A Cross-Sectional Study of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Predominantly Antibody Deficiency.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures individual well-being across physical, psychological, and social domains. Patients with predominantly antibody deficiency (PAD) are at risk for morbidity and mortality, however, the effect of these complications on HRQoL requires additional study. Patients with PAD were asked to voluntarily complete the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) HRQoL-14 Healthy Days Measure questionnaire. These results were compared to data from the CDC-initiated Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a cross-sectional questionnaire including questions from CDC-HRQOL-14. Statistical analyses included two-proportion Z-test, t-tests, and analysis of variance. 83 patients with PAD completed the survey. Patients were sub-stratified into mild (23.7%), moderate (35.5%), severe (40.8%), and secondary (8.4%) PAD. "Fair or poor" health status was reported in 52.6% of PAD patients. Mental health challenges ≥ 14 days/month occurred in 25% of patients. Physical health issues ≥ 14 days/month was reported in 44.7% of patients. Activity limitations were noted by 80.3% of patients. There were no statistically significant differences by PAD severity. Patients with autoimmune and inflammatory disease co-morbidities reported more mental health challenges compared to those without (78% vs. 54.3%, p = 0.02). Compared to the CDC-BRFSS data, significantly more patients with PAD reported "fair or poor" health status (53% vs 12.0%; p < 0.0001), mental health challenges (24.1% vs 14.7%; p = 0.02), and poor physical health (44.6% vs 8.0%; p < 0.0001). Patients with PAD had significantly reduced HRQoL compared to CDC-BRFSS respondents from a similar geographical region. Decreased HRQoL was prevalent across all PAD severity levels. Additional research is needed to improve HRQoL for patients with PAD.

The relationship between pain, quality of life and physical activity in older community living Australians.

The objective of this analysis was to investigate the relationship between pain and quality of life and physical activity as a mediator in the relationship between pain and quality of life. This study utilised a combination of questionnaire data from 503 community-living people aged 70-years and over concerning quality of life, pain, and physical activity. Participants with higher levels of pain intensity experienced lower quality of life and engaged in lessphysical activity (P < 0.05). Physical activity was a mediator in the relationship between pain and quality of life(6.5 %). This study confirms an association between pain and quality of life and highlights physical activ-ity as an essential component of this relationship; further research is needed to understand the mechanism of this relationship.

Madrasa student's health-related quality of life and its associated factors: a cross-sectional study from Bangladesh.

The evidence clearly shows that education greatly impacts people's well-being. Bangladesh has two main education systems-general and traditional religious schooling. The current study aimed to measure the quality of life of madrasa students and find out the factors influencing it. This was a cross-sectional study on a group of madrasa students in the Mirpur area of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Data were collected using two-stage stratified random sampling between April and May 2022. The final sample size was 373. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was calculated using the KIDSCREEN-10 index, and the median split was used to categorize the score into 'good' and 'poor' categories. A p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all statistical tests. Among the participants, most (56%) reported having a good HRQoL. The median age (IQR) of the participants was 10.0 (8.0-12.0) years. Most of the participants were male (91%) and were not orphans (95%). The current study also found that a higher feeling of safety (AOR 3.7; 95% CI 1.3-10.4; p = 0.016) increased the odds of having good HRQoL. However, having a present illness decreased the odds (AOR 0.6; 95% CI 0.4-0.9; p = 0.10) of having a good HRQoL. The key results show that the majority reported a good HRQoL. Promoting students' physical, mental, and social well-being through health education, anti-bullying initiatives, regular school health screening, and institutional & community involvement can help to improve the overall HRQoL of madrasa students.

The validity of single-item measures of health-related quality of life across groups differing in acute respiratory symptom severity.

PURPOSE: Practical considerations precluding health-related quality of life (HRQOL) monitoring in population and clinical research have spawned development of improved items for more brief surveys of frequently measured HRQOL outcomes. The aim of this study was to validate the use of the Quality of Life General (QGEN-8), a shorter 8-item alternative to the longer 36-item short form (SF)-36 Health Survey for measuring the same eight HRQOL domains across groups of adults with varying severity of acute respiratory symptoms, such as cough and sore throat. METHODS: National Opinion Research Center (NORC) representative probability (N = 1,648) and supplemental opt-in (N = 5,915) U.S. adult samples were surveyed cross-sectionally online in 2020. Parallel analyses compared QGEN-8 and SF-36 estimates of group means for each of eight matching profile domains and summary physical and mental scores across groups differing in severity of acute symptoms and chronic respiratory conditions using analysis of covariance (ANCOVAs) controlling for socio-demographics and presence of chronic respiratory conditions. RESULTS: In support of discriminant validity, ANCOVA estimates of QGEN-8 means with SF-36 estimates revealed the same patterns of declining HRQOL with the presence and increasing severity of symptoms and chronic condition severity. CONCLUSION: QGEN-8® shows satisfactory validity and warrants further testing in cross-sectional and longitudinal population and clinical survey research as a more practical method for estimating group differences in SF-36 profile and summary component HRQOL scores.

