Use of the terms "Wellbeing" and "Quality of Life" in health sciences: A conceptual framework

Background and Objectives: The assessment of wellbeing is a top priority in health sciences. The aim of this paper is to review the history of the concept of wellbeing and “Quality of Life” (QoL), and to understand the theories and assumptions that guided this field in order to provide a conceptual framework that may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset (grouping of synonyms and semantically similar terms) of health-related wellbeing Methods: The history of the concept of wellbeing and QoL was reviewed in order to provide a conceptual framework. Results: Huge differences exist on the definition of “Wellbeing” and its relationship with QoL, “Happiness” and “Functioning” in the health context. From a dimensional perspective, health related wellbeing could be regarded as an overarching construct characterised by asymmetrical polarity, where “wellbeing” embeds the concept of “ill-being” as “health” incorporates de concept of “disease”. Conclusions: A common conceptual framework of these terms may eventually facilitate the development of a formal synset of health-related wellbeing. This terminological clarification should be part of a new taxonomy of health-related wellbeing based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework that may facilitate knowledge transfer across different sectors and semantic interoperability for care management and planningThe research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement numbers 223071 (COURAGE in Europe) and 282586 (ROAMER), from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-FIS research grant number PS09/00295, and from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation ACI-Promociona (ACI2009-1010 and ACI- 2011-1080). The study was supported by the Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos II

Bosques políticos: un estudio de la historia ambiental de Salta Forestal S. A. en el período 1974-2017 desde el enfoque de la ecología política

La empresa pública Salta Forestal S.A. fue creada en el año 1974 en el departamento Anta de la provincia de Salta. Mediante un aprovechamiento “integral” y “racional” de los bosques, se pretendía suministrar carbón, durmientes y postes a empresas del Estado. Este trabajo examina desde el enfoque de la ecología política la historia ambiental de la empresa en el periodo 1974-2017. Se analizaron documentos escritos, entrevistas a actores sociales relevantes y mapas satelitales poniendo el foco en las relaciones de poder que operaron en la interfaz sociedad-naturaleza. El análisis muestra que Salta Forestal, basada en una ideología eco-modernizadora y en un discurso de desarrollo sustentable, transformó su territorio en un ‘bosque político’ caracterizado por conflictos socioambientales y una profundización de la degradación ambiental. Se concluye que los resultados negativos de la empresa en términos socio-ambientales estaban inscritos en la lógica de las ideas que justificaron su creación.The public firm Salta Forestal S.A. was created in 1974 in the department Anta of the province of Salta. Through an “integral” and “rational” exploitation of the forest, the aim of the enterprise was to supply charcoal and wooden poles demanded by state enterprises. This work examines from the standpoint of political ecology the environmental history of the firm in the 1974-2017 period. Textual, oral and visual sources were analysed with a focus on the power relations that operated in the nature-society interface. The main result of this analysis is that Salta Forestal, based upon an eco-modernizing ideology and a sustainable development discourse, transformed his territory in a political forest characterized by socio-environmental conflicts and a deepening of environmental degradation. The conclusion is that the negative results of the firm in socio-environmental terms were already inscribed in the logic of the ideas that justified his creation.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Bosques políticos: un estudio de la historia ambiental de Salta Forestal S. A. en el período 1974-2017 desde el enfoque de la ecología política

La empresa pública Salta Forestal S.A. fue creada en el año 1974 en el departamento Anta de la provincia de Salta. Mediante un aprovechamiento “integral” y “racional” de los bosques, se pretendía suministrar carbón, durmientes y postes a empresas del Estado. Este trabajo examina desde el enfoque de la ecología política la historia ambiental de la empresa en el periodo 1974-2017. Se analizaron documentos escritos, entrevistas a actores sociales relevantes y mapas satelitales poniendo el foco en las relaciones de poder que operaron en la interfaz sociedad-naturaleza. El análisis muestra que Salta Forestal, basada en una ideología eco-modernizadora y en un discurso de desarrollo sustentable, transformó su territorio en un ‘bosque político’ caracterizado por conflictos socioambientales y una profundización de la degradación ambiental. Se concluye que los resultados negativos de la empresa en términos socio-ambientales estaban inscritos en la lógica de las ideas que justificaron su creación.The public firm Salta Forestal S.A. was created in 1974 in the department Anta of the province of Salta. Through an “integral” and “rational” exploitation of the forest, the aim of the enterprise was to supply charcoal and wooden poles demanded by state enterprises. This work examines from the standpoint of political ecology the environmental history of the firm in the 1974-2017 period. Textual, oral and visual sources were analysed with a focus on the power relations that operated in the nature-society interface. The main result of this analysis is that Salta Forestal, based upon an eco-modernizing ideology and a sustainable development discourse, transformed his territory in a political forest characterized by socio-environmental conflicts and a deepening of environmental degradation. The conclusion is that the negative results of the firm in socio-environmental terms were already inscribed in the logic of the ideas that justified his creation.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Analysis of predicting factors which cause functional dependence among elderly people

