World Health Organization QOL-BREF Research Articles

The reluctance to the vaccine, mental health, fear of covid-19 and quality of life among Palestinians: an exploratory comparative study in different geographical areas

PurposeThis study aims to explore the effect of mental health in terms of depression, anxiety, stress, fear of COVID-19 and quality of life (QoL) on the reluctance to be vaccinated in a population of Palestinian adults living in occupied Palestinian territories and Israel.Design/methodology/approachThe authors recruited 1,122 Palestinian adults who consented to participate in the study; 722 were females, and the mean age of the sample was 40.83 (SD 8.8). Depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS), World Health Organization QoL-BREF, FCov-19 and reluctance to the vaccine scale were administered; hierarchical regression analysis was applied to test vaccine reluctance as a dependent variable, and mental health, fear of COVID-19 and QoL as independent variables. This study hypothesized influence of such variables on the vaccine choice with differences due to the participants’ geographical locations.FindingsFindings showed an effect of mental health, particularly depression, QoL and fear of COVID on vaccine reluctance, with depression and fear of COVID in the West Bank and Gaza, while in Israel, QoL played a role in vaccination choices.Research limitations/implicationsThe future needs to be comprehended more thoroughly to discover mutations and fluctuations over time in vaccine hesitancy and the increasing role of psychological distress, diminished QoL and fear of Covid-19. Online recruitment might not have allowed the study to include the most disadvantaged strips of the Palestinian population.Practical implicationsHuman rights perspectives must be considered in public health and public mental health policies to ensure the QoL and well-being for the Palestinian population during and following the pandemic.Social implicationsThe crumbling of the Palestinian health-care system exacerbated the sense of dread among the population and made them less likely to vaccinate. The pandemic-like spread of Covid-19 prompts a plea for the global community to actively advocate for the urgent re-establishment of equity, autonomy and durability of the medical infrastructure in the occupied territories and equal entitlements for the Palestinians in Israel.Originality/valueThe results demonstrated the importance for public mental health to consider the multiple levels implied in the vaccine refusal in Palestine and Israel among the Palestinian population.

Addictive Behaviors, Depression, and Quality of Life among Korean Fishermen.

This study investigated addictive behaviors (alcohol dependence and gambling tendencies), depression, and quality of life (QoL) among Korean fishermen in the Jeju Island region, Korea. The study utilized the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korean version, the Korean version of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and the Korean version of the World Health Organization QOL-BREF to measure the study variables. The results showed that 18.1% of the fishermen had alcohol dependence and 9.9% abused alcohol, 13.6% were categorized as problem gamblers, 15.2% were moderate risk gamblers, and 14.4% were low-risk gamblers; 25.1% and 20.8% suffered from severe and mild depression, respectively. The mean QoL score was 3.13 ± 0.56, and the psychological health section scored the highest. The degree of alcohol dependence varied by age, education level, and job satisfaction; gambling tendency varied by age, job position, and job satisfaction; depression varied by religion and job satisfaction; QoL varied by religion and job satisfaction. Alcohol dependence, gambling tendency, and depression were significantly negatively correlated with QoL. Specifically, higher levels of alcohol dependence were associated with lower QoL scores in the subcategories of physical health and psychological health, while higher levels of gambling tendencies were associated with lower QoL scores in the subcategories of physical health, psychological health, social relationships, and general subcategories. Finally, higher levels of depression were associated with lower QoL scores across all five subcategories. Overall, participants exhibited remarkably elevated levels of alcohol dependence, gambling tendencies, and depression, and lower QoL compared with the general population. Further efforts are required to increase Korean fishermen's job satisfaction to improve these problems. In addition, public health policies must address and promote fishermen's QoL.

Health-related quality of life and stigma in opioid dependence: Comparison between buprenorphine users and non-users.

