Quality-of-life assessment in health care research and practice

Quality-of-Life Assessments in Zoo Animals: Not Just for the Aged and Charismatic

Zoos should aim to provide all of their animals with a good quality of life (QoL) throughout all life stages. In parallel with the evolution of QoL assessment questionnaires and tools in human and domestic animal settings, in recent times, some individual zoos and zoo industry associations have incorporated such instruments into their animal management practices. This has been conducted predominantly to inform, monitor, and document end-of-life decision-making for large, charismatic mammals. There is scope to expand the use of these tools to improve their utility, validity, reliability, and value to an animal welfare program. Assessment of QoL is a complex task given that the notion being measured is abstract and self-determined, and the design and purpose of the tools to do this require careful consideration. This review explores the QoL concept as it applies to animals, the assessment indications and methodologies relevant to a zoo setting, and the importance of considering QoL at any life stage across species. An overview of current thinking and the applications and limitations of QoL evaluation of captive wild animals is offered to promote and aid facility practice reviews and to help direct future innovations that leverage concurrent and converging advances in zoo animal welfare science.

Quality of Life in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: The Congruency Effect between Reports

Assessing quality of life (QoL) is important to provide personalized and individualized support plans with the purpose of improving personal outcomes. Based on the conceptual model of QoL, the aim of this study was to assess the congruence between the perceptions of institutionalized individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and the perception of a third party, regarding QoL. Forty-two individuals participated in this study, including twenty-one with mild to severe IDD and their family members/caregiver/reference technician, who responded to the Personal Outcomes Scale (Portuguese version). Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between reports in the personal development (t = -2.26; p = 0.024), emotional well-being (t = -2.263; p = 0.024), physical well-being (t = -2.491; p = 0.013) and total QoL (t = -2.331; p = 0.02). The results further show that most third-party reports tend to undervalue the QoL of the individual with IDD, and that there is no congruence in any of the QoL domains. The inclusion of self-reports in the QoL assessment is important. In addition to the assessment of third-party reports, the process of making decisions appropriate to the context and individual characteristics is equally important. On the other hand, the inclusion of third-party reports is an opportunity to promote communication among all stakeholders, recognize and discuss differences, and promote QoL, not only of individuals with IDD, but also of families.

Factors That Influence Quality of Life in People Experiencing Homelessness: A Systematic Mixed Studies Review

BACKGROUND

An emerging category of morbidity in research among people experiencing homelessness (PEH) is quality of life (QoL). The Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) framework was used to explain the relationship between the resulting factors and their impact on QoL among PEH.

AIMS

The purpose of this systematic mixed studies review was to explore the factors that are associated with QoL among homeless individuals.

METHOD

A systematic mixed studies review was conducted using CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, and SocIndex databases. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods studies were included and synthesized employing results-based convergent synthesis design.

RESULTS

The initial search resulted in 757 studies with 55 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Thematic analysis revealed themes influencing QoL among PEH categorized by the CSDH determinants of structural, social cohesion and social capital, and intermediary determinants. Among these themes, higher social status, strong relationships, better reported physical and mental health, and a positive life outlook were associated with increased QoL. Social isolation, substance use, poorer life outlook, increased years spent homeless, and perceived quality of housing were associated with decreased QoL. Age, sex, and housing programs revealed inconsistent results on QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

While the factors presented in this review indicate some consistent relationships with QoL in PEH, this review has shown QoL among this population is complex and multifactorial. Future research should focus on relationships between the CSDH determinants, particularly the psychosocial factors and the QoL priorities defined by PEH, and how they may influence QoL among PEH.

Educação física, saúde e multiculturalismo em tempos de covid-19: uma experiência no ensino médio

Resumo Este relato de experiência descreve e analisa o projeto de ensino “O que podem os corpos em tempos de pandemia?” desenvolvido com turmas do 1o ano do ensino médio integrado ao curso técnico em Eventos, do Instituto Federal de Mato Grosso no âmbito da disciplina Educação Física, durante a pandemia da covid-19. A proposta de ensino foi baseada nos estudos culturais e no multiculturalismo, abordando os seguintes temas: conceitos de saúde; dicas para manter a saúde física e mental durante a pandemia; vulnerabilidades de indígenas, negros, mulheres e população LGBTQIA+ na pandemia e imagem corporal. Este projeto abordou temas sociais relevantes, promoveu uma maior utilização das tecnologias digitais no processo de ensino-aprendizagem, bem como estimulou a produção cultural dos estudantes.

