Medical care disruptions during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic: the experience of older breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Older cancer survivors required medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there are limited data on medical care in this age group. METHODS: We evaluated care disruptions in a longitudinal cohort of non-metastatic breast cancer survivors aged 60-98 from five US regions (n = 321). Survivors completed a web-based or telephone survey from May 27, 2020 to September 11, 2020. Care disruptions included interruptions in seeing or speaking to doctors, receiving medical treatment or supportive therapies, or filling prescriptions since the pandemic began. Logistic regression models evaluated associations between care disruptions and education, medical, psychosocial, and COVID-19-related factors. Multivariate models included age, county COVID-19 death rates, comorbidity, and post-diagnosis time. RESULTS: There was a high response rate (n = 262, 81.6%). Survivors were 32.2 months post-diagnosis (SD 17.5, range 4-73). Nearly half (48%) reported a medical disruption. The unadjusted odds of care disruptions were higher with each year of education (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.37, p = < 0.001) and increased depression by CES-D score (OR 1.04, CI 1.003-1.08, p = 0.033) while increased tangible support decreased the odds of disruptions (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.97-0.99, p = 0.012). There was a trend between disruptions and comorbidities (unadjusted OR 1.13 per comorbidity, 95% CI 0.99-1.29, p = 0.07). Adjusting for covariates, higher education years (OR1.23, 95% CI 1.09-1.39, p = 0.001) and tangible social support (OR 0.98 95% CI 0.97-1.00, p = 0.006) remained significantly associated with having care disruptions. CONCLUSION: Older breast cancer survivors reported high rates of medical care disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and psychosocial factors were associated with care disruptions. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03451383.

Medical Care Disruptions During the First Six-Months of the COVID19 Pandemic: The Experience of Older Breast Cancer Survivors.

PurposeOlder cancer survivors required medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic despite infection risks, but there are limited data on medical care in this age group. METHODS: We evaluated care disruptions in a longitudinal cohort of non-metastatic breast cancer survivors ages 60-98 from five US regions (n=321). Survivors completed a web-based or telephone survey from May 27, 2020 to September 11, 2020. Care disruptions included self-reported interruptions in ability to see doctors, receive treatment or supportive therapies, or fill prescriptions. Logistic regression models evaluated bivariate and multivariate associations between care disruptions and education, medical, psychosocial and COVID-19-related factors. Multivariate models included age, county COVID-19 rates, comorbidity and post-diagnosis time. RESULTS: There was a high response rate (n=262, 81.6%). Survivors were 32.2 months post-diagnosis (SD 17.5, range 4-73). Nearly half (48%) reported a medical disruption. The unadjusted odds of care disruptions were significantly higher with more education (OR 1.23 per one-year increase, 95% CI 1.09-1.39, p =0.001) and greater depression (OR 1.04 per one-point increase in CES-D score, CI 1.003-1.08, p=0.033); tangible support decreased the odds of disruptions (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.97-0.99 per one-point increase, p=0.012). There was a trend for associations between disruptions and comorbidity (unadjusted OR 1.13 per 1 added comorbidity, 95% CI 0.99-1.29, p=0.07). Adjusting for covariates, only higher education (p=0.001) and tangible social support (p=0.006) remained significantly associated with having care disruptions. CONCLUSIONS: Older breast cancer survivors reported high rates of medical care disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic and psychosocial factors were associated with care disruptions.

Formative evaluation of a multimedia program for patients about the side effects of cancer treatment.

Formative evaluation of multimedia programs can prevent costly and time-consuming revisions and result in more effective programs. Yet systematic formative evaluation is seldom conducted. This paper reviews the basic principles of formative evaluation and describes how we applied those principles to the formative evaluation of a multimedia program for patients about the side effects of cancer treatment. It discusses the challenges of developing multimedia programs for patients and provides guidance to other health professionals interested in developing programs on other topics.

Panel-based pain management in primary care. a pilot study.

