Understanding cancer patients' desire to quit tobacco without assistance: A mixed-methods study.

While many cancer patients who use tobacco try to quit post-diagnosis, some prefer to quit without using tobacco treatment, despite evidence against unassisted quit attempts. This study aimed to understand the rationale for some cancer patients' desire to quit tobacco without assistance. Thirty-five adult cancer patients who currently used tobacco and declined tobacco treatment because of the desire to quit unassisted provided data via a standardized questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. The sample was predominately White, non-Hispanic (85.71%) and female (68.57%). The most common cancer site was gynecological. Key themes that emerged from the interviews were: self-reliance, willpower, social norms, and negative attitudes toward tobacco treatment. The most frequently endorsed barrier to tobacco treatment was "I know others who have quit without tobacco treatment" (82.86%). This study with cancer patients identified affective, cognitive, and personality factors related to quitting unassisted, and social and systemic reasons to not use tobacco treatment.

The natural trajectory of smoking cessation among cancer patients who want to quit "on their own": A mixed-methods, longitudinal study.

INTRODUCTION: Many cancer patients who smoke cigarettes want to quit. Unfortunately, many of these cancer patients prefer to quit without the aid of pharmacotherapy or behavioral counseling. The teachable moment of cancer diagnosis might still position these cancer patients to make meaningful changes in their smoking behavior, but no study has documented the trajectory of smoking cessation outcomes among cancer patients who want to quit "on their own". This study aimed to fill this gap in the literature. METHODS: In this mixed-methods, longitudinal study, 35 cancer patients who declined tobacco treatment because of the desire to quit "on their own" provided data via three surveys and 1-2 semi-structured interviews. The observation period spanned 60 days. Participants were recently diagnosed at and recruited from outpatient cancer clinics. RESULTS: Participants were mostly female (68.57%), White, non-Hispanic (85.71%), unemployed due to disability (57.14%), and rural residents (54.29%). Across time, 43.76% of participants achieved 50% smoking reduction, 21.88% achieved 3-day floating abstinence, 18.75% achieved 7-day floating abstinence, and 12.50% achieved 30-day point prevalence abstinence. Key themes that emerged from the interviews centered on intention and confidence to quit and types of tobacco treatment used/received. CONCLUSIONS: This study with cancer patients who desired to quit smoking without assistance found some evidence of quit success, but success waned as criteria grew more stringent. Results showed participants' initial intention to quit unassisted was quite strong, as few reported tobacco treatment use. Interventions to increase uptake of evidence-based tobacco treatment among cancer patients is sorely needed. IMPLICATIONS: The preference to quit smoking without assistance is common among cancer patients, even given lack of evidence supporting its effectiveness. This study is the first to explore the trajectory of smoking cessation outcomes among cancer patients who desire to quit without assistance. These data can be used to develop interventions to increase uptake of tobacco treatment and increase quit success among cancer patients.

A descriptive study of cervical cancer survivors' persistent smoking behavior and perceived barriers to quitting.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer survivors (CCS) tend to smoke cigarettes at rates much higher than other cancer survivors and women in the general population. However, few studies take a deep dive into the smoking behavior of cervical cancer survivors and none focus on the barriers they experience related to smoking cessation. This study aimed to describe CCS' tobacco use characteristics, quit attempts, and barriers to quit success. METHOD: In a concurrent mixed-method design, 50 CCS (94% White nonHispanic) who were diagnosed in the past 5 years and were current smokers at diagnosis provided data via standardized questionnaire and semi-structured interview. RESULTS: More than three-quarters of participants were current smokers at the time of study participation, 25.6% of whom also reported noncigarette tobacco use (e.g., electronic cigarette, cigar, snus). Seventy percent of participants reported making at least one 24 hr quit attempt postdiagnosis, with 61.5% of current smokers preferring to quit without professional advice or counseling and 51.3% preferring to quit without medication assistance. Four themes emerged regarding barriers to smoking cessation: motivation and readiness; confidence and uncertainty; triggers; and social and environmental factors. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of smoking in CCS is remarkably high, which may partly be explained by negative attitudes toward and low use of evidence-based treatment as well as multi-level barriers to smoking cessation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The State of the Science on Cancer Diagnosis as a "Teachable Moment" for Smoking Cessation: A Scoping Review.

