Social Functioning Dimensions Research Articles

Interpersonal and individual effects of an app-based Christian and Islamic heart meditation intervention in healthy adults: protocol of a stratified randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThe academic development and widespread adoption of meditation practices for well-being and therapy have predominantly focused on secularised adaptations of Buddhist and Hindu techniques. This study aims to expand the field by investigating Christian and Islamic meditation that emphasize the spiritual significance of the heart through elements of visualisation and recitation. It compares the effects of spiritual heart-centred meditation with mindfulness meditation and a waitlist control, focusing on dimensions of social functioning, psychophysiology, cognition, and mental health.MethodThis study employs a stratified 3-arm randomised controlled method with mixed-method repeated measures across three assessment time points: before intervention (T1), after an 8-week intervention (T2), and at a 3-month follow up (T3). The three conditions include spiritual meditation (either Christian or Islamic), mindfulness meditation (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – MBSR), and a waitlist. Participants will be stratified into Christian and Muslim samples and randomly allocated to the spiritual meditation, MBSR, or waitlist control conditions. Importantly, participants assigned to the spiritual meditation condition will be matched to the spiritual meditation program corresponding to their religion. The intervention will be administered through a mobile phone app with daily 20-minute guided meditation sessions for eight weeks. Primary outcomes pertain to the domain of interpersonal functioning, focusing on prosociality, forgiveness, empathy, and perspective taking. Secondary outcomes include physiology: pain tolerance, pain intensity, stress reactivity assessed via heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV), psychophysiological reactivity associated with a forgiveness task as measured through HR and HRV, attention (alerting, orienting, and executive attention networks), and mental health (stress, depression, anxiety, subjective well-being, positive and negative affect).DiscussionThis trial aims to test the effects of an app-based Christian and Islamic meditation, compared to secular mindfulness and a waitlist, using a randomised controlled trial. If the results yield positive outcomes, this study will support the efficacy of these contemplations, offering practitioners a way to enhance their well-being within their religious framework.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT06136676. Registered on 18 November 2023.https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06136676.

Psychometric analysis and validation of the SF-34 PREG: An adaptation of the SF-36 for assessing quality of life in pregnant women.

This study aims to perform a psychometric analysis of the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) in a population of pregnant women and validate an adapted version of the instrument to measure health-related quality of life specific to pregnancy. A cross-sectional study design was carried out with data collection between 7 and 36 weeks of gestation, with a total sample of 547 pregnant women divided into two randomized subsamples. Data were collected between September 2021 and April 2023. An exploratory factor analysis was initially performed on one subsample, followed by a confirmatory factor analysis on the other. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega, and correlations between factors were analyzed. Results from the exploratory factor analysis proposed a seven-factor model explaining 56% of the variance. All proposed dimensions achieved Cronbach's alpha scores above 0.75, with a total test score of 0.92. Furthermore, all dimensions exhibited positive and statistically significant correlations. Bartlett's test of sphericity and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test yielded values of 5599 (P < 0.001) and 0.871, respectively. The confirmatory factor analysis reaffirmed this model with good fit indices: χ2 792 (P < 0.001), comparative fit index (CFI) and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) >0.90, and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) <0.06. This study developed and validated the "SF-34 PREG," an adapted version of the SF-36, specifically designed for pregnant women. The SF-34 PREG demonstrated high reliability and a robust factorial structure, making it a more precise and relevant tool for assessing health-related quality of life during pregnancy. Although it does not include the social functioning dimension of the original SF-36, the SF-34 PREG offers improved relevance and accuracy for this specific population. Further research and clinical use of the SF-34 PREG are recommended.

Health-related quality of life in older hematological cancer survivors (70+) compared to older general population-A German cancer-register-based cross-sectional comparative study.

