Pictorial Representation Of Illness And Self Measure Research Articles

Illustration of self-perceived knowledge, skills, and interests in undergraduate dental students using a visual metaphor– results of a monocentric cross-sectional study

BackgroundSelf-assessment and self-reflection of competencies are crucial skills for undergraduate students. This monocentric cross-sectional study aims to assess the self-perceived knowledge, skills and interests in conservative dentistry and periodontology of third-, fourth-, and fifth-year dental students by the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-measure (PRISM).MethodsSeventy-five undergraduate dental students (n = 25 of each year) who studied between 2021 and 2022 at the Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology at the University of Leipzig, Germany, were included. All of them underwent a PRISM-based interview regarding their perceived knowledge, practical skills, and interests in conservative dentistry as well as its sub-disciplines. The distances in the PRISM task (in millimeters) were measured and compared between the groups. Spearman’s Rho was used to reveal correlations between knowledge, skills, and interests in the cohort.ResultsPerceived theoretical knowledge and practical skills differed significantly between groups for the sub-disciplines periodontology, cariology, restorative dentistry and preventive dentistry (p < 0.05). However, students’ interests did not significantly vary between groups (p > 0.05). In the field of conservative dentistry and its sub-disciplines, significant moderate to high positive correlations were found between knowledge and skills (p < 0.01), and weak to moderate positive correlations were found between interests and knowledge (p < 0.05). Regarding the relationship between perceived interests and skills, only restorative dentistry, endodontology and periodontology were significant and only moderate to weak correlations were found (p < 0.05).ConclusionPRISM revealed differences in perceived knowledge and skills between third-, fourth-, and fifth-year dental students. Correlations were found between perceived knowledge and skills, as well as between interests and knowledge. PRISM may be a promising tool to support students and teachers in dental education.

Suffering and Quality of Life Impairment in Patients with Eczematous Diseases: Results from an Observational Study Assessing the Relevance of the Involvement of Two Sensitive Body Sites, Namely, the Face and Hands

Background: Quality of life (QoL) impairment by eczematous diseases, with reference to body site involvement, has not been deeply addressed. Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess: (1) the impact on QoL of eczematous diseases affecting the face or hands; (2) any differences in QoL impairment in the case of face versus hand involvement; (3) sensitivity of Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) in measuring disease-related burden. Methods: Adults with eczematous diseases of the face or hands were involved. Patients were patch tested and underwent DLQI and PRISM. Results: 143 patients were included, 43.36% with face and 56.64% with hands involvement. PRISM and DLQI scores showed a moderate to strong inverse correlation, but PRISM revealed a higher sensitivity in capturing patients’ suffering than DLQI, especially in the case of face involvement. Itching was the sole parameter significantly associated with both PRISM and DLQI scores. Conclusions: PRISM appeared to be more accurate in detecting the burden of eczematous diseases involving the face, probably due to the interception of the emotional impact, while DLQI, focusing on patient functioning, was more affected by hand involvement. Site involvement could be a criterion for selecting the best QoL assessment tool.

Visual Assessment of Therapeutic Relationships in Psychiatric Patients: A Pilot Study Using the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure.

Although the therapeutic relationship (or 'alliance') is well known to be a key component of psychiatric treatment, there has been no simple way to objectively measure the patient-therapist relationship. Here, we measured the psychological distance between patients and their therapists by using the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM). We analyzed the patient-therapist relationship of 112 patients from two hospitals in Japan (54 males, 57 females, 1 unknown; age 46.20 ± 15.03 years [mean ± SD]) who completed the PRISM and self report questionnaires (LSNS-6, K6, and BASIS-32) about their social network, psychological distress, and outcomes of mental health treatment. PRISM measurements were available for all patients who consented to participate. In the comparison by disease category, schizophrenia recorded the closest distance to the psychiatrist in charge, followed by bipolar disorder, depression, and neurotic disorder. Regarding the distance to the psychiatrist in charge, PRISM showed a weak negative correlation (r = -0.23, p < 0.05) with age, indicating that with increasing age, the therapeutic rela tionship was more important to the patients. Our findings indicate the possibility of implementing PRISM to assess the impact of the therapeutic relationship in patients with a wide range of psychiatric disorders, and they suggest that PRISM holds great potential for clinical application.

