Perception of illness among patients with heart failure is related to their general health independently of their mood and functional capacity.

Purpose: To explore the relationship between illness perceptions and self-reported general health of patients with chronic heart disease, using some core elements from the Common Sense Model.

Methods: Patients with heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Functional Class I-III) from five outpatient clinics in Eastern Norway were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Two research nurses collected socio-demographic data (age, sex, education and work status) and standardized questionnaires in structured interviews.

Psychometric limitations of the 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale assessed by Rasch analysis.

Background: A person's sense of coherence (SOC) reflects their perception that the world is meaningful and predictable, and impacts their ability to deal with stressors in a health-promoting manner. A valid, reliable, and sensitive measure of SOC is needed to advance health promotion research based on this concept. The 13-item Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-13) is widely used, but we reported in a previous evaluation its psychometric limitations when used with adults with morbid obesity.

Predictors of physical and mental health in persons with morbid obesity attending a patient education course - a two-year follow-up study.

Background: People with morbid obesity (body mass index ≥40) may experience changes in their health after participating in a tailored patient education course. The aims of this study were to assess the changes in physical and mental health in persons with morbid obesity during the 2 years following an educational course and to explore possible socio-demographic, treatment, and personal predictors of physical and mental health outcomes.

Methods: In this prospective longitudinal cohort study, self-report questionnaire data were collected from people with morbid obesity at the beginning of mandatory educational courses while on a waiting list for gastric surgery and at two-year follow-up.

Differences and similarities in the trajectories of self-esteem and positive and negative affect in persons with chronic illness: an explorative longitudinal study.

Background: Chronic illness is a risk factor for low self-esteem, and the research literature needs to include more studies of self-esteem and its development in chronic illness groups using longitudinal and comparative designs. The aim of this study was to explore the trajectories of self-esteem and of positive and negative affect in persons with morbid obesity and in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Patient education course attendants in Norway having morbid obesity (n=139) or COPD (n=97) participated in the study.

Quality of life improves in patients with chronic heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration treated with adaptive servo-ventilation in a nurse-led heart failure clinic.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate if quality of life improved in chronic heart failure patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration treated with adaptive servo-ventilation in nurse-led heart failure clinic.

Background: Cheyne-Stokes respiration is associated with decreased quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure. Adaptive servo-ventilation is introduced to treat this sleep-disordered breathing.

Trajectories of physical and mental health among persons with morbid obesity and persons with COPD: a longitudinal comparative study.

Background: Morbid obesity and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prevalent diseases associated with impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Research generally indicates that persons with morbid obesity increase their HRQoL following intervention, whereas evidence of increases in HRQoL in persons with COPD is mixed. Examining the patterns of change over time instead of merely examining whether HRQoL changes will add to the knowledge in this field.

Being "on the alert" and "a forced volunteer": a qualitative study of the invisible care provided by the next of kin of patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Relatives' support is an important factor in how well people with chronic heart failure (CHF) manage their illness and everyday life. Deepening professionals' understanding of the content of relatives' invisible care activities, often characterized as care burden, is necessary to strengthen support services.

Objective: To explore the next of kin's experiences of invisible care and the inherent responsibilities in caring for a relative with CHF.

Morbid obese adults increased their sense of coherence 1 year after a patient education course: a longitudinal study.

Background: Personal factors are key elements to understand peoples' health behavior. Studies of such factors are important to develop targeted interventions to improve health. The main purpose of this study is to explore sense of coherence (SOC) in a sample of persons with morbid obesity before and after attending a patient education course and to explore the association between SOC and sociodemographic and other personal factors.

User involvement as sharing knowledge - an extended perspective in patient education.

Background: Patient education is undergoing a paradigm shift in which the perspectives of patients are increasingly being incorporated into learning programs. Access to the users' experience is now considered a prerequisite for the development of quality health services, but how this user experience is incorporated is somewhat unclear. The inclusion of experiential knowledge and user involvement can challenge professional authority, roles, and working methods because knowledge sharing is different from persuasion, professional explanation, and consent.

Factors associated with self-esteem in persons with morbid obesity and in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross-sectional study.

Living with chronic illnesses can be stressful and may negatively impact persons' self-esteem. Personal factors, like self-efficacy and illness perceptions, and also factors related to the environment, activity, and participation may be associated with self-esteem in chronic illness populations. This cross-sectional comparative study explored sociodemographic variables, work, physical activity, illness perceptions, and general self-efficacy in relation to self-esteem in persons with morbid obesity and in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The relationships of self-efficacy, physical activity, and paid work to health-related quality of life among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Purpose: Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) primarily affects the lungs, it is regarded as a systemic disorder associated with comorbidity and physical deterioration, which often results in reduced levels of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Self-efficacy is an important concept in self-management, which is vital for improving HRQoL in patients with COPD. The purpose of this study was to examine how general self-efficacy, leisure time physical activity, and sociodemographic variables such as employment status are related to the physical and mental health components of HRQoL in patients with COPD.

