Psychometric validation of the 15-item Patient Health Questionnaire - Anxiety and Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS) to assess psychological distress in breast cancer survivors.

Objective: Psychological distress persists amongst breast cancer survivors, so reliable assessment of symptoms is essential. The Patient Health Questionnaire Anxiety and Depression Scale (PHQ-ADS) is a composite measure of depression and anxiety and has been used to measure distress. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PHQ-ADS within breast cancer survivors.

Acceptance and commitment therapy processes and their association with distress in cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Around 42% of individuals with cancer experience distress. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) can reduce distress, but effects are small, and mechanisms unclear. This review aimed to identify associations between ACT processes and distress in cancer.

An online acceptance, commitment, and self-compassion based treatment to decrease psychological distress in people with type 2 diabetes: A feasibility randomised-controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: This study explored the feasibility and acceptability of conducting a larger trial of a self-guided, online self-compassion and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) focused treatment among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) to decrease psychological distress.

Materials And Methods: This study was a two-arm, parallel, feasibility randomised controlled trial with nested qualitative methods. UK adults with T2D were randomly (1:1) allocated to a five-week online self-compassion and ACT treatment or waitlist control.

Self-Reported Worries in Young People During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: COVID-19 pandemic has had long-standing consequences for all aspects of life. Although young people appear less susceptible to severe forms of physical illness due to the coronavirus, they have not escaped unscathed from its' psychological impacts. The present study measured the content of worries in young people residing in the UK during the pandemic and how it varied with sociodemographic factors.

Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy among White British and ethnic minority breast cancer survivors in the United Kingdom.

Objective: Around half of women do not take adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) as prescribed. Research suggests that adherence rates vary across ethnic groups. This study compared AET adherences rates in White British women and women from minority ethnic groups in the United Kingdom.

A 12-month longitudinal study examining the shared and unique contributions of self-compassion and psychological inflexibility to distress and quality of life in people with Type 2 Diabetes.

Objectives: Self-compassion and psychological flexibility appear to benefit wellbeing and quality of life (QoL) in the general population and in people with long-term conditions like Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). However, both variables share similarities and their unique roles in relation to distress and QoL in people with diabetes over time are not clear.

Design: This was a longitudinal study with online assessments of self-compassion, psychological inflexibility, distress (depression, anxiety, diabetes-distress), and QoL at baseline (T1) and six (T2) and 12 months (T3).

Atrial fibrillation, quality of life and distress: a cluster analysis of cognitive and behavioural responses.

Purpose: Few studies have examined specific cognitive and behavioural responses to symptoms, which may impact health-related outcomes, in conjunction with illness representations, as outlined by the Common-Sense-Model. Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) report poor quality-of-life (QoL) and high distress. This cross-sectional study investigated patterns/clusters of cognitive and behavioural responses to illness, and illness perceptions, and relationships with QoL, depression and anxiety.

Disparities in access to mobile devices and e-health literacy among breast cancer survivors.

Background: The number of e-health interventions developed for breast cancer survivors continues to increase. However, issues with engagement and retention are common. This study aimed to explore e-health literacy rates and access to smartphones and tablets in a large sample of breast cancer survivors.

A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Self-Compassion-Related Interventions for Individuals With Chronic Physical Health Conditions.

Self-compassion, defined as a mindful way of coping with pain and suffering by showing kindness, care, and concern towards the self, may improve psychological adjustment in people living with a chronic physical health condition (CPHC). Various studies illustrate that self-compassion is associated with positive outcomes in general. The aim of this systematic review is to establish the effect of compassion-related therapies on self-compassion specifically in people with CPHCs.

Patients' and carers' perspective of the impact of heart failure on quality of life: a qualitative study.

Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome associated with high mortality and morbidity. HF patients tend to be at a high risk of poor clinical and psychosocial outcomes. This study aimed to capture patients' and carers perspectives of HF, the impact on their health reported QoL, and the factors associated with their poor health outcomes.

Using Virtual Technology for Fear of Medical Procedures: A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Interventions.

Background: Innovations in virtual reality (VR) technologies have improved the adaptability of its use in therapeutic settings, and VR has shown to be a promising treatment for fear of medical procedures, with research increasing in this area in recent years.

Purpose: This review aims to collate evidence for the impact of VR on fear of medical procedures.

Methods: CENTRAL (Cochrane), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsychINFO databases were searched up to October 2020.

A systematic review of psychological, clinical and psychosocial correlates of perceived food intolerance.

Objective: Perceived food intolerance (PFI) is a distressing condition reported by 3% - 35% of individuals, whereas prevalence of food allergy is 0.9%-3%. The present paper aims to systematically review the evidence for psychological, clinical and psychosocial factors associated with PFI in order to advance the current understanding.

Development of a self-management intervention to improve tamoxifen adherence in breast cancer survivors using an Intervention Mapping framework.

Objective: Up to 50% of women prescribed tamoxifen do not take it as prescribed for the full duration, which increases risk of recurrence and mortality. The current paper describes the development of a self-management intervention aiming to improve adherence in breast cancer survivors taking tamoxifen.

Methods: The intervention was developed following an Intervention Mapping approach.

