Psychosocial Intervention Cultural Adaptation for Latinx Patients and Caregivers Coping with Advanced Cancer

Abstract

Latinx advanced cancer patients and caregivers are less likely to have adequate access to culturally congruent psychosocial interventions. Culturally relevant and adapted interventions are more effective within minority groups. We obtained patients’ and caregivers’ initial evaluations of the Caregivers–Patients Support to Latinx coping with advanced-cancer (CASA) protocol. A qualitative study was conducted, and an acceptance questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were conducted to culturally adapt the psychosocial intervention for Latinx coping with cancer. The semi-structured interview described and demonstrated intervention components and elicited feedback about each one. Latinx advanced cancer patients (Stage III and IV) and caregivers (n = 14 each) completed the acceptance survey, and N = 7 each completed semi-structured interviews. A total of 12 of the 14 patients and caregivers (85.7%) reported high acceptance of the goals and purposes of the intervention protocol. They also reported willingness to daily use of the content of the intervention components: Communication Skills, the Willingness of Meaning, Life has Meaning, Freedom of Will, Identity, Creative Sources of Meaning, and Homework. Most of the participants reported high acceptance (n = 9) of integrating family caregivers into therapy and the high acceptance (n = 10) of the length of the 4-session intervention.

Important End-of-Life Topics among Latino Patients and Caregivers Coping with Advanced Cancer

“…The mentor and primary investigator (N.T.-B.) is currently leading a cultural adaption of a psychosocial intervention aimed at Latino patients and caregivers coping with advanced cancer [ 54 ]. Said intervention will consider which topics patients and caregivers would like to discuss and integrate them appropriately during their end-of-life stage.…”

Acceptance of Caregiver–Patient Support to Latinx Coping with Advanced Cancer (CASA) Intervention: A Caregiver Case Study

“…A case study of a participant from the pilot study of the cultural adaptation of CASA [ 30 , 31 , 32 ] is presented, focusing on the comprehension and acceptance of the sources of the meaning of the Latino advanced cancer caregiver’s experience. The Ponce Research Institute Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Ethical Committee approved all the study procedures.…”

“…It is a method that is more suited to capturing information descriptively as opposed to a survey or experimental design [ 34 , 35 ]. In the parent study [ 30 , 31 ], multiple caregivers were interviewed, and most participants were very concise in their interview approach. However, the research team decided to explore the present subject’s data as he was more elaborate when answering our questions, providing us with deeper insight into his experience as a caregiver.…”

“…Patients and caregivers reported acceptance and goals of MCP and CST, feasibility, and therapeutic method. For more information regarding CASA, please access the authors’ intervention acceptability and feasibility publication [ 30 ].…”