| 1. |
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| 2. |
- de Jong, R. S., et al.
(författare)
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4MOST : Project overview and information for the First Call for Proposals
- 2019
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Ingår i: The Messenger. - : European Southern Observatory. - 0722-6691. ; 175, s. 3-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- We introduce the 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST), a new high-multiplex, wide-field spectroscopic survey facility under development for the four-metre-class Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) at Paranal. Its key specifications are: a large field of view (FoV) of 4.2 square degrees and a high multiplex capability, with 1624 fibres feeding two low-resolution spectrographs (R = λ/Δλ ~ 6500), and 812 fibres transferring light to the high-resolution spectrograph (R ~ 20 000). After a description of the instrument and its expected performance, a short overview is given of its operational scheme and planned 4MOST Consortium science; these aspects are covered in more detail in other articles in this edition of The Messenger. Finally, the processes, schedules, and policies concerning the selection of ESO Community Surveys are presented, commencing with a singular opportunity to submit Letters of Intent for Public Surveys during the first five years of 4MOST operations.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Oddsson, Asmundur, et al.
(författare)
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Deficit of homozygosity among 1.52 million individuals and genetic causes of recessive lethality
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Nature. - 2041-1723. ; 14:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Genotypes causing pregnancy loss and perinatal mortality are depleted among living individuals and are therefore difficult to find. To explore genetic causes of recessive lethality, we searched for sequence variants with deficit of homozygosity among 1.52 million individuals from six European populations. In this study, we identified 25 genes harboring protein-altering sequence variants with a strong deficit of homozygosity (10% or less of predicted homozygotes). Sequence variants in 12 of the genes cause Mendelian disease under a recessive mode of inheritance, two under a dominant mode, but variants in the remaining 11 have not been reported to cause disease. Sequence variants with a strong deficit of homozygosity are over-represented among genes essential for growth of human cell lines and genes orthologous to mouse genes known to affect viability. The function of these genes gives insight into the genetics of intrauterine lethality. We also identified 1077 genes with homozygous predicted loss-of-function genotypes not previously described, bringing the total set of genes completely knocked out in humans to 4785.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Sigmundsson, F., et al.
(författare)
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Segmented lateral dyke growth in a rifting event at Bardarbunga volcanic system, Iceland
- 2015
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 517:7533
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Crust at many divergent plate boundaries forms primarily by the injection of vertical sheet-like dykes, some tens of kilometres long(1). Previous models of rifting events indicate either lateral dyke growth away from a feeding source, with propagation rates decreasing as the dyke lengthens(2-4), or magma flowing vertically into dykes from an underlying source(5,6), with the role of topography on the evolution of lateral dykes not clear. Here we show how a recent segmented dyke intrusion in the Bardarbunga volcanic system grew laterally for more than 45 kilometres at a variable rate, with topography influencing the direction of propagation. Barriers at the ends of each segment were overcome by the build-up of pressure in the dyke end; then a new segment formed and dyke lengthening temporarily peaked. The dyke evolution, which occurred primarily over 14 days, was revealed by propagating seismicity, ground deformation mapped by Global Positioning System(GPS), interferometric analysis of satellite radar images (InSAR), and graben formation. The strike of the dyke segments varies from an initially radial direction away from the Bardarbunga caldera, towards alignment with that expected from regional stress at the distal end. A model minimizing the combined strain and gravitational potential energy explains the propagation path. Dyke opening and seismicity focused at the most distal segment at any given time, and were simultaneous with magma source deflation and slow collapse at the Bardarbunga caldera, accompanied by a series of magnitude M > 5 earthquakes. Dyke growth was slowed down by an effusive fissure eruption near the end of the dyke. Lateral dyke growth with segment barrier breaking by pressure build-up in the dyke distal end explains how focused upwelling of magma under central volcanoes is effectively redistributed over long distances to create new upper crust at divergent plate boundaries.
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| 8. |
- Hreinsdottir, S., et al.
(författare)
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Volcanic plume height correlated with magma-pressure change at Grimsvotn Volcano, Iceland
- 2014
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Ingår i: Nature Geoscience. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1752-0894 .- 1752-0908. ; 7:3, s. 214-218
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Magma flow during volcanic eruptions causes surface deformation that can be used to constrain the location, geometry and internal pressure evolution of the underlying magmatic source(1). The height of the volcanic plumes during explosive eruptions also varies with magma flow rate, in a nonlinear way(2,3). In May 2011, an explosive eruption at Grimsvotn Volcano, Iceland, erupted about 0.27 km(3) dense-rock equivalent of basaltic magma in an eruption plume that was about 20 km high. Here we use Global Positioning System (GPS) and tilt data, measured before and during the eruption at Grimsvotn Volcano, to show that the rate of pressure change in an underlying magma chamber correlates with the height of the volcanic plume over the course of the eruption. We interpret ground deformation of the volcano, measured by geodesy, to result from a pressure drop within a magma chamber at about 1.7 km depth. We estimate the rate of magma discharge and the associated evolution of the plume height by differentiating the co-eruptive pressure drop with time. The time from the initiation of the pressure drop to the onset of the eruption was about 60 min, with about 25% of the total pressure change preceding the eruption. Near-real-time geodetic observations can thus be useful for both timely eruption warnings and for constraining the evolution of volcanic plumes.