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) with symptoms such as cough and sore throat are highly prevalent and negatively impact on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Existing instruments that comprehensively measure HRQOL are lengthy, potentially increasing respondent burden and restricting their use in clinical studies and research. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether eight newly constructed survey items, the QGEN-8®, measure the same HRQOL outcomes as the 36-item SF-36 Health Survey well enough to serve as a more practical alternative for purposes of detecting the physical and mental HRQOL effects on differing severity of acute URTI symptoms, specifically cough and sore throat. The results showed that the QGEN-8® was psychometrically sound and able to differentiate between different levels of URTI symptoms, even in cases where respondents had chronic respiratory conditions. This indicates that the briefer QGEN-8® with 75% shorter response time is able to provide HRQOL measurements comparable to those derived from lengthier instruments thereby lending itself more readily to use in clinical studies and research of URTI symptoms, such as cough and sore throat.

Association between air temperature and self-perceived health status in Southern Germany: Results from KORA FIT study.

BACKGROUND: Short-term exposure to low and high air temperatures can cause serious harmful effects on human health. Existing literature has mostly focused on associations of ambient air temperature with mortality and the need for health care in population-level studies. Studies that have considered self-perceived health status as an outcome when examining the effects of air temperature on health are scarce. In this study, we explored the short-term association of daily mean air temperature with various measures of self-perceived health status. METHODS: This cross-sectional analysis is based on the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) FIT study conducted in 2018/2019 and included participants from the Augsburg region of Southern Germany. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was evaluated by using the 5-level EuroQol Five Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire, including the EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). Self-rated health (SRH) and comparative self-rated health (CSRH) were each assessed using a single question. Daily mean air temperature data was estimated using a spatiotemporal model and assigned to participants' home addresses at a resolution of 1 × 1 km. Regression models with a Distributed Lag Non-linear Modeling (DLNM) approach were used to investigate the associations between daily mean air temperature and self-perceived health measures. RESULTS: We found no association of heat or cold with the HRQOL, SRH or CSRH. Nevertheless, there was a significant protective association of low air temperature with the EQ-5D-5L dimension "usual activities." CONCLUSION: There was no evidence of daily mean air temperature adversely affecting participants' self-perceived health status.

Quality of life among borderline ovarian tumor survivors: A comparison with survivors of early-stage ovarian cancer and a cancer-free population: A cross-sectional population-based PROFILES study.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the health-related quality of life (HRQo) of women surviving a borderline ovarian tumor (BOT) in comparison with early-stage ovarian cancer survivors treated surgically alone and with a matched cancer-free population. METHODS: Survivors of BOT and ovarian cancer were invited in two Dutch cross-sectional, population-based studies. Ovarian cancer survivors with tumor stage I who were treated surgically only were included. A random sample from the cancer-free population was matched on sex, age and education to the sample of BOT survivors. The EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3.0) and the EORTC QLQ-OV28 were completed by the cancer-free population and the BOT and ovarian cancer survivors in study 1 and 2. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was only completed by the cancer-free population and the survivors of BOT and ovarian cancer in study 1. BOT survivors were compared to early-stage ovarian cancer survivors and the general population using linear regression analyses and effect sizes regarding clinical importance. RESULTS: 83 BOT (42%), 88 early-stage ovarian cancer survivors (52%), and 82 women from the general population were included. In most HRQoL domains, BOT survivors were not significantly different from early-stage ovarian cancer survivors and the cancer-free population, except that BOT survivors reported significantly less insomnia than early-stage ovarian cancer survivors and more dyspnea than the cancer-free population (small clinical difference). CONCLUSION: In general, BOT survivors' HRQoL lies between the HRQoL of early-stage ovarian cancer survivors and of the cancer-free population, but clinical effect sizes between the groups were mostly only trivial.

