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Kinds of Short Form Terms modified by Short Form Selected AbstractsValidation of the Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale by comparison with the Short Form 36 scale among psychiatric outpatients with major depressive disorderDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 6 2009Ching-I Hung M.D. Abstract Background: The Depression and Somatic Symptoms Scale (DSSS) is a self-administered scale developed for monitoring both depression and somatic symptoms. The aims of this study were to establish the criterion-related validity of the DSSS by testing the correlation between the DSSS and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) scale and to compare the ability of the DSSS and two other scales in predicting the outcome of the SF-36. Methods: The study enrolled 135 outpatients with a major depressive episode, 95 of whom received treatment for 1 month. Four scales were administered and evaluated: the DSSS, the SF-36, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Pearson correlation was used to test correlations among scales. Multiple linear regressions were used to find the scales most effective in predicting the SF-36. Results: The three scales were significantly correlated with most of the SF-36 subscales. The depression and somatic subscales of the DSSS significantly correlated with the mental and physical subscales of the SF-36, respectively. The DSSS and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were better able to predict physical and mental subscales of the SF-36, respectively. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale had a good ability to predict functional impairment. Conclusions: Psychometric scales with appropriate somatic symptoms might be more compatible with both physical and mental dimensions of the SF-36. DSSS proved to be a valid scale for monitoring both depression and somatic symptoms in patients with depression. Future studies should test whether the DSSS is better at predicting the treatment and prognosis of depression than conventional scales for depression. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Use of the Bruininks,Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency for identifying children with motor impairmentDEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 11 2007Fotini Venetsanou MSc This study compared the consistency of the Short Form (SF) and the Long Form (LF) of the Bruininks,Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) in identifying preschool children with motor impairment (MI). One hundred and forty-four Greek preschool children participated (74 males, 70 females; mean age 5y 2mo [SD 5mo], range 4y 6mo-5y 6mo). Although total SF and LF scores were highly correlated (r=0.85), paired t -tests indicated significant differences (t=-27.466, p=0.001). SF total scores (mean 58.72 [SD 7.28]) were higher than LF total scores (mean 47.38 [SD 9.43]). SF had low sensitivity (13.6%) and negative predictive value (72.5%) for identifying MI. The BOTMP-SF does not appear to be a valid test for the identification of MI in 5-year-old children. [source] Diabetes Care Protocol: effects on patient-important outcomes.DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 4 2010A cluster randomized, non-inferiority trial in primary care Diabet. Med. 27, 442,450 (2010) Abstract Aims, The Diabetes Care Protocol (DCP) combines task delegation, intensification of diabetes treatment and feedback. It reduces cardiovascular risk in Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. This study determines the effects of DCP on patient-important outcomes. Methods, A cluster randomized, non-inferiority trial, by self-administered questionnaires in 55 Dutch primary care practices: 26 practices DCP (1699 patients), 26 usual care (1692 patients). T2DM patients treated by their general practitioner were included. Main outcome was the 1-year between-group difference in Diabetes Health Profile (DHP-18) total score. Secondary outcomes: DHP-18 subscales, general perceived health [Medical Outcomes Study 36-Items Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Euroqol 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) and Euroqol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS)], treatment satisfaction (Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire; DTSQ status) and psychosocial self-efficacy (Diabetes Empowerment Scale Short Form; DES-SF). Per protocol (PP) and intention-to-treat (ITT) analyses were performed: non-inferiority margin , = ,2%. At baseline 2333 questionnaires were returned and 1437 1 year thereafter. Results, Comparing DCP with usual care, DHP-18 total score was non-inferior: PP ,0.88 (95% CI ,1.94 to 0.12), ITT ,0.439 (95% CI ,1.01 to 0.08), SF-36 ,health change' improved: PP 3.51 (95% CI 1.23 to 5.82), ITT 1.91 (95% CI 0.62 to 3.23), SF-36 ,social functioning' was inconclusive: PP ,1.57 (95% CI ,4.3 to 0.72), ITT ,1.031 (95% CI ,2.52 to ,0.25). Other DHP and SF-36 scores were inconsistent or non-inferior. DHP-18 ,disinhibited eating' was significantly worse in PP analyses. For EQ-5D/EQ-VAS, DTSQ and DES-SF, no significant between-group differences were found. Conclusion, DCP does not seem to influence health status negatively, therefore diabetes care providers should not shrink from intensified treatment. However, they should take possible detrimental effects on ,social functioning' and ,disinhibited eating' into account. [source] The application of computer touch-screen technology in screening for psychosocial distress in an ambulatory oncology settingEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CANCER CARE, Issue 4 2002A. ALLENBY DN, MEDST The objective of the study was to evaluate the acceptability and feasibility of computer touch-screen technology as a method for patients to report psychosocial functioning in an ambulatory cancer clinic. Patients participating in a randomized trial evaluating the use of self-reported psychosocial information in the clinical encounter were surveyed. The patients completed the Cancer Needs Questionnaire (CNQ), European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Beck Depression Inventory , Short Form (BDI) using a touch-screen computer. The time taken to complete the questionnaires was recorded electronically. Patients completed a seven-item pen and paper survey to assess acceptability of the process. Of the 450 patients, 244 (54%) were 60 years or older. Although over half the patients had no prior computer experience, nearly all found the touch screen easy to use and the instructions easy to understand. Each question was answered by at least 447 (99.3%) patients. The average time to complete the CNQ was 9.1 min, EORTC QLQ-C30 4.0 min and BDI 