Dana H Bovbjerg
Biographic Data
| ID | 104711 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Dana H Bovbjerg |
| GIVEN NAMES | Dana H |
| FAMILY NAME | Bovbjerg |
| SIGNATURE | BOVBJERG D H |
| AFFILIATIONS | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8843-7669 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 25 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 14 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 25 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1979 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2021 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Current Officers and Members of Standing Committees
The consistency of circadian blood pressure and heart rate patterns over three months in women employed in sedentary office jobs
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the consistency of the circadian patterns of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) variation over a three-month time frame in women employed outside the home. METHODS: The subjects were 157 healthy women of varying ethnicity (age = 38.2 ± 8.9) who all worked in similar positions at two major medical centers in New York City. Each wore an ambulatory BP monitor during the course of three mid-w…
Ethnic differences in inter‐ and intra‐situational blood pressure variation: Comparisons among African‐American, Hispanic‐American, Asian‐American, and European‐American women
African-American and Asian-American women have an attenuated proportional BP decline from waking environments to sleep compared to European-American and Hispanic-American women. Asian-American nocturnal BP may be elevated relative to all other groups. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:932-935, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Existential challenges experienced by lymphoma survivors: Results From the 2010 Livestrong Survey
We sought to examine the existential challenges that cancer survivors may experience as they strive to make meaning, regain their self-identity, cope with fear of recurrence, and experience feelings of grief and guilt. Lymphoma survivors ( n = 429) completed the 2010 LIVESTRONG survey and provided responses about meaning, cancer worry, security, identity, grief, guilt, and perceived functional impairment due to these concerns. Most survivors (73%…
Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Cancer: Does Cortisol Keep Cytokines From Singing the Blues
Depressive symptoms are common among patients with cancer, and both psychological stress and physiological factors have been implicated in the etiology of depression. Scientific progress in this area is challenged by the changing nature of psychological and physiological processes over the course of cancer diagnosis and treatment. The article by Wu and colleagues in the current issue of Psychosomatic Medicine provides an example of thoughtful con…
Daily environmental differences in blood pressure and heart rate variability in healthy premenopausal women
HR variability follows the expected variability pattern with behavior and activity, whereas BP does not
O4-5.3 Epidemiology and the prevention of cancer by tackling the obesity epidemic: Traditional and novel approaches
Cancer is becoming the number one cause of death around the world. While significant advanced have been made in the management of several cancers, prevention is still the best way to relieve the burden of this deadly disease. Obesity epidemic observed in both developing and developed world may potentially fuel cancer epidemic. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of endometrial cancer. An improved understanding of biologic mechanism…
The reproducibility of ethnic differences in the proportional awake–sleep blood pressure decline among women
A growing body of evidence indicates that African Americans (AA), on average, have a smaller proportional decline in blood pressure (BP) from waking to sleep than European Americans (EA), but this difference is largely based on correlational data from a single assessment day. The persistence of this difference over repeated sampling is not well established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether ethnic differences in the awake–sleep BP…
Influence of Psychological Stress on Upper Respiratory Infection—A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies
Psychological Factors Associated with Poor Sleep Prior to Breast Surgery: An Exploratory Study
This study explored the relationship between psychological factors (including intrusive thoughts, anxiety, well-being, depressed mood) and poor sleep the night before surgery. Patients (N = 39) scheduled for breast surgery (mean age = 47 years) wore an actiwatch at home the night before surgery to provide an objective indication of sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Participants also completed 3 measures of their psychological experience during…
A Computerized Stroop Task to Assess Cancer-Related Cognitive Biases
Biases in processing information related to sources of stress have widely been demonstrated with the use of Stroop emotional color word tasks. One study reported such biases among women with histories of breast cancer in a first-degree relative (FH+) who were given a Stroop cancer word task. This study aimed to replicate and extend these findings with a computerized version of the task. Response latencies and errors were recorded during administr…
