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Biomedical subjects

M J Powers

Publications and source records attributed to M J Powers.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Psychometric assessment of the Quality of Life Index.

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Quality of Life Index (QLI) (Ferrans & Powers, 1985a). The sample consisted of 349 patients selected randomly from the adult, in-unit hemodialysis patient population of Illinois. Factor analysis was used to examine the underlying factor structure. A four-factors solution best fit the data, indicating that there were four dimensions underlying the QLI: health and functioning, socioeconomic, psychological/spiritual, and family. Factor analysis of the four primary factors revealed one higher order factor, representing quality of life. Construct validity also was supported by the contrasted groups approach. As predicted, it was found that those who had higher incomes had significantly higher quality of life scores on the social and economic subscale. Support for convergent validity was provided by a strong correlation (r = .77) between scores from the QLI and an assessment of life satisfaction. Findings supported the internal consistency reliability of the entire QLI (alpha = .93) and the four subscales (alphas = .87, .82, .90, .77).

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Needs of family members of intensive care unit patients.

To identify important needs of families of critically ill patients, and the degree to which these needs were being met, 64 family members and 58 nurses were asked to complete a modified version of the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (Molter & Leske, 1983). Family members and nurses identified many similar important needs, such as the need to have questions answered honestly, the need to be called at home about changes in the patient's condition, and the need to know why things were done for the patient. However, family members indicated that some needs were both more important and less satisfactorily met than the nurses perceived: the need to know the occupational identity of staff members, directions as to what to do at the patient's bedside, and having friends for support.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Litigation.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

England↗
PubMed1987

Satisfaction with health care of hemodialysis patients.

The purpose of this study was to assess the satisfaction with care of hemodialysis patients, and to explore the relationships between satisfaction with care, quality of life, and background variables. The sample (n = 416) was randomly selected from the adult, in-unit hemodialysis patient population of a north central state. Overall, patients were satisfied with their care (M = 5.04, range = 1 to 6). An ANOVA demonstrated that patients were most satisfied with physician related aspects of care, followed by nursing/dialysis treatment aspects, and least satisfied with financial/transportation aspects (F(2,830) =28.44. p less than .0001). Overall satisfaction with care was most highly correlated with satisfaction with medical (r = .74) and nursing care (r = .74). Satisfaction with care was moderately correlated with quality of life (r = .42) and satisfaction with health and functioning (r = .42). Somewhat weaker relationships were found between satisfaction with care and socioeconomic aspects of life (r = .31), psychological/spiritual aspects (r = .32), and family (r = .27). Patients who had been on dialysis for a shorter length of time or who had less education were more satisfied with care.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Influence of weather on osteoarthritics.

This exploratory study examined the effects of selected weather variables on pain and pain-related stress in osteoarthritic subjects. Urban and rural dwelling arthritics who perceived that weather made their symptoms worse and those who did not were surveyed. Some persons with osteoarthritis in urban Chicago were more weather sensitive than their rural counterparts in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Multiple regression analysis showed that precipitation affected degree of pain for urban subjects who identified weather as a pain-generating factor; barometric pressure, relative humidity and sunshine were significant factors influencing pain-related stress. Wind speed correlated with pain and pain-related stress; relative humidity and precipitation correlated with pain-related stress for urban subjects who did not perceive weather as a problem. Specific weather variables were not identified as affecting rural subjects' pain. However, temperature and barometric pressure affected degree of pain-related stress in rural subjects who perceived weather as a problem. Subtle differences between Chicago urban and Grand Forks rural climates are reflected in arthritic subjects' degree of pain and their perception of pain-related stress.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Life satisfaction, health control orientation, and illness-related factors in persons with osteoarthritis.

The purpose of this study was to assess life satisfaction in osteoarthritics and to explore relationships between that variable and health perception, health locus of control, and illness-related factors. The study group consisted of 160 osteoarthritics from four different types of settings. The osteoarthritics rated their present life satisfaction and recent health as relatively good and were externally controlled in terms of their health beliefs. Present life satisfaction was related to better health perception, internal locus of control, and less joint pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Quality of life index: development and psychometric properties.

The purpose of the study on which this article is based was to assess the validity and reliability of an instrument designed to measure quality of life. Sixty-four items applicable to both healthy subjects and dialysis patients were tested with graduate students (n = 88); six items relative to dialysis were added, and the instrument was administered to dialysis patients (n = 37). Items were based on literature review, which supported content validity. Correlations between the instrument and an overall satisfaction with life question of 0.75 (graduate students) and 0.65 (dialysis patients) supported criterion-related validity. Support for reliability was provided by test-retest correlations of 0.87 (graduate students) and 0.81 (dialysis patients) and Cronbach's alphas of 0.93 (graduate students) and 0.90 (dialysis patients).

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Development of an instrument to measure hope.

