The southern region of the United States, particularly central and southern Appalachia, has long ... more The southern region of the United States, particularly central and southern Appalachia, has long been identified as an area of health inequities. An updated and more complete understanding of the association among the leading risk factors for such health inequities allows researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to focus their efforts on the most effective strategies to minimize these risks. Using the most recent survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we examined 10-year trends in rates of cigarette smoking and obesity in Appalachian Kentucky, comparing these trends with national and non-Appalachian Kentucky rates. Women and men from Appalachian Kentucky smoke cigarettes at rates 1.8 times and 1.6 times higher, respectively, than their national counterparts. Although rates of smoking in Appalachian Kentucky, non-Appalachian Kentucky, and the United States have decreased, such decreases among Appalachian Kentucky women have been minimal. Adding to these con...
Central Appalachian residents suffer disproportionate health disparities, including an all-cancer... more Central Appalachian residents suffer disproportionate health disparities, including an all-cancer mortality rate 17% higher than the general population. During 10 focus groups and 19 key informant interviews, 91 Appalachian residents identified cancer screening challenges and strategies. Challenges included: (1) inadequate awareness of screening need; (2) insufficient access to screening; and (3) lack of privacy. Strategies included (1) witnessing/storytelling; (2) capitalizing on family history; (3) improving publicity about screening resources; (4) relying on lay health advisors; and (5) bundling preventive services. These insights shaped our CBPR intervention and offer strategies to others working in Appalachia, rural locales, and other traditionally underserved communities.
Despite the known benefits of engaging in healthy diet and physical activity across the life span... more Despite the known benefits of engaging in healthy diet and physical activity across the life span, suboptimal diet and physical inactivity are pervasive among older adults. While health care providers can promote patients’ engagement in health behaviors, patient recall of recommendations tends to be imperfect. This study sought to better understand older adults’ recall of dietary and physical activity discussions in primary care. One hundred and fifteen adults aged 65 and older were interviewed immediately following a routine primary care visit on whether and what they recalled discussing pertaining to diet and physical activity. Compared against transcripts, most patients accurately recalled their diet and physical activity discussions. The inclusion of a recommendation, and for diet discussions longer duration, increased the likelihood of patient recall for these health behavior discussions. These findings suggest that specific recommendations and an extra minute of discussion, at least for dietary discussions, increase the likelihood of accurate patient recall.
This report describes findings from a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase ... more This report describes findings from a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in primary care practices in Appalachian Kentucky. Sixty-six primary care practices were randomized to early or delayed intervention groups. The intervention was provided at practices using academic detailing, a method of education where providers receive information on a specific topic through personal contact. Data were collected in cross-sectional surveys of medical records at baseline and six months post-intervention. A total of 3844 medical records were reviewed at baseline and 3751 at the six-month follow-up. At baselines, colonoscopy was recommended more frequently (43.4%) than any other screening modality, followed by fecal occult blood testing (18.0%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (0.4%), and double-contrast barium enema (0.3%). Rates of documented screening results were higher for all practices at the six-month follow-up for colonoscopy (31.8% vs 29.6%) and fecal occult blood testing (12.2% vs 11.2%). For early intervention practices that recommended screening, colonoscopy rates increased by 15.7% at six months compared to an increase of 2.4% in the delayed intervention practices (p=.01). Using academic detailing to reach rural primary care providers with a CRC screening intervention was associated with an increase in colonoscopy.
To examine the incidence of pediatric congenital hearing loss and the timing of diagnosis in a ru... more To examine the incidence of pediatric congenital hearing loss and the timing of diagnosis in a rural region of hearing healthcare disparity. Data from the Kentucky newborn hearing-screening program was accessed to determine the incidence of congenital hearing loss in Kentucky, both in the extremely rural region of Appalachia and non-Appalachian region of Kentucky. We also performed a retrospective review of records of children with congenital hearing loss at our institution to determine the timing of diagnostic testing. In Kentucky, during 2009-2011, there were 6970 newborns who failed hearing screening; the incidence of newborn hearing loss was 1.71 per 1000 births (1.28/1000 in Appalachia and 1.87/1000 in non-Appalachia); 23.8% of Appalachian newborns compared with 17.3% of non-Appalachian children failed to obtain follow-up diagnostic testing. Children from Appalachia were significantly delayed in obtaining a final diagnosis of hearing loss compared with children from non-Appalac...
