Various Aspects Of Quality Of Life Research Articles

Community attitudes toward tourism and quality of life: a case study of Palangan village, Iran

Community perception is essential for influencing the physical, social, and environmental growth of a region and is key to achieving a high Quality of Life (QOL). Tourism serves as a common means of introducing outsiders to the area where the community lives. Embracing tourism in remote locations like small towns or rural areas can be difficult, and the success of tourism hinges on community attitudes towards it. The community's engagement and approval of tourism are dependent on the benefits such as how tourism improves their QOL in both the short. Therefore, this study aims to explore the local community's perceptions on how tourism influences various aspects of QOL. A survey of 160 households in Palangan Village was conducted to collect primary data, using a conceptual model with 16 indices to evaluate QOL. The findings indicate that the local community generally has a positive perception of the effects of tourism, especially on key QOL components. Civic and generative well-being are considered more significant than other aspects of QOL. Analysis of the data reveals differences in perception across the 16 QOL indices. The highest average ratings were for institutional participation (3.476), quality of employment (3.456), and individual capability (3.203), while the lowest ratings were for standard of living (1.883), social solidarity (2.289), and environmental resource quality (2.725). For instance, the institutional participation index received an average response rating of 3.476. Additionally, the dispersion coefficient index highlighted notable variations in perception, particularly for satisfaction with living conditions (0.488) and standard of living (0.488). Conversely, employment quality (0.360), institutional cooperation (0.385), and freedom of choice had the lowest dispersion coefficients (0.386). Other indices showed moderate levels of dispersion and distribution of perception. In conclusion, these results underscore the significance of community perception in tourism development and its affect on QOL. They also underscore the importance of strategic planning and balanced development to ensure that all aspects of QOL benefit from the expanding tourism sector, leading to a more sustainable and harmonious community.

Quality of Life in Children with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Agreement between Parents and Patients, and the Role of Disease Severity and Visibility.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a genetic disorder that affects multiple systems in the body, often leading to physical disfigurements and a wide range of clinical symptoms. This study aims to investigate the relationship between NF1 severity and visibility and the quality of life (QoL) in children. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) and a modified version of the Ablon scale were used to assess QoL and NF1 severity and visibility, respectively. Self-reported and parent-reported QoL scores were compared, and the associations between NF1 severity/visibility and QoL were explored. Thirty-eight pediatric NF1 patients and their parents were enrolled. QoL scores did not differ significantly between patient self-reports and parent reports. However, correlational analyses revealed that higher NF1 severity was associated with lower physical QoL in patients, and greater NF1 visibility was linked to lower physical and social QoL. For parents, higher NF1 severity correlated with lower school functioning, whereas NF1 visibility did not show a significant correlation with QoL. The severity and visibility of NF1 have distinct impacts on various aspects of QoL in children, highlighting the need for tailored interventions that address both physical and psychological challenges. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive care approaches in managing NF1 in pediatric populations.

Assessment of taste alteration and its correlation with nutritional status and quality of life among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

BackgroundChemotherapy is the most commonly utilized therapeutic strategy among the numerous cancer treatments. These chemotherapeutic agents have a variety of adverse reactions, one of which is taste alteration (TA), which substantially influences the patients nutritional status and quality of life (QoL). ObjectiveThe study aims to assess TAs, associated factors, and the nutritional status and QoL of cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. MethodsAn observational cross-sectional study was carried out for 6 months, among cancer patients diagnosed with TA. Data was collected using a chemotherapy-induced taste alteration scale (CiTAS). Demographic details of the patients, factors associated with TA, details regarding chemotherapeutic agent used, number of current chemotherapy cycles etc, were recorded using a self-designed data collection form. Nutritional status and QoL on cancer patients were collected using Mini nutritional assessment – short form (MNA-SF) and EuroQol 5 dimension 5 levels (EQ5D5L), respectively, and statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) software version 29 was used for the analysis of data. ResultsA significant association was observed between TA and QoL. There was also a significant association between TA and predisposing factors such as nausea and dry mouth, which was obtained from the Chi-square test. Male patients were found to have higher TA than female patients. TA has also affected various aspects of QoL, such as mobility, pain, and discomfort. Patients experiencing mouth dryness or xerostomia had higher TA than others. A negative association was seen between TAs and nutritional status. ConclusionThis study shows a significant relationship between gender and TA, dry mouth, nausea, and TA. Several QoL factors like mobility, pain/discomfort, and TA were also observed. Despite this study not observing any statistical association between nutritional status and TA, clinically, most of the patients with higher TA were malnourished. This study concluded that there was a relationship between TA and QoL and that nausea and dry mouth are the predisposing factors for TA.

