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Journal articles on the topic 'Disabling chronic illness'
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1
Strickland, Bonnie R. "Sex-Related Differences in Health and Illness." Psychology of Women Quarterly 12, no. 4 (December 1988): 381–99. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1988.tb00972.x.
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Mortality and morbidity statistics which reflect the major health disorders in the nation have changed dramatically in this century. Infectious diseases have been largely controlled, and this country's citizens are now burdened with the chronic and disabling disorders of an aging population that are increasingly linked to environmental and behavioral factors. This article documents gender and sex differences among the major life-threatening disorders and chronic health problems and suggests implications for psychology as a health science and profession.
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Divo, Miguel J., Carlos H. Martinez, and David M. Mannino. "Ageing and the epidemiology of multimorbidity." European Respiratory Journal 44, no. 4 (August 19, 2014): 1055–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1183/09031936.00059814.
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The world’s population is ageing and an important part of this demographic shift is the development of chronic illness. In short, a person who does not die of acute illnesses, such as infections, and survives with chronic illnesses is more likely to develop additional chronic illnesses. Chronic respiratory diseases are an important component of these diseases associated with ageing. This article reviews the relationship between ageing and chronic respiratory disease, and also how certain chronic diseases cluster with others, either on the basis of underlying risk factors, complication of the primary disease or other factors, such as an increased state of inflammation. While death is inevitable, disabling chronic illnesses are not. Better understanding of how individuals can age healthily without the development of multiple chronic illnesses should lead to an improved global quality of life.
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Sharpe, Michael, and Monica Greco. "Chronic fatigue syndrome and an illness-focused approach to care: controversy, morality and paradox." Medical Humanities 45, no. 2 (June 2019): 183–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2018-011598.
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Contemporary medicine distinguishes between illness and disease. Illness refers to a person’s subjective experience of symptoms; disease refers to objective bodily pathology. For many illnesses, medicine has made great progress in finding and treating associated disease. However, not all illnesses are successfully relieved by treating the disease. In some such cases, the patient’s suffering can only be reduced by treatment that is focused on the illness itself. Chronic disabling fatigue is a common symptom of illness, for which disease-focused treatment is often not effective, but for which illness-focused treatments (psychological or behavioural) often are. In this article, we explore a controversy surrounding illness-focused treatments for fatigue. We do this by contrasting their acceptance by people whose fatigue is associated with a disease (using the example of cancer-related fatigue) with their controversial rejection by some people whose fatigue is not associated with an established disease (chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS, sometimes called ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis)). In order to understand this difference in acceptability we consider the differing moral connotations of illness and disease and then go on to examine the limitations of the concepts of illness and disease themselves. We conclude that a general acceptance of illness-focused treatments by all who might benefit from them will require a major long-term change in thinking about illness, but that improvements to the care of individual patients can be made today.
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Karaboue, Karidia. "Headaches: A Gendered Illness." International Journal of Multidisciplinary Comprehensive Research 2, no. 6 (2023): 65–67. http://dx.doi.org/10.54660/ijmcr.2023.2.6.65-67.
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Headaches are not a symptom but a neurological disorder which mainly affects females and is the human race’s third most frequent and second most disabling illness, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Headaches are the epitome of chronic pain in females during their peak years of life. Those who are prone to this disorder suffer not only physically during an acute headache attack with its resulting incapacitating effects but also because of the anguish associated with the onset of new attacks. Its lack of 'social' recognition as a genuine, severe and incapacitating pathology is a further aggravation for those who experience this condition.
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Insel, Thomas R., Michael Schoenbaum, and Philip S. Wang. "Components of the Economic Burden of Serious Mental Illness in the US." US Neurology 05, no. 01 (2009): 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.17925/usn.2009.05.01.10.
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Mental disorders impose considerable socioeconomic costs due to their episodic/chronic nature, their relatively early ages at onset, and the highly disabling nature of inadequately treated mental illness. Despite substantial increases in the volume of mental health treatment for disorders in the past two decades, particularly pharmacotherapies, the level of morbidity and mortality from these disorders does not appear to have changed substantially over this period. Improving outcomes will require the development and use of more efficacious treatments for mental disorders. Likewise, implementation of cost-effective strategies to improve the quality of existing care for these disabling conditions is required.
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Neki, NS. "Chronic fatigue syndrome revisited." Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science 15, no. 3 (November 3, 2016): 326–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v15i3.30126.
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Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a common and disabling problem; although most likely of biopsychosocial origin. The nature of the pathophysiological components remains unclear. It is an illness characterized by persistent and relapsing fatigue, often accompanied by numerous symptoms involving various body systems. The etiology of CFS remains unclear. Celiac disease can present with neurological symptoms in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms; therefore, celiac disease should be included in the differential diagnosis of CFS.Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol.15(3) 2016 p.326-328
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Ward, MC, and P. Higgs. "Psychosocial aspects of adjusting to disability in older people." Reviews in Clinical Gerontology 8, no. 3 (August 1998): 251–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0959259898008375.
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Studies across the European Union have noted that chronic illness and chronic disabling conditions rather than acute infectious diseases are now the major causes of morbidity and mortality in member states. This transformation in the nature of health and illness has, and will continue to have, profound effects on the nature of both medicine and the policy and organization of health care. It is estimated that not only will the share of consultations with doctors about issues connected with problems of living with chronic conditions increase, but there will also be a corresponding shift in medical practice from cure to care.
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Awang, Halimah, Norma Mansor, Tey Nai Peng, and Nik Ainoon Nik Osman. "Understanding ageing: fear of chronic diseases later in life." Journal of International Medical Research 46, no. 1 (July 31, 2017): 175–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0300060517710857.
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Objectives Ageing is often associated with deteriorating mental and physical health and the need for long-term care, creating a fear of ageing. We investigated what people fear most in terms of disabling chronic diseases and their concerns regarding having long-term illnesses. Methods Data were obtained from an online survey of 518 respondents aged 40 years and older residing in Malaysia, which was based on a convenience sample collected in May 2015 to January 2016. Data were analyzed using chi-squared tests and multinomial logistic regression. Results Of the most dreaded diseases, heart disease and cancer are life-threatening; however, dementia, diabetes, and hypertension persist and have a disabling effect for a long time. While there were variations in the diseases feared most across sex, ethnicity, and place of residence, the biggest worry for all respondents with regard to having a long-term illness was that they would become a burden to their family, a concern that superseded fear of dying. Conclusions We found our survey respondents had a fear of chronic diseases and placing a burden on others. Thus, there is a need to provide motivation for people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, to remain healthy.
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Sreedhar, Sreelakshmi, Aswini B, Neethu Poulose, Akhil Hari, and P. N. Sureshkumar. "The quality of life assessment of chronic schizophrenia and diabetic patients with WHO-QOL in Indian population: a comparative study." Research in Pharmacy and Health Sciences 4, no. 2 (May 15, 2018): 442–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.32463/rphs.2018.v04i02.07.