Although pain is an extremely common symptom presenting to primary care physicians, it frequently is not optimally managed. The purpose of this feasibility study was to develop and pilot-test an efficient, rapid assessment and management approach for pain in busy community practices. The intervention utilized the Dartmouth COOP Clinical Improvement System (DCCIS) and a telephone-based, nurse-educator intervention. Patients from four primary care practices in rural New Hampshire and Vermont were screened by mail for the presence of persistent pain. Patients with mild to severe pain were randomized to either the usual care control group (n = 383) or the intervention group (n = 320). Patients who reported pain but no psychosocial problems received a summary of identified problems and targeted educational material via mail (DCCIS). Patients who reported pain and psychosocial problems received the DCCIS intervention and calls from a nurse-educator who provided pain self-management strategies and a problem-solving approach for psychosocial problems. Post-treatment evaluation revealed that patients in the intervention group scored significantly better on the Pain, Physical, Emotional, and Social subscales of the SF-36 and on the total score of the Functional Interference Scale, as compared to a usual care control group. Feasibility and acceptability of the approach were demonstrated; however, the conclusions based on analyses of the post-treatment outcomes were tempered by baseline imbalances across groups.

Dyspnea, anxiety, body consciousness, and quality of life in patients with lung cancer.

Dyspnea is a common symptom of lung cancer that can impact patient physical, social, and psychological well-being. Study goals were to evaluate quality of life (QOL) and dyspnea in patients with lung cancer and the relationships between QOL, dyspnea, trait anxiety, and body consciousness. Sociodemographic and cancer-related variables (stage, cell type, performance status) were evaluated. One hundred twenty outpatients with stage I-IV lung cancer participated in the study. Patients completed 5 questionnaires assessing QOL, dyspnea, trait anxiety, body consciousness, and pain. Eighty-seven percent of study participants experienced dyspnea. Patients with high dyspnea scores had lower QOL (P = 0.04). Dyspnea was worse in men than in women (P = 0.02), and there was a trend towards older patients reporting more severe dyspnea than younger patients (P = 0.06). There was no difference in dyspnea based on cancer stage, cell type, or performance status. Pain and anxiety scores were higher in patients with high dyspnea (P = 0.02, P = 0.03). Dyspnea was more severe in patients taking opioid analgesics when compared to non-opioids or no pain medications (P = 0.03). No significant association was found between dyspnea, anxiety, and private body consciousness.

Cognitive effects of standard-dose chemotherapy in patients with cancer.

Adult cancer survivors have reported experiencing persistent changes in cognitive function following treatment with chemotherapy. Increasing evidence supports the hypothesis that standard-dose chemotherapy can produce cognitive deficits in a subgroup of adult cancer survivors. Although these cognitive changes tend to be subtle deficits in memory, concentration, and the ability to remain focused or organized, these alterations in cognitive ability can have a significant impact on patients' quality of life generally, and on meeting career and educational goals specifically. This manuscript reviews the literature relevant to the cognitive impact of standard-dose chemotherapy in adults, outlines methodological issues related to the study of cognitive functioning in people with cancer, and discusses future directions for research in this area.

Massage therapy for patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the impact of massage therapy on psychological, physical, and psychophysiological measures in patients undergoing autologous bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Patients scheduled to undergo BMT were randomly assigned to receive either (a) massage therapy, consisting of 20-minute sessions of shoulder, neck, head, and facial massage, or (b) standard treatment. Overall effects of massage therapy on anxiety, depression, and mood were assessed pretreatment, midtreatment, and prior to discharge using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, and Brief Profile of Mood States, respectively. The immediate effects of massage were measured via the State Anxiety Inventory, Numerical Scales of Distress, Fatigue, Nausea, and Pain and indices of psychophysiological arousal (heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate), collected prior to and following patients' first, fifth, and final massage (on Days--7, midtreatment, and predischarge). Analysis of the data evaluating the immediate effects of massage showed that patients in the massage therapy group demonstrated significantly larger reductions in distress, fatigue, nausea, and State Anxiety than the standard treatment group at Day-7, in State Anxiety at midtreatment, and in fatigue at the predischarge assessment. The overall measures of psychological symptoms measured at pretreatment, midtreatment, and prior to discharge showed no overall group differences, although the massage group scored significantly lower on the State Anxiety Inventory than the standard care group at the midtreatment assessment. The two groups together showed significant declines through time on scores from the Profile of Mood States and State and Trait Anxiety Inventories.