Congenital hearing loss is a common problem, and timely identification and intervention are param... more Congenital hearing loss is a common problem, and timely identification and intervention are paramount for language development. Patients from rural regions may have many barriers to timely diagnosis and intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the spatial and hospital-based distribution of failed infant hearing screening testing and pediatric congenital hearing loss throughout Kentucky. Data on live births and audiological reporting of infant hearing loss results in Kentucky from 2009 to 2011 were analyzed. The authors used spatial scan statistics to identify high-rate clusters of failed newborn screening tests and permanent congenital hearing loss (PCHL), based on the total number of live births per county. The authors conducted further analyses on PCHL and failed newborn hearing screening tests, based on birth hospital data and method of screening. The authors observed four statistically significant (p < 0.05) high-rate clusters with failed newborn hearing screeni...
The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of diagnostic and therapeutic services in coc... more The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of diagnostic and therapeutic services in cochlear implant recipients from a rural Appalachian region with healthcare disparity. Retrospective analysis. Cochlear implant recipients from a tertiary referral center born with severe congenital sensorineural hearing loss were examined. Rural status and Appalachian status of their county of origin were recorded. A log-rank test was used to examine differences in the distributions of time to definitive diagnosis of hearing loss, initial amplification fitting, and cochlear implantation in these children. Correlation analysis of the rural status of each county and the timing of services was assessed. A total of 53 children born with congenital hearing loss were included in the study (36 from rural counties and 17 from urban/suburban counties). The distribution of weeks after birth to diagnosis (P=.006), amplification (P=.030), and cochlear implantation (P=.002) was delayed in rural children compared with urban children. An analysis factoring in the effect of implementation of mandatory infant hearing screening in 2000 demonstrated a similar delay in rural children for weeks to diagnosis (P=.028), amplification (P=.087), and cochlear implantation (P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;.0001). Children with severe hearing loss in very rural areas, such as Appalachia, may have significant delays in diagnostic and rehabilitative services. Further investigation is warranted to assess causative factors in delays of cochlear implantation and to develop interventions to promote timely diagnosis and care. 3b.
Despite numerous benefits of consuming a healthy diet and receiving regular physical activity, en... more Despite numerous benefits of consuming a healthy diet and receiving regular physical activity, engagement in these behaviors is suboptimal. Since primary care visits are influential in promoting healthy behaviors, we sought to describe whether and how diet and physical activity are discussed during older adults&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; primary care visits. 115 adults aged 65 and older consented to have their routine primary care visits recorded. Audio-recorded visits were transcribed and diet and physical activity content was coded and analyzed. Diet and physical activity were discussed in the majority of visits. When these discussions occurred, they lasted an average of a minute and a half. Encouragement and broad discussion of benefits of improved diet and physical activity levels were the common type of exchange. Discussions rarely involved patient behavioral self-assessments, patient questions, or providers&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; recommendations. The majority of patient visits include discussion of diet and physical activity, but these discussions are often brief and rarely include recommendations. Providers may want to consider ways to expand their lifestyle behavior discussions to increase patient involvement and provide more detailed, actionable recommendations for behavior change. Additionally, given time constraints, a wider array of approaches to lifestyle counseling may be necessary.
Purpose
Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such ... more Purpose
Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such focus is warranted due to increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and other dietary-related disease. To address suboptimal dietary intake requires an improved, contextualized understanding of the multiple and intersecting influences on healthy eating, particularly among those populations at greatest risk of and from poor diet, including rural residents. Methods During 8 focus groups (N=99) and 6 group key informant interviews (N=20), diverse Appalachian rural residents were queried about their perceptions of healthy eating, determinants of healthy food intake, and recommendations for improving the dietary intake of people in their communities. Participants included church members and other laypeople, public health officials, social service providers, health care professionals, and others. Findings Participants offered insights on healthy eating consistent with the categories of individual, interpersonal, community, physical, environmental and society-level influences described in the socioecological model. Although many participants identified gaps in dietary knowledge as a persistent problem, informants also identified extra-individual factors, including the influence of family, fellow church members, and schools, policy, advertising and media, and general societal trends, as challenges to healthy dietary intake. We highlight Appalachian residents’ recommendations for promoting healthier diets, including support groups, educational workshops, cooking classes, and community gardening. Conclusions We discuss the implications of these findings for programmatic development in the Appalachian context.