Opioid dependence leads to reduced quality of life (QOL) and stigma. There is scarcity of literature on impact of buprenorphine on QOL of patients with opioid dependence from India. This study reports QOL and stigma in patients taking buprenorphine and compare it with those who were not on any treatment. A cross-sectional, descriptive, comparative study was conducted among three groups (n = 100 each). Group 3 comprised patients who were already taking buprenorphine for at least 3 months from a government outpatient opioid-assisted treatment center. Group 2 comprised patients who were not on any treatment but had come to enrol in buprenorphine treatment and Group 1 comprised patients who had come to get some other treatment and were not willing for buprenorphine. After fulfilling inclusion and exclusion criteria, sociodemographic pro forma, Hindi self-stigma scale, and World Health Organization QOL-BREF Hindi were applied. Appropriate statistical analyses were done. Patients already taking buprenorphine had significantly better QOL and it improved as the duration of treatment increased. Patients on buprenorphine treatment had significantly lesser stigma than patients not already on treatment. Stigma negatively impacted QOL in the three groups. QOL and factors affecting it should be an integral part of management of opioid dependence. Efforts should be made to enrol maximum number of patients in treatment to enhance their quality of life and reduce stigma.

The Added Value of Remote Technology in Cardiac Rehabilitation on Physical Function, Anthropometrics, and Quality of Life: Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) cause most deaths globally and can reduce quality of life (QoL) of rehabilitees with cardiac disease. The risk factors of CVDs are physical inactivity and increased BMI. With physical activity, it is possible to prevent CVDs, improve QoL, and help maintain a healthy body mass. Current literature shows the possibilities of digitalization and advanced technology in supporting independent self-rehabilitation. However, the interpretation of the results is complicated owing to the studies' high heterogeneity. In addition, the added value of this technology has not been studied well, especially in cardiac rehabilitation. We aimed to examine the effectiveness of added remote technology in cardiac rehabilitation on physical function, anthropometrics, and QoL in rehabilitees with CVD compared with conventional rehabilitation. Rehabilitees were cluster randomized into 3 remote technology intervention groups (n=29) and 3 reference groups (n=30). The reference group received conventional cardiac rehabilitation, and the remote technology intervention group received conventional cardiac rehabilitation with added remote technology, namely, the Movendos mCoach app and Fitbit charge accelerometer. The 12 months of rehabilitation consisted of three 5-day in-rehabilitation periods in the rehabilitation center. Between these periods were two 6-month self-rehabilitation periods. Outcome measurements included the 6-minute walk test, body mass, BMI, waist circumference, and World Health Organization QoL-BREF questionnaire at baseline and at 6 and 12 months. Between-group differences were assessed using 2-tailed t tests and Mann-Whitney U test. Within-group differences were analyzed using a paired samples t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Overall, 59 rehabilitees aged 41 to 66 years (mean age 60, SD 6 years; n=48, 81% men) were included in the study. Decrement in waist circumference (6 months: 1.6 cm; P=.04; 12 months: 3 cm; P<.001) and increment in self-assessed QoL were greater (environmental factors: 0.5; P=.02) in the remote technology intervention group than the reference group. Both groups achieved statistically significant improvements in the 6-minute walk test in both time frames (P=.01-.03). Additionally, the remote technology intervention group achieved statistically significant changes in the environmental domain at 0-6 months (P=.03) and waist circumference at both time frames (P=.01), and reference group achieve statistically significant changes in waist circumference at 0-6 months (P=.02). Remote cardiac rehabilitation added value to conventional cardiac rehabilitation in terms of waist circumference and QoL. The results were clinically small, but the findings suggest that adding remote technology to cardiac rehabilitation may increase beneficial health outcomes. There was some level of systematic error during rehabilitation intervention, and the sample size was relatively small. Therefore, care must be taken when generalizing the study results beyond the target population. To confirm assumptions of the added value of remote technology in rehabilitation interventions, more studies involving different rehabilitees with cardiac disease are required. ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN61225589; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN61225589.

Prevalence and effects of menstrual disorders on quality of life of female undergraduate students in Makerere University College of health sciences, a cross sectional survey

BackgroundMenstrual problems affect as high as 90% of adolescent females and are the main reason for gynecology visits. Dysmenorrhea was the most frequent menstrual disorder for which adolescents and their parents were referred to a physician. Many undergraduate students are adolescents who undergo several hormonal changes that affect menstrual patterns. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of menstrual disorders and to determine the effect of menstrual disorders on quality of life (QOL) of female undergraduate students at Makerere University college of health sciences.MethodsA cross sectional study design using a self-administered questionnaire. WHO (World Health Organization) QOL-BREF (QOL-Best Available Reference document) questionnaire was used to assess QOL of participants. Collected data was double entered into EPIDATA, and transferred to STATA for analysis. Data was presented using tables, and analyzed using percentages, frequencies, medians, interquartile range, means and standard deviations, t-test and ANOVA were used to establish statistical significance. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsOf the participants, 275 were included in the data analysis. The median age of the participants was 21 years with range of 18–39 years and interquartile range of 20–24 years. All the participants had attained menarche. Of the participants, 97.8% (95%CI: 95.2–99.0) (269/275) reported some form of menstrual disorder. Premenstrual symptoms were the commonest disorder (93.8% (95%CI: 90.2–96.1), N = 258) followed by dysmenorrhea (63.6% (95% CI: 57.7–69.1), N = 175), irregular menstruation (20.7% (95%CI: 16.3–25.9), N = 57), frequent menstruation (7.3% 95% CI:4.7–11.0, N = 20) and infrequent menstruation (3.3% (95% CI:1.7–6.2), N = 9). Dysmenorrhea and premenstrual symptoms significantly reduced the QOL scores of participants.ConclusionMenstrual disorders were highly prevalent with negative effects on QOL and class attendance. Efforts should be made to screen and possibly treat menstrual disorders among university students as well as to conduct further studies to elucidate more on the effects of menstrual disorders on quality of life.

Impact of Yoga Intervention in Lower Limb Amputees following Trauma in Relation to Behavior and Quality of Life: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Yoga is an emerging intervention causing improvement in physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Its role in improving outcomes in patients with amputation was investigated. Patients with traumatic lower limb amputation (n = 50) were enrolled and randomized to the Yoga group (n = 26) against control (n = 24). Sociodemographic details, quality of life (QOL) (World Health Organization QOL-BREF), Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS), Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and amputee body image score were applied at baseline, 6,-18 weeks of amputation. Sociodemographic and clinical variables were comparable between groups. At 18 weeks, the Yoga group had better QOL (P = 0.005) than the control group. Symptoms of depression (0.02) and anxiety (<0.001) reduced, and self-image (P = 0.015) improved significantly at 6 weeks, while stress (P = 0.003) reduced at 18 weeks in the yoga group. Despite comparable body image scores, the prosthesis usage (hours/day) was more (P = 0.005) in the Yoga (6.9 ± 3.2) group against the control (12 ± 2.7). Yoga improves QOL and self-esteem and reduces depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in patients with traumatic amputation.

Psychiatric comorbidities, quality of life, and cardiovascular risk factors in patients with heart failure

Background: Heart failure (HF) leads to various changes including physiological (neurohormonal) changes and an increase in stress level, which can become a risk factor for the development of various psychiatric disorders, further worsening quality of life (QOL). Methods: Patients of HF between 18 and 60 years of age attending the outpatient department of the Department of Cardiology were enrolled. Patients were screened for psychiatric illness by applying Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 7.0.2. The diagnosis was made through the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. The severity of anxiety and depression was assessed by applying the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Sleep quality was measured by applying the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Subsyndromal symptoms were assessed via SADS-CB. QOL was measured by the World Health Organization QOL-BREF. Data were statistically analyzed. Results: Out of 70 enrolled patients, 32 patients did not have any psychiatric illness (Group A), 20 patients were in the subsyndromal group (Group B), and 18 patients had psychiatric disorders (Group C). Tobacco use and the number of risk factors of HF present were significantly higher in Group C. A significantly higher number of patients in Group C were lying in the New York Heart Association (NYHA) II class (patients lying in NYHA III and NYHA IV classes were excluded) than in other groups. In addition, sleep and QOL (especially among patients under NYHA I class) were significantly impaired in Group C. Conclusion: Psychiatric illness is common in patients with HF. Despite guidelines to screen for them, clinicians either do not screen for them or otherwise miss the psychiatric illness. These psychiatric illnesses may further impair the outcome of heart diseases and worsen QOL.

