A telephone-based education and support intervention for Rural Breast Cancer Survivors: a randomized controlled trial comparing two implementation strategies in rural Florida.

Purpose: To compare two implementation telephone-based strategies of an evidence-based educational and support intervention to Rural Breast Cancer Survivors (RBCS) in which education was delivered early or after the support component.

Methods: Florida RBCS participated in a 12-month randomized clinical trial (RCT) with two arms: Early Education and Support (EE-S) and Support and Delayed Education (S-DE). Arms differed in the timing of 6 support and 3 education sessions.

Effects of a speed of processing training intervention on self-reported health outcomes in breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: Cognitive deficits are a concern for breast cancer survivors, as these effects are prevalent and impact daily functioning and quality of life (QoL). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a speed of processing (SOP) training intervention on secondary, self-reported health outcomes in this population.

Methods: Sixty middle-aged and older adult women breast cancer survivors completed baseline assessments and were randomized to either a no-contact control group or an SOP training group, who completed 10 hrs of computerized SOP training online at home.

Telehealth intervention for Latina breast cancer survivors: A pilot.

Aim: This study was a pilot test of the Latina Breast Cancer Survivorship Intervention, a survivorship self-management intervention delivered via telephone.

Materials And Methods: This study used a wait-list control design with random assignment to either (1) support and early education or (2) support and delayed education. Latina breast cancer survivors were recruited through the Florida Cancer Data System Registry.

Speed of processing training in middle-aged and older breast cancer survivors (SOAR): results of a randomized controlled pilot.

Purpose: Cognitive changes are common among breast cancer survivors. There is limited evidence to guide management of cognitive changes. This randomized controlled pilot evaluated the preliminary efficacy of a speed of processing (SOP) training among middle-aged and older breast cancer survivors.

Out-of-pocket costs and burden among rural breast cancer survivors.

Little is known about out-of-pocket (OOP) costs incurred for medical and health needs by rural breast cancer survivors and what factors may be associated with higher OOP costs and the associated economic burden. Data were examined for 432 survivors participating in the Rural Breast Cancer Survivor Intervention trial. OOP costs were collected using the Work and Finances Inventory survey at baseline and four assessments every 3 months.

Patient-centered outcome evaluation of the Rural Breast Cancer Survivors Intervention.

Purpose: Patient-centered evaluation is a critical but often overlooked component of intervention research. The Rural Breast Cancer Survivors (RBCS) Intervention is a survivorship education and support intervention designed for rural breast cancer survivors. Here, we describe evaluation of the RBCS Intervention from the participants' experience.

Variation in resources needed to implement psychosocial support interventions for rural breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: Understanding how resources are used provides guidance to disseminating effective interventions. Here, we report data on implementation resources needed for the Rural Breast Cancer Survivors (RBCS) study that tested a telephone-delivered psychoeducational education and support intervention to survivors in rural Florida. Intervention resources included interventionists' time on one intake assessment (IA) call, three education calls (ED), one follow-up education call (FUE), six support (SUP) calls, and documentation time per survivor.

Multimorbidity and breast cancer.

Objectives: To examine the significance of multimorbidity in breast cancer survivors, to explore multimorbidity in treatment decisions, and survivorship, and to consider multimorbidity assessment in clinical practice.

Data Sources: Literature review; clinical practice guidelines.

Conclusion: Multimorbidity influences treatment decisions.

Co-morbidity and predictors of health status in older rural breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: More than 66% of the 200,000 newly diagnosed annual breast cancers in the US occurs in women over 55 years. Treatment advances result in excellent survival, yet older breast cancer survivors with co-morbidity may live longer, but not better after cancer. Decline in physical function, increased social isolation, and diminished economic resources increase vulnerability among older women.

Predictors of attrition among rural breast cancer survivors.

Attrition can jeopardize both internal and external validity. The goal of this secondary analysis was to examine predictors of attrition using baseline data of 432 participants in the Rural Breast Cancer Survivors study. Attrition predictors were conceptualized based on demographic, social, cancer treatment, physical health, and mental health characteristics.

An application of longitudinal analysis with skewed outcomes.

Background: Longitudinal designs are indispensable to the study of change in outcomes over time and have an important role in health, social, and behavioral sciences. However, these designs present statistical challenges particularly related to accounting for the variance and covariance of the repeated measurements on the same participants and to modeling outcomes that are not normally distributed.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to introduce a general methodology for longitudinal designs to address these statistical challenges and to present an example of an analysis conducted with data collected in a randomized clinical trial.

The out of pocket cost of breast cancer survivors: a review.

Introduction: Out of pocket (OOP) costs add to the burden facing breast cancer survivors but remain an understudied area of costs. Current turbulent economic climate increases the urgency to better understand this burden. Few studies or systematic reviews focus on OOP costs.

Quality of life in cancer survivorship: 20 years later.

Objectives: To discuss the unique quality-of-life (QOL) issues for cancer survivors and provide guidance for the selection of measures to assess them.

Data Sources: Literature review, PubMed search, electronic data, websites.

Conclusion: QOL is a vital outcome for cancer survivors.

Cognitive remediation therapies for older adults: implications for nursing practice and research.

Among older adults, 20%-56% report having cognitive problems, and such cognitive complaints frequently correspond to actual neuropsychological impairment. The loss of cognitive abilities can be frustrating and frightening and can have a negative impact on instrumental activities of daily living and quality of life. Cognitive remediation interventions have been shown to be successful in improving mental function in older adults in many situations and may increase the number of everyday activities they are able to carry out.

Development and evaluation of home-based speed-of-processing training for older adults.

Objectives: To develop technical parameters for a videotape-based speed-of-processing training protocol, to evaluate the feasibility of self-administration (experiment 1), and to evaluate the protocol's effectiveness (experiment 2).

Design: A feasibility study (experiment 1) and a pre-post, 4-arm, nonrandomized controlled trial (experiment 2).

Setting: University research center.