Changes in the pelvic floor following childbirth

1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Chaliha ◽  
AH Sultan ◽  
SL Stanton

It is only in the last decade that increasing recognition has been given to the impact of childbirth on the physical and psychological wellbeing of a woman. The fall in maternal mortality coupled with a rise in female life expectancy (80 years in the UK) have served to focus attention on quality of life. Childbirth has been implicated as a major aetiological factor in pelvic floor and perineal trauma.

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-53
Author(s):  
Andrey V Zolotarev ◽  
Elena V Karlova ◽  
Elena V Miroshnichenko

Evaluating of the correlation between quality of life, life expectancy and mortality rate is an important problem of modern ophthalmology. Many researchers note that eye pathology, which leads to a visual acuity decrease and blindness, has a significant impact on the mortality rate of the population. This review of literature is dedicated to studies examining the impact of eye diseases on the mortality rate of the population. (For citation: Zolotarev AV, Karlova EV, Miroshnichenko EV. Influence of eye diseases on the mortality rate of the population. ­Oph­thal­mology Journal. 2018;11(1):47-53. doi: 10.17816/OV11147-53).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M. Hood ◽  
Hanne Stotesbury ◽  
Jennifer Murphy ◽  
Melanie Kölbel ◽  
April Slee ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Behavioral mitigation strategies to slow the spread of COVID-19 have resulted in sweeping lifestyle changes, with short and long-term psychological, well-being, and quality of life implications. The Attitudes About COVID-19 and Health (ATTACH) study focuses on understanding attitudes and beliefs whilst considering the impact on mental and physical health and the influence of broader demographic and geographic factors on attitudes, beliefs, and mental health burden. OBJECTIVE In this assessment of our first wave of data collection, we provide baseline cohort descriptives of ATTACH study participants in the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), and Mexico. Additionally, we assess responses to daily poll questions related to COVID-19 and conduct a cross-sectional analysis of baseline assessments collected in the UK between June 26 and October 31, 2020. METHODS The ATTACH study uses smartphone-app technology and online survey data collection. Participants completed poll questions twice daily related to COVID-19 and a monthly survey assessing mental health, social isolation, physical health, and quality of life. Poll question responses were graphed using 95% Clopper-Pearson (exact) tests with 95% confidence intervals. Pearson correlations, hierarchical linear regression analyses, and generalized linear models assessed relationships, predictors of self-reported outcomes, and group differences, respectively. RESULTS By October 31, 2020, 1405, 80, and 90 participants had consented to participate in the UK, USA, and Mexico, respectively. Descriptive data for the UK daily poll questions indicated that participants were generally following social distancing measures, but worry and negative impacts on families increased as the pandemic progressed. Although participants generally reported feeling that the reasons for current measures had been made clear, there was low trust that the government was doing everything in its power to meet public needs. In the UK, 1282 participants also completed a monthly survey (95% white, 72% female, 21% key or essential workers). Nineteen percent of UK participants reported a pre-existing mental health disorder, 31% reported a pre-existing chronic medical illness, and 35% were over 65. Fifty-seven percent of participants reported being more sedentary since the pandemic began, and 41% reported reduced access to medical care. Those with poorer mental health outcomes lived in more deprived neighborhoods, in larger households (ps < .05), had more pre-existing mental health disorders and medical conditions, and were younger than 65 years (all ps < .001). CONCLUSIONS Communities who have been exposed to additional harm during the COVID-19 pandemic were experiencing worse mental outcomes. Factors including having a medical condition, or living in a deprived neighborhood or larger household were associated with heightened risk. Future longitudinal studies should investigate the link between COVID-19 exposure, mental health, and sociodemographic and residential characteristics.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca C. Knibb ◽  
Aaron Cortes ◽  
Christopher Barnes ◽  
Carol Stalker