The Effects of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Quality of Life: The Importance of Research on Youth.

Gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) plays a significant role in the medical care of transgender individuals, helping to align their physical characteristics with their gender identity. While numerous studies have investigated the impact of GAHT on adults, research focusing on its effects on the quality of life (QoL) of transgender youth is limited. In this opinion paper, we aim to address selected challenges associated with gender-affirming medical care, such as (1) the necessity for evidence-based youth gender-affirming medical care, (2) the urge to explore different approaches to gender-affirming medical care diversely in transgender youth research, and (3) understanding the challenges of the detransition process (which refers to stopping or reversing gender-affirming medical or surgical treatments), as well as suggest possible solutions for meaningful progress. Notably, the available evidence underlines a positive impact of GAHT on various aspects of QoL of transgender youth, such as mental health and social functioning, by alleviating gender dysphoria, improving body satisfaction, and facilitating appearance congruence (the degree to which an individual's physical appearance represents their gender identity). However, challenges related to methodological limitations, as well as ethical considerations, and several sociocultural factors highlight the need for further research to better understand the long-term effects of GAHT on the QoL of transgender youth. Ethical considerations, such as ensuring informed consent and weighing potential benefits against risks, are pivotal in guiding healthcare decisions. Additionally, navigating these ethical responsibilities amid sociocultural contexts is crucial for providing inclusive and respectful care to transgender youth. Addressing these research gaps is, therefore, crucial to developing successful healthcare programmes, raising awareness, and promoting the holistic well-being of transgender youth through comprehensive and affirming care.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation in the Pediatric Population and Correlation Between Family and Treatment Team Perspectives: Single-center Experience.

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive therapy to pharmacological treatment in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of VNS therapy for seizure frequency reduction and improving quality of life (QOL) measures in children with refractory epilepsy and to evaluate the correlation between the perspectives of families and those of the treating team. This was a prospective cohort study conducted at Abha Maternity and Children's Hospital, Saudi Arabia, from 2018 to 2022. A total of 21 pediatric patients who completed one year of follow-up after VNS implantation were included. Patients were aged between 2 and 14 years, with a mean age of 8.14 ± 3.92; 11 (52.4%) patients were female. Family and physician assessments were collected blinded to each other using Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) scores and QOL assessments to evaluate the correlation between the families' and treating team's perspectives on VNS outcomes. In this study involving 21 patients with intractable epilepsy, VNS showed significant efficacy in reducing the frequency of seizures. VNS significantly reduced the number of seizures per week from a baseline median of 35 to a median of 0.25 at the end of the follow-up period, representing a dramatic reduction of 99.3% (p < 0.001). The number of emergency department visits per year decreased from a baseline median of 12 to a median of 2, a reduction of 83.3% (p < 0.001), whereas the number of hospital admissions per year decreased from a baseline median of 3 to a median of 1, a 66.7% decrease (p < 0.001). The number of antiepileptic medications taken decreased from a median of 4 to 3 (p < 0.001). Notably, 28.57% of the patients achieved complete seizure freedom, and 38% exhibited significant improvement, with at least 50% reduction in seizure frequency. Importantly, none of the patients experienced an escalation in seizure frequency following VNS treatment. The family and physician assessments showed varying degrees of alignment in perceptions, with "concentration" exhibiting a significant positive correlation (r = 0.498, p = 0.022), indicating noteworthy agreement, whereas verbal communication did not show a substantial correlation (r = -0.062, p = 0.791), indicating a divergence of views. VNS is a promising and well-tolerated therapy for individuals with intractable seizures, offering clinical benefits and potential enhancements in various aspects of QOL. The varying perceptions between family and physician assessments highlight the importance of considering multiple perspectives when evaluating treatment outcomes.

