scholarly journals Bioethical Quality of Life Concept Through the Eyes of Critics

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 71-77
Author(s):  
Kateryna Rassudina
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Quality Criteria ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Value Of Life ◽  
Interdisciplinary Science ◽  
General Quality ◽  
American Authors ◽  
Qualitative Characteristics

Bioethics is an interdisciplinary science that deals with the moral aspects of medicine, biotechnology and the value of life in general. Quality of life concept is the basis for one of the models of bioethics. Its supporters understand the value of human life by relying on the categories of its qualitative characteristics. They argue that the value of life is relative and depends on certain criteria, and prove the permissibility to terminate it in some cases. Quality of life conception is criticized, above all, by those scholars who rely on religious ideas of the equal value and inviolability of all people’s lives. This article reveals several examples of such criticism in the works of Polish and American authors: T. Biesaga, H. Ciach, G. Hołub, P. Kieniewicz, R. P. George and P. Lee. Citing the arguments of that Christian thinkers, the author forms her own attitude to the problem. The ethical and ontological sources of quality of life concept, namely utilitarianism and naturalism, become the main object of criticism. It is significant that in the utilitarian appeal to maximize happiness as pleasure and calculate the gain or loss they see an attempt to establish the primacy of the overall well-being over an individual’s life as well as a reason for killing those individuals whose lives do not meet quality criteria and impair overall well-being. They also criticize such a consequence of the naturalistic view as reduction of the personality to its manifestations. The absence of such manifestations becomes for the supporters of the quality of life concept the basis for conclusion about a low quality of life of some individuals. One more critical remark towards the quality of life concept concern erasing of differences between humans and animals and their interests. The technocratic attitude that permits any manipulations of a human life if only they can be performed is criticized too. The author demonstrates that the fundamental fault of the quality of life concept which is criticized by all its opponents is a limited understanding of human nature and human life.

scholarly journals Quality of life evaluation of coinfected patients with HIV/tuberculosis in a hospital in northeast Brazil

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 0346
Author(s):  
Amanda D. SILVA ◽  
Thaylany C. AMORIM ◽  
Ádeny M. ARAGÃO ◽  
Maria J. IBAÑEZ ◽  
José A. FILHO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Socioeconomic Conditions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Life Evaluation ◽  
General Quality ◽  
And Performance

Objectives: To evaluate the quality of life of patients coinfected with HIV/tuberculosis and to understand their perception of their health. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a hospital in the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. Data were collected between November 2017 and April 2018 through interviews. The WHOQOL-HIV Bref instrument was used, obtaining the total score and performance in the domains: physical, psychological, level of independence, social relationships, environment, spirituality. Sociodemographic and clinical data from the Logistic Control System of Medicines (SICLOM®) were also collected through a questionnaire. Results: Twenty-six patients were interviewed, 76.9% were male, mostly heterosexual, single, 43.1% presented an advanced state of immune system compromise. 73.1% considered their health "good" or "very good" and 69.2% did not consider themselves sick. The general quality of life, score from zero (worst quality of life) to one hundred (best quality of life) obtained an average of 69.6 ± 9.1. In the domains, the worst average was obtained at the independence level (11.1 ± 2.6) and the highest scores were in the spirituality (15.5 ± 3.8) and psychological (15.3 ± 2.2) domains. Conclusions: The low level of independence and the unfavorable socioeconomic conditions were important aspects influencing in the quality of life of the studied population. Knowledge about the most affected domains in the quality of life allows the elaboration of clinical guidelines and public assistance policies that contribute to the well-being of these patients.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mental Well-Being. A Nationwide Online Survey Covering Three Pandemic Waves in Poland

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mateusz Babicki ◽  
Krzysztof Kowalski ◽  
Bogna Bogudzińska ◽  
Agnieszka Mastalerz-Migas
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychiatric Treatment ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Life Assessment ◽  
Subjective Quality Of Life

