PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Baider

Publications and source records attributed to L Baider.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Holocaust cancer patients: a comparative study.

There is as yet no consensus on the long-term effects of severe life-threatening stresses. In an earlier study (Baider et al. 1992), we gained some understanding of this issue by addressing a specific question: How do individuals who have undergone severe stress in the past cope with a current stress? We investigated whether severe stress occurring in the past had a long-term effect on present coping capabilities. We addressed the question by studying a group of Holocaust survivors (severe past stress) who were diagnosed as having cancer (current stress) and compared them to a matched group of cancer patients with no past history of trauma. The matching was done on most demographic variables (gender, age, marital status, and education), as well as on disease variables (site and stage of cancer, time since cancer diagnosis, previous and present treatments). The results were unequivocal.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1992

Effect of the Holocaust on coping with cancer.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether surviving stressful life threatening situations influences coping with new stressful life threatening situations. The study group, therefore, was composed of 53 cancer patients (present life threatening situation) who had survived the Holocaust (past life threatening situation). They were compared to 53 cancer patients who had not gone through the Holocaust, matched for sociodemographic and medical background. The Holocaust survivors were unable to mobilize partial denial (had significantly higher scores on the Impact of Events Scale) and their psychological distress was much higher (significantly higher scores on the Brief Symptom Inventory). Their functioning however (as reported along the Psychosocial Adjustment to Physical Illness Scale) did not significantly differ from that of the comparison group. The possible mechanisms for these long term effects of past trauma are discussed as well as the need to regard traumatized persons as 'high risk' psychologically when they have to cope with new life threatening situations.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Gender and adjustment to chronic disease. A study of couples with colon cancer.

The adjustment of 39 couples in which one partner has cancer of the colon was assessed. The main findings were that the adjustment of male patients was superior to that of female patients. In the spouses' group the opposite was found, namely the adjustment of husbands was far worse than that of wives of cancer patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1989

Group therapy with adolescent cancer patients.

This preliminary study assessed the psychologic distress and group psychotherapy of a small group of adolescents and young adults with cancer. A strong relationship was found between the patients' and parents' amount of psychologic distress. It seems that youngsters with cancer in active medical treatment (as well as their parents) use more denial and that psychotherapy increases psychologic distress.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of couples' adjustment to lumpectomy and mastectomy.

The personality and family relations as well as the adjustment of 32 postlumpectomy women was compared to 32 postmastectomy women matched in terms of age and education, as well as time since the operation and postoperative treatment. Whenever possible the husbands were also included in the study. There were practically no differences on any of the adjustment measures between the two groups of women and the two groups of husbands. Some differences were found between the postlumpectomy and the postmastectomy groups in their perception of family relations. The expected differences in terms of personality were not found.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

Time-limited thematic group with post-mastectomy patients.

Twenty-four post-mastectomy women participated in thematic time-limited groups. About half of the women reported that the groups helped them a lot, and in these women a significant decrease in psychological distress, especially anxiety and depression, was found. In the few who reported they were not helped, an increase in psychological distress was found, especially in hostility. The main concerns of the post-mastectomy women are described, as well as the need to develop predictors about who can benefit from time-limited groups. The preliminary data seems to indicate that patients became less prone to improvement with time (after the operation) and that patients who have the wish to share their experience with others do especially well in groups.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

Coping with cancer among holocaust survivors in Israel: an exploratory study.

The psychosocial coping potential of Israeli cancer patients who are concentration camp survivors was found to be consistently lower than that of similar cancer patients without camp experience. "The survivor's syndrome" is referred to as explaining the lower coping levels of patients for whom cancer diagnosis reactivates past traumas. The need for early identification and treatment of these highly vulnerable patients is emphasized.

Anger↗
PubMed1984

The effects of cultural background on communication patterns of Israeli cancer patients.

'Western' ('modern') and 'Oriental' ('traditional') Israeli cancer patients are compared in terms of their expressive communication patterns regarding the illness. 'Western' patients are found to have an open and multiple network of significant others with whom they communicate (spouse, friends, medical personnel). 'Oriental' patients are characterized by a more limited network (mainly kinship group) and by less intensive communication. Implications for improving supportive resources and thus coping ability of 'Oriental' patients are discussed.

Communication↗
PubMed1983

Perceptions and causal attributions of Israeli women with breast cancer concerning their illness: the effects of ethnicity and religiosity.

The study analyzes the perceptions, causal attributions, and attitudes toward help of a group of 33 Jewish Israeli women with breast cancer. We find two distinct response patterns--that of the 'Western' patients (science-oriented, active) and that of the 'Oriental' ones (fatalistic, passive). Questions regarding the relationship of response patterns, cultural context and coping levels are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1983

Type A/B differences in coping with acute myocardial infarction: further considerations.

To further investigate the link between Type A/B behavior pattern and duration of in-hospital stay after AMI, we had nurses observe and rate patients daily as regards mood, self-initiative, and signs of Type A behavior (time urgency, preoccupation with work, competitiveness). We found Type As to be more alert, more active, friendlier, more competitive, more emotionally withdrawn, and more concerned about return to work than Type Bs while hospitalized. Type A patients also displayed more self-initiative in their daily hospital care, which in turn was inversely related to duration of in-hospital recovery time, i.e., patients who showed greater self-initiative were discharged sooner. Type A/B differences in coping with AMI emerged soon after admission to the CCU. Type A patients quickly began to "take charge" of their illness situation, which they no doubt perceived as a challenge to be overcome. While this may initially suggest a more favorable prognosis for Type As, in the long-run it may explain their differential CHD morbidity and mortality, i.e., Type As are more prone toward recurrent and fatal AMI. As such, therapeutic intervention(s) should be initiated early and designed to accommodate Type As' use of denial and need for environmental control. Preliminary suggestions along these lines are included.

Behavior↗
PubMed1982

Role reversal: when doctors become patients.

We intend to present a personal view of the social behavior of doctors in the role of patients. The hypotheses presented here have been formed through personal experience and the accumulation of reports from and about medical colleagues who have been patients. Our purpose is twofold: (a) to describe the mechanisms of doctors becoming patients and (b) to show the difficulties of this role reversal. We tried to show the complex interactions of role changes in both partners, doctor and doctor-patient, because of differences in role identity, in rigidity or flexibility of coping behavior and the myth and beliefs surrounding the very concept of the medical profession.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1982

Selected social-psychological characteristics of a sample of Israeli cancer patients: facts and implications.

This paper presents some sociodemographic, medical and psychological data gathered in an ongoing study aimed at early identification of the psychosocial coping potential of adult, Jewish cancer patients in Israel. We show the distribution of a sample of 86 patients on variables such as age, sex, marital status, place of birth, religiosity, medical diagnosis, treatment modality, and duration of illness. We describe the patients' reported behavioral changes, their perceptions of the nature and causes of their illness, and their views on the supportive resources available to them. We also analyze patients' expectations regarding their future functioning in the areas of work, household, family and social relations, and leisure-time activities. On the basis of these initial analyses, we present some recommendations for the improvement of social-psychological intervention with cancer patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