Religiousness and preoperative anxiety: a correlational study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Major life changes are among factors that cause anxiety, and one of these changes is surgery. Emotional reactions to surgery have specific effects on the intensity and velocity as well as the process of physical disease. In addition, they can cause delay in patients recovery. This study is aimed at determining the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This survey is a correlational study to assess the relationship between religious beliefs and preoperative anxiety of patients undergoing abdominal, orthopaedic, and gynaecologic surgery in educational hospitals. We used the convenience sampling method. The data collection instruments included a questionnaire containing the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and another questionnaire formulated by the researcher with queries on religious beliefs and demographic characteristics as well as disease-related information. Analysis of the data was carried out with SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results were arranged in three tables.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The findings showed that almost all the subjects had high level of religiosity and moderate level of anxiety. In addition, there was an inverse relationship between religiosity and intensity of anxiety, though this was not statistically significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study can be used as evidence for presenting religious counselling and spiritual interventions for individuals undergoing stress. Finally, based on the results of this study, the researcher suggested some recommendations for applying results and conducting further research.</p

Validação brasileira do Instrumento de Qualidade de Vida/espiritualidade, religião e crenças pessoais

OBJETIVO: Analisar propriedades psicométricas do Instrumento de Qualidade de Vida da Organização Mundial da Saúde - Módulo Espiritualidade, Religiosidade e Crenças Pessoais (WHOQOL-SRPB). MÉTODOS: O WHOQOL-SRPB, a Escala de Coping Religioso/Espiritual Abreviada (CRE-Breve), o WHOQOL-Breve e o BDI foram consecutivamente aplicados em amostra de conveniência de 404 pacientes e funcionários de hospital universitário e funcionários de universidade, em Porto Alegre, RS, entre 2006 e 2009. A amostra foi estratificada por sexo, idade, estado de saúde e religião/crença. O reteste dos dois primeiros instrumentos foi realizado com 54 participantes. Análises fatoriais exploratórias do WHOQOL-SRPB pelo método dos componentes principais foram realizadas sem delimitar o número de fatores, solicitando oito fatores e em conjunto com os itens do WHOQOL-Breve. RESULTADOS: O WHOQOL-SRPB em português brasileiro (Domínio SRPB-Geral) apresentou validade de construto, com validade discriminativa entre crentes de não-crentes (t = 7,40; p = 0,0001); validade relacionada ao critério concorrente, discriminando deprimidos de não-deprimidos (t = 5,03; p = 0,0001); validade convergente com o WHOQOL-Breve (com físico r = 0,18; psicológico r = 0,46; social r = 0,35; ambiental r = 0,29; global r = 0,23; p = 0,0001) e com o Domínio SRPB do WHOQOL-100 (r = 0,78; p = 0,0001); e validade convergente/discriminante com a Escala CRE-Breve (com CREpositivo r = 0,64; p = 0,0001/CREnegativo r = -0,03; p = 0,554). Observou-se excelente fidedignidade teste-reteste (t = 0,74; p = 0,463) e consistência interna (&#945; = 0,96; correlação intrafatorial 0,87 > r > 0,60, p = 0,0001). As análises fatoriais exploratórias realizadas corroboraram a estrutura de oito fatores do estudo multicêntrico do WHOQOL-SRPB. CONCLUSÕES: O WHOQOL-SRPB em português brasileiro apresentou boas qualidades psicométricas e uso válido e fidedigno para uso no Brasil. Sugerem-se novos estudos com populações específicas, como diferentes religiões, grupos culturais e/ou doenças.OBJETIVO: Analizar propiedades psicométricas del Instrumento de Calidad de Vida de la OMS - Módulo Espiritualidad, Religiosidad y Creencias Personales (WHOQOL-SRPB). MÉTODOS: El WHOQOL-SRPB, la Escala de Coping Religioso/Espiritual Abreviada (CRE-Breve), el WHOQOL-Breve y el BDI fueron consecutivamente aplicados en muestra de conveniencia de 404 pacientes y funcionarios de hospital universitario y funcionarios de universidad, en Porto Alegre, Sur de Brasil, entre 2006 y 2009. La muestra fue estratificada por sexo, edad, estado de salud y religión/creencia. La reevaluación de los dos primeros instrumentos fue realizada por 54 participantes. Análisis factoriales exploratorias del WHOQOL-SRPB por el método de los componentes principales fueron realizadas, sin delimitar el número de factores, solicitando ocho factores y en conjunto con los itens del WHOQOL-Breve. RESULTADOS: El WHOQOL-SRPB en