scholarly journals Home-based exercise program for adolescents with juvenile dermatomyositis quarantined during COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed methods study

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Astley ◽  
Sofia Mendes Sieczkowska ◽  
Isabela Gouveia Marques ◽  
Bianca Pires Ihara ◽  
Livia Lindoso ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Exercise has been suggested to prevent deterioration of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and overall health in pediatric rheumatologic diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Herein we describe the effects of a 12-week, home-based, exercise program on overall health and quality of life among quarantined patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). Method This prospective, quasi-experimental, mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative) study was conducted between July and December 2020, during the most restricted period of COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The home-based exercise program consisted of a 12-week, three-times-a-week, aerobic and strengthening (bodyweight) training program. Qualitative data were systematically evaluated. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQOL) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) evaluate symptoms of mental health disorder, HRQL, and quality of sleep. Findings 11 patients (out of 27) met the inclusion criteria (91% female; mean ± SD age: 13.5 ± 3.2 years). Adherence to the intervention was 72.6%. Barriers to exercise involved poor internet connectivity, excessive weekly sessions, and other commitments. Even though not statistically significant, Self-report SDQ subscales Total Difficulties Score, Emotional Problems Score, and PedsQOL School Functioning Score improved after intervention (− 2.4; 95%confidence interval [CI] -5.1; 0.2, p = 0.06; − 1.0; 95%CI -2.2; 0.2, p = 0.09 and; 11.7; 95%CI -2.5; 25.8, p = 0.09, respectively). Remaining SDQ subscales were not altered. Six themes emerged from patients’ and parents’ comments (qualitative results). Patients engaged in exercise reported other health-related benefits including increased motivation, concentration and strength. Interpretation A home-based exercise program was associated with qualitative perceptions of improvements in overall health and HRQL by quarantined adolescents with JDM during COVID-19 pandemic. Lessons from this trial may help developing interventions focused on tackling physical inactivity in JDM.

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1016-1023 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anners Lerdal ◽  
Elin Hannevig Celius ◽  
Gunn Pedersen

Background:Participants who completed a 3-month prescribed individualized exercise program in groups were followed-up prospectively. The aims were to describe the characteristics of the participants, their health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical fitness at baseline, at completion and at 12-month follow-up, and to identify predictors of HRQoL and physical fitness at completion and at 12-month follow-up.Methods:A 1-group follow-up design was used. Data were collected from records of 163 attendees at a municipality-sponsored health center in Norway. HRQoL was measured by self-report using the COOP/WONCA questionnaire. Physical fitness was estimated from the results of a 2-km walk test.Results:Of the 163 participants referred to the clinic, 130 (79.8%) were women and 33 were (20.2%) men. Participants who completed were older than those who dropped out. The participants showed clinical improvement in physical fitness and all health-related quality life domains (d > 0.53) at the completion of the program and in physical functioning, mental health, performance of daily activities, overall health, and perceived improved health after 12 months (d > 0.36).Conclusions:Participation in group-based prescribed exercise program for 3 months may improve physical fitness and HRQoL significantly in short and long terms.


Author(s):  
Gabriela Constantinescu ◽  
Jana Rieger ◽  
Hadi Seikaly ◽  
Dean Eurich

Purpose A large knowledge gap related to dysphagia treatment adherence was identified by a recent systematic review: Few existing studies report on adherence, and current adherence tracking relies heavily on patient self-report. This study aimed to report weekly adherence and dysphagia-specific quality of life following home-based swallowing therapy in head and neck cancer (HNC). Method This was a quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design. Patients who were at least 3 months post–HNC treatment were enrolled in swallowing therapy using a mobile health (mHealth) swallowing system equipped with surface electromyography (sEMG) biofeedback. Participants completed a home dysphagia exercise program across 6 weeks, with a target of 72 swallows per day split between three different exercise types. Adherence was calculated as percent trials completed of trials prescribed. The M. D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) was administered before and after therapy. Results Twenty participants (75% male), with an average age of 61.9 years ( SD = 8.5), completed the study. The majority had surgery ± adjuvant (chemo)radiation therapy for oral (10%), oropharyngeal (80%), or other (10%) cancers. Using an intention-to-treat analysis, adherence to the exercise regimen remained high from 84% in Week 1 to 72% in Week 6. Radiation therapy, time since cancer treatment, medical difficulties, and technical difficulties were all found to be predictive of poorer adherence at Week 6. A statistically significant improvement was found for composite, emotional, and physical MDADI subscales. Conclusions When using an mHealth system with sEMG biofeedback, adherence rates to home-based swallowing exercise remained at or above 72% over a 6-week treatment period. Dysphagia-specific quality of life improved following this 6-week treatment program.


MedPharmRes ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
Tri Doan ◽  
Tuan Tran ◽  
Han Nguyen ◽  
◽  
◽  
...  