Prevalence of mood disorders and utility of the PRIME-MD in patients undergoing radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: To validate a short, structured interview procedure that allows practicing oncologists to quickly and reliably identify mood disorders in their patients, and to estimate the prevalence and types of mood disorders in a radiation therapy patient setting, noting relationships between mood disorders and patient characteristics. METHODS: Consecutive, eligible adult patients from the practices of two radiation oncologists were administered the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME-MD) by the treating physician. A subset of these patients was also evaluated with the SCID, administered by trained mental health care personnel. Agreement between the two instruments was examined using the kappa statistic. Prevalence of mood disorders was determined from the PRIME-MD. The significance of relationships between patient characteristics and mood disorders was examined by chi-square and ANOVA analysis, and subsequently by multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-two patients were studied. Fifty-three of these were administered the SCID. Agreement between the two instruments was very good (kappa = 0.70). A diagnosis of a depressive or anxiety disorder by the PRIME-MD was made in 59 of the 122 patients (48%, 95% confidence interval = 39%, 58%). Multivariate analysis showed that a diagnosis of a depressive mood disorder was significantly related to pain intensity and prior history of depression. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated the validity and feasibility of the PRIME-MD administered by oncologists in making diagnoses of mood disorders. The prevalence of mood disorders in our set of patients undergoing a course of RT was nearly 50%. Future studies should describe the natural history of these disorders, and determine optimal intervention strategies.

Private body consciousness, anxiety and pain symptom reports of chronic pain patients.

An information processing model of pain symptom perception and reporting predicts that individuals prone to high levels of attentional self-focus and negative affect will report more pain than individuals low in these characteristics. Past research on college student and medical patient samples has shown that individuals high in private body consciousness (PBC), or attentional self-focus and who report higher levels of anxiety report more pain symptoms than counterparts low in PBC and anxiety. The present study examined effects of PBC and anxiety on pain reports of individuals suffering chronic pain (N = 144). Pain patients suffering chronic headache, low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia were included in the sample. A non-pain control sample (N = 31) was also studied to examine potential differences between controls and pain patients. Results indicated that pain patients reporting high levels of PBC reported more pain, although the effects of anxiety on pain reports among pain patients was not significant. Controls did not differ from pain patients on PBC, nor did the 4 groups of pain patients differ on PBC, suggesting PBC is a dispositional variable. Implications for the importance of attentional self-focus in pain symptom reporting are discussed.

Knowledge and attitudes of health-care providers toward cancer pain management: a comparison of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the state of New Hampshire.

The knowledge and attitudes toward cancer pain management of physicians, nurses, and pharmacists in the state of New Hampshire were examined through the use of a statewide survey. Many of the providers who completed the survey, and thus indicated that they treated patients with cancer pain on a regular basis, were not pain or oncology specialists. Most of these providers were quite well informed about the fundamentals of cancer pain management. Approximately 90% of providers in all three groups were not concerned about addiction among cancer patients. Yet, there was a small percentage of providers who responded in less than optimal ways to items dealing with opioid pharmacology, pain assessment, and the importance of pain relief. Comparison of responses among provider groups indicated that nurses were the most knowledgeable and pharmacists the least knowledgeable about pain assessment. Physicians were the most knowledgeable regarding opioid pharmacology but seemed the least committed to providing optimal pain relief. Further analysis identified a small group of physicians that included a disproportionately high percentage of family practitioners and surgeons who consistently responded in less than optimal ways to items dealing with the importance of pain relief. The results of this study indicate a continuing need for broad-based educational programs in cancer pain management and for new initiatives focused on practitioners who see relatively few cancer patients and may have difficulty accessing traditional educational programs.