portugués-brasileño (Dominio SRPB-General) presentó validez de constructo, con validez discriminativa entre creyentes de no creyentes (t=7,40; p=0,0001); validez relacionada con el criterio concurrente, discriminando deprimidos de no deprimidos (t=5,03; p=0,0001); validez convergente con el WHOQOL-Breve (con físico r=0,18; psicológico r=0,46; social r=0,35; ambiental r=0,29; global r=0,23; p=0,0001) y con el Dominio-SRPB del WHOQOL-100 (r=0,78; p=0,0001); y validez convergente/discriminante con la Escala CRE-Breve (con CRE positivo r=0,64; p=0,0001/CRE negativo r=-0,03; p=0,554). Se observó excelente fidedignidad test-retest (t=0,74; p=0,463) y consistencia interna (&#945;=0,96; correlación intrafactorial 0,87>r>0,60, p=0,0001). Los análisis factoriales exploratorios realizados corroboran la estructura de ocho factores de estudio multicéntrico del WHOQOL-SRPB. CONCLUSIONES: El WHOQOL-SRPB en portugués-brasileño presentó buenas cualidades psicométricas, siendo válido y fidedigno para uso en Brasil. Se sugieren nuevos estudios con poblaciones específicas, como diferentes religiones, grupos culturales y/o enfermedades.OBJECTIVE: To analyze the psychometric properties of the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Instrument - Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs module (WHOQOL-SRPB). METHODS: The WHOQOL-SRPB, the Brief Spiritual/Religious Coping Scale (Brief-SRCOPE Scale), the WHOQOL-BREF and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were consecutively applied in a convenience sample of 404 patients and workers of a university hospital and workers of a university, in the city of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, between 2006 and 2009. The sample was stratified by sex, age, health status and religion/belief. The retest of the two first instruments was conducted with 54 participants. Exploratory factorial analyses of the WHOQOL-SRPB with the method of main components were performed, without limiting the number of factors, and requiring eight factors concomitantly with the WHOQOL-BREF items. RESULTS: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the WHOQOL-SRPB (General SRPB-Domain) showed construct validity, with a discriminatory validity between believers and non-believers (t = 7.40; p = 0.0001); concurrent criterion-related validity, distinguishing depressed individuals from non-depressed ones (t = 5.03; p = 0.0001); convergent validity with the WHOQOL-BREF (physical r = 0.18; psychological r = 0.46; social r = 0.35; environmental r = 0.29; global r = 0.23; p = 0.0001) and with the SRPB-Domain of the WHOQOL-100 (r = 0.78; p = 0.0001); and convergent/discriminatory validity with the brief SRCOPE Scale (with positive SRCOPE r = 0.64; p = 0.0001/negative SRCOPE r = -0.03; p = 0.554). Excellent test-retest reliability (t = 0.74; p = 0.463) and internal consistency (&#945; = 0.96; intrafactorial correlation 0.87 > r > 0.60; p = 0.0001) were observed. The exploratory factorial analyses performed corroborated the eight-factor structure of the WHOQOL-SRPB multicenter study. CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the WHOQOL-SRPB showed good psychometric qualities and use valid and reliable in Brazil. It is suggested that new studies be conducted with specific populations, such as different religions, cultural groups and/or diseases

Effects of religious vs. standard cognitive behavioral therapy on therapeutic alliance: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Treatments that integrate religious clients' beliefs into therapy may enhance the therapeutic alliance (TA) in religious clients. Objective: Compare the effects of religiously integrated cognitive behavioral therapy (RCBT) and standard CBT (SCBT) on TA in adults with major depression and chronic medical illness. Method: Multi-site randomized controlled trial in 132 participants, of whom 108 (SCBT = 53, RCBT = 55) completed the Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAQ-II) at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Trajectory of change in scores over time was compared between groups. Results: HAQ-II score at 4 weeks predicted a decline in depressive symptoms over time independent of treatment group (B = −0.06, SE = 0.02, p = 0.002, n = 108). There was a marginally significant difference in HAQ-II scores at 4 weeks that favored RCBT (p = 0.076); however, the mixed effects model indicated a significant group by time interaction that favored the SCBT group (B = 1.84, SE = 0.90, degrees of freedom = 181, t = 2.04, p = 0.043, d = 0.30). Conclusions: While RCBT produces a marginally greater improvement in TA initially compared with SCBT, SCBT soon catches up

Religiosity and decreased risk of substance use disorders: is the effect mediated by social support or mental health status?

