Health-related quality of life as measured with EQ-5D among populations with and without specific chronic conditions: A population-based survey in Shaanxi province, China

© 2013 Tan et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.Introduction: The aim of this study was to examine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as measured by EQ-5D and to investigate the influence of chronic conditions and other risk factors on HRQoL based on a distributed sample located in Shaanxi Province, China. Methods: A multi-stage stratified cluster sampling method was performed to select subjects. EQ-5D was employed to measure the HRQoL. The likelihood that individuals with selected chronic diseases would report any problem in the EQ-5D dimensions was calculated and tested relative to that of each of the two reference groups. Multivariable linear regression models were used to investigate factors associated with EQ VAS. Results: The most frequently reported problems involved pain/discomfort (8.8%) and anxiety/depression (7.6%). Nearly half of the respondents who reported problems in any of the five dimensions were chronic patients. Higher EQ VAS scores were associated with the male gender, higher level of education, employment, younger age, an urban area of residence, access to free medical service and higher levels of physical activity. Except for anemia, all the selected chronic diseases were indicative of a negative EQ VAS score. The three leading risk factors were cerebrovascular disease, cancer and mental disease. Increases in age, number of chronic conditions and frequency of physical activity were found to have a gradient effect. Conclusion: The results of the present work add to the volume of knowledge regarding population health status in this area, apart from the known health status using mortality and morbidity data. Medical, policy, social and individual attention should be given to the management of chronic diseases and improvement of HRQoL. Longitudinal studies must be performed to monitor changes in HRQoL and to permit evaluation of the outcomes of chronic disease intervention programs. © 2013 Tan et al.National Nature Science Foundation (No. 8107239

Psychometric development of a multidimensional measure of weight-related attitudes and behaviors

Most weight control programs facilitate weight loss by encouraging participants to adopt healthy eating patterns and increase physical activity. There is a need for a relatively brief measure of eating habits and physical activity that could be used to evaluate changes in behavior during weight loss treatment The purpose of this series of four studies was to develop and validate such a measure, which was subsequently named the Weight Loss Behavior Scale (WLBS). Study 1 (n = 533) included item and scale development and examination of the WLBS's factor structure and internal consistency. Study 2 (n = 226) evaluated the test-retest reliability and convergent validity of its subscales. Study 3 examined their reliability and internal consistency scales in a predominantly overweight sample (n = 36). Study 4 evaluated the WLBS as a treatment outcome measure in a weight loss intervention (n = 50). Study 1 found that the WLBS contained five internally consistent and stable factors: 1) Concern with Dieting and Weight, 2) Exercise, 3) Overeating, 4) Avoidance of Fattening Foods and Sweets, and 5) Emotional Eating. Study 2 found convergent validity for the WLBS by assessing the correlation of its factors/scales with established inventories of comparable constructs, e.g., dietary restraint, disinhibited eating, and physical activity. Test-retest reliability of the five scales was also supported in this second study. In Study 3, support for the internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the WLBS among overweight individuals was found. Study 4 found that all scales significantly changed in the expected directions after a 5-month behavioral weight loss treatment The findings from this series of studies suggest that the WLBS is a reliable and valid self-report inventory of cognitive and behavioral scales associated with weight control that can be utilized as an outcome measure for weight loss interventions. © 2000, Editrice Kurtis