Vocational Experiences and Quality of Life of Migrants: Overview and Future Research

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify levels of self-compassion in adults who do and do not stutter and to determine whether self-compassion predicts the impact of stuttering on quality of life in adults who stutter. Method Participants included 140 adults who do and do not stutter matched for age and gender. All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale. Adults who stutter also completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering. Data were analyzed for self-compassion differences between and within adults who do and do not stutter and to predict self-compassion on quality of life in adults who stutter. Results Adults who do and do not stutter exhibited no significant differences in total self-compassion, regardless of participant gender. A simple linear regression of the total self-compassion score and total Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering score showed a significant, negative linear relationship of self-compassion predicting the impact of stuttering on quality of life. Conclusions Data suggest that higher levels of self-kindness, mindfulness, and social connectedness (i.e., self-compassion) are related to reduced negative reactions to stuttering, an increased participation in daily communication situations, and an improved overall quality of life. Future research should replicate current findings and identify moderators of the self-compassion–quality of life relationship.

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Perceived and objective availability of green and blue spaces and quality of life in people with dementia: results from the IDEAL programme

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology ◽

10.1007/s00127-021-02030-y ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yu-Tzu Wu ◽

◽

Linda Clare ◽

Ian Rees Jones ◽

Sharon M. Nelis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Positive Association ◽

Deprivation Level ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Future Research ◽

Interaction Terms ◽

Perceived Availability ◽

People With Dementia

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between quality of life and both perceived and objective availability of local green and blue spaces in people with dementia, including potential variation across rural/urban settings and those with/without opportunities to go outdoors. Methods This study was based on 1540 community-dwelling people with dementia in the Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) programme. Quality of life was measured by the Quality of Life in Alzheimer’s Disease (QoL-AD) scale. A list of 12 types of green and blue spaces was used to measure perceived availability while objective availability was estimated using geographic information system data. Regression modelling was employed to investigate the associations of quality of life with perceived and objective availability of green and blue spaces, adjusting for individual factors and deprivation level. Interaction terms with rural/urban areas or opportunities to go outdoors were fitted to test whether the associations differed across these subgroups. Results Higher QoL-AD scores were associated with higher perceived availability of local green and blue spaces (0.82; 95% CI 0.06, 1.58) but not objective availability. The positive association between perceived availability and quality of life was stronger for urban (1.50; 95% CI 0.52, 2.48) than rural residents but did not differ between participants with and without opportunities to go outdoors. Conclusions Only perceived availability was related to quality of life in people with dementia. Future research may investigate how people with dementia utilise green and blue spaces and improve dementia-friendliness of these spaces.

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Health-Related Quality of Life in Children with Developmental Disorders

Current Developmental Disorders Reports ◽

10.1007/s40474-021-00235-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Marina M. Schoemaker ◽

Suzanne Houwen

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Developmental Disorders ◽

Developmental Coordination Disorder ◽

Autism Spectrum ◽

Future Research ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Lower Hrqol

Abstract Purpose of Review (1) To give an overview of what is currently known about health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in three common and co-occurring developmental disorders: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and (2) to provide directions for future research. Recent Findings HRQoL is compromised in all three developmental disorders, affecting various domains of HRQoL. However, some domains are more affected than others depending on the nature of the core deficits of the disorder. Overall, parents’ rate HRQoL of their children lower than the children themselves. Children with ASD and ADHD with co-occurring disorders have lower HRQoL compared to those with singular disorders. Future studies in DCD are needed to investigate the effect of co-occurring disorder in this population. Summary Children with developmental disorders have lower HRQoL than typically developing children. Future research should focus on the effects of co-occurring disorders on HRQoL and on protective factors that may increase HRQoL. HRQoL should be a part of clinical assessment, as it reveals the areas in life children are struggling with that could be targeted during intervention.

