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Biomedical subjects

B L Andersen

Publications and source records attributed to B L Andersen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[HIV testing and HIV surveillance of a venereological clientele in Denmark].

The object of this investigation was to evaluate the suitability of unlinked anonymous HIV screening of persons visiting one of eight out of the nine Danish clinics for venereal diseases in the national HIV surveillance. Data were collected during the period July 1, 1990-March 31, 1991 and included: gender, sexual orientation, history of intravenous drug use (IVDU), syphilis testing and HIV testing. A total of 7,455 persons participated of whom 75% were tested for HIV antibodies. The HIV test activity was significantly higher among male IVDUs than homo/bisexuals, and higher among female IVDUs than heterosexuals. The overall HIV prevalence among tested individuals was 0.6%, ranging from 0.1% among heterosexual women to 5.3% among female IVDUs. A total of 81% were tested for syphilis with an overall HIV prevalence of at least 1.1%, ranging from 0.2% among heterosexuals to 9.3% among homo/bisexual men. Since the non-participation is great and the venereological clientele is very heterogeneous, using blood taken for syphilis serology from this group for unlinked anonymous HIV screening, would not be particularly important as a supplement to the Danish HIV surveillance.

Denmark↗
PubMed1992

Psychological interventions for cancer patients to enhance the quality of life.

Although the thrust of the nation's cancer objectives for the year 2000 is prevention and screening, each year approximately 1 million Americans are diagnosed and must cope with the disease and treatments. They do so with the aid of family, friends, and the health care system, but accumulating data suggest that psychological interventions may be important for reducing emotional distress, enhancing coping, and improving "adjustment." Experimental and quasi-experimental studies of psychological interventions are reviewed, and discussion of treatment components and mechanism is offered. A final section discusses future research directions and challenges to scientific advance.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Physiologic and psychobehavioral research in oncology.

A major thrust in research in psychosocial oncology is the study of the interaction of psychologic and physiologic variables. This discussion reviews the current status and future directions of such research. Areas addressed include pain, nausea and vomiting with chemotherapy, sexuality, effects of cancer on psychologic and neuropsychologic function, impact of psychologic factors on cancer and its treatment, and psychoneuroimmunology. In addition, specific recommendations for strategies to facilitate research in these areas of psychosocial oncology are proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Hormonal replacement therapy for postmenopausal women: a review of sexual outcomes and related gynecologic effects.

The impact of hormonal replacement therapy on sexual behavior and functioning in postmenopausal women was examined. A methodological overview discusses issues of subject characteristics, research design, and the assessment of sexual functioning and related outcomes. Current therapy regimens include estrogen, progestogen, androgen, and combination therapy (e.g., cyclic estrogen and progestogen). With estrogen, significant gynecologic improvement (i.e., reduction in atrophic vaginitis) occurs, and this may in turn provide the context for sexual activity/functioning to proceed unimpaired. Although there are medical indications for the addition of progestogen to an estrogen regimen, there appear to be no improvements in sexual functioning beyond those that occur with estrogen alone. Finally, androgen may affect sexual functioning for specific subgroups of postmenopausal women (i.e., surgically postmenopausal rather than naturally postmenopausal women).

Androgens↗
PubMed1990

How cancer affects sexual functioning.

Significant sexual morbidity occurs in the majority of cancer patients. In the assessment of sexual functioning, the health-care provider needs to survey sexual behavior, sexual desire, excitement, orgasm, and resolution (i.e., the sexual response cycle), and the occurrence of sexual dysfunction(s). Data are available documenting sexual disruption for the major sites of disease, including breast, colorectal, bladder, and the genitals, as well as for those with Hodgkin's disease. The author includes a brief model (ALARM) to assist the health professional in assessing sexual functioning in cancer patients.

Female↗
PubMed1989

A psychometric analysis of the sexual arousability index.

The Sexual Arousability Index (SAI) assesses self-reported sexual arousal in women and was administered on four occasions to a group of normal sexually active women (n = 57) and to another group undergoing surgical gynecologic treatment (n = 66) that resulted in a predictable and clinical level of sexual dysfunction. These data were used for a psychometric analysis of the SAI. In terms of reliability, internal consistency estimates were in the .92-.96 range, and 4-month test-retest reliabilities ranged from .74 to .90. An evaluation of validity revealed both strengths and limitations of the SAI. The content analysis indicated that at least six domains are sampled, including seduction activities, body caressing, oral-genital and genital stimulation, intercourse, masturbation, and erotic media. To examine construct validity, we conducted a factor analysis that revealed a five-factor solution accounting for 85% of the variance. Furthermore, the factor solution was stable across groups and time, and the factors were sensitive to the occurrence of important behavior changes. The SAI, like other psychological measures, was poor in predicting a criterion (i.e., the occurrence of inhibited sexual excitement) concurrently or at the time of follow-up.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Controlled prospective longitudinal study of women with cancer: I. Sexual functioning outcomes.