Sense of coherence in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Background and Aim. Sense of coherence (SOC) is a health-promoting concept reflecting a person's view of life and response to stressful situations and may be of importance in coping with chronic illness. The aim of this study was to explore associations between SOC and sociodemographic, disease-related, and personal characteristics in a sample of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

A 1-year follow-up study exploring the associations between perception of illness and health-related quality of life in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disease with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Its potential consequences, including reduced function and reduced social participation, are likely to be associated with decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, illness perceptions and self-efficacy beliefs may also play a part in determining HRQoL in persons with COPD.

Rasch analysis of the General Self-Efficacy Scale in a sample of persons with morbid obesity.

Background: Self-efficacy is needed for effectuating lifestyle changes, and it is therefore an important target related to health. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) using Rasch analysis in a sample of adults with morbid obesity.

Methods: A convenience sample of adults with morbid obesity was recruited from patient education courses.

Trajectories of self-efficacy in persons with chronic illness: an explorative longitudinal study.

Background: Self-efficacy is important for changing health behaviour in persons with chronic illness. Longer term trajectories have not been previously explored.

Objective: This study's objective was to explore the trajectories of self-efficacy in two different groups with chronic illnesses attending a patient education course.

Trajectories of illness perceptions in persons with chronic illness: An explorative longitudinal study.

Accurate illness perceptions are essential to the self-management of chronic illness. This study explored trajectories of illness perceptions in persons with morbid obesity (n = 53) and persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (n = 52) following a patient education course. Participants completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire five times over a 1-year period.

Fatigue interference with daily living among patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine fatigue interference with daily living in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to explore relationships between severe fatigue interference and socio-demographic and clinical variables, including use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Methods: Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from adult IBD outpatients. Fatigue interference was assessed with the 5-item Fatigue Severity Scale, and scores ≥ 5 were defined as severe fatigue interference.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: results of a cross-sectional study in Norway.

Objective: To determine the proportion of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to identify demographic and clinical factors that are associated with CAM use.

Material And Methods: In this cross-sectional study design, patients with confirmed diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD), and ≥18 years old, attending outpatient clinics at 14 hospitals in Norway were eligible to complete questionnaires including demographics, clinical variables, and the International CAM Questionnaire (I-CAM-Q).

Results: Of 460 patients included in the study, 430 had evaluable questionnaires (response rate 93%).

Changes in health-related quality of life in people with morbid obesity attending a learning and mastery course. A longitudinal study with 12-months follow-up.

Background: Severe obesity is a complex condition that is associated with a wide range of serious health complications and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In addition to physiological factors, activity and participation, environmental factors, and personal factors are related to an individual's overall quality of life HRQoL. In Norway, a course based on cognitive behavioral principles is offered to people seeking medical treatment for weight management.

Understanding everyday life of morbidly obese adults-habits and body image.

Background: Morbid obesity is a progressive, chronic condition associated with failed attempts at change and repeated relapses.

Aim: There seems to be little previous research into the understanding of the everyday life of morbidly obese adults. We wanted to gain more knowledge about characteristics of eating habits and body image as well as motivational forces for change.

Factors associated with self-efficacy in persons with chronic illness.

Change of lifestyle may be necessary for persons with chronic illnesses in order to manage their health situation and reduce symptom distress. Success in changing lifestyle partly depends on a person's self-efficacy beliefs. This cross-sectional study explores social support, physical activity, and illness perceptions in relation to self-efficacy in a sample with morbid obesity and in a sample with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Renal recipients' educational experiences in the early post-operative phase--a qualitative study.

Renal recipients need to acquire significant amount of knowledge for their life post-transplantation. More knowledge on kidney recipients' experiences after transplantation with regard to the patient education provided is needed. Sixteen renal recipients were interviewed 4-6 weeks post-transplantation about content and methods in the patient education programme.

Nurse perceptions and experiences of patient health assets in oncology care: a qualitative study.

Health assets, a term that refers to patients' strengths and potentials, has emerged as an important aspect of health care. A conceptual analysis of health assets revealed five core dimensions: mobilization, motivational, relational, volitional, and protective strengths. How nurses experience and use patients' health assets, however, is unknown.

The visitor's regard of their need for support, comfort, information proximity and assurance in the intensive care unit.

Purpose: To describe the relationships between demographic variables and the need for support, comfort, information, proximity and assurance amongst the visitors at the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: In a cross-sectional correlational design, data were collected from March 2008 to January 2009 at a university hospital in the city of Oslo, Norway. The Critical Care Family Needs Inventory was used to collect data on the participants' perceived need for support, comfort, information, proximity and assurance.

Health assets in nursing documentation of cancer care.

Patients' experiences, knowledge and preferences, as well as more person-centered care need to be implemented in clinical support systems and are central values and outcomes of eHealth. Health assets represent such information. The concept of health assets was explored and described based on analysis of nursing documentation in cancer patients' records.