Mental Components Of Health-related Quality Research Articles

Anthropometric Predictors of Health-Related Quality of Life in Obese Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital in Nnewi, South-East Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Obesity as a disorder with excess body fat directly decreases quality of life. While Body Mass Index (BMI) has been used largely in health studies as a measure of obesity, it is largely unable to differentiate between body fat and lean body mass, hence other anthropometric measures can be used to assess body fat. To determine the association of anthropometric indicators with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in obese adults. A cross-sectional study of obese adults (BMI ≥30kg/m2) attending the general outpatient clinic was conducted over four months. The quality of life was assessed using the short form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. The anthropometric indicators used were BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist hip ratio (WHR), and waist-height ratio (WHtR). Physical component summary (PCS) was significantly related to BMI, WHtR, and WC. After adjusting for co-variables (gender, age, occupation, and marital status), they remained significantly associated with PCS. Mental component summary (MCS) was significantly related to BMI, WHtR, and WC. After adjusting for the known determinants of HRQoL, only BMI remained significantly associated with MCS (P = -0.004; r = -0.146). When all the indicators were included in the same regression model, no anthropometric indicator was significantly related to MCS while only WHtR was significantly associated with PCS (P = 0.001; r = -0.465). HRQoL in obese patients is related to measures of body fat. The physical and mental components of health-related quality of life are correlated differently with the various anthropometric measures of obesity. The WHtR was found to be an independent predictor of the physical component of HRQoL.

The relationship between body weight and health-related quality of life of postmenopausal women attended at primary health care in Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Postmenopausal women are particularly affected by obesity. Although it is well documented that obesity is strongly associated with morbidity and mortality, less is known about the impact of obesity on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between body weight and the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life of the postmenopausal women attended at primary health care in Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina. This cross-sectional study evaluated 200 postmenopausal women in two groups of 100 each (i.e. overweight/ obese and normal weight). The respondents were supposed to fill out a questionnaire that included questions about their age, years since menopause and the SF-36 questionnaire. Women were weighed and measured, and BMI was calculated. The mean values for the mental component summary were significantly lower in the overweight/obese (59.08±21.86) than in the normal weight group (67.05±19.02) (p=0.006). The mean values for the physical component summary were significantly lower in the overweight/obese (57.56 ±22.81) than in the normal weight group (67.38±21.85) (p=0.002). There was not significant relationship between body weight and the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life. Identification of predicting factors of HRQoL, such as body mass index can help to improve the HRQoL, of these women allowing planning practical interventions.

Associations of relative deprivation with self-rated health and health-related quality of life: mediating role of subjective social status

ObjectivesRelative deprivation has been linked to various adverse health outcomes. However, the potential mediating factors in the association between relative deprivation and health outcomes remain unclear. This study aimed to (1) examine the association between relative deprivation and self-rated health and health-related quality of life among the working-age population in Taiwan and (2) investigate the mediating effect of subjective social status. Study designCross-sectional study using nationally representative data. MethodsData were obtained from the 2022 Taiwan Social Change Survey conducted from September 2021 to April 2022. We analyzed 1108 participants aged 25–64 years. Relative deprivation was measured using the Yitzhaki Index based on individual monthly income from all sources. Health-related quality of life was assessed using the 12-item Short Form Health Survey. ResultsAfter adjusting for all covariates and absolute income, least-squares regression models indicated a negative association between the Yitzhaki Index and self-rated health, as well as the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life. Furthermore, subjective social status partially mediates the association between relative income deprivation and poorer self-rated health and health-related quality of life. ConclusionsThe findings support the psychosocial effect of the relative deprivation measure, emphasizing the importance of addressing relative deprivation to improve health-related quality of life among the working-age population.

