This paper presents evidence from a heterogeneous sample of 440 Spanish adults, for the reliability and validity of a European Spanish version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), designed to measure the degree to which situations in one's life are appraised as stressful. The European Spanish version PSS (14-item) demonstrated adequate reliability (internal consistency, α = .81, and test-retest, r = .73), validity (concurrent), and sensitivity. Additional data indicate adequate reliability (α = .82, test-retest, r = .77), validity, and sensitivity of a 10-item short version of the PSS. Keywords: PSS, psychometric properties, Spanish, Spain, perceived stressEl presente articulo demuestra la fiabilidad y la validez de la versión española de la Escala de Estrés Percibido (PSS en el original) a partir del estudio de las propiedades psicométricas de la escala en una muestra heterogénea de 440 adultos españoles. La PSS fue diseñada para medir el grado en que las situaciones en la vida se valoran como estresantes. La versión española de la PSS (14-ítems) demostró una adecuada fiabilidad (consistencia interna, α = .81, y test-retest, r = .73), validez (concurrente), y sensibilidad.Datos adicionales indicaron una fiabilidad (α = .82, test-retest, r = .77), validez, y sensibilidad adecuadas también para la versión corta de 10-ítems (PSS-10).

OBJETIVO: O "Cuestionario para la Evaluación de la Adhesión al Tratamiento Antiretroviral" é um instrumento auto-aplicável para a identificação do grau de adesão ao tratamento anti-retroviral em pacientes com infecção pelo HIV. O objetivo do estudo foi de traduzir, adaptar e validar o questionário para seu uso no Brasil. MÉTODOS: O questionário foi traduzido do original em espanhol ao português, utilizando o processo de tradução-retradução (espanhol/português/espanhol), seguido de avaliação verbal da compreensão com um pequeno grupo de pacientes. Foram estudadas as propriedades psicométricas do instrumento em uma amostra de 59 pacientes com infecção pelo HIV em tratamento anti-retroviral. Os pacientes foram avaliados em centro especializado no atendimento de pacientes infectados pelo HIV ou com Aids, em Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, entre os meses de junho a novembro de 2005. Para o processo de validação do instrumento foram analisados os indicadores de consistência interna, validez relacionada a um critério externo, sensibilidade e especificidade. RESULTADOS: A análise dos resultados permitiu identificar uma adequada confiabilidade do questionário (alfa=0,64) e validade relacionada a um critério externo (carga viral; r=-0,48; p<0,001). Também observou-se adequada sensibilidade (79,2%) e especificidade (57,1%) do questionário para a detecção entre indivíduos com carga viral indetectável e detectável. CONCLUSÕES: A versão em português do Questionário para Avaliação da Adesão ao Tratamento Anti-retroviral mostrou ser útil, confiável e válida para a avaliação do grau de adesão ao tratamento anti-retroviral em pacientes com infecção pelo HIV.

Patients with congenital hemophilia require lifelong replacement therapy with a clotting factor concentrate: factor (F) VIII in hemophilia A and FIX in hemophilia B (1). However, patients can develop inhibitors to these exogenous factors, resulting in the most serious treatment related complication in hemophilia (2, 3). Once inhibitors have developed, it is more challenging to achieve hemostasis than in non-inhibitor patients. Furthermore , the presence of inhibitors has a major impact on patients' physical functioning, quality of life, morbidity , and mortality (4-6). In patients with high-titer inhibitors [ ‡5 Bethesda units (BU)], immune tolerance induction (ITI) aims to eradicate anamnestic inhibitors and restore normal responses to replacement therapy. The process of ITI involves regular infusion of FVIII or FIX concentrate with the goal Abstract For hemophilia patients with inhibitors, immune tolerance induction (ITI) may help to restore clinical response to factor (F) VIII or FIX concentrates. Several ITI regimens and protocols exist; however, despite 30 yr of progressive investigation, the ITI evidence base relies mainly on observational data. Expert opinion, experience, and interpretation of the available evidence are therefore valuable to support clinical decision-making. At the Sixth Zü rich Haemophilia Forum, an expert panel considered recent data and consensus to distill key practice points relating to ITI. The panel supported current recommendations that, where feasible, ITI should be offered early to children and adults (ideally £5 yr of inhibitor detection) when inhibitor titers are <10 Bethesda units (BU) and should be stopped when successful tolerance is achieved. For hemophilia A inhibitor patients, ITI can be founded on recombinant FVIII at high doses. The panel considered that patients with a high bleeding frequency should be offered additional prophylaxis with a bypassing agent. For patients with hemophilia B, there may be a benefit of genetic testing to indicate the risk for inhibitors. ITI is often less effective and associated with a greater risk of side effects in these patients. For high-titer inhibitor (‡5 BU) hemophilia B patients, the panel advised that bypassing agents could be offered on demand in addition to ITI. Within future ITI regimens, there may be a role for additional immunosuppressant therapies. Participants agreed that research is needed to find alternatives to ITI therapy that offer durable and sustained effects and reduced rates of complications.

No abstract

No abstract

The CEAT-VIH has been used for a variety of individuals of different ages, sex, socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. It has been a reliable and valid tool in measuring adherence to HIV treatment among different samples, and has been used with a wide range of study populations and countries (i.e., Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania and Spain). Encouraging data reported here may allow the recommendation of the CEAT-VIH as a valuable measure to use in HIV adherence research, especially in countries where the questionnaire already has available psychometric evidence.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the state of the art in measuring quality of life in haemophila populations. The paper reviews the measures recently included in haemophila trials in the published literature. It also summarizes the development of four new disease-specific measures of health-related quality of life. Two of these were developed for children (the Haemo-QoL and the CHO-KLAT), and two for adults (the Hemofilia-QoL and the Hemolatin-QoL). These new measures show promise for use in clinical trials. Further research is in progress to complete the psychometric testing and cross-cultural validation.

Although there is a worldwide interest in the assessment of health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) in haemophilia patients, no non-disease specific instruments (for adults) are readily available. In this paper, a haemophilia-specific quality-of-life assessment measure for adults (the Hemofilia-QoL questionnaire) has been developed and tested for psychometric properties in 121 adults with haemophilia living in Spain. The Hemofilia-QoL questionnaire is a self-report modular instrument that assesses nine relevant HRQoL domains for patients with haemophilia (e.g. physical health, daily activities, joint damage, pain, treatment satisfaction, treatment difficulties, emotional functioning, mental health, relationships and social activity). Psychometric examination involved the assessment of data quality, scaling assumptions, reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity (concurrent; external clinical criterion and sensitivity). The Hemofilia-QoL 36-item version questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency and retest reliability values. The questionnaire shows excellent concurrent validity (with the SF-36 Health Survey) and external clinical criterion validity (haemophilia clinical status) and sensitivity (health status changes) as well. The Hemofilia-QoL is now available for adult assessment and is ready for use in clinical research in Spain.