Higher Psychological Quality Of Life Research Articles

Associations between Social Experiences and Psychological Health for Autistic Youth with Low IQ.

Social experiences are consistently associated with psychological health among autistic individuals. However, most extant studies on this topic exclude individuals with autism who have lower IQ or are otherwise unable to self-report. The current study addresses this gap by examining associations of negative peer experiences and social participation with psychological health among autistic youth with low IQ. An online survey was collected from 268 parents of autistic adolescents and adults ages 15-25. Negative peer experiences included measures of peer victimization and being ignored. Social participation was assessed by the amount of participation and parents' perceptions of whether their youth felt the amount of participation was meeting their needs. Psychological health was assessed by parents' report of their youth's psychological quality of life, as well as whether they felt their son/daughter was currently depressed. Results suggested low rates of social participation in this sample, with relatively high rates of being ignored. Regression analysis found that lower rates of peer victimization and more activities in which parents perceived that the amount of time was meeting their youth's needs was associated with higher psychological quality of life and lower likelihood that parents felt their son/daughter was depressed. Though youth with autism and low IQ are often excluded from interventions aimed at improving social experiences, these findings suggest that promoting positive social experiences and ameliorating negative ones might be an avenue to improving psychological health in this group.

Quality of life and associated factors of heroin-dependent patients receiving methadone and buprenorphine maintenance treatment.

Although studies in Western countries have investigated the quality of life (QoL) of heroin users, limited research on this topic has been conducted in Asia. The present study assessed QoL in patients with heroin dependence receiving medications to treat opioid use disorder. We performed a cross-sectional study of patients with heroin dependence receiving methadone and buprenorphine treatment. The demographic and substance use variables of patients receiving methadone and buprenorphine were compared. The Chinese Health Questionnaire (CHQ-12), Obsessive Compulsive Drug Use Scale (OCDUS), and World Health Organization Quality of Life Short Form Taiwan version (WHOQOL-BREF-T) were administered to measure patient mental health problems, addiction severity, and QoL, respectively. Multivariate regression was used to identify the factors associated with QoL. A total of 149 patients receiving methadone and 31 receiving buprenorphine completed the questionnaires. Individuals in the buprenorphine group were more likely to be married (p = 0.024) or employed (p = 0.024), have a higher educational level (p = 0.013), have lower drug craving (OCDUS: p = 0.035), or have higher QoL (WHOQOL-BREF-T: p = 0.004) than those in the methadone group. After adjustment for other variables, employment was positively associated with the physical, psychological, and environmental domains of QoL. Receiving buprenorphine treatment (p = 0.032) and longer treatment duration (p = 0.016) were associated with higher psychological QoL. Several factors were associated with QoL in patients with heroin dependence. Some measures may improve their QoL, such as reducing employment barriers, improving treatment adherence, or increasing accessibility to buprenorphine treatment.

Self-Efficacy Care Program for Older Adults Receiving Hip-Fracture Surgery.

Hip fractures decrease older adults' physical activity and quality of life (QoL). However, no current self-efficacy care programs are managed by clinical nurses, and thus no studies have measured their effects on self-care self-efficacy (SCSE). Hence, this quasi-experimental study determined the effectiveness of a self-efficacy care program (SECP) in 104 older adults receiving hip-fracture surgery who were divided into intervention and control groups. The Strategies Used by People to Promote Health and Short Form-36 were administered pre-surgery and at 1 and 3-month intervals post-surgery. The SCSE and QoL of the SECP group were significantly better than the control group at 1- and 3-month follow-ups post-surgery. Both groups' QoL decreased at one-month post-surgery but increased by 3-months post-surgery. The SECP group had higher psychological QoL than the control group post-surgery. This intervention increased the SCSE and QoL of older adults with hip fractures and improved post-operative care.

Quality of life among patients with common mental disorders attending monk healers and primary care clinics in Thailand

PurposeCommon mental disorders are not only highly prevalent in primary health-care settings but also negatively affect patients’ quality of life (QoL). This study aims to assess the levels of QoL among patients with common mental disorders seeking care from a monk healer or primary care setting and to determine the comparative QoL of users in two different types of care settings in Thailand.Design/methodology/approachConsecutively attending clients or patients (N = 1251) of three faith healing or three health centres were assessed with measures of depression, anxiety and somatization disorder and QoL.FindingsThe overall QoL was 67.8 and among the four QoL domains, social QoL was the highest (72.3), followed by physical QoL (69.4), environmental QoL (64.8) and psychological QoL (64.6). In adjusted linear regression analyses, sociodemographic factors, such as higher educational level, being employed, having high debt and consulting a health centre, were associated with higher overall QoL. Compared to being a client with a monk healer, patients at a health centre had a higher overall QoL, environmental and psychological QoL. Having a general anxiety or major depressive disorder was negatively associated with overall QoL and all four QoL sub-domains, whereas somatization disorder was not associated with any QoL sub-domains.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate QoL in common mental disorder attenders with a monk healer in comparison with primary care patients. Primary care patients with a common mental disorder had significantly higher overall QoL (p<0.01), higher psychological QoL (p<0.001) and higher environmental QoL (p<0.001) than clients with a common mental disorder attending monk healers. This study extends previous research showing a negative association between anxiety and depressive disorders and QoL calling for integration of QoL in the management of common mental disorders in both complementary and public primary care in Thailand.