The effectiveness of patient activation interventions in adults with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex health condition that profoundly impacts an individual's general health and well-being throughout their entire lifetime. People with CKD require the knowledge, confidence, and skills to actively self-manage their health. This is referred to as patient activation. The efficacy of interventions to increase patient activation in the CKD population is unclear. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of patient activation interventions on behavioral health-related outcomes among people with CKD stages 3-5. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of patients with CKD stages 3-5 was performed. MEDLINE, EMCARE, EMBASE, and PsychINFO databases were searched between 2005 and February 2021. Risk of bias was assessed using the Joanna Bridge Institute critical appraisal tool. Nineteen RCTs that enrolled 4414 participants were included for synthesis. Only one RCT reported patient activation using the validated 13-item patient activation measure (PAM-13). Four studies demonstrated strong evidence that the intervention group developed a higher level of self-management compared to the control group (standardized mean differences [SMD]=1.12, 95% CI [0.36, 1.87], p=.004). Eight RCTs led to a significant improvement in self-efficacy (SMD=0.73, 95% CI [0.39, 1.06], p < .0001). There was weak to no evidence on the effect of the strategies shown on the physical component and mental components of health-related quality of life, and medication adherence. This meta-analysis highlights the importance of including tailored interventions using a cluster approach including patient education, goal setting with individualized action plan, and problem-solving to engage patients to be more actively involved in the self-management of their CKD.

Association of Different Restriction Levels With COVID-19-Related Distress and Mental Health in Somatic Inpatients: A Secondary Analysis of Swiss General Hospital Data.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and related countermeasures hinder health care access and affect mental wellbeing of non-COVID-19 patients. There is lack of evidence on distress and mental health of patients hospitalized due to other reasons than COVID-19—a vulnerable population group in two ways: First, given their risk for physical diseases, they are at increased risk for severe courses and death related to COVID-19. Second, they may struggle particularly with COVID-19 restrictions due to their dependence on social support. Therefore, we investigated the association of intensity of COVID-19 restrictions with levels of COVID-19-related distress, mental health (depression, anxiety, somatic symptom disorder, and mental quality of life), and perceived social support among Swiss general hospital non-COVID-19 inpatients.MethodsWe analyzed distress of 873 hospital inpatients not admitted for COVID-19, recruited from internal medicine, gynecology, rheumatology, rehabilitation, acute geriatrics, and geriatric rehabilitation wards of three hospitals. We assessed distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and four indicators of mental health: depressive and anxiety symptom severity, psychological distress associated with somatic symptoms, and the mental component of health-related quality of life; additionally, we assessed social support. The data collection period was divided into modest (June 9 to October 18, 2020) and strong (October 19, 2020, to April 17, 2021) COVID-19 restrictions, based on the Oxford Stringency Index for Switzerland.ResultsAn additional 13% (95%-Confidence Interval 4–21%) and 9% (1–16%) of hospital inpatients reported distress related to leisure time and loneliness, respectively, during strong COVID-19 restrictions compared to times of modest restrictions. There was no evidence for changes in mental health or social support.ConclusionsFocusing on the vulnerable population of general hospital inpatients not admitted for COVID-19, our results suggest that tightening of COVID-19 restrictions in October 2020 was associated with increased COVID-19-related distress regarding leisure time and loneliness, with no evidence for a related decrease in mental health. If this association was causal, safe measures to increase social interaction (e.g., virtual encounters and outdoor activities) are highly warranted.Trial registrationwww.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT04269005.

Health Behaviors and Health-Related Quality of Life in Female Medical Staff.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the intensity of health behaviors and health-related quality of life in female mid-level medical staff. The study group consisted of 153 female mid-level medical staff members. The intensity of health behaviors was examined with the Polish version of Health Behavior Inventory. Health-related quality of life was verified with the Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF 36v2). Among the participants, 33% had low, 39% average, and 28% high intensity of health behaviors. The mental component of health-related quality of life was rated higher (83.3 ± 15.3 points) compared to the physical one. The lowest health-related quality of life was observed in the domain of “bodily pain”, while the highest was found for the domain of “social functioning”. Both the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life were significantly positively correlated with health behavior prevalence in all its categories. The post-hoc tests revealed the variation in physical and mental components of HRQoL according to the level of health behavior intensity.

Cognitive Functioning Mediates the Association of Cognitive Reserve with Health-Related Quality of Life

We investigated whether the relations of the cognitive reserve markers education and cognitive level of work to the physical and the mental component of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were mediated via cognitive functioning in a large sample of 701 older adults (mean age = 70.36 years, SD = 6.87). HRQoL was measured with the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. To measure cognitive functioning, we used the COGTEL, which is a cognitive test battery assessing prospective memory, verbal short-term memory, verbal long-term memory, working memory, verbal fluency, and inductive reasoning, combined into a composite score. Individuals reported information on their education and their main profession during their working life. Mediation analyses showed that better cognitive functioning mediated the association of higher values in the cognitive reserve markers (longer education and a high cognitive level of work) with higher HRQoL. In conclusion, the present study suggests that the sustainability of cognitive functioning in old age with the help of cognitive reserve is fundamental for the sustainability of quality of life, presumably particularly for the mental HRQoL component.

