What can interest tell us about uptake of genetic testing? Intention and behavior amongst smokers related to patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Much of the research examining psychosocial aspects of genetic testing has used hypothetical scenarios, based on the largely untested assumption that hypothetical genetic testing intentions are good proxies for behavior. We tested whether hypothetical interest predicts uptake of genetic testing and whether factors that predict interest also predict uptake. METHODS: Participants (n = 116) were smokers and related to patients with lung cancer, who completed a telephone survey. Interest in genetic testing for lung cancer risk was indicated by responding 'definitely would' to a Likert-style question. Internet-delivered genetic testing for lung cancer risk was then offered. Uptake was indicated by requesting the test and receiving the result. RESULTS: 63% of participants said they 'definitely would' take the genetic test; uptake was 38%. Participants who said they 'definitely would' take the test were more likely than others to take the offered test (45% vs. 26%, p = 0.035). Interest was associated with attitudes towards genetic testing and motivation to quit smoking. Uptake was associated with motivation, prior awareness of genetic testing, and daily Internet use. CONCLUSION: Hypothetical interest only modestly predicts uptake of genetic testing. Interest in genetic testing likely reflects generally positive attitudes that are not good predictors of the choices individuals subsequently make.

The relationship between hostility and behavioral risk factors for poor health in women veterans.

BACKGROUND: While previous research has generally supported a relationship between hostility and health risk behaviors, the majority of this research has been conducted in predominately male, highly educated, Caucasian samples. The current study was designed to further examine the relationship between hostility and health risk behaviors in a sample of women. METHODS: Measures of health risk behavior and scores from the Cook-Medley hostility scale were obtained from 409 women veterans. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between hostility and health behaviors including tobacco smoking, alcohol use, body-mass index, caffeine use, and level of physical activity, after sociodemographic factors were accounted for. RESULTS: In a cohort of women veterans using VA health care, ages 35-81, hostility was significantly associated with tobacco smoking (OR = 2.10; 95% CI = 1.34 to 3.30), caffeine use (OR = 2.12; 95% CI = 1.16 to 3.85), and the number of alcoholic beverages consumed by women who drink alcohol. Hostility was not associated with body mass index (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 0.77 to 1.72) or a lack of physical exercise (OR = 0.89; 95% CI = 0.55 to 1.43). CONCLUSIONS: Results are generally consistent with previous research and support the relationship between hostility and health risk behaviors. Awareness that hostility contributes to risk behaviors and disease may help in the design of interventions aimed at risk reduction.

Racial differences in physician recommendation of hormone replacement therapy.

PURPOSE: Previous studies have suggested that black women may be less likely than white women to be offered and to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Thus, race and other factors associated with physician recommendation of HRT that may influence women's decisions about HRT were examined. METHODS: Data were from a baseline assessment of participants in a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of a tailored decision-aid on HRT decision-making. We telephone interviewed 581 Durham women ages 45-54. The association of race and other factors with reported physician recommendation of HRT was tested using chi(2) and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Overall, 45% of women surveyed reported that their physician recommended HRT; black women were significantly less likely than white women to report being advised about HRT (35% vs. 48%, respectively, P < 0.005). Additional factors associated with being recommended HRT included older age, being postmenopausal, having had a hysterectomy, having thought about the benefits of HRT, and being satisfied with information about HRT. CONCLUSIONS: Black women are less likely than white women to receive physician recommendation of HRT. Racial differences in patient-provider communication about HRT exist and thus require greater diligence on the part of health care providers to minimize such a gap.

