Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Victoria H. Raveis, PhD, Sheindy Pretter, PhD, Monique Carrero, MS, and Tina Sapienza, MSW. Dept. of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University, 100 Haven Ave., Suite 6D, New York, NY 10032, 212-304-5563, vhr1@columbia.edu

Background: Women caring for a first-degree relative with breast cancer represent a vulnerable population. Care provision exposes caregivers to aspects of the cancer experience that may increase their concerns and fears about cancer. Methods: Data is drawn from an investigation of breast cancer survivorship and the family. Interviews have been conducted with a diverse sample of women treated for breast cancer and their first degree caregiving relative, i.e., daughter, sister, mother (n=100 patient-caregiver dyads). The caregivers' narrative accounts were subjected to content analysis to discern themes relevant to perceived breast cancer risk. Findings: The content analysis of the caregivers' narrative accounts documents that caregiving relatives are a vulnerable population and provides insights into the impact and implications of the cancer caregiving experience on the caregiver's perceived cancer risk. The women's accounts documents that their relative's breast cancer diagnosis was a catalytic event that spurred some to initiate health promotion activities (e.g., diet, exercise), increase or initiate screening and disease monitoring activities (e.g., regular medical exams, BSE, mammography), and assess personal risk (i.e., genetic testing). Their narrative reports further delineate how their caregiving provided them with intimate knowledge of their relative's breast cancer experience; knowledge that contributed to their sense of personal risk, increased their illness-related concerns, informed their attitudes and beliefs about the disease and affected their health behavior. Even those who previously did not consider the importance of regular check-ups and mammography screening now saw their value brought home. Some report that since their awareness of their increased risk for breast cancer they experience intrusive thoughts, worry and anxiety about cancer, which alters the quality of their own lives and their hopes for the future. These concerns are also manifested as hypervigilent monitoring and symptom interpretation. Conclusions: The caregivers' narratives indicate that for some their heightened sense of vulnerability to breast cancer was translated into proactive health behavior. While a relative's breast cancer diagnosis may represent a teachable moment for the initiation of primary and secondary cancer prevention activities, clinicians need to appreciate the extent to which caregivers are impacted by their relative's cancer experience. Understanding how at-risk women respond to their perception of increased risk can inform the development of programs and materials to enhance adherence to recommended screening guidelines and behaviors for a healthy lifestyle. The diverse range of behavioral responses these women exhibit need to be addressed when developing risk assessment, counseling and medical management plans.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate the psychosocial issues confronting at-risk women caring for a relative with breast cancer.
• Recognize the contribution that care-provision can make in at-risk women’s perceived cancer risk.
• Describe the range of health promotion and disease prevention behavior at-risk women may initiate.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Caregivers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation