1.
Amundin, Mats, et al.
(författare)
A proposal to use distributional models to analyse dolphin vocalisation
2017
Ingår i: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Vocal Interactivity in-and-between Humans, Animals and Robots, VIHAR 2017. - 9782956202905 ; , s. 31-32
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
This paper gives a brief introduction to the starting points of an experimental project to study dolphin communicative behaviour using distributional semantics, with methods implemented for the large scale study of human language.
2.
Posthumanistiska nyckelstexter
2012. - 1
Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (refereegranskat) abstract
Den här boken introducerar några viktiga författare på samtidsaktuella teoriområden. Donna Haraway, Karen Barad, Rosi Braidotti, Michel Callon, Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Michel Serres och Annemarie Mol presenteras i boken, som också innehåller översatta texter av dessa namn. Boken ger en bakgrund till och en överblick över ett område i intensiv teoriutveckling. Här presenteras den så kallade materiella, posthumana eller ontologiska vändningen. Här kartläggs grunderna för olika posthumanistiska förhållningssätt till de både mänskliga och icke-mänskliga (djur, miljö, teknik) krafterna i vår värld så som de begreppsliggjorts inom filosofi, feministisk teori, kulturstudier och samhällsvetenskapliga studier av naturvetenskap, medicin och teknik. Genom lästips och en omfattande litteraturlista öppnar boken för fortsatta studier och vidare diskussioner. Avslutningsvis finns också en omfattande ordlista med viktiga nyckelbegrepp som i sig ger en introduktion till ett heterogent forskningsfält. Boken riktar sig till studenter, doktorander och andra nyfikna forskare inom olika tvärvetenskapliga eller disciplinära former av humaniora och samhällsvetenskap.POSTHUMANISTISKA NYCKELTEXTER ger i de inledande kapitlen en överblick och en introduktion till posthumanistiska studier och till materiell-semiotik. Här behandlas tankeströmningar som rör det humanas natur, humanismens etik och humanvetenskapernas framtid. Boken ger en introduktion till det som inom genusvetenskap och tekniksociologi kommit att kallas den ontologiska vändningen mot de materiaaliteter och världsliga relationer som både gör och förgör oss. Här kartläggs grunderna för posthumanistiska förhållningssätt till de både mänskliga och icke-mänskliga (djur, miljö, teknik) dimensionerna av vår värld så som de begreppsliggjorts inom filosofi, feministisk teori, kulturstudier och sociala studier av vetenskap och teknik. POSTHUMANISTISKA NYCKELTEXTER erbjuder introduktioner till viktiga författare och översättningar av nyckeltexter skrivna av Donna Haraway, Karen Barad, Rosi Braidotti, Michel Callon, Gilles Deleuze med Felix Guattari, Michel Serres och Annemarie Mol. Boken innehåller även en omfattande ordlista med viktiga nyckelbegrepp som i sig ger en introduktion till ett mångfaldigt forskningsfält.
3.
Schötz, Susanne, et al.
(författare)
Phonetic Characteristics of Domestic Cat Vocalisations
2017
Ingår i: Proceedings of the 1st International Workshop on Vocal Interactivity in-and-between Humans, Animals and Robots, VIHAR 2017. - 9782956202905 ; , s. 5-6
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
The cat (Felis catus, Linneaus 1758) has lived around or with humans for at least 10,000 years, and is now one of the most popular pets of the world with more than 600 millionindividuals. Domestic cats have developed a more extensive, variable and complex vocal repertoire than most other members of the Carnivora, which may be explained by their social organisation, their nocturnal activity and the long period of association between mother and young. Still, we know surprisingly little about the phonetic characteristics of these sounds, and about the interaction between cats and humans.Members of the research project Melody in human–cat communication (Meowsic) investigate the prosodic characteristics of cat vocalisations as well as the communication between human and cat. The first step includes a categorisation of cat vocalisations. In the next step it will be investigated how humans perceive the vocal signals of domestic cats. This paper presents an outline of the project which has only recently started.
4.
