Intimate partner violence and women's cancer quality of life.

Purpose: Because intimate partner violence (IPV) may disproportionately impact women's quality of life (QOL) when undergoing cancer treatment, women experiencing IPV were hypothesized to have (a) more symptoms of depression or stress and (b) lower QOL as measured with the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-B) and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-SP) Scales relative to those never experiencing IPV.

Methods: Women, aged 18-79, who were included in one of two state cancer registries from 2009 to 2015 with a recent incident, primary, invasive biopsy-confirmed cancer diagnosis were recruited and asked to complete a phone interview, within 12 months of diagnosis. This interview measured IPV by timing (current and past) and type (physical, sexual, psychological), socio-demographics, and health status.

Partner interfering behaviors affecting cancer quality of life.

Objective: Because partners are an important and unpaid resource in cancer care, understanding how destructive, controlling or interfering partner behaviors influence women's cancer care may be particularly relevant for health care providers seeking to provide cancer care and enhance recovery. Using a new measure of partner interfering behaviors in cancer care (PIB-C), we investigated whether women with a recent cancer diagnosis who additionally endorsed any PIB-C would report (a) more symptoms of depression and stress, and (b) lower Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy (FACT-G) and lower Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-SP) scale scores indicating poorer quality of life (QOL).

Methods: Women aged 18-79 included in cancer registries as having an incident, primary, biopsy-confirmed cancer in the past 12 months were eligible for this study.

Psychometric evaluation of novel measures of partner interfering and supportive behaviors among women with cancer.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of complementary and novel measures of partner interfering and partner supportive behaviors in cancer care (PIB-C and PSB-C).

Methods: Structured telephone interviews were conducted with 378 women (aged 18-79) in partnered relationships and recruited from the Kentucky Cancer Registry. Psychometric analyses of PIB-C and PSB-C were used to determine scale reliability, and scale construct and predictive validity (correlations with indicators of partner abuse, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress after cancer).

Victimization and perpetration of unwanted sexual activities among high school students: frequency and correlates.

The objective of this study was to report the frequency of perpetration and victimization of unwanted sexual activities (threatened to end relationship or other pressures to engage in sexual activities, threatened or actual physical force, and facilitated by drugs or alcohol) in a large, statewide sample of high school males and females. Among 18,030 students, 18.5% reported victimization and 8.

Dating violence victimization and perpetration rates among high school students.

This school-based sample provides the largest estimate of physical and psychological dating violence (DV) victimization and the only report of DV perpetration among high school students. Among 14,190 students in relationships, 33.4% disclosed DV by a partner (victimization) and 20.

Sexual harassment victimization and perpetration among high school students.

This large, population-based study is one of the few to examine prevalence rates of sexual harassment occurring during the past 12 months by victimization and perpetration among adolescents. In this large, cross-sectional survey of students attending 26 high schools, sexual harassment was defined using three questions from the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire. Among 18,090 students completing the survey, 30% disclosed sexual harassment victimization (37% of females, 21% of males) and 8.

Statewide estimates of stalking among high school students in Kentucky: demographic profile and sex differences.

This large, statewide sample from 26 high schools provided the first population-based estimates of stalking victimization and perpetration among adolescent females and males. Our stalking definition required that pursuing tactics occurred at least 3 times in the past 12 months and included being followed, spied on, or monitored; someone showed up or waited for you when you did not want them to; and receiving unwanted messages. Among 18,013 students, 16.

Challenge and opportunity in evaluating a diffusion-based active bystanding prevention program: Green Dot in high schools.

Increasing attention has recently been paid to the development of prevention programs designed to actively engage bystanders in prevention efforts to reduce the risk of sexual and dating violence; yet, few evaluations have been conducted. Our proposed plan to rigorously evaluate a randomized intervention trial of the Green Dot bystander program as it is implemented in high schools across Kentucky is presented. We highlight the value of measuring violence victimization and perpetration outcomes, capturing actual and observed student bystander behaviors, and testing the diffusion of Green Dot training through students' social networks.

Association of intimate partner violence and childhood sexual abuse with cancer-related well-being in women.

Background: Limited evidence suggests that intimate partner violence (IPV) may be associated with poorer cancer outcomes. We hypothesized that timing and type of IPV as well as childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may negatively affect depression, perceived stress, and cancer-related well-being.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of women diagnosed with either breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer in the prior 12 months included in the Kentucky Cancer Registry.

Universal psychosocial screening and adverse pregnancy outcomes in an academic obstetric clinic.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that women screened for psychosocial factors, including partner abuse, as recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists would have higher neonatal birth weight, longer gestational age at delivery, higher Apgar scores, and fewer maternal complications.

Methods: We evaluated a universal psychosocial screening intervention using a retrospective cohort (n=881 prenatal care patients). Pregnancy outcomes among patients screened beginning in 2008 (n=464) were compared with outcomes among women receiving care before universal screening was implemented (n=417).

Evaluation of Green Dot: an active bystander intervention to reduce sexual violence on college campuses.

Using a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of 7,945 college undergraduates, we report on the association between having received Green Dot active bystander behavior training and the frequency of actual and observed self-reported active bystander behaviors as well as violence acceptance norms. Of 2,504 students aged 18 to 26 who completed the survey, 46% had heard a Green Dot speech on campus, and 14% had received active bystander training during the past 2 years. Trained students had significantly lower rape myth acceptance scores than did students with no training.

Violence against women and postpartum depression.

Background: Violence against women (VAW), including intimate partner violence (IPV) in its various forms (sexual, physical, or stalking), and childhood violence (sexual or physical) are common and are associated with depressive symptoms. We examined the association between these violence exposures and self-reported history of postpartum depression (PPD).

Methods: Women from the Kentucky Women's Health Registry (KWHR) who reported at least one live birth were included in this study.