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P196 A new questionnaire to measure quality of life in severe asthma (saq): preliminary validation
Get PDFIntroduction and Objectives Existing HRQoL scales have poor content validity for severe asthma as they fail to measure the qualitatively different burdens experienced by the severe asthma population compared to those with mild or moderate asthma, in particular, the side effects of oral corticosteroids (OCS). A new severe asthma quality of life questionnaire (SAQ) has been designed using extensive patient input in qualitative studies as per FDA guidelines. The questionnaire has 16 questions rated on a 1–7 Likert scale and a 100 point global quality of life scale (GQoL) similar to the EQ-5Ds 100 point visual analogue scale (VAS) (SAQ.org.uk).
Methods Consecutive consenting patients attending the severe asthma clinic in Plymouth with severe asthma were invited to participate in a cross sectional survey. Patients completed four questionnaires the SAQ, mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (miniAQLQ), Asthma Control Test (ACT) and the EQ-5D. Prednisolone dose and frequency of severe exacerbations were obtained from clinic records.
Results 102 participants (64 female, mean age=51 years range 18–79 years), of whom 38 were on maintenance OCS consented to take part, mean FEV1% of 69%. Correlations between the four questionnaires were all above 0.65. Correlations with frequency of severe exacerbations were SAQ 0.31, miniAQLQ 0.31, ACT 0.34. The SAQ’s GQoL correlated with the EQ-5D’s VAS at 0.73. The SAQ was significantly better than the miniAQLQ at predicting the quality of life of patients taking ≥10 mg OCS a day (p<0.05 vs p=0.88). These questionnaires had parallel Results for doses up to 10 mg but above that only SAQ provided differentiation between patients
Easing the transition of first year undergraduates through an immersive induction module
Get PDFEntry into higher education (HE) is recognised as a challenging time for undergraduates as they negotiate the norms and practices of new academic communities and foster relationships with peers and academics. Given the significance of this time period, our University has piloted a new four-week module that immerses students in their discipline and provides them with the academic skills and networks to support them through this period and beyond. Here we report a comprehensive evaluation examining academic and student experience of this immersive module. We explore its impact on essential aspects of the transition experience e.g. social integration, academic literacies and the sense of preparation for HE. Whilst this new approach did have positive impacts on students’ sense of integration, questions were raised around the extent to which it matched or even raised expectations, and the extent to which this prepared students for the rest of their studies
Understand how radial shockwave therapy can help in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders
Get PDFhis article discusses the role that the relatively new treatment modality of radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) can play in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders. The study presents empirical evidence on the benefits of RSWT in the short term for treating lower limb injuries as measured by perceived reduction in pain and increased functional mobility. This article highlights how effectively RSWT can be used in the early treatment of musculoskeletal disorders and the importance and continued use of traditional rehab modalities following RSWT. You can test your knowledge of the subject using our elearning assessment and include the resulting certificate in your CPD portfolio, as well as print out our professionally produced patient information leaflet to give to your patients
Cervical radiograph of a patient with cervicogenic dizziness
Get PDFClinical image. This is a cervical X-ray of a patient suffering from long term dizziness and associated neck pain and stiffness.The X-ray showed that the C1 cervical vertebrae were in a rotated position.In some cases of dizziness, one of the causes can be attributed to pathology or dysfunction of upper cervical spine
The experience of open access youth work: the voice of young people
Get PDFThis research explores young people’s experiences of open access youth work and identifies what they consider to be its value. The detailed analysis of the data, achieved through focus groups, revealed that ‘association’ was a key driver of engagement. It also highlighted the support system the youth club creates amongst the peers. The young people also valued the relationships they form with youth workers and acknowledge the support and guidance offered to them which better enables them to reflect on and navigate their complex lives. Young people also valued the acceptance they feel from the community developed in the youth space. It provided comfort and reassurance when at times they do not feel like they fit in anywhere else. This research offers a significant counter to the tide of current targeted youth work policy which is resulting in the demise of a provision which, judged by the findings from this research, appears to be highly valued by, and beneficial to, young people
Farmland biodiversity and agricultural management on 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions
