Treatment challenges and support needs of underserved Hispanic patients diagnosed with lung cancer and head-and-neck cancer

Abstract

Purpose: We explored the treatment challenges and support needs that Hispanic underserved lung cancer and head-and-neck cancer patients face while undergoing cancer treatment.

Design: Qualitative design - ethnography.

Sample: Using a sample of 29 participants, we conducted semi-structured interviews with nine lung cancer and head-and-neck cancer survivors and seven health care providers and focus group interviews with six caregivers and seven patient navigators.

Method: Relevant themes were extracted with Ethnographic content analysis.

Findings: Participants reported treatment challenges and support needs in four areas: medical, financial, socio-cultural, and mental health. Health care providers and navigators primarily identified medical and financial challenges that impact treatment adherence, while patients and caregivers expressed the need for support for mental health problems (i.e., depression, anxiety).

Implications for psychosocial providers: Understanding the experiences of underserved Hispanic cancer survivors can aid in creating psychosocial interventions that successfully target treatment-related challenges and provide them with the support they need.

Keywords:

• disparities
• treatment
• Hispanic
• lung cancer
• head and neck cancers

Acknowledgements

Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NCI. We want to thank Drs. Estevan Flores, Paula Espinoza, Al Marcus, and Tim Byers for their generous advice that made such funding possible.

Funding

This work was supported by a grant to Dr. Borrayo from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (parent Grant Number U01, CA114604: Dr. Paula Espinoza, Principal Investigator).