| 1. |
- Frandin, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
-
Long-Term Effects of Individually Tailored Physical Training and Activity on Physical Function, Well-Being and Cognition in Scandinavian Nursing Home Residents : A Randomized Controlled Trial
- 2016
-
Ingår i: Gerontology. - : S. Karger AG. - 0304-324X .- 1423-0003. ; 62:6, s. 571-580
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The preservation of physical functions such as muscle strength, balance and mobility is fundamental to maintaining independence in activities of daily living (ADL). The physical activity level of most nursing home residents is very low, which implies that they are often subject to a decline in health, mobility, autonomy and social contacts and are also at risk of suffering a decline in mental well-being. In a previous study, we demonstrated that transfers, balance and physical activity level improved after 3 months of individually tailored intervention in nursing home residents. Objective: To evaluate the long-term effects on ADL, balance function, physical activity level, physical performance, falls related self-efficacy, well-being and cognitive function 3 months after the completion of our intervention in nursing home residents. Methods: The study was a multicenter randomized, controlled clinical trial with a parallel-group design. It was conducted in nursing homes in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, with an intervention period lasting 3 months and a follow-up at 6 months. Initially, 322 nursing home residents with a mean age of 85 years were included; 85 from Sweden, 171 from Norway and 66 from Denmark. Of these, 241 [129 intervention group (IG), 112 control group (CG)] were eligible for the 6-month follow-up tests. The level of dependence in ADL, physical activity level, several dimensions of physical function, well-being, falls-related self-efficacy and cognitive function were assessed with reliable and valid instruments at baseline, immediately after 3 months of intervention and 3 months later at the 6-month follow-up.Results: After 3 months of intervention and an additional period of 3 months without intervention, only the following 2 variables demonstrated significant group differences: social and cognitive function, measured by the Functional Independence Measure n-r, where the IG deteriorated while the CG was almost stable. However, regarding transfers, the IG deteriorated significantly less than the CG. Conclusion: Without supervised physical exercise that challenged the individuals' capability, gains in ADL function, balance and transfer ability deteriorated during the 3 months following the intervention period. Thus, continuous, individually adjusted and supported physical activity seems crucial for the maintenance of physical functions in these vulnerable elderly persons.
|
|
| 2. |
- Alricsson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
-
Mobility, muscular strength and endurance in the cervical spine in Swedish air force pilots
- 2001
-
Ingår i: Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine. - 0095-6562 .- 1943-4448. ; 72:4, s. 336-342
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: Muscle strength, endurance and range of movement of the cervical spine in a group of Swedish Air Force jet pilots (AF) and in a reference group of conscripts doing their military service (RG) were compared. METHODS: We tested 30 (AF) 24-42 yr and 33 (RG) 19-22 yr. A questionnaire was used to document complaints. Maximum voluntary isometric muscle strength of the flexor and extensor muscles of the cervical spine and sub-maximum isometric endurance in the flexor and extensor muscles were measured. RESULTS: Eleven AF (37%) and four RG (12%) had experienced discomfort in the neck within the previous year. The pilots' flexor and extensor muscle strength (47 Nm and 65 Nm) was superior to that of the conscripts (36 Nm and 59 Nm) (p = 0.0001, p = < 0.05, respectively). However, the RG group had greater isometric endurance in the flexor muscles than AF (p = < 0.05) and greater neck rotation (p = <0.005). There was no difference between the two groups in the other variables. CONCLUSION: Differences between the groups with regard to muscle strength and endurance might depend on variations in work-related physical muscle strain, and/or differences in fiber composition in the muscles, which might be reflected by pilot selection procedures.
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
- Alricsson, Marie, et al.
(författare)
-
Reliability of sports related functional tests with emphasis on speed and agility in young athletes.
- 2001
-
Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports. - : Wiley. - 0905-7188 .- 1600-0838. ; 11:4, s. 229-232
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the present investigation was to test the reliability of two sports related functional tests, a speed test (slalom-test) and an agility test (hurdle-test). Eleven athletes aged 11 years (8 boys, 3 girls) participated voluntarily in the study. All subjects completed four different test sessions for both the slalom-test and the hurdle-test using six standard track hurdles placed at 2-m intervals along a 12-m length of track. There were no significant differences between testing sessions for either the slalom-test (P=0.99) or the hurdle-test (P=0.96), showing no systematic variation between test times. The intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.96 and 0.90 respectively, indicating a good reliability. We conclude that the slalom-test and the hurdle-test are reliable sports related functional tests for measuring speed and agility in groups of young athletic individuals.
