Purpose: This study aimed to develop and psychometrically evaluate a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), SAlivary, LAcrimal, NaSal (SALANS), to document patients' symptoms after radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).
Methods: We generated and iteratively revised SALANS items based on expert input, focus group discussions and feedback from cognitive testing (n = 17). We administered an initial SALANS measure with 39 items to patients diagnosed with DTC in the past two years (n = 105).
Objectives: To understand the barriers to core functions and workflow among patient navigators (PN) who navigate people diagnosed with breast cancer (BC). To identify how a mobile health (mHealth) app could assist PNs in providing care to BC patients.
Methods: This qualitative research study used purposive sampling to recruit stakeholders ( = 33) from January to August 2021.
Objectives: Caregivers of adult phase 1 oncology trial patients experience high levels of distress and face barriers to in-person supportive care. The Phase 1 Caregiver LifeLine (P1CaLL) pilot study assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and general impact of an individual telephone-based cognitive behavioral stress-management (CBSM) intervention for caregivers of phase I oncology trial patients.
Methods: The pilot study involved 4 weekly adapted CBSM sessions followed by participant randomization to 4 weekly cognitive behavioral therapy sessions or metta-meditation sessions.
Objectives: The current study explored the impact of cancer-related fertility concerns on existential distress and meaning making among female breast cancer (BC) patients of childbearing age and assessed support needs.
Methods: The current study was embedded within a larger study. A seven-question online survey was administered to female BC participants to explore meaning and identity in their lives.
Women diagnosed with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy experience cognitive impairment, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and physical side effects including disruption in the diversity and community composition of the gut microbiome. To date, there is limited research exploring the associations among these specific challenges. The present cross-sectional study explored the associations of self-reported cognitive functioning, depression, and anxiety symptoms, and gut microbiome diversity and community composition in women who were diagnosed with and undergoing chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer (BC) compared to cancer-free healthy controls (HC).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Cancers of the head and neck region are associated with high symptom burden and elevated levels of psychological distress. Radiotherapy (RT) is a common treatment for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) that is associated with psychological distress related to the immobilizing nature of the treatment, frequency of treatment delivery, and side effects. Guided imagery is a relaxation technique that is beneficial in reducing psychological distress in patients with other cancer diagnoses but has not been studied in this patient population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImportance: Latinx individuals with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) constitute 19% of US patients receiving in-center scheduled hemodialysis. Compared with non-Latinx White patients, Latinx individuals often face poor economic, environmental, and living circumstances. The challenges for health care professionals engendered by these circumstances when Latinx individuals present with ESKD and possible solutions have not been well described.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Caregivers of patients with advanced cancer experience significant anxiety, depression, and distress. Caregivers have barriers to accessing in-person treatment to manage stress. Technology allows for the dissemination of evidence-based interventions in a convenient way.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Am Anim Hosp Assoc
January 2021
Background: Undocumented immigrants with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) who rely on emergency-only hemodialysis (dialysis only after an emergency department evaluation) face psychosocial distress. Emergency-only hemodialysis (EOHD) is likely burdensome for primary caregivers as well.
Objective: To understand the experience of primary caregivers of undocumented immigrants with ESKD who rely on emergency-only hemodialysis.
Background: Caregivers of patients with advanced diseases are known to have high levels of distress, including depression and anxiety. Recent research has focused on recognizing caregivers in need of psychosocial support to help them manage their distress. Evidenced-based technological interventions have the potential to aid caregivers in managing distress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext: With increasing attention to the undertreatment of cancer pain in parallel with concerns about opioid misuse, little is known about how patients with advanced cancer adhere to opioid regimens for chronic cancer pain.
Objectives: We explored patient approaches to managing chronic cancer pain with long-acting opioids.
Methods: In a multimethods study at an academic medical center, adult patients with chronic cancer pain (n = 17) used electronic pill caps to record adherence to prescribed long-acting opioid regimens.
Previous work suggests that, compared to white adults, black adults have lower perceived risk for smoking-related diseases (SRDs), which may influence cessation behavior and health outcomes; however, racial differences in SRD risk perceptions among high-risk patients (i.e., a group that exhibits elevated risk for SRDs) following lung screening remain unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a telephone-based smoking cessation intervention for lung screening patients. Participants ( = 39) were enrolled in a single-arm pilot study of a four-session telephone-based intervention. Self-report measures were completed at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Mothers with ovarian cancer are at risk of experiencing additional demands given their substantial symptom burden and accelerated disease progression.
Objective: This study describes the experience of mothers with ovarian cancer, elucidating the interaction between their roles as mothers and patients with cancer.
Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of focus groups with women with advanced ovarian cancer.
Objectives: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death, yet lung screening remains underutilized. Lung cancer screening uncertainty (LCSU), including referral clarity and the perceived accuracy of screening, may hinder utilization and represent an unmet psychosocial need. This study sought to identify correlates of LCSU among lung screening patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/resprot.7075.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Cancer survivor preferences for formal interventions designed to provide psychological support remain relatively unknown. To address this gap, we evaluated cancer survivors' preferences for psychological intervention, whom they preferred to recommend such intervention, and how their preferences compared with what they currently received.
Methods: US cancer survivors (n = 345) who were at least 2 months post-treatment for diverse forms of cancer were recruited online to complete a survey study.
Background: Caregivers of cancer patients experience significant burden and distress including depression and anxiety. We previously demonstrated the efficacy of an eight session, in-person, one-on-one stress management intervention to reduce distress in caregivers of patients receiving allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (allo-HSCT).
Objective: The objective of this study was to adapt and enhance the in-person caregiver stress management intervention to a mobilized website (eg, tablet, smartphone, or computer-based) for self-delivery in order to enhance dissemination to caregiver populations most in need.
Identification of nasal neoplasia extension and tumor staging in dogs is most commonly performed using computed tomography (CT), however magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is routinely used in human medicine. A prospective pilot study enrolling six dogs with nasal neoplasia was performed with CT and MRI studies acquired under the same anesthetic episode. Interobserver comparison and comparison between the two imaging modalities with regard to bidimensional measurements of the nasal tumors, tumor staging using historical schemes, and assignment of an ordinal scale of tumor margin clarity at the tumor-soft tissue interface were performed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Caregiver, relational, and patient factors have been associated with the health of family members and friends providing care to patients with early-stage cancer. Little research has examined whether findings extend to family caregivers of patients with incurable cancer, who experience unique and substantial caregiving burdens. We examined correlates of mental and physical health among caregivers of patients with newly-diagnosed incurable lung or non-colorectal gastrointestinal cancer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The successful recruitment and study of cancer survivors within psycho-oncology research can be challenging, time-consuming, and expensive, particularly for key subgroups such as young adult cancer survivors. Online crowdsourcing platforms offer a potential solution that has not yet been investigated with regard to cancer populations. The current study assessed the presence of cancer survivors on Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and the feasibility of using MTurk as an efficient, cost-effective, and reliable psycho-oncology recruitment and research platform.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this study was to compare and define the normal cross-sectional gross and computed tomographic (CT) anatomy for a species of boney fish to better gain insight into the use of advanced diagnostic imaging for future clinical cases. The pacu (Colossoma macropomum) was used because of its widespread presence in the aquarium trade, its relatively large body size, and its importance in the research and aquaculture settings. Transverse 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To estimate the prevalence of canine parvovirus (CPV) strains among dogs with enteritis admitted to a referral hospital in the southwestern United States during an 11-month period and to compare diagnostic test results, disease severity, and patient outcome among CPV strains.
Design: Prospective observational study.
Animals: 72 dogs with histories and clinical signs of parvoviral enteritis.