Sleep in the laboratory and sleep at home II: comparisons of middle-aged insomnia sufferers and normal sleepers.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The study compared adaptation responses and sleep pattern differences shown by normal sleepers and insomnia sufferers during lab (LPSG) and home (HPSG) polysomnography. DESIGN: A counter-balanced, matched-group design was used. Participants underwent 3 consecutive nocturnal LPSG's and 3 consecutive nocturnal PSG's in their homes (HPSG's). SETTING: The sleep disorders laboratories at affiliated VA and university medical centers. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-five (18 women) middle-aged (40 to 59 years) noncomplaining normal sleepers and an age-matched sample of 33 (17 women) individuals who met structured interview criteria for persistent primary insomnia were the study participants. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: A series of multivariate and univariate analyses were conducted with 9 common sleep parameters to address study objectives. Bed partner influences were controlled by conducting separate sets of analyses for those with and without routine home bed partners. The interaction of participant type (normal vs. insomnia), sleep setting, and PSG sequence (HPSG 1st vs. LPSG 1st) affected first night values of sleep efficiency and stage 2 sleep among those without routine bed partners, and REM latency and sleep efficiency among those with routine bed partners. Analyses which controlled for first night and sequencing effects showed a significant participant type x sleep setting interaction among those with bed partners. These latter analyses suggested that LPSG's may underestimate the home sleep time of insomnia sufferers and overestimate the sleep continuity of normal sleepers, at least among those who routinely sleep with a bed partner. CONCLUSIONS: The nocturnal recording site may influence adaptation effects and sleep pattern differences noted between insomnia sufferers and normal sleepers.

Depressive symptoms, menopausal status, and climacteric symptoms in women at midlife.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have found increased rates of depression in women aged 45 to 54 years, but the factors that influence these rates are not understood. It was assessed whether higher rates of depressive symptoms were associated with menopausal status, climacteric symptoms, and use of hormone replacement therapy. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Community sample. METHODS: Data are from 581 women ages 45 to 54 years who were interviewed by telephone between October 1998 and February 1999. MEASURES: Depression was measured with the abbreviated CES-D, a depressive symptoms screening measure. Women's reported perception of menopausal stage, frequency of periods in the preceding 12 months, and history of oophorectomy were used to classify their menopausal status into four categories: (1) no indication of menopause; (2) close to menopause; (3) had begun menopause; and (4) had completed menopause. RESULTS: There were 168 women (28.9%) who reported a high level (> or = 10) of depressive symptoms when the abbreviated CES-D was used. In a logistic-regression analysis, significant factors associated with increased depressive symptoms included physical inactivity, inadequate income, use of estrogen/progesterone combination, and presence of climacteric symptoms (trouble sleeping, mood swings, or memory problems). Menopausal status was not associated with depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of women age 45 to 54 years, climacteric symptoms but not menopausal status were associated with higher rates of depressive symptoms.

Women's interest in chemoprevention for breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Chemoprevention is the use of pharmacologic or natural agents to inhibit the development of cancer. Tamoxifen citrate is the only approved chemopreventive agent for breast cancer. We sought to determine whether women are interested in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer and to assess the relationship between objective and subjective breast cancer risk and interest in chemoprevention. METHODS: We conducted telephone interviews (November 3, 1997, to May 6, 1998) among a community sample of women aged 40 to 45 and 50 to 55 years enrolled in a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a tailored mammography decision aid. Objective breast cancer risk was measured using the 5-year Gail score. Subjective breast cancer risk was measured using perceptions of absolute risk, perceptions of comparative risk, and worry about getting breast cancer. At 12-month follow-up (November 2, 1998, to July 20, 1999), we measured interest in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer. RESULTS: Among the 1273 women surveyed, 23% were interested in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer; 8% were potentially eligible for tamoxifen therapy (5-year Gail score > or = 1.66%). Eligibility for chemoprevention, based on the 5-year Gail score, was not associated with interest in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer. Women who were worried about breast cancer were 3 times more likely to be interested in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer than those who were not worried. CONCLUSION: Women's interest in chemoprevention might arise more from worries about getting breast cancer than from their objective risk factors.

Cigarette smoking in veteran women: the impact of job strain.

To evaluate the health effects of role overload, the relationship between multiple role (i.e., worker, spouse, caretaker) strain and current cigarette smoking was examined. A cross-sectional survey of women veterans, aged 36-85 years, was performed measuring home and job strain and health behaviors. Of the 275 women who rated both their work and home strains, 25% (n = 69) currently smoke cigarettes. Higher work strain, but not higher home strain, was associated with smoking adjusting for age, education, income, weight, and marital status. A stressful work environment may trigger persistent smoking and should be addressed during smoking cessation counseling.

