Pain,health perception and sleep: impact on the quality of life of firefighters/rescue professionals

Objective:

to evaluate the quality of life of firefighters and rescue professionals, and characterize their socio-demographic, health, work and lifestyle profile.

Methods:

cross-sectional study that used a socio-demographic, lifestyle, health, work data questionnaire and the WHOQOL-BREF quality of life aspects, in Fire Department bases, Civil Air Patrol Group of the Military Police and Rescue Group of Emergency Services.

Results:

ninety professionals participated in this study - 71 firefighters, 9 nurses, 7 doctors and 3 flight crew members. The average age of the group was 36.4 ± 7.8 years; they worked about 63.7 hours per week; 20.2% reported pain in the last week and 72.7% had body mass index above 25 kg/m2. The average of the WHOQOL-BREF domains was: physical (74.6), psychological (75.2), social (76.5) and environmental (58.7). Significant association was found (Mann-Whitney test and Spearman correlation) between the WHOQOL-BREF domains and pain in the past six months, in the last week, health perception, job satisfaction, hours of sleep, domestic tasks and study.

Conclusion:

the main factors related to quality of life were presence of pain, health perception, sleep and domestic activity.     

Medication adherence and quality of life among the elderly with diabetic retinopathy

OBJECTIVE:

to investigate the factors related to medication adherence and its relation to Health- Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in elderly people with diabetic retinopathy.

METHOD:

one hundred (n=100) elderly outpatients with diabetic retinopathy taking antihypertensives and/or oral antidiabetics/insulin were interviewed. Adherence was evaluated by the adherence proportion and its association with the care taken in administrating medications and by the Morisky Scale. The National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) was used to evaluate HRQoL.

RESULTS:

most (58%) reported the use of 80% or more of the prescribed dose and care in utilizing the medication. The item "stopping the drug when experiencing an adverse event", from the Morisky Scale, explained 12.8% and 13.5% of the variability of adherence proportion to antihypertensives and oral antidiabetics/insulin, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

there was better HRQoL in the Color Vision, Driving and Social Functioning domains of the NEI VFQ-25. Individuals with lower scores on the NEI VFQ-25 and higher scores on the Morisky Scale presented greater chance to be nonadherent to the pharmacological treatment of diabetes and hypertension.     

Quality of life of men with AIDS and the model of social determinants of health

OBJECTIVE:

to analyze the quality of life (QoL) of men with AIDS from the perspective of the model of social determinants of health (MSDH).

METHOD:

cross-sectional study conducted in an outpatient infectious diseases clinic from a Brazilian university hospital over the course of one year with a sample of 138 patients. A form based on the MSDH was used to collect sociodemographic data addressing individual, proximal, intermediate determinants and the influence of social networks together with an instrument used to assess the QoL of people with HIV/AIDS. The project was approved by the Institutional Review Board (Protocol No. 040.06.12).

RESULTS:

according to MSDH, most men with AIDS were between 30 and 49 years old (68.1%), mixed race (59.4%), heterosexual (46.4%), single (64.5%), Catholic (68.8%), had a bachelor''s degree (39.2%), had no children (61.6%), and had a formal job (71.0%). The perception of QoL in the physical, level of independence, environment, and spirituality domains was intermediate, while QoL was perceived to be superior in the domains of psychological and social relationship. A perception of lower QoL was presented by homosexual (p=0.037) and married men (p=0.077), and those with income below one times the minimum wage (p=0.042). A perception of greater QoL was presented by those without a religion (p=0.005), living with a partner (p=0.049), and those who had a formal job (p=0.045).

CONCLUSION:

social determinants influence the QoL of men with AIDS.     

