Concerns about breast cancer and relations to psychosocial well-being in a multiethnic sample of early-stage patients.

Abstract

Much work on psychosocial sequelae of breast cancer has been guided by the assumption that body image and partner reaction issues are focal. In a tri-ethnic sample of 223 women treated for early-stage breast cancer within the prior year, the authors assessed a wider range of concerns and relations to well-being. Strongest concerns were recurrence, pain, death, harm from adjuvant treatment, and bills. Body-image concerns were moderate; concern about rejection was minimal. Younger women had stronger sexual and partner-related concerns than older women. Hispanic women had many stronger concerns and more disruption than other women. Life and pain concerns and sexuality concerns contributed uniquely to predicting emotional and psychosexual disruption; life and pain concerns and rejection concerns contributed to predicting social disruption. In sum, adaptation to breast cancer is a process bearing on several aspects of the patient's life space.

Body image and sexual problems in young women with breast cancer

“…Results of the current study are also inconsistent with prior research showing that Latina women were more vulnerable than Euro-American women to concerns about sexuality issues, rejection, partner concerns and sexual disruption, while AfricanAmerican women were the least concerned (Spencer et al, 1999). However, these results are consistent with a new report by Ashing-Giwa et al (2004) who, based on open-ended interviews, report that both Euro-Americans and Latinas report that their 'damaged womanhood' resulted in decreases in sexual desire and activity after breast cancer.…”

“…The finding that Latinas had fewer sexual problems after breast cancer treatment than Euro-American women contrasts with the report by Spencer and colleagues, who found that Latina women with early stage breast cancer were more likely than other racial/ethnic groups to report sexual problems (Spencer et al, 1999). Results of the current study are also inconsistent with prior research showing that Latina women were more vulnerable than Euro-American women to concerns about sexuality issues, rejection, partner concerns and sexual disruption, while AfricanAmerican women were the least concerned (Spencer et al, 1999).…”

“…There are a few studies with quantitative and qualitative results with ethnically diverse groups. Results from these studies have found both similarities among patients (Pikler and Winterowd, 2003;Ashing-Giwa et al, 1999) as well as ethnic differences (Kagawa-Singer et al, 1997;Spencer et al, 1999) in their responses to breast cancer treatment. For example, Spencer and colleagues found that Latina women were more likely to report sexual problems than were other racial/ethnic groups and African-American women were the less concerned than Euro-American and Latina women about sexuality issues and partner concerns (Spencer et al, 1999).…”

Finding Benefit in Breast Cancer During the Year After Diagnosis Predicts Better Adjustment 5 to 8 Years After Diagnosis.

“…E-mail: ccarver@miami.edu obtained informed consent, and proceeded with data collection (for more detail, see Spencer et al, 1999).…”

Sexual Self Schema as a Moderator of Sexual and Psychological Outcomes for Gynecologic Cancer Survivors

“…This was expected, as health worries are the source of greatest concern among survivors (Spencer et al, 1999) and health impairments impact patients' return to normal routines (Bradley et al, 2005), and even the meaning patients derive following the cancer experience (Jim & Andersen, 2007). The variables contributed significant variance-5 to 25% across the sexual outcomes and 23 to 40% across the psychological outcomes.…”