Joan R. Bloom

Bio: Joan R. Bloom is an academic researcher from University of California, Berkeley. The author has contributed to research in topics: Breast cancer & Capitation. The author has an hindex of 38, co-authored 110 publications receiving 7235 citations. Previous affiliations of Joan R. Bloom include Cancer Prevention Institute of California & University of California.

Quality of Life in Long-Term Cancer Survivors

Abstract: Due to improved diagnosis and treatment, 59% of persons diagnosed with cancer today will survive their disease for at least 5 years from the time of diagnosis.1 Overall, it is currently estimated that over 9.6 million persons living in the United States are cancer survivors.1 While there is a growing body of literature on the physical, psychological, and social difficulties of survivors2; fewer studies focus on persons who are long-term, that is, 5-year survivors.3–6 According to SEER (surveillance, epidemiology, and end results) data,7 the percentage of persons who have survived more than 5 years after being diagnosed with cancer has increased over the past two decades. For men, large gains in cancer survival rates (more than 10%) were seen in cancers of the prostate, colon, and kidney, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma, and leukemia. Modest gains (5–10%) were found for cancers of the bladder, stomach, liver, brain, and esophagus. For women, large gains in cancer survival rates were seen for colon, kidney, and breast cancers and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Modest gains were found for bladder, oral cavity, stomach, brain, esophageal, and ovarian cancers and melanoma and leukemia. Limited survival improvement was noted in adults diagnosed with cancers of the lung, pancreas, and liver, cancer that are often characterized by late stage at diagnosis and relatively limited survival rates even when diagnosed at a localized stage. There was also little or no gain in several cancers with generally high survival rates, including larynx, thyroid, and uterine cancers. Survival statistics in the United States still favor the more affluent and Euro-American population; the survival rate of non-Euro-Americans has been estimated to be 5–15% lower.8,9

Perceptual Measures of Task Characteristics: The Biasing Effects of Differing Frames of Reference and Job Attitudes.

Abstract: The study reported here examines the extent to which variations in the perceptions of job characteristics may be associated, not with objective task characteristics, but with perceptual biases reflecting individuals' frames of reference and general job attitudes. Results show that perceptual assessments of task characteristics vary with the individual's frame of reference and job attitudes.

Breast cancer screening in women surviving Hodgkin disease.

Abstract: Objective:To inform female Hodgkin disease (HD) survivors, younger than 35 at diagnosis, of their increased risk for breast cancer and encourage them to seek breast cancer screening.Methods:An evidence-based intervention, telephone counseling, was used in a pre-post test design, randomized trial wit

Using health information technology to manage a patient population in accountable care organizations.

Abstract: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe the current landscape of health information technology (HIT) in early accountable care organizations (ACOs), the different strategies ACOs are using to develop HIT-based capabilities, and how ACOs are using these capabilities within their care management processes to advance health outcomes for their patient population. Design/methodology/approach - Mixed methods study pairing data from a cross-sectional National Survey of ACOs with in-depth, semi-structured interviews with leaders from 11 ACOs (both completed in 2013). Findings - Early ACOs vary widely in their electronic health record, data integration, and analytic capabilities. The most common HIT capability was drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks, with 53.2 percent of respondents reporting that the ACO possessed the capability to a high degree. Outpatient and inpatient data integration was the least common HIT capability (8.1 percent). In the interviews, ACO leaders commented on different HIT development strategies to gain a more comprehensive picture of patient needs and service utilization. ACOs realize the necessity for robust data analytics, and are exploring a variety of approaches to achieve it. Research limitations/implications - Data are self-reported. The qualitative portion was based on interviews with 11 ACOs, limiting generalizability to the universe of ACOs but allowing for a range of responses. Practical implications - ACOs are challenged with the development of sophisticated HIT infrastructure. They may benefit from targeted assistance and incentives to implement health information exchanges with other providers to promote more coordinated care management for their patient population. Originality/value - Using new empirical data, this study increases understanding of the extent of ACOs' current and developing HIT capabilities to support ongoing care management.

Human aging: usual and successful

Abstract: Research in aging has emphasized average age-related losses and neglected the substantial heterogeneity of older persons. The effects of the aging process itself have been exaggerated, and the modifying effects of diet, exercise, personal habits, and psychosocial factors underestimated. Within the category of normal aging, a distinction can be made between usual aging, in which extrinsic factors heighten the effects of aging alone, and successful aging, in which extrinsic factors play a neutral or positive role. Research on the risks associated with usual aging and strategies to modify them should help elucidate how a transition from usual to successful aging can be facilitated.