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Community intervention strategies to reduce the impact of financial strain and promote financial well-being: a comprehensive rapid review

Global Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/1757975920984182 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 42-50

Author(s):

Nicole M. Glenn ◽

Lisa Allen Scott ◽

Teree Hokanson ◽

Karla Gustafson ◽

Melissa A. Stoops ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Community Intervention ◽

Well Being ◽

Small Sample ◽

Financial Strain ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Research Centre ◽

Future Research ◽

The Impact

Financial well-being describes when people feel able to meet their financial obligations, feel financially secure and are able to make choices that benefit their quality of life. Financial strain occurs when people are unable to pay their bills, feel stressed about money and experience negative impacts on their quality of life and health. In the face of the global economic repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, community-led approaches are required to address the setting-specific needs of residents and reduce the adverse impacts of widespread financial strain. To encourage evidence-informed best practices, a provincial health authority and community-engaged research centre collaborated to conduct a rapid review. We augmented the rapid review with an environmental scan and interviews. Our data focused on Western Canada and was collected prior to the pandemic (May–September 2019). We identified eight categories of community-led strategies to promote financial well-being: systems navigation and access; financial literacy and skills; emergency financial assistance; asset building; events and attractions; employment and educational support; transportation; and housing. We noted significant gaps in the evidence, including methodological limitations of the included studies (e.g. generalisability, small sample size), a lack of reporting on the mechanisms leading to the outcomes and evaluation of long-term impacts, sparse practice-based data on evaluation methods and outcomes, and limited intervention details in the published literature. Critically, few of the included interventions specifically targeted financial strain and/or well-being. We discuss the implications of these gaps in addition to possibilities and priorities for future research and practice. We also consider the results in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences.

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Family Variables and Quality of Life in Children with Down Syndrome: A Scoping Review

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18020419 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 419

Author(s):

Anna Lee ◽

Kathleen Knafl ◽

Marcia Van Riper

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Down Syndrome ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Personal Development ◽

Well Being ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Children With Down Syndrome ◽

Family Variables

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify the family and child quality of life variables that have been studied in relation to one another in children with Down syndrome, the frequency with which different relationships have been studied, and the extent to which family variables were the focus of the research aims. A literature search was conducted to find studies published between January 2007 and June 2018. The initial search yielded 2314 studies; of these, 43 were selected for a final review. Researchers most often addressed family resources and family problem-solving and coping concerning child personal development and physical well-being. Little attention to child emotional well-being was observed, with none considering family appraisal of child emotional well-being. The relationship between family variables and child QoL rarely was the primary focus of the study. Methodologically, most reviewed studies used cross-sectional designs, were conducted in North America and based on maternal report. From future research considering the issues found in this review, healthcare providers can obtain an in-depth understanding of relationships between children and family variables.

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Quality of life in a sample of Brazilian adults using the generic SF-12 questionnaire

Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira ◽

10.1590/1806-9282.64.03.234 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 234-242 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alessandro Gonçalves Campolina ◽

Rossana Veronica Mendoza Lopez ◽

Elene Paltrinieri Nardi ◽

Marcos Bosi Ferraz

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Skin Color ◽

Short Form ◽

Mean Value ◽

Life Assessment ◽

Future Research ◽

Mean Values ◽

Socio Demographic Factors ◽

Assess Quality

Summary Objective: This study describes the summary scores of the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire, according to socio-demographic factors obtained in a probabilistic and representative sample of the Brazilian urban population. Method: Five thousand (5,000) individuals, over the age of 15, were assessed in 16 capital cities, in the five regions of the country. The selection of households was random. Face-to-face approach was applied in the household interviews. The SF-12 questionnaire was used to assess quality of life. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics were also evaluated: gender, age, marital status, skin color, region of the country and use of the public health service. Results: The mean value (SD) of the SF-12 for the entire population was 49.3 (8.7) for the physical component (PCS-12) and 52.7 (9.7) for the mental component (MCS-12). Statistical differences were found for gender (PCS-12 and MCS-12), age (PCS-12) and working status (PCS-12 and MCS-12). Women, elderly, widowed and unemployed individuals, those with lower income and with complaints in the last seven days showed lower mean values (PCS-12 and MCS-12). Conclusion: From this point forward, we can provide the basis for comparisons with future research that use the SF-12 for quality of life assessment in Brazil. The Brazilian population has a lower degree of quality of life related do the physical component, and the SF-12 is a useful and discriminative instrument for assessing quality of life in different socio-demographic groups.

