Kelly E Tenzek
Biographic Data
| ID | 6514690 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kelly E Tenzek |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kelly E |
| FAMILY NAME | Tenzek |
| SIGNATURE | TENZEK K E |
| AFFILIATIONS | University at Buffalo, State University of New York |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8420-9113 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 1 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 18 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2012 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Stopping aggressive treatment or hoping for a miracle: An analysis of spiritual care messages for terminally ill patients using the National Survey of religious leaders
Religious and spiritual needs are important for seriously ill patients. Conflicting evidence for who provides this care and how it fits into the biomedical context remains. Quantitative analysis of the National Study of Religious Leaders (NSRL) survey data (N = 1600) resulted in three statistically significant logistic regression models. Conflicts with scientific beliefs, openness to changing beliefs based on scientific findings, and race/ethnici…
Extending the Health Belief Model (HBM): Integrating Relational Dynamics into a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Risk Perception Framework for Women Who Have Sex with Women (WSW)
20) were conducted to better understand this health issue from a relational perspective and two themes emerged from the data: relational negotiations of risk and experiential quests. The themes inform our proposed theoretical extension, relational dynamics, that considers the intersection of both personal beliefs and partner influence on health decision-m3aking. Relational dynamics is defined as the interpersonal influences rooted in trust and em…
“Covid robbed me of that”: Navigating final conversations and grief during the Covid-19 pandemic
Those conversations are extremely vivid in my mind some 40+ years later. They haunt me.” investigating reconstrual, final conversations, and posttraumatic growth in a military context
Despite notable stressors associated with military service, research on end-of-life (EOL) communication in this context remains scarce. We situate this study in the opportunity model for presence during the end-of-life process (OMP) and include retrospective accounts of final conversations (FCs) among active-duty military and veterans to explore how emotion regulation specifically, reconstrual and recounting, as potential pathways to positive ber…
Religious Traditions and Grief in the USA: When it’s Less About G-d and More About the People
Shouts from the Void: A Mixed-Method Analysis Surrounding the Online Chronic Illness Community, Neisvoid
Chronic illness affects millions worldwide, rendering the life of those affected complex to manage. Extant research points to the need for effective and supportive care for the successful treatment, yet health care encounters for this population are often filled with negative experiences, ranging from discontinuity of care to disenfranchisement from providers. One such group dedicated to sharing struggles is the NEISVoid (No End In Sight) communi…
Pushing the boundaries: An evaluation of the Photographs of Meaning (POM) program for pediatric palliative caregivers (PPCGs)
Translational research is seemingly ubiquitous, yet complex and difficult to concretely define. We contribute to this conversation by reflectively and critically evaluating a collaborative, multidisciplinary program called the Photographs of Meaning (POM) for pediatric palliative caregivers. The POM program brings together the public health issue of caregiving with community-based-art methodology and engagement. Following four stages for public h…
Embracing Endings: Unveiling the Connection Between Final Conversations, the Opportunity Model for Presence, and Coping With the Death of Our Parents
This study examines adult children's loss of a parent through final conversations and communal coping. By looking at survivors' experiences through the lens of the opportunity model for presence (OMP) during the end-of-life (EOL) process, a model that provides a path of engagement leading to a good or bad death and consequent bereavement processes, we quantitatively test the relationships between two communication constructs before and after deat…
Mediated depictions of mental health, chronic care and literacy: A narrative analysis of Randall’s mental health journey in the television series, This is Us
Implications for mental health as a chronic issue and care delivery through CCM are discussed along with the importance of different types of literacy for audience members who may be struggling with a mental health disorder or trying to navigate the health care system. We offer recommendations for using Randall's narrative as a teaching tool, integrating CCM into clinical visits to help guide delivery of care and understand literacy levels, and f…
Staying connected: Alzheimer's hashtags and opportunities for engagement and overcoming stigma
Survivors’ perspectives on saying goodbye: Implications for end-of-life engagement across the lifespan and grieving process
Family members are often unaware of their loved ones' final wishes and underestimate the need to talk about them before parents reach end-of-life (EOL). The benefits of engaging in EOL conversations alleviate needless suffering and can allow an opportunity to say goodbye in a meaningful way. We examined final conversations 13 adults recalled having with their aging parents through the lens of the opportunity model for presence (OMP) during the EO…
Difficult dialogues about death: Applying risk orders theory to analyse chaplains’ provision of end-of-life care
Understandings of risk permeate end-of-life (EOL) care contexts. In addition to the risk of bodily death, patients, family and healthcare providers face spiritual and communication risks during EOL care. The Western biomedical healthcare model is an objectivist, curative framework focusing on fixing the body; this cultural notion limits communication regarding physical illness. Existing work argues that Americans’ reticence to discuss EOL can be …
Clinician Communication in Hospice: Constructions of Reality Throughout the End-of-Life Process
