This randomized clinical trial studies a support group program in improving quality of life in underserved urban Latina breast cancer survivors. A psychosocial support group program may help reduce distress and improve health-related quality of life in underserved urban Latina breast cancer survivors.
I. Evaluate the effect of the support program for Latina breast cancer survivors using validated measures of health-related quality of life.
II. Evaluate the effect of the support program for Latina breast cancer survivors using validated measures of general distress.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. A brief qualitative assessment will evaluate the perception of the program among intervention participants using a brief survey.
OUTLINE: Participants are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.
ARM I: Participants attend support group sessions over 1-1.5 hours once weekly for 10 weeks. The sessions include facilitated discussions among participants about the following topics: stress management and emotional coping strategies, nutrition and physical activity, sexuality and body image, medical advocacy, self-care and social support. Participants receive a binder in which the rationale for each topic, techniques learned, and activities completed during each session will be summarized and are shown a Chair-robics digital video disc (DVD).
ARM II: Participants receive one phone call to arrange a follow-up with the promotora, a note acknowledging their participation in the study, and a community resource booklet. Participants are then yoked into one of the 3 intervention groups and asked to attend a 30 minute session similar to Arm I.
Latino Spanish-speaking Diagnosed with breast cancer A current resident of either King, Snohomish or Pierce counties in Washington State with the intent of remaining a resident for at least 3 months following study enrollment Additionally, at time of enrollment, participants must be post-treatment (with the exception of adjuvant therapy) for their primary cancer and not actively undergoing treatment for a secondary, metastatic, or recurrence of cancer (local or distant) There will be no restrictions on time since diagnosis for participants
