Pain is a central factor affecting quality of life for the cancer patient. This descriptive study was designed to explore the relationship between pain and several factors affecting quality of life. The factors explored included physical and social functioning, emotional health, and spiritual commitment in women with recurrent breast or gynecologic cancer. Pain frequency, amount, and interference with activities were found to correlate more strongly with objective measures of quality of life (i.e., physical and social functioning) than subjective measures (i.e., psychological or spiritual dimensions).

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The role of physical, occupational, and speech therapy in hospice: patient empowerment.

The use of physical, occupational, and speech therapy is a growing trend in hospice. The purpose of this paper is to define the role of the physical, occupational, and speech therapist as part of the hospice team in the context of the various therapies' objectives. A case study is presented and clinical implications are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cervical spine abnormalities in Down Syndrome.

Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common of the chromosomal disorders and manifests abnormalities in several organ systems. While mental retardation, skull and brain anomalies, and the development of Alzheimer-type neuropathological changes in patients greater than age 40 years are well recognized by neurologists and neuropathologists, less appreciated are the various cervical spine abnormalities that can occur. Widening of the anterior atlanto-odontoid distance (AAOD) and atlantooccipital instability occur in up to 21% and 63% of DS patients, respectively, but neurologic complaints are uncommon and rarely are severe enough to contribute to the patient's demise. We present a case of 49-year-old DS patient whose triplegia, subacute progressive respiratory failure, and death could be attributed to severe degenerative joint disease of the cervical spine with osteophyte formation and severe spinal canal stenosis. We provide the first detailed correlation study between pre-mortem magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and extensive autoptic dissection in an adult DS patient with cervical spine abnormalities, as well as a review of the literature.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relatives of schizophrenic patients.

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Family↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An analysis of factors influencing psychosocial adjustment to cardiomyopathy.

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Adult↗