Quality of life and its determinants in people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection in Kannur District, Kerala

Introduction: The prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection in India is on decline. Since the introduction of Anti Retroviral Therapy, the survival of HIV positives has improved a lot. HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is now a chronic yet manageable disease. However, social factors like stigma and discrimination still exist, affecting the quality of life (QoL) of people living with HIV (PLHIV)/AIDS. The objectives of the study were to assess the QOL among HIV-positive patients using the World Health Organization-QOL BREF (WHO-QOL BREF) questionnaire, the factors determining the QoL of HIV-positive patients, and the stigma and discrimination faced by HIV positives in the medical field. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done during the study period of 1 year. A total of 150 PLHIV from Kannur district in Kerala participated in the study. The WHO-QOL BREF, Scale and the HIV stigma scale were used to collect the data. Results: The QoL score found in the study was 15.36 ± 2.18, 2.18. The overall QoL was influenced by education, the Stigma Scale score, having a constant income or an increased income after diagnosis, and a Perceived Social Support Scale score. The study also found that 22% (33) of the participants faced stigma and discrimination from the medical field in one form or another. Conclusion: The study found that the QOL of PLHIV in the Kannur district of Kerala revealed no difference between men and women. The determinant factors for QOL were found to vary in each domain. Education was found to have a negative impact on QOL.

A study of psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a tertiary care hospital in Telangana

ABSTRACT Background: Diabetes affects physical and psychological and social health. Sufficient literature exists on management by self and psychosocial methods for diabetes, but there exists a paucity of literature on psychological response and unaddressed emotional distress on overall health. Many studies have shown that diabetes has a bad impact on quality of life (QOL). This study is done for estimating psychiatric morbidity prevalence and its influence on QOL in diabetic patients. Aim: We aimed to study psychiatric comorbidities and QOL in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients in a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: This was a study done cross-sectionally over a period of 18 months on a sample of 108 subjects at the Psychiatry Department and General Medicine Department, Government Medical College and General Hospital, Nizamabad. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview PLUS 5.0 and World Health Organization QOL-BREF scales were the survey tools used. Data analysis was done using statistical methods. Results: The prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities among diabetic patients was found to be 58.3%, with Depression (17.6%) being the most common comorbidity, followed by Dysthymia (13.8%). QOL of patients with T2DM with psychiatric comorbidity was significantly poorer (P = 0.001) in physical health domain (P = 0.04) and psychological domain (P = 0.01), while it was relatively better in environment domain (P = 0.2) and social relationships domain (P = 0.5). Conclusion: This study concludes that psychiatric comorbidities are common comorbidities in persons with T2DM. Moreover, psychiatric comorbidities further reduce QOL in individuals having T2DM.

Quality of life among health care workers in Arab countries 2 years after COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessment of the quality of life (QoL) among healthcare workers (HCWs) is vital for better healthcare and is an essential indicator for competent health service delivery. Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic strike, the frontline position of HCWs subjected them to tremendous mental and psychological burden with a high risk of virus acquisition. This study evaluated the QoL and its influencing factors among HCWs residing in the Arab countries. This was a cross-sectional study using a self-administered online questionnaire based on the World Health Organization QoL-BREF instrument with additional questions related to COVID-19. The study was conducted in three different languages (Arabic, English, and French) across 19 Arab countries between February 22 and March 24, 2022. A total of 3,170 HCWs were included in the survey. The majority were females (75.3%), aged 18-40 years (76.4%), urban residents (90.4%), married (54.5%), and were living in middle-income countries (72.0%). The mean scores of general health and general QoL were 3.7 ± 1.0 and 3.7 ± 0.9, respectively. Those who attained average physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL were 40.8, 15.4, 26.2, and 22.3%, respectively. The income per capita and country income affected the mean scores of all QoL domains. Previous COVID-19 infection, having relatives who died of COVID-19, and being vaccinated against COVID-19 significantly affected the mean scores of different domains. A large proportion of the Arab HCWs evaluated in this study had an overall poor QoL. More attention should be directed to this vulnerable group to ensure their productivity and service provision.

The Quality of Sex Life Among Patients Before and After Lung Transplantation: A Single-Center Study

