Biomedical subjects

Craig A White

Publications and source records attributed to Craig A White.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

The prevalence and moderators of fatigue in people who have been successfully treated for cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of severe fatigue in disease-free breast cancer patients according to draft International Classification of Disease, Tenth Edition (ICD-10) criteria for cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and to obtain further information on the validity of these criteria. Furthermore, hypotheses derived from psychosocial theories of fatigue regarding the association of fatigue with activity level, psychological distress, and cognitive constructs were also tested. METHODS: Sixty-nine disease-free breast cancer patients were assessed at least 6 months posttreatment, using self-report questionnaires and a structured interview. RESULTS: Nineteen percent of the sample met criteria for CRF. This subgroup differed significantly from the rest of the sample on multiple measures of fatigue and interference. Self-reported activity level bore no relationship to fatigue. Fear of recurrence (FOR) contributed to fatigue indirectly, whilst psychological distress and beliefs about activity appeared to predict fatigue directly. CONCLUSION: The validity of the draft ICD-10 criteria for CRF was supported. Further research is required into the relationship between fatigue, emotional distress, and cognitive-behavioural factors.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Warfarin-induced skin necrosis and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia following mitral valve replacement for marantic endocarditis.

Hemostatic physiology involves a complex interlinking of blood and endothelial factors. Its pharmacological manipulation invariably impacts at multiple molecular sites. Herein is reported an unusual case of coexistent warfarin-induced skin necrosis and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia following mitral valve replacement for thromboembolic phenomena associated with marantic endocarditis and bronchial adenocarcinoma. Thrombophilia in the face of endocarditis should be treated with a suspicion of underlying cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2005

Fear of recurrence, sense of coherence and posttraumatic stress disorder in haematological cancer survivors.

The diagnosis and treatment of cancer has been shown to precipitate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in some cancer survivors. However few studies have considered the links between cancer-related PTSD and theoretical models of PTSD. This study considers a cognitive model of PTSD by examining the relationship between sense of coherence, and fear of recurrence to posttraumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) in haematological cancer survivors. Thirty-six participants completed the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C), the Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), the sense of coherence scale and two measures of fear of recurrence. Two measures of fear of recurrence were included as no fear of recurrence measures had previously been assessed for reliability and validity on British populations. Seventeen percent of the sample met DSM-IV diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Statistically significant relationships were found between sense of coherence and fear of recurrence and PTSS, raising questions about the possibility of using this construct as a screening measure for vulnerability to PTSD. A relationship was also found between fear of recurrence and PTSS suggesting that cancer-related PTSS may fit within the theoretical model of PTSD considered. Further examination of factors affecting the onset, maintenance and treatment of PTSD in this population is required.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Austin Bowel Cancer Consortium: changing culture in bowel cancer care.

The Austin Bowel Cancer Consortium aimed to identify drivers of clinical decision-making so as to inform a continuous practice improvement approach to the use of evidence. Strategies for engaging clinicians included a direct clinician-clinician approach, gaining the support of opinion leaders and using the clinicians' desire for patient outcome data. Interviews with clinicians identified barriers to using evidence in practice. These included poor integration of medical and surgical disciplines, different learning styles, negative attitudes to guidelines and pathways, and no consensus as to what is an effective multidisciplinary team. A clinical implementation group provided a forum for interaction between disciplines. The group agreed on management pathways covering the continuum of care and developed decision-support software for use in the clinic. Interviews with patients and carers highlighted psychosocial and communication difficulties and prompted greater clinician awareness. Consumers developed patient information resources with minimal assistance from project staff. The clinical encounter is the prime site for change for putting evidence into practice, rather than trying to change individual clinicians.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2004

Meaning and its measurement in psychosocial oncology.

Although 'meaning' is a construct that has been referred to for many years within psychological research, particularly in work to examine the ways in which individuals respond to crises or illness, it is only relatively recently that this has started to appear within the psychosocial oncology literature. Where the term has been used, there has been much variation in the way in which this has been operationalised and measured (a problem that has been evident within other areas of psychosocial oncology). This article will review some of the self-report measures that have been developed to assess levels of meaning, outlining their background and status regarding psychometric performance. This will be followed by some recommendations on measures that are particularly suited for use in further work. It is suggested that their application to examine conceptual issues of will be more productive if researchers aim to develop existing measures and not to create new measures. Use of those measures with better psychometric properties could in time facilitate larger data sets and allow for cross cultural comparisons of the impact of cancer on global and situational meaning. Specific recommendations are made for measures to be used in the assessment of global and situational meaning in cancer.

Attitude to Health↗

PubMed2003

Attentional bias in people with acute versus persistent insomnia secondary to cancer.

This study investigated the role of attentional bias in the development of persistent insomnia. Two groups of people with cancer who developed sleep-onset problems 0-3 months and 12-18 months after diagnosis completed a computerized emotional Stroop task comprising cancer-related and sleep-related word cues and self-complete measures. Both groups demonstrated attentional bias for cancer-related words, but only the persistent insomnia group demonstrated attentional bias for sleep-related words. High levels of presleep cognitive arousal were evident in both groups despite lower levels of psychological distress in the persistent insomnia group. Results suggest that secondary, sleep-related mental preoccupation may inhibit recovery to normal sleep after stress-related acute sleep disturbance. Findings are discussed in relation to current models of insomnia.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2002

Cancer.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anxiety↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A cognitive therapy conceptualization of panic disorder exacerbated by interferon treatment.

This case conference presents a patient with von Willebrand disease, receiving year-long interferon treatment for hepatitis C. She was referred to C-L Psychiatry following a severe exacerbation of panic disorder. Our guest interviewer is Dr. Craig White, a Scottish cognitive therapist. The subsequent discussion outlines the treatment challenges of panic disorder that occurs when a patient is receiving interferon. A literature review evaluates psychological effects of interferon and biological mechanisms by which interferon may exacerbate anxiety and depression. A cognitive therapy conceptualization of interferon-induced exacerbation of panic disorder is proposed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Psychological impact of colostomy pouch change and disposal.

This article presents some of the findings from a multicentre cross-sectional correlational study to evaluate the relationship between colostomy pouch change and disposal practices and the patient's psychological wellbeing. Five questionnaires were used in a one-off interview with 86 patients. Patients were assessed at between one and four months postoperatively. Results from the Pouch Change and Disposal questionnaire showed that only 25% of patients found disposal of used appliances the most difficult part of their pouch change and disposal routine. Half felt that their body was out of their control and 33% reported avoiding social and leisure activities due to what was involved in their pouch change and disposal routine. Patients cited several factors, such as minimizing odour and having an appliance that could flush away, as factors which would help them to stop avoiding these activities. Stoma care nurses have a unique opportunity to improve the psychological wellbeing of their patients by considering the aspects of pouch change and disposal that pose the greatest challenge to individuals. Use of a modified version of the Pouch Change and Disposal questionnaire may be a useful tool in identifying those at risk of impaired quality of life.

Activities of Daily Living↗