Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Improved QOL (improved + qol)
Selected AbstractsCognitive-behavioral stress management improves stress-management skills and quality of life in men recovering from treatment of prostate carcinomaCANCER, Issue 1 2004Frank J. Penedo Ph.D. Abstract BACKGROUND The current study evaluated the efficacy of a 10-week, group-based, cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention relative to a half-day seminar in improving quality of life (QoL) among men who were treated for localized prostate carcinoma (PC) with either radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiation therapy. METHODS Ninety-two men were assigned randomly to either the 10-week CBSM group intervention or a 1-day seminar (control group). The intervention was designed to improve QoL by helping participants to identify and effectively manage stressful experiences and was focused on the treatment-related sequelae of PC. RESULTS A hierarchical regression model was used to predict postintervention QoL. The final model, including all predictors and relevant covariates (i.e., income, baseline QoL, ethnicity, and group condition), explained 62.1% of the variance in QoL scores. Group assignment was a significant predictor (, = , 0.14; P = 0.03) of QoL after the 10-week intervention period, even after controlling for ethnicity, income, and baseline QoL. Post-hoc analyses revealed that individuals in the CBSM intervention condition showed significant improvements in QoL relative to men in the 1-day control seminar. Improved QoL was mediated by greater perceived stress-management skill. CONCLUSIONS A 10-week cognitive-behavioral group intervention was effective in improving the QoL in men treated for PC, and these changes were associated significantly with intervention-associated increases in perceived stress-management skills. Cancer 2004;100:192,200. © 2003 American Cancer Society. [source] Insight, quality of life, and functional capacity in middle-aged and older adults with schizophreniaINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 7 2008Ashley S. Roseman Abstract Objective The quality of life (QOL) for individuals with schizophrenia is determined by a number of factors, not limited to symptomatology. The current study examined lack of insight as one such factor that may influence subjective QOL or functional capacity. It was hypothesized that insight would significantly interact with symptom severity to influence subjective QOL. Insight was not expected to influence the relation between symptom severity and functional capacity. Methods Participants were middle-aged and older outpatients who met diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder, and subsyndromal depression. Insight, psychopathology, and subjective QOL were assessed via semi-structured interviews and functional capacity was assessed via performance-based measures. Results Insight interacts with negative symptom severity to predict subjective QOL. Severity of negative symptoms and insight contribute directly to functional capacity. Conclusions Individuals with intact insight may be better able to manage their symptoms, resulting in improved QOL. Treatment implications for improving the QOL of middle age and older adults with schizophrenia are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Changes in quality of life for patients with chronic venous insufficiency, present or healed leg ulcersJOURNAL DER DEUTSCHEN DERMATOLOGISCHEN GESELLSCHAFT, Issue 11 2009Regina Renner Summary Background: Patients with chronic leg ulcers are handicapped in daily life, both by physical complaints and social problems. The aim of our study was not only to assess a possible impairment of quality of life (QOL) of leg ulcer patients but also to evaluate if there is a real improvement of QOL after healing of the ulcer. Patients with chronic venous insufficiency served as the control group. We further analyzed if there were significant differences in the response between patients who were and were not performing compression therapy. Patients and method: We interviewed three groups of patients (active venous leg ulcer, healed venous leg ulcer and patients with chronic venous insufficiency using the ,Freiburger Life Quality Assessment für Venenerkrankungen" (FLQAv). Results: Physical problems, daily handicaps and social problems all increased with age. Contrary to our expectations, healing of a leg ulcer did not lead to a significant increase in QOL. Instead, patients with active ulcers did not regard their QOL as lower than those in the other groups. Compression therapy also did not impair QOL in the three groups. Conclusion: Even though ulcer healing is an admirable goal, it does not necessarily lead to an improved QOL, probably because of the numerous comorbidi-ties in this patient group. Nonetheless, it is important to control problems associated directly with the wound to allow ulcer patients to participate actively in everyday life and minimize social problems. [source] Post-transplantation growth among pediatric recipients of liver transplantationPEDIATRIC TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 