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Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling psychiatric disorder and diabetes mellitus is one of the most prevalent non-psychiatric chronic illnesses. Both the diseases have common features of their chronicity, economic burden and dysfunction of occupation. QOL becomes more important health outcome tool in disorders that are chronic or where treatment continues over a long period. Methodology: In this study, descriptive survey was used to collect the data. Demographics details, laboratory results, given drugs, medical and medication history were documented into the data entry form and were asked to fill the BREF WHOQOL questionnaires (Malayalam version). Results: The BREF WHOQOL score was high in the Diabetic group in all the four domains as compared with the Schizophrenia group. Since P value is less than .05 in all cases, the difference is statistically significant. Discussion: The schizophrenia patients may have problems in maintaining relationships, frustration in working place, social isolation and stigma which again make their QoL scores lower especially when compared to a chronic physical illness like diabetes. The low score in schizophrenia indicates that mental illness influence above components of this domain. Conclusion: Mental health care is an integral part of healthcare. psychiatric illnesses is associated with lower QoL.
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Rakhkovskaya, Liya M., and Jason M. Holland. "Body dissatisfaction in older adults with a disabling health condition." Journal of Health Psychology 22, no. 2 (July 10, 2016): 248–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1359105315600237.
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Existing findings on body dissatisfaction in older adults are sparse. In addition, research suggests that chronic illness may elevate risk for body dissatisfaction. Accordingly, this study examined predictors of body dissatisfaction in 274 older adults with a disabling health condition. Most participants reported dissatisfaction with their weight, shape, and/or appearance. Higher body mass index and negative impact of health on appearance predicted body dissatisfaction. Gender comparisons revealed that depressed mood may fuel body dissatisfaction in women. Somatic symptoms predicted body dissatisfaction in men, despite men reporting lower somatic symptoms. Overall, results indicate substantial incidence of and unique risk factors for body dissatisfaction in this population.
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Vallis, T. Michael, and Geoffrey K. Turnbull. "Clinical Management of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Beyond Disease Activity. I. Assessing Psychosocial Factors." Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology 6, no. 1 (1992): 39–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/1992/187197.
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing disorder that can be very disabling to the patient and often leads to significant lifestyle problems (eg, emotional distress, social isolation, work impairment and disability). Available evidence strongly indicates that health status is influenced by psychosocial factors as well as disease activity. This is the first of a two-part series, the purpose of which is to provide a framework to guide the gastroenterologist in the assessment and management of psychosocial factors that impact on the health status of the IBD patient. Part I contains a review of existing approaches to assessment of psychosocial factors, which include focusing on psychosomatic or psychiatric factors. The growing body of evidence in support of a “biopsychosocial” approach to understanding and treating health status is reviewed. In this approach, distress and disability are not seen as due to psychopathology, but stemming directly from the experience of illness itself. Part II will focus on specific strategies to maximize psychosocial adjustment to this disabling illness.
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Whitney, Jenna, Joanna Murray, Kay Gavan, Gill Todd, Wendy Whitaker, and Janet Treasure. "Experience of caring for someone with anorexia nervosa: qualitative study." British Journal of Psychiatry 187, no. 5 (November 2005): 444–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.187.5.444.
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BackgroundCaring for someone with anorexia nervosa is distressing.AimsTo gain a detailed understanding of carers' illness models and caregiving experiences.MethodQualitative analysis and computerised text analysis were conducted on narratives written by parents as part of a family intervention at a specialist in-patient unit (20 mothers, 20 fathers)ResultsThemes concerned illness perceptions, impact on the family and carers' emotional, cognitive and behavioural responses towards the illness. Parents perceived anorexia nervosa to be chronic and disabling. Carers blamed themselves as contributing to the illness and perceived themselves as helpless in promoting recovery. Mothers illustrated an intense emotional response, whereas fathers produced a more cognitive and detached account.ConclusionsPart of the distress in living with anorexia nervosa may be explained by unhelpful assumptions and maladaptive responses to the illness. Training parents in skills to manage the illness may improve outcome by reducing interpersonal maintaining factors.
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Gignac, Monique A. M., Cheryl A. Cott, and Elizabeth M. Badley. "Living with a Chronic Disabling Illness and Then Some: Data from the 1998 Ice Storm." Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement 22, no. 3 (2003): 249–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0714980800003871.
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ABSTRACTThis study examined the impact of the 1998 Canadian ice storm on the physical and psychological health of older adults (age > 55 years) living with a chronic physical illness, namely osteoarthritis and/or osteoporosis. Although disasters are relatively rare, they are a useful means of examining the impact of a single stressor on a group of individuals. Specifically, we took advantage of a natural experiment to compare the responses of a group of 59 ice storm victims to those of 55 matched controls living outside the ice storm area. Data on disability, pain, self-reported health, helplessness, depression, and independence were assessed prior to the ice storm and approximately 17 months later. Older adults who reported greater helplessness and lost independence prior to the storm reported significantly greater ice storm stress and rumination and were more likely to report that the storm affected their condition. In addition, participants exposed to the ice storm reported significant changes in disability and pain nearly a year and a half later, compared to matched controls. These results suggest that older adults with chronic physical illness may be particularly vulnerable when faced with additional stressful events.
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Allen, Shelley, and Glenys Carlson. "To conceal or disclose a disabling condition? A dilemma of employment transition." Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation 19, no. 1 (January 2003): 19–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.3233/jvr-2003-00199.
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Disclosure is recognised as an issue for people of working age with a mental illness. Disclosure may also be an issue for people of working age with physical disabilities and chronic illness who are endeavouring to obtain and retain employment within their diminished work capacity in the open labour market. This paper is based on qualitative research into the employment transition of 13 participants with a range of disabling conditions. The conditions included rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, cancer, depression, HIV/AIDS, fracture of the wrist, traumatic head injury, and intervertebral lumbar disc prolapse. Despite loss of work capacity resulting in loss of employment, the participants secured durable employment within their capacities after periods of time sometimes extending to many years. Participants were interviewed to gain insight into the disability-to-employment transition experience regardless of their diagnosis. Of the 11 psychosocial themes that emerged from the data, concealment was one that was frequently and spontaneously identified by participants. In this paper the theme of concealment in the disability-to-employment transition is explored in detail. Relevant implications are identified for vocational rehabilitation professionals.
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H, Nafiaa, Benchikhi L, and Ouanass A. "Morphological Abnormalities in Schizophrenia: Systematic Review." SAS Journal of Medicine 8, no. 4 (May 23, 2022): 376–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.36347/sasjm.2022.v08i05.005.
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Schizophrenia is a severe, frequent, heterogeneous, longlasting and disabling chronic mental illness with high social impact, belonging to the group of chronic psychoses. There are several clinical forms and several possible evolutionary modes. Its etiopathogenesis is multifactorial (hereditary, biological, environmental, etc.) but no single cause has been demonstrated up till now. Schizophrenia is a group of disabling heterogeneous disorders that are generally severe, the course of which is chronic and disabling, and the prognosis is poor. Many retrospective studies have attempted to trace the premorbid history of adult subjects who developed schizophrenia. Their results appear to be extremely disparate, due in particular to the heterogeneity of the means of investigation used. In addition, in recent years, many studies have focused on prodromal symptoms occurring during the year preceding the first psychotic episode in late adolescence or early adulthood. Minor physical cranio-cerebral (at the level of the ears, the palate, the cranial perimeter), temporomandibular, dental and palatal abnormalities, dermatoglyphic disturbances or even subtle neurological signs have been frequently found in schizophrenic patients, in particular oral anomalies, more precisely the measurements of the teeth, their vestibulo-lingual and mesio-distal diameters. The objective of our article is to study the morphological abnormalities that exist in the patient with schizophrenia, and to demonstrate whether there is a link between the presence of these physical abnormalities and the occurrence of schizophrenia. This issue has been vaguely mentioned in the literature, but in the Moroccan context, it is a pilot study.