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure hope in adults and to evaluate its psychometric properties. A 40-item Miller Hope Scale (MHS) was developed based on critical elements of hope revealed in a comprehensive review of the literature and on an exploratory study of hope in persons who survived a critical illness. The instrument was critiqued by measurement and content experts, and content validity was established. The MHS was pretested on 75 subjects. The refined instrument was next evaluated using 522 healthy adults. The intent was to establish norms on the instrument before using it on ill subjects. The range of scores on the MHS is 40 to 200, with high scores indicating high hope. Mean hope score for this healthy sample was 164.46 (SD = 16.31). A leptokurtic curve, skewed to the left, was noted in these responses. As expected, the instrument detected high hope in individuals who were screened to have no physical or mental health problems. The internal consistency alpha coefficient was .93 with a 2-week test-retest reliability of .82. Criterion-related construct validity was established by correlating the MHS to the Psychological Well-Being Scale, r = .71, the Existential Well-Being Scale, r = .82, and a 1-item hope self-assessment, r = .69. Divergent validity with the Hopelessness Scale was established, r = -.54. Maximum likelihood factor analysis with oblimin rotation resulted in a three-factor solution: I, Satisfaction with Self, Others, and Life; II, Avoidance of Hope Threats; and III, Anticipation of a Future.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stressors associated with coronary bypass surgery.

The purpose of this study was to: design and test an instrument to evaluate the incidence and severity of stressors associated with coronary bypass surgery and assess the concordance between patient and nurse perceptions of such stressors. The patient sample consisted of 30 patients recovering without complications from coronary bypass surgery. Patients were white, primarily male and employed, one-third with graduate education, with a mean age of 54. The nurse sample consisted of 18 registered nurses with cardiosurgical nursing care experience. A 30-item stressor scale was developed: 27 items were derived from literature review and 3 from comments of cardiovascular clinical specialists. Stressfulness of each item was rated on a 5-point scale. A pilot study with seven patients provided information for initial scale refinement. Content validity of the scale has both theoretical and empirical support because of the varied sources used to obtain and validate relevant items for the tool. Homogeneity reliability of the scale was supported by high coefficient alphas. Based on severity of stress ratings, two-way analysis of variance indicated that the cardiothoracic nurses generally rated all items as significantly more stressful for coronary bypass patients than did the patients themselves. Comparisons used by the nurses and the patients in assigning stressfulness ratings are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Profile of the well-controlled, well-adjusted hypertensive patient.

The study purpose was to identify discriminant predictors of blood pressure control and adjustment to chronic illness in 450 hypertensive patients. Hypertension control was determined by physician judgment, and adjustment was assessed by Derogatis' (1977) Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale. Potential predictors of the outcome variables were measured by structured interview, formal instruments, and chart review. Well-controlled hypertensive patients had better health adjustment scores, reported more illness-related job problems and less illness-related sexual problems, were more satisfied with health care, knew what to do about medication side effects, were on medications longer, and had lower blood pressure readings on chart review. Well-adjusted hypertensive patients had fewer hypertension-related problems; had their blood pressure under control; were less likely to eat, smoke, or use drugs to handle tension; had no recent weight gain; knew what to do about medication side effects and that there is no cure for hypertension; were less pessimistic and less likely to worry; rated their stress level lower and their quality of life higher; felt that their health was under their own control; tried to problem solve when coping with stress; were on hypertensive medications a shorter time and on fewer medications overall; did not like to be alone when feeling stressed; and ate fewer high sodium foods.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The employment potential of hemodialysis patients.

This study examined variables that may influence the employment potential of hemodialysis patients. The study group consisted of currently employed (n = 20) and currently unemployed (n = 20) hemodialysis patients. All subjects had been employed before starting dialysis and were currently judged physically able to work by their physicians. No significant differences were found in job satisfaction or job importance before starting dialysis. The groups did not differ on biophysiological status or perception of health. However, a greater number of the unemployed had held jobs requiring heavier physical labor and reported that uremic symptoms prevented them from working. They also encountered more job discrimination due to illness and had a greater loss of career and life goals. No significant differences were found between the two groups in life satisfaction or dependence. In both groups the more independent subjects reported greater satisfaction with life.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Psychometric evaluation of the Hemodialysis Stressor Scale.

This report updates the psychometric information available on the Hemodialysis Stressor Scale. The tool is a 29-item scale that rates the incidence and severity of stressors associated with hemodialysis treatment of end-stage renal disease. Six items are classified as physiologic stressors and 23 as psychosocial stressors. Alpha homogeneity coefficients achieved acceptable standards for reliability. Content validity is demonstrated by the varied sources used to ascertain pertinent items for the scale. Construct validity of the scale was investigated by factor analysis (N = 174). A two-factor solution to evaluate the validity of the physiological-psychosocial dichotomy showed insufficient support for this simplistic dichotomous classification of hemodialysis stressors. A subsequent unrestricted factor solution to explore the multidimensionality of the scale yielded eight factors, but only three were significant, so a three-factor solution was subjected to rotation. The content of the 6 physiological and 9 psychosocial items loading significantly on Factor I characterized this factor as psychobiological; Factor II consisted of 12 psychological and social stressors; Factor III pertained to 8 dependency and restriction stressors. The three-factor solution was seen as the best-fitting solution with this particular data set because it was conceptually clear, informative, and parsimonious.

Adult↗