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| 9. |
- Johannesdottir, Hera, et al.
(författare)
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Favourable long-term outcome after coronary artery bypass grafting in a nationwide cohort
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1401-7431 .- 1651-2006. ; 51:6, s. 327-333
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives. In a nationwide cohort, we analyzed long-term outcome following coronary artery bypass grafting, using the combined strategy of left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery and saphenous vein as secondary graft to other coronary targets. Methods. 1,507 consecutive patients that underwent myocardial revascularization during 2001-2012 in Iceland. Mean follow-up was 6.8 years. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were depicted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox-regression was used to define risk factors. Relative survival was estimated by comparing overall survival to the survival of Icelanders of the same age and gender. Results. Mean age was 66 years, 83% were males, mean EuroSCOREst was 4.5, and 23% of the procedures were performed off-pump. At 5 years, 19.7% had suffered a major adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular event, 4.5% a stroke, 2.2% myocardial infarction, and 6.2% needed repeat revascularization. Overall 5-year survival was 89.9%, with a relative survival of 0.990. Independent predictors of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were left ventricular ejection fraction 30%, a previous history of percutaneous coronary intervention, chronic obstructive lung disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and old age. The same variables and an earlier year of operation were predictors of long-term mortality. Conclusions. The long-term outcome following myocardial revascularization, using the left internal mammary artery and the great saphenous vein as conduits, is favourable and improving. This is reflected by the 5-year survival of 89.9%, deviating minimally from the survival rate of the general Icelandic population, together with a freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events of 80.3%.
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| 10. |
- Marteinsson, Steinthor A., et al.
(författare)
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Reoperation for bleeding following coronary artery bypass surgery with special focus on long-term outcomes
- 2020
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal. - : TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD. - 1401-7431 .- 1651-2006. ; 54:4, s. 265-273
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: We studied the incidence and risk factors of reoperation for bleeding following CABG in a nationwide cohort with focus on long-term complications and survival.Design: A retrospective study on 2060 consecutive, isolated CABG patients operated 2001-2016. Outcome of reoperated patients (n = 130) were compared to non-reoperated ones (n = 1930), including major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and overall survival. Risk factors for reoperation were determined using multivariate logistic regression and a Cox proportional hazards model to assess prognostic factors of long-term survival. Median follow-up was 7.6 years.Results: One hundred thirty patients (6.3%) were reoperated with an annual decrease of 4.1% per year over the study period (p=.04). Major complications (18.5 vs. 9.6%) and 30-day mortality (8.5 vs. 1.9%,) were higher in the reoperation group (p<.001). The use of clopidogrel preoperatively (OR 3.62, 95% CI: 1.90-6.57) and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (OR 2.23, 95% CI: 1.25-3.77) were the strongest predictors of reoperation, whereas off-pump surgery was associated with a lower reoperation risk (OR 0.44, 95% CI: 0.22-0.85). After exluding patients that died within 30 days postoperatively, no difference in long-term survival or freedom from MACCE was found between groups, and reoperation was not an independent risk factor for long-term mortality in multivariate analysis.Conclusions: The reoperation rate in this study was relatively high but decreased significantly over time. Reoperation was associated with twofold increased risk for major complications and fourfold 30-day mortality, but comparable long-term MACCE and survival rates. This implies that if patients survive the first 30 days following reoperation, their long-term outcome is comparable to non-reoperated patients.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
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| 13. |
- Geirsson, H., et al.
(författare)
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Overview of results from continuous GPS observations in Iceland from 1995 to 2010
- 2010
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Ingår i: Jökull. - 0449-0576. ; 60:1, s. 1-21
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Iceland is a natural laboratory for a variety of processes associated with crustal deformation, such as earthquakes, magmatic events, tectonic plate motions, and glacial load changes. Continuous GPS (CGPS) measurements started in Iceland in 1995, and since then data from the network have helped to shed light on many different active deformation processes. The number of CGPS sites in Iceland tripled during 2006–2008, as a result of an international collaborative effort coordinated by Icelandic scientists. By early 2010 the number of CGPS stations in Iceland had reached 64, located primarily around and within the North- American–Eurasian plate boundary zone. Since its initiation, the CGPS network has played an important role in monitoring volcanoes and seismogenic areas, most notably during the 2009–2010 Eyjafjallajökull volcano unrest. Plate spreading of up to 2 cm per year usually dominates the horizontal motion observed at the CGPS sites, while uplift is observed at many of the stations due to recent retreat of the Icelandic ice caps. Co-seismic and post-seismic deformation of the largest earthquakes in 2000 and 2008 in the South Iceland Seismic Zone were captured by the network, and high-rate (1 Hz) CGPS observations helped to identify two magnitude 6 mainshocks in 2008 that were separated in time by only 2–3 seconds. The CGPS network has thus enabled us to monitor deformation occurring over days to months caused by migration of magma or fluids, post-seismic transients, rapid deformation caused by earthquakes and eruptions, as well as the long term plate spreading signal.
