Media Use and the Cancer Communication Strategies of Cancer Survivors

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Yoon, Heesoo; Sohn, Minsung; Jung, Minsoo

2016-01-01

Communication related to health not only substantially affects perceptions and behaviors related to health but is also positively associated with the extent of health-information seeking and the practice of preventive behavior. Despite the fact that the number of cancer survivors has increased dramatically, there are few studies of the lack of health information, factors which act as barriers, and the difficulties in follow-up care experienced by cancer survivors. Therefore, we reviewed media utilization and the types of media used by cancer survivors with regard to risk communication and suggested appropriate strategies for cancer communication. According to the results, health communication contributed to health promotion by providing health-related information, consolidating social support factors such as social solidarity and trust, and reducing anxiety. In particular, participatory health communication may establish preventive programs which reflect the needs of communities, expand accessibility to better quality healthcare, and intensify healthy living by reducing health inequalities. Therefore, when people do not have an intention to obtain cancer screening, we need to intervene to change their behavior, norms, and degrees of self-efficacy. The findings of this study may help those involved in building partnerships by assisting in their efforts to understand and communicate with the public. PMID:27722138

Media Use and the Cancer Communication Strategies of Cancer Survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Heesoo; Sohn, Minsung; Jung, Minsoo

2016-09-01

Communication related to health not only substantially affects perceptions and behaviors related to health but is also positively associated with the extent of health-information seeking and the practice of preventive behavior. Despite the fact that the number of cancer survivors has increased dramatically, there are few studies of the lack of health information, factors which act as barriers, and the difficulties in follow-up care experienced by cancer survivors. Therefore, we reviewed media utilization and the types of media used by cancer survivors with regard to risk communication and suggested appropriate strategies for cancer communication. According to the results, health communication contributed to health promotion by providing health-related information, consolidating social support factors such as social solidarity and trust, and reducing anxiety. In particular, participatory health communication may establish preventive programs which reflect the needs of communities, expand accessibility to better quality healthcare, and intensify healthy living by reducing health inequalities. Therefore, when people do not have an intention to obtain cancer screening, we need to intervene to change their behavior, norms, and degrees of self-efficacy. The findings of this study may help those involved in building partnerships by assisting in their efforts to understand and communicate with the public.

Family Avoidance of Communication about Cancer: A Dyadic Examination.

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Shin, Dong Wook; Shin, Jooyeon; Kim, So Young; Yang, Hyung-Kook; Cho, Juhee; Youm, Jung Ho; Choi, Gyu Seog; Hong, Nam Soo; Cho, BeLong; Park, Jong-Hyock

2016-01-01

This study aimed to examine the following questions: to what extent do patients and caregivers perceive their family members to be avoidant of communication regarding patient's cancer, and to what extent do these perceptions interrelate; and how do such perceptions influence their own and each other's communication behaviors, communication outcome, mental health, and quality of life. A national survey was performed with 990 patient-caregiver dyads (participation rate, 76.2%). To examine the dyadic interaction, we developed linked patient and family member questionnaires, including the Family Avoidance of Communication about Cancer (FACC) scale. The mean scores (standard deviations) of patient- and caregiver-perceived FACC were low at 10.9 (15.5) and 15.5 (17.5), respectively (p communication, as well as lower levels of mental health outcome and quality of life. The same was true for caregivers (all p communication difficulty within the family. Future research would benefit from the measurement of FACC from both patients and caregivers, and promote family intervention to enhance openness to communication, which would be helpful for improving mental health and quality of life for both patients and caregivers.

Cancer as a Social Dysfunction - Why Cancer Research Needs New Thinking.

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Pienta, Kenneth J; Axelrod, Robert

2018-05-21

The incidence and mortality for many cancers continues to rise. As such, critical action is needed on many fronts to reshape how a society thinks, discusses, and fights cancer especially as the population grows and ages. Cancer can be described as a broken social contract which requires different conceptual frameworks such as game theory. To this end, it is our hope that this perspective will catalyze a discussion to rethink the way we approach, communicate, and fund cancer research - thinking of cancer as a broken social contract is only one example. Importantly, this endeavor will require infusion of ideas from other fields such as physics, computational medicine, complexity science, agent-based modeling, sociology, and ecology all of which have the capacity to drive new insights into cancer biology and clinical medicine. Copyright ©2018, American Association for Cancer Research.

Family Ties: The Role of Family Context in Family Health History Communication about Cancer

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Rodríguez, Vivian M.; Corona, Rosalie; Bodurtha, Joann N.; Quillin, John M.

2016-01-01

Family health history about cancer is an important prevention and health promotion tool. Yet, few studies have identified family context factors that promote such discussions. We explored relations among family context (cohesion, flexibility, and openness), self-efficacy, and cancer communication (gathering family history, sharing cancer risk information, and frequency) in a diverse group of women enrolled in a randomized control trial. Baseline survey data for 472 women were analyzed. Average age was 34 years, 59% identified as Black, 31% graduated high school, and 75% reported a family history of any cancer. Results showed that greater family cohesion and flexibility were related to higher communication frequency and sharing cancer information. Women who reported greater self-efficacy were more likely to have gathered family history, shared cancer risk information, and communicated more frequently with relatives. Openness was not associated with communication but was related to greater family cohesion and flexibility. Adjusting for demographic variables, self-efficacy and family cohesion significantly predicted communication frequency. Women with higher self-efficacy were also more likely to have gathered family health history about cancer and shared cancer risk information. Future research may benefit from considering family organization and self-efficacy when developing psychosocial theories that, in turn, inform cancer prevention interventions. PMID:26735646

Family Ties: The Role of Family Context in Family Health History Communication About Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez, Vivian M; Corona, Rosalie; Bodurtha, Joann N; Quillin, John M

2016-01-01

Family health history about cancer is an important prevention and health promotion tool. Yet few studies have identified family context factors that promote such discussions. We explored relations among family context (cohesion, flexibility, and openness), self-efficacy, and cancer communication (gathering family history, sharing cancer risk information, and frequency) in a diverse group of women enrolled in a randomized control trial. Baseline survey data for 472 women were analyzed. The women's average age was 34 years, 59% identified as Black, 31% had graduated high school, and 75% reported a family history of any cancer. Results showed that greater family cohesion and flexibility were related to higher communication frequency and sharing cancer information. Women who reported greater self-efficacy were more likely to have gathered family history, shared cancer risk information, and communicated more frequently with relatives. Openness was not associated with communication but was related to greater family cohesion and flexibility. Adjusting for demographic variables, self-efficacy, and family cohesion significantly predicted communication frequency. Women with higher self-efficacy were also more likely to have gathered family health history about cancer and shared cancer risk information. Future research may benefit from considering family organization and self-efficacy when developing psychosocial theories that in turn inform cancer prevention interventions.

Communicating the balance sheet in breast cancer screening.

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Giordano, Livia; Cogo, Carla; Patnick, Julietta; Paci, Eugenio

2012-01-01

Despite the difficulties, there is a moral responsibility to provide the public with the best estimates of benefits and harms of breast cancer screening. In this paper we review the issues in communication of benefits and harms of medical interventions and discuss these in terms of the principles of the balance sheet proposed in this supplement. The balance sheet can be seen as a tool to convey estimates based on the best available evidence and addressed to a readership wider than just potential screening participants. It reflects a re-assessment of screening efficacy, showing again that screening is effective and brings more benefits than harms. It can be viewed as an opportunity to re-affirm some basic principles of good evidence-based communication. Further research is needed to improve communication strategy, to assess the impact of this communication on women's awareness and to evaluate its utility in the informed decision-making process. The balance sheet could be a starting point for a broader vision of informed decision-making in screening, which should also recognize the role played by 'non-numerical' factors on women's choice of participating in breast cancer screening.

Assessing patient-caregiver communication in cancer--a psychometric validation of the Cancer Communication Assessment Tool (CCAT-PF) in a German sample.

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Haun, Markus W; Sklenarova, Halina; Winkler, Eva C; Huber, Johannes; Thomas, Michael; Siminoff, Laura A; Woll, Michael; Brechtel, Anette; Herzog, Wolfgang; Hartmann, Mechthild

2014-09-01

The recently introduced Cancer Communication Assessment Tool (CCAT-PF) measures congruence in patient-caregiver communication and was initially validated in lung cancer patients. Contributing to a greater proportion of the variance in the conflict scores, primary caregivers were hypothesized to experience greater stress. For a detailed understanding of conflicting communication patterns of cancer-affected families, our study aimed for psychometric validation of the CCAT-PF in a sample covering heterogeneous tumor entities. Subsequent to a cross-sectional survey of 189 pairs of cancer patients (31 % gastrointestinal, 34 % lung, and 35 % urological) and their caregivers' exploratory factor analysis with principal component condensation and varimax rotation was conducted (response rate, 74.2 %). Reliability and construct validity were assessed calculating Cronbach's α and Pearson correlation coefficients for CCAT-P and CCAT-F scales and related constructs, respectively. Cancer-related communication according to the CCAT-PF can be subdivided into four factors including the scales Disclosure, Limitation of treatment, Family involvement in treatment decisions, and Continuing treatment. Reliability ranged from α = .51-.68. The Disclosure scale, describing poor cancer-related communication of the patient, was correlated with patient's distress (QSC-R10: r = .30, p reliable stand-alone instrument for identifying conflicting communication in patient-caregiver-dyads at risk.

Assessing Patient-Centered Communication in Cancer Care: Stakeholder Perspectives

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Mazor, Kathleen M.; Gaglio, Bridget; Nekhlyudov, Larissa; Alexander, Gwen L.; Stark, Azadeh; Hornbrook, Mark C.; Walsh, Kathleen; Boggs, Jennifer; Lemay, Celeste A.; Firneno, Cassandra; Biggins, Colleen; Blosky, Mary Ann; Arora, Neeraj K.

2013-01-01

Purpose: Patient-centered communication is critical to quality cancer care. Effective communication can help patients and family members cope with cancer, make informed decisions, and effectively manage their care; suboptimal communication can contribute to care breakdowns and undermine clinician-patient relationships. The study purpose was to explore stakeholders' views on the feasibility and acceptability of collecting self-reported patient and family perceptions of communication experiences while receiving cancer care. The results were intended to inform the design, development, and implementation of a structured and generalizable patient-level reporting system. Methods: This was a formative, qualitative study that used semistructured interviews with cancer patients, family members, clinicians, and leaders of health care organizations. The constant comparative method was used to identify major themes in the interview transcripts. Results: A total of 106 stakeholders were interviewed. Thematic saturation was achieved. All stakeholders recognized the importance of communication and endorsed efforts to improve communication during cancer care. Patients, clinicians, and leaders expressed concerns about the potential consequences of reports of suboptimal communication experiences, such as damage to the clinician-patient relationship, and the need for effective improvement strategies. Patients and family members would report good communication experiences in order to encourage such practices. Practical and logistic issues were identified. Conclusion: Patient reports of their communication experiences during cancer care could increase understanding of the communication process, stimulate improvements, inform interventions, and provide a basis for evaluating changes in communication practices. This qualitative study provides a foundation for the design and pilot testing of such a patient reporting system. PMID:23943884

Identifying gender-preferred communication styles within online cancer communities: a retrospective, longitudinal analysis.

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Durant, Kathleen T; McCray, Alexa T; Safran, Charles

2012-01-01

The goal of this research is to determine if different gender-preferred social styles can be observed within the user interactions at an online cancer community. To achieve this goal, we identify and measure variables that pertain to each gender-specific social style. We perform social network and statistical analysis on the communication flow of 8,388 members at six different cancer forums over eight years. Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted to measure the difference between the number of intimate (and highly intimate) dyads, relationship length, and number of communications. We determine that two patients are more likely to form an intimate bond on a gender-specific cancer forum (ovarian P = communicates with more members than a female patient (Ovarian forum P = 0.0406, Breast forum P = 0.0013). A relationship between two patients is longer on the gender-specific cancer forums than a connection between two members not identified as patients (ovarian forum P = 0.00406, breast forum P = 0.00013, prostate forum P = .0.0003). The high level of interconnectedness among the prostate patients supports the hypothesis that men prefer to socialize in large, interconnected, less-intimate groups. A female patient is more likely to form a highly intimate connection with another female patient; this finding is consistent with the hypothesis that woman prefer fewer, more intimate connections. The relationships of same-gender cancer patients last longer than other relationships; this finding demonstrates homophily within these online communities. Our findings regarding online communication preferences are in agreement with research findings from person-to-person communication preference studies. These findings should be considered when designing online communities as well as designing and evaluating psychosocial and educational interventions for cancer patients.

Patient-Provider Communication: Experiences of Low-Wage-Earning Breast Cancer Survivors in Managing Cancer and Work.

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Nichols, Helen M; Swanberg, Jennifer E; Vanderpool, Robin C

2018-02-26

In 2017, there will be more than 250,000 new diagnoses of invasive breast cancer; most cases will occur in working-age women. The goal of this qualitative study was to explore low-wage-earning breast cancer survivors' experiences communicating with their oncology team about cancer and employment issues. Twenty-four low-wage-earning breast cancer survivors in the USA were interviewed in 2012 using a structured interview protocol. Sociodemographic data, cancer history, and patient-provider communication experiences regarding the management of cancer and work were collected. Interviews were analyzed using grounded theory strategy of constant comparative analysis. Low-wage-earning breast cancer survivors' experiences communicating with their oncology team about employment and cancer focused on three dimensions of patient-provider communication: extent, quality, and content. Over 70% of respondents reported no communication or only routine communication with their providers regarding work; three quarters of women reported poor or standard communication quality, and content of work-related communication covered scheduling issues, work absences, continuing to work during treatment, and financial concerns. Communication between oncology care teams and low-wage-earning cancer patients is critical to the successful management of treatment and work responsibilities given the vulnerable employment situation of these women. There is a need for education of oncology team members about how cancer and its treatment can impact employment for all workers, but especially for low-wage workers, thereby allowing the care team to address these issues proactively and help patients successfully manage both cancer treatment and work responsibilities.

Prevention of cancer and non-communicable diseases.

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Cannon, Geoffrey; Gupta, Prakash; Gomes, Fabio; Kerner, Jon; Parra, William; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Kim, Jeongseon; Moore, Malcolm; Sutcliffe, Catherine; Sutcliffe, Simon

2012-01-01

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for approximately 7.6 million deaths (13% of all deaths) in 2008. Cancer mortality is projected to increase to 11 million deaths in 2030, with the majority occurring in regions of the world with the least capacity to respond. However, cancer is not only a personal, societal and economic burden but also a potential societal opportunity in the context of functional life - the years gained through effective prevention and treatment, and strategies to enhance survivorship. The United Nations General Assembly Special Session in 2011 has served to focus attention on key aspects of cancer prevention and control. Firstly, cancer is largely preventable, by feasible means. Secondly, cancer is one of a number of chronic, non- communicable diseases that share common risk factors whose prevention and control would benefit a majority of the world's population. Thirdly, a proportion of cancers can be attributed to infectious, communicable causal factors (e.g., HPV, HBV, H.pylori, parasites, flukes) and that strategies to control the burden of infectious diseases have relevance to the control of cancer. Fourthly, that the natural history of non-communicable diseases, including cancer, from primary prevention through diagnosis, treatment and care, is underwritten by the impact of social, economic and environmental determinants of health (e.g., poverty, illiteracy, gender inequality, social isolation, stigma, socio-economic status). Session 1 of the 4th International Cancer Control Congress (ICCC-4) focused on the social, economic and environmental, as well as biological and behavioural, modifiers of the risk of cancer through one plenary presentation and four interactive workshop discussions. The workshop sessions concerned 1) the Global Adult Tobacco Survey and social determinants of tobacco use in high burden low- and middle-income countries; 2) the role of diet, including alcohol, and physical activity in modifying the

Identifying gender-preferred communication styles within online cancer communities: a retrospective, longitudinal analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen T Durant

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The goal of this research is to determine if different gender-preferred social styles can be observed within the user interactions at an online cancer community. To achieve this goal, we identify and measure variables that pertain to each gender-specific social style. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We perform social network and statistical analysis on the communication flow of 8,388 members at six different cancer forums over eight years. Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted to measure the difference between the number of intimate (and highly intimate dyads, relationship length, and number of communications. We determine that two patients are more likely to form an intimate bond on a gender-specific cancer forum (ovarian P = <0.0001, breast P = 0.0089, prostate P = 0.0021. Two female patients are more likely to form a highly intimate bond on a female-specific cancer forum (Ovarian P<0.0001, Breast P<0.01. Typically a male patient communicates with more members than a female patient (Ovarian forum P = 0.0406, Breast forum P = 0.0013. A relationship between two patients is longer on the gender-specific cancer forums than a connection between two members not identified as patients (ovarian forum P = 0.00406, breast forum P = 0.00013, prostate forum P = .0.0003. CONCLUSION: The high level of interconnectedness among the prostate patients supports the hypothesis that men prefer to socialize in large, interconnected, less-intimate groups. A female patient is more likely to form a highly intimate connection with another female patient; this finding is consistent with the hypothesis that woman prefer fewer, more intimate connections. The relationships of same-gender cancer patients last longer than other relationships; this finding demonstrates homophily within these online communities. Our findings regarding online communication preferences are in agreement with research findings from person-to-person communication

I wanted you to know: Breast cancer survivors' control of workplace communication about cancer.

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Robinson, Lynne; Kocum, Lucie; Loughlin, Catherine; Bryson, Lindsay; Dimoff, Jennifer K

2015-10-01

Of working women diagnosed with cancer, approximately one-third will have breast cancer. Communicating about their cancer plays an important role in their workplace experience. It is challenging but helpful in eliciting needed social support and accommodations. Fully understanding such communication experiences is important in order to facilitate the well-being and success of such women in their workplaces. A qualitative study permits a richer account of the details of these workplace communications, and a deeper understanding of how women manage the complex and multifaceted communication process. This study used thematic analysis of semistructured interviews from 19 women working full time at the time of their breast cancer diagnosis. We found 3 themes that encapsulated unfolding individual experiences, representing a complex interplay of challenges to maintaining a sense of personal control in workplace responses: challenges to control posed by the experience of sharing information in the workplace about the woman's cancer, women's very individual attempts to control how information about their cancer was shared, and the mixed responses of those who were told. The result was unique individual trajectories in which empathic responses tailored to the individual's needs and preferences were most helpful. These findings can provide guidance on managing cancer communication for survivors, and on how to best support and accommodate women workers with breast cancer, facilitating their ability to control how their cancer impacts their work experience. Our website (http://www.iwantedyoutoknow.ca/) provides a video, tip sheet, and other resources for facilitating supportive communication in the workplace. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Partnering Against Cancer Today: A Blueprint for Coordinating Efforts Through Communication Science

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2013-01-01

One of the hallmarks of the communication revolution over the past decade has been its support for participation, whether that be in the active engagement of patients searching the Web for answers to vital health questions, or in the collective energies of self-organizing communities through social media. At the same time, some of the major obstacles to achieving a full and equitable reach of evidence-based cancer control knowledge have been traced back to discontinuities in communication either within clinical care or the broader public awareness system. Communication scientists from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society joined forces in 2010 to investigate ways in which communication science can be used to improve coordination and enhance participation in cancer control for the nation. From 2010 to 2013, the three organizations worked together in 1) convening two meetings designed to assess the status of funded research in communication science, 2) completing a systematic review of literature published over the previous 10 years, and 3) authoring a blueprint for coordinated efforts using the implications of communication science. The blueprint consists of three major goals: first, to identify high-yield targets of opportunity using the health impact pyramid articulated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Thomas Frieden; second, to leverage opportunities within the new communication environment, including the opportunities catalyzed by national efforts to create an infrastructure for evidence implementation through health information technology; and third, to assist in coordinating efforts across collaborative entities through participative media. PMID:24395998

Patient perceptions of helpful communication in the context of advanced cancer.

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Stajduhar, Kelli I; Thorne, Sally E; McGuinness, Liza; Kim-Sing, Charmaine

2010-07-01

Based on a secondary analysis of data from a large qualitative study on cancer care communication, we address the question: what do patients with advanced cancer identify as helpful in their communication encounters with health care providers? Communication is of critical importance to the care of patients with advanced cancer. A better understanding of what such patients identify as helpful in their communication encounters with nurses and other health care providers seems critical to creating evidence-informed recommendations for best practices. Secondary analysis of qualitative interview data. Data from 18 participants interviewed individually and 16 focus group participants, with advanced cancer in the palliative phase of care. Interpretive description methodology informed data collection and analysis. Findings suggest four key elements are critically important to consider in communications with patients in an advanced or palliative phase - respecting the importance of time, demonstrating caring, acknowledging fear and balancing hope and honesty in the provision of information. Communication is an important element in the provision of advanced cancer care. Findings emphasise the complex meanings inherent in cancer care communication and identify central themes that are fundamental to effective cancer care communication. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Cancer Risk-Promoting Information: The Communication Environment of Young Adults.

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McCloud, Rachel F; Kohler, Racquel E; Viswanath, K

2017-09-01

Young adulthood represents a time of myriad transitions, which leave young adults (YAs) more susceptible to the influences of cancer risk-promoting information. The tobacco, alcohol, indoor tanning, and food and beverage industries engage in aggressive marketing strategies through both traditional and social media to target this age group to consume their products, which have known links to cancer. Despite this barrage of messaging, detailed data are lacking on the communication behaviors of subgroups of this diverse age group, particularly those from low SES. This paper explores the available data on media usage among YAs and describes the cancer risk-promoting information environment, with a focus on communication inequalities and their implications for cancer research and control. Nationally representative data on media consumption patterns indicate that the majority of YAs access a diverse range of traditional and social media platforms, but these data do not fully describe differences at the intersection of age and important factors such as SES, gender, race/ethnicity, or urban/rural residence. Meanwhile, risk-promoting information is heavily marketed to YAs across media, with an increasing focus on using social media sites to normalize products and evade marketing restrictions. Gaps in the available data on YAs' media consumption behaviors, coupled with aggressive risk-promoting marketing strategies toward YAs, may impede cancer control efforts. Relationships between exposure to various cancer risk-promoting information, concurrent risk behaviors, SES disparities, and communication inequalities should be investigated to develop innovative and effective control programs and policies to promote cancer control in this important group. Copyright © 2017 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Communicating research results

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Jan Fryk

1999-01-01

A research finding is of little value until it is known and applied. Hence) communication of results should be regarded as a natural, integrated part of research) and thus addressed in the research plans from the very beginning. A clearly defined information strategy and operational goals for information activities are needed for successful communication. For maximum...

Oncologists' perspectives on post-cancer treatment communication and care coordination with primary care physicians.

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Klabunde, C N; Haggstrom, D; Kahn, K L; Gray, S W; Kim, B; Liu, B; Eisenstein, J; Keating, N L

2017-07-01

Post-treatment cancer care is often fragmented and of suboptimal quality. We explored factors that may affect cancer survivors' post-treatment care coordination, including oncologists' use of electronic technologies such as e-mail and integrated electronic health records (EHRs) to communicate with primary care physicians (PCPs). We used data from a survey (357 respondents; participation rate 52.9%) conducted in 2012-2013 among medical oncologists caring for patients in a large US study of cancer care delivery and outcomes. Oncologists reported their frequency and mode of communication with PCPs, and role in providing post-treatment care. Seventy-five per cent said that they directly communicated with PCPs about post-treatment status and care recommendations for all/most patients. Among those directly communicating with PCPs, 70% always/usually used written correspondence, while 36% always/usually used integrated EHRs; telephone and e-mail were less used. Eighty per cent reported co-managing with PCPs at least one post-treatment general medical care need. In multivariate-adjusted analyses, neither communication mode nor intensity were associated with co-managing survivors' care. Oncologists' reliance on written correspondence to communicate with PCPs may be a barrier to care coordination. We discuss new research directions for enhancing communication and care coordination between oncologists and PCPs, and to better meet the needs of cancer survivors post-treatment. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Seeking informed consent to Phase I cancer clinical trials: identifying oncologists' communication strategies.

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Brown, Richard; Bylund, Carma L; Siminoff, Laura A; Slovin, Susan F

2011-04-01

Phase I clinical trials are the gateway to effective new cancer treatments. Many physicians have difficulty when discussing Phase I clinical trials. Research demonstrates evidence of suboptimal communication. Little is known about communication strategies used by oncologists when recruiting patients for Phase I trials. We analyzed audio recorded Phase I consultations to identify oncologists' communication strategies. Subjects were consecutive cancer patients from six medical oncologists attending one of three outpatient clinics at a major Cancer Center in the United States. Sixteen patients signed informed consent for audio recording of their consultations in which a Phase I study was discussed. These were transcribed in full and analyzed to identify communication strategies. Six communication themes emerged from the analysis: (1) orienting, (2) educating patients, (3) describing uncertainty and prognosis, (4) persuading, (5) decision making, and (6) making a treatment recommendation. As expected, although there was some common ground between communication in Phase I and the Phase II and III settings, there were distinct differences. Oncologists used persuasive communication, made explicit recommendations, or implicitly expressed a treatment preference and were choice limiting. This highlights the complexity of discussing Phase I trials and the need to develop strategies to aid oncologists and patients in these difficult conversations. Patient centered communication that values patient preferences while preserving the oncologist's agenda can be a helpful approach to these discussions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cancer Research

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NCI is the nation's leader in cancer research. Learn more about NCI's cancer research areas, key initiatives, progress made in cancer research, and resources for researchers like research tools, specimens and data.

Work and "mass personal" communication as means of navigating nutrition and exercise concerns in an online cancer community.

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Love, Brad; M Thompson, Charee; Crook, Brittani; Donovan-Kicken, Erin

2013-05-31

Health and psychosocial outcomes for young adults affected by cancer have improved only minimally in decades, partially due to a lack of relevant support and information. Given significant unmet needs involving nutrition and exercise, it is important to understand how this audience handles information about food and fitness in managing their cancer experiences. Using the theory of illness trajectories as a framework, we explored how four lines of work associated with living with a chronic illness such as cancer (illness, everyday life, biographical, and the recently explicated construct of communication work) impacts and is impacted by nutrition and exercise concerns. Following a search to extract all nutrition- and exercise-related content from the prior 3 years (January 2008 to February 2011), a sample of more than 1000 posts from an online support community for young adults affected by cancer were qualitatively analyzed employing iterative, constant comparison techniques. Sensitized by illness trajectory research and related concepts, 3 coders worked over 4 months to examine the English-language, de-identified text files of content. An analysis of discussion board threads in an online community for young adults dealing with cancer shows that nutrition and exercise needs affect the young adults' illness trajectories, including their management of illness, everyday life, biographical, and communication work. Furthermore, this paper helps validate development of the "communication work" variable, explores the "mass personal" interplay of mediated and interpersonal communication channels, and expands illness trajectory work to a younger demographic than investigated in prior research. Applying the valuable concepts of illness, everyday life, biographical, and communication work provides a more nuanced understanding of how young adults affected by cancer handle exercise and nutrition needs. This knowledge can help provide support and interventional guidance for the

Complementary and conventional providers in cancer care: experience of communication with patients and steps to improve communication with other providers.

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Stub, Trine; Quandt, Sara A; Arcury, Thomas A; Sandberg, Joanne C; Kristoffersen, Agnete E

2017-06-08

Effective interdisciplinary communication is important to achieve better quality in health care. The aims of this study were to compare conventional and complementary providers' experience of communication about complementary therapies and conventional medicine with their cancer patients, and to investigate how they experience interdisciplinary communication and cooperation. This study analyzed data from a self-administrated questionnaire. A total of 606 different health care providers, from four counties in Norway, completed the questionnaire. The survey was developed to describe aspects of the communication pattern among oncology doctors, nurses, family physicians and complementary therapists (acupuncturists, massage therapists and reflexologists/zone-therapists). Between-group differences were analyzed using chi-square, ANOVA and Fisher's exact tests. Significance level was defined as p communication with their cancer patients regarding complementary therapies. While complementary therapists advised their patients to apply both complementary and conventional modalities, medical doctors were less supportive of their patients' use of complementary therapies. Of conventional providers, nurses expressed more positive attitudes toward complementary therapies. Opportunities to improve communication between conventional and complementary providers were most strongly supported by complementary providers and nurses; medical doctors were less supportive of such attempts. A number of doctors showed lack of respect for complementary therapists, but asked for more research, guidelines for complementary modalities and training in conventional medicine for complementary therapists. For better quality of care, greater communication about complementary therapy use is needed between cancer patients and their conventional and complementary providers. In addition, more communication between conventional and complementary providers is needed. Nurses may have a crucial role in

Self evaluation of communication experiences after laryngeal cancer – A longitudinal questionnaire study in patients with laryngeal cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Finizia Caterina

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate the sensitivity to change of the Swedish Self Evaluation of Communication Experiences after Laryngeal Cancer questionnaire (the S-SECEL, addressing communication dysfunction in patients treated for laryngeal cancer. Previous studies have highlighted the need for more specific questionnaires for this purpose. Methods 100 patients with Tis-T4 laryngeal cancer were included prior to treatment onset. Patients answered four questionnaires at six occasions during one year; the S-SECEL, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC Core Quality of Life Core Questionnaire (QLQ-C30 supplemented by the Head and Neck cancer module (QLQ-H&N35 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD scale. In addition, performance status was assessed. Differences within groups were tested with the Wilcoxon paired signed ranks test and between-group analyses were carried out using the Mann-Whitney U test. Magnitude of group differences was analyzed by means of effect sizes. Results The S-SECEL was well accepted with a response rate of 76%. Communication dysfunction increased at 1 month, followed by a continuous decrease throughout the year. Changes were statistically significant at most measurement, demonstrating the sensitivity of the S-SECEL to changes in communication over time. The S-SECEL and the EORTC QLQ-C30 with the QLQ-H&N35 demonstrated similar results; however the S-SECEL was more sensitive regarding communication dysfunction. The largest changes were found in the most diagnose specific items concerning voice and speech. Conclusion The S-SECEL was investigated in the largest Scandinavian longitudinal study concerning health-related quality of life (HRQL in laryngeal cancer patients. The questionnaire was responsive to change and showed convergent results when compared to established HRQL questionnaires. Our findings also indicate that the S-SECEL could be a more

"He would never let me just give up": Communicatively Constructing Dyadic Resilience in the Experience of Breast Cancer.

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Lillie, Helen M; Venetis, Maria K; Chernichky-Karcher, Skye M

2017-09-27

A breast cancer diagnosis is a significant stressor that impacts both survivors' and their partners' psychological adjustment and well-being. Communication patterns and strategies utilized by survivors and partners are the key determinants of how some couples adjust to a cancer diagnosis. This study employs the Communicative theory of resilience (CTR)(Buzzanell, 2010) to examine the dyadic communicative processes couples enact that contribute to their resilience. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 27 breast cancer survivors concerning communication with their partners. All interviews were transcribed and independently coded using thematic analysis. Findings support and extend the presence of the five communicative processes of resilience outlined by Buzzanell (2010), demonstrating how these processes interact with one another. Results also suggest that couples' communication both promotes and interferes with resilience. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed.

Cancer-related communication, relationship intimacy, and psychological distress among couples coping with localized prostate cancer.

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Manne, Sharon; Badr, Hoda; Zaider, Talia; Nelson, Christian; Kissane, David

2010-03-01

The present study evaluated intimacy as a mechanism for the effects of relationship-enhancing (self-disclosure, mutual constructive communication) and relationship-compromising communication (holding back, mutual avoidance, and demand-withdraw communication) on couples' psychological distress. Seventy-five men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer in the past year and their partners completed surveys about communication, intimacy, and distress. Multi-level models with the couple as unit of analyses indicated that the association between mutual constructive communication, mutual avoidance, and patient demand-partner withdraw and distress could be accounted for by their influence on relationship intimacy. Intimacy did not mediate associations between self-disclosure, holding back, and partner demand-patient withdraw communication and distress. These findings indicate that the way in which couples talk about cancer-related concerns as well as the degree to which one or both partners avoid talking about cancer-related concerns can either facilitate or reduce relationship intimacy, and that it is largely by this mechanism that these three communication strategies impact psychological distress. Relationship intimacy and how patients and partners communicate to achieve this intimacy is important for the psychological adjustment of early stage prostate cancer survivors and their partners.

Political communication research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Rasmus Kleis

2014-01-01

The rise of new media and the broader set of social changes they are part of present political communication research with new challenges and new opportunities at a time when many think the field is at an intellectual impasse (e.g., Bennett & Iyengar, 2008). In this article, I argue that parts...... of the field’s problems are rooted in the way in which political communication research has developed since the 1960s. In this period, the field has moved from being interdisciplinary and mixed-methods to being more homogenous and narrowly focused, based primarily on ideas developed in social psychology......, certain strands of political science, and the effects-tradition of mass communication research. This dominant paradigm has contributed much to our understanding of some aspects of political communication. But it is struggling to make sense of many others, including questions concerning people’s experience...

Assessing Patients’ Experiences with Communication Across the Cancer Care Continuum

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Mazor, Kathleen M.; Street, Richard L.; Sue, Valerie M.; Williams, Andrew E.; Rabin, Borsika A.; Arora, Neeraj K.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate the relevance, performance and potential usefulness of the Patient Assessment of cancer Communication Experiences (PACE) items. Methods Items focusing on specific communication goals related to exchanging information, fostering healing relationships, responding to emotions, making decisions, enabling self-management, and managing uncertainty were tested via a retrospective, cross-sectional survey of adults who had been diagnosed with cancer. Analyses examined response frequencies, inter-item correlations, and coefficient alpha. Results A total of 366 adults were included in the analyses. Relatively few selected “Does Not Apply”, suggesting that items tap relevant communication experiences. Ratings of whether specific communication goals were achieved were strongly correlated with overall ratings of communication, suggesting item content reflects important aspects of communication. Coefficient alpha was ≥.90 for each item set, indicating excellent reliability. Variations in the percentage of respondents selecting the most positive response across items suggest results can identify strengths and weaknesses. Conclusion The PACE items tap relevant, important aspects of communication during cancer care, and may be useful to cancer care teams desiring detailed feedback. PMID:26979476

The influence of narrative risk communication on feelings of cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Eva; van Osch, Liesbeth; de Vries, Hein; Lechner, Lilian

2013-05-01

Evidence is accumulating for the importance of feelings of risk in explaining cancer preventive behaviours, but best practices for influencing these feelings are limited. The aim of this experimental study was to compare the effects of narrative and non-narrative risk communication about sunbed use on ease of imagination and feelings of cancer risk. A total of 233 female sunbed users in the general Dutch population were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a narrative message (i.e., personal testimonial), a non-narrative cognitive message (i.e., factual risk information using cognitive-laden words), or a non-narrative affective message (i.e., factual risk information using affective-laden words). Ease of imagination and feelings of risk were assessed directly after the risk information was given (T1). Three weeks after the baseline session, feelings of risk were measured again (T2). The results revealed that sunbed users who were exposed to narrative risk information could better imagine themselves developing skin cancer and reported higher feelings of skin cancer risk at T1. Moreover, ease of imagination mediated the effects of message type on feelings of risk at T1 and T2. The findings provide support for the effects of narrative risk communication in influencing feelings of cancer risk through ease of imagination. Cancer prevention programmes may therefore benefit from including narrative risk information. Future research is important to investigate other mechanisms of narrative information and their most effective content and format. What is already known on this subject? Evidence is growing for the importance of feelings of risk in explaining cancer preventive behaviours. Narratives have increasingly been considered as an effective format for persuasive risk messages and studies have shown narrative risk communication to be effective in influencing cognitive risk beliefs. What does this study add? Increasing understanding of how feelings of cancer

The Development of a Communication Tool to Facilitate the Cancer Trial Recruitment Process and Increase Research Literacy among Underrepresented Populations.

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Torres, Samantha; de la Riva, Erika E; Tom, Laura S; Clayman, Marla L; Taylor, Chirisse; Dong, Xinqi; Simon, Melissa A

2015-12-01

Despite increasing need to boost the recruitment of underrepresented populations into cancer trials and biobanking research, few tools exist for facilitating dialogue between researchers and potential research participants during the recruitment process. In this paper, we describe the initial processes of a user-centered design cycle to develop a standardized research communication tool prototype for enhancing research literacy among individuals from underrepresented populations considering enrollment in cancer research and biobanking studies. We present qualitative feedback and recommendations on the prototype's design and content from potential end users: five clinical trial recruiters and ten potential research participants recruited from an academic medical center. Participants were given the prototype (a set of laminated cards) and were asked to provide feedback about the tool's content, design elements, and word choices during semi-structured, in-person interviews. Results suggest that the prototype was well received by recruiters and patients alike. They favored the simplicity, lay language, and layout of the cards. They also noted areas for improvement, leading to card refinements that included the following: addressing additional topic areas, clarifying research processes, increasing the number of diverse images, and using alternative word choices. Our process for refining user interfaces and iterating content in early phases of design may inform future efforts to develop tools for use in clinical research or biobanking studies to increase research literacy.

Cancer control and the communication innovation in South Korea: implications for cancer disparities.

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Jung, Minsoo

2013-01-01

Over the last 10 years, the number of cancer survivors in South Korea has reached nearly one million with a survival rate of 49.4%. However, integrated supportive care for cancer survivors is lagging. One area in which the current cancer control policy needs updating is in the utilization of information and communication technology (ICT). The remarkable progress in the field of ICT over the past 10 years presents exciting new opportunities for health promotion. Recent communication innovations are conducive to the exchange of meta-information, giving rise to a new service area and transforming patients into active medical consumers. Consequently, such innovations encourage active participation in the mutual utilization and sharing of high-quality information. However, these benefits from new ICTs will almost certainly not be equally available to all, leading to so-called communication inequalities where cancer survivors from lower socioeconomic classes will likely have more limited access to the best means of making use of the health information. Therefore, most essentially, emphasis must be placed on helping cancer survivors and their caregivers utilize such advances in ICT to create a more efficient flow of health information, thereby reducing communication inequalities and expanding social support. Once we enhance access to health information and better manage the quality of information, as a matter of fact, we can expect an alleviation of the health inequalities faced by cancer survivors.

Strategies and challenges for communicating the diagnosis of cancer in cross-cultural clinical settings-Perspectives from South African healthcare professionals.

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Brown, Ottilia; Goliath, Veonna; van Rooyen, Dalena R M; Aldous, Colleen; Marais, Leonard Charles

2017-01-01

Communicating the diagnosis of cancer in cross-cultural clinical settings is a complex task. This qualitative research article describes the content and process of informing Zulu patients in South Africa of the diagnosis of cancer, using osteosarcoma as the index diagnosis. We used a descriptive research design with census sampling and focus group interviews. We used an iterative thematic data analysis process and Guba's model of trustworthiness to ensure scientific rigor. Our results reinforced the use of well-accepted strategies for communicating the diagnosis of cancer. In addition, new strategies emerged which may be useful in other cross-cultural settings. These strategies included using the stages of cancer to explain the disease and its progression and instilling hope using a multidisciplinary team care model. We identified several patients, professionals, and organizational factors that complicate cross-cultural communication. We conclude by recommending the development of protocols for communication in these cross-cultural clinical settings.

Communicative skills in treatmenting cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuchay, Sanaullah

2007-01-01

Communication within oncology is a core clinical skill but one in which few oncologists or specialist cancer nurses have received much formal training. Inadequate communication may cause much distress for patients and their families, who often want considerably more information than is usually provided. Many patients leave consultations unsure about the diagnosis and prognosis, confused about the meaning of--and need for-further diagnostic tests, unclear about the management plan and uncertain about the true therapeutic intent of treatment. Additionally, communication difficulties may impede the recruitment of patients to clinical trials, delaying the introduction of efficacious new treatments into clinics

Cross-cultural validation of Cancer Communication Assessment Tool in Korea.

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Shin, Dong Wook; Shin, Jooyeon; Kim, So Young; Park, Boram; Yang, Hyung-Kook; Cho, Juhee; Lee, Eun Sook; Kim, Jong Heun; Park, Jong-Hyock

2015-02-01

Communication between cancer patients and caregivers is often suboptimal. The Cancer Communication Assessment Tool for Patient and Families (CCAT-PF) is a unique tool developed to measure congruence in patient-family caregiver communication employing a dyadic approach. We aimed to examine the cross-cultural applicability of the CCAT in the Korean healthcare setting. Linguistic validation of the CCAT-PF was performed through a standard forward-backward translation process. Psychometric validation was performed with 990 patient-caregiver dyads recruited from 10 cancer centers. Mean scores of CCAT-P and CCAT-F were similar at 44.8 for both scales. Mean CCAT-PF score was 23.7 (8.66). Concordance of each items between patients and caregivers was low (weighted kappa values communication congruence between cancer patient and family caregivers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Communication in Cancer Care (PDQ®)—Health Professional Version

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Effective communication in cancer care between the health care team, cancer patients, and their family is important. Learn about communication skills that support a patient-centered practice and how to talk with adults and children about their diagnosis, prognosis, and transition to end-of-life care in this expert-reviewed summary.

Communication by mothers with breast cancer or melanoma with their children.

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Gaber, Rikki; Desai, Sapna; Smith, Maureen; Eilers, Steve; Blatt, Hanz; Guevara, Yanina; Robinson, June K

2013-08-08

Communication of familial risk of breast cancer and melanoma has the potential to educate relatives about their risk, and may also motivate them to engage in prevention and early detection practices. With the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy laws, the patient often becomes the sole communicator of such risks to family members. This study surveys mothers diagnosed with either breast cancer or melanoma and their adult children about their family communication style, knowledge of increased risk, and early detection practices. In both cancer groups, most mothers alerted their children of the risk and need for early detection practices. Breast cancer mothers communicated risk and secondary prevention with early detection by breast self-examination and mammograms whereas the melanoma mothers communicated risk and primary prevention strategies like applying sunscreen and avoiding deliberate tanning. Open communication about health matters significantly increased the likelihood that children engaged in early detection and/or primary prevention behaviors. Examining the information conveyed to at-risk family members, and whether such information motivated them to engage in early detection/prevention behaviors, is key to guiding better cancer prevention communication between doctors and patients.

Communication by Mothers with Breast Cancer or Melanoma with Their Children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

June K. Robinson

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Communication of familial risk of breast cancer and melanoma has the potential to educate relatives about their risk, and may also motivate them to engage in prevention and early detection practices. With the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA privacy laws, the patient often becomes the sole communicator of such risks to family members. This study surveys mothers diagnosed with either breast cancer or melanoma and their adult children about their family communication style, knowledge of increased risk, and early detection practices. In both cancer groups, most mothers alerted their children of the risk and need for early detection practices. Breast cancer mothers communicated risk and secondary prevention with early detection by breast self-examination and mammograms whereas the melanoma mothers communicated risk and primary prevention strategies like applying sunscreen and avoiding deliberate tanning. Open communication about health matters significantly increased the likelihood that children engaged in early detection and/or primary prevention behaviors. Examining the information conveyed to at-risk family members, and whether such information motivated them to engage in early detection/prevention behaviors, is key to guiding better cancer prevention communication between doctors and patients.

Health psychology and translational genomic research: bringing innovation to cancer-related behavioral interventions.

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McBride, Colleen M; Birmingham, Wendy C; Kinney, Anita Y

2015-01-01

The past decade has witnessed rapid advances in human genome sequencing technology and in the understanding of the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations in cancer development. These advances have raised hopes that such knowledge could lead to improvements in behavioral risk reduction interventions, tailored screening recommendations, and treatment matching that together could accelerate the war on cancer. Despite this optimism, translation of genomic discovery for clinical and public health applications has moved relatively slowly. To date, health psychologists and the behavioral sciences generally have played a very limited role in translation research. In this report we discuss what we mean by genomic translational research and consider the social forces that have slowed translational research, including normative assumptions that translation research must occur downstream of basic science, thus relegating health psychology and other behavioral sciences to a distal role. We then outline two broad priority areas in cancer prevention, detection, and treatment where evidence will be needed to guide evaluation and implementation of personalized genomics: (a) effective communication, to broaden dissemination of genomic discovery, including patient-provider communication and familial communication, and (b) the need to improve the motivational impact of behavior change interventions, including those aimed at altering lifestyle choices and those focusing on decision making regarding targeted cancer treatments and chemopreventive adherence. We further discuss the role that health psychologists can play in interdisciplinary teams to shape translational research priorities and to evaluate the utility of emerging genomic discoveries for cancer prevention and control. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

[Translation of knowledge on cervical cancer: is there a gap between research on causes and research on patient care?].

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Fajardo-Ortiz, David; Ochoa, Héctor; García, Luis; Castaño, Víctor

2014-02-01

This article constructs a map on the translation of knowledge concerning cervical cancer, based on citation networks analysis and the use of Gene Ontology terms and Medical Subject Headings. We identified two areas of research that are poorly interconnected and differ in structure, content, and evolution. One focuses on causes of cancer and the other on patient care. The first research area showed a knowledge translation process where basic research and clinical research are communicated through a set of articles that consolidate human papillomavirus infection as the necessary cause of cervical cancer. The first area aims to prevent HPV infection and the development of cervical cancer, while the second aims to stage and treat the disease.

Comparative Political Communication Research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vreese, C.H.; Kenski, K.; Jamieson, K.H.

2017-01-01

This chapter provides an overview of comparative political communication research (CPCR). CPCR is a growing field since there is wide acknowledgement that many questions are not answered satisfactorily with single case studies. The chapter explains why political communication researchers should care

[Breaking Bad News to Cancer Patients: Content, Communication Preferences and Psychological Distress].

Science.gov (United States)

Gebhardt, Claudia; Gorba, Claudia; Oechsle, Karin; Vehling, Sigrun; Koch, Uwe; Mehnert, Anja

2017-07-01

Objectives Breaking bad news can be a very distressing situation for both patients and physicians. Physician communication behavior should therefore match patients' communication preferences. The aim of this study was to characterize the content of bad news from the patients' perspective. Patients' preferences for communication of bad news as well as the fit to communication behavior displayed by physicians were also investigated. Finally, consequences of a mismatch between patients' preferences and physician communication were investigated in relation to psychological distress in patients. Methods The sample consisted of N=270 cancer patients (mean age=56.8 years, 48% female) with various cancer entities and different stages of disease (n=115 patients with early stage of cancer, n=155 patients with advanced cancer). The content of bad news was assessed with a specifically developed list of questions. The Measure of Patients' Preferences Scale (MPP) was used to assess patients' preferences for communication of bad news. Patients further completed the NCCN Distress Thermometer (cancer specific distress), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS- anxiety and depression) and the Demoralization Scale (DS-Scale) to gain information about psychological distress. Results Patients with early stage breast cancer received bad news M=1.6 times (SD=1.1, range: 1-5), patients with advanced cancers M=2.1 times (SD=1.6, range: 1-12). For 77% of early stage cancer patients and 70% of advanced cancer patients, the subjectively worst consultation was receiving the diagnosis and discussing treatment options. Patients' most important communication preferences were physicians' clinical competence and patient-centered communication, clear and direct communication and asking about patients information preferences. Patients in advanced stages report significantly more (29%) unmet communication needs than patients' in early stages (20%; pbad news without considering patients

Communicating Breast Cancer Screening With Young Women: An Experimental Test of Didactic and Narrative Messages Using Video and Infographics.

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Occa, Aurora; Suggs, L Suzanne

2016-01-01

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world. Mortality from breast cancer can be reduced if the cancer is detected early enough. It is important to find effective communication that encourages early detection of breast cancer. This study aimed to measure differences between narrative and didactic communication on breast cancer awareness, knowledge of appropriate diagnostic exams, attitude toward breast self-exam, and intention to screen for breast cancer through a breast self-exam. It further aimed to test whether any differences in outcomes were associated with the format used to deliver the communication: video or infographic. The effects of the communication strategies were tested using an experimental design with a control group and four experimental groups: narrative video, didactic video, narrative infographic, or didactic infographic. A total of 194 Italian-speaking women ages 18-30 years completed questionnaires before and after exposure. Positive increases were found for all outcome variables after exposure to any communication strategy tested. The didactic message delivered in video format had the most positive effect on awareness and knowledge, whereas the narrative video message had the most positive effect on attitude and intention. For both message types, videos had a more positive influence than infographics when communicating breast cancer information for this audience. This was the first study of message effects of breast cancer communication with Italian-speaking young women. Further research is warranted to understand how to maximize communication strategies so that they are the most effective in influencing behaviors and if these results are consistent with other linguistic populations.

Cancer Communication and Family Caregiver Quality of Life

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Wittenberg

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Family caregivers have enormous communication responsibilities tied to caregiving, such as sharing the patient’s medical history with providers, relaying diagnosis and prognosis to other family members, and making decisions about care with the patient. While caregiver stress and burden has been widely documented in the caregiving literature, little is known about how communication burden, real or perceived communication challenges, impacts caregiver quality of life. In family caregiving, the City of Hope (COH Quality of Life model proposes that the caregiving experience is reciprocal to the patient experience, impacting physical, social, psychological, and spiritual quality of life. We used data from a pilot study testing a communication coaching call intervention with family caregivers of lung cancer patients to analyze caregiver reported communication burden and quality of life. We found variances in each quality of life domain, suggesting that caregiver interventions should range from self-care skill building for physical care to psycho-educational interventions that support caregiver coping and communication skill building. These findings demonstrate the importance of caregiver assessment and attention to communication burden in quality cancer care.

The role of communication and support in return to work following cancer-related absence.

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Yarker, J; Munir, F; Bains, M; Kalawsky, K; Haslam, C

2010-10-01

Many cancer survivors experience difficulties returning to work. However, there have been relatively few attempts to understand why problems with employer support and work adjustment occur. This paper aims to extend previous work in two ways: first, through exploring the way in which communication and support at work effect cancer survivors on their return to work and during the post-return period; and second, by drawing on a research sample working in the United Kingdom. In all, 26 cancer survivors took part in a semi-structured telephone interview. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed three key findings. First, the central role of communication and support from (and between) occupational health, line managers, and colleagues was highlighted. Second, two discrete processes or periods of return to work were identified: the experience of return to work during the initial period of return and the experiences of post-return to work. Third, during the post-return period, the importance of the delayed impact of cancer on the ability to work, the lack of follow-up and monitoring, and the wear-off effect of empathy and support were highlighted as contributing to return-to-work difficulties. This qualitative study highlights the importance of communication within the workplace with regard to the return-to-work process and the need to provide better support and guidance to cancer survivors, line managers and colleagues. Research is required in delineating how employers without occupational health or human resources support manage the return-to-work process. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Study of dyadic communication in couples managing prostate cancer: a longitudinal perspective.

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Song, Lixin; Northouse, Laurel L; Zhang, Lingling; Braun, Thomas M; Cimprich, Bernadine; Ronis, David L; Mood, Darlene W

2012-01-01

Cancer patients and partners often report inadequate communication about illness-related issues, although it is essential for mutual support and informal caregiving. This study examined the patterns of change in dyadic communication between patients with prostate cancer and their partners, and also determined if certain factors affected their communication over time. Using multilevel modeling, this study analyzed longitudinal data obtained from a randomized clinical trial with prostate cancer patients and their partners, to examine their communication over time. Patients and partners (N=134 pairs) from the usual-care control group independently completed baseline demographic assessment and measures of social support, uncertainty, symptom distress, and dyadic communication at baseline, and 4-, 8-, and 12-month follow-ups. The results indicated that (1) patients and partners reported similar levels of open communication at the time of diagnosis. Communication reported by patients and partners decreased over time in a similar trend, regardless of phase of illness; (2) phase of illness affected couples' open communication at diagnosis but not patterns of change over time; and (3) couples' perceived communication increased as they reported more social support, less uncertainty, and fewer hormonal symptoms in patients. Couples' demographic factors and general symptoms, and patients' prostate cancer-specific symptoms did not affect their levels of open communication. Perceived open communication between prostate cancer patients and partners over time is affected by certain baseline and time-varying psychosocial and cancer-related factors. The results provide empirical evidence that may guide the development of strategies to facilitate couples' interaction and mutual support during survivorship. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Primary care and communication in shared cancer care: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Sada, Yvonne; Street, Richard L.; Singh, Hardeep; Shada, Rachel; Naik, Aanand D.

2013-01-01

Objective To explore perceptions of primary care physicians’ (PCPs) and oncologists’ roles, responsibilities, and patterns of communication related to shared cancer care in three integrated health systems that used electronic health records (EHRs). Study design Qualitative study. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with ten early stage colorectal cancer patients and fourteen oncologists and PCPs. Sample sizes were determined by thematic saturation. Dominant themes and codes were identified and subsequently applied to all transcripts. Results Physicians reported that EHRs improved communication within integrated systems, but communication with physicians outside their system was still difficult. PCPs expressed uncertainty about their role during cancer care, even though medical oncologists emphasized the importance of co-morbidity control during cancer treatment. Both patients and physicians described additional roles for PCPs, including psychological distress support and behavior modification. Conclusions Integrated systems that use EHRs likely facilitate shared cancer care through improved PCP-oncologist communication. However, strategies to facilitate a more active role for PCPs in managing co-morbidities, psychological distress and behavior modification, as well as to overcome communication challenges between physicians not practicing within the same integrated system, are still needed to improve shared cancer care. PMID:21615196

Work and “Mass Personal” Communication as Means of Navigating Nutrition and Exercise Concerns in an Online Cancer Community

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M. Thompson, Charee; Crook, Brittani; Donovan-Kicken, Erin

2013-01-01

Background Health and psychosocial outcomes for young adults affected by cancer have improved only minimally in decades, partially due to a lack of relevant support and information. Given significant unmet needs involving nutrition and exercise, it is important to understand how this audience handles information about food and fitness in managing their cancer experiences. Objective Using the theory of illness trajectories as a framework, we explored how four lines of work associated with living with a chronic illness such as cancer (illness, everyday life, biographical, and the recently explicated construct of communication work) impacts and is impacted by nutrition and exercise concerns. Methods Following a search to extract all nutrition- and exercise-related content from the prior 3 years (January 2008 to February 2011), a sample of more than 1000 posts from an online support community for young adults affected by cancer were qualitatively analyzed employing iterative, constant comparison techniques. Sensitized by illness trajectory research and related concepts, 3 coders worked over 4 months to examine the English-language, de-identified text files of content. Results An analysis of discussion board threads in an online community for young adults dealing with cancer shows that nutrition and exercise needs affect the young adults’ illness trajectories, including their management of illness, everyday life, biographical, and communication work. Furthermore, this paper helps validate development of the “communication work” variable, explores the “mass personal” interplay of mediated and interpersonal communication channels, and expands illness trajectory work to a younger demographic than investigated in prior research. Conclusions Applying the valuable concepts of illness, everyday life, biographical, and communication work provides a more nuanced understanding of how young adults affected by cancer handle exercise and nutrition needs. This knowledge can

Improving communication in cancer pain management nursing: a randomized controlled study assessing the efficacy of a communication skills training program.

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Canivet, Delphine; Delvaux, Nicole; Gibon, Anne-Sophie; Brancart, Cyrielle; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Razavi, Darius

2014-12-01

Effective communication is needed for optimal cancer pain management. This study assessed the efficacy of a general communication skills training program for oncology nurses on communication about pain management. A total of 115 nurses were randomly assigned to a training group (TG) or control group (CG). The assessment included the recording of interviews with a simulated cancer patient at baseline for both groups and after training (TG) or 3 months after baseline (CG). Two psychologists rated the content of interview transcripts to assess cancer pain management communication. Group-by-time effects were measured using a generalized estimating equation. Trained nurses asked the simulated patient more questions about emotions associated with pain (relative rate [RR] = 4.28, p = 0.049) and cognitions associated with pain treatment (RR = 3.23, p management (RR = 0.40, p = 0.006) compared with untrained nurses. The general communication skills training program improved only a few of the communication strategies needed for optimal cancer pain management in nursing. General communication skills training programs should be consolidated using specific modules focusing on communication skills related to cancer pain management.

Communication Efficacy and Couples' Cancer Management: Applying a Dyadic Appraisal Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Magsamen-Conrad, Kate; Checton, Maria G; Venetis, Maria K; Greene, Kathryn

2015-06-01

The purpose of the present study was to apply Berg and Upchurch's (2007) developmental-conceptual model to understand better how couples cope with cancer. Specifically, we hypothesized a dyadic appraisal model in which proximal factors (relational quality), dyadic appraisal (prognosis uncertainty), and dyadic coping (communication efficacy) predicted adjustment (cancer management). The study was cross-sectional and included 83 dyads in which one partner had been diagnosed with and/or treated for cancer. For both patients and partners, multilevel analyses using the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) indicated that proximal contextual factors predicted dyadic appraisal and dyadic coping. Dyadic appraisal predicted dyadic coping, which then predicted dyadic adjustment. Patients' confidence in their ability to talk about the cancer predicted their own cancer management. Partners' confidence predicted their own and the patient's ability to cope with cancer, which then predicted patients' perceptions of their general health. Implications and future research are discussed.

Appraisals, perceived dyadic communication, and quality of life over time among couples coping with prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Lixin; Rini, Christine; Ellis, Katrina R; Northouse, Laurel L

2016-09-01

Little research has examined how prostate cancer patients' and their spouses' appraisals of illness and quality of life (QOL) interact with one another. This study examined the interdependent relationships between their appraisals of illness and QOL and if their perceived dyadic communication mediated these relationships. We used the Actor-Partner Interdependence Mediation Model (APIMeM) approach to conduct a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from 124 prostate cancer patient-spouse dyads. We examined actor effects (each person's influence on his/her own outcomes) and partner effects (each person's influence on his/her partner's outcomes). Appraisals of illness, perceived dyadic communication, and QOL were measured using Appraisal of Illness Scale, Lewis Mutuality and Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale, and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy General Scale, respectively. Analyses controlled for effects of prostate cancer symptoms and demographic factors. Among actor effects, spouses with more negative appraisals at baseline perceived worse dyadic communication 4 months later (p dyadic communication at 4 months had better QOL at 8 months (p dyadic communication at 4 months and better spouse QOL at 8 months of follow-up (p = .05). No mediation effects were found. Patients' and spouses' appraisals of the illness and their dyadic communication were associated with their long-term QOL. Interventions that reduce negative appraisals of illness and promote dyadic communication may improve QOL for both patients with prostate cancer and their spouses.

Research Associate | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The Basic Science Program (BSP) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research programs in basic or applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology or human genetics. As part of the BSP, the Microbiome and Genetics Core (the Core) characterizes microbiomes by next-generation sequencing to determine their composition and variation, as influenced by immune, genetic, and host health factors. The Core provides support across a spectrum of processes, from nucleic acid isolation through bioinformatics and statistical analysis. KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES The Research Associate II will provide support in the areas of automated isolation, preparation, PCR and sequencing of DNA on next generation platforms (Illumina MiSeq and NextSeq). An opportunity exists to join the Core’s team of highly trained experimentalists and bioinformaticians working to characterize microbiome samples. The following represent requirements of the position: A minimum of five (5) years related of biomedical experience. Experience with high-throughput nucleic acid (DNA/RNA) extraction. Experience in performing PCR amplification (including quantitative real-time PCR). Experience or familiarity with robotic liquid handling protocols (especially on the Eppendorf epMotion 5073 or 5075 platforms). Experience in operating and maintaining benchtop Illumina sequencers (MiSeq and NextSeq). Ability to evaluate experimental quality and to troubleshoot molecular biology protocols. Experience with sample tracking, inventory management and biobanking. Ability to operate and communicate effectively in a team-oriented work environment.

Health literacy, health communication challenges, and cancer screening among rural Native Hawaiian and Filipino Women

Science.gov (United States)

Sentell, Tetine; Cruz, May Rose Dela; Heo, Hyun Hee; Braun, Kathryn

2013-01-01

Native Hawaiians and Filipinos are disproportionately impacted by cancer, and are less likely to participate in cancer screening than whites. Limited information exists about health information pathways and health communication challenges as they relate to cancer screening in these groups. Six focus groups (n=77) of Native Hawaiian and Filipino women age 40+ years were conducted to investigate these research gaps. Participants noted many health information challenges. Challenges were both practical and interpersonal and included both written and oral health communication. Practical challenges included “big” words, complexity of terms, and lack of plain English. Interpersonal issues included doctors rushing, doctors not assessing comprehension, and doctors treating respondents as patients not people. Women noted that they would often not ask questions even when they knew they did not understand because they did not want the provider to think negatively of them. Overarching themes to improve cancer communication gaps included: (1) the importance of family and community in health information dissemination; (2) the key role women play in interpreting health information for others; (3) the importance of personal experience and relationships to the salience of health information; and (4) the desire for local cultural relevance in health communication. Findings are discussed in light of the 2010 National Action Plan for Health Literacy. PMID:23536194

Communication for end-of-life care planning among Korean patients with terminal cancer: A context-oriented model.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Su Jin; Kim, Shinmi; Kim, Jinshil

2016-02-01

In Korea, patients with terminal cancer are often caught out of the loop in end-of-life (EoL) care discussions. Healthcare professionals also have difficulty engaging in such communication in a variety of healthcare contexts. Therefore, the objective of our study was to develop a communication model for EoL care decision making compatible with the clinical environment in Korea. Using focus-group interview methodology, participants included eight doctors and five nurses who provide EoL care for terminal cancer patients in acute hospital settings or hospice care facilities in various provinces of Korea. Five themes emerged regarding EoL care discussion, which included: (1) timing, (2) responsible professionals, (3) disclosure of bad news, (4) content areas of EoL care discussion, and (5) implementing strategies for EoL care discussions. These themes were based on development of a communication algorithm for EoL discussion among patients with terminal cancer. A structural communication step for delivery of a terminal prognosis was specified at the phase of disclosure of bad news: beginning with determination of a patient's decision-making capability, followed by a patient's perception of his/her condition, a patient's wish to know, family dynamics, and a patient's and/or family's readiness for EoL discussions. The proposed context-oriented communication algorithm could provide a helpful guideline for EoL communication and, accordingly, facilitate meaningful improvements in EoL care in Korean clinical practice. The feasibility of this algorithm has not yet been determined, and its validation in a larger sample of patients with terminal cancers, using a quantitative research methodology, is a priority of research.

Cultural aspects of communication in cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Surbone, Antonella

2008-03-01

Cultural competence in oncology requires the acquisition of specific knowledge, clinical skills, and attitudes that facilitate effective cross-cultural negotiation in the clinical setting, thus, leading to improved therapeutic outcomes and decreased disparities in cancer care. Cultural competence in oncology entails a basic knowledge of different cultural attitudes and practices of communication of the truth and of decision-making styles throughout the world. Cultural competence always presupposes oncology professionals' awareness of their own cultural beliefs and values. To be able to communicate with cancer patients in culturally sensitive ways, oncologists should have knowledge of the concept of culture in its complexity and of the risks of racism, classism, sexism, ageism, and stereotyping that must be avoided in clinical practice. Oncologists should develop a sense of appreciation for differences in health care values, based on the recognition that no culture can claim hegemony over others and that cultures are evolving under their reciprocal influence on each other. Medical schools and oncology training can teach communication skills and cultural competence, while fostering in all students and young doctors those attitudes of humility, empathy, curiosity, respect, sensitivity, and awareness that are needed to deliver effective and culturally sensitive cancer care.

Communication Efficacy and Couples’ Cancer Management: Applying a Dyadic Appraisal Model

Science.gov (United States)

Magsamen-Conrad, Kate; Checton, Maria G.; Venetis, Maria K.; Greene, Kathryn

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to apply Berg and Upchurch’s (2007) developmental-conceptual model to understand better how couples cope with cancer. Specifically, we hypothesized a dyadic appraisal model in which proximal factors (relational quality), dyadic appraisal (prognosis uncertainty), and dyadic coping (communication efficacy) predicted adjustment (cancer management). The study was cross-sectional and included 83 dyads in which one partner had been diagnosed with and/or treated for cancer. For both patients and partners, multilevel analyses using the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM) indicated that proximal contextual factors predicted dyadic appraisal and dyadic coping. Dyadic appraisal predicted dyadic coping, which then predicted dyadic adjustment. Patients’ confidence in their ability to talk about the cancer predicted their own cancer management. Partners’ confidence predicted their own and the patient’s ability to cope with cancer, which then predicted patients’ perceptions of their general health. Implications and future research are discussed. PMID:25983382

Communication between physicians and cancer patients about complementary and alternative medicine: exploring patients' perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Tasaki, Katsuya; Maskarinec, Gertraud; Shumay, Dianne M; Tatsumura, Yvonne; Kakai, Hisako

2002-01-01

The aim of this paper is to identify barriers to communication between physicians and cancer patients regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by exploring the perspectives of patients. In face of the recent popularity of CAM use among cancer patients, the lack of communication is a serious problem. A number of CAM therapies may interfere with conventional treatments and thus impact patients' well-being and chances of survival. In addition, lack of communication is problematic in the health care context because the development of openness and trust between health care providers and clients is contingent upon effective interpersonal communication. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 143 cancer patients to explore their experiences with CAM use. Using a qualitative research method, we examined interview data from 93 CAM users who provided sufficient information about communication issues. As a result, three themes emerged describing barriers to unsuccessful communication as perceived from the patient's point of view: physicians' indifference or opposition toward CAM use, physicians' emphasis on scientific evidence, and patients' anticipation of a negative response from their physician. Increasing education about CAM and regular assessment of CAM use may help physicians to be more aware of their patients' CAM use. As a result, physicians may provide patients with information on risks and benefits of CAM use and refer patients to other services that may address unmet needs. Given a difference in epistemiologic beliefs about cancer and its treatment, the challenge is to find a common ground for an open discussion in which physicians consider that scientific evidence is not all that counts in the life of an individual facing a serious disease. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Identifying Communication Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Adherence among Appalachian Kentuckians.

Science.gov (United States)

Bachman, Audrey Smith; Cohen, Elisia L; Collins, Tom; Hatcher, Jennifer; Crosby, Richard; Vanderpool, Robin C

2017-08-18

Utilizing data from 40 in-depth interviews, this article identifies both barriers and facilitators to colorectal screening guideline adherence among Appalachian Kentucky adults recruited through a community-based research network. Key findings identify (a) varying levels of knowledge about screening guidelines, (b) reticence to engage in screening processes, and (c) nuanced communication with healthcare providers and family members regarding screening adherence. What participants knew about the screening process was often derived from personal stories or recalled stories from family members about their screening experiences. Reticence to engage in screening processes reflected reports of cumbersome preparation, privacy issues, embarrassment, medical mistrust, fear of receiving a cancer diagnosis, and lack of symptoms. Participants cited many ways to enhance patient-centered communication, and the findings from this study have implications for health communication message design and communication strategies for healthcare practices in Appalachian Kentucky clinics.

Employee to employer communication skills: balancing cancer treatment and employment.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Richard F; Owens, Myra; Bradley, Cathy

2013-02-01

Cancer patients face difficulties in accessing legally mandated benefits and accommodations when they return to the workplace. Poor employer-employee communication inflates these difficulties. Although proven methods to facilitate physician-patient communication exist, these have not been applied to the workplace. Thus, we aimed to assess the feasibility and utility of applying these methods to educate patients about their workplace rights and provide them with communication skills training to aid their conversations with their employers. A DVD was produced to educate patients and facilitate workplace communication. Participants consisted of 28 solid tumor cancer patients (14 women and 14 men) who completed primary cancer treatment in the past 12 months and were employed at the time of diagnosis. Participants watched a communication skills training DVD and completed a telephone interview. The interview elicited information about workplace experiences and evaluation of the DVD training program. The physician-patient communication skills training model utilized was successfully translated to the employer-employee setting. All but one participant found the DVD useful and easy to understand and indicated a high degree of confidence in using the communication skills to help them ask for workplace accommodations. All participants agreed that it would help newly diagnosed patients in discussions with their employers. Our data provides promising preliminary evidence that patient communication skills training can be applied to the workplace setting and is a welcomed aid to newly diagnosed cancer patients in their discussions with employers regarding the impact of treatment on their work performance and needs for accommodations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cancer patient and survivor research from the cancer information service research consortium: a preview of three large randomized trials and initial lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Marcus, Alfred C; Diefenbach, Michael A; Stanton, Annette L; Miller, Suzanne M; Fleisher, Linda; Raich, Peter C; Morra, Marion E; Perocchia, Rosemarie Slevin; Tran, Zung Vu; Bright, Mary Anne

2013-01-01

The authors describe 3 large randomized trials from the Cancer Information Service Research Consortium. Three web-based multimedia programs are being tested to help newly diagnosed prostate (Project 1) and breast cancer patients (Project 2) make informed treatment decisions and breast cancer patients prepare for life after treatment (Project 3). Project 3 also tests a telephone callback intervention delivered by a cancer information specialist. All participants receive standard print material specific to each project. Preliminary results from the 2-month follow-up interviews are reported for the initial wave of enrolled participants, most of whom were recruited from the Cancer Information Service (1-800-4-CANCER) telephone information program (Project 1: n =208; Project 2: n =340; Project 3: n =792). Self-reported use of the multimedia program was 51%, 52%, and 67% for Projects 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Self-reported use of the print materials (read all, most, or some) was 90%, 85%, and 83% for Projects 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The callback intervention was completed by 92% of Project 3 participants. Among those using the Cancer Information Service Research Consortium interventions, perceived usefulness and benefit was high, and more than 90% reported that they would recommend them to other cancer patients. The authors present 5 initial lessons learned that may help inform future cancer communications research.

Communication strategies to reduce cancer disparities: Insights from African-American mother-daughter dyads.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosavel, Maghboeba; Wilson Genderson, Maureen; Ports, Katie A; Carlyle, Kellie E

2015-12-01

Mothers and daughters share a powerful and unique bond, which has potential for the dissemination of information on a variety of women's health issues, including the primary and secondary prevention of breast and cervical cancer. This study presents formative research from a long-term project examining the potential of mother-daughter communication in promoting cancer screening among African American women. Thirty-two mother-daughter pairs (N = 64) completed orally administered surveys regarding their cancer knowledge, beliefs and attitudes, and barriers to care. This study compares the attitudes and beliefs of low-income, urban, African American mothers and their adolescent daughters regarding cervical and breast cancer screening. Both mothers and daughters had fairly high levels of knowledge about breast and cervical cancer. In addition, there was a high concordance rate between mothers' and daughters' responses, suggesting a potential sharing of health knowledge between mother and daughter. These results have implications for selecting communication strategies to reduce health disparities, and support that the mother-daughter dyad could be a viable unit to disseminate targeted screening information. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Doctor-patient communication and cancer patients' choice of alternative therapies as supplement or alternative to conventional care.

Science.gov (United States)

Salamonsen, Anita

2013-03-01

Cancer patients' use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread, despite the fact that clinical studies validating the efficacy of CAM remain sparse in the Nordic countries. The purpose of this study was to explore possible connections between cancer patients' communication experiences with doctors and the decision to use CAM as either supplement or alternative to conventional treatment (CT). The Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics and the Norwegian Data Inspectorate approved the study. From a group of 52 cancer patients with self-reported positive experiences from use of CAM, 13 were selected for qualitative interviews. Six used CAM as supplement, and seven as alternative to CT, periodically or permanently. Communication experiences with 46 doctors were described. The analysis revealed three connections between doctor-patient communication and patients' treatment decisions: (i) negative communication experiences because of the use of CAM; (ii) negative communication experiences resulted in the decision to use CAM, and in some cases to decline CT; and (iii) positive communication experiences led to the decision to use CAM as supplement, not alternative to CT. The patients, including the decliners of CT, wanted to discuss treatment decisions in well-functioning interpersonal processes with supportive doctors. In doctors' practices and education of doctors, a greater awareness of potential positive and negative outcomes of doctor-patient communication that concern CAM issues could be of importance. More research is needed to safeguard CAM users' treatment decisions and their relationship to conventional health care. © 2012 The Author. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Biometric Communication Research for Television.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, M. F.

Biometric communication research is defined as research dealing with the information impact of a film or television show, photographic picture, painting, exhibition, display, or any literary or functional texts or verbal stimuli on human beings, both as individuals and in groups (mass audiences). Biometric communication research consists of a…

Strategic use of communication to market cancer prevention and control to vulnerable populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreps, Gary L

2008-01-01

There are significant challenges to communicating relevant cancer prevention and control information to health care consumers due both to the complexities of the health information to be communicated and the complexities of health communication, especially with vulnerable populations. The need for effective communication about cancer risks, early detection, prevention, care, and survivorship is particularly acute, yet also tremendously complex, for reaching vulnerable populations, those groups of people who are most likely to suffer significantly higher levels of morbidity and mortality from cancers than other segments of the population. These vulnerable populations, typically the poorest, lowest educated, and most disenfranchised members of modern society, are heir to serious cancer-related health disparities. Vulnerable populations often have health literacy difficulties, cultural barriers, and economic challenges to accessing and making sense of relevant health information. This paper examines these challenges to communicating relevant information to vulnerable populations and suggests strategies for effectively using different communication media for marketing cancer prevention and control to reduce health disparities and promote public health.

PROACT: Iterative Design of a Patient-Centered Visualization for Effective Prostate Cancer Health Risk Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Hakone, Anzu; Harrison, Lane; Ottley, Alvitta; Winters, Nathan; Gutheil, Caitlin; Han, Paul K J; Chang, Remco

2017-01-01

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the US, and yet most cases represent localized cancer for which the optimal treatment is unclear. Accumulating evidence suggests that the available treatment options, including surgery and conservative treatment, result in a similar prognosis for most men with localized prostate cancer. However, approximately 90% of patients choose surgery over conservative treatment, despite the risk of severe side effects like erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Recent medical research suggests that a key reason is the lack of patient-centered tools that can effectively communicate personalized risk information and enable them to make better health decisions. In this paper, we report the iterative design process and results of developing the PROgnosis Assessment for Conservative Treatment (PROACT) tool, a personalized health risk communication tool for localized prostate cancer patients. PROACT utilizes two published clinical prediction models to communicate the patients' personalized risk estimates and compare treatment options. In collaboration with the Maine Medical Center, we conducted two rounds of evaluations with prostate cancer survivors and urologists to identify the design elements and narrative structure that effectively facilitate patient comprehension under emotional distress. Our results indicate that visualization can be an effective means to communicate complex risk information to patients with low numeracy and visual literacy. However, the visualizations need to be carefully chosen to balance readability with ease of comprehension. In addition, due to patients' charged emotional state, an intuitive narrative structure that considers the patients' information need is critical to aid the patients' comprehension of their risk information.

Communication between nurses and simulated patients with cancer: evaluation of a communication training programme.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruijver, I.P.M.; Kerkstra, A.; Kerssens, J.J.; Holtkamp, C.C.M.; Bensing, J.M.; Wiel, H.B.M. van de

2001-01-01

In this paper the effect of a communication training programme on the instrumental and affective communication skills employed by ward nurses during the admittance interview with recently diagnosed cancer patients was investigated. The training focused on teaching nurses skills to discuss and handle

Anti-Smoking Communication to Preadolescents with and without a Cancer Diagnosis: Parents and Healthcare Providers as Important Communicators

OpenAIRE

Throckmorton-Belzer, Leslee; Tyc, Vida L.; Robinson, Leslie A.; Klosky, James L.; Lensing, Shelly; Booth, Andrea K.

2009-01-01

A cancer diagnosis does not prevent smoking among pediatric oncology patients, and anti-smoking communications among parents and health care providers have been proposed as influencing smoking outcomes in this group. Anti-smoking communications were compared among 93 preadolescents with cancer and 402 controls. After adjusting for demographics and covariates, preadolescents with cancer were less likely than control participants to report receipt of anti-smoking messages from physicians and pa...

Communicative Elements of Action Research

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Thomas G.

2013-01-01

This review considers human communications as utilized within a research design; in this case collaborative action research (CAR), a derivative of action research (AR), to achieve outcomes that change, and move participants forward. The association between AR and CAR is a deliberate attempt by the author to draw attention to communicative actions…

Are Mindfulness and Self-Compassion Related to Psychological Distress and Communication in Couples Facing Lung Cancer? A Dyadic Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Schellekens, Melanie P J; Karremans, Johan C; van der Drift, Miep A; Molema, Johan; van den Hurk, Desiree G M; Prins, Judith B; Speckens, Anne E M

2017-01-01

Lung cancer patients and their spouses report high rates of distress. Due to the increasing popularity of and evidence for mindfulness-based interventions in cancer, mindfulness and self-compassion have been identified as potentially helpful skills when coping with cancer. This dyadic study examined how mindfulness and self-compassion are related to psychological distress and communication about cancer in couples facing lung cancer. Using the actor-partner interdependence model, self-reported mindfulness, self-compassion, psychological distress and communication about cancer were analyzed in a cross-sectional sample of 88 couples facing lung cancer. Regarding psychological distress, no difference was found between patients and spouses. In both partners, own levels of mindfulness ( B  = -0.19, p  = .002) and self-compassion ( B  = -0.45, p  dyadic level, own self-compassion was less strongly associated with distress if the partner reported high self-compassion ( B  = 0.03, p  = .049). Regarding communication about cancer, patients reported to communicate more openly with their partner than with spouses. However, after controlling for gender, this difference was no longer significant. In both partners, own self-compassion ( B  = 0.03, p  = .010) was significantly associated with own communication while mindfulness was not. A trend showed that mindfulness of the partner was related to more open communication in the individual ( B  = 0.01, p  = .080). These findings give a first indication that mindfulness and self-compassion skills may go beyond the individual and could impact couple functioning. Future research should examine whether couples facing (lung) cancer may benefit from programs in which mindfulness and self-compassion are cultivated.

Health communication: lessons from research.

Science.gov (United States)

Shanmugam, A V

1981-01-01

In discussing the lessons learned from research in the area of health communication, focus is on basic strategic issues; the scope of health communications in terms of audience, information, education and motivation approaces and India's satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE). Health communication is the process by which a health idea is transferred from a source, such as a primary health center, to a receiver, community, with the intention of changing the community's behavior. This involves the formulation of specific strategies for the conduct of health and family welfare communication. In the processs of health communication, it has been a common practice in India as well as in other developing countries to depend upon a plethora of communication media. Yet, despite maximum utilization of the mass media and interpersonal channels of communication, questions remain about the efficacy of the system in bringing about change. Thus, the need to draw upon lessons from research becomes obvious. Communication effectiveness researches have concentrated on 3 basic strategic issues: the question of physical reception of messages by the audience; interpretation or understanding of messages on the part of the audience in accordance with the intention of the communicator; and effectiveness of communication on the cognitive, affective and behavioral dimensions of the audience. Innumberable researches in communication have provided several lessons which have expanded the scope of health communication. This expansion can be observed in terms of audiences reached, information disseminated, education undertaken, and motivation provided. Research has identified several distinct groups to whom specific health messages have to be addressed. These include government and political elites, health and family welfare program administrators, and the medical profession and clinical staff. Information on health needs to include both the concept of health and the pertinent ideas

Employers' experience of employees with cancer: trajectories of complex communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Tiedtke, C M; Dierckx de Casterlé, B; Frings-Dresen, M H W; De Boer, A G E M; Greidanus, M A; Tamminga, S J; De Rijk, A E

2017-10-01

Remaining in paid work is of great importance for cancer survivors, and employers play a crucial role in achieving this. Return to work (RTW) is best seen as a process. This study aims to provide insight into (1) Dutch employers' experiences with RTW of employees with cancer and (2) the employers' needs for support regarding this process. Thirty employer representatives of medium and large for-profit and non-profit organizations were interviewed to investigate their experiences and needs in relation to employees with cancer. A Grounded Theory approach was used. We revealed a trajectory of complex communication and decision-making during different stages, from the moment the employee disclosed that they had been diagnosed to the period after RTW, permanent disability, or the employee's passing away. Employers found this process demanding due to various dilemmas. Dealing with an unfavorable diagnosis and balancing both the employer's and the employee's interests were found to be challenging. Two types of approach to support RTW of employees with cancer were distinguished: (1) a business-oriented approach and (2) a care-oriented approach. Differences in approach were related to differences in organizational structure and employer and employee characteristics. Employers expressed a need for communication skills, information, and decision-making skills to support employees with cancer. The employers interviewed stated that dealing with an employee with cancer is demanding and that the extensive Dutch legislation on RTW did not offer all the support needed. We recommend providing them with easily accessible information on communication and leadership training to better support employees with cancer. • Supporting employers by training communication and decision-making skills and providing information on cancer will contribute to improving RTW support for employees with cancer. • Knowing that the employer will usually be empathic when an employee reveals that they have

Anti-Smoking Communication to Preadolescents with and without a Cancer Diagnosis: Parents and Healthcare Providers as Important Communicators.

Science.gov (United States)

Throckmorton-Belzer, Leslee; Tyc, Vida L; Robinson, Leslie A; Klosky, James L; Lensing, Shelly; Booth, Andrea K

2009-10-01

A cancer diagnosis does not prevent smoking among pediatric oncology patients, and anti-smoking communications among parents and health care providers have been proposed as influencing smoking outcomes in this group. Anti-smoking communications were compared among 93 preadolescents with cancer and 402 controls. After adjusting for demographics and covariates, preadolescents with cancer were less likely than control participants to report receipt of anti-smoking messages from physicians and parents, and recalled more messages >/= 4 months post-diagnosis as compared to 1-3 months. Should anti-tobacco communications prove to influence smoking outcomes, parents and physicians may be uniquely positioned to provide smoking prevention interventions to these patients.

