WHO Quality Research Articles

Assessment of pathogenic and nonpathogenic contaminants and their relative risks: the case of Dilla town water sources, Ethiopia

Abstract The state of positive health and wellbeing is impossible without safe water. This study was aimed to assess the quality of Dilla town water sources. A total of 108 water samples were collected from twelve sites and selected physical and chemical parameters were analyzed. Most of the physicochemical parameters were in the acceptable range for water quality of WHO and CES. Three sampling sites were contaminated by nitrate with concentration range 51.68–126.30 mg/L. The heavy metal analysis indicated that the levels of iron, zinc, manganese, and chromium in some of the sites exceed values of WHO standard concentrations in the range 0.506–5.773, 3.606–4.312, 0.194–0.588 and 0.053–0.098 mg/L respectively. While three heavy metals (mercury, arsenic and lead) were above the WHO limit in all the sites. The bacteriological analysis of all the water sources indicated microbial contamination, total count of the coliforms ranging from 3 to 80 MPN/100 mL. As per WHO criteria, some of the water sources were grouped in to high-risk. The cause of such contamination may be due to no treatment or poor processing system. Therefore, the need to Hygiene promotion programs, urgent and continuous monitoring is highly recommended.

Quality of obstetric and newborn care in health centers of Addis Ababa City: using the WHO quality framework

ObjectiveThe study aims to assess the quality of obstetric and newborn care using the WHO quality framework.DesignThe study used explanatory sequential mixed methods design.SettingThis study was conducted in 50 health centers in Addis Ababa city administration from January 25 to December 31, 2021.MethodsA total of 50 health centers were surveyed using a structured questionnaire and 500 women in the postpartum period were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Delivery records of the 500 women were reviewed using a structured checklist. A total of 338 midwives were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The quantitative data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).ResultsThe study revealed that only a third of the 50 health centers were providing good quality care (a quality score ≥ 75%). All the health centers had the physical resources (100%) to deliver obstetric and newborn care. The majority of the health centers had a system for actionable information (92%), functional referral (80%), and providing dignified care (80%). On the other hand, only a few of the health centers met the quality threshold for effective communication (24%), evidence-based practice of routine obstetric and newborn care (36%), and availability of mechanisms to support and motivate skilled birth attendants (24%). None of the health centers met the quality threshold for emotional support during labour and delivery. Obstetric caregivers’ high workload and job dissatisfaction were barriers to quality care.ConclusionEnsuring quality obstetric and newborn care needs effective quality improvement interventions that aim to ensure women had effective communication, emotional support, and dignity during labour and delivery. Reducing the workload and increasing motivation of birth attendants play a critical role in improving the quality of care.

Physiotherapy versus pain medication for managing chronic cervical radiculopathy: protocol for a multi-arm parallel-group randomized clinical trial

Background: Cervical radiculopathy (CR) is one of the prevalent causes of neck pain and disability. Physiotherapy and pain medications are the common nonoperative management, and in physiotherapy, there are many concepts of assessment and management. This study aims to determine the comparative effectiveness of three specialized physiotherapy approaches or only pain medications for managing CR cases. Methods: A prospective, assessor, and participant-blind, four-arm randomized control trial (RCT) has been planned to conduct on 160 patients with chronic cervical radiculopathy in 4 specialized centers of Dhaka city recruited between July and December 2022. Four groups (n=40) will be treated through structural diagnosis and management concept (SDM), regional approaches (RA), McKenzie mechanical diagnosis and therapy (MDT) concept prescribed by advanced practice physiotherapist (APP), or pain medications prescribed by the specialist physician for 4 weeks. The outcome will be evaluated in baseline, intermediate test (14 days), and post-treatment (28 days) through Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) for pain, Goniometer reading for cervical range of motion (ROM), and Neck disability index (NDI) as the primary outcome. The secondary outcome will be quality of life measured at baseline and post-treatment by the WHO quality of life questionnaire WHOQOL-BREF. Discussion: The study will compare the efficacy of the three physiotherapy approaches with pain medications when treating chronic cervical radiculopathy. The findings will provide evidence when demining the best conservative management approach for CR. Clinical Trial Registry India: CTRI/2022/03/040922 (08/03/2022)

PANDORA dyadic project: hope, spiritual well-being and quality of life of dyads of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Switzerland – a multicentre longitudinal mixed-methods protocol study

IntroductionChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for 2.9 million deaths annually in Europe. Symptom burden and functional decline rise as patients reach advanced stages of the disease enhancing risk...

