scholarly journals Evaluation of a Fatigue Self-Management Program for People with Multiple Sclerosis

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 116-121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilda Mulligan ◽  
Amanda Wilkinson ◽  
Amelia Barclay ◽  
Hayley Whiting ◽  
Christelle Heynike ◽  
...  

Background: Fatigue is one of the most common and debilitating symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS). The program “Minimise Fatigue, Maximise Life: Creating Balance with Multiple Sclerosis” (MFML) was created in New Zealand because of the lack of a fatigue management program for people with MS in that country. This program aims to empower individuals with MS to manage their own symptoms of fatigue. The objective of this study was to evaluate the MFML fatigue self-management program. Methods: Self-report questionnaires were used to measure impact of fatigue (5-item Modified Fatigue Impact Scale), self-efficacy (MS Self-efficacy Scale), and quality of life (12-item Short Form Health Status Survey [SF-12]) 1 month before (T1), at commencement of (T2) (to investigate the stability of questionnaire scores before the intervention), and at the end of (T3) the 6-week group-based program. Increased self-efficacy and quality of life scores and a decrease in reported impact of fatigue were the anticipated primary outcomes, with participants acting as their own controls. Results: Twenty-five women (aged 37–63 years) participated. Stability of scores for all the questionnaires was evidenced between T1 and T2. After the intervention (T3), scores showed a significant improvement in self-efficacy and impact of fatigue, with large effect sizes, but no change in either the physical or mental component summary of the SF-12. Conclusions: Despite the small sample size, this study showed an organized approach to the management of fatigue for people living with MS, and its outcomes demonstrated benefits for participants.

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-193
Author(s):  
Roman Raczka ◽  
Kate Theodore ◽  
Janice Williams

There is an appropriate increasing focus on the need to ensure the voices of people with intellectual disability are captured as part of assessing individuals’ quality of life; however, there remains a lack of a consensus on ways to achieve this. This article describes the development of a self-report measure of quality of life for people with intellectual disability, the ‘Mini-MANS-LD’, based on the concepts of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Following use with 33 individuals with intellectual disability, the Mini-MANS-LD was found to have acceptable psychometric properties, including moderate congruent validity and acceptable internal consistency. Administrators’ feedback suggested good acceptability and feasibility, and the measure was relatively quick to administer, easy to use and acceptable to service users. Despite a small sample size, this initial study suggests that the Mini-MANS-LD may present a conceptually relevant, feasible and acceptable self-report measure of quality of life for people with intellectual disability.


10.2196/14297 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. e14297
Author(s):  
Peter Joseph Jongen ◽  
Gezien ter Veen ◽  
Wim Lemmens ◽  
Rogier Donders ◽  
Esther van Noort ◽  
...  

Background Empowerment helps persons with a chronic disease to self-manage their condition and increase their autonomy and participation. MSmonitor (Curavista bv) is an interactive Web-based program for self-management and multidisciplinary care in multiple sclerosis (MS). It includes, among others, short questionnaires on fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale-5 [MFIS-5]) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL, Leeds Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life [LMSQoL]); long questionnaires on disabilities, perception of disabilities (Multiple Sclerosis Impact Profile), and HRQoL (Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54); a Medication and Adherence Inventory and an Activity Diary. The combination MFIS-5, LMSQoL, and Medication and Adherence Inventory constitutes the Quick Scan. Objective This study aimed to investigate the short-term effects of MSmonitor on empowerment in patients with MS. Methods We conducted a quasi-experimental study in a general hospital. Of the 180 patients with MS, 125 were eligible, 30 used MSmonitor, and 21 participated in the study (mean age 45.4 years, SD 10.2 years). A total of 24 eligible patients who did not use MSmonitor constituted the control group (mean age 49.3 years, SD 11.4 years). At baseline and at 4 months, we assessed self-efficacy (Multiple Sclerosis Self-Efficacy Scale [MSSES]), participation and autonomy (Impact on Participation and Autonomy [IPA] questionnaire), and self-management (Partners In Health [PIH] questionnaire). Differences between time points and groups were tested with paired t tests and χ² tests. Results In the MSmonitor group, follow-up values remained unchanged for MSSES control (P=.19), MSSES function (P=.62), IPA limitations (P=.26), IPA problems (P=.40), PIH recognition and management of symptoms (P=.52), PIH adherence to treatment (P=.80), and PIH coping (P=.73), whereas the PIH knowledge score had improved (mean 27.8, SD 1.7 vs mean 28.7, SD 2.0; P=.02). The overall utilization rate of the program components was 83% and that of the Quick Scan was 95%. In the control group, all outcomes had remained unchanged. Conclusions The results suggest that for first-time users of the MSmonitor program and their health care providers, it may not be justified to expect a short-term improvement in empowerment in terms of self-efficacy, self-management, autonomy, or participation. Furthermore, a lack of effect on empowerment is not because of nonusage of the program components.


