Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage                    Stress and Stay Well

Antonovsky, Aaron

doi:10.4135/9781446221129.n9

Cited by 2,251 publications

(4,452 citation statements)

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“…The interview guide was designed on the basis of the observations and the SMH (Antonovsky, 1979, 1987) and sought to identify stressors and coping mechanisms that made use of identified resources of camp dwellers and students. The first part of the guide contains background or entry questions ascertaining the respondents’ demographic characteristics.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health dynamics in camps and on campuses: stressors and coping strategies for wellbeing among labourers and students in Cameroon

Makoge

Maat

Vaandrager

et al. 2018

International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well

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Purpose: For many people living in low-income countries, poverty implies an increased exposure to conditions that threaten health and wellbeing as well as reduced capacity to maintain health. Despite the challenging conditions caused by poverty, people may consider themselves healthy because they have learned to cope with their situation probably as a result of life experiences which expose people to both challenges and potential solutions. In this paper we present results from studying health and wellbeing challenges and mechanisms to cope with challenges among two different groups of people who are living under conditions of poverty: workers of the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) and students of the university of Buea and the university of Yaoundé. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study, interviewing 21 CDC workers and 21 students. Results Our study reveals context-specific stressors emerging from poor work conditions and study pressure as well as non-context-specific stressors perceived by respondents as living conditions, poor healthcare and financial uncertainty. Respondents devised coping mechanisms to overcome exactly those stressors such as searching for additional money sources, preventive action towards hazardous living conditions and alternative medical support. Conclusion: We conclude that supporting and promoting such avenues is essential for enhanced and continuous coping with stressors.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Health dynamics in camps and on campuses: stressors and coping strategies for wellbeing among labourers and students in Cameroon

Makoge

Maat

Vaandrager

et al. 2018

International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well

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“…Sense of Coherence (SOC-13) is a questionnaire comprising 13 questions, divided into three scales relating to comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness (23), although only the total scale was used in the present study. The response alternatives are numbered 1-7, with possible responses ranging from 13 to 91.…”

Section: Instrumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Training Intervention for Health Care Staff in the Provision of Existential Support to Patients With Cancer: A Randomized, Controlled Study

Henoch

Danielson

Strang

et al. 2013

Journal of Pain and Symptom Management

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Context: When a patient receives a cancer diagnosis, existential issues become more compelling.Throughout the illness trajectory, cancer patients could be cared for on oncology wards, by home care teams or in hospices. Nurses working with these patients are sometimes aware of the patients' existential needs but do not feel confident when discussing these issues.Objectives: To determine the effects of a training intervention, where the focus is on existential issues and nurses' perceived confidence in communication and their attitude towards caring for dying patients.Methods: This was a randomised, controlled trial with a training intervention consisting of theoretical training in existential issues combined with individual and group reflection. In total, 102 nurses on oncology wards and hospice wards and in palliative home care teams were randomised to a training group or non-training group. Primary outcomes, confidence in communication and attitude towards the care of dying patients were measured at baseline, immediately after the training and five to six months after.Results: Confidence in communication improved significantly in the training group from baselinebefore the training -to both the first and second follow-up, i.e. immediately after the training and five months after. The attitude towards caring for the dying did not improve in the training group.Conclusion: This study shows that short-term training with reflection improves the confidence of healthcare staff when communicating, which is important for healthcare managers with limited resources. Further studies are needed to explore how patients experience the communication skills of healthcare staff after such training.

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“…The SOCscale, developed by Antonovsky (1987Antonovsky ( , 1993, was used to measure the overall personal disposition to manage demanding life situations. The scale measures three dimensions of sense of coherence: comprehensibility (fi ve items), manageability (four items) and meaningfulness (four items).…”

Section: Sense Of Coherence Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

Fatigue is a Prevalent and Severe Symptom Associated with Uncertainty and Sense of Coherence in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

Falk

Swedberg

Gaston‐Johansson

et al. 2007

European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing

100

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Although fatigue is a prevalent and distressing symptom in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), it is an underestimated problem in the care of patients, and consequently, insuffi ciently investigated. The primary aim of this thesis was, therefore, to advance the knowledge from the patients' perspective by describing characteristics of the fatigue experience and its consequences in daily life in patients with CHF. A secondary aim was to investigate the relationships between fatigue and selected physiological and psychological factors associated with fatigue. Both quantitative and qualitative methods have been used and three samples of patients have been interviewed on different occasions. In two of the quantitative studies 93 patients, and in another study 112 patients, consecutively included, were interviewed at the hospital. Fifteen patients were included in the qualitative study. These 15 participants were enrolled when they visited an outpatient clinic and most of them were interviewed in their homes. These interviews were supplemented with the content of an Internet discussion with persons living with CHF.The results of the studies indicated that fatigue embraces the individual's body, emotions and cognitive abilities, forcing the person to physical restrictions that, in turn, perpetuate emotional discomfort. However, the physical sensation of fatigue followed by functional limitations seemed to be the most prevalent and distressing experience in patients with CHF. The patients described fatigue as lacking strength, which was associated in connection with physical efforts and lacking energy, viewed as an annoying sensation after both mental and physical strain. Another dimension of fatigue was described as being sleepy, often with a rapid and unforeseen onset. Consequences of fatigue, such as refraining from daily chores, denying oneself opportunities for rejoice and social isolation, further exaggerated the experience of fatigue. Restorative activities that engaged, absorbed or distracted the patients counteracted these negative consequences. Depressed mood was related to those fatigue dimensions that compromised functional ability and motivation to start any activities, whereas anxiety was associated with cognitive impairment. Feelings of uncertainty were related to physical tiredness, possibly infl icted by limitations in performing activities. Symptom distress that was caused by a number of reported symptoms other than fatigue had a diminutive infl uence on fatigue and separate symptoms that were associated with fatigue were, with the exception of breathlessness, not the fi rst and most pressing symptom reported by the patients. Anemic patients reported more fatigue compared with non-anemic patients and functional status, according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classifi cation criteria, was associated with those fatigue dimensions that encompassed physical tiredness and reduced functioning.The fi ndings provide new insights on the characteristics of fatigue and its con...

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Unraveling the Mystery of Health: How People Manage Stress and Stay Well

Cited by 2,251 publications

References 0 publications

Health dynamics in camps and on campuses: stressors and coping strategies for wellbeing among labourers and students in Cameroon

Health dynamics in camps and on campuses: stressors and coping strategies for wellbeing among labourers and students in Cameroon

Training Intervention for Health Care Staff in the Provision of Existential Support to Patients With Cancer: A Randomized, Controlled Study

Fatigue is a Prevalent and Severe Symptom Associated with Uncertainty and Sense of Coherence in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure

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