Biomedical subjects

A Järvikoski

Publications and source records attributed to A Järvikoski.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Outcome of rehabilitation programmes for employees with lowered working capacity.

Outcome of rehabilitation programmes emphasizing intensive cooperation between workplace and rehabilitation specialists was evaluated. Outcome of rehabilitation was assessed 6 months after the beginning of the rehabilitation process. Outcome measures presented here were based on questionnaires. Benefits of changes in work-related factors (e.g. ergonomics) carried out after the programme at the workplace were also assessed. The results showed significant improvement in the subjects' working capacity, as well as a decrease in symptom severity and disability caused by individual and work-related factors. Improvements in working methods and work tasks during the follow-up period were connected to better outcome.

Female↗

PubMed1993

Outcome of a multimodal treatment including intensive physical training of patients with chronic low back pain.

A comprehensive 4-week inpatient treatment including intensive physical training was evaluated in 194 chronic low back pain patients of whom 101 were working and 79 were on sick leave. Physical performance was assessed by measurements of spinal mobility, isometric trunk flexion and extension strength, and isokinetic lifting strength. Outcome was evaluated by a functional capacity index and work status changes reported at a 12-month follow-up. There was a 30-50% average increase in physical performance during treatment. At the 12-month follow-up the functional capacity index showed an average increase from 35.4 to 39.3 points (score range 24-48). At follow-up 28% of the sicklisted patients had returned to work and of those employed before treatment 14% were on sick leave. Associations between outcome and the improvement in physical measurements and their level at discharge were determined by stepwise multiple and logistic regression analyses. Among the physical measurements only increase in spinal mobility was associated with functional capacity index in women and return to work in both men and women at the 12-month follow-up. The overall results showed that intensive physical training and improved physical performance did not play crucial roles in the rehabilitation of chronic low back pain patients, at least when return to work was used as the outcome criterion.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Outcome of two multimodal back treatment programs with and without intensive physical training.

We compared the results of two multimodal back treatment programs (program A: n = 134; program B: n = 175) using pain, functional capacity, sickness absence, subjective state of health, depression, and work status as outcome variables. Whereas in program A exercise was guided by pain, in program B a "no pain, no gain" rationale was used as a basis for intensive physical training. Neither of the programs included direct attempts to influence the patient's environment (i.e., to find employment or to modify working conditions). In both programs, a clear decrease in pain and an increase in functional capacity was found from the pretreatment phase to the 12-month follow-up. These changes were, however, stronger in program B. Days of absence decreased significantly in group B, but the change was not significantly different from that in group A. On the whole, the more intensive training showed somewhat better results, even though the difference was not substantial. In contrast to some earlier results, there was no statistically significant increase in the proportion of those employed after treatment in either group. The results indicate that intensive physical exercise does not, as such, solve the problem of back disability in a country that has a highly developed social security system. More active interventions in work and work-life are needed.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

A controlled study on the outcome of inpatient and outpatient treatment of low back pain. Part III. Long-term follow-up of pain, disability, and compliance.

The long-term outcome results of inpatient and outpatient treatment of low back pain (LBP) were studied in 476 subjects (aged 35-54, 63% men) randomly assigned to three study groups: inpatients (n = 157), outpatients (n = 159), and controls (n = 160). The study included changes in the severity of low back pain, grade and disability, compliance with self-care, data on disability pensions, and days of sickness allowance during a 2.5-year follow-up period. These variables were used as outcome criteria. Pain and disability had decreased significantly in the two treated groups up to the 3-month follow-up. LBP was still a little slighter in the inpatients at the 1.5-year and 22-month follow-ups, but there were no significant differences between the groups in disability caused by LBP. The refresher programme carried out 1.5 years after the first one did not bring about as clear short-term improvement in pain and disability as the first treatment. During the whole 2.5-year follow-up compliance with self-care was better in the two treated groups, especially in the inpatients. Days of sickness allowance had increased somewhat more in the controls than in the inpatients during the follow-up. No differences between the groups were found in the number of disability pensions granted.

Absenteeism↗

PubMed1990

A controlled study on the outcome of inpatient and outpatient treatment of low back pain. Part IV. Long-term effects on physical measurements.

Effects of inpatient and outpatient treatment on physical measurements in chronic low back pain patients (n = 476) were analyzed at 1.5- and 2.5-year follow-ups as well as 3 months after a refresher programme which was carried out 1.5 years after the first treatment. Physical measurements consisted of hip and lumbar spinal mobility, and trunk muscle strength. At the 1.5-year follow-up the two treatment groups did not differ from the control group, but at the 2.5-year follow-up inpatients showed better improvements in physical functions from the pretreatment level. The refresher treatment was found to improve physical functions more effectively than the first treatment program, especially in the outpatients. Self-care with heavy exercising was related with the improvement of physical functions, but back exercises and light exercising were not. Statistically significant but modest correlations were found between improved physical functions and subjective progress during the long-term follow-ups.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

A controlled study on the outcome of inpatient and outpatient treatment of low back pain. Part I. Pain, disability, compliance, and reported treatment benefits three months after treatment.

