Quality of life at the dead sea region: the lower the better? an observational study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Dead Sea region, the lowest in the world at 410 meters below sea level, is considered a potent climatotherapy center for the treatment of different chronic diseases.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To assess the prevalence of chronic diseases and the quality of life of residents of the Dead Sea region compared with residents of the Ramat Negev region, which has a similar climate, but is situated 600 meters above sea level.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An observational study based on a self-administered questionnaire. Data were collected from kibbutz (communal settlement) members in both regions. Residents of the Dead Sea were the study group and of Ramat Negev were the control group. We compared demographic characteristics, the prevalence of different chronic diseases and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) using the SF-36 questionnaire.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was a higher prevalence of skin nevi and non-inflammatory rheumatic diseases (NIRD) among Dead Sea residents, but they had significantly higher HRQOL mean scores in general health (68.7 ± 21 vs. 64.4 ± 22, p = 0.023) and vitality (64.7 ± 17.9 vs. 59.6 ± 17.3, p = 0.001), as well as significantly higher summary scores: physical component score (80.7 ± 18.2 vs. 78 ± 18.6, p = 0.042), and mental component score (79 ± 16.4 vs. 77.2 ± 15, p = 0.02). These results did not change after adjusting for social-demographic characteristics, health-related habits, and chronic diseases.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>No significant difference between the groups was found in the prevalence of most chronic diseases, except for higher rates of skin nevi and NIRD among Dead Sea residents. HRQOL was significantly higher among Dead Sea residents, both healthy or with chronic disease.</p

Differential predictors of acute post-surgical pain intensity after abdominal hysterectomy and major joint arthroplasty

Author's personal copyBACKGROUND Psychological factors have a significant role in post-surgical pain, and their study can inform pain management. PURPOSE The aims of this study are to identify psychological predictors of post-surgical pain following abdominal hysterectomy (AH) and major joint arthroplasty (MJA) and to investigate differential predictors by type of surgery. METHOD One hundred forty-two women undergoing AH and 110 patients undergoing MJA were assessed 24 h before (T1) and 48 h after (T2) surgery. RESULTS A predictive post-surgical pain model was found for AH and MJA yielding pre-surgical pain experience and pain catastrophizing as significant predictors and a significant interaction of pre-surgical optimism and surgery type. Separate regression models by surgery type showed that pre-surgical optimism was the best predictor of post-surgical pain after MJA, but not after AH. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight the relevance of psychological predictors for both surgeries and the value of targeting specific psychological factors by surgery type in order to effectively manage acute post-surgical pain.Supported by a project grant (PTDC/SAU-NEU/108557/2008) and by a PhD grant (SFRH/BD/36368/2007) from the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology, COMPETE, and FEDE

Folla e politica. Cultura filosofica, ideologia, scienze sociali in Italia e in Francia a fine Ottocento

Il volume raccoglie gli Atti di un Convegno, tenutosi all'Orientale di Napoli dal titolo "Psicologia delle folle e scienza politica in Italia e Francia a fine '800". Oltre alla curatela, Maria Donzelli ha pubblicato in questo volume l'Introduzione (1-7)e il saggio dal titolo "Psicologia delle folle e scienza politica in Italia a fine '800" (9-21)

Risk factors for persistent postsurgical pain in women undergoing hysterectomy due to benign causes: a prospective predictive study

Persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) is a major clinical problem with significant individual, social, and healthcare costs. The aim of this study was to examine the role of demographic, clinical and psychological risk factors in the development of persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) after hysterectomy due to benign disorders. In a prospective study, a consecutive sample of 186 women was assessed 24 hours before (T1), 48 hours (T2), and 4 months (T3) after surgery. Regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of PPSP. Four months after hysterectomy, 93 (50%) participants reported experiencing pain (NRS >0). Age, pain due to other causes, and type of hysterectomy emerged as significant predictive factors. Baseline presurgical psychological predictors identified were anxiety, emotional representation of the condition leading to surgery, and pain catastrophizing. Among the identified psychological predictors, emotional representation emerged as the strongest. Acute postsurgical pain frequency and postsurgical anxiety also revealed a predictive role in PPSP development. These results increase the knowledge on PPSP predictors and point healthcare professionals towards specific intervention targets such as anxiety (pre- and postsurgical), pain catastrophizing, emotional representations, and acute pain control after surgery.We declare that none of the authors have any financial or other relationships that might lead to a conflict of interest. This work was supported by a grant (SFRH/BD/36368/2007) from the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology