Psychiatry and Psychology Commons^™

Effects Of Distress On Health Care Utilization In Cancer Survivors (Nhis 2004), Natalie Christine Kaiser

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Distress rates have been found to be around 43%, as indicated by a study of five comprehensive cancer centers and as measured by the Distress Thermometer (Jacobsen, et ah, 2005). Furthermore, few studies have examined the current health care utilization among cancer patients as predicted by distress. Thus, population-based data from the NHIS (2004) was analyzed using SUDAAN software 1) to ascertain the current levels of distress as measured by the Kessler 6 scale experienced by cancer survivors based upon demographic characteristics, family structure, physical comorbitities, and cancer-related variables, and 2) to determine whether distress rates reported among cancer survivors …

Does Verbal Communication Impairment Affect Quality Of Life In Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients?, Jason Michael Duff

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-perceived QOL in ALS patients. Literature will be presented on the incidence, prevalence, prognosis, diagnosis and management of ALS, QOL studies for ALS, the role of the multidisciplinary team, the impairments and dysfunction that ALS patients experience, communication issues, and the development of ALS specific instruments to measure QOL. The "bulbar dysfunction" that ALS patients experience in salivation management, speech, and swallowing were examined in detail. The objectives of this research study were to investigate the following hypotheses: 1. QOL will differ among ALS patients with varying levels of speech, swallowing, …

Outcomes Of Peginterferon Alfa-2a And Ribavirin Combination Therapy In A Resident-Initiated, Multidisciplinary, Hepatitis C Clinic, Nicole M. Agostino Do, Erini Vasiliadis Do, K Nadeem Ahmed Md, Suzanne J. Templer Do, Edward R. Norris Md, Fapa, Fapm, Charles M. Brooks Md, Eric J. Gertner Md, Mph, Joseph L. Yozviak Do, Facp

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Stress, Coping, Social Support, And Prostate Cancer Risk Among Older African American And Caucasian Men, Ann L. Coker, Maureen Sanderson, Gary L. Ellison, Mary Kay Fadden

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

Objectives: While psychosocial stress and high effort coping have been associated with reduced immune function, no epidemiologic study has addressed psychological stress and risk of prostate cancer. The purpose of this analysis was to investigate the association between stress, coping, social support, and risk of prostate cancer among older men (age 65–79 years). Design: Population-based case-control study in South Carolina.

Participants: Cases were 400 incident, histologically confirmed prostate cancer cases identified through the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry between 1999 and 2001 (70.6% response rate). Controls were 385 men identified through the 1999 Health Care Financing Administration Medicare beneficiary file …

Validation Of A Serotonin Depletion Checklist In Parkinson’S Disease, Kelly Diane Darby Holder

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The distinctive pathological marker of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is the progressive death of neurons that produce dopamine; however, there are also major alterations in the production of quantities of other neurotransmitters, such as norepinephrine and serotonin that contribute to the signs, symptoms, neuropsychological manifestations of the diseases. PD patients can be divided into classes based on the manifestation of motor symptoms, type A, classified as tremor dominant, and type B PD, classified as akinetic. Type B PD patients, often manifest symptoms in which serotonin deficiency plays an important role, such as frontal cognitive impairments, which often includes a history of …

Multiple Psychosocial Factors As Predictors In The Progression Of Hiv-1 To Aids, Robert Louis Dutile

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Nearly 3.1 million individuals have died of AIDS as of December 2002 and more than 38.6 million individuals were identified as being infected with HIV (Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AEDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organization (WHO) 2002). Psychoneuroimmunology is a discipline that increases our understanding of the relationships between psychosocial factors, the central nervous system, the immune system, and disease. From this perspective, this study reviews the biopsychosocial medical model and components of the stress-immunity-health (SET) model. The constructs of stress and social support are discussed and defined referencing current theory and research. In addition, physiological mechanisms of stress …

Psychosocial Predictors Of Survival In Persons With Hiv Or Aids, Carlos A. Escoto