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| 14. |
- Gisladottir, Rosa S, et al.
(författare)
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Sequence Variants in TAAR5 and Other Loci Affect Human Odor Perception and Naming.
- 2020
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Ingår i: Current biology : CB. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-0445 .- 0960-9822. ; 30:23
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Olfactory receptor (OR) genes in humans form a special class characterized by unusually high DNA sequence diversity, which should give rise to differences in perception and behavior. In the largest genome-wide association study to date based on olfactory testing, we investigated odor perception and naming with smell tasks performed by 9,122 Icelanders, with replication in a separate sample of 2,204 individuals. We discovered an association between a low-frequency missense variant in TAAR5 and reduced intensity rating of fish odor containing trimethylamine (p.Ser95Pro, pcombined= 5.6× 10-15). We demonstrate that TAAR5 genotype affects aversion to fish odor, reflected by linguistic descriptions of the odor and pleasantness ratings. We also discovered common sequence variants in two canonical olfactory receptor loci that associate with increased intensity and naming of licorice odor (trans-anethole: lead variant p.Lys233Asn in OR6C70, pcombined= 8.8× 10-16 and pcombined= 1.4× 10-9) and enhanced naming of cinnamon (trans-cinnamaldehyde; intergenic variant rs317787-T, pcombined= 5.0× 10-17). Together, our results show that TAAR5 genotype variation influences human odor responses and highlight that sequence diversity in canonical OR genes can lead to enhanced olfactory ability, in contrast to the view that greater tolerance for mutations in the human OR repertoire leads to diminished function.
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| 15. |
- Gustafsdottir, S. S., et al.
(författare)
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Making Europe health literate: including older adults in sparsely populated Arctic areas
- 2022
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 22:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background Older people have been identified as having lower health literacy (HL) than the general population average. Living in sparsely populated Arctic regions involves unique health challenges that may influence HL. The research aim was to explore the level of HL, its problematic dimensions, and its association with the selection of contextual factors among older adults living in sparsely populated areas in Northern Iceland. Method This was a cross-sectional study based on a stratified random sample from the national register of one urban town and two rural areas. The study included 175 participants (57.9% participation rate) who were community-dwelling (40% rural) and aged 65-92 years (M 74.2 +/- SD 6.3), 43% of whom were women. Data were collected in 2017-2018 via face-to-face interviews, which included the standardised European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire-short version (HLS-EU-Q16) with a score range from 0 to 16 (low-high HL). Results The level of HL ranged from 6-16 (M 13.25, SD +/- 2.41) with 65% having sufficient HL (score 13-16), 31.3% problematic HL (score 9-12) and 3.7% inadequate HL (score 0-8). Most problematic dimension of HL was within the domains of disease prevention and health promotion related to information in the media. Univariate linear regression revealed that better HL was associated with more education (p=0.001), more resiliency (p=0.001), driving a car (p=0.006), good access to health care- (p=0.005) and medical service (p=0.027), younger age (p=0.005), adequate income (p=0.044) and less depression (p=0.006). Multivariable analysis showed that more education (p=0.014) and driving a car (p=0.017) were independent predictors of better HL. Conclusion Difficulties in HL concern information in the media. HL was strongly associated with education and driving a car however, not with urban-rural residency. Mobility and access should be considered for improving HL of older people.
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| 16. |
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| 17. |
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| 18. |
- Kristjansson, S., et al.
(författare)
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Respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory viruses during the first 3 months of life promote a local TH2-like response
- 2005
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Ingår i: J Allergy Clin Immunol. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-6749. ; 116:4, s. 805-11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections during infancy are considered to be a risk factor for developing asthma and possibly allergic sensitization. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the cytokines, chemokines, and eosinophil cationic protein in the nasopharyngeal secretions of infants < or = 7 months of age with RSV infections or other respiratory viral infections and healthy infants as controls. Groups were also analyzed according to age, < or = 3 months and >3 months, and the levels were compared within and between groups. RESULTS: Thirty-nine infants with RSV, 9 with influenza or parainfluenza virus infections and 50 controls with no history of infections, were enrolled in the study. The RSV-infected infants had significantly higher levels of IL-4; macrophage inflammatory protein 1beta, a chemoattractant for T cells; and eosinophil cationic protein in nasopharyngeal secretions compared with the control group. The levels of the TH2 cytokine IL-4 were significantly higher in RSV-infected infants < or = months of age compared with RSV-infected infants >3 months of age. In infants < or = 3 months of age, infections with influenza or parainfluenza virus caused TH2-like responses similar to those produced by RSV. CONCLUSION: Infections with RSV as well as with influenza and parainfluenza virus during early infancy preferentially promote a TH2-like response in the nose with local production of IL-4, IL-5, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1beta and infiltration and activation of eosinophils.
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| 19. |
- Sigmundsson, F., et al.
