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OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the effect of a person centred nurse led follow up programme on health related quality of life (HRQoL), health literacy, and general self efficacy compared with standard care for patients undergoing revascularisation for intermittent claudication (IC), and to describe factors associated with HRQoL one year after revascularisation. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a randomised controlled trial. Patients with IC scheduled for revascularisation at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden between 2016 and 2018 were randomised to intervention or control. During the first year after surgery, the intervention group received a person centred follow up programme with three visits and two telephone calls with a vascular nurse, while the control group received standard follow up with two visits to a vascular surgeon or vascular nurse. Outcomes were HRQoL measured by VascuQol-6, health literacy, and general self efficacy measured by validated questionnaires. RESULTS: Overall, 214 patients were included in the trial; this secondary analysis comprised 183 patients who completed the questionnaires. One year after revascularisation, HRQoL had improved with a mean increase in VascuQol-6 of 7.0 scale steps (95% CI 5.9 - 8.0) for the intervention and 6.0 scale steps (95% CI 4.9 - 7.0) for the control group; the difference between the groups was not significant (p = .18). In an adjusted regression analysis, the intervention was associated with higher VascuQoL-6 (2.0 scale steps, 95% CI 0.08 - 3.93). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding health literacy or general self efficacy. The prevalence of insufficient health literacy among all participants was 38.7% (46/119) at baseline and 43.2% (51/118) at one year. CONCLUSION: In this study, a person centred, nurse led follow up programme had no significant impact on HRQoL, health literacy, or general self efficacy among patients undergoing revascularisation for IC. The prev

BACKGROUND: Management of intermittent claudication should include secondary prevention to reduce the risk of cardiocerebrovascular disease. Patient adherence to secondary prevention is a challenge. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme could improve adherence to medication compared with standard care. METHODS: A non-blinded RCT was conducted at two vascular surgery centres in Sweden. Patients with intermittent claudication and scheduled for revascularization were randomized to the intervention or control (standard care) follow-up programme. The primary outcome, adherence to prescribed secondary preventive medication, was based on registry data on dispensed medication and self-reported intake of medication. Secondary outcomes were risk factors for cardiocerebrovascular disease according to the Framingham risk score. RESULTS: Some 214 patients were randomized and analysed on an intention-to-treat basis. The mean proportion of days covered (PDC) at 1 year for lipid-modifying agents was 79 per cent in the intervention and 82 per cent in the control group, whereas it was 92 versus 91 per cent for antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant agents. The groups did not differ in mean PDC (lipid-modifying P = 0.464; antiplatelets and/or anticoagulants P = 0.700) or in change in adherence over time. Self-reported adherence to prescribed medication was higher than registry-based adherence regardless of allocation or medication group (minimum P < 0.001, maximum P = 0.034). There was no difference in median Framingham risk score at 1 year between the groups. CONCLUSION: Compared with the standard follow-up programme, a person-centred, nurse-led follow-up programme did not improve adherence to secondary preventive medication. Adherence was overestimated when self-reported compared with registry-reported.

Introduction: Claudication is the most usual symptom of peripheral artery disease, it is described as painful contractions in the leg when walking and alleviated upon resting. People with claudication have an added risk of cardiocerebrovascular events, amputation, and death. Adherence to medical treatment and changes in lifestyles can lower this risk, but this secondary prevention therapy requires engagement, participation, and adherence from the patient. Objective: To explore patients’ experiences of participating in a 1-year multicentre clinical trial with two follow-up programs evaluating a nurse-led, patient-centered health-promoting programme after surgical treatment for claudication, the FASTIC study. Methods: A descriptive design with qualitative semi-structured interviews was used among participants in the FASTIC study. The study was conducted at two centres for vascular surgery in the city of Stockholm, Sweden. In all, 17 patients (nine men and eight women) who had completed the FASTIC study participated. Data was analysed using qualitative content analysis with an inductive approach. Results: Two main categories were identified, ‘Patient-Professional collaboration’ and ‘Experience of one´s health’, which were associated with four subcategories: facing opportunities and obstacles, cooperating based on the illness experience, increasing awareness of one's own health, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Conclusions: Patients' participation in follow-up programs after surgical treatment for claudication is highly valuable for an increased awareness of one's own health. A person-centered care with patient-professional collaboration is experienced as important for maintaining a health-promoting lifestyle.

OBJECTIVE: Sedentary behavior (SB) is defined as a mean of >6 hours of daytime sitting or lying down. SB has been shown to increase with older age and is a risk factor for disease. During the transition from working life to retirement, changes in daily life activities occur, risking increased SB. The aim of the present study was to gain a deeper understanding of SB in relation to the transition from working life to retirement as experienced by persons in retirement. METHODS: The study was grounded in a phenomenological life-world perspective. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants aged 64-75. Data were analyzed using the empirical phenomenological psychological method. RESULTS: The participants described that voluntary sedentary time was positively related to general health and well-being, while involuntary sedentary time was negatively related to health. Increased sedentary time was described as natural when aging. Retirement was expressed as a time for rest after hard work and the ability to choose a slower pace in life. Internal and external demands and daily routines interrupted SB, whereas loneliness was perceived to increase SB. Participants strived to find a balance between physical activity and sedentary time. The variations in the participants' descriptions formed three typologies: in light of meaningful sedentary behavior, in the shadow of involuntary sedentary behavior, and a dual process - postponing sedentary behavior with physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: Increased SB was perceived as natural when aging, but something that may be postponed by conscious choices. SB was perceived as associated with health, rest and recovery but also with the risk of deteriorating health. IMPACT: This knowledge of the experienced meaning of SB could guide the design of health promotion interventions and may be helpful in targeting those in need of support and individualizing interventions to decrease SB in retirement. LAY SUMMARY: This study

Pain is a key outcome measure in persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Improving physical and social functioning is an important treatment goal in patients with RA or PsA. High self-rated pain is linked to elevated fear-avoidance beliefs for engaging in physical activity. Some research has demonstrated that when people’s attitudes and beliefs towards pain are negative, they often have elevated levels of body awareness. Many persons with moderate to severe self-rated rheumatic pain report a desire to be part of a wider social and active context, which is perceived to be a source of positive energy and meaning in life. Patients have suggested that physical activities can mediate pain reduction and a distraction from it. During periods of solitude or episodes of sedentary behaviour, inner bodily attention in some patients with RA or PsA is often directed towards the “problematic body” and self. The perceived “untrustworthy body” has to deal with many bodily memories and emotions. Contemplating the past (the former perceived “healthy body”) may interrupt a person’s ability to live life and trying to determine a future life with an unreliable body presents concerns for future consequences. This behavioural pattern can lead to maintained negative fear-avoidant behaviour and a more inactive life-style, resulting in new negative existential meanings of loss and helplessness. Despite suffering from rheumatic pain in this way, these patients point out their desire to participate in a wider social and active context without being subject to any form of discrimination, which is perceived as the main and new source of positive energy and meaning in life. Clinical Implications: There is a common meaning of bodily intrusion and threat in persons with long-term rheumatic pain. Registered nurses can play a crucial role by helping their patients identify new understandings and cognitive meanings in relation to long-term rheumatic pain. Living a meaningf

Aims. To gain a better understanding of fear-avoidance beliefs towards physical activity and body awareness in people experiencing moderate to severe rheumatic pain. Background. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are long-term conditions with pain as the prominent symptom. Health-promoting physical activity is recommended, and can have an analgesic effect. High self-rated pain has previously been reported to be associated with increased fear-avoidance behaviour in relation to physical activity. Body awareness, which includes attentional focus and awareness of internal body sensations, could be valuable in the nursing care of long-term diseases. Design. Empirical phenomenological. Methods. An empirical phenomenological psychological method was applied. Interviews were undertaken in 2016 with 11 informants (eight females and three males, age range 44–71 years) who were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 7) or psoriatic arthritis (n = 4), with a disease duration ranging from 3–35 years. The mean visual analogue scale score in the study sample was 60 mm. Results. Three typologies were identified: “My relatively fragile physical status”, “I am an active creator” and “Part of something bigger than myself.” Conclusions. The current findings indicated that pain anticipation and fear-avoidance beliefs towards physical activity sometimes affected the behaviour of individuals with long-term rheumatic pain syndromes. People experiencing moderate to high rheumatic pain tended to focus on their fragile physical and emotional state. By adopting a more favourable attitude towards the self, the body could be restored to a state of calm and balance. Relevance to clinical practice. The current findings are relevant for healthcare professionals engaged in health-promotion clinical practice.

Focus of the first study in my doctoral thesis (dissertation Karolinska Institutet, May 2015) was a body awareness questionnaire. I used a method for cross-cultural adaptation of self-reporting measures. I initially translated a version of a body awareness questionnaire (into Swedish), and I also pretested the translated version. By using think-aloud interviews I measured the content validity. I also performed a psychometric evaluation of the Swedish translated version, trough confirmatory factor analysis (measure the construct validity). Focus of the second study was pain and fatigue in persons with rheumatoid arthritis, and focus of the third study was fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. Studies two and three were crosssectional survey studies. In study two I used univariate analysis of variance and backwards stepwise multiple regression and in study three I used univariate analysis of variance and backwards stepwise logistic regression. Focus of the forth study was body awareness in persons with rheumatoid arthritis. A phenomenological study design, using the Empirical Phenomenological Psychological (EPP) method was used. The purpose of choosing narrative interviews was that they can provide valuable information about the phenomenon (body awareness) from the patient’s perspective. The life world perspective includes the world in which we live and to which we ascribe meaning, which means that our experience is always subjective and relative. According to the method the researcher does not attempt to validate a hypothesis (nor does the researcher seek to prove theoretical constructions).