Anxiety disorders in patients with noncardiac chest pain: association with health-related quality of life and chest pain severity

BackgroundPatients with noncardiac chest pain (NCCP) report more severe symptoms and lowered health-related quality of life when they present with comorbid panic disorder (PD). Although generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is the second most common psychiatric disorder in these patients, its impact on NCCP and health-related quality of life remains understudied. This study describes and prospectively compares patients with NCCP with or without PD or GAD in terms of (1) NCCP severity; and (2) the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life.MethodsA total of 915 patients with NCCP were consecutively recruited in two emergency departments. The presence of comorbid PD or GAD was assessed at baseline with the Anxiety Disorder Schedule for DSM-IV. NCCP severity at baseline and at the six-month follow-up was assessed with a structured telephone interview, and the patients completed the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey Version 2 (SF-12v2) to assess health-related quality of life at both time points.ResultsAverage NCCP severity decreased between baseline and the six-month follow-up (p < .001) and was higher in the patients with comorbid PD or GAD (p < .001) at both time points compared to those with NCCP only. However, average NCCP severity did not differ between patients with PD and those with GAD (p = 0.901). The physical component of quality of life improved over time (p = 0.016) and was significantly lower in the subset of patients with PD with or without comorbid GAD compared to the other groups (p < .001). A significant time x group interaction was found for the mental component of quality of life (p = 0.0499). GAD with or without comorbid PD was associated with a lower mental quality of life, and this effect increased at the six-month follow-up.ConclusionsComorbid PD or GAD are prospectively associated with increased chest pain severity and lowered health-related quality of life in patients with NCCP. PD appears to be mainly associated with the physical component of quality of life, while GAD has a greater association with the mental component. Knowledge of these differences could help in the management of patients with NCCP and these comorbidities.

Physical Activity Dimensions Differentially Predict Physical and Mental Components of Health-Related Quality of Life: Evidence from a Sport for All Study

The present cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationship between different dimensions of physical activity (PA) (i.e., work, sport, leisure) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (i.e., overall, physical component, mental component) in an adult lifespan sample of 381 active individuals (age range: 18–88 years; 38.8% men), while controlling for important covariates in terms of sex, age, education, and health profile regarding medical history. HRQoL was assessed using the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Usual (i.e., previous 12 months) PA was assessed during face-to-face interviews using the Baecke questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses showed in Step 1 that the three PA dimensions work, sport, and leisure (entered simultaneously) together predicted 8%, 10%, and 4% of the variance in SF-12 total score, SF-12 physical component, and SF-12 mental component, respectively. In the final model, adjusting for sex, age, education, and health profile regarding medical history, sport emerged as the only PA dimension predicting SF-12 total score and the SF-12 physical component. In conclusion, health-policy targets at the community level should include the promotion of lifelong engagement in PA, especially sport, to allow the sustainability of HRQoL across the lifespan of our society.

Loneliness as a mediator of social relationships and health-related quality of life among refugees living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

BackgroundSince 2015, more than one million people fled to Germany – mainly from war-affected countries. Nevertheless, little is known about social determinants in refugees located in Germany. This study aims to test the mediation effect of loneliness between social relationships, comprising social integration and social support, and health-related quality of life among refugees living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.MethodsThe investigation utilizes data from the FlueGe Health Study (N=326), a cross-sectional study conducted by Bielefeld University. The data was collected between February and November 2018 and included interviews and examinations. Participants were recruited from shared and private accommodation in several cities in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. We first analyzed correlations between social integration, social support, loneliness, and physical and mental component of health-related quality of life. We then conducted mediation analyses using structural equation modeling.ResultsThe majority of respondents were socially isolated, perceiving a moderate degree of loneliness and social support. In addition, the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life indicate that participants predominantly experienced mental rather than physical impairments. Results from mediation analyses showed indirect effects of loneliness on the association between social integration and mental health (ß = 0.495, 95% bias-corrected and accelerated confidence interval (BCa CI) = [0.018, 0.972]), and between social support and both physical (ß = 0.022, 95% BCa CI = [0.004, 0.040]) and mental health (ß = 0.067, 95% BCa CI = [0.037, 0.097]).ConclusionsLoneliness played a mediating role in the association between social relationships and health-related quality of life among refugees living in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The results provide implications for both, health policy and the host society.

