Vilka psykologiska processer som gör att vissa individer klarar sig bättre än andra i påfrestande situationer har väckt allt större intresse hos forskarna. Syftet med den här studien var att undersöka vilken betydelse socialt stöd har för anpassningen till kronisk reumatisk sjukdom. Studien utfördes i form av tolv halvstrukturerade intervjuer. Analys av materialet som helhet antydde att intervjupersonerna ansåg att socialt stöd från omgivningen hade hjälpt dem att anpassa sig till sjukdomen. Vården, i form av bland annat läkare, framstod som ett särskilt viktigt socialt stöd. Även stödet från andra individer med liknande sjukdom lyftes fram som betydelsefull. Den största anpassningen till sjukdomen verkar ske de första åren, men tycks också därefter pågå fortlöpande.

Background: Recently across the United States, chronic diseases have been becoming more prevalent and compliance rates to recommendations have been declining. Non-adherence to health professionals recommendations creates a greater risk of complications for the patient. Objective: The objective of this study is to discover which populations have the highest prevalence of chronic disease and compare adherence to physicians’ recommendations throughout those populations. If a physician tells a patient to complete a certain behavioral change to improve health, a physician would assume that the adherence level should be nearly 100%, but it is clear adherence levels do not reach those levels. Different demographic factors play a role in adherence: gender, age, race, socioeconomic status, education status, marital status, medical insurance coverage, and comorbidity of chronic diseases. Methods: The 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a secondary data source, was used for data collection. The total number of people who participated in the 2007-2008 NHANES study was 5,687. Data analysis was performed with the statistical software program SPSS 19.0. A number of descriptive analyses, cross tabulations, correlations, and binary logistic regression were used to conduct a univariate and multivariate analysis of the subjects. The chronic diseases chosen to assess were hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes. The different recommendations were made to all the patients included: eating less fat, control weight, increase exercise, and take a prescription medication for each specific condition Results: The 5,687 participants were included in the study. The prevalence of hypertension was 21.2%, hypercholesterolemia was 19.3%, and diabetes was 8.7% among those who were surveyed. Among those who were told to eat less fat, control weight, increase exercise and take prescription to control their chronic disease condition, adherence levels ranged greatly. The significance of a physician recommending a behavioral change had the biggest impact on whether a patient would adhere. No significance was seen between any of the demographic variables except for marital status for those who were told to take a prescription to control hypercholesterolemia. Discussion: The study has proven physician recommendations to control chronic disease are usually to take a medication. An individual’s demographics have a small impact on whether he or she will adhere to the advice of the physician. Additional research needs to be completed to understand the patient to physician relationship, which seems to have the biggest impact on behavioral change. Furthermore, new interventions are needed to increase adherence to 100%. Increasing chronic disease adherence across the United States will result in decrease spending in health care costs in the United States.

Background: Rural Saskatchewan cancer survivors have reported a lack of support once their cancer treatments have been completed. This problem is more acute the further away one lives from Saskatoon and Regina. A chronic disease self-management program titled LiveWell with Chronic Conditions (LWCC) is available to all people with any chronic condition in rural areas across Saskatchewan. This program addresses key areas of concern to survivors; however, participation is low for cancer survivors. Purpose: To determine how LWCC can reach and respond to the needs of rural cancer survivors in Saskatchewan. Objectives: 1. To gain an understanding of how the program responds to the needs of rural cancer survivors from the perspective of program leaders and cancer survivors. 2. To explore how the existing LWCC program could be enhanced in terms of content, format, delivery and marketing strategy. 3. Based on results, develop recommendations in coordination with agencies and institutions that provide services to cancer survivors. Methods: A mixed-methods case study approach was adopted. Needs questionnaires were completed by cancer survivors who participated in the LWCC program offered in rural health regions across the province (n=4). Consenting survivors who attended the program and several program facilitators, some of whom were cancer survivors themselves, were interviewed in order to provide their opinion regarding content, format, and other relevant feedback that would improve the fit of the program with the needs of rural cancer survivors (n=10). Results: Results indicate the material covered in the program is appropriate for cancer survivors who have finished acute treatment and are making the transition to life after cancer. Program benefits include improved self-efficacy and being able to manage emotional and physical issues from cancer including fatigue and pain. Rural survivors would like access to additional information to address issues specific to cancer survivorship including dealing with the fear of cancer recurrence, lymphedema and sexuality. A cancer specific rural health program would not be very feasible due to small populations. Cancer survivors felt comfortable in a group among people with other chronic conditions although support of another person with cancer participating in the LWCC group would be preferred. Knowledge Translation: A think tank was held with key stakeholders who provide services to cancer survivors to review these findings and form recommendations for improving rural cancer survivor care. These recommendations are: 1) to promote LWCC to rural cancer survivors who have finished acute cancer treatment, 2) to broaden the awareness of the program among cancer care providers, and 3) to refer cancer survivors to an existing cancer survivorship single day workshop after participation in LWCC. This workshop is available in up to 10 communities outside of Regina and Saskatoon. Conclusion: The Live Well with Chronic Conditions program is appropriate and beneficial for cancer survivors who have completed acute cancer treatments. As more cancer care providers make referrals to this program and an online version of the program becomes available, uptake will likely improve among rural cancer survivors in Saskatchewan.

