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Levels of disability in major depression: findings from the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS).

BACKGROUND: Information on the distribution of disability associated with major depression (MD) across different groups of patients is of interest to health policy and planning. We examined the associations of severity and type (a single or recurrent episode) of MD with disability in a Dutch general population sample. METHODS: We used data from the first wave (1996) of the Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study (NEMESIS). MD 'severity' and 'type' were diagnosed with the help of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview according to DSM-III-R criteria. SF-36 scores, days ill in bed and days absent from work were taken as indicators of disability. The differences in these variables were studied by means of variance and regression analysis. RESULTS: Recurrent MD was found not to be associated with more disability than single episode MD. Higher 'severity' classes were associated with more disability. However, the degree of disability between 'moderate' and 'severe' MD differed only very slightly. The difference in disability between non-depressed and mildly depressed individuals had a larger effect than between each successive pair of 'severity' classes. CONCLUSIONS: Three groups of MD can be distinguished based on the associated degree of disability: 'mild', 'moderate to severe' and 'severe with psychotic features'. In the future, these groups can be used to describe the distribution of disability in the depressed population. The marked difference between 'mild' MD and no MD suggests that 'mild' cases should be considered relevant.

Adult↗

Effects of a nursing intervention program on disabled patients and their caregivers.

This study evaluated a continuous home-visiting program designed for disabled patients. An intervention program was also designed for caregivers that included education and disabled care skills training, and emotional support over a 22-week period. The criteria for the disabled patients were as follows: (1) aged 18 years or older, (2) Barthel activity of daily living (ADL) score of <80 on the first visit, and (3) onset of disability prior to study was less than 2 years. A total of 126 participants were transferred from several hospitals to the community to be cared for by caregivers. Patients were divided into two groups: control group (n=56), and intervention group (n=70). In the control group, caregivers were not provided with any special training and patients were just evaluated at the beginning and end of the program. In the intervention group, caregivers were given intensive training in care for the disabled and completed eight home-visits. The outcomes were measured before and after program using Barthel ADL index, life satisfaction scale (LSS) and caregiver's burnout scale (CBS). The results showed that improvements in ADL, LSS and CBS were significantly greater in the intervention group, compared to the control group. Multiple linear regression models showed that improvements in ADL were higher among patients with early-stage (onset of disability was less than 6 months before the start of the program) disability, patients whose caregivers had good health status, patients in the intervention group and patients who received more daily care hours. For LSS, there was a negative correlation with change in CBS and financial burden. In conclusion, the intervention program significantly improved disabled patients' ADL scores, as well as caregivers' LSS and CBS scores. It is necessary to coordinate medical and public health resources in the community to provide disabled patients and their caregivers with specific training and caregiving skills.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Pain beliefs and perceived physical disability of patients with chronic low back pain.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy and maintenance of exercise have emerged as major tools in the treatment of patients with chronic low back pain. Patients' beliefs about their problem may influence their uptake of and responses to particular treatment modalities. In particular, we hypothesised that patients' beliefs about the cause and treatment of pain may mediate changes in physical disability following participation in a multidisciplinary pain management programme. A cohort of 84 patients was invited to respond to booklets of self-report questionnaires prior to, immediately after and 3 months following participation in multidisciplinary pain management programmes. Questionnaires addressed subjects' beliefs about the nature and treatment of pain (Pain Beliefs Questionnaire), and their disability (Likert-modified Roland and Morris Disability Questionnaire, Physical Functioning scale of the Short Form-36 Health Survey, and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire). Patients with chronic low back pain who more strongly endorsed 'organic' concepts about the nature and treatment of pain reported higher levels of physical disability at baseline, and displayed greater reductions in disability following participation in the pain management programmes. Reductions in reported 'organic' pain beliefs were associated with improvements in reported disability. Endorsement of 'psychological' concepts about the nature and treatment of pain was not associated with disability. These findings support a view that patients' beliefs about the nature and treatment of their pain can change during participation in a multidisciplinary pain management programme based on cognitive-behavioural intervention. Modification of these beliefs may be associated with improvements in patients' perceptions of the level of their disability.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Fear of movement/(re)injury, disability and participation in acute low back pain.

