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Abstract Background Aims were to examine gender differences in patients with gout with regard to a) self-reported gout severity, b) illness perceptions (IP), c) impact on daily activities and Quality of Life (QoL), d) advice from healthcare professionals, e) having changed dietary- or alcohol habits. Methods Adult patients with gout identified in primary and secondary care in Sweden between 2015 and 2017 (n = 1589) were sent a questionnaire about demographics, gout disease severity, IP (using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, (B-IPQ)) and disease management. T-tests, Chi square tests, ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) and linear regression models were used for gender comparisons. Results Eight hundred sixty-eight patients responded to the questionnaire. Women, n = 177 (20%), experienced more severe gout symptoms (p = 0.011), albeit similar frequencies of flares compared to men. Women experienced modest but significantly worse IP with regard to consequences, identity, concerns and emotional response (p

Background: Aims were to examine gender differences in patients with gout with regard to a) self-reported gout severity, b) illness perceptions (IP), c) impact on daily activities and Quality of Life (QoL), d) advice from healthcare professionals, e) having changed dietary- or alcohol habits. Methods: Adult patients with gout identified in primary and secondary care in Sweden between 2015 and 2017 (n = 1589) were sent a questionnaire about demographics, gout disease severity, IP (using the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, (B-IPQ)) and disease management. T-tests, Chi square tests, ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA) and linear regression models were used for gender comparisons. Results: Eight hundred sixty-eight patients responded to the questionnaire. Women, n = 177 (20%), experienced more severe gout symptoms (p = 0.011), albeit similar frequencies of flares compared to men. Women experienced modest but significantly worse IP with regard to consequences, identity, concerns and emotional response (p < 0.05) as well as daily activities such as sleeping (p < 0.001) and walking (p = 0.042) and QoL (p = 0.004). Despite this and a higher frequency of obesity in women (38 vs 21%, P < 0.001) and alcohol consumption in men (p < 0.001), obese women had received significantly less advice regarding weight reduction (47 vs 65%, p = 0.041) compared to obese men. On the other hand, women reported having acted on dietary advice to a larger degree. Conclusions: Despite only modestly worse gout severity and perception, women appear to have been given less information regarding self-management than men. These gender differences should be given attention and addressed in clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Diabetes is burdensome to African Americans, who are twice as likely to be diagnosed, more likely to develop complications and are at a greater risk for death and disability than non-Hispanic whites. Medication adherence interventions are sometimes ineffective for African Americans because their unique illness perceptions are not adequately addressed. The Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) that assesses illness perceptions has shown reliability and validity problems when used with African Americans. Thus, the study objective was to adapt the IPQ-R for African Americans and assess the validity and reliability of the culturally adapted questionnaire. Methods The parent study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, to explore African Americans’ illness perceptions qualitatively, used the results to adapt the IPQ-R, and tested the culturally adapted IPQ-R items quantitatively. In this paper, a preliminary culturally adapted IPQ-R refined based on the qualitative study, was administered to 170 middle-aged United States-based African Americans with type 2 diabetes in a face-to-face survey. Content, construct, convergent, and predictive validity, including reliability was examined. Pearson and item-total correlations, item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and test-retest were conducted. Results A revised culturally adapted IPQ-R was identified with a 9-factor structure and was distinct from the old factor structure of the original IPQ-R. The ‘consequences’ domain from the IPQ-R occurred as two factors (external and internal consequences) while the ‘emotional representations’ domain in the IPQ-R emerged as separate ‘present’ and ‘future’ emotional representation factors. Illness coherence’ was differently conceptualized as ‘illness interpretations’ to capture additional culturally adapted items within this domain. Most items had factor loadings greater than 0.4, with moderate factor score correlations. Necessity and concern beliefs in medicines significantly correlated with domains of the culturally adapted IPQ-R. Pearson’s correlation values were not greater than 0.7, indicating good convergent validity. The culturally adapted IPQ-R significantly predicted medication adherence. None of the correlation values were higher than 0.7 for the test-retest, indicating moderate reliability. Most domains of the culturally adapted IPQ-R had Cronbach’s alpha values higher than 0.7, indicating good internal consistency. Conclusions The results provide preliminary support for the validity of the culturally adapted IPQ-R in African Americans with diabetes, showing good construct, convergent and predictive validity, as well as reliability.

