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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1987

A comparison of self-reported measures of perceived health and functional health in an elderly population.

In studies of large elderly populations, two types of measures of physical health status, perceived health and functional health, are commonly used. Although they represent very different conceptions of health, these two types of measures appear often to be used interchangeably. In this paper, we examine changes over time in self-reported measures of perceived health and functional health for a sample of Medicare beneficiaries. By investigating the patterns of change in the two measures for different subgroups of the population, we are able to draw inferences about the appropriateness of each type of measure for specific administrative and/or research situations. The perceived health status measure appears suitable for descriptive studies of the health of elderly populations, while the greater stability of functional health makes this type of measure generally more appropriate in studies investigating relationships between an individual's physical health status and subsequent behavior.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1999

Modeling physical health and functional health status: the role of combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and personal resource attributes.

This study examined associations of combat exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with physical health conditions and also incorporated hardiness and social support as mediators and functional health status as an outcome. Data were derived from 1,632 male and female Vietnam veterans who participated in the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. Path analysis revealed that hardiness and social support operated primarily as intermediary variables between combat exposure and PTSD, and PTSD emerged as the pivotal variable explaining physical health conditions and functional health status. Gender-based differences in means and patterns of associations among variables were found. The results stress the importance of assessing trauma in clinical settings as a meaningful determinant of health outcomes.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Health, functional capacity, health behaviour, psychosocial factors and falling in old age.

This study was done to investigate health, functional capacity, health behaviour and psychosocial factors associated with the occurrence of falls leading to medical treatment in elderly Finns (> or = 65 yrs). An unmatched case-control study was performed in the Town of Pori, Western Finland during the 12 months from September 1987 to August 1988. The series consisted of 380 fallers who sought medical treatment and 342 elderly control subjects selected randomly from the population register. Logistic regression analysis showed falls in the home-dwelling men to be associated with high age, high white blood cell count, poor self-perceived health and presence of depressive symptoms. In the home-dwelling women the occurrence of falls was associated with high white blood cell count, low blood haemoglobin level, high age and being afraid of falling. The occurrence of falling in the women showed a tendency to be associated with poor functional capacity, high axillary temperature and poor mental capacity. In the log-linear model in the men occurrence of falling was independently associated with poor self-perceived health and with high white blood cell count. In the women occurrence of falling was associated with high age, poor functional capacity, poor mental capacity, low blood haemoglobin and high white blood cell count. High age was associated with poor functional capacity and with low blood haemoglobin. Poor functional capacity and poor mental capacity were associated with each other. Poor mental and functional capacities, anaemia in women and acute infections are associated with falls leading to medical treatment in the elderly. Elderly subjects with an acute infection should be treated carefully to avoid falling complications.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2005

Health literacy and functional health status among older adults.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with limited health literacy have less health knowledge, worse self-management skills, lower use of preventive services, and higher hospitalization rates. We evaluated the association between health literacy, self-reported physical and mental health functioning, and health-related activity limitations among new Medicare managed care enrollees. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 2923 enrollees was conducted in Cleveland, Ohio; Houston, Tex; Tampa, Fla; and Fort Lauderdale-Miami, Fla. Health literacy was measured using the short form of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. We used outcome measures that included scores on the physical and mental health functioning subscales of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living and activities of daily living, and limitations because of physical health and pain. RESULTS: After adjusting for the prevalence of chronic conditions, health risk behaviors, and sociodemographic characteristics, individuals with inadequate health literacy had worse physical function (67.7 vs 78.0, P<.001) and mental health (76.2 vs 84.0, P<.001) than individuals with adequate health literacy. Individuals with inadequate health literacy were more likely to report difficulties with instrumental activities of daily living (odds ratio [OR], 2.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.74-2.92) and activities of daily living (OR, 2.83; 95% CI, 1.62-4.96), limitations in activity because of physical health (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.39-2.32), fewer accomplishments because of physical health (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.48-2.45), and pain that interferes with normal work activities (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.46-2.77). CONCLUSION: Among community-dwelling older adults, inadequate health literacy was independently associated with poorer physical and mental health.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[The Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire. A function assessment questionnaire for detection of illnesses of the locomotor system in children and adolescents--initial results of validating a German version].