2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 964-975 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly S Fasczewski ◽  
Sara M Rothberger ◽  
Diane L Gill

Physical activity has been shown to effectively aid multiple sclerosis symptom management; however, individuals with multiple sclerosis tend to be inactive physically. Developing effective, sustainable, physical activity interventions involves first understanding motivators for physical activity. Open-ended surveys exploring physical activity motivators were collected from 215 individuals with multiple sclerosis. Responses indicate that self-efficacy and internalized motivation derived from physical activity outcomes were motivators for physical activity, and physical activity was cited as increasing overall quality of life. Future physical activity interventions should incorporate methods for building self-efficacy for physical activity and focus on increasing awareness of the long-term physical benefits derived from physical activity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S319-S319
Author(s):  
S. Tassi ◽  
G. Rioli ◽  
G. Mattei ◽  
S. Ferrari ◽  
G.M. Galeazzi

IntroductionSeveral studies have shown an association between the Short-Form 36 (SF36) scores and anxiety-depressive symptoms, suggesting that depression in particular could reduce Quality of Life (QoL) to the same, and even greater, extent than chronic non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension.AimsTo explore the relationship among QoL and anxiety, depressive and anxiety-depressive symptoms in an outpatient sample.MethodsCross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria: outpatients aged ≥40 years, without history for cancer, attending colonoscopy after positive faecal occult blood test. Collected data: blood pressure, blood glucose, lipid profile. Psychometric test: Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). QoL was assessed with SF36. Statistics performed with STATA13.Results54 patients enrolled (27 females). Sixteen patients (30.2%) were positive for anxiety symptoms, ten (18.9%) for depressive symptoms and five (9.4%) for anxiety-depressive symptoms. The perceived QoL was precarious in twelve subjects (22.2%): eight (15.9%) had low score (≤ 42) at “Mental Component Summary” (MCS) subscale, three (5.7%) at the “Mental Health” item and one patient (1.9%) at the “Vitality” one. At the multiple regression analysis, depressive (OR = 28.63; P = 0.01) and anxiety-depressive symptoms (OR = 11.16; P = 0.02) were associated with MCS.ConclusionsThe association emerging from the present study between depressive/anxiety symptoms and the MCS component of SF36 is consistent with available literature. Study design and small sample size do not allow to generalize results, that need further studies to be confirmed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Salvatori ◽  
F Andrei ◽  
L Cipriani ◽  
G Damiano ◽  
M Dirodi ◽  
...  

