TY - JOUR
T1 - The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer care and health-related quality of life of non-hispanic black/african american, hispanic/latina and non-hispanic white women diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S.
T2 - A mixed-methods study protocol
AU - Acquati, Chiara
AU - Chen, Tzuan A.
AU - Leal, Isabel Martinez
AU - Connors, Shahnjayla K.
AU - Haq, Arooba A.
AU - Rogova, Anastasia
AU - Ramirez, Stephanie
AU - Reitzel, Lorraine R.
AU - McNeill, Lorna H.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/12/1
Y1 - 2021/12/1
N2 - The COVID-19 pandemic has had critical consequences for cancer care delivery, including altered treatment protocols and delayed services that may affect patients’ quality of life and long-term survival. Breast cancer patients from minoritized racial and ethnic groups already experience worse outcomes, which may have been exacerbated by treatment delays and social determinants of health (SDoH). This protocol details a mixed-methods study aimed at comparing cancer care disruption among a diverse sample of women (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latina) and assessing how proximal, intermediate, and distal SDoH differentially contribute to care continuity and health-related quality of life. An embedded mixed-methods design will be implemented. Eligible participants will complete an online survey, followed by a semi-structured interview (with a subset of participants) to further understand factors that influence continuity of care, treatment decision-making, and self-reported engagement. The study will identify potentially modifiable factors to inform future models of care delivery and improve care transitions. These data will provide the necessary evidence to inform whether a subsequent, multilevel intervention is warranted to improve quality of care delivery in the COVID-19 aftermath. Additionally, results can be used to identify ways to leverage existing social resources to help manage and support patients’ outcomes.
AB - The COVID-19 pandemic has had critical consequences for cancer care delivery, including altered treatment protocols and delayed services that may affect patients’ quality of life and long-term survival. Breast cancer patients from minoritized racial and ethnic groups already experience worse outcomes, which may have been exacerbated by treatment delays and social determinants of health (SDoH). This protocol details a mixed-methods study aimed at comparing cancer care disruption among a diverse sample of women (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black/African American, and Hispanic/Latina) and assessing how proximal, intermediate, and distal SDoH differentially contribute to care continuity and health-related quality of life. An embedded mixed-methods design will be implemented. Eligible participants will complete an online survey, followed by a semi-structured interview (with a subset of participants) to further understand factors that influence continuity of care, treatment decision-making, and self-reported engagement. The study will identify potentially modifiable factors to inform future models of care delivery and improve care transitions. These data will provide the necessary evidence to inform whether a subsequent, multilevel intervention is warranted to improve quality of care delivery in the COVID-19 aftermath. Additionally, results can be used to identify ways to leverage existing social resources to help manage and support patients’ outcomes.
KW - Breast cancer
KW - COVID-19
KW - Cancer care
KW - Cancer care disruption
KW - Care transitions
KW - Ethnic and racial minorities
KW - Health disparities
KW - Health-related quality of life
KW - Mixedmethods design
KW - Women’s health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120948330&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85120948330&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijerph182413084
DO - 10.3390/ijerph182413084
M3 - Article
C2 - 34948695
AN - SCOPUS:85120948330
SN - 1661-7827
VL - 18
JO - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
JF - International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
IS - 24
M1 - 13084
ER -