A Qualitative Investigation of Cancer Survivorship Experiences Among Rural Hispanics

Abstract

Cancer survivorship experiences were explored among Hispanic men and women with cancer and family members of cancer survivors, recruited from two rural Washington communities in the Lower Yakima Valley. Five focus groups were conducted from February 2006 to October 2007 with 31 women and 10 men. Disbelief, fear, sadness, strength, courage, faith, and hope were common reactions to diagnosis. Concerns about family/children, losing medical coupons, and feelings of depression/isolation were identified as challenges faced after diagnosis. Participants identified smoking and environmental exposures as causes of cancer, but many believed operating on tumors caused cancer to spread. Participants used conventional treatments but identified herbal/natural remedies as cures. Most participants reported negative experiences with physicians and believed their community would benefit from language-appropriate information regarding prevention and treatment. The importance of linking survivors through support groups was emphasized and information elicited from sessions has been used to organize survivor support groups in these two communities.

KEYWORDS:

• cancer
• survivorship
• rural Hispanics

This research was supported by the Hispanic Community Network to Reduce Cancer Disparities (1 U01 CA114633), the National Cancer Institute Biobehavioral Cancer Prevention Training Program at the University of Washington (R25 CA092408) and the University of Washington Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Training Program (TL1 RR025016) sponsored by the Institute of Translational Health Sciences. The authors wish to acknowledge all project interview staff as well as the participants in the Yakima Valley.