Get involved . We are conducting phone interviews that last approximately 1.5 hours, during which we will ask questions regarding physical and emotional adjustments, relationships with medical providers, and the availability of resources and support.
All information is kept completely confidential.
The study is funded by Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and is a collaboration with the Women's Research Committee of Howard Brown Health Center and the University of Chicago. Alicia Matthews, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the University of Chicago, is the principal investigator. We would like to talk with women across the United Staes and will be conducting interviews through the summer of 2001. However, many do not know that lesbians may have a higher risk for developing breast cancer when compared with heterosexual women, even when there are no differences in family history or frequency of mammograms, or if they have already had cancer. Lesbians are believed to be under-served in medical settings and, as a result, receive fewer cancer screenings, have decreased access to preventive and treatment services, and report poor relationships with medical providers.