The current study examined qualitative data from hospice clinicians' perspectives on language, surrounding end-of-life (EOL), to understand challenges and opportunities for constructing a trajectory of communication leading towards a good death experience. Findings from two focus groups with nine clinicians' and 12 individual interviews, four of which were follow up interviews after the focus groups, were guided by framework analysis and revealed…
This Is Us: An Analysis of Mediated Family Communication at End-of-Life
Death is a ubiquitous theme in television dramas and we argued that mediated depictions of end-of-life experiences have the potential to provide glimpses into the ways in which characters experience real-life issues and can serve as conversation starters within family viewers. The study aimed to identify how a popular television drama, This is Us , depicted end-of-life communication. Analysis of season one revealed 54 conversations about end-of-l…
End-of-Life in Disney and Pixar Films: An opportunity for Engaging in Difficult Conversation
This study expanded upon previous scholarship by examining end-of-life (EOL) depictions and messages of death within Disney and Pixar animated films. We argue Disney and Pixar depictions of EOL and death can provide critical opportunities for discussing death and dying processes with children and adults alike. A content analysis of 57 movies resulted in a total of 71 character deaths. These instances of death became the discourse used for analysi…
“A Gift We Are Unable to Create Ourselves”: Uncertainty Reduction in Online Classified Ads Posted by Gay Men Pursuing Surrogacy
Surrogacy is becoming an increasingly popular way for gay men to start a family. Those choosing surrogacy must navigate intensive medical procedures, complex interpersonal dynamics, legal maneuverings, and a society that views parenting through a heteronormative lens. With so many unknowns, the need to reduce uncertainty is significant. Online communities offer a starting point, providing information, advice, and classified ads for matching with …
Recognizing Success in the Chaplain Profession: Connecting Perceptions With Practice
The current investigation examines the communicative hallmarks of successful chaplaincy work as articulated by professional chaplains providing spiritual care at the end-of-life. Data grounded in qualitative interviews with 32 chaplains of various denominations and lengths of service reveals a challenge in gauging success when working with dying patients and families. Chaplains reported nonverbal hallmarks of success consist of (a) intrapersonal …
The Chaplain Profession from the Employer Perspective: An Analysis of Hospice Chaplain Job Advertisements
Hospitals and hospice organizations who are hiring chaplains to provide spiritual care for terminally ill patients post online job advertisements with specific qualifications and communication skills that applicants should possess. An examination of job advertisements can uncover trends in credentials and responsibilities expected of hospice chaplains. Results of a framework analysis of 71 hospice chaplain job advertisements indicated that 44% of…
Survivors’ perspectives on saying goodbye: Implications for end-of-life engagement across the lifespan and grieving process
Family members are often unaware of their loved ones' final wishes and underestimate the need to talk about them before parents reach end-of-life (EOL). The benefits of engaging in EOL conversations alleviate needless suffering and can allow an opportunity to say goodbye in a meaningful way. We examined final conversations 13 adults recalled having with their aging parents through the lens of the opportunity model for presence (OMP) during the EO…
The Chaplain Profession from the Employer Perspective: An Analysis of Hospice Chaplain Job Advertisements
Hospitals and hospice organizations who are hiring chaplains to provide spiritual care for terminally ill patients post online job advertisements with specific qualifications and communication skills that applicants should possess. An examination of job advertisements can uncover trends in credentials and responsibilities expected of hospice chaplains. Results of a framework analysis of 71 hospice chaplain job advertisements indicated that 44% of…
Recognizing Success in the Chaplain Profession: Connecting Perceptions With Practice
The current investigation examines the communicative hallmarks of successful chaplaincy work as articulated by professional chaplains providing spiritual care at the end-of-life. Data grounded in qualitative interviews with 32 chaplains of various denominations and lengths of service reveals a challenge in gauging success when working with dying patients and families. Chaplains reported nonverbal hallmarks of success consist of (a) intrapersonal …
“A Gift We Are Unable to Create Ourselves”: Uncertainty Reduction in Online Classified Ads Posted by Gay Men Pursuing Surrogacy
Surrogacy is becoming an increasingly popular way for gay men to start a family. Those choosing surrogacy must navigate intensive medical procedures, complex interpersonal dynamics, legal maneuverings, and a society that views parenting through a heteronormative lens. With so many unknowns, the need to reduce uncertainty is significant. Online communities offer a starting point, providing information, advice, and classified ads for matching with …
End-of-Life in Disney and Pixar Films: An opportunity for Engaging in Difficult Conversation
This study expanded upon previous scholarship by examining end-of-life (EOL) depictions and messages of death within Disney and Pixar animated films. We argue Disney and Pixar depictions of EOL and death can provide critical opportunities for discussing death and dying processes with children and adults alike. A content analysis of 57 movies resulted in a total of 71 character deaths. These instances of death became the discourse used for analysi…
This Is Us: An Analysis of Mediated Family Communication at End-of-Life
Death is a ubiquitous theme in television dramas and we argued that mediated depictions of end-of-life experiences have the potential to provide glimpses into the ways in which characters experience real-life issues and can serve as conversation starters within family viewers. The study aimed to identify how a popular television drama, This is Us , depicted end-of-life communication. Analysis of season one revealed 54 conversations about end-of-l…
Difficult dialogues about death: Applying risk orders theory to analyse chaplains’ provision of end-of-life care