AIM: It was the purpose of this investigation to create a German version of the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire and to test its reliability, practicability and acceptance in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: In a first step, the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire was translated into the German language. Then 147 patients with musculoskeletal disorders or respectively, their parents were asked to fill in the questionnaire, in order to test the reliability, the internal consistency, the practicability, and the acceptance of this instrument. RESULTS: The test-retest reliability for the subscales was high, it ranged between r = 0.56 and 0.93. Concerning the internal consistency of items and subscales we found only moderate results. The acceptance of the Questionnaire was high in patients or, respectively, their parents with 92%. Furthermore, the instrument has shown to be practicable and economical. CONCLUSION: With the German version of the Pediatric Musculoskeletal Functional Health Questionnaire a multidimensional instrument is now available that reliably measures health status as well as therapeutic effects in children and adolescents with musculoskeletal disorders.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between symptoms of depression, functional health status, and chronic disease among a residential sample of African Americans.

Depression and psychological distress often go unrecognized and untreated in primary care settings. The association between depression, socioeconomic status, and chronic disease underscore the importance of incorporating mental health education and screening into community-based health initiatives. This is particularly critical for African Americans who bear a disproportionate burden of poverty and chronic disease. This descriptive study assessed associations between symptoms of depression, socioeconomic status, healthcare utilization, physical and mental health functioning, and reactions to race among a sample of low-income African Americans. Consistent with the findings of previous research, respondents with symptoms of depression reported lower levels of physical and mental health functioning, and perceived that they had been treated worse by others at work, and had worse healthcare experiences than those of other races. Community-based programs for reducing disparities in physical illness may need to address the burden of undiagnosed and untreated depression in order to become optimally effective.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Stroke: morale, family functioning, health status, and functional capacity.

Twenty-two stroke patients and their spouses were studied. All patients were living at home and had had a stroke at least one year previously. Of the 22 patients 14 were men and eight were women. Couples were assessed on the variables of morale, family functioning, health status, and patient functional capacity. For all variables, patient-spouse and husband-wife differences were tested. Couples from a previously studied random community sample were matched to the stroke couples on age and socioeconomic status (SES). Identical morale, family functioning, and health status data collected on these couples were compared to the stroke data. The results included the following: Stroke patients and their spouses were healthy on all variables. Members of the couple did not differ on most variables whether compared as husband-wife or patient-spouse. Wives from the two samples did not differ on any variable. Husbands from the stroke sample differed from the matched husbands on only one health variable--the number of doctor visits made in the past six months.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

Gulf War veterans' illnesses: a pilot study of the relationship of illness beliefs to symptom severity and functional health status.

This investigation describes the illness beliefs of veterans regarding their Gulf War-related health concerns and investigates the relationship of these illness beliefs to physical and mental health functioning. Gulf War veterans (N = 583) presenting for evaluation at a Veteran's Affairs and Department of Defense facility completed self-report measures of symptom-related beliefs, psychosocial distress, and functional status. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the extent that symptom-related beliefs impacted symptom-reporting and functional status independent of demographic factors and psychiatric illness. Several beliefs predicted physical symptom reporting and functional impairment in physical health and mental health domains after controlling for demographic variables and psychiatric illness. Gulf War veterans' illness beliefs may impact clinical outcomes. Discussing illness beliefs and providing accurate information is an important component of medical care for Gulf War veterans.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Functional health patterns and nursing diagnosis in intensive care units].

The evaluation of the critically ill patient to develop a suitable care plan is one of the main objectives of the practices of Medico-Surgery for students of third year of the nursing degree. So as to be able to detect all the needs in the patients and settle priorities in their care we have carried out a physical evaluation and the 11 health functional patterns of Gordon (1982), which has allowed us to formulate the most frequent diagnosis of nursing in the patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Units of the Hospital Son Dureta of Palma de Mallorca. The collection of data for the evaluation of the patterns of autoperception, adaptation to stress and to the family, has been scarce due to the critical situation of the patient and the tendency of nursing professionals to register the evaluation data which indicate alterations of the physical condition of the patient. The incapacity for self-care and the risk for infection have been the nursing diagnosis which all the patients of this study have shown.

Critical Care↗
PubMed1980

Life events, mental health functioning and the use of health care services by the elderly.

