ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease that is difficult to predict and to cope with. Mastery refers to the extent to which patients see themselves as being in control of the forces that affect their lives. It may play an important role in perceived health status and well-being. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether mastery is associated with functional disability and perceived health status in MS patients and how such an association might function. METHODS: Two hundred and three MS patients completed the Short-Form-36 Health Survey as well as the Pearlin-Schooler Mastery Scale. Functional disability was assessed using the Kurtzke Expanded Disability Status Scale. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were performed on the data from two MS age groups: <45 and > or =45 years of age. RESULTS: Functional disability was negatively associated with perceived physical health status in both age groups and with perceived mental health status in younger age group. Mastery was positively associated with perceived health status in older age group. DISCUSSION: The findings confirm that mastery might be helpful for older MS patients. Education strategies for MS patients aimed at personal empowerment for the maintaining of physical and mental well-being may be important.
Subject(s)
Activities of Daily Living/psychology , Attitude to Health , Health Status , Mental Health , Multiple Sclerosis/psychology , Sick Role , Adult , Age Factors , Aging/psychology , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy/standards , Disability Evaluation , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Quality of Life/psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Thirty-five biochemical parameters were investigated in 144 clinically healthy goats throughout the seasons of the year from March 1984 to April 1986. The average values and standard deviations of the investigated parameters of metabolic profile which are presented in this paper were obtained from examinations performed throughout the whole period of investigation. The average values of biochemical parameters are presented in Tabs. I and II. Our study of the values of the given parameters in the large-scale breeding of goats throughout the seasons of the year did not show a clear seasonal dependence of any of the investigated parameters with the exception of vitamin A and beta-carotene contents. The average values and standard deviations of vitamin A and beta-carotene contents recorded throughout the year seasons are shown in Tab. III. Based on the average, and also individual values, it can be seen that the lowest levels of vitamin A were recorded at the beginning of the spring season (before the goats began to graze). In the winter seasons of 1984 and 1985 there were only traces of beta-carotene in the blood serum. A relatively great variance of the values mentioned by different authors demonstrates their great variability, which is influenced particularly by different environmental conditions, various methods of investigation, different nutrition and exploitation of the animals.