Kathleen M. Galvin

Adult survivors of childhood cancer and their parents: Experiences with survivorship and long-term follow-up

To compare the perspectives of adult childhood cancer survivors and their parents in terms of: (1) parental involvement in the survivors healthcare, (2) thoughts and discussion about their own or their sons/daughters childhood cancer, (3) concern about the survivors current health status, and (4) perceived benefits of follow-up care. Forty-two adult survivors and their parents completed a semistructured audio-taped interview via the phone responding to a parallel set of questions. Thirty-eight percent of survivors reported that one of their parents attended the adult survivor clinic with them; in 41% of patient-parent dyads the parent expressed more concern than their child about the childs health status; 45% of the parents reported thinking about the cancer experience more often than their child. The results suggest that some parents continue to worry about their childs health status into adulthood, and in turn may choose to stay involved in their adult childs healthcare. Additional research is needed to understand the survivorship needs of the adult survivor and their family. Including parents in important healthcare decisions and discussions may be a consideration when caring for this unique population of patients.

A report of the task force on career competencies in oral communication skills for community college students seeking immediate entry into the work force

This study reports the results of the SCA Task Force on Career Competencies which investigated the oral communication skills needed by community college students entering careers. The report summarizes relevant literature and the results of surveys of (1) state instructional offices and (2) community college career advisory committee members in various occupational areas. Findings indicate a strong need for group communication and receiver‐oriented skills such as listening. The respondents reinforced the need for oral communication skills for entry‐level personnel.

Shared Decision Making: Fertility and Pediatric Cancers

Childhood cancer is a familial disease; no family member escapes unscathed from the impact of a young person’s cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up procedures. As new treatment options unfold and more children survive, families are faced with multiple critical decisions at the time of diagnosis. This chapter will address one of the goals of oncofertility research – to improve the decision making competencies of family members confronting the news of a child’s cancer diagnosis plus the additional information that the treatment may or will affect the child’s future fertility. We will bring together key constructs and research from family systems theory and the shared decision making model in order to understand better how families whose children are newly diagnosed with cancer can make informed choices about the future fertility of their children while immediately confronting a potentially life-threatening illness. To accomplish this purpose, the chapter will unfold in the following manner: first, we will briefly articulate the current state of childhood cancer and fertility preservation. Second, we will explicate a systems approach to family communication and decision making. Third, we will summarize the recent evolving work on shared decision making in health care. Fourth, the current state of childhood cancer and fertility preservation options will be described as a highly stressful context into which a family systems approach and shared decision making models must be integrated for immediate and long-range successful health care outcomes. In doing so, we will review the recent research that has investigated how families and health care professionals do and want to make decisions about fertility preservation when children are diagnosed with cancer. We will conclude by summarizing what we now know about shared decision making by families and health care professionals concerning fertility preservation for children with cancer and what we still need to know. As family members and health professionals confront this situation together, the desired outcome is a shared decision-making process that involves parent(s),

Whose Future Is It? Ethical Family Decision Making About Daughters’ Treatment in the Oncofertility Context

In cases of fertility-threatening cancer treatments, the choice whether or not to undergo fertility preservation treatment before cancer treatment begins represents a high-stakes, time-sensitive, emotionally charged, nested decision [1]. The choice is life altering and, although presumably a discrete decision, the fertility preservation decision serves as an outcome of a very recent challenging decision to pursue fertility-threatening cancer treatments. Patients and their family members will experience the dual impact of these linked treatment-related decisions for years to come. For many patients, family members play significant roles in treatment-related decision making. However, if the patient has not reached the age of legal majority, family members play additional roles in the decision-making processes.

A comparison of heterosexual and LGBTQ cancer survivors’ outlooks on relationships, family building, possible infertility, and patient-doctor fertility risk communication

PurposeLittle research about cancer-related infertility has examined the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ) cancer survivors. This research seeks to understand how LGBTQ survivors are similar to or different from heterosexual survivors with respect to cancer treatments’ effects on relationships, plans for parenthood, and fertility preservation decision making.MethodsSemi-structured telephone interviews conducted with adolescent or young adult (AYA) cancer survivors (n = 56) were coded for themes. Interviews consisted of questions about pre- and post-diagnosis thoughts about relationships, parenthood, possible infertility, and how information about fertility risks was received.ResultsWhile LGBTQ (n = 22) and heterosexual (n = 34) survivors reported similar challenges when dating post-diagnosis, heterosexual survivors were more likely to report fertility concerns as affecting romantic relationships (p < .05). LGBTQ survivors seemed more open to raising non-biological children or not becoming a parent than heterosexual survivors. LGBTQ survivors generally reported being satisfied with or indifferent to the information that they were given regarding fertility loss, despite reporting receiving similar amounts of information as compared to heterosexual patients (p < .10).ConclusionsLGBTQ patients’ views on relationships, parenthood, and family building seemed to result in less distress when faced with infertility. However, interventions facilitating information exchange about dating, fertility risks, and family building options may be valuable to LGBTQ and heterosexual cancer survivors.Implications for Cancer SurvivorsLGBTQ cancer survivors may display more adaptive coping with respect to relationships and fertility loss. Oncology professionals may want to proactively introduce positive coping strategies to reduce distress among AYA cancer survivors at risk for infertility.

Opening Up the Conversation on Genetics and Genomics in Families The Space for Communication Scholars

Advances in genetics and genomics research allow increasing numbers of family members to learn of their susceptibilities for inheriting genetic diseases. A family member diagnosed with a genetic disease is expected to notify other family members who may be at risk; these individuals confront the ongoing dilemmas of how to discuss familial genetic health. The complexities of family communication dynamics surrounding genetic health-related issues raise key challenges for many family members. Although communication-related research literature exists in genetic counseling, communication studies, and other social sciences, little scholarship integrates these findings. This chapter provides an interdisciplinary review of the available literature pertaining to the ways in which family members disclose and discuss genetic test results among family members; it discusses implications of genetic knowledge within the family and identifies areas of future related research. The authors call for increasing contributions from interpersonal, family, and health communication scholars to address the needs of families that are managing genetic health issues.

Research in Communication Education: Directional Needs.

Future Research in communication education should concentrate on (1) identifying and applying the communication functions necessary for one to participate successfully in interpersonal contexts, (2) examining communication in different learning environments, and (3) improving teacher competencies

DNA of a Family: Testing Social Bonds and Genetic Ties

Managing the interplay of private information within families creates challenges, especially when the information involves member identity, a complex and emotionally charged issue. Ravelingien and ...

Disclosure/Disruption: Considering Why Not to Disclose Genetic Information After Death

Chan, B., F. M. Facio, H. Eidem, S. C. Hull, L. G. Beissecker, and B. E. Berkman. 2012. Genomic inheritances: Disclosing individual research results from wholeexome sequencing to deceased participants’ relatives. American Journal of Bioeethics 12(10): 1–8. Fernandez, C. V., E. Kodish, et al. 2003. Informing study participants of research results: An ethical imperative. Institutional Review Boards 25(3): 12–19.

What Do We Know about Research in Teacher Training in Instructional Strategies

In an essay inadvertently omitted from the Scholars Anthology on communication education in Spring/Summer 1985, the authors review our current research on teacher training and lay out a program for future study.