The association of life events and mental health impairment was studied in a community-based population of the elderly (n = 986). A crude estimate of the relative risk for mental health impairment given life events larger than or equal to 150 (as measured by the Schedule of Recent Events) was 2.14. A relative risk of 1.73 (p < .01) was estimated when a binary regression procedure was used, controlling for physical health, economic status, social support, and age. Increased life events were associated with health seeking behavior, even when physical and mental health functioning were controlled. The associations between increased life events and both mental health functioning and health seeking behavior were small, suggesting that life events, as measured by the Schedule of Recent Events may not be important risk factors for elderly living in the community.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2005

Impairment of lung function, health status and functional capacity in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of lung involvement on respiratory function in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis and the relation to impaired health status. METHODS: Thirty patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis in remission (15 with lung involvement at diagnosis as determined by an abnormal chest X-ray) were examined. We measured lung function, skeletal muscle strength [quadriceps force (QF), respiratory muscle strength (Pi(max))], exercise capacity (VO(2) peak) using treadmill exercise tests, and health status using the Short Form 36 and St George's respiratory questionnaires. RESULTS: Exercise capacity was reduced compared with predicted values (58.2%, range 23-123%) and 18 patients showed functional aerobic impairment. Respiratory muscle function was reduced (72.1% predicted, range 20-108%) and was not related to lung involvement or steroid usage. Transfer factor correlated significantly with exercise capacity, suggesting inadequate delivery of oxygen to muscles. Nine patients had reduced transfer factor (seven with lung involvement). Patients with lung involvement had impaired gas transfer compared with those without lung involvement (96.9 +/- 6 vs 113.3 +/- 4.7% predicted, P = 0.04). However, there were significant abnormalities in other lung function parameters not related to previous lung involvement (eight patients had reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 s, and five patients had reduced residual volume). Twelve patients (five with previous lung involvement) had obstructive airways disease. Physical health status was impaired to a greater degree than mental health status across the whole group and was not related to lung involvement or original disease severity, but correlated with transfer factor. CONCLUSION: Patients with ANCA-associated disease may have significant lung function impairment irrespective of lung involvement at the time of diagnosis. Patients showed reduced respiratory muscle strength, health status and exercise capacity, which correlated with reduced transfer factor.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Self and health: factors that encourage self-esteem and functional health.

OBJECTIVE: We are interested in whether functional health enhances self-esteem, as well as whether self-esteem, worker, parent, and friend identities are related to changes in functional health over a 2-year period of study. METHODS: Data were collected in 1992 and 1994 from 737 older workers living in a North Carolina metropolitan area. Functional health is derived from questions asking respondents about their difficulties performing seven activities. We use Rosenberg's (1965) 10-item scale to tap self-esteem, and identities are measured with 10 adjective pairs that cover being competent, confident, and sociable as a worker, parent, and friend. RESULT: Several findings are of interest. Better functional health is associated with greater self-esteem over 2 years, and self-esteem is positively related to changes in functional health. In addition, worker identity and some social background factors are associated with positive changes in self-esteem. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that good health may contribute to positive self assessments, but also the less well-studied expectation that self processes are associated with positive changes in health. Individuals may be motivated by their desire to affirm a sense of self-worth and positive identities to maintain and improve their physical health.

Female↗
PubMed2003

[Health status, physical functioning, health services utilization, and expenditures on medicines among Brazilian elderly: a descriptive study using data from the National Household Survey].

The objective of this research was to describe health conditions and health services utilization among Brazilian seniors. The study was based on 28,943 adults > 60 years (99.9%) from an overall National Household Survey (PNAD 1998). The results show that prevalence rates for at least one chronic disease (69.0%), hypertension (43.9%), arthritis (37.5%), and inability to feed oneself/bathe/use the toilet (2.0%) are very similar to those observed in other populations. Physician visits and hospitalization patterns are within the variation reported by different countries. The low prevalence rates of older adults who had interrupted activities because of a health problem (13.9%) or had been bedridden (9.5%) in the previous 2 weeks or hospitalized in the previous year (13.6%) show that the vast majority are not subject to these events. Considering that 50% of this population live on less than or equal to one Brazilian monthly minimum wage, expenditures on medications consume approximately one-fourth (23%) of total income for half of the elderly population.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Functional health illiteracy. Ethical concerns.

