Depressive Symptoms and Quality of Life in a Sample of Italian Women with a Diagnosis of Fibromyalgia: The Role of Attachment Styles

Background. Women with fibromyalgia (FM) commonly suffer from depression, pervasive fatigue, and pain. The attachment style has been hypothesized to be an important factor for understanding the experience of these symptoms. Therefore, the present cross-sectional study is aimed at investigating the effect of attachment styles in women with a diagnosis of FM on depressive symptoms and quality of life. Method. Participants were 453 Italian women with a physician’s diagnosis of FM with a mean age of 47 years ( SD = 10.9 ). To assess attachment styles, quality of life, and depressive symptoms, women responded, respectively, to the Relationship Questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory II. Results. Our results showed that the incidence of depressive symptoms was elevated, with 59% of women reporting moderate to severe symptoms. Also, the statistical analyses showed that both preoccupied and avoidant/dismissing attachments were related with depression symptoms and low perception of QoL. Conclusions. Our study demonstrates that, when evaluating the impact of FM on the QoL of women, it is important to consider the complexity of the variables that are at play. Insecure attachment styles and depressive symptoms seem to increase the likelihood of the psycho-social-somatic malaise in FM women.

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Analysis of life quality and prevalence of cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in older adults

Estudos de Psicologia (Campinas) ◽

10.1590/1982-02752017000200007 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 261-268 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Michele Marinho da SILVEIRA ◽

Mirna Wetters PORTUGUEZ

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Depression Scale ◽

World Health ◽

Depression Symptoms ◽

World Health Organization Quality

Abstract The development of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and a decrease in cognitive performance can affect older adults’ quality of life. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to analyze quality of life and determine the prevalence of cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depression symptoms in senior center participants. A total of 120 older adults living in the city of Passo Fundo, RS, Brazil, participated in this study. The convenience sampling technique was used. All participants answered questions relative to socio-demographic variables, quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref), cognitive performance (Addenbrooke’ Cognitive Examination), and emotional state (Geriatric Depression Scale and Beck Anxiety Inventory). The prevalence of anxiety, depressive symptoms, and cognitive impairment were low indicating satisfactory quality of life of the older adults investigated.

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Adult attachment styles, self-esteem, and quality of life in women with fibromyalgia

Health Psychology Open ◽

10.1177/2055102920947921 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 205510292094792 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cristina Sechi ◽

Laura Vismara ◽

Marie Jo Brennstuhl ◽

Cyril Tarquinio ◽

Loredana Lucarelli

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Standard Deviation ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Self Esteem ◽

World Health ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Attachment Quality ◽

Health Organization

Recently, the research on pain-related disability has increasingly paid attention to the psychological and social factors that may influence the biological condition. In the current study, we aimed to explore attachment styles, self-esteem, and quality of life in individuals with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia. Participants were 371 diagnosed women, with a mean age of 42.7 years (standard deviation = 10.6). The average number of years since diagnosis was 7.4 years (standard deviation = 2.4) years. To assess attachment, quality of life, and self-esteem, women responded, respectively, to the Relationship Questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory. Our results showed that secure attachment relationships and high self-esteem represent protective factors for quality of life of women with fibromyalgia, while the contrary emerged for insecure attachments and low self-esteem. The understanding of the psychological components that contribute to fibromyalgia may improve the effectiveness of interventions.

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What Characterizes Depression in Old Age? Results from the Bruneck Study

Pharmacopsychiatry ◽

10.1055/s-0043-119417 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 51 (04) ◽

pp. 153-160

Author(s):

Michaela Defrancesco ◽

Raimund Pechlaner ◽

Stefan Kiechl ◽

Johann Willeit ◽

Eberhard Deisenhammer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Old Age ◽

Depression Scale ◽

World Health ◽

Cutoff Score ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Depressed Group

Abstract Introduction Depression in old age is associated with functional disabilities, cognitive impairment, lower self-rated quality of life, and increased mortality. The aim of the study was to reveal the prevalence of depression and to investigate the characteristics of patients treated with antidepressants. Methods We analyzed data from the Bruneck Study 2010. All participants completed a clinical examination, cognitive screening, the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) (cutoff score of>8 to define relevant depressive symptoms), and the World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire (WHO-QoL). Group differences were calculated using binary logistic regression analysis. Results Out of 456 participants (mean age of 73.1±8.2 years), 22.1% showed depressive symptoms, and out of these, 30% were taking antidepressants. The depressed group compared to the GDS ≤8 group showed significantly lower WHO-QoL (p<0.001) and Mini Mental State Examination (p=0.015) score. Further, 13% of the latter compared to the GDS>8 group received antidepressants, and these had a lower WHO-QoL score (p<0.033). Discussion Depressive symptoms are frequent in the elderly population. Our results confirm the negative influence of depressive symptoms on cognition and quality of life. Patients with somatic comorbidities are likely to receive more antidepressant medication.