The COVID-19 pandemic has a significant impact on human life. This study aims to assess the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, and the assessment of the quality of life in different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic based on an online nationwide survey. The study was based on a voluntary, anonymous, and authors' own questionnaire. The first section assesses sociodemographic status. Then, standardized psychometric tools were used such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment (GAD-7), and the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA). The study was conducted in three stages corresponding to the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. The survey involved 5,790 respondents; 2,457, 1,626, and 1,707 for the first, second, and third pandemic wave, respectively. It was found that anxiety and depressive symptoms increased as the pandemic progressed. There was no significant effect on the subjective quality-of-life assessment. Moreover, there was a gradual decrease in anxiety about being infected with COVID-19 as well as reduced adherence to the Minister of Health's recommendations. As the COVID-19 pandemic progressed, depressive and anxiety symptoms increased among Poles. Women, singles, and people with prior psychiatric treatment are more likely to develop the aforementioned symptoms.

scholarly journals Tinjauan Literatur Kesan Obesiti ke atas Psikososial Remaja

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
NORFADILAWATI ALIAS ◽  
FUZIAH SHAFFIE
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Adolescent Development ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Obese Adolescent ◽  
Drastic Increase

Obesity is a health problem that threatens all aspects of human life. While rising rates of obesity involving adolescents do not show such a drastic increase, this problem should not be underestimated. In addition to grappling with the issue of adolescent development, adolescent obesity is also facing with the problem of physical health, social and psychological caused by obesity. If the issue is not addressed with appropriate intervention, obese adolescent will have the quality of life and well-being of poor and disrupt their functioning in society. Therefore, this paper will try to discuss about the health effects of psychological and social (psychosocial) experienced by obese adolescents based on the literature review and proposed interventions that can be used to help them.  

The Quality of Life

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Kraut
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
No Value ◽  
Thought Experiment ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Robert Nozick ◽  
Experience Machine ◽  
The World ◽  
Better Than

The Quality of Life: Aristotle Revised presents a philosophical theory about the constituents of human well-being. It begins with Aristotle’s thoughts about this topic, but often modifies and sometimes rejects them. The principal idea is that what Aristotle calls “external goods” (wealth, reputation, power) have at most an indirect bearing on the quality of our lives. A good internal life—the way in which we experience the world—is what well-being consists in. Pleasure is one aspect of this experience, but only a small part of it. Far more valuable is the quality of our emotional, intellectual, social, and perceptual experiences. These aspects of our existence make it potentially richer and deeper than the quality of life available to many other animals. A good human life is immeasurably better than that of a simple creature that feels only the pleasures of nourishment. Even if it felt pleasure for millions of years, human life would be superior. Contemporary discussions of well-being often appeal to a thought experiment devised by Robert Nozick, which holds that we should not attach ourselves to an “experience machine”—a device that manipulates our brains and gives us any illusory experiences of our choosing. This is thought to show that one’s interior life has little or no value on its own; that we must live in “the real world” to live well. In fact, however, this thought experiment supports the opposite conclusion: the quality of our lives consists in the quality of our experiences.

scholarly journals Influence of indoor hygrothermal conditions on human quality of life in social housing

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Soares ◽  
Sílvia Fraga ◽  
João M.P.Q. Delgado ◽  
Nuno M.M. Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Housing ◽  
Indoor Environment ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Concentration ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Physical Parameters

<em>Background</em>: Modern societies spend most of their time indoors, namely at home, and the indoor environment quality turns out to be a crucial factor to health, quality of life and well-being of the residents. The present study aims to understand how indoor environment relates with quality of life and how improving housing conditions impacts on individuals’ health. <br /><em>Design and Methods:</em> This study case will rely on the following assessments in both rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated social housing: i) field measurements, in social dwellings (namely temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide concentration, air velocity, air change rate, level of mould spores and energy consumption); ii) residents’ questionnaires on social, demogaphic, behavioural, health characteristics and quality of life. Also, iii) qualitative interviews performed with social housing residents from the rehabilitated houses, addressing the self-perception of living conditions and their influence in health status and quality of life. All the collected information will be combined and analysed in order to achieve the main objective. <br /><em>Expected impact:</em> It is expected to define a Predicted Human Life Quality (PHLQ) index, that combines physical parameters describing the indoor environment measured through engineering techniques with residents’ and neighbourhood quality of life characteristics assessed by health questionnaires. Improvement in social housing should be related with better health indicators and the new index might be an important tool contributing to enhance quality of life of the residents.