3.1 min. Factors influencing time to completion were prior use of computers, physical condition, education and overall level of needs. The study found that the use of computer touch-screen technology is an acceptable and efficient method for obtaining self-reported information on quality of life, cancer needs and psychological distress. [source] Health-related quality of life in patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome and Xerostomia: a comparative studyGERODONTOLOGY, Issue 1 2002Jocelyne Rostron Abstract Objective: To compare the health status of groups of Primary Sjögren's and Xerostomia patients, using the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF-36). The SF-36 is a generic measure, divided into eight domains, used in the assessment of health-related quality of life. Patients and methods: The SF-36 was given to 2 groups: Group 1 comprised 43 patients diagnosed with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome (1SS) and an unstimulated whole salivary flow rate (UFR) of <0.1 ml/min). Group 2 (n = 40) reported Xerosiomia but had an UFR >0.2 ml/min. Sub groups of patients in Groups 1 and 2 were compared with community normative data, for the SF-36 Results: There were trends to suggest lower SF36 scores for 1SS patients but there were no significant differences between the mean domain scores of Groups 1 and 2. 1SS and Xerostomia patients registered lower mean scores across all 8 domains, compared with normative community data. Conclusion: The SF-36 was unable to detect significant differences between subjects with 1SS and Xerostomia but a larger sample size is required to confirm these findings. The results of this limited study suggest that a disease-specific measure is required to assess the impact 1SS on health-related Quality of life (QOL). [source] A view from the bridge: agreement between the SF-6D utility algorithm and the Health Utilities IndexHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 11 2003Bernie J. O'Brien Abstract Background: The SF-6D is a new health state classification and utility scoring system based on 6 dimensions (,6D') of the Short Form 36, and permits a "bridging" transformation between SF-36 responses and utilities. The Health Utilities Index, mark 3 (HUI3) is a valid and reliable multi-attribute health utility scale that is widely used. We assessed within-subject agreement between SF-6D utilities and those from HUI3. Methods: Patients at increased risk of sudden cardiac death and participating in a randomized trial of implantable defibrillator therapy completed both instruments at baseline. Score distributions were inspected by scatterplot and histogram and mean score differences compared by paired t -test. Pearson correlation was computed between instrument scores and also between dimension scores within instruments. Between-instrument agreement was by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: SF-6D and HUI3 forms were available from 246 patients. Mean scores for HUI3 and SF-6D were 0.61 (95% CI 0.60,0.63) and 0.58 (95% CI 0.54,0.62) respectively; a difference of 0.03 (p<0.03). Score intervals for HUI3 and SF-6D were (-0.21 to 1.0) and (0.30,0.95). Correlation between the instrument scores was 0.58 (95% CI 0.48,0.68) and agreement by ICC was 0.42 (95% CI 0.31,0.52). Correlations between dimensions of SF-6D were higher than for HUI3. Conclusions: Our study casts doubt on the whether utilities and QALYs estimated via SF-6D are comparable with those from HUI3. Utility differences may be due to differences in underlying concepts of health being measured, or different measurement approaches, or both. No gold standard exists for utility measurement and the SF-6D is a valuable addition that permits SF-36 data to be transformed into utilities to estimate QALYs. The challenge is developing a better understanding as to why these classification-based utility instruments differ so markedly in their distributions and point estimates of derived utilities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Depressive symptoms among poststroke patients in Japan: frequency distribution and factor structure of the GDSINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 10 2001Andrea S. Schreiner Abstract Objective The present study examined the nature, prevalence, and covariates of depressive symptoms among home-dwelling poststroke patients in Japan using the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-1). Poststroke results were compared with those of elderly with affective disorders and with those of healthy nonstroke elderly. Methods Poststroke patients (n,=,101) who did not also have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia, were identified from patient records at seven randomly selected hospitals with outpatient rehabilitation clinics in a metropolitan area in western Japan and invited to participate in the study. All instruments were interview-administered. Results GDS scores did not correlate with age, sex, education, functional dependence, aphasia, paralysis or presence of other chronic illnesses. However, GDS scores did correlate significantly with self-rated general health and poststroke duration. Compared with the frequency distribution in a psychiatric sample, poststroke patients had higher positive affect and lower depressed mood but similar social withdrawal scores. The factor structure of the poststroke sample differed from that of nonstroke elderly in that depressed mood items loaded with items for energy loss and memory problems. Conclusion Despite the fact that 62% of subjects scored ,,6 on the GDS, none were currently receiving assessment and/or treatment for their depressive symptoms. The frequency distribution and factor structure suggest that poststroke GDS scores reflect endorsement of functional losses such as decreased energy and impaired memory and subsequent feelings of helplessness, boredom and social withdrawal rather than decreased positive affect. Treatment should focus on dealing with these issues. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Night-time frequency, sleep disturbance and general health-related quality of life: Is there a relation?INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 1 2009Koji Yoshimura Objectives: We conducted a community-based study to determine the relationship among night-time frequency, sleep disturbance and general health-related quality of life (GHQL). Methods: A total of 2271 participants, men and women, aged 41,70 and randomly selected in three Japanese towns completed a postal questionnaire survey. This questionnaire included: the International Prostate Symptom Score, the overall incontinence score of the International Consultation of Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form for lower urinary tract symptoms, the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index for sleep problems, the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-8 for GHQL, and medical history of disease, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption. A multiple regression model was used for statistical analysis, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Although night-time frequency by itself was closely associated with most aspects of GHQL, this association disappeared in four domains (general health perception, vitality, mental health and emotional role) and in the two summary scores of the Medical Outcome Study Short Form-8 after inclusion of the influence of sleep problems represented by the total score on the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index. However, three domains (physical function, physical role, and social function) remained significantly associated with night-time frequency. Sleep problems were by far the worst risk factor for the deterioration of GHQL. Conclusions: Night-time frequency appeared to be associated with GHQL mainly by affecting sleep conditions, a symptom that independently influenced some aspects of GHQL. [source] Health-related quality of life and sexual function in women with stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladderINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 1 2008Seung-June Oh Background: We evaluated the impact of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and overactive bladder (OAB) on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and sexual function. Methods: A total of 245 women (SUI; n = 123 and OAB; n = 122) from 21 to 79 years old (mean 50.4) were included in the primary analyses. To obtain HRQOL and sexual function assessments, patients were asked to fill in the ,Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (BFLUTS)' and the ,Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36)' questionnaires. Results: Of the eight domains in the SF-36 questionnaire, only ,general health' was significantly different between the groups. Patients with SUI had a better general health than those with OAB (P = 0.016). When comparing the BFLUTS scores in the two groups, the score for ,BFLUTS-filling symptoms' was higher in the OAB group (P = 0.002) but that for ,BFLUTS-incontinence symptoms' was higher in the SUI group (P < 0.001). The score for ,BFLUTS-sex' was higher in the SUI group than in the OAB group but this was not statistically significant (P = 0.096). Of the 169 patients who had a sex life, the SUI group had experienced pain (P = 0.033) and leakage (P = 0.056) more frequently during intercourse than the OAB group. Conclusion: Both SUI and OAB have a detrimental impact on patient HRQOL in Korean women. In addition, our findings suggest that women with SUI had more frequently experienced pain during intercourse and coital incontinence than those with OAB. [source] Impact of salvage therapy for biochemical recurrence on health-related quality of life following radical prostatectomyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 3 2007Shunichi Namiki Objective: To determine the impact of salvage therapy for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP). Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2003, a total of 249 patients who underwent RP were available for 2-year follow up. Of the respondents, 203 men did not show evidence of recurrence (group A), and 46 men received salvage hormonal therapy and/or radiotherapy after RP because of a rise in PSA (group B). The general and prostate-target HRQOL was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form and University of California, Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index, respectively. Patients completed the HRQOL instruments by mail at baseline and at 24 months after RP. Results: All of the patients completed both questionnaires. At baseline no significant differences were found between the two groups in any of the HRQOL domains. There were significant improvements in mental health and social function for the patients without biochemical recurrence postoperatively. Repeated measure anova revealed significantly different patterns of alteration in several general HRQOL domains among the treatment groups. The urinary and bowel domains were equivalent between the two treatment groups at baseline and 24 months after RP. The patients treated with salvage hormonal therapy tended to show delayed recovery of sexual function. Conclusion: Using a self-administered questionnaire, biochemical recurrence following RP was found to impose a substantial burden in patients with localized prostate cancer. [source] Sex Steroid Level, Androgen Receptor Polymorphism, and Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Elderly MenJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2005Guy G. T'Sjoen MD Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression in a cohort of elderly men as assessed using a 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score and to describe the association between this score and sex steroids, androgen receptor (AR) polymorphism, and general health status. Design: Observational study on the relationship between sex steroid status and health-related parameters. Setting: Community-based. Participants: Ambulatory men (n=236 in 1997, n=192 in 2000) aged 70 and older at inclusion in 1996, interviewed in 1997 and 2000. Measurements: Serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), cortisol, and the AR gene cytosine, adenine, guanine (CAG)-repeat length polymorphism were determined. Free testosterone and free estradiol were calculated. Questionnaires included GDS, 36-item Short Form, and Rapid Disability Rating Scale,2. Results: Median age was 75.3 years (interquartile range=73.5,78.5). A GDS score of 11 or greater was found in 30 (12.7%) men. Age and GDS score were significantly interrelated (P<.01), as were all health-assessment scores. GDS scores were not related to (free) testosterone or AR polymorphism in 1997 or 2000. In 1997 only (n=236), higher GDS scores were related to higher estradiol, free estradiol, and DHEAS levels. Conclusion: The data did not support a role for testosterone in depression in elderly community-based men as assessed using the GDS. [source] Effect of Psychiatric and Other Nonmotor Symptoms on Disability in Parkinson's DiseaseJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 5 2004Daniel Weintraub MD Objectives: To examine the effect of depression and other nonmotor symptoms on functional ability in Parkinson's disease (PD). Design: A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample of PD patients receiving specialty care. Setting: The Parkinson's Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Participants: One hundred fourteen community-dwelling patients with idiopathic PD. Measurements: The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS); Hoehn and Yahr Stage; Mini-Mental State Examination; Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, depression module; probes for psychotic symptoms; Hamilton Depression Rating Scale; Geriatric Depression Scale,Short Form; Apathy Scale; and Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Disability was rated using the UPDRS activity of daily living (ADL) score and the Schwab and England ADL score. Multivariate analysis determined effect of depression and other nonmotor symptoms on disability. Results: The presence of psychosis, depressive disorder, increasing depression severity, age, duration of PD, cognitive impairment, apathy, sleepiness, motor impairment, and percentage of time with dyskinesias were related to greater disability in bivariate analyses. Entering these factors into two multiple regression analyses, only the increasing severity of depression and worsening cognition were associated with greater disability using the UPDRS ADL score, accounting for 37% of the variance in disability (P<.001). These two factors plus increasing severity of PD accounted for 54% of the variance in disability using the Schwab and England ADL score (P<.001). Conclusion: Results support and extend previous findings that psychiatric and other nonmotor symptoms contribute significantly to disability in PD. Screening for nonmotor symptoms in PD is necessary to more fully explain functional limitations. Further study is required to determine whether identifying and treating these symptoms will improve function and quality of life. [source] Effects of acupressure on menstrual distress in adolescent girls: a comparison between Hegu,Sanyinjiao Matched Points and Hegu, Zusanli single pointJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7-8 2010Huei-Mein Chen Aim and objectives., To examine a comparison between Hegu and Sanyinjiao matched points and Hegu, Zusanli single point on adolescent girls' menstrual distress, pain and anxiety perception. Background., Primary dysmenorrhoea is a major cause of temporary disability, with a prevalence ranging from 60,93%, depending upon the population and study. No one has yet compared the effects of single point and multiple point acupressures. Design., A single blind randomised experimental study was used. Methods., Adolescents (n = 134) randomly assigned to experimental groups Zusanli (n = 30), Hegu (n = 33) and Hegu,Sanyinjiao Matched Points (n = 36) received acupressure intervention protocol for 20 minutes, while the control group (n = 35) did not receive any acupressure intervention. Four instruments were used to collect data: (1) the Visual Analog Scale for Pain; (2) the Menstrual Distress Questionnaire Short Form; (3) the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire and (4) the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety. Results., During the six-month follow-up, acupressure at matched points Hegu and Sanyinjiao reduced the pain, distress and anxiety typical of dysmenorrhoea. Acupressure at single point Hegu was found, effectively, to reduce menstrual pain during the follow-up period, but no significant difference for reducing menstrual distress and anxiety perception was found. Zusanli acupressure had no significant effects of reducing menstrual pain, distress and anxiety perception. Conclusion., This controlled trial provides preliminary evidence that six-month acupressure therapy provides female adolescents with dysmenorrhoea benefits. Relevance to clinical practice., Acupressure is an effective and safe non-pharmacologic strategy for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea. We recommend the use of acupressure for self-care of primary dysmenorrhoea at Hegu and Sanyinjiao matched points and single point Hegu, as pressure placement at these points is easy for adolescent girls to learn and practice. [source] A psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Cardiovascular Limitations and Symptoms Profile in patients with coronary heart diseaseJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 17 2008Violeta Lopez Aims and objectives., The aim of this study was to translate from English and evaluate the validity, reliability and cultural relevance of the Cardiovascular Limitations and Symptoms Profile (CLASP) as a health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) measure in Chinese patients with coronary heart disease. Background., Improvement in HRQL is increasingly used as a primary outcome in determining the treatment benefit using a generic instrument. However, disease-specific instruments are being cited as more responsive and sensitive in detecting even the smallest changes in health status. Therefore, valid and reliable disease-specific measures for patients with coronary heart disease are now being developed and evaluated. Design., Questionnaire design. Methods., The translation equivalence and content validity of the Chinese version of CLASP were evaluated by an expert panel. Measurement performance was tested on a convenience sample of 369 Chinese coronary heart disease patients. Results., The instrument demonstrated good content validity (content validity index 0·94), acceptable internal consistency (>0·70), except for two subscales of angina and tiredness and significant positive correlations among the subscales of CLASP, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and the Short Form 36 Health Survey. Principal components analysis revealed nine factors that together explained 69% of the variance. Conclusions., The results of this study support that CLASP is a valid and reliable disease-specific health status measure for Chinese patients with coronary heart disease. However, further item modifications and testings are needed when considering the cross-cultural context. Relevance to clinical practice., The use of disease-specific HRQL measures could effectively evaluate nursing interventions in clinical practice. Further validations of CLASP among different diagnostic groups, such as patients with heart failure and those who have survived an acute myocardial infarction, would provide further empirical support for its use with all patients with heart disorders. [source] A comparison of pain and health-related quality of life between two groups of cancer patients with differing average levels of painJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 5 2003Barbro Boström MNSc Summary ,,A study was performed to describe and compare pain and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in two groups of cancer patients in palliative care as well as to describe the correlation between pain and HRQOL. ,,Forty-seven patients with mild average pain [Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) , 3] and 28 patients with moderate to severe average pain (VAS > 3) were included. Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36) was used to evaluate HRQOL, pain intensity levels were measured with the VAS on Pain-O-Meter. ,,Compared to patients with mild pain, patients with moderate to severe pain had statistically significant, higher pain intensity for the items ,pain at time of interview', ,worst pain in the past 24 hours' and ,pain interrupting sleep.' They also had the lowest scores of the SF-36 dimensions: physical functioning, role-physical, and bodily pain. Patients with moderate to severe pain had statistically significant, fewer months of survival. There were statistically significant positive correlations between pain items and negative correlation between pain and SF-36 dimensions. ,,The conclusion is that pain has a negative impact on HRQOL, especially on physical health and that pain increases towards the final stages of life. Even if patients have to endure symptoms such as fatigue and anxiety during their short survival time, dealing with pain is an unnecessary burden, which can be prevented. [source] Quality of life and symptom attribution in long-term colon cancer survivorsJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 2 2008Etienne Phipps PhD Aims and objectives, This study investigates how long-term colon cancer survivors evaluate their health, functional status and quality of life, and whether there are differences based on age, gender or ethnicity. Methods, Thirty long-term survivors of at least stage I colon cancer were interviewed in person between December 2004 and May 2005. The interview protocol included the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form, Quality of Life , Cancer Survivor, and study-specific questions that asked about physical and non-physical problems they attributed to colon cancer. Results, Substantial percentages of survivors attributed their problems with lack of energy (83%), sexual functioning (67%), bowel problems (63%), poor body image (47%) and emotional problems (40%) to having had colon cancer. Of those problems attributed to colon cancer, sexual functioning and pain were given the highest severity rankings by survivors. The majority of long-term colon cancer survivors reported distress regarding future diagnostic tests, a second cancer, and spread of cancer. Women reported greater problems completing daily activities as a result of physical problems (P = 0.003) and more pain (P = 0.07) than men. African Americans appear to report marginally better overall quality of life (P = 0.07) and psychological well-being than whites (P = 0.07). Conclusion, The majority of long-term colon cancer survivors with resected colon cancer and disease-free for 5 years reported problems with low energy, sexual functioning and bowel problems. [source] Psychological comorbidity and complexity of gastrointestinal symptoms in clinically diagnosed irritable bowel syndrome patientsJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY, Issue 7pt1 2008Antonina Mikocka-Walus Abstract Background and Aim:, The prevalence of psychological disorders is high in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but their role in symptom reporting is uncertain. It is thus interesting whether the number of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID) determines the load of psychological comorbidity. The Rome III criteria have not been used to evaluate such a relationship as yet. Moreover, not many studies have examined the sensitivity of the Rome III criteria in detecting IBS. Our aims were therefore: (i) to determine whether those IBS participants with more FGID had a tendency to greater psychological comorbidity than those with fewer FGID; and (ii) to assess the performance of the Rome III criteria in detecting IBS versus the diagnosis of the gastroenterologist. Methods:, A cross-sectional survey of 32 consecutive outpatients with clinically diagnosed IBS was performed. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Short Form 12 Health Survey (SF-12), and the Rome III criteria questionnaire (BDQ-6) were administered. Multiple linear regression was conducted to detect associations among FGID, anxiety, depression and quality of life. Results:, Overall, 50% of participants were anxious and 12% were depressed. Forty-four percent of participants had >two FGID; however, the number of FGID did not correlate with scores for anxiety, depression or quality of life. Amazingly, only 50% (CI: 33,67) of participants clinically diagnosed with IBS met Rome III criteria for IBS. Conclusion:, Contrary to our expectations, a greater load of FGID did not correlate with a greater load of psychological comorbidity. Surprisingly, the Rome III criteria detected only 50% of clinical cases of IBS. [source] Parenting stress in mothers of children with an intellectual disability: the effects of parental cognitions in relation to child characteristics and family supportJOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 6 2005R. Hassall Abstract Background Recent theories of stress and coping in parents of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) emphasize the importance of cognitive appraisals in influencing parents' levels of stress and their adaptations to difficulties presented by the children. This study investigated the relationships between parental cognitions, child characteristics, family support and parenting stress. The aspects of cognitions studied were: parenting self-esteem (including efficacy and satisfaction) and parental locus of control. Methods The group studied consisted of 46 mothers of children with ID. The Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales and Maladaptive Behavior Domain were administered by interview. Mothers also completed four questionnaires: the Family Support Scale, the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale, a shortened form of the Parental Locus of Control Scale and the Parenting Stress Index (Short Form). Results Data were analysed using Pearson's correlation coefficients, partial correlations and a regression analysis. The results indicated that most of the variance in parenting stress was explained by parental locus of control, parenting satisfaction and child behaviour difficulties. Whilst there was also a strong correlation between family support and parenting stress, this was mediated by parental locus of control. Conclusions The results demonstrate the potential importance of parental cognitions in influencing parental stress levels. It is argued that these results have implications for clinical interventions for promoting parents' coping strategies in managing