Fear of movement/(re)injury and its associated avoidance behavior have shown to be strongly associated with functional disability in chronic low back pain. In acute low back pain disability, the role of pain-related fear has received little research attention so far. Measures of pain-related fear such as the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) are increasingly being used in primary care. The aim of the present study was: (1). to further investigate the factor structure of the TSK in a population of acute low back pain (LBP) patients in primary care by means of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA); (2). to examine the relationship between fear of movement/(re)injury and disability, as well as participation in daily and social life activities in 615 acute LBP patients seen by general practitioners and physical therapists in primary care settings; and (3). to examine whether disability mediates the association between pain-related fear and participation. CFA, and a subsequent explorative factor analysis on the TSK revealed a two-factor model. The factors consisted of items associated with 'harm', and items representing the 'avoidance of activity'. Both constructs were significantly associated with disability and participation. Additionally, and in contrast to what is often observed in chronic pain, disability, and to a lesser degree participation, were also associated with pain intensity. Finally, the association between pain-related fear, pain intensity and participation was indeed mediated by disability. The results suggest that early on in the development of LBP disability, the successful reduction of pain-related fear and disability might foster increased participation in daily and social life activities.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Does late-life physical activity or exercise prevent or minimize disablement? A critical review of the scientific evidence.

Physical activity and exercise are widely purported to enhance health and minimize or prevent functional loss and disability. Yet, do the benefits of late-life physical activity or exercise extend beyond disease and impairment-level factors? Does late-life physical activity minimize or prevent functional limitations and disability? To address these questions, a best-evidence framework was used to examine the effects of late-life physical activity on disablement outcomes. This review shows that exercise-particularly walking-increases muscle strength and aerobic capacity and reduces functional limitations. It is less clear, however, whether physical activity or exercise prevents or minimizes physical disability. Furthermore, this review shows a discrepancy between prospective and experimental studies: several well-conducted prospective studies show a beneficial effect of physical activity on minimizing disability, whereas the majority of experimental studies that have examined disability as an outcome do not show improvements in disability. Three research priorities are identified that would advance the science in this field: (1). development of a clear conceptual and theoretical framework of late-life physical activity and assessment; (2). use of a disablement outcomes framework to examine the outcomes of late-life physical activity; and (3). development of a mechanism of action explaining the relationship between physical activity and exercise and disablement outcomes.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Injury severity assessment for car occupants in frontal impacts, using disability scaling.

Injury classification and assessment is one of the most important fields of injury prevention. At present, injury assessment focuses primarily on the risk of fatalities, in spite of the fact that most people who are injured survive the trauma. The net result of a fatality-based approach is that safety and vehicle engineers must make decisions with an incomplete, and sometimes misleading, picture of the traffic safety problem. By applying disability scaling reflecting long-term consequences to injury data, the most significant disabling injuries can be identified. The priorities change with the level of disability used in the scaling. In this study, the risk of permanent medical disability due to different injuries was derived and linked to abbreviated injury scale (AIS) values for 24,087 different injured body regions. This material is based on insurance data. To study how the importance of different bodily injuries changes with different severity assessments in a realistic real-world injury distribution, Swedish insurance industry disability scaling was applied to 3066 cases of belted Volvo drivers involved in frontal collisions. Crash severity was included in the study by using equivalent barrier speed (EBS). When lower levels of disability are included, injuries to the neck and the extremities become the most important, while brain and skull injuries become the most prominent at higher levels of disability. The results presented in this article should be regarded as a contribution to the development of a suitable disability scaling method. The results can also be utilized to further injury research and vehicle design aimed at reducing injuries which have the most important long-term disability consequences.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Differential parental communication with adolescents who are disabled and their healthy siblings.

PURPOSE: To examine the levels of parental communication and differential conversational styles with adolescents who are disabled and their healthy siblings, to better understand why the adolescent who is disabled has a higher risk of psychosocial problems during the transition into adulthood. METHODS: Families who had a disabled adolescent and at least one other adolescent who was not disabled were videorecorded during dinner at home. Twenty adolescents (12 girls and 8 boys) and their families participated. Analyses were conducted on the 392 interactions. RESULTS: Not only did the healthy adolescents participate in family interactions at higher frequencies than the adolescents who were disabled F(1, 383) = 14.00, p < .001, but the interactions were also more meaningful with healthy adolescents, F(2, 383) = 5.25, p < .01. Furthermore, healthy siblings had significantly greater conversational control than did their siblings with disabilities, chi2 (1) = 14.36, p < .001. Parents responded more negatively when adolescents who were disabled initiated a topic in comparison with their response to the healthy siblings, F(2, 69) = 5.44, p < .01. Finally, adolescents with disabilities were ignored more often than their healthy siblings, z = -3.75, p < .001, and they did not monopolize the conversation as often as did their healthy siblings, z = -3.91, p < .001. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that adolescents who are disabled may be at a disadvantage when engaged in family interactions in contrast with their healthy siblings.

