African American cancer survivors: do cultural factors influence symptom distress?

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine how the cultural factors, stigma, being strong, and religiosity influence symptom distress in African American cancer survivors.

Methods: This descriptive correlational study was designed using the Sociocultural Stress and Coping Framework. Seventy-seven African American cancer survivors, recruited from oncology clinics and the community in North Carolina, completed a questionnaire that consisted of measures of demographic and illness characteristics, the Perceived Stigma Scale, the Ways of Helping Questionnaire, the Religious Involvement Scale, and the Symptom Distress Scale.