Psychosocial Health and Physical Activity in People With Major Depression in the Context of COVID-19.

Introduction: Major depression is a psychiatric disease associated with physical inactivity, which in turn affects mental and physical health. A randomized controlled trial is being implemented to facilitate physical activity in people with major depression. In March 2020, Swiss state authorities temporarily legislated a lockdown to contain the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), which influenced health, behavior and research. The aim of this study was to find out whether data gathered before and during/after the lockdown among in-patients with major depression differ with regard to psychosocial health, physical activity and related attitudes and to establish whether baseline data have been affected by the lockdown.Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis within a randomized controlled trial. Physically inactive, adult in-patients diagnosed with major depression were recruited from four Swiss psychiatric clinics between January 2019 and December 2020. Psychosocial health was measured with questionnaires pertaining to stress, sleep and health-related quality of life. Physical activity was measured with the Simple Physical Activity Questionnaire. Explicit attitudes were measured with seven questionnaires pertaining to physical activity-related motivation and volition. Implicit attitudes toward physical activity were captured with a single target implicit association test.Results: The sample consisted of 165 participants (n = 119 before lockdown, n = 46 during/after lockdown). No statistically significant differences were found between in-patients with major depression assessed before and during/after the COVID-19 lockdown with regard to psychosocial health (stress, p = 0.51; sleep, p = 0.70; physical component of health-related quality of life, p = 0.55; mental component of health-related quality of life, p = 0.64), self-reported physical activity (p = 0.16) and explicit as well as implicit attitudes toward physical activity (p = 0.94). Hence, the COVID-19-induced lockdown seems not to have led to group differences.Conclusion: Baseline data gathered in in-patients suffering from major depression who are physically inactive upon admission to in-patient treatment in Switzerland seem to be unaffected by the COVID-19-induced lockdown. To assess changes in said population regarding psychosocial health and physical activity patterns over time, longitudinal data are needed.

Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms, Fear, and Health-Related Quality of Life among Community Dwelling Older Adults during COVID-19 Pandemic in Alexandria, Egypt

Background: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic is a public health crisis that largely has affected people worldwide. Since older adults are universally perceived as the most vulnerable group, post-traumatic symptoms and fear produced by this pandemic could have devastating effects on their quality of life. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms and fear during COVID-19 pandemic and determine the impact of these psychological symptoms on health-related quality of life among community dwelling older adults. Methodology: A descriptive correlational research design was utilized. Participants included a representative sample of 190 community dwelling older adults registered in El-Wafaa club. Online web-based electronic questionnaires were used including Older Adults Socio-Demographic and Clinical Data Questionnaire, PCL-C, FCQ, and SF-12. Results: The results of this study revealed that during COVID-19 pandemic 76.9% and 97.4 % of the studied older adults had medium to severe stress and fear levels, respectively. These levels of PTSD symptoms significantly affect their physical and mental health-related quality of life (P≤ 0.01). While fear levels affected mental components only (P≤ 0.01). Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that more than three-quarters of the studied Egyptian community dwelling older-adults suffered from PTSD symptoms levels ranged from medium to severe post-COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. The majority of them suffered from fear of COVID-19 pandemic with the same levels. The PTSD symptoms and fear levels were the best predictors of the mental components of health-related quality of life. Recommendations: Nursing interventions with emotional, spiritual, social, and physical components through online videos and Apps platform for phones and tablets should be made available for elderly people were recommended

