This thesis explores the quality of life of the first generation of people with spina bifida to reach adulthood. The inquiry was conducted from the social/political approach to disability. From this perspective, disability is viewed as a matter of equality because the problems associated with having a disability are caused by barriers within the social environment. This human rights-based approach underlies much current Australian legislation and government disability policy. The research question was: do adults with spina bifida in New South Wales have the same quality of life as other adults in New South Wales? Quality of life was examined using a framework incorporating objective and subjective measures of quality of life, and the relationship between them, in thirteen domains of life. The role played by values was also explored. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Results from structured interviews with a stratified random sample of 117 adults with spina bifida were compared with the results of postal surveys from 180 Technical and Further Education students. 1991 Census data was also used for comparison. People with spina bifida were found to be disadvantaged in every area of life studied, being in the lowest categories of quality of life: 'adaptation' or 'reluctant adaptation' for nearly all domains. In this situation the spina bifida group had significantly lower objective life conditions than the comparison group, yet were as satisfied or more so, with these circumstances, having adapted their expectations downwards. Qualitative results revealed that people with spina bifida suffered high levels of discrimination, social exclusion and isolation. They wanted jobs, leisure opportunities, relationships and to form their own families. Having little hope of attaining these, however, they had become resigned to their disadvantaged situations. It is concluded that there is a large gap between current Australian disability policy rhetoric about rights and equity, and the reality for people with disabilities. It is also demonstrated that measurements of quality of life which take into account both objective and subjective indicators and the relationship between them, are vital for service planning and evaluation. Implications for future research, policy and practice conclude the thesis.

Research into the quality of life of nurses working at night has received scant attention to date. Apart from studies relating to changes in circadian rhythms of night nurses, very few other aspects of the complex adaptive process have been given serious consideration. Yet, knowledge of that adaptive process is a prerequisite for the selection of staff, and for the design of an appropriate educational programme and staff development strategy. This study looks first at methods of describing the quality of life in general, in order to aim at criteria for evaluation which do not impose the conventional position that day work is proper work. In the light of these criteria, preconceptions and limitations which surround shift work in general are identified and discussed. Night nurses as a group are then subjected to a more intensive examination, including a theoretical review; a survey of a population of one-hundred and sixty-one night nurses and selected interviews; and an account of a pilot study of a potential curriculum. Results of the survey indicate that nurses who show a preference for night work and who selfselect these hours on a permanent basis are more likely to derive challenge from and express greater satisfaction with their work, than those on alternative day and night shifts. Further, there is a stable population of workers who choose night work above all other options as a source of personal satisfaction, freedom and challenge. In the light of these findings, recommendations are made as to the selection, education and development of hospital night staff.

Thesis (M. D. S.)--University of Hong Kong, 2001.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-109).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Title proper from title frame. Also available in printed format.

Thesis (M.A.B.S.)--Multnomah Graduate School of Ministry, 1987. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 66-70).

<p>Growing old should be the golden years of your life, being able to do whatever you want to do. Instead these years are often combined with both physical and psychological illness. Neither the body or mind are what they once were. It has been shown through empirical studies that many elderly people don’t have any social support at all. The results show loneliness and a lower experience of quality of life. Many elderly people live in community care homes, which give the opportunity of supervision and care, day and night, even though the feeling of loneliness might still be present. The aim with the study was to describe elderly people’s quality of life through the care systems perspective. The method used was a literary study with scientific articles as the foundation. The articles were located through various different data bases. The result of the study is presented through three main categories which show that social support and good physical and psychological health increase the perception of good quality of life. It is important to develop the understanding of quality of life amongst the elderly through research.</p>

<p>Bröstcancer är den vanligaste cancerformen bland kvinnor över hela världen. Sjukdomen leder till en förändrad livssituation där stress och ångest blir en del av vardagen. Coping bidrar till en ökad psykisk, fysisk och social förmåga att hantera och leva med en sjukdom. Vilken copingstrategi som används är individuellt och utvecklas med tiden beroende på hur sjukdomsbilden ser ut samt vilka erfarenheter individer har sedan tidigare. Syftet med studien var att belysa hur kvinnor med bröstcancer hanterar sin livssituation genom coping för att uppnå bättre livskvalitet. Studien utfördes som en litteraturstudie där 14 vetenskapliga artiklar granskades. Resultatet påvisade att kvinnor med bröstcancer hanterade sin livssituation genom ett flertal betydelsefulla copingstrategier vilka var acceptans, optimism, humor, stöd, bortträngning, successiv bearbetning, aktivitet, kämparanda och andlighet. Det framkom att coping i stor utsträckning bidrog till att högre livskvalitet uppnåddes, livssituationen blev mer hanterbar samt att stress och oro reducerades. Sjuksköterskan ska främja livskvalitet hos patienter och bör därför inneha kunskaper om coping. Mer kvalitativ forskning inom området är önskvärt för att mer djupgående se vad coping har för effekter.</p> / <p>Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among women worldwide. The disease leads to changes in their life as stress and anxiety becomes a part of everyday life. Coping provides an increased mental, physical and social ability to cope and live with a disease. Which coping strategy being used is individual and evolves over time, depending on past experiences and clinical picture. The purpose of this study was to elucidate how women with breast cancer manage their life trough coping in order to achieve better quality of life. The study was carried out as a literature study, 14 scientific articles were reviewed. The result demonstrate that women with breast cancer manage their life through a number of important coping strategies which were acceptance, optimism, humor, support, distraction, step by step, activity, fighting spirit and spirituality. It was shown that coping highly contributed to higher quality of life, everyday life was easier to handle and stress and anxiety was reduced. The nurse is obligated to work for quality of life in patients and should therefore possess knowledge about coping. More research in the area is desirable to get a more in depth view of the effects of coping.</p>