(författare)
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Intrusion triggering of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull explosive eruption
- 2010
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Ingår i: Nature. ; 468:7322, s. 426-430
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Gradual inflation of magma chambers often precedes eruptions at highly active volcanoes. During such eruptions, rapid deflation occurs as magma flows out and pressure is reduced1–3. Less is known about the deformation style at moderately active volcanoes, such as Eyjafjallajo¨kull, Iceland, where an explosive summit eruption of trachyandesite beginning on 14 April 2010 caused exceptional disruption to air traffic, closing airspace over much of Europe for days. This eruption was preceded by an effusive flank eruption of basalt from 20 March to 12 April 2010. The 2010 eruptions are the culmination of 18 years of intermittent volcanic unrest4–9. Here we show that deformation associated with the eruptions was unusual because it did not relate to pressure changes within a single magma chamber. Deformation was rapid before the first eruption (.5mm per day after 4 March), but negligible during it. Lack of distinct co-eruptive deflation indicates that the net volume of magma drained from shallow depth during this eruption was small; rather, magma flowed from considerable depth. Before the eruption, a 0.05km3 magmatic intrusion grew over a period of three months, in a temporally and spatially complex manner, as revealed by GPS (Global Positioning System) geodetic measurements and interferometric analysis of satellite radar images. The second eruption occurred within the ice-capped caldera of the volcano, with explosivity amplified by magma–ice interaction. Gradual contraction of a source, distinct from the pre-eruptive inflation sources, is evident from geodetic data. Eyjafjallajo¨kull’s behaviour can be attributed to its off-rift setting with a ‘cold’ subsurface structure and limited magma at shallow depth, as may be typical for moderately active volcanoes. Clear signs of volcanic unrest signals over years to weeks may indicate reawakening of such volcanoes, whereas immediate short-term eruption precursors may be subtle and difficult to detect.
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| 20. |
- Arnadottir, Solveig A, 1968-, et al.
(författare)
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Application of rasch analysis to examine psychometric aspects of the activities-specific balance confidence scale when used in a new cultural context
- 2010
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Ingår i: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. - : Elsevier BV. - 0003-9993 .- 1532-821X. ; 91:1, s. 156-163
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Arnadottir SA, Lundin-Olsson L, Gunnarsdottir ED, Fisher AG. Application of Rasch analysis to examine psychometric aspects of the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale when used in a new cultural context. OBJECTIVE: To investigate by using Rasch analysis the psychometric properties of the Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale when applied in a new Icelandic context. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based, random selection from the Icelandic National Registry. SETTING: Community-based. PARTICIPANTS: Icelanders (N=183), 65 to 88 years old, and 48% women. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: ABC, an instrument used to evaluate how confident older people are in maintaining balance and remaining steady when moving through the environment. An Icelandic translation of the ABC (ABC-ICE) scale was evaluated by implementing Rasch rating scale analysis to transform ordinal ABC-ICE scores into interval measures and evaluating aspects of validity and reliability of the scale. RESULTS: Participants were not able to differentiate reliably between the 11 rating scale categories of the ABC-ICE. Additionally, 3 items failed to show acceptable goodness of fit to the ABC-ICE rating scale model. By collapsing categories and creating a new 5-category scale, only 1 item misfit. Removing that item resulted in a modified version of ABC-ICE with 5 categories and 15 items. Both item goodness-of-fit statistics and principal components analysis supported unidimensionality of the modified ABC-ICE. The ABC-ICE measures reliably separated the sample into at least 4 statistically distinct strata of balance confidence. Finally, the hierarchical order of item difficulties was consistent with theoretic expectations, and the items were reasonably well targeted to the balance confidence of the persons tested. CONCLUSIONS: Rasch analysis indicated a need to modify the ABC-ICE to improve its psychometric properties. Further studies are needed to determine if similar analyses of other versions of the ABC, including the original one, will yield similar results.
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| 21. |
- Arnadottir, Solveig A, 1968-, et al.
(författare)
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Are rural older Icelanders less physically active than those living in urban areas? : a population-based study
- 2009
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 37:4, s. 409-417
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Older people in rural areas have been labelled as physically inactive on the basis of leisure-time physical activity research. However, more research is needed to understand the total physical activity pattern in older adults, considering all domains of physical activity, including leisure, work, and domestic life. AIMS: We hypothesised that: (a) total physical activity would be the same for older people in urban and rural areas; and (b) urban and rural residency, along with gender and age, would be associated with differences in domain-specific physical activities. METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected in Icelandic rural and urban communities from June through to September 2004. Participants were randomly selected, community-dwelling, 65-88 years old, and comprised 68 rural (40% females) and 118 urban (53% females) adults. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) was used to obtain a total physical activity score and subscores in leisure, during domestic life, and at work. RESULTS: The total PASE score was not associated with rural vs. urban residency, but males were, in total, more physically active than females, and the 65-74-year-olds were more active than the 75-88-year-olds. In the leisure domain, rural people had lower physical activity scores than urban people. Rural males were, however, most likely of all to be physically active in the work domain. In both urban and rural areas, the majority of the physical activity behaviour occurred in relation to housework, with the rural females receiving the highest scores. CONCLUSIONS: Older Icelanders in rural areas should not be labelled as less physically active than those who live in urban areas. Urban vs. rural living may, however, influence the physical activity patterns among older people, even within a fairly socioeconomically and culturally homogeneous country such as Iceland. This reinforces the need to pay closer attention to the living environment when studying and developing strategies to promote physical activity.
