The association of metabolic syndrome and its factors with gallstone disease.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the association between metabolic syndrome, including its factors, and gallstone disease (GSD) in a Taiwanese population. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study during 2011 ~ 2012. A total of 12050 subjects who completed a questionnaire and underwent physical examination, laboratory tests and abdominal ultrasonography formed the study population. RESULTS: The prevalences of metabolic syndrome and gallstone disease were 24.09% and 6.16%. In an age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression model, metabolic syndrome was associated with gallstone disease (OR = 1.61; P < 0.0001). Age, abdominal obesity, and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were associated with gallstone disease after adjusting for other factors. Females had a higher odds ratio than males in waist circumference for GSD, whereas males had a lower odds ratio than females in HDL-C for GSD. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that metabolic syndrome is related to gallstone disease. Waist circumference and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are all associated with GSD. Men and women may possibly have different priorities and strategies to reduce the burden of GSD.

Psychometrics of shared decision making and communication as patient centered measures for two language groups.

Shared decision making (SDM) and effective patient-provider communication are key and interrelated elements of patient-centered care that impact health and behavioral health outcomes. Measurement of SDM and communication from the patient's perspective is necessary in order to ensure that health care systems and individual providers are responsive to patient views. However, there is a void of research addressing the psychometric properties of these measures with diverse patients, including non-English speakers, and in the context of behavioral health encounters. This study evaluated the psychometric properties of 2 patient-centered outcome measures, the Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire-9 (SDM-Q) and the Kim Alliance Scale-Communication subscale (KAS-CM), in a sample of 239 English and Spanish-speaking behavioral health patients. One dominant factor was found for each scale and this structure was used to examine whether there was measurement invariance across the 2 language groups. One SDM-Q item was inconsistent with the configural invariance comparison and was removed. The remaining SDM-Q items exhibited strong invariance, meaning that item loadings and item means were similar across the 2 groups. The KAS-CM items had limited variability, with most respondents indicating high communication levels, and the invariance analysis was done on binary versions of the items. These had metric invariance (loadings the same over groups) but several items violated the strong invariance test. In both groups, the SDM-Q had high internal consistency, whereas the KAS-CM was only adequate. These findings help interpret results for individual patients, taking into account cultural and linguistic differences in how patients perceive SDM and patient-provider communication. (PsycINFO Database Record

Modeling psychological well-being and family relationships among retired older people in Taiwan.

Well-being is an important indicator of an individual's quality of life, especially for retired people. In the present study, we investigated the psychological well-being (PWB) of retired Taipei (Taiwan) older people and its associations with sex, family relationships, and health status. A structured questionnaire was used to measure demographics, family relationships, and perceived health status, as well as Ryff's PWB Scales. Data were analyzed from 268 retired olderpeople recruited from social service centres and public parks from September to November 2010. The Multiple Indicators Multiple Causes model demonstrated a very good fit of Ryff's PWB Scales and their relations to sex, family relationships, and perceived health status. The link with PWB was stronger for family relationships than for perceived health. The Mandarin translation of Ryff's PWB Scales was found to be suitable and easy to administer to Taiwanese olderpeople. The findings suggest that nurses should note that improving family relations will facilitate the PWB of retired olderpeople, which results in better outcomes of care.