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Alexithyme Patientenmerkmale und Lebensqualität – Eine Querschnittsstudie an 79 ambulanten Patienten mit Angststörungen

Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie Psychologie und Psychotherapie ◽

10.1024/1661-4747/a000136 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 17-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Katrin Leenen ◽

Michael Rufer ◽

Hanspeter Moergeli ◽

Hans-Jörgen Grabe ◽

Josef Jenewein ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

World Health ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Fand Sich ◽

Quality Of Life Questionnaire ◽

Organization Quality ◽

Health Organization ◽

Tas 20

Aus Untersuchungen in der Normalbevölkerung ist bekannt, dass Menschen mit erhöhten Alexithymiewerten eine verminderte Lebensqualität (LQ) aufweisen. Für Patienten mit psychischen Störungen wurde dieser Zusammenhang jedoch kaum untersucht. Ziel dieser Studie war es, den möglichen Zusammenhang zwischen alexithymen Patientenmerkmalen und der LQ bei Patienten mit Angststörungen zu überprüfen. Bei 79 ambulanten Patienten mit Angststörungen wurden alexithyme Charakteristika mit der Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), die LQ mit der Kurzversion des World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire 100 (WHOQOL-BREF) erfasst. Darüber hinaus fand eine Erhebung der psychischen Symptombelastung (SCL-90-R) und depressiven Symptomatik (MADRS) statt. Mittels hierarchischer Regressionsanalysen wurde der Zusammenhang zwischen der alexithymen Charakteristika und den unterschiedlichen LQ-Domänen berechnet. Die Patienten zeigten eine im Vergleich zur Normalbevölkerung deutlich verminderte LQ. Als Hauptergebnis fand sich, auch nach Kontrolle von Depression, Ängstlichkeit und Geschlecht, ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen den beiden TAS-20 Subskalen Schwierigkeiten, Gefühle zu identifizieren und zu beschreiben und vor allem der psychischen LQ. Unsere Ergebnisse sprechen dafür, bei der Diagnostik und Therapieplanung von Patienten mit Angststörungen alexithyme Merkmale einzubeziehen. Im Falle von ausgeprägten alexithymen Merkmalen sollten psychotherapeutische Interventionen zur Verbesserung der Schwierigkeiten Gefühle wahrzunehmen und zu kommunizieren in Betracht gezogen werden.

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Cathartic Effect of Suicide Attempts Not Limited to Depression

Crisis ◽

10.1027//0227-5910.24.2.73 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 24 (2) ◽

pp. 73-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Yves Sarfati ◽

Blandine Bouchaud ◽

Marie-Christine Hardy-Baylé

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Personality Traits ◽

Rating Scales ◽

Suicide Attempts ◽

World Health ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Short Term

Summary: The cathartic effect of suicide is traditionally defined as the existence of a rapid, significant, and spontaneous decrease in the depressive symptoms of suicide attempters after the act. This study was designed to investigate short-term variations, following a suicide attempt by self-poisoning, of a number of other variables identified as suicidal risk factors: hopelessness, impulsivity, personality traits, and quality of life. Patients hospitalized less than 24 hours after a deliberate (moderate) overdose were presented with the Montgomery-Asberg Depression and Impulsivity Rating Scales, Hopelessness scale, MMPI and World Health Organization's Quality of Life questionnaire (abbreviated versions). They were also asked to complete the same scales and questionnaires 8 days after discharge. The study involved 39 patients, the average interval between initial and follow-up assessment being 13.5 days. All the scores improved significantly, with the exception of quality of life and three out of the eight personality traits. This finding emphasizes the fact that improvement is not limited to depressive symptoms and enables us to identify the relative importance of each studied variable as a risk factor for attempted suicide. The limitations of the study are discussed as well as in particular the nongeneralizability of the sample and setting.