Sleep behaviour differs in women and men with psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis with impact on quality of life and depressive symptoms

ObjectivesAxial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) may have a profound impact on sleep and health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess sleep quality and...

Improving Quality of Life for Patients with Breast Cancer by Twin Hearts Meditation: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Concerning the prevalence and complications of breast cancer and its impact on the quality of life. This paper aims to study the effect of twin hearts meditation (as per Sui) on the quality of life among the patients with breast cancer under chemotherapy. Methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 102 breast cancer patients in two groups. The patients answered a demographic information survey and WHO quality of life short form before intervention. The patients in the experimental group received training on twin hearts meditation by the researcher for 30 minutes in the intervention stage, and the patients did meditation 3 times a week for one and half months. The quality of life of the patients was measured before and after the intervention in the experimental and control groups. The data were analysed using SPSS v.20, descriptive statistics, paired t and independent t tests at a P<0.05 significant level.Results: The results showed that before intervention, there was no significant difference between the mean of quality of life in the experimental (81.3 ± 7.1) and (77.9 ± 16.2) control groups (P=0.344), but after intervention there was a significant difference between the mean of quality of life in the experimental (88.9 ± 11.2) and (75.2 ± 14.9) control groups (P 0.001). Conclusion: Twin hearts meditation can improve the quality of life among the patients with breast cancer under chemotherapy. In this regard, it is suggested that twin hearts meditation be considered as a mind-body complementary medicine.

Psychosocial difficulties experienced by MS patients in their quality of life: A comparative study of two countries.

MS is deeply impacted by social factors, such as access to health services, support from official and unofficial sources, and social welfare, which are also thought to contribute to the quality of life of MS patients. The purpose of this study is to examine the quality of life and to analyse the psychosocial challenges of MS patients in North Cyprus and Germany. This study was designed with a cross-sectional and comparative research method. The personal information form and the WHO Quality of Life Scale Short Form were used. A total sixty-eight participants joined the study: 35 German patients and 33 Turkish Cypriot patients. Researchers collected the data by face-to-face interviews between December 2021 and March 2022. The majority of MS patients were females average age was 49.48 years old. In general, the two populations had comparable total sub-dimension scores of quality of life. However, only environment sub-dimension score has significant difference between Germany (x̄ =70.04) and North Cyprus (x̄ =55.87). Perceived opportunities for accessing medication, physiotherapy, and psychological support, as well as the opportunity to receive psychological support after the time of diagnosis were considered greater in the German group compared to the Turkish Cypriot one. Findings from this cross-sectional research demonstrate significant differences in services provided, particularly in the psychosocial domain, between those in Germany and those in Cyprus. Consequently, all parties in both countries (governments, families, health workers, social workers and people with MS) should cooperate to improve social support mechanisms. Moreover, it is needed better access to health services in Northern Cyprus.

Measuring experience of and satisfaction with newborn care: a scoping review of tools and measures

BackgroundStandardised measures on experience of care are essential to understanding the care women and newborns receive and to designing appropriate interventions and responses. This review builds on ongoing work in...

Somatic Symptom and Quality of Life of Married Women Residing Temporary Away from Husband

Mental health disorders are actually much more prevalent than is apparent on the surface. Such disorders do not contribute significantly to mortality; they have a serious bearing on the quality of life of the affected persons and their families. Serious conditions of mental disorder require hospitalization and treatment under trained supervision. The finding shows that quality of life of the women staying away from husband was assessed by using WHO Quality of life (BREF). Data in shows that the obtained mean and standard deviation of quality of life is highest in Domain 4. The mean and standard deviation score obtained for the domain 4 that is environmental domain was 19.56±2.13. This shows that quality of life of married women residing temporarily away from husband is highest in environmental domain. Lowest mean and standard deviation score obtained for domain 3 that is social relationship domain was 9.63±2.13 and that there exist a negative correlation (-0.273) between Somatic symptoms and Quality of life. This shows that women residing temporarily away from husband have manifest Somatic symptoms which decreases the quality of life.