One in 8 US women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Despite evidence that ma... more One in 8 US women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Despite evidence that mammography is an effective method of early detection, certain vulnerable groups, such as those using the emergency department as a medical home, do not adhere to mammography screening guidelines, and suffer disparate mortality from breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in beliefs regarding mammography screening among women attending the emergency department for nonurgent care and ultimately to develop interventions that promote mammography for this vulnerable population. We explored the relationship between stage of readiness to adopt mammography behavior and barriers, benefits, and perceived susceptibility by administering scales for risk, benefits, and barriers to a sample of 110 women who had presented to the emergency department of a public hospital for nonurgent complaints or were seated in the ED waiting room. We also collected sociodemographic information and stage of readiness. Mammography adherence was about 60%. Most women who were not compliant with current guidelines were contemplators. Those who were not contemplating being screened were significantly less likely to perceive themselves to be at risk of getting breast cancer. Women who had more barriers to mammography perceived less benefit from having a mammogram. African American women perceived less benefit from having a mammogram. Mammography promotion is appropriately placed in the ED waiting room given the suboptimal rate at which this population is being screened. Beliefs regarding mammography differ for women in various stages of mammography adoption and for minority women. Understanding these differences will allow intervention in this setting to be tailored to the population. ED nurses are an important and sometimes sole point of health care contact for patients who routinely visit the emergency department. As such, they have a valuable opportunity to provide cancer screening promotion messages. It is critical that nurses in this setting understand the complexities of delivering this information and the need to do so.
The average older adult reaches age 65 with at least two chronic, co-occurring illnesses, or mult... more The average older adult reaches age 65 with at least two chronic, co-occurring illnesses, or multiple morbidities (MM). We currently lack critical information about the specific strategies older adults use to attempt to control these MM. To increase our understanding of how older adults attempt to manage these MM and retain control of their health, in-depth interviews were conducted with
Approximately one to three quarters of women notified of abnormal Pap test results do not receive... more Approximately one to three quarters of women notified of abnormal Pap test results do not receive appropriate follow up care, dramatically elevating their risk for invasive cervical cancer (ICC). We explored barriers to/facilitators of follow up care for women in two counties in Appalachian Kentucky, where ICC incidence and mortality are significantly higher than the national average. In-depth interviews were conducted among 27 Appalachian women and seven local health department personnel. Those who had been told of an atypical Pap test result tended to have one of three reactions; (1) not alarmed and generally did not obtain follow-up care; (2) alarmed and obtained follow up care; or (3) alarmed, but did not obtain care. Each of these typologies appeared to be shaped by a differing set of three categories of influences: personal factors; procedure/provider/system factors; and ecological/community factors. Recommendations to increase appropriate follow up care included pursuing research on explanations for these typologies and developing tailored interventions specific to women in each of the response types.
Adherence with recommended follow-up after an abnormal Pap test is a critical step in the prevent... more Adherence with recommended follow-up after an abnormal Pap test is a critical step in the prevention of cervical cancer. Here, we focused on identifying inconsistencies between self-reported and health department record recommendations for follow-up. Self-reported recommendations for follow-up were collected by questionnaire from 519 women with abnormal Pap tests in rural Appalachia as part of a trial of the efficacy of patient navigation. Health department medical records were reviewed to collect healthcare provider recommendations. Measures of inconsistency (discordance) were calculated for overall recommendations and each of three particular follow-up recommendations: repeat Pap test, referral for further tests, and other gynecologist referral. The inconsistencies between the recommendation from the health department records and self-reports ranged from 15.0% (repeat Pap test) to 35.3% (gynecologist referral). Inconsistencies were most common among women with a history of abnormal Pap tests and those with more severe initial results. Recommendations for repeat Pap tests were correctly reported most often when the women recalled receiving a letter stating the results. Of greatest concern were the inconsistencies regarding recommendations for referral to a gynecologist. The more severe the Pap test result, the greater the odds of inaccurate self-reports of receiving a referral to a gynecologist for follow-up, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001. Clinicians should be aware that patients with a history of abnormal results and severe Pap test abnormalities are at risk of misreporting recommendations for follow up.