Health-related quality of life and its association with disease activity/functional status in rheumatoid arthritis: A cross-sectional study from South India.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with chronic pain that gradually becomes incapacitating and negatively influences the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study estimates HRQoL in RA using the EuroQol five dimensions (EQ-5D) tool and its association with functional status and disease activity. METHODS: RA patients (n = 320) aged above 18 years, visiting outpatient clinic at a tertiary care multispecialty hospital in south India were the study participants. Sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected from them. EQ-5D-5L questionnaire and the EQ Global Health Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) were used to measure HRQoL. Disease activity was measured using Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28), and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was used to assess functional status. Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression were used to measure association, and statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The EQ-5D utility score was 0.54 ± 0.36, pain and anxiety were the most affected domains, and the mean EQ-VAS was 63.05 ± 18.54%. A moderate to high disease activity was present in 85% (DAS-28 > 3.2), and a severe functional disability in 32.8% (HAQ > 1.5) of study participants. The mean EQ-5D scores for RA patients were 0.78 (0.65-0.90) for no disease activity, 0.73 (0.65-0.80) for mild, 0.53 (0.32-0.74) for moderate and 0.47 (0.32-0.62) for high disease activity. In multiple linear regression analysis, HAQ and age independently predicted EQ-5D. CONCLUSION: RA significantly impacts HRQoL, and interventions focussing on pain and anxiety management are essential. The study's EQ-5D values could help estimate Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY) while conducting economic evaluation studies in RA within an Indian context.

Comparative Efficacy of Biologics and Small Molecule Therapies in Improving Patient-Reported Outcomes in Ulcerative Colitis: Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disorder with a considerable negative impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which has been recently recognized as an important treatment target. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of different biologics and small molecule therapies in achieving better patient-reported outcomes and HRQoL in patients with UC. METHODS: We performed a systematic review and network meta-analysis of the EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Central databases from inception until February 1, 2024. The primary endpoint was clinical remission in the patient-reported outcome (PRO-2) score in UC patients who were treated with different biologics or small molecules during induction and maintenance phases. PRO-2 score is the sum of both stool frequency and rectal bleeding subscores. The secondary outcome was improvement of HRQoL defined as an increase in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire score of ≥16 points from baseline or any change in total score from baseline. A random effects model was used, and outcomes were reported as odds ratio with 95% confidence interval. Interventions were ranked per the SUCRA (surface under the cumulative ranking curve) score. RESULTS: A total of 54 studies were included in the primary outcome analysis and 15 studies were included in the secondary outcome analysis. The primary analysis showed that during the induction phase all of included drugs were better than placebo in improving the PRO-2 score. Interestingly, upadacitinib was found to be superior to most medications in improving PRO-2 scores. The secondary analysis showed that guselkumab ranked first in the improvement of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire score, followed by upadacitinib during the induction phase. CONCLUSION: Upadacitinib ranked first in PRO-2 clinical remission during the induction and maintenance phases. Guselkumab, mirikizumab, tofacitinib, and upadacitinib were the only novel medications that were superior to placebo in improving HRQoL in UC, with guselkumab ranking the highest, followed by tofacitinib and upadacitinib. During maintenance of remission, tofacitinib ranked highest in improving HRQoL.

Patient-reported outcome (PRO-2) and disease impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) have been recognized as important treatment targets in ulcerative colitis. In this systematic review and network meta-analysis, we compared different biologics and small molecules in achieving these outcomes. We found that upadacitinib ranked first in PRO-2 clinical remission during induction and maintenance phases. Guselkumab, tofacitinib, and upadacitinib were the only novel medications that were superior to placebo in improving HRQoL during induction in ulcerative colitis, with guselkumab ranking the highest, followed by tofacitinib and upadacitinib. During maintenance of remission, tofacitinib ranked highest in improving HRQoL.

The association between medication use and health-related quality of life in multimorbid older patients with polypharmacy.

