<i>Praying to win this battle</i>: Cancer Metaphors in Latina and Spanish Women’s Narratives

Magaña, Dalia

doi:10.1080/10410236.2019.1582310

Cited by 26 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…This versatility has been demonstrated in other qualitative analyses of violence metaphors 56 . Finally, in one of the first analyses of the metaphors of non‐English‐speaking patients, Dalia Magaña inspected the breast cancer narratives of fifty‐one Latina and Spanish women 57 and found that violence metaphors were the most commonly used metaphors and that patients used these positively (for instance, to construe cancer as a “malevolent enemy” and themselves as “warriors” 58 ). She concludes that “the functions of violence metaphors include expressing concerns and fears, offering wisdom about their [the metaphor users’] experiences, empowering people by creating a sense of optimism, and urging others not to give up.” 59 For these women, violence metaphors served as a key source of resilience and hope.…”

Section: Wars and Rumors Of Warsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Your Father's a Fighter; Your Daughter's a Vegetable: A Critical Analysis of the Use of Metaphor in Clinical Practice

Tate¹

2020

Hastings Center Report

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There are two widespread beliefs about the use of metaphors in clinical medicine. The first is that military metaphors are harmful to patients and should be discouraged in medical practice. The second is that the metaphors of clinical practice can be judged by and standardized in reference to neutral criteria. In this article, I evaluate both these beliefs, exposing their shared flawed logic. This logic underwrites the false empiricist assumptions that metaphorical language and literal language are fundamentally distinct, play separate roles in communication, and therefore can be independently analyzed, systematized, and prescribed. Next, using the resources of ordinary language philosophy, I lay out a theoretical view of medical metaphors that is grounded in metaphor use within clinician‐patient relationships. Finally, drawing on the work of philosopher Max Black, I diagram a practical conceptual framework for clinicians to use when they consider whether a metaphor is appropriate for a specific patient encounter.

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Section: Wars and Rumors Of Warsmentioning

confidence: 87%

Your Father's a Fighter; Your Daughter's a Vegetable: A Critical Analysis of the Use of Metaphor in Clinical Practice

Tate¹

2020

Hastings Center Report

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“…This study contributes to the growing body of research showing that discrimination has important consequences for health outcomes ( Bey et al, 2019 ; Versey & Curtin, 2016 ) and may also have downstream effects (e.g., increased behavioral intentions stemming from messaging aligned with patients' metaphor preferences and poorer patient-provider communication due to providers’ use of metaphors misaligned with patients' preferences). The focus on discrimination also adds to the limited body of research examining cancer metaphor use in racial/ethnic minority groups ( Magaña, 2020 ; Spina et al, 2018 ) and is particularly important for healthcare messaging ( Kagawa-Singer et al, 2010 ). The U.S. medical system and the media often use battle metaphors when framing cancer treatments and/or screenings ( Hommerberg et al, 2020 ) which may systematically benefit individuals who prefer battle metaphors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Everyday discrimination and cancer metaphor preferences: The mediating effects of needs for personal significance and cognitive closure

Fernandez

Richmond

Nápoles

et al. 2022

SSM - Population Health

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Metaphors are often used to describe cancer experiences (e.g., battle, journey). Few studies explore how social threats (e.g., discrimination) shape metaphor preferences. We examined the relationship between discrimination and preferences for cancer battle metaphors (i.e., concrete, action-based) versus journey metaphors (i.e., open-ended, reflective) and mediating effects of needs for personal significance and cognitive closure. We also stratified the analysis when discrimination was/was not attributed to race and by racial/ethnic group. Four-hundred twenty-seven U.S. participants completed an online survey. Items included everyday discrimination, need for personal significance, need for cognitive closure, and preference for cancer scenarios using battle or journey metaphors. Multigroup structural equation modeling examined: serial mediation (i.e., discrimination predicting metaphor preference via needs for personal significance and cognitive closure) stratified by discrimination attribution; and single mediation (i.e., discrimination predicting need for cognitive closure via need for personal significance) stratified by racial/ethnic group. Discrimination was associated with battle metaphor preferences through serial mediation when discrimination was not attributed to race (β = 0.02, 95% CI [0.01,0.05]). Discrimination was directly associated with journey metaphor preferences (β = −0.20, 95% CI [-0.37,-0.06]) and the serial mediation was nonsignificant when discrimination was attributed to race. The single mediation model varied across racial/ethnic groups and was strongest for Non-Hispanic White participants (β = 0.17, 95% CI [0.07,0.30]). Discrimination may shape cancer metaphor preferences through needs for personal significance and cognitive closure, yet these relationships differ based on whether discrimination is attributed to race and racial/ethnic group. Given that the U.S. health system often focuses on battle metaphors when framing cancer treatment and screenings, individuals who prefer journey metaphors (i.e., those who experienced more frequent racial discrimination in the present study) may experience a systematic disadvantage in cancer communication. A more careful consideration of cultural, racial, and ethnic differences in metaphor use may be a crucial step towards reducing cancer disparities.

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“…Prayer and song, as expressions of spirituality, have been used to comfort persons with serious medical illness in many cultures (Hamilton et al, 2020; Nzwalo et al, 2020), and this is no different for Latino populations (Magaña, 2020). Singing religious songs has also enabled the African American community to maintain a positive sense of self and cope with pain and suffering (Hamilton et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Call the Rezadora: Aiding Latino Families at the End of Life

Larson

Jewell

Maldonado

et al. 2021

Hisp Health Care Int

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Introduction: The rezadora, a lay spiritual leader, provides support to Latino families as they provide end-of-life (EOL) care for loved ones. The purpose of this study was to learn about the work of the rezadora in Guatemala as a resource for Latinos with serious illness in the United States. Methods: An ethnographic exploratory case study was conducted during summer 2018 in rural Guatemala. We interviewed three rezadoras who resided in two villages. The study yielded two cases, the single case and the paired case, which allowed for a holistic view of how the rezadora serves the community. Results: Content and thematic analysis led to two themes: Essence of being called and Power of prayerful song. Essence of being called was represented by the prominence of the rezadora and their perpetual faith work. Power of prayerful song was characterized through the mission, customs, and the presence of the rezadora. A good death was aided by the rezadora in this context. Conclusions: As the Latino population ages in place, the need for palliative and EOL care services will increase. Lay spiritual leaders could enhance the palliative care teams in these communities and improve the quality of life for Latinos with serious illness.

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Praying to win this battle: Cancer Metaphors in Latina and Spanish Women’s Narratives

Cited by 26 publications

References 33 publications

Your Father's a Fighter; Your Daughter's a Vegetable: A Critical Analysis of the Use of Metaphor in Clinical Practice

Your Father's a Fighter; Your Daughter's a Vegetable: A Critical Analysis of the Use of Metaphor in Clinical Practice

Everyday discrimination and cancer metaphor preferences: The mediating effects of needs for personal significance and cognitive closure

Call the Rezadora: Aiding Latino Families at the End of Life

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