Search

Abstract: We sought to investigate associations between knowledge about the disease and sick leave, health complaints, functional limitations, adaptation and perceived control. Patients with asthma (n =101) and COPD (n =64) underwent lung function tests and completed questionnaires. In addition, all were asked the question: ‘what is the diagnosis of your disease?’, with the response categories: ‘asthma’ and ‘COPD (chronic bronchitis or emphysema)’. Thirty-five percent of the asthma patients and 30% of the COPD patients did not know their correct diagnosis. Sick leave was not associated with knowledge about the disease in asthma and COPD. In asthma, much knowledge about management of the disease was associated with better adaptation (P =0.01) and less perceived control over health by external factors (P =0.02). Knowing the correct diagnosis was associated with less control over health by powerful others (P =0.02). For COPD, more knowledge about management of the disease was associated with better adaptation (P =0.02) and less control over health by internal factors (P =0.01). Knowing the correct diagnosis was associated with less control over dyspnea at work (P =0.01). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigated associations of sick leave in 165 workers with asthma and COPD with three components of the Model of Planned Behavior (MPB): attitudes, social norms towards sick leave, and perceived control over sick leave and over health complaints. All participants underwent lung-function tests and completed questionnaires on sick leave, and on the MPB-components. Differences were calculated between high and low sick leave (frequency and duration) for the total group of asthma and COPD and separately for asthma and COPD. The most relevant variable within each MPB-component was selected for multivariate analysis. In the total group and in the group with asthma, low sick leave was associated with more perceived control over fatigue. In COPD, the attitude ‘finding the negative consequences of sick leave more unpleasant’ was associated with high sick leave. It was concluded that similarities exist in a population of asthma and COPD patients, but that different MPB-components play a role in sick leave in asthma and COPD. Perceived control over health complaints is more important in asthma than in COPD. Attitudes towards sick leave appear to be more important in COPD patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the development process of a health education program to promote adherence to a pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) therapy for women with urinary incontinence (UI). The development process started with a needs assessment phase in which the health problem, health-related quality of life, and behavioral and environmental determinants were assessed. Guided by the intervention mapping (IM) approach, program objectives were formulated and, on the basis of both empirical and theoretical data, intervention methods for influencing determinants of adherence to PFME therapy were chosen and translated into practical strategies. This information was assimilated to a transparent description of the program design. The theoretical rationale of the program was based on the transtheoretical model, the self-regulation theory and principles of targeted communication and sex-specific health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive overview of the problems patients experience in a palliative phase of cancer. A two-step qualitative method was used: in-depth interviews with patients and relatives (N=9 patients+7 relatives), followed by interviews (N=31patients+15 relatives) using a checklist to confirm and complete the picture. Quality of life and quality of care domains were addressed. Patients experienced problems in all of these palliative care domains, although individual patients may have experienced only a few problems. Fatigue, feelings of futility, reluctance to accept help, fear of suffering and the fear that help would not be available if needed, were common problems. Communication problems arose when a grudge against a GP had remained, or because one family member tried to spare the other a confrontation with his/her feelings of fear or grief. A comprehensive checklist of relevant problems is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]