The National Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Planning Meeting to Address Gaps in Observational and Intervention Trials for Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment.

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a broad term encompassing subtle cognitive problems to more severe impairment. CRCI severity is influenced by host, disease, and treatment factors and affects patients prior to, during, and following cancer treatment. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Symptom Management and Health-Related Quality of Life Steering Committee (SxQoL SC) convened a Clinical Trial Planning Meeting (CTPM) to review the state of the science on CRCI and to develop both Phase II/III intervention trials aimed at improving cognitive function in cancer survivors with non-central nervous system (CNS) disease and longitudinal studies to understand the trajectory of cognitive impairment and contributing factors.

Through the Lens of Patient Partners: Challenges in Accrual of Older Adults to NCI Clinical Trials.

The workshop "Engaging Older Adults in Cancer Clinical Trials Conducted in the NCI Clinical Trials Network: Challenges and Opportunities" included a Patient Stakeholder Workgroup that explored the needs and concerns of older adults with cancer regarding clinical trials. To accomplish this, the workgroup conducted patient focus groups in which participants were interviewed, recorded conversations were analyzed and coded, and salient themes were identified. The focus groups identified general barriers to accrual such as complex consent forms, general communication, restrictive eligibility, nonreferrals, patient costs, cultural insensitivity, limited accessibility in community settings, and transportation issues.

The National Cancer Institute and Cannabis and Cannabinoids Research.

The landscape of both recreational and medicinal cannabis use has changed dramatically over the past decade; however, research examining the risks and benefits of cannabis and cannabinoid use has lagged significantly behind the increased media promotion and their use by the general public and cancer patients. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) has supported cannabis-related research projects and funding opportunity announcements. In addition, NCI organized a virtual symposium on December 15-18, 2020, to discuss recent research findings on the use of cannabis and cannabinoids in relationship to cancer risk, prevention, and care.

Reported Importance and Access to Health Care Providers Who Understand or Share Cultural Characteristics With Their Patients Among Adults, by Race and Ethnicity.

Objective-This report examines racial and ethnic differences in the reported importance and frequency of seeing culturally competent health care providers among U.S. adults.

Using social determinants of health to link health workforce diversity, care quality and access, and health disparities to achieve health equity in nursing.

It is widely accepted that diversifying the nation's health-care workforce is a necessary strategy to increase access to quality health care for all populations, reduce health disparities, and achieve health equity. In this article, we present a conceptual model that utilizes the social determinants of health framework to link nursing workforce diversity and care quality and access to two critical population health indicators-health disparities and health equity. Our proposed model suggests that a diverse nursing workforce can provide increased access to quality health care and health resources for all populations, and is a necessary precursor to reduce health disparities and achieve health equity.

A blueprint for genomic nursing science.

Purpose: This article reports on recommendations arising from an invitational workshop series held at the National Institutes of Health for the purposes of identifying critical genomics problems important to the health of the public that can be addressed through nursing science. The overall purpose of the Genomic Nursing State of the Science Initiative is to establish a nursing research blueprint based on gaps in the evidence and expert evaluation of the current state of the science and through public comment.

Organizing Constructs: A Genomic Nursing State of the Science Advisory Panel was convened in 2012 to develop the nursing research blueprint.

The Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE): a model for training underserved scientists in cancer research.

Mentoring is a critical aspect of research and training; and the adoption of a successful mentoring model for guiding researchers through the educational pipeline is lacking. The Continuing Umbrella of Research Experiences (CURE) program was established in the Comprehensive Minority Biomedical Branch; which is part of the National Cancer Institute. This program offers unique training and career development opportunities to enhance diversity in cancer research.

Race, ethnicity, and pain among the U.S. adult population.

Introduction: There is reliable evidence that racial/ethnic minorities suffer disproportionately from unrelieved pain compared with Whites. Several factors may contribute to disparities in pain management. Understanding how these factors influence effective pain management among racial/ethnic minority populations would be helpful for developing tailored interventions designed to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in pain management.

BRCA mutation-negative women from hereditary breast and ovarian cancer families: a qualitative study of the BRCA-negative experience.

Background: When women from families with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation test negative for the family mutation, it is assumed that they will transition their personal cancer risk perception from high to average risk. However, there are scant data regarding the experience of mutation-negative women after genetic testing disclosure, particularly related to the shift of risk perception from assumed mutation-positive to actual mutation-negative. This study was designed to explore cancer risk perception and the experience of being a mutation-negative woman within a known BRCA1/2 mutation-positive family.

Information needs and sources of information among cancer patients: a systematic review of research (1980-2003).

Understanding what cancer patients need to know and from whom they receive information during the course of care is essential to ensuring quality care. We reviewed 112 articles published from 1980 to 2003 and developed a typology summarizing cancer patients' information needs and the sources from which they receive information. The majority of articles focused on information needs and sources during the diagnosis and treatment phase.

Storytelling as a method to teach African American women breast health information.

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore the use of storytelling as a method to teach breast health information to older African American women.

Methods: A qualitative design utilizing the focus-group method.

Results: Six story types (categories) emerged from the focus-group data and were integrated into the breast health education class.