Comparison of PRISM and numeric scale for self-assessment of learning progress during a clinical course in undergraduate dental students

ObjectivesTo compare Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure (PRISM) and a numeric scale for self-reflection in dental students.MethodsFourth year dental students were randomly assigned to each receive one interview based on PRISM or a numeric scale to self-assess their competencies at the beginning (t1), the middle (t2) and the end (t3) of integrated clinical course. Questionnaires were used to assess self-perceived benefit of the interviews at each time points.ResultsStudents in PRISM group perceived a higher benefit regarding the self-assessment of their practical skills at all time points (P < 0.05), for theoretical knowledge at t2 and t3 (P < 0.05) and reaching the course objectives at t3 (P = 0.04). At all time points, PRISM group rated their interview (P = 0.04), the applied instrument (PRISM, P = 0.01) and the benefit of the combination of both higher than numeric scale group (P < 0.05).ConclusionIn this preliminary study, PRISM was superior against a numeric scale and can be recommended for dental education to facilitate self-assessment.

Does Clearance of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus after a Corticosteroid Treatment Correspond to a Decrease in Disease-Related Burden? Results from a Cohort Study Using Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure and the Dermatology Life Quality Index

Background and Objectives: Complete clearance of vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) occurs in a minority of treated patients. Disease persistence may impact patient well-being. The main objective of this study was to assess if achieving a complete clearance with a corticosteroid treatment leads to a benefit in terms of patient suffering and quality-of-life (QoL) impairment. Methods: We performed an observational study on a cohort of VLS women, who applied mometasone furoate 0.1% ointment for 12 weeks. At treatment completion (T1), we compared the patients who achieved clearance in symptoms (Global Subjective Score [GSS] = 0) or in objective features (Global Objective Score [GOS] = 0) or in both with those who achieved a lower degree of improvement, on the basis of Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure (PRISM) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) scores. Results: In the whole sample (n = 101), GSS, GOS, PRISM, and DLQI scores significantly improved after treatment from baseline; 34 patients (35.8%) achieved GSS = 0, 26 (25.7%) achieved GOS = 0, and 11 (11.5%) clearance of GSS and GOS. PRISM scores at T1 were significantly higher in patients who achieved clearance of symptoms when compared with those who did not, including patients achieving 50–99% GSS improvement from baseline. DLQI scores were lower in patients who achieved clearance of symptoms, signs, or both when compared with the others. Conclusions: VLS clearance corresponded to a significant improvement in the QoL of VLS patients, also in comparison with those who achieved a substantial but incomplete decrease of symptom and sign scores, and should become an ideal therapeutic goal.

PRISM: A Novel Visual Instrument to Facilitate Self-Reflection and Learning Progress in Undergraduate Dental Education.

Objectives PRISM (Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure) is a simple visual tool that has been successfully used as a visual metaphor in medicine. In this pilot study, PRISM was used for the first time to test its potential to support self-reflection and expectations of learning in dental students. Methods Dental student volunteers (25 3rd year, 10 4th year, and 10 5th year) participated. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, PRISM interviews were compared with a numerical scale in assessing learning objectives concerning theoretical knowledge, practical skills, interest, and training need in the field of conservative dentistry. Results Overall, 71% of total student group stated that they would draw personal consequences for their studies due to participating in the PRISM interviews. Compared to the numeric scales, PRISM was rated as more helpful regarding appraisal of students' theoretical knowledge (p = 0.02), practical skills (p < 0.01), training needs (p < 0.01), importance of dental subspecialties (p < 0.01), and facilitating self-reflection (p = 0.02). In focus groups, students commented that PRISM fostered the development of a trusting relationship with their teacher. Strengths of PRISM mentioned by the students included being able to observe and manipulate a visual summary of their individual learning needs and seeing their different learning needs in relation to one another. Conclusion In this pilot study, dental students evaluated PRISM to be superior against numeric scales. Furthermore, it ameliorated the communication with teachers. The PRISM task is both simple and brief and warrants further exploration as a useful tool for self-reflection in dental education.

