Exploring and comparing the experience and coping behaviour of men and women with colorectal cancer at diagnosis and during surgery

Aim. This paper is a report of a study exploring and comparing the experience of men and women with colorectal cancer at diagnosis and during surgery.

Background. Men have higher incidence and mortality rates for nearly all cancers and frequently use health behaviours that reflect their masculinity. There has been minimal investigation into the influence of gender on the experience of a ‘shared’ cancer.

Methods. From November 2006 to November 2008, a qualitative study was conducted involving 38 individuals (24 men, 14 women) with colorectal cancer. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews at four time points over an 18-month period. This paper reports the participants’ experience at diagnosis and during surgery (time point 1) with the purpose of examining the impact of gender on this experience.

Findings. In general, men appeared more accepting of their diagnosis. The majority of females seemed more emotional and more affected by the physical side effects. However, there was variation in both gender groups, with some men and women portraying both ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’ traits. There was also individual variation in relation to context.

Conclusions. It appears that many men may have been experiencing side effects and/or psychological distress that they were reluctant to discuss, particularly as some men portrayed typical ‘masculine’ traits in public, but felt able to open up in private. Nurses should not make assumptions based on the traditional view of masculinity, and should determine how each man wants to deal with their diagnosis and not presume that all men need to ‘open up’ about their illness.

Exploring and comparing the experience and coping behaviour of men and women with colorectal cancer after chemotherapy treatment:A qualitative longitudinal study

Objectives: Men have higher incidence and mortality rates for nearly all cancers. They are less likely than women to utilise cancer information services and other social support services. The aim of this study was to explore and compare the experience and coping behaviour of men and women after treatment for colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: A longitudinal qualitative study was conducted involving 38 individuals (24 men and 14 women) with CRC. Data were generated using semi-structured interviews at four time points over an 18-month period, post-diagnosis. Interviews focused on participant's experience of CRC and on how gender affected their coping. This paper reports the findings of interviews 3 and 4 which examined the participant's experience after chemotherapy. Results: Three themes emerged from the interviews ('new normal', living with uncertainty and support needs). Many men and women reacted similarly; however, there was some variation evident between and within sexes. The main difference was with regard to the long-term physical side effects of the illness. Many women admitted to still experiencing side effects, whereas many men indicated that they had no problems. These men engaged in practices that aligned with their gender identity and view of masculinity. It must be noted that some men and women were still experiencing an impact. Conclusions: Recovery from the physical and psychological effects of CRC does not occur simultaneously. Healthcare professionals should be aware that not all men (or women) conform to the social stereotypes of masculinity (or femininity). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Children of the revolution: parents, children and the revolutionary struggle in late imperial Russia

While there has been a considerable growth in scholarly interest in Russian child- hood and youth, the presence of children in the revolutionary movement has largely been overlooked. Studies of female revolutionaries have acknowledged that family concerns often had an impact on women’s party careers, but few have explored fully the relationship between mothers and their children. Similarly, “general” historical works on the Russian revolution have rarely engaged with questions about the family lives of the predominantly male party members. This article will assess how becoming a parent affected the careers of both male and female revolutionaries, as well as the ways in which familial concerns and the presence of children had an impact on the movement itself. It will highlight that children could have both positive and negative effects on the operations of the underground, at times disrupting activities, but at others proving to be useful decoys and helpers. Children’s attitudes to their parents’ revolutionary careers will also be examined, highlighting that while some children wished they had less politically active parents, others enthusiastically helped the movement. Though expanding the scholarly gaze on the Russian underground to take in the presence of children does not change the grand narrative of the revolution, it enriches our understanding considerably and offers a new insight into the daily struggles of the revolutionary movement.

Externalizing and attentional behaviors in children of depressed mothers treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant during pregnancy

To evaluate attentional and activity behaviors in 4-year-olds following prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) exposure.

Language development at 3 years in pre-term children of birth weight below 1000 g

Language development at 3 years of pre-term children born below 1000 g birth weight was compared with full-term controls matched for social background. The pre-term group used less complex expressive language and showed lower receptive understanding, auditory memory and verbal reasoning. Language outcome was related to intraventricular haemorrhage but not to global indication of postnatal illness such as number of days on the ventilator. Average verbal intelligence in environmentally low risk, extremely low birth weight children is an insufficient indicator of complex language functioning.

Where are all the men? The marginalization of men in social scientific research on infertility

There is a wealth of research exploring the psychological consequences of infertility and assisted reproduction technology: a substantial body of sociological and anthropological work on ‘reproductive disruptions’ of many kinds and a small but growing literature on patient perspectives of the quality of care in assisted reproduction. In all these fields, research studies are far more likely to be focused on the understandings and experiences of women than those of men. This paper discusses reasons for the relative exclusion of men in what has been called the ‘psycho-social’ literature on infertility, comments on research on men from psychological and social perspectives and recent work on the quality of patient care, and makes suggestions for a reframing of the research agenda on men and assisted reproduction. Further research is needed in all areas, including: perceptions of infertility and infertility treatment seeking; experiences of treatment; information and support needs; decisions to end treatment; fatherhood post assisted conception; and the motivation and experiences of sperm donors and men who seek fatherhood through surrogacy or co-parenting. This paper argues for multimethod, interdisciplinary research that includes broader populations of men which can contribute to improved clinical practice and support for users of assisted reproduction treatment

Interventions to build resilience in children of problem drinkers

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows:
-To assess the effects of interventions for building resilience in children or young people living with parents/carers who are problem drinkers.

Testing the psychometric properties of Kidscreen-27 with Irish children of low socio-economic status

Background

Kidscreen-27 was developed as part of a cross-cultural European Union-funded project to standardise the measurement of children’s health-related quality of life. Yet, research has reported mixed evidence for the hypothesised 5-factor model, and no confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has been conducted on the instrument with children of low socio-economic status (SES) across Ireland (Northern and Republic).

Method

The data for this study were collected as part of a clustered randomised controlled trial. A total of 663 (347 male, 315 female) 8–9-year-old children (M = 8.74, SD = .50) of low SES took part. A 5- and modified 7-factor CFA models were specified using the maximum likelihood estimation. A nested Chi-square difference test was conducted to compare the fit of the models. Internal consistency and floor and ceiling effects were also examined.

Results

CFA found that the hypothesised 5-factor model was an unacceptable fit. However, the modified 7-factor model was supported. A nested Chi-square difference test confirmed that the fit of the 7-factor model was significantly better than that of the 5-factor model. Internal consistency was unacceptable for just one scale. Ceiling effects were present in all but one of the factors.

Conclusions

Future research should apply the 7-factor model with children of low socio-economic status. Such efforts would help monitor the health status of the population.