Kristen E. Holm

Parental Involvement and Family-Centered Care in the Diagnostic and Treatment Phases of Childhood Cancer: Results from a Qualitative Study:

Few research studies have addressed the ways parents participate in their childs medical care, particularly in relation to the cancer experience. The purpose of this study was to explore parents descriptions of their participation in medical care for their children with cancer. For this study, seven focus groups were conducted with 45 parents of 26 children who had completed cancer treatment at least one year prior, and who were still alive. Data were coded using thematic analysis procedures. It was found that parents emphasized their role as advocates during the diagnosis and treatment phases, by informing themselves about their childrens medical conditions, making medical care decisions, limiting the actions of medical professionals, and affirming and supporting medical professionals. These results emphasize the need to employ a family-centered approach in cancer care medical settings, by fostering and supporting the active inclusion of parents in their child’s treatment and management.

Behavioral and Characterological Self-Blame in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

OBJECTIVE To assess behavioral and characterological self-blame, identify demographic and relational correlates of self-blame, and determine the association of self-blame with psychological and clinical outcomes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS Data were collected via self-report questionnaires completed by 398 individuals with COPD who had at least a 10 pack-year history of smoking. Behavioral and characterological self-blame were measured, and multiple regression was used to identify correlates of both types of self-blame. Multiple regression was also used to determine the association of self-blame with outcomes of COPD. RESULTS More than one-third of participants endorsed the maximum possible score on the measure of behavioral self-blame. The perception that family members blamed the individual for having COPD (p=.001), tobacco exposure (p=.005), and general family functioning (p=.002) were associated with behavioral self-blame. Current smoking status (p=.001) and perception of blame from family (p<.001) were associated with characterological self-blame. While behavioral self-blame was associated with fewer symptoms of depression (p=.02), characterological self-blame was associated with more symptoms of depression (p=.02). CONCLUSIONS Individuals with COPD tend to blame themselves for smoking and other behaviors that may have led to their COPD. Smoking-related variables and the perception that family members blamed the individual for having COPD were associated with self-blame. Findings support the importance of distinguishing between behavioral and characterological self-blame in COPD, as behavioral self-blame had a negative association with depression and characterological self-blame had a positive association with depression.

Family Relationship Quality is Associated with Psychological Distress, Dyspnea, and Quality of Life in COPD

Family relationship quality predicts medical outcomes in various health conditions, including stroke, end stage renal disease, and heart failure. Family relationships also influence the onset and course of depression and anxiety disorders. Family may be particularly important in COPD given the high prevalence of depression and anxiety in COPD patients and the association of depression and anxiety with important clinical features of COPD such as dyspnea. The objective of this study was to test three hypotheses in a sample of individuals with COPD: (1) unsupportive family relationships are associated with psychological distress; (2) psychological distress is associated with dyspnea and impairment in health-related quality of life; and (3) unsupportive family relationships are indirectly associated with dyspnea and health-related quality of life via psychological distress. Cross-sectional data were collected via self-report questionnaires completed by 526 individuals with COPD. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. All three hypotheses were supported. Unsupportive family relationships were associated with psychological distress, psychological distress was associated with dyspnea and impairment in health-related quality of life, and unsupportive family relationships were indirectly associated with dyspnea and health-related quality of life via psychological distress. If subsequent longitudinal investigations demonstrate that unsupportive family relationships do indeed lead to psychological distress among individuals with COPD, then interventions to improve family relationships of patients with COPD could lead to reductions in psychological distress and, ultimately, to improvements in dyspnea and quality of life.

Family factors are associated with psychological distress and smoking status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to test three hypotheses in a sample of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): (1) unsupportive family relationships are associated with psychological distress, (2) psychological distress is associated with smoking status and (3) unsupportive family relationships are indirectly associated with smoking status via psychological distress. METHOD Cross-sectional data were collected via self-report questionnaires completed by 455 individuals with COPD who had at least a 10-pack-year smoking history. The hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling. RESULTS All three hypotheses were supported. Unsupportive family relationships were associated with psychological distress (β=.67, P<.001), psychological distress was associated with smoking status (β=.40, P<.001), and unsupportive family relationships were indirectly associated with smoking status via psychological distress (β=.27, P<.001). CONCLUSION Results of this study suggest that family relationships are an important factor to include in future longitudinal research that attempts to elucidate social and psychological influences on smoking behavior.

