Kadie M. Harry

Testicular Cancer Knowledge among Deaf and Hearing Men

Testicular cancer typically affects young and middle-aged men. An educational video about prostate and testicular cancer was created in American Sign Language, with English open captioning and voice overlay, so that it could be viewed by audiences of diverse ages and hearing characteristics. This study recruited young Deaf (n = 85) and hearing (n = 90) adult males to help evaluate the educational value of the testicular cancer portion of this video. Participants completed surveys about their general, testicular, and total cancer knowledge before and after viewing the video. Although hearing men had higher pre-test scores than Deaf men, both Deaf and hearing men demonstrated significant increases in General, Testicular, and Total Cancer Knowledge scores after viewing the intervention video. Overall, results demonstrate the value of the video to Deaf and hearing men.

Ovarian Cancer: Deaf and Hearing Women’s Knowledge Before and After an Educational Video

Members of the Deaf community report language and cultural barriers to accessing health information and care. This study evaluated whether an ovarian cancer education video in American Sign Language with English captioning and voice-over could close the anticipated knowledge gap between Deaf and hearing women’s cancer knowledge. Consented Deaf (n = 55) and hearing (n = 52) women’s General, Ovarian, and Total Cancer Knowledge were assessed before and after viewing the video. At baseline, hearing women demonstrated significantly higher General, Ovarian, and Total Cancer Knowledge scores than Deaf women. By the post-test, all of Deaf women’s knowledge scores had increased, closing the baseline gap. However, hearing women’s post-video knowledge had also increased, thereby creating a new knowledge gap. The ovarian cancer education video offers an effective method to increase ovarian and general cancer knowledge for Deaf and hearing women.

Evaluating a Skin Cancer Education Program for the Deaf Community

Skin cancer is the most common, preventable, and treatable cancer, so public education has been a priority. Unfortunately, for the Deaf community, most skin cancer information is difficult to access, so tailored approaches are needed. Participants (N = 136) were randomly assigned to view either a skin cancer education video in American Sign Language (n = 75) or an alternate video (n = 61). All participants completed skin cancer knowledge questionnaires at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 2-month post-intervention. Control group participants could then transfer to the experimental condition, using their 2-month follow-up data as their baseline. Participants who saw the skin cancer video gained significantly more knowledge than control participants, demonstrating the videos effectiveness in increasing skin cancer control knowledge. There was no difference between the original experimental group and the delayed intervention group on knowledge gains.

Cervical Cancer Control: Deaf and Hearing Women’s Response to an Educational Video

Deaf people encounter barriers to accessing cancer information. In this study, a graphically enriched educational video about cervical cancer was created in American Sign Language, with English open captioning and voice overlay. Deaf (n = 127) and hearing (n = 106) women completed cancer knowledge surveys before and after viewing the video. Hearing women yielded higher scores before the intervention. Both groups demonstrated a significant increase in general and cervical cancer knowledge after viewing the video, rendering posttest knowledge scores nearly equal between the groups. These findings indicate that this video is an effective strategy for increasing cervical cancer knowledge among deaf women.

Comparison of factor structure models for the Beck Anxiety Inventory among cardiac rehabilitation patients

OBJECTIVE Individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) experience greater rates of distress symptoms, such as anxiety and depressive symptoms, than the general population. These psychological outcomes have been linked to greater risk for negative outcomes following a cardiac event; however, research examining the relationship between specific components of anxiety and outcomes in CVD is limited. Further, prior research has not investigated the structure of anxiety symptoms in CVD. This study sought to compare previously established one, two, and four-factor models of the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) in individuals enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). METHODS Our sample included 208 individuals with CVD recruited during enrollment in a phase II CR program. Participants completed the BAI at enrollment in CR (Time 1) and again 12weeks later at CR completion (Time 2, n=151). RESULTS Consistent with prior literature, 41% of our sample reported at least mild symptoms of anxiety (BAI>8), and the BAI proved to be a reliable measure within this sample (α=0.89). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) results indicated that a second-order model with four first order factors, consisting of cognitive, autonomic, neuromotor, and panic components, fit our data well. A multi-group CFA approach supported measurement invariance across time. CONCLUSION These results suggest that anxiety following CVD can be evaluated based on cognitive, autonomic, neuromotor, and panic components as well as the encompassing anxiety construct.

Scale development and psychometric properties of the Cardiac Self-Blame Attributions scale in patients with cardiovascular disease

Patients with cardiovascular disease may attribute their cardiovascular disease to their behaviors (behavioral self-blame) or to their dispositions (characterological self-blame). However, findings are mixed on the effects of behavioral self-blame and characterological self-blame on health outcomes, possibly because there are no validated, multiple-item measures. This study developed and tested an 11-item Cardiac Self-Blame Attributions scale via questionnaire data from 121 patients with cardiovascular disease. Results yielded a two-factor structure that explained 65 percent of the variance, with good reliability and discriminant validity. Findings suggest that the scale is reliable and valid and can be used to understand the cardiac attributions patients create.

Stability in Cardiac Attributions Before and After Cardiac Rehabilitation

Purpose This study examined temporal patterns in causal attributions generated by patients with cardiovascular disease before and after cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Design Qualitative, descriptive survey. Methods Eighty-six participants were asked what they believed was the primary cause of their cardiac events. Cardiac attributions were collected at the beginning of CR, at the end of CR, and 15 months after baseline. Findings Content analyses showed that heredity and behavior were the most commonly generated causes. Most participants showed stability in attributions over time, although we found a trend for more participants endorsing behavioral attributions at the end of the study. Conclusions Cardiac attributions remain relatively stable across time. Clinical Relevance Cardiac rehabilitation staff should approach patients differently, depending on their causal narratives. Some patients enter CR understanding that behavior played a causal role, whereas some do not. Encouraging appreciation of the importance of behavior in cardiovascular disease onset and recurrence is vital.

Causal attributions following a cardiac event: Short- and long-term differences in health appraisals and outcomes

This study examined attributions generated by cardiac rehabilitation patients shortly after experiencing a cardiovascular event, exploring whether attribution type was associated with health appraisals and outcomes concurrently and 21 months later. Attributions fell into three categories: controllable behavioral ones, uncontrollable biological ones, and stress-related causes. Linking attribution type to appraisals and outcomes showed that creating a behavioral attribution was beneficial in the short-term for control appraisals, but was associated with increased anxiety symptoms 21 months later. Thus, cardiac rehabilitation providers should encourage patients to maintain a future-focus that promotes perceived control over health promotion behaviors that reduce risk for recurrence.