published_or_final_version / Community Medicine / Master / Master of Public Health

Bakgrund och problemformulering: Tidigare forskning visar att 32 procent av Sveriges befolkning bor ensamma och många utav dem är äldre personer. Det är inte bara äldre som bor ensamma som upplever ensamhet utan även de som bor på boenden och har personer runt sig. Studien kommer beskriva hur en ensam äldre person kan bemötas på bästa sätt samt hur upplevelsen av ensamheten påverkas om den är självvald eller påtvingad. Syfte: att beskriva äldres upplevelse av ensamhet. Metod: En litteraturstudie har gjorts enligt Axelssons modell (2012), där kvalitativa artiklar har analyserats och sammanställts till fyra teman: ensamhetsfaktorer, att bli gammal, ensamhetens konsekvenser och att hantera ensamhet. Artiklarnas inklusionskriterier var att de handlade om personer äldre än 65 år. Artiklarna skulle inte vara äldre än sex år och bygga på kvalitativa studier. Resultat: Upplevelsen av ensamhet kan uppstå på olika sätt, den blir mest påtaglig vid förlusten av en partner. Att gå i pension har en betydande roll och kan orsaka att en persons livsrytm rubbas, ensamheten kan även uppstå när kroppen inte fungerar som den gjort innan. Ensamheten är något som varje individ upplever olika och därmed kan den uppfattas som både positiv och negativ. Det framkommer att sociala relationer har en positiv inverkan på ensamheten. Diskussion: Forskning har visat att åldern inte har en betydelse för upplevelsen av ensamhet. Upplevelsen bland yngre människor är relativt lika som hos äldre. Likaså verkar upplevelsen i olika delar av världen vara densamma. Genom vårdande samtal samt uppmuntran att aktivera sig kan ensamheten förhindras.

<p>Högskolestudenters upplevda livskvalitet har varit ett eftersatt forskningsområde. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur studenter på grund- respektive forskarutbildningen vid Stockholms universitet upplevde sin livskvalitet och jämföra resultaten med tidigare insamlade data från en normalgrupp. För att mäta den upplevda livskvaliteten användes formuläret Quality of life inventory, QOLI. Totalt inkom 1300 enkäter från studenter på grundutbildningen och 115 enkäter från studenter på forskarutbildningen. Resultaten visar att både studenter på grund- respektive forskarutbildningen skattar sin upplevda livskvalitet som signifikant lägre än normalgruppen. Vidare framkom att kvinnor skattar sin livskvalitet som högre än män och att gifta och samboende skattar sin livskvalitet som högre än ogifta. Resultaten överrensstämmer med den forskning som tidigare genomförts för högskolestudenters subjektivt upplevda livskvalitet.</p>

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It is estimated that more than 218,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in the year 2007. With a mean age at diagnosis of 72, and extended long-term survival, prostate cancer represents a significant health problem among older men. Despite the fact that the treatment for prostate cancer has significant effects upon one's physical appearance and functional ability, there exists a gap in the literature regarding body image in men with prostate cancer. Additionally, there is a large gap in our knowledge of the relationship of body image and QOL in men with prostate cancer.The purpose of this study was to describe changes in body image and quality of life among men with prostate cancer, to describe the relationship between the two, and to explore the differences in body image and quality of life related to treatment, age, duration of therapy and body mass index.The sample consisted of one hundred and thirty-two older men (> age 60) with prostate cancer, recruited from the oncology and urology out-patient departments at an urban Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The participants completed 2 established questionnaires, the Body Image Scale and the Quality of Life Index Cancer Version. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis.For purposes of analysis, the sample was grouped according to treatment with ADT as part of therapy for prostate cancer. The ADT-naive group composed 34.1% of the sample (n = 45); the ADT group composed 65.9% of the sample (n = 87). Whether or not one received ADT was correlated with body image change: those men who received ADT had a greater perception of negative change. There was, however, no difference in quality of life between men who received ADT and men who did not. Neither age nor duration of therapy had any relationship with the perceptions of change in body image or quality of life. A significant negative correlation was demonstrated between body image change and quality of life overall, and with each of the domains.

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With improved survival following cardiac transplantation, attention has focused upon the quality of that survival and some of the variables that may impact quality of life. The present study objectively measured subjective aspects of quality of life in order to discover its pre- and postoperative predictors. Results indicate that immunosuppression following heart transplantation creates a significant number of complications and symptoms for the recipient and is significantly related to elevated levels of psychological distress, particularly depression and anxiety, and decreased self-esteem. These findings emphasize the importance of careful symptom evaluation and targeting of distressed patients for psychological intervention in clinical settings and underscore the importance of continued medical research to improve immunosuppression therapy. Descriptive statistics reveal a rather mixed picture of postoperative quality of life which may result from the difficult clinical reality in which heart transplant patients often trade one set of preoperative cardiac symptoms for another set of postoperative symptoms related to immunosuppression therapy.

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Purpose The purpose of this enquiry is to explore the symptom experience and the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of children who have survived a brain tumour. Design An emergent, mixed-method study design was used with three phases of inquiry. 1) A systematic review was undertaken of previous research on the HRQL outcomes and symptom experience of children who have survived a brain tumour. 2) A quantitative study of the relationship between symptom experience and HRQL in 50 children who have survived a pediatric brain tumour was completed. This study was followed by a qualitative study of 12 children that used an interpretive descriptive methodology to understand the perceived relationship between symptom experience, coping and quality of life. 3) The results of phases 1 and 2 were translated into an evidence-informed clinical practice framework. Results 1) Pediatric brain tumour survivors had poorer HRQL outcomes than other cancer survivors or healthy peers. Only two previous studies had explored the relationship between symptoms and HRQL. 2) Pediatric brain tumour survivors experience many symptoms following the completion of treatment. The most distressing symptoms were pain, headaches, fatigue and sleep problems. Survivors of pediatric brain tumours described multiple symptoms that affect their life; yet overall they described their quality of life as good. Survivors used a variety of coping strategies to help mitigate the negative effects of these symptoms. 3) The results of the above studies informed the development of a clinical practice framework (the Queen’s-Macartney Multidisciplinary Action Plan for Oncology Survivors - Q-MapS), that requires further testing. It is intended to optimize clinical practice, to encourage education and to stimulate further research. Conclusions Child survivors of brain tumours experience various symptoms that can affect their HRQL. Nurses play a pivotal role in the systematic assessment and management of the multidimensional symptom experience of children following treatment for a brain tumour. Q-MapS can empower patients and their families by increasing their awareness of potential or actual problems related to their symptom experience and HRQL. More research is needed to better understand the relationship between symptoms and HRQL in children surviving brain tumours. / Thesis (Ph.D, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2013-05-01 21:12:57.809