bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial variables associated with mental adjustment to cancer
Authors: Grassi Luigi , Rosti Giovanni , Lasalvia Antonio , Marangolo Maurizio 
Published: February 2007

AbstractTo investigate the role of psychosocial variables and psychological vulnerability on adjustment to cancer, a study was undertaken on 157 cancer patients. Assessment of adjustment to cancer (Mental Adjustment to Cancer‐MAC‐scale), social support (Social Support Index), external locus of control (ELC scale), psychiatric history and present mental status (DSM‐III‐ R) was carried out. The results indicated that the MAC dimension Fighting Spirit (FS) was related to low ELC and high social support, while an opposite association was shown for Helplessness (H) and Fatalism (F). According to MAC cut‐off scores, ‘cases’ reported higher ELC and lower social support than ‘non‐cases’. Patients with a lifetime history of emotional disorders, as well as a present DSM‐III‐R diagnosis, showed a style of mental maladjustment to cancer (low FS, high H, F and Anxious Preoccupation). The findings seem to confirm the utility of using the MAC in oncologic settings and the importance of prior psychological problems, present emotional disorders, external locus of control and inadequate interpersonal support in favouring less effective strategies of adjustment to cancer.
Repressiveness: Cause or result of cancer?
Authors: Kreitler Shulamith , Chaitchik Samario , Kreitlers Hans 
Published: February 2007

AbstractRepression is commonly assumed to be a major characteristic of the cancer‐prone personality. Main supporting evidence includes studies showing that cancer patients are low in emotional expression and that repressives have shorter survival. The evidence did not seem compelling, mainly because of contrary findings, overlooking the age factor and the assessment instruments. Thus, we examined whether repression is a response to the threat posed by the cancer diagnosis and whether cancer patients are more repressive, using a new assessment method combining anxiety and defensiveness scores and controlling age. The subjects were 98 women comprising three groups comparable in demographic characteristics: (a) breast biopsy showed they were healthy (n= 40), (b) biopsy showed they had breast cancer (n= 32), and (c) underwent surgery unrelated to cancer (n= 26). Only post‐surgery groups a and b knew the diagnosis. Questionnaires of information and repression were administered to all women pre‐ and post‐surgery. Before surgery, the groups did not differ in repression, anxiety and defensiveness. Post‐surgery, there were no differences in anxiety but MANOVA andX2analyses showed that, in the malignancy group, defensiveness and the number of repressors increased more than in the other groups. The results indicate that repression could be a response to the threat posed by the cancer diagnosis and a means for keeping anxiety at a tolerable level rather than a personality trait of cancer patients.
The validity of the national adult reading test in estimating premorbid intellectual ability in long‐term survivors of hemispheric glioma and whole brain irradiation—a pilot study
Authors: Ebmeier Klaus P. , Booker Kerry , Cull Ann , Gregor Ann , Goodwin Guy M. , O'carroll Ronan E. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractWe have examined the validity of using the National Adult Reading Test (NART) to estimate premorbid intellectual levels in long‐term survivors of glioma who had received whole brain prophylactic irradiation. Sixteen controls matched for age, sex, education and social class were compared with 16 patients. Patients made significantly more errors in the NART than controls, even after controlling for demographic variables. NART errors were compared with demographically predicted NART errors and NART‐predicted Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale‐Revised (WAIS‐R) with pro‐rated WAIS‐R scores. While predicted and measured error scores were similar for the controls, for patients NART errors were higher than those predicted by demographic variables, while NART‐predicted WAIS‐R scores were higher than pro‐rated WAIS‐R. NART performance, therefore, appears to be detrimentally affected by brain changes due to the primary tumour or received treatment. This conclusion was supported by the finding that, in patients, NART errors were correlated with current IQ, but not with IQ predicted by socio‐demographic variables. After excluding four demented patients, this pattern of results was largely preserved. After excluding four patients with left temporal lobe involvement, the correlation of NART errors with current IQ disappeared, whereas that with NART errors predicted by socio‐demographic variables became significant. These results suggest that the NART can only be used with caution in survivors of malignant primary brain tumors, particularly if left temporal lobe structures are involved.