Setting the research agenda for governmental communication

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M. Vos

2006-01-01

The Research Group for Governmental Communication has carried out a trend study of governmental communication within The Netherlands (1). Research topics were: the major tasks for communication, current issues, profiling the communication department, and policy plans for communication. Another study

Communication challenges experienced by migrants with cancer: A comparison of migrant and English-speaking Australian-born cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyatt, Amelia; Lipson-Smith, Ruby; Schofield, Penelope; Gough, Karla; Sze, Ming; Aldridge, Lynley; Goldstein, David; Jefford, Michael; Bell, Melanie L; Butow, Phyllis

2017-10-01

Understanding the difficulties faced by different migrant groups is vital to address disparities and inform targeted health-care service delivery. Migrant oncology patients experience increased morbidity, mortality and psychological distress, with this tentatively linked to language and communication difficulties. The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the communication barriers and challenges experienced by Arabic, Greek and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) speaking oncology patients in Australia. This study employed a cross-sectional design using patient-reported outcome survey data from migrant and English-speaking Australian-born patients with cancer. Patients were recruited through oncology clinics and Australian state cancer registries. Data were collected regarding patient clinical and demographic characteristics and health-care and communication experiences. Data from the clinics and registries were combined for analysis. Significant differences were found between migrant groups in demographic characteristics, communication and health-care experiences, and information and care preferences. Chinese patients cited problems with understanding medical information, the Australian health-care system, and communicating with their health-care team. Conversely, Arabic- and Greek-speaking patients reported higher understanding of the health-care system, and less communication difficulties. Our study findings suggest that migrant groups differ from each other in their health communication expectations and requirements. Lower education and health literacy of some groups may play a role in poorer health outcomes. Public health interventions and assistance provided to migrants should be tailored to the specific needs and characteristics of that language or cultural group. Future research directions are discussed. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Locating relationship and communication issues among stressors associated with breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Weber, Kirsten M; Solomon, Denise Haunani

2008-11-01

This article clarifies how the social contexts in which breast cancer survivors live can contribute to the stress they experience because of the disease. Guided by Solomon and Knobloch's (2004) relational turbulence model and Petronio's (2002) communication privacy management theory, this study explores personal relationship and communication boundary issues within stressors that are associated with the diagnosis, treatment, and early survivorship of breast cancer. A qualitative analysis of discourse posted on breast cancer discussion boards and weblogs using the constant comparative method and open-coding techniques revealed 12 sources of stress. Using axial coding methods and probing these topics for underlying relationship and communication issues yielded 5 themes. The discussion highlights the implications of the findings for the theories that guided this investigation and for breast cancer survivorship more generally.

Modern computer technologies facilitate communication with a young cancer patient.

Science.gov (United States)

Ripamonti, Carla Ida; Piccinelli, Claudia; Pessi, Maria Adelaide; Clerici, Carlo Alfredo

2010-01-01

The aim of this paper is to show how new technologies may help the communication process in clinical practice in a department providing supportive care to patients undergoing cancer treatment. Communication via Internet chat between the psychologist and a young man who sees chatting on the Internet as a natural and familiar mode of expression was shown to be useful. The Internet link enabled us to open a communication channel with the patient and to have a conversation that would otherwise have been impossible. Although verbal communication is the most important way to communicate among people, Internet communications are certainly an opportunity worth exploring, because they may open up new channels for cancer patients whose ability to speak is restricted. We might imagine using this approach in pediatric oncology, with adolescents and preadolescents, and with young adults like the patient discussed here. The case discussed highlights the enormous difference between the mere transfer of information and genuine communication, the latter involving an encounter with the patient.

Environmental communication research in Finland; Ympaeristoeviestinnaen tutkimus Suomessa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyytimaeki, J.; Palosaari, M.

2004-07-01

This report presents Finnish research on environmental communication and describes different was of understanding the term environmental communication. The objective of the report is to indicate relevant topics for future research in environmental communication from the point of view of environmental policy research and Finnish environmental administration. The report outlines the development of environmental journalism from the 1960's till present and explores the different approaches taken in researching environmental communication. Or organisation and crisis communication, sociology, environmental education and policy are current y the fields of science most active in environmental communication research. Visuality of communication and the effects of new information technology are increasingly interesting phenomena for the study of environmental communication. This report points out needs of research from each of these fields. The report includes also a bibliography of environmental communication research in Finland. (orig.)

Communicating about cancer through Facebook: a qualitative analysis of a breast cancer awareness page.

Science.gov (United States)

Abramson, Karley; Keefe, Brian; Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia

2015-01-01

Social media channels are increasingly being used for health communication and promotion. Social networking sites such as Facebook have become popular platforms for organizations to communicate health messages and encourage user participation around health topics. While the evaluation of social media's effectiveness in health promotion is beginning to emerge in the literature, few studies have examined actual interactions and user behaviors on Facebook Pages hosted by health organizations. The authors present a qualitative case study of a popular Facebook Page from a nonprofit organization devoted to raising awareness about breast cancer. With the goal of identifying the functions and uses of the Page, our study analyzes the content of Wall posts during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October 2010. Common themes and characteristics are identified, including open mic communication, scarcity of health information, the commodification of breast cancer, unpredictable locations of conversation, and the use of gendered images and language. The findings have potential implications for health promotion efforts using social media platforms.

Communications with health professionals and psychological distress in family caregivers to cancer patients: A model based on stress-coping theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Oh, Young Sam

2017-02-01

In cancer care settings, family caregivers often experience negative or little communication with the health professionals, and this negative communication and limited health-related information causes psychological distress in family caregivers to cancer patients. The first aim of this research is to investigate the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress in family caregivers. The second aim is to investigate the mediating effects of self-efficacy in this hypothetical model. A total of 1397 family caregivers were included in this research. A structural equation model was then applied, in order to examine the hypothesized model based on the stress-coping model. More negative communication with health professionals was associated with higher psychological distress. Self-efficacy in health information seeking significantly mediated the relationship between communication with health professionals and psychological distress. This study indicates that as a coping resource, self-efficacy in health information seeking, plays a significant role in reducing the effects of negative communication with health professionals on psychological distress in family caregivers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current cancer research. Reports from the German Cancer Research Center 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Topics from the Contents: The Fight against Cancer in Germany - A Critical Review. Conditions and Structures in Research. Familial Breast Cancer - A Critical Assessment. Research without Animal Experiments. Cancer Prevention. New Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. Therapy of Brain Tumors with Laser Neurosurgery. The Genome Project. (orig.) [de

Effective patient-provider communication about sexual concerns in breast cancer: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reese, Jennifer Barsky; Beach, Mary Catherine; Smith, Katherine Clegg; Bantug, Elissa T; Casale, Kristen E; Porter, Laura S; Bober, Sharon L; Tulsky, James A; Daly, Mary B; Lepore, Stephen J

2017-10-01

Breast cancer patients commonly experience sexual concerns, yet rarely discuss them with clinicians. The study examined patient and provider experiences and preferences related to communication about breast cancer-related sexual concerns with the goal of informing intervention development. Patient data (n = 28) were derived from focus groups and interviews with partnered and unpartnered women treated for breast cancer reporting sexual concerns. Provider data (n = 11) came from interviews with breast cancer oncologists and nurse practitioners. Patient and provider data were analyzed separately using the framework method of qualitative analysis. Findings revealed individual and institutional barriers to effective communication about sexual concerns and highlighted key communication facilitators (e.g., a positive patient-provider relationship, patient communication as a driver of provider communication, and vice versa). Patients expressed preferences for open, collaborative communication; providers expressed preferences for focused intervention targets (identifying concerns, offering resources/referrals) and convenient format. A model of effective communication of sexual concerns was developed to inform communication interventions. Findings suggest that to improve patient-provider communication about sexual concerns, knowledge and skills-based interventions that activate patients and that equip providers for effective discussions about sexual concerns are needed, as are institutional changes that could incentivize such discussions.

Parent-Child Communication and Adjustment Among Children With Advanced and Non-Advanced Cancer in the First Year Following Diagnosis or Relapse.

Science.gov (United States)

Keim, Madelaine C; Lehmann, Vicky; Shultz, Emily L; Winning, Adrien M; Rausch, Joseph R; Barrera, Maru; Gilmer, Mary Jo; Murphy, Lexa K; Vannatta, Kathryn A; Compas, Bruce E; Gerhardt, Cynthia A

2017-09-01

To examine parent-child communication (i.e., openness, problems) and child adjustment among youth with advanced or non-advanced cancer and comparison children. Families (n = 125) were recruited after a child's diagnosis/relapse and stratified by advanced (n = 55) or non-advanced (n = 70) disease. Comparison children (n = 60) were recruited from local schools. Children (ages 10-17) reported on communication (Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale) with both parents, while mothers reported on child adjustment (Child Behavior Checklist) at enrollment (T1) and one year (T2). Openness/problems in communication did not differ across groups at T1, but problems with fathers were higher among children with non-advanced cancer versus comparisons at T2. Openness declined for all fathers, while changes in problems varied by group for both parents. T1 communication predicted later adjustment only for children with advanced cancer. Communication plays an important role, particularly for children with advanced cancer. Additional research with families affected by life-limiting conditions is needed. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Ethics of clinician communication in a changing communication landscape: guidance from professional societies.

Science.gov (United States)

Gollust, Sarah E; Dwyer, Anne M

2013-12-01

Cancer experts engage in public communication whenever they promote their research or practice, respond to media inquiries, or use social media. In a changing communication landscape characterized by new technologies and heightened attention to cancer controversies, these activities may pose ethical challenges. This study was designed to evaluate existing resources to help clinicians navigate their public communication activities. We conducted a systematic, qualitative content analysis of codes of ethics, policy statements, and similar documents disseminated by professional medical and nursing societies for their members. We examined these documents for four types of content related to public communication: communication via traditional media; communication via social media; other communication to the public, policy, and legal spheres; and nonspecific language regarding public communication. We identified 46 documents from 23 professional societies for analysis. Five societies had language about traditional news media communication, five had guidance about social media, 11 had guidance about other communication domains, and 15 societies offered general language about public communication. The limited existing guidance focused on ethical issues related to patients (such as privacy violations) or clinicians (such as accuracy and professional boundaries), with less attention to population or policy impact of communication. Cancer-related professional societies might consider establishing more specific guidance for clinicians concerning their communication activities in light of changes to the communication landscape. Additional research is warranted to understand the extent to which clinicians face ethical challenges in public communication.

Inaugural Meeting of North American Pancreatic Cancer Organizations: Advancing Collaboration and Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenner, Barbara J; Fleshman, Julie M; Goldberg, Ann E; Rothschild, Laura J

2015-11-01

A meeting of North American Pancreatic Cancer Organizations planned by Kenner Family Research Fund and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network was held on July 15-16, 2015, in New York City. The meeting was attended by 32 individuals from 20 nonprofit groups from the United States and Canada. The objectives of this inaugural convening were to share mission goals and initiatives, engage as leaders, cultivate potential partnerships, and increase participation in World Pancreatic Cancer Day. The program was designed to provide opportunities for informal conversations, as well as facilitated discussions to meet the stated objectives. At the conclusion of the meeting, the group agreed that enhancing collaboration and communication will result in a more unified approach within the field and will benefit individuals diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. As a first step, the group will actively collaborate to participate in World Pancreatic Cancer Day, which is planned for November 13, 2015, and seeks to raise the level of visibility about the disease globally.

Patients’ and Family Members’ Views on Patient-Centered Communication During Cancer Care

Science.gov (United States)

Mazor, Kathleen M.; Beard, Renee L.; Alexander, Gwen L.; Arora, Neeraj K.; Firneno, Cassandra; Gaglio, Bridget; Greene, Sarah M.; Lemay, Celeste A.; Robinson, Brandi E.; Roblin, Douglas W.; Walsh, Kathleen; Street, Richard L.; Gallagher, Thomas H.

2013-01-01

Objectives To explore patients’ and family members’ views on communication during cancer care, and to identify those aspects of clinician-patient communication which were most important to patients and family members. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of qualitative data from 137 patients with cancer and family members of patients with cancer. We used a modified version of the constant comparative method and coding paradigm of grounded theory. Results Patients want sensitive, caring clinicians who provide information that they need, when they need it, in a way that they can understand; who listen and respond to questions and concerns, and who attempt to understand the patient’s experience. Effective information exchange and a positive interpersonal relationship with the clinician were of fundamental importance to patients and family members. These were interrelated; for instance, failure to provide information a patient needed could damage the relationship, while excellent listening could foster the relationship. Information exchange and relationship were also integral to decision making, managing uncertainty, responding to emotions, and self-management. Clinicians who were responsive to patients’ needs beyond the immediate medical encounter were valued. Conclusions The complexity of cancer care today suggest that efforts to improve communication must be multi-level, acknowledging and addressing patient, clinician, organizational and policy barriers and facilitators. Measurement tools are needed to assess cancer patients’ and family members’ experiences with communication over the course of cancer care in order to provide meaningful, actionable feedback to those seeking to optimize their effectiveness in communicating with patients with cancer. PMID:23780672

Patients' and family members' views on patient-centered communication during cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazor, Kathleen M; Beard, Reneé L; Alexander, Gwen L; Arora, Neeraj K; Firneno, Cassandra; Gaglio, Bridget; Greene, Sarah M; Lemay, Celeste A; Robinson, Brandi E; Roblin, Douglas W; Walsh, Kathleen; Street, Richard L; Gallagher, Thomas H

2013-11-01

To explore patients' and family members' views on communication during cancer care and to identify those aspects of clinician-patient communication which were most important to patients and family members. We conducted a secondary data analysis of qualitative data from 137 patients with cancer and family members of patients with cancer. We used a modified version of the constant comparative method and coding paradigm of grounded theory. Patients want sensitive, caring clinicians who provide information that they need, when they need it, in a way that they can understand; who listen and respond to questions and concerns, and who attempt to understand the patient's experience. Effective information exchange and a positive interpersonal relationship with the clinician were of fundamental importance to patients and family members. These were interrelated; for instance, failure to provide information a patient needed could damage the relationship, whereas excellent listening could foster the relationship. Information exchange and relationship were also integral to decision-making, managing uncertainty, responding to emotions, and self-management. Clinicians who were responsive to patients' needs beyond the immediate medical encounter were valued. The complexity of cancer care today suggests that efforts to improve communication must be multilevel, acknowledging and addressing patient, clinician, organizational and policy barriers, and facilitators. Measurement tools are needed to assess cancer patients' and family members' experiences with communication over the course of cancer care to provide meaningful, actionable feedback to those seeking to optimize their effectiveness in communicating with patients with cancer. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Office of Communications and Public Liaison

Science.gov (United States)

The NCI Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) supports NCI by disseminating cancer research findings, providing evidence-based information on cancer for the public, including patients, caregivers, health professionals, researchers, advocates, the news media, and other stakeholders, and disseminating cancer research findings, clinical trials and funding opportunities.

A systematic review of visual image theory, assessment, and use in skin cancer and tanning research.

Science.gov (United States)

McWhirter, Jennifer E; Hoffman-Goetz, Laurie

2014-01-01

Visual images increase attention, comprehension, and recall of health information and influence health behaviors. Health communication campaigns on skin cancer and tanning often use visual images, but little is known about how such images are selected or evaluated. A systematic review of peer-reviewed, published literature on skin cancer and tanning was conducted to determine (a) what visual communication theories were used, (b) how visual images were evaluated, and (c) how visual images were used in the research studies. Seven databases were searched (PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, Social Sciences Full Text, ERIC, and ABI/INFORM) resulting in 5,330 citations. Of those, 47 met the inclusion criteria. Only one study specifically identified a visual communication theory guiding the research. No standard instruments for assessing visual images were reported. Most studies lacked, to varying degrees, comprehensive image description, image pretesting, full reporting of image source details, adequate explanation of image selection or development, and example images. The results highlight the need for greater theoretical and methodological attention to visual images in health communication research in the future. To this end, the authors propose a working definition of visual health communication.

Dedicated researcher brings cancer care to rural communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharan Bhuller

2016-10-01

comprehensive reports in the form of research communication to give a clearer picture of different cancer burden in various Indian registries. “I have also proposed a project for establishing cancer registry at NICPR, which was approved by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR in principle, but we are currently still waiting for funding,” says the medical scientist.Focusing on the area of cancer epidemiology and research methodology, Dr. Asthana has faced many challenges commonly encountered by any researcher with a vision to improve medical research. “Gradually, with time and experience, I have overcome these limitations and I now conduct research methodology workshops to help clinicians have a better orientation toward research,” she says. Dr. Asthana is the coordinator of research methodology workshops, which is a series of training courses that started in 2007. Training courses/workshops are being conducted on a regular basis — two to three times a year at ICPO — and on an invitation basis, she has held workshops at other institutions such as her previous visit to Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS in Malaysia to train 30 PhD students.“The main aim or idea is to educate scientists/researchers and medical faculties about the basics of research methodology, which consist of descriptive statistics, statistical analysis, and clinical trial sampling, as well as research protocol development and scientific reporting/writing,” she elaborates. “The curriculum was formed and executed in such a way that new scientists gain an overall knowledge on how a research project should be planned, executed, and the results communicated,” she adds. The courses, according to her, are targeted for medical faculty members, medical post-graduate students, undergraduate students, and PhD students with a basic science background from various medical institutions.As a researcher with almost 14 years of experience in medical research, her passion for research does not end there

Psychometric evaluation and design of patient-centered communication measures for cancer care settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeve, Bryce B; Thissen, David M; Bann, Carla M; Mack, Nicole; Treiman, Katherine; Sanoff, Hanna K; Roach, Nancy; Magnus, Brooke E; He, Jason; Wagner, Laura K; Moultrie, Rebecca; Jackson, Kathryn D; Mann, Courtney; McCormack, Lauren A

2017-07-01

To evaluate the psychometric properties of questions that assess patient perceptions of patient-provider communication and design measures of patient-centered communication (PCC). Participants (adults with colon or rectal cancer living in North Carolina) completed a survey at 2 to 3 months post-diagnosis. The survey included 87 questions in six PCC Functions: Exchanging Information, Fostering Health Relationships, Making Decisions, Responding to Emotions, Enabling Patient Self-Management, and Managing Uncertainty. For each Function we conducted factor analyses, item response theory modeling, and tests for differential item functioning, and assessed reliability and construct validity. Participants included 501 respondents; 46% had a high school education or less. Reliability within each Function ranged from 0.90 to 0.96. The PCC-Ca-36 (36-question survey; reliability=0.94) and PCC-Ca-6 (6-question survey; reliability=0.92) measures differentiated between individuals with poor and good health (i.e., known-groups validity) and were highly correlated with the HINTS communication scale (i.e., convergent validity). This study provides theory-grounded PCC measures found to be reliable and valid in colorectal cancer patients in North Carolina. Future work should evaluate measure validity over time and in other cancer populations. The PCC-Ca-36 and PCC-Ca-6 measures may be used for surveillance, intervention research, and quality improvement initiatives. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Communication Research: Review, Trends, and Critique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy R. Levine

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Trends in quantitative communication research are reviewed. A content analysis of 48 articles reporting original communication research published in 1988-1991 and 2008-2011 is reported. Survey research and self-report measurement remain common approaches to research. Null hypothesis significance testing remains the dominant approach to statistical analysis. Reporting the shapes of distributions, estimates of statistical power, and confidence intervals remain uncommon. Trends over time include the increased popularity of health communication and computer mediated communication as topics of research, and increased attention to mediator and moderator variables. The implications of these practices for scientific progress are critically discussed, and suggestions for the future are provided.

Types of Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

An infographic from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) describing the four broad categories of cancer research: basic research, clinical research, population-based research, and translational research.

Efficacy of Cancer Care Communication Between Clinicians and Latino Patients in a Rural US-Mexico Border Region: a Qualitative Study of Barriers and Facilitators to Better Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, Eunjeong; Zúñiga, María Luisa; Peacher, Diana; Palomino, Helen; Watson, Mercedes

2018-02-01

Quality of clinician-patient cancer communication is vital to cancer care and survivorship. Racial/ethnic minority patients in rural regions may have unique characteristics including cultural beliefs, language barriers, and low health literacy which require effective cross-cultural cancer communication. Despite the growing US population of racial/ethnic minorities and widespread emphasis on culturally appropriate health communication, little is known about challenges and facilitators of cancer communication among underserved rural Latino cancer patients in the US-Mexico border region. This study conducted secondary data analysis of interview data collected from 22 individual cancer patients living on the US side of the US-Mexico border. Thematic analysis was conducted to explore a priori questions regarding patient experiences with cancer care communication with their providers. Emerging themes included lack of language concordance, patient perspectives on clarity and accuracy of information provided, patient perceptions on provider sensitivity in giving cancer diagnosis, and improving the clinical interpersonal relationship. Practice guidelines are suggested and discussed. These findings illuminate the importance of advancing improvement of cancer communication between clinicians and Spanish language-dominant Latinos.

Risk communication and decision-making in the prevention of invasive breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Partridge, Ann H

2017-08-01

Risk communication surrounding the prevention of invasive breast cancer entails not only understanding of the disease, risks and opportunities for intervention. But it also requires understanding and implementation of optimal strategies for communication with patients who are making these decisions. In this article, available evidence for the issues surrounding risk communication and decision making in the prevention of invasive breast cancer are reviewed and strategies for improvement are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rural Women's Perceptions About Cancer Disparities and Contributing Factors: a Call to Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Molina, Yamile; Zimmermann, Kristine; Carnahan, Leslie R; Paulsey, Ellen; Bigman, Cabral A; Khare, Manorama M; Zahnd, Whitney; Jenkins, Wiley D

2017-02-27

Rural cancer disparities are increasingly documented in the USA. Research has identified and begun to address rural residents' cancer knowledge and behaviors, especially among women. Little, however, is known about rural female residents' awareness of cancer inequities and perceived contributing factors affecting them and their families. The purpose of this study was to address these gaps in the literature via a secondary analysis of qualitative needs assessment in Illinois' rural southernmost seven counties, a geographic region with relatively high rates of cancer incidence, morbidity, and mortality. A convenience sample of 202 rural adult female residents was recruited and participated in 26 focus groups, with 3-13 women per group. Inductive content analysis, guided by the principle of constant comparison, was used to analyze the qualitative data. Most respondents indicated their awareness of disproportionate cancer burden in their communities. Individual-level behaviors and environmental toxins were identified as contributing factors. Interestingly, however, environmental toxins were more often discussed as factors contributing to geographic differences, whereas individual-level behaviors were noted as important for overall cancer prevention and control. This study provides important insight into female rural residents' perspectives and offers novel venues for educational programs and research in the context of communication to eliminate disparities.

Confidence in communicating with patients with cancer mediates the relationship between rehabilitation therapists' autistic-like traits and perceived difficulty in communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashibara, Chinatsu; Inagaki, Masatoshi; Fujimori, Maiko; Higuchi, Yuji; Fujiwara, Masaki; Terada, Seishi; Okamura, Hitoshi; Uchitomi, Yosuke; Yamada, Norihito

2018-01-21

Recently, rehabilitation therapists have become involved in cancer rehabilitation; however, no communication skills training that increases the ability to provide emotional support for cancer patients has been developed for rehabilitation therapists. In addition, no study has examined associations between rehabilitation therapists' communication skills and their level of autistic-like traits (ALT), which are in-born characteristics including specific communication styles and difficulty communicating with patients. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether confidence in communicating with patients mitigates communication difficulties experienced by rehabilitation therapists who have high levels of ALT. Rehabilitation therapists who treat patients with cancer completed self-administered postal questionnaires anonymously. Scores were obtained on the Autism-Spectrum Quotient short form, confidence in communication, and communication difficulties. We used covariance structure analyses to test hypothetical models, and confirmed that confidence in communication mediates the relationship between ALT and perceived communication difficulties. Participants included 1,343 respondents (49.6%). Autism-Spectrum Quotient scores were positively correlated with communication difficulties (r = 0.16, p confidence in communication in the fit model. However, higher confidence in creating a supportive atmosphere was associated with more difficulty in communication (r = 0.16, p Communication difficulty was linked to rehabilitation therapists' ALTs. By increasing confidence in areas of communication other than creation of a supportive atmosphere, ALT-related difficulties in communication may be ameliorated. Confidence to create supportive environments correlated positively with difficulty. Communication skills training to increase confidence in communication for rehabilitation therapists should be developed with vigilance regarding ALT levels.

Translational Partnership Development Lead | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc on behalf of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The staff of FNLCR support the NCI’s mission in the fight against cancer and HIV/AIDS. Currently we are seeking a Translational Partnership Development Lead (TPDL) who will work closely with the Office of Translational Resources (OTR) within the Office of the Director (OD) of NCI’s Center for Cancer Research (CCR) to facilitate the successful translation of CCR’s basic and preclinical research advances into new therapeutics and diagnostics. The TPDL with be strategically aligned within FNLCR’s Partnership Development Office (PDO), to maximally leverage the critical mass of expertise available within the PDO. CCR comprises the basic and clinical components of the NCI’s Intramural Research Program (IRP) and consists of ~230 basic and clinical Investigators located at either the NIH main campus in Bethesda or the NCI-Frederick campus. CCR Investigators are focused primarily on cancer and HIV/AIDS, with special emphasis on the most challenging and important high-risk/high-reward problems driving the fields. (See https://ccr.cancer.gov for a full delineation of CCR Investigators and their research activities.) The process of developing research findings into new clinical applications is high risk, complex, variable, and requires multiple areas of expertise seldom available within the confines of a single Investigator’s laboratory. To accelerate this process, OTR serves as a unifying force within CCR for all aspects of translational activities required to achieve success and maintain timely progress. A key aspect of OTR’s function is to develop and strengthen essential communications and collaborations within NIH, with extramural partners and with industry to bring together experts in chemistry, human subjects research

The KinFact intervention - a randomized controlled trial to increase family communication about cancer history.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodurtha, Joann N; McClish, Donna; Gyure, Maria; Corona, Rosalie; Krist, Alexander H; Rodríguez, Vivian M; Maibauer, Alisa M; Borzelleca, Joseph; Bowen, Deborah J; Quillin, John M

2014-10-01

Knowing family history is important for understanding cancer risk, yet communication within families is suboptimal. Providing strategies to enhance communication may be useful. Four hundred ninety women were recruited from urban, safety-net, hospital-based primary care women's health clinics. Participants were randomized to receive the KinFact intervention or the control handout on lowering risks for breast/colon cancer and screening recommendations. Cancer family history was reviewed with all participants. The 20-minute KinFact intervention, based in communication and behavior theory, included reviewing individualized breast/colon cancer risks and an interactive presentation about cancer and communication. Study outcomes included whether participants reported collecting family history, shared cancer risk information with relatives, and the frequency of communication with relatives. Data were collected at baseline, 1, 6, and 14 months. Overall, intervention participants were significantly more likely to gather family cancer information at follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01, 3.71) and to share familial cancer information with relatives (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.48). Communication frequency (1=not at all; 4=a lot) was significantly increased at follow-up (1.67 vs. 1.54). Differences were not modified by age, race, education, or family history. However, effects were modified by pregnancy status and genetic literacy. Intervention effects for information gathering and frequency were observed for nonpregnant women but not for pregnant women. Additionally, intervention effects were observed for information gathering in women with high genetic literacy, but not in women with low genetic literacy. The KinFact intervention successfully promoted family communication about cancer risk. Educating women to enhance their communication skills surrounding family history may allow them to partner more effectively with their families and ultimately

Keeping primary care "in the loop": General practitioners want better communication with specialists and hospitals when caring for people diagnosed with cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Lizama, Natalia; Johnson, Claire E; Ghosh, Manonita; Garg, Neeraj; Emery, Jonathan D; Saunders, Christobel

2015-06-01

To investigate general practitioners' (GP) perceptions about communication when providing cancer care. A self-report survey, which included an open response section, was mailed to a random sample of 1969 eligible Australian GPs. Content analysis of open response comments pertaining to communication was undertaken in order to ascertain GPs' views about communication issues in the provision of cancer care. Of the 648 GPs who completed the survey, 68 (10%) included open response comments about interprofessional communication. Participants who commented on communication were a median age of 50 years and worked 33 h/week; 28% were male and 59% practiced in the metropolitan area. Comments pertaining to communication were coded using five non-mutually exclusive categories: being kept in the loop; continuity of care; relationships with specialists; positive communication experiences; and strategies for improving communication.GPs repeatedly noted the importance of receiving detailed and timely communication from specialists and hospitals, particularly in relation to patients' treatment regimes and follow-up care. Several GPs remarked that they were left out of "the information loop" and that patients were "lost" or "dumped" after referral. While many GPs are currently involved in some aspects of cancer management, detailed and timely communication between specialists and GPs is imperative to support shared care and ensure optimal patient outcomes. This research highlights the need for established channels of communication between specialist and primary care medicine to support greater involvement by GPs in cancer care. © 2015 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Utilizing of marketing research for marketing communication

OpenAIRE

Bielová, Zuzana

2008-01-01

The subject of bachelor's thesis "Utilizing of marketing research for marketing communication" is analyze problematic of marketing communications in sector of educational services. The aims are potential clients of education. I will try to make out import of marketing research for marketing communication of the company.

Communication skills of nurses during interactions with simulated cancer patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruijver, IPM; Kerkstra, A; Bensing, JM; van de Wiel, H.B.M.

Aim. In this paper the balance of affective and instrumental communication employed by nurses during the admission interview with recently diagnosed cancer patients was investigated. Rationale. The balance of affective and instrumental communication employed by nurses appears to be important,

Communication skills of nurses during interactions with simulated cancer patients.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kruijver, I.P.M.; Kerkstra, A.; Bensing, J.M.; Wiel, H.B.M. van der

2001-01-01

In this paper the balance of affective and intrumental communication employed by nurses during the admission interview with recently diagnosed cancer patients was investigated. Rationale: The balance of affective and instrumental communication employed by nurses appears to be important, especially

Improving communication with palliative care cancer patients at home - A pilot study of SAGE & THYME communication skills model.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Jane; Wilson, Charlotte; Ewing, Gail; Connolly, Michael; Grande, Gunn

2015-10-01

To pilot an evidence-based communication skills model (SAGE & THYME) with UK District Nurses (DNs) who visit patients with advanced cancer early in the dying trajectory. Evidence suggests that DNs lack confidence in communication skills and in assessing cancer patients' psycho-social needs; also that they lack time. SAGE & THYME is a highly structured model for teaching patient centred interactions. It addresses concerns about confidence and time. Mixed methods. 33 DNs were trained in SAGE & THYME in a three hour workshop and interviewed in focus groups on three occasions: pre-training, immediately post-training and two months post-training. Questionnaires measuring perceived outcomes of communication, confidence in communication and motivation to use SAGE & THYME were administered at the focus groups. SAGE & THYME provided a structure for conversations and facilitated opening and closing of interactions. The main principle of patient centeredness was reportedly used by all. Knowledge about communication behaviours helpful to patients improved and was sustained two months after training. Increased confidence in communication skills was also sustained. Motivation to use SAGE & THYME was high and remained so at two months, and some said the model saved them time. Challenges with using the model included controlling the home environment and a change in style of communication which was so marked some DNs preferred to use it with new patients. Training DNs in SAGE & THYME in a three hour workshop appears to be a promising model for improving communication skills when working with cancer patients. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cancer Research UK | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Cancer Research UK. Cancer Research UK. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/. The Economics of Tobacco Control Research Initiative. The Economics of Tobacco Control Research Initiative funds innovative fiscal policy research supporting tobacco control in low and middle-income countries. View more. The Economics ...

Ecuadorian Cancer Patients' Preference for Information and Communication Technologies: Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherrez Ojeda, Ivan; Vanegas, Emanuel; Torres, Michell; Calderón, Juan Carlos; Calero, Erick; Cherrez, Annia; Felix, Miguel; Mata, Valeria; Cherrez, Sofia; Simancas, Daniel

2018-02-20

The instantaneous spread of information, low costs, and broad availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) make them an attractive platform for managing care, patient communication, and medical interventions in cancer treatment. There is little information available in Latin America about the level of usage of ICTs for and by cancer patients. Our study attempts to fill this gap. The aim of this study was to assess the level of ICT use and patterns of preferences among cancer patients. We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey study in 500 Ecuadorian cancer patients. This questionnaire consisted of 22 items about demographic and clinical data, together with the preferences of people who use ICTs. Chi-square, crude, and adjusted logistic regressions were performed. Of the total, 43.2% (216/500) of participants reported that they had access to the Internet, and 25.4% (127/500) reported that they neither owned a cell phone nor did they have access to the Internet. The Internet constituted the highest usage rate as a source of information about malignant diseases (74.3%, 162/218) regardless of age (PWhatsApp (66.5%, 145/218) and short message service (SMS) text messaging (61.0%, 133/218) were widely reported as interesting communication channels. Similarly, WhatsApp (72.0%, 157/218) followed by SMS (63.8%, 139/218) were reported as the preferred ICTs through which patients would like to ask physicians about diseases. Adjusted regression analysis showed that patients aged between 40 and 64 years were more likely to be interested in receiving information through SMS (odds ratio, OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.92-13.32), as well as for asking questions to physicians through this same media (OR 9.78, CI 3.45-27.67) than the oldest group. WhatsApp, SMS, and email are effective and widely used ICTs that can promote communication between cancer patients and physicians. According to age range, new ICTs such as Facebook are still emerging. Future studies should

Current cancer research 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stamatiadis-Smidt, H. [ed.

1998-12-31

Topics from the Contents: The Fight against Cancer in Germany - A Critical Review. Conditions and Structures in Research. Familial Breast Cancer - A Critical Assessment. Research without Animal Experiments. Cancer Prevention. New Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. Therapy of Brain Tumors with Laser Neurosurgery. The Genome Project. (orig.)

Current cancer research 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stamatiadis-Smidt, H.

1998-01-01

Topics from the Contents: The Fight against Cancer in Germany - A Critical Review. Conditions and Structures in Research. Familial Breast Cancer - A Critical Assessment. Research without Animal Experiments. Cancer Prevention. New Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. Therapy of Brain Tumors with Laser Neurosurgery. The Genome Project. (orig.)

Patient-physician communication about early stage prostate cancer: analysis of overall visit structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Stephen G; Czarnecki, Danielle; Kahn, Valerie C; Chou, Wen-Ying Sylvia; Fagerlin, Angela; Ubel, Peter A; Rovner, David R; Alexander, Stewart C; Knight, Sara J; Holmes-Rovner, Margaret

2015-10-01

We know little about patient-physician communication during visits to discuss diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. To examine the overall visit structure and how patients and physicians transition between communication activities during visits in which patients received new prostate cancer diagnoses. Forty veterans and 18 urologists at one VA medical centre. We coded 40 transcripts to identify major communication activities during visits and used empiric discourse analysis to analyse transitions between activities. We identified five communication activities that occurred in the following typical sequence: 'diagnosis delivery', 'risk classification', 'options talk', 'decision talk' and 'next steps'. The first two activities were typically brief and involved minimal patient participation. Options talk was typically the longest activity; physicians explicitly announced the beginning of options talk and framed it as their professional responsibility. Some patients were unsure of the purpose of visit and/or who should make treatment decisions. Visits to deliver the diagnosis of early stage prostate cancer follow a regular sequence of communication activities. Physicians focus on discussing treatment options and devote comparatively little time and attention to discussing the new cancer diagnosis. Towards the goal of promoting patient-centred communication, physicians should consider eliciting patient reactions after diagnosis delivery and explaining the decision-making process before describing treatment options. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding Family Caregiver Communication to Provide Family-Centered Cancer Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wittenberg, Elaine; Buller, Haley; Ferrell, Betty; Koczywas, Marianna; Borneman, Tami

2017-12-01

To describe a family caregiver communication typology and demonstrate identifiable communication challenges among four caregiver types: Manager, Carrier, Partner, and Lone. Case studies based on interviews with oncology family caregivers. Each caregiver type demonstrates unique communication challenges that can be identified. Recognition of a specific caregiver type will help nurses to adapt their own communication to provide tailored support. Family-centered cancer care requires attention to the communication challenges faced by family caregivers. Understanding the challenges among four family caregiver communication types will enable nurses to better address caregiver burden and family conflict. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The KinFact Intervention – A Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase Family Communication About Cancer History

Science.gov (United States)

McClish, Donna; Gyure, Maria; Corona, Rosalie; Krist, Alexander H.; Rodríguez, Vivian M.; Maibauer, Alisa M.; Borzelleca, Joseph; Bowen, Deborah J.; Quillin, John M.

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Knowing family history is important for understanding cancer risk, yet communication within families is suboptimal. Providing strategies to enhance communication may be useful. Methods: Four hundred ninety women were recruited from urban, safety-net, hospital-based primary care women's health clinics. Participants were randomized to receive the KinFact intervention or the control handout on lowering risks for breast/colon cancer and screening recommendations. Cancer family history was reviewed with all participants. The 20-minute KinFact intervention, based in communication and behavior theory, included reviewing individualized breast/colon cancer risks and an interactive presentation about cancer and communication. Study outcomes included whether participants reported collecting family history, shared cancer risk information with relatives, and the frequency of communication with relatives. Data were collected at baseline, 1, 6, and 14 months. Results: Overall, intervention participants were significantly more likely to gather family cancer information at follow-up (odds ratio [OR]: 2.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.01, 3.71) and to share familial cancer information with relatives (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.48). Communication frequency (1=not at all; 4=a lot) was significantly increased at follow-up (1.67 vs. 1.54). Differences were not modified by age, race, education, or family history. However, effects were modified by pregnancy status and genetic literacy. Intervention effects for information gathering and frequency were observed for nonpregnant women but not for pregnant women. Additionally, intervention effects were observed for information gathering in women with high genetic literacy, but not in women with low genetic literacy. Conclusions: The KinFact intervention successfully promoted family communication about cancer risk. Educating women to enhance their communication skills surrounding family history may allow them to partner

A Week of Excitement and Hope: Communicating the Story of Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Peter Garrett, acting director of NCI's communications office, discusses the Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer and activities surrounding the broadcast of the documentary film, Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies.

Communication in cancer care: psycho-social, interactional, and cultural issues. A general overview and the example of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaturvedi, Santosh K; Strohschein, Fay J; Saraf, Gayatri; Loiselle, Carmen G

2014-01-01

Communication is a core aspect of psycho-oncology care. This article examines key psychosocial, cultural, and technological factors that affect this communication. Drawing from advances in clinical work and accumulating bodies of empirical evidence, the authors identify determining factors for high quality, efficient, and sensitive communication and support for those affected by cancer. Cancer care in India is highlighted as a salient example. Cultural factors affecting cancer communication in India include beliefs about health and illness, societal values, integration of spiritual care, family roles, and expectations concerning disclosure of cancer information, and rituals around death and dying. The rapidly emerging area of e-health significantly impacts cancer communication and support globally. In view of current globalization, understanding these multidimensional psychosocial, and cultural factors that shape communication are essential for providing comprehensive, appropriate, and sensitive cancer care.

Communication in cancer care: Psycho social, interactional, and cultural issues. A general overview and the example of India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

SANTOSH K CHATURVEDI

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Communication is a core aspect of psycho-oncology care. This article examines key psychosocial, cultural, and technological factors that affect this communication. Drawing from advances in clinical work and accumulating bodies of empirical evidence, the authors identify determining factors for high quality, efficient, and sensitive communication and support for those affected by cancer. Cancer care in India is highlighted as a salient example. Cultural factors affecting cancer communication in India include beliefs about health and illness, societal values, integration of spiritual care, family roles, and expectations concerning disclosure of cancer information, and rituals around death and dying. The rapidly emerging area of e-health significantly impacts cancer communication and support globally. In view of current globalization, understanding these multidimensional psychosocial, and cultural factors that shape communication are essential for providing comprehensive, appropriate and sensitive cancer care.

[Assessment of Couples' Communication in Patients with Advanced Cancer: Validation of a German Version of the Couple Communication Scale (CCS)].

Science.gov (United States)

Conrad, Martina; Engelmann, Dorit; Friedrich, Michael; Scheffold, Katharina; Philipp, Rebecca; Schulz-Kindermann, Frank; Härter, Martin; Mehnert, Anja; Koranyi, Susan

2018-04-13

There are only a few valid instruments measuring couples' communication in patients with cancer for German speaking countries. The Couple Communication Scale (CCS) represents an established instrument to assess couples' communication. However, there is no evidence regarding the psychometric properties of the German version of the CCS until now and the assumed one factor structure of the CCS was not verified for patients with advanced cancer yet. The CCS was validated as a part of the study "Managing cancer and living meaningfully" (CALM) on N=136 patients with advanced cancer (≥18 years, UICC-state III/IV). The psychometric properties of the scale were calculated (factor reliability, item reliability, average variance extracted [DEV]) and a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted (Maximum Likelihood Estimation). The concurrent validity was tested against symptoms of anxiety (GAD-7), depression (BDI-II) and attachment insecurity (ECR-M16). In the confirmatory factor analysis, the one factor structure showed a low, but acceptable model fit and explained on average 49% of every item's variance (DEV). The CCS has an excellent internal consistency (Cronbachs α=0,91) and was negatively associated with attachment insecurity (ECR-M16: anxiety: r=- 0,55, pCCS is a reliable and valid instrument measuring couples' communication in patients with advanced cancer. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Bring about benefit, forestall harm: what communication studies say about spirituality and cancer care.