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Latinxs with HIV: Depressive Cognitive Alterations as a Precursor to Cardio-Motor Deficits

International Journal of Physical Education Fitness and Sports ◽

10.34256/ijpefs2122 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 10-22

Author(s):

Aneesah Hyder ◽

Martin Rosario

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Cardiovascular Health ◽

Future Research ◽

Motor Deficits ◽

Cultural Challenges ◽

Cardiovascular Assessment ◽

Health Related ◽

The Impact ◽

Cognitive Alterations

HIV is a debilitating infection that often presents with health-related complications, further reducing quality of life. Of the most common comorbidities accompanying HIV is depression, which can induce cognitive alterations alongside those resulting from the virus. Latinxs are disproportionately susceptible to both afflictions and face innumerable challenges in the identification and diagnosis of depression. Consequently, HIV-infected Latinxs may experience additional cognitive symptomatology from the simultaneous prevalence of depression and HIV, potentially affecting their gait and cardiovascular profiles. This study aimed to determine the impact of depression on cardio-motor components in HIV-infected Latinxs. Records of 291 stable HIV+ participants were collected from La Perla de Gran Precio Community Center, analyzed for depression, and respectively allocated to the depression group (70) and the group without depression (221). Cardio-motor values were obtained by conducting the Ross treadmill test, a submaximal cardiovascular assessment. An ANOVA revealed similarities in cardiomotor profiles between groups, alluding to the absence of depression-induced modifications to gait and cardiovascular health. Community exercise and cardiopulmonary intervention programs are beneficial to the quality of life in this population during all stages of HIV. However, HIV-infected Latinxs with depression face acute cultural challenges, causing diagnoses and treatment oversights and deficiencies for those who are suffering. Public health efforts should aim to remove barriers facing this population to ultimately reduce the inflated prevalence of both afflictions. Future research should focus on the crucial differentiation of Latinx depressive symptoms from those identical in HIV prior to reinvestigating cardiomotor alterations.

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Mindfulness in Motion for People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Feasibility Study

International Journal of MS Care ◽

10.7224/1537-2073.2015-095 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 19 (5) ◽

pp. 225-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Rachel M. Gilbertson ◽

Maryanna D. Klatt

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Mental Health ◽

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Mindfulness Meditation ◽

Short Form ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Future Research ◽

Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire ◽

Anxiety Depression

Background: Mindfulness in Motion is an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention that uses yoga movement, mindfulness meditation, and relaxing music. This study examined the feasibility of using Mindfulness in Motion in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and the effect of this program on stress, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and quality of life in people with MS. Methods: Twenty-two people with MS completed the 8-week mindfulness program as well as assessments 1 week before and after the intervention. Results: Pre/post comparison of four self-reported questionnaires—the Mental Health Inventory, 36-item Short Form Health Status Survey, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire—showed significant improvement in physical functioning, vitality, and mental health. Specifically, improvements were seen in anxiety, depression, and positive affect; cognitive, psychosocial, and overall functioning regarding fatigue; and mindfulness in the areas of observing, acting with awareness, nonjudgment, and nonreactivity. Conclusions: Due to the uncertainty in disease progression associated with MS, and the multiplicity of mental and physical symptoms associated with it, programming that addresses anxiety, depression, and fatigue is a key area of future research in MS disease management. Mindfulness in Motion proved to be a feasible program yielding positive results, supporting the need for research to determine the extent to which the program can improve quality-of-life outcomes for people with MS.