Hormone replacement therapy and reduced cognitive decline in older women: the Cache County Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the trajectory of global cognitive change with age. METHODS: The Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was administered to a population sample of 2,073 nondemented, community-dwelling female residents of Cache County, UT, aged 65 and older. Current and past HRT and other medications at a baseline interview and at follow-up 3 years later were assessed. Between interviews, a telephone Women's Health Questionnaire was administered to assess initial exposure, duration, and recency of HRT. Generalized estimating equation marginal models were used to evaluate the cross-sectional and longitudinal relations of HRT and modified MMSE score. Also assessed were effects with multivitamins and calcium supplements as exposures likely to reflect a "healthy lifestyle" among HRT users. Model covariates included the presence of APOE epsilon4 alleles, age, education, concurrent depression, several chronic diseases, and self-perceived general health. RESULTS: Age, lower education, depression, and APOE epsilon4 were all associated with lower baseline modified MMSE scores. With these covariates in the model, lifetime HRT use was associated with better baseline modified MMSE scores and a slower rate of decline. Stratification by APOE genotype did not alter these effects. Apparent benefits with HRT were attenuated but remained significant after elimination of scores from participants with incident dementia. A significant interaction between age and HRT indicated the strongest effects in women aged 85 and older. Measures of age at initial use of HRT, duration, and recency of exposure did not improve the models. No effects were seen with the "healthy lifestyle" control exposures. CONCLUSIONS: In a population cohort of older women, lifetime HRT exposure was associated with improved global cognition and attenuated decline over a 3-year interval. Improvements were greatest in the oldest old.

Slow-wave sleep and waking cognitive performance II: Findings among middle-aged adults with and without insomnia complaints.

Previous studies showing a relationship between nocturnal slow-wave sleep (SWS) and subsequent diurnal performance among young normal sleepers and older insomnia sufferers have provided limited support for the notion that this sleep stage serves a restorative role for neurocognitive functioning. The current study, which examined the relationship between SWS and reaction time performance among middle-aged adults with and without insomnia complaints, was conducted to further explore this possibility. A sample of 31 noncomplaining middle-aged (ages 40 to 59 years) normal sleepers and a like-aged sample of 27 insomnia sufferers, provided data for the current investigation. All participants underwent nocturnal sleep monitoring immediately prior to undergoing a battery of daytime tests that measured simple reaction time, vigilance/signal detection, and complex reaction time. Results showed relationships between reaction time performances on some tasks and some SWS measures among both the normal sleepers and insomnia sufferers. Findings supported our prediction that the presence of sleep pathology (e.g., insomnia) alters the SWS-performance relationship observed, but the results failed to show a consistent relationship between SWS and subsequent performance within either sample. The findings suggest that the specific performance demands of the task in question as well as physiological parameters other than SWS may determine performance as well. Findings for this and previous studies do provide some support for the contention that the neurocognitive restorative value of SWS may change across the lifespan. Possible implications of the study's findings are discussed and directions for future research are considered.

The relationship between self-rated health and health care service use among women veterans in a primary care clinic.

This study examined whether self-rated health predicted health service use among women in an equal access primary care clinic setting. Women veterans (n = 139), 23-76 years of age were administered the PRIME-MD questionnaire at their outpatient clinic (OPC) visit which included a self-rated health item and assessment of symptoms. Number of prospective OPC visits was the outcome variable. Women who had poor/fair health were significantly more likely (OR = 3.25) to have more (>12) OPC visits than women who reported excellent/very good health. We conclude that poor perception of one's health is an important predictor of health care use among women veterans.

Insomnia and the eye of the beholder: are there clinical markers of objective sleep disturbances among adults with and without insomnia complaints?

Previous findings suggest that some who report insomnia sleep well, whereas some noncomplaining individuals sleep rather poorly. This study was conducted to determine if mood, anxiety, and sleep-related beliefs might relate to perceived sleep disturbance. Thirty-two women and 32 men (aged 40-79 years) with primary insomnia and an aged-matched sample of 61 normal sleepers (31 women, 30 men) completed 6 nocturnal sleep recordings, as well as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Trait portion of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-2), and the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes About Sleep Questionnaire. Sleep and interview data were used to subdivide the majority of the sample (n = 108) into objective normal sleepers and subjective insomnia sufferers who seemingly slept well and subjective normal sleepers and objective insomnia sufferers who slept poorly. The 2 subjective subgroups showed the most marked differences on most of the psychometric measures. The findings suggest that the psychological factors scrutinized in this study may mediate sleep satisfaction and/or predict objective sleep difficulties.