Children's disaster knowledge, risk perceptions, and preparedness: A cross-country comparison in Nepal and Turkey.

While children are one of the groups at risk in disasters, they can also take an active part in disaster management, provided that the opportunity is given. This research examined the effect of disaster experience, disaster education, country, and city socioeconomic status on children's perceived risk and preparedness with a survey of 1335 children between 11 and 14 years old, in Nepal and Turkey. The survey used questionnaires and the pictorial representation of illness and self measure (PRISM) tool. Results showed that (1) children's risk perceptions were in line with their country-specific objective risks; (2) there were differences between the countries in relation to perception of risk for all the hazards except wildfire; (3) socioeconomic status had a statistically significant effect on children's perceptions of risk and preparedness for earthquakes, wildfires, that is, children who live in wealthier places had higher perceived risk and preparedness; (4) children in both countries showed similar trends in their knowledge of the correct protective actions to take in the event of a hazard occurrence. However, there is still room to enhance children's knowledge, in terms of safety behaviors, as the children selected many incorrect protective actions. There are important implications in terms of child-centered disaster management which hopefully will make life safer and help to create more resilience to disaster in society as a whole.

PRISM (Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure) as Visual Tool to Support Oral Health Education Prior to Endoprosthetic Joint Replacement-A Novel Approach in Dentistry.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the application of Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure (PRISM) in educating patients regarding oral health before endoprosthesis (EP). Methods: The study consisted of two parts: (I) a cross-sectional study, where patients received a PRISM interview, oral health briefing and oral examinations (treatment need, oral focus). (II) In an observational part, patients were randomly assigned to either PRISM task (Test) or flyer-based verbal briefing (Control). Before and after the interviews, patients answered a questionnaire regarding importance of oral health for EP. Results: (I) 122 patients were included. The distance between subject (“myself”) and objects (oral health issues or EP) in the PRISM task were mainly not associated with age, gender, and oral conditions. In part (II), 80 patients (PRISM: n = 40, Control: n = 40) were included. After the interview, the values for perceived relationship between EP and teeth (p < 0.01), EP and gums (p < 0.01), and EP and dental consultations (p < 0.01) significantly increased in both groups. Both groups perceived a high benefit of the interview and felt well educated. Conclusions: PRISM has comparable positive effects like a flyer-based verbal briefing. PRISM as a novel visual tool can support the patient education regarding oral health before EP.

Measuring perception of mental well-being in patients under isolation precautions: a prospective comparative study

ObjectivesIsolation precautions (IP) are applied to prevent transmission of pathogens in healthcare settings. Potential negative health outcomes experienced by patients have been previously described but results remain conflicting. We aimed...

Assessment of the perceived burden associated with Malignant Melanoma with Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) and Melanoma Concerns Questionnaire (MCQ-28)

