Dafina Petrova, PhD

Researcher

Education

University of Granada (Spain)

PhD in Psychology (cum laude)

2012-2016
University of Granada (Spain)

Specialization Diploma in Epidemiology and Clinical Research

2017-2018
Universiteit van Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Research Master in Psychology (cum laude)

2010-2012
https://jrp.pscholars.org

Alumna of the Junior Researcher Programme for Psychology and Behavioral Science

2011-2012
Jacobs University Bremen (Germany)

BA in Integrated Social and Cognitive Psychology

2007-2010

Interests

  • Behavioral medicine; Psycho-oncology; Behavioral cardiology; Risk literacy and communication

Career Profile

I am a scientist at the Biomedical Research Institute ibs.Granada, based at the Andalusian School of Public Health and the University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves. I am currently supported by a “Miguel Servet” fellowship from the Spanish Health Institute Carlos III. I am part of the research team of the Cancer Registry of Granada (https://www.registrocancergranada.es) and a research group at the CIBER of Epidemiology and Public health (https://www.ciberesp.es).

My latest research focuses on socioeconomic inequalities and diverse psychological, social and behavioural aspects of cancer prevention and treatment, including the role of stress in cancer using different methodological approaches (questionnaires, allostatic load…).

Feel free to e-mail me if you do not have access to any of my publications.

Work

Miguel Servet Senior Researcher

July 2024 - to date
Univerity Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Biomedical Research Institute ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain

Juan de la Cierva Incorporación (Senior) Postdoctoral Fellow

September 2021 - July 2024
Biomedical Research Institute ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain

Sara Borrel Postdoctoral Fellow

September 2020 - August 2021
CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain

Postdoctoral Researcher

April 2020 - August 2020
Biomedical Research Institute ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain

Juan de la Cierva Formación (Junior) Postdoctoral Fellow

December 2017 - March 2020
Biomedical Research Institute ibs.GRANADA, Granada, Spain

Postdoctoral Researcher

May 2016 - November 2017
University of Granada, Granada, Spain

Predoctoral Researcher (Research Personnel Training FPI)

December 2012 - April 2016
University of Granada, Granada, Spain

Find my work on:

