Heiddis Valdimarsdottir
Biographic Data
| ID | 179181 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Heiddis Valdimarsdottir |
| GIVEN NAMES | Heiddis |
| FAMILY NAME | Valdimarsdottir |
| SIGNATURE | VALDIMARSDOTTIR H |
| AFFILIATIONS | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9976-0007 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 20 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1987 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2023 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Psychometric evaluation of an Icelandic translation of the adolescent and parent report versions of the Bath pain questionnaires and investigation of the psychosocial impact of pain on adolescents wit…
Adolescents commonly experience chronic pain, which can have considerable multidimensional effects on their lives, impacting, for example, their school functioning, leisure activities, sleep, and emotional functioning. Therefore, valid and reliable measurements of these multidimensional and potentially adverse effects, reflecting both the adolescents' and parents' perceptions, are essential. At present, no such measures are available in Iceland. …
How Much Information Do Icelandic Men Receive on Pros and Cons of Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing Prior to Undergoing Testing
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for asymptomatic men is neither encouraged nor discouraged in most countries; however, shared decision-making is emphasized prior to PSA testing. The objective of this study was to examine to what extent Icelandic men receive information about the pros and cons of PSA testing. Furthermore, to explore if patient–provider communication about pros and cons of PSA testing has improved in the last decade during …
An Adaptation, Extension and Pre-Testing of an Interactive Decision Aid for Men Diagnosed with Localized Prostate Cancer in Iceland
In this study an interactive decision aid (DA) for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer was adapted, extended and pre-tested. The DA's prototype was based on a literature review and other empirically tested DAs. Semi-structured interviews with 12 men (age 65-80) diagnosed with localized prostate cancer were conducted to get feedback on content, usability, and the DA's layout. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis and themes…
Preventive Health Behaviors Among Low-Income African American and Hispanic Populations
Colonoscopy-Specific Fears in African Americans and Hispanics
Although fears of colonoscopy may deter African Americans and Hispanics from having a screening colonoscopy, little is known about these fears. This study examined the proportion of African Americans and Hispanics who experience colonoscopy-specific fears and identified factors associated with these fears. Data were collected at an academic hospital in New York City between 2008-2010. African Americans (N = 383) and Hispanics (N = 407) who receiv…
Social correlates of distress following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
This study investigated whether loneliness and cognitive processing explain the influence of negative (social constraints) and positive (emotional support) relationship qualities on cancer survivors' distress. Participants were 195 cancer survivors who had undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Path analysis supported the hypothesis that loneliness and cognitive processing would mediate the association between social constraints and d…
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 …
The Group-Based Medical Mistrust Scale
Decision-Making About Genetic Testing Among Women at Familial Risk for Breast Cancer
OBJECTIVE: Recent identification of the breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 and the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 have raised the possibility of clinical genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility. This study examined decision-making about future susceptibility testing among women at familial risk for breast cancer. Based on the transtheoretical model, it was hypothesized that readiness to undergo testing would be rela…
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…
Evidence that secretory IgA antibody is associated with daily mood
In this study, we examined the secretory immune system, the body's first line of defense against invading organisms, and its relation to daily fluctuations of mood. Specifically, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) was studied. Unlike other psychoimmunity studies that examined all sIgA protein regardless of specificity to invading organisms, ours examined an antigen-specific sIgA response to the oral administration of a harmless protein (rabbit alb…
Evidence that secretory IgA antibody is associated with daily mood
In this study, we examined the secretory immune system, the body's first line of defense against invading organisms, and its relation to daily fluctuations of mood. Specifically, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) was studied. Unlike other psychoimmunity studies that examined all sIgA protein regardless of specificity to invading organisms, ours examined an antigen-specific sIgA response to the oral administration of a harmless protein (rabbit alb…
Social correlates of distress following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
This study investigated whether loneliness and cognitive processing explain the influence of negative (social constraints) and positive (emotional support) relationship qualities on cancer survivors' distress. Participants were 195 cancer survivors who had undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Path analysis supported the hypothesis that loneliness and cognitive processing would mediate the association between social constraints and d…
Preventive Health Behaviors Among Low-Income African American and Hispanic Populations
Evidence that secretory IgA antibody is associated with daily mood
In this study, we examined the secretory immune system, the body's first line of defense against invading organisms, and its relation to daily fluctuations of mood. Specifically, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) was studied. Unlike other psychoimmunity studies that examined all sIgA protein regardless of specificity to invading organisms, ours examined an antigen-specific sIgA response to the oral administration of a harmless protein (rabbit alb…
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…
Decision-Making About Genetic Testing Among Women at Familial Risk for Breast Cancer
OBJECTIVE: Recent identification of the breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility gene BRCA1 and the breast cancer susceptibility gene BRCA2 have raised the possibility of clinical genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility. This study examined decision-making about future susceptibility testing among women at familial risk for breast cancer. Based on the transtheoretical model, it was hypothesized that readiness to undergo testing would be rela…
The Group-Based Medical Mistrust Scale
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 …
Social correlates of distress following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
This study investigated whether loneliness and cognitive processing explain the influence of negative (social constraints) and positive (emotional support) relationship qualities on cancer survivors' distress. Participants were 195 cancer survivors who had undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Path analysis supported the hypothesis that loneliness and cognitive processing would mediate the association between social constraints and d…
Colonoscopy-Specific Fears in African Americans and Hispanics
Although fears of colonoscopy may deter African Americans and Hispanics from having a screening colonoscopy, little is known about these fears. This study examined the proportion of African Americans and Hispanics who experience colonoscopy-specific fears and identified factors associated with these fears. Data were collected at an academic hospital in New York City between 2008-2010. African Americans (N = 383) and Hispanics (N = 407) who receiv…
Preventive Health Behaviors Among Low-Income African American and Hispanic Populations
An Adaptation, Extension and Pre-Testing of an Interactive Decision Aid for Men Diagnosed with Localized Prostate Cancer in Iceland
In this study an interactive decision aid (DA) for men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer was adapted, extended and pre-tested. The DA's prototype was based on a literature review and other empirically tested DAs. Semi-structured interviews with 12 men (age 65-80) diagnosed with localized prostate cancer were conducted to get feedback on content, usability, and the DA's layout. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis and themes…
How Much Information Do Icelandic Men Receive on Pros and Cons of Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing Prior to Undergoing Testing
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for asymptomatic men is neither encouraged nor discouraged in most countries; however, shared decision-making is emphasized prior to PSA testing. The objective of this study was to examine to what extent Icelandic men receive information about the pros and cons of PSA testing. Furthermore, to explore if patient–provider communication about pros and cons of PSA testing has improved in the last decade during …
Psychometric evaluation of an Icelandic translation of the adolescent and parent report versions of the Bath pain questionnaires and investigation of the psychosocial impact of pain on adolescents wit…
Adolescents commonly experience chronic pain, which can have considerable multidimensional effects on their lives, impacting, for example, their school functioning, leisure activities, sleep, and emotional functioning. Therefore, valid and reliable measurements of these multidimensional and potentially adverse effects, reflecting both the adolescents' and parents' perceptions, are essential. At present, no such measures are available in Iceland. …
Medicine (10 works) · Internal Medicine (7 works) · Cancer (6 works) · Psychology (6 works) · Global Cancer Incidence and Screening (5 works) · Clinical Psychology (4 works) · Family medicine (4 works) · Psychiatry (4 works) · Anxiety (3 works) · Breast cancer (3 works)