach, Michael A; Fleisher, Linda; Miller, Suzanne M; Sulmasy, Daniel P; Weinfurt, Kevin P

2008-12-15

Optimal patient decision making requires integration of patient values, goals, and preferences with information received from the physician. In the case of a life-threatening illness such as cancer, the weights placed on quality of life (QOL) and length of life (LOL) represent critical values. The objective of the current study was to describe cancer patient values regarding QOL and LOL and explore associations with communication preferences. Patients with advanced cancer completed a computer-based survey before the initial consultation with a medical oncologist. Assessments included sociodemographics, physical and mental health state, values regarding quality and length of life, communication preferences, and cancer-related distress. Among 459 patients with advanced cancer, 55% placed equal valued on QOL and LOL, 27% preferred QOL, and 18% preferred LOL. Patients with a QOL preference had lower levels of cancer-related distress (P LOL over QOL desired a more supportive and less pessimistic communication style from their oncologists. These data indicate that a values preference for LOL versus QOL may be simply measured, and is associated with wishes regarding the nature of oncologist communication. Awareness of these values during the clinical encounter could improve decision making by influencing the style and content of the communication between oncologists and their patients.

Evaluation of individual quality of life among hemodialysis patients: nominated themes using SEIQoL-adapted

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Matlabi H

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Hossein Matlabi, Sharareh Ahmadzadeh Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran Background: Quality of life (QoL has become an important issue for patients with chronic renal failure diseases who are permanently undergoing hemodialysis. In this study, an adapted schedule for the evaluation of individual quality of life (SEIQoL-adapted was used to evaluate QoL among hemodialysis patients, to explore their views about the most important aspects of life satisfaction. Methods and results: A multiple approach design and convenience sampling were applied to recruit 53 patients from a hemodialysis unit in Iran. Data were collected through structured interviews and then analyzed using conventional content analysis. A total score for QoL was calculated using scale guideline. The most important aspects of life were health, family, financial status, living conditions, leisure activities, relationships and socializing, religious and spiritual issues, medical knowledge, and therapies or treatments. The calculated mean QoL score was 66.2, indicating a relatively high life satisfaction. Males had higher QoL scores than females in both married and single groups. Moreover, the relationships between the QoL scores and education, job and marital status were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The SEIQoL-adapted revealed reasonable lay definitions of QoL in a group of patients following chronic renal failure. The patients’ views of the aspects of life could be used by health policy makers, clinicians, and caregivers as a reliable guide to the most important priorities for treatment and medical interventions. Keywords: quality of life, SEIQoL-adapted, renal dialysis

The impact on quality of life of dialysis patients with renal insufficiency.

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Dąbrowska-Bender, Marta; Dykowska, Grażyna; Żuk, Wioletta; Milewska, Magdalena; Staniszewska, Anna

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was the subjective assessment of the quality of life (QoL) of 140 patients treated with dialysis (peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis). Chronic kidney disease and the methods of its treatment play an important part in shaping the QoL of patients receiving dialysis. As a result, kidney failure causes many limitations in patients' physical, mental, and social activities. The instrument to measure the QoL was the authors' own questionnaire made on the basis of Kidney Disease and Quality of Life Short Form version 1.2 (KDQOL - SF 1.2) and their selection of areas influencing the perceived QoL of chronically ill patients. The research showed that patients receiving peritoneal dialysis assessed their QoL in its different dimensions as much higher than patients receiving hemodialysis. The parameter having the biggest negative impact on the QoL of patients receiving hemodialysis was an impeded possibility to continue work or studies and a change of life plans. The will to live was more highly assessed by patients receiving peritoneal dialysis as compared to patients receiving hemodialysis. In order to improve the functioning of hemodialysis patients in a manner most similar to healthy persons, the renal replacement therapy should consider patients' individual needs and expectations, ie, guarantee flexible hours of work or study and of receiving dialysis. In addition, patients treated with hemodialysis should receive psychological care, in particular those demonstrating emotional problems, in order to achieve better results in therapy and improve their QoL.

Quality of life in children surviving cancer: a personality and multi-informant perspective.

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De Clercq, Barbara; De Fruyt, Filip; Koot, Hans M; Benoit, Yves

2004-12-01

To describe quality of life (QoL) of children surviving cancer in relation to their personality, using self- and maternal reports and examining differences with healthy referents. Sixty-seven children who survived childhood cancer were compared with eighty-one healthy children on QoL and personality characteristics. Children who survived cancer reported higher QoL than healthy children, whereas there were no differences for personality. Two main effects emerged for informant with children rating themselves as less neurotic and more conscientious than their mothers. The correspondence between mothers and children was substantially higher for survivors for QoL and personality ratings. QoL and trait measures share substantial variance, and personality traits significantly predict QoL. Parental personality ratings explained child QoL beyond children's personality ratings. Personality traits contribute to quality of life, indicating that personality significantly influences child's quality of life beyond the experience of a negative life event such as surviving cancer and its treatment. From a diagnostic perspective, parental trait ratings are informative in addition to children's ratings of personality to understand children's QoL.

Quality of Elderly\\'s Life in Shiraz, Jahandidegan Club

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Mohammad Rafi' Bazrafshan

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Aging is a personal and social experience. while experiences may cause happiness for some individuals, it may cause sadness or tedious in the others. Making decision and planning aimed to improve elderly quality of life among older people, require identification of their problems . Methods & Materials: This study was a cross–sectional study conduced in Jahandidegan Club Foundation for elderly in 2007. Participants were 232 elderly women aged 60–79 years old recruited through a random zed sampling. Data collection was conducted through LEIPAD questionnaire including two domains (essential domain and simplify domain. Data were analyzed using T-test, ANOVA and linear regression in SPSS. Results: The results indicated that there was a significant difference between QOL mean scores (in each of the two domains and total scoreand marital status (P<0.05, as singles had better scores in total than divorced and the other groups, Widowed and divorced elderly women had lower QOL scores than married. QOL scores (in each two domain and total score were strongly correlated with educational level however, only in essential domain a significant difference was observed (P=0.047. QOL mean score decreased with increasing age (P<0.05. There was a significant difference between QOL scores (in essential domain and total score with age of the elderly women, there was also a significant difference between QOL scores (in each two domain and total score with income (P<0.05, QOL mean increased with increasing income. There was a significant difference between QOL mean (in each two domain and total score with existence chronic disease (P<0.05. Conclusion: Results of this study demonstrated some factors such as disease, level of education, marital status, age, income and job may affect quality of elderly's life, Therefore these factors need to be considered in planning and solving older people's problems.

The Housing Domain of Quality of Life and Life Satisfaction in the Spontaneous Settlements on the Tehran Metropolitan Fringe

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Zebardast, Esfandiar

2009-01-01

The aim of this article is to survey the spontaneous settlements on the Tehran Metropolitan Fringe (TMF), to determine the different housing sub-domains of quality of life (QOL), to survey overall life satisfaction and to determine the extent to which overall life satisfaction is explained by the components of the housing domain of QOL in these…

Quality of life in children with epilepsy.

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Nadkarni, Jayashree; Jain, Arti; Dwivedi, Rashmi

2011-10-01

Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition with many co-morbid features. It has been observed that children with epilepsy (CWE) have a compromised quality of life (QOL). To assess the QOL in CWE and to study the various factors affecting QOL among CWE. The sample consisted of 102 CWE aged 5-15 years of either sex. QOL was measured by Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy (QOLCE) questionnaire, a 76-item, parent-reported questionnaire. Cronbach alpha was used to determine the internal consistency of the subscales and Pearson correlation to determine construct validity. The t-test and analysis of variance were used to compare mean QOLCE scores. Factors affecting QOL included age, place of residence, socioeconomic condition, maternal education, seizure type and frequency and number of antiepileptic drugs. CWE have a relatively compromised QOL and comprehensive care needs to go beyond the attempt of controlling seizures.

Differences in cognitive performance, level of dependency and quality of life (QoL), related to age and cognitive status in a sample of Spanish old adults under and over 80 years of age.

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Calero, Dolores; Navarro, Elena

2011-01-01

The main objective of this study was to analyze the similarities and differences in cognitive performance, level of dependency, cognitive plasticity and QoL in a sample of young-old adults and old-old adults, bearing in mind both the age-group (under or over 80 years) and the cognitive status of the participants. The study population consisted of 220 people living in sheltered accommodation for elderly people in the South of Spain, with an average age of 80.75 years. Participants were evaluated by means of cognitive performance tests, a QoL questionnaire, a depression scale and a dependency assessment scale. The results indicate that the main differences in the variables analyzed are due to the cognitive status of the sample and not to the fact that the participants are under or over 80 years of age. The findings show that major inter-individual differences in this stage of life depend not only on age but also on cognitive status, which is thus an important factor to take into account when working with this sector of the population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of focus groups in evaluating quality of life components among elderly Chinese people.

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Leung, Kai-Kuen; Wu, En-Chang; Lue, Bee-Horng; Tang, Li-Yu

2004-02-01

In Taiwan, to measure the quality of life (QOL) of elderly Chinese, one must rely on instruments developed in other Chinese or Western populations and not specifically for the elderly. The purpose of this study is to understand the components of QOL for elderly Chinese from Taiwan living in residential homes or in their communities. Forty-four elderly men and women divided into six focus groups were interviewed on video tape and the resultant recording was analyzed qualitatively by six independent researchers. The study yielded 15 QOL domains grouped into six dimensions: physical health (physical well-being, impact of illness, medical care), psychological health (mood states, life attitude and retrospection, philosophy of living, self-efficacy), social function (connectedness, exercise and leisure activities, social activities and services), living environment (living environment and arrangements, institutional factors), economic status, and religion and death (religion, death). For elderly Chinese in Taiwan, positive and negative life domains are equally important in the perception of life quality; person-environment interaction is a major consideration in the evaluation of QOL; family ties are an important component of QOL; traditional Chinese beliefs exert a positive influence on perceived QOL; and social functioning and vitality have a different meaning in Chinese compared to Western cultures.

Depression in the elderly with visual impairment and its association with quality of life

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Renaud J

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Judith Renaud, Emmanuelle Bédard School of Optometry, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Background: Visual impairment is more prevalent in the elderly and depression is common in this population. Although many studies have investigated depression or quality of life (QOL in older adults with visual impairment, few have looked at the association between these two concepts for this population. The aim of this systematized review was to describe the association between depression and QOL in older adults with visual impairment. Methods: A search was done using multiple electronic databases for studies addressing the relationship between QOL and depression in elders with visual impairment. The concept of QOL was divided into two different approaches, ie, QOL as achievement and QOL as subjective well-being. Comparison of QOL scores between participants with and without depression (Cohen's d and correlations between depression and QOL (Pearson's r were examined. Results: Thirteen studies reported in 18 articles were included in the review. Nearly all of the studies revealed that better QOL was moderately to strongly correlated with less severe depressive symptoms (r = 0.22–0.68 for QOL as achievement; r = 0.68 and 0.72 for QOL as subjective well-being. Effect sizes for the QOL differences between the groups with and without depression ranged from small to large (d = 0.17 to 0.95 for QOL as achievement; no data for QOL as subjective well-being. Conclusion: Additional studies are necessary to pinpoint further the determinants and mediators of this relationship. Considering the high prevalence rate of depression in this community and its disabling effects on QOL, interventions to prevent and treat depression are essential. More efforts are needed in clinical settings to train health care practitioners to identify depressed elders with visual impairment and provide appropriate treatment. Keywords: depressive symptoms, disability, health

"What makes life good?" Developing a culturally grounded quality of life measure for Alaska Native college students.

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Sharma, Dinghy Kristine B; Lopez, Ellen D S; Mekiana, Deborah; Ctibor, Alaina; Church, Charlene

2013-01-01

Alaska Native (AN) college students experience higher attrition rates than their non-Native peers. Understanding the factors that contribute to quality of life ("what makes life good") for AN students will help inform supportive programs that are congruent with their culture and college life experiences. Co-develop a conceptual model and a measure of quality of life (QOL) that reflects the experiences of AN college students. Six focus groups were conducted with 26 AN college students. Within a community-academic partnership, interactive data collection activities, co-analysis workgroup sessions and an interactive findings forum ensured a participant-driven research process. Students identified and operationally defined eight QOL domains (values, culture and traditions, spirituality, relationships, basic needs, health, learning and leisure). The metaphor of a tree visually illustrates how the domains values, culture and traditions and spirituality form the roots to the other domains that appear to branch out as students navigate the dual worldviews of Native and Western ways of living. The eight QOL domains and their items identified during focus groups were integrated into a visual model and an objective QOL measure. The hope is to provide a useful tool for developing and evaluating university-based programs and services aimed toward promoting a positive QOL and academic success for AN students.

Quality-of-life in patients with post-traumatic hypopituitarism.

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Nourollahi, Sabrina; Wille, Julia; Weiß, Verena; Wedekind, Christoph; Lippert-Grüner, Marcela

2014-01-01

Hypopituitarism is a frequent complication in patients after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Both TBI and hypopituitarism can lead to complex cognitive and affective deficits. This study was intended to examine the quality-of-life in patients with post-traumatic hypopituitarism (PTH) and to discern the effect of this endocrinological disorder on general outcome of patients after TBI including earning capacity. Research type: Retrospective analysis of clinical data. Ninety-seven symptomatic patients were screened after TBI for PTH. Their results were examined in the SF-36 [a standardized questionnaire for quality of life (QoL)] comparing the groups with or without PTH. After 6 months of hormone substitution (if necessary), patients were asked to repeat the SF-36. Forty-six patients were diagnosed with PTH (47.5%). All patients included had a significantly lower QoL compared to the standard population. QoL was significantly worse in patients with PTH. There was no significant difference with regard to earning capacity. After hormone substitution, patients achieved better SF-36-results, albeit the difference was lacking statistical significance. PTH is frequent after TBI. PTH turns out to further diminish QoL, without affecting earning capacity. Hormone substitution might improve QoL in patients with PTH, but future research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.

Psychopathological tendencies and quality of life among patients with thalassemia

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Anwar, K.; Waqar, S.

2017-01-01

To explore the relationship between psychopathological tendencies and Quality of Life (QoL) among patients with Thalassemia major. Methodology: In this correlational study, data were collected from the blood transfusion dependent patients of beta-thalassemia major in Rawalpindi and Islamabad hospitals from September to December 2014. Urdu version of Worlds Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) methods were administered on 74 patients of thalassemia major. Pearson Product Correlation, Independent Sample t-test, One-way ANOVA and Post Hoc analysis were used. Results: There was higher levels of somatization, hostility and obsessive compulsive (OC) and lower levels of psychoticism. There was negatively affected social and psychological domains of life while comparatively better QoL related to environmental conditions of the patients. There was negative relationship between psychopathological tendencies and QoL among patients. Moreover, mother's education level negatively related with psychopathological tendencies among patients. Males scored high on depression and interpersonal sensitivity, whereas females scored high on anxiety, paranoid ideation and somatization. Female patients experienced better QoL as compared to male counterparts. Conclusion: There were higher degrees of psychopathological tendencies among patients with thalassemia major which affected their QoL mainly on social and psychological domains. (author)

The impact on quality of life of dialysis patients with renal insufficiency

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Dąbrowska-Bender M

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Marta Dąbrowska-Bender,1 Grażyna Dykowska,2 Wioletta Żuk,3 Magdalena Milewska,1 Anna Staniszewska4 1Department of Clinical Dietetics, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; 2Department of Public Health, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; 3Department of Surgery, Transplantation and Extracorporeal Surgery, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; 4Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland Aim: The aim of the study was the subjective assessment of the quality of life (QoL of 140 patients treated with dialysis (peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis. Background: Chronic kidney disease and the methods of its treatment play an important part in shaping the QoL of patients receiving dialysis. As a result, kidney failure causes many limitations in patients’ physical, mental, and social activities. Methods: The instrument to measure the QoL was the authors’ own questionnaire made on the basis of Kidney Disease and Quality of Life Short Form version 1.2 (KDQOL – SF 1.2 and their selection of areas influencing the perceived QoL of chronically ill patients. Results: The research showed that patients receiving peritoneal dialysis assessed their QoL in its different dimensions as much higher than patients receiving hemodialysis. The parameter having the biggest negative impact on the QoL of patients receiving hemodialysis was an impeded possibility to continue work or studies and a change of life plans. The will to live was more highly assessed by patients receiving peritoneal dialysis as compared to patients receiving hemodialysis. Conclusion: In order to improve the functioning of hemodialysis patients in a manner most similar to healthy persons, the renal replacement therapy should consider patients’ individual needs and expectations, ie, guarantee flexible hours of work or study and of receiving dialysis. In addition, patients treated with hemodialysis should receive

The direction of research into visual disability and quality of life in glaucoma.

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Glen, Fiona C; Crabb, David P; Garway-Heath, David F

2011-08-04

Glaucoma will undoubtedly impact on a person's ability to function as they go about their day-to-day life. The purpose of this study is to investigate the amount of published knowledge in quality of life (QoL) and visual disability studies for glaucoma, and make comparisons with similar research in other chronic conditions. A systematic literature search of the Global Health, EMBASE Psychiatry and MEDLINE databases. Title searches for glaucoma and six other example chronic diseases were entered alongside a selection of keywords chosen to capture studies focusing on QoL and everyday task ability. These results were further filtered during a manual search of resulting abstracts. Outcomes were the number of publications per year for each disease, number relating to QoL and type of glaucoma QoL research. Fifteen years ago there were no published studies relating to the impact of glaucoma on QoL but by 2009 this had risen to 1.2% of all glaucoma articles. The number of papers relating to QoL as a proportion of all papers in glaucoma in the past 10 years (0.6%) is smaller than for AMD and some other disabling chronic diseases. Most QoL studies in glaucoma (82%) involve questionnaires. QoL studies in glaucoma are increasing in number but represent a tiny minority of the total publications in glaucoma research. There are fewer QoL articles in glaucoma compared to some other disabling chronic conditions. The majority of QoL articles in glaucoma research use questionnaires; performance-based measures of visual disability may offer an additional method of determining how the disease impacts on QoL.

Quality of Life in Swallowing Disorders after Nonsurgical Treatment for Head and Neck Cancer

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Silveira, Marta Halina

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction Radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy can result in severe swallowing disorders with potential risk for aspiration and can negatively impact the patient's quality of life (QOL. Objective To assess swallowing-related QOL in patients who underwent radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Methods We interviewed 110 patients (85 men and 25 women who had undergone exclusive radiotherapy (25.5% or concomitant chemoradiotherapy (74.5% from 6 to 12 months before the study. The Quality of Life in Swallowing Disorders (SWAL-QOL questionnaire was employed to evaluate dysphagia-related QOL. Results The QOL was reduced in all domains for all patients. The scores were worse among men. There was a relationship between oral cavity as the primary cancer site and the fatigue domain and also between advanced cancer stage and the impact of food selection, communication, and social function domains. Chemoradiotherapy association, the presence of nasogastric tube and tracheotomy, and the persistence of alcoholism and smoking had also a negative effect on the QOL. Conclusions According to the SWAL-QOL questionnaire, the dysphagia-related impact on QOL was observed 6 to 12 months after the treatment ended.

Quality of life : assessment for transportation performance measures.

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2013-01-01

Quality of life (QOL) is a commonly used term. Defining QOL, however, is an ongoing challenge that experts : often take on with minimal input from citizens. This groundbreaking research sought citizen input on what : comprised QOL and what role trans...

An evaluation of self-esteem and quality of life in orthodontic patients: effects of crowding and protrusion.

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Jung, Min-Ho

2015-09-01

To evaluate the effect of dental crowding and lip protrusion on self-esteem and quality of life (QOL) in female orthodontic patients with Class I malocclusion. The study sample consisted of 201 patients (mean age 22.6 ± 3.0 years) who sought orthodontic treatment. All the patients were evaluated before treatment in terms of their degree of dental crowding and lip protrusion. Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale and the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) were used to determine self-esteem and QOL and to evaluate whether these values were related to malocclusion severity. The results indicated that severe crowding and severe protrusion can result in lower self-esteem and poorer QOL (P self-esteem and QOL scores than severe crowding or protrusion patients.

Quality of life of adolescents with cancer: family risks and resources

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Marmer Paige L

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose The goal of this study was to evaluate the relative contribution of treatment intensity, family sociodemographic risk, and family resources to health-related quality of life (QOL of 102 adolescents in treatment for cancer. Methods Adolescents and parents completed self-report measures of teen QOL, family functioning, and parent-child bonding. Based on parent report of family sociodemographic variables, an additive risk index was computed. A pediatric oncologist rated treatment intensity. Results Simultaneous regression analyses demonstrated the significant contribution of roles in family functioning and quality of parent-child relationship to prediction of psychosocial QOL (parent and teen-reported as well as parent-reported teen physical QOL over and above the contribution of treatment intensity. Family sociodemographic risk did not contribute to QOL in these regression analyses. In additional analyses, specific diagnosis, types of treatment and individual sociodemographic risk variables were not associated with QOL. Parent and teen ratings of family functioning and quality of life were concordant. Conclusions Family functioning, including quality of parent-child relationship, are central and potentially modifiable resistance factors in teen QOL while under treatment for cancer. Even more important than relying on diagnosis or treatment, screening for roles and relationships early in treatment may be an important aspect of determining risk for poor QOL outcomes.

Is quality of life related to illness and acceptance of illness?

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Janusz Kocjan

2015-06-01

SUMMARY Introduction: Although, that the general well-being is extensively studied in wide range of contexts, still little place is devoting to relationship between acceptance of illness (AIS and quality of life (QoL, especially among cardiac patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to: (1 determine an association between these two variables; (2 examine relationship between selected variables (age, sex, education level, NYHA class, time since CVDs diagnosis, cardiosurgery intervention and presence of comorbid diseases and quality of life. Material and methods: The study included 172 patients with diagnose cardiac disease. All participants were examined used standardized questionnaires: Short Form of health survey (SF-36 questionnaire and Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS. Results: The patients presented moderate level of illness acceptance and quality of life level. Over than half of participants did not accept their illness. Significant, positive relatioship between AIS and QoL were noted. NYHA class, number of cardiac hospitalization and time since cardiovascular disease diagnosis was negatively correlated with QoL. Conclusions: Findings presented in this study demonstrated, that AIS is strongly related with QoL.    Key words: illness acceptance, quality of life, AIS, QoL, cardiac diseases.

Quality of life in caregivers of ADHD children and Diabetes patients

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Maria Conceição do Rosario

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Studies have shown that the presence of ADHD causes great impairment in academic, social and professional activities, as well as in the quality of life (QoL of its patients. Similarly, the impact caused by other chronic disorders, such as diabetes, in the patient´s QoL has been emphasized in many studies. Despite its relevance, no study has yet investigated whether ADHD caregivers and diabetic patients would have similar QoL impairment. Objectives: This study was conducted in order to compare the QoL scores among ADHD caregivers and diabetic patients. Methods: We evaluated 63 caregivers of ADHD children treated at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at the Federal University of São Paulo (UPIA-UNIFESP and 52 adult diabetic patients. Subjects were assessed with the World Health Organization quality of Life-Breef Version (WHOQOL-BREEF, the Beck and Hamilton depression scales, and the Adult Self-Report Scale. Results: When compared to the Brazilian normative data, ADHD caregivers had significantly lower scores in the social relations and environment WHOQOL domains. ADHD caregivers and diabetic patients had similar impairment in all WHOQOL domains, except for the physical domain. Conclusion: ADHD affects the QoL of the patient’s caregiver, with similar impairment when compared to the QoL of diabetic patients. These results emphasize the need for assessing QoL of the caregivers as part of the treatment strategies. They also emphasize the need for future studies with larger sample sizes comparing how the Qol is impacted in different chronic disorders.

Dietary and physical activity behaviors related to obesity-specific quality of life and work productivity: baseline results from a worksite trial

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Cash, Stephanie Whisnant; Beresford, Shirley A.A; Henderson, Jo Ann; McTiernan, Anne; Xiao, Liren; Wang, C.Y.; Patrick, Donald L.

2011-01-01

Obesity is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (QoL) and reduced productivity; less is known about the effect of dietary factors. This study investigated how dietary behaviors, physical activity, and Body Mass Index (BMI) relate to weight-specific QoL and work productivity. The study was conducted in 31 small blue-collar and service industry worksites in Seattle. Participants were 747 employees (33.5% non-White). Measures included self-reported servings of fruits and veget...

Dose Escalation and Quality of Life in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy: Long-Term Results of the Dutch Randomized Dose-Escalation Trial (CKTO 96-10 Trial)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Mamgani, Abrahim; Putten, Wim L.J. van; Wielen, Gerard J. van der; Levendag, Peter C.; Incrocci, Luca

2011-01-01

Purpose: To assess the impact of dose escalation of radiotherapy on quality of life (QoL) in prostate cancer patients. Patients and Methods: Three hundred prostate cancer patients participating in the Dutch randomized trial (CKTO 69-10) comparing 68 Gy with 78 Gy were the subject of this analysis. These patients filled out the SF-36 QoL questionnaire before radiotherapy (baseline) and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months thereafter. Changes in QoL over time of ≥10 points were considered clinically relevant. Repeated-measures regression analyses were applied to estimate and test the QoL changes over time, the differences between the two arms, and for association with a number of covariates. Results: At 3-year follow-up, the summary score physical health was 73.2 for the 68-Gy arm vs. 71.6 for the 78-Gy arm (p = 0.81), and the summary score mental health was 76.7 for the 68-Gy arm vs. 76.1 for the 78-Gy arm (p = 0.97). Statistically significant (p 10 points) was seen for only two scales. None of the tested covariates were significantly correlated with QoL scores. Conclusion: Dose escalation did not result in significant deterioration of QoL in prostate cancer patients. In both randomization arms, statistically significant decreases in QoL scores over time were seen in six scales. The deterioration of QoL was more pronounced in the physical than in the mental health domain and in some scales more in the high- than in the low-dose arm, but the differences between arms were not statistically significant.

Long-term functional outcomes of PPPD in children--Nutritional status, pancreatic function, GI function and QOL.

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Park, Hwon-Ham; Kim, Hyun-Young; Jung, Sung-Eun; Lee, Seong-Cheol; Park, Kwi-Won

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the long-term outcomes, such as nutritional status, pancreatic function, gastrointestinal (GI) function, and quality of life (QOL), in children who underwent pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD). Between 1992 and 2013, there were 15 children who underwent PPPD at Seoul National University Children's Hospital, and 10 of them participated in this study. A retrospective review of the patients' medical records and follow-up was done. Their nutritional statuses were estimated by height, body weight, weight for age Z-score, body mass index (BMI), and serum protein, albumin levels. The endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas were estimated by diabetes mellitus (DM), steatorrhea, and Bristol stool chart. The GI function and QOL were evaluated via questionnaires. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 18years. There were no severe growth disturbances, 6 patients experienced mild steatorrhea and 3 showed above the category 6 in Bristol stool chart. All the patients experienced mild GI symptoms. As for the QOL, there were no significant negative answers, except for one patient with DM. Almost all the study subjects, who underwent PPPD in their childhood, did not present significant problems except for one patient with DM. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

QL-09TRAJECTORY OF QUALITY OF LIFE AT END OF LIFE IN MALIGNANT GLIOMA: SUPPORT FOR THE TERMINAL DROP THEORY

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Farace, Elana; Sheehan, Jonas

2014-01-01

Very little is known about quality of life (QOL) at end-of-life (EOL) in malignant brain tumor patients, which limits clinicians ability to best to help patients at this stage. The QOL trajectory at EOL has commonly been hypothesized to be "terminal decline," a linear relationship to time before death with a relatively gradual decline. Alternately, QOL at EOL could be hypothesized to be analogous to the "terminal drop" theory of cognitive aging, wherein the patient QOL has a curvilinear relationship to time before death; a relatively flat curve with a rapid decline a short time before death. 89 patients with malignant glioma were enrolled in this NCI funded study of QOL and neurocognition. Patients completed the EORTC-QLQ-C30 at three month intervals until death. Mean length of follow-up was 224 days (median 155 days). Mean age of patients was 52 years (range 18-80). The gender ratio was 49% men and 51% women. One patient was Latino (so 97% Non-Hispanic), 69 participants were Caucasian, one was African American, and one was Native American. The mean educational level was 13 years (range 8-20). Twenty-eight patients had glioblastoma (grade IV), nine had a grade III oligodendroglioma, and six had a grade III oligoastrocytoma. Data were plotted over time to determine if the shape of the curve resembles terminal decline or terminal drop. Interestingly, as can be seen from the graph, Global QOL slightly improved over time. Growth Curve Analysis confirms this finding. Results of this study may supporting the terminal drop theory but may also illustrate response shift, a conundrum for QOL researchers in which patients' perspective changes and thus they report improved QOL. Longer follow-up is necessary to delineate this pattern. A better understanding of QOL at EOL will improve medical and psychosocial palliative care.

Cognitive impairment is correlated with reduced quality of life in patients with clinically isolated syndrome

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Carolina Fiorin Anhoque

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of life (QoL and potential QoL determinants in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS. METHODS: Eighteen CIS patients and eighteen controls were submitted to QoL evaluation with Functional Assessment of Multiple Sclerosis QoL instrument (FAMS. Cognition was evaluated with specific battery tests; Anxiety and depression with Beck Anxiety (BAI and Depression (BDI Inventories and Neurological disability with Guy's Neurological Disability Scale (GNDS. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in QoL between CIS patients and controls. CIS patients had worse performance in Paced Auditory Serial Addition 2 seconds (p=0.009 and fluency tests (p=0.0038. There was a significant difference in BAI (p=0.003, but no significant difference in BDI between patients and controls. There were significant correlations between QoL measure and verbal fluency and Stroop's test. CONCLUSIONS: Cognition, but not anxiety, depression and disability, was associated with reduced quality of life.

The Association of Mindful Parenting with Glycemic Control and Quality of Life in Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: Results from Diabetes MILES-The Netherlands.

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Serkel-Schrama, Inge J P; de Vries, Jolanda; Nieuwesteeg, Anke M; Pouwer, Frans; Nyklíček, Ivan; Speight, Jane; de Bruin, Esther I; Bögels, Susan M; Hartman, Esther E

The objective of this study was to examine associations between the mindful parenting style of parents of adolescents (aged 12-18) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), and the glycaemic control and quality of life (QoL) of the adolescents. Chronic health conditions, such as T1DM, that require demanding treatment regimens, can negatively impact adolescents' quality of life. Therefore, it is important to determine whether mindful parenting may have a positive impact in these adolescents. Age, sex and duration of T1DM were examined as potential moderators. Parents ( N  = 215) reported on their own mindful parenting style (IM-P-NL) and the adolescents' glycaemic control. Parents and the adolescents with T1DM ( N  = 129) both reported on adolescents' generic and diabetes-specific QoL (PedsQL™). The results showed that a more mindful parenting style was associated with more optimal hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) values for boys. For girls, a more mindful parenting style was associated with not having been hospitalized for ketoacidosis. For both boys and girls, a more mindful parenting style was associated with better generic and diabetes-specific proxy-reported QoL. In conclusion, mindful parenting style may be a factor in helping adolescents manage their T1DM. Mindful parenting intervention studies for parents of adolescents with T1DM are needed to examine the effects on adolescents' glycaemic control and their quality of life.

Measurement of quality of life II. From the philosophy of life to science.