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Ossa, Luisa Marcela. "Inextricably Tied: Gender, Race, Chronic Illness, and Disability in the Works of Edelma Zapata Pérez." Journal of Gender and Sexuality Studies / Revista de Estudios de Género y Sexualidades 45, no. 1 (May 1, 2019): 205–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.14321/jgendsexustud.45.1.0205.
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Abstract This article examines the works of Colombian author Edelma Zapata Pérez as disability life writing, that is, literature that gives the disabled author agency (Couser). Since Zapata Pérez was multi-ethnic and disabled, Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality is utilized to demonstrate that these identities are intertwined in her life and writings. Subsequently, Zapata Pérez’s representations of disability are examined via Siebers’s idea of complex embodiment, which “raises awareness of the effects of disabling environments on people’s lived experience of the body, but it emphasizes as well that some factors affecting disability, such as chronic pain, secondary health effects, and aging, derive from the body.”
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Lynch, Cameron, C. D'Arcy J. Holman, and Rachael E. Moorin. "Use of Western Australian linked hospital morbidity and mortality data to explore theories of compression, expansion and dynamic equilibrium." Australian Health Review 31, no. 4 (2007): 571. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah070571.
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Three hypotheses have been advanced to predict changes in population health in countries experiencing low birth and death rates, and increasing expectation of life. Determining which of these best accounts for changing patterns of illness and death is an important step in understanding both the public health and economic impacts of health interventions in an ageing population. The aim of this study was to use the WA Data Linkage System to evaluate the compression, expansion and dynamic equilibrium theories in Western Australia. Changes in life expectancy, average age at first-time hospitalisation and time spent in chronic disabling or activity limiting states were used to evaluate the competing hypotheses. Life expectancy increased by 4.0 and 2.6 years over the 24-year study period in males and females, respectively. However, average time spent with a diagnosed chronic disabling condition increased by 9.2 and 9.4 years in males and females, respectively. These results suggest that an increase in the ?medicalisation of more serious morbidity? may be in operation in Australia.
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Goudsmit, Ellen, Charles Shepherd, Christine P. Dancey, and Sandra Howes. "ME: Chronic fatigue syndrome or a distinct clinical entity?" Health Psychology Update 18, no. 1 (2009): 26–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.53841/bpshpu.2009.18.1.26.
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Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a disabling condition characterised by profound fatigue following minimal exertion and a delay in recovery after exertion ends. In 1988, when specialists introduced the concept of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), it was assumed that the illness in question was identical to ME but the lack of research criteria for the latter has prevented the testing of this assumption.In this article, we propose criteria and guidelines which can be used to study ME and determine whether it is a synonym for CFS or one of several subgroups contained within the CFS construct. If clinically meaningful differences are identified, the criteria may help to increase diagnostic precision and facilitate further research into the cause, course and treatment of ME.
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Cipolletta, Sabrina, Silvia Caterina Maria Tomaino, Eliana Lo Magno, and Elena Faccio. "Illness Experiences and Attitudes towards Medication in Online Communities for People with Fibromyalgia." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 17, no. 22 (November 23, 2020): 8683. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17228683.
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Fibromyalgia is a chronic disabling syndrome, and the legitimacy of its diagnosis is still debated. Internet and online communities may become a relevant resource for affected people. This present study aims to understand the role of online communities relating to fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients’ illness experiences and their attitudes towards medication. A qualitative content analysis based on the grounded theory approach was conducted on 19 conversations from an online forum, and 14 online interviews. Illness experience, lack of reference points, online communities, personal role and attitude towards medication were the five categories identified, with the search for recognition as the core category. The study highlighted that online communities represent a resource that allows users to express and share their needs, especially in terms of legitimacy and recognition.
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Boiko, E. A., V. L. Malygin, and E. I. Glushchenko. "Characteristics of the parent-child relationship in families of children with cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis (literature review)." Neurology, Neuropsychiatry, Psychosomatics 16, no. 6 (December 17, 2024): 83–88. https://doi.org/10.14412/2074-2711-2024-6-83-88.
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Multiple sclerosis (MS) and cerebral palsy (CP) are chronic disabling diseases caused by central nervous system affection. The diagnosis of a chronic illness in a child is a psychotraumatic event that disrupts the structure and functioning of the family system, the psychological well-being and the health of family members. In the process of adapting to the stress factor, both parent-child relationships and marital relationships are deformed. In most families raising disabled children, disharmonious parenting styles prevail. Parents report a decrease in quality of life, dissatisfaction with their role and family relationships, experience anxiety, depression, guilt and helplessness and try to compensate for the psychological distress by focusing on the child's problems, often sacrificing their private life and free time. In addition, parents of children with MS are burdened by a sense of insecurity related to the difficult-to-control and unpredictable course of the disease. The lack of a sufficient number of scientific studies on this topic does not allow us to draw clear conclusions about the influence of the type of child's disease progression (progressive, stationary) on the characteristics of the parent-child relationship. In addition, longitudinal studies are needed to assess the dynamics of parent-child relationships and the effectiveness of psychocorrective interventions in families with children with MS and CP. The review is based on a theoretical study of the issues of parent-child relationships in families raising children with CP and MS and the impact of chronic disabling illness on the family system, which was conducted based on a systematic literature search of PubMed, Google Scholar, eLibrary and DisserCat databases.
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Cheshire, Anna, Damien Ridge, Lucy V. Clark, and Peter D. White. "Sick of the Sick Role: Narratives of What “Recovery” Means to People With CFS/ME." Qualitative Health Research 31, no. 2 (November 11, 2020): 298–308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1049732320969395.
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Little is known about what recovery means to those with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, a poorly understood, disabling chronic health condition. To explore this issue, semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients reporting improvement ( n = 9) and deterioration ( n = 10) after a guided self-help intervention, and analyzed via “constant comparison.” The meaning of recovery differed between participants—expectations for improvement and deployment of the sick role (and associated stigma) were key influences. While some saw recovery as complete freedom from symptoms, many defined it as freedom from the “sick role,” with functionality prioritized. Others redefined recovery, reluctant to return to the lifestyle that may have contributed to their illness, or rejected the concept as unhelpful. Recovery is not always about eliminating all symptoms. Rather, it is a nexus between the reality of limited opportunities for full recovery, yet a strong desire to leave the illness behind and regain a sense of “normality.”
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Webb, Rhona, Julie T. Mangrobang, Alison Conning, and Martin W. Orrell. "A Social Therapy for Long-term Mentally III Inpatients: A Pilot Study." Behavioural Psychotherapy 21, no. 1 (January 1993): 57–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s014134730001781x.
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Long-term inpatients with severe psychiatric illness such as chronic schizophrenia can be very socially disabled. This makes it difficult for them to move on to more independent living because they lack many of the necessary social and practical skills. Social Economy Therapy (SET) is a practical approach which aims to improve social functioning. On a hostel ward, eight long term inpatients with severe and disabling psychiatric disorders started a SET programme. After two months the social and living skills of several patients were improved and a number were discharged to other accommodation.
