Blood donation practice and its associated factors among Polish population: secondary data analysis

Introduction

Blood transfusion is an intervention widely used in therapeutics (e.g., in the perioperative period), thus, knowledge about factors associated with blood donation is important. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of sociodemographic factors, personal values and life satisfaction on blood donation in Poland.

Methods

Secondary analysis of data. A multiple logistic regression was carried out to assess the relationship between sociodemographic factors, life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale), personal values (Personal Values List) and blood donation.

Results

Of the 770 respondents aged 18-65 years, 262 respondents (34%) donated blood at least once in their lives. Respondents who believed that blood donation is safe (OR = 1.71; Cl95%: 1.20 to 2.43), were male (OR = 1.47; Cl95%: 1.26 to 1.72), married (OR = 1.31; Cl95%: 1.11 to 1.54) and those with high school education (OR = 0.81; Cl95%: 0.66 to 0.99) were more often blood donors.

Conclusion

Perceived blood donation safety and sociodemographic factors such as gender, marital status, and education level may influence blood donation. Health education is necessary to increase knowledge and shape positive attitudes toward blood donation among the society.

Welfare and Self-Assessment in Patients after Aesthetic and Reconstructive Treatments

In the last decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the interest in aesthetic and corrective surgery regardless of a patient's age. Both aesthetical and practical considerations are a motivation for patients undergoing plastic surgery. The goal of this study is to analyze dependencies between welfare, self-assessment and body self-perception in patients that qualified for plastic and aesthetic surgical procedures. The study group included 164 female patients, of whom 124 patients filled out a questionnaire before and after surgery. The questionnaire included demographic data and scales such as the Body Esteem Scale, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale-SES, the Satisfaction with Life Scale-SWLS, the Flourishing Scale and the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience-SPANE. The first hypothesis concerned the subjective assessment of body self-perception after the procedure. The results of the study confirm this hypothesis-female patients after surgery rate their body self-perception higher, which indicates a positive influence of plastic and aesthetic surgery that increased in the subjective assessment of 66 examined patients. Moreover, the study revealed a higher self-assessment after procedures. On the other hand, the results indicated that younger patients had a higher body assessment, but there was no increase in self-assessment. Except for breast augmentation surgery, there was no influence on self-assessment and life satisfaction improvement after other surgical procedures. In patients up to 48 years old, after surgery, there was a significant dependence between subjective body self-assessment and all surveyed forms of welfare. In the case of patients after 48 year of age, there was a relationship between life satisfaction and body self-perception both before and after surgical treatment.

Measurement Invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale by Sexual Orientation

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) has shown strong evidence of reliability, validity, and gender invariance, and there is some evidence of invariance across age, culture, and educational levels. So far, invariance across sexual orientation has not been studied, despite the number of works that relate well-being to sexual orientation. The SWLS should be invariant across sexual orientation to be able to compare group means. This study aimed to explore the invariance of the SWLS across sexual orientation. A non-probabilistic sample with 553 Spanish adults (208 males, 345 females; 212 heterosexuals, 182 gays, and 138 bisexuals among other sexual orientations) participated in a survey. We tested a one-factor model using confirmatory factor analysis. We tested the configural, metric, and scalar invariance of the factorial structure of the SWLS across sexual orientation with heterosexual, lesbian/gay, and bisexual groups. According to our results, the Spanish version of the SWLS shows scalar invariance across sexual orientations, allowing a valid comparison between sexual minority and heterosexual people. Moreover, in our sample, lesbian/gay and bisexual participants obtained lower scores in life satisfaction than heterosexual participants. Bisexual people obtained the lowest score in well-being compared with the other groups. Implications related to the importance of checking instrument invariance before comparing mean differences between groups are discussed.

Psychometric Properties and Measurement Invariance by Gender of the Abbreviated Three-Item Version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in a Colombian Sample

(1) Background: The need to offer brief scales with items that can be answered with few response options is increasingly important in order to be able to access a broad range of the population. The three-item version of Diener’s Satisfaction with Life Scale has recently been proposed. The objective of this study is to study the psychometric properties of the three-item version of this Scale with five response options, as well as the measurement invariance by gender, in a Colombian sample; (2) Methods: A confirmatory factor model of the three items of the scale together with the Flourishing Scale has been tested, and the measurement invariance by gender of the model has been studied. The results offer a very satisfactory fit of the model, showing good evidence of construct and criterion validity, good indicators of reliability and measurement invariance by gender; (4) Conclusions: The three-item version of the Life Satisfaction Scale, previously adapted to the Colombian population with five response options, is presented as a valid and reliable measurement tool. In future studies, it would be convenient to study the test–retest reliability, as well as its psychometric properties in different samples and at a cross-cultural level.

