The relationship between SF-6D utility scores and lifestyle factors across three life-stages: Evidence from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health

Purpose: To investigate how SF-6D utility scores change with age between generations of women, and to quantify the relationship of SF-6D with lifestyle factors across life-stages. Methods: Up to seven waves of self-reported, longitudinal data were drawn for the 1973-78 (young, N=13772), 1946-51 (mid-age, N=12792), 1921-26 (older, N=9972) cohorts from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. Mixed effects models were employed for analysis. Results: Young and mid-age women had similar average SF-6D scores at baseline (0.63-0.64), which remained consistent over 16 year period. However, older women had lower scores at baseline at 0.57 which steadily declined over 15 years. Across cohorts, low education attainment, greater difficulty in managing on income, obesity, physical inactivity, heavy smoking, non-drinking and increasing stress levels were associated with lower SF-6D scores. The magnitude of effect varied between cohorts. SF-6D scores were lower amongst young women with high risk drinking behaviours than low-risk drinkers. Mid-age women who were underweight, never married, or underwent surgical menopause also reported lower SF-6D scores. Older women who lived in remote areas, who were ex-smokers, or were underweight reported lower SF-6D scores. Conclusion: The SF-6D utility score is sensitive to differences in lifestyle factors across adult lifestages. Gradual loss of physical functioning may explain the steady decline in health for older women. Key factors associated with SF-6D include physical activity, body mass index, menopause status, smoking, alcohol use and stress. Factors associated with poorer SF-6D scores vary in type and magnitude at different life stages

Complicações e condutas fisioterapêuticas após cirurgia por câncer de mama: estudo retrospectivo

Após cirurgia por câncer de mama, as mulheres estão sujeitas a desenvolver algumas complicações físicas. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: investigar o desfecho dessas mulheres, que, durante o primeiro mês pós-operatório, foram submetidas a um programa de reabilitação e identificar ao longo de dois anos as complicações mais frequentes e as condutas fisioterapêuticas mais adotadas. Foi um estudo descritivo, retrospectivo, com dados de 707 prontuários de mulheres operadas por câncer de mama no Hospital da Mulher Professor Doutor José Aristodemo Pinotti da Universidade Estadual de Campinas, entre janeiro de 2006 e dezembro de 2007, atendidas pelo Setor de Fisioterapia. A análise foi feita por meio de médias, desvio padrão e frequências absolutas e relativas. Ao final do programa, 55% das mulheres receberam alta, 17% necessitaram de atendimento adicional e 26% não aderiram a ele. As complicações mais frequentes foram: aderência pericicatricial (26%), restrição da amplitude de movimento (24%) e deiscência cicatricial (17%). No primeiro ano após a cirurgia (n=460), foram relatados dor (28,5%), sensação de peso (21,5%) e restrição da amplitude de movimento do ombro (16,7%); já no segundo (n=168), houve dor (48,2%), sensação de peso (42,8%) e linfedema (23,2%). Concluiu-se que, ao final do programa, a maioria das mulheres recebeu alta. Ao longo dos anos, houve redução da frequência de restrição da amplitude de movimento do ombro com aumento de linfedema. Cuidados com o braço, exercícios domiciliares e autodrenagem foram as condutas mais adotadas.After breast cancer surgery, women may develop some physical complications. Thus, the aims of this study were to investigate the outcome of these women, who participated in a rehabilitation program for one month, as well to identify along two years the most frequent complications and adopted physical therapy conducts. It was a descriptive and retrospective study with 707 medical records of women treated for breast cancer at the Women's Hospital Professor Doutor José Aristodemo Pinotti, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, between January 2006 and December 2007, admitted in the Division of Physical Therapy. Analysis was performed by means, standard deviation, absolute and relative frequencies. By the end of the program, 55% of women were discharged, 17% required additional treatment, and 26% did not join it. The most frequent complications were: pericicatricial adherence (26%), range of motion (ROM) restriction (24%), and scar dehiscence (17%). In the first year after surgery (n=460), the main complaints were: pain (28.5%), heaviness (21.5%), and restriction of shoulder range of motion (16.7%); in the second year (n=168), they were pain (48.2%), heaviness (42.8%), and lymphedema (23.2%). It was concluded that most women were discharged in the end of the program and, over the years, they presented reduction of shoulder range of motion frequency and lymphedema increase. Care of the arm, home exercises, and self-lymphatic drainage were the most adopted conducts