TY - JOUR
T1 - Negotiating cancer alone
T2 - A qualitative study exploring care experiences of racially and ethnically diverse women diagnosed with breast cancer during COVID-19
AU - Martinez Leal, Isabel
AU - Acquati, Chiara
AU - Rogova, Anastasia
AU - Chen, Tzuan A.
AU - Connors, Shahnjayla K.
AU - Agrawal, Pooja
AU - McNeill, Lorna H.
AU - Reitzel, Lorraine R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2024/4
Y1 - 2024/4
N2 - COVID-19 has critically impacted cancer care services including reduced screenings, diagnoses, and surgeries; particularly among Black and Latina/x women who already suffer worse outcomes. This qualitative study explored the care experiences of a diverse sample of breast cancer survivors (N = 21; 7 Black, 4 Hispanic, 10 White) undergoing treatment during the pandemic via online semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory analysis yielded the core category “negotiating cancer alone,” that included: (1) psychological distress, negotiating the cancer trajectory in isolation; (2) provider/healthcare system diagnostic and treatment delays; (3) heightened anxiety about treatment delays causing cancer progression; (4) supportive care limitations; and (5) disparate experiences of cancer care disruptions. Black and Latina/x women described greater delays in care, financial challenges, treatment complications, and insurance limitations than White women. The study identifies cancer patients’ pandemic-related psychological, healthcare system, and health equity challenges and suggests recommendations to support their increased psychological needs during oncologic care disruptions.
AB - COVID-19 has critically impacted cancer care services including reduced screenings, diagnoses, and surgeries; particularly among Black and Latina/x women who already suffer worse outcomes. This qualitative study explored the care experiences of a diverse sample of breast cancer survivors (N = 21; 7 Black, 4 Hispanic, 10 White) undergoing treatment during the pandemic via online semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory analysis yielded the core category “negotiating cancer alone,” that included: (1) psychological distress, negotiating the cancer trajectory in isolation; (2) provider/healthcare system diagnostic and treatment delays; (3) heightened anxiety about treatment delays causing cancer progression; (4) supportive care limitations; and (5) disparate experiences of cancer care disruptions. Black and Latina/x women described greater delays in care, financial challenges, treatment complications, and insurance limitations than White women. The study identifies cancer patients’ pandemic-related psychological, healthcare system, and health equity challenges and suggests recommendations to support their increased psychological needs during oncologic care disruptions.
KW - COVID-19
KW - breast cancer
KW - cancer care disruptions
KW - health disparities
KW - health psychology
KW - qualitative research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178171848&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85178171848&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/13591053231214517
DO - 10.1177/13591053231214517
M3 - Article
C2 - 38009435
AN - SCOPUS:85178171848
SN - 1359-1053
VL - 29
SP - 367
EP - 381
JO - Journal of Health Psychology
JF - Journal of Health Psychology
IS - 5
ER -