The extent of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) impairments in older hematological cancer survivors (HCS) has not been sufficiently studied. We therefore examined HRQOL in older HCS compared to a community sample (CS) and investigated sociodemographic, disease- and treatment-specific, geriatric, and psychosocial factors associated with reduced HRQOL. In this cancer-register-based cross-sectional comparative study 200 HCS, aged ≥70 years, and 252 persons of an age- and gender-matched CS completed validated questionnaires including the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-ELD14. Older HCS reported a reduced HRQOL in the dimensions of global QOL, physical, role, and social functioning (small clinical significance) and higher symptom burden of fatigue, nausea and vomiting, appetite loss, and poorer mobility compared to the CS (fatigue and mobility with medium, the others with small clinical significance). Perceived disease burden of comorbidities, functional disabilities, psychological distress, and depression showed statistical significance for reduced HRQOL in older HCS in multiple linear regression analysis (R2 = .602, p < .001). The screening and treatment of functional limitations and individual symptoms and the integration of a geriatric assessment into oncological practice can help to identify supportive care needs, to implement individualized, patient-centered cancer survivorship care programs and to improve older HCS's HRQOL.

Impact of comorbidities on patient-reported outcomes in psoriatic arthritis: a single centre cohort study

BackgroundComorbidities are frequent in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and may contribute to worse health-related outcomes. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are used to evaluate the burden of the assessed disease. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of comorbidities on selected PROs in PsA.MethodsAdult patients, diagnosed with PsA, based on CASPAR criteria, were included in this cross-sectional, observational study. Collected data encompassed the comorbidities and PROs (Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ], Multi-Dimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire [MDHAQ], 36-Item Short Form Health Survey [SF-36]). Standard statistic methods were performed for data assessment.ResultsThere were 267 participants included in the study (54.7% females). The most prevalent comorbidities were cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (29.2 %). Multimorbidity was observed in 50.2% cases and was associated with poorer results of SF-36 questionnaire, regarding bodily pain (34.7 [30.1, 39.3] vs. 47.5 [43.1, 52.0]; p<0.01), physical functioning (52.1 [47.3, 56.9] vs. 63.1 [58.9, 67.4]; p<0.01) and role physical (28.5 [21.2, 35.9] vs. 42.8 [35.2, 50.4]; p<0.01). CVD were associated with poorer MDHAQFn score (β=0.17, p<0.01), while mental disorders negatively influenced mental health (β= -0.35, p<0.01), vitality (β= -0.22, p<0.01), general health (β= -0.19, p<0.01), social functioning (β= -0.15, p=0.04) and role emotional (β= -0.30, p<0.01) dimensions of SF-36. ConclusionsMultimorbidity exerts significant impact on physical aspects of quality of life (QoL) in PsA. CVD and mental disorders adversely influence functional capacity as well as mental and social dimensions of QoL, respectively. The impact of comorbidities should be taken into account by clinicians and researchers assessing PROs.

The Impact of the Doctor-Patient Relationship on the Treatment Goal in Rheumatology.

To assess the perceptions of patients with rheumatic diseases about the doctor-patient relationship and the impact on their treatment and their quality of life. A quantitative study collecting data from patients with rheumatic diseases using the following tools: (a) the Doctor-Patient Relationship Assessment Questionnaire-16 (DoPRAQ-16), assessed the quality of doctor-patient relationship, (b) the Short Form 36 (SF-36) assessed the quality of life of patients, and (c) the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), assessed the functional ability of patients. From the statistical analysis, it appears that there is no linear correlation between the DoPRAQ-16 scales and the dimensions of the SF-36 Health Survey, except for the scale of negative emotions and the dimension of Physical Functioning. The nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis H test was performed to investigate the existence of statistically significant differences between the categories of duration of the relationship with the doctor to Physical Functioning, Physical Role, Emotional Role, and Social Functioning. The test was significant (p<0.05) for the dimensions of Body Role and Social Functioning. Patients with long term relationship with the doctor have better health quality in the dimension of Physical Role and Social Functioning compared to people whose relationship with the doctor lasts fewer years.

Euterpe music therapy method for children with cerebral palsy.