Childhood Sports Participation Is Associated With Health-Related Quality of Life in Young Men: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of the study was to examine whether sports participation (SP), engagement in competitive sports (CS), and the type of sport undertaken at the age of 12 are associated with the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young adulthood. The data were collected using questionnaires prior to a compulsory military refresher training course in Finland. The sample consisted of 784 men (mean age 26 years). HRQoL was measured with RAND 36 and childhood SP with a series of questions. Data were analyzed with logistic regression. Higher frequency of SP, participation in district-level CS; performing team, endurance, or extreme sports; and playing yard games in childhood were after adjustments all associated with better HRQoL in early adulthood. The association was mainly found with the mental component, and to a lesser extent with the physical component, of HRQoL. Team (OR 1.43, CI 1.00–2.06) and extreme sports (OR 1.77, CI 1.19–2.63) were associated with better mental HRQoL, while playing yard games (OR 0.62, CI 0.44–0.89) reduced the likelihood for having low physical HRQoL. SP in childhood—in the forms of team or individual sports, but also as informal physical activity, such as playing yard games—is associated with HRQoL in young adulthood.

The associations of pregnancy-related symptoms with health-related quality of life at midpregnancy: the PregnActive project

Aim To analyze the associations between the wide range of pregnancy-related symptoms and health-related quality of life. Material and methods A cross-sectional study was developed among 155 healthy low-risk pregnant women, aged 18–45 years, participated in the study at midpregnancy. Health-related quality of life and pregnancy symptoms were assessed using the Medical Outcome Study 36-item short form questionnaire and the Pregnancy Symptoms Inventory, respectively. Simple correlations, hierarchical linear regressions and standard multiple regressions were performed. Results Significant correlations, after adjusting for sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, were found between five pregnancy-related symptoms and physical component of health-related quality of life and between thirteen pregnancy-related symptoms and mental component. However, when all pregnancy symptoms were entered simultaneously into a multiple regression model, back pain and shortness of breath on the physical components, and feeling depressed and anxiety on the mental component were the main explanatory factors of health-related quality of life. Conclusion Among the wide range of pregnancy-related symptoms, back pain, hip or pelvic pain, shortness of breath, and feeling depressed and anxiety are the main symptoms affecting the physical and the mental components of health-related quality of life, respectively. An early detection of the pregnancy-related symptoms that may affect health-related quality of life enables early interventions aimed at ameliorating their negative impact on health-related quality of life and daily living activities at midpregnancy.

Mental component of health-related quality of life is an independent predictor of incident functional disability among community-dwelling older people: a prospective cohort study.

Previous studies have reported a positive association between poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and disability mainly in relation to the physical component of HRQOL. Given the mental component's responsivity to interventions, this study aimed to investigate whether the mental component of HRQOL independently predicted functional disability. We targeted all residents aged ≥ 65years in one municipality and analyzed 3858 men and 4475 women without disability at baseline (November 2016). HRQOL was measured using the physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) of the SF-8 Health Survey. At 3-year follow-up (October 2019), incident functional disability was measured, defined as a new certification according to the Japanese long-term care insurance system. Multivariable Poisson regression models stratified by gender were used to estimate adjusted cumulative incidence ratio (CIR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for functional disability. Among both genders, there was a significant dose-response relationship between better MCS and lower risk of functional disability, independent of potential confounders including the PCS (P for trend = 0.026 in men and 0.003 in women). Compared with the worst MCS group, the CIRs (95% CIs) for functional disability in the second worst, the middle, the second best, and the best MCS quintile groups were 1.09 (0.80-1.48), 0.58 (0.40-0.85), 0.90 (0.59-1.37), and 0.70 (0.48-1.02) for men, and 0.76 (0.58-1.00), 0.62 (0.46-0.84), 0.73 (0.53-0.99), and 0.63 (0.48-0.85) for women, respectively. The MCS is an independent predictor of functional disability among high-functioning older adults. This suggests that strategies focused on mental HRQOL are important for realizing a healthy, long-lived society.