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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown Measures on Quality of Life among Italian General Population

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10020289 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 289 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Maria Stella Epifanio ◽

Federica Andrei ◽

Giacomo Mancini ◽

Francesca Agostini ◽

Marco Andrea Piombo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Online Survey ◽

Physical Space ◽

Sampling Strategy ◽

World Health ◽

Snowball Sampling ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit the world in the year 2020 has put a strain on our ability to cope with events and revolutionized our daily habits. On 9 March, Italy was forced to lockdown to prevent the spread of the infection, with measures including the mandatory closure of schools and nonessential activities, travel restrictions, and the obligation to spend entire weeks in the same physical space. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures on quality of life (QoL) in a large Italian sample, in order to investigate possible differences in QoL levels related to both demographic and pandemic-specific variables. A total of 2251 Italian adults (1665 women, mainly young and middle adults) were recruited via a snowball sampling strategy. Participants were requested to answer to an online survey, which included demographic and COVID-related information items, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). The results showed statistically significant differences in QoL depending on a number of variables, including sex, area of residence in Italy, and being diagnosed with a medical/psychiatric condition. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess QoL during COVID-19 pandemic in Italy, therefore the present findings can offer guidelines regarding which social groups are more vulnerable of a decline in QoL and would benefit of psychological interventions.

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Magnesium level correlation with clinical status and quality of life in women with hormone related conditions and pregnancy based on real world data

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-85156-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Svetlana Orlova ◽

Galina Dikke ◽

Gisele Pickering ◽

Eliso Djobava ◽

Sofya Konchits ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Clinical Status ◽

High Response Rate ◽

World Health ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Real World Data ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Patient Reported ◽

Health Organization

AbstractThis study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of magnesium (Mg)-vitamin B 6 replenishment and its correlation with clinical status in pregnant women (PW), and quality of life in women with hormone-related conditions (HRCW) and hypomagnesemia (HME). Data collected in four observational studies were pooled and analysed. All women received Mg supplementation for 4 weeks. The proportion of women with normalized Mg level, and the correlation between serum Mg dynamics and number of symptoms/complaints (PW) or changes in World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire scores (WHOQOL; HRCW) were evaluated. 869 PW and 957 HRCW were included in the study. Normalization of serum Mg level to ≥ 0.66 mmol/L occurred in 92.1% of PW and 78.4% of HRCW, and to ≥ 0.8 mmol/L in 73.8% and 58.9%, respectively. Mg normalization was accompanied by a median decrease of 1 symptom and 1 complaint in PW. Serum Mg level increase by 0.1 mmol/L was associated to significant changes in the WHOQOL scores in HRCW. Treatment of HME with the Mg for approximately 4 weeks provided a high response rate of Mg serum level, was associated with an improvement in symptom severity and complaints in PW, and WHOQOL score in HRCW. A 0.8 mmol/L cut-off appeared to be more relevant in terms of patient-reported outcomes.

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Quality of Life in CKD Patients on Low-Protein Diets in a Multiple-Choice Diet System. Comparison between a French and an Italian Experience

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13041354 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1354

Author(s):

Antioco Fois ◽

Massimo Torreggiani ◽

Tiziana Trabace ◽

Antoine Chatrenet ◽

Elisa Longhitano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Multiple Choice ◽

Protein Restriction ◽

World Health ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Historical Cohort ◽

Low Protein ◽

Ckd Stage ◽

The Impact

Prescribing a low-protein diet (LPD) is part of the standard management of patients in advanced stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, studies on the quality of life (QoL) of patients on LPDs are lacking, and the impact these diets have on their QoL is often given as a reason for not prescribing one. We, therefore, decided to assess the QoL in a cohort of CKD stage 3–5 patients followed up by a multiple-choice diet approach in an outpatient nephrology clinic in France. To do so, we used the short version of the World Health Organization’s quality of life questionnaire and compared the results with a historical cohort of Italian patients. We enrolled 153 patients, managed with tailored protein restriction in Le Mans, and compared them with 128 patients on similar diets who had been followed in Turin (Italy). We found there were no significant differences in terms of age (median 73 vs. 74 years, respectively), gender, CKD stage, and comorbidities (Charlson’s Comorbidity Index 7 vs. 6). French patients displayed a greater body mass index (29.0 vs. 25.4, p < 0.001) and prevalence of obesity (41.2 vs. 15.0%, p < 0.001). Baseline protein intake was over the target in France (1.2 g/kg of real body weight/day). In both cohorts, the burden of comorbidities was associated with poorer physical health perception while kidney function was inversely correlated to satisfaction with social life, independently of the type of diet. Our study suggests that the type of LPD they follow does not influence QoL in CKD patients and that a personalized approach towards protein restriction is feasible, even in elderly patients.

