TY - JOUR A1 - Dür, M. A1 - Steiner, G. A1 - Stoffer, M.A. A1 - Fialka-Moser, V. A1 - Kautky-Willer, A. A1 - Dejaco, C. A1 - Ekmekcioglu, C. A1 - Prodinger, Birgit A1 - Binder, A. A1 - Smolen, J. A1 - Stamm, T. A. T1 - Initial evidence for the link between activities and health: Associations between a balance of activities, functioning and serum levels of cytokines and C-reactive protein JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology N2 - Growing evidence shows interrelations of psychological factors, neurological and immunological processes. Therefore, constructs like a balance of activities, the so called “occupational balance”, could also have biological correlates. The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between occupational balance, functioning, cytokines and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients suffering from a chronic inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy people. Moreover, we wanted to explore potential differences in gender and employment status. A descriptive study in patients with RA and healthy people was conducted using the Occupational Balance-Questionnaire (OB-Quest) and the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Serum levels of cytokines, such as interleukin 6 (IL-6) and 8 (IL-8), interferon alpha (INFα), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), rheumatoid factor (RF) and of CRP were measured. Descriptive statistics, as well as Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearmen's rank correlation coefficients (rs) were calculated. One-hundred-thirty-two patients with RA and 76 healthy people participated. Occupational balance was associated with functioning, cytokines and CRP. The strongest associations were identified in the unemployed healthy-people sample with cytokines and CRP being within the normal range. For example, the OB-Quest item challenging activities was associated with IL-8 (rs = − 0.63, p = 0.04) and the SF-36 sub-scale bodily pain was associated with IFNα (rs = − 0.69, p = 0.02). The items rest and sleep (rs = − 0.71, p = 0.01) and variety of different activities (rs = − 0.74, p < 0.01) correlated with the SF-36 sub-scale social functioning. Employed and unemployed people differed in their age and CRP levels. Additionally, gender differences were found in two OB-Quest items in that fewer women were able to adapt their activities to changing living conditions and fewer men were overstressed. In conclusion, we found preliminary biological evidence for the link between occupation and health in that the concepts encompassed in the construct of occupational balance were associated with functioning, cytokines and CRP. KW - Autoimmune disease KW - Psychoneuroendocrinology KW - Inflammatory markers KW - Occupational balance KW - Measure KW - Immunology Y1 - 2016 UR - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.12.015 VL - 65 SP - 138 EP - 148 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dür, M. A1 - Steiner, G. A1 - Fialka-Moser, V. A1 - Kautzky-Willer, A. A1 - Dejaco, C. A1 - Prodinger, Birgit A1 - Stoffer, M. A. A1 - Binder, A. A1 - Smolen, J. A1 - Stamm, T.A. T1 - Development of a new occupational balance-questionnaire: incorporating the perspectives of patients and healthy people in the design of a self-reported occupational balance outcome instrument JF - Health and Quality of Life Outcomes N2 - Background Self-reported outcome instruments in health research have become increasingly important over the last decades. Occupational therapy interventions often focus on occupational balance. However, instruments to measure occupational balance are scarce. The aim of the study was therefore to develop a generic self-reported outcome instrument to assess occupational balance based on the experiences of patients and healthy people including an examination of its psychometric properties. Methods We conducted a qualitative analysis of the life stories of 90 people with and without chronic autoimmune diseases to identify components of occupational balance. Based on these components, the Occupational Balance-Questionnaire (OB-Quest) was developed. Construct validity and internal consistency of the OB-Quest were examined in quantitative data. We used Rasch analyses to determine overall fit of the items to the Rasch model, person separation index and potential differential item functioning. Dimensionality testing was conducted by the use of t-tests and Cronbach’s alpha. Results The following components emerged from the qualitative analyses: challenging and relaxing activities, activities with acknowledgement by the individual and by the sociocultural context, impact of health condition on activities, involvement in stressful activities and fewer stressing activities, rest and sleep, variety of activities, adaptation of activities according to changed living conditions and activities intended to care for oneself and for others. Based on these, the seven items of the questionnaire (OB-Quest) were developed. 251 people (132 with rheumatoid arthritis, 43 with systematic lupus erythematous and 76 healthy) filled in the OB-Quest. Dimensionality testing indicated multidimensionality of the questionnaire (t = 0.58, and 1.66 after item reduction, non-significant). The item on the component rest and sleep showed differential item functioning (health condition and age). Person separation index was 0.51. Cronbach’s alpha changed from 0.38 to 0.57 after deleting two items. Conclusions This questionnaire includes new items addressing components of occupational balance meaningful to patients and healthy people which have not been measured so far. The reduction of two items of the OB-Quest showed improved internal consistency. The multidimensionality of the questionnaire indicates the need for a summary of several components into subscales. KW - Qualitative research KW - Rasch analysis KW - Occupational science KW - Patient perspective Y1 - 2014 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/1477-7525-12-45 VL - 12 SP - 45 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Dür, M. A1 - Binder, A. A1 - Sadloňová, M. A1 - Haider, S. A1 - Stoffer, M. A1 - Smolen, J. A1 - Dejaco, C. A1 - Kautzky-Willer, A. A1 - Prodinger, Birgit A1 - Fialka-Moser, V. A1 - Lovelock, L. A1 - Stamm, T.A. T1 - UPDATE: Life stories and laboratory parameters - the FWF funded GOBI study JF - Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift KW - GOBI study Y1 - 2012 IS - 12 SP - 10 EP - 13 ER -