INTRODUCTION: Theoretically, a cancer diagnosis has the potential to spur health behavior changes in physical activity, diet, substance use, medication adherence, and the like. The Teachable Moment heuristic is a parsimonious, transtheoretical framework for understanding the conditions under which behavior change might occur, with constructs that include affective, cognitive, and social factors. Application of the Teachable Moment to smoking cessation after cancer diagnosis might aid selection of predictors in observational studies and inform how to optimally design interventions to promote quit attempts and sustain abstinence, as many smoking cessation interventions for cancer survivors do not yield positive outcomes. AIMS AND METHODS: This scoping review of 47 studies that span nearly 20 years of literature examines the measurement of the Teachable Moment constructs and what empirical support they have in explaining cancer survivors' smoking behavior. RESULTS: From this review, it appears the construct of affective response is more widely explored than risk perceptions, social role, and self-concept. Strong, negative affective responses (e.g., anxiety, general distress) may be a powerful contributor to continued smoking after a cancer diagnosis. Risk perceptions may also play a role in smoking behavior, such that never and former smokers espouse stronger perceptions of smoking-related risks than current smokers. Finally, due to a paucity of studies, the role of cancer survivors' self-concept (e.g., identity as a "cancer survivor") and changes in their social role (e.g., employee, athlete) are unclear contributors to their smoking behavior. In summary, the Teachable Moment holds promise in its application to smoking cessation after a cancer diagnosis, though more direct research is needed. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review of the scientific literature is the first formal test of the extent to which cancer diagnosis has been explored as a "teachable moment" for smoking cessation, with results that provide insight into issues of measurement precision and breadth as well as empirical support of the "teachable moment" heuristic.

Availability and Accessibility of Cancer Care Delivery Approaches to Reduce Financial Toxicity of Rural and Urban Cancer Patients in Kentucky.

Background: Cancer care delivery approaches to address financial toxicity among cancer patients are not well-established, especially in rural communities. Objectives: To identify healthcare staff perspectives of financial toxicity experienced by cancer patients and to examine staff- and systems-level cancer care delivery approaches for addressing financial toxicity, with a focus on rural cancer survivors in Kentucky. Methods: We conducted key informant interviews using a semistructured interview guide with cancer center staff who provided financial navigation and/or assistance to oncology patients and their caregivers at 15 cancer centers in Kentucky. Results: Findings from this study revealed several key factors related to the availability and accessibility of cancer care delivery approaches at patient, staff, and system levels for reducing financial toxicity and improving access to care for rural and urban cancer survivors. Participants perceived high financial toxicity among cancer patients, especially in rural regions, related to the high cost of cancer care, as well the patients' limited ability to engage in cost-of-care conversations, low cost-related health literacy, and challenges in navigating cancer care. The availability of trained financial navigators/counselors dedicated solely to assisting the cancer patient population was limited, as was the use of standardized and proactive screening methods for financial toxicity. While in-house and external financial assistance programs were frequently tapped into, there were limitations in the navigators' ability to provide cost estimates based on insurance coverage and in assisting patients with applying for health insurance. Gaps in cancer care delivery approaches to reduce financial toxicity of patients included enhanced transportation options, additional financial navigation staff, early assessment of patient financial barriers and concerns, increased cost transparency, and enhanced cost-of-care conversations between patients and clinicians. Conclusion: Establishing sustainable oncology-designated financial navigation roles is imperative to expanding patient support and improving health and financial outcomes of cancer patients. Future research is needed to gather evidence that informs programs targeted at mitigating financial toxicity of cancer patients in rural communities.

Personality Traits Predict Long-Term Physical Health via Affect Reactivity to Daily Stressors.