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The HIV pandemic is in its second decade of existence. HIV has distinguished itself by effecting every part of the globe. It is estimated that there are currently over 40 million people living with HIV or AIDS diagnoses in the world today. Great strides have been made in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. Combination therapy of drugs has been shown to keep viral replication at very low levels. The result of drug therapies has resulted in keeping persons with HIV from progression to full blown AIDS. Also, drug therapies are responsible for a significant drop in mortality rates from …

Physician-Related Determinants Of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Caribbean Women In Toronto, Ilene Hyman, Punam Mony Singh, Marta Meana, Usha George, Lilian M. Wells, Donna E. Stewart

Psychology Faculty Research

BACKGROUND: Minority women in Canada are less likely to be screened for cervical cancer than their counterparts in the general population, despite the fact that the proportion of these women who consult a general practitioner about their health each year is similar to minority women. This study examined the physician and practice characteristics associated with Pap testing and perceived barriers to Pap testing of family physicians serving the Caribbean community of Toronto.

METHODS: A mail-back questionnaire was sent to Toronto family physicians practicing in neighborhoods with a high proportion of Caribbean Canadians.

RESULTS: Although 79.7% of the 64 participating physicians …

Psychosocial Stress And Prostate Cancer: A Theoretical Model, Gary L. Ellison, Ann L. Coker, James R. Hebert, Maureen Sanderson, Charmaine D. Royal, Sally P. Weinrich

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

African-American men are more likely to develop and die from prostate cancer than are European-American men; yet, factors responsible for the racial disparity in incidence and mortality have not been elucidated. Socioeconomic disadvantage can lead to psychosocial stress and may be linked to negative lifestyle behaviors. Regardless of socioeconomic position, African-American men routinely experience racism-induced stress. We propose a theoretical framework for an association between psychosocial stress and prostate cancer. With the context of history and culture, we further propose that psychosocial stress may partially explain the variable incidence of prostate cancer between these diverse groups. Psychosocial stress may negatively …

Trends. The Privileged Status Of The Physical In Health Ideology: The Security Consequences Of Aids, Ibpp Editor

International Bulletin of Political Psychology

The author discusses the importance of recognizing both physical and psychological factors of the AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) pandemic on security.

Brain And Blame, Stephen J. Morse

All Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Correlates And Consequences Of Early Initiation Of Sexual Intercourse, Ann L. Coker, Donna L. Richter, Robert F. Valois, Robert E. Mckeown, Carol Z. Garrison, Murray L. Vincent

CRVAW Faculty Journal Articles

This cross-sectional analysis of the 1991 CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey explored factors associated with an early age at first sexual intercourse. Almost 18% of White males, 49% of Black males, 5% of White females and 12% of Black females were sexually active before age 13. Carrying a weapon to school, fighting, and early (< age 13) experimentation with cigarettes and alcohol were associated with early initiation of sexual activity for all four race and gender groupings. Those initiating sexual activity early had greater numbers of partners but were 50% less likely to use condoms regularly and were two-seven times more likely to have been pregnant or caused a pregnancy. Females who initiated sexual activity early were more likely to have had a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Interventions to postpone sexual activity need to be tailored to the ethnic and gender differences observed in these analyses. Interventions must begin before age 13 and should be comprehensive school-based efforts.

Psychosomatic Disorders, C. David Claybrook

Honors Theses

The term psychosomatic is derived from two Greek words, "psyche" meaning mind and "soma" meaning body. The concept embodies the principle that the mind is closely integrated with the body, that they are inseparable. A psychosomatic illness, therefore, is an illness that has its foundations in the mind but is manifested or has its symptoms in the body. It is important to realize that these illnesses are not merely in the rampant imagination of the sick person's mind. They are very real and often painful organic disorders. The distinguishing factor in psychosomatics is that they are precipitated, to a major …

The Neuropsychiatric Factor In Allergic Disease, Norman Shure, M Coleman Harris

Medical Arts and Sciences: A Scientific Journal of the College of Medical Evangelists

A concept of the causation of allergic disease herewith is presented in which, in addition to the allergic factors, emotional states and psychic stimuli are introduced as integral parts of every case. The adoption of the terms "intrinsic" for the neuropsychiatric factors and "extrinsic" for the organic factors in the production of allergic disease is suggested.