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Author on Call

The function of the “Author on Call” blog is to allow our readers and authors to interact with each other in a unique way. A few select authors will be chosen to share on the blog aspects of their papers that were especially meaningful to them personally or points that may not have made it into their published report. Readers will then have the opportunity to provide comments and questions, to which the authors will respond.

At times, as seen in our first entry, we will also post separate entries to the blog on various special topics that we feel would be informational or that we welcome your feedback on.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Self-assessment of Goal Achievements Within a Gynecological Cancer Rehabilitation Counseling

Self-assessment of Goal Achievements Within a Gynecological Cancer Rehabilitation Counseling

Adellund Holt, Kamila, PhD, RN; Hansen, Dorte G., MD, PhD; Mogensen, Ole, MD, DMSc; Jensen, Pernille T., MD, PhD

"This article adds to knowledge of how women treated for their gynecological cancer are able to join more actively in their rehabilitation and be involved by focusing on 'what matters to them'. Before and during this study, I became more curious on how involvement and goal setting contribute to women's experience of their own health. Future work may focus on the impact of the appreciative perspective among health professionals on women´s goal setting and goal achievement in the person-centered rehabilitation."

--Dr. Kamila Adellund Holt on her paper, "Self-assessment of Goal Achievements Within a Gynecological Cancer Rehabilitation Counseling," published in CANCER NURSING Volume 42, Issue 1. For a limited time, the article may be viewed below without a subscription.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Making Sense of Turmoil: How Women Reconcile Their Emotional Response to Discovery of a Potential Breast Cancer Symptom

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Making Sense of Turmoil: How Women Reconcile Their Emotional Response to Discovery of a Potential Breast Cancer Symptom

O’Mahony, Máirín, PhD, MSc, BNS, RNT, RM, RGN; Hegarty, Josephine, PhD; Rooney, Vivien M., PhD

"This paper is based on the analysis of open comments written by women following completion of a questionnaire on their help-seeking behavior for a self-discovered breast symptom. Following completion of the original study, the researchers felt obliged to analyse the open comments received from the women who participated in the study. We wanted to make sense of the women’s stories about finding a breast symptom and waiting in a breast clinic for a diagnosis. Discourse analysis provided the vehicle for capturing the essence of what women were saying. It highlights women’s vulnerability at a time when they do not know what the outcome of their breast symptom will be. The emotional turmoil experienced by women during this time is palpable throughout their comments. This paper offers a unique glimpse into women’s experience from the time of breast symptom discovery almost up to the time of diagnosis.  We would like to dedicate this paper to all the women who discover a breast symptom and sit and wait in a clinic wondering what the outcome will be."

--Dr. O'Mahony on her paper, "Making Sense of Turmoil: How Women Reconcile Their Emotional Response to Discovery of a Potential Breast Cancer Symptom," published in CANCER NURSING Volume 41, Issue 6. For a limited time, the full article may be viewed below without a subscription.

Monday, November 26, 2018

Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: An Interdisciplinary Nutritional Instrument Appropriate for Dutch Cancer Patients

Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: An Interdisciplinary Nutritional Instrument Appropriate for Dutch Cancer Patients

Sealy, Martine J., MSc, RD; Haß, Ulrike, MSc, RD; Ottery, Faith D., MD, PhD; van der Schans, Cees P., PhD, PT; Roodenburg, Jan L.N., DDS, MD, PhD; Jager-Wittenaar, Harriët, PhD, RD

"For our research, we needed an instrument to assess malnutrition in patients with head and neck cancer, and the versatile PG-SGA seemed a good option. However, it was originally developed in English for the American cultural setting and it was not available in Dutch. At first I thought: how different could the Dutch setting be from the American setting? But then it hit me… To begin with, there is no word for malnutrition in Dutch. There is a word for undernutrition, and a word for overnutrition, but these words do not cover exactly the same load as the word malnutrition. This made us decide that we needed a translation of the PG-SGA that included cultural adaptation. The journey that followed led to some surprising eye-openers. A Dutch patient that is asked whether he uses nutritional supplements, is probably thinking of his vitamin pill in the morning. He may not think of the unopened bottle of sip feeding in his fridge, which the PG-SGA refers to.

When I had no experience with the PG-SGA, and first read the following question:  "How would you rate the status of the interosseous muscles – 0=no loss, 1=mild loss, 2=moderate loss, 3=severe loss", it was incomprehensible to me, because I never heard of the term interosseous. Once this was clarified, I did comprehend the question, but I still thought it was difficult. To answer it, I needed knowledge of the human muscle anatomy and the skills to distinguish between "no loss", "mild loss", "moderate loss" and "severe loss".  It was surprising how much extra information was generated by discriminating between comprehensibility and difficulty. By including questions regarding comprehensibility and difficulty of the PG-SGA during the pilot test in cancer patients and healthcare professionals, we gained deeper insight in what items are considered comprehensible, implying the formulation is clear, and what items are considered difficult, implying a need for more knowledge and/or training.

