Cancer

Since 1991, the government has funded the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) to help detect breast and cervical cancer early among uninsured low-income, often minority women. Analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System for 1996 through 2000 indicated that the longevity of the largely free screening sites through the NBCCEDP increased both tests for non-Hispanic white women but did not confirm this effect for nonwhite women.

We present a pre–post evaluation of a patient navigator intervention assessing outcomes in a group of patients receiving the intervention and an historical comparison group. Our data suggest that patient navigation improves rates of timely follow-up for evaluation of a breast abnormality among a racially diverse group of urban women who are at greatest risk for delayed diagnosis and poor outcomes.

This study demonstrated variations between the social networks of African American women and Latinas that impact roles and gender relationships while demonstrating similarities with regard to spiritual elements and cancer concerns. These findings were used in the creation of a culturally tailored intervention for Latinas that incorporates Latino values and social network attributes and is based on a proven African American model.

Members of the black community have much higher colon cancer mortality rates than their white counterparts. Higher mortality is due, in large part, to later stage at diagnosis, which, in turn, is related to lower screening rates. We propose two potentially related solutions to remove some barriers to early detection: training primary care physicians to screen their own patients and developing partnerships with organizations in minority communities that will produce increased outreach to those individuals less likely to be screened.

At 6 months postintervention, African American women who were in the action stage of mammography screening adoption were more preventive-health oriented than were women in the precontemplation stage and had fewer barriers to screening than did women in the contemplation stage. Precontemplators had more barriers, less self-efficacy, and greater discomfort with the mammography screening environment than did contemplators or actors.

This report presents an overview of a decade of research focused on breast cancer among African American women and describes an initiative funded by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to expand and strengthen nursing science that aims to reduce and/or eliminate excess breast cancer morbidity and mortality among African American women.

This randomized clinical trial was successful in increasing the reach of the National Cancer Institutes's Cancer Information Service Spanish-language smoking cessation services. Moreover, a proactive telephone counseling protocol that was based on the Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence Clinical Practice Guideline and adapted to be culturally appropriate for Hispanics increased abstinence rates relative to standard care.

This pilot study, evaluated the feasibility and efficacy of a telephone-based Coping Skills Training intervention tailored for African-American prostate cancer survivors and their intimate partners. Preliminary findings suggest that the intervention is feasible and that it can enhance quality of life related to bowel, sexual, urinary, and hormonal symptoms in survivors, while improving caregiver strain, mood, and fatigue in intimate partners.

Compared with other inner city African Americans and Latinos receiving palliative care, religious-affiliated, uninsured patients endorse more hopeful pain and symptom attitudes that suggest adequate coping, but may also conceal problem domains. Conversely, less hopeful attitudes by religious-affiliated patients covered only by Medicaid serve as clues to coping difficulties and problem domains. Palliative care programs should carefully consider how to integrate religious support networks as pipelines for program referrals and potential partners for supportive care.

Despite later staging of cancer diagnosis and increased cancer mortality rates among African Americans, little is known about their quality of life. This paper provides a comprehensive review of current research addressing quality of life among African American cancer survivors.

This study presents the results of a psychosocial needs assessment targeted for underserved and ethnic minority cancer patients.