Background: Diabetes is burdensome to African Americans, who are twice as likely to be diagnosed, more likely to develop complications and are at a greater risk for death and disability than non-Hispanic whites. Medication adherence interventions are sometimes ineffective for African Americans because their unique illness perceptions are not adequately addressed. The Illness Perception Questionnaire-Revised (IPQ-R) that assesses illness perceptions has shown reliability and validity problems when used with African Americans. Thus, the study objective was to adapt the IPQ-R for African Americans and assess the validity and reliability of the culturally adapted questionnaire.Methods: The parent study used an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, to explore African Americans' illness perceptions qualitatively, used the results to adapt the IPQ-R, and tested the culturally adapted IPQ-R items quantitatively. In this paper, a preliminary culturally adapted IPQ-R refined based on the qualitative study, was administered to 170 middle-aged United States-based African Americans with type 2 diabetes in a face-to-face survey. Content, construct, convergent, and predictive validity, including reliability was examined. Pearson and item-total correlations, item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, and test-retest were conducted.Results: A revised culturally adapted IPQ-R was identified with a 9-factor structure and was distinct from the old factor structure of the original IPQ-R. The 'consequences' domain from the IPQ-R occurred as two factors (external and internal consequences) while the 'emotional representations' domain in the IPQ-R emerged as separate 'present' and 'future' emotional representation factors. Illness coherence' was differently conceptualized as 'illness interpretations' to capture additional culturally adapted items within this domain. Most items had factor loadings greater than 0.4, with moderate factor score correlations. Necessity and concern beliefs in medicines significantly correlated with domains of the culturally adapted IPQ-R. Pearson's correlation values were not greater than 0.7, indicating good convergent validity. The culturally adapted IPQ-R significantly predicted medication adherence. None of the correlation values were higher than 0.7 for the test-retest, indicating moderate reliability. Most domains of the culturally adapted IPQ-R had Cronbach's alpha values higher than 0.7, indicating good internal consistency.Conclusions: The results provide preliminary support for the validity of the culturally adapted IPQ-R in African Americans with diabetes, showing good construct, convergent and predictive validity, as well as reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A modified IPQ-R reliably assesses beliefs about depression's causes and treatment. • A formal model test confirms environmental, biologic, and personal causal dimensions. • Environmental and biologic causal beliefs predict the endorsement of formal treatment. • Attribution to personal attributes is inversely related to treatment endorsement. • These beliefs may influence the experience of depression and treatment decisions. There is reason to expect beliefs about depression's causes and treatment to influence use of psychotherapy, but the literature is marked by theoretical, methodological, and empirical inconsistencies. This study assessed the factorial validity of measures of beliefs about depression's causes and formal treatment versus self-management. It also tested the links of causal attributions to general treatment/self-management beliefs and endorsement of specific interventions. The revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) adapted for depression was administered online to a non-patient, U.S. sample (N = 319). Confirmatory factor analyses yielded three causal dimensions, Environmental Stressors, Biological Factors, and Personal Attributes, and two control dimensions, (Formal) Treatment and Personal. Both models fit irrespective of whether respondents believed they had ever experienced depression. A structural equation model (SEM) showed a positive relationship for Environmental and Biological attributions, and an inverse relationship for Personal attributions, in predicting general preferences for Formal Treatment. A second SEM, focusing on specific interventions, linked Environmental causation to endorsement of psychotherapy, dietary changes, and self-help, and Biological causation to endorsement of medication and exercise, with Personal causation inversely associated with endorsement of psychotherapy. A cross-sectional, correlational design precludes causal inferences. Potential sociocultural influences were not assessed. Modifications to the IPQ-R suggested by this study improved its psychometric properties, validated its distinction between Treatment and Personal Control beliefs, and supported examination of both general and specific beliefs about ways to deal with depression. Relationships linking cause and treatment beliefs warrant further investigation as potential intervention targets to increase treatment utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study verifies whether the open-ended question of the B-IPQ can collect causal attributions of patients with cardiac diseases, define the more frequent causal attributions reported, classify them and describe the relation between the classification of the causes and patients’ characteristics. Design: A group of 2011 patients with cardiac diseases was recruited during the first week of cardiac rehabilitation. Primary outcome measures: Every participant filled in the B-IPQ and the HADS. The qualitative and quantitative analyses of the text using T-LAB identified the most frequent causal attributions and their co-occurrences. Results: Among the patients, 26% did not recognise any causal attribution. The likelihood that the patients did not provide an answer was increased in older patients, females, patients with lower levels of education and higher levels of depression. Smoking and stress emerged as the most important attributions, followed by genetics, metabolic syndrome, work and nutrition. Four thematic clusters were identified: ‘work and stress’, ‘metabolic syndrome and hypertension’, ‘displeasures and body care’ and ‘heredity and other related diseases’. Conclusions: This study suggests a classification of the causal attributions in patients with cardiac diseases and identifies thematic patterns and unknown attributions. The themes identified can serve as categories for future closed-ended questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Causal illness attributions influence how individuals cope with somatic symptoms and illnesses. Dimensions of causal symptom attributions have been examined in Western cultures with the subscale 'causes' of the revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R). Some previous studies have identified a stronger somatic attribution style in Asian patients. In this study it was examined if the factorial structure of causal attributions identified in Western populations can be identified in a large Chinese sample of patients presenting with somatic symptoms. We recruited 665 patients aged at least 18 who were visiting the hospital for reasons