Quality of Life in Children with Cerebral Palsy: The Role of Having Access to Rehabilitation Services

Background: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a neurological motor disability, and children with CP should receive rehabilitation services to achieve their full potential. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the quality of life (QOL) of children with CP across various domains and to assess the role of access to rehabilitation services on their QOL. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving all 126 children aged 4 - 12 with CP and their parents in Saqqez county, Kurdistan province, Iran. The "Physical Rehabilitation Accessibility Assessment Questionnaire" and the "Parental Proxy CP QOL-Child questionnaire" were used to measure the main variables. The analysis performed separately for two subpopulations: 27 children aged 4 - 6 years and 99 children older than six, using SPSS version 23. After prforming Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Spearman correlation coefficient was employed to identify correlations. Results: The average age of the participants was 8 ± 2.36 years, with 51 (40.5%) being girls. Of the 126 children with CP, 45 (35.7%) had independent mobility function (GMFCS levels I and II). The mean CP QOL-Child domain scores ranged from 35.3 ± 25.1 in the 'access to services' domain to 74.5 ± 16.1 in the 'Emotional well-being and self-esteem' domain. The average accessibility score was 53.8 ± 22.1. Among children older than 6 years, access to rehabilitation services showed a significant correlation with all CP QOL-Child domain scores (P &lt; 0.05), except for 'social well-being and acceptance.' In children aged 4 - 6 years, only the Family Health domain score was significantly correlated with access to rehabilitation services (r = 0.44, P = 0.021). Conclusions: Access to rehabilitation services is a significant predictor of QOL in children older than 6 years. Further experimental research is needed to examine changes in various aspects of QOL in children with CP following improved access to rehabilitation services.

Impact of digital assistive technologies on the quality of life for people with dementia: a scoping review

BackgroundDigital assistive technologies (DATs) have emerged as promising tools to support the daily life of people with dementia (PWD). Current research tends to concentrate either on specific categories of DATs...

The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale: Development and Validation of the General Measure.

We developed and validated a brief, yet sensitive, 33-item general cancer quality-of-life (QL) measure for evaluating patients receiving cancer treatment, called the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT) scale. The five-phase validation process involved 854 patients with cancer and 15 oncology specialists. The initial pool of 370 overlapping items for breast, lung, and colorectal cancer was generated by open-ended interview with patients experienced with the symptoms of cancer and oncology professionals. Using preselected criteria, items were reduced to a 38-item general version. Factor and scaling analyses of these 38 items on 545 patients with mixed cancer diagnoses resulted in the 28-item FACT-general (FACT-G, version 2). In addition to a total score, this version produces subscale scores for physical, functional, social, and emotional well-being, as well as satisfaction with the treatment relationship. Coefficients of reliability and validity were uniformly high. The scale's ability to discriminate patients on the basis of stage of disease, performance status rating (PSR), and hospitalization status supports its sensitivity. It has also demonstrated sensitivity to change over time. Finally, the validity of measuring separate areas, or dimensions, of QL was supported by the differential responsiveness of subscales when applied to groups known to differ along the dimensions of physical, functional, social, and emotional well-being. The FACT-G meets or exceeds all requirements for use in oncology clinical trials, including ease of administration, brevity, reliability, validity, and responsiveness to clinical change. Selecting it for a clinical trial adds the capability to assess the relative weight of various aspects of QL from the patient's perspective.

The association between fatty acid quality indices and quality of life among overweight and obese women: A cross-sectional study.