Researchers hypothesize that how people react to daily stressful events partly explains the relationship between personality and health, yet no study has examined longitudinal associations between these factors. The current study focused on the role of negative affect reactivity to daily stressful events as a mediating pathway between personality and physical health outcomes using three waves of data spanning 20 years from a nationwide probability sample of 1,176 adults. Results indicated that negative affect reactivity partially mediated personality and physical health. Wave 1 neuroticism was associated with greater negative affect reactivity at Wave 2, which predicted the development of chronic conditions and functional limitations at Wave 3. Higher conscientiousness at Wave 1 was associated with less negative affect reactivity at Wave 2, which predicted better physical health at Wave 3. These findings highlight the usefulness of using a daily-stress framework for understanding how personality impacts health over time, which has important implications for stress management and disease prevention.

Effect of cocaine use on outcomes in traumatic brain injury.

CONTEXT: Animal and molecular studies have shown that cocaine exerts a neuroprotective effect against cerebral ischemia. AIMS: To determine if the presence of cocaine metabolites on admission following traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with better outcomes. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Level-1 trauma center, retrospective cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After obtaining Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, the trauma registry was searched from 2006 to 2009 for all patients aged 15-55 years with blunt head trauma and non-head AIS <3. Exclusion criteria were pre-existing brain pathology and death within 30 min of admission. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality; secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay (LOS), and Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Logistic regression was used to determine the independent effect of cocaine on mortality. Hospital LOS was compared with multiple linear regression. RESULTS: A total of 741 patients met criteria and had drug screens. The screened versus unscreened groups were similar. Cocaine positive patients were predominantly African-American (46% vs. 21%, P < 0.0001), older (40 years vs. 30 years, P < 0.0001), and had ethanol present more often (50.7% vs. 37.8%, P = 0.01). There were no differences in mortality (cocaine-positive 1.4% vs. cocaine-negative 2.7%, P = 0.6) on both univariate and multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Positive cocaine screening was not associated with mortality in TBI. An effect may not have been detected because of the low mortality rate. LOS is affected by many factors unrelated to the injury and may not be a good surrogate for recovery. Similarly, GOS may be too coarse a measure to identify a benefit.

Midlevel practitioners can safely place intracranial pressure monitors.

BACKGROUND: Neurosurgical coverage is a challenge for many trauma centers. Midlevel practitioners (MLPs) can extend coverage by sharing the workload. Our objective was to determine whether the complication rates for intracranial pressure (ICP) monitor placement were similar between neurosurgeons and MLPs. METHODS: After obtaining institutional review board approval, the trauma registry at a Level I trauma center was searched for all ICP monitors placed between June 2005 and March 2010. Complications were classified as major or minor. The study was designed as a noninferiority trial with a 5% absolute difference in major complications defined as acceptable, a priori. Time to monitor placement was a secondary outcome and was analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum and multiple linear regression. RESULTS: One hundred seven patients were identified. Fifteen patients were excluded (inserted by trauma surgeon or MLP under direct supervision, ventricular drain, or inserted at an outside facility). Of the remaining 92, 22 were inserted by neurosurgeons and 70 by MLPs. There was one major complication (cerebrospinal fluid leak) in a monitor placed by an MLP. The difference in complication rates was significantly less than 5% (1.4% vs. 0%, p = 0.0128). The minor complication rate was higher for MLPs (5.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.80). Craniotomy and placement on third shift were associated with shorter times to monitor placement. Nine monitors were inserted at the time of craniotomy, eight of them by the neurosurgeon. CONCLUSION: ICP monitors can be safely placed by midlevel practitioners with major complication rates not different from those of neurosurgeons.

Long-term functional and echocardiographic assessment after penetrating cardiac injury: 5-year follow-up results.

