scholarly journals Effects of Participating in a Volunteer Driving Program on Mental Health in Service Recipients and Volunteers

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 864-864
Author(s):  
Machiko Tomita ◽  
Sutanuka Bhattacharjya

Abstract Objectives To assess the effects of a volunteer transportation program on mental health in riders and volunteers. Methods A cross-sectional study (N=133, age ≥60) compared pre- and existing (≥2 years) riders, pre- and existing (≥2 years) volunteer drivers, and riders (Rs) and pre-volunteers (PreVs), representing general older adults. The cohorts belonged to a large, community volunteer organization. Outcome measures, depression and quality of life, were analyzed using ANCOVA. Percentages of people who wanted to go to specific destinations with available transportation were identified for pre-riders (PreRs) and Rs. Results Rs had better depression scores (p<.001), no longer exhibited depressive symptoms (p=.005), and were better in quality of life (p=.002) than PreRs. Rs were similar to PreVs. PreRs’ major needs were going to medically related places (doctors’ offices – 74.4%, drug stores - 44.2%, hospitals – 37.2%) and basic living (grocery – 60.5%, clothing -37.2%). In Rs, these had significantly lowered, but still 40% wanted to go to doctors’ offices and 30%, grocery stores. Volunteer driver's (Vs)' depression (p=.009), health (p=.006), and social relationships (p=.004) were significantly better than PreVs'. Discussion Although the use of free transportation up to four times a month may not be enough to improve perceived health for Rs, it was beneficial to prevent depression and increase quality of life. Since many PreVs were doing volunteer work other than driving, the type of volunteer work matters. Regularly helping people, in person, with their core needs for living resulted in positive outcomes for Vs.

Author(s):  
Erika Viktória Miszory ◽  
Melinda Járomi ◽  
Annamária Pakai

Abstract Aim The number of Hungarian polio patients can be estimated at approximately 3000. Polio infection is currently affecting people 56–65 years of age. The aim of the study was to reveal the quality of life of patients living with polio virus in Hungary. Subject and methods The quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted in January–April 2017 among polyomyelitis patients living in Hungary. In the non-random, targeted, expert sample selection, the target group was composed of patients infected with poliovirus (N = 268). We have excluded those who refused to sign the consent statement. Our data collection method was an SF-36 questionnaire. Using the IBM SPSS Statistics Version 22 program, descriptive and mathematical statistics (χ2-test) were calculated (p < 0.05). Results The mean age of the members of the examined population is 63.5 years; 68.1% were women and 31.90% were men. The majority of the respondents were infected by the polyovirus in 1956 (11.9%), 1957 (24.3%), and 1959 (19.5%). Polio patients, with the exception of two dimensions (mental health, social operation), on the scale of 100 do not reach the “average” quality of life (physical functioning 23 points, functional role 36 points, emotional role 47 points, body pain 48 points, general health 42 points, vitality 50 points, health change 31 points). Conclusion The quality of life of polio patients is far below the dimensions of physical function, while the difference in mental health compared to healthy people is minimal. It would be important to educate health professionals about the existing disease, to develop an effective rehabilitation method.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S175-S176
Author(s):  
Machiko R Tomita