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Kimpson, Sally A. "Uncertain Subjects: Shaping Disabled Women’s Lives Through Income Support Policy." Canadian Journal of Disability Studies 9, no. 3 (September 26, 2020): 78–103. http://dx.doi.org/10.15353/cjds.v9i3.647.
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This article provides a critical reading of one aspect of the “third mobilization of transinstitutionalization” (Haley & Jones, 2018), focused on how power is exercised through the B.C. government income support program (or the ambiguously-named B.C. Benefits), shaping the embodied lives of women living with chronic physical and mental impairments. I research and write as a woman living with a disabling chronic illness whose explicit focus is power: how it is enacted and what it produces in the everyday lives of women with disabling chronic conditions living on income support. I too have been the recipient of disability income support. Thus, my accounts are ‘interested.’ My writing seeks to create a disruptive reading that destabilizes common-sense notions about disabled women securing provincial income support benefits, in particular in British Columbia (B.C.), interviewed as part of my doctoral research. Despite public claims by the B.C. government to foster the independence, community participation, and citizenship of disabled people in B.C., the intersection of government policy and practices and how they are read and taken up by disabled women discipline them in ways that produce profound uncertainty in their lives, such that these women become uncertain subjects (Kimpson, 2015).
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Amaral, J., Peter Taylor, Mauro Teixeira, Thomas Morrison, and Robert Schoen. "The Clinical Features, Pathogenesis and Methotrexate Therapy of Chronic Chikungunya Arthritis." Viruses 11, no. 3 (March 22, 2019): 289. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/v11030289.
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Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) is an emerging viral infection that has spread widely, along with its Aedes vectors, throughout the tropics and beyond, causing explosive epidemics of acute illness and persistent disabling arthritis. The rheumatic symptoms associated with chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection include polyarthralgia, polyarthritis, morning stiffness, joint edema, and erythema. Chronic CHIK arthritis (CCA) often causes severe pain and associated disability. The pathogenesis of CCA is not well understood. Proposed hypotheses include the persistence of a low level of replicating virus in the joints, the persistence of viral RNA in the synovium, and the induction of autoimmunity. In this review, we describe the main hypotheses of CCA pathogenesis, some of which support methotrexate (MTX) treatment which has been shown to be effective in preliminary studies in CCA.
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Lim, Eun-Jin, and Chang-Gue Son. "Prevalence of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) in Korea and Japan: A Meta-Analysis." Journal of Clinical Medicine 10, no. 15 (July 21, 2021): 3204. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm10153204.
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Background: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a long-term disabling illness accompanied by fatigue unsolved by rest. However, ME/CFS is a poorly understood illness that lacks a universally accepted pathophysiology and treatment. A lack of CFS-related studies have been conducted in Asian countries. This study aimed to estimate and compare the prevalence of ME/CFS in Korea and Japan and conducted a meta-analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and KMBASE for population-based prevalence studies of the two countries and synthesized the data according to the Fukuda case definition. Results: Of the eight studies (five in Korea, three in Japan) included, the total prevalence rate of Korean studies was 0.77% (95% CI 0.34–1.76), and 0.76% (95% CI 0.46–1.25) for the Japanese studies. The prevalence rate in females was approximately two-fold higher than males in Korean studies (1.31% female vs. 0.60% male), while the gender difference was less obvious in Japanese studies (0.76% female vs. 0.65% male). Conclusions: Further epidemiology studies on the female ME/CFS prevalence rate between countries may be required.
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Stein, E., and M. MacQuarrie. "Workshop/conference report - Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) program and Interdisciplinary Research Symposium on Disabling Fatigue in Chronic Illness." Chronic Diseases in Canada 29, no. 3 (May 2009): 136–39. http://dx.doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.29.3.06.
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Gupta, G., and S. Nagendran. "Comparative study of caregiver stress between patients of obsessive compulsive disorder and chronic medical illness, without any physical disability." European Psychiatry 64, S1 (April 2021): S742—S743. http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1967.
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IntroductionObsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling condition that affects the quality of life of both the patient and the caregivers. Similarly, in patients with physical medical illness, caregivers face a significant amount of stress.ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess and compare the caregiver strain index between patients of OCD and medical illness. Moreover, this study will also compare the care giver strain index in the patients of OCD and physical medical illness depending on the severity and duration of the illness.MethodsStudy was done at Department of psychiatry, Teerthanker Mahaveer University, Moradabad. In this Cross-sectional study 2 groups of caregivers were included. The group 1 included 30 caregivers of obsessive compulsive disorder patients and group 2 included 30 caregivers for physical medical illness. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale was used for measuring the severity of OCD and the stress in caregivers were drawn from Caregiver strain index.ResultsThis study reported a high objective burden among caregivers of OCD compared with the physical medical illness (P-value=0.002). The age of the caregivers also showed to be significantly associated with the stress in both the groups. The severity of the OCD was shown to be correlated well with the stress of the caregivers (P-value=0.032). In contrast, in physical medical illness the duration of the disease showed no significant association with the caregiver’s stress.ConclusionsThis study showed that in patients with OCD caregivers face a higher strain compared with the physical medical illness.DisclosureNo significant relationships.
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Jahanshahi, M., and C. D. Marsden. "Personality in torticollis: a controlled study." Psychological Medicine 18, no. 2 (May 1988): 375–87. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0033291700007923.
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SynopsisThe Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the trait scales of the Leyton Obsessional Inventory, the Spielberger State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and a questionnaire assessing marital status and harmony were completed by 100 torticollis patients and a control group of 49 cervical spondylosis sufferers. Information regarding employment status, and events preceding onset of their complaint was also obtained. The two groups did not differ in terms of any of the personality dimensions evaluated, or in their self-reports of events prior to onset of their illness. The groups differed significantly with regards to marital status (a higher proportion of the torticollis patients were single) but not marital harmony. A significantly higher proportion of the torticollis patients were in the permanently sick category of employment status. Findings of previous studies evaluating personality in torticollis and in sufferers of other disabling physical conditions are considered, and the results are discussed in terms of the effects of disabling chronic physical disorders.
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Heij, Lara, Albert Dahan, and Elske Hoitsma. "Sarcoidosis and Pain Caused by Small-Fiber Neuropathy." Pain Research and Treatment 2012 (December 5, 2012): 1–6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/256024.
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Sarcoidosis is a chronic inflammatory illness and small-fiber neuropathy (SFN) is one of the disabling and often chronic manifestations of the disease. SFN presents with peripheral pain and symptoms of autonomic dysfunction. The character of the pain can be burning or shooting. Besides, allodynia and hyperesthesia can exist. Diagnosis is usually made on the basis of clinical features, in combination with abnormal specialized tests. The aim of treatment is often to reduce pain; however, total pain relieve is seldom achieved. The role of TNF-α in the pathogenesis of SFN in sarcoidosis appears interesting to explore. Novel therapeutic agents such as ARA 290, a nonhematopoietic erythropoietin analogue with potent anti-inflammatory and tissue protective properties, are interesting to explore in the treatment of SFN in sarcoidosis.
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Carmassi, Claudia, Valerio Dell’Oste, Claudia Foghi, Carlo Antonio Bertelloni, Eugenia Conti, Sara Calderoni, Roberta Battini, and Liliana Dell’Osso. "Post-Traumatic Stress Reactions in Caregivers of Children and Adolescents/Young Adults with Severe Diseases: A Systematic Review of Risk and Protective Factors." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18, no. 1 (December 29, 2020): 189. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18010189.