4 2005Idris V.R. Evans Abstract:, Improving a patient's quality-of-life (QOL) post-liver transplantation is of great importance. An aspect of improved QOL is the restoration of normal growth patterns in pediatric patients. To describe the post-transplantation growth patterns of 72 children included in the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases , Liver Transplantation Database (NIDDK-LTD), multilevel models were used, according to which children who waited more than a year for transplantation were smaller, compared with age and sex matched peers, at transplantation than children who waited less than a year while children who were growth retarded at transplantation experienced a larger yearly comparison height increase than children who were not growth retarded. The analysis also showed that boys older than 2 yr and younger than 13 yr at transplantation and girls older than 2 yr and younger than 11 yr at transplantation were significantly less growth retarded at transplantation than boys and girls under the age of 2 yr at transplantation. [source] Effects of weight training on quality of life in recent breast cancer survivorsCANCER, Issue 9 2006The Weight Training for Breast Cancer Survivors (WTBS) study Abstract BACKGROUND Aerobic exercise training has been shown to have beneficial effects on quality of life (QOL) in breast cancer survivors. However, the effects of weight training on psychological benefits are unknown. We sought to examine the effects of weight training on changes in QOL and depressive symptoms in recent breast cancer survivors. METHODS A convenience sample of 86 survivors (4-36 months posttreatment) was randomized into treatment and control groups. The primary outcomes were changes in QOL (CARES short form) and depressive symptoms (CES-D) between baseline and month 6 in this randomized controlled trial. RESULTS Over 6 months the physical global QOL score improved in the treatment group compared with the control group (Standardized Difference = 0.62, P = .006). The psychosocial global score also improved significantly in the treatment group compared with the control group (Standardized Difference = 0.52, P = .02). There were no changes in CES-D scores. Increases in upper body strength were correlated with improvements in physical global score (r = 0.32; P <.01) and psychosocial global score (r = 0.30; P <.01). Increases in lean mass were also correlated with improvements in physical global score (r = 0.23; P <.05) and psychosocial global score (r = 0.24; P <.05). CONCLUSION Twice-weekly weight training for recent breast cancer survivors may result in improved QOL, in part via changes in body composition and strength. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society. [source] Switching from a preserved to a preservative-free prostaglandin preparation in topical glaucoma medicationACTA OPHTHALMOLOGICA, Issue 3 2010Hannu Uusitalo Abstract. Purpose:, The purpose of this study was to investigate the tolerability and intraocular pressure (IOP) reducing effect of the first preservative-free prostaglandin tafluprost (Taflotan®) in patients exhibiting ocular surface side-effects during latanoprost (Xalatan®) treatment. Methods:, A total of 158 patients were enrolled in this open-label multicentre study. Eligible patients had to have at least two ocular symptoms, or one sign and one symptom, during treatment with latanoprost. At baseline, the patients were directly switched from latanoprost to preservative-free tafluprost for 12 weeks. The patients were queried for ocular symptoms, and ocular signs were assessed by using tear break-up time, Schirmer's test, fluorescein staining and evaluation of conjunctival hyperaemia and blepharitis. In addition, HLA-DR and MUC5AC in conjunctival impression cytology specimens were analyzed, and a drop discomfort/quality of life (QoL) questionnaire was employed. IOP was measured at all visits. Results:, Preservative-free tafluprost maintained IOP at the same level after 12- weeks treatment (16.4 ± 2.7 mmHg) as latanoprost at baseline (16.8 ± 2.5 mmHg). During treatment with preservative-free tafluprost, the number of patients having irritation/burning/stinging (56.3%), itching (46.8%), foreign body sensation (49.4%), tearing (55.1%) and dry eye sensation (64.6%) decreased to 28.4%, 26.5%, 27.1%, 27.1% and 39.4% correspondingly. The number of the patients with abnormal fluorescein staining of cornea (81.6%) and conjunctiva (84.2%), blepharitis (60.1%), conjunctival hyperaemia (84.2%) and abnormal Schirmer's test (71.5%) was also reduced significantly to 40.6%, 43.2%, 40.6%, 60.0% and 59.4% correspondingly. The tear break-up time improved significantly from 4.5 ± 2.5 seconds to 7.8 ± 4.9 seconds. A reduction in the number of patients with abnormal conjunctival cells based on HLA-DR and MUC5AC was also detected. Conclusions:, Preservative-free tafluprost maintained IOP at the same level as latanoprost, but was better tolerated in patients having signs or symptoms while on preserved latanoprost. Preservative-free tafluprost treatment resulted in improved QoL, increased patient satisfaction and drop comfort. [source] | ||||||||||