scholarly journals Children’s and adolescents’ reports on their quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-170
Author(s):  
Ihsana Sabriani Borualogo ◽  
Ferran Casas
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Well Being ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Convenience Sampling

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on human life, yet very limited studies have investigated the quality of life (QoL) of children and adolescents during the pandemic. This paper aims to present the reports of children and adolescents (N = 1,474; 10–18 years old) on their QoL during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Data were collected using Google Forms and convenience sampling. The instruments measured the five domains of QoL: material, physical, social, emotional, and productive well-being. The data were analyzed descriptively using mean scores, crosstab, frequency, and ANOVA. The results show that the children and adolescents maintained their level of subjective well-being (SWB) and adapted to adverse situations during the lockdown. Boys and younger children displayed significantly higher mean scores than girls and older children. Children and adolescents reported boredom due to a lack of various physical activities, dissatisfaction with school closures, the things they learned at home, and their contact with friends. This study has implications in terms of providing advice to parents, teachers, children, and adolescents for promoting the QoL of children and adolescents during the pandemic.

scholarly journals Meaning-in-Life: A Vital Salutogenic Resource for Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 85-101
Author(s):  
Gørill Haugan ◽  
Jessie Dezutter
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
Health Science Research ◽  
The Individual

AbstractBased on evidence and theory, we state that facilitating and supporting people’s meaning-making processes are health promoting. Hence, meaning-in-life is a salutogenic concept.Authors from various disciplines such as nursing, medicine, psychology, philosophy, religion, and arts argue that the human search for meaning is a primary force in life and one of the most fundamental challenges an individual faces. Research demonstrates that meaning is of great importance for mental as well as physical well-being and crucial for health and quality of life. Studies have shown significant correlations between meaning-in-life and physical health measured by lower mortality for all causes of death; meaning is correlated with less cardiovascular disease, less hypertension, better immune function, less depression, and better coping and recovery from illness. Studies have shown that cancer patients who experience a high degree of meaning have a greater ability to tolerate bodily ailments than those who do not find meaning-in-life. Those who, despite pain and fatigue, experience meaning report better quality-of-life than those with low meaning. Hence, if the individual finds meaning despite illness, ailments, and imminent death, well-being, health, and quality-of-life will increase in the current situation. However, when affected by illness and reduced functionality, finding meaning-in-life might prove more difficult. A will to search for meaning is required, as well as health professionals who help patients and their families not only to cope with illness and suffering but also to find meaning amid these experiences. Accordingly, meaning-in-life is considered a vital salutogenic resource and concept.The psychiatrist Viktor Emil Frankl’s theory of “Will to Meaning” forms the basis for modern health science research on meaning; Frankl’s premise was that man has enough to live by, but too little to live for. According to Frankl, logotherapy ventures into the spiritual dimension of human life. The Greek word “logos” means not only meaning but also spirit. However, Frankl highlighted that in a logotherapeutic context, spirituality is not primarily about religiosity—although religiosity can be a part of it—but refers to a specific human dimension that makes us human. Frankl based his theory on three concepts: meaning, freedom to choose and suffering, stating that the latter has no point. People should not look for an inherent meaning in the negative events happening to them, or in their suffering, because the meaning is not there. The meaning is in the attitude people choose while suffering from illness, crises, etc.

scholarly journals THE USE OF INDICES OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE POPULATION AS INTEGRAL CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING OF EFFICIENCY OF MEDICAL PREVENTIVE PROGRAMS

