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Genetic testing can detect whether an individual carries a harmful variant in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 (Breast Cancer 1 or 2) gene which, if present, drastically increases a woman’s risk for breast and ovarian cancer. The experience of BRCA gene testing can be an emotionally laden process yielding significant uncertainty. In this study, we examined women’s experiences of BRCA gene testing by exploring how participants communicatively framed and made sense of this process through the use of metaphors. Comparing uncertain and unfamiliar experiences to familiar references through metaphor can help people in challenging health-related situations with sense-making and communicating complex emotions. Furthermore, metaphors can be employed as a therapeutic tool by health care professionals, but their use has not often been studied regarding experiences of genetic testing, including BRCA gene testing. We conducted in-depth interviews with 42 women who have undergone BRCA gene testing (regardless of results), and analyzed data using constant comparative techniques. Eight categories of metaphors that women used surrounding BRCA gene testing were evident in the data, including those related to (a) knowledge is power; (b) gambling; (c) a journey; (d) a rollercoaster; (e) battle, disaster, or wreckage; (f) Pandora’s box or a can of worms; (g) doom and gloom; and (h) the release or placing of a weight. Results enhance our understanding of women’s experiences related to the uncertainty-inducing process of BRCA gene testing and lead to valuable theoretical implications and practical recommendations, including regarding the potential use of metaphors in patient-provider communication about BRCA genetic risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study used social network analysis methods to examine the evolution of friendship and academic collaboration networks among students in first-year seminar courses. Specifically, our research compared friendship and academic collaboration networks among students in courses with a significant focus on community engagement with networks among students in courses that did not require community engagement. We analyzed these networks using UCINET (Borgatti et al., 2002), a social network analysis software package. We first studied network cohesion measures--density, diameter, and average path length--to understand how easily information spread among classmates. Secondly, we studied network centralization measures--degree, closeness, and betweenness--which help to identify power inequalities in social groups (Hanneman, 2001). Results of our study suggest that integrating community engagement projects into curricula helps reduce power inequalities. In other words, community engagement projects appear to encourage the creation of connected friendships among first-year students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This metasynthesis surveyed extant literature on deception in the context of dementia and, based on specific inclusion criteria, included 14 articles from 12 research studies. By doing so, the authors accomplished three goals: (a) provided a systematic examination of the literature-to-date on deception in the context of dementia, (b) elucidated the assumptions that have guided this line of inquiry and articulated the way those shape the research findings, and (c) determined directions for future research. In particular, synthesizing across studies allowed the authors to develop a dynamic model comprised of three temporally linear elements—(a) motives, (b) modes, and (c) outcomes that describe how deception emerges communicatively through interaction in the context of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Familial caregivers frequently report that they are overwhelmed with stressors related to caring for an elderly loved one especially in the context of dementia care. Mounting stress ofien prompts families to make tough decisions about what type of care is most appropriate for a loved one. Participants reported that communication strategies, such as conversing with peers who are similarly involved in the affairs of elderly loved ones, aid in decision making. This paper may serve as a valuable resource for familial caregivers who can become active seekers of information and social support, behaviors which may improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed this study to identify sources of uncertainty across the transplantation trajectory. We interviewed 38 transplant patients, who reported medical, personal, and social forms of uncertainty. Prior to transplantation, they reported uncertainty related to insufficient information about diagnosis, complex decisions about transplantation, unknown/unknowable organ availability, unclear expectations about medical procedures/outcomes, ambiguity in meaning of life, complex role and identity challenges, unclear financial consequences, questioning from others, and unclear relational implications. They reported that uncertainty experienced after transplantation was related to complex medication regimens, unpredictable future health/prognosis, complex role and identity challenges, unclear financial consequences, possible stigmatizing reactions, unclear relational implications, and complex interactions with the deceased donor's family. These findings lay the groundwork for additional research on uncertainty management for transplant patients, and suggest that health care professionals and supportive others cannot apply a one-size-fits-all solution when aiding in uncertainty management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]