Why Latinas With Breast Cancer Select Specific Informal Caregivers to Participate With Them in Psychosocial Interventions

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe the reasons 88 Latinas with breast cancer selected specific supportive others to participate in an 8-week psychosocial intervention. Participants were asked one open-ended question during the baseline assessment for a larger clinical trial: "Could you tell me more about why you selected [insert name] to participate in the study with you?" A content analysis of the responses found three thematic categories: source of informational or emotional support, concern for the informal caregiver's welfare, and special characteristics or qualities of the informal caregiver. These findings reflected both the cultural value of familism, the woman's role as caregiver to the family ( marianismo), and the man's role of provider ( machismo). Findings provide support for including the supportive person identified by the patient during a health crisis rather than the provider suggesting who that should be. Psychosocial services designed and implemented through such a cultural lens are more likely to be successful.

Psychological Distress and Social Support Availability in Different Family Caregivers of Latinas With Breast Cancer

“…Both provided informed consent individually before participating in the study. Reasons provided by Latinas with breast cancer for selecting their particular family caregiver have been published elsewhere (Badger et al, 2017). Inclusion criteria for caregivers were aged 18 years or older, designated by the Latina with breast cancer, and having access to a telephone, as the dyads were participating in a larger study of telephonedelivered psychosocial interventions for Latinas with breast cancer and their family caregivers .…”

A dyadic analysis of stress processes in Latinas with breast cancer and their family caregivers

“…Relationships between the cancer survivor and her caregiver included spouse/significant other (29%), daughter (20%), sibling (16%), mother (15%), friend (12%), son (2%), and other family member (eg, aunt, cousin, daughter‐in‐law, niece, and stepdaughter) (5%). A small percentage of “friends” were included in the family caregiver group as these relationships often have the form of fictive kinship for Latina cancer survivors . The family caregiver was living with the cancer survivor in 49% of the dyads and residing elsewhere in the remaining 51% of the dyads.…”

“…A small percentage of "friends" were included in the family caregiver group as these relationships often have the form of fictive kinship for Latina cancer survivors. 35 The family caregiver was living with the cancer survivor in 49% of the dyads and residing elsewhere in the remaining 51% of the dyads. Additional descriptive and demographic data for survivors and caregivers appear in Table 1.…”

Randomized controlled trial of supportive care interventions to manage psychological distress and symptoms in Latinas with breast cancer and their informal caregivers

“…The caregiver could be anyone within the social network nominated by the Latina survivor. Reasons for selecting specific caregivers are reported elsewhere (Badger, Segrin, Swiakowski, McNelis, Weihs, & Lopez, 2016). A total of 230 survivor-caregiver dyads were enrolled (11 caregivers did not complete the intake assessment).…”