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In this study, the practical application of Integrative Validation Therapy (IVA) in a nursing home for people with dementia was investigated and evaluated from the perspectives of professionals and relatives by using Fourth Generation Evaluation. IVA, a complex intervention frequently applied in Germany’s long-term care settings, is a modification of Feil’s Validation Therapy and contains a specific attitude and several components of action. The findings demonstrate that professionals as well as relatives of nursing home residents gave the intervention a positive rating. From the perspective of the participating professionals, the application of IVA results in less agitated residents which also has an influence on the consumption of benzodiazepine and neuroleptics. The authors conclude that IVA is a beneficial nursing intervention helping to facilitate the illness-related transition process of people with dementia. IVA is able to support them to cope with emotional distress during transition (e.g. irritability, anxiety, depression, changes in self-esteem). Another conclusion is that IVA supports person-centred care because, with IVA, professionals react to typical needs people with dementia have: comfort, inclusion, attachment and identity (Kitwood, 2012). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental assumption of the quality-adjusted life year model is mutual utility independence between life years and health status. However, this assumption may not hold for severe health states: living in a severe health state may cause disutility beyond a so-called maximal endurable time (MET). It is unknown, however, whether persons without experience of a disease, who are often used in health state valuation exercises, account for MET. Using data from 159 respondents from two convenience samples in Germany who were presented a health state description of depression, this study shows that persons without experience of depression had a lower rate of MET than persons with a history of depression. Furthermore, they had more preference reversals in case of MET, thus violating a fundamental principle of rational choice theory. While these findings suggest that severe health states should be assessed by patients rather than the community, confirmation in additional studies outside Germany and based on other health-state valuation techniques and diseases is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The aim of this study was to test the validity of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire, Core Module (QLQ-C30) and Head and Neck Module (QLQ-H&N35) for patients who have undergone surgery due to laryngeal cancer. Methods. A total of 323 patients from 6 different centers in Germany who had been operated on completed the QLQ-C30 and the QLQ-H&N35 in addition to being surveyed in a personal interview. Results. Multitrait scaling analysis confirmed the proposed scale structure of both questionnaires. Cronbach's alpha of the QLQ-C30 scales ranged from 0.64 (Cognitive Functioning) to 0.94 (Global Health Status); the alpha of the QLQ-H&N35 ranged from 0.55 (Speech) to 0.90 (Sexuality). Known-groups comparisons showed multiple differences in sociodemographic and clinical variables. Conclusion. It can be concluded that the QLQ-H&N35, in conjunction with the QLQ-C30, is a reliable instrument that is able to differentiate between diverse groups of patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2009 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]