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Gage-Bouchard EA, Pailler M, Devine KA, Flores T. Optimizing Patient-Centered Psychosocial Care to Reduce Suicide Risk and Enhance Survivorship Outcomes Among Cancer Patients. J Natl Cancer Inst 2021; 113:1129-1130. [PMID: 33464289 PMCID: PMC8418430 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djaa185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Megan Pailler
- Department of Psychology, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Katie A Devine
- Section of Pediatric Population Science, Outcomes, and Disparities Research, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, NJ, USA
| | - Tessa Flores
- Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Barrett NJ, Rodriguez EM, Iachan R, Hyslop T, Ingraham KL, Le GM, Martin K, Haring RC, Rivadeneira NA, Erwin DO, Fish LJ, Middleton D, Hiatt RA, Patierno SR, Sarkar U, Gage-Bouchard EA. Factors associated with biomedical research participation within community-based samples across 3 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers. Cancer 2020; 126:1077-1089. [PMID: 31909824 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.32487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Engaging diverse populations in biomedical research, including biospecimen donation, remains a national challenge. This study examined factors associated with an invitation to participate in biomedical research, intent to participate in biomedical research in the future, and participation in biomedical research and biospecimen donation among a diverse, multilingual, community-based sample across 3 distinct geographic areas. METHODS Three National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers engaged in community partnerships to develop and implement population health assessments, reaching a convenience sample of 4343 participants spanning their respective catchment areas. Data harmonization, multiple imputation, and multivariable logistic modeling were used. RESULTS African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, and other racial minority groups were more likely to be offered opportunities to participate in biomedical research compared to whites. Access to care, history of cancer, educational level, survey language, nativity, and rural residence also influenced opportunity, intent, and actual participation in biomedical research. CONCLUSIONS Traditionally underserved racial and ethnic groups reported heightened opportunity and interest in participating in biomedical research. Well-established community partnerships and long-standing community engagement around biomedical research led to a diverse sample being reached at each site and may in part explain the current study findings. However, this study illustrates an ongoing need to establish trust and diversify biomedical research participation through innovative and tailored approaches. National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers have the potential to increase opportunities for diverse participation in biomedical research through community partnerships and engagement. Additional work remains to identify and address system-level and individual-level barriers to participation in both clinical trials and biospecimen donation for research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine J Barrett
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.,Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.,Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Elisa M Rodriguez
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | | | - Terry Hyslop
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.,Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Kearston L Ingraham
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Gem M Le
- Center for Vulnerable Populations, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | | | - Rodney C Haring
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Natalie A Rivadeneira
- Center for Vulnerable Populations, Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California.,Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Deborah O Erwin
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Laura J Fish
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | | | - Robert A Hiatt
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California.,Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Steven R Patierno
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.,Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina
| | - Urmimala Sarkar
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
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Gage-Bouchard EA, LaValley S, Devonish JA. Deciphering the Signal From the Noise: Caregivers' Information Appraisal and Credibility Assessment of Cancer-Related Information Exchanged on Social Networking Sites. Cancer Control 2019; 26:1073274819841609. [PMID: 31010296 PMCID: PMC6480997 DOI: 10.1177/1073274819841609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
With the rise in the use of the Internet for health-related purposes, social networking sites (SNSs) have become a prominent platform for cancer communication and information exchange. Studies of cancer communication on SNS have mostly focused on understanding the quantity, content, quality, and user engagement (eg, likes and comments) with cancer-related information on SNS. There is less of an understanding of when and why people coping with cancer turn to SNS for cancer-related information, and how users appraise the credibility of cancer-related information obtained on SNS. In this study, we use data from in-depth qualitative interviews with 40 primary caregivers of pediatric patients with cancer to examine how cancer caregivers engage in information appraisal and credibility assessment of cancer-related information obtained on SNS. Findings show that cancer caregivers turned to SNS for cancer-related information because information on SNS was immediate, targeted in response to specific caregiver questions and concerns, and tailored to the specific information needs of cancer caregivers. Cancer caregivers evaluated the credibility of cancer-related information obtained on SNS through assessment of the SNS user who posted the information, frequency the same information was shared, and external corroboration. Findings have important implications for cancer communication and information interventions and point to elements of SNS cancer communication that can be integrated into health professional-facilitated communication and cancer information strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- 1 Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Susan LaValley
- 1 Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Julia A Devonish
- 1 Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Gage-Bouchard EA, Rawl SM. Standardizing Measurement of Social and Behavioral Dimensions of Cancer Prevention and Control to Enhance Outreach and Engagement in NCI-Designated Cancer Centers. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2019; 28:431-434. [PMID: 30670459 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-18-0794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York.