The Satisfaction with Life Scale in Adolescent Samples: Measurement Invariance across 24 Countries and Regions, Age, and Gender

Measurement of adolescent life satisfaction across cultures has not received much attention in previous empirical research. The present study evaluated measurement invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among adolescents in 24 countries and regions (N = 22,710; age range = 13-19 years; 53% female). A single-factor model with residual covariance between a pair of items tapping past life satisfaction fitted well in 19 countries and regions and showed a partial metric invariance. In a subset of nine countries and regions, partial scalar invariance was supported. Partial metric invariance across all 24 countries and regions was achieved when custom model modifications in five countries and regions were included. Three SWLS items showed evidence of noninvariance across cultures. The measurement model was found to operate similarly across gender and age. Our findings suggest that caution is needed when using the SWLS for measuring life satisfaction among adolescents from different cultures.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-021-10024-w.

Relationships between the acceptance of illness, quality of life and satisfaction with life in psoriasis

INTRODUCTION

Since the skin plays a pivotal role in interpersonal relationships, a chronic dermatological condition (psoriasis), may have a profound effect on the psychological status of patients.

AIM

To analyse the effects of skin lesions on satisfaction with life, acceptance of illness and quality of life in psoriasis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study included psoriatics recruited at the Dermatology Outpatient Unit of the Regional Hospital in Lomza, Dermatology Outpatient Clinic in Siemiatycze and Dermatology and Medical Cosmetology Centre in Bialystok. The study patients were examined with a demographic survey prepared by the authors, as well as with three validated scales: AIS, SWLS and DLQI. A total of 263 questionnaire sets were handed out to the participants of the study; this pool included 200 questionnaires with complete data that were eventually included in the analysis.

RESULTS

Acceptance of Illness Scale scores of the study participants ranged between 8 and 40 pts. Mean AIS scores for female and male psoriatics were similar, 23 and 25 pts, respectively. Based on the distribution of Satisfaction with Life Scale scores, 42 of the study patients presented with high levels of satisfaction with life, whereas 37 and 21 showed moderate and low satisfaction levels, respectively. Quality of life turned out to be the best among 20- to 30-year-old respondents as up to 74.19 of them had Dermatology Life Quality Index scores no greater than 10 pts.

CONCLUSIONS

Psoriatics with higher levels of illness acceptance also presented with greater satisfaction with life.

Measuring life satisfaction among psychiatric patients: Measurement invariance and validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale

The main aim of the present study was to evaluate the measurement invariance and the convergent validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) across clinical and nonclinical samples. A total of 216 psychiatric patients (47.7% females; M_age = 44.56) and 235 participants from the general population (54.5% females; M_age = 43.11 years) were recruited. The measurement invariance was tested by a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Full scalar invariance of the SWLS was supported. Psychiatric patients reported substantially lower life satisfaction than participants from the general population. The SWLS demonstrated good convergent validity in both samples. The present study supported the use of the SWLS as a measure of life satisfaction among psychiatric patients.

Validation of Subjective Well-Being Measures Using Item Response Theory

Background: Subjective well-being refers to the extent to which a person believes or feels that her life is going well. It is considered as one of the best available proxies for a broader, more canonical form of well-being. For over 30 years, one important distinction in the conceptualization of subjective well-being is the contrast between more affective evaluations of biological emotional reactions and more cognitive evaluations of one's life in relation to a psychologically self-imposed ideal. More recently, researchers have suggested the addition of harmony in life, comprising behavioral evaluations of how one is doing in a social context. Since measures used to assess subjective well-being are self-reports, often validated only using Classical Test Theory, our aim was to focus on the psychometric properties of the measures using Item Response Theory. Method: A total of 1000 participants responded to the Positive Affect Negative Affect Schedule. At random, half of the participants answered to the Satisfaction with Life Scale or to the Harmony in life Scale. First, we evaluate and provide enough evidence of unidimensionality for each scale. Next, we conducted graded response models to validate the psychometric properties of the subjective well-being scales. Results: All scales showed varied frequency item distribution, high discrimination values (Alphas), and had different difficulty parameters (Beta) on each response options. For example, we identified items that respondents found difficult to endorse at the highest/lowest point of the scales (e.g., "Proud" for positive affect; item 5, "If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing," for life satisfaction; and item 3, "I am in harmony," for harmony in life). In addition, all scales could cover a good portion of the range of subjective well-being (Theta): -2.50 to 2.30 for positive affect, -1.00 to 3.50 for negative affect, -2.40 to 2.50 for life satisfaction, and -2.40 to 2.50 for harmony in life. Importantly, for all scales, there were weak reliability for respondents with extreme latent scores of subjective well-being. Conclusion: The affective component, especially low levels of negative affect, were less accurately measured, while both the cognitive and social component were covered to an equal degree. There was less reliability for respondents with extreme latent scores of subjective well-being. Thus, to improve reliability at the level of the scale, at the item level and at the level of the response scale for each item, we point out specific items that need to be modified or added. Moreover, the data presented here can be used as normative data for each of the subjective well-being constructs.