Projects

Cancer

Petrova D, Redondo-Sánchez D, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Marcos-Gragera R, Guevara M, Carulla M, de Munain AL, Vizcaíno A, Del Barco S, González-Flores E, Pollán M, Sánchez MJ. 2024. Socioeconomic inequalities in adherence to clinical practice guidelines and breast cancer survival: a multicentre population-based study in Spain. BMJ Quality & Safety.
Galicia Pacheco SI, Catena A, Sánchez MJ, Rueda MD, Aljarilla Sánchez L, Costas L, Garrido D, Garcia‐Retamero R, Espina C, Rodríguez‐Barranco M, Petrova D. 2024. Socio‐Economic Inequalities in Beliefs About Cancer and its Causes: Evidence From two Population Surveys. Psycho‐Oncology.
Petrova D, Pollán M, Garcia-Retamero R, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Catena A, Portellano LC, Sánchez MJ. 2023. Cancer awareness in older adults: Results from the Spanish Onco-barometer cross-sectional survey. International Journal of Nursing Studies.
Petrova D, Ubago-Guisado E, Garcia-Retamero R, Redondo-Sánchez D, Pérez-Gómez B, Catena A, Caparros-Gonzalez RA, Sánchez MJ. 2023. Allostatic Load and Depression Symptoms in Cancer Survivors: A National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Study. Cancer Nursing.
Petrova D, Špacírová Z, Fernández-Martínez NF, Ching-López A, Garrido D, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Pollán M, Redondo-Sánchez D, Espina C, Higueras-Callejón C, Sánchez MJ. 2022. The patient, diagnostic, and treatment intervals in adult patients with cancer from high-and lower-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine.
Petrova D, Garrido D, Špacírová Z, Fernández‐Martínez NF, Ivanova G, Rodríguez‐Barranco M, Pollán M, Barrios‐Rodríguez R, Sánchez MJ. 2023. Duration of the patient interval in breast cancer and factors associated with longer delays in low‐and middle‐income countries: A systematic review with meta‐analysis. Psycho‐Oncology.
Petrova D, Cruz M, Sánchez MJ. 2022. BRCA1/2 testing for genetic susceptibility to cancer after 25 years: A scoping review and a primer on ethical implications. BREAST.
Petrova D, Redondo‐Sánchez D, Rodríguez‐Barranco M, Romero Ruiz A, Catena A, Garcia‐Retamero R, Sánchez MJ. 2021. Physical comorbidities as a marker for high risk of psychological distress in cancer patients. Cancers.
Petrova D, Pollán M, Rodriguez-Barranco M, Garrido D, Borrás JM, Sánchez MJ. 2021. Anticipated help-seeking for cancer symptoms before and after the coronavirus pandemic: results from the Onco-barometer population survey in Spain. British Journal of Cancer.
Redondo-Sánchez D, Petrova D, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Fernández-Navarro P, Jiménez-Moleón JJ, Sánchez MJ. 2022. Socio-Economic Inequalities in Lung Cancer Outcomes: An Overview of Systematic Reviews. Cancers.
Petrova D, Borrás JM, Pollán M, Bayo Lozano E, Vicente D, Jiménez Moleón JJ, Sánchez MJ. 2021. Public Perceptions of the Role of Lifestyle Factors in Cancer Development: Results from the Spanish Onco-Barometer 2020. IJERPH.
Petrova D, Catena A, Rodríguez-Barranco M, Redondo-Sánchez D, Bayo-Lozano E, Garcia-Retamero R, Jiménez-Moleón JJ, Sánchez MJ. 2021. Physical comorbidities and depression in recent and long-term adult cancer survivors: NHANES 2007–2018. Cancers.
Molina-Montes E, Ubago-Guisado E, Petrova D, Amiano P, Chirlaque MD, Agudo A, Sánchez MJ. 2021. The role of diet, alcohol, bmi, and physical activity in cancer mortality: Summary findings of the EPIC study. Nutrients.
Petrova D, Pérez-Gómez B, Pollán M, Sánchez MJ. 2020. Implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for cancer in Spain. Medicina Clínica.
Petrova D, Okan Y, Salamanca-Fernandez E, Domínguez-López S, Sanchez MJ, Rodriguez-Barranco M. 2020. Psychological factors related to time to help-seeking for cancer symptoms: a meta-analysis across cancer sites. Health Psychology Review.
Ruiz‐Pérez I, Rodríguez‐Gómez M, Pastor‐Moreno G, Escribá‐Agüir V, Petrova D. 2019. Effectiveness of interventions to improve cancer treatment and follow‐up care in socially disadvantaged groups. Psycho‐Oncology.
Petrova D, Mas G, Navarrete G, Rodriguez TT, Ortiz PJ, Garcia-Retamero R. 2019. Cancer screening risk literacy of physicians in training: an experimental study. PLoS One.
Okan Y, Petrova D, Smith SG, Lesic V, Bruine de Bruin W. 2019. How do women interpret the NHS information leaflet about cervical cancer screening?. Medical Decision Making.
Petrova D, Kostopoulou O, Delaney BC, Cokely ET, Garcia-Retamero R. 2018. Strengths and gaps in physicians’ risk communication: a scenario study of the influence of numeracy on cancer screening communication. Medical Decision Making.
Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Catena A, Van der Pligt J. 2016. To screen or not to screen: What factors influence complex screening decisions? Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.
Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Cokely ET. 2015. Understanding the harms and benefits of cancer screening: a model of factors that shape informed decision making. Medical Decision Making.