The psychological impact of a nurse-led proactive self-care program on independent, non-frail community-dwelling older adults: A randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPoor mental health is common later in life and is a crucial factor in determining older adults’ ability to live independently in the community. Existing nurse-led proactive self-care programs for older adults focus on physical health, since many are living with chronic diseases. Little is known about their effectiveness on the psychological outcomes of independent, non-frail community-dwelling older adults. AimThe aim of this study was to examine the impact of a nurse-led proactive self-care program with a health-social partnership model for community-dwelling older adults on depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and the mental component of health-related quality of life. Design and MethodsThis was a single-blinded, randomized controlled trial. Adults aged 60 or over who lived within the service areas and scored ≥ 18 in the Mini-Mental Status Examination were included. Data were collected using questionnaires pre- (T1), post- (T2), and three month after the intervention (T3). The program provided a comprehensive assessment, health and self-management information, and empowerment, and promoted the accessibility of community services by building a health-social partnership network in the community. Generalized Estimating Equation was used to calculate the group, time, and interaction effects. Intention-to-treat was employed as the primary analysis in this study. ResultsOf the 843 potential community-dwelling older adults who were assessed for eligibility, 457 eligible participants were randomized into the intervention (n = 230) or control group (n = 227). Among them, 175 (76.0%) participants in the intervention group and 190 (83.7%) participants in the control group completed data collection at T3, 6 months after T2 at the completion of the program. The results showed a significant time effect between T1 and T2 (Wald χ2 = 25.7, p < .001) and T1 and T3 (Wald χ2 = 7.40, p = .007) in terms of the presence of depressive symptoms. ConclusionsInterprofessional care addressing health and social needs improves the depressive symptoms among older adults dwelling in the community.

Kidney-transplant patients receiving living- or dead-donor organs have similar psychological outcomes (findings from the PI-KT study).

Kidney transplantation (KT) is the treatment of choice for end-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is well known to improve the clinical outcome of patients. However, the impact of KT on comorbid psychological symptoms, particularly depression and anxiety, is less clear, and recipients of living-donor (LD) organs may have a different psychological outcome from recipients of dead-donor (DD) organs. In total, 152 patients were included and analyzed using a cross-sectional design. Of these patients, 25 were pre-KT, 13 were post-KT with a LD transplant and 114 were post-KT with a DD transplant. The patients were tested for a variety of psychometric outcomes using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (assessing physical and mental health-related quality of life), the Resilience Scale, the Coping Self-Questionnaire and the Social Support Questionnaire. The mean age of the patients was 51.25 years and 40 per cent of the patients were female. As expected, the post-KT patients had significantly better scores on the physical component of the Short Form Health Survey than the pre-KT patients, and there were no significant differences between the two post-KT groups. There were no significant differences among the groups in any of the other psychometric outcome parameters tested, including anxiety, depression and the mental component of health-related quality of life. KT and the origin of the donor organ do not appear to have a significant impact on the psychological well-being of transplant patients with CKD. Although the diagnosis and early treatment of psychological symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, remain important for these patients, decisions regarding KT, including the mode of transplantation, should not be fundamentally influenced by concerns about psychological impairments at the population level. CKD is a serious condition involving profound impairment of the physical and psychological well-being of patients. KT is considered the treatment of choice for most of these patients. KT has notable advantages over dialysis with regard to the long-term physical functioning of the renal and cardiovascular system and increases the life expectancy of patients. However, the data on the improvement of psychological impairments after KT are less conclusive.

A generalized additive model to disentangle age and diagnosis-specific cohort effects in psychological and behavioral outcomes in people living with HIV: the French cross-sectional ANRS-VESPA2 survey

BackgroundUnlike their younger counterparts, some of today’s older HIV patients were diagnosed before the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The psychosocial and behavioral outcomes of people living with HIV (PLWH) have been widely studied, and associated factors are well known. However, their evolution both in terms of age and diagnosis-specific cohort effects is not well understood.MethodsData from the ANRS-VESPA2 cross-sectional survey, representative of French PLWH, were used to investigate whether psychosocial and behavioral outcomes such as quality of life, need for support and HIV status disclosure, evolve under both the influence of patients’ age and diagnosis-specific cohort effects. A semi-parametric generalized additive model (GAM) was employed. The physical and mental components of health-related quality of life, the need for material and moral support, and HIV-status disclosure, constituted our outcomes.ResultsNon-linear diagnosis-specific cohort effects were found for physical and mental QoL and HIV-status disclosure. Overall, physical QoL was better in recently diagnosed patients than in those diagnosed in the early 1980s. An increasing influence of diagnosis-specific cohort effects between 1983 and 1995 was observed. No cohort effects were noticeable between 1996 and 2000, while an increasing influence was apparent for patients diagnosed with HIV from 2000 to 2011 (year of study). For mental QoL, the only increase was observed in participants diagnosed with HIV between 1983 and 2000. The relationship between diagnosis-specific cohort effects and HIV status disclosure was negative overall: participants diagnosed after 2000 were much less likely to disclose than those diagnosed before 1995. The effect of age was significantly associated with all outcomes, with a non-linear influence on mental QoL and with the need for material/moral support.ConclusionsPsychosocial and behavioral outcomes are complex processes which can be explained in different ways by a combination of the clinical and social contexts which PLWH are exposed to at the time of diagnosis, and by developmental characteristics. A greater understanding of these processes could inform healthcare policy-making for specific HIV generations and different HIV age groups.