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Ventegodt, Søren; Merrick, Joav; Andersen, Niels Jørgen

2003-10-13

We believe it should be possible to make operational the philosophical ideas of the good life in order to make it the object of scientific research. The Quality of Life Research Center in Copenhagen, Denmark has therefore spent the last several years with these questions and tried to find practical and evidence-based scientific solutions. This paper describes the theoretical road taken in moving from the abstract philosophy of life to the actual questionnaire. It presents an important aspect of our work with the quality-of-life (QOL) concept though the last decade. We have developed the quality-of-life philosophy; the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires; the quality-of-life theory; and the quality-of-life research methodology. We carried out quality-of-life population surveys and developed techniques for improving quality of life with the chronically sick patient. This paper presents the struggle to create a rating scale for the generic measurement of the global quality of life, based on quality-of-life theory, derived from quality-of-life philosophy. The developed rating scale is a ratio scale combining a Likert scale, a visual analogue scale, and a numerical scale, to a reduced combination scale. This allows for the extraction of as much information from the respondents as possible without exhausting them unduly or demanding more than can be reasonably expected.

Sleep Disordered Breathing in Early Childhood: Quality of Life for Children and Families

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Jackman, Angela R.; Biggs, Sarah N.; Walter, Lisa M.; Embuldeniya, Upeka S.; Davey, Margot J.; Nixon, Gillian M.; Anderson, Vicki; Trinder, John; Horne, Rosemary S. C.

2013-01-01

Objectives: To characterize health-related quality of life (QOL) in preschool children with sleep disordered breathing (SDB) and their families compared with nonsnoring control patients in the community. It was hypothesized that children with SDB and their families would have poorer QOL than control children, that a relationship would be found between SDB severity and QOL, and that even children with mild SDB and their families would have reduced QOL. Participants and Methods: A clinical sample of preschool children (3-5 y) with SDB diagnosed by gold standard polysomnography (primary snoring, PS = 56, mild obstructive sleep apnea, OSA = 35, moderate/severe OSA = 24) and control children recruited from the community (n = 38) were studied. Parents completed health-related QOL and parenting stress questionnaires. Results: Children and families in the PS and mild OSA groups had consistently poorer QOL than control children (both P Biggs SN; Walter LM; Embuldeniya US; Davey MJ; Nixon GM; Anderson V; Trinder J; Horne RSC. Sleep disordered breathing in early childhood: quality of life for children and families. SLEEP 2013;36(11):1639-1646. PMID:24179296

Quality of Life and Sexual Function Benefits of Long-Term Testosterone Treatment: Longitudinal Results From the Registry of Hypogonadism in Men (RHYME).

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Rosen, Raymond C; Wu, Frederick; Behre, Hermann M; Porst, Hartmut; Meuleman, Eric J H; Maggi, Mario; Romero-Otero, Javier; Martinez-Salamanca, Juan I; Jones, Thomas Hugh; Debruyne, Frans M J; Kurth, Karl-Heinz; Hackett, Geoff I; Quinton, Richard; Stroberg, Peter; Reisman, Yacov; Pescatori, Edoardo S; Morales, Antonio; Bassas, Lluis; Cruz, Natalio; Cunningham, Glenn R; Wheaton, Olivia A

2017-09-01

The benefits and risks of long-term testosterone administration have been a topic of much scientific and regulatory interest in recent years. To assess long-term quality of life (QOL) and sexual function benefits of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) prospectively in a diverse, multinational cohort of men with hypogonadism. A multinational patient registry was used to assess long-term changes associated with TRT in middle-age and older men with hypogonadism. Comprehensive evaluations were conducted at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after enrollment into the registry. QOL and sexual function were evaluated by validated measures, including the Aging Males' Symptom (AMS) Scale and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). A total of 999 previously untreated men with hypogonadism were enrolled at 25 European centers, 750 of whom received TRT at at least one visit during the period of observation. Patients on TRT reported rapid and sustained improvements in QOL, with fewer sexual, psychological, and somatic symptoms. Modest improvements in QOL and sexual function, including erectile function, also were noted in RHYME patients not on TRT, although treated patients showed consistently greater benefit over time in all symptom domains compared with untreated patients. AMS total scores for patients on TRT were 32.8 (95% confidence interval = 31.3-34.4) compared with 36.6 (95% confidence interval = 34.8-38.5) for untreated patients (P treatment. The major strengths are the large, diverse patient population being treated in multidisciplinary clinical settings. The major limitation is the frequency of switching from one formulation to another. Overall, we confirmed the broad and sustained benefits of TRT across major QOL dimensions, including sexual, somatic, and psychological health, which were sustained over 36 months in our treatment cohort. Rosen RC, Wu F, Behre H, et al. Quality of Life and Sexual Function Benefits Effects of Long-Term Testosterone Treatment

Quality of life questionnaires in otorhinolaryngology: a systematic overview.

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Koenraads, S P C; Aarts, M C J; van der Veen, E L; Grolman, W; Stegeman, I

2016-12-01

The importance of quality of life (QOL) as an endpoint and the use of validated QOL questionnaires have increased over time. To evaluate health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) measurement instruments used in patients in otorhinolaryngology (ORL). We aimed to establish the use of QOL questionnaires in ORL over a period of time, establish the use of QOL questionnaires within different domains and determine the use of validated QOL questionnaires. We performed a comprehensive search in PubMed up to 1 January 2014. Articles were included that measured HR-QOL questionnaires in clinical practice in children, adolescents or adults in 42 journals of ORL. Multiple unique QOL questionnaires, organised according to domain, time and survey of validation, were extracted from reported articles. Of 2442 articles, we utilised 1196 publications with a total of 2103 QOL questionnaires regarding ORL. We evaluated a variety of 363 unique QOL questionnaires in which 60% (n = 220) QOL questionnaires had been validated. We found a continuing increase in the amount of articles which used QOL questionnaires since the beginning of the 20th century, while the percentage of validated QOL questionnaires remained the same (76%). Most QOL questionnaires were used in the domains oncology (35%), otology (21%) and rhinology (20%). The domain otology had the largest amount of unique QOL questionnaires (n = 122). We identified and evaluated all unique HR-QOL questionnaires utilised in patients in ORL. Recently, the use of validated and non-validated HR-QOL questionnaires has increased within all domains of ORL. The assessment of QOL has become an important outcome measure in clinical practice, in medical research and for healthcare organisations. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Improving quality of life and physical health in patients with schizophrenia

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Hjorth, Peter; Medici, Clara Reece; Juel, Anette

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Patients with schizophrenia experience low quality of life (QoL) and poor physical health, which is explained, in part, by unhealthy lifestyle, tobacco smoking, poor diet and sedentary behavior. AIM: To measure QoL and physical health in patients with schizophrenia and to quantify...... associations between QoL and physical health. METHODS: This was a naturalistic longitudinal 30-month follow-up study including individual guidance, group sessions and treatment as usual. RESULTS: We included 190 patients. QoL was low among newly diagnosed patients. Higher body mass index was significantly...... associated with lower QoL. Newly diagnosed male patients showed lower QoL compared with females. Newly diagnosed patients experienced worsened health during the study period. In contrast, long-term schizophrenic patients started with worse physical health but improved with regard to weight, waist...

Relationship of quality of life with disability grade in obsessive compulsive disorder and dysthymic disorder

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N V Roopesh Gopal

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: There is paucity of information on the relationship of quality of life (QOL in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD and dysthymic disorder (DD with disability grade in India. Aim: To assess the relation of QOL with disability level in OCD and DD. Materials and Methods: This hospital based study was conducted in a medical institution in Davanagere, Karnataka, India. Data was collected by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV Text Revision (DSM IV TR criteria, WHO QOL BREF and IDEAS. Relationship between disability grade and QOL was assessed by independent sample t test. Results: Mild disabled OCD patients had a significantly better QOL in the Q1 domain i.e. perception on quality of life as compared to moderately disabled patients ( P 0.05. But, QOL score in physical domain showed significant difference across disability grades (56.00, SD = 6.89; 48.50, SD = 12.28 in DD, but not in other domains. Conclusion: Perception of QOL is better in those with mild disability in OCD, but in DD, physical domain of QOL score is more in mild disability compared to moderate disability.

Short-contact clobetasol propionate shampoo 0.05% improves quality of life in patients with scalp psoriasis.

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Tan, Jerry; Thomas, Richard; Wang, Béatrice; Gratton, David; Vender, Ronald; Kerrouche, Nabil; Villemagne, Hervé

2009-03-01

Scalp psoriasis has a considerable impact on the quality of life (QOL) of patients, and most patients are dissatisfied with available treatments. Clobetasol propionate shampoo 0.05% has been shown to be effective and safe for moderate to severe scalp psoriasis. We evaluated the effect of clobetasol propionate shampoo on QOL and the degree of participant satisfaction with the product. Participants received once-daily treatment for up to 4 weeks. Their QOL and degree of satisfaction were evaluated by questionnaires. The mean (standard deviation) Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score decreased significantly from 7.0 (4.9) at baseline to 3.2 (3.2) at week 4 (Pshampoo improved the QOL of participants and resulted in high satisfaction.

Climacteric women at work: What lurks behind poor occupational quality of life?

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Gazibara, Tatjana; Rancic, Biljana; Radovanovic, Sanja; Kurtagic, Ilma; Nurkovic, Selmina; Kovacevic, Nikolina; Dotlic, Jelena

2018-04-18

Physical and psychological changes during menopausal transition may affect various aspects of everyday functioning including women's work ability and work productivity. Presence of menopausal symptoms has been well-acknowledged to negatively affect quality of life (QOL). However, data on factors associated with occupational QOL among women at this period of life are lacking. The authors' purpose in this study was to evaluate factors affecting occupational QOL in a sample of employed mid-life women who are experiencing menopause. The authors performed a cross-sectional study among 335 employed women aged 40 to 65 years from Serbia. Socio-demographic questionnaire, Utian's Quality of Life Scale, and Beck's Depression Inventory were used in data collection. Women's average monthly household income and educational level were positively correlated, while having uterine prolapse was negatively associated with occupational QOL. Significant regression models assessing impact of gynecological illnesses and menopause-specific symptoms on occupational QOL (direct value and categories-below vs. above mean) showed that having insomnia, uterine prolapse, and genital inflammations may differentiate "good" from "poor" occupational QOL. Uterine prolapse, genital inflammation, and insomnia were associated with worse occupational QOL among working women in menopausal transition.

Attachment, Coping, Acculturative Stress, and Quality of Life among Haitian Immigrants

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Belizaire, Lonette S.; Fuertes, Jairo N.

2011-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between attachment, coping, acculturative stress, and quality of life (QOL) in a sample of Haitian immigrants in the United States. Results indicated that an increase in years living in the United States and greater anxiety attachment were negatively associated with QOL and that higher levels of adaptive…

Sexual distress and quality of life among women with bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Thea; Giraldi, A; Vinberg, M

2017-01-01

Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM), Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and The World Health Organisation Quality of Life-Brief. RESULTS: In total, 61 women (age range 19-63, mean 33.7 years) were recruited. Overall, 54% reported sexual distress (n = 33) and 39% were not satisfied with their sexual life (n......BACKGROUND: Information on the association between bipolar disorder (BD), sexual satisfaction, sexual function, sexual distress and quality of life (QoL) is sparse. This study aims, in women with BD, to (i) investigate sexual dysfunction, sexual distress, general sexual satisfaction and QoL; (ii......) explore whether sexual distress was related to affective symptoms and (iii) investigate whether QoL was associated with sexual distress. The study is a questionnaire survey in an outpatient cohort of women with BD using: Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire, Female Sexual Distress Scale, Altman...

Sexual distress and quality of life among women with bipolar disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Thea; Giraldi, A; Vinberg, M

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Information on the association between bipolar disorder (BD), sexual satisfaction, sexual function, sexual distress and quality of life (QoL) is sparse. This study aims, in women with BD, to (i) investigate sexual dysfunction, sexual distress, general sexual satisfaction and QoL; (ii......) explore whether sexual distress was related to affective symptoms and (iii) investigate whether QoL was associated with sexual distress. The study is a questionnaire survey in an outpatient cohort of women with BD using: Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire, Female Sexual Distress Scale, Altman...... Self-Rating Mania Scale (ASRM), Major Depression Inventory (MDI) and The World Health Organisation Quality of Life-Brief. RESULTS: In total, 61 women (age range 19-63, mean 33.7 years) were recruited. Overall, 54% reported sexual distress (n = 33) and 39% were not satisfied with their sexual life (n...

Correlates of self-reported quality of life in adults and children with morphea.

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Das, Shinjita; Bernstein, Ira; Jacobe, Heidi

2014-05-01

Determining a disease's impact on life quality is important in clinical decision making, research, and resource allocation. Determinants of quality of life (QOL) in morphea are poorly understood. We sought to ascertain demographic and clinical variables correlated with negative impact on self-reported QOL in morphea. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the Morphea in Adults and Children cohort. Symptoms (pruritus and pain) and functional impairment were correlated with decreased QOL in children and adults. This was true in both sexes and was independent of subtype and age. Patient-reported QOL correlated with physician-based measures of disease severity in adults, but not in children. Patients with linear and generalized morphea had the greatest impact on QOL. Small sample size is a limitation. Symptoms and functional impairment were determinants of impaired life quality in both children and adults independent of morphea subtype. These results suggest that clinicians should consider suppressing the accumulation of new lesions (when rapidly accumulating) and symptoms (pain and pruritus) in the treatment of patients with morphea. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of life characteristics inpatients with cervical cancer

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Bjelic-Radisic, Vesna; Jensen, Pernille T; Vlasic, Karin Kuljanic

2012-01-01

AIM: Annually about 500,000 women worldwide are diagnosed with cervical cancer. For many patients, young age at the time of diagnosis and a good prognosis regarding the disease imply a long life with the side-effects and sequels of various treatment options. The present study investigated...... the extent to which different quality of life (QoL) domains in patients during and after treatment for cervical cancer are affected according to menopausal status, treatment status and treatment modality. METHODS: QoL data from 346 cervical cancer patients from 14 countries who were included in a cervical...... module. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics and analysis of covariance. RESULTS: Active treatment had the strongest negative impact on 13 different QoL domains: physical, role, emotional, cognitive, social functioning, global health/QoL, fatigue, nausea and emesis, pain...

Quality of life among people living with hypertension in a rural Vietnam community.

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Ha, Ninh Thi; Duy, Hoa Thi; Le, Ninh Hoang; Khanal, Vishnu; Moorin, Rachael

2014-08-11

To respond to growing prevalence of hypertension in Vietnam, it is critical to have an in-depth understanding about quality of life (QOL) among people living with hypertension and related factors. This study aimed to measure QOL among hypertensive people in a rural community in Vietnam, and its association with socio-demographic characteristics and factors related to treatment. This study was conducted in a rural community located 60 km from Ho Chi Minh City. Face-to-face interviews were conducted among 275 hypertensive people aged 50 years and above using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to examine mean scores of quality of life. Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Pearson's correlation coefficient were applied to estimate the internal consistency, and the level of agreement between different domains of WHOQOL-BREF, respectively. Independent T-test and ANOVA test followed by multiple linear regression analyses were used to measure the association between QOL domains and independent variables. Both overall WHOQOL-BREF and each domain had a good internal consistency, ranging from 0.65 to 0.88. The QOL among hypertensive patients was found moderate in all domains, except for psychological domain that was fairly low (mean = 49.4). Backward multiple linear regressions revealed that being men, married, attainment of higher education, having physical activities at moderate level, and adherence to treatment were positively associated with QOL. However, older age and presence of co-morbidity were negatively associated with QOL. WHOQOL-BREF is a reliable instrument to measure QOL among hypertensive patients. The results revealed low QOL in psychological domain and inequality in QOL across socio-demographic characteristics. Given the results, encouraging physical activities and strengthening treatment adherence should be considered to improve QOL of hypertensive people, especially for psychological aspect. Actions to improve QOL among hypertensive

Quality of life in childhood epilepsy with lateralized epileptogenic foci.

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Mathiak, Krystyna A; Luba, Małgorzata; Mathiak, Klaus; Karzel, Katarzyna; Wolańczyk, Tomasz; Szczepanik, Elzbieta; Ostaszewski, Paweł

2010-08-17

Measuring quality of life (QOL) helps to delineate mechanisms underlying the interaction of disease and psychosocial factors. In adults, epileptic foci in the left temporal lobe led to lower QOL and higher depression and anxiety as compared to the right-sided foci. No study addressed the development of QOL disturbances depending on the lateralization of epileptogenic focus. The objective of our study was to examine QOL in children with lateralized epileptiform discharges. Thirty-one parents of children with epilepsy filled the Health-Related Quality of Life in Childhood Epilepsy Questionnaire (QOLCE). Fifteen children had foci in the left hemisphere and sixteen in the right, as verified with Electroencephalography (EEG) examinations. We found a significant correlation between foci lateralization and reduced QOL (Spearman's rho = 0.361, p < 0.046). Children with right hemispheric foci exhibited lower overall QOL, particularly in five areas: anxiety, social-activities, stigma, general-health, and quality-of-life. We demonstrated for the first time that in children left- and right-hemispheric foci were associated with discordant QOL scores. Unlike in adults, foci in the right hemisphere led to worse emotional and social functioning demonstrating that seizures impact the brain differentially during development.

Internalizing disorders and quality of life in adolescence: evidence for independent associations

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Giovanni A. Salum

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: To investigate whether internalizing disorders are associated with quality of life (QoL in adolescents, even after accounting for shared risk factors. Methods: The sample comprised 102 adolescents from a community cross-sectional study with an oversampling of anxious subjects. Risk factors previously associated with QoL were assessed and divided into five blocks organized hierarchically from proximal to distal sets of risk factors. Results: Multiple regression analysis yielded a hierarchical model accounting for 72% of QoL variance. All blocks were consistently associated with QoL (p < 0.05, accounting for the following percentages of variance: 12% for demographics; 5.2% for family environment; 37.8% for stressful events; 10% for nutritional and health habits; and 64.2% for dimensional psychopathological symptoms or 22.8% for psychiatric diagnoses (dichotomous. Although most of the QoL variance attributed to internalizing symptoms was explained by the four proximal blocks in the hierarchical model (43.2%, about 21% of the variance was independently associated with internalizing symptoms/diagnoses. Conclusions: QoL is associated with several aspects of adolescent life that were largely predicted by our hierarchical model. Our findings reinforce the hypothesis that internalizing disorders and internalizing symptoms in adolescents have a high impact on QoL and deserve proper clinical attention.

Validation of the "Quality of Life in School" instrument in Canadian elementary school students.

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Ghotra, Satvinder; McIsaac, Jessie-Lee D; Kirk, Sara F L; Kuhle, Stefan

2016-01-01

Background. School is an integral component of the life of a child, and thus quality of school life is an important part of the overall quality of life experienced by a child. There are a few instruments available to measure the quality of school life but they are often not available in English, or they are not appropriate for use alongside other instruments in a survey of young children. The Quality of Life in School (QoLS) instrument is a short, self-report measure to assess elementary school students' perception of their quality of school life in four domains. The instrument was developed in Israel and has been validated among Hebrew-speaking children. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the QoLS measure in Canadian elementary school children. Methods. A total of 629 children attending grades 4-6 were recruited in a population-based cross-sectional study. The QoLS measure was administered to participating children by trained research assistants. In addition, their socio-demographic details and academic data were also obtained. The psychometric testing included exploratory factor analysis and reliability estimation using internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha). Construct validity was investigated using the known groups comparisons for discriminative validity and via convergent validity. Results. A four-factor structure was generated explaining 39% of the total variance in the model. The results showed good internal consistency and acceptable floor and ceiling effects. Cronbach's Alpha ranged from 0.75 to 0.93. Known groups comparisons showed that the QoLS measure discriminated well between subgroups on the basis of gender, grade, and academic achievement, thus providing evidence of construct validity. The convergent validity was also appropriate with all the four domains demonstrating moderate to strong correlations to each other and to the total QoLS score. Conclusions. QoLS appears to be a valid and reliable measure for

Quality of life changes following inpatient and outpatient treatment in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a study with 12 months follow-up

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Hertenstein Elisabeth

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Quality of life (QoL is increasingly recognized as a critical outcome parameter in mental health studies. The aim of this study was to investigate different domains of the QoL in persons with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD before and after a multimodal, disorder-specific in- and outpatient treatment. Methods Data of 73 persons with OCD treated in an inpatient setting followed by outpatient treatment were analyzed. The World Health Organization Quality of Life abbreviated (a multidimensional measure of the QoL and the Beck Depression Inventory were administered prior to (baseline and 12 months after the inpatient treatment (follow-up. Results At baseline, participants reported a significantly diminished psychological, social, physical, and global QoL compared to the German general population. Environmental QoL was not impaired in the present sample. The QoL was significantly improved at follow-up, except for social QoL, but remained below norm values. The QoL improvement was predicted by improvements of depressive symptoms. Conclusions The results indicate that persons with OCD suffer from a very low QoL. The QoL was significantly improved after 12 months of intensive state-of-the-art treatment. However, the QoL indices remained considerably lower than population norm values, indicating the need for additional research into novel treatment options for persons with OCD.

Quality of life in treated adult craniopharyngioma patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dekkers, O. M.; Biermasz, N. R.; Smit, J. W. A.; Groot, L. E.; Roelfsema, F.; Romijn, J. A.; Pereira, A. M.

2006-01-01

Quality of life (QoL) has become increasingly important in the evaluation of treatment of pituitary and hormonal diseases. A reduced QoL has been reported in childhood-onset craniopharyngioma; however, reports of QoL in adult craniopharyngioma patients are scarce. In the present study, we assessed

Measuring quality of life in first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melle, I; Friis, Svein; Haahr, U

2005-01-01

Quality of life (QoL) measures are increasingly recognized as necessary parts of outcome assessments in psychosis. The present paper is a comprehensive study of patients with first-episode psychosis where QoL is measured by the commonly used Lehman Quality of Life Interview (L-QoLI). The aim...

Did surgical failure and complications affect incontinence-related quality of life in women after transobturator sling procedure?

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Wen-Chu Huang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Objective: To report the objective outcome, subjective measurement of incontinence-related quality of life (QoL for female urodynamic stress incontinence (USI after transobturator sling surgery (TVT-O and to evaluate the effects of surgical failure and complications on QoL. Materials and methods: We analyzed the data from women who underwent TVT-O for USI and completed two validated QoL questionnaires, the Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6 and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ-7 preoperatively and at least 12 months postoperatively. We evaluated the subjective results of QoL questionnaires, objective results and compare the effect of QoL on those with surgical failure and complications after TVT-O surgery. Results: A total of 78 women were followed for a median of 13.5 months (range 12–15 months after surgery. Within this group, 75 (96% were considered subjectively cured or improved after TVT-O. There were significant improvements in the IIQ-7 and total UDI-6 scores postoperatively, as well as in the UDI-6 subscales for urge, stress and voiding dysfunction symptoms. Even the 18 women with objective urodynamic failure had significant improvement in QoL scores. For those with surgical related complications, the QoL scores were also significantly improved. Conclusions: TVT-O for USI resulted in improvement of incontinence-related QoL including urgency, stress, and voiding dysfunction symptoms. Surgical failure and complications didn't impair postoperative QoL. Keywords: Complication, Quality of life, Stress urinary incontinence, Transobturator tape, Urodynamic stress incontinence

Self-reported quality of life in multiple sclerosis patients: preliminary results based on the Polish MS Registry.

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Brola, Waldemar; Sobolewski, Piotr; Fudala, Małgorzata; Flaga, Stanisław; Jantarski, Konrad; Ryglewicz, Danuta; Potemkowski, Andrzej

2016-01-01

The aim of the study was to analyze selected clinical and sociodemographic factors and their effects on the quality of life (QoL) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients registered in the Polish MS Registry. This was a cross-sectional observational study performed in Poland. Data on personal and disease-specific factors were collected between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2015, via the web portal of the Polish MS Registry. All patients were assessed by a physician and asked to complete the Polish language versions of the following self-evaluation questionnaires: EuroQol 5-Dimensions, EuroQoL Visual Analog Scale, and Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale. Univariate analysis and logistic regression were performed to determine the factors associated with QoL. The study included 2,385 patients (female/male ratio 2.3:1) with clinically confirmed MS (mean age 37.8±9.2 years). Average EuroQol 5-Dimensions index was 0.72±0.24, and the mean EuroQoL Visual Analog Scale score was 64.2±22.8. The average Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale score was 84.6±11.2 (62.2±18.4 for physical condition and 23.8±7.2 for mental condition). Lower QoL scores were significantly associated with higher level of disability (odds ratio [OR], 0.932; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.876-0.984; P=0.001), age >40 years (OR, 1.042; 95% CI, 0.924-1.158; P=0.012), longer disease duration (OR, 0.482; 95% CI, 0.224-0.998; P=0.042), and lack of disease modifying therapies (OR, 0.024; 95% CI, 0.160-0.835; P=0.024). No significant associations were found between QoL, sex, type of MS course, patient's education, and marital status. The Polish MS Registry is the first national registry for long-term observation that allows for self-evaluation of the QoL. QoL of Polish patients with MS is significantly lower compared with the rest of the population. The parameter is mainly affected by the level of disability, duration of the disease, and limited access to immunomodulatory therapy.

Decreased QOL and muscle strength are persistent 1 year after intramedullary nailing of a tibial shaft fracture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Peter; Elsoe, Rasmus; Laessoe, Uffe

2016-01-01

was measured with the questionnaire Eq5D-5L and compared to norm data from a reference population. Recordings of pain and contralateral muscle strength (isometric maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) for knee flexion and extension were collected at 6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Ipsilateral MVCs......INTRODUCTION:To evaluate the development in patient-reported quality of life (QOL) and muscle strength in the period from surgery to 12 months postoperatively after intramedullary nailing of a tibial shaft fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS:The design was a prospective, follow-up cohort study. QOL...... compared to the reference population. Six and 12 months after surgery patients demonstrated decreased muscle strength in the injured leg compared to the non-injured leg for knee extension and flexion (P strength during knee...

Quality of life of patients with type I diabetes mellitus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hart, HE; Bilo, HJG; Redekop, WK; Stolk, RP; Meyboom-de Jong, B

2003-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess health related quality of life (QOL) in patients with type I diabetes mellitus (DMT1) and to compare their QOL with the QOL of persons of comparable age in the general population. Furthermore we wanted to investigate which factors mostly influence QOL. In a

Correlates of self-reported quality of life in adults and children from the Morphea in Adults and Children cohort I

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Das, Shinjita; Bernstein, Ira; Jacobe, Heidi

2014-01-01

Background Determining a disease's impact on life quality is important in clinical decision making, research, and resource allocation. Determinants of quality of life (QOL) in morphea are poorly understood. Objective We sought to ascertain demographic and clinical variables correlated with negative impact on self-reported QOL in morphea. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of the Morphea in Adults and Children cohort. Results Symptoms (pruritus and pain) and functional impairment were correlated with decreased QOL in children and adults. This was true in both sexes and was independent of subtype and age. Patient-reported QOL correlated with physician-based measures of disease severity in adults, but not in children. Patients with linear and generalized morphea had the greatest impact on QOL. Limitations Small sample size is a limitation. Conclusion Symptoms and functional impairment were determinants of impaired life quality in both children and adults independent of morphea subtype. These results suggest that clinicians should consider suppressing the accumulation of new lesions (when rapidly accumulating) and symptoms (pain and pruritus) in the treatment of patients with morphea. PMID:24534655

Quality of life of obese children in Malaysia.

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Hamzaid, Hana; Talib, Ruzita Abd; Azizi, Nor Hidayah; Maamor, Nathirah; Reilly, John J; Wafa, Sharifah Wajihah

2011-10-01

Quality of life (QoL) is impaired in childhood obesity, but the literature on this is all from Western countries. Aim. To test for impairment of QoL in obese children in Malaysia, using parent-reported and child-reported QoL. Health-related Quality of Life was measured using the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory version 4.0. Comparison of QoL between a community sample of 90 obese children (as defined by US CDC and Cole-IOTF definitions), median age 9.5 y (interquartile range [IQR] 8.6, 10.5 y) and 90 control children of healthy weight (BMI less than the 85th centile of US reference data), median age 10.0 y (IQR 9.6, 10.5 y). Children were matched pair-wise for age, gender, and ethnic group, and controls were recruited from schools in the same area as obese participants. For child self-report, the healthy weight group had significantly higher QoL for the physical (median 82.9, IQR 65.7, 90.6), and psychosocial domains (median, 73.3, IQR 64.4, 83.3), and total QoL (median 76.1, IQR 64.1, 84.8) compared to the obese group (median 67.2, IQR 59.4, 81.3; median 62.5, IQR 53.3, 75.4; median 60.9, IQR 50.8, 73.9; all p obese and healthy weight group for parent-reported physical health, psychosocial health, or total QoL. Obese children in Malaysia have markedly poorer QoL than their peers, but this is not evident when parent reports of QoL are used.

To what extent is quality of life impaired in vitiligo? A multicenter study on Italian patients using the dermatology life quality index.

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Ingordo, Vito; Cazzaniga, Simone; Medri, Matelda; Raone, Beatrice; Digiuseppe, Maria Donata; Musumeci, Maria Letizia; Romano, Ivana; Fai, Dario; Pellegrino, Michele; Pezzarossa, Enrico; Di Lernia, Vito; Peccerillo, Francesca; Battarra, Vincenzo Claudio; Sirna, Riccardo; Patrizi, Annalisa; Naldi, Luigi

2014-01-01

It is believed that vitiligo has an impact on the overall patient quality of life (QoL). To estimate QoL in a fairly large sample of Italian vitiligo patients by using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. One hundred and sixty-one vitiligo patients referred to 9 dermatological centers were offered to participate by filling in the Italian version of the DLQI questionnaire. The mean total DLQI score was 4.3 (SD ±4.9; range: 0-22). In multivariate analysis, DLQI >5 was associated with female gender, stability of the disease over time and involvement of the face at disease onset. The impairment of QoL is overall limited in Italian vitiligo patients, especially if it is compared with results from other available studies. This could be due to cultural and ethnic characteristics of the sample.

Effect of clinical and laboratory parameters on quality of life in celiac patients using celiac disease-specific quality of life scores.

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Lee, Jungmin; Clarke, Kofi

2017-11-01

Health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in patients with celiac disease is reduced compared to the general population. We investigated the association between HR-QOL and clinical, laboratory findings using the previously validated CD-QOL (celiac disease-specific quality of life) instrument in patients with celiac disease. To our knowledge, no study has previously explored the relationship between HR-QOL and clinical, laboratory parameters in celiac patients. Patients who received care at the Allegheny Health Network Celiac Center, Pittsburgh, PA were asked to complete the CD-QOL questionnaire. A cross sectional study with predetermined clinical and laboratory parameters was performed. Data collected included IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG) antibody titers, iron studies, calcium, vitamin A, B12, 25 OH vitamin D, and E levels. Correlation between clinical findings and CD-QOL was also assessed. Seventy-eight out of 124 patients who completed the questionnaire was included in the analysis. Patients with concomitant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) had significantly reduced HR-QOL with CD-QOL score of 52.4 ± 11.3 vs. 44.6 ± 12.9 in those without IBS (p = .009). There was no difference in HR-QOL in relation to IgA tTG titers or vitamin D levels. Of note, there was a trend towards correlation between higher level of vitamin E and better QOL (r = -0.236, p = .074). Celiac patients with concomitant IBS have reduced HR-QOL. There was no statistically significant association between HR-QOL and laboratory parameters or levels of micronutrients.

