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Developing a Peer-to-Peer mHealth Application to Connect Hispanic Cancer Patients

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Abstract

Cancer and its treatment can significantly impact health-related quality of life (HRQOL) (J Pain Symptom Manag 9 (3):186–192, 1994; Soc Sci Med 46:1569–1584, 1998), particularly for Hispanics (Healthcare Financ Rev 29 (4):23–40, 2008; Psycho-Oncology 21 (2):115–124, 2012). Moreover, providers of cancer support for this population may encounter unique challenges. Grounded in social capital theory, this study identified Spanish-speaking, Hispanic breast cancer survivor support needs and preferences for a mHealth intervention. A user-centered, community-engaged research design was employed, consisting of focus groups made up of constituents from a local Hispanic-serving, cancer support organization. Focus group audio-recordings, translated into English, were coded using a grounded theory analytic approach. First, lead researchers read the complete transcripts to obtain a general sense of the discussion. Next, coding rules were established (e.g., code at the most granular level; double and triple code if necessary, code exhaustively) and initial codebook was created through open-coding. Three new coders were trained to establish requisite kappa statistic levels (≥.70) for inter-rater reliability. With training and discussion, kappa estimates reached .81–.88. Focus group (n = 31) results revealed a mHealth intervention targeting Hispanic cancer patients should not only offer information and support on disease/treatment effects but also respond to the individual’s HRQOL, particularly emotional and social challenges. Specifically, participants expressed a strong desire for Spanish content and to connect with others who had gone through a similar experience. Overall, participants indicated they would have access to and would use such an intervention. Findings indicate positive support for a mHealth tool, which is culturally tailored to Spanish speakers, is available in Spanish, and connects cancer patients with survivors.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the focus group participants for both their time and their sharing of experiences. We would also like to acknowledge Lucia Flores for her assistance on this study, including providing support with the MAESTRA conceptual design, focus group guide Spanish translation, and focus group coding. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their assistance on this study, including providing support with the MAESTRA conceptual design, focus group coding, and translation assistance of individual interviews: Lucia Flores, Juan Rivera, Orlando Aguirre, and Laura Lozano.

Authors’ Contributions

All authors have contributed significantly to the design, analysis, and writing of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Athletics, Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 North St. Louis Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60625, USA

    Jennifer R. Banas

  2. Department of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA

    David Victorson, Sandra Gutierrez & Evelyn Cordero

  3. ALAS-WINGS Latina Cancer Support Organization, Chicago, IL, USA

    Judy Guitleman

  4. Bright Outcome, Buffalo Grove, IL, USA

    Niina Haas

Authors
  1. Jennifer R. Banas
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  2. David Victorson
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  3. Sandra Gutierrez
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  4. Evelyn Cordero
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  5. Judy Guitleman
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  6. Niina Haas
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Correspondence to Jennifer R. Banas.

Ethics declarations

This study was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (3P20CA16559204S1). The contents represent original work and have not been published elsewhere. No commercial party having a direct financial interest in the results of the research supporting this article has or will confer a benefit upon the authors or upon any organization with which the authors are associated.

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Banas, J.R., Victorson, D., Gutierrez, S. et al. Developing a Peer-to-Peer mHealth Application to Connect Hispanic Cancer Patients. J Canc Educ 32, 158–165 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-1066-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-016-1066-6

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