Get PDFFarmland is a major land cover type in Europe and Africa and provides habitat for numerous species. The severe decline in farmland biodiversity of the last decades has been attributed to changes in farming practices, and organic and low‐input farming are assumed to mitigate detrimental effects of agricultural intensification on biodiversity. Since the farm enterprise is the primary unit of agricultural decision making, management‐related effects at the field scale need to be assessed at the farm level. Therefore, in this study, data were collected on habitat characteristics, vascular plant, earthworm, spider, and bee communities and on the corresponding agricultural management in 237 farms in 13 European and two African regions. In 15 environmental and agricultural homogeneous regions, 6–20 farms with the same farm type (e.g., arable crops, grassland, or specific permanent crops) were selected. If available, an equal number of organic and non‐organic farms were randomly selected. Alternatively, farms were sampled along a gradient of management intensity. For all selected farms, the entire farmed area was mapped, which resulted in total in the mapping of 11 338 units attributed to 194 standardized habitat types, provided together with additional descriptors. On each farm, one site per available habitat type was randomly selected for species diversity investigations. Species were sampled on 2115 sites and identified to the species level by expert taxonomists. Species lists and abundance estimates are provided for each site and sampling date (one date for plants and earthworms, three dates for spiders and bees). In addition, farmers provided information about their management practices in face‐to‐face interviews following a standardized questionnaire. Farm management indicators for each farm are available (e.g., nitrogen input, pesticide applications, or energy input). Analyses revealed a positive effect of unproductive areas and a negative effect of intensive management on biodiversity. Communities of the four taxonomic groups strongly differed in their response to habitat characteristics, agricultural management, and regional circumstances. The data has potential for further insights into interactions of farmland biodiversity and agricultural management at site, farm, and regional scale
Developing and testing an instrument to assess aquaticity in humans
Get PDFWe developed and validated an aquaticity assessment test (AAT) for the evaluation of human physical adequacy in the water. Forty-six volunteers (25M/21F; 20 ± 8 years) participated and performed 10 easy-to-administer and practical aquatic tasks. Group A was formed by 36 elite athletes (M/F 20/16, 24.7 ± 10yrs) from two sports categories depending on their affinity to the water environment: terrestrial (wrestling, cycling, dancing) and aquatic (swimming, synchronized swimming, free diving) sports. Group B was formed by 10 non-athlete participants (5M/5F, 14.4 ± 1.4yrs) and was assessed by two independent evaluators. Participants in Group A performed the aquatic tasks once to develop the final AAT items and cutoffs. Participants in Group B performed the aquatic tasks twice on different days to assess repeatability. Factor analysis recommended all 10 aquatic tasks to be included in the final AAT, resulting in scores ranging from 9.5 to 49.5. The AAT scores were statistically different between the terrestrial and the aquatic sports' participants (p 0.05). The AAT appears to be a valid and reliable tool for the evaluation of human physical adequacy in the water. It is an easy and user-friendly test which can be performed in any swimming pool without a need for highly trained staff and specialized equipment, however more research needs to be done in order to be applied in other population group
Perceived changes to quality of life indicators following a physical activity intervention for recovering cancer patients: A qualitative study
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to examine the perceived changes to the quality of life (QoL) for a group of recovering cancer patients, following 6 months of physical activity.
Background
Evidence suggests that physical activity can improve the QoL of recovering cancer patients, reducing many of the side-effects of cancer and its related treatments, including depression, anxiety, chronic fatigue and improve physical and psychological health.
Method
A qualitative study with 14 mixed site cancer patients aged 43-70 (12 women, 2 men). The intervention was in 2 parts the first part was an 8-week physical activity programme, the second part related to a period of non-supervised, physical activity for 4 months (6 months in total). The Programme took place at a university in the South West of England. Semi-structured interviews with patients took place 3 times over 6 months. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data.
Results
We found that prior to the 6-month physical activity intervention many of the patients were anxious about being able to complete the initial 8 week programme. Anxieties related to low self-esteem and the chronic fatigue resulting from their cancer treatment. Consequently several patients expressed concerns about their ability to help themselves self-manage their recovery through physical activity. On completion of the intervention the majority of patients reported improvements in their perceived QoL relating to their ability to self-manage, their self-efficacy, energy levels, along with decreases in chronic fatigue.
Conclusion Our study has provided valuable insights into how the perceived QoL of a group of recovering cancer patients can be improved through a combined 6-month period of supervised and independent physical activity. These findings serve as further evidence of the effectiveness of a person centred healthcare approach for recovering cancer patients