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Objective and subjective measures of physical functioning in women with fibromyalgia: what type of measure is associated most clearly with subjective well-being?

MUNGUIA-IZQUIERDO, Diego
PULIDO-MARTOS, Manuel
ACOSTA, Francisco M
ACOSTA-MANZANO, Pedro
GAVILAN-CARRERA, Blanca
RODRIGUEZ-AYLLON, Maria
GEENEN, Rinie
DELGADO-FERNANDEZ, Manuel
ALVAREZ-GALLARDO, Inmaculada C
SEGURA-JIMENEZ, Victor
WALITT, Brian
ESTEVEZ-LOPEZ, Fernando
October 2019

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Purpose: To find modifiable factors that are related to subjective well-being would be valuable for improving interventions in fibromyalgia. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness may represent potential areas to optimize treatment regimens. In fibromyalgia, there is a discordance between clinical observations and patient-reported outcomes (objective and subjective assessments). Therefore, the present study aims at analyzing the associations of objective and subjective evaluations of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness with subjective well-being and determine if and how objective and subjective associations differ.

 

Methods: In this population-based cross-sectional study participated 375 women with fibromyalgia from the al-Ándalus project (Spain). Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness were objectively (accelerometers and performance testing) and subjectively (questionnaires) measured. Participants self-reported their levels of positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction.

 

Results: In the most conservative multivariate analysis, we found independent associations of the objective measures of physical activity with positive affect and life satisfaction and sedentary behaviour with positive affect. No such relationship was seen with subjective measures of the same behaviours. Moreover, we observed that objective and subjective physical fitness evaluations were independent of each other related to subjective well-being.

 

Conclusions: Independent associations of the objective measures (but not the subjective assessments) of physical activity with positive affect and life satisfaction, and of sedentary behaviour with positive affect were observed. However, objective measures and subjective appraisals of physical fitness appear to be independently related to well-being, which should be considered when developing physical exercise interventions for fibromyalgia.

Inter- and intra-household perceived relative inequality among disabled and non-disabled people in Liberia

CAREW, Mark T.
COLBOURN, Tim
COLE, Ellie
NGAFUAN, Richard
GROCE, Nora
KETT, Maria
July 2019

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Evidence suggests that people with disabilities are the most marginalised and vulnerable group within any population. However, little is known about the extent of inequality between people with and without disabilities in contexts where the majority of persons experience extreme poverty and hardship. This includes in Liberia, where very little is understood about the lives of disabled people in general. This study uses a multidimensional wellbeing framework to understand perceived relative inequality associated with disability by assessing several facets of wellbeing across and within households containing disabled members (N = 485) or households with no disabled members (N = 538) in Liberian communities (Total individuals surveyed, N = 2020). Statistical comparisons (adjusted for age, sex, education and wealth differences and clustered at the household, village and county level) reveal that disabled Liberians are managing similarly to non-disabled Liberians in terms of income and education, but experience many perceived relative inequalities including in life satisfaction, transport access, political participation and social inclusion.

 

PLoS ONE 14(7)

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217873

Access to human rights for persons using prosthetic and orthotic assistive devices in Sierra Leone

MAGNUSSON, Lina
BICKENBACH, Jerome
January 2019

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Purpose: To evaluate the access to human rights of persons with disabilities who use prosthetic and orthotic assistive devices, and to compare groups of participants in terms of gender, residential area, income, and type and level of assistive device. The addressed areas were rights to: health, a standard of living adequate for health, education, marry and establish a family, vote, and work.

 

Methods: Questionnaires were used to collect self-reported data from 139 lower-limb prosthetic and orthotic users in Sierra Leone.

 

Results: About half of the participants considered their overall physical health good, while 37% said their mental health was bad. Most said they lacked access to medical care. About half of the participants had regular access to safe drinking water. Most had reasonable housing and 60% could read and write. Half of the participants were married and 70% had children. Almost all reported that they could vote if desired and about half were working.

 

Conclusions: There is still a need for improved access to medical care when needed for persons with lower limb physical disability in Sierra Leone. Better access to food and clean water are also necessary to facilitate a standard of living adequate for health, to realize the health rights of persons with disabilities.

Characteristics and Quality of Life Among People Living with HIV at Drop-in Centres and Shelter Homes in Malaysia

SIAH, P C
TAN, J H
2014

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Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine whether there are any significant differences in demographic characteristics and health-related Quality of Life (QoL) among people living with HIV (PLWH) at shelter homes and drop-in centres in Malaysia.

 

Method: 117 PLWH were recruited by using the purposive sampling method. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey.

 

Results: Significant differences were found between PLWH at shelter homes and drop-in centres, in their demographic characteristics and in the 3 factors in the HIV/AIDS-Targeted Quality of Life Instruments (HAT-QoL) – namely, overall function, health worries, and provider trust.

 

Conclusion: Due to the differences in characteristics and QoL among PLWH in these two settings, different approaches are suggested to assist PLWH from shelter homes and drop-in centres.

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