of treatment from departments of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), neurology (Biomedicine), and psychosomatic medicine in six hospitals across China. All subjects completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and the causes subscale of the IPQ-R. We split the data-set by chance in two parts. On the first subsample, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to check the fit of the originally proposed 4-factor structure and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The factor structure indentified in the EFA was rechecked with a CFA in the second subsample. The originally proposed 4-factor-model of the IPQ-R subscale causes showed no adequate fit in the first subsample. The EFA revealed two factors, psychological attributions and risk factors. The CFA in the second sample showed mediocre fit indices (RMSEA = .098, CFI = .923). For the Chinese sample we propose a two-factor structure for IPQ-R causes scale. As in other studies, we identified the relatively stable factor psychological attributions, indicating no fundamental differences in illness attributions between Western and Chinese samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim was to assess the association between cognitive and emotional symptom representations prior to diagnosis and the length of the patient interval (i.e. the time from the first symptom is experienced until healthcare is sought) for colorectal cancer patients.Method: The study population included 436 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients. Questionnaire data were collected using the Danish Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R), including cognitive and emotional symptom representations and information on the patient interval.Results: High score in treatment control was associated with short patient interval (PR = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31-0.89) and high score on the timeline cyclical dimension was associated with long patient interval (PR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.29-3.57). Hence, patients with negative beliefs about the treatability of their symptoms and patients with strong beliefs about the cyclical nature of their symptoms were more likely to have a long patient interval. Assigning blood in stool as the most important symptom significantly interacted in the association between the patient interval and the two cognitive symptom representations consequence and personal control.Conclusion: The results indicate that aspects of symptom representations were associated with the patient's help-seeking.Practical Implications: These findings may help clinicians and public health planners shorten patient intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following review presents an analysis of the construct of perception of illness base don Leventhal's health model. Historical framework and, different health models, original and different versions of the "Illness Perception Questionnaire" and its different versions are reviewed. To finish an analysis of the results found in various researches is carried out with mental health patients and those diagnosed with chronic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine representations of alcohol problems in patients and their significant others and investigate the impact of divergent beliefs on relationship quality, significant other distress and treatment attendance. Representations of alcohol problems in patients (n = 49) admitted to an alcohol treatment clinic and their significant others (n = 49) were examined using revised versions of the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ). Dissimilarity scores were calculated. Relationship quality was measured using expressed and perceived negative feelings scales and significant other distress was measured using a shortened version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). Significant other representations of alcohol problems were found to be associated with patient-significant other relationship quality. Dissimilar beliefs in patients and significant others were important for both (a) entry into aftercare and (b) subsequent number of aftercare groups attended, after age and severity of dependency had been controlled for. These results demonstrate the importance of the role of significant other and divergent beliefs, and highlight the need for more emphasis on the social environment in the treatment of alcohol problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) measures individuals' unique perceptions of their illness. While psychometric properties of the IPQ-R have been demonstrated in many disease populations, its content validity has not been extensively studied in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD). Unique features of CKD (e.g., few symptoms in early stages) may impact the measurement of illness perceptions. The purpose of this study was to explore the IPQ-R content validity in a sample of CKD patients., Methods: Thirty-one participants completed the IPQ-R and were interviewed regarding their subscale scores (timeline, consequences, personal control, treatment control, coherence, cyclical, and emotions). Participants' agreement with their scores was tallied and assessed qualitatively for themes related to the content validity of the measure., Results: Individual participant agreement with their subscale scores averaged 79% (range: 29-100%). Subscale agreement varied: timeline (100%), consequences, coherence, and emotion (83% each), cyclical (75%), personal control (65%), and treatment control (64%). A qualitative exploration of disagreement responses revealed concerns with the relevance and comprehensibility of personal control and treatment control., Conclusions: Some IPQ-R subscales may pose content validity concerns in the non-dialysis CKD population. Item modification for comprehensibility (personal control) and relevance (treatment control) should be considered. Future studies should explore the impact of a patient's symptom experience on IPQ-R validity, especially in populations like CKD with a higher proportion of asymptomatic patients.

Health beliefs, and especially illness representations, have been widely used to understand clinical outcomes and psychosocial adjustment in people with physical diseases. However, this area of research has been under-explored in the field of mental health, and the few studies that have been conducted have used very different methods. Therefore, the aim of our study was to identify the tools and methods that have been used to evaluate illness representations in psychiatry. To this end, a mini review has been conducted and 58 articles were retained. This mini review highlights that the quantitative method is the most used, and that the scales mobilised are often adapted for the study, but not validated. Indeed, multiple modifications and adaptations have been made by the authors (e.g. deletion of subscales, addition of items), which lead to questions about the reliability of what is measured. In the future, it is essential to have a validated generic tool for mental disorders, which could be based on the Illness perceptions questionnaire for schizophrenia., (Copyright © 2021 L'Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)