Reduced quality of life (QOL) is a major public health challenge affecting the global population. Fatty acid quality indices (FAQIs) are novel determinants of QOL and may impact various aspects of QOL. Prior research has established a significant link between dietary habits and QOL. However, the association between FAQIs and specific dimensions of QOL has not been established. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between FAQIs and QOL in overweight and obese women. In total, 378 adult overweight or obese women participated in this cross-sectional study. Several anthropometric indices, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and biochemical factors were measured using standard protocols. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated and reliable semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (the FFQ, 147 items). The cholesterol-saturated fat index (CSI) and the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 (N6/N3) essential fatty acids consumed were employed as FAQIs. The SF-36 questionnaire was administered to measure QOL. Linear logistic regression was used, in the form of raw and adjusted models, to evaluate the associations between FAQIs and QOL. The study sample consisted of 279 participants for whom ω-6/ω-3 ratio was measured and 378 participants for whom CSI was measured. The mean (±SD) age of participants was 36.65 ± 9.07 years. Linear logistic regression, with adjustment for potential confounders, such as age, energy intake, body mass index, employment, and thyroid status, indicated that ω-6/ω-3 intake ratio was negatively and marginally significantly associated with general health (β = -139.94, 95% CI: [-286.54, 6.66]; p = 0.061) and physical role limitations (β= -337.68, 95% CI: [-679.99, 1.61]; p = 0.051). A significant negative association was observed between ω-6/ω-3 intake ratio and social functioning (β = -247.54, 95% CI: [-458.14, -36.94]; p = 0.021), which indicates that obese and overweight women with a higher ω-6/ω-3 intake ratio obtained lower scores on social functioning. It was found that FAQI scores were negatively associated with certain QOL measures among overweight and obese Iranian women, suggesting that a higher consumption of fatty acids, especially trans and saturated fatty acids, may be associated with lower QOL.

Impact of affective and cognitive impairments on quality of life in patients with early stages of Parkinson’s disease

Introduction. Affective and cognitive disorders are characteristic manifestations of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The clinical assessment of this disorder in PD is assessed as a negative assessment of the quality of life (QoL) of patients. Issues related to motor, affective, cognitive communities with various aspects of QoL at the stage of PD require mandatory.Aim: to evaluate the associations between motor, affective, cognitive impairments and QoL indicators in patients in the early stages of PD.Results. Significant relationships were found between the motor aspects of QOL and affective and cognitive impairments: between the total assessment of AFLD, assessments of mobility/everyday activity of QoL and SSOBP (r = 0.45–0.49, p &lt; 0.05), depression (r = 0.77, p &lt; 0.05), apathy (r = 0.42, p &lt; 0.05), trait anxiety (TA, r = 0.58, p &lt; 0.05), visuospatial functions SCOPA (r = –0,34, p &lt; 0.05), Stroop test 3 (r = 0.33, p &lt; 0.05).There was a relationship between self-assessment of emotional well-being of QoL and affective, cognitive impairments: depression, TA (r = 0.73, 0.77, p &lt; 0.05), state anxiety (SA), apathy (r = 0.52, r = 0.56, p &lt; 0.05); SCOPA (r = –0.27, p &lt; 0.05), interference index, Stroop test (r = 0.29, p &lt; 0.05), 1 part TMT test (r = 0.31, p &lt; 0.05). A relationship was found between self-assessment of social life and motor, affective disorders: SSOS (r = 0.38, p &lt; 0.05), SA (r = 0.43, p &lt; 0.05), depression (r = 0.48, p &lt; 0.05), apathy (r = 0.57, p &lt; 0.05).Conclusion. The significant role of depression, anxiety, apathy, cognitive impairments in self-assessment of motor disorders, decreased daily activity, deterioration of emotional and social aspects of QoL already in the early stages of PD justifies the need for diagnosis and treatment of these disorders in each patient. Taking into account the mutual influence of motor, affective and cognitive disorders, complex rehabilitation is required to improve the quality of life of patients.

