Social Support and QOL in Older Minority Women with BC
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: Non-technical introduction to the research topics: 
 
 Older Latina and African-American women are more likely than white women to present with later stages of breast cancer, receive suboptimal treatment, and have lower survival rates. Support from family and the religious community may serve as vital, immediately available resources that enhance patient quality of life (QOL). While sources of support may vary by ethnic groups, breast cancer care typically addresses the individual patient alone or patient-partner pair, without acknowledging the role of cultural diversity in social support. Such cultural insensitivity may hinder the development of trusting partnerships between the patient, family, and providers, which may further exacerbate disparities in breast cancer treatment and survival. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The questions of the research in lay terms: 
 
 
 
 1) Are there ethnic group differences in social support, family caregiving burden, and physicians’ support of the family of older breast cancer patients and what are their unmet support needs?
 
 
 
 2) What is the impact of social support, family caregiving burden, and physicians’ support of the family on patient QOL?
 
 
 
 3) What can be done to enhance cultural sensitivity in healthcare for minority women with breast cancer?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The general methodology in lay terms: The data will be derived from a survey of 99 Latina, 66 African-American, and 92 white women (total number=257), aged 55 years or older, newly diagnosed with breast cancer in LA County. The survey question items include QOL, social support, family’s caregiving burden, and physicians’ support of family. The above research questions 1 and 2 will be answered using statistical analyses. A theoretical model corresponding to question 2 will be developed and statistically tested. This model and a comprehensive literature review will serve as the basis of developing an intervention to enhance culturally sensitive breast cancer care. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Innovative elements of the project in lay terms: The study will examine health-protective effects of family and religious community on QOL in older Latina and African-American women with breast cancer. It will inform healthcare policy-makers and providers of at-risk populations of women with breast cancer and their families who experience inadequate social support and who may need professional attention. Because the entire family may be distressed by the patient’s breast cancer, screening for family psychosocial needs may improve QOL in patients and families. Incorporation of family care may facilitate the development of trusting partnerships between patient, family, and providers. The study will develop a theoretical model on the impact of the partnership between patient, family and providers on patient QOL. This will provide the scientific basis for developing effective interventions aimed at both breast cancer patients and their families to improve their QOL. These culturally sensitive efforts will contribute to decreasing the unequal burden of breast cancer. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Advocacy involvement and human issues: Family and religious community are identified by ethnic minority advocates as vital sources of support. Advocates consider addressing the dynamics of family support as an important, yet often neglected issue. The study has received extensive feedback from the Women’s Cancer Resource Center, an advocate organization that serves Latina, African-American, and low-income women with cancer. The feedback has been incorporated in the study design to further address the specific needs for social support in minority women with breast cancer and their families.