Quality of life

About: Quality of life is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 42912 publications have been published within this topic receiving 1198363 citations. The topic is also known as: life quality.

The relationship of symptoms and level of functioning in schizophrenia to general wellbeing and the Quality of Life Scale.

Abstract: Objective: Reports suggesting that quality of life in schizophrenia is more highly related to negative rather than positive symptoms are largely based on use of the Quality of Life Scale which was devised to assess deficit symptoms and does not include an assessment of subjective general wellbeing In the current paper we examined symptoms, level of community functioning as well as living circumstances as correlates of Quality of Life Scale scores and scores on the General Well-Being Scale Method: One hundred and twenty-eight patients completed the General Well-Being Scale and were rated on the Quality of Life Scale as well as scales assessing positive and negative symptoms Results: While negative symptoms, level of functioning and positive symptoms all were related to the scores on the Quality of Life Scale, General Well-Being Scale scores were primarily related to positive symptoms, particularly reality distortion Conclusion: The results highlight the importance of recognizing the complex nature of the concept of quality of life They demonstrate that varying indices of quality of life are likely to have different predictors

Obesity after childhood craniopharyngioma--German multicenter study on pre-operative risk factors and quality of life.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Craniopharyngiomas are tumorous embryogenic malformations As the survival rate after craniopharyngioma is high (92 %), prognosis and quality of life (QoL) in survivors mainly depend on adverse late effects such as obesity PATIENTS AND METHODS We analyzed 214 children and adolescents with craniopharyngioma The records of 185 patients (86 %) were available for retrospective analysis of weight profiles and risk factors for obesity Quality of life (QoL) was measured in 145 patients by the Fertigkeitenskala Munster/Heidelberg score (FMH) and in 77 patients by PEDQOL questionnaire RESULTS Eighty-two of 185 patients (44 %) developed severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] > 3 SD) Obese patients were compared with 79 patients (43 %) who kept normal weight (BMI 2 SD at diagnosis (p 25 kg/m(2) (p < 005; odds ratio: 46) Significant increases in BMI (p < 0001) occurred during the early post-operative period especially during the first three years after diagnosis FMH percentiles correlated negatively with BMI SDS (Spearman r: - 037; p < 0001) Children with craniopharyngioma rated their QoL more negative (p < 005) in regard to physical abilities, cognitive functioning and social functioning when compared with healthy children of the same age group Severely obese patients with craniopharyngioma estimated their QoL lower (p < 005) for all domains except for autonomy, cognition and familial integration in comparison with non-obese patients CONCLUSION Hypothalamic tumor involvement and familial disposition for obesity are risk factors for the development of severe obesity in patients with craniopharyngioma As weight gain starts early after diagnosis and severe obesity causes a reduction in QoL, early therapeutic efforts should be considered in patients at risk To confirm our results the prospective multicenter study Kraniopharyngeom 2000 on children and adolescents with craniopharyngioma was initiated (wwwkraniopharyngeomcom)

Late Side Effects and Quality of Life After Radiotherapy for Rectal Cancer

Abstract: Purpose There is little knowledge on long-term morbidity after radiotherapy (50 Gy) and total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. Therefore, late effects on bowel, anorectal, and urinary function, and health-related quality of life (QoL), were studied in a national cohort ( n = 535). Methods and Materials All Norwegian patients who received pre- or postoperative (chemo-)radiotherapy for rectal cancer from 1993 to 2003 were identified. Patients treated with surgery alone served as controls. Patients were without recurrence or metastases. Bowel and urinary function was scored with the LENT SOMA scale and the St. Marks Score for fecal incontinence and QoL with the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30). Results Median time since surgery was 4.8 years. Radiation-treated (RT+) patients ( n = 199) had increased bowel frequency compared with non–radiation-treated (RT−) patients ( n = 336); 19% vs. 6% had more than eight daily bowel movements ( p n = 69) compared with RT− patients ( n = 240), were incontinent for liquid stools (49% vs. 15%, p p p p = 0.001). Radiation-treated patients had worse social function than RT− patients, and patients with fecal or urinary incontinence had impaired scores for global quality of life and social function ( p Conclusions Radiotherapy for rectal cancer is associated with considerable long-term effects on anorectal function, especially in terms of bowel frequency and fecal incontinence. RT+ patients have worse social function, and fecal incontinence has a negative impact on QoL.

Effects of intradialytic exercise training on health-related quality of life indices in haemodialysis patients:

Abstract: Objective: To assess the effects of intradialytic exercise training on health-related quality of life indices in haemodialysis patients.Subjects/patients: Thirty-five patients on haemodialysis, with a mean (SD) age of 48.8 (13.9) years, volunteered to participate in the study. They were randomized either to rehabilitation group (group A: 19 patients), following a 10-month intradialytic exercise training programme or to control group (group B: 14 patients). After the randomization, two of the patients, one of each group, withdrew from the study for reasons unrelated to exercise training.Method: All patients at the beginning and the end of the study underwent clinical examination, laboratory tests and a treadmill exercise testing with spiroergometric study for the evaluation of their aerobic capacity (Vo2peak). A formal psychosocial assessment, which included affective (Beck Depression Inventory), health-related quality of life (Quality of Life Index, Living Questionnaire of Minnesota, Life Satisfaction Ind...