BackgroundOBQ11 was developed in a Swedish context. To evaluate occupational balance, accurate self-rating instruments in the native language are needed.AimThe aim was to investigate the measurement properties of the Danish version of OBQ11, using the Rasch analysis.MethodData for the analysis of the Danish version of OBQ11 (OBQ11-DK) was gathered online, and all full data records (n 366) were included in the analysis.ResultsThree items showed non-significant marginal under- or overfit, suggesting a degree of misfit between the data and the Rasch model. Unidimensionality was not reached, though, since the proportion of persons with different estimates were more than 5% and thus the OBQ11-DK cannot be said to assess a person's perception of occupational balance.ConclusionThe present version of the OBQ11-DK shows the need for further development and testing and is not tested for test/retest or in clinical samples. The results and small number of items may after modifications and further studies make it feasible to implement OBQ11-DK into settings where the measuring of occupational balance is needed.

The study presented in this article is part of the project 'Finding Viability in Daily Life'. In the project, participant-produced photographs of situations of well-being were used in interviews. A knowledge gap was identified: media-specific aspects of photographic material used in related research were not considered. In this study, photographs taken by twelve women aged 27-54 with a stress-related illness were examined. The research questions was: How are situations of well-being visually represented in photographs produced by the participants in the project, and how are these situations described in words by the participants? The results show that a typical photograph had a balanced composition, depicted a closed space with isolated object/s situated close to the beholder, and was taken from above. Indoor settings were more dominant than outdoor ones. The outdoor settings showed an open space and horizontal depictions more often than the indoor ones. A typical photograph depicted an activity or objects related to activities. By portraying calm and manageable spaces, the photographs visually suggested that qualities like balance and control are important aspects of experiencing well-being. These qualities of spaces for experiencing well-being were confirmed in interviews with the participants and by previous studies in the project.

BACKGROUND: The Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) is a commonly used instrument for measuring self-rated occupational balance. It needs further development, and therefore an additional 11 tentative items have been developed. One aspect of this is studying the interpretations and reasoning of people responding to the items/instrument.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explore and describe how adults interpret and reason in relation to OBQ11 overall, the individual items in the instrument as well as the new tentative items.

METHOD: Cognitive interviews were conducted with eight participants varying in age, gender, living situation, education, native language, and self-reported disability. They were included using a combination of purposive and convenience sampling. The interviews were analysed using a content analysis with an inductive approach.

RESULTS: The analysis resulted in three main categories: 'Difficulties understanding the items' (with two subcategories), 'Structure of the instrument' (with four subcategories) and 'Missed perspectives in the instrument' (with four subcategories).

CONCLUSIONS: The participants considered the items and the instrument relevant for assessing occupational balance. However, the results also revealed the need for more clarifications and changed item order prior to introducing a potential new version of the instrument.

Background Occupational balance (OB) has been associated with health indicators in informal caregivers (CGs) such as well-being and subjective health. Consequently, maintaining an adequate OB could be crucial to providing adequate care without becoming overwhelmed, converting the condition of caregivers into an important aspect of public health as the ageing population increases. However, little is known about the factors influencing OB in CGs. Thus, this study aimed to explore the associated factors with the OB in CGs of persons with dementia. Methods We cross-sectionally analysed data from 134 CGs and the individuals with dementia. We assessed CGs' OB using the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ). Simultaneously, several sociodemographic, clinical, and caregiving-related variables including CGs' burden and psychological distress were assessed. The association between the CGs' OB and those factors was explored through robust multiple linear regression. Results Firstly, CGs that presented secondary education exhibited a decrement of 5.41 (CI95% = -10.62, -0.41; p-value = 0.03) OB points. Moreover, CGs with higher education experienced a more pronounced OB reduction (beta = -7.74; 95%CI = -12.19, -3.29; p-value = < 0.001). Secondly, those CGs that were retired showed an OB increment of 5.52 (CI95% = 1.14, 9.38; p-value = 0.01). Thirdly, receiving assistance with household chores was associated with an OB increase of 5.80 (CI95% = 2.21, 9.38; p-value = 0.001). Fourthly, and regarding clinical measures, CGs experiencing overload or psychological distress were associated with an OB points decrement of 7.87 (CI95% = -12.51, -3.23; p-value = 0.001) and 9.17 (CI95% =-13.51, -4.84; p-value < 0.001), respectively. Finally, 1% increment in the Disability Assessment for Dementia obtained from the individuals with dementia was associated with an increment of 0.11 (CI95% = 0.04, 0.18; p-value = 0.002) OB points. Conclusions This study identified several associated factors with the OB of CGs of persons with dementia. Specifically, we remarked that the CGs' education, employment status, household chores assistance, overload presence, psychological distress symptoms and the functional level of the person with dementia who cared for were important variables that should be considered when evaluating OB or creating OB-related interventions in CGs.

Background: The health-promoting intervention BeWell™, which includes photo-supported conversations, is intended for people with stress-related illnesses. Its focus is on improving the individual’s health and well-being by addressing what contributes to well-being from the patient’s own perspective. There is no current knowledge of the experiences of occupational therapists of using BeWell™ in primary health care. It is thus important to gain knowledge of their experiences of using this intervention as part of investigating its feasibility.

Aim: To describe the occupational therapists’ experiences of photo-supported conversations about well-being (BeWell™) with patients diagnosed with stress-related illnesses.