El presente estudio, analiza la relación que existe entre diversos factores susceptibles de ser considerados predictores de la dependencia (nivel educativo, percepción de la salud, percepción de las limitaciones a causa de enfermedades, realización de ejercicio físico, consumo de alcohol y tabaco, satisfacción vital, y nivel de ingresos) y el nivel de dependencia mostrado por los diferentes sujetos en las actividades básicas e instrumentales de la vida diaria. Así, podemos ver como a medida que aumenta el nivel educativo, la satisfacción vital, la realización de actividades físicas y el consumo de alcohol (para las actividades básicas) disminuye el nivel de dependencia. Y por otro lado, a medida que aumenta la percepción negativa hacia la salud, la percepción de incapacidad y el consumo de tabaco (para las actividades instrumentales) aumenta también el nivel de dependencia.This paper analyzes the relation which exists among various factors which can be considered to cause dependence (education level, physical exercise, consumption of alcohol and tobacco, life satisfaction, and income level) and the level of dependency demonstrated by different subjects during basic and instrumental activities of daily living. In this way, we can observe that as education level, life satisfaction, physical activity and consumption of alcohol increase (with basic activities) level of dependency decreases. Furthermore, we can observe that as negative perception toward health, perception of incapability and tobacco consumption increase (with instrumental activities) level of dependency increases.Trabajo subvencionado por el Programa Nacional I+D del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Ref.: BSO2003-01894)

The role of quality of care and attitude towards disability in the relationship between severity of disability and quality of life: findings from a cross-sectional survey among people with physical disability in China

Background: People with physical disability (PWPD) is the largest subgroup of people with disability (PWD) in China, but few studies have been conducted among this vulnerable population. The objective of this study was to investigate the level of quality of life (QoL), self-perceived quality of care and support (QOCS), severity of disability and personal attitude towards disability among people with physical disability in China, as well as to identify how QoL can be affected by severity of disability through QOCS and personal attitude towards disability among PWPD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1,853 PWPD in Guangzhou, China. Data were collected on participants’ QoL, QOCS, personal attitude towards disability and severity of disability. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of the other variables on QoL. Results: Even with a mild disability (mean score:1.72), relatively low levels of QoL (mean score: 2.65- 3.22) and QOCS (mean score: 2.95 to 3.28), as well as unfavorable personal attitude towards disability (mean score: 2.75 to 3.36) were identified among PWPD. According to SEM, we found that the influence of severity of physical disability on QoL is not only exerted directly, but is also indirectly through QOCS and their personal attitudes towards disability, with QOCS playing a more important mediating role than PWPD’s attitudes towards their own disability. Conclusions: Unfavorable health status was identified among PWPD in China. Focusing on improvement of assistance and care services has the potential to substantially improve PWPD’s QoL. Further research should focus on understanding the needs and their current state of health care of PWPD in China thus being able to develop better interventions for them

Workgroup Report: Workshop on Source Apportionment of Particulate Matter Health Effects—Intercomparison of Results and Implications

Although the association between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm (PM(2.5)) and human mortality is well established, the most responsible particle types/sources are not yet certain. In May 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Particulate Matter Centers Program sponsored the Workshop on the Source Apportionment of PM Health Effects. The goal was to evaluate the consistency of the various source apportionment methods in assessing source contributions to daily PM(2.5) mass–mortality associations. Seven research institutions, using varying methods, participated in the estimation of source apportionments of PM(2.5) mass samples collected in Washington, DC, and Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Apportionments were evaluated for their respective associations with mortality using Poisson regressions, allowing a comparative assessment of the extent to which variations in the apportionments contributed to variability in the source-specific mortality results. The various research groups generally identified the same major source types, each with similar elemental makeups. Intergroup correlation analyses indicated that soil-, sulfate-, residual oil-, and salt-associated mass were most unambiguously identified by various methods, whereas vegetative burning and traffic were less consistent. Aggregate source-specific mortality relative risk (RR) estimate confidence intervals overlapped each other, but the sulfate-related PM(2.5) component was most consistently significant across analyses in these cities. Analyses indicated that source types were a significant predictor of RR, whereas apportionment group differences were not. Variations in the source apportionments added only some 15% to the mortality regression uncertainties. These results provide supportive evidence that existing PM(2.5) source apportionment methods can be used to derive reliable insights into the source components that contribute to PM(2.5) health effects

Rationale, component description and pilot evaluation of a physical health promotion measure for people with mental disorders across Europe

Introduction: The HELPS project aimed at developing a toolkit for the promotion of physical health in people with mental disorders to reduce the substantial excess morbidity and mortality in the target group. Methods: The HELPS toolkit was developed by means of national and international literature reviews, Delphi rounds with mental health experts and focus groups with mental health experts and patients/ residents in 14 European countries. The toolkit was translated into the languages of all participating countries, and usability of toolkit modules was tested. Results: The toolkit consists of several modules addressing diverse somatic health problems, lifestyle, environment issues, patient goals and motivation for health-promotion measures. It aims at empowering people with mental illness and staff to identify physical health risks in their specific contexts and to select the most appropriate modules from a range of health promotion tools. Discussion: The HELPS project used an integrative approach to the development of simple tools for the target population and is available online in 14 European languages. Preliminary evidence suggests that the toolkit can be used in routine care settings and should be put to test in controlled trials to reveal its potential impact

ICO-ICS Praxis para el tratamiento médico y con irradiación del mieloma múltiple

Tractament mèdic; Tractament amb irradiació; Mieloma múltipleMedical treatment; Irradiation treatment; Multiple myelomaTratamiento médico; Tratamiento con irradiación; Mieloma múltipleEl mieloma múltiple (MM) és una neoplàsia de cèl·lules plasmàtiques que representa al voltant de l’1% del total de neoplàsies i el 10% de les neoplàsies hematològiques. Té una incidència aproximada de 4-5 nous casos/100.000 habitants/any i presenta una incidència màxima entre els 70 i 75 anys d’edat. Un 35% dels afectats té menys de 65 anys. Els objectius d'aquesta guia són: desenvolupar i difondre la ICO-ICSPraxi per al tractament del mieloma múltiple; disminuir la variabilitat terapèutica entre els pacients tractats en els diferents centres d’aquesta institució; implementar i avaluar els resultats de la terapèutica en els pacients amb mieloma múltiple tractats d’acord amb les recomanacions d’aquesta guia