BackgroundLung transplantation (LTx) is the only effective method of treatment for patients with end-stage lung diseases; LTx prolongs and increases the quality of life (QoL). An important aspect of QoL that changes in the course of severe diseases is the quality of sex life. This aspect is yet to be discussed in relationship to LTx. We aim to compare patients’ quality of sex life at the qualification process with patients’ who underwent LTx. MethodsThe studied group consisted of 100 patients (24 women before and 16 after LTx, 39 men before and 21 after LTX) who were admitted to the lung transplantology department for qualification or to control the function after LTx. To assess the patients' quality of sex life, we used The Changes in Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (CSFQ) and World Health Organization (WHO) QoL-BREF. To assess lung function, patients underwent a 6-Minute-Walk-Test (6MWT). ResultsPatients after LTx obtained higher results—compared to patients qualified for LTx—in the WHO QoL-BREF in every domain (somatic, psychological, social, and environment). Men after LTx got more points in every domain and better total score (53 ± 5.62 vs 44.23 ± 10.28 point; P < .05) in CSFQ. Women before and after LTx obtained comparable results in CSFQ. Results of 6-Minute-Walk-Test were better among patients after LTx than in qualified patients (523.62 ± 95.71 vs 333.14 ± 145.38 and 524.12 ± 56.17 vs 317.20 ± 141.6, respectively for men and women). ConclusionsPatients after LTx show better pulmonary function and quality of sex life than qualified. Preliminary results encourage us to conduct research on a larger group.

Quality of life in lower limb amputees: a cross-sectional study from a tertiary care center of South India.

Various literature have dealt with the physical aspect of amputation and the functional outcome after amputation. There are a few studies that give focused attention to the quality of life (QOL) of amputees. These studies are mostly from the developed countries. This study analyzed amputation as a whole and how it affects an individual physically, psychologically, emotionally, and socially, which would enable the health care providers to help the amputees to attain a better QOL. Cross-sectional study. This cross-sectional study was conducted on lower limb amputees. Data were collected using a proforma for demographic details and two pretested questionnaires-the World Health Organization QOL-Bref and prostheses-specific Trinity Amputation and Prosthesis Experience Scales-Revised questionnaires. The data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 20. Amputation significantly affects all domains of the QOL. Age was a significant determinant of QOL of amputees, and it was found that the QOL decreased with an increase in age. 48.1% of the amputees were using a prosthetic device, and they were found to have a significantly better QOL. The prevalence of residual limb pain and phantom limb pain was 52.9% and 37%, respectively. Nearly half of the population perceived that their QOL was neither poor nor good. The QOL of the physical domain was better than the other domains. The most important factors that were found to be associated with QOL of amputees were age, duration since amputation, and use of prosthesis.

Effects of Community-Based Virtual Reality on Daily Activities and Quality of Life

Aims To examine the effects of immersive virtual reality (VR) on self-identified daily activities and quality of life (QOL) of older adults with and without cognitive impairments and identify their preferred VR apps. Methods One group, pretest-posttest study of a total of eight 30-minute VR sessions over five weeks at a senior center. Measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure, the World Health Organization QOL-BREF, and a preference questionnaire. Results Improvements in activity performance (p = 0.047) and satisfaction (p = 0.016) for all participants (n = 16; mean age = 69.76, SD = 5.14; 14 females), no differences in QOL, with reported preferences of leisure-oriented apps. Upon subgroup analysis based on cognition, the group with cognitive impairments (n = 7) did not report increases in activity performance (p = 0.497) while the group without cognitive impairment (n = 9) reported performance increases (p = 0.018). Conclusions In a community-based setting, leisure-oriented immersive VR may improve daily activity perceptions for older adults, regardless of mild cognitive impairments. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/02703181.2022.2033903 .

The Correlation Between Surgical Procedures and Quality of Life Among Sickle Cell Disease Patients: A Perspective Saudi Study.

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is among the common prevalent diseases in Saudi Arabia. It is associated with several complications that sometimes necessitate surgical procedures. Those patients can also have a lower quality of life (QoL) due to several reasons. Our aim in this study is to highlight the association between sociodemographic data, clinical data, and SCD-related surgeries in patients with their QoL.Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a validated Arabic version of the World Health Organization QoL-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire distributed in electronic form. Male and female Arabic speakers (18+ years old) of Saudi origin were included in this study; those who did not meet these criteria were excluded.Results: We distributed 309 questionnaires to the targeted subjects; however, only 204 met our inclusion criteria. Our findings revealed 135 female respondents and 69 male respondents. Interestingly, splenectomy was not significantly associated with a difference in all aspects of QoL in SCD patients. However, the data showed significantly lower respective mean scores for physical health (p=0.002 & p=0.022) and overall QoL (p=0.024 & p=0.042) for those who underwent cholecystectomy and hip arthroplasty. In contrast, shoulder arthroplasty appeared to be associated with significantly lower mean scores for physical health (T=-2.597; p=0.010) and the environmental aspect of QoL (T=-2.016; p=0.045).Conclusion: Cholecystectomy, hip arthroplasty, and shoulder arthroplasty were significantly associated with lower QoL in SCD patients.

