Browsing by Subject "quality of life"
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Associations of early life stress, late adulthood quality of life and depression on DNAm age in men (2016)Goals As the proportion of the elderly population increases, studying biomarkers of cellular aging have become an important focus of research. However, these risk factors of age-related diseases have been difficult to identify. Recently an estimator of cellular aging, based on DNA methylation levels, the DNAm age, has been developed, and it has been linked to risk for both greater mortality and physical and mental health diseases. Effects of early life stress and later health on DNAm age have not yet been studied together. We set out to study, if early life stress and later quality of life and depression each separately or in combination associate with DNAm age. Methods The participants comprised Finnish males, of which 83 were separated from their families during the World War 2, and 83 non-separated controls belonging to the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study. Genome-wide methylation profiles, Rand-36 quality of life and BDI-1 depression inventory were assessed during years 2001-2004. DNAm age was estimated using the Horvath procedure. Associations of separation status, Rand-36 scores and BDI scores on DNAm age were studied with linear regression after adjusting for chronological age, cell type counts, tobacco smoking and frequency of alcohol consumption. Results and conclusions The separation status did not associate with the DNAm age. The Rand-36 Bodily Pain –scale associated differently with DNAm age in the separated group compared to the non-separated group. In analyses stratified for separation status, mild-severe depressive symptoms associated with lower DNAm age in the separated group. Similarly, lower quality of life on Rand-36 Role Functioning-scale and Emotional and Role Functioning Physical -scale associated with lower DNAm age in the separated group. Results are in line with previous studies, which have shown that early life stress doesn't associate with the DNAm age, but the cumulative total life stress and later adulthood diseases do associate with the DNAm age. This study brings novel information of the associations of early life stress and later depression symptomatology and psychosocial quality of life on the DNAm age, and suggests the early life stress and later depression and poorer psychosocial quality of life to have a cumulative effect on the DNAm age. More studies and longitudinal follow-up is needed to clarify the role of DNAm age as a biomarker of cellular aging, especially when examining the effects of early life stress exposure and later health together.
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(2016)Music interventions carried out by caregivers of persons with dementia (PWDs) have lately become the focus of music rehabilitation in dementia research. Dementia can be burdening for caregivers and it may disrupt the relationship between PWDs and caregivers. The aim of this thesis was to determine whether 1) awareness deficits frequently observed in PWDs manifest in rating discrepancies between PWDs and their caregivers when rating mood and quality of life of PWDs or if these differences are primarily explained by caregiver burden and 2) a caregiver-based music intervention can attenuate the rating discrepancies. In the current study, 89 PWD-caregiver dyads were randomly allocated in three groups: singing group, music listening group, and control group. Cognition, mood, and quality of life of the PWDs were assessed at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and 6 months after intervention. Discrepancy scores were calculated between the PWDs' and caregivers' ratings in Cornell-Brown Scale for Quality of Life in Dementia (CBS) and Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD). Correlations of the discrepancy scores to intervention outcomes and baseline PWD and caregiver characteristics were examined. Differences between intervention groups in CBS and QOL-AD discrepancies were analyzed with ANOVA. QOL-AD discrepancy was associated with dementia severity at baseline. CBS discrepancies were consistently associated with caregiver burden, higher discrepancies corresponding to higher burden. The intervention groups did not show any differences in change in the discrepancy scores in mixed-model ANOVAs. Further research with more focused measures is needed to determine whether music interventions can alleviate awareness deficits and/or PWD-caregiver discrepancies and, regarding the latter, to reveal the exact route of the effect.
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(2022)Objectives. The world population aged over 60 years is estimated to increase to 1.4 billion by 2030. This increasing trend evidences the current need for promoting healthy ways of living and aging. Previous research has studied music as a protective factor for several aspects in aging-associated neurological illnesses. This thesis aims at researching if healthy amateur choir singers and controls across age in adulthood differ in self-reported cognitive functions, social support and quality of life. It is hypothesized that amateur choir singers will report higher values of the three aspects mentioned above. Methods. Participants (N=93) were recruited from two general population groups, amateur choir singers (N = 54) and controls (N = 46), from 3 age groups split as follows: young adults: 20–39 years (N=34, mean = 29.79, SD = 5.65); middle-aged adults: 40–59 years (N=32, mean = 50.31, SD = 6.47); and older adults: 60–90 years (N=27, mean = 69.37, SD = 7.62). Outcome measures were questionnaires on quality of life (WHO-QOL-BREF), social support (Social Provisions Scale, SPS), cognitive functioning (Cognitive Failures Questionnaire, CFQ; Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire, PRMQ). Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS. Results and conclusions. The variable “total years of education” was included as a covariate when comparing the age groups, due to significant difference in the demographic pre-analysis. When studying the effects of amateur choir singing (choir vs controls), none of the results were significant. In comparing the three age groups (young, middle-aged, old), significant group differences were found in all the domains of theCFQ (cognitive failures) questionnaire except for Names, with young adults scoring higher (indicating more cognitive failures) than the middle-aged and older adults. A significant singing x age interaction was observed in all CFQ domains (except Names) as well as in the Reliable alliance subdomain of the SPS, with choir singers showing a more positive trend (less cognitive failures, more social support) across the age groups compared to the control group. These findings suggest a possible protective effect of amateur choir singing on subjective cognitive and social functioning in aging, which should be further studied.
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(2016)Previous studies have examined quality of life among people with traumatic brain injury (TBI) using quantitative measures and/or structured questionnaires. Recently some studies have focused on the patient's own perception of TBI and used the International Classification of Functioning, Disabilities and Health (ICF) framework to examine quality of life from a wider perspective of functioning. The aim of this study was to examine: What kind of occasions do the participants report as the happiest or unhappiest after TBI, and how are these related to the life areas within the ICF framework. An additional aim was to examine how are these life areas, as well as demographics variables, injury severity, and emotional state associated with the individuals' quality of life. A total of 233 Finnish persons with TBI participated in the Wave 1 of the international QOLIBRI (Quality of Life after Brain Injury) validation study in 2004—2006. The individuals' own descriptions about the happiest/unhappiest occasions were linked to the most precise ICF categories. Correlation and regression analysis were used to examine the association with demographic variables, injury related variable, emotional state, most frequently reported life areas and perceived quality of life. The most frequently reported life areas for both happy and unhappy occasions were Interpersonal interactions and relationships, followed by Community, social and civic life in happy occasions, and Mental functions and Services, systems and policies in both happy and unhappy occasions. Regression analysis showed that younger age, longer post-traumatic amnesia, fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression, happy occasion related Mental functions and Community, civic and social life, and not reporting an unhappy occasion related to Mental functions, yet reporting unhappy occasions related to Interpersonal interactions and relationships, were associated with higher perceived quality of life. The results of this study are in line with previous studies that have shown emotional state, age, and injury severity as factors relevant to quality of life after TBI. Additionally, this study informs clinicians about the life areas that individuals with TBI themselves experience as most relevant to their quality of life. From the individuals' perspective, rehabilitation should focus on supporting social relationships, participation in community activities, using services and helping the persons to cope with the demands of the environment. Furthermore, individuals need emotional support to adapt to their new life situation.
Now showing items 1-4 of 4