Clinical and psychosocial factors associated with quality of life in alcohol-dependent men with erectile dysfunction.

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Ponizovsky, Alexander M

2008-10-01

Men with alcohol dependence (AD) commonly suffer from alcohol-induced sexual (erectile) dysfunction (ED) and have poor quality of life (Qol). Knowledge about the factors associated with Qol in such patients is lacking. To identify in men who sought medical help for both AD and ED the variables that best predicted feelings of satisfaction with life and with specific life domains. The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q). Secondary study measures were the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-13), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), Rosenberg's General Self-Esteem Scale (RGSES), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Within an open-label sildenafil trial, 101 men aged 18-50 years with an International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition diagnosis of AD and concomitant ED were interviewed and completed the questionnaires. Multivariate analyses were applied to establish predictors of life satisfaction and factors mediating the relation between ED and life satisfaction. ED and self-rated depressive symptoms, emotional distress, self-esteem, and perceived social support were found to be significantly associated with Qol and its component domains. Altogether they explained 18-38% of the variance in the Qol ratings. Depressive symptomatology, distress, and self-esteem, individually, demonstrated a mediating effect on the relation between ED and Qol. Finally, self-esteem was shown to be the primary mediator in this relationship. The results of the study show that self-esteem is the primary factor, and depressive symptoms and severe emotional distress are secondary factors mediating the effects of ED on Qol in male patients seeking medical help for both AD and ED. An integrated pharmacopsychosocial approach targeting the underlying ED as well as the mediating emotional conditions could improve Qol of these patients and thus help them to stop using alcohol.

Quality of Life and Patient Satisfaction Following Male-to-Female Sex Reassignment Surgery.

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Papadopulos, Nikolaos A; Lellé, Jean-Daniel; Zavlin, Dmitry; Herschbach, Peter; Henrich, Gerhard; Kovacs, Laszlo; Ehrenberger, Benjamin; Kluger, Anna-Katharina; Machens, Hans-Guenther; Schaff, Juergen

2017-05-01

Surveys on quality of life (QOL) of male-to-female (MTF) transsexuals have found low QOL scores before and increased satisfaction scores after sex-reassignment surgery (SRS). To our knowledge, many of them lack standardized questionnaires and comparisons with normative data to evaluate different vaginoplasty techniques. To analyze patient satisfaction and QOL after SRS. Forty-seven patients participated in this study. All patients had surgery with our self-developed combined technique on average 19 months before the survey. They completed a self-developed indication-specific questionnaire concerning demographic and socioeconomic issues and postoperative satisfaction. Furthermore, a standardized self-assessment questionnaire on satisfaction and QOL (Fragen zur Lebenszufriedenheit Module [FLZ M ]; Questions on Life Satisfaction Modules ) was used. The FLZ M consists of three modules (general life satisfaction, satisfaction with health, and satisfaction with body image) with scores of weighted satisfaction for each item. Results of the general and health modules were compared with normative data. Demographics, QOL, general life satisfaction, satisfaction with health, and satisfaction with body image. The self-developed indication-specific questionnaire showed that 91% experienced an improvement of QOL. All patients stated they would undergo SRS again and did not regret it at all. Patients stated their femininity significantly increased. For the FLZ M , the sum score for general life satisfaction (P patient satisfaction of this complex and non-standardized surgery. This is the first description of a new surgical technique (combined technique) for MTF SRS. QOL was assessed by a large number of patients by standardized questionnaires and could be compared with normative data. Because this is a retrospective study, we can draw only careful conclusions for pre- and postoperative changes. Our self-developed combined surgical technique seemed to have a positive influence on

Does enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy for eating disorders improve quality of life?

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Watson, Hunna J; Allen, Karina; Fursland, Anthea; Byrne, Susan M; Nathan, Paula R

2012-09-01

Quality of life (QOL) is the degree of enjoyment and satisfaction experienced in life, and embraces emotional well-being, physical health, economic and living circumstances, and work satisfaction. QOL recovery with eating disorder treatment has received sparse attention, and until now, no study has investigated QOL recovery with enhanced cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT-E). Patients (n = 196) admitted to a specialist eating disorders outpatient programme and receiving CBT-E completed measures of QOL, eating disorder psychopathology, depression, anxiety and self-esteem, before and after treatment. QOL at intake was compared with community norms, and QOL below the norm was predicted from sociodemographic and clinical correlates with logistic regression. Baseline QOL below the norm was associated with depression and anxiety Axis I comorbidity, and severity of depressive symptoms. Predictors of post-treatment QOL were baseline QOL and level of depressive symptoms and self-esteem at post-treatment. CBT-E was associated with gains in QOL over the course of treatment, in addition to eating disorder symptom relief. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

Neuro-QOL and the NIH Toolbox: implications for epilepsy

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Nowinski, Cindy J; Victorson, David; Cavazos, Jose E; Gershon, Richard; Cella, David

2011-01-01

The impact of neurological disorders on the lives of patients is often far more complex than what is measured in routine examination. Measurement of this impact can be challenging owing to a lack of brief, psychometrically sound and generally accepted instruments. Two NIH-funded initiatives are developing assessment tools, in English and Spanish, which address these issues, and should prove useful to the study and treatment of epilepsy and other neurological conditions. The first, Neuro-QOL, has created a set of health-related quality of life measures that are applicable for people with common neurological disorders. The second, the NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function, is assembling measures of cognitive, emotional, motor and sensory health and function that can be used across all ages, from 3 to 85 years. This article describes both the projects and their potential value to epilepsy treatment and research. PMID:21552344

The effect of a disastrous flood on the quality of life in Dongting lake area in China.

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Tan, H Z; Luo, Y J; Wen, S W; Liu, A Z; Li, S Q; Yang, T B; Sun, Z Q

2004-01-01

We carried out an epidemiological study to assess the impact of flood on the quality of life (QOL) of residents in the affected areas in China. We used a natural experiment approach, randomly selected 494 adults from 18 villages, which suffered from flooding as a result of embankments collapsing, 473 adults from 16 villages, which suffered from, soaked flood, and 773 adults from 11 villages without flood (control group). We used the Generic QOL Inventory-74 (GQOLI-74), social support scale, and questionnaires to assess the QOL of all study participants. The QOL was significantly poorer in soaked group (58.4) and (especially) in collapsed group (55.1) than in control group (59.5, pintrovert personality, and residents with adverse life-events, whereas social support and extrovert personalities offset the negative impact of flood on QOL.

The Paradox of Leisure in Later Life

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Nimrod, Galit; Shrira, Amit

2016-01-01

Objective. Numerous studies have shown that involvement in leisure activity has a significant impact on older adults’ physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. This study explores whether the association between leisure involvement and well-being in later life changes over time. Method. Data were drawn from the first 4 waves of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Growth curve models were applied to examine whether leisure moderated change in quality of life (QoL) over time among 7,875 retirees aged 60 and older. Results. Findings indicated that the association between leisure and QoL increased with time, as nonactive respondents displayed a decline in QoL over time, whereas those with high levels of leisure involvement showed an increase. Findings remained significant after controlling for sociodemographics, health, and cognitive functioning. Discussion. Results indicated that the significance of leisure to well-being increases throughout the later life course, and that leisure may act as a resource for resilience in old age. They also pointed out a paradoxical situation in which the older seniors, who may benefit from leisure involvement more than their younger peers, are precisely the ones who face the greater number of constraints to beneficial use of leisure. PMID:25315158

Health-related quality-of-life in patients after elective surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ehlers, Lars; Laursen, Kathrine Bang; Jensen, Morten Berg

2011-01-01

for measuring health-related QoL. Multiple regression analysis was used to study the association between QoL and number of years since AAA surgery. Results: A significantly poorer QoL was found in patients having had AAA surgery compared to the normal population as measured with the SF-12 and the EQ......-VAS, but not with EQ-5D. A negative association between QoL and years following surgery was found with EQ-VAS and SF-12 (PCS), but not with the other instruments. Discussion: Factors such as selection bias because of mortality and non-response may have resulted in an over-estimate of the QoL in patients having had AAA......Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the health-related quality-of-life (QoL) in patients after elective surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) compared to a normal population and to study the association between QoL and number of years since surgery. Methods: All Danish men who...

Factors Associated With Quality of Life in Patients With Diabetic Foot Ulcers

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Nasiriziba

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU is a serious and costly complication in diabetes which affects approximately 15% of patients with diabetes and affects their quality of life (QOL. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors associated with QOL in patients with DFU. Patients and Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on 60 patients (32 males and 28 females hospitalized for DFU, performed through convenience sampling. Data related factors and the QOL questionnaire for patients with DFU were abridged. This questionnaire has 29 questions in six dimensions of enjoying life, physical health, daily activities dependence, negative emotions, concern about wound, and wound caring, which evaluate the QOL in patients with DFU. The scoring method for this tool is five optional Likert. Descriptive and analytic statistical methods were used to analyze the data. Results Of the 60 patients with DFU, 53% were male and 47% female with an average age of 58.08 ± 11.95 years and average QOL of 41.1 ± 9.15. Statistical analysis showed that age (P = 0.002, employment (P ≤ 0001, socioeconomic status (P = 0.016, leg ulcer (P ≤ 0001, and the number of foot ulcer (P = 0.017 had a statistically significant relationship with QOL and its dimensions. Other variables did not have a significant relationship with QOL, but some of them such as smoking during negative emotions (P = 0.046 and marital status affecting the foot care difficulties (P = 0.03 had significant statistical relationships with QOL. Conclusions Diabetic foot ulcer affects different aspects of life and can reduce patient’s QOL. To improve the care behaviors and have a better control of foot ulcers and improve the QOL for these patients, taking into account factors such as age, occupation, marital status, number of wounds, and economic status is essential to plan for care and health needs in these patients.

Factors influencing the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.

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Park, Sun-A; Chung, Seung Hyun; Lee, Youngjin

2017-02-01

The present study aimed to determine the predictors of quality of life (QOL) of patients with advanced cancer. A cross-sectional study involving 494 patients with advanced cancer was conducted using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form, the Karnofsky Performance Status Scale, the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (Korean version), and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core 30. Regression analyses showed that physical and psychological symptoms significantly predicted the patients' QOL and explained 28.8% of the variance in QOL. Moreover, lack of energy was the patients' most prevalent symptom. The results of the present study will serve as fundamental data upon which the development of an intervention will be based so as to enhance the patients' QOL. Accordingly, an effective management of symptoms and performance maintenance should be considered in the future as key factors in providing support and establishing palliative care systems for patients with advanced cancer. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Quality of life improvement after a three-year course of sublingual immunotherapy in patients with house dust mite and grass pollen induced allergic rhinitis: results from real-life.

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Novakova, Silviya Mihaylova; Staevska, Maria Toncheva; Novakova, Plamena Ivanova; Yoncheva, Manuela Dimitrova; Bratoycheva, Maria Stoykova; Musurlieva, Nina Mihaylova; Tzekov, Valeri Dimitrov; Nicolov, Dimitar Georgiev

2017-09-29

Along with its high prevalence, the burden of allergic rhinitis rests upon the serious impact on quality of life of patients. Allergic rhinitis is associated with impairments in daily activities, work and school performance, and practical problems. Patients suffer from sleep disorders and emotional problems. Тhe advantages of sublingual immunotherapy on quality of life have only recently begun to emerge. The objective of this prospective real-life study was to evaluate the effect of a three-year course of sublingual immunotherapy with house dust mite (HDM) and grass pollen extracts on quality of life in adults with allergic rhinitis. A total number of 191 adult patients [105 (54,979%) men; mean age 27.3 years (SD-6.14)] with moderate to severe allergic rhinitis and clinically relevant sensitization to house dust mites or grass pollen were prospectively evaluated in the course of management of their disease. Health-related quality of life was assessed by Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire at baseline and after three-year course of sublingual immunotherapy. The mean overall Qol score assessed at baseline and at the end of the third year of treatment decreased significantly in patients treated with HDM extract (from 2.95 to 0.76) as well as with Grass pollen extract (from 2.83 to 1.22) (р life provided evidence that a three-year course of SLIT with HDM extract as well as with grass pollen extract significantly increased QoL in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Smoking And Quality Of Life After Acute Myocardial Infarction

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Esad Pepic

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To examine and compare the quality of life (QoLof patient with Acute Myocardial Infraction and healthyindividuals. Furthermore to investigates the influence oftobacco smoking on QoL of these groups.Material and Methods: A total of 200 subjects were recruitedfor this study, one hundred of these were smokers and restwas non-smokers. Further sub-classification was done on thebasis of the AMI. SF- 36 was used to evaluate the QoL thequality of life among the smokers and non-smokers with andwithout the incidence of AMI. Data analysis was done usingStatistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS version 13 ®.Results: Findings demonstrate a clear relation to the averageQoL scores among smokers and nonsmokers. Non-smokerswere found to have statistically significant differences (SSD inQoL with and without the incidence of AMI. High Qol score wasobserved among healthy non-smokers. With increasing age ofsmokers, it is seen that there is a decrease in scores on allsubscales of quality of life, and the value difference scores werestatistically significant (p<0.05.Conclusion: Smoking significantly affects the QoL of patientswith AMI. This effect was more pronounced with age. Maritalstatus was found to affecting the physical functioning, vitalityand mental health of the subjects

Is functional dependence of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients determinant of the quality of life and burden of their caregivers?

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Maria Clara Drummond Soares de Moura

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective The relationship between functional dependence and quality of life (QOL in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD patients and burden and QOL in caregivers is not clear. This study investigated possible relationships between functional dependence/QOL of DMD patients and QOL/burden of caregivers. Method This study included 35 boys (6-17 years and respective caregivers (above 21 years. Caregivers answered to World Health Organization Quality of Life and Zarit Burden Interview questionnaires. Patients were assessed with the Motor Function Measure and the Autoquestionnaire Qualité de vie Enfant Imagé. Spearman correlations and linear regressions were run to investigate relationships between the variables. Results The occurrence of lower QOL and higher burden among the caregivers of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy was evidenced. The functional dependence of patients was not considered a determinant factor. Higher caregivers’ burden was related to lower caregivers’ QOL and to higher patients’ ages.

The most important parameters of life quality of the Great Patriotic War veterans

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Yuanov A.A.

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the study was to estimate current state of quality of life of Great Patriotic War veterans. Materials and methods. The study included 368 veterans of the Great Patriotic War according to Federal State "Concerning veterans" #5, 1995. Protocol of the study included adapted fragments of WHOQOL, WHOQOL-Old, SF-36, SIP questioners as well as visually-analog scale of self-assessment of quality of life with further going quality of life index calculations. Re-sults. In the studied sample of the Great Patriotic War (GPW veterans including long-livers comparably was detected high level of quality of life (QOL by physical criteria and independence level. It was revealed that QOL by self-service criteria in the GPW veterans was low and extremely variable by other criteria groups. Both ageing and gender influenced upon physical activity, self-service and QOL self-assessment. Women were outstanding by psychological criteria and independence with no association with age group. Conclusion. QOL indication in the GPW veterans of studied sample elucidated a satisfactory level of healthcare in the region, which allows veterans in certain way preserve both physical and psychological health, as well as grounds positive self-assessment of personal position in society and values system according to their life-goals and expectations.

Effect of occurrence of vitiligo in children over quality of life of their families: A hospital-based study using family dermatology life quality index

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Pratik Gahalaut

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Vitiligo in an adult patient has a profound effect on the quality of life (QoL of that particular patient. Although it is known that vitiligo in adult patient affects QoL in their family, very little information is available regarding QoL in a family having children suffering from vitiligo. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, hospital-based study to ascertain the effect children suffering from vitiligo have on the QoL of their respective families. Study participants were fifty healthy parent/immediate caregivers of fifty corresponding children suffering from vitiligo. The QoL in the family of these vitiliginous children was assessed with the help of Family Dermatology Life Quality Index (FDLQI. Results: There was significantly more impairment of FDLQI among respondents if vitiliginous child was female compared to male. The total FDLQI showed a significant negative correlation with duration of vitiligo in children. Analysis of individual items in FDLQI revealed emotional distress as the most impaired facet of FDLQI and housework as the least affected item. Conclusion: Presence of vitiligo in children affects the QoL of that particular child and his/her family. This impairment of FDLQI is more if the child suffering from vitiligo is female. Treatment of vitiligo in pediatric age group should include psychological counseling and support for the child as well as their parents/caregivers.

Cognition and Quality of Life After Chemotherapy Plus Radiotherapy (RT) vs. RT for Pure and Mixed Anaplastic Oligodendrogliomas: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Trial 9402

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Wang Meihua; Cairncross, Gregory; Shaw, Edward

2010-01-01

Purpose: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 9402 compared procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (PCV) chemotherapy plus radiation therapy (PCV + RT) vs. RT alone for anaplastic oligodendroglioma. Here we report longitudinal changes in cognition and quality of life, effects of patient factors and treatments on cognition, quality of life and survival, and prognostic implications of cognition and quality of life. Methods and Materials: Cognition was assessed by Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and quality of life by Brain-Quality of Life (B-QOL). Scores were analyzed for survivors and within 5 years of death. Shared parameter models evaluated MMSE/B-QOL with survival. Results: For survivors, MMSE and B-QOL scores were similar longitudinally and between treatments. For those who died, MMSE scores remained stable initially, whereas B-QOL slowly declined; both declined rapidly in the last year of life and similarly between arms. In the aggregate, scores decreased over time (p = 0.0413 for MMSE; p = 0.0016 for B-QOL) and were superior with age <50 years (p < 0.001 for MMSE; p = 0.0554 for B-QOL) and Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) 80-100 (p < 0.001). Younger age and higher KPS were associated with longer survival. After adjusting for patient factors and drop-out, survival was longer after PCV + RT (HR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49-0.9, p = 0.0084; HR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.54-1.01, p = 0.0592) in models with MMSE and B-QOL. In addition, there were no differences in MMSE and B-QOL scores between arms (p = 0.4752 and p = 0.2767, respectively); higher scores predicted longer survival. Conclusion: MMSE and B-QOL scores held steady in the upper range in both arms for survivors. Younger, fitter patients had better MMSE and B-QOL and longer survival.

Religiousness and Spiritual Support Among Advanced Cancer Patients and Associations With End-of-Life Treatment Preferences and Quality of Life

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Balboni, Tracy A.; Vanderwerker, Lauren C.; Block, Susan D.; Paulk, M. Elizabeth; Lathan, Christopher S.; Peteet, John R.; Prigerson, Holly G.

2008-01-01

Purpose Religion and spirituality play a role in coping with illness for many cancer patients. This study examined religiousness and spiritual support in advanced cancer patients of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds and associations with quality of life (QOL), treatment preferences, and advance care planning. Methods The Coping With Cancer study is a federally funded, multi-institutional investigation examining factors associated with advanced cancer patient and caregiver well-being. Patients with an advanced cancer diagnosis and failure of first-line chemotherapy were interviewed at baseline regarding religiousness, spiritual support, QOL, treatment preferences, and advance care planning. Results Most (88%) of the study population (N = 230) considered religion to be at least somewhat important. Nearly half (47%) reported that their spiritual needs were minimally or not at all supported by a religious community, and 72% reported that their spiritual needs were supported minimally or not at all by the medical system. Spiritual support by religious communities or the medical system was significantly associated with patient QOL (P = .0003). Religiousness was significantly associated with wanting all measures to extend life (odds ratio, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.08 to 3.57). Conclusion Many advanced cancer patients' spiritual needs are not supported by religious communities or the medical system, and spiritual support is associated with better QOL. Religious individuals more frequently want aggressive measures to extend life. PMID:17290065

Residual deficits in quality of life one year after intensity-modulated radiotherapy for patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Results of a prospective study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tribius, Silke; Raguse, Marieclaire; Voigt, Christian; Petersen, Cordula; Kruell, Andreas; Muenscher, Adrian; Groebe, Alexander; Bergelt, Corinna; Singer, Susanne

2015-01-01

Patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer (LAHNC) undergo life-changing treatments that can seriously affect quality of life (QoL). This prospective study examined the key QoL domains during the first year after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and identified predictors of these changes in order to improve patient outcomes. A consecutive series of patients with LAHNC completed the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire Core module (QLQ-C30) and the HNC-specific QLQ-HN35 before (t0) and at the end (t1) of definitive or adjuvant IMRT, then at 6-8 weeks (t2), 6 months (t3), and 1 year (t4) after IMRT. Patients (n = 111) completing questionnaires at all five time points were included (baseline response rate: 99 %; dropout rate between t0 and t4: 5 %). QoL deteriorated in all domains during IMRT and improved slowly during the first year thereafter. Many domains recovered to baseline values after 1 year but problems with smelling and tasting, dry mouth, and sticky saliva remained issues at this time. Increases in problems with sticky saliva were greater after 1 year in patients with definitive versus adjuvant IMRT (F = 3.5, P = 0.05). QoL in patients with LAHNC receiving IMRT takes approximately 1 year to return to baseline; some domains remain compromised after 1 year. Although IMRT aims to maintain function and QoL, patients experience long-term dry mouth and sticky saliva, particularly following definitive IMRT. Patients should be counseled at the start of therapy to reduce disappointment with the pace of recovery. (orig.) [de

Quality of life in panic disorder: looking beyond symptom remission.

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Davidoff, Julia; Christensen, Scott; Khalili, David N; Nguyen, Jaidyn; IsHak, Waguih William

2012-08-01

Panic Disorder (PD) is a classic example of a disease where symptom remission may be achieved, yet patient quality of life (QOL) remains low, providing further support for the need to measure QOL as an additional outcome in patient care. The objectives of this review are to examine the substantial QOL impairments in PD and to determine whether modern treatments for PD, which have been proven to achieve symptom remission, have been shown to restore QOL. We identified studies on QOL in PD from 1980 to 2010 by searching MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and PubMed databases. The literature reveals substantial QOL impairments in PD, often resulting in poor sense of health, frequent utilization of medical services, occupational deficiency, financial dependency, and marital strife. Modern therapies have been demonstrated to achieve symptom remission and improve QOL in PD; however, post-treatment QOL is still significantly lower than community averages. QOL needs to be added as an essential outcome measure in patient care. Further research should be conducted to better understand the nature of comorbidities in PD as well as to determine whether additional interventions that have been studied in other psychiatric disorders, such as exercise, meditation, yoga, humor, massage, and nutritional supplements, can be utilized to improve QOL in PD to normal community levels.

Glycaemic control and quality of life among ethnically diverse Malaysian diabetic patients.

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Daher, Aqil Mohammad; AlMashoor, Syed Ahmad H; Winn, Than

2015-04-01

To assess the relationship between glycaemic control and quality of life (QoL) among a sample of Malaysians with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This study is a cross-sectional hospital-based study involving 256 patients from three major ethnic groups in Malaysia. Data about QoL were collected with the 18-item Audit of Diabetes Dependent QoL questionnaire. Other data about putative predictors of QoL including personal characteristics and disease-related factors were also collected. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to determine factors associated with QoL and to control for confounding variables. The mean age of participants was 56.79 years. Participants were mostly women, employed and married and had attained secondary education. More than a third of the patients had a disease duration of more than 10 years, and about two-thirds had HbA1c ≥ 6.5 %. Those with desired glycaemic control had poorer QoL than those with less than desired glycaemic control moderated by the use of insulin. Hierarchical multiple linear regression showed that desired glycaemic control (HbA1c), diabetes worry, use of insulin, more than 10 years' duration of diabetes, neuropathy and retinopathy were associated with poor QoL, whereas being satisfied with waiting time for consultation was associated with better QoL. The results of this study show that diabetes was associated with negative impact on quality of life. The use of insulin to achieve desired glycaemic control was particularly associated with negative impact on QoL.

Grip strength and quality of life in the second half of life: hope as a moderator.

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Gum, Amber M; Segal-Karpas, Dikla; Avidor, Sharon; Ayalon, Liat; Bodner, Ehud; Palgi, Yuval

2017-09-28

The purpose of the current study was to investigate grip strength, hope, and their interaction as predictors of quality of life four years later in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Data were derived from the first (2005-2006) and second wave (2009) of the Israeli component of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE; N = 344). Hope was measured by three items from the Hope   Scale, and quality of life was measured by the CASP-12 (Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, and Pleasure). Multiple regression analyses were conducted. Grip strength at T1 predicted QoL in T2, but hope was not a significant predictor. Furthermore, hope moderated the effect of handgrip on QoL, such that the effect was weaker for higher levels of hope. As hypothesized, hope acted as a moderator, such that poor grip strength was associated with worse QoL for less hopeful older adults, but grip strength was not associated with QoL for more hopeful older adults. Findings are consistent with a theoretical conceptualization of hope as a buffer between physical challenges and negative outcomes like QoL. Encouraging a hopeful perspective could enhance QoL for older adults with decreased muscle strength.

Quality of life outcomes in patients living with stoma.

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Anaraki, Fakhrialsadat; Vafaie, Mohamad; Behboo, Roobic; Maghsoodi, Nakisa; Esmaeilpour, Sahar; Safaee, Azadeh

2012-09-01

Despite efforts to maintain the intestinal tissue and treat gastrointestinal disease, a large number of patients undergo ostomy surgery each year. Using stoma reduces the patient's quality of life (QOL) greatly. Although there are approximately 3000 patients in Iran; there is little information about the impact of stoma on their QOL. The study aims to evaluate QOL of stoma patients using a special measurement tool. This survey was a cross-sectional study that was conducted on 102 random samples of stoma patients. The City of Hope Quality of Life-Ostomy Questionnaire was used for collecting demographic and clinical information and evaluating QOL. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of QOL. The mean score for the overall QOL for stoma patients was 7.48 ± 0.9. 70% of patients were dissatisfied with sexual activities. More than half of them reported feelings of depression following stoma surgery. Univariate analysis indicated that factors such as the type of ostomy (temporary/permanent), the underlying disease that had led to the stoma, depression, problem with location of ostomy, and change in clothing style had significant effects on overall QOL and its subscales (P ostomy were statistically significant in predicting patients' QOL and its subscales (P < 0.05). The findings demonstrated that living with stoma influences the overall aspect of QOL. Education for the patients and their families is important for improving the stoma patients' QOL. Sexual and psychological consultation may also improve patients' QOL.

An Evaluation of the Work and Life Conditions and the Quality of Life in 60 to 65 Year-Old White-Collar Employees, Manual Workers, and Unemployed Controls.

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Sołtysik, Bartłomiej K; Kroc, Łukasz; Pigłowska, Małgorzata; Guligowska, Agnieszka; Śmigielski, Janusz; Kostka, Tomasz

2017-05-01

Assessment of the work and life conditions of 60 to 65-year-old seniors with regard to type of work and quality of life (QoL). The European Foundation for Improvement of Living and Working Conditions Questionnaire and the EuroQol 5D were used to evaluate work and life conditions and QoL in the three age- and sex-matched 60 to 65-year-old groups (white-collar, manual workers, and unemployed subjects, 100 each group, 50% of women). Manual workers and unemployed subjects had lower QoL score (0 to 100 point scale) than white-collar workers (accordingly 72.2; 71.2; 76.2; P working subjects (n = 200), QoL was inversely associated with reported health problems (P work (P work, while in the intellectual group (n = 100) mainly by health factors. Quality of work and health assessment are the main domains that influence older workers' QoL and may contribute to the shortening of the work period and accelerated transfer to retirement. Quality of work assessment seems especially important in older manual workers.

Linking Spiritual and Religious Coping With the Quality of Life of Community-Dwelling Older Adults and Nursing Home Residents

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Luciano Magalhães Vitorino BSN, MSc

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study examined the effect of Positive and Negative Spiritual and Religious Coping (SRC upon older Brazilian’s quality of life (QOL. Method: A secondary analysis of data collected from 77 nursing home residents (NHRs; M age = 76.56 and 326 community-dwelling residents (CDRs; M age = 67.22 years was conducted. Participants had completed the Brief SRC, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF and World Health Organization Quality of Life-OLD (WHOQOL-OLD. A General Linear Model regression analysis was undertaken to assess the effects of SRC upon 10 aspects of participants’ QOL. Results: Positive ( F = 6.714, df = 10, p < .001 as opposed to Negative ( F = 1.194, df = 10, p = .294 SRC was significantly associated with QOL. Positive SRC was more strongly associated with NHR’s physical, psychological, and environmental QOL, and their perceived sensory abilities, autonomy, and opportunities for intimacy. Conclusion: Positive SRC behaviors per se were significantly associated with QOL ratings across both study samples. The effect size of Positive SRC was much larger among NHRs across six aspects of QOL. Place of residence (POR in relation to SRC and QOL in older age warrants further study.

Contents of life review and quality of life of advanced cancer patients

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Ando, Michiyo; Ishiwara, Tatsuhiko; Kimura, Hideyuki; Tsuchida, Yoko

2003-01-01

The present study investigated the utility of life review for advanced cancer patients. In the investigation, we examined the contents of life review of advanced cancer patients, and the relation between specific contents and Quality of Life (QoL) issues.

Health-Related Quality of Life After Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer: Results From a Multi-institutional Consortium of Prospective Trials

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King, Christopher R., E-mail: crking@mednet.ucla.edu [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (United States); Collins, Sean [Department of Radiation Oncology, Georgetown University, Washington, District of Columbia (United States); Fuller, Donald [Genesis Healthcare Partners, San Diego, California (United States); Wang, Pin-Chieh; Kupelian, Patrick; Steinberg, Michael [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, Los Angeles, California (United States); Katz, Alan [Flushing Radiation Oncology, Flushing, New York (United States)

2013-12-01

Purpose: To evaluate the early and late health-related quality of life (QOL) outcomes among prostate cancer patients following stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). Methods and Materials: Patient self-reported QOL was prospectively measured among 864 patients from phase 2 clinical trials of SBRT for localized prostate cancer. Data from the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) instrument were obtained at baseline and at regular intervals up to 6 years. SBRT delivered a median dose of 36.25 Gy in 4 or 5 fractions. A short course of androgen deprivation therapy was given to 14% of patients. Results: Median follow-up was 3 years and 194 patients remained evaluable at 5 years. A transient decline in the urinary and bowel domains was observed within the first 3 months after SBRT which returned to baseline status or better within 6 months and remained so beyond 5 years. The same pattern was observed among patients with good versus poor baseline function and was independent of the degree of early toxicities. Sexual QOL decline was predominantly observed within the first 9 months, a pattern not altered by the use of androgen deprivation therapy or patient age. Conclusion: Long-term outcome demonstrates that prostate SBRT is well tolerated and has little lasting impact on health-related QOL. A transient and modest decline in urinary and bowel QOL during the first few months after SBRT quickly recovers to baseline levels. With a large number of patients evaluable up to 5 years following SBRT, it is unlikely that unexpected late adverse effects will manifest themselves.