To identify perspectives on smoking cessation programs in Appalachian Kentucky, a region with par... more To identify perspectives on smoking cessation programs in Appalachian Kentucky, a region with particularly high smoking rates and poor health outcomes. Insufficient existing research led us to conduct 12 focus groups (smokers and nonsmokers) and 23 key informant interviews. Several findings previously not described in this high-risk population include (1) transition from pro-tobacco culture toward advocacy for tobacco cessation approaches, (2) region-specific challenges to program access, and (3) strong and diverse social influences on cessation. To capitalize on changes from resistance to support for smoking cessation, leaders should incorporate culturally appropriate programs and characteristics identified here.
The southern region of the United States, particularly central and southern Appalachia, has long ... more The southern region of the United States, particularly central and southern Appalachia, has long been identified as an area of health inequities. An updated and more complete understanding of the association among the leading risk factors for such health inequities allows researchers, clinicians, and policymakers to focus their efforts on the most effective strategies to minimize these risks. Using the most recent survey data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, we examined 10-year trends in rates of cigarette smoking and obesity in Appalachian Kentucky, comparing these trends with national and non-Appalachian Kentucky rates. Women and men from Appalachian Kentucky smoke cigarettes at rates 1.8 times and 1.6 times higher, respectively, than their national counterparts. Although rates of smoking in Appalachian Kentucky, non-Appalachian Kentucky, and the United States have decreased, such decreases among Appalachian Kentucky women have been minimal. Adding to these con...
Central Appalachian residents suffer disproportionate health disparities, including an all-cancer... more Central Appalachian residents suffer disproportionate health disparities, including an all-cancer mortality rate 17% higher than the general population. During 10 focus groups and 19 key informant interviews, 91 Appalachian residents identified cancer screening challenges and strategies. Challenges included: (1) inadequate awareness of screening need; (2) insufficient access to screening; and (3) lack of privacy. Strategies included (1) witnessing/storytelling; (2) capitalizing on family history; (3) improving publicity about screening resources; (4) relying on lay health advisors; and (5) bundling preventive services. These insights shaped our CBPR intervention and offer strategies to others working in Appalachia, rural locales, and other traditionally underserved communities.
Despite the known benefits of engaging in healthy diet and physical activity across the life span... more Despite the known benefits of engaging in healthy diet and physical activity across the life span, suboptimal diet and physical inactivity are pervasive among older adults. While health care providers can promote patients’ engagement in health behaviors, patient recall of recommendations tends to be imperfect. This study sought to better understand older adults’ recall of dietary and physical activity discussions in primary care. One hundred and fifteen adults aged 65 and older were interviewed immediately following a routine primary care visit on whether and what they recalled discussing pertaining to diet and physical activity. Compared against transcripts, most patients accurately recalled their diet and physical activity discussions. The inclusion of a recommendation, and for diet discussions longer duration, increased the likelihood of patient recall for these health behavior discussions. These findings suggest that specific recommendations and an extra minute of discussion, at least for dietary discussions, increase the likelihood of accurate patient recall.
This report describes findings from a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase ... more This report describes findings from a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in primary care practices in Appalachian Kentucky. Sixty-six primary care practices were randomized to early or delayed intervention groups. The intervention was provided at practices using academic detailing, a method of education where providers receive information on a specific topic through personal contact. Data were collected in cross-sectional surveys of medical records at baseline and six months post-intervention. A total of 3844 medical records were reviewed at baseline and 3751 at the six-month follow-up. At baselines, colonoscopy was recommended more frequently (43.4%) than any other screening modality, followed by fecal occult blood testing (18.0%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (0.4%), and double-contrast barium enema (0.3%). Rates of documented screening results were higher for all practices at the six-month follow-up for colonoscopy (31.8% vs 29.6%) and fecal occult blood testing (12.2% vs 11.2%). For early intervention practices that recommended screening, colonoscopy rates increased by 15.7% at six months compared to an increase of 2.4% in the delayed intervention practices (p=.01). Using academic detailing to reach rural primary care providers with a CRC screening intervention was associated with an increase in colonoscopy.
To examine the incidence of pediatric congenital hearing loss and the timing of diagnosis in a ru... more To examine the incidence of pediatric congenital hearing loss and the timing of diagnosis in a rural region of hearing healthcare disparity. Data from the Kentucky newborn hearing-screening program was accessed to determine the incidence of congenital hearing loss in Kentucky, both in the extremely rural region of Appalachia and non-Appalachian region of Kentucky. We also performed a retrospective review of records of children with congenital hearing loss at our institution to determine the timing of diagnostic testing. In Kentucky, during 2009-2011, there were 6970 newborns who failed hearing screening; the incidence of newborn hearing loss was 1.71 per 1000 births (1.28/1000 in Appalachia and 1.87/1000 in non-Appalachia); 23.8% of Appalachian newborns compared with 17.3% of non-Appalachian children failed to obtain follow-up diagnostic testing. Children from Appalachia were significantly delayed in obtaining a final diagnosis of hearing loss compared with children from non-Appalac...