Full textAbstract:
Severe illnesses in children and adolescents/young adults (AYAs) may represent a complex burden for patients and their caregivers, including a wide range of mental disorders, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Few events are as potentially traumatizing as having a son or a daughter diagnosed with a severe, life-threatening, or disabling disease. The presence of PTSD symptoms in caregivers may compromise their efficacy as caregivers and negatively affect the child’s well-being. This systematic review aims at outlining potential risk and protective factors for the development of PTSD symptoms in caregivers of children and AYAs affected by severe acute or chronic illnesses. Thirty-one studies on caregivers of children and AYAs affected by severe, acute, or chronic diseases were included. Socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics, illness-related distress, psychiatric symptoms, support, and coping styles were found as potential risk/protective factors across studies. It is crucial to consider risk factors affecting caregivers of severely ill young patients, in order to plan focused interventions aimed at preventing an adverse clinical outcome in caregivers and at enhancing caregivers’ coping skills, in order to ultimately improve their quality of life.
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DAHESHIA, MASSOUD, and JIAN Q. YAO. "The Interleukin 1β Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Osteoarthritis." Journal of Rheumatology 35, no. 12 (December 2008): 2306–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.080346.
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Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major disabling disease and is ranked as a major cause of chronic pain in adults. The pathology of the illness is characterized by a loss of articular cartilage leading to narrowing of joint space, increased joint friction, potential structural remodeling, persistent pain, and functional impairment. The proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β (IL-1β) has several chemical and bioactive characteristics allowing this catabolic protein to be involved in initiation and progression of OA. We review the current understanding of the pathogenesis of OA, and how upregulation of IL-1β initiates a cascade of intracellular events that can culminate in activation…
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Mark, Victor W., and Edward Taub. "Constraint-induced movement therapy for chronic stroke hemiparesis and other disabilities." Restorative Neurology and Neuroscience 22, no. 3-5 (January 2004): 317–36. https://doi.org/10.3233/rnn-2004-00264.
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Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CI therapy) refers to a family of treatments for motor disability that combines constraint of movement, massed practice, and shaping of behavior to improve the amount of use of the targeted limb. CI therapy has controlled evidence for efficacy that supports its benefit for patients with chronic disability following central nervous system injury, regardless of their age or the interval since illness onset. Furthermore, the benefits transfer to real-world measures of limb use. Significant functional improvement may occur even after the patient has been treated with conventional physical therapy. In this paper we review the evidence for the efficacy of CI therapy, particularly for chronic stroke hemiparesis, but also for diverse other chronic disabling illnesses, including non-motor disorders such as phantom limb pain and aphasia. The adaptation of the therapy to the stroke clinic is described, along with a review of the neurophysiologic mechanisms that are postulated to underlie the treatment benefit (overcoming learned nonuse, plastic brain reorganization). Critical to the success of CI therapy is its modification according to disease factors, economic considerations, limitations of the practice setting, and the cognitive and physical status of the patient. We conclude by recommending future areas for research on CI therapy.
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Waynforth, David. "Life-history theory, chronic childhood illness and the timing of first reproduction in a British birth cohort." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 279, no. 1740 (March 28, 2012): 2998–3002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.0220.
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Life-history theoretical models show that a typical evolutionarily optimal response of a juvenile organism to high mortality risk is to reach reproductive maturity earlier. Experimental studies in a range of species suggest the existence of adaptive flexibility in reproductive scheduling to maximize fitness just as life-history theory predicts. In humans, supportive evidence has come from studies comparing neighbourhoods with different mortality rates, historical and cross-cultural data. Here, the prediction is tested in a novel way in a large ( n = 9099), longitudinal sample using data comparing age at first reproduction in individuals with and without life-expectancy-reducing chronic disease diagnosed during childhood. Diseases selected for inclusion as chronic illnesses were those unlikely to be significantly affected by shifting allocation of effort away from reproduction towards survival; those which have comparatively large effects on mortality and life expectancy; and those which are not profoundly disabling. The results confirmed the prediction that chronic disease would associate with early age at first reproduction: individuals growing up with a serious chronic disease were 1.6 times more likely to have had a first child by age 30. Analysis of control variables also confirmed past research findings on links between being raised father-absent and early pubertal development and reproduction.
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Martinez Villegas, Hector Xavier, Alejandro Hallo, Soraya Cruz-Loor, and Karen Jacome-Calderon. "Spinal cord stimulator for neuropathic pain in a patient with severe disability due to transverse myelitis." BMJ Case Reports 14, no. 5 (May 2021): e242522. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2021-242522.
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Transverse myelitis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that disrupts nerve signals’ conduction. The illness is characterised by weakness in the lower limbs accompanied by paresthesia and urinary and bowel incontinence. The most disabling sequel is the onset of chronic neuropathic pain, which can severely limit the patient’s independence and negatively affect her quality of life. We present the case of a patient who received a spinal neurostimulator after a failure of conventional medical treatment. Masking pain through paresthesia, a mechanism provided by the device significantly reduces pain perception. The treatment success in our patient represents an advance in pain therapy.
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Park, Hyun-Sun, Jongmin Kim, Seong Hoon Ahn, and Hong-Yeoul Ryu. "Epigenetic Targeting of Histone Deacetylases in Diagnostics and Treatment of Depression." International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22, no. 10 (May 20, 2021): 5398. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijms22105398.
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Depression is a highly prevalent, disabling, and often chronic illness that places substantial burdens on patients, families, healthcare systems, and the economy. A substantial minority of patients are unresponsive to current therapies, so there is an urgent need to develop more broadly effective, accessible, and tolerable therapies. Pharmacological regulation of histone acetylation level has been investigated as one potential clinical strategy. Histone acetylation status is considered a potential diagnostic biomarker for depression, while inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) have garnered interest as novel therapeutics. This review describes recent advances in our knowledge of histone acetylation status in depression and the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibitors.
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Keightley, Philip, Rebecca E. Reay, Paul Pavli, and Jeffrey CL Looi. "Inflammatory bowel disease-related fatigue is correlated with depression and gender." Australasian Psychiatry 26, no. 5 (May 8, 2018): 508–13. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1039856218772245.
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Objectives: Fatigue is a common and disabling problem in inflammatory bowel disease. We sought to explore the possible determinants of inflammatory bowel disease-associated fatigue including demographic, psychological and disease variables. Methods: Surveys were distributed to 100 patients undergoing infliximab infusion for inflammatory bowel disease in an infusion lounge, assessing attachment style (Experiences in Close Relationships Revised scale), fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue – Fatigue Subscore), and depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Disease severity was assessed via file review through an independent gastroenterologist rating (Harvey–Bradshaw Index). Results: There were 67 responses. Depression, as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, was found to be highly correlated with fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Fatigue – Fatigue Subscore). Anxiety, insecure attachment, disease severity and female gender were moderately correlated with fatigue. In a hierarchical regression model, depression and female gender emerged as significant predictors of variance in fatigue scores. Conclusions: Depression was the strongest predictor of variance in fatigue scores. Gender as a cause of fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease requires further exploration. Attachment style, however, may still help clinicians to conceptualise help-seeking behaviour and clinician-patient relationships in medically unexplained symptoms.
