Publications by authors named "Chloe Taub"
Purpose: Women residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods experience disparities in breast cancer (BC) survival which persist when accounting for individual-level socioeconomic/treatment factors. The chronic stress of living in a disadvantaged neighborhood may compound the stress of a new cancer diagnosis, leading to neuroendocrine dysregulation. Cognitive Behavioral Stress Management (CBSM) has shown efficacy at reducing distress and modulating neuroendocrine functioning, but it is unknown whether it is efficacious in this population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Cancer-specific psychological interventions like cognitive behavioral stress management (CBSM) demonstrate distress (e.g., anxiety/depression) and quality of life (QoL) benefits.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Financial hardship (FH) is a complex issue in cancer care, affecting material conditions, well-being, and coping behaviors. This study aimed to longitudinally examine FH, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and their associations while incorporating social determinants of health and health care cost covariates in a sample of patients diagnosed with cancer.
Methods: This prospective, longitudinal cohort study analyzed data from 2,305 participants from the Northwestern University Improving the Management of Symptoms during and following Cancer Treatment trial.
Article Synopsis
- A study tested the effectiveness of an app-based cognitive behavioral stress management program for cancer patients, comparing it to a control health education app.
- The trial involved 449 patients and measured changes in anxiety and depression symptoms over 12 weeks using established assessments and patient feedback on their symptoms.
- Results showed that those using the CBSM app experienced significant reductions in both anxiety and depression compared to the control group, indicating that the app-based approach was beneficial for managing distress in cancer patients.
Article Synopsis
- Digital interventions like CBSM websites help women with breast cancer, but initial engagement often drops; factors like disease stage, race, and timing impact this engagement.
- A study tracked engagement among older women with nonmetastatic breast cancer, finding that those with later-stage disease engaged more deeply and used more features than those with earlier stages.
- The research suggests delivering CBSM later in treatment and supporting engagement among racial and ethnic minorities to improve outcomes for cancer survivors.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to validate the revised Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS-R) for assessing chronic pain in veterans, a population at high risk for pain issues.
- Data was collected from 794 veterans through self-reports and health records, finding that 49.3% experienced chronic pain, categorized as mild, bothersome, or high impact.
- Results indicated that those with higher levels of pain were more likely to be prescribed long-term opioid therapy, confirming the GCPS-R's effectiveness in distinguishing between different pain severities and supporting its use in VA healthcare settings.
Article Synopsis
- * It involves a trial called My Well-Being Guide, which is a digital health intervention based on cognitive-behavioral stress management, aimed at lowering depressive symptoms over seven weeks.
- * The study will assess effectiveness and implementation within two health systems, involving over 4,500 cancer patients and evaluating outcomes at multiple time points.
Article Synopsis
- * The study involved interviews with 18 Hispanic/Latinx patients, identifying key issues like pre-transplant concerns, relationship dynamics with medical teams, and the need for better coping strategies and emotional support.
- * Findings highlight the importance of addressing cultural factors and social barriers in healthcare to improve support for H/L transplant recipients, including financial challenges and communication gaps.
Article Synopsis
- A study investigated the long-term impact of post-surgical pain on depressed feelings in women who underwent treatment for early-stage breast cancer, examining whether coping strategies played a role in this relationship.
- Researchers analyzed data from 240 women at various time points post-surgery, finding a direct link between higher pain intensity and increased disengagement and engagement coping after treatment, as well as increased depression 5 years later.
- However, coping strategies did not mediate the relationship between pain and depression, suggesting that addressing post-surgical pain might help improve emotional outcomes for breast cancer survivors.
Article Synopsis
- * The study explored the effectiveness of brief cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and relaxation training (RT) in enhancing positive feelings and reducing social disruption over a year.
- * Results showed that RT was more effective in decreasing social disruption compared to CBT, and while positive affect increased, it did not directly mediate the reduction of social disruption, suggesting the need for more focused interventions.
Article Synopsis
- Higher levels of inflammation and psychological distress in breast cancer patients are linked to poorer health outcomes, with cortisol levels as a key stress indicator and s100A8/A9 as a new biological marker related to cancer.
- Participants (N = 183) provided blood samples and completed questionnaires about their distress, with analyses adjusting for various factors like age and cancer stage.
- Results showed that increased cortisol was associated with higher s100A8/A9 levels and greater cancer-related distress, suggesting a connection between stress responses and inflammation that could impact cancer progression.
Background: Overweight and obese (OW/OB) body mass index (BMI) is associated with greater inflammation and poorer outcomes in breast cancer (BC). Stress management interventions using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relaxation training (RT) have reduced inflammation in BC patients but have not been tested specifically in OW/OB patients undergoing primary treatment. We developed brief CBT and RT-based group interventions and tested their effects (vs time-matched Health Education [HE] control) on serum inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α) in OW/OB vs normal weight (NW) BC patients during primary treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Emotional distress can hinder adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) in women with breast cancer, so the study tested the long-term effects of stress management interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relaxation training on AET adherence.
