“Growing pains” in young children: A study of the profile, experiences and quality of life issues of four to six year old children with recurrent leg pain

The Foot ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 120-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela M. Evans ◽  
Sheila D. Scutter ◽  
Linda M.G. Lang ◽  
Brenton R. Dansie
1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 9-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Ryan-Vincek

Supporting young children, who experience complex multiple disabilities in their homes and communities, has become an important feature of early intervention programs throughout the country. How parents and professionals view quality of life issues for these young children can provide information for interventionists, policy makers, and care givers. Qualitative research methods were employed over a three-year period to investigate perceptions of parents and professionals regarding support for young children who experience complex multiple disabilities. Descriptive themes emerged from the data that characterize features of support resulting in quality of life for young children living in rural Alaska who experience complex multiple disabilities. Some of these themes were “getting the right equipment at the right time,” “caring and consistent professionals,” and “responsive and flexible medical and support systems.” Findings indicated discrepancies between parents who live in rural Alaska and professionals over (a) perceptions of what support means and (b) the focus of some policies and systems.


Over recent decades, tremendous advances in the prevention, medical treatment, and quality of life issues in children and adolescents surviving cancer have spawned a host of research on pediatric psychosocial oncology. This important volume fulfills the clear need for an up-to-date, comprehensive handbook for practitioners that delineates the most recent research in the field--the first of its kind in over a decade. Over 60 renowned authors have been assembled to provide a thorough presentation of the state-of-the art research and literature, with topics including: -Neuropsychological effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy -Bone marrow transplantation -Important issues about quality of life during and following treatment -Collaborative research among child-focused psychologists -Standards of psychological care for children and adolescents -Stress and coping in the pediatric cancer experience -The role of family and peer relationships The Comprehensive Handbook of Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease represents both multidisciplinary and international efforts, an alliance between physicians and parents, and a combination of research and service. With a wealth of information of great interest to patients and their families, this volume will also be a welcome resource to the psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, oncologists, nurses, and social workers who confront these issues as they help children and their families through the treatment, recovery, and grieving processes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (s1) ◽  
pp. 27-27
Author(s):  
Rosa Roman-Oyola ◽  
Anita Bundy ◽  
Eida Castro ◽  
Osiris Castrillo

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Mothers with cancer who have young children experience life disruptions when treatment procedures limit mother-child interactions. This study proposes the development of an intervention combining the Coaching approach with the Model of Playfulness to improve Quality of Life (QoL) and wellbeing of these patients and their young children. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This embedded mixed method study will be guided by the two initial phases of the ORBIT Model for the development of behavioral interventions for patients with chronic diseases. Participants will be mothers in the post-acute treatment stage of cancer (n = 6) and their children who are between 2 years and a half and 6 years, 11 months. Phase 1A, Definition, builds on qualitative data from a concurrent study exploring the experiences of mothers with cancer playing with their young children. As part of this phase, we will develop a play-based coaching intervention. In Phase 1B, Refinement, we will employ in-depth semi-structured interviews and standardized tools to evaluate acceptability of the intervention and preliminary outcomes. This will serve to further refine the intervention. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Phase 1A will yield a plan for the intervention and data to enhance its initial implementation. Phase 1B will yield data, from the perspective of the mothers, about acceptability of the intervention procedures (e.g., delivery strategy, place for the intervention, time devoted, and outcome measures). This will enable modifications to the intervention. Additionally, Phase IB will yield preliminary data from specific QoL and wellbeing measures. For the mother, data about anxiety and depression symptoms, stress levels, and parental self-efficacy; for the child, emotional and behavioral indicators; for both: playfulness. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: This study entails the development of an intervention to enhance QoL and wellbeing of mothers with cancer and their children. Play moments as the centerpiece of the intervention, represent an innovative approach. Findings will guide the design of future feasibility studies to advance the development of this outcome driven intervention.


Author(s):  
Daniel T. L. Shek

AbstractCOVID-19 has severely affected the world since December 2020. Because of its sudden onset and highly contagious nature, the world has responded in a “crisis management” manner. With effective vaccines almost available, it is appropriate at this time to have some reflections about COVID-19 in relation to the quality of life issues. In this paper, we highlight twelve issues for reflection, which can help us better prepared for future pandemics. These include: digital divide, health inequality, gender inequality, economic disadvantage, family well-being, impact on holistic well-being, economic development versus saving lives, consumption versus environmental protection, individual rights versus collective rights, international collaboration versus conflict, prevention of negative well-being, and promotion of positive well-being.


2012 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 471-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott L. Parker ◽  
Stephen K. Mendenhall ◽  
David N. Shau ◽  
Owoicho Adogwa ◽  
William N. Anderson ◽  
...  

Object Spine surgery outcome studies rely on patient-reported outcome (PRO) measurements to assess treatment effect, but the extent of improvement in the numerical scores of these questionnaires lacks a direct clinical meaning. Because of this, the concept of a minimum clinically important difference (MCID) has been used to measure the critical threshold needed to achieve clinically relevant treatment effectiveness. As utilization of spinal fusion has increased over the past decade, so has the incidence of same-level recurrent stenosis following index lumbar fusion, which commonly requires revision decompression and fusion. The MCID remains uninvestigated for any PROs in the setting of revision lumbar surgery for this pathology. Methods In 53 consecutive patients undergoing revision surgery for same-level recurrent lumbar stenosis–associated back and leg pain, PRO measures of back and leg pain were assessed preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively, using the visual analog scale for back pain (VAS-BP) and leg pain (VAS-LP), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Physical and Mental Component Summary categories of the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12 PCS and MCS) for quality of life, Zung Depression Scale (ZDS), and EuroQol-5D health survey (EQ-5D). Four established anchor-based MCID calculation methods were used to calculate MCID (average change; minimum detectable change; change difference; and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis) for 2 separate anchors (health transition index of the SF-36 and the satisfaction index). Results All patients were available for 2-year PRO assessment. Two years after surgery, a significant improvement was observed for all PROs assessed. The 4 MCID calculation methods generated a range of MCID values for each of the PROs (VAS-BP 2.2–6.0, VAS-LP 3.9–7.5, ODI 8.2–19.9, SF-12 PCS 2.5–12.1, SF-12 MCS 7.0–15.9, ZDS 3.0–18.6, and EQ-5D 0.29–0.52). Each patient answered synchronously for the 2 anchors, suggesting both of these anchors are equally appropriate and valid for this patient population. Conclusions The same-level recurrent stenosis surgery-specific MCID is highly variable based on calculation technique. The “minimum detectable change” approach is the most appropriate method for calculation of MCIDs in this population because it was the only method to reliably provide a threshold above the 95% confidence interval of the unimproved cohort (greater than the measurement error). Based on this method, the MCID thresholds following neural decompression and fusion for symptomatic same-level recurrent stenosis are 2.2 points for VAS-BP, 5.0 points for VAS-LP, 8.2 points for ODI, 2.5 points for SF-12 PCS, 10.1 points for SF-12 MCS, 4.9 points for ZDS, and 0.39 QALYs for EQ-5D.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document