Biomedical subjects

Sara Ellis Simonsen

Publications and source records attributed to Sara Ellis Simonsen.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

An internet-based method of selecting control populations for epidemiologic studies.

Identifying control subjects for epidemiologic studies continues to increase in difficulty because of changes in telephone technology such as answering services and machines, caller identification, and cell phones. An Internet-based method for obtaining study subjects that may increase response rates has been developed and is described. This method uses information from two websites that, when combined, provide accurate and complete lists of names, addresses, and listed phone numbers. This method was developed by use of randomly selected streets in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah, in June 2005.

Case-Control Studies↗

PubMed2006

Acceptance of genetic testing for hereditary breast ovarian cancer among study enrollees from an African American kindred.

Clinical availability of genetic testing for cancer predisposition genes is generating a major challenge for U.S. health care systems to provide relevant genetic services to underserved populations. Here we present rates of study enrollment and utilization of genetic testing in a research study on BRCA1 testing acceptance in one large kindred. We also present data on baseline access to genetic information as well as enabling and obstructing factors to study enrollment. The study population included female and male members of an African American kindred based in the rural southern United States with an identified BRCA1 mutation. A combination of quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. Of the 161 living, eligible, and locatable kindred members, 105 (65%) enrolled in the study. Family, personal, and educational motivations were the most commonly endorsed reasons for study participation. The most commonly cited reasons for refusal to participate in the study were: lack of interest, time constraints, and negative experiences with prior participation in genetic research. Eighty three percent of the participants underwent BRCA1 testing. In multiple logistic regression analysis, age 40-49 (odds ratio (OR) = 6.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.2-39.5), increased perceived risk of being a BRCA1 mutation carrier (OR = 4.1; 95% CI = 1.1-14.6), and high cancer genetics knowledge levels (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.1-2.3) were associated with BRCA1 testing acceptance. The results of this study indicate that cognitive and demographic factors may influence genetic research participation and genetic testing decisions among African Americans who are at increased risk of carrying a deleterious BRCA1 mutation.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Risk reduction behaviors and provider communication following genetic counseling and BRCA1 mutation testing in an African American kindred.

Little is known about the impact of cancer genetic counseling and testing on health behaviors in racial and ethnic subgroups. This prospective observational study examined use of risk reduction strategies following BRCA1 counseling and testing. Participants were female members of an African American kindred who received genetic education, counseling and testing (n = 40) and completed a 1-year follow-up interview. Mutation carriers were more likely to opt for breast (100%, 7/7) and ovarian (25%; 1 of 4) cancer surveillance than prophylactic surgery. Following genetic counseling, 71% (5/7) of the BRCA1 carriers who opted for surveillance reported having a mammogram within the year following receipt of their genetic test results. Ovarian cancer screening among mutation carriers increased from 0% at baseline to 25% (one of four) at 1 year. Compared to noncarriers (23%, 7/30), carriers (70%, 7/10) were more likely to discuss their BRCA1 test results with their primary health care providers. Surveillance for breast cancer was preferred to prophylactic surgery and chemoprevention as a way to reduce risk for these cancers. Our data indicate that patient-provider communication about BRCA1 test results is suboptimal.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Crosslinked hydrogels for tympanic membrane repair.

PROBLEM: To provide a less expensive and more convenient protocol for the treatment of tympanic membrane perforations (TMPs). METHODS: Several materials were prepared and compared for TMP repair including Carbylan-SX, Gelatin-DTPH-PEGDA (GX), Carbylan-S/Gelatin-DTPH (Carbylan-GSX) (injectable and sponge), Gelfoam, Epifilm, and crosslinked thiolated chondroitin sulfate (CS-DTPH-PEGDA [CS-SX]). Hartley pigmented guinea pigs (Elm Hill) underwent bilateral myringotomy with 1 ear left as a control and the other treated with one of the previously mentioned materials. RESULTS: Carbylan-GSX (injectable and sponge), Gelfoam with saline, and CS-SX had the shortest time for TMP closure. Epifilm, Carbylan, and gelatin preparations resulted in closure rates similar to controls. CS-SX showed a marked inflammatory reaction compared with controls and other materials based on neutrophil, lymphocyte, epitheloid counts, and degree of fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the validity of Carbylan-GSX compared with Gelfoam as a material to promote TMP closure in an acute TMP guinea pig model.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Cross-linked hydrogels for middle ear packing.

OBJECTIVE: To develop an ideal supportive packing material for ossiculoplasty, tympanoplasty, or other otologic procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Several materials, namely, Carbylan-SX (P-C; Sentrx Surgical, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT), Gelfoam (P-GF; Pharmacia & Upjohn, Kalamazoo, MI), and Merogel (P-MG; Medtronics, Inc., Minneapolis, MN), were prepared and then placed into a Hartley guinea pig's (Elm Hill, Chelmsford, MA) middle ear cavities through a large myringotomy incision. The contralateral ear underwent a large myringotomy without packing material being placed. Preoperative and posteroperative auditory brainstem response studies were performed using Intelligent Hearing system software. The animals were examined weekly. Two weeks after packing placement, the animals were killed, and the temporal bones were harvested. Whole temporal bone sectioning was performed to analyze the presence of implant, surrounding inflammation, presence of osteoneogenesis and fibrosis, or adhesions. RESULTS: All the materials, except the P-MG, were easy to place into the middle ear cavity. The P-MG contains woven strands that are difficult to trim into the small sizes needed for placement. The P-MG group had a smaller average amount of implant present compared with the other groups at 2 weeks. The degree of osteoneogenesis was similar among the P-GF, P-C, and P-MG groups. The P-MG and P-C groups contained the lowest amount of fibrosis between the implant and surrounding middle ear structures. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates promising results with P-C as a potential supportive packing material for otologic procedures. P-C compares favorably with P-MG and P-GF in a guinea pig model with respect to ease of placement and amount of fibrosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

The impact of receiving genetic test results on general and cancer-specific psychologic distress among members of an African-American kindred with a BRCA1 mutation.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have examined short-term and long-term psychologic responses to genetic testing for breast/ovarian carcinoma susceptibility in clinic samples and among families who participated in genetic linkage studies. However, to the authors' knowledge, the vast majority of studies focused on non-Latino whites and women. In this prospective study, the authors investigated the psychologic impact of receiving carrier-specific BRCA1 test results as part of a genetic education/counseling intervention in female and male members of an African-American kindred with a BRCA1 mutation. METHODS: Eighty-five of 101 participating kindred members (84%) underwent genetic counseling/education and testing according to an established protocol. Participants completed in-person or telephone-administered, computer-assisted interviews. At baseline and after the receipt of test results (1 mo, 4 mos, and 12 mos), general psychologic distress (i.e., anxiety and depression) and cancer-specific distress were measured. Statistical analyses were performed using linear mixed-model approaches for longitudinal data. RESULTS: The hypothesis that mutation carriers, particularly women who had no personal history of breast carcinoma, were expected to report greater distress than noncarriers was not supported. After controlling for socioeconomic status and personal history of breast/ovarian carcinoma, noncarriers reported significant declines in the distress measures (depressive symptoms, anxiety and cancer-related worries), whereas distress was not altered markedly in carriers after genetic risk notification. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings suggested that individuals receiving BRCA1 test results who learn that they are not carriers of a deleterious mutation may experience psychologic benefits. Furthermore, those who learned that they were mutation carriers did not appear to have adverse, clinically meaningful psychologic outcomes.

Adaptation, Psychological↗