Dr. Margaret Longacre, assistant professor and chair of Public Health, co-authored an article in the Western Journal of Nursing Research with Dr. Freda Patterson ’00 and Adeline Hubbard ’22M, ’20MPH.

“Caregiver Health by Context: Moderating Effects of Mental Health and Health Behaviors” assessed caregivers’ perceptions of their physical health by care context and explored the moderating role of mental health and health behaviors. 

Their study found that “deficits in mental health and engaging in healthier behaviors was associated with an increased odds of experiencing at least one week of poor physical health or being in a fair or better health category, respectively.“ The research “suggests that some caregiving groups derive less benefit from positive health behaviors, while some groups are more adversely impacted by poorer mental health.”

Dr. Longacre was featured on March 5 and 6 for a story on the stresses cancer caregivers are experiencing during the pandemic on KYW News Radio 1060AM.