Understandings of risk permeate end-of-life (EOL) care contexts. In addition to the risk of bodily death, patients, family and healthcare providers face spiritual and communication risks during EOL care. The Western biomedical healthcare model is an objectivist, curative framework focusing on fixing the body; this cultural notion limits communication regarding physical illness. Existing work argues that Americans’ reticence to discuss EOL can be …
Clinician Communication in Hospice: Constructions of Reality Throughout the End-of-Life Process
The current study examined qualitative data from hospice clinicians' perspectives on language, surrounding end-of-life (EOL), to understand challenges and opportunities for constructing a trajectory of communication leading towards a good death experience. Findings from two focus groups with nine clinicians' and 12 individual interviews, four of which were follow up interviews after the focus groups, were guided by framework analysis and revealed…
Mediated depictions of mental health, chronic care and literacy: A narrative analysis of Randall’s mental health journey in the television series, This is Us
Implications for mental health as a chronic issue and care delivery through CCM are discussed along with the importance of different types of literacy for audience members who may be struggling with a mental health disorder or trying to navigate the health care system. We offer recommendations for using Randall's narrative as a teaching tool, integrating CCM into clinical visits to help guide delivery of care and understand literacy levels, and f…
Staying connected: Alzheimer's hashtags and opportunities for engagement and overcoming stigma
Survivors’ perspectives on saying goodbye: Implications for end-of-life engagement across the lifespan and grieving process
Family members are often unaware of their loved ones' final wishes and underestimate the need to talk about them before parents reach end-of-life (EOL). The benefits of engaging in EOL conversations alleviate needless suffering and can allow an opportunity to say goodbye in a meaningful way. We examined final conversations 13 adults recalled having with their aging parents through the lens of the opportunity model for presence (OMP) during the EO…
Shouts from the Void: A Mixed-Method Analysis Surrounding the Online Chronic Illness Community, Neisvoid
Chronic illness affects millions worldwide, rendering the life of those affected complex to manage. Extant research points to the need for effective and supportive care for the successful treatment, yet health care encounters for this population are often filled with negative experiences, ranging from discontinuity of care to disenfranchisement from providers. One such group dedicated to sharing struggles is the NEISVoid (No End In Sight) communi…
Pushing the boundaries: An evaluation of the Photographs of Meaning (POM) program for pediatric palliative caregivers (PPCGs)
Translational research is seemingly ubiquitous, yet complex and difficult to concretely define. We contribute to this conversation by reflectively and critically evaluating a collaborative, multidisciplinary program called the Photographs of Meaning (POM) for pediatric palliative caregivers. The POM program brings together the public health issue of caregiving with community-based-art methodology and engagement. Following four stages for public h…
Embracing Endings: Unveiling the Connection Between Final Conversations, the Opportunity Model for Presence, and Coping With the Death of Our Parents
This study examines adult children's loss of a parent through final conversations and communal coping. By looking at survivors' experiences through the lens of the opportunity model for presence (OMP) during the end-of-life (EOL) process, a model that provides a path of engagement leading to a good or bad death and consequent bereavement processes, we quantitatively test the relationships between two communication constructs before and after deat…
Religious Traditions and Grief in the USA: When it’s Less About G-d and More About the People
Stopping aggressive treatment or hoping for a miracle: An analysis of spiritual care messages for terminally ill patients using the National Survey of religious leaders
Religious and spiritual needs are important for seriously ill patients. Conflicting evidence for who provides this care and how it fits into the biomedical context remains. Quantitative analysis of the National Study of Religious Leaders (NSRL) survey data (N = 1600) resulted in three statistically significant logistic regression models. Conflicts with scientific beliefs, openness to changing beliefs based on scientific findings, and race/ethnici…
Extending the Health Belief Model (HBM): Integrating Relational Dynamics into a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Risk Perception Framework for Women Who Have Sex with Women (WSW)
20) were conducted to better understand this health issue from a relational perspective and two themes emerged from the data: relational negotiations of risk and experiential quests. The themes inform our proposed theoretical extension, relational dynamics, that considers the intersection of both personal beliefs and partner influence on health decision-m3aking. Relational dynamics is defined as the interpersonal influences rooted in trust and em…
“Covid robbed me of that”: Navigating final conversations and grief during the Covid-19 pandemic
Those conversations are extremely vivid in my mind some 40+ years later. They haunt me.” investigating reconstrual, final conversations, and posttraumatic growth in a military context
Despite notable stressors associated with military service, research on end-of-life (EOL) communication in this context remains scarce. We situate this study in the opportunity model for presence during the end-of-life process (OMP) and include retrospective accounts of final conversations (FCs) among active-duty military and veterans to explore how emotion regulation specifically, reconstrual and recounting, as potential pathways to positive ber…
Psychology (13 works) · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health (10 works) · Medicine (8 works) · Sociology (8 works) · Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues (6 works) · Social Psychology (6 works) · Nursing (5 works) · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology (5 works) · Computer Science (4 works) · Conversation (4 works)