Oddbjørn Hove

Quality of life among patients undergoing bariatric surgery: associations with mental health- A 1 year follow-up study of bariatric surgery patients

BackgroundPreoperative mental health seems to have useful predictive value for Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) after bariatric surgery. The aim of the present study was to assess pre- and postoperative psychiatric disorders and their associations with pre- and postoperative HRQOL.MethodData were assessed before (n = 127) and one year after surgery (n = 87). Psychiatric disorders were assessed by Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) and Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-II). HRQOL was assessed by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire.ResultsSignificant improvements were found in HRQOL from preoperative assessment to follow-up one year after surgery. For the total study population, the degree of improvement was statistically significant (p values < .001) for seven of the eight SF-36 subscales from preoperative assessment to follow-up one year after surgery. Patients without psychiatric disorders had no impairments in postoperative HRQOL, and patients with psychiatric disorders that resolved after surgery had small impairments on two of the eight SF-36 subscales compared to the population norm (all effect sizes < .5) at follow-up one year after surgery. Patients with psychiatric disorders that persisted after surgery had impaired HRQOL at follow-up one year after surgery compared to the population norm, with effect sizes for the differences from moderate to large (all effect sizes ≥ .6).ConclusionThis study reports the novel finding that patients without postoperative psychiatric disorders achieved a HRQOL comparable to the general population one year after bariatric surgery; while patients with postoperative psychiatric disorders did not reach the HRQOL level of the general population. Our results support monitoring patients with psychiatric disorders persisting after surgery for suboptimal improvements in quality of life after bariatric surgery.Trial RegistrationThe trial is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov prior to patient inclusion (ProtocolID16280).

Paternal Mental Health and Socioemotional and Behavioral Development in Their Children

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between symptoms of psychological distress in expectant fathers and socioemotional and behavioral outcomes in their children at age 36 months. METHODS: The current study is based on data from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study on 31 663 children. Information about fathers’ mental health was obtained by self-report (Hopkins Symptom Checklist) in week 17 or 18 of gestation. Information about mothers’ pre- and postnatal mental health and children’s socioemotional and behavioral development at 36 months of age was obtained from parent-report questionnaires. Linear multiple regression and logistic regression models were performed while controlling for demographics, lifestyle variables, and mothers’ mental health. RESULTS: Three percent of the fathers had high levels of psychological distress. Using linear regression models, we found a small positive association between fathers’ psychological distress and children’s behavioral difficulties, B = 0.19 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.15–0.23); emotional difficulties, B = 0.22 (95% CI = 0.18–0.26); and social functioning, B = 0.12 (95% CI = 0.07–0.16). The associations did not change when adjusted for relevant confounders. Children whose fathers had high levels of psychological distress had higher levels of emotional and behavioral problems. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that some risk of future child emotional, behavioral, and social problems can be identified during pregnancy. The findings are of importance for clinicians and policy makers in their planning of health care in the perinatal period because this represents a significant opportunity for preventive intervention.

Type and Intensity of Negative Life Events Are Associated With Depression in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities

This study investigated the associations between types and intensity of life events and symptoms of depression among adults with intellectual disabilities. A community sample (N = 593) was screened for current depression and exposure to life events (i.e., loss, illness, change, and bullying) during the previous 12 months. Symptoms of depression were measured using the Psychopathology Checklists for Adults With Intellectual Disabilities. Exposure to three of the four types of life events studied (loss, illness, and bullying) and the intensity of the events were associated with depression, particularly in the cases of loss of relatives and bullying. Quality of care moderated the association between bullying and depression and may buffer the adverse consequences of bullying.

Development and testing of an instrument in Western Norway to measure the quality of referral information from primary care to specialised mental health care

Introduction Several studies have indicated that medical referral letters do not convey the necessary information to ensure sufficient coordination of care. However, there is no definition of the core set of information items that should be communicated in a referral process, and no valid measurements to assess, and thus improve, the quality of such information. The present study aimed to develop and test an instrument to measure the quality of referral information provided by general practitioners to specialised mental health care services for adults. Methods Based on a recommendation taking the users’ standpoint into account, a minimum set of items for referral communication seen as essential by experienced specialists (N = 42) was developed. An instrument to assess the quality of referral information for specialised mental health care for adults was then examined based on its psychometric properties. The examination was conducted within the region of Western Norway Regional Health Authority (www.helse-vest.no), representing the public specialised mental health care for approximately 1 million citizens. Results Nineteen items were recommended, and the instrument was found valid and reliable. The inter-rater correlation varied, and the test–retest was found to be substantial or almost perfect for a majority of the raters. Discussion This study embeds an exploration of improvement potential, impact of quality improvement efforts and sustainability of such efforts for facilitating effective communication in the interface between the two main health services for people with mental health problems. Further exploration on the instruments generalisability to other contexts and to the inter-rater correlation are recommended.