Early results of quality of life for curatively treated rectal cancers in Chinese patients with EORTC QLQ-CR29

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Junjie; Shi, Debing; Goodman, Karyn A; Goldstein, David; Xiao, Changchun; Guan, Zuqing; Cai, Sanjun

2011-01-01

To assess the quality of life in curatively treated patients with rectal cancer in a prospectively collected cohort. Patients with stage I-III rectal cancer who were treated curatively in a single institution were accrued prospectively. Quality of life was assessed by use of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer questionnaire module for all cancer patients (QLQ-C30) and for colorectal cancer patients (QLQ-CR29). Quality of life among different treatment modalities and between stoma and nonstoma patients was evaluated in all patients. A total of 154 patients were assessed. The median time of completion for the questionnaires was 10 months after all the treatments. For patients with different treatment modalities, faecal incontinence and diarrhea were significantly higher in radiation group (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively), and no difference in male or female sexual function was found between radiation group and non-radiation group. For stoma and nonstoma patients, the QLQ-CR29 module found the symptoms of Defaecation and Embarrassment with Bowel Movement were more prominent in stoma patients, while no difference was detected in scales QLQ-C30 module. Our study provided additional information in evaluating QoL of Chinese rectal cancer patients with currently widely used QoL questionnaires. As a supplement to the QLQ-C30, EORTC QLQ-CR29 is a useful questionnaire in evaluating curatively treated patients with rectal cancer. Bowel dysfunction (diarrhea and faecal incontinence) was still the major problem compromising QoL in patients with either pre- or postoperative chemoradiotherapy

Dietary and physical activity behaviors related to obesity-specific quality of life and work productivity: baseline results from a worksite trial

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Cash, Stephanie Whisnant; Beresford, Shirley A.A; Henderson, Jo Ann; McTiernan, Anne; Xiao, Liren; Wang, C.Y.; Patrick, Donald L.

2012-01-01

Obesity is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (QoL) and reduced productivity; less is known about the effect of dietary factors. This study investigated how dietary behaviors, physical activity, and Body Mass Index (BMI) relate to weight-specific QoL and work productivity. The study was conducted in 31 small blue-collar and service industry worksites in Seattle. Participants were 747 employees (33.5% non-White). Measures included self-reported servings of fruits and vegetables, dietary behaviors such as fast food consumption, Godin free-time physical activity scores, measured height and weight, Obesity and Weight Loss Quality of Life (OWLQOL) scores, and Work Limitations Questionnaire (WLQ) scores. Baseline data were analyzed using linear mixed models separately for men (n=348) and women (n=399), since gender modified the effects. BMI was negatively associated with OWLQOL in both women (pincrease in BMI was 30% (95% CI: 25%, 44%) for women and 14% (95% CI: 10%, 17%) for men. BMI was positively associated with productivity loss only in women (exp(slope)=1.46, 95% CI: 1.02, 2.11, p=0.04). Eating while doing another activity was negatively associated with OWLQOL scores in men (p=0.0006, independent of BMI) and with productivity in women (p=0.04, effect diminished when adjusting for BMI). Fast food meals were associated with decreased productivity for men (p=0.038, independent of BMI). Results suggest the obesogenic dietary behaviors and higher BMI are associated with decreased QoL and productivity variously in women and men. PMID:22142517

Improved quality of life in hyperthyroidism patients after surgery.

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Bukvic, Branka; Zivaljevic, Vladan; Sipetic, Sandra; Diklic, Aleksandar; Tausanovic, Katarina; Stojanovic, Dragos; Stevanovic, Dejan; Paunovic, Ivan

2015-02-01

The most common causes of hyperthyroidism are Graves disease (GD) and toxic nodular goiter (TNG). GD and TNG might influence patients' quality of life (QoL). The aim of our study was to analyze and compare the QoL of patients with GD with that of TNG patients and to evaluate the influence of surgical treatment on their QoL. A prospective case-control study was conducted at the Center for Endocrine surgery in Belgrade, Serbia. The ThyPRO questionnaire was used in the QoL assessment of the GD and TNG patients (31 and 28, respectively) pre- and post-operatively. All patients were receiving antithyroid drugs, and none of the patients were overtly hyperthyroid at the time of completing the preoperative questionnaire. The QoL of the GD patients was worse than that of the TNG patients, with significant differences in eye symptoms, anxiety, and sex life domains (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, and P = 0.004, respectively), preoperatively, and in eye symptoms, anxiety, emotional susceptibility, and overall QoL (P = 0.001, P = 0.027, P = 0.005 and P = 0.013, respectively), postoperatively. The improvement in QoL in the GD patients was significant after surgical treatment in all ThyPRO domains. In the TNG patients, the improvement was significant in all but one ThyPRO domain, sex life (P = 0.066). The QoL of GD patients is worse than those of TNG patients. Surgery may improve QoL in patients with GD and TNG even if they have achieved satisfying thyroid status with medication treatment, preoperatively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of individual quality of life among hemodialysis patients: nominated themes using SEIQoL-adapted.

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Matlabi, Hossein; Ahmadzadeh, Sharareh

2017-01-01

Quality of life (QoL) has become an important issue for patients with chronic renal failure diseases who are permanently undergoing hemodialysis. In this study, an adapted schedule for the evaluation of individual quality of life (SEIQoL-adapted) was used to evaluate QoL among hemodialysis patients, to explore their views about the most important aspects of life satisfaction. A multiple approach design and convenience sampling were applied to recruit 53 patients from a hemodialysis unit in Iran. Data were collected through structured interviews and then analyzed using conventional content analysis. A total score for QoL was calculated using scale guideline. The most important aspects of life were health, family, financial status, living conditions, leisure activities, relationships and socializing, religious and spiritual issues, medical knowledge, and therapies or treatments. The calculated mean QoL score was 66.2, indicating a relatively high life satisfaction. Males had higher QoL scores than females in both married and single groups. Moreover, the relationships between the QoL scores and education, job and marital status were not statistically significant. The SEIQoL-adapted revealed reasonable lay definitions of QoL in a group of patients following chronic renal failure. The patients' views of the aspects of life could be used by health policy makers, clinicians, and caregivers as a reliable guide to the most important priorities for treatment and medical interventions.

The impact of subjective memory complaints on quality of life in community-dwelling older adults.

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Maki, Yohko; Yamaguchi, Tomoharu; Yamagami, Tetsuya; Murai, Tatsuhiko; Hachisuka, Kenji; Miyamae, Fumiko; Ito, Kae; Awata, Shuichi; Ura, Chiaki; Takahashi, Ryutaro; Yamaguchi, Haruyasu

2014-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of memory complaints on quality of life (QOL) in elderly community dwellers with or without mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Participants included 120 normal controls (NC) and 37 with MCI aged 65 and over. QOL was measured using the Japanese version of Satisfaction in Daily Life, and memory complaints were measured using a questionnaire consisting of four items. The relevance of QOL was evaluated with psychological factors of personality traits, sense of self-efficacy, depressive mood, self-evaluation of daily functioning, range of social activities (Life-Space Assessment), social network size, and cognitive functions including memory. The predictors of QOL were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis. QOL was not significantly different between the NC and MCI groups. In both groups, QOL was positively correlated with self-efficacy, daily functioning, social network size, Life-Space Assessment, and the personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness; QOL was negatively correlated with memory complaints, depressive mood, and the personality trait of neuroticism. In regression analysis, memory complaints were a negative predictor of QOL in the MCI group, but not in the NC group. The partial correlation coefficient between QOL and memory complaints was -0.623 (P negative predictor in both groups. Positive predictors were Life-Space Assessment in the NC group and sense of self-efficacy in the MCI group. Memory complaints exerted a negative impact on self-rated QOL in the MCI group, whereas a negative correlation was weak in the NC group. Memory training has been widely practised in individuals with MCI to prevent the development of dementia. However, such approaches inevitably identify their memory deficits and could aggravate their awareness of memory decline. Thus, it is critical to give sufficient consideration not to reduce QOL in the intervention for those with MCI. © 2014 The Authors. Psychogeriatrics

What is important for Quality of Life in adolescents and adults with ASD?

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Knüppel, Ane; Kjærsdam Telléus, Gry; Lauritsen, Marlene Briciet

Title: What is important for Quality of Life in adolescents and adults with ASD? Results from a nation-wide Danish follow-up study Background: It is becoming increasingly common to measure Quality of life (QoL) among people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Most often, this is undertaken...... by using proxy reporting but letting people with ASD self-report on their QoL is possible and in some researchers’ opinion the most correct method to apply. Furthermore, it is important to explore the factors of importance for having a higher level of QoL. However, usually only a few factors are included...... within a study, which makes it difficult to conduct a profound analysis of, what is important for QoL. Additionally, the ASD populations studied are often characterized by few females within each sample and a large age-span, including diversity in age at diagnosis. Objectives: To investigate a range...

Measuring anxiety after spinal cord injury: Development and psychometric characteristics of the SCI-QOL Anxiety item bank and linkage with GAD-7.

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Kisala, Pamela A; Tulsky, David S; Kalpakjian, Claire Z; Heinemann, Allen W; Pohlig, Ryan T; Carle, Adam; Choi, Seung W

2015-05-01

To develop a calibrated item bank and computer adaptive test to assess anxiety symptoms in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), transform scores to the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) metric, and create a statistical linkage with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)-7, a widely used anxiety measure. Grounded-theory based qualitative item development methods; large-scale item calibration field testing; confirmatory factor analysis; graded response model item response theory analyses; statistical linking techniques to transform scores to a PROMIS metric; and linkage with the GAD-7. Setting Five SCI Model System centers and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the United States. Participants Adults with traumatic SCI. Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Anxiety Item Bank Seven hundred sixteen individuals with traumatic SCI completed 38 items assessing anxiety, 17 of which were PROMIS items. After 13 items (including 2 PROMIS items) were removed, factor analyses confirmed unidimensionality. Item response theory analyses were used to estimate slopes and thresholds for the final 25 items (15 from PROMIS). The observed Pearson correlation between the SCI-QOL Anxiety and GAD-7 scores was 0.67. The SCI-QOL Anxiety item bank demonstrates excellent psychometric properties and is available as a computer adaptive test or short form for research and clinical applications. SCI-QOL Anxiety scores have been transformed to the PROMIS metric and we provide a method to link SCI-QOL Anxiety scores with those of the GAD-7.

The Alcalar Study: A Quality of Life Comparative Study on Institutionalised Elderly

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Jorge A. Malveiro

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Summary: Comparative evaluation on Quality of Life (QoL perception on different communitarian residential institutional environments for senior citizens. Method: Cross-sectional comparative study, using a deductive and a descriptive statistical method on a sample of 50 senior citizens inhabitants in the Retirement-village St. Joseph of Alcalar (Alcalar group, 56 senior residents in traditional retirement homes (RSS group and on 52 senior attendees of day care institutions (DCI group. This research comprised on two self-applicable questioners for elderly citizens on WHOQOL-BREF e WHOQOL-Old PT. We evaluated 158 senior citizens selected from 22 Institutions. Results: QoL levels perceived by Alcalar Retirement-village inhabitants were predominantly higher than QoL levels perceived by residents in RSS and DCI attendees. The trend in QoL results obtained by the Alcalar Retirement-village inhabitants just wasn’t absolute because they were overcome by DCI attendees results in some (few areas assessed in both WHOQOL scales. Conclusion: The Alcalar Retirement-village group globally showed higher levels of Quality of Life perception by comparison with the other two group subjects’ residents and attendees, respectively, from RSS and DCI.

Quality of Life in Caregivers of ADHD Children and Diabetes Patients.

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Andrade, Elisa Meirelles; Geha, Laysa Minella; Duran, Paula; Suwwan, Raphael; Machado, Felipe; do Rosário, Maria Conceição

2016-01-01

Studies have shown that the presence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) causes great impairment in academic, social, and professional activities as well as in the quality of life (QoL) of its patients. Similarly, the impact caused by other chronic disorders, such as diabetes, in the patient's QoL has been emphasized in many studies. Despite its relevance, no study has yet investigated whether ADHD caregivers and diabetic patients would have similar QoL impairment. This study was conducted in order to compare the QoL scores among ADHD caregivers and diabetic patients. We evaluated 63 caregivers of ADHD children treated at the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Unit at the Federal University of São Paulo (UPIA-UNIFESP) and 52 adult diabetic patients. Subjects were assessed with the World Health Organization quality of Life-Bref Version (WHOQOL-BREF), the Beck and Hamilton depression scales, and the Adult Self-Report Scale. When compared to the Brazilian normative data, ADHD caregivers had significantly lower scores in the social relations and environment WHOQOL domains. ADHD caregivers and diabetic patients had similar impairment in all WHOQOL domains except for the physical domain. ADHD affects the QoL of the patient's caregiver, with similar impairment, when compared to the QoL of diabetic patients. These results emphasize the need for assessing QoL of the caregivers as part of the treatment strategies. They also emphasize the need for future studies with larger sample sizes comparing how the QOL is impacted in different chronic disorders.

Quality-of-life assessment of family planning adopters through user perspectives in the district of Karimnagar

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Kameswararao Avasarala

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Small families adopting family planning are usually considered happy families. They are expected to lead a better qualitative life. Quality-of-life (QOL is routinely assessed for knowing patients′ health status. Recently, the QOL concept has become increasingly popular for evaluating the impact of public health interventions. Hitherto, QOL is usually assessed by means of program achievements or indicators, which may sometimes be misleading. Hence, the new culture of QOL assessment by means of user perspectives is now becoming popular. Research Questions: 1 Is the quality-of-life of family planning (FP adopters better than that of non-FP adopters? 2 Are the user perspectives helpful in QOL assessment? Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 50 FP adopting families and 50 non-FP adopting families from the village of Vutoor and the city of Karimnagar in Andhra Pradesh. Sampling Methods: Random sampling, Proportions and Chi square test. Results: Program perspectives revealed a better standard of living for FP adopters because they have amenities like housing, television, and vehicles and less mortality and morbidity ( P < 0.001. However, they lack positive feelings towards life, general adaptation, personal relationships, and leisure opportunities. Finally, self-assessment by FP adopters themselves revealed no significant increase in their qualitative life after family planning ( P = 0.05. Conclusions: While assessing the impact of a health program on quality-of-life, multiple methods of assessments including user perspectives are better than program indicators alone.

Quality of Life Theory I. The IQOL Theory: An Integrative Theory of the Global Quality of Life Concept

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Soren Ventegodt

2003-01-01

Full Text Available Quality of life (QOL means a good life and we believe that a good life is the same as living a life with a high quality. This paper presents the theoretical and philosophical framework of the Danish Quality of Life Survey, and of the SEQOL, QOL5, and QOL1 questionnaires.The notion of a good life can be observed from subjective to the objective, where this spectrum incorporates a number of existing quality of life theories. We call this spectrum the integrative quality-of-life (IQOL theory and discuss the following aspects in this paper: well being, satisfaction with life, happiness, meaning in life, the biological information system (�balance�, realizing life potential, fulfillment of needs, and objective factors.The philosophy of life outlined in this paper tries to measure the global quality of life with questions derived from the integrative theory of the quality of life. The IQOL theory is an overall theory or meta-theory encompassing eight more factual theories in a subjective-existential-objective spectrum. Other philosophies of life can stress other aspects of life, but by this notion of introducing such an existential depth into the health and social sciences, we believe to have taken a necessary step towards a new humility and respect for the richness and complexity of life.

Symptom Clusters and Quality of Life in Hospice Patients with Cancer

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Omran, Suha; Khader, Yousef; McMillan, Susan

2017-09-27

Background: Symptom control is an important part of palliative care and important to achieve optimal quality of life (QOL). Studies have shown that patients with advanced cancer suffer from diverse and often severe physical and psychological symptoms. The aim is to explore the influence of symptom clusters on QOL among patients with advanced cancer. Materials and Methods: 709 patients with advanced cancer were recruited to participate in a clinical trial focusing on symptom management and QOL. Patients were adults newly admitted to hospice home care in one of two hospices in southwest Florida, who could pass mental status screening. The instruments used for data collection were the Demographic Data Form, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), and the Hospice Quality of Life Index-14. Results: Exploratory factor analysis and multiple regression were used to identify symptom clusters and their influence on QOL. The results revealed that the participants experienced multiple concurrent symptoms. There were four symptom clusters found among these cancer patients. Individual symptom distress scores that were the strongest predictors of QOL were: feeling pain; dry mouth; feeling drowsy; nausea; difficulty swallowing; worrying and feeling nervous. Conclusions: Patients with advanced cancer reported various concurrent symptoms, and these form symptom clusters of four main categories. The four symptoms clusters have a negative influence on patients’ QOL and required specific care from different members of the hospice healthcare team. The results of this study should be used to guide health care providers’ symptom management. Proper attention to symptom clusters should be the basis for accurate planning of effective interventions to manage the symptom clusters experienced by advanced cancer patients. The health care provider needs to plan ahead for these symptoms and manage any concurrent symptoms for successful promotion of their patient’s QOL. Creative Commons

Effect of isostretching on the quality of life of incontinent older women

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Luana Weigert Kachorovski

Full Text Available Abstract Introduction : Urinary incontinence (UI can be defined as a brief involuntary loss of urine. It is a hygienic and social problem that affects mainly older women and contributes to reduced quality of life (QoL. There are currently several therapeutic strategies available for the treatment of UI, including the method of Isometric Stretching, which is based on balance exercises that lead to greater flexibility and stronger joints, tendons and muscles. Objective : To investigate the effect of Isometric Stretching on the QoL of 10 institutionalized older women with complaint of UI. Materials and methods : We used the ICIQ-SF to assess women's QoL pre- and post-treatment. The study duration was 12 weeks. Results : 80% of the women showed a significant improvement in UI (p = 0.007061 and QoL (p = 0.011. Conclusion : We concluded that Isometric Stretching contributed to a significant improvement in urinary incontinence symptoms and quality of life in incontinent older women.

Associations of Quality of Life with Service Satisfaction in Psychotic Patients: A Meta-Analysis

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Petkari, Eleni; Pietschnig, Jakob

2015-01-01

Background Quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing attention as a desired outcome of psychosocial treatments targeting psychotic patients. Yet, the relationship between the patients’ satisfaction with services and QoL has not been clearly established, perhaps due to the multidimensionality of the QoL concept and the variability in its assessment. Aim This is the first systematic meta-analysis of all available evidence assessing the relationship between QoL and service satisfaction. Methods: In all, 19 studies reporting data of 21 independent samples (N = 5,337) were included in the present meta-analysis. In moderator analyses, effects of age, sex, diagnoses (schizophrenia vs. other psychoses), treatment context (inpatients vs. outpatients), study design (cross-sectional vs. longitudinal), and QoL domain (subjective vs. health-related) were examined. Results Analyses revealed a highly significant medium-sized effect (r = .30, p service satisfaction. Effect sizes were significantly stronger for subjective than health-related quality of life (r = .35 vs. r = .14, respectively). Moreover, associations with subjective QoL remained largely robust when accounting for moderating variables, although there was a trend of stronger associations for outpatients compared to inpatients. In contrast, effect sizes for health-related QoL were small and only observable for samples with longitudinal designs. Conclusion Associations between QoL and service satisfaction appear to be robust but are differentiated in regard to QoL domain. Our findings suggest that agents responsible for service design and implementation need to take the patients’ perception of the service adequacy for achieving QoL enhancement into account. PMID:26275139

Impact of hormone therapy on quality of life after menopause.

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Utian, Wulf H; Woods, Nancy Fugate

2013-10-01

Given the complexity of the literature on quality of life (QOL) and hormone therapy (HT) among women in the menopausal transition and postmenopause, the purposes of this integrative review were to (1) define QOL as a multidimensional construct; (2) review validated instruments for measurement of QOL; (3) review results of HT and QOL clinical trials that have used validated instruments; and (4) assess the effectiveness of HT on QOL, including health-related QOL (HRQOL), menopause-specific QOL (MSQOL), and global QOL (GQOL). The literature on HT and QOL was searched for definitions of QOL and validated instruments for measuring QOL, and the results were summarized. The purposes of this integrative review were to evaluate the effects of HT on HRQOL, differentiating the effects of HT on GQOL, HRQOL, and MSQOL. As a basis for this review, we searched for published controlled clinical trials in which the effects of HT on QOL were studied using validated QOL instruments, in particular menopause-specific validated instruments. Clear definitions are elucidated. Validated instruments for the measurements of HRQOL, GQOL, and MSQOL are summarized, and the necessity of their incorporation into future research and clinical practice is emphasized. The published effects on QOL of estrogens and progestogens administered to symptomatic and nonsymptomatic women in the menopausal transition and beyond are reviewed. The impact of various health state-related symptoms on HRQOL and GQOL is now an integral component of contemporary health care. Effects of HT include GQOL and HRQOL and should be menopause-specific. There is clearly a need for further studies on menopause and menopause-related therapies using appropriate and validated instruments. Literature review shows that HT provides a significant benefit for MSQOL in midlife women, mainly through relief of symptoms, but treatment also may result in a global increase in sense of well-being (GQOL). HRQOL benefits are contingent on

[Quality-of-life-related factors in adolescents].

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Lima-Serrano, Marta; Martínez-Montilla, José Manuel; Guerra-Martín, María Dolores; Vargas-Martínez, Ana Magdalena; Lima-Rodríguez, Joaquín S

To determine quality of life (QoL) and its relationship to lifestyles in adolescents in high schools. Cross-sectional, observational study with 256 students aged 12 to 17 in Seville (Spain). Multiple linear regression models were tested (p <0.05). The boys had higher scores in most of the QoL areas. The female gender was inversely related to physical, psychological, familial QoL areas and the general QoL index. Family functionality and performing physical activity were the factors most associated with better QoL in all areas. All multivariate models were statistically significant and explained from 11% of social QoL variability to 35% of the general QoL index. The findings could be useful for developing interventions to promote health in schools, with the objective of promoting healthy lifestyles and QoL. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[MusiQol: international questionnaire investigating quality of life in multiple sclerosis: validation results for the German subpopulation in an international comparison].

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Flachenecker, P; Vogel, U; Simeoni, M C; Auquier, P; Rieckmann, P

2011-10-01

The existing health-related quality of life questionnaires on multiple sclerosis (MS) only partially reflect the patient's point of view on the reduction of activities of daily living. Their development and validation was not performed in different languages. That is what prompted the development of the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life (MusiQoL) Questionnaire as an international multidimensional measurement instrument. This paper presents this new development and the results of the German subgroup versus the total international sample. A total of 1,992 MS patients from 15 countries, including 209 German patients, took part in the study between January 2004 and February 2005. The patients took the MusiQoL survey at baseline and at 21±7 days as well as completing a symptom-related checklist and the SF-36 short form survey. Demographics, history and MS classification data were also generated. Reproducibility, sensitivity, convergent and discriminant validity were analysed. Convergent and discriminant validity and reproducibility were satisfactory for all dimensions of the MusiQoL. The dimensional scores correlated moderately but significantly with the SF-36 scores, but showed a discriminant validity in terms of gender, socioeconomic status and health status that was more pronounced in the overall population than in the German subpopulation. The highest correlations were observed between the MusiQoL dimension of activities of daily living and the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The results of this study confirm the validity and reliability of MusiQoL as an instrument for measuring the quality of life of German and international MS patients.

The health and social situation of the mother during pregnancy and global quality of life of the child as an adult. Results from the prospective Copenhagen Perinatal Cohort 1959-1961

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Søren Ventegodt

2005-01-01

Full Text Available A prospective cohort study (Copenhagen Perinatal Birth Cohort 1959-61 of 7,222 persons was used in order to explore the association between the social and health situation during pregnancy and the global quality of life (QOL of the adult child 31-33 years later. Two sets of questionnaires were used with one filled out by physicians during pregnancy and one filled out by the adult children 31-33 years later. The questionnaires included mother's situation during pregnancy and global QOL of the child at follow-up: Well-being, life satisfaction, happiness, fulfilment of needs, experience of life’s temporal and spatial domains, expression of life’s potentials and objective measures. The only indicators to have clear connections with a reduced quality of life were the cases of mother's with syphilis (8.5%, mother's congenital malformations (8.8%, low social group (6.9% and failing contraception (3.8%. The results obtained repudiate the common notion and hypothesis that the mother's situation during pregnancy is highly important for the quality of life that the child experience as an adult. This suggest that the aspects important for quality of life later on are not found solely in early conditions, but instead more dependent on later attitude towards life of that specific person.

Relative importance and interrelations between psychosocial factors and individualized quality of life of hemodialysis patients.

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Tovbin, David; Gidron, Yori; Jean, Tzipora; Granovsky, Ricardo; Schnieder, Alla

2003-09-01

Since quality of life (QOL) of hemodialysis (HD) patients is low and frequently difficult to improve by medical therapy, it is important to identify psychosocial correlates and life-domains important for HD patients' QOL. Our hypothesis was that psychosocial factors reflecting appraisal, external and internal resources/impediments correlate with QOL and compensate for adverse effects of disease-related variables on QOL. Forty-eight chronic HD-patients identified and rank-ordered life-domains important for QOL and rated their level of satisfaction with those domains. This was performed using a slightly modified version of the Self-Evaluated Individualized QOL (SEiQOL) Scale. Psychosocial factors included perceived-control (PC), social-support and hostility. Demographic and disease-related factors included age, gender, cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, hematocrit, albumin and C-reactive protein. QOL was significantly correlated with PC (r = 0.65) and social-support (r = 0.38), and inversely correlated with hostility (r = -0.31), diabetes and hypoalbuminemia (all at least p < 0.05). PC mediated effects of certain variables (e.g., albumin, gender, hostility) and moderated effects of little social-support and hypoalbuminemia on QOL. Patients' most important QOL domains were health, with which satisfaction was lowest, followed by family, with which satisfaction was highest. Pending replication with larger samples, assessment and enhancement of PC may improve HD patients' QOL.

Caregivers’ quality of life in mild and moderate dementia

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Raquel Luiza Santos

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Objective To investigate quality of life (QoL of caregivers of mild and moderate dementia and the aspects related to QoL. Method Cross-sectional assessment of dyads of people with dementia (PwD and family caregivers (n=88. Results Burden (p<0.05 and depressive symptoms (p<0.001 were related to caregivers’ QoL in both stages of dementia. In mild dementia, caregivers’ depressive symptoms (p<0.001 and PwD neuropsychiatric symptoms (p<0.001 were related to burden. PwD aberrant motor activity (p<0.001 and anxiety (p<0.001, and caregiver-reported QoL domains of friends (p<0.001 and mood (p<0.05 were related to depressive symptoms. In moderate dementia, self-reported QoL (p<0.01 and anxiety (p<0.01, and PwD anxiety (p<0.01 were related to burden. Caregivers’ anxiety (p<0.001 and self-reported QoL (p<0.001 were related to depressive symptoms. Conclusion Burden and depressive symptoms were related to QoL of caregivers of mild and moderate dementia. However, they are driven by different factors according to dementia severity.

Transportation Planning and Quality of Life: Where Do They Intersect?

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Lee, Richard J.

2016-01-01

Policy makers and researchers are increasingly recognizing the connections between public health and transportation, but health improvements are typically framed from a physical health perspective rather than considering broader quality of life (QOL) impacts. Currently, there is a limited understanding of the ways in which transportation and QOL intersect, and little is known about how metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) in the United States are addressing QOL outcomes. This study addressed these gaps by developing a conceptual framework holistically linking transportation to QOL. The proposed framework identified four transportation-related QOL dimensions—physical, mental, social, and economic well-being—which are predominantly influenced by three components of the transportation system: mobility/accessibility, the built environment, and vehicle traffic. This framework then formed the basis for a content analysis of 148 long-range transportation plans in the United States to evaluate the extent to which QOL is being considered in the planning process. The results of the analysis and a follow-up examination of 13 plans revealed that MPOs are inconsistently addressing QOL. Plans primarily targeted QOL enhancement from the perspective of physical well-being, while mental and social well-being were rarely considered. Policy recommendations were provided to more comprehensively integrate QOL into the transportation planning process. PMID:27546998

The Role of Resilience and Age on Quality of Life in Patients with Pain Disorders

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Saeid Yazdi-Ravandi

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The quality of life (QOL has been defined as ‘‘a person’s sense of well-being that stems from satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the areas of life that are important to him/her’’. Also; Age was also significantly associated with several functional limitations such as illness, physical restrictions . The concept of ‘‘resilience’’ refers to successful adaptation that unfolds within a context of significant and usually debilitating adversity or life stress. The ability to adapt to pain may play an important role in maintaining the QOL. In this study, we investigated the role of resilience and Age in various domains of quality of life such as physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. In this study, 290 adult patients (146 men, 144 women completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the WHOQOL-BREF Questionnaire. Moreover, we illustrated several demographic variables. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 19.0 and means, descriptive correlation and regression were calculated. Our data revealed that resilience and age could significantly anticipate the QOL and physical aspect P<0.001. In psychological, social and environmental domains resilience but not the age could significantly prediction this domains. In addition, it is noticeable that the effect of resilience on the prediction of QOL is much more obvious in the psychological domain.. In conclusion, resilience is more important factor than the age to predict the quality of life (QOL in person suffering from chronic pain.

Is continence status associated with quality of life in young children with spina bifida?

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Freeman, Kurt A; Smith, Kathryn; Adams, Elizabeth; Mizokawa, Stacey; Neville-Jan, Ann

2013-01-01

To evaluate the relationship between child- and parent-reported quality of life (QOL) and bowel and bladder continence among young children with spina bifida (SB). 104 children ages 5-12 years and one of their parents/guardians completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory - Generic Form (PedsQL; parent and child) and the Quality of Life in Spina Bifida Questionnaire (QOLSBQ, parent only). Data on continence, child age, and condition-specific variables were obtained by chart review. Parent and child QOL scores (on all measures of QOL) were positively correlated; parents rated child QOL lower than children's self report. QOL scores did not differ based on continence status. Total PedsQL scores were associated with age and mobility based on child report and with mobility based on parent report. QOL may not be affected by continence status among young children with SB, though demographic (i.e., age) and condition-specific (i.e., functional mobility status) variables appear relevant. Additional research is needed to further evaluate condition-specific variables, other protective variables, and possible measurement issues that influence QOL in young children with SB.

Factors that affect the quality of life of community-dwelling elderly women with musculoskeletal disorders.

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Takemasa, Seiichi; Nakagoshi, Ryoma; Uesugi, Masayuki; Inoue, Yuri; Gotou, Makoto; Koeda, Hideki; Naruse, Susumu

2015-11-01

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine the quality of life (QOL) of community-dwelling elderly women with musculoskeletal disorders and factors that affect it. [Subjects] The subjects were 27 community-dwelling elderly women with musculoskeletal disorders (mean age: 76.3 ± 7.4 years). Their physical and psychological conditions, QOL, and other characteristics were researched. [Methods] The Japanese version of Life-Space Assessment was used to assess the subjects' daily life activities; the Japanese version of Fall Efficacy Scale (FES), to assess their fear of falling; the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS 15), to assess their depression status; and the Life Satisfaction Index K (LSIK), to assess their QOL. [Results] The results indicated that the number of family members living together, degree of pain, fear of falling, and depression affect the LSIK scores of the community-dwelling elderly women with musculoskeletal disorders. [Conclusion] The study results suggest that the LSIK scores of community-dwelling elderly women with musculoskeletal disorders can be improved by easing their pain, improving their physical abilities to prevent falls, and improving their mobility. The results also suggest that continuing rehabilitation treatment is required.

Measuring of quality of life in autoimmune blistering disorders in Poland. Validation of disease - specific Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (ABQOL) and the Treatment Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (TABQOL) questionnaires.