Psychiatric aspects of bone marrow transplantation: Part I: Special issues during pre‐transplant assessment and hospitalization
Authors: Lesko Lynna M. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractBone marrow transplantation (BMT) has become an important innovative treatment for hematological malignancies, solid tumors, immunodeficiency diseases and metabolic disorders. It has evolved over the last decade from a controversial research procedure to a standard therapeutic modality, which prolongs remission of some patients and cures others. Historically, the BMT procedure is divided into several stages, each of which have accompanying emotional problems. In providing psychological care for transplant recipients, donors and families, care‐givers must be familiar with the psychological stages of the procedure, the psychological themes such as body image, rebirth and the patient's mechanisms of coping with the extreme stress of such protocols. Its complex medications, high‐dose chemotherapy, total‐body irradiation (TBI), germ‐free environment, graft‐versus‐host disease (GvHD), Broviac or Hickman line catheterization and total parenteral nutrition (TPN), can precipitate significant psychological sequelae with immediate and long‐term consequences. In response to their illness, transplant patients may also develop emotional disturbances of anxiety, depression, agitation, non‐compliance and rare suicidal thoughts. These reactions, and the occasional presence of concurrent psychiatric illness, require recognition and development of guidelines for management.This paper is the first in a series of two and will inform the reader about: (1) the biology, epidemiology, history and economics of BMT; (2) informed consent issues and the psychological/social assessment of patients and families prior to BMT; (3) the psychological care of patients during BMT; and (4) address special issues concerning donation of marrow, donor registries, family issues, children as patients and prevention of staff burn‐out. Part II of this series will review the psychosocial adjustment and quality of life of BMT patients as they convalesce and re‐enter normal daily routines. A summary is given of research into which psychosocial factors predict better post‐BMT outcome.
A survey of cancer support groups provided by national cancer institute (NCI) clinical and comprehensive centers
Authors: Presberg Burton A. , Levenson James L. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe 42 National Cancer Institute Clinical and Comprehensive Cancer Centers were surveyed about their group support programs. All responding centers (81%) offered group support programs, an average of 3.5 groups per center. There were an average of 6.0 members per group. About an equal number of groups were composed of patients or family members only; more groups included both patients and family members. About one‐third of the groups were limited by site, most commonly breast cancer. One‐quarter limited membership by treatment, and a few groups limited membership by stage of disease. Most of the groups were open‐ended in structure. Nearly all groups met with a frequency between weekly and monthly. Support and education were the primary focus of groups, rather than cognitive‐behavioral or psychotherapy. Social workers and nurses led the majority of groups. Almost all of the groups were provided without payment. Implications of the survey's findings for research and clinical applications of support groups for cancer patients are discussed.
Quality of life following surgery for colorectal cancer: A literature review
Authors: Sprangers Mirjam A. G. , Velde Adrienne Te , Aaronson Neil K. , Taal Babs G. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractColorectal cancer patients are faced with the debilitating consequences of either sphincter‐sacrificing or sphincter‐conserving surgery. The question central to the current literature review is: what is the prevalence of physical, psychological, social and sexual dysfunction among colorectal cancer patients with a colostoma (ostomates) compared with those patients whose sphincter function has been conserved (non‐ostomates). Although the extant literature yields some inconsistent findings, a number of clear trends can be identified: (a) both patient groups are troubled by frequent or irregular bowel movements and diarrhea, and consequently often require dietary restrictions; (b) ostomates report higher levels of psychological distress than do non‐ostomates; (c) psychological problems tend to be more frequent among younger patients and among women; (d) while both ostomates and nonostomates report restrictions in their level of social functioning, such problems appear to be more prevalent among patients with a colostoma; (e) the sexual functioning of male colostomists is consistently more impaired than that of patients with intact sphincters; and (f) a considerable number of women whose sphincter function has been sacrificed suffer from dyspareunia. There is need for more methodologically sound studies that: (1) employ well validated quality‐of‐life measures; (2) assess patients' quality of life prospectively in order to examine patients' psychosocial adaptation over time; and (3) identify those subgroups of patients who are at greatest risk to the adverse psychosocial sequalae of the disease and its surgical treatment.
