Social support and healthcare utilization of caregivers of Latinas with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Family caregivers experience significant health consequences related to caregiving, including higher mortality rates. Latino caregivers may have additional challenges related to social determinants of health. Gender and social support are key factors to consider in the context of chronic illnesses and healthcare use in caregivers of Latinos diagnosed with cancer. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the moderating effect of gender and social support on the relationship between chronic illnesses and healthcare utilization in caregivers of Latina breast cancer survivors. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of family caregivers from an experimental study with breast cancer survivors and their designated family caregivers. Participants completed telephone surveys about demographics, presence of chronic illnesses, frequency of emergency department, urgent care, and hospital visits, social support, and acculturation. Data were analyzed for direct and moderated relationships. RESULTS: There was a significant relationship between number of chronic illnesses and healthcare utilization, informational support, and social isolation. Income and acculturation were not related to chronic illnesses or healthcare utilization. Gender did not moderate the relationship between chronic illnesses and healthcare utilization. Informational support was a marginal moderator of the relationship between chronic illnesses and healthcare utilization alone and with acculturation and income included as covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should consider the influence of informational support and social isolation on chronic illnesses and healthcare use in caregivers of Latina breast cancer survivors, specifically, how these factors may influence navigation of the healthcare system.

Randomized controlled trial of supportive care interventions to manage psychological distress and symptoms in Latinas with breast cancer and their informal caregivers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to test two 2-month psychosocial interventions (Telephone Interpersonal Counseling [TIPC] and Supportive Health Education [SHE]) to improve quality of life (QOL) outcomes for Latinas with breast cancer and their informal caregivers. Methods: Two hundred and forty-one Latinas with breast cancer and their caregivers were assessed at baseline, immediately after the 2-month intervention, at 4 and 6 months after baseline. QOL outcomes were psychological distress, symptoms and social support. Results: Linear mixed effects models showed that for cancer survivors at 2 months, TIPC produced lower adjusted mean depression scores compared to SHE. At 4 months, SHE had reduced total number of symptoms, global symptom distress, and social isolation compared to TIPC. Only total number of symptoms was lower in SHE than in TIPC at 6 months. Among caregivers at 2 months, total number of symptoms, global symptom distress, and anxiety were lower, and self-efficacy for symptom management was higher in SHE compared to TIPC. Caregiver depression was lower in TIPC compared to SHE at 4 months. Conclusions: These telephone delivered interventions improved different outcomes. TIPC demonstrated superior benefits for depression management and SHE was more successful in anxiety and cancer-related symptom management.

Try-It-On: Preparing family nurse practitioners to use holistic integrative interventions to reduce opioid prescriptions in chronic pain management.

In the United States, more than 130 people die each day from an opioid overdose. Nonopioid chronic pain management options are necessary in primary care. This educational innovation describes a new curriculum to teach future family nurse practitioner (FNP) prescribers holistic integrative interventions to decrease overprescribing of opioids for chronic pain management. The Modeling and Role Modeling theory and Kirkpatrick Evaluation Model guided the development and implementation of the curriculum innovation using a Try-It-On teaching-learning strategy, which focuses on immersion experience. The focus was to teach students to communicate effectively with patients in an effort to increase patient awareness of the pathophysiology of pain, risks of opioid use, and holistic integrative pain management options. Students learned to manage chronic pain within a holistic focus through immersion within integrative modalities, such as yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and guided imagery. Pre and post participation evaluations documented students' increased comfort level managing patients with chronic pain. Students reported they were much more likely to prescribe holistic integrative modalities after completing the Try-It-On learning modules. Holistic integrative interventions are a viable treatment option and/or adjunct treatment for chronic pain management. In conclusion, using the Try-It-On, teaching-learning strategy provided FNP students with the tools needed to prescribe nonopioid holistic integrative interventions to manage chronic pain.

Longitudinal dyadic interdependence in psychological distress among Latinas with breast cancer and their caregivers.

PURPOSE: Cancer diagnosis and treatment can generate substantial distress for both survivors and their family caregivers. The primary aim of this investigation is to test a model of dyadic interdependence in distress experienced by cancer survivors and their caregivers to determine if each influences the other. METHODS: To test this prediction, 209 Latinas with breast cancer and their family caregivers (dyads) were followed for 4 waves of assessment over the course of 6 months. Both psychological (depression, anxiety, perceived stress) and physical (number of symptoms, symptom distress) indicators of distress were assessed. Longitudinal analyses of dyadic data were performed in accordance with the actor-partner interdependence model. RESULTS: Findings indicated that psychological distress was interdependent between cancer survivors and their caregivers over the 6 months of observation. However, there was no such evidence of interdependence on indicators of physical distress. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with emotional contagion processes and point to the potential importance of caregiver well-being for the welfare of Latina breast cancer survivors.