Congenital hearing loss is a common problem, and timely identification and intervention are param... more Congenital hearing loss is a common problem, and timely identification and intervention are paramount for language development. Patients from rural regions may have many barriers to timely diagnosis and intervention. The purpose of this study was to examine the spatial and hospital-based distribution of failed infant hearing screening testing and pediatric congenital hearing loss throughout Kentucky. Data on live births and audiological reporting of infant hearing loss results in Kentucky from 2009 to 2011 were analyzed. The authors used spatial scan statistics to identify high-rate clusters of failed newborn screening tests and permanent congenital hearing loss (PCHL), based on the total number of live births per county. The authors conducted further analyses on PCHL and failed newborn hearing screening tests, based on birth hospital data and method of screening. The authors observed four statistically significant (p < 0.05) high-rate clusters with failed newborn hearing screeni...
The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of diagnostic and therapeutic services in coc... more The purpose of this study was to examine the timing of diagnostic and therapeutic services in cochlear implant recipients from a rural Appalachian region with healthcare disparity. Retrospective analysis. Cochlear implant recipients from a tertiary referral center born with severe congenital sensorineural hearing loss were examined. Rural status and Appalachian status of their county of origin were recorded. A log-rank test was used to examine differences in the distributions of time to definitive diagnosis of hearing loss, initial amplification fitting, and cochlear implantation in these children. Correlation analysis of the rural status of each county and the timing of services was assessed. A total of 53 children born with congenital hearing loss were included in the study (36 from rural counties and 17 from urban/suburban counties). The distribution of weeks after birth to diagnosis (P=.006), amplification (P=.030), and cochlear implantation (P=.002) was delayed in rural children compared with urban children. An analysis factoring in the effect of implementation of mandatory infant hearing screening in 2000 demonstrated a similar delay in rural children for weeks to diagnosis (P=.028), amplification (P=.087), and cochlear implantation (P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;.0001). Children with severe hearing loss in very rural areas, such as Appalachia, may have significant delays in diagnostic and rehabilitative services. Further investigation is warranted to assess causative factors in delays of cochlear implantation and to develop interventions to promote timely diagnosis and care. 3b.
Despite numerous benefits of consuming a healthy diet and receiving regular physical activity, en... more Despite numerous benefits of consuming a healthy diet and receiving regular physical activity, engagement in these behaviors is suboptimal. Since primary care visits are influential in promoting healthy behaviors, we sought to describe whether and how diet and physical activity are discussed during older adults&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; primary care visits. 115 adults aged 65 and older consented to have their routine primary care visits recorded. Audio-recorded visits were transcribed and diet and physical activity content was coded and analyzed. Diet and physical activity were discussed in the majority of visits. When these discussions occurred, they lasted an average of a minute and a half. Encouragement and broad discussion of benefits of improved diet and physical activity levels were the common type of exchange. Discussions rarely involved patient behavioral self-assessments, patient questions, or providers&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; recommendations. The majority of patient visits include discussion of diet and physical activity, but these discussions are often brief and rarely include recommendations. Providers may want to consider ways to expand their lifestyle behavior discussions to increase patient involvement and provide more detailed, actionable recommendations for behavior change. Additionally, given time constraints, a wider array of approaches to lifestyle counseling may be necessary.
Purpose
Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such ... more Purpose
Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such focus is warranted due to increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and other dietary-related disease. To address suboptimal dietary intake requires an improved, contextualized understanding of the multiple and intersecting influences on healthy eating, particularly among those populations at greatest risk of and from poor diet, including rural residents. Methods During 8 focus groups (N=99) and 6 group key informant interviews (N=20), diverse Appalachian rural residents were queried about their perceptions of healthy eating, determinants of healthy food intake, and recommendations for improving the dietary intake of people in their communities. Participants included church members and other laypeople, public health officials, social service providers, health care professionals, and others. Findings Participants offered insights on healthy eating consistent with the categories of individual, interpersonal, community, physical, environmental and society-level influences described in the socioecological model. Although many participants identified gaps in dietary knowledge as a persistent problem, informants also identified extra-individual factors, including the influence of family, fellow church members, and schools, policy, advertising and media, and general societal trends, as challenges to healthy dietary intake. We highlight Appalachian residents’ recommendations for promoting healthier diets, including support groups, educational workshops, cooking classes, and community gardening. Conclusions We discuss the implications of these findings for programmatic development in the Appalachian context.