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
- Björk, Mathilda, 1977-
(författare)
-
Aspects of Disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis : a five-year follow-up in the Swedish TIRA project
- 2008
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive disease, often leading to disability. Because the disease course develops rapidly during the first years after diagnosis, more knowledge is needed about the early disease course to minimize later disability. This thesis describes the course of disability in early RA such as hand function, pain intensity, activity limitation and sick leave. In addition, this thesis compares disability between women and men and compares disability between RA patients and referents.This thesis is primarily based on data from the 320 patients that were included in the multi-centre project in Sweden called ‘Early interventions in rheumatoid arthritis’ (TIRA). A wide range of outcome variables was registered between 1996 and 2006 during regular follow-ups from time for diagnosis through the eight-year follow-up. Outcome regarding disease activity and disability of RA patients still remaining in TIRA at the three and five year follow-up respectively are used in this thesis. Data concerning sick leave were obtained for the patients during six years (1993-2001) – three years before and three years after diagnosis. Referents were included in two of the studies. Data regarding disability in referents were obtained according to hand function and activity limitation using the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). Data for sick leave were obtained for six years in referents, for the same period as the RA patients.For most variables, disability in RA was most pronounced at time of diagnosis but before intervention started. Disability was then reduced already at the 3-month follow-up and thereafter affected but stable during the following five years. The exception was participation, reflected by sick leave, a variable that was stable from inclusion to three years from diagnosis. Activity limitation, pain intensity and sick leave in RA that represents different aspects of disability were explained by other aspects of disability and contextual factors rather than by disease activity. RA affects women and men differently in some aspects. Women had more severe course of activity limitations than men according to HAQ. Men were more affected than women in range of motion, although the differences were small in a clinical perspective. However, pain intensity and frequency of sick leave did not differ between women and men. Patients with RA have pronounced disability in relation to referents although several variables improve soon after diagnosis. This discrepancy refers to hand function as well as activity limitations and sick leave. The frequency of sick leave increased during the year before diagnosis in relation to referents and was thereafter high compared to sick leave in referents.
|
|
| 8. |
|
|
| 9. |
- Enberg, Birgit, 1956-
(författare)
-
Work experiences among healthcare professionals in the beginning of their professional careers : a gender perspective
- 2009
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Swedish healthcare organizations have undergone substantial organizational and economic restructuring during the 1990s due to financial cutbacks. Little is known about recently graduated healthcare professionals´ work experience in healthcare and their future career preferences. The overall aims of this thesis was, to increase knowledge about how recently graduated healthcare professionals in Sweden perceive their work in healthcare organizations. A gender perspective is adopted. In this national cross-sectional study, four stratified random samples were separately drawn from the 1999 Swedish university graduates who were nurses (NS), occupational therapists (OT), physical therapists (PT) and (registered) physicians (PN) and who at the time of the sampling procedure were living in Sweden. Stratification was performed by sex. A total of 3989 were eligible and of those, 1434 were selected: 535 NS, 250 OT, 250 PT and 399 PN. A questionnaire was constructed containing questions about socio-demographic factors, working conditions, career preferences, work satisfaction and questions about the responsibility for and actual work with home and family, the so called unpaid household work. The questionnaires also contained questions measuring psychosocial working conditions: the effort-reward imbalance questionnaire (ERI-Q) and the demand-control questionnaire (DCQ). Collection of the data for NS, OT and PT was completed in March 2002 and for PN in May 2003. The response rate was 81% and 76% respectively. The total sample thus consists of 1145 participants; 423 nurses, 212 occupational therapists, 205 physiotherapists and 305 physicians. Most of the respondents were employed in the public sector, but many desired privately employment within the coming five year period, men more often than women. Career preferences for future work differed between women and men. A majority indicated that they did not have the opportunity to pursue knowledge development in the professional field during working hours and nearly one half could not work as independently as they wished. Satisfaction with work in general was high, but many were dissatisfied with management at work and a majority was dissatisfied with the work organization. This dissatisfaction was associated with the opportunity to work as independently as they wished and the opportunity to pursue knowledge development in the professional field. Significantly more women than men had the main responsibility for home and family and did most of the unpaid household work. Among the OT and PT working for county councils and municipalities, the results revealed that those working for municipalities, experienced low control at work compared with those working for county councils. No differences were found between OT and PT or between men and women in the two professions regarding the DCQ and the ERI-Q except for the WOC scale. Women had significantly higher scores on the WOC scale compared with men. Logistic regression analyses revealed a significant association between WOC and ERI, effort, reward and sex. One fourth of the OT and PT working for county councils and municipalities was dissatisfied with their job and this dissatisfaction was significantly associated with type of employer, reward and effort-reward imbalance (in the ERI-Q) and control (in the DCQ). Differences regarding scoring on the ERI-Q were found between nurses and physicians working in county councils but not between women and men in the same group, with the exception of the scores on overcommitment. Significantly more nurses were defined as having high effort, low reward and effort-reward imbalance compared with the physicians. More women in the NS and PN group were defined as experiencing WOC compared to men. Logistic regression analyses revealed significant associations between experiences of WOC and ERI, effort and reward. Nearly one fifth in the NS and PN group were dissatisfied with work and this dissatisfaction was particularly high among those with high effort, low reward, those with the greatest imbalance between effort and reward and those who experienced high overcommitment. In conclusion, in order to limit future work related problems and to be able to retain well educated professionals in healthcare work, dissatisfaction among the recently graduated must be taken seriously. Healthcare employers should better utilize the knowledge that recently graduated possess, regarding for example how to be a part of the development of the profession and the job. It is also important that healthcare employers address gender (in) equality at work and that work environments allow both women and men to combine careers with family duties.
