Chronic Illness

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in a Tunisian population with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on metformin treatment for more than three years and to identify its risk factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 257 patients with T2D treated with metformin for at least three years. Patients were divided into two groups according to their vitamin B12 status. Low vitamin B12 was defined as ≤ 203 pg/mL. Results: The mean age of the patients was 59...

OBJECTIVES: To support patients with limited health literacy with the challenges they face in the day-to-day management of their disease(s), numerous self-management interventions (SMIs) have been developed. To date, it is unclear to what extent SMIs have been developed for chronically ill patients with limited health literacy. This study aims to provide a description of these SMIs and to provide insight in their methodological components. METHODS: A secondary analysis of the COMPAR-EU database, consisting of SMIs addressing patients with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obesity and heart failure, was conducted...

OBJECTIVES: To assess characteristics of hospitalized adolescents facing chronic diseases, correlating the perceptions of their illness, quality of life and the prevalence of risk behaviors, considering gender and the diseases' durations. METHODS: The sample consisted of 61 adolescents, aged between 10 and 19 years, with chronic diseases, hospitalized at the University Hospital of the State University of Londrina. They answered a questionnaire and the scales World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) and Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ)...

OBJECTIVES: We intended to assess changes in pain-related outcomes among rural adults who completed 6-week self-management programs offered remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We offered the Chronic Pain Self-Management Program and Chronic Disease Self-Management Program between May 2020 and December 2021. Delivery mode options included 2½-hour weekly videoconference, mailed toolkit plus 1-hour weekly conference call, and mailed toolkit alone. We conducted pre- and post-workshop surveys including questions on patient activation, self-efficacy, depression and pain disability...

OBJECTIVE: Chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) characterized by progressive loss of kidney function impart significant burden on the patients. Besides physical disabilities, CKD affects the mental health and quality of life of the patients. Recent studies suggest the need for interdisciplinary patient-centric care in the management of CKD. METHODS: The present study introduced patient-centric holistic integrative therapies (YNBLI) in a 64-year-old female diagnosed with CKD in 2021, who presented with breathlessness, fatigue, loss of appetite, and anxiety...

BACKGROUND: Hemodialysis patients are common to have renal anemia in the nephrology practice. For the renal anemia, the high-dose iron from the intravenous route is an important treatment option. We can understand the treatment effects and cardiovascular events of high-dose intravenous iron reviewing the randomized clinical trials. METHODS: We compared the high-dose and low-dose iron treatments to find if the high-dose intravenous iron can influence the hematological parameters more significantly than the low-dose iron...

OBJECTIVES: To synthesize interventions designed to enhance resilience in family caregivers (FCs). METHODS: Electronic databases including PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus, were searched using index and keyword methods for articles published before January 2020. The review process followed the PRISMA review guidelines. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). RESULTS: Six studies (seven articles) were included in this review...

BACKGROUND: Spirituality is a vast dimension influenced by cultural and personal differences. Little is known about the spirituality of patients suffering from a chronic disease in Italy from palliative care hospital settings. AIM: To investigate patients' perspectives about their spirituality during their illness. METHOD: The research question was: 'How does living with chronic disease inform/shape the spiritual dimension of patients?'. To address it, we conducted a qualitative interview study with thematic analysis...

OBJECTIVES: This service evaluation explored the experiences of families receiving care in a paediatric chronic fatigue service. The evaluation aimed to improve service provision across paediatric chronic fatigue services more widely. METHODS: Children and young people aged 7-18 years ( n   =  25) and parents/carers ( n   =  25) completed a postal survey exploring experiences of a paediatric chronic fatigue service...

OBJECTIVE: A consideration of chronic illness according to illness labels that are medically understood as opposed to being outside of medical understanding may reveal unique differences in how individuals understand their illness and how such lay understandings relate to health-related quality of life. Study aims are framed according to the commonsense model of self-regulation with a focus on characterizing illness representations according to chronic illness diagnosis type. METHODS: Individuals suffering from symptomatic chronic illnesses ( n   =  192) completed measures of illness representations, coping, and general health...