Possibilities of antianginal therapy in improvement of quality of life of patients with stable angina of effort

Objective:High prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) is currently both of medical and social concern, thus requiring treatment with drugs capable of influencing not only the prognosis of the disease but also quality of life of patients. This study was undertaken to investigate the possibilities of antianginal therapy with nicorandil and isosorbide dinitrate in order to improve quality of life of patients with stable angina pectoris.Method:The authors carried out a comprehensive examination of a total of eighty-four 44-to-76-year-old patients suffering from IHD with functional class 2-3 stable angina of effort and followed up in ambulatory settings. The patients were randomized into two groups of treatment to receive either nicorandil or isosorbide dinitrate as antianginal agents added to basic therapy. The groups of patients did not significantly differ by anamnestic and demographic characteristics. The duration of follow up amounted to 24 months. We determined the physical and mental components of health-related quality of life and their dynamics on the background of antianginal therapy with nicorandil and isosorbide dinitrate. The parameters of quality of life were evaluated by the findings of two screening tools: the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) and Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ).Results:The findings obtained within the timeframe of the study demonstrated that patients suffering from FC 2-3 stable angina of effort and taking standard therapy with beta-adrenoblokers, calcium antagonists, and antiplatelet drugs were found to have a decrease in their quality of life. The lowest scores were observed by the scales reflecting the psychological component of health, whereas the scores of physical limitation, angina stability, and angina frequency were considerably better. After 24 weeks of treatment with nicorandil and isosorbide dinitrate, the patients of both groups were found to have significantly improved scores for quality of life assessed by the SAQ on all scales. Initially high scores by the GHQ characterizing the patient’s psychological discomfort were revealed in both groups of patients, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. The highest score was revealed by the scales of somatic symptoms and social dysfunction in both the nicorandil group (11.8 and 13.2 points, respectively) and isosorbide dinitrate group (12.1 and 13.5 points, respectively). The mentioned alterations underline the significance of such disease as IHD in adaptation of the patient to the social environment. Angina attacks, physical limitations lead to deterioration of the emotional state and interfere with daily activity. High scores by the scales of anxiety and depression suggested a low level of mental health of IHD patients with stable angina pectoris. After 24 months of treatment, manifestations of anxiety and depression in patients of both groups significantly decreased (with the results comparable in both groups), with clear advantage in the nicorandil group.Conclusion:Nicorandil turned out to be superior to isosorbide dinitrate in improvement of physical and psychological components of quality of life of patients with stable angina of effort.

Estilo de vida activo en la etapa final de embarazo y su influencia en la salud mental percibida: the PregnActive project

El objetivo del estudio es analizar el efecto de un estilo de vida activo sobre la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y los síntomas psicológicos percibidos en la etapa final del embarazo. Noventa y cinco mujeres embarazadas fueron categorizadas en función del cumplimiento de las recomendaciones de actividad física, medida objetivamente mediante un monitor metabólico multisensor, y la percepción de síntomas psicológicos del embarazo, medidos con el Cuestionario de Síntomas del Embarazo. Se analizaron las relaciones entre la actividad física y la percepción de síntomas psicológicos con la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, medida a través del SF-36. El grupo de embarazadas activas presentó una puntuación media superior estadísticamente significativa en el sumario y tres dominios del componente mental del SF-36 y una menor limitación percibida estadísticamente significativa en los síntomas de sentimientos depresivos y ansiedad. Una mayor frecuencia percibida de síntomas psicológicos conlleva una peor percepción del componente mental de la calidad de vida. Un estilo de vida activo en la etapa final del embarazo tiene un efecto positivo sobre la percepción de la limitación producida por los síntomas psicológicos del embarazo y el componente mental de la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud.