1. |
- Raak, Ragnhild, 1948-, et al.
(author)
-
Catastrophizing and health related quality of life : A 6-year follow-up of patients with chronic low back pain
- 2002
-
In: Rehabilitation Nursing. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 0278-4807. ; 27:3, s. 110-117
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A pain rehabilitation model that focused on emotions was implemented to influence catastrophizing by, and health-related quality of life (HRQL) for, persons with chronic low back pain. Twelve individuals, 7 men and 5 women (aged 33 to 57 years), all with long-term pain despite treatment, were included in the study and a single case research experimental design (SCRED) was used to follow the patterns of coping with pain for 6 years. The HRQL was measured before and 6 years after the intervention. Coping strategies and HRQL were evaluated with the Coping Strategy Questionnaire (CSQ) and the SF-36, respectively. The evaluation of pain coping strategies after 3 years found decreased catastrophizing, a decrease that had continued 3 years later. HRQL showed significantly improved mental health and impaired physical capacity at the 6-year follow-up. Changes in catastrophizing or in HRQL did not appear to influence self-scored bodily pain. Altered catastrophizing appeared to be a long-term process. This research indicates the need for rehabilitation programs to assess and evaluate patients' pain and their need for improved quality of life, rather than focusing only on the elimination of pain.
|
|
2. |
|
|
3. |
- Raak, Ragnhild, et al.
(author)
-
Work attendance despite headache and its economic impact : a comparison between two workplaces
- 2003
-
In: Headache. - : Wiley. - 0017-8748 .- 1526-4610. ; 43:10, s. 1097-1101
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective.—To study work attendance despite headache in 2 different workplaces and its economic impact.Background.—Literature on the economic impact of headache traditionally has focused on direct costs. Little is known concerning headache experienced at work and its costs due to loss of effectiveness and productivity.Method.—We sent a questionnaire to 800 employees in Sweden—400 at a technology company (private employee population) and 400 at a university hospital (public employee population). We attempted to assess the prevalence of headache, work attendance despite the presence of acute headache, and the impact of acute headache upon work effectiveness. Subjects self-scored decreased work effectiveness resulting from headache during the previous 3 months and recorded the number of days at work despite headache. From these data, we estimated the economic loss resulting from headache.Results.—The survey response rate was 71.5%. The prevalence of headache was 64% in the private employee population and 78% in the public employee population. Thirty-nine percent of the private employees and 57% of the public employees reported experiencing headache as a result of stress. Fifty percent reported that they went to work despite headache, and the mean number of days at work despite headache, during the previous 3 months, was 6.6 days in the private employee group and 6.1 days in the public employee group. A 25% decrease in work effectiveness was estimated, and, extrapolating from our data, we calculated the cost of lost effectiveness due to headache among employers in Sweden to be approximately 1.4 billion euros a year.Conclusion.—The economic burden of headache experienced at work is substantial, suggesting that workplace-based treatment and prevention programs emphasizing stress management may be financially, as well as clinically, advantageous.
|
|