PurposeThe impact of malignant melanoma (MM) on patients’ psychophysical well-being has been poorly addressed. We aimed to assess the perceived burden in patients with a diagnosis of MM, using two different tools, one generic and one specific for MM, such as Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) and Melanoma Concerns Questionnaire (MCQ-28), respectively. The correlation between PRISM and MCQ-28 subscales and the relevance of disease and patient-related variables were also investigated.MethodsThis single-centre, cross-sectional study included all adult consecutive MM patients who attended our Dermatology Unit from December 2020 to June 2021. Demographics and disease-related data were recorded. PRISM and MCQ-28 were administered.ResultsOne hundred and seventy-one patients were included (mean age: 59.5 ±14.9 years.; 48.0% males). Median time from MM diagnosis to inclusion was 36 months. Nearly 80% of the patients had in situ or stage I MM. Overall, 22.2% of the patients reported a PRISM score <100mm and similar percentages provided scores indicating impaired quality of life, as assessed with MCQ-28 subscales. A weak, albeit significant, correlation was found between PRISM scores and ACP, CON and SOC2 subscales. The most relevant association found was that between lower PRISM scores and higher-stage MM.ConclusionsIn the study population, mostly affected with superficial MM, their perception of the burden associated with MM did not appear either particularly dramatic or disabling. PRISM seems a reliable system for capturing and quantifying the domains correlated with the emotive dimension of MM, especially MM-related concerns and willingness to face life

Disaster risk perceptions and multinational cooperation in Barentsburg, Svalbard

Abstract Svalbard’s geographical positioning, environmental characteristics and multinational population make it conducive for considering informality and multinational cooperation in disaster risk reduction and response. Most research examining disaster risks and disasters for Svalbard has focused on Norwegian efforts in and for the main settlement of Longyearbyen, with none covering Svalbard’s second-largest settlement of Barentsburg. This paper addresses this gap by analysing how 21 Barentsburg residents deal with disasters. We conducted semi-structured interviews, visually aided by the revised PRISM (Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure) tool, to examine interviewees’ disaster perceptions, sources for disaster-related information and learning, and formal and informal sources for dealing with disaster risks and disasters. Our findings suggest that, despite being risk-aware, Barentsburg interviewees consider the settlement, and Svalbard as a whole, to be safe. The explanation is their faith in the existing disaster-related mechanisms, made up of both local Russian entities and the Norwegian rescue services, especially Svalbard’s governor (Sysselmesteren). Interviewees rely significantly on Russian and Norwegian informal actors and relationships for disaster-related information. These findings suggest that alongside formal approaches, informality may play a significant role in dealing with disasters in Barentsburg, which itself might serve as a platform for international cooperation.

The effectiveness of Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) for the assessment of the suffering and quality of interpersonal relationships of patients with chronic pain

BackgroundPictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) is a tool that can be used to visualize and evaluate the burden of suffering caused by an illness. The aim of this study was to identify which aspects of the burden of chronic pain patients are associated with Self/illness separation (SIS), an indicator of the magnitude of suffering. We also examined the effectiveness of PRISM for evaluating changes in the relationships between patients and their medical care and significant others due to our inpatient treatment.MethodsSeventy-two patients with chronic pain who were outpatients or admitted to the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine completed PRISM, depression and anxiety scales, and three types of pain-related self-assessment questionnaires (Brief Pain Inventory, Short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale). Outpatients were queried at the time of outpatient visits and inpatients at the time of admission. In addition to PRISM disks related to illness, we asked each patient to place disks related to things important to them and their medical care. Of the inpatients, 31 did PRISM at the time of discharge. Among the reported important factors, which significant other was placed at the time of admission and discharge was evaluated. The distances of self/medical care separation (SMcS) and self/significant others separation (SSoS) were measured.ResultsOf the 21 scales measured, 10 showed a significant correlation with SIS. Factor analysis of these 10 scales extracted three factors, Life interferences, Negative affects, and Pain intensity. The SMcS and SSoS distances were shorter at discharge than at admission.ConclusionsPRISM for patients with chronic pain is an integrated evaluation method that reflects three aspects of pain. By adding medical care and significant others to the usual method of placing only illness on the sheet it became possible to assess changes in the quality of interpersonal relationships.

