| 1. |
- Ringsberg, Karin, et al.
(författare)
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The health-line : a method for collecting data on self-rated health over time: a pilot study
- 2001
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948. ; 29:3, s. 233-239
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: There is a need for an instrument to record a life-course perspective of self-rated health. Aim: To test the ''health-line'', a simple, comprehensive method of collecting data on self-rated health over time. Method: In 1996, a questionnaire was mailed to people who in 1985 were aged between 25 and 34 years old and had a sick-leave spell >28 days with ''back diagnoses''. They were asked to rate their global health graphically with a ''health-line'' for the years 1985-95. Official data on sick leave and disability pension were obtained for the same period. In all, 37 out of 52 men and 60 out of 83 women answered; that is, they drew a health-line. Result: A statistically significant negative correlation between the mean number of absence days due to ill health and the health-line data was found for every year (r = -0.35 to -0.53; p < 0.001 ) and for the whole period 1985-95 (r = -0.546; p < 0.001) respectively. Conclusion: The method worked well and is well worth further development and testing.
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| 2. |
- Gerdhem, Paul, et al.
(författare)
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Just one look, and fractures and death can be predicted in elderly ambulatory women.
- 2004
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Ingår i: Gerontology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1423-0003 .- 0304-324X. ; 50:5, s. 309-314
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- <i>Background:</i> The chronological age is clearly the strongest risk factor for fractures or death. Age as a concept can be described exactly as chronological age. Age in relative terms can be described as biological age. <i>Objective:</i> We postulated that, even without taking into account known or unknown comorbidity, an immediate and totally subjective evaluation of an individual’s biological age is predictive of forthcoming fractures and death. <i>Methods:</i> At baseline the biological age was estimated in 1,004 randomly recruited ambulatory 75-year-old women. All women were of the same ethnic background. Two independent observers estimated the biological age within 15 s of first sight of each woman. Based on this estimation of the biological age, the women were divided into tertiles. The women were then followed prospectively for a mean of 4.6 (range 3.0–6.5) years. All retrospective fractures and prospective fractures and deaths were registered. <i>Results:</i> When the tertile of the biologically oldest women was compared with all other women, their odds ratio for sustaining any type of prospective fracture was 1.71 (95% confidence interval 1.22–2.39), for hip fractures 2.69 (1.42–5.11), for clinical vertebral fractures 2.83 (1.57–5.11), and for multiple fractures 3.17 (1.64–6.10). Also, when retrospectively sustained fractures were included, the predictive ability for biological age remained. The death rate amongst the tertile of biologically oldest women was increased when compared with the rest of the women (odds ratio 4.33, CI 3.62–5.17). <i>Conclusions:</i> In ambulatory elderly women, without specific consideration of comorbidity, a subjective estimate of the biological age is predictive of future fractures and death. Subjective estimation of the biological age, in relation to the chronological age, is a valuable indicator of health, conveying additional information that merits its use in clinical practice.
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| 3. |
- Lepp, Margret, 1954, et al.
(författare)
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Dementia -- involving patients and their caregivers in a drama programme: the caregivers' experiences.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of clinical nursing. - 0962-1067. ; 12:6, s. 873-81
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A cultural drama programme was designed for patients with dementia and was led by teachers trained in drama in education and storytelling. The focus was on dance, rhythm, song, storytelling and conversations. The aim of this study was to describe how a drama programme for patients with dementia and their caregivers was experienced by the caregivers. Twelve strategically selected patients, 10 women and two men, with moderate and severe dementia, and their seven female caregivers participated in the programme. Sessions were held for one and a half hour, weekly once for 2 months. A focus group interview was held with the caregivers 1 month after the programme had ended. The interview and analysis of data were carried out according to the principles of phenomenography. Two categories, 'interaction' and 'professional growth', and five subcategories emerged in the analysis. In these, the caregivers described how fellowship developed between the participants and how they shared joy and sorrow. The patients communicated with each other and the leaders, and the programme seemed to help the patients to remember and make associations with situations experienced earlier in their lives. The patients also showed knowledge and ability in things about which the caregivers were unaware until the time of the drama programme. In other daily life situations, the patients showed their feelings, both joy and sorrow, more openly, their self-confidence grew and they showed greater interest in their surroundings. The caregivers furthermore expressed that they felt confirmed in their roles as caregivers. The programme prompted them to reflect upon their roles as caregivers. In conclusion, a drama programme with cultural features seems to increase the quality of life in patients with dementia and strengthen the caregivers in their profession.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Ringsberg, Karin A M
(författare)
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Balance, gait performance and muscular strength in the elderly