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Carolle Laure MATENE FONGANG. "Disability and sexuality: The sexual life of the person living with a disability, his affective life and his life as a couple." World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews 18, no. 2 (May 30, 2023): 544–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2023.18.2.0850.
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Sexuality with a disabling disease, or serious disabling or disability: a sensitive subject probably due to the association of the two words: sexuality and disability. The question of the emotional life, the life of a couple, the sexuality of a person living with a disability remains a real social and cultural problem. This necessarily impacts on the people concerned because they are victims of their states of disability. This is a subject that is difficult to address both by the couple, by society and by health professionals. In addition, it should be noted that regardless of their physical or psychological state, their visible or invisible disability, their chronic, serious, rare, disabling or disabling illness, or simply their difference, everyone has their own sexual identity. The feeling of love, the affective life, the sexual life of a person with a disability, their life as a couple, pleasure, do not disappear with the onset of illness or disability, it is accessible to all, disabled, sick, in a couple or single, married or not, all have the right to sexuality, to an emotional life regardless of their physical appearance, their mental handicap or other differences... However, for many people in a situation of disability, living one's sexuality remains a difficult aspect in their life as a couple, or not, or in their daily lives. Disability, whatever its origin, can contribute to the alteration or changes in the sexual life of a lambda individual, thus affecting his sexuality, his sexual pleasure... Health professionals are often confronted with suffering, physical and/or psychological pain. However, even today the question of the fulfillment and sexual serenity of people with disabilities remains a silent subject, an unresolved issue, not popularized, not a priority if I can put it that way, but the question of pleasure sex is often overlooked. It would seem that social representations approach the subject of the affective relationship and the love life of sick or disabled people, their life as a couple, their intimacy as a couple, their affective and love life, as being abnormality in the face of what they consider "normal".
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Tosato, G., S. Straus, W. Henle, S. E. Pike, and R. M. Blaese. "Characteristic T cell dysfunction in patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (chronic infectious mononucleosis)." Journal of Immunology 134, no. 5 (May 1, 1985): 3082–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.134.5.3082.
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Abstract We evaluated immune functions in 16 patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (chronic infectious mononucleosis). Chronic infectious mononucleosis is an illness characterized primarily by chronic and occasionally disabling fatigue and other constitutional complaints, only sometimes beginning with an episode of acute infectious mononucleosis, and associated with an abnormal pattern of serum antibodies to EBV. In these patients, the frequency of circulating EBV-infected B cells that manifested spontaneous outgrowth in vitro was comparable to that found in EBV-seropositive normals, and the levels of EBV-specific suppressor activity were also normal. Upon stimulation with polyclonal activators, unseparated cells from these patients produced a relatively normal number of immunoglobulin-secreting cells. However, when purified T cells from these patients were mixed with normal mononuclear cells in co-culture, immunoglobulin production was strikingly suppressed. The degree of this T cell suppression correlated directly with the abnormally elevated titer of antibody to the early antigens of EBV. Interestingly, during normal convalescence from acute EBV-induced infectious mononucleosis a period is also seen during which T cells suppress the response of allogeneic but not autologous cells. Thus, from an immunologic viewpoint, patients with chronic active EBV infection appear "frozen" in a state typically found only briefly during the convalescence from acute EBV infection.
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Powell, Pauline, Richard H. T. Edwards, and Richard P. Bentall. "THE TREATMENT OF WHEELCHAIR-BOUND CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME PATIENTS: TWO CASE STUDIES OF A PRAGMATIC REHABILITATION APPROACH." Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 27, no. 3 (July 1999): 249–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1352465899273067.
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Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disabling condition characterized by persistent mental and physical fatigue. Its aetiology is controversial, and it has been attributed to both physical and psychological causes. Previous controlled trials with ambulatory patients have shown that a proportion of CFS patients respond to cognitive-behaviour therapy. In this paper, we report two case studies of patients who are wheelchair-bound, who have been treated by a pragmatic intervention designed to increase activity and challenge dysfunctional illness beliefs. The patients received 60 and 55 contacts with the therapist, some of which were face-to-face and some of which were by telephone. At the end of treatment, the patients experienced clinically significant reductions in fatigue, were not using wheelchairs, showed an increase in occupational and social functioning and were leading relatively independent existences.
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Kalimuddin, Shirin, Yii Ean Teh, Liang En Wee, Shay Paintal, Ram Sasisekharan, Jenny G. Low, Sujata K. Sheth, and Eng Eong Ooi. "Chronic sequelae complicate convalescence from both dengue and acute viral respiratory illness." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 16, no. 8 (August 18, 2022): e0010724. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0010724.
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Long Covid has raised awareness of the potentially disabling chronic sequelae that afflicts patients after acute viral infection. Similar syndromes of post-infectious sequelae have also been observed after other viral infections such as dengue, but their true prevalence and functional impact remain poorly defined. We prospectively enrolled 209 patients with acute dengue (n = 48; one with severe dengue) and other acute viral respiratory infections (ARI) (n = 161), and followed them up for chronic sequelae up to one year post-enrolment, prior to the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Baseline demographics and co-morbidities were balanced between both groups except for gender, with more males in the dengue cohort (63% vs 29%, p<0.001). Except for the first visit, data on symptoms were collected remotely using a purpose-built mobile phone application. Mental health outcomes were evaluated using the validated SF-12v2 Health Survey. Almost all patients (95.8% of dengue and 94.4% of ARI patients) experienced at least one symptom of fatigue, somnolence, headache, concentration impairment or memory impairment within the first week of enrolment. Amongst patients with at least 3-months of follow-up, 18.0% in the dengue cohort and 14.6% in the ARI cohort experienced persistent symptoms. The median month-3 SF-12v2 Mental Component Summary Score was lower in patients who remained symptomatic at 3 months and beyond, compared to those whose symptoms fully resolved (47.7 vs. 56.0, p<0.001), indicating that patients who self-reported persistence of symptoms also experienced functionally worse mental health. No statistically significant difference in age, gender distribution or hospitalisation status was observed between those with and without chronic sequelae. Our findings reveal an under-appreciated burden of post-infection chronic sequelae in dengue and ARI patients. They call for studies to define the pathophysiology of this condition, and determine the efficacy of both vaccines as well as antiviral drugs in preventing such sequelae.
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Buchwald, Dedra, Richard Herrell, Suzanne Ashton, Megan Belcourt, Karen Schmaling, and Jack Goldberg. "The Chronic Fatigue Twin Registry: method of construction, composition, and zygosity assignment." Twin Research 2, no. 3 (June 1, 1999): 203–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1375/twin.2.3.203.