The incidence and etiology of sexual difficulties for women with survivable cancer were studied. Women with early stage gynecologic cancer (n = 47) were assessed after their diagnosis but prior to treatment and then reassessed at 4, 8, and 12 months posttreatment. Sexual and medical outcomes were compared with data from members of two matched comparison groups who were also assessed longitudinally: women diagnosed and treated for benign gynecologic disease (n = 18) and gynecologically healthy women (n = 57). Global sexual behavior disruption did not occur, but the frequency of intercourse declined for women treated for disease, whether malignant or benign. In relation to the sexual response cycle, diminution of sexual excitement is pronounced for women with disease; however, this difficulty is more severe and distressing for women with cancer, possibly due to significant coital and postcoital pain, premature menopause, treatment side effects, or a combination. Changes in desire, orgasm, and resolution phases of the sexual response cycle may also occur, but they are of lesser magnitude or duration or both. Approximately 30% of the women treated for cancer were diagnosed with a sexual dysfunction. The nature, early timing, and maintenance of sexual functioning morbidity suggest the instrumental role that cancer and cancer treatments play in these deficits (particularly arousal problems) and suggest that preventive therapies are necessary.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Controlled prospective longitudinal study of women with cancer: II. Psychological outcomes.

The incidence and etiology of major life difficulties for women with survivable cancer were studied. Women with early stage cancer (n = 65) were assessed after their diagnosis but prior to treatment and then reassessed at 4, 8, and 12 months posttreatment. Two matched comparison groups, women diagnosed and treated for benign disease (n = 22) and healthy women (n = 60), were also assessed longitudinally. Results for four life areas are reported: (a) The emotional response to the life-threatening diagnosis and anticipation of treatment was characterized by depressed, anxious, and confused moods, whereas the response for women with benign disease was anxious only. In both cases, these responses were transitory and resolved posttreatment. (b) There was no evidence for a higher incidence of relationship dissolution of poorer marital adjustment; however, 30% of the women treated for disease reported that their sexual partners may have had some difficulty in reaching orgasm (i.e., delayed ejaculation) after the subjects' treatment. (c) There was no evidence for impaired social adjustment. (d) Women treated for cancer retained their employment and their occupations; however, their involvement (e.g., hours worked per week) was significantly reduced during recovery. These data and those in a companion report (Andersen, Anderson, & deProsse, 1989) suggest "islands" of significant life disruption following cancer; however, these difficulties do not appear to portend global adjustment vulnerability.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Health psychology's contribution to addressing the cancer problem: update on accomplishments.

Each year approximately 1.5 million Americans are stricken with or die from cancer. In recent years, more psychologists have begun study of the psychological and behavioral aspects of cancer, and the rate, quality, and integration of findings are accelerating. This article provides an update on the major areas of accomplishment, with the findings grouped into disease-relevant time points.

Humans↗
PubMed1988

Is there a reliable and valid self-report measure of sexual behavior?

A psychometric analysis of the Sexual Experience Scale (SES) from the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory was conducted. This sexual behavior measure was administered on four occasions to a large sample of normal, heterosexual, sexually active women and a comparable sample which underwent gynecologic treatment that resulted in a predictable and clinical level of sexual dysfunction. In terms of reliability, internal consistency estimates for the SES were in the .85 to .90 range, but the stability of the SES was lower and ranged from .55 to .85. An evaluation of the validity revealed both strengths and limitations of the SES. The content analysis reveals that a wider range of sexual behaviors is sampled by the SES than comparable measures. To examine construct validity, a factor analysis provided a five-factor solution which would account for 82% of the variance, but the solution was not stable across groups or time and the factors were not sensitive to detecting important behavior changes. As many other psychological measures, the SES was poor in predicting a criterion (i.e., the occurrence of sexual dysfunction) concurrently or at the time of follow-up. The outcome of this analysis is discussed in the context of selecting reliable and valid self-report measures of sexual behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Attributions and adjustment to life-threatening illness.