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Tullis, Jillian A

2010-01-01

Technological advances in medicine allow health care providers to diagnose diseases earlier, diminish suffering, and prolong life. These advances, although widely revered for changing the face of cancer care, come at a cost for patients, families, and even health care providers. One widely cited consequence of better diagnostics and improved treatment regiments is the sense that there is always one more test or therapy available to extend life. Such an approach to cancer care can prove detrimental to patients? healing. In addition, these new tests and treatments further focus attention on the body as the site of healing and cure while downplaying other aspects of health. The absence of psychological, social, and spiritual care from a patient's cancer care plan compromises healing and makes palliative and end of life care more complicated. In this essay, I discuss the tensions that exist between contemporary cancer care and spirituality and use Communication Studies scholarship to navigate the challenges of integrating a patient's religious or spiritual beliefs into their cancer treatment and care. In addition to discussing the challenges of communicating about sensitive topics such as illness, spirituality, and dying, this article uses narrative examples from a comprehensive cancer center and a hospice (both in the United States) to understand how people with cancer and other terminal illnesses communicate their spirituality and how these conversations influence health care choices and provide comfort. By understanding how patients communicate about topics such as the meaning of life, quality of life, dying and death, providers are better equipped to offer care that is consistent with a patient's beliefs and life goals. This approach maintains that communication is more than a means of transferring information, but is constitutive. By understanding that communication creates our lives and shapes our worlds, lay and professional caregivers can meet patients where

SEXUALITY AND COUPLE COMMUNICATION IN WOMEN WITH CERVIX CANCER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DENNYS DEL ROCÍO GARCÍA PADILLA

2003-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this quasiexperimental research of single case with n replications was to evaluate a psychologicalintervention with emphasis on sexuality and marital communication for women diagnosed withcervical cancer under treatment. Four women patients of the Javeriano Oncology Centre participatedvoluntarily. The instrument was a semi-structured interview validate by experts judgement and wasapplied individually in order to collect relevant and pertinent data according to the objectives. Based onthe information from the interview special patient’s needs were detected which guided the selection ofthe intervention program contents. Intervention was applied and evaluated in different moments, as isrequired to decrease threatens to internal validity (Kazdin 2001. The intervention program consistedof three-session psycho-educational workshop with pre-post-test measures specially designed for eachoccasion. Evaluations were applied immediately after each session, 15 days after, 30 days after the lastsession. Results were presented graphically and in tables and were analysed descriptively without statisticsthrough categories derived from the answers. The intervention effectivity was demonstrated in positivechanges in each participant, especially in general information and beliefs; there were changes respect tosexuality favourable to couple relation, however some deficits in communication and sexual relationpersisted. Practical and theoretical implications were analysed in different moments during the research.

Understanding the influences and impact of patient-clinician communication in cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Lafata, Jennifer Elston; Shay, Laura A; Winship, Jodi M

2017-12-01

Patient-clinician communication is thought to be central to care outcomes, but when and how communication affects patient outcomes is not well understood. We propose a conceptual model and classification framework upon which the empirical evidence base for the impact of patient-clinician communication can be summarized and further built. We use the proposed model and framework to summarize findings from two recent systematic reviews, one evaluating the use of shared decision making (SDM) on cancer care outcomes and the other evaluating the role of physician recommendation in cancer screening use. Using this approach, we identified clusters of studies with positive findings, including those relying on the measurement of SDM from the patients' perspective and affective-cognitive outcomes, particularly in the context of surgical treatment decision making. We also identify important gaps in the literature, including the role of SDM in post-surgical treatment and end-of-life care decisions, and those specifying particular physician communication strategies when recommending cancer screening. Transparent linkages between key conceptual domains and the influence of methodological approaches on observed patient outcomes are needed to advance our understanding of how and when patient-clinician communication influences patient outcomes. The proposed conceptual model and classification framework can be used to facilitate the translation of empirical evidence into practice and to identify critical gaps in knowledge regarding how and when patient-clinician communication impacts care outcomes in the context of cancer and health care more broadly. © 2017 The Authors Health Expectations Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors Influencing communication between the patients with cancer and their nurses in oncology wards

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Vahid Zamanzadeh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the factors influencing nurse-patient communication in cancer care in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted with a qualitative conventional content analysis approach in oncology wards of hospitals in Tabriz. Data was collected through purposive sampling by semi-structured deep interviews with nine patients, three family members and five nurses and analyzed simultaneously. Robustness of data analysis was evaluated by the participants and external control. Results: The main theme of the research emerged as "three-factor effects" that demonstrates all the factors related to the patient, nurse, and the organization and includes three categories of "Patient as the center of communication", "Nurse as a human factor", and "Organizational structures". The first category consists of two sub-categories of "Imposed changes by the disease" and "the patient′s particular characteristics". The second category includes sub-categories of "sense of vulnerability" and "perception of professional self: Pre-requisite of patient-centered communication". The third category consists of the sub-categories of "workload and time imbalance", "lack of supervision", and "impose duties in context of neglecting nurse and patient needs". Characteristics of the patients, nurses, and care environment seemed to be the influential factors on the communication. Conclusions: In order to communicate with cancer patients effectively, changes in philosophy and culture of the care environment are essential. Nurses must receive proper trainings which meet their needs and which focus on holistic and patient-centered approach.

The Association of Perceived Provider-Patient Communication and Relationship Quality with Colorectal Cancer Screening

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Underhill, Meghan L.; Kiviniemi, Marc T.

2012-01-01

Background: Two-thirds of adults aged 50 years and older are adherent to recommendations for colorectal cancer screening. Provider-patient communication and characteristics of the patient-provider relationship may relate to screening behavior. Methods: The association of provider communication quality, relationship, and colorectal cancer screening…

Physical activity communication between oncology providers and patients with early-stage breast, colon, or prostate cancer.

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Nyrop, Kirsten A; Deal, Allison M; Williams, Grant R; Guerard, Emily J; Pergolotti, Mackenzi; Muss, Hyman B

2016-02-01

National guidelines recommend that patients with a cancer diagnosis engage in regular physical activity to reduce cancer-related fatigue, maintain quality of life and physical function, and improve overall prognosis and survival. This study investigates oncology provider communications about physical activity during routine clinic visits with patients with early-stage breast, colon, or prostate cancer. This study used a retrospective chart review for documentation of inquiries or recommendations pertaining to physical activity in clinician notes and after-visit patient summaries. In a 1-month period, 55 oncology providers had 361 encounters (clinic visits) with early-stage cancer patients. Thirty-five percent of these encounters included a provider communication about "physical activity," "exercise," or "activity." Encounters with a medical oncologist resulted in a physical activity communication 55% of the time, whereas encounters with other clinician specialties did so 20% of the time (P communication increased with patient age (P communications was significantly higher (46%, 37%, and 58%, respectively) than the rate when the visit was during radiation treatment or surgery (6% and 19%, respectively; P communications during routine clinic visits; however, the frequency of physical activity communications varies among providers. Interventions are needed to remind and encourage all oncology providers to encourage their patients with early-stage cancer to be physically active. . © 2015 American Cancer Society.

What characterizes the communication between patients with cancer and nurses in an outpatient clinic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prip, Anne

predominantly are treated in outpatient clinics today, little is known about what constitutes communication when the encounters between patients and nurses are brief and takes place in outpatient settings. The aim of the study was to explore communication between nurses and patients with cancer undergoing...... chemotherapy in an outpatient clinic. Methods The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork that explored through multiple observations and adhoc interviews, the communicative practice between nurses and patients with cancer. A thematic analysis guided by Interpretive Description was carried out to identify...... characteristics and variations in the nurse-patient communication. Results We identified three themes: Communication on the run, reflects the nurses’ multitasking approach to communication; Treatment-centered communication illustrates how topics and issues related to the patient’s treatment guided conversations...

Travelling Methods: Tracing the Globalization of Qualitative Communication Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bryan C. Taylor

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Existing discussion of the relationships between globalization, communication research, and qualitative methods emphasizes two images: the challenges posed by globalization to existing communication theory and research methods, and the impact of post-colonial politics and ethics on qualitative research. We draw in this paper on a third image – qualitative research methods as artifacts of globalization – to explore the globalization of qualitative communication research methods. Following a review of literature which tentatively models this process, we discuss two case studies of qualitative research in the disciplinary subfields of intercultural communication and media audience studies. These cases elaborate the forces which influence the articulation of national, disciplinary, and methodological identities which mediate the globalization of qualitative communication research methods.

Effect of a Patient-Centered Communication Intervention on Oncologist-Patient Communication, Quality of Life, and Health Care Utilization in Advanced Cancer

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Epstein, Ronald M.; Duberstein, Paul R.; Fenton, Joshua J.; Fiscella, Kevin; Hoerger, Michael; Tancredi, Daniel J.; Xing, Guibo; Gramling, Robert; Mohile, Supriya; Franks, Peter; Kaesberg, Paul; Plumb, Sandy; Cipri, Camille S.; Street, Richard L.; Shields, Cleveland G.; Back, Anthony L.; Butow, Phyllis; Walczak, Adam; Tattersall, Martin; Venuti, Alison; Sullivan, Peter; Robinson, Mark; Hoh, Beth; Lewis, Linda; Kravitz, Richard L.

2018-01-01

IMPORTANCE Observational studies demonstrate links between patient-centered communication, quality of life (QOL), and aggressive treatments in advanced cancer, yet few randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of communication interventions have been reported. OBJECTIVE To determine whether a combined intervention involving oncologists, patients with advanced cancer, and caregivers would promote patient-centered communication, and to estimate intervention effects on shared understanding, patient-physician relationships, QOL, and aggressive treatments in the last 30 days of life. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cluster RCT at community- and hospital-based cancer clinics in Western New York and Northern California; 38 medical oncologists (mean age 44.6 years; 11 (29%) female) and 265 community-dwelling adult patients with advanced nonhematologic cancer participated (mean age, 64.4 years, 146 [55.0%] female, 235 [89%] white; enrolled August 2012 to June 2014; followed for 3 years); 194 patients had participating caregivers. INTERVENTIONS Oncologists received individualized communication training using standardized patient instructors while patients received question prompt lists and individualized communication coaching to identify issues to address during an upcoming oncologist visit. Both interventions focused on engaging patients in consultations, responding to emotions, informing patients about prognosis and treatment choices, and balanced framing of information. Control participants received no training. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The prespecified primary outcome was a composite measure of patient-centered communication coded from audio recordings of the first oncologist visit following patient coaching (intervention group) or enrollment (control). Secondary outcomes included the patient-physician relationship, shared understanding of prognosis, QOL, and aggressive treatments and hospice use in the last 30 days of life. RESULTS Data from 38 oncologists (19 randomized

Psychological distress in women at risk for hereditary breast cancer: the role of family communication and perceived social support.

Science.gov (United States)

den Heijer, Mariska; Seynaeve, Caroline; Vanheusden, Kathleen; Duivenvoorden, Hugo J; Bartels, Carina C M; Menke-Pluymers, Marian B E; Tibben, Aad

2011-12-01

Hereditary breast cancer has a profound impact on individual family members and on their mutual communication and interactions. The way at-risk women cope with the threat of hereditary breast cancer may depend on the quality of family communication about hereditary breast cancer and on the perceived social support from family and friends. To examine the associations of family communication and social support with long-term psychological distress in a group of women at risk for hereditary breast cancer, who opted either for regular breast surveillance or prophylactic surgery. The study cohort consisted of 222 women at risk for hereditary breast cancer, who previously participated in a study on the psychological consequences of either regular breast cancer surveillance or prophylactic surgery. General and breast cancer specific distress, hereditary cancer-related family communication, perceived social support, and demographics were assessed. Using structural equation modelling, we found that open communication about hereditary cancer within the family was associated with less general and breast cancer specific distress. In addition, perceived support from family and friends was indirectly associated with less general and breast cancer-specific distress through open communication within the family. These findings indicate that family communication and perceived social support from friends and family are of paramount importance in the long-term adaptation to being at risk for hereditary breast cancer. Attention for these issues needs to be incorporated in the care of women at risk for hereditary breast cancer. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Key elements of communication in cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Maex, E; De Valck, C

2006-01-01

In this chapter the "communication compass" is introduced. It defines the key elements of communication and provides a language with which to communicate about communication in cancer care. The communication compass consists of two axes. One axis defines the associated perspectives of the clinician and the patient, the other axis the content of information and emotional experience. "Two lovers sat on a park bench with their bodies touching each other, holding hands in the moonlight. There was silence between them. So profound was their love for each other, they needed no words to express it." (Samuel Johnson). Sometimes communication just flows. There are these special moments, as fleeting as they are intense. Often communication is stuck. It is as if we speak another language and never manage to understand one another. The lovers on the park bench need no words to express what they feel, neither do they need words to speak about communication. Where communication gets stuck, we need a suitable language to speak about communication. Professional communication cannot be learned from a cookbook. Most of all it implies a readiness to communicate, which means openness to the other. The old adage that it is impossible not to communicate is only true if no criterion of quality is applied. As soon as some mutual understanding is implied in the definition of communication, the fact that it is at all possible to communicate becomes a miracle. Since there is an important gap between theory and practice, we created a tool that aims to bridge that gap. We call it the communication compass. It does not propose a model of "ideal communication," but provides a language with which to examine and analyze specific situations and to determine what the pitfalls and possibilities are. It is useful as a tool for identifying communicational difficulties in daily clinical practice and it can serve as a model for training basic communication skills.

“SCANDAGRA LATVIA” LTD MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH

OpenAIRE

Kotāne, Dagnija; Arbidāne, Iluta

2017-01-01

The topic: “Scandagra Latvia” Ltd. marketing communications research. The problem to be studied: “Scandagra Latvia” Ltd. marketing communications plan does not cover the target audience hindering the company from faster development. Detailed marketing communications planning can help the company to make their marketing activities more target-audience oriented and with higher potential returns, that can give a positive result– new clients. The aim of the research: to investigate marketing comm...

Older Adults’ Views and Communication Preferences About Cancer Screening Cessation

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenborn, Nancy L.; Lee, Kimberley; Pollack, Craig E.; Armacost, Karen; Dy, Sydney M.; Bridges, John F. P.; Xue, Qian-Li; Wolff, Antonio C.; Boyd, Cynthia

2017-01-01

unnecessarily harsh compared with the more positive messaging of “this test would not help you live longer.” CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Although research and clinical practice guidelines recommend using life expectancy to inform cancer screening, older adults may not consider life expectancy important in screening and may not prefer to hear about life expectancy when discussing screening. The described communication preferences can help inform future screening discussions. Better delineating patient-centered approaches to discuss screening cessation is an important step toward optimizing cancer screening in older adults. PMID:28604917

Parent-child communication patterns during the first year after a parent's cancer diagnosis: the effect on parents' functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazendam-Donofrio, Stacey; Hoekstra, Harald; van der Graaf, Winette; van de Wiel, Harry; Visser, Annemieke; Huizinga, Gea; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette

2009-09-15

Good parent-child communication is thought to help families adjust more easily during stressful events such as parental cancer. Families dealing with cancer who communicate openly have reported less psychological distress. The first year after diagnosis may be particularly stressful. The authors investigated parents' quality of life (QOL) and stress-response symptoms and parent-child communication during the first year after diagnosis and examined possible relationships between communication and parents' functioning. Recently-diagnosed cancer patients (N=70) and spouses (N=55) participated within 4 months of diagnosis (T1) and 6 months (T2) and 12 months later (T3). Parents reported on communication with the children (PACS) and on their own physical and psychosocial functioning (RAND-36) and stress-response symptoms (IES). Parent-child communication remained stable throughout the first year after diagnosis and was similar to communication in families 1 year to 5 years after diagnosis. Patients' functioning improved and cancer-related distress decreased significantly. Spouses' cancer-related distress decreased; their functioning fluctuated through the year. In concurrent analyses, patients' open communication with the children related only to T1 intrusion. Spouses' open communication related to T3 psychosocial functioning; problem communication related to T1 and T2 psychosocial functioning and T2 avoidance. In prospective analyses, no significant relationships were found between parent-child communication and change in parents' functioning. Communication between parents and children remained stable over time; patients' and spouses' functioning improved. Parent-child communication seems to have a limited affect on parents' functioning. Copyright (c) 2009 American Cancer Society.

Inter-Cultural Communication in Student Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjaltadóttir, Rannveig Edda

This article describes a project undertaken at the University of Southern Denmark designed to support active group work and inter-cultural communication between international students. The project is based on using group work and cooperative learning principles to do student research, therefore...... challenging the students to solve problems as a group. The main aim of the research is to investigate the possible effects of using integrated student research and group work using cooperative learning methods to develop international communication skills of students in multi-cultural higher education courses....

Cancer research priorities and gaps in Iran: the influence of cancer burden on cancer research outputs between 1997 and 2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Majidi, A; Salimzadeh, H; Beiki, O; Delavari, F; Majidi, S; Delavari, A; Malekzadeh, R

2017-03-01

As a developing country, Iran is experiencing the increasing burden of cancers, which are currently the third leading cause of mortality in Iran. This study aims to demonstrate that cancer research in Iran concentrates on the cancer research priorities based on the global burden of disease (GBD) reports. Descriptive evaluation of all cancers disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) was performed using GBD data. Also a comprehensive search was conducted using cancer-associated keywords to obtain all cancer-related publications from Iran, indexed in Web of Science. Multiple regression analysis and correlation coefficients (R 2 ) were used to evaluate the possible associations between cancer research publications and GBD. During 1996-2014, the majority of cancer-related publications in Iran focused on breast cancer, leukaemia and stomach cancer, respectively. This study found hypothetical correlations between cancer publications in Iran in line with the burden of cancer as reported by GBD. Particularly, correlations between years lived with disability (YLD) and cancer-related publications were more obvious. This study introduces a new outline in setting cancer research priorities in the region. Copyright © 2016 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A communication model of shared decision making: accounting for cancer treatment decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Siminoff, Laura A; Step, Mary M

2005-07-01

The authors present a communication model of shared decision making (CMSDM) that explicitly identifies the communication process as the vehicle for decision making in cancer treatment. In this view, decision making is necessarily a sociocommunicative process whereby people enter into a relationship, exchange information, establish preferences, and choose a course of action. The model derives from contemporary notions of behavioral decision making and ethical conceptions of the doctor-patient relationship. This article briefly reviews the theoretical approaches to decision making, notes deficiencies, and embeds a more socially based process into the dynamics of the physician-patient relationship, focusing on cancer treatment decisions. In the CMSDM, decisions depend on (a) antecedent factors that have potential to influence communication, (b) jointly constructed communication climate, and (c) treatment preferences established by the physician and the patient.

Communication in cancer care: psycho-social, interactional, and cultural issues. A general overview and the example of India

OpenAIRE

Chaturvedi, Santosh K.; Strohschein, Fay J.; Saraf, Gayatri; Loiselle, Carmen G.

2014-01-01

Communication is a core aspect of psycho-oncology care. This article examines key psychosocial, cultural, and technological factors that affect this communication. Drawing from advances in clinical work and accumulating bodies of empirical evidence, the authors identify determining factors for high quality, efficient, and sensitive communication and support for those affected by cancer. Cancer care in India is highlighted as a salient example. Cultural factors affecting cancer communication i...

How doctors communicate the initial diagnosis of cancer matters: cancer disclosure and its relationship with Patients' hope and trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Weidan; Qi, Xiaona; Yao, Ting; Han, Xuanye; Feng, Xujing

2017-05-01

The study is to examine the relationships between perceived initial cancer disclosure communication with doctors, levels of hope, and levels of trust in doctors among cancer patients in China. A total number of 192 cancer inpatients in a cancer hospital in China were surveyed. Perceived disclosure strategies, levels of hope, levels of trust in their doctors, as well as the demographic information were obtained from the participants. In addition to age, patients who had higher levels of perceived emotional support from doctors, or higher levels of perceived personalized disclosure from doctors, or higher levels of perceived discussion of multiple treatment plans with doctors were more likely to have higher levels of trust in doctors. In addition to perceived health status, perceived emotional support from doctors significantly predicted participants' levels of hope. That is, patients who had higher higher levels of perceived doctors' emotional support were more likely to have higher levels of hope. Key disclosure person was a marginally significant variable, that is, patients who were mainly disclosed by family members might have higher levels of hope compared with patients who were mainly disclosed by doctors. When communicating with a cancer patient, doctors might not ignore the importance of emotional support during cancer diagnosis communication. Doctors might want to involve family and collaborate with family to find out ways of personalized disclosure. During the communication process, doctors could provide their patients with multiple treatment options and discuss the benefits and side effects of each treatment. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Haunting of Communication Research by Dead Metaphors: For Reflexive Analyses of the Communication Research Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Christian K.

2001-01-01

Explicates two closely related metaphors about communication in everyday discourse that lead to a picture of communication as an indeterminate process for sharing subjective meanings. Demonstrates the tacit utilization of these metaphors by the Michigan State tradition of compliance-gaining research through examination of both their theory and…

Recasting Communication Theory and Research: A Cybernetic Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Gary A.

The author's main concern is to provide a research format which will supply a unitary conception of communication. The wide range of complex topics and variety of concepts embraced by communication theory and the rather disparate set of phenomena encompassed by communication research create this need for a unitary study approach capable of linking…

Offline Social Relationships and Online Cancer Communication: Effects of Social and Family Support on Online Social Network Building.

Science.gov (United States)

Namkoong, Kang; Shah, Dhavan V; Gustafson, David H

2017-11-01

This study investigates how social support and family relationship perceptions influence breast cancer patients' online communication networks in a computer-mediated social support (CMSS) group. To examine social interactions in the CMSS group, we identified two types of online social networks: open and targeted communication networks. The open communication network reflects group communication behaviors (i.e., one-to-many or "broadcast" communication) in which the intended audience is not specified; in contrast, the targeted communication network reflects interpersonal discourses (i.e., one-to-one or directed communication) in which the audience for the message is specified. The communication networks were constructed by tracking CMSS group usage data of 237 breast cancer patients who participated in one of two National Cancer Institute-funded randomized clinical trials. Eligible subjects were within 2 months of a diagnosis of primary breast cancer or recurrence at the time of recruitment. Findings reveal that breast cancer patients who perceived less availability of offline social support had a larger social network size in the open communication network. In contrast, those who perceived less family cohesion had a larger targeted communication network in the CMSS group, meaning they were inclined to use the CMSS group for developing interpersonal relationships.

Effective communication about the use of complementary and integrative medicine in cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Frenkel, Moshe; Cohen, Lorenzo

2014-01-01

Complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) is becoming an increasingly popular and visible component of oncology care. Many patients affected by cancer and their family members are looking for informed advice and desire communication with their physicians about CIM use. Patients affected by cancer come to discuss CIM use with intense emotions and are experiencing an existential crisis that cannot be ignored. Effective communication is crucial in establishing trust with these patients and their families. Communication is now recognized as a core clinical skill in medicine, including cancer care, and is important to the delivery of high-quality care. The quality of communication affects patient satisfaction, decision-making, patient distress and well-being, compliance, and even malpractice litigation. The communication process about CIM use requires a very sensitive approach that depends on effective communication skills, such as experience in listening, encouraging hope, and ability to convey empathy and compassion. This process can be divided into two parts: the "how" and the "what". The "how" relates to the change in clinician attitude, the process of gathering information, addressing patients' unmet needs and emotions, and dealing with uncertainty. The "what" relates to the process of information exchange while assisting patients in decisions about CIM use by using reliable information sources, leading to informed decision-making.

Comparison of parent-child communication patterns and parental role satisfaction among mothers with and without breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Ok-Hee; Yoo, Yang-Sook; Hwang, Kyung-Hye

2015-05-01

This study compared parent-child communication (PCC) patterns and parental role satisfaction (PRS) between women with breast cancer and healthy women. A limited number of studies have examined PCC and the impact of PRS between cancer patients and their children. It was a descriptive survey design comprising the Parent-Adolescent Communication Scale and a PRS measure. Data from 202 participants in total were analysed with two-way analyses of variance and t-tests. Closed communication was higher in both groups than open communication, but higher still in children of women with breast cancer than in children of healthy women. PRS was lower in women with breast cancer than in healthy women. Educational programs should be developed to support parents and children during the post-treatment adjustment period for mothers with breast cancer. Such programs should take a practical approach toward increasing open parent-child communication while considering personal characteristics and cultural backgrounds. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

European Research towards Future Wireless Communications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frederiksen, Flemming Bjerge; Prasad, Ramjee; Pedersen, Gert Frølund

2005-01-01

This paper presents an overview of four on-going European research projects in the field of mobile and wireless communications leading to the next generations of wireless communications. The projects started in 2004. They investigate requirements and definition of access technology, network...

Giving and Receiving Emotional Support Online: Communication Competence as a Moderator of Psychosocial Benefits for Women with Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Woohyun; Namkoong, Kang; Choi, Mina; Shah, Dhavan V.; Tsang, Stephanie; Hong, Yangsun; Aguilar, Michael; Gustafson, David H.

2013-01-01

This study examines the moderating role of emotional communication competence in the relationship between computer-mediated social support (CMSS) group participation, specifically giving and receiving emotional support, and psychological health outcomes. Data were collected as part of randomized clinical trials for women diagnosed with breast cancer within the last 2 months. Expression and reception of emotional support was assessed by tracking and coding the 18,064 messages that 236 patients posted and read in CMSS groups. The final data used in the analysis was created by merging (a) computer-aided content analysis of discussion posts, (b) action log data analysis of system usage, and (c) baseline and six-month surveys collected to assess change. Results of this study demonstrate that emotional communication competence moderates the effects of expression and reception of emotional support on psychological quality of life and breast cancer-related concerns in both desired and undesired ways. Giving and receiving emotional support in CMSS groups has positive effects on emotional well-being for breast cancer patients with higher emotional communication, while the same exchanges have detrimental impacts on emotional well-being for those with lower emotional communication competence. The theoretical and practical implications for future research are discussed. PMID:24058261

A state of emergency in crisis communication: An intercultural crisis communication research agenda

OpenAIRE

Diers-Lawson, AR

2016-01-01

This article seeks to provide an evidence-based set of recommendations for the development of an intercultural crisis communication research agenda with three goals. First, to provide an advancement in our understanding of the state of crisis communication research in general. Second, to offer a grounded introduction to crisis communication for intercultural scholars who may not be as familiar with the field. Finally to identify three broad evidence-based areas for developing intercultural cr...

Why I Do Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

World Cancer Research Day is recognized on September 24, 2017. This day presents an opportunity for all of us to remind the world of the critically important roles research and cancer researchers play in reducing the global burden of cancer. Together with ten other global partners, NCI participated in the planning and launch of this initiative, highlighting the amplified impact of international cooperation in the clinical research arena.

Forum: Communication Activism Pedagogy. Communication Activism Pedagogy and Research: Communication Education Scholarship to Promote Social Justice

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Lawrence R.; Palmer, David L.

2017-01-01

The recent formation of the National Communication Association's Activism and Social Justice Division puts a spotlight on the extent to which instructional communication and instructional communication research have advanced--or even should advance--the goals of social justice. To examine this issue, two of the leading scholars on this topic,…

The need for decision and communication aids: a survey of breast cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Belkora, Jeffrey K; Miller, Melissa F; Dougherty, Kasey; Gayer, Christopher; Golant, Mitch; Buzaglo, Joanne S

2015-03-01

Qualitative studies have identified barriers to communication and informed decision making among breast cancer survivors making treatment decisions. The prevalence of these barriers is unknown. To quantify the need for decision support among breast cancer survivors. We surveyed 2,521 breast cancer survivors participating in an online registry hosted by the Cancer Support Community to find out what proportion of breast cancer patients: made decisions during their first visit with a specialist; received satisfactory information before that visit; asked questions and received responses; and endorsed expanded use of decision support. We received 1,017 (41%) responses and analyzed 917 surveys from women who lived in the United States. Most of the respondents recalled making treatment decisions during their first visit (52%). A minority (14%) received information before the first specialist visit. At least 25% of respondents rated their satisfaction below 7 on a scale of 10 for decision-making, information, and questions asked and answered. Respondents endorsed the need for assistance with obtaining information, listing questions, taking notes, and making audio-recordings of visits. The respondent sample skewed younger and had higher-stage cancer compared with all breast cancer survivors. Responses were subject to recall bias. Cancer survivors expressed gaps in their care with respect to reviewing information, asking questions, obtaining answers, and making decisions. Implementing decision and communication aids immediately upon diagnosis, when treatment decisions are being made, would address these gaps. ©2015 Frontline Medical Communications.

Using method triangulation to validate a new instrument (CPWQ-com) assessing cancer patients' satisfaction with communication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ross, Lone; Lundstrøm, Louise Hyldborg; Petersen, Morten Aagaard

2012-01-01

Patients' perceptions of care including the communication with health care staff is recognized as an important aspect of the quality of cancer care. Using mixed methods, we developed and validated a short instrument assessing this communication.......Patients' perceptions of care including the communication with health care staff is recognized as an important aspect of the quality of cancer care. Using mixed methods, we developed and validated a short instrument assessing this communication....

Brazilian science communication research: national and international contributions.

Science.gov (United States)

Barata, Germana; Caldas, Graça; Gascoigne, Toss

2017-08-31

Science communication has emerged as a new field over the last 50 years, and its progress has been marked by a rise in jobs, training courses, research, associations, conferences and publications. This paper describes science communication internationally and the trends and challenges it faces, before looking at the national level. We have documented science communication activities in Brazil, the training courses, research, financial support and associations/societies. By analyzing the publication of papers, dissertations and theses we have tracked the growth of this field, and compared the level of activity in Brazil with other countries. Brazil has boosted its national research publications since 2002, with a bigger contribution from postgraduate programs in education and communication, but compared to its national research activity Brazil has only a small international presence in science communication. The language barrier, the tradition of publishing in national journals and the solid roots in education are some of the reasons for that. Brazil could improve its international participation, first by considering collaborations within Latin America. International publication is dominated by the USA and the UK. There is a need to take science communication to the next level by developing more sophisticated tools for conceptualizing and analyzing science communication, and Brazil can be part of that.

Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication and Breast Cancer Metastasis to Bone

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Donahue, Henry

2001-01-01

.... We found that: 1) expressing the metastasis suppressing gene BRMS1 in diverse cancer cell lines, including breast and melanoma, restores homotypic gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC); 2...

Behind closed doors: Systematic analysis of breast cancer consultation communication and predictors of satisfaction with communication

OpenAIRE

Hack, Thomas F.; Pickles, Tom; Ruether, J. Dean; Weir, Lorna; Bultz, Barry D.; Degner, Lesley F.

2010-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to explicate the content of primary adjuvant treatment consultations in breast oncology and examine the predictive relationships between patient and oncologist consultation factors and patient satisfaction with communication. Methods: The recorded consultations of 172 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients from four Canadian cancer centers were randomly drawn from a larger subset of 481 recordings and examined by three coders using the Medical ...

Communication Preferences of Pediatric Cancer Patients: Talking about Prognosis and Their Future Life

Science.gov (United States)

Brand, Sarah R; Fasciano, Karen; Mack, Jennifer W

2017-01-01

Purpose The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that healthcare providers communicate information to patients in a truthful and developmentally appropriate manner. However there is limited guidance about how to translate these recommendations into clinical practice. The aim of this study was to explore how young cancer patients experienced communication around their illness, especially communication about possible outcomes from disease or treatment. Methods Participants included young people ages 8 to under 18 years with cancer (N=16). Semi-structured interviews focused on their expectations about the future, the process of information exchange, and their preferences for communication within the pediatric oncology setting. Results Overall, participants wanted medical information to be provided to them by their healthcare providers and wanted to be direct participants in medical conversations. However, many participants displayed some ambivalence or conveyed conflicting wishes for prognostic information. For example, some participants reported that they were satisfied with what they knew, but later raised lingering questions. While not the focus of the study, almost every participant discussed social concerns as a key concern for their present and future life. Conclusions While most pediatric cancer patients want to be involved in conversations about their cancer care, including conversations about prognosis, this is an individual and sometimes fluctuating decision, and healthcare providers should be encouraged to discuss preferences for involvement with patients and families. This study highlights the importance of understanding the developmental factors that make pediatric patients unique, especially with regards to their patterns of communication. PMID:27747479

Researchers studying alternative to bladder removal for bladder cancer patients | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

A new phase I clinical trial conducted by researchers at the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) is evaluating the safety and tolerability, or the degree to which any side effects can be tolerated by patients, of a two-drug combination as a potential alternative to bladder removal for bladder cancer patients. The trial targets patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) whose cancers have stopped responding to traditional therapies. Read more...

Critical Communication Pedagogy and Service Learning in a Mixed-Method Communication Research Course

Science.gov (United States)

Rudick, C. Kyle; Golsan, Kathryn B.; Freitag, Jennifer

2018-01-01

Course: Mixed-Method Communication Research Methods. Objective: The purpose of this semester-long activity is to provide students with opportunities to cultivate mixed-method communication research skills through a social justice-informed service-learning format. Completing this course, students will be able to: recognize the unique strengths of…

Eurocan plus report: feasibility study for coordination of national cancer research activities.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-01-01

The EUROCAN+PLUS Project, called for by the European Parliament, was launched in October 2005 as a feasibility study for coordination of national cancer research activities in Europe. Over the course of the next two years, the Project process organized over 60 large meetings and countless smaller meetings that gathered in total over a thousand people, the largest Europe-wide consultation ever conducted in the field of cancer research.Despite a strong tradition in biomedical science in Europe, fragmentation and lack of sustainability remain formidable challenges for implementing innovative cancer research and cancer care improvement. There is an enormous duplication of research effort in the Member States, which wastes time, wastes money and severely limits the total intellectual concentration on the wide cancer problem. There is a striking lack of communication between some of the biggest actors on the European scene, and there are palpable tensions between funders and those researchers seeking funds.It is essential to include the patients' voice in the establishment of priority areas in cancer research at the present time. The necessity to have dialogue between funders and scientists to establish the best mechanisms to meet the needs of the entire community is evident. A top priority should be the development of translational research (in its widest form), leading to the development of effective and innovative cancer treatments and preventive strategies. Translational research ranges from bench-to-bedside innovative cancer therapies and extends to include bringing about changes in population behaviours when a risk factor is established.The EUROCAN+PLUS Project recommends the creation of a small, permanent and independent European Cancer Initiative (ECI). This should be a model structure and was widely supported at both General Assemblies of the project. The ECI should assume responsibility for stimulating innovative cancer research and facilitating processes

Caregiver Activation and Home Hospice Nurse Communication in Advanced Cancer Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Dingley, Catherine E; Clayton, Margaret; Lai, Djin; Doyon, Katherine; Reblin, Maija; Ellington, Lee

Activated patients have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage their care, resulting in positive outcomes such as lower hospital readmission and fewer adverse consequences due to poor communication with providers. Despite extensive evidence on patient activation, little is known about activation in the home hospice setting, when family caregivers assume more responsibility in care management. We examined caregiver and nurse communication behaviors associated with caregiver activation during home hospice visits of patients with advanced cancer using a prospective observational design. We adapted Street's Activation Verbal Coding tool to caregiver communication and used qualitative thematic analysis to develop codes for nurse communications that preceded and followed each activation statement in 60 audio-recorded home hospice visits. Caregiver communication that reflected activation included demonstrating knowledge regarding the patient/care, describing care strategies, expressing opinions regarding care, requesting explanations of care, expressing concern about the patient, and redirecting the conversation toward the patient. Nurses responded by providing education, reassessing the patient/care environment, validating communications, clarifying care issues, updating/revising care, and making recommendations for future care. Nurses prompted caregiver activation through focused care-specific questions, open-ended questions/statements, and personal questions. Few studies have investigated nurse/caregiver communication in home hospice, and, to our knowledge, no other studies focused on caregiver activation. The current study provides a foundation to develop a framework of caregiver activation through enhanced communication with nurses. Activated caregivers may facilitate patient-centered care through communication with nurses in home hospice, thus resulting in enhanced outcomes for patients with advanced cancer.

Potential of cancer cell-derived exosomes in clinical application: a review of recent research advances.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yu; Liu, Jing

2014-06-01

Exosomes are 30- to 100-nm, membrane-bound vesicles that are released by most types of cells, including tumor cells. Exosomes contain a great variety of bioactive molecules, including signal peptides, microRNA, lipids, and DNA. In cancer, tumor cells aberrantly secrete large quantities of exosomes to transport paracrine signals or to contribute to tumor-environment interaction at a distance. The goal of this review was to discuss the recent advances on the mechanism of cancer-derived exosomes in tumor regulation. Pertinent articles and abstracts were identified through searches of PubMed for literature published from 1983 to December 2013. Search terms included exosome, tumor, cancer, diagnosis, and therapy. All of the exposed evidence points to communication between cancer cells and their surroundings, either mediated by cancer cell-derived exosomes or by stromal cell-derived exosomes. This communication probably supports tumor proliferation, motility, invasion, angiogenesis, and premetastatic niche preparation. In addition, recent research implies that cancer cell-derived exosomes play a suppressive role in cancer-directed immune response. The biomarkers detected in bodily fluid-derived exosomes imply a potential for exosomes in cancer diagnosis. Also, exosomes could be used as a vehicle to selectively deliver therapeutic nucleic-acid drugs or conventional drugs for tumor therapy. The tolerability and feasibility of cancer exosomes in diagnosis and therapy need to be further evaluated. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative effectiveness of audit-feedback versus additional physician communication training to improve cancer screening for patients with limited health literacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Price-Haywood, Eboni G; Harden-Barrios, Jewel; Cooper, Lisa A

2014-08-01

We designed a continuing medical education (CME) program to teach primary care physicians (PCP) how to engage in cancer risk communication and shared decision making with patients who have limited health literacy (HL). We evaluated whether training PCPs, in addition to audit-feedback, improves their communication behaviors and increases cancer screening among patients with limited HL to a greater extent than only providing clinical performance feedback. Four-year cluster randomized controlled trial. Eighteen PCPs and 168 patients with limited HL who were overdue for colorectal/breast/cervical cancer screening. Communication intervention PCPs received skills training that included standardized patient (SP) feedback on counseling behaviors. All PCPs underwent chart audits of patients' screening status semiannually up to 24 months and received two annual performance feedback reports. PCPs experienced three unannounced SP encounters during which SPs rated PCP communication behaviors. We examined between-group differences in changes in SP ratings and patient knowledge of cancer screening guidelines over 12 months; and changes in patient cancer screening rates over 24 months. There were no group differences in SP ratings of physician communication at baseline. At follow-up, communication intervention PCPs were rated higher in general communication about cancer risks and shared decision making related to colorectal cancer screening compared to PCPs who only received performance feedback. Screening rates increased among patients of PCPs in both groups; however, there were no between-group differences in screening rates except for mammography. The communication intervention did not improve patient cancer screening knowledge. Compared to audit and feedback alone, including PCP communication training increases PCP patient-centered counseling behaviors, but not cancer screening among patients with limited HL. Larger studies must be conducted to determine whether lack of

Adolescent Cancer Education (ACE) to increase adolescent and parent cancer awareness and communication: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Kyle, Richard G; Macmillan, Iona; Rauchhaus, Petra; O'Carroll, Ronan; Neal, Richard D; Forbat, Liz; Haw, Sally; Hubbard, Gill

2013-09-08

Raising cancer awareness among adolescents has potential to increase their knowledge and confidence in identifying cancer symptoms and seeking timely medical help in adolescence and adulthood. Detecting cancer at an early stage is important because it reduces the risk of dying of some cancers and thereby contributes to improved cancer survival. Adolescents may also play an important role in increasing cancer communication within families. However, there are no randomised controlled trials (RCT) of the effectiveness of school-based educational interventions to increase adolescents' cancer awareness, and little is known about the role of adolescents in the upward diffusion of cancer knowledge to parents/carers. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a school-based educational intervention to raise adolescent and parent cancer awareness and adolescent-parent cancer communication. The Adolescent Cancer Education (ACE) study is a school-based, cluster RCT. Twenty secondary schools in the area covered by Glasgow City Council will be recruited. Special schools for adolescents whose additional needs cannot be met in mainstream education are excluded. Schools are randomised to receive a presentation delivered by a Teenage Cancer Trust educator in Autumn 2013 (intervention group) or Spring 2014 following completion of six-month follow-up measures (control group). Participants will be students recruited at the end of their first year of secondary education (S1) (age 12 to 13 years) and one parent/carer for each student, of the student's choice. The primary outcome is recognition of cancer symptoms two weeks post-intervention. Secondary outcomes are parents' cancer awareness and adolescent-parent cancer communication. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline (when adolescents are in the final term of S1), two-week, and six-month follow-up (when adolescents are in S2, age 13 to 14 years). Differences in outcomes between trial arms will be tested using

The clinical communication and information challenges associated with the psychosexual aspects of prostate cancer treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Speer, Susan A; Tucker, Samantha R; McPhillips, Rebecca; Peters, Sarah

2017-07-01

Prostate cancer and its treatment have significant sexual side effects that necessitate timely patient information and open communication with healthcare professionals. However, very little is known about men's experiences of talking to clinicians about the psychosexual difficulties associated with the disease. This study aims to advance understanding of men's perceptions of the communication and information challenges associated with the psychosexual aspects of prostate cancer and its treatment. Between October 2013 and April 2014, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 men from the UK who had been treated for prostate cancer. Interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes describe the communication challenges men face: (1) It can be too soon to talk about sex; (2) the psychology of sex is missing; (3) communication is not individually tailored. Clinicians might usefully (1) consider and discuss with patients how their psychosexual communication needs and information processing abilities may fluctuate across the cancer timeline; (2) initiate discussions about the consequences of treatment that extend beyond biological and mechanical aspects to include emotional and relational factors; (3) tailor communication to the dynamic mix of attributes that shape men's individual psychosexual needs, including their relationship status, sexual orientation, sexual motivations and values. Skills-based training in communication and psychosexual awareness may facilitate the proactive and permissive stance clinicians need to discuss sexual side effects with a heterogeneous group of patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

End-of-life parental communication priorities among bereaved fathers due to cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Eliza M; Deal, Allison M; Yopp, Justin M; Edwards, Teresa; Stephenson, Elise M; Hailey, Claire E; Nakamura, Zev M; Rosenstein, Donald L

2017-05-01

To elicit widowed fathers' perspectives on which domains of parenting-related communication they consider most important for dying parents to discuss at the end of life (EOL). Two hundred seventy nine fathers widowed by cancer completed a survey about their own depression and bereavement symptoms, their wife's illness, and EOL parental communication priorities. Chi square and Fisher's exact tests and logistic regression were used to evaluate relationships between maternal EOL characteristics and fathers' responses to parenting-related EOL communication priorities. Fathers identified raising children in a manner that reflected maternal wishes, whether/how to talk with children about their mother's death, and how the mother wanted to be remembered as the most important EOL communication domains. Fathers who reported that their dying wives were worried about the children were more likely to prioritize raising children in ways that reflect her wishes (p=0.01). Other EOL characteristics were not associated with communication domains. Communicating with children and maintaining emotional connection with the deceased parent are important priorities for bereaved fathers who lost a spouse to cancer. Health care providers working with seriously ill parents may improve family outcomes by supporting communication at the EOL between co-parents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Communicating with older cancer patients: impact on information recall

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, J.

