Abstract B155: “Quite devastating, traumatic and lonely”: The mental health experiences of Hispanic/Latino rectal cancer patients
Authors: Cosby Zaria N. , Brown Eleanor , Howland Julian P. , Carpenter Lucas K. , Kim Min Young , Davis-Lopez Kristen M. , Castañeda Patricia , Gonzalez Maria , Hernandez Miriam T. , Duron Ysabel , Rodriguez Gladys M. , Zaky Sandra S. , Morris Arden M. , Dawes Aaron J. 
Published: September 2024

Background: Numerous studies have shown that emotional distress increases after a cancer diagnosis. Psycho-oncology literature also indicates that Hispanic/Latino patients are less likely to receive mental health care after being diagnosed, placing them at risk of poor psychological adjustment. The purpose of this qualitative analysis was to explore how Hispanic/Latino adults experience their rectal cancer journey, how their needs change between receiving their initial diagnosis and undergoing treatment, and what can be done to help process difficult emotions at each phase. Methods: We partnered with Visión y Compromiso, a network of promotores (Spanish-speaking community health workers), to recruit 20 Hispanic/Latino rectal cancer patients and/or their caregivers in California's Bay Area and Central Valley. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in-person or virtually; participants could also choose their preferred language. Using reflexive data analysis, themes were developed and refined iteratively amongst a diverse team of researchers. Results: We identified three main themes. The first is the reactions experienced during initial diagnosis and what triggered these emotions. Patients reported experiencing fear, going blank, and feeling traumatized from the hurried and emotionally distant delivery of their diagnosis, thinking they’re going to die, and contemplating their quality of life. The second theme focused on what emotions were felt during treatment and what caused the feelings. Patients conveyed feeling depressed, frustrated, and embarrassed during their treatment due to pain, treatment difficulties, and poor communication from their providers. Treatment difficulties for this population included being racially profiled, fear of losing insurance coverage, and mounting hospital and transportation costs. Lastly, patients reported what helped them cope and/or what could help others. Religion/faith and support from caregivers were mentioned as coping strategies with the caveat that caregiver burnout is a risk. Better communication from the treatment team was an actionable recommendation. Examples of this included providers being more sensitive when conveying the initial diagnosis, providers explaining complex concepts in layman’s terms during the treatment process and having a Spanish translator available at each phase. Conclusion: Hispanic/Latino rectal cancer patients endure emotional distress at multiple stages of their cancer journey; tailored interventions may mitigate this psychological burden. Previous studies have shown that promotores can help reduce health disparities within the Hispanic/Latino population. In the context of our results, promotores could connect cancer patients to resources to address or cope with stressors, which may help bridge the gap in mental health care access and utilization. Future interventions with promotores should be explored as a way to provide culturally and linguistically concordant emotional support for patients and their caregivers at each step of the cancer journey.

Citation Format: Zaria N. Cosby, Eleanor Brown, Julian P. Howland, Lucas K. Carpenter, Min Young Kim, Kristen M. Davis-Lopez, Patricia Castañeda, Maria Gonzalez, Miriam T. Hernandez, Ysabel Duron, Gladys M. Rodriguez, Sandra S. Zaky, Arden M. Morris, Aaron J. Dawes. “Quite devastating, traumatic and lonely”: The mental health experiences of Hispanic/Latino rectal cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B155.