One in 8 US women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Despite evidence that ma... more One in 8 US women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. Despite evidence that mammography is an effective method of early detection, certain vulnerable groups, such as those using the emergency department as a medical home, do not adhere to mammography screening guidelines, and suffer disparate mortality from breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in beliefs regarding mammography screening among women attending the emergency department for nonurgent care and ultimately to develop interventions that promote mammography for this vulnerable population. We explored the relationship between stage of readiness to adopt mammography behavior and barriers, benefits, and perceived susceptibility by administering scales for risk, benefits, and barriers to a sample of 110 women who had presented to the emergency department of a public hospital for nonurgent complaints or were seated in the ED waiting room. We also collected sociodemographic information and stage of readiness. Mammography adherence was about 60%. Most women who were not compliant with current guidelines were contemplators. Those who were not contemplating being screened were significantly less likely to perceive themselves to be at risk of getting breast cancer. Women who had more barriers to mammography perceived less benefit from having a mammogram. African American women perceived less benefit from having a mammogram. Mammography promotion is appropriately placed in the ED waiting room given the suboptimal rate at which this population is being screened. Beliefs regarding mammography differ for women in various stages of mammography adoption and for minority women. Understanding these differences will allow intervention in this setting to be tailored to the population. ED nurses are an important and sometimes sole point of health care contact for patients who routinely visit the emergency department. As such, they have a valuable opportunity to provide cancer screening promotion messages. It is critical that nurses in this setting understand the complexities of delivering this information and the need to do so.
The average older adult reaches age 65 with at least two chronic, co-occurring illnesses, or mult... more The average older adult reaches age 65 with at least two chronic, co-occurring illnesses, or multiple morbidities (MM). We currently lack critical information about the specific strategies older adults use to attempt to control these MM. To increase our understanding of how older adults attempt to manage these MM and retain control of their health, in-depth interviews were conducted with
Approximately one to three quarters of women notified of abnormal Pap test results do not receive... more Approximately one to three quarters of women notified of abnormal Pap test results do not receive appropriate follow up care, dramatically elevating their risk for invasive cervical cancer (ICC). We explored barriers to/facilitators of follow up care for women in two counties in Appalachian Kentucky, where ICC incidence and mortality are significantly higher than the national average. In-depth interviews were conducted among 27 Appalachian women and seven local health department personnel. Those who had been told of an atypical Pap test result tended to have one of three reactions; (1) not alarmed and generally did not obtain follow-up care; (2) alarmed and obtained follow up care; or (3) alarmed, but did not obtain care. Each of these typologies appeared to be shaped by a differing set of three categories of influences: personal factors; procedure/provider/system factors; and ecological/community factors. Recommendations to increase appropriate follow up care included pursuing research on explanations for these typologies and developing tailored interventions specific to women in each of the response types.
Adherence with recommended follow-up after an abnormal Pap test is a critical step in the prevent... more Adherence with recommended follow-up after an abnormal Pap test is a critical step in the prevention of cervical cancer. Here, we focused on identifying inconsistencies between self-reported and health department record recommendations for follow-up. Self-reported recommendations for follow-up were collected by questionnaire from 519 women with abnormal Pap tests in rural Appalachia as part of a trial of the efficacy of patient navigation. Health department medical records were reviewed to collect healthcare provider recommendations. Measures of inconsistency (discordance) were calculated for overall recommendations and each of three particular follow-up recommendations: repeat Pap test, referral for further tests, and other gynecologist referral. The inconsistencies between the recommendation from the health department records and self-reports ranged from 15.0% (repeat Pap test) to 35.3% (gynecologist referral). Inconsistencies were most common among women with a history of abnormal Pap tests and those with more severe initial results. Recommendations for repeat Pap tests were correctly reported most often when the women recalled receiving a letter stating the results. Of greatest concern were the inconsistencies regarding recommendations for referral to a gynecologist. The more severe the Pap test result, the greater the odds of inaccurate self-reports of receiving a referral to a gynecologist for follow-up, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.001. Clinicians should be aware that patients with a history of abnormal results and severe Pap test abnormalities are at risk of misreporting recommendations for follow up.