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Kalinska-Bienias, Agnieszka; Jakubowska, Beata; Kowalewski, Cezary; Murrell, Dedee F; Wozniak, Katarzyna

2017-03-01

Autoimmune bullous dermatoses (AIBD) are rare, severe diseases resulting from some antibodies activity against the different adhesion structures within the skin and/or mucosa. Few studies investigated quality of life (QOL) in AIBD by generic and dermatology-specific instruments, all reporting strong impact on QOL. Recently, disease-specific measurement tools have been developed: Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (ABQOL) and Treatment of Autoimmune Bullous Disease Quality of Life (TABQOL) questionnaires. The aim of this study was to test the reliability and validity of ABQOL and TABQOL by developing the first foreign language versions and to evaluate ABQOL and TABQOL in Polish patients. The study enrolled 80 patients from the tertiary referral center for AIBD at the outpatient clinic or on admission to the hospital. Sixty six patients completed the 17-item questionnaires of each ABQOL and TABQOL at day 0 and after 5-7 days. Both questionnaires were translated into Polish according to protocol. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability were high (Cronbach α=0.95 for ABQOL, α=0.87 for TABQOL), (R=0.98 for ABQOL, R=0.86 for TABQOL). In convergent validity, the correlation of ABQOL and TABQOL was strong (R=0.81), but low with objective disease activity scales. The strongest impact of AIBD on QOL has been observed in flares and in patients with the onset below 70 years of age. The patients with bullous pemphigoid had the highest QOL compared to other AIBD patients. The ABQOL and TABQOL are reliable and valid instruments for the assessment of QOL in AIBD. Copyright © 2016 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Proxy-rated quality of life in Alzheimer's disease

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Vogel, Asmus; Bhattacharya, Suvosree; Waldorff, Frans Boch

2012-01-01

The study investigated the change in proxy rated quality of life (QoL) of a large cohort of home living patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) over a period of 36 months.......The study investigated the change in proxy rated quality of life (QoL) of a large cohort of home living patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) over a period of 36 months....

Psychosocial Quality-of-Life, Lifestyle and Adiposity: A Longitudinal Study in Pre-schoolers (Ballabeina Study).

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Michels, Nathalie; Susi, Kriemler; Marques-Vidal, Pedro M; Nydegger, Andreas; Puder, Jardena J

2016-06-01

In obesity prevention, understanding psychosocial influences in early life is pivotal. Reviews reported contradictory results and a lack of longitudinal studies focusing on underlying lifestyle factors. This study tested whether psychosocial Quality-Of-Life (QOL) was associated with pre-schoolers' lifestyle and adiposity changes over one school year and whether lifestyle moderated the latter. It was hypothesised that QOL might not impact adiposity in everybody but that this might depend on preceding lifestyle. Longitudinal data from 291 Swiss pre-schoolers (initially 3.9-6.3 years) was available. The following measures were used in longitudinal regressions: psychosocial QOL by PedsQL, adiposity (BMI z-score, waist, fat%), diet (food frequency), sedentary time and accelerometer-based activity. Concerning lifestyle, low psychosocial QOL was only related to unfavourable changes in diet (less fruit β = 0.21 and more fat intake β = -0.28) and lower physical activity (β = 0.21). Longitudinal QOL-adiposity relations appeared only after moderation by lifestyle factors (beta-range 0.13-0.67). Low psychosocial QOL was associated with increased adiposity in children with an unhealthy diet intake or high sedentary time. By contrast, low psychosocial QOL was associated with decreasing adiposity in high fruit consumers or more physically active pre-schoolers. Results emphasise the need for testing moderation in the QOL-adiposity relation. An unhealthy diet can be a vulnerability factor and high physical activity a protective factor in QOL-related adiposity. Consequently, QOL and lifestyle should be targeted concurrently in multi-factorial obesity prevention. The environment should be an 'activity encouraging, healthy food zone' that minimises opportunities for stress-induced eating. In addition, appropriate stress coping skills should be acquired.

Dimensions of Quality of Life in Spinal Cord Injured Veterans of Iran: a Qualitative Study

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Vahid Eslami

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to shed light on the identification of themes and sub-themes of the quality of life (QOL in Iranian veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI. Studies have reported decreased QOL in SCI patients which encompass all aspects of their life. Little is known about QOL in SCI veterans from Iran. The aim of this qualitative study was to identify related aspects of such patients through in-depth patient interviews. The present study was a qualitative study of content analysis. Sampling took place in the Veterans Department of Khatam-Al-Anbia Hospital and was objective focused in accordance with qualitative studies. The participants were 11 SCI veterans and 4 veteran spouses. The data was collected by means of in-depth interviews and the use of the constant comparison method. The five themes of QOL included social, economic, cultural, medical, and environmental resulted from 7530 primary codes. We noted 29 QOL sub-themes. This article addresses different dimensions of QOL for SCI veterans. The current study suggests that the main aspects that should be evaluated in SCI veterans are the social, economic, cultural, medical, and environmental issues which affect their QOL. Moreover, participants put the most weight on their financial situation.

Assessment of health-related quality of life in Turkish patients with facial prostheses

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Atay Arzu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Facial prostheses are intended to provide a non-operative rehabilitation for patients with acquired facial defects. By improving aesthetics and quality of life (QOL, this treatment involves reintegration of the patient into family and social life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of QOL in adult patients with facial prostheses and to compare this perception with that of a control group. Methods The study participants consisted of 72 patients, who were divided into three equal-sized groups according to the type of prosthesis (OP- orbital prosthesis, AP- auricular prosthesis, NP - nasal prosthesis and 24 healthy control participants without any congenital or acquired deformity of face or body. Clinical and socio-demographic data were gathered from each person’s medical chart. Participants completed the Turkish version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, Short Form (WHOQOL-BREF. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-tests, Pearson's chi-square test, ANOVA, ANCOVA, and Pearson correlation were used to analyse the data. Results Compared with the control participants, patients with NP scored lower on the all domains of QOL and all three patient groups had lower scores on overall QOL and its domains of physical and environmental health. Patients with OP reported significantly lower physical health scores than those with AP, while patients with NP reported significantly lower overall QOL and psychological health scores than those with AP. Female patients had lower environmental domain scores than did male patients. The patient’s age and income correlated with social relationships QOL, while the patient’s income and the age of facial prosthesis were correlated with environmental QOL. Conclusion Patients with facial prostheses had lower scores in overall QOL, physical and environmental health domains than the control participants. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics

Acne Vulgaris and Quality of Life Among Young Adults in South India

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Durai, Priya Cinna T; Nair, Dhanya G

2015-01-01

Acne vulgaris is a chronic condition affecting more than 85% of adolescents and young adults. It is one of the most common diseases affecting humanity and its impact on quality of life (QoL) is important. The impact of acne on QoL in Indian patients remains undocumented. The study was undertaken to detect the impact of acne vulgaris and related factors that may influence the QoL. Materials and Methods: This was a hospital-based, prospective, cross-sectional, prestructured, questionnaire-based study done on 140 consenting individuals, who attended the Dermatology outpatient department. Acne vulgaris was graded using simple grading system. QoL was measured using a combination of skin disease-specific (Dermatological Life Quality Index (DLQI)) and acne-specific (Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI)) questionnaires. Results: Majority of our study population were students (103, 73.6%). Face (139, 99.3%) was the commonest site of acne and comedones 133, 95% were the commonest type of lesion. Most of the individuals 66, 47.1% were observed to have grade 1 acne. The mean DLQI score was 6.91 and the mean CADI score was 5.2. Association between the scores was statistically significant. Age, occupation, marital status, family, and treatment history played a role in affecting the QoL. Diet, smoking, and alcohol did not influence the QoL. Conclusion: Though acne had impact on patient's QoL, it was less severe in our study. It is important for health professionals to incorporate QoL measurements when managing acne patients to provide better and appropriate care. PMID:25657394

Quality of life among prostate cancer patients: A prospective longitudinal population-based study

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Schaake, Wouter; Groot, Martijn de; Krijnen, Wim P.; Langendijk, Johannes A.; Bergh, Alfons C.M. van den

2013-01-01

Purpose: To investigate the course of quality of life (QoL) among prostate cancer patients treated with external beam radiotherapy and to compare the results with QoL of a normal age-matched reference population. Patients and methods: The study population was composed of 227 prostate cancer patients, treated with radiotherapy. The EORTC QLQ-C30 was used to assess QoL before radiotherapy and six months, one year, two years and three years after completion of radiotherapy. Mixed model analyses were used to investigate longitudinal changes in QoL. QoL of prostate cancer patients was compared to that of a normative cohort using a multivariate analysis of covariance. Results: A significant decline in QoL was observed after radiotherapy (p < 0.001). The addition of hormonal therapy to radiotherapy was associated with a lower level of role functioning. Patients with coronary heart disease and or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma had a significantly worse course in QoL. Although statistically significant, all differences were classified as small or trivial. Conclusion: Prostate cancer patients experience a small worsening of QoL as compared with baseline and as compared with a normal reference population. As co-morbidity modulates patients’ post-treatment QoL, a proper assessment of co-morbidity should be included in future longitudinal analyses on QoL

Course of Quality of Life After Radiation Therapy for Painful Bone Metastases: A Detailed Analysis From the Dutch Bone Metastasis Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Westhoff, Paulien G.; Verdam, Mathilde G.E.; Oort, Frans J.; Jobsen, Jan J.; Vulpen, Marco van; Leer, Jan Willem H.; Marijnen, Corrie A.M.; Graeff, Alexander de; Linden, Yvette M. van der

2016-01-01

Purpose: To study the course of quality of life (QoL) after radiation therapy for painful bone metastases. Patients and Methods: The Dutch Bone Metastasis Study randomized 1157 patients with painful bone metastases between a single fraction of 8 Gy and 6 fractions of 4 Gy between 1996 and 1998. The study showed a comparable pain response of 74%. Patients filled out weekly questionnaires for 13 weeks, then monthly for 2 years. In these analyses, physical, psychosocial, and functional QoL domain scores and a score of general health were studied. Mixed modeling was used to model the course of QoL and to study the influence of several characteristics. Results: In general, QoL stabilized after 1 month. Psychosocial QoL improved after treatment. The level of QoL remained stable, steeply deteriorating at the end of life. For most QoL domains, a high pain score and intake of opioids were associated with worse QoL, with small effect sizes (−0.11 to −0.27). A poor performance score was associated with worse functional QoL, with a medium effect size (0.41). There is no difference in QoL between patients receiving a single fraction of 8 Gy and 6 fractions of 4 Gy, except for a temporary worsening of physical QoL after 6 fractions. Conclusion: Although radiation therapy for painful bone metastases leads to a meaningful pain response, most domains of QoL do not improve after treatment. Only psychosocial QoL improves slightly after treatment. The level of QoL is related to the actual survival, with a rather stable course of QoL for most of the remaining survival time and afterward a sharp decrease, starting only a few weeks before the end of life. Six fractions of 4 Gy lead to a temporary worse physical QoL compared with a single fraction of 8 Gy.

Course of Quality of Life After Radiation Therapy for Painful Bone Metastases: A Detailed Analysis From the Dutch Bone Metastasis Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westhoff, Paulien G., E-mail: p.g.westhoff@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Department of Radiotherapy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Verdam, Mathilde G.E. [Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Oort, Frans J. [Research Institute of Child Development and Education, Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Jobsen, Jan J. [Department of Radiotherapy, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede (Netherlands); Vulpen, Marco van [Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Leer, Jan Willem H. [Department of Radiotherapy, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Marijnen, Corrie A.M. [Department of Radiotherapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands); Graeff, Alexander de [Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Linden, Yvette M. van der [Department of Radiotherapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands)

2016-08-01

Purpose: To study the course of quality of life (QoL) after radiation therapy for painful bone metastases. Patients and Methods: The Dutch Bone Metastasis Study randomized 1157 patients with painful bone metastases between a single fraction of 8 Gy and 6 fractions of 4 Gy between 1996 and 1998. The study showed a comparable pain response of 74%. Patients filled out weekly questionnaires for 13 weeks, then monthly for 2 years. In these analyses, physical, psychosocial, and functional QoL domain scores and a score of general health were studied. Mixed modeling was used to model the course of QoL and to study the influence of several characteristics. Results: In general, QoL stabilized after 1 month. Psychosocial QoL improved after treatment. The level of QoL remained stable, steeply deteriorating at the end of life. For most QoL domains, a high pain score and intake of opioids were associated with worse QoL, with small effect sizes (−0.11 to −0.27). A poor performance score was associated with worse functional QoL, with a medium effect size (0.41). There is no difference in QoL between patients receiving a single fraction of 8 Gy and 6 fractions of 4 Gy, except for a temporary worsening of physical QoL after 6 fractions. Conclusion: Although radiation therapy for painful bone metastases leads to a meaningful pain response, most domains of QoL do not improve after treatment. Only psychosocial QoL improves slightly after treatment. The level of QoL is related to the actual survival, with a rather stable course of QoL for most of the remaining survival time and afterward a sharp decrease, starting only a few weeks before the end of life. Six fractions of 4 Gy lead to a temporary worse physical QoL compared with a single fraction of 8 Gy.

Quality of life and time perspective in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Laguette, Vanessa; Apostolidis, Themis; Dany, Lionel; Bellon, Nelly; Grimaud, Jean-Charles; Lagouanelle-Simeoni, Marie-Claude

2013-12-01

Numerous studies have shown the impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on patient quality of life (QoL), but no research has yet examined the impact of time's experience in the assessment of QoL in IBD. Our goal is to explore the links between QoL and time perspective (TP) and the role of TP as a determinant of QoL. Data were collected from 156 patients who completed a questionnaire comprising a generic measure (SF-12) and a specific measure (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire) of QoL, a measure of TP (ZTPI) and a collection of socio-demographic and medical data. Correlational analyses illustrated the links between TP and QoL. Regression analyses revealed that records of Past-negative and Present-hedonistic perspectives predicted QoL. Past-negative time perspective seemed to have a deleterious impact, while a Present-hedonistic time perspective predicted a better QoL, and this was irrespective of the level of severity of the disease. These results suggest the importance of considering TP as a determinant of psychological QoL. They corroborate earlier findings on the relationship between TP and QoL associated with other pathologies. The past-negative register, which indicates rumination, tells us about the importance of considering the psychological experience of time in order to improve the QoL of patients.

Quality of Life in Patients with Noninfectious Uveitis Treated with or without Systemic Anti-inflammatory Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gui, Wei; Dombrow, Matthew; Marcus, Inna; Stowe, Meredith H; Tessier-Sherman, Baylah; Yang, Elizabeth; Huang, John J

2015-04-01

To compare vision-related (VR-QOL) and health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in patients with noninfectious uveitis treated with systemic anti-inflammatory therapy versus nonsystemic therapy. A prospective, cross-sectional study design was employed. VR-QOL and HR-QOL were assessed by the 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) and the Short Form 12-Item Health Survey (SF-12), respectively. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to assess the VR-QOL and HR-QOL based on treatment. Among the 80 patients, the median age was 51 years with 28 males (35%). The adjusted effect of treatment modality on VR-QOL or HR-QOL showed no statistically significant difference in all subscores of VFQ-25 or physical component score (PCS) and mental component score (MCS) of SF-12. Systemic therapy did not compromise VR-QOL or HR-QOL compared to nonsystemic therapy. Systemic therapy can be effectively used to control serious cases of noninfectious uveitis without significant relative adverse impact on quality of life.

Quality of life of male outpatients with personality disorders or psychotic disorders: a comparison

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouman, Yvonne H. A.; van Nieuwenhuizen, Chijs; Schene, Aart H.; de Ruiter, Corine

2008-01-01

Background Quality of life (QoL) has become increasingly important as an outcome measure in community-based psychiatry. QoL refers to an individual's sense of well-being and satisfaction with his current life conditions. It is measured both through objective social indicators and life

The International Costs and Utilities Related to Osteoporotic Fractures Study (ICUROS)--quality of life during the first 4 months after fracture.

Science.gov (United States)

Borgström, F; Lekander, I; Ivergård, M; Ström, O; Svedbom, A; Alekna, V; Bianchi, M L; Clark, P; Curiel, M D; Dimai, H P; Jürisson, M; Kallikorm, R; Lesnyak, O; McCloskey, E; Nassonov, E; Sanders, K M; Silverman, S; Tamulaitiene, M; Thomas, T; Tosteson, A N A; Jönsson, B; Kanis, J A

2013-03-01

The quality of life during the first 4 months after fracture was estimated in 2,808 fractured patients from 11 countries. Analysis showed that there were significant differences in the quality of life (QoL) loss between countries. Other factors such as QoL prior fracture and hospitalisation also had a significant impact on the QoL loss. The International Costs and Utilities Related to Osteoporotic Fractures Study (ICUROS) was initiated in 2007 with the objective of estimating costs and quality of life related to fractures in several countries worldwide. The ICUROS is ongoing and enrols patients in 11 countries (Australia, Austria, Estonia, France, Italy, Lithuania, Mexico, Russia, Spain, UK and the USA). The objective of this paper is to outline the study design of ICUROS and present results regarding the QoL (measured using the EQ-5D) during the first 4 months after fracture based on the patients that have been thus far enrolled ICUROS. ICUROS uses a prospective study design where data (costs and quality of life) are collected in four phases over 18 months after fracture. All countries use the same core case report forms. Quality of life was collected using the EQ-5D instrument and a time trade-off questionnaire. The total sample for the analysis was 2,808 patients (1,273 hip, 987 distal forearm and 548 vertebral fracture). For all fracture types and countries, the QoL was reduced significantly after fracture compared to pre-fracture QoL. A regression analysis showed that there were significant differences in the QoL loss between countries. Also, a higher level of QoL prior to the fracture significantly increased the QoL loss and patients who were hospitalised for their fracture also had a significantly higher loss compared to those who were not. The findings in this study indicate that there appear to be important variations in the QoL decrements related to fracture between countries.

Quality of life in patients with primary hypothyroidism related to BMI

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kelderman-Bolk, Nienke; Visser, Theo J.; Tijssen, Jan P.; Berghout, Arie

2015-01-01

Objective: Many patients treated for primary hypothyroidism have an unexplained reduced quality of life (QOL). We studied the relation between QOL and various parameters in treated hypothyroid patients. Design and methods: QOL analysis was done in 90 consecutive patients (77.8% females) treated for

Quality of life and functional impairment in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a comparison of patients with and without comorbidity, patients in remission, and healthy controls.

Science.gov (United States)

Huppert, Jonathan D; Simpson, H Blair; Nissenson, Kore J; Liebowitz, Michael R; Foa, Edna B

2009-01-01

Several studies have demonstrated that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with interference in quality of life (QOL) and functional impairment. However, these studies did not compare individuals in remission to individuals who continue to have the disorder, predominantly used comparisons with norms and not with a matched normal sample, and did not always consider the impact of comorbidity. We administered multiple measures that assess QOL and functional impairment to 66 OCD patients who had previously consented for a clinical trial and to 36 age and sex matched individuals who denied any psychiatric history. Results confirm that OCD was associated with significantly lower QOL and functional impairment compared to healthy controls (HCs) in areas of work, social life, and family life. Individuals with OCD and other comorbid psychiatric diagnoses showed the poorest QOL and functioning, with comorbid depression accounting for much of the variance. The levels of QOL and functioning in individuals in remission tended to lie in between HCs and individuals with current OCD: their QOL or functioning did not differ significantly from HCs nor did they consistently differ significantly from those who had current OCD. These results suggest that individuals who are in remission have improved levels of QOL and functioning, whereas individuals with OCD are significantly impaired, and individuals with OCD and comorbid disorders are the most impaired. Treatment strategies should be focused on achieving remission of all symptoms to have the greatest impact on functioning and QOL. Published 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Factors Affecting Quality of Life of the Homebound Elderly Hemiparetic Stroke Patients

Science.gov (United States)

Takemasa, Seiichi; Nakagoshi, Ryoma; Murakami, Masahito; Uesugi, Masayuki; Inoue, Yuri; Gotou, Makoto; Koeda, Hideki; Naruse, Susumu

2014-01-01

[Purpose] This study examined the quality of life (QOL) of homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients and factors that affect it. [Subjects] The subjects of the study were 21 homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients who were 65 years old or over and required care for daily living (12 males and 9 females, average age: 79.3 ± 8.4 years old). Their physical and psychological conditions, QOL, and other characteristics were researched. [Methods] The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was used for the activities of daily living (ADL) assessment, and the MOS 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36, Japanese version 1.2) was used for the QOL assessment. [Results] No correlations were observed between the QOL of homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients and their age and gender. However, the results showed that their QOL was affected by their independence in ADL, bedridden degree, and care-need level. [Conclusion] These results suggest that in order to improve the QOL of homebound elderly hemiparetic stroke patients, ongoing rehabilitation to improve independence in ADL and lower the bedridden degree and care-need level is required. PMID:24648653

Quality of life in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia: A literature review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miranda-Castillo Claudia

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A couple of decades ago, hospitals or psychiatric institutions were in charge of caring for patients with schizophrenia; however, nowadays this role is performed by one or more patient's relatives. Evidence shows that informal caregivers experience negative changes in their quality of life (QOL. The aim of this study is to review the main factors associated with the QOL of caregivers of people with schizophrenia. Methods A search through databases from journals published last decade between 1998 and 2008 was performed. In accordance with the inclusion criteria, titles and abstracts of citations obtained from the search were examined independently by two authors and irrelevant articles discarded. The full text of those studies considered relevant by either reviewer were obtained and assessed independently. Where differences of opinion rose they were resolved by discussion. Out of the 258 references, 37 were included in the review. Studies which assessed factors associated with caregivers of people with schizophrenia's quality of life were included and the information summarized. Results Evidence suggest that physical, emotional and economic distress affect negatively caregiver's QOL as a result of a number of unfulfilled needs such as, restoration of patient functioning in family and social roles, economic burden, lack of spare time, among other factors. Conclusion Decreased QOL may be associated with caregivers' burden, lack of social support, course of the disease and family relationships problems. In addition, in developing countries, QOL is affected by caregivers' economic burden. High quality research is needed in order to identify factors associated with QOL over time and testing the efficacy of interventions aiming to improve QOL in caregivers of patients with schizophrenia.

Measuring pain phenomena after spinal cord injury: Development and psychometric properties of the SCI-QOL Pain Interference and Pain Behavior assessment tools.

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Matthew L; Kisala, Pamela A; Dyson-Hudson, Trevor A; Tulsky, David S

2018-05-01

To develop modern patient-reported outcome measures that assess pain interference and pain behavior after spinal cord injury (SCI). Grounded-theory based qualitative item development; large-scale item calibration field-testing; confirmatory factor analyses; graded response model item response theory analyses; statistical linking techniques to transform scores to the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) metric. Five SCI Model Systems centers and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in the United States. Adults with traumatic SCI. N/A. Spinal Cord Injury - Quality of Life (SCI-QOL) Pain Interference item bank, SCI-QOL Pain Interference short form, and SCI-QOL Pain Behavior scale. Seven hundred fifty-seven individuals with traumatic SCI completed 58 items addressing various aspects of pain. Items were then separated by whether they assessed pain interference or pain behavior, and poorly functioning items were removed. Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed that each set of items was unidimensional, and item response theory analyses were used to estimate slopes and thresholds for the items. Ultimately, 7 items (4 from PROMIS) comprised the Pain Behavior scale and 25 items (18 from PROMIS) comprised the Pain Interference item bank. Ten of these 25 items were selected to form the Pain Interference short form. The SCI-QOL Pain Interference item bank and the SCI-QOL Pain Behavior scale demonstrated robust psychometric properties. The Pain Interference item bank is available as a computer adaptive test or short form for research and clinical applications, and scores are transformed to the PROMIS metric.

Quality of life among dually diagnosed and non-substance-using ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

legal problems and family stress. .... changes in QoL were related to changes ... QoL = quality of life; WHOQOL-BREF = The World Health Organization Quality of Life ... which is consistent with most of the studies in the literature. ..... use prevalence in the workplace: A comparison of self report, urinalysis, and hair analysis. Int.

Influence of adapted sports on quality of life and life satisfaction in sport participants and non-sport participants with physical disabilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Yazicioglu, Kamil; Yavuz, Ferdi; Goktepe, Ahmet Salim; Tan, Arif Kenan

2012-10-01

The lack of controlled trials in the relationship between participation in adapted sports, and quality of life (QoL) and life satisfaction in people with physical disabilities encouraged us to consider conducting this study. The aim of this study was to compare the QoL and life satisfaction scores between people with physical disabilities who participated in adapted sports and those who did not participate in any adapted sports. This cross-sectional controlled study included 60 individuals with physical disabilities (paraplegia and amputee). Participants were divided into two groups based on sports participation and non-sports participation. Group one included 30 disabled elite athletes who participated in adapted sports. The control group included 30 disabled individuals not involved in any adapted sports. We compared scores on the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life Scale (WHOQoL-BREF) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) between the two groups. Participation in the community and QoL was examined as a reflection of participant's priority on sports participation. We found that WHOQoL-BREF physical, psychological, and social domain scores were significantly higher in group one than in the control group (p sports had significantly higher QoL and life satisfaction scores compared to people with physical disabilities not involved in any adapted sports. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of life of cancer patients motivation for palliative radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaneva, M.

2006-01-01

Full text: Most patients with advanced diseases suffer from symptoms that are distressing in nature and can interfere with their activities of daily living and different aspects of functioning. In these circumstances, improving quality of life is very important. Patients with bone metastases feel pain with different intensity and the palliative irradiation helps to relieve this pain. The primary goal of palliative irradiation with different radiation schedules in advanced cancer is to control the incurable disease and to maintain or improve the patients' quality of life. Two features characterize most forms of QOL evaluation: 1. QOL is a multidimensional construct and is best measured using instruments that assess multiple domains of functioning and well-being. They measure physical, social and emotional aspects of functioning as well as common symptoms of cancer and its treatment (pain, nausea and fatigue). 2. QOL is subjective phenomenon and the patient is the best judge of his own QOL. Assessment of QOL in radiooncology is performed using patient self-report questionnaires. Two of the most widely used multidimensional QOL instruments are the General Version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G) and the EORTC-QOL-C30. In patients with advanced disease with metastases another endpoint besides survival may be of interest and it is QOL

Quality of life in survivors of oropharyngeal cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høxbroe Michaelsen, Sanne; Grønhøj, Christian; Høxbroe Michaelsen, Jacob

2017-01-01

and meta-analysis investigates how treatment affects quality of life (QoL) in survivors of oropharyngeal cancer. PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for all studies reporting patient-assessed QoL at least 1 year after treatment for OPC. In a meta-analysis, weighted average...... for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core-30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) was answered by 704 patients, 644 patients answered the EORTC QLQ Head and Neck-35 (H&N-35), 474 patients answered the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire, and 381 patients answered the M. D. Anderson...... Dysphagia Inventory. Moderate to large clinically important deteriorations in QoL were found in the domains dry mouth and sticky saliva for the EORTC QLQ-H&N35, saliva, chewing, swallowing, speech, taste, appearance and shoulder for the University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the global...

Evaluation of quality of life and psychological response in cancer patients treated with radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Takeo; Hondo, Mikito; Nishimura, Keiichiro; Kitani, Akira; Yamano, Takafumi; Yanagita, Hisami; Osada, Hisato; Shinbo, Munefumi; Honda, Norinari

2008-01-01

The importance of the quality of life (QOL) and mental condition of patients being treated for cancer is now recognized. In this study, we evaluated QOL and mental condition in patients with cancer before and after radiotherapy. The subjects were 170 patients who had undergone radiotherapy. The examination of QOL was performed using the quality of life questionnaire for cancer patients treated with anticancer drugs (QOL-ACD), and mental condition (anxiety and depression) was examined using the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). These examinations were performed at the start of radiotherapy and immediately after radiotherapy. The QOL score was slightly higher in all patients after the completion of radiotherapy than before the start of radiotherapy. In the palliative radiotherapy group, QOL score was significantly improved by treatment. Anxiety and depression were improved after radiotherapy. There was a correlation between the degrees of improvement of the HADS and QOL score. We could treat cancer patients by radiotherapy without reducing their QOL, and improvement in QOL was significant in the palliative radiotherapy group. Mental condition was also improved after radiotherapy. (author)

A randomized assessment of three quality of life (QOL) questionnaires for prostate cancer patients undergoing different radiation treatment modalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senter, K.K.; Hardy, M.; Flynn, C.; Lewis, L.; Wallace, M.; Boyea, G.; Mitchell, C.; Fluellen, L.; Henry, C.St.; Martinez, A.

2001-01-01

Purpose: The goal of this prospective, randomized study was to assess and compare compliance of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer to completing three different validated QOL instruments pre-treatment and six months later. Materials and Methods: Between April 2000 and April 2001, 124 patients were asked to fill out only one of three randomly selected QOL questionnaires (version A, B, C). Each addressed urinary and sexual function. One also addressed patients' physical, social, family, emotional, and functional well being. Study patients received External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) or Brachytherapy (BRACHY), according to departmental policy. Exclusion criteria included current/previous hormone therapy and prostatectomy. Patients were asked to return the questionnaire at their first treatment visit. The three tools were: A The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Prostate Patients (FACT-P), The Sexual Adjustments Questionnaire (SAQ), and The American Urological Association (AUA) Questionnaire. The Fact-P questionnaire elicits information about physical, social, family, emotional, and functional well being as they relate to prostate cancer. SAQ focuses on sexual function; the AUA on urinary symptoms. B SAQ and AUA only; identical to Version A, but does not address physical, social, family, emotional, and functional well-being. C The International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) Questionnaire, which addresses urinary symptoms and Patient Sexual Function Questionnaire, which focuses on erectile function. Additionally, patients were asked to respond yes/no to four variables designed to evaluate these questionnaires: 1) ease of understanding, 2) too personal, 3)addresses concerns regarding urinary function and sexual potency and 4) willingness to complete questionnaire in six months. These variables were examined for any trends that may exist between the different questionnaires. Results: Fifteen (12%) of the 124 patients returned incomplete questionnaires

Quality of life in breast cancer sufferers.

Science.gov (United States)

Shouman, Ahmed Essmat; Abou El Ezz, Nahla Fawzy; Gado, Nivine; Ibrahim Goda, Amal Mahmoud

2016-08-08

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to measure health-related quality of life (QOL) among patients with early stage cancer breast under curative treatment at department of oncology and nuclear medicine at Ain Shams University Hospitals. Identify factors affecting QOL among these patients. Design/methodology/approach - A cross-sectional study measured QOL among early stage female breast cancer (BC) patients and determined the main factors affecting their QOL. Three interviewer administered questionnaires were used. Findings - The physical domain mostly affected in BC patients and the functional domain least. Socio-demographic factors that significantly affected BC patients QOL scores were patient age, education, having children and family income. Specific patient characteristics include caregiver presence - a factor that affected different QOL scores. Age at diagnosis, affection in the side of the predominant hand, post-operative chemotherapy and difficulty in obtaining the medication were the disease-related factors that affected QOL scores. Originality/value - The final model predicting QOL for early stage female BC patients included age, education and difficulty in obtaining the medication as determinants for total QOL score. Carer presence was the specific patient characteristic that affected different QOL scores.

Factors influencing quality of life in asthmatics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Al-kalemji, Abir; Petersen, Karin Dam; Sørensen, Jan

2013-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The quality of life (QOL) in persons with asthma is reduced and different factors such as demography, asthma severity and psychiatric comorbidity play an influential role. However, little is known about the interplay of these factors. OBJECTIVE: To describe QOL in relation to asthma...