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AbstractChronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and the symptom of chronic fatigue are conditions of unknown etiology. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define CFS as an illness characterized by ≥ 6 months of disabling fatigue associated with muscle pain, pharyngitis, and alterations in mood, sleep and neurocognition. We constructed a registry of twins with chronic fatigue to facilitate research on the impact of illness, the associated medical and psychosocial factors, and the heterogeneous proposed mechanisms for these conditions. We have recruited 204 twin pairs in which one or both members reported persistent fatigue through patient support group newsletters (60%), clinicians/researchers familiar with CFS (12%), notices placed on electronic bulletin boards for CFS (11%), twin organizations and researchers (6%), relatives and friends (3%) and other sources (8%). Complete data are available for 177 pairs (87%). Twins completed an extensive questionnaire booklet that included measures of physical and mental health, functional status, and psychosocial factors; a structured psychiatric interview was also conducted by telephone. Twins were classified using three increasingly more stringent diagnostic criteria for chronic fatigue: 1) ≥ 6 months of fatigue (115 discordant and 61 concordant pairs); 2) chronic fatigue with additional symptoms and application of the medial exclusions of the CDC CFS case definition as obtained by self-report (92 discordant and 41 concordant pairs) and; 3) chronic fatigue with additional symptoms unexplained by self-reported medical conditions and psychiatric diagnoses as determined by the structured interview (69 discordant pairs and 25 concordant pairs). Despite the limitations of a volunteer registry, the Chronic Fatigue Twin Registry promises to be an important resource for research on CFS and chronic fatigue.
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Binford, Sasha S., Erin M. Hubbard, Elena Flowers, Bruce L. Miller, and Heather Leutwyler. "Serum BDNF Is Positively Associated With Negative Symptoms in Older Adults With Schizophrenia." Biological Research For Nursing 20, no. 1 (October 19, 2017): 63–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1099800417735634.
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Objectives: Older adults with chronic schizophrenia are at greater risk for functional disability and poorer health outcomes than those without serious mental illness. These individuals comprise 1–2% of the elderly population in the United States and are projected to number approximately 15 million by 2030. The symptoms of schizophrenia can be disabling for individuals, significantly reducing quality of life. Often, the negative symptoms (NS) are the most resistant to treatment and are considered a marker of illness severity, though they are challenging to measure objectively. Biomarkers can serve as objective indicators of health status. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a potential biomarker for schizophrenia and may serve as an important indicator of illness severity. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 30 older adults with chronic schizophrenia. Participants were assessed on serum levels of BDNF and psychiatric symptoms (Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale). Pearson’s bivariate correlations (two-tailed) and linear regression models were used. Results: A significant positive association ( p < .05) was found between higher serum levels of BDNF and greater severity for the NS items of passive, apathetic, social withdrawal, and emotional withdrawal. In multivariate analyses, the association remained significant. Conclusions: Although the association between BDNF and NS was not in the expected direction, the data corroborate findings from previous work in patients with schizophrenia. It is possible that higher serum levels of BDNF reflect compensatory neuronal mechanisms resulting from neurodevelopmental dysfunction.
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Keating, Julie A., Catherine Shaughnessy, Kelsey Baubie, Ashley E. Kates, Nathan Putman-Buehler, Lauren Watson, Nadia Dominguez, et al. "Characterising the gut microbiome in veterans with Gulf War Illness: a protocol for a longitudinal, prospective cohort study." BMJ Open 9, no. 8 (August 2019): e031114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031114.
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IntroductionApproximately 25%–35% of the 1991 Gulf War Veteran population report symptoms consistent with Gulf War Illness (GWI), a chronic, multi-symptom illness characterised by fatigue, pain, irritable bowel syndrome and problems with cognitive function. GWI is a disabling problem for Gulf War Veterans, and there remains a critical need to identify innovative, novel therapies.Gut microbiota perturbation plays a key role in the symptomatology of other chronic multi-symptom illnesses, including myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Given similarities between ME/CFS and GWI and the presence of gastrointestinal disorders in GWI patients, Veterans with GWI may also have gut abnormalities like those seen with ME/CFS. In this longitudinal cohort study, we are comparing the diversity (structure) and the metagenomes (function) of the gut microbiome between Gulf War Veterans with and without GWI. If we find differences in Veterans with GWI, the microbiome could be a target for therapeutic intervention to alleviate GWI symptoms.Methods and analysisParticipants answer questions about diet, exercise and lifestyle factors. Participants also complete a questionnaire (based on the Kansas case definition of GWI) regarding their medical history and symptoms; we use this questionnaire to group participants into GWI versus healthy control cohorts. We plan to enrol 52 deployed Gulf War Veterans: 26 with GWI and 26 healthy controls. Participants provide stool and saliva samples weekly for an 8-week period for microbiome analyses. Participants also provide blood samples at the beginning and end of this period, which we will use to compare measures of inflammation markers between the groups.Ethics and disseminationThe protocol was approved by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Health Sciences Institutional Review Board and the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital Research and Development Committee. Results of this study will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
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Cavanaugh, Courtenay E., Jill T. Messing, Evelina Eyzerovich, and Jacquelyn C. Campbell. "Ethnic Differences in Correlates of Suicidal Behavior Among Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence." Crisis 36, no. 4 (July 2015): 257–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000321.
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Abstract. Background: Women abused by an intimate partner are at risk of engaging in nonfatal suicidal behavior and suicidal communication (NSBSC). No studies have examined ethnic differences in correlates of NSBSC among abused women. Aims: This secondary data analytic study examined whether correlates of NSBSC previously reported among a mixed ethnic sample of women seeking help for abuse by a male intimate partner differed for those who self-identified as Latina (N = 340), African American (N = 184), or European American (N = 67). Method: Logistic regression was used to examine correlates of NSBSC separately among Latina, African American, and European American women. Results: More severe violence by a male intimate partner, having a chronic or disabling illness, being younger, and being unemployed were positively associated with NSBSC in bivariate analyses among Latina women, but unemployment did not remain significantly associated with NSBSC in the multiple logistic regression. There were no significant correlates of NSBSC for African American women. Having a chronic illness was significantly associated with NSBSC among European American women. Conclusion: Findings suggest the need for culturally tailored suicide prevention interventions and studies that examine risk and protective factors for NSBSC among a diversity of women abused by male intimate partners
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Akhyar, Gardenia, Irdawaty Izrul, and Adianto Jaya Nagara. "Mucous Membrane Pemphigoid: A Frustrating Disabling Disease in A 15-year-old Male." Journal La Medihealtico 5, no. 1 (March 21, 2024): 204–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.37899/journallamedihealtico.v5i1.1078.
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Mucous membrane pemphigoid (MMP) is a rare chronic autoimmune subepithelial blistering disease characterized by erosive lesions of mucous membranes and skin that typically results in scarring of at least some sites of involvement. A progressive disorder that may result in serious complications including blindness, loss of the airway, and esophageal stricture formation. Most patient experience reduced quality of life specifically with ocular symblepharon and laryngeal destruction. Case: We present a case of a 15-year-old male patient with 1 month-history of multiple tense bullae, difficulty to open the eyes, and hoarseness due to scar lesion in mucous membrane. The patient was reported to have Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) of 15 which implied he had severe disability and decreased quality of life due to his illness. Patient also had symblepharone release operation done by ophthalmologist. A laryngeal reconstruction plan was also carried out by ENT doctor, but the patient couldn’t continue the treatment because of economic problem. Scarring of MMP is a significant complication in many cases. Mucous membrane pemphigoid could cause a lot of disability to the patient and decreased quality of life. Symblepharone release operation was done and laryngeal reconstruction plan was also carried out. Surgical intervention may not curable; however, it may be necessary for restoring function and improving quality of life.
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Shaban, Shaista, Mohd Abrar Ahmad Guroo, and Racheal Bashir. "Study of the difference in quality of life and caregiver burden among patients with schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis." International Journal of Research in Medical Sciences 9, no. 6 (May 27, 2021): 1577. http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20211920.