| | - Susan M Rawl
- Simon Cancer Center, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana
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Abstract
Cancer patients and their caregivers are increasingly using social media as a platform to share cancer experiences, connect with support, and exchange cancer-related information. Yet, little is known about the nature and scientific accuracy of cancer-related information exchanged on social media. We conducted a content analysis of 12 months of data from 18 publically available Facebook Pages hosted by parents of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (N = 15,852 posts) and extracted all exchanges of medically-oriented cancer information. We systematically coded for themes in the nature of cancer-related information exchanged on personal Facebook Pages and two oncology experts independently evaluated the scientific accuracy of each post. Of the 15,852 total posts, 171 posts contained medically-oriented cancer information. The most frequent type of cancer information exchanged was information related to treatment protocols and health services use (35%) followed by information related to side effects and late effects (26%), medication (16%), medical caregiving strategies (13%), alternative and complementary therapies (8%), and other (2%). Overall, 67% of all cancer information exchanged was deemed medically/scientifically accurate, 19% was not medically/scientifically accurate, and 14% described unproven treatment modalities. These findings highlight the potential utility of social media as a cancer-related resource, but also indicate that providers should focus on recommending reliable, evidence-based sources to patients and caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA.
| | - Susan LaValley
- Department of Family Medicine, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Molli Warunek
- School of Nursing, The University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Lynda Kwon Beaupin
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Sheffer CE, Miller A, Bickel WK, Devonish JA, O'Connor RJ, Wang C, Rivard C, Gage-Bouchard EA. The treasure of now and an uncertain future: Delay discounting and health behaviors among cancer survivors. Cancer 2018; 124:4711-4719. [PMID: 30343494 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.31759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2018] [Revised: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The identification of new therapeutic targets to improve health behaviors among cancer survivors (CS) is likely to improve cancer treatment outcomes. Delay discounting (DD) rate is the degree to which one devalues rewards as a function of time to receipt. Lower DD rates (ie, prioritizing long-term over immediate rewards) are associated with healthier behaviors. CS often experience distress and thoughts of early mortality that can potentially shift priorities to the present and negatively impact DD rates, especially when newly diagnosed. Understanding relations between DD and health behaviors among CS will contribute to the examination of DD as a therapeutic target for improving health behaviors for CS. METHOD CS (n = 1001) were recruited from a web panel and administered a web-based questionnaire. Multivariate models examined relations among DD rate, years since diagnosis, and 10 health behavior indicators. We hypothesized that 1) higher DD rates would be associated with fewer years since diagnosis, and 2) lower DD rates would be associated with healthier behaviors, moderated by years since diagnosis. RESULTS In general, higher DD rates were associated with fewer years since diagnosis. Higher DD rates were associated with more alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, other tobacco use, tanning booth use, and conversely, greater adherence to annual primary care visits. A significant interaction between DD rate and years since diagnosis was not found. CONCLUSION Lower DD rates are associated with several important healthy lifestyle behaviors. DD rate is a promising therapeutic target for new interventions to improve multiple health behaviors among CS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Austin Miller
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Warren K Bickel
- Addiction Recovery Research Center, Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, Roanoke, Virginia
| | | | | | - Chong Wang
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
| | - Cheryl Rivard
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, New York
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Shelton RC, Lee M, Brotzman LE, Crookes DM, Jandorf L, Erwin D, Gage-Bouchard EA. Use of social network analysis in the development, dissemination, implementation, and sustainability of health behavior interventions for adults: A systematic review. Soc Sci Med 2018; 220:81-101. [PMID: 30412922 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Interest in conceptualizing, measuring, and applying social network analysis (SNA) in public health has grown tremendously in recent years. While these studies have broadened our understanding of the role that social networks play in health, there has been less research that has investigated the application of SNA to inform health-related interventions. This systematic review aimed to capture the current applied use of SNA in the development, dissemination, implementation, and sustainability of health behavior interventions for adults. We identified 52 articles published between 2004 and 2016. A wide variety of study settings were identified, most commonly in the US context and most often related to sexual health and HIV prevention. We found that 38% of articles explicitly applied SNA to inform some aspect of interventions. Use of SNA to inform intervention development (as opposed to dissemination, implementation, or sustainability) was most common. The majority of articles represented in this review (n = 39) were quantitative studies, and 13 articles included a qualitative component. Partial networks were most represented across articles, and over 100 different networks measures were assessed. The most commonly described measures were network density, size, and degree centrality. Finally, very few articles defined SNA and not all articles using SNA were theoretically-informed. Given the nascent and heterogeneous state of the literature in this area, this is an important time for the field to coalesce on terminology, measures, and theoretical frameworks. We highlight areas for researchers to advance work on the application of SNA in the design, dissemination, implementation and sustainability of behavioral interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel C Shelton
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Matthew Lee
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Laura E Brotzman
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Danielle M Crookes
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
| | - Lina Jandorf
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Oncological Sciences, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY, 10029, USA.
| | - Deborah Erwin
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY, 14263, USA.
