title: The importance of older family members in providing social resources and promoting cancer screening in families with a hereditary cancer syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates the role of older family members as providers of social resources within familial network systems affected by an inherited cancer susceptibility syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents who previously participated in a study that involved genetic counseling and testing for Lynch syndrome and their family network members were invited to participate in a onetime telephone interview about family communication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 206 respondents from 33 families identified 2,051 social relationships (dyads). Nineteen percent of the respondents and 25% of the network members were older (≥60 years). Younger respondents (≤59 years) were more likely to nominate older network members as providers of social resources than younger members: instrumental support (odds ratio [OR] = 1.68), emotional support (OR = 1.71), help in crisis situation (OR = 2.04), and dependability when needed (OR = 2.15). Compared with younger network members, older members were more likely to be listed as encouragers of colon cancer screening by both younger (OR = 3.40) and older respondents (OR = 1.90) independent of whether support exchange occurred in the relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Engaging older network members in health interventions to facilitate screening behaviors and emotional well-being of younger members within families affected by inherited conditions may be beneficial. Findings can be used to empower older individuals about their important social roles in enhancing the well-being of their family members and to inform younger individuals about their older relatives' resourcefulness to facilitate positive social interactions.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Memphis, 224 Browning Hall, Memphis, TN 38152, USA. sashida@memphis.edu
authors.forename: Sato
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashida
authors.forename: Donald W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hadley
authors.forename: Andrea F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Goergen
authors.forename: Kaley F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Skapinsky
authors.forename: Hillary C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Devlin
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Koehly
mesh_terms: D003123:Colorectal Neoplasms, Hereditary Nonpolyposis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003142:Communication; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support