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Background: With the ongoing demographic shift, the quality of life and health promotion among older individuals are becoming increasingly important. Recent research suggests that Sense of Coherence positively affects quality of life. Hence, a valid and reliable measurement of Sense of Coherence is pivotal. The 13-item Orientation to Life Questionnaire (OLQ-13) can be used to measure Sense of Coherence. The purpose of the present study is to assess the psychometric properties, validity, and reliability, of the OLQ-13 in community-dwelling individuals, aged 65 and older. Methods: The OLQ-13 scale was administered as part of a healthy aging project for non-institutionalized people aged 65 years and older. Internal consistency and reliability were assessed by means of inter-item and test-halves correlations and Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was explored using cluster analysis and exploratory factor analysis (n = 703) and tested using confirmatory factor analysis on a separate subset of individuals (n = 658). Item face validity was investigated by means of 12 semi-structured interviews. Results: The reliability and the validity of the OLQ-13 in this population of non-institutionalized individuals aged 65 years and older was ambiguous, at least partly due to the poor performance of two items (b and d), which was confirmed by results from the qualitative part of this study. The psychometric properties of the proposed OLQ-11, obtained by deleting the two items, were better. In particular, the interpretation of exploratory factor solution improved. Whereas the underlying theoretical constructs could not be linked to the exploratory analyses of OLQ-13, this was to some extent possible in OLQ-11. The superior validity of OLQ-11 over OLQ-13 was supported by the better model fit in the confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusions: The present mixed-method study suggests the proposed OLQ-11 as a more suitable instrument for measuring Sense of Coherence than the OLQ-13 in a population of ageing individuals. This study confirms that the validity and reliability of OLQ-13 may differ substantially in different populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of chromatid breaks in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) after exposure to bleomycin in the S/G2 phase of the cell cycle (in the literature referred to as `mutagen sensitivity`) is associated with an increased risk of environmentally related cancers, including oral cancer. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether mutagen sensitivity measured in lymphocytes actually reflects chromosomal instability of normal cells in the areas in which tumors develop. Therefore, bleomycin-induced chromosomal damage in and growth inhibition of cultured oral fibroblasts and oral keratinocytes from 30 persons were compared with the standard mutagen sensitivity score in PBL. A correlation was found for the percentage of aberrant metaphases between PBL and oral fibroblasts but not for the number of breaks per cell. These data do not allow a conclusion to be drawn on the use of fibroblasts to study cancer risk. Within the fibroblasts it was found that a high number of breaks per cell was associated with less growth inhibition, indicative of damage-resistant growth. Oral keratinocytes were extremely sensitive to bleomycin, as indicated by a strong cell cycle block which resulted in a mitotic index too low to determine chromosomal breaks. Moreover, in the cell proliferation assay keratinocytes were found to be 100 times more sensitive as compared with fibroblasts. There was no correlation between bleomycin sensitivity of keratinocytes compared with fibroblasts from a single patient as measured by growth inhibition. This may be due to the strong influence of alcohol consumption by the subjects, which was found to increase the sensitivity of keratinocytes but not of PBL and fibroblasts. In conclusion, oral fibroblasts but not keratinocytes can be used to measure sensitivity for chromatid breaks. The apparent influence of environmental factors on keratinocytes makes them a useful source to study exposure characteristics but limits their application for the determination of genetic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Inclusive research is studied mainly in short‐term collaborations between researchers with and without intellectual disabilities focusing on practicalities. Structural study of long‐term collaborations can provide insight into different roles of inclusive researchers, thereby contributing to a collective approach. Method: Interviews with inclusive research team members (n = 3), colleagues (n = 8), and managers (n = 2) and three group discussions within the inclusive research team were held. Data were analysed following membership categorization analysis (MCA) adapted to the needs of the inclusive research team. Results: This MCA provides insight into the complexity of inclusive research, reflected in the multitude of identified roles and activities. Analysis indicates that researchers with and without intellectual disabilities complement each other. Conclusions: The activities identified in this study provide valuable information for discussing roles and responsibilities from the outset, so that dialogue starts at the core of inclusive research: the process between researchers with and without intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the influences of the third generation pill controversy on prescriptions for oral contraceptives among first time users through a population-based study. Increased risk of venous thrombosis in women taking oral contraceptives containing gestodene or desogestrel; Why doctors question the safety of third generation birth control pills; Participants; Methods; Results.