Changes in Quality of Life following Buprenorphine Treatment: Relationship with Treatment Retention and Illicit Opioid Use

Studies of substance abuse treatment outcomes that give priority to cessation of all drug use may obscure other tangible benefits of treatment that are important to patients. The aim of this study was to examine the association between changes in quality of life (QoL) and: (1) retention in treatment; and (2) opioid use as measured by self-report and urine testing. Participants were 300 African American men and women starting outpatient buprenorphine treatment. Participants completed assessments at baseline, three and six months consisting of the World Health Organization’s Quality of Life brief scale, Addiction Severity Index, and urine testing for opioids. There were statistically significant increases over time across all four QoL domains: physical, psychological, environmental, and social. Self-reported frequency of opioid use was negatively associated with psychological QoL, but opioid urine test results were not significantly associated with any QoL domains. Continued treatment enrollment was significantly associated with higher psychological QoL and environmental QoL. Patients entering buprenorphine treatment experience improvements in QoL, which are amplified for patients who remain in treatment. Point-prevalence opiate urine test results obtained at each assessment were not associated with any of the QoL domains and may not accurately reflect improvements perceived by patients receiving buprenorphine treatment.

Psychological quality of life and employability skills among newly registered first-year students: Opportunities for further university development

In accord with new European university reforms initiated by the Bologna Process, our objective was to evaluate influences on the relationship between psychological quality of life (QoL) and the acquisition of academic employability skills (AES) among first-year students at the University in Luxembourg. At the beginning (2 months in) and the end (9 months) of the academic year, 973 newly registered students participated in this study involving two cross-university surveys. Students who redoubled or who had studied at other universities were excluded. Data were collected with an online questionnaire comprising the psychological Whoqol-bref subscale, AES scale, and questions about other related factors. The AES score decreased from 74.2 to 65.6. At both time points, the psychological Whoqol-bref was positively correlated with environmental and social relations QoL and perceived general health. Multiple regression models including interaction terms showed that a higher psychological QoL was associated with better general health (difference satisfied-dissatisfied 9.44), AES (slope 0.099), social relationships QoL (0.321), and environmental QoL (0.298). No interaction with time effects was significant, which indicates that the effects remain stable with time. If the university could maintain the QoL indicators at appropriate levels or manage decreases as they occur, it would have implications for health promotion and the creation of new student support systems. The SQA- LES project provides valuable information for universities aiming to develop a European Higher Educational Area.

Investigating the relationship between coping, quality of life and depression/anxiety in patients with external fixation devices

Few studies have explored psychosocial factors affecting depression, anxiety and quality of life (QOL) among adults with external fixation devices (EFDs). This cross-sectional study investigated whether maladaptive and adaptive coping and locus of control predicted these outcomes. Forty-seven participants, recruited from online support groups, completed an 86-item online questionnaire. Maladaptive coping e.g. denial, self-blame, substance-abuse and behavioural disengagement significantly predicted high anxiety and depression and lower psychological and social QOL. Adaptive coping e.g. active-coping and acceptance predicted higher psychological QOL. Results emphasise the importance of supporting EFD patients in developing adaptive coping strategies during, but also after, fixation.

Changes in quality of life and coping among people with multiple sclerosis over a 2 year period

There is a need to investigate the impact of different coping strategies on quality of life (QOL) of people with multiple sclerosis (MS), in order to better inform intervention programs for this population. This study evaluated the relationship between QOL and coping over a 2 year period among people with MS. Participants were 382 people with MS (144 male, 238 females) and 291 people without a neurological or other chronic illness from the general population (101 males, 190 females). People with MS experienced lower QOL than the control group in the domains of global QOL, independence, social and spiritual QOL scales, as well as the problem solving and social/emotional support coping scales. Interestingly, people with MS experienced higher psychological QOL than the general population, and higher detachment and focusing on the positive coping. Over time, people with MS demonstrated increases in their global QOL as well as in their social/emotional support coping. Women demonstrated higher levels than men of global QOL and Social/emotional support coping. The results of these findings have implications for information and intervention programs for people with MS.