The main purpose of our study was to evaluate whether involvement in a personalized music therapy program (Euterpe method), could improve the condition of children with cerebral palsy and their parents, compared to a control group. It investigated whether it could positively affect children's sleep quality, temperament and quality of life, quality of family life, and parental stress. A prospective single-center experimental study was conducted at "Bambino Gesù" Children's Hospital (Rome, Italy). All subjects involved attended an intensive rehabilitation program in the Neurorehabilitation Unit. In a group of patients (n = 25), a music therapy treatment was applied to evaluate the effect before and after the intervention. This group was also compared with a control group (n = 10) undergoing a standard protocol without music therapy. In the experimental group, the analysis shows statistically significant effects in the Disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep (p = 0.050) and the Sleep wake transition disorders (p = 0.026) factors, and the total score (p = 0.031) of Sleep Disturbances Scale for Children; the Positive emotionality scale (p = 0.013) of Italian Questionnaires of Temperament (QUIT); the Emotional Functioning (p = 0.029), Social Functioning (p = 0.012), Worry (p = 0.032), Daily Activities (p = 0.032), Total Score (p = 0.039) and Parent HRQL Summary Score (p = 0.035) dimensions of Pediatric Quality of Life for family. While in the control group, only the Attention scale of QUIT (p = 0.003) reaches statistical significance. Our study suggests that music therapy with the Euterpe Method has beneficial effects on fundamental aspects of the child's and his parents' lives, such as sleep, emotion control, and quality of family life.

Graded nutritional interventions in patients with dysphagia after stroke: an assessment of the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies for different swallowing functions

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of graded nutrition intervention strategy in improving patients with different degrees of impaired swallowing function after stroke. Methods According to the way of nursing, the patients were divided into two group. The main outcome measure was Kota swallowing index (WSI) score, and the secondary outcome was complications during the intervention. SF-36 scale was used to evaluate the improvement of quality of life before and intervention. Results The WSI score in the control group was 62.34 ± 10.23 at 1 week after treatment, 70.52 ± 13.45 at 6 weeks after treatment, and 80.48 ± 9.87 at 12 weeks after treatment, while that in the intervention group was 71.45 ± 9.68 at 1 week after treatment, 75.81 ± 11.78 at 6 weeks after treatment, and 84.12 ± 14.32 at 12 weeks after treatment. The WSI scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group (t = 5.634, p < 0.001), suggesting better swallowing function of the patients The incidence of pulmonary infection, malnutrition and gastroesophageal reflux in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in throat inflammation and dehydration between the two groups (p > 0.05). In addition, graded nutrition interventions significantly improved patients’ quality of life, including dimensions of physical functioning, role physics, physical pain, and social functioning. Conclusion Compared with conventional treatment, personalized graded nutrition intervention can significantly improve the swallowing function and reduce the pulmonary infection rate in patients with swallowing disorders after stroke.

Effects of Thoracoscopic Right Upper Lobe Apical Segmentectomy on Exercise Capacity and Quality of Life in Early-Stage NSCLC Patients.

Thoracoscopic lobectomy (TL) is an effective surgical approach for resecting tumor lesions in patients with early non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, TL may result in damage to normal lung tissue, potentially impacting prognosis. Thoracoscopic right upper lobe apical segmentectomy (TS) has been proposed as an alternative to improve surgical outcomes, but its impact on exercise capacity and quality of life remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effect of TS on exercise capacity and quality of life in patients with early-stage NSCLC. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 120 patients with early-stage NSCLC who underwent surgical treatment in Shangyu People's Hospital of Shaoxing between August 2020 and August 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical approach: the TL group (n = 66) and the TS group (n = 54). The primary objective was to compare surgery-related indicators and the overall incidence of complications between the TS group and the TL group. Additionally, changes in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), maximum ventilatory volume (MVV), 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30) scores were evaluated before and after operation. The TS group showed significantly reduced intraoperative blood loss, chest drainage, and hospital stay compared to the TL group (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the operation time and the number of lymph node dissections between the two groups after operation (p > 0.05). FVC, FEV1, MVV, and 6MWD values of the two groups were significantly lower than those before operation (p < 0.05). However, FVC, FEV1, MVV, and 6MWD in the TS group were significantly higher than those in the TL group (p < 0.05). The scores of roles, emotion, cognition, social function, and total health status in the two groups after operation were significantly higher than those before operation, and the scores of physical functions, shortness of breath, diarrhea, fatigue, pain, cough and insomnia were significantly lower than those before operation (p < 0.05). Compared to the TL group, the TS group showed higher scores of physical, social function dimensions, and total health status, as well as lower scores of fatigues, shortness of breath, insomnia, and pain (p < 0.05). TS treatment has less surgical trauma and a lower risk of complications for patients with early-stage NSCLC, which is beneficial for promoting postoperative recovery, reducing lung function damage and improving the quality of life of patients.