The Effect of Social Isolation Types on Quality of Life during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

COVID-19 has caused a global pandemic that has spread rapidly to six continents, with over 2.5 million deaths from December 2019 to March 2021. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is still growing worldwide, and quarantines have been recommended to prevent the disease’s spread. However, quarantines affect people’s quality of life (QOL). The aim of this study is to assess the effect of social isolation—quarantine—on QOL during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used in the present study. We obtained data from an online survey conducted in Saudi Arabia. We included a convenience sample of 775 participants in the study. Most of the participants were female (67%), with a mean age of 46 years ranging from 18 to 75 years. Many participants were government employees (n = 308, 39.7%) and had a bachelor’s degree or greater (n = 513, 66.2%). Most of the participants (n = 629, 81%) were free from any chronic disease. Nearly 88% of participants were partially isolated socially owing to COVID-19. Concerning QOL, the means of both the Physical Health Composite Scale and the Mental Health Composite Scale SF-12 scores were 44.7 and 34.6, respectively. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that partially socially isolated participants appeared to have significantly better physical health statuses (M = 44.96, SD = 5.90) than completely socially isolated participants (M = 42.87 ± 7.26). There was no significant social isolation effect on mental health status (t (773) = 2.5, p = 0.115). Social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic considerably influenced various aspects of QOL including physical and mental health. Community-based interventions such as online counseling services and wellness programs are required to reduce the pandemic’s negative impact and enhance overall health status and QOL.

Circular Business Strategies and Quality of Life

Circular Economy (CE) and Quality of Life (QoL) are trending topics that have been researched extensively at both the local, regional and global levels. CE is often described as one of the key drivers of sustainability, and sustainability is one of the key drivers of improving QoL. However, studies that investigate the relationships between CE and QoL are rare, and a clear research gap exists. Therefore, this paper aims to initiate this discussion and bring forward illustrative examples on areas where CE could potentially have an impact on QoL, both on an individual and a societal level. By asking the question of how circular business strategies may impact QoL and how they relate, we investigate how CE can influence various aspects of QoL. We utilize the framework consisting of six CE strategies known under the acronym ReSOLVE to discuss how these CE strategies can be leveraged to impact QoL. Our discussion indicates a potential for both environmental and social gains through the implementation of circular product and service solutions. We also suggest that unintended consequences may occur, especially at the societal level. Hence, we propose that, while the discussion on CE has been focused on the environmental aspects of sustainability, the broader implications for QoL and other aspects of sustainability should also be included within the domain of CE implications. Hence, we propose that further research is necessary to develop a framework explaining the relationship between CE and QoL, encompassing both the positive and negative aspects.

Long-term quality of life, sexual health and gastrointestinal function following colorectal cancer resection in an Asian cohort.

As populations age and cancer management improves, long-term survivorship and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes are becoming equally important as oncological results. Data from Asian populations are scarce. We aimed to evaluate the sexual health, gastrointestinal function and QOL amongst colorectal cancer survivors in a tertiary referral centre in Singapore. Adults who had undergone elective curative surgery for non-metastatic colorectal cancer at least 2 years prior were included. Exclusion criteria were cognitive disease, serious postoperative complications or recurrent cancer. Participants were invited to complete the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaires EORTC-QLQ-C30 and QLQ-CR29. Using multiple bivariate analysis, rscores were used to examine relationship trends between QOL domains and survivor sociodemographic and disease-specific characteristics. From February 2017 to July 2019, 400 responses were recorded. Median age and follow-up duration were 64 years (range 32-90) and 78 months (interquartile range 49-113) respectively. Patients who had Stage III cancer had better overall QOL scores compared to Stage I/II. Rectal (vs. colon) cancer negatively influenced sexual health and gastrointestinal function, but did not appear to affect overall QOL. Amongst our cohort, 57% (n=129) of men and 43% (n=75) of women were sexually active. Markers of socioeconomic status, including employment, education and housing type, were found to significantly impact perception of various aspects of QOL. Knowledge of factors which influence well-being can identify individuals who may benefit from tailored management strategies. Regular patient-doctor contact may play a role in building and maintaining positive perspectives of cancer survivors. Normative data should be obtained from local populations to facilitate future comparative research.

GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION.

