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The experience of treatment barriers and their influence on quality of life in American Indian/Alaska Native breast cancer survivors
Author(s) -
Goodwin Elizabeth A.,
Burhansstipanov Linda,
Dignan Mark,
Jones Katherine L.,
Kaur Judith Salmon
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.30406
Subject(s) - medicine , breast cancer , survivorship curve , cancer , quality of life (healthcare) , gerontology , incidence (geometry) , cancer survivorship , social support , health equity , family medicine , public health , nursing , psychology , physics , optics , psychotherapist
BACKGROUND American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) breast cancer survivors experience disparities in breast cancer incidence and age‐adjusted mortality compared with non‐Hispanic white (NHW) breast cancer survivors. In addition, mortality‐to‐incidence rates indicate that AI/ANs continue to have the poorest survival from breast cancer compared with other racial groups. “Native American Cancer Education for Survivors” (NACES) is a cultural education and support intervention for AI/AN patients with cancer that collects data from voluntary participants through the NACES quality‐of‐life (QOL) survey regarding their cancer experience and survivor journey. METHODS Data from the NACES QOL survey were analyzed to determine whether barriers accessing and during initial cancer treatment impacted QOL domains for AI/AN cancer survivors. Exploratory analyses of selected variables were conducted and were followed by Kruskal‐Wallis tests to determine whether these barriers influenced survivorship QOL for AI/AN breast cancer survivors. RESULTS AI/AN breast cancer survivors' social QOL was significantly affected by barriers to accessing cancer treatment. Many respondents experienced barriers, including a lack of cancer care at local clinics and the distance traveled to receive cancer care. During treatment, too much paperwork and having to wait too long in the clinic for cancer care were the most frequently reported barriers. CONCLUSIONS Treatment barriers influence AI/AN breast cancer survivors' social QOL. Mediating these barriers is crucial to ameliorating AI/AN survivors' disparities when accessing and completing cancer treatment and improving survivorship QOL. Cancer 2017;123:861–68. © 2016 American Cancer Society .