Predictive factors of quality of life in acquired brain injury

Background/ObjectiveThe sequelae and the disability and dependence that follow an acquired brain injury (ABI) may result in a significant reduction in the quality of life (QoL) of those affected. The objective was to assess the QoL of a sample of Spanish patients with an ABI and analyze the influence of certain sociodemographic and injury-related variables on their QoL. Method: The sample comprised 421 adults (60% male; M_age = 53.12; SD = 14.87). Professionals and relatives assessed the patients’ QoL through the CAVIDACE scale, an ABI-specific tool based on the eight-domain QoL model. Results: Univariate analyses showed statistically significant differences in the QoL scores in several sociodemographic (age, civil status, education level, prior employment status, type of home, level of supports, loss of legal capacity, recognized dependence, and degree of dependence) and injury-related (time since the injury, location of the injury, and presence of post-traumatic amnesia) variables. The multiple linear regression showed that loss of legal capacity, time since the injury, prior employment status, location of the injury, and degree of dependence were significant QoL predictors. Conclusions: These findings provide knowledge for the development of programs aimed at reducing the negative impact of ABI on QoL.     

Weekly churchgoing amongst Roman Catholics in Britain: long-term trends and contemporary analysis

Declining communal religious practice in the form of regular churchgoing is a key area in the measurement and study of religious change and secularisation. The general trends in attendance in Britain have been well-researched. However, there has been less consideration of change and continuity in religious practice within different religious traditions. This article provides a detailed assessment of the trends in weekly churchgoing amongst Roman Catholics and then examines the socio-demographic factors associated with regular churchgoing. In long-term perspective, there has been a clear decline in weekly churchgoing amongst Catholics, corroborated by data across several recurrent social surveys. In terms of contemporary churchgoing, weekly attenders are more likely to be older, have higher socio-economic status and have children in the household. But, contrary to the well-established association between women and religiosity, there were no significant differences in weekly attendance between men and women, nor on the basis of ethnic background.     

刑释人员人身危险性的测评研究

我们对上海市1994年至1999年所释放的全部约1万5千名上海籍刑释人员进行了详细调查，从中筛选出与重新犯罪有显著相关关系的因素编制成《刑释人员个体人身危险性测评量表》，用多元回归分析方法预测刑释人员在获释后2年内的重新犯罪情况，经检验，其准确率为92％。     

A Greek-Language Inventory of Fears: Psychometric Properties and Factor Structure of Self-Reports of Fears on the Hellenic Fear Survey Schedule

The structure of fearfulness and the psychometric properties of a Greek-language version of the Fear Survey Schedule were studied in a sample of normal Greek adults. Overall summary scores were higher for women than for men, had satisfactory temporal stability and internal consistency, and were useful in discriminating levels of phobic anxiety independent of levels of depression as assessed by a concurrent self-report measure. However, the temporal stabilities of responses for many items were inadequate for the reliable identification of levels of fear of specific events and objects. A factor analysis yielded five components that were conceptually similar to those obtained abroad. Subscales based on component items were psychometrically reliable. In comparison with American subjects, Greek subjects rated similar items as most fearful, but reported higher levels of fears of these items, reflecting either higher levels of fears, greater disclosure, or cultural differences in the meaning of fear ratings.     

Was that (cyber)bullying? Investigating the operational definitions of bullying and cyberbullying from adolescents’ perspective

Background/Objective: Despite the great interest that bullying and cyberbullying have received during the last decades, the problem of defining these phenomena is still debated. Recently, this discussion has also been articulated in terms of how young people who are directly involved in bullying and cyberbullying understand these notions. This study aimed at investigating the operational definitions of both bullying and cyberbullying provided by adolescent victims and perpetrators, by inquiring the weight of traditional criteria (i.e., frequency, deliberateness, imbalance of power, and harm) as well as dominance in the perception of these phenomena. Method: A total of 899 students aged between 11 and 16 years filled out the Student Aggression and Victimisation Questionnaire. Results: Common traits and differences between the operational definition of bullying and cyberbullying and between the perspectives of victims and perpetrators of aggression were found. The most relevant criterion for the perception of both these phenomena was clearly the presence of dominance. By contrast, the imbalance of power showed no significant relationship with the perception of being bullied or bullying others both offline and online. Conclusions: Findings emphasise that young people conceptualise bullying with a clear reference to relational and group processes, rather than to individual differences.     

