The 10th Anniversary of Healthcare—Quality of Life of Older People with Disability in the Community

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Community Care".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024 | Viewed by 6314

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Faculty of Health, Sports and Social Work, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Interests: nursing; quality of life; gerontology; patient education; geriatric; nursing instrument development; geriatric assessment; geriatric psychiatry; medication adherence; aging research; elderly; questionnaire design
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the growing aging population worldwide, the number of older people living with a disability will increase. Many of these older people have the desire to live at home as long as possible. To make this possible, support from health and welfare professionals may be required. Community care, however, consists not only of professional care but also of informal care and care provided by volunteers. It is important that older people participate in society through community care and are not considered to be outsiders.

Ultimately, community care aims at maintaining or increasing quality of life. A frequently cited definition is developed by the World Health Organization: “individuals’ perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and concerns” [1]. Disability is associated with a lower quality of life in older people. Therefore, it is important that we gain more knowledge about the contribution of community care to the quality of life of older people with a disability, mental and/or physical. 

This Special Issue of the Community Care Section of Healthcare seeks commentaries, original research, short reports, and reviews on the quality of life of older people with a disability in the community. Contributions based on both quantitative and qualitative research can be submitted.

Reference

  1. World Health Organization. The World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL): Position paper from the World Health Organization. Social Science & Medicine. 1995, 41, 103-1409.

Prof. Dr. Robbert Gobbens
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • community care
  • disability
  • older people
  • health support
  • professional care
  • informal care
  • care provided by volunteers
  • quality of life
  • mental health
  • physical health

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 225 KiB  
Article
Effect of Insulin Pen Training Using the Teach-Back Method on Diabetes Self-Management, Quality of Life, and HbA1c Levels in Older Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Quasi-Experimental Study
by Tahsin Barış Değer, Huri Seval Gönderen Çakmak, Banu Cihan Erdoğan and Mustafa Özgür Değer
Healthcare 2024, 12(18), 1854; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12181854 - 14 Sep 2024
Viewed by 651
Abstract
Background: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of insulin pen training using the Teach-Back method in older patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on their self-management of insulin treatment, quality of life (QoL), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Methods: [...] Read more.
Background: The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of insulin pen training using the Teach-Back method in older patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) on their self-management of insulin treatment, quality of life (QoL), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Methods: Participants included 25 patients in the intervention group, with a mean age of 80.76 ± 6.132 years, and 24 patients in the control group, with a mean age of 81.29 ± 4.920 years. All participants were older people who had previously been diagnosed with T2D, had been using insulin for at least 6 months, and lived in rural areas. Teach-Back pen training was provided to the intervention group, while general diabetes education was provided to the control group. One-way variance analysis, paired-samples t-test and independent sample t-test were used. The self-management of insulin treatment, QoL and HbA1c levels were determined before training and after 3 months. The study was conducted between December 2022 and April 2023. Results: A significant difference was found in the mean scale scores between the intervention group and control group after training. The mean self-management of insulin treatment and QoL scale scores of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group after training. The post-training HbA1c levels in the intervention group were lower than the pre-training levels. Conclusions: Teach-Back training improved diabetes self-management and QoL and decreased HbA1c levels in older patients with T2D living in a rural community. Full article
19 pages, 279 KiB  
Article
The Prediction of Quality of Life by Frailty and Disability among Dutch Community-Dwelling People Aged 75 Years or Older
by Robbert J. J. Gobbens and Tjeerd van der Ploeg
Healthcare 2024, 12(9), 874; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12090874 - 23 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 810
Abstract
The present study aimed to examine the prediction of quality of life by frailty and disability in a baseline sample of 479 Dutch community-dwelling people aged 75 years or older using a follow-up period of 8 years. Regarding frailty, we distinguish between physical, [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to examine the prediction of quality of life by frailty and disability in a baseline sample of 479 Dutch community-dwelling people aged 75 years or older using a follow-up period of 8 years. Regarding frailty, we distinguish between physical, psychological, and social frailty. Concerning physical disability, we distinguish between limitations in performing activities in daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities in daily living (IADL). The Tilburg Frailty Indicator (TFI) and the Groningen Activity Restriction Scale (GARS) were used to assess frailty domains and types of disability, respectively. Quality of life was determined by the WHOQOL-BREF containing physical, psychological, social, and environmental domains. In our study, 53.9% of participants were woman, and the mean age was 80.3 years (range 75–93). The study showed that psychological frailty predicted four domains of quality of life and physical frailty three. Social frailty was only found to be a significant predictor of social quality of life and environmental quality of life. ADL and IADL disability proved to be the worst predictors. It is recommended that primary healthcare professionals (e.g., general practitioners, district nurses) focus their interventions primarily on factors that can prevent or delay psychological and physical frailty, thereby ensuring that people’s quality of life does not deteriorate. Full article
14 pages, 1478 KiB  
Article
Relationship between Phase Angle and Physical Activity Intensity among Community-Dwelling Older Adults in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Daiki Nakashima, Keisuke Fujii, Yoshihito Tsubouchi, Yuta Kubo, Kyosuke Yorozuya, Kento Noritake, Naoki Tomiyama, Soma Tsujishita and Terufumi Iitsuka
Healthcare 2024, 12(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12020167 - 10 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1321
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the association between phase angle (PhA) and physical activity intensity in community-dwelling older Japanese adults. The intensity and time of physical activity for predicting high PhA were also examined. This study involved 67 community-dwelling older adults (mean [...] Read more.
This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the association between phase angle (PhA) and physical activity intensity in community-dwelling older Japanese adults. The intensity and time of physical activity for predicting high PhA were also examined. This study involved 67 community-dwelling older adults (mean age: 78.3 ± 5.5; female: 83.6%). We measured the physical activity and body composition of the participants. Physical activity was measured using a triaxial accelerometer, and light-intensity physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) hours per day were calculated from the results. Body composition was measured using Inbody S10, and the PhA was calculated from the measurements of the right side of the body. Bayesian statistical modeling revealed an association between PhA and MVPA (β = 0.256; p = 0.022; 95% Bayesian confidence interval [CI] = 0.001, 0.012), but not LPA (β = −0.113; p = 0.341; 95% Bayesian CI = −0.002, 0.001), even after adjustment for confounders. The cutoff value of MVPA predicting high PhA, calculated by the receiver operator characteristic curve, was 19.7 min/d (sensitivity = 0.906; specificity = 0.429). These results can be used to develop strategies to increase PhA in older adults and suggest that MVPA is important in this population. Full article
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15 pages, 346 KiB  
Article
Physical Fitness Variables, General Health, Dementia and Quality of Life in Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Study
by Miguel Jacinto, Rui Matos, Beatriz Gomes, André Caseiro, Raul Antunes, Diogo Monteiro, José Pedro Ferreira and Maria João Campos
Healthcare 2023, 11(19), 2688; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11192688 - 6 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1468
Abstract
The average life expectancy of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) is increasing. However, living more years does not mean living better, leading to the need for research on comorbidities associated with the aging process. Associated with this process are the physical [...] Read more.
The average life expectancy of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) is increasing. However, living more years does not mean living better, leading to the need for research on comorbidities associated with the aging process. Associated with this process are the physical characteristics most prevalent in an individual with IDD: low levels of all physical capacities, the accumulation of central fat, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, variables considered to be some of the main risk factors of the onset of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, and variables that can negatively impact quality of life (QoL). Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate a sample of 21 institutionalized adults with IDD (42.81 ± 10.99 years old) in terms of their anthropometric characteristics, body composition, general health status, functional capacity, neuromuscular capacity, and dementia/cognitive function, and the possible associations with QoL. All assessments were performed in the laboratory of the Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education—University of Coimbra. Participants, in the present study, have low levels of physical fitness and high metabolic and cardiovascular markets, which need to be improved. On the other hand, functional and neuromuscular ability seems to be associated with QoL (p ≤ 0.05). This study highlights the role of primary and secondary care providers in diagnosis, prevention, and supporting individuals with IDDs to promote QoL. Full article

