scholarly journals Friends with malefit. The effects of keeping dogs and cats, sustaining animal-related injuries andToxoplasmainfection on health and quality of life

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaroslav Flegr ◽  
Marek Preiss
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional

AbstractMany studies show that keeping cats and dogs has a positive impact on humans’ physical and mental health and quality of life. The existence of this “pet phenomenon” is now widely discussed because other studies performed recently have demonstrated a negative impact of owning pets or no impact at all. The main problem of many studies was the autoselection – participants were informed about the aims of the study during recruitment and later likely described their health and wellbeing according to their personal beliefs and wishes, not according to their real status. To avoid this source of bias, we did not mention pets during participant recruitment and hid the pet-related questions among many hundreds of questions in an 80-minute Internet questionnaire. Results of our study performed on a sample of on 10,858 subjects showed that liking cats and dogs has a weak positive association with quality of life. However, keeping pets, especially cats, and even more being injured by pets, were strongly negatively associated with many facets of quality of life. Our data also confirmed that infection by the cat parasiteToxoplasmahad a very strong negative effect on quality of life, especially on mental health. However, the infection was not responsible for the observed negative effects of keeping pets, as these effects were much stronger in 1,527Toxoplasma-free subjects than in the whole population. Any cross-sectional study cannot discriminate between a cause and an effect. However, because of the large and still growing popularity of keeping pets, the existence and nature of the reverse pet phenomenon deserve the outmost attention.

scholarly journals Association between quality of life and severity of menopausal symptoms among Saudi women in Al-Ahsa

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 82
Author(s):  
Ola Mousa ◽  
Fatemah M. Alkhars ◽  
Mashael T. Al Shawaf ◽  
Enas A. Al Omran ◽  
Rawan A. Alkhawajah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Menopausal Symptoms ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Saudi Women

Background and objective: Menopause is not an illness. It is a normal physiologic process at the time that marks the end of the menstrual cycles. The severity, frequency, duration, and impact of these menopausal symptoms vary from woman to woman according to their age, and they affect the overall quality of life. The aim of this study is to verify the severity of menopausal symptoms experienced by Saudi women in Al Ahsa, and to identify the association between the severity of menopausal symptoms and their effects on the quality of life of Saudi women.Methods: An analytical cross- sectional study involved 427 women aged 45-60 years old. They were randomly collected by researchers who interviewed them in outpatient clinics and obstetrics and gynecology wards from 6 hospitals by using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) questionnaire and the Menopause Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) questionnaire between February 15, 2021 and May 15, 2021.Results: The average age of participants was between 45-49. The MRS shows that mild symptoms were found in 47.8% of participants, while severe symptoms were 10.6%. The most common symptoms were physical and somatic. The Menopause Specific Quality of Life shows that 52.2% of the participants suffer from mild bothersome, while 7.5% have extremely bothersome. There was a strong positive association between menopause specific quality of life, and menopausal symptoms.Conclusions: There was a positive correlation between menopausal symptoms and the quality of life of women. Menopausal symptoms have a negative impact on the quality of women's lives. Therefore, the policy makers in the ministry of health could strengthen providing health programmes and health services to women in this age group, besides women in the reproductive age. This can be accomplished by including modules related to the special health needs of menopausal women in the primary center's health programs.

scholarly journals The Effects of Dysphagia on Quality of Life in Stroke Survivors

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jalal Bakhtiyari ◽  
Hooshang Dadgar ◽  
Marziyeh Maddah ◽  
Raheb Ghorbani ◽  
Faezeh Charkhi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Oropharyngeal Dysphagia ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Stroke Survivors ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Swallowing Function ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
And Gender

Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a common problem in stroke survivors. Dysphagia and its complications have negative effects on quality of life in stroke survivors. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the impacts of dysphagia on quality of life in Iranian stroke survivors and to determine potential relationships between demographic variables and the domains of quality of life. Methods: Sixty stroke survivors (aged 60 - 75 years old) with a diagnosis of dysphagia participated in this cross-sectional study. The swallowing function of patients was evaluated by Mann Assessment Swallowing Ability (MASA). The Persian version of the Dysphagia Handicap Index (DHI) was used to determine the impacts of swallowing disorder on the quality of life. Results: The mean total and SD of DHI was 73.03 ± 10.16. There was no statistically significant relationship between sex; age, time post-onset of stroke, and DHI total score as well as its subscales (P > 0.05), whereas there was a relationship between the functional subscale of the DHI and the level of education (r = 0.27, P = 0.037) and also with severity of dysphagia on the base of MASA scores (r = 0.267, P = 0.039). Besides, the severity of dysphagia was positively correlated with DHI’s total scores (r = 0.312, P = 0.017); this means that the higher the severity of dysphagia, resulting in even greater the DHI total scores, which indicates a further reduction in the patient’s quality of life. Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that dysphagia in stroke survivors has negative impacts on the quality of life. The relationship between clinical measures of dysphagia severity and quality of life also indicates that the higher the dysphagia severity the lower the quality of life. Dysphagia’s negative impact on the quality of life does not depend on age and gender.

