Randomized Trial of Peer Counseling on Reproductive Health in African American Breast Cancer Survivors

2006 ◽  
Vol 24 (10) ◽  
pp. 1620-1626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie R. Schover ◽  
Rosell Jenkins ◽  
Dawen Sui ◽  
Jennifer Harned Adams ◽  
Michelle S. Marion ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
African American ◽  
Reproductive Health ◽  
Sexual Function ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Peer Counseling ◽  
Positive Effects

Purpose We designed a peer counseling program to improve sexual function, increase knowledge about reproductive health, and decrease menopausal symptoms and infertility-related distress for African American breast cancer survivors. Patients and Methods Women were randomly assigned to immediate counseling or a 3-month waitlist. Three peer counselors conducted a 3-session intervention using a detailed workbook. Questionnaires at baseline, after the waitlist period, at posttreatment, and at 3-month follow-up assessed spirituality, sexual function, menopause symptoms, emotional distress, relationship satisfaction, fertility concerns, and knowledge about reproductive health and breast cancer. At the postcounseling assessment, women rated the workbook, their counselor, and the program. Results Of 93 women screened, 60 women (65%) enrolled in the study. Women who completed counseling (80%; N = 48) had a mean age of 49 years (standard deviation [SD], 8 years) and a mean follow-up of 4.5 years (SD, 3.8 years) since cancer diagnosis. Almost all rated the workbook as very easy to understand (94%) and their counselor as very knowledgeable (96%) and very skillful (98%). Eighty-one percent rated the program as “very useful to me.” Immediate counseling and waitlist groups did not differ at baseline in psychologic adjustment, nor did scores change during the waitlist period. Therefore, the groups were combined in analyzing outcomes. Knowledge of reproductive issues improved significantly from baseline to 3-month follow-up (P < .0001), as did emotional distress (P = .0047) and menopause symptoms (P = .0128). Sexually dysfunctional women became less distressed (P = .0167). Conclusion Women valued the Sisters Peer Intervention in Reproductive Issues After Treatment program highly and found it relevant. The program had positive effects on knowledge and target symptoms.

scholarly journals Survivourship Issues As Determinants of Quality of Life After Breast Cancer Treatment: Report From a Limited Resource Setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 2) ◽  
pp. 100s-100s
Author(s):  
N. Kaur ◽  
A. Gupta ◽  
A.K. Sharma
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Supportive Care ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Emotional Distress ◽  
Joint Pain ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Treatment

Background: Cancer survivorship is an unremitting struggle for breast cancer patients, as the consequence of complex treatment processes and its multitude of residual and late emerging side effects, have a significant impact on their quality of life (QOL). Unique issues of survivorship include those related to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being of women. Amid a growing population of breast cancer survivors (BCs) worldwide, supportive care research is assuming greater importance in breast cancer care. Focus of survivorship research is to identify issues impacting QOL of the cancer survivors so that supportive care services can be tailored to their specific needs. Role of individual survivor's issues have been widely reported but a comprehensive picture is lacking. Aim: This study was conducted with the aim to identify important survivorship issues adversely affecting QOL of women after breast cancer treatment. Main objectives were to (1) estimate prevalence of various survivorship issues (2) assess QOL of survivors by using FACT-B and SF-36 questionnaires (3) study impact of time elapsed since treatment on survivorship issues and QOL scores (4) identify most important issues from the perspective of impact on QOL. Methods: This descriptive, hospital based, cross sectional study was conducted in 230 breast cancer survivors and a group of 112 healthy age-matched-controls, in an academic healthcare setting in northern India. A checklist of 14 commonly reported survivorship issues, and questionnaires for QOL assessment were administered to participants. Main outcome measures were (1) frequencies of survivorship issues and QOL scores among three groups divided on the basis of time elapsed since treatment (< 2 year follow-up, 2-5 year follow-up and > 5 year follow-up) (2) association of survivorship issues with QOL scores (3) stepwise regression analysis to identify issues with most significant impact on QOL of survivors. Results: Breast cancer survivors showed an improvement in their QOL over time which was sustained in long term survivors. However their quality of life remains poorer, compared with healthy women, irrespective of the duration of follow-up. The most prevalent survivorship issues were fatigue (60%), restriction of shoulder movement (59.6%), body and joint pain (63.5%), chemotherapy induced cessation of menstruation (73.3%) and loss of sexual desire (60%). However the issues which had maximum adverse effect on QOL scores were emotional distress, fatigue, postmastectomy chronic pain, cessation of menstruation, body and joint pain, vaginal dryness and sleep disturbances. Conclusion: Thus in this study, emotional distress and cancer related fatigue were found to be the chief determinants of poor QOL. Further premature menopause, with its attendant systemic symptoms, vulvo-vaginal atrophy and sexual dysfunction emerged as a key contributor to poor QOL in BCs.