Examining Adherence to Medication in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: The Role of Medication Beliefs, Attitudes, and Depression.

Background/objectives: This study examined whether beliefs about medicines, drug attitudes, and depression independently predicted anticoagulant and antiarrhythmic adherence (focusing on the implementation phase of nonadherence) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was part of a larger longitudinal study. Patients with AF (N = 118) completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-8.

Nonadherence to tamoxifen in breast cancer survivors: A 12 month longitudinal analysis.

Objective: Previous research has shown that up to 50% of breast cancer survivors prescribed tamoxifen do not take it as recommended, which is associated with increased risk of recurrence and mortality. Little research has attempted to identify modifiable psychosocial factors associated with tamoxifen nonadherence. This study aimed to examine how tamoxifen adherence rates change over a year and to identify modifiable predictors of nonadherence.

Effectiveness of social-psychological interventions at promoting breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Evidence for the health benefits of breastfeeding is well substantiated but breastfeeding uptake and duration remains low worldwide. Individual level breastfeeding promotion programmes are behavioural interventions, targeting malleable social-psychological processes to change behaviour. This systematic review aimed to investigate whether such interventions are effective at improving breastfeeding initiation, duration and exclusivity, and breastfeeding support.

More than just side-effects: The role of clinical and psychosocial factors in non-adherence to tamoxifen.

Objectives: Tamoxifen non-adherence is apparent in up to half of breast cancer survivors and is associated with increased risk of recurrence and reduced quality of life. However, factors contributing to non-adherence in this population are currently poorly understood. This study explored the relationship between key components of the Common Sense Model of Illness Representations (CSM)/the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and intentional and unintentional non-adherence in a large sample of women prescribed tamoxifen following primary breast cancer.

An illness-specific version of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF IPQ-R): Unpacking beliefs about treatment control, personal control and symptom triggers.

Objective: This study modified the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Design: Qualitative interviews and think-aloud techniques informed modification of the IPQ-R to be specific to AF patients. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) (n = 198) examined the validity of the modified IPQ-R (AF-IPQ-R).

'It's like a frog leaping about in your chest': Illness and treatment perceptions in persistent atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: Persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is an abnormal heart rhythm associated with low quality of life (QoL) and significant health-related costs. The purpose of the study was to examine patients' illness and treatment beliefs and ways of coping with AF symptoms, to provide insight into promoting better QoL and treatment-specific management.

Design: Beliefs were explored across three procedural treatment groups using a qualitative cross-sectional design.

Understanding tamoxifen adherence in women with breast cancer: A qualitative study.

Objective: Non-adherence to tamoxifen is common in breast cancer survivors and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to understand womens' experiences of taking tamoxifen and to identify factors which may be associated with non-adherence.

Design: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.

Barriers and facilitators of adjuvant hormone therapy adherence and persistence in women with breast cancer: a systematic review.

Purpose: Nonadherence to hormone therapy in breast cancer survivors is common and associated with increased risk of mortality. Consistent predictors of nonadherence and nonpersistence are yet to be identified, and little research has examined psychosocial factors that may be amenable to change through intervention. This review aimed to identify predictors of nonadherence and nonpersistence to hormone therapy in breast cancer survivors in order to inform development of an intervention to increase adherence rates.

Patient-reported barriers and facilitators to antiretroviral adherence in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the range and frequency of patient-reported barriers and facilitators to antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design: Studies from 2005 to 2016 were identified by searching 10 electronic databases and through additional hand and web-searching.

Methods: Inclusion criteria were HIV-positive adults taking ART based in any SSA country, qualitative study or quantitative survey and included at least one patient-reported barrier or facilitator to ART adherence.

Measuring illness representations in breast cancer survivors (BCS) prescribed tamoxifen: Modification and validation of the Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (IPQ-BCS).

Objective: The Revised Illness Perceptions Questionnaire (IPQ-R), widely used to assess illness perceptions, may fail to measure unique characteristics of different illnesses. This study modified and validated the IPQ-R for breast cancer survivors to provide detailed understanding of the specific illness perceptions held by these patients.

Design: Initial modifications were made following qualitative interviews and were revised in a think-aloud study.

Factors related to the experience of menopausal symptoms in women prescribed tamoxifen.

Introduction: Menopausal symptoms are frequent and severe in breast cancer survivors taking tamoxifen; however, treatment options are limited for these patients as hormonal replacement therapy is contraindicated. This study aimed to explore the experience and attribution of menopausal symptoms and identify factors related to the experience of menopausal symptoms in women taking tamoxifen.

Methods: Women who had been prescribed tamoxifen for a diagnosis of primary breast cancer were recruited from oncology clinics across England and from online advertisements.

Food-related Quality of Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Development and Validation of a Questionnaire.

Background: Psychosocial factors surrounding eating and drinking, such as enjoying food, managing restrictions, and maintaining social relationships, remain under-researched in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. This study aimed to develop and validate a food-related quality of life [FR-QoL] questionnaire to systematically measure these issues in the IBD population.

Methods: Following semi-structured interviews with 28 IBD patients, 150 potential questionnaire items were generated.