Individual-level Psychosocial Factors Research Articles

Structural social determinants of health as barriers to liver transplant waitlisting

Social determinants of health, both individual and structural, impact access to liver transplantation (LT). We aimed to evaluate the association between structural social determinants of health (SSDoH) and individual-level psychosocial factors (as measured by the Stanford Integrated Psychosocial Assessment for Transplant, SIPAT score) on failure to waitlist for LT. We conducted a single-center retrospective cohort study of 2762 patients evaluated for LT. SSDoH exposures included the Social Deprivation Index (SDI), the proportion of households on cash public assistance or supplemental nutrition assistance (% public assistance), and distance to the transplant center. Neighborhood SDI score in the highest quartile (OR 1.32, 95 % CI 1.07–1.63) and % on public assistance in the highest quartile (OR 1.41, 95 % CI 1.14–1.75) were associated with increased odds of not being waitlisted for LT. These associations remained significant after adjusting for individual psychosocial risk using SIPAT scores (≥21, high psychosocial risk). Highest quartile neighborhood SDI (OR 1.70, 95 % CI 1.13–2.54) and the highest quartile of % on public assistance (OR 1.67, 95 % CI 1.11–2.53) were also associated with increased odds of failure to waitlist for psychosocial reasons. However, these associations were no longer significant after adjusting for individual SIPAT scores. High-risk SIPAT scores were more prevalent in neighborhoods with the highest quartile of SSDoH measures. Transplant centers can design initiatives to build individual psychosocial support to mitigate the impact of structural barriers.

Patient Lung Cancer Screening Decisions and Environmental and Psychosocial Factors

Screening for lung cancer using low-dose computed tomography is associated with reduced lung cancer-specific mortality, but uptake is low in the US; understanding how patients make decisions to engage with lung cancer screening is critical for increasing uptake. Prior research has focused on individual-level psychosocial factors, but environmental factors (eg, historical contexts that include experiencing racism) and modifying factors-those that can be changed to make it easier or harder to undergo screening-also likely affect screening decisions. To investigate environmental, psychosocial, and modifying factors influencing lung cancer screening decision-making and develop a conceptual framework depicting relationships between these factors. This multimethod qualitative study was conducted from December 2021 to June 2022 using virtual semistructured interviews and 4 focus groups (3-4 participants per group). All participants met US Preventive Services Task Force eligibility criteria for lung cancer screening (ie, age 50-80 years, at least a 20 pack-year smoking history, and either currently smoke or quit within the past 15 years). Screening-eligible US participants were recruited using an online panel. Key factors influencing screening decisions (eg, knowledge, beliefs, barriers, and facilitators) were the main outcome. A theory-informed, iterative inductive-deductive approach was applied to analyze data and develop a conceptual framework summarizing results. Among 34 total participants (interviews, 20 [59%]; focus groups, 14 [41%]), mean (SD) age was 59.1 (4.8) years and 20 (59%) identified as female. Half had a household income below $20 000 (17 [50%]). Participants emphasized historical and present-day racism as critical factors contributing to mistrust of health care practitioners and avoidance of medical procedures like screening. Participants reported that other factors, such as public transportation availability, also influenced decisions. Additionally, participants described psychosocial processes involved in decisions, such as perceived screening benefits, lung cancer risk appraisal, and fear of a cancer diagnosis or harmful encounters with practitioners. In addition, participants identified modifying factors (eg, insurance coverage) that could make receiving screening easier or harder. In this qualitative study of patient lung cancer screening decisions, environmental, psychosocial, and modifying factors influenced screening decisions. The findings suggest that systems-level interventions, such as those that help practitioners understand and discuss patients' prior negative health care experiences, are needed to promote effective screening decision-making.

Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Seeking Intention on COVID-19 Risk Information: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Information seeking, as an important part of the prevention and control of infectious diseases, can lead to positive outcomes by reducing uncertainty and alleviating panic. However, most previous studies have limited their analysis to individual-level psychosocial factors, and little is known about how social-level factors influence individuals' information-seeking intentions. The cross-sectional survey was conducted from July 30, 2020 to August 15, 2020 in China. We used a convenience sampling strategy to recruit participants from among the Internet users. The structural equation model was used to identify the incentives associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk information-seeking intention. In this study, the responses of 871 Internet users who reflected a response rate of 85% were analyzed. Information-seeking intention was found to be directed by informational subjective norms (ISNs), perceived information need, risk knowledge, the sense of community (SOC), and negative affective responses, and ISNs were found to be the strongest driving factor. Individuals with a stronger SOC, which was associated with greater pressure and expectations, show negative affective responses. COVID-19 risk knowledge can affect the information-seeking intention of Internet users not only directly but also indirectly through their perceived information need. In addition, more risk knowledge was associated with a lower perceived risk likelihood. When formulating risk communication strategies, governments and health institutions should take targeted measures to improve the public's SOC and knowledge. This will provide an opportunity to explore the role of individual cognition and environmental risk information in public health.

