Challenges for Latina Breast Cancer Patient Survivorship Care in a Rural US-Mexico Border Region

Eunjeong Ko, Veronica Cardenas, María Luisa Zúñiga, Susan I. Woodruff, Viviane Rodriguez and Helen Palomino
Additional contact information
Eunjeong Ko: School of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4119, USA
Veronica Cardenas: Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, 3855 Health Sciences La Jolla, San Diego, CA 92093-0658, USA
María Luisa Zúñiga: School of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4119, USA
Susan I. Woodruff: School of Social Work, San Diego State University, 5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, CA 92182-4119, USA
Viviane Rodriguez: MSW, Imperial County Behavioral Health Services, El Centro, CA 92243, USA
Helen Palomino: LCSW, Cancer Resource Center of the Desert, El Centro, CA 92243, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 13, 1-11

Abstract: Rural US Latina breast cancer patients experience language barriers, health literacy issues, and limited access to health care resources that negatively impact survivorship care. This study explored the challenges to survivorship care for rural Latina breast cancer (BC) patients and approaches to supporting survivorship care plans (SCP) from the stakeholders’ perspectives. Data were collected via eight focus groups (n = 40) and individual interviews (n = 4) with Latina BC patients, family caregivers, and health care professionals in a rural US-Mexico Border region. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes related to the patient’s SCP challenges included: (1) lack of knowledge of treatment information, (2) lack of proactive health behavior, (3) gaps in information for care coordination, (4) psychological distress, and (5) difficulty retaining health information. Respondents expressed that the SCP document could fill patient information gaps as well as support patient communication with their clinicians and family. Rural BC patients demonstrated an acute need for information and active engagement in their survivorship care. The findings indicate the importance of addressing challenges for survivorship care on multiple dimensions: Cognitive, behavioral, social, and structural. Developing a culturally tailored SCP intervention will be imperative to support survivorship care.

Keywords: survivorship care plan; Latina; rural; breast cancer; US-Mexico border (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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