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| 22. |
- Arnadottir, Solveig A, et al.
(författare)
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Determinants of self-rated health in old age : a population-based, cross-sectional study using the international classification of functioning
- 2011
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Ingår i: BMC Public Health. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 11, s. 670-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Self-rated health (SRH) is a widely used indicator of general health and multiple studies have supported the predictive validity of SRH in older populations concerning future health, functional decline, disability, and mortality. The aim of this study was to use the theoretical framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to create a better understanding of factors associated with SRH among community-dwelling older people in urban and rural areas.Methods: The study design was population-based and cross-sectional. Participants were 185 Icelanders, randomly selected from a national registry, community-dwelling, 65-88 years old, 63% urban residents, and 52% men. Participants were asked: "In general, would you say your health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor?" Associations with SRH were analyzed with ordinal logistic regression. Explanatory variables represented aspects of body functions, activities, participation, environmental factors and personal factors components of the ICF.Results: Univariate analysis revealed that SRH was significantly associated with all analyzed ICF components through 16 out of 18 explanatory variables. Multivariate analysis, however, demonstrated that SRH had an independent association with five variables representing ICF body functions, activities, and personal factors components: The likelihood of a better SRH increased with advanced lower extremity capacity (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] = 1.05, p < 0.001), upper extremity capacity (adjOR = 1.13, p = 0.040), household physical activity (adjOR = 1.01, p = 0.016), and older age (adjOR = 1.09, p = 0.006); but decreased with more depressive symptoms (adjOR = 0.79, p < 0.001).Conclusions: The results highlight a collection of ICF body functions, activities and personal factors associated with higher SRH among community-dwelling older people. Some of these, such as physical capacity, depressive symptoms, and habitual physical activity are of particular interest due to their potential for change through public health interventions. The use of ICF conceptual framework and widely accepted standardized assessments should make these results comparable and relevant in an international context.
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| 23. |
- Arnadottir, Solveig A, 1968-, et al.
(författare)
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Participation frequency and perceived participation restrictions at older age : applying the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) framework
- 2011
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Ingår i: Disability and Rehabilitation. - : Informa Healthcare. - 0963-8288 .- 1464-5165. ; 33:23-24, s. 2208-2216
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: To identify variables from different components of International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) associated with older people's participation frequency and perceived participation restrictions. Method: Participants (N = 186) were community-living, 65-88 years old and 52% men. The dependent variables, participation frequency (linear regression) and perceived participation restrictions (logistic regression), were measured using The Late-Life Function and Disability Instrument. Independent variables were selected from various ICF components. Results: Higher participation frequency was associated with living in urban rather than rural community (beta = 2.8, p < 0.001), physically active lifestyle (beta = 4.6, p < 0.001) and higher cognitive function (beta = 0.3, p = 0.009). Lower participation frequency was associated with being older (beta = -0.2, p = 0.002) and depressive symptoms (beta = -0.2, p = 0.029). Older adults living in urban areas, having more advanced lower extremities capacity, or that were employed had higher odds of less perceived participation restrictions (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 5.5, p = 0.001; OR = 1.09, p < 0.001; OR = 3.7, p = 0.011; respectively). In contrast, the odds of less perceived participation restriction decreased as depressive symptoms increased (OR = 0.8, p = 0.011). Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of capturing and understanding both frequency and restriction aspects of older persons' participation. ICF may be a helpful reference to map factors associated with participation and to study further potentially modifiable influencing factors such as depressive symptoms and advanced lower extremity capacity.
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| 24. |
- Chemtob, Raphaelle A., et al.
(författare)
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Stroke in acute type A aortic dissection : the Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD)
- 2020
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Ingår i: European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1010-7940 .- 1873-734X. ; 58:5, s. 1027-1034
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVES: Stroke is a serious complication in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). Previous studies investigating stroke in ATAAD patients have been limited by small cohorts and have shown diverging results. We sought to identify risk factors for stroke and to evaluate the effect of stroke on outcomes in surgical ATAAD patients. METHODS: The Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection database included patients operated for ATAAD at 8 Scandinavian Hospitals between 2005 and 2014. RESULTS: Stroke occurred in 177 (15.7%) out of 1128 patients. Patients with stroke presented more frequently with cerebral malperfusion (20.6% vs 6.3%, P < 0.001), syncope (30.6% vs 17.6%, P < 0.001), cardiogenic shock (33.1% vs 20.7%, P < 0.001) and pericardial tamponade (25.9% vs 14.7%, P < 0.001) and more often underwent total aortic arch replacement (10.7% vs 4.7%, P = 0.016), compared to patients without stroke. In the 86 patients presenting with cerebral malperfusion, 38.4% developed stroke. Thirty-day and 5-year mortality in patients with and without stroke were 27.1% vs 13.6% and 42.9% vs 25.6%, respectively. Stroke was an independent predictor of early- [odds ratio 2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-3.05; P < 0.001] and midterm mortality (hazard ratio 1.68, 95% CI 1.27-2.23; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Stroke in ATAAD patients is associated with increased early- and midterm mortality. Preoperative cerebral malperfusion and impaired haemodynamics, as well as total aortic arch replacement, were more frequent among patients who developed stroke. Importantly, a large proportion of patients presenting with cerebral malperfusion did not develop a permanent stroke, indicating that signs of cerebral malperfusion should not be considered a contraindication for surgery.