Effects of a Family-Based Diabetes Intervention on Family Social Capital Outcomes for Mexican American Adults.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to test the effects of a culturally tailored family-based self-management education and social support intervention on family social capital with Mexican American (MA) adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and their family member. METHODS: Using a 2-group, experimental repeated-measures design, 157 dyads were randomly assigned to an intervention (group education and social support, home visits, and telephone calls) or a wait list control group. Data were collected at baseline, immediately postintervention (3 months), and 6 months postintervention. A series of 2 × 3 repeated-measures analyses of variance with interaction contrasts were used to test the hypotheses regarding the differential effects on family social capital. RESULTS: Social capital outcomes included social integration, social support, and family efficacy. Social integration scores, high for family members and friends and low for community engagement, did not change over time for participants or family members. Participants perceived high support from family for physical activity with an immediate increase postintervention and moderate sabotage for healthy eating with no change over time. A sustained intervention effect was noted for family efficacy for general health and total family efficacy in participants and family members. CONCLUSIONS: This family-based culturally tailored intervention demonstrated the potential to improve social capital, specifically social support for physical activity and family efficacy for diabetes management for MA adults with T2DM. Ongoing research that examines the family as a critical context in which T2DM self-management occurs and that targets strategies for sustained family social capital outcomes for T2DM is needed.

Implementation of Project Students Are Sun Safe (SASS) in Rural High Schools Along the Arizona-Mexico Border.

The incidence of skin cancer is raising in Hispanics/Latinos, which is a concern for Hispanics/Latinos living in Arizona, a state with a high amount of ultraviolet radiation exposure. There is a dearth of research on skin cancer prevention education for Hispanic/Latino adolescents in high school. Using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) framework, academic and community partners conducted a project to adapt an existing efficacious skin cancer prevention program, Project Students are Sun Safe (SASS) and the current SASS online training model, for dissemination to predominantly Hispanic/Latino students attending high schools in rural southeastern Arizona, located along the Arizona-Mexico border. We assessed the feasibility of training some of these students as peer educators (n = 16) to implement the "Border SASS" lesson to their peers in high school classrooms (n = 198). Border SASS training and the classroom lesson were feasible for, and highly acceptable to, peer educators and classroom students. These students significantly improved skin cancer prevention knowledge scores and self-reported skin cancer prevention behaviors over a 3- to 4-month period post training and the intervention implementation. Here we report on the following: (1) academic-community partnership and adaptation of the SASS training model for rural Hispanic high school students, (2) training of the high school peer educators, (3) administration of the SASS lesson by the trained peer educators to high school students, and (4) further evaluation of peer educator training and classroom student outcomes.

The association among knowledge of and confidence in home health care services, acculturation, and family caregivers' relationships to older adults of Mexican descent.

The purposes of this study were to examine the relationships among knowledge of and confidence in health care services (HHCS), acculturation, characteristics of family caregivers of Mexican descent, and differences by caregivers' relationship (spouse or adult child). A sample of Mexican-descent older adults and their caregivers was recruited (n = 74 dyads) in Arizona. Each participant completed questionnaires on knowledge, confidence, and acculturation. There were moderate but significant associations among higher Anglo Orientation with Knowledge and with Confidence. Fear of HHCS was positively associated with higher Anglo Orientation and English Language Preference; and negatively associated with Mexican Orientation and Spanish Language Preference. For Spouse caregivers, Fear of HHCS was positively correlated with higher Anglo Orientation and English Language Preference; for Offspring caregivers, Fear of HHCS was negatively correlated with Mexican Orientation and Spanish Language Preference. Results support assessing caregiver cohort and socio-cultural context to decrease HHCS use disparities by Mexican-descent caregiving families.

