-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: This study examined associations between avoidance and approach coping and patient delay in cancer patients (N = 1024). Approach coping was associated with short appraisal intervals (time from symptom discovery to recognition of symptom seriousness). Avoidance coping was associated with long appraisal intervals when adjusting for covariates. Help-seeking intervals (time from recognition of symptom seriousness to contact to general practitioner) were only associated with approach coping and only when adjusting for the influence of covariates. The results revealed a complex relationship between coping and patient delay and supported that normal processing of health threats implies avoidance and approach coping strategies.
Journal of Psychosocial Oncology 03/2013; 31(2):204-18. · 0.98 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: A population-based breast cancer screening programme was implemented in the Central Denmark Region in 2008--09. The objective of this registry-based study was to examine the association between socio-demographic characteristics and screening participation and to examine whether the group of non-participants can be regarded as a homogeneous group of women. METHOD: Participation status was obtained from a regional database for all women invited to the first screening round in the Central Denmark Region in 2008--2009 (n=149,234). Participation data was linked to registries containing socio-demographic information. Distance to screening site was calculated using ArcGIS. Participation was divided into 'participants' and 'non-participants', and non-participants were further stratified into 'active non-participants' and 'passive non-participants' based on whether the woman called and cancelled her participation or was a 'no-show'. RESULTS: The screening participation rate was 78.9%. In multivariate analyses, non-participation was associated with older age, immigrant status, low OECD-adjusted household income, high and low level education compared with middle level education, unemployment, being unmarried, distance to screening site >20 km, being a tenant and no access to a vehicle. Active and passive non-participants comprised two distinct groups with different socio-demographic characteristics, with passive non-participants being more socially deprived compared with active non-participants. CONCLUSION: Non-participation was associated with low social status e.g. low income, unemployment, no access to vehicle and status as tenant. Non-participants were also more likely than participants to be older, single, and of non-Danish origin. Compared to active non-participants, passive non-participants were characterized by e.g. lower income and lower educational level. Different interventions might be warranted to increase participation in the two non-participant groups.
BMC Cancer 11/2012; 12(1):518. · 3.01 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Lack of awareness of cancer symptoms, cancer risk factors, and erroneous beliefs about cancer may influence delay in presentation of cancer symptoms and thereby treatment outcomes. This paper refers cancer awareness population studies (mainly from the UK) and describes associations between elements of the Health Belief Model and cancer-related health behavior. Denmark is part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership which, inter alia, will examine whether differences in cancer survival across countries can be explained by different levels of cancer awareness and erroneous beliefs about cancer.
Ugeskrift for laeger 10/2011; 173(40):2493-6.
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The purpose was to examine the prevalence of fear of recurrence (FoR) in long-term testicular cancer survivors (TCSs) and the association between FoR and causal attributions of cancer. METHODS: Testicular cancer survivors were sampled from a clinical register and were sent a questionnaire assessing FoR, depression using Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II), physical symptoms (ototoxicity, neuropathy, and Raynaud-like phenomena), and causal attributions of testicular cancer. RESULTS: There were 316 TCSs who completed the questionnaires (response rate, 65%). The mean age was 47.6 years (standard deviation (SD) = 10.9), and the mean time since diagnosis was 12.0 years (SD = 3.0). Among the TCSs, 27.9% reported FoR. Univariate analyses revealed that FoR was associated with a BDI-II sum score of ≥19 (odds ratio (OR) = 7.07, p < 0.001) and attributing the cancer disease to psychological stress (OR = 2.57, p = 0.002). A multivariate analysis revealed associations between FoR and attributing the cancer disease to psychological stress (OR = 2.35, p = 0.010) and a BDI-II sum score ≥19 (OR = 5.82, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Fear of recurrence is prevalent in long-term TCSs. The observed relationship between FoR and a psychological causal attribution is probably complex and the direction of causality may be twofold: attributing the disease to a factor that is perceived as uncontrollable in nature could induce loss of control, and high levels of FoR may increase the need to gain control over the situation by pointing out factors that could be responsible for the disease such as psychological stress. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Psycho-Oncology 08/2011; · 3.34 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: 20-30% of patients diagnosed with cancer have delayed help-seeking for three months or longer. Misinterpretation of symptoms as benign is responsible for the long patient delay for some patients, but a number of psychosocial factors have also been identified as barriers for help-seeking. These include lack of social support, anxiety, avoidant coping, social risks, and the relationship between patient and physician. It has to be considered whether some of these factors are to be perceived as barriers or as basic conditions for interpretation of symptoms which cannot and should not be changed.