Review

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14 pages, 511 KiB  
Review
The Influence of Social Support in PROMs of Patients with COPD in Primary Care: A Scoping Review
by Antonia Aravantinou-Karlatou, Izolde Bouloukaki, Antonios Christodoulakis and Ioanna Tsiligianni
Healthcare 2023, 11(24), 3141; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11243141 - 11 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1456
Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent and multidimensional disease with symptoms that greatly influence patients’ health. Healthcare professionals utilize patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to classify and better manage the disease. Despite the value of PROMs, they inadequately represent some important dimensions [...] Read more.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent and multidimensional disease with symptoms that greatly influence patients’ health. Healthcare professionals utilize patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to classify and better manage the disease. Despite the value of PROMs, they inadequately represent some important dimensions of COPD, like social support and healthcare access/utilization. This is important, especially for social support, since it can positively influence PROMs results and the overall health of patients with COPD. Therefore, a scoping review was conducted to determine how social support affects PROMs of patients with COPD in primary care. The PRISMA–Scoping approach was adopted, and we sought articles published in MEDLINE and COHRANE. We screened 2038 articles for inclusion and finally included a total of 10 articles. Most of the articles were conducted in the U.S. and Norway. Social support had a strong positive impact on PROMs. Additionally, different types of social support were observed. Moreover, higher levels of social support were linked to better quality of life, mental health, self-care behaviors, self-management, functionality, and less severe COPD. Consequently, this scoping review highlights the value of social support in patients with COPD and its underrepresentation and misrepresentation in PROMs literature. Full article
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