scholarly journals Quality of life of patients with knee osteoarthritis

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 81-84
Author(s):  
Rajani Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Knee Osteoarthritis ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional

Introductions: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a non-inflammatory degenerative disorder of the joint. It has negative impact on health related quality of life (QOL), both in physical and mental health. This study aimed to assess QOL of patient with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in outpatient department of orthopedic in Patan hospital, Patan Academy of Health Sciences. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used. Data was collected from 21st July to 18th August 2017 among 125 knee osteoarthritis patients by face-to-face interview using structured interview. Results: Overall QOL of patients with knee osteoarthritis was good in mental health component mean score (62.09) and poor in physical health with a mean score of (38.18). The physical component of QOL was significantly associated with age (p<0.04) and occupation (p<0.001). There was no association between independent variable and mental component of QOL. Conclusions: The significant proportion of the patients have poor quality of life in physical health component, but majority of patients have good mental health.

scholarly journals The association between social capital and quality of life among a sample of Iranian pregnant women

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masoumeh RezaeiNiaraki ◽  
Sadaf Roosta ◽  
Zainab Alimoradi ◽  
Kelly-Ann Allen ◽  
Amir H. Pakpour
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Unit Increase

Abstract Background Quality of life (QoL) is a multidimensional concept that is affected by various factors. According to the literature, social capital is one of the key determinants of QoL that improves the living conditions of the entire community. This study aimed to investigate the association between social capital and QoL in pregnant women. Methods This cross-sectional study included 240 pregnant women with a mean age of 27.98 years who were referred to healthcare centers in Qazvin, Iran. A two-stage random sampling method was used to select the health centers and participants. Social capital, QoL, demographic and obstetric characteristics were assessed. Results The mean scores of social capital, physical and mental dimensions of quality of life were 67.43, 70.2 and 71.88 respectively. All dimensions of social capital except for family and friends’ connection and tolerance of diversity had positive significant correlations with the physical and mental health dimensions of quality of life (r = 0.17 to 0.28 p < 0.05). A univariate regression model revealed that social capital had a significant association with both the physical health (B = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.19–0.61, p < 0.001) and mental health (B = 0 .44, 95% CI: 0.18–0.58, p < 0.001) dimensions of pregnant women’s quality of life. In the adjusted model, each unit increase of social capital increased pregnant women’s QoL in both the physical health and mental health dimensions. Conclusion Social capital has a significant association with women’s QoL during pregnancy. Therefore, QoL during pregnancy could be improved by considering physical, psychological and social components of their healthcare.

Quality of life in Hungarian polio survivors

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erika Viktória Miszory ◽  
Melinda Járomi ◽  
Annamária Pakai
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Sample Selection ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Two Dimensions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Emotional Role ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Polio Survivors

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.

scholarly journals Discrimination and Health: The Mediating Effect of Acculturative Stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5312
Author(s):  
Alfonso Urzúa ◽  
Alejandra Caqueo-Urízar ◽  
Diego Henríquez ◽  
David R. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Racial Discrimination ◽  
Acculturative Stress ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Ethnic Discrimination ◽  
Mediating Effect ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Cross Sectional

There is not much evidence on the effects of south–south migration and its consequences on physical and mental health. Our objective was to examine the mediating role of Acculturative Stress in the association between ethnic discrimination and racial discrimination with physical and mental health. This research is a non-experimental, analytical, cross-sectional study. A total of 976 adult Colombian migrants living in Chile were interviewed. We used the Everyday Discrimination Scale, the acculturative stress scale, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form (SF-12) for health status; we found that racial and ethnic discrimination had a negative effect on physical and mental health. In the simultaneous presence of both types of discrimination, racial discrimination was completely absorbed by ethnic discrimination, the latter becoming a total mediator of the effect of racial discrimination on mental and physical health. Our findings are consistent with the literature, which suggests that there are various types of discrimination which, individually or in their intersectionality, can have negative effects on health.

scholarly journals Adherence to Therapy, Physical and Mental Quality of Life in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 672
Author(s):  
Alessandra Buja ◽  
Guendalina Graffigna ◽  
Simona F. Mafrici ◽  
Tatjana Baldovin ◽  
Carlo Pinato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Behavioral Interventions ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Index ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Adherence To Therapy

