Kari Hansen Berg

• Robstad, Anja Nastasja; Paulsen, Anita; Vistad, Ingvild; Hott, Alexandra Christine; Berg, Kari Hansen & Øgård-Repål, Anita [Vis alle 9 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2024). Experiences of pain communication in endometriosis: A meta-synthesis. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica. ISSN 0001-6349. s. 1–16. doi: 10.1111/aogs.14995. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Introduction: Endometriosis is the leading cause of chronic pelvic pain among women. The pain associated with endometriosis significantly impacts various aspects of patients' quality of life. A notable void in the literature is the absence of a systematic review exploring pain communication between patients with endometriosis and healthcare professionals. Hence, the aim of this qualitative systematic review was to synthesize findings on how patients with endometriosis experience communicating with healthcare professionals about pain and how healthcare professionals experience these interactions. Material and Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted related to patients with endometriosis and pain communication in CINAHL PLUS with full text and MEDLINE (via EBSCO host) on May 12, 2023, and updated January 26, 2024. Searches were supplemented by backward searching reference lists and forward searching citations of included reports in Scopus and Google Scholar. The review was guided by the four-step meta-synthesis methodology by Sandelowski and Barosso. Critical appraisal of included studies was conducted using Critical Appraisal Skill Program (CASP). Findings were analyzed thematically, using the approach described by Thomas and Harden. The meta-synthesis was based on a registered protocol in PROSPERO (CRD 42023425430), and the study is reported adhering to the PRISMA 2020 checklist. Results: Overall, 37 reports published from 2003 until 2023 contributed to the review, including 4842 participants. Through thematic analysis, we developed the following themes: “Navigating the double burden,” “Lack of mutual understanding,” and “The complexities of conveying pain.” Conclusions: The communication of pain between patients with endometriosis and healthcare professionals is complex, encompassing patterns of disbelief, normalization, and psychological attribution. Engaging in discussions about pain presents diverse challenges stemming from insufficient communication skills and assessment tools. Further research is warranted to comprehensively explore the perspectives of both patients and healthcare professionals, aiming to devise strategies that enhance communication and patient care.

• Rohde, Gudrun Elin; Berg, Kari Hansen; Pripp, Are Hugo & Haugeberg, Glenn (2024). Perceived effects of health status on sexual activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: a 5-year follow-up study. Rheumatology International. ISSN 0172-8172. 45(1), s. 1–12. doi: 10.1007/s00296-024-05758-3. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) causes pain, fatigue, stiffness, loss of physical function, and poor health status, which can influence sexual activity and enjoyment. To explore whether patients with ax-SpA perceive that their health status effects their sexual activity and to identify predictors of these perceived effects on sexual activity after a 5-year follow-up. Data about demographics, disease, medication, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and sexual quality of life (SQOL) were collected at the baseline and 5-year follow-up. The perceived effect of health status on sexual activity was measured by question 15 in the 15D questionnaire. Data were analysed using the McNemar and independent paired t tests and logistic regression. In the 244 patients with ax-SpA (30% women, 70% men; mean age, 46 years), measures reflecting disease activity decreased and comorbidities increased, and more patients were treated with biological drugs at 5 years. Compared with patients whose health status had little/no effect on sexual activity (n = 200), those who perceived that their health status had a large effect on sexual activity (n = 44) were older, exercised less, fewer were employed, had more comorbidities, higher disease activity, and lower HRQOL and SQOL. The baseline predictors of a negative effect of health status on sexual activity were old age and low SQOL. Patients reporting that their health status had a large effect on sexual activity at 5 years were older, had more disease activity, and lower HRQOL and SQOL.