Racial variation in wanting and obtaining mental health services among women veterans in a primary care clinic.

Epidemiologic studies suggest that African-American women may be less likely to obtain mental health services. Racial differences were explored in wanting and obtaining mental health services among women in an equal access primary care clinic setting after adjusting for demographics, mental disorder symptoms, and a history of sexual trauma. Participating in the study were women veterans at a primary care clinic at the Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Consecutive women patients (n = 526) between the ages of 20 and 49 years were screened for a desire to obtain mental health services. Patients were given the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders questionnaire (PRIME-MD) and a sexual trauma questionnaire. Mental health service utilization was monitored for 12 months. The median age of the women was 35.8 years; 54.4% of them were African-American. African-American women expressed a greater desire for mental health services than whites, yet mental health resources at the clinic were similarly used by both racial groups. African-American women may want more mental health services; however, given an equal access system, there were no racial differences in mental health use.

Accuracy of the Papanicolaou test in screening for and follow-up of cervical cytologic abnormalities: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of conventional and new methods of Papanicolaou (Pap) testing when used to detect cervical cancer and its precursors. DATA SOURCES: Systematic search of English-language literature through October 1999 using MEDLINE, EMBASE, other computerized databases, and hand searching. STUDY SELECTION: All studies that compared Pap testing (conventional methods, computer screening or rescreening, or monolayer cytology) with a concurrent reference standard (histologic examination, colposcopy, or cytology). DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently reviewed selection criteria and completed 2 x 2 tables for each study. DATA SYNTHESIS: 94 studies of the conventional Pap test and three studies of monolayer cytology met inclusion criteria. No studies of computerized screening were included. Data were organized by cytologic and histologic thresholds used to define disease. For conventional Pap tests, estimates of sensitivity and specificity varied greatly in individual studies. Methodologic quality and frequency of histologic abnormalities also varied greatly between studies. In the 12 studies with the least biased estimates, sensitivity ranged from 30% to 87% and specificity ranged from 86% to 100%. CONCLUSIONS: Insufficient high-quality data exist to estimate test operating characteristics of new cytologic methods for cervical screening. Future studies of these technologies should apply adequate reference standards. Most studies of the conventional Pap test are severely biased: The best estimates suggest that it is only moderately accurate and does not achieve concurrently high sensitivity and specificity. Cost-effectiveness models of cervical cancer screening should use more conservative estimates of Pap test sensitivity.

Validation of a Trauma Questionnaire in veteran women.

The Trauma Questionnaire (TQ) assesses a woman's history of childhood and adult sexual trauma, sexual harassment, and domestic violence. The TQ is used widely at Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, but its validity has not been thoroughly examined. In a prospective study of 127 women, we found the TQ to have good to excellent agreement with a semistructured clinician interview and good sensitivity and specificity. The TQ can be used as a valid alternative to the clinician interview in the initial elicitation of trauma history among women veterans in the primary care setting.

Hormone replacement therapy and the risk of colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To review systematically the association between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and the risk of developing or dying from colorectal cancer. DATA SOURCES: We searched the English-language literature using MEDLINE, Current Contents, CancerLit, and bibliographies of selected studies. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION: We included studies that specifically addressed the association of HRT with colorectal cancer, had adequate controls, and had retrievable risk estimates. We excluded letters, reviews, and multiple publications of the same data. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Studies were evaluated independently by two of the authors. The exposures of interest were ever, recent, or former use of HRT, and the main outcome measures were colon and rectal cancer incidence and mortality. To reduce the risk of a "healthy estrogen user" bias, we defined recent HRT use as either at time of assessment or within the previous year. The most adjusted risk estimates were extracted. We used a random-effects model to calculate summary relative risks (RRs) and confidence intervals (CIs). Recent use of HRT was associated with a 33% reduction in the risk of colon cancer (RR = 0.67; 95% CI 0.59, 0.77). Protection was limited to recent users; the risk of colon cancer with ever use of HRT was 0.92 (95% CI 0.79, 1.08). Duration of use was not significant. Three studies addressed the risk of fatal colon cancer; the summary RR for death from colon cancer in HRT users was 0.72 (95% CI 0.64, 0.81) compared with nonusers. Rectal cancer incidence was not associated with HRT. CONCLUSION: The risk of colon cancer may be decreased among recent postmenopausal HRT users. Although data are limited, the risk of fatal colon cancer also may be lower in HRT users.