The \u201cself\u201d in pain: high levels of schema-enmeshment worsen fibromyalgia impact

ObjectiveChronic pain can have detrimental effects on quality of life and a profound impact on one’s identity. The Pictorial Representation of Illness- and Self-Measure (PRISM), is a visual tool designed to measure the self-illness separation (SIS) that represents the degree of schema-enmeshment (i.e., the degree to which the self-schema and the illness-schema come to overlap). Our aim was to investigate the relationship between schema-enmeshment and pain-related outcomes in patients with fibromyalgia.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 114 patients with fibromyalgia completed self-report assessments of pain catastrophizing, pain severity and interference, impact of symptoms, anxiety, and depression. SIS was assessed using an iPad version of PRISM. Mediation analyses evaluated the mediating role of schema-enmeshment on the association between pain catastrophizing and fibromyalgia impact.ResultsA higher degree of schema-enmeshment was associated with greater pain catastrophizing, pain severity and interference, impact of symptoms, and depression. Moreover, a mediation analysis revealed that schema-enmeshment significantly mediated the association between pain catastrophizing and fibromyalgia impact (p < 0.001).ConclusionsOur results indicate that schema-enmeshment is associated with greater intrusiveness of chronic pain on everyday life, thereby posing significant limitations on the emotional and physical well-being of fibromyalgia patients. Schema-enmeshment also appears to partly account for the deleterious effect of pain catastrophizing on disease impact. The PRISM is a simple tool that may uniquely capture the extent to which chronic pain and illness infiltrates and affects one’s self-concept.

P521 Correlation between physician disease assessment in Ulcerative Colitis and burden of disease: ICONIC 2-year data of 120 patients in Turkey

Abstract Background Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and the overall burden is increasing at the global level. Differences in perceptions of UC-related burden may highlight dramatic degree insufficient patient-physician communication. ICONIC is a prospective, non-interventional, observational study assessing disease burden in adults with UC using Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM). The local results of ICONIC study for Turkey are presented. Methods Patients aged ≥18 years with early UC (diagnosed ≤36 months) were enrolled. At baseline and every 6 months, patient and physician reported outcomes were collected using PRISM, the Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index (SCCAI and P-SCCAI), The Rating Form of IBD Patients’ Concerns (RFIPC), the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Correlations between the patient assessed PRISM and other measurement tools were evaluated with Pearson correlation coefficient. Results One hundred and twenty patients were included (77 [64.2%] female; mean age 35.2 years). Physician-assessed disease severity was: severe 23 [19.2%], moderate 42 [35.0%], mild 40 [33.3%], in remission 15 [12.5%]. The mean ± SD physician- and patient-assessed PRISM scores were 4.8 ± 2.3 cm (range: 0.0–9.0) and 4.1 ± 2.6 cm (range: 0.0–8.5) at baseline and increased to 6.1 ± 2.3 cm (range: 0.1–8.5) and 5.5 ± 2.7 cm (range: 0.0–9.3) at the final visit, respectively, indicating an improvement in the perceived disease burden. The mean values of physician-SCCAI and P-SCCAI were 3.8 ± 3.5 and 5.5 ± 4.3 at baseline and decreased to 1.4 ± 2.5 and 2.7 ± 3.2 at the final visit, respectively, showing a decrease in disease activity. At baseline, the RFIPC and PHQ-9 values were 2.7 ± 1.7 and 8.0 ± 5.5 and decreased to 2.2 ± 2.0 and 5.2 ± 4.5 at the final visit, respectively. Patient-assessed SIBDQ was 43.8 ± 14.5 at baseline and increased to 54.0 ± 13.0 at the final visit. The strongest correlation of patient-assessed PRISM was with the physician-assessed PRISM (Spearman rho = 0.69, p&amp;lt;0.0001), followed by SCCAI (rho = -0.56, p&amp;lt;0.0001). Differences between physician- and patient-assessed PRISM scores were statistically significant (baseline: p=0.0010 vs. final visit: p=0.0206), highlighting an underestimation of patient’s suffering by physicians. Conclusion In the Turkish ICONIC sub-study, majority of patients on treatment showed improved outcomes during the follow-up period. A moderate correlation between patient-assessed PRISM and other measurement instruments represents that PRISM may be used as surrogate marker for patient suffering.

