| 1. |
- Ahlstrand, Inger, et al.
(author)
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Health-promoting factors among students in higher education within health care and social work : a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data in a multicentre longitudinal study
- 2022
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In: BMC Public Health. - London : BioMed Central. - 1471-2458. ; 22:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Educational environments are considered important in strengthening students’ health status and knowledge, which are associated with good educational outcomes. It has been suggested to establish healthy universities based on a salutogenic approach – namely, health promotion. The aim of this study was to describe health-promoting resources and factors among first-semester students in higher education in healthcare and social work.Methods: This cross-sectional study is based on a survey distributed among all students in seven healthcare and social work programmes at six universities in southern Sweden. The survey was carried out in 2018 using a self-reported, web-based questionnaire focussing on general health and well-being, lifestyle factors together with three validated instruments measuring health-promoting factors and processes: the Sense of Coherence (SOC) scale, Salutogenic Health Indicator Scale (SHIS) and Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ).Results: Of 2283 students, 851 (37.3%) completed the survey, of whom 742 (87.1%) were women; 722 (84.8%) were enrolled on healthcare programmes, and 129 (15.2%) were enrolled on social work programmes. Most reported good general health and well-being (88.1% and 83.7%, respectively). The total mean scores for the SOC scale, SHIS and OBQ were, respectively, 59.09 (SD = 11.78), 44.04 (SD = 9.38) and 26.40 (SD = 7.07). Well-being and several healthy lifestyles were related to better general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Multiple linear and logistic regressions showed that perceived well-being and no sleeping problems significantly predicted higher general health and higher SOC, SHIS and OBQ scores. Being less sedentary and non-smoking habits were significant predictors of higher SOC.Conclusions: Swedish students in higher education within the healthcare and social work sector report good general health and well-being in the first semester, as well as health-promoting resources (i.e. SOC, SHIS and OBQ), and in some aspects, a healthy lifestyle. High-intensity exercise, no sleeping problems and non-smoking seem to be of importance to both general health and health-promotive resources. This study contributes to knowledge about the health promotive characteristics of students in the healthcare and social work fields, which is of importance for planning universities with a salutogenic approach.
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| 2. |
- Derbring, Sandra, et al.
(author)
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Effects of a digital reminiscing intervention on people with dementia and their care-givers and relatives
- 2023
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In: Ageing & Society. - 0144-686X .- 1469-1779. ; 43:9, s. 1983-2000
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dementia is a source of growing concern globally, and often impacts on social and communicative functioning. INdependent LIving Support Functions for the Elderly (IN LIFE) was a project carried out within the European Commission Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 that resulted in the development of two digital communication aids for reminiscence intervention for elderly people with dementia and their communication partners. The purpose of this intervention study was to investigate the effects on quality of life for people with dementia when using these aids. People with dementia (N = 118) and their formal care-givers (N = 187) and relatives (N = 9) were given the communication aids for a period of 4–12 weeks. To assess a range of outcomes, questionnaires developed within the project were used along with the EQ-5D (European Quality of Life – 5 Dimensions) and QoL-AD (Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease) questionnaires. Quality of life improved among people with dementia when measured using EQ-5D (p < 0.05). There was also a correlation between the impact on the participants’ health and wellbeing, the carers’ rating of the usefulness of the digital communication aids and the care-givers’ satisfaction with using technology (p < 0.05). These results indicate that digital communication aids may be useful in social interaction where one partner has dementia.
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| 3. |
- Henriksson, Ingrid, 1961, et al.
(author)
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Book talk and aphasia: the power of a book
- 2020
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In: International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders. - : Wiley. - 1368-2822 .- 1460-6984. ; 55:1, s. 136-148
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Reading is most often affected in aphasia and this has an impact on most aspects of everyday life. Being able to read makes a significant difference to how well a person can participate in society. In this study, people with aphasia recount their experiences of being in a book club. Aims This small scale, exploratory study employs a qualitative approach to investigate how persons with aphasia (PWA) and a librarian experience participating in a book club. The aim was to explore their overall experiences of participation, including their views regarding the design of the book club. The research questions were: How did participants experience participating in a book club? How did participants experience the structure and the content of the book club? Methods & Procedures Three men and one woman with aphasia took part in a book club, which was led by a librarian and met once a week for 9 weeks. The group read a book that had been adapted to suit adults who are not very skilled readers or who have a poor knowledge of the Swedish language; it was also available in an audio version. Data were collected through observations, interviews and field notes, and were analysed thematically to find patterns across data and across participants. Outcomes & Results The analysis showed that, despite their language difficulties, the participants experienced the book club as highly rewarding, possibly because the focus was on the content of the book and not on each individual's reading ability. The overarching theme identified in the data was 'Empowerment through a joint reading experience'. This encompassed three sub-themes: 'Structure and flexibility', 'Enjoyment of reading' and 'Fruitful discussions'. Conclusions & Implications The PWA experienced the activity as positive and encouraging despite their language difficulties. What yielded the positive experience were the joint literary discussions. The project also showed that a dedicated group leader (here the librarian) and a flexible structure based on the situation and abilities of each individual were crucial for the encouraging findings.
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| 4. |
- Karlsson, Fredrik, Docent, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Assessment of speech impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease from acoustic quantifications of oral diadochokinetic sequences
- 2020
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In: Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. - : Acoustical Society of America (ASA). - 0001-4966 .- 1520-8524. ; 147:2, s. 839-851
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This investigation aimed at determining whether an acoustic quantification of the oral diadochokinetic (DDK) task may be used to predict the perceived level of speech impairment when speakers with Parkinson's disease (PD) are reading a standard passage. DDK sequences with repeated [pa], [ta], and [ka] syllables were collected from 108 recordings (68 unique speakers with PD), along with recordings of the speakers reading a standardized text. The passage readings were assessed in five dimensions individually by four speech-language pathologists in a blinded and randomized procedure. The 46 acoustic DDK measures were merged with the perceptual ratings of read speech in the same recording session. Ordinal regression models were trained repeatedly on 80% of ratings and acoustic DDK predictors per dimension in 10-folds, and evaluated in testing data. The models developed from [ka] sequences achieved the best performance overall in predicting the clinicians' ratings of passage readings. The developed [pa] and [ta] models showed a much lower performance across all dimensions. The addition of samples with severe impairments and further automation of the procedure is required for the models to be used for screening purposes by non-expert clinical staff.
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| 5. |
- Sixt Börjesson, Malin, et al.
(author)
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Communicative Participation in People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
- 2021
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In: Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica. - : S. Karger AG. - 1021-7762 .- 1421-9972. ; 73:2, s. 101-108
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Communication is affected in most people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); up to 80–95% will reach a point where they are no longer able to meet their communicative needs with natural speech. The deterioration of speech and communicative abilities presumably has an impact on communicative participation. However, little is known about how these factors relate to each other in this population of patients. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between communicative participation, functional deficits, and severity of dysarthria in individuals with ALS. Method: Thirty people with ALS were rated for (1) communicative participation, using the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB, Swedish); and (2) disability related to the disease, using the Revised ALS Functional Rating Scale (Swedish). An expert listening panel assessed intelligibility and severity of dysarthria based on recorded text readings and sentences from the Swedish Test of Intelligibility. Results: CPIB scores were significantly lower for participants with moderate/severe dysarthria than for those with no/mild dysarthria and correlated with bulbar function and intelligibility. Conclusion: The study found that the CPIB provides a means to rate and discuss communicative participation with persons with ALS, which could assist in the planning of further efforts/services.
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