Background. The Scale for Psychosocial Factors in Food Allergy (SPS-FA) is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and was developed and validated in Chile to measure the interaction between psychological variables and allergy symptoms in the child. We sought to validate this scale in an English speaking population and explore its relationship with parental quality of life, self-efficacy, and mental health. Methods. Parents (n=434) from the general population in the UK, who had a child with a clinical diagnosis of food allergy, completed the SPS-FA and validated scales on food allergy specific parental quality of life (QoL), parental self-efficacy, and general mental health. Findings. The SPS-FA had good internal consistency (alphas = .61–.86). Higher scores on the SPS-FA significantly correlated with poorer parental QoL, self-efficacy, and mental health. All predictors explained 57% of the variance in SPS-FA scores with QoL as the biggest predictor (β=.52). Discussion. The SPS-FA is a valid scale for use in the UK and provides a holistic view of the impact of food allergy on the family. In conjunction with health-related QoL measures, it can be used by health care practitioners to target care for patients and evaluate psychological interventions for improvement of food allergy management.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andre M. N. Renzaho ◽  
Daniel Doh ◽  
Rashidul A. Mahumud ◽  
Moses Galukande ◽  
Joseph K. Kamara

Abstract Background Various interventions to improve the quality of life (QoL) among slum dwellers across sub Saharan Africa have been implemented. However, the interventions impacts remain less understood. We assessed the impact of the Urban Program on Livelihoods and Income Fortification and Socio-civic Transformation (UPLIFT) project on QoL, psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, and the quality of neighbourhood social environment of young people aged 13–25 years in slum areas of Makindye and Nakawa Divisions in Kampala, Uganda. Methods The study was designed as a mixed method evaluation using repeated cross-sectional survey and grounded theory in both the intervention and comparison communities. The intervention effect was estimated using the difference-in-differences Kernel propensity-score matching technique, with bootstrapping. The “rcs” option was used given that data were from repeated cross-sectional surveys. A thematic analysis was adopted for the qualitative data to triangulate and complement the quantitative data. Results The UPLIFT project led to an improvement in QoL, psychological wellbeing, and self-esteem of young people. In terms of QoL, the project led to a six-percentage point increase in quality of living conditions scores (where higher scores reflect better living conditions; lower ones, worse living conditions). However, a negative effect was observed for personal independence whilst the project did not have any impact on social relations. In terms of self-esteem and psychological wellbeing, the project led to a 4.6-point increase in self-esteem scores, a 5.4-point increase in self-acceptance scores, a 5.3- point increase in purpose in life scores, a 5.7 - point increase in personal growth, and a 10.7-point increase in autonomy scores. However, the project had a negative effect on personal independence; and had no impact on environmental mastery and the quality of neighbourhood social environment. Conclusion Functional community-owned assets accumulation and capacity building initiatives for young people in slum areas improved their psychological wellbeing and quality of life. However, such initiatives do not appear to address social relationships and personal independence of young people in slum areas.


2014 ◽  
Vol 155 (21) ◽  
pp. 817-821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Péter Apor ◽  
László Babai

Aging-related decline of muscle force, walking speed, locomotor coordination, aerobic capacity and endurance exert prognostic impact on life expectancy. Proper use of training may diminish the aging process and it may improve the quality of life of elderly persons. This paper provides a brief summary on the impact of training on aging-related decline of physical and cognitive functions. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(21), 817–821.


2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 2265-2285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Behan ◽  
Bruna Rubbo ◽  
Jane S. Lucas ◽  
Audrey Dunn Galvin