The negative association between religiosity (religious beliefs and church attendance) and the likelihood of substance use disorders is well established, but the mechanism(s) remain poorly understood. We investigated whether this association was mediated by social support or mental health status. We utilized cross-sectional data from the 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n = 36,370). We first used logistic regression to regress any alcohol use in the past year on sociodemographic and religiosity variables. Then, among individuals who drank in the past year, we regressed past year alcohol abuse/dependence on sociodemographic and religiosity variables. To investigate whether social support mediated the association between religiosity and alcohol use and alcohol abuse/dependence we repeated the above models, adding the social support variables. To the extent that these added predictors modified the magnitude of the effect of the religiosity variables, we interpreted social support as a possible mediator. We also formally tested for mediation using path analysis. We investigated the possible mediating role of mental health status analogously. Parallel sets of analyses were conducted for any drug use, and drug abuse/dependence among those using any drugs as the dependent variables. The addition of social support and mental health status variables to logistic regression models had little effect on the magnitude of the religiosity coefficients in any of the models. While some of the tests of mediation were significant in the path analyses, the results were not always in the expected direction, and the magnitude of the effects was small. The association between religiosity and decreased likelihood of a substance use disorder does not appear to be substantively mediated by either social support or mental health status

EQ-5D-3L Derived Population Norms for Health Related Quality of Life in Sri Lanka

Background Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) is an important outcome measure in health economic evaluation that guides health resource allocations. Population norms for HRQoL are an essential ingredient in health economics and in the evaluation of population health. The aim of this study was to produce EQ-5D-3L-derived population norms for Sri Lanka. Method A population sample (n =  780) was selected from four districts of Sri Lanka. A stratified cluster sampling approach with probability proportionate to size was employed. Twenty six clusters of 30 participants each were selected; each participant completed the EQ-5D-3L in a face-to-face interview. Utility weights for their EQ-5D-3L health states were assigned using the Sri Lankan EQ-5D-3L algorithm. The population norms are reported by age and socio-economic variables. Results The EQ-5D-3L was completed by 736 people, representing a 94% response rate. Sixty per cent of the sample reported being in full health. The percentage of people responding to any problems in the five EQ-5D-3L dimensions increased with age. The mean EQ-5D-3L weight was 0.85 (SD 0.008; 95%CI 0.84-0.87). The mean EQ-5D-3L weight was significantly associated with age, housing type, disease experience and religiosity. People above 70 years of age were 7.5 times more likely to report mobility problems and 3.7 times more likely to report pain/discomfort than those aged 18-29 years. Those with a tertiary education were five times less likely to report any HRQoL problems than those without a tertiary education. A person living in a shanty was 4.3 more likely to have problems in usual activities than a person living in a single house. Conclusion The population norms in Sri Lanka vary with socio-demographic characteristics. The socioeconomically disadvantaged have a lower HRQoL. The trends of population norms observed in this lower middle income country were generally similar to those previously reported in high income countries

Homing Pigeons Only Navigate in Air with Intact Environmental Odours: A Test of the Olfactory Activation Hypothesis with GPS Data Loggers

A large body of evidence has shown that anosmic pigeons are impaired in their navigation. However, the role of odours in navigation is still subject to debate. While according to the olfactory navigation hypothesis homing pigeons possess a navigational map based on the distribution of environmental odours, the olfactory activation hypothesis proposes that odour perception is only needed to activate a navigational mechanism based on cues of another nature. Here we tested experimentally whether the perception of artificial odours is sufficient to allow pigeons to navigate, as expected from the olfactory activation hypothesis. We transported three groups of pigeons in air-tight containers to release sites 53 and 61 km from home in three different olfactory conditions. The Control group received natural environmental air; both the Pure Air and the Artificial Odour groups received pure air filtered through an active charcoal filter. Only the Artificial Odour group received additional puffs of artificial odours until release. We then released pigeons while recording their tracks with 1 Hz GPS data loggers. We also followed non-homing pigeons using an aerial data readout to a Cessna plane, allowing, for the first time, the tracking of non-homing homing pigeons. Within the first hour after release, the pigeons in both the Artificial Odour and the Pure Air group (receiving no environmental odours) showed impaired navigational performances at each release site. Our data provide evidence against an activation role of odours in navigation, and document that pigeons only navigate well when they perceive environmental odours