Effect of Supportive Counseling Based on Swanson's Caring Theory on the Quality of Life of Pregnant Women With A History of Abortion: A Randomized Controlled Trial Study

Objectives Abortion is one of the most traumatic events in a woman's life. The resulting trauma leads to the fear of repeat abortion, despair, inability, reduced self-confidence, isolation, mental health problems, and reduced quality of life (QoL). The present study aims to determine the effect of supportive counseling on the QoL of pregnant women with a history of abortion. Methods This is randomized controlled trial study. Participants were 72 pregnant women with a history of abortion referred to comprehensive health centers in Isfahan, Iran to receive prenatal care. The data collection instruments were a demographic form and the 36-item short form health survey. The intervention group received counseling based on Swanson’s caring theory at three sessions (two face-to-face counseling sessions and one telephone counseling session), while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected in three phases (pre-test, post-test, and follow-up), and analyzed using chi-square test, paired t-test, repeated measures analysis of variance, t-test, and two-way repeated measures analysis of variance in SPSS software, version 25. Results Both groups were similar in demographic characteristics and QoL before the intervention (P&gt;0.05). Four and 8 weeks after the intervention, the mean score of QoL was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P&lt;0.05). Eight weeks after the intervention, the QoL score was higher than in the control group in dimensions of physical functioning (P=0.009), social functioning (P=0.039), role-emotional (P=0.004), and bodily pain (P=0.004). Conclusion Supportive counseling based on Swanson’s caring theory, as a midwife-centered intervention, can improve the QoL pregnant women with a history of abortion. This approach can be used in providing care to the pregnant women with a history of abortion.

A randomized controlled pilot study of a cognitive-behavioral video game intervention for the promotion of active aging.

Due to the accessibility barriers of in-person programs for active aging, the development of programs that use innovative technologies is needed. Video games can be an engaging tool for disseminating active aging interventions. The objective of this pilot study was to analyze the feasibility of a cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote active aging administered through a video game. Fifty-five participants (63.6% women, mean age = 53.0 years) were randomly assigned to a cognitive-behavioral intervention to promote active aging administered through an interactive multimedia online video game with a complementary app (CBI-V; n = 29) or to a control group that received nonspecific online information (CG; n = 26). Only 3.6% of the participants dropped out of the study (6.9% in CBI-V and 0.0% in CG; without significant differences between groups). The mean number of modules completed was 7.6 (SD = 0.9) out of 8 in the CBI-V and 7.9 (SD = 0.5) in the control group (CG), without significant between-group differences. In the CBI-V, the mean total time dedicated to the game was 516.8 min (SD = 94.3), including 143.2 min (SD = 31.6) of cognitive training tasks, and the mean of completed tasks was 206.2 (SD = 33.7) out of 259. Participants were highly engaged (M = 39.9, SD = 8.6) and satisfied (M = 25.8, SD = 4.5) with the intervention. After the intervention, the CBI-V group significantly improved on SF-36 dimensions of General Health (p = .0386), Vitality (p = .0283), Social Functioning (p = .0130), and Physical Summary Index (p = .0370) compared to the CG, with medium effect sizes (d = 0.56-0.75). The results demonstrate the feasibility of the video game intervention to promote active aging and encourage conducting a large-scale randomized controlled trial.

Supportive Psychotherapy Combined with Analgesic Management can Effectively Improve Pain and Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective Study.

