Quality of Life in the General Norwegian Population, Measured by the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS-N)

The main aim of the present study was to derive norms or reference values from the general Norwegian population for the Norwegian version of the Quality of Life Scale (QOLS-N). In addition, associations between socio-demographic and health variables on the level of quality of life were examined. The sample consisted of 1893 subjects from a total of 4000 randomly selected Norwegian citizens representative of the entire Norwegian population, aged 19-81. The subjects received a mailed questionnaire containing the QOLS-N. Results show that the mean quality of life score was 84.1 (SD 12.5). Women reported a higher quality of life than men. People with higher levels of education reported a higher quality of life. Those who were married or cohabitating reported the highest quality of life and those who were unemployed reported a lower quality of life than those who worked. In addition, people reporting long-term diseases or health problems scored significantly lower on quality of life. These results could serve as reference values for the level of quality of life, as measured by the QOLS-N in the Norwegian population.     

Stages of Change – Continuous Measure (URICA-E2): psychometrics of a Norwegian version

Title.  Stages of Change – Continuous Measure (URICA-E2): psychometrics of a Norwegian version.
Aim.  This paper is a report of research to translate the English version of the Stages of Change continuous measure questionnaire (URICA-E2) into Norwegian and to test the validity of the questionnaire and its usefulness in predicting behavioural change.
Background.  While the psychometric properties of the Stages of Change categorical measure have been tested extensively, evaluation of the psychometric properties of the continuous questionnaire has not been described elsewhere in the literature.
Method.  Cross-sectional data were collected with a convenience sample of 198 undergraduate nursing students in 2005 and 2006. The English version of URICA-E2 was translated into Norwegian according to standardized procedures.
Findings.  Principal components analysis clearly confirmed five of the dimensions of readiness to change (Precontemplation Non-Believers, Precontemplation Believers, Contemplation, Preparation and Maintenance), while the sixth dimension, Action, showed the lowest Eigenvalue (0·93). Findings from the cluster analysis indicate distinct profiles among the respondents in terms of readiness to change their exercise behaviour.
Conclusion.  The URICA-E2 was for the most part replicated from Reed's original work. The result of the cluster analysis of the items associated with the factor 'Action' suggests that these do not adequately measure the factor.     

The complexity of the relationship between chronic pain and quality of life: a study of the general Norwegian population

Purpose  

The aims of this paper were to evaluate the relationship between chronic pain and global quality of life (GQOL) and to explore the effect of possible confounders, mediators, and moderators such as selected demographic variables, chronic illnesses, stress-related symptoms, fatigue, and subjective health of the relationship between chronic pain and GQOL.     

Psychometric properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale-Rasch analyses of individual responses in a Norwegian stroke cohort

Background

The psychometric properties of the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) have not been tested in people with stroke, despite its being the most frequently used instrument measuring fatigue in this population.

Objective

The objective of our study was to assess the psychometric properties of the FSS using both traditional and modern test theory approaches in people with stroke.

Design and setting

A total of 119 patients admitted to two hospitals in Norway with their first stroke were recruited to a longitudinal study of poststroke fatigue. Data on socio-demographics, fatigue and other clinical variables were collected by face-to-face interviews using standardized questionnaires or by mailed questionnaires at four time points six months apart. A total of 428 responses on the FSS were analysed. The internal scale validity, person response validity, unidimensionality, and uniform differential item functioning were assessed by applications of a Rasch model and by Cronbach's alpha. Additionally, concurrent validity was assessed using bivariate correlation analysis.

Results

Items #1 and #2 in the original FSS demonstrated unacceptable high mean-square values. When these two items were removed, the psychometric properties in FSS-7 demonstrated better evidence of validity. No systematic differential item functioning of the items in FSS-7 was found in relation to any of the analysed variables.

Conclusion

In patients with stroke, the FSS-7 showed better psychometric properties and had better potential to detect changes in fatigue over time than the FSS-9 version, suggesting satisfactory grounds for removal of items #1 and #2 for its application.     

Pain control at the end of life: a comparative study of hospitalized cancer and noncancer patients

Scand J Caring Sci; 2011; 25; 771–779
Pain control at the end of life: a comparative study of hospitalized cancer and noncancer patients Background: Pain is a common symptom in dying patients. Previous studies have paid little attention to pain and pain control in terminally ill patients with diseases other than cancer. Aims: This study investigated whether there were differences in healthcare workers’ documentation of pain characteristics in cancer and noncancer patients. We investigated what types of analgesics were administrated to dying patients, and if there were differences in the administration routes of opiates in cancer patients compared to noncancer patients in the last 3 days of life. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively in a cross‐sectional comparative study at a hospital. The sample included 220 deceased patients (110 died of cancer and 110 died of other causes). Data were extracted from patients’ medical records using the Resident Assessment Instrument of Palliative Care. Results: Healthcare workers consistently documented more pain in cancer patients during their last 3 days of life than in noncancer patients. The odds for having severe to excruciating pain was four times higher in cancer patients compared to noncancer patients. Morphine was the most frequently administrated analgesic for all dying patients; however, the odds ratio of cancer patients compared to noncancer patients receiving morphine plus scopolamine was 0.27. The odds of a cancer patient receiving analgesics classified as fentanyl, ketobemidone and oxycodone was more than 4–5 times higher than for noncancer patients. Opiates were more frequently administered transdermally or by oral administration on an as‐need basis in cancer patients; 10% in both groups did not receive adequate pain control. Conclusions: Pain is a highly prevalent symptom among dying hospitalized patients. Healthcare workers consistently documented more pain in cancer patients and also assessed that the intensity of pain was more severe in these patients than in noncancer patients. The dying patients’ intensity of pain was poorly documented.     

Illness and injury presenting to a Norwegian travel insurance company's helpline

INTRODUCTION: Travel abroad is increasing, yet little attention has been paid to the use of health services by specific groups of travellers. This study describes the prevalence of illness, injury and subsequent changes to homeward bound travel and the costs for a group of Norwegian travellers. METHODS: In 2003, 1787 cases were registered in the data base of the helpline of Norway's largest insurance company. This data were analyzed for prevalence of illness and injury according to age, gender, type of illness or injury, travel destination, type of travel, and the impact on return travel. RESULTS: Illness and injury accounted for 76.2% and 23.8% of the notifications, respectively. Travellers over the age of 60 accounted for 32.3% of the total number of illnesses. The illness reported most frequently was infection (20.3%), with the highest prevalence of infections occurring in Southern and Eastern Europe (10.2%). The results obtained in this study were compared with studies of other populations of European travellers, revealing that infectious diseases are the most prevalent illness. Differences were noted in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and the destinations where this occurred, and of fatality. CONCLUSION: The results of this study when compared with those of other European travellers revealed that sufficient difference occurs. As a consequence pre-departure information needs to target better specific population groups with respect to minimizing the risk of illness and injury. As well, the collection of data by the insurance company misses the opportunity of acquiring data of real value for future travellers, the insurance company and the medical profession. It is argued that there is a need to develop a comprehensive data base of greater use than available currently.