Liljeroos, Maria
(författare)
Caring needs in patient-partner dyads affected by heart failure : An evaluation of the long-term effects of a dyadic psycho-educational intervention
2017
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Introduction: As medical treatment has improved, patients with heart failure (HF) now live longer and care mostly takes place at home with partners providing the main assistance. Taking care of an ill or disabled individual imposes a well-documented burden on the partner’s healthrelated quality of life. The awareness of partners’ burdensome situation is increasing, but few interventions have targeted the needs of patientpartner dyads with HF. The results have been inconclusive and give no clear guidance on how interventional programmes should be designed to improve both patient and partner outcomes.Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to evaluate the effects of a psychoeducational intervention delivered to patient-partner dyads with HF during long-term follow-up, and to explore the dyads’ perceived caring needs.Methods: The thesis is based on four papers that used both quantitative and qualitative data. Study I and II used a randomized controlled design with a follow-up assessment after 24 months including 155 patientpartner dyads. The control group received care as usual. The intervention group received care as usual, and in addition they participated in the nurse-led psycho-educational intervention. Data was collected using questionnaires before and 24 months after the intervention, in order to determine the long-term effects on patients and partners regarding health related quality of life, perceived control, symptoms of depression and partners’ caregiver burden (I, II). A conceptual health promotion model inspired the intervention. To describe how the model was applied, a qualitative approach analysing nurses’ documentation of the sessions with 71 dyads in the intervention group (III) was used. Study IV has an explorative design. To further explore the dyads’ perceived caring needs, focus groups interviews with 19 patient-partner dyads with heart failure (IV) were performed.Results: The intervention did not have any significant effect on physical or mental health- related quality of life, depressive symptoms, or perceived control over the heart failure among the dyads (I) or caregiver burden in the partners (II) after 24 months. Furthermore, time to first event did not differ significantly between the dyads in the intervention group and the control group (I, II). As for the partners, both the intervention and control group reported decreased physical health between the baseline assessment and the 24-month follow-up (I). The intervention was composed of three components; 1) cognitive 2) supportive, and 3) behavioural component. The analysis of the nurses’ documentation confirmed the coverage of all the components and the analysis revealed a vide range of caring needs among the dyads (III). The dyads described a need to learn about HF to be able to manage everyday life. Regular outpatient clinic visits and access to telephone support were vital and both the patient and the partner need to be present at the clinic visits. Meeting others who are in the same situation and sharing the burden in nurse-led group sessions was proposed as an opportunity to support each other and others (IV).Conclusions: Over the 24-month follow-up period, the intervention had a neutral effect on health- related quality of life, depressive symptoms and perceived control over the HF among the dyads, and on partners’ caregiver burden. Considering the fact that partners serve as a critical extension of the formal healthcare system, and that both patients and partners ask for more support, it will become crucial to find new ways to support dyads affected by heart failure. This thesis may be viewed as a first step in trying to understand dyads’ perceived caring needs, and it can serve as a guide in clinical work and when designing new dyadic interventions.
5.
Gerdle, Björn, et al.
(författare)
Who benefits from multimodal rehabilitation - an exploration of pain, psychological distress, and life impacts in over 35,000 chronic pain patients identified in the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation
2019
Ingår i: Journal of Pain Research. - : DOVE Medical Press Ltd.. - 1178-7090. ; 12, s. 891-908
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background: Chronic pain patients frequently suffer from psychological symptoms. There is no consensus concerning the prevalence of severe anxiety and depressive symptoms and the strength of the associations between pain intensity and psychological distress. Although an important aspect of the clinical picture is understanding how the pain condition impacts life, little is known about the relative importance of pain and psychological symptoms for individual's life impact. The aims of this study were to identify subgroups of pain patients; to analyze if pain, psychological distress, and life impact variables influence subgrouping; and to investigate how patients in the subgroups benefit from treatments.Methods: Background variables, pain aspects (intensity/severity and spreading), psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms), and two life impact variables (pain interference and perceived life control) were obtained from the Swedish Quality Registry for Pain Rehabilitation for chronic pain patients and analyzed mainly using advanced multivariate methods.Results: Based on >35,000 patients, 35%-40% had severe anxiety or depressive symptoms. Severe psychological distress was associated with being born outside Europe (21%-24% vs 6%-8% in the category without psychological distress) and low education level (20.7%-20.8% vs 26%-27% in the category without psychological distress). Dose relationships existed between the two psychological distress variables and pain aspects, but the explained variances were generally low. Pain intensity/severity and the two psychological distress variables were significantly associated (R2=0.40-0.48; P>0.001) with the two life impact variables (pain interference and life control). Two subgroups of patients were identified at baseline (subgroup 1: n=15,901-16,119; subgroup 2: n=20,690-20,981) and the subgroup with the worst situation regarding all variables participated less in an MMRP (51% vs 58%, P<0.001) but showed the largest improvements in outcomes.Conclusion: The results emphasize the need to assess both pain and psychological distress and not take for granted that pain involves high psychological stress in the individual case. Not all patients benefit from MMRP. A better matching between common clinical pictures and the content of MMRPs may help improve results. We only partly found support for treatment resistance in patients with psychological distress burden.
6.