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Background: Quality of life (QOL) is a measure to see an individual’s adaptation and feeling of wellbeing and adjustment with the surroundings. Schizophrenia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) both are chronic and disabling disorders supposed to have significant effect on quality of life. Also chronicity and disability of these disorders can be directly proportional to the caregiver burden.Methods: Comparative study assessing quality of life and caregiver burden between persons with schizophrenia and RA.Results: 50% of the schizophrenia group as well as the RA group were unemployed, suggesting the magnitude of the disability levels caused by the illness. Only 33% of patients with schizophrenia were married, unlike patients with RA where 83% were married. Of all the four domains of the World Health Organization quality of life instrument (WHO-QOL BREF) both the groups scored highest in the physical domain and least in the psychological domain and the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant in all the four domains. Burden among the caregivers of schizophrenic patients was comparatively high on BAS than caregivers of rheumatoid arthritis. The mean duration of illness in patients with schizophrenia was significantly higher than patients with RA.Conclusions: RA is a chronic disorder and physical in nature with full insight in the patients. While as schizophrenia is characterized as a chronic mental illness with poor prognosis and no insight. QOL is expected to be less in schizophrenic patients. There is no significant difference in QOL except in physical domain in which patients with schizophrenia scored significantly better than patients with RA. The social domain of QOL was the only one in which schizophrenic patients did poorly, though not statistically significant. Also care giver burden was more among caregivers of schizophrenic patients and that can be attributed to lack of insight.
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Shmuely, Yochi, Mona Baumgarten, Barry Rovner, and Jesse Berlin. "Predictors of Improvement in Health-Related Quality of Life Among Elderly Patients With Depression." International Psychogeriatrics 13, no. 1 (March 2001): 63–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1041610201007463.
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Background: Depression is the most prevalent disabling psychiatric syndrome of aging and may lead to important decrements in the elderly depressed patient's health-related quality of life (HRQL). The goal of this study was to determine whether severity of chronic illness at admission, severity of depressive symptoms at admission, or living alone before admission was associated with lack of improvement in HRQL at 3 months postdischarge among elderly depressed inpatients. Methods: Subjects were 100 consecutive patients admitted to a 26-bed inpatient geriatric psychiatry unit from 1994 through 1997, who were residing in the community and were not demented. At admission, severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale and severity of chronic physical illness was measured using the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (Geriatrics). HRQL was assessed at admission and again at 3 months postdischarge using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) 6-Item General Health Survey. Results: This study found large improvements in all MOS items between admission and 3 months postdischarge. Severity of chronic physical disease was negatively associated with the probability of improvement in three MOS items (role functioning, psychological functioning, and general health perceptions) whereas the severity of depressive symptoms on admission was negatively associated with the probability of improvement in role functioning, social functioning, and bodily pain. Living alone was negatively associated with social functioning but not with any of the other MOS items. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the inpatient treatment of depression in the elderly brings about improvements in quality of life that persist for at least 3 months follwing discharge. The patient's initial level of depression and initial level of physical health may be important factors to be considered when evaluating a patient's prognosis.
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López-Hernández, Irene. "Gender perspective and determinants associated with the linkage women-informal or primary care." Mexican Journal of Medical Research ICSA 13, no. 25 (January 5, 2025): 15–22. https://doi.org/10.29057/mjmr.v13i25.12428.
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The primary caregiver is a fundamental part of the health-disease process of the patient with a disabling, chronic or transitory illness. The participation of women in care is greater compared to men, this happens in various studies of informal caregivers of various diseases or disabling conditions. Feminist economics, from the perspective of care economics, points out the importance of considering the determining role of gender relations to explain the concentration of women in care activities and the minimal or less favorable participation in the work market. The objective of this narrative review is to recognize some sociodemographic characteristics that allow the problem to be analyzed from a gender perspective, especially to make visible the determinants associated with the link between women and primary or informal care. The recent approval of the national care system is a small advance in the challenge that care for primary caregivers entails, however, it is necessary to generate public policies that contribute to the well-being of caregivers, starting from the recognition of their needs in the different areas. It is important to consider social changes, population aging, the increase in the number of dependent people, whether due to age or disability, demographic changes, and new family, work and cultural models.
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Serafini, Gianluca, Matteo Pardini, Fiammetta Monacelli, Beatrice Orso, Nicola Girtler, Andrea Brugnolo, Mario Amore, Flavio Nobili, and Disease Management Team on Dementia of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino. "Neuroprogression as an Illness Trajectory in Bipolar Disorder: A Selective Review of the Current Literature." Brain Sciences 11, no. 2 (February 23, 2021): 276. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/brainsci11020276.
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Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic and disabling psychiatric condition that is linked to significant disability and psychosocial impairment. Although current neuropsychological, molecular, and neuroimaging evidence support the existence of neuroprogression and its effects on the course and outcome of this condition, whether and to what extent neuroprogressive changes may impact the illness trajectory is still poorly understood. Thus, this selective review was aimed toward comprehensively and critically investigating the link between BD and neurodegeneration based on the currently available evidence. According to the most relevant findings of the present review, most of the existing neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and molecular evidence demonstrates the existence of neuroprogression, at least in a subgroup of BD patients. These studies mainly focused on the most relevant effects of neuroprogression on the course and outcome of BD. The main implications of this assumption are discussed in light of specific shortcomings/limitations, such as the inability to carry out a meta-analysis, the inclusion of studies with small sample sizes, retrospective study designs, and different longitudinal investigations at various time points.
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Dell’Osso, Bernardo, Cristina Dobrea, Laura Cremaschi, Massimiliano Buoli, Shefali Miller, Terence A. Ketter, and A. Carlo Altamura. "Italian Bipolar II vs I patients have better individual functioning, in spite of overall similar illness severity." CNS Spectrums 22, no. 4 (February 24, 2016): 325–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1092852915000887.
Full textAbstract:
IntroductionBipolar disorders (BDs) comprise different variants of chronic, comorbid, and disabling conditions, with relevant suicide and suicide attempt rates. The hypothesis that BD types I (BDI) and II (BDII) represent more and less severe forms of illness, respectively, has been increasingly questioned over recent years, justifying additional investigation to better characterize related sociodemographic and clinical profiles.MethodsA sample of 217 outpatients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)–described BD (141 BDI, 76 BDII), without a current syndromal mood episode, was recruited, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of BDI and II patients were compared.ResultsBDII patients had significantly more favorable sociodemographics, in relation to occupational stability, cohabitation, and marital status. However, BDII compared with BDI patients had significantly longer duration of untreated illness, more frequent lifetime anxiety disorders comorbidity, longer most recent episode duration, higher rate of depressive first/most recent episode, and more current antidepressant use. In contrast, BDI compared with BDII patients had significantly more severe illness in terms of earlier age at onset; higher rate of elevated first/most recent episode, lifetime hospitalizations, and involuntary commitments; lower Global Assessment of Functioning score; and more current antipsychotic use. BDI and II patients had similar duration of illness, psychiatric family history, lifetime number of suicide attempts, current subthreshold symptoms, history of stressful life events, and overall psychiatric/medical comorbidity.ConclusionBDII compared with BDI patients had more favorable sociodemographic features, but a mixture of specific unfavorable illness characteristics, confirming that BDII is not just a milder form of BD and requires further investigation in the field.