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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: We aimed to develop and validate a practical instrument to assess older adults' satisfaction with their social participation (SP). DESIGN AND SETTING: This methodological validation study was conducted at a public higher education institution. METHODS: A two-phase study was designed, developed, and validated to assess older adults' satisfaction with their SP. In the first phase, we conceptualized SP and developed an "instrument to assess older adults' satisfaction with their SP (IAPSI)," as approved by a committee of specialists, pre-tested, and partially validated. Second, we determined the IAPSI's reproducibility using Cronbach's alpha to measure internal consistency, Pearson's and Spearman's coefficients to measure correlations, the Bland-Altman plot and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to measure reproducibility. We also generated a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. RESULTS: 102 older adults (mean age, 87.29) participated in the first phase. Moderate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha 0.7) and significant moderate correlations with quality of life by World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-bref and by WHOQOL-old social domains (Pearson's coefficients 0.54 and 0.64, respectively; P < 0.001) were found. The ROC curve indicated an IAPSI score of 17 as the threshold for the impact of pain on satisfaction with SP (83.3% sensitivity and 88.9% specificity, P < 0.001). In the second phase, 56 older adults (between 81 and 90 years old) participated. We found adequate intra- and inter-observer reproducibility for the IAPSI (ICC 0.96 and 0.78, respectively). CONCLUSION: We have developed a practical instrument with appropriate psychometric properties to assess older adults' satisfaction with their SP.
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Abstract INTRODUCTION: Stimulation of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and chemokines may cause oxidative stress in Chagas disease. In this study, we evaluated the merit of vitamins C and E as antioxidant therapy to minimize the oxidative stress-induced damage in an experimental model of Chagas disease. METHODS: Ninety-six Swiss mice were infected with Trypanosoma cruzi QM2 and treated with vitamins C, E, or both (C/E) for 60 and 120 days, and their effects compared to placebo administration were evaluated in the acute and chronic disease phases. RESULTS: There was no difference in parasitemia among treatment groups. However, histological analysis showed more severe inflammation in the skeletal muscle in the vitamin supplementation groups at both the acute and chronic phases. Biochemical analyses during the acute phase showed increased ferric-reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and glutathione (GSH) levels in the vitamin C and C/E groups. In the chronic phase, a decrease in GSH levels was observed in the vitamin E group and a decrease in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) was observed in the vitamin C/E group. Moreover, there was a decrease in TBARS in the cardiac tissues of the vitamin C and C/E groups compared to that of the placebo group, although this level was greater in the vitamin E group than in the vitamin C group. CONCLUSIONS: The antioxidant action of vitamins C and E reduced oxidative stress in both the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease, with a marked effect from joint administration, indicating their inherent synergism.