Differences in providers' beliefs about benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy in managed care.

Our objective was to determine if physician beliefs about the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) differ by physician gender or specialty in a managed care setting. In a cross-sectional survey of providers in a health maintenance organization in North Carolina, 105 gynecologists, internists, and family physicians and physician assistants were surveyed, and 74 providers completed and returned the survey (70.5% response rate). Providers' beliefs about the benefits and risks of HRT differed by specialty and gender of physician. Gynecologists are significantly less concerned about the potential risks of HRT on breast cancer (p = 0.004) and thromboembolic events (p = 0.005) compared with family physicians and internists. Female providers across the three specialty categories were significantly different from their male colleagues in their beliefs about the benefits of HRT with regard to the reduction in risk of heart disease (79% versus 64%, p = 0.001), osteoporosis (83% versus 75%, p = 0.045), and Alzheimer's disease (45% versus 26%, p = 0.026). There was a trend toward female physicians being more convinced about the risks of breast cancer than their male colleagues (p = 0.08). Our results suggest that providers in a managed care setting vary in their beliefs about the benefits and risks of HRT, and this may affect provider-patient discussions about HRT.

Diagnostic efficiency of home pregnancy test kits. A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic efficiency of home pregnancy test (HPT) kits. DATA SOURCES: A literature search of English-language studies was performed with MEDLINE and a review of bibliographies. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were included if HPT kits were compared with a criterion standard (laboratory testing), if they used appropriate controls, and if data were available to determine sensitivity and specificity. DATA EXTRACTION: Two investigators independently extracted data, and disagreement was resolved by consensus. Sensitivity, specificity, and an effectiveness score (a measure of the discriminatory power of the test, with higher scores implying greater effectiveness) were calculated. DATA SYNTHESIS: Five studies evaluating 16 HPT kits met the inclusion criteria. The range of sensitivities for HPT kits was 0.52 to 1.0. In studies where urine samples obtained by the investigators were tested by volunteers, sensitivity was 0.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-0.96). However, the sensitivity was less in studies where subjects were actual patients who performed the test on their own urine samples (sensitivity, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.64-0.85]). The test effectiveness score was 2.75 (95% CI, 2.3-3.2) for studies where subjects were volunteers but deteriorated to 0.82 (95% CI, 0.4-1.2) for studies with actual patients. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnostic efficiency of HPT kits is greatly affected by characteristics of the users. Despite the popularity of these kits, the relatively low effectiveness scores of these kits when used by actual patients are of concern. We suggest that manufacturers of HPT kits publish results of trials in actual patients before marketing them to the general public.

Predictors of mammography use among women veterans.

We examined mammography use patterns of women veterans and explored Veterans Administration (VA) health care use and military experience as predictors of mammography use by this population. We conducted a national telephone survey of women veterans. A sample of 397 women veterans was selected from all military discharges from 1971 through 1994. A 3 x 2 stratification scheme was used: three age groups (35-49, 50-64, > or = 65 years old) and two VA user groups indicating whether (VA user) or not (VA nonuser) they received any health care from a VA Medical Center in the last 5 years. The response rate was 75% (297 of 397). Analyses included bivariate techniques and weighted logistic regression. We found that women veterans told to have a mammogram by a health care professional were more than five times more likely to have ever had a mammogram (OR 5.41, CI 4.63-6.32) and nearly twice as likely to have had a mammogram within the past 2 years (OR 1.81, CI 1.57-2.09) as those who were not told to do so, controlling for age, race, VA user status, and length of military service. Regular VA users were more likely to have had a mammogram ever and within the past 2 years, controlling for other factors. Mammography use was not necessarily at a VA medical center. Interventions that promote better provider-patient communication and target older women veterans may have the most potential benefit. Whether VA health care is filling an important gap in access to mammography for older women veterans is an important policy question and warrants further research.