Receptors of living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) have higher rate of postoperative biliary and vascular complications that may reduce posttransplant quality of life (QOL) due to the need of invasive and repetitive treatments. The purpose of our study is to assess the various aspects of QOL of receptors undergoing LDLT after 10 years of transplantation and to identify potential factors that might be associated with impaired QOL. Data of all patients with more than 10 years of LDLT were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were interviewed through a quality of life questionnaire (SF-36). From a total of 440 LT performed in 17 years (from September 1991 through December 2008), 78 patients underwent LDLT, of which 27 were alive and 25 answered completely the questionnaire. There were 17 (68%) men and 8 (32%) women, with a mean age of 38.6±18.5 years at the time of transplantation and mean follow up time of 15.1±1.9 years. The average MELD was 16.4±4.9 and the main indication for LT was hepatic cirrhosis caused by hepatitis B virus (32%). When compared to the general po-pulation, LDLT patients had lower mental health score (66.4 vs 74.5, P=0.0093) and higher vitality score (87.8 vs 71.9, P<0.001), functional aspects (94.6 vs 75.5, P=0.002), social aspects (93 vs 83.9, P=0.005), physical aspects (92 vs 77.5, P=0.006), and emotional aspects (97.33 vs 81.7, P<0.001). General health status (73.28 vs 70.2, P=0.074) and pain (78.72 vs 76.7, P=0.672) scores were similar in both groups. It is concluded that the various aspects LDLT recipients' QOF are similar to those of the general population more than a decade after the transplant, except for the mental health domain which is lower.

Impact of Pilates Training versus Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on Quality of Life in Menopausal Women- A Comparative Study

Background: Menopausal women shows common symptoms which includes night sweats and hot flushes,heart distress, disturbances in sleep, depression, irritability, anxiousness, weight changes, physical andmental fatigue, joint and muscle pain. This affects the Quality Of Life of the Menopausal women. PilatesTraining has proven beneficial for enhancing Quality Of Life in menopausal women but there is paucityof evidence of effect of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique in Menopausal women on QOL. Theresearch is an initiative study that focuses on the effectiveness of PMRT on the various aspects of QualityOf Life of the menopausal women and comparison of the Pilates training and PMRT in order to enhance theQOL of participants.Aim and Objective: Effect of Pilates training & Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on menopausalwomen’s Quality Of Life and comparison of both the technique.Methods: 42 participants aged more than 45 years will be randomly categorized in two groups: Group A(n= 21) and Group B (n=21). The study duration will be of 6 months. The pre and post Intervention willbe taken from both the group and data will be analyzed with the help of main outcome measure which isMenopause specific Quality Of Life (MENQOL).Result- The expected result would include the details about whether the measures are effective for improvingthe quality of life in menopausal women, as well as the comparison of both the interventions. Data will beanalyzed using paired t-test.Conclusion- It will be published after results are analyzed

Quality of Life in Oral Cancer Patients Following Surgical Excision and Flap Reconstruction.

Incidenceof oral cancer have been increased aggressively in recent years, and many advancedsurgical techniques have developed to facilitate thetreatment of diseasewhile preserving the patient's quality of life (QoL). The present study aims toward the evaluation of patient's satisfaction toward the current treatment procedure for oral cancer by assessing the QoL preoperatively and postoperatively. In the study period of four years, we had operated 150 patients with oral cancer (Stage III and IVa) by surgical excision and flap reconstruction, and QoL was assessed using the WHO-QoL BREF questionnaire. We found significant improvement after surgery in various aspectsof QoL including the physicalhealth, socialhealth, psychological healthand environmental health. The present study is evidence ofpatient satisfaction toward the current treatment protocols of oral cancer. However, advancedsurgical techniques that can enhance the rate of functional rehabilitation canhave paramount importance in improving the patient's QoL.

Differing Quality of Life by Understanding Alternative Personal Profiles of People in Community-Based Tourism, Thailand

This research aimed to investigate the differences between individual factors affecting quality of life (QOL) for people conducting community-based tourism (CBT). A sample size of 200 comprised people in CBT, Thailand. The data were collected to achieve the research objective by studying the personal profiles of people in CBT including sex, age, education, occupation and income affecting quality of life. Other factors included physical conditions of individuals, psychological state, perception of the relationship between individuals and others and environment. The research employed descriptive and inferential statistics, the F test (one-way ANOVA), to evaluate the data. The results revealed that only education factor significantly differed at level 0.05. Conversely, the factors sex, age, occupation and income showed no significant differences at level 0.05. The result of a study indicates educational level was essential for QOL. Therefore, education, as the most significant factor, should be set as a priority to lead the planning process in various aspects of QOL. Even the community and society need to focus on educational factors leading to a higher QOL. The contribution of this research was to enhance education in society, particularly in CBT to all individuals in the community to obtain greater opportunity to equally access education.

