Adolescents' Perception of Epilepsy Compared With Other Chronic Diseases: “Through a Teenager's Eyes”

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 214-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Cheung ◽  
Elaine Wirrell
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Cognitively Normal ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Parental Perspectives ◽  
Physical Impact

Adolescent perception of physical and social impact of chronic illness was assessed to determine (1) if there is greater prejudice toward epilepsy than other chronic disease and (2) if adolescents with chronic disease have less prejudice toward similarly affected peers with all types of chronic disease or just their specific chronic disease. Cognitively normal teens aged 13 to 18 years without chronic disease ( n = 41) and with epilepsy ( n = 32), asthma ( n = 38), diabetes ( n = 21), and migraine ( n = 17) were interviewed in the outpatient clinics of a tertiary care pediatric center regarding their perceptions of the physical and social impact of eight chronic diseases (epilepsy, asthma, diabetes, Down syndrome, arthritis, migraine, leukemia, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection). Epilepsy was perceived to have a more adverse physical impact than all chronic illnesses except Down syndrome. The perception was that it more frequently caused mental handicap, injured the afflicted individual and bystanders, and led to death. Epilepsy was also perceived to have a more negative social impact, particularly on behavior, honesty, popularity, adeptness at sports, and fun. Significantly more adolescents expressed reluctance to befriend peers with epilepsy, both from their own and their perceived parental perspectives. Having a chronic disease did not generally alter the adolescents' perceptions of peers with chronic disease. However, cases with epilepsy ranked this disease to have less social impact than teens with other chronic diseases. In conclusion, adolescents consider epilepsy to have a greater physical and social impact than most chronic diseases. Educational efforts should focus on the “normality” of most persons with epilepsy and emphasize the low risk of injury when proper first aid is followed. ( J Child Neurol 2006;21:214—222; DOI 10.2310/7010.2006.00053).

scholarly journals Caregivers’ burden of caring for children with chronic illnesses at a tertiary health facility in southern Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-114
Author(s):  
Gracia Ker Eke ◽  
Nsirimobu Ichendu Paul
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Health Facility ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
P Value ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Southern Nigeria ◽  
General Strain ◽  
Children With Chronic Illnesses

Background: The responsibilities perceived by caregivers of children with chronic diseases can impose significant burden on their physical, emotional and mental well-being. Objective: To explore the burden of caregivers of children with chronic illnesses at a tertiary-care health facility in southern Nigeria, in order to devise effective ways of reducing them. Methodology: It was a descriptive cross-sectional survey amongst parents/caregivers of children with chronic illnesses in the Children’s Outpatient clinics /wards and emergency room, who presented for care and/or follow-up visits between October and December 2020. A validated Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) that assesses the level of burden in five domains: general strain, isolation, disappointment, emotional involvement and environment, was used to obtain data. Caregivers’ and the children’ socio-demographic characteristics were also ascertained and compared with the level of burden. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant. Result: A total of 109 caregivers completed the questionnaire. Half (n=55; 50.5%) of the caregivers were aged 30-39years; 88 (80.7%) were females; 58 (53.2%) had post-secondary education and 51 (46.8%) were self-employed. Of the 109 children studied, 70 (64.2%) were males and the commonest diagnosis was sickle cell anaemia (SCA) (n=62; 56.9%) followed by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) disease (n=35; 32.1%). The age at diagnosis was 1-5years in 70 (64.2%) of cases while 76 (69.7%) of them had received care for 1-5years. The mean caregiving burden score was highest in disappointment (2.0) and lowest in the domain of isolation (1.5), while the overall mean score was 1.7 (SD=0.6). There was a statistically significant relationship between the caregivers’ age and all the domains studied except the general strain, while the other socio-demographic variables had varying significance with the different domains of burden. Conclusion: Severe burden of caregiving was experienced by more caregivers in the domains of disappointment and general strain while the isolation domain experienced the lowest frequency of caregivers with severe burden. Improving social support and advocacy to stakeholders, including the government to take over the financing of medical expenses of children with chronic diseases will reduce the burden of care experienced by their caregivers.

Interventions to Reduce the Impact of Chronic Disease: Community-Based Arthritis Patient Education

1997 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
JEAN GOEPPINGER ◽  
KATE LORIG
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Patient Education ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Social Impact ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Medical Care System ◽  
Community Environments ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

Systematic development and testing of the efficacy of educational interventions to improve functioning, prevent disability, and reduce the impact of chronic disease has been limited, perhaps because many chronic diseases disable, do not kill, and because they are managed largely within home, work, and community environments and not within the medical care system. Until recently, these factors contributed to a paucity of arthritis educational interventions. But since the impetus provided by the establishment of the Multipurpose Arthritis Centers Program of the NIH (1977), a number of arthritis patient education programs have been established and evaluated. This chapter summarizes findings from community-based arthritis patient education studies conducted between 1980 and 1995, critiques the methods of these studies, and provides guidance for state-of-the-art community-based intervention research aimed at reducing the individual and social impact of arthritis and other chronic diseases.

scholarly journals Appraising the Impact of Hand and Knee Osteoarthritis on the Domains of Quality of Life among the Diabetic Patients - An Observational Research

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 894-898
Author(s):  
Barsha Pathak Gadapani ◽  
Rukman M. Manapurath
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Observational Research ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

BACKGROUND Quality of life (QOL) measures have become a vital and frequently essential fragments to appraise health-care outcomes and is a powerful tool to determine the impact of healthcare as well as personal care for the population who are surviving with chronic diseases especially when ultimate cure for that specific disease is not conceived. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study where consecutive random sampling was utilised to select 258 diabetics from the general outpatient department (OPD) of a tertiary care center and QOL was evaluated among the diabetics and diabetics with osteoarthritis (OA) using modified Flanagan’s QOL scale. RESULTS The mean QOL among diabetics was 88.28 (± 2.62), mean QOL among diabetics with OA (hand) was 87.26 (± 2.22), mean QOL among diabetics with OA (knee) was 85.37 (± 2.14), mean QOL among diabetics with OA (knee and hand) was 83 (± 2.33), mean QOL among diabetics with OA with radiological changes was 80.77 (± 2.9). CONCLUSIONS The presence of more than one chronic disease significantly deteriorates the QOL. The domains of QOL are further affected when the chronic disease progresses further. KEY WORDS Quality of Life (QOL), Diabetes, Osteoarthritis, Chronic Diseases

Dealing with Chronic Illness in Childhood

1984 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
Donald R. Swartz
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Her Family ◽  
Healthy Development ◽  
Children With Chronic Illnesses ◽  
Mind Set ◽  
Specific Medical Condition

Most pediatricians treat Children who are well or who, at worst, have an acute but Curable illness. Children with chronic illnesses don't fit. Our appointment schedules aren't structured to deal with them and they clash with our "health and normality" mind-set. Chronic diseases, incurable and possibly lethal, conflict with our need to heal, and the obvious pain and dismay of the parents is painful and dismaying to us as well. Practice might be more comfortable without them. Yet no group of patients can benefit more from the understanding of healthy development and knowledge of management of disease that are combined in today's pediatrician. The child with chronic illness is not just a case of a specific medical condition; he or she is also a child, with all of the development, psychosocial, and physical needs that are characteristic of children in general. This discussion will focus on the ways in which a child and his or her family may be affected by chronic disease, and what the responses of each to chronic disease are likely to be. The physician's responses will also be examined, as well as how the physician caring for a child with chronic illness can facilitate the adjustments and adaptations that will allow the child and his or her family to attain their greatest potential for a normal and fulfilling life.