Purpose: This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the self-report and parent-proxy Health-Related Quality of Life Measure for Children with Epilepsy (CHEQOL-25) into Vietnamese and to evaluate their reliability. Methods: Both English versions of the self-report and parent-proxy CHEQOL-25 were translated and culturally adapted into Vietnamese by using the Principles of Good Practice for the Translation and Cultural Adaptation Process. The Vietnamese versions were scored by 77 epileptic patients, who aged 8–15 years, and their parents/caregivers at neurology outpatient clinic of Children Hospital No. 2 – Ho Chi Minh City. Reliability of the questionnaires was determined by using Cronbach’s coefficient α and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Both Vietnamese versions of the self-report and parent-proxy CHEQOL-25 were shown to be consistent with the English ones, easy to understand for Vietnamese children and parents. Thus, no further modification was required. Cronbach’s α coefficient for each subscale of the Vietnamese version of the self-report and parent-proxy CHEQOL-25 was 0.65 to 0.86 and 0.83 to 0.86, respectively. The ICC for each subscale of the self-report and parent-proxy CHEQOL-25 was in the range of 0.61 to 0.86 and 0.77 to 0.98, respectively. Conclusion: The Vietnamese version of the self-report and parent-proxy CHEQOL-25 were the first questionnaires about quality of life of epileptic children in Vietnam. This Vietnamese version was shown to be reliable to assess the quality of life of children with epilepsy aged 8–15 years.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Garces-Arteaga ◽  
Nataly Nieto-Garcia ◽  
Freddy Suarez-Sanchez ◽  
Héctor Reynaldo Triana-Reina ◽  
Robinson Ramírez-Vélez

Objective.To examine the influence of a medium-impact exercise program (MIEP) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) in females with subclinical hypothyroidism (sHT).Materials and Methods.We selected 17 sedentary women with sHT (mean age: 43.1 (standard deviation: 9.7) years). Participants carried out an MIEP consisting of 3 weekly sessions of 60 minutes during 12 weeks. Before and after the exercise program HRQoL was assessed by the SF-12v2 questionnaire, andVO2maxwas evaluated by Rockport walk test.Results.After the 12-week intervention, the participants that performed an MIEP showed improvements in HRQoL in most domains, particularly the vitality domain by 7 points, the social functioning domain by 10 points, the mental health domain by 7 points, and the mental component summary by 7 points. One of the four domains within the physical component summary (general health domain) showed significant effect of the exercise intervention: 6 points. Moreover, the participants that performed exercise showed a higherVO2max(28%;P<0.01).Conclusion.After 12 weeks of medium-impact exercise program, there were remarkable improvements in HRQoL in most domains. Moreover, this exercise program proved to have a positive influence on cardiorespiratory fitness.


Trials ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Glauber Sá Brandão ◽  
Luís Vicente Franco Oliveira ◽  
Glaudson Sá Brandão ◽  
Anderson Soares Silva ◽  
Antônia Adonis Callou Sampaio ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Turid Kristin Bigum Sundar ◽  
Kirsti Riiser ◽  
Milada Småstuen ◽  
Randi Opheim ◽  
Knut Løndal ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundOverweight and obesity are public concerns with risk of adverse health outcomes. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is lower in adolescents than children in general. An increase in body mass index (BMI) is associated with a decrease in HRQoL. The purpose of this study was to measure and explore the HRQoL among adolescents with overweight or obesity who had participated in an intervention study with the aim of increasing PA, reducing BMI and promoting HRQoL.Methods Mixed methods, with a convergent design, were used to investigate how different methodological approaches could expand our understanding of the adolescents’ HRQoL. Quantitative post-intervention data on HRQoL were collected among the 84 intervention participants, aged 13–14 years, using the KIDSCREEN 52 questionnaire. The data were compared with a Norwegian reference population of 244 individuals, and analysed using a non-parametric Mann-Whitney test. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 adolescents from the intervention. A directed approach to content analysis was adopted, using the ten sub-scales from KIDSCREEN 52.ResultsHRQoL in the intervention sample was significantly reduced on the sub-scale of physical well-being compared to the reference population. The reference population scored significantly lower than the intervention sample on the sub-scale of parent relation and home life. No significant differences were found on the other sub-scales. The qualitative data supported the quantitative findings on the sub-scale of physical well-being, but showed that perceptions of fitness, energy level or health could vary. Regarding parent relations, the interviewees extended this to include relationships to other family members as equally important. Most of the interviewees expressed a negative view of their bodies, but not their clothing or accessories. This may explain why no statistically significant differences were found on these aspects in the results from the KIDSCREEN questionnaire. ConclusionThe use of the KIDSCREEN 52 instrument gave important indications about the adolescents’ HRQoL. Combining methods enabled a comprehensive approach to research on HRQoL, indicating better ways of providing help. More research using the benefits of mixed methods approaches is needed to further elucidate these findings.


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