We explored the quality of life of adults with cerebral palsy without an intellectual disability and the predictors of quality of life. Because cerebral palsy is a disease that manifests in childhood, much of the research into quality of life for those dealing with it focuses on children; there are few studies that evaluate the quality of life of adults with cerebral palsy. Therefore, it is important to consider their perceptions in order to improve their general wellbeing and self-determination. This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Quality of life was measured using the GENCAT Quality of Life Scale. Demographic and personal variables were also collected and examined. Participants comprised 75 adults (58.7 percent men, mean age = 40.84 years) with cerebral palsy who were members of the National Cerebral Palsy Association of Spain between 2014 and 2015. A linear multivariate model was examined as well. The overall mean score indicator of participants’ quality of life was 103.29, which corresponds to the 56.6th percentile on the GENCAT scale. Examining the level of qualification, we found significant differences in the factors “personal development” and “self-determination,” and those with a university education obtained higher scores than their less-educated counterparts. Having a partner was related to higher quality of life standard scores. After constructing a linear model, it was observed that maintaining sexual relationships was another factor that increased participants’ quality of life. This study highlights the importance of social and romantic relationships to achieve a better quality of life in adults with cerebral palsy who do not have an intellectual disability. Social integration and sexuality education programs should be developed to improve their quality of life.
This article is an observational and cross-sectional study that related the result obtained in the questionnaire for the evaluation of quality of life related to muscle mass (SarQoL) and the prevalence of sarcopenic pathology measured under the EWGSOP2 algorithm. Participants were 202 community-dwelling older adults living in Valencia, Spain. The prevalence of sarcopenia in men was 28.9%, while in women it was 26.2%. In the case of the SarQoL questionnaire, the mean score obtained for men was 75.5 and 72.6 for women, showing significant differences in both sexes between the results obtained by the group with and without sarcopenia. After the exhaustive data analysis, a high discriminative capacity for sarcopenic disease was found in the SarQoL questionnaire total score and in domains 2 (locomotion), 4 (functionality) and 5 (activities of daily living). In accordance with the existing controversy regarding the use of SARC-F as a screening method for sarcopenia, the authors pointed out the capacity of domain 2 (locomotion) in isolation as a possible screening method for this disease, exposing a high risk of suffering sarcopenia when scores in this domain were below 60 points. Further research is needed to develop new lines of research as these showed in this work, as well as new and easily applicable screening methods for sarcopenia in clinical practice, that allow a rapid detection of this disease in the community.
Background: Healthcare professionals is one of the risk groups to which influenza vaccination is recommended. The main objective was to know the attitudes of healthcare professionals about influenza vaccination in the Principality of Asturias' reference centre during the campaign 2017-2018. Methods: We carried out a cross-sectional study between September 2017 and May 2018, using a questionnaire. Sociodemographic variables and reasons for accepting or refuse the influenza vaccination were studied. For descriptive analysis we used the mean, mode, standard deviation, range, frequencies and percentages. The comparison between vaccinated and unvaccinated was made by the Chi square test, Saphiro-Wilk test and U Mann-Whitney test. Results: The sample was formed by 518 participants, finally resulted a 29.53% vaccination rate. The principal reason for accepting the vaccine was its efficacy (average on the Likert scale of 4.11 out of 5), while the main reason for not vaccination was the lack of interest (mean=3.41 out of 5). It confirmed relationship between the type of contract and the professional category, the lower vaccination was in the temporary staff (p=0.003) and the nursing profession (p<0.001). We also found association between professionals that used to receive the vaccine in all the campaigns (p<0.001) and those who received the immunization in their workplace (p=0.002). Finally, the profession (p=0.014) and the family (p<0.001) also were influential in the decision of the immunized. Conclusions: The vaccination rate of the professionals who work in the Asturias' reference hospital is similar to that of other health centres in Spain, but it is below the objective set by the World Health Organization. The previous contact with the influenza immunization, a positive working environment respecting the vaccine and the promotion of information, could be favourable factors in the vaccinal decision of the health workers.