Cancer Risk Assessment: Implementation of a Standardized Tool to Identify Women at Risk for Hereditary Cancer Syndrome

Background Though literature identifies improved patient survivability with use of cancer genetic testing (CGT), routine use of risk assessment and referral to genetic services by oncologists remains low. Objectives To increase the number of patients identified as being at risk for hereditary cancer syndromes (HCS) and the number of patients sent for genetic counseling in a gynecologic/oncology office. Methods Ambry Genetics’ “AVA” (Ambry’s Virtual Assistant) screening tool was implemented and sent to all new patients visiting the office for any reason to assess their risk for HCS. Pre- and post-implementation rates of risk identification and referral to genetic services were recorded. The project aimed to increase the number of patients screened for HCS and referred to genetic counseling by 25 percentage points. Findings A chi-square test of independence determined a significant relationship between implementation of the standardized tool and risk identification status (X2 (1, N = 72) = 14.184, p \u3c .001)

Rejection of Known and Previously Accepted Foods During Early Childhood: An Extension of the Neophobic Response?

Children begin to reject new foods (food neophobia) at around 18 to 30 months. At this time parents also report the rejection of known and previously accepted foods. The studies presented here are the first to examine this rejection of accepted foods in isolation and presents a number of significant findings. Using a parental questionnaire, it was found that the rejection of known and previously accepted food begins towards the end of infancy, commonly occurs during nursery age, reduces in frequency after 30 months and most often involves the rejection of vegetables, mixed foods and fruit. It was hypothesised that known and previously accepted foods are rejected due to an extension of the neophobic response. When neophobia begins, infants become hyper-vigilant to the visual perceptual features of food in order to recognise the food given. Foods not matching learnt expectations, due to perceptual changes between servings, may be categorised as 'new' or 'different' and rejected in a neophobic response. A second study offers some support for this hypothesis, showing that those children who are reported as having rejected a known and previously accepted food score higher on a neophobia and 'pickyâ' eating scales. Implications are discussed.

Hereditary Cancer Genetic Panel Testing: A Review of the Literature

Cancer genetic testing (CGT) is a powerful diagnostic test that improves cancer prevention and early detection among individuals at high genetic risk of cancer. Since the completion of the mapping of the Human Genome Project, CGT has become increasingly available in the clinical setting. However, as gene discovery and sequencing technology improve, the impact of these advancements on patients is less understood. The use of multigene cancer gene panel tests has become increasingly prevalent; as such, the likelihood of incidental or inconclusive findings has increased. The author conducted a literature review to outline the science on CGT methods, the psychosocial responses to testing among patients, and the unique role of nurses in this process. A significant gap in the literature exists regarding multigene cancer genetic panel tests and the associated experiences and decision-making processes among individuals who have had testing. Future research will specifically explore the experiences of young women with breast cancer who have undergone hereditary cancer risk assessment genetic panel testing that reveals incidental or inconclusive findings

Constructs of Coping for Adult Victims of Bullying

Bullying is a pervasive event that affects individuals in a variety of ways. For example, bullied individuals display an array of psychological and related psychosocial problems associated with victimization. There is a push for a transformation in the bullying paradigm to include the psychological and psychosocial symptomologies of both the perpetrator and victim. This study addressed the lack of qualitative research on coping mechanisms for adult victims of bullying. Due to the pervasive nature of the phenomena, the following was explored: (a) descriptions of bullying as expressed by adult victims, (b) adult victims\u27 coping processes and methods, and (c) adult victims\u27 emotional responses to being bullied. A qualitative phenomenological research approach was applied to understand the lived experiences of this population. The theoretical framework was based on Folkman and Lazarus\u27s transactional model of stress and coping. Eight individuals participated in the study and face-to-face interviews were conducted with each participant. Based on the results of interviews and thematic analysis, the majority of participants (34%) reported that job-related demands and coercion such as social exclusion, cyberthreats, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, job-related intimidation, and physical harm were the main forms of bullying experienced. The coping process adopted by 62% of the participants was to remain calm during the bullying incident. However, 62% used retaliatory confrontation as their main coping method. Mental stress was the main emotional response to bullying. The findings of this study can inform the adoption of positive social change policy actions that promote resiliency among bullied adults at the community level and within organizational settings

Embarrassment as a Key Emotion in Young People Talking About Sexual Health

This paper highlights embarrassment as one of the often-ignored emotions of young people when it comes to discussing issues around sexual health. There have been many sexual health studies on knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of young people over the past two decades, but emotional aspects have been largely ignored, despite a growing literature in the sociology of emotion. A qualitative approach was adopted in the form of focus group discussions, which included questions on sex education, sexual health campaigns and formal and informal sources of sexual health information and advice. Focus groups were conducted in secondary schools in and around Edinburgh and Aberdeen as part of a four-year evaluation study of a Scottish Demonstration Project on young people's sexual health: 'Healthy Respect'. We conclude that is it important for policy makers and sexual health promoters to understand young people's notions of embarrassment. Not only are there elements of sex education that (some) young people perceive as embarrassing, they also sense embarrassment in those people providing them with sex education. Young people reported that both professionals (e.g. teachers and doctors) and their parents could be embarrassed about raising the topic of sexual health. Moreover, as one of the goals of sex education is to ensure an open and non-embarrassing attitude towards sex and sexuality, there is still a major gap between the aspirations of health educators and policy makers and the ways that young people experience such education.Sexual Health Services, Adolescence, School, Scotland, Emotion, Qualitative Research, Sex Education, Parents, Focus Groups, Relationships

The Impact of the Buddhist Exile from Tibet and How This Has Impacted Those Exiled and Now Living in Dharamsala.

Psychologists Mercer, Ager and Ruwanpura worked alongside a care project to help the Tibetan refugee community heal with modern techniques while still incorporating their cultural and religious beliefs. Anthropologist Michael Lampert he reveals that monks seek to imitate the liberal subjects, associated speech genres, and teaching principles of the Dalai Lama and western patrons even as they participate in the “histrionic anger” and punishment in monastic debate and discipline practices reestablished in exile (Makley. Even though they had experienced trauma, and are still suffering, they do not exert their suffering onto their peers (Sarin).https://ecommons.udayton.edu/roesch_symposium_content/1049/thumbnail.jp