Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation
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This study investigates changes in the quality of life (QoL) of Gaza Palestinians before and after the Israeli winter 2008-2009 war using the World Health Organization's WHOQOL-Bref; the extent to which this instrument adequately measures changing situations; and its responsiveness to locally developed human insecurity and distress measures appropriate for context. ⋯ Results indicate that a political domain may provide further understanding of and possibly increase the sensitivity of the instrument to detect changes in the Qol of Palestinians and possibly other populations experiencing intensified political violence.
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We aimed to evaluate the measurement properties of the Singapore English and Chinese versions of the Short-Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2) Questionnaire, an improved version of the widely used SF-36, for assessing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a multi-ethnic urban Asian population in Singapore. ⋯ The English and Chinese SF-36v2 are valid and reliable for assessing HRQoL among English and Chinese-speaking Singaporeans. Test-retest reliability and responsiveness of the English and Chinese SF-36v2 in Singapore remain to be evaluated.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of the responsiveness of the SF-36, the Oxford Knee Score, and the Knee Society Clinical Rating System in patients undergoing total knee replacement.
To compare the responsiveness of the Knee Society (KS) Clinical Rating System, the general health status measure Short Form 36 (SF-36), and both the raw and Rasch-based scores of the condition-specific Oxford Knee Score (OKS) in patients undergoing total knee replacement (TKR) METHODS: Data were prospectively collected as part of routine care from adult patients who underwent TKR between 2001 and 2006. OKS data fit the Rasch partial credit model after removing items regarding limping and kneeling. Responsiveness was assessed using effect size (ES), standardised response mean (SRM), and relative validity (RV). ⋯ The OKS and KS-P are more responsive than most SF-36 subscales in TKR patients. Raw-OKS and Rasch-OKS have comparable responsiveness. Different responsiveness indices may give different results.
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To estimate quality-of-life loss per serious burn survivor in a large U.S. cohort. ⋯ Burns cause substantial losses in quality of life, with long-term losses comparable to traumatic brain injury.
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Satisfaction with care is important for quality assurance in oncology, but may differ between patients and caregivers. We aimed to assess satisfaction with cancer care in paired analyses of these groups, examine differences between them, and identify areas for potential intervention. ⋯ Communication regarding pain control and prognosis were identified as key areas for improvement. Caregivers seem to desire greater involvement in treatment decisions, though this must be balanced with patient autonomy.