Cardiovascular disease


Petrova D, Garrido D, Catena A, Ramírez-Hernández JA, Blakoe M, Fernández-Martínez NF, Pérez-Gómez B, Sánchez MJ, Garcia-Retamero R. 2024. Anticipated prehospital decision delay in response to different symptom clusters in acute coronary syndrome: Results from the Spanish Cardiobarometer Study. Social Science & Medicine.
Blakoe M, Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Gonçalves K, Catena A, Ramírez Hernández JA, Sánchez MJ. Sex moderates the relationship between social support and cardiovascular prevention behaviors in middle-aged and older adults. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2023
Arrebola-Moreno M, Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Rivera-Lopez R, Jordan-Martinez L, Arrebola JP, Ramírez-Hernández JA, Catena A. 2020. Psychological and cognitive factors related to prehospital delay in acute coronary syndrome: a systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies.
Arrebola‐Moreno M, Petrova D, Garrido D, Ramírez‐Hernández JA, Catena A, Garcia‐Retamero R. 2020. Psychosocial markers of pre‐hospital decision delay and psychological distress in acute coronary syndrome patients. British Journal of Health Psychology.
Arrebola-Moreno M, Petrova D, Sánchez MJ, Rivera-López R, Ramírez-Hernández JA. 2020. Who does what the cardiologist recommends? Psychosocial markers of unhealthy behavior in coronary disease patients. PloS one.
Garrido D, Petrova D, Catena A, Ramírez-Hernández JA, Garcia-Retamero R. 2020. Recognizing a heart attack: Patients’ knowledge of cardiovascular risk factors and its relation to prehospital decision delay in acute coronary syndrome. Frontiers in Psychology.
Wiesmaierova S, Petrova D, Arrebola Moreno A, Catena A, Ramírez Hernández JA, Garcia-Retamero R. 2019. Social support buffers the negative effects of stress in cardiac patients: a cross-sectional study with acute coronary syndrome patients. Journal of behavioral medicine.
Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Catena A, Cokely E, Heredia Carrasco A, Arrebola Moreno A, Ramírez Hernández JA. 2017. Numeracy predicts risk of pre-hospital decision delay: A retrospective study of acute coronary syndrome survival. Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
Garcia‐Retamero R, Petrova D, Arrebola‐Moreno A, Catena A, Ramírez‐Hernández JA. 2016. Type D personality is related to severity of acute coronary syndrome in patients with recurrent cardiovascular disease. British Journal of Health Psychology.
Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Catena A. 2015. Lonely hearts don't get checked: On the role of social support in screening for cardiovascular risk. Preventive Medicine.

Decision making and communication


Petrova D, Cokely ET, Sobkow A, Traczyk J, Garrido D, Garcia‐Retamero R. 2022. Measuring feelings about choices and risks: The Berlin Emotional Responses to Risk Instrument (BERRI). Risk Analysis.
Niszczota P, Petrova D. 2022. Treatment choice in the presence of conflicting information: The role of physician likeability in the choice of non‐proven therapies against conventional treatment. British Journal of Health Psychology.
Monje A, Pérez A, Vera‐Rodriguez M, Nart J, Catena A, Petrova D. 2022. Comprehension and recall of information about factors associated with peri‐implantitis: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Periodontology.
Garcia-Retamero R, Petrova D, Cokely ET, Joeris A. 2020. Scientific risk reporting in medical journals can bias expert judgment: Comparing surgeons’ risk comprehension across reporting formats. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.
Sobkow A, Zaleskiewicz T, Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Traczyk J. 2020. Worry, risk perception, and controllability predict intentions toward COVID-19 preventive behaviors. Frontiers in psychology.
Garcia-Retamero R, Sobkow A, Petrova D, Garrido D, Traczyk J. 2019. Numeracy and risk literacy: What have we learned so far?. The Spanish Journal of Psychology.
Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R. 2018. Can we improve risk communication about non-invasive prenatal testing?. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
Sirota M, Juanchich M, Petrova D, Garcia-Retamero R, Walasek L, Bhatia S. 2018. Health professionals prefer to communicate risk-related numerical information using “1-in-X” ratios. Medical decision making.

Awards

Best article in Epidemiology

2024
Spanish Society of Epidemiology

Best article in the area of Oncology

2023
Biomedical research Institute ibs.GRANADA

Runner-up for Methods & Originality of “Enrico Anglesio Prize”

2023
Fondo Elena Moroni

Antonio Chamorro-Alejandro Otero Research Chair Award

2023
Royal Academy of Medicine and Surgery of Eastern Andalusia and University of Granada

Best poster

2022
GRELL Meeting, Pamplona, Spain

Junior Researcher Award for scientific trajectory

2021
Granada, City of Science in Innovation

Best oral communication

2021
GRELL Meeting, Luxembourg

Premio CIBERESP

2021
Annual meeting of the Spanish Society of Epidemiology, Leon

Doctoral Thesis Award in Health Sciences (Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado)

2019
University of Granada

Top-rated abstract

2016
Meeting of the Society for Medical Decision Making, London