An analysis of the role of attribution in major illness and serious injury is presented. Evidence reviewed includes the impact of illness variables on attributions, the association between attributions and adjustment to illness, and the proposed mechanisms of this association. Illness and injury characteristics such as severity and time since diagnosis appear to relate to attributional activity and content, but the association between attributions and psychological or physical adjustment is weak. Overall, it would appear that the attribution construct can describe individuals' reactions to life-threatening illness or injury. However, the utility of attribution in understanding the processes involved in adjustment to illness has not yet been demonstrated.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1988

Sexual functioning after treatment of in situ vulvar cancer: preliminary report.

Forty-two patients treated for in situ vulvar cancer at two institutions participated in structured assessment interviews and completed questionnaires to examine postoperative sexual, marital, and psychological adjustment. Patient responses were compared with a matched sample of gynecologically healthy women. The results indicated a specific pattern of sexual disruption for the women treated for preinvasive disease. Sexual behavior patterns appeared to be maintained, as was the desire phase of the sexual response cycle. However, there was specific disruption of the phases of excitement and resolution and, to a lesser extent, orgasm. In addition to a two- to threefold increase in the frequency of sexual dysfunction, 30% of the sample was sexually inactive at follow-up. Although replication of these findings is necessary, this investigation suggests that sexual functioning correlates with the magnitude of treatment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1987

Sexual functioning complications in women with gynecologic cancer. Outcomes and directions for prevention.

Since the 1980 conference on gynecologic cancer, there has been an energetic focus on the psychological and behavioral outcomes following gynecologic cancer diagnosis and treatment. Extensive descriptive data on the sexual outcomes following cervix cancer are available. Much less is known about the sexual outcomes for women with other disease sites such as the ovary or vulva or women receiving radical or combination treatments. New directions for research and the design of preventive treatments to reduce sexual complications are discussed.

Female↗
PubMed1986

Sexual dysfunction and signs of gynecologic cancer.

Forty-one women recently diagnosed with early-stage cervical or endometrial cancer and a matched group of healthy women in no gynecologic distress, participated in a detailed assessment of their sexual functioning. Data included the range and frequency of sexual behavior, level of sexual responsiveness, and the presence of sexual dysfunction. Multivariate analyses of variance indicated that prior to the onset of cancer signs/symptoms the gynecologic cancer patients reported similar patterns of sexual activity and responsiveness as the healthy sample. With the appearance of disease signs, however, the gynecologic cancer patients reported experiencing significant sexual dysfunction symptoms. While sexual morbidity is typically conceptualized as occurring after the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, these data indicate that such changes are a major source of variation in describing the prediagnosis sexual status of the gynecologic cancer patient.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Sexual functioning morbidity among cancer survivors. Current status and future research directions.

The current article reviews available data and considers methodologic issues for future research in which sexual functioning among adult cancer patients is an endpoint variable. Circumstances that may cause sexual disruption for any cancer patient are suggested, including mood disturbance, changed health status, somatization, and reprioritization of life concerns. Data on the incidence and magnitude of sexual functioning morbidity following the diagnosis and treatment of cancer at major organ sites, including breast, genital, colon, rectum, and bladder, are reviewed. Finally, strategies for continuing descriptive study of the sexual problems of cancer patients are suggested. Such data are necessary to eventually target preventive or therapeutic resources to patients in greatest need.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1985

Psychological reactions to radiation therapy: reconsideration of the adaptive aspects of anxiety.

A common form of cancer treatment is radiation therapy. In this investigation individual differences in the psychological reactions of 45 patients undergoing external treatment were examined in the context of the Janis (1958) and linear decline models (e.g., Spielberger, Auerbach, Wadworth, Dunn, & Taulbee, 1973) of medical stressor anxiety. Evaluation included pre- and postradiation assessments of the subjects' state and trait anxiety, somatic complaints, and treatment side effects. Technologists administering the daily treatments assessed behavioral indicants of affective distress. Data analyses revealed that increases in complaints and side effects were reported by all patients at treatment conclusion. More interesting, significant changes in state anxiety were obtained from pre- to posttreatment: (a) Patients with an initial high level of anxiety reported a significant reduction, although they remained the most anxious subgroup; (b) patients with a moderate level of pretreatment anxiety reported no change; and (c) patients with low levels of anxiety reported significant increases in state anxiety. No change in trait anxiety was found for any group, suggesting that the foregoing changes in state anxiety were not simply attributable to regression. Data trends suggested that patients who were either low or high in state anxiety were also characterized by more anger or hostility than patients moderate in anxiety. The findings are consistent with the Janis model, which posits that in threatening situations the level of fear can potentially determine the adequacy of adaptation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