Term of Award
Spring 2017
Degree Name
Doctor of Public Health in Community Health Behavior and Education (Dr.P.H.)
Document Type and Release Option
Dissertation (restricted to Georgia Southern)
Copyright Statement / License for Reuse
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Department
Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health
Committee Chair
Levi Ross
Committee Member 1
Stacy Smallwood
Committee Member 2
Andrew Hansen
Abstract
Patient involvement in prostate cancer treatment care planning is essential when using the shared decision-making model. However, not all patients begin their cancer journeys wanting to partner with physicians during treatment consultations. Research indicates that socio-demographic variables account for a modest amount (15%) of the variance in decision making role preferences (DMRP). Before new patient involvement interventions can be developed, modifiable determinants of DMRP need to be identified. This dissertation research explored the connection between prostate cancer survivors’ illness beliefs and their preferences for interacting with physicians to develop disease management strategies. This exploration was guided by Leventhal's Common-Sense Model (CSM) of Illness Representations as the analytic lens. Methods: This multisite study employed a mixed methods convergent parallel research design. From 2012 - 2015, twenty-four African-American and Caucasian prostate cancer survivors living in Western New York or Southeast Georgia completed a qualitative interview and quantitative survey. Results: Study participants expressed all three DMRP (informed [10, 41.7%], shared [13, 54.2%] and passive [1, 4.2%]). The most commonly mentioned CSM domains in patients’ narratives were identity, consequences and timeline. Results from bivariate analyses (Fisher’s exact test, p = 0.87; independent sample t-test, p = 0.66) indicated that there were no associations between patients’ illness representation profiles and their DMRP. Discussion: CSM domains, captured qualitatively, do not appear to differentiate men with shared or informed DMRP. Future studies should be conducted with larger samples of patients using CSM quantitative measures to further explore associations between illness beliefs and DMRP.
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Jarrett, "Using Leventhal’s Common-sense Model (CSM) of Illness Representations to Examine Prostate Cancer Survivors’ Illness Profiles and Decision Making Role Preferences (DMRP): A Mixed Methods Approach" (2017). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1594.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/etd/1594
Research Data and Supplementary Material
Yes