children with ID and behavioural difficulties. [source] Association between oral health-related and general health-related quality of life in subjects attending dental offices in GermanyJOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2010Stefan Zimmer DDS Abstract Objectives: To evaluate the GHRQoL and OHRQoL of patients attending dental offices in Germany and to determine correlation coefficients between SF (Short Form)-12 and OHIP (Oral Health Impact Profile)-14 scores. Methods: A total of 10,342 dental offices were randomly selected. Each of the 1,113 that consented to participate received 20 questionnaires to be filled in by a convenience sample of the patients. The questionnaire included the OHIP-14-form for OHRQoL as well as the SF-12-form for GHRQoL. Results: A total of 12,392 completed questionnaires were analyzed. The mean age of the participants (64.9 percent female, 35.1 percent male) was 44.25 years. The mean summary score of OHIP-14 was 6.30 (SD 7.46). The mean physical component summary scale (PCS) of the SF-12 was 51.15 (SD 7.23) and the mental component summary scale (MCS) was 50.17 (SD 8.55). The variance of PCS and MCS could be explained to 10 percent each by oral health-related quality of life (r2 = 0.095 and 0.101, P < 0.001). Conclusion: OHRQoL is considerably related to GHRQoL. [source] Health-related quality of life among adult patients with moderate and severe von Willebrand diseaseJOURNAL OF THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS, Issue 7 2010E. M. DE WEE Summary.,Background:,von Willebrand Disease (VWD) is the most frequent inherited bleeding disorder. It is unknown how this disorder affects quality of life. Objectives:,This nationwide multicenter cross-sectional study determined health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in adult patients with moderate or severe VWD, and assessed whether bleeding severity and type of VWD are associated with HR-QoL. Methods:,HR-QoL was assessed using the Short Form (SF)-36, and bleeding severity was measured using the Bleeding Score (BS). Results:,Five hundred and nine patients participated; 192 males and 317 females, median age and range 45 (16,87) and 47 (16,84) years, respectively. Compared with the general population, HR-QoL in VWD patients was lower in the vitality domain (61 vs. 66 P < 0.001 for females, 67 vs. 72 P < 0.001 for males). Patients with the most severe bleeding phenotype (highest quartile BS, BS > 17) had a lower HR-QoL in eight domains than patients with a less severe bleeding type (lowest quartile BS, BS < 7) in the univariate analysis. After adjustment for age, gender, co-morbidity and employment/educational status, a more severe bleeding phenotype was associated with lower scores on the domains of physical functioning, role limitations due to physical functioning, bodily pain, general health, social functioning and physical component summary. Conclusions:,HR-QoL is lower in VWD patients compared with the general population. HR-QoL is strongly associated with bleeding phenotype. [source] The burden of constipation on quality of life: results of a multinational surveyALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2 2007A. WALD Summary Background The impact of constipation on quality of life (QoL) may vary in different cultural or national settings. Aim We studied QoL in a multinational survey to compare different social and demographic groups with and without constipation (defined according to Rome III criteria) and to detect country-specific differences among the groups studied. Methods Health-related QoL (HRQoL) was assessed with the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire in 2870 subjects in France, Germany, Italy, UK, South Korea, Brazil and USA. Results Respondents were mainly middle-aged, married or living together and part- or full-time employed. General health status, measured by the SF-36 questionnaire, was significantly worse in the constipated vs. non-constipated populations. Results were comparable in all countries. QoL scores correlated negatively with age. Constipated women reported more impaired HRQoL than constipated men. Brazilians were most affected by constipation as to their social functioning (35.8 constipated vs. 51.3 non-constipated) and general health perception (29.4 constipated vs. 54.4 non-constipated). Conclusions There are significant differences in HRQoL between constipated and non-constipated individuals and a significant, negative correlation between the number of symptoms and complaints and SF-36 scores. The study detected a correlation of constipation with QoL and the influence of social and demographic factors on HRQoL in constipated people. [source] Determinants of quality of life in chronic liver patientsALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 11 2006J. J. GUTTELING Summary Background and aim Health-related quality of life of patients with chronic liver disease has been shown to be impaired in numerous studies. However, the factors which influence health-related quality of life in treated chronic liver patients are not quite known. This is the first study to assess the impact of physical and psychosocial determinants on a weighted score of health-related quality of life in patients with chronic liver disease. Methods The data of 1175 chronic liver patients were used to assess the relationship between items of the disease-specific Liver Disease Symptom Index 2.0 and the Short Form (SF)-6D weighted utility score by means of linear regression analyses. Results Health-related quality of life was most strongly related to disease severity (B = ,0.029) and joint pain (B = ,0.023). Depression (B = ,0.014), pain in the right upper abdomen (B = ,0.014), decreased appetite (B = 0.014) and fatigue (B = ,0.013) were also strongly related to health-related quality of life. In hepatitis C virus patients, disease severity (B = ,0.037) and depression (B = ,0.030) were strong determinants of health-related quality of life. Conclusions This study shows that health-related quality of life in chronic liver patients is clearly determined by disease severity, joint pain, depression, decreased appetite and fatigue. These patients may benefit most from interventions aimed at improving adaptation to the symptoms described. [source] Employment and quality of life in liver transplant recipientsLIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 9 2007Sammy Saab The purposes of liver transplantation (LT) include the extension of survival, improvement in quality of life, and the return of the recipient as a contributing member of society. Employment is one measure of the ability to return to society. The aim of this study is to determine the factors affecting employment/subemployment after LT. A total of 308 adult