More Eggs, Less Sugar: A Sneak Peek into the Latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-24
Author(s):  
Darlene Zimmerman
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Healthy Diet ◽  
Dietary Guidelines For Americans

ABSTRACT The 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans provides guidance for choosing a healthy diet. There is a focus on preventing and alleviating the effects of diet-related chronic diseases. These include obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and stroke, among others. This article briefly reviews the primary guideline items that can be used to teach patients with respect to improving their diet. Clinical exercise physiologists who work with patients with chronic disease can use these guidelines for general discussions regarding a heart-healthy diet.

scholarly journals The impact of chronic disease and disability on the elderly

1999 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 9-14
Author(s):  
C. J. Eales
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Elderly Persons ◽  
Care Systems ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

Health care systems for elderly people should aim to delay the onset of illness, reducing the final period of infirmity and illness to the shortest possible time. The most effective way to achieve this is by health education and preventative medicine to maintain mobility and function. Changes in life style even in late life may result in improved health, effectively decreasing the incidence of chronic diseases associated with advancing age. This paper presents the problems experienced by elderly persons with chronic diseases and disabilities with indications for meaningful therapeutic interventions.

scholarly journals Smoking, drinking, diet and physical activity—modifiable lifestyle risk factors and their associations with age to first chronic disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Ng ◽  
Rinku Sutradhar ◽  
Zhan Yao ◽  
Walter P Wodchis ◽  
Laura C Rosella
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Lifestyle Factors ◽  
Competing Risk ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Common Disease ◽  
Heavy Smoking ◽  
Lifestyle Risk Factors ◽  
Lifestyle Risk

AbstractBackgroundThis study examined the incidence of a person’s first diagnosis of a selected chronic disease, and the relationships between modifiable lifestyle risk factors and age to first of six chronic diseases.MethodsOntario respondents from 2001 to 2010 of the Canadian Community Health Survey were followed up with administrative data until 2014 for congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive respiratory disease, diabetes, lung cancer, myocardial infarction and stroke. By sex, the cumulative incidence function of age to first chronic disease was calculated for the six chronic diseases individually and compositely. The associations between modifiable lifestyle risk factors (alcohol, body mass index, smoking, diet, physical inactivity) and age to first chronic disease were estimated using cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models and Fine-Gray competing risk models.ResultsDiabetes was the most common disease. By age 70.5 years (2015 world life expectancy), 50.9% of females and 58.1% of males had at least one disease and few had a death free of the selected diseases (3.4% females; 5.4% males). Of the lifestyle factors, heavy smoking had the strongest association with the risk of experiencing at least one chronic disease (cause-specific hazard ratio = 3.86; 95% confidence interval = 3.46, 4.31). The lifestyle factors were modelled for each disease separately, and the associations varied by chronic disease and sex.ConclusionsWe found that most individuals will have at least one of the six chronic diseases before dying. This study provides a novel approach using competing risk methods to examine the incidence of chronic diseases relative to the life course and how their incidences are associated with lifestyle behaviours.

A New Path to Address Multimorbidity? Longitudinal Analyses of Retirement Sequences and Chronic Diseases in Old Age

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110310
Author(s):  
Esteban Calvo ◽  
Ariel Azar ◽  
Robin Shura ◽  
Ursula M. Staudinger
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Labor Force ◽  
Chronic Diseases ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Longitudinal Analyses ◽  
Employment Opportunities ◽  
Time Work ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Retirement Study

Chronic disease and multimorbidity are growing health challenges for aging populations, often coinciding with retirement. We examine late-life predictors of multimorbidity, focusing on the association between retirement sequences and number of chronic diseases. We modeled the number of chronic diseases as a function of six types of previously identified 10-year retirement sequences using Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data for 7,880 Americans observed between ages 60 to 61 and 70 to 71. Our results show that at baseline, the adjusted prevalence of multimorbidity was lowest in sequences characterized by late retirement from full-time work and highest in sequences characterized by early labor-force disengagement. Age increases in multimorbidity varied across retirement sequences, though overall differences in prevalence persisted at age 70 to 71. Earlier life disadvantages did not moderate these associations. Findings suggest further investigation of policies that target health limitations affecting work, promote continued beneficial employment opportunities, and ultimately leverage retirement sequences as a novel path to influence multimorbidity in old age.

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