Ugeskrift for laeger 06/2011; 173(24):1709-12.
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: A growing number of patients with testicular cancer (TC) become long-term survivors. As a consequence, quality-of-life (QOL) issues become increasingly important. The objective of this study was to investigate QOL among Danish TC survivors.
A long-term follow-up assessment of all patients with TC treated at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark between 1990 and 2000 was conducted. A total of 401 survivors (response rate, 66%) completed questionnaires concerning QOL (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30), depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II), fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory-20), and health-related issues such as neurotoxic symptoms and Raynaud-like phenomena. On the basis of their treatment, participants were categorized as having received surveillance, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy.
QOL among patients with TC was equal to that of men from the general population. Although patients who received chemotherapy reported higher levels of peripheral sensory neuropathy, ototoxicity, and Raynaud-like phenomena, treatment strategies were generally unrelated to QOL and depressive symptoms.
Overall, the patients in this study reported high levels of QOL. The results suggest that patients treated for TC should be informed about the anticipated good post-therapeutic QOL and the low risk of psychosocial and physical long-term effects.
Journal of Clinical Oncology 10/2009; 27(35):5993-9. · 18.37 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between repressive coping style and Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) in a sample of cancer patients. A total of 112 cancer patients recently diagnosed with cancer participated in the study. ASD was assessed by the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire, and repressive coping was assessed by a combination of scores from the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale, and the Bendig version of the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale. Significantly fewer patients classified as "repressors" were diagnosed with ASD compared to patients classified as "non-repressors". However, further investigations revealed that the lower incidence of ASD in repressors apparently was caused by a low score on anxiety and not by an interaction effect between anxiety and defensiveness. Future studies have to investigate whether different psychological mechanisms are responsible for the lower incidence of ASD in repressors and true low-anxious patients.
Scandanavian Journal of Psychology 09/2009; 51(1):84-91. · 1.52 Impact Factor
-
Acta oncologica (Stockholm, Sweden) 03/2009; 48(7):1074-7. · 2.27 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Vaccination is an important public health strategy for reducing the risk of influenza at the societal level. However, at the individual level, not everyone is protected by vaccination, and increases in antibody titers may fail to reach protective levels. Several recent studies suggest that psychological stress may contribute to these individual differences. Exploring this hypothesis, we conducted a meta-analysis of 13 studies examining the influence of psychological stress on antibody responses following influenza vaccination. The studies were identified through systematic searches in MEDLINE and PsychINFO and included a total of 1158 men and women. In five studies, the increased antibody levels of caregivers following vaccination were compared to those of non-caregivers. The remaining studies focused on associations between self-reported stressful life events or perceived stress and increased antibody titers following vaccination. The meta-analysis revealed a significant negative association between psychological stress and antibody responses to influenza vaccination. While effect sizes were similar across different indicators of stress, antibody responses to the A/H1N1 and B-influenza types appeared to be more sensitive to stress than the A/H3N2 type. It was investigated whether the association between stress and antibody response differed between young and elderly, and the results revealed significant negative associations between stress and peak antibody titers in both age groups. These findings suggest the importance of additional research to explore responsible mechanisms and possible contributions of stress to the public health problem of inadequate responses to vaccination.
Brain Behavior and Immunity 02/2009; 23(4):427-33. · 4.72 Impact Factor
-
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 02/2009; 78(4):258-60. · 6.28 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Objective health measures often correlate poorly with the personal burden of illness. Thus, over recent years, there has been a growing interest in health-related quality of life (QOL) as an outcome measure when evaluating treatment effects and health. Self-report instruments are the most commonly used method for measuring QOL, and estimates of reliability and validity assist the selection of appropriate QOL measures. The primary criteria for evaluating QOL instruments are test-retest reliability, internal consistency, content validity, criteria validity, construct validity and responsiveness. Responsiveness refers to an instrument's sensitivity towards changes in health. Knowledge about the methods used when validating QOL instruments may increase confidence in QOL as a relevant outcome measure in medical science. In the clinical setting, using QOL measures may help patients communicate their problems and help doctors and nurses to identify patients' major concerns.
Ugeskrift for laeger 12/2005; 167(48):4545-9.