Clinicians' Perspectives on Negative Effects of Psychological Treatments

Negative effects of psychological treatments is a fairly unexplored area of clinical research. Previous investigations have indicated that a portion of all patients experience negative effects in terms of deterioration and various adverse events. Meanwhile, evidence suggests that many clinicians are untrained in identifying negative effects and unaware of the current research findings. The objective of the current study is thus to investigate clinicians' own perspectives and experiences of possible negative effects of psychological treatments. An invitation to participate in an anonymous online survey consisting of 14 open-ended questions was distributed via three mailing lists used by clinicians that primarily identify themselves as cognitive behavior therapists. The responses were analyzed using a qualitative method based on thematic analysis. In total, 74 participants completed the survey. A majority agreed that negative effects of psychological treatments exist and pose a problem, and many reported having experienced both deterioration and adverse events among patients in their own practice. The thematic analysis resulted in three core themes: characteristics of negative effects, causal factors, as well as methods and criteria for evaluating negative effects. The clinicians recognize that negative effects exist, but many are unaware of the current research findings and are unfamiliar with methods and criteria for identifying and preventing deterioration and adverse events. The results provide evidence for further dissemination of the present knowledge regarding negative effects, particularly during basic clinical training, as well as the need for raising awareness of the available methods for identifying and preventing negative effects.     

Self-reported Diabetes Prevalence and Risk factors in South Africa: Results from the World Health Survey

Using the data from the South African World Health Survey (WHS), the current study aims to assess the self-reported prevalence of diabetes and associated risk factors by socio-economic characteristics in South Africa. A population-based survey of 2314 participants (1116 men and 1236 women) was conducted in South Africa in 2003. Results indicate an overall self-reported diabetes prevalence of 9.1%, 7.1% for men and 10.8% for women. In terms of diabetes risk factors, high rates of overweight or obesity (58.4%), physical inactivity (55.2%), less than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day (69.3%), and medium or high stress levels (63.3%) were found; 18.4% were smoking daily and 7.3% were risky drinkers. Univariate regression analyses found that from the six different risk factors none apart from having high stress were associated with the occurrence of diabetes. Greater age was associated with obesity and inversely associated with insufficient consumption of fruits and vegetables. Daily smoking and being physically inactive were inversely associated with risky drinking. Low socioeconomic background was associated with unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and stress.     

Alcohol Use,Problem Drinking and Health Risk Factors Among South African Youths

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of problem drinking among South African youth (18–24 years). A cross-sectional population-based household survey was conducted using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling approach. The total sample included 3123 participants (age range 18–24 years, 45.4% women) from four of nine provinces in South Africa. Results indicate that current alcohol was relatively more common among male (40.7%) than female youths (21.3%). Similarly, hazardous or harmful drinking was more prevalent among males (24.3%) than among women (12.9%). In multivariable analyses among men and women high on sexually permissiveness had hazardous or harmful alcohol use. Lifestyle including high peer pressure, and spending more nights away in a week were associated with hazardous or harmful alcohol use.     

河南省50家医院手术安全核查的实施与思考

为了解河南省手术安全核查的实施情况,采用卫生部统一设计的调查问卷对河南省18市50家医院进行调查。结果显示,被调查50家医院对手术安全核查的重要性认识基本到位,但对于手术核查的具体方式有待进一步规范,建议各级医疗机构加强手术安全核查制度的落实与监管,以保障患者安全。