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Characteristics of successful Asian American and Pacific Islander breast cancer support groups
Methods: Inductive qualitative interviews were conducted in San Gabriel and Carson, California, with a total of 54 individuals from 3 different (AAPI) ethnic groups (Chinese-American, Samoan, and Pilipino-Americans): 22 cancer survivors, 26 caregivers and family members, and 6 key informants.
Results: The cultural elements (i.e. language, cultural etiquette, and spiritual support) provided by these AAPI groups enabled patients, survivors, family, and friends to develop new social networks needed to achieve a greater sense of well-being. However, although the common goal for the support groups was the acceptance of the individuals’ identity as a cancer survivor, the goals of the AAPI culturally-based groups appeared to differ from those mainstream non-Hispanic white culturally-based groups. The goal for the AAPI groups was to experience a shared journey and sense of belonging to build a new “family.” This is in contrast to the more individualized sense of integrity implicitly promoted in support groups that use a dominant U.S. societal definition of personhood.
Conclusions/Implications for Cancer Survivors: These findings indicate that ethnic-specific cultural values and concepts of personhood need to be included in the creation of support groups in diverse populations. Findings from this study could inform the development of a culturally-based cancer support group model that could be used to assess the salient objectives, culturally-grounded goals, and modes of social support for other ethnic groups.
Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health educationDiversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Learning Objectives:
Identify characteristics of successful Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI)-specific cancer support groups.
Compare the different goals and objectives of general/mainstream cancer support groups and ethnic-specific support groups.
Evaluate support group curricula for goals that are inclusive to AAPI women.
Keyword(s): Asian and Pacific Islanders, Cancer and Women’s Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the primary research project coordinator for multiple federally-funded grants, focused on the evaluation and creation of culturally-based cancer support programs as well as differing measures of quality of life among varying ethnic groups of cancer patients and survivors. I have been working towards the goal of creating adaptable curricula for cancer support services, especially for Asian American and Pacific Islanders, throughout my academic and professional career.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.