Examined relationships among death anxiety, disclosure behaviors, and attitudes toward terminal care of 99 oncologists. Found death anxiety scores lower for oncologists than typically reported for physicians. Short-term repeated exposure to dying patients resulted in comfort with dying patients whereas long-term repeated exposure resulted in…

A model for multilevel ordinal response data is described that allows for nonproportional odds for a subset of explanatory variables. The model, the multilevel thresholds of change model, focuses on modeling the K-1 thresholds that delineate membership in the "K" ordered stages. The model is illustrated with data from a cancer prevention study.…

The authors describe an evidence-based assessment protocol for intensive case management to improve screening diagnostic follow-up developed through a research project in breast and cervical cancer early detection funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three components of an evidence-based approach to assessment are presented…

Asbestos has been used in the construction of elementary, middle, and high school ceilings, floor tile adhesives, pipe and structural beam insulations, science laboratory benches, wire gauss on ring stands, fume hood panels, general insulation, and more during the 1950s through early 1970s. Why? Primarily asbestos was selected because of its…

University of Colorado's Virtual Student Fellowship available at and developed by Bakemeier, Richard F. This website is designed to give students applying for a fellowship an overview of basic topics in biology and how they are used by cancer researchers to develop new treatments.

Although self-directed learning is a common response for many of the 183000 American women who are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, very little is known about the nature of the experience for them. Four themes emerged from interviews with 13 breast cancer patients describing their self-education efforts in regard to their disease. A…

This essay explores the cultural reconfiguration of breast cancer in the United States since the 1970s. It traces how breast cancer has been transformed in public discourse from a stigmatized disease best dealt with privately and in isolation, to a neglected epidemic worthy of public debate and political organizing, to an enriching and affirming…

In this article I will discuss the impact of my 2-year-old son's diagnosis and treatment of leukaemia. I will outline the background to being told he had leukaemia before describing the family dynamics that emerged during this time for me, my husband and our other child. My story will focus on managing the practicalities of a long stay in hospital…

The war on cancer has been waged for nearly 40 years, yet the cancer burden remains high, especially among minority and underserved populations. One strategy to make strides in the war on cancer and its disparate impacts is to increase the diversity of the cancer research workforce. We describe an approach to recruit a diverse population of future…

Background: About 40% of White American women over age 50 experience osteoporosis-related fracture of the hip, spine, or wrist during their lives. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the level of osteoporosis knowledge and beliefs among young women. Methods: University women (n=302) completed a self-administered osteoporosis risk…

Background: Smoking is especially prevalent among Native Hawaiians. The 2002 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System revealed that 33.8% of Hawaiians were current smokers. Native Hawaiians have the highest age-adjusted lung cancer incidence and mortality rates and the highest prevalence of asthma among all ethnicities. Purpose: This study…

The Practice Notes section is intended to keep readers informed about health education practice around the country. It is an attempt to spread the word about exemplary strategies, initiatives, and programs and share successes in overcoming obstacles or challenges. Periodically, articles presenting perspectives on practice-related issues are also…

Despite contradictory findings, the belief that psychotherapy promotes survival in people who have been diagnosed with cancer has persisted since the seminal study by D. Spiegel, J. R. Bloom, H. C. Kramer, and E. Gottheil (1989). The current authors provide a systematic critical review of the relevant literature. In doing so, they introduce some…

Goals for Health was a National Cancer Institute funded program designed to impact health behaviors of adolescents living in rural Virginia and New York. This study examined three specific objectives: (a) to examine participants' perceptions of the program components and the relationship between program components and overall program perception,…

Over the last few decades, long-term survival rates of children diagnosed with the two most common forms of childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and brain tumors have improved substantially. Neurodevelopmental and psychosocial sequelae resulting from these diseases and their treatment have a direct impact on the developing brain…