Keeping us all whole: Acknowledging the agency of African American breast cancer survivors and their systems of social support.

While all cancer patients face a bewildering array of treatments, side effects, and emotions, several researchers have shown that African American women with breast cancer experience greater stress and burdens because of unmet supportive needs associated with psychological distress, financial distress, and lower physical/functional well-being. Social support has been shown to improve health outcomes for African American breast cancer patients. The purpose of this paper is to understand the meaning of social support among African American women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Predictors of quality of life among ethnically diverse breast cancer survivors.

Purpose: Few studies have examined predictors of quality of life (QOL) of breast cancer survivors over time.

Methods: Breast cancer survivors (n=116) were asked to complete measures of QOL, mood, spirituality, and social support every 6 months from 2-4 years post treatment.

Results: Overall QOL at 4 years was predicted by previous physical and functional well-being, the breast cancer-specific items, and vigor and current levels of social support (Adj R=.

Qualitative Exploration of Sexual Health Among Diverse Breast Cancer Survivors.

Although the physical and emotional impact of surgical removal of partial or complete removal of the breast as well as effects of breast cancer treatment on the individual have been well documented, little research is available on sexuality and sexual health of breast cancer survivors in a relationship context. Sexual health concerns of breast cancer survivors remain an unmet need for many. The present study consisted of qualitative interviews with 135 racially diverse, female breast cancer survivors who completed treatment to better understand their perspectives on sexual health and management of sexual problems in their potential and existing relationships after breast cancer.

Exploring Coping Strategies Among Young Asian American Women Breast Cancer Survivors.

In recent years, breast cancer rates among young Asian American women have been increasing. Despite increases in breast cancer among young Asian American women, little is known about how this population copes throughout diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. This study was a qualitative exploration of how young Asian American women cope with breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.

Development and Initial Validation of a Spiritual Support Subscale for the MOS Social Support Survey.

While spirituality and religious practices are important in coping with illness or other crises, there are few ways of assessing support that people receive from members of their spiritual communities. The goal of this study was to validate a new spiritual support subscale for the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale (MOS-SSS). Questions for the subscale were formed based on responses of 135 breast cancer survivors who were interviewed about their cancer experience.

Breast cancer and coping among women of color: a systematic review of the literature.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of cancer for women regardless of race/ethnicity. Women of color are diagnosed at later stages and experience greater mortality than their White counterparts. However, there has been comparatively little research on coping with breast among racial/ethnic minorities at time of diagnosis, during treatment, or in the course of survivorship.

"Trust in the Lord": religious and spiritual practices of African American breast cancer survivors.

Few studies have examined the role of religion and spirituality among African American breast cancer patients. This study explored how African American women cope with breast cancer through religious and spiritual practices. Forty-seven African American women who had completed treatment for breast cancer participated in in-depth interviews about their experiences.

"Leaving it to God" religion and spirituality among Filipina immigrant breast cancer survivors.

Many Filipinos have a powerful adherence to Catholicism. However, little is known about spirituality and religious involvement of Filipina Americans who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Ten (n = 10) in-depth qualitative interviews with Filipina immigrant breast cancer survivors identified prayer to be the most common religious practice, followed by prayers by others and spiritual support from the Catholic Church.

Close relatives find meaning to cope with cancer diagnosis and treatment of family members.

Pediatric palliative care has recently become a priority in the health care field and is implemented at the time of diagnosis rather than days or weeks before the child's death. Social constructivism theory in which humans generate meaning from their experiences was utilized as a general framework to determine the impact of pediatric palliative care on close relatives. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to generate a substantive theory that explains how close relatives such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles of a child with cancer experience palliative care.

Older women, breast cancer, and social support.

Introduction: One in ten women over the age of 65 will develop breast cancer. Despite this high incidence of breast cancer among older women, social support for them is often inadequate. This paper describes a qualitative study of the impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on older women from racially/ethnically diverse populations and their subsequent need for social support.

Web-based hazard and near-miss reporting as part of a patient safety curriculum.

As part of a patient safety curriculum, we developed a Web-based hazard and near-miss reporting system for postbaccalaureate nursing students to use during their clinical experiences in the first year of their combined BS-MS advanced practice nurse program. The 25-week clinical rotations included 2 days per week for 5 weeks each in community, medical-surgical, obstetrics, pediatrics, and psychiatric settings. During a 3-year period, 453 students made 21,276 reports.

