Biomedical subjects

Susan M Heidrich

Publications and source records attributed to Susan M Heidrich.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Symptoms, symptom beliefs, and quality of life of older breast cancer survivors: a comparative study.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To compare symptoms, symptom beliefs, and quality of life (QOL) of older breast cancer survivors to those of older women without breast cancer. DESIGN: Descriptive, correlational study. SETTING: Urban and rural communities in the Midwest United States. SAMPLE: 18 breast cancer survivors and 24 women without breast cancer, older than age 64 (X age = 76 years). METHODS: In-home interviews using structured instruments. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Symptom distress (number of and distress from symptoms), symptom beliefs, chronic health problems, and QOL. FINDINGS: No group differences existed in demographic characteristics, symptom number, symptom bother, chronic health conditions, or QOL. Women in both groups most often attributed the cause of their symptoms to aging, chronic illness, or unknown, but rarely to breast cancer. Attributing symptoms to chronic illness or breast cancer was significantly related to more pain, depression, role impairment, and poorer mental health. Not knowing the cause of symptoms was significantly related to poorer social functioning, mental health, and purpose in life; less energy; and higher levels of depression and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The symptom experience and QOL of older breast cancer survivors are similar to those of older women with other chronic health problems. Beliefs about symptoms influence QOL in older women. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: A broader assessment of symptoms is needed to assist older breast cancer survivors with symptom management. Symptom interventions in older women should address patients' beliefs about symptoms if QOL is to be enhanced.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Fatigue representations in women with heart failure.

Self-care management of symptoms for persons with heart failure (HF) may only be successful when their representations regarding their symptoms are accurate and linked to appropriate behavioral strategies. The purpose of this secondary data analysis (N = 169 women with HF) was to describe representations of one HF-related symptom, fatigue, and examine whether representations were related to physical health status, health care utilization, and psychological well-being and whether they differed by age. Overall, women agreed that fatigue was chronic, caused by HF, and had serious consequences. Midlife women reported more emotional distress and severe consequences from fatigue than older women. Higher levels of emotional distress due to fatigue from HF were associated with higher levels of health care utilization.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Effects of urinary incontinence: psychological well-being and distress in older community-dwelling women.

Urinary incontinence (UI) has been related to lower quality of life. However, the research has generally been cross-sectional, and causal relationships have not been determined. This research was a secondary analysis of a 6-year longitudinal study of chronic illness and psychological well-being in older (mean age = 73 at Time 1), community-dwelling women (n = 103). Over time, women with UI reported significantly lower subjective health, purpose in life, affect balance, personal growth, positive relations with others, and self-esteem and higher scores for depression, compared to women without UI. Incontinence had broad effects on multiple domains of psychological well-being that persisted over time and need to be addressed by clinicians.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed2003

Relationship of social role quality to psychological well-being in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating and moderating effects of women's social role quality on the psychological well-being of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One hundred and fifty-six women with a diagnosis of RA (M age = 59, SD = 11) completed self-report measures of arthritis history, physical health, psychological well-being, and role quality. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that role quality mediated the effects of physical health on depression and purpose in life, moderated the effects of health on depression, and moderated the effects of pain on purpose in life. Women in poor health with high role quality were significantly less depressed than women in poor health with poor role quality. Women with high levels of pain and high role quality had more purpose in life than women with high levels of pain and low role quality. Despite difficulties with their physical health, women who had high role quality had higher levels of psychological well-being. Findings from this study may aid in the development of meaningful interventions to help women with RA manage their daily lives to optimize well-being.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2002

Social role quality, physical health, and psychological well-being in women after heart surgery.

Women's social role quality may be an important factor in their adaptation after heart surgery. Relationships among different dimensions of role quality, physical health, and psychological well-being were examined in 157 midlife and older women who had undergone heart surgery. Overall, older women (n = 89) were similar to younger women (n=68) in physical recovery from heart surgery. Poorer health outcomes were associated with number of health problems, not age. Women with more health problems and lower subjective health perceptions had lower role quality. Multiple regression analyses indicated that, in general, role quality mediated the effects of physical health on psychological well-being. Regardless of the extent of physical health problems, women with higher role quality had higher levels of psychological well-being.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2002

Patient-centered interventions.

Patient-centered care is valued in nursing. However, until recently, nurse-researchers have focused on testing the effects of standardized rather than patient-centered interventions (PCIs). The latter are those interventions that are altered to address selected patient characteristics (e.g., beliefs, habits, or goals). PCIs have been well received, and in some studies they have been associated with improved health outcomes. In this article we describe briefly the concept patient centered, summarize the development of research on PCIs, discuss kinds of PCIs, provide examples of PCIs and how they have been derived and implemented, and raise issues for theory and future research.

Forecasting↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Social roles and health in women living with HIV/AIDS: A pilot study.

The purpose of this report is to share results from a pilot study about the social role experiences and health of women living with HIV/AIDS. This pilot was designed as part of a larger study undertaken to ensure cultural competence of measures and methods proposed for testing a model of role quality and health in culturally diverse low-income women. Thirteen women participated in the study (69% African American; 77% less than dollar 10,000 annual income; range of years since HIV diagnosis, 3-21). Measures of physical health, role quality, and psychological well-being previously used to test relationships among the variables in women with chronic illness were administered using a face-to-face interview format. Results indicated that the women experienced a number of HIV symptoms and coexisting health problems, moderate physical limitations, positive perceptions of their roles, moderate levels of well-being, and high depression scores. The pilot study represents the first step in the development of a theory-based approach to understanding linkages among health and role quality in women with HIV.

Adaptation, Psychological↗