Hellström, Amanda, et al.
(författare)
A classical test theory evaluation of the Sleep Condition Indicator accounting for the ordinal nature of item response data
2019
Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 14:3, s. 1-13
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Background Insomnia symptoms are common among young adults and affect about 5% to 26% of 19 to 34-year-olds. In addition, insomnia is associated with poor mental health and may affect daily performance. In research, as well as in clinical practice, sleep questionnaires are used to screen for and diagnose insomnia. However, most questionnaires are not developed according to current DSM-5 diagnostic criteria. An exception is the recently developed Sleep Condition Indicator (SCI), an eight-item scale screening for insomnia. Aim The aim of this study was to perform a Classical Test Theory (CTT) based psychometric evaluation of the SCI in a sample of Swedish university students, by taking the ordinal nature of item level data into account. Methods The SCI was translated into Swedish and distributed online to undergraduate students at three Swedish universities, within programs of health, psychology, science or economy. Of 3673 invited students, 634 (mean age 26.9 years; SD = 7.4) completed the questionnaire that, in addition to the SCI, comprised other scales on sleep, stress, lifestyle and students' study environment. Data were analyzed according to CTT investigating data completeness, item homogeneity and unidimensionality. Results Polychoric based explorative factor analysis suggested unidimensionality of the SCI, and internal consistency was good (Cronbach's alpha, 0.91; ordinal alpha, 0.94). SCI scores correlated with the Insomnia Severity Index (-0.88) as well as with sleep quality (-0.85) and perceived stress (-0.50), supporting external construct validity. Conclusions These observations support the integrity of the of the SCI. The SCI demonstrates sound CTT-based psychometric properties, supporting its use as an insomnia screening tool.
7.
Thulin, Helena, et al.
(författare)
Defecation disturbances after cystectomy for urinary bladder cancer
2011
Ingår i: BJU International. - : Blackwell Publishing Ltd. - 1464-4096 .- 1464-410X. ; 108:2, s. 196-203
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add?Functional gastrointestinal symptoms and problems are common after radical cystectomy with urinary diversion. This study adds new important epidemiological data on this group of symptoms. OBJECTIVE: To describe and compare long-term defecation disturbances in patients who had undergone a cystectomy due to urinary bladder cancer with non-continent urostomies, continent reservoirs and orthotopic neobladder urinary diversions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: During their follow-up we attempted to contact all men and women aged 30–80 years who had undergone cystectomy and urinary diversion at seven Swedish hospitals. During a qualitative phase we identified defecation disturbances as a distressful symptom and included this item in a study-specific questionnaire together with free-hand comments. The patients completed the questionnaire at home. Outcome variables were dichotomized and the results are presented as relative risks with 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The questionnaire was returned from 452 (92%) of 491 identified patients. Up to 30% reported problems with the physiological emptying process of stool (bowel movement, sensory rectal function, awareness of need for defecation, motoric rectal and anal function, straining ability). A sense of decreased straining capacity was reported by 20% of the men and women with non-continent urostomy and 14% and 8% of those with continent reservoirs and orthotopic neobladders, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Of the cystectomized individuals 30% reported problems with the physiological emptying process of stool (bowel movement, sensory rectal function, awareness of need for defecation, motoric rectal and anal function, straining ability). Those wanting to improve the situation for bladder cancer survivors may consider communicating before surgery the possibility of stool-emptying problems, and asking about them after surgery.
8.
Rovner, Graciela, 1959, et al.
(författare)
Chronic pain and sex-differences; women accept and move, while men feel blue.
2017
Ingår i: PloS one. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:4
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
The aim of this study is to explore differences between male and female patients entering a rehabilitation program at a pain clinic in order to gain a greater understanding of different approaches to be used in rehabilitation.1371 patients referred to a specialty pain rehabilitation clinic, completed sociodemographic and pain related questionnaires. They rated their pain acceptance (CPAQ-8), their kinesiophobia (TSK), the impact of pain in their life (MPI), anxiety and depression levels (HAD) and quality of life scales: the SF-36, LiSat-11, and the EQ-5D. Because of the large sample size of the study, the significance level was set at the p ≤.01.Analysis by t-test showed that when both sexes experience the same pain severity, women report significantly higher activity level, pain acceptance and social support while men report higher kinesiophobia, mood disturbances and lower activity level.Pain acceptance (CPAQ-8) and kinesiophobia (TSK) showed the clearest differences between men and women. Pain acceptance and kinesiophobia are behaviorally defined and have the potential to be changed.
9.