- 2001
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Fracture incidence is higher in urban than in rural inhabitants. Background factors such as physical activity and workload may have an influence on the tendency to fall, leading to fractures. We found that elderly women with a recent fracture of the distal radius appear to have impaired balance, an impairment that seems to normalise with time after fracture. The aim of this study was also to get normative data for healthy subjects of functional performance, such as balance, gait performance and muscular strength. Different populations were investigated. Men and women 50, 60, 70 and 80 years of age and women of 40 years from an urban and a rural area were investigated. Background factors such as age, gender, housing, medical status, workload and sparetime activities were collected. Urban subjects had significantly inferior balance compared with rural subjects and this difference increased with increasing age. The urban subjects walked faster but the rural subjects took longer steps. Sparetime activities correlated with balance and step length and workload with walking speed. Muscular strength of knee extension was significantly lower in the urban men and women in almost all age groups. This difference was not pronounced in knee flexion except for the oldest subjects. To investigate whether any of the clinical balance and gait performance tests could be related to computerised balance and muscular strength tests, 230 women, of 75 years of age were examined. The computerised balance platform test, could not be related to any of the clinical balance tests, gait performance tests or muscular strength tests. The clinical balance test was correlated with walking speed and step length. Extension and flexion strength of the knee and ankle dorsiflexion were also related to walking speed and step length. The heavier an individual was, the slower she walked and the shorter her steps, despite having stronger knee muscles. Women over the age of 65, who had participated for more than 20 years in physical exercise groups, had significantly better balance, gait performance and muscular strength of the knee and were less in need of home aid compared to urban women of the same age. When the active women were compared with age-matched rural women this difference was less pronounced. The results of this study emphasise the necessity of using correct normative data as regards balance, gait performance and muscular strength when different populations are compared.
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| 6. |
- Ringsberg, Karin A.M., et al.
(författare)
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The impact of long-term moderate physical activity on functional performance, bone mineral density and fracture incidence in elderly women
- 2001
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Ingår i: Gerontology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1423-0003 .- 0304-324X. ; 47:1, s. 15-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Earlier studies have shown that physical exercise and a higher workload increase muscle strength and improve gait and balance at all ages for both sexes. Published studies have, so far, failed to investigate the functional performance of elderly individuals concerning their long-term physical activity and variables of daily living. OBJECTIVE: To compare elderly women who participate in long-term, moderate exercise programmes with two age-matched groups of women from an urban and a rural community. METHODS: All participants answered a questionnaire about health, social circumstances and fractures. We measured the vibration threshold of the lower extremities, bone mineral density of the distal radius and functional performance such as muscle strength, balance and gait. RESULTS: The elderly, active groups performed significantly better in all functional tests and had sustained fewer fractures than the urban control group. When the comparison was made with the rural control group the differences were less obvious. The active group rated their health as better than both the control groups. CONCLUSION: Elderly women, who continue with moderate exercise programmes over many years, sustain fewer fractures and have better muscle strength, balance, gait and health ratings than women in general. Whether this is the result of the exercise or inherited characters, remains to be proved.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Rudolfsson, Gudrun, 1948-, et al.
(författare)
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The nurse has time for me : the perioperative dialogue from the perspective of patients
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of Advanced Perioperative Care. - 1470-5664. ; 1:3, s. 77-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AIM: The aim of this study was to describe patients' experience of the perioperative dialogue. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 18 patients, seven men and 11 women aged 20 to 76 years, with whom perioperative dialogues had been held. Data were collected and analysed according to grounded theory. FINDINGS; A core category: 'making time for me'; two main categories: 'comforting me' and 'becoming involved'; with three subcategories each: 'easing my mind by talking with the nurse', 'instilling faith within me', and 'having confidence in the nurse'; and 'being considered a resource', 'establishing a sense of communion', and 'making me feel that I am a human being', emerged from the data. The time with the nurse was experienced as comforting and made the patients feel involved in the perioperative procedures. When the nurse made time to talk with them they felt eased, were made more confident and gained faith in the success of their operation. When the patients were considered to be a resource, they felt that they were unique human beings, and this helped to establish a sense of communion with the nurses. CONCLUSION: The perioperative dialogue allowed the patients time with the nurse and was experienced by them as having a positive effect on the healing process and recovery.
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