PURPOSE: To explore the association between medication use-related factors and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older hospitalised multimorbid patients with polypharmacy. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the intervention arm data of the OPERAM trial (hospitalised patients ≥ 70 years with polypharmacy). HRQoL was assessed using the visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) and the EQ-5D index score of the EuroQol questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Lower or higher EQ-VAS/EQ-5D was based on the median of the study population. Medication use-related factors included hyperpolypharmacy (≥ 10 medications), anticholinergic and sedative burden, appropriateness of medication (STOPP/START criteria), high-risk medication for hospital (re)admission, medication complexity and adherence. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between medication use-related factors and HRQoL. RESULTS: A total of 955 patients were included (mean age 79 years, 46% female, median EQ-VAS of 60, median EQ-5D of 0.60). Opioids use was associated with lower EQ-5D and EQ-VAS (aOR EQ-5D: 2.10; 95% CI 1.34-3.32, EQ-VAS: 1.59; 1.11-2.30). Hyperpolypharmacy (aOR 1.37; 1.05-1.80), antibiotics (aOR 1.64; 1.01-2.68) and high medication complexity (aOR 1.53; 1.10-2.15) were associated with lower EQ-VAS. A high anticholinergic and sedative burden (aOR 1.73; 1.11-2.69), presence of multiple prescribing omissions (aOR 1.94; 1.19-3.17) and benzodiazepine use (aOR 2.01; 1.22-3.35) were associated with lower EQ-5D. Especially in hyperpolypharmacy patients, high anticholinergic and sedative burden and medication complexity were associated with a lower HRQoL. CONCLUSION: Several medication use-related factors are significantly associated with a lower HRQoL in hospitalised older patients. Medication complexity is a novel factor, which should be considered when evaluating medication use of older patients with hyperpolypharmacy.

A retrospective comparative study of patient-reported outcome measures, pre-treatment and twelve months post-treatment using tumescent liposuction for the management of lower limb lipoedema.

Background: Lipoedema is a painful adipose tissue disorder, affecting the limbs of women, that is resistant to diet and exercise. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the retrospective health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) outcomes for patients with lower limb lipoedema (LLL) following tumescent liposuction (TL). Methods: Forty-seven patients received TL over 5 years from 2015-2020 for LLL. As part of their routine treatment evaluation, each patient completed 4 validated HRQoL questionnaires at initial assessment. The questionnaires examined the patients' experiences relating to anxiety and depression, lower extremity function, appearance, and symptoms. The same questionnaires were posted to the patients after an average of 12 months post-procedure/s to establish the outcomes of the intervention. Results: The study demonstrated that patients' HRQoL improved at 12 months (average) following TL. The results of all the questionnaires were statistically significant, and patients with stage 3 LLL showed the most improvement in outcomes. Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that TL achieves positive HRQoL outcomes in patients with LLL; however, long-term follow-up is needed to determine if the benefits sustain. Additionally, larger prospective controlled studies are required to provide robust evidence for this procedure.

Patients' health related quality of life after massive weight loss reconstruction in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of undergoing massive weight loss reconstruction (MWR) on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in the Netherlands. METHOD: A retrospective study was performed among 131 Dutch bariatric patients, divided into two groups: an intervention group (93 patients who had undergone MWR) and a control group (38 patients who had not undergone MWR). HR-QoL was assessed by the validated BODY-q questionnaire. The sign test was used to measure the difference between the 0 and 12 months' measurements of HR-QoL in both groups, whereas multiple regression analysis was conducted to assess whether undergoing MWR significantly predicted participants' incremental HR-QoL. RESULTS: Whereas the intervention group showed a significance improvement on all parameters of the BODY-q between 0 and 12 months (all parameters p < .001), the control group did not. The multiple regression analysis showed that having undergone a MWR significantly and positively predicted incremental HR-QoL on all scales on the BODY-q (all parameters p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests a positive impact of MWR on the HR-QoL of bariatric patients.

The role of hypervigilance in chronic esophageal diseases: a scoping review.

Background: Hypervigilance has emerged as an important construct in esophageal symptom reporting, but a review of the literature does not currently exist. This scoping review aimed to generate a comprehensive overview of the literature on hypervigilance in esophageal diseases and summarize the evidence for each esophageal disease. Methods: Guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology, articles that were peer-reviewed original studies, published in English, and included adult patients with at least one esophageal disease were included. Articles were retrieved from PubMed and Embase databases and screened first by title and abstract for an initial round of exclusions, and then again by full text for a second round of exclusions. Results: Nineteen studies were included. Studies were categorized by primary diagnosis: achalasia (1, 5%), eosinophilic esophagitis (1, 5%), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (6, 32%), laryngopharyngeal reflux (3, 16%), non-cardiac chest pain (3, 16%), and multi-disorder samples (5, 26%). Studies primarily evaluated associations between hypervigilance and symptom severity, psychosocial functioning, health-related quality of life, and physiological disease variables. A number of studies also evaluated hypervigilance across esophageal diseases or presentations (e.g., across motility disorders, across GERD phenotypes). Conclusions: The role of hypervigilance in symptom reporting has been investigated in multiple esophageal conditions. Findings suggest potential clinical utility in assessing hypervigilance, such as for disease conceptualization and treatment planning. Future research is needed in larger samples, with consistent measures of hypervigilance, and using data synthesis methodology (i.e., systematic reviews) to better compare and contrast findings across studies.