Nilsson, Evalill, 1966-
(författare)
Aspects of health-related quality of life : Associations with psychological and biological factors, and use as patient reported outcome in routine health care
2012
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Background Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is increasingly recognised as an important patient-reported outcome in health care research. However, the use is still restricted and several questions remain about the value and feasibility of using measures of HRQoL in routine health care. The general aims of the thesis were therefore to increase the understanding of these issues by studying 1) associations of HRQoL with psychological and biological factors, 2) comorbidity adjustments of HRQoL measurement results, and 3) the patient-perceived value and feasibility regarding the use of measures of HRQoL as patient-reported outcome in routine health care.Methods Three different data sets were used; baseline data (questionnaire, anthropometric, and biological) from the ongoing Life conditions, Stress, and Health Study (n=1007, papers I and II), data from a population survey from the County Council of Östergötland in combination with data from two national Swedish registries, the National Inpatient Register and the Causes of Death Register (n=6086, paper III), and data (questionnaire) from the multicentre Swedish Health Promoting Hospitals Network Health outcome assessment project (n=463, paper IV). The HRQoL measures used were the SF-36 and the EQ-5D. Statistical methods include variance, correlation and regression analyses.Results Psychological resources (Self-esteem, Sense of Coherence, and Perceived Control) as well as psychological risk factors (depressive mood) were found to relate independently to HRQoL (SF-36) in the expected directions (positive relations for resources and negative relations for risk factors), but with fewer sex differences than expected (Paper I). Low HRQoL (SF-36) was found to relate to higher levels of inflammatory biological factors (C-reactive protein, Interleukin-6, and MatrixMetalloProteinase-9), and, especially regarding Interleukin-6, many association remained significant, though attenuated, after adjustment for factors of known importance to HRQoL (age, sex, disease, lifestyle and psychological factors) (Paper II). A new comorbidity index, the Health-related Quality of Life Comorbidity Index (HRQL-CI), explicitly developed for use in HRQoL outcomes studies, showed higher explanatory power (higher R2 values) than the commonly used Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) regarding impact of comorbidity on HRQoL (SF-36 and EQ-5D). However, regarding mortality the CCI discriminated better between those who died within a year from answering the HRQoL questionnaires, died within ten years, or who were still alive after ten years. This result is in line with the CCI’s original purpose as a mortality predictor. Using morbidity data from mandatory, highly valid national health data bases was found to be useful in a large study of this kind, where using data from medical records might be impractical. (Paper III). Using measures of HRQoL as patient-reported outcome measures in routine health care was regarded as valuable by the majority of the patients in the Health outcome assessment project. A new concept was introduced, respondent satisfaction, and the respondent satisfaction summary score was in most cases equal, i.e. SF-36 and EQ-5D were found to be quite similar regarding the cognitive response process (understanding and responding to the items in the EQ-5D and the SF-36) and patient-perceived content validity (if EQ-5D and SF-36 gave patients the ability to describe their health in a comprehensive way) (Paper IV).Conclusions The four papers investigated different aspects of HRQoL that are important for the implementation of the use of measures of HRQoL within the health care system. In conclusion, 1) the use of measures of HRQoL to identify patients with low HRQoL for further health promoting interventions might be supported on a psychological (psychological resources are related to better HRQoL) and biological basis (low HRQoL being an important sign of increased biological vulnerability), 2) a comorbidity index specifically aimed to adjust for comorbidity in patient HRQoL outcomes studies was found to be valid in a normal population (that might serve as a reference population in future studies), and 3) patients perceived the use of measures of HRQoL to be valuable and feasible in routine health care, and questionnaire length and ease of response were not found to be crucial arguments in the choice between SF-36 and EQ-5D. Hence, in their own way, they all and together, contribute to removing obstacles in the implementation process of using patient-reported outcome measures in the health care system for quality improvement.
10.
Andersson, Sten-Ove, et al.
(författare)
Doctors' and nurses' perceptions of military pre-hospital emergency care - When training becomes reality
2017
Ingår i: International Emergency Nursing. - : Elsevier. - 1755-599X .- 1878-013X. ; 32, s. 70-77
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat) abstract
The aim of this study was to identify physicians' and nurses' perceptions of military pre-hospital emergency care before and after an international mission. A qualitative empirical study with a phenomeno-graphic approach was used. The results after pre-deployment training can be categorised as (1) learning about military medicine and (2) taking care of the casualty. The results after an international mission can be categorised as (1) collaborating with others, (2) providing general health care and (3) improving competence in military medicine. These results indicate that the training should be developed in order to optimise pre-deployment training for physicians and nurses. This may result in increased safety for the provider of care, while at the same time minimising suffering and enhancing the possibility of survival of the injured. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