Material and methods: Six occupational therapists, working in primary health care, who had conducted the photo-supported conversations about well-being (BeWell™), were interviewed individually, and one focus group discussion was also conducted. Systematic text condensation was used as the analysis method.

Results: Three main themes with two to three subgroups in each were identified; Discovering well-being through images, Enhancing patient’s own efforts towards well-being, and Contributing to one’s own well-being.

Conclusions and significance: The results provide important knowledge for the continued research work with BeWell™ by investigating how the users of the intervention experienced it.

Introduction: health-promotion approaches to address stress-related exhaustion disorders, reduce personal suffering, improve coping and participation in everyday life are needed in primary care. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported health and well-being before and after an intervention focusing on well-being with photo-supported conversations (BeWellTM).

Material and methods: Eighty-one patients (69 women), 20–67 years old, with exhaustion disorders were recruited at swedish primary health care centres (PHCC) to a controlled clinical study. The intervention group (n = 40) were offered BeWell™ by therapists in addition to care as usual. Controls (n = 41) received only care as usual. The primary outcome, self-rated symptoms of exhaustion (Karolinska exhaustion disorder scale, KeDs), and secondary outcomes, anxiety and depression, sense of coherence, quality of life, occupational balance, and work ability, were assessed by validated questionnaires. Non-parametric statistical analyses were used to compare data collected directly after the treatment period with baseline measures.

Results: Demographics and self-rated baseline measures of health and well-being were comparable between the groups, apart from sick leave being more common in the intervention group. Participants in the intervention group reduced their level of exhaustion more than the control group (median difference on KEDS −9.0 vs −4.0, p = .035). However, the size of the KEDS reduction was related to baseline KEDS and, not independently associated with group assignment. Both groups improved regarding secondary outcome measures.

Conclusion: stress-related symptoms decreased considerably over the treatment period for both groups. The potential benefit of the BeWell™, which was intended to facilitate recovery, needs to be further evaluated.

Occupational balance (OB) is a subjective feeling that encompass of having the right amount of occupations and the right variation between occupations in life (Wagman et al., 2012). The purpose of the study is to translate the Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11) (Håkansson et al., 2020) into Chinese version (OBQ11-C) and to examine the psychometric properties for people with depression in Taiwan.

Objectives. This study aimed to describe work-, lifestyle-, and health-related factors among ambulance personnel, and to analyse differences between women and men.

Methods. The cross-sectional study (N = 106) included self-reported and objective measures of work, lifestyle, and health in 10 Swedish ambulance stations. The data collection comprised clinical health examination, blood samples, tests of physical capacity, and questionnaires.

Results. A high proportion of the ambulance personnel reported heavy lifting, risk of accidents, threats and violence at work. A low level of smoking and alcohol use, and a high level of leisure-time physical activity were reported. The ambulance personnel had, on average, good self-rated health, high work ability and high physical capacity. However, the results also showed high proportions with risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), e.g., high blood pressure, and high levels of blood lipids. More women than men reported high work demands. Furthermore, women performed better in tests of physical capacity and had a lower level of CVD risk factors.

Conclusions. Exposure to work-related factors that might affect health was common among ambulance personnel. Lifestyle- and health-related factors were somewhat contradictory, with a low proportion reporting lifestyle-related risk factors, but a high proportion having risk factors for CVD.

Bakgrund/Syfte

Aktivitetsbalans definieras som att: ”uppfatta livet som innehållande rätt mängd och rätt variation mellan olika aktiviteter i relation till: aktivitetskategorier, aktiviteter med olika karaktäristika samt tidsanvändning”. Aktivitetsbalans ses alltså som personens egna subjektiva upplevelse av sin mix av aktiviteter i aktivitetsmönstret oberoende av vilka aktiviteter som ingår. Baserat på denna definition utvecklades ett instrument för självskattad aktivitetsbalans (OBQ11) som är reliabilitets- och validitetstestat och avsett att användas både i praxis och forskning.

Metod/Tillvägagångssätt

Instrumentet har utvecklats stegvis. Först identifierades ett antal indikatorer på aktivitetsbalans baserat på forskning samt erfarenheter från praxis. Utifrån dessa indikatorer utvecklades ett antal påståenden som granskades av experter inom området. Baserat på deras synpunkter omformulerades och reducerades antalet påståenden. Denna första version testades med klassisk testteori. Därefter gjordes en Raschanalys och antalet påståenden reducerades till nuvarande version, OBQ11.

Resultat/Preliminärt resultat

Instrumentet består av 11 påståenden där svaren kan användas som en screening för att få en bild av hur aktivitetsbalansen ser ut. I praxis behöver OBQ11 kompletteras med en dialog för att få en större förståelse för personens aktivitetsbalans och vad som eventuellt behöver förändras för att personen ska uppleva en bättre aktivitetsbalans. Instrumentet kan också användas som uppföljning och utvärdering av interventioner i både praxis och forskning. Instrumentet självskattad aktivitetsbalans (OBQ11) ges from hösten 2022 ut av Sveriges Arbetsterapeuter.

Slutsats/Praktisk tillämpning

Instrumentet självskattad aktivitetsbalans (OBQ11) är testat i olika grupper, både i normalpopulationer och i olika diagnosgrupper och är validerat och reliabelt för dessa grupper. Det är ännu inte testat på barn och ungdomar.