OBJECTIVES: Severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease affects and changes the lives of both affected persons and next of kin. There is a need for support and a sense of coherence to manage the life situation and minimize the symptom and caregiver burden. The aim of this study was to diverge or converge views of symptom burden, caregiver burden, the need for support, and sense of coherence in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their next of kin to gain a deeper and broader knowledge and understanding...

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is described as a global health crisis. Hemodialysis (HD) is a treatment that helps CKD patients prolong their lives. However, not all patients accept HD. To date, there is limited understanding of the factors for this resistance, especially in developing countries. This Phenomenological study employed individual telephone interviews with 35 CKD patients. The interview questions were related to the refusal factors of HD. Thematic analysis revealed six themes-concerns about becoming a burden to others, cost, age considerations, advice from others, fear regarding HD treatment, and self-healing plans...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the expectations of and experiences with the public healthcare system of domestic partners of people with Parkinson`s disease (PD) in Denmark and Norway. METHODS: A qualitative exploratory design was applied. The sample consisted of 14 people from Denmark ( n  = 9) and Norway ( n  = 5) living with a partner with PD. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted between June and September 2020, digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach combining inductive and deductive approaches...

OBJECTIVES: To understand behaviors and attitudes of adults with diabetes who read their clinicians' visit notes. METHODS: By linking a large 2017 patient survey involving three institutions with administrative and portal use data, we identified patients with diabetes mellitus from outpatient records and examined reading behaviors related to eligible notes-initial, follow-up, history and physical, and progress notes. We analyzed patients' perceived benefits of reading notes...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore self-management practices among patients and parents of children with sickle cell disease (SCD). METHODS: The qualitative descriptive design was employed. The study involved 19 participants comprising adult SCD patients ≥16 years, and nine parents of SCD children ≤ 15 years. Purposive sampling was conducted to select participants from a teaching hospital and SCD association. Data was collected using one-on-one interviews, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using qualitative content analysis...

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to assess how many chronic pain patients seek psychological treatment for their condition and what psychological and demographic characteristics are associated with that decision. METHODS: The association between pain intensity, quality of life and psychological treatment seeking was tested in two hypothetical models which differed according to beliefs about either external or internal control over pain. RESULTS: A minority of patients had experience with psychological treatment of chronic pain...

OBJECTIVE: African Americans are more likely to develop end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) than whites and face multiple inequities regarding ESKD treatment, renal replacement therapy (RRT), and overall care. This study focused on determining gaps in participants' knowledge of their chronic kidney disease and barriers to RRT selection in an effort to identify how we can improve health care interventions and health outcomes among this population. METHODS: African American participants undergoing hemodialysis were recruited from an ongoing research study of hospitalized patients at an urban Midwest academic medical center...

OBJECTIVES: Explore the lived experience of individuals managing and/or caregiving for someone with a chronic disease and their perceptions of developing a mindfulness program for stress reduction. METHODS: Sixteen participants with chronic disease and/or caregivers participated. Participants completed eligibility screening, demographic questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews (30-60 min each) online or by phone. Interviews ( n  = 16) were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis and NVivo® 12...

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of patient empowerment on patient activation level in individuals with cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: The population of the study is adult individuals receiving inpatient treatment in the Cardiology clinic of a city hospital operating in Turkey. In the study, convenience sampling method was applied, and a questionnaire was conducted from 543 patients. RESULTS: As a result of the analyses made in the study, positive and low correlations were detected between the patient empowerment scale sub-dimensions and the patient activation level...

OBJECTIVES: The current study investigated self-discrepancy experiences of young women with metastatic cancer. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted. Data were analyzed through interpretative phenomenological analysis. FINDINGS: Eight female patients with metastatic cancer aged between 27 and 38 years formed the sample. Three superordinate themes emerged: (1) compulsory changes in self-concept with ambivalent evaluations; (2) new ideals not on the agenda of a healthy young woman; and (3) so-called 'minimalist' expectations from others...