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| 25. |
- Chemtob, Raphaelle A, et al.
(författare)
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Stroke in acute type A aortic dissection: the Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD).
- 2020
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Ingår i: European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery. - 1873-734X. ; 58:5, s. 1027-1034
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Stroke is a serious complication in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). Previous studies investigating stroke in ATAAD patients have been limited by small cohorts and have shown diverging results. We sought to identify risk factors for stroke and to evaluate the effect of stroke on outcomes in surgical ATAAD patients.The Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection database included patients operated for ATAAD at 8 Scandinavian Hospitals between 2005 and 2014.Stroke occurred in 177 (15.7%) out of 1128 patients. Patients with stroke presented more frequently with cerebral malperfusion (20.6% vs 6.3%, P<0.001), syncope (30.6% vs 17.6%, P<0.001), cardiogenic shock (33.1% vs 20.7%, P<0.001) and pericardial tamponade (25.9% vs 14.7%, P<0.001) and more often underwent total aortic arch replacement (10.7% vs 4.7%, P=0.016), compared to patients without stroke. In the 86 patients presenting with cerebral malperfusion, 38.4% developed stroke. Thirty-day and 5-year mortality in patients with and without stroke were 27.1% vs 13.6% and 42.9% vs 25.6%, respectively. Stroke was an independent predictor of early- [odds ratio 2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.34-3.05; P<0.001] and midterm mortality (hazard ratio 1.68, 95% CI 1.27-2.23; P<0.001).Stroke in ATAAD patients is associated with increased early- and midterm mortality. Preoperative cerebral malperfusion and impaired haemodynamics, as well as total aortic arch replacement, were more frequent among patients who developed stroke. Importantly, a large proportion of patients presenting with cerebral malperfusion did not develop a permanent stroke, indicating that signs of cerebral malperfusion should not be considered a contraindication for surgery.
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| 26. |
- Garoarsdottir, Helga Run, et al.
(författare)
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Árangur kransæðahjáveituaðgerða hjá konum á Íslandi
- 2018
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Ingår i: Laeknabladid. - : LAEKNAFELAG ISLANDS-ICELANDIC MEDICAL ASSOC. - 0023-7213 .- 1670-4959. ; 104:7-8, s. 335-340
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- InngangurMarkmið þessarar rannsóknar var að bera saman árangur kransæða-hjáveituaðgerða hjá konum og körlum á Íslandi með áherslu á snemm- og síðkomna fylgikvilla, 30 daga dánartíðni og langtímalifun.Efniviður og aðferðirAfturskyggn rannsókn á öllum sjúklingum sem gengust undir kransæðahjáveituaðgerð á Íslandi á árunum 2001-2013. Upplýsingar fengust úr sjúkraskrám og Dánarmeinaskrá Embættis landlæknis. Fylgikvillum var skipt í snemm- og síðkomna fylgikvilla og heildarlif-un reiknuð með aðferð Kaplan-Meier. Fjölþátta aðhvarfsgreining var notuð til að meta forspárþætti dauða innan 30 daga og Cox aðhvarfs-greining til að meta forspárþætti verri langtímalifunar. Meðaleftirfylgd var 6,8 ár. NiðurstöðurAf 1755 sjúklingum voru 318 konur (18%). Meðalaldur þeirra var fjórum árum hærri en karla (69 ár á móti 65 árum, p<0,001), þær höfðu oftar sögu um háþrýsting (72% á móti 64%, p=0,009) og EuroSCOREst þeirra var hærra (6,1 á móti 4,3, p<0,001). Hlutfall annarra áhættu-þátta eins og sykursýki var hins vegar sambærilegt, líkt og útbreiðsla kransæðasjúkdóms. Alls létust 12 konur (4%) og 30 karlar (2%) innan 30 daga frá aðgerð en munurinn var ekki marktækur (p=0,08). Tíðni snemmkominna fylgikvilla, bæði minniháttar (53% á móti 48% p=0,07) og alvarlegra (13% á móti 11%, p=0,2), var sambærileg. Fimm árum frá aðgerð var lifun kvenna 87% borin saman við 90% hjá körlum (p=0,09). Þá var tíðni síðkominna fylgikvilla sambærileg hjá konum og körlum 5 árum frá aðgerð (21% á móti 19%, p=0,3). Kvenkyn reyndist hvorki sjálfstæður forspárþáttur 30 daga dánartíðni (OR 0,99; 95%-ÖB: 0,97-1,01) né verri lifunar (HR 1,08; 95%-ÖB: 0,82-1,42).Ályktun Mun færri konur en karlar gangast undir kransæðahjáveituaðgerð á Íslandi og eru þær fjórum árum eldri þegar kemur að aðgerð. Árangur kransæðahjáveitu er góður hjá konum líkt og körlum, en 5 árum eftir aðgerð eru 87% kvenna á lífi.