海南省农村居民生命质量的影响因素分析

目的探索海南省农村居民的生命质量的影响因素,为提高海南省农村居民生命质量提供参考。方法采用多阶段随机抽样方法抽取样本。以面对面访谈的形式采用SF-36量表调查海南省15岁及以上农村居民生命质量状况,共调查1 893人。应用SPSS 25.0进行统计分析,得到有效的结论。结果单因素分析结果显示:民族、婚姻状况、年龄、文化程度、慢性病、生活压力、失眠程度对生命质量状况的差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。最优尺度回归分析结果显示:影响海南省农村居民生命质量状况的因素有年龄(β=-0.217)、民族(β=0.114)、婚姻状况(β=0.044)、文化程度(β=0.125)、是否患有慢性病(β=0.199)、生活压力(β=0.099)、饮酒程度(β=0.087)、失眠程度(β=0.201)。结论年龄、是否患有慢性病、失眠程度、文化程度是对海南省农村居民生命质量的主要影响因素。     

安徽省农村老年人睡眠与生活质量现况调查

目的 了解安徽省农村老年人睡眠与生活质量的现状及两者的相关性,并探索睡眠异常的影响因素.方法 分别应用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数量表、SF-36量表评价安徽省农村老年人的睡眠状况和生活质量.采用广义logistic回归分析模型筛选睡眠的影响因素.结果 睡眠良好、一般、较差者分别占总人数的29.4%、24.3%、46.3%;生活质量各因子男性优于女性(P＜0.05),且睡眠质量各因子与生活质量各因子之间存在相关性(P＜0.05).睡眠质量良好、一般、较差三者相比,以睡眠质量一般为参照,睡眠质量良好的保护因素有已婚、独居、经济独立、社会功能好、经常食肉、主食为面食;睡眠质量较差的危险因素有文化程度高、独居、精力差、一般健康差、慢性疾病(背部疼痛、冠心病、胃病)、偶尔食肉、主食为米饭.结论 安徽省农村老年人睡眠质量较差者比例较高,需改善老年人身体健康状况,并对农村老年人进行必要的生理和心理治疗指导.     

农村留守小学生生活质量的个人家庭影响因素分析

目的探索农村地区留守小学生生活质量的个人与家庭相关影响因素,为制定干预策略提供参考依据。方法采用多阶段分层抽样抽取河南省农村地区留守小学生419名,抽取非留守小学生410名作为对照,运用儿童少年生活质量量表和自制的儿童、家庭情况调查表进行问卷调查,采用Logistic回归对2组小学生进行生活质量影响因素分析。结果农村留守小学生的性别、年龄、外伤经历、家庭经济水平、学习成绩、健康状况、父母关心学习、与父母交流频率及沟通状况9个变量入选,除前3者外均为保护因素;与留守小学生相比,非留守小学生与父母交流频率及沟通状况2个变量未入选,但父母文化程度与自感压力3个变量入选方程。结论相对非留守小学生,与父母交流频率及沟通状况更影响留守小学生的生活质量。     

上海市某养老院老年人生活质量的影响因素分析

目的了解上海市某养老院老年人的生活质量及其影响因素,为行业管理部门制定养老服务的相关政策提供依据。方法2011年12月应用简明健康状况调查表（SF-36）、社会支持评定量表、老年抑郁量表（GDS）和孤独量表（UCLA—LS）对养老院内160名老年人进行调查,分析影响养老院老年人生活质量的因素以及生活质量与社会支持、抑郁、孤独的相关性。结果总调查人数160名,占该养老院老人总数的76．2％,年龄分布范围为60—98岁,平均年龄（82．0±8．8）岁。逐步多元线性回归分析显示,养老院老人生活质量中与生理功能明显相关的影响因素有3个,分别是有无子女、参加体育活动频率、自我健康状况评价;与生理职能、社会功能、活力及情感职能明显相关的影响因素有3个,分别是有年龄、参加体育活动频率、自我健康状况评价;与躯体疼痛明显相关的影响因素有2个,分别是性别、自我健康状况评价;与总体健康明显相关的影响因素有4个,分别是年龄、参加体育活动频率、慢性病数目、自我健康状况评价;与精神健康明显相关的影响因素有4个,分别是年龄、居住状况、参加体育活动频率、自我健康状况评价。Spearman秩相关分析显示,养老院老人客观支持与生活质量量表中情感职能、精神健康呈正相关,其主观支持、对社会支持利用度、社会支持总分与生活质量量表各维度均呈正相关;养老院老人其抑郁分值、孤独分值与生活质量量表各维度均呈负相关。结论影响养老院内老年人生活质量的因素众多,社会及家庭应予以关注。     

