Surgery is aimed at improving a patient's health. However, surgery is plagued with a risk of negative consequences, such as perioperative complications and prolonged hospitalization. Also, achieving preoperative levels of physical functionality may be delayed. Above all, the "waiting" period before the …

Full text via link. The adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities on December the 13th, 2006 during the General Assembly of the United Nations leads to efforts to enforce social inclusion in practice, in such a way that people with disabilities are able to participate equally …

Background: Self-management interventions are considered effective in patients with chronic disease, but trials have shown inconsistent results, and it is unknown which patients benefit most. Adequate self-management requires behaviour change in both patients and health care providers. Therefore, the …

From the publisher's website: Large groups in society, in particular people with low literacy, lack the necessary proactivity and problem-solving skills to be self-reliant. One omnipresent problem area where these skills are relevant regards filling in forms and questionnaires. These problems could be …

In this study, we investigated changes in and differences between the sport participation of individuals during the transition to adulthood, and the role of major life events that mark this transition. We employ a neo-Weberian theoretical framework related to changes in temporal and social resources …

One of the big problems visually impaired persons experience in their daily lives, is the inability to see non-verbal cues of conversation partners. In this study, a wearable assistive technology is presented and evaluated which supports visually impaired persons with the recognition of facial expressions …

In patients with cancer, weight loss can be related to simple starvation, disturbed metabolism, or both. In patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), weight loss often is attributed to simple starvation because the obvious oral symptoms are known to hinder dietary intake. In this population, cachexia …

BACKGROUND: The quality standards of the Dutch Society of Intensive Care require monitoring of the satisfaction of patient's relatives with respect to care. Currently, no suitable instrument is available in the Netherlands to measure this. This study describes the development and psychometric evaluation …

This dissertation focuses on the re-interpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, which has forbidden Japan from participating in war since 1946. However, it has now been re-interpreted to allow Japan minimum involvement in international conflicts and peacekeeping operations. It analyses …

In the Netherlands and Europe, there exist approaches to refugee (re)settlement where asylum seekers face long waiting periods, in large-scale centres often isolated from Dutch society, with little-to-no opportunity to structure their day or participate in activities which bring meaning to their lives. …