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| 27. |
- Gumaelius, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Outreach initiatives operated by universities for increasing interest in science and technology
- 2016
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Ingår i: European Journal of Engineering Education. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0304-3797 .- 1469-5898. ; , s. 1-34
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since the 1990s, the low number of students choosing to study science and technology in higher education has been on the societal agenda and many initiatives have been launched to promote awareness regarding career options. The initiatives particularly focus on increasing enrolment in the engineering programmes. This article describes and compares eight European initiatives that have been established and operated by universities (and in some cases through collaboration with other actors in society). Each initiative is summarised in a short essay that discusses motivation, organisation, pedagogical approach, and activities. The initiatives are characterised by comparing the driving forces behind their creation, how the initiative activities relate to the activities at the university, size based on the number of participants and cost per participant and pedagogical framework. There seem to be two main tracks for building outreach activities, one where outreach activities are based on the university's normal activities, and one where outreach activities are designed specifically for the visiting students.
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| 28. |
- Gustafsdottir, Sonja Stelly, et al.
(författare)
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Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire, HLS-EU-Q16: the Icelandic version
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC public health. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2458. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Health literacy (HL) is defined as the knowledge and competences of people to meet the complex demands of health in modern society. It is an important factor in ensuring positive health outcomes, yet Iceland is one of many countries with limited knowledge of HL and no valid HL measurement. The aim of this study was to translate the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire- short version (HLS-EU-Q16) into Icelandic, adapt the version, explore its psychometric properties and establish preliminary norms. METHODS: The HLS-EU-Q16 translation model included three steps: 1) translation-back-translation of HLS-EU-Q16 including specialists' review (n=6); 2) cognitive interviewing of lay people (n=17); and 3) psychometric analysis with survey participants. The HLS-EU-Q16 includes 16 items, with scores ranges from zero (low/no HL) to 16 (high HL). Statistics included were descriptive, internal consistency measured by Cronbach's α, exploratory factor analysis, and multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: After the translation and cognitive interviewing, 11 of the HLS-EU-Q16 items were reworded to adapt the instrument to Icelandic culture while maintaining their conceptual objectives. Survey participants were 251. Internal consistency of the translated and adapted instrument was α=.88. Four factors with eigenvalues >1.0 explained 62.6% of variance. Principal component analysis with Oblimin rotation presented four latent constructs, "Processing and Using Information from the Doctor" (4 items, α=.77), "Processing and Using Information from the Family and Media" (4 items, α=.85), "Processing Information in Connection to Healthy Lifestyle" (5 items, α=.76), and "Finding Information about Health Problems/Illnesses" (3 items, α=.73). Lower self-rated health was an independent predictor of lower HL (β=-.484, p=.008). Preliminary norms for HL ranged from five to 16 (M 13.7, SD±2.6) with 72.5% with sufficient HL (score 13-16), 22% with problematic HL (score 9-12) and 5.5% with inadequate HL (score 0-8). CONCLUSIONS: The Icelandic version of HLS-EU-Q16 is psychometrically sound, with reasonably clear factor structure, and comparable to the original model. This opens possibilities to study HL in Iceland and compare the results internationally. The translation model introduced might be helpful for other countries where information on HL is missing based on lack of validated tools.
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| 29. |
- Hreinsdottir, S, et al.
(författare)
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A complex earthquake sequence captured by the continuous GPS network in SW Iceland
- 2009
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Ingår i: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 36:12, s. L12309-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A complex sequence of earthquakes struck the western part of the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) on 29 May 2008. The sequence initiated with a M(w)6.3 (NEIC) earthquake in the western part of the SISZ. Aftershocks from the earthquake delineate two parallel N-S trending structures 4 km apart, in addition to activity along an E-W zone further westward. Continuous GPS measurements can best be explained by right-lateral strike-slip motion on two parallel N-S trending faults, with little slip occurring on other structures illuminated by earthquake activity. We estimate a total moment release of M(w)6.2, with M(w)6.1 on the first rupture and M(w)6.0 on the second rupture. High rate (1 Hz) CGPS data from a near-field station suggest that the main asperity on the Kross fault ruptured within 3 s of the initial mainshock on the Ingolfsfjall fault. Citation: Hreinsdottir, S., T. Amadottir, J. Decriem, H. Geirsson, A. Tryggvason, R. A. Bennett, and P. LaFemina (2009), A complex earthquake sequence captured by the continuous GPS network in SW Iceland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L12309, doi: 10.1029/2009GL038391.
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| 30. |
- Jakobsson, P, et al.