Bakgrund: Allt fler barn och ungdomar överlever idag en kronisk sjukdom och behöver överföras till vuxensjukvård. Idag är inte denna transition/överföringsprocess tillfredsställande utan en förbättring behöver ske. Syfte: Syftet var att identifiera faktorer som är betydelsefulla i samband med överföringsprocessen från barn- till vuxensjukvård hos unga med kronisk sjukdom. Metod: En systematisk litteraturstudie genomfördes. Efter urval och granskning genomfördes analys och tolkning. Studien omfattade 23 artiklar som besvarade studiens syfte. Resultat: Efter analys av artiklarna kunde fyra faktorer urskiljas. Information och förberedelse, samarbete mellan barn- och vuxensjukvård, psykosociala faktorer samt vårdgivarnas kompetens och egenskaper. Konklusion: Överföringsprocessen måste förberedas bättre. Den ska starta tidigt, individualiseras och involvera både patienten och föräldrar. Fokus ska ligga på att stärka ungdomarnas oberoende och att förändra föräldrarollen. Vårdgivarnas främsta uppgift är att bygga broar genom en förbättrad kommunikation och ett ökat samarbete mellan barn- och vuxensjukvård. Vårdgivarna måste känna sig trygga i sin kunskap om patienten när det gäller tidigare sjukhistoria och kunskap om sjukdomen samt bli bättre på ungdomsmedicinska frågor för att bemöta ungdomarna på ett bra sätt.

Abstract Research Objectives¡GThe chronic diseases of the elderly not only influence their life quality but also become a great burden of the society on the health care costs. International studies focused on the utilization of medical care resources for diabetes mellitus patients of comorbidity, such as cardiovascular disease¡Bcerebrovascular disease¡Brenal disease and hypertensive. However, systemic analyses on the medical care utilization of the diabetes patients with comorbidity have not been well-studied in Taiwan. The purposes of the study are to quantitatively analyze the relationships between the number of comorbidity and the utilization of medical are resources, and to further discuss the interference on the utilization of medical care resources among individual diseases of the comorbidity. The research questions are: What is the effect of comorbidity on the type and volume of the utilization of medical care resources? Which comorbidity pattern has the highest effect? Methods¡GBased on the databases established by the Bureau of National Health Insurance during the period of 2005 to 2006, the diabetes patients with aged 65 or older have been analyzed. The data analyses have been carried out by Chi-square test, T-test, Pearson¡¦s correlation, and Multiple Regression and Logistic regression. Result¡GOur results showed that the clinic-visiting frequencies of outpatients with a comorbidity score of 0, 1, 2 and 3 are 52, 69 , 70 and 86 times, respectively, and their expenses are NT dollars 50,505, 97,347, 83,006 and 146,954, respectively. The hospital admission frequency of inpatients with a comorbidity score of 0, 1, 2 and 3 are 2 , 3, 3 and 5 times, respectively; the length of stay are 24, 29, 27 and 60 days, respectively; and the inpatient expense are NT dollars 118,079, 174,727, 147,639 and 271,725 respectively. In addition, the logistic regression model showed that ORs for the probability of hospitalization for the patients with comorbidity scores of 1, 2 and 3 were higher than those with the comorbidity score of 0¡]OR=1.689, OR=1.597, OR=3.319¡^respectively. Conclusion¡GA clear gradient was observed between the number of comorbidities and the increased health care utilizations. Moreover, comorbidity among diabetes patients is associated with considerable consequences of health care and related costs. In addition, current single-disease approach of diabetes care should be extended to the integrated care modules, which must be generic and include comorbidity disease in order to meet the complex health care demands of diabetes patients in the future.

Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 47-06, page: 3554. Adviser: David W. Smith. Includes bibliographical references.