2009-01-01

The central aim of this thesis was to unravel the relationship between patient characteristics, communication between patient and clinician, and subsequent patient information recall in the context of medical consultations with older cancer patients. Chapter 2 reviewed the literature to explore age

Maternal Coping and Depressive Symptoms as Predictors of Mother–Child Communication About a Child’s Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Lexa; Vannatta, Kathryn; Gerhardt, Cynthia A.; Young-Saleme, Tammi; Saylor, Megan; Bemis, Heather; Desjardins, Leandra; Dunn, Madeleine J.; Compas, Bruce E.

2016-01-01

Objective This study sought to identify possible associations between maternal coping and depression and subsequent mother–child communication about cancer following the child’s diagnosis. Method Mothers (N = 100) reported on coping and depressive symptoms shortly after the child’s diagnosis (M = 1.9 months). Subsequently, we observed children (age 5–17 years; M = 10.2 years; 48% female; 81% White) and mothers discussing cancer and coded maternal communication. Results Higher primary and secondary control coping, and lower depressive symptoms, were generally correlated with more positive, and less harsh and withdrawn communication. In regression models, higher primary control coping (i.e., coping efforts to change the stressor or one’s emotional reaction to the stressor) independently predicted less withdrawn communication, and depressive symptoms mediated relations between coping and harsh communication. Conclusions Maternal primary control coping and depressive symptoms predict mothers’ subsequent harsh and withdrawn communication about cancer. PMID:26609183

Mandatory communication skills training for cancer and palliative care staff: does one size fit all?

Science.gov (United States)

Turner, Mary; Payne, Sheila; O'Brien, Terri

2011-12-01

There is increasing recognition of the importance of good communication between healthcare professionals and patients facing cancer or end of life. In England, a new national 3-day training programme called 'Connected' has been developed and is now mandatory for all cancer and palliative care professionals. This study aimed to explore the attitudes of staff in one region to undertaking this training. A survey questionnaire was developed through a series of discussions with experts and semi-structured interviews with five healthcare professionals. The questionnaire was distributed to 200 cancer and palliative care staff; 109 were completed and returned. There were significant differences between doctors' and nurses' attitudes to communication skills training, with doctors demonstrating more negative attitudes. More nurses than doctors felt that communication skills training should be mandatory for cancer and palliative care professionals (p ≤ 0.001), whilst more doctors felt that these staff should already be skilled communicators and not require further training (p ≤ 0.001). Nurses also self-rated their communication skills more highly than doctors. The current 'one size fits all' approach being taken nationally to advanced communication skills training does not meet the training preferences of all healthcare professionals, and it is recommended that tailoring courses to individuals' needs should be considered. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consumer input into research: the Australian Cancer Trials website.

Science.gov (United States)

Dear, Rachel F; Barratt, Alexandra L; Crossing, Sally; Butow, Phyllis N; Hanson, Susan; Tattersall, Martin Hn

2011-06-26

The Australian Cancer Trials website (ACTO) was publicly launched in 2010 to help people search for cancer clinical trials recruiting in Australia, provide information about clinical trials and assist with doctor-patient communication about trials. We describe consumer involvement in the design and development of ACTO and report our preliminary patient evaluation of the website. Consumers, led by Cancer Voices NSW, provided the impetus to develop the website. Consumer representative groups were consulted by the research team during the design and development of ACTO which combines a search engine, trial details, general information about trial participation and question prompt lists. Website use was analysed. A patient evaluation questionnaire was completed at one hospital, one week after exposure to the website. ACTO's main features and content reflect consumer input. In February 2011, it covered 1, 042 cancer trials. Since ACTO's public launch in November 2010, until the end of February 2011, the website has had 2, 549 new visits and generated 17, 833 page views. In a sub-study of 47 patient users, 89% found the website helpful for learning about clinical trials and all respondents thought patients should have access to ACTO. The development of ACTO is an example of consumers working with doctors, researchers and policy makers to improve the information available to people whose lives are affected by cancer and to help them participate in their treatment decisions, including consideration of clinical trial enrolment. Consumer input has ensured that the website is informative, targets consumer priorities and is user-friendly. ACTO serves as a model for other health conditions.

Peralta Cancer Research Institute

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1979-01-01

The investigators in the cell biology program at PCRI have pioneered in the development of techniques for culturing human epithelial cells. The cancer diagnosis program has been concerned with researching new techniques for early diagnosis of breast cancer in women. The cancer treatment program has been concerned with applying cell biology and biochemistry advances to improve cancer management

Problem-solving skills, parent-adolescent communication, dyadic functioning, and distress among adolescents with cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Viola, Adrienne; Taggi-Pinto, Alison; Sahler, Olle Jane Z; Alderfer, Melissa A; Devine, Katie A

2018-05-01

Some adolescents with cancer report distress and unmet needs. Guided by the disability-stress-coping model, we evaluated associations among problem-solving skills, parent-adolescent cancer-related communication, parent-adolescent dyadic functioning, and distress in adolescents with cancer. Thirty-nine adolescent-parent dyads completed measures of these constructs. Adolescents were 14-20 years old on treatment or within 1 year of completing treatment. Better problem-solving skills were correlated with lower adolescent distress (r = -0.70, P communication problems and dyadic functioning were not significantly related to adolescent distress (rs < 0.18). Future work should examine use of problem-solving interventions to decrease distress for adolescents with cancer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Communicating Qualitative Research Study Designs to Research Ethics Review Boards

Science.gov (United States)

Ells, Carolyn

2011-01-01

Researchers using qualitative methodologies appear to be particularly prone to having their study designs called into question by research ethics or funding agency review committees. In this paper, the author considers the issue of communicating qualitative research study designs in the context of institutional research ethics review and offers…

The Roles of Technical Communication Researchers in Design Scholarship

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez, Fernando

2017-01-01

Design has come to be understood as an essential aspect of the work that technical communicators claim. As a result, research in the field of technical communication has approached studies of design in numerous ways. This article showcases how technical communication researchers assume the roles of observers, testers, critics, creators, and…

Fostering Cooperation in Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Thursday, June 25, 2015 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between US National Cancer Institute and three agencies of the Indian government - the Department of Biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research, and the Indian National Cancer Institute, a part of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to foster cooperation in cancer research.

Photovoice Participatory Action Research for the Communication Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Lance Brendan

2017-01-01

Courses: Qualitative research methods, health communication, organizational communication, or any course that could incorporate advocacy or social change into the content area. Objectives: On completion of this assignment, students will (1) understand why and how action research is undertaken; (2) develop skill in perceiving and representing the…

Research priorities in cancer cachexia: The University of Rochester Cancer Center NCI Community Oncology Research Program Research Base Symposium on Cancer Cachexia and Sarcopenia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunne, Richard F; Mustian, Karen M; Garcia, Jose M; Dale, William; Hayward, Reid; Roussel, Breton; Buschmann, Mary M; Caan, Bette J; Cole, Calvin L; Fleming, Fergal J; Chakkalakal, Joe V; Linehan, David C; Hezel, Aram F; Mohile, Supriya G

2017-12-01

Cancer cachexia remains understudied and there are no standard treatments available despite the publication of an international consensus definition and the completion of several large phase III intervention trials in the past 6 years. In September 2015, The University of Rochester Cancer Center NCORP Research Base led a Symposium on Cancer Cachexia and Sarcopenia with goals of reviewing the state of the science, identifying knowledge gaps, and formulating research priorities in cancer cachexia through active discussion and consensus. Research priorities that emerged from the discussion included the implementation of morphometrics into clinical decision making, establishing specific diagnostic criteria for the stages of cachexia, expanding patient selection in intervention trials, identifying clinically meaningful trial endpoints, and the investigation of exercise as an intervention for cancer cachexia. Standardizing how we define and measure cancer cachexia, targeting its complex biologic mechanisms, enrolling patients early in their disease course, and evaluating exercise, either alone or in combination, were proposed as initiatives that may ultimately result in the improved design of cancer cachexia therapeutic trials.

Understanding Cancer Prognosis

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Reports, Research, and Literature Cancers by Body Location/System Childhood Cancers Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Treatment ... Oncologist Anthony L. Back, M.D., a national expert on doctor-patient communications, talks with one of ...

Research of real-time communication software

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Maotang; Guo, Jingbo; Liu, Yuzhong; Li, Jiahong

2003-11-01

Real-time communication has been playing an increasingly important role in our work, life and ocean monitor. With the rapid progress of computer and communication technique as well as the miniaturization of communication system, it is needed to develop the adaptable and reliable real-time communication software in the ocean monitor system. This paper involves the real-time communication software research based on the point-to-point satellite intercommunication system. The object-oriented design method is adopted, which can transmit and receive video data and audio data as well as engineering data by satellite channel. In the real-time communication software, some software modules are developed, which can realize the point-to-point satellite intercommunication in the ocean monitor system. There are three advantages for the real-time communication software. One is that the real-time communication software increases the reliability of the point-to-point satellite intercommunication system working. Second is that some optional parameters are intercalated, which greatly increases the flexibility of the system working. Third is that some hardware is substituted by the real-time communication software, which not only decrease the expense of the system and promotes the miniaturization of communication system, but also aggrandizes the agility of the system.

Senior Computational Scientist | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). The Cancer & Inflammation Program (CIP),

Racial and ethnic disparities in patient-provider communication, quality-of-care ratings, and patient activation among long-term cancer survivors.

Science.gov (United States)

Palmer, Nynikka R A; Kent, Erin E; Forsythe, Laura P; Arora, Neeraj K; Rowland, Julia H; Aziz, Noreen M; Blanch-Hartigan, Danielle; Oakley-Girvan, Ingrid; Hamilton, Ann S; Weaver, Kathryn E

2014-12-20

We examined racial and ethnic disparities in patient-provider communication (PPC), perceived care quality, and patient activation among long-term cancer survivors. In 2005 to 2006, survivors of breast, prostate, colorectal, ovarian, and endometrial cancers completed a mailed survey on cancer follow-up care. African American, Asian/Pacific Islander (Asian), Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white (white) survivors who had seen a physician for follow-up care in the past 2 years (n = 1,196) composed the analytic sample. We conducted linear and logistic regression analyses to identify racial and ethnic differences in PPC (overall communication and medical test communication), perceived care quality, and patient activation in clinical care (self-efficacy in medical decisions and perceived control). We further examined the potential contribution of PPC to racial and ethnic differences in perceived care quality and patient activation. Compared with white survivors (mean score, 85.16), Hispanic (mean score, 79.95) and Asian (mean score, 76.55) survivors reported poorer overall communication (P = .04 and P Asian survivors (mean score, 79.97) reported poorer medical test communication (P = .001). Asian survivors were less likely to report high care quality (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.30 to 0.72) and reported lower self-efficacy in medical decisions (mean score, 74.71; P Asian disparities remained significant. Asian survivors report poorer follow-up care communication and care quality. More research is needed to identify contributing factors beyond PPC, such as cultural influences and medical system factors. © 2014 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Beyond communication - research as communicating: making user and audience studies matter - paper 2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brenda Dervin

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. This is the written version of the keynote address (Making user studies matter: Thank you Mister Feynman and Monsieur Foucault delivered by senior author Dervin. The paper is linked to the Invited Paper in this issue and like that paper, reports on a project involving a dialogue between researchers and practitioners in library and information science, human computer interaction, and communication focusing on gaps in our understandings of users and audiences as well as in our efforts to collaborate with each other to conduct and apply research to the design and implementation of information, library, communication, and media systems. Argument. Our main conclusion in Paper 1 was that the traditional modes used for communication in social science research are not doing the job for user and audience studies. We set out five propositions relating to this conclusion: (1 the traditional modes of communicating in the research enterprise are not working; (2 Do the social sciences matter? Some serious and fundamental attacks; (3 a call to focus on the special problematics of the social sciences: agency, structure, power and the good; (4 eschewing scientific recipes and scholarly creeds and bringing back the joys of adventuring and muddling; (5 the paradox of communicating—freedom is another word for nothing left to lose. Conclusion. We argue for shared dialogue in communicating across the three fields studied here: this will introduce uncertainty, but, rather than relying upon 'authority', the individual will be encouraged through the exploration of that uncertainty, to make their own sense of the offerings of others.

The influence of graphic format on breast cancer risk communication.

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Schapira, Marilyn M; Nattinger, Ann B; McAuliffe, Timothy L

2006-09-01

Graphic displays can enhance quantitative risk communication. However, empiric data regarding the effect of graphic format on risk perception is lacking. We evaluate the effect of graphic format elements on perceptions of risk magnitude and perceived truth of data. Preferences for format also were assessed. Participants (254 female primary care patients) viewed a series of hypothetical risk communications regarding the lifetime risk of breast cancer. Identical numeric risk information was presented using different graphic formats. Risk was perceived to be of lower magnitude when communicated with a bar graph as compared with a pictorial display (p graphic format used to convey quantitative risk information effects key domains of risk perception. One must be cognizant of these effects when designing risk communication strategies.

Communication Competence, Psychological Well-being, and the Mediating Role of Coping Efforts among Women with Breast Cancer: Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Evidence

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Shim, Minsun; Mercer Kollar, Laura M.; Roberts, Linda; Gustafson, David

2015-01-01

Despite existing research identifying psychological benefits of patients’ interpersonal competence in various contexts, little longitudinal research has addressed underlying mechanism(s). To address this limitation, we examined both the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between cancer patients’ communication competence in close relationships and psychological well-being, as well as the mediating role of coping efforts. Data came from a larger project with women with breast cancer (N = 661), recruited from April 2005 to May 2007 at three large university-affiliated cancer centers in the U.S. to study the effects of an Internet-based system providing patients and families with a range of services. The present study focused on survey data at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks after the intervention (controlling for the possible effects of the intervention). Results from both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses indicated that competence in open communication between patients and their close support persons had a positive association with patients’ psychological well-being and that approach coping efforts partially mediated this association. We discussed the implications and limitations of the study. PMID:25793748

The ethics of good communication in a complex research partnership.

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Sodeke, Stephen; Turner, Timothy; Tarver, Will

2010-08-01

The tripartite partnership among Morehouse School of Medicine, Tuskegee University, and University of Alabama at Birmingham is complex. In 2005, the three schools--with different institutional cultures, characters, and resources--agreed to collaborate in efforts to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities in cancer burdens. Pursuing this laudable aim predictably involved some miscommunication. The Bioethics Shared Resource (BSR) group foresaw such challenges and monitored interactions to prevent harm, noting that while effective communication is critical to the achievement of mutual goals, an understanding and prudent use of proven communication principles is a sine qua non for success. In this commentary, we share the undergirding moral concepts, communication approaches, and lessons learned. This experience has led us to propose an ethics of good communication for others to consider.

Peer-to-peer communication, cancer prevention, and the internet

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Ancker, Jessica S.; Carpenter, Kristen M.; Greene, Paul; Hoffmann, Randi; Kukafka, Rita; Marlow, Laura A.V.; Prigerson, Holly G.; Quillin, John M.

2013-01-01

Online communication among patients and consumers through support groups, discussion boards, and knowledge resources is becoming more common. In this paper, we discuss key methods through which such web-based peer-to-peer communication may affect health promotion and disease prevention behavior (exchanges of information, emotional and instrumental support, and establishment of group norms and models). We also discuss several theoretical models for studying online peer communication, including social theory, health communication models, and health behavior models. Although online peer communication about health and disease is very common, research evaluating effects on health behaviors, mediators, and outcomes is still relatively sparse. We suggest that future research in this field should include formative evaluation and studies of effects on mediators of behavior change, behaviors, and outcomes. It will also be important to examine spontaneously emerging peer communication efforts to see how they can be integrated with theory-based efforts initiated by researchers. PMID:19449267

The NCI Digital Divide Pilot Projects: implications for cancer education.

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Kreps, Gary L; Gustafson, David; Salovey, Peter; Perocchia, Rosemarie Slevin; Wilbright, Wayne; Bright, Mary Anne; Muha, Cathy

2007-01-01

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) supported four innovative demonstration research projects, "The Digital Divide Pilot Projects," to test new strategies for disseminating health information via computer to vulnerable consumers. These projects involved active research collaborations between the NCI's Cancer Information Service (CIS) and regional cancer control researchers to field test new approaches for enhancing cancer communication in vulnerable communities. The projects were able to use computers to successfully disseminate relevant cancer information to vulnerable populations. These demonstration research projects suggested effective new strategies for using communication technologies to educate underserved populations about cancer prevention, control, and care.

Identifying barriers and improving communication between cancer service providers and Aboriginal patients and their families: the perspective of service providers.

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Shahid, Shaouli; Durey, Angela; Bessarab, Dawn; Aoun, Samar M; Thompson, Sandra C

2013-11-04

Aboriginal Australians experience poorer outcomes from cancer compared to the non-Aboriginal population. Some progress has been made in understanding Aboriginal Australians' perspectives about cancer and their experiences with cancer services. However, little is known of cancer service providers' (CSPs) thoughts and perceptions regarding Aboriginal patients and their experiences providing optimal cancer care to Aboriginal people. Communication between Aboriginal patients and non-Aboriginal health service providers has been identified as an impediment to good Aboriginal health outcomes. This paper reports on CSPs' views about the factors impairing communication and offers practical strategies for promoting effective communication with Aboriginal patients in Western Australia (WA). A qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 62 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal CSPs from across WA was conducted between March 2006-September 2007 and April-October 2011. CSPs were asked to share their experiences with Aboriginal patients and families experiencing cancer. Thematic analysis was carried out. Our analysis was primarily underpinned by the socio-ecological model, but concepts of Whiteness and privilege, and cultural security also guided our analysis. CSPs' lack of knowledge about the needs of Aboriginal people with cancer and Aboriginal patients' limited understanding of the Western medical system were identified as the two major impediments to communication. For effective patient-provider communication, attention is needed to language, communication style, knowledge and use of medical terminology and cross-cultural differences in the concept of time. Aboriginal marginalization within mainstream society and Aboriginal people's distrust of the health system were also key issues impacting on communication. Potential solutions to effective Aboriginal patient-provider communication included recruiting more Aboriginal staff, providing appropriate cultural training for CSPs

Research Associate | Center for Cancer Research

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES - Research Associate III Dr. Zbigniew Dauter is the head investigator of the Synchrotron Radiation Research Section (SRRS) of CCR’s Macromolecular Crystallography Laboratory. The Synchrotron Radiation Research Section is located at Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois; this is the site of the largest U.S. synchrotron facility. The SRRS uses X-ray diffraction technique to solve crystal structures of various proteins and nucleic acids of biological and medical relevance. The section is also specializing in analyzing crystal structures at extremely high resolution and accuracy and in developing methods of effective diffraction data collection and in using weak anomalous dispersion effects to solve structures of macromolecules. The areas of expertise are: Structural and molecular biology Macromolecular crystallography Diffraction data collection Dr. Dauter requires research support in these areas, and the individual will engage in the purification and preparation of samples, crystallize proteins using various techniques, and derivatize them with heavy atoms/anomalous scatterers, and establish conditions for cryogenic freezing. Individual will also participate in diffraction data collection at the Advanced Photon Source. In addition, the candidate will perform spectroscopic and chromatographic analyses of protein and nucleic acid samples in the context of their purity, oligomeric state and photophysical properties.

Consumer input into research: the Australian Cancer Trials website

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Butow Phyllis N

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Australian Cancer Trials website (ACTO was publicly launched in 2010 to help people search for cancer clinical trials recruiting in Australia, provide information about clinical trials and assist with doctor-patient communication about trials. We describe consumer involvement in the design and development of ACTO and report our preliminary patient evaluation of the website. Methods Consumers, led by Cancer Voices NSW, provided the impetus to develop the website. Consumer representative groups were consulted by the research team during the design and development of ACTO which combines a search engine, trial details, general information about trial participation and question prompt lists. Website use was analysed. A patient evaluation questionnaire was completed at one hospital, one week after exposure to the website. Results ACTO's main features and content reflect consumer input. In February 2011, it covered 1, 042 cancer trials. Since ACTO's public launch in November 2010, until the end of February 2011, the website has had 2, 549 new visits and generated 17, 833 page views. In a sub-study of 47 patient users, 89% found the website helpful for learning about clinical trials and all respondents thought patients should have access to ACTO. Conclusions The development of ACTO is an example of consumers working with doctors, researchers and policy makers to improve the information available to people whose lives are affected by cancer and to help them participate in their treatment decisions, including consideration of clinical trial enrolment. Consumer input has ensured that the website is informative, targets consumer priorities and is user-friendly. ACTO serves as a model for other health conditions.

[Communicating research with social media].

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Bennato, Davide

2014-09-01

Participation is the new keyword of communication. In the scientific field, communication is a very complex task that can't ignore the careful consideration of the target audience. To minimize the difficulties, it is useful to rely on storytelling: it can greatly benefit from the space offered by social media that can be used to raise awareness and to engage through the sharing of experiences. The marriage between scientific research and social media can take place, as long as you carefully reflect on the roles, strategies and appropriate tools.

Communication Capacity Research in the Majority World: Supporting the human right to communication specialist services.

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Hopf, Suzanne C

2018-02-01

Receipt of accessible and appropriate specialist services and resources by all people with communication and/or swallowing disability is a human right; however, it is a right rarely achieved in either Minority or Majority World contexts. This paper considers communication specialists' efforts to provide sustainable services for people with communication difficulties living in Majority World countries. The commentary draws on human rights literature, particularly Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Communication Capacity Research program that includes: (1) gathering knowledge from policy and literature; (2) gathering knowledge from the community; (3) understanding speech, language and literacy use and proficiency; and (4) developing culturally and linguistically appropriate resources and assessments. To inform the development of resources and assessments that could be used by speech-language pathologists as well as other communication specialists in Fiji, the Communication Capacity Research program involved collection and analysis of data from multiple sources including 144 community members, 75 school students and their families, and 25 teachers. The Communication Capacity Research program may be applicable for achieving the development of evidence-based, culturally and linguistically sustainable SLP services in similar contexts.

Research on cancer diagnosis in Malaysia: current status.

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Looi, L M; Zubaidah, Z; Cheah, P L; Cheong, S K; Gudum, H R; Iekhsan, O; Ikram, S I; Jamal, R; Mak, J W; Othman, N H; Puteri, J N; Rosline, H; Sabariah, A R; Seow, H F; Sharifah, N A

2004-06-01

Cancer is a major morbidity and mortality concern in Malaysia. Based on National Cancer Registry data, the Malaysian population is estimated to bear a cancer burden of about 40,000 new cases per year, and a cumulative lifetime risk of about 1:4. Cancer research in Malaysia has to consider needs relevant to our population, and resources constraints. Hence, funding bodies prioritise cancers of high prevalence, unique to our community and posing specific clinical problems. Cancer diagnosis is crucial to cancer management. While cancer diagnosis research largely aims at improvements in diagnostic information towards more appropriate therapy, it also impacts upon policy development and other areas of cancer management. The scope of cancer diagnosis upon which this paper is based, and their possible impact on other R&D areas, has been broadly categorized into: (1) identification of aetiological agents and their linkages to the development of precancer and cancer (impact on policy development, cancer prevention and treatment), (2) cancer biology and pathogenesis (impact on cancer prevention, treatment strategies and product development), (3) improvements in accuracy, sensitivity and specificity in cancer detection, monitoring and classification (impact on technology development) and (4) prognostic and predictive parameters (impact on treatment strategies). This paper is based on data collected by the Working Group on Cancer Diagnosis Research for the First National Conference on Cancer Research Coordination in April 2004. Data was collated from the databases of Institutions/Universities where the authors are employed, the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and targeted survey feedback from key cancer researchers. Under the 7th Malaysia Plan, 76 cancer projects were funded through the Intensified Research in Priority Areas (IRPA) scheme of MOSTI, amounting to almost RM15 million of grant money. 47(61.8%) of these projects were substantially in cancer

Information, Physics, and Cancer

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Adami, Chris

Many researchers have doubts that a ''theory of cancer'' can exist, given the fact that there are so many different cancer phenotypes. However, such a situation-many significantly different manifestations of an underlying law-is not at all uncommon in physics. I argue that a unified cause for all forms of cancer is possible, but that such a theory must be cast in terms of information and communication theory. I briefly revisit key concepts of that theory, then discuss possible applications to communication in game theory that could lead us to view cancer as a disease that, at its root, is a cellular failure to properly communicate.

Dr. Ted Trimble: Why I Do Cancer Research

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In a video, Dr. Ted Trimble talks about the importance of cancer research. World Cancer Research Day commemorates the important role research and cancer researchers play in reducing the global burden of cancer.

Research in Corporate Communication: An Overview of an Emerging Field.

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van Riel, Cees B. M.

1997-01-01

Provides an overview of research in corporate communication, focusing on achievements found in the international academic literature in both communication and business school disciplines. Gives three key concepts in such research: corporate identity, corporate reputation, and orchestration of communication. Advocates an interdisciplinary approach…

Improving physician-patient communication about cancer pain with a tailored education-coaching intervention.

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Street, Richard L; Slee, Christina; Kalauokalani, Donna K; Dean, Dionne Evans; Tancredi, Daniel J; Kravitz, Richard L

2010-07-01

This study examined the effect of a theoretically grounded, tailored education-coaching intervention to help patients more effectively discuss their pain-related questions, concerns, and preferences with physicians. Grounded in social-cognitive and communication theory, a tailored education-coaching (TEC) intervention was developed to help patients learn pain management and communication skills. In a RCT, 148 cancer patients agreed to have their consultations audio-recorded and were assigned to the intervention or a control group. The recordings were used to code for patients' questions, acts of assertiveness, and expressed concerns and to rate the quality of physicians' communication. Patients in the TEC group discussed their pain concerns more than did patients in the control group. More active patients also had more baseline pain and interacted with physicians using participatory decision-making. Ratings of physicians' information about pain were higher when patients talked more about their pain concerns. The study demonstrates the efficacy of a theoretically grounded, coaching intervention to help cancer patients talk about pain control. Coaching interventions can be effective resources for helping cancer patients communicate about their pain concerns if they are theoretically grounded, can be integrated within clinical routines, and lead to improve health outcomes. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electronic cigarette use among patients with cancer: Reasons for use, beliefs, and patient-provider communication.

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Correa, John B; Brandon, Karen O; Meltzer, Lauren R; Hoehn, Hannah J; Piñeiro, Bárbara; Brandon, Thomas H; Simmons, Vani N

2018-04-19

Smoking tobacco cigarettes after a cancer diagnosis increases risk for several serious adverse outcomes. Thus, patients can significantly benefit from quitting smoking. Electronic cigarettes are an increasingly popular cessation method. Providers routinely ask about combustible cigarette use, yet little is known about use and communication surrounding e-cigarettes among patients with cancer. This study aims to describe patterns, beliefs, and communication with oncology providers about e-cigarette use of patients with cancer. Patients with cancer (N = 121) who currently used e-cigarettes were surveyed in a cross-sectional study about their patterns and reasons for use, beliefs, and perceptions of risk for e-cigarettes, combustible cigarettes, and nicotine replacement therapies. Patient perspectives on provider communication regarding e-cigarettes were also assessed. Most participants identified smoking cessation as the reason for initiating (81%) and continuing (60%) e-cigarette use. However, 51% of patients reported current dual use of combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and most patients reported never having discussed their use of e-cigarettes with their oncology provider (72%). Patients characterized e-cigarettes as less addictive, less expensive, less stigmatizing, and less likely to impact cancer treatment than combustible cigarettes (Ps < .05), and more satisfying, more useful for quitting smoking, and more effective at reducing cancer-related stress than nicotine replacement therapies (Ps < .05). Patients with cancer who use e-cigarettes have positive attitudes toward these devices and use them to aid in smoking cessation. This study also highlights the need for improved patient-provider communication on the safety and efficacy of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Political communication research: New media, new challenges, and new opportunities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The rise of new media and the broader set of social changes they are part of present political communication research with new challenges and new opportunities at a time when many think the field is at an intellectual impasse (e.g., Bennett & Iyengar, 2008. In this article, I argue that parts of the field’s problems are rooted in the way in which political communication research has developed since the 1960s. In this period, the field has moved from being interdisciplinary and mixed-methods to being more homogenous and narrowly focused, based primarily on ideas developed in social psychology, certain strands of political science, and the effects-tradition of mass communication research. This dominant paradigm has contributed much to our understanding of some aspects of political communication. But it is struggling to make sense of many others, including questions concerning people’s experience of political communication processes and questions concerning the symbolic, institutional, and technological nature of these processes—especially during a time of often rapid change. To overcome this problem, I argue that the field of political communication research should re-engage with the rest of media and communication studies and embrace a broader and more diverse agenda. I discuss audience research and journalism studies as examples of adjacent fields that use a more diverse range of theoretical and methodological tools that might help political communication research engage with new media and the new challenges and new opportunities for research that they represent.

Political Communication Research in the 1980s.

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Meadow, Robert G.

1985-01-01

Discusses eight books, including a textbook for undergraduates, that represent the type of research being conducted in the political communication field. Identifies major problems of current research. (PD)

Research Summaries: The 11th Biennial Rivkin Center Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium.

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Armstrong, Deborah K

2017-11-01

In September 2016, the 11th biennial ovarian cancer research symposium was presented by the Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer and the American Association for Cancer Research. The 2016 symposium focused on 4 broad areas of research: Mechanisms of Initiation and Progression of Ovarian Cancer, Tumor Microenvironment and Models of Ovarian Cancer, Detection and Prevention of Ovarian Cancer, and Novel Therapeutics for Ovarian Cancer. The presentations and abstracts from each of these areas are reviewed in this supplement to the International Journal of Gynecologic Oncology.

Latest discoveries and trends in translational cancer research: highlights of the 2008 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.

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Cho, William C S

2008-08-01

The Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) is the world's largest and most comprehensive gathering of cancer researchers. At the 2008 AACR Annual Meeting, innovative research approaches, novel technologies, potentially life-saving therapies in the pipeline, late-breaking clinical trial findings, and new approaches to cancer prevention were presented by top scientists. Reflecting the global state of cancer research with an eye toward future trends, several areas of great science and discovery in the cancer field were shared in this report, which include cancer biomarkers, the role of microRNAs in cancer research, cancer stem cells, tumor microenvironment, targeted therapy, and cancer prevention. This article presents an overview of hot topics discussed at the 2008 AACR Annual Meeting and recapitulates some scientific sessions geared toward new technologies, recent progress, and current challenges reported by cancer researchers. For those who did not attend the meeting, this report may serve as a highlight of this important international cancer research meeting.

Cancer research and radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuzawa, Taiju

1978-01-01

An actual condition of cancer, and the basis and a future view of radiotherapy were described by adding generally established biological and biochemical knowledge to the author's research. It was described that the relapse of cancer after irradiation was induced from outside of cancerous mass, and the nature of relapsed cancerous cells group was also stated. The histological structure of cancer from a view of cell movement and radioresistant cancerous cells group were described. The differentiation of cancerous cells were described, and a study of inhibition of cancer by redifferentiation was considered. It is important to grasp characteristics and a limit of radiotherapy for cancer, to systematize and materialize reasonable therapy which uses drug and immunotherapy together with surgery, and to use radiotherapy reasonably together with redifferentiation therapy of cancerous cells by extracting characteristics and a limit of radiationtherapy from an actual condition of cancer. (Serizawa, K.)

A randomized pilot trial of a videoconference couples communication intervention for advanced GI cancer.

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Porter, Laura S; Keefe, Francis J; Baucom, Donald H; Olsen, Maren; Zafar, S Yousuf; Uronis, Hope

2017-07-01

This study aims to test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a couple-based communication intervention for advanced GI cancer delivered via videoconference. Thirty-two couples were randomly assigned to either couples communication skills training (CCST) or an education comparison intervention, both delivered via videoconference. Participation was limited to couples who reported communication difficulties at screening. Patients and partners completed measures of relationship functioning and individual functioning at baseline and post-intervention. Eighty-eight percent of randomized dyads completed all six sessions and reported high levels of satisfaction with the intervention. Between-group effect sizes suggested that the CCST intervention led to improvements in relationship satisfaction for patients and partners and to improvements in intimacy and communication for patients. A couples-based communication intervention delivered via videoconference is feasible and acceptable in the context of advanced cancer. Preliminary findings suggest that the intervention shows promise in contributing to enhanced relationship functioning. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Research in corporate communication: An overview of an emerging field

OpenAIRE

Riel, Cees

1997-01-01

textabstractThis commentary is intended as an amendment to Argenti's (1996) viewpoint, published in Volume 10, Issue 1, of Management Communication Quarterly. Van Riel provides an overview of research in corporate communication, focusing on achievements found in the international academic literature in both communication and business school disciplines. In the author's opinion, there are three key concepts in corporate communication research: corporate identity, corporate reputation, and orch...

Setting Research Priorities for Kidney Cancer.

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Jones, Jennifer M; Bhatt, Jaimin; Avery, Jonathan; Laupacis, Andreas; Cowan, Katherine; Basappa, Naveen S; Basiuk, Joan; Canil, Christina; Al-Asaaed, Sohaib; Heng, Daniel Y C; Wood, Lori; Stacey, Dawn; Kollmannsberger, Christian; Jewett, Michael A S

2017-12-01

Defining disease-specific research priorities in cancer can facilitate better allocation of limited resources. Involving patients and caregivers as well as expert clinicians in this process is of value. We undertook this approach for kidney cancer as an example. The Kidney Cancer Research Network of Canada sponsored a collaborative consensus-based priority-setting partnership that identified ten research priorities in the management of kidney cancer. These are discussed in the context of current initiatives and gaps in knowledge. Copyright © 2017 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Defining moments in risk communication research: 1996-2005.

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McComas, Katherine A

2006-01-01

Ten years ago, scholars suggested that risk communication was embarking on a new phase that would give increased attention to the social contexts that surround and encroach on public responses to risk information. A decade later, many researchers have answered the call, with several defining studies examining the social and psychological influences on risk communication. This article reviews risk communication research appearing in the published literature since 1996. Among studies, social trust, the social amplification of risk framework, and the affect heuristic figured prominently. Also common were studies examining the influence of risk in the mass media. Among these were content analyses of media coverage of risk, as well as investigations of possible effects resulting from coverage. The use of mental models was a dominant method for developing risk message content. Other studies examined the use of risk comparisons, narratives, and visuals in the production of risk messages. Research also examined how providing information about a risk's severity, social norms, and efficacy influenced communication behaviors and intentions to follow risk reduction measures. Methods for conducting public outreach in health risk communication rounded out the literature.

Electron Microscopist | Center for Cancer Research

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Cancer Research Technology Program (CRTP) develops and implements emerging technology, cancer biology expertise and research capabilities to accomplish NCI research objectives. The CRTP is an outward-facing, multi-disciplinary hub purposed to enable the external cancer research community and provides dedicated support to NCI’s intramural Center for Cancer Research (CCR). The dedicated units provide electron microscopy, protein characterization, protein expression, optical microscopy and genetics. These research efforts are an integral part of CCR at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). CRTP scientists also work collaboratively with intramural NCI investigators to provide research technologies and expertise. KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES - THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING APPROVAL The Electron Microscopist will: Operate ultramicrotomes (Leica) and other instrumentation related to the preparation of embedded samples for EM (TEM and SEM) Operate TEM microscopes, (specifically Hitachi, FEI T20 and FEI T12) as well as SEM microscopes (Hitachi); task will include loading samples, screening, and performing data collection for a variety of samples: from cells to proteins Manage maintenance for the TEM and SEM microscopes Provide technical advice to investigators on sample preparation and data collection

Structural and reliability analysis of a patient satisfaction with cancer-related care measure: a multisite patient navigation research program study.

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Jean-Pierre, Pascal; Fiscella, Kevin; Freund, Karen M; Clark, Jack; Darnell, Julie; Holden, Alan; Post, Douglas; Patierno, Steven R; Winters, Paul C

2011-02-15

Patient satisfaction is an important outcome measure of quality of cancer care and 1 of the 4 core study outcomes of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)-sponsored Patient Navigation Research Program to reduce race/ethnicity-based disparities in cancer care. There is no existing patient satisfaction measure that spans the spectrum of cancer-related care. The objective of this study was to develop a Patient Satisfaction With Cancer Care measure that is relevant to patients receiving diagnostic/therapeutic cancer-related care. The authors developed a conceptual framework, an operational definition of Patient Satisfaction With Cancer Care, and an item pool based on literature review, expert feedback, group discussion, and consensus. The 35-item Patient Satisfaction With Cancer Care measure was administered to 891 participants from the multisite NCI-sponsored Patient Navigation Research Program. Principal components analysis (PCA) was conducted for latent structure analysis. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach coefficient alpha (α). Divergent analysis was performed using correlation analyses between the Patient Satisfaction With Cancer Care, the Communication and Attitudinal Self-Efficacy-Cancer, and demographic variables. The PCA revealed a 1-dimensional measure with items forming a coherent set explaining 62% of the variance in patient satisfaction. Reliability assessment revealed high internal consistency (α ranging from 0.95 to 0.96). The Patient Satisfaction With Cancer Care demonstrated good face validity, convergent validity, and divergent validity, as indicated by moderate correlations with subscales of the Communication and Attitudinal Self-Efficacy-Cancer (all P .05). The Patient Satisfaction With Cancer Care is a valid tool for assessing satisfaction with cancer-related care for this sample. Copyright © 2010 American Cancer Society.

COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE AS THE SUBJECT OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuliya I. Аleyevskaya

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: the issue of development of the communicative competence is well studied in pedagogical theory and practice. Nevertheless there is no consensus among researchers regarding the interpretation of the notion. This fact determines the relevance of the subject in the context of the reform of the national higher education. The labour market puts forward increasing requirements to graduates’ adaption potential within the system “human – human”. This draws special attention to the problem of communicative co mpetence. Materials and Methods: the authors carried out a sociological research on the communicative component of the competence cluster among master’s degree students who specialise in pedagogical education in order to determine “the importance of weight indicators” of separate competencies. Results: the authors substantiate the necessity of broadening a communicative competence in conditions of transition to a multilevel system of higher education; define its essence and structure taking into account the generic unity of Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes. The article presents the informative content of communication components in accordance with the proposed structure of communicative competence, containing motivation-value-based, cognitive, activity-based, reflective and evaluative components. The authors show the potential of communicative competence in the context of the new federal state educational standards (FGOS VO 3+. Further the authors make analysis of the requirements set to graduates upon completion of undergraduate and graduate programmes in “Pedagogical Education”, specify the role of separate competencies in extending graduates’ communicative competence. Discussion and Conclusions: the results of the research presented in the article enable to specify the structure and content of the communicative competence of a university graduate, reflecting the willingness and ability to productive

Ecuadorian Cancer Patients’ Preference for Information and Communication Technologies: Cross-Sectional Study

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2018-01-01

Background The instantaneous spread of information, low costs, and broad availability of information and communication technologies (ICTs) make them an attractive platform for managing care, patient communication, and medical interventions in cancer treatment. There is little information available in Latin America about the level of usage of ICTs for and by cancer patients. Our study attempts to fill this gap. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the level of ICT use and patterns of preferences among cancer patients. Methods We conducted an anonymous cross-sectional survey study in 500 Ecuadorian cancer patients. This questionnaire consisted of 22 items about demographic and clinical data, together with the preferences of people who use ICTs. Chi-square, crude, and adjusted logistic regressions were performed. Results Of the total, 43.2% (216/500) of participants reported that they had access to the Internet, and 25.4% (127/500) reported that they neither owned a cell phone nor did they have access to the Internet. The Internet constituted the highest usage rate as a source of information about malignant diseases (74.3%, 162/218) regardless of age (PWhatsApp (66.5%, 145/218) and short message service (SMS) text messaging (61.0%, 133/218) were widely reported as interesting communication channels. Similarly, WhatsApp (72.0%, 157/218) followed by SMS (63.8%, 139/218) were reported as the preferred ICTs through which patients would like to ask physicians about diseases. Adjusted regression analysis showed that patients aged between 40 and 64 years were more likely to be interested in receiving information through SMS (odds ratio, OR 5.09, 95% CI 1.92-13.32), as well as for asking questions to physicians through this same media (OR 9.78, CI 3.45-27.67) than the oldest group. Conclusions WhatsApp, SMS, and email are effective and widely used ICTs that can promote communication between cancer patients and physicians. According to age range, new ICTs such as

‘Gap Junctions and Cancer: Communicating for 50 Years’

Science.gov (United States)

Aasen, Trond; Mesnil, Marc; Naus, Christian C.; Lampe, Paul D.; Laird, Dale W.

2017-01-01

Fifty years ago, tumour cells were found to lack electrical coupling, leading to the hypothesis that loss of direct intercellular communication is commonly associated with cancer onset and progression. Subsequent studies linked this phenomenon to gap junctions composed of connexin proteins. While many studies support the notion that connexins are tumour suppressors, recent evidence suggests that, in some tumour types, they may facilitate specific stages of tumour progression through both junctional and non-junctional signalling pathways. This Timeline article highlights the milestones connecting gap junctions to cancer, and underscores important unanswered questions, controversies and therapeutic opportunities in the field. PMID:27782134

Communication Efficacy and Couples’ Cancer Management: Applying a Dyadic Appraisal Model

OpenAIRE

Magsamen-Conrad, Kate; Checton, Maria G.; Venetis, Maria K.; Greene, Kathryn

2014-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to apply Berg and Upchurch’s (2007) developmental-conceptual model to understand better how couples cope with cancer. Specifically, we hypothesized a dyadic appraisal model in which proximal factors (relational quality), dyadic appraisal (prognosis uncertainty), and dyadic coping (communication efficacy) predicted adjustment (cancer management). The study was cross-sectional and included 83 dyads in which one partner had been diagnosed with and/or treated ...

Disparities in prognosis communication among parents of children with cancer: The impact of race and ethnicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilowite, Maya F; Cronin, Angel M; Kang, Tammy I; Mack, Jennifer W

2017-10-15

Most parents of children with cancer say they want detailed information about their child's prognosis. However, prior work has been conducted in populations of limited diversity. The authors sought to evaluate the impact of parental race/ethnicity on prognosis communication experiences among parents of children with cancer. In total, 357 parents of children with cancer and the children's physicians were surveyed at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Outcome measures were parental preferences for prognostic information, physician beliefs about parental preferences, prognosis communication processes, and communication outcomes. Associations were assessed by logistic regression with generalized estimating equations to correct for physician clustering. Two hundred eighty-one parents (79%) were white, 23 (6%) were black, 29 (8%) were Hispanic, and 24 (7%) were Asian/other. Eighty-seven percent of parents wanted as much detail as possible about their child's prognosis, with no significant differences by race/ethnicity (P = .75). However, physician beliefs about parental preferences for prognosis communication varied based on parent race/ethnicity, with physicians considering black and Hispanic parents less interested in details about prognosis than whites (P = .003). Accurate understanding of a less favorable prognosis was greater among white (49%) versus nonwhite parents (range, 20%-29%), although this difference was not statistically significant (P = .14). Most parents, regardless of racial and ethnic background, want detailed prognostic information about their child's cancer. However, physicians underestimate the information needs of black and Hispanic parents. To meet parents' information needs, physicians should ask about parents' information preferences before prognosis discussions. Cancer 2017;123:3995-4003. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Research Practicum | Division of Cancer Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

The Nutritional Science Research Group in the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Nutrition at the Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health are offering a one week educational opportunity in "Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Research" for individuals with a sustained commitment to nutrition

Identifying barriers and improving communication between cancer service providers and Aboriginal patients and their families: the perspective of service providers

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Aboriginal Australians experience poorer outcomes from cancer compared to the non-Aboriginal population. Some progress has been made in understanding Aboriginal Australians’ perspectives about cancer and their experiences with cancer services. However, little is known of cancer service providers’ (CSPs) thoughts and perceptions regarding Aboriginal patients and their experiences providing optimal cancer care to Aboriginal people. Communication between Aboriginal patients and non-Aboriginal health service providers has been identified as an impediment to good Aboriginal health outcomes. This paper reports on CSPs’ views about the factors impairing communication and offers practical strategies for promoting effective communication with Aboriginal patients in Western Australia (WA). Methods A qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 62 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal CSPs from across WA was conducted between March 2006 - September 2007 and April-October 2011. CSPs were asked to share their experiences with Aboriginal patients and families experiencing cancer. Thematic analysis was carried out. Our analysis was primarily underpinned by the socio-ecological model, but concepts of Whiteness and privilege, and cultural security also guided our analysis. Results CSPs’ lack of knowledge about the needs of Aboriginal people with cancer and Aboriginal patients’ limited understanding of the Western medical system were identified as the two major impediments to communication. For effective patient–provider communication, attention is needed to language, communication style, knowledge and use of medical terminology and cross-cultural differences in the concept of time. Aboriginal marginalization within mainstream society and Aboriginal people’s distrust of the health system were also key issues impacting on communication. Potential solutions to effective Aboriginal patient-provider communication included recruiting more Aboriginal staff

'I couldn't even talk to the patient': barriers to communicating with cancer patients as perceived by nursing students

OpenAIRE

Lin, M.; Hsu, W.; Hung, M.; Su, Y.; Crawford, Paul; Tang, C.

2017-01-01

Communication is closely related to safe practice and patient outcomes. Given that most clinicians fall into routines when communicating with patients, it is important to address communication issues early. This study explores Taiwanese nursing students’ experiences of communication with patients with cancer and their families. Senior nursing students who had cared for cancer patients were recruited to participate in focus group interviews. These semi-structured interviews were recorded and t...

The Science of Cancer Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

The science of cancer prevention is described by Dr. Barnett S. Kramer, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute (NCI). The Division of Cancer Prevention administers a broad spectrum of research that spans basic pre-clinical, laboratory research, supportive and palliative care research, early detection, and randomized controlled clinical trials. The Division also supports the Cancer Prevention Fellowship Program and is devoted to the balanced communication of scientific results.

The role of opinion research in communications programmes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curtin, Tom

1995-01-01

Nirex is a company financed by the UK nuclear industry to dispose of intermediate and some long-lived low-level radioactive waste. The company has no responsibility for high-level radioactive waste. Most low-level waste is disposed of at a shallow site owned by BNFL, one of Nirex's shareholders. At Nirex, we use opinion research in a number of ways: as a map to guide communications programmes; to set baselines and targets to isolate issues of concern to our publics. The Company carries out market research covering three key audiences: the general public, politicians, and journalists. For Nirex, opinion research is a map. It guides our communication programmes in dealing with our key audiences. Without it, we would be driving blind. Opinion research allows us to isolate key issues for communication. It also allows us to measure performance and to see which initiatives are successful and which are not

Parent-child communication patterns during the first year after a parent's cancer diagnosis - the effect on parents' functioning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Donofrio, Stacey; Hoekstra, Harald; van der Graaf, Winette; van de Wiel, Harry; Visser, Annemieke; Huizinga, Gea; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: Good parent-child communication is thought to help families adjust more easily during stressful events such as parental cancer. Families dealing with cancer who communicate openly have reported less psychological distress. The first year after diagnosis may be particularly stressful. The

Gynecologic cancer screening and communication with health care providers in women with Lynch syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

Burton-Chase, AM; Hovick, SR; Sun, CC; Boyd-Rogers, S; Lynch, PM; Lu, KH; Peterson, SK

2014-01-01

We evaluated knowledge of gynecologic cancer screening recommendations, screening behaviors, and communication with providers among women with Lynch syndrome (LS). Women aged ≥25 years who were at risk for LS-associated cancers completed a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire. Of 74 participants (mean age 40 years), 61% knew the appropriate age to begin screening, 75–80% correctly identified the recommended screening frequency, and 84% reported no previous screening endometrial biopsy. Women initiated discussions with their providers about their LS cancer risks, but many used nonspecific terms or relied on family history. Most were not offered high-risk screening options. While many women were aware of risk-appropriate LS screening guidelines, adherence was suboptimal. Improving communication between women and their providers regarding LS-related gynecologic cancer risk and screening options may help improve adherence. PMID:23906188

Handbook of Qualitative Research in Communication Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Martin J., Ed.; Müller, Nicole, Ed.; Nelson, Ryan L., Ed.

2013-01-01

This volume provides a comprehensive and in-depth handbook of qualitative research in the field of communication disorders. It introduces and illustrates the wide range of qualitative paradigms that have been used in recent years to investigate various aspects of communication disorders. The first part of the Handbook introduces in some detail the…

Climate Change Communication Research: Trends and Implications ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Climate Change Communication Research: Trends and Implications. ... African Journal of Sustainable Development ... with a specific focus on the themes that have dominated current studies, major research methods in use, major theories that ...

Pivotal role of families in doctor-patient communication in oncology: a qualitative study of patients, their relatives and cancer clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, S S; Tripathi, L; Varghese, R; Logan, J; Gessler, S; Chatterjee, S; Bhaumik, J; Menon, U

2017-09-01

Families are a unique source of support for many cancer patients. Most advanced communication skills training for oncologists are patient centred and do not cover interactions with family members. The current study used in-depth qualitative interviews of patients, relatives and cancer clinicians with thematic analysis to explore the role of family members in the communication process. Forty-one participants included 10 cancer patients, 10 relatives ensuring proportionate representation of both gender and primary cancer site and 21 doctors representing both medical and surgical oncology. Nineteen of 20 patients and relatives wanted an "open and honest" discussion with their doctors. All patients, relatives and doctors preferred involvement of the family at most stages of cancer treatment. Five themes were identified in relation to communication with family members. The participants highlighted the "importance of family for physical and psychological care," they emphasised the need to "balance patient autonomy and relatives desire to be protective" using varied "negotiating strategies" that are influenced by "socioeconomic circumstances of both patient and family." The doctor-patient-relative communication process was not static with preferences changing over time. The data suggests that communication skills training of cancer clinicians should incorporate modules on better communication with relatives. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Knowledge, information and communication among cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parvez, T.; Saeed, N.; Pervaiz, K.

2001-01-01

Objective: Knowledge, information and communication, within oncology, are a core clinical strength for the out-come of the disease and inadequate communication, can cause distress for the patient and their families. Design: A senior doctor conducted this study by filling in the performa after interviewing the subject of the study. Place and duration of study: This study was done in Oncology Department of Service Hospital, Lahore and was completed in four months. Subjects and Method: One hundred cancer patients were interviewed regarding their knowledge about their disease, its causes, prognosis, and information supplied by the health-care providers. They were also asked about their satisfaction regarding this information, deficiencies and pitfalls in this information, need for more information, which should supply the information from among the hospital team or their relative, attitude of the family and their communication regarding the disease. Results: Study revealed that the knowledge about the disease and its causes was present in 53% and 7% respectively. The patients (59%) wanted more information. Majority perceived that the information was not adequate and needed more information and 68% thought that more information would reduce their anxiety. The attitude of family was found encouraging in 87% of patients and 42% were communicating with other family members regarding their diseases. Conclusion: Knowledge about the disease and its cause should be increasingly supplied by the doctors, as it will reduce the anxiety and have a good effect on health. Communication among the family members needs to be improved. (author)

Children's Literature in the Undergraduate Course on Communication Research Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Daniel S.

2010-01-01

Objective: Students will develop positive attitudes toward communication research by linking new values and principles with the familiar values and principles contained in children's literature. Course: Communication Research Methods.

Communication and information-giving in high-risk breast cancer consultations: influence on patient outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lobb, E A; Butow, P N; Barratt, A; Meiser, B; Gaff, C; Young, M A; Haan, E; Suthers, G; Gattas, M; Tucker, K

2004-01-26

This longitudinal study aimed to document (i) the information-giving and patient-communication styles of clinical geneticists and genetic counsellors (consultants) in familial breast cancer clinics and (ii) assess the effect of these styles on women's knowledge, whether their expectations were met, satisfaction, risk perception and psychological status. A total of 158 women from high-risk breast cancer families completed self-report questionnaires at 2 weeks preconsultation and 4 weeks postconsultation. The consultations were audiotaped, transcribed and coded. Multivariate logistic regressions showed that discussing prophylactic mastectomy (P=0.00) and oophorectomy (P=0.01) led to women having significantly more expectations met; discussing genetic testing significantly decreased anxiety (P=0.03) and facilitating understanding significantly decreased depression (P=0.05). Receiving a summary letter of the consultation significantly lowered anxiety (P=0.01) and significantly increased the accuracy of perceived risk (P=0.02). Women whose consultant used more supportive communications experienced significantly more anxiety about breast cancer at the 4 weeks follow-up (P=0.00). These women were not significantly more anxious before genetic counselling. In conclusion, this study found that consultants vary in the amount of information they give and the way they communicate; and this variation can result in better or worse psychosocial outcomes. Greater use of supportive and counselling communications appeared to increase anxiety about breast cancer. Identifying methods to assist consultants to address emotional issues effectively may be helpful.

Intervehicle Communication Research – Communication Scenarios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Šarūnas Stanaitis

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Recently intervehicle communications are attracting much attention from industry and academia. Upcoming standard for intervehicle communication IEEE 802.11p, known as Wireless Access in Vehicular Environments (WAVE, is still in its draft stage, but already coming into final standardization phase. Problematic, regarding mobile WAVE nodes, are described in several articles, simulations prepared and experiments done. But most of these works do not consider possible maximal communication load. This paper presents intervehicle communication scenario in respect to radio communications, mobility and other aspects of vehicular environments.Article in English

Research on synchronization technology of frequency hopping communication system

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiangwu; Quan, Houde; Cui, Peizhang

2018-05-01

Frequency Hopping (FH) communication is a technology of spread spectrum communication. It has strong anti-interference, anti-interception and security capabilities, and has been widely applied in the field of communications. Synchronization technology is one of the most crucial technologies in frequency hopping communication. The speed of synchronization establishment and the reliability of synchronous system directly affect the performance of frequency hopping communication system. Therefore, the research of synchronization technology in frequency hopping communication has important value.

Glacier Research Digital Science Communication Evolution 1996-2014

Science.gov (United States)

Pelto, M. S.

2014-12-01

This talk will focus on the changes in communicating science in the last 20 years from the perspective of the same research project. Essentially the rapid innovation in online communication requires the scientist learning and utilizing a new platform of communication each year. To maintain relevant visibility and ongoing research activities requires finding synergy between the two. I will discuss how digital communication has inspired my research efforts. This talk will also examine overall visitation and media impact metrics over this period. From developing a highly visible glacier research web page in 1996, to writing more than 400 blog posts since 2008, and in 2014 utilizing a videographer and illustration artist in the field, this is the story of one scientist's digital communication-media evolution. The three main observations are that: 1) Overall visitation has not expanded as rapidly in the last decade. 2) Contact and cooperation with colleagues has expanded quite rapidly since 2008. 3) Media impact peaked in 2005, but is nearing that peak again. The key factors in visibility and media impact for a "small market" research institution/project has been providing timely and detailed content to collaborative sites, such as RealClimate, BAMS State of the Climate, Climate Denial Crock of the Week, and Skeptical Science that can then be repurposed by the media. A review of the visitor metrics to the digital glacier sites I have maintained from 1996-2014 indicate visibility of each platform has a similar growth curve, transitioning to a plateau, but overall visitation does not increase in kind with the increase in number of platforms. Media metrics is more event driven and does not follow the visitor metric pattern.

Gynecologic cancer screening and communication with health care providers in women with Lynch syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Burton-Chase, A M; Hovick, S R; Sun, C C; Boyd-Rogers, S; Lynch, P M; Lu, K H; Peterson, S K

2014-08-01

We evaluated knowledge of gynecologic cancer screening recommendations, screening behaviors, and communication with providers among women with Lynch syndrome (LS). Women aged ≥25 years who were at risk for LS-associated cancers completed a semi-structured interview and a questionnaire. Of 74 participants (mean age 40 years), 61% knew the appropriate age to begin screening, 75-80% correctly identified the recommended screening frequency, and 84% reported no previous screening endometrial biopsy. Women initiated discussions with their providers about their LS cancer risks, but many used nonspecific terms or relied on family history. Most were not offered high-risk screening options. While many women were aware of risk-appropriate LS screening guidelines, adherence was suboptimal. Improving communication between women and their providers regarding LS-related gynecologic cancer risk and screening options may help improve adherence. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Communication of the cancer diagnosis to an elderly patient

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucélia Terra Jonas

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: to collect evidence on matters which involve cancer diagnosis disclosure to an elderly patient. Methods: integrative revision made in five important data bases in the area of health with seven selected articles. Results: it was noticeable that there are conflicts between family members and health professionals concerning cancer diagnosis disclosure to an elderly patient and that the preferences of those people on the disclosure of the diagnosis are similar to other patients. Conclusion: health professionals, especially the nurses, need training in order to have a secure and clarifying communication, matching the information to the specific needs of each patient, considering their reality and type of confrontation..

[Communication and citizenship empowerment in health care: a case of action-research in a polarized Venezuela].

Science.gov (United States)

Nahón Serfaty, Isaac; Eid, Mahmoud

2015-07-01

An action-research project was implemented in Venezuela from 2009-2013 to empower social activists and patients in their fight against breast cancer (BC). The project was implemented in a context of high political and social polarization of the so-called «Bolivarian revolution». Based on an ecological perspective of health activism and communication, that encompasses the interpersonal, group and social levels, a series of activities were celebrated to develop the advocacy capabilities of citizens, especially women, expand the collaborative networks among different stakeholders, and promote a consensual view between social and institutional actors about a national response to fight BC. A horizontal and participatory communication allowed that the voice of usually marginalized actors was heard in the process of shaping health care policy.

The Uses of Mass Communications: Current Perspectives on Gratifications Research. Sage Annual Reviews of Communication Research Volume III.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumler, Jay G., Ed.; Katz, Elihu, Ed.

The essays in this volume examine the use of the mass media and explore the findings of the gratifications approach to mass communication research. Part one summaries the achievements in this area of mass media research and proposes an agenda for discussion of the future direction of this research in terms of a set of theoretical, methodological,…

Communication about sexual health with breast cancer survivors: Variation among patient and provider perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Canzona, Mollie Rose; Garcia, David; Fisher, Carla L; Raleigh, Meghan; Kalish, Virginia; Ledford, Christy J W

2016-11-01

Breast cancer survivors experience a range of sexual health (SH) issues. Communication problems between patient and provider can prevent survivors from pursuing SH goals and can negatively influence biopsychosocial outcomes. The primary aims of this study were to identify provider communication behaviors that facilitate or impede clinical interactions regarding SH (according to survivors and providers) and to highlight discrepancies that affect care. Forty breast cancer survivors and forty health care providers from a variety of specialties participated in semi-structured interviews informed by the Critical Incident Technique. Transcripts were thematically analyzed using the constant comparative method. Survivors and providers discussed the importance of honoring individual patient needs and conveying compassionate messages. However, accounts varied significantly regarding the appropriate timing and method of initiating SH discussions and the helpfulness of certain support behaviors and linguistic devices. Provider and survivor accounts of what constitutes helpful and unhelpful provider communication behaviors when discussing SH concerns are misaligned in nuanced and meaningful ways. These discrepancies reveal potential areas for educational intervention. SH discussions require providers to examine assumptions about patients' communication preferences and information needs. Patients may benefit from frank yet sensitive discussions earlier in the cancer continuum. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prostate Cancer Stem-Like Cells | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death among men, killing an estimated 27,000 men each year in the United States. Men with advanced prostate cancer often become resistant to conventional therapies. Many researchers speculate that the emergence of resistance is due to the presence of cancer stem cells, which are believed to be a small subpopulation

Basic research on cancer related to radiation associated medical researches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong In; Hwang, Dae Yong; Bang, Ho Yoon

2000-12-01

Basic Research on Cancer related to Radiation Associated Medical Researches including 1. Establishment of animal model of colorectal cancer liver metastasis and measurement of angiogenesis, 2. Tissue expression of Tie-1 and Tie-2 in human colorectal cancer, 3. Enhancement of G2/Mphase Cell Fraction by Adenovirus-mediated p53 Gene Transfer in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines, 4. Clinical Characteristics of the patients with Non-B Non-C Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Frequency of HBV, HCV and TTV Viremia in these Patients, 5. Significance of serum iron and ferritin in patients with stomach cancer, 6. Telomerase assay for early detection of lung cancer, 7. Study on the Usefulness of Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 Genotyping for Risk Group of Alcohol-related Cancer Screening, 8. Gene therapy using hepatoma specific promoter, 9. Study on the Influence of DNA repair gene, XRCC1 Genotypes on the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer were performed

Basic research on cancer related to radiation associated medical researches

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jong In; Hwang, Dae Yong; Bang, Ho Yoon [and others

2000-12-01

Basic Research on Cancer related to Radiation Associated Medical Researches including 1. Establishment of animal model of colorectal cancer liver metastasis and measurement of angiogenesis, 2. Tissue expression of Tie-1 and Tie-2 in human colorectal cancer, 3. Enhancement of G2/Mphase Cell Fraction by Adenovirus-mediated p53 Gene Transfer in Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines, 4. Clinical Characteristics of the patients with Non-B Non-C Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Frequency of HBV, HCV and TTV Viremia in these Patients, 5. Significance of serum iron and ferritin in patients with stomach cancer, 6. Telomerase assay for early detection of lung cancer, 7. Study on the Usefulness of Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 Genotyping for Risk Group of Alcohol-related Cancer Screening, 8. Gene therapy using hepatoma specific promoter, 9. Study on the Influence of DNA repair gene, XRCC1 Genotypes on the Risk of Head and Neck Cancer were performed.

How Cancer Patients Use and Benefit from an Interactive Cancer Communication System.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jeong Yeob; Hawkins, Robert; Baker, Timothy; Shah, Dhavan V; Pingree, Suzanne; Gustafson, David H

2017-10-01

Despite the mounting evidence of efficacy of eHealth interventions, their mechanisms of action remain unknown. The current study analyzed patient log data as each patient engaged in an eHealth system called the Comprehensive Health Enhancement Support System (CHESS) and reports on how patients engage with different combinations of eHealth services over time. Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients (N = 443) were given access for 6 months to one of four different configurations of CHESS: (1) Information, (2) Information and Support, (3) Information, Support, and Coaching (Full CHESS), and (4) Full CHESS and Mentor. Besides a baseline survey, three follow-up posttests were administered. Action log data on how patients engaged with the CHESS were also collected and merged with surveys to examine how patients benefit during the cancer experience. The findings suggest that usage patterns were not competitive, implying that cancer patients' access to more complex tools generates more use with their time spreading out over the diverse services. Despite overall decline in usage rates, it was less severe in Full CHESS and Mentor condition, suggesting that communication functions drive long-term engagement with the system. Notably, the strongest relation between use and cancer information competence appeared late in the follow-up period.

Doctor-patient communication and cancer patients' quality of life and satisfaction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ong, L. M.; Visser, M. R.; Lammes, F. B.; de Haes, J. C.

2000-01-01

In this study, the relationship between (a) doctor's and patients' communication and (b) doctors' patient-centredness during the oncological consultation and patients' quality of life and satisfaction was examined. Consultations of 96 consecutive cancer patients were recorded and content analysed by

Editorial: Qualitative Research and Intercultural Communication

OpenAIRE

Matthias Otten; Jens Allwood; Maria Assumpta Aneas; Dominic Busch; David M. Hoffman; Michele Schweisfurth

2009-01-01

This article introduces to the thematic scope and the articles of this special issue and it explains some important terminological distinctions of the intercultural research field. The overall aim of this issue is to explore the manifold ways to apply and to reflect upon qualitative research methods in the context of intercultural communication. This implies both a discussion of genuine characteristics of intercultural qualitative research as well as attempts to identify common features and l...

"I couldn't even talk to the patient": Barriers to communicating with cancer patients as perceived by nursing students.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, M-F; Hsu, W-S; Huang, M-C; Su, Y-H; Crawford, P; Tang, C-C

2017-07-01

Communication is closely related to safe practice and patient outcomes. Given that most clinicians fall into routines when communicating with patients, it is important to address communication issues early. This study explores Taiwanese nursing students' experiences of communication with patients with cancer and their families. Senior nursing students who had cared for cancer patients were recruited to participate in focus group interviews. These semi-structured interviews were recorded and transcribed for content analysis. Among the 45 participants, about 36% of them never received any communication training. Up to 76% of the participants stated that their communication with cancer patients was difficult and caused them emotional stress. Subsequent data analysis revealed four themes: disengagement, reluctance, regression and transition. Students' negative communication experiences were related to the patients' terminally ill situation; the students' lack of training, low self-efficacy and power status, poor emotional regulation, and cultural considerations. The findings of this study provide a deeper understanding of nursing students' communication experiences in oncology settings within the cultural context. Early and appropriate communication training is necessary to help students regulate their emotions and establish effective communication skills. Further studies are needed to examine the relationship among students' emotional labour, communication skills and outcomes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Graphic Narratives and Cancer Prevention: A Case Study of an American Cancer Society Comic Book.

Science.gov (United States)

Krakow, Melinda

2017-05-01

As the interest in graphic medicine grows, health communicators have started engaging readers with compelling visual and textual accounts of health and illness, including via comic books. One context where comics have shown promise is cancer communication. This brief report presents an early example of graphic medicine developed by the American Cancer Society. "Ladies … Wouldn't It Be Better to Know?" is a comic book produced in the 1960s to provide the public with lay information about the Pap test for cervical cancer prevention and detection. An analysis of a key narrative attribute, plot development, illustrates the central role that perceived barriers played in this midcentury public health message, a component that remains a consideration of cancer communication design today. This case study of an early graphic narrative identifies promising cancer message features that can be used to address and refute barriers to cervical cancer screening and connects contemporary research with historical efforts in public health communication.

Cancer Trends: Influencing Care and Research Priorities

Science.gov (United States)

Many of the trends being seen in cancer are changing how we view cancer and how we address it, from prompting research to identify the underlying causes of cancers increasing in incidence to informing research on treatment and prevention.

Research of the tasks on risk communication enforcement (Contract research)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Masaru; Aoyama, Isao; Ishizaka, Kaoru; Ohata, Yuki; Fukuike, Iori; Miyagawa, Hiroshi; Ishimori, Yuu

2017-01-01

From 1955 to 2001, Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) carried out research and development projects related to uranium exploration, mining, refining, conversion and enrichment at/around Ningyo-toge in Japan. Subsequently, JAEA has been carrying out remediation of the uranium mine legacy sites and decommissioning of the nuclear fuel cycle facilities. JAEA has many experiences of communication with local stakeholders from these projects. Among such experiences, management of the waste rock sites became local concern in 1988, 27 years after completion of the exploration. The issue was resolved in 2012 after several efforts. From this experience, it was suggested that the lack of information sharing with local stakeholders and that the inadequate support to stakeholder's requests caused the delay of problem solving. Therefore, sustainable relationship with local stakeholders for over decades is important for JAEA Ningyo-toge Environmental Engineering Center. As reference, similar domestic cases were investigated and strategies for risk communication were planned. As follows; (1) Clarify roles and responsibilities of communication staffs for sustainable communicating with local residents. (2) Identify gaps in risk communication knowledge among center and local residents and work toward filling those gaps. (3) Improve the effectiveness of Ningyo-toge center's website and PR-magazines as primary mechanism for communicating with wide stakeholders. (4) Investigate new communication methods for sustainable communicating, such as combination of environmental restoration studies by experts and environmental learning activities by residents. (author)

Communication networks of men facing a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Dot; Oetzel, John; Henderson, Alison

2016-11-01

This study seeks to identify the factors that shape the communication networks of men who face a potential diagnosis of prostate cancer, and how these factors relate to their disclosure about their changing health status. Men facing a potential diagnosis of prostate cancer are in a challenging situation; the support benefits of disclosing their changing health status to others in their communication networks is set against a backdrop of the potential stigma and uncertainty of the diagnosis. All men on a prostate biopsy waiting list were eligible for inclusion in an exploratory and interpretive study. Semi-structured interviews with 40 men explored their network structures and disclosure of health information. Thematic analysis highlighted the factors which contributed to their network structures and their disclosure about their health status. Four network factors shaped men's perspectives about disclosing their health status: (1) tie strength, comprising both strong and weak ties; (2) knowledgeable others, with a focus on medical professionals in the family; (3) homophily, which included other individuals with a similar medical condition; and (4) geographical proximity, with a preference for face-to-face communication. Communication networks influence men's disclosure of their health status and in particular weak ties with medical knowledge have an important role. Men who use the potential for support in their networks may experience improved psychosocial outcomes. Using these four network factors-tie strength, knowledgeable others, homophily or geographical proximity-to forecast men's willingness to disclose helps identify men who lack potential support and so are at risk of poor psychosocial health. Those with few strong ties or knowledgeable others in their networks may be in the at-risk cohort. The support provided in communication networks complements formal medical care from nurses and other health professionals, and encouraging patients to use their

Anxiety at the first radiotherapy session for non-metastatic breast cancer: Key communication and communication-related predictors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, Florence; Merckaert, Isabelle; Liénard, Aurore; Libert, Yves; Etienne, Anne-Marie; Reynaert, Christine; Slachmuylder, Jean-Louis; Scalliet, Pierre; Van Houtte, Paul; Coucke, Philippe

2015-01-01

Background and purpose: Patients may experience clinically relevant anxiety at their first radiotherapy (RT) sessions. To date, studies have not investigated during/around the RT simulation the key communication and communication-related predictors of this clinically relevant anxiety. Material and methods: Breast cancer patients (n = 227) completed visual analog scale (VAS) assessments of anxiety before and after their first RT sessions. Clinically relevant anxiety was defined as having pre- and post-first RT session VAS scores ⩾4 cm. Communication during RT simulation was assessed with content analysis software (LaComm), and communication-related variables around the RT simulation were assessed with questionnaires. Results: Clinically relevant anxiety at the first RT session was predicted by lower self-efficacy to communicate with the RT team (OR = 0.65; p = 0.020), the perception of lower support received from the RT team (OR = 0.70; p = 0.020), lower knowledge of RT-associated side effects (OR = 0.95; p = 0.057), and higher use of emotion-focused coping (OR = 1.09; p = 0.013). Conclusions: This study provides RT team members with information about potential communication strategies, which may be used to reduce patient anxiety at the first RT session

Starting them Early: Incorporating Communication Training into Undergraduate Research Internships

Science.gov (United States)

Bartel, B. A.; Morris, A. R.; Charlevoix, D.

2014-12-01

In order to truly broaden the impact of our scientific community, effective communication should be taught alongside research skills to developing scientists. In the summer of 2014, we incorporated an informal communications course into the 10th year of UNAVCO's Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students (RESESS), a year-long internship program centered around an 11-week intensive summer research experience. The goals of the newly designed course included giving students the tools they need to make a broader impact with their science, starting now; improving the students' confidence in public speaking and using social media for outreach; and giving students the tools they need to apply for jobs or graduate school. Specifically, the course included teaching of professional communication skills, such as e-mail and phone etiquette, resume and CV tailoring, and interview techniques, and public communications skills, such as crafting and simplifying messages, visual communication for the public, and public speaking. Student interns were encouraged to step back from the details of their research projects to put their work into a big-picture context relevant to the public and to policy makers. The course benefited from input and/or participation from UNAVCO Education and Community Engagement staff, engineering and managerial staff, and graduate student interns outside the RESESS program, and University of Colorado research and communications mentors already involved in RESESS. As the summer program is already packed with research and skill development, one major challenge was fitting in teaching these communications skills amongst many other obligations: a GRE course, a peer-focused scientific communications course, a computing course, and, of course, research. Can we do it all? This presentation will provide an overview of the course planning, articulation of course goals, and execution challenges and successes. We will present our lessons learned from

Cancer Genetics and Signaling | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The Cancer, Genetics, and Signaling (CGS) Group at the National Cancer Institute at Frederick  offers a competitive postdoctoral training and mentoring program focusing on molecular and genetic aspects of cancer. The CGS Fellows Program is designed to attract and train exceptional postdoctoral fellows interested in pursuing independent research career tracks. CGS Fellows participate in a structured mentoring program designed for scientific and career development and transition to independent positions.

Automation of Technology for Cancer Research.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Ent, Wietske; Veneman, Wouter J; Groenewoud, Arwin; Chen, Lanpeng; Tulotta, Claudia; Hogendoorn, Pancras C W; Spaink, Herman P; Snaar-Jagalska, B Ewa

2016-01-01

Zebrafish embryos can be obtained for research purposes in large numbers at low cost and embryos develop externally in limited space, making them highly suitable for high-throughput cancer studies and drug screens. Non-invasive live imaging of various processes within the larvae is possible due to their transparency during development, and a multitude of available fluorescent transgenic reporter lines.To perform high-throughput studies, handling large amounts of embryos and larvae is required. With such high number of individuals, even minute tasks may become time-consuming and arduous. In this chapter, an overview is given of the developments in the automation of various steps of large scale zebrafish cancer research for discovering important cancer pathways and drugs for the treatment of human disease. The focus lies on various tools developed for cancer cell implantation, embryo handling and sorting, microfluidic systems for imaging and drug treatment, and image acquisition and analysis. Examples will be given of employment of these technologies within the fields of toxicology research and cancer research.

Communication Competence and Performance: A Research and Pedagogical Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

McCroskey, James C.

Current conceptualizations of the construct of "communication competence" are examined in this paper and are found to be problematic. The paper argues that "communication competence" must be distinguished from "communication performance" and sees neither as a reliable predictor of the other. The paper suggests that both research and pedagogy must…

Talking in triads: communication with Turkish and Moroccan immigrants in the palliative phase of cancer.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graaff, F.M. de; Francke, A.L.; Muijsenbergh, M.E.T.C. van den; Geest, S. van der

2012-01-01

Aims and objectives: To gain insight into the factors that influence communication between health professionals and Turkish and Moroccan immigrants in the palliative phase of cancer. Background: In palliative care, communication is crucial. The question, however, is whether Dutch healthcare

Modeling the dyadic effects of parenting, stress, and coping on parent-child communication in families tested for hereditary breast-ovarian cancer risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Jada G; Mays, Darren; DeMarco, Tiffani; Tercyak, Kenneth P

2016-10-01

Genetic testing for BRCA genes, associated with hereditary breast-ovarian cancer risk, is an accepted cancer control strategy. BRCA genetic testing has both medical and psychosocial implications for individuals seeking testing and their family members. However, promoting open and adaptive communication about cancer risk in the family is challenging for parents of minor children. Using prospective data collected from mothers undergoing BRCA genetic testing and their untested co-parents (N = 102 parenting dyads), we examined how maternal and co-parent characteristics independently and conjointly influenced the overall quality of parent-child communication with minor children. Statistical associations were tested in accordance with the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Significant Actor effects were observed among mothers, such that open parent-child communication prior to genetic testing was positively associated with open communication 6 months following receipt of genetic test results; and among co-parents, more open parent-child communication at baseline and greater perceived quality of the parenting relationship were associated with more open parent-child communication at follow-up. Partner effects were also observed: co-parents' baseline communication and confidence in their ability to communicate with their minor children about genetic testing was positively associated with open maternal parent-child communication at follow-up. These results demonstrate that for families facing the prospect of cancer genetic testing, perceptions and behaviors of both members of child-rearing couples have important implications for the overall quality of communication with their minor children, including communication about cancer risk.

Couples' Support-Related Communication, Psychological Distress, and Relationship Satisfaction among Women with Early Stage Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Manne, Sharon; Sherman, Marne; Ross, Stephanie; Ostroff, Jamie; Heyman, Richard E.; Fox, Kevin

2004-01-01

This study examined associations between couple communication about cancer and psychological distress and relationship satisfaction of women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. One hundred forty-eight couples completed a videotaped discussion of a cancer-related issue and a general issue. Patients completed measures of psychological distress…

Bioprinting for cancer research.

Science.gov (United States)

Knowlton, Stephanie; Onal, Sevgi; Yu, Chu Hsiang; Zhao, Jean J; Tasoglu, Savas

2015-09-01

Bioprinting offers the ability to create highly complex 3D architectures with living cells. This cutting-edge technique has significantly gained popularity and applicability in several fields. Bioprinting methods have been developed to effectively and rapidly pattern living cells, biological macromolecules, and biomaterials. These technologies hold great potential for applications in cancer research. Bioprinted cancer models represent a significant improvement over previous 2D models by mimicking 3D complexity and facilitating physiologically relevant cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. Here we review bioprinting methods based on inkjet, microextrusion, and laser technologies and compare 3D cancer models with 2D cancer models. We discuss bioprinted models that mimic the tumor microenvironment, providing a platform for deeper understanding of cancer pathology, anticancer drug screening, and cancer treatment development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patient-centered prioritization of bladder cancer research.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Angela B; Chisolm, Stephanie; Deal, Allison; Spangler, Alejandra; Quale, Diane Z; Bangs, Rick; Jones, J Michael; Gore, John L

2018-05-04

Patient-centered research requires the meaningful involvement of patients and caregivers throughout the research process. The objective of this study was to create a process for sustainable engagement for research prioritization within oncology. From December 2014 to 2016, a network of engaged patients for research prioritization was created in partnership with the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN): the BCAN Patient Survey Network (PSN). The PSN leveraged an online bladder cancer community with additional recruitment through print advertisements and social media campaigns. Prioritized research questions were developed through a modified Delphi process and were iterated through multidisciplinary working groups and a repeat survey. In year 1 of the PSN, 354 patients and caregivers responded to the research prioritization survey; the number of responses increased to 1034 in year 2. The majority of respondents had non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), and the mean time since diagnosis was 5 years. Stakeholder-identified questions for noninvasive, invasive, and metastatic disease were prioritized by the PSN. Free-text questions were sorted with thematic mapping. Several questions submitted by respondents were among the prioritized research questions. A final prioritized list of research questions was disseminated to various funding agencies, and a highly ranked NMIBC research question was included as a priority area in the 2017 Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute announcement of pragmatic trial funding. Patient engagement is needed to identify high-priority research questions in oncology. The BCAN PSN provides a successful example of an engagement infrastructure for annual research prioritization in bladder cancer. The creation of an engagement network sets the groundwork for additional phases of engagement, including design, conduct, and dissemination. Cancer 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society. © 2018 American Cancer Society.

Research Award: Communications Division Deadline: 12 ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Jean-Claude Dumais

2012-09-12

Sep 12, 2012 ... IDRC's Communications Division has undertaken a number of initiatives to promote research results to key ... How are new technologies changing the face of publishing and how can development agencies benefit? • How can ...

Factors Affecting Physicians' Intentions to Communicate Personalized Prognostic Information to Cancer Patients at the End of Life: An Experimental Vignette Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Paul K J; Dieckmann, Nathan F; Holt, Christina; Gutheil, Caitlin; Peters, Ellen

2016-08-01

To explore the effects of personalized prognostic information on physicians' intentions to communicate prognosis to cancer patients at the end of life, and to identify factors that moderate these effects. A factorial experiment was conducted in which 93 family medicine physicians were presented with a hypothetical vignette depicting an end-stage gastric cancer patient seeking prognostic information. Physicians' intentions to communicate prognosis were assessed before and after provision of personalized prognostic information, while emotional distress of the patient and ambiguity (imprecision) of the prognostic estimate were varied between subjects. General linear models were used to test the effects of personalized prognostic information, patient distress, and ambiguity on prognostic communication intentions, and potential moderating effects of 1) perceived patient distress, 2) perceived credibility of prognostic models, 3) physician numeracy (objective and subjective), and 4) physician aversion to risk and ambiguity. Provision of personalized prognostic information increased prognostic communication intentions (P < 0.001, η(2) = 0.38), although experimentally manipulated patient distress and prognostic ambiguity had no effects. Greater change in communication intentions was positively associated with higher perceived credibility of prognostic models (P = 0.007, η(2) = 0.10), higher objective numeracy (P = 0.01, η(2) = 0.09), female sex (P = 0.01, η(2) = 0.08), and lower perceived patient distress (P = 0.02, η(2) = 0.07). Intentions to communicate available personalized prognostic information were positively associated with higher perceived credibility of prognostic models (P = 0.02, η(2) = 0.09), higher subjective numeracy (P = 0.02, η(2) = 0.08), and lower ambiguity aversion (P = 0.06, η(2) = 0.04). Provision of personalized prognostic information increases physicians' prognostic communication intentions to a hypothetical end-stage cancer patient, and

Facebook advertisements recruit parents of children with cancer for an online survey of web-based research preferences.