Outcome of inpatient and outpatient treatment of low back pain was studied in 459 patients (aged 35-54 years, 63% men); 156 inpatients, 150 outpatients and 153 controls. Changes in low back pain and in disability caused by it, and adherence and accomplishment of back exercises were used as short-term outcome criteria. The overall results showed a significant decrease in pain and disability and better compliance in the two treated groups when compared to the controls. There was also a significant difference in treatment gains between the inpatients and outpatients; i.e. the decrease in pain was greater and the frequency of back exercises higher in the inpatients. The inpatients also estimated their treatment benefits more positively than the outpatients.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

A controlled study on the outcome of inpatient and outpatient treatment of low back pain. Part II. Effects on physical measurements three months after treatment.

Inpatient and outpatient treatments were compared with a control intervention in 288 men and 168 women, aged 35-54, who were at work, but suffered from chronic or recurrent low back pain. Physical measurements and back pain assessments were carried out before the intervention and at a 3-month follow-up. Physical fitness improved most in the inpatients, but the outpatients did not differ from the controls. Correlations between back pain and physical measurements indicated that increase of lumbar and hip mobility was more important than increase of trunk strength for subjective progress in these patients. Increased trunk extension strength correlated significantly with subjective progress in women, who also had higher correlations between improved physical fitness and progress than men.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Type A behaviour and life-events.

Our aim was to study the relationship between Type A behaviour and the occurrence of life-events in a large sample (n = 1003) of men aged 35-54. Over the whole sample, Type As reported more events during the past 12 months than Type Bs. This difference was found in the total score and in self-initiated life-events, but not in other-initiated ones. The results were similar even if those who reported chronic illness or a severe attack of chest pain were excluded. The relationship varied, however, by age as well as by marital and occupational status.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

A brief type-A scale and the occurrence of cardiovascular symptoms.

A short Type-A behaviour pattern scale was tested on 3,221 Finnish state employees (65% men, mean age 38.7 years, and 22% with at least college-level vocational education). The Type-A sum score varied with age, sex and work status, but not with basic education. Respondents were further assigned to two extreme groups according to the Type-A sum score: the Type A's in the highest and -B's in the lowest quartile. Of those aged 40 years or more (n = 1,460), the persons with the Type-A behaviour pattern reported typical severe angina pectoris symptoms more frequently than the Type B's. There were no differences, however, in the frequency of typical mild angina pectoris symptoms between the Type A's and B's. The Type-A and -B men differed significantly in the frequency of a previous severe chest pain attack suggesting a possible myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

Treatment of patients with chronic low back pain. Comparison between rehabilitation centre and outpatient care.

The results of three weeks' treatment for low back pain were studied in 88 patients at a rehabilitation centre and in 63 outpatients. All the patients were male, and between 54 and 63 years of age. Physical measurements of spinal function were made before and two months after treatment; a questionnaire on back-pain symptoms was filled in before treatment and 2, 6 and 12 months after treatment. A back-pain index based on the replies to the questionnaires was used for evaluating the effects of the treatment. The average results showed that the effects of the treatment lasted six months but disappeared almost completely within a year. The material studied revealed no substantial difference between the results of the rehabilitation centre and outpatient treatment according to the physical measurements or the pain index.

Ambulatory Care↗

PubMed1981

Early rehabilitation and its implementation at the work place.

During the last few decades a change has taken place in the morbidity pattern of industrialized societies. The proportion of chronic illness and disability has increased in middle-aged and elderly populations. Much of this disability appears as a result of gradual degenerative processes proceeding slowly towards severe disability. The practice of rehabilitation has not, however, been able to adapt flexibly to the new situation. The need for changing the emphasis of rehabilitation from mere restoration towards preventive aims is discussed in this paper. The branch of rehabilitation which has preventive aims is called early rehabilitation. Possibilities of implementing early rehabilitation activity at the work place are surveyed and a model, which was developed at two authorities of the City of Helsinki, is presented. In conclusion, some general problems concerning early rehabilitation are discussed.

Chronic Disease↗

PubMed1978

The need for early rehabilitation among Finnish municipal employees.

The aims of the project were to assess the quantity and quality of subjective need for rehabilitation among the employees of the City of Helsinki, and to make, through team evaluation, recommendations concerning rehabilitation measures that would improve individual situations. On the basis of questionnaire responses it was assessed that about 15% of the hourly-paid and 8% of the monthly-paid employees (10% of all the employees) need immediate medical, vocational or social measures. On the basis of the team evaluation, it was assessed that rehabilitation measures would be needed by 11-12% of the employees. The problems and methods of the study are discussed.

Adult↗