Psychologic and neuropsychologic functioning of patients with limited small-cell lung cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy with or without warfarin: a study by the Cancer and Leukemia Group B.

PURPOSE: The current study assessed the psychologic and neuropsychologic functioning of patients with small-cell lung cancer who were randomized in a large clinical trial to receive intensive doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide (ACE)/cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, etoposide (PCE) chemotherapy and radiation therapy (RT) to the primary tumor and prophylactic whole-brain irradiation with (regimen I) or without (regimen II) warfarin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients' emotional states and cognitive functioning were assessed using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Trail Making B Test (Trails B), respectively. Two hundred ninety-five patients completed the POMS and Trails B at pretreatment, 224 patients after the completion of the ACE course of chemotherapy (week 9), and 177 patients after the completion of the PCE chemotherapy and RT (week 17). RESULTS: No differences on the POMS or Trails B measures were found between the two treatment arms as predicted, given that the only difference between the two treatment arms was the presence or absence of warfarin. Analysis of the POMS revealed that, overall, mean scores remained stable over the course of treatment; however, women showed a trend toward higher mean scores, which indicated a higher level of distress, compared with men at the pretreatment assessment. Examination of cognitive functioning, measured by the Trails B, revealed improved performance from baseline to post-ACE chemotherapy, which is consistent with a practice effect, but a significant worsening of Trails B scores post-RT compared with the pre-RT assessments, which is consistent with impaired cognitive functioning because of treatment (P < .0001). CONCLUSION: Emotional state, measured by the POMS, did not differ between the groups or change significantly over time in this study of small-cell lung cancer patients treated with a combination of chemotherapy and RT plus or minus warfarin. However, the pattern of relatively stable POMS scores and poorer Trails B performance post-RT suggested that this combination of chemotherapy and RT had a negative impact on cognitive functioning.

Solar protection of children at the beach.

BACKGROUND: Excessive sun exposure during childhood has been associated with subsequent development of skin cancers. Children have been advised to avoid sun exposure, use protective clothing, and apply sunscreen lotions, but how completely these recommendations are followed has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent of sun protection among children visiting lake beaches, the methods used, and the characteristics associated with more protection. DESIGN: Direct observations of children were linked with concurrent care giver/parent interviews. SUBJECTS/SETTING: A total of 871 children 2 to 9 years of age and their parents/care givers at freshwater beaches in 10 small New Hampshire towns during July and August 1995. OUTCOME MEASURES: Protection of the head, torso, and legs according to method used (hats, shirts, pants, sunscreen, or shade). RESULTS: Fifty-four percent of children were protected by at least one method for all three body surface regions, although 17% had no protection for any region. Sunscreen was used either alone or in combination with clothing for at least one region in 79%. Hats were used by 3%, shirts by 22%, and pants to the knee by 49%. Only 12% of observed children were in the shade. The region that was protected most often was the legs for boys (due to swim suit styles) followed by the torso for both sexes. The region most often unprotected was the legs for girls followed closely by the face for both boys and girls. Girls were significantly more likely to have no protection (31.2% female vs 7% male, chi2 83.3) due to better leg protection from swim trunks to the knees popular with boys. Full protection of all three regions was more common for children younger than 5 (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8, 95% confidence interval, [CI] 1.3-2.5), for children perceived to usually or always burn (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.4-2.7), for children whose parents had more than a high school education (OR = 1.8, 95% CI 1.3-2.5), and if the parents indicated receiving sun protection information from a school or clinician during the previous year (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.3). Approximately 51.6% of parents recalled receiving childhood solar protection advice in the past year from either their physician, a nurse, or a school/day care setting. CONCLUSIONS: Sunscreen provided the most common form of solar protection. Hats and shade were used rarely, and shirts were also underused. Although the sun protection of these children visiting the beach was substantial, nearly half were still not fully protected. Clinician advice within the past year was associated with better protection. Clinicians could increase their influence by providing more specific counseling about how to achieve full protection. Use of multiple methods of protection rather than just sunscreen and full protection rather than protection for just one or two body regions should be emphasized. It is helpful to remind families to protect the regions most frequently omitted from protection: girls' legs and boys' and girls' faces. Advice can be enhanced with patient education materials such as included in the "Slip" (on a shirt), "Slop" (on sunscreen), and "Slap" (on a hat) program developed in Australia and available through the American Cancer Society.

