142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

310073
Improving Quality of Life Among Latino Breast Cancer Survivors: A National Randomized Control Trial of Patient Navigators

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Sandra San Miguel, MS , Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Institute for Health Promotion Research, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Arely Perez, MS , Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The Univeristy of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Edgar Munoz, MS , The Institute of Health Promotion Research, Dept of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Leopoldo Castillo , Department of Medical Social Sciences, IL
Sarah R. Arvey, PhD , Research and Evaluation, LIVESTRONG Foundation, TX
Kipling Gallion, MA , Dept of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX
Frank Penedo, PhD , Department of Medical Social Sciences / Northwestern University, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
Amelie G. Ramirez, DrPH , Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, Institute for Health Promotion Research, San Antonio, TX
Purpose: Latino cancer survivors experience an unequal burden of unmet needs after treatment, which compromise their health care and wellness; experts recommend providing psychosocial services as an integral part of quality cancer care. 

Methods: Redes En Acción: The National Latino Cancer Research Network and LIVESTRONG partnered to conduct a randomized control trial utilizing trained, bilingual, bicultural patient navigators to improve wellness and access to psychosocial services among non-metastatic Latino breast cancer survivors from Texas and Chicago. The trial tests the efficacy of patient navigation (PN) in improving general and disease-specific quality of life (QoL), treatment compliance, and identification of mechanisms that may promote quality of life. The study involves a 2 X 4 randomized repeated measures design with an experimental condition (combined PN over three months with access to the LIVESTRONG Cancer Navigation Center [LCNC] services [PN+LCNC]) versus a control condition (PN only) as the between-groups factor, and time-point (baseline/pre-randomization [T1]; post-PN [3-months post-T1; T2], and 6- [T3] and 12-months [T4] follow-up after T2) as the within-groups factor. LCNC provides free, bilingual support to U.S. cancer survivors throughout the cancer journey. LCNC also refers survivors to services addressing their medical, economic and psychosocial needs, and monitors client contact and access outcomes.

Preliminary Results: Ongoing active recruitment is 205 subjects. At conference we will present quality of life data on breast cancer participants, and lessons learned.

Discussion: Limited work has addressed the psychosocial needs of Latino cancer survivors. Culturally sensitive patient navigation (PN) could address these needs and significantly improve cancer survivorship.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the importance of patient navigators in Latino underserved communities to ensure the successful implementation of a national research project (i.e., providing cancer education, support and referral to cancer survivorship resources to promote wellness and QoL).

Keyword(s): Latinos, Cancer and Women’s Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I’m a junior faculty member at my institute and I’ve coordinated multiple federally funded grants focusing on Latino cancer health disparities, training and supervising promotores. Among my scientific interests has been the development of health promotion strategies utilizing promotores as behavioral health agents to ultimately improve the QoL of the Hispanic/Latino population affected by cancer and other chronic diseases.
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.