scholarly journals Disparities in barriers to follow-up care between African American and White breast cancer survivors

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (11) ◽  
pp. 3201-3209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nynikka R. A. Palmer ◽  
Kathryn E. Weaver ◽  
Sally P. Hauser ◽  
Julia A. Lawrence ◽  
Jennifer Talton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
African American ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Follow Up Care

scholarly journals Adherence to follow-up recommendation guidelines in long term breast cancer survivors, a SURBCAN cohort analysis using administrative databases

The Breast ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. S80-S81
Author(s):  
P. Santiá ◽  
A. Jansana ◽  
T. Sanz ◽  
I. de la Cura ◽  
M. Padilla-Ruiz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cohort Analysis ◽  
Administrative Databases

scholarly journals Changes in the Semantic Construction of Compassion after the Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®) in Women Breast Cancer Survivors

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edgar González-Hernández ◽  
Daniel Campos ◽  
Rebeca Diego-Pedro ◽  
Rocío Romero ◽  
Rosa Baños ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Semantic Differential ◽  
Post Intervention ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Specific Culture ◽  
Differential Categories

Abstract The growing body of research on compassion has demonstrated its benefits for healthcare and wellbeing. However, there is no clear agreement about a definition for compassion, given the novelty of the research on this construct and its religious roots. The aim of this study is to analyze the mental semantic construction of compassion in Spanish-speaking women breast cancer survivors, and the effects of the Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®) on the modification of this definition, compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU), at baseline, post-intervention, and six-month follow-up. Participants were 56 women breast cancer survivors from a randomized clinical trial. The Osgood’s Semantic Differential categories (evaluative, potency, and activity scales) were adapted to assess the semantic construction of compassion. At baseline, participants had an undefined idea about compassion. The CBCT influenced subjects’ semantic construction of what it means to be compassionate. Findings could lead to future investigations and compassion programs that adapt to a specific culture or population.

Spiritual Support and African American Breast Cancer Survivors

Affilia ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucinda Lee Roff ◽  
Cassandra E. Simon ◽  
Debra Nelson-Gardell ◽  
Heather M. Pleasants
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
African American ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Spiritual Support

Mammography Surveillance and Mortality in Older Breast Cancer Survivors

2007 ◽  
Vol 25 (21) ◽  
pp. 3001-3006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy L. Lash ◽  
Matthew P. Fox ◽  
Diana S.M. Buist ◽  
Feifei Wei ◽  
Terry S. Field ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cancer Survivors ◽  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
Breast Cancer Survivors ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Breast Cancer Mortality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stage I ◽  
Early Stage Disease

Purpose There are more than 2,000,000 breast cancer survivors in the United States today. While surveillance for asymptomatic recurrence and second primary is included in consensus recommendations, the effectiveness of this surveillance has not been well characterized. Our purpose is to estimate the effectiveness of surveillance mammography in a cohort of breast cancer survivors with complete ascertainment of surveillance mammograms and negligible losses to follow-up. Patients and Methods We enrolled 1,846 stage I and II breast cancer patients who were at least 65 years old at six integrated health care delivery systems. We used medical record review and existing databases to ascertain patient, tumor, and therapy characteristics, as well as receipt of surveillance mammograms. We linked personal identifiers to the National Death Index to ascertain date and cause of death. We matched four controls to each breast cancer decedent to estimate the association between receipt of surveillance mammogram and breast cancer mortality. Results One hundred seventy-eight women died of breast cancer during 5 years of follow-up. Each additional surveillance mammogram was associated with a 0.69-fold decrease in the odds of breast cancer mortality (95% CI, 0.52 to 0.92). The protective association was strongest among women with stage I disease, those who received mastectomy, and those in the oldest age group. Conclusion Given existing recommendations for post-therapy surveillance, trials to compare surveillance with no surveillance are unlikely. This large observational study provides support for the recommendations, suggesting that receipt of surveillance mammograms reduces the rate of breast cancer mortality in older patients diagnosed with early-stage disease.

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