2014年安徽省池州市农村老年人的生命质量评价及影响因素

目的 了解池州市农村老年人的生命质量及其影响因素。 方法 采取随机整群抽样的方法于2014年7月抽取池州市农村939名60岁以上的老年人进行一般情况问卷和生命质量(SF-36量表)调查,使用多元线性回归分析各维度得分与年龄、性别、年收入、吸烟、饮酒、疾病状况、婚姻状况的关系。 结果 池州市60岁以上农村老年人平均生命质量得分为(67.51±16.83)分。60岁以上农村老年人,年收入是生理职能、一般健康状况、情感职能这三个维度评分的影响因素(P<0.05),无慢性病者、不吸烟者、不喝酒者生命质量评分较高,有慢性病者、>70岁者的八个维度评分均低于无慢性病者、≤70岁者,且这八个维度评分差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。多元线性逐步回归分析显示影响农村老年人生命质量的相关因素为年龄(P=0.001)、性别(P=0.008)、年收入(P=0.001)、饮酒(P=0.002)、慢性病(P=0.003)、婚姻(P=0.004)。 结论 池州市农村老年人的生命质量一般,年龄、性别、年收入、饮酒、慢性病、婚姻是影响池州市农村老年人生命质量的影响因素。     

Quality of life,socioeconomic profile,knowledge and attitude toward sexuality from the perspectives of individuals living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Objectives:

to analyze the quality of life of "patients" with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and relate it to their socioeconomic profile, knowledge and attitudes toward sexuality.

Method:

crosssectional and analytical study with 201 individuals who are 50 years old or older. The Targeted Quality of Life and Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scales were applied during interviews. Multiple Linear Regression was used in data analysis.

Results:

dimensions of quality of life more strongly compromised were disclosure worries (39.0), sexual function (45.9), and financial worries (55.6). Scores concerning knowledge and attitudes toward sexuality were 31.7 and 14.8, respectively. There was significant correlation between attitudes and the domains of overall function, health worries, medication worries, and HIV mastery.

Conclusion:

guidance concerning how the disease is transmitted, treated and how it progresses, in addition to providing social and psychological support, could minimize the negative effects of the disease on the quality of life of patients living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.     

马鞍山市城乡老年人口生活质量比较研究

目的 探讨马鞍山市城乡老人生活质量的差异及影响因素,为老年人口生活质量的改善提供科学依据。方法 以马鞍山市区及当涂县某乡镇作为本次研究现场,年龄≥60岁且无言语交流障碍者作为调查对象。现场调查采用一对一访谈形式进行问卷调查,调查工具包括一般社会人口学特征问卷、简版老年抑郁量表、社会支持量表和世界卫生组织生活质量测定简表。结果 城乡老人在性别、年龄、文化程度、慢性病、抑郁状况、社会支持等方面差异均有统计学意义 (P＜0.05)。农村老人生活质量总分及其4个领域得分均低于城市老人,城乡老人生活质量受到性别、年龄、慢性病、抑郁、社会支持等多种因素的影响 (P＜0.05),但是在影响因素种类和影响程度上有所差别。结论 城乡老人对改善生活质量的需求有所不同,应根据城乡老人不同特点进行干预以便有效地提高老人生活质量。     

Loneliness and health-related quality of life for the empty nest elderly in the rural area of a mountainous county in China

Objective To estimate whether loneliness was associated with quality of life and examined the influence of socio-economic factors in the empty nest elderly. Methods The 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS) were used to assess the quality of life and loneliness for 275 empty nest and 315 not empty nest rural elders in a county, China. T tests, Pearson’s correlations and linear regression analysis were used to examine the difference in SF-36 and UCLA-LS scores, correlations of the two scores between the two groups, and socio-economic determinants of loneliness among the empty nest elders. Results Empty nest group, in comparison with not empty nest group, had higher level of loneliness (95% confidence interval [CI] = −3.361 to −.335), lower physical (95% CI = .228 to 6.044) and mental (95% CI = .866 to 6.380) scores. Loneliness was negatively correlated with all the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey scales in both groups. Social supports and income were negatively associated with loneliness, whereas education level and being single were positively associated with loneliness for the empty nest group. Conclusions Reducing the level of loneliness may be helpful to improve the quality of life for the empty nest elders.     