Relationship between the perceived burden of suffering and the observed quality of ADL task performance before and after a 12-week pain management programme

Background/objective Constant pain causes suffering and affects performance of activities of daily living (ADL). In clients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, we wanted to determine (i) the relationship between the perceived burden of suffering (measured with the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM)) and the observed quality of ADL task performance (measured with the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)); and (ii) the change in these assessments before and after a 12-week pain programme. Methods In this cross-sectional cohort study, we retrospectively collected data from participants in a Swiss pain management programme. We calculated the relationship, correlations and effect sizes for the PRISM and AMPS using non-parametric tests. We set the level of significance at α = 0.05. Results Out of 138 clients, 74 participated. We found no significant correlations between the PRISM and AMPS (p = 0.55–0.36), except for the PRISM and AMPS process ability measure after the pain management programme (p = 0.023). Pre-post-correlations of the AMPS and PRISM were significant, with medium to strong effect sizes (−0.48–0.66). Conclusion Participation in this pain programme improved both, the PRISM and AMPS scores. The lack of correlation between these assessments in clients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, however, strongly argues for a thorough clinical assessment.

Children's perceptions of flood risk and preparedness: A study after the May 2018 flooding in Golcuk, Turkey

Understanding children's risk perceptions and investigating the underlying factors are fundamental to learning more about how children interpret and respond to flood events. To date, there has been no published research about the flood risk perceptions of children in Turkey. This research aims to fill that gap, seeking a better understanding of children's flood risk perceptions to inform efforts to strengthen their resilience to flooding. We examined how flood experience shapes Turkish children's perceptions of flood risk and their level of preparedness. Children aged 11 to 14 years were surveyed, in six schools of Golcuk city, Turkey, before and after a local flood event that occurred on 27th May 2018. This research applied a mixed-method approach that collected and analysed both quantitative and qualitative data, using the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) methodology to measure risk perception and preparedness. The research results show that there was no statistically significant difference in children's flood risk perception before and after the local flood event. However, the importance that children placed on preparedness increased after the flood event. The flood preparedness level of the children surveyed indicates that Turkish children have insufficient knowledge of effective flood preparedness activities: there is an urgent need to make them better prepared for floods. Our findings have implications for policy, especially for those living in flood risk areas. Catastrophic flood events are expected to increase because of climate change, so it is becoming increasingly important to understand the causes of flood risk better, how people perceive flood risk, and how they will respond to flood events. Therefore, flood management policies should incorporate the knowledge, skills, and capacities of children into disaster risk reduction strategies, aiming to reduce the impacts of future flood events.

Measuring perceived benefit and disease-related burden in patients affected with vulvar lichen sclerosus after a standard topical corticosteroid treatment. Results from a cohort study using Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-measure and Dermatology Life Quality Index.

Improvement in suffering after treatment has been poorly investigated in women affected with vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS). We performed an observational study on a cohort of VLS patients for assessing the effect of a 12-week topical corticosteroid treatment on their VLS-related burden, as measured with Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure (PRISM) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Demographics and disease-related subjective and objective scores (at baseline, T0, and at the control visit, T1) were recorded. The PRISM and DLQI were administered at T0 and T1. We assessed the variation of PRISM and DLQI at T1 compared to baseline and the relevance of several variables on these changes. Sixty-three patients were included. A significant improvement was found in both PRISM and DLQI after treatment. A higher coefficient of variations was observed for PRISM and DLQI as compared to subjective and objective scores. Improvement of global subjective score after treatment was the sole variable associated with PRISM and DLQI variations. The corticosteroid treatment led to a significant decrease in the impact of VLS on patients' well-being, in terms of suffering and quality of life impairment. PRISM seems a reliable instrument for integrating clinicians' and patients' perspectives for a comprehensive VLS management.

Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure to assess the perceived burden in patients with chronic inflammatory vulvar diseases: an observational study.

Chronic inflammatory vulvar diseases can have a huge detrimental impact on patient welfare. A few studies have addressed this issue so far, mainly measuring patients' quality of life or sexual dysfunction. To assess the burden of suffering in patients with chronic inflammatory vulvar diseases using the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure (PRISM), a visual, non-verbal instrument. We also assessed (i) the concordance between PRISM and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), (ii) whether some variables, both patient-related and disease-related, affect the patient's suffering and quality-of-life impairment. We evaluated for inclusion in this cross-sectional study all patients who attended our Vulva Unit over a 9-month period with histologically proven lichen sclerosus (LS), lichen planus (LP), lichen simplex chronicus (LSC), eczema, plasma cell vulvitis and psoriasis (at least five for each disease). Demographics and disease-related subjective and objective scores were recorded. The PRISM and DLQI were administered. We included 87 patients affected with LS, 13 with LSC and seven with LP. Median PRISM values (0-273mm) ranged from 95 to 120mm, depending on the disease, and median DLQI scores (0-30) were five for all three groups. Neither PRISM nor DLQI scores differed significantly among the three groups. Moderate coherence was found between PRISM and DLQI (ρ=0.5455, P<0.001). Global subjective score was the only variable significantly associated with the degree of suffering and quality-of-life impairment. Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self-Measure proved to be a valuable, highly reliable tool for measuring the perceived burden in these patients. In spite of a moderate correlation, PRISM resulted more sensitive in capturing patient distress than DLQI.

Children's earthquake preparedness and risk perception: A comparative study of two cities in Turkey, using a modified PRISM approach

Understanding children's risk perception and investigating the underlying factors are important aspects of examining how children interpret and respond to earthquake events. This research examines children's perceptions of earthquake risk and preparedness level in the Van and Kocaeli provinces of Turkey. A mixed-method approach is used, with questionnaires and interviews, as well as the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM) technique. The results show that the majority of the school children did not attend disaster education programs, even if they were living in an area of high seismic risk. The sampled children were generally aware of the earthquake risk in their home area. However, their levels of preparedness were low. A consistent relationship was found between: (1) earthquake risk perception, (2) earthquake awareness, (3) factual knowledge of preparedness, (4) importance of preparedness, and (5) earthquake education programs. The results indicate that children who participated in earthquake education programs had higher earthquake awareness, foresee future earthquake occurrence and the potential causes of injury. Also highlighted was the importance of information sharing within families, as a factor influencing children's earthquake risk perception and preparedness. The results are considered of value for actors in the disaster risk reduction sector. They provide perception insights to improve the communication and dissemination of information about earthquake risk.

The drawing version of the pictorial representation of illness and self measure

Objective: We developed and validated a drawing test version of the Pictorial Representation of Illness and Self Measure (PRISM), a visual method to assess the perceived burden of illness and illness perception. Our aim was to test whether the drawing version would allow patients more freedom to deliberately vary both the size and position of circles symbolizing illness and individual coping resources, as well as gain more information about illness representations and available resources. Design and Main Outcome Measures: We applied the PRISM-D test to 500 patients with severe somatic diseases under active hospital treatment. We used Spielberger’s State and Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck’s Depression Inventory to assess convergent validity. Results: The PRISM-D test is applicable for inpatients and it can be used to explore their subjective representations. The modifications did not cause any loss in convergent validity as the Self-Illness Separation and the Illness Perception Measure are significantly correlated with levels of depression and anxiety. Conclusion: The drawing test enables more detailed measurement of suffering caused by illness, illness perception and more complex assessment of important factors in a patient’s life. The test is adequate for clinical use as well as research among a wide range of somatic inpatients.