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Biomedical subjects

M Frank-Stromborg

Publications and source records attributed to M Frank-Stromborg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Cancer prevention and screening activities reported by African-American nurses.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe the cancer prevention and screening activities of African-American nurses prior to their participation in a national workshop on cancer prevention and screening. The hypothesis tested was that African-American nurses would describe few prevention and screening behaviors. DESIGN: 18-month, longitudinal, descriptive study. SETTING: National survey. SAMPLE: 360 African-American nurses who applied for participation in a National Cancer Institute/Oncology Nursing Society workshop received study questionnaires. One hundred forty-six questionnaires were returned. The final sample was 64 nurses citing involvement in prevention/screening activities. METHODS: Self-administered quantitative/qualitative questionnaire mailed to nurses two weeks prior to the workshop. Quantitative data analyzed using descriptive statistics; a clustering technique was used to categorize responses emerging from qualitative data. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLE: Cancer prevention and screening activities of African-American nurses six months prior to the workshop. FINDINGS: Respondents reported involvement in 11 categories (618 prevention/screening activities), predominantly in those of life-style (86%), education (77%), and clinical screening (58%). Respondents practiced 64% of the activities on a voluntary basis. Respondents provided prevention/screening education to more than 8,900 community members. CONCLUSION: African-American nurses favorably influence cancer prevention and screening beliefs and practices of clients in their communities. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: A survey approach can describe cancer prevention/screening behaviors of African-American nurses. These nurses are an effective resource for community education.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Cancer prevention and early detection in ethnically diverse populations.

Providing cancer screening to the diverse minority subgroups of the United States is a challenge. In order to effectively screen the African American, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, Native Alaskan, and Native Hawaiian populations, cancer screening methods must be ethically and culturally based. Nurses must also strive make preventive care accessible to the underserved.

Black or African American↗
PubMed1992

Neurofibromatosis.

The two types of neurofibromatosis are NF-1 and NF-2. Both cause abnormal cell growth in the central and peripheral nervous system. Each disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, thus each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the disorder. Because there is no cure for either type of NF and treatment consists of amelioration of clinical symptoms, genetic counseling is the only preventive approach to this disease.

Genetic Counseling↗
PubMed1992

Current attitudes and practice of American Society of Clinical Oncology-member clinical oncologists regarding cancer prevention and control.

PURPOSE AND METHODS: A nationwide needs assessment survey including a validated Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Attitude Inventory of 1,500 randomly selected American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)-member clinical oncologists was conducted via a 67-item, mailed questionnaire to assess practice and attitudes regarding cancer prevention and control. RESULTS: Responses of 729 physicians from 48 states representing medical (57%), radiation (17%), surgical (16%), and pediatric oncology (6%), and hematology/other (4%) fields were obtained. Except for ambivalence regarding an important role for diet in cancer causation, cancer prevention and control recommendations were widely endorsed despite skepticism about their impact on reducing deaths from cancer. Surprisingly, a significantly (P less than .001) more favorable attitude for cancer prevention and control issues was found in physicians with greater than 20 years practice compared with younger oncology colleagues, as measured by a 22-item Cancer Prevention and Early Detection Attitude Inventory. Among all physicians, participation in cancer therapy trials exceeded that in cancer prevention and control trials (91% v 27%, P less than .01). Formal instruction during postgraduate training in cancer screening (34%) or prevention (23%) was received by few oncologists; nonetheless, 69% considered themselves a resource for cancer prevention and control issues in their practice communities. Of potential barriers to cancer prevention and control activity, only lack of patients without cancer (53%) and difficulty in including such activity economically into clinical practice (65%) were majority selections. Importantly, 64% agreed they could "motivate their patients to change lifestyle to reduce cancer risk." CONCLUSION: Clinical oncologists may represent a potential resource for implementation of cancer prevention and control objectives if economically feasible models for their use in practice settings can be identified.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Knowledge of colorectal cancer among older persons.

Cancer screening is a national health priority, especially for colorectal cancer, the second leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States. The researchers measured colorectal cancer knowledge among 211 older Americans. A quasiexperimental pretest-posttest two-by-two factorial design was used to test the effect of knowledge on participation in fecal occult blood screening. The American Cancer Society's colorectal cancer educational slide-tape presentation served as the basis for all of the educational programs. Hemoccult II kits were distributed at no cost to the participants. Descriptive statistics, chi 2, and logistic regressions were used to analyze data. One-half of the participants had incomes below the poverty level. Almost one-half the subjects in the study sample stated that they had not received any information about colorectal cancer within the past year. Caucasians had more knowledge of colorectal cancer than African Americans [F(1, 78) = 7.92, p < 0.01] and persons with higher income had more knowledge than persons with less income [F(2, 76) = 3.01, p = 0.05]. Subjects showed significant increases in colorectal cancer knowledge 6 days after the colorectal cancer education program [t(79) = 2.59, p = 0.01] and this increased knowledge was a predictor of participation in free fecal occult blood screening [chi 2(1, n = 164) = 5.34, p = 0.02].

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Changing demographics in the United States. Implications for health professionals.

