Journal Article Annotations
2019, 4th Quarter
Annotations by Elie Isenberg-Grzeda
December 2019
Also of interest:
The finding:
In their systematic review and meta-analysis, the authors found that distance-based interventions for smoking cessation may be effective to help cancer survivors quit smoking. They found that interventions focusing on a single intervention were more effective than interventions trying to modify multiple behaviors. The authors also concluded that distance-based alcohol moderation interventions were not effective among cancer survivors.
Strength and weaknesses:
The authors used a standard systematic review methodology. Limitations include the fact that the overall number of included studies was low and statistical heterogeneity was high.
Relevance:
Smoking is high among cancer survivors (up to 15% in some studies), which puts them at more risk for further cancers. Smoking cessation has been shown to be effective in certain populations, including distance-based interventions. This current study demonstrated that distance-based interventions for smoking cessation may have a role in survivorship cancer care, given that it was found to be more effective than control interventions at helping survivors quit smoking.
Type of study:
(http://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2016/06/23/ebmed-2016-110401): Systematic review and meta-analysis.
The finding:
The authors used q systematic review and meta analysis to try examine the relationship between post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth. They found a small but significant relationship between the two, but noted much heterogeneity in the various effect sizes of the moderators they examined (e.g., stage of cancer, time from diagnosis, type of rating scale used).
Strength and weaknesses:
The authors used standard methodology for their systematic review, and registered their protocol before beginning their study. They noted that the main limitations include the fact that most studies were cross-sectional, meaning that post-traumatic stress and growth could not be measured at various time points throughout the cancer journey. They also noted that most studies used self-reports to measure symptoms.
Relevance:
Post-traumatic growth is a relatively new concept, and its relationship to post-traumatic stress is not well understood. This study seems to suggest that the relationship is complex, and that the potential for post-traumatic growth is not simply proportional to the degree of trauma incurred, as is often believed. They suggest screening for both post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth, since the two might co-exist.
Type of study:
(http://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2016/06/23/ebmed-2016-110401): Systematic Review and meta-analysis.
This review article synthesizes a comprehensive list of resources to support children, adolescents, and young adults whose parents are experiencing cancer. The list will surely benefit clinicians in psychooncology working with parents or children of parents with cancer.
Type of study: (http://ebm.bmj.com/content/early/2016/06/23/ebmed-2016-110401): Review.