• Berg, Kari Hansen; Rohde, Gudrun Elin; Pripp, Are Hugo; Prøven, Anne; Benestad, Espen Esther Pirelli & Østensen, Monika Elisabeth [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2021). Increased proportion of comorbidities but no deterioration of sexual quality of life during a 5-year follow-up in patients with axial spondyloarthritis in the biologic treatment era. Rheumatology. ISSN 1462-0324. 60(9), s. 4112–4120. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/keaa887. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rohde, Gudrun E.; Berg, Kari Ellen; Pripp, Are Hugo; Prøven, Anne & Haugeberg, Glenn (2020). No deterioration in health-related quality of life in patients with axial spondyloarthritis followed for 5 years in ordinary outpatient clinics in the biological treatment era. Quality of Life Research. ISSN 0962-9343. 29(1), s. 99–107. doi: 10.1007/s11136-019-02308-4. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) causes pain, fatigue, stiffness, loss of physical function and impaired health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Aims: The study aimed to explore the changes in HRQOL over 5 years in patients with ax-SpA and to identify baseline predictors associated with changes in HRQOL assessed using three HRQOL measures. Methods: Demographic, disease, medication and HRQOL data were collected at baseline and at 5-year follow-up. HRQOL was assessed using SF-6D, 15D and SF-36. Analyses involved McNemar, independent paired t tests and multiple regression. Results: In the 240 (women 31%, men 69%) ax-SpA patients assessed (mean age 46 years), measures reflecting disease activity decreased and co-morbidities increased, and more patients were treated with biologic drugs during follow-up. No deterioration in HRQOL was observed between baseline and 5-year follow-up; indeed, there was a significant increase in SF-6D and SF-36 PCS scores. Improvement in HRQOL measured by SF-6D was associated with younger age, higher education, low Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis (BAS) Activity Index (BASDAI), high BAS Patient Global Score and high C-reactive protein; improvement in SF-36 PCS was associated with younger age, higher education, low BASDAI and no use of biological treatment at baseline. Conclusion: Our ax-SpA outpatient clinic patients, with more patients treated with biologic drugs during the 5-year follow-up, did not deteriorate in HRQOL. In fact, the physical dimension in HRQOL improved over the years, as did measures reflecting disease activity. Our study adds evidence to the importance of suppressing inflammation to maintain and improve HRQOL in ax-SpA patients.

• Berg, Kari Hansen; Rohde, Gudrun E.; Prøven, Anne; Benestad, Esben Esther Pirelli; Østensen, Monika Elisabeth & Haugeberg, Glenn (2019). Sexual Quality of Life in Patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis in the Biologic Treatment Era. Journal of Rheumatology. ISSN 0315-162X. 46(9), s. 1075–1083. doi: 10.3899/jrheum.180413. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Objective. To examine the relationship between demographics, disease-related variables, treatment, and sexual quality of life (SQOL) in men and women with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods. AxSpA patients were consecutively recruited from 2 rheumatology outpatient clinics in southern Norway. A broad spectrum of demographics, disease, treatment, and QOL data were systematically collected. SQOL was assessed using the SQOL-Female (SQOL-F) questionnaire (score range 18–108). Appropriate statistical tests were applied for group comparison, and the association between independent variables and SQOL-F was examined using multiple linear regression analysis. Results. A total of 360 (240 men, 120 women) axSpA patients with mean age 45.5 years and disease duration 13.9 years were included. Seventy-eight percent were married/cohabiting, 26.7% were current smokers, 71.0% were employed, 86.0% performed > 1-h exercise per week, and 88.0% were HLA-B27–positive. Mean (SD) values for disease measures were C-reactive protein (CRP) 8.5 (12.1) mg/l, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index 3.1 (2.1), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Global Score (BAS-G) 3.8 (2.5), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index 2.7 (2.2), and Health Assessment Questionnaire 0.6 (0.5). The proportion of patients using nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs was 44.0%, synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) 5.0%, and biologic DMARD 24.0%. Mean (SD) total sum score for SQOL was 76.6 (11.3). In multivariate analysis, female sex, increased body mass index, measures reflecting disease activity (BAS-G and CRP), and current biologic treatment were independently associated with a lower SQOL. Conclusion. Our data suggest that inflammation in patients with axSpA even in the biologic treatment era reduces SQOL.