Patients with advanced prostate cancer commonly experience psychological issues and have a low quality of life. This study aims to analyse the application of supportive psychotherapy combined with analgesic management on the pain and quality of life of patients with advanced prostate cancer. Patients with advanced prostate cancer admitted to our hospital from February 2018 to December 2022 were continuously selected as the research objects. In accordance with the different management methods recorded in the medical record system, the patients were divided into a control group (routine nursing + analgesic management) and an observation group (routine nursing + analgesic management + supportive psychotherapy). The Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS), State Anxiety Scale (S-AI), Trait Anxiety Scale (T-AI), Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) scores between the two groups were compared. A total of 125 patients with advanced prostate cancer participated in this study, with 60 patients in the control group and 65 patients in the observation group. No significant difference was found in the scores of the AIS, S-AI, T-AI, NRS and SF-36 of the two groups before management (p > 0.05). After management, the AIS (4.00 vs. 5.00, p = 0.002), S-AI (38.88 vs. 41.12, p = 0.002), T-AI (39.17 vs. 41.65, p = 0.001) and NRS (3.00 vs. 3.00, p < 0.001) scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group. However, the SF-36 scores of the observation group were higher than those of the control group in the dimensions of physiological enginery (75.85 vs. 68.75, p < 0.001), physiological function (71.85 vs. 67.75, p = 0.004), body pain (73.15 vs. 69.33, p = 0.006), social function (73.88 vs. 69.85, p = 0.004), emotional function (72.92 vs. 68.98, p = 0.006), mental health (73.52 vs. 69.83, p = 0.008), vitality (72.09 vs. 69.52, p = 0.044) and general health (70.65 vs. 66.23, p = 0.002). Supportive psychotherapy combined with analgesic management for patients with advanced prostate cancer may help improve the pain, anxiety and quality of sleep and life of patients.

Family Empowerment Program to Improve Quality of Life in Thalassemia Patient: A Case Study

Introduction: Thalassemia can cause major health problems in children and adversely affect their quality of life, which includes reduced physical, psychological, social, and educational functioning. A family empowerment program is a process or effort to increase the knowledge and willingness of families to maintain and improve the Quality Of Life of children with thalassemia Objective: The purpose of this case study is to carry out nursing care for children with thalassemia and quality of life problems with the Family Empowerment Program (FEP) approach. Method: The method used is descriptive-qualitative with a case study approach. As well as pre-test intervention and post-test intervention. Nursing care was carried out with the author for three days and the family intervened using the Family Empowerment Program (FEP) approach for three weeks. The subject of this case study is a thalassemia child with poor quality of life. Data collection techniques include interviews, observation, physical examination, and documentation. Results: The results of the case study at the assessment stage found that An.S. had problems in the dimensions of social function and school function due to complex or long-term treatment or treatment programs and unsatisfactory interpersonal interactions. Intervention and implementation used in An.S. are using family empowerment with the Family Empowerment Program (FEP) approach. Conclusion: The conclusion of nursing care in children with thalassemia was that during the intervention of three meetings, there were few changes that were positive for the family and the client in handling social function and school function. After the intervention of the Family Empowerment Program (FEP) approach for three weeks, the results of filling out the PedsQL questionnaire show that the dimensions of physical function are good (90.6), the dimensions of emotional function are good (95), the dimensions of social function are good (80) and the dimensions of school function are good (85).

Effects of a Nursing Intervention Based on a Solution-Focused Approach on Renal Transplant Recipients’ Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life

Objective. To explore the effects of a nursing intervention based on a solution-focused approach on improving renal transplant recipients’ anxiety, depression, and quality of life. Methods. A total of 75 eligible recipients who underwent renal transplantation were recruited and randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The renal transplantation recipients in the intervention group received nursing intervention based on a solution-focused approach (SFA) developed by the research group. The SFA intervention included the following five stages: describing the problem, developing well-formed goals, exploring for exceptions, end of session feedback, and evaluating progress. Additional methods, such as empowerment, miracle questions, and scale mark questions, were included. The intervention began after informed consent, and baseline data were collected at admission, with each participant receiving five interventions lasting 30–60 minutes. The featured methods and five stages of the SFA could be interspersed and used repeatedly. The follow-up was performed at one, three, and six months postoperation. The control group received the usual care of comparable length and follow-up contact. The anxiety, depression, and quality of life of renal transplant recipients were measured and recorded using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Quality of Life Scale for Patients of Renal Transplantation (QOL-RT). A trained research nurse collected all the baseline and follow-up data. Results. The baseline information of the patients, such as gender, age, BMI, endogenous creatinine clearance, anxiety, and depression, was similar between the two groups ( P &gt; 0.05). The total scores of HADS (A), HADS (D), and total HADS in both groups showed a downward trend. The intervention group exhibited significantly lower HADS (A) (4.21 ± 1.85) and total HADS scores (7.81 ± 3.31) one month after surgery than the control group in the same period (5.50 ± 2.44 and 9.85 ± 4.19, respectively; P &lt; 0.05). Fewer people in the intervention group had a HADS (A) score ≥8 than those in the control group at one month ( P &lt; 0.05). Depression in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group at three and six months ( P &lt; 0.05). The total QOL-RT scores of the intervention group at one month (126.54 ± 9.62), three months (137.02 ± 7.69), and six months (144.89 ± 7.53) were higher than those of the control group (119.50 ± 11.58, 128.8 ± 10.80, and 138.61 ± 9.09, respectively; P &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, the scores of the physiological function dimensions and treatment dimensions of the QOL-RT in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group at one, three, and six months after the intervention ( P &lt; 0.05). The scores of the social function dimension in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group at three and six months after the intervention ( P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion. Nursing intervention based on the SFA improved anxiety and depression among renal transplant recipients, thereby improving their quality of life.

Exploring the impact of cognitive impairments on treatment compliance and quality of life in patients with Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD).

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of cognitive impairments on treatment compliance and quality of life in patients with Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD). A cross-sectional study was conducted among patients with CAPD at the Department of Nephrology, Lianshui People's Hospital from October 2021 to May 2022. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and the End-Stage Renal Disease Adherence Questionnaire was used to evaluate treatment compliance. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire. Scores from all the questionnaires and demographic data were recorded. A total of 98 patients were enrolled, and the prevalence of cognitive impairment among CAPD patients was 69.39% (MoCA score < 26). Patients were divided into 2 groups: one group with normal cognitive function (MoCA score ≥ 26) and the other with cognitive impairments. There were statistically significant differences in age, dialysis age, education, urea clearance index, history of high blood pressure, and diabetes between the 2 groups (all P < .05). Patients with cognitive impairments had lower compliance levels in terms of diet fluid restriction, medication therapeutic regimens, and dialysis regimen (all P < .05). Patients with cognitive impairments also had lower quality of life scores in the dimensions of physical function, general health, social function, emotional function, and mental health (all P < .05). Cognitive impairment appears to be common among CAPD patients and may adversely affect both their treatment adherence and overall quality of life. A more comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms necessitates further study.

Health-related quality of life after surviving intensive care for COVID-19: a prospective multicenter cohort study

In survivors of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incomplete mental and physical recovery may considerably impact daily activities and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). HRQoL can be evaluated with the RAND-36 questionnaire, a multidimensional instrument that assesses physical and mental aspects of health in eight dimensions. The objective was to investigate HRQoL in intensive care patients previously treated for COVID-19 at three Nordic university hospitals, in a prospective multi-center cohort study. HRQoL was measured using RAND-36, 3–9 months after discharge from intensive care units (ICU). One hospital performed a second follow-up 12 months after discharge. A score under the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval in the reference cohorts was considered as significantly reduced HRQoL. We screened 542 and included 252 patients. There was more than twice as many male (174) as female (78) patients and the median age was 61 (interquartile range, IQR 52–69) years. Hypertension was the most common comorbidity observed in 132 (52%) patients and 121 (48%) patients were mechanically ventilated for a median of 8 (IQR 4–14) days. In RAND-36 physical functioning, physical role functioning, general health (p < 0.001 for all) and social functioning (p < 0.05) were below reference, whereas bodily pain, emotional role functioning and mental health were not. In a time-to-event analysis female sex was associated with a decreased chance of reaching the reference HRQoL in the physical function, bodily pain and mental health dimensions. Higher body mass index was found in the physical functioning dimension and hypertension in the physical functioning, vitality and social functioning dimensions. Similar results were seen for diabetes mellitus in general health, vitality and mental health dimensions, as well as pulmonary illness in the physical role functioning dimension and psychiatric diagnosis in the social functioning dimension. Mechanical ventilation was associated with a decreased likelihood of achieving reference HRQoL in the bodily pain and physical functioning dimensions. Patients treated in an ICU because of COVID-19 had lower HRQoL 3–9 months after ICU discharge than 95% of the general population. Physical dimensions were more severely affected than mental dimensions. Female sex and several comorbidities were associated with a slower rate of recovery.Study registration: clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04316884 registered on the 13th of March 2020, NCT04474249 registered on the 29th of June 2020 and NCT04864938 registered on the 4th of April 2021.