Introduction: Pain and fatigue are highly common and a major concern for persons diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Having physical limitations, which have a significant effect on daily life, is also described as a major problem for persons with RA. Research findings show that a minority of persons with RA perform maintained health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA), and that psychosocial factors seem to be the most salient and consistent factors to explain variations in HEPA. Furthermore, fear of physical activity and exercise has been described as major barriers for persons with chronic pain. The ability to notice bodily inner sensations and stimuli (body awareness, BA) is described in the literature as having either a positive or a negative impact on a person’s health and well-being. However, the concept of BA is complex and therefore greater insight into this phenomenon is needed. Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate pain, fatigue and fear-avoidance beliefs in relation to physical activity and their correlates in persons with RA. A further overall aim was to develop a psychometric measurement of BA. A final overall aim was to deepen our understanding of BA in persons with RA. Methods: Study I was a psychometric evaluation of a Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) in a student population and in adults with RA. Studies II - III were a cross-sectional survey studies in adults with RA. Study IV was a phenomenological study using the empirical phenomenological psychological (EPP) method in adults with RA. Results: In study I, the value of Cronbach's alpha coefficients for the total score in the Swedish version of the BAQ was satisfactory. According to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), neither a one-factor model nor a four-factor model tested in this study fulfilled the pre-specified criteria. In study II, pain was significantly associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and disease activity. Fatigue was sign

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity and explore how these beliefs correlate with sociodemographic, disease-specific, and psychosocial factors in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method: This cross-sectional study is part of the Physical Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis (PARA) 2010 study. The study participants (n = 2351) were identified through the Swedish Rheumatology Quality (SRQ) registries from six rheumatology clinics in Sweden. Univariate and backwards stepwise logistic regressions were performed. Results: Stepwise logistic regressions showed that male gender [odds ratio (OR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-1.91] and having a below average income (OR 1.35, 95% CI 1.12-1.63) were associated with an increased risk of high scores on the modified Fear Avoidance-Belief Questionnaire (mFABQ). The two disease-specific factors most indicative of high mFABQ scores were high level of pain (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.40-2.84) and poor health (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.10-2.29). With regard to psychosocial factors, low health-related quality of life (HRQoL; OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.35-0.55) and a low score on the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES; OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.52-0.82) were significantly associated with a high mFABQ score. The model fit was 0.27 (Nagelkerke's R(2)). Conclusions: High fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity in patients with RA were found to be associated with being male and having a below average income, a high level of pain, poor health, a low HRQoL, and low ESES score. Additional research is warranted for adults with RA to capture the multiple potential correlates to fear-avoidance beliefs about physical activity.

Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) poses physiological and psychological demands on a person. RA is a autoimmune disease that can cause pain, disability, and suffering. The ability to notice bodily inner sensations and stimuli (body awareness, BA) is described in the literature in ways that could have either a positive or a negative impact on a person's health. The concept of BA is complex and a thorough understanding is needed about what BA means from the patient's perspective. This study was therefore conducted to acquire greater insight into this phenomenon. The study is grounded in a phenomenological life-world perspective. Eighteen narrative interviews were conducted in patients (age range 23–78 years) with RA. The interviews were analyzed using the Empirical Phenomenological Psychological method. General characteristics were found running through all 18 interviews, indicating that the disease resulted in a higher degree of negatively toned BA. BA was either a reactive process of searching or controlling after disease-related symptoms or a reactive process triggered by emotions. BA was an active process of taking an inventory of abilities. All participants had the ability to shift focus from BA to the outside world. Four typologies were identified: “A reactive process on symptoms,” “A reactive process on emotional triggers,” “An active process of taking an inventory of abilities,” and “A shifting from BA to the outside world.” In conclusion, because BA can be both positively and negatively toned, health care professionals must have a good understanding of when BA is positive and when it is negative in relation to the patient. RA had caused a higher degree of negatively toned BA. Thus, the ability to shift attention from BA to activity in the outside world could sometimes be beneficial for the patient's general health., Funding: This study was funded by Sophiahemmet University, Sophiahemmet Foundation, in Stockholm.