Quality of life,clinical characteristics and treatment adherence of people living with HIV/AIDS

OBJECTIVES:

to assess the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS and verify its association with clinical characteristics and treatment adherence.

METHOD:

cross-sectional study conducted in a hospital in the state of Paraíba, Brazil. A questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic and clinical data. The quality of life scale proposed by the World Health Organization and a questionnaire to measure treatment adherence were used.

RESULTS:

of the 314 interviewees, 190 (60.5%) were male, aged 43 years on average, 121 (38.5%) had attended up to five years of schooling, 108 (34.4%) received up to two times the minimum wage, and 112 (35.7%) were on sick leave. In regard to clinical variables, individuals with an undetectable viral load scored higher in all the domains concerning quality of life, with statistically significant differences in three domains. Regarding treatment adherence, 235 (73.8%) presented poor adherence and those who strictly adhered to treatment obtained better scores in quality of life. The results show that quality of life is better among individuals adherent to ART. Supporting people to adhere to the antiretroviral treatment should be a persistent task of healthcare workers and other people participating in the treatment, such as family members and friends.     

Relationship between basic protective health behaviours and health related quality of life in Greek urban hospital employees

Summary Objective: The study aimed to explore the association between the presence of several protective health behaviors and physical and mental wellbeing/functioning among healthy hospital employees in Greece. Method: A randomly selected representative sample of 395 employees working in seven hospitals, both public and private, within the wider region of Athens participated in the study. Participants were assigned to the following professional categories: administrative, auxiliary and technical personnel, medical doctors and nurses. Four basic protective health behaviors were examined: following the Mediterranean diet, exercising, no smoking and moderate alcohol drinking. Employees’ health related quality of life was assessed with the self-administered SF-36 generic health status measure. Results: Technical and administrative hospital personnel reported more healthy behaviors than medical and auxiliary personnel. There was an increased likelihood of scoring higher in almost all SF-36 Physical health subscales in the accumulation of the above four protective health behaviors. In terms of mental health, even the presence of two or more protective health behaviors significantly increase the score on most SF-36 Mental health subscales. Conclusion: Results indicate that the protective role of basic health behaviors extends beyond physical health to mental wellbeing. Submitted: 26 June 2006; Revised: 10 April 2007; Accepted 17 July 2007     

健康管理对欠发达地区农村高血压患者生活质量的干预效果评价

目的 评价健康管理对改善欠发达地区农村高血压患者生活质量的干预效果.方法 以甘肃省民勤县作为研究现场,采用类试验流行病学设计方法,对患者采取全人群的健康教育和个性化随访管理,并以8条目简明（SF-8）最表评价患者的生活质量变化情况,分别对基线期和随访结束期患者的生命质量评分进行比较.结果 试验组结局期生活质量各项维度得分较基线期均有显著提高（P〈0.05）,其中一般健康状况较基线提高10.92分,躯体活动功能对角色功能影响较基线提高9.59分,而社会功能状况较基线提高4.61分.经协方差分析校正了基线水平不均衡后,结果提示试验组结局期生活质量各维度得分较对照组均差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,试验组生活质量各维度得分均显著高于对照组.结论 在欠发达地区农村,以乡镇卫生院医务人员为主导的初级卫生保健力量在健康管理理念的指导下,通过对高血压患者开展主动的筛查、随访和健康教育,可以有效改善患者的生活质量.     