The Impact of Hypothyroidism on the Quality of Life of Adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Background and objective Hypothyroidism is extremely commonand associated with far-reaching health consequences. The negative effects of hypothyroidism on patients' quality of life (QoL) are well-documented. It is said to be common in the countries of the Arabian Gulf, although it is often misdiagnosed and treated in an inconsistent manner. Hence, understanding how an illness like this affects a patient's life might help us enhance their QoL and get us closer to the healthcare transformation goals of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. Methodology Thiscross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between June 2022 and February 2023. A convenience non-probability sampling method was used.The WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-BREF questionnaire in Arabic was used to compile the data. Data were collected using a standardized form, refined using Google Forms, and then documented in an Excel spreadsheet. The descriptive statistics were shown as means and standard deviations (SD). To assess the numerical data, a t-test was used, while the chi-square test was employed to examine the relationshipbetween the qualitative factors. Results A total of 394 adultsfrom the general population with hypothyroidism were surveyed, including 105 men and 289 women. Of them, 151 (38.3%) patients had not sought therapy for their hypothyroidism, while 243 (61.7%)patients had. When asked about the QoL, a significant segment (37.6%) of patients reported that it was high, and29.7% reported being totally satisfied with their health. The WHOQOL-BREF domain scores revealed that environmental health had the highest value (24.04 ±4.62), followed by physical health (22.24 ±3.23), and then psychological health (18.08 ±2.82), and the lowest scores were reported for the rate of QoLand satisfaction with health (2.64 ±1.36 and 2.80 ±1.68), respectively. Each domain of the WHOQOL-BREF had its own set of variables that differed from one another in a statistically significant manner (p<0.001). Conclusions Based on our findings, we recommend expert physician monitoring and implementing educational programs as well as placing a greater emphasis on patients' QoL in the management of hypothyroidism.

8th ABM/EABM European Regional Conference May 11–13, 2023 Split, Croatia

8^th ABM/EABM European Regional Conference May 11–13, 2023 Split, Croatia

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental burden and quality of life in physicians: Results of an online survey.

In previous pan-/epidemics such as the SARS epidemic of 2002/2003, negative effects on the wellbeing and an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety were observed in doctors due to social isolation and the threat they experienced. Therefore, it is feared that the COVID-19 pandemic will also have a negative impact on the mental health and quality of life of doctors. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of physicians. In particular, on the subjective anxiety and burden, depression and quality of life for the total sample and subsamples (work in COVID-19 units vs. no work in COVID-19 units). In an online survey, 107 physicians (23-42 years) were asked about their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to socio-demographic data, pandemic- and work-related data were also included. For example, infection control measures, deployment on COVID-19 wards and the subjective perceived threat posed by the pandemic. The physicians were asked to rate their perceived anxiety and stress, retrospectively, at 7 different points in time during the pandemic. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to retrospectively assess symptoms of anxiety and depression before and after the onset of the pandemic. The quality of life of the participants after 2 years of the pandemic was assessed using the WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF). Both subjective anxiety and burden showed wave-like patterns with higher scores in autumn, winter and spring. We observed significant differences between the seven measurement time points for anxiety [Chi2(6) = 197.05, p < 0.001] as well as for burden [Chi2(6) = 106.33, p < 0.001]. Symptoms of depression and anxiety increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic (M = 14.16, SD = 7.83) compared to the pre-pandemic time [M = 7.31, SD = 5.14, t (106) = -10.67, p < 0.001]. Physicians who worked at COVID-19 units showed higher scores in quality of life related to social relationships (M = 70.39, SD = 17.69) than physicians not working at COVID-19 units [M = 61.44, SD = 24.55, t (90.14) = -2.145, p = 0.035]. The multi-factorial ANOVA showed that previous psychiatric illness (p < 0.001), greater difference in depression scores (p = 0.014), higher anxiety scores (p = 0.048) and less work experience (p = 0.032) led to lower quality of life. Hospitals should offer specific support, such as supervision, to prevent the development of longer-term psychiatric sequelae likely to lead to sick leave and high costs for the healthcare system. The study has been registered at the German Clinical Trials Registry (DRKS-ID: DRKS00028984).

Mental Health and Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Local Residents in San Isidro, Bohol

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global pandemic that affects the mental health and quality of life of many people. This study aimed to determine the mental health and quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic among residents in San Isidro, Bohol, as of Calendar Year 2022, and the study’s findings will serve as the basis for the formulation of the proposed intervention program. The study used the quantitative descriptive survey method of research utilizing survey questionnaires that measured residents' profiles, mental health, and quality of life. The resident’s profile questionnaire measures the age, sex, civil status, highest educational attainment, and employment status. To measure the residents' mental health, the study used the stress-allied queries designed by Meo et al., the COVID-19 worry scale designed by Oli Ahmed, and the WHO Quality of Life Scale to measure the quality of life. The study found that the respondents possessed a fair mental health status, and their quality of life was interpreted as good. There was a significant degree of relationship between the mental health status and the respondents’ quality of life. It implies that the mental health status of the residents during the COVID-19 pandemic also affects the respondents’ quality of life.

