Serious Life Events in People with Visual Impairment Versus the General Population

The present study aimed to examine the lifetime exposure to serious life events in people with visual impairment compared with the general population. Data were derived from a telephone survey including a probability sample of 736 adults with visual impairment (response rate: 61%). The lifetime prevalence of direct experiences with seventeen different categories of serious life events (Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5)) were compared to that obtained from the general Norwegian population (N = 1792, 36% response rate). Altogether, 68% of people with visual impairment had been directly exposed to at least one serious life event, with equal rates among males and females (p = 0.59). The prevalence of serious life events was higher than for the general population (60%, p < 0.001), especially for fire or explosions, serious accidents, sexual assaults, life-threatening illness or injury, and severe human suffering. In conclusion, our results indicate that people with visual impairment are more prone to experiencing serious life events. This highlights the need for preventive strategies that reduce the risk of serious life events in this population.

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Serious life events and post-traumatic stress disorder in the Norwegian population

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2019.62 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (5) ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Trond Heir ◽

Tore Bonsaksen ◽

Tine Grimholt ◽

Øivind Ekeberg ◽

Laila Skogstad ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Life Threatening Illness ◽

Norwegian Population ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Post Traumatic

Background It has been suggested that countries with more resources and better healthcare have populations with a higher risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Norway is a high-income country with good public healthcare. Aims To examine lifetime trauma exposure and the point prevalence of PTSD in the general Norwegian population. Method A survey was administered to a national probability sample of 5500 adults (aged ≥18 years). Of 4961 eligible individuals, 1792 responded (36%). Responders and non-responders did not differ significantly in age, gender or urban versus rural residence. Trauma exposure was measured using the Life Events Checklist for the DSM-5. PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5. We used the DSM-5 diagnostic guidelines to categorise participants as fulfilling the PTSD symptom criteria or not. Results At least one serious lifetime event was reported by 85% of men and 86% of women. The most common event categories were transportation accident and life-threatening illness or injury. The point prevalence of PTSD was 3.8% for men and 8.5% for women. The most common events causing PTSD were sexual and physical assaults, life-threatening illness or injury, and sudden violent deaths. Risk of PTSD increased proportionally with the number of event categories experienced. Conclusions High estimates of serious life events and correspondingly high rates of PTSD in the Norwegian population support the paradox that countries with more resources and better healthcare have higher risk of PTSD. Possible explanations are high expectations for a risk-free life and high attention to potential harmful mental health effects of serious life events. Declaration of interest None.

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General self-efficacy in individuals with visual impairment compared with the general population

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0254043 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (7) ◽

pp. e0254043

Author(s):

Audun Brunes ◽

Marianne B. Hansen ◽

Trond Heir

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

General Population ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Vision Loss ◽

Previous History ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Norwegian Population ◽

General Self Efficacy

Background Knowledge about self-efficacy and its significance for the quality of life of people with visual impairment is lacking. The aims of the study were to compare general self-efficacy in individuals with visual impairment with the general population, and to investigate the association between self-efficacy and life satisfaction. Methods A telephone-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and May 2017 in a probability sample of adults who were members of the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted. Participants were asked questions about their sociodemographic characteristics, characteristics of vision loss, general self-efficacy (General Self-efficacy Scale), and life satisfaction (Cantril’s Ladder of Life Satisfaction). We obtained norm data from a representative survey of the general Norwegian population (N = 1792; mean age 53.2 years; 52.5% females). Results People with visual impairment had higher levels of general self-efficacy than people in the general population (Mean: 31.5 versus 29.0, p < .001). Results from linear regression analyses of the visual impairment population showed that higher education and residential in an urban municipality were associated with higher self-efficacy. Having additional impairments and a previous history of physical or sexual assaults were associated with lower self-efficacy. A linear dose-response relationship was found between self-efficacy and life satisfaction, in the visual impairment population as well as in the general population. Conclusions People with visual impairment have higher self-efficacy than people in the general population, possibly due to extensive mastery experience in how to handle life as visually impaired. Self-efficacy seems to be important in achieving the best possible life.