Spanish Version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale: Validation and Factorial Invariance Analysis in Chile

The aim of this study is to: (1) examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Satisfaction with Life scale (SWLS) on a representative sample of the Chilean population (N = 1,500); (2) test the factorial invariance of the SWLS across gender and employment status (henceforth status); and (3) provide normative data of the SWLS for Chile. Results suggest that the Spanish version of the SWLS is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring global life satisfaction in Chile and for comparison across gender and status. Confirmatory factor analysis shows support, across all groups, for a modified single-factor structure of the SWLS that allows error terms of items 1 and 2 to correlate (GFI > .98; RMSEA .99; RMSEA < .06). Metric invariance holds for gender (ΔCFI = 0; RMSEA = .051) and status (Δχ2 = 23.93, nonsignificant; ∆CFI = 0; RMSEA = .045). Scalar invariance holds for gender and some status combinations; partial scalar invariance holds for the rest. Mean levels of life satisfaction can be compared across gender and status, albeit cautiously for status combinations for which scalar invariance does not hold.

Measurement invariance of the Satisfaction with Life Scale: reviewing three decades of research

PURPOSE

The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) is a widely used measure of life satisfaction, a key aspect in quality of life. The SWLS has been used across many socio-demographic groups. Comparison of life satisfaction across different subgroups (e.g., cultures) is meaningful to researchers; such cross-group comparison presupposes that validity of the inferences from SWLS scores holds across various subgroups (measurement invariance: MI). The aim of the present review was to identify, summarize, and evaluate research testing measurement invariance of the SWLS.

METHODS

A targeted literature search identified articles (published 1985-2016) that examined MI of the SWLS using multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.

RESULTS

The search retrieved 27 articles, representing 66,380 respondents across 24 nations. Gender, age, and culture were the most common types of MI assessed. Most articles used translated (non-English) versions of the SWLS. The highest level of MI tested in each article (i.e., configural, metric, scalar, strict) varied. Findings generally supported a unidimensional structure (configural MI), but less commonly supported were equivalent factor loadings (metric MI). Over half of the gender invariance analyses supported scalar or strict MI, whereas scalar or strict MI was supported in only 1 of the 11 culture MI analyses and 1 of the 9 age MI analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest meaningful comparisons of SWLS means across gender may be valid in some situations, but most likely not across culture or age groups. Participants mostly ascribe similar meaning to like items on the SWLS regardless of their gender, but age and especially culture seem to influence this process.

The validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale in adolescents and a comparison with single-item life satisfaction measures: a preliminary study

PURPOSE

The validity of the life satisfaction measures commonly used among adults has been rarely examined in adolescent samples. The present research had two main goals: (1) to evaluate the structural validity of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) among adolescents and to test measurement invariance across gender; (2) to compare the criterion and convergent validity of the SWLS and single-item life satisfaction measures among adolescents.

METHODS

Three samples of Serbian adolescents were recruited for the present research. Study 1 (N = 481, M _age = 17.01 years) examined the structure of the SWLS via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and evaluated measurement invariance of the SWLS across gender by a multi-group CFA. Study 2 (N = 283, M _age = 17.34 years) and Study 3 (N = 220, M _age = 16.73 years) compared the convergent validity of the SWLS and single-item life satisfaction measures.