Psychotherapy and chronic pain management: a quantitative study evaluating the contribution of psychotherapy to quality of life and treatment compliance in chronic disease patients.

The psychology of pain is an important field of study that focuses on understanding the psychological factors associated with pain and developing effective approaches to its management. Pain is a complex sensation that affects a person's physical and mental well-being, and psychological factors can have a significant impact on the perception, response and coping with pain. This research study examines the contribution of psychotherapy in managing chronic pain and improving quality of life and treatment adherence. The sample consisted of 87 participants who completed the McGill Pain Assessment Questionnaire, SF-36 Quality of Life questionnaire, and the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) questionnaire. Two groups were created: one group received psychotherapy to manage pain and illness, while the other group either did not receive psychotherapy or had no contact with this therapeutic method. The results showed that patients who received psychotherapy had higher scores in the dimensions of mental health, vitality, general health, physical pain, physical functioning, and social functioning compared to patients who did not receive psychotherapy. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences between the two groups. Additionally, psychotherapy was associated with higher treatment adherence, as indicated by the mean scores of patients receiving psychotherapy compared to those who did not. This suggests that psychotherapy can contribute to increased treatment adherence. The results clearly show that patients who received psychotherapy have significantly higher levels of mental health, vitality, general health and functioning compared to patients who did not receive psychotherapy.

The effects of group-based cognitive behavioral therapy in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic schizophrenia with more than two years of community-based mental health group rehabilitation.

Studies have shown that community-based group rehabilitation activities can have a positive impact on patients. This study attempted to improve schizophrenia patients' social and self-cognition through short-term group-based cognitive behavioral therapy (G-CBT), break negative coping styles, and improve the patients' quality of life. The patients with schizophrenia who participated in long-term community-based group rehabilitation were treated with G-CBT. Training on coping styles was conducted to improve their self-cognition and social cognition, and the rehabilitation effects of G-CBT on these patients were evaluated. Compared with the control group, patient scores for self-esteem, self-efficacy, and positive coping in the G-CBT group increased, while patient scores for negative coping decreased. Compared with the control group, the differences in the total scores for mental health and the five dimensions of physical functioning, general health, vitality, social functioning, and emotional role function in the short-form (SF-12) survey were statistically significant. Compared with the baseline data, the differences in self-esteem, self-efficacy, positive coping, negative coping, and quality of life scores were statistically significant. Short-term G-CBT had a good effect on patients with chronic schizophrenia who participated in community-based group rehabilitation for the long-term.

Quality of Life after Radical Prostatectomy: A Longitudinal Study.