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Life-threatening illness and the impact of negative life events

Current Opinion in Psychiatry ◽

10.1097/00001504-199008000-00011 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 3 (4) ◽

pp. 477-481

Author(s):

John B. Pearce

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Negative Life Events ◽

Life Threatening Illness ◽

Life Threatening ◽

The Impact

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Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in People with Visual Impairment Compared with the General Population

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph19020619 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 619

Author(s):

Tore Bonsaksen ◽

Audun Brunes ◽

Trond Heir

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Visual Impairment ◽

Life Events ◽

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Vision Loss ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Dsm 5 ◽

Post Traumatic

Background: People with a visual impairment appear to have an increased risk of experiencing potentially traumatizing life events and possibly also subsequently developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study investigated the point prevalence of PTSD in people with a visual impairment compared with the general population of Norway and examined factors associated with PTSD among people with a visual impairment. Methods: A telephone-based survey was administered to a probability sample of 1216 adults with a visual impairment. Of these, 736 (61% response rate) participated. A probability sample from the general population served as a reference (n = 1792, 36% response rate). PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5 (PCL-5), based on the currently most bothersome event reported from the Life Events Checklist for DSM-5 (LEC-5). We used the DSM-5 diagnostic guidelines to categorize participants as fulfilling the PTSD symptom criteria or not. Results: The prevalence of PTSD was higher among people with a visual impairment than in the general population, both for men (9.0% vs. 3.8%) and women (13.9% vs. 8.5%). The prevalence rates of PTSD from the illness or injury that had caused the vision loss (men 3.9%, women 2.2%) accounted for a considerable part of the difference between the populations. For women, PTSD related to sexual assaults also contributed significantly to a higher PTSD prevalence in the visually impaired versus the general population (5.2% vs. 2.2%), while for men there were no other event categories which resulted in significant differences. Among people with a visual impairment, the higher risk of PTSD was associated with lower age, female gender, having acquired the vision loss, and having other impairments in addition to the vision loss. Conclusion: The higher prevalence of PTSD in people with a visual impairment suggests that vulnerability to mental health problems is associated with serious life events. The higher incidence than in the general population is partly due to the illness or injury that had led to the vision loss and partly due to people with vision loss appearing to be more vulnerable through exposure to other types of potentially traumatizing events, such as sexual abuse.

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Self-rated global health in the Norwegian general population

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes ◽

10.1186/s12955-019-1258-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tore Bonsaksen ◽

Øivind Ekeberg ◽

Laila Skogstad ◽

Trond Heir ◽

Tine K. Grimholt ◽

...

Keyword(s):

General Population ◽

Global Health ◽

Response Rate ◽

Linear Regression Analysis ◽

Population Sample ◽

Prevalence Studies ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Norwegian Population ◽

Important Field ◽

Score Range

Abstract Background Prevalence studies are needed to assess the distribution of diseases. However, in a contrasting health promotion perspective, self-rated health is in itself an important field of study. This study investigated self-rated global health in the general population in Norway. Methods As part of a national survey, a two-item measure of global health (score range 0–100) was administered to a general population sample, and 1776 of 4961 eligible participants (response rate 36%) responded. Group comparisons were conducted using independent t-tests and one-way analyses of variance, whereas factors associated with global health was investigated with linear regression analysis. Results In the adjusted analyses, better global health was associated with higher age (β = 0.13, p < 0.001), having higher education (β = 0.10, p < 0.001), being employed (β = 0.21, p < 0.001), and living with a spouse or partner (β = 0.05, p < 0.05). Conclusions While global health was similar for men and women in the Norwegian general population, other sociodemographic variables were linked with global health. In particular, the link between employment and self-rated global health was strong. The findings are considered representative for the Norwegian population.

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Life events in a family with life-threatening illness

Psychosomatics ◽

10.1016/s0033-3182(77)71088-6 ◽

1977 ◽

Vol 18 (2) ◽

pp. 34-39 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Stanley H. Schuman ◽

Gerard C. Jebaily ◽

Dean C. Samuelson

Keyword(s):

Life Events ◽

Life Threatening Illness ◽

Life Threatening

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Symptom assessment and management at the end of life

Oxford Textbook of Geriatric Medicine ◽

10.1093/med/9780198701590.003.0157 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 1209-1214

Author(s):

Nele Van Den Noortgate ◽

Elizabeth Sampson

Keyword(s):

End Of Life ◽

Life Events ◽

Symptom Management ◽

Palliative Medicine ◽

Older Patients ◽

Symptom Assessment ◽

Spiritual Needs ◽

Life Threatening Illness ◽

Life Threatening

As people age, the number and complexity of illnesses they develop increases. Symptoms during the last year of life in older persons are often a combination of the underlying life-threatening illness and other chronic conditions. These may be complicated by psychosocial and spiritual needs, related to life events such as bereavement. Geriatric palliative medicine involves the care and management of older patients’ progressive advanced disease, for whom the aim is quality of life. It focuses on detailed geriatric assessment, relief from pain and other symptoms such as anorexia, constipation, or delirium, and also management of psychological problems including depression or anxiety. This may be more challenging in people with cognitive impairment who may not be able to express whether they are in pain or otherwise suffering. Adequate pain and symptom management at the end of life emphasizes the need for a tailored multidisciplinary approach for patients and their family.

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