The Role of Exenterative Surgery in Advanced Urological Neoplasms

Pelvic exenterative surgery is both complex and challenging, especially in the setting of locally recurrent disease. In recent decades, improved surgical techniques have facilitated more extensive resection of both locally advanced and recurrent pelvic malignancies, but its role in urological cancer surgery is highly selective. However, it remains an important part of the armamentarium for the management of bladder and prostate cancer cases where there is local invasion into adjacent organs or localized recurrence. Better diagnostics, reconstructive options and centralized care have reduced associated morbidity considerably, and it is still used rarely in palliative settings. Despite this, there is sparse prospective evidence reporting on long-term oncological or quality of life outcomes.

Impact of health on quality of life and quality of working life of university teachers from different areas of knowledge

This study aimed to determine the impact of health on the quality of life (QoL) and quality of working life (QWL) of university teachers. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 284 teachersin the areas of health, sciences, human sciences, and agricultural sciences using a sociodemographic questionnaire containing health-related questions, the WHOQOL-bref, and TQWL-42. Results: the findings showed that teachers who practiced physical activity had better QoL,QWL, and sleep quality. Advanced age was also associated with better QoL.Furthermore, QoL and QWL were lower in teachers who used medications, had an imbalanced diet, and did not practice leisure activities. QoL and QWL are influenced by health-related factors.

Profiles of Quality of Life in a Homeless Population

Quality of life (QOL) is a key indicator in mental health planning, program evaluation, and evaluation of patient outcomes. Yet few studies have focused on QOL in homeless populations. More specifically, research has yet to identify profiles of homeless individuals based on their QOL using cluster analysis. This study developed a typology of QOL for a sample of 455 homeless individuals recruited from 27 community and public organizations in Quebec (Canada). The typology was developed based on QOL scores, as well as sociodemographic, clinical, and service use variables. Study participants had to be at least 18 years old, with current or previous experience of homelessness. A questionnaire including socio-demographics, residential history, service utilization, and health-related variables was administered. Four clusters were identified using a two-step cluster analysis. QOL was highest in the cluster consisting of older women with low functional disability, and relatively few episodes of homelessness. The second cluster with high QOL scores included individuals living in temporary housing with relatively few mental health or substance use disorders (SUDs). The third cluster with low QOL included middle-aged women living in temporary housing, with criminal records, personality disorders, and SUDs. QOL was also lower in the fourth cluster composed of individuals with multiple homeless episodes and complex health problems as well as high overall service use. Findings reinforced the importance of disseminating specific programs adapted to the diverse profiles of homeless individuals, with a view toward increasing their QOL.

Comparing assessment of diabetes-related quality of life between patients and their physicians

Background

Health-related quality of life (QoL) is a comprehensive, multidimensional construct encompassing physical and psychosocial wellbeing. Physicians frequently assess QoL as part of their decision making process without specifically asking their patients. This study examined the degree and predictors of concordance between physician and patient assessments of QoL among patients with diabetes in primary care and in multi-disciplinary diabetes clinics.

Methods

Patients completed a questionnaire regarding overall and diabetes-specific QoL before entering their physician’s office. After the visit, the physician completed the same questionnaire in order to evaluate how he/she perceived that patient’s QoL. In addition, medical data relating to the patient’s health status were collected from the medical records. The concordance between patient-reported QoL and physician-estimated QoL was evaluated. Stepwise regression analysis was conducted to determine which factors contributed to the difference between physicians’ and patients’ assessment of QoL.

Results

A total of 136 patients and 39 treating physicians were surveyed. Patients’ response rate was 95%. A strong concordance was found between patients’ and physicians’ ratings of current health status (r = 0.79, p < 0. 01); however, physicians perceived their patients’ QoL as worse than the QoL assessed by the patients themselves. Primary care physicians were better at assessing their patients’ overall wellbeing while diabetes-specialists were better at assessing their patients’ diabetes-specific QoL. In addition, the longer the duration of diabetes, the more difficult is was for the physicians to accurately assess QoL. When entered in the regression analysis, familiarity did not explain physicians’ ability to assess health-related QoL or diabetes-specific QoL.

Conclusions

Physicians make reasonable assessments of their patients’ QoL, however as the patients’ disease progresses, it becomes harder for physicians to assess QoL. Primary care physicians are better at assessing overall well-being whereas diabetes specialists are better at assessing diabetes-specific QoL.

Trial registration number

Not registered. Assuta Medical Center institutional review board approval number 2009103.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Venous Ulceration

Aim:

To review the role of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) assessments in the management of patients with venous ulceration.

Method:

A search of electronic databases and reference lists delivered numerous articles containing a variety of HRQL assessments for venous ulcer treatment.

Synthesis:

The salient points from the literature were collaborated in order to establish which outcome measures best reflect the quality of care delivered. The treatment of chronic venous leg ulceration is often prolonged and a permanent cure is frequently unattainable. An improvement in a patient's condition needs to be demonstrated in order to determine the benefit of a surgical treatment. The assessment of HRQL is increasingly recognised as a valuable surgical outcome measurement.

