ASPO Abstracts
Psychosocial needs and strengths among Vietnamese American breast cancer patients in Orange County, California
Category: Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2023
Abstract Body:
Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Vietnamese American (VA) women in California, and Orange County has the largest population of Vietnamese Americans in the U.S. We used community-based participatory research processes to identify and address the psychosocial needs of VA breast cancer patients within one year of their cancer diagnoses. Methods: Informed by a 10-member community advisory board, the project held monthly meetings to develop the research protocols and instruments (including qualitative survey and in-depth interview guide), obtain community and university IRB approvals, train community members as interviewers, all throughout the COVID pandemic. Recently diagnosed VA patients at stages I-III were recruited from a community navigation program that serves women throughout the county and word of mouth. Results: To date a total of n=41 surveys (out of a total of n=60 planned) were collected, with mean age of 56 years (range 35-81) and the majority of whom were born in Vietnam (97.3%), married (65,8%), and Buddhist (51.2%). Mean distress (measured by the NCCN distress thermometer) was 5.2 with areas of highest need including memory/concentration, appearance, house cleaning, and financial concerns. In addition, 25% and 42.5% scored 3 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and General Anxiety Disorder-2 measures (respectively), indicating high levels of worry and fears. Women at older age did not vary on perceived social support, but they had significantly higher GAD-2 and PHD-2 scores compared to younger women. Qualitative interviews with n=15 women found high social support from family, friends and co-workers, but many participants were reticent to share their diagnoses due to burdening others and themselves (e.g., dealing with others' panicked responses). Stigma and shame were generally not major issues, although selected participants reported self-blame and others self-consciousness from changes in their physical appearances. Conclusions: Our psychosocial findings are similar to other studies of breast cancer among recently-diagnosed Asian women. VN participants' strengths point to the opportunity to engage supporters in organized, low-contact activities (e.g., house cleaning) that decrease their worries about others.
Keywords: breast cancer, psychosocial, Vietnamese