Examining Predictors of Quality of Life of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities After Deinstitutionalization

This study examined if a person’s quality of life could be predicted by six relevant factors in a sample of 114 individuals with intellectual disability who had moved from institutional settings to community living settings within Ontario. Further, two aspects of self-efficacy were tested to see if they moderated the relationship between the possible predictors and the quality of life indicator. The initial multiple regression model accounted for a very small amount of the variance in the outcome (r2 = .08). The second analysis included decision-making as a predictor (r2 = .35) but did not find it to be moderator. The third analysis used opportunities for change as a predictor (r2 = .28), and as a moderator with two significant interaction terms, health and years in an institutional setting (r2 = .35). These findings support the often-theorized influence of self-efficacy on quality of life for individuals with intellectual disability.

Moderators of the Relationship between Family Caregiver Proxy-Ratings and Person with Dementia Self-Ratings of Quality of Life

As the dementia spectrum lacks any viable cure, quality of life is typically regarded as an essential measure of assessing the clinical course and evaluating interventions. With caregivers typically providing this rating to health professionals, the literature has noted inconsistencies between caregiver and person with dementia (PwD) ratings of quality of life and suggested several factors may moderate the rating relationship. To investigate this, an intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to observe rating agreement and moderator regression analysis was conducted to explore potential moderators. Potential moderators of caregiver burden, caregiver age, caregiver income, PwD IADLs/ADLs, PwD education, PwD cognitive impairment, PwD depressive symptom severity, PwD behavioural symptom severity, as well as relationship between caregiver and PwD. Utilizing secondary data from 107 recruited dyads, analyses conducted found fair agreement between caregivers and those with dementia while none of the hypothesized factors were found to moderate the rating relationship.

Socio-demographic factors, smoking, symptoms, morbidities and pulmonary function and quality of life in individuals with a heavy smoking history

Objective: To determine which socio-demographic, exposure, morbidity and symptom variables are associated with health-related quality of life among former and current heavy smokers. Methods: Cross sectional data from 2537 participants were studied. All participants were at ≥2% risk of developing lung cancer within 6 years. Linear and logistic regression models utilizing a multivariable fractional polynomial selection process identified variables associated with health-related quality of life, measured by the EQ-5D. Results: Upstream and downstream associations between smoking cessation and higher health-related quality of life were evident. Significant upstream associations, such as education level and current working status and were explained by the addition of morbidities and symptoms to regression models. Having arthritis, decreased forced expiratory volume in one second, fatigue, poor appetite or dyspnea were most highly and commonly associated with decreased HRQoL. Discussion: Upstream factors such as educational attainment, employment status and smoking cessation should be targeted to prevent decreased health-related quality of life. Practitioners should focus treatment on downstream factors, especially symptoms, to improve health-related quality of life.

Quality of life in multiple sclerosis: translation in French Canadian of the MSQoL-54

Affiliation: Louise Lafortune: Faculté de médecine, Université de Montréal

Parental projections of developmental outcome, quality of life and coping in children who require neonatal intensive care

Aux soins intensifs néonataux, les professionnels et les parents évaluent le pronostic du développement et de la qualité de vie (QdV). Le but de cette thèse est de comprendre comment les parents prédisent la QdV future de leurs enfants. Cette étude qualitative basée sur la théorisation ancrée comprend dix entrevues avec des parents. Les résultats indiquent que le pronostic développemental influence les prédictions parentales de QdV, mais il n’est pas suffisant, car la QdV est multidimensionnelle. Les parents utilisent des mécanismes d’adaptation pour gérer la maladie et l’hospitalisation de leur enfant. Ceux qui pensent qu’ils, et leur enfant, seront capables de s’adapter à un mauvais état développemental, prévoient une QdV réévaluée. Le pronostic neuro-développemental et la QdV future ne sont pas facilement estimés et les professionnels doivent en être conscients. Aider les parents à identifier des mécanismes d’adaptation peut les amener à estimer un meilleur pronostic de la QdV.

