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Validation study of a Portuguese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale

Abstract The study aims to develop and assess metric proprieties of the Portuguese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A sequential sample includes 1322 participants diagnosed with cancer, stroke, epilepsy, coronary heart disease, diabetes, myotonic dystrophy, obstructive sleep apnoea, depression and a non-disease group, which completed the HADS. The first step includes translation, retroversion, inspection for lexical equivalence and content validity, and cognitive debriefing. Then we reproduce oblique exploratory factor analysis and use confirmatory factor analysis. We explore the sensibility of the questionnaire. The validation process of the Portuguese HADS version shows metric properties similar to those in international studies, suggesting that it measures the same constructs, in the same way, as the original HADS form.

Quality of life and brain tumors: what beyond the clinical burden?

This study analyzed the subjective facets of quality of life (QoL) and their relation to the type of brain tumor (BT) and phase of disease. Two hundred and ninety-one patients with pinealoblastoma, medulloblastoma, low-grade glioma, anaplastic astrocytoma, or glioblastoma were evaluated. With respect to 110 healthy controls, patients in the phases of radiotherapy/chemotherapy, stable disease, or tumor recurrence were significantly more anxious and depressed compared with patients in the early postoperative period. All patients were impaired in mental flexibility and memory, with preservation of abstract reasoning. The Functional Living Index-Cancer (FLIC), previously validated in cancer and BT patients, yielded six subjective factors (disease perception, affective well-being, role and leisure, personal base, nausea, sharing). None of the FLIC factors were predicted by tumor type, which only related to the physical and cognitive performances and mood scores. Affective well-being, role and leisure, and sharing were predicted by the phase of disease. Personal base, including self-perception and confidence, was independent on tumor progression and treatment. To conclude, QoL encompasses different subjective aspects, which vary in relation to the phase of disease and clinical burden. However, some person-related facets appear independent on tumor progression and treatment, indicating individual resources. Knowing this may guide tailored interventions supporting QoL.

Auto-conceito em crianças com e sem obesidade

The present study was motivated by the concern and interest for childhood obesity and the psychological aspects associated with it. This transversal study aimed to compare the self-concept of obese and non-obese children. A socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire and the Portuguese version by Martins, Peixoto, Mata and Monteiro (1995) of the Self-Perception Profile of Harters Self-Perception Profile for Children (1986) were administered to a sample of 100 children (n=58 female), between 8 and 12 years of age (M=10,19; SD=1,26), mainly living in a urban context (n=54) and of median Socio-Economical Level (n=78), 45 of which were obese. Non-obese children had significantly higher mean scores in the subscales Athletic Competence and Physical Appearance. Obese children had significantly higher mean scores in the subscale Behavioural Attitude. The results partially support the literature, emphasizing the need to replicate this study with a bigger sample.

Psychosocial factors as predictors of quality of life in chronic portuguese patients

BackgroundChronic illnesses are diseases of long duration and generally of slow progression. They cause significant quality of life impairment. The aim of this study was to analyse psychosocial predictors of quality of life and of subjective well-being in chronic Portuguese patients.MethodsChronic disease patients (n = 774) were recruited from central Portuguese Hospitals. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires assessing socio-demographic, clinical, psychosocial and outcome variables: quality of life (HRQL) and subjective well-being (SWB). MANCOVA analyses were used to test psychosocial factors as determinants of HRQL and SWB.ResultsAfter controlling for socio-demographic and clinical variables, results showed that dispositional optimism, positive affect, spirituality, social support and treatment adherence are significant predictors of HRQL and SWB. Similar predictors of quality of life, such as positive affect, treatment adherence and spirituality, were found for subgroups of disease classified by medical condition.ConclusionsThe work identifies psychosocial factors associated with quality of life. The predictors for the entire group of different chronic diseases are similar to the ones found in different chronic disease subgroups: positive affect, social support, treatment adherence and spirituality. Patients with more positive affect, additional social support, an adequate treatment adherence and a feel-good spirituality, felt better with the disease conditions and consequently had a better quality of life. This study contributes to understanding and improving the processes associated with quality of life, which is relevant for health care providers and chronic diseases support.

The Effectiveness of Physiotherapy and Complementary Therapies on Voice Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

The treatment of voice disorders includes physiotherapy and complementary therapies. However, research to support these treatments is scarce. Objective: to verify the effectiveness of physiotherapy and complementary therapies on voice disorders. Research on electronic databases PubMed/Medline, SciELO, and LILACS was performed using the combination: voice AND (treatment OR intervention) according to PRISMA guidelines. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in the review. Studies were analyzed using the physiotherapy evidence database (PEDro) scale and the Center for Evidence-Based Medicine’s Levels of Evidence scale. Eight papers met the inclusion criteria. From the RCTs included in this review, six assessed massage, one transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), one refer to spinal manipulative therapy, and one to acupuncture. The literature regarding the effectiveness of physiotherapy and complementary therapies was good in both quality and results, indicating that massage, TENS, and acupuncture seem to be effective treatments to reduce voice complaints and improve voice quality, supporting the inclusion of complementary therapies but mostly physiotherapy interventions in the treatment of patients with voice disorders.

An Application of Structural Equation Modeling of Test Dispositional Optimism as Mediator or Moderator in Quality of Life in Patients with Chronic Disease

The aim of the present study was to test a hypothetical model to examine if dispositional optimism exerts a moderating or a mediating effect between personality traits and quality of life, in Portuguese patients with chronic diseases. A sample of 540 patients was recruited from central hospitals in various districts of Portugal. All patients completed self-reported questionnaires assessing socio-demographic and clinical variables, personality, dispositional optimism, and quality of life. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the moderating and mediating effects. Results suggest that dispositional optimism exerts a mediator rather than a moderator role between personality traits and quality of life, suggesting that “the expectation that good things will happen” contributes to a better general well-being and better mental functioning.