Validation and internal consistency of the Swedish version of the Valued Life Activities scale.

Objective: The objective was to create a linguistically and culturally validated Swedish version of the Valued Life Activities scale. The aim was also to describe its content and concurrent validity and its internal consistency in persons with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: The Valued Life Activities scale was translated to Swedish and culturally adapted.

How are the activity and participation aspects of the ICF used? Examples from studies of people with intellectual disability.

Introduction: Interdisciplinary differences regarding understanding the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) concepts activity/participation may hinder its unifying purpose. In the ICF model, functioning (and disability) is described as a tripartite concept: 1) Body structures/functions, 2) Activities, and 3) Participation. Activities refer to an individual perspective on disability that does not tally with the basic structure of social models.

Simplified bipartite concepts of functioning and disability recommended for interdisciplinary use of the ICF.

Purpose: To argue for and propose bipartite concepts of functioning and disability, to tally with the structure of the ICF classification list, concepts of social models and clinical needs.

Method: The ICF concepts are discussed in relation to the history of ideas regarding disability concepts and the needs for such concepts in interdisciplinary rehabilitation.

Results: Bipartite concepts are presented; they refer to actual functioning, simply body functions/structures and participation, including functioning in standardized environments.

Dilemmas of participation in everyday life in early rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative interview study (The Swedish TIRA Project).

Purpose: To explore the experiences of today's patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with respect to dilemmas of everyday life, especially regarding patterns of participation restrictions in valued life activities.

Methods: A total of 48 patients, aged 20-63, three years post-RA diagnosis were interviewed using the Critical Incident Technique. Transcribed interviews were condensed into meaningful units describing actions/situations.

Emotions related to participation restrictions as experienced by patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative interview study (the Swedish TIRA project).

Psychological distress is a well-known complication in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but knowledge regarding emotions and their relationship to participation restrictions is scarce. The objective of the study was to explore emotions related to participation restrictions by patients with early RA. In this study, 48 patients with early RA, aged 20-63 years, were interviewed about participation restrictions using the critical incident technique.

Important aspects of participation and participation restrictions in people with a mild intellectual disability.

Purpose: This study explored a possibility to assess the concepts of participation and participation restrictions in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by combining self-ratings of the perceived importance with the actual performance of different everyday activities in people with a mild intellectual disability.

Method: Structured interviews regarding 68 items from the ICF activity/participation domain were conducted (n = 69). The items were ranked by perceived importance, performance and by combined measures.

Participation in work in early rheumatoid arthritis: a qualitative interview study interpreted in terms of the ICF.

Purpose: To explore what work-related dilemmas are experienced by patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to their own descriptions, and to interpret this in terms of participation categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Method: In 48 patients with early RA, qualitative interviews were analyzed, followed by linking of concepts to the activity/participation component of the ICF and interpretation of general themes.

Results: Work-related dilemmas represented different societal perspectives on work related to acquiring, keeping and terminating a job, self-employment, part-time, full-time and non-remunerative employment.

International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health categories explored for self-rated participation in Swedish adolescents and adults with a mild intellectual disability.

Objective: To explore internal consistency and correlations between perceived ability, performance and perceived importance in a preliminary selection of self-reported items representing the activity/participation component of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).

Design: Structured interview study.

Subjects: Fifty-five Swedish adolescents and adults with a mild intellectual disability.

Factors related to fatigue in women and men with early rheumatoid arthritis: the Swedish TIRA study.

Objective: To study whether there are differences between women and men with regard to the reported level of fatigue, to explore the strength of the relations between fatigue and disease activity, pain, sleep disturbance, mental health, and activity limitation in early rheumatoid arthritis, and to explore the consistency of such findings.

Design: Analyses and comparisons of cross-sectional data.

Subjects: Two hundred and seventy-six patients, 191 women and 85 men, with early rheumatoid arthritis were included.

Problematic aspects of faecal incontinence according to the experience of adults with spina bifida.

Objective: To describe problematic aspects of faecal incontinence according to the experience of adults with spina bifida.

Design: Qualitative interview study.

Subjects: Eleven adults with spina bifida and bowel problems.

The long-term impact of torture on the mental health of war-wounded refugees: findings and implications for nursing programmes.

Today, nurses from many disciplines are expected to provide nursing care to refugees severely traumatized in war and conflict. The general aim of this study was to explore the long-term impact of torture on the mental health of war-wounded refugees. The study group consisted of 22 tortured and 22 nontortured male refugees who had been injured in war.

The mental health of war-wounded refugees: an 8-year follow-up.

The complex nature of recent wars and armed conflicts has forced many war-injured persons into exile. To investigate their long-term mental health, three instruments for assessing mental health (HSCL-25, PTSS-10, and a Well-Being scale) were presented to 44 war-wounded refugees from nine different countries 8 years after arrival in Sweden. The prevalence of psychiatric symptoms was high and corresponds to findings in previous studies of refugee patient populations.