Influencing factors for pediatric eye disorders and health related quality of life: a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China.

Background: Myopia, strabismus, and ptosis are common pediatric eye diseases, which have a negative impact on children and adolescents in terms of visual function, mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Therefore, this study focused on those pediatric eye diseases by analyzing their risk factors and HRQoL for the comprehensive management of myopia, strabismus, and ptosis. Methods: A total of 363 participants (2-18 years old) were included in this study for risk factors analysis of myopia, strabismus, and ptosis. We collected demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits and eye care habits of these children and analyzed them by using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. In addition, we applied the Chinese version of Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory-Version 4.0 (PedsQL 4.0) to assess HRQoL in 256 children with strabismus and ptosis. Univariable and multivariable linear regression models were applied to evaluate potential influencing factors of HRQoL. Results: Of all the participants, 140 had myopia, 127 had strabismus, and 145 had ptosis. Based on the multivariable logistic regression analysis model, we found that the history of parental myopia and daily average near-distance eye usage time were risk factors for myopia, and increased body mass index (BMI) was identified as a risk factor for strabismus and ptosis. Individuals with ptosis possessed decreased HRQoL. The multivariable linear regression model suggested that daily average near-distance eye usage time, light intensity during visual tasks, and daily average sleep duration had potential influences on HRQoL. Conclusion: This is the first study to assess the risk factors and HRQoL of myopia, strabismus, and ptosis together. We identified risk factors for these common pediatric eye diseases to help doctors, parents, and teachers better manage them. Our study discovered that children with eye disorders exhibit a notably diminished HRQoL. Consequently, it emphasizes the necessity for increased social attention and mental health assistance for these children.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients with Predominantly Antibody Deficiency.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measures individual well-being across physical, psychological, and social domains. Patients with predominantly antibody deficiency (PAD) are at risk for morbidity and mortality, however, the effect of these complications on HRQoL requires additional study. Patients with PAD were asked to voluntarily complete the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) HRQoL-14 Healthy Days Measure questionnaire. These results were compared to data from the CDC-initiated Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a cross-sectional questionnaire including questions from CDC-HRQOL-14. Statistical analyses included two-proportion Z-test, t-tests, and analysis of variance. 83 patients with PAD completed the survey. Patients were sub-stratified into mild (23.7%), moderate (35.5%), severe (40.8%), and secondary (8.4%) PAD. "Fair or poor" health status was reported in 52.6% of PAD patients. Mental health challenges ≥ 14 days/month occurred in 25% of patients. Physical health issues ≥ 14 days/month was reported in 44.7% of patients. Activity limitations were noted by 80.3% of patients. There were no statistically significant differences by PAD severity. Patients with autoinflammatory disease co-morbidities reported more mental health challenges compared to those without (78% vs. 54.3%, p = 0.02). Compared to the CDC-BRFSS data, significantly more patients with PAD reported "fair or poor" health status (53% vs 12.0%; p < 0.0001), mental health challenges (24.1% vs 14.7%; p = 0.02), and poor physical health (44.6% vs 8.0%; p < 0.0001). Patients with PAD had significantly reduced HRQoL compared to CDC-BRFSS respondents from a similar geographical region. Decreased HRQoL was prevalent across all PAD severity levels. Additional research is needed to improve HRQoL for patients with PAD.

The effects of different levels of sports activity on health-related quality of life and lifestyle habits in high school Italian students.

