| 1. |
- Hamang, Anniken, et al.
(författare)
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General anxiety, depression, and physical health in relation to symptoms of heart-focused anxiety : a cross sectional study among patients living with the risk of serious arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death
- 2011
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Ingår i: Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1477-7525. ; 9, s. 100-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To investigate the role of three distinct symptoms of heart-focused anxiety (cardio-protective avoidance, heart-focused attention, and fear about heart sensations) in relation to general anxiety, depression and physical health in patients referred to specialized cardio-genetics outpatient clinics in Norway for genetic investigation and counseling. Methods: Participants were 126 patients (mean age 45 years, 53.5% women). All patients were at higher risk than the average person for serious arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD) because of a personal or a family history of an inherited cardiac disorder (familial long QT syndrome or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy). Patients filled in, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Short-Form 36 Health Survey, and Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, two weeks before the scheduled counseling session. Results: The patients experienced higher levels of general anxiety than expected in the general population (mean difference 1.1 (p < 0.01)). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that avoidance and fear was independently related to general anxiety, depression, and physical health beyond relevant demographic covariates (age, gender, having children) and clinical variables (clinical diagnosis, and a recent SCD in the family). In addition to heart-focused anxiety, having a clinical diagnosis was of importance for physical health, whereas a recent SCD in the family was independently related to general anxiety and depression, regardless of disease status. Conclusion: Avoidance and fear may be potentially modifiable symptoms. Because these distinct symptoms may have important roles in determining general anxiety, depression and physical health in at-risk individuals of inherited cardiac disorders, the present findings may have implications for the further development of genetic counseling for this patient group.
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| 2. |
- Hamang, Anniken, et al.
(författare)
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Health status in patients at risk of inherited arrhythmias and sudden unexpected death compared to the general population
- 2010
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Ingår i: BMC Medical Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1471-2350. ; 11:1, s. 27-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The possibilities in the molecular genetics of long QT syndrome (LQTS) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has made family screening, with diagnostic and predictive genetic testing part of the health care offer in genetic counselling of inherited arrhythmias, potentially affecting the subjective health among these individuals. The study compared health status among patients at risk of arrhythmia because of family history or clinical diagnosis of LQTS and HCM with reference health status scores of the general population. METHODS: In the period 2005-2007, 127 patients (mean age 45 years, 53.5% women), with a family history of arrhythmia (n = 95) or a clinical diagnosis of LQTS (n = 12) or HCM (n = 19) referred for genetic counselling at the medical genetic departments in Norway filled in a questionnaire (Short Form Health Survey SF-36) measuring health status on eight domains. The patient SF-36 scores were compared to expected scores of the general population by t-test, and the relationship between the socio-demographic variables, clinical status, and SF-36 domains were analysed by multiple linear regression. RESULTS: The total sample reported significant lower SF-36 score as compared to the general population scores for the domain of general health (mean difference -7.3 (<0.001). When analysing the sample in subgroups according to clinical status, the general health was still significant lower for the group of family risk and in the group of HCM. In addition the physical functioning, role physical, vitality and role emotional domains were reduced for the latter group. In general, employment, higher education and being referred to genetic counselling through a family member were associated with better scores on the health status domains. CONCLUSIONS: Having a genetic risk of arrhythmia affects general health significantly. In addition, patients with a clinical diagnosis of HCM demonstrate a significantly poorer health in both physical and mental domains.
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| 3. |
- Hamang, Anniken, et al.
(författare)
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Predictors of Heart-Focused Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Genetic Investigation and Counseling of Long QT Syndrome or Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy : A One Year Follow-up
- 2012
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Ingår i: Journal of Genetic Counseling. - : Wiley. - 1059-7700 .- 1573-3599. ; 21:1, s. 72-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since Long QT syndrome and Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy are inherited cardiac disorders that may cause syncope, palpitations, serious arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death, at-risk individuals may experience heart-focused anxiety. In a prospective multi-site study, 126 Norwegian patients attending genetic counseling were followed 1 year with multiple administration of questionnaires, including the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, measuring three distinct symptoms of heart-focused anxiety- avoidance, attention, and fear-in mixed linear analyses. Overall, at 1-year follow-up, patients with clinical diagnosis as compared to patients at genetic risk had significantly higher scores of avoidance (p < .002), attention (p < .005), and fear (p < .007). Sudden cardiac death in close relatives, uncertainty whether other relatives previously had undergone genetic testing, patients' perceived general health, self-efficacy expectations and procedural satisfaction with genetic counseling were influential in predicting the different symptoms of heart-focused anxiety over time.
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| 4. |
- Moldovan, Ramona, et al.
(författare)
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Psychiatric genetic counseling : A mapping exercise
- 2019
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Ingår i: American Journal of Medical Genetics Part B. - : Wiley. - 1552-4841 .- 1552-485X. ; 180:8, s. 523-532
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Psychiatric genetic counseling (PGC) is gradually developing globally, with countries in various stages of development. In some, PGC is established as a service or as part of research projects while in others, it is just emerging as a concept. In this article, we describe the current global landscape of this genetic counseling specialty and this field's professional development. Drawing on information provided by expert representatives from 16 countries, we highlight the following: (a) current understanding of PGC; (b) availability of services for patients; (c) availability of training; (d) healthcare system disparities and cultural differences impacting practice; and (e) anticipated challenges going forward.
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