Neighborhood disadvantage and individual-level life stressors in relation to breast cancer incidence in US Black women

BackgroundResearch on psychosocial stress and risk of breast cancer has produced conflicting results. Few studies have assessed this relation by breast cancer subtype or specifically among Black women, who experience unique chronic stressors.MethodsWe used prospective data from the Black Women’s Health Study, an ongoing cohort study of 59,000 US Black women, to assess neighborhood- and individual-level psychosocial factors in relation to risk of breast cancer. We used factor analysis to derive two neighborhood score variables after linking participant addresses to US Census data (2000 and 2010) on education, employment, income and poverty, female-headed households, and Black race for all households in each residential block group. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for established breast cancer risk factors.ResultsDuring follow-up from 1995 to 2017, there were 2167 incident invasive breast cancer cases (1259 estrogen receptor positive (ER +); 687 ER negative (ER−)). For ER− breast cancer, HRs were 1.26 (95% CI 1.00–1.58) for women living in the highest quartile of neighborhood disadvantage relative to women in the lowest quartile, and 1.24 (95% CI 0.98–1.57) for lowest versus highest quartile of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES). For ER+ breast cancer, living in the lowest quartile of neighborhood SES was associated with a reduced risk of ER+ breast cancer (HR = 0.83, 95% CI 0.70–0.98). With respect to individual-level factors, childhood sexual abuse (sexual assault ≥ 4 times vs. no abuse: HR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.01–1.79) and marital status (married/living together vs. single: HR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.08–1.53) were associated with higher risk of ER+, but not ER− breast cancer.ConclusionNeighborhood disadvantage and lower neighborhood SES were associated with an approximately 25% increased risk of ER− breast cancer in this large cohort of Black women, even after control for multiple behaviors and lifestyle factors. Further research is need to understand the underlying reasons for these associations. Possible contributing factors are biologic responses to the chronic stress/distress experienced by individuals who reside in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of noise, crime and unemployment or the direct effects of environmental toxins.

Gender, Sexual Self-Efficacy and Consistent Condom Use Among Adolescents Living in the HIV Hyper-Endemic Setting of Soweto, South Africa.

Within HIV-endemic settings, few studies have examined gendered associations between sexual self-efficacy (SSE), one's confidence or perceived control over sexual behavior, and uptake of HIV prevention behaviors. Using cross-sectional survey data from 417 sexually-experienced adolescents (aged 14-19, median age=18, 60% female) in Soweto, South Africa, we measured SSE using a 6-item scale (range:0-6) with 'high-SSE'=score>3 (study alpha=0.75). Gender-stratified logistic regression models assessed associations between high-SSE and lifetime consistent condom use. A higher proportion of women reported high-SSE (68.7%) than men (49.5%, p<0.001). We observed no difference in reported consistent condom use by gender (45.5% among women, 45.8% among men; p=0.943). In confounder models, high-SSE was associated with consistent condom use among men (aOR=3.51, 95%CI=1.86-6.64), but not women (aOR=1.43, 95%CI=0.74-2.77). Findings highlight that individual-level psychosocial factors are insufficient for understanding condom use and must be considered alongside the relational, social, and structural environments within which young women navigate their sexual lives.

Alternative High School Students' Physical Activity: Role of Self-efficacy

To examine physical activity self-efficacy as a mediator of the association between perceived barriers to PA and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among alternative high school (AHS) students. Students (N=145) from 6 AHS completed self-report questionnaires. Mediation analyses revealed partial mediation of PA self-efficacy on relationships between general barriers to PA and MVPA (b = -.39 reduced b = -.33) among females (47.6% of sample). Interventions with female AHS students should include a component on building PA self-efficacy. However, results suggest the broader environment may have greater impact on MVPA than individual-level psycho-social factors.

Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Midwestern Community-Based Residents: Indicators Of Success

Screening reduces the rate of death and morbidity resulting from CRC. Although CRC screening rates are low relative to other cancer screening tests, rates appear to be increasing: In 2004, 57% of adults > or =50 years reported up-to-date CRC screening test use; 14 states and Washington DC showed rates in excess of 60%. Identification of indicators of success and challenges remaining are important for universal goal achievement. The purpose of this study was to identify system and individual-level indicators of up-to-date CRC screening in a geographic area that reports higher uptake rates. Random-digit-dialing methods were used to survey a population-based community sample (N = 1033) of Midwestern adults ages 50 to 79 for CRC screening uptake in spring 2005. Adjusted odds ratio estimates were obtained using multivariate logistic regression. In total, about 62.6% of the sample reported up-to-date CRC screening. Compliant attitudes toward physicians' screening recommendations were important indicators for up-to-date CRC screening; other individual-level psychosocial factors included beliefs about testing responsibility and testing safety. Non-current CRC screening was linked with testing anxiety and lack of perceived need for healthy people to test. System-level indicators associated with up-to-date CRC screening included reliance on physicians as the primary source for health information, family/personal history of bowel disease, regular physician visits, and participation in other cancer screening tests, controlling for age. Although population-based studies generally emphasize health system-level factors, individual-level attitudes such as feelings of responsibility to screen and adherence to physicians' screening recommendations are important contributors to up-to-date CRC screening patterns.