The impact of treatment for head and neck cancer on positive psychological change within a year of completing treatment

Head and neck cancer carries a high level of morbidity and mortality. So why could anyone find having such a disease a positive event? The adversity hypothesis of "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" suggests that people can use adversity to develop as human beings. This positive psychological change has received little attention in relation to head and neck cancer. Responses to the Silver Lining Questionnaire, University of Washington Quality of Life Questionnaire, and Short-Form 12 were collected from a postal survey, 3 to 12 months after the completion of treatment for head and neck cancer. Fifty-two (63%) people returned the survey and were included in the analysis. Time since completion of therapy did not show any relationship with positive psychological change. Tumour stage and treatment regimen both had a relationship with positive change. Participants with lower stage tumours had higher levels of positive change than those with tumours of higher stages. Participants who had surgery alone reported more positive change than those who had surgery with radiotherapy. A social factor related to greater change was being married or living with a partner when compared to living alone. Further research would aid the identification of bio-psychosocial factors that influence the development of positive psychological change and inform the development of rehabilitation interventions.

How to assess appearance distress and motivation in plastic surgery candidates: Italian validation of Derriford Appearance Scale 59 (DAS 59)

OBJECTIVE

The Derriford Appearance Scale (DAS) 59 was specifically designed to measure psychosocial adjustment in patients with appearance problems. Previous studies using the DAS59 have proven it to be a reliable method of assessing the appearance-related quality of life after plastic surgery procedures. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable Italian version of the DAS59.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The first Italian translation of this questionnaire was conducted according to the DAS59 protocol that was designed by the original authors of the questionnaire. Eight hundred patients participated in this study and filled out three questionnaires (DAS59, General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)12 and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI)-II). There were 400 adult patients with a history of previous plastic surgeries and 400 adult patients without any personal history of previous plastic surgery procedures. A total of 50 patients were selected randomly for test-retest analysis.

RESULTS

The overall internal consistency was excellent (α = 0.95) and equal to that of the original article that first described the scale. There was a good correlation between all the items. Domains demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and correlation within themselves. The construct validity of the Italian DAS59 was assessed under convergent validity that confirmed the correlation with scales related to other psychological conditions. GHQ12 showed relevant correlation with DAS59, while BDI-II did not.

CONCLUSIONS

A valid and reliable Italian DAS59 version was developed that can be used for research and clinical assessment of patients with appearance problems and concerns, especially before and after plastic surgery procedures.

Power quality issues and interactions in modern electrical distribution systems

With the increasing rate of electronic equipment installation, there is a greater need for understanding how equipment affects and is affected by the electrical system that serves it. This document addresses these issues as well as principles of electricity magnetism and electrical system construction as they apply to potential problems. The document is geared for those without an electrical engineering background but do have a basic knowledge of electrical systems and terms.