A Modified Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System to Assess Diabetes Self-management Behaviors and Diabetes Care in Monterrey Mexico: A Cross-sectional Study.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the leading causes of death from worldwide non-communicable diseases. The prevalence of diabetes in the Mexico (MX)-United States border states exceeds the national rate in both countries. The economic burden of diabetes, due to decreased productivity, disability, and medical costs, is staggering and increases significantly when T2DM-related complications occur. The purpose of this study was to use a modified behavioral risk factor surveillance system (BRFSS) to describe the T2DM self-management behaviors, diabetes care, and health perception of a convenience sample of adults with T2DM in Monterrey, MX. This cross-sectional study design, with convenience sampling, was conducted with a convenience sample (n = 351) of adults in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, MX who self-reported a diagnosis of T2DM. Potential participants were recruited from local supermarkets. Twenty-six diabetes and health-related items were selected from the BRFSS and administered in face-to-face interviews by trained data collectors. Data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics. The mean age was 47 years, and the mean length of time with T2DM was 12 years. The majority was taking oral medication and 34% required insulin. Daily self-monitoring of feet was performed by 56% of the participants; however, only 8.8% engaged in blood glucose self-monitoring. The mean number of health-care provider visits was 9.09 per year, and glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) was assessed 2.6 times per year. Finally, only 40.5% of the participants recalled having a dilated eye exam. We conclude the modified BRFSS survey administered in a face-to-face interview format is an appropriate tool for assessing engagement in T2DM self-management behaviors, diabetes care, and health perception. Extension of the use of this survey in a more rigorous design with a larger scale survey is encouraged.

Depression in Family Caregivers of Mexican Descent: Exacerbated by Stress and Mitigated by Mutuality.

Despite common assumptions that non-paid family caregivers of Mexican descent benefit spiritually from their roles according to cultural familistic norms, there is also evidence of caregiver stress resulting in depression. Depression has the potential to seriously affect caregivers' health and their ability to continue to provide care. The current study's purpose was to examine the relationships among depression, stress, and mutuality (i.e., the quality of the caregiver-care recipient relationship) (N = 74 caregivers of Mexican descent in the southwestern United States). Multiple regression models and exploratory mediational analyses indicated that the stress-depression relationship can be significantly mediated by mutuality. Results support culturally appropriate interventions to decrease caregiver stress and depression by promoting mutuality. In addition, with changing trends in outside work roles and mobility of caregivers of Mexican descent, policy should make services truly accessible to support caregiving families of Mexican descent. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2017; 10(3):106-113.].

Effects of a Family-based Diabetes Intervention on Behavioral and Biological Outcomes for Mexican American Adults.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of a family-based self-management support intervention for adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods Using a 2-group, experimental repeated measures design, 157 dyads (participant with T2DM and family member) were randomly assigned to an intervention (education, social support, home visits, and telephone calls) or a wait list control group. Data were collected at baseline, postintervention (3 months), and 6 months postintervention. A series of 2 × 3 repeated measures ANOVAs were used to test the hypotheses with interaction contrasts to assess immediate and sustained intervention effects. Results Significant changes over time were reported in diet self-management, exercise self-management, total self-management, diabetes self-efficacy for general health and total diabetes self-efficacy, physician distress, regimen distress, interpersonal distress, and total distress. There were likewise sustained effects for diet self-management, total self-management, diabetes self-efficacy for general health, total self-efficacy, physician distress, regimen distress, and interpersonal distress. Conclusions Results support and extend prior research documenting the value of culturally relevant family-based interventions to improve diabetes self-management and substantiate the need for intensive, longer, tailored interventions to achieve glycemic control.

Differences in Transitional Care Provided to Mexican American and Non-Hispanic White Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Transitional care, assisting patients to move safely through multiple health care settings, may be insufficient for older Hispanic patients. PURPOSE: Describe home health care services referral rates for Hispanic and non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients and factors that influence case managers' (CMs') discharge planning processes. DESIGN: Organized by the Ethno-Cultural Gerontological Nursing Model, health records were reviewed ( n = 33,597 cases) and supplemented with qualitative description ( n = 8 CMs). FINDINGS: Controlling for gender, insurance type, age, and hospital length of stay, NHW older adults received more home health care services referrals (odds ratio = 1.23). Insurance coverage was the most frequent determinant of CMs' post-hospital care choices, rather than patients' being Hispanic. NHW older adults were more likely to have insurance than Hispanic older adults. IMPLICATIONS: Insurance coverage being CMs' primary consideration in determining patients' dispositions is a form of systems-level discrimination for Hispanic vulnerable groups, which combined with other hospital-level constraints, should be addressed with policy-level interventions.

Fatigue and Oxidative Stress in Children Undergoing Leukemia Treatment.