(författare)
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A mean redshift of 2.8 for Swift gamma-ray bursts
- 2006
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Ingår i: Astronomy & Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 447:3, s. 897-903
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The exceptionally high luminosities of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), gradually emerging as extremely useful probes of star formation, make them promising tools for exploration of the high-redshift Universe. Here we present a carefully selected sample of Swift GRBs, intended to estimate in an unbiased way the GRB mean redshift (z(mean)), constraints on the fraction of high-redshift bursts and an upper limit on the fraction of heavily obscured afterglows. We find that z(mean) = 2.8 and that at least 7% of GRBs originate at z > 5. In addition, consistent with pre-Swift observations, at most 20% of afterglows can be heavily obscured. The redshift distribution of the sample is qualitatively consistent with models where the GRB rate is proportional to the star formation rate in the Universe. We also report optical, near-infrared and X-ray observations of the afterglow of GRB 050814, which was seen to exhibit very red optical colours. By modelling its spectral energy distribution we find that z = 5.3 +/- 0.3. The high mean redshift of GRBs and their wide redshift range clearly demonstrates their suitability as efficient probes of galaxies and the intergalactic medium over a significant fraction of the history of the Universe.
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| 31. |
- Olafsdottir, Steinunn A., et al.
(författare)
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Developing ActivABLES for community-dwelling stroke survivors using the Medical Research Council framework for complex interventions
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Novel technical solutions are called for to promote home-based exercise among community-dwelling stroke survivors supported by their caregivers. Lack of resources and knowledge about how to accomplish it, has been demonstrated. The objective of this study is to describe in detail the development of ActivABLES, a technical intervention to promote home-based exercise and physical activity engagement of community-dwelling stroke survivors with support from their caregivers. Methods: The technical development process of ActivABLES was guided by the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for development and evaluation of complex interventions as well as by principles of human-centred design and co-design. The main steps included: (1) Synthesis of evidence supporting the inclusion of balance exercises, mobility and walking exercises and exercises for the upper arm; (2) Implementation of initial user studies with qualitative data collection from individual interviews with stroke survivors, and focus group interviews with caregivers and health professionals; (3) Preliminary testing of eight prototypes with seven stroke survivors and their caregivers. Results: After the preliminary testing of eight prototypes, four prototypes were not further developed whereas four prototypes were modified further. In addition, two new prototypes were developed, leaving six prototypes for further modification: 1) ActivFOAM for balance exercises, 2) WalkingSTARR to facilitate walking, 3) ActivBALL for hand exercises, 4) ActivSTICKS for upper arm exercises, and 5) ActivLAMP and 6) ActivTREE which both give visual feedback on progress of daily exercise and physical activities. ActivFOAM, ActivBALL and ActivSTICKS are all connected to a tablet where exercise instructions are given. All the exercise prototypes can be connected to ActivLAMP and ActivTREE to give feedback on how much exercise the user has done. Settings can be individualised and recommended daily time and/or repetition can easily be changed as the user progresses to higher activity levels. Conclusions: The development process of ActivABLES was guided by the principles of human-centred design, with iterative testing of future users, and by the MRC framework of complex intervention, with a repeated process of development and testing. This process resulted in six prototypes which are available for feasibility testing among a small group of community-dwelling stroke survivors.
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| 32. |
- Olafsdottir, Steinunn A., et al.
(författare)
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Feasibility of ActivABLES to promote home-based exercise and physical activity of community-dwelling stroke survivors with support from caregivers : A mixed methods study
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Health Services Research. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1472-6963. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Technical applications can promote home-based exercise and physical activity of community-dwelling stroke survivors. Caregivers are often able and willing to assist with home-based exercise and physical activity but lack the knowledge and resources to do so. ActivABLES was established to promote home-based exercise and physical activity among community-dwelling stroke survivors, with support from their caregivers. The aim of our study is to investigate the feasibility of ActivABLES in terms of acceptability, demand, implementation and practicality. METHODS: A convergent design of mixed methods research in which quantitative results were combined with personal experiences of a four-week use of ActivABLES by community-dwelling stroke survivors with support from their caregivers. Data collection before, during and after the four-week period included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) and Five Times Sit to Stand Test (5xSST) and data from motion detectors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stroke survivors and caregivers after the four-week period. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data. Qualitative data was analysed with direct content analysis. Themes were identified related to the domains of feasibility: acceptability, demand, implementation and practicality. Data was integrated by examining any (dis)congruence in the quantitative and qualitative findings. RESULTS: Ten stroke survivors aged 55-79 years participated with their informal caregivers. Functional improvements were shown in BBS (+ 2.5), ABC (+ 0.9), TUG (- 4.2) and 5xSST (- 2.7). More physical activity was detected with motion detectors (stand up/sit down + 2, number of steps + 227, standing + 0.3 h, hours sitting/lying - 0.3 h). The qualitative interviews identified themes for each feasibility domain: (i) acceptability: appreciation, functional improvements, self-initiated activities and expressed potential for future stroke survivors; (2) demand: reported use, interest in further use and need for follow-up; (3) implementation: importance of feedback, variety of exercises and progression of exercises and (4) practicality: need for support and technical problems. The quantitative and qualitative findings converged well with each other and supported the feasibility of ActivABLES. CONCLUSIONS: ActivABLES is feasible and can be a good asset for stroke survivors with slight or moderate disability to use in their homes. Further studies are needed with larger samples.
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