Breast Cancer Patients' Experience of External-Beam Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a critical component of treatment for the majority of women with breast cancer, particularly those who receive breast conserving surgery. Although medically beneficial, radiotherapy can take a physical and psychological toll on patients. However, little is known about the specific thoughts and feelings experienced by women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. Therefore, the study aim was to use qualitative research methods to de…
Higher levels of central adiposity in healthy premenopausal women with family histories of premenopausal breast cancer
Research strongly suggests that lower overall adiposity and higher central adiposity are independent risk factors for premenopausal breast cancer in the general population. We aimed to test the possibility that these factors may contribute to familial risk of premenopausal breast cancer. A convenience sample of healthy women, ages 25–49, was recruited to yield three study groups: (1) Women with first‐degree family histories of premenopausal breas…
The rate of urinary cortisol excretion at work is persistently elevated in women at familial risk for breast cancer
We recently reported that healthy women at familial risk for breast cancer (FH+) have higher urinary cortisol levels at work than women without familial risk (FH−). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether this group difference persisted over a 1‐month period. Subjects were healthy women (FH+, N = 42, age = 37.6 ± 9.3, FH−, N = 93, age 38.4 ± 9.0) employed primarily in clerical or technical positions at three medical centers in New York …
Cancer-related fatigue: A systematic and meta-analytic review of non-pharmacological therapies for cancer patients
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a significant clinical problem for more than 10 million adults diagnosed with cancer each year worldwide. No "gold standard" treatment presently exists for CRF. To provide a guide for future research to improve the treatment of CRF, the authors conducted the most comprehensive combined systematic and meta-analytic review of the literature to date on non-pharmacological (psychosocial and exercise) interventions to a…
Perceived Risk and Worry About Prostate Cancer: A Proposed Conceptual Model
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among American men, and worry about the disease has psychological, behavioral, and biological consequences. To better understand prostate cancer-specific worry, the authors tested a model of the interrelationships among family history of prostate cancer; perceived risk of and worry about prostate cancer; and perceived risk of and worry about other diseases. Men who attended prostate cancer…
Health Locus of Control and Perceived Risk for Breast Cancer in Healthy Women
Although early detection is closely linked to survival of breast cancer, many women do not adhere to recommended screening guidelines. One of the most studied factors that contribute to women's screening behavior is their perceived risk of developing breast cancer. In this study, the authors examined contributions of general health locus of control and breast cancer-specific control to understanding perceived risk. Sixty-six healthy women with an…
Activity and Sleep Contribute to Levels of Anticipatory Distress in Breast Surgery Patients
A high level of anticipatory distress in women scheduled for surgery to detect or treat breast cancer emphasizes the importance of investigation of potential targets for distress-reducing interventions. Exercise and sleep have been examined in relation to distress in this population, focusing on the postsurgery period. In this study the authors examined the contributions of physical activity and sleep to anticipatory distress levels in 124 women …
Age and perceived stress independently influence daily blood pressure levels and variation among women employed in wage jobs
The purpose of this study was to examine whether age and perceived stress were independent factors affecting blood pressure variation associated with changing daily microenvironments among women employed outside the home. The subjects of this study were 91 women from the same workplace (age 33.8 ± 8.5 years; range 18.2–49.3 years) who wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor over the course of one workday. Blood pressure averages were calculated…
Age and perceived stress independently influence daily blood pressure levels and variation among women employed in wage jobs
The purpose of this study was to examine whether age and perceived stress were independent factors affecting blood pressure variation associated with changing daily microenvironments among women employed outside the home. The subjects of this study were 91 women from the same workplace (age 33.8 +/- 8.5 years; range 18.2-49.3 years) who wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor over the course of one workday. Blood pressure averages were calculat…
Intrusive Thoughts and Psychological Distress Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Global Meaning as a Possible Protective Factor
Previous research has consistently demonstrated a positive association between intrusive thoughts about stressful experiences and psychological distress. The strength of this relation, however, has varied considerably across studies. To examine the possibility that an individual's sense of global meaning (i.e., the existential belief that one's life has purpose and order) may moderate the relation between intrusive thoughts and psychological dist…