Fatigue is a frequent and distressing symptom in children undergoing leukemia treatment; however, little is known about factors influencing this symptom. Antioxidants such as glutathione can decrease symptom severity in adult oncology patients, but no study has evaluated antioxidants' effects on symptoms in pediatric oncology patients. This study describes fatigue patterns and associations of fatigue with antioxidants represented by reduced glutathione (GSH) and the reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio among children receiving leukemia treatment. A repeated measures design assessed fatigue and antioxidants among 38 children from two large U.S. cancer centers. Fatigue was assessed among school-age children and by parent proxy among young children. Antioxidants (GSH and GSH/GSSG ratio) were assessed from cerebrospinal fluid at four phases during leukemia treatment. Young children had a steady decline of fatigue from the end of induction treatment through the continuation phase of treatment, but no significant changes were noted among the school-age children. Mean antioxidant scores varied slightly over time; however, the GSH/GSSG ratios in these children were significantly lower than the normal ratio. Mean GSH/GSSG ratios significantly correlated to fatigue scores of the school-age children during early phases of treatment. Children with low mean GSH/GSSG ratios demonstrated oxidative stress. The low ratios noted early in therapy were significantly correlated with higher fatigue scores during induction and postinduction treatment phases. This finding suggests that increased oxidative stress during the more intensive phases of therapy may explain the experience of fatigue children report.

Family Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Management: Psychometric Testing.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) self-management among Hispanic adults occurs in a family context. Self-efficacy (SE) affects T2DM self-management behaviors; however, no instruments are available to measure family diabetes self-efficacy. The study's purpose was to test the psychometric properties of the Family Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Scale (FSE). METHODS: Family members (n = 113) of adults with T2DM participated. Psychometric analysis included internal consistency reliability and concurrent and construct validity. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability was .86. Items loaded on 2 factors, Family SE for Supporting Healthy Behaviors and Family SE for Supporting General Health, accounting for 71% of the variance. FSE correlated significantly with 3 diabetes-related instruments. CONCLUSIONS: The FSE is a reliable and valid instrument. Further testing is needed in diverse populations and geographic areas.

Neurocognitive Predictors of Academic Outcomes Among Childhood Leukemia Survivors.

BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer, and survival approaches 90%. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors are more likely than healthy peers or siblings to experience academic underachievement, yet little is known about neurocognitive predictors of academic outcomes. OBJECTIVES: Objectives were to compare neurocognitive abilities to age-adjusted standardized norms, examine change over time in neurocognitive abilities, and establish neurocognitive predictors of academic outcomes. METHODS: Seventy-one children were followed over the course of therapy. Cognitive abilities were assessed during induction when the child was in remission (baseline) and annually for 3 years (years 1, 2, and 3). Reading and mathematics abilities were assessed at year 3. RESULTS: Fine motor dexterity was significantly below age-adjusted norms at all data points but showed improvement over time. Baseline visual-motor integration was within the reference range but significantly declined by year 3, and mean scores at years 2 and 3 were significantly below age-adjusted norms. Verbal short-term memory was significantly below age-adjusted norms at all assessments. Visual-motor integration predicted reading and mathematics abilities. Verbal short-term memory predicted reading abilities, and visual short-term memory predicted mathematics abilities. CONCLUSIONS: Central nervous system-directed therapy is associated with specific neurocognitive problems. Visual-spatial skills and verbal and visual short-term memory predict academic outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Early assessment of visual-spatial perception and short-term memory can identify children at risk of academic problems. Children who are at risk of academic problems could benefit from a school-based individual educational program and/or educational intervention.

Oxidative Stress, Motor Abilities, and Behavioral Adjustment in Children Treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine associations among oxidative stress, fine and visual-motor abilities, and behavioral adjustment in children receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
. DESIGN: A prospective, repeated-measures design
. SETTING: Two pediatric oncology settings in the southwestern United States. SAMPLE: 89 children with ALL were followed from diagnosis to the end of chemotherapy. METHODS: Serial cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected during scheduled lumbar punctures and analyzed for oxidative stress biomarkers. Children completed fine motor dexterity, visual processing speed, and visual-motor integration measures at three time points. Parents completed child behavior ratings at the same times. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Oxidative stress, fine motor dexterity, visual processing, visual-motor integration, and behavioral adjustment
. FINDINGS: Children with ALL had below-average fine motor dexterity, visual processing speed, and visual-motor integration following the induction phase of ALL therapy. By end of therapy, visual processing speed normalized, and fine motor dexterity and visual-motor integration remained below average. Oxidative stress measures correlated with fine motor dexterity and visual-motor integration. Decreased motor functioning was associated with increased hyperactivity and anxiety
. CONCLUSIONS: Oxidative stress occurs following chemo-therapy for childhood ALL and is related to impaired fine motor skills and visual symptoms
. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Early intervention should be considered to prevent fine motor and visual-spatial deficits, as well as behavioral problems.