Owner and Veterinarian Perceptions About Use of a Canine Quality of Life Survey in Primary Care Settings.

This paper describes dog owner and veterinarian perceptions around the use of a validated canine quality of life (QOL) survey to facilitate wellness conversations in two clinical settings: a veterinary teaching hospital (pilot, Phase 1) and five corporate general practice hospitals (Phase 2). Phase 1 results showed that dog owners felt the survey was valuable for understanding their dog's QOL, with 81% of owners expressing interest in learning more about canine QOL. Phase 2 reinforced owner perceptions about the survey conveyed during the pilot phase, and veterinarians reported that the survey facilitated client communication related to preventive care without increasing consultation time. These results demonstrate that beyond using QOL assessments to track patient health, the use of a QOL survey during veterinary visits could improve owner-veterinarian discussions around QOL, wellness, services and preventive care. To fully realize these benefits in clinical settings, veterinary staff preparation may be needed to communicate the purpose of QOL assessments to clients and thus facilitate deeper conversations about client needs and concerns. Key tools for achieving these could therefore include (1) sufficient veterinary team training to understand the QOL assessment and its purpose (2) training in how to communicate QOL to clients, and (3) reflexive use of QOL assessment results to engage clients in preventive care discussions. The veterinarian and client can then discuss the pros and cons of the various aspects of QOL and preventive care to arrive at a cooperative decision.

Evaluation of the effects of allergic rhinitis treatment on sexual functioning, sleep, and fatigue parameters

Study objectiveTo evaluate the impact of intranasal corticosteroids on quality of life (QoL) in AR patients compared to control groups. Patients and methodsIn a prospective study, we enrolled AR subjects (18–45 years old) and healthy controls at Amiralmomenin Hospital, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, in 2014–2015. After signing informed consent, participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), as well as the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) or the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires. Patients were then treated with intranasal corticosteroids. After 6 weeks, the outcomes were re-evaluated. Statistical analysis of the extracted data was conducted using Stata 13.0. ResultsA total of 96 subjects (48 males and 48 females) and 96 controls participated in this study. We measured optimal control of allergic rhinitis using the CARAT (U) questionnaire. Improvement in SNOT-22 score in men and women was 14.0 and 5.2 points, respectively. Men with AR had a significantly worse sexual function score. After treatment, erectile dysfunction improved significantly. However, there was no significant difference in overall FSFI score at baseline between women with AR and controls. At baseline, 62.5% of men and 54.2% of women in the AR group reported pathologic fatigue, which with treatment fell to 22.9% and 35.4%, respectively. ConclusionWe noted detrimental effects of allergic rhinitis on various aspects of QoL in men and women. Intranasal corticosteroids diminished these negative effects of allergic rhinitis.

Quality of Life-Focused Decision-Making for Prostate Cancer.

Quality of life (QoL) outcomes have been reported in the literature and incorporated in decision-making in localized prostate cancer management for decades. Until recently, there was less emphasis on understanding the QoL effects of therapies for patients with advanced disease, possibly because there were fewer options for treatment. The purpose of this review is to summarize the key recent literature describing QoL outcomes for prostate cancer treatments in different disease settings. Recent data demonstrate that men who undergo local therapy for prostate cancer have worse early QoL related to therapy in sexual, urinary, and bowel function domains compared with men who choose observation, though the effects become less divergent over time. In patients receiving systemic therapy for advanced prostate cancer, more effective treatment typically delays deterioration of various aspects of QoL as assessed by patient-reported outcomes. While there are multiple management options for localized and advanced prostate cancer, different treatment modalities affect QoL in distinct ways. Particularly in settings that lack head-to-head efficacy data between treatment options, clinicians can incorporate adverse effect profiles and effects on patient-reported outcomes describing QoL to inform patients as they make treatment decisions for prostate cancer.