The association of depression and quality of life in patients with neurocognitive disorder in a tertiary care center: An observational study

Objective: Depression can be a psychological reaction of a patient toward the diagnosis of neurocognitive disorder, and it can be a part of the complex biological response involving both illnesses. Both depression and neurocognitive disorders can cause low quality of life (QoL), especially in the elderly population. In this present study, we intended to assess the association of depression and the QoL among patients suffering from mild to major neurocognitive disorder at a tertiary hospital. Methods: This observational study was carried out at the department of psychiatry in a tertiary care hospital, among 100 patients, whose diagnosis was made according to DSM-5 criteria for mild to major neurocognitive disorder. Patients were administered semi-structured pro forma for collection of sociodemographic data, Addenbrooke'sCognitive Examination III R, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) to assess the severity of mild and major neurocognitive disorders, Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia was administered to assess the depression, World Health Organization (WHO) QoL-BREF Scale to assess the QoL among patients with mild to major neurocognitive disorders. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation of the study population was 70.31 ± 6.9 years. The sum of 43.3% of the study population belonged to the category of mild cognitive impairment, 46.7% the moderate, and 10% the severe type of cognitive impairment. The sum of 29.2% of the study population had depressive episodes, and 6.7% of the study population belonged to the category of definite major depression. Domain 2 of WHO QoL-BREF was maximum affected by mild and major neurocognitive disorders (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study found that majority of the patients with neurocognitive disorders was affected by higher levels of depressive scores with a remarkable decrease in their QoL. Compared to neurodegenerative disorders, depression is much easily been effectively treated, this study stresses the importance of the aggressive diagnosis and treatment for depression for all patients with neurocognitive disorder.

Comparative Analysis of the Impact of Visual Impairment on Quality of Life of Patients Attending a Tertiary Hospital in South East, Nigeria.

Quality of life (QoL) is defined as an "individual's perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value system in which they live and in relation to goals, expectations, standards, and concerns." Visual Impairment affects QoL because of the restrictions it imposes on everyday life activities. This study aims to compare the QoL of visually impaired patients attending the Eye Clinic of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri with that of normally sighted persons. The findings will aid the formulation of policies guiding the management of visually impaired patients. This was a hospital-based case-control study which recruited all consenting new patients with visual impairment, and age, and sex-matched controls who presented at the Eye Clinic, Federal Medical Centre, Imo State, Nigeria during the period of the study. Data was collected using a semi-structured closed-ended questionnaire, and the World Health Organization QoL-BREF and analyzed with the Statistical Package for Social Science version 22. Four hundred and two participants were recruited. Lower scores were recorded in all the quality of life (QoL) domains for the visually impaired compared with controls. The overall QoL and health status mean score for the visually impaired (61.10 ± 19.75) was significantly lower than that for the controls (70.90 ± 21.19) at P < 0.001. Severity of visual impairment at P < 0.001 significantly affected all the QoL domains for the visually impaired with the lowest score noted among the blind (58.21 ± 11.63) compared to controls (79.33 ± 11.74). Occupation and educational level significantly affected the QoL of the study group but not the controls. Visual impairment significantly reduces the QOL of patients. Policies targeted at enhancing the QoL of the visually impaired through rehabilitation and societal integration is recommended.

The Burden and Quality of life of Caregivers of Stroke Survivors with Cognitive Impairment in Selected Healthcare Facilities in Anambra State, Nigeria.

Objective:To determine the burden and quality of life of caregivers of stroke survivors with cognitive impairment in selected healthcare facilities in Anambra State, Nigeria.Methods:This was a cross-sectional survey using the World Health Organization QOL-BREF and Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) as instruments. Descriptive statistics of frequency, percentage counts, mean and standard deviation were used to summarize the socio-demographics. Spearman’s ranked order correlation; Mann–Whitney U test assessed the correlation and gender and age difference in QoL and caregiver’s burden. Alpha level was set at 0.05.Results:Physical health domain of QOL was slightly moderate (53.29 ± 15.19), psychological health was low (46.33 ± 16.96), social relationship was slightly moderate (51.16 ± 0.31), environmental health was slightly moderate (51.22 ± 15.88), the burden of caregivers was high (6.35 ± 1.29).Conclusion:The quality of life of the caregivers of stroke survivors with cognitive impairment was moderate, and the caregivers’ stress was high in the sample of the population studied.

