Melanoma Literacy among the General Population of three Western US states

Melanoma is a significant cause of cancer death, despite being detectable without specialized or invasive technologies. Understanding barriers to preventive behaviors such as skin self-examination (SSE) could help to define interventions for increasing the frequency of early detection. To determine melanoma knowledge and beliefs across three high-incidence US states, 15,000 surveys were sent to a population-representative sample. We aimed to assess (1) melanoma literacy (i.e., knowledge about melanoma risks, attitudes, and preventive behaviors) and (2) self-reported SSE and its association with melanoma literacy, self-efficacy, and belief in the benefits of SSE. Of 2326 respondents, only 21.2% provided responses indicating high knowledge of melanoma, and 62.8% reported performing an SSE at any time in their lives. Only 38.3% and 7.3% reported being “fairly” or “very” confident about doing SSE, respectively. SSE performance among respondents was most strongly associated with higher melanoma knowledge, higher self-efficacy, and personal history of melanoma. Melanoma literacy among survey respondents was modest, with greater literacy associated with a higher likelihood of reported preventive behavior. This assessment establishes a baseline and provides guidance for public health campaigns designed to increase prevention and early detection of this lethal cancer

Nonadherence to psoriasis medication as an outcome of limited coping resources and conflicting goals: findings from a qualitative interview study with people with psoriasis

Background Medication nonadherence is known to limit the effectiveness of available therapies; however, little is known specifically about medication adherence in people with psoriasis. Medicines self‐management can feel onerous to those with dermatological conditions due to the nature of therapies prescribed and many individuals with psoriasis experience additional challenges such as physical and psychological comorbidities that place significant additional demands on individuals and may undermine adherence. Viewing nonadherence to medication as an outcome of limited personal coping resources and conflicting goals may help to explain medication nonadherence. Objectives To explore individuals’ perspectives of their psoriasis, medication and its management. Methods Twenty people with psoriasis were recruited from community samples in England and interviewed in‐depth about their perceptions of their psoriasis, medication, and adherence to medication and self‐management advice. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis. Results Participants reported that adhering to recommended treatment regimens conflicted with the management of the physical and psychological demands of living with psoriasis. Medication usage was viewed as a source of unresolved emotional distress and, for some, resulted in poor self‐reported adherence, which included medication overuse, underuse and rejection of prescribed therapies. Perceived lack of engagement by clinicians with participants’ self‐management difficulties was viewed as an additional source of stress and distress. Conclusions Adhering to medication in psoriasis can be an additional source of considerable emotional distress. We interpreted some episodes of nonadherence to psoriasis medication as rational attempts by individuals to minimize distress and to gain control over their life

How do people live life successfully with Parkinson's disease?

The aim of this paper is to explore how people live life successfully with Parkinson's disease and what contributed to the level of success

Feeling Bad and Looking Worse: Negative Affect Is Associated with Reduced Perceptions of Face-Healthiness

Some people perceive themselves to look more, or less attractive than they are in reality. We investigated the role of emotions in enhancement and derogation effects; specifically, whether the propensity to experience positive and negative emotions affects how healthy we perceive our own face to look and how we judge ourselves against others. A psychophysical method was used to measure healthiness of self-image and social comparisons of healthiness. Participants who self-reported high positive (N = 20) or negative affectivity (N = 20) judged themselves against healthy (red-tinged) and unhealthy looking (green-tinged) versions of their own and stranger’s faces. An adaptive staircase procedure was used to measure perceptual thresholds. Participants high in positive affectivity were un-biased in their face health judgement. Participants high in negative affectivity on the other hand, judged themselves as equivalent to less healthy looking versions of their own face and a stranger’s face. Affective traits modulated self-image and social comparisons of healthiness. Face health judgement was also related to physical symptom perception and self-esteem; high physical symptom reports were associated a less healthy self-image and high self-reported (but not implicit) self-esteem was associated with more favourable social comparisons of healthiness. Subject to further validation, our novel face health judgement task could have utility as a perceptual measure of well-being. We are currently investigating whether face health judgement is sensitive to laboratory manipulations of mood

Protocol for a randomised controlled trial investigating self-help email messages for sub-threshold depression: the Mood Memos study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sub-threshold depression is common, impairs functioning, and increases the risk of developing major depression. Although psychological treatments have been investigated for sub-threshold depression, they are costly. A less costly alternative could be an educational health promotion campaign about effective self-help for depression symptoms. The aim of the study is to test the efficacy of a low-cost email-based mental health promotion campaign in changing self-help behaviour and preventing more severe depression in adults with sub-threshold depression.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The project is a randomised controlled trial of an automated preventive email-intervention aimed at people with sub-threshold depression. Adults aged 18+ with sub-threshold depression (as measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9), who are not already receiving professional treatment for depression, are eligible for admission to the study. Internet users will sign up via the study website <url>http://www.moodmemos.com</url> and be randomly allocated to receive emails twice weekly for six weeks containing either self-help coping advice or general information about depression as a control. Outcomes will be assessed at the start, midpoint, and end of the intervention, as well as six months later. Outcomes assessed include symptoms, incidence of major depression, psychological distress, social and occupational functioning, coping strategies, and coping self-efficacy. The primary hypothesis is that the Mood Memo emails containing coping strategies will reduce depression symptoms and be better at preventing major depression than the control emails that contain general information about depression.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Promotion of actions an individual can take to prevent physical disease is a technique often used in public health. This study applies this approach to mental health, and explores whether a low-cost, easily disseminated email-based campaign can improve self-help coping behaviour and prevent depression in adults with sub-threshold depression.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Register (ANZCTR): <a href="http://www.anzctr.org.au/ACTRN12609000925246.aspx">ACTRN12609000925246</a></p