To identify perspectives on smoking cessation programs in Appalachian Kentucky, a region with par... more To identify perspectives on smoking cessation programs in Appalachian Kentucky, a region with particularly high smoking rates and poor health outcomes. Insufficient existing research led us to conduct 12 focus groups (smokers and nonsmokers) and 23 key informant interviews. Several findings previously not described in this high-risk population include (1) transition from pro-tobacco culture toward advocacy for tobacco cessation approaches, (2) region-specific challenges to program access, and (3) strong and diverse social influences on cessation. To capitalize on changes from resistance to support for smoking cessation, leaders should incorporate culturally appropriate programs and characteristics identified here.
Uploads
Papers
be imperfect. This study sought to better understand older adults’ recall of dietary and physical activity discussions in primary care. One hundred and fifteen adults aged 65 and older were interviewed immediately following a routine primary care visit on whether and what they recalled discussing pertaining to diet and physical activity. Compared against transcripts, most patients accurately recalled their diet and physical activity discussions. The inclusion of a recommendation, and for diet discussions longer duration, increased the likelihood of patient recall for these health behavior discussions. These findings suggest that specific recommendations and an extra minute of discussion, at least for dietary discussions, increase the likelihood of accurate patient recall.
Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such focus is warranted due to increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and other dietary-related disease. To address suboptimal dietary intake requires an improved, contextualized understanding of the multiple and intersecting influences on healthy eating, particularly among those populations at greatest risk of and from poor diet, including rural residents.
Methods
During 8 focus groups (N=99) and 6 group key informant interviews (N=20), diverse Appalachian rural residents were queried about their perceptions of healthy eating, determinants of healthy food intake, and recommendations for improving the dietary intake of people in their communities. Participants included church members and other laypeople, public health officials, social service providers, health care professionals, and others.
Findings
Participants offered insights on healthy eating consistent with the categories of individual, interpersonal, community, physical, environmental and society-level influences described in the socioecological model. Although many participants identified gaps in dietary knowledge as a persistent problem, informants also identified extra-individual factors, including the influence of family, fellow church members, and schools, policy, advertising and media, and general societal trends, as challenges to healthy dietary intake. We highlight Appalachian residents’ recommendations for promoting healthier diets, including support groups, educational workshops, cooking classes, and community gardening.
Conclusions
We discuss the implications of these findings for programmatic development in the Appalachian context.
be imperfect. This study sought to better understand older adults’ recall of dietary and physical activity discussions in primary care. One hundred and fifteen adults aged 65 and older were interviewed immediately following a routine primary care visit on whether and what they recalled discussing pertaining to diet and physical activity. Compared against transcripts, most patients accurately recalled their diet and physical activity discussions. The inclusion of a recommendation, and for diet discussions longer duration, increased the likelihood of patient recall for these health behavior discussions. These findings suggest that specific recommendations and an extra minute of discussion, at least for dietary discussions, increase the likelihood of accurate patient recall.
Extensive attention has been focused on improving the dietary intake of Americans. Such focus is warranted due to increasing rates of overweight, obesity, and other dietary-related disease. To address suboptimal dietary intake requires an improved, contextualized understanding of the multiple and intersecting influences on healthy eating, particularly among those populations at greatest risk of and from poor diet, including rural residents.
Methods
During 8 focus groups (N=99) and 6 group key informant interviews (N=20), diverse Appalachian rural residents were queried about their perceptions of healthy eating, determinants of healthy food intake, and recommendations for improving the dietary intake of people in their communities. Participants included church members and other laypeople, public health officials, social service providers, health care professionals, and others.
Findings
Participants offered insights on healthy eating consistent with the categories of individual, interpersonal, community, physical, environmental and society-level influences described in the socioecological model. Although many participants identified gaps in dietary knowledge as a persistent problem, informants also identified extra-individual factors, including the influence of family, fellow church members, and schools, policy, advertising and media, and general societal trends, as challenges to healthy dietary intake. We highlight Appalachian residents’ recommendations for promoting healthier diets, including support groups, educational workshops, cooking classes, and community gardening.
Conclusions
We discuss the implications of these findings for programmatic development in the Appalachian context.