Treatment, patient and tumor characteristics impact quality of life (QOL) in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer: Report of the radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) trial 90-03

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, J.; Scott, C.; Fu, K.; Trotti, A.; Spencer, S.; Garden, A.; Phillips, T.; Movsas, B.; Byhardt, R.; Ang, K.

2001-01-01

Purpose: To determine factors that effect QOL in patients with locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck randomized to standard fractionation radiotherapy (SFX), hyperfractionation (HFX), Accelerated Fractionation with Split (AFX-S) and Accelerated Fractionation with Concomitant Boost (AFX-C). Materials and Methods: RTOG 90-03 used the Head and Neck Performance Status Scale (HNPSS) and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-H and N), version 2 to assess QOL. The HNPSS has three components Normalcy of Diet, Eating in Public, and Understandability of Speech. The FACT-H and N has two components: a global QOL questionnaire (FACT-G) consisting of 4 domains; Physical Well Being (PWB), Social Well Being (SWB), Emotional Well Being (EWB), Functional Well Being (FWB), and an additional H and N specific questionnaire (AC). Between 3/92 and 8/97, 1113 pts. were randomized; 718 completed a pretreatment FACT-H and N. Pts. completed the HNPSS and FACT-H and N; pretreatment, 4 weeks post-RT, every 3 months for 1 year. Results: Prior to the start of radiotherapy (RT) 48% of pts had normal diets, 64% had normal public eating, and 77% had normal speech. Age ( 60), KPS, tumor site (oral cavity vs. other), T-stage (T3+T4 vs. T1+T2+TX), N-stage (N0 vs. other), Race (Non-White vs. White), and marital status (single vs. married), FACT-G, PWB, EWB, FWB, AC, use of oral nutrient supplements, feeding tube, and parenteral nutrition predicted for pretreatment diet, public eating, and speech. During the acute toxicity phase diet, eating, and speech were related to the intensity of RT (HFX or AFX-C), marital status (single), tumor site (oral cavity), use of oral nutrient supplements, and feeding tube. At one-year oral cavity tumors, AFX-C, oral nutrient supplements, feeding tube, and single patients had worse diet, eating, and speech. Conclusion: Pretreatment patient and tumor characteristics impact on QOL prior to the initiation of therapy. Intensification of

Quality of life in COPD patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed A. Zamzam

2012-10-01

Conclusion: Quality of life is impaired in patients with COPD and it deteriorates considerably with increasing severity of disease. Increasing severity of COPD is associated with a significant increase in SGRQ-C score. A higher smoking index affects the COPD subjects’ QOL especially with patients’ symptoms and impact of disease. Psychological assessment and psychiatric consultation are important for improving COPD symptoms, QOL and for early detection and treatment of superimposed psychiatric symptoms that could worsen COPD condition and seriously affect QOL.

The Effectiveness of Mindful Parenting, Social Thinking and Exercise on Quality of Life in ADHD Children

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Parisa Dehkordian

2017-02-01

Full Text Available BackgroundQuality of life (QOL, is the most important goal of treatment. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of mindful parenting, social thinking and exercise on quality of life in ADHD children.Materials and MethodsAn experimental design was used. Samples consist of 60 students 8-12 years with the DSM-5 classification ADHD that were engaging in education in 2015-2016 in Abadan, Iran. 60 children according to criteria inclusion were randomly placed in 4 groups: mindful parenting (17 mothers of ADHD children, social thinking (n=15, exercise (n=13, and control group (n=15. Measure tools consist of Conner’s Parent Rating Scale (CPRS and Pediatric quality of life (pedQOL questionnaire. Interventions were: mindful parenting (9-session, social thinking (8 sessions and exercise (8-session.ResultsThe results showed significant change in QOL of experimental group compared with the control group (P

Quality of life and psychological health indicators in the national social life, health, and aging project.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiovitz-Ezra, Sharon; Leitsch, Sara; Graber, Jessica; Karraker, Amelia

2009-11-01

The National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) measures seven indicators of quality of life (QoL) and psychological health. The measures used for happiness, self-esteem, depression, and loneliness are well established in the literature. Conversely, measures of anxiety, stress, and self-reported emotional health were modified for their use in this unique project. The purpose of this paper is to provide (a) an overview of NSHAP's QoL assessment and (b) evidence for the adequacy of the modified measures. First, we examined the psychometric properties of the modified measures. Second, the established QoL measures were used to examine the concurrent validity of the modified measures. Finally, gender- and age-group differences were examined for each modified measure. The anxiety index exhibited good internal reliability and concurrent validity. Consistent with the literature, a single-factor structure best fit the data. Stress was satisfactory in terms of concurrent validity but with only fair internal consistency. Self-reported emotional health exhibited good concurrent validity and moderate external validity. The modified indices used in NSHAP tended to exhibit good internal reliability and concurrent validity. These measures can confidently be used in the exploration of QoL and psychological health in later life and its many correlates.

Assessment of quality of life of HIV-positive people receiving art: An Indian perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepika Anand

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Context: HIV/AIDS is known to affect an individual not only physically but also mentally, socially, and financially. It is a syndrome that builds a vacuum in a person affecting his/her life as a whole. Aims: The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the quality of life (QOL of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV receiving ART and its association with Body mass index (BMI and CD4 count. Study Design: An observational study was performed on PLHIV receiving ART in Orissa, India. Materials and Methods: Data on sociodemographic profile, BMI, and CD4 were gathered from 153 HIV-positive subjects. QOL was assessed using WHOQOL-HIV BREF scale. Results: The overall QOL score of the subjects was moderate; PLHIV with lower BMI also had poorer QOL (P<0.05. Employment affected only the social health domain of the subjects. Men reported poorer level of independence and physical health while women reported poorer social relationships and environment. All the six domains correlated significantly with the overall QOL indicated by the G-facet. Conclusion: Attention toward improving the nutritional status of PLHIV should be accorded high priority to ensure improvement in the overall QOL of PLHIV.

Quality of life in childhood epilepsy with lateralized epileptogenic foci

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Mathiak Krystyna A; Łuba Małgorzata; Mathiak Klaus; Karzel Katarzyna; Wolańczyk Tomasz; Szczepanik Elżbieta; Ostaszewski Paweł

2010-01-01

Abstract Background Measuring quality of life (QOL) helps to delineate mechanisms underlying the interaction of disease and psychosocial factors. In adults, epileptic foci in the left temporal lobe led to lower QOL and higher depression and anxiety as compared to the right-sided foci. No study addressed the development of QOL disturbances depending on the lateralization of epileptogenic focus. The objective of our study was to examine QOL in children with lateralized epileptiform discharges. ...

Relationships between quality of life and family function in caregiver

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Gómez-Marcos Manuel Á

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There are caregivers who see their quality of life (QoL impaired due to the demands of their caregiving tasks, while others manage to adapt and overcome the crises successfully. The influence of the family function in the main caregiver's situation has not been the subject of much evaluation. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between the functionality of the family and the QoL of caregivers of dependent relatives. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study including 153 caregivers. Setting: Two health centers in the city of Salamanca(Spain. Caregiver variables analysed: demographic characteristics, care recipient features; family functionality (Family APGAR-Q and QoL (Ruiz-Baca-Q perceived by the caregiver. Five multiple regressions are performed considering global QoL and each of the four QoL dimensions as dependent variables. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA was used to study the influence of the family function questionnaire on QoL. Results Family function is the only one of the variables evaluated that presented an association both with global QoL and with each of the four individual dimensions (p Conclusion We find an association between family functionality and the caregiver's QoL. This relation holds for both the global measure of QoL and each of its four individual dimensions.

Determinants of quality of life in children with psychiatric disorders.

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Bastiaansen, Dennis; Koot, Hans M; Ferdinand, Robert F

2005-08-01

To assess factors that, in addition to childhood psychopathology, are associated with Quality of Life (QoL) in children with psychiatric problems. In a referred sample of 252 8 to 18-year-olds, information concerning QoL, psychopathology and a broad range of child, parent, and family/ social network factors was obtained from children, parents, teachers and clinicians. Poor child, parent, and clinician reported QoL was associated with child psychopathology, but given the presence of psychopathology, also with child factors, such as low self-esteem, and poor social skills, and family/social network factors, such as poor family functioning, and poor social support. In multiple linear regression analyses the importance of parent factors, such as parenting stress, was almost negligible. To increase QoL of children with psychiatric problems, treatment of symptoms is important, but outcome might improve if treatment is also focussed on other factors that may affect QoL. Results are discussed in relation to current treatment programs.

Effects of Applying Hydrotherapy on Quality of Life in Women with Multiple Sclerosis

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Somayyeh Ghaffari

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Objective: Multiple Sclerosis (MS is one of the most common chronic diseases of the central nervous system (CNS, which causes important changes patient’s life, specially in adults life. MS decreases the quality of life (QOL of patients severely and led to disability gradually. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of applying hydrotherapy on quality of life of Multiple Sclerosis patients. Materials & Methods: In this Quasi-experimental study, 50 Multiple Sclerosis patients were selected with no probability sampling according to specific criteria and then assigned to experimental and control groups (25 patients in each group with balanced randomized allocation. Hydrotherapy performed for 24 sessions by experimental group during three months but no intervention was done for control group. Data collector tools included: demographic questionnaire, SF8- QOL questionnaire, Self report checklists. Statistical analysis was done by use of statistical tests such as: chi square, paired t-test, student t-test, ANOVA with repeated measurements and independent t-test.  Results: There was no significant difference between two groups in phycical and mental dimensions (P=0.04 & P=0.2 and whole (P=0.81 scores of QOL before intervention, but there were significant differences between two groups after intervention in these scores (P<0.001, P=0.003 & P<0.001. ANOVA test with repeated measurements showed that there is significant difference in mean score of whole (P=0.04 and physical (P=0.05 and mental (P=0.04 dimensions of QOL between two groups in 4 times. Conclusion: Hydrotherapy is practically feasible and is associated with increase of MS patient ,s QOL so that applying this technique can promote MS patient ,s QOL and offered to these patients.

The Role of Resilience and Age on Quality of life in Patients with Pain Disorders

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Saeid Yazdi-Ravandi

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The quality of life (QOL has been de.ned as ‘‘a person’s sense of well-being that stems from satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the areas of life that are important to him/her’’.  Age was also signi.cantly associated with several functional limitations such as illness, and physical restrictions. The concept of ‘‘resilience’’ refers to successful adaptation that unfolds within a context of signi.cant and usually debilitating adversity or life stress. The ability to adapt to pain may play an important role in maintaining the QOL. In this study, we investigated the role of resilience and age in various domains of quality of life such as physical, psychological, social and environmental domains. In this study, 290 adult patients (146 men, 144 women completed the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Moreover, we illustrated several demographic variables. The results were analyzed using SPSS version 19.0 and means, descriptive correlation and regression were calculated. Our data revealed that resilience and age could signi.cantly anticipate the QOL and physical aspect (P<0.001. In psychological, social and environmental domains resilience but not the age could signi.cantly predict this domains. In addition, it is noticeable that the effect of resilience on the prediction of QOL is much more obvious in the psychological domain.. In conclusion, resilience is more important factor than the age in prediction of life quality (QOL in persons suffering from chronic pain.

The predictive value of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms for quality of life: a longitudinal study of physically injured victims of non-domestic violence

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Johansen, Venke A; Wahl, Astrid K; Eilertsen, Dag Erik; Weisaeth, Lars; Hanestad, Berit R

2007-01-01

Background Little is known about longitudinal associations between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and quality of life (QoL) after exposure to violence. The aims of the current study were to examine quality of life (QoL) and the predictive value of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for QoL in victims of non-domestic violence over a period of 12 months. Methods A single-group (n = 70) longitudinal design with three repeated measures over a period of 12 months were used. Posttraumatic psychological symptoms were assessed by using the Impact of Event Scale, a 15-item self-rating questionnaire comprising two subscales (intrusion and avoidance) as a screening instrument for PTSD. The questionnaire WHOQOL-Bref was used to assess QoL. The WHOQOL-BREF instrument comprises 26 items, which measure the following broad domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and environment. Results of the analysis were summarized by fitting Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results For each category of PTSD (probable cases, risk level cases and no cases), the mean levels of the WHOQOL-Bref subscales (the four domains and the two single items) were stable across time of assessment. Individuals who scored as probable PTSD or as risk level cases had significantly lower scores on the QoL domains such as physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environmental than those without PTSD symptoms. In addition, the two items examining perception of overall quality of life and perception of overall health in WHOQOL showed the same results according to PTSD symptoms such as QoL domains. PTSD symptoms predicted lower QoL at all three assessments. Similarly PTSD symptoms at T1 predicted lower QoL at T2 and PTSD symptoms at T2 predicted lower QoL at T3. Conclusion The presence of PTSD symptoms predicted lower QoL, both from an acute and prolonged perspective, in victims of non-domestic violence. Focusing on the individual's perception of his

IMPROVEMENT OF QUALITY OF LIFE AS THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF ALLERGIC RHINITIS THERAPY IN CHILDREN

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R.T. Saygitov

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Traditionally, efficacy of treating allergic rhinitis (AR in children is evaluated on the basis of subjective and objective criteria connected with the more or less express character of symptoms. At the same time, there are all reasons to say that the evaluation of the quality of life (QOL of a child more fully reflects his health than sole consideration of AR symptoms. As a result, the change of QOL in the course of treating AR may more precisely reflect the efficacy of illness treatment. This is especially noticeable when analyzing the results of treatment with the use of sedative antihistamine drugs, which arrest AR symptoms but exert a negative influence over the QOL indicators, such as activity, learning ability, social adaptation. New generation antihistamine drugs and intranasal corticosteroids do not have such influence over children's QOL. moreover, their regular use may help in decreasing the risk of development bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis in children, which is another objective of AR therapy.Key words: children, quality of life, allergic rhinitis, treatment.

The Quality of Life of Children with Severe Developmental Disabilities

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Ncube, B. L.; Perry, A.; Weiss, J. A.

2018-01-01

Background: Research examining the quality of life (QoL) of children with severe developmental disabilities (SDD) is limited. The present study examines parent perceptions of child QoL in children with SDD compared with typically developing (TD) children and then examines predictors of QoL for the SDD group. Method: Parents of 246 children with…

Researching quality of life in Argentina

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Graciela Tonón

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The study of quality of life considers at the same time objective and subjective circumstances of people life. In 1995 was created the International Society for Quality of Life Studies (ISQOLS whose purposes are to promote and encourage research in the field of quality-of-life studies and provide an organization through which all academic and professional researchers interested in QOL studies may coordinate their efforts to advance the field of QOL studies within various disciplines. In the case of Argentina since 2004, the Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora has organized the Research Program in Quality of life to develop different kind of projects about quality of life in different fields, trying to be considered by national institutions that decide public policies. 

Spiritual well-being and quality of life in Iranian women with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy.

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Jafari, Najmeh; Farajzadegan, Ziba; Zamani, Ahmadreza; Bahrami, Fatemeh; Emami, Hamid; Loghmani, Amir

2013-05-01

Psychological distress and morbidity are common consequences of diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and associated with poor quality of life (QOL). Spiritual well-being is an important aspect of QOL, but little is known about the spiritual well-being and its relationship with QOL in patients of different cultures such as Iranian Muslim patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of QOL and spirituality among patients with breast cancer undergoing radiation therapy. This was a cross-sectional study which was conducted in the Breast Cancer Research Center of St. S. Al-Shohada Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Spiritual well-being was measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT-Sp12). The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life (EORTC QLQ-C30) and its supplementary breast cancer questionnaire (QLQ-BR23) were used to assess the quality of life of patients. Descriptive analysis, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed for statistical assessment. In all, 68 patients fulfilled the study's inclusion criteria and were interviewed. The mean global QOL was 41.42 (SD = 18.02), and the mean spiritual well-being was 28.41 (SD = 6.95). There was a significant positive correlation between general QOL and total spiritual well-being scores. Also, spiritual well-being, social functioning, pain, and arm symptoms were significant predictors of global QOL. The results of this study provide evidence that breast cancer survivors in Iran experience a poor quality of life across a broad spectrum of health domains, particularly social, emotional, and spiritual, indicating that psychosocial-spiritual support should be considered in caring for patients with breast cancer.

Effect of patient counseling on quality of life of hemodialysis patients in India

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Thomas D

2009-09-01

Full Text Available End stage renal disease (ESRD is a growing problem. The effect of patient counseling is to be defined on health-related quality of life. Objective: The purpose of this study was to find out the impact of patient counseling in health related quality of life (QoL. Methods: In this prospective interventional study, the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS for QoL questionnaire was used in test and control groups for data collection. The same data collection method was used during six months to study the effect of patient counseling. Results: Health related quality of life in test group showed a consistent improvement of 2% in six months. Improvement of awareness by patient counseling was also improved. Conclusion: As part of medication therapy management (MTM, patient counseling focusing on dialysis compliance, diet and medications are an effective way to improve health-related QoL and awareness in ESRD. Such services should be made mandatory by law in India to improve outcomes in chronic illness.

Quality of life in postmenopausal women: translation and validation of MSkinQOL questionnaire to measure the effect of a skincare product in USA.

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Segot-Chicq, Evelyne; Fanchon, Chantal

2013-12-01

The 28-item Menopausal Skin Quality Of Life (MSkinQOL), a previously validated French questionnaire, developed to assess psychological features of menopausal women and to measure the benefits of using cosmetic skincare products was translated and validated to assess a skincare product in the USA. Construct validity, reliability, reproducibility, and responsiveness were assessed with two groups of 100 nonmenopausal (NM) and 100 postmenopausal (PM) women. The group of PM women applied a specially developed skincare product twice daily for 1 month and filled in the same questionnaire after 1 month as well as a general self-assessment questionnaire about the efficacy and cosmetic properties of the product. No ceiling or floor effects were identified. Construct and internal validity was assessed using a multitrait analysis: questionnaire items proved closely correlated, and each dimension covers a different aspect of women answers profile. The three dimensions showed good reliability and stability. Baseline values for social effects of skin appearance, health status, and self-esteem were significantly different between PM and NM volunteers. Values of these three dimensions were significantly improved after 2 weeks of product application, and further improved after 4 weeks. This study shows that a careful translation and a rigorous process of validation lead to a reliable tool adapted to each country to explore and measure quality of life in healthy PM women. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multiattribute health utility scoring for the computerized adaptive measure CAT-5D-QOL was developed and validated.

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Kopec, Jacek A; Sayre, Eric C; Rogers, Pamela; Davis, Aileen M; Badley, Elizabeth M; Anis, Aslam H; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Russell, Lara; Rahman, Md Mushfiqur; Esdaile, John M

2015-10-01

The CAT-5D-QOL is a previously reported item response theory (IRT)-based computerized adaptive tool to measure five domains (attributes) of health-related quality of life. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a multiattribute health utility (MAHU) scoring method for this instrument. The MAHU scoring system was developed in two stages. In phase I, we obtained standard gamble (SG) utilities for 75 hypothetical health states in which only one domain varied (15 states per domain). In phase II, we obtained SG utilities for 256 multiattribute states. We fit a multiplicative regression model to predict SG utilities from the five IRT domain scores. The prediction model was constrained using data from phase I. We validated MAHU scores by comparing them with the Health Utilities Index Mark 3 (HUI3) and directly measured utilities and by assessing between-group discrimination. MAHU scores have a theoretical range from -0.842 to 1. In the validation study, the scores were, on average, higher than HUI3 utilities and lower than directly measured SG utilities. MAHU scores correlated strongly with the HUI3 (Spearman ρ = 0.78) and discriminated well between groups expected to differ in health status. Results reported here provide initial evidence supporting the validity of the MAHU scoring system for the CAT-5D-QOL. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Metallic stents provide better QOL than plastic stents in patients with stricture of unresectable advanced esophageal cancer

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Ohta, Kazuki; Nagahara, Akihito; Iijima, Katsuyori

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to elucidate the utility and safety of treatment with esophageal stents (plastic and metallic stents) for unresectable advanced esophageal cancer. Between 1992 and 2002, 14 cases of unresectable advanced esophageal cancer were treated with esophageal stents (the plastic stent group, 7 cases; and the metallic stent group, 7 cases). Of these, 10 cases had a history of chemotherapy and or radiotherapy. An improvement in oral intake and performance status (PS), survival time, periods at home, and adverse events were compared between the two groups. After stenting, oral intake and PS were significantly improved in the metallic stent group. Follow-up at home was possible in 71.4%. There was no significant difference in survival or duration of time at home between the two groups. All adverse events were controllable and there was no difference between the two groups. Stenting not only improved oral intake and PS but also allowed a stay at home, resulting in a marked improvement in patients' quality of life (QOL). Stenting was performed safely even in cases with a history of radiotherapy. There was no difference in survival, ratios of staying at home, and safety between the two groups, but QOL was significantly improved in the metallic stent group. These outcomes indicate that placement of metallic stents should be actively considered to treat stricture due to advanced esophageal cancer. (author)

Fragrance allergy and quality of life - development and validation of a disease-specific quality of life instrument.

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Heisterberg, Maria V; Menné, Torkil; Johansen, Jeanne D

2014-02-01

Fragrance allergy is a lifelong condition that may give rise to permanent or recurrent contact dermatitis and may affect quality of life (QoL). The effect on QoL has not yet been investigated, and no disease-specific QoL instrument for fragrance allergy exists. To develop and validate a disease-specific instrument to investigate QoL among fragrance-allergic subjects. A fragrance QoL instrument (FQL index) was developed on the basis of narratives from 68 fragrance-allergic subjects, and consisted of 13 items. It was tested in a postal survey among 1650 participants patch tested at Gentofte University Hospital (2000–2010). The survey included other QoL instruments [Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Short Form 36 (SF36) version 2] and questions on eczema severity (response rate of 66%). A retest was conducted after 3–6 months (response rate of 72.5%). The FQL index showed a significant and strong correlation with the DLQI (rS = 0.70), and disease severity, but a weak correlation with SF36 [mental component summary score, rS = − 0.22; physical component summary score, rS = − 0.31]. Good reliability and responsiveness to changes in disease severity were seen. The FQL index is a good instrument with which to investigate QoL in subjects with fragrance allergy. Good correlations with the DLQI and self-estimated disease severity were seen, and it showed good reliability, reproducibility and ability to distinguish changes in disease severity.

Impact of childhood trauma on functionality and quality of life in HIV-infected women

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Spottiswoode Bruce

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While there are many published studies on HIV and functional limitations, there are few in the context of early abuse and its impact on functionality and Quality of Life (QoL in HIV. Methods The present study focused on HIV in the context of childhood trauma and its impact on functionality and Quality of Life (QoL by evaluating 85 HIV-positive (48 with childhood trauma and 37 without and 52 HIV-negative (21 with childhood trauma and 31 without South African women infected with Clade C HIV. QoL was assessed using the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q, the Patient's Assessment of Own Functioning Inventory (PAOFI, the Activities of Daily Living (ADL scale and the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS. Furthermore, participants were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ. Results Subjects had a mean age of 30.1 years. After controlling for age, level of education and CES-D scores, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA demonstrated significant individual effects of HIV status and childhood trauma on self-reported QoL. No significant interactional effects were evident. Functional limitation was, however, negatively correlated with CD4 lymphocyte count. Conclusions In assessing QoL in HIV-infected women, we were able to demonstrate the impact of childhood trauma on functional limitations in HIV.

Health-related quality of life, optimism, and coping strategies in persons suffering from localized scleroderma.

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Szramka-Pawlak, B; Dańczak-Pazdrowska, A; Rzepa, T; Szewczyk, A; Sadowska-Przytocka, A; Żaba, R

2013-01-01

The clinical course of localized scleroderma may consist of bodily deformations, and bodily functions may also be affected. Additionally, the secondary lesions, such as discoloration, contractures, and atrophy, are unlikely to regress. The aforementioned symptoms and functional disturbances may decrease one's quality of life (QoL). Although much has been mentioned in the medical literature regarding QoL in persons suffering from dermatologic diseases, no data specifically describing patients with localized scleroderma exist. The aim of the study was to explore QoL in localized scleroderma patients and to examine their coping strategies in regard to optimism and QoL. The study included 41 patients with localized scleroderma. QoL was evaluated using the SKINDEX questionnaire, and levels of dispositional optimism were assessed using the Life Orientation Test-Revised. In addition, individual coping strategy was determined using the Mini-MAC scale and physical condition was assessed using the Localized Scleroderma Severity Index. The mean QoL score amounted to 51.10 points, with mean scores for individual components as follows: symptoms = 13.49 points, emotions = 21.29 points, and functioning = 16.32 points. A relationship was detected between QoL and the level of dispositional optimism as well as with coping strategies known as anxious preoccupation and helplessness-hopelessness. Higher levels of optimism predicted a higher general QoL. In turn, greater intensity of anxious preoccupied and helpless-hopeless behaviors predicted a lower QoL. Based on these results, it may be stated that localized scleroderma patients have a relatively high QoL, which is accompanied by optimism as well as a lower frequency of behaviors typical of emotion-focused coping strategies.

Water exercises and quality of life during pregnancy

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Baciuk Érica P

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In Brazil, concern with the quality of life of pregnant women is one of the points emphasized in the Program for the Humanization of Prenatal Care and Childbirth launched in 2000. However, there are few references in the literature on the role of either land or water-based physical exercise on women's quality of life during pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a physical exercise program of water aerobics on the quality of life (QOL of sedentary pregnant women. Methods A comparative observational study involving sedentary low-risk pregnant women bearing a single fetus with gestational age less than 20 weeks at the time of admission to the study, who were receiving antenatal care at a public health service. One group of 35 women was given routine antenatal care, while another group of 31 women, in addition to receiving the same routine care as the first group, also participated in three classes of water aerobics per week. QOL was evaluated by applying the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in both groups at the 20th, 28th and 36th weeks of pregnancy. In the same occasions, women also answered another questionnaire about their experience with pregnancy and antenatal care. Results The great majority of the participants considered that the practice of water aerobics had benefitted them in some way. QOL scores were found to be high in both groups during follow-up. There was no association between the practice of water aerobics and QOL. Conclusions Further studies involving larger sample sizes should be conducted in different sociocultural contexts and/or using other instruments to adequately evaluate the QOL of women during pregnancy.

Employment, work disability and quality of life in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides. The EXPOVAS study.

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Benarous, Lucas; Terrier, Benjamin; Laborde-Casterot, Hervé; Bérezné, Alice; Dunogué, Bertrand; Cohen, Pascal; Puéchal, Xavier; Mouthon, Luc; Bensefa-Colas, Lynda; Guillevin, Loic

2017-01-01

Improved therapeutic strategies for ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) have transformed acute and life-threatening diseases into chronic ones responsible for marked morbidity that could impact employment, work disability and quality of life (QoL). We aimed to analyse work, handicaps and QoL of AAV patients and identify their determinants. Patients with AAV were included in a cross-sectional study assessing employment, work disability and QoL. Specific and non-specific questionnaires, including SF-36, were sent to patients, and clinical-biological data that could affect QoL and their determinants were analysed. Questionnaires were completed by 189 patients. Among 94 working-age (employed; 23% of workers felt that their disease qualitatively limited the nature of their work, while 43% felt it limited the quantity of work they could do; 50% thought their disease had hindered their careers and 43% that it had led to a salary reduction. These results were comparable for the different vasculitides. QoL was significantly impaired for AAV patients compared to the general population (pemployment seemed to be preserved for the majority of the patients.

Quality of life of patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

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San Giorgi, Michel R M; Aaltonen, Leena-Maija; Rihkanen, Heikki; Tjon Pian Gi, Robin E A; van der Laan, Bernard F A M; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette E H M; Dikkers, Frederik G

2017-08-01

Recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP) is a disease with a high disease burden. Few studies have assessed quality of life (QoL) of RRP patients. This study compares QoL of these patients with controls. Associations between QoL and sociodemographic and illness-related factors are examined, as is uptake of psychosocial care and speech therapy. Prospective cross-sectional questionnaire research. Ninety-one RRP patients (response = 67%) from two university hospitals in the Netherlands and Finland completed the following patient reported outcome measures: (HADS), 15-dimensional health-related quality-of-life scale (15D), Voice Handicap Index (VHI) and the RAND 36-item health-related quality-of-life survey instrument (RAND-36) assessing health-related QoL and voice handicap, and they provided sociodemographic, illness-related, and allied healthcare use. Descriptive analyses, χ 2 tests, t tests, analysis of variance tests, and Pearson correlations were computed to describe the study population and to examine differences between groups. RRP patients had significantly higher mean scores on depression, health-related QoL (15D) and on voice problems (VHI), and significantly lower mean scores on anxiety than controls. Dutch patients had more pain and a decreased general health perception (RAND-36) than controls. Dutch patients and older patients were more depressed, women were more anxious, older patients had lower health-related QoL, and smoking was significantly associated with voice handicap. Patients who had received psychosocial care had significantly higher HADS-depression mean scores than patients who did not receive psychosocial care. Having RRP has significant effect on voice-related QoL and depression, but has no negative effect on anxiety and health-related QoL. Risk factors for decreased functioning are different than previously hypothesized by many authors. Prevention should be aimed at these risk factors. 4. Laryngoscope, 127:1826-1831, 2017. © 2016 The

Impact of psoriasis on quality of life in Taiwan

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Hui-Ju Yang

2015-09-01

Conclusion: Psoriasis has an appreciable effect on QoL, especially when it affects the hands and face. Of the four scales included in our study, the daily life function and occupational scales revealed the greatest effect. The sense of stigma may be the key factor that results in this outcome. To improve the QoL and therapeutic effects, a team needs to be constructed which includes dermatologists, psychologists, social workers, and help from the government is needed to accomplish the task.

Which domains of thyroid-related quality of life are most relevant?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Watt, Torquil; Hegedüs, Laszlo; Rasmussen, Ase Krogh

2007-01-01

To identify how thyroid diseases impact the patients' lives and to select the most relevant quality of life (QoL) issues for a thyroid-specific questionnaire.......To identify how thyroid diseases impact the patients' lives and to select the most relevant quality of life (QoL) issues for a thyroid-specific questionnaire....

Quality of life in patients with advanced cancer at the end of life as measured by the McGill quality of life questionnaire: a survey in China.

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Cui, Jing; Fang, Fang; Shen, Fengping; Song, Lijuan; Zhou, Lingjun; Ma, Xiuqiang; Zhao, Jijun

2014-11-01

Quality of life (QOL) is the main outcome measure for patients with advanced cancer at the end of life. The McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL) is designed specifically for palliative care patients and has been translated and validated in Hong Kong and Taiwan. This study aimed to investigate the QOL of patients with advanced cancer using the MQOL-Taiwan version after cultural adaptation to the Chinese mainland. A cross-sectional survey design was used. QOL data from patients with advanced cancer were gathered from 13 hospitals including five tertiary hospitals, six secondary hospitals, and community health care service centers in Shanghai and analyzed. QOL was assessed using the MQOL-Chinese version. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression analysis, and Spearman rank correlation analysis. A total of 531 cancer patients (297 male and 234 female) in 13 hospitals were recruited into the study and administered the MQOL-Chinese. The score of the support subscale was highest (6.82), and the score of the existential well-being subscale was the lowest (4.65). The five physical symptoms most frequently listed on the MQOL-Chinese were pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, powerless, and dyspnea. Participants' sex, educational level, number of children, disclosure of the disease, and hospital size were associated with their overall QOL. The Spearman rank correlation analysis found that Karnofsky Performance Status scores correlated with the MQOL-Chinese single-item score, physical well-being, psychological well-being, existential well-being, and support domains (P patients with advanced cancer. The association between the characteristics of patients, Karnofsky Performance Status, and their QOL also was identified. Copyright © 2014 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quality of Life and its Correlates in Patients With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder

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Shu-Ying Hou

2010-08-01

Full Text Available The care of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD has raised quality of life (QOL issues. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of QOL between patients with and without OCD, and to examine the associations between QOL and sociodemographic data, course of illness, psychopathology, perceived social support, and treatment characteristics. The QOL levels measured with the Taiwan version of the Short Form of the World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life were compared between 57 subjects with OCD and 106 subjects without OCD. The correlates of QOL were examined among subjects with OCD. The analysis revealed that QOL scores for the general, physical, psychological and social relationship domains were lower in the OCD group than in the control group; however, no difference in the environmental domain was found. Multiple factors were associated with poor QOL in subjects with OCD, including comorbid depression, severe obsession symptoms, perceived low social support, severe adverse effects of medication, combined use of mood stabilizers, and low social status. Different domains of QOL are differently affected by OCD. The QOL of subjects with OCD was correlated to multiple factors that were specific to individual subjects and influenced by interactions with treatment and the social environment.