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Improving the understanding of how patients with non-dystrophic myotonia are selected for myotonia treatment with mexiletine (NaMuscla): outcomes of treatment impact using a European Delphi panel

BMC Neurology ◽

10.1186/s12883-021-02491-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ann-Marie Chapman ◽

Marieke Schurer ◽

Laure Weijers ◽

Amer Omar ◽

Hiba Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Natural History ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Phase Iii ◽

Future Research ◽

Delphi Panel ◽

Economic Modelling ◽

Patient Access ◽

History Of

Abstract Background Non-dystrophic myotonias (NDMs) comprise muscle chloride and sodium channelopathies due to genetic defects of the CLCN1- and SCN4A-channels. No licensed antimyotonic treatment has been available until approval of mexiletine (NaMuscla®) for adult patients by the EMA in December 2018. This Delphi panel aimed to understand how outcomes of the pivotal phase III Mexiletine study (MYOMEX) translate to real world practice and investigate health resource use, quality of life and the natural history of NDM to support economic modelling and facilitate patient access. Methods Nine clinical experts in treating NDM took part in a two-round Delphi panel. Their knowledge of NDM and previous use of mexiletine as an off-label treatment prior to NaMuscla’s approval ensured they could provide both qualitative context and quantitative estimates to support economic modelling comparing mexiletine (NaMuscla) to best supportive care. Consensus in four key areas was sought: healthcare resource utilization (HRU), treatment with mexiletine (NaMuscla), patient quality of life (QoL), and the natural history of disease. Concept questions were also asked, considering perceptions on the feasibility of mapping the validated Individualized Neuromuscular Quality of Life (INQoL) instrument to the generic EQ-5D™, and the potential impact on caregiver QoL. Results Consensus was achieved for key questions including the average long-term dosage of mexiletine (NaMuscla) in practice, the criteria for eligibility of myotonia treatment, the clinical importance of QoL outcomes in MYOMEX, the higher proportion of patients with increased QoL, and the reduction in the need for mental health resources for patients receiving mexiletine (NaMuscla). While consensus was not achieved for other questions, the results demonstrated that most experts felt mexiletine (NaMuscla) reduced the need for HRU and was expected to improve QoL. The QoL mapping exercise suggested that it is feasible to map domains of INQoL to EQ-5D. Points of interest for future research were identified, including that mexiletine (NaMuscla) may slow the annual decrease in QoL of patients over their lifetime, and a significant negative impact on QoL for some caregivers. Conclusions This project successfully provided data from an informed group of clinical experts, complementing the currently available clinical trial data for mexiletine (NaMuscla) to support patient access decisions.

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Development a Palliative Care Program for Colorectal Cancer Patients: A Mixed Methods Protocol study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.34510 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Masoumeh Masoumy ◽

Masoud Bahrami ◽

Alireza sadeghi ◽

Rohallah Mosavizadeh

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Cultural Context ◽

Care Program ◽

Future Research ◽

Palliative Care Program ◽

Colorectal Cancer Patients

BACKGROUND Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in Iranian men and the second in Iranian women and it is a serious health problem in the Iran health system. OBJECTIVE Objective: The purpose is to develop a holistic palliative care program in order to improve the health and quality of life of colorectal cancer patients. METHODS Methods: This is an exploratory mixed methods study which will be conducted using a sequential qualitative-quantitative design (QUAL quan) consists of four sequential steps using the approach proposed by Ewles & Sminett to develop the program. In the first step, a qualitative study (semi-structured interview), the researcher discovers the needs of colorectal cancer patients from the perspective of patients, family members and care providers. In the second step, the literature review will be performed with the aim of confirming and completing the discovering new needs. In the third step, a initial draft of the palliative care program will be developed based on data extracted from qualitative study and literature review, experts’ panel opinions. In the fourth step, according to the opinions of the panel of experts, the part of the developed program will be implemented as quasi-experimental intervention and the effect of intervention on quality of life will be evaluated. RESULTS This study can will provide a better understanding of the demands and problems of colorectal cancer patients and their families through providing a holistic care and improve their quality of life in the socio-cultural context of Iran. This program can be useful in providing care, education, policy making, future research and colorectal cancer patients' health promotion. CONCLUSIONS This study can will provide a better understanding of the demands and problems of colorectal cancer patients and their families through providing a holistic care and improve their quality of life in the socio-cultural context of Iran. This program can be useful in providing care, education, policy making, future research and colorectal cancer patients' health promotion.

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