The article Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: An Interdisciplinary Nutritional Instrument Appropriate for Dutch Cancer Patients is the result of our cross-cultural journey. We are very excited that this study is published in Cancer Nursing, because the PG-SGA encourages an interdisciplinary approach to nutritional care. Nurses have a valuable role, because they are often in charge of the nutritional screening process, and, if needed, often initiate involvement of other professionals. As a result of our enthusiasm for the benefits of combining translation with cultural adaptation, my supervisor, Dr. Harriët Jager-Wittenaar, together with the developer of the PG-SGA, Dr. Faith Ottery, started to provide guidance from the PG-SGA/Pt-Global Platform (www.pt-global.org), to include cultural adaptation in translation projects for the PG-SGA into other languages and/or cultures. Shortly after the Dutch version, the Portuguese version of the PG-SGA was developed in collaboration with the Platform. Currently, for example Brazilian-Portuguese, German, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, and Thai versions of the PG-SGA are being developed and will become available as well."

--Martine Sealy on her paper, "Translation and Cultural Adaptation of the Scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment: An Interdisciplinary Nutritional Instrument Appropriate for Dutch Cancer Patients," published in CANCER NURSING Volume 41, Issue 6. For a limited time, the article may be viewed below without a subscription.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Interrelatedness of Distress Among Chinese-Speaking Patients and Family Caregivers

Interrelatedness of Distress Among Chinese-Speaking Patients and Family Caregivers

Lee, Joyce W.K., PhD; Gotay, Carolyn, PhD; Sawatzky, Richard, PhD, RN; Kazanjian, Arminée, DrSoc

"My paper examines the interrelatedness of patients' and family caregivers' distress through interviews with a group of Chinese-speaking patients and family caregivers in British Columbia, Canada. Having had experience with cancer in my family over the past five years, this topic is of particular relevance and importance to my research endeavour. In my role as a daughter and a sister, I encountered first-hand the distress of living with cancer in the family, where the cultural beliefs and values regarding illness and help-seeking have served as facilitators as well as barriers in coping with the disease. At the same time, my family also experienced the positives of cancer, of personal growth and closer family relationships. The impact of cancer on the family is multi-faceted, and it is through ongoing research that we glean insights into such complexities. I am grateful for the many lessons I have drawn from my family's and the larger community's experience with cancer. The work in this paper is just the beginning of my endeavour, joining hands with patients, families and health professionals to expand our understanding of the cultural and social context of ill persons and family members, towards the end goal of upholding patient- and family-centred care."

--Corresponding author Dr. Joyce Lee on her paper, "Interrelatedness of Distress Among Chinese-Speaking Patients and Family Caregivers" currently published online ahead-of-print on the CANCER NURSING Web site.  The full article may be viewed here with a subscription.

Monday, September 17, 2018

A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies Exploring Men's Sense of Masculinity Post–Prostate Cancer Treatment

A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies Exploring Men's Sense of Masculinity Post–Prostate Cancer Treatment

Alexis, Obrey, PhD, MSc, BSc, RN; Worsley, Aaron James, BA

"Treatment for prostate cancer has mostly focused on preventing the disease. Our meta-synthesis has delved into the psychological and sexual impact wrought on men after they have been treated. By synthesising data across a number of qualitative studies, the findings in this article will add to the body of knowledge about how men conceptualize their masculine identities post prostate cancer treatment. The study can aid in developing strategies and interventions tailored to meet men's needs.

This study has certainly been an eye-opening and revealing insight into masculinity and the mental anguish that can befall those who don't fit into the narrow definition. We were able to discern the psychological, physical, and sexual impact as a consequence of treatment, and how this linked to cultural norms that depict how men are expected to behave. Not only does this shine a light on the holistic needs of men recovering from prostate cancer, but it further reveals how patriarchal masculine values are damaging for the mental state of all men.

Our current research is investigating the postoperative effects of prostate cancer treatment on gay and bisexual men, an area that has received little attention."

--Mr. Worsley on his paper, "A Meta-Synthesis of Qualitative Studies Exploring Men's Sense of Masculinity Post–Prostate Cancer Treatment," published in CANCER NURSING Volume 41, Issue 4. The article may be viewed below without a subscription.