Imagery in human classical conditioning
Many clinical strategies use patients' imagery to explore and treat phobic and posttrauma reactions, however little attention has been paid to the underlying assumption that imagery of relevant stimuli may help maintain conditioned behavior. In this article, the authors examine the premise that mental images can potentiate and substitute for physical stimuli in human classical conditioning. The authors review empirical evidence to detail the role…
An experimental analysis of classically conditioned nausea during cancer chemotherapy
This study investigated classical conditioning in women undergoing outpatient adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast cancer chemotherapy outpatients were randomly assigned either to an Experimental Group (exposed to a distinctive stimulus before each infusion of chemotherapy) or to a Control Group. After repeated infusions of chemotherapy, patients' responses to the experimental stimulus were assessed in a location not associated with ch…
Development of Common Cold Symptoms Following Experimental Rhinovirus Infection is Related to Prior Stressful Life Events
Previous studies of rhinovirus infection indicate that about one third of the persons with confirmed viral infection do not show evidence of cold symptoms. Factors that determine which infected individuals will develop colds are not known. Using a rhinovirus inoculation protocol, the authors explored the possible role of recent life events, current mood, and perceived stress in the development of symptoms in individuals known to be infected. As p…
Conditioned Suppression of a Thymus-Independent Antibody Response
An illness-induced taste aversion was conditioned in mice by pairing cyclophosphamide, an immunosuppressive drug, with the consumption of saccharin, a novel drinking solution. Two weeks after conditioning, animals were injected with the hapten trinitrophenyl (TNP) coupled to the thymus-independent carrier, lipopolysaccharide. Serum antibodies to TNP were titered 6 days later by passive hemagglutination. Relative to control groups, conditioned ani…
Imagery in human classical conditioning
Many clinical strategies use patients' imagery to explore and treat phobic and posttrauma reactions, however little attention has been paid to the underlying assumption that imagery of relevant stimuli may help maintain conditioned behavior. In this article, the authors examine the premise that mental images can potentiate and substitute for physical stimuli in human classical conditioning. The authors review empirical evidence to detail the role…
Breast Cancer Patients' Experience of External-Beam Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a critical component of treatment for the majority of women with breast cancer, particularly those who receive breast conserving surgery. Although medically beneficial, radiotherapy can take a physical and psychological toll on patients. However, little is known about the specific thoughts and feelings experienced by women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. Therefore, the study aim was to use qualitative research methods to de…
Existential challenges experienced by lymphoma survivors: Results From the 2010 Livestrong Survey
We sought to examine the existential challenges that cancer survivors may experience as they strive to make meaning, regain their self-identity, cope with fear of recurrence, and experience feelings of grief and guilt. Lymphoma survivors ( n = 429) completed the 2010 LIVESTRONG survey and provided responses about meaning, cancer worry, security, identity, grief, guilt, and perceived functional impairment due to these concerns. Most survivors (73%…
Conditioned Suppression of a Thymus-Independent Antibody Response
An illness-induced taste aversion was conditioned in mice by pairing cyclophosphamide, an immunosuppressive drug, with the consumption of saccharin, a novel drinking solution. Two weeks after conditioning, animals were injected with the hapten trinitrophenyl (TNP) coupled to the thymus-independent carrier, lipopolysaccharide. Serum antibodies to TNP were titered 6 days later by passive hemagglutination. Relative to control groups, conditioned ani…
An experimental analysis of classically conditioned nausea during cancer chemotherapy
This study investigated classical conditioning in women undergoing outpatient adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Breast cancer chemotherapy outpatients were randomly assigned either to an Experimental Group (exposed to a distinctive stimulus before each infusion of chemotherapy) or to a Control Group. After repeated infusions of chemotherapy, patients' responses to the experimental stimulus were assessed in a location not associated with ch…
Development of Common Cold Symptoms Following Experimental Rhinovirus Infection is Related to Prior Stressful Life Events
Previous studies of rhinovirus infection indicate that about one third of the persons with confirmed viral infection do not show evidence of cold symptoms. Factors that determine which infected individuals will develop colds are not known. Using a rhinovirus inoculation protocol, the authors explored the possible role of recent life events, current mood, and perceived stress in the development of symptoms in individuals known to be infected. As p…
Imagery in human classical conditioning
