Health behaviors and quality of life of cancer survivors in Massachusetts, 2006: data use for comprehensive cancer control.

Introduction: Nearly 12 million cancer survivors are living in the United States. Few state-based studies have examined the health status and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of this growing population. The objective of this study was to use Massachusetts Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to describe cancer survivors' demographics, health behaviors, quality of life, use of preventive care services, and influenza vaccination rates.

The influence of black race on treatment and mortality for early-stage breast cancer.

Background: Black Americans have higher mortality from breast cancer than white Americans. This study explores the influence of socioeconomic factors and black race on treatment and mortality for early-stage breast cancer.

Methods: A cohort of 21,848 female black and white, non-Hispanic subjects from the Massachusetts Cancer Registry diagnosed with stage I or II breast cancer between 1999-2004 was studied.

Prevalence, stability, and socio-demographic correlates of depressive symptoms in Black mothers during the first 18 months postpartum.

Objectives: The goals of this longitudinal study were to evaluate 1) the prevalence and stability of high depressive symptom levels during the first 18 months postpartum in a sample of otherwise healthy Black mothers varying in socio-economic status and 2) the relation of sociodemographic variables and level of socio-demographic risk to maternal depressive symptom levels during this time period.

Methods: Participants were 163 Black adult mothers of healthy, full-term infants. The level of mothers' depressive symptomatology was assessed at 2, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months postpartum using the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D).