|
|
| 10. |
- Eriksson, Lisbeth
(författare)
-
Telerehabilitering : sjukgymnastik på distans
- 2011
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aim of this thesis was to study physiotherapy at a distance in the home after surgery on the shoulder joint as well as conditions for (physical examination) palpation at a distance. Technical developments have contributed to shorter hospital stays and more care and rehabilitation outside the hospital and in the patient’s home. Distance-spanning technology can be a tool to this development to take place while providing the same or better quality. Study I was a controlled quantitative study. A series of 25 patients underwent shoulder joint replacement and initial physiotherapy at the hospital. After discharge, 12 patients were referred to conventional out-patient physiotherapy (control), while 10 patients participated in a telerehabilitationintervention of interactive video-based physiotherapy at home with the physiotherapist situated at the hospital. Shoulder function, activity limitations and health-related quality of life were assessed before surgery and two months after surgery. The telerehabilitation intervention group was also interviewed twomonths after the surgery and physiotherapy at distance at home.Study I showed that the telerehabilitation group members had participated in more physiotherapy sessions and showed significantly better recovery regarding shoulder pain, shoulder joint external rotation, shoulder function and activity limitations in two dimensions of health-related quality of life, compared to the control group.In study II the content analysis of interviews with the telerehabilitation group members showed that all participants expressed that they were satisfied with the rehabilitation and that they had experienced the videocommunication technique and the exercise as safe. The analysis of the interviews showed that participants experienced accessibility to specific frequent physiotherapy at a distance at home as a prerequisites for recovery competence. Participantsexperienced closeness to the physiotherapist at distant. The analysis revealed a process from dependent patients to strengthened responsible persons.In study III and IV seven experienced physiotherapists and one technical engineer with experience of video communication technique participated in qualitative focus group interviews. The aim was to describe the concept palpation (study III) and to describe conception of palpation at a distance (study IV). Qualitative content analysis showed that palpation was an important part of the physiotherapy assessment and examination. The study points to an intrinsic relationship between “manual and technical skills”, and “the relationship between the physiotherapist and the patient”. The analysis of the focus group interviews showed an important aspect of palpation where the physiotherapist and the patient communicate and interact with each other. In the focus group interviews, participants view on robotic palpation was developed, revealing a change from doubts and skepticism to interest and fascination. The physiotherapists saw a potential for palpation at a distance to meet their needs and their conceptions of their patients’ needs. The interviews revealed thoughts of technical demands on design of the robot. A future with robotic palpation as the “physiotherapists extended arm” should change the physiotherapists’ professional role.Furthermore, in study IV, these descriptions of palpation and conceptions of robotic palpation were used when developing a prototype for robotic palpation, which, in turn, was the subject of a field trial among four participants of the focus groups. A prototype master-slave system was built using budget haptic robots. It included a palpation force measurement system and a force/position controller using open-source software. The field trial of the prototype developed revealed accordance in the palpation force used between manual and robotic palpation. Despite the technical shortcomings and lack of sensory feedback appeared a feeling similar to manual palpation of and to during the test. In conclusion, a novel working prototype for robotic palpation was produced, and focus group interviews as well as field trial experiences resulted in a description of the potential of distance palpation and needs for further development.In summary, this thesis shows that physical therapy at a distance after surgery with shoulder prosthesis is feasible and may have particular advantages. The explanation for this may be several: more physiotherapy sessions, access to physiotherapist with specialized skills and an involved patient. Palpation at a distance is a challenging development, which can stimulate and enhance distance-spanning technologies in physiotherapy and provide an additional complement in contact with the patient. The technology needs to be further developed adjusted to patient´s and physiotherapist´s needs and benefits. Furthermore ethical and safety issues need to be addressed in more recent studies.
|
|