BACKGROUND: There is almost no data describing the long-term functional outcome of patients after penetrating cardiac injury. METHODS: A retrospective study at a Level I trauma center from 2000 to 2009. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients had penetrating cardiac injuries from 28 stabbings and 35 gunshots. Men comprised 89% (56) of the patients. Overall, there were 21 survivors (33%) and 42 died in the emergency room or perioperative period. The mean age did not significantly differ between survivors (36 years ± 12 years) compared with those who died (30 years ± 11 years; p=0.07). There was an increased chance of survival after being stabbed compared with being shot (17 patients vs. 4 patients; odds ratio=12; p=0.002). Thirteen (62%) had injuries to the right ventricle only. Three patients died during follow-up: one from lung cancer and two other patients died from myocardial infarctions, one 9 years later at the age of 45 years and the other 8 years later at the age of 55 years. The survivors had functional follow-up evaluations from 2 months to 114 months (median, 71; interquartile range, 34-92 months) and echocardiographic follow-up from 2 months to 107 months (median, 64; interquartile range, 31-84 months) after their injuries. Functionally, all patients were in NYHA class 1 status, except one patient in class II who was 54 years old and had a mild exertional limitation. The previously injured area could only be identified by echocardiogram in one patient who had a patch repair of a ventricular septal defect (VSD). The mean ejection fraction improved over time from a mean of 51% ± 8% in the immediate postoperative period to 60% ± 9% after a mean follow-up of 59 months (p=0.01). After surgery, 43% of patients had a mild to moderate pericardial effusion; however, the long-term follow-up studies showed that all these had resolved. Wall motion abnormalities occurred in 33% of patients in the immediate postoperative period and, again, all these resolved during long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who survive penetrating cardiac injuries, without coronary arterial or valvular disruption, have an excellent long-term functional outcome with minimal subsequent cardiac morbidity related to the injury. Full physiologic recovery and normal cardiac function can be expected if the patient survives.

The utility of bronchoscopy after inhalation injury complicated by pneumonia in burn patients: results from the National Burn Repository.

There are no guidelines to determine when bronchoscopy is appropriate in patients with inhalation injury complicated by pneumonia. We reviewed the National Burn Repository from 1998 to 2007 to determine if there is any difference in outcome in burn patients with inhalation injury and pneumonia who did and did not undergo bronchoscopy. Three hundred fifty-five patients with pneumonia did not undergo bronchoscopy, 173 patients underwent one bronchoscopy, and 96 patients underwent more than one bronchoscopy. Patients with a 30 to 59% surface area burn and pneumonia who underwent bronchoscopy had a decreased duration of mechanical ventilation compared with those who did not (21 days, 95% CI: 19-23 days vs 28 days, 95% CI: 25-31 days, P=.0001). When compared with patients who did not undergo bronchoscopy, patients having a single bronchoscopy had a significantly shorter length of intensive care unit stay and hospital stay (35+/-3 vs 39+/-2, P=.04, and 45+/-3 vs 49+/-2, P=.009). The hospital charges were on average much higher in those patients who did not undergo bronchoscopy, compared with those who did ($473,654+/-44,944 vs $370,572+/-36,602, P=.12). When compared with patients who did not undergo bronchoscopy, patients who did have one or more bronchoscopies showed a reduced risk of death by 18% (OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.53-1.27, P=.37). Patients with inhalation injury complicated by pneumonia seem to benefit from bronchoscopy. This benefit can be seen in a decreased duration of mechanical ventilation, decreased length of intensive care unit stay, and decreased overall hospital cost. In addition, there was a trend toward an improvement in mortality. The aggressive use of bronchoscopy after inhalation injury may be justified.

Efficacy of prophylactic inferior vena cava filter placement in bariatric surgery.

BACKGROUND: To determine whether prophylactic placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter in bariatric patients deemed to be at high risk is effective in reducing their risk of pulmonary embolism. The study was performed at a bariatric center in a community hospital. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of all patients in the Hurley Bariatric Center database who had undergone surgery from April 2000 to June 2006. We compared the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and all-cause perioperative mortality in patients who received prophylactic IVC filters and those who did not. Patients received prophylactic filters for risk factors identified in their preoperative evaluation. The charts and electronic medical records were reviewed retrospectively for any DVTs, PEs, and deaths within 30 days. RESULTS: A total of 1851 patients were identified as low risk and did not receive an IVC filter. Among these patients, 12 DVTs, 11 PEs, and 4 deaths occurred. Of the 248 high-risk patients who received IVC filters, 3 DVTs, 2 PEs, and 2 deaths occurred. The difference in the rates of PE was not significant (P = 0.69). CONCLUSION: The incidence of PE in the high-risk group was not significantly different from that of the low-risk group. Thus, the use of prophylactic IVC filters reduces the risk of PE in high-risk patients, a group known to have a much greater incidence of morbidity and mortality, to a rate comparable to the baseline risk of a low-risk group. Additional study is necessary to better define the risk groups.