• Rohde, Gudrun E.; Berg, Kari Ellen; Prøven, Anne & Haugeberg, Glenn (2017). The relationship between demographic- and disease-related variables and health-related quality of life in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 18(1). doi: 10.1186/s12891-017-1693-z. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background Axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the spine causing pain, stiffness, loss in physical function, and fatigue. Therefore, the physical and psychological burden of having this chronic disease can reduce the quality of life. We aimed to explore the relationship between demographic- and disease-related variables and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with ax-SpA. Methods Demographic- and disease-related, HRQoL-related and treatment data were collected. Disease measures included the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), the BAS Functional Index (BASFI), the BAS Global (BAS-G) score, the Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES), the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and co-morbidity. HRQoL was assessed using the SF-36 and the utility measures SF-6D and 15D. Variables associated with HRQoL were identified in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Results We examined 380 patients with ax-SpA (67% men) with a mean age of 46 years. Among them, 86% reported exercising >1 h per week. Mean values were as follows: BASDAI, 3.17; MASES, 3.19; BASFI, 2.71; BAS-G. 3.88; and HAQ, 0.56. The percentage of current users of NSAIDs was 44%, and of DMARDs 23%. In multivariate analyses, exercising 1–3 h per week (B = 2.73, p = 0.022) and exercising >3 h per week (B = 2.71, p = 0.020), lower HAQ scores (B = −4.61, p = 0.001), lower BASFI scores (B = −1.05, p = 0.010) and lower BAS-G scores (B = −0.91, p = 0.001) were independently associated with higher SF-36-PCS scores, whereas modest alcohol consumption (B = 4.63, p = 0.018) and a lower BAS-G score (B = −1.73, p < 0.001) were independently associated with higher SF-36-MCS scores. Exercising 1–3 h per week (B = 0.032, p = 0.004) and exercising >3 h per week (B = 0.036, p = 0.001), lower HAQ scores (B = −0.051, p < 0.001), lower BAS-G scores (B = −0.010, p < 0.001) and co-morbidity (B = −0.014, p = 0.004) were independently associated with higher 15D scores. Finally, exercising 1–3 h per week (B = 0.045, p = 0.001) and exercising > 3 h per week (B = 0.053, p < 0.001), lower HAQ scores (B = −0.054, p = 0.001) and lower BAS-G scores (B = −0.020, p < 0.001) were associated with higher SF-6D scores.

• Berg, Kari Ellen; Rohde, Gudrun E.; Prøven, Anne; Almås, Elsa Mari; Benestad, Esben Esther Pirelli & Østensen, Monika Elisabeth [Vis alle 7 forfattere av denne artikkelen] (2017). Exploring the relationship between demographic and disease-related variables and perceived effect of health status on sexual activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: associations found only with non-disease variables. Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. ISSN 0300-9742. 46(6), s. 461–467. doi: 10.1080/03009742.2017.1279684. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Rohde, Gudrun-Elin; Berg, Kari Ellen & Haugeberg, Glenn (2014). Perceived effects of health status on sexual activity in women and men older than 50 years. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes. 12(1). doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-12-43. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv

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• Berg, Kari Ellen; Rohde, Gudrun E.; Pripp, Are Hugo; Prøven, Anne & Haugeberg, Glenn (2019). No changes in sexual quality of life over a 5-years period in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. Quality of Life Research. ISSN 0962-9343. 28, s. S114–S114. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv
• Berg, Kari Ellen (2022). Sexual quality of life in patients with axial spondyloarthritis. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284270883. Fulltekst i vitenarkiv Vis sammendrag

  Background: Research on the impact of health status on sexual activity and sexual quality of life (QOL) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is scarce. Aim: The overall aim of the studies was to examine the impact of health status on sexual activity and sexual QOL in male and female patients with axSpA. Methods: Three hundred and seventy-nine consecutive patients with axSpA, aged 18–81 years, who visited the outpatient rheumatology clinics at two Norwegian hospitals were included. Data on demographic factors, disease, treatment, and lifestyle variables were collected by doctors and nurses from questionnaires, laboratory test results, direct interviews, and physical examinations, at the baseline and after 5 years. At the followup, 245 patients participated. A broad-spectrum data collection method was used to obtain data for demographics, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMS), and disease activity/damage. PROMS measures included the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients Global Score (BAS-G), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Activity Index (BASDAI), 15D Measure of Health-Related Quality of Life (15D), Health Survey Short-Form-36 items (SF-36), and Sexual Quality of Life–Female (SQOL-F). Data on disease activity and damage were obtained from the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) and the Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesis Score (MASES). Conclusions: This cohort of outpatient patients with axSpA reported a low impact of health status on sexual activity and sexual QOL. Sexual QOL did not seem to worsen over time and remained stable through the 5-year follow-up despite an increase in the number of comorbidities. Effective disease control and changes in healthy lifestyle habits may help to improve the outcomes for these patients.

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