BACKGROUND: The Reveos system (Terumo BCT) is a fully automated device able to process four whole blood (WB) units simultaneously into a plasma unit, a red blood cell (RBC) unit, and an interim platelet (PLT) unit (IPU). Multiple IPUs can be pooled to form a transfusable PLT product. The aim of our study was to evaluate the quality of components made with the Reveos system from either fresh (2-8hr) or overnight-held WB. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A prototype of the Reveos system was used to process WB. RBCs were resuspended in SAGM, leukoreduced, and assayed for in vitro quality variables during a 42-day storage period at 2 to 6 degrees C. Twenty-four-hour in vivo recovery was determined on Day42. Plasma was assayed for cellular contamination and activation variables. IPUs were pooled with SSP+ additive solution for in vitro quality assessments during a 7-day storage period at room temperature. RESULTS: Reveos-produced RBCs and plasma units met the predefined requirements. RBC recovery was superior to control units. On Day42, hemolysis was below 0.8% and in vivo recovery was above 75% for all RBCs. Cellular contamination was lower for Reveos-produced plasma. PLT yield was higher with overnight-stored WB. PLT quality was well maintained during storage with no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion: Blood components prepared with the Reveos from fresh or overnight-held WB meet quality criteria without any relevant difference between the two groups. The Reveos system has the potential to increase efficacy and standardization of blood component preparation.

Background: Patients and clinicians report pain and fatigue as key outcome measures in rheumatoid arthritis. Fatigue and pain are a major concern to patients. Aim: The objective of this study was to examine fatigue and pain in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to investigate the association between pain and fatigue with body awareness, demographic, disease-related, emotional and psychosocial factors. Method: Data were collected from a sample of patients with RA (n= 120) recruited from a Rheumatology clinic in a large university hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. Eligible for inclusion were patients between 20 -80 years of age and with a confirmed diagnosis of RA. Fatigue was measured using the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) scale, while the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to assess components of pain. A multiple stepwise regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors related to fatigue and pain. In the first step a univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for all relevant independent factors. In the next step backwards stepwise regression was applied. Result: Fatigue was significantly associated with the Disease Activity Score 28-joints (DAS 28) (p = 0.049), the Body Awareness Questionnaire (BAQ) (p = 0.006), the Positive Affect (PA) scale (p = 0.008) and no smoking (p = 0.021). Pain was significantly associated with the EuroQol EQ-5D (p = 0.008) and the DAS 28 (p = 0.001). The adjusted R-square was 28.6% for fatigue and 50.0% for pain. Conclusion: This study clearly demonstrates that fatigue and pain in patients with RA appear to be associated with disease-related factors. Furthermore, fatigue was related to body awareness and emotional factors, and pain was related to health related quality of life.

Aim This paper is a report of the development and psychometric testing of the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire to measure bodily focus of attention. Background The Body Awareness Questionnaire has been identified as an instrument with excellent psychometric properties within the concept of body awareness. It has been used in both research and clinical settings in different contexts. However, a validated Swedish version is not available. Method A cross-sectional design was applied for adaptation of the Body Awareness Questionnaire and psychometric validation. Data were collected between autumn 2009 and spring 2011 from 120 patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and from 120 students. The concurrent think aloud' method was used in a pre-test to determine the usability of the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha was used to test the internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the construct validity. Results According to the confirmatory factor analysis, neither the one-factor model nor the four-factor model tested in this study fulfilled the pre-specified criteria in accordance with the Comparative Fit Index, Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual and the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation. The value of Cronbach's alpha for the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire was satisfactory. Conclusion Our results indicate that the two models tested in this study do not provide a good fit to the observed data. Further refinement and testing of the Swedish version of the Body Awareness Questionnaire is therefore required. The concept of body awareness may be useful in the management of chronic disease and can be addressed in nursing., AuthorCount:5;[SUBSaboonchi, Fredrik]Stockholm Univ, S-10691 Stockholm, Sweden

Bacteria in platelet components (PC) may result in transfusion-related sepsis (TRS). Pathogen inactivation of PC with amotosalen (A-PC) can abrogate the risk of TRS and hence facilitate storage to 7 d. A randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of A-PC stored for 6-7 d was conducted. Patients were randomized to receive one transfusion of conventional PC (C-PC) or A-PC stored for 6-7 d. The primary endpoint was the 1 h corrected count increment (CCI) with an acceptable inferiority of 30%. Secondary endpoints included 1- and 24-h count increment (CI), 24-h CCI, time to next PC transfusion, red blood cell (RBC) use, bleeding and adverse events. 101 and 100 patients received A-PC or C-PC respectively. The ratio of 1-h CCI (A-PC:C-PC) was 0 center dot 87 (95% confidence interval: 0 center dot 73, 1 center dot 03) demonstrating non-inferiority (P = 0 center dot 007), with respective mean 1-h CCIs of 8163 and 9383; mean 1-h CI was not significantly different. Post-transfusion bleeding and RBC use were not significantly different (P = 0 center dot 44, P = 0 center dot 82 respectively). Median time to the next PC transfusion after study PC was not significantly different between groups: (2 center dot 2 vs. 2 center dot 3 d, P = 0 center dot 72). Storage of A-PCs for 6-7 d had no impact on platelet efficacy.

a part of Sophia Step Study