The Etiology of Infertility Affects Fertility Quality of Life of Males Undergoing Fertility Workup and Treatment

This panel study explored the effects of male, female, mixed, or idiopathic factor of infertility on the fertility quality of life (FertiQoL) in involuntarily childless males undergoing fertility workup for the first time. A convenience sample of 255 married males (age range = 22–51 years, mean = 30.24 years), 254 (99.6%) of whom suffered from primary infertility were assessed (1) at the baseline, before their initial fertility evaluation (T1); (2) before their second andrological appointment, 2–3 months after diagnostic disclosure (T2); and (3) before subsequent treatment-related/ follow-up appointments (T3, T4). The timing of psychological assessment was strictly related to andrological appointments and routine medical procedures. Respondents completed Emotional, Mind–Body, Relational, and Social subscales of the Polish version of FertiQoL and a baseline demographic survey. The research demonstrated that the FertiQoL scores across the Emotional, Mind–Body, and Relational subscales markedly decreased after the diagnostic disclosure, particularly in the subgroups with male and concurrent male and female factor. Social subscale scores in all subgroups remained stable after the diagnostic disclosure (at T2) but significantly decreased in the follow-up (at T3 and T4). Significant differences in FertiQoL scores associated with respondents’ infertility factor could be demonstrated at each time point. The study identifies the FertiQoL in unintentionally childless males is significantly affected by their factor of infertility and evolves across the pathway of treatment-related/follow-up appointments.

Download Full-text

Moving palliative care upstream for patients diagnosed with head and neck cancers.

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2020.38.29_suppl.227 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 38 (29_suppl) ◽

pp. 227-227

Author(s):

Tamara M Day

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Symptom Burden ◽

Psychosocial Distress ◽

Head And Neck Cancers ◽

Improve Quality ◽

Convenience Sample

227 Background: Adults with cancer face complex treatment choices and symptom burden that impact their quality of life. Goals of palliative care (PC) are to reduce symptom burden and improve quality of life. Strong evidence exists that PC helps reduce symptom burden, decreases hospital utilization, and improve quality of life. Yet, PC remains underutilized, especially in the context of cancer care. Methods: This descriptive longitudinal study evaluated whether use of a psychosocial distress screening tool would help identify patients eligible for PC. A convenience sample of adults with diagnosis of head and neck cancers presenting to an otolaryngology clinic, located in the cancer center of a Midwestern academic health system, were screened for eligibility for PC referral. If eligible, the provider was notified and introduced PC to the patient. Upon acceptance, a PC referral was ordered. The project consisted of baseline (n = 61) and follow-up chart reviews (n = 60) of patients seen in clinic during over a 3-month period. Results: We found an increase in PC referrals from 14.6% at baseline to 30.8% in follow-up, a 227% increase. Psychosocial distress screenings increased from 5% at baseline to 45% in follow-up, an increase of 200%. Of patients who received a PC referral, 85.6% accepted. There were statistically significant differences found between the pre- and post-intervention groups for marital status, χ2 (3) = 9.67, ( p = .02); and cancer stage χ2 (4) = 21.35, ( p = .00) with increased referrals for married patients at higher cancer stages in the prospective group. Conclusions: This study has shown physicians maybe more likely to offer PC referrals based on cancer stages, and not based on psychosocial distress symptoms. Potential barriers to early referral to PC were identified and could serve as useful information for future studies.

Download Full-text

The Risk of Psychiatric Morbidity and Course of Distress in Males Undergoing Infertility Evaluation Is Affected by Their Factor of Infertility

American Journal of Men s Health ◽

10.1177/1557988318823904 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 155798831882390 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Katarzyna Warchol-Biedermann

Keyword(s):

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Psychiatric Morbidity ◽

Panel Study ◽

Subsequent Treatment ◽

Medical Procedures ◽

Male Factor ◽

Diagnostic Disclosure ◽

Clinically Significant ◽

First Time

This panel study aimed to explore the effects of male, female, mixed or idiopathic factor of infertility on the course of clinical distress and possible psychiatric morbidity in involuntarily childless males undergoing fertility evaluation for the first time. A sample of 255 males completed the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) (a) at the baseline, before their initial fertility evaluation (T1); (b) before their second andrological appointment 2–3 months after diagnostic disclosure (T2); and (c) before subsequent treatment-related/follow-up appointments (T3, T4) to be screened for clinically significant distress and risk for psychiatric morbidity. Then they were dichotomized as non-cases and cases. The timing of psychological testing was strictly related to andrological appointments and medical procedures. The research demonstrated that the baseline prevalence of clinical distress and psychiatric morbidity in all the subgroups was similar to reference values, but then significantly surged after the diagnostic disclosure, particularly in male and mixed factor respondents. However, the percentage of clinically distressed mixed or idiopathic factor of infertility respondents remained stable after diagnostic disclosure and during the entire follow-up. The prevalence of clinically significant distress and risk for psychiatric morbidity in the male factor of infertility, female factor of infertility, and mixed factor subgroups decreased during the follow-up but remained higher than at the baseline. The study identifies that the course of distress and risk of psychiatric morbidity of males is significantly affected by their factor of infertility and changes across the pathway of treatment-related/follow-up appointments.

Download Full-text

25: Quality of Life Outcomes after Robot Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: 3 Year Follow-Up

The Journal of Urology ◽

10.1016/s0022-5347(18)34290-3 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 173 (4S) ◽

pp. 7-7

Author(s):

Caner Dinlenc ◽

Adam Berman ◽

Joseph Wagner

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Radical Prostatectomy ◽

Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy ◽

Life Outcomes ◽

Robot Assisted ◽

Quality Of Life Outcomes

Download Full-text

37 Sustained quality of life improvement at one year follow-up in patients with ischemic heart failure listed for heart transplantation submitted to endocardial injection of bone marrow cells

European Journal of Heart Failure Supplements ◽

10.1016/s1567-4215(04)90018-5 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 6-7

Author(s):

H DOHMANN

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Heart Failure ◽

Bone Marrow ◽

Heart Transplantation ◽

Bone Marrow Cells ◽

Ischemic Heart Failure ◽

Life Improvement ◽

One Year

Download Full-text

Changes in arm morbidities and health-related quality of life after breast cancer surgery - a five-year follow-up study

Acta Oncologica ◽

10.1080/02841860903061691 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Åse Sagen ◽

Rolf Kåresen ◽

Leiv Sandvik ◽

May Arna Risberg

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Quality Of Life ◽

Cancer Surgery ◽

Breast Cancer Surgery ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Follow Up Study ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related

Download Full-text

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.

Download Full-text