Journal of psychosomatic research
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Assessing the effect of interventions on quality of life in cardiac patients lacks sensitivity because there is no specifically validated scale for measuring depression in cardiac patients. A questionnaire of 35 items (selected for face validity) was given to 246 cardiac outpatients (age 59.3 +/- 14.1 years, 159 male, 87 female). The Beck Depression Scale was then administered, followed by blinded clinical rating of depression. ⋯ The final scale consisted of 26 items (alpha reliability coefficient 0.90) in 2 robust dimensions and 7 subscales. The scale correlated well with clinical rating and with the Beck Depression Scale, but without the marked skewness of the latter. The behavior of the new Cardiac Depression Scale suggests that it will be an excellent measure for studies of outcome in cardiac patients.
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Psychological stress and work-related burnout in staff working with AIDS and with cancer patients were compared using a self-report method of assessment. Measures included the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and the Social Adjustment Scale (SAS-M). More than 80% of those staff who were approached responded to the questionnaire, including 70 doctors and nurses working with people with AIDS and 41 doctors and nurses working in oncology. ⋯ Staff described the work situations with which they had difficulty dealing and some of the coping strategies they used. The findings confirm that staff working with people with cancer or AIDS experience psychological difficulties of the kind likely to respond to interventions aimed at improving their ability to cope with work-related stresses. The mental health services could play an important role in carrying out research in this field and in providing practical help to deal with staff's difficulties.