Background. There is a growing body of research indicating the importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to evaluate quality of life. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is...Show moreBackground. There is a growing body of research indicating the importance of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to evaluate quality of life. The health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is additionally of increasing interest when examining individuals with chronic conditions. PROMs can enhance patient care and monitor progress, possibly contributing to the improvement of HRQoL. The purpose of the current study was to compare the self-reported HRQoL of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and patients who were three months post-stroke. Methods. A sample of n = 419 patients with ALS (66.1% male, mean age M = 65) and a sample of N = 360 patients with a stroke (60.3% male, mean age M = 70) completed the Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health (PROMIS-10). Analyses were performed to compare the physical and mental HRQoL scores between the patient samples. Prior research has established Dutch reference norms for the PROMIS-10. Since the current study took place in the Netherlands, the results of the patient samples were also compared to the scores of the Dutch population. Additional analyses examined the influence of covariates such as age and sex. Results. The results showed that patients with a stroke reported significantly lower mental HRQoL than the general population, with a mean difference of T = -0.96 (p < .05). Patients in the ALS sample did not report significantly different mental HRQoL compared to stroke or the general population. Regarding physical HRQoL, ALS reported significantly lower scores than the stroke sample, with a mean difference of T = -2.69 (p < .001), as well as the general population (T = -5.71, p < .001). Age did not have a significant influence on the self-reported HRQoL. Finally, analyses revealed that the women (n = 285) of both patient populations reported lower physical and mental HRQoL than men, with mean differences of T = -2.11 (p < .001) and T = -1.47 (p = .015), respectively. Conclusion. Patients with ALS reported significantly lower physical HRQoL than patients who were three months post-stroke. There were no significant differences in the self-reported mental HRQoL. Compared to the general Dutch population, patients with ALS and patients with stroke both reported lower physical HRQoL, while patients with stroke also reported lower mental HRQoL. The findings of the current study provide support for the integration of HRQoL short-form measures such as PROMIS-10 into clinical care, to identify the need for intervention or for monitoring progress.Show less
Background. Endometriosis is a debilitating gynecological disorder, oftentimes accompanied by chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and mental health conditions such as depression. Previous research has...Show moreBackground. Endometriosis is a debilitating gynecological disorder, oftentimes accompanied by chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and mental health conditions such as depression. Previous research has established that CPP, which is unrelated to the occurrence of menstruation, is highly predictive of depression scores in females with endometriosis. In the context of patients with chronic illnesses, pain acceptance has been highlighted as playing a crucial role in psychological outcomes such as depression. Pain acceptance is determined by the extent to which a life-focus, or a pain-focus is maintained. The main objective of the study was to determine the interplay between CPP, pain acceptance and depression in participants diagnosed with endometriosis. Methods. The study had a retrospective, cross-sectional research design, using convenience sampling to recruit respondents. A final 232 respondents completed the survey, composed of an ad-hoc item to measure CPP (Numeric Rating Scale, NRS) and validated questionnaires to examine pain acceptance (Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire – 8, CPAQ-8) and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire – 9, PHQ-9). A correlation between CPP and depression was conducted, and the mediatory effect of pain acceptance in this relationship was investigated. Results. Initially, a significant and positive, however weak correlation between CPP and depression was found. Subsequently, pain acceptance was determined as a significant mediator in the relationship between CPP and depression. Discussion. In comparison with previous research in the general population, the PHQ-9 scores were higher and CPAQ-8 scores were lower in this study, indicating more severe depression, and lower pain acceptance scores. The mediation model established that experiencing CPP negatively impacts pain acceptance, which negatively impacts depression in females with endometriosis. Further research on mental health vulnerabilities in females with endometriosis, and an increase in social awareness and professional support is required.Show less