Abstract Study question May specific psychological variables related to the experience of infertility have a predicting effect over the decision of accepting counselling? Summary answer Specific infertility related sources of sufferance including low levels of infertility self-efficacy and poor quality of life significantly predict the request for professional help. What is known already Available data on the access to infertility counselling services suggest that only 10–34% of patients who are offered such opportunity actually pursue it. Qualitative studies pointed out that this might be due to a lack of information about available support and to negative attitudes toward counselling. It seems also that women and men who accept counselling have worse levels of psychological distress. However, there is a lack of quantitative studies on the topic and among those available none used measures that are specific to the experience of infertility itself Study design, size, duration The data presented herein are part of a larger data collection promoted by the Italian Ministry of Health on the psychological impact of assisted reproduction. The present study is a cross-sectional research and involves a sample of 184 patients, composed by 92 women waiting for infertility treatment and their partners, enrolled between October 2019 and October 2020 at the Infertility and IVF Unit of the S. Orsola University Hospital in Bologna, Italy. Participants/materials, setting, methods Participants were voluntarily enrolled in the study at their first medical consult. They were informed about the possibility to attend free couples infertility counselling sessions and asked to fill in the following questionnaires: Infertility Self-Efficacy Scale (ISE); Fertility Quality of Life (FERTIQoL); Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). To attend infertility counselling a shared agreement between partners was requested. Couples who agreed to the study but not to counselling sessions were provided only with questionnaires. Main results and the role of chance The 34.8% (n = 32 couples) of the sample accepted to receive counselling sessions. The two groups (counselling vs no-counselling) were comparable in all socio-demographic variables, aside for education, with higher education levels in the counselling group. Overall, the counselling group reported greater psychological sufferance than the no-counselling group, with lower scores at the ISE, FERTIQoL, and DAS questionnaires. Regarding which factors predicted the decision to attend counselling sessions, logistic regression analysis showed that: for the female partner’s dimensions low scores at the ISE and at the Emotional subscale of the FertiQoL were predictive of accepting counselling (when scores increased the odds of being in the counselling group would decrease by 46% and 8% respectively); for the male’s partner dimensions, predictive factors were low scores on the Social subscale and high scores on the Relational subscale of the FertiQoL (when scores increased the odds of being in the counselling group would decrease by 8% and increase by 10% respectively). In conclusion, impairments in self-efficacy, emotional well-being and social life may drive a greater need for help, but a close relationship with the partner may be also necessary to predispose men to accept couples infertility counselling. Limitations, reasons for caution Data were collected from a well enough homogeneous sample which may have helped in better enhancing the specificity of infertile couples’ needs. However, the small sample size and the fact that data were collected from a sole Italian clinic may impact the representativity of our results. Wider implications of the findings: Findings provide important information for clinical interventions with infertile couples. Patients accepting counselling might be having a worse adjustment to the experience of infertility. Besides, women and men may be affected in different ways. Men’s closeness to the partner might be a favourable factor and should be further studied. Trial registration number The study was approved by the Ethical Committee of the S. Orsola Hospital, University of Bologna (CE: 273/2018/Sper/AOUBO) and funded by the Italian Ministry of Health (J33C17000560001)


2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 133-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Ann Wollin ◽  
Gary Fulcher ◽  
Elizabeth McDonald ◽  
Nancy Spencer ◽  
Miranda Y. Mortlock ◽  
...  

Optimizing quality of life (QOL) and self-management in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is increasingly seen as a worthwhile goal. This study aimed to investigate factors that affect QOL in MS. A large national sample of Australians with MS (n = 1848) generated from the Australian Multiple Sclerosis Longitudinal Study completed a survey addressing disease duration and severity, self-efficacy, depression, perceived stress, social support, QOL, and self-management. We tested a model of self-help in which antecedent variables are influenced by mediating variables, which in turn affects outcome variables. In the current study, the antecedent variables were disease duration and disease severity; the mediating variables were self-efficacy, depression, perceived stress, and social support; and the outcome variables were QOL and self-management. We also tested the hypothesis that disease severity, depression, and perceived stress would correlate inversely with QOL and potential for self-management, whereas self-efficacy and perceived level of social support would correlate positively with QOL and potential for self-management. The results indicated that the antecedent variables did not correlate with the mediating variables, with one exception: a negative correlation was found between disease severity and social support. No correlations were found between social support and QOL or self-management. However, significant correlations were found between depression, self-efficacy, stress, and social support and QOL. No correlations were found between either the antecedent or the mediating variables and self-management. The results confirm previous findings of statistically significant correlations between psychosocial factors and QOL.


2010 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Carol A. Mancuso ◽  
Wendy Sayles ◽  
John P. Allegrante

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document