The coming decade will bring dramatic changes in the composition of the American population. Changes in immigration laws, illegal and legal immigration into this country, and the aging of the "baby boomers" will all result in profound changes in the demographics of this country. These demographic changes will necessitate alterations in all aspects of the health care system. This article focuses on the projected changes that will occur in relation to the elderly, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and the economically disadvantaged, and on the related implications for health care professionals. The cancer incidence and mortality rates for each discussed minority group differ from the rates presently reported for white Americans. Thus, health professionals will have to be aware of the differences among these groups and tailor their primary and secondary prevention efforts accordingly. The future task for all health care providers serving minorities and the elderly will be to familiarize themselves with the special health problems of the population with whom they work and with the ethnocultural barriers that deter proper use and delivery of health services.

Asian↗
PubMed1991

Evaluating written patient education materials.

Evaluation, the last component in the process of patient education, is the most frequently omitted step in producing informative material. Yet, it is essential that program/material evaluation be conducted to determine the impact and success or failure of the program or material. It is vital to be aware of this need and possess knowledge about types of evaluation and those areas that must be included to provide a comprehensive evaluation.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

A worldwide perspective on the epidemiology and primary prevention of liver cancer.

Liver cancer is one of the ten most common cancers in the world with a pronounced geographic variation. The incidence of hepatocellular cancer is low in the Western countries compared to the high prevalence in South Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Islands. Risk factors, early signs and symptoms, and the strategies for early detection are discussed. Primary prevention involves conducting mass immunization for hepatitis B virus in endemic countries along with education programs to improve food hygiene, decreasing alcohol intake, using sterile implements for immunizations and injections, smoking cessation, avoiding unnecessary blood transfusions and screening of blood for transfusions.

Aflatoxins↗
PubMed1990

Determinants of health-promoting lifestyle in ambulatory cancer patients.

The Health Promotion Model was tested as an explanatory framework for health-promoting lifestyle in a sample of 385 ambulatory cancer patients undergoing treatment in 13 clinical sites in the midwestern United States. The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which cognitive/perceptual and modifying variables identified in the Health Promotion Model explain the occurrence of health-promoting behaviors in adults with cancer. A secondary aim was to determine the potential of illness-specific cognitive/perceptual and modifying variables for further explaining the occurrence of health-promoting behaviors in adults with cancer. Multiple regression analyses revealed that 23.5% of the variance in health-promoting lifestyle was explained by the model cognitive/perceptual variables definition of health, perceived health status and perceived control of health and the modifying variables education, income, age and employment. When illness-specific variables were included in the analysis, initial reaction to the diagnosis of cancer was found to be a significant contributor to the regression. Study results support the importance of both general health-related and cancer-specific cognitive/perceptual factors in explaining the occurrence of health-enhancing behaviors among ambulatory cancer patients; these factors may therefore be suitable targets for interventions to encourage adoption of healthy lifestyles.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

The epidemiology and primary prevention of gastric and esophageal cancer. A worldwide perspective.

This article examines the epidemiology and primary prevention of gastric and esophageal cancer throughout the world. Although both of these cancers have low incidence rates in many Westernized countries, they rank as foremost among all cancers in a number of developing countries. Risk factors, early signs and symptoms, and early detection procedures are discussed. Primary prevention of both stomach and esophageal cancer involves changing selected lifestyle variables: decreased alcohol intake, cessation of smoking, and decreased intake of dried, smoked, and salted foods. The nursing role in the primary prevention of stomach and esophageal cancer involves (a) familiarity with the known and hypothesized risk factors, (b) developing community-based patient education programs that are culturally relevant, simple, practical, and cost-effective, (c) working with other disciplines in prevention and early detection programs, and (d) lobbying governmental agencies to encourage their involvement in primary prevention of these cancers.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed1988

Nursing's role in cancer prevention and detection. Vital contributions to attainment of the Year 2000 Goal.

Currently there are 1.5 million practicing registered nurses in the US who could be utilized to assist in meeting the Year 2000 Goal to reduce cancer mortality by 50%. As the largest health professional group in this country, nurses are in more community settings and work with more people than any other health professional. In the last 10 years, nurses have shifted their orientation from tertiary prevention in the acute care setting and have increasingly become involved in primary and secondary prevention in both the hospital and the community. The nursing literature clearly reflects this new emphasis on incorporation of primary and secondary prevention concepts into nursing education and clinical practice. This article will focus on the traditional and nontraditional cancer prevention/early detection activities nurses have instituted in a multitude of settings (occupational, acute care, educational, and community) as well as pointing out the research that documents the effectiveness of these activities.

Community Health Services↗
PubMed1987

A program model for nurses involved with cancer education of black Americans.

In the last 30 years, cancer incidence rates for black Americans have increased 27% in contrast to an increase of 12% for white cancer rates. In answer to this obvious need for intervention to lower the incidence and mortality rates, the Oncology Nursing Society held a one-day workshop which focused on the primary prevention of cancer in black Americans. For the 40 workshop openings, 540 black nurses from 40 states responded to a call for applicants. The impact of the workshop was measured by four pre- and post-tests which provided both qualitative and quantitative data and indicated that the experience made a significant impact on the participants. The workshop content focused on the epidemiology of the cancers which are most frequently found in blacks, cultural attitudes toward these cancers, and techniques for early detection. The success of the workshop was due to the active involvement of the participants in the learning process and serves as a model for training minority nurses for active, creative roles which can be instituted in the community to help lower the high cancer incidence rate among black Americans.

Black or African American↗