Science.gov (United States)

Akard, Terrah Foster; Wray, Sarah; Gilmer, Mary Jo

2015-01-01

Studies involving samples of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families face significant challenges, including inadequate sample sizes and limited diversity. Social media recruitment and Web-based research methods may help address such challenges yet have not been explored in pediatric cancer populations. This study examined the feasibility of using Facebook advertisements to recruit parent caregivers of children and teenagers with cancer. We also explored the feasibility of Web-based video recording in pediatric palliative care populations by surveying parents of children with cancer regarding (a) their preferences for research methods and (b) technological capabilities of their computers and phones. Facebook's paid advertising program was used to recruit parent caregivers of children currently living with cancer to complete an electronic survey about research preferences and technological capabilities. The advertising campaign generated 3 897 981 impressions, which resulted in 1050 clicks at a total cost of $1129.88. Of 284 screened individuals, 106 were eligible. Forty-five caregivers of children with cancer completed the entire electronic survey. Parents preferred and had technological capabilities for Web-based and electronic research methods. Participant survey responses are reported. Facebook was a useful, cost-effective method to recruit a diverse sample of parent caregivers of children with cancer. Web-based video recording and data collection may be feasible and desirable in samples of children with cancer and their families. Web-based methods (eg, Facebook, Skype) may enhance communication and access between nurses and pediatric oncology patients and their families.

Proteome-metabolome profiling of ovarian cancer ascites reveals novel components involved in intercellular communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Shender, Victoria O; Pavlyukov, Marat S; Ziganshin, Rustam H; Arapidi, Georgij P; Kovalchuk, Sergey I; Anikanov, Nikolay A; Altukhov, Ilya A; Alexeev, Dmitry G; Butenko, Ivan O; Shavarda, Alexey L; Khomyakova, Elena B; Evtushenko, Evgeniy; Ashrafyan, Lev A; Antonova, Irina B; Kuznetcov, Igor N; Gorbachev, Alexey Yu; Shakhparonov, Mikhail I; Govorun, Vadim M

2014-12-01

Ovarian cancer ascites is a native medium for cancer cells that allows investigation of their secretome in a natural environment. This medium is of interest as a promising source of potential biomarkers, and also as a medium for cell-cell communication. The aim of this study was to elucidate specific features of the malignant ascites metabolome and proteome. In order to omit components of the systemic response to ascites formation, we compared malignant ascites with cirrhosis ascites. Metabolome analysis revealed 41 components that differed significantly between malignant and cirrhosis ascites. Most of the identified cancer-specific metabolites are known to be important signaling molecules. Proteomic analysis identified 2096 and 1855 proteins in the ovarian cancer and cirrhosis ascites, respectively; 424 proteins were specific for the malignant ascites. Functional analysis of the proteome demonstrated that the major differences between cirrhosis and malignant ascites were observed for the cluster of spliceosomal proteins. Additionally, we demonstrate that several splicing RNAs were exclusively detected in malignant ascites, where they probably existed within protein complexes. This result was confirmed in vitro using an ovarian cancer cell line. Identification of spliceosomal proteins and RNAs in an extracellular medium is of particular interest; the finding suggests that they might play a role in the communication between cancer cells. In addition, malignant ascites contains a high number of exosomes that are known to play an important role in signal transduction. Thus our study reveals the specific features of malignant ascites that are associated with its function as a medium of intercellular communication. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Editorial: Qualitative Research and Intercultural Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthias Otten

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This article introduces to the thematic scope and the articles of this special issue and it explains some important terminological distinctions of the intercultural research field. The overall aim of this issue is to explore the manifold ways to apply and to reflect upon qualitative research methods in the context of intercultural communication. This implies both a discussion of genuine characteristics of intercultural qualitative research as well as attempts to identify common features and linkages of this special area with more general interpretative research traditions under the "umbrella" of qualitative social research. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0901342

Business Communication Consulting and Research in Multinational Companies.

Science.gov (United States)

Hildebrandt, Herbert W.

1978-01-01

Describes three issues involved in communication research and consulting for multinational companies, particularly those in Germany: qualifications for doing international consulting and research, problems of American scholar-researchers in those firms, and suggestions for dealing with those issues. (JMF)

Adult Willingness to Use Email and Social Media for Peer-to-Peer Cancer Screening Communication: Quantitative Interview Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cutrona, Sarah L; Roblin, Douglas W; Wagner, Joann L; Gaglio, Bridget; Williams, Andrew E; Torres Stone, Rosalie; Field, Terry S; Mazor, Kathleen M

2013-11-28

Adults over age 40 are increasing their use of email and social media, raising interest in use of peer-to-peer Internet-based messaging to promote cancer screening. The objective of our study was to assess current practices and attitudes toward use of email and other e-communication for peer-to-peer dialogues on cancer screening. We conducted in-person interviews with 438 insured adults ages 42-73 in Georgia, Hawaii, and Massachusetts. Participants reported on use of email and other e-communication including social media to discuss with peers routine health topics including breast and colorectal cancer (CRC). We ascertained willingness to share personal CRC screening experiences via conversation, postcard, email, or other e-communication. Health literacy scores were measured. Email had been used by one-third (33.8%, 148/438) to discuss routine health topics, by 14.6% (64/438) to discuss breast cancer screening, and by 12.6% (55/438) to discuss CRC screening. Other e-communication was used to discuss routine health topics (11.6%, 51/438), screening for breast cancer (3.9%, 17/438), and CRC (2.3%, 10/438). In the preceding week, 84.5% (370/438) of participants had used email, 55.9% (245/438) had used e-communication of some type; 44.3% (194/438) text, 32.9% (144/438) Facebook, 12.3% (54/438) instant message, 7.1% (31/438) video chat, and 4.8% (21/438) Twitter. Many participants were willing to share their CRC screening experiences via email (32.4%, 142/438 might be willing; 36.3%, 159/438 very willing) and via other e-communication (15.8%, 69/438 might be willing; 14.4%, 63/438 very willing). Individuals willing to send CRC screening emails scored significantly higher on tests of health literacy compared to those willing to send only postcards (Pcommunication to promote cancer screening to peers. Optimal approaches for encouraging peer-to-peer transmission of accurate and appropriate cancer screening messages must be studied.

Enhancing Communication in an Egyptian Research Centre

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morsy, S.W.

2013-01-01

This paper is a proposed attempt to enhance communication in a research centre in Egypt. The currently Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority (NRRA) which formerly was the National Centre for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Control (NCNSRC) is housed in a nine-storey building with a straight double loaded corridor architectural plan. Syntactic axial analysis showed high integration for each floor plan individually which means that the floor plan is not to be blamed for lack of communication among floor inhabitants; other means must be attempted. But global axial integration (for the whole building) proved to be poor. A problem of communication among floors was identified. Means for enhancing communication were introduced: The lecture hall, the cafe and meeting rooms can play an important role in enhancing global communication among NRRA inhabitants. Besides a questionnaire was designed and distributed on all inhabitants and its feedback came up with ideas which if implemented could result in enhancing the level of communication between the inhabitants of the building thus overcoming spatial hindrances.

Techniques in cancer research: a laboratory manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deo, M.G.; Seshadri, R.; Mulherkar, R.; Mukhopadhyaya, R.

1995-01-01

Cancer Research Institute (CRI) works on all facets of cancer using the latest biomedical tools. For this purpose, it has established modern laboratories in different branches of cancer biology such as cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology, chemical and viral oncogenesis, genetics of cancer including genetic engineering, tissue culture, cancer chemotherapy, neurooncology and comparative oncology. This manual describes the protocols used in these laboratories. There is also a chapter on handling and care of laboratory animals, an essential component of any modern cancer biology laboratory. It is hoped that the manual will be useful to biomedical laboratories, specially those interested in cancer research. refs., tabs., figs

Nonverbal Communication in Politics: A Review of Research Developments, 2005-2015

OpenAIRE

Dumitrescu, Delia

2016-01-01

This article reviews research contributions in political science and communication to the topic of nonverbal communication and politics from 2005 to 2015. The review opens with research on the content of nonverbal communication, then considers studies examining what moderates the impact of nonverbal aspects of political messages on attitudes and behavior and the mechanisms that underpin these effects. Over the period reviewed here, research shows that the nonverbal channel is rich in politica...

Researching the experience of kidney cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, K

2002-09-01

The author's personal experience as a kidney cancer patient, researcher and founder of a kidney cancer support group forms the basis for consideration of the challenges involved in researching patients' experiences. The researcher needs to understand the variability of those experiences in both clinical and psychological-emotional terms, and in relation to the personal, familial and social contexts of the patient. It is also essential to define the purpose of the research and to show how an understanding of personal experiences of cancer can be used to enhance the quality of care for cancer patients. The research encounter with a patient is also in some respects a therapeutic encounter requiring a considerable degree of sensitivity on the part of the researcher. The person-centred approach of Carl Rogers is of value in supporting such an encounter.

Current concepts in cancer research

OpenAIRE

Ivan Kok Seng Yap; Ammu Kutty Radhakrishnan; Chee Onn Leong

2013-01-01

Cancer research is an extremely broadtopic covering many scientific disciplines includingbiology (e.g. biochemistry and signal transduction),chemistry (e.g. drug discover and development),physics (e.g. diagnostic devices) and even computerscience (e.g. bioinformatics). Some would argue thatcancer research will continue in much the same wayas it is by adding further layers of complexity to thescientific knowledge that is already complex and almostbeyond measure. But we anticipate that cancer r...

Research in Danish cancer rehabilitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høybye, Mette Terp; Dalton, Susanne Oksbjerg; Christensen, Jane

2008-01-01

rate at baseline was 86% (n = 1876). Most participants were younger women with breast cancer. They were generally well educated and working. The cancer survivors reported having comprehensive social networks and being physically active. Several cancer-related symptoms were reported by women...... site, sex, age, family, working status and social position. These challenges might be addressed optimally in multi-dimensional rehabilitation programmes....... of the cancer survivors with respect to cancer site, sociodemographic variables, social network, lifestyle, self-rated health and the prevalence of cancer-related late effects. The study is part of the FOCARE research project, in which the long-term effects of the rehabilitation programme are evaluated...

Visualizing risks in cancer communication: A systematic review of computer-supported visual aids.

Science.gov (United States)

Stellamanns, Jan; Ruetters, Dana; Dahal, Keshav; Schillmoeller, Zita; Huebner, Jutta

2017-08-01

Health websites are becoming important sources for cancer information. Lay users, patients and carers seek support for critical decisions, but they are prone to common biases when quantitative information is presented. Graphical representations of risk data can facilitate comprehension, and interactive visualizations are popular. This review summarizes the evidence on computer-supported graphs that present risk data and their effects on various measures. The systematic literature search was conducted in several databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL. Only studies with a controlled design were included. Relevant publications were carefully selected and critically appraised by two reviewers. Thirteen studies were included. Ten studies evaluated static graphs and three dynamic formats. Most decision scenarios were hypothetical. Static graphs could improve accuracy, comprehension, and behavioural intention. But the results were heterogeneous and inconsistent among the studies. Dynamic formats were not superior or even impaired performance compared to static formats. Static graphs show promising but inconsistent results, while research on dynamic visualizations is scarce and must be interpreted cautiously due to methodical limitations. Well-designed and context-specific static graphs can support web-based cancer risk communication in particular populations. The application of dynamic formats cannot be recommended and needs further research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Research in technical communication in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, C.J.M.

1994-01-01

In the Netherlands, research in technical communication is a part of research in 'functional text,' which has concrete goals that must be achieved by lay readers. Three recent studies focus on the use of and failure to use software manuals, the minimalist approach and learning styles, and the effect

Researching experiences of cancer: the importance of methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Entwistle, V; Tritter, J Q; Calnan, M

2002-09-01

This paper draws on contributions to and discussions at a recent MRC HSRC-sponsored workshop 'Researching users' experiences of health care: the case of cancer'. We focus on the methodological and ethical challenges that currently face researchers who use self-report methods to investigate experiences of cancer and cancer care. These challenges relate to: the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of research; participation rates and participant profiles; data collection methods (the retrospective nature of accounts, description and measurement, and data collection as intervention); social desirability considerations; relationship considerations; the experiences of contributing to research; and the synthesis and presentation of findings. We suggest that methodological research to tackle these challenges should be integrated into substantive research projects to promote the development of a strong knowledge base about experiences of cancer and cancer care.

On Research Work in Communication Departments

OpenAIRE

Marín Ardila, Luis Fernando; Pontificia Universidad Javeriana

2010-01-01

The gathering of multiple individuals dealing with different knowledge subject matters constitutes an enormous potential for any university. If this encounter is really translated into a lively academic community, the manifest result would be a condition of possibility whereby knowledge and information can be created, recreated, and given new meanings. Thus, research on or within communication, is in urgent need of links and shared languages: research requires reducing dispersion and facilita...

Challenges and opportunities in cancer control in Africa: a perspective from the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Morhason-Bello, Imran O; Odedina, Folakemi; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Harford, Joe; Dangou, Jean-Marie; Denny, Lynette; Adewole, Isaac F

2013-04-01

Sub-Saharan Africa has a disproportionate burden of disease and faces a major public-health challenge from non-communicable diseases. Although infectious diseases continue to afflict Africa, the proportion of the overall disease burden in sub-Saharan Africa attributable to cancer is rising. The region is predicted to have a greater than 85% increase in cancer burden by 2030. Approaches to minimise the burden of cancer in sub-Saharan Africa in the past few years have had little success because of low awareness of the cancer burden and a poor understanding of the potential for cancer prevention. Success will not be easy, and will need partnerships and bridges to be built across countries, economies, and professions. A strategic approach to cancer control in sub-Saharan Africa is needed to build on what works there and what is unique to the region. It should ideally be situated within strong, robust, and sustainable health-care systems that offer quality health care to all people, irrespective of their social or economic standing. However, to achieve this will need new leadership, critical thinking, investment, and understanding. We discuss the present situation in sub-Saharan Africa and propose ideas to advance cancer control in the region, including the areas of cancer awareness, advocacy, research, workforce, care, training, and funding. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mother–Child Communication and Maternal Depressive Symptoms in Families of Children With Cancer: Integrating Macro and Micro Levels of Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Madeleine J.; Zuckerman, Teddi; Hughart, Leighann; Vannatta, Kathryn; Gerhardt, Cynthia A.; Saylor, Megan; Schuele, C. Melanie; Compas, Bruce E.

2013-01-01

Objectives This study examines associations between maternal depressive symptoms and macro- and micro-level aspects of mothers’ communication about their children’s cancer. Methods Mothers reported depressive symptoms after diagnosis or relapse (child mean age = 10.4 years; 53% male). Mother–child dyads (N = 94) were subsequently observed discussing the child’s cancer and maternal communication was coded. Results Macro-level indicators (positive and negative communication) were associated with certain micro-level indicators of communication (topic maintenance, reflections, reframes, and imperatives). Higher depressive symptoms predicted lower positive communication and higher negative communication. Maternal reflections and imperatives predicted positive communication, and topic maintenance and reframes predicted negative communication, beyond child age, family income, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions Findings suggest concrete targets for improving communication in families after diagnosis or relapse. PMID:23616622

Perceptions, Expectations, and Attitudes about Communication with Physicians among Chinese American and non-Hispanic White Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Judy Huei-yu; Adams, Inez F.; Pasick, Rena J.; Gomez, Scarlett L.; Allen, Laura; Ma, Grace X.; Lee, Michael X.; Huang, Ellen

2013-01-01

Purpose Asian Americans have consistently reported poorer communication with physicians compared with non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). This qualitative study sought to elucidate the similarities and differences in communication with physicians between Chinese and NHW breast cancer survivors. Methods Forty-four Chinese and 28 NHW women with early-stage breast cancer (stage 0-IIa) from the Greater Bay Area Cancer Registry participated in focus group discussions or individual interviews. We oversampled Chinese women because little is known about their cancer care experiences. In both interview formats, questions explored patients’ experiences and feelings when communicating with physicians about their diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. Results Physician empathy at the time of diagnosis was important to both ethnic groups; however, during treatment and follow-up care, physicians’ ability to treat cancer and alleviate physical symptoms was a higher priority. NHW and US-born Chinese survivors were more likely to assert their needs, whereas Chinese immigrants accepted physician advice even when it did not alleviate physical problems (e.g., pain). Patients viewed all physicians as the primary source for information about cancer care. Many Chinese immigrants sought additional information from primary care physicians and stressed optimal communication over language concordance. Conclusions Physician empathy and precise information were important for cancer patients. Cultural differences such as the Western emphasis on individual autonomy vs. Chinese emphasis on respect and hierarchy can be the basis for the varied approaches to physician communication we observed. Interventions based on cultural understanding can foster more effective communication between immigrant patients and physicians ultimately improving patient outcomes. PMID:23903797

Patient and family communication during consultation visits: The effects of a decision aid for treatment decision-making for localized prostate cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Lixin; Tyler, Christina; Clayton, Margaret F; Rodgiriguez-Rassi, Eleanor; Hill, Latorya; Bai, Jinbing; Pruthi, Raj; Bailey, Donald E

2017-02-01

To analyze the effects of a decision aid on improving patients' and family members' information giving and question asking during consultations for prostate cancer treatment decision-making. This study is a secondary analysis of archived audio-recorded real-time consultation visits with participants from a randomized clinical trial. Participants were randomly assigned into three groups: TD-intervention targeted patient-only; TS-intervention targeted patients and family members; and control-a handout on staying healthy during treatment. We conducted content analysis using a researcher-developed communication coding system. Using SAS 9.3, we conducted Chi-square/Fisher's exact test to examine whether information giving and question asking among patients and family members varied by groups when discussing different content/topics. Compared with those in the TS and control groups, significantly higher percentages of participants in the TD group demonstrated information giving in discussing topics about diagnosis, treatment options, risks and benefits, and preferences; and engaged in question asking when discussing diagnosis, watchful waiting/active surveillance, risks and benefits, and preferences for treatment impacts. Information support and communication skills training for patients were effective in improving communication during treatment decision-making consultations. Providing information about prostate cancer and communication skills training empower patients and their family members. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prostate cancer survivors as community health educators: implications for informed decision making and cancer communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Vijaykumar, Santosh; Wray, Ricardo J; Jupka, Keri; Clarke, Ryan; Shahid, Mellve

2013-12-01

Recent evidence questioning the effectiveness of prostate-specific antigen testing leave community-based prostate cancer (CaP) outreach programs with a dilemma between promoting screening and highlighting screening risks. CaP survivors are uniquely positioned to address this problem by drawing upon real-life experiences to share nuanced information and perspectives. While CaP survivors have historically been incorporated into outreach programs, little is known about their impact on psychosocial outcomes and their effectiveness compared to professional health educators. This study addressed these gaps through a quasi-experimental design where African American men attended a CaP screening session conducted by a health educator (HE) or survivor educator (SV). The presentation included prostate cancer statistics, CaP information, and descriptions of CaP screening tests. SV were encouraged to bolster their presentations with personal stories whereas HE maintained fidelity to the curriculum content. All participants completed pre- and post-test questionnaires. Our sample comprised a total of 63 participants (HE group = 32; SV group = 31) with an age range of 40-70 years. Decision self-efficacy increased significantly in the SV group (p = 0.01) whereas perceived screening risks reduced significantly in the HE group (p communication efforts confronted by the CaP screening controversy. We discuss conceptual and programmatic implications of our findings and present directions for future research.

Research progress of free space coherent optical communication

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Tan, Zhenkun; Ke, Xizheng

2018-02-01

This paper mainly introduces the research progress of free space coherent optical communication in Xi'an University of Technology. In recent years, the research on the outer modulation technology of the laser, free-space-to-fiber coupling technique, the design of transmitting and receiving optical antenna, adaptive optical technology with or without wave-front sensor, automatic polarization control technology, frequency stabilization technology, heterodyne detection technology and high speed signal processing technology. Based on the above related research, the digital signal modulation, transmission, detection and data recovery are realized by the heterodyne detection technology in the free space optical communication system, and finally the function of smooth viewing high-definition video is realized.

Shared Communications: Volume 2. In-Depth Systems Research

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Truett, LF

2004-09-22

This report is the second of two documents that examine the literature for actual examples of organizations and agencies that share communications resources. While the primary emphasis is on rural, intelligent transportation system (ITS) communications involving transit, examples will not be limited to rural activities, nor to ITS implementation, nor even to transit. In addition, the term ''communication'' will be broadly applied to include all information resources. The first document of this series, ''Shared Communications: Volume I. A Summary and Literature Review'', defines the meaning of the term ''shared communication resources'' and provides many examples of agencies that share resources. This document, ''Shared Communications: Volume II. In-Depth Systems Research'', reviews attributes that contributed to successful applications of the sharing communication resources concept. A few examples of each type of communication sharing are provided. Based on the issues and best practice realworld examples, recommendations for potential usage and recommended approaches for field operational tests are provided.

Marketing communication in the area of breast and cervical cancer prevention.

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Cvijović, Jelena; Milica Kostić-Stanković; Krstić, Goran; Stojanović, Ljupce

2016-06-01

Innovative marketing campaigns and promotional activities can successfully contribute to the improvement of public health by raising the level of general knowledge about health issues and benefits that the change of habits, eradication of undesirable behaviour and regular medical controls have. The focus should be on continuous marketing communication through various mass media or direct communication between medical staff and patients. The aim of this paper was to define the role that various communication channels have in the process of informing and educating the target group in case of breast and cervical cancer prevention. The survey based on polling a sample of 2,100 female patients of the Serbian Railways Medical Centre was conducted in the period October- December 2013. The questionnaire included questions about demographic characteristics, prevention habits of women, their level of information on that topic and communication channels they prefer. There is a difference among respondents' awareness level about preventive measures depending on demographic and geographical criteria. The results indicate the existence of variations in frequency of performing gynaecological examinations and Pap tests depending on different age, educational and residential groups. Although the largest percentage of women stated familiarity with the way of performing breast self-examination (78%), the majority of them had never performed mammography or ultrasonography (67%). The greatest number of women were informed about the possibility of preventing breast and cervical cancer by posters or brochures in health institutions (71%) and mass media--television on the first place (74%), then specialized magazines about health (48%), radio (48%), web sites about health (42%), and daily newspapers (34%). The respondents consider the Ministry of Health and health institutions as the most responsible subjects for education of women about cancer prevention, while the self-initiative was

Marketing communication in the area of breast and cervical cancer prevention

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cvijović Jelena

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background/Aim. Innovative marketing campaigns and promotional activities can successfully contribute to the improvement of public health by raising the level of general knowledge about health issues and benefits that the change of habits, eradication of undesirable behaviour and regular medical controls have. The focus should be on continuous marketing communication through various mass media or direct communication between medical staff and patients. The aim of this paper was to define the role that various communication channels have in the process of informing and educating the target group in case of breast and cervical cancer prevention. Methods. The survey based on polling a sample of 2,100 female patients of the Serbian Railways Medical Centre was conducted in the period October-December 2013. The questionnaire included questions about demographic characteristics, prevention habits of women, their level of information on that topic and communication channels they prefer. Results. There is a difference among respondents’ awareness level about preventive measures depending on demographic and geographical criteria. The results indicate the existence of variations in frequency of performing gynaecological examinations and Pap tests depending on different age, educational and residential groups. Although the largest percentage of women stated familiarity with the way of performing breast self-examination (78%, the majority of them had never per-formed mammography or ultrasonography (67%. The greatest number of women were informed about the possibility of preventing breast and cervical cancer by posters or brochures in health institutions (71% and mass media - television on the first place (74%, then specialized magazines about health (48%, radio (48%, web sites about health (42%, and daily newspapers (34%. The respondents consider the Ministry of Health and health institutions as the most responsible subjects for education of women about

Communication Disparity Between the Bereaved and Others: What Hurts Them and What Is Unhelpful? A Nationwide Study of the Cancer Bereaved.

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Ishida, Mayumi; Onishi, Hideki; Morita, Tatsuya; Uchitomi, Yosuke; Shimizu, Megumi; Tsuneto, Satoru; Shima, Yasuo; Miyashita, Mitsunori

2018-04-01

The importance of communication between the cancer bereaved and others has been emphasized, but little is known about the more problematic aspects of this communication such as "unhelpful communication." The aim of this study was to establish which types of communication are perceived by the bereaved to be unhelpful. We conducted a cross-sectional, anonymous, nationwide survey at 103 certified hospice facilities/palliative care units in Japan. A total of 630 (63%) bereaved responded. Over 60% of the bereaved experiencing such communication considered it to be unhelpful, with the most unhelpful communication being "They emphasized the positive aspects of death." Thirteen items related to communication were separated into two factors ("advice for recovery" and "comments on cancer") by factor analysis. "Comments on cancer" were more unhelpful to them and were more often provided by those around them. With regard to "advice for recovery," losing a spouse was a stronger predictor with a higher odds ratio for communication distress than losing a parent (odds ratio, 5.34; 95% CI, 1.63-17.57). A number of the bereaved have experienced unhelpful communication regarding advice on dealing with bereavement and cancer. To prevent putting an unnecessary burden on the bereaved with such unhelpful communication, it is essential to understand problematic aspects. Even when people have no intention of hurting the bereaved, some communication may do so. Communication with the bereaved is also a core clinical skill required by health professionals, and further efforts are required to support the grieving process. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influencing feelings of cancer risk: direct and moderator effects of affectively laden phrases in risk communication.

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Janssen, Eva; van Osch, Liesbeth; Lechner, Lilian; de Vries, Hein

2015-01-01

Evidence is accumulating for the importance of feelings of risk in explaining cancer preventive behaviors, but best practices for influencing these feelings are limited. This study investigated the direct and moderational influence of affectively laden phrases in cancer risk messages. Two experimental studies were conducted in relation to different cancer-related behaviors--sunbed use (n = 112) and red meat consumption (n = 447)--among student and nonstudent samples. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (a) a cognitive message using cognitively laden phrases or (b) an affective message using affectively laden phrases. The results revealed that affective phrases did not directly influence feelings of risk in both studies. Evidence for a moderational influence was found in Study 2, suggesting that affective information strengthened the relation between feelings of risk and intention (i.e., participants relied more on their feelings in the decision-making process after exposure to affective information). These findings suggest that solely using affective phrases in risk communication may not be sufficient to directly influence feelings of risk and other methods need to be explored in future research. Moreover, research is needed to replicate our preliminary indications for a moderational influence of affective phrases to advance theory and practice.

A metasynthesis of patient-provider communication in hospital for patients with severe communication disabilities: informing new translational research.

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Hemsley, Bronwyn; Balandin, Susan

2014-12-01

Poor patient-provider communication in hospital continues to be cited as a possible causal factor in preventable adverse events for patients with severe communication disabilities. Yet to date there are no reports of empirical interventions that investigate or demonstrate an improvement in communication in hospital for these patients. The aim of this review was to synthesize the findings of research into communication in hospital for people with severe communication disabilities arising from lifelong and acquired stable conditions including cerebral palsy, autism, intellectual disability, aphasia following stroke, but excluding progressive conditions and those solely related to sensory impairments of hearing or vision. Results revealed six core strategies suggested to improve communication in hospital: (a) develop services, systems, and policies that support improved communication, (b) devote enough time to communication, (c) ensure adequate access to communication tools (nurse call systems and communication aids), (d) access personally held written health information, (e) collaborate effectively with carers, spouses, and parents, and (f) increase the communicative competence of hospital staff. Currently there are no reports that trial or validate any of these strategies specifically in hospital settings. Observational and evaluative research is needed to investigate the ecological validity of strategies proposed to improve communication.

Design of the BRISC study: a multicentre controlled clinical trial to optimize the communication of breast cancer risks in genetic counselling.

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Ockhuysen-Vermey, Caroline F; Henneman, Lidewij; van Asperen, Christi J; Oosterwijk, Jan C; Menko, Fred H; Timmermans, Daniëlle R M

2008-10-03

Understanding risks is considered to be crucial for informed decision-making. Inaccurate risk perception is a common finding in women with a family history of breast cancer attending genetic counseling. As yet, it is unclear how risks should best be communicated in clinical practice. This study protocol describes the design and methods of the BRISC (Breast cancer RISk Communication) study evaluating the effect of different formats of risk communication on the counsellee's risk perception, psychological well-being and decision-making regarding preventive options for breast cancer. The BRISC study is designed as a pre-post-test controlled group intervention trial with repeated measurements using questionnaires. The intervention-an additional risk consultation-consists of one of 5 conditions that differ in the way counsellee's breast cancer risk is communicated: 1) lifetime risk in numerical format (natural frequencies, i.e. X out of 100), 2) lifetime risk in both numerical format and graphical format (population figures), 3) lifetime risk and age-related risk in numerical format, 4) lifetime risk and age-related risk in both numerical format and graphical format, and 5) lifetime risk in percentages. Condition 6 is the control condition in which no intervention is given (usual care). Participants are unaffected women with a family history of breast cancer attending one of three participating clinical genetic centres in the Netherlands. The BRISC study allows for an evaluation of the effects of different formats of communicating breast cancer risks to counsellees. The results can be used to optimize risk communication in order to improve informed decision-making among women with a family history of breast cancer. They may also be useful for risk communication in other health-related services. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN14566836.

Design of the BRISC study: a multicentre controlled clinical trial to optimize the communication of breast cancer risks in genetic counselling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Menko Fred H

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Understanding risks is considered to be crucial for informed decision-making. Inaccurate risk perception is a common finding in women with a family history of breast cancer attending genetic counseling. As yet, it is unclear how risks should best be communicated in clinical practice. This study protocol describes the design and methods of the BRISC (Breast cancer RISk Communication study evaluating the effect of different formats of risk communication on the counsellee's risk perception, psychological well-being and decision-making regarding preventive options for breast cancer. Methods and design The BRISC study is designed as a pre-post-test controlled group intervention trial with repeated measurements using questionnaires. The intervention-an additional risk consultation-consists of one of 5 conditions that differ in the way counsellee's breast cancer risk is communicated: 1 lifetime risk in numerical format (natural frequencies, i.e. X out of 100, 2 lifetime risk in both numerical format and graphical format (population figures, 3 lifetime risk and age-related risk in numerical format, 4 lifetime risk and age-related risk in both numerical format and graphical format, and 5 lifetime risk in percentages. Condition 6 is the control condition in which no intervention is given (usual care. Participants are unaffected women with a family history of breast cancer attending one of three participating clinical genetic centres in the Netherlands. Discussion The BRISC study allows for an evaluation of the effects of different formats of communicating breast cancer risks to counsellees. The results can be used to optimize risk communication in order to improve informed decision-making among women with a family history of breast cancer. They may also be useful for risk communication in other health-related services. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN14566836.

Behind closed doors: systematic analysis of breast cancer consultation communication and predictors of satisfaction with communication.

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Hack, Thomas F; Pickles, Tom; Ruether, J Dean; Weir, Lorna; Bultz, Barry D; Degner, Lesley F

2010-06-01

The purpose of this investigation was to explicate the content of primary adjuvant treatment consultations in breast oncology and examine the predictive relationships between patient and oncologist consultation factors and patient satisfaction with communication. The recorded consultations of 172 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients from four Canadian cancer centers were randomly drawn from a larger subset of 481 recordings and examined by three coders using the Medical Interaction Process System (MIPS); a system that categorizes the content and mode of each distinct utterance. The MIPS findings, independent observer ratings of patient and oncologist affective behavior, and derived consultation ratios of patient centeredness, patient directedness, and psychosocial focus, were used to predict patient satisfaction with communication post-consultation and at 12-weeks post-consultation. Biomedical content categories were predominant in the consultations, accounting for 88% of all utterances, followed by administrative (6%) and psychosocial (6%) utterances. Post-consultation satisfaction with communication was significantly higher for older patients, those with smaller primary tumors and those with longer consultations. Smaller tumor, lack of patient assertiveness during the treatment consultation and having the consultation with a radiation rather than medical oncologist were significantly predictive of greater satisfaction at 12-weeks post-consultation. Adjuvant treatment consultations are characterized by a high degree of information-giving by the physician, a predominance of biomedical discussion and relatively minimal time addressing patients' psychosocial concerns. Controlled trials are needed to further identify and address the contextual features of these consultations that enhance patient satisfaction. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Conversations About Cancer (CAC) project: assessing feasibility and audience impacts from viewing The Cancer Play.

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Beach, Wayne A; Buller, Mary K; Dozier, David M; Buller, David B; Gutzmer, Kyle

2014-01-01

Basic communication research has identified a major social problem: communicating about cancer from diagnosis through death of a loved one. Over the past decade, an award-winning investigation into how family members talk through cancer on the telephone, based on a corpus of 61 phone calls over a period of 13 months, has been transformed into a theatrical production entitled The Cancer Play. All dialogue in the play is drawn from naturally occurring (transcribed) interactions between family members as they navigate their way through the trials, tribulations, hopes, and triumphs of a cancer journey. This dramatic performance explicitly acknowledges the power of the arts as an exceptional learning tool for extending empirical research, exploring ordinary family life, and exposing the often taken-for-granted conceptions of health and illness. In this study, a Phase I STTR project funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), we assess the feasibility of educating and impacting cancer patients, family members, and medical professionals who viewed the play as a live performance and through DVD screenings. Pre- and postperformance questionnaires were administered to solicit audience feedback. Pre-post change scores demonstrate overwhelming and positive impacts for changing opinions about the perceived importance, and attributed significance, of family communication in the midst of cancer. Paired-sample t-tests were conducted on five factor-analyzed indices/indicators-two indices of opinions about cancer and family communication, two indices measuring the importance of key communication activities, and the self-efficacy indicator-and all factors improved significantly (<.001). Informal talkback sessions were also held following the viewings, and selected audience members participated in focus groups. Talkback and focus-group sessions generated equally strong, support responses. Implications of the Phase I study are being applied in Phase II, a currently funded effort to

Flow Cytometry Technician | Center for Cancer Research

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES The Flow Cytometry Core (Flow Core) of the Cancer and Inflammation Program (CIP) is a service core which supports the research efforts of the CCR by providing expertise in the field of flow cytometry (using analyzers and sorters) with the goal of gaining a more thorough understanding of the biology of cancer and cancer cells. The Flow Core provides service to 12-15 CIP laboratories and more than 22 non-CIP laboratories. Flow core staff provide technical advice on the experimental design of applications, which include immunological phenotyping, cell function assays, and cell cycle analysis. Work is performed per customer requirements, and no independent research is involved. The Flow Cytometry Technician will be responsible for: Monitor performance of and maintain high dimensional flow cytometer analyzers and cell sorters Operate high dimensional flow cytometer analyzers and cell sorters Monitoring lab supply levels and order lab supplies, perform various record keeping responsibilities Assist in the training of scientific end users on the use of flow cytometry in their research, as well as how to operate and troubleshoot the bench-top analyzer instruments Experience with sterile technique and tissue culture

Facebook Ads Recruit Parents of Children with Cancer for an Online Survey of Web-Based Research Preferences

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Akard, Terrah Foster; Wray, Sarah; Gilmer, Mary

2014-01-01

Background Studies involving samples of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families face significant challenges, including inadequate sample sizes and limited diversity. Social media recruitment and web-based research methods may help address such challenges yet have not been explored in pediatric cancer populations. Objective This study examined the feasibility of using Facebook ads to recruit parent caregivers of children and teens with cancer. We also explored the feasibility of web-based video recording in pediatric palliative care populations by surveying parents of children with cancer regarding (a) their preferences for research methods and (b) technological capabilities of their computers and phones. Methods Facebook's paid advertising program was used to recruit parent caregivers of children currently living with cancer to complete an electronic survey about research preferences and technological capabilities. Results The advertising campaign generated 3,897,981 impressions which resulted in 1050 clicks at a total cost of $1129.88. Of 284 screened individuals, 106 were eligible. Forty-five caregivers of children with cancer completed the entire electronic survey. Parents preferred and had technological capabilities for web-based and electronic research methods. Participant survey responses are reported. Conclusion Facebook was a useful, cost-effective method to recruit a diverse sample of parent caregivers of children with cancer. Web-based video recording and data collection may be feasible and desirable in samples of children with cancer and their families. Implications for Practice Web-based methods (e.g., Facebook, Skype) may enhance communication and access between nurses and pediatric oncology patients and their families. PMID:24945264

Pilot study to train dentists to communicate about oral cancer: the impact on dentists' self-reported behaviour, confidence and beliefs.

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Awojobi, O; Newton, J T; Scott, S E

2016-01-22

To evaluate the effect of a brief, focused training session on the use of an oral cancer communication guide on dentists' intentions, self-efficacy and beliefs with regards to communicating about oral cancer with patients. Pre-post intervention study. The training session took place in a lecture theatre at King's College London. Dentists working in various settings were trained on the use of the oral cancer communication guide via a structured session that included an update on oral cancer, modelling the use of the guide in practice, and role playing. Dentists (n = 39) completed questionnaires pre-training, immediately post-training (n = 31) and after 2 weeks (n = 23). Questionnaires assessed current practice, self-efficacy and barriers to discussing oral cancer. A significantly higher proportion of dentists reported that they informed patients that they were being screened for oral cancer post-training (44%) than pre-training (16%). Significantly fewer perceived barriers and higher self-efficacy to discuss oral cancer were also reported. Training dentists in the use of the guide showed positive impact by reducing perceived barriers and increasing self-efficacy.

Effects of communication styles on marital satisfaction and distress of parents of pediatric cancer patients: a prospective longitudinal study.

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Wijnberg-Williams, Barbara J; Van de Wiel, Harry B M; Kamps, Willem; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette E H M

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the longitudinal effects of communication styles on marital satisfaction and distress of parents of children treated for cancer. Marital dissatisfaction (Maudsley Marital Questionnaire), intimacy, avoidance, destructive and incongruent communication (Communication Skills Inventory) and psychological distress (General Health Questionnaire) were assessed in 115 parents of pediatric cancer patients shortly after diagnosis (T1) and 5 years later (T2). Only mothers' marital dissatisfaction increased significantly over time. No gender differences in dissatisfaction were found. Mothers had a significantly higher lack of intimacy score than fathers. All T1 communication styles were significantly univariately related to fathers' and mothers' T2 marital dissatisfaction, while not to T2 distress. Mothers' T1 marital dissatisfaction accounted for 67% and fathers' for 12% in the explained variance of T2 dissatisfaction. T1 destructive communication uniquely affected fathers' T2 marital dissatisfaction and T1 avoidant communication that of mothers. Five years after cancer diagnosis in their children, the quality of parents' marital relationships seemed largely unchanged. Parents' use of communication skills at diagnosis appeared to have limited effect on their marital dissatisfaction and no effect on their distress 5 years later. While avoidant communication seemed indicative of mothers' marital distress, fathers' seemed affected by destructive communication. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Perception of risk and communication among conventional and complementary health care providers involving cancer patients' use of complementary therapies: a literature review.

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Stub, Trine; Quandt, Sara A; Arcury, Thomas A; Sandberg, Joanne C; Kristoffersen, Agnete E; Musial, Frauke; Salamonsen, Anita

2016-09-08

Communication between different health care providers (conventional and complementary) and cancer patients about their use of complementary therapies affects the health and safety of the patients. The aim of this study was to examine the qualitative research literature on the perception of and communication about the risk of complementary therapies between different health care providers and cancer patients. Systematic searches in six medical databases covering literature from 2000 to 2015 were performed. The studies were accessed according to the level of evidence and summarized into different risk situations. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the text data, and the codes were defined before and during the data analysis. Twenty-nine papers were included in the primary analysis and five main themes were identified and discussed. The main risk situations identified were 1. Differences in treatment concepts and philosophical values among complementary and conventional health care providers. 2. Adverse effects from complementary products and herbs due to their contamination/toxicity and interactions with conventional cancer treatment. 3. Health care physicians and oncologists find it difficult to recommend many complementary modalities due to the lack of scientific evidence for their effect. 4. Lack of knowledge and information about complementary and conventional cancer treatments among different health care providers. The risk of consuming herbs and products containing high level of toxins is a considerable threat to patient safety (direct risk). At the same time, the lack of scientific evidence of effect for many complementary therapies and differences in treatment philosophy among complementary and conventional health care providers potentially hinder effective communication about these threats with mutual patients (indirect risk). As such, indirect risk may pose an additional risk to patients who want to combine complementary therapies with

Development and utilization of complementary communication channels for treatment decision making and survivorship issues among cancer patients: The CIS Research Consortium Experience

OpenAIRE

Linda Fleisher; Kuang Yi Wen; Suzanne M. Miller; Michael Diefenbach; Annette L. Stanton; Mary Ropka; Marion Morra; Peter C. Raich

2015-01-01

Objective: Cancer patients and survivors are assuming active roles in decision-making and digital patient support tools are widely used to facilitate patient engagement. As part of Cancer Information Service Research Consortium's randomized controlled trials focused on the efficacy of eHealth interventions to promote informed treatment decision-making for newly diagnosed prostate and breast cancer patients, and post-treatment breast cancer, we conducted a rigorous process evaluation to examin...