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Abstract
Caregivers of terminally ill patients are at risk for anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Social support from friends, family members, neighbors, and health care professionals can potentially prevent or mitigate caregiver strain. While previous research documents the importance of social support in helping end-of-life caregivers cope with caregiving demands, little is known about differences in social support experiences among caregivers at different life course stages. Using life course theory, this study analyzes data from in-depth interviews with 50 caregivers of patients enrolled in hospice services to compare barriers to mobilizing social support among caregivers at two life course stages: midlife caregivers caring for parents and older adult caregivers caring for spouses/partners. Older adult caregivers reported different barriers to mobilizing social support compared with midlife caregivers. Findings enhance the understanding of how caregivers' life course stage affects their barriers to mobilization of social support resources.
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Gage-Bouchard EA, LaValley S, Mollica M, Beaupin LK. Communication and Exchange of Specialized Health-Related Support Among People With Experiential Similarity on Facebook. Health Commun 2017; 32:1233-1240. [PMID: 27485860 DOI: 10.1080/10410236.2016.1196518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Social support is an important factor that shapes how people cope with illness, and health-related communication among peers managing the same illness (network ties with experiential similarity) offers specialized information, resources, and emotional support. Facebook has become a ubiquitous part of many Americans' lives, and may offer a way for patients and caregivers experiencing a similar illness to exchange specialized health-related support. However, little is known about the content of communication among people who have coped with the same illness on personal Facebook pages. We conducted a content analysis of 12 months of data from 18 publicly available Facebook pages hosted by parents of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, focusing on communication between users who self-identified as parents of pediatric cancer patients. Support exchanges between users with experiential similarity contained highly specialized health-related information, including information about health services use, symptom recognition, compliance, medication use, treatment protocols, and medical procedures. Parents also exchanged tailored emotional support through comparison, empathy, encouragement, and hope. Building upon previous research documenting that social media use can widen and diversify support networks, our findings show that cancer caregivers access specialized health-related informational and emotional support through communication with others who have experienced the same illness on personal Facebook pages. These findings have implications for health communication practice and offer evidence to tailor M-Health interventions that leverage existing social media platforms to enhance peer support for patients and caregivers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susan LaValley
- b Department of Community Health and Health Behavior , The University at Buffalo
| | | | - Lynda Kwon Beaupin
- d Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology , Roswell Park Cancer Institute
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Abstract
Recent research has focused attention on the role of patients' and clinicians' cultural skills and values in generating inequalities in health care experiences. Yet, examination of how social structural factors shape people's abilities to build, refine, and leverage strategies for navigating the health care system have received less attention. In this paper I place focus on one such social structural factor, social support, and examine how social support operates as a flexible resource that helps people navigate the health care system. Using the case of families navigating pediatric cancer care this study combines in-depth interviews with parents of pediatric cancer patients (N = 80), direct observation of clinical interactions between families and physicians (N = 73), and in-depth interviews with pediatric oncologists (N = 8). Findings show that physicians assess parental visibility in the hospital, medical vigilance, and adherence to their child's treatment and use these judgments to shape clinical decision-making. Parents who had help from their personal networks had more agility in balancing competing demands, and this allowed parents to more effectively meet institutional expectations for appropriate parental involvement in the child's health care. In this way, social support served as a flexible resource for some families that allowed parents to more quickly adapt to the demands of caring for a child with cancer, foster productive interpersonal relationships with health care providers, and play a more active role in their child's health care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Prevention and Control, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, United States.
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Abstract
In this study, I examine how parents' cultural knowledge shapes experiences navigating the healthcare system after a child is diagnosed with cancer and the extent to which differential styles of health-related advocacy contribute to inequalities in healthcare experiences. I combine data from parents' perspectives, physicians' perspectives, and direct observation of clinical interactions and find three overarching styles of health-related advocacy. Findings show that cultural dispositions and competencies shape parents' abilities to effectively navigate the healthcare system, and physicians differentially reward each style of health-related advocacy. Parents' styles of advocacy shape relationships with clinicians, physicians' perceptions of families, and physicians' strategies for interacting with families. These findings refine understanding of the mechanisms through which social class manifests in clinical interactions, shapes patient-physician relationships, and contributes to unequal healthcare experiences.