Psychologic and neuropsychologic impact of autologous bone marrow transplantation.

PURPOSE: The major purpose of the current study was to evaluate the psychologic and neuropsychologic functioning of patients undergoing treatment with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with hematologic disorders or breast cancer completed a battery of psychologic and neuropsychologic tests before ABMT, at mid-treatment (1 to 3 days following bone marrow reinfusion), and predischarge (within 1 to 2 days before discharge from the hospital). RESULTS: Analysis of pretransplant data showed significantly higher scores on the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Profile of Mood States (POMS) for patients with hematologic disorders as compared with patients with breast cancer. However, no baseline differences on neuropsychologic measures were found when patients were divided into groups based on prior exposure to cranial radiation and/or intrathecal chemotherapy. Serial evaluations at pretransplant, following return of bone marrow, and at predischarge were available for 34 patients. For the psychologic data, patients with hematologic disorders tended to be more distressed than breast cancer patients at baseline, but became less distressed over time. By contrast, breast cancer patients were relatively less distressed at baseline, demonstrated a significant increase in distress midtreatment, and returned to baseline levels at predischarge assessment. Scores on neuropsychologic measures that assessed higher order cognitive functioning generally worsened over time. CONCLUSION: The results suggest a differential response on psychologic measures when comparing patients with hematologic disorders with those with breast cancer. However, both groups demonstrated a general decline in performance on neuropsychologic measures over the course of treatment.

Quality of life in patients with limited small-cell carcinoma of the lung receiving chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy, for cancer and leukemia group B.

Quality of life was assessed in 57 patients with limited small-cell carcinoma of the lung utilizing psychological scales that measured mood, functional status, and cognitive impairment. These patients received chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy to the primary tumor. All patients received prophylactic cranial radiation. Patients who received the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to both the primary tumor and CNS had an increase in overall survival. However, because of the increased toxicity experienced by these patients, a decrease in quality of life was documented by measures of psychological distress when compared to patients receiving chemotherapy alone. The findings support the importance of utilizing quality of life measures in addition to measures of physical toxicity so that patients can make an informed choice regarding treatment options.

Psycho-oncology: psychological well-being as one component of quality of life.

This review deals with the issues of quality of life and psychological well-being in cancer patients, with particular reference to the role of psychiatry in the oncology setting. The prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses as a measure of psychological well-being, the prediction of psychological well-being, the interactions between physical and psychological factors, and the impact of psychosomatic intervention on quality of life in cancer patients, are discussed.

Behavioral analysis and treatment of reflexive vomiting associated with visceral sensations: a case study of interoceptive conditioning?

Behavior analytic methods are applied to the conceptualization and treatment of a complex case of interoceptive classical conditioning. The subject exhibited a gagging and vomiting response to bladder and/or similar visceral sensations. A two-factor learning model of the problem led to a successful exposure and response prevention intervention, which was based on single-case experimental methodology. We discuss the possible relevance of this case in the context of the growing attention to interoceptive conditioning in behavioral problems, and comment upon the importance of behavior analytic principles and procedures to the behavioral clinician.

Cancer pain: a multidimensional perspective.

Cancer pain has traditionally been studied from a unidimensional/medical model. However, limitations of the medical model have led researchers to the development of multidimensional models of cancer pain. The current manuscript describes a multidimensional model of cancer pain with six components: physiological, sensory, affective, cognitive, behavioral and sociocultural. Research relevant to each component of the model is reviewed with an emphasis on future research directions.