Quality of life and activity of children suffering from bronchial asthma.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this article was to analyze the quality of life of children suffering from bronchial asthma and to analyze their everyday activity. METHODS: The research was conducted in 137 children. The following questionnaires were used in the study: Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) and a questionnaire designed by the authors specifically for the purpose of the study. RESULTS: The findings of the study show that illness duration (r = -0.2; P = 0.22) and gender (P = 0.37) do not influence the quality of life. It appears that among children ill with asthma a higher level of quality of life is typical for the children who live in the country side in comparison with those from cities (P <0.05). The comparison was also made in terms of everyday activity of children ill with asthma and non-asthmatic children. The children ill with asthma displayed less social contacts with peers/friends (P <0.05) and they performed less physical activities (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The study points to the possible beneficial effects of activating children's social interactions, creating conditions for appropriate development of their social competences, and of stress reduction connected with social interactions. Asthmatic children should also be encouraged to intensify appropriate physical activity.

Quality of life of patients after laryngectomy.

The article is devoted to the quality of life of patients after laryngectomy. Cancer diseases disturb feelings of safety, one's own value, self-acceptance, and independence. The investigation has been made by using the following research tools: The HAD Scale, which assesses the frequency of occurrence and intensity of fear and depression and The EORTC Scale QLQ-C30 that enables the appraisal of physical state, social functioning and coping with emotions. On the basis of the obtained results we may conclude that patients' emotional state may influence and modify the experienced physical symptoms and social functioning. The increased level of fear results in fatigue and difficulties in social functioning. Clinical depression symptoms may result in breathing disturbances and loss of appetite. Learning about side-effects of therapy and problems resulting from it may help improve patients' psychophysical comfort through education, advice, and social support.

The effects of stress management on the quality of life of patients following acute myocardial infarction or coronary bypass surgery.

The objective of this study was to assess the impact of group-based stress management training on emotional well-being, functional status, social activity and chest pain in cardiac patients, within a randomized controlled trial. Fifty acute myocardial infarction and 50 coronary artery bypass patients were randomized to experimental (27 myocardial infarction and 23 coronary artery bypass) and control (23 myocardial infarction and 27 coronary artery bypass) groups 3 months after infarction or surgery. Experimental patients underwent a 10-week relaxation-based stress management programme, while the controls received normal care. Following assessment at the end of the treatment period, controls were offered the stress management programme. Follow-up data were collected 6 months post-treatment from both groups. Significantly greater improvements in emotional well-being as assessed on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (P < 0.005) and the Psychological General Well-being Index (P < 0.001) were found in the experimental than control groups, and improvements were maintained at 6 month follow-up. Greater improvements were also recorded in experimental than control groups in activities of daily living (P < 0.005), satisfaction with health (P < 0.025), reports from spouses or relatives of patients' emotional state (P < 0.001), and in disruption due to chest pain (P < 0.001). Similar responses to stress management were observed in myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass patients. When controls underwent treatment, they too showed significant reductions in anxiety and depression, but no changes in social or functional status. We conclude that stress management training may lead to improvements in the quality of life of myocardial infarction and coronary artery bypass patients. Such programmes might usefully be made available even to patients who have participated in formal rehabilitation.

Stress management in cardiac patients: a preliminary study of the predictors of improvement in quality of life.

The effects on quality of life of a 12-wk relaxation-based stress management programme emphasizing improvements in self-confidence and control was assessed in seventy-eight patients following myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass surgery or coronary angioplasty. Measures of psychological state, functional mobility level, social activity and chest pain were obtained before and after treatment and at 6 month follow-up. Fifty-one (66%) of patients completed the programme. Significant reductions in anxiety and depression and improvements in psychological general well-being, activities of daily living, social activity, quality of interactions and satisfaction with sexual relationships were observed posttreatment, and these were largely maintained at follow-up. Reductions in chest pain and improvements in spouse ratings of psychological state were also recorded. Similar responses were measured in myocardial infarction and surgery patients. Predictors of outcome in three aspects of quality of life, anxiety, activities of daily living and social activity, were assessed. Improvements in these three domains were independent of one another, and their predictors were also different. Reductions in anxiety were associated with neurotic dispositions and openness to new experience, while improvements in activities of daily living were predicted by work status, age and time since infarction or surgery. Implications for the use of stress management in cardiac rehabilitation are discussed.