Ensuring multiple sclerosis (MS) patients’ adherence to therapy is often challenging, but it is crucial to their survival and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of the present study was to outline connections between adherence, physical and mental HRQoL, levels of psychological readiness to engage in a treatment, levels of social support, anthropometric, socio-demographic and clinical factors in patients suffering from MS. This cross-sectional study involved a sample of 237 Italian MS patients. A survey was conducted with a structured self-administered online questionnaire using validated measures of quality of life, adherence to therapy and anthropometric, socio-demographic, psychological and clinical variables. A path analysis was used to test the overall structure of the associations between the variables. The pathway indicates a positive association between mental health index and a stronger degree of engagement and being or having been in a long-term relationship. Physical health index was positively associated with age, having an occupation, and having a specific form of MS. Having had relapses in the previous year raised the odds of better adherence to therapy, while an increase in Body Mass Index (BMI) reduced them. Our findings could help in the management of MS patients, promoting behavioral interventions that take the psychological and socio-demographic peculiarities of each patient into account with a view to improving their adherence to therapy.

scholarly journals Sleep Disorders in Adults with Down Syndrome

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (14) ◽  
pp. 3012
Author(s):  
Sandra Giménez ◽  
Miren Altuna ◽  
Esther Blessing ◽  
Ricardo M. Osorio ◽  
Juan Fortea
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Sleep Disorders ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Sleep Disruption ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Future Directions

Sleep disorders, despite being very frequent in adults with Down syndrome (DS), are often overlooked due to a lack of awareness by families and physicians and the absence of specific clinical sleep guidelines. Untreated sleep disorders have a negative impact on physical and mental health, behavior, and cognitive performance. Growing evidence suggests that sleep disruption may also accelerate the progression to symptomatic Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in this population. It is therefore imperative to have a better understanding of the sleep disorders associated with DS in order to treat them, and in doing so, improve cognition and quality of life, and prevent related comorbidities. This paper reviews the current knowledge of the main sleep disorders in adults with DS, including evaluation and management. It highlights the existing gaps in knowledge and discusses future directions to achieve earlier diagnosis and better treatment of sleep disorders most frequently found in this population.

scholarly journals Impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of children aged 8 to 10 years

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sônia Rodrigues Dutra ◽  
Henrique Pretti ◽  
Milene Torres Martins ◽  
Cristiane Baccin Bendo ◽  
Miriam Pimenta Vale
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significance Level ◽  
Normal Occlusion ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Belo Horizonte ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of children aged 8 to 10 years attending public elementary schools in Belo Horizonte, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: The Brazilian version of the Child Perceptions Questionnaire 8-10 (CPQ8-10) was used to evaluate oral health-related quality of life. The children were examined for the diagnosis of malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). The data were analyzed by bivariate and multivariate descriptive statistics using Poisson regression at a 5% significance level. A total of 270 children participated in the study. Results: Children with normal occlusion or mild malocclusion (DAI ≤ 25) were 56% less likely (95%CI: 0.258-0.758; p= 0.003) to have their quality of life affected compared with children diagnosed with extremely severe malocclusion (DAI ≥ 36). Children with a maxillary anterior overjet ≥ 3 mm had higher CPQ8-10 mean scores (19.4; SD = 17.1) than those with an overjet < 3 mm (13.6; SD = 11.7; p= 0.038). Conclusions: Extremely severe malocclusion and pronounced maxillary anterior overjet were associated with a negative impact on quality of life.

Impact of Caries Severity/Activity and Psychological Aspects of Caregivers on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life among 5-Year-Old Children

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 570-579 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Flávia Granville-Garcia ◽  
Monalisa Cesarino Gomes ◽  
Matheus França Perazzo ◽  
Carolina Castro Martins ◽  
Mauro Henrique Nogueira Guimarães Abreu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Health Related Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Statistical Adjustment ◽  
Related Quality ◽  
Health Related

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of the severity/activity of dental caries as well as sense of coherence (SOC) and locus of control (LOC) on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among 5-year-old children. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 769 children at schools in a city in northeast Brazil. Parents/caregivers answered validated questionnaires addressing SOC and LOC. The children and parents/caregivers answered their respective modules of the Brazilian version of the Scale of Oral Health Outcomes for 5-year-old children (SOHO-5). Data were also collected on sociodemographic characteristics, visits to the dentist, and the occurrence of toothache. Clinical examinations were performed by 2 trained examiners. A directed acyclic graph was used to select covariates for statistical adjustment, and logistic regression for complex samples was used to test associations between the dependent and independent variables (α = 5%). For parents/caregivers, the variables associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL were the occurrence of toothache (odds ratio, OR: 10.53; 95% confidence interval, CI: 6.34–17.51; p < 0.001) and a low SOC (OR: 2.17; 95% CI: 1.37–3.43; p = 0.001). According to the children’s perceptions, the following variables were associated with a negative impact on OHRQoL: toothache (OR: 3.58; 95% CI: 2.30–5.55; p < 0.001), caries activity (OR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.07–3.62; p = 0.028), and traumatic dental injury (OR: 1.71; 95% CI: 1.15–2.53; p = 0.007). Among parents/caregivers, a low SOC led to poorer OHRQoL. For the children, however, neither psychological aspect affected OHRQoL. In the perception of both the parents/caregivers and children, toothache was the oral condition that exerted a negative impact on OHRQoL.

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