Physical activity (PA) is an important predictor of physical and mental health preventing chronic degenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate in a group of Italian high school students whether health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and lifestyle habits (diet) are associated with the level of physical activity performed (low, moderate, high). Data were collected from 2819 adolescents (n = 951 males). HRQoL was analyzed using the Italian version of the KIDSCREEN-52. Physical activity level was analyzed using the PAQ-A, while eating habits with KIDMED. Practicing physical activity in general improves HRQoL. Specifically, adolescents practicing moderate or high PA, in single dimensions of HRQoL, showed better mood (p < 0.001), self-perception (p < 0.001), family relationships (p < 0.001), reported a higher perception of socioeconomic status (p < 0.05), relationship with peers (p < 0.001), and social acceptance (p < 0.001). High PA subjects reported increased physical (p < 0.001) and mental health (p < 0.001), increased autonomy (p < 0.001), and school learning (p < 0.001). For lifestyle habits, practicing moderate PA showed higher adherence tox the Mediterranean diet (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results highlighted a positive association between the frequency of PA levels, some dimensions of HRQoL, and risk behaviors. These findings demonstrated the protective role of sports not only as a preventive strategy for the onset of chronic degenerative diseases, but also as an educator of healthy lifestyle habits, thus suggesting the importance and need to implement strategies to promote sports practice.

Creating an SF-6Dv2 social value set for New Zealand.

The SF-6D health descriptive system and its second version published in 2020, the SF-6Dv2, is used worldwide for valuing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for economic evaluation and measuring patient-reported health outcomes. In this study, a valuation tool was developed and applied to create a social value set, comprising 18,750 health state values, for the SF-6Dv2 for New Zealand (NZ). This tool was adapted and extended from the one used to create a social value set for the EQ-5D-5L, a simpler health descriptive system with fewer dimensions and health states. The tool implements the PAPRIKA method, a type of adaptive discrete choice experiment, and a binary search algorithm to identify health states worse than dead and has extensive data quality controls to ensure the validity and reliability of the social value set derived from participants' personal value sets. The tool, accompanied by a short introductory video designed specifically for the SF-6Dv2, was distributed via an online survey to a large representative sample of adult New Zealanders in June-July 2022. The tool's data quality controls enabled participants who failed to understand or sincerely engage with the valuation tasks to be identified and excluded, resulting in the participants being pared down to a sub-sample of 2985 'high-quality' participants whose personal value sets were averaged for the social value set. These results, including participants' positive feedback, demonstrate the feasibility and acceptability of using the tool to value larger health descriptive systems such as the SF-6Dv2. Having successfully created an SF-6Dv2 social value set for NZ, the valuation tool can be readily applied to other countries, used to generate personal value sets for personalised medicine and adapted to create value sets for other health descriptive systems.

Age of onset of major depressive episode and association with lifetime psychiatric disorders, health-related quality of life and impact of gender: A cross sectional and retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the long-term impact of the age of onset (AOO) of the first major depressive episode (MDE) according to 3 age groups and considering gender. METHODS: Data were extracted from NESARC III, a representative U.S. SAMPLE: We included 8053 participants with an MDE history in a cross-sectional and retrospective cohort study. We defined 3 AOO groups: childhood-onset (< 13 yo), adolescence-onset (13-18 yo), and adult-onset (> 18 yo). We compared sociodemographic characteristics, lifetime psychiatric disorders per DSM-5 criteria, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in each group and performed gender-stratified analyses. RESULTS: Prevalence of childhood-onset MDE was 10.03 %, adolescence-onset was 14.12 %, and adult-onset was 75.85 %. Suicide attempts (AOR = 3.61; 95 % CI 2.90-4.50), anxiety disorders (AOR = 1.92; 95 % CI 1.62-2.27), and personality disorders (AOR = 3.08; 95 % CI 2.56-3.71) were more frequent in the childhood-onset than in the adult-onset one. Adolescence-onset group showed similar results. Physical Disability scale (p < 0.001) and Mental Disability scale (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in the childhood-onset group. Results were more nuanced in the adolescence-onset group. Women in childhood-onset and adolescence-onset groups had poorer outcomes than the adult-onset group. Differences were less pronounced in men. LIMITATIONS: Recall and classification biases inherent to survey design. CONCLUSION: Individuals, particularly women, who experienced their first MDE during childhood or adolescence exhibit higher lifetime psychiatric disorder prevalence and poorer HRQOL than those with adult-onset MDE. These findings highlight the importance of preventive measures, early diagnosis, and treatment of youth depression.

