Differences in quality of life and fitness level among men and women in the adulthood: a cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to examine the associations between physical fitness components and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among adults stratified by sex and age. In addition, we aimed to examine whether these associations change based on socioeconomic, clinical, and biochemical characteristics.

METHODS

A total of 297 participants aged 47.41 (standard deviation: 9.08) years from the "Validity of a Model of Accelerated Vascular Aging as a Cardiovascular Risk Index in Healthy Adults: the EVasCu cross-sectional study" were included in this analysis. HRQoL, physical fitness, socioeconomic status (SES), waist circumference, and blood pressure were measured. Additionally, blood samples were extracted to determine cholesterol, triglyceride, and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. Analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were estimated to test mean differences in physical and mental health-related health measures (HRQoL) between fitness categories (fixed factors) by sex and age categories.

RESULTS

The physical HRQoL was related to the levels of fitness parameters among women, independent of age, while for men, it was related to better levels of general fitness and cardiorespiratory fitness among men aged < 50 and men aged ≥ 50, respectively. In contrast, mental HRQoL was related to cardiorespiratory fitness only among women aged < 50 years; speed/agility and flexibility among men aged < 50 years; and general fitness, strength, and flexibility among men aged ≥ 50 years. These data did not change when SES, clinical variables, or biochemical determinations were included in the analyses, neither for the physical nor for the mental HRQoL.

CONCLUSION

Gender and age are important factors to be considered when analysing health indicators and influences in the population. In addition, SES, clinical characteristics, and biochemical parameters do not seem to influence the relationship between HRQoL and fitness.

Financial distress and its associated burden in couples coping with an advanced cancer

PURPOSE

In efforts to understand financial distress (FD) associated with advanced cancer care from the perspective of both patients with incurable disease and their spousal caregivers, we assessed FD in both members of the couple, identified symptom and quality of life (QOL) correlates, and examined the potential role of illness communication.

METHODS

Patients undergoing treatment for stage III/IV lung cancer or a grade III/IV primary brain tumor and their spousal caregivers (n = 76 dyads) completed measures of somatic and affective symptoms including FD, physical and mental QOL, and ease of engaging in illness communication. Patients and caregivers additionally rated their perception of each other's symptoms, including FD.

RESULTS

FD was endorsed by both patients (any FD 62.7%; high FD 24%) and spousal caregivers (any FD 64.7%; high FD 32.3%). Self-reported FD was significantly correlated (partial r = .52, p < .001) within couples. FD was associated with greater symptoms of anxiety (r = .29, p = .01; r = .31, p = .01), depression (r = 29, p = 01; r = .39, p = .001), and poorer physical QOL(r =  - .25, p = .03; r =  - .25, p = .001) for patients and caregivers, respectively. For patients, FD was additionally associated with poorer mental QOL(r =  - .44, p < .001). Caregivers accurately perceived patient FD, yet patients tended to underreport their caregiver's FD by almost an entire point (t = 2.8, p = .007). A 3-way interaction (FD X role X illness communication) revealed (b = .40, p = .041) that illness communication moderated the association between FD and physical QOL for spouses so that spouses who reported less ease of illness communication demonstrated a stronger association between financial distress and physical QOL (b =  - 2.08, p < .001) than those reporting greater ease of engaging in illness communication (b = .49, p = .508).

CONCLUSION

In the advanced cancer setting, FD is prevalent in both patients and their spousal caregivers and associated with psychological distress and poor physical QOL. Results suggest that optimal FD assessment should include patients and spouses, and spouse's ease of engaging with illness communication may be a potential target for future intervention studies.

The Actor-Partner Effects of Parenting Stress on Quality of Life Among Parents of Children with ASD: The Mediating Role of Mental Quality of Life

The present study investigated the actor-partner effects of parenting stress (PS) on quality of life (QoL) among parents (96 couples) of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Data were collected using the QoL Scale and the PS Index. Structural equation modeling was also utilized to test the hypothesis. The results revealed the effects of PS in each parent on mental QoL of that parent. Maternal PS further shaped physical QoL in mothers. However, PS in one parent did not influence QoL of his or her partner. Accordingly, mental QoL had a mediating role between PS and physical QoL. It was ultimately suggested to take account of QoL among parents in addition to the treatment of children with ASD.

Parental quality of life in complex paediatric neurologic disorders of unknown aetiology

Complex paediatric neurology (CPN) patients generally present with non-specific symptoms, such as developmental delay, impaired movement and epilepsy. The diagnostic trajectory in these disorders is usually complicated and long-lasting, and may be burdensome to the patients and their parents. Additionally, as caring for a chronically ill child can be stressful and demanding, parents of these patients may experience impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aims to assess parental HRQoL and factors related to it in CPN. Physical and mental HRQoL of 120 parents was measured and compared to the general population using the SF-12 questionnaire. Parents also completed this questionnaire for the measurement of patient HRQoL. Additional questionnaires were used to measure parental uncertainty (Visual Analogue Scale) and worry phenomena (Penn State Worry Questionnaire), and to obtain socio-demographic data. A linear mixed model with random effect was used to investigate which of these variables were associated with parental HRQoL. As compared to the general population, HRQoL of these parents appeared diminished. Fathers showed both lowered physical (51.76, p < 0.05) and mental (49.41, p < 0.01) HRQoL, whereas mothers only showed diminished mental (46.46, p < 0.01) HRQoL. Patient HRQoL and parental worry phenomena were significantly correlated with overall and mental parental HRQoL. The reduction in parental mental HRQoL is alarming, also because children strongly rely on their parents and parental mental health is known to influence children's health. Awareness of these problems among clinicians, and supportive care if needed are important to prevent exacerbation of the problems.

The effects of body image impairment on the quality of life of non-operated Portuguese female IBD patients

OBJECTIVES

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and their treatment are known to negatively impact on patients' body image, especially female patients. However, although there are broad evidences of body image impairment in female IBD patients, its negative impact on the quality of life (QoL) of non-operated women is not clearly and specifically studied. The aim of the current study was therefore to analyse, in a sample of non-operated female IBD patients, the factors that contribute to body image impairment and its impact on QoL.

METHODS

Ninety-six non-operated women (39.7 % with CD and 60.3 % with UC), aged between 18 and 40 years old, completed an online survey with validated self-report measures, which included the Body Image Scale and the WHO Brief Quality of Life Assessment Scale.

RESULTS

Negative body image was correlated with lower psychological and physical QoL and increased corticosteroids use, associated medical complications, body mass index (BMI), and IBD symptomatology. Regression analyses revealed that BMI and IBD symptomatology significantly predicted body image impairment. Furthermore, results from path analyses indicated that BMI and IBD symptomatology's effect on psychological and physical QoL was mediated through the negative effects of body image impairment. This model explained 31 % of psychological QoL and 41 % of physical QoL.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that non-operated female patients are subject to pervasive and harmful effects of body image impairment on psychological and physical functioning. Therefore, psychological interventions aiming to target body dissatisfaction should be implemented in the health care of IBD, independently of patients' operative status.