Abstract Background Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disorder characterised by progressive sinopulmonary disease, with symptoms starting soon after birth. The aim of this study is to critically review, analyse, and synthesise the literature in order to understand the experiences of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) and the impact on health-related quality of life. Method MEDLINE, EBSCO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO and EMBASE were searched according to the inclusion criteria. A qualitative analysis of 14 studies was conducted. Results Fourteen studies were included in the review, five with qualitative methodologies. Studies originated from the UK, USA, Italy, Denmark and Belgium, one study included a survey distributed internationally. Significant relationships were found between age and worsening of respiratory symptoms, physical, and mental domains of health-related quality of life, with a greater decline compared with reference populations. Variations between the UK and Italy were found for health-related quality of life and its correlation with time since diagnosis. PCD was found to have a physical impact in all age groups: patients found it difficult to keep up with others, and found energy levels were easily depleted compared to family or peers. In terms of social impact, symptoms lead to embarrassment and a sense of isolation, with patients concealing symptoms and/or their diagnosis. In turn, isolation was also linked with the lack of public and medical knowledge. In relation to emotional impact, anxiety was reported in a number of qualitative studies; patients were anxious about getting sick or when thinking about their future health. The burden of treatment and factors influencing adherence were also discussed in depth. Conclusion Health-related quality of life decreases with age in patients with PCD. For all age groups, PCD was found to greatly impact physical, emotional, social functioning, and treatment burden. More research is needed on the psychosocial impact of the illness, disease burden and its effect on quality of life.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 00103-2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Barker ◽  
Heather Elphick ◽  
Mark L. Everard

Dysfunctional breathing is a significant cause of morbidity, adversely affecting an individual's quality of life. There is currently no data from paediatric centres on the impact of breathing retraining for dysfunctional breathing.Symptoms and quality of life were measured in 34 subjects referred sequentially for breathing retraining to the first dedicated paediatric dysfunctional breathing clinic in the UK. Data were obtained prior to the first intervention (time point 1), at discharge (time point 2) and by post 6 months later (time point 3).The mean (interquartile range) age of participants was 13.3 (9.1–16.3) years, with 52% female. Data were obtained at time points 2 and 3 in 23 and 13 subjects, respectively.Statistically significant improvements were observed in symptom scores, child quality of life and parental proxy quality of life between time points 1 and 2 (p<0.0001), while there was no significant difference in the data at time point 3 as compared with time point 2.This study suggests that physiotherapist-led breathing retraining offers significant benefit to young people with dysfunctional breathing which is maintained for at least 6 months after treatment is completed. Future studies will provide more information on the long-term effects of interventions for dysfunctional breathing.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 51-60
Author(s):  
Yefim S. Khesin

The Object of the Study. Living standards and quality of life of the population in Great Britain. The Subject of the Study. The Brexit. The Purpose of the Study is exposing the impact of the Brexit on the living standards and quality of life in the country. The Main Provisions of the Article. Following a June 2016 referendum on continued European Union membership in which 52% voted to leave and 48% voted to stay the UK government announced the country's withdrawal from the EC (Brexit). In March 2017 it formally began the withdrawal process. The withdrawal was delayed by deadlock in the UK parliament. Having failed to get her agreement with the EC approved, Theresa May resigned as Prime Minister in July 2019 and was succeeded by Boris Johnson, an active supporter of the Brexit. An early general election was then held on 12 December. The Conservatives won a large majority. As a result, the parliament ratified the withdrawal agreement, and the UK formally left the EU on 31 January 2020. This began a transition period that is set to end on 31 December 2020, during which the UK and EU will negotiate their future relationship. The first round of negotiations between London and Brussels began in March 2020. The author investigates the consequences of the withdrawal of Great Britain from the EC on the living standards and quality of life, economic situation, labour market, social policy of the government. in this country. It analyzes on the impact of the Brexit on the major elements of human capital: education, science, health, living conditions, ecology. It found that short-term forecasts of what would happen immediately after the Brexit referendum were too pessimistic. Nowadays it is very difficult to give an accurate estimate of the future effect of the Brexit on cost of living in Great Britain – many essential issues in the relations between the UK and the EC remain open. Besides, the coronavirus crisis and lockdown measures may cause the grave damage to growth and jobs. Much evidence shows that in the medium- and long-term leaving the European Union damage the British economy and thus reduce the UK's real per-capita income level and may adversely affect jobs and earnings, income and wealth, life expectancy, education and skills, academic research, health status, environmental quality and subjective well-being in the UK. Finally, the author analyses the impact on the economic and social life in Great Britain of different Brexit scenarios after the end of the transition period. The consequences will differ sharply depending on whether the UK does a Soft or Hard (no deal) Brexit.


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