Functional health illiteracy is a silent disability demanding the attention of healthcare professionals because it affects millions of people in the United States. Patients are reluctant to disclose this problem because they fear discrimination and stigmatization. Inadequate health literacy raises ethical questions because it is a barrier to healthcare and results in poor health outcomes. The purposes of this article are to provide an overview of functional health illiteracy, identify related ethical concerns, and discuss selected, relevant nursing implications. Nurses are in a unique position to serve as advocates, mediators, and translators for their patients who are functionally health illiterate.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

The public health function in central and eastern Europe.

This paper provides a description of the structure and function of public health within seven central and eastern European countries. The information was gathered from senior figures within public health in these countries, who came together at a European Union (EU)-funded seminar on public health which aimed to share recent developments in the public health function in their countries, and to develop a shared vision of the future for public health across an (eventually) much enlarged and united EU. An essential starting point for this was a clear understanding of how public health operates within each of the countries involved. The information gathered and presented here suggests that the countries of central and eastern Europe included in this survey have much in common with current EU member states, in that public health is held to be of national importance. On the whole, they share similar priorities. The organization of the public health function varies quite considerably and variations of degrees of central and local control are manifested. There is also variation in the relationship between the 'health' and 'environmental' aspects of public health. In some countries, these are distinctly separate areas of activity, whereas in others they are integrated. All countries acknowledge that public health practice is a multidisciplinary activity, but this is not necessarily backed up with unified systems for co-ordinated education, training and development, open to all. Continued cross-Europe discussion, exchange of information on the development of the public health function, and collaboration on training, education and development in public health will be of mutual benefit and is essential if high standards in public health practice are to be achieved and maintained across the whole of the European region.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed1990

Determinants of functional health of older persons.

The study investigated relationships among demographics, self esteem, health locus of control, health promotion behaviors, perceived health and functional health ratings in 179 older men and women from 65 to 99 years. Canonical correlation and stepwise discriminant analyses demonstrated several meaningful and significant relationships suggesting that exercise and nutrition may be critical health promotion activities associated with better scores on five functional dimensions. The 85+ years age group differed from younger groups through having significantly higher reported exercise scores.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1997

Who contributes to the public health function?

BACKGROUND: This paper describes the current nature and distribution of staff making an active contribution to the public health function in Health Authorities in England, so as to assess the extent to which the public health function is truly multidisciplinary and to begin to consider the National Health Service public health capability. METHODS: A pre-piloted questionnaire was administered by Regional Directors of Public Health (RDsPH) to their respective District Directors of Public Health (DDsPH) in all Health Authorities in England over the period June 1995-April 1996. The questionnaire asked for details of all staff in Health Authorities contributing to the public health function as defined by the DDsPH. This provided distributions of: Public Health Physicians; Consultants in Dental Public Health (CsDPH); Trainees in Public Health Medicine (PHM); Epidemiologists; Research Officers; Nurses; Medical Advisers; Pharmacists; Directors of Health Promotion; Others (job titles specific to public health) in Health Authorities in England. RESULTS: Staff contributing to the public health function were distributed as follows: Public Health Physicians (32 per cent); Research or Information Officers and Epidemiologists (16 per cent); Trainees in Public Health Medicine (16 per cent); Nurses (8 per cent); Pharmacists (6 per cent); Medical Advisers (5 per cent); Directors of Health Promotion (4 per cent); Consultants in Dental Public Health (3 per cent); Others (job titles specific to public health) (11 per cent). CONCLUSION: The public health function is multidisciplinary, but the skill mix within Health Authorities is variable. The contribution of all disciplines to Health Authority public health functions needs recognition, not least in the provision of training, accreditation schemes and continuing professional development for all staff so as to secure an effective public health function at local levels to deliver the health agenda.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1992

Quality of life and functional health of primary care patients.

Quality of life and functional health were measured cross-sectionally for 314 adult ambulatory primary care patients in a rural clinic and found to be much better for patients with low severity of illness who required no confinement to home because of health problems, than for patients with high severity of illness who required confinement. Severity of illness was the strongest predictor for patient-reported physical health function and for patient quality of life when assessed by the health provider. Confinement was the strongest predictor for patient quality of life when assessed by the patient. There was very little agreement between patient-assessed and provider-assessed quality of life. Family stress was the strongest predictor of function in terms of mental health, social health, general health, self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. These data suggest that clinicians should direct increased attention to patient-assessed quality of life, patient-reported functional health status, and psychosocial factors such as family stress in an effort to improve medical outcomes.

Activities of Daily Living↗