liver transplant recipients who were seen at the University of California, Los Angeles were administered the Medical Outcomes Short Form 36 (SF-36) and a questionnaire regarding work history and insurance coverage. Multivariate analysis were used to identify independent variables associated with posttransplantation employment. Interaction terms were used to examine effect modification. Of 308 transplant recipients, 218 (70.8%) worked prior to transplantation, and 78 (27%) worked posttransplantation. Pretransplant variables that were independently associated with posttransplantation employment included the following: lack of disability income (odds ratio [OR] = 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-7.18; P = 0.36); health maintenance organization (HMO)/preferred provider organization (PPO) insurance (OR = 3.08; 95% CI, 1.32-7.18; P < 0.01); the number of hours worked (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.28; P < 0.01); and the lack of diabetes mellitus (OR = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.70-0.73; P < 0.01). An interaction term between disability income and hours worked prior to transplantation (OR = 0.16; 95 % CI, 0.03-0.83; P = 0.03) was independently associated with posttransplantation employment. In a separate regression model of SF-36 responses, posttransplantation physical functioning (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.10-1.26; P < 0.01) and role-physical (OR = 1.1; 95% CI, 1.02-1.16; P < 0.01) were independently associated with employment after transplantation. In conclusion, HMO or PPO insurance, lack of disability income coverage prior to transplant, the absence of diabetes mellitus, the number of hours worked prior to transplantation, and high physical functioning were associated with posttransplantation employment. Liver Transpl 13:1330,1338, 2007. © 2007 AASLD. [source] Functional outcome and quality of life of Gustilo IIIB open tibial fractures requiring free tissue transfers: A report of eight cases ,MICROSURGERY, Issue 7 2005Terumasa Boku M.D. Eight patients with type IIIB open tibial fractures requiring free tissue transfers were retrospectively reviewed. The functional outcome was evaluated by using a scoring system developed by Puno et al. (Microsurgery 17:167,173, 1996). Short Form 36 (SF-36) was used as a measurement of individuals' quality-of-life (QOL) scores. The average total score of all cases was 77.6. An excellent or good functional outcome was achieved in 37.5% (3/8). Six patients were evaluated by SF-36. The average physical health summary (T-PH) score was 47.9, the average mental health summary (T-MH) score was 53.5, and the average total general health summary (T-GH) score was 50.7. The mean T-MH score was significantly higher than the mean T-PH score (P < 0.05). Treated cases showed an acceptable QOL, considering the results of the T-GH. The mental QOL was higher than the physical QOL. In severe open tibial fractures, it is difficult to obtain a good or excellent functional outcome, even with reconstruction using free tissue transfers. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 25:532,537, 2005. [source] Long-term effects of bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation on health-related quality of life in advanced Parkinson's diseaseMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 6 2006Andrew Siderowf MD, MSCE Abstract We evaluated the long-term effects of subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). STN stimulation improves motor function and decreases medication requirements in patients with advanced PD. The impact of STN stimulation on HRQL is less well established, especially beyond 1 year after surgery. We report HRQL outcomes for 18 patients with advanced PD. Patients were evaluated with the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39), the Medical Outcome Study Short Form (SF-36), and the EuroQol visual analogue scale (VAS) before surgery, 6 months postoperatively, and at a long-term follow-up visit (mean, 35.9 months; range, 18,57 months after surgery). Preoperative scores on HRQL measures were compared to results obtained at short- and long-term follow-up evaluations. The VAS and all domains of the PDQ-39 except for cognition, communication, and social support showed marked improvements at 6 months after surgery. At the long-term follow-up, there were sustained improvements in the VAS (63% improvement; P = 0.0009) and in several domains of the PDQ-39 [mobility: 20%, P = 0.01; activities of daily living (ADL): 29%, P = 0.005; emotional well-being: 26%, P = 0.02; stigma: 43%, P = 0.003; and bodily discomfort: 35%, P = 0.007]. At the long-term evaluation, only the vitality domain of the SF-36 was significantly improved from baseline (16%; P = 0.01). In this selected group of patients, many of the short-term gains in HRQL persist beyond 18 months after STN implantation. Benefits in nonmotor aspects of HRQL such as bodily discomfort and stigma appear to be among the most durable. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society [source] Health-related quality of life in multiple system atrophyMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 6 2006Anette Schrag MD Abstract Although multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to progressive disability and decreased life expectancy, little is known about patients' own evaluation of their illness and factors associated with poor health-related quality of life (Hr-QoL). We, therefore, assessed Hr-QoL and its determinants in MSA. The following scales were applied to 115 patients in the European MSA-Study Group (EMSA-SG) Natural History Study: Medical Outcome Study Short Form (SF-36), EQ-5D, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Mini-Mental state examination (MMSE), Unified MSA Rating Scale (UMSARS), Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) Parkinson's disease staging scale, Composite Autonomic Symptom Scale (COMPASS), and Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale (PDSS). Forty-six percent of patients had moderate to severe depression (BDI , 17); Hr-QoL scores on the SF-36 and EQ-5D were significantly impaired. Pain, the only domain with similar scores in MSA and published PD patients, was reported more frequently in patients with MSA-P (predominantly parkinsonian motor subtype) than MSA-C (predominantly cerebellar motor subtype; 76% vs. 50%; P = 0.005). Hr-QoL scores correlated most strongly with UMSARS motor, COMPASS, and BDI scores but not with MMSE scores, age at onset, or disease duration. The COMPASS and UMSARS activities of daily living scores were moderate-to-strong predictors for the SF-36 physical summary score and the BDI and UMSARS motor scores for the SF-36 mental summary score. This report is the first study to show that Hr-QoL is significantly impaired in MSA. Although not all possible factors related to impaired Hr-QoL in MSA could be assessed, autonomic dysfunction, motor impairment, and depression were most closely associated with poor Hr-QoL, and therapeutic management, therefore, should concentrate upon these aspects of the disease. