Abstract
Background: Hispanic/Latinx (H/L) patients with cancer treated with stem cell transplant are vulnerable to adverse outcomes, including higher mortality. This study explored their unmet transplant needs, barriers, and facilitators. Methods: Eighteen English- or Spanish-speaking H/L patients (M age = 59.2) who had a transplant in the past year were interviewed about their transplant experience and rated their interest in receiving information about transplant topics (0 = not at all to 10 = extremely). Results: Content analysis revealed five main themes: (1) pre-transplant barriers and concerns; (2) complex relationships with medical teams; (3) informational mismatch; (4) impacts on daily life after transplant; and (5) methods of coping. Participants were most interested in information about ways of coping with transplant (M = 9.11, SD = 1.45) and words of hope and encouragement (M = 9.05, SD = 1.80). At just above the scale’s midpoint, they were least interested in information about side effects and unintended consequences of transplant (M = 5.61, SD = 3.85). Conclusions: Cultural factors, social determinants, and structural inequalities give rise to unique needs in this growing patient population. Healthcare team members and researchers can better meet the needs of H/L transplant recipients through attention to described considerations, such as financial barriers, communication difficulties, family dynamics, and coping styles.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 628-638 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | International Journal of Behavioral Medicine |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2023 |
Funding
This research was funded by National Cancer Institute R01CA223963-03S1. Dr. Chloe Taub was supported by National Cancer Institute T32CA193193.
Keywords
- Cancer disparities
- Culturally informed interventions
- Hispanic/Latinx
- Psychoeducational
- Stem cell transplant
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Psychology