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Child-Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Health Communication and Informatics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2020) | Viewed by 16722

Special Issue Editor

Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU
Interests: pediatric chronic illness; hematology/oncology and transplantation; adherence and self-management; interdisciplinary clinical and research collaborations; clinical research trials; advanced data analytic methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue entitled “Child–Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes” in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The venue is a peer-reviewed scientific journal that publishes articles and communications in the interdisciplinary area of environmental health sciences and public health. For detailed information on the journal, we refer you to https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph.

We know that child–parent dynamics, such as communication, conflict, child/adolescent and/or parent mental health, and/or chronic illness in one or more family members, can significantly impact the family system, which will ultimately affect the psychosocial functioning or health outcomes of one or more family members. We are launching this special issue to address core research questions that examine child–parent dynamics, family functioning, child and/or parent mental health, and how these variables influence the health or psychosocial outcomes of one or more family members. Potential research topics include, but are not limited to:

  • parent–child conflict and its relationship to health outcomes (treatment adherence, disease self-management, health outcomes, biological markers);
  • parent–child dynamics and their relationship to psychosocial functioning (e.g., child/parent stress, family functioning, family dynamics, presence/absence of child/parent mental health);
  • the relationship between family stress and economic factors; and
  • the relationship between family dynamics and treatment-related factors, disease burden, and economic factors.

We welcome reviews, original research articles, short communications, editorial letters, systematic reviews, and case studies on any of these, or related, research topics.

Dr. Jennifer Rohan
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Family dynamics
  • Family functioning
  • Conflict
  • Communication
  • Health promotion
  • Adherence
  • Health outcomes
  • Psychosocial

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 1136 KiB  
Article
Examination of Transition Readiness, Medication Adherence, and Resilience in Pediatric Chronic Illness Populations: A Pilot Study
by Tanvi Verma and Jennifer Rohan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(6), 1905; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17061905 - 15 Mar 2020
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3202
Abstract
The present study assessed the relationship between resilience, adherence, and transition readiness in adolescents/young adults with chronic illness. Participants included 50 patients (Mean age, Mage = 17.3 ± 2.1 years) diagnosed with an oncology disorder (n = 7; 12.1%), hematology disorder ( [...] Read more.
The present study assessed the relationship between resilience, adherence, and transition readiness in adolescents/young adults with chronic illness. Participants included 50 patients (Mean age, Mage = 17.3 ± 2.1 years) diagnosed with an oncology disorder (n = 7; 12.1%), hematology disorder (n = 5; 8.6%), nephrology disorder (n = 31; 53.4%), or rheumatology disorder (n = 7; 12.1%). Patients were administered questionnaires assessing resilience (Conner–Davidson Resilience Scale 25-item questionnaire, CD-RISC-25), transition readiness (Self-Management and Transition to Adulthood with Rx=Treatment, STARx), and self-reported medication adherence (Medication Adherence Module, MAM). Medical chart reviews were conducted to determine objective medication adherence rates based on pharmacy refill history (medication adherence ratios). A multivariate correlation analysis was used to examine the relationship between resilience, transition readiness, and adherence. There was a moderate relationship (r = 0.34, p ≤ 0.05) between resilience (M = 74.67 ± 13.95) and transition readiness (M = 67.55 ± 8.20), such that more resilient patients reported increased readiness to transition to adult care. There also was a strong relationship (r = 0.80, p ≤ 0.01) between self-reported medication adherence (M = 86.27% ± 15.98) and pharmacy refill history (Mean Medication Adherence Ratio, MMAR = 0.75 ± 0.27), which indicated that self-reported adherence was consistent with prescription refill history across pediatric illness cohorts. Our findings underscore the importance of assessing resilience, transition readiness, and adherence years before transitioning pediatric patients to adult providers to ensure an easier transition to adult care. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child-Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes)
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11 pages, 313 KiB  
Article
Longitudinal Patterns of Social Problem-Solving Skills in an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Pediatric Patients with Cancer and their Caregivers
by Evrosina I. Isaac, Urmila Sivagnanalingam, Andrea R. Meisman, Crista Wetherington Donewar, Linda J. Ewing, Ernest R. Katz, Anna C. Muriel and Jennifer M. Rohan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(5), 1581; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051581 - 29 Feb 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2785
Abstract
Pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma are prescribed a daily oral chemotherapy medication named 6-mercaptopurine. Adherence to this medication is vital for survival and decreased risk for disease relapse. Adaptive problem-solving strategies are important for adhering to this complex regimen. [...] Read more.
Pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma are prescribed a daily oral chemotherapy medication named 6-mercaptopurine. Adherence to this medication is vital for survival and decreased risk for disease relapse. Adaptive problem-solving strategies are important for adhering to this complex regimen. This manuscript examined ethnic and racial differences in social problem-solving domains (Social Problem-Solving Inventory) among patients aged 7–19 years old who were diagnosed with cancer; and, their caregivers (N = 139). This was a 15-month longitudinal study. We also examined differences in medication adherence based on behavioral adherence measures. Our study found significant differences between minority and non-minority reporters across multiple social problem-solving domains (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences observed for medication adherence. Our findings underscore the importance of implementing culturally sensitive interventions in clinical care that could ultimately positively impact health behaviors, interactions with healthcare providers, and long-term health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child-Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes)