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Comparison of two assessment instruments of quality of life in older adults

Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia ◽

10.1590/s1415-790x2013000200009 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 328-337 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Camila Mello dos Santos ◽

Fernando Neves Hugo ◽

Andréa Fachel Leal ◽

Juliana Balbinot Hilgert

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Oral Health ◽

Social Relations ◽

Functional Limitation ◽

World Health ◽

Life Questionnaire ◽

Physical Pain ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Low Magnitude

Objective: To investigate if there is convergent validity between the dimensions of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire-Brief Version (WHOQOL-Bref) and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 872 elderly Southern-Brazilians was evaluated. Questionnaires assessing socio-demographic data and quality of life in general (WHOQOL-Bref) and oral health-related quality of life (OHIP-14) were used. Analysis of the WHOQOL-Bref and OHIP-14 questionnaires used descriptive statistics. The dimensions of the WHOQOL-Bref and OHIP-14 questionnaires were correlated by affinity. The convergence between WHOQOL-Bref and OHIP-14 dimensions was analyzed by Spearman’s correlation coefficients. Results: The social relations dimension of the WHOQOL-Bref presented the greatest mean (18.24 ± 2.30). The physical pain dimension of the OHIP-14 presented a median of 1.0 (0.0 – 3.0). All correlations between the WHOQOL-Bref and OHIP-14 dimensions were significant, negative and associated with a low magnitude. The correlation between WHOQOL-physical and OHIP-functional limitation, OHIP-physical pain, OHIP-physical disability and OHIP-handicap were – 0.164, – 0.262, – 0.196 and – 0.125 respectively. WHOQOL-psychological was associated with OHIP-psychological discomfort and OHIP-psychological disability, and WHOQOL-social showed an association with OHIP-social disability. Conclusions: All correlations analyzed had a positive association of low magnitude. Despite the fact that the WHOQOL-Bref and OHIP-14 instruments have related dimensions, they measure physical, psychological and social relations differently.

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Evaluation of women’s quality of life after breast reconstruction surgery

Pomeranian Journal of Life Sciences ◽

10.21164/pomjlifesci.698 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 66 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Marta Stanisz ◽

Ewelina Kolak ◽

Dorota Branecka-Woźniak ◽

Renata Robaszkiewicz-Boukaz ◽

Przemysław Ciepiela ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Breast Reconstruction ◽

Great Influence ◽

Well Being ◽

World Health ◽

World Health Organization Quality ◽

Reconstruction Surgery ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and is usually treated surgically. Mastectomy has a great influence on the mental and physical condition of women. Breast reconstruction offers them a chance to improve their quality of life (QOL) and self-image.The main aim of the study was to gain knowledge about the impact of breast reconstruction on the QOL of women following mastectomy, and an analysis of the QOL after breast reconstruction, in the context of prosthesis effect assessment.Materials and methods: The study comprised 100 women following breast reconstructive surgery involved in 1 of the 7 “Amazon Clubs” (post-mastectomy women’s associations) in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, northwest Poland. The study was based on the author’s questionnaire, and a shortened standardized version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Statistical calculations were performed with StatSoft Statistica v10 software, adopting a significance level of p < 0.05.Results: The women who decided to have breast reconstruction surgery, noticed improved well-being (67%) and experiencedan increase in self-confidence (61%). The vast majority ofthe patients surveyed (93%) were satisfied with the effectof the prosthesis. Statistically significant differences in QOL were observed in the following spheres: rest and sleep, work capacity, negative feelings, and financial resources (p < 0.05) in relation to the evaluation of the prosthesis effect.Conclusions: 1. Breast reconstruction has a positive influence on improvements in well-being, increasing self-esteem, and the assessment of a more attractive appearance in women of all ages. 2. Breast reconstruction surgery has a positive impact on QOL and health in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains, especially in the women who are satisfied with the effects of the surgery. 3. A negative assessment of the breast reconstruction effect has an adverse influence on QOL. Identifying the factors affecting dissatisfaction with the post-operative outcome is crucial for a complete understanding of the subject, and for implementing measures aimed at improving the QOL of these women.Keywords: quality of life; mastectomy; breast cancer; breast reconstruction; breast surgery.

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