Many clinical strategies use patients' imagery to explore and treat phobic and posttrauma reactions, however little attention has been paid to the underlying assumption that imagery of relevant stimuli may help maintain conditioned behavior. In this article, the authors examine the premise that mental images can potentiate and substitute for physical stimuli in human classical conditioning. The authors review empirical evidence to detail the role…
Intrusive Thoughts and Psychological Distress Among Breast Cancer Survivors: Global Meaning as a Possible Protective Factor
Previous research has consistently demonstrated a positive association between intrusive thoughts about stressful experiences and psychological distress. The strength of this relation, however, has varied considerably across studies. To examine the possibility that an individual's sense of global meaning (i.e., the existential belief that one's life has purpose and order) may moderate the relation between intrusive thoughts and psychological dist…
Age and perceived stress independently influence daily blood pressure levels and variation among women employed in wage jobs
The purpose of this study was to examine whether age and perceived stress were independent factors affecting blood pressure variation associated with changing daily microenvironments among women employed outside the home. The subjects of this study were 91 women from the same workplace (age 33.8 ± 8.5 years; range 18.2–49.3 years) who wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor over the course of one workday. Blood pressure averages were calculated…
Age and perceived stress independently influence daily blood pressure levels and variation among women employed in wage jobs
The purpose of this study was to examine whether age and perceived stress were independent factors affecting blood pressure variation associated with changing daily microenvironments among women employed outside the home. The subjects of this study were 91 women from the same workplace (age 33.8 +/- 8.5 years; range 18.2-49.3 years) who wore an ambulatory blood pressure monitor over the course of one workday. Blood pressure averages were calculat…
Activity and Sleep Contribute to Levels of Anticipatory Distress in Breast Surgery Patients
A high level of anticipatory distress in women scheduled for surgery to detect or treat breast cancer emphasizes the importance of investigation of potential targets for distress-reducing interventions. Exercise and sleep have been examined in relation to distress in this population, focusing on the postsurgery period. In this study the authors examined the contributions of physical activity and sleep to anticipatory distress levels in 124 women …
Health Locus of Control and Perceived Risk for Breast Cancer in Healthy Women
Although early detection is closely linked to survival of breast cancer, many women do not adhere to recommended screening guidelines. One of the most studied factors that contribute to women's screening behavior is their perceived risk of developing breast cancer. In this study, the authors examined contributions of general health locus of control and breast cancer-specific control to understanding perceived risk. Sixty-six healthy women with an…
Perceived Risk and Worry About Prostate Cancer: A Proposed Conceptual Model
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer among American men, and worry about the disease has psychological, behavioral, and biological consequences. To better understand prostate cancer-specific worry, the authors tested a model of the interrelationships among family history of prostate cancer; perceived risk of and worry about prostate cancer; and perceived risk of and worry about other diseases. Men who attended prostate cancer…
Higher levels of central adiposity in healthy premenopausal women with family histories of premenopausal breast cancer
Research strongly suggests that lower overall adiposity and higher central adiposity are independent risk factors for premenopausal breast cancer in the general population. We aimed to test the possibility that these factors may contribute to familial risk of premenopausal breast cancer. A convenience sample of healthy women, ages 25–49, was recruited to yield three study groups: (1) Women with first‐degree family histories of premenopausal breas…
The rate of urinary cortisol excretion at work is persistently elevated in women at familial risk for breast cancer
We recently reported that healthy women at familial risk for breast cancer (FH+) have higher urinary cortisol levels at work than women without familial risk (FH−). The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether this group difference persisted over a 1‐month period. Subjects were healthy women (FH+, N = 42, age = 37.6 ± 9.3, FH−, N = 93, age 38.4 ± 9.0) employed primarily in clerical or technical positions at three medical centers in New York …
Cancer-related fatigue: A systematic and meta-analytic review of non-pharmacological therapies for cancer patients
Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is a significant clinical problem for more than 10 million adults diagnosed with cancer each year worldwide. No "gold standard" treatment presently exists for CRF. To provide a guide for future research to improve the treatment of CRF, the authors conducted the most comprehensive combined systematic and meta-analytic review of the literature to date on non-pharmacological (psychosocial and exercise) interventions to a…