Quality of life of Syrian refugees living in camps in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

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Aziz, Izaddin A; Hutchinson, Claire V; Maltby, John

2014-01-01

The current study explores the perceived quality of life of Syrian refugees who have entered the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Two hundred and seventy participants residing in refugee camps in the Erbil region in Kurdistan completed the WHOQOL-BREF, which measures Quality of Life (QOL) within four domains; physical, psychological, social relationships and environment. Syrian refugees in Kurdistan scored significantly lower for general population norms on physical health, psychological and environment QOL, and score significantly lower for physical health and psychological QOL for refugees in the Gaza strip. However, respondents in the current sample scored significantly higher on environment QOL compared to refugees in the Gaza strip, and significantly higher on all the QOL domains than those reported for refugees in West Africa. Finally, Syrian refugees in Kurdistan scored significantly higher than general population norms for social relationships QOL. The current findings provide the first report of QOL domain scores among Syrian refugees in the Kurdistan camps and suggest that social relationships and environmental QOL circumstances are relatively satisfactory, and that further investigation might be focused on physical and psychological QOL.

A comparison of quality of life before and after successful repair of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To compare preoperative quality of life (QoL) scores using World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment with postoperative QoL scores following successful repair of genitourinary fistula. Patients and methods: The WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was used as a tool to evaluate the quality of ...

The Life Mission Theory VII. Theory of Existential (Antonovsky Coherence: A Theory of Quality of Life, Health, and Ability for Use in Holistic Medicine

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Søren Ventegodt

2005-01-01

Full Text Available A theoretical framework of existential coherence is presented, explaining how health, quality of life (QOL, and the ability to function were originally created and developed to rehabilitate human life from an existential perspective. The theory is inspired by the work of Aaron Antonovsky and explains our surprising recent empirical findings—that QOL, health, and ability primarily are determined by our consciousness. The theory is a matrix of nine key elements in five layers: (1 coherence; (2 purpose and talent; (3 consciousness, love, and physicality/sexuality; (4 light and joy; and (5 QOL/meaning of life. The layer above causes the layer below, with the layer of QOL again feeding the fundamental layer of coherence. The model holds the person responsible for his or her own degree of reality, happiness, and being present. The model implies that when a person takes responsibility in all nine “dimensions” of life, he or she can improve and develop health, the ability to function, all aspects of QOL, and the meaning of life. The theory of existential coherence integrates a wide range of QOL theories from Jung and Maslow to Frankl and Wilber. It is a nine-ray theory in accordance with Gurjieff's enneagram and the old Indian chakra system. It can be used in the holistic medical clinic and in existential coaching. Love is in the center of the model and rehabilitation of love in its broadest sense is, accordingly, the essence of holistic medicine. To know yourself, your purpose of life (life mission and talents, and taking these into full use and becoming coherent with life inside and reality outside is what human life is essentially about. The new model has been developed to integrate the existing knowledge in the complex field of holistic medicine. Its strength is that it empowers the holistic physician to treat the patient with even severe diseases and can also be used for existential rehabilitation, holistic psychiatry, and sexology. Its major

Social cognition and quality of life in schizophrenia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maat, A.; Fett, A.J.; Kahn, R.S.; Linszen, D.H.; van Os, J.; Wiersma, D.; Bruggeman, R.; Cahn, W.; de Haan, L.; Krabbendam, A.C.; Myin-Germeys, I.

2012-01-01

Schizophrenia is associated with poor quality of life (QOL). Whereas the effects of neurocognitive deficits and psychopathology on QOL of schizophrenia patients have recently been elucidated, little is known about social cognitive deficits in this regard. This study investigated the influence of

Review: Anxiety and Quality of life in Patients with Myocardial Infarction

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Bimala Panthee

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Obejctive: Anxiety and reduced Quality of Life (QoL are commonly reported in patients with myocardial infarction (MI for long years and has a great interest to improve patients’ quality of life. Almost all of the patients with MI will have anxiety to some level. Persistent anxiety for long period has detrimental effect on quality of life. Therefore this study is aimed to find out the effect of anxiety on quality of life of patients with MI.Methods: Published literatures were searched using individual or combination of keywords: anxiety, quality of life and myocardial infarction in following databases: PubMed, CIHNAL, Proquest, and Google Scholar. The full texts were obtained from the journal homepage using Prince of Songkla University and those that could not be accessed from this University were obtained from the University of Tokyo network. Papers which were not accessible from these two networks were excluded from the review.Results: Majority of studies found that patients with MI reported high level of anxiety persisting over months to years affecting QoL. Some studies showed that anxiety was associated with complications and all of the study showed that anxiety was associated with decreased quality of life. Different studies measured anxiety and quality of life differently which might have affect the results of the studies and most of the studies did not consider it and lack to correlate the level of anxiety in each dimension of QoL is noted. High level of anxiety was correlated with the poorer quality of life. Therefore, the researcher should note that which level of anxiety the patient is suffering from because mild anxiety is helpful to focus attention; to learn the stressful situation and solve the problems to protect him/her by themselves. Moderate level of anxiety reduces the patient’s concentration but facilitates to seek information and solve problems with assistance. Severe anxiety results in difficulties in thinking and

Perceived Discrimination, Social Support, and Quality of Life in Gender Dysphoria.

Science.gov (United States)

Başar, Koray; Öz, Gökhan; Karakaya, Jale

2016-07-01

Transgender individuals experience discrimination in all domains of their personal and social life. Discrimination is believed to be associated with worse quality of life (QoL). To investigate the relation between QoL and perceived levels of discrimination and social support in individuals with gender dysphoria (GD). Individuals with GD who attended a psychiatry clinic from January 2012 through December 2014 were recruited. Demographic, social, and medical transition features were collected with standardized forms. Self-report measurements of QoL (Turkish version of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life-BREF) that included physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains, perceived discrimination with personal and group subscales (Perceived Discrimination Scale [PDS]), and social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support) were completed. Ninety-four participants (76.6% trans men) adequately completed the study measurements. Regression models with each QoL domain score as a dependent variable indicated a significant predictor value of personal PDS in social and environmental QoL. Social support from family was associated with better QoL in psychological QoL, whereas perceived support from friends significantly predicted all other domains of QoL. There was a tendency for group PDS to be rated higher than personal PDS, suggesting personal vs group discrimination discrepancy. However, group PDS was not found to be a predictor of QoL in the multivariate model. Perceived personal discrimination and social support from different sources predicted domains of QoL with a non-uniform pattern in individuals with GD. Social support and discrimination were found to have opposing contributions to QoL in GD. The present findings emphasize the necessity of addressing discrimination and social support in clinical work with GD. Moreover, strategies to improve and strengthen friend and family support for individuals with GD should be explored by

Implication for QOL after I-125 brachytherapy for prostate cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teishima, Jun; Yasumoto, Hiroaki; Inoue, Syogo; Masumoto, Hiroshi; Hasegawa, Yasuhisa; Matsubara, Akio

2009-01-01

The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of life (QOL) of patients following prostate brachytherapy. Between July 2004 and May 2008, 139 patients underwent I-125 permanent brachytherapy. Among those patients, 69 who were followed up for more than one year using the Expanded Prostate Index Composite (EPIC), Japanese version v1 TM , were enrolled in this study. Urinary summary scores became worse temporarily at 1 month after the end of treatment, but then recovered gradually to the level before treatment. Sexual summary scores before treatment were 42.2±16.3. They became worse temporarily at 1 month after treatment but then recovered gradually in patients whose sexual summary scores were more than 40. Urinary morbidity scores after prostate brachytherapy were not so severe and recovered within a short period. Further long-term observation is thought to be required in the future. Sexual function scores of patients before treatment in the present study were lower compared with those recorded in previous studies. (author)

Sociodemographic factors affecting the quality of life of patients with asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uchmanowicz B

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Bartosz Uchmanowicz,1 Bernard Panaszek,2 Izabella Uchmanowicz,1 Joanna Rosinczuk3 1Department of Clinical Nursing, 2Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Geriatry and Allergology, 3Department of Nervous System Diseases, Wroclaw Medical University, Wroclaw, Poland Background: In recent years, there has been an increased interest in the subjective quality of life (QoL of patients with bronchial asthma. Patients diagnosed with asthma experience a number of problems with regard to everyday activities and functions, which adversely affects their health-related QoL. Aim: The aim of this study is to analyze the sociodemographic factors affecting the QoL of patients with asthma. Patients and methods: The study comprised of 100 patients (73 females and 27 males aged 18–84 years (mean age 45.7 years treated in the Department and Clinic of Internal Diseases, Geriatrics and Allergology, Wroclaw Medical University. All patients with asthma who met the inclusion criteria participated in the study. We used medical record analysis and two questionnaires: the asthma quality of life questionnaire (AQLQ and the asthma control test. Up-to-date sociodemographic data were collected from all participants, including sex, age, marital status, education, and sources of income. Results: The sociodemographic variables that correlated positively with QoL in all domains of the AQLQ were professional activity and higher education level of respondents. Factors that negatively influenced the AQLQ domains were older age and lack of professional activity. Conclusion: This study shows that age, physical work, and lack of professional activity decreased the QoL in this patient group. It was found that higher education contributes to better QoL scores. Keywords: bronchial asthma, health related quality of life, sociodemographic factors

Quality of life and communication in orthognathic treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Catt, Susan L; Ahmad, Sofia; Collyer, Jeremy; Hardwick, Lauren; Shah, Nahush; Winchester, Lindsay

2018-06-01

The primary aim was to determine what, if any, relationships exist between communication and quality of life in patients receiving orthognathic treatment since this has not been explored. A secondary aim was to compare the Quality of Life (QoL) of a pre-treatment sample with those at 2 years post-surgery. A cross-sectional questionnaire method was used. Outpatient clinics providing orthognathic treatment at four UK hospital sites. Two separate samples of pre-treatment (n = 73) and 2-year post-surgery (n = 78) patients participated in the study. At clinic appointments, all eligible patients were invited to complete the Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ), a previously validated condition-specific quality of life measure. At the same time, participants at the 2-year post-surgery stage also completed a second short questionnaire, the Communication Assessment Tool-Team (CAT-T), where they rated the quality of communication they had received during treatment. One hundred and fifty-one complete responses were received. The average age was 24.5 years (S.D. 9.77) and the majority (67%) were female in both groups. Statistically significant associations were found between QoL and quality of communication in the treated sample. Findings also showed a comparatively poorer QoL for the pre-treatment participants. This reduced QoL was more pronounced in females than males for all aspects except dentofacial appearance. There was an improvement in QoL for patients at 2 years post-surgery compared to pre-treatment. There is an association between QoL and quality of communication as reported by participants at 2 years post-surgery. These novel findings are similar to outcomes in other patient settings such as oncology, but further investigation is required to establish the direction of cause and effect.

Influence of intestinal stoma on spiritual quality of life of U.S. veterans.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Carol M; Grant, Marcia; Wendel, Christopher; Rawl, Susan; Schmidt, C Max; Ko, Clifford; Krouse, Robert S

2008-09-01

To examine spiritual quality of life (QOL) of veterans with intestinal ostomies. Mixed-method cross-sectional. Male veterans with total scores in the upper (n = 59) and lower (n = 61) quartiles of the City of Hope Quality-of-Life-Ostomy survey provided spiritual QOL data. Analyses included chi-square and analysis of variance with significance set at p < .05. Content analysis was used to explicate narratives and focus groups. The high spiritual QOL group was more likely to be married, older, and report more years since surgery (each p < .0001). Upper quartile participants had more favorable scores for several spiritual QOL domains (all p < .0001). Qualitative comments reflected high or low total QOL scores. Spiritual QOL is influenced by an intestinal stoma. Qualitative comments lend insight into the meaning of spirituality items. Findings can assist in the provision of holistic care in this population.

Role of Personality Functioning in the Quality of Life of Patients with Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Crempien, Carla; Grez, Marcela; Valdés, Camila; López, María José; de la Parra, Guillermo; Krause, Mariane

2017-09-01

Depression is associated with reduced quality of life (QoL), and personality pathology is associated with higher impairment and poorer treatment outcomes in patients with depression. This study aims to analyze the effects of personality functioning on the QoL of patients with depression. Severity of depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), level of personality functioning (Operationalized Psychodynamic Diagnosis Structure Questionnaire), and QoL (Medical Outcome Study 36-item Short-Form) were assessed in a sample of 84 depressive outpatients. Personality functioning showed main effects on both the mental and physical components of QoL. A moderating effect of personality functioning on the relationship between depressive symptoms and QoL was tested but not confirmed. Severity of depressive symptoms was found to mediate the effect of personality functioning on the mental component of QoL. These results suggest that the effect of personality functioning on the QoL of patients with depression may be related to the higher severity of depressive symptoms found in patients with lower levels of personality functioning.

QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG ADOLESCENTS WITH ACNE IN A TERTIARY REFERRAL CENTRE IN BANGALORE

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Belliappa Pemmanda Raju

2016-08-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Acne is a common problem in adolescent children and has a considerable impact on their quality of life. AIMS The impact of acne on quality of life (QoL in Indian adolescent patients remains undocumented. The study was undertaken to detect the impact of acne vulgaris in adolescents on the QoL using 2 questionnaires: The Children’s Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI and the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a hospital-based, prospective, cross-sectional, pre-structured, questionnaire-based study done on 140 consenting individuals, who attended the Acne Clinic of our Dermatology Outpatient Department. Acne vulgaris was graded using simple grading system. QoL was measured using a combination of skin disease-specific (Children’s Dermatological Life Quality Index (CDLQI and acne-specific (Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI questionnaires. RESULTS The study population included 140 cases with a female to male ratio of 1.5:1. Comedones (123, 87.9% were the most common type of lesion. Grade I acne was the most common clinical type (76.4%. There was a statistically significant difference between acne severity and gender. The overall mean CDLQI score (7.21 of max. 30 and the overall mean CADI score (4.8 of max. 15 were low, indicating a mild impairment of QoL among adolescents. Statistically significant association was noted between CDLQI and CADI scores and grade of acne. There was no statistically significant association noted between CDLQI and CADI scores and gender. CONCLUSION Though acne had impact on patient’s QoL, it was less severe in our study. The CDLQI and CADI questionnaires represent simple and reliable instruments for the assessment of QoL among adolescents and should be incorporated when managing acne patients to provide better and appropriate care.

Low quality of life scores in school children with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder related to anxiety.

Science.gov (United States)

Zambrano-Sánchez, Elizabeth; Martínez-Cortés, José A; del Río-Carlos, Yolanda; Dehesa-Moreno, Minerva; Poblano, Adrián

2012-03-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an alteration that begins early in infancy and whose cardinal symptoms are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. There are few studies for specific tests to measure Quality of Life (QoL) in children with ADHD. We evaluated QoL of 120 children from 7-12 years of age with ADHD and of a group of 98 healthy control children. To measure QoL, we utilized the Questionnaire of Quality of Life for Children in Pictures (AutoQuestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Imagé, AUQUEI). We evaluated anxiety in children by the Children´s Manifest Anxiety Scale-Revisited (CMAS-R). We compared results among groups and employed the calculation of correlation between the AUQUEI questionnaire and the CMAS-R scale. The total average of the AUQUEI questionnaire in children with ADHD was 45.2, while in the control group it was 54.3 (pCMAS-R scale. We found significant correlations between AUQUEI questionnaire and CMAS-R scale. The main result was to the disclosure that low QoL scores in ADHD children was anxiety-related.

Methodology for the development and calibration of the SCI-QOL item banks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tulsky, David S; Kisala, Pamela A; Victorson, David; Choi, Seung W; Gershon, Richard; Heinemann, Allen W; Cella, David

2015-05-01

To develop a comprehensive, psychometrically sound, and conceptually grounded patient reported outcomes (PRO) measurement system for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Individual interviews (n=44) and focus groups (n=65 individuals with SCI and n=42 SCI clinicians) were used to select key domains for inclusion and to develop PRO items. Verbatim items from other cutting-edge measurement systems (i.e. PROMIS, Neuro-QOL) were included to facilitate linkage and cross-population comparison. Items were field tested in a large sample of individuals with traumatic SCI (n=877). Dimensionality was assessed with confirmatory factor analysis. Local item dependence and differential item functioning were assessed, and items were calibrated using the item response theory (IRT) graded response model. Finally, computer adaptive tests (CATs) and short forms were administered in a new sample (n=245) to assess test-retest reliability and stability. A calibration sample of 877 individuals with traumatic SCI across five SCI Model Systems sites and one Department of Veterans Affairs medical center completed SCI-QOL items in interview format. We developed 14 unidimensional calibrated item banks and 3 calibrated scales across physical, emotional, and social health domains. When combined with the five Spinal Cord Injury--Functional Index physical function banks, the final SCI-QOL system consists of 22 IRT-calibrated item banks/scales. Item banks may be administered as CATs or short forms. Scales may be administered in a fixed-length format only. The SCI-QOL measurement system provides SCI researchers and clinicians with a comprehensive, relevant and psychometrically robust system for measurement of physical-medical, physical-functional, emotional, and social outcomes. All SCI-QOL instruments are freely available on Assessment CenterSM.

Quality of life after maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chigurupati, Radhika; Aloor, Neelam; Salas, Richard; Schmidt, Brian L

2013-08-01

Surgical resection of midface neoplasms and subsequent reconstruction have been shown to have significant negative effects on quality of life (QOL). The purpose of this pilot study was to assess individuals' health-related QOL after maxillectomy and reconstruction with a prosthetic obturator. The QOL of 25 of 43 patients who underwent maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator reconstruction at the University of California-San Francisco was assessed using 3 questionnaires: University of Washington Quality of Life version 4 (UWQOL), Obturator Functioning Scale (OFS), and Mental Health Inventory (MHI). The response rate to the QOL questionnaires was 92% (23 of 25 patients). Time elapsed from maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator reconstruction to the QOL survey response ranged from 0.3 to 6.6 years (mean, 2.7 years; standard deviation [SD], 1.9 years). The post-treatment mean QOL scores were 77.3 (SD, 13.6) for UWQOL, 72.0 (SD, 12.6) for OFS, and 4.5 (SD, 0.9) for Mental Health Inventory. Individuals who received adjuvant radiation scored lower for speech and appearance (OFS, P = .05, P = .03, respectively) as well as for saliva and overall QOL (UWQOL, P = .02, P = .08, respectively). There was a strong correlation between QOL scores in OFS and UWQOL questionnaires (r = 0.78, P maxillectomy and prosthetic obturator reconstruction. There is further need for a multicenter trial with a larger sample to identify how factors affecting QOL of patients after maxillectomy might influence the choice of reconstruction. Copyright © 2013 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health-related quality of life in adult survivors of childhood sarcoidosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Milman, Nils; Svendsen, Claus Bo; Hoffmann, Anne Lisbeth

2009-01-01

AIM: To describe health-related quality of life (hrQOL) in adult subjects who had sarcoidosis in childhood. METHODS: Forty-six children (24 boys), all ethnic Danes......AIM: To describe health-related quality of life (hrQOL) in adult subjects who had sarcoidosis in childhood. METHODS: Forty-six children (24 boys), all ethnic Danes...

Depression and quality of life in first-episode psychosis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Renwick, Laoise

2012-07-01

Quality of life (QOL) has gained recognition as a valid measure of outcome in first-episode psychosis (FEP). This study aimed to determine the influence of specific groups of depressive symptoms on separate domains of subjectively appraised QOL.

Quality of life and life satisfaction in patients with Behçet's disease: relationship with disease activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodur, Hatice; Borman, Pinar; Ozdemir, Yildiz; Atan, Ciğdem; Kural, Gülcan

2006-05-01

Quality of life (QoL) and life satisfaction (LS) are important outcome factors in chronic inflammatory conditions such as Behçet's disease (BD). The aim of this study was to investigate QoL and LS in patients with BD and determine the relationship with disease activity. Forty-one patients with BD and 40 control subjects were involved in the study. Demographic properties were obtained. Disease activity was assessed by Turkish version of BD Current Activity Form (BDCAF) in BD patients. QoL and psychological well-being were assessed by Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and Life Satisfaction Index (LSI), respectively, in both patients and control groups. The related disease activity measures of QoL and LS were determined. Twenty-two male and 19 female BD patients with a mean age of 33.3+/-9.3 years and 20 male and 20 female control subjects with a mean age of 33.3+/-4.1 years were involved. According to BDCAF, no patient had central nervous system involvement. Thirty-four patients had headache, 33 patients had fatigue, 30 patients had articular involvement, 29 had mucocutaneous lesions, 27 had gastrointestinal involvement, 21 patients had ocular involvement, and 7 patients had vascular involvement. The scores of all dimensions of NHP were significantly higher and the mean score of LSI was significantly lower in BD patients than in control subjects (pimpression of disease activity and joint involvement. In conclusion, patients with BD have impaired QoL and disturbed psychological well-being. Current management strategies focusing on fatigue, arthralgia, mucocutaneous lesions, and efforts to measure psychosocial aspects and symptoms of the patients by their point of view will help to improve QoL and raise the LS in patients suffering from BD.

Predictors of Longitudinal Quality of Life in Juvenile Localized Scleroderma.

Science.gov (United States)

Ardalan, Kaveh; Zigler, Christina K; Torok, Kathryn S

2017-07-01

Localized scleroderma can negatively affect children's quality of life (QoL), but predictors of impact have not been well described. We sought to identify predictors of QoL impact in juvenile localized scleroderma patients. We analyzed longitudinal data from a single-center cohort of juvenile localized scleroderma patients, using hierarchical generalized linear modeling (HGLM) to identify predictors of QoL impact. HGLM is useful for nested data and allows for evaluation of both time-variant and time-invariant predictors. The number of extracutaneous manifestations (ECMs; e.g., joint contracture and hemifacial atrophy) and female sex predicted negative QoL impact, defined as a Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index score >1 (P = 0.019 for ECMs and P = 0.002 for female sex). As the time since the initial visit increased, the odds of reporting a negative QoL impact decreased (P scleroderma than cutaneous features. Further study is required to determine which ECMs have the most impact on QoL, which factors underlie sex differences in QoL in localized scleroderma, and why increasing the time since the initial visit appears to be protective. An improved understanding of predictors of QoL impact may allow for the identification of patients at risk of poorer outcomes and for the tailoring of treatment and psychosocial support. © 2016, American College of Rheumatology.

Prediction of childhood ADHD symptoms to quality of life in young adults: adult ADHD and anxiety/depression as mediators.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hui-Nien; Tai, Yueh-Ming; Yang, Li-Kuang; Gau, Susan Shur-Fen

2013-10-01

Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms may persist, co-occur with anxiety and depression (ANX/DEP), and influence quality of life (QoL) in later life. However, the information about whether these persistent ADHD and ANX/DEP mediate the influence of childhood ADHD on adverse QoL in adulthood is lacking. This study aimed to determine whether adult ADHD symptoms and/or ANX/DEP mediated the association between childhood ADHD and QoL. We assessed 1382 young men aged 19-30 years in Taiwan using self-administered questionnaires for retrospective recall of ADHD symptoms at ages 6-12, and assessment of current ADHD and ANX/DEP symptoms, and QoL. We conducted mediation analyses and compared the values of mediation ratio (PM) by adding mediators (adult ADHD and ANX/DEP), individually and simultaneously into a regression model with childhood ADHD as an independent variable and QoL as a dependent variable. Our results showed that both adult ADHD and ANX/DEP symptoms significantly mediated the association between childhood ADHD and QoL (PM=0.71 for ANX/DEP, PM=0.78 for adult ADHD symptoms, and PM=0.91 for both). The significance of negative correlations between childhood ADHD and four domains of adult QoL disappeared after adding these two mediators in the model. Our findings suggested that the strong relationship between childhood ADHD and adult life quality can be explained by the presence of persistent ADHD symptoms and co-occurring ANX/DEP. These two mediators are recommended to be included in the assessment and intervention for ADHD to offset the potential adverse life quality outcome in ADHD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Welfare, Quality of Life, and Euthanasia of Aged Horses.

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Catherine M; Ireland, Joanne L

2016-08-01

Duration of ownership strengthens the human-horse bond, affecting decision-making about the horse's welfare, quality of life (QoL), and euthanasia. Most owners consider their geriatric horses to have good or excellent QoL; however, increasing age is negatively associated with QoL. Management factors are important. The most common reasons for euthanasia include musculoskeletal disorders or lameness, colic, and nonspecific chronic diseases. The decision to euthanize is difficult, so the advice of the veterinarian and QoL are important. This article focuses on the human-horse bond, assessment of QoL, reasons for euthanasia, and owner experiences of mortality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Urticaria: impact on quality of life and economic cost.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donnell, Brigid F

2014-02-01

Patients with urticaria suffer itch, swellings, fatigue caused by sleep disturbance and the side effects of medication, and disruption of many facets of their lives. Much progress has been made in formally evaluating the degree of quality-of-life (QoL) impairment suffered by patients with urticaria. This review focuses on QoL in chronic urticaria (>6 weeks duration) and examines QoL measures, including the chronic urticaria-quality of life questionnaire (CU-Q2oL). Patients with urticaria have difficulty identifying and coping with their emotions. The psychiatric comorbidity and the financial burden on the patient and society because of chronic urticaria, is also examined.

Impact of orthodontic treatment on self-esteem and quality of life of adult patients requiring oral rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

de Couto Nascimento, Vanessa; de Castro Ferreira Conti, Ana Cláudia; de Almeida Cardoso, Maurício; Valarelli, Danilo Pinelli; de Almeida-Pedrin, Renata Rodrigues

2016-09-01

To evaluate whether orthodontic treatment in adults requiring oral rehabilitation is effective for increasing patients' self-esteem and quality of life (QoL). The sample consisted of 102 adult patients (77 women and 25 men) aged between 18 and 66 years (mean, 35.1 years) requiring oral rehabilitation and orthodontic treatment simultaneously. Rosenberg's Self-Esteem (RSE) Scale and a questionnaire about QoL based on the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) were used to determine self-esteem and QoL scores retrospectively. Questionnaires were carried out in two stages, T1 (start of treatment) and T2 (6 months after). To compare score changes between T1 and T2, the data obtained from the RSE Scale were evaluated with paired t tests, and data from the quality-of-life questionnaire were assessed by applying descriptive statistics. The results showed a statistically significant increase in self-esteem (P < .001) and a great improvement on patients' QoL. Orthodontic treatment causes a significant increase in self-esteem and QoL, providing psychological benefits for adult patients in need of oral rehabilitation.

"Quality of Life in Adults with Non-Syndromic Craniosynostosis".

Science.gov (United States)

Mazzaferro, Daniel M; Naran, Sanjay; Wes, Ari M; Magee, Leanne; Taylor, Jesse A; Bartlett, Scott P

2018-03-19

While studies have analyzed quality of life (QOL) in children with non-syndromic craniosynostosis (NSC), to date nobody has investigated long-term QOL in adults with NSC. The purpose of this study is to compare QOL in adult NSC patients with a cohort of unaffected controls. We queried our institution's prospectively maintained craniofacial registry for NSC patients 18 years and older, and administered the validated World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Responses were compared, using a two-sample t-test, to an age-matched, United States, normative database provided by the World Health Organization (WHO). 151 adults met inclusion criteria: 52 were successfully contacted and 32 completed the WHOQOL-BREF. Average age of respondents was 23.0±6.1 years old (range, 18.1 to 42.1). 12 subjects had metopic synostosis, 15 had unicoronal, and 5 had sagittal. NSC patients had a superior quality of life compared to comparative norms in all domains: physical health (17.8±2.7 vs. 15.5±3.2, p0.05), while all individual subtypes maintained superior or equivalent QOL relative to controls. Demographic variables, Whitaker score, and number of surgical interventions did not correlate with differences in QOL. Adult patients previously treated for NSC perceive their quality of life to be high, superior to that of a normative United States sample. Future work will seek to analyze additional patients and better understand the reasons behind these findings.

Exercise and Quality of Life: Strengthening the Connections

OpenAIRE

Hacker, Eileen

2009-01-01

Exercise improves quality of life (QOL) in people with cancer. Most oncology healthcare providers recognize the statement to be true because the research literature provides strong support for the physical and psychological benefits of exercise. Because the terms exercise, QOL, and people with cancer have different meanings, the contextual connections in which they are used are important to understanding the relationship between exercise and QOL in people with cancer. This article explores th...

Quality of life in survivors of squamous cell carcinoma of oral and oropharyngeal patients in karachi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqvi, S.U.; Farrukh, M.S.; Begum, K.

2017-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate quality of life (QOL) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral and oropharyngeal region. Methodology: This is prospective longitudinal study was conducted at ENT department Dow University Hospital and Radiotherapy Department KIRAN from November 2012 to November 2015. It included 56 patients of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of oral cavity and oropharynx regions who had completed cancer treatment (Wide local excision +/-Neck dissection +/- Radiotherapy). UW QOL questionnaire is taken as the tool to analyze the quality improvement in the domains of pain, appearance, activity, recreation, swallowing, chewing, speech, shoulder, taste, saliva, mood and anxiety. Comparative analysis used to assess all 12 factors associated with cancer patients. A paired t-test was used to compare preoperative and 6 months or more post-operative QOL rating. Results: Six months or more after surgery, 13 patients were lost to follow up and 9 died. 34 patients completed the UW QOL. Cancer Survivors presented overall significantly poorer QOL. QOL improved in the domains of activity, shoulder pain, mood and anxiety. Conclusion: This study recommend Quality of life assessment of oral and oropharyngeal cancers which may contribute to functional, psychological and somatic limitations and likely alter the treatment methodology where cure of cancer is equally good for any modality. This study also identifies that cases of early cancer of oral and oropharyngeal region would not compromise QOL of the patients significantly. (author)

The impact of oropharynegeal dysphagia on quality of life in individuals with age over 50 years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bibi, S.; Iqblal, A.; Ayaz, S.B.; Khan, A.A.; Matee, S.