Quality of Life of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients in Iran.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare disease that can bring different emotional, physical, and psychological burdens. This study aimed to investigate the quality of life in patients with ALS. This is a cross-sectional study. Fifty-two patients contributed in this study. The setting was an ALS clinic in Iran. A mixed method was used in this study. We applied a short form of the WHO Quality of Life questionnaire (WHOQOL) to measure the quality of life of patients. Also, all participants were interviewed through the semi-structured interview guide. To measure physical strength and functioning the Appel ALS Rating Scale (AALS) was employed in this study. To analyze the data, a two-tailed t-test and x2 test were used. 42.3% of the participants were female. The age of the participants ranged between 28 to 81 (mean=57.6). The disease duration ranged from 0.07 to 14 years (mean=1.8). The overall mean QOL was 58.7 (±8.1). The overall mean of the AALS score was 74.4 (±24.2). The results of the qualitative part of the study showed four psychosocial themes: (1) internal personality traits, communicating with friends and family; (2) religion and spirituality; (3) stress, mood changes, and difficult relationship; and (4) changes in lifestyle, work, leisure time and financial situation. Despite recent advances, ALS is still one of the diseases for which there is no effective treatment. Paying attention to psychosocial issues in patients with ALS can play a very important role in increasing the quality of life of patients.

Initial Outcomes of the Safe and Sound Protocol on Patients with Adult Autism Spectrum Disorder: Exploratory Pilot Study.

Sensory impairments are common features of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and are associated with its social impairments. However, there is no established treatment for these impairments in adults with ASD. The Safe & Sound Protocol (SSP) is a listening program designed to improve social communication skills by reducing auditory hypersensitivity. We investigated the effectiveness of the SSP for adults with ASD. We administered the SSP to six participants with ASD aged 21-44 years old, and the effects were assessed using the Social Responsiveness Scale, Second Edition (SRS-2). Secondary outcomes were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), WHO Quality of Life 26 (WHOQOL-BREF), and Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (A/ASP). In this study, only the Social Awareness scale of the SRS-2 Family-Report showed a significant improvement after the intervention. In addition, it was significantly correlated with physical health of WHOQOL-BREF (r = -0.577, p = 0.012), state and trait anxiety of STAI (r = 0.576, p = 0.012; r = 0.708, p = 0.00009, respectively), and CES-D (r = 0.465, p = 0.05). In conclusion, the SSP has a partial effect on social impairments in adults with ASD, specifically on the Social Awareness subscale of the SRS-2.

Quality of Life of Nurses Working in a Tertiary Level Hospital.

Quality of life refers to persons' sense of well-being based on their satisfaction with the important areas of their life. Work related stresses causes various physical and mental health problems to the nurses which reduces their quality of life. The study aimed to find out the quality of life of the nurses. A descriptive cross sectional, study was conducted among 135 nurses working in different units of a Tertiary Hospital, Kathmandu. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. Self- administered WHO Quality of Life-BREF Version tool was used to collect the data. Pearson Correlation was used to find out the relationship between actual quality of life and perceived quality of life of participants at p-value ≤0.05. More than two third (71.1%) of the participants had good perceived quality of life (Mean±SD=3.7±0.63) and 65.2% were satisfied with their health (Mean±SD = 3.52±0.80). Similarly, nearly half of the participants (48.1%) had below average mean score of quality of life. Overall mean score of quality of life obtained by participants was 60.74±9.02. The obtained mean score was highest in social domain (66.17±10.86) and lowest in environmental domain (52.8±10.6). There was significant correlation between actual quality of life and perceived quality of life of participants. As nearly half of the participants had below average quality of life, concerned authorities should pay attention to improve nurse's working environment and physical health to improve their quality of life.

The Role Of Early Maladaptive Schemas In The Change In General Mental Health And Well-being During The Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic

This presented research aimed to determine the role of early maladaptive schemas in the change in general mental health and well-being during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. We focused on changes in mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms, morbid thoughts, and suicidal ideation) and well-being. Our retrospective study included 499 adults (316 women and 173 men). We employed the following research tools: the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30), the shortened version of the WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), the HASS-BREF Scale to assess the severity of suicidal ideations and behaviors, and Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ-S3-PL). The questionnaires’ instructions for the subjects were modified to obtain information for three specific periods: before the pandemic, at the most difficult moment of the pandemic for individuals, and in the last two weeks (the time period preceding data collection; January/February 2021). Results of the research indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many people declared a significant increase in the number of depressive or anxiety symptoms. Early maladaptive schemas (Abandonment, Insufficient Self-Control) predict negative changes in mental health. In addition, other early maladaptive schemas (Self-Sacrifice, Unrelenting Standards) predict negative well-being changes. Interestingly, the Subjugation schema can temporarily play an adaptive role in exceptional situations, such as a pandemic.