Barriers and Bridges to Intimacy and Mutuality: A Critical Review of Sexual Advice Found in Self-Help Bestsellers

Sexuality in a committed relationship is based ideally on both intimacy and mutuality. Gender socialization may limit womens and mens capacities in these two important areas of sexual relationships. This article describes the results of a content analysis of nine best-selling popular press books on the New York Times Bestseller List between 1988 and 1998 according to their advice related to sexual intimacy and mutuality. Books were analyzed to determine the degree to which they built “barriers” or “bridges” to the development of intimacy and mutuality. Results indicate that while most authors offered advice that built bridges to intimacy, several built barriers to the development of mutuality. Implications for therapists are discussed.

GWAS and systems biology analysis of depressive symptoms among smokers from the COPDGene cohort

BACKGROUND Large sample GWAS is needed to identify genetic factors associated with depression. This study used genome-wide genotypic and phenotypic data from the COPDGene study to identify genetic risk factors for depression. METHODS Data were from 9716 COPDGene subjects with ≥10 pack-year history. Depression was defined as antidepressant use and/or a HADS depression subscale score ≥8. Non-Hispanic White (6576) and African-American (3140) subsets were analyzed. A GWAS pipeline identified SNPs associated with depression in each group. Network analysis software analyzed gene interactions through common biological pathways, genetic interactions, and tissue-specific gene expression. RESULTS The mean age was 59.4 years (SD 9.0) with 46.5% female subjects. Depression was in 24.7% of the NHW group (1622) and 12.5% of the AA group (391). No SNPs had genome-wide significance. One of the top SNPs, rs12036147 (p = 1.28 × 10-6), is near CHRM3. Another SNP was near MDGA2 (rs17118176, p = 3.52 × 10-6). Top genes formed networks for synaptic transmission with a statistically significant level of more co-expression in brain than other tissues, particularly in the basal ganglia (p = 1.00 × 10-4). LIMITATIONS Limitations included a depression definition based on antidepressant use and a limited HADS score subgroup, which could increase false negatives in depressed patients not on antidepressants. Antidepressants used for smoking cessation in non-depressed patients could lead to false positives. CONCLUSIONS Systems biology analysis identified statistically significant pathways whereby multiple genes influence depression. The gene set pathway analysis and COPDGene data can help investigate depression in future studies.

Genotype is associated with smoking and other key health behaviors among individuals with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency-associated lung disease

OBJECTIVE To examine the association of genotype with smoking and other key health behaviors among individuals with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) associated lung disease. METHODS Self-reported data were analyzed from 3506 individuals with AATD-associated lung disease. All data were collected upon enrollment in a disease management program designed for individuals who have been prescribed augmentation therapy. Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to examine the extent to which genotype was associated with smoking and other key health behaviors (i.e., getting a pneumonia vaccine, getting a flu vaccine, exercising, and maintaining a healthy weight). We hypothesized that MZs and SZs are more likely than ZZs to be current smokers, and that genotype is associated with additional health behaviors. RESULTS MZs and SZs had higher odds of being a current smoker than ZZs (MZ versus ZZ OR = 2.73, p < .001; SZ versus ZZ OR = 4.34, p < .001). For every additional health behavior examined, MZs had higher odds of unhealthy behavior than ZZs (ORs ranged from 1.35 to 1.98, p < .05). SZs had higher odds of unhealthy behavior than ZZs with regard to lack of exercise (OR = 1.52, p = .003) and failure to maintain a healthy weight (underweight OR = 1.93, p = .028; overweight OR = 1.43, p = .015). CONCLUSIONS Among individuals who have been prescribed augmentation therapy for lung disease due to AATD, genotype is associated with smoking and additional health behaviors that are central to managing lung disease.