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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

The Effects Of Hand Holding On Cancer Patients Level Of Anxiety: A Single-Case Study, West Loveland Aug 2019

The Effects Of Hand Holding On Cancer Patients Level Of Anxiety: A Single-Case Study, West Loveland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore how the anxiety levels of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients receiving chemotherapy are affected while holding hands with a secure attachment. This study utilized three experimental single-case designs: participant one measured under a B-design, participant two measured under a B-A design, and participant three measured under an A-B design. Each participant’s anxiety was assessed during six chemotherapy treatments and one meeting with their primary oncologist to discuss the prognosis of their cancerous disease. Results visually indicate a greater effect on anxiety reduction during treatment when the intervention is utilized compared to only having a …


Comorbidity Profile Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients With And Without Depression, Michaela Frenzel Aug 2019

Comorbidity Profile Of Head And Neck Cancer Patients With And Without Depression, Michaela Frenzel

Capstone Experience

This population-based retrospective study used SEER-Medicare data from 2002-2010 to assess depression, comorbidity, and substance use in the elderly head and neck cancer population. Out of 3,533 head and neck cancer patients, 10.6% had depression diagnoses two years prior to cancer diagnosis, 8.9% were newly diagnosed with depression within one year after cancer diagnosis, and 44.5% of those with preexisting depression had an additional depression diagnosis within one year following cancer diagnosis. Comorbid conditions (p<0.0001) and substance use (p=0.0017) showed associations with depression prior to cancer diagnosis yet, no significant associations with incidence of depression in this head and neck cancer population. This study affirms the need for continual depression screenings in head and neck cancer patients and suggests the need for increased research into the burden of comorbid conditions and substance use within the head and neck cancer population.


Empathy Heals: The Effects Of Patient-Centered Communication On Women Oncology Patients In Gender-Discordant Dyads, Emily Cooper Jan 2019

Empathy Heals: The Effects Of Patient-Centered Communication On Women Oncology Patients In Gender-Discordant Dyads, Emily Cooper

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Patient-centered communication (PCC) is an important component of healthcare. It is defined as a version of healthcare that is both respectful and responsive to the patient’s needs, values, and preferences while encouraging shared clinical decision-making between a patient and their physician. PCC has numerous benefits for the patient, including but not limited to increases in trust, social support, self-care skills, emotional management, and reduced suffering. However, there are populations that face substantially reduced quality of PCC, such as cancer patients. This may be due to circumstances unique to cancer diagnoses, such as the nature of the disease itself, particular difficulty …


Examining Sleep And Family Functioning In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Nour Al Ghriwati Jan 2019

Examining Sleep And Family Functioning In Pediatric Craniopharyngioma Using Ecological Momentary Assessment, Nour Al Ghriwati

Theses and Dissertations

Craniopharyngiomas are among the most common brain tumors in children and are associated with greater rates of sleep problems compared to other pediatric cancers. However, research examining sleep among youth with craniopharyngioma has been limited by a reliance on retrospective reports or sleep studies. Families also play a crucial role in children’s adjustment following a pediatric cancer diagnosis, yet remarkably little is known about transactional associations between family functioning and sleep in pediatric cancer. This study examined cross-sectional and daily associations among family functioning, affect, and sleep difficulties for youth with pediatric craniopharyngioma using retrospective reports and ecological momentary assessment …