Psychological Effects of Walking and Relaxed Sitting in Urban Greenspaces During Post-pandemic: A Case Study in Bogor City, Indonesia

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the world order from the beginning of 2020 to the end of 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on changes in healthy living practices, such as decreased physical exercise and increased stress, compromising psychological well-being. The psychological impacts of walking and relaxing in urban green spaces on IPB University students are investigated in this study. Bogor City Alun-Alun, Sempur Park, and Heulang Park were used for the experiment. Participants completed 15 minutes of walking and relaxed sitting before and after the experiment, and the psychological impacts were assessed using Profiles of Mood States (POMS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) before and after the experiment. The results indicate that physical activity improves psychological wellness. These findings give scientific evidence for the psychologically relaxing effects of walking and relaxed sitting, as well as recommendations to support the development and construction of therapeutic urban green spaces.

Health status and quality of life in comorbid physical multimorbidity and depression among adults aged ⩾50 years from low- and middle-income countries.

Data on the clinical and functional significance of comorbid depression in physical multimorbidity in middle-aged and older adults and from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are lacking. This study aims to determine the association of comorbid depression in physical multimorbidity with health outcomes and quality of life among adults aged ⩾50 years from six LMICs. Cross-sectional, nationally representative data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health were analyzed. DSM-IV Depression was based on past 12-month symptoms. Eleven chronic physical conditions were assessed. Health status was based on scales ranging from 0 (best) to 100 (worse). The quality of life (8-item WHO Quality of Life) scale ranged from 0 (worse) to 100 (best). Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted. Data on 34,129 individuals aged ⩾50 years [mean (SD) age 62.4 (16.0) years; 52.1% females] were analyzed. Among people with physical multimorbidity, having comorbid depression was associated with significantly worse health status in terms of sleep/energy (β = 14.71: 95% CI [12.23, 17.20]), self-care (13.23: [8.66, 17.82]), pain/discomfort (13.03: [9.59, 16.47]), mobility (11.06: [6.91, 15.21]), cognition (10.41: [7.31, 13.50]), perceived stress (8.35: [4.71, 11.99]), interpersonal activities (7.81: [3.71, 11.91]), and lower quality of life (-8.81: [-10.74, -6.88]). Comorbid depression in physical multimorbidity was associated with lower quality of life and poorer scores in multiple domains of health status. Treatment of depression in people with physical multimorbidity may potentially lead to better clinical outcomes, but future studies are needed to determine the most effective intervention to address this comorbidity in LMICs.

Development and implementation of self-supportive intervention on post-traumatic stress symptoms and quality of life among battered wives of Madhya Pradesh, India: A pilot study

Background: In India, intimate partner violence against women is a major problem that leads to terrible physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and economic consequences. In 55-92% of women who have a history of being abused wives, high levels of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder have been discovered. Therefore, the quality of life is significantly low among them regardless of regions and countries. The purpose of the current study was to create and evaluate the effectiveness of a self-supportive intervention on the quality of life and post-traumatic stress symptoms among abused wives in Madhya Pradesh, India. Methods: The post-traumatic Symptoms Scale Interview version for DSM-5 (PSS-I-5) and WHO Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL) were used in this study as assessment tools. The Need assessment results showed that 51% of battered wives met the criteria of PTSD symptoms from moderate to severe and 83% experienced low quality of life. This study utilized a mixed research method and was executed in three phases, based on the main three elements of Conklin’s (1997) program development model, namely (1) planning; (2) design and implementation; and (3) evaluation of the newly created Self-Supportive Intervention program (SSI). The SSI program consisted of six modules, focused on addressing the issues that emerged through qualitative data and need assessments. Results: Excellent inter-rater reliability (.845) was found in the expert evaluation's findings, which supported the recommendation to use the SSI as it is with minor modification. The SSI was further pilot-tested for its feasibility with 10 battered wives and validated through the paired sample t-test, which showed a substantial decrease in post-traumatic stress symptoms and enhanced quality of life at 0.05 level of significance. Conclusion: This is an indication that the SSI program can be recommended as a psychological intervention in eliminating the PTSD symptoms and improving the quality of life.