Biomedical subjects

Gabriele Schmutzer

Publications and source records attributed to Gabriele Schmutzer.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

[Screening for depression -- two questions practically oriented].

Despite the high epidemiological relevance of depressive disorders in daily clinical practice, they are insufficiently diagnosed. For screening, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force proposed two questions aiming at finding depressive core symptoms: "Over the past two weeks, have you felt down, depressed, or helpless?" and "Over the past two weeks, have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?". We tested comparable questions in a representative sample from the German population. The correlations between the screening and validated questionnaires for depression point towards the validity of the screener. Relevant indices are satisfying: For major depression the sensitivity is 72.6% and specificity is 87.4%.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

[The German short version of "Profile of Mood States" (POMS): psychometric evaluation in a representative sample].

The German short version of "Profile of Mood States" (POMS) was psychometrically tested in a representative sample (1009 subjects in Eastern Germany and 1034 subjects in Western Germany). The 35 items (7 point scale, instruction "How you have been feeling during the past 24 hours?") form the following scales: Depression/Anxiety, Fatigue, Vigor, Hostility. The POMS appears to be an internally consistent instrument (Cronbach's Alpha from 0.89 to 0.95). Replication of the postulated 4 factors was limited. There are hints for convergent validity of POMS-Scales using two questions: "1. Over the past two weeks, have you felt down, depressed, or helpless?" and "2. Over the past two weeks, have you felt little interest or pleasure in doing things?"

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

[Attitudes towards professional euthanasia in the range between grement in the society and personal preferences--results of a representative examination of the German general population].

Several surveys of the German population concerning the attitude towards euthanasia in patients with terminal illness yielded contradictory results, ranging from high acquisition to high refusal rates. After a critical discussion of the methodological concepts of these investigations, we present the results of a representative study of 1957 German persons (age range: 14 - 96 years) which was performed by the institute USUMA in February 2001. Four different types of euthanasia were included in the study: active, passive, and indirect euthanasia as well as physician's assisted suicide. The affirmative response categories were "declared will and unbearable pain", "declared will", "referred will", and "in the responsibility of the physician". Additionally, we asked to state the personal preference in the case of an own incurable illness. The resulting frequency distributions stress the autonomy of the patients (declared will) and the legal forms of professional euthanasia (passive and indirect euthanasia), independent from the degree of pain. The rank order of the hypothetic personal preferences was: passive euthanasia (26.1 %), active euthanasia (21.1 %), indirect euthanasia (13.1 %) and assisted suicide (6.2 %). For each category the hypothetic personal will to utilize euthanasia personally is markedly lower than the consent to legalize euthanasia in the society. This points to a diminished readiness of the population to seek for euthanasia. Persons aged 60 years and above deny all types of euthanasia significantly more often than younger persons. Persons with subjectively bad health status prefer the category "in the responsibility of the physician" more often than healthy subjects. The representative study proves that there is no polarized public opinion concerning euthanasia, rather there is a picture of high complexity.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

[Representative survey of german people concerning enlightenment and patient directive in a case of terminal illness].

The basic principles dealing with euthanasia (1998) as expressed by the German Association of Doctors states that in advance written directives are of "substantial help for the doctor in his or her actions". This requires, however, wide proliferation of patient directives. Hence it was important to ascertain the prevalence of such directives in the German population, as well as the relationship to the wish for enlightenment in terminal illness and diseases in their final stages. This was accomplished in December 1998 using 2050 people obtained with the Random-Route-Procedure (1024 from the new German states, 1013 from the old German states). The sample was obtained from the opinion research institute USUMA with ages ranging between 14 - 92. The main results from this representative survey represent an important record of the status quo with respect to opinion shaping of patient autonomy. 16 % of this survey expressed the wish not to be fully enlightened in the case of a terminal illness or they wished for a clarification to be given to the family only. This result shows that part of the population still holds on to their right of no knowledge. 59.1 % expressed the wish for a complete and immediate enlightenment. The other 24.9 % desired a careful step-by-step presentation of information. The high percentage of those who desired information and enlightenment is in contradiction to the small 2.5 % of patients who have actually written advance directives. These empirical results are consistent with the clinical experience of many doctors and represents the decision of the "representational" doctors for the current ethical regulation of patient directives as an ideal idea. Since 71.9 % of those surveyed had never before thought about this issue conclusions are drawn regarding patient consultations. Gender and East/West differences are also shown.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Development of a short version of the Insecurity Questionnaire (U-Bogen-24) by Ullrich & Ullrich de Muynck].

The psychometric properties of a newly developed short version of the "Unsicherheitsfragebogen" (Insecurity Questionnaire) by Ullrich & Ullrich de Muynck are examined using data drawn from a nationally representative survey of 652 former East and 1283 former West Germans. In addition, the questionnaire was tested on a clinical sample of 318 psychotherapy inpatients. The study demonstrates good test-theoretical features regarding parameters of items and subscales. In the population sample woman score higher on subscales fear of criticism and incapacity in saying NO and lower on scale being able to demand. Female psychotherapy patients score higher on scale fear of criticism and lower on scale being able to demand than male psychotherapy patients. When comparing psychotherapy patients to the population sample with respect to gender, male and female psychotherapy patients score higher on scales fear of criticism, fear of contact and incapacity in saying NO and lower on scale being able to demand. Scale means as reference values for the population sample as well as for the psychotherapy patients are reported.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Validation and standardization of the "Questionnaire for Assessing Subjective Physical Well-Being" by Kolip and Schmidt in a representative German sample].

The "Questionnaire for Assessing Subjective Physical Well-Being" by Kolip and Schmidt is examined using data drawn from a nationally representative survey of 573 former East and 1900 former West Germans. In this non-clinical sample the construct "subjective physical well-being" assessed by the "Questionnaire for Assessing Subjective Physical Well-Being" seems to have just one dimension. As women and probands with growing age score lower for "subjective physical well-being" a differentiated standardization was done for gender and age. Connections between "subjective physical well-being" and body-image assessed by the "Body Image Questionnaire" (FKB-20), quality of life ("EURO-HIS-QOL"), and questions for concerns about financial situation, family and health give hints for validity of the questionnaire.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Standardization of the German short version of "profile of mood states" (POMS) in a representative sample--short communication].

The questionnaire "Profile of Mood States (POMS)" is recommended as a measure of mood states in patients and non-clinical samples. On the basis of a representative sample (2043 subjects) reference values for the four scales (DEPRESSION/ANXIETY, FATIGUE, VIGOR, ANGER) of the German short version of the "Profile of Mood States" (POMS--35 items, 7 point scale, instruction "How you have been feeling during the past 24 hours?") are presented. The scale ANGER was independent from variables gender, age, education and current residence. In contrast to the other three scales these differentiations were necessary and detailed reference values are reported.

Adolescent↗