Abstract This study aimed to determine if service recipients (SRs) of free transportation services experience better quality of life, health, and function compared to pre-service recipients (PSRs). We conducted a cross-sectional study using personal interviews with 43 PSRs and 30 SRs belonged to a volunteer organization. Outcome measures were Older People’s Quality of Life (QoL), Center for Epidemiology Study-Depression, and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL). Total sample (N=73) had a mean age of 78.5 years and mostly female (86.3%). The majority of PSRs wanted to go to Drs’ offices (74.4%) and Grocery stores (60.5%), followed by Drug stores (44.2%), when the service becomes available. The figures were substantially smaller among SR (40.0%, 30%, and 13.3%, respectively). In PSRs, 67.4% expected to improve health once they start receiving the service, and 70. 0% of SRs said it did with the service. Using independent t-tests, SRs were significantly better in depression (p&lt;.001), IADL (p=0.29) and most QoL items (life overall, social relationship, home and neighborhood, psychological and emotional well-being and leisure and activities; p=.047-p=.001), except for perceived health and finance. SRs (100%) were very satisfied with the service and drivers, but 80% of SRs said they wished to use more driving services than the allowable four times per month maximum. This limitation was due to the insufficient number of volunteers compared to a large number of people in need. Availability of more volunteer drivers will likely improve SRs health. Effective approaches to increase the number of driving volunteers are necessary.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. Jiménez-Garrido ◽  
María Gómez-Sousa ◽  
Genís Ona ◽  
Rafael G. Dos Santos ◽  
Jaime E. C. Hallak ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Daniella Brunelli D’Avila de Santana ◽  
Letticia Parreira Neves ◽  
Maria Clara Siufi ◽  
Marina Franco Panovich ◽  
Milena Nakase Takayassu ◽  
...  

O presente estudo visa analisar a prevalência de depressão nos profissionais enfermeiros de um Hospital Filantrópico, em Campo Grande/MS, que nunca haviam tido diagnóstico de depressão anteriormente, correlacionando com aspectos sociodemográficos e laborais, como período de trabalho e horas de descanso semanal. Tratou-se de um estudo de caráter quantitativo, aspecto analítico, observacional e transversal, realizado com 89 enfermeiros do Hospital Associação Beneficente Santa Casa de Campo Grande, com início em maio de 2015 e término em novembro de 2016. Para a análise, foram aplicados dois questionários, sendo um de autoria própria (com perfil sociodemográfico, qualidade de vida e de trabalho e saúde mental), e outro validado, representado pelo Inventário de Depressão de Beck, o qual possibilita inferir o diagnóstico de depressão. Dos 89 profissionais enfermeiros, a prevalência de casos de depressão foi de 2 (2,2%), sendo que 9 (11,1%) se mostraram disfóricos e os demais não tiveram alterações relacionadas a tal enfermidade psiquiátrica. Daqueles trabalhadores com depressão, 2 (2,2%) eram do sexo feminino, 2 (2,2%) eram solteiros e 2 (2,2%) exerciam seu trabalho no período vespertino. Houve maior prevalência de depressão nos enfermeiros do sexo feminino, solteiros, que exerciam suas atividades no turno vespertino e possuíam um ou nenhum período de lazer durante a semana.Palavras-chave: Depressão. Enfermagem. Qualidade de Vida. Saúde Mental.AbstractThe present study has as its main objective to analyze the depression prevalence in nurses in a Philantropic Hospital in Campo Grande MS that have never been previously diagnosed with depression correlating with sociodemographic and labor aspects, such as work period and weekly rest hours. This was a quantitative, analytical observational and cross sectional study with 89 nurses from Hospital Associação Beneficente Santa Casa de Campo Grande , that began on May of 2015 and ended on November of 2016. For the analysis two questionnaires were applied, one of the author’s authorship (with sociodemographic profile, quality of life and work and mental health) and another validated, Beck Depression Inventory, which allows to classify depression diagnosis. From 89 nurses, the prevalence of depression cases were 2 nurses (2,2%), and 9 (11,1%) were dysphoric and the others had no relevant alterations. Of those with depression 2 (2,2%) were female, 2 (2,2%) were single and 2 (2,2%) exercised their work in the evening period. There was higher prevalence of depression in female, single nurses that exercised their work in the evening period and had one or no free time during the week.Keywords: Depression. Nursing. Quality of Life. Prevalence. Mental Health.