Conclusion:

The combination of ‘standard’ clinical outcome measures, the generic SF-36 and a specific ‘venous ulcer’ HRQL questionnaire can produce a more complete treatment outcome assessment in patients with venous ulceration.

Impact of Chronic Heart Failure on Elderly Persons' Daily Life: A Validation Study

BACKGROUND

Knowledge about how elderly persons perceive the impact of chronic heart failure (CHF) on daily life is important when planning nursing care. For this purpose, disease specific instruments are needed. However, few instruments have been developed or tested specifically on elderly persons.

AIM

To validate a Swedish version of the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (LHFQ) on elderly persons with CHF, and use it to describe the impact of CHF on daily life in the same population.

METHODS

The sample comprised of 357 persons, aged between 65 and 99, diagnosed with CHF. A questionnaire including background data, the LHFQ and the SF-12 was used.

RESULTS

A factor analysis resulted in four dimensions: physical, emotional, treatment and pleasure. LHFQ showed convergent validity and ability to discriminate between known groups. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.94. Impairments in the physical dimension were most common, especially fatigue (88%) and shortness of breath (87%).

CONCLUSIONS

The LHFQ showed satisfying psychometric properties in an elderly Swedish population with CHF and can, with minor alterations, be recommended for research and clinical use. The impact of chronic heart failure on daily life was mostly physical, but other impairments were also common.

Development and validation of a new quality of life scale for patients receiving home-based medical care: The Observational Study of Nagoya Elderly with Home Medical Care

AIM

To develop and validate a scale that assesses quality of life in patients receiving home-based medical care.

METHODS

A new quality of life scale was developed and evaluated in four phases: (i) item generation; (ii) first field study with a 14-item questionnaire; (iii) preliminary validation study, to reduce the number of items to four; and (iv) second field study comprising 40 patients, to evaluate the validity of the final version. Participants were requested to answer both the final version of the scale and the Short Form-8, to enable identification of any relationship between the two.

RESULTS

Items were generated after discussions with doctors and care managers, and 14 items were selected for the draft version. In the preliminary validation study, 10 items were deleted, based on the results of statistical analysis of the data from the first field study. A psychometric analysis showed that the final four-item questionnaire had internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.7), and a significant association with the Short Form-8.

CONCLUSIONS

We created the first quality of life scale for patients receiving home-based medical care. The scale's internal consistency was confirmed, as well as its external validity. This scale can be used independently of factors such as a patient's age, sex, level of independence in the presence of dementia or disability, swallowing function, hearing ability and communication ability, and can be used with ease in routine clinical practice. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 440-448.

[Factors associated with psychological distress among military police in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]

This study investigates factors associated with psychological distress among military police (n = 1,120) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The article describes their social, economic, and demographic characteristics, quality of life, mental health, and work conditions. Measurement of psychological distress used the Self-Reported Questionnaire. Analysis of associations used logistic regression, considering factors associated with psychological distress. The results indicate an association between psychological distress and factors such as ability to react to difficult situations, dissatisfaction with life, health problems (especially digestive, nervous, and musculoskeletal symptoms), and adverse work conditions such as excessive workload, constant stress, and victimization. The article concludes by highlighting the need for health promotion interventions for the military police, focusing especially on their mental health.

[Alzheimer's disease influence on the perception of quality of life from the elderly people]

This study aims to compare the general perception and each dimension of the quality of life (QoL) of an elderly group with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) (n = 53) to those of a similar group regarding the socio-demographic variables (n = 53). The QoL measures were obtained through an Assessment Scale of the Quality of life in Alzheimer's Disease, and the data were typed into a database in the program Statistical Program for Social Sciences for the execution of the statistical analysis (descriptive, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney and Chi-Square). Results showed that all dimensions of QoL measured by the instrument were statistically inferior in the group of elderly with AD. Regarding the total scores of QoL, the mean was 40.18 points for elderly without AD and 29.32 for elderly with AD, t(104) = 9.449, p < 0.001. These results indicate that older people with AD present inferior levels of QoL, which suggests that AD has a negative influence in their perception of quality of life.

Worsening trends in adult health-related quality of life and self-rated health-United States, 1993-2001

OBJECTIVES

Health-related quality of life and self-rated health complement mortality and morbidity as measures used in tracking changes and disparities in population health. The objectives of this study were to determine whether and how health-related quality of life and self-rated health changed overall in U.S. adults and in specific sociodemographic and geographic groups from 1993 through 2001.

METHODS

The authors analyzed data from annual cross-sectional Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys of 1.2 million adults from randomly selected households with telephones in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

RESULTS

Mean physically and mentally unhealthy days and activity limitation days remained constant early in the study period but increased later on. Mean unhealthy days increased about 14% during the study period. The percentage with fair or poor self-rated health increased from 13.4% in 1993 to 15.5% in 2001. Health-related quality of life and self-rated health worsened in most demographic groups, especially adults 45-54 years old, high school graduates without further education, and those with annual household incomes less than $50,000. However, adults 65 years old or older and people identified as non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander reported stable or improving health-related quality of life and self-rated health. In 18 of the states and the District of Columbia, mean unhealthy days increased, while only North Dakota reported a decrease.