The impact of a telenovela intervention on use of home health care services and Mexican American older adult and caregiver outcomes.

A two-group randomized controlled trial tested a telenovela intervention (i.e., a culturally congruent videotaped dramatization with guided dialogue) to increase Mexican American older adults' and family caregivers' awareness of and confidence in home health care services (HHCS), thereby increasing use of HHCS and improving older adult and caregiver outcomes. Both groups had significant increases in awareness of and confidence in HHCS. The intervention group used HHCS more than the control group (91.1% versus 71.2% of total visits authorized); however, this was not a statistically significant difference (p = 0.18). Use of HHCS was associated with increased older adult and caregiver mutuality (i.e., the quality of the older adult-caregiver relationship) and decreased caregiving burden and depression. The predictive role and measurement of awareness and ways to improve the intervention are discussed. Findings are especially important with today's focus on transitional care to keep older adults at home and prevent unnecessary readmissions.

Increase in oxidative stress as measured by cerebrospinal fluid lipid peroxidation during treatment for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Five-year survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) approaches 90%, but 40% of survivors experience central nervous system (CNS) treatment-related cognitive problems. Despite considerable evidence for cognitive problems, less is known about mechanisms of neurological injury. Our purpose was to investigate oxidative stress, measured by lipid peroxidation, as a mechanism of CNS treatment-related neurological injury. The sample included 55 children (mean age at diagnosis=6.84 y, SD=3.40) who received intrathecal and intravenous chemotherapy for CNS-directed treatment according to Children's Oncology Group protocols. Glycerophospholipids were extracted from cerebrospinal fluid samples obtained at diagnosis and during intrathecal chemotherapy administration. Unoxidized and oxidized phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) were measured by normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection, and analyzed with a general linear model for repeated measures analysis of variance. Compared with the diagnostic cerebrospinal fluid sample, unoxidized and oxidized PC and PI increased significantly across treatment phases. Amount of intravenous methotrexate received was significantly correlated with oxidized PI, and age at time of ALL diagnosis was significantly associated with oxidized PC. These findings support our hypothesis that oxidative stress is a mechanism of neurological injury associated with CNS-directed treatment for ALL.

The influence of oxidative stress on symptom occurrence, severity, and distress during childhood leukemia treatment.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore the symptom trajectory during the first 16 months of childhood leukemia treatment and any associations with the oxidative stress pathway measured by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentration of oxidized phosphatidylcholine (PC), the predominant glycerophospholipid in the brain and cell membranes. DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal design. SETTING: Two cancer centers in the southwestern United States. SAMPLE: 36 children (aged 3-14 years) newly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. METHODS: Symptoms were measured using the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale at six specific time points during treatment. Biochemical changes in oxidative stress were measured by oxidized PC in the CSF. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Childhood cancer symptoms, oxidized PC. FINDINGS: Significant differences were found in the number of symptoms experienced during the three phases of treatment. Symptom trajectory changes and influence of the oxidative stress pathway on symptom experiences were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Symptoms experienced during treatment for childhood leukemia are associated with increased oxidative stress. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Children with leukemia experience symptoms throughout treatment. Physiologic measures indicate the influence of oxidative stress on symptoms.

The impact of an electronic medical record surveillance program on outcomes for patients with sepsis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of this EMR surveillance on sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock outcomes in patients admitted to a medical telemetry unit, including length of hospital stay, patient discharge and mortality. METHODS: A retrospective review of pre- and post-implementation of a pilot electronic medical record (EMR) sepsis surveillance. RESULTS: Implementing EMR sepsis surveillance significantly improved home discharge (49.0% versus 25.3%, p < .05) and reduced hospital mortality (1.0% versus 9.3%, p < .05). Although there was no difference in the length of hospital stay for the whole group, patients in the surveillance group who triggered an alert on the EMR surveillance had a decreased length of hospital stay compared to those without an alert (7.2 ± 4.2 versus 11.6 ± 9.4 days, p < .05). CONCLUSION: These results offer promising evidence that the use of an EMR sepsis surveillance alert could decrease the ravishing effects of sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock by early identification and treatment.