- After following women for an average of 8 years, results showed that over half reported issues with adherence, but those who underwent relaxation training showed significantly better adherence compared to those in health education and CBT groups.
- The findings suggest that relaxation training helps reduce forgetfulness and intentional nonadherence to AET, highlighting the need for more research on interventions aimed at improving therapeutic compliance among breast cancer survivors.
Article Synopsis
- A randomized controlled trial evaluated 5-week stress management interventions, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relaxation training (RT), to assess their impact on stress and inflammation in women receiving breast cancer treatment.
- The study analyzed blood samples and self-reported distress measures from 51 breast cancer patients over a 12-month period to explore changes in the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) expression, correlated with perceived stress management skills and distress levels.
- Results showed a significant effect of the interventions on NF-κB expression over time, indicating that both CBT and RT proved beneficial in managing stress and inflammatory responses in these patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how psychological reactions to trauma affect pain coping and outcomes, aiming to enhance clinical care for patients dealing with both trauma and chronic pain.
- Using data from 637 individuals at a pain management center, the research examines the relationships between the traumatic causes of pain, psychological distress (like anger and PTSD), and various pain outcomes.
- Results show moderate links between trauma-related pain and pain outcomes, primarily influenced by psychological distress, suggesting that early interventions focusing on mental health could improve pain management.
"My Surgical Success": Effect of a Digital Behavioral Pain Medicine Intervention on Time to Opioid Cessation After Breast Cancer Surgery-A Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.
Beth D Darnall Maisa S Ziadni Parthasarathy Krishnamurthy Pamela Flood Lauren C Heathcote Chloe Jean Taub
Pain Med
November 2019
Article Synopsis
- This study assessed a digital behavioral pain intervention, "My Surgical Success" (MSS), for breast cancer surgery patients, comparing its effectiveness to general health education (HE).* -
- A total of 127 participants were randomized, with 68 patients analyzed; while MSS had a higher dropout rate (44%) compared to HE (18%), it still met the acceptability threshold for the intervention.* -
- Results showed MSS significantly increased the odds of opioid cessation after surgery by 86%, with no major differences found in pain intensity or catastrophizing levels between the two groups.*
Article Synopsis
- Women with breast cancer often experience increased distress, linked to inflammation and worse health outcomes, prompting research into stress management interventions like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and relaxation training (RT).
- A study tested the effects of a 5-week group-based intervention (CBT, RT, or health education control) on s100A8/A9 protein levels—a marker associated with tumor progress—in women undergoing breast cancer treatment.
- Results showed that both CBT and RT led to significant reductions in s100A8/A9 levels over 12 months compared to the control group, indicating that improved stress management skills are crucial for minimizing inflammation and enhancing health outcomes in these patients.
Article Synopsis
- * Involved 240 women with early-stage breast cancer, who were either given cognitive-behavioral stress management or placed in a control group, with evaluations conducted before and three months after the intervention.
- * Findings indicate that increased PA not only reduced depressive symptoms and improved QoL but also acted independently of the psychosocial intervention, suggesting a need for further research on combining PA and psychological support for better outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers created a daily version of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) since the existing measure was not suitable for daily assessments, aiming to explore the complexities of pain responses and treatment mechanisms.* -
- The new daily PCS was tested through cognitive interviews and three validation studies involving over 500 adults with chronic pain, showing it effectively captures pain-related thoughts and emotions.* -
- Findings indicated the daily PCS has strong correlations with other psychological and physical factors, and it's both simpler and comparably valid to the original full version, suggesting promising further applications in diverse patient populations.*
Article Synopsis
- Pain catastrophizing is a negative emotional response to pain that can worsen chronic pain and hinder treatment effectiveness.
- The study involved 40 women with chronic low back pain who either underwent a psychologist-led induction of pain catastrophizing or a control rest period, followed by sensory pain tests.
- Results showed that the induction increased feelings of pain catastrophizing and affected pain sensitivity in certain tests, indicating a potential link between this mental state and heightened pain perception that could inform better pain management strategies.
Article Synopsis
- In mammalian testes, germ cell antigens are usually protected from the immune system through a barrier formed by Sertoli cells and local immune suppression.
- Researchers found that removing the androgen receptor specifically in Sertoli cells leads to weakened tight junctions and increased permeability of the blood-testis barrier, disrupting immune privilege.
- The study reveals that this disruption causes immune cells to invade the testes and the presence of antibodies against germ cell antigens, suggesting that low androgen levels could play a role in unexplained male infertility.