Other

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14 pages, 347 KiB  
Commentary
The Relationship between Health Disparities, Psychosocial Functioning and Health Outcomes in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology and Stem Cell Transplant Populations: Recommendations for Clinical Care
by Evrosina I. Isaac, Andrea R. Meisman, Kirstin Drucker, Stephanie Violante, Kathryn L. Behrhorst, Alfonso Floyd and Jennifer M. Rohan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(7), 2218; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17072218 - 26 Mar 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2975
Abstract
Not only do racial and ethnic minority children and adolescents with chronic illness experience disparities in health status and health outcomes, they also experience significant healthcare disparities, including differences in healthcare coverage, access to care, and quality of care. It is well known [...] Read more.
Not only do racial and ethnic minority children and adolescents with chronic illness experience disparities in health status and health outcomes, they also experience significant healthcare disparities, including differences in healthcare coverage, access to care, and quality of care. It is well known that the interaction between psychosocial functioning, health behaviors and ethnic and racial disparities, ultimately leads to worse health and psychosocial outcomes in pediatric and AYA chronic illness patient populations, including increased rates of morbidity and mortality. Investigating the impact of racial and ethnic factors on health outcomes, and strategies for reducing these disparities, is of the utmost importance, specifically in life-threatening conditions like cancer and sickle cell disease. This commentary underscores the relative importance of identifying factors that could reduce disparities between minority and non-minority populations. This present paper will focus on the dynamic relationships between health disparities, psychosocial factors and health outcomes within pediatric cancer, sickle cell disease and bone marrow transplant populations, and will offer recommendations for healthcare professionals working with these vulnerable patient populations. The primary goal of this commentary is to provide recommendations for enhancing cultural competency and humility for those working with highly vulnerable patient populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child-Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes)
8 pages, 295 KiB  
Commentary
When Multiple Objective Measures of Medication Adherence Indicate Incongruent Adherence Results: An Example with Pediatric Cancer
by Caitlin J. Cain, Andrea R. Meisman, Kirstin Drucker, Evrosina I. Isaac, Tanvi Verma, Jordyn Griffin and Jennifer M. Rohan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(6), 1956; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17061956 - 17 Mar 2020
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2227
Abstract
Previous research suggests that children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) often have difficulty adhering to complex treatment regimens during the maintenance phase of therapy. Measurement of treatment adherence can be done via objective (e.g., electronic monitoring (EM), [...] Read more.
Previous research suggests that children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) often have difficulty adhering to complex treatment regimens during the maintenance phase of therapy. Measurement of treatment adherence can be done via objective (e.g., electronic monitoring (EM), pharmacological assays) or subjective methods (patient, parent, or physician reports). This paper provides an illustration of recommended strategies for comparing discrepancies between two objective measures of medication adherence (e.g., behavioral adherence using electronic monitoring versus pharmacological adherence using 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) metabolite data) within a relatively large cohort of pediatric patients with ALL or LBL (N = 139) who had longitudinal data for both measures of medication adherence over a 15-month period. Additionally, individual- and family-level factors such as gender, socioeconomic status, household environment, and dose intensity will be examined to identify possible sources of discrepancies between adherence measures. This information will provide practical advice for physicians, healthcare providers, and psychologists in identifying nonadherence and the caveats therein so patients achieve the best possible health outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child-Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes)
14 pages, 2870 KiB  
Case Report
Psychological Considerations in Pediatric Chronic Illness: Case Examples
by Jennifer M. Rohan and Tanvi Verma
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2020, 17(5), 1644; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17051644 - 03 Mar 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4954
Abstract
Despite significant gains in survival rates for pediatric patients and adolescents/young adults (AYA) with chronic illness, patients in this vulnerable age group are also at an increased risk for developing one or more adverse effects related to their disease, treatment, or maladaptive health [...] Read more.
Despite significant gains in survival rates for pediatric patients and adolescents/young adults (AYA) with chronic illness, patients in this vulnerable age group are also at an increased risk for developing one or more adverse effects related to their disease, treatment, or maladaptive health behaviors. Maladaptive health behaviors ultimately increase the risk for developing adverse effects, including: increased rates of morbidity and mortality, impaired physical functioning, increased fatigue, obesity, increased psychological distress, and poor quality of life. With close attention including participation in preventive and therapeutic health promotion interventions, problematic health behaviors can be mitigated and ultimately prevented over time. It is well known that improved psychological functioning and adaptive coping can result in improved health status. The present paper provides four case examples illustrating various psychological interventions in pediatric chronic illness. As evidenced in the four case examples, pediatric psychologists provide comprehensive interventions for patients with acute and chronic medical conditions through the use of health promotion interventions, adherence and self-management promotion, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, medical coping, parent training, and motivational interviewing. Our case series demonstrates that for the most impactful behavior change to occur, a combination of interventions is often the most effective. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Child-Parent Dynamics, Psychosocial Factors, and Health Outcomes)
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