No abstract

Some evidence suggests that acceptance-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) may be well-suited to geriatric generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). The primary goal of this project was to determine whether ACT was feasible for this population. Seven older primary-care patients with GAD received 12 individual sessions of ACT; another 9 were treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy. No patients dropped out of ACT, and worry and depression improved. Findings suggest that ACT may warrant a large-scale investigation with anxious older adults.

Little research has examined how the content of health communications regarding the need for BM and stem cell donation affects the intentions and attitudes of potential National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) donors. This study used an experimental design to test the hypothesis that an emotional appeal (EA) to potential donors would lead to higher rates of NMDP registration than a rational appeal (RA). Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a RA or an EA and then asked if they would (1) register with the NMDP and (2) talk with family members about NMDP registration. A total of 85% of individuals receiving the EA agreed to register for the NMDP, whereas only 49% of the participants receiving the RA agreed to register. The EA (72%) and RA (54%) groups did not differ significantly in their reported willingness to talk with family members about NMDP registration. However, multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that the EA group endorsed significantly greater willingness to engage in both outcomes. Results suggest that an EA was more effective in motivating participants, but other sociodemographic factors were also associated with decisions about NMDP registration. EA may provide a useful and cost-effective method for increasing NMDP registration. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2010) 45, 422-428; doi:10.1038/bmt.2009 Despite a substantial roster of volunteer donors, a significant portion of individuals seeking unrelated donors through the NMDP do not find a suitable match. Recent NMDP data indicate that 15% of all individuals seeking matches from unrelated donors were not able to find a match during a preliminary search process.3 In addition, the NMDP has reported that approximately 30% of registered donors who are identified as potential matches are not available for further evaluation at the time of the request. 4 A seemingly logical solution to these challenges would be to continue to expand membership in the NMPD so as to maximize the number of available HLA-typed donors.One of the major challenges of expanding NMDP registration involves communicating relevant information to the public. There remains relatively little awareness of the opportunity and the need to register, particularly among non-Caucasian populations. 5 In addition, there is much confusion about the process of registering for the NMDP and about what NMDP registrants may be asked to do if matched to a transplant recipient. Although greater public education about the NMDP would likely increase registry participation, little research has examined ways to communicate such information to optimize recruitment efforts.A review of the literature examining the factors associated with participation in marrow and stem cell registries revealed a small set of studies. Research on donor recruitment in the early days of the NMDP focused largely on demographic variables and apheresis as predictors of becoming a marrow donor. Such studies found mixed results regarding the relationship between previous apheresis and willingness to donate BM,...

Background Research on barriers and utilization of mental health services in older ethnic minorities has been productive. However, little is known about the characterization and beliefs about anxiety and depression symptoms among older Mexican-Americans. Exploration of these conceptualizations will lead to better detection and provision of care to this large, yet underserved group. Method The present study used a mixed methods approach to explore conceptualizations of anxiety and depression in a group of rural older Mexican-Americans. Twenty-five Spanish-speaking participants (mean age 71.2) responded to flyers that solicited individuals who felt “tense or depressed.” Participants completed a structured diagnostic interview as well as self-report questionnaires about medical health, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and cognitive functioning. Qualitative interviews included questions about how participants describe, conceptualize, and cope with anxiety and depression symptoms. Results Sixty-eight percent of the sample met criteria for at least one anxiety or mood disorder with high comorbidity rates. Self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and somatization were below clinical ranges for all participants. Medical illness, cognitive impairment, age, education, and acculturation were not associated with distress. Qualitative analyses revealed that nearly half of the terms used by the sample to describe distress phenomena deviated from Western labels traditionally used to indicate anxious and depressive symptomatology. Discussion Multiple methods of symptom endorsement demonstrated that older Mexican-Americans may report distress differently than detected by traditional self-report measures or common Western terminology. Understanding these additional illness conceptualizations may have implications for improving the detection of mental illness and increasing service use among this growing population.