Biomedical subjects

Abbie O Beacham

Publications and source records attributed to Abbie O Beacham.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

The role of social cognitive processing theory and optimism in positive psychosocial and physical behavior change after cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The physical and psychosocial 'health' behaviors of cancer patients have become a more pressing issue as 5-year survival rates continue to rise. This study investigated: (a) the extent of positive change in four psychosocial behaviors and two physical health behaviors, (b) the role of psychosocial predictors (drawn from theories of Social Cognitive Processing and optimism) in positive behavior change after cancer diagnosis and treatment, and (c) the possible influence of social desirability in reports of positive psychosocial and physical behavior change. The behavior showing the greatest positive change was time spent reflecting on life priorities; the behavior that was least likely to change after diagnosis and treatment was exercise. Optimism, social support, and cancer-related intrusions were positively associated with increases in physical health behaviors. Only optimism was positively associated with increases in psychosocial behaviors. Reports of positive change in physical and psychosocial behaviors were only modestly correlated. Social desirability was unrelated to reports of positive behavior change. Results are interpreted in light of theories of adaptation to cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2006

Application of the theory of planned behavior to understand intentions to engage in physical and psychosocial health behaviors after cancer diagnosis.

A cancer diagnosis can trigger change in both lifestyle behaviors and mental health outcomes such as 'growth' and 'benefit-finding'. Assuming changes in mental health outcomes are based upon changes in specific behaviors, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) may facilitate understanding of post-diagnosis change in physical and psychosocial 'health' behaviors. Adults (n = 130) < or =2 years post-cancer diagnosis completed an internet survey. Current performance and future behavior intentions for two physical (e.g. eating a healthy diet) and four psychosocial (e.g. spending quality time with family/friends; engaging in spiritual or religious activities) health behaviors were assessed. TPB constructs (subjective norm, behavior attitudes, perceived behavioral control) for each of the six behaviors were also assessed. Multiple regression analyses indicated the set of TPB constructs accounted for an increment of 25-53% of variance in behavioral intentions beyond that accounted for by clinical and demographic variables. Among individual TPB constructs, behavioral attitude was most consistently associated with behavioral intentions while subjective norm was least consistently associated with behavioral intentions. The TPB could serve as a comprehensive model for understanding change in both physical and psychosocial health behaviors after cancer diagnosis and could suggest innovative approaches to developing interventions to enhance post-diagnosis 'growth' and 'benefit finding'.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2005

Use of a case definition approach to identify cancer-related fatigue in women undergoing adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Use a proposed case-definition approach to identify the prevalence of cancer-related fatigue (CRF), demographic, clinical and psychosocial predictors of subsequent CRF, and psychosocial factors associated with concurrent CRF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women (n = 288) undergoing adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer were recruited from two outpatient clinics. Women completed a baseline assessment before adjuvant therapy and a post-treatment assessment at the conclusion of an initial course of adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy. At both assessments, women completed a clinical interview and measures of fatigue, distress, coping, and quality of life (QOL). The clinical interview consisted of modules from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) and a diagnostic interview to identify cases of CRF. RESULTS: CRF prevalence at the baseline and post-treatment assessments was 10% and 26%, respectively. Multivariate analyses identified factors prospectively associated with greater risk for CRF at the post-treatment assessment, including receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy and a tendency to catastrophize in response to fatigue. Patients with and without CRF differed on a host of concurrent measures of fatigue, depression, functioning, and QOL with mean effect sizes in the range of 1.0 standard deviation. CONCLUSION: CRF is a clinical syndrome experienced before and during adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. Results suggest CRF has a multifactorial etiology and support use of the proposed case definition approach to defining CRF. Future research is necessary to determine the scientific value of these criteria for understanding the etiology and management of fatigue in the oncology setting.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2005

Exercise slips in high-risk situations and activity patterns in long-term exercisers: an application of the relapse prevention model.

BACKGROUND: Key factors in successful long-term exercise maintenance are not well understood. The Relapse Prevention Model (RPM) may provide a framework for this process. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among characteristics of exercise high-risk situations, components of the RPM relevant to exercise slips, and follow-up exercise outcomes in long-term community exercisers. METHODS: We obtained long-term exercisers' (N=65) open-ended responses to high-risk situations and ratings of obstacle self-efficacy, guilt, and perceived control. High-risk situation characteristics, cognitive and behavioral coping strategies, and exercise outcomes were examined. RESULTS: High-risk situation characteristics included bad weather, inconvenient time of day, being alone, negative emotions, and fatigue. Being alone was associated with lower incidence of exercise slip. Positive cognitive coping strategies were most commonly employed and were associated with positive exercise outcome for both women and men. Guilt and perceived control regarding the high-risk situation were associated with exercise outcomes at follow-up, but only among the men (n=28). CONCLUSIONS: Findings confirm and extend previous work in the application of the RPM in examining exercise slips and relapse. Measurement issues and integration approaches from the study of relapse in addiction research are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2004

Impact of benign breast biopsy upon breast self-examination.

Current American Cancer Society guidelines recommend monthly performance of breast self-examination (BSE) for women over 20 years of age. While the experience of a benign breast biopsy can result in elevated levels of distress, the impact of benign biopsy upon breast cancer (BC) screening behavior is not well known. The present study examined frequency of BSE practice in 102 women after benign breast biopsy (biopsy group). Telephone interviews were completed a mean of 21 days (initial interview) and 8 months after biopsy (follow-up interview). A healthy comparison (HC) group of women (n = 76) without a history of breast biopsy completed an initial interview only. Information regarding distress, dispositional characteristics, BC screening-related attitudes and behaviors, and subjective and objective risk for BC was collected. Results indicated that the biopsy and HC groups did not differ in typical (i.e., prebiopsy) practice of BSE. However, practice of BSE changed after biopsy with a general trend toward a decrease in BSE frequency. Only 8% of women in the biopsy group reported appropriate (once per month) practice of BSE at the 8-month Follow-up while 28% reported appropriate practice at the initial interview. Decreases in BSE performance after biopsy were characteristic of younger women, women who lacked confidence in the ability to perform BSE correctly, and women whose biopsy was preceded by discovery of a breast lump or abnormality during BSE. Results suggest the potential value of a psychoeducational intervention after biopsy to enhance appropriate performance of BSE.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Ecological momentary assessment of fatigue following breast cancer treatment.

Fatigue is a common and debilitating symptom often experienced during and following cancer treatment. An Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) approach was used to examine the diurnal pattern of off-treatment fatigue in breast cancer survivors. Twenty-five breast cancer (BC) survivors 6-26 months posttreatment and age-matched groups of healthy women (HC; n = 25) and women with benign breast problems (BBP; n = 24) completed four daily diary measures of fatigue, pain, and mood for 5 consecutive days. Type of activity engaged in at the time of the diary assessments, as well as daily pedometer activity level, and nightly sleep duration were also assessed. While BC survivors reported greater levels of fatigue relative to BBP anid HC groups, no group differences in mood, activity type or level, sleep duration, or diurnal pattern of fatigue were evident. The results confirm that fatigue mav continue to be experienced long after conclusion of cancer treatment while questioning its clinical significance, provide insight into potential etiological mechanisms underlying off-treatment fatigue in, and demonstrate the value of EMA approaches to the study of cancer-related fatigue.

Adult↗