Men with prostate cancer who undergo radical prostatectomy experience a decrease in quality of life, often related to sexual disfunction and urinary incontinence. Knowing and measuring the impact of radical prostatectomy on the individual's social, emotional, and family quality of life could help to plan and develop an appropriate, patient-centred therapeutic approach. In this study, we aimed to evaluate changes in quality of life of patients with prostate cancer before and after radical prostatectomy. A longitudinal, observational study of 114 participants was conducted using the method of test-retest. Quality of life before and after radical prostatectomy was measured through the following self-administered questionnaires: (1) The EORTC QLQ-C30 in its Spanish version was used to assess the generic quality of life the participants; (2) the EORTC QLQ-PR25 in its Spanish version was used to assess the specific, health-related quality of life of prostate cancer patients. A total of 114 men took part in this study. The results from the QLQ-C30 questionnaire indicated an improvement in the dimensions of emotional role and cognitive function, as well as in the symptoms of fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, and loss of appetite, after surgery. Patients scored lower in the dimensions of role functioning, social function, and economic impact after radical prostatectomy. According to the results from the QLQ-PR25 questionnaire, 61.40% of the participants experienced sexual impotence and 26.31% suffered urinary incontinence after surgery. There were significant differences in some postsurgical outcomes between patients who had neurovascular bundles preserved and those who had not. In-depth knowledge of, and measurement of changes in, quality of life after radical prostatectomy should allow for comprehensive, multidisciplinary, patient-centred care planning. Psychosocial assessment, both before and after surgery, is crucial in patients with prostate cancer. This study was prospectively registered with the CEIC-A on 2012-06-27, with registration number C.P.-C.I. PI12/0088.

Risk factors for the occurrence of infection in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma after restorative reconstruction and its impact on recurrence and quality of life: a retrospective cohort study.

Worldwide, there are approximately 300,000 new cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 100,000 deaths each year. The complexity of oral and maxillofacial structures leads to a high risk of surgical infection such as radical tumor resection and free flap reconstruction. Previous studies have shown that diabetes mellitus, previous radiotherapy, oral-neck communication, etc. are risk factors for postoperative infection, but the influence of time on prognosis has not been clarified in detail. This study supplements this aspect and provided a reference for improving the quality of life of patients. We retrospectively analyzed a total of 168 patients who developed OSCC from July 2014 to September 2019. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study, the general data questionnaire designed by ourselves was used to sort out the general characteristics and clinical data of the subjects. The t test, Chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. Surgical site infections (SSI) are defined as infections associated with surgical procedures. The quality of life was evaluated by the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) score. A 3-year follow-up was conducted by telephone, Email and outpatient review. Among the 168 patients, the total number of postoperative infections was 22 (13.1%). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that body mass index (BMI) (OR =0.029, P=0.039), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (OR =21.443, P=0.042), preoperative radiotherapy (OR =19.993, P=0.022), Jaw resection status (OR =29.665, P=0.021), Perioperative transfusion (OR =29.148, P=0.020), preoperative white blood cell count (OR =1.763, P=0.017), albumin level (OR =0.853, P=0.033) were independent influencing factors between the two groups (P<0.05). Except for the social functioning and role-emotional dimensions, all dimensions of SF-36 in patients with infection were significantly lower than those without infection. The incidence of postoperative infection after restorative and reconstructive surgery for OSCC deserves the attention of clinicians. For high-risk infected persons, relevant anti-infection measures should be taken early against the infectious source, and the possibility of nosocomial infection should be attached great importance in clinical work. After discharge, patients should also actively do follow-up, education and other related work to reduce the incidence of postoperative infection.

Evaluation of parental stress in neonatal intensive care unit in Iran: a national study

BackgroundMore attention is paid to the survival and treatment of the sick infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and parental stress is not considered. The purpose of this study was to determine samples of the level of parental stress in the NICU.MethodThis study is a descriptive-analytical study in which Parental Stress and General Health were used in an analytical national survey in Iran. The research sample consists of 2456 parents of infants admitted to NICU. The sampling method was multi-stage random. We used 11- item parental stress questionnaire and 28-item general health questionnaire for the data collection.ResultBaloch ethnicity with an average of 11.52 had the highest level of stress. The mean stress score of mothers was higher than fathers. The mean score of all dimensions of physical symptoms, anxiety, social functioning, depression, and total mental health score in mothers was higher than fathers. There was a statistically significant difference in the length of hospitalization in terms of different levels of parental stress scores (p < 0.002). Lack of decisive response to parents was one of the most stressful issues (8.1%).ConclusionOur result shows mothers' stress was higher than fathers. So that health policymakers should pay attention to stress risk factors to provide appropriate interventions according stress risk factors Future studies should design appropriate interventions to reduce parental stress, especially in high-risk mothers.