Emotion work: disclosing cancer.

Introduction: Breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality for all women in the US. Current research has focused on the psychological relationship and not the sociological relationship between emotions and the experience of breast cancer survivors. This paper focuses on the emotion work involved in self-disclosing a breast cancer diagnosis in a racially or ethnically diverse population.

A randomized study of the effectiveness of a brief psychosocial intervention for women attending a gynecologic cancer clinic.

Objectives: While there are many psychosocial interventions for cancer patients, few are brief in nature. The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of a single-visit psychosocial intervention for gynecologic cancer patients.

Methods: One hundred women attending a gynecologic cancer clinic as new patients were randomized to receive no intervention or a one-time meeting with a psychologist who discussed issues and concerns the woman might have about her cancer diagnosis.

Ethnicity and spirituality in breast cancer survivors.

Introduction: Many women are incorporating spirituality as a way of coping with cancer. However, few studies have examined the role of spirituality in mood and quality of life among breast cancer survivors from different ethnic groups.

Methods: One hundred and seventy-five women who had completed treatment for breast cancer participated in in-depth interviews about their experiences.

The benefits of prayer on mood and well-being of breast cancer survivors.

Objectives: Prayer is becoming more widely acknowledged as a way to cope with cancer. The goal of this study was to compare differences in use of prayer between breast cancer survivors from different ethnic groups and examine how use of prayer is related to mood and quality of life.

Methods: This study used a mixed methods design.

Compassionate intention as a therapeutic intervention by partners of cancer patients: effects of distant intention on the patients' autonomic nervous system.

Objective: This double-blind study investigated the effects of intention on the autonomic nervous system of a human "sender" and distant "receiver" of those intentions, and it explored the roles that motivation and training might have in modulating these effects.

Design: Skin conductance level was measured in each member of a couple, both of whom were asked to feel the presence of the other. While the receiving person relaxed in a distant shielded room for 30 minutes, the sending person directed intention toward the receiver during repeated 10-second epochs separated by random interepoch periods.

A pilot study: evaluation of a psychosocial program for women with gynecological cancers.

Ovarian cancer is the fourth highest cause of cancer deaths in the US. Psychosocial issues may be prevalent among these women. This study examined the efficacy of a gynecological cancer resource program.

Helping patients make decisions about complementary and alternative treatments: the social work role.

Increasingly people are using complementary and alternative modalities (CAM) to cope with and manage cancer. Many patients, however, do not know how to access credible information and make informed treatment decisions. Social workers are in a unique position in the healthcare team to facilitate patients' decision-making about CAM.

Change in post-traumatic stress symptoms following psychosocial treatment for breast cancer.

The diagnosis of cancer is a traumatic experience, which may result in post-traumatic stress symptoms, such as arousal, re-experiencing the diagnostic process and avoidance. Changes in post-traumatic symptoms were assessed in 181 women with breast cancer who participated in either a standard support group or complementary/alternative (CAM) oriented intervention. At baseline 26 women were classified as having significant PTSD symptoms.

Acceptable, manageable, and tolerable days: patient daily goals for medication management of persistent pain.

Although the construct of "a symptom-free day" has been widely applied in asthma and gastric reflux disease, there is no analogous concept in the field of pain management. This study represents the initial development of a "day of acceptable or manageable pain control," a construct which reflects patients' daily strategic use of pain medication in order to allow the accomplishment of desired activities while minimizing side effects. Focus group methodology was used to extract patient-generated themes of "an acceptable day of pain control.

Spiritual correlates of functional well-being in women with breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States and constitutes a major source of medical and psychological morbidity. The psychosocial sequelae, while not always severe, can last up to a year after diagnosis. This may be a time when spiritual and social resources become important.

The efficacy of a mind-body-spirit group for women with breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial.

Increasing numbers of women with breast cancer are seeking alternatives to standard group support in coping with their illness. This study examines outcomes for 181 women with breast cancer randomized to either a 12-week standard group support or a 12-week complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) support intervention. Participants in the CAM group were taught the use of meditation, affirmation, imagery and ritual.