Ethnicity and participation in cancer self-help groups.

Objectives: Investigations of the benefits of membership of a cancer self-help group have suggested that it leads to improved sense of support, increased ability to deal with life-events, and decreased anxiety, confusion, depression and helplessness. However, some evidence suggests that people from black and ethnic groups are less likely to join a cancer self-help group. The main aims of the reported study were: to explore possible reasons why people from some ethnic groups have not participated in self-help to the same extent as the rest of the community; and to identify ways in which participation of people from ethnic groups can be increased.