A study on the quality of life of the members of self help groups assisted by non-governmental organisations in Kerala

School of Management Studies, CUSAT

Objective quality of life, optimism, and social-juridical variables, as predictive ones of the subjective quality of life in disarmed Colombian persons

The goal of this research was to identify predic- tive psychosocial factors of the subjective quality of life in a group of 60 people, with ages between 19 and 57, from both sexes, included in the program of demobilization and social inclusion of the Pro- grama de la Alta Consejería para la Reintegración Social y Económica de Personas y Grupos Alzados en Armas en Colombia. this research was a predic- tive correlational descriptive study. the Question- naire of optimism/Pessimism was used to assess the optimist or pessimist trend, and, for assess the quality of life, these strategies were combined: a home visit to value the objective quality of life, the Analogous scale of subjective Quality of Life to value satisfaction and well-being, and a general format to collect socio-demographic and juridical information. Results show that some variables as perceived health, optimism, educational level, re- ligious believes, objective quality of life, type of demobilization and years spent in the armed group operating outside the law, are associated to better levels of perceived quality of life. The findings and limitations of the study are discussed.  

Smoking habit profile and health-related quality of life

Resumen tomado de la publicación

Caregivers??? perception of patients??? cognitive deficit in schizophrenia and its influence on their quality of life

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Qualidade de vida do cuidador de enfermagem e sua relação com o cuidar; Quality of life of the nursing caregiver and its relationship with care

Objective:To identify aspects that affect the quality of life of nursing caregivers and their relationship with care in an Intensive Care Unit for Adults (A-ICU). Methods:This was a descriptive study with qualitative approach, taking as subjects 21 professionals who constitute the nursing staff of the A-ICU of a school hospital in Maringá-PR. Unstructured interview was used as a strategy to collect data, conducted between May and June 2009. Data analysis was based on the method of content analysis. The categories identified were: overlooking improvement in quality of life related to the resources in an A-ICU; the quality of life influencing the form of care; interpersonal relationships into the health team reflecting on the quality of life and care. Results:The analysis of caregivers’ speech and the results of the observation showed that there is correlation between the aspects they consider influential in their quality of life and the way of caring for patients in an A-ICU.Conclusion: The findings indicate that, among the influential aspects, the stressful factors overlap the enhancing ones. From this perspective, dealing with caregiver’s suffering might be the starting point for the improvement in quality of care in an A-ICU.

Quality of life measure for adolescents and children with hearing loss

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of hearing loss on the quality of life of adolescents and children. Focus group sessions were held for parents and children or adolescents with hearing loss to discuss their perceptions. Quality of life questionnaires were developed for adolescents and children with hearing loss.

Quality of life in children with unilateral hearing loss: a pilot study

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the impact of unilateral hearing loss on the quality of life of children. Focus group sessions were held for parents and children or adolescents with unilateral hearing loss to discuss their perceptions. Parents and children or adolescents completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Findings were presented depicting which domains of quality of life are most affected.

Quality of Life Issues and Second-Generation Migration: the Case of 'Bajan-Brit Returnees'

This paper forms part of research that is investigating the migration of young Bajan-Brits to Barbados. Specifically, it explores the role of quality of life issues in the decision-making processes of young Bajan-Brits as they negotiate their 'return' to Barbados. The research, based on 51 in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with an under-researched cohort of young Bajan-Brits living in Barbados, argues from a 'lure of home' conceptualisation that the return of young Bajan-Brits to Barbados can best be understood from the context of a search for a better quality of life in the face of social and economic disenfranchisement in the UK context. Subsequently, the paper examines the extent to which the quality of life factors which formed the basis of return to Barbados have in fact been realised on the part of young Bajan-Brits in their adjustment to life in Barbados. The paper ultimately argues that despite problems of adjustment, young Bajan-Brits have generally been successful in actualising a better quality of life in Barbados. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.