Perceived Well-Being and Quality of Life in People with Typical and Atypical Development: The Role of Sports Practice

Quality of Life in Cancer Patients: The Modern Psycho-Oncologic Approach for Romania-A Review

Quality of life (QOL) is an important indicator of human satisfaction and well-being. QOL is significantly and persistently affected for patients after a cancer diagnosis. Despite some evidence suggesting that psycho-oncologic interventions can provide lasting benefits, the inclusion of such interventions in cancer therapy is not universal. This article provides an overview of the known approaches to the evaluation of QOL in cancer patients and various interventions for improving patients' outcomes, with a focus on the eastern European regional and specific Romanian context. With a mortality rate above and cancer care performance below the EU average and unequally distributed, Romania urgently needs a national coordination program, which is discussed in our review, highlighting the main psychological tools needed for the assessment and the challenges involved in implementing the program. In the end, we suggest some directions for the future development of the psycho-oncologic approach in the context of social considerations, policy, and the unexpected financial challenges the nation provides.

Wheelchair hockey improves quality of life in people with neuromuscular disease

BACKGROUND

Participation in sports is known to have positive effects on people's health and psychosocial well-being. Recently, physical activity implications for people with disabilities have been explored, showing promising results on quality of life and self-concept. However, few studies have specifically investigated the effects of participation in adaptive sports on quality of life in patients with neuromuscular disease.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate differences in psychosocial well-being between people affected by a neuromuscular disease who play wheelchair hockey and those who do not. Individuals playing an adaptive sport would report better quality of life, higher physical self-efficacy scores, and more effective coping strategies, as assessed by self-reported measures.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Data were collected during clinical follow-ups at the NEMO Clinical Center in Milan (Italy).

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 25 patients affected by neuromuscular diseases, ages 18 to 40 years, participated in the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Not applicable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome was to compare quality of life between groups. Secondary outcomes were the comparisons of physical self-efficacy and coping strategies through self-reported measures.

RESULTS

Wheelchair hockey players scored significantly higher on the Quality of Life Index (specifically on the health/functioning and psychological/spiritual sub-scales) and reported better physical self-efficacy and perceived physical ability compared to the control group (i.e., patients who do not participate in any adaptive sport), controlling for age and pathology. On the contrary, no difference was found in coping strategies between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified a significant association between participation in wheelchair hockey and improved physical and psychological well-being of people affected by neuromuscular diseases compared to those who are not involved in adaptive sports.