L’irruption d’une maladie chronique constitue une rupture dans la vie des individus, qui les conduit à repenser leur projet professionnel. A partir d’un dispositif collectif d’échanges sur le thème du maintien ou du retour au travail, de 35 entretiens semi-directifs de recherche et de 27 entretiens d’orientation, notre étude tend à montrer que le projet des personnes malades s'élabore soit dans la continuité de leur situation de travail antérieure, soit dans un désir de changement. Les activités des sujets, de travail ou hors travail, apparaissent comme un moyen de se dégager de la maladie et d’éprouver ce dont on est capable. Elles sont sources de projection de soi dans l’avenir et permettent, alors même que la référence à celui qu’on était auparavant n’est plus valide, d’étayer le projet sur des expériences concrètes. En cela, elles sont un déclencheur des réorganisations. Le projet est donc un moyen de restauration des capacités d’action sur soi et sur son environnement. / Whenever a chronic disease arises, it does mark a break in people’s life, which often leads them to reconsider their vocational project. Through a collective workshop about how to hang on or to return to work and the addition of 35 semi-directive research interviews and 27 counseling interviews, we aim to show that people suffering from a chronic disease build their vocational project, by either carrying on their previous professional life or trying to change it. Both work and off- work activities seem to be a way of escaping the disease and assessing their own capabilities. Through activities, people can picture themselves in the future and build a project based on real experiences, although they are not anymore the person they used to be. Thus, these activities cause reorganizations. The project becomes therefore a way of restoring the ability to act by oneself and on the environment.

Introduction: Chronic diseases tend to increase with old age. Older people with chronic disease are commonly suffering from conditions which produce a multiplicity of symptoms and a decreased health-related quality of life. Nurses have a responsibility to prevent, ease or delay a negative outcome through symptom management, or assist in achieving an acceptable level of symptom relief. Aim: The overall aim of the thesis was to describe different aspects of symptom burden from the perspective of community-dwelling people with chronic disease. Methods: This thesis is based upon four papers that used both quantitative and qualitative data to describe different aspects of symptom burden, experienced by people with chronic diseases. Paper (I) is a cross-sectional study with 91 participants diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Papers (II and IV) are based upon secondary outcome data from a randomized controlled trial with 382 community-dwelling older people with multimorbidity. Paper (II) is a cross-sectional study and Paper (IV) has a descriptive and an explorative design reporting on the trajectory of symptom prevalence and symptom burden. Paper (III) is a qualitative study with participants from the AGe-FIT. Results: Among people diagnosed with COPD the most prevalent symptoms with the highest symptom burden scores were shortness of breath, dry mouth, cough, sleep problems, and lack of energy, with just a few differences between participants with moderate and severe airflow limitation (I). For older people with multimorbidity, pain was the symptom with the highest prevalence and burden. Other highly prevalent symptoms were lack of energy and a dry mouth. Poor vision, likelihood of depression, and diagnoses of the digestive system were independently related to the total symptom burden score (II). The symptoms experienced by the older people were persistent and the symptom burden remained high over time (IV). The experience of living with a high symptom burden was described as an endless struggle. The analysis revealed an overall theme, “To adjust and endure” and three sub-themes, “to feel inadequate and limited”, “to feel dependent”, and “to feel dejected” (III). Conclusions: The results of this thesis indicate the importance of early symptom identification. People with chronic diseases have an unmet need for optimized treatment that focuses on the total symptom burden, and not only disease specific symptoms. A large proportion of older people with multimorbidity suffer a high and persistent symptom burden, and the prevalence and trajectory of pain are high. Older people sometimes think their high age is the reason they experience a diversity of symptoms, and they do not always communicate these to their health-care provider.

No description available.

Chronic disease is a major health burden in the United States, affecting about half of adults, and leading to poor health, disability, and death. However, the burden of chronic disease is not shared equally among Americans, with some groups (created by determinants such as race/ethnicity and socioeconomic resources) experiencing higher rates of morbidity and mortality. When measures of health and socioeconomic resources are examined together, a stepwise gradient pattern emerges. This social gradient has been established for individual measures, such as household income and social class, and several measures of morbidity and mortality. However, nationally, little research has been conducted using area-level measures, such as county economics, to examine its relationship with chronic disease. Three studies were completed using data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). County economic status was determined using unemployment, per capita market income, and poverty. The first study examined the relationship between county economic status and chronic disease and risk factors, both nationally and by metropolitan classification, using data from BRFSS 2013. Further, the social gradient was explored. The second study also used data from BRFSS 2013 to examine county economic status and prevalence of hypertension, arthritis, and poor health, after controlling for known risk factors. This study also examined results by US region. Finally, the third study assessed changes in disparities between persistently poor and persistently affluent counties for heart disease, hypertension, arthritis, and diabetes using data from BRFSS 2001-2010.