Quality of life and its sociodemographic determinants in breast cancer patients.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. As the outcome of any cancer treatment is not only dependent on disease-free interval but also on the quality of life (QOL) of the survivor. Hence, this study was conducted to evaluate QOL of breast cancer patients and sociodemographic factors affecting QOL of patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 breast cancer patients and 50 controls, which fulfilled the selection criteria. The sociodemographic profile and QOL using the World Health Organization QOL-BREF were analyzed using the descriptive statistical methods. All the QOL indicators were statistically significantly (P = 0.0001) lower among breast cancer patients. QOL indicators were statistically significantly (P < 0.01) lower in young age. Not much difference was observed according to religion and these were significantly (P < 0.05) higher among the homemakers. There was no significant difference in all the QOL indicators according to the marital status of the cases. However, these were significantly (P < 0.05) higher among rural cases compared with urban one. The QOL indicators were statistically significantly (P < 0.05) higher among the cases living in joint families than nuclear. No difference was observed among different socioeconomic status. QOL was significantly lower among the breast cancer patients. Age, occupational status, type of family, and locality were the significant factors that affect the QOL of breast cancer patients. Hence, psychological and social support can play an important role in improving QOL of cancer patient.

Ashtanga Yoga Ethics-Based Yoga Versus General Yoga on Anthropometric Indices, Trigunas, and Quality of Life in Abdominal Obesity: A Randomized Control Trial.

The philosophical tenets of yoga such as Ashtanga yoga (AY) and Trigunas are seldom considered while designing yoga programs for chronic diseases. This randomized control trial explored the impact of AY principle-based yoga on the anthropometric indices, personality traits, and quality of life (QoL) in abdominal obesity (AO). Sixty-two participants with AO were randomized (n = 31 in each arm) into an AY arm or general yoga (GY) arm. For 12 weeks, both the AY and the GY received the same yoga protocol; however, the AY received an additional AY-based orientation session fortnightly. Changes in waist circumference, hip circumference (HC), height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, Vedic Personality Inventory for gunas, and World Health Organization QoL-BREF were measured at baseline and at the end of 12 weeks. By the end of 12 weeks, the AY arm significantly differed from the GY arm in HC (P = 0.05) and BMI scores (P = 0.03). The AY arm has shown a significant increase in the sattva guna (P < 0.001) and reduction in the rajas (P < 0.001) and tamas gunas (P = 0.03). There was a significant improvement in the physical and social QoL domain, whereas the other variables examined remained insignificant. The increase in sattva guna was negatively correlated with waist circumference (P = -0.489) and BMI (r = -0.553). Exposing participants to progressive AY philosophy can change the personality traits which are further associated with melioration in the determiners of AO. Future yoga programs for chronic disorders may consider including AY philosophy for substantive outcomes.

Health-related quality of life and its association with depression in type ii diabetes mellitus patients: A cross-sectional study from Delhi

Background: Diabetes mellitus is noncommunicable disease that in most cases affects the whole life after diagnosis with long-standing effects and debilitating complications. It is also one of the top five causes of mortality and contributes significantly to morbidity. Besides limitations and complications to physical health, it also significantly affects the mental health and affects the quality of life (QOL) among the patients. The current study aimed at finding the QOL among the patients living with diabetes. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among diabetic patients attending a diabetic clinic at a district hospital in East Delhi between December 2016 and March 2018. A total of 250 study subjects were included in the study. The Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ 9) and the World Health Organization QOL-BREF questionnaire were used along with a pretested, semi-structured questionnaire for data collection. Data analysis was done on SPSS 23. Results: The prevalence of depression was found to be 17.6% as per the PHQ-9. Health-related QOL was highest for social domain (63.81 ± 12.74) and lowest among the psychological domain (40.83 ± 8.93) followed by environment (46.92 ± 8.34). The score of all the domains was lowest among depressed group as compared to nondepressed study subjects. Conclusion: Mental health can be adversely affected in the case of patients with diabetes which in turn can affect the QOL of the cohort. Hence, it is important to focus on mental well-being of the diabetics and timely intervention.