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society [source] Health-related quality of life in Huntington's disease: A comparison of two generic instruments, SF-36 and SIPMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue 11 2004Aileen K. Ho PhD Abstract Whereas several clinical endpoints in monitoring the response to treatment in patients with Huntington's disease (HD) have been explored, there has been a paucity of research in the quality of life in such patients. The aim of this study was to validate the use of two generic health-related quality of life instruments (the Short Form 36 health survey questionnaire [SF-36] and the Sickness Impact Profile [SIP]) and to evaluate their psychometric properties. We found that both instruments demonstrated acceptable convergent validity and reliability for patients and carers. However, there was an advantage in using the SF-36 because of its more robust construct validity and test,retest reliability; furthermore, motor symptoms appeared to influence some strictly nonmotor dimensions of the SIP. On a pragmatic level, the SF-36 is shorter and quicker to administer and, therefore, easier for patients at various stages of the disease to complete. Thus, the SF-36 would appear to be the recommended instrument of choice for patients with HD and their carers, although further work needs to be done to investigate the sensitivity of this instrument longitudinally. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society [source] Less is more, or almost as much: A 15-item quality-of-life instrument for myasthenia gravisMUSCLE AND NERVE, Issue 2 2008Ted M. Burns MD Abstract We describe the process whereby a recently developed myasthenia gravis (MG)-specific quality-of-life (QOL) instrument was reduced from 60 items to 15 items while maintaining potential usefulness in the clinic and in prospective treatment trials. In data from a recently completed prospective trial of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) in MG, the MG-QOL15 correlated as highly as the 60-item MG-QOL for physical and social domains of the 36-item health survey of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-36). Correlation coefficients for the MG-QOL15 were similar to the 60-item MG-QOL for the Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis (QMG), MG-specific Manual Muscle Testing (MG-MMT), and the MG-specific Activities of Daily Living (MG-ADL) scores at week 0 and for change in scores from week 0 to week 12 in the MMF trial. Using the physician global impression at week 12 of the trial as the "gold standard," the MG-QOL15 demonstrated high sensitivity. Because the MG-QOL15 instrument can be quickly and easily administered and interpreted, it is a potential QOL measure for treatment trials and the clinical evaluation of patients with MG. Muscle Nerve, 2008 [source] The influence of medication beliefs and other psychosocial factors on early discontinuation of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugsMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 3 2007DClinPsy, M. Wong MSc Abstract Objective:,Although drug survival time might be a better measure of clinical effectiveness than drug adherence, there is little research literature in this area, in particular about the influence of medication beliefs and psychosocial factors. This study aimed to investigate the above relationships using patients who were newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods:,Sixty-eight RA patients starting their first disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) were interviewed shortly after initiating therapy, and then one year later. Before each meeting, patients were asked to complete a set of questionnaires, including Beliefs about Medication, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory , Short Form, the modified Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire, Beck Depression Inventory-1 and the Significant Others Scale. Relevant sociodemographic background, disease activity and drug history were obtained. Clinical measures such as grip strength and joint count were assessed. Results:,A stepwise logistic regression analysis was applied to two patient groups: those who continued taking their DMARD one year later, and those who did not. No significant difference between the groups for levels of disability and disease activity were found. Only age and anxiety emerged as significant predictors of drug discontinuation at 52 weeks. Conclusions:,Contrary to expectation, this study demonstrated that older and less anxious patients were more likely to discontinue taking their initial DMARD within the first year. The study may have implications for counselling older and less anxious patients prior to DMARD therapy. However, there are limitations in generalizing the results because of the small population sample. It also did not take into account drug intolerance as a pertinent factor for early drug discontinuation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Caring for a person with dementia: Exploring relationships between perceived burden, depression, coping and well-beingNURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES, Issue 2 2005Ronelle McConaghy Abstract This study was concerned with identifying the impact of variables such as gender, length of time caring, coping style, depression and perception of caregiving burden on the physical and psychological well-being of carers of persons with dementia. Forty-two carers aged between 21 and 88 years from Blue Care's Homecare Dementia Service and Cairns Aged Care Health Service participated in the study. A cross-sectional survey research design was used, with participants providing information on the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, the COPE, Short Form (SF)-12 and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale. Perceived burden accounted for 41.7% of the variance in satisfaction with life as a subjective measure of well-being. There were no significant differences between male and female carers. Satisfaction with life was not found to decrease with length of time caring for the dementia sufferer. There were no significant findings in regard to coping style or physical health of carers. The well-being of carers can be enhanced through strategies which lead to a reduced perception of burden, with respite services providing tangible relief from burden. [source] |