RESULTS

The results of Study 1 supported the original one-factor model of the SWLS among adolescents and provided evidence for strong measurement invariance of the SWLS across gender. The findings of Study 2 and Study 3 showed that the SWLS and single-item measures were equally valid and strongly associated (r = .734 in Study 2 and r = .668 in Study 3). No substantial differences in correlations with school success and well-being indicators were found between the SWLS and single-item measures.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings support the use of the SWLS among adolescents and indicate that single-item life satisfaction measures perform as well as the SWLS in adolescent samples.

Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS-6): First validation study in Parkinson's disease population

INTRODUCTION

To explore the psychometric attributes of a new Satisfaction with Life Scale (SLS-6) in a wide Spanish-speaking population with Parkinson's disease (PD).

METHODS

This was an international, cross-sectional study. Several rater-based and patient-reported outcomes measures for evaluation of PD (e.g., Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Motor) and other constructs (e.g., Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire, Scale for Living with Chronic Illness) were applied together with the SLS-6. Acceptability, scaling assumptions, reliability, precision, and construct validity were tested.

RESULTS

The study included 324 patients from five countries, with age (mean ± standard deviation) 66.67 ± 10.68 years. None of the SLS-6 items had missing values and all acceptability parameters fulfilled the standard criteria. Scaling assumptions allowed the calculation of a summary index from items 2 to 6, complementary to the global evaluation (item 1). For these five items, Cronbach's alpha was 0.85; the corrected item-total correlation 0.53-0.73; inter-item correlation, 0.45-0.70, with an item homogeneity index of 0.55. The standard error of measurement, based on Cronbach's alpha for a single observation, was 3.48. SLS-6 correlations were moderate to strong (rs ≥ 0.35) with the patient-reported outcomes and weak to moderate with the rater-based assessments used in the study. The SLS-6 total score was significantly different according to PD severity levels established according to Hoehn and Yahr staging, Clinical Impression of Severity Index, and Patient-Based Global Impression of Severity scale.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that SLS-6 is an easy, feasible, acceptable, consistent, precise and valid measure to evaluate satisfaction with life in PD patients.

Psychometric properties of the satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) in Iranian infertile women

BACKGROUND

Infertility is a global public health issue and may adversely affect life satisfaction. One of the most widely instruments used to assess life satisfaction is the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the SWLS in Iranian infertile women.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this descriptive cross-sectional study, a total of 125 infertile women referring to Royan Institute in Tehran were selected by convenience sampling method. The participants were administered the SWLS, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and a demographic questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the SWLS were examined: construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability using Cronbach's alpha and convergent validity by examining the relationship with HADS.

RESULT

Results of the CFA indicated that a single-factor model provides a good fit to the data (χ(2)/df= 1.58; GFI= 0.975; CFI= 0.995; NFI= 0.985; RMSEA= 0.069 and SRMR= 0.027). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for SWLS was 0.887. Significant negative correlations were found between SWLS and HADS scores for anxiety (r= -0.410) and depression (r= -0.434), indicating an acceptable convergent validity.

CONCLUSION

The SWLS has adequate psychometric properties for assessing life satisfaction in Iranian infertile women.

Community integration after traumatic brain injury: a systematic review of the clinical implications of measurement and service provision for older adults

OBJECTIVE

To explore the scope, reliability, and validity of community integration measures for older adults after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

DATA SOURCES

A search of peer-reviewed articles in English from 1990 to April 2011 was conducted using the EBSCO Health and Scopus databases. Search terms included were community integration, traumatic brain injury or TBI, 65 plus or older adults, and assessment.

STUDY SELECTION

Forty-three eligible articles were identified, with 11 selected for full review using a standardized critical review method.

DATA EXTRACTION

Common community integration measures were identified and ranked for relevance and psychometric properties. Of the 43 eligible articles, studies reporting community integration outcomes post-TBI were identified and critically reviewed. Older adults' community integration needs post-TBI from high quality studies were summarized.

DATA SYNTHESIS

There is a relative lack of evidence pertaining to older adults post-TBI, but indicators are that older adults have poorer outcomes than their younger counterparts. The Community Integration Questionnaire (CIQ) is the most widely used community integration measurement tool used in research for people with TBI. Because of some limitations, many studies have used the CIQ in conjunction with other measures to better quantify and/or monitor changes in community integration.

CONCLUSIONS

Enhancing integration of older adults after TBI into their community of choice, with particular emphasis on social integration and quality of life, should be a primary rehabilitation goal. However, more research is needed to inform best practice guidelines to meet the needs of this growing TBI population. It is recommended that subjective tools, such as quality of life measures, are used in conjunction with well-established community integration measures, such as the CIQ, during the assessment process.