Adolescent↗

Nursing students with disabilities: a survey of baccalaureate nursing programs.

In an effort to raise awareness of critical issues regarding the obligations of institutions of higher learning to accept and accommodate qualified disabled students, this study surveyed 247 baccalaureate nursing programs to determine their responses and reactions to applicants and students with disabilities. Almost half of the programs responding to the survey reported admitting students with disabilities, the most prevalent of which were dyslexia and other learning disabilities. The study was designed to solicit information regarding the methods used to determine the existence of disabilities, special services and accommodations provided to disabled nursing students, and student satisfaction with the special services provided. Fifty-three percent (n = 131) of the responding programs reported using a variety of strategies in attempting to determine the disabilities or special needs of applicants, and almost all programs reported efforts to determine existing disabilities of admitted students. The study revealed that the nursing programs provided an extensive array of special services for their disabled students, and they indicated a high level of student satisfaction with the services provided. Finally, the study highlights the need for establishing core performance expectations and technical standards in baccalaureate nursing education.

Clinical Competence↗

Social disability in schizophrenia: its development and prediction over 15 years in incidence cohorts in six European centres.

BACKGROUND: This paper focuses on the long-term course of social disability in schizophrenia assessed at first onset, and after 1, 2 and 15 years in incidence cohorts in six European centres in Bulgaria, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. The study population comprises 349 patients comprising 75% of the original cohorts. METHODS: Social disability was assessed in a standardized way with the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. RESULTS: Social disability in schizophrenia appears to be a persistent phenomenon. Its severity decreased overall in the period of follow-up, but this was not so in a small group traced to hospital or sheltered accommodation. Only 17% of subjects had no disability and 24% still suffered from severe disability. The great majority lived with their family, a partner, or alone. A deteriorating course was more frequent than late improvement. Gender, age, onset, duration of untreated psychosis or type of remission during the first 2 years did not predict the long-term outcome of disability. Severity of disability at the first three assessments of the illness contributed significantly to the explanation of its variance at 15 years. CONCLUSION: Disability generally ameliorates, but less than expected or hoped. It needs continuing attention and care in this era of de-institutionalization.

Adolescent↗

[Disability in schizophrenia. Intrinsic factors and prediction of psychosocial outcome. An analysis of literature].

OBJECTIVE: Many different factors, both related to the individual and illness ("intrinsic" factors) and to the environment ("extrinsic" factors), contribute in different ways to the development of disability. Basing on data of literature, this review focuses the main "intrinsic" factors predicting disability in schizophrenia. METHOD: A systematic search on Mediline of all papers published during the period 1965-2001 was performed, using "schizophrenia", "outcome", "psychosocial outcome", "social disability" and "social adjustment" as key words. Only papers reporting specifically data about predictive factors and psychosocial outcome variables were considered; prospective follow-up studies were considered, but retrospective and cross-sectional studies were also taken into account when data deriving from prospective studies were inconsistent. RESULTS: Male sex predicts a higher disability among demographic factors; lower social and occupational adjustment are premorbid personality factors associated with higher disability; among factors related to illness, younger age at onset of illness, "nuclear", "non paranoid" and in particular "deficit" forms of schizophrenia seem to predict more disability. The latter seems to be predicted also by higher levels of negative symptoms and neuropsychological deficits; the role of depressive symptoms seems to be less supported by follow-up data; a continuous course of the illness predicts more disability, although some evidences show a progressive reduction of disability, at least in the long term. CONCLUSIONS: Disability shows a largely autonomous course respect to symptoms and has to be considered an independent parameter of outcome. Few intrinsic factors show a predictive role also in the long term.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Concurrent validity of questionnaire and performance-based disability measurements in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.

This study aimed to investigate the concurrent validity of two approaches to disability measurement in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CLBP). It was hypothesized that if both are measuring the same construct, the instruments would lead to similar disability results and would correlate strongly (r > 0.75). The study compared the results of self-reported and performance-based measures of disability in 64 consecutive patients with CLBP. Participants mean age was 38.0 years, the mean duration of the current episode of back pain 9.9 months, and 90% were off work due to CLBP. The self-report measures used were: the Roland Disability Questionnaire (Roland); the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (Oswestry); and the Quebec Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (Quebec). Performance was measured using the Isernhagen Work Systems Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE). The mean scores from the self-report measure are as follows: Roland 13.5 (scale 0-24), Oswestry 28.2 (scale 0-100), Quebec 37.8 (scale 0-100) consistent with moderate to severe disability. In contrast the results from the performance-based measures suggested that the subjects should be able to work at a physical intensity level of moderate to heavy. Little to moderate correlation was observed between the self-report and performance-based measures (Spearman rank correlations: Roland-FCE (-0.20), p > 0.05; Oswestry-FCE (-0.52), p < 0.01; Quebec-FCE (-0.50), p < 0.01). Results are interpreted to suggest that both performance-based and self-report measures of disability should be used in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the disability in patients with CLBP.

Adult↗

On the possibility and desirability of constructing a neutral conception of disability.

Disagreement about the proper attitude toward disability proliferates. Yet little attention has been paid to an important meta-question, namely, whether "disability" is an essentially contested concept. If so, recent debates between bioethicists and the disability movement leadership cannot be resolved. In this essay I identify some of the presumptions that make their encounters so contentious. Much more must happen, I argue, for any discussions about disability policy and politics to be productive. Progress depends on constructing a neutral conception of disability, one that neither devalues disability nor implies that persons with disabilities are inadequate. So, first, I clear away the conceptual underbrush that makes us think our idea of disability must be value-laden. Second, I sketch some constituents of, and constraints upon, a neutral notion of disability.

Attitude to Health↗

Depression in the context of disability and the "right to die".

Arguments in favor of legalized assisted suicide often center on issues of personal privacy and freedom of choice over one's body. Many disability advocates assert, however, that autonomy arguments neglect the complex sociopolitical determinants of despair for people with disabilities. Specifically, they argue that social approval of suicide for individuals with irreversible conditions is discriminatory and that relaxing restrictions on assisted suicide would jeopardize, not advance, the freedom of persons with disabilities to direct the lives they choose. This paper examines the idea promoted by some proponents of assisted suicide that it is reasonable to be depressed about one's diminished quality of life in cases of irreversible illness or disability and, therefore, such depression should not call into question the individual's competence to request assistance in dying. The concept of rational depression is defined and examined in the context of: four real-life cases involving individuals with disabilities who requested assistance in dying; a set of criteria commonly applied to decision-making to determine rationality; and research bearing on the emotional status of people with disabilities. It is concluded that although disability is associated with particular socially mediated stressors, there is no theoretical or empirical evidence to indicate that depression and its role in the "right to die" is dynamically different, more natural, or more reasonable for disabled people than for non-disabled people.

Cerebral Palsy↗

Exploring the influence of depressive symptoms on physical disability: a cohort study of elderly in Beijing, China.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the influence of depressive symptoms on the prevalence of physical disability in a cohort study of Beijing elderly (1992--2000) and analyses the role of some confounding variables in this relationship. METHODS: A cohort of 1828 elderly aged 55 and older who were initially free of any physical disability was followed up for 8 years. Baseline depression was assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Disability on activities of daily living (BADL and IADL) was measured in 1994, 1997, and 2000 respectively. RESULTS: The cumulative percentages of persons who developed BADL disability and IADL disability during each follow-up interview was significantly greater among depressed than non-depressed individuals. Compare with the 1525 non-depressed individuals, the 303 depressed individuals had a relative risk (95% confidence interval) of 2.52 (2.02, 4.82) for BADL disability and 4.98 (2.46, 10.09) for IADL disability, respectively. Although adjustment for confounding factors reduced the risk to 2.20 (1.33, 3.62) and 4.29 (2.08, 8.86), the detrimental effect of depression on disability remained significant. The items of IADL which connected physical activity had higher impairment among depressed individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Depression in elderly persons may increase the risk for prevalent disability. It is very important for elders to prevent and reduce depression for improving the quality of their life and physical function.

Aged↗

[Quality in nursing care--action research in "Hamburger Behindertenhilfe"/Hamburg to disabled care].

A two year action research program with the title "Quality in Nursing Care" was carried out by a large institute for disabled care in Hamburg. Presently, the importance of quality in nursing as a profession is seen to be secondary to that of pedagogy in the area of disabled care. A major explanation for this could be the fact that 150 years ago the treatment and care of disabled people lay predominately in the field of theology and only later in that of medicine. In the second half of the 20th century, in the 60ies and 70ies to be precise, starting with an investigative commission "Psychiatryenquete "pedagogical science began to focus on the education of disabled people and their integration within society. At this point in time, seen from the pedagogical point of view, the care of disabled people in theory and practice freed itself from being a medicine concentrated profession and from the dominance of nursing care. However in today's society due to the increasing number of disabled people requiring expert nursing care there is a necessity to examine care related needs of assistance. With the research project "Quality in Nursing Care" an institute for disabled care has looked at different nursing care interventions and methods that our society may require for the changing situation we are presently being confronted with. An analysis of the requirements, the content and evaluation of the three chosen project related interventions, (the individual consulting of inhabitants with regard to the broadening of the competence skills, the development of expert nursing competence through further and continuous education of multipliers, and the development of codes and guidelines for activities) will be introduced. Beginning with the basic and primary principle of the action research, the researchers have developed, with the participating members of the institutions, the specific aims of the work undertaken and the interventions studied and executed. The most important discovery made during the project work undertaken is that the assessment of the extensively nursing linked problems experienced by the inhabitants in disabled care at this point in time is either simply not receiving enough attention or not being taken sufficiently into consideration by the predominately pedagogically trained staff. Taking this into account it is quite clear that professional nursing support in the long term has an important role to play in a successful disabled people orientated care concept.

Attitude to Health↗

Generalist genes and learning disabilities.

The authors reviewed recent quantitative genetic research on learning disabilities that led to the conclusion that genetic diagnoses differ from traditional diagnoses in that the effects of relevant genes are largely general rather than specific. This research suggests that most genes associated with common learning disabilities--language impairment, reading disability, and mathematics disability--are generalists in 3 ways. First, genes that affect common learning disabilities are largely the same genes responsible for normal variation in learning abilities. Second, genes that affect any aspect of a learning disability affect other aspects of the disability. Third, genes that affect one learning disability are also likely to affect other learning disabilities. These quantitative genetic findings have far-reaching implications for molecular genetics and neuroscience as well as psychology.

Humans↗

Waist circumference as a predictor of disability among older adults.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have addressed the association between abdominal obesity, as measured by waist circumference (WC), and disability in the elderly. Moreover, those studies were cross-sectional and yielded inconsistent results. The objective of this study was to examine longitudinally the association between WC and self-reported disability among older adults. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A prospective cohort study was conducted from 2001 to 2003 in 3235 persons (1411 men and 1824 women) representative of the non-institutionalized Spanish population ages 60 years and older. Baseline information was collected by home-based personal interviews and measurement of WC, weight, and height. Two years later, information on disability was obtained by telephone interview. The association of interest was summarized with odds ratios obtained by logistic regression. RESULTS: Among persons reporting no disability at baseline, WC predicted disability 2 years later. After adjustment for age, education, tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and physical activity, men in the highest WC quintile had 2.17 (95% confidence interval, 1.15 to 4.09) times more risk of mobility disability and 4.77 (95% confidence interval, 2.50 to 9.13) times more risk of agility disability than those in the lowest quintile. Additional adjustment for BMI, chronic diseases, and cognitive function led to only a slight reduction in this association. Results were similar for women. No statistically significant association was observed between WC and restriction of daily activities, limitation in instrumental activities of daily living, and limitation in bathing or dressing, in either men or women. DISCUSSION: WC predicts mobility and agility disability in old age. Avoidance of the highest values of WC might decrease the risk of disability in older adults.

Activities of Daily Living↗

The role of waist circumference in predicting disability in periretirement age adults.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the risk of periretirement age disability associated with five different anthropometric measures of body mass and shape, and to compare the measures in this group, the peak age group of obesity prevalence. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of Health Survey for England 1998 respondents followed-up in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing in 2002. SUBJECTS: National population sample of 1030 women and 888 men aged 55-74 years. MEASUREMENTS: Five baseline exposure measures (weight (WT), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), and waist-hip ratio (WHR)) at baseline, and disability outcomes (measured gait speed, self-reported mobility problems, instrumental and ordinary activities of daily living (I/ADLs)) after 5 years. RESULTS: Individually, the heaviest quartile of WC and WHR predicted disability using all outcomes in men. In women, the heaviest category of each of the five exposure measures predicted disability, for each of the outcomes. In competing measures models, WC was included in the best fit model of tested mobility disability in men (odds ratio (OR) 2.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4-4.1; P<0.05) and women (OR 3.0; 95% CI 1.9-4.8; P<0.001), adjusted for age, height, smoking, social class, and education. WC was also included in the best fit model of all self-reported disabilities in men, and for self-reported I/ADL disabilities in women. CONCLUSIONS: Across the periretirement age period, body mass and shape are major determinants of disability, with increases in WC, a marker for abdominal obesity, best predicting risk for most disability outcomes. This result adds to the case for WC to be used in estimates of obesity-related health risks for epidemiological monitoring and clinical care.

Activities of Daily Living↗