2019 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 319-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. S. Luchkevich ◽  
G. N. Marinicheva ◽  
I. L. Samodova ◽  
A. M. Shakirov ◽  
A. V. Zelionko
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Absolute Risk ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Social Adaptation ◽  
Urban Residents ◽  
Prevention Activities

Modern socially-oriented policy in Russia prioritizes the complex of prevention activities with the use of modern health-saving technologies. At that it is necessary to substantiate methodologically and methodically integrated quantitative and qualitative characteristics, based on which evaluation of the types of functioning and conditions of life affecting health and quality of human life is possible. On the basis of specially developed complex program (15 scales) the study of the quality of life and health of the urban working population of St. Petersburg (n=2276) was executed. The method of the determination of the risk groups according to types of functioning and health groups was developed. Performed medico-social and clinical-statistical study allowed to identify changes of the quality of life indices according to the type of functioning at various conditions and characteristics of life and health. According to indices of the quality of life there was revealed the high proportion of urban residents in groups of relative and absolute risk. Especially significant decrease in the quality of life indices in these groups was noted on indices of socio-hygienic functioning, socio-economic well-being, socio-psychological comfort, social adaptation, recreational activities, medico-social activity and prevention activities. There was established a higher probability of the formation of chronic disease and the decrease in the satisfaction with the quality of life in urban residents in groups of the absolute risk with dissatisfaction with the living conditions and livelihoods. The proposed scales and types of functioning in the structure of health-related quality of life can be used in a comprehensive hygienic studies implemented on the basis of a risk assessment methodology, under comparison of indices of livelihoods and satisfaction with living conditions, in complex evaluation of the efficiency of medical preventive, social and environmental programs

The value and quality of Life

2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. S. Downie
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Value Of Life ◽  
Greek Myth ◽  
Complex Evaluation

A medical view on ‘the value of life’ can be inferred from medical accounts of the quality of life: a life has value if it embodies certain qualities. Scales have been developed to quantify quality of life. While the term ‘quality of life’ is used frequently in everyday discourse, perceptions of what it might actually mean differ greatly and are often incompatible. This incompatibility can be illustrated through an examination and extension of the Greek myth of Sisyphus. The different models explored in this paper rest on ‘significant toil’, ‘choice’, ‘happiness or well-being’, or ‘social factors’ being the prerequisite for quality of existence. These models are incommensurable and, as intangible concepts, cannot be quantified. Decision-making in medicine does not require a complex evaluation of the quality of life: it consists of the doctor's offer of treatment based on the best evidence, and the patient's consent to, or refusal of, that offer. Apart from the need to obtain consent, the main ethical constraint on the doctor is equity.

scholarly journals THE DIFFERENT MENTAL HEALTH PATIENT QUALITY OF LIFE DURING SHACKLING, TREATMENT, AND POST TREATMENT

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Arif Widodo ◽  
Supratman Supratman
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
Treatment Phase ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Mental Health Patient ◽  
Value Analysis

Background: Mental health is a well-being mental state associated with happiness, joy, satisfaction, achievement, optimism, and hope. Good mental health allows a harmonious and productive life as an integral part of one's quality of life by taking into account all aspects of human life. This study aims to assess the different quality of life among mental health disorder patients during shackling, treatment, and post-treatment in Sukoharjo Regency.Methods: Quantitative descriptive was used in this study. Our population was all mental disorder patient in Sukoharjo District who has experienced with shackling and finished the treatment in the RSJD “dr Arif Zainudin," Surakarta during 2011-2015. We took total sampling and excluded patients who died, move to another place, and recover. Thirty out of thirty-four post-shackling patients in the Sukoharjo Regency participated in this study. A tested questionnaire was used to collect the data from the patient. The analysis was performed using univariate analysis – central tendency value analysis. Results: We found differences in patients' quality of life during shackling, treatment, and post-treatment. The survivor had the highest quality of life in the post-treatment phase compared to the shackled and treatment period.Conclusions: The quality of life of post-treatment patients is better compared during shackled and treatment.

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