四川省居民生命质量影响因素的研究

  目的  了解宁夏当地居民生命质量现状,找出影响生命质量的主要因素,为增进宁夏地区人群生命质量提供参考依据。  方法  于2015年9 — 11月,采用分层整群抽样方法对4 465名年龄 ≥ 18岁宁夏居民进行居民生活质量状况及影响因素问卷调查。  结果  宁夏居民在生理维度（64.28 ± 13.28）、心理维度（57.29 ± 9.91）、独立性维度（62.37 ± 10.90）、社会关系维度（67.48 ± 11.20）、环境维度（55.20 ± 7.86）、精神维度（46.27 ± 18.12）得分与全国一般水平生命质量维度的常模进行比较差异均有统计学意义（P < 0.01）。单因素分析时,年龄、性别、民族、受教育程度、婚姻状况、家庭月收入均与生命质量总得分间有关系。进一步多因素分析,在排除了各影响因素的共同作用后,对生命质量各维度及总得分主要影响因素有年龄、文化程度、家庭月收入以及婚姻状况（均P < 0.05）。  结论  宁夏居民总体生命质量状况良好,其主要影响因素为年龄、婚姻状况、受教育程度、家庭月收入。     

健康教育对肿瘤化疗患者心理健康和生活质量的影响

目的探讨健康教育对肿瘤化疗患者心理健康和生活质量的影响。方法选择2009年1月—2011年11月在徐州市第三人民医院肿瘤科进行化疗的患者50例,随机分为观察组和对照组各25例。观察两组护理健康教育前后焦虑自评量表(SAS)、抑郁自评量表(SDS)的评分变化和癌症患者生活质量测定量表(E-ORTC QLQ-C30)评分变化。结果健康教育前,两组SAS、SDS和E-ORTC QLQ-C30量表各因子评分差异均无统计学意义(P0.05);健康教育后,观察组SAS、SDS评分明显低于对照组,而E-ORTC QLQ-C30量表各因子评分明显高于对照组(P0.05)。结论健康教育有效改善肿瘤化疗患者的心理健康,提高生活质量。     

Meanings of quality of life held by patients with colorectal cancer in the context of chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE:

this study''s aim was to interpret the meanings assigned to quality of life by patients with colorectal cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

METHOD:

the ethnographic method and the medical anthropology theoretical framework were used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations with 16 men and women aged from 43 to 75 years old undergoing chemotherapy in a university hospital.

RESULTS:

the meanings and senses describe biographical ruptures, loss of normality of life, personal and social suffering, and the need to respond to chemotherapy''s side effects; chemotherapy is seen as a transitional stage for a cure. Quality of life is considered unsatisfactory because the treatment imposes personal and social limitations and QoL is linked to resuming normal life.

CONCLUSIONS:

the meanings show the importance of considering sociocultural aspects in the conceptualization and assessment of quality of life.     

Health-related quality of life in patients with thyroid disorders

Limited reports are available on quality of life (HRQL) in thyroid diseases, and no data are available in euthyroid disorders, such as goiter and Hashimoto thyroiditis. Also, asymptomatic patients may suffer a reduction in perceived health status due to distress related to physical appearance and awareness of disease. We measured HRQL by means of Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36 (SF-36) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) questionnaires in 368 patients (hypothyroid, 81; hyperthyroid, 45 (for both states including overt and subclinical states); Hashimoto thyroiditis, 51; euthyroid goiter, 191). The final scores of the domains were compared with age- and sex-adjusted Italian normative values, by computing the effect size. All domains of SF-36, except bodily pain, were reduced in thyroid disease; this was mainly the case of role limitation (both physical and emotional), general health and social functioning. The domains of NHP were less severely affected. HRQL was impaired also in the absence of altered hormone levels. Mood/behavior disturbances were present in a large proportion of patients and were significantly associated with poor HRQL. HRQL was significantly reduced in patients with thyroid diseases referred to a secondary level endocrinology unit. Perceived health status may be considered as an additional outcome of management and therapy of thyroid disorders.