<p>I Sverige lever cirka 20 000 personer med stomi, vilken är en kirurgiskt anlagd öppning i bukhålan. Emellertid är det många patienter som har svårigheter med att hantera denna nyuppkomna livssituation. I sjuksköterskans dagliga arbete sker inte sällan möten med personer med stomi. Eftersom sjuksköterskans uppgift är att stödja personerna i deras tillfrisknande och återgång till ett normalt liv, är det av vikt att beskriva dessa personers upplevelser av livskvalitet. Således var syftet att beskriva patienters upplevelser av livskvalitet efter en stomioperation. Litteraturstudien genomförs med 13 artiklar som relaterar till syftet. Resultatet från artiklarna sammanställs under två rubriker, vilka belyser upplevelser som leder till minskad eller ökad livskvalitet. Stomin medför en förändring i livet, vilket initialt medför minskad livskvalitet och att det sociala livet kan bli lidande. Dessa upplevelser övergår för många med tiden till en medvetenhet om att stomin räddat deras liv. Många, särskilt de med permanent stomi, lär sig att acceptera sin stomi och att anpassa sig till den, vilket leder till ökad livskvalitet. Forskning om livskvalitet i förhållande till upplevelser relaterat till att leva med en stomi, bör fortgå för att öka sjuksköterskans förståelse i mötet med dessa personer.</p> / <p>In Sweden about 20 000 people live with an ostomy, which is a surgically constructed opening in the abdominal cavity. However, many patients have difficulty in dealing with this newly emerging circumstance in life. Frequently, a nurse’s daily activities will include the caretaking of people with an ostomy. Since the nurse's task is to support people in their recovery and their return to normal patterns in their lives, it is important to describe these people's experiences of quality of life. The purpose of this study was to describe patients’ experiences of quality of life after a surgery with an ostomy. A literature review was carried out with 13 articles related to the purpose. The results from these articles are sorted under two headings, which highlight the experiences that lead to reduced or increased quality of life. The ostomy involves a change in life, which initially leads to a reduction in quality of life and social life may also initially suffer. These experiences will over time transform into an awareness that the ostomy has saved their lives. Many, especially those with a permanent ostomy, learn to accept their ostomy and to adapt to it, resulting in improved quality of life. Research on quality of life in relation to the experiences related to living with an ostomy, should continue to enhance nurses’ understanding when meeting people with an ostomy.</p>

<p>The purpose of this study was to describe how women with fibromyalgia experienced their quality of life. The method used was a literature study with a descriptive design. The search for scientific articles was done by the databases Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, Medline via PubMed and Cohrane Library. The articles were quality-tested and the content studied, resulting in four categories as follows. Research involving the physical aspects of the quality of life showed that sleeplessness, tiredness and pain was commonly occurring symptoms in women’s daily life which affected their life-situation. The symptoms stopped them from planning or actively taking part in social activity. The psychological aspects of quality of life showed that women with fibromyalgia expressed a longing for the life they lived before the disease. The result of the social aspects showed that the women with fibromyalgia wished to spend a lot of time with their families and expressed how important it was. Fybromylagia also had negative effects on their relationships and divorce was not unusual. Work was highly prioritised and estimated as stimulating. The lack of specific symptoms of the disease made the women questioned by people in their environment and by health-personnel. The positive sides of the disease was found in the existential aspects. The women started to reflect about their duties in life and learned how to prioritise in a proper way.</p> / <p>Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva hur kvinnor med fibromyalgi upplevde sin livskvalitet. Metoden som användes var en litteraturstudie med beskrivande design. Sökningen av vetenskapliga artiklar skedde i databaserna Academic Search Elite, CINAHL, Medline via PubMed och Cohrane Library. Artiklarna kvalitetsbedömdes, innehållet studerades och resulterade i fyra kategorier. Forskning rörande den fysiska aspekten av livskvalitet visade att sömnlöshet, trötthet och smärta var vanligt förekommande symtom i kvinnornas vardag som påverkade deras livssituation. Symtomen hindrade dem från att planera eller aktivt delta i sociala aktiviteter. De psykiska aspekterna inom livskvaliteten visade att kvinnor med fibromyalgi gav uttryck för en längtan efter det liv de levt innan sjukdomen. Resultat tillhörande den sociala aspekten visade att kvinnor med fibromyalgi hade en önskan av att få spendera mycket tid tillsammans med familjen och uttryckte hur viktig den var. Sjukdomen fibromyalgi hade också en negativ inverkan på förhållande och skilsmässa var inte ovanligt. Arbete prioriterades högt och arbetslivet uppskattades som stimulerande. Bristen på ett synligt symtom på sjukdomen fibromyalgi gjorde att kvinnorna blev ifrågasatta av personer i omgivningen och sjukvårdspersonal. Under de existentiella aspekterna föll de positiva sidorna med sjukdomen fibromyalgi in. Kvinnorna började reflektera över måsten och plikter i livet samt lärde sig att prioritera på ett bra sätt.</p>