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Gage-Bouchard EA. Policy Brief. J Health Soc Behav 2017; 58:146. [PMID: 28661777 DOI: 10.1177/0022146517704841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
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LaValley SA, Kiviniemi MT, Gage-Bouchard EA. Where people look for online health information. Health Info Libr J 2016; 34:146-155. [PMID: 27207817 DOI: 10.1111/hir.12143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To identify health-related websites Americans are using, demographic characteristics associated with certain website type and how website type shapes users' online information seeking experiences. METHODS Data from the Health Information National Trends Survey 4 Cycle 1 were used. User-identified websites were categorised into four types: government sponsored, commercially based, academically affiliated and search engines. Logistic regression analyses examined associations between users' sociodemographic characteristics and website type, and associations between website type and information search experience. RESULTS Respondents reported using: commercial websites (71.8%), followed by a search engines (11.6%), academically affiliated sites (11.1%) and government-sponsored websites (5.5%). Older age was associated with the use of academic websites (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.02, 1.04); younger age with commercial website use (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.95, 0.98). Search engine use predicted increased levels of frustration, effort and concern over website information quality, while commercial website use predicted decreased levels of these same measures. DISCUSSION Health information seekers experience varying levels of frustration, effort and concern related to their online searching. CONCLUSION There is a need for continued efforts by librarians and health care professionals to train seekers of online health information to select websites using established guidelines and quality criteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan A LaValley
- Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Marc T Kiviniemi
- Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Gage-Bouchard
- Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, School of Public Health and Health Professions, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Shelton RC, Gage-Bouchard EA, Jandorf L, Sriphanlop P, Thelemaque LD, Erwin DO. Examining Social Capital and Its Relation to Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening among Underserved Latinas in the U.S. J Health Care Poor Underserved 2016; 27:1794-1811. [DOI: 10.1353/hpu.2016.0163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Abstract
This study examines differences in the resources, information, and support parents coping with pediatric cancer accessed from different types of network contacts. Using interviews with parents of childhood cancer patients (N = 80 parents), we examine (1) if parents rely on different types of network ties to access tailored information, resources or support; (2) differences in the nature or utility of information, resources, and support offered by different types of network contacts; and (3) the role of health-related professionals in brokering new network ties. Findings show that after a child's cancer diagnosis, parents received support from a broad portfolio of network members, which included preexisting network ties to friends and families as well as the formation of new ties to other cancer families and health-related professionals. Family, friends, and neighbors offered logistical support that aided balancing preexisting work and household responsibilities with new obligations. Parents formed new ties to other families coping with cancer for tailored health-related emotional and informational support. Health-related professionals served as network brokers, who fostered the development of new network ties and connected parents with supportive resources.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Susan LaValley
- The University at Buffalo, Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, United States
| | | | - Rachel C Shelton
- Columbia's Mailman School of Public Health, Department of Sociomedical Sciences, United States
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Gage-Bouchard EA, Devine KA. Examining parents' assessments of objective and subjective social status in families of children with cancer. PLoS One 2014; 9:e89842. [PMID: 24599006 PMCID: PMC3943796 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0089842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Understanding the social determinants of child health is a prominent area of research. This paper examines the measurement of socioeconomic position in a sample of families of children with cancer. Socioeconomic position is difficult to measure in pediatric health research due to sensitivity of asking about finances when research is conducted in health care delivery settings, financial volatility associated with periods of pediatric illness, and difficulty recruiting fathers to research. Methods Caregivers of children with cancer (n = 76) completed a questionnaire that included the MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status (SSS). SSS was measured using two 10-rung ladders with differing referent groups: the US and respondents’ communities. Respondents placed themselves on each ladder by placing an X on the rung that represented their social position in relation to the two referent groups. Individuals’ SSS ratings and discrepancies in SSS ratings within couples were examined, and associations with objective social status measures were evaluated using Pearson correlations or t-tests. Results Parents’ placement on the US and community ladders was positively associated with their income, education, wealth, household savings, and household savings minus debt. On average, respondents placed themselves higher on the US ladder compared to the community ladder. There was an average intra-couple discrepancy of 1.25 rungs in partner’s placements on the US ladder and a 1.56 rung difference for the community ladder. This intra-couple discrepancy was not associated with gender. Discussion Results offer insight into the use of subjective social status measures to capture a more holistic assessment of socioeconomic position and the measurement of socioeconomic position in two-parent families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A. Gage-Bouchard
- Department of Community Health and Health Behavior, The School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Katie A. Devine
- Department of Medicine, Division of Population Sciences, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
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