A first step in planning health promotion with respect to mental health is analysing the factors that influence mental health. Diagnosis of the relevant variables may contribute to the design of effective health promotion programmes. In this paper the relationship between psychosocial factors and mental health status of cancer patients is discussed. The study investigates the relation between psychosocial factors like social support, generalized self-efficacy, feelings of loneliness, social mobilization and mental health among cancer suruivors (n = 480). Results reveal that mental health in cancer survivors is slightly lower than in a reference group from the general population. Generalized self-efficacy and feelings of loneliness are the major psychosocial factors related to mental health in cancer survivors. The implications for the design of health promotion activities using self-efficacy theory are discussed.
Als na afloop van een brandincident een stoffelijk overschot wordt aangetroffen, is het van belang dat de causaliteit tussen de brand en het overlijden wordt onderzocht. Brand is zeer destructief voor het menselijk lichaam. Dit bemoeilijkt de interpretatie van onderzoeksbevindingen aan een lichaam. Er zijn diverse verschijnselen die tot op zekere hoogte duiden op vitaliteit (de betrokkene was levend) ten tijde van de brand. In dit artikel worden deze verschijnselen tegen het licht gehouden. Op basis van de huidige wetenschappelijke theorieën bestaan er geen verschijnselen die leiden tot de eenduidige conclusie over al dan niet vitale blootstelling. Wel kunnen verschijnselen een vermoeden van vitale blootstelling tot op zekere hoogte ondersteunen. Ontbreken de verschijnselen, dan is het niet mogelijk om een conclusie te trekken; de afwezigheid is geen bewijs van overlijden vóór het ontstaan van de brand. Om in de rechtszaal een uitspraak te kunnen doen over de causaliteit tussen brand en overlijden, wordt het noodzakelijk geacht om de waarde voor de aannemelijkheid van vitale blootstelling per verschijnsel te motiveren.
MULTIFILE
Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a multisystemic, autosomal dominant connective tissue disorder that occurs de novo in 25%. In many families, parent and child(ren) are affected, which may increase distress in parents. To assess distress, 42 mothers (29% MFS) and 25 fathers (60% MFS) of 43 affected children, completed the validated screening‐questionnaire Distress thermometer for parents of a chronically ill child, including questions on overall distress (score 0–10; ≥4 denoting “clinical distress”) and everyday problems (score 0–36). Data were compared to 1,134 control‐group‐parents of healthy children. Mothers reported significantly less overall distress (2, 1–4 vs. 3, 1–6; p = .049; r = −.07) and total everyday problems (3, 0–6 vs. 4, 1–8; p = .03; r = −.08) compared to control‐group‐mothers. Mothers without MFS reported significantly less overall distress compared to mothers with MFS, both of a child with MFS (1, 0–4 vs. 3.5, 2–5; p = .039; r = −.17). No significant differences were found between the father‐groups, nor between the group of healthy parents of an affected child living together with an affected partner compared to control‐group‐parents. No differences in percentages of clinical distress were reported between mothers and control‐group‐mothers (33 vs. 42%); fathers and control‐group‐fathers (28 vs. 32%); nor between the other groups. Distress was not associated with the children's MFS characteristics. Concluding, parents of a child with MFS did not show more clinical distress compared to parents of healthy children. However, clinical distress was reported in approximately one‐third and may increase in case of acute medical complications. We advise monitoring distress in parents of a child with MFS to provide targeted support.