Disruption or innovation? A qualitative descriptive study on the use of electronic patient-physician communication in patients with advanced cancer.

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Voruganti, Teja; Husain, Amna; Grunfeld, Eva; Webster, Fiona

2018-03-04

In the advanced cancer context, care coordination is often inadequate, leading to suboptimal continuity of care. We evaluated an electronic web-based tool which assembles the patient, their caregivers, and their healthcare providers in a virtual space for team-based communication. We sought to understand participant perceptions on electronic communication in general and the added value of the new tool in particular. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study with participants (patients, caregivers, cancer physicians) who participated in a 3-month pilot trial evaluating the tool. Interviews were thematically analyzed and the perspectives from patients, caregivers, and cancer physicians were triangulated. Interviews from six patients, five of their caregivers, and seven cancer physicians conducted alongside monthly outcome assessments were analyzed. We identified five themes relating participants' perspectives on electronic communication to their experience of care: (1) apparent gaps in care, (2) uncertainty in defining the circle of care, (3) relational aspects of communication, (4) incongruence between technology and social norms of patient-physician communication, and (5) appreciation but apprehension about the team-based communication tool for improving the experience of care. The potential of tools for electronic communication to bring together a team of healthcare providers with the patient and caregivers is significant but may pose new challenges to existing team structure and interpersonal dynamics. Patients and physicians were worried about the impact that electronic communication may have on the patient-physician relationship. Implementation approaches, which build on the relationship and integrate the team as a whole, could positively position electronic communication to enhance the team-based care.

Peers without fears? Barriers to effective communication among primary care physicians and oncologists about diagnostic delays in cancer.

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Lipitz-Snyderman, Allison; Kale, Minal; Robbins, Laura; Pfister, David; Fortier, Elizabeth; Pocus, Valerie; Chimonas, Susan; Weingart, Saul N

2017-11-01

Relatively little attention has been devoted to the role of communication between physicians as a mechanism for individual and organisational learning about diagnostic delays. This study's objective was to elicit physicians' perceptions about and experiences with communication among physicians regarding diagnostic delays in cancer. Qualitative analysis based on seven focus groups. Fifty-one physicians affiliated with three New York-based academic medical centres participated, with six to nine subjects per group. We used content analysis to identify commonalities among primary care physicians and specialists (ie, medical and surgical oncologists). Perceptions and experiences with physician-to-physician communication about delays in cancer diagnosis. Our analysis identified five major themes: openness to communication, benefits of communication, fears about giving and receiving feedback, infrastructure barriers to communication and overcoming barriers to communication. Subjects valued communication about cancer diagnostic delays, but they had many concerns and fears about providing and receiving feedback in practice. Subjects expressed reluctance to communicate if there was insufficient information to attribute responsibility, if it would have no direct benefit or if it would jeopardise their existing relationships. They supported sensitive approaches to conveying information, as they feared eliciting or being subject to feelings of incompetence or shame. Subjects also cited organisational barriers. They offered suggestions that might facilitate communication about delays. Addressing the barriers to communication among physicians about diagnostic delays is needed to promote a culture of learning across specialties and institutions. Supporting open and honest discussions about diagnostic delays may help build safer health systems. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use

Cutting through the noise: an evaluative framework for research communication

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Strickert, G. E.; Bradford, L. E.; Shantz, S.; Steelman, T.; Orozs, C.; Rose, I.

2017-12-01

With an ever-increasing amount of research, there is a parallel challenge to mobilize the research for decision making, policy development and management actions. The tradition of "loading dock" model of science to policy is under renovation, replaced by more engaging methods of research communication. Research communication falls on a continuum from passive methods (e.g. reports, social media, infographics) to more active methods (e.g. forum theatre, decision labs, and stakeholder planning, and mix media installations that blend, art, science and traditional knowledge). Drawing on a five-year water science research program in the Saskatchewan River Basin, an evaluation framework is presented that draws on a wide communities of knowledge users including: First Nation and Metis, Community Organizers, Farmers, Consultants, Researchers, and Civil Servants. A mixed method framework consisting of quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, focus groups, and q-sorts demonstrates that participants prefer more active means of research communication to draw them into the research, but they also value more traditional and passive methods to provide more in-depth information when needed.

Non-communicable diseases: mapping research funding organisations, funding mechanisms and research practices in Italy and Germany.

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Stephani, Victor; Sommariva, Silvia; Spranger, Anne; Ciani, Oriana

2017-10-02

Evidence shows that territorial borders continue to have an impact on research collaboration in Europe. Knowledge of national research structural contexts is therefore crucial to the promotion of Europe-wide policies for research funding. Nevertheless, studies assessing and comparing research systems remain scarce. This paper aims to further the knowledge on national research landscapes in Europe, focusing on non-communicable disease (NCD) research in Italy and Germany. To capture the architecture of country-specific research funding systems, a three-fold strategy was adopted. First, a literature review was conducted to determine a list of key public, voluntary/private non-profit and commercial research funding organisations (RFOs). Second, an electronic survey was administered qualifying RFOs. Finally, survey results were integrated with semi-structured interviews with key opinion leaders in NCD research. Three major dimensions of interest were investigated - funding mechanisms, funding patterns and expectations regarding outputs. The number of RFOs in Italy is four times larger than that in Germany and the Italian research system has more project funding instruments than the German system. Regarding the funding patterns towards NCD areas, in both countries, respiratory disease research resulted as the lowest funded, whereas cancer research was the target of most funding streams. The most reported expected outputs of funded research activity were scholarly publication of articles and reports. This cross-country comparison on the Italian and German research funding structures revealed substantial differences between the two systems. The current system is prone to duplicated research efforts, popular funding for some diseases and intransparency of research results. Future research will require addressing the need for better coordination of research funding efforts, even more so if European research efforts are to play a greater role.

Translational Partnership Development Lead | Center for Cancer Research

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center operated by Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc on behalf of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The staff of FNLCR support the NCI’s mission in the fight against cancer and HIV/AIDS. Currently we are seeking a Translational Partnership

[The Functional Role of Exosomes in Cancer Biology and Their Potential as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets of Cancer].

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Naito, Yutaka; Yoshioka, Yusuke; Ochiya, Takahiro

2015-06-01

Intercellular communication plays an important role in the regulation of various cellular events. In particular, cancer cells and the surrounding cells communicate with each other, and this intercellular communication triggers cancer initiation and progression through the secretion of molecules, including growth factors and cytokines. Recent advances in cancer biology have indicated that small membrane vesicles, termed exosomes, also serve as regulatory agents in intercellular communications. Exosomes contain functional cellular components, including proteins and microRNAs (miRNAs), and they transfer these components to recipient cells. This exosome-mediated intercellular communication leads to increased growth, invasion, and metastasis of cancer. Thus, researchers regard exosomes as important cues to understanding the molecular mechanisms of cancer biology. Indeed, several lines of evidence have demonstrated that exosomes can explain multiple aspects of cancer biology. In addition, increasing evidence suggests that exosomes and their specific molecules are also attractive for use as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer. Recent reports showed the efficacy of a novel diagnosis by detecting component molecules of cancer-derived exosomes, including miRNAs and membrane proteins. Furthermore, clinical trials that test the application of exosomes for cancer therapy have already been reported. From these points of view, we will summarize experimental data that support the role of exosomes in cancer progression and the potential of exosomes for use in novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer.

Gaps in nutritional research among older adults with cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Presley, Carolyn J.; Dotan, Efrat; Soto-Perez-de-Celis, Enrique; Jatoi, Aminah; Mohile, Supriya G.; Won, Elizabeth; Alibhai, Shabbir; Kilari, Deepak; Harrison, Robert; Klepin, Heidi D.; Wildes, Tanya M.; Mustian, Karen; Demark-Wahnefried, Wendy

2016-01-01

Nutritional issues among older adults with cancer are an understudied area of research despite significant prognostic implications for treatment side effects, cancer-specific mortality, and overall survival. In May of 2015, the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute on Aging co-sponsored a conference focused on future directions in geriatric oncology research. Nutritional research among older adults with cancer was highlighted as a major area of concern as most nutritional cancer research has been conducted among younger adults, with limited evidence to guide the care of nutritional issues among older adults with cancer. Cancer diagnoses among older adults are increasing, and the care of the older adult with cancer is complicated due to multimorbidity, heterogeneous functional status, polypharmacy, deficits in cognitive and mental health, and several other non-cancer factors. Due to this complexity, nutritional needs are dynamic, multifaceted, and dependent on the clinical scenario. This manuscript outlines the proceedings of this conference including knowledge gaps and recommendations for future nutritional research among older adults with cancer. Three common clinical scenarios encountered by oncologists include (1) weight loss during anti-cancer therapy, (2) malnutrition during advanced disease, and (3) obesity during survivorship. In this manuscript, we provide a brief overview of relevant cancer literature within these three areas, knowledge gaps that exist, and recommendations for future research. PMID:27197919

UNC Cancer Center Director to Lead NCI.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

President Donald Trump has selected Norman "Ned" Sharpless, MD, director of the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, to lead the NCI. The news was met with widespread approval among cancer researchers, who view Sharpless as a strong communicator who can ably represent the needs of the cancer community in the face of proposed funding cuts. ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

Radon risk communication research: Practical lessons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, A.; Johnson, F.R.

1990-01-01

Those responsible for state and local radon programs often express frustration about the small share of homes that have been tested for radon, and the small share of those with high readings that have been mitigated. There are now a number of completed studies that have examined how well alternative ways of communicating about radon risk have accomplished the goals of motivating appropriate testing and mitigation. This paper summarizes the research results that are most crucial for planning and implementing effective radon risk communication programs. We identify six reasons why people do not respond to radon as a serious threat and provide some remedies suggested by radon studies

CCR Interns | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The Cancer Research Interns (CRI) Summer Program was inaugurated in 2004 to provide an open door for students looking for an initial training opportunity. The goal is to enhance diversity within the CCR (Center for Cancer Research) training program and we have placed 338 students from 2004 to 2017, in labs and branches across the division.  The CCR and the Center for Cancer Training’s Office of Training and Education provide stipend support, some Service & Supply funds, and travel support for those students who meet the financial eligibility criteria (

Institutional Barriers to Research on Sensitive Topics: Case of Sex Communication Research Among University Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carey M. Noland

2012-11-01

Full Text Available When conducting research on sensitive topics, it is challenging to use new methods of data collection given the apprehensions of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs. This is especially worrying because sensitive topics of research often require novel approaches. In this article a brief personal history of navigating the IRB process for conducting sex communication research is presented, along with data from a survey that tested the assumptions long held by many IRBs. Results support some of the assumptions IRBs hold about sex communication research, but do not support some other assumptions.

Research Award: Communications Deadline: September 12, 2011 ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-09-12

Sep 12, 2011 ... Canada, and citizens of developing countries pursuing master's or doctoral ... skills and gain a fresh perspective on crucial development issues. ... research management, and communications allows the awardees to pursue.

Research on Czech firms’ marketing communication based on social media networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vít Chlebovský

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective of the research described in this article is to make an analysis of the usage of marketing communication using both traditional Internet communication channels as well as Social Media Networks by the Czech companies. Primary research was made through on-line questionnaire. Companies across the branches and size categories within the Czech economy were addressed. Companies were selected from the www.firmy.cz portal. Only companies with their own web domain were addressed. The typical respondents were mostly from middle management, especially managers from the marketing or commercial departments. The final number of questionnaire respondents covered in the research is 1009. The main research method was questioning. The questionnaire consisted of three sections with the scale answer questions mainly. Google Refine was used for data processing and Microsoft Excel for statistical processing and graphic outputs of the research. Evaluated results show significant gaps in usage of Internet communication tools in marketing of Czech companies and also deficiency between clear understanding of the respondents how Social Media should be used in marketing communication and real use in the companies. This deficiency was statistically tested and relation between respondents’ perception of the importance of Social Media use for bidirectional communication with stakeholders and non-use of Social Media for bidirectional communication with stakeholders by respondents’ company was confirmed.

Current cancer research. Reports from the German Cancer Research Center 1998; Krebsforschung heute. Berichte aus dem Deutschen Krebsforschungszentrum 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-12-31

Topics from the Contents: The Fight against Cancer in Germany - A Critical Review. Conditions and Structures in Research. Familial Breast Cancer - A Critical Assessment. Research without Animal Experiments. Cancer Prevention. New Approaches for Tumor Therapy. Genes, Chromosomes and Cancer. Therapy of Brain Tumors with Laser Neurosurgery. The Genome Project. (orig.) [Deutsch] Krebsbekaempfung in Deutschland - kritische Ueberlegungen. Forschungsbedingungen und -strukturen. Forschung ohne Tierversuche. Familiaerer Brustkrebs - eine Risikoabschaetzung. Krebspraevention. Neue Therapieansaetze. Laser-Neurochirurgie bei Hirntumoren. Das Genomprojekt. Gene, Chromosomen und Krebs. (orig.)

Towards meeting the research needs of Australian cancer consumers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saunders Carla

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a growing amount of literature to support the view that active involvement in research by consumers, especially informed and networked consumers, benefits the quality and direction of research itself, the research process and, most importantly, people affected by cancer. Our exploratory project focuses on identifying their priorities and developing a process to assess the research needs of Australian cancer consumers which may be useful beyond the cancer scenario. Methods This project was consumer initiated, developed and implemented, with the assistance of a leading Australian cancer consumer advocacy group, Cancer Voices NSW (CVN. Such direct involvement is unusual and ensures that the priorities identified, and the process itself, are not influenced by other interests, regardless how well-intentioned they may be. The processes established, and data collection via a workshop, followed by a questionnaire to confirm and prioritise findings, and comparison with a similar UK exercise, are detailed in this paper. Results Needs across five topic areas reflecting cancer control domains (prevention and risk; screening and diagnosis; treatment; survivorship; and end of life were identified. Cancer consumers high priority research needs were found to be: earlier diagnosis of metastatic cancers; the extent of use of best practice palliative care guidelines; identifying barriers to cancer risk behaviour change; and environmental, nutrition and lifestyle risk factors for people with cancer. A process for identifying consumers’ research priorities was developed and applied; this may be useful for further investigation in this under-studied area. Conclusion The findings provide a model for developing a consumer derived research agenda in Australia which can be used to inform the strategic direction of cancer research. Consumers have been seeking a workable method to achieve this and have worked in collaboration with a major

Opportunities and Challenges in Using Research to Facilitate Climate Communication Collaborations

Science.gov (United States)

Akerlof, K.; Johnson, B. B.; Nackerman, C. J.; Maibach, E.

2014-12-01

Climate change represents the worst of wicked environmental problems, requiring collaborations among individuals and groups that cross public, private and voluntary sectors on a global scale to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for impacts. The Climate Communication Consortium of Maryland represents such a collaboration on a state level for the purpose of supporting governments, non-profits, businesses and universities in communicating with the public about climate and energy within the context of multiple frames, such as public health, extreme weather, and coastal resilience. The collaboration was developed using communication research as an organizational framework - providing data from yearly public opinion surveys on Marylanders' attitudes, behaviors and policy support, and a variety of other qualitative and quantitative studies. In this presentation, we will highlight four dimensions of the use of research within collaborative organizational climate communication that can lead to success, or impediments: 1) individual organizational ability and resources for using audience data; 2) the linking of research questions to programmatic development goals and processes; 3) the weighing of audience- versus communicator-oriented values and priorities; and 4) identification of overarching communication objectives that span individual organizational interests. We will illustrate these dimensions using findings from surveys of our member organizations describing the types of barriers organizations face in communicating about climate change effectively, including their use of formative and evaluative research, and will discuss some of the findings from our public opinion and experimental research, illustrating the ways in which these findings influenced programmatic development and were used by Consortium member organizations.

American Thyroid Association statement on the essential elements of interdisciplinary communication of perioperative information for patients undergoing thyroid cancer surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Carty, Sally E; Doherty, Gerard M; Inabnet, William B; Pasieka, Janice L; Randolph, Gregory W; Shaha, Ashok R; Terris, David J; Tufano, Ralph P; Tuttle, R Michael

2012-04-01

Thyroid cancer specialists require specific perioperative information to develop a management plan for patients with thyroid cancer, but there is not yet a model for effective interdisciplinary data communication. The American Thyroid Association Surgical Affairs Committee was asked to define a suggested essential perioperative dataset representing the critical information that should be readily available to participating members of the treatment team. To identify and agree upon a multidisciplinary set of critical perioperative findings requiring communication, we examined diverse best-practice documents relating to thyroidectomy and extracted common features felt to enhance precise, direct communication with nonsurgical caregivers. Suggested essential datasets for the preoperative, intraoperative, and immediate postoperative findings and management of patients undergoing surgery for thyroid cancer were identified and are presented. For operative reporting, the essential features of both a dictated narrative format and a synoptic computer format are modeled in detail. The importance of interdisciplinary communication is discussed with regard to the extent of required resection, the final pathology findings, surgical complications, and other factors that may influence risk stratification, adjuvant treatment, and surveillance. Accurate communication of the important findings and sequelae of thyroidectomy for cancer is critical to individualized risk stratification as well as to the clinical issues of thyroid cancer care that are often jointly managed in the postoperative setting. True interdisciplinary care is essential to providing optimal care and surveillance.

PatientVOICE: development of a preparatory, pre-chemotherapy online communication tool for older patients with cancer.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dulmen, S. van; Driesenaar, J.A.; Weert, J.C.M. van; Osch, M. van; Noordman, J.

2017-01-01

Background: Good communication around cancer treatment is essential in helping patients cope with their disease and related care, especially when this information is tailored to one’s needs. Despite its importance, communication is often complex, in particular in older patients (aged 65 years or

Contrasting the ethical perspectives of biospecimen research among individuals with familial risk for hereditary cancer and biomedical researchers: implications for researcher training.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Gwendolyn P; Koskan, Alexis; Sehovic, Ivana; Pal, Tuya; Meade, Cathy; Gwede, Clement K

2014-07-01

While ethical concerns about participating in biospecimen research have been previously identified, few studies have reported the concerns among individuals with familial risk for hereditary cancer (IFRs). At the same time, biomedical researchers often lack training in discussing such concerns to potential donors. This study explores IFRs' and biomedical researchers' perceptions of ethical concerns about participating in biobanking research. In separate focus groups, IFRs and biomedical researchers participated in 90-min telephone focus groups. Focus group questions centered on knowledge about laws that protect the confidentiality of biospecimen donors, understanding of informed consent and study procedures, and preferences for being recontacted about potential incidental discovery and also study results. A total of 40 IFRs and 32 biomedical researchers participated in the focus groups. Results demonstrated discrepancies between the perceptions of IFRs and researchers. IFRs' concerns centered on health information protection; potential discrimination by insurers and employers; and preferences for being recontacted upon discovery of gene mutations or to communicate study results. Researchers perceived that participants understood laws protecting donors' privacy and (detailed study information outlined in the informed consent process), study outcomes were used to create a training tool kit to increase researchers' understanding of IFRs' concerns about biobanking.

Communication difficulties and the experience of loneliness in patients with cancer dealing with fertility issues: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Goossens, Joline; Delbaere, Ilse; Beeckman, Dimitri; Verhaeghe, Sofie; Van Hecke, Ann

2015-01-01

To explore communication difficulties and the experience of loneliness among patients with cancer dealing with fertility issues. Qualitative study based on grounded theory principles. One university hospital and two general hospitals in Flanders, Belgium. 21 female and 7 male patients with cancer with potential fertility problems as a result of treatment. Grounded theory approach using the constant comparison method; data collection (semistructured face-to-face interviews) and analysis occurred simultaneously. Loneliness was a central theme in the experience of potential fertility loss among patients with cancer. Feelings of loneliness resulted from communication difficulties between the patient and members of his or her social environment or healthcare professionals because of several underlying processes and influencing factors. Loneliness was a strong and common feeling among patients with cancer. Patients, members of their social environment, and healthcare professionals experienced difficulties in communicating about fertility in the context of cancer, leading to patients' feelings of loneliness. Healthcare professionals must be attentive to signs indicating loneliness regarding fertility concerns, and they should provide adequate information and appropriate guidance to support patients. Professionals need further training to improve knowledge and skills.

Scientist, Single Cell Analysis Facility | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The Cancer Research Technology Program (CRTP) develops and implements emerging technology, cancer biology expertise and research capabilities to accomplish NCI research objectives.  The CRTP is an outward-facing, multi-disciplinary hub purposed to enable the external cancer research community and provides dedicated support to NCI’s intramural Center for Cancer Research (CCR).  The dedicated units provide electron microscopy, protein characterization, protein expression, optical microscopy and nextGen sequencing. These research efforts are an integral part of CCR at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR).  CRTP scientists also work collaboratively with intramural NCI investigators to provide research technologies and expertise. KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES We are seeking a highly motivated Scientist II to join the newly established Single Cell Analysis Facility (SCAF) of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at NCI. The SCAF will house state of the art single cell sequencing technologies including 10xGenomics Chromium, BD Genomics Rhapsody, DEPPArray, and other emerging single cell technologies. The Scientist: Will interact with close to 200 laboratories within the CCR to design and carry out single cell experiments for cancer research Will work on single cell isolation/preparation from various tissues and cells and related NexGen sequencing library preparation Is expected to author publications in peer reviewed scientific journals

Cancer Research in the Arab World

Science.gov (United States)

Hamadeh, Randah R.; Borgan, Saif M.; Sibai, Abla M.

2017-01-01

This review aimed to examine trends in cancer research in the Arab world and identify existing research gaps. A search of the MEDLINE® database (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA) was undertaken for all cancer-related publications published between January 2000 and December 2013 from seven countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Sudan. A total of 1,773 articles were identified, with a significant increase in yearly publications over time (P social and structural determinants of health (27.1%), followed by behavioural risk factors (14.1%), particularly tobacco use. Overall, more cancer research is needed in the Arab world, particularly analytical studies with high-quality evidence and those focusing on older age groups and associations with physical activity and diet. PMID:28690885

White LED visible light communication technology research

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Chao

2017-03-01

Visible light communication is a new type of wireless optical communication technology. White LED to the success of development, the LED lighting technology is facing a new revolution. Because the LED has high sensitivity, modulation, the advantages of good performance, large transmission power, can make it in light transmission light signal at the same time. Use white LED light-emitting characteristics, on the modulation signals to the visible light transmission, can constitute a LED visible light communication system. We built a small visible optical communication system. The system composition and structure has certain value in the field of practical application, and we also research the key technology of transmitters and receivers, the key problem has been resolved. By studying on the optical and LED the characteristics of a high speed modulation driving circuit and a high sensitive receiving circuit was designed. And information transmission through the single chip microcomputer test, a preliminary verification has realized the data transmission function.

Project connect online: randomized trial of an internet-based program to chronicle the cancer experience and facilitate communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Annette L; Thompson, Elizabeth H; Crespi, Catherine M; Link, John S; Waisman, James R

2013-09-20

Evidence suggests that expressing emotions related to cancer and receiving interpersonal support can promote psychological and physical health in women diagnosed with breast cancer. However, adaptive expression of feelings and communication with one's social network can pose challenges for patients with cancer. We report on a randomized controlled trial of an intervention, Project Connect Online, for patients with breast cancer to create personal Web sites to chronicle their experience and communicate with their social network. Women (N = 88) diagnosed with breast cancer (any stage, any interval since diagnosis) were randomly assigned to participate in a 3-hour workshop for hands-on creation of personal Web sites with a follow-up call to facilitate Web site use, or to a waiting-list control. Assessed before randomization and 6 months after the intervention, dependent variables included depressive symptoms, positive and negative mood, cancer-related intrusive thoughts, and perceived cancer-related benefits in life appreciation and strengthened relationships. Relative to control participants, women randomly assigned to Project Connect Online evidenced significant benefit 6 months later on depressive symptoms, positive mood, and life appreciation, but not negative mood, perceived strengthened relationships, or intrusive thoughts. Treatment status moderated the intervention effects, such that women currently undergoing medical treatment for cancer benefitted significantly more from the intervention on depressive symptoms and positive mood than did women not receiving treatment. Findings suggest the promise of an intervention to facilitate the ability of women diagnosed with breast cancer to chronicle their experience and communicate with their social network via the Internet.

Envisioning Instructional Communication Research as a Multi-Paradigmatic Response to Neoliberalism's Effect on Instruction. Forum: The Future of Instructional Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Kahl, David H., Jr.

2017-01-01

Throughout its history, instructional communication research has played an important role in the discipline of Communication. In tracing its lineage, Myers (2010) explains that instructional communication research has focused on communicative behaviors that instructors use with their students to better understand and facilitate affective and…

Toward Theory-Based Research in Political Communication.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Adam F.; Iyengar, Shanto

1996-01-01

Praises the theoretical and methodological potential of the field of political communication. Calls for greater interaction and cross fertilization among the fields of political science, sociology, economics, and psychology. Briefly discusses relevant research methodologies. (MJP)

Electron Microscopy-Data Analysis Specialist | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Cancer Research Technology Program (CRTP) develops and implements emerging technology, cancer biology expertise and research capabilities to accomplish NCI research objectives.  The CRTP is an outward-facing, multi-disciplinary hub purposed to enable the external cancer research community and provides dedicated support to NCI’s intramural Center for

The John Milner Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Research Practicum | Division of Cancer Prevention

Science.gov (United States)

The Nutritional Science Research Group in the Division of Cancer Prevention at the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health and the Department of Nutrition at the Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center are offering a one-week educational opportunity in Nutrition and Cancer Prevention Research for individuals with a sustained commitment to nutrition and health promotion. |

A Spiritually-based approach to breast cancer awareness: Cognitive response analysis of communication effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Cheryl L.; Lee, Crystal; Wright, Katrina

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the communication effectiveness of a spiritually-based approach to breast cancer early detection education with a secular approach, among African American women, by conducting a cognitive response analysis. A total of 108 women from six Alabama churches were randomly assigned by church to receive a spiritually-based or secular educational booklet discussing breast cancer early detection. Based on the Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1981), after reading the booklets participants were asked to complete a thought-listing task writing down any thoughts they experienced and rating them as positive, negative, or neutral. Two independent coders then used five dimensions to code participants thoughts. Compared with the secular booklet, the spiritually-based booklet resulted in significantly more thoughts involving personal connection, self-assessment, and spiritually-based responses. These results suggest that a spiritually-based approach to breast cancer awareness may be more effective than the secular because it caused women to more actively process the message, stimulating central route processing. The incorporation of spiritually-based content into church-based breast cancer education could be a promising health communication approach for African American women. PMID:18443989

CCR Magazines | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The Center for Cancer Research (CCR) has two magazines, MILESTONES and LANDMARKS, that highlight our annual advances and top contributions to the understanding, detection, treatment and prevention of cancer over the years.

Street Crossing: Observational Research and Developing Health Communication Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Mackert, Michael; Lazard, Allison; Wyeth, Ben

2015-01-01

Students in communication, and particularly in advertising, are encouraged to value creativity. However, even in programs that value creativity, it can be difficult to encourage creativity in the process of research that guides communication efforts. The project described in this paper--"Street Crossing"--is used in upper-division and…

Communication for Policy Research (CPR) South-South | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

... of telecom researchers : measures and messages relevant to CPRsouth. Download PDF. Reports. CPRafrica 2010-2012 : a comparative analysis vis-í -vis TPRC, EuroCPR, and CPRsouth/africa. Download PDF. Reports. Communication for Policy Research Africa (CPRafrica) (South-South in contract) : final technical and ...

Visible light communication: Applications, architecture, standardization and research challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Latif Ullah Khan

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The Radio Frequency (RF communication suffers from interference and high latency issues. Along with this, RF communication requires a separate setup for transmission and reception of RF waves. Overcoming the above limitations, Visible Light Communication (VLC is a preferred communication technique because of its high bandwidth and immunity to interference from electromagnetic sources. The revolution in the field of solid state lighting leads to the replacement of florescent lamps by Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs which further motivates the usage of VLC. This paper presents a survey of the potential applications, architecture, modulation techniques, standardization and research challenges in VLC.

The evolving concept of "patient-centeredness" in patient-physician communication research.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishikawa, Hirono; Hashimoto, Hideki; Kiuchi, Takahiro

2013-11-01

Over the past few decades, the concept of "patient-centeredness" has been intensively studied in health communication research on patient-physician interaction. Despite its popularity, this concept has often been criticized for lacking a unified definition and operationalized measurement. This article reviews how health communication research on patient-physician interaction has conceptualized and operationalized patient-centered communication based on four major theoretical perspectives in sociology (i.e., functionalism, conflict theory, utilitarianism, and social constructionism), and discusses the agenda for future research in this field. Each theory addresses different aspects of the patient-physician relationship and communication from different theoretical viewpoints. Patient-centeredness is a multifaceted construct with no single theory that can sufficiently define the whole concept. Different theoretical perspectives of patient-centered communication can be selectively adopted according to the context and nature of problems in the patient-physician relationship that a particular study aims to explore. The present study may provide a useful framework: it offers an overview of the differing models of patient-centered communication and the expected roles and goals in each model; it does so toward identifying a communication model that fits the patient and the context and toward theoretically reconstructing existing measures of patient-centered communication. Furthermore, although patient-centered communication has been defined mainly from the viewpoint of physician's behaviors aimed at achieving patient-centered care, patient competence is also required for patient-centered communication. This needs to be examined in current medical practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strategically using social media to communicate research

OpenAIRE

Rummer, Jodie; Darling, Emily

2015-01-01

This was a presentation given to PhD/doctoral candidates at James Cook University introducing them to developing an online presence/identity and strategically using social media to communicate their research and network within their professional communities.

Quantitative Image Informatics for Cancer Research (QIICR) | Informatics Technology for Cancer Research (ITCR)

Science.gov (United States)

Imaging has enormous untapped potential to improve cancer research through software to extract and process morphometric and functional biomarkers. In the era of non-cytotoxic treatment agents, multi- modality image-guided ablative therapies and rapidly evolving computational resources, quantitative imaging software can be transformative in enabling minimally invasive, objective and reproducible evaluation of cancer treatment response. Post-processing algorithms are integral to high-throughput analysis and fine- grained differentiation of multiple molecular targets.

Values and options in cancer care (VOICE): study design and rationale for a patient-centered communication and decision-making intervention for physicians, patients with advanced cancer, and their caregivers

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Communication about prognosis and treatment choices is essential for informed decision making in advanced cancer. This article describes an investigation designed to facilitate communication and decision making among oncologists, patients with advanced cancer, and their caregivers. Methods/design The Values and Options in Cancer Care (VOICE) Study is a National Cancer Institute sponsored randomized controlled trial conducted in the Rochester/Buffalo, NY and Sacramento, CA regions. A total of 40 oncologists, approximately 400 patients with advanced cancer, and their family/friend caregivers (one per patient, when available) are expected to enroll in the study. Drawing upon ecological theory, the intervention uses a two-pronged approach: oncologists complete a multifaceted tailored educational intervention involving standardized patient instructors (SPIs), and patients and caregivers complete a coaching intervention to facilitate prioritizing and discussing questions and concerns. Follow-up data will be collected approximately quarterly for up to three years. Discussion The intervention is hypothesized to enhance patient-centered communication, quality of care, and patient outcomes. Analyses will examine the effects of the intervention on key elements of physician-patient-caregiver communication (primary outcomes), the physician-patient relationship, shared understanding of prognosis, patient well-being, and health service utilization (secondary outcomes). Trial registration Clinical Trials Identifier: NCT01485627 PMID:23570278

Mixing Methods in Instructional Research. Forum: The Future of Instructional Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Meluch, Andrea L.

2017-01-01

"Communication Education's" commitment to publishing rigorous instructional communication research with a diversity of methods is clear in its publication of quantitative, qualitative, and critical articles (Witt, 2012). Here, Andrea Meluch argues that the trends in the most recent research published within this journal indicate a lack…

Effects of patient-centered communication on anxiety, negative affect, and trust in the physician in delivering a cancer diagnosis: A randomized, experimental study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zwingmann, Jelena; Baile, Walter F; Schmier, Johann W; Bernhard, Jürg; Keller, Monika

2017-08-15

When bad news about a cancer diagnosis is being delivered, patient-centered communication (PCC) has been considered important for patients' adjustment and well-being. However, few studies have explored how interpersonal skills might help cancer patients cope with anxiety and distress during bad-news encounters. A prospective, experimental design was used to investigate the impact of the physician communication style during a bad-news encounter. Ninety-eight cancer patients and 92 unaffected subjects of both sexes were randomly assigned to view a video of a clinician delivering a first cancer diagnosis with either an enhanced patient-centered communication (E-PCC) style or a low patient-centered communication (L-PCC) style. Participants rated state anxiety and negative affect before and immediately after the video exposure, whereas trust in the physician was rated after the video exposure only. Main and interaction effects were analyzed with generalized linear models. Viewing the disclosure of a cancer diagnosis resulted in a substantial increase in state anxiety and negative affect among all participants. This emotional response was moderated by the physician's communication style: Participants viewing an oncologist displaying an E-PCC style were significantly less anxious than those watching an oncologist displaying an L-PCC style. They also reported significantly higher trust in the physician. Under a threatening, anxiety-provoking disclosure of bad news, a short sequence of empathic PCC influences subjects' psychological state, insofar that they report feeling less anxious and more trustful of the oncologist. Video exposure appears to be a valuable method for investigating the impact of a physician's communication style during critical encounters. Cancer 2017;123:3167-75. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Policy challenges for cancer research: a call to arms.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, R

2007-01-01

Research has delivered remarkable benefits for cancer patients and their families since James Watson and Francis Crick wrote the now immortal line, 'We wish to propose a structure for the salt of deoxyribonucleic acid' thus setting the molecular foundations for the modern era of cancer control. The pace of technological innovation from fundamental scientific discoveries to the policy impact of huge population studies has been breathtaking. One has only to contrast a paper on the treatment of solid epithelial cancers written by Henri Tagnon and colleagues in 1966 (Eur J Cancer2 51-7) with the myriad of chemotherapeutic approaches at the oncologists disposal today. Inevitably, as the tide of research has risen so it has bought the flotsam and jetsam of regulations and policies. Some have been helpful, many pointless and too many actually harmful. Naturally, some of these regulatory and general policies (by this I mean those concerned with funding, structure and organization) have been specifically targeted at cancer research, e.g. US National Cancer Act 1971, whilst others have been a product of the general regulatory environment with indirect consequences for cancer research, e.g. EU Data Protection Directive 1995. Policy issues thus cover a vast terrain criss-crossed by complex interdependencies between scientific areas, countries S&T policies and socio-political constructs. Unfortunately, there has been little attention paid to the consequences of these policy issues from which the research community has, by and large, been passenger rather than driver.Global investment in cancer research is now at unprecedented levels. The recently published report by the European Cancer Research Managers Forum has found some 14 billion euros being annually spent worldwide on cancer research (this figure includes industry but overall probably underestimates spend by at least one billion [2]). With the ageing demographics of developed countries and the catch-up effect in

Nanotechnology in Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

The NCI Office of Cancer Nanotechnology Research has had a major impact on bringing novel nano-enabled solutions through the pre-clinical space. The strategic framework of this effort is presented here.

Communicatively Constructing the Bright and Dark Sides of Hope: Family Caregivers? Experiences during End of Life Cancer Care

OpenAIRE

Koenig Kellas, Jody; Castle, Katherine M.; Johnson, Alexis; Cohen, Marlene Z.

2017-01-01

(1) Background: The communication of hope is complicated, particularly for family caregivers in the context of cancer who struggle to maintain hope for themselves and their loved ones in the face of terminality. In order to understand these complexities, the current study examines the bright and dark sides of how hope is communicated across the cancer journey from the vantage point of bereaved family caregivers; (2) Methods: We analyzed interviews with bereaved family caregivers using qualita...

Strategic Evaluation on Communicating Research for Influence: Part I

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

IDRC aims to support research that is not just about development, or relevant to development, but that will actually influence development. In order to do so, that research has to be effectively communicated and strategically positioned. IDRC endeavours to do this is by engaging potential research users in the research ...

Role of communication for pediatric cancer patients and their family

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajesh Kumar Singh

2015-01-01

Conclusion: Training programs in communication skills should teach doctors how to elicit patients' preferences for information. Systematic training programs with feedback can decrease physicians stress and burnout. More research for understanding a culturally appropriate communication framework is needed.

Understanding coping with cancer: how can qualitative research help?

Science.gov (United States)

Chittem, Mahati

2014-01-01

Research in psycho-oncology investigates the psycho-social and emotional aspects of cancer and how this is related to health, well-being and overall patient care. Coping with cancer is a prime focus for researchers owing to its impact on patients' psychological processing and life in general. Research so far has focused mainly on quantitative study designs such as questionnaires to examine the coping strategies used by cancer patients. However, in order to gain a rich and deep understanding of the reasons, processes and types of strategies that patients use to deal with cancer, qualitative study designs are necessary. Few studies have used qualitative designs such as semi-structured interviews to explore coping with cancer. The current paper aims to review the suitability and benefits of using qualitative research designs to understand coping with cancer with the help of some key literature in psycho-oncology research.

Communicating Risks and Benefits in Informed Consent for Research: A Qualitative Study

Science.gov (United States)

Nusbaum, Lika; Douglas, Brenda; Damus, Karla; Paasche-Orlow, Michael; Estrella-Luna, Neenah

2017-01-01

Multiple studies have documented major limitations in the informed consent process for the recruitment of clinical research participants. One challenging aspect of this process is successful communication of risks and benefits to potential research participants. This study explored the opinions and attitudes of informed consent experts about conveying risks and benefits to inform the development of a survey about the perspectives of research nurses who are responsible for obtaining informed consent for clinical trials. The major themes identified were strategies for risks and benefits communication, ensuring comprehension, and preparation for the role of the consent administrator. From the experts’ perspective, inadequate education and training of the research staff responsible for informed consent process contribute to deficiencies in the informed consent process and risks and benefits communication. Inconsistencies in experts’ opinions and critique of certain widely used communication practices require further consideration and additional research. PMID:28975139

Union for International Cancer Control International Session: healthcare economics: the significance of the UN Summit non-communicable diseases political declaration in Asia.

Science.gov (United States)

Akaza, Hideyuki; Kawahara, Norie; Masui, Tohru; Takeyama, Kunihiko; Nogimori, Masafumi; Roh, Jae Kyung

2013-06-01

The Japan National Committee for the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and UICC-Asia Regional Office (ARO) organized an international session as part of the official program of the 71st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cancer Association to discuss the topic "Healthcare Economics: The Significance of the UN Summit non-communicable diseases (NCDs) Political Declaration in Asia." The presenters and participants discussed the growing cost of cancer in the Asian region and the challenges that are faced by the countries of Asia, all of which face budgetary and other systemic constraints in tackling and controlling cancer in the region. The session benefited from the participation of various stakeholders, including cancer researchers and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry. They discussed the significance of the UN Political Declaration on the prevention and control of NCDs (2011) as a means of boosting awareness of cancer in the Asian region and also addressed the ways in which stakeholders can cooperate to improve cancer control and treatment. Other issues that were covered included challenges relating to pharmaceutical trials in Asia and how to link knowledge and research outcomes. The session concluded with the recognition that with the onset of a super-aged society in most countries in Asia and an increasing focus on quality of life rather than quantity of life, it is more important than ever for all stakeholders to continue to share information and promote policy dialogue on cancer control and treatment. © 2013 Japanese Cancer Association.

Nonverbal communication and conversational contribution in breast cancer genetic counseling: are counselors' nonverbal communication and conversational contribution associated with counselees' satisfaction, needs fulfillment and state anxiety in breast cancer genetic counseling?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, H.; Albada, A.; Klöckner Cronauer, C.; Ausems, M.G.E.M.; Dulmen, S. van

2013-01-01

Objective: The current study aimed to examine how counselors’ nonverbal communication (i.e. nonverbal encouragements and counselee-directed eye gaze) and conversational contribution (i.e. verbal dominance and interactivity) during the final visit within breast cancer genetic counseling relate to

Relational Accountability in Indigenizing Visual Research for Participatory Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Verena Thomas

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This article argues that an indigenous approach to communication research allows us to re-think academic approaches of engaging in and evaluating participatory communication research. It takes as its case study the Komuniti Tok Piksa project undertaken in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The project explores ways in which visual methods when paired with a community action approach embedded within an indigenous framework can be used to facilitate social change through meaningful participation. It involves communities to narrate their experiences in regard to HIV and AIDS and assists them in designing and recording their own messages. Local researchers are trained in using visual tools to facilitate this engagement with the communities.