CONCLUSION

Population tracking of adult health-related quality of life and self-rated health identified worsening trends overall and for many groups, suggesting that the nation's overall health goals as identified in the Healthy People planning process are not being met.

The clinical significance of quality-of-life results: practical considerations for specific audiences

This is the sixth article in a series intended to summarize the state of the science for assessing the clinical significance of quality-of-life (QOL) assessments. The previous 5 articles dealt with specific methodological issues, whereas this article addresses practical considerations in implementing the methods and presenting the results to various audiences with differing perspectives. Proposals for how to interpret the "clinical significance" or "clinical meaningfulness" of changes in QOL scores were addressed in previous articles within this series. Within this article, 4 audiences-patients and physicians, clinical researchers, health policymakers, and private- and public-sector employees who work in health-related fields-are examined because each is a unique stakeholder with a distinct vantage point and each can interpret QOL outcomes differently. A clinician may attempt to explain to a patient potential treatment alternatives for his or her QOL; a health policymaker may try to describe to elected officials the financial impact on a patient population with reduced QOL; a researcher may try to obtain the vital messages from a clinical trial that included QOL end points; and a regulatory agency and/or pharmaceutical company may try to ascertain the appropriate level of evidence required for a successful research study. For each of the 4 audiences, concrete examples and practical guidelines are offered by which changes in QOL outcomes can be interpreted meaningfully. Ultimately, both determining and disseminating the meaning of clinical significance are functions of the outlook of the audience because the perspective of the audience determines its ability to comprehend, evaluate, and convey the context within which such outcomes appear meaningful. Among the audiences described within this article, a commonality of interests exist that mandates a careful exposition of the scientific rigor involved in describing the clinical significance of QOL assessments. Collectively, this series attempts to provide methods and means for making such determinations.

Qualidade de vida e saúde: um debate necessário

Este trabalho traz para o debate as relações entre saúde e qualidade de vida. Busca situar os discursos que se constróem na área da saúde em outros setores e outras disciplinas. Trata de uma representação social criada a partir de parâmetros subjetivos (bem-estar, felicidade, amor, prazer, realização pessoal), e também objetivos, cujas referências são a satisfação das necessidades básicas e das necessidades criadas pelo grau de desenvolvimento econômico e social de determinada sociedade. Mostra os principais instrumentos construídos nos últimos anos para medir qualidade de vida e as discussões que provocam. Reflete, também, sobre o campo semântico em que se desenvolvem as representações e ações voltadas para a qualidade de vida, como as noções de desenvolvimento, democracia, modo, condições e estilo de vida. Na área da saúde, discute a tendência de se estreitar o conceito de qualidade de vida ao campo biomédico, vinculando-o à avaliação econômica. Apresenta os mais variados instrumentos criados para medi-la nessa referida concepção. Considera a proposta de promoção da saúde como a mais relevante estratégia do setor, para evitar o reducionismo médico e realizar um diálogo intersetorial. Argumenta, porém, que essa proposta ainda carece de aprofundamento e de ser testada nas práticas sanitárias.

Selecting a measure of health related quality of life

Quality of life is becoming recognized increasingly as an important outcome measure which needs to be considered by social workers. However, there does not appear to be a clear consensus about the definition of quality of life. In addition, social workers are likely to experience difficulties choosing and applying an appropriate instrument with which to measure quality of life because of the many available instruments purporting to assess quality of life. This paper discusses the definition of health-related quality of life and explains the main measurement properties of an instrument that must be appraised when considering whether or not an instrument is appropriate. The paper will assist social workers to make an informed choice about measures of health-related quality of life.

Health-related quality of life in HIV disease: achieving a balance

Using grounded theory methods, open-ended interviews were conducted with persons diagnosed with HIV disease to explore and describe how they adjust to living with their disease in relation to their health-related quality of life over the illness trajectory. A substantive theory was generated that describes the process of learning to live with the unpredictability of the disease to maintain life quality. "Archieving a Balance," the core process identified, describes the psychosocial adjustment process of persons with HIV disease from the time of diagnosis to their current circumstances. The process involves balancing the requirements of living with the progression of the disease with the desire to maintain control over one's life, to the extent possible, to maintain life quality. Achieving a Balance is described within the illness trajectory with four major stages--Disintegrating, Renormalizing, Coming to Terms, and Creating Meaning. Characteristics within these stages, which enhance or diminish life quality are described, and a definition of health-related quality, of life is proposed. Interventions are recommended for nurses who care for persons living with HIV disease.