Breast Cancer Patients' Experience of External-Beam Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a critical component of treatment for the majority of women with breast cancer, particularly those who receive breast conserving surgery. Although medically beneficial, radiotherapy can take a physical and psychological toll on patients. However, little is known about the specific thoughts and feelings experienced by women undergoing breast cancer radiotherapy. Therefore, the study aim was to use qualitative research methods to de…
The reproducibility of ethnic differences in the proportional awake–sleep blood pressure decline among women
A growing body of evidence indicates that African Americans (AA), on average, have a smaller proportional decline in blood pressure (BP) from waking to sleep than European Americans (EA), but this difference is largely based on correlational data from a single assessment day. The persistence of this difference over repeated sampling is not well established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether ethnic differences in the awake–sleep BP…
Influence of Psychological Stress on Upper Respiratory Infection—A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies
Psychological Factors Associated with Poor Sleep Prior to Breast Surgery: An Exploratory Study
This study explored the relationship between psychological factors (including intrusive thoughts, anxiety, well-being, depressed mood) and poor sleep the night before surgery. Patients (N = 39) scheduled for breast surgery (mean age = 47 years) wore an actiwatch at home the night before surgery to provide an objective indication of sleep duration and sleep efficiency. Participants also completed 3 measures of their psychological experience during…
A Computerized Stroop Task to Assess Cancer-Related Cognitive Biases
Biases in processing information related to sources of stress have widely been demonstrated with the use of Stroop emotional color word tasks. One study reported such biases among women with histories of breast cancer in a first-degree relative (FH+) who were given a Stroop cancer word task. This study aimed to replicate and extend these findings with a computerized version of the task. Response latencies and errors were recorded during administr…
O4-5.3 Epidemiology and the prevention of cancer by tackling the obesity epidemic: Traditional and novel approaches
Cancer is becoming the number one cause of death around the world. While significant advanced have been made in the management of several cancers, prevention is still the best way to relieve the burden of this deadly disease. Obesity epidemic observed in both developing and developed world may potentially fuel cancer epidemic. Obesity is a major risk factor for the development of endometrial cancer. An improved understanding of biologic mechanism…
Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Cancer: Does Cortisol Keep Cytokines From Singing the Blues
Depressive symptoms are common among patients with cancer, and both psychological stress and physiological factors have been implicated in the etiology of depression. Scientific progress in this area is challenged by the changing nature of psychological and physiological processes over the course of cancer diagnosis and treatment. The article by Wu and colleagues in the current issue of Psychosomatic Medicine provides an example of thoughtful con…
Daily environmental differences in blood pressure and heart rate variability in healthy premenopausal women
HR variability follows the expected variability pattern with behavior and activity, whereas BP does not
Ethnic differences in inter‐ and intra‐situational blood pressure variation: Comparisons among African‐American, Hispanic‐American, Asian‐American, and European‐American women
African-American and Asian-American women have an attenuated proportional BP decline from waking environments to sleep compared to European-American and Hispanic-American women. Asian-American nocturnal BP may be elevated relative to all other groups. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:932-935, 2016. © 2016Wiley Periodicals, Inc
Existential challenges experienced by lymphoma survivors: Results From the 2010 Livestrong Survey
We sought to examine the existential challenges that cancer survivors may experience as they strive to make meaning, regain their self-identity, cope with fear of recurrence, and experience feelings of grief and guilt. Lymphoma survivors ( n = 429) completed the 2010 LIVESTRONG survey and provided responses about meaning, cancer worry, security, identity, grief, guilt, and perceived functional impairment due to these concerns. Most survivors (73%…
The consistency of circadian blood pressure and heart rate patterns over three months in women employed in sedentary office jobs
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the consistency of the circadian patterns of blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) variation over a three-month time frame in women employed outside the home. METHODS: The subjects were 157 healthy women of varying ethnicity (age = 38.2 ± 8.9) who all worked in similar positions at two major medical centers in New York City. Each wore an ambulatory BP monitor during the course of three mid-w…
Current Officers and Members of Standing Committees
Medicine (23 works) · Internal Medicine (19 works) · Cancer (13 works) · Psychology (12 works) · Breast cancer (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works) · Demography (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (7 works) · Psychiatry (7 works) · Blood pressure (6 works)