2015-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the demographics of individuals presented with oropharyngeal dysphagia, correlation of different demographic factors with the quality of life (QOL) after validation of the Urdu translation of Swallowing Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey, carried out at the speech and language therapy department of Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Rawalpindi from July 2013 to January 2014 enrolling patients > 50 years of age with oropharyngeal dysphagia and scoring them on Urdu translation of SWAL-QOL questionnaire. The reliability of the tool was measured through Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Results: Of 40 patients, majority (60%) were males, married (62.5 %), illiterate (80%) and settling in age group of 51- 61 years. Most of them were from Punjab (30%) and Sindh (30%). The most common primary pathology was stroke (47.5%).The mean SWAL-QOL score was 147±13 (Range: 124 - 176). Most domains of questionnaire had Cronbach's alpha coefficient = 0.7. No variable was found to be significantly affecting SWAL-QOL score. Conclusion: The Urdu-translated version of SWAL-QOL is a valid tool. QOL in Pakistani patients of age > 50 years with oropharyngeal dysphagia is adversely affected, however, it does not depend on age, gender, marital status, education, ethnicity based on provinces or primary pathology for dysphagia. (author)

Dietary and physical activity behaviours related to obesity-specific quality of life and work productivity: baseline results from a worksite trial.

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Cash, Stephanie Whisnant; Beresford, Shirley A A; Henderson, Jo Ann; McTiernan, Anne; Xiao, Liren; Wang, C Y; Patrick, Donald L

2012-09-28

Obesity is associated with impaired health-related quality of life (QOL) and reduced productivity; less is known about the effect of dietary factors. The present study investigated how dietary behaviours, physical activity and BMI relate to weight-specific QOL and work productivity. The study was conducted in thirty-one small blue-collar and service industry worksites in Seattle. Participants were 747 employees (33·5 % non-White). Measures included self-reported servings of fruits and vegetables, dietary behaviours such as fast food consumption, Godin free-time physical activity scores, measured height and weight, Obesity and Weight-Loss QOL (OWLQOL) scores, and Work Limitations Questionnaire scores. Baseline data were analysed using linear mixed models separately for men (n 348) and women (n 399), since sex modified the effects. BMI was negatively associated with OWLQOL in both women (P increase in BMI was 30 (95 % CI 25, 44) % for women and 14 (95 % CI 10, 17) % for men. BMI was positively associated with productivity loss only in women (exp(slope) = 1·46, 95 % CI 1·02, 2·11, P = 0·04). Eating while doing another activity was negatively associated with OWLQOL scores in men (P = 0·0006, independent of BMI) and with productivity in women (P = 0·04, although the effect diminished when adjusting for BMI). Fast-food meals were associated with decreased productivity in men (P = 0·038, independent of BMI). The results suggest that obesogenic dietary behaviours and higher BMI are associated with decreased QOL and productivity to different degrees in women and men.

Quality of life in primary school children: The Health Oriented Pedagogical Project (HOPP).

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Ringdal, Kristen; Ringdal, Gerd Inger; Olsen, Helene Kristin; Mamen, Asgeir; Fredriksen, Per Morten

2018-05-01

The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between parents' level of education, measurements of physical attributes, and quality of life in a general sample of primary school children. The children's and the parents' versions of the Inventory of Life Quality in Children and Adolescents (ILC) were used to measure health-related quality of life (QOL) in 2140 school children (response rate 93%) and 1639 parents (response rate 71%) recruited from nine primary schools in Norway. A set of physical characteristics were also measured in the children: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, average daily minutes of physical activity, aerobic fitness, and handgrip strength. The regression analysis showed stronger relationships between the covariates and QOL for the parents' assessments than for the children's. Parents' level of education was significantly related to children's QOL, with the strongest association for parental QOL assessment. Among the physical variables, aerobic fitness ( B = 0.01, p > .001 in both samples), and handgrip strength in the parents' sample ( B = 0.21, p < .05) were significantly related to the children's QOL. The present study replicated the well-known finding that parents' sociodemographic status is important for children's QOL. Our new contribution is to show that the physiological variables aerobic fitness and muscular strength also contributed significantly to explain variance in QOL. This opens up interesting perspectives on how to improve QOL among children through more emphasis on physical activity and physical fitness in schools.

Hand eczema severity and quality of life

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Agner, Tove; Andersen, Klaus E; Brandao, Francisco M

2008-01-01

Background and Objectives: Hand eczema is a chronic disease with negative impact on quality of life (QoL). In this study, QoL in hand eczema patients is assessed and related to age, sex, severity, and diagnostic subgroups. Methods: A total of 416 patients with hand eczema from 10 European patch...

Quality of life research in neuro-oncology: a quantitative comparison.

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Klein, Elizabeth; Altshuler, David; Hallock, Abhirami; Szerlip, Nicholas

2014-01-01

Our understanding of the biology of neuro-oncologic disease has improved vastly over time, however overall patient survival remains relatively poor. Our goal as clinicians, therefore, should be to ensure that the quality of life (QOL) in that survival time is optimized. Here we review neuro-oncology QOL abstracts presented at major oncology conferences and the published literature to make a quantitative comparison to other common cancer subtypes. First, all abstracts presented at major oncology meetings from 2008 to 2012 were reviewed and filtered to find those related to QOL in CNS, breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Next, a Medline search was performed to identify all QOL papers published from 2003 to 2012 for the same cancer subtypes. The results were compared as absolute values and percentages. The average percentage of CNS QOL-related abstracts presented at ASCO and ASTRO over the last 5 years was 4.9 %, compared to 6.4 % for breast, 4.4 % for lung, and 6.1 % for prostate. There is a significant difference in total percentage of QOL abstracts over the time period when comparing CNS to breast and prostate, but not lung (p neuro-oncology research. We need to improve this by standardizing QOL measures and including them in every outcome study.

[Factors influencing the quality of life of elderly living in a pre-fabricated housing complex in the Sichuan earthquake area].

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Guo, Hong-Xia; Chen, Hong; Wong, Teresa Bik-Kwan Tsien; Chen, Qian; Au, May-Lan; Li, Yun

2012-02-01

The 2008 Sichuan Earthquake caused great damage to the environment and property. In the aftermath, many citizens were relocated to live in newly constructed prefabricated (prefab) communities. This paper explored the current quality of life (QOL) of elderly residents living in prefabricated communities in areas damaged by the Sichuan earthquake and identified factors of influence on QOL values. The ultimate objective was to provide evidence-based guidance for heath improvement measures. The authors used the short form WHOQOL-BREF to assess the quality of life of 191 elderly residents of prefabricated communities in the Sichuan Province 2008 earthquake zone. A Student's t-test, variance analysis, and stepwise multivariate regression methods were used to test the impact of various factors on QOL. Results indicate the self-assessed QOL of participants as good, although scores in the physical (average 56.2) and psychological (average 45.7) domains were significantly lower than the norm in China. Marital status, capital loss in the earthquake, number of children, level of perceived stress, income, interest, and family harmony each correlated with at least one of the short form WHOQOL-BREF domains in t-test and one-way analyses. After excluding for factor interaction effects using multivariate regression, we found interest, family harmony, monthly income and stress to be significant predictors of physical domain QOL, explaining 13.8% of total variance. Family harmony and interest explained 15.3% of total variance for psychological domain QOL; stress, marital status, family harmony, capital loss in the earthquake, number of children and interest explained 19.5% of total variance for social domain QOL; and stress, family harmony and interest explained 16.5% of total variance for environmental domain QOL. Family harmony and interest were significant factors across all domains, while others influenced a smaller proportion. Quality of life for elderly living in prefab

Quality of life of patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: from adolescence to young men.

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Lue, Yi-Jing; Chen, Shun-Sheng; Lu, Yen-Mou

2017-07-01

This study investigated quality of life (QOL) in adolescent and young men with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Health-related QOL and global QOL were assessed with the Short Form 36 (SF-36) and World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). Associations between functional status and QOL were assessed. All domains of the SF-36 were below Taiwan norms (effect size: -14.2 to -0.5), especially Physical Function, Role Physical, and Social Function. Three of the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF were below Taiwan norms (effect size: -2.0 to -0.7). The Physical Function of the SF-36 was moderately correlated with functional status (mobility, basic activities of daily living, and arm function). The Social Function of the SF-36 and Social Relationships of the WHOQOL-BREF were also moderately correlated with functional status (impairment, basic activities of daily living, and arm function). The adolescent and young men with DMD had poor health-related and global QOL. Poor QOL was related to both physical condition and social health. We suggest that rehabilitation programs focus on using assistive devices to facilitate arm function and encouraging participation in social activities to improve the QOL of patients with DMD. Implications for rehabilitation Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a progressive muscle weakness disease that not only impacts physical health but also leads to poor quality of life in many domains. A valuable rehabilitation goal for patients with DMD is to encourage participation in social activities. Medical care and educational programs should plan a formal transition processes for patients with DMD from pediatric to adult care to maximum their quality of life. Arm function is associated with many domains of global quality of life, so a key element in improving quality of life may be to improve arm function.

Is the concept of quality of life relevant for multiple sclerosis patients with cognitive impairment? Preliminary results of a cross-sectional study.

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Karine Baumstarck

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cognitive impairment occurs in about 50% of multiple sclerosis (MS patients, and the use of self-reported outcomes for evaluating treatment and managing care among subjects with cognitive dysfunction has been questioned. The aim of this study was to provide new evidence about the suitability of self-reported outcomes for use in this specific population by exploring the internal structure, reliability and external validity of a specific quality of life (QoL instrument, the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life questionnaire (MusiQoL. METHODS: DESIGN: cross-sectional study. INCLUSION CRITERIA: MS patients of any disease subtype. DATA COLLECTION: sociodemographic (age, gender, marital status, education level, and occupational activity and clinical data (MS subtype, Expanded Disability Status Scale, disease duration; QoL (MusiQoL and SF36; and neuropsychological performance (Stroop color-word test. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: confirmatory factor analysis, item-dimension correlations, Cronbach's alpha coefficients, Rasch statistics, relationships between MusiQoL dimensions and other parameters. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: One hundred and twenty-four consecutive patients were enrolled. QoL scores did not differ between the 69 cognitively non-impaired patients and the 55 cognitively impaired patients, except for the symptoms dimension. The confirmatory factor analysis performed among the impaired subjects showed that the structure of the questionnaire matched with the initial structure of the MusiQoL. The unidimensionality of the MusiQoL dimensions was preserved, and the internal validity indices were satisfactory and close to those of the reference population. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study suggests that executive dysfunction did not compromise the reliability and the validity of the self-reported QoL questionnaires.

A brief history of the Quality of Life: its use in medicine and in philosophy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pennacchini, M; Bertolaso, M; Elvira, M M; De Marinis, M G

2011-01-01

The term Quality of Life (QoL) has been increasingly used in medical and philosophical literatures for the past four decades. The purpose of this article is to analyze how QoL is being used in medicine and in philosophy to understand its current status. In the 1960s and 1970s new technologies raised new questions for clinicians, so they used QoL as a parameter for making decisions in health issues. Consequently, researchers focused their interest on the construction and testing of instruments designed to measure health and QoL. However, all these instruments showed some conceptual and methodological problems that made the use of QoL in medicine difficult. While some researchers considered QoL an "idiosyncratic mystery", others believed that QoL was useful in implementing the patient's point of view into clinical practice and they suggested improving QoL's definition and methodology. In the 1980s, some consequentialist philosophers used QoL to formulate moral judgment, in particular they justified infanticide for some severely handicapped infants, and both euthanasia and suspension of life-sustaining treatment using QoL. In the 1990s, welfarist philosophers opened a new debate about QoL and they associated it with health and happiness. These philosophers developed QoL and those other concepts as subjectivist notions; consequently their definition and their measurements pose challenges. Afterwards researchers' interest in theoretical issues regarding QoL has fallen; nevertheless, physicians have continued to use QoL in clinical practice.

Quality of life in non-melanoma skin cancer--the skin cancer quality of life (SCQoL) questionnaire

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vinding, Gabrielle Randskov; Christensen, Karl Bang; Esmann, Solveig

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Disease-specific quality of life (QoL) questionnaires are increasingly used to provide patient-reported out-come measures in both malignant and non-malignant disease. OBJECTIVE: To create, validate and test the psychometrics of the Skin Cancer Quality of Life (SCQoL), which was designed...... to measure health-related QoL in patients with non-melanoma skin cancer affecting any area and undergoing any therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The SCQoL was developed in a stepwise approach. Three pilot studies (testing content and face validity) and psychometric testing (scale structure, reliability, domains...

Quality of Life and Migraine Disability among Female Migraine Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Shaik, Munvar Miya; Hassan, Norul Badriah; Gan, Siew Hua

2015-01-01

Background. Disability caused by migraine may be one of the main causes of burden contributing to poor quality of life (QOL) among migraine patients. Thus, this study aimed to measure QOL among migraine sufferers in comparison with healthy controls. Methods. Female diagnosed migraine patients (n= 100) and healthy controls (n=100) completed the Malay version of the World Health Organization QOL Brief (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Only migraine patients completed the Malay version of the Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire. Results. Females with migraines had significantly lower total WHOQOL-BREF scores (84.3) than did healthy controls (91.9, Pmigraine patients with lower total QOL scores had 1.2 times higher odds of having disability than patients with higher total QOL scores. Conclusions. The present study showed that migraine sufferers experienced significantly lower QOL than the control group from a similar population. Disability was severe and frequent and was associated with lower QOL among the migraine patients. PMID:25632394

Determinants of quality of life in adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes

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Imayama Ikuyo

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Limited evidence exists on the determinants of quality of life (QoL specific to adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D. Further, it appears no study has compared the determinants of QoL between T1D and type 2 diabetes (T2D groups. The objectives of this study were to examine: (1 determinants of QoL in adults with T1D; and, (2 differences in QoL determinants between T1D and T2D groups. Methods The Alberta Longitudinal Exercise and Diabetes Research Advancement (ALEXANDRA study, a longitudinal study of adults with diabetes in Alberta, Canada. Adults (18 years and older with T1D (N = 490 and T2D (N = 1,147 provided information on demographics (gender, marital status, education, and annual income, personality (activity trait, medical factors (diabetes duration, insulin use, number of comorbidities, and body mass index, lifestyle behaviors (smoking habits, physical activity, and diet, health-related quality of life (HRQL and life satisfaction. Multiple regression models identified determinants of HRQL and life satisfaction in adults with T1D. These determinants were compared with determinants for T2D adults reported in a previous study from this population data set. Factors significantly associated with HRQL and life satisfaction in either T1D or T2D groups were further tested for interaction with diabetes type. Results In adults with T1D, higher activity trait (personality score (β = 0.28, p -0.27, p -0.12, p -0.14, p Conclusions Health services should target medical and lifestyle factors and provide support for T1D adults to increase their QoL. Additional social support for socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals living with this disease may be warranted. Health practitioners should also be aware that age has different effects on QoL between T1D and T2D adults.

Quality of Life after Young Ischemic Stroke of Mild Severity Is Mainly Influenced by Psychological Factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijn, M.A. de; Synhaeve, N.E.; Rijsbergen, M.W. van; Leeuw, F.E. de; Mark, R.E.; Jansen, B.P.; Kort, P.L. de

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Long-term prognosis in terms of quality of life (QoL) in young stroke patients is of importance because they usually have a long life expectancy and extensive daily life demands. We aimed at determining which medical and psychological factors influence the QoL in young stroke patients

Quality of life after young ischemic stroke of mild severity is mainly influenced by psychological factors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Bruijn, M.; Synhaeve, N.A.; van Rijsbergen, Marielle; de Leeuw, F.-E.; Mark, Ruth; Jansen, B.; de Kort, P.L.

2015-01-01

Background Long-term prognosis in terms of quality of life (QoL) in young stroke patients is of importance because they usually have a long life expectancy and extensive daily life demands. We aimed at determining which medical and psychological factors influence the QoL in young stroke patients

Quality of life is significantly impaired in non-allergic rhinitis patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Segboer, Christine L.; Terreehorst, Ingrid; Gevorgyan, Artur; Hellings, Peter W.; van Drunen, Cornelis M.; Fokkens, Wytske J.

2017-01-01

In contrast to the well-known significant impairment of quality of life (QoL) in allergic rhinitis (AR), the degree of impairment in QoL in non-allergic rhinitis (NAR) remained unknown for a long time, due to a lack of a validated questionnaire to assess QoL in the NAR patient group. In this study a

Quality of Life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey

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Retel-Rude Nathalie

2003-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Measuring health status in a population is important for the evaluation of interventions and the prediction of health and social care needs. Quality of life (QoL studies are an essential complement to medical evaluation but most of the tools available in this area are in English. In order to evaluated QoL in rural and urban areas in Lebanon, the short form 36 health survey (SF-36 was adapted into Arabic. Methods SF-36 was administered in a cross-sectional study, to collect sociodemographic and environmental variables as well as self reported morbidity. We analysed a representative sample containing 1632 subjects, from whom we randomly picked 524 subjects aged 14 years and over. The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the SF-36 followed the International Quality of Life Assessment methodology. Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model was performed to test the effect of habitat (rural on urban areas on all domains of the SF-36. Results The rate of missing data is very low (0.23% of items. Item level validation supported the assumptions underlying Likert scoring. SF-36 scale scores showed wide variability and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70, factor analysis yielded patterns of factor correlation comparable to that found in the U.S.A and France. Patients resident in rural areas had higher vitality scores than those in urban areas. Older people reported more satisfaction with some domains of life than younger people, except for physical functioning. The QoL of women is poorer than men; certain symptoms and morbidity independently influence the domains of SF-36 in this population. Conclusion The results support the validity of the SF-36 Arabic version. Habitat has a minor influence on QoL, women had a poor QoL, and health problems had differential impact on QoL.

Quality of Life in rural and urban populations in Lebanon using SF-36 Health Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Sabbah, Ibtissam; Drouby, Nabil; Sabbah, Sanaa; Retel-Rude, Nathalie; Mercier, Mariette

2003-01-01

Background Measuring health status in a population is important for the evaluation of interventions and the prediction of health and social care needs. Quality of life (QoL) studies are an essential complement to medical evaluation but most of the tools available in this area are in English. In order to evaluated QoL in rural and urban areas in Lebanon, the short form 36 health survey (SF-36) was adapted into Arabic. Methods SF-36 was administered in a cross-sectional study, to collect sociodemographic and environmental variables as well as self reported morbidity. We analysed a representative sample containing 1632 subjects, from whom we randomly picked 524 subjects aged 14 years and over. The translation, cultural adaptation and validation of the SF-36 followed the International Quality of Life Assessment methodology. Multivariate analysis (generalized linear model) was performed to test the effect of habitat (rural on urban areas) on all domains of the SF-36. Results The rate of missing data is very low (0.23% of items). Item level validation supported the assumptions underlying Likert scoring. SF-36 scale scores showed wide variability and acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha >0.70), factor analysis yielded patterns of factor correlation comparable to that found in the U.S.A and France. Patients resident in rural areas had higher vitality scores than those in urban areas. Older people reported more satisfaction with some domains of life than younger people, except for physical functioning. The QoL of women is poorer than men; certain symptoms and morbidity independently influence the domains of SF-36 in this population. Conclusion The results support the validity of the SF-36 Arabic version. Habitat has a minor influence on QoL, women had a poor QoL, and health problems had differential impact on QoL. PMID:12952543

[The subjective quality of life of patients with schizophrenia: influence of psychopathology and patients' expectations. A comparative study].

Science.gov (United States)

Salomé, F; Petitjean, F; Germain, C; Demant, J-C

2004-01-01

Most studies on the quality of life (Qol) of patients with schizophrenia deal with objective living conditions and how they are perceived by hospitalized patients. The few studies that compare Qol for patients treated in part time services with the Qol of ambulatory patients do not show any significant difference in terms of subjective Qol. Some stu-dies evaluate the influence of psychopathology and needs (or expectations) on the subjective Qol in these groups of patients. Available data indicate that the general well-being is influenced by psychopathology (positive, negative or depressive symptoms) and unmet needs in ambulatory patients. They also show that subjective Qol in certain life domains (social relations, family relations, leisure, health, law and security) is influenced by negative symptoms, anxiety and depression in patients treated in part-time services. The aim of this study is to compare the objective and subjective Qol of patients with schizophrenia treated in part time services (day hospital and day care center) to the Qol of out-patients treated on a purely ambulatory basis (out patient clinic). We studied the Qol of 2 groups of 30 patients with schizophrenia (ICD 10 criteria) treated in various centers. The first group was made of ambulatory patients, the second one was constituted of patients treated in a day hospital or a day care center. Patients were matched for age, duration of illness, number of hospitalizations. The instruments used for rating were the following: Clinical Global Impression (CGI), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Positive And Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI-10). The Qol was measured with a french version of the Lancashire Quality Of Life Profile (LQOLP) (Salomé, Germain, Petitjean, Demant and Boyer, 2000). This instrument measures the objective Qol as well as the subjective Qol. It does possess satisfying psychometric properties and offers the possibility to establish Qol profiles. All

Nonsurgical Transurethral Radiofrequency Collagen Denaturation: Results at Three Years after Treatment

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Denise M. Elser

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To assess treatment efficacy and quality of life in women with stress urinary incontinence 3 years after treatment with nonsurgical transurethral radiofrequency collagen denaturation. Methods. This prospective study included 139 women with stress urinary incontinence due to bladder outlet hypermobility. Radiofrequency collagen denaturation was performed using local anesthesia in an office setting. Assessments included incontinence quality of life (I-QOL and urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6 instruments. Results. In total, 139 women were enrolled and 136 women were treated (mean age, 47 years. At 36 months, intent-to-treat analysis (n=139 revealed significant improvements in quality of life. Mean I-QOL score improved 17 points from baseline (P=.0004, while mean UDI-6 score improved (decreased 19 points (P=.0005. Conclusions. Transurethral collagen denaturation is a low-risk, office-based procedure that results in durable quality-of-life improvements in a significant proportion of women for as long as 3 years.

How Do Deaf Adults Define Quality of Life?

Science.gov (United States)

McAbee, Emilee R.; Drasgow, Erik; Lowrey, K. Alisa

2017-01-01

Six deaf adults defined quality of life (QOL) in personal interviews. Questions were based on an eight-domain QOL framework: physical well-being, emotional well-being, interpersonal relations, social inclusion, personal development, material well-being, self-determination, and rights (Schalock & Alonso, 2002). The interview process had three…

Development and psychometric testing of the Canine Owner-Reported Quality of Life questionnaire, an instrument designed to measure quality of life in dogs with cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Giuffrida, Michelle A; Brown, Dorothy Cimino; Ellenberg, Susan S; Farrar, John T

2018-05-01

OBJECTIVE To describe development and initial psychometric testing of an owner-reported questionnaire designed to standardize measurement of general quality of life (QOL) in dogs with cancer. DESIGN Key-informant interviews, questionnaire development, and field trial. SAMPLE Owners of 25 dogs with cancer for item development and pretesting and owners of 90 dogs with cancer for reliability and validity testing. PROCEDURES Standard methods for development and testing of questionnaire instruments intended to measure subjective states were used. Items were generated, selected, scaled, and pretested for content, meaning, and readability. Response items were evaluated with exploratory factor analysis and by assessing internal consistency (Cronbach α) and convergence with global QOL as determined with a visual analog scale. Preliminary tests of stability and responsiveness were performed. RESULTS The final questionnaire-which was named the Canine Owner-Reported Quality of Life (CORQ) questionnaire-contained 17 items related to observable behaviors commonly used by owners to evaluate QOL in their dogs. Several items pertaining to physical symptoms performed poorly and were omitted. The 17 items were assigned to 4 factors-vitality, companionship, pain, and mobility-on the basis of the items they contained. The CORQ questionnaire and its factors had high internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.68 to 0.90) and moderate to strong correlations (r = 0.49 to 0.71) with global QOL as measured on a visual analog scale. Preliminary testing indicated good test-retest reliability and responsiveness to improvements in overall QOL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The CORQ questionnaire was a valid, reliable owner-reported questionnaire that measured general QOL in dogs with cancer and showed promise as a clinical trial outcome measure for quantifying changes in individual dog QOL occurring in response to cancer treatment and progression.

The Development of a Tracheostomy-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire: A Pilot Study.

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Smith, Kristine A; Bosch, John Douglas; Pelletier, Guy; MacKenzie, Marianne; Hoy, Monica Y

2016-08-01

A long-term tracheostomy can be a life-altering event and can have significant effects on patients' quality of life (QOL). There is currently no instrument available to evaluate tracheostomy-specific QOL. To address this deficiency, the objective of this study was to create and preliminarily validate a pilot tracheostomy-specific QOL questionnaire to assess its feasibility. A multidisciplinary team developed the pilot tracheostomy-specific QOL questionnaire (TQOL) in 3 phases: item generation, item review, and scale construction. The survey was administered at 0 and 2 weeks to a pilot group of tracheostomy patients with concurrent administration of a validated general QOL questionnaire at week 0. Convergence validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were the primary outcome measures. A total of 37 patients completed the study (mean tracheostomy duration = 90 weeks). The convergence validity of the TQOL was moderately strong (r = 0.72), and the test-retest reliability was strong (r = 0.75). The TQOL also demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82). The TQOL has moderately strong internal consistency, convergence validity, and test-retest reliability. While additional refinement and validation may improve the questionnaire, these initial results are promising and support further development of this tool. © The Author(s) 2016.

Influence of nutritional education on hemodialysis patients' knowledge and quality of life.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebrahimi, Hossein; Sadeghi, Mahdi; Amanpour, Farzaneh; Dadgari, Ali

2016-03-01

To determine the effects of educational instructions on hemodialysis patients' knowledge and quality of life (QOL), we studied 99 patients randomly assigned to control and experimental groups after participation in a pretest exam. The two groups were not significantly different in terms of demographic composition. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire regarding patients' knowledge and the standard questionnaire to assess QOL for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Then, intervention (nutritional education) was conducted in the experimental group lasting for 12 weeks. After 16 weeks, a post test regarding subjects' knowledge on dietary instructions and their QOL were as conducted. There was no significant difference in QOL score and knowledge score before and after intervention in the control group, but there was a significant difference in the experimental group. In addition, after the intervention, the difference in knowledge and QOL score persisted between the two groups. The results of this study supported the positive effects of educational program on patients' knowledge and QOL among ESRD patients. It is recommended that dietary instruction be included in all educational programs to improve ESRD patients' QOL.

Main and interactive effects of emotion dysregulation and HIV symptom severity on quality of life among persons living with HIV/AIDS.

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Brandt, Charles P; Jardin, Charles; Sharp, Carla; Lemaire, Chad; Zvolensky, Michael J

2017-04-01

HIV symptoms are associated with a poorer quality of life (QOL) among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Yet, there is little understanding of emotional factors that impact the relation between HIV symptom severity and QOL. The present study examined the main and interactive effects of emotion dysregulation and HIV symptom severity on multiple indices of QOL, including physical (impact of physical problems related to HIV), psychological (frequency of negative feelings), independence (necessity of medical treatment to function in daily life), social (feelings of acceptance), environmental (satisfaction with living conditions and medical care), and spiritual (fear of the future and death) among a sample of 74 PLWHA. Participants (72.9% male; mean age = 48.24, SD = 7.85) were recruited from AIDS Service Organizations in the United States. Results indicated that higher HIV symptom severity is significantly associated with lower physical and independence QOL, whereas higher emotion dysregulation is significantly associated with lower scores on all measured aspects of QOL. Additionally, results indicated that the interaction of emotion dysregulation and HIV symptom severity was significantly associated with both physical and environmental QOL. The form of the observed significant interactions indicated that HIV symptom severity was related to poorer QOL among those with lower (versus higher) emotion dysregulation. The present findings indicate that emotion dysregulation is related to QOL among PLWHA and may interact with HIV symptom severity to negatively impact certain aspects of QOL. Given the profound impact that HIV has on QOL, this finding is important in understanding these relations mechanistically, and may be important in the development of novel psychological treatment strategies.

Quality of life and its determinants in people living with human immunodeficiency virus infection in Puducherry, India

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T Mahalakshmy

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Context: With anti-retroviral therapy (ART for human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV coming into picture, quality of life (QOL has gained importance. Knowledge on the factors affecting QOL would be helpful in making important policy decisions and health care interventions. Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLWH and to identify the factors influencing their QOL. Materials and Methods: The study was done among 200 PLWH attending a tertiary care hospital, and three Non Governmental Organizations at Puducherry, India, from November 2005 to May 2007. QOL was assessed using HIV specific World Health Organization Quality Of Life scale (WHOQOL-HIV - BREF questionnaire which has six domains (physical, psychological, level of independence, social relationships, environment and spirituality/religiousness/personal belief. Social support and stigma were measured using "Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support" and "HIV Stigma Scale," respectively, using Likert Scale. Factors influencing QOL were identified using backward stepwise multiple linear regression with the six domain scores as the dependent variables. Results: Male: Female ratio was 1:1 and 58% were in early stage of the disease (stage I/II. Psychological and SRPB (Spirituality Religiousness and Personal Beliefs domains were the most affected domains. All the regression models were statistically significant (P<0.05. The determination coefficient was highest for the social relationship domain (57% followed by the psychological domain (51%. Disease stage and perceived social support significantly influenced all the domains of WHOQOL. Younger age, female gender, rural background, shorter duration of HIV, non-intake of ART and greater HIV related stigma were the high risk factors of poor QOL. Conclusion: Interventions such as ART, family, vocational and peer counseling would address these modifiable factors influencing QOL, thereby

Quality of life and related concepts in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

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Den Oudsten, Brenda L; Van Heck, Guus L; De Vries, Jolanda

2007-08-15

Several studies have investigated the quality of life (QOL) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to review the conceptual and methodological quality of quality of life (QOL) studies among patients with PD and to identify factors associated with poor (HR)QOL. Computerized bibliographic databases were screened for publications from 1960 to January 2007. According to a list of predefined criteria, the methodological quality of the 61 studies, was moderate. The term 'QOL' was often used inappropriately. In fact, almost all studies in this review actually assessed health status (HS) instead of QOL. The functioning of patients with PD on physical, social, and emotional domains is affected by PD. Their HS seems to be lower when compared to healthy persons or patients with other chronic diseases. HS studies augment the insight in self-perceived functioning. Therefore, HS is conceived as a valuable construct. However, QOL is also an important factor in health care. Attention towards QOL is needed in order to draw valid conclusions regarding a person's subjective experience of well-being in a broad sense. In order to accomplish this, future studies should apply the QOL concept with more rigor, should use an adequate operational definition, and should employ sound measures. Copyright (c) 2007 Movement Disorder Society.

Health-related quality of life in long-term survivors of testicular cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rossen, Philip Blach; Pedersen, Anette Fischer; Zachariae, Robert

2009-01-01

PURPOSE: A growing number of patients with testicular cancer (TC) become long-term survivors. As a consequence, quality-of-life (QOL) issues become increasingly important. The objective of this study was to investigate QOL among Danish TC survivors. METHODS: A long-term follow-up assessment of all...... patients with TC treated at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark between 1990 and 2000 was conducted. A total of 401 survivors (response rate, 66%) completed questionnaires concerning QOL (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30), depression (Beck...

Quality of life and sex-differences in a South-Eastern Nigerian stroke ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study set out to provide preliminary data on the QOL of stroke survivors in South-Eastern Nigeria and also investigate sex-differences in the QOL. Methods One hundred and three volunteering stroke survivors (53 males, 50 females) were recruited from various settings. The Stroke-Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL) scale ...

Analysis of quality of life among asthmatic individuals with obesity and its relationship with pulmonary function: cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Letícia Baltieri

2017-07-01