Quality of life and social support during pregnancy in Spanish population. A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: The quality of life and social support during pregnancy are two variables influencing the health of pregnants and neonates. The documented impact of these variables on mental health, specifically the risk of depression, is notable. AIM: To investigate the evolution of quality of life and social support at the beginning and end of pregnancy in pregnant women, and to examine the relationship between these variables. METHODS: The proposed longitudinal study includes 188 pregnants from a northern region of Spain. Participants were selected through consecutive sampling from September 2021 to April 2023. Quality of life and social support will be assessed in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy using the SF-36 questionnaire and MOS-SSS questionnaire, respectively. FINDINGS: The questionnaires show strong internal consistency (α = 0.91 and 0.97). Quality of life changes during pregnancy, declining in the physical component and rising in the mental component towards the end. Primiparous women have higher quality of life. Depression risk is 29.8 % in the 1st trimester, dropping to 22.9 % in the 3rd trimester. Social support decreases in the 3rd trimester, particularly among unmarried women. Significant positive correlations exist between quality of life and social support. CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes notable variations in quality of life and social support during pregnancy, impacting the health of pregnant individuals and neonates. Proposing standardization in monitoring these factors during prenatal check-ups aims to improve the physical and mental health of pregnant individuals and newborns.

The Association Between Personality Traits and Health-Related Quality of Life and the Mediating Role of Smoking: Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: There are positive and negative correlations in different directions between smoking, personality traits, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL), where smoking may mask the pathway between personality traits and HRQOL. Understanding the masking pathway of smoking between personality traits and HRQOL can elucidate the mechanisms of smoking's psychosocial effects and provide new ideas for developing tobacco control strategies. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between Big Five personality traits and HRQOL and whether smoking mediates the relationship between them. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using data from 21,916 respondents from the 2022 Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents survey. Linear regression models were used to analyze the correlations between smoking, Big Five personality traits, and HRQOL while controlling for potential confounders. The mediating role of smoking on the association between Big Five Personality traits and HRQOL was analyzed using the Sobel-Goodman mediation test. Results: Extraversion (ß=.001; P=.04), agreeableness (ß=.003; P<.001), and neuroticism (ß=.003; P<.001) were positively correlated with HRQOL, whereas openness was negatively correlated with HRQOL (ß=-.001; P=.003). Smoking was associated with a decrease in HRQOL and mediated the positive effect of HRQOL on extraversion (z=-2.482; P=.004), agreeableness (z=-2.264; P=.02), and neuroticism (z=-3.230; P=.001). Subgroup analyses further showed that smoking mediated the effect of neuroticism on HRQOL in the population with chronic illnesses (z=-2.724; P=.006), and in the population without chronic illnesses, smoking contributed to the effect of HRQOL on extraversion (z=-2.299; P=.02), agreeableness (z=-2.382; P=.02), and neuroticism (z=-2.213; P=.03). Conclusions: This study provided evidence that there is a correlation between personality traits and HRQOL. It also found that smoking plays a role in mediating the connection between personality traits and HRQOL. The development of future tobacco control strategies should consider the unique traits of each individual's personality, highlighting the significance of extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Validation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Arabic version of the Ear Outcome Survey-16 (EOS-16).

Background: The Ear Outcome Survey-16 (EOS-16) has been validated according to the health-related quality of life (HRQol) survey guidelines. It has important compatible aspects in evaluating patients with chronic otitis media (COM) suitable for consultation. This study aimed to develop and standardize the Arabic version of the EOS-16 to be used by clinicians in the Arab world while maintaining the conceptual equivalence. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted in Damascus between July 2023 and November 2023 to develop an Arabic version of the EOS-16. The translation was produced according to the cross-cultural adaptation guidelines. Both experts' and participants' opinions as regards face validity were obtained in this study. Internal consistency was evaluated by the Cronbach alpha coefficient. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Pearson correlation. Results: A total of 81 patients enrolled in the study, with an average age of 34.75 years and a standard deviation of 11.84 years with a sex ratio of 0.62 for females. All had inactive mucosal COM (dry perforation). The overall score of the EOS-16 survey was 31.72 with a standard deviation of 13.42 suggesting bothering and influencing symptoms in COM patient's daily life. Excellent internal consistency was noted (Cronbach α = .89). Robust correlation was found between test-retest overall scores (r = .90). Reallocation of the items of the EOS-16 improved the internal consistency of the subdivisions in COM patients. Conclusion: The Arabic version of the EOS-16 is a simple, clear, reliable, reproducible, and valid HRQoL survey. It is a useful and important instrument that helps physicians in making decisions regarding the patient's treatment and follow-up.