2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Karine Grov ◽  
Berit Taraldsen Valeberg

AbstractObjective:Cancer affects both patients and their caregivers. Caregiver burden may change during different stages of the patients' cancer trajectory. Limited research has focused on the impact of being a caregiver, assessed by the caregiver's mental health and quality of life (QOL) during the curative and the palliative phases of the patient's disease. The aim of this study is to compare caregivers of cancer patients during the curative and a palliative phases with respect to their mental health and health-related QOL.Method:This descriptive, cross-sectional study combines data from two studies. The first group consists of caregivers of patients with cancer in the late palliative phase and the second group consists of caregivers of outpatients with cancer who suffer from pain and/or use analgesics. Data were collected by means of standardized measures and analyzed with descriptive statistics.Results:Based on this material, no significant differences in mental health and health- related QOL were revealed for caregivers of cancer patients in the palliative and the curative phases, respectively. Neither education level in the caregivers, nor the patients' functional status influenced caregivers' mental health or QOL. Younger caregivers seem to have better physical QOL.Significance of results:Being caregivers of cancer patients seems to have a similar pattern of impact on caregivers' mental health and quality of life regardless of the patient's disease stage. We share some reflections about the way in which the cancer stage is divided and the appropriateness of such selection for measuring caregivers' mental health and QOL. Additionally, we discuss the use of generic instruments for measuring specific contexts and particular samples.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
MING YI ◽  
Jing LI ◽  
Gang LIU ◽  
Weixi ZHANG ◽  
Ying WANG ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Facial appearance and expressions influence social interaction. However, few studies have reported on the stigma associated with spasms from facial dystonia. This study investigated the stigma and quality of life for these patients. Methods This cross-sectional study included 90 patients with facial dystonia (hemifacial spasm [HFS], blepharospasm [BSP], and blepharospasm-oromandibular dystonia [BOD]; 30 patients per group) and 30 individuals without dystonia (control group) from October 2019 to November 2020. All participants underwent stigma, quality of life, and mental health evaluations using seven questions related to stigma, the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, the 14-item version of the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), and the 24-item version of the Hamilton Depression Scale. Results Nineteen patients (21.11%) felt stigmatized. Patients with BPS and HFS had more difficulty finding a job and were more susceptible to discrimination than healthy individuals. The role-physical and social function scores were significantly lower in the dystonia groups than in the control group. The vitality score of the BPS group and the mental health scores in the BPS and BOD groups were significantly less than those of the control group. The HAMA scores in the BPS and BOD groups were significantly higher than in the control group. Regression analysis demonstrated that the disease course influenced depression. Conclusion Enacted stigma from a negative public attitude may be the main factor triggering stigma in patients with facial dystonia, with detrimental effects on psychosocial outcomes, including social rights, quality of life, and mood.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niloofar Namazi ◽  
Shadi Ziaei ◽  
Golnaz Afzal ◽  
Saghar Barati ◽  
Rezvaneh Mohebbi ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe main objectives of this study were to assess quality of life (QoL), consumption patterns of dietary supplements, as well as physical/mental health status in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The present study also aimed to determine the association between demographic characteristics and physical as well as mental health composite (PHC and MHC) scores using the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 (MSQoL-54) questionnaire.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on a group of patients with MS (n=382) referring to Shahid Kazemi Pharmacy, based in the city of Tehran, Iran, as a national pharmacy providing specialized pharmaceutical care to these individuals from February 2019 to March 2020 via the implementation of the MSQoL-54 questionnaire. ResultsA total number of 382 patients with MS participated in this study, including 89 (23.3%) men and 293 (76.7%) women, aged 40±10.9 years old (range: 18-84 years old). The overall score of the MSQoL-54 questionnaire was also by 41.58, and that was 69.60 and 62.99 from 100 for PHC and MHC, respectively. Conclusions The study results demonstrated that advanced age, longer disease duration, and lower levels of education were significantly associated with lower QoL. Trial registration IR.SBMU.PHARMACY.REC.1398.240.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 447
Author(s):  
Vicki Montoya ◽  
Katie Donnini ◽  
Marjolaine Gauthier-Loiselle ◽  
Myrlene Sanon ◽  
Martin Cloutier ◽  
...  

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