The ethics and conduct of cross‐cultural research in developing countries
Authors: Olweny Charles 
Published: February 2007

AbstractBioethics is the study of moral problems as they relate to health‐care delivery. The Hippocratic Oath laid the foundation of medical ethics as we know it today. Advances in medical technology have moved attention away from traditional ethical concepts, which are now either taken for granted or have been accorded the back seat. Contemporary ethical issues that occupy the minds of ethicists include euthanasia, advance directives, in vitro fertilization, surrogate motherhood and transplantation. Some of these are of less concern in developing countries than in the developed world. In developing countries, the ethics of cross‐cultural research, the ethics of scarcity and sacrifice, and the activities and ethics of multinational companies assume far greater importance. This discussion will concentrate on the ethics and conduct of cross‐cultural research in developing countries. The other important topics of scarcity, sacrifice and multinational activity will be covered elsewhere. Culture is the integrated patterns of human knowledge, beliefs and behaviour of a given community. Culture provides individuals with their identity. To work effectively with people it is necessary to view the world from their perspective. This is particularly important when dealing with people from cultures different from one's own. The world is functionally shrinking and there is interdependence not only in the traditional areas of communication and information transfer but also in the economic, environmental, demographic and migration areas. The concept of ‘global health village’ has now become a reality. In the past, researchers seem to have been motivated to conduct studies in developing countries for a variety of reasons. Whereas some of these are laudable, others are of more dubious ethical implications. This article focuses on issues related to the structural design, process and outcome of such research. Anyone contemplating conducting research in developing countries, especially cross‐cultural research, must keep three main points in mind. In particular, the collective wisdom of both foreign and local investigators should be pooled to determine the appropriate research question(s) relevant to the needs of the target population. If human subjects are required for the study, ethical obligations based on the principle of respect for the person and respect for the autonomy of study subject must prevail. Finally constant checks and balances must be in place to ensure benefit of the research, not only to science and society but to individual subjects as well.
Truth‐telling to cancer patients in the western european context
Authors: Weil M. , Smith M. , Khayat D. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe meaning and the practice of truth‐telling have undergone many changes throughout western European history. Although Plato noted the conflict between the idea of protecting individuals from information which could frighten them and the idea of respecting their autonomy and freedom to know, Greek physicians displayed a more pragmatic attitude. In contrast, the Catholic church has always condemned any form of lying. The emergence in the Middle Ages of the notion that Catholics had to receive the sacrament of extreme unction in order to ensure salvation made it necessary to inform patients of the approach of death. But the gradual decline of the Church's influence since the eighteenth century led to the increasing practise of telling medical ‘white lies’. Rapid changes are occurring, however, in light of medical progress, evolving ethical beliefs and major sociological changes, especially the increasing role of the media. In fact, the medical ‘secret’ is shared by many people and the problem is no longer whether physicians must tell the truth but how to tell it. Patients often do not understand the information they are given because the words are too esoteric. Failures in physician/patient communication arise also because of the phenomenon of denial, which is a part of the normal adaptation process. The physician has the responsibility of making the decision and of imparting to the patient a sense of innovation and progress.
Social work with stepfamilies and their children with cancer
Authors: Gould Hilary , Gould Nick 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis paper explores the complexities of medical social work undertaken with stepfamilies caring for a child suffering from cancer. Although there is a growing literature dealing with the psycho‐social effects of childhood cancer, there is an unexamined assumption that children are cared for by their birth parents within a traditional nuclear family. It is argued that the paediatric oncology social worker is challenged increasingly to develop understandings and modes of intervention which are appropriate and sympathetic to the particular issues facing stepfamilies. Using a systemic and chronological framework from referral and diagnosis through to bereavement, the authors identify challenges for the stepfamily, corresponding implications for social work practice, and questions for future research.
Cognitive responses and psychiatric disorder in women with operable breast cancer
Authors: Pinder Karen L. , Ramirez Amanda J. , Richards Michael A. , Gregory Walter M. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe relationships between patient characteristics, cognitive responses and psychiatric disorder have been examined in 105 women with operable breast cancer in the 6 months around the time of diagnosis. Patients underwent interview‐based psychosocial assessments at approximately 6 and 20 weeks post diagnosis. Information concerning patient characteristics was obtained at the 6 week assessment. Cognitive responses were assessed using a newly developed schedule at both the 6 and 20 week assessments. Psychiatric disorder from one month prior to diagnosis to five months post diagnosis was assessed at 20 weeks using the Present State Examination and Bedford College Rating Criteria. The point prevalence of psychiatric disorder (borderline and full case) was 48% at 6 weeks and 17% at 20 weeks post diagnosis. The period prevalence for the 6 months around the time of diagnosis was 66%, with 37% of women experiencing psychiatric disorder which was unresolved 6 weeks after diagnosis (persistent psychiatric disorder).The patient characteristics independently associated with psychiatric disorder included age < 50 (p = 0.05), lack of an intimate relationship (p = 0.05) and having previous psychological difficulties (p = 0.07). The frequencies of the cognitive responses assessed were generally similar at 6 and 20 weeks. So too was the extent to which each individual response was reported by each patient at each time point. Lack of optimism was significantly associated with psychiatric disorder at 20 weeks (p = 0.04), but not at 6 weeks post diagnosis. None of the other cognitive responses assessed were related to psychiatric disorder at either assessment.
Concerns, confiding and psychiatric disorder in newly diagnosed cancer patients: A descriptive study
Authors: Harrison Judy , Maguire Peter , Ibbotson Tracey , MacLeod Rhona , Hopwood Penelope 
Published: February 2007

AbstractA total of 520 patients were assessed by trained interviewers within 8 weeks of a cancer diagnosis. A semi‐structured interview, the Psychiatric Assessment Schedule, a checklist of concerns and assessment of degree of confiding of concerns in others were used to determine the relationship between concerns, confiding and affective disorder. The most common concerns were the illness itself (65%), inability to do things (36%), the future (31%) and physical symptoms (28%). Concerns about the illness itself, the future, job, finances and personal relationships were distributed evenly across disease groups. Concerns about sexuality, feeling upset or feeling different from other people were related to cancer type. Patients with these concerns or who had four or more concerns had significantly more anxiety or depression. No relationship was found between degree of confiding and psychological morbidity. The nature and number of concerns could be useful markers for those with affective disorders and a focus for psychological and/or psychiatric intervention in the cancer population.
Psychoneuroimmunology and the course of breast cancer: An overview the impact of psychosocial factors on progression of breast cancer through immune and endocrine mechanisms
Authors: Van Der Pompe G. , Antoni M. H. , Mulder C. L. , Heijnen C. , Goodkin K. , De Graeff A. , Garssen B. , De Vries M. J. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThis review focuses upon possible mediators of the frequently noted associations between psychosocial factors and the progression of breast cancer. First, host‐related endocrine and immunological processes that may play an important role in the carcinogenesis and progression of breast cancer are summarized. Second, the effects of several endocrines on different components of the immune system that have been shown to be related to the course of breast cancer are addressed. Third, studies examining the effect of psychosocial factors on immune function conducted with breast cancer patients and healthy individuals are described. Based on this review, it can be concluded that causal relations between psychosocial stressors, endocrine and immune processes, and breast cancer progression remain to be elucidated. It can be hypothesized that psychosocial stressors influence the course of breast cancer by modulating endocrine processes which are directly related to tumor growth or indirectly related by decreasing immunologic control over tumor development and metastases. Finally, methodological pitfalls that plague this line of research are summarized and recommendations for future psychoneuroimmunologic research in breast cancer are provided.
Post‐traumatic stress after childhood cancer I: The role of appraisal
Authors: Stuber Margaret L. , Meeske Kathleen , Gonzalez Sandra , Houskamp Beth M. , Pynoos Robert 
Published: February 2007

AbstractLife threat or physical injury have been shown to produce post‐traumatic stress symptoms in children. Recent studies have demonstrated that a subset of survivors of pediatric cancer report post‐traumatic stress symptoms years after completing successful treatment. However, it is not clear whether these symptoms represent a response to the perception of life‐threat or to the repeated intrusive procedures that accompany cancer treatment. In this exploratory study, 30 childhood cancer survivors 8 to 19 years old, who were at least 22 months off treatment without recurrence of disease, were evaluated using self‐report questionnaires. The survivor's appraisal of treatment intensity signficantly correlated with the severity of post‐traumatic stress symptoms. When age at the time of diagnosis was evaluated, appraisal of treatment intensity was significantly correlated with symptoms only in those six years old and younger. For children aged seven years or older at the time of diagnosis, duration of treatment was a significant contributor to symptoms. Diagnostic category (leukemia or solid tumor), length of time since completion of treatment and the child's appraisal of life‐threat were not significantly correlated with severity of post‐traumatic stress symptoms. Further study of the impact of intensive pediatric treatment on children and the importance of developmental factors in traumatic response to illness appears to be indicated.
Eysenck personality inventory L‐scores in patients with Hodgkin's disease and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: Ratcliffe Marcia A. , Dawson Audrey A. , Walker Leslie G. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractSixty‐three patients with Hodgkin's disease and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma were followed up for exactly 5 years after first diagnosis. Survival analysis was carried out using the log‐rank test (univariate) and Cox's proportional hazards regression method (multivariate). Variables examined were: age at diagnosis; gender; stage; symptoms; type of disease; grade of tumour, performance status; presence or absence of hypnotherapy or relaxation training; Eysenck Personality Inventory L‐scores; and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale scores. At diagnosis, in keeping with previous studies, L‐scores were high. Although L‐scores can be raised for several reasons, the L‐scale may be a useful measure of the cancer‐prone (type C) personality. Moreover, as predicted, L‐scores